《The Mighty Dragons Are Dead》


 Chapter 1

    After resting for a week due to food poisoning and trying to adapt to his new identity, Liszt still often found it unbelievable.


    He had been reborn as a noble in an alternate universe after his sudden death during work.


    This alternate universe seemed similar to medieval Europe, when castles and knights dominated everything, but it was also a marvelous world where dragons and elves existed. The knights could practice their combat auras, and there were mysterious magi. Even he had picked up the basic combat aura and become a beginner knight.


    Beginner¡¯s combat aura.


    A stream of energy circulated in his body and reached his hands. He immediately felt that his hands were burning with power.


    The stinging expansion made him feel that he could tear a tiger apart.


    The knights¡¯ domination over these sprawling lands was based on the combat aura that represented power.


    Those who grasped the preliminary combat aura were known as beginner knights, those with intermediate combat aura were earth knights, and those with advanced combat aura were sky knights.


    Leewilliam Tulip, Liszt¡¯s father and Earl of Coral Island, was a sky knight who had mastered the advanced combat aura. He had absolute power in his dominion, the size of a small city¡ªas long as his loyalty to Archduke Sapphire remained unchanged.


    It was a shame that, as the earl¡¯s third son, he failed to inherit the talents of the Tulips. He was still only a beginner knight when he reached adulthood.


    Levis Tulip, his elder brother, had become an earth knight at thirteen years old, and he was already strong enough to defeat three earth knights at the same time.


    Lvera Tulip, his elder sister, had also turned into an earth knight before adulthood.


    He also had a younger half-brother, named Lytton Tulip. The boy was only twelve, but it was said that he would become an earth knight soon.


    Liszt had taken mostly after his mother, the late wife of the earl. With his short, curly blond hair, his sapphire eyes, his fair skin, and his remarkable height, he looked like everything expected of a noble. However, his talents were simply too lacking.


    Perhaps because he looked a lot like his mother, the earl once had high hopes for him.


    However, the more hopeful one was, the more disappointed they tended to be later.


    After he grew up, his father became indifferent to him because of this disappointment.


    His brother, Levis, was temporarily listed as Lifelong Viscount and would eventually inherit his father¡¯s title. His sister, Lvera, was also promoted to be the Baroness of Falcon Town, which made her one of the few female nobles in Archduchy Sapphire who had an actual dominion instead of a mere title.


    On the other hand, he was only listed as a baron like his sister, and his territory was Flower Town, which was at the most remote corner of Coral Island.


    Liszt, as gentle as his mother, had been bullied by his brother and sister while he grew up. His communication with the earl lessened, too. In the end, he would rather live in the knights¡¯ academy than go home.


    Thankfully, he was a loser that nobody paid attention to. Nobody realized that I replaced him¡­ Also, it feels great to have my own territory where I have absolute power. The initial panic had passed, and Liszt was trying to melt into this world.


    He didn¡¯t have a choice. He had to live like a native, because transmigraters did not have many advantages in this world. Magic and combat aura were way ahead of modern-day technology, making it impossible for him to build nuclear weapons. So, he had to drop the idea of competing with magic and combat aura with technology.


    After he learned more details of this world, he found it more and more necessary to keep a low profile, because minerals all came from dragons, and the plants couldn¡¯t flourish without elves!


    Without dragons and elves, farming and industrial revolution would just be fantasies!


    However, dragons and elves were extremely rare. Archduchy Sapphire had only one dragon, which the Archduke Sapphire of 150 years ago rode. The whole Sapphire family was built on this dragon.


    It was said that a dragon could live a thousand years, which meant that Archduchy Sapphire could still enjoy hundreds of years of prosperity.


    Elves were more common than dragons, but they had a strict hierarchy.


    Leewilliam Tulip, Liszt¡¯s father, boasted a tulip big elf. It helped the family grow tulips, and the family changed their last name to Tulip after its rise. Big elves could live for two hundred years. If everything went well, the Tulips would still prosper for 150 years.


    Below big elves were little elves that could live a hundred years.


    The Tulips had twelve little elves. They helped the family grow all kinds of crops.


    Below the little elves were elvish insects. They were spirits born inside plants, and they could influence the growth of these plants. With any luck, they could evolve into little elves in ten years before they died. However, elvish insects were extremely rare, too.


    The Tulips had farmed on Coral Island for more than twenty years and harvested more than 150 elvish insects in total, including the dead ones. Only twelve of them evolved into little elves.


    Elves¡­ It¡¯s a pity that the earl truly disliked my former self. Even Lvera got one little elf, but I only have four elvish insects!


    In the ceremony of Liszt¡¯s adulthood, the Earl of Coral Island proclaimed him Baron of Flower Town and offered him four elvish insects. Nothing more.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s dinnertime. Shall we start?¡± Carter, the butler, knocked on the door and came in.


    ¡°Already? Okay. Please invite my teachers to join us.¡± Liszt stretched. He had been quite lonely while he rested and recovered.


    Soon, his teachers gathered together.


    The person with blond hair and a tailcoat was Goltai, his family teacher. The man was 45 years old and an unappreciated knight attached to the Tulips. He was mainly responsible for Liszt¡¯s academics. Of course, his main job was to help Liszt manage Flower Town as the administrative officer of the town.


    ¡°Liszt, you look much better. Thank god that you are running healthily again,¡± said Goltai cheerfully and casually.


    The other person, who was grim and solemn, was Marcus, Liszt¡¯s knight teacher.


    He was already an earth knight, but he did not have any title yet. His family had been serving the Tulips as squires for generations until he emerged as an earth knight.


    Liszt smiled. ¡°My teachers are here. Mr. Carter, please serve the food.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± Carter left the dinner room gracefully and informed the kitchen.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, my body has mostly recovered. I¡¯d like to resume my knightly training tomorrow,¡± said Liszt.


    Marcus was expressionless. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Liszt smiled. He knew that the earth knight would rather fight in battlefields, earn titles, and find his way into the upper class, than be stranded in a desolate place like Flower Town as Liszt¡¯s knight teacher.


    Liszt was famous for his lack of talent, which meant that it was almost impossible for him to become a noble by serving Liszt.


    Very soon, the footmen and maids served the dishes.


    There was not much food. Quality of life in Flower Town was below average. As an unfavored son, Liszt did not own enough assets to support an extravagant lifestyle.


    Liszt, however, ate carefully.


    Transmigration could be tricky. It was already extremely lucky for him to turn into a noble. In this world, most civilians were just two-legged lambs at the nobles¡¯ mercy.


    Even his teachers were actually his servants, and he could decide their fates easily.

 Chapter 2

    Roasted goat, boiled lamprey, a slice of apple and pear pulp, wheat beer with hops, and white bread made of fine flour.


    This was Liszt¡¯s dinner.


    He did not really like western food, but he couldn¡¯t make his favorite foods at all. Also, nobles were not expected to go to kitchens or warehouses in this world, or they would be laughed at.


    Of course, the court was an exception.


    The cooks and servants of the court were all nobles of lesser rank. Liszt¡¯s father, Earl of Coral Island, was once the stable boy for Archduke Sapphire. He was responsible for feeding the archduke¡¯s beloved horse which carried the bloodline of dragons.


    Even today, the Earl of Coral Island was summoned into the palace as a groom now and then.


    He couldn¡¯t have enjoyed it more. Actually, he often feared that other nobles would replace him as the groom and disrupt the intimacy between him and the archduke.


    Also, Archduke Sapphire was once the valet for the monarch of the Iron Mountain Kingdom, catering to all of his liege¡¯s needs.


    Basically, civilians were nobles¡¯ servants, and lesser nobles were the big nobles¡¯ servants.


    Only the king of a country could be a master.


    Thankfully, in Flower Town, I am the only master, and I don¡¯t need to serve anyone, Levis thought delightedly while having the unsatisfactory dinner.


    His father disliked him and barely visited him.


    After dinner, Carter ordered the maids to clear the table, and the valet fetched mouthwash for Liszt.


    After everything was done, Carter left with the servants. ¡°I¡¯ll be outside the door. Please give me instructions if you have any.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Carter.¡± Liszt smiled like a real gentleman. Thanks to his former self, he did not need to learn noble etiquette at all.


    Even the humble servants must be treated courteously. The manners of nobles must be maintained on the surface, no matter what their real attitude was.


    ¡°It¡¯s my honor to serve you.¡± Carter closed the door.


    ¡°Liszt,¡± said Goltai after sipping some honeyed tea, ¡°we should make use of the elvish insects as soon as possible, but the finances of the town are too horrible. The last administrative officer was an idiot who did nothing but suppress the town. He left us a mess!¡±


    ¡°I know. Please find a suitable place for the elvish insects as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s my responsibility.¡±


    Liszt turned to Marcus. ¡°Will it be difficult to investigate the monsters between Thorn Hill and Flower Town? They harass the farmers now and then. As their liege, I must protect them.¡±


    Marcus replied, ¡°Thorn Hill is a large place. The monsters are not in a fixed area. Since you have only four squires, even if I figure out the hideouts of the monsters, it¡¯s still impossible to resist them. The town¡¯s patrolmen will only pee their pants before the monsters.¡±


    Flower Town was located at the northeastern corner of Coral Island and neighbored by Thorn Hill. It was also frequented by monsters, so few merchant caravans were willing to come.


    Without the aid of elves, it was barely possible for the farmers to make ends meet, not to mention that they had to pay taxes to the Tulips, the rulers of Coral Island.


    The nobles cared only about their revenue. They were not concerned about the quality of life of the farmers.


    The Tulips were not an exception.


    Liszt, however, could not turn a blind eye to it. As a young man born in the modern age, he considered it his responsibility to save his people from disasters. Besides, only if Flower Town was wealthy could he enjoy more as its liege.


    For the public and for himself, he had to develop Flower Town.


    ¡°There are ways to deal with them. Mr. Marcus, will you accompany me to visit Thorn Hill tomorrow? I haven¡¯t gotten the measure of Flower Town yet.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, that¡¯s not a good idea. You¡¯d better stay in town. Don¡¯t forget that you almost died in Thorn Hill.¡± Goltai immediately stopped him.


    Liszt shook his head. ¡°It was because I accidentally ate poisonous fruit last time. I¡¯ll pay more attention this time.¡±


    Marcus simply said, ¡°I¡¯ll inform your squires and decide the route of your visit tonight to ensure your safety.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You should be cautious,¡± Goltai said helplessly.


    Liszt did not say anything more. His teachers were unaware of his real plan. His body hadn¡¯t completely recovered yet. If it were up to him, he would¡¯ve waited until he was well before he went out. He had to ride a horse since he did not have a wagon.


    Riding horses was not easy in his inherited memories, because there were no saddles and stirrups here¡ªknights with combat aura could ride horses or any other creature without any help.


    Saddles will prevent the combat aura from combining with the horse¡­ But isn¡¯t it uncomfortable to just sit on the back of the horse? thought Liszt after seeing his teachers off.


    ¡°My lord, when do you plan to go to bed?¡± his valet came in and asked.


    ¡°After ten. Thomas, bring a candle to my study. I want to read.¡± Liszt sent his valet away.


    Thomas seemed disappointed. He hadn¡¯t found an opportunity to prove himself these days. Liszt always sent him away instead of asking for his service.


    As a valet, he felt that the baron did not like him, and he was worried about his job.


    He concerns were valid. Liszt did not like valets. Every time Thomas helped him get dressed, Liszt had goosebumps all over his body. He hated aristocracy!


    Why couldn¡¯t male nobles have handmaids?


    The study was illuminated by the candle that Thomas brought. Liszt rose and pulled the curtain. He saw few lights in the town not far away.


    Everything was dim.


    There was no nightlife, but only infinite silence, in a town where people could hardly keep their bellies full.


    Is this my territory? It¡¯s poor and underdeveloped, but it belongs to me. This town is my independent country¡­ and I¡¯ll build it into a paradise!


    In his trance, a faint mist popped up before Liszt. The mist zigzagged into intricate characters that looked like bundles of snakes. That was the general language of the Iron Mountain Kingdom, known as the Ophidian. The origin of the language was untraceable. Recording history was not a habit of the people here.


    Having inherited all the memories of his former self, Liszt could understand the Ophidian language.


    He had been baffled by the content for a week.


    Mission: As a liege, you need to understand everything in your territory. Please inspect Flower Town, get to know the crises of the place, and make preparations for future development. Reward: sublimation of combat aura.


    It was short and uncomplicated.


    However, Liszt could not understand why he could see the misty Ophidian words. His former self¡¯s memories suggested that they had been appearing since his childhood, but they were very fuzzy back then, to the point that he thought it was an illusion.


    It was not until the soul transmigration that Liszt finally saw the words clearly.


    After a brief daze, he reached for the mist, but it immediately disappeared, further proving that it was just an illusion.


    However, Liszt did not feel that it was an illusion. What if it was a side effect of transmigration, or the representation of a certain system? He intended to test it in person.


    The mission would be accomplished after he visited his dominion. He would see if he would be rewarded.


    If he didn¡¯t, then it was only an illusion.


    If he did, it was an advantage.


    Or was it a transmigrater¡¯s goldfinger, which had arrived before he did?

 Chapter 3

    Thomas left the study, upset. He stopped at the stairs and intended to light a cigarette, only to remember that it had been hidden under his pillow.


    The butler had strictly forbidden the servants from smoking in the castle.


    ¡°Thomas, why are you hiding here?¡± A maid appeared from downstairs. She was in her thirties and wearing a black and white dress, with a mop and a bucket in her hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Does the lord still reject your service?¡±


    Thomas slapped the wall angrily. ¡°Mathy, why do you think the lord dislikes me? I¡¯ve never been a valet before, but I was Viscount Roosevelt¡¯s first footman. I¡¯m qualified for the job.¡±


    ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not a maid in Tulip Castle at all. I never saw the lord before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only asking if I¡¯m not good enough.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you should ask Mr. Carter or Mrs. Mason¡­ But I don¡¯t think you need to worry about it. His lordship has only three servants. Jesse is the assistant, and Tom is too stupid to serve the lord. Nobody is more qualified as a valet than you in this town.¡±


    Thomas brightened. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m told that his lordship was not appreciated by the earl in Tulip Castle. Perhaps he will spend the rest of his life as Baron of Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Mathy, do you regret following his lordship here?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me. Life here can¡¯t be worse than starvation at the farm. Besides, I¡¯ve already been sold to his lordship. Regrets are useless.¡±


    Thomas was about to speak, when someone interrupted him. ¡°Do you not need to work? Thomas, Mathy, mind your behavior. Do not talk outside the bedroom or kitchen!¡± Carter, butler of the shabby castle, had arrived.


    He was inspecting the castle with a series of keys and a bottle of wine.


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Carter. We¡¯re going to work.¡± Thomas and Mathy left in a hurry, resuming their business.


    The small nobles were servants to the big nobles, and footmen and maids were to some extent servants to the butler. Aristocracy was always hierarchical.


    The castle was small, but there was plenty of work.


    Even though Liszt was the only noble that required service, the daily chores were still burdensome. The house had to be cleaned every morning and every night. Laundry, hot water, food, toilet¡­ There was too much work for the servants.


    However, it did not mean that Carter was free. On the contrary, besides managing the servants, Carter had to welcome guests, receive letters, maintain the tableware, manage the wine cellar, and take care of the most important guests.


    Carter was already 50 years old. He was a senior in an age when the average lifespan was less than 55 years.


    He knocked on the door of the study.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Liszt¡¯s gentle voice called. He had the ¡°iron tongue¡± that was popular in the upper class. Nobles in the Iron Mountain Kingdom were proud of the accent.


    Carter took a deep breath.


    He wasn¡¯t familiar with Liszt in Tulip Castle. Back then, he was responsible for one of the earl¡¯s estates, until he was appointed as Liszt¡¯s butler in the ceremony for his adulthood. He had been promoted, but his wages actually dropped.


    However, Carter did not complain. It had been 35 years since he was sold to the Tulips. Unmarried, he considered himself part of the Tulip family.


    It would definitely be a happy ending if he could spend the last years of his life with Baron Liszt, a blood descendant of the Tulip family.


    ¡°My lord, reading at night hurts the eye. You must take care of yourself. Candles are not as good as sunlight.¡±


    Liszt smiled and shifted his eyes from the thick book to the weary butler. ¡°Mr. Carter, have you inspected all the rooms?¡±


    ¡°All the rooms have been locked except those where servants are still working.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Liszt noticed the wine in Carter¡¯s hand. Most nobles were alcoholics. It was even a ritual that the master of a castle would have a drink with the butler and chat about the castle before they went to sleep.


    Liszt was not fond of liquor, but his former self loved it. So, his body still had needs for wine.


    The alcohol here was not very strong. He could barely get drunk unless he gulped it like beer.


    The butler poured them wine, and they tapped their cups together.


    After swirling the wine, Liszt sipped it. ¡°Is the money in the castle enough for the rest of the year?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s difficult. You haven¡¯t brought much wine from Tulip Castle. There isn¡¯t much flour left. Few merchants are willing to come to Flower Town, so we can¡¯t buy anything with coins. However, the good news is that there are many fruits in Tulip Castle.¡±


    Being an unappreciated son, Liszt was not offered much during the separation.


    As he recalled, his sister had thirty wagons of items when she left the family, and he had nothing but a few horses to carry his luggage.


    His former self had been angry, but for him, it was not a big deal. After all, he was not the earl¡¯s real son. Actually, it could be quite tricky for him to show intimacy to his fake father.


    ¡°We can¡¯t live without wheat.¡± Liszt put down the cup and said, ¡°To develop Flower Town, roads must be built!¡±


    The main food here was bread.


    Without the white bread made of wheat, Liszt would have to eat rye bread. If Liszt lost smooth white bread after losing his hometown cuisines, he would starve.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to build roads. Thorn Hill is too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured about that. I¡¯ll take care of it. The future of Flower Town will not be limited by poverty, and the castle will have a name,¡± Liszt said solemnly.


    Only splendid castles bore names. Liszt¡¯s place was too shabby to be even called a castle. Other nobles would laugh at him if he gave it a name.


    ¡°Are the elvish insects taken care of?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    They finished their drinks.


    Carter bid farewell. ¡°My lord, have a good night.¡±


    ¡°You, too, Mr. Carter.¡±


    After Carter left, Liszt read the book that introduced Archduchy Sapphire. It was as thick as a dictionary, but there was actually very little content, because the paper was too thick.


    How was paper invented? Liszt remembered the procedure to make thin paper. When I have more time, I have to invent the paper I know¡­ Industrial revolution doesn¡¯t seem to be an option, but there¡¯s plenty of ways to become rich.


    He was somehow absentminded again.


    As he expected, the misty Ophidian words appeared again.


    Mission: As a liege, you need to understand everything in your territory. Please inspect Flower Town, get to know the crises of the place, and make preparations for future development. Reward: sublimation of combat aura.

 Chapter 4

    The next morning, the calculations were sent to Liszt after he had breakfast and finished the training session.


    His heart was cold as he observed the low, desolate castle. He had no doubt that his future was as unpromising as the castle.


    The castle was built on a hill at the southwestern corner of the town.


    It did not have a high wall, archer towers, battlements, a moat, or a splendid gate.


    It was simply a two-storied house that was slightly larger than usual.


    The stone walls had cracks. Many tiles had fallen off the roof. There was no telling if it would leak on rainy days.


    It was said that this shabby castle was built a hundred years ago, when Coral Island was not the earl¡¯s territory yet, by local nobles. After Coral Island was given to the earl, he renovated it as his manor in case he visited Flower Town. However, he never did.


    The castle had been claimed by Baron Liszt.


    Marcus, as an earth knight who had ambitions on the battlefield, was forced to be a frequent guest of the castle.


    Together with Baron Liszt, he defended Flower Town, which did not even have a road.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, good morning.¡± Tom, the footman who was fetching water from the well in the town, greeted him respectfully.


    Marcus responded casually, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t remember Tom¡¯s first name, but he knew the man¡¯s last name to be Pigpen, which was a classic surname for civilians. His own family name was ¡°Wheel¡± because his grandfather, as a coachman, rolled wheels all the time.


    Civilians were surnamed after what they were most familiar with.


    He envied the surnames of nobles, such as Tulip. He had to work much harder to earn himself a similar surname. All the good surnames were not open to civilians. Flower, Gem, Metal¡­ Nobles never allowed civilians to demean them!


    Soon, four tall guys in leather armor came behind Marcus.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus.¡± They greeted him.


    ¡°Carl, Rom, Gray, Auden, you¡¯re here.¡± Marcus greeted them. They were Liszt¡¯s squires.


    Squires were servants to knights. They were responsible for taking care of knights on the battlefield.


    Marcus was essentially a squire himself, but he was a free man while the squires had been sold to their master.


    Soon, Liszt, who was still drowsy, walked out of the leaky gate of the castle. He was wearing a simple training suit. With his handsome face, his height, and his unique vibe, he was certainly the most attractive person there.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Marcus, Carl Hammer, Rom Barrel, Gray Sickle, and Auden Shoepad.¡±


    ¡°Lord Baron, let¡¯s begin the class.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    In the hill before the castle, Liszt began his knightly training. His four squires hadn¡¯t picked up combat aura yet, so they were only working out.


    Fighting aura was passed on through bloodlines. Few civilians could grasp it.


    As a matter of fact, Liszt felt that it had more to do with nutrition. How could civilians condense the power inside their bodies into combat aura when they were always hungry?


    Few nobles failed to grasp combat aura as long as they tried.


    It was also why nobles were the ruling class. With enough money and food, they cultivated combat aura and exploited the civilians, making them even richer and stronger, leading them to exploit civilians even more.


    The milk and bread in the morning provided nutrition for Liszt.


    He practiced basics of combat aura under Marcus¡¯s tutelage. He had been doing it since six, but to little avail. The combat aura made him stronger than civilians, but he was too weak compared to earth knights and beginner knights. Marcus could beat him single-handedly.


    Mysterious feelings, experiences like I never had, training¡­ I wonder what the reward will be after the mission is accomplished. Will I become an earth knight?


    Feeling the combat aura inside his body, Liszt worked hard.


    The morning class did not stop until an hour later.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, have some water. We will leave in ten minutes.¡± Liszt wiped his sweat. The class was quite exhausting.


    Carter had already asked the servants to serve milk tea.


    The four squires all got a cup of tea that had meat, milk, and eggs. They sipped the delicious drinks and forgot the exhaustion of the past hour.


    Marcus and Liszt, on the other hand, had additional cheese and cookies.


    After they finished eating and got changed, Thomas, the valet, had already brought Liszt¡¯s horse over. It was an adult horse that was almost purely red, although it was only a foal when it was given to him as a birthday present when he was twelve.


    The horse snorted and nuzzled Liszt¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Fire Dragon, my old friend, you must be yearning for a ride.¡± Comforting the horse, Liszt seated himself on it agilely.


    Marcus and the four squires rode horses, too. Marcus¡¯s was a yellow and gray horse that looked rather impressive. It was his own property. The horses of the squires belonged to Liszt, although they were handed to the squires.


    ¡°My lord, safe journey,¡± Carter said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Liszt cracked the whip, urging the horse to run. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Liszt, who was leading the ride, wore leather armor made of monster hide that only nobles could afford. It was light and offered better protection than regular armor did.


    With the black armor, the sword on his waist, and the helmet topped with pheasant¡¯s feathers, he couldn¡¯t have looked more awesome.


    His squires, in addition to their own swords and shields, had to carry a large spear and backup weapons such as hammers and flails, as well as the food and drink for lunch.


    Marcus had a bow apart from his favorite spear. He was a great archer, an identity that he was more proud of. It was also why he was confident enough to distinguish himself on Coral Island and be properly knighted.


    Da! Da! Da! Da! Da! Da!


    The horses¡¯ hooves thudded against the earth and they soon reached the town, the first destination on Liszt¡¯s tour.

 Chapter 5

    Flower Town was at the northeastern corner of Coral Island. It was not small, but Liszt did not know its specific size. As the most remote town on Coral Island, the town was only marked to the northeast of Thorn Hill and did not have a boundary.


    It meant that Liszt could claim all the territory as long as he did not barge into the towns to the southwest of Thorn Hill.


    Nobody would blame him even if he were to include Thorn Hill. After all, no one on Coral Island wanted it.


    After twenty years of development by the Tulips, only less than two thirds of Coral Island had been really colonized.


    The last one third was all desolate land.


    Thorn Hill was one of such places. Knights were needed in battle, so serfs and farmers had to reclaim those areas.


    Thorn Hill was barren and rugged. It was not valuable enough to be developed.


    Besides, every ordinary person was delicious food for the monsters. Even hunters dare not pursue them casually. Of course, some adventurers still went after monsters because every part of the monsters could be exchanged for coins.


    Liszt, riding Fire Dragon, was passionate about the tour.


    Expansion was the instinct of every noble. Flower Town was as far as his horse could go. Now, he was riding on a street of the town. It was muddy and dirty, with feces everywhere¡ªonly nobles built toilets.


    ¡°Sanitation has to be implemented.¡± Liszt turned to Marcus.


    Marcus gave no reply. He was not the administrative officer and was not interested in it. What enthused him was the power of nobles, as could be seen from the serfs and civilians who were bowing to Liszt on both sides of the street.


    Their bodies were trembling.


    Those who knelt were serfs, and those who bowed were free folk.


    Most of them were serfs who had been sold to the nobles. As Liszt¡¯s private properties, they had no rights. If Liszt intended to enforce droit du seigneur1, they had to clean their daughters or wives and send them to his castle.


    Free folk were few. Most of them were artisans, such as hunters and tailors.


    The town was small and had few habitants. Even though all the residents had come out, the atmosphere was still cold.


    Liszt estimated that the whole town might only have a population of several hundred people.


    The town was mostly made of cottages that were built on mud and grass. Even two-storied buildings were few.


    For the first time, he realized the poverty of civilian life.


    He had a lot of complicated feelings.


    He felt lucky that, as a noble, he could live in a castle and enjoy white bread made of wheat flour.


    Very soon, Fire Dragon carried Liszt through the only street of the son. With a heavy mood, he continued to Thorn Hill along the safe route that Marcus planned.


    The town was surrounded by farmlands. Most of the crops in the farmlands were unknown to Liszt, but they were not delightful at all. Many weeds grew together with the crops, indicating a lack of management.


    While marvelous creatures such as dragons and elves existed in this age, and there were unbelievable powers such as combat aura and magic, everything was still underdeveloped.


    Industrial revolution was impossible, but there was still a chance to introduce certain scientific ways of development.


    Liszt was very confident of bolstering the development of Flower Town.


    ¡­


    Very soon, the town was nowhere to be seen. They had left the flatlands and entered the sparse woods. They were on the edge of Thorn Hill.


    ¡°Lord Baron, monsters often appear at the edge of Thorn Hill. I hope that you can stay close behind me.¡± Marcus began to lead the way. He also said to the four squires, ¡°Protect the baron. Do not let the monsters get past you until you become bodies. Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°We can!¡± Carl and the rest of them shouted back.


    Civilians were not obliged to go to the battlefield, which was reserved for nobles and knights. However, squires had to go to the battlefield even though they were civilians. With better privileges came greater responsibility.


    To avoid the monsters, they could only detour at the edge of Thorn Hill.


    The trees were rather exuberant. Wildlife such as rabbits and foxes could occasionally be seen, but there were few large animals.


    ¡°In spring, summer, and autumn, the food in Thorn Hill is enough for the monsters, so they barely visit Flower Town. But in winter, hungry monsters always invade Flower Town. Some unlucky fellows are taken as food every year.¡±


    Although Marcus was not happy about the job, he still offered the information he knew.


    I wonder if we will encounter any monster today. Liszt searched his memories and recalled several monsters. Different from common beasts, monsters had magic and could unleash powerful spells.


    A small monster was once raised in Tulip Castle: the Fire Rabbit.


    A rabbit that could release little fireballs, it was delicious and had beautiful furs. The nobles liked the rabbit meat, and their wives liked the clothes made of the rabbit furs.


    He also saw a powerful monster before: the Giant Berserker Bear. The Earl of Coral Island¡¯s favorite chair was covered with the furs of a Giant Berserker Bear. It was most intimidating.


    It was said that eight earth knights of Coral Island died in the hunt for the Giant Berserker Bear.


    Even a battle against human beings did not often have such heavy casualties.


    Besides, even more beginner knights were killed.


    On the way, Liszt recorded the terrain of Thorn Hill, marking the places that were suitable for ramparts, irrigation facilities, or farmlands. That was the obligation of a feudal lord who owned the land.


    ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime. Auden, prepare lunch here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Auden Shoepad immediately spread a blanket on a flat area and placed the food overtop.


    The simple lunch included bread, caviar, fruit salad, and milk tea.


    There were also goat loaves that were reserved for Liszt.


    They thought that it was going to be a simple lunch, but Marcus¡¯s face changed after swallowing a piece of bread. ¡°My lord, something is wrong! I smell monsters!¡±

 Chapter 6

    As an earth knight, Marcus was very sensitive of magic and combat aura. His warning couldn¡¯t be wrong.


    Liszt immediately grew nervous.


    The squires hurried to pack the tableware. As ordinary people who hadn¡¯t grasped combat aura yet, they would be committing suicide if they were to fight monsters.


    Marcus was already on the horse. ¡°Ignore the tableware. Help the baron get on the horse and prepare for battle!¡±


    The squires then hurried to help Liszt.


    However, Liszt was a beginner knight with basic combat aura, after all. Holding back his anxiety, he got on the horse. Young and inexperienced, his horse was as nervous as him. Liszt had to soothe it by stroking its neck.


    Encouraged by its master, Fire Dragon relaxed slightly. As the earl¡¯s birthday present, it had a remarkable bloodline and was quite adaptive.


    Within a few breaths, the monster that Marcus sensed emerged from the woods.


    It was a huge gray wolf, with two vague blue stripes on its back.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Wind Blade Wolf! An inferior monster! Step back, let me deal with it!¡± Marcus raised his spear, longer than a person was tall.


    After that, he suddenly shouted, ¡°Heya!¡±


    The intermediate combat aura echoed and exploded inside his mouth. All the leaves were sent rustling under his roar.


    He hoped that the Wind Blade Wolf could be scared off.


    The Wind Blade Wolf slightly crouched as if it were retreating, but it was only a disguise for an attack. Marcus spurred his horse and pressed forward.


    The wolf also pranced toward Marcus. In the meantime, a few blue whirlwinds appeared out of nowhere and spun toward Marcus.


    The tip of the spear shivered, launching a stream of ivory light that hit the whirlwinds and shattered them. Then, Marcus waved the spear at his back and pierced from the other side, hitting the jumping wolf precisely.


    The Wind Blade Wolf jerked and evaded the spear, but the ivory light from the spear still cut a wound on it.


    When it landed, another few whirlwinds were released.


    Marcus dodged the whirlwinds narrowly. At this point, he was already far away from the Wind Blade Wolf. He charged again for a melee battle, but the Wind Blade Wolf was smart enough to keep a distance from him and drain him with whirlwinds¡ªanother quality that distinguished monsters from common beasts was their cleverness.


    Such a war of attrition was not a big deal for monsters, which could recover quickly, but knights¡¯ combat auras couldn¡¯t last.


    However, Marcus proved himself worthy of nobility and knighthood. He simply put the spear on his back and pulled the bow. In the blink of an eye, two arrows were shot at lightspeed with his combat aura.


    The Wind Blade Wolf scorned him. It could easily dodge the arrows.


    However, the Wind Blade Wolf¡¯s disdain turned into fear the next moment.


    The two arrows knocked against each other in midair. Their trajectories changed, and they stabbed into the Wind Blade Wolf¡¯s back brutally.


    ¡°What great archery!¡± Liszt was amazed as he watched the battle, his anxiety gone.


    Under the protection of such an earth knight, he could totally enjoy the battle, at ease.


    The life of a lord was truly great. He had servants to serve him in daily life and knights to serve him on the battlefield.


    It all happened too fast.


    Marcus was about to shoot another two arrows, when the bleeding Wind Blade Wolf turned around and fled into the woods, disappearing before anyone could react.


    Marcus, watching the Wind Blade Wolf vanish, laid down his bow.


    Carl Hammer, who had been watching with his blood boiling, couldn¡¯t help but suggest, ¡°Mr. Marcus, why don¡¯t you pursue it? The Wind Blade Wolf will be dead after another attack. That¡¯s a monster more precious than pearls.¡±


    ¡°The Wind Blade Wolf is not the only monster in Thorn Hill. Besides, it¡¯s not as badly wounded as it seems¡­ It must have partners that are waiting for us in the woods. You are free to track it if you dare,¡± said Marcus coldly.


    Carl Hammer scratched his head, lost for words.


    Ignoring him, Marcus said to Liszt, ¡°Lord Baron, it¡¯s dangerous here. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°All right!¡±


    Liszt followed the advice. Inspecting his dominion was only for the mission. He was unwilling to take any risks.


    Perhaps because Marcus was worried after running into a monster at the edge of Thorn Hill in spring, he expedited the rest of the tour.


    On the way, Liszt asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Marcus, your archery is quite amazing. How can the arrows change their course?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an advanced technique that has to be performed with combat aura.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s both eye-catching and practical. Mr. Marcus, can you teach archery to me at some point?¡± Liszt was enthusiastic.


    Marcus responded less enthusiastically. ¡°The advanced techniques of archery require release of combat aura. Until you become an earth knight, Lord Baron, you should focus on building up your combat aura and learning battle tricks instead of fancy archery.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll learn archery after I become an earth knight,¡± said Liszt.


    He would probably become an earth knight with the reward after the mission was accomplished.


    They did not encounter any more monsters in the next three hours. After inspecting Thorn Hill, they reached the Blue Wave Ocean on the other side of Flower Town.


    Archduchy Sapphire, located at the northeastern corner of the continent, comprised of the Sapphire Islands.


    Coral Island was at the northeastern corner of the Sapphire Islands.


    Flower Town was at the northeastern corner of Coral Island.


    Therefore, the blue ocean that Liszt saw was the boundary of Archduchy Sapphire.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, what¡¯s on the other side of the ocean? Another island, continent, or country?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The earl¡¯s fleet has never sailed farther away. However, rumor has it that the ocean on the opposite side of the Blue Wave Ocean is frequented by devils, and nobody can travel there.¡±


    ¡°Not even on dragons?¡±


    ¡°Dragons are the foundation of a country. No dragon knights are willing to explore new places on dragons. Too many lands on this continent are yet to be developed. Why do you care about an ocean that has nothing at all, my lord? With all due respect, you should learn from Lord Earl¡¯s example and occupy more land.¡±


    His insinuation was obvious: only wars could make new nobles.

 Chapter 7

    An ocean that has nothing?


    Liszt would beg to differ.


    In his hometown, the competition over the ocean was no less fierce than that on the continent. It was the ambition of every country.


    It was more difficult to develop resources in the ocean, but the ocean was certainly resourceful. He was not sure if minerals were hidden below the ocean in this world¡ªfor all he knew, only dragons could produce gems and metals¡ªbut the ocean definitely had immeasurable fishing resources.


    Archduchy Sapphire was seriously short of hands to develop desolate lands. The most critical problem was that nobles controlled all the elves, who could not influence so many farmlands. As a result, their yields were little.


    Flower Town had plenty of arable land, but it could support only a few people.


    Also, these few people were restrained to the land by nobles to help them farm, pay them taxes, and support their luxurious life.


    The future of Flower Town lies in this ocean! Liszt was passionate.


    Infinite food could be provided as long as there was a fishery around. When the civilians were full, they could have more babies, and he could collect more tax with a greater population.


    If he had more taxes, his life would be better!


    Of course, it was still a faraway dream. Development of fisheries required boats, and Flower Town was not close to that. His savings were not enough to buy many boats, either.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll return after inspecting the last part of the boundary.¡± As he waved the whip, the horse neighed and ran along the coastline.


    The sand was yellow and clean. Occasionally, they saw plants that looked like coconut trees. Such plants blocked the afternoon sunlight and offered perfect shade.


    After some slight development, it would be the best summer resort.


    After the inspection, Liszt accomplished the mission and returned to the starting point at the edge of Thorn Hill. They reached the castle, and Marcus and the squires bid Liszt farewell. They had their own houses in town.


    The castle was reserved for Liszt and his servants.


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯m reassured to see you return safely.¡± Carter welcomed Liszt¡¯s return with the servants.


    ¡°Even monsters have to behave in my territory,¡± Liszt joked. ¡°Is everything all right in the castle, Mr. Carter?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Mrs. Mason, draw me a bath. I need to clean up.¡±


    ¡°Right away, my lord.¡± Mrs. Mason was almost forty and never married. She used to work in Tulip Castle until she was appointed to manage all the maids in Liszt¡¯s castle.


    ¡°All the maids¡± were actually only three.


    There were only ten servants in the castle in total.


    Carter Pot, the butler, was responsible for all the affairs in the castle as Liszt¡¯s trusted subordinate. Mason Ricefield, the housekeeper, was responsible for all the maids. Abby Spoon, the cook, was responsible for everything in the kitchen.


    The male servants included Thomas Scissors, Tom Pigpen, and Jesse Ricewater.


    The female servants were Mathy Thread, Debbie Windows, and Michonne Cowtail.


    The cook had an assistant who was also a female servant, but she answered to Abby. Her name was Allyn Fourfingers.


    Fourfingers was a strange surname. Her ancestor probably only had four fingers, so they registered their family name as Fourfingers. It was impossible for the uneducated civilians to think of any pleasant surnames.


    The nobles did not allow them to have any good surnames, either.


    Liszt took off his armor with Thomas¡¯ help and went upstairs. Carter immediately commanded, ¡°Jesse, take his lordship¡¯s horse away. Feed the horse with beans. It¡¯s been a long day. Mrs. Abby, make roasted meat for his lordship tonight. Mrs. Mason, remember to prepare the bath for his lordship. Tom, go fetch water from the town. Thomas, clean his lordship¡¯s armor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter!¡± the servants answered.


    Carter nodded in satisfaction.


    Although the castle was small and the servants were few, he was the butler that managed everything here as the lord¡¯s helpful assistant.


    He enjoyed the ease and power.


    ¡­


    The bathwater had the perfect temperature. Although the maids were not as skilled as those in Tulip Castle, Mrs. Mason had groomed them well for their job.


    Liszt enjoyed the warm water in the bathtub.


    He had considered introducing equality and democracy to this world, but he also knew that the servants counted on the nobles for their own good.


    Without jobs and identities, their lives could be more miserable when they returned to the farmland.


    Too many serfs and civilians were starved every year.


    In a castle, they could at least keep themselves warm and fed. If they could become a butler, that would be the highest position that civilians could expect.


    I didn¡¯t know that so many people would depend on me someday.


    His mind wandered.


    In his absentmindedness, he soon saw the Ophidian words made of mist again.


    The words had changed into something new. Mission accomplished. Reward: sublimation of combat aura.


    Excited, Liszt was ready to claim his reward, but he suddenly realized he did not know how to claim it at all. While he was considering how to get the reward, the mist soon reshaped into new content.


    Mission: A severe crisis takes place in Peanuton in your territory. The peanuts are experiencing unknown mutations that will result in the reduction of yield. As the liege of the farmers, you are expected to solve the problem. Reward: one elvish insect.


    Well, a new mission, and the reward is an elvish insect. That¡¯s good stuff! Liszt was both excited and bummed. But what about the reward of the previous mission? Where is the sublimation of combat aura? Who can tell me where to claim the reward?


    Liszt was rather agitated at this moment.


    He sensed that his combat aura did not change at all. He saw no reward even when the water turned cold.


    He even began to suspect that he had been hallucinating.


    The mist probably did not exist at all.


    Putting on his robe, Liszt walked out of the bathroom gloomily, making Thomas who was waiting outside the door panic again.


    ¡°My lord, you don¡¯t look well. Should I¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can continue your work. I¡¯ll read for a while in the study.¡± Liszt tried to calm him down by reading in the study.


    But his mind was a mess. He couldn¡¯t calm down at all.


    So, he simply put on a training suit and practiced in the garden behind the castle. What he practiced was Basics of Combat Aura. It was the most popular introductory book for combat aura and the best tutorial for beginners.


    The preliminary combat aura was just a stream of air that could build up the body.


    After finishing a set of movements and venting his fury, he finally felt better. Right then, a gentle breeze blew at Liszt, and his eyes suddenly glittered. Certain inspirations popped up in his head and were summarily grasped.


    Then, he repeated all the movements in the Basics of Combat Aura.


    After the practice, all the preliminary combat aura in his body seemed to have reached the tipping point and began to evolve. It surged out of the invisible tunnels inside his body and flooded into his every cell.


    Sublimation of combat aura!


    You¡¯re here!¡±

 Chapter 8

    A tsunami seemed to be rising inside his body, unleashing boiling power. The preliminary combat aura had all been absorbed by the cells.


    It evolved inside the cells. By the time it returned from the cells, the combat aura had entirely changed.


    The newborn combat aura had become intermediate combat aura with special qualities. Liszt stood in silence in the garden, trying to hold back his excitement. The mission was real, and the reward had been given to him.


    He had turned into a real earth knight!


    For combat aura training, it was a new starting point. Earth knights represented real supernatural power.


    Is the nature of my combat aura fire? It¡¯s against the nature of Thousand Waves. I need to prepare a new tutorial¡­ I thought that I would have water-natured combat aura like the rest of my family. Liszt was not entirely satisfied.


    Water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, ice, light, darkness, as well as metal represented by dragons and wood represented by elves, were all natures of magic power.


    None of them was better than others. However, the Tulips had been studying combat aura of the water nature before they held the title of earl. Thousand Waves, the family art, was also a state-of-the-art guide on water-natured combat aura, which made it easier for future generations to cultivate.


    Liszt, however, was not suitable for Thousand Waves. If he were to practice it, the efficiency would be very low.


    Fire-natured combat aura was naturally suitable for fire-natured techniques.


    Mr. Marcus has wind qualities. He¡¯s not the same as me, either. Let me see¡­ I saw a Furious Fire when I was in the knights¡¯ academy. I¡¯ll ask Mr. Marcus to fetch it for me in a couple of days.


    He needed to stabilize his intermediate combat aura after this advancement first, so he was not in a hurry to pick up techniques.


    Actually, Liszt was not eager to improve his strength. While nobles were expected to go to the battlefield, there were few wars on Coral Island that was far from the continent. Few people came to ask for trouble. So, he could develop in peace.


    Besides, however strong he grew to be, he would be buried in a grave a hundred years later.


    He would rather be a lord who enjoyed the service of his servants and had his subordinates fight for him.


    Of course, it is still thrilling to become an earth knight. My resistance to sickness, cold, and heat has significantly increased! What can be more delightful than a long, healthy life?


    Taking a long breath, Liszt calmed down and returned to the castle.


    His valet ran over, looking for more things to do. ¡°My lord, you¡¯ve finished your training again. Should I prepare another bath for you?¡±


    ¡°Would it be too troublesome?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s our honor to serve you.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Prepare another bath.¡±


    ¡­


    At dinner, Marcus and Goltai arrived at his invitation.


    ¡°Liszt, you look well. It seems that you¡¯ve completely healed. It¡¯s worth a toast.¡± Goltai sniffed the wine. He was an alcoholic.


    It was also a common addiction among the nobles.


    Marcus, however, blinked. ¡°Lord Baron, have you¡­ made a breakthrough?¡±


    ¡°An hour ago, I had inspiration and made new progress in my training,¡± Liszt said humbly. After all, turning into an earth knight after sixteen was not something to be proud of.


    ¡°Congratulations, my lord!¡± Marcus said solemnly in a different tone. He obviously treated his liege with more respect now.


    Goltai simply exclaimed, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great news! No wonder birds were chirping on my way here! Liszt, you are truly the earl¡¯s son. You have the excellent bloodline of the Tulip family! You will have power!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as talented as my brother and sister, so I must work harder.¡±


    ¡°Your line of thinking proves your excellence. Not all the celebrities in history distinguished themselves when they were young. It¡¯s the creed of knights to make continuous progress. I see that in you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your compliment, Mr. Goltai.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we have to celebrate tonight.¡± Goltai chuckled and turned to Carter. ¡°Mr. Carter, to celebrate Liszt¡¯s advancement, shouldn¡¯t you bring out the best wine in your cellar for us to enjoy this glorious moment?¡±


    Carter smiled. ¡°I thought the same, Mr. Goltai.¡±


    But he did not move. It was up to the master of the castle whether or not to have the wine.


    Instead of being a bummer, Liszt nodded. ¡°Mr. Carter, please bring a bottle of New Moon. Also, prepare a pudding for everyone in the house.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± Carter left for the wine cellar downstairs.


    When he passed by the kitchen, he said, ¡°Mrs. Abby, his lordship has offered a pudding for everyone¡¯s dinner.¡±


    Abby Spoon was a plump woman. She cried, ¡°Cream pudding? Oh, his lordship is too generous. He doesn¡¯t have to do that! Besides, we don¡¯t have much cream left.¡±


    Allyn, the kitchen maid, was mopping. She raised her head hopefully. ¡°Mr. Carter, could I have a pudding, too?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we all need to celebrate today. His lordship has become an earth knight!¡±


    ¡°Oh, his lordship is so great!¡± Allyn complimented and shouted, ¡°Allyn, why are you not moving? Finish mopping the floor and move the cream from the storage room! You will have pudding that is otherwise only saved for festivals!¡±


    ¡°Got it, Mrs. Abby. Praise the lord!¡±


    ¡­


    New Moon was a special wine of Coral Island that was made of the grapes from the first month of autumn.


    Tulip Castle had a grape elf that grew grapes for wine. The grapes did not taste good, but the wine brewed with them was the best drink. Even the royal family purchased the wine every year.


    Liszt brought a box of them when he left Tulip Castle.


    ¡°The time-tested New Moon is like an old tale emerging from the past. It tells you what beauty and flavor are without saying anything.¡± Goltai shook the cup and observed the red liquid like an emotional poet.


    Liszt had a sip of it.


    To be honest, he was never fond of wine or any other drinks, but his body, with the legacy of his former self, had a good taste of different wines.


    Therefore, he had some wine now and then.


    After all, they were not strong and could hardly intoxicate him.


    ¡°Right, Mr. Goltai, did something happen to the peanuts in Peanuton?¡± He suddenly recalled his new mission, and he craved for the new reward.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. Probably because of the bad weather, Peanuton will have nothing to harvest this year. I had someone check it. The crops have withered and probably will die in a couple of days¡­ Those poor serfs will be starved before winter.¡± Goltai showed no sympathy on his face although he said that they were pitiful.


    Putting down the cup, Liszt said, not to be refused, ¡°Inspect Peanuton with me tomorrow. We¡¯ll work something out to solve the crisis there.¡±

 Chapter 9

    The red horse carried Liszt through the muddy land to Peanuton, a settlement much smaller than a village. A couple of grass cottages were scattered around the place.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Kneel before your lord!¡± The clerk of the settlement knocked on every door quickly.


    Those who lived here were all serfs.


    They got out of their leaky houses. Their faces were numb, and they were at a loss outside of the doors. It was not until the clerk scolded them that they knelt and paid tribute to Liszt.


    The adults were all obedient.


    But a few kids raised their heads and observed Liszt with their big glittering eyes now and then, until their parents slapped them and forced them to lower their heads.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the manager of Peanuton?¡± asked Liszt.


    Goltai was silent on his horse, as if it were not his business. He had no idea who the manager was. The clerk replied, ¡°It¡¯s George the Crippled.¡±


    ¡°Bring him over.¡±


    Very soon, the clerk returned with an old man whose legs were partly disabled. He was wearing patched clothes and seemed ready to drop dead at any moment.


    ¡°My lord, Old George is here.¡±


    The clerk nudged the old man, trying to make the old man bow, but the old man was too nervous to do anything.


    Liszt waved his hand at the clerk and said gently, ¡°Old George, don¡¯t be nervous. I am Baron Liszt Tulip, lord of Flower Town. I¡¯m told that something is wrong with the peanuts in your place. Show me your farmlands, and let¡¯s see if we can solve the problem.¡±


    ¡°Oh, baron¡­ my lord¡­¡± Old George stammered, ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way¡­ Thank god¡­ Peanuton is saved¡­ Our lord is here for us!¡±


    Old George, excited, walked much faster.


    Liszt inspected the farmland before, but he never really observed it until now. The land was divided by ravines. Different serfs worked on different parts of the land.


    Ninety percent of the yields belonged to their lord, or Liszt, and the remaining ten percent was their food.


    The land was damp. It was obvious that the serfs had irrigated a lot, but water could not bring the peanuts back to life.


    Wiping his tears, Old George said anxiously, ¡°My lord, we watered them three times a day, but the peanuts are still dying. Only Archie¡¯s land is still good now, but some of the leaves are turning yellow, too.¡±


    Old George pointed at the land at the center of Peanuton for Liszt.


    The central part of the land was green and looked much healthier than the surroundings.


    Liszt got off the horse and plucked a withered seedling. He was about to observe it, when Goltai suddenly commented, ¡°Liszt, you shouldn¡¯t do the dirty work. Let the serfs do it for you.¡±


    Although he was an unappreciated knight, he despised civilians more than common nobles did.


    Liszt ignored him and simply observed the seedling, trying to figure out the reason.


    He was not an agronomist, but he was no stranger to agriculture. The peanuts in the two worlds had similarities and differences. However, he could tell that malnutrition was the cause of the problem.


    ¡°Have you fertilized the land with ashes or feces?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Old George was confused. ¡°My lord, we water them three times a day!¡±


    Liszt asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t use any fertilizer?¡±


    Stunned, Old George asked back, ¡°What is fertilizer?¡±


    Liszt was rendered speechless by his ignorance. ¡°How have you been growing peanuts?¡±


    Old George elaborated in detail. Basically, they burned the wild grasses in spring and sowed peanuts, before they watered the crops and cleaned the weeds. For generations, they had been growing the plants in such a way. Only the nobles could use elves to influence the plants and increase the yield.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but shake his head.


    Without fertilizer, even the best land would turn barren soon. The farmland before him was almost a desert now. No wonder the peanuts were dying. They were being starved!


    However, Liszt had a new question. ¡°Why are the peanuts starving now when they never starved before?¡±


    According to Old George, they had been growing peanuts in the same way but never had any similar crisis. So, the malnutrition of the farmland probably had a different cause.


    What is the reason?


    He looked at the greenness at the center and considered carefully.


    Suddenly, he remembered the reward of the mission¡ªan elvish insect for saving the peanut plantation. Based on the reward of his first mission, Liszt felt that he would probably pick up an elvish insect instead of getting one from nowhere.


    An elvish insect as the reward¡­ malnutrition of the peanut lands¡­ Liszt stood straight with an answer. I¡¯m afraid that the elvish insect that I¡¯m to be rewarded with is the cause of the malnutrition. Elvish insects are born from plants. This elvish insect is probably a peanut elvish insect.


    Waving his hands, he asked everyone to go to the center.


    They soon reached the center of the farmland where the seedlings were still exuberant. Liszt searched his memories. Elvish insects, which looked like silkworms, were mostly collected from the buds or sprouts of plants.


    Different elvish insects had different patterns.


    Right now, he had four elvish insects: a tulip one, a thorn one, a millet one, and a clover one. Elvish insects required suitable lands. Goltai was still searching for places that were best for the elvish insects.


    Groping for a moment, Liszt failed to find any peanut seedling that had an elvish insect.


    This peanut insect will probably be miscarried due to the lack of nutrition. Liszt clenched his hands. Elvish insects represented productivity. He couldn¡¯t afford failure.


    Thinking about that, he said to everyone, ¡°I think I know the reason now. Old George, cure the land according to my instructions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡± Old George cried in joy.


    Goltai asked in surprise, ¡°Liszt, you really found the source of the problem? I didn¡¯t know that you were a great farmer. What¡¯s jeopardizing the peanuts?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you yet. You¡¯ll know in a couple of days.¡± Liszt did not share the reason because he was afraid he might be wrong. It would be a joke if no elvish insects were around at all.


    Therefore, he had to cure the peanuts first.

 Chapter 10

    The conception of elvish insects required abundant nutrition. The barrenness of the land limited their growth. Also, since the nutrition was concentrated at the center, the peanuts in other places were dying.


    The cure was simple. Just fertilize the peanut land.


    Recalling his knowledge on farming, Liszt said to Old George, ¡°Here are my instructions. Firstly, ask the farmers to pick up wood and grasses, burn them into ashes, and collect the ashes. Secondly, ask the adult farmers to dig the mud at the bottom of the pond. Thirdly, ask the children to pick up feces wherever.¡±


    Old George did not question his lord¡¯s orders. ¡°At once, my lord. I will carry out your instructions.¡±


    Old George stumbled away.


    Liszt then said to Goltai, ¡°Mr. Goltai, I¡¯m afraid that the feces of Peanuton are not enough. Go to the town and organize all the farmers to pick up feces¡­ Well, let¡¯s just purchase feces under the name of the administrative officer. One bucket of excrement for one copper.¡±


    Copper, silver coin, gold coin, and dragon coin were the currencies in this world.


    However, different regimes had released coins in different shapes. The copper that Liszt mentioned was the currency of Archduchy Sapphire. One copper was enough to buy four boxes of brown bread.


    One silver coin equaled a hundred coppers, and one gold coin equaled a hundred silver coins.


    As for the dragon coins, they were the magic coins attached with the power of the only dragon in the country. Each of them could be exchanged for ten thousand gold coins. They were magic items themselves.


    Goltai complained, ¡°Wow, Liszt, why are you paying for filthy, demeaning feces? They are utterly useless other than contaminating your eyes and nose.¡±


    ¡°No, feces are useful. Just release the order. Also, find a depot for the feces, preferably a wasteland far away from the town.¡± Liszt understood the value of feces. They were the best fertilizers when chemical fertilizers were unavailable.


    As a great landlord who owned Flower Town, Liszt had plenty of land to farm. He needed an abundance of fertilizers. Also, he did not want to see feces and urine everywhere on the street.


    He intended to purchase feces partly for fertilization and partly for sanitation. Toilets couldn¡¯t be promoted for now. Purchasing feces was most effective at this time.


    ¡°But the price is too high. We should offer one copper for ten, no, twenty buckets.¡±


    ¡°Just do as I command, Mr. Goltai,¡± Liszt said rigorously.


    Goltai finally stopped complaining. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡­


    The lord was the highest authority in this age.


    Nobody dared to ignore Liszt¡¯s instructions. The clerks and the farmers worked fast. Very soon, the mud, feces, and ashes he demanded were piled in Peanuton.


    ¡°Very well, Old George, mix those things, dig a hole next to the root of every peanut seedling, and spray some of them down. Then, refill the hole and water the plant. I believe that the seedlings will be recovered soon.¡±


    Liszt commanded the farmers delightedly to fertilize the farmlands.


    As their lord, he naturally wouldn¡¯t do it in person. It was not expected of a noble, and he was unwilling to do it himself.


    Peanuton had about a hundred acres of farmland in total and 23 families, or 92 people.


    The 92 serfs, subtracting the little children, were working busily with the serfs sent from the town.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, what¡¯s the total population of Flower Town?¡±


    ¡°Well, excuse me, Liszt, I¡¯m new to the job. I haven¡¯t figured it out yet.¡± Goltai turned to a clerk. ¡°You¡¯ve lived in the town for years. Do you know the demography of the town?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡± The clerk shook his head.


    Goltai turned to another clerk.


    The second clerk shook his head, too.


    So, nobody in Flower Town knew the population of the town. Liszt was lost for words. Was Flower Town a forgotten place? Nobody ever had any statistics?


    I need a complete census. It¡¯s humiliating that a lord doesn¡¯t know the population under his command.


    Thinking about that, he commanded, ¡°Mr. Goltai, arrange a census as soon as possible. I want to know the number of households, the names of everyone, and the relationship of the households, as well as their occupation, age, gender, and marriage status.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of work to do. Liszt, you know that we have few officials in the town. We do not have a finance officer, a defense officer, a law officer, or a diplomacy officer. Actually, we don¡¯t even have an administrative officer. I¡¯m supposed to be your consultant instead of the administrative officer of the town.¡±


    The civil officials of a dominion were usually headed by the consultant, who commanded the other officers.


    The captain of knights managed the knights.


    Although Goltai was at the lowest rank of nobles, he was still a noble. He followed Liszt here to be a consultant. As for Marcus, Liszt¡¯s knight teacher, was undoubtedly supposed to be the captain of knights, although it remained to be seen whether Flower Town could afford any knights.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Goltai. Both Flower Town and my castle are on the rise. Just help me manage Flower Town and complete the census first.¡±


    The consultant was too powerful. Liszt did not intend to appoint Goltai as that right now, not because he was worried about his own power, but because Goltai was too pedantic and stubborn. The man couldn¡¯t keep up with his ideas.


    ¡°Alright, Liszt. You are an adult and a qualified lord. I will carry out your command.¡± Goltai showed the manners of a noble.


    ¡­


    For three days in a row, Peanuton was fertilized heatedly. All the land was soon irrigated with the organic fertilizer that was a mixture of mud, manure, and ashes.


    The land at the center was given multiple times more fertilizers.


    Liszt supervised it for three days. When everything was done, he could only wait for the farmland to recover.


    I¡¯ve done everything I can. Hopefully, the mission will be accomplished soon. He was not an idle man. After the job was done, he soon shifted his attention to other affairs in his dominion.


    The most important thing was the elvish insect.

 Chapter 11

    ¡°Mr. Goltai, have you found appropriate places for the elvish insects? They¡¯ve slept for a month. I want them to get to work as soon as possible instead of wasting their potential.¡±


    Elvish insects were amazing creatures.


    Anyone could sign a magic contract with them in blood. They were the spirits of nature, essences of plants, and envoys of magic.


    After the wormgrass was sowed, they would influence the growth of the surrounding plants.


    The wormgrass was the essence of the elvish insect. It could be held back and released. It could grow and hibernate.


    When the wormgrass grew, the elvish insects would grow.


    When the wormgrass died, the elvish insects would die.


    Right now, the wormgrass remained in the stomachs of the four elvish insects. Without enough nutrition, they could only sleep. It was a waste of productivity and would delay the evolution of the insects. They had to absorb nutrition and influence other plants to grow into little elves.


    Although chances were slim, Liszt still wanted to make his elvish insects evolve into little elves.


    Goltai replied, ¡°The clover insects are most suitable for the cow farms. We can replace the grasses with clovers. It¡¯s hardly possible to find a place for the millet insect. The tulip insect will be sowed in the flower farm, although the place is almost desolate¡­ As for the thorn insect, you know that it¡¯s of little value, Liszt.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the value; I want them to grow in a land!¡±


    ¡°I can plant clovers and tulips first. The lazy serfs should start working. However, Liszt, I need more men. The clerks are too lazy for anything!¡±


    ¡°You are free to draft any civilian in the town. They will be paid by my castle.¡±


    ¡°Really? You are truly a generous lord. However, few people in Flower Town can read. You asked me to run a census, but they could barely write their own names. I can¡¯t guarantee that they can do what I require.¡±


    That was a problem.


    There were no schools in Flower Town. Illiterate officials were indeed unreliable.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, do you know any knowledgeable people who are willing to settle in Flower Town? As long as they work here as officials, I can pay them double the other officials in the town¡­ There should be plenty of coins in my castle.¡±


    Unfavored as he might be, Liszt was the earl¡¯s son, and he got tremendous gold coins after the separation.


    Goltai was silent for a moment. ¡°Liszt, I can tell that you have ambitions for Flower Town, and I do know some people who may be interested in this place. However, as your family teacher, I have to remind you that the capacity of Flower Town is limited.¡±


    ¡°I understand that. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll fix it. You¡¯re free to invite them over,¡± said Liszt, at ease. With talent, he could create wealth.


    For him, Flower Town was an undeveloped virgin land.


    Although it was barely possible to become rich by farming due to the lack of elves, there were more ways to achieve his purpose.


    Also, he said to himself, I have misty missions, my own goldfinger. Maybe it will bring me more fortunes!


    In the middle of their discussion, Carter knocked and came in. ¡°My lord, Old George from Peanuton hopes to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°He said that the peanuts of Peanuton became green again overnight. In the land that you asked them to pay special attention to, a plant yielded an enormous bud.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Let him in.¡± Liszt was surprised.


    The land was recovered sooner than he thought. He almost couldn¡¯t wait to check the updates of the misty mission.


    By the time Old George entered the castle gingerly, Liszt was calm again. ¡°Old George, tell me what happened to Peanuton.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord¡­ Your radiance illuminated every corner of Peanuton¡­¡±


    As Carter reported, Peanuton was green again after one night, and a huge bud appeared on a mutated peanut. The serfs were so delighted that Old George had run over to report it to his lord. His numbness and despair were replaced by hope.


    Realizing what was going on, Goltai opened his mouth. ¡°Oh, heavens, Liszt¡­ Is there a peanut insect in the land?¡±


    Liszt smiled casually. ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Liszt, you are truly favored by god! It¡¯s unbelievable for such a remote town to give birth to an elvish insect!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and check if that¡¯s true. Mr. Carter, get the horses ready. I need to go to Peanuton.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    At the gate of the castle, Liszt and Goltai got on their horses. Carter asked them, ¡°My lord, your squires are not here yet. Do you want to wait for them?¡±


    Thomas stepped forward and meant to say something, but he was too timid to talk.


    Liszt noticed it. He glanced at Thomas and Old George and said, ¡°Thomas will ride a horse with me. Well, bring Old George.¡±


    Thomas was so excited that he was almost trembling. ¡°At your service, my lord!¡±


    It was the first time that his lord asked for his service on his tour. A valet was supposed to be a noble¡¯s most trusted subordinate. Most of them were knights who fought side by side with the nobles.


    The four people left on the three horses.


    Fire Dragon led the team to Peanuton.


    The land that was half-dry yesterday had turned green. All the seedlings were stretching out their leaves.


    It was not the season of bloom yet, but a bud the size of a fist was hanging at the stem of the biggest peanut at the center of the land. It was most delightful.


    ¡°It¡¯s really a bud that contains an elvish insect. Liszt, Flower Town is indeed a land favored by god!¡± cried Goltai in excitement.


    Liszt was also excited, but he kept the manners of a noble. ¡°Elvish insects are of paramount importance for the agriculture of Flower Town. So, this farmland has to be protected. Old George, you and your farmers must protect it every day.¡±


    ¡°My lord, I will protect it day and night!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary. You can watch it in turns.¡± Liszt turned to Thomas and said, ¡°Go tell my squires; I want one of them to stay in Peanuton and watch the elvish insect every day.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±

 Chapter 12

    The elvish insect was not born yet; Liszt couldn¡¯t just wait here. After naming the watchers, he returned to the castle. There was only one road through Thorn Hill that connected Flower Town to the outside world, so few outsiders ever came.


    Merchant caravans only arrived with knights when the earl came to collect taxes.


    Now that Flower Town had turned into Liszt¡¯s dominion, the caravans probably wouldn¡¯t come again. So, nobody would steal the elvish insect.


    As for the residents of Flower Town, they dare not loot the elvish insect, either.


    Elvish insects could only sign contracts with human beings with magic power¡ªand maybe monsters, if they ever thought to do so.


    Magic power referred to combat aura and spells. They were essentially the same despite their different appearances.


    Liszt, Marcus, and Goltai were the only people with magic power in Flower Town. Marcus and Goltai were famous on Coral Island. They couldn¡¯t get away even if they stole the elvish insect. Nobody dared to steal the properties of the Tulips on Coral Island, and Liszt was a member of the family.


    Therefore, there was no need to worry about the safety of the peanut elvish insect.


    He came to his study and waited for the mist. After these experiences, he had grasped the pattern of the mist. He could see it when he calmed down.


    As he expected, he saw the twisted words a minute later.


    Mission accomplished. Reward: a peanut elvish insect.


    As I expected, the peanut elvish insect is the reward of the mission¡­ These uncanny misty missions cannot offer rewards out of nowhere. The rewards all exist in reality or are events about to happen¡­ The sublimation of combat aura is because of my long-time practice, and the peanut insect was there in the first place.


    However, without the misty mission, those rewards would probably be wasted.


    He would¡¯ve probably still been a beginner knight, and the peanut insect would¡¯ve died.


    At this moment, new content in Ophidian appeared.


    Mission: As a lord, you need to know the number of your subjects. Please complete a census and figure out the basic information of the residents. Reward: a brand-new tulip.


    A census? Isn¡¯t this what I was planning to do? It seems that the misty missions are updated according to the actual circumstances¡­ What does a brand-new tulip mean? Will I be given a new magic drug? Liszt speculated.


    The Tulips prospered exactly because of tulips.


    The tulip was not just a flower but also a medicine that had magic power. It was an important ingredient to help with training. In Liszt¡¯s memories, the best tulip could be sold at a price of ten gold coins.


    If the brand-new tulip was a magic medicine, it would definitely boost the economy.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t, he could still offer it to the Tulip Castle and let the tulip big elf assimilate it, which would increase the potential of the big elf.


    So, I have to supervise the census now! Is it really tricky to investigate a town that has no more than two thousand people? Goltai is too disappointing. I¡¯ll do it in person if I have to.


    Two thousand people was the number of students in Liszt¡¯s school in his hometown. As the former chairman of the Students¡¯ Union, he was confident of his abilities.


    ¡­


    However, it was a most tricky mission for Goltai.


    He communicated with the former administrative officer, a knight sent by the earl, during the job transfer. The knight did only one thing in Flower Town: tax collection.


    The knight cared about nothing else. Or rather, the knight barely came to Flower Town. He asked his squire to manage it on his behalf.


    His squire also cared about nothing but tax collection in this place.


    The taxes of Flower Town included peanuts, milk, wheat, barley, oats, tomatoes, and tulips. The Earl of Coral Island levied taxes every three months, claiming most of the yields of Flower Town. The knight would leave Flower Town alone after it was done.


    He preferred the prosperous Coral City to the remote town.


    So, Goltai found the census an impossible mission when he gazed at four clerks and six patrolmen, his whole crew, in his shabby office.


    ¡°None of you has ever read a single book? You can¡¯t find anyone literate in town?¡±


    A clerk replied in embarrassment, ¡°My lord, there are no schools in the town, and we have never left it¡­¡±


    One of the patrolmen, who had a red nose, said, ¡°Perhaps the old cobbler can read. He¡¯s from another island. I saw a thick book in his house and even skimmed it, until he beat me up. He¡¯s blind but he makes best shoes and has the best fists.¡±


    Goltai ignored the blind cobbler without thinking.


    Since they were illiterate, he could only command, ¡°But I¡¯m sure you can count, right? Each of you will go to one village and count the households in the village!¡±


    It was supposed to be an easy job, but when they reported a day later, Goltai almost went crazy.


    He scolded, ¡°What? Peanuton has 18 households and 56 people? Mr. Teacup, are you trying to make me laugh?¡±


    Mr. Teacup, or David Teacup, was a clerk. He hesitated. ¡°My lord, I¡¯m not. I counted many times, but I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s correct, because the result was different every time.¡±


    There were 23 households and 92 people in Peanuton. Goltai calculated it in person when Liszt was saving the peanut plantation.


    He had no idea how David Teacup counted 18 households and 56 people.


    It went without saying that the counts of the other villages were all bulls*it.


    Thinking about that, Goltai waved his hand helplessly. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. Keep the numbers to yourselves. Bring my horse. I need to meet Baron Liszt.¡±


    Goltai complained to Liszt in his castle. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable! Those clerks and patrolmen cannot even count to ten! It¡¯s impossible to complete the census with them! Liszt, I¡¯ve written letters. Maybe we can continue the census when new aids arrive.¡±


    ¡°When will that be?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, Liszt. We have plenty of time, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Liszt knocked the table. ¡°Mr. Carter, who in the castle can read?¡±


    Carter bowed and said, ¡°My lord, I can read and write, and so can Thomas. Well, I believe Mrs. Mason can, too.¡±


    ¡°Will you invite Mrs. Marcus and Thomas over? Also, summon Mr. Marcus and my squires. As I recall, they can all write.¡±


    By the time they all arrived, Liszt announced to them, ¡°Now, let us put whatever we are busy with aside and help me with the census of Flower Town. The town, Mushroomton, Peanuton, Tomaton, Barleyton, Wheaton, the Flower Farm, and the Cow Farm, each of you will take one of them.¡±

 Chapter 13

    ¡°Hurry up, you stupid lubber! The lord wants the details of your family. Put on your clothes and bring your wife and your children to the empty ground ahead! I¡¯ll break your leg if you are slow!¡±


    The patrolmen pounded on the doors and shouted into the cottages.


    Very soon, all the farmers of Barleyton were gathered in the empty ground under the urging of the patrolmen.


    They whispered to each other and looked at the desk at the center now and then. Behind the desk was a woman in her forties. She was sorting a thick pile of paper. There was a younger maid behind her preparing ink for her.


    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡±


    ¡°Idiot! She must be a maid from the castle!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Her clothes must¡¯ve been ironed. Only the lord¡¯s maid can wear such clean clothes.¡±


    ¡°What does the lord want? Those people mentioned demo¡­ something.¡±


    ¡°Demography.¡± An old farmer chewed the root of a plant and said, ¡°Ten years ago, the earl had someone run statistics. At that time, Barleyton had much more people than it does now. Too many people were starved in the blizzard seven years ago.¡±


    Before the desk, the intimidating patrolmen bowed and scraped. ¡°Mrs. Mason, Ms. Michonne, all the serfs in Barleyton are gathered.¡±


    ¡°I am not a miss; I¡¯m just a maid in the castle.¡± Michonne Cowtail was actually happy about how they addressed her. She asked with a smile, ¡°Is everyone here? Don¡¯t miss any, or both you and we will be punished.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I guarantee that no one is hiding.¡±


    Mrs. Mason nodded. ¡°All right, then. Ask the households to come in turns and go home afterward. Do not come and register again.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    The patrolmen brought the serfs to the desk.


    According to the questions Liszt prepared earlier, Mrs. Mason asked, ¡°You¡¯re the patriarch? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°H-Hope, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I want your full name, Mr. Hope.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay. I am Hope Swill.¡±


    ¡°Well, Mr. Hope, is your whole family here? What¡¯s your wife¡¯s name? And what about your sons and your daughter? How old are you? What do you do for a living? Is your wife the same? Does your first son have a job?¡±


    Soon, Mrs. Mason finished her inquiry and recorded the information on a piece of paper.


    Patriarch: Hope Swill, 37, a barley farmer, no disabilities; wife: Simon Swill, 34, a barley farmer, no disabilities; first son: Robert Swill, 20, an oat farmer, crippled; second son: Peter Swill, 17, a barley farmer, no disabilities; daughter: Lily Swill, 15, hen caretaker at home, no disabilities.


    After recording the information, Mr. Mason confirmed it with them.


    Making sure that it was correct, she said gently, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Hope, you may return now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, o-okay.¡±


    After a busy day, piles of paper were delivered to Liszt, and the census for Flower Town was completed.


    ¡°Liszt, this is amazing. You solved such a difficult problem so easily. You will be a qualified lord. Definitely,¡± Goltai praised.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, let¡¯s save the compliments. Please sum up the numbers and give me a report.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure.¡±


    Perhaps Goltai felt pressure because of Liszt¡¯s efficiency. He lit a candle and worked all night for the first time.


    The next morning, the calculations were sent to Liszt after he had breakfast and finished training.


    ¡°My lord, Mr. Goltai worked all night. His eyes were bloodshot when he brought the files over,¡± said Carter.


    ¡°Treat him with nice food and wine. This job has to be done. I do not want Flower Town to be as dead as before.¡±


    In a trance, Carter responded a few seconds later. ¡°My lord, I seem to see the earl when he was still an ambitious viscount. He became an earl in five years and established his reign over Coral Island. The people of Flower Town are lucky to have you as their lord.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Liszt was not hypocritical.


    The report was thick but did not have much content. Although the words were small, few of them could be written.


    ¡°This kind of paper is too thick and lousy.¡±


    ¡°My lord, we don¡¯t have much paper. Four-fifths of our storage has been consumed.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll work on it.¡± Inventing new paper was on Liszt¡¯s agenda, as long as he found the time for that.


    After half an hour, he remembered all the statistics of Flower Town.


    There were eight villages in total.


    The town had 257 households and 907 people. 41 households and 125 people were free folk, and the others were serfs.


    Peanuton had 23 households and 92 people. All of them were serfs.


    Mushroomton had 68 households and 211 people. All of them were serfs.


    Tomaton had 30 households and 152 people. Ten households and 28 people were free folk, and the others were serfs.


    Barleyton had 48 households and 155 people. All of them were serfs.


    Wheaton had 101 households and 342 people. All of them were serfs.


    Flower Farm had 21 households and 54 people. All of them were serfs.


    Cow Farm had 18 households and 60 people. All of them were serfs.


    The whole Flower Town had 584 households and 1973 people in total. Among them, 51 households and 153 people were free folk, and the others were serfs. On the castle¡¯s side, there were ten servants, four squires, Goltai, Marcus, and Liszt, amounting to 17 people.


    Goltai and Marcus had families, but they stayed in Coral City. They probably did not want to come, or maybe they would come a while later.


    So, the total population of Flower Town was 1990.


    Most of them were farmers working on barley, wheat, oats, tomatoes, mushrooms, peanuts, tulips, cows, and other livestock.


    Only 7% of the population were artisans.


    According to the statistics, there was a tailor shop, a blacksmith¡¯s shop, a bakery, a mill, a grocery store, a leather store, a barber¡¯s shop, and a locksmith¡¯s shop.


    The census is detailed enough. The mission should be accomplished now, Liszt thought as he pushed the stinky paper away.


    At this moment, Carter approached. ¡°My lord, great news. The manager of Flower Farm is here to report something wonderful.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyes glittered when he heard the words Flower Farm. He knew that it was probably the reward of the mission. ¡°Where is he? Bring him over. What¡¯s it about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a black tulip that has never been seen before. My lord, I¡¯ll bring him over.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Flower Farm had an even longer history than Flower Town did.


    It all started eighteen years ago, when Leewilliam Tulip asked his knights to inspect the island and found a plantation of flowers here.


    Two new varieties of tulips were growing exuberantly here.


    For the Tulip family, tulips were their lifeline, so the earl moved his people here to plant tulips. Due to the inconvenient transportation, the earl decided to transplant the new tulips in Coral City, and Flower Farm was gradually abandoned.


    Today, most flowers in the farm had been replaced by crops such as wheat and barley.


    So, Liszt saw no flowers but only green seedlings of wheat here.


    ¡°My lord, there are only twenty acres of tulips left. The red ones are Saint Dans, in honor of the earl¡¯s ancestors; the yellow ones are William I, in honor of the earl¡¯s glory.¡± The manager, Victor, had complicated feelings.


    The Flower Farm had a coverage of 800 acres in its heyday, but it had only 200 acres now, and 180 of which were growing wheat.


    ¡°They¡¯re not magic medicine?¡±


    ¡°Regretfully, they are not magic medicine, so the earl barely picks the tulips here anymore. However, they will rise again. Look over there, my lord, there¡¯s a black tulip like I¡¯ve never seen before!¡±


    Liszt looked at it. Indeed, the tulip was in a completely different color from the yellow and red tulips all around.


    It was like a proud black swan that was preening itself in the midst of geese.


    ¡°Is it a magic medicine?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet, my lord.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Liszt reached the black tulips through the common tulips. He touched the black petals. Immediately, he sensed a familiar yet strange quality.


    His eyes glittered.


    Liszt put on a smile of satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s magic medicine!¡±


    Magic medicines were incredible help for sorcerers, knights, and amazing artifacts.


    Magic medicines had different prices depending on their effects, but the cheapest medicine cost more than one silver coin.


    Liszt had never seen a magic medicine cheaper than a silver coin.


    Owning a magic medicine meant owning tremendous wealth.


    Now, the black tulip grew in Liszt¡¯s dominion, and the wealth undoubtedly belonged to Liszt. According to the law, even the earl could not steal the lesser lords¡¯ benefits. After they were enfeoffed, the small lords owned everything in their territory.


    It seems that I have both an additional sum of wealth and a new home for the tulip elvish insects now. Liszt took a deep breath. It¡¯s time that Flower Farm rises again!


    He asked Manger Victor and his squires to withdraw from the field.


    Squatting next to the black tulip, he calmed himself down.


    Soon, vague mist appeared and twisted into words.


    Mission accomplished. Reward: a new tulip.


    Then, the misty words changed.


    Mission: The declining Flower Farm seems to be at a turning point. The new black tulip, along with the tulip elvish insect, should be part of the renaissance. Please settle the elvish insect down. Reward: a monster cub.


    The mission had been updated.


    It was not challenging at all.


    Liszt was amazed by the reward of a monster cub.


    Even the monsters at the lowest rank were stronger than a beginner knight and could compete with earth knights. The Wind Blade Wolf that Liszt ran into earlier was a low-level monster. Some of them could even fight sky knights.


    What monster could it be? Is it tamable, or can it only be butchered? Liszt looked forward to it.


    ¡­


    ¡°My lord, the tulip elvish insect is here.¡± Carter, escorted by the squires, came to the Flower Farm and delivered a jade box to Liszt solemnly.


    Taking the box, Liszt sensed that there was a life in it connected to himself.


    He opened the box.


    Immediately, he saw a ¡°silkworm¡± that was slightly thicker than his thumb and shorter than his index finger, with blue stripes on its yellow back. It glistened like a piece of wriggling jade and couldn¡¯t have looked more fabulous.


    At this moment, the elvish insect was sleeping on the jade powder lazily.


    The wormgrass of the elvish insects during the transplantation could not provide nutrition for them, so they could only feed on jade powder. Jade, also known as magic jade, was magic stone. It was cheaper than the gems that dragons produced, but it was also rare and precious.


    ¡°Little buddy, have you rested enough? It¡¯s time to check your new home.¡± Liszt extended his index finger.


    Sensing his thoughts, the lazy insect crawled on his finger slowly and lay in his palm. It observed the environment with its bright black eyes.


    ¡°What a beautiful lifeform. I can¡¯t enjoy it enough.¡± Goltai, who had come after being informed, was amazed by the elvish insect.


    As an unappreciated knight, he did not have any elvish insects.


    Goltai¡¯s fief had declined a long time ago. He sold it and became a knight without a fief. Naturally, he could not afford an elvish insect.


    Liszt reached the center of the tulip plantation and pointed at the black tulip. ¡°Little buddy, let this place be your home. Plant your wormgrass.¡±


    Thanks to the connection built by their contract, the elvish insect knew Liszt¡¯s intentions.


    It opened its mouth and spewed out a streak of green light that fell into the empty ground next to the black tulip. Then, a tulip grew and blossomed. That was its wormgrass, which could influence the growth of the tulips for acres around.


    As an elvish insect, it could double the growing speed of tulips and increase their quality.


    Liszt put the tulip in the flower of the wormgrass that was to be its new home. The wormgrass seemed to have drained the insect, and it was too lazy to move anymore. Liszt had to urge it. ¡°Little buddy, there¡¯s a new tulip next door. You don¡¯t want to taste it?¡±


    Interested, the tulip insect finally crawled out of the flower, along the stem to the tip of a leaf.


    It seemed to be falling, but it crept forward, raising its head.


    The bottom of its body shimmered, as if it was moving on something transparent, until it reached the flower of the black tulip.


    The insect¡¯s fat body wriggled.


    The tulip insect fed its feeling of excitement back to Liszt and rolled in the flower.


    This was assimilation, meaning that the insect was collecting the pheromones of the black tulip and carrying out its abilities.


    Of course, Liszt was more willing to believe that the insect was gathering different genes to perfect itself.


    When it gathered enough, it would likely evolve.


    Back in the Tulip Castle, three tulip insects evolved into tulip elves in such a way. One of them was given to Lvera, Liszt¡¯s sister. In Liszt¡¯s memories, he was quite jealous about it and became even more so when he was given the title of baron, because none of the little elves went to him.

 Chapter 15

    After the tulip completed the assimilation, it would be kept in the jade box again. Also, there would be no need to feed it with jade powder, because the wormgrass could absorb nutrition for the insect.


    The process would probably take a day.


    After Liszt returned to his castle, he began to write.


    Paving a piece of thick paper and dipping the quill in the ink, he wrote in Ophidian. Without telephones or fax, he could only communicate with letters.


    He was writing to the Earl of Coral Island and the Baroness of Falcon Town, or his father and his sister.


    The earl had a tulip big elf, a tulip little elf, and multiple tulip elvish insects, and the baroness had a tulip little elf. The earl and the baroness were certainly willing to offer something to assimilate the new black tulip in Liszt¡¯s territory.


    Deals had to be made even though they were family.


    With this opportunity, I can ask for an elvish insect from the earl and a batch of life necessities from the baroness. He already figured out what he wanted.


    Elves were the primary source of productivity. He would never let go of the opportunity.


    Next were the things that he was short of¡ªas a matter of fact, the castle was short of everything. Liszt was certainly not an ascetic man.


    Secondly, I can negotiate with the earl about the plantation and sale of the black tulip. As a unique good, the black tulip can only be grown on my land, but I can give away the selling rights to the earl for twenty percent of the profits¡­ However, the black tulips won¡¯t be enough to sell until one or two years from now.


    Stopping for a moment, he considered and wrote on.


    Perhaps I can ask for a down payment from the earl first. I have to get more coins. It¡¯s difficult to develop Flower Town without initial capital. The road through Thorn Hill has to be broadened, too.


    That was basically the content of the letter.


    Marcus arrived after the letters were ready. Only Marcus, an earth knight, was qualified to send the letters. Liszt hadn¡¯t grasped any techniques with intermediate combat aura, and his combat ability was weak.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, I have letters that I¡¯d like you to deliver for me.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± Marcus said with a different tone. Before Liszt became an earth knight, he always answered with a simple ¡°yes.¡±


    Liszt sensed the change, but he made no comment. ¡°Also, I need a book on intermediate combat aura. Thousand Waves of the Tulip Castle is not suitable for me. Could you bring Furious Fire from the knights¡¯ academy? Also, ask Butler Luis if there are any other fire-natured techniques in Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°Have a good rest tonight. Be careful when you cross Thorn Hill.¡± Liszt thought for a moment. ¡°Your horse is not very good. Ride my Fire Dragon.¡±


    Marcus bowed in gratitude. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but my horse was on the battlefield with me. We¡¯re connected. He¡¯s a better choice.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±


    ¡°See you.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, good afternoon.¡± Tom Pigpen, who was carrying water buckets, greeted Marcus, who was leaving the castle.


    Marcus nodded. ¡°Good afternoon.¡±


    Tom was flattered. Marcus and Goltai normally never greeted him back. He was only a servant for chores in the castle. Jesse Ricewater, who was responsible for cutting wood, and Allyn Fourfingers, the kitchen maid, were probably the only people lower than him.


    He bowed to Marcus. Forgetting that he was carrying buckets, he slipped, and half of the water was spilled.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, o-okay, Mr. Marcus.¡±


    After Marcus left, Thomas emerged out of nowhere. ¡°How stupid of you to drop half of the water. Mr. Tom Pigpen, perhaps his lordship should send you to take care of pigs. That¡¯s more suitable for you.¡±


    Tom hefted the buckets without looking at Thomas. ¡°I¡¯ll refill the buckets.¡±


    He was taller than Thomas, but he always appeared to be the shorter one.


    Thomas sneered. ¡°What else can you do except fetch water? No, you can¡¯t even do that well! You are born to be a footman! As his lordship¡¯s valet, I¡¯ll replace Old Carter as the butler of the castle one day! By then, my first order will be to kick you to the pigs.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t. Mr. Carter is his lordship¡¯s trusted subordinate,¡± Tom argued in a low voice.


    ¡°Hehe. His lordship already allowed me to go out with him. He trusts me. I¡¯m young. I¡¯ll replace Carter sooner or later!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Tom did not want to talk anymore and simply left.


    After the water from the buckets entered the tank, Debbie Windows came to fetch water. She saw Thomas, who was wandering outside of the castle. ¡°Tom, did Thomas cause you trouble again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be scared of him. He¡¯s nothing special. His lordship sees your efforts.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not scared of him. His lordship is a great man. His lordship and Mr. Carter can see my hard work.¡± Tom wiped his sweat. ¡°Thank you, Debbie, though. Do you need me to bring the water upstairs for you?¡±


    ¡°Would it be too much trouble?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right. Mr. Carter gave me an easy job.¡±


    ¡°You are a good man, Tom.¡±


    ¡­


    Marcus had an early breakfast and fed his horse with beans and dry grasses.


    He checked Liszt¡¯s two letters and Goltai¡¯s five letters carefully, before he reviewed what he wrote on a piece of paper.


    It was a reminder in case he forgot his errands¡ªLiszt needed fire-natured techniques, Carter requested him to purchase paper, Goltai wanted a box of cigars, Auden Shoepad asked him to buy scabies cream, and he needed to buy a bowstring for himself.


    The old bowstring needed to be replaced after it was broken during the encounter with the Wind Blade Wolf.


    Then, he cleaned his spear and his sword and counted the arrows in his quiver. After all was set, he left the town and rode to Thorn Hill.


    Thorn Hill was actually a combination of two hills, one stretching from the north to the south and the other from the east to the west. The road at the center was the only path to enter or leave Flower Town.


    The woods had monsters.


    However, there weren¡¯t a lot since the monsters had abundant food. The road was relatively safe. As an earth knight, he was not scared of common beasts.


    After only one mile, however, he sensed the presence of monsters.


    Again? After running into the Wind Blade Wolf last time? What an unlucky bastard I am! Marcus stared at the source of the threat nervously, his spear raised.


    He waited for a moment, but the monster did not show up.


    Marcus narrowed his eyes. A hiding monster was more dangerous than an attacking monster. He patted the horse and pretended to leave, trying to bait the monster into showing itself.


    After another half-mile, the monster that stalked him finally grew impatient and pressed the assault. A tall shadow lunged out at him fiercely.


    Marcus had been on alert all this way. Naturally, he was not hit. He stopped the horse promptly and extended his spear.


    Then, he finally saw the monster. It was a gigantic wild dog.

 Chapter 16

    ¡°A Rampant Earth Dog!¡±


    Marcus was so appalled that his spear was shaking.


    However, the next moment, he realized that his spear pierced the creature, and the dog¡¯s fierce attack was blocked. It fell on the ground heavily.


    After the fall, the dog turned around and attacked again.


    Marcus did not give it another chance. He threw the spear and drew the sword that was on the back of his horse, then slashed the dog.


    Every earth knight had amazing strength and practiced the sword arts.


    For a moment, the Rampant Earth Dog, even larger than the Wind Blade Wolf, was screaming and could barely counterattack. Also, it never cast any spells and simply fought Marcus physically.


    Why is the most powerful monster of Thorn Hill as weak as a common beast? He was baffled.


    But he did not stop attacking. A moment later, the dog fell, heavily wounded and bleeding hard.


    It had only its last breath left.


    Not daring to take it easy, Marcus picked up his spear and stabbed the dog¡¯s throat.


    The dog¡¯s eyes lost focus; it passed away.


    Marcus tied the tail of the dog with a rope skillfully and returned in the same way on his horse. He feared that the blood of the dog would attract beasts and even more monsters if he were to stay longer.


    According to the law of nobles, all yields in a territory belonged to the lord.


    Therefore, even though Marcus killed the dog, it was still Liszt¡¯s property. He soon returned to the two-storied castle.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus.¡± Carl Hammer was on duty. As squires, they were obliged to protect the castle.


    ¡°Inform the baron that I¡¯ve hunted a monster!¡±


    ¡°What? A monster?¡±


    Everybody in the castle was shocked. The squires and the servants all followed Liszt to observe the monster. Monsters were not new to them, but they were still extremely rare in such a small place.


    Besides, every part of a monster was valuable!


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, is this the king of Thorn Hill, one of the strongest low-level monsters?¡± Liszt was deep in thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed a Rampant Earth Dog. If it were any other occasion, I couldn¡¯t have defeated it at all since it could release earth-natured spells. However, the one I hunted could only attack like a beast and never cast any spells.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t use magic? Why do you think that is?¡±


    Marcus had obviously considered it while he was waiting. ¡°I think that I may have run into a mother dog that just gave birth. Its abdomen is dry and loose, and it was lactating. Also, I found many bites on its body.¡±


    ¡°Lactating? Bites?¡±


    ¡°There are tooth marks here, here, and here. Do you remember the Wind Blade Wolf we encountered? I¡¯m under the impression that they were caused by Wind Blade Wolves.¡±


    ¡°So to speak¡­¡± Liszt was reassured. ¡°This dog was attacked by Wind Blade Wolves during pregnancy. It might¡¯ve won the battle and given birth to babies, but it was exhausted after the battle. It tried to hunt with animal instincts, only to run into you, Mr. Marcus, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very possible.¡±


    Holding his excitement, Liszt said calmly, ¡°In that case, Mr. Marcus, I think the dog¡¯s cub is more valuable than its dead body. Are you still able to fight? Let¡¯s search Thorn Hill for the little Rampant Earth Dog.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always ready for battle.¡± Marcus held his head high and said, ¡°However, Thorn Hill is dangerous. I should look for it alone.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it together. I¡¯m an earth knight, too.¡±


    ¡°Lord Baron¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that nobles have to fight. Just consider it as field training,¡± Liszt declared convincingly.


    However, he was actually thinking about the mission reward. It would be a shame to ignore it.


    Also, the weakened dog survived and attacked Marcus because no monsters were a threat, or it would¡¯ve been killed a long time ago.


    Nobody could disobey Liszt.


    Marcus touched his chest with one hand, expressing his respect for Liszt¡¯s courage in the manner of knights.


    Carter bowed. ¡°My lord, may glory be with you!¡±


    ¡°It will.¡±


    Liszt put on leather armor and got on the horse. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡­


    Two earth knights, followed by four squires, rode into Thorn Hill soon and reached the place where Marcus sensed the Rampant Earth Dog for the first time.


    ¡°My lord, it was in this place that I sensed the scent. Then, the dog tailed me for a mile before it ambushed me.¡±


    ¡°Its lair must be around here. Let¡¯s search.¡±


    The woods here were a mess.


    The six of them searched for half an hour but found nothing. They were inevitably agitated.


    ¡°My lord, maybe the dog was a wanderer and its lair is not here, if there is a lair at all,¡± said Carl.


    Liszt, however, was firm. ¡°I believe that its lair is right here.¡±


    The reward of the misty mission couldn¡¯t be nothing. That was the source of his confidence.


    After thinking for a moment, he asked, ¡°Does any of you know how the Rampant Earth Dog barks?¡±


    ¡°The Rampant Earth Dog is just a dog. It barks the same as other dogs.¡± Marcus gave an answer.


    ¡°Then, Carl, Rom, Gray and Auden, you will imitate dog barks. If there are cubs around, they will respond quickly. They probably will think that their mom is calling.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Marcus agreed.


    Of course, his squires and he searched the area while pretending to bark.


    A quarter later, Marcus raised his hand. ¡°Quiet!¡±


    After everyone fell quiet, he cocked an ear and said softly, ¡°Lord Baron, listen.¡±


    Liszt listened quietly. A few seconds later, he heard a feeble bark behind the bird songs. It was definitely a bark.


    ¡°It¡¯s right there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s there.¡± Marcus indicated. ¡°Your barking is most similar to the original. Now, continue your imitation.¡±


    Carl did as he was bidden.


    He barked and was responded to now and then. Tracing the source of the sound, Liszt finally found the den of a dog behind a bush.


    Waving away the grass at the entrance of the den, Marcus brought out a tiny cub that hadn¡¯t even opened its eyes yet.


    He delivered the cub to Liszt carefully. ¡°Lord Baron, it¡¯s a young Rampant Earth Dog, a priceless treasure! It hasn¡¯t opened its eyes yet! It will acknowledge the first person it sees as its own master!¡± Not all monsters were tamable, but dog-like monsters retained the habit.


    Most of the time, it was their mother that they saw, so acknowledging a master was the same as acknowledging a mother.


    The cub shivered in Liszt¡¯s arms. It appeared scared. It probably smelled the strange scent from Liszt that was different from what it knew.


    ¡°Hang in there. You will have new milk to drink soon.¡± Liszt combed its fur and got on his horse.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back!¡±

 Chapter 17

    Because of the Rampant Earth Dog, Marcus decided to set out next day.


    He rested while telling Liszt the important things about raising a monster.


    ¡°Monsters are dangerous even if they are tamable. They have no morals and they are temperamental. Once they are familiar with magic, they might hurt other people accidentally. Therefore, you have to guide and train it actively, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Like how the hounds in Tulip Castle are trained?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you must build up its obedience and make sure it listens to your commands. Also, you have to exhaust its magic power in training so that it won¡¯t hurt other people. Rocky Spur of the Rampant Earth Dogs can be fatal.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take before the dog can release magic?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but most monsters are weak before adulthood. So, you have probably a year and a half to tame it.¡±


    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll consider it part of my training and groom it as persistently as possible.¡±


    Marcus was obviously in a good mood. After introducing the important things, he complimented, ¡°Peanut insect, magic medicine, and a monster¡ªeverybody on Coral Island will be surprised, my lord.¡±


    Liszt smiled.


    More surprises were yet to come.


    He asked, ¡°How should I deal with the corpse of the female Rampant Earth Dog?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you should ask Mr. Goltai. He used to run a market for the lord, and he knows the value of a monster best.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, invite Mr. Goltai for me.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    Goltai came in a hurry. He exclaimed at the body of the dog. ¡°Wow, what am I seeing? Isn¡¯t this a Rampant Earth Dog? I¡¯ve sensed the horrible air of a mid-level monster in it although it¡¯s a low-level one. Marcus, I have to admit that you are one of the best knights on Coral Island.¡±


    The strongest knight of Coral Island was undoubtedly Leewilliam Tulip, Liszt¡¯s father. He was the only sky knight with advanced combat aura.


    The rest of them were all earth knights.


    As for the monsters on Coral Island, there was only one mid-level monster, named Purple Sand Crocodile. The other monsters were all low-level ones. The Rampant Earth Dog was one of the most powerful monsters in Thorn Hill.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, how should I deal with this monster?¡± asked Liszt.


    Goltai jabbed the body with his staff. The dog, which was the size of a calf, looked miserable with all the frozen blood. He observed, ¡°The furs are ruined. They are the most precious part and worth at least twenty Neldas.¡±


    Nelda was the name for gold coin in Archduchy Sapphire. It was given by Archduke Sapphire I in honor of his father.


    ¡°But they¡¯re still valuable, right?¡±


    ¡°They can only be sold as random furs. I don¡¯t think that they can be exchanged for more than ten Neldas.¡±


    Goltai continued, ¡°I think it weighs more than 300 kilograms. The market price for monster meat is two silver coins per kilogram. However, Liszt, you should probably keep it for yourself. You need to stabilize your combat aura.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Goltai is right. It¡¯s not a bargain to sell the dog when we have to buy meat from outside,¡± Carter interjected. As a trusted butler, he was allowed to join the discussion.


    ¡°Other than furs and meat, the bones and guts can be sold to stealthy sorcerers. I know where to find them. They are always collecting monster entrails and mysterious plants, although it¡¯s hard to say how much they will offer.¡±


    Goltai suddenly chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that this is a female dog. If it were a male one, it would provide great nutrition.¡±


    Liszt said, ¡°Then let¡¯s skin the dog and sell it later. The guts should be marinated, too. Mr. Goltai, are there any sorcerers on Coral Island?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s keep the guts to ourselves, too.¡±


    ¡°Haha. We will all be able to enjoy it then. Praise the generous Baron Liszt!¡±


    ¡­


    At night, a minor barbecue party was held in the castle.


    The servants, the squires, Liszt, and his teachers enjoyed the delicious meat and talked about the future.


    Liszt was actually not into the festivities. He was a quiet person at heart.


    However, such was the castle life. Everybody needed to vent their depression now and then, and a party was the best opportunity for that.


    After everybody enjoyed enough, the servants cleaned up the forks and cups, and Liszt went upstairs to the abandoned entertainment room, which had been modified into a home for the little dog. The dog would be kept here until it opened its eyes to ensure that the first creature it saw was Liszt.


    So, Liszt had to wash and feed it in person.


    The little dog trembled all the time, so Liszt named it Dudderson.


    ¡°Hello, Dudderson, here¡¯s your milk.¡± Liszt delivered milk to Dudderson. The bag of the milk had been specifically reshaped.


    Smelling the milk, the dog¡¯s desire for food eclipsed its fear of the strange environment. Dudderson crawled over and swallowed the milk hard.


    Although it was only the size of a poodle, it gulped like a wolf.


    In the blink of an eye, the milk was finished.


    Thanks to the milk, Dudderson grew familiar with Liszt¡¯s scent. Liszt was now about to touch it, and it did not back off at all. One might think that Liszt was only raising a common dog instead of a monster.


    ¡°When will you open your eyes?¡±


    As if it understood what Liszt said, Dudderson groaned.


    In a trance, Liszt saw mist again. It soon changed into some words. Mission accomplished. Reward: a baby Rampant Earth Dog.


    So, Dudderson is the reward. I¡¯ve figured out the mechanism of the misty missions.


    As he considered, the misty Ophidian words changed.


    Mission: As an earth knight, you have to lead the charge on horseback. Please practice techniques with intermediate combat aura and become a real knight capable of fighting. Reward: a meager dragon-bred horse.


    A dragon-bred horse? Liszt¡¯s eyes glittered.

 Chapter 18

    Liszt was no stranger to dragon-bred horses.


    His father, Leewilliam Tulip, was the royal groom in court. His responsibility was to take care of Archduke Sapphire¡¯s beloved horse, which had the bloodline of dragons.


    There were dragons in this world.


    They were unlike the dragons of the east or those of the west; they were the most splendid essence of nature. Such dragons had no genders and could not have offspring. However, just like they could produce gems and metals, they could influence other creatures and give them dragon blood.


    The knowledgeable people classified dragons, elves, and monsters according to how precious they were.


    The most precious ones were naturally dragons. They were the symbols of countries.


    Right below them were dragon elves. They represented the power of grand nobles.


    Then were the big elves. They stood for the power of mid-level nobles.


    After that came dragon-bred monsters that carried dragon blood.


    Following them were little elves that were the foundation of small nobles.


    Less precious than them were dragon-bred animals. They were common beasts with the blood of dragons.


    At the bottom of the tier was the elvish insect. They meant basic productivity.


    There was actually another kind of elf that was as precious as dragons¡ªthe elf king. In legends, it was the final form of the dragon elves¡¯ evolution. Its wormgrass was so huge that a forest could live on it. Monsters, elves, and even dragons could live on the wormgrass.


    However, most people considered the elf king only a tale.


    Of every dozen elvish insects, one might evolve into a little elf. One of a hundred little elves might turn into a big elf. Hundreds of big elves might have only one that could grow into a dragon elf. Nobody had ever heard of a dragon elf that evolved into an elf king.


    Liszt calculated the odds when he had nothing better to do.


    Assuming that the odds of evolution for the elvish insects, the little elves, the big elves, and the dragon elves were 1/50, 1/100, 1/500 and 1/1,000, then the odds for an elvish insect to grow into an elf king was 1/2,500,000,000.


    It was almost zero. No wonder nobody had ever seen an elf king.


    Looking at the Ophidian words, Liszt was passionate again. A dragon-bred horse was theoretically even more important than an elvish insect. Maybe it could not beat any monster, but it was definitely valuable with its rare dragon blood.


    Everything associated with dragons was popular in this world.


    Also, the dragon blood could improve the quality of a creature. A subpar horse could immediately turn into the best horse with dragon blood.


    The dragon-bred horses were the best options for warhorses.


    Why did Archduke Sapphire cherish his dragon-bred horse so much? Because it provided blood for the Blue Blood Horses of the Blue Blood Knights, the best group of knights with a history of more than 240 years.


    The Blue Blood Knights couldn¡¯t have made so many contributions to the Sapphires without their horses.


    Naturally, Archduke Sapphire needed to maintain the continuity of the Blue Blood Horses to attract knights.


    A dragon-bred horse¡­ If I breed it, will I be able to establish an order of knights that is as good as the Blue Blood Knights?


    He was excited just thinking about it.


    However, Liszt, Marcus, and Goltai were the only people with combat aura in Flower Town. Even if he were given a lot of dragon-bred horses, there would be no knights for him to command.


    There was still a long way to go.


    A moment later, he was back to himself. He looked at Dudderson, which had returned to its nest to sleep. Suddenly, he felt that although a knight order was too far away, it was rather easy to go hunting with a dragon-bred horse and a monster dog.


    Marcus will go to Coral City and Falcon Town tomorrow and return in three days. By then, I¡¯ll be able to practice the techniques and accomplish the mission. Liszt rose and left the entertainment room.


    ¡­


    Marcus left Flower Town again.


    Liszt would rather not idle in the castle. He had rested enough during his recovery. He went to the Flower Farm early in the morning. On the flower of the black tulip, the insect had almost finished assimilation.


    It will probably take another two hours. After checking the tulip insect, Liszt rode to Peanuton, where his peanut insect was growing.


    Carl Hammer was on duty. He greeted, ¡°My lord!¡±


    ¡°How is my peanut insect?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still sleeping. Old George fertilizes it with a lot of manure every day. It¡¯s growing quickly.¡±


    ¡°Keep your eyes sharp. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to it.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord!¡±


    He returned to the Flower Farm from Peanuton. After half an hour, the tulip insect finished assimilation. Liszt could sense the joy of the insect, as well as the additional air of life, as he took it back. It meant that the tulip insect could already influence black tulips.


    Since they were born, all the elvish insects of Tulip Castle were arranged to assimilate as many varieties of tulip as possible to increase their strength.


    The tulip insect Liszt owned had already assimilated all the tulips that the family had before.


    Why do I feel that the insect is excited after assimilating the black tulip? It¡¯s not going to evolve, is it? A bold idea popped up in his head.


    Very soon, he vetoed the idea himself.


    The tulip insect he was given was a weak one among its peers. The odds of evolution were very low.


    A new magic medicine was not enough to make it evolve.


    He took the tulip insect and gave it to Carter. Now that the wormgrass had been planted, the tulip would never starve.


    Liszt soon came to the Cow Farm with Goltai.


    ¡°There are plenty of clover seeds. I intend to eradicate the grasses in this place and replace them with clovers. Then, the clover insect can plant the wormgrass here. The cows will be adapted to the new food. The horses can be grazed here, too.¡±


    A wormgrass had to be surrounded by the same plants, or it would wither due to the lack of nutrition.


    It was easy to plant the wormgrass. Liszt had nothing to add. He said, ¡°Your plan is fine with me, Mr. Goltai. What about the millet insect and the thorn insect?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking to reclaim a desolate land and see if millet can be grown there. As for the thorn insect, we can only work on the thorns on Thorn Hill. Liszt, I don¡¯t see the value of the thorn insect.¡±


    Thorns, as spiky bushes, were usually used as fences. Many nobles liked to surround their manors with thorns as a form of defense.


    Liszt, too, found no use in the thorn insect other than providing a batch of fences for his castle and guarding it from little animals. As for monsters, they could overcome the thorns easily.


    Fire Dragon ate grass, at ease.


    Looking at the skinny cows not far away, Liszt said, ¡°In any case, the elvish insects are the most important for productivity. We must plant them in appropriate places.¡±

 Chapter 19

    The milk from the Cow Farm was one of the few luxuries of Flower Farm. Before, it had been made into powder and given to the Earl of Coral Island every three months as a tax.


    After Liszt came, the milk was delivered to his castle every day.


    There were ten cows in total.


    Among them, three were too little to produce milk, two were too old, and one was male. Only four adult cows could make some milk every day. Perhaps because of their bloodline and their lack of food, the milk production was low.


    ¡°Big Flower makes twenty kilograms of fresh milk every day, Little Flower makes four, Big Black makes five, and Big Yellow is now on hiatus,¡± said the manager, who appeared quite weary despite not being very old.


    Liszt approached one of the cows. The cow was quite docile and simply continued eating the grasses.


    ¡°Are you keeping the cows that no longer produce milk?¡±


    ¡°Strong has to ensure that all the cows are bred. He has to be kept. Toddler Flower, Toddler Black, and Toddler Yellow are too little and can only make milk next year. Old Flower and Old Back are already old. We¡¯ve reported the matter. They can be butchered for meat anytime,¡± said the manager respectfully.


    Toddler Flower, Toddler Black, and Toddler Yellow were the adolescent cows.


    Little Flower and Little Black were the cows that just reached maturity.


    Big Flower, Big Black, and Big Yellow were the cows in their prime.


    Old Flower and Old Black were the senior cows.


    Strong was the name of the bull.


    Liszt remembered Carter telling him that the two old cows of the farm could be butchered for meat whenever. Cows that no longer made milk were a waste of food, merciless as it might sound.


    No parties were going to be held in the castle for now, and the meat was sufficient. So, the two old cows could still be kept on the farm.


    ¡°Are the grasses in the farm enough for the cows?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. We have ten cows, but we have 150 acres of meadow.¡±


    ¡°Manager, how many meadows do you think are needed to feed ten cows?¡±


    ¡°My lord, every cow requires ten acres of meadow, but since we often graze them outside, eight acres will be enough.¡±


    ¡°Eight acres for one cow, meaning eighty acres in total. In that case, Mr. Goltai, let¡¯s replace the other seventy acres of grass with clovers for a start.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem. I¡¯m on it.¡± Goltai patted his chest.


    Goltai had a sense of crisis after Liszt showed his determination in the census project. He finally changed his attitude, because he realized that Liszt was a noble who preferred doing things over entertainment. To get more power, he had to change his style.


    ¡­


    Liszt spent the next two days feeling Dudderson and inspecting the peanut insect.


    The third day was rainy.


    Rains were most precious in spring. All the villages pushed agriculture forward. The clovers had been sowed, and the corns were ready to be planted. As for the field of thorns, he had to wait for Marcus to return and search Thorn Hill.


    On the fourth day, after he had lunch in the castle, Carter came to his study in a hurry and said, ¡°My lord, Mr. Marcus is back. He¡¯s requesting to enter the castle.¡±


    ¡°Bring him in.¡±


    ¡°Lord Baron, Marcus greets you!¡± Marcus, covered in dust, brought the technique books that Liszt expected.


    One of them was Furious Fire that Liszt was familiar with, and the other was Dragon Drill taken from Tulip Castle.


    Accepting the books, Liszt asked, ¡°How did the earl and the baroness respond to my letters, Mr. Marcus?¡±


    ¡°Here are their responses, as well as ten Neldas for selling the furs of the Rampant Earth Dog.¡±


    ¡°Please have a seat, Mr. Marcus. I¡¯ll read the letters first.¡±


    He opened the letter from the Earl of Coral Island first. The thick paper could not contain much information, so the letter was brief. Leewilliam Tulip replied that someone would be sent to assimilate the black tulip and negotiate about the franchise.


    Also, he agreed to purchase a batch of assets that Liszt was in dire need of as advance payment of the deal.


    The other letter was from the Baroness of Falcon Town. Lvera congratulated him on the discovery of a new tulip and would come with the earl to trade for assimilation with assets.


    Their letters were formal and did not have many feelings. After Liszt¡¯s mother, the earl¡¯s first wife, passed away, her children drifted apart from each other. The earl was even more dissatisfied with Liszt after he was disappointed.


    Things are better this way. I wouldn¡¯t be able to tolerate it if they were too close. Liszt had many complicated feelings.


    Putting down the letter, Liszt asked gently, ¡°Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Marcus. Is there anything new on your journey?¡±


    ¡°Coral Island is as peaceful as usual. However, there is indeed something about your mother¡¯s family, my lord.¡±


    ¡°My mother¡¯s family?¡±


    Liszt almost forgot that his mother was born to a noble family, too. He asked, ¡°What happened to Taro Castle?¡±


    ¡°Martial Master of Tulip Castle, marquis of Red Crab Island, has resigned as the commander of the royal fleet due to illness and returned to Red Crab Island. The earl is preparing to send someone to visit him. His envoy will probably discuss it with you later.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Liszt searched his memories and recalled Taro Castle.


    Archduchy Sapphire was a country of islands, which were given to different nobles. Red Crab Island, one of the islands, belonged to the Taros. The lord of the place was the hereditary Marquis of Red Crab Island. Now, the title belonged to Merlin Taro, Liszt¡¯s grandfather.


    The Taros got their family name from the taro big elves that they raised.


    Their castle was Taro Castle, a fortress far more splendid and extravagant than Tulip Castle.


    Marquis Merlin had one son and two daughters, named Mesiro, Melinda, and Melisa.


    Melisa Taro was Liszt¡¯s mother.


    Marquis Merlin saw Leewilliam Tulip¡¯s extraordinariness when Leewilliam was only a viscount and married his second daughter to the guy. She gave birth to Levis, Lvera, and Liszt. Even to this day, Liszt celebrated his grandfather¡¯s birthday in Taro Castle every year.


    However, after Leewilliam married a new wife, the Taros and the Tulips were gradually estranged.


    However, Marquis Merlin was Liszt¡¯s grandfather.


    As a junior, he was obliged to visit his grandfather now that his grandfather was ill.

 Chapter 20

    Seeing off the exhausted Marcus, Liszt dropped his irrelevant thoughts. One of the responsibilities of nobles was to expand their connections, and the Taros were an important connection for him. However, he was not a diplomatic guy; he preferred to stay in his own territory.


    I¡¯d better practice the techniques and accomplish the misty missions first.


    He opened Furious Fire first. The book taught ways to build up the fire-natured combat aura and powerful techniques with both texts and illustrations. Furious Fire highlighted area attacks.


    Area attacks are more suitable for the battlefield. However, shouldn¡¯t my knights lead the charge for me while I command them from behind?


    Thinking about that, Liszt opened Dragon Drill.


    The book focused on one-on-one battles and was not suitable for a battlefield. Liszt soon decided to practice Dragon Drill. He was more worried about assassinations than he was about wars. So, the second technique was better.


    It¡¯s decided then¡­ I could still take a look at Furious Fire when I have more time.


    No techniques were significantly better than others in this world. Talent and personal understanding mattered most.


    A civilian could turn into a great expert, and the son of a great expert might be unremarkable.


    ¡­


    The next day, Liszt practiced Dragon Drill and waited for the merchant caravans to come.


    Three days passed quickly.


    The rain stopped.


    Good news came nonstop.


    The peanut insect in Peanuton was about to mature. Carl Hammer reported excitedly, ¡°My lord, the bud on the peanut has a slit that reveals a pink peanut insect. It will wake up soon and is already shivering.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll go there!¡±


    By the time Liszt arrived, the bud had entirely blossomed. A plump pink elvish insect was crawling on the wormgrass with infinite curiosity about the world.


    The farmers of Peanuton watched the insect curiously and nervously.


    Liszt spread the jade powder he carried before the insect. The insect sniffed and soon began to devour it. After the powder was finished, the insect wriggled to Liszt¡¯s finger, feeding on the powder there.


    Then, he felt a slight pain as the peanut insect bit his finger.


    That moment, a mental connection was established between Liszt and the peanut insect. It was a contract of service that was born with the elvish insects.


    ¡°Come with me, little buddy.¡±


    Liszt put the elvish insect in a jade box and planned to feed it in his castle while leaving the wormgrass in Peanuton.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the fifth elvish insect. There will be a harvest in Peanuton soon.¡± Feeling happy, Liszt reminded Old George, ¡°Old George, take good care of the wormgrass. Don¡¯t forget irrigation and fertilization. The more you fertilize the peanuts, the more you will harvest.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord, we will definitely water and fertilize the peanuts frequently as you instructed!¡±


    He collected the peanut insect.


    Another good thing happened. The baby Rampant Earth Dog in the castle finally opened its eyes on the seventh day and saw Liszt. It lunged at him and rubbed against his pants intimately.


    ¡°Dudderson, you have to live outside of the castle from now on.¡±


    Pulling the rope on Dudderson¡¯s neck, Liszt summoned Thomas.


    ¡°My lord.¡±


    ¡°Thomas, I have a mission for you: feed Dudderson for me. Right, have you built a kennel for Dudderson?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Thomas took the rope and was about to lead Dudderson to the kennel.


    Dudderson acknowledged Liszt as its master, but it did not obey any others. When Thomas tried to pull it away, the dog immediately barked and bit Thomas¡¯ shoes ferociously like a dangerous beast.


    However, Dudderson¡¯s little teeth could not break Thomas¡¯ shoes at all.


    ¡°Take good care of it.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord. I¡¯ve raised hounds before.¡±


    ¡°Rampant Earth Dogs are much more dangerous than hounds. They¡¯re monsters. However, it¡¯s all right. After the dog grows older, I¡¯ll make sure that it¡¯s exhausted every day.¡±


    After appointing a keeper for the dog, Liszt climbed to the pinnacle of the castle and observed the desolate land around the castle which he had ignored. He never noticed that the land around the castle was arable.


    Peanuton, Tomaton, Mushroomton, Barleyton, Wheaton, Cow Farm, Flower Farm, the town, and the castle¡­ This place actually has nine villages. I have to make the best use of every village. However, it seems impossible to till so much land without machines.


    Machines could plow lands much faster than humans could.


    It sounded amazing that two thousand people were working on tens of thousands of acres of land, but most farmlands were left alone after the seeds were sown.


    This must be what agriculture is like in Africa, isn¡¯t it? Population is the most valuable resource, but where can I find enough population?


    It¡¯s rather difficult.


    Even so, Liszt was confident that Flower Town could prosper. As a transmigrater with goldfingers, he¡¯d better jump off a building if he couldn¡¯t do it in case he embarrassed other transmigraters.


    ¡­


    ¡°Dragon Assault!¡±


    In the garden before the castle, Liszt performed the moves in Dragon Drill with a single sword. A fire was ignited on the blade and spread out like a burning fan with cracking sparks.


    The fire was not real, but the effect of the combat aura when it was attached to the sword.


    Liszt¡¯s fire-natured combat aura was explosive.


    Even the combat aura of the same quality often had different highlights. For example, his fire-natured combat aura focused on explosiveness, and that of other people might focus on temperature.


    I¡¯ll finally grasped Dragon Assault. Now, I only need to pick up the last move, Heart of the Fiery Dragon, before I can claim the reward.


    He was very delighted.


    His talents were quite impressive. Dragon Drill was divided into two parts. The first part was ways to improve the combat aura, and the second part was sixteen offensive moves. Liszt mastered the first part easily and was working on the second part.


    It often takes other people half a month to learn a technique, but I¡¯ve finished it in less than a week.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine that he failed to become an earth knight before adulthood. Was his aptitude too poor?


    Since the physical qualities of the body were not bad, aptitude could be the only problem. Liszt was probably too silly before adulthood. As for the Liszt of now, he wouldn¡¯t say he was smart, but he was definitely not stupid.


    I should continue studying and try to grasp Heart of the Fiery Dragon today.

 Chapter 21

    The set of ways to improve combat aura explained how to build up, condense, release and attach combat aura. The other part included sixteen types of battle techniques.


    There were five body movements, namely Dragon Charge, Dragon Leap, Dragon Jump, Dragon Soar, and Dragon Submersion.


    The five basic moves included Dragon Pierce, Dragon Knock, Dragon Smash, Dragon Twist, and Dragon Drill.


    The five advanced moves were Dragon Swing, Dragon Sweep, Dragon Storm, Dragon Roll, and Dragon Assault.


    The ultimate skill was Heart of Fiery Dragon.


    That was all of Dragon Drill. They also sounded like a perfect match with his horse.


    At this moment, Liszt was riding Fire Dragon almost as a part of the horse, with a shield made of fine steel in his left hand protecting him as well as the horse, and a spear more than three meters long in his right hand.


    The grass on the desolate land near the castle had been cut, revealing the yellow, barren soil below.


    The hooves of the horse stomped on the damp ground, leaving uneven marks, while the horse galloped forth in a cluster of fire. Liszt released his combat aura on horseback and attached it to his shield, his spear, and his horse.


    Very soon, both he and the horse were covered in fire.


    Then, Liszt roared, ¡°Heart of Fiery Dragon!¡±


    Fire Dragon leaped high, and the spear stabbed forth quickly. Immediately, countless shadows that looked exactly like him flashed and crashed into the boulder ahead.


    What an astonishing attack!


    BOOM!


    The boulder, as tall as a man, was blown into pieces. The sky rained fire and broken rock. By the time the dust settled, Liszt had already ridden out of the range of explosion.


    His silver suit of armor was scratched and blackened.


    Opening his mask, Liszt smiled as casually as before. It¡¯s rather powerful. This attack could¡¯ve beaten a Rampant Earth Dog half to death if it hit the target.


    Da! Da! Da! Da! Da! Da!


    Hoofbeats approached. Marcus and Goltai arrived with Liszt¡¯s squires.


    ¡°Oh, heavens! Liszt, you are truly a genius. I saw it. Was it Heart of Fiery Dragon, the ultimate skill of Dragon Drill? You¡¯ve grasped the technique in less than a week?¡± Goltai liked to talk in an exaggerated tone.


    Marcus circled the broken stones, equally surprised. ¡°The force was evenly distributed. No stones are larger than a fist. It means that you are fluent with the skill. Even regular earth knights can barely do that.¡±


    He eyed Liszt in disbelief.


    Before, the earl¡¯s third child had been a standard loser. He had the best food and tonics, but his combat aura was not even as good as a civilian knight¡¯s. However, he had seized a mid-level technique in a week after he became an earth knight.


    Marcus remembered how it took him a month and a half to grasp the ultimate skill of Against the Wind.


    He had many complicated feelings. Is this the real gap between commoners and nobles?


    Liszt tossed his shield and his spear to his squires. Taking off the helmet and breathing in the fresh air, he was still excited. ¡°I thought that Dragon Drill would¡¯ve taken me months, but it was not that difficult. I can learn Furious Fire in my spare time now.¡±


    ¡°With such talents, you definitely should learn more techniques. Liszt, as I said, you remind me of your father. You will make the Tulips shine in the future.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Goltai.¡±


    On their way back, Goltai chit-chatted with Liszt, which was his specialty. Marcus, however, seemed absentminded.


    After he had dinner in his trance and Liszt saw him off, he was finally back to himself.


    He waited for Goltai to leave on a horse while whistling a song.


    He looked at Liszt, who was still standing at the gate, and asked solemnly, ¡°My lord, may I know what your destination is?¡±


    ¡°My destination¡­¡±


    Liszt knew that Marcus was asking whether or not he had ambitions. Marcus, who was eager to be a noble, certainly did not want to follow a shiftless baron in a town.


    However, Liszt did not give a straight answer. ¡°Mr. Marcus, do not listen to what a man says, but watch what he does. What he says might be true and might be false, but what he does is always factual, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Marcus suddenly fell on one knee and pressed a hand to his chest. ¡°I¡¯d like to lead the vanguard for you, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, please rise. My territory is still weak and requires your help.¡± Liszt helped Marcus stand up calmly, but had a sense of achievement. It was his charisma that had earned the loyalty of an earth knight.


    After he took a bath in the castle, he saw the misty Ophidian words again. Mission accomplished. Reward: a meager dragon-bred horse.


    Soon, the mist twisted and changed into a new mission. Mission: Fresh clovers are the favorites of both cows and horses. They¡¯re the foundation of a horse field and the start of success. Please install the wormgrass of the clover insect. Reward: Three wild corn.


    Liszt was excited after reading it.


    The dragon-bred horse was here, although he did not know where it was and who would discover it yet. However, he was more excited about the corn than the horse.


    There was no corn in this world, at least not on Coral Island. He did not find any corn-related plants in his former self¡¯s memories.


    Corn is the crops allegedly with the highest productivity. Also, it requires little management. Corn is the future of cereals. In Interstellar, human beings only planted corn when they were about to go extinct.


    Liszt knew that corn did not taste as good as wheat and rice despite its high productivity.


    However, deliciousness was not a top priority. The crops that could keep the belly full were the best crops. Every acre of wheat in Flower Town could yield two hundred kilograms, and the number could be doubled with corn. Then, more people would be fed.


    By then, corn could be planted in most of the farmlands to feed the civilians, and wheat could be grown in some of the lands to provide fine flour for him. Wouldn¡¯t that be best?

 Chapter 22

    Before Liszt was able to give the order to search for dragon-bred horses, Goltai, who had been growing clovers in the Cow Farm, came to the castle in the early morning.


    ¡°Liszt, great news! Our new clovers are growing quite well. Most importantly, a wild horse has been attracted to them. The horse looks even more remarkable than your Fire Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Tell Mr. Marcus to check the wild horse in the Cow Farm. He has to pay for the food, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He will pay for the food with himself, haha.¡±


    Everything in a dominion belonged to the lord. The wild horse undoubtedly was Liszt¡¯s private property.


    They came to the Cow Farm and saw a black wild horse enjoying the sprouting clovers on the meadow that belonged to the cows. The horse was tall and had shiny hair. Its muscles were obvious.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, you are a great horse examiner. How do you think of it?¡±


    The wild horse had already noticed Liszt and his lot, but it seemed very bold and simply eating having the grass.


    His eyes glittering, Marcus said in excitement, ¡°My lord, what a great horse! It has nice bones and muscles. Its limbs are long. The neck is long and straight. The hindquarters are square. Most important of all, its eyes are very sharp!¡±


    ¡°How is it compared to the Blue Blood Horses?¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, my lord. I¡¯ve never seen a Blue Blood Horse before. The best horse I know is the earl¡¯s White Leopard Horse, but it is not nearly as impressive as the wild horse here.¡±


    The White Leopard Horse was the Earl of Coral Island¡¯s mount. Naturally, Liszt was no stranger to it.


    The black wild horse before them was much more intimidating than the White Leopard Horse. After all, the dragon-bred horses were kings among horses.


    ¡°How can we catch it?¡±


    Marcus said, ¡°I can knock it over barehanded. It¡¯s a horse after all. However, if you want to mount it, my lord, you have to tame it personally. Wild horses only obey those who bend them.¡±


    Liszt did not intend to mount the dragon-bred horse; he wanted it to create a group of dragon-bred horses as a stud.


    However, it was interesting to tame a dragon-bred horse. Liszt did not ask Marcus to do it for him.


    He approached the wild horse personally.


    The horse grew wary the moment he drew near. It turned around and glared at Liszt, warning him to stay back.


    As Liszt got closer and closer, the horse finally ran out of patience and charged at Liszt.


    Dodging agilely, Liszt got on the back of the horse. The horse, feeling humiliated, hopped and shook crazily, trying to throw Liszt off. However, Liszt simply grabbed its neck, not moving at all.


    An earth knight could fight a real monster, much less a horse.


    Half an hour later, the horse finally came to a halt in exhaustion, simply allowing Liszt to ride and command it.


    Wiping away his sweat, Liszt laughed. ¡°What a stubborn fellow. Your coat is purely black. Let¡¯s call you Black Dragon.¡±


    It was an appropriate name for its meager dragon bloodline.


    ¡°Carl, bring some wheat bran pies.¡± Liszt got off the horse. It was not difficult to tame a wild horse, but it was certainly tiresome. He was sweating hard.


    Fire Dragon leaned over at this moment. It was a young mare.


    While rubbing Liszt¡¯s shoulder, it looked at the tall Black Dragon Horse. However, the Black Dragon Horse did not look back at all or please Liszt. It still had its pride.


    Even though Liszt fed it with wheat bran, it did not show any fondness for him.


    ¡°My lord, this is an adult horse. If it¡¯s to be kept as a warhorse, you¡¯d better castrate it in case of rut,¡± said Marcus.


    ¡°Castrate it?¡± Liszt shook his hands. ¡°No, I¡¯ve decided to use it as a stud to create a group of horses for Flower Town. It will be a huge loss if such a stallion does not have offspring.¡±


    ¡°A stud?¡± Marcus nodded and approved of the decision.


    He did not know the background of the horse, but he could still see its extraordinariness. It was indeed a shame to castrate it.


    Having no idea that it survived a disaster, the Black Dragon Horse enjoyed the wheat bran as casually as before.


    Now and then, it ate the clovers on the ground.


    Goltai intended to touch it, only to be scared away by the horse¡¯s sniff. He had to change the topic. ¡°Where is it from? Thorn Hill?¡±


    ¡°There may be more horses on Thorn Hill¡­ Come to think of it, it¡¯s strange that there are wild horses on an island,¡± Marcus speculated.


    Horses generally lived on prairies.


    Coral Island was not spacious enough for wild horses.


    ¡°It probably wandered from other places. Or maybe, the horses that the residents raised became wild. All in all, it couldn¡¯t have emerged out of thin air. Also, Liszt, I think that more similar horses will come from Thorn Hill. We will have a horde of Black Dragon Horses by then.¡±


    ¡°That would be best.¡±


    Liszt had doubts, too.


    He wondered whether the horse had lived on this land before, or a certain being behind the misty missions created a Black Dragon Horse by force. He preferred to believe that the horse had lived here earlier, and the misty missions were only a trigger mechanism instead of the work of a creator.


    As for what the misty missions were exactly, he did not know yet.


    He could only wait until the answer was revealed in the future.


    Looking at the beautiful meadow of fresh clovers, he suddenly remembered the desolate land outside of the castle. ¡°Mr. Goltai, what do you say we plant clovers outside of the castle? We can build a horse field for the Black Dragon Horses.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s possible. Why don¡¯t we give it a shot?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll entrust the mission to Mr. Goltai then.¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt returned to the castle on the Black Dragon Horse.


    Goltai and Marcus also went back. On the way, Goltai suddenly asked, ¡°Marcus, you¡¯ve changed your attitude toward Liszt, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Normally you wouldn¡¯t make a decision so quickly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have many choices, Mr. Goltai.¡± Marcus looked at the horizon where the small castle was glittering under the sunlight. ¡°Also, didn¡¯t you often say that he reminded you of the earl? I don¡¯t think he will stay in Flower Town forever.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Goltai did not give an answer.

 Chapter 23

    The unoccupied farmers in the Cow Farm were enlisted by Liszt to till the desolate land around the castle and plant clovers.


    According to Goltai, as the lord¡¯s serfs, they must work for free.


    Liszt was better than that. He decided to offer the farmers three meals a day. Most farmers had two meals a day, so they were eager to work here.


    He gave the additional wheat bran in the castle to the farmers who worked for him. The wheat bran, which was supposed to feed horses, was food for most of the farmers.


    As I recall, wheat bran is more nutritious than wheat flour. Liszt remembered how the sellers in his previous life claimed that the dietary fiber and Vitamin B in wheat bran were beneficial. However, it tastes awful and is hard to digest.


    As a noble, he did not need the nutrition, so he did not force himself to eat the rough bran.


    The food for nobles was white bread.


    Bread was the absolute staple in this place. According to materials and tastes, it could be divided into nine levels.


    The best white bread was made of the fine wheat flour that had been screened and selected. Only the grand nobles could afford such bread. Every piece of bread cost multiple silver coins.


    The secondary white bread was made of wheat flour from which the bran and germ layers had been removed. It tasted smooth and often cost one silver coin apiece.


    The white bread of the next level was made of unscreened fine flour. It tasted worse and could cost three silver coins apiece.


    The worst white bread was made of rough wheat flour that was only processed simply. Every piece of the bread could cost ten coppers. This was the white bread that Liszt had been served.


    As for the civilians, they had brown bread.


    Only the wealthy free folk could afford whole grain bread, which cost several coppers apiece. The common free folk mostly ate the bread that cost one copper apiece. The serfs had mixed brown bread that was made of wheat flour and other flours.


    The poorer serfs either had cereal brown bread made of peas and other grains, or the bran pies that were exclusively made of bran.


    Other than them, Liszt also knew of a kind of brown bread that civilians often made.


    The brown bread would be extremely hard after fermentation. The civilians would cut it into slices and use them as plates or table props.


    It was said that certain plate brown bread could be used for months.


    What a wretched feudal society, Liszt observed hypocritically, not really intending to break the system when he enjoyed the privileges as a noble.


    Besides, it was barely possible for him to break it without dragons and elves.


    ¡°My lord, should I bring Fire Dragon to you?¡± asked Thomas carefully. He had always been cautious around Liszt.


    ¡°No. Right, Thomas, how was the horse in the stable? Did it throw a tantrum?¡±


    ¡°It was mean to Fire Dragon last night, but this morning, Fire Dragon was already able to eat next to it.¡±


    Liszt nodded, unsurprised.


    One of them was a stallion, and the other was a mare. It was only reasonable that they lived in peace. Also, Fire Dragon would probably bear the first children of the Black Dragon Horse¡ªLiszt did not object to it as Fire Dragon was an excellent breed, too.


    He stopped paying attention to this matter.


    Liszt began to practice the moves of Furious Fire.


    Normal earth knights would not practice a new technique until they were familiarized with the most well-matched technique. Thanks to his aptitude, Liszt could practice Furious Fire, which focused on group fights, after he grasped Dragon Drill.


    The moves could mostly sweep across a large area.


    Without him knowing it, he was dedicated to his training. The fire-natured combat aura was released and heated the air, making the environment scorching hot.


    ¡°Grant Fire Wave!¡±


    A swing of the sword raised fire again.


    He saw Carter walking to him quickly.


    He withdrew the combat aura and asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°My lord, Jesse said that he saw a convoy when he went to cut grass outside. I assume that the earl and the baroness might be here.¡±


    Liszt was refreshed. ¡°Finally. Please ask my teachers to welcome the convoy with me. I need to take a bath and get changed.¡±


    He got upstairs and took a bath.


    Very soon, Marcus and Goltai arrived.


    The castle had a good view from the hilltop. They could see a convoy riding to them slowly from Thorn Hill.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, remind me to discipline the patrol. Nobody gave me any information about the convoy. I wouldn¡¯t have known it without my servants.¡±


    ¡°The patrolmen are all jackasses. You need to lend me your squires and let me train them.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem.¡± Liszt got on the newly-tamed horse to demonstrate himself. ¡°Come with me to welcome the convoy. I don¡¯t think my father would come in person. It¡¯s probably my brother that is escorting the tulip big elf.¡±


    The three of them left to welcome the visitors.


    Carter, on the other hand, commanded the servants. ¡°Everybody cheer up! Clean your clothes and don¡¯t look dirty! Jesse, your pants are still muddy! Are you going to humiliate all of us? Go change them!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter.¡± Jesse Ricewater, the assistant servant, hurried to go back to his room to change his pants.


    Carter shouted again, ¡°Mrs. Mason, ask Mrs. Abby to prepare the desserts, the tea, and the cookies. Also, make sure the ingredients are ready. There will be people that his lordship has to entertain in person.¡±


    ¡°You mean other nobles are coming?¡±


    ¡°Of course. You know how important the black tulip is. Maybe Mr. Levis or Mr. Lytton is protecting the elves of the family on the trip to assimilate the black tulip. They are both important. We must not embarrass his lordship. There will also be Thomas¡¯ peers.¡±


    He was referring to the valets of the nobles.


    Everybody got busy. Very soon, the servants, led by Carter, stood at both sides of the gate and waited for the honorable guests.

 Chapter 24

    One, two, three¡­ Ten wagons in total reached the castle under the escort of a group of knights.


    ¡°My lord!¡± The knight in the lead approached Liszt and bowed. ¡°I¡¯ve escorted the convoy from Tulip Castle for business in Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Lydon. Who are my visitors?¡± Liszt bowed back.


    Lord Lydon replied, ¡°The viscount and the Baroness of Falcon Town have both come.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? My sister is here.¡±


    As they talked, a luxury wagon had climbed the slope and stopped before Liszt. The servant opened the door, and two young people in noble clothes got off.


    The man looked somewhat similar to Liszt. They both had blond hair and sapphire eyes.


    The woman also looked similar to Liszt. She was not wearing a lady¡¯s dress, but the same clothes as the man. Her attire was similar to a tailcoat, but was more glamorous.


    ¡°My dear brother, Lord of Flower Town, look who¡¯s here.¡± The man, Levis Tulip, smiled.


    Liszt dismounted and walked to Levis. ¡°Brother, I didn¡¯t expect you to come in person. Also, how is your life in Falcon Town, sister?¡±


    Lvera Tulip raised her eyebrow. ¡°Liszt, I¡¯ve sensed it. You are an earth knight now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I made a breakthrough with luck, although it was a late one.¡±


    ¡°It seems that your potential is unleashed without the restraint of Tulip Castle. You became an earth knight, found a new tulip, and even had a peanut elvish insect¡­ I¡¯m getting jealous of your luck.¡± Levis patted Liszt¡¯s shoulder with a smile.


    The siblings were actually not very close.


    Behind the warmth were mostly noble formalities. After all, all of them were real nobles.


    At this moment, Liszt¡¯s horse suddenly sniffed and roared at the horses that were pulling the wagons. The horses were almost scared off.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Levis and Lvera finally noticed the shiny Black Dragon Horse.


    Lvera¡¯s eyes glittered. ¡°What a great horse. Liszt, isn¡¯t your mount our father¡¯s birthday gift for you? Where did you get this horse? Can you give it to me?¡±


    ¡°I tamed it in Thorn Hill. I¡¯m sorry, sister, but I don¡¯t intend to sell it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised to be rejected, but you did it quite quickly. Liszt, you¡¯ve grown a lot.¡± Lvera was astonished. Liszt had always been timid before her when they were little.


    ¡°People change all the time.¡± Liszt waved at them. ¡°The sun is dazzling out here. Please take a rest inside the castle. Mr. Carter must¡¯ve prepared tea and cookies for you. We can chat there.¡±


    ¡°In that case, Mr. Lydon, bring the big elf and the little elves over.¡± Levis turned around.


    Lydon went to the wagons and commanded the other knights to get three delicate boxes out of the carriages.


    The boxes were not huge. In the largest box lay a beautiful creature the size of a baby. It looked like a human being, but it was transparent and glittered like a gem, with wings folded on its back. That was the tulip big elf, the ultimate treasure of the Tulips.


    The other two smaller boxes had two little elves the size of feet. They were also beautiful, but they were not as attractive as the big elf.


    The tulip big elf stretched out in the box and woke up, rubbing its eyes.


    Flapping its wings, it flew out. It had no gender and was not wearing any clothes. Soon, it focused its eyes on Levis. ¡°Levis, are we here? Where is the black tulip?¡± It talked like a sweet little girl.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, Xiang Xiang. This is Flower Town. You will see the black tulip soon,¡± Levis responded.


    The tulip big elf turned to Liszt. ¡°Wow, Liszt, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Liszt smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been almost two months since we met, Xiang Xiang.¡±


    The two tulip little elves also woke up and flew out of their boxes. They circled the big elf, creaking now and then. Little elves were intelligent, but could not talk.


    He led the elves into the castle.


    ¡­


    Inside the living room of the castle, those with titles were around the table, and those without titles were entertained by Marcus downstairs.


    Liszt, Levis, Lvera, Goltai, Lydon, and Bruce, another knight with a title, were seated. Carter commanded the servants to serve tea and cookies.


    Abby Spoon did her best and presented the delicious cookies.


    The tulip big elf napped on Levis¡¯s shoulder while shaking its plump feet. One of the little elves rested on Levis¡¯s head, and the other crouched on Lvera¡¯s shoulder. There were also a few other jade boxes that contained tulip elvish insects.


    Liszt understood everything after seeing it. The earl has transferred the big elf and the little elves to Levis, or they wouldn¡¯t be so close.


    He was quite jealous.


    Elves were always beautiful no matter how many times he had seen them. He was jealous that they belonged to someone else.


    But it would happen sooner or later. Levis would be the next Earl of Coral Island after all.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the castle of Flower Town to be so shabby. Liszt, you should maintain it properly.¡± Levis observed the room with a teacup in hand.


    The little castle was nothing more than a cottage compared to Tulip Castle.


    ¡°I want to do the same, but I don¡¯t have money, workers or materials.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask for castle materials, though. There are food and seeds on the wagons. Our father gave you a lot of food after the separation. Why do you need so much more?¡±


    ¡°Flower Town is more desolate than I thought. I need to hoard food in case I¡¯m starved someday.¡± Liszt offered an excuse.


    Hoarding more food could never be wrong.


    He could not develop Flower Town without solving the food problem.


    ¡°Alright, I think we can continue the boring topics during dinner. The most important thing is to meet the black tulip right now. My little elves can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Lvera interrupted them.


    Liszt nodded. He did not want to pretend, either.


    Levis and Lvera had few feelings for him, and they were no strangers to him, either. He said, ¡°Since my sister is in a hurry, let¡¯s go to the Flower Farm and assimilate the black tulip first.¡±

 Chapter 25

    At the center of the Flower Farm, the tulip big elf, leading the little elves and the six elvish insects, absorbed the black tulip around it.


    Liszt observed the tulip big elf not far away.


    According to his memories, the big elf named Xiang Xiang was more than sixty years old. It was a little elf twenty years ago and evolved into a big elf in Liszt¡¯s father¡¯s hands. The Tulips couldn¡¯t have prospered without Xiang Xiang¡¯s help.


    With his newfound wealth, Leewilliam established an order of capable knights and became an earl after only a few years.


    Coral Island turned into the fief of the family.


    Elves¡­ I have seen Xiang Xiang many times, but I can never see it enough. Elves are beautiful creatures that shouldn¡¯t exist in reality. It¡¯s a pity that it¡¯s not mine. I have only five, no, six elvish insects.


    He wrote to the earl hoping to get an elvish insect. The earl obviously agreed, because Levis carried an additional wheat elvish insect.


    ¡°My dear brother, this is your reward for discovering the magic medicine that our father asked me to give you.¡± Levis delivered the box to Liszt.


    ¡°Is the reward part of the deal?¡±


    ¡°No. Hehe, Liszt, don¡¯t consider us outsiders.¡± Levis smiled, all good manners. ¡°In any case, the blood of the Tulips flow in our veins. A magic medicine in the form of a tulip is very important for the family. Our father was delighted when he heard.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it. Please forward my thanks to our father.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you thank him in person?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Lvera approached them. ¡°Our grandfather is bedridden. Our father wants us to visit him in person. So, after the business here is done, you need to return to Coral City with us tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Liszt nodded. There was no point in refusing it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it at dinner and finish business first. Lvera, you will negotiate with Liszt first. I¡¯ll take a look at Flower Town¡­ I¡¯ve never been to this town before.¡± Levis left with his squires and Lydon, who was here to ensure his safety.


    After Levis was far away, Lvera suddenly asked, ¡°You¡¯re really unwilling to give me the black horse?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s extraordinary. You¡¯ve discovered it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not selling it for anything?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Fine, it seems that your temper has grown with your luck.¡± Lvera squinted. She had beaten Liszt a lot when they were little. The former Liszt was too useless.


    Liszt did not want to recall his past, which was not his own experience. ¡°What have you brought to me, sister? There is no family in business.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t get involved in the sale of the magic medicine. I¡¯ll only assimilate it once with a reward of 250 kilograms of wheat, 400 kilograms of millet, 50 kilograms of pig iron, 25 kilograms of wrought iron, and a bag of sweet cabbage seeds, which is a specialty of Falcon Town.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s less than I thought, but I can accept it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy. I would only pay half of it if it were Lytton.¡±


    Lytton was the earl¡¯s youngest son. His mother was the earl¡¯s second wife, a daughter from a small noble family. The mother of Liszt and his siblings was the daughter of a marquis, so they were much more respected than Lytton was.


    As if she was dissatisfied with Liszt¡¯s attitude, Lvera proposed a deal after they struck one.


    ¡°What¡¯s the nature of your combat aura?¡±


    ¡°Fire.¡±


    ¡°What technique have you practiced?¡±


    ¡°Dragon Drill.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s spar. I want to see how good you are.¡± Lvera took a spear from her squire. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we practiced with each other.¡±


    It was only an excuse.


    Her real purpose was to teach Liszt a lesson.


    However, Liszt was no longer what he used to be. He simply smiled. ¡°Excuse me, but I haven¡¯t finished my training. Maybe another day.¡±


    Lvera stared at him. ¡°Are you running away? It¡¯s not a quality expected of a knight.¡±


    ¡°Fairness is also a quality of knights. Why don¡¯t you wait until I grasp Dragon Drill, sister?¡± Liszt resolved the attack easily.


    Raising her eyebrow, Lvera put down the spear. ¡°You¡¯re as timid as before.¡±


    ¡°I call it intelligence.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself.¡±


    Lvera was only nineteen and not married yet. She was still a vigorous young woman. Liszt¡¯s mental age had long surpassed that phase. He would not be infuriated easily.


    As they chit-chatted, Levis had returned from his tour.


    ¡°Dirty, messy, lousy.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Liszt, I¡¯ve understood your demand for food. Flower Town is poorer than any town I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. However, I¡¯ll make it rich.¡±


    ¡°With the black tulip? Let¡¯s talk about it¡­ For the assimilation of the big elf, the little elves, and the elvish insects, Tulip Castle will pay 1,500 kilograms of wheat, 1,000 kilograms of barley, 250 kilograms of wheat flour, 500 kilograms of wrought iron, 30 barrels of beer, and seeds of various crops.¡±


    Liszt acknowledged the deal after further negotiation.


    The wagons of assets were moved to the warehouses of the castle and immediately filled them. The food alone was enough to feed the castle for half a year. The iron could be used to build tools and armor, and the seeds could be planted in Flower Town.


    Without elvish insects, the barren land could only be fertilized with manure, and the effect remained to be seen.


    Speaking of which, the town was not very dirty anymore. Feces were picked up and sold to the castle every day, before they were distributed to the villages for fertilization. Since the policy hadn¡¯t been instilled for long, the result was not obvious in places other than Peanuton.


    ¡­


    The dinner had a great atmosphere thanks to Goltai, who was a good talker.


    After dinner, Levis discussed the plantation and sale of the black tulip with Liszt. ¡°Our father intends to buy out the right to plant and sell the black tulip with a thousand gold coins. Meanwhile, you can plant them in Flower Town and sell them to Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. The black tulip is the cornerstone for Flower Town. I can¡¯t give up incessant revenues for only a thousand gold coins.¡±


    ¡°A thousand gold coins is not a small number. It¡¯s more than the taxes of Flower Town in the next fifty years.¡±


    ¡°After the magic medicine is planted on a large scale, I¡¯ll probably earn a thousand gold coins every year with the black tulip. Magic medicines are always in demand.¡±


    ¡°You must know that the black tulips cannot be shipped out of Thorn Hill without the family channels.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m negotiating with Father, or you. I can provide seeds for Tulip Castle, but for every black tulip to be planted, I¡¯ll be paid with a certain amount of money.¡±


    ¡°You mean that we¡¯ll do the dirty work while you do nothing but count the coins in your castle?¡±


    Liszt held the teacup and replied unhurriedly, ¡°Basically, yes.¡±

 Chapter 26

    ¡°Have you lost your mind? Your offer is way too exorbitant.¡± Levis raised his voice in dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Please calm down, brother.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m listening. What makes you think that I would accept such absurd terms? Liszt, my dear brother, you should know that while the black tulip is important for the family, it is not irreplaceable. We have another three varieties of tulip magic medicines.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that, but I also know that the black tulip is better than the other three varieties. It will serve better as the pillar of the family.¡±


    Magic medicines were marvelous and troublesome. They had to be sowed with elves, or they would gradually retrograde into common plants.


    However, their value was not affected.


    Magic potions, magic gear, and cultivation of spells and combat aura all depended on magic medicines. When earth knights hit a bottleneck in their cultivation, they had to break it with powerful magic medicines to become sky knights.


    Every sky knight was a tank of medicines that had taken too many pills before they earned advanced combat aura.


    Without the tulip magic medicines of the family, Leewilliam couldn¡¯t have become one of the few sky knights of Archduchy Sapphire so easily.


    So, Liszt knew that magic medicines were priceless, and that his brother, a talented earth knight, wouldn¡¯t miss the black tulip for the world.


    Pausing for a moment, Liszt said unhurriedly, ¡°I¡¯m too untalented to become a sky knight, but you are as gifted as our father, brother. I think your path to sky knighthood will be easier with incessant magic medicines.¡±


    He then looked at Lvera. ¡°Same goes for you, sister. I believe that sky knighthood is more important than a thousand gold coins, right? I truly hope that you can support the Tulip family as sky knights, brother and sister. As for me, I only want to earn more money and make my life better.¡±


    When sky knights were mentioned, Levis breathed heavily.


    He became an earth knight at 13, and he was 21 now. Everybody said that he would be the next sky knight of the Tulip family, but he knew the enormity of the chasm between earth knight and sky knight, which he might not be able to cross with all the family resources.


    To make things worse, Lytton Tulip, his younger brother, was also talented.


    Lytton¡¯s mother was only a small noble, but her pillow talk was certainly effective. Almost half of the resources in Tulip Castle were given to Lytton. Levis¡¯s heart bled every time he thought of that.


    Shouldn¡¯t the family dedicate all the resources to him so that he could make a breakthrough?


    Squinting, he said solemnly, ¡°Liszt, if you truly support me, you shouldn¡¯t have proposed such harsh terms.¡±


    ¡°Let me put it in a different way. What if we keep the business regarding the black tulip amongst ourselves? I don¡¯t think our lord father cares so much about a single black tulip.¡± Liszt implied that they could shun Lytton.


    Liszt¡¯s half-brother had always been condescending to him.


    Liszt did not hesitate at all to keep him out of the deal.


    Thinking for a moment, Levis asked, ¡°Do you want to be part of this, Lvera?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t plan to, but since Liszt has invited me, why not?¡± Lvera was not as gifted as Levis, but she also craved to be a sky knight. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I have elves, too.¡±


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s talk about the ratio of benefits.¡±


    ¡­


    After negotiations and compromises, the siblings hashed out a deal.


    When the black tulip had seeds, the tulip big elf would plant them near Coral City. After a new batch of seeds was harvested, they would be grown extensively in Coral City, Falcon Town, and Flower Town.


    In the first three years, Levis would take care of all the black tulips, and Liszt would claim thirty percent of the revenues according to market price while his sister got twenty percent of it.


    Three years later, the black tulips of Falcon Town would be run by Lvera in person, and twenty-five percent of the revenues would go to Liszt.


    Ten years later, Liszt would stop claiming dividends from them.


    The annual profit of the golden tulip of the family is around five thousand gold coins. The black tulip should be better than that. Assuming that the profit is seven thousand gold coins, I will earn around two thousand gold coins every year. That¡¯s much better than only a thousand gold coins.


    Liszt thought to himself after they signed the agreement.


    He originally planned to claim twenty percent of profits, but since Levis tried to take advantage of his ignorance and buy out the black tulip with a thousand gold coins, he raised it to thirty percent in retaliation.


    There was no family in business. Besides, Liszt didn¡¯t feel that they were family. They were not connected to him except by blood.


    After the deal was made, the siblings seemed friendlier with each other.


    Outside of the castle, the farmers were still busy reclaiming the desolate land.


    ¡°Are you planning to plant crops outside of your castle?¡± Lvera looked out of the window.


    ¡°Clovers. I¡¯ll raise horses here.¡±


    Levis joined them. ¡°Horses? You¡¯re going to build your own cavalry?¡±


    ¡°I want to establish an order of knights. The monsters of Thorn Hill are a big threat. Many people die because of them every winter. Nobody in town is capable of combat aura¡­ Brother, can I talk to you in private?¡± Liszt suddenly remembered something.


    They entered an empty room.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re acting mysterious.¡±


    ¡°I remember that Coral Island did not have a lot of people when we were little. Our father shipped in immigrants from other islands to increase the population, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Coral Island had only several thousand natives when our father became an earl. Most of the population was sold to this place. Why else do you think ninety percent of them are serfs?¡±


    ¡°Have you considered continuing the population trade, brother?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Levis observed Liszt. ¡°Can Flower Town support more people? I doubt that this shabby town can support even you, and you are hoping to support more people? Or do you have a different destination for your trade?¡±


    Slave trade was not an honorable thing, but a large population was always needed to open up desolate lands.


    Most nobles were more or less involved in human trafficking.


    ¡°Flower Town is indeed small, so I¡¯m planning to develop Thorn Hill, which requires a lot of hands. I believe that the income from the black tulip can support me long enough to build Thorn Hill into something as good as my sister¡¯s Falcon Town,¡± Liszt said, not entirely meaning it.


    He¡¯d better keep his real policy to himself.

 Chapter 27

    ¡°Human trafficking is not impossible. Our family fleets set sail for trade every year. However, if you only want dozens of people, the risk is not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Five thousand.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I need five thousand people.¡±


    ¡°Five thousand? Are you sure you can handle them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m positive.¡±


    Levis squinted. ¡°I need to think about it.¡±


    Nobody mentioned anything about population trade after they returned to the living room. They continued with afternoon tea.


    The convoy would spend a night in Flower Town. Most knights and squires lived in the town, and Levis and Lvera stayed in the castle.


    Carter was particularly busy today.


    ¡°Tom, where¡¯s Jesse? I need his help!¡± His legs aching after repetitively going up and down the stairs, he entered the kitchen and asked, ¡°Is Jesse not helping in the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°Jesse must be moving the horse grass. There are dozens more horses in the castle. We don¡¯t have enough grass,¡± said Tom.


    ¡°Tell him to look for me in the warehouse after he returns. I need someone to store the food delivered to the castle today in the basement.¡±


    ¡°All right, Mr. Carter.¡±


    Allyn raised her head while washing the dishes. ¡°Mr. Carter, do you need my help?¡±


    Before Carter replied, Abby was already scolding her. ¡°You¡¯re not done here yet. Why, Allyn, do you want a new job?¡±


    Carter opened his hands. ¡°Allyn, I don¡¯t think I can expect your help now.¡±


    ¡°Got it¡­ God knows how much longer I have to stay in the kitchen today. My clothes are all wet. Mrs. Abby¡¯s furnace is too hot.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Is the cook you or me? Do you want to make the dinner for his lordship?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the cook.¡±


    ¡°Then shut up and do your work!¡±


    The bickering in the kitchen never stopped. Carter walked out. He felt that it was difficult to breathe and wondered if it was sunstroke. Although it was not summer yet, the weather was getting hotter and hotter.


    Mason Ricefield, who was carrying a bucket, saw Carter and asked concernedly, ¡°Do you not feel well, Mr. Carter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯m just feeling hot.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Your face looks awful, though. Are you too anxious about the guests in the castle?¡±


    ¡°Why would I be anxious? Mrs. Mason, I¡¯ve seen more in the earl¡¯s house. I can handle this.¡± Carter put his handkerchief back. ¡°Have the guest rooms been cleaned?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lvera¡¯s maid has been complaining about the dust and the ragged sheets.¡±


    ¡°The quality of the items is not up to us. Let¡¯s make sure we don¡¯t lose manners and ignore the rest. The real nobles won¡¯t get angry about details.¡±


    ¡°The Tulips are real nobles.¡± Mrs. Mason nodded. ¡°Mr. Carter, do you really not need a rest?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°His lordship is a nice guy. He would hate to see you over-exhausted.¡±


    ¡°I am not over-exhausted. As a matter of fact, I¡¯m enjoying the company of so many guests. All right, I need to sort the warehouse. I complained about the lack of food yesterday, but the warehouse is overflowing with food today.¡±


    ¡­


    There was barely any entertainment in the castle.


    After the afternoon tea, some of the knights intended to go hunting on Thorn Hill. Liszt agreed and invited Levis and Lvera to join them.


    With so many earth knights, it¡¯s possible to eliminate the monsters of Thorn Hill, he thought. Even if we can¡¯t, it¡¯s still a chance for me to get to know the terrain.


    He put on his armor and got on his horse.


    This time, he chose Fire Dragon. The other horse was not familiar with him yet and would affect his performance.


    He brought Marcus and his squires and left Thomas behind. ¡°Thomas, take care of my Black Dragon. Also, don¡¯t forget to feed Dudderson on time. It¡¯s growing fast.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Dudderson?¡± asked Lvera.


    ¡°A dog.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re keeping a dog? What¡¯s the breed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Rampant Earth Dog.¡±


    ¡°A Rampant Earth Dog? A monster?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a baby Rampant Earth Dog. Mr. Marcus caught it on Thorn Hill,¡± said Liszt casually.


    ¡°Earth knight, black tulip, peanut insect, baby Rampant Earth Dog, and a remarkable horse. Liszt, are you favored by the God of Fortune? I¡¯m getting jealous.¡±


    ¡°Life in the countryside can be colorful.¡±


    ¡°Falcon Town is also the countryside, but it¡¯s not as colorful as Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you spend most of your time in Tulip Castle, sister.¡±


    ¡°If you want, you can also live in Tulip Castle. Father didn¡¯t drive you away,¡± Levis interjected.


    Liszt believed that it was only formalities. ¡°I like Flower Town. I can do whatever I want here.¡±


    ¡°Including surrounding your castle with grass.¡± Levis pointed at the serfs who were sowing clovers and joked, ¡°Your castle can be named Horsefield Castle in the future.¡±


    Actually, such a small castle wouldn¡¯t have any name.


    Liszt raised the whip. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s almost sunset. We¡¯ll have to return before we enter the depths of Thorn Hill.¡±


    He intended to hunt a few monsters with these knights. Thorn Hill had to be conquered as part of his territory sooner or later. The more monsters he killed now, the less trouble he would have in the future.


    It was a shame that they only captured common beasts on their trip.


    Monsters were much smarter than beasts. Sensing the overwhelming combat aura, they hid themselves well.


    Even so, the game was still enough for a huge barbecue party. Nobles, knights, and servants rejoiced in beer and cream.


    ¡°Wow, roasting sir, please give me a rabbit leg.¡± The tulip big elf flew about happily. Elves did not need food, but they could digest it if they had any.


    Thomas, who was roasting the meat, hurried to give the big elf a rabbit leg.


    The two little elves picked up two pieces of meat without asking for permission.


    ¡°Xiang Xiang, you are eating too fast. You have to chew more to get a better taste of the food.¡± Liszt smiled while tearing a rabbit head apart.


    Elves were too fascinating. He was in a better mood just looking at it.


    Besides, he was having his favorite, barbecue, which was probably the only food he really liked in this world.


    ¡°I like to eat quickly.¡±


    Xiang Xiang was covered in grease. It then shook its body like a puppy, and all the grease was flung away without leaving any dirt behind.

 Chapter 28

    The night was late. After the barbecue party, the knights went to town to rest.


    Levis and Lvera returned to their rooms. Carter came to the study with a cup of apple cider.


    ¡°My lord, you seem quite sober.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He sipped the refreshing juice. The beer at the party was not strong enough to get him drunk.


    Carter¡¯s face was unnatural under the candlelight.


    Liszt had noticed it during the day. ¡°Mr. Carter, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, my lord.¡±


    ¡°You must tell me if anything is wrong. While this castle cannot leave its butler, your health is more important. Take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Carter almost shed tears.


    ¡°After the assimilation tomorrow, I¡¯ll go to Coral City with the convoy and may be away for a few days. Please keep the castle under watch.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord.¡±


    ¡°I see no reason to worry. Other than the elvish insects, Dudderson and Black Dragon must be taken care of. Check the black tulip for me once a day. Also, don¡¯t stop the construction of the horsefield outside of the castle. I want to settle the clover insect after I return.¡±


    The mission was always the top priority.


    After a brief conversation, he went to bed.


    The next morning, the eight tulip elvish insects completed the assimilation of the black tulip. The convoy began to return. Liszt left with Marcus and Thomas and entrusted the castle to Carter, Goltai, and his squires.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, I want to see the patrolmen from Thorn Hill to the East Coast after I return.¡±


    ¡°As you wish. I¡¯ll train them well,¡± said Goltai, at ease.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be on my way. I¡¯ll return with a couple of gins.¡±


    ¡°That will be fantastic!¡±


    Liszt looked back at his castle from horseback. Carter and the servants were seeing him off at the gate in silence. Without further ado, he spurred on the horse and joined the team.


    He was somewhat excited.


    His former self was very familiar with Coral Island, but for him, it was technically his first trip outside of Flower Town, a medieval land covered in magic.


    The land outside of Thorn Hill mostly belonged to the earl, although some of the towns were baronies given by the earl. The whole Coral Island had only one proclaimed viscount, Yonas Pebbles, who was one of the earl¡¯s earliest followers.


    Outside of Coral Island, there was a small island that belonged to another viscount follower of the earl, Patrick Humulus.


    Altogether six cities stood on Coral Island. Coral City, right next to Tulip Castle, was the biggest one. North Valley City, Birch City, Elm City, and Snake Spear City belonged to the earl. Pebbles Castle and Pebbles City affiliated to it were Viscount Yonas¡¯s territory.


    To reach Coral City from Flower Town, one had to pass North Valley City and Birch City.


    However, the convoy did not stop in the two cities. After having a simple lunch in the suburb of North Valley City, they went straight to Coral City. At three in the afternoon, when the horses entered an ocean of flowers, they arrived at their destination.


    The flowers were all kinds of tulips.


    Most of them were magic medicines, and some were ornamental. The tulips grown by the Tulip family were most famous in Archduchy Sapphire.


    The ocean of flowers waved back and forth on the slope.


    To the left of the high road was Coral City, surrounded by walls. The city was next to the ocean and had busy ports. Liszt could see the brigs in the ports.


    The ships in this world were evolving from those with oars to those with sails.


    It was with the ships with sails that the initial conqueror of Archduchy Sapphire established the country of islands.


    Sailing ships were the only vehicles to travel through the ocean.


    It¡¯s a pity that sails are probably the end of ships. There isn¡¯t enough iron to build ironclad steam ships.


    Liszt thought to himself and looked at the right side of the road.


    The right side was a mountain with a steep cliff on the side facing the ocean and a gentle slope on the other side. Tulip Castle was built on the cliff. A broad road made of stones zigzagged from the gate of the castle to Coral City down below. The castle stood at the peak of Coral City like a flag.


    The pointed tower on the castle pierced into the sky.


    The thick wall of the castle was connected to the mountain, and the flowers highlighted the magnificence of the impenetrable castle. As Liszt recalled, it took the family ten years to build such a stronghold, and hundreds of serfs died in exhaustion.


    Even to this day, the castle was still expanding.


    The glory of nobles was always founded on blood. Archduke Sapphire¡¯s castle, in comparison, was built over a hundred years, and the dead bodies of serfs piled up to dozens of meters high.


    It looks gray but is actually blood-red. I prefer to live in the small castle in Flower Town, where I can at least sleep at ease.


    Liszt¡¯s heart was heavy.


    Following his brother and his sister, he rode to the familiar yet strange castle.


    On the way, they met knights that came from the castle. The knight in the lead bowed at Levis respectfully. ¡°Mr. Levis, Godspeed.¡±


    ¡°Godspeed, Captain Micky.¡± Levis bowed back.


    Captain Micky then bowed at Lvera. ¡°Ms. Lvera, Godspeed.¡±


    ¡°Godspeed, Captain Micky.¡±


    Finally, Captain Micky looked at Liszt again and said with impeccable etiquette, ¡°Mr. Liszt, welcome home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Captain Micky,¡± Liszt greeted. The knight was the captain of the garrison in Tulip Castle, who was responsible for the safety of Tulip Castle.


    Led by the welcomers, they soon reached the gate of the castle.


    Butler Luis greeted the siblings at the gate with a warm smile. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s always the happiest thing to see his lordship¡¯s children returning to the castle like tired birds.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Luis, you still look so well after such a long time.¡± Liszt greeted Luis after giving the reins to a servant.


    Luis was at least sixty years old. He was Liszt¡¯s grandpa¡¯s valet at the beginning.


    Right now, he was the butler of Tulip Castle. Even the earl respected him. He certainly had earned it with lifelong hard work.

 Chapter 29

    ¡°Mr. Liszt, you look much more energetic than two months ago. Is everything in Flower Town all right?¡± asked Luis with a smile.


    ¡°Everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. His lordship asked about you many times. He¡¯s concerned about you.¡±


    The Earl of Coral Island asked about Liszt¡¯s life? Liszt was suspicious. If his father cared about him, he wouldn¡¯t have been sent to such a dilapidated place as Flower Town.


    Liszt did not feel close after he returned home.


    His soul came from a distant world. The memories of his former self were like movie pictures that could not affect his mood. He was not connected to the Tulips by blood. Everything was like a game where Liszt was a character.


    The busy servants in the castle bowed to the young masters.


    Only the earl, the earl¡¯s wife, Levis, Lytton, and, on occasion, Lvera lived here, but there were more than two hundred servants.


    Also, the servants had little free time. They were always busy from dawn till dusk.


    Their work could be summarized as one thing: to maintain the luxurious life of nobles.


    ¡°I have to take a shower. I can¡¯t stand my smell now.¡± Lvera left them. ¡°If Father asks, tell him that I¡¯ll join you soon.¡±


    Levis spoke as if he was the master of the castle. ¡°Liszt, do you need a shower? Your room and your clothes have been kept for you.¡±


    ¡°Unlike our sister, I do not have mysophobia. I¡¯ll wait for Father here. You can get to your business. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    ¡°All right, this castle is your home, too. I need to talk to Mr. Frank about the black tulip. He has been managing the business for me. The elves have to be settled, too. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    Levis also left.


    Marcus left with a footman to settle the horses. Liszt was left alone with a few footmen in the living room. He appreciated the gem light on the pillar. The gems in a castle indicated the wealth of a noble, because most gems came from dragons.


    In Liszt¡¯s home world, gems were for decoration purposes.


    Here, gems were natural magic additions that contained marvelous power. They were indispensable for magic items. The crystal light before him, for example, was a magic item that could stay lit until the magic power in the crystals ran out. Then, magi and knights could refill the magic power.


    The process could repeat until the crystals were worn out to common stones.


    ¡°Is a crystal light without any decorations so enjoyable?¡± With the clicks of boot, someone spoke from behind Liszt.


    Liszt turned around and saw the master of Tulip Castle on the stairs to the second floor. He was a middle-aged man with bright gold hair. He had gray-green eyes that were different from the sapphire eyes of his children.


    His face was utterly unremarkable, too.


    Leewilliam Tulip wouldn¡¯t be noticed in a crowd, but he was lord of Coral Island and a sky knight who became an earl on his own.


    Levis and Lvera were more like their father, and only their sapphire eyes came from their mother.


    Liszt, on the other hand, inherited his mother¡¯s beauty.


    ¡°Perhaps because I¡¯m used to candles now, the crystal light is strange to me.¡±


    ¡°Are you complaining about life in Flower Town?¡± Leewilliam stood on the stairs without stepping down.


    ¡°Life in Flower Town is free. I¡¯m very satisfied, Father.¡± Liszt bowed. ¡°You¡¯re as strong as before. I can feel your surging combat aura.¡±


    ¡°Your combat aura is on the rise, too. That¡¯s good. Not complaining about your life is also good.¡± Leewilliam nodded. ¡°Where are your brother and sister?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll come soon.¡±


    ¡°To the study.¡± Leewilliam went upstairs.


    Liszt followed him into the earl¡¯s study. The study was quite huge. The bookshelves, covering a whole wall, were laden with books. Many books were also piled on the desk next to the window on the opposite side of the bookshelf.


    Pada!


    The earl opened a bottle of vintage New Moon and poured it into two goblets. The wine flowed like blood.


    Giving one of the goblets to his third child, the earl seemed surprised. ¡°You seem to have become polished in the two months of independent life.¡±


    His son was very calm and not nearly as awkward as he used to be.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Liszt took the wine. ¡°Realizing the responsibilities of a lord, I have to make changes.¡±


    ¡°Positive changes.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    After the small talk, both of them discovered that they had little in common. So, the earl raised his cup and changed the subject. ¡°Have you dealt with the black tulip? How much did Levis pay you?¡±


    ¡°Tulip Castle will be responsible for planting and selling, and I will take thirty percent of the revenues in the next ten years. The cooperation will be between me, Levis, and Lvera.¡±


    The earl pondered for a moment. ¡°Only among you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have left Lytton behind. He¡¯s your brother, too.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still little. It¡¯s better for him to be sheltered by you, isn¡¯t it? My siblings and I are all adults. It¡¯s natural for us to cooperate.¡± Liszt smiled and did not explain the real reason.


    As if he had forgotten them until just now, Liszt asked, ¡°Where is the lady and Lytton? I didn¡¯t see them.¡±


    ¡°She brought Lytton to Snake Spear City today. It¡¯s Lytton¡¯s uncle¡¯s birthday today.¡± The earl¡¯s wife was from a baron family of Coral Island based in a town near Snake Spear City.


    Then, there was silence.


    Liszt did not inherit the father-son bond, and it was inappropriate for him to talk like a stranger. So, he simply remained silent.


    The earl was unused to Liszt¡¯s new vibe. Their conversation was equal now. He couldn¡¯t find a reason to scold his son.


    After a long time, he said, ¡°There¡¯s still some time to go before dinner. You can visit your friends in Coral City.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯d like to stay in the study and read.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t so into books before.¡± The earl finished the wine and left. ¡°If you like books, I¡¯ll have someone load a wagon for you. You can take it when you return to Flower Town.¡±

 Chapter 30

    History did not exist. Social development could only be inferred with the knights¡¯ novels.


    That was Liszt¡¯s understanding.


    He also did not know the origin of human beings in this world.


    He did know that Archduchy Sapphire had been established 150 years ago. A splendid festival was held last year and left a deep impression on Liszt.


    There were many novels about the Sapphires. According to some of them, the family could be dated back to a thousand years ago.


    As for the Tulips, due to the lack of pedigree, Liszt could only remember his great-great-great-grandfather, when the family did not have any tulip elves yet.


    Their original surname was Tiles, which indicated that they were commoners in the beginning. According to the family record, his great-great-great-grandfather was knighted for his contributions to the Sapphires¡¯ conquests.


    Since then, the family became noble.


    His great-great-grandfather became a baron, his great-grandfather became a viscount, and his grandfather acquired a tulip little elf.


    After Leewilliam assumed the title, the little elf evolved into a big elf, and the family name was changed into Tulip. A few years later, Leewilliam was proclaimed Earl of Coral Island for his wartime contributions.


    In honor of Leewilliam¡¯s achievement, the L in Leewilliam became the start of his offspring¡¯s names.


    His mother¡¯s family also had the tradition. Their letter was M.


    So, the Tulips only had a history of six generations and a time span of 150 years.


    He could not trace his ancestors back any further.


    Only six generations of an earl¡¯s family can be recorded. This is truly a barbaric age. Liszt scorned it. A civilization could not be inherited without history.


    In his hometown, he had a pedigree that could be traced back to the Ming Dynasty1.


    The bloodline of the family could be traced back to the Yellow Emperor1.


    The novels that brag about the Sapphires are all bulls*it. Some say they originated from the south of the Iron Mountain Kingdom, some say they were immigrants from the High Furnace Castle, and some say they came from the distant Blue Dragon Empire¡­


    He was of a mind to sort the basic history of this world, but it was not promising. The novel that went furthest back in history was The Silly Knight and the Red-Tailed Dragon.


    The story in the novel took place in the Empire of Everlasting Radiance ten thousand years ago. However, Liszt had confirmed that the Empire of Everlasting Radiance couldn¡¯t have been established more than three thousand years ago.


    The Empire of Everlasting Radiance was also the country with the longest history on the continent.


    Most countries were founded on their friendship with dragons and declined because of the death or departure of dragons. Some even perished after their dragons were butchered.


    When the first Archduke Sapphire established the country, there was a dragon-slaying war.


    The Sapphire Dragon was almost killed by the intruders from the Eagle Kingdom. During the escape, the blood of the dragon dyed a mountain blue and resulted in tremendous sapphires.


    Although the dragon was not killed, Archduke Sapphire was heavily wounded and had to move his territory to the islands.


    Of course, Liszt inferred the history on his own.


    In the novels that adulated the Sapphires, the Sapphire Dragon bit the Iron Dragon of the Eagle Kingdom, whose blood created the mountain of minerals.


    As to why the blood of an Iron Dragon could create a mountain where sapphires were found¡­ It remained inexplicable.


    Everything would be fine as long as ordinary people were fooled.


    ¡­


    Someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Liszt raised his head.


    Silva, deputy butler of the castle, came in. He was Luis¡¯s helper and expected to be the next butler.


    ¡°Mr. Liszt, Mrs. Penelope is here. She¡¯s with Mr. Levis and Ms. Lvera in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Is my grandmother here? I¡¯ll join them.¡±


    Liszt rubbed his forehead, feeling upset. His grandmother was not fond of him.


    His father disliked him because he was disappointing and was apparently happy about his new changes in the past months. His grandmother was different. She disliked Liszt because he reminded her of her daughter-in-law.


    Penelope lived in a small castle in Coral City instead of with her son exactly because of her bad relationship with Melisa.


    Liszt, who took after his mother, became Penelope¡¯s punching bag.


    However upset he was, he had to go downstairs and greet her.


    ¡°Nice to see you, Grandmother. I¡¯m delighted to see that you are healthy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here!¡± The wrinkles on Penelope¡¯s face were thick because she was almost sixty. She said, ¡°Liszt, I thought Melisa was here when you didn¡¯t talk. That pretty face¡­ Thank god she¡¯s in heaven now, or I wouldn¡¯t dare to visit my son.¡±


    Liszt showed no response and sat down quietly.


    Since the old woman disliked him, he would rather not embarrass himself. They wouldn¡¯t meet often, after all.


    Lvera smiled. ¡°Liszt, Grandmother came immediately after she learned that you were here. She¡¯s usually praying for the family at this hour.¡±


    Penelope turned away from Liszt and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not here to see him.¡±


    Her actions were the opposite of her words.


    Liszt thought that Mrs. Penelope probably loved her grandson despite her habit of attacking Liszt, who looked like Melisa. However, Liszt did not really care about it. He only wanted to be left alone.


    ¡°Your sister told me that Flower Town was more like a shabby village?¡± asked Mrs. Penelope.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed shabby, but that means there¡¯s more room for development. I already have a plan.¡±


    ¡°That ambitious tone sounds like the Tulips. Do not be as condescending as Melisa. You already look like her. If your temper is like hers, it will kill me like a shadow I cannot get rid of.¡±


    Liszt did not respond.


    He did not remember much about his mother who died due to illness when he was very little.


    Mrs. Penelope, on the other hand, continued complaining about Melisa. In summary, she believed that the marquis¡¯s daughter despised her and challenged her in every aspect, and she hoped that they did not inherit her flaws.

 Chapter 31

    History did not exist. Social development could only be inferred with the knights¡¯ novels.


    That was Liszt¡¯s understanding.


    He also did not know the origin of human beings in this world.


    He did know that Archduchy Sapphire had been established 150 years ago. A splendid festival was held last year and left a deep impression on Liszt.


    There were many novels about the Sapphires. According to some of them, the family could be dated back to a thousand years ago.


    As for the Tulips, due to the lack of pedigree, Liszt could only remember his great-great-great-grandfather, when the family did not have any tulip elves yet.


    Their original surname was Tiles, which indicated that they were commoners in the beginning. According to the family record, his great-great-great-grandfather was knighted for his contributions to the Sapphires¡¯ conquests.


    Since then, the family became noble.


    His great-great-grandfather became a baron, his great-grandfather became a viscount, and his grandfather acquired a tulip little elf.


    After Leewilliam assumed the title, the little elf evolved into a big elf, and the family name was changed into Tulip. A few years later, Leewilliam was proclaimed Earl of Coral Island for his wartime contributions.


    In honor of Leewilliam¡¯s achievement, the L in Leewilliam became the start of his offspring¡¯s names.


    His mother¡¯s family also had the tradition. Their letter was M.


    So, the Tulips only had a history of six generations and a time span of 150 years.


    He could not trace his ancestors back any further.


    Only six generations of an earl¡¯s family can be recorded. This is truly a barbaric age. Liszt scorned it. A civilization could not be inherited without history.


    In his hometown, he had a pedigree that could be traced back to the Ming Dynasty1.


    The bloodline of the family could be traced back to the Yellow Emperor1.


    The novels that brag about the Sapphires are all bulls*it. Some say they originated from the south of the Iron Mountain Kingdom, some say they were immigrants from the High Furnace Castle, and some say they came from the distant Blue Dragon Empire¡­


    He was of a mind to sort the basic history of this world, but it was not promising. The novel that went furthest back in history was The Silly Knight and the Red-Tailed Dragon.


    The story in the novel took place in the Empire of Everlasting Radiance ten thousand years ago. However, Liszt had confirmed that the Empire of Everlasting Radiance couldn¡¯t have been established more than three thousand years ago.


    The Empire of Everlasting Radiance was also the country with the longest history on the continent.


    Most countries were founded on their friendship with dragons and declined because of the death or departure of dragons. Some even perished after their dragons were butchered.


    When the first Archduke Sapphire established the country, there was a dragon-slaying war.


    The Sapphire Dragon was almost killed by the intruders from the Eagle Kingdom. During the escape, the blood of the dragon dyed a mountain blue and resulted in tremendous sapphires.


    Although the dragon was not killed, Archduke Sapphire was heavily wounded and had to move his territory to the islands.


    Of course, Liszt inferred the history on his own.


    In the novels that adulated the Sapphires, the Sapphire Dragon bit the Iron Dragon of the Eagle Kingdom, whose blood created the mountain of minerals.


    As to why the blood of an Iron Dragon could create a mountain where sapphires were found¡­ It remained inexplicable.


    Everything would be fine as long as ordinary people were fooled.


    ¡­


    Someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Liszt raised his head.


    Silva, deputy butler of the castle, came in. He was Luis¡¯s helper and expected to be the next butler.


    ¡°Mr. Liszt, Mrs. Penelope is here. She¡¯s with Mr. Levis and Ms. Lvera in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Is my grandmother here? I¡¯ll join them.¡±


    Liszt rubbed his forehead, feeling upset. His grandmother was not fond of him.


    His father disliked him because he was disappointing and was apparently happy about his new changes in the past months. His grandmother was different. She disliked Liszt because he reminded her of her daughter-in-law.


    Penelope lived in a small castle in Coral City instead of with her son exactly because of her bad relationship with Melisa.


    Liszt, who took after his mother, became Penelope¡¯s punching bag.


    However upset he was, he had to go downstairs and greet her.


    ¡°Nice to see you, Grandmother. I¡¯m delighted to see that you are healthy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here!¡± The wrinkles on Penelope¡¯s face were thick because she was almost sixty. She said, ¡°Liszt, I thought Melisa was here when you didn¡¯t talk. That pretty face¡­ Thank god she¡¯s in heaven now, or I wouldn¡¯t dare to visit my son.¡±


    Liszt showed no response and sat down quietly.


    Since the old woman disliked him, he would rather not embarrass himself. They wouldn¡¯t meet often, after all.


    Lvera smiled. ¡°Liszt, Grandmother came immediately after she learned that you were here. She¡¯s usually praying for the family at this hour.¡±


    Penelope turned away from Liszt and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not here to see him.¡±


    Her actions were the opposite of her words.


    Liszt thought that Mrs. Penelope probably loved her grandson despite her habit of attacking Liszt, who looked like Melisa. However, Liszt did not really care about it. He only wanted to be left alone.


    ¡°Your sister told me that Flower Town was more like a shabby village?¡± asked Mrs. Penelope.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed shabby, but that means there¡¯s more room for development. I already have a plan.¡±


    ¡°That ambitious tone sounds like the Tulips. Do not be as condescending as Melisa. You already look like her. If your temper is like hers, it will kill me like a shadow I cannot get rid of.¡±


    Liszt did not respond.


    He did not remember much about his mother who died due to illness when he was very little.


    Mrs. Penelope, on the other hand, continued complaining about Melisa. In summary, she believed that the marquis¡¯s daughter despised her and challenged her in every aspect, and she hoped that they did not inherit her flaws.

 Chapter 32

    Castles, instead of cities, deserved more expectations. Nobles generally appreciated hygiene more. They had bathrooms and toilets as well as servants who moved the waste out of their castles.


    Nobody knew that feces could be used for fertilization, so they were simply dropped in the wilderness.


    Feces could reduce the reliance on elves¡ªbut could not to zero, because elves could also improve the phenotype of the crops.


    The brig sailed on the blue ocean. Coral City was already gone. Tulip Castle was sinking from the mountaintop, too.


    Did it prove that this world was also a sphere?


    Once in a while, Liszt considered the structure of the new world, but there was too little information for him to reach any conclusion.


    ¡°What are you looking at, my lord?¡± Marcus approached him.


    ¡°The blue ocean, where infinite treasures are buried.¡±


    ¡°I grew up by the ocean. I have fewer fantasies about it. There are monsters and deadly fish in the ocean. The continent, on the other hand, is much wealthier. Knights and nobles compete for glory on the continent, too.¡±


    Archduchy Sapphire was a country of islands, but it never stopped attacking the continent. Knights were organized every couple of years to fight for mines on the continent.


    Many nobles had been made in the attempts.


    It was also how the Tulips rose to prominence. Marcus had always dreamed of joining the war and being accoladed as a lord.


    Now that he¡¯d pledged his loyalty to Liszt, he certainly did not hesitate to convince his liege.


    Liszt stared at the deep ocean, unmoved. Why would anyone go to the dangerous battlefield? Accomplishing missions and farming as a countryside lord seemed much better. He believed that he could distinguish himself with the misty missions very quickly.


    As for what the misty missions were exactly, he would solve the mystery someday.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, I¡¯m told that there are many undeveloped islands outside the territory of the archduchy, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I talked with some old sailors. There are more islands beyond, but they are surrounded by storms and reefs that make it difficult for boats to come by. They are of little value.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Liszt did not express his opinion.


    As long as pelagic fishery thrived, the wealth of the ocean would be unveiled. Then, people would fight over the islands as fiercely as they fought on the continent.


    It was still far away right now. As the lord of a small town, he had to develop his own territory first.


    ¡°Hoist the sails! Move forward!¡±


    ¡°Hoist the sails! Move forward!¡±


    The crew roared from the masts. The southern wind was blowing from the end of the ship. The captain immediately asked the sailors to raise the sails and make use of the power.


    Sailing ships allowed human beings to explore a larger area. The fleets in Archduchy Sapphire were mostly equipped with sails. However, they were all brigs; schooners had not been invented yet. Brigs could move fast with favorable winds, but had to count on oars when against the wind.


    With the tailwind, all the ships raised the sails, forming a splendid triangle on the sea.


    They set sail in the morning and reached Red Crab Island in the evening.


    Red Crab Island was ten times as huge as Coral Island. Taro Castle was not on the coast but on a mountain at the center of the island. So, Liszt and his companions had to spend the night there and ride for another day to reach Taro Castle.


    Pigeons were not trained to carry letters yet. Also, the paper was probably too heavy for them.


    However, a knight had delivered the message that someone from the Tulip family would visit soon. So, Tulip Castle had sent servants to wait at the port. They picked up the visitors and directed them to a manor so that they did not need to stay in the dirty city.


    After dinner, Liszt took a bath and went to bed.


    He was somewhat seasick.


    He was more used to planes and trains in his home world. Thankfully, his former self was a good swimmer, which soothed his nausea.


    ¡°As an islander, you are seasick, Liszt. I have to say that you are an embarrassment to the Tulips. I thought you had grown up, but you are just as despicable and stupid as before.¡± Lvera entered Liszt¡¯s room at some point without knocking.


    Liszt was shocked, because he was reading his misty words to check for updates.


    But he soon calmed down, because Lvera apparently did not see them. His secret was safe.


    ¡°You forgot to knock.¡±


    ¡°Did I? It¡¯s not important.¡± Lvera gazed at Liszt with disdain.


    ¡°It¡¯s important to me. You do not respect my privacy. Also, it¡¯s not expected of a lady. Nobles like ladies, dear sister.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to change myself to please any nobles! Besides, Liszt, when do I ever need your opinion? If we were not on Red Crab Island, I would teach you a good lesson about how useless you are even though you became an earth knight!¡±


    Lvera had been mean to Liszt since childhood.


    He believed that it was because Lvera was jealous of his face, which was prettier than most females¡¯.


    ¡°You¡¯re not here to tell me that I¡¯m still weak, are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just here to see how seasickness makes a fool of you.¡±


    ¡°You have seen it. Can you go now?¡±


    Lvera glared at him and left. Liszt locked the door. She was only a capricious nineteen-year-old girl.


    He was not bothered. Lvera had always been a careless, if not frivolous, person.


    The earl often remarked that Liszt and Lvera should swap personalities.


    He was shyer than a girl, and she was brasher than a boy.


    After lying down again, Liszt couldn¡¯t fall asleep. He could only think about boring things. I came to Taro Castle five months ago for a new year visit. Marquis Merlin was still the commander of the royal fleet back then. It¡¯s been five years since we last met.


    Because nobles practiced monogamy, their families were often not large.


    Marquis Merlin had one son and two daughters. His younger daughter had died, and his second daughter was married to Roland Pineapple, a viscount and a follower of the marquis. His son, Mesiro Taro, had an only son named Mayop Taro.


    Cousin Mayop is almost 25 and still unmarried. I¡¯m told that he¡¯s been pursuing Archduke Sapphire¡¯s daughter? That princess is said to be a social butterfly.


    The highest ruler of an archduchy was the archduke, who technically was not a king. So, their daughters were not supposed to be called princesses. Besides, the title of the current Archduke Sapphire had been reduced to duke because he couldn¡¯t become a dragon knight.


    In the noble system, prince, archduke and duke were titles on the same level, but only when they became knights could they be proclaimed princes or archdukes. Otherwise, they would remain dukes.


    However, rules were only rules. Within Archduchy Sapphire, all the nobles called the ruler archduke, and his daughter was treated like a princess.


    Liszt thought jokingly, If Mayop ever marries the princess, he will likely get a child whose father is someone else¡­ Hehe.

 Chapter 33

    Liszt was drowsy on the shaking wagon.


    The road had been bumpy. After spending another night in Red Stone City, they rode on for another two hours before they finally saw Taro Castle halfway up the mountain.


    Taro Castle was almost four times as large as Tulip Castle. It had towers almost ten meters tall and seemed to be part of the mountain.


    Back when he was on Earth, Liszt visited Neuschwanstein Castle1 in Europe.


    Neuschwanstein Castle was almost as magnificent as Tulip Castle, except that Tulip Castle was located on a steep cliff. However, it was incomparable to Taro Castle before him, which was as breathtaking as Minas Tirith from Lord of the Rings.


    Below the castle was a city.


    The wagons need not pass through the city, but simply went to the castle along a precipitous mountain road. Soon, the knights of Taro Castle discovered them and escorted them to the castle.


    Some of them rushed to inform the castle.


    So, by the time the wagons came to the gate of the castle, Mayop Taro, heir of Taro Castle and a cousin of the siblings, was waiting with the servants.


    ¡°Levis, Lvera, and Liszt.¡± Mayop was a handsome man with particularly beautiful sapphire eyes. He said, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time. I hope everything went well on the road.¡±


    Liszt had to admit that his cousin was more like his blood brother than Levis was.


    ¡°Cousin, everything has been good.¡±


    ¡°Lvera, you are more gorgeous than last year.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your compliment, cousin, but compared to your pretty face, I feel that you¡¯re mocking me,¡± said Lvera half seriously and half jokingly.


    Mayop laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not something I can refuse, is it, Liszt?¡± He turned to Liszt.


    Liszt smiled.


    He was finally sure that Lvera had been mean to him because she was jealous of him. ¡°You¡¯re right, cousin.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Great minds do think alike. Let¡¯s go inside. My father is supervising the tax collection this season. My grandfather is resting. He¡¯s happy that you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°How is he now?¡±


    Mayop sighed. ¡°His sickness is caused by complications of former wounds. The archduke has sent his doctor to treat Grandfather. I believe he¡¯ll be better soon.¡±


    ¡­


    Merlin Taro¡ªlord of Red Crab Island, one of the seven marquises of the archduchy, former commander of the royal fleet, and the most honorable man in Taro Castle¡ªwas sitting on the bed in a splendid bedroom.


    He was an old man in his sixties. The gravitas on his pale, wrinkled face could not hide the weakness caused by old age and sickness anymore.


    Even a former sky knight could not resist the passage of time.


    His sapphire eyes were turning white. His hair was entirely so.


    Leaning against the head of the bed, he was writing on a short table that was placed on his quilt with difficulty.


    The spots on his face were particularly eye-catching.


    ¡°My lord, your grandson has brought the Tulips into the castle.¡± The butler, who was almost as old as Marquis Merlin, spoke in the gentlest tone.


    Marquis Merlin stopped briefly and wrote on. ¡°Melisa¡¯s children? Let them visit me while I¡¯m not buried yet.¡±


    ¡°My lord, you will recover from your sickness soon. You said that you would outlive Marquis Wallace.¡±


    ¡°Haha. I also threatened the archduke¡¯s dragon that I would kill it if it did not make me lord of the dragons¡¯ realm. I¡¯m going to be defeated by that guy this time.¡± Marquis laughed and finished his letter quickly.


    The servants immediately moved the table away.


    The butler helped the marquis sit straight before he adjusted his red bow-tie.


    A servant brought them a bronze mirror.


    Other servants delivered water, towels, and hairpins for the marquis.


    The marquis groomed himself carefully and resumed his intimidating appearance. Then, he waited.


    When he heard the familiar steps, his cloudy eyes glittered, but they were soon back to normal.


    Mayop led the siblings into the bedroom.


    Levis, ahead of Lvera and Liszt, reached the bed and bowed to Marquis Merlin as a senior. ¡°Grandpa, Lvera, Liszt, and I are here to visit you. Our father sends his best regards and hopes that you will recover soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very considerate of your father.¡± The marquis nodded. ¡°How was your trip?¡±


    ¡°It was smooth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Spend a few days in Taro Castle with me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Grandpa.¡±


    The marquis looked at Liszt reminiscently. ¡°Liszt, you¡¯re an adult now.¡±


    ¡°Yes. My coming of age was celebrated on March 9.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m told that your father proclaimed you a baron. Which town did you go to?¡±


    ¡°Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Leewilliam can¡¯t even proclaim a viscount. He¡¯s really a loser as an earl,¡± Marquis Merlin said sarcastically. Then, he remarked with complicated feelings, ¡°I wasn¡¯t there to attend your rite of passage. Melisa would definitely blame me. When I see you, I seem to see Melisa.¡±


    Mayop agreed. ¡°Grandfather, Cousin Liszt does look a lot like Aunt Melisa. She was truly the most brilliant flower of the archduchy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember what my mother looks like now,¡± said Liszt.


    Melisa had passed away when Liszt was two. What could a two-year-old boy remember?


    There was a portrait of Melisa in the castle, but he didn¡¯t see it often. Also, the portrait could hardly convey her real charm.


    It had always been a regret to him.


    The marquis calmed down very soon. ¡°Things that happened a dozen years ago are sometimes as fresh as yesterday¡­ You must be exhausted. Mayop, take your cousins to rest. I want them to be energetic at lunch. Also, since there¡¯s enough time, you young people should have a ball tomorrow night for fun.¡±

 Chapter 34

    Creak.


    Creak.


    Strange noises came from the corridor. Liszt, who planned the rest until noon before the lunch, opened the door and discovered a little blue elf dancing around the pillars of the corridor.


    A few maids were serving the little elf.


    Noticing Liszt, the little elf flew to him and hovered before him. It observed Liszt curiously and creaked now and then. There was no telling what it was trying to express.


    ¡°Mr. Liszt.¡± The maids followed and greeted him.


    Liszt asked, ¡°What¡¯s this elf?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a thickleaf little elf. It¡¯s only three years old,¡± a pretty maid answered and even looked at Liszt boldly.


    There was uncanny enthusiasm in her eyes.


    Not noticing her gaze, Liszt extended his hand and pointed at the elf remotely. ¡°Does it have a name?¡±


    Tilting its head, the little elf was confused. ¡°Creak?¡±


    The maid answered, ¡°No. There are many elves in the castle. You can call them by their wormgrass. This is the naughtiest of all the elves, so we need to keep a close eye on it in case it causes trouble.¡±


    Elves were a marvelous species of nature. Most of them were docile, but some could be peculiar.


    ¡°What trouble can it cause?¡± Liszt did not think it was a big deal. Every maid could tend to an elf. To him, the maids seemed to be dawdling over their job.


    Before the maids could explain, the hovering elf suddenly pouted its lips and spat on Liszt¡¯s face.


    It was so sudden that he couldn¡¯t react at all even though he was an earth knight.


    By the time Liszt realized what had happened, the little elf had flown away, chuckling.


    ¡°Mr. Liszt, this elf is very naughty and often spits at guests of the castle. We¡¯re sorry. We hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± The enthusiastic maid then turned to her partners. ¡°You follow the elf and make sure it doesn¡¯t disturb more people. I¡¯ll lead Mr. Liszt to wash his face.¡±


    Then, she extended her hand gracefully. ¡°Mr. Liszt, please allow me to help you wash your face as an apology for the elf¡¯s behavior.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Liszt had planned to wipe it with cloth. He was not bothered by the elf¡¯s spit, which was not dirty. However, since the maid put it that way, he could certainly wash his face again.


    Fetching a basin of water, the maid wrung the towel out and was about to wipe Liszt¡¯s face.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of a maid¡¯s job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to washing my own face.¡± Liszt coughed. He knew that the upper class had servants catering to their every need, but he would never get used to it.


    After wiping his face, he handed the towel back to the maid.


    The maid¡¯s eyes glittered. ¡°Do you want to wipe it again?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary.¡±


    Disappointment flashed across her face. The maid rose with the basin and said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be on my way¡­ Right, Mr. Liszt, my name is Anna. If you ever need me, I¡¯ll be glad to serve you.¡±


    Liszt smiled. ¡°All right, Anna.¡±


    The wet hair on his forehead made him even more handsome. Dazzled, the maid lowered her head and left quickly.


    After she was out of the room, she felt that her heart was pounding and her face was flushing.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± somebody suddenly asked.


    It was a valet of the castle who had been asked to tend to Liszt. He had just fetched some milk tea from the kitchen before he saw Anna leaving the room with a basin.


    ¡°Mr. Liszt needed to wash his face. I served him.¡±


    ¡°Did you? It¡¯s not the maid¡¯s place to do that. Anna, don¡¯t embarrass Taro Castle!¡± the valet declared ruthlessly.


    Anna did not stop. ¡°Leski, you¡¯re not the butler. You don¡¯t tell me what to do!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll report it to the butler!¡±


    ¡°I was just doing my job. You can do whatever you want.¡±


    After Anna disappeared at the turn of the corridor, Leski sniffed. ¡°What a bunch of bi*ches!¡±


    Then, he hurried to conceal his anger and put on the solemn and graceful expression expected of a valet.


    He knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Liszt, here¡¯s the milk tea you asked for.¡±


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    ¡­


    Anna returned to the group that tended to the elf.


    The maids immediately cackled. ¡°Anna, did you touch Mr. Liszt¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°Is Mr. Liszt¡¯s face particularly smooth? Did your heart race? He¡¯s as handsome as the young lord.¡±


    ¡°Lucy touched Mr. Liszt¡¯s face when she washed his face a few years ago. He was so gorgeous even before he became an adult.¡±


    Anna shook her head in disappointment. ¡°No, Mr. Liszt washed his face on his own. He did not like a maid doing it for him.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is¡­ Is he into men like Viscount Ophis?¡±


    ¡°Probably not. I saw Mr. Liszt last year. He couldn¡¯t move his eyes away from Sister Luya¡¯s ass.¡±


    ¡°Sister Luya has the best ass. I envy her.¡±


    ¡°You need to slap it every day, or you won¡¯t have any ass.¡±


    ¡°Right, Mr. Liszt is already an adult. He must¡¯ve been enfeoffed, right? What¡¯s his title? I think he¡¯s a viscount. The Tulips¡¯ Coral Island is a big place.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If Mrs. Melisa were still alive, he would¡¯ve been a viscount, but the Earl of Coral Island married another woman. I think Mr. Liszt is in an awkward position.¡±


    ¡°How I want to comfort him.¡±


    ¡°Stop daydreaming. Do the nobles ever need the concern of a maid? I suggest you focus on your work. An ugly duckling can¡¯t turn into a swan. The offspring of a duck will remain a duck; only swans can give birth to swans.¡±


    ¡°So what? I¡¯ve decided to stay unmarried for the rest of my life. Can¡¯t I create a romantic encounter for myself?¡±


    The maid fantasized, holding her chin. ¡°A handsome, unappreciated noble fell in love with a maid in a castle¡­ Because of the obstacles of family and society, they had to separate when dawn came after a kiss of love. Oh, my tears are running out.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Liszt had no idea what was on the maid¡¯s mind.


    He was not interested in an irresponsible relationship in someone¡¯s castle, either. His body was only sixteen years old. According to the laws of his home world, eighteen was the threshold of adulthood, and a man could not be married until twenty-two.


    So, he should focus on building himself up. His former self was a loser, but Liszt was confident in becoming a sky knight now with his aptitude and the help of the misty missions. Chances were that he could even ride a dragon later on.


    Dragon knights were the most destructive warriors in this world.


    I cannot drop the training of Dragon Drill and Furious Fire. Although I don¡¯t have to go to the battlefield, I must be able to protect myself.


    ¡­


    The lunch was only for the family of Taro Castle. Mesiro and his wife were outside, and the grandfather and grandson were the only two in the castle right now.


    As a result, the two of them and the Tulip siblings were the only people at the table.


    Marquis Merlin was on a wheelchair because it was inconvenient for him to walk. The food here was better than that in Tulip Castle, as indicated by the fine white bread on the plate.


    Liszt took a bite of the white bread. It was fluffy, delicious, and tasted more like cake than bread.


    The wine served was also far more precious than New Moon.


    As dinner trays were revealed one after another, the courses were as copious as those during an important festival in Tulip Castle.


    However, the atmosphere was rather cold despite the abundant cuisine.


    The marquis was solemn and used to be a powerful man. Both Levis and Lvera were rather restrained before him.


    Liszt was quiet, too. Although he did not feel that they were incredible, it was still not easy to chit-chat with strangers.


    So, he decided to focus more on the delicious food.


    The rock lobster with mayonnaise, in particular, attracted his attention.


    After finishing a plateful, he ordered another one.


    ¡°Rock lobster is a specialty of Red Crab Island. Most of them are caught by the fishermen and delivered to the castle.¡± Mayop had the bread and said, ¡°If you like them, I¡¯ll have someone prepare a batch of living lobsters for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s easy to transport them. The road between Taro Castle and Flower Town is too long. It will take at least five days for me to return.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s very easy to keep rock lobsters alive. You need only spray some water on them. With the bloodline of sea monsters, they are not so vulnerable.¡±


    Liszt certainly did not object to it. ¡°All right, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Mayop smiled. Of the three Tulip siblings, Liszt was the closest to him, perhaps because they had similar appearances.


    Listening to their conversation, the marquis suddenly said, ¡°Liszt, tell me about Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, life in Flower Town is really boring.¡±


    ¡°You can introduce the history and the environment to me.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a small town with fewer than two thousand people. The town was built by immigrants after new tulips were discovered there. Now, the town lives on wheat. The land is barren, and taxes are few. But luckily, a new tulip magic medicine has been discovered. It will boost development again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡± The marquis asked further, ¡°Tulip Castle paid a fairly huge sum of coins for the magic medicine?¡±


    ¡°I asked for a dividend. Not too many tulips can be grown in the town. I¡¯ve reached an accord with my siblings to grow the tulips with them on the condition that they give me thirty percent of the profits.¡±


    ¡°Well, an interesting deal. It¡¯s more valuable than some coins. Liszt, you¡¯ve inherited both the beauty and the intelligence of the Taro family.¡±


    The Taro family was famous for their shrewdness in the archduchy.


    The marquis¡¯s father, the previous marquis, was only an earl back then. Because the archduke needed money to arm the knights, the earl dedicated all his fortunes to Archduchy Sapphire in exchange for Red Crab Island and the title of marquis.


    Now, the annual revenue of Red Crab Island was much more abundant than the money the earl gave away.


    It was definitely a fair deal.


    ¡°Flower Town is only a small town. I need to make money to keep the castle running.¡±


    ¡°A qualified noble is a self-made noble.¡±


    Courage, manners, loyalty, work ethic¡­ Nobles talked about a lot of things, but they were essentially vampires that exploited ordinary people. Few of them even knew what hoes looked like.


    ¡­


    After lunch, it was dinner.


    The next day, Mayop was rather busy. According to the marquis¡¯s instructions, he intended to throw a splendid ball that night and invite all the young nobles nearby.


    A ball of nobles, to put it simply, was a meeting of blind dates.


    The younger sons of the nobles were most interested in the ball. The eldest son could inherit his father¡¯s title and easily find a suitable wife. The younger sons had to work harder to marry a wealthy lady in order to continue their noble life.


    Otherwise, after generations, they would end up as common knights.


    Female nobles were also passionate about the balls. Not every lady could be married to the eldest sons of nobles. They need also charm the noble descendants who had potential.


    ¡°Liszt, you must get ready!¡± Mayop came with his valet, who carried a bunch of formal attires. ¡°Those are clothes that I¡¯ve never worn. They must suit you well since we are of similar sizes.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, there¡¯s no need to try every one of them. I think the one on me is quite good.¡±


    ¡°No, it has to be perfect. The nobles of thirteen towns have been invited to the ball. How many beautiful ladies will there be? They¡¯re waiting for a romantic encounter with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m too young to be married.¡± Liszt was lost for words. He never realized that his cousin was such a passionate matchmaker. ¡°You should dress my sister, who is at an appropriate age for marriage. My brother also needs a suitable mistress for Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t need my reminder. Levis borrowed a lot of my clothes, and Lvera have been getting ready since morning. You didn¡¯t realize it?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Liszt really didn¡¯t. He was too busy reading the books of Taro Castle and enjoying the food at dinner.

 Chapter 36

    Tight tailcoat, curly hair, and bright powder that he was forced to put on his face. The new Liszt couldn¡¯t be more gorgeous.


    ¡°Perfect!¡±


    Mayop patted Liszt¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You will be the focus of all the females tonight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my intention. I¡¯m not planning to make the acquaintance of any noble lady right now, cousin.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying. Liszt, the most beautiful thing in life is to meet the right person at the right moment. Don¡¯t wait; act.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you are still unmarried, cousin?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t divert the subject on to me. We¡¯re talking about you right now.¡±


    Liszt shook his sleeve. Mayop was not bad to him. He was of a mind to tell him that it was better to marry any female noble than to chase after Archduke Sapphire¡¯s socially active daughter.


    However, he kept the words to himself.


    It must be the marquis¡¯s will. The Taro family definitely wanted to take a step further. If Mayop married Archduke Sapphire¡¯s daughter, the family would be indestructible.


    As the baron of a countryside town, he¡¯d better mind his own business.


    After being dressed up, he followed Mayop to the hall where the ball was to be held. Many nobles had arrived and were chit-chatting over wine casually.


    ¡°Sir Mayop, you¡¯re finally out?¡± A noble approached them with a cup.


    ¡°It¡¯s not time yet. No rush, Martil.¡±


    Martil looked at Liszt. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my cousin. His father is the Earl of Coral Island.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re one of the Tulips. Good to meet you. I¡¯m Martil Crossbow.¡±


    ¡°Liszt Tulip.¡± Liszt maintained a polite yet unenthusiastic smile. He was not a noble interested in social activities, and it was not his intention to join the ball.


    However, he could only hold back his dislike and got to know the young nobles on Red Crab Island thanks to Mayop. They were mostly the Taro family¡¯s followers, who were entirely loyal to the marquis.


    ¡°Have you found any beautiful lady that you¡¯re interested in? Do tell me if there are any.¡± Mayop returned to Liszt after greeting the guests. ¡°Look at your brother. He has hit on three viscounts¡¯ daughters.¡±


    Levis, who looked plain, said something that made a young lady laugh aloud.


    ¡°Somebody is also courting your sister.¡±


    Two male nobles were talking and laughing with Lvera. She was not very beautiful, but everybody knew that Lvera was a baroness. For nobles who could not inherit family titles, she was an excellent choice for marriage.


    After they married her, they could continue enjoying the privileges of nobles.


    Liszt raised his cup and tapped it against Mayop¡¯s. ¡°I do hope that they can find their happiness. As for me, cousin, there¡¯s really no need to worry about me.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°All right, but I¡¯ll keep an eye on appropriate ladies for you all the same.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary.¡± Liszt was lost for words. Why was his cousin such an enthusiastic matchmaker?!


    Mayop shrugged and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s also my father¡¯s intention. He knows that you are not appreciated in the Tulip family, and he hopes that you can come to Red Crab Island. Also, I need help. The Taro family does not have many people. I sincerely hope that you can come.¡±


    Liszt could tell that Mayop was speaking the truth.


    By exchanging the measuring units, he reached the conclusion that Coral Island was approximately 10,000 square kilometers.


    Red Crab Island was ten times the size of Coral Island.


    The larger a place was, the more difficult it would be to manage it with the poor transportation. Also, as the power was decentralized and distributed to smaller nobles, the foundation of the reign would be shaken.


    He wouldn¡¯t say that he was not tempted. Flower Town was too desolate a place to be developed.


    If he came to Red Crab Island, the Taro family would have to promote him to a viscount, and he would have a small city.


    However, Liszt resisted the idea of realizing this purpose with women. ¡°I¡¯ll let nature run its course. Cousin, I wouldn¡¯t say no to someone I like, but I couldn¡¯t force myself to like anyone.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡­


    The ball started when night fell.


    The piano song built a soothing atmosphere for the ball.


    As the host, Mayop and the daughter of a viscount had the opening dance. Then, they backed off and hinted for other people to look for their partners.


    Liszt sat in a corner and watched the young men and women dance on the floor.


    He did not take any action.


    He had observed all the women in the ball, but none of them was fascinating to him. Some of the mature females, who suited his tastes, were too old for him. He was only sixteen, after all.


    Many nobles had already loosened themselves at this age.


    However, it was still not an appropriate age for marriage.


    His eyes surpassed the crowd and lost focus. A moment later, invisible smoke popped up and assembled into twisted words.


    Mission: Fresh clovers are the favorites of both cows and horses. They¡¯re the foundation of a horsefield and the start of success. Please install the wormgrass of the clover insect. Reward: Three wild corn.


    The mission hadn¡¯t been updated for days. He was rather anxious.


    I¡¯ve been delayed for quite a couple of days. The clovers should be sprouting now. I can probably settle the clover insect when I¡¯m back¡­ I don¡¯t know what wild corn looks like, but their production must be multiple times higher than that of wheat.


    As he considered the mission, a pleasant voice called, ¡°Hi, Liszt, can I sit here?¡±


    The mist was suddenly gone.


    Liszt returned to himself and saw a girl no more than twenty years old. She had curly flaxen hair, a pointy nose, and deep eyes. Her lips were thin and seemed to be smiling all the time.


    In terms of appearance, she was definitely an eight.


    Mayop introduced her to him previously. She was Asina Salmon, the youngest daughter of a viscount. Her family was best known for the salmon they produced.


    With a gentle smile, Liszt extended his hand. ¡°Beautiful lady, you are welcome anywhere.¡±

 Chapter 37

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you dance. Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Sipping her juice, Asina questioned him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a skillful dancer, so I prefer watching other people dance.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all the more reason why you should dance. Dancing is very simple. You¡¯ll get the hang of it soon.¡±


    Blinking, Asina said hopefully, ¡°If you want to learn, I can teach you.¡±


    Finding it inappropriate to reject the offer, Liszt could only stand up and extend his hand. ¡°May I dance with you?¡±


    ¡°It would be my pleasure.¡± Asina offered her hand to Liszt and stood up with his help.


    Just like that, Liszt led Asina to the dancing floor. He held her waist and danced with her to the slow song. The social dance of nobles was very simple. Although Liszt had never done it, his former self had plenty of experience.


    ¡°You are not awkward at all. It seems that you were lying,¡± Asina said with a smile as she danced.


    ¡°Maybe this is not my usual performance.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I believe you.¡±


    After a brief silence, Asina asked again, ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Coral Island. As a matter of fact, I¡¯ve never been outside of Red Crab Island. Are they far away from each other?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. It¡¯s only a trip of half a day, if the wind is favorable.¡±


    ¡°What does Tulip Castle look like?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s built on the cliff next to the coastline. It¡¯s smaller than Taro Castle, but the tulips around the castle are colorful.¡±


    ¡°That must be beautiful. I would love to visit Tulip Castle if I had the chance.¡±


    ¡°There will certainly be chances.¡±


    ¡°Do you live in Tulip Castle?¡±


    ¡°I grew up there, but I¡¯m living in my own town now.¡±


    ¡°Right, Sir Mayop told me that you are the Baron of Flower Town now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°There must be a lot of beautiful flowers around your castle.¡±


    ¡°This may be disappointing, but I have only a dozen acres of tulips. The other lands are occupied by wheat. As for the castle, well, I¡¯m planning to plant grass and build a horsefield around it.¡± Liszt had the feeling that Asina was prying into him.


    Maybe the girl was attracted to him and intended to become Baron Liszt¡¯s wife?


    He¡¯d better cut her fantasy short as soon as possible. Pausing for a moment, he went on, ¡°The town is too remote. There¡¯s not enough wheat, milk, or vegetables. We can hardly buy meat even though we have coins, because we¡¯re isolated by a ridge overrun with monsters.¡±


    Asina opened her mouth in surprise. ¡°Are you an earth knight?¡±


    ¡°I made the breakthrough recently, and I¡¯m still familiarizing myself with the techniques.¡±


    Liszt, who was more than 1.8 meters tall, could see that Asina¡¯s face stiffened as she lowered her head.


    She was probably bothered by the chasm between dream and reality.


    Every woman would grow fond of Liszt when they saw him, but they would back off after learning Liszt¡¯s background. A baron of a poor, remote town without a gift in combat aura probably would have to sell his fief and work for other lords later.


    It was not easy to run a fief. Many small nobles had gone bankrupt and were forced to work as teachers or captains.


    Goltai was one of them.


    Even a grand noble might lose their fief due to poor management.


    She will probably let go of my hand and end the dance, Liszt thought.


    However, Asina did not let go of his hand, and her stiff expression recovered its previous smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure your father didn¡¯t turn a blind eye to Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°My father and I are not really close. Maybe it¡¯s because my brother and my sister are too excellent.¡±


    ¡°But I feel that you are more impressive. You and Sir Mayop are like blood brothers.¡±


    ¡°I take after my mother more.¡±


    ¡°Your mother must be a graceful and gorgeous lady.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t quite remember her appearance. She passed away when I was two.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    Then, they finished the rest of the dance in silence. He returned to his seat during the pause. Defying his expectations, Asina followed him.


    She sat next to him and found another topic. ¡°My family is based in White Fish City. Our castle doesn¡¯t have a name. I have a brother who is married to Lydia, Viscount Xavier¡¯s daughter. They met in a ball in Taro Castle last year.¡±


    ¡°Well, that explains why your brother is not here today.¡± Liszt was not very interested.


    ¡°He and Lydia love each other very much.¡± Asina blinked. ¡°My father is famous for his hospitality. Liszt, you should drop by if you have time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t. Since Grandpa is getting well, I¡¯ll return to Coral Island tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°When will you come again?¡±


    ¡°The New Year.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Liszt and Asina had another dance when another song started. Then, he refused Asina¡¯s request for more dances with the excuse that the dancing floor was too stuffy.


    He roamed around the castle. When he returned, the ball had reached its end.


    As the music stopped, Mayop announced the end of the ball. The nobles whose homes were nearby returned on wagons, and those far away went to the guest rooms under the lead of servants. Liszt was also ready to go back to his room.


    But Asina came to him again and said, ¡°Good night, Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Asina.¡±


    Before he left, Mayop approached him. ¡°Liszt, did you have a good time with Asina?¡±


    ¡°We only had two dances.¡±


    ¡°I can tell that Asina is interested in you. What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Realizing that Liszt was not joking, Mayop nodded. ¡°All right, got it. Have a good rest. Right, Grandfather said that he would give you a gift for your coming of age. He¡¯s always regretful that he didn¡¯t attend the ceremony, and he hopes that a gift can make up for it.¡±


    ¡°Grandfather is too generous.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    ¡­


    The hour was late, but Liszt couldn¡¯t go to sleep. He wondered what the marquis¡¯s gift could be. It couldn¡¯t be anything cheap.


    Maybe a magic sword?


    The gifts from seniors to juniors were mostly weapons, an implication that knights must earn their glory with blades and spears.


    The marquis¡¯s gift, should it be a weapon, must be a magic one.


    Magic weapons were very rare. He had never used any yet. So, the more he thought about it, the more excited he became. His excitement was also partly due to Asina, who apparently hinted that she liked him and wanted to be a baron¡¯s wife.


    It¡¯s always a delightful thing to be liked by a beautiful lady.

 Chapter 38

    The next morning, Liszt, who had vague dark circles under his eyes, packed up.


    He enjoyed breakfast in his room: bread, omelet, pie, jam, milk, honey, and coffee.


    After Levis and Lvera also packed up, the siblings went to bid farewell to the marquis. The marquis had gotten up early and was writing something as he sat in his wheelchair.


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± The marquis stopped writing and looked at them. ¡°I¡¯m told you all had a great time last night.¡±


    Levis replied with a smile, ¡°It was a comfortable night, Grandpa. We had a lot of fun in our cousin¡¯s ball. I was drawn to some of the beautiful ladies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. While you are young, follow your heart.¡±


    After a brief conversation, they bid farewell to him. The marquis did not ask them to stay and simply said to Liszt, ¡°I didn¡¯t attend the ceremony for your coming of age. To make up for it, I¡¯ll give you something. Mayop, give the gift I prepared to Liszt.¡±


    Mayop soon returned with a long box.


    The moment Liszt saw the box, he realized that his guess was correct. The marquis¡¯s gift was indeed a weapon.


    What kind of magic weapon could it be? He was very eager.


    Mayop delivered the box to him. ¡°Liszt, Grandfather offers you this Red Blood Sword and hopes that you will become a radiant knight with it.¡±


    ¡°The Red Blood Sword?¡±


    Liszt opened the box. Immediately, he saw a shining two-handed sword.


    The edge, back, and hilt were all very thin. The sword looked like a Zweih?nder. A ruby was embedded at the joint of the crossguard and the hilt. One could sense the magic radiating from the ruby just looking at it.


    Also, red marks were surfacing on the blade like tiny streaks of blood.


    No wonder it was named Red Blood Sword when it was as white as snow.


    Most important of all, it was not a magic weapon, but something even better: a gem weapon!


    ¡°A ruby?¡±


    Lvera was shocked at the ruby. Intense jealousy emanated from her eyes.


    A common magic weapon could cost a hundred coins.


    However, a gemstone weapon could be worth ten thousand coins.


    The Red Blood Sword alone could cost years of taxes of a wealthy town. Her Falcon Town was more or less a wealthy town, and she could buy a gemstone weapon if she cut her expenses for several years. However, she would never abandon her luxury lifestyle, so she could never really afford it.


    She expressed her jealousy straightforwardly. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re too biased. You only gave me a dress when I became an adult.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your father give you a little elf and the title of baroness? Liszt enjoyed neither. Your father is allowed to be biased, but I¡¯m not?¡± the marquis said matter-of-factly, obviously dissatisfied with the Earl of Coral Island.


    Liszt immediately said, ¡°Thank you for your present, Grandpa. I¡¯ll treat it nicely and make sure its radiance is not eclipsed.¡±


    He could sell the gemstone weapon for a thousand gold coins right now, but he certainly wouldn¡¯t do that. The ruby on the sword apparently carried the quality of fire and could help with his training. It would be more effective than magic medicines.


    ¡­


    Carrying the Red Blood Sword, Liszt was ready to return while Mayop and the servants saw them off.


    It was the end of their two-day stay in Taro Castle.


    He was not too regretful. After all, there were plenty of things waiting for him in Flower Town. Right before he got on the wagon, somebody called, ¡°Liszt, wait.¡±


    He turned around, only to discover that it was Asina.


    ¡°Ms. Asina, good morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Asina was breathing hard. She probably ran over from the castle. ¡°Are you going back?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Levis, who exited the wagon after getting on it, interjected. ¡°If a beautiful girl expects me, I would rather not go back.¡±


    Liszt glared back at him. ¡°Brother, can we have some privacy?¡±


    Levis shrugged. ¡°Ms. Asina, please continue.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Levis.¡±


    Liszt and Asina were left alone. Asina clutched the hem of her skirt. ¡°Are you not staying a couple days longer?¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of issues in my town that I have to address.¡±


    ¡°Will you visit White Fish City someday?¡± She seemed hopeful.


    Liszt refused her with a smile. ¡°Sorry, I have no reason to visit your house. I don¡¯t know your father.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t visit another noble for no good reason.


    ¡°You can come to visit me,¡± Asina said and lowered her head. Her meaning was obvious. There could only be one reason for an unmarried man to visit an unmarried woman.


    Liszt secretly sighed.


    He felt that what he was about to say would devastate the lovely girl, but he had to say it. ¡°Ms. Asina, thank you for your appreciation, but I¡¯ve never considered possibilities between us. Please don¡¯t remain stuck on me. You are so beautiful, I¡¯m sure that you will have pursuers more excellent than me.¡±


    Asina¡¯s eyes quickly dimmed, but she put on a smile soon. ¡°Thank you for your honesty, Sir Liszt. I wish you a safe journey.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Take care.¡± Liszt got on the wagon.


    The coachman cracked his whip and the carriage lurched forward. There was no dust on the road of pebbles, but only the sound of rolling wheels.


    ¡°Liszt, how brutal of you to refuse the confession of a noble lady.¡± Lvera was unconvinced that her weak brother could turn someone else down.


    ¡°I have no feelings for her. Why would I pretend otherwise?¡±


    He turned back and looked at Asina, who was still standing at the gate of the castle, her tight clothes billowing in the wind.


    She was very courageous, but he couldn¡¯t accept it.


    He intended to be alone for several minutes.


    However, Lvera¡¯s sniff disrupted the atmosphere. ¡°The match of nobles does not need feelings.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Why don¡¯t you just marry a random guy, then?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to lose my power. Even if I have to be married, he must come to Falcon Town! Or, if he is charming enough for me to abandon Falcon Town and live in his castle, I can accept that, too,¡± Lvera announced proudly.


    Liszt did not offer a comment.


    A moment later, Lvera extended her hand. ¡°Show me your Red Blood Sword.¡±


    Stroking the fine sword and the ruby with its exuberant magic power, Lvera couldn¡¯t have been more jealous. ¡°Why is Grandpa so nice to you? I may never be able to afford such a ruby sword for the rest of my life! Liszt, it¡¯s a waste for you to use this sword. Give it to me. I can offer you a hundred Neldas in return!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±

 Chapter 39

    Three days later, Liszt returned to Flower Town on Coral Island.


    The knights of Tulip Castle escorted him back. Another two nobles came to Flower Town with Liszt and Marcus. They did not inherit the family title and could only be called knights.


    They were both Goltai¡¯s friends who had been drawn to Flower Town by the double wages.


    ¡°Liszt, welcome back. It¡¯s been only a week, but I was starting to miss you already.¡± Goltai welcomed the lord of the town in an exaggerated manner.


    He was warm and considerate.


    ¡°Marcus, the baron¡¯s loyal knight. Seeing how well-dressed you are, I know that everything went well on your trip.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Isaiah and Blair, my old friends, I¡¯m very happy to see you arrive with the baron. You¡¯ve obviously chosen Flower Town.¡±


    Then, a dinner was to be held for the knights that escorted Liszt back.


    Before dinner, Liszt brought the clover insect to the horsefield that had been completed around the castle. The ground was already green. Clovers were growing quickly in the high temperature.


    ¡°Come on out, little buddy.¡±


    The fat clover insect had beautiful stripes on its body.


    It was much more energetic than the lazy tulip insect. Opening its mouth, the insect spat the wormgrass out. Then, as if it were fast-forwarded, a clover sprouted and grew quickly, until a purple flower blossomed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to install fences in case the horse sabotages the wormgrass,¡± Liszt reminded Thomas, his valet.


    The issues regarding the elves were the castle¡¯s business and did not require the officials or the serfs in town.


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord. I¡¯ll start to build the fences right now.¡±


    When Liszt returned to the castle, Carter greeted him. ¡°My lord, dinner is ready. You can sit now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Dinner in Flower Town was not worth mentioning, compared to the dinners that Liszt had a few days back, but he liked it more here, because he was the most respected person here.


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯d like to propose a toast for the protection of Sir Lydon and the other knights.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re most welcome, my lord.¡± The knights raised their cups.


    The servants immediately refilled the cups. Liszt raised his cup again. ¡°This toast is to Isaiah and Blair. I wish them a delightful life in Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Baron. We hope we can contribute to the development of Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°The last toast is to my teacher Goltai, who helped me manage everything while I was away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. Liszt, as long as there¡¯s enough wine, I¡¯m willing to spend the rest of my life in Flower Town.¡± Goltai laughed.


    ¡°As long as you manage Flower Town soberly, you will have enough liquor during dinner,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°Of course, work and wine are both important.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    Everybody enjoyed the food in this harmonious atmosphere.


    ¡­


    After seeing off the knights, Liszt had an afternoon nap in the castle, and the familiar misty mission was updated. Mission accomplished. Reward: three wild corn.


    Soon, the mist changed, and a new mission was released.


    Mission: As a lord, it¡¯s your responsibility to tend to the elves. Have you forgotten the wheat elvish insect? It can produce more food for your territory. Please settle the wormgrass for the wheat insect. Reward: information on the invisible dragon.


    Information on the invisible dragon? What¡¯s that?


    A bold idea suddenly popped up in Liszt¡¯s head. Are the misty missions going to give me a dragon? That seems too much. A dragon can change the course of a country. What does invisible dragon mean? A dragon that cannot be seen?


    According to the memories of his former self, there were three types of dragons.


    The first type was the gemstone dragon. The sapphire dragon of Archduchy Sapphire, for example, was one of the gemstone dragons. The ruby on the sword that Marquis Merlin gave Liszt was also produced by gemstone dragons and contained marvelous power.


    The second type was the metal dragon. The iron dragon which fought the sapphire dragon in the knight novels was a metal dragon that could produce iron ores. Metal dragons were more numerous than gemstone dragons.


    The last type was the elemental dragon, such as fire dragons and water dragons. They could hardly be tamed, but they were highly destructive because of their powerful magical elements. They were often the targets that the warriors tried to slay in knight novels.


    Gemstone, metal, and elemental¡ªwhich category does the invisible dragon belong to? Liszt was puzzled.


    He decided to ask someone else.


    He summoned Carter. ¡°Mr. Carter, have you ever heard of the invisible dragon?¡±


    Carter thought for a moment and replied, ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so, my lord.¡±


    In the afternoon, he visited Goltai and his friends in town. He also considered it a chance to look for the three wild corn.


    ¡°Invisible dragon?¡±


    Goltai scratched his chin. ¡°I think I heard of it from somewhere before. Isaiah, Blair, do you remember?¡±


    Isaiah and Blair searched their memories carefully and shook their heads.


    After half an hour, Goltai still couldn¡¯t decide if he had heard about the invisible dragon before. ¡°One tends to become senile when they are old. Liszt, I¡¯m sorry for wasting your time. It¡¯s possible that I¡¯ve never heard about an invisible dragon before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Right, Mr. Goltai, what jobs have you given to Isaiah and Blair?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in charge of political affairs, Isaiah is in charge of finances, and Blair manages law and diplomacy.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll entrust the development of Flower Town to the three of you.¡± Liszt did not stay long in the town. He was confident in developing Flower Town, but he did not intend to micromanage and preferred to get work done through his subordinates, such as Goltai.


    It was not easy for him to be reborn as a noble. Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste if he exhausted himself?


    After he returned to the castle, Liszt thought to himself, Since the reward is information on the invisible dragon, does it mean that nobody will know what the invisible dragon is until I accomplish the mission?


    Immediately, he left the castle for Wheaton. The wormgrass of the wheat insect that the earl rewarded was not settled yet.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40: Why Does Wild Corn Look Like This?


    After Liszt settled the wormgrass of the wheat insect, Glengyle, manager of Wheaton, told him, ¡°My lord, there¡¯s something that I don¡¯t know if I should say.¡±


    ¡°Please speak.¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes glittered, feeling that he would get the information on the invisible dragon now.


    Glengyle, however, replied, ¡°My lord, I found three weird grasses on the desolate land. They are big and tall. The chickens we keep like to eat their grasses.¡±


    Corn!


    Liszt immediately realized that the clue was not about the invisible dragon, but the three wild corn. He immediately asked the manager to bring him to the corn that he had been looking forward to.


    After he saw the wild corn, Liszt was baffled.


    ¡°Glengyle, how long has it been since you discovered the grasses?¡±


    ¡°Three months.¡±


    ¡°And they have always been like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Liszt subconsciously touched the Red Blood Sword that he was carrying.


    The magic of the ruby was stimulating and nurturing his combat aura all the time. It meant that he was cultivating all the time. With some magic medicines in the future, it was not unlikely for him to grow into a sky knight.


    He observed the three wild corns.


    The corn he saw did not have straight stems, with leaves, flowers, and cobs. Instead, there were quite a few stems with flowers. A few tiny toothpicks were where the cobs were supposed to be.


    The toothpicks were sectioned, and each section was a grass seed.


    Don¡¯t tell me that they¡¯re wild corn! This is more like wheat than corn! Liszt knew very well that the three grasses were his reward, but he could barely accept it.


    What about big, shiny corncobs?


    They¡¯re grasses for livestock¡­ Huh, I remember it now. Are the three wild corns Mexican corn grass?


    Liszt remembered that Mexican corn grass, a high-quality and high-yielding grass, had been planted in his home world for pigs, cows, and goats.


    That must be it. I don¡¯t think there is really wild corn. Corn was developed after thousands of years of breeding.¡± Realizing that, he could now sigh and comfort himself. It¡¯s a high-yielding crop after all. I didn¡¯t lose anything.


    Getting rid of his frustration, Liszt put on the smile of a noble again. ¡°Glengyle, these are corn grasses that have a high yield and are popular among livestock. You need to take good care of them from now on. I need their seeds.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord! I¡¯ll certainly look after the corn grasses and keep them away from the serfs and the livestock!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll inform Mr. Goltai. He¡¯ll make further arrangements. You only need to carry out his orders.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Looking at the Mexican corn grass again, Liszt took a deep breath. Let¡¯s go back!


    The wormgrass of the wheat insect was settled well. The peanut insect, the clover insect, the tulip insect, and the wheat insect had all been properly planted, but the thorn insect and the millet insect were still waiting for appropriate locations.


    In any case, elves were always taken care of.


    ¡­


    On the way back, Liszt ran into Marcus, who was planning to meet him at the castle.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°My lord, Goltai told me that you asked about the invisible dragon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Do you know anything about the invisible dragon?¡±


    ¡°I heard about it before,¡± said Marcus carefully. ¡°I read about it from a half-torn knight novel, the name of which I don¡¯t recall. I read it when I was very little.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? How was the invisible dragon described?¡± Liszt knew that the reward for the mission had come.


    Marcus said, ¡°According to the novel, there¡¯s a fourth type of dragon other than gemstone dragons, metal dragons, and elemental dragons, named sacred dragons. The invisible dragon is one of the sacred dragons. They cannot be seen and bring infinite disasters wherever they go.¡±


    ¡°Disasters? Then why are they sacred dragons?¡±


    ¡°Because they can produce a very special gem.¡±


    ¡°A special gem? They should be categorized as gem dragons. Right, what is the special gem? Does it have any unique powers?¡±


    ¡°The gem is related to a legendary item. My lord, have you ever heard of space rings? They¡¯re tiny rings that can contain a lot of things.¡±


    Were there space rings in this world?


    Liszt searched the memories of his former self, but found nothing. ¡°No. Do you mean that space rings are real? Or rather, the gems from the invisible dragons can be used to build space rings?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if space rings are real. Even if they are, they must be priceless treasures that only real nobles can have,¡± said Marcus. ¡°The novel I read did state that the invisible dragons left infinite disasters as well as their gems, and that whoever picked up the gems would have a space ring.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Then nothing.¡±


    ¡°Was there no other information about the invisible dragon in the book?¡±


    ¡°No. Also, I think it¡¯s only make-believe. You know that most of the novels are written based on pure fantasy.¡± Marcus came to tell Liszt the information, but he obviously did not believe in the invisible dragon.


    Liszt gave no response and simply continued, ¡°What about the other sacred dragons?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The book was half-torn. The part I read only introduced the invisible dragon.¡±


    After Marcus left, Liszt was still confused about the reward.


    Was it simply the knowledge of the invisible dragon? Or did it mean there was an invisible dragon around for him to capture? Or did it mean that an invisible dragon would attack Flower Town soon? Of course, it could also mean that an invisible dragon would come to offer a space ring to him.


    As he thought about it, the mist appeared before him again.


    Mission accomplished. Reward: information about the invisible dragon.


    After twisting and changing, a new mission was released. ¡°Mission: Have the wild corns in Wheaton attracted your attention? A lord needs to consider why wild corn emerged in Wheaton. Perhaps, there are more wild corns around. Please find the source of the wild corn. Reward: new information about the invisible dragon.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s attention was quickly fixed on the new mission reward.


    More information on the invisible dragon. What¡¯s it about? How much information about the invisible dragon will I be given?

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41: If You Want to Be Rich, Build Roads First


    Observing the situation objectively, Liszt was freed from the unrealistic illusions about dragons and realized that the information on the invisible dragon might not be anything good.


    Based on his experience, he had several speculations.


    Firstly, the mist was merely introducing the information to him. However, it didn¡¯t make any sense. A goldfinger shouldn¡¯t be so boring.


    Secondly, there was an invisible dragon around to capture. If this was true, it was definitely exciting, but Liszt didn¡¯t have the power to capture any dragon. Even a small dragon could wipe out all the knights on Coral Island.


    Thirdly, an invisible dragon came from far away to offer items to him¡ªLiszt did not remember having such a good dragon friend.


    Lastly, an invisible dragon would attack Flower Town soon.


    The fourth speculation was undoubtedly the most probable one. It was not big news that dragons attacked human towns. Otherwise, ¡°dragonslayer¡± wouldn¡¯t have existed as a profession in the knight novels.


    Basically, in a qualified knight novel, the hero would definitely become a dragon knight, or slay a dragon, before they married a beautiful princess.


    So, the rewards are telling that I have to fight a dragon and become Liszt the Dragonslayer?


    Liszt smiled at the mirror. Then, where can I find my princess after the dragon is dead?


    He had complicated feelings. He was worried that his theory might be true, but he felt that it was not going to happen. After much deliberation, he decided that he should accomplish the mission first and study the clues in the reward before he rushed into anything.


    If an invisible dragon was truly going to attack him, he could always ask for help.


    Once the message was delivered to the Sapphires, it would easily make him a marquis. It was the highest title that the archduke could give.


    Summoning Goltai, he gave him the mission. ¡°The corn grass couldn¡¯t have grown out of thin air. Birds or wind must¡¯ve brought their seeds over. Mr. Goltai, ask all the spare farmers to search the villages and try to find more corn grass.¡±


    Goltai was rather confused about the mission. ¡°Liszt, is the corn grass very important?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s highly nutritional and even more suitable as fodder than clovers are¡­ Besides, cattle will grow faster with different varieties of food.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s so valuable, I¡¯ll have them search every corner.¡±


    As they talked, Liszt suddenly saw a group of people strutting to Thorn Hill in the south.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, is that the new patrol team?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your squires were of great help. Those jackasses didn¡¯t follow my orders in the beginning, but after a few fights, their tempers were gone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Discipline is the top priority for the patrolmen. Mr. Goltai, we must strengthen the management of the patrol team. I have a few ideas. The patrolmen must be responsible for the safety of the villages. They will be paid by the town, wear the same clothes, and observe the same code of conduct.¡±


    Liszt intended to improve the patrol team so that he could learn everything about the town.


    ¡°However, the town has few Neldas. Isaiah has complained more than once that he can¡¯t do anything with Neldas.¡±


    Liszt did not have many gold coins in his castle, either. According to his butler, he had only about 150 left.


    However, the future of the castle was very promising. Liszt¡¯s ruby sword alone was worth more than a thousand gold coins. The profits from the black tulip would eventually arrive, too.


    ¡°I¡¯ll allocate fifty gold coins for the maintenance and development of the town. The coins will be deducted from the taxes of the town.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Neldas? That¡¯s too many. Liszt, I¡¯ve checked it. The annual tax of the town is only fifteen Neldas.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen coins aren¡¯t too many. Mr. Goltai, tell Isaiah and Blair that Flower Town will be busy these days, and they must be prepared.¡±


    ¡°As you wish!¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt was not joking about the development of Flower Town.


    He was already drawing an abstract map of the town. Basically, it was a right triangle.


    The two legs of the triangle were Thorn Hill, and the hypotenuse was the east coast.


    The town was at the center of the triangle, the castle was near the right angle, and the Cow Farm and Barleyton were the other two corners.


    To become rich, one has to build roads first. He highlighted the muddy trail from Thorn Hill to the town with a quill. I need to build the main road into a gravel one. There¡¯s no cement here, but there¡¯s a lot of sand. I can use it to pave the road.


    The muddy roads among the villages could be paved with sand, too.


    However, sand was not always the best choice, especially on rainy days. But it was a pity that there were few stones near Flower Town, making it impossible to mix the sand with stone.


    Besides road maintenance, there was another important thing, which was farming.


    Elves could influence the growth of plants, but elves were not indispensable. The farmers of the town farmed all the same without elves.


    Teaching people to fertilize the land is the first step of scientific farming, but it¡¯s not enough. I need a batch of tools to increase the productivity of the farmers. I can ask a blacksmith to make use of the iron from Tulip Castle and Falcon Town.


    The two things were important, but their effects were not immediate.


    The result of one other thing, however, could be seen quickly: fishery.


    On the back of Fire Dragon, Liszt looked at the infinite ocean and smelled the unique salty stink of the ocean water. The waves sparkled under the sunlight.


    Thomas played with Dudderson on the beach.


    Dudderson had been growing fast. It was almost the size of a common dog and was showing signs of magic. It might be able to release magic before it reached adulthood.


    Liszt intended to train it soon in case it hurt someone.


    ¡°My lord, is there anything special about the east coast? The ocean here is too deep for any port.¡± Marcus looked at the ocean and still found no wealth in it.


    Liszt pointed at the reefs below the surface of the ocean. ¡°Mr. Marcus, do you see the reefs? There¡¯s food all over them. After the tide ebbs, you can ask the farmers to pick up the food¡­ This is real seafood.¡±

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42: The First Fishing Experience of Flower Town


    ¡°It¡¯s starting to ebb, my lord,¡± Thomas said to Liszt while reining in Dudderson.


    ¡°Give me Dudderson. You, Tom, and Jesse will search for the seafood as I described it.¡± Liszt took Dudderson¡¯s leash.


    Dudderson was still trying to chase after the waves.


    Liszt immediately shouted, ¡°Quiet, Dudderson!¡±


    Dudderson would not listen.


    Liszt got off the horse and pressed Dudderson onto the sand, immobilizing it. Then, he commanded, ¡°Dudderson, quiet!¡±


    Dudderson moaned and, unable to break free, could only crouch.


    Then, Liszt slowly lifted his hand.


    Dudderson struggled and tried to run again.


    Liszt seized it and commanded it again. After a few repetitions, Dudderson finally stopped moving. Carl hurried to deliver a piece of meat, which was rewarded to Dudderson by Liszt. Liszt said, ¡°If you listen to me, you will have meat. Do you understand, Dudderson?¡±


    Dudderson tore apart the meat and gulped it down.


    Before they left, Liszt specifically reminded Thomas not to feed the dog. It would be easier to form conditional reflexes and complete obedience training with hunger.


    ¡°My lord, you are gifted at taming monsters. I can foresee that Dudderson will be a qualified and docile monster.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if it¡¯s not, I¡¯ll butcher it. The smoked meat of the Rampant Earth Dog tasted quite good last night. I didn¡¯t enjoy much monster meat even in Taro Castle.¡±


    The meat of the Rampant Earth Dog was not sold but dried in the castle.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed delicious. I can sense the magic power in the meat.¡± Marcus also had dinner in the castle last night.


    After training Dudderson for a while, Liszt gave Dudderson to Carl and rode to the coastline to check the servants¡¯ work.


    At this moment, Thomas, Tom and Jesse were all busy with gloves, buckets, hammers, and shovels.


    Thomas was flipping the stones and searching for the seafood below them.


    Jesse was digging in the sand and searching for the seafood buried underneath.


    Tom, on the other hand, was picking up the seafood that was stranded due to the ebbing.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, do you know the relationship between tides and the moon?¡± Liszt asked, in a good mood.


    Marcus shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°The moon moves all the time. The tide rises and ebbs because of its draw. Of course, the sun also has such a draw, but it¡¯s much further away and the draw is much slighter .¡±


    ¡°My lord, I can¡¯t understand any of that.¡±


    Marcus was only being nice.


    The moon and the sun could attract the seawater? He would¡¯ve spat in their faces if someone else said it. If the moon and the sun attracted seawater, why were human beings not flying?


    Liszt was bored after seeing Marcus¡¯s face¡ªwhat an idiotic native.


    Then, he thought to himself, Since the moon here also causes tides, does it mean that this world is indeed a planet? Would I be able to reach the same spot if I sail along the Blue Wave Ocean? In that case, can I accomplish a global tour someday?


    The thought was too distant, so Liszt did not waste too much time on it.


    He rode his horse to Tom.


    Tom hurried to bow to him. ¡°My lord.¡±


    ¡°You do your job. I¡¯m just passing by.¡± He saw clams, sea snails, sea stars, and seaweed in Tom¡¯s bucket. There were also insects, including sea centipedes and sea cockroaches.


    The sea centipedes and sea cockroaches were jumping out of the bucket all the time.


    So, Tom had to pick them up in a hurry.


    ¡°The running insects are not food. You can throw them away,¡± Liszt reminded him.


    ¡°Oh, o-okay, my lord.¡± Tom threw the insects out in a flurry. There was no telling if it was because his lord was around, but he couldn¡¯t grab them and sweated hard.


    Not far away, Thomas, who was examining the rocks, saw Thomas¡¯s embarrassment and gloated internally. He was the most excellent of the three footmen in the castle; he was a suitable choice for the next butler.


    On the other side, Jesse failed to capture any of the shrimps and clamps that his lord wanted. He had no idea that he should dig into the holes through which the creatures breathed.


    How useless! he thought to himself.


    He knocked the rocks happily, picking up the seafood, and he even found a few crabs.


    He then broke the shells and dug the fresh meat out.


    Before they left, his lord claimed that the meat of shellfish was delicious.


    Thomas was not convinced that this ugly, soft thing was delicious, but he still carried out his orders dutifully.


    It was no trouble at all.


    There were clams and mussels everywhere on the bare rocks after ebbing.


    After only two hours, Thomas had filled the two buckets he carried. One of the buckets contained only the meat of the shellfish.


    He looked at Tom. Tom¡¯s buckets were also full, but he picked up a lot of things that their lord asked them not to.


    He couldn¡¯t recognize the same animal at all.


    How stupid.


    As for Jesse, he could be ignored. He was sweating like a pig, but the bottom of his bucket was barely covered. There were only a few fat lobsters inside.


    Thomas put down his buckets laden with trophies and held his head high, waiting for his lord¡¯s inspection.


    ¡­


    Liszt, who spent most of the time in the shade of the coconut tree, stopped the fishery experiment when the sun was high.


    He checked every bucket on his horse.


    ¡°Tom, you need to work harder to distinguish seafood from vermin. Not everything from the ocean is edible.¡±


    Tom lowered his head in shame. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord. I¡¯m too stupid to tell the difference.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Tom. It¡¯s perfectly normal for your first fishing experience. Don¡¯t feel guilty.¡± Liszt comforted him and turned to Jesse¡¯s bucket. ¡°Well, Jesse, I can see that you worked hard, but you apparently did not do what I taught you.¡±


    ¡°My lord, I dug hard, but the holes disappeared every time I did.¡± Jesse was anxious.


    ¡°You need to dig along the holes.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can stay here and keep digging. My lord, I can certainly fill my bucket.¡±


    ¡°If you stay here, nobody will fetch water for the castle. Jesse, I¡¯m not blaming you. It¡¯s not an easy task to dig up shrimps and razor clams.¡±


    In the end, Liszt reached Thomas¡¯s buckets. One of the buckets was full of meat, and the other contained crabs and other sea creatures.


    ¡°Job well done, Thomas.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your praise, my lord. I will always try my best for my lord.¡± Thomas was delighted.


    Liszt responded with a big smile, acknowledging Thomas¡¯s work. He knew what was on Thomas¡¯ mind. Carter told him a long time ago that Thomas had ambitions, but he was not bothered as his lord, because Thomas¡¯ ambition couldn¡¯t be greater than to be the butler of the castle.


    If the man was truly capable, he could always appoint Thomas as the butler when Carter was too old.


    No servants could drift out of his control.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43: Seafood Dinner in the Castle


    After bringing the seafood back to the castle, Liszt did not have it cooked immediately.


    The seafood was indeed similar to the seafood he remembered, but it remained to be seen whether or not it was poisonous. The test was simple. Marcus captured a few carnivorous animals with the hunters of the town.


    The wolves and cats in the cages were more than hungry.


    After the seafood was tossed in, it was immediately swallowed by the beasts. The boiled seafood was then given to another batch of animals. On the next day, all the animals were alive except for two which had eaten certain sea urchins.


    It means that the seafood here is similar to the seafood on Earth except for the sea urchin. I¡¯ll made samples of the edible seafood for the farmers to refer to.


    After figuring it out, Liszt was not in a hurry to introduce fishery.


    He needed to let other people know that seafood was delicious.


    A lot of seafood could be eaten alive, but Liszt did not recommend it. One tended to get infected by parasites this way.


    Due to the poor medical conditions, there would be nothing he could do except waiting to die.


    So, he summoned Abby Spoon, the cook. ¡°Mrs. Abby, let me teach you how to cook seafood. For the crabs, just scrub and steam them. These lobsters can be boiled with water. The clams here can be cooked into soup or fried. The oysters can be boiled or fried, too.¡±


    Oysters were a delicious food.


    Back in his home world, Liszt loved oysters because raw oysters contained a lot of zinc that was of great significance for the development of secondary sexual characteristics¡­


    So, oysters would definitely become an indispensable cuisine on the baron¡¯s dinner table.


    Luckily, Flower Town was right next to the ocean. There were oysters everywhere on the coast.


    Liszt, who was only sixteen years old, needed better food to become stronger.


    After teaching Abby Spoon how to cook the seafood, Liszt did not quite have great expectations. Or rather, he already had this before. Back in Taro Castle, he enjoyed the rock lobsters offered by the fishermen.


    As a country of islands, Archduchy Sapphire had a lot of fishermen.


    Some of the serfs searched for food in the ocean when they were too poor. However, on Coral Island, the Tulip family had been busy reclaiming desolate land and had no interest in fishery.


    So, the people in Flower Town had never thought of fishing in the past twenty years.


    It¡¯s the first time that Mrs. Abby makes sea food. I don¡¯t think the crabs will be properly steamed. She has to experiment and learn gradually.


    As he expected, Liszt had familiar seafood at lunch, but the taste was not familiar.


    The crabs and the lobsters were overcooked, and the clam soup was full of sand. But he still ate a lot, because it was still much better than bread with bacon.


    Marcus, Goltai, Isaiah, and Blair had the seafood dinner with Liszt.


    ¡°Delicious!¡± Marcus gave a simple remark and devoted himself to the lobsters and crabs.


    Isaiah smiled. ¡°Yummy!¡±


    Blair raised his thumb. ¡°Rare cuisine!¡±


    Goltai despised the clams for their ugly appearance at first, but after he had a taste of them, he couldn¡¯t stop eating at all and even asked for more.


    His wrinkled face was full of happiness. ¡°I remember now. I remember everything now.¡±


    ¡°What have you remembered?¡± Liszt cracked the shell of the crab skillfully.


    ¡°When I was young, I traveled to a small island and had oysters there. I was drunk and had a marvelous night. After I woke up, I left the island and never had the food again until today.¡±


    ¡°Have some more. Perhaps something marvelous will happen tonight,¡± said Liszt with a feigned smile.


    He already knew that Goltai found a young mistress in the town. The girl was only seventeen. If she hadn¡¯t been with Goltai voluntarily, Liszt definitely would¡¯ve stopped it.


    Goltai chuckled. ¡°Who knows? I¡¯m in love with oysters now.¡±


    Isaiah and Blair both chuckled.


    As adults, they all knew what he meant.


    Even Marcus became hopeful as he turned to the oysters.


    While the knights and nobles enjoyed seafood in the dinner hall, the servants were also having a great time in the kitchen downstairs.


    ¡°Those lobsters are delicious. Who could¡¯ve foreseen that such ugly creatures would be so delicious?¡± Allyn Fourfingers scarfed down the food.


    Abby said with dissatisfaction, ¡°Don¡¯t be so rude, young lady. You are eating like a man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a kitchen maid. Why can¡¯t I eat like this? I¡¯ve been eating like this at home. Even Mr. Carter didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Carter was cutting the oysters gracefully. As the butler, he always ensured that everything he and the servants did was flawless.


    He remarked, ¡°Allyn, you¡¯ve seen Ms. Lvera¡¯s first maid. Maybe you should learn from her.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hold a knife with my fingers like her just to make myself seem like a noble lady. His lordship complimented Sister Mathy before, but Sister Mathy doesn¡¯t eat that way.¡±


    Mathy smiled. ¡°I grew up in a village. Nobody taught me table manners at all. I¡¯m still learning from Mrs. Mason. She worked in Tulip Castle before. Many maids there know noble etiquette better than the ladies.¡±


    Mason Ricefield squeezed the meat out of the lobsters. ¡°That¡¯s because nobles can break the rules, but servants have to abide by them in order not to be punished.¡±


    Allyn suddenly shouted, ¡°His lordship doesn¡¯t punish servants! Tom broke a vase yesterday, but his lordship did not reprimand him.¡±


    ¡°His lordship is merciful. I won¡¯t break anything anymore,¡± said Tom with respect.


    Thomas had the oysters he dug out and smiled in disdain. ¡°I highly doubt it. Tom, you will break a lot of things in the future. His lordship would be wise to forbid you from going upstairs.¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44: The Lord Wants to Build a New Village


    The dinner was over.


    Liszt finally got down to business. ¡°I¡¯m planning to build a new village on the east coast, so that some of the serfs can be occupied when not farming.¡±


    Farmers were busy in some seasons but idle in others.


    Liszt found it too wasteful. It would be better if some of the farmers were changed into fishermen.


    ¡°Such delicious food indeed should be worked on. However, Liszt, the population of the town is too little. All the serfs are needed here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come up with a solution to the shortage.¡± Liszt did not say anything more.


    He had discussed with Levis about purchasing serfs with the dividends of the black tulip as a reward. The earl¡¯s fleets returned with a lot of serfs every time it went out for trade.


    Goltai immediately understood. ¡°If you put it that way, I¡¯ll start planning for the new village immediately.¡±


    ¡°My lord, what will be the name of the new town?¡± Isaiah asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it¡­ Oysterton.¡±


    Liszt had high hopes for Oysterton. He hoped that some serfs could be transformed into fishermen and provide food for Flower Town after the village was built. Before, most people of Flower Town would sleep through the winter to reduce the need for food.


    With enough food, the cold of winter would be nothing.


    A lot of construction work could continue in winter.


    Goltai arrived at the castle again in the evening. ¡°Liszt, the corn grass was found! The patrolmen found a pasture at the edge of Thorn Hill that looks the same as the corn grass.¡±


    ¡°Lead me there.¡±


    Liszt saw the corn grass before it was completely dark. Compared to the three wild corn in Wheaton, those corn grasses were much shorter.


    Liszt examined them with disappointment.


    It was probably where the corn grass originated, but there was no sign of an elvish insect. Without elvish insects, it was barely possible to develop and improve the corn grass.


    ¡°Take good care of them and collect the seeds. Sow them in the town later to provide a new grass for the horses and cows.¡±


    ¡­


    At night, Liszt read books in his study after a bath.


    The misty words condensed before his eyes. Mission accomplished. Reward: information about the invisible dragon.


    Soon, the mist was twisted into a new mission. Mission: Fishery is on the lord¡¯s agenda now, and a batch of serfs are about to be kicked into the ocean by you. It¡¯s a necessary skill to use the subjects, but sustainable development is also important. Please update the equipment of the fishermen. Reward: a large area of smoking grass.


    A large area of smoking grass? What¡¯s that? Tobacco?


    Updating the fishing equipment was an easy task. He would¡¯ve done the same even without the misty mission.


    The reward of the mission was no longer information about the invisible dragon. Liszt was more or less reassured. He began to wonder what smoking grass was.


    Smoking was popular among nobles. The Tulips had planted a lot of tobacco and even had a tobacco little elf.


    So, the smoking grass can¡¯t be tobacco. I have tobacco seeds from Tulip Castle. I can plant them whenever I want to.


    Liszt did not consider it any longer. He would know what smoking grass was sooner or later.


    He continued reading the book. The earl fulfilled his promise and offered him a wagon of books when Liszt returned.


    Now, he was reading an autobiographical novel named The Travel Journal of Earth Knight Gulliver.


    From the first person perspective, it told the story of an earth knight named Gulliver in Archduchy Maple Leaves. The story was interesting, although many plots were simply fantasies to Liszt, like how the hero had an affair with an earl¡¯s wife, eloped with a marquis¡¯s daughter, and chit-chatted with Archduke Maple Leaves.


    The descendant of a bankrupt noble couldn¡¯t have enjoyed any of that.


    However, the author of the book must be a man with a lot of experiences. He introduced a life that was completely different from that on Coral Island.


    It was quite interesting.


    Liszt liked novels that were both fun and informative.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    As he read on, the story reached a dragon-slaying battle out of the blue. Gulliver arrived at a town that was invaded by an invisible creature. The lord of the town had escaped, and the people couldn¡¯t resist the enemy. At this moment, Gulliver decided to rescue them.


    After observation, he reached the conclusion that it was an invisible dragon, although the deduction process was uncanny.


    Invisible dragons are amazing dragons hiding in a different world. Only knights with the greatest courage and integrity can see them! I have to see it, face it, and find its weakness!


    Finally, Gulliver found the invisible dragon and was heavily wounded, but he also managed to see it.


    Ah, what a beautiful dragon! It¡¯s like flowing transparent crystals. My blood simply penetrated through its body. Yes, I couldn¡¯t touch it. I was very frustrated because it was impossible for me to ride it.


    Liszt quite admired Gulliver, who was regretting that he could not ride the dragon after he was almost killed.


    Thankfully, Gulliver knew himself quite well.


    I knew it wanted to kill me. I couldn¡¯t see its eyes, but I sensed what it was feeling. I forgot where I was, and my last wish was to smoke a cigarette. Since I didn¡¯t have any tobacco left, I had to grab random grasses near me and chewed them to quench my addiction.


    Liszt¡¯s eyebrow rose as he read this part.


    He continued reading.


    It was not until later that I realized that what I caught was smoking grass, a grass similar to tobacco but with a unique smell, like my socks that had been worn for a fortnight. I almost threw up. Yes, I successfully quit smoking. I swore that I wouldn¡¯t smoke again!


    I had smoked for seventeen years. When I was little, my father liked to smoke the cigarettes he rolled himself. He would ask me, ¡°Hi, Gulliver, do you want one?¡±¡­


    The rest was the memory of how his father taught him to smoke.


    Liszt¡¯s head almost exploded. Why are you talking about this? I¡¯m dying to know how you slew the dragon!

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45: A Friend Made with Smoking Grass and Cows


    Thankfully, after a flashback of more than five hundred words, Gulliver finally returned to the dragon-slaying story.


    I swore that I was determined to quit smoking back then, but I forgot it later because I was shocked by the invisible dragon¡¯s actions. It robbed me of my smoking grass and ate it. I think something might be wrong with its nose.


    Sorry that I badmouthed the invisible dragon. As a matter of fact, we became friends later. Since it ate my smoking grass, it did not kill me. I earned the friendship of an invisible dragon with a bundle of smoking grass and two cows. To be honest, the invisible dragon is not huge. It¡¯s only slightly larger than a house.


    I saw Archduke Maple Leaves¡¯s bronze dragon before. It was almost thirty meters long. The invisible dragon is like its child, if dragons ever have children.


    We spent an afternoon together. In the evening, it shook itself before me and dropped me a gem. Then it flew away, but its gem was left behind. I¡¯ve been wearing it ever since.


    Haha. Now you know the origin of my space ring. Too many honorable sirs were willing to pay everything for my ring, but I never agreed, because it¡¯s proof of my friendship with the invisible dragon!


    That marked the end of the chapter on the invisible dragon.


    Another Gulliver story immediately began.


    Liszt skimmed through the novel, but there was no more information on the invisible dragon. Even the space ring was only mentioned once.


    It seemed that Gulliver only mentioned the invisible dragon when he thought of it.


    It seems that the reward this time is the knowledge of the invisible dragon recorded in the novel¡­ Only people of courage and integrity can see the invisible dragon? In that case, I don¡¯t think I can see it at all. He knew himself quite well.


    However, he doubted the accuracy of the information. How could the criteria for seeing the invisible dragon be personality, something that could not be measured?


    However, he still found information that was of use for him. Gulliver resisted the invisible dragon¡¯s attack with smoking grass. He also exchanged a bundle of grass and two cows for the invisible dragon¡¯s gem¡­ The reward for my current misty mission is smoking grass. It seems part of a longer quest.


    The first reward was information on the invisible dragon.


    The second reward was new information on the invisible dragon.


    Then the reward was the smoking grass that the invisible dragon liked.


    All the rewards were associated. In that case, the target of the missions was quite obvious. It was possible that an invisible dragon was truly going to invade Flower Town.


    Cows? Liszt thought of something else. The Cow Farm has two cows that are too old to produce any milk. They haven¡¯t been butchered yet because there is still enough food in the castle. Maybe the two old cows are the food that I need to prepare for the invisible dragon?


    The information was still not specific enough.


    Liszt believed that his top priority was to keep on accomplishing the missions to get more details on the invisible dragon so that he could take measures accordingly.


    Somebody knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    Carter came in with a lamp. ¡°My lord, the hour is late. You should rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about to.¡± Liszt put the book back on the shelf and frowned at the smell of his hand. ¡°Mr. Carter, please add a box of air freshener in the study. I can¡¯t tolerate the strange smell of the thick-hide paper.¡±


    The wagon of books offered by the earl carried a tremendous stink that could not be concealed with Liszt¡¯s air freshener.


    There was no clean white paper, but only the hard, stinky yellow thick-hide paper.


    The paper was made with the materials inside animal skin after a special tanning process. The cost of the paper was high, and it was difficult to preserve it. Liszt was eager to replace the thick-hide paper with white paper, but he knew that it was not the right moment.


    Firstly, white paper was not in demand.


    Secondly, due to the lack of copyright laws, the grand nobles could steal the technology.


    These were also the reasons why he hadn¡¯t worked on horseshoes, saddles, or cement. Also, he had the basic structure of a schooner in his head. It would definitely be a boost to the sailing age once it was invented.


    Most importantly of all, he was short of people.


    The whole town only had a population of 1,991 people. Two seniors died recently, and three babies were born.


    Ignoring the old and the young who could not work, only 1,500 people could be used. They had to farm, build roads, establish Oysterton, and craft fishing equipment soon.


    As for Liszt, he was quite busy in improving himself, too.


    He had picked up Dragon Drill and Furious Fire, but he needed more time to master them. After the Red Blood Sword was gifted to him, he practiced even more diligently, hoping that he could break the hold of gravity and leap into the sky someday.


    Carter lit the air freshener.


    Blowing the candle, he asked, ¡°My lord, should we hire more servants for the castle?¡±


    ¡°Are we short of hands?¡± Liszt was surprised. Ten servants for him should be enough.


    Carter, however, said solemnly, ¡°The elvish insects are quite obedient, but the footmen have to take care of their wormgrass every day. It¡¯s Jesse¡¯s job for now, but after the millet insect and the thorn insect are settled, it will be too much for him.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, he said, ¡°Dudderson, Black Dragon, Fire Dragon, and the other horses all need tending. The seafood in the castle has to be gathered by servants until Oysterton is built. Also, Mrs. Abby is overwhelmed as more dishes are added.¡±


    Castles and town halls had a lot of overlapping functions.


    However, the castle focused more on feeding itself, and the town hall had to manage the whole territory and collect taxes. Liszt was not satisfied with the system and felt that the greatest obstacle of productivity was the castle. It was a twisted monster that controlled all the elves, the greatest source of productivity.


    After all, the greatest function of the castle was to ensure the luxurious life of nobles instead of increasing productivity.


    He knew that well, but he did not intend to change it. He was a noble himself, after all!


    ¡°Since we are short of hands, Mr. Carter, you will hire new servants.¡±


    ¡°All right, my lord.¡±

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46: Recruitment of Footmen and Maids


    ¡°Big Lily, where is Little Lily?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Old Abe? Little Lily is feeding the chicken in the yard.¡± Big Lily was a middle-aged woman whose back had been bent by years of hard work.


    Abe smiled brilliantly. ¡°Great news! His lordship is recruiting new servants. According to Mr. Carter, three footmen, a maid, and a kitchen maid are to be recruited. Little Lily can apply for the maid position.¡±


    ¡°Really? Is his lordship really going to recruit new maids? That¡¯s wonderful! I¡¯m going to tell Little Lily!¡±


    ¡°Go.¡± Before Abe could continue, Big Lily was already gone. He shook his head in amusement and murmured, ¡°I need to tell the good news to everyone. What a beautiful life it will be in the castle. Your child is lucky.¡±


    Very soon, all the 48 households in Barleyton heard the news.


    ¡°What a piece of great news. I was worried that Malfoy did not have enough land to work on. He¡¯s strong and diligent and will make a good footman.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it. Parker is more diligent, and he is polite. I think he will definitely make it.¡±


    ¡°Is the news true? His lordship will recruit servants from the villages?¡±


    ¡°Old Abe said so. He¡¯s been making tools for his lordship recently. How could he be lying?¡±


    ¡°Abe has good skills, but can he still lift a hammer?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to. His lordship sent apprentices to do the hard work for him. Do you remember Peter the Crippled? He¡¯s an apprentice! His lordship pays a copper to him every day!¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the old alcoholic own the blacksmith¡¯s shop?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been sold to his lordship for three Neldas!¡±


    ¡°Three Neldas! Heavens, his lordship is too generous!¡±


    Good news flew to everybody like a bird.


    Little Lily, who was feeding the chicken, flushed in excitement. ¡°Mom, can I¡­ really apply to be a maid?¡±


    ¡°Old Abe brought the news. He can¡¯t be lying. Little Lily, you must be prepared. You will have a good life if you make it to the castle,¡± said Big Lily in delight.


    ¡°But¡­ will his lordship choose me?¡±


    ¡°Be confident in yourself, Little Lily. You are the most excellent girl in Barleyton. You are my pride and joy. Of course, you can also lower your expectations and apply to be a kitchen maid.¡±


    ¡°All right, I know what to do, Mom,¡± said Little Lily determinedly.


    For a better life in the future, she had to be excellent enough. Their lives had been difficult since she lost her father. Now that she had grown up, she had to share responsibility for the family. The seventeen-year-old girl clenched her fists.


    ¡­


    In the blacksmith¡¯s shop, Liszt watched the old blacksmiths craft the iron blocks with their apprentices.


    Liszt devoted all the iron he earned in the deal with the black tulip to the manufacture of tools. The first to be built was the fishing equipment.


    Shovels, hammers, and spikes¡ªwith them, the fishermen would be able to catch fish.


    The seafood to the east of Flower Town had never been developed or contaminated. One could capture fish easily.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, have you started hiring fishermen?¡± Liszt wiped his sweat with the handkerchief that Marcus gave him.


    He had been used to the service of a valet. It was quite enjoyable to have someone help him.


    Goltai, on the other hand, could only wipe sweat with his own handkerchief. ¡°The clerks are announcing your request in the villages. Only the old, the women, and the little children are to be selected.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. All that is needed in fishery is patience. It¡¯s only reasonable to send the unqualified farmers to go fishing. However, you must inform that that they must not eat raw seafood.¡±


    Medical technology was highly undeveloped in this world.


    The nobles were barely ill thanks to combat aura, so they did not have any motivation to study medicine. Liszt could only make his subjects take precautions.


    ¡°They¡¯re lucky to have you. Liszt, you have a unique charisma.¡± Goltai flattered him.


    As a grown man, Liszt was not excited by the adulation. He simply ordered, ¡°Do not stop crafting the ironware, but don¡¯t exhaust the blacksmiths, either. Improve their wages from five coppers to six, and those of the apprentices to two.¡±


    One copper a day for the apprentices and five coppers a day for the masters were Liszt¡¯s previous offers.


    It was already very generous. The baron was too wealthy to exploit the small folk now.


    The Red Blood Sword on his waist alone was worth more than a thousand gold coins.


    That meant more than a hundred thousand silver coins, or more than ten million coppers.


    Besides, Flower Town belonged to him. His subjects¡¯ money equaled his money, as he could levy taxes however he wanted to.


    ¡°Six coppers a day. What a bunch of lucky blacksmiths,¡± Goltai murmured.


    Then, he entered the workshop and shouted, ¡°Mr. Blacksmiths, his lordship has decided that your salary will be raised to six coppers a day. Your apprentices will earn two coppers a day. Work hard! You can¡¯t imagine his lordship¡¯s generosity!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Six coppers a day?¡±


    ¡°His lordship is the best!¡±


    ¡°Praise his lordship! Old Jack will build ironware for his lordship forever!¡±


    ¡°Two coppers a day for the apprentices? Heavens! My parents will be exalted!¡±


    The complaints about the heat in the blacksmith¡¯s shop were replaced by excitement. They all promised to work hard to repay their generous lord.


    Liszt shook his head at the cheers inside.


    He was unwilling to exploit the serfs partly because he was merciful and partly because it could motivate the serfs to work harder. He preferred creation to exploitation. Only by a reasonable distribution of resources and an improvement of productivity could he make the best use of the small population of this small town.


    ¡°My lord, are you going back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the tailor¡¯s to check the gloves, towels, and masks for the fishermen. I hope the products are qualified.¡± Liszt cracked the whip on Fire Dragon.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47: Revolution of Clothes


    ¡°Lily Bathtub, Wendy Bigtoe, Jim Cowdung, Parker Rednose, and John Doorknob, after consideration, you¡¯ve been given a chance to work in the castle.¡±


    After a three-day test, Carter finally announced the names of new footmen and maids that he found suitable for the castle.


    The other applicants asked hopefully, ¡°Mr. Carter, please give me another chance! I swear that I will do better!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, the decision has been made. However, for the testing of the past three days, you will be paid three coppers as the standard for the kitchen maid. Also, I¡¯ve remembered you. If the castle needs more servants, I¡¯ll consider you first.¡±


    The servants of the castle were technically Liszt¡¯s property.


    However, he had to pay for them. The servants could save the money for themselves or send it home.


    The kitchen maid and the assistant footman were paid a copper a day. The maids and the footmen were paid two coppers a day. The first footman and the cook, three coppers. The butler and the housekeeper, four coppers.


    Other than Carter and Mason who were by themselves, the servants all sent the money back to their homes.


    Also, once the servants were tired of work, they could apply to free themselves with money if the nobles agreed to it.


    The young men and women who were screened out left in disappointment. It was a major blow for them that they couldn¡¯t work in the beautiful castle.


    The five who were chosen, on the other hand, were too excited to control themselves.


    ¡°Dear heavens, I¡¯ve been selected!¡±


    ¡°Am¡­ Am I going to stay in the castle?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I made it!¡±


    Carter looked at the rookies with a smile, remembering how he was chosen as a servant by the viscount when he was young.


    Starting off as the lowest assistant footman, he gradually grew into an excellent servant. As the Tulips advanced, he was sent by the earl to manage one of the family¡¯s manors in a different town.


    After Liszt¡¯s coming of age, he followed him here as a butler.


    It had been such a long time that he almost couldn¡¯t remember how he cheered and danced when he became a servant. For decades, he had been working in the castle, with both regrets and happiness.


    His greatest wish right now was to accompany Liszt until the sun did not rise for him anymore.


    ¡°Young ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet.¡± He pressed his hands down and hinted for them not to be excited. ¡°I¡¯ll announce your jobs now.¡±


    Lily and the rest of them hurried to shut up.


    ¡°Lily Bathtub, Mrs. Allyn likes you. Your job will be as the kitchen maid. Ms. Allyn will help you get familiar with the job as soon as possible.¡±


    Little Lily immediately nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll familiarize myself with it soon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, but don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. Mrs. Abby can be¡­ blunt, but you¡¯ll know that she¡¯s a good person after you get to know her.¡± Carter was worried that the little girl couldn¡¯t handle Abby Spoon¡¯s criticism.


    He went on: ¡°Wendy Bigtoe, Mrs. Mason will teach you things required of a maid.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter.¡±


    ¡°Now, Jim Cowdung, Parker Rednose, John Doorknob.¡± Carter looked at the young, emaciated fellows.


    ¡°Mr. Carter.¡± All of them held their heads high, trying to make themselves look more graceful.


    Carter was satisfied with their attitude. ¡°I¡¯ll groom you for the footman job. Very soon, you will be occupied, both in the castle and beyond.¡±


    He looked at the new servants. ¡°You represent not just yourselves but also the castle. You must be civilized and say goodbye to the lazy serfs that you were in the past. Do you understand, ladies and gentlemen?¡±


    ¡°Understood, Mr. Carter!¡±


    ¡°Each of you will be given a half-day holiday. Share the good news with your family. Starting from tomorrow, you will live in the castle.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Mr. Carter, congratulations. You¡¯re about to become a big butler.¡± Mrs. Mason chatted with Carter after the new servants left.


    ¡°Yes. It feels great.¡± Carter put on a rare smile. ¡°I have to live longer in case Thomas replaces me. I don¡¯t want to see him enjoy the feeling.¡±


    ¡°I imagine that Thomas prefers to stay by his lordship¡¯s side. He¡¯s indeed smarter than Tom and Jesse.¡±


    Carter said fanatically, ¡°His lordship has inherited the courage of the Tulips and the cleverness of the Taros. Sometimes, it¡¯s better to be silly than to be smart before his lordship.¡±


    He suddenly pricked his ears and said, ¡°Hoofbeats. His lordship is back. I need to make preparations.¡±


    ¡°Go, silly and smart Butler Carter.¡±


    He reached the gate and saw Liszt riding Fire Dragon with the sun behind him. The radiance of the sun glimmered on his curly blond hair like flowing gold.


    His lordship is a natural-born noble. He has everything expected of a noble, Carter thought.


    He bowed. ¡°Welcome home, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, have you selected a new servant?¡± Liszt gave the reins to Thomas and loosened the bow tie. He found the clothes uncomfortable in the hot, damp summer.


    The clothes of the archduchy were the same style as those on the continent.


    The female nobles mostly wore dresses with crinolines inside that stuck the dresses out like pyramids.


    Lvera never wore such clothes. She preferred the clothes of male nobles.


    The full attire of male nobles was named Frak Abie, which included a tailcoat-like ¡°Frak,¡± a waistcoat named ¡°Kire,¡± and a pair of pants named ¡°Beest,¡± with boots and stockings.


    Also, the male nobles had to wear accessories that represented their noble power on their neck.


    They usually wore bow ties at home. On ceremonial occasions, they had to wear ¡°Raff,¡± a round collar that surrounded the neck.


    Loosening the tie, Liszt immediately sensed hot air surging from inside his clothes. He complained to himself, I have to initialize a clothes revolution!

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48: The Monkeys that Stole Coconuts


    Shirts, vests, boxers, suits, leather shoes¡­ There were many clothes that Liszt intended to create.


    However, he could not be so innovative. He was a countryside baron after all. If he could become the king of a country someday, he would be able to change the fashion however he wanted.


    But for now, he could not tolerate the tediousness in maintaining the so-called dignity of nobles.


    ¡°My lord, I gave the servants a half-day holiday. They¡¯ll be dedicated to the castle tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Well, do whatever you see fit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Liszt, who was sweating hard, was in no mood to talk. ¡°Mr. Carter, draw a bath for me. This is not the friendliest weather.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Carter hurried to ask the maids to prepare a bath.


    Bathwater was always prepared in the castle nowadays because the servants all knew their lord¡¯s enthusiasm for cleanliness. It was not unusual for him to wash himself three times a day.


    After taking a shower, he put on homely clothes, a loose robe.


    Such robes were a kind of pajamas. The nobles here also knew that it could be uncomfortable to wear formal dress all the time, so they changed pajamas into homely clothes.


    Liszt, however, still found it complicated and uncomfortable.


    His favorites in summer were T-shirts. So, he rolled the sleeves of his long robe and exposed his arms. Although it did not befit the etiquette of nobles, nobody dared to question him in the small castle. That was an advantage of the countryside.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s a pity that we don¡¯t have ice, or I could make you a cup of iced water.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much ice even in Tulip Castle. I can live with that, although it¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t have iced beer.¡± He was not an alcoholic. He only drank at dinners because of social needs.


    However, he did relish the memory of cool iced beers in the hot summer.


    The days were becoming hotter and hotter. As he recalled, eggs would immediately be boiled if they were placed on the ground when Coral Island was in the hottest season.


    Many serfs died of heat exhaustion every year.


    I was told that niter can be used to make ice, but there are no niter mines on Coral Island¡­ I remember that niters can be gathered in the corners of public toilets, but all the houses in Flower Town are made of wood, and there are no toilets¡­


    Basically, it was impossible for Liszt to make ice with niter.


    He could only store ice in winter and use it during summer like other nobles did. ¡°Mr. Carter, remind me in winter to build an ice cellar.¡±


    ¡°All right, my lord.¡±


    ¡­


    As usual, Goltai, Marcus, Isaiah, and Blair were invited to dinner. Only the four of them were qualified to have dinner with Liszt.


    ¡°Liszt, the planning for Oysterton is done. Tomorrow, the first batch of fishermen will officially start fishing in the east coast with the new equipment. They¡¯re all seniors, women, and children, silly and reckless.¡±


    After the news that their lord had a seafood dinner, all the civilians followed his example and began having seafood.


    Liszt said solemnly, ¡°Mr. Goltai, you must disseminate the safety instructions. I do not want any civilian to be in danger because of seafood. As officials of the town, you have to pay attention to this. Population is the most important thing for Flower Town¡¯s productivity.¡±


    Maybe they still did not consider it a big deal, but they all knew Liszt¡¯s attitude and nodded without hesitation.


    ¡°Tomorrow, if you have time, come to Oysterton with me and let¡¯s see their work. Meantime, you have to teach them what seafood is edible and how to preserve the seafood.¡±


    ¡°Lord Baron, the clerks have made sure of that. Also, each of them already had a taste of the seafood in the castle. They are all quite enthusiastic.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    During the low tide the next day, Liszt came to Oysterton with his squires. Houses were not built yet, but a desolate area not far away from the ocean had been flattened.


    At this moment, about two hundred men and women were flipping the stones and digging in the sand with baskets or buckets in their hands.


    Many of them were working with bare hands¡ªthe productivity of the tailor¡¯s shop and the blacksmith was too low.


    ¡°Greetings, my lord!¡±


    The fishermen all paid tribute to Liszt when they saw him.


    Liszt nodded at the fishermen. Fishing could be exhausting, but the results could also be fruitful. So, the unqualified farmers were all working passionately despite their lack of experience.


    Liszt sweltered after only watching for a while. He hurried to hide in the shade of a coconut tree.


    He looked at the tall tree and felt that something was wrong. A moment later, he realized that there were no coconuts on it at all!


    He turned to a clerk next to him. ¡°Do these trees not yield fruits?¡±


    ¡°They do, my lord, but the fruits were picked by the monkeys of Thorn Hill when the fruits were very small.¡±


    ¡°Monkeys?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gray and yellow monkey that we call fruit thief. Sometimes they even ruin the crops in the farmlands in groups.¡±


    ¡°Fruit thieves¡­¡± Liszt nodded without any comment.


    He suddenly recalled the articles he read before. It seemed that some countries in southeast Asia had the tradition of training monkeys to pick coconuts because coconut trees were too tall for human beings to climb. If a group of fruit thieves could be trained, it would be possible to develop a coconut industry.


    Of course, he was not sure if the coconut tree was the same as what he knew. They shouldn¡¯t have survived the winter in Flower Town when it snowed consecutively for two months.


    ¡°How does the coconut taste?¡±


    ¡°I once picked a coconut that a fruit thief dropped. There¡¯s juice that tasted sweet and sour like milk. It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s appetite was whetted.


    There were many such trees on the coastline. If they were protected, a lot of coconuts could be harvested and even be made into a special beverage.


    He looked at Thorn Hill further away. I will take down Thorn Hill sooner or later and exterminate all the threats to Flower Town!


    The fruit thieves there could be enslaved to pick fruits for him.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49: A Forgotten Combat Aura Technique


    Monkeys could certainly be trained if monsters could be. For knights with combat aura, beasts were no different from kittens and puppies.


    However, there were only five people with combat aura in Flower Town: Liszt, Marcus, Goltai, Isaiah, and Blair.


    They all had their responsibilities and couldn¡¯t work as animal tamers.


    It seems that I need to select a few healthy young men from the town and teach them to be my squires.


    Liszt could even build an order of knights if he could afford it.


    However, due to the limitation of gold, he could only build a squad of knights at best. In his plan, the purpose of the squad was to eliminate the monsters on Thorn Hill and make Thorn Hill his territory.


    When the food from Oysterton and the taxes of the castle are steady, I¡¯ll start to train them.


    Carl Hammer and the other squires were incapable of combat aura and did not have any potential. He had to teach younger, talented people and make them real knights.


    While he was considering his future plans in the shade, Goltai was already wiping sweat with his handkerchief. ¡°Liszt, everything goes well in our inspection. Should we go back?¡±


    Liszt also felt hot.


    It was not the best weather for an outdoor trip. He nodded and said, ¡°All right, let¡¯s go back.¡± As the lord of a land, it was unnecessary for him to show that he was diligent or down-to-earth.


    Bloodline and combat aura were the foundation of nobles.


    On their way back, Liszt inspected the roads within the villages. It was difficult and inefficient to move sand with buckets and basins, but the roads were taking shape anyway.


    When they passed Flower Farm, a stink found its way to Liszt¡¯s nose. It was so disgusting that he almost threw up.


    His horse was also sniffing as if it couldn¡¯t stand the smell.


    ¡°Ah, what¡¯s this smell?¡±


    ¡°Who caused this?¡±


    The squires covered their noses and gagged.


    ¡°Is anybody cleaning their septic tank?¡± Liszt remembered the smell when feces were removed from toilets, but the stench right now was even more intense. He soon realized it. There are no toilets or septic tanks in Flower Town. The dry feces shouldn¡¯t smell so bad.


    Holding his breath, he said to his squires, ¡°Carl, go and find the source of the smell.¡±


    Very soon, Carl returned with a grass. ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve found the cause.¡±


    He raised the grass in his hand high. ¡°It¡¯s this grass. Some naughty kids plucked those grasses, and they stank after they were broken.¡±


    As he talked, an even stronger smell entered Liszt¡¯s nose from the grass in Carl¡¯s hand.


    Liszt¡¯s eyes glittered despite the stench. ¡°There are a lot of such grasses?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good! Well done, Carl! Inform Goltai to protect these grasses. Nobody is allowed to approach or harm the grasses!¡±


    The squire was puzzled, but he carried out his order.


    Liszt felt great after giving the order.


    Thomas couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°My lord, why are you happy about the stinky grasses?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how important they are.¡±


    He returned to the castle. He took a shower and checked the misty words for updates. He thought that the mission wouldn¡¯t be accomplished until all the fishermen had new equipment, but smoking grass, the mission reward, had been given to him. It meant that the mission was over.


    As he expected, the Ophidian words were updated. Mission accomplished. Reward: a cluster of smoking grass.


    A moment later, the words were changed. Mission: Seeds have been sown in the newly-reclaimed millet land, and the millet insect is desperate to breathe fresh air. It¡¯s a brave little guy. Please settle the wormgrass of the millet insect. Reward: a forgotten combat aura technique.


    A forgotten combat aura technique? Not a book, but a technique. Is it an ultimate skill? Liszt speculated.


    Combat aura techniques were powerful moves that represented the ultimate usage of combat aura.


    However, because they were obscure and difficult to learn, it was hard for small nobles to pass them on.


    The Tulips did not have any family techniques, nor did the Taros of Red Crab Island.


    Only noble families with long histories could have some ultimate techniques.


    Liszt was quite satisfied. Not bad, although I¡¯m not fond of fighting, a secret technique can significantly increase my combat ability and reduce possible danger.


    However, it remains to be seen what technique it will be.


    Up until so far, the misty missions hadn¡¯t been too difficult. They were basically the daily tasks that Liszt was supposed to do. Reclaiming the millet land was exactly to settle down the millet insect. Liszt would do it with or without the mission.


    Then, he considered something else. Is this mission also part of the quest regarding the invisible dragon?


    ¡­


    Three days later, the fishermen of Oysterton were already able to harvest seafood in bulk during low tide.


    Some of the seafood replaced bread on the civilians¡¯ tables, reducing the need for food in the town.


    However, there was no place to store the rest of the seafood.


    ¡°Liszt, we have to figure out a way. There¡¯s too much seafood on the east coast. It may go bad at any moment.¡± Goltai went to Liszt worriedly.


    Liszt was lost for words. ¡°If it can¡¯t be eaten, try to dry the seafood and preserve it¡­ It¡¯s not the best season for drying right now, so we can catch less seafood. It¡¯s not going anywhere in the ocean.¡±


    Without refrigerators and enough salt for preservation, drying was the best method of storage.


    The weather was too hot right now, so they might as well catch less seafood in case of overfishing.


    Then, Liszt expressed his dissatisfaction. ¡°Mr. Goltai, I¡¯m the lord, and you are an official. I need you to manage Flower Town for me, not to come to me every time you¡¯re in trouble. Do you understand?¡±


    Goltai managed a smile. ¡°Of course I do. Liszt, trust me. I won¡¯t make the same mistake.¡±

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50: Reward: Invasion of a Dragon


    The houses in Oysterton hadn¡¯t been built, but the fishermen were doing their job.


    The roads in the villages were being built up every day.


    The low-yield and low-nutrition grasses in the Cow Farm had all been replaced by clovers. The cows liked the new food, and milk production increased a lot.


    In the horsefield outside of the castle, clovers were flourishing, too, but no female horses were pregnant yet.


    The peanuts in Peanuton were growing well. By estimation, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to harvest them twice a year.


    The black tulip in the Flower Farm was yielding fruits. Many seeds would be spewed out soon for multiplication. Thanks to the wormgrass of the tulip insect, the black tulip had more than thirty fruits.


    The seeds would be enough for several acres. Then, with the big elf of Tulip Castle, the scale would grow even larger within half a year.


    If they were sown the regular way, they wouldn¡¯t reach such a scale even after years. That was the power of elves.


    However, elves were helpers that ultimately prevented human beings from studying fertilizers.


    Liszt was changing the agriculture of Flower Town. Feces, ashes, and sludge were popularized in every village.


    Wheat was still grown in Wheaton. Thanks to the help of the wheat insect, the production would be increased by twenty percent. In the meantime, the serfs of Barleyton tended to the corn grasses and collected the seeds.


    Barley and rye were mostly grown in Barleyton before. It was seriously short of serfs after the millet land was reclaimed in Barleyton.


    Mushroomton and Potaton were the same as before.


    The changes in the town proper were greatest. As per Liszt¡¯s order, there were no feces or garbage on the streets anymore. Whoever littered about would be whipped¡ªLiszt kept some of the punishments that nobles invented.


    At first, Liszt thought of keeping them in custody, but then he realized that imprisonment without physical punishment was more of a privilege for the serfs.


    They did not need to work, and they would still have food.


    So, physical punishment was necessary.


    ¡°I¡¯ve distributed fifty acres of land for the plantation of millet. It¡¯s the best that the millet insect can influence. Now, the serfs in Barleyton are too few, so we¡¯re only developing ten acres of millet land right now.¡±


    Goltai described the situation to Liszt.


    They were here to settle the millet insect today. The millet had sprouted on the land that had been fertilized with manure.


    ¡°Ten acres it is, then. After the rye and barley are harvested, we¡¯ll plant millet instead.¡± Liszt nodded.


    Then, he began to settle the wormgrass of the millet insect.


    The millet insect was glitteringly gold, almost dazzling.


    ¡°Come on, little buddy. Enjoy the fresh air.¡±


    The millet insect was indeed a brave guy. It crawled out of the jade box and spewed the wormgrass at the center of the land. The wormgrass soon grew large.


    The new mission had been accomplished.


    Five of the six elvish insects had been settled down. The thorn insect was the last one.


    In a great mood, Liszt focused his attention on the horse, and the misty words soon appeared before his eyes. Mission accomplished. Reward: Eye of Magic Power.


    Then, a new mission was released. Mission: The thorn insect¡¯s partners have been properly settled down, but it does not have a new home yet. As the lord, you cannot waste the productivity of any elvish insect. Please settle down the wormgrass of the thorn insect. Reward: invasion of the invisible dragon.


    His good mood fell into pieces after he read the new mission.


    He would¡¯ve cursed aloud if he didn¡¯t have squires and servants with him. Are you kidding me? What kind of reward is an invasion of an invisible dragon?


    According to the information he got earlier, it was possible that the invisible dragon would leave a priceless space ring behind.


    However, he might not be able to live to wear it!


    A dragon could destroy a town easily. Liszt did not at all intend to find out if he could satisfy an invisible dragon with two old cows and a bundle of smoking grass. In his opinion, that was a mission for the lord of Coral Island.


    Pitifully, he had only a Flower Town.


    The town would probably be a goner if the dragon was to tumble on it. His extravagant noble life would be reduced to bankruptcy.


    For a moment, he even decided to abandon the thorn insect and leave the mission unfulfilled to not trigger the reward.


    However, after he calmed down, he regretted it.


    The misty missions seemed to be giving him things that would come to him anyway, but the difficulty of development without such a boost could be unimaginable. Also, he couldn¡¯t give up the rewards of the misty missions.


    Hesitating all the way to the castle, he made up his mind.


    I¡¯m going to do it. It¡¯s just an invisible dragon!


    The smoking grass has been prepared. The cows are here, too. If Flower Town is really destroyed, I¡¯ll ask for something more in Tulip Castle!


    The earl can¡¯t watch his son starve, right?


    For the space ring and for the misty missions, Liszt decided to take the risk.


    After he made up his mind, he needed to make full preparations.


    For that, he spent a whole night devising a plan in the study. He did not involve anyone in it, but kept the secret of the invisible dragon to himself, in case somebody leaked the news after he obtained the space ring.


    The space ring deserved to be called an artifact.


    Devising ways to stay alive in case of failure was Liszt¡¯s principle. He must ensure his own safety whether or not the mission was accomplished.


    Observing the map of Flower Farm he¡¯d drawn, he considered for a long time and circled the Cow Farm. This place will be the battlefield for the invisible dragon. I¡¯ll keep the cows here and pile the smoking grass in the Cow Farm to attract the invisible dragon¡¯s attention.


    There won¡¯t be a battle. Nobody can defeat a dragon, much less slay it.


    It¡¯s said that the special magic that dragons breathe out is highly lethal. Half of dragons¡¯ combat ability is based on their breath. So, I have to dig tunnels first, so that I can escape from the dangerous surface.


    The dragons wouldn¡¯t dig holes and capture bug-like humans themselves, right?


    On the other hand, neither me nor anybody else in Flower Farm can see the invisible dragon. To find out the real location of the invisible dragon, I should spread flour over the Cow Farm, so that the dragon will leave footprints behind when it walks¡­ The question remains, do dragons still walk when they can fly?


    Liszt stroked his hair, considering how to detect an invisible dragon, but he couldn¡¯t come up with anything.


    In his agitation, he smacked the desk.


    Crack.


    The candle fell, and the oil flowed toward a knight novel at the corner of the desk, which was immediately consumed by fire.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51: Eye of Magic Power


    He hurried to extinguish the fire, but the knight novel had already been half-burnt.


    The title of the novel was The Expedition of Vulture Knight Stevenlend. Technically, it was more like a chronological history book that described the experience of Stevenlend Vulture who expanded the territory of the High Furnace Castle on his dragon-bred vulture.


    The story was boring, but the description was detailed.


    It was quite unique among the made-up knight novels. Liszt had read it many times and believed that it was probably true.


    The Vulture family probably still existed in the High Furnace Castle.


    What a shame. It¡¯s a great book. I wonder if I can get a new copy from Tulip Castle next time. Liszt was quite regretful with the burnt book.


    It was not easy to find a decent book.


    Suddenly, he raised his eyebrow, as he saw the gold color below the burnt cover of the book indicating that something was hidden below.


    He ripped the cover apart and revealed the gold color inside.


    Something is indeed hidden! Liszt¡¯s regret was replaced by surprise. This must be the forgotten technique of combat aura technique!


    The reward for the wheat insect had been delivered tonight.


    After the cover was entirely ripped off, he saw a piece of gold paper the size of a palm. It was not real paper but a film that was made of a material similar to gold. A lot of tiny words and an illustration were engraved on it.


    Eye of Magic Power, by Stevenlend Vulture. Words of slightly larger size were on the top of the paper.


    It¡¯s indeed a secret technique. The novel I was given must be extraordinary if not unique. This gold film equals a gold coin. I don¡¯t think every copy of the novel has such a piece of paper.


    He moved his eyes away and focused on the bookshelf in the study. These books contain the information of the invisible dragon and Eye of Magic Power. Is there anything else hidden in them?


    To confirm his idea, he cut the cover of every novel with a knife.


    However, he did not discover anything hidden.


    Apparently, it was the only secret technique.


    Eye of Magic Power is quite intricate. It¡¯s much more complicated than common skills¡­ It¡¯s rather hard to learn.


    Liszt had never considered himself a stupid man.


    He learned Dragon Drill and Fire Dragon quickly, and he was planning to learn archery after Marcus. He preferred ranged attacks.


    Should I learn Eye of Magic Power later?


    However, after he read the introduction to Eye of Magic Power, he disapproved the idea.


    It said, Eye of Magic Power can see the circulation of magic. Even a great sorcerer cannot hide himself under Eye of Magic Power.


    He immediately understood that the technique was still part of the quest about the invisible dragon. Does this mean that I can see the invisible dragon after I grasp Eye of Magic Power?


    Now, Liszt knew very well what he needed to do next.


    He tested the scent of the smoking grass first and discovered that the juice of the grass stank even more when it was burnt.


    He had someone cut a batch of smoking grass and build a tower in the Cow Farm, planning to attract the invisible dragon by burning the smoking grass.


    In the meantime, he dug a tunnel below the tower to hide himself in.


    The cows would be tied around the tower. They would also be smeared with the juice of the smoking grass before the invasion of the invisible dragon.


    In a hill slightly further away from the tower, Liszt also had someone dig a tunnel and topped it with a fortress.


    In his plan, he would hide here during the invasion of the invisible dragon. After he saw the dragon, he would ask the servants to burn the smoking grass on the tower. Then, the servants would hide in the tunnel while he watched the invisible dragon enjoying the food. After the dragon left, he would search the ground for the gem that the invisible dragon had probably left behind.


    On the hill where a tunnel was being dug, Liszt was still wondering if he¡¯d missed anything.


    If the reward is given the moment the mission is accomplished, it means that the invisible dragon will visit Flower Town after I settle down the thorn insect¡­ Is the misty mission controlling the invisible dragon, or is it pure coincidence? I can settle down the thorn insect any time, and the invisible dragon can invade Flower Town any time?


    The question carried no answer for now.


    What he needed to do was to accomplish every misty mission to build himself up.


    ¡°Liszt, it¡¯s not a simple task to dig all the way from here to the bushes, but I do not see the point.¡± Goltai commanded the civilians to dig the tunnels.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know, Mr. Goltai. It¡¯s not because I don¡¯t trust you. All you need to do is to ask all the farmers in the Cow Farm to stay somewhere else for a day when I inform you.¡±


    ¡°All right. Flower Town is your territory. Nobody disobeys you. I will do what you ask.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to settle down the thorn insect in those bushes? That¡¯s hardly the best location.¡±


    ¡°I have my reason.¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. The thorn insect is of little use to agriculture after all.¡±


    ¡°Every elvish insect has its unique functions. Maybe you¡¯ll find magic medicines in thorns someday.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I should hope so.¡±


    The project was pushed on heatedly. Nobody understood why Liszt was doing it, but nobody dared to refuse the mission. Liszt could basically do anything he wanted in Flower Town.


    The tunnel was dug.


    Liszt began to practice Eye of Magic Power in the castle. It was a complicated technique, but he got the hang of it soon with his aptitude.


    Frankly speaking, the technique was to make the combat aura in oneself and the magic power in the outside world resonate with the eye as the bridge. Magic power sent off waves to the outside world all the time.


    Receiving waves with the eye as the radar was the mechanism of Eye of Magic Power, a non-combative technique.


    After five consecutive days, Liszt finally grasped the technique and performed Eye of Magic Power for the first time. He saw his sapphire pupils spinning with infinite starlight when he looked at himself in the mirror.


    My eyes can enchant any little girl, can¡¯t they?


    He looked out of the window. Marcus was teaching the four squires combat aura. They were past their golden age, but they could still manage to condense combat aura if they worked hard.


    At this moment, Marcus was a green shadow in his eyes.


    Not far away, Dudderson, who was fighting a rock, was a vague yellow shadow.


    Marcus, with the wind-natured combat aura; Dudderson, with the earth-natured combat aura. This is what I see with Eye of Magic Power¡­ But can it work on the invisible dragon?

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52: Growing Ambitions


    Eye of Magic Power was a great consumer of combat aura. Liszt realized that he couldn¡¯t persist for longer than five minutes without his eyes getting sore.


    However, whenever he ran out of combat aura, a warm stream would come from the Red Blood Sword to renew his strength.


    The ruby produced by the dragon contained magic power.


    Activating Eye of Magic Power, he saw the ruby revolving slowly like a bloody vortex.


    I can see the magic power of the gem, so I should be able to see the magic power of the dragon. I must practice more so that I can be more skilled at Eye of Magic Power.


    Drawing the Red Blood Sword, Liszt couldn¡¯t be more confident.


    He was going to slay a dragon later.


    ¡­


    ¡°Goltai, why do you think Lord Baron wants a tunnel dug here?¡± Isaiah counted how many coppers he had to give the serfs later.


    Liszt always paid for the serfs¡¯ work. Therefore, they were enthusiastic to apply for the construction projects.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m totally confused,¡± Goltai said unconcernedly, ¡°Liszt is an adult now. He¡¯s no longer the timid young man from Tulip Castle. Most of the time, I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking or what Flower Town will be built into.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what you said in your letter. You said that Flower Town was flourishing.¡±


    ¡°Would you have come if I said otherwise? Besides, Flower Town is flourishing, isn¡¯t it? At the very least, we have seafood every day.¡±


    ¡°I admit that seafood is a creation, and manure is also important, but what we are doing right now? Digging a tunnel below a farm to store the grasses?¡±


    Goltai shook the ashes off his cigarette. ¡°Stop whining. Blair never whines, and that¡¯s why Liszt has one more drink with him every dinner.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s too old and has lost all his ambition.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not very young yourself.¡±


    ¡°But I hope to return to the rank of nobles someday. I have to strive for my son. He¡¯s too stupid to marry a noble lady.¡± Isaiah stroked his hair in worry. ¡°I was looking for an opportunity to go to the battlefield. You said that Liszt was ambitious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but you can talk with Marcus. He craves to be a noble more than anyone else does, and he pledged loyalty to Liszt soon after he got to know him.¡±


    Isaiah squinted. ¡°I will.¡±


    Wages were distributed at night. Isaiah gave the coppers to the working serfs one by one.


    ¡°Next, Alava S*it.¡±


    ¡°My lord, that¡¯s me.¡± Alava rubbed his hands together and accepted two coppers from the clerk in delight.


    He could buy eight pieces of brown bread!


    But he didn¡¯t intend to. His wife had joined Oysterton and was engaged in fishing every day. Apart from the quota to be submitted to the castle, there was additional seafood for their own family. He felt that he was full of strength.


    His wife praised him and asked him to have more seafood.


    He intended to have a third child. He would earn more coppers now and send the child to the blacksmith¡¯s as an apprentice. His lordship promised that serfs with skills would be appreciated.


    Praise the lord! Keeping the coppers, Avala prayed to himself. He liked his current lord because his life was getting better after each day. But why is his lordship digging a pit here?


    As a serf of the Cow Farm, he was responsible for the cows.


    He had been worried and complained to his wife that he might lose his job. The lord might¡¯ve lost interest in cows. Why else would he dig a pit in the farm?


    However, his wife scolded him, ¡°You can keep horses if there are no cows, or build the roads if there are no horses. His lordship is the best man that keeps the old, the women, and the children full. S*it, stop making a fuss. You must believe in his lordship!¡±


    Avala had always listened to his wife, so he changed his mind quickly.


    He decided that the purpose of the pit was unimportant, and that it was unnecessary for the small folk to understand what their lord thought.


    ¡­


    Practicing Eye of Magic Power and supervising the project were Liszt¡¯s main tasks in the following days.


    All the preparations in the Cow Farm were done after a few days.


    The tower, the fortress, and the tunnels had been repetitively tested. The smoking grass had been piled on the tower and was ready to be lit. Younger cows were kept away, and the two old cows were tied to the tower.


    Liszt took the tunnel between the thorns and the fortress several times to make sure that he could return to the castle immediately after he settled down the wormgrass.


    There was a U-shaped channel in the fortress that was connected to another shelter.


    Should the invisible dragon stay in Flower Town after having the cow and the grass, he would hide himself in the shelter and block the passage.


    There were holes for breathing in the shelter. A lot of food had been stored, too.


    His life could be guaranteed, at least.


    One couldn¡¯t be too careful when their target was a dragon.


    Liszt examined the project in the Cow Farm one last time. It was not a big project in the first place, so the progress and quality were quite good.


    I¡¯m getting fond of this world and this age.


    He climbed on the tower and looked down at the Cow Farm. When their lord says something, everybody has to work hard. Nobody questions me, not even Goltai or Marcus.


    Power was an irresistible desire for any man.


    A man who never enjoyed power might find it unattractive, but after he enjoyed it, he would become addicted to the marvelous feeling.


    Liszt could not abandon his identity as Baron of Flower Town now.


    In the meantime, ambitions were growing in his heart. Flower Town was too small to satisfy his desire for greater power. But he kept his rationality, knowing that he had to rise to higher places one step at a time.


    He was determined to get there someday.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53: Invasion of the Invisible Dragon


    The weather was hot and dry in the first half of June.


    The sunrise was the end of coolness and the beginning of a scorching day.


    Liszt was wearing black leather armor and carrying his Red Blood Sword. His sapphire eyes were glittering, and his face was solemn.


    Goltai, who had come to the castle early, was dazzled by the Lord of Flower Town for a moment. Even the Earl of Coral Island was not as attractive as Liszt right now.


    Every time Liszt looked at himself in the mirror, he always felt great.


    Thomas flattened the wrinkles on Liszt¡¯s armor carefully. It was his responsibility as the valet.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, according to plan, the farmers in the Cow Farm will be relocated to other villages. No residents are allowed to leave their homes for any reason. The patrolmen will stop patrolling until further instruction.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Liszt. I¡¯ll give the orders.¡±


    Goltai left on his horse.


    Everybody was baffled by the lord¡¯s decision, but they had long forgotten resistance. The whole Flower Town fell quiet after the order was given.


    It was as silent as night. Barks could be heard occasionally.


    Few people could afford a dog, so the noise was unimportant.


    The sun was still rising on the east. Liszt put a bit on his horse to prevent it from making any sound. ¡°Mr. Carter, do you remember what I said?¡±


    ¡°My lord, you said that the castle must be closed today. Should anything dangerous happen, all the servants are to hide in the cellar. The castle will not resume regular work until you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Very good. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Carter was quite worried. ¡°My lord, is your trip dangerous?¡±


    ¡°A little bit, but I¡¯ve been fully prepared. No need to worry about me, Mr. Carter.¡±


    Thomas, after hesitation, ventured, ¡°My lord, you should bring me. I don¡¯t have many abilities, but I can buy more time for you in emergencies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that, Thomas, but it¡¯s unnecessary.¡± Liszt cracked his whip, and Fire Dragon lunged forward.


    Sand was raised as the horse rushed ahead.


    He saw nobody in the town. They had apparently received the order to stay at home.


    In excitement, he rode to the Cow Farm. He then put on a mask, climbed the tower, and set the fire. He planned to ask a servant to light the grass, but in case of information leakage, he decided to do it himself.


    There were two tanks on the tower. They were full of the smoking grass juice.


    Looking around, Liszt opened the tanks and poured the juice upon the two old cows down below.


    The stinky smell immediately spread.


    The two cows wriggled crazily to try and flee, but held by the ropes, they could only tolerate it impatiently.


    Liszt almost threw up despite the mask, but he held back his nausea and set the smoking grass on the tower on fire.


    After the fire rose, he jumped off on Fire Dragon, who was also agitated, before he rode on to the thorns.


    Reaching the thorns, he took a deep breath and observed the environment to make sure that everything was all right. Finally, he took out the jade box that contained the thorn insect.


    ¡°This is it.¡± Opening the box, he said softly to the fat thorn insect inside, ¡°Little buddy, let¡¯s settle down here.¡±


    The thorn insect spewed out the wormgrass, which fell into the bushes and sprouted quickly.


    In the meantime, Liszt had entered the tunnel and was running to the fortress. After he entered , the wormgrass of the thorn insect already grown. He calmed down and summoned the misty missions.


    The mist twisted into Ophidian words.


    Mission accomplished. Reward: invasion of the invisible dragon.


    Having no time to wait for the release of a new mission, he activated Eye of Magic Power and looked at the sky.


    The intense smoke of the smoking grass swirled to the sky.


    He could smell the stench, like socks that hadn¡¯t been washed for half a year, even though he was in an underground fortress. He could see that the two old cows were foaming at the mouth. He couldn¡¯t help but worry that they would die of the smell before the invisible dragon arrived.


    Time went by.


    The effect of Eye of Magic Power was approaching its end, but there was still no sign of the invisible dragon.


    In my experience, the reward appears the moment the mission is accomplished, although it might not reach me immediately. Why is the invisible dragon still not invading Flower Town?


    The reward is not delayed, isn¡¯t it?


    If the information on the invisible dragon is true, it should be attracted by the smoking grass the moment it shows up.


    When his eyes were too tired to watch any longer, a vague shadow next to the pillar of smoke on the tower attracted Liszt¡¯s attention.


    The shadow was small and vague at first, but it magnified into a gray dragon shape soon.


    A pair of enormous wings and a streamlined body hovered around the smoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s really the invisible dragon!¡± Liszt sustained Eye of Magic Power with whatever was left of the combat aura in his body and observed the invisible dragon.


    It was the first time that he had ever seen a dragon, the representation of the highest power in this world!


    He was quite excited even though he was only seeing the magic power of the dragon and not its real self. It¡¯s exactly like what The Travel Journal of Earth Knight Gulliver describes. The invisible dragon is only as large as a house.


    However, it certainly had the inviolable pride and majesty.


    Although he was a long distance away, Liszt could still sense that his body stiffened under the intimidation of the dragon!


    It was said that all creatures would be awed in the presence of a dragon.


    It¡¯s going down along the smoke from the smoking grass¡­ Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic Power had collapsed, making it impossible to observe any longer.


    However, it was doubtless that the invisible dragon liked the smell of the smoking grass.


    Rubbing his sore and swollen eyes, Liszt looked at the tower with his plain vision. He couldn¡¯t see the invisible dragon, but the signs indicated that the invisible dragon was on a rampage: the disrupted smoke, the moaning cows, and the falling tower that was set on fire.


    ¡°Heeyah!¡±


    A creepy shrill burst out from the fire. That was the call of the invisible dragon.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54: A Diamond Lasts Forever


    ¡°Moo¡­¡±


    Old Flower collapsed in a pool of blood.


    Holding the Red Blood Sword, Liszt summoned his remaining combat aura and activated Eye of Magic Power.


    A gray invisible dragon made of magic was biting the old cow. It had already finished Old Black and was enjoying Old Flower. It raised its head warily now and then while it ate.


    It looked no different from the illustration of dragons that Liszt saw in the books.


    It had four limbs, but the wings were not folded when it walked on the ground. Its wings had an arm-like structure that resembled bat wings.


    Because of the arm structure, the wings could not be closed as those of a bird, but could be folded.


    There was one more finger at the center of the palm. It looked like a hook or a sickle.


    The invisible dragon was cutting the cow with the hook and grabbing the broken meat with its tiny forearms.


    The dragon¡¯s tail was much longer than that of normal dragons. There was a whole row of horns on its head. It was said that dragon horn was a symbol of power.


    However, according to Liszt¡¯s observation with Eye of Magic Power, the magic power of the invisible dragon was not focused on the horns or the heart, but the teeth.


    The magic power of every dragon tooth was very clear. He counted 42 of them. Other than the four enormous tusks, the rest of the teeth were also quite pointy.


    It¡¯s said that the soul of a dragon is hidden in the teeth. Subtract the soul, build a weapon with the teeth, and pour the soul back in¡ªthat¡¯s the way to craft the best weapon. Liszt was tempted to butcher the invisible dragon right now and pluck all of its teeth.


    Of course, he did nothing more than think of it.


    ¡°Eat and leave.¡± Liszt turned off Eye of Magic Power and observed the Cow Farm.


    The invisible dragon did not eat fast, allowing him to recover his combat aura and check the new mission that he didn¡¯t have time to read earlier.


    Mission: The invisible dragon has appeared in Flower Town. Prepare its favorite smoking grass and cow meat and wait for the dragon to leave. That¡¯s the only thing you can do. Please avoid the invasion of the invisible dragon. Reward: gift of the invisible dragon.


    I¡¯ve done what I should. This is an easy task. He focused his eyes on ¡°gift of the invisible dragon.¡± What gift can it be?


    He had a few guesses.


    Liszt spent the rest of the time observing the invisible dragon in silence, with both Eye of Magic Power and his naked eye.


    After about half an hour, the fire died out, and the two cows were nothing but bones.


    Seeing that the clovers were moving, Liszt hurried to activate Eye of Magic Power with the combat aura that he just recovered.


    The invisible dragon had already soared and flown to the east of Flower Town, further and further away until Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic Power collapsed.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone¡­¡± Liszt had complicated feelings.


    There was relief, disappointment, expectation, and a sense of achievement.


    I should wait for a while longer in case the invisible dragon comes back.


    Hiding in the fortress for another half an hour, he activated Eye of Magic Power again to ensure that the invisible dragon had left.


    So, he pushed the cover on the top of the fortress aside and walked out.


    He stretched his arms against the sunlight. This is the end of my first encounter with a dragon.


    He had no idea what kind of dragon the invisible dragon was yet, but all dragons were incredible, particularly one that could not be seen.


    He returned to the thorns and checked the wormgrass. It was growing well. Unfastening Fire Dragon¡¯s rein, he suddenly discovered that Fire Dragon was covered in urine and feces. It must¡¯ve been daunted by the invisible dragon just now.


    Thankfully, the horse¡¯s back was still clean.


    He rode Fire Dragon to the Cow Farm, but the horse wouldn¡¯t get close to the tower no matter how Liszt whipped it.


    ¡°You¡¯re scared of the smell of a dragon?¡± Having no other choice, Liszt could only finish the rest of the trip on foot.


    He couldn¡¯t smell the scent left by the invisible dragon, because the odor of the smoking grass hadn¡¯t faded yet.


    The eight cows in the farm had run loose. He hoped that they didn¡¯t run to Thorn Hill, where the monsters would feed on them.


    In the debris of the tower, Liszt scoured every corner and even dug at the ground with a hoe, partly for the gift of the invisible dragon and partly to destroy all traces of the invisible dragon.


    He had to be careful in case others were greedy.


    ¡°Got it!¡± A moment later, Liszt found what he was looking for below a bone¡ªa transparent gem.


    It was only the size of a fingernail and much smaller than the ruby he had. Also, it did not have glamorous colors. Clear and irregular, it reflected the sunlight like broken glitter.


    Somehow, Liszt was reminded of an advertisement line.


    A diamond is forever.


    It was indeed the best material to make a ring, but it remained to be seen if it was related to storage. Instead of confirming it immediately, he searched for a second gem. However, he failed to find another one after digging at all the dragon footprints.


    He searched with Eye of Magic Power again, to no avail.


    It seems that this gem is the only gift. Liszt wiped away his sweat. His leather armor had turned dirty, but he was wearing a brilliant smile. In any case, the chapter of the invisible dragon has come to an end. Flower Town is safe now.


    He sought shade in a farmer¡¯s cottage and checked the new mission.


    Mission accomplished. Reward: gem of the invisible dragon.


    Mission: The potatoes of John Stretchers, a potato farmer in Potaton, taste better and grow faster than those of his peers. As the lord of the place, you have to figure out the reason. Reward: an elvish insect.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55: Test of the Gem Space


    Why are John Stretchers¡¯ potatoes big and delicious? Because a potato insect is growing among the plants!


    Liszt reached this conclusion after reading the mission and the reward.


    Potatoes were the main vegetables in this place, but the yield was never high due to the lack of an elvish insect. He was delighted that he was finally going to have one. I¡¯ll investigate it the moment I¡¯m back. I must make sure that everything is all right.


    He opened his left hand. The gem from the invisible dragon lied on his palm, glittering.


    Liszt looked at it thoughtfully and put it away. Then, he left the Cow Farm on Fire Dragon. Everything about the invisible dragon was over.


    A moment later, Carter and the servants greeted him at the castle gate. ¡°My lord, I¡¯m relieved to see you back safely.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. What can possibly happen to me?¡± Liszt nodded. ¡°Thomas, inform Mr. Goltai in town and restore the order in Flower Town. Mrs. Mason, prepare bathwater. I need to take a good bath.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±


    The depressing atmosphere was gone. Everybody got busy.


    Thomas rode a horse to the town. Tom fed the horses and Dudderson with the new footmen. The maids washed clothes. Lunch was prepared in the kitchen. Fifteen servants had to work busily to ensure that Liszt could enjoy everything.


    Liszt¡¯s habit was to take frequent but short baths.


    After five minutes, he put on homely clothes and came to the study.


    Taking out the gem of the invisible dragon, he began to study it.


    The gem looked like nothing special. After he activated Eye of Magic Power, he could only see stars wandering in the turbulences of magic power. The gem of the invisible dragon seemed similar to the ruby on the Red Blood Sword except for their different colors.


    So, how is it associated with the space ring?


    Or rather, how should I open the internal space of the gem? With blood, or magic?


    Liszt did not intend to hurt himself, so he tried injecting combat aura into the gem. After his combat aura came in contact with the gem, he instantly sensed that a subtle connection was established. Then, the gem absorbed his combat aura quickly.


    After one tenth of his combat aura was absorbed, the subtle connection had been expanded into an invisible door.


    Through the combat aura, Liszt discovered that he had found a fairly large space.


    The space was irregularly spherical. There was no distinction of directions. It was surrounded by an indestructible wall-like structure.


    The ball is about five meters in diameter, the size of a single room.


    Liszt was looking at the glittering gem, but his mind could sense the space.


    The feeling was quite marvelous.


    Also, he realized that the status could last as long as he had enough combat aura. The rate of consumption was not huge. It was basically the same as the rate of his recovery.


    He tried cutting off the supply of combat aura.


    Immediately, the door to the space was closed, and the marvelous feeling in his head was gone. He thought, The space can be opened and sustained with magic. When magic is cut off, it will be closed. The gem of the invisible dragon is indeed a space ring.


    It was the perfect size for a ring.


    More importantly, it required a constant supply of magic power, and the hand was the best output.


    However, I don¡¯t intend to embed it on a ring, which would be too high-profile. For safety reasons, I should make it into a pendant.


    A space ring was a priceless treasure, particularly for grand nobles who had important secrets.


    But for Liszt, he had few collections that were worth being kept in the space ring. It was not his greatest demand. To be honest, he would¡¯ve gladly traded the space ring for a big elf, which could significantly increase his productivity.


    He continued to research.


    He opened the space ring again and tried to put things inside. It was not difficult. After a simple test, he realized that the method of storage was a magic package.


    Holding the space ring in his left hand, he enveloped a book with his combat aura.


    Immediately, the book was gone from the desk and appeared in the space ring. Also, he could freely make the book appear at any location in the space. So, he delightedly stored all the books in the study into the space ring, where there seemed to be an invisible bookshelf.


    The books were absolutely still and did not fall.


    Is this a vacuum? He lit a candle and put it inside. Then, he saw the most unbelievable scene. The candle kept burning.


    He moved the candle to a book. The fire leaned aside but did not die out. The cover of the book was not ignited, either. It seemed that all the materials would be caught in absolute stillness after they entered it.


    Even atomic movement is frozen? Liszt tried to find a scientific explanation, but soon gave up. This world seemed to have elements of science, but the concepts of magic power were beyond the definition of science.


    He enveloped the candle with combat aura and took it out.


    The fire kept on burning.


    After multiple experiments, Liszt was already certain that the room within the space ring was relatively still.


    I wonder what will happen if I store something living. He intended to try it, but his combat aura had run dry.


    It consumed magic power to open the space, store things, and withdraw things. Even the combat aura of an earth knight was not enough.


    ¡­


    At lunch, Goltai, Marcus and the rest of them all came.


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, has the order in the town been restored?¡± Liszt cut a piece of roasted meat for himself. He was already used to western food.


    Goltai sipped the beer. ¡°A morning¡¯s seclusion has little influence on the town. However, Liszt, two cows in the Cow Farm are missing.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean that eight cows are back?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they ran back from Thorn Hill. That¡¯s crazy. However, the two old cows have only bones left.¡± Goltai was obviously interested in what happened, because Liszt told him earlier not to ask about the arrangement in the Cow Farm.


    Liszt did not intend to explain right now. ¡°All right, let the farms keep the bones of the old cows. Also, refill the tunnels there and restore the Cow Farm to what it was.¡±


    Goltai shrugged. ¡°As you wish.¡±

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56: Bright Prospects For Potaton


    After lunch, Liszt said to Goltai, ¡°There¡¯s a farmer in Potaton named John Stretchers. His potatoes are big and delicious. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s special about them.¡±


    Goltai found it strange. ¡°Liszt, how did you know?¡±


    ¡°Observation and listening. Mr. Goltai, a qualified liege has to know everything that¡¯s going on in his dominion.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Goltai was still puzzled about how Liszt knew something he didn¡¯t know. Maybe Liszt had spies in the town?


    Thinking about the mysterious operation in the morning, he decided that he needed to work harder, because Liszt must be observing him.


    It was not a good sign. He might lose his lord¡¯s trust at any time.


    ¡­


    ¡°My lord, this is John Stretchers.¡± The clerk pointed at a numb serf.


    John Stretchers, with his wife and his children, knelt to Liszt. ¡°My lord.¡±


    He was quite nervous, wondering why his lord asked for him.


    If the tax-collecting knight who reigned the place earlier asked for him, he would¡¯ve pissed his pants, but Liszt¡¯s reputation was much better, so he was only anxious.


    The lord of Flower Town smiled gently. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, John. I heard that you grow the best potatoes, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why yours are the best?¡±


    ¡°No, my lord, but my potatoes are getting even better this season. The free folk in town like to buy my potatoes. Even Mrs. Abby in your castle praises my potatoes,¡± he declared proudly.


    Nothing was more delightful for the serfs than the approval of the castle.


    Without further ado, Liszt simply said, ¡°In that case, take me to your plantation.¡±


    Following John Stretchers, they soon came to the plantation of Potaton. Potatoes were not grown like wheat but divided into smaller sections. John¡¯s land was at the center of Potaton. The potatoes there were obviously growing better.


    Of course, his land was essentially Liszt¡¯s land.


    ¡°My lord, these are my potatoes,¡± John said ecstatically. ¡°The officials in the town taught us how to farm. I fertilize them with sludge and feces every day. They¡¯re growing better and better.¡±


    The seedlings in the land were all quite thick and strong. It was hard to tell which of them had an elvish insect.


    However, Liszt had a new way to figure it out now.


    He activated Eye of Magic Power and observed the land. Soon, he discovered a potato seedling with green magic power. It was undoubtedly a wormgrass.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured out the reason.¡± Liszt deactivated Eye of Magic Power and said to Goltai, ¡°An elvish insect is growing here. Mr. Goltai, you have more work to do. Protect John¡¯s potato seedlings, particularly this one. It will be a wormgrass.¡±


    ¡°Oh, heavens. Really? Another elvish insect is to be born?¡± cried Goltai. ¡°Glory of the knight favors you, my lord! Flower Town is on the rise! Rest assured, I¡¯ll certainly protect the lovely fellow and ensure that it grows safely.¡±


    Marcus, who had followed them here, was amazed, too. ¡°Two elvish insects after such a short time. My lord, you are indeed favored by the glory of the knight.¡±


    He felt that his loyalty was worth it.


    All signs indicated that Liszt was no common small noble. His personality, his decisions, and his luck all said otherwise.


    Luck, in particular, was more important than strength.


    Liszt smiled. There were always surprises with the misty missions. As calm as before, he announced, ¡°The potato insect will bring a brighter future to Potaton. For John Stretchers¡¯s hard work, I¡¯ll given him a Nelda.¡±


    ¡°What a lucky serf.¡±Read the next chapter on our novelhall.com


    Goltai was not entirely unjealous. His salary was ten coppers a day, which meant that he could only save a gold coin after three months, on the condition that he did not buy any drink or meat.


    ¡­


    An elvish insect?


    A Nelda?


    His lordship gave me a Nelda?


    John was dizzy when Liszt left with his team. He had earned a gold coin just by growing potatoes. It must be noted that a serf might earn one silver coin after a year of farming. Many of them had never seen a Nelda their entire life, but he owned one now.


    ¡°Dad, Dad, show me the Nelda. Wow, I¡¯ve never seen a Nelda before!¡± his eight-year-old son clamored, trying to steal the gold coin.


    John finally returned to himself. He clenched the coin and glared at his son. ¡°Go away! This is too precious for you!¡±


    He extended his trembling hands to his wife. ¡°Anne, look, a Nelda! His lordship gave it to me! We¡¯re rich! We have a Nelda!¡±


    Anne was also trembling in excitement. ¡°Oh god, John, is it true? I am not dreaming?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not, and neither am I. It¡¯s true. His lordship gave it to me in person! Anne, we¡¯re rich people now!¡±


    ¡°Oh! We¡¯re rich!¡± His four-year-old daughter cheered and applauded.


    ¡°Dad, show me the Nelda!¡± His son was still asking for the coin.


    John ignored his son and rejoiced at the future. ¡°With his lordship leading us, Flower Town will become wealthier and wealthier.¡±


    Anne touched the Nelda carefully, her square face full of gentleness. ¡°John, we can trade this Nelda for our freedom!¡±


    ¡°For our freedom?¡± John shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you always want to leave Flower Town and live in another town as free folk?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because we were never full in Flower Town. But right now, Anne, we have cheap seafood. One copper can buy plenty of clams. Look at Carl and Lucy. They¡¯re both putting on weight! It¡¯s all because of his lordship that we can be fed in Flower Town!¡±


    He said zealously, ¡°I believe that his lordship will make Flower Town better and better! I want to farm for his lordship for the rest of my life! Anne, do you support me?¡±


    ¡°John, you are the man of the house. Also, I¡¯m used to life in Flower Town,¡± Anne responded with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare supper. How about white bread tonight?¡±


    ¡°Haha, that would be great. I miss the fluffy, sweet white bread of our wedding night.¡±


    His daughter clapped her hands and grinned. ¡°Ohhhhh, we¡¯re going to have white bread tonight!¡±


    His son, on the other hand, was crying. ¡°Mom, show me the Nelda. Mom¡­¡±

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57: Selection of Young Knights


    Mission accomplished. Reward: a potato elvish insect.


    Mission: Your territory is always in danger without the defense of knights. Your squires have no potential, but more talents are waiting for you to find them. Please select suitable young people for training. Reward: the egg of a monster bird that¡¯s about to hatch.


    The misty Ophidian words gradually dispersed.


    Liszt returned to himself. The mission in Potaton was accomplished very easily. As a matter of fact, none of the misty missions were really challenging. He only needed to do what he must.


    A monster bird about to hatch? In other words, I¡¯ll have a flying monster.


    Looking at Dudderson which was crouching next to his foot, he suddenly pictured himself going hunting with the dog and the bird in the future.


    The dog already had conditional reflexes after training. As long as Liszt gave an instruction, it would lunge, bite, sit, crouch, jump, and climb. It was much smarter than regular dogs.


    However, the dog still hadn¡¯t been able to release Rocky Spur yet.


    I know how to train a dog but not how to train an eagle. I wonder whether this monster bird is clever enough. If it can¡¯t be tamed, I¡¯m afraid I can only roast it and eat it. Liszt licked his lips subconsciously.


    Few hens were kept in Flower Town, and their eggs were important. He had never seen a duck or a goose.


    There were a lot of wild animals on Thorn Hill. It was more than easy for Marcus to shoot a few birds, but he was too proud to be a hunter.


    Nobles could go hunting for fun, but since he was not a noble, hunting was only demeaning.


    For Liszt, it was a hilarious idea, but for Marcus, it was his lifelong belief. So Liszt did not want to ask Marcus to shoot a few birds for him to eat.


    I didn¡¯t plan to establish a knight squad so soon, because my subjects are too few and there can¡¯t be too many talents. However, now that the mission is released, I¡¯d better make one. There should be several hundred young people in the town. I¡¯ll select twelve of them and make a squad.


    Every knight squad was made of twelve people, including a captain, a deputy captain, and ten members.


    The grand nobles would set up knight academies. Children would be trained and eliminated in these academies until qualified knights were picked. Marcus was one of such knights. His father sent him into a knight academy when he was very little.


    The sons of many nobles would also study in knight academies. Liszt was once in a knight academy, too.


    It was impossible to establish such a school in Flower Town. He could only choose a few healthy young men and train them for now in order to accomplish the misty mission.


    ¡­


    ¡°My lord, you¡¯re going to select new squires and establish a knight squad?¡± Thomas grew excited after learning of Liszt¡¯s intention at dinner.


    ¡°There¡¯s more food in Flower Town now. We can afford more people. The patrolmen are unreliable. Carl and the other squires haven¡¯t grasped combat aura yet. I need new forces to defend Flower Town¡­ Winter is only half a year away.¡±


    Liszt blinked as he continued, ¡°Also, I will march to Thorn Hill sooner or later. It¡¯s an obstacle for the development of Flower Town. Marcus, I need you to supervise the selection and training of the knight squad.¡±


    Marcus immediately bowed and said solemnly, ¡°Rest assured, my lord. I will pick qualified candidates and train them well!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Mr. Goltai to cooperate with you. Make them excel, Mr. Marcus.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±


    Marcus left the castle with his head held high. He had been gloomy since he came to Flower Town, doing nothing more than protecting Liszt and training the squires every day.


    He had seen Liszt¡¯s intelligence and luck. He had known Liszt¡¯s ambitions. He had pledged his loyalty to him.


    He was also convinced of the wealth of the ocean by Liszt.


    However, he found himself in an awkward position, wondering what his role could be in the town. Liszt wouldn¡¯t go to any battlefields for now, not until he had enough knights, so Marcus couldn¡¯t contribute. Marcus also thought of clearing Thorn Hill, but the task was too much for him to accomplish alone.


    Now, he finally had a chance. Liszt had decided to establish a knight squad, the very first step toward expansion. He couldn¡¯t wait to select the qualified squires, train them, and clear Thorn Hill.


    At night, he got the census result of Flower Town from Goltai.


    All the young men between ten and sixteen were notified. On the next day, he sent the four squires to bring the young men to him.


    Under the scorching sun, the young men, 233 altogether, stood proudly and solemnly.


    There was eagerness and anxiety in their eyes. They had been informed that their lord was going to pick squires from among them.


    They knew what squires meant. Even if they didn¡¯t, their parents and neighbors had told them.


    Squires were divided into two categories.


    The first category included people like Carl Hammer and Rom Barrel. They were serfs that had been sold to nobles. Their main job was to carry equipment, cook food, and do other chores for the nobles.


    The second category included people like Marcus. They were free folk, and their main job was to fight.


    The sons of a lot of nobles would serve other nobles as squires to learn battle skills and noble etiquette, until they inherited the title at home or distinguished themselves in the battlefield.


    Basically, squires were the first step toward becoming nobles.


    Serfs would be given freedom if they made contributions as squires, and knighted if they made even more.


    Even if they didn¡¯t make a lot of contributions, they could still keep their bellies full by following the nobles.


    So all the young men stood straight, trying to make themselves look better. They all knew that they would never have another opportunity like this to change their fate.


    Marcus observed the young people on his horse and vaguely saw himself in them. Many years ago, it was through exactly the same process that he was chosen by the earl¡¯s captain.


    Of course, he had studied for two years in the academy, but the young people he saw here knew nothing about knighthood.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58: A Violent Approach to Learning Magic


    Liszt did not interrupt Marcus. He intended to check how orderly the rookies were. However, the power of individuals had been infinitely enlarged by magic and combat aura in this world. It was not something that discipline could make up for.


    An elite earth knight like Marcus could defeat more than a hundred common squires.


    Even Liszt, a new earth knight, could beat thirty common squires. They couldn¡¯t approach him as long as he had enough combat aura.


    Marcus, who was a coach in the knight academy before, had his method of training.


    Therefore, Liszt simply stayed in his castle to train Dudderson.


    ¡°Sit, Dudderson!¡±


    Dudderson immediately sat down when it heard the order and looked at Liszt. Liszt tossed a meatloaf to the dog.


    He activated Eye of Magic Power.


    It was obvious that Dudderson had abundant magic power.


    Theoretically, Dudderson is already able to cast spells, considering how fast it has been growing. However, without the guidance of an adult Rampant Earth Dog, it probably doesn¡¯t know how to control the magic. Should I try to teach it?


    He was confident in directing Dudderson to unleash the magic power with Eye of Magic Power.


    However, it was hard to say whether or not Dudderson would be accidentally killed in the process.


    He made up his mind after a brief hesitation. If I don¡¯t direct it, Dudderson will still be suffocated when there¡¯s too much magic power. It¡¯s better to take the risk right now while our bond is not too strong yet.


    Before the transmigration, Liszt had had a dog. He was upset for a long time after the dog died of old age.


    Now, he did not have strong feelings for pets.


    ¡°Come here, Dudderson.¡±


    He waved his hand, and Dudderson immediately came, wagging his tail.


    To be honest, the Rampant Earth Dog was just a dog that was larger and more violent. Its behavior and personality were very similar to those of dogs.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you magic!¡± Liszt soothed the dog and observed the circulation of magic power in its body.


    Magic and combat aura were both magic power.


    Their difference was that magic was the power of the outside world that sorcerers condensed while combat aura was the power within knights. So, sorcerers could cast spells of different natures, whereas knights could only control the combat aura in their own nature.


    The magic power of monsters, on the other hand, was half from themselves and half from the outside world. Their recovery was much faster than that of sorcerers and knights.


    To cast a spell, sorcerers needed to assemble the elements in the air, and knights needed to attach their combat aura to their weapon in case it dispersed.


    Those skills are too complicated for monsters to learn. Their release of magic must be more like an intrinsic reaction¡­ I direct the dog to unleash the magic power, and it will naturally cast Rocky Spur¡­ That must be it.


    It was like how knights released combat aura.


    Knights generally released combat aura with hands. Liszt thought, Which part of the body should Dudderson use to unleash the power? Paws?


    Paws probably wouldn¡¯t work because they were for walking. No knights ever released combat aura with their feet.


    Suddenly, he recalled the Wind Blade Wolf he saw in Thorn Hill. The creature cast a spell from its mouth.


    Based on the body structure of animals, the most suitable part to cast spells was probably the mouth.


    So, I need to direct Dudderson¡¯s magic power into its mouth and break the boundaries. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult¡­


    He did exactly the same as he thought. Pressing against Dudderson, he directed the magic power in Dudderson¡¯s body with his combat aura.


    ¡°Wu! Wu!¡±


    Dudderson struggled hard, but as a puppy only a few months old, it could not get rid of an earth knight.


    Under Liszt¡¯s scorching and explosive combat aura, it was essentially in a sauna with a temperature of hundreds of degrees.


    The dog¡¯s eyes immediately turned red.


    Its body temperature was also soaring.


    I forgot that my combat aura is fire-natured and not suitable for direction¡­ But there¡¯s no turning back now. He exerted his strength and shouted, ¡°Dudderson, unleash the magic power!¡±


    BAM!


    His Eye of Magic Power saw that the magic power in Dudderson¡¯s body was concentrated in Dudderson¡¯s mouth. Then, in an explosion, it surged out and broke a certain part in Dudderson¡¯s mouth.


    After that, a miracle happened.


    Three enormous bamboo-shaped rocks erupted from the lawn. Each of them was as thick as a thigh with a spiky end on the top.


    ¡°Great!¡±


    Liszt laughed. ¡°Great job, Dudderson! You¡¯ve learned magic!¡±


    He was quite satisfied with the spell, imagining how it could stab into the enemy¡¯s butt unexpectedly when he gave his dog a signal.


    Then, Thomas suddenly remarked, ¡°My lord, Dudderson seems to be hurt.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Liszt finally noticed that Dudderson had collapsed on the ground with a bleeding mouth that seemed to have exploded.


    Thankfully, it was only a minor injury due to the release of magic power. The dog¡¯s lethargy was because it had emptied all its magic power.


    Liszt was reassured after figuring out what happened.


    He said to Thomas, ¡°This is exactly the danger of magic¡­ Why are sorcerers rare and disliked? Because their experiments are always dangerous. They do not know science, but they think they can control the rules.¡±


    Thomas, failing to comprehend, asked curiously, ¡°My lord, have you ever seen a sorcerer?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so great! You taught Dudderson magic when you¡¯ve never met a sorcerer before! Praise your lordship!¡± Thomas cried in amazement.


    Liszt smiled.


    It was too easy a task to be proud of.


    He wiped his hands with a handkerchief. ¡°Thomas, take care of Dudderson. Treat the injuries, and make sure that its food is minced to pieces.¡±


    ¡°All right, my lord.¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59: Fire Sweep, the Ultimate Skill


    Liszt had a sense of achievement after teaching Dudderson how to unleash magic.


    I¡¯m a guy who knows science after all.


    Experiments were the foundation of science. With simple experiments, he had figured out the usage of the space ring. It could keep common items but not living things. Liszt believed that the soul was some sort of movement, too, and that it would perish when it came to stillness.


    He also stored things and took things out to test the consumption of magic power.


    For now, it was still too burdensome for him to use the space ring.


    His life was pretty occupied.


    However, after two days, he began to feel bored.


    All the elvish insects had been properly settled down. Agriculture and fishing were flourishing. Roads were being built slowly but surely. The candidates for the knight squad were being tested by Marcus and did not require his attention.


    Just like most nobles, he was so bored that he had to find something to do.


    If he were in a city, he could hold a ball, throw a party, or go hunting and make friends. However, there were only four people in Flower Town qualified to dine with him. He couldn¡¯t prepare banquets for them every day.


    So, Liszt decided to find something to do for himself.


    He intended to conquer Thorn Hill in advance.


    Thorn Hill is the greatest obstacle for Flower Town. It has to be broken through, or I¡¯ll remain blind and deaf here.


    Liszt knew the importance of communication as a modern man.


    He talked about human trafficking with Levis before, but he didn¡¯t know if Levis took it seriously. If Levis forgot to tell the Tulips¡¯ fleet about the arrangement, he would have to wait for another three months.


    Since the fleet had to stop by a lot of islands, every trip would take at least three months.


    If he missed on the chance, the development of Flower Town would be delayed for another three months. Liszt did not want to waste his time.


    It¡¯s difficult to deal with monsters because they can launch ambushes anytime in the forest. If I chop all the trees on Thorn Hill, can the monsters defeat Marcus in an open field? Besides, my Red Blood Sword is thirsty for blood, too!


    A gemstone weapon was certainly a great help in dealing with low-level monsters.


    The sword was perhaps not very sharp, but the ruby embedded on it could at least double Liszt¡¯s combat ability.


    Cling!


    He drew the Red Blood Sword and held it with both hands. It was a two-handed sword.


    The silver sword shined coldly.


    ¡°Heart of Fiery Dragon!¡±


    Liszt shouted and slashed forth. The ultimate skill of Dragon Drill was activated. Fire rose on the Red Blood Sword and surged forward with an explosive sound. The skill was supposed to be performed on the horse, but Liszt had managed to perform it on foot.


    Also, he learned to focus the attack in one direction without hurting himself.


    Withdrawing the sword, he stood straight.


    The fire was gone, and peace was restored, but the heat in the air indicated the power of the attack. He exhaled casually. If there had been a Wind Blade Wolf before me, it would¡¯ve died.


    He had grasped Dragon Drill.


    Now, he was no longer a new earth knight but one capable of fighting. All he needed was more experience. He intended to study Furious Fire more. Furious Fire was a collection of moves that required a horse.


    Three of his four squires had been sent to Marcus to help with the training, and Gray Sickle was the only one with him.


    ¡°Gray, carry my lance. I¡¯m going to practice.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    They came to the horsefield.


    Green clovers stretched out to the horizon, and they were most exuberant near the wormgrass. That part was occupied by Black Dragon, which would bite any other horse when they trespassed.


    Black Dragon certainly wouldn¡¯t care about the gender of the horse when it was not in rut.


    ¡°My lord, are you going to ride? Do you need me to bring your horse gear?¡± Tom, seeing that Liszt was not with his valet, hurried to ask.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    ¡°All right, my lord.¡±


    Liszt whistled. The black horse immediately rushed over.


    The horse was 1.9 meters tall, even taller than Liszt.


    So, he had to jump on the horse.


    There were no reins, saddles, or stirrups. Black Dragon wouldn¡¯t have any of them. Liszt did not force it to, either. As an earth knight, he was getting better and better at riding.


    With his skills, he could totally ride the horse without any gear.


    ¡°Black Dragon, cooperate with me.¡± Stroking the horse¡¯s neck, Liszt accepted the lance that Gray handed over. It was three meters long and required tremendous arm strength to wield.


    It was made of fine steel. His squires had been polishing it every day.


    ¡°Humph!¡±


    As if it were demonstrating its strength, Black Dragon stood up and neighed against the sun. Then, it carried Liszt to a run on the horsefield, rushing, halting, jumping, and turning under Liszt¡¯s command. Liszt performed Furious Fire on horseback.


    The lance was too long to be wielded like a one-handed sword, but it was empowered by Black Dragon¡¯s movement.


    ¡°Fire Sweep!¡±


    With a roar, Liszt¡¯s surging combat aura flooded into the lance, and his horse leaped crazily under his command.


    His combat aura ignited the air. The whole lance seemed to be on fire.


    He swept from horseback, and red and orange fire rained from the sky, burning the clovers into ashes.


    Hum!


    The horse landed and stopped. Liszt stabbed the lance into the ground and calmed the seething combat aura in his body. Fire Sweep was the ultimate skill of Furious Fire. It had a great cost, but it could clear a whole area easily.


    Since Black Dragon was fast and fierce, the effect of the skill could be mostly carried out.


    It was something he could not achieve with Fire Dragon.


    It¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re going to be a stud and I can¡¯t ride you to a battlefield¡­ But of course, I probably would never go to a battlefield in person.


    He got off the horse and patted its thigh, asking it to graze. Then, he called Fire Dragon with a different whistle.


    He rode Fire Dragon to the castle.


    ¡°Gray, go and summon Mr. Goltai.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    A moment later, Goltai came to the castle. ¡°Liszt, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to cut down the trees of Thorn Hill and narrow down the monster habitat, so that we can break the obstacle for Flower Town,¡± announced Liszt confidently.


    Goltai frowned. ¡°Monsters are inevitable when we cut the trees. Isn¡¯t it too risky?¡±


    ¡°Under the protection of Mr. Marcus and me, it won¡¯t be too dangerous as long as we don¡¯t encounter a large batch of monsters. There aren¡¯t so many monsters on Thorn Hill. Also, I¡¯m not planning to cut down all of the trees, but only the trees on the sides of the road.¡±


    Cut down part of the trees to reduce the monsters¡¯ living space, and finish the battle once and for all when all preparations were done.


    That was Liszt¡¯s plan.


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 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60: Goltai¡¯s Struggle


    ¡°Liszt has more and more plans. There¡¯s no time to rest at all. Isaiah, I haven¡¯t slept well for a whole week.¡±


    Goltai fanned himself with a piece of paper in his office in the town. ¡°I thought that it would be an easy job in Flower Town, but it turned out to be exhausting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that Liszt does not expect his officials to slack off.¡±


    Isaiah counted the income of this season and remarked, ¡°Goltai, you should be more diligent. An easy life is not for a knight.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have fallen in love with life in Flower Town. I remember that you complained a lot when you came.¡±


    ¡°I was indeed disappointed at the shabbiness of the town when I came,¡± Isaiah said while warming up his numb fingers, ¡°but after I got used to it, I sense unprecedented hopefulness in Flower Town. I talked to Marcus. He said that Liszt is a unique noble.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s indeed unique.¡± Goltai shrugged.


    ¡°So, I think that Marcus¡¯s wish to become a noble and my wish to make my family rise again both lie in this place.¡±


    ¡°You are getting serious.¡±


    ¡°For my silly son, I have to work hard.¡±


    ¡°We all need to. I¡¯ll check the progress of the houses in Oysterton. The whole town is short of people. I need to figure out a way to organize a logging team.¡±


    That being said, Goltai did not leave for Oysterton but returned to his house in the town.


    It was a two-storied house where the tax-collecting knight lived, because the castle was reserved for the lord even when it was not occupied.


    ¡°My lord, you¡¯re back. Are you done with your work today?¡± A girl in a flaxen dress hurried to take off Goltai¡¯s coat.


    Goltai touched the girl¡¯s butt frivolously. ¡°Work can never be done with, but life has to move on.¡±


    The girl blushed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t his lordship blame you for not working?¡±


    ¡°As Liszt¡¯s teacher and the town¡¯s administrative officer, I have the right to give myself a half-day holiday¡­ Freya, I miss you. I don¡¯t want to work.¡± Goltai hugged Freya and kissed her, pushing her to the bedroom.


    Freya hurried to break free. She said quickly, ¡°M-My lord, it¡¯s still daytime.¡±


    ¡°What about it? I¡¯ve had too many oysters recently. Nights are not enough.¡± Goltai had selectively forgotten that he could only do it once every night and he could last for no more than thirty seconds.


    Freya seemed panicked and looked for a change of subject. ¡°You seem to be in a foul mood. Is it because of the consultant thing?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m in a foul mood! He¡¯s the lord, and he¡¯s entitled to keep me busy every day. However, I¡¯ve been in Flower Town for three months, and I still haven¡¯t been appointed as the consultant. Who else in this place is more qualified than me?¡±


    Goltai punched the wall and said angrily, ¡°I regret coming to Flower Town!¡±


    Freya¡¯s face changed. ¡°My lord, are you going to leave?¡±


    ¡°Not for now. Freya, you are the reason why I linger here.¡± Goltai embraced Freya and kissed her again.


    Freya pushed him away hard.


    Goltai¡¯s face turned gloomy. ¡°Freya, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    Freya took a deep breath and put on a smile. ¡°I know that you¡¯re upset. I assume that you¡¯re planning to return to Coral City, a metropolis much more prosperous than Flower Town¡­ I want to tell you that I will stay in Flower Town and raise your child. You don¡¯t need to bother with me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Goltai was shocked.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±Read the next chapter on our novelhall.com


    Goltai¡¯s face was frozen. He didn¡¯t return to himself until a long time later. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Freya touched her abdomen. It was still flat, but she sensed a little heart beating powerfully there.


    She suddenly gagged as she talked.


    Goltai was convinced that Freya was pregnant, but he didn¡¯t know whether he should be happy or stunned. He had a wife and children in Coral City, and his children were already married. His grandchildren had been born last year. He only looked for a relationship to overcome his loneliness here.


    He never saw this day coming.


    ¡°Oh heavens, Freya, I-I mean, my head is a mess. Sorry, I don¡¯t know how to react to the news,¡± Goltai stammered.


    Freya simply smiled. ¡°It¡¯s all right, my lord. I know that a serf like me does not have a bright future. I thank you for giving me a pleasant memory. I will raise the baby independently. The baby will grow up healthily. I just hope that you can give him freedom before you leave.¡±


    ¡°Freedom?¡±


    Goltai hesitated, and Freya simply looked at him with a smile.


    A moment later, he took a deep breath and made the decision. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m a disappointment, Freya¡­¡±


    Freya¡¯s smile quickly dimmed.


    However, what Goltai said next put an even more brilliant smile on her face.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have hesitated just now. I guarantee that I won¡¯t leave Flower Town, at least not until the baby knows that Goltai Mast is his or her father¡­ I think I know why I can¡¯t get used to Flower Town.¡±


    Goltai embraced Freya, with warmth but not lust. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a noble who¡¯s used to enjoyment instead of striving. I complain that Liszt doesn¡¯t appoint me as his consultant, but I do not work hard enough to earn it. From now on, I have to work hard for our child!¡±


    ¡°Really, my lord?¡± Freya¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Of course, I swear in the name of a knight!¡±


    After some brief cuddling, Goltai put on his Frak Abie and walked out, this time really to Oysterton to inspect the construction of houses.


    ¡­


    At night, dinner was held in the castle again.


    Before it started, Marcus, Blair, and Isaiah chit-chatted casually while Goltai reported to Liszt about work in the study.


    ¡°The main road from Thorn Hill to the town is half complete. Sand is copious, but stones are not enough. I¡¯m selecting strong serfs to build a logging team. In the meantime, they will shatter the rocks on Thorn Hill and use them to build the road. If there is more, the sand roads among the villages will be mixed with stones, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great plan. Let¡¯s do it, Mr. Goltai.¡± Liszt nodded in satisfaction.


    He was not only satisfied with the plan but also with Goltai¡¯s attitude. In previous dinners, Goltai mostly used his mouth to eat and make jokes, and he never talked about work.


    He was surprised that the man reported work on his own initiative today.


    As a lord, he naturally preferred subordinates who worked hard over those who were only interested in his food.


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    The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation.


    Thank you for your understanding.

 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: The Dragon, the Elf, and Fresh Flower Town

    Chapter 1: The Dragon, the Elf, and Fresh Flower Town


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    He had spent a week recuperating from wild fruit poisoning and was also making an effort to adapt to his new identity after transmigration. Liszt often felt incredulous.


    The overworked self who died suddenly at work has actually been reborn as a noble.


    Moreover, a noble in a different world.


    This different world was somewhat similar to medieval Europe, a place where castles and knights ruled everything. However, it was a magical fantasy world with the existence of dragons and elves. Knights could cultivate Dou Qi, and there were mysterious magicians. Even he himself had cultivated ¡°Basic Dou Qi¡± to become an Apprentice Knight.


    ¡°Primary Dou Qi, huh.¡±


    A stream of energy flowed endlessly through his body and, guided by his will towards his hands, he instantly felt his palms heating up, filled with immense power.


    That slightly tingling swelling sensation made him feel as though he could tear tigers and leopards apart with his bare hands.


    It was Dou Qi, which symbolized power, that allowed knights to rule the vast lands.


    Dou Qi cultivation.


    An ¡°Apprentice Knight¡± would master Primary Dou Qi, an ¡°Earth Knight¡± would master Intermediate Dou Qi, and a ¡°Sky Knight¡± would master Advanced Dou Qi.


    Liszt¡¯s father, Hereditary ¡°Coral Island¡¯s Count,¡± Li Weiliam Tulip, was a Sky Knight who had mastered Advanced Dou Qi. He possessed absolute power over life and death on his territory, Coral Island, which was as large as a prefecture-level city, and only needed to swear allegiance to the Sapphire Duke.


    Regrettably.


    As the third son of the Earl, he had not inherited the Tulip Family¡¯s talent for Dou Qi. Even though he had already reached the age of sixteen, he was still an Apprentice Knight.


    His elder brother, Levis Tulip, became an Earth Knight at thirteen and was now an elite among Earth Knights, capable of challenging three Earth Knights single-handedly.


    His sister, Lvera Tulip, also became an Earth Knight before reaching adulthood.


    He also had a half-brother, Lytton Tulip, who was twelve years old and was said to be on the verge of becoming an Earth Knight.


    Liszt inherited more of his mother¡¯s appearance, the late Countess. His light golden, slightly curly short hair, deep sapphire-like eyes, handsome features, fair skin, and slender figure all gave him the air of a naturally elegant nobleman. However, his aptitude was unfortunately poor.


    Perhaps because he looked so much like his mother, the Earl once had high hopes for him.


    The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.


    As he grew older, his father became completely disillusioned with him, even displaying indifference.


    His brother Levis was temporarily ennobled as a ¡°Hereditary Viscount¡± and was destined to inherit the title of ¡°Hereditary Earl.¡± His sister Lvera also received the title of Baron of Falcon Town, becoming a rare ¡°Hereditary Baroness¡± with her own territory in the Grand Duchy of Sapphire, rather than a life peer without land.


    As for him, he was merely ennobled as a Baron, just like his sister, but of Fresh Flower Town, the most remote place on Coral Island.


    Liszt, who had a personality like his mother¡¯s, was always soft and weak, constantly bullied by his brother and sister. As he grew older, his communication with the Earl diminished even further, to the point where he would rather live in the Knight Academy than return home.


    ¡°Thankfully he was an unnoticed incompetent; by taking his place, no one would realize the difference¡­ And having my territory, with hereditary and unquestionable rights over life and death, is wonderful,¡± Liszt had already gotten past the initial panic and was making efforts to blend into this world.


    And he had to blend in, to live like a native.


    Because in this world, transmigrators didn¡¯t have much of an advantage¡ªmagic and Dou Qi surpassed technology¡ªhe couldn¡¯t simply make nuclear weapons and spread destruction, so the idea of competing with magic and Dou Qi using technology had to be put aside.


    Even more so after understanding some of the situation, he felt the need to keep a low profile¡ªmetal resources were entirely provided by dragons, while lush vegetation couldn¡¯t exist without elves!


    Without dragons, without elves.


    The idea of farming or having an industrial revolution was something completely out of reach!


    But dragons and elves are rare essences in this world, and the Duchy of Sapphire has only one dragon¡ªthe Sapphire Dragon, which was the mount of the Sapphire Duke 150 years ago, and the entire Sapphire Family was established on the back of this dragon.


    It is said that a dragon can live for a thousand years, which means that the Duchy of Sapphire can enjoy its national fortune for hundreds of years to come.


    Elves are more numerous than dragons, but their ranks are clearly defined.


    Liszt¡¯s father, Li Weiliam Tulip, possesses a ¡°Tulip Great Elf,¡± which helps the family cultivate a large number of tulips, thereby establishing the family, and even changing their surname to ¡°Tulip.¡± The Great Elf can live for two hundred years and, barring accidents, the Tulip Family can still enjoy fortune for over one hundred and fifty more years.


    Beneath the Great Elf are the Minor Elves, who can live for one hundred years.


    The Tulip Family owns twelve Minor Elves, which help the family cultivate various plants.


    Beneath the Minor Elves are the Elf Bugs, beings birthed from within plants with a lifespan of ten years, capable of affecting plant growth. If they encounter a stroke of fortune within those ten years, they can evolve into Minor Elves. As for the Elf Bugs themselves, it is only by a lucky chance that one might be birthed from a plant.


    The Tulip Family has cultivated Coral Island for over twenty years, reaping more than a hundred Elf Bugs, and considering those that have died, there have only been a little over one hundred and fifty in total. Among them, only twelve have evolved into Minor Elves.


    ¡°Elves¡­ It¡¯s a pity that the previous soul indeed displeased the Earl, even Li Vera has obtained a Minor Elf, whereas I, have only four Elf Bugs!¡±


    At Liszt¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony, the Earl of Coral Island announced his ennoblement as the Baron of Fresh Flower Town and gifted him four Elf Bugs.


    That was all.


    ¡°My lord, dinner time has arrived, shall we dine now?¡± Butler Carter knocked on the door and came in, bowing slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s already dinner time, eh? Very well, please invite the two teachers to join us,¡± Liszt said, not so elegantly stretching his back. His time spent nurturing his health had bored him terribly.


    Soon, the two teachers arrived together.


    The one with blond hair and tailed coat was Goltai, the family tutor, already forty-five years old. He was a down-on-his-luck Honored Knight who depended on the Tulip Family, mainly responsible for Liszt¡¯s scholarly education. Of course, his primary job was as the Administrative Officer of Fresh Flower Town, helping Liszt manage the whole town.


    ¡°Liszt, you look much better. Thank heavens; it¡¯s good to see you healthy and lively again,¡± Goltai said with playful ease, quite casually.


    The other with a serious expression and meticulous movements was Liszt¡¯s knight teacher, Marcus.


    His strength had reached that of an Earth Knight, but he had not yet gained a noble title. His family had been Retainer Knights for the Tulip Family for several generations, and in his generation, he was the first to become an Earth Knight.


    Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°Now that both teachers have arrived, Mr. Carter, please proceed with the meal.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± the old butler Carter left the parlor gracefully to inform the kitchen downstairs to serve the meal.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, my health has mostly recovered, and I hope to continue my knight training classes from tomorrow,¡± Liszt said.


    Marcus¡¯s square face was expressionless: ¡°Possible.¡±


    Seeing this, Liszt smiled faintly, knowing in his heart that this Earth Knight harbored some resentment. He had hoped to earn distinction on the battlefield, win the title of Honored Knight, and join the ranks of high society as a noble member. Instead, he was dispatched here to serve as Liszt¡¯s knight teacher, trapped in the backwater of Fresh Flower Town.


    And within the Tulip Family, Liszt was notoriously inept, which meant, following Liszt, the chances of becoming a noble were almost nonexistent.


    Soon, the old butler arrived with the maids and manservants, bringing the plated meals.


    The meal was not elaborate. The quality of life in Fresh Flower Town was low, and production was limited. Liszt, being a son not favored by the Earl, had meager resources and could not support a lavish lifestyle.


    Still, Liszt ate with great seriousness.


    Transmigration is a technical affair, and becoming a noble was already a great fortune. One should know that in this world, aside from the nobles, most commoners are but sheep to be slaughtered at will.


    His two teachers included, were in fact his servants, and he could decide their life or death with a single word.

 Chapter 2 - Chapter 0002: Serpent Script Composed of Smoke

    Chapter 0002: Serpent Script Composed of Smoke


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    Grilled goat meat, boiled seven-gill eels, a small portion of apple puree and pear slices, hop-flavored barley beer, and white bread made from fine wheat flour.


    This was Liszt¡¯s dinner.


    The slightly Western-style meal did not suit his taste, but he was incapable of cooking and could not prepare the home-cooked dishes he liked. Moreover, in this world, nobles are strictly forbidden from entering kitchens, storehouses, or any other places meant for servants, as doing so would be a breach of noble etiquette and subject to ridicule.


    Of course, the court was an exception.


    The chefs and servants of the court were all attended to by aristocrats from the various small fiefs. Liszt¡¯s father, the Earl of Coral Island, had once served as a stablemaster for the new generation of the Sapphire Duke, responsible for caring for the Duke¡¯s beloved steed¡ªa horse with a mix of dragon blood in its lineage.


    To this day, the Earl of Coral Island would occasionally enter the court to fulfill the role of stablemaster.


    He relished this task, fearing that another noble might replace him as stablemaster and impede his close relationship with the Grand Duke.


    In the same vein, the Sapphire Duke also served as a personal valet to the lord of his sovereign state, the Steel Ridge Kingdom, attending to His Majesty the King¡¯s every need.


    Essentially, commoners are the servants of the nobility, and the lesser nobility serve the greater nobility.


    Only by becoming king of a country does one become a true master.


    ¡°Thankfully, here in Fresh Flower Town, I am the sole master and need not attend to anyone,¡± Liszt thought contentedly while eating his less-than-satisfactory dinner.


    The Earl was his father who didn¡¯t care for him and would hardly bother him.


    After dinner, Butler Carter would direct the maids to clean up the dishes, and a personal valet would bring water for washing and assist Liszt with rinsing out his mouth.


    When the routine was done, Carter left with the other servants, ¡°I will be just outside the door, Master and the two gentlemen, please call upon me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Carter,¡± Liszt said, smiling with a gentleman¡¯s grace. In terms of noble etiquette, he was influenced by his predecessor and didn¡¯t need to learn it actively; it came naturally to him.


    Even towards the lowliest servants, one must maintain politeness and respect¡ªin private, it mattered not whether they were beaten or killed or subjected to any sort of mistreatment, but publicly, one must maintain noble demeanor.


    ¡°It is my honor to serve you,¡± Carter said as he smoothly closed the door.


    ¡°Liszt,¡± Goltai said, taking a sip of tea sweetened with honey, ¡°we must quickly make use of the Elf Bug, but the town¡¯s finances are in terrible shape. The previous administrative officer was a fool who did nothing but oppress serfs and left us with a mess!¡±


    ¡°I know, Teacher, please investigate as soon as possible to see which areas are suitable for the Elf Bug placements.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my duty.¡±


    Liszt then turned to Marcus, ¡°Will it be difficult to investigate the magical beasts near Thorn Ridge that are close to Fresh Flower Town? As the landlord, I must take seriously the matter of these beasts frequently harassing the farmers.¡±


    Marcus replied, ¡°Thorn Ridge is vast, and the magical beasts don¡¯t have a fixed pattern of activity. With only four Retainer Knights at your disposal, even if I learn all about the magical beasts, we still won¡¯t be able to defend against them. The Patrol Team is absolutely unreliable; they are a bunch of ruffians and scoundrels who would wet their pants at the sight of a magical beast.¡±


    Fresh Flower Town is located at the northeastern extremity of Coral Island and is surrounded by Thorn Ridge¡ªa place teeming with magical beasts, which is why few merchant caravans are willing to trade here.


    The town can only produce and consume its goods; without the help of elves, the farmers struggle to support themselves, yet they still must pay taxes to the Tulip Family, who rule over Coral Island.


    And the nobility is only concerned with how much tax they can collect, paying no mind to the farmers¡¯ survival.


    The Tulip Family is no exception.


    However, the present Liszt could no longer remain indifferent. As a youth bathed in the glorious banner of mutual ownership, having become the lord of a region, he was compelled to rescue the people from dire straits¡ªit was his duty. Only with the prosperity of Fresh Flower Town could he, as the landlord, enjoy better comforts.


    For both public and private reasons, he had to develop Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°There must be a way to cope with it. Teacher Marcus, after tomorrow¡¯s knight class, I¡¯d like you to accompany me for a walkthrough of Thorn Ridge. As the landlord, I have yet to really see what Fresh Flower Town looks like.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, this is not a good idea. It¡¯s better to just stroll around the town. Thorn Ridge is not a place to go. Don¡¯t forget, you nearly died in Thorn Ridge,¡± Goltai immediately objected.


    Liszt shook his head, ¡°Last time I carelessly ate poisonous berries; this time I will be careful.¡±


    Marcus simply said, ¡°I will notify your four retainer knights tonight and arrange the patrol route through Thorn Ridge to ensure your safety.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the trouble.¡±


    ¡°You should be careful and cautious,¡± Goltai said helplessly.


    Liszt didn¡¯t say much more, for the two teachers didn¡¯t know his real plans; his body had not completely recovered and, given his nature, he would definitely prefer to fully recover before venturing out¡ªBut as a noble travels, he either goes by carriage or on horseback, and unfortunately, he had no carriage.


    Riding a horse wasn¡¯t an easy task either, for there were no saddles or stirrups here¡ªknights with Dou Qi didn¡¯t need such equipment to ride horses, or any mount for that matter.


    ¡°On the contrary, a saddle would restrict the fusion of a knight¡¯s Dou Qi with his steed¡­ But without a saddle, it always chafes the behind¡­¡± Liszt thought after seeing off the two teachers.


    ¡°My lord, at what time do you plan to retire?¡± his personal attendant came in to ask.


    ¡°After ten o¡¯clock, Thomas. Add another candle to my study for now; I wish to read,¡± Liszt directed his personal attendant.


    Disappointment flashed across Thomas¡¯s face; for several consecutive days, he hadn¡¯t had the chance to prove himself. Liszt always sent him away rather than requiring his personal attendance.


    As a personal attendant, he felt he hadn¡¯t earned the baron¡¯s favor and worried about his job.


    The truth was, Liszt didn¡¯t like having a personal attendant; every time Thomas helped him dress, it made Liszt¡¯s skin crawl¡ªThe abominable nobility system!


    Why couldn¡¯t a male noble have female personal attendants?


    As Thomas brought in a candle and then left, the study became brightly lit. Liszt got up, pulled the curtains apart, and through the castle window, he could see a few faint lights from the town nearby.


    Quite dim.


    A town where the people couldn¡¯t even get a full meal had no nightlife, only endless silence.


    ¡°This is my territory, isn¡¯t it? Poor and backward, yet it belongs completely to me, an entire town that¡¯s my own independent kingdom¡­ I will turn it into an utopia!¡± he mused.


    In a trance.


    Faint smoke appeared before Liszt, the mist twisting into abstract characters, formed like countless little serpents entwining each other. This was the standardized script of the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡ªSerpent Script, with origins so ancient, no records of its inception remained; chronicling history was not customary here.


    As a transmigrator inheriting all previous memories, Liszt could read the Serpent Script.


    A message that had baffled him for a week.


    ¡°Mission: As the landlord, you need to understand everything about your domain. Please make a round through Fresh Flower Town to grasp the crises within your land and prepare for future development. Reward: The sublimation of Dou Qi.¡±


    The content was brief and not complicated.


    But what Liszt couldn¡¯t understand was why he could see the Smoke Serpent Script; searching through the memories of his predecessor, it had always appeared since he was a child. However, back then, the smoke was so thin and blurred that he couldn¡¯t make out the Serpent Script at all, thinking it was a mere illusion.


    It wasn¡¯t until after the soul transmigration that Liszt could clearly see the text.


    Startled for a moment, he reached out to touch the smoke, but it disappeared immediately, which supported the notion of it being a hallucination.


    Now, Liszt didn¡¯t think it was an illusion; perhaps this was a transmigrator¡¯s perk, a manifestation of some system? Unclear, he decided to verify it.


    As long as he patrolled the territory, the mission would be complete, and whether he could receive the reward would be proof.


    If there was no reward, it would mean it was just a hallucination.


    If there was one, it would mean it was a perk.


    The transmigrator¡¯s ace in the hole¡ªBefore the transmigrator made a move, did the ace go first?

 Chapter 3 - Chapter 0003 The Servants in the Castle

    Chapter 0003 The Servants in the Castle


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    Thomas left the study with a heavy heart. As he descended the stairs, he paused at the landing, intending to light a cigarette, but then he realized he had hidden his tobacco under his pillow.


    Mr. Carter, the butler, strictly forbid the servants from smoking within the castle.


    ¡°Thomas, what are you loitering here for?¡± A maid in her thirties, dressed in a black and white uniform and carrying a mop and bucket, ascended the stairs from below.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Has the master still not allowed you to attend him personally?¡±


    Thomas, annoyed, slapped the wall, ¡°Maisie, tell me, why doesn¡¯t the master like me? Although I¡¯ve never been a personal valet before, I¡¯ve served as the first manservant for Viscount Roosevelt. I¡¯m capable of doing the job.¡±


    ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not a maid from Tulip Castle. I¡¯ve never met the master before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking if there¡¯s anything I¡¯m not doing well enough.¡±


    ¡°You should be asking Mr. Carter or Mrs. Morson about that¡­ And I don¡¯t think you have anything to worry about. The master only has three manservants, Jessie is an assistant, Tom is clumsy, and honestly can¡¯t attend to the master. Maybe that¡¯s just how the master is. There¡¯s no one in this town better suited to be a personal valet than you.¡±


    Thomas felt a bit heartened, ¡°Yeah, I heard that the master isn¡¯t highly regarded at Tulip Castle and might remain the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, living in this poor countryside for the rest of his life.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Maisie, do you regret following the master here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Life in the castle, no matter how bad, is still better than going back to the farm to starve to death. I¡¯ve already sold myself to the master. There¡¯s no use in having regrets.¡±


    Just as Thomas was about to respond, he was abruptly interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t you both have work to do? Thomas, Maisie, mind your behavior. No whispering outside your chambers and the kitchen!¡± Coming up the stairs, it was Butler Carter who managed this humble little castle.


    He was carrying a string of keys and a bottle of red wine, inspecting the entire castle.


    ¡°Right away, Mr. Carter. I¡¯ll get back to work,¡± Thomas and Maisie scurried off, each to their own tasks.


    If small nobility serves the higher nobility, then manservants and maids are indeed the servants of butlers. The system of nobility has always had such distinct stratification.


    The castle might be small, but there was no shortage of work.


    Even with only one noble like Baron Liszt to serve, the daily workload was immense. Take cleaning, for instance: every morning and evening the whole place needed to be scrubbed down. And there were clothes to wash, hot water to heat, food to prepare, toilets to clean¡ªa majority of these tasks fell on the manservants and maids.


    But this didn¡¯t mean Carter was without work. On the contrary, in addition to managing the servants, he was also responsible for greeting guests, pouring wine, supervising the serving of meals, receiving and sending correspondence, safeguarding high-end tableware, managing the wine cellar, and looking after the most important guests.


    Old Carter was fifty years old this year. In an era where the average lifespan was barely fifty-five, he was already well advanced in years.


    Dong dong dong.


    He knocked on the door of the study.


    ¡°Come in,¡± replied Baron Liszt from inside, his voice gentle and carrying the fashionable ¡°Steel Ridge accent¡± so esteemed by countless nobles in the Kingdom of Steel Ridge and its client states.


    Old Carter took a deep breath.


    During his time at Tulip Castle, he had little to do with Baron Liszt, mainly looking after an earl¡¯s lodge. At the recent coming-of-age ceremony for Liszt, the earl assigned him to serve as Liszt¡¯s butler. It was a promotion in terms of position¡ªafter all, the role of butler is the ultimate goal for all servants.


    But the benefits had certainly diminished.


    However, Carter harbored no complaints. Since selling himself into the Tulip Family¡¯s service at fifteen, thirty-five years had passed without marriage or family¡ªCarter had long since considered himself part of the Tulip Family.


    If he could spend his final years with Baron Liszt, a descendant of the Tulip bloodline, it would be a happy ending indeed.


    ¡°My lord, reading at night is damaging to the eyes. Remember to take care. No amount of candlelight can compare to the sun¡¯s light during the day.¡±


    Liszt gave a slight smile, his eyes shifting away from the thick parchment book on the table to look at the somewhat elderly butler, ¡°Mr. Carter, have you checked all the rooms?¡±


    ¡°Except for the servants¡¯ rooms that still need work, all other rooms have been locked.¡±


    ¡°Very well, then, let¡¯s have a drink together.¡± Liszt had already noticed the red wine in Carter¡¯s hand. Nobles were as fond of wine as life itself, creating an informal custom that the lord of a castle would have a few drinks with the butler before going to bed at night, discussing the matters of the castle.


    Liszt didn¡¯t like to drink, but his predecessor did, so much so that his body required alcohol.


    However, the alcohol content here was very low; unless he drank it like beer, it was hard for him to get drunk.


    One glass of red wine each.


    They touched their glasses gently.


    Swirling his glass, Liszt took a small sip, ¡°Can the castle¡¯s expenses last until this year¡¯s taxes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to be difficult. You didn¡¯t bring much wine or flour from Tulip Castle, and Fresh Flower Town is very remote with no caravans willing to come here. Even if we have gold coins, it¡¯s hard to buy wheat and wine. But the good news is, there¡¯s plenty of wild fruit on Thorn Ridge, so we don¡¯t have to worry about running out of fruit.¡±


    Liszt wasn¡¯t highly regarded by the Earl, and of course, he received very little when he became independent.


    According to his memory, when his sister Li Vera became independent, her carriage was filled thirty times over, but he¡­ didn¡¯t even have a single carriage, just some horses and a group of porters with some luggage.


    The difference in treatment was like heaven and earth.


    His predecessor had harbored too much resentment, but for him, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue, since he wasn¡¯t the Earl¡¯s true son. At most, it would be awkward when meeting with his father and trying to express closeness.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do without wheat,¡± Liszt put down his wine glass and declared with undeniable certainty, ¡°Fresh Flower Town must develop quickly, the trade route has to be opened!¡±


    Bread was the staple food here.


    Without the wheat for white bread, they could only eat the rough and hard-to-swallow black bread made from rye and oats. Liszt already couldn¡¯t have his favorite hometown dishes; if he also couldn¡¯t have the soft white bread, he would starve to death.


    ¡°Opening trade routes is not an easy task. Thorn Ridge is too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯ll solve it. The future of Fresh Flower Town won¡¯t be limited by poverty, nor will the castle remain this crude, without even a name,¡± Liszt said earnestly.


    Only a magnificent castle could have a name. Given the simplicity of Liszt¡¯s castle, to call it a castle was an overstatement, and naming it would be subject to the ridicule of other nobles.


    ¡°Have the Elf Bugs been well taken care of?¡±


    ¡°Very well, milord.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    They finished their wine.


    Old Carter, recognizing it was time to leave, took his leave, ¡°Milord, please rest early, I wish you a good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night to you too, Mr. Carter.¡±


    After Carter left, Liszt spent some time looking at the thick parchment book about the culture and customs of the Duchy of Sapphire; the book was as thick as a dictionary. Its content, however, was sparse¡ªtrue to its name, the thickness of one page of parchment was almost that of pigskin.


    ¡°How was paper invented?¡± Liszt wondered. He was pleased to find his memory quite sharp, remembering the papermaking process he had seen online, ¡°Once I have the time, I must also invent paper¡­ An industrial revolution seems unlikely, but there are still many ways to get rich.¡±


    In a trance, he zoned out again.


    Sure enough, the Serpent Script formed by smoke appeared before him again.


    ¡°Quest: As a landlord, you need to understand everything about your land. Please inspect Fresh Flower Town to understand the crisis of your territory, and prepare for future development. Reward: The sublimation of Dou Qi.¡±

 Chapter 4 - Chapter 0004: The Knight with Bursting Dou Qi

    Chapter 0004: The Knight with Bursting Dou Qi


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    Early the next morning.


    Marcus arrived at the castle early, but did not enter. Instead, he waited outside. Looking at the low, dilapidated castle, his heart was cold. Perhaps he was thinking that his future would be as bleak as this castle.


    The castle was built on a mound in the southwestern corner of town.


    There were no tall walls, no towering watchtowers, no battlements to stand upon, no broad moats, and no massive gatehouses.


    It was just a slightly larger two-storey house.


    The stone walls were beginning to show faint cracks. Gradually, several tiles fell off the roof, raising concerns about leaks when it rained.


    It was said that this modest little castle was over a hundred years old. When Coral Island was not yet under the Earl¡¯s dominion, nobles had lived here, but it had fallen into decay. After the Coral Island was conferred to the Earl, he had it renovated as an alternate residence for inspecting Fresh Flower Town, though he never once stayed there.


    Until now, when Baron Liszt took up residence in the little castle.


    And he, a former Earth Knight of the Coral Island Knights, who had been full of ambition to distinguish himself on the battlefield and be honored with an award, was going to be a frequent visitor to this little castle.


    Together with Baron Liszt, staying in Fresh Flower Town that didn¡¯t even have a gravel path.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Marcus,¡± greeted Servant Thomas respectfully, carrying an empty bucket and ready to fetch water from the town well.


    Marcus responded indifferently, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t remember Thomas¡¯s first name, but he remembered his last name, which seemed to be ¡°Pigpen,¡± a typical commoner¡¯s surname. Even he himself did not have a noble-sounding surname; his was ¡°Wheel,¡± because his grandfather had been a coachman who constantly rolled wheels around.


    Commoners were like that, taking whatever surname they could get.


    He envied the nobles for their surnames, he envied the Earl¡¯s surname¡ªTulip, such a noble surname! How much effort would he need to put in to change his own surname to something similar? All the noble surnames were not to be used by commoners: Flowers, gemstones, metals¡­ Nobles would definitely not allow commoners to degrade them!


    Soon, four tall men clad in leather armor arrived behind Marcus.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus,¡± they all greeted one after the other.


    ¡°Karl, Rom, Gray, Auden, you¡¯re here,¡± Marcus acknowledged them one by one. These four men were Liszt¡¯s Retainer Knights.


    Retainer Knights were not knights but merely attendants to knights. They were a kind of servant responsible for taking care of knights on the battlefield¡ªcarrying spears, leading horses, washing clothes, and cooking.


    Essentially, Marcus was also a kind of Retainer Knight. It was just that he was a freeman, while Retainer Knights were bonded servants.


    Shortly after, Baron Liszt, still not quite awake, walked out from the castle¡¯s drafty main door. In the morning, Liszt had changed into simple and neat training attire¡ªa modest white, which paired with his enviable face, tall figure, and distinguished temperament, made for an excellent appearance.


    ¡°Good morning, Teacher Marcus, Karl Ironhammer, Rom Barrel, Gray Scythe, Auden Insole, and ladies and gentlemen.¡±


    Ladies were female servants and gentlemen were male servants¡ªregardless of their marital status, nobles could address servants this way.


    Just as a male butler, whether married or not, is addressed as ¡°Mister,¡± and a female housekeeper, whether married or not, is addressed as ¡°Madam.¡± The rigid system of the nobility¡ªLiszt¡¯s body had been accustomed to it for sixteen years and now instinctively greeted them this way.


    ¡°Baron, we shall begin the knight¡¯s training class,¡± said Marcus.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    On the mound in front of the castle, Liszt began his knightly training. His four Retainer Knights, who had not learned Dou Qi, were merely toughening up their bodies on the side.


    Dou Qi training emphasizes bloodline inheritance, and very few commoners are able to learn it.


    Li Si Te actually felt that Dou Qi was related to nutrition. How could the commoners who couldn¡¯t even get enough to eat refine power in their bodies into Dou Qi?


    Among the nobles, as long as one was diligent, there was nobody who could not produce Dou Qi.


    This was also the reason the nobility held on to their ruling positions so firmly. With money to eat well, they could cultivate Dou Qi, wield power, oppress the commoners, and then become richer, eat even better, have stronger Dou Qi, greater power, and oppress the commoners even more.


    The morning milk paired with bread provided Liszt with a steady supply of nutrients.


    Under Marcus¡¯s guidance, he kept practicing ¡°Basic Dou Qi¡± From the age of six, he had been cultivating using this secret manual. Unfortunately, the effects were minimal. Dou Qi certainly made him stronger than the commoners, but compared to an Earth Knight, an Apprentice Knight appeared very weak, and Marcus could defeat him with just one hand.


    ¡°The mysterious aura, an experience I¡¯ve never had before, the practice¡­ I wonder what the elevation reward for Dou Qi will bring me after I complete the task¡ªcould it possibly turn me into an Earth Knight?¡±


    Feeling the Dou Qi within his body, Liszt practiced diligently.


    A whole hour passed before morning practice ended.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, have some water. We¡¯ll take a ten-minute break and then head out.¡± Liszt wiped the sweat from his forehead, finding the morning practice quite exhausting.


    The old butler Carter had already brought the servants over with the nutrient-rich milk tea.


    All four Retainer Knights each got a cup of milk tea with minced meat, milk, and eggs, savoring the delicious beverage in small sips, forgetting the hardship of the past hour.


    Marcus and Liszt got an extra dessert¡ªcheese biscuits.


    Once they had finished eating and changed their clothes, the personal servant Thomas had already brought Liszt¡¯s horse, an adult chestnut who was almost pure in color. This was a gift from the Count of Coral Island when he turned twelve. It was still a foal at the time, but now it had grown particularly majestic.


    Snort.


    The chestnut horse blew a loud snort, then rubbed against Liszt¡¯s arm affectionately.


    ¡°Fire Dragon, my old buddy, you must be bored stiff staying in the castle all the time.¡± Comforting his mount, Liszt smoothly mounted it with a swift leap.


    Behind him, Marcus and the four Retainer Knights each mounted their own horses. Marcus¡¯s was a yellowish-gray horse, also quite majestic¡ªhis personal mount. The Retainer Knights¡¯ horses were all common yellow-maned horses, belonging to Liszt¡¯s property but assigned to the Retainer Knights for rearing.


    ¡°My lord, may you have a safe journey,¡± Carter wished him well.


    ¡°Thank you for your good words.¡± Liszt lifted his horsewhip, and the Fire Dragon Horse let out a long neigh and broke into a run. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Liszt, riding at the front, wore Magical Beast Leather Armor that only nobles could afford. It was lightweight and breathable, yet offered better protection than ordinary armor.


    The black Magical Beast Leather Armor was girded at the waist with a One-Handed Sword. He also wore a black Magical Beast Leather Helmet, crowned with the magnificent feathers of a male pheasant, adding to his martial appearance.


    His Retainer Knights, apart from their own weapons of one-handed swords and shields, also had to carry for Liszt a large-sized Knight Spear as well as backup weapons like a longsword, war hammer, and flail, along with their lunch and water for noon.


    Marcus, apart from his favorite short spear, also carried a bow and arrows, for he was a Divine Archer. More than his identity as an Earth Knight, being a Divine Archer highlighted his worth. This was also the reason he was so ambitious and stood out among the Coral Island Knights filled with Earth Knights, hoping to earn the standing of an Honored Knight.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop!


    The sound of horses¡¯ hooves striking the solid earth rang out sharply, and before long, they had reached the small town. Liszt was to inspect his territory, and the town was a priority.

 Chapter 5 - Chapter 0005: The Magical Beast of Thorn Ridge

    Chapter 0005: The Magical Beast of Thorn Ridge


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    The geographical location of Fresh Flower Town is at the northeast corner of Coral Island and the area is not small. However, how large it specifically is, Li Si Te (Liszt) was clueless. As a remote small town on Coral Island, it was only simply divided to the northeast side of Thorn Ridge, without any marked boundaries.


    That meant, as long as Li Si Te (Liszt) didn¡¯t encroach on the towns to the southwest of Thorn Ridge, he could arbitrarily decide how large Fresh Flower Town was.


    Even if he were to include all of Thorn Ridge, probably no one would blame him¡ªafter all, the ownership of Thorn Ridge on Coral Island was also undefined.


    Over twenty years of cultivation by the Tulip Family, in fact, less than two-thirds of Coral Island had actually been converted into farmland with a settled population.


    The remaining one-third was wilderness.


    Thorn Ridge was such a wilderness where the landlord¡¯s knights needed to campaign abroad, and these wild lands must be opened up by serfs and commoners.


    The land of Thorn Ridge was extremely barren and uneven, making it of low development value.


    Moreover, facing magical beasts, ordinary people were just a delicious meal; even hunters dared not lightly test the waters of the magical beast¡¯s depth. Of course, there were some adventurers who would still go hunting magical beasts, and each beast, every piece of flesh, every inch of fur, could be exchanged for gold coins.


    Li Si Te (Liszt), riding on his Fire Dragon Horse, was filled with enthusiasm for this inspection.


    Enclosing land was an innate instinct of every noble; how large Fresh Flower Town was would depend on where his horse¡¯s hooves could reach. At this moment, the hooves were trotting along the town¡¯s streets, which were dirt roads, very dirty, with the feces of livestock and humans apparent everywhere¡ªonly the nobles would build toilets.


    ¡°Sanitation, it must be changed,¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) said as he turned to speak to Ma Ku Si (Marcus).


    Ma Ku Si (Marcus) could not deny it; he was not an administrative officer and was not interested in these matters. What heated his blood was the authority of the nobility, especially the serfs and commoners constantly bowing to Li Si Te (Liszt) along both sides of the street. These people, with their sallow faces, harbored admiration and fear toward the nobility.


    They would shiver all over.


    The ones kneeling were serfs; those bowing were freemen.


    Serfs made up the overwhelming majority, having sold themselves to the nobles, and were Li Si Te (Liszt)¡¯s private property. Matters of marriage and burial were decided by Li Si Te (Liszt). Even if Li Si Te (Liszt) exercised his droit de seigneur, these serfs were obliged to comply and send their freshly bathed daughters and wives into the castle.


    Freemen were rare; they were mostly craftsmen such as hunters, tailors, and the like.


    The town was very small and rundown, not housing many residents. Even if all the town¡¯s populace had gathered along both sides of the street to pay respect, there was still no trace of a warm atmosphere.


    Gazing around, Li Si Te (Liszt) found that the town might only have a few hundred people¡­ not even as many as the student population of a school.


    The lowly hovels made of mud and thatched with straw stretched over a large area. The size of the town was mostly supported by these dilapidated houses¡ªwith two-story buildings being a rarity, with only three or four households visible.


    This time, he truly felt the poverty of the commoners¡¯ lives.


    His heart was heavy with countless emotions.


    And he felt even more fortunate that he was a noble, able to live in a castle and eat fine white bread made of refined wheat flour.


    The Fire Dragon Horse quickly carried Li Si Te (Liszt) through the town¡¯s only north to south thoroughfare, and with a slightly heavy heart, he proceeded along the safe route planned by Ma Ku Si (Marcus) towards Thorn Ridge.


    Throughout the ride, surrounding the town were patches of farmland, but Li Si Te (Liszt) could not name most of the crops. These crops didn¡¯t look promising; they were sickly and twisted, with many weeds growing alongside them, clearly lacking any scientific management.


    This era certainly had incredible creatures like dragons and elves, as well as unimaginable divine forces like Dou Qi and Magic, but it was relatively underdeveloped.


    Industrial revolution was out of the question, but introducing some scientific development methods was still very promising.


    Liszt was full of confidence in managing his territory and leading the development of Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡­


    The journey was not long before the small town was far out of sight. Leaving the flat land, they entered a hilly area with sparse woods, which marked the edge of Thorn Ridge.


    ¡°Baron, magical beasts often appear around the edge of Thorn Ridge, so I hope you will follow me closely without being reckless,¡± Marcus said, leading the way upon reaching the area, and he instructed the four Retainer Knights, ¡°Protect the Baron at all costs. Unless you become corpses, do not let any magical beast advance a single step. Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°We can!¡± Karl and the others responded loudly.


    They came from commoners, who did not have to go to war in this region, a burden borne only by nobles and knights. But although Retainer Knights were of commoner status, they also needed to go to war¡ªserving as logistical soldiers, they had the responsibility to die for the noble if they were seeking better treatment.


    To avoid magical beasts, the group of knights could only make their way along the edge of Thorn Ridge.


    The trees were still lush and occasionally one could see wild animals, like rabbits and foxes; but the edge of the Thorn Ridge was not rich in food, so it was rare to come across large wild beasts.


    ¡°In spring, summer, and autumn, the food within Thorn Ridge is enough to meet the needs of magical beasts, so Fresh Flower Town does not often encounter them. But in winter, starving magical beasts will invade Fresh Flower Town, and every year a few unfortunate souls become food to satisfy the beasts¡¯ hunger,¡± Marcus explained without mincing words despite his poor mood.


    ¡°Ah, magical beasts, I wonder if we could encounter one today,¡± Liszt thought, recalling from the predecessor¡¯s memories having seen several types of magical beasts. The biggest difference between them and ordinary wild beasts was their magic power, enabling them to release some greatly powerful magic spells.


    At Tulip Castle, they had also raised a small magical beast¡ªthe Fire Rabbit.


    The Fire Rabbit, capable of casting small fireballs, was delicious, with glossy fur preferred by nobles for its meat, and noblewomen for its fur to make coats.


    He had also seen the fur of a powerful magical beast¡ªthe Giant Barbarian Bear, which Coral Island¡¯s Count¡¯s favorite chair was upholstered with, the terrifying bear¡¯s face fully tanned, exuding an intimidating and ferocious aura.


    To hunt down the Giant Barbarian Bear, the Coral Island Knights had lost eight Earth Knights.


    The death of eight Earth Knights amounted to a severe blow to the Knight Order, even more casualties than a territorial battle might cost.


    Moreover, many more Apprentice Knights had perished.


    All the way, Liszt kept recording the terrain of Thorn Ridge, including places suitable for building defensive fortifications, places fit for water conservancy projects, locations where fortresses could be erected, and areas appropriate for opening farmlands. These were all duties for a landlord noble invested with land to fulfill.


    ¡°It must be time for lunch, Auden. Let¡¯s prepare lunch right here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Auden Insole immediately dismounted, found a flat area to spread out a carpet, and then arranged the dry rations on it.


    The simple lunch included bread, caviar, fruit salad, and milk tea.


    And specially prepared for Liszt, dried goat meat.


    Just as they thought it was going to be a simple lunch, Marcus¡¯s expression changed abruptly after swallowing a piece of bread, ¡°Baron, there is a situation. It¡¯s the scent of a magical beast!¡±

 Chapter 6 - Chapter 0006 Earth Knight and Wind Blade Wolf

    Chapter 0006 Earth Knight and Wind Blade Wolf


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    As an Earth Knight, Marcus¡¯s Dou Qi was keenly perceptive to things like magic power and Dou Qi. If he said there were magical beasts, he was certainly not wrong.


    Liszt immediately became tense.


    The four retainer knights hastily packed up the tableware. They were ordinary people who hadn¡¯t even cultivated Dou Qi, so facing magical beasts meant certain death for them.


    Marcus had already mounted his horse, ¡°Don¡¯t bother packing up the tableware, protect the Baron and get him on his horse, and prepare for combat!¡±


    The retainer knights hurried over to assist Liszt.


    But Liszt, an Apprentice Knight with Primary Dou Qi, was much stronger than ordinary people. Suppressing the nervousness in his heart, he had already mounted his horse. The Fire Dragon Horse, majestic though it might be, was a young horse who had never faced battle and was equally nervous. Liszt had to reach out and stroke his mane to calm its nerves.


    Snort!


    The Fire Dragon Horse, encouraged by its master, relaxed its tense body. As a birthday present from the Earl to his son, its bloodline was not inferior, inheriting from the magical beast, the Blazing Steed, and it had a strong adaptability.


    In a few breaths¡¯ time.


    The magical beast that Marcus sensed had poked its body out from the depths of the dense forest; it was a massive gray wolf with two pale cyan patterns on its body.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Wind Blade Wolf! A low-level magical beast! Step back, I¡¯ll handle it!¡± Marcus raised his short spear, and while it was called a short spear, it was actually a Knight Spear meant for close combat and was longer than a person.


    Speaking of which.


    Marcus suddenly let out a mighty roar, ¡°Hah!¡±


    Intermediate Dou Qi resonated and vibrated in his mouth, like a bomb exploding, the tremendous roar made the surrounding leaves rustle.


    He hoped to scare off the Wind Blade Wolf.


    The Wind Blade Wolf crouched down a bit and seemed to back away, as if it was going to retreat, but that was just a prelude to its attack. But as soon as Marcus squeezed his horse¡¯s sides, he rode his dusky-yellow horse and charged forward with his spear for a strong attack.


    The Wind Blade Wolf also leaped forward, dashing toward Marcus, while several pale cyan Wind Blades abruptly appeared in front of it, spinning and slicing towards Marcus.


    The tip of the Knight Spear trembled, a faint milky white light attached to it, swiftly striking and shattering each Wind Blade. Then, with a swing of his spear behind him, Marcus drew an oval trajectory with his Knight Spear, charging from the other side and hitting the leaping Wind Blade Wolf precisely.


    In a moment of crisis, the Wind Blade Wolf twisted its body, dodging the Knight Spear, but the milky white light on the spear inflicted a wound, causing blood to flow continuously.


    Once it landed, it sent out several Wind Blades chaotically.


    Marcus moved as one with his horse, narrowly dodging the Wind Blades. By now, he had put some distance between himself and the Wind Blade Wolf and attempted several charges to engage in close combat. However, the Wind Blade Wolf was intelligent, always maintaining its distance and launching Wind Blades to wear him down¡ªanother difference between magical beasts and ordinary wild beasts was their intelligence.


    In such a war of attrition, and with the magical beast¡¯s rapid magic power recovery, it was hardly an issue.


    However, a knight¡¯s Dou Qi couldn¡¯t last.


    But Marcus proved his strength and why he was confident in winning honors and the noble title of Honored Knight on the battlefield. He sheathed his Knight Spear and swiftly drew his bow from behind, instantly letting loose two arrows in tandem, the arrows infused with Dou Qi shot out like beams of light.


    The Wind Blade Wolf¡¯s eyes flashed with disdain, as it could easily dodge the arrows¡¯ attack range with just a light twist of its hips.


    But the next moment, the Wind Blade Wolf¡¯s expression changed from disdain to fear.


    Two arrows collided in mid-air, rapidly changing direction and sinking fiercely into the back of the Wind Blade Wolf.


    ¡°Such profound archery, truly worthy of being the Knight Order¡¯s Divine Archer!¡± Liszt, who was watching the battle, was genuinely astonished, and his nervousness had faded away.


    With such an Earth Knight for protection, he could conveniently paddle leisurely by the side.


    It¡¯s good to live as a Landlord, always avoiding exertions in situations that don¡¯t require effort. Servants waited on him in life, while knights risked their lives on the battlefield.


    As the saying goes, things can happen in the blink of an eye.


    Watching Marcus draw another two arrows, the Wind Blade Wolf, bleeding nonstop on its back, flashed a hint of resentment in its eyes and twisted its body to flee into the dense woods, disappearing from everyone¡¯s sight in the blink of an eye.


    Marcus watched the direction in which the Wind Blade Wolf vanished and slowly lowered his bow and arrows.


    Karl Ironhammer, who had been watching excitedly, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Teacher Marcus, why not pursue it? Two more arrows and the Wind Blade Wolf would surely be dead. That¡¯s a magical beast more valuable than pearls.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t just one magical beast like the Wind Blade Wolf in Thorn Ridge, and it wasn¡¯t as seriously injured as it appeared. It was just a ruse to lure us in¡­ It definitely has companions waiting in the woods. If you aren¡¯t afraid of dying, feel free to chase it,¡± Marcus responded coolly.


    Karl Ironhammer scratched his head and fell silent, not daring to speak.


    Marcus ignored him and turned to Liszt, ¡°Baron, this place is dangerous, let¡¯s hit the road.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Liszt readily agreed, touring his territory only for the mission; he wasn¡¯t willing to face danger¡ªan old saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a collapsing wall.


    Perhaps encountering a magical beast on the edge of Thorn Ridge in spring made Marcus a bit anxious, so he quickened the pace of the inspection thereafter.


    On the way, Liszt asked curiously, ¡°Teacher Marcus, your archery skills are impressive, even capable of deflecting arrows. What kind of archery is that?¡±


    ¡°Double Arrow Intersect, an advanced technique of standard archery skills, requiring the guidance of Dou Qi to perform.¡±


    ¡°That archery technique is both cool and practical. Teacher Marcus, when will you hold an archery class to teach me?¡± Liszt was very eager.


    Marcus responded without much enthusiasm, ¡°Advanced archery techniques require the exterior release of Dou Qi to study. Before becoming an Earth Knight, Baron, what you first need to do is to strengthen and enhance your own Dou Qi and learn the knight¡¯s combat skills, not flashy archery.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll learn archery after I advance to Earth Knight,¡± said Liszt.


    After completing the mission and receiving the Dou Qi Sublimation reward, perhaps that would be the moment he advanced to Earth Knight.


    In the next three hours, they did not encounter any more magical beasts. After inspecting Thorn Ridge, they arrived at the other side of Fresh Flower Town¡ªthe Sea of Azure Waves.


    The Duchy of Sapphire was situated in the northeastern corner of the continent, formed by the Sapphire Archipelago.


    Coral Island was in the northeastern corner of the Sapphire Archipelago.


    Fresh Flower Town was in the northeastern corner of Coral Island.


    Therefore, the vast blue sea Liszt saw at that moment was the border of the Duchy of Sapphire, the Sea of Azure Waves stretching into the unknown.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, what¡¯s beyond the sea? Are there other islands, or continents, or perhaps other countries?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The fleet of Earl has never ventured into farther seas. However, legend has it that, beyond the Sea of Azure Waves, lies the Devil¡¯s Sea haunted by devils, where no one can navigate.¡±


    ¡°Not even with dragon riding?¡±


    ¡°Dragons are the pillars of a nation; no Dragon Knight wishes to ride dragons and take risks everywhere. The continent has countless lands waiting to be developed. Baron, why care about the seawater that holds nothing? Not to offend you, but you should learn from the Earl and seize more land.¡±


    His words carried a hint of seduction¡ªonly through war could new Nobles be created.

 Chapter 7 - Chapter 007: The Sublimation of Dou Qi

    Chapter 007: The Sublimation of Dou Qi


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°`


    Seawater with nothing in it?


    Liszt would never agree with that.


    In his homeland, the struggle for the ocean was no less than that for land, and a bluewater navy was the ambition of every country.


    While maritime resources were indeed difficult to exploit, they were in no way less abundant than those on land; in this world, he dared not conclude whether there were any mineral deposits beneath the sea¡ªafter all, according to the information currently available, only dragons could produce gemstones and metals.


    But the fishing resources in the sea were absolutely incalculable in their enormity.


    In the Duchy of Sapphire, there were many wastelands, and a severe shortage of labor, not even enough to farm the lands, let alone develop fisheries. Yet a critical issue arose: elves were held in the hands of nobles who could not affect so much of the arable land, resulting in very low agricultural yields.


    Just like Fresh Flower Town, the farmland area was definitely not small, but the population it could support was minimal.


    The fewer the people, the more they were bound by the nobility and the feudal system to the land, helping the nobility to farm, paying large amounts of tax, and supporting the noble¡¯s luxurious life.


    ¡°The development direction of Fresh Flower Town lies in this vast expanse of azure Sea of Azure Waves!¡± Liszt¡¯s heart blazed with fervor.


    As long as there was a nearby fishery, food could be supplied continuously; only when the commoners were well-fed could they work hard to increase the population, and with a larger population, more taxes could be collected.


    With more taxes, his own life could improve!


    Of course, these were not the urgent matters at hand; the development of fisheries could not be separated from ships, and Fresh Flower Town was still some distance away from shipbuilding, not to mention his savings could not buy many ships.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, after inspecting the final stretch of the border, we¡¯ll head back.¡± He flicked his riding whip and the Fire Dragon Horse neighed loudly as it galloped along the sandy beach of the Sea of Azure Waves.


    The sand was a light yellow, clean and clear, with occasional large trees similar to coconut trees growing. The afternoon sun was blocked by them, casting shadows in place after place.


    With a bit of development, it would be a perfect summer resort.


    The beach inspection over, returning to the starting point at the edge of Thorn Ridge, Liszt officially finished his inspection mission of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s territory. The entourage sped along the road back to the castle, where Marcus and the four Retainer Knights paid their respects before taking their leave to their homes in the town.


    The castle was merely a residence for Liszt and his male and female servants.


    ¡°My lord, seeing you return safely puts my heart at ease,¡± Butler Carter greeted Liszt, leading the servants lined up to welcome his return.


    ¡°In my territory, even magical beasts need to behave,¡± Liszt joked, ¡°Mr. Carter, is everything well in the castle?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, Mrs. Morson, please arrange a bath for me, I need to take one.¡±


    ¡°Right away, my lord.¡± Mrs. Morson was almost forty, never married, and had worked at Tulip Castle her entire life, now responsible for all the female servants in Liszt¡¯s castle.


    Speaking of all the female servants, there were actually only three.


    And in the castle, there were a total of only ten servants.


    Butler Carter Taugaun, in charge of all the affairs in the castle, was considered Liszt¡¯s confidant; Housekeeper Morson Paddy Field, in charge of all the female servants, assisted Carter in managing the daily affairs of the castle; Cook Abbie Spoon, responsible for everything in the kitchen.


    There was the personal male servant Servant Thomas Jiandao, ordinary male servant Tom Pigsty, and male servant assistant Jessie Asanobu.


    All the female servants were ordinary female servants, Maisie Xiantou, Debbie Window, and Midgeon Bull Tail.


    There was also one kitchen assistant who was a female servant but was under Cook Abbie¡¯s command, named Eileen Four Fingers.


    Four Fingers, a very strange surname. Perhaps her ancestors had only four fingers, so when it came time to register a surname, that became it¡ªdon¡¯t expect the common people who are illiterate, spend their entire lives in the countryside, and hardly ever travel far to come up with appealing surnames.


    The nobles didn¡¯t allow them to have nice surnames either.


    Once Liszt took off his leather armor with the help of Thomas and went upstairs in casual dress, Butler Carter immediately called out loudly: ¡°Jessie, lead the lord¡¯s Fire Dragon Horse away, and remember to add extra beans when feeding it, it has been tired all day. Mrs. Abbie, head to the kitchen to prepare dinner; tonight, we should add an extra portion of roast meat for the lord. Mrs. Morson, remember to lead the female servants to prepare bath water for the lord; Tom still has to go to town to fetch water; Thomas, you must clean the lord¡¯s leather armor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter!¡± the servants responded.


    ¡°`


    Carter nodded in satisfaction.


    Although the castle was small, the servants were few, and life was slightly lacking, he was the steward here, managing all the everyday affairs of the castle and a capable assistant to the master.


    He liked this sense of comfort and power.


    ¡­


    The temperature of the bathwater was just right. Although they were not as skilled as the maids in Tulip Castle, with Mrs. Morson directing them, these newly-indentured maids had already adapted well to their work.


    Liszt lay in the bathtub, enjoying the sensation of the warm water soaking his body.


    He had not been without thoughts of establishing equality for all, to let the people of this world feel the light of a civilized society¡¯s democracy. But he was soberly aware that these servants¡¯ survival depended on being subordinates to the nobility, sheltering under the nobility¡¯s wings to live on.


    Without the job and status of a servant, returning to the fields, their lives would likely be even more miserable.


    Serfs and freemen starved to death in no small numbers each year.


    In the castle, as long as one didn¡¯t encounter a perverse landlord, at least one had no worries of food and shelter. Once one managed to strive to the level of steward, that was the highest status a commoner could aspire to.


    ¡°Who would have thought that one day, I, Liszt, would also have so many people depending on me for their lives.¡±


    His thoughts drifted.


    He began to be lost in thought and soon, serpent script made of smoke appeared before his eyes.


    The serpent script had changed, no longer displaying the previous passage, but new text: ¡°Complete the quest, reward: sublimation of Dou Qi.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s heart was thrilled, ready to receive his reward, but then he suddenly discovered he did not know how to collect it. Just as he was about to investigate where to claim his reward from, the serpent script in front of him dispersed into a cloud of smoke and quickly formed a new piece of content.


    ¡°Quest: A serious crisis has occurred in Peanut Hamlet within the territory. A vast expanse of peanut fields has undergone an unknown mutation. The planters are at a loss and facing a reduction in yield. As a landlord, it¡¯s your duty to resolve the issue. Reward: An Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, a new quest, the reward is an Elf Bug, that¡¯s a good thing!¡± Liszt first rejoiced, then followed by frustration, ¡°But what about the reward for the previous quest? Where is the sublimation of Dou Qi, who can tell me how to claim that reward?¡±


    At that moment, Liszt was utterly fretful.


    He sensed his own Dou Qi, which showed no change at all. He fussed over it until the bathwater cooled, yet he still hadn¡¯t received the quest reward.


    He seriously began to suspect that he was truly having hallucinations.


    The smoke did not exist at all.


    Dressed, he stepped out of the bathroom with a dark expression, causing Servant Thomas, waiting outside, to begin to wildly speculate.


    ¡°Master, you don¡¯t look well, is it possible that¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, go attend to your tasks. I¡¯m going to the study to read for a while.¡± Once in the study, Liszt wanted to calm himself and read a book.


    But his mind was a mess, and he couldn¡¯t calm down at all.


    He simply changed into another set of training clothes and began to practice in the castle¡¯s small garden. He was learning ¡°Basic Dou Qi,¡± the most widely circulated Primary Dou Qi Manuscript. Aside from some tailored Dou Qi Manuscripts of big families, this was the best foundational manuscript.


    Primary Dou Qi was but a breath, only for strengthening the body and health.


    Having completed a set of movements and vented the frustrations he could not express elsewhere, he finally felt a bit better, and his emotions gradually stabilized. Just then, a breeze blew by, and suddenly, Liszt¡¯s eyes shone brightly, as if an idea flashed through his mind that he managed to grasp.


    Immediately after, he once again performed all the training movements of ¡°Basic Dou Qi.¡±


    When this performance was over, all the Primary Dou Qi within his body seemed to reach a critical point, starting a transformation. It surged out from invisible channels and poured into every cell of his limbs and body.


    ¡°The sublimation of Dou Qi!¡±


    ¡°So it was here waiting for me!¡±

 Chapter 8 - Chapter 0008: Earth Knight Liszt

    Chapter 0008: Earth Knight Liszt


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°`


    In his body, there seemed to occur a tumultuous storm, with boiling strength pulsating through his limbs and every part of him. The balanced and tranquil Primary Dou Qi had already surged into his cells.


    It seemed to undergo metamorphosis within the cells, and when the new Dou Qi returned to the meridians, it had completely transformed.


    The reborn Dou Qi had become Intermediate Dou Qi, possessing a unique attribute; Liszt stood quietly in the little garden, motionless. His heart felt as if flowers were in furious bloom; he tried hard to suppress his excitement and experience the nature of the freshly emerged Intermediate Dou Qi¡ªhis mission was indeed real and had brought about the sublimation of his Dou Qi.


    He had now, truly become an Earth Knight!


    For the cultivation of Dou Qi, this was a brand-new starting point; it was only as an Earth Knight that one represented truly extraordinary power.


    ¡°So my Dou Qi attribute is fire, huh? It¡¯s a bit conflicting with the Water Attribute of ¡®Thousand Waves¡¯; it looks like I need to prepare a new Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript¡­ I thought I would awaken the same Water Attribute Dou Qi as the Tulip Family.¡±


    Water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, ice, light, dark.


    And gold, as represented by dragons, and wood, as represented by elves¡ªall are natures of magical power.


    There is no superiority among these attributes; they are merely different aspects of power. However, ever since before they had received the Earldom, the Tulip Family had been studying Water-Attribute Dou Qi. Their family¡¯s ¡®Thousand Waves¡¯ is also a top-tier Water-Attribute Dou Qi Manuscript, containing vast insights and experiences from their cultivation.


    Descendants who practice it could accomplish more with less effort.


    But Liszt was not suited to cultivate ¡®Thousand Waves¡¯ now; forcing it would be counterproductive.


    Fire Attribute Dou Qi would naturally be more fitting for the practice of fire attribute manuscripts.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus has a Wind Attribute and cultivates the ¡®Gale Breaker¡¯ manuscript, which also doesn¡¯t match my attribute. Let me think, when I was at the Knight Academy, I came across a ¡®Flaming Wave¡¯¡­ In a few days, I¡¯ll arrange for Teacher Marcus to make a trip back to Coral City to fetch it for me.¡±


    During this initial stage, the Intermediate Dou Qi needs to be nurtured and stabilized, so there¡¯s no rush to cultivate from the manuscript.


    In fact, Liszt is not eager for a boost in strength. Indeed, nobles have to go to battlefields, but Coral Island, far from the mainland, sees little strife. As the third son of an Earl, nobles on Coral Island wouldn¡¯t dare to trouble him, thus he can develop in peace.


    Besides, even if one cultivates to great strength, in a hundred years, it will all be but a handful of yellow soil.


    To live as a stable landlord, enjoying the service of servants, is good. The dirty work of fighting and killing can be left to the subordinates.


    ¡°Of course, being promoted to an Earth Knight is still something to be excited about. This means I¡¯m less likely to fall ill and my resistance to severe cold and scorching heat has greatly strengthened! In this world, what could be more fortunate than being healthy and living a long life?¡±


    He exhaled a deep breath.


    Liszt¡¯s emotions, once stirred with excitement, now began to settle, and he turned to walk towards the castle.


    His personal servant hurried over, looking for something to attend to: ¡°Master, you have just finished your knight¡¯s training, do you need fresh bathwater prepared?¡±


    ¡°Would that be too troublesome?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, serving you is our honor.¡±


    ¡°Okay, prepare another bath then.¡±


    ¡­


    Dinner time.


    Marcus and Goltai arrived as promised.


    ¡°Liszt, you look even healthier now, it seems you have fully recovered, that¡¯s worth a toast,¡± Goltai lifted his cup, deeply inhaling its scent, for he was as fond of drink as he was of life.


    This was a common malady among nobles.


    Yet, Marcus¡¯s gaze flickered: ¡°Baron, have you¡­ made a breakthrough?¡±


    ¡°Just an hour ago, inspired, I made new progress in my Dou Qi cultivation.¡± Liszt replied with restraint, for after all, making a breakthrough to become an Earth Knight after his sixteenth birthday was nothing to boast of.


    ¡°Congratulations, my lord!¡± Marcus spoke solemnly, his tone changing slightly. He used to address him with ¡°Baron,¡± but now he directly called him ¡°my lord,¡± a welcome change.


    ¡°Wow, this is tremendous news, no wonder when I left the house today, the magpies were bustling and chirping all over town. Liszt, you are truly worthy of being the Earl¡¯s offspring, inheriting the fine lineage of the Tulip Family. You, will inevitably wield power!¡± Goltai burst out exuberantly.


    ¡°Compared to my brother and sister, my talents are not outstanding; I can only make up for it with more diligent cultivation.¡±


    ¡°The fact that you think this way proves that you are equally excellent. Historical figures aren¡¯t always outstanding in their youth. A knight¡¯s creed is to continuously catch up and progress. In you, I see such qualities.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the praise, Teacher Goltai.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, tonight, we must celebrate properly and have a few more drinks.¡± Goltai chuckled, then turned to Butler Carter and said, ¡°Mr. Carter, to celebrate Liszt¡¯s advancement to an Earth Knight, shouldn¡¯t you bring out some fine wine from the castle¡¯s cellar to toast this glorious moment?¡±


    Old Carter had a broad smile on his face, ¡°I think so too, Mr. Goltai.¡±


    But he did not move; to drink or not to drink wine, the decision had to be made by the master of the castle.


    Liszt did not want to dampen the mood and nodded, ¡°Mr. Carter, please bring out a bottle of Crescent Moon Wine and also prepare a pudding for each gentleman and lady.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± Carter turned and left, descending to the wine cellar.


    On his way, he passed the kitchen door and said, ¡°Mrs. Abbie, the lord has granted us, each to have an extra pudding with dinner tonight.¡±


    Abbie¡¤Spoon was a plump woman, and upon hearing the news, she exclaimed loudly, ¡°Butter pudding, oh my, the lord is too generous; there really is no need for this. The maidservants will eat anything, and besides, we don¡¯t have much cream left.¡±


    Kitchen maid Eileen, who was mopping the floor, looked up eagerly, ¡°Mr. Carter, can the kitchen maids also get an extra pudding?¡±


    ¡°Of course, today is a joyous day, as the lord has advanced to an Earth Knight!¡±


    ¡°Oh, heavens, the lord is so great!¡± Abbie exclaimed loudly again, and then she turned and shouted, ¡°Eileen, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and finish mopping, then go to the storeroom and bring over the cream. It¡¯s a big day for the lord; you get to eat the pudding that¡¯s only available on festive days, so let¡¯s get spirited and work hard!¡±


    ¡°Understood, Mrs. Abbie, praise be to the lord.¡±


    ¡­


    Crescent Moon Wine.


    A specialty of Coral Island, harvested during the first new moon of each autumn to make wine.


    Tulip Castle has a grape Minor Elf who grows a variety of grapes, one of which is specifically for winemaking. Although they don¡¯t taste very good when eaten, the wine they produce is sweet and sharp, a top-quality wine that is well-known throughout the Duchy of Sapphire. The Court would purchase a batch every year.


    When Liszt left Tulip Castle, he took a box with him.


    ¡°An aged bottle of Crescent Moon Wine is like an old story gracefully emerging from a deep tunnel of time, subtly telling you what true beauty is, what lasting flavor is,¡± Goltai swayed the crystal wine glass, watching the bright red liquid rise and fall against the crystal wall, speaking poetically.


    Liszt took a small sip.


    To be honest, he didn¡¯t think there was anything particularly enjoyable about wine; he didn¡¯t like any alcohol, preferring only to eat wine-soaked rice. His body, inherited from his previous life, had a certain ability to assess alcohols and could adapt to the taste of various types.


    So, when in Rome, he would have a drink occasionally.


    After all, without high-proof distilled spirits, it was hard to get drunk.


    ¡°By the way, Teacher Goltai, is there a problem with the peanuts from Peanut Hamlet?¡± He suddenly recalled his new mission. His Dou Qi had sublimated, and he was very eager for the new rewards.


    ¡°Hmm, indeed, it seems that this year¡¯s climate hasn¡¯t been very good, and Peanut Hamlet is likely facing a total crop failure. I¡¯ve sent someone to look, and the Peanut Fields are extensively turning yellow. In a few days, they¡¯ll probably die off¡­ Poor serfs, they¡¯ll go hungry before winter even arrives.¡± Goltai spoke pitifully but without a hint of sympathy in his expression.


    Putting down his glass.


    Liszt stated unequivocally, ¡°Tomorrow, come with me to Peanut Hamlet for an on-site inspection, to research how to resolve the crisis.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Chapter 009: The Barren Land of Peanut Hamlet

    Chapter 009: The Barren Land of Peanut Hamlet


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    The date-red Fire Dragon Horse carried the Earth Knight Liszt, across the muddy land, to Peanut Hamlet. Peanut Hamlet was a residential area much smaller than a village, sparsely dotted with seven or eight thatched cottages.


    ¡°What are you dazed about? Seeing Lord Landlord has arrived, why aren¡¯t you kneeling quickly to pay your respects!¡± A clerk from the town energetically knocked on the door of each farming household.


    The residents here were all serfs.


    Emerging from the leaky houses with expressions numbed by the pressures of life, they stood woodenly at their doors, not knowing what to do. Under the loud scolding of the clerk, they knelt one by one on the ground, bowing in the direction of Liszt.


    The actions of the adults were all numb.


    Only a few bare-bottomed children would occasionally lift their heads, observing Liszt with their dirty but bright eyes. Then, they too were slapped down by the heads of adults, kneeling on the ground with their foreheads nearly touching the soil.


    ¡°Who is in charge of Peanut Hamlet?¡± Liszt asked.


    Goltai sat on his own horse, looking as if the matter did not concern him; he did not know who was in charge of Peanut Hamlet. A clerk spoke up: ¡°Replying to the Lord, it is Old George with the limp.¡±


    ¡°Please have him come here.¡±


    The clerk quickly dragged over an old man with a limp and shaky walk. The old man wore patched clothing, and his withered body seemed as if it could snuff out at any moment.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, Old George has arrived,¡± the clerk announced.


    The clerk pushed the old man, seemingly trying to make him quickly pay his respects, but the old man just stood there nervously, woodenly, not knowing what to do.


    Liszt waved his hand to dismiss the clerk and said warmly, ¡°Old George, don¡¯t be nervous. I am Baron Liszt Tulip, the Landlord of Fresh Flower Town. I heard that there¡¯s a problem with the peanuts in Peanut Hamlet. Lead us to the fields to see if we can resolve this issue.¡±


    ¡°Ah, oh, Baron¡­ Lord Landlord¡­¡± Old George stuttered nervously, ¡°I will lead the way right away¡­ thank heavens¡­ Peanut Hamlet is saved¡­ the Lord Landlord has come to save us!¡±


    Stirred with excitement, Old George suddenly walked as if carried by the wind.


    Liszt had inspected the farmland before, but he had only stood outside for a glance; now, he truly took a close look at the farmland. Since the fields belonged to serfs, there were no ridges, and the long-shaped fields were separated only by a trench as a boundary line, with different serfs tending to different crops.


    Nearly ninety percent of the farmland¡¯s yield belonged to the nobility, which is to say, Liszt¡¯s.


    The remaining ten percent was their ration.


    At this moment.


    The peanut fields, which should have been lush green, were patchy with blue and yellow; all the peanuts were withered, sprawled lifelessly on the ground. The land was damp, clearly showing the serfs had not skimped on watering, but watering alone could not bring the peanuts back to life.


    Wiping his tears, Old George said excitedly, ¡°Lord Landlord, we haven¡¯t slacked off at all, watering thrice daily, but the peanuts are still dying. Now, only the field that Archie tends to hasn¡¯t withered, but it¡¯s also struggling, with some leaves beginning to yellow.¡±


    Following the direction Old George pointed, Liszt saw the long field in the center of Peanut Hamlet¡¯s farmland.


    In the middle of the long field was a green area, much healthier looking compared to the surrounding blue and yellow withered peanuts.


    Liszt dismounted, walked into the field, bent over, and plucked a yellowing peanut sprout, ready to observe it closely when Goltai suddenly said, ¡°Liszt, you shouldn¡¯t touch these dirty tasks. These serfs should do whatever is needed.¡± Although a fallen Honored Knight, he still looked down on commoners more than the average noble.


    Liszt paid no attention.


    He continued examining the peanut sprout in his hands, trying to ascertain the cause.


    He was not an agronomist, but he had farmed in his childhood and was not unfamiliar with agriculture. The peanuts of both worlds were similar in some aspects and foreign in others. But he could still discern that the peanut sprout in his hand was malnourished, which was the cause of its current condition.


    ¡°Have you used wood ash or manure to fertilize the fields?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Old George was puzzled, ¡°Lord Landlord, we water the crops, three times a day!¡±


    Liszt asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you use fertilizer?¡±


    Old George was taken aback and then asked in return, ¡°What is fertilizer?¡±


    Not even knowing what fertilizer is¡­ Liszt was at a loss for words, ¡°How do you all grow peanuts then?¡±


    Old George rambled on about their methods, which essentially involved letting wild grasses grow in the fall and winter, burning them off the next year, and then planting peanuts. After planting, the tasks were watering and weeding. Generation after generation had done it this way, resulting in particularly low yields. Only the nobles could use elves to influence plant growth and achieve a bountiful harvest.


    Understanding this, Liszt couldn¡¯t help shaking his head.


    Without spreading fertilizer, even the best soil would become barren after a few plantings. The vast fields before him were almost turning into barren land, no wonder the peanuts were dying¡ªthey were ¡°starving¡± to death.


    However, Liszt soon had a doubt, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they starve to death before, but the peanuts are starving to death now?¡±


    According to Old George, they had been planting this way every year, and apart from droughts and floods, they hadn¡¯t experienced anything like this. Therefore, the nutrient deficiency in the peanut fields likely had another cause.


    ¡°What could it be?¡±


    His gaze turned toward the green patch in the middle of the field, pondering seriously.


    Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind, recalling the reward for the quest¡ªsaving the peanut fields was the task, and the reward was an Elf Bug. Based on the reward he received for his first quest, Liszt felt that the Elf Bug wouldn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere; he would likely find it unexpectedly along the way.


    ¡°Rewarding me an Elf Bug¡­ the peanut fields suffering from malnutrition¡­¡± Staying up, Liszt already had the answer, ¡°Perhaps, the cause of the malnutrition in the peanut fields is the Elf Bug that I am to be rewarded with for the task. Elf Bugs are born from plants, and my Elf Bug should be the Peanut Elf Bug.¡±


    With a wave of his hand, he summoned everyone, ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look in the center of the field.¡±


    The group tiptoed over to the center of the peanut fields, where the peanut seedlings were still fairly robust. Liszt searched his memory; as a child, he had seen Elf Bugs being collected. They were usually found inside a plant¡¯s flower or a new bud, resembling a jade-warm caterpillar.


    Each type of Elf Bug had different patterns.


    He currently owned four Elf Bugs, including a Tulip Spirit Bug, a Thorn Elf Bug, a Millet Elf Bug, and an Alfalfa Elf Bug. Breeding Elf Bugs required coordination with farming, and Goltai was still helping him find suitable fields for breeding the Elf Bugs.


    After searching for a while, Liszt didn¡¯t find a peanut seedling that was gestating an Elf Bug.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably not the right time yet; if the nutrition can¡¯t keep up, this Peanut Bug will probably miscarry,¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help clenching his fist. Elf Bugs represented productivity, and he couldn¡¯t afford to fail this mission.


    With that thought in mind.


    He told everyone, ¡°I think I understand the reason now, Old George; follow my instructions and let¡¯s save this peanut field.¡±


    ¡°Praise to Lord Landlord!¡± Old George cried with joy.


    Goltai asked in surprise, ¡°Liszt, have you really found the problem? Do you even know how to grow peanuts? What caused the peanuts to die?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say just yet; in a few days, we will know,¡± Liszt cautiously refrained from stating the cause, worried that he might have guessed wrong. If there were no little elves, it would be a huge blunder.


    So, the priority was to save the peanut seedlings.

 Chapter 10 - Chapter 0010: The Great Fertilization Battle of the Peanut Fields

    Chapter 0010: The Great Fertilization Battle of the Peanut Fields


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    The fertility of Elf Bugs requires a significant amount of nutrients, and the barren Peanut Fields restricted the development of the Elf Bugs, resulting in all the peanut seedlings around the central part of the field nearly dying from concentrated nutrient deficiency.


    The solution to cure this was simple, fertilizing the Peanut Fields was needed.


    Liszt recalled his knowledge about farming and said to Old George.


    ¡°Old George, I¡¯m entrusting you with a few tasks. First, mobilize the farmers to collect firewood and dead grass everywhere, burn them, and gather the remaining wood ash. Second, get able-bodied farmers to dig pond mud, just the layer at the bottom of the pond. Third, have the children collect feces, regardless of what kind, just pick it up.¡±


    Old George had no questions regarding the orders from Lord Landlord, ¡°Understood, Lord Landlord, Old George will surely carry out your commands.¡±


    After Old George hobbled away.


    Liszt turned to Goltai and said, ¡°Teacher Goltai, I¡¯m guessing the feces collected in Peanut Hamlet won¡¯t be enough. Go to the town and organize it so that all farmers collect feces¡­ Well, let¡¯s do it this way, buy the feces in the name of the Administrative Officer, setting the price at one copper coin per basket.¡±


    Copper coins, silver coins, Gold Coins, and Dragon coins are the universal currencies in this world.


    However, different empires, kingdoms, and grand duchies issue their gold, silver, and copper coins, which all differ from one another. The copper coin mentioned by Liszt is the currency of the Duchy of Sapphire, with which one can buy roughly four loaves of bread, enough to feed an adult for several days.


    A silver coin can exchange for one hundred copper coins, a Gold Coin for one hundred silver coins.


    As for Dragon coins, formally known as Sapphire Dragon coins, they are gemstone coins imbued with the Magic Power of the Grand Duchy¡¯s unique Sapphire Dragon, worth ten thousand Gold Coins, and are magic items in themselves.


    Upon hearing this, Goltai couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°Wow, Liszt, why would you pay such a high price for dirty, lowly feces, which besides stinking and polluting our sense of smell, are worthless.¡±


    ¡°No, feces are very useful. Just carry out the publication, and find a place to accumulate the feces, preferably an uncultivated land away from the upwind,¡± Liszt understood the value of feces well. In the absence of chemical fertilizers and insufficient Elves, the best source of fertilizer for farming was feces.


    As a major landlord who owned all the land in Fresh Flower Town, Liszt had many fields to cultivate, and he needed ample fertilizer. He also disliked the idea of his town¡¯s streets being littered with carelessly disposed of feces and urine, as such conditions were an affront to civility.


    He planned to buy feces long-term for two purposes: to use as compost and for sanitation¡ªpromoting the usage of toilets was not feasible for the time being, so buying feces was the most cost-effective approach.


    ¡°But the price is too high. One copper coin should buy ten baskets, no, twenty baskets,¡± Goltai suggested.


    ¡°Just do as I said, Teacher Goltai,¡± Liszt¡¯s tone carried a hint of sternness.


    With that, Goltai stopped his complaints, spread his hands and said, ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡­


    In those days, the landlord was the authority.


    When Liszt¡¯s orders were given, no one dared to shirk or evade them, so the clerks and farmers were very quick to act, and the pond mud, feces, and wood ash he required were already piled up in Peanut Hamlet.


    ¡°Very well, Old George, now lead the people to mix these materials together then dig a hole next to the root of each peanut seedling, sprinkle some of this mixture in, and bury it. Then water the plants and weed diligently, I believe the peanut seedlings will recover soon.¡±


    Mounted on his Fire Dragon Horse, Liszt cheerfully directed the farmers of Peanut Hamlet to fertilize the Peanut Fields.


    As a landlord, he naturally wouldn¡¯t do the work himself¡ªthe noble system didn¡¯t allow it, and he personally had no desire to.


    The total area of the Peanut Fields in Peanut Hamlet is about one hundred acres, roughly the size of ten soccer fields or seven or eight elementary schools. There are twenty-three farming households in Peanut Hamlet, comprising ninety-two people.


    Ninety-two serfs, excluding children who can¡¯t work, plus the serfs brought in from the town, amounted to one hundred and twenty people, all busily working.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, how many people are there in Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    ¡°Uh, sorry, Liszt, I haven¡¯t been in town long enough to sort that out clearly.¡± Goltai was unclear and turned to ask a clerk, ¡°You¡¯ve lived in the town for many years, do you know how many households there are and the population? Over a thousand people?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord.¡± The clerk shook his head.


    Goltai looked at another clerk.


    This clerk shook his head as well.


    Thus, not a single person in the whole of Fresh Flower Town knew exactly how many people there were. Liszt was speechless. Was Fresh Flower Town a forgotten place? Had the administrative officers of Coral Island never come to conduct a census before? Had the previous Administrative Officer never done a population survey either?


    ¡°We need a thorough census. A landlord who doesn¡¯t even know the population of his own territory is truly speechless.¡±


    Thinking this, he had already ordered, ¡°Teacher Goltai, organize manpower, hurry to arrange the census. I need to know how many households there are in Fresh Flower Town, how many people, the names and family relationships of each person, as well as their occupations, ages, genders, and marital status.¡±


    ¡°This is going to be busy, Liszt. You know, there are too few officials in the town. We have no Finance Officer, no Defense Officer, no Legal Officer, no Diplomatic. In fact, we don¡¯t even have an Administrative Officer. I should be serving as your advisor, not the town¡¯s Administrative Officer.¡±


    In a Noble¡¯s territory, civil officials are basically led by the advisor, who oversees the Administrative Officer, Finance Officer, Defense Officer, Legal Officer, and the Diplomatic.


    The military officer is the Knight Commander, who oversees the Knight Order.


    There was no doubt, Goltai, as a down-and-out Honored Knight, low-level in the feudal system but still a Noble, had followed Liszt here with the intention of becoming an advisor. And the other knight teacher, Marcus, without a doubt, should serve as the Knight Commander¡­ whether Fresh Flower Town could afford to maintain a Knight Order was another matter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Teacher Goltai. Fresh Flower Town is awash with things to be done and my Castle awaits its rise. First manage the town¡¯s affairs for me and complete the census.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t want to immediately delegate advisory powers to Goltai. It wasn¡¯t for fear of being outmaneuvered, but rather because Goltai¡¯s mind was filled with the feudal system and he wasn¡¯t grounded enough to keep up with Liszt¡¯s development plans.


    ¡°Alright then, Liszt. You¡¯ve come of age and have the mindset of a qualified landlord. I heed your command,¡± Goltai saluted with one hand, displaying his Noble breeding, calm and composed.


    ¡­


    For three days in a row, Peanut Hamlet was bustling with the fertilization process, which was a significant agricultural project. The one hundred acres were soon all fertilized with a mix of pond mud, manure, and ashes from plants and trees.


    Especially the central plot of land, which received several times the fertilizer.


    Liszt also came here to direct the operation for three days and when everything was done, all he could do was wait, wait for the Peanut Fields to be improved.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done everything I can, hopefully the task will be completed soon.¡± He wasn¡¯t one to dwell on matters, so once work here was over, he quickly moved on to other estate affairs.


    The most important was the Elf Bug.

 Chapter 11 - Chapter 0011: The Revival of the Peanut and the Gestating Bud

    Chapter 0011: The Revival of the Peanut and the Gestating Bud


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, how is the progress of finding a suitable location to settle the Elf Bugs? They have been asleep for a month, and I hope to revive them soon, rather than let them waste their potential.¡±


    Elf Bugs are a kind of magical creature.


    They can recognize an owner; just a bite on a finger and a drop of blood as an inducement are needed to form a magic contract¡ªthey are the spirits of nature, the essence of plants, and the messengers of magic.


    Planting their Cordyceps would affect the growth of the surrounding plants.


    Cordyceps are the plant body that nurtures Elf Bugs and can be considered an essential magic treasure belonging to the Elf Bugs. They can store and release energy. They can be planted as well as enter dormancy.


    The growth of Cordyceps is the growth of the Elf Bugs.


    If the Cordyceps die, the Elf Bugs will also die.


    Now, the Cordyceps is inside the stomachs of four Elf Bugs, lacking nutrient supply, the Elf Bugs can only sleep soundly. This not only wastes productivity but also delays the possibility of the Elf Bugs¡¯ evolution¡ªwithout absorbing any nutrients and without influencing the growth of crops, none of the Elf Bugs can evolve into Little Minor Elves just by sleeping.


    Although the hope is slight.


    Liszt still wanted to try and see if his Elf Bugs could evolve into Little Minor Elves.


    Goltai answered, ¡°Alfalfa Bugs are suitable for planting on the dairy farm, where there¡¯s a large pasture. Replacing the grass with alfalfa should work; Millet Bugs are hard to find a suitable place for, as Fresh Flower Town primarily grows wheat and no one plants millet; Tulip Bugs should, of course, be planted at Fresh Flower Farm, even though the place is nearly abandoned¡­ As for Thorn Bugs, Liszt, you know they¡¯re of little value.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether they have value, what I need is for them to have a field of their own, to grow!¡±


    ¡°I can start planting alfalfa and tulips first. The lazy serfs should get to work, but Liszt, I need more hands. The clerks are all lazy fellows, they simply can¡¯t get anything done!¡±


    ¡°You may conscript the townspeople at will and have the castle pay their wages.¡±


    ¡°Good heavens, the castle is paying wages? You really are a generous Lord Landlord. But there¡¯s hardly anyone in Fresh Flower Town who can read, and you still want me to organize a census. They can¡¯t even write their own names, I can assure you, they won¡¯t get anything done, you can¡¯t expect much from the commoners.¡±


    This was a problem.


    Fresh Flower Town had no school, there was no education here, and illiterate people serving as officials was truly unreliable.


    ¡°So, Teacher Goltai, do you know any literate people willing to settle in Fresh Flower Town? So long as they¡¯re willing to serve as officials, I can pay them wages, at least twice that of officials in other towns¡­ My castle should still have quite a few Gold Coins.¡±


    No matter how unpopular, Liszt was the son of an Earl, and he had received a substantial amount of Gold Coins when he came of age and was granted his inheritance.


    Goltai fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his words: ¡°Liszt, I can see you have big ambitions for Fresh Flower Town. I also do know some unrecognized but educated individuals. However, as your family tutor, I must remind you, Fresh Flower Town is already struggling to support one Landlord, and bringing in more people might be too much to bear.¡±


    ¡°I understand that, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it; feel free to invite them all,¡± Liszt said easily. With the right talent, he could create wealth.


    In his view, Fresh Flower Town was an unexploited virgin land.


    Although it was difficult to become wealthy through farming without Elves, means to create wealth weren¡¯t limited to just farming.


    At the same time, a voice in his heart said, ¡°I have the Smoke Mission, my personal golden finger; maybe it could bring me even more wealth!¡±


    As they were discussing these matters,


    Butler Carter knocked and entered, ¡°Sir, Old George from Peanut Hamlet seeks an audience with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°He said, the peanuts in Peanut Hamlet magically revived to lush green overnight. The central field that you specifically instructed to look after even has a peanut plant with a very large bud,¡±


    ¡°Really, let him come in,¡± Liszt was very surprised.


    He had just fertilized the fields, and he had not expected the Peanut Fields to recover so quickly. The urge to find a place to be alone and check if the Smoke Mission had been updated was nearly overwhelming.


    By the time Old George entered the castle with anxious, tiptoe steps, Liszt had already regained his composure, ¡°Old George, tell me in detail about Peanut Hamlet.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Lord Landlord¡­ Your great radiance¡­ shines upon every corner of Peanut Hamlet¡­¡±


    Just as Carter reported, Peanut Hamlet turned lush green overnight, and one of the peanut plants underwent a mutation, sprouting a very large bud. The serfs could not contain their joy. Ignoring his limp, Old George ran like the wind, panting heavily as he sought an audience with the landlord. His formerly numb and desperate gaze had been replaced by hope.


    Goltai had already figured it out, his mouth agape, ¡°Oh my, Liszt, this¡­ could it be that a¡­ a Peanut Bug has been bred in the Peanut Fields?¡±


    Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°Quite possibly.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, Liszt, you truly are a noble blessed by heaven! Who would have thought that such a remote and small town like Fresh Flower Town could breed an Elf Bug; it¡¯s simply incredible!¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s unbelievable or not, we¡¯ll know once we see it. Mr. Carter, prepare a horse for me, I¡¯m going to Peanut Hamlet.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    At the castle gates.


    Liszt and Goltai each mounted their steeds, while Carter inquired, ¡°My lord, your Retainer Knights have not yet arrived. Shall we wait a bit?¡±


    Thomas stepped forward, as if wanting to say something, but didn¡¯t dare to speak out.


    Liszt noticed and glanced over at Thomas and Old George, then said, ¡°Thomas will ride with me, and yes, take Old George along too.¡±


    Like hearing celestial music, Thomas trembled with excitement, ¡°Thomas is at your service, my lord!¡±


    This was the first time Thomas was allowed to attend to his lord closely on an outing. A personal valet¡¯s closeness, synonymous with being a constant companion, is the heart and soul of a noble¡¯s entourage. Many valets to the great Nobles were indeed Knights who had fought shoulder to shoulder with them on the battlefield.


    Four men, three horses.


    The Fire Dragon Horse took the lead, galloping swiftly to Peanut Hamlet.


    Looking out, the Peanut Fields that were yellow and wilted the day before were now a lush green, all the peanut sprouts stretching out their leaves.


    It was spring, and it was not yet the blooming season.


    Yet, in the middle of the field, the largest peanut plant had a fist-sized bud on its stem above the root, about to bloom. Its tender lush green was extraordinarily heartwarming.


    ¡°This truly is the bud of an Elf Bug, heaven¡¯s blessing, Liszt, Fresh Flower Town is a land favored by heaven!¡± Goltai exclaimed, somewhat exaggeratedly.


    Liszt was actually very excited inside, but his face still bore the noble¡¯s composure and a gentle smile, ¡°The Elf Bug plays a crucial role in the agriculture of Fresh Flower Town, which is why this Peanut Field must be protected. Old George, you and the farmers must assign someone to guard it every day.¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, Old George would guard it even without eating or drinking!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go without food and drink; take turns standing guard,¡± Liszt said to Thomas behind him, ¡°Tell my Retainer Knights on your way back that I need one of them to be stationed in Peanut Hamlet every day to guard the Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±

 Chapter 12 - Chapter 0012: Census in Fresh Flower Town

    Chapter 0012: Census in Fresh Flower Town


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    The Elf Bug had not yet been bred, and Liszt couldn¡¯t possibly wait here foolishly. After arranging for people to stand guard, he returned to the castle. Fresh Flower Town¡¯s only contact with the outside world was a road that traversed Thorn Ridge, and there were few travelers.


    Only when the Earl came to collect taxes would caravans accompany the Knight Squad.


    Now that Fresh Flower Town had become Liszt¡¯s territory, no one came to collect taxes, and caravans were probably reluctant to come. Therefore, there would be no one coveting the Elf Bug.


    As for the residents of Fresh Flower Town, even less so dared to entertain the thought.


    The Elf Bug was a darling of nature; it would only enter into a master-servant pact with humans possessing magic power¡ªperhaps Magical Beasts could as well, but they had no such intentions.


    Magic power referred to Dou Qi and magic; they appeared different but were essentially the same.


    In Fresh Flower Town, only three people possessed magic power: Liszt, Marcus, and Goltai. Both Marcus and Goltai were well-known figures on Coral Island; even if they stole the Elf Bug, they couldn¡¯t escape. On Coral Island, nobody dared to touch anything belonging to the Tulip Family, and Liszt was a member of the Tulip Family.


    Therefore, there was no need to worry about the safety of the Peanut Elf Bug.


    He arrived at his study, closed the door, and concentrated for a moment, waiting for the smoke to appear. After repeated probing, he had completely mastered the pattern of the smoke¡¯s appearance; he just needed to calm his mind, and then he would see it.


    Sure enough.


    One minute later.


    Twisted Serpent Script appeared before his eyes.


    ¡°Complete the mission, and be rewarded with one Peanut Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°Just as I thought, the Peanut Little Minor Elf is the reward for a previous mission¡­ This Smoke Mission that appeared out of nowhere seems unable to conjure rewards from nothing; the rewards are things that exist in reality or are about to happen¡­ The sublimation of Dou Qi must be due to my own accumulated efforts, and the Peanut Bug is something that should emerge naturally.¡±


    However, without the Smoke Mission, those rewards would probably be wasted.


    He estimated he would still be an Apprentice Knight, and the Peanut Bug would also quietly die.


    At this moment, the twisted Smoke Serpent Script showed new content.


    ¡°Mission: As the Landlord of the territory, how can you not know the population of your subjects? Please conduct a census to understand the basic situation of the residents. Reward: A new Tulip species.¡±


    ¡°A census? Isn¡¯t that precisely what I plan to do? It seems the Smoke Mission updates content based on my actual situation¡­ A new Tulip species, what does that mean? Is it going to give me a Magic Potion?¡± Liszt guessed.


    The Tulip Family¡¯s growth was due to the Tulip.


    The Tulip was not merely a flower, it was also a Magic Potion¡ªa magical ingredient. Magic Potions were crucial auxiliary materials for cultivating magic and Dou Qi. The Magic Potion from the Tulip, as Liszt recalled, the highest-priced one could sell for a hefty sum of ten Gold Coins.


    A new variety of Tulip, if it produced a Magic Potion, would undoubtedly be a powerful tool for economic revitalization.


    Even if it weren¡¯t a Magic Potion, contributing it to Tulip Castle, allowing the Tulip Great Elf to assimilate it, would also enhance the Greater Elf¡¯s potential for evolution and development.


    ¡°Well, then, next up is to push the census strongly! A small town with at most a couple thousand people¡ªwhat¡¯s so troublesome about it? Goltai is truly disappointing. If all else fails, I¡¯ll supervise it myself.¡±


    A couple thousand people were not much more than the size of a school in Liszt¡¯s hometown. Having served as president of the student body in his school, Liszt had great trust in his own abilities.


    ¡­


    But for Goltai, it was an immensely difficult task.


    He asked the previous administrative officer during the handover, a knight dispatched by the earl, about his duties in Fresh Flower Town. The knight had done only one thing¡ªcollected taxes.


    The knight didn¡¯t concern himself with anything else, and hardly ever visited Fresh Flower Town himself; instead, he had one of his retainer knights manage on his behalf.


    The retainer knight here did likewise only one thing¡ªcollected taxes and nothing more.


    The taxes from Fresh Flower Town included peanuts, milk, wheat, barley, oats, tomatoes, and tulips. Coral Island¡¯s Count would collect taxes every three months, taking away the majority of the scant agricultural output from Fresh Flower Town. Once the knight finished collecting taxes, he wouldn¡¯t bother with Fresh Flower Town anymore.


    Poor and remote, it lacked the prosperity and enjoyment of Coral City.


    Thus, Goltai sat in the dilapidated administrative room of the small town, looking at his mere four clerks and six patrol members, and felt that completing a population census was an impossible task.


    ¡°None of you have ever read a book, recognized a single character? There¡¯s not a single literate person in the whole town?¡±


    A clerk said embarrassedly, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no school in the town, and we¡¯ve never left it¡­¡±


    A patrol member with a bright red, wine-stained nose said, ¡°Perhaps the old tanner can read. He came from another island. I saw a book in his house, so thick and large. I even flipped through it¡ªit had pictures of little figures. But the old tanner gave me a beating. He¡¯s blind, stitches shoes very firmly, and is also tough at hitting people.¡±


    A blind man, Goltai didn¡¯t even think about it and disregarded the old tanner.


    Since there was no one who could read, all he could say was, ¡°You must at least know how to count, so each of you go to a hamlet and bring me the number of households and people!¡±


    This should have been a simple task, but after a day had passed and the clerks and patrol members returned to report, Goltai felt like going mad.


    He scolded loudly, ¡°What, Peanut Hamlet has 18 households and 56 people? Mr. Teacup, are you jesting with me!¡±


    Mr. Teacup, whose full name was David Teacup, was one of the clerks, and his face twisted with dilemma, ¡°Sir, I didn¡¯t, uh, I counted several times, not sure if it¡¯s correct, but each time the numbers were different.¡±


    Peanut Hamlet had 23 households and 92 people, a figure Goltai personally tallied when Liszt came to aid the Peanut Fields.


    He really couldn¡¯t fathom how David Teacup could have counted 18 households and 56 people.


    No need to think about it.


    The numbers for the other hamlets were surely made up as well.


    Realizing this, Goltai waved his hand in resignation, ¡°Alright, no more reporting, keep the numbers for your own amusement. Bring over my Mare Qian, I need to see Baron Liszt at the castle.¡±


    Riding his horse to the castle, Goltai exaggeratedly complained to Liszt, ¡°You have no idea. Those clerks and patrol members can¡¯t even properly count from one to ten! It¡¯s impossible to rely on them to complete the census. Liszt, I¡¯ve already written the letter, just waiting to send it; maybe we can wait for them to arrive before conducting the population census.¡±


    ¡°And when would that be?¡±


    ¡°No need to rush, Liszt, we have plenty of time, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°I cannot wait,¡± Liszt tapped his fingers on the table, ¡°Mr. Carter, who in the castle can read and write?¡±


    Mr. Carter bowed slightly and said, ¡°My lord, I can write letters and read books, Thomas can as well, and I think Mrs. Morson should be able to.¡±


    ¡°Then, please ask Mrs. Morson and Thomas to come over, and call over Teacher Marcus and my four retainer knights as well. I remember they all can write.¡±


    Once everyone had arrived, Liszt announced publicly, ¡°Now, let¡¯s set aside whatever we¡¯re working on and help me with the population census of Fresh Flower Town. Each person will be responsible for one hamlet: the town, Mushroom Hamlet, Peanut Hamlet, Tomato Hamlet, Barley Hamlet, Little Wheat Village, Fresh Flower Farm, and the dairy farm.¡±

 Chapter 13 - Chapter 0013 Black Tulip

    Chapter 0013 Black Tulip


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Hurry up, hurry up, damn fool, dilly-dallying, are you looking to die! The Lord Landlord wants to take a census of your family, quick, put on your clothes, and bring your wife and children with you, assemble in the clearing ahead, if one person is missing, mind I break your legs!¡±


    The patrolling member slapped the thatched cottage door, brandishing his authority as he bellowed into the house.


    Soon, the entire population of Barley Hamlet emerged from their houses, assembling in the clearing amid the scolding of the patrol members.


    They whispered to each other in twos and threes.


    They occasionally looked up at the table in the middle of the clearing, where a forty-year-old woman in a tidy dark green dress was sorting through a stack of thick parchment. Behind the woman was a young maid, helping to dissolve the ink in the tea canister.


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°Never seen her before.¡±


    ¡°Idiot, she must be a maid from the castle!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right, look at her clothes, they are definitely pressed, only the Lord Landlord¡¯s maids wear such tidy and clean outfits, unlike us, stinking and wrinkled.¡±


    ¡°What does the Lord Landlord want to do? I heard the lapdog say, a census¡­ What was it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a population census.¡± An elderly serf chewed on some kind of plant root, ¡°Ten years ago, the Earl sent someone to conduct a census, back then our Barley Hamlet had¡­ had¡­ had so many serf families, many more people than now, oh dear, the big snow seven years ago starved many people to death.¡±


    In front of the table.


    The patrol members, who were previously brimming with bravado, were now nodding and bowing as they said to the two maids, ¡°Mrs. Morson, Miss Midgeon, all the serfs of Barley Hamlet are assembled.¡±


    ¡°I am not a miss, I am just a maid in the castle.¡± Actually, Midgeon Bull Tail was pleased with the title of miss. She smiled and asked, ¡°Is everyone here? Make sure not to miss anyone, otherwise the Lord Landlord will punish us, you included.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course, I can guarantee, they would not dare to hide.¡±


    Mrs. Morson nodded, ¡°Then go on, have them come one household at a time, once their census is done they can go straight home, no need to come back to register.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    The patrol member then started leading the serf households one by one to the table.


    Mrs. Morson asked according to the items Liszt had prepared beforehand, ¡°Are you the head of the household? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Ho¡­ Hope, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, your full name, including your surname, Mr. Hope.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ okay, my name is Hope Sourwater.¡±


    ¡°So Mr. Sourwater, is your whole family here, all five of you? What is your wife¡¯s name, and what are the names of your two sons and daughter¡­ How old are you, and what is your occupation, what do you do? Is your wife the same? Is your eldest son working yet?¡±


    Quickly, Mrs. Morson finished her questioning and began to record the information on the thick parchment.


    Head of serf household ¨C Hope Sourwater, age 37, barley cultivation, limbs intact; wife ¨C Simon Sourwater, age 34, barley cultivation, limbs intact; eldest son ¨C Rob Sourwater, age 20, oat cultivation, limping; second son ¨C Peter Sourwater, age 17, barley cultivation, limbs intact; daughter ¨C Lily Sourwater, age 15, chicken raising at home, limbs intact.


    Having recorded the information, Mrs. Morson checked it over once more.


    Once certain everything was correct, she said gently, ¡°Mr. Sourwater, ma¡¯am, your family can go back now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ okay.¡±


    This scenario continued for one day, and then stack after stack of thick parchment was delivered to the castle, to Liszt¡¯s desk. With that, the census operation for Fresh Flower Town was declared complete.


    ¡°Liszt, this is truly incredible. Such a difficult task, in your hands, seems so easily resolved. You will make a competent Lord Landlord, for sure,¡± Goltai praised.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, let¡¯s hold off on the praise for now, compile the numbers from each hamlet and summarize them for me.¡±


    ¡°At your service.¡±


    ¡°`


    Perhaps it was Liszt¡¯s decisive actions that put pressure on Goltai, prompting this would-be advisor and follower to uncharacteristically burn the midnight oil, working late into the night by candlelight.


    Early the next morning.


    The compiled statistics had already been laid before Liszt after he finished breakfast and completed his knightly training.


    ¡°My lord, Lord Goltai stayed up all night. His eyes were full of red veins when he delivered the documents,¡± Carter said, holding the thick parchment.


    ¡°Make sure to treat him with good food and drink. A token of appreciation is always necessary. I want Fresh Flower Town to thrive. I don¡¯t want my territory to remain as lifeless as it was in the past.¡±


    Carter looked a bit dazed and took a few seconds to respond, ¡°My lord, I feel as though I am seeing the young and spirited viscount that the Earl was in his youth. In five years, he rose to the rank of earl and established the Tulip Family¡¯s rule over Coral Island. Having you as the landlord is fortunate for all the residents of Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Liszt replied without modesty.


    Quietly flipping through the thick parchment¡ªalthough there were many pages, there wasn¡¯t much content. Even written in minute script with a goose quill, there wasn¡¯t much text to record.


    ¡°Thick parchment is indeed backward.¡±


    ¡°My lord, we don¡¯t have much thick parchment left. This has already used up four-fifths of our stock,¡± Carter informed him.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll find a way to solve this.¡± Papermaking had long been on Liszt¡¯s agenda, just waiting for the right time to tackle it.


    After half an hour, Liszt had fully comprehended all the data from Fresh Flower Town.


    There were a total of eight hamlets.


    In the town¡¯s hamlets, 257 households, 907 people, of which 41 households, 125 people were freemen; the rest were serfs.


    Peanut Hamlet, 23 households, 92 people, all serfs.


    Mushroom Hamlet, 68 households, 211 people, all serfs.


    Tomato Hamlet, 30 households, 152 people, of which 10 households, 28 people were freemen; the rest were serfs.


    Barley Hamlet, 48 households, 155 people, all serfs.


    Little Wheat Village, 101 households, 342 people, all serfs.


    Fresh Flower Farm, 21 households, 54 people, all serfs.


    There was also a dairy farm, 18 households, 60 people, all serfs.


    In total, Fresh Flower Town had 584 households, 1973 people, with just 51 households, 153 people being freemen; the remainder were serfs. At the castle, there were 10 servants, 4 retainer knights, as well as two followers¡ªGoltai, Marcus¡ªand including Liszt himself, 17 people.


    Goltai and Marcus still had families back in Coral City, yet had not brought them over. It could be they were reluctant to come, or they were waiting for some time before making the move.


    Therefore, the total population of Fresh Flower Town was 1990 people.


    The vast majority were engaged in agriculture, growing barley, wheat, oats, tomatoes, mushrooms, peanuts, tulips, and raising dairy cows, as well as a small number of chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, dogs, and sheep.


    Only seven percent of the population was involved in handicraft industries.


    There were tailors¡¯ shops, smithies, carpenters¡¯ shops, bakeries, mills, grocery stores, tanners¡¯ shops, barbershops, and locksmith stores¡ªone of each.


    ¡°The census is detailed enough; this should complete the task,¡± Liszt thought to himself as he pushed away the parchment that emitted a faint stench.


    Just then, old Butler Carter approached: ¡°My lord, great news! The steward from Fresh Flower Farm has come to report a joyous event to you.¡±


    Upon hearing the words ¡°Fresh Flower Farm,¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up, and he knew it was probably the reward for the task, ¡°Where is he? Bring him here¡­ What¡¯s the good news?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a previously unseen Black Tulip, my lord. I¡¯ll bring him over right away.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 14 - Chapter 0014 The New Home of the Tulip Spirit Bug

    Chapter 0014 The New Home of the Tulip Spirit Bug


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    Fresh Flower Farm, with a history even longer than Fresh Flower Town.


    It began eighteen years ago, shortly after Li Weiliam Tulip was granted Coral Island, and he led his Knight Order to survey the entire island, discovering a wildflower field here.


    Among the flowers, two new varieties of tulips thrived.


    For the Tulip Family, tulips were their lifeline, so the Earl moved his subjects here to cultivate the tulips. However, due to inconvenient transportation, within a few years, the Earl transplanted the new varieties of tulips to Coral City, and Fresh Flower Farm gradually fell into neglect.


    Today, besides a few tulips, most of the flowers at Fresh Flower Farm had been cleared away to make space for other crops like barley and wheat.


    Therefore, when Liszt arrived, he didn¡¯t see a field of colorful flowers, only lush green wheat seedlings.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, only twenty acres of tulips are left here. The red ones are Saint Dance Tulips, to commemorate your ancestor; the yellow ones are William I Tulips, to honor your supreme glory,¡± said Steward Victor, his hair flecked with white, sighing repeatedly.


    At its zenith, Fresh Flower Farm spanned a vast 800 acres, but now only 200 remained, with 180 of them planted with wheat.


    ¡°They¡¯re not magic potions?¡±


    ¡°Regrettably, they are indeed not magic potions, which is why the Earl seldom harvested the tulips here afterward. But now, they are about to be revitalized. Look there, Lord, right in the tulip field¡ªthat Black Tulip, with its purple-black petals. I¡¯ve never seen it before!¡±


    Liszt looked over, and indeed, that tulip stood out amongst the yellow and red tulips around it, its purple-black color striking.


    It was like a proud black swan, serenely preening its feathers amidst a flock of geese.


    ¡°Is it a magic potion?¡±


    ¡°I do not know, Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°Let me have a look.¡± Liszt parted the ordinary tulips and walked up to the Black Tulip, his fingers touching the purple-black petals. Suddenly, a familiar yet strange scent was perceived by him.


    His eyes suddenly sparkled.


    Liszt showed a satisfied smile, ¡°It is a magic potion!¡±


    Magic potions, magical herbal materials.


    Mysterious magicians casting spells cannot do without the assistance of magic potions; knights practicing Dou Qi cultivation also rely on magic potions for support, as do various magical treasures, which all need magic potions as auxiliary materials to some extent.


    Even though the price of magic potions fluctuates greatly depending on their effects, the cheapest one is worth at least more than one silver coin.


    Liszt had never heard of a magic potion cheaper than a silver coin.


    To possess a kind of magic potion is to possess a vast fortune.


    Now, the Black Tulip grew on Liszt¡¯s territory. Undoubtedly, this wealth belonged to him. According to noble customs and the law, even an Earl had no right to seize a lesser lord¡¯s profits. Loyalty is one thing, interests another; when a lord enfeoffs a vassal, the vassal owns everything in the territory.


    ¡°It seems I have gained not only a fortune but also found a new home for my Tulip Spirit Bug,¡± Liszt took a deep breath, ¡°The Fresh Flower Farm truly should be revitalized!¡±


    He gestured to Victor, the steward, and his own retainer knights, to leave the tulip field.


    He crouched beside the Black Tulip alone.


    Focusing his mind and calming his breath.


    Soon, a faint mist appeared before him, twisting into words.


    ¡°Complete the task, reward a new variety of tulip.¡±


    Then.


    The mist twisted, and the words changed.


    ¡°Task: The decaying Fresh Flower Farm seems to have encountered a turn of fate, the new variety of Black Tulip should take on the duty of revival in conjunction with the Tulip Spirit Bug. Please arrange cordyceps for the Tulip Spirit Bug. Reward: A magical beast cub.¡±


    The task was updated.


    ¡°`


    Easy as pie, it was like receiving a bounty of welfare.


    What caught Liszt¡¯s eye was the reward of a magical beast cub.


    Even the most ordinary low-level magical beast was more powerful than an apprentice knight, capable of challenging an Earth Knight. The Wind Blade Wolf Liszt had encountered before was a low-level magical beast, slightly weaker than Earth Knight Marcus. Some low-level magical beasts could even take on a Sky Knight.


    ¡°I wonder what kind of magical beast cub it will be¡ªwill it be raised or slaughtered?¡± Liszt was full of anticipation.


    ¡­


    ¡°My lord, the Tulip Spirit Bug has been brought.¡± Butler Carter, escorted by the retainer knights, arrived at the Fresh Flower Farm and handed a jade box to Liszt with great care.


    Taking the jade box, Liszt could feel a vibrant little life inside, connected by blood to himself.


    He opened the lid of the box.


    Immediately, he saw a ¡°silkworm baby¡± inside, thicker than a thumb but shorter than an index finger, with pale yellow on its back and green stripes. Compared to a silkworm baby, the Elf Bug was coated in a jade-like sheen that made it look like a wriggling long jade strip, stunningly beautiful.


    At the moment, the Elf Bug lay lazily on the powdered ground jade.


    During the transplant period, the cordyceps inside its stomach could not provide nutrients, so it relied on nibbling jade powder to maintain its vitality. Jade, also known as Magic Jade, was a stone imbued with magic power. Much cheaper than the gemstones produced by dragons but still a rare and precious mineral.


    ¡°Little guy, have you rested enough? It¡¯s time to check out your new home.¡± Liszt extended his index finger.


    Sensing his thoughts, the lazy Tulip Spirit Bug slowly crawled onto his finger and settled in his palm. Its bright black eyes, the size of sesame seeds, looked around restlessly, as if sizing up the new home environment.


    ¡°What a beautiful life indeed; no matter how many times one sees it, it¡¯s never enough.¡± Goltai, who had come to greet them, stared at the Elf Bug and exclaimed loudly.


    As a down-and-out Honored Knight, he had no Elf Bug.


    As a Honored Knight, the lowest tier in the noble hierarchy, one often had land and the more affluent could possibly afford an Elf Bug. But Goltai¡¯s land had long since declined and had been sold by him. Now a knight without a fief, he naturally couldn¡¯t afford an Elf Bug.


    Liszt walked to the center of the Tulip field and gently said, pointing at the Black Tulip, ¡°Little guy, make your home here and plant your cordyceps.¡±


    With their established contract connection, the Elf Bug understood Liszt¡¯s intentions.


    Slowly opening its mouth, it emitted a green light that fell next to the empty space beside the Black Tulip. Following that, a cordyceps took root and sprouted, growing branches and leaves. The green branch tips produced a pale yellow tulip¡ªthat was its cordyceps, capable of affecting the growth of dozens of acres of tulips nearby.


    As an Elf Bug, it could potentially make a tulip season yield twice over.


    And also enhance the quality of the Tulips.


    Liszt placed the Tulip Bug within the flower of its cordyceps; that was its home. It seemed that having spat out the cordyceps and replanted it took a toll on its energy, resting lazily in the flower without moving. Liszt couldn¡¯t help urging it, ¡°Little guy, there are new Black Tulips next door, aren¡¯t you going to taste them?¡±


    Enticed, the Tulip Bug finally crawled out of the flower, along the stem, and continuously climbed upwards until it reached the tip of the leaf.


    Just when it looked about to fall, it raised its head and moved towards the air.


    A faint glow emitted from its underside as if crawling on something transparent, it ¡°climbed¡± toward the cluster of Black Tulip flowers nearby.


    It wriggled its plump body.


    The Tulip Bug sent Liszt a feeling of ¡°excitement¡± and then started rolling around within the purple-black flowers¡ªthis was assimilation.


    It signified the Tulip Bug beginning to gather the ¡°pheromones¡± of the Black Tulip, exerting its abilities on the Black Tulip.


    Of course, Liszt preferred to think that the Tulip Bug was collecting different genes to perfect itself.


    Once it had gathered enough, it would have the chance to evolve.


    At Tulip Castle, there were three Tulip Bugs that evolved into Tulip Lesser Spirits by this method. One was given to Liszt¡¯s sister, Li Vera. In Liszt¡¯s memory, he envied, resented, and felt jealous of her, and even more so when he was conferred the title of Baron¡ªbecause he didn¡¯t receive a Lesser Spirit.

 Chapter 15 - Chapter 0015: Marcus and the Sneak Attacking Wild Dog

    Chapter 0015: Marcus and the Sneak Attacking Wild Dog


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    Once the Tulip Spirit Bug completes its assimilation, it can be returned to the Jade Box and kept inside the Castle¡ªwhat¡¯s more, there¡¯s no need to feed it Jade Powder anymore; the Cordyceps can absorb nutrients on its own to sustain the Spirit Bug.


    The process should take about a day.


    Back at the Castle.


    Liszt began to write letters.


    He unfolded a thick piece of parchment and, dipping the quill in ink, began to trace Serpent Script. With no telephone and no fax, he could only use the most primitive method of letter-writing to communicate.


    He planned to write to the Coral Island¡¯s Count and the Falcon Town Baron, his father and sister respectively.


    The Earl had one Tulip Greater Elf and one Tulip Lesser Spirit, as well as several Tulip Spirit Bugs, while the Baron had a Tulip Lesser Spirit. This meant that the Black Tulips on Liszt¡¯s land were vitally important to the Elves, and both the Earl and the Baron would be willing to pay a price to assimilate this new variety.


    Here, let alone brothers settling accounts, even fathers and sons must do the same.


    ¡°By taking advantage of this assimilation opportunity, perhaps I could obtain a Spirit Bug from the Earl; from the Baron¡¯s side, a batch of living supplies.¡± He had already decided what he wanted to trade for.


    Elves were the primary source of productivity, and he must not let slip any opportunity to obtain them.


    Next came the shortage of living supplies¡ª in reality, the Castle was lacking in everything. Liszt was not a person who lived an ascetic life; he enjoyed his comforts.


    ¡°Additionally, I can speak with the Earl about the cultivation and sale of Black Tulips as a specialty item. Black Tulips can only be grown on my land. However, I can entrust the Earl with the selling rights. Hmm, as for the profits, taking a twenty percent share should be no problem¡­ But to fully propagate the Black Tulips, it will still take a year or two before they can be mass-produced.¡±


    He paused his writing, pondered for a moment, and continued the letter.


    ¡°Maybe I could ask for an advance, no, collect the Earl¡¯s sales agency deposit upfront. I must secure more Gold Coins; it would be hard to develop Fresh Flower Town without start-up capital. Especially the road through Thorn Ridge, a safe and broad path must be cleared; if you want wealth, build the roads first.¡±


    Basically, that was the content.


    Once the two letters were written, Marcus had already arrived. The only person fit to deliver the letters, being an Earth Knight, was Marcus¡ªLiszt had not yet studied the Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript, which left him relatively weak in combat.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, I have two letters here that I need you to deliver for me.¡±


    ¡°At your service,¡± Marcus replied, his tone slightly different. Before Liszt was promoted to Earth Knight, Marcus would probably have just said ¡°Yes,¡± but now it was ¡°At your service.¡±


    Liszt noticed this subtle change, but made no particular response: ¡°Also, I need a copy of an Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript. The ¡®Thousand Waves¡¯ at Tulip Castle is not suitable for me. Please bring me the ¡®Flaming Wave¡¯ from the Knight Academy, and, uh, ask Butler Louis whether Tulip Castle has any other Fire Attribute Dou Qi Manuscripts.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°Rest well tonight, and set off tomorrow. Be careful when crossing Thorn Ridge.¡± Liszt paused, ¡°Your dappled gray horse isn¡¯t outstanding enough; ride my Fire Dragon Horse instead.¡±


    Marcus bowed in gratitude: ¡°Thank you for the offer, but the dappled gray horse has been through battles with me; it¡¯s an old friend with whom I share a mutual understanding. It¡¯s more fitting for a poor knight like me to ride it.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡°If the Baron has no further need of me, I shall take my leave.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Marcus,¡± greeted Tom Pigsty, who was carrying buckets of water when he encountered Marcus leaving the Castle.


    Marcus nodded slightly: ¡°Good day to you.¡±


    Tom was flattered by the acknowledgement. Normally, neither Marcus nor Goltai would say ¡°Good day¡± to him. He was just a manservant who did the heavy chores in the Castle, with perhaps only the stable-boy Jessie Asanobu, who was responsible for feeding the horses, chopping wood, and sweeping dung, and kitchen maid Eileen Four Fingers beneath him in status.


    He wanted to bow to Marcus, but forgot he had buckets on his shoulders. As he bent over, the carrying pole slipped, and half the water spilled from the buckets.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, of course, Mr. Marcus.¡±


    After Marcus rode off, Thomas emerged from somewhere and said, ¡°You really are all thumbs, spilling half the water from both buckets, Mr. Tom Pigsty. Perhaps the lord should have you feed the pigs¡ªthat might suit you better.¡±


    Tom picked up the bucket without looking at Thomas. ¡°I¡¯m going to fetch two more buckets of water.¡±


    He was a head taller than Thomas, but always had the habit of lowering his head.


    Thomas sneered, ¡°Other than fetching water, what can you do? No, you can¡¯t even fetch water properly. You are nothing but a laboring manservant for life! I am the master¡¯s personal servant, and sooner or later, I¡¯ll replace Old Carter and become the butler of the castle! When that time comes, you¡¯ll be the first one I send to feed the pigs.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t, Mr. Carter is the master¡¯s confidant,¡± Tom murmured in defense.


    ¡°Hmph, the master has already allowed me to accompany him on outings and trusts me. I¡¯m young, and I will replace Old Carter sooner or later!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Tom didn¡¯t want to argue anymore and turned away.


    After pouring the water from the bucket into the large tank, maid Debbie Window came over to fetch water. She glanced at Thomas, who was loitering outside the castle, ¡°Tom, is Thomas giving you trouble again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be afraid of him; he¡¯s nothing special. The master will see your hard work.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m not afraid of him. The master is very very kind, he sees my hard work, and so does Mr. Carter,¡± said Tom as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°But thank you, Debbie, do you need help carrying water upstairs?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t it bother you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Mr. Carter has arranged light duties for me.¡±


    ¡°Tom, you really are a good person.¡±


    ¡­


    Early in the morning, Marcus had his breakfast and fed his dapple-gray horse plenty of beans and hay.


    He carefully checked the two letters from Liszt and the five from Goltai, and then glanced at the few words he had written on the thick paper.


    These words were reminders to himself so he wouldn¡¯t forget¡ªLiszt needed the Fire Attribute Dou Qi Manuscript, Old Carter had entrusted him to purchase thick paper, Goltai wanted a box of cigars, Retainer Knight Auden Insole had asked him to buy ointment for scabies, and he needed bowstrings for himself.


    His bowstring had snapped while struggling with Wind Blade Wolf, and he needed a new one.


    Afterward, he cleaned his Knight Spear and One-Handed Sword, counted the feathered arrows in his quiver, and, with everything well prepared, he mounted his horse and left the town, heading towards Thorn Ridge.


    Thorn Ridge was a series of rolling hills.


    In fact, it should be two hills joined together, with one running north-south and the other east-west, and a little path in the middle being the essential route in and out of Fresh Flower Town.


    Within the woods, Magical Beasts roamed.


    However, they were not many, especially in this season when food was abundant, and rarely did the beasts venture out. Thus, the path between the hills was relatively safe, and as an Earth Knight, he did not dread common beasts.


    He had traveled no more than a mile.


    Suddenly, he sensed the presence of a Magical Beast.


    ¡°Why have I encountered a Magical Beast again? Last time it was a Wind Blade Wolf, I really am unlucky!¡± Marcus gripped his Knight Spear, nervously watching the direction from which the Magical Beast¡¯s aura spread.


    After waiting for a moment.


    The Magical Beast did not show itself.


    Marcus narrowed his eyes; a Magical Beast that concealed itself was more dangerous than one that showed itself openly. He patted his dapple-gray horse, pretending to leave to coax the beast into revealing itself.


    He had gone about half a mile farther.


    The Magical Beast trailing him finally grew impatient and took the initiative to attack. A large figure burst out from the woodland beside the path, launching a ferocious attack.


    Marcus, who had been on guard all the way, naturally could not be taken by surprise. Almost simultaneously, he reined his horse around, thrusting his Knight Spear forward in response.


    Then, he discerned the appearance of the Magical Beast¡ªit was a gigantic wild dog.

 Chapter 16 - Chapter 0016: The Rising and Falling of Dog Barks

    Chapter 0016: The Rising and Falling of Dog Barks


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°`


    ¡°Fierce Earth Dog!¡±


    Marcus¡¯s heart lurched, and his Knight Spear trembled.


    But in the next moment, he suddenly found that his Knight Spear had precisely pierced a small bloody hole in the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s body. The ferocious lunge of the Fierce Earth Dog was halted by his spear, and it fell heavily to the ground.


    The Fierce Earth Dog on the ground tried to turn and pounce again.


    But Marcus gave it no chance, discarding the Knight Spear unsuited for close combat, he drew the One-Handed Sword hanging on his horse and hacked wildly at the Fierce Earth Dog.


    The strength of an Earth Knight was astonishing, and even his One-Handed Sword had undergone systematic training.


    For a time, he chopped at the Fierce Earth Dog, even larger than the Wind Blade Wolf, making it howl in chaos, its scattered retaliations completely lacking in technique. And from beginning to end, the Fierce Earth Dog did not use any magic but simply engaged in a melee with Marcus.


    ¡°Why is the most powerful Magical Beast of Thorn Ridge, the Fierce Earth Dog, no different from a common wild beast, so weak?¡± he wondered with a million doubts in his mind.


    But his Longsword did not cease for a moment, and shortly after, the Fierce Earth Dog was severely injured and lay bleeding on the ground.


    Barely hanging on to life.


    Marcus dared not relax, picking up the Knight Spear from the ground and thrusting it toward the throat of the Fierce Earth Dog.


    Pu-chi!


    ¡°Whimper¡­¡±


    The Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s gaze scattered and it breathed its last.


    Pulling out the rope he carried, Marcus skillfully tied it around the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s tail, then mounted his dun horse, speeding back the way he had come. He dared not linger in Thorn Ridge, especially since the blood scent of the Fierce Earth Dog might attract wild beasts, even Magical Beasts.


    According to the laws of the nobles, all produce from the territory belonged to the landlord.


    Therefore, even though Marcus had killed the Fierce Earth Dog, it belonged to Liszt¡¯s property. He sped along and quickly returned to the two-story castle.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus.¡± Karl Ironhammer was on duty; their Retainer Knights needed to guard the castle¡¯s safety.


    ¡°Quick, go inform the Baron, I¡¯ve killed a Magical Beast!¡±


    ¡°What, a Magical Beast!¡±


    Swiftly, the entire castle was stirred, whether Retainer Knights, manservants, maidservants, the butler, or the cook, all followed Liszt to come and see the Magical Beast. Magical Beasts were actually not uncommon, for Tulip Castle had them bred, but in this small place, a Magical Beast was still a rarity.


    Moreover, Magical Beasts were valuable, treasures from head to toe!


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, is this the King of Thorn Ridge, the powerful low-level Magical Beast called the Fierce Earth Dog?¡± asked Liszt, his eyes gleaming with deep thought.


    ¡°It is indeed a Fierce Earth Dog, under normal circumstances, even two of me might not be able to defeat a Fierce Earth Dog, as it can release Earth Attribute magic¡ªRock Spike, which is very difficult to defend against, and upon encountering it one can only flee. But the one I have hunted only used wild beast pounce, it did not use magic even once.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t use magic, what do you think is the reason?¡±


    Marcus had clearly pondered during his wait: ¡°I think, I might have encountered a Female Tyrant Earth Hound that had recently given birth. Looking at its abdomen, shriveled and slack, these are postnatal traits, and it is still in the lactation period. Also, I found many bite marks on its body.¡±


    ¡°Lactation period? Bite marks?¡±


    ¡°Here, here, and here, these are all tooth marks; Baron, do you remember the Wind Blade Wolf we encountered earlier? These tooth marks are starting to heal, they are not very clear, but I think they are from the Wind Blade Wolf.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting¡­¡± Liszt felt suddenly assured, ¡°This Fierce Earth Dog was attacked by Wind Blade Wolves during its pregnancy, it might have won and given birth to its offspring, but the battle drained its strength and magic power, forcing it to rely on its animal instincts to hunt, and then it encountered you, Teacher Marcus?¡±


    ¡°Very likely.¡±


    Liszt suppressed his excitement and calmly said, ¡°In that case, Teacher Marcus, compared to the valuable corpse of the Fierce Earth Dog, I think its offspring are the real treasure. Are you still able to fight? Join me in searching Thorn Ridge to find the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s offspring.¡±


    ¡°I am always ready to fight,¡± Marcus puffed out his chest, then added, ¡°but Thorn Ridge is very dangerous, I alone should go in to search.¡±


    ¡°Together, I am also an Earth Knight.¡±


    ¡°Baron¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, nobles, too, need to fight. Just treat this as a practical knight lesson for me,¡± Liszt declared with righteous fervor.


    ¡°`


    In his heart, however, he thought that with the mission reward lying just over there, how could he be content without claiming it.


    Moreover, the fact that the weakened Fierce Earth Dog survived and attacked Marcus suggested that there were no Magical Beasts over there threatening its life; otherwise, it would have already become a pile of dung.


    No one could stop Liszt¡¯s determination.


    Marcus placed one hand over his chest and respectfully performed a Knight¡¯s salute, expressing his respect for Liszt¡¯s courage.


    The butler, Old Carter, bent at the waist to bow, ¡°My lord, your courage is armored and sharp, and glory shall surely be with you!¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Liszt donned the Magical Beast Leather Armor and mounted his horse with a heroic bearing, ¡°Let¡¯s set out!¡±


    ¡­


    Two Earth Knights followed by four Retainer Knights galloped off, quickly entering the territory of Thorn Ridge. Guided by Marcus, they reached the spot where he first sensed the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Baron, this is the spot where I felt its presence. The Fierce Earth Dog followed me for about a mile from here before it ambushed me.¡±


    ¡°Then, its den must be nearby. Let¡¯s start searching.¡±


    The mounds of earth rose and fell unevenly, and the woods were in disarray.


    The group of six searched for half an hour without finding the den of the Fierce Earth Dog, growing somewhat irritable and disappointed.


    ¡°My lord, perhaps the Fierce Earth Dog only passed through here, its den might not be near here, or it might not even have a den,¡± Karl said.


    But Liszt firmly stated, ¡°I believe its den is around here.¡±


    The confidence in the reward from the Smoke Mission was unyielding; it was his backbone.


    After thinking for a moment, he asked, ¡°Does anyone know what a Fierce Earth Dog sounds like?¡±


    ¡°Fierce Earth Dogs are still dogs; their barks are no different than those of ordinary dogs,¡± Marcus provided the answer.


    ¡°Then, Karl, Rom, Gray, Auden, you four must keep imitating the barking of dogs. If there are any young cubs of the Fierce Earth Dog here, they will definitely respond¡ªthey probably won¡¯t understand what the imitated barks mean and will think it¡¯s their mother calling for them.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡± Marcus agreed.


    So, along with the four Retainer Knights, he imitated a variety of dog barks as they continued to search the area.


    A quarter of an hour later.


    Marcus suddenly raised his hand, ¡°Silence!¡±


    After everyone fell quiet, he made a gesture of listening intently and whispered, ¡°Baron, listen.¡±


    Liszt concentrated his listening, and after a few seconds, he heard a faint ¡°awoo¡± sound amid the unknown bird calls. It was unmistakably a dog¡¯s bark.


    ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, just over there.¡± Marcus signaled to Karl, ¡°Your imitation is the most realistic, now you keep doing it.¡±


    Karl did as instructed.


    Each time he barked, a faint ¡°awoo¡± would respond from not too far away. Following this puzzling conversation, Liszt and the others finally found the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s den, concealed within a thicket of bushes.


    Pushing aside the entrance¡¯s thatch, Marcus carefully pulled out a very small puppy that had not yet opened its eyes.


    He carefully handed the young pup to Liszt, ¡°My lord, this is a young Fierce Earth Dog, a priceless treasure! It hasn¡¯t opened its eyes, and when it does, it will recognize its owner.¡± Not all Magical Beasts recognize an owner, but canine Magical Beasts do exhibit this behavior trait.


    The first thing they see is what they recognize.


    Most of the time, what they see is their mother¡ªperhaps recognizing an owner is in essence identifying a mother.


    Shivering in Liszt¡¯s arms, the puppy occasionally let out a fearful ¡°awoo,¡± evidently frightened by the unfamiliar scent on Liszt, which was not the smell of its mother¡¯s milk.


    ¡°Just hang in there; soon you¡¯ll be able to drink milk again.¡± Liszt smoothed the fuzzy fur of the little milk dog and mounted his horse once more, ¡°Let¡¯s return!¡±

 Chapter 17 - Chapter 0017: Douson and the Dragon Breed Horse

    Chapter 0017: Douson and the Dragon Breed Horse


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°`


    Because of the Fierce Earth Dog incident, Marcus decided to postpone his departure by one day.


    While resting, he told Liszt some precautions about rearing Magical Beasts.


    ¡°Magical Beasts, even if they can recognize an owner, are full of danger. They lack concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, and are prone to unpredictable temperaments. Once they master the use of Magic Power, they might inadvertently harm people. Therefore, Baron, in raising the Fierce Earth Dog cub, you need to actively guide and train it.¡±


    ¡°Like the pack of hunting dogs raised in Tulip Castle?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you must train its obedience from a young age, ensuring that it follows your commands. You also need to constantly deplete its Magic Power so that it expends this energy in training sessions, preventing it from using magic to harm people in normal circumstances. The Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s Rock Spike is a very deadly magic.¡±


    ¡°How long before it can cast magic?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure. However, the magic of Magical Beasts is generally weak before they reach adulthood. The Fierce Earth Dog can probably mature in about a year and a half, which means you have a year and a half to tame it.¡±


    ¡°Very well, I will treat this as a matter of cultivation and persistently train it.¡±


    Marcus was evidently in a good mood. After explaining the precautions, he rarely offered some compliments, ¡°Peanut worms, Magic Potion, Magical Beasts¡ªBaron, you¡¯re going to give everyone on Coral Island quite a surprise.¡±


    Liszt smiled.


    The real surprise was still to come.


    He asked, ¡°How should I deal with the corpse of the Female Tyrant Earth Hound?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you should ask Lord Goltai, who once managed the market trade for Earl, about the value of Magical Beasts. He is the most knowledgeable.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, please invite Teacher Goltai.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    Goltai hurried over and upon seeing the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s corpse, he exclaimed loudly, ¡°Wow, what do I see here? Is this the King of Thorn Ridge¡¯s Fierce Earth Dog? My goodness, it¡¯s a Low-Level Magical Beast, but I feel it emits an aura terrifying like an Intermediate Magical Beast. Marcus, I must admit, you¡¯re one of the top Knights on Coral Island.¡±


    The most powerful knight on Coral Island was doubtlessly Liszt¡¯s father, the Sky Knight, Earl William Lee Tulip, who was also the only knight with Advanced Dou Qi.


    The rest were Earth Knights.


    As for Magical Beasts on Coral Island, it seems that only the southern shallow water beaches are home to an Intermediate Magical Beast¡ªthe Purple Sand Crocodile. The Magical Beasts in other mountains are all Low-Level. The Fierce Earth Dog here in Thorn Ridge is the most powerful among the Low-Level Magical Beasts.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, how should this beast be dealt with?¡± asked Liszt.


    Goltai prodded the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s corpse with his cane. The calf-sized Fierce Earth Dog, with congealed bloodstains all over, looked quite dreadful, ¡°The fur is ruined; otherwise, the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s fur is the most precious, worth at least twenty Gold Coins.¡±


    A Gold Coin is the currency of the Duchy of Sapphire, named in honor of the father by the first Sapphire Duke.


    ¡°It should still be worth some Gold Coins, right?¡±


    ¡°Only as scraps sold as leather. I guess, perhaps a dishonest merchant might be willing to pay five Gold Coins, or a conscientious merchant might offer ten Gold Coins.¡±


    Goltai continued his analysis, ¡°Its meat, I reckon there¡¯s about six hundred pounds. Market price for Magical Beast meat is typically one silver coin per pound. Fierce Earth Dog meat could likely go for two silver coins per pound, totaling twelve Gold Coins. However, Liszt, you should keep it for yourself to eat, as you need to stabilize your own Dou Qi now.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Goltai is quite right. Selling its meat is not profitable; the Castle usually needs to purchase meat from outside anyway,¡± Carter interjected, serving as the trusted Butler, he could participate in such discussions.


    ¡°Aside from the fur and meat, all that remains are the bones and internal organs. The organs of Magical Beasts can be sold to those stealthy magicians. I know where to find some magicians; they always like to acquire Magical Beast organs and all sorts of mysterious herbs and plants, difficult to say how many Gold Coins. As for the bones, they make good soup.¡±


    At this point, Goltai chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s a pity it¡¯s a bitch. If it had been a male dog, wow, that would have been a great tonic.¡±


    ¡°`


    The difference between a male dog and a female dog is whether it has a penis or not.


    Liszt said, ¡°Then let¡¯s skin the Fierce Earth Dog, tan the hide, and find time to sell it. Clean the innards as well, pickle them, Teacher Goltai, are there any magicians on Coral Island?¡±


    ¡°It seems there aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s keep the innards for ourselves to eat in the castle.¡±


    ¡°Haha, we¡¯re all in for a treat then, praise the generous Baron Liszt!¡±


    ¡­


    Night fell.


    A small barbecue party was held in the castle.


    The servants, Retainer Knights, together with the host Liszt, and two teachers enjoyed the delicious barbecued meat and chatted about the finer things in life.


    Liszt actually didn¡¯t like such lively occasions very much; he was intrinsically a quiet person.


    However, life in the castle was such that most castles were gloomy and living there for a long time could become very oppressive, so it was necessary to find opportunities for release, and parties were the best chance for that.


    After having their fill of food and drink.


    The servants began cleaning up the messy knives, forks, cutlery, and wine glasses, while Liszt went upstairs, heading straight for the originally vacant entertainment room. The entertainment room had been turned into a den for the young Fierce Earth Dog pup. The little puppy was being raised there until it opened its eyes, to ensure that the first person it saw was Liszt.


    So feeding and bathing had to be done by Liszt himself.


    The little puppy shivered, so Liszt named it ¡°Douson.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Douson, time for milk.¡± Liszt brought the cowhide bag filled with cow¡¯s milk to Douson¡¯s mouth, its mouth was specially cut in a certain shape.


    Smelling the milk, the desire to feed overcame the fear of the unfamiliar scent, and Douson quickly crawled over, fumbled for the mouth of the bag, and then gulped it down.


    Despite being only as big as a Teddy dog, it ate with the vigor characteristic of a Magical Beast, gobbling down its food.


    In the blink of an eye, Douson had finished a whole bag of milk.


    And with that bag of milk.


    Douson became familiar with Liszt¡¯s scent, and now when Liszt stroked its fur, not only did Douson not hide, but it also rubbed its head against his palm, showing affection. To the unknowing, it really seemed like Liszt had just raised a common earth dog, not the King of Thorn Ridge, the Magical Beast Tyrant Earth Hound.


    ¡°When will you open your eyes?¡±


    As if hearing Liszt¡¯s words, Douson made a soft ¡°wah¡± sound from its mouth.


    Liszt was slightly lost in thought as a wisp of smoke again appeared before his eyes, quickly transforming into a piece of text: ¡°Mission completed, reward: a Fierce Earth Dog pup.¡±


    ¡°Sure enough, Douson is the reward, I¡¯ve already figured out the mechanism behind the Smoke Missions.¡± he thought to himself.


    The Serpent Script in the smoke in front of him had already changed.


    ¡°Mission: As an Earth Knight, you are tasked with the heavy responsibility of leading a cavalry charge. Please train with an Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript to become a true Knight fit for battle. Reward: one Dragon Breed Horse with a trace of dragon blood.¡±


    ¡°Dragon Breed Horse?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up.

 Chapter 18 - Chapter 0018: One in 2.5 Billion Probability

    Chapter 0018: One in 2.5 Billion Probability


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    Dragon Breed Horse.


    Liszt was by no means unfamiliar with it.


    Because his biological father, Earl William Lee of Coral Island, currently served as the Court Equerry at the court, tending to the Sapphire Duke¡¯s beloved steeds, one of which was a divine horse mixed with the bloodline of a dragon.


    This world had dragons.


    Not the divine dragons of the East, nor the evil dragons of the West, but an unparalleled essence of heaven and earth. These dragons essentially had no gender differentiation and would not mate to produce offspring. However, just as they could produce gemstones and metals, they could also infect other species with the dragon bloodline.


    Some enthusiasts, based on rarity, had classified dragons, elves, and magical beasts.


    The most precious, of course, were dragons, a symbol of a country.


    The next most precious were Dragon Elves, a sign of power for the great nobility.


    The next most precious were Greater Elves, a sign of power for the medium nobility.


    Then the precious ones were Dragon Breed Magic Beasts, magical beasts mixed with the dragon bloodline.


    Then the precious ones were Little Minor Elves, a sign of power for the petty nobility.


    Continuing precious were Dragon Breed Beasts, ordinary animals mixed with the dragon bloodline.


    The last precious ones were Elf Bugs, representing the foundation of the productive capacity.


    Actually, there was another type of elf, equally as precious as dragons¡ªthe Elf King, the legendary evolutionary endpoint of Dragon Elves. Its body, the cordyceps, was boundlessly large. A single tree could breed an entire forest, and numerous magical beasts, elves, and even dragons would live on its body of the cordyceps.


    However, most people treated the Elf King as a legend.


    An Elf Bug might evolve into a Little Minor Elf with one success among dozens; a Little Minor Elf might evolve into a Greater Elf with one success among hundreds; a Greater Elf might evolve into a Dragon Elf with one success among hundreds; as for a Dragon Elf evolving into an Elf King, that had never been heard of.


    In his boredom, Liszt had done calculations on the probabilities.


    He assumed the probability of an Elf Bug evolving upwards was 1/50, for a Little Minor Elf it was 1/100, for a Greater Elf it was 1/500, and for a Dragon Elf it was 1/1,000. Therefore, the probability of an Elf Bug evolving into an Elf King was 1/2,500,000,000, one in two and a half billion.


    A one in two and a half billion chance, nearly zero, no wonder no one had ever seen an Elf King.


    Looking at the Smoke Serpent Script before him.


    Liszt felt his heart igniting with excitement once again. A Dragon Breed Horse was theoretically even more precious than an Elf Bug. Perhaps in terms of prowess, a Dragon Breed Horse might not be able to defeat any magical beast, as it had no magic. But as a rare specimen of the dragon bloodline, its price would not be low.


    In this world, anything related to dragons was highly sought after.


    Moreover, the bloodline of dragons would enhance the capabilities of the species. A nag mixed with the dragon bloodline instantly became a steed of exceptional quality.


    A Dragon Breed Horse was undoubtedly an excellent breed of warhorse.


    Why did the Sapphire Duke treasure his Dragon Breed Horse so much, and even the Earl of Coral Island competed for the chance to look after it? It was because that Dragon Breed Horse was none other than the Blue Blood Treasure Horse, the standard mount for the elite Blueblood Knight Order which boasted a history of two hundred and forty years.


    The Blueblood Knight Order fought battles far and wide for the Sapphire Family, earning great military merits, thanks in no small part to their Blue Blood Treasure Horses.


    Of course, the Sapphire Duke would ride a Blue Blood Treasure Horse, to draw the Knight Order closer to him, demonstrating solidarity with his knights.


    ¡°A Dragon Breed Horse, eh? If I had a Dragon Breed Horse and bred them, could I not also establish a Knight Order as elite as the Blueblood Knight Order?¡±


    The thought alone was very exciting.


    However, in Fresh Flower Town, only Liszt, Marcus, and Goltai had Dou Qi. Even if he were given a whole group of Dragon Breed Horses, there would be no shadow of a Knight Order.


    The journey is significant and the path is long.


    A moment later, he came back to his senses, the smoke serpent script before his eyes had disappeared. Looking at Douson, who had returned to his nest to sleep, he suddenly felt that the Knight Order was too far away, but living a life where he could ride dragon breed horses, lead magical beast dogs, and go hunting everywhere was still easily attainable.


    ¡°Tomorrow, Marcus will return to Coral City, and he also needs to go to Falcon Town, so he¡¯ll be back in about three days. Then, I will be able to cultivate with the Dou Qi Manuscript and complete the task.¡± Liszt stood up and left the entertainment room.


    ¡­


    Marcus once again left Fresh Flower Town.


    Liszt wouldn¡¯t just wait around in the castle. Once he had fully recovered, he couldn¡¯t sit still. First thing in the morning, he arrived at Fresh Flower Farm, where the tulip bugs on the black tulips were nearly finished with assimilation.


    ¡°It should take about two more hours.¡± After checking on the tulip bugs, Liszt mounted his horse and headed straight for Peanut Hamlet, where his peanut bugs were still breeding.


    Karl Ironhammer was standing guard there: ¡°My lord!¡±


    ¡°How are my peanut bugs doing?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still sleeping. Old George brings people to water it with lots of manure every day, the peanut cordyceps are growing very well.¡±


    ¡°Strictly protect the peanut bugs, I don¡¯t want anything to happen to them.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord!¡±


    Leaving Peanut Hamlet and returning to Fresh Flower Farm, after waiting half an hour, the tulip bugs successfully completed assimilation. Retrieving the tulip bugs, Liszt could feel their joy and a new breath on them, which was the aura of the black tulips, indicating that the tulip bugs could now affect the black tulips.


    From birth, Tulip Castle had arranged for all elf bugs to assimilate as many compatible varieties as possible to increase their strength.


    Liszt¡¯s own tulip bug had already assimilated all the varieties of tulips planted by the Tulip Family.


    ¡°Having assimilated the black tulip, why do I feel that the tulip bug is a bit ¡®agitated¡¯? Could it be thinking about evolving?¡± A bold thought crossed his mind.


    He quickly dismissed it.


    The tulip bug he obtained was one of the weaker ones among the Tulip Family¡¯s tulip bugs, so the likelihood of it evolving was extremely low.


    A new variety of magic potion was not enough to make it evolve.


    Having retrieved the tulip bug, he handed it over to Butler Carter for care¡ªthe cordyceps had been planted, and elf bugs, even without eating or drinking, would not die; they were easy to take care of.


    Liszt soon joined Goltai and went to the dairy farm.


    ¡°We have a lot of alfalfa seeds, and I plan to start here by gradually removing the two-leaf clovers and planting alfalfa. Once we scale up, we will be able to plant alfalfa cordyceps, the cows will also adapt to the new forage, and we can concentrate on leading the horses here for feeding.¡±


    Cordyceps must be surrounded by the same variety of plants; otherwise, they cannot absorb nutrients and will wither.


    The cultivation of alfalfa cordyceps was easy to solve, and Liszt had nothing to add: ¡°Let¡¯s implement Teacher Goltai¡¯s plan, but how have you decided to arrange the millet bugs and thorn bugs?¡±


    ¡°For the millet bugs, I plan to first clear a piece of wasteland and plant millet to see if it can survive. As for the thorn bugs, we can only try to make it work in the thorn forest of Thorn Ridge. Liszt, I don¡¯t think thorn bugs are very useful.¡±


    Thorns are a small, spiky shrub.


    They are often used for fences. Many nobles like to plant a circle of thorns around their estates as a green hedge. Liszt also felt that thorn bugs weren¡¯t very useful; at most, they could cultivate a spiked hedge for the castle to protect the estate from small animals¡ªAs for magical beasts, a single wind blade from a Wind Blade Wolf could chop down a large swath of thorns.


    The fire dragon horse leisurely ate the two-leaf clovers.


    Liszt, looking at the few skinny cows not far away, said, ¡°Regardless, elf bugs are a vital productive force, and we must find the right place for them to grow.¡±

 Chapter 19 - Chapter 0019 The Long Taro Family of Red Crab Island

    Chapter 0019 The Long Taro Family of Red Crab Island


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    The milk produced by the dairy farm was a rare luxury in Fresh Flower Town. Originally, the milk from the dairy farm was used to produce milk powder, and every three months, it was given to Coral Island¡¯s Count as a form of taxation.


    After Liszt arrived, the milk was sent to the castle daily.


    There were a total of ten dairy cows.


    Among them, three were not yet two years old and had not started producing milk yet; two old dairy cows were no longer able to produce milk; one male dairy cow was also unable to produce milk; only four adult female dairy cows could produce some milk daily. It was unclear whether the breed of dairy cows was not up to par or if their diet wasn¡¯t good enough, but their milk production was very low.


    ¡°Dahua, at her peak milk production, could be milked three times a day and produce 20 kilograms of fresh milk; Little Hua, during the off-peak period for milk, could only yield 4 kilograms per day; Dahei was also in the off-peak period, at 5 kilograms a day; Dahuang was currently in the dry period,¡± the steward, an old man, said. He wasn¡¯t very old, but his back was bent, and he looked quite aged.


    Liszt approached one of the dairy cows, which was very docile and eating grass slowly.


    ¡°Will you continue to raise the cows that can¡¯t produce milk?¡±


    ¡°Zhuangzhuang needs to ensure that all the female dairy cows can conceive, so we must keep it. Little Hua, Little Black, and Little Yellow are still young and won¡¯t be able to conceive and produce milk until next year. Old Hua and Old Black have already aged, and we have reported to Lord Landlord that they can be slaughtered for meat at any time,¡± the old steward said respectfully.


    Little Hua, Little Black, and Little Yellow are the names of the underage dairy cows.


    Little Hua, Little Black are the names of the newly adult dairy cows.


    Dahua, Dahei, Dahuang are the names of the adult dairy cows.


    Old Hua, Old Black are the names of the elderly dairy cows.


    Zhuangzhuang is the name of the male dairy cow.


    Liszt recalled that Butler Carter had mentioned to him some time ago that there were two old dairy cows on the farm that could be slaughtered for meat at any time. Feeding a cow that could not produce milk for an extra day was equivalent to wasting food for an extra day. Usually, they would be slaughtered immediately¡ªit was ruthless to think that dairy cows that had produced milk their whole lives had to contribute their meat in old age.


    Since the castle wasn¡¯t hosting any large banquets at the moment and the meat supplies brought in were still sufficient, the two old dairy cows continued to be raised on the dairy farm.


    ¡°Is the farm¡¯s pasture enough for the dairy cows to eat?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, we only have ten dairy cows, but we have 150 acres of pasture.¡±


    ¡°Old Steward, how many acres of pasture do you think are enough to sustain ten dairy cows?¡±


    ¡°Reporting to Lord Landlord, a dairy cow needs ten acres of pasture to be sustained. However, we often take the dairy cows out to the wild fields to graze, so only eight acres of pasture are actually needed to sustain one.¡±


    ¡°Eight acres per cow, ten cows need eighty acres. Well then, Teacher Goltai, start by clearing seventy acres of two-leaf clover and replanting it with alfalfa,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°No problem, leave it to me,¡± Goltai assured, patting his chest.


    Goltai had started to feel some sense of crisis due to Liszt¡¯s decisive and swift approach during the population census project, and his work attitude had finally become more serious. He realized that Liszt was not the type of noble who was ostentatious and indulgent but rather one who was pragmatic and down to earth. To gain power, he would have to change his style.


    ¡­


    Feed Douson.


    Inspect for peanut worms.


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the third day was a rainy one.


    It was deep into spring, and summer had not yet arrived. The rain was as precious as oil, and agricultural production in all the hamlets was busily moving forward. The seeds for the alfalfa grass had been sown, and cornfields were marked out from the wilderness in preparation for cultivation. There was still no progress with Thorn Forest; they had to wait for Marcus to return from Thorn Ridge to search.


    The fourth day.


    After having lunch in the castle, Butler Carter hurried into the study, ¡°Master, Mr. Marcus has returned and is waiting outside the castle for your summons.¡±


    ¡°Please have him come in.¡±


    ¡°Baron, Mr. Marcus sends his regards!¡± The travel-worn Marcus arrived with the two Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscripts Liszt had been expecting.


    One was the familiar ¡°Flaming Wave¡±, and the other was the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± obtained from Tulip Castle.


    After receiving the two manuscripts, Liszt turned to ask, ¡°Teacher Marcus, what was the response from the Earl and Baron to my letters?¡±


    ¡°Here are the replies from the Earl and Baron, and also the ten Naldas exchanged for the Fierce Earth Dog pelts.¡±


    ¡°Please take a seat, Teacher Marcus; I will read the letters first.¡±


    The first one he opened was the reply from Coral Island¡¯s Count. The letter was brief due to the thick papyrus not allowing for many words. Li Weiliam Tulip replied to Liszt, prepared to send someone soon to complete the assimilation of the Black Tulip and to discuss the sale of it as well.


    He also promised to purchase a batch of scarce supplies for Liszt as a deposit for the transaction.


    The other was the reply from the Baron of Falcon Town. Li Vera replied to Liszt, congratulating him on discovering a new variety of Tulips and would accompany the Earl to exchange supplies for the right of assimilation.


    The replies were official and courteous.


    Lacking the warmth of kinship, the relationship between the three siblings, who had lost their mother, the First Lady of the Earl, had gradually grown cold. The Earl, disheartened by Liszt¡¯s appearance, had become even more detached.


    ¡°But that¡¯s also good, I can accept this kind of lukewarm emotion. Being too affectionate, on the other hand, I cannot stand,¡± Liszt reflected with slight emotion after reading the letters.


    Putting down the letters.


    Liszt spoke gently, ¡°Thank you for your efforts, Teacher Marcus. Did you encounter anything new on your journey?¡±


    ¡°Coral Island is as tranquil as ever, and there¡¯s no war in the Grand Duchy. However, there is something that might be considered news¡ªit¡¯s regarding the maternal clan of the Baron.¡±


    ¡°My maternal clan?¡±


    Liszt had almost forgotten that his mother came from a family just as noble and inquired, ¡°What happened at Long Taro Castle?¡±


    ¡°The Lord of Long Taro Castle, the Marquis of Red Crab Island, has resigned from his post as Captain of the Court Fleet due to illness and has returned to Red Crab Island. The Earl is preparing to send someone to visit, and it¡¯s likely this will be discussed with the Baron when the envoy arrives to assimilate the Black Tulip.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Liszt searched through the host¡¯s memories, recalling Long Taro Castle in his mind.


    The Grand Duchy of Sapphire was an archipelago with many Nobles distributed across its numerous islands, both large and small. Among them was a large island called Red Crab Island, the domain of the Long Taro Family, whose hereditary title was Marquis of Red Crab Island¡ªMerlin Taro, Liszt¡¯s grandfather.


    The surname of the Long Taro family originated from the Greater Elf of Long Taro they possessed.


    They lived in Long Taro Castle, a fortress far more grand and luxurious than Tulip Castle, splendid and magnificent, perched upon the mountains.


    Marquis Merlin had one son and two daughters: his eldest son, Mesiro; his second daughter, Melinda; and his youngest daughter, Melissa Taro, who was Liszt¡¯s mother.


    When Li Weiliam Tulip was still a Viscount, Marquis Merlin foresaw his potential and married his youngest daughter, Melissa, to the Tulip Family. From this union came Levis, Li Vera, and Liszt. Up till now, Liszt had visited Long Taro Castle every year to celebrate his grandfather¡¯s birthday.


    However, since Li Weiliam remarried to a new Countess, the relation between the Long Taro and Tulip families had gradually become distant.


    But no matter what, Merlin Taro was still Liszt¡¯s grandfather.


    As a descendant, it was proper to visit an ailing grandfather.

 Chapter 20 - Chapter 0020 Peanut Worm and Fire Dragon Assault

    Chapter 0020 Peanut Worm and Fire Dragon Assault


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    After sending off the tired Marcus, Liszt pulled his thoughts from the past. While it was true that a noble¡¯s major responsibility was to expand their connections, and the Long Taro Family was an important resource for him, he was not one for diplomacy. He preferred staying on his land, amusing himself with self-sufficiency.


    ¡°I should first practice the Dou Qi Manuscript and complete the Smoke Mission,¡± he said to himself.


    He first opened ¡°Flaming Wave¡±, which detailed through numerous illustrations and descriptions how to strengthen Fire Attribute Dou Qi and how to channel it for executing powerful moves. ¡°Flaming Wave¡± favored sweeping, expansive attacks, with most techniques radiating outwards like waves; it was a manuscript for area attacks.


    ¡°Area attacks, huh? Good for charging into battle, but isn¡¯t that what my Knight Order is for? I just need to command from the back,¡± he mused.


    With that thought, Liszt opened ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±.


    This manual was for one-on-one combat, with powerful moves designed for single targets, and lacked a bit for charging into battle. However, Liszt quickly decided to train in ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±; compared to going into battle, he was more worried about assassin attacks, and the one-on-one ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± suited him better than the area-focused ¡°Flaming Wave¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s settled then¡­ Once I have the time, I can look into ¡°Flaming Wave¡± as well,¡± he concluded contentedly.


    In this world, there were no divine martial arts secrets; when training in Dou Qi, there were no particularly poor manuals nor especially powerful ones. Everything depended on the individual¡¯s talent and comprehension.


    Extraordinary warriors could emerge from commoners, and descendants of powerful people could become mediocre.


    ¡­


    In the following time, Liszt diligently trained in ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± while waiting for the merchant caravan to arrive.


    Time flew, and three days passed.


    The rain had stopped.


    Good news came one after another.


    The Elf Bugs in Peanut Hamlet were nearly ripe. Retainer Knight Karl Ironhammer excitedly reported, ¡°My lord, the husks of the peanuts have cracked open, revealing pink Elf Bugs inside, about to awaken. They¡¯re starting to quiver.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m on my way!¡± Liszt said.


    By the time Liszt arrived on horseback, the husks had fully bloomed, revealing a chubby Elf Bug, its body glistening like jade, crawling curiously over the cordyceps, filled with boundless curiosity about the world.


    The farmers of Peanut Hamlet gathered around, watching the Elf Bug with both curiosity and anxiety.


    Liszt took out the Jade Powder he carried with him and sprinkled it before the Elf Bug. The bug sniffed at it and quickly began to munch. In no time, it finished the Jade Powder on the leaves and climbed up Liszt¡¯s outstretched finger, following the scent, and nibbled on the powder coated there.


    Then, with a slight pain, the Elf Bug bit through Liszt¡¯s finger.


    In that moment, a spiritual bond formed between Liszt and the Elf Bug¡ªa master-servant contract had been established. Elf Bugs, with their innate magic, naturally carried the ability to form master-servant contracts.


    ¡°Come with me, little guy.¡±


    Liszt cradled the Elf Bug, placed it into the Jade Box, and prepared to take it back to the castle for raising, leaving the cordyceps in Peanut Hamlet.


    ¡°The fifth Elf Bug acquired. With the Elf Bug, a bountiful harvest for Peanut Hamlet is imminent,¡± Liszt thought with a buoyant heart. He couldn¡¯t help but instruct Old George, ¡°Old George, take good care of the Elf Bug cordyceps. Remember to water and fertilize; the more fertilizer you use, the higher the peanut yield.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord, we¡¯ll do exactly as you¡¯ve instructed¡ªregularly watering, weeding, and fertilizing the peanuts!¡±


    With the Elf Bug collected.


    Another piece of good news knocked on the door: the Fierce Earth Dog puppies, raised in the castle, had finally opened their eyes on the seventh day under Liszt¡¯s care. Seeing Liszt at first sight, they yapped and rushed towards him, affectionately nuzzling his pant leg.


    ¡°Douson, from now on, you¡¯ll be living outside the castle,¡± Liszt told the puppy.


    Holding the leash around Douson¡¯s neck, Liszt called for Thomas.


    ¡°My lord.¡±


    ¡°Thomas, I¡¯m giving you a task, take care of Douson for me. By the way, has Douson¡¯s kennel been built yet?¡±


    ¡°It has been completed, my lord.¡± Thomas took the leash, ready to lead Douson to his kennel.


    Though Douson had recognized Liszt as his master, it did not mean he would acknowledge anyone else. When Thomas led him, the barely a month old Fierce Earth Dog pup immediately bared its teeth and growled ¡°woo woo,¡± fiercely pouncing to tear at Thomas¡¯s shoes with considerable wildness.


    Yet, with nothing but little milk teeth, Douson could not bite through Thomas¡¯s shoes,


    ¡°Take good care of it.¡±


    ¡°Please be assured, my lord, I have experience in raising hunting dogs.¡±


    ¡°Fierce Earth Dogs are much more dangerous than hunting dogs. They have the bloodline of magical beasts. But it¡¯s okay; it shouldn¡¯t go mad. When it gets a little bigger, I will train it every day until it is exhausted.¡±


    After arranging a caretaker for Douson,


    Liszt climbed to the castle¡¯s spire and surveyed the barren land several miles around the castle¡ªhe had always neglected that there was actually arable land around the castle but had merely turned a few acres next to the castle into a small garden, letting the rest grow wild with grass.


    ¡°Peanut Hamlet, Tomato Hamlet, Mushroom Hamlet, Barley Hamlet, Little Wheat Village, Dairy Farm, Fresh Flower Farm, as well as the town and the castle. In fact, Fresh Flower Town has nine hamlets, and each must be utilized¡­ But without mechanization, and with less than two thousand people in Fresh Flower Town, it does seem impossible to cultivate so much land, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Machines can tirelessly reclaim land, but human labor is very slow.


    Less than two thousand people to cultivate tens of thousands of acres of land is indeed daunting. Many fields are merely sowed with seeds, left to survive or perish on their own.


    ¡°African agriculture must be like this, right? Population, oh population, only population is the most valuable resource! But where can I get enough people?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit difficult.¡±


    Despite the difficulty, Liszt still had confidence that Fresh Flower Town could grow and prosper. As a transmigrator with a golden finger, if he couldn¡¯t achieve even this, he might as well jump off a building and not disgrace other transmigrators.


    ¡­


    ¡°Fire Dragon Assault!¡±


    In the small garden in front of the castle, Liszt, holding a one-handed sword, executed a move from ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±. A flame suddenly ignited along the blade of the sword, roaring and expanding to a meter wide, like a fan stoking fires, with sparks flying and accompanied by the faint sound of crackling.


    The flame did not truly exist, it was merely the effect of Dou Qi clinging to the one-handed sword.


    Liszt¡¯s fire attribute Dou Qi had an explosive nature.


    Even within the same type of Dou Qi, different properties would be emphasized. Just as with fire attribute Dou Qi, his focused on explosiveness, while others¡¯ might focus on high temperature, intensity of the flames, or refinement.


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯ve mastered the Fire Dragon Assault. Now only the last move is left¡ªHeart of the Fire Dragon Drill. Once mastered, I can claim the reward!¡±


    He felt quite proud in his heart.


    His talent was indeed strong. The ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± was divided into two sets of skills, one that refined the method of circulating Dou Qi, and another consisted of sixteen attack moves. The method of circulating Dou Qi had come easily to Liszt, and now he was learning the sixteen attack moves.


    ¡°Others take at least half a month to learn a manuscript, but here I am, less than a week has passed, and I¡¯m nearly finished.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine the predecessor did not break through to become an Earth Knight before adulthood. Could it be his comprehension was too poor?¡±


    If the physical talent was not poor, then it could only be an issue of comprehension. The Liszt from before adulthood probably just hadn¡¯t had his mental breakthrough. As for the current Liszt, he wouldn¡¯t dare claim to be extraordinarily intelligent, but he was definitely not foolish.


    ¡°Keep studying and strive to master the Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill today.¡±

 Chapter 21 - Chapter 0021: Wild Corn is Delicious

    Chapter 0021: Wild Corn is Delicious


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°¡±¡±


    A set of Dou Qi operation methods, which include how to refine Dou Qi, strengthen Dou Qi, condense Dou Qi, release Dou Qi, and attach Dou Qi. A set of combat techniques comprising sixteen moves.


    Five movements related to body methods: Dragon Charge, Dragon Leap, Dragon Jump, Dragon Flight, Dragon Dive.


    Five basic moves: Fire Dragon Stab, Fire Dragon Crash, Fire Dragon Smash, Fire Dragon Twist, Fire Dragon Drill.


    Five fierce moves: Fire Dragon Tail Swing, Fire Dragon Sweep, Fire Dragon Gust, Fire Dragon Roll, Fire Dragon Assault.


    One ultimate mystery technique: Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill.


    This is the entirety of ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, each move¡¯s name is quite intriguing, as if it¡¯s part of a series with his Fire Dragon Horse mount.


    At this moment.


    Liszt was riding on the back of the Fire Dragon Horse. As the Fire Dragon Horse galloped, his body slightly rose and fell, almost as if he and the horse were one. In his left hand, he held a shield made of fine steel in front of him, partially covering the Fire Dragon Horse. His right hand was stretched out with an over-three-meter-long Knight Spear.


    Near the castle, the grass had been cut away, revealing the yellow soil¡ªthe barren loess land.


    The hooves of the Fire Dragon Horse stepped on the somewhat moist ground, leaving uneven hoofprints, its body turning into a red fiery mass as it rapidly dashed into the distance. On the horse¡¯s back, Liszt, with Dou Qi radiating all around him, attached it to the shield and the Knight Spear, as well as the Fire Dragon Horse.


    Soon, the rider and horse were completely enveloped in flames.


    Accompanied by a loud shout from Liszt, ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡±


    The Fire Dragon Horse leapt high, the Knight Spear thrusted forward fiercely. In an instant, countless merged shadows of the rider and the horse followed the attack, swiftly passing by and striking directly at a huge boulder ahead.


    Earth-shattering blow!


    Boom!


    A man-high boulder was instantly shattered into dust. Flames wildly scattered everywhere, mingling with the debris to fall like raindrops. Once the dust had settled, Liszt, still on the Fire Dragon Horse, had already moved beyond the explosion¡¯s radius. He was ensconced in full body armor, as was the Fire Dragon Horse.


    The full body armor was silver-white, with numerous scratches and black marks on it.


    Lifting the faceplate off his helmet, Liszt¡¯s handsome face emerged, his corners of the mouth slightly curled in a smile as usual, ¡°Not bad for the impact, this move, if it hits, should be able to severely cripple a Fierce Earth Dog or some such Magical Beast.¡±


    Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop.


    The sound of horse hooves grew louder as they approached. Marcus and Goltai, each riding a horse, came galloping over, followed by Liszt¡¯s four Retainer Knights.


    ¡°Oh, God, Liszt, you are truly a genius. I have seen it, is that the ultimate mystery technique of the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill? You¡¯ve learned this entire manuscript in less than a week?¡± Goltai always spoke with a tone of astonishment.


    Marcus circled the scattered debris of rocks, equally amazed, ¡°The impact was very even, not a single piece of debris is larger than a fist, proving you¡¯ve mastered this move. Most Earth Knights would find that very hard to do.¡±


    Having said that, he took a disbelieving look at Liszt.


    In the past, the third son of the Earl¡¯s family was considered an utter waste. He had been well-fed with chicken, fish, meat, eggs, milk, and even tasted Magical Beast Meat, yet his Dou Qi cultivation was inferior even to that of commoner Knights. Unbelievably, after advancing to Earth Knight, in less than a week, he had fully mastered an Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript.


    It made him recall his own time training with the Gale Breaker, which took him a whole month and a half just to master the final ultimate mystery technique.


    His heart was filled with mixed feelings, ¡°Could this be the real difference between commoners and Nobles?¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±


    Liszt handed the shield and the Knight Spear to the Retainer Knights, and while he was at it, he also took off his helmet, breathing in the fresh air, his excitement hadn¡¯t subsided yet, ¡°I originally thought it would take me several months to master ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, but it turned out to be not that difficult. It looks like I can find time to learn ¡°Flaming Wave¡± as well, the more skills, the better.¡±


    ¡°With your talent, you should indeed learn a few more secret tomes, Liszt. I¡¯ve always said that you have your father¡¯s flair, and you will surely bring glory to the Tulip Family in the future.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope your words come true, Teacher Goltai.¡±


    On the way back, Goltai engaged in spirited conversation with Liszt, which was his forte. Marcus, on the other hand, seemed to have his mind wander off, lost in thought.


    It wasn¡¯t until he entered the Castle for dinner and distractedly finished his meal that Liszt saw him out, and he finally snapped back to reality.


    Waiting for Goltai to ride away, humming a tune.


    He looked at Liszt, who still stood at the Castle¡¯s entrance, as if waiting for him to speak, and said in a solemn tone, ¡°Baron, may I know where your sights are set?¡±


    ¡°My sights, you ask¡­¡±


    Liszt thought to himself that Marcus was inquiring whether he had any ambition for achievements. Marcus, who aspired to be a Noble, would naturally not be content to stay coiled up in a small town, following a Baron without great ambitions.


    But Liszt did not answer directly, ¡°Teacher Marcus, for a person, do not listen to what he says, watch what he does. Words spoken can be true or false, but the deeds done are crystal clear, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    All of a sudden, Marcus knelt on one knee, placed his right hand on his chest, and gave a salute of loyalty, ¡°I pledge my service as your vanguard!¡±


    ¡°Please rise, Teacher Marcus. The territory is still fragile; I need you to help me build it up.¡± Liszt calmly helped Marcus to his feet, feeling a great sense of achievement within. To win the loyalty of an Earth Knight, that was personal charisma.


    Back in the Castle.


    After taking a bath.


    He saw the Smoke Serpent Script again, ¡°Task completed, reward one horse with a trace of Dragon Breed lineage.¡±


    Shortly, the smoke twisted, and a new task was issued, ¡°Task: The fresh and tender Alfalfa is favored not only by dairy cows but also by horses. It is the foundation for starting a horse farm and the first step toward building achievements. Please arrange for Cordyceps for the Alfalfa Bug. Reward: Three wild corn plants.¡±


    Upon reading the Serpent Script, Liszt was quite excited.


    The Dragon Breed Horse had already arrived, though he did not yet know where or who had discovered it; he planned to go find it the very next morning. However, right now, he was thrilled not by the Dragon Breed Horse but by the reward of corn for the new task.


    This world did not have corn as a crop, at least not on Coral Island, and there was no memory of any corn-related plants in his predecessor¡¯s recollections.


    ¡°Corn, such a high-yield crop, said to have the highest per-acre yield in the world, right? And it doesn¡¯t need much tending; just plant it, and it grows by itself. It is even said to be a divine plant, naturally C4 with easy male sterility, and in the future, corn will dominate the world of grains. In ¡°Interstellar¡±, the nearly extinct human race grew only corn.¡±


    Having farmed in his childhood, Liszt knew corn had a high yield, though its taste wasn¡¯t as good as wheat or rice.


    But here, it didn¡¯t need to taste the best, as long as it could fill stomachs, it would be the best crop. The wheat yield in Fresh Flower Town was only a couple of hundred pounds per acre. Once corn was planted, even if it didn¡¯t produce thousands of pounds per acre, as long as the yield exceeded five hundred pounds, it could sustain a larger population, ensuring no worries about food and clothing.


    When that time comes.


    Widely planting corn to provide rough cornmeal for the common folk. Planting a small amount of wheat to provide fine wheat flour for oneself, wouldn¡¯t that be delightful?

 Chapter 22 - Chapter 0022: The Nearly Castrated Li Dragon Horse

    Chapter 0022: The Nearly Castrated Li Dragon Horse


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    Before Liszt could give the order to search for the dragon breed horse, Goltai, who was responsible for changing the alfalfa on the dairy farm, hurried to the castle early in the morning.


    ¡°Liszt, great news has arrived! The newly planted alfalfa has sprouted and is growing quite nicely. Most importantly, a wild horse has somehow been attracted by it and is eating the alfalfa. That wild horse is extremely majestic, oh, even more robust and tall than your Fire Dragon Horse!¡±


    ¡°Summon Teacher Marcus, and let¡¯s head over to the dairy farm together to have a look at this wild horse. Having eaten the alfalfa grass, it should be ready to trade itself for its board, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, its board fee will be itself, haha.¡±


    Everything on the estate belongs to the landlord; without a doubt, this wild horse is Liszt¡¯s private property.


    The group quickly arrived at the dairy farm, and indeed, there was a black wild horse leisurely eating the newly sprouted alfalfa in the pasture that should have belonged to the dairy cows. The wild horse was tall and shiny with a majestic form, and its muscles were visibly striated.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, you are an expert in judging horses, what do you think of this wild horse?¡±


    The wild horse had already spotted Liszt and the others but seemed to be quite bold; seeing that they did not approach, it lowered its head again and continued to graze leisurely.


    Marcus¡¯s eyes shone with excitement as he said, ¡°My lord, what an excellent steed! Its bones are fine but the frame is large, and its muscles are beautifully bulging. Its limbs are long, and so are its tendons. The neck is straight and leans forward, and its rump is shapely. Its coat is also very shiny, indicating it has no ailments. Most importantly, its gaze is sharp!¡±


    ¡°How does it compare to the Blue Blood Treasure Horse?¡±


    ¡°I apologize, my lord, I have not seen a Blue Blood Treasure Horse. The best horse I have seen is the Earl¡¯s Panther, which is said to have a blend of the Magical Beast, the dry tinder leopard¡¯s bloodline. But the Panther is nowhere near as majestic as this wild horse.¡±


    A horse with a white forehead is called a Panther (d¨ª).


    Liszt was certainly familiar with the Panther, the mount of Coral Island¡¯s Count.


    The black wild horse before him had an air that far surpassed the Panther¡¯s; after all, dragons were the most sacred of creatures, and a dragon breed horse was the most respected among horses.


    ¡°How can we capture it?¡±


    Marcus said, ¡°I could flip it with my bare hands, after all, it¡¯s just a horse. However, my lord wishes it to be his mount, so you should subdue it personally. A wild horse only submits to someone who can master it.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t plan to tame the dragon breed horse for himself, he was more eager for the dragon breed horse to become a true stud and breed a herd of dragon breed horses for him.


    But taming a dragon breed wild horse was an interesting thing, and Liszt did not let Marcus do the job for him.


    He approached the wild horse himself.


    As he drew closer, the grazing wild horse immediately became alert, turned around, and glared fiercely at Liszt as if warning him not to cross the line.


    As Liszt kept getting closer, the wild horse finally lost its patience and directly tried to bite him.


    With a twist of his body and good horsemanship, Liszt instantly flipped onto the back of the wild horse. The wild horse, feeling the immense shame of being ridden, frantically thrashed, hopping and jumping around trying to throw Liszt off. But Liszt, holding its neck and with his Dou Qi bursting forth, was not swayed in the least.


    An Earth Knight could withstand a real Magical Beast; let alone a horse.


    Half an hour later, the tired wild horse finally stopped struggling, panting and standing still, allowing Liszt to ride it and command it to move left and right.


    Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Liszt laughed heartily, ¡°A very stubborn fellow, pure black in color, truly not a single hair of a different shade. Let¡¯s just call you Li Dragon.¡±


    A pure black horse is called a Li (l¨ª).


    And with its thin dragon bloodline, being named Li Dragon is quite fitting.


    ¡°Karl, bring some bran cakes.¡± Liszt dismounted; though taming a wild horse was not too challenging, it was indeed very taxing, and he was covered in sweat.


    At that moment, the Fire Dragon Horse also came over; it was a young female.


    While rubbing Li Si Te¡¯s shoulder and with wide-open eyes, he observed the towering Li Dragon Horse next to him. The Li Dragon Horse, however, didn¡¯t even deign to look at the Fire Dragon Horse; it continued to hold its head high, refusing to ingratiate itself with Li Si Te, and still retained a hint of haughtiness.


    Even when Li Si Te took a bran biscuit and fed it to the horse, it did not show any affection.


    ¡°My Lord, the Li Dragon Horse is an adult, and if it is to be raised as a war horse, it would be best to geld him to prevent him from becoming thin during the mating season,¡± said Marcus.


    ¡°Geld him?¡± Li Si Te waved his hand, ¡°That won¡¯t do. I¡¯ve decided the Li Dragon Horse shall serve as a stud to breed a herd for Fresh Flower Town. Such a magnificent steed should not be prevented from propagating its lineage; that would be a tremendous loss.¡±


    ¡°To be a stud horse?¡± Marcus nodded, agreeing with the decision.


    Even though he didn¡¯t know that the Li Dragon Horse was a Dragon Breed Horse, he could still recognize its exceptional qualities. Indeed, it would have been a pity to geld such a horse.


    The Li Dragon Horse, oblivious to the fate it had just avoided, contentedly nibbled on the bran biscuit, returning to its original leisure.


    From time to time, it would graze on the alfalfa grass on the ground.


    Goltai wanted to step forward and touch it but was startled by the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s snort and had to awkwardly change the subject: ¡°Where did the Li Dragon Horse come from, did it walk over from Thorn Ridge?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps there are more Li Dragon Horses in Thorn Ridge¡­ It¡¯s strange to think that there are wild horses on the island,¡± Marcus speculated.


    Horses typically live in vast grasslands.


    With insufficient grasslands on Coral Island for wild horses to live, the natural breeding of wild horses seemed impractical.


    ¡°Maybe they drifted here from another place, or perhaps the horses previously raised by the islanders have gone wild. In any case, it couldn¡¯t have just appeared out of nowhere. Moreover, Li Si Te, I think that perhaps in a few days, more Li Dragon Horses might emerge from Thorn Ridge, and by then, we might truly have a Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡±


    ¡°That would be for the best.¡±


    Li Si Te also had his doubts.


    He didn¡¯t know whether to believe that the Li Dragon Horse naturally lived in this land or if some entity behind the Smoke Mission had conjured up a Li Dragon Horse¡ªhe was inclined to think the Li Dragon Horse had always lived here, and the Smoke Mission was merely a trigger rather than a clumsy creation.


    As for what the Smoke Mission truly was, there was no way to unravel it for the time being.


    He had to suppress his curiosity and leave it for a future resolution.


    Looking at the fresh and tender alfalfa grass forming a beautiful pasture, he suddenly thought of the wasteland outside the castle: ¡°Teacher Goltai, what do you think about planting alfalfa on the wastelands around the castle? We could build a track outside the castle and raise a Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that should be feasible. Why not give it a try?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to Teacher Goltai.¡±


    ¡­


    Li Si Te rode the Li Dragon Horse back to the castle.


    Goltai and Marcus also prepared to return on their own. Along the way, Goltai suddenly asked, ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re now addressing Li Si Te as ¡®My Lord¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like your character, making a decision so quickly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have many choices, Mr. Goltai,¡± Marcus said, looking into the distance where the small castle shone brilliantly in the sunlight, ¡°Besides, don¡¯t you always say that he has the air of an Earl about him? I believe he won¡¯t stay hidden away in Fresh Flower Town, this remote place, forever.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Goltai said noncommittally.

 Chapter 23 - Chapter 0023: The Arriving Convoy

    Chapter 0023: The Arriving Convoy


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    The farmers who were idle at the dairy farm were summoned by Liszt to reclaim the wasteland surrounding the castle and to grow alfalfa.


    Originally, according to Goltai¡¯s opinion, the serfs as landlords, should come to work unconditionally.


    Liszt was not that exploitative, he decided to provide the farmers with three meals a day, whereas commoners usually only had two, hence, people scrambled to come and work.


    He allotted a portion of the surplus wheat bran from the castle, distributing it to the working farmers. Wheat bran is the husk separated from the wheat and in Liszt¡¯s position, only the fine wheat flour was consumed while the bran was typically used to feed horses, yet it was consumed by the commoners. The bran cakes he previously used to feed horses were in fact the food eaten by many farmer families.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that the nutritional value of wheat bran is higher than that of wheat flour,¡± Liszt recalled in his previous life he had bought bran cakes, and the sellers claimed that the bran contained a wealth of dietary fiber and B vitamins that could improve constipation and reduce cholesterol, ¡°but the bran is indeed hard to eat and to digest.¡±


    As a noble, he was not lacking in nutrition, so there was no need to force himself to eat the coarse bran.


    Naturally, nobles ate white bread.


    Here, bread was the absolute staple, and according to different materials and textures, it could be divided into nine grades. Four grades of white bread and five grades of brown bread.


    The highest-quality white bread, made from finely sifted and selected wheat flour, was only something great nobles could afford the wealth, materials, and labor to produce. The price of such white bread was astonishing as well, costing at least several silver coins for one loaf.


    The slightly inferior white bread was made from sifted fine wheat flour, which, due to the removal of coarse particles, had a very fine texture. It usually sold for one silver coin per loaf.


    The next level of white bread was made from unsifted fine wheat flour. The texture was slightly worse, and one silver coin could buy two or three loaves.


    The lowest grade white bread was made from coarse wheat flour; it was simply processed flour that tasted a bit worse, and ten copper coins could buy one loaf. The white bread that Liszt currently ate was of this grade, while the bread eaten in Tulip Castle was of the level above.


    Commoners all ate brown bread.


    The somewhat richer freemen among the commoners could afford the few-copper-coins ¡°bran-removed whole wheat bread¡±; the ¡°whole-wheat bread with bran¡± that sold for one copper coin was probably affordable for ordinary freemen; the serfs ate ¡°mixed brown bread¡± made from wheat flour with the bran unremoved, mixed with other flours, which could buy four large pieces for one copper coin.


    The poorer serfs would either eat ¡°grain brown bread¡± made from ground legumes and other grains, or consume bran cakes made entirely of bran.


    Additionally, Liszt was also aware of another type of brown bread that was commonly made by commoners.


    This brown bread, after fermentation, became extremely hard. Commoners would slice it and use it as plates, or as wedges to stabilize wobbly tables.


    It was said that some of these bread plates could be used for several months.


    ¡°Oh, the wicked feudal society,¡± Liszt lamented with feigned seriousness, pulling back his thoughts, with no intention of overthrowing the nobility system. The ass determines the head; being a noble, enjoying the status granted by the era, it would be absurd to pull oneself off the noble seat.


    Besides, it would be hard to overthrow. Without dragons, without elves, what could be used to break it?


    ¡°My lord, do you need the Fire Dragon Horse brought over?¡± Thomas asked cautiously, always so meticulous in front of Liszt.


    ¡°No need. By the way, Thomas, how is the Li Dragon Horse in the stable, any temper tantrums?¡±


    ¡°The big guy you just tamed, my lord, had been bullying the Fire Dragon Horse all night long, but by this morning, the Fire Dragon Horse could peacefully graze next to it,¡± Thomas reported.


    Liszt nodded, unsurprised.


    Two tigers cannot share one mountain, unless one is male and the other female.


    The Li Dragon Horse was a stallion and the Fire Dragon Horse was a mare; getting along peacefully was only natural. Moreover, it was very likely, the first offspring of the Li Dragon Horses would be born to the Fire Dragon Horse¡ªLiszt had no objections, as the Fire Dragon Horse was also a fine breed, with a blend of the low-level magical beast, the Blazing Steed lineage; the combination of strengths would produce even better offspring.


    No longer paying attention,


    Liszt began to practice the moves from ¡°Flaming Wave¡±.


    Generally, Earth Knights wouldn¡¯t train with a new Dou Qi Manuscript before they had mastered the one that suited them best. Liszt was blessed with quick comprehension; even though he still had a good grasp on ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, he was able to simultaneously practice ¡°Flaming Wave¡±. Unlike the one-on-one combat focus of ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, ¡°Flaming Wave¡± emphasized battle against multiple opponents.


    The moves often involved sweeping the sword across a large area or thrusting the spear into a group.


    Unbeknownst to him, he had become engrossed in his training, his Fire Attribute Dou Qi constantly released, heating the surrounding air to an intense warmth. The power was yet unknown, but at the very least, it looked impressively powerful.


    ¡°Great Fire Wave!¡±


    With one slash of his sword, flames burst forth again.


    He saw Butler Carter approaching him at a brisk pace.


    He involuntarily reined in his Dou Qi and asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°My lord, Jessie just came back from cutting grass for the horses and reported seeing a merchant caravan. I suspect it might be the Earl and the Baron¡¯s entourage arriving,¡± Carter said.


    Liszt¡¯s spirits lifted, ¡°They¡¯ve finally arrived? Please notify the two teachers to join me in welcoming the caravan. I¡¯ll go take a bath and change my clothes first.¡±


    Hurrying upstairs to bathe.


    Before long, Marcus and Goltai had already arrived.


    Located on a slope, the castle provided a good vantage point, from where they could already see the slowly moving caravan approaching from the direction of Thorn Ridge.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, remember to remind me to reorganize the Patrol Team. The caravan arrived without any notice, and I only found out through my servant. This shouldn¡¯t happen,¡± Liszt remarked.


    ¡°The Patrol Team is full of bastards; you need to lend me some Retainer Knights to train them properly,¡± Goltai replied.


    ¡°No problem,¡± said Liszt as he mounted his horse. He didn¡¯t ride a Fire Dragon Horse but instead his newly tamed Li Dragon Horse, a means of self-display. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet the caravan together. My father probably won¡¯t come in person; it might be one of my brothers following the Tulip Great Elf.¡±


    The three of them rode off to meet the caravan.


    Meanwhile, Carter was busy instructing all the servants, ¡°Pull yourselves together and tidy up your clothes; don¡¯t look dirty and disgrace the master! Jessie, I¡¯m talking about you¡ªoh my heavens, your trousers are still muddy. Do you want to embarrass us all? Go and change them immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Carter,¡± the assistant manservant, Jessie Asanobu, with his flaxen hair, hurried back to his room to change his trousers.


    Carter called out again, ¡°Mrs. Morson, inform Mrs. Abbie to get the desserts, teas, and snacks ready. Also, make sure to prepare the ingredients for a lavish banquet as we might have guests whom the master will need to attend to personally.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying there will be Nobles coming?¡±


    ¡°Of course, there will be. As you know, the Black Tulip is very important, and the family¡¯s Elves will come to assimilate. It might be Young Master Levis escorting them, or perhaps Young Master Lidun. Regardless, they are all important people. We can¡¯t let the master lose face, not to mention Thomas¡¯s colleagues.¡±


    Thomas¡¯s colleagues¡ªas in the personal retinues of various Nobles.


    After a flurry of activity, the castle¡¯s entrance soon saw male and female servants lined up under Butler Carter¡¯s supervision, standing on the left and right sides of the gate respectively, waiting to welcome the esteemed guests.

 Chapter 24 - Chapter 0024: The Three Siblings Reunite

    Chapter 0024: The Three Siblings Reunite


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°`


    One, two, three, four, five, six, seven¡­eight, nine, ten, a total of ten carriages, escorted by a troop of knights, made their way along the loess road to the foot of the castle¡¯s hill.


    ¡°Baron!¡±, the leading knight, galloping ahead to Liszt, performed a knight¡¯s salute, ¡°I am escorting the caravan that departed from Tulip Castle, here to trade in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s you, Lord Layden. The journey must have been taxing. Who has come this time?¡± Liszt returned the salute.


    Sir Layden spoke, ¡°The Viscount and the Baron of Falcon Town have both come together.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? My sister came as well.¡±


    In the midst of their exchange, a luxurious carriage climbed up the slope and stopped in front of Liszt and the others. The attending footmen opened the carriage doors on both sides, and a young man and woman, both dressed in noble attire, stepped down.


    The male youth bore a resemblance to Liszt, though he was a bit plainer, with similarly light golden hair and sapphire-colored eyes.


    The female youth also resembled Liszt to a degree, but she was not as fair as Liszt, with light golden hair and sapphire eyes. She was not dressed in noble ladies¡¯ attire but, like the male youth, wore male noble clothing¡ªessential riding attire for going out, similar to a tailcoat but more ornate.


    ¡°My dear brother, lord of Fresh Flower Town, Baron Liszt, look who has come,¡± the young man, who was Levis Tulip, laughed heartily.


    Liszt dismounted and approached Levis, ¡°Brother, I did not expect you to come in person. And my sister, how is the life in Falcon Town?¡±


    Li Vera Tulip raised her slender eyebrows slightly, ¡°Liszt, I can sense it, you¡¯ve become an Earth Knight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was fortunate to have made the breakthrough, although it was somewhat late.¡±


    ¡°It seems that breaking free from the constraints of Tulip Castle and being in the free Fresh Flower Town, you¡¯ve found liberation. Advancing to Earth Knight, discovering new Tulip Magic Potions, I¡¯ve heard that the town has also nurtured an Elf Bug¡­ Your luck is so good it even makes me envious,¡± Levis said, patting Liszt¡¯s shoulder with a smile.


    In reality, the relationship among the siblings was not very good.


    Behind their warm gestures lay the formalities common among nobles¡ªregardless, the three siblings had all become true Noble Sirs and Ladies.


    At that moment, the Li Dragon Horse Liszt was leading suddenly snorted loudly, then bared its teeth and roared at several horses pulling the carriages. Startled, the tall steeds retreated continuously, almost bolting away with the carriages.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Only then did Levis and Li Vera notice the shiny black Li Dragon Horse.


    Li Vera¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°What a magnificent steed, Liszt. Wasn¡¯t your mount a bay mare, a birthday gift from father? From whence comes this fine horse, and might you part with it for your sister?¡±


    ¡°Tamed from Thorn Ridge, I¡¯m sorry, my sister, but I have no intention of selling it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised to be refused, but you rejected so directly, Liszt. You¡¯ve improved since you were a child,¡± Li Vera said, slightly surprised. The Liszt of her childhood had been quite meek and timid before her.


    ¡°People are always changing; I¡¯ve come of age, it¡¯s only natural to make some changes,¡± Liszt beckoned, ¡°It¡¯s too dazzling in the sun outside, please come into the Castle to rest after your long journey. Mr. Carter must have prepared tea and pastries; we can relax and chat over them.¡±


    ¡°Then, Mr. Layden, would you please bring over the Greater Elf and the Little Minor Elves?¡± Levis turned around.


    Quickly Sir Layden approached the carriage, directing several other knights to carry out from within the carriage three exquisitely crafted ¡°boxes¡±¡ªone large and two small.


    The boxes weren¡¯t very large; the biggest one was just the size of a cradle, within which lay a creature as large as a baby. It looked somewhat human, but its body was translucent and shiny, like a colorful, glowing gemstone, with folded wings on its back¡ªthis was the Tulip Family¡¯s most precious possession, the Tulip Great Elf.


    The two smaller boxes each held a Little Minor Elf the size of an adult¡¯s foot, equally beautiful but not as radiant as the Greater Elf.


    The Tulip Greater Elf seemed to be awoken by the knights¡¯ movements, stretched in the box, and then rubbed its eyes as it woke up.


    ¡°`


    Flapping its wings and flying into midair, it had no gender and naturally needed no clothes. Its bright eyes scanned around, and quickly locked onto Levis, ¡°Levis, have we arrived? Where is the Black Tulip?¡± Its voice was sweet, like a little girl speaking.


    ¡°We have arrived, Xiangxiang. This is Fresh Flower Town, and you¡¯ll be able to see the Black Tulip very soon,¡± Levis responded.


    At that moment, the Tulip Great Elf turned to look at Liszt: ¡°Wow, Liszt, long time no see.¡±


    Liszt nodded with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s been almost two months since we last met, Xiangxiang.¡±


    Before he could finish, two Tulip Lesser Spirits also awoke and flew out of the box, circling around the Great Elf while occasionally making ¡°wow¡± sounds¡ªthey had awoken their spiritual intelligence but, being of limited intelligence, they couldn¡¯t speak.


    Leading the elves, they entered the castle.


    ¡­


    The castle¡¯s living room.


    The nobles were seated around the table, while the knight order members without titles were entertained downstairs by Marcus.


    Liszt, Levis, Li Vera, Goltai, Layden, and another Honored Knight named Bruce¡ªsix people in total¡ªtook their seats. Carter directed the servants to continuously serve tea and pastries.


    The cook, Abbie¡¤Spoon, pulled out all the stops; one exquisitely crafted pastry at a time was presented without cease.


    The Tulip Great Elf sat on Levis¡¯s shoulder, swinging its chubby little feet and beginning to squint and doze off again. One Tulip Lesser Spirit lay atop Levis¡¯s head, while another rested on Li Vera¡¯s shoulder. There were also several small jade boxes containing Tulip Spirit Bugs.


    Seeing this scene, Liszt realized, ¡°The Earl must have transferred the care of Great and Lesser Spirits to Levis, or else they would not be so affectionate.¡±


    He felt a great deal of envy.


    No matter how many times he saw them, the elves were so beautiful; it was hard to endure that such beautiful things belonged to someone else!


    But it was inevitable after all, Levis was bound to be the next Earl of Coral Island.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the castle of Fresh Flower Town to be so rudimentary. Liszt, you really should refurbish it properly,¡± Levis casually remarked while sipping his tea.


    Compared to Tulip Castle, this small castle was no different from a commoner¡¯s thatched cottage.


    ¡°I would like to but lack money, manpower, and materials.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring building materials for constructing a castle, but the carriage is loaded with food, drink, and many seeds. After the enfeoffment ceremony, father gave you a lot of food, why do you still need so much nourishment?¡±


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town is even more desolate than I imagined. I need to stockpile some food, otherwise, there may come a day when I¡¯ll truly go hungry,¡± Liszt offered a simple explanation.


    Stockpiling food is always the right decision¡ªhe who gathers food and builds high walls can become a king at leisure, this has been the strategy since ancient times.


    He wanted to develop Fresh Flower Town; without resolving the food issue, there was no point in talking about development.


    ¡°Alright, I think we can discuss these boring topics over dinner. The most important thing now is to see the Black Tulip, my Little Minor Elves can¡¯t wait any longer,¡± Li Vera interrupted.


    Liszt nodded in agreement; he really didn¡¯t want to pretend to be extra cordial.


    Levis and Li Vera probably didn¡¯t have much affection for him, and he felt that they were no different from strangers, ¡°Since sister is in a hurry, let¡¯s go to the Fresh Flower Farm first to assimilate the Black Tulip.¡±

 Chapter 25 - Chapter 0025: What is the Quality of a Knight

    Chapter 0025: What is the Quality of a Knight


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°`


    In the center of Fresh Flower Farm, the Tulip Great Elf, together with a Tulip Lesser Spirit and six Tulip Spirit Bugs, surrounded the Black Tulip to absorb its aura and undergo assimilation.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) stood by, watching the Tulip Great Elf intently.


    In the memories of his previous life, the Great Elf named Xiangxiang was estimated to be over sixty years old; it was just a Little Minor Elf more than two decades ago and had evolved into a Greater Elf during his father¡¯s generation. With Xiangxiang¡¯s help, the Tulip Family rapidly developed, and a vast amount of tulips brought innumerable wealth.


    With that wealth, they built a capable and battle-ready Knight Order, and it was not long before Li Weiliam was titled Earl for his military exploits.


    Coral Island became the family¡¯s domain.


    ¡°Elves¡­ Although I have the memories of my previous life and grew up watching Xiangxiang, no matter how many times I look, it¡¯s never enough. Elves are definitely wondrous things that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world¡­ Unfortunately, it isn¡¯t mine. I have only five Elf Bugs, no, soon there will be six.¡±


    He wrote to the Earl, hoping to trade for an Elf Bug, and the Earl clearly agreed, as Levis brought with him an additional Little Wheat Elf Bug.


    ¡°My dear brother, the Little Wheat Bug Father asked me to pass on to you as a reward for discovering the Tulip Magic Potion,¡± Levis said, taking out a Jade Box and handing it to Liszt.


    ¡°Is this a reward outside of our trade, or within it?¡±


    ¡°Outside of it, haha, Liszt, don¡¯t view us as outsiders.¡± Levis smiled gently, his noble demeanor not much inferior to Liszt¡¯s, ¡°No matter what, we share the Tulip Family¡¯s blood, and whether it¡¯s a Magic Potion or the importance of Tulips, the benefit to the family is immense. Father was very pleased when he heard about it.¡±


    ¡°Then I will accept it, and thank Father for me.¡±


    ¡°Why not thank him in person?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Li Vera (Li Weiliam) approached, ¡°Grandfather is ill and has been confined to bed. Father is preparing for all three of us siblings to visit him. So, once things are settled here, you will need to go back to Coral City with us tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Is that so,¡± Liszt nodded, with no reason to refuse.


    ¡°Let¡¯s save our catch-up for lunch then. We should finish the formal business first. Li Vera, you start the negotiation with Liszt. I¡¯m going to take in the scene of Fresh Flower Town¡­ it¡¯s my first visit to this small town,¡± said Levis, as he mounted his steed, accompanied by his Retainer Knights and Layden, who was there to ensure his safety, and rode off.


    They watched Levis leave.


    Suddenly, Li Vera said, ¡°Are you really unwilling to part with that black horse?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, sister.¡±


    ¡°It is quite extraordinary; have you noticed?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not selling?¡±


    ¡°Not selling.¡±


    ¡°Alright, it seems not only has your luck improved but so has your temper,¡± Li Vera narrowed her eyes; she used to beat Liszt quite a bit when they were young¡ªthe previous Liszt was a failure, often beaten by his brother and sister over toys.


    Liszt didn¡¯t want to reminisce about past events; they weren¡¯t his experiences: ¡°What have you brought for me, sister? Business is business; you can¡¯t hoodwink me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t intervene in the sale of the Tulip Magic Potion; I¡¯m just here to assimilate once, with one Little Minor Elf and two Elf Bugs. The payment I¡¯m offering is five hundred jin of wheat, eight hundred jin of millet, one hundred jin of pig iron, and fifty jin of wrought iron, along with a packet of Falcon Town¡¯s specialty, sweetheart cabbage seeds¡­ No sweetheart bugs, whether you can cultivate it or not, that¡¯s not my concern.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s less than I expected, but it will do.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy; I would only be willing to offer half if it were Lidun.¡±


    Lidun is the youngest son of the Earl, and his mother is the current Earless, who comes from a small noble family. A child¡¯s status is dependent on the mother¡¯s nobility; Liszt and his siblings¡¯ mother is the daughter of a Marquis, far exceeding what Lidun could compare to¡ªin assessing a noble¡¯s status, the rank and connections of both the paternal and maternal houses are key.


    It seems dissatisfied with Liszt¡¯s current attitude, once the deal was settled, Li Vera challenged him to a competition.


    ¡°What is your Dou Qi attribute?¡±


    ¡°Fire.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°What secret book did you practice?¡±


    ¡°¡±Fire Dragon Drill¡±.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a fight, let me see your current strength,¡± Li Vera took the spear carried by the Retainer Knight, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I sparred with you after advancing to an Earth Knight.¡±


    Sparring was just an excuse.


    The real purpose was to teach Liszt a lesson.


    But the Liszt of today was no longer the nodding Liszt of old; he simply smiled, ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯t completed the training of my secret book yet, let¡¯s have a match another day.¡±


    Li Vera¡¯s eyes were sharp, ¡°Are you avoiding it? That¡¯s not a quality a knight should have.¡±


    ¡°A knight¡¯s quality includes fairness. Sister, why not wait until I¡¯ve finished training the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±?¡± Liszt gently defused the verbal joust.


    Raising her eyebrows slightly, Li Vera put down the spear, ¡°You are as cowardly as you¡¯ve always been.¡±


    ¡°This is called being prudent.¡±


    ¡°You really know how to flatter yourself.¡±


    Li Vera was nineteen and had not yet married, still a vibrant young adult. Liszt¡¯s mental age had long passed the adolescent phase, and he wouldn¡¯t get angry over a word or two.


    He dealt with the boredom with a few perfunctory remarks.


    Levis had already strolled around and come back.


    ¡°Dirty, messy, and poor,¡± he shook his head incessantly, ¡°Liszt, I¡¯ve come to understand your need for food ¨C Fresh Flower Town is more hard-pressed than any other town I have seen.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, but I will make it prosperous,¡± Liszt affirmed.


    ¡°With the Black Tulip? Then let¡¯s talk about that¡­ starting with assimilation. Greater Elf, Little Minor Elf, and the six Elf Bugs. Tulip Castle will pay three thousand jin of wheat, two thousand jin of barley, five hundred jin of wheat flour, a thousand jin of pig iron, thirty barrels of beer, and seeds of various crops,¡± Levis laid out the deal.


    After a thorough inventory, Liszt didn¡¯t haggle and accepted the trade.


    Load after load of supplies were carried into the castle¡¯s warehouse, quickly filling up what had been a somewhat desolate space. The grain alone was enough to feed the castle for half a year, while the pig iron and wrought iron could be used to forge tools and armor. The seeds were specifically requested by Liszt for planting in Fresh Flower Town.


    Without Elf Bugs, the barren land could only be fertilized with manure, hoping it would be effective.


    As for now, the small town was actually not that dirty anymore ¨C feces were collected daily and then sold to the castle. Liszt had the manure distributed to the hamlets for fertilizing the fields. With little time and quantity, besides Peanut Hamlet, other places had not seen any noticeable effects yet.


    ¡­


    The atmosphere at lunch was good, with Goltai providing an excellent banquet mood, full of laughter and conversation.


    After the meal, Levis and Liszt discussed the cultivation and sale of the Black Tulip, ¡°Father¡¯s intention is to buy out the cultivation and sale of the Black Tulip in one go. As a reward, you could receive a thousand Gold Coins. At the same time, you can also plant them in Fresh Flower Town and sell them to Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, the Black Tulip is the cornerstone of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s development. I won¡¯t give up a continuous source of revenue for a mere thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a thousand Gold Coins, not a small sum. I don¡¯t know if Fresh Flower Town could make that much in fifty years of taxes.¡±


    ¡°If I mass-produce Magic Potions, perhaps in a few years, just with the Black Tulip, I could make over a thousand Gold Coins annually. Magic Potions are scarce, and there¡¯s never a surplus in the market.¡±


    ¡°You should know, without the family¡¯s channels, you couldn¡¯t transport Black Tulip out of Thorn Ridge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to talk to father, or to you, brother, about cultivation and sales¡­ I can provide seeds for Tulip Castle, but I must take a certain percentage of the profits from all Black Tulips grown.¡±


    ¡°You mean, we do the planting and you sit in the castle counting Gold Coins?¡±


    Liszt picked up the tea cup, responding at a leisurely pace, ¡°Essentially, yes.¡±

 Chapter 26 - Chapter 0026: The Big Business of 2000 Gold Coins a Year

    Chapter 0026: The Big Business of 2000 Gold Coins a Year


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I suspect you¡¯ve gone mad, asking for the moon,¡± Liszt raised his voice in dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Patience, big brother,¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m all ears. Give me a reason to agree to such absurd terms. Liszt, my dear brother, you should understand that the Black Tulip is important to the Tulip Family, but it is not indispensable. We already have three types of tulip magic potions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that, and I¡¯m also aware that the magic power held by the Black Tulip is superior to the potions of the other three varieties. It¡¯s suitable to become the mainstay of our family.¡±


    Magic potions are a magical but also highly troublesome matter¡ªthey need to be cultivated by elves in order to propagate. Without the elves¡¯ cultivation, their offspring will gradually lose magic power and degenerate into ordinary plants.


    But this does not hinder their value.


    Preparing magic potions, forging magic equipment, practicing magic and Dou Qi¡ªall of these are inseparable from magic potions. The Coral Island Knight Academy has even established a special course on magic potions to study these magic elixirs. When an Earth Knight reaches a plateau in their training, they rely on magic potions to strengthen themselves and strive to become a Sky Knight.


    Every Sky Knight is a potion guzzler, not knowing how many magic potions they have consumed before obtaining the Advanced Dou Qi.


    Without the support of the family¡¯s tulip magic potions, Li Weiliam would have hardly been able to break through and become one of the few Sky Knights in the Duchy of Sapphire.¡±


    So Liszt knew very well the incalculable value of magic potions¡ªhis brother, the exceptionally talented Earth Knight, wouldn¡¯t miss out on the Black Tulip.


    Pausing for a moment, Liszt said leisurely, ¡°My talents are poor; becoming a Sky Knight is almost too much to hope for, but you, big brother, have talents comparable to our father when he was young. I think, with a continuous supply of magic potions from the Black Tulip, your path to becoming a Sky Knight will be much smoother.¡±


    He glanced at Li Vera once more, ¡°It¡¯s the same for sister. I believe the Sky Knight title is far more valuable than a thousand gold coins, isn¡¯t it? I truly hope that both my brother and sister can become Sky Knights; the Tulip Family needs you to carry on its legacy. As for me, I just want to earn some money to improve my living conditions.¡±


    Talking about Sky Knights made Liszt take a short, sharp breath.


    He became an Earth Knight at thirteen, and at twenty-one, everyone said he could become another Tulip Sky Knight like his father. But he alone knew the enormous chasm that lay between an Earth Knight and a Sky Knight¡ªpouring all the resources of the family into it might still not be enough to lift him there.


    Moreover, there was another brother with equally exceptional talents, Lidun Tulip.


    Lidun¡¯s maternal family was just a minor nobility, hardly worth mentioning, but one had to admit, his mother, the current Countess, definitely had influence over his father. As a result, nearly half of Tulip Castle¡¯s resources had been allocated to Lidun¡ªcausing Liszt indescribable pain and even resentment towards his father.


    Shouldn¡¯t the family focus all its resources on helping him become a Sky Knight? Why waste resources!


    Narrowing his eyes slightly, he said in a deep voice, ¡°If you truly supported me, Liszt, you wouldn¡¯t have proposed such harsh terms.¡±


    ¡°Then how about I put it another way, I¡¯ll only partner with my brother and sister in the business of the Black Tulip? Surely father won¡¯t mind one magic potion plant.¡± The subtext of Liszt¡¯s words was to bypass Tulip Castle and thereby Lidun. In the future, the output of the Black Tulip would be shared only between the three siblings.


    That half-brother Lidun, who was quite arrogant and looked down on Liszt, had not spared Liszt his disdain.


    Liszt didn¡¯t hesitate to trick him.


    After thinking for a moment, Liszt asked, ¡°Is Li Vera also involved?¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t planned on it before, but since Liszt has invited me, why not?¡± Even though Vera lacked the talents of Liszt, her desire for the Sky Knight title was just as strong, ¡°and don¡¯t forget, I also have an elf.¡±


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s talk about how to split the profits.¡±


    ¡­


    After several probes and compromises, the three siblings successfully reached an agreement.


    Once the seeds of the Black Tulip were harvested, they would be cultivated near Coral City with the help of the Tulip Great Elf. Once a new batch of seeds was harvested, widespread planting would begin in Coral City, Falcon Town, and Fresh Flower Town.


    For the first three years, all Black Tulip Magic Potions would be handled by Levis. Liszt would then take a share of the profits¡ªat a rate of thirty percent in Coral City and twenty percent in Falcon Town¡ªaccording to market prices.


    After three years, the Black Tulips from Falcon Town would no longer be managed by Levis. Li Vera would handle them alone, giving Liszt a twenty-five percent share.


    After ten years, Liszt would stop taking a share.


    ¡°Currently, the annual profit from the golden Tulip Magic Potion at Tulip Castle is about five thousand Gold Coins. The Black Tulip should be able to surpass that, assuming it¡¯s seven thousand Gold Coins. My annual share could be around two thousand Gold Coins, which is far more worthwhile than a one-off payment of a thousand Gold Coins,¡± Liszt contemplated after signing the official agreement.


    He had originally thought that taking a twenty percent share of the profits would suffice, but Levis, thinking Liszt naive due to his youth, planned to buy him out with a one-time payment of a thousand Gold Coins. So, out of retaliation, Liszt raised his share to thirty percent.


    Accounts should be settled clearly among siblings, not to mention Liszt didn¡¯t feel they were close siblings at all¡ªbeyond the blood in their veins, they had almost no connection.


    With the agreement reached, there seemed to be a new understanding between the siblings.


    Outside the Castle, the peasants were still busy reclaiming wasteland.


    ¡°What, you plan to plant crops all around the Castle? Wheat or barley?¡± Li Vera asked, standing by the Window and looking into the distance.


    ¡°I plan to plant alfalfa, preparing to raise horses here.¡±


    Levis approached, ¡°Raise horses? Are you planning to form your own Knight Order?¡±


    ¡°I hope to put together a Knight Squad. The Magical Beasts of Thorn Ridge are a significant threat, and people fall victim to them every winter. The town doesn¡¯t even have anyone who knows Dou Qi¡­ Brother, may I have a word?¡± Liszt suddenly had an idea.


    The two men moved to a separate, quiet room.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, all so secretive?¡±


    ¡°I remember that Coral Island didn¡¯t have many people when I was a child, and they were all brought back by father¡¯s fleet from other islands, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. When father was ennobled as an Earl, Coral Island only had a few thousand natives, and the population was traded in from outside. What else did you think? Ninety percent of the people on Coral Island are the serfs of our family.¡±


    ¡°Then has brother considered continuing to trade in population?¡±


    ¡°Continue trading in population?¡± Levis scrutinized Liszt, ¡°Can Fresh Flower Town even support more people? I¡¯m doubtful this declining town can support us, let alone others. Or are you planning on trafficking people somewhere else?¡±


    Trading in population was not a respectable affair, but nobles always needed people for land reclamation.


    Essentially, many nobles would be involved in the trade of population to some extent.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town is indeed small, so I¡¯ve been preparing to develop Thorn Ridge, and that requires a lot of manpower. With the output of the Black Tulip, I believe we can sustain for a while, and by that time, Fresh Flower Town can be developed to at least not be inferior to sister¡¯s Falcon Town,¡± Liszt said half-truthfully.


    Gathering grain, building walls, and claiming kingship in due course¡ªit was clear in his mind.

 Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 0027: A Barbecue Party

    Chapter 27: Chapter 0027: A Barbecue Party


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Trafficking people isn¡¯t out of the question, our family¡¯s fleet sets out to trade by sea every year, but for just a few dozen or a hundred people, it¡¯s not worth taking the risk,¡±


    ¡°Five thousand.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I need five thousand people.¡±


    ¡°Five thousand people, you sure you can handle that?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Levis narrowed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll consider it when I get back.¡±


    Returning to the living room, no one brought up the subject of human trafficking again, and the atmosphere at the afternoon tea was lively, thanks to Goltai¡¯s enthusiasm.


    The caravan would stay overnight at Fresh Flower Town, with most of the knights and retainers lodging in town. Levis and Li Vera, along with their personal servants, would stay in the castle.


    Butler Old Carter was especially busy that day.


    ¡°Tom, where¡¯s Jessie? I need his help!¡± His legs, not quite nimble, ached from climbing the stairs so many times; he wiped the sweat from his forehead and entered the kitchen, ¡°Isn¡¯t Jessie helping in the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°Jessie should be transporting the horse fodder. With dozens more horses in the castle, we don¡¯t have enough fodder to feed them.¡± Tom carefully placed a sack of flour next to the stove.


    ¡°When he¡¯s back, have him find me in the storehouse, I need manpower to move the food that arrived at the castle today into the cellar for storage.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mr. Carter.¡±


    Kitchen maid Eileen, while washing the vegetables, looked up, ¡°Mr. Carter, do you need my help?¡±


    Before Carter could answer, Cook Abbie scolded, ¡°You can¡¯t even finish your work in the kitchen, still have time to help others, what about it, Eileen, you want to jump ship?¡±


    Carter spread his hands, ¡°Eileen, you probably can¡¯t be of help.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ God knows how long I have to stay in the kitchen today, it¡¯s so hot and stuffy here, my clothes are soaked through, Mrs. Abbie has made the stove too hot.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so! Are you the chef or am I the chef, letting you cook dinner for the lord¡¯s distinguished guests?¡±


    ¡°You are the chef.¡±


    ¡°Then shut your little mouth and work quietly!¡±


    The murmuring in the kitchen didn¡¯t stop for a moment. Carter had already walked out; the kitchen was too hot, and he felt oppressed in his chest, not sure if it was heatstroke ¨C summer had not yet arrived, but the weather was getting hotter. He pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his face, and leaned against the wall to catch his breath.


    Morson Paddy Field came towards him, carrying a bucket of water. Seeing Carter¡¯s state, he asked with concern, ¡°Are you feeling unwell, Mr. Carter?¡±


    ¡°How could I be unwell, it¡¯s just a bit hot, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Is it, but you look pale, maybe you¡¯re too stressed. Today, the castle is full of guests, and you¡¯ve been working hard everywhere.¡±


    ¡°How could I be stressed, Mrs. Morson? I have seen livelier occasions at the Earl¡¯s villa. I can handle this,¡± Carter tucked away the handkerchief, ¡°Are Young Master Levis and Miss Li Vera¡¯s rooms ready?¡±


    ¡°Miss Li Vera¡¯s personal maid has kept complaining about the falling dust from the walls or the worn-out bedsheets.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t decide the quality of the utensils, let¡¯s not be rude in the details of our work, besides, real nobles won¡¯t hold grudges because of this.¡±


    ¡°All of the Tulip Family are true nobles,¡± Mrs. Morson nodded, ¡°Mr. Carter, are you sure you don¡¯t need to rest a bit?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°The Earl is a good man; he certainly wouldn¡¯t want to see you overworked.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not overworked. In fact, I¡¯m enjoying this. It¡¯s not often that we have guests at the castle; I rarely get a chance to show my worth. Alright, I¡¯m off to organize the storehouse. Just yesterday I was complaining that the food was running low, and today we have so much that it won¡¯t all fit in the storehouse.¡±


    The castle was small, with little in the way of entertainment.


    After finishing afternoon tea, a group of knights prepared to hunt at Thorn Ridge. Liszt gladly consented, and also invited Levis and Li Vera to join the hunt.


    ¡°With so many Earth Knights, it would be best to catch all the magical beasts in Thorn Ridge in one fell swoop,¡± he thought to himself. ¡°Even if we can¡¯t kill the magical beasts, familiarizing ourselves with the terrain of Thorn Ridge is also good.¡±


    He donned his armor neatly.


    Mounting his horse, this time he rode a Fire Dragon Horse, his coordination with the Li Dragon Horse was still not enough, affecting his strength.


    He didn¡¯t bring Thomas along, only Marcus and four Retainer Knights: ¡°Thomas, take good care of my Li Dragon and also, don¡¯t forget to feed Douson on time; it¡¯s growing, and can¡¯t go hungry.¡±


    ¡°What is Douson?¡± Li Vera asked.


    ¡°A dog.¡±


    ¡°You have a dog now? What breed?¡±


    ¡°A Fierce Earth Dog.¡±


    ¡°Fierce Earth Dog? A magical beast?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a Fierce Earth Dog cub, captured by Teacher Marcus in Thorn Ridge,¡± Liszt casually said.


    ¡°An Earth Knight, a Black Tulip, peanut worms, a Fierce Earth Dog cub, and a wild horse with divine speed, Liszt, have you been blessed by the god of fortune? I¡¯m a bit jealous of you.¡±


    ¡°I can only say, country life is colorful.¡±


    ¡°Falcon Town is also in the countryside, but it¡¯s not as colorful as Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you, sister, often stay in Tulip Castle and have neglected the countryside life.¡±


    ¡°If you want, you can continue to stay in Tulip Castle, father doesn¡¯t intend to drive you away,¡± Levis said as he rode over and chipped in.


    Liszt considered this mere courtesy: ¡°I like Fresh Flower Town, it¡¯s very free here, you can do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Including planting grass by the castle gates,¡± Levis pointed out the serfs who were tending alfalfa and joked, ¡°In the future, your castle can be called ¡®Steed¡¯s Castle¡¯.¡±


    Such a small castle couldn¡¯t possibly be named.


    Liszt raised his whip: ¡°Let¡¯s go, the sun is already slanting west, if we can¡¯t get deep into Thorn Ridge, we¡¯ll probably have to turn back.¡± The Fire Dragon Horse ran in accordance with his will.


    He wanted to lead the group of knights into Thorn Ridge, at least to hunt a few magical beasts¡ªhe was going to conquer Thorn Ridge sooner or later, incorporating this hill and forest into the territory of Fresh Flower Town. The more magical beasts they killed now, the less danger in the future.


    Unfortunately.


    This hunting trip, they only caught normal wild animals.


    Magical beasts were much smarter than wild animals; sensing the surging Dou Qi inside the Earth Knights, they had hidden themselves early on.


    Even so, the prey they caught was enough to hold a grand barbecue party. Nobles, knights, and servants gathered together, laughing incessantly amid beer and cream.


    ¡°Wow, Mr. Barbecue, give me another rabbit leg,¡± the Tulip Great Elf flew around cheerfully; elves can live without eating, but they can still digest food.


    Thomas, who was busy barbecuing, quickly handed over a roasted rabbit leg, seasoned and ready to eat, to the Great Elf.


    Next to him, two Little Minor Elves, without asking, snagged two slices of roast meat for themselves.


    ¡°Xiangxiang, you¡¯re eating too fast, chew more to appreciate the taste of the food,¡± Liszt said, tearing at a rabbit head in his hand with a smile.


    Elves were too adorable; just looking at them could lift one¡¯s spirits.


    Especially while eating his favorite barbecue¡ªof all the foods in this world, probably only barbecue was to his taste.


    ¡°I like to eat in big bites.¡±


    Xiangxiang was covered in grease as she ate, then gently shook her body like a little dog shaking off water, flinging all the grease away, leaving herself clean without a single stain.

 Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 0028: The Tulip Castle in Blood

    Chapter 28: Chapter 0028: The Tulip Castle in Blood


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The night had deepened, after the barbecue party ended, the knights headed to the town to rest.


    Liszt and Li Vera each entered their rooms, and Old Butler Carter, instead of taking red wine, took a glass of apple juice and entered the study.


    ¡°My lord, you seem very sober and haven¡¯t drunk to excess.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he accepted the apple juice, took a light sip, and savored its fresh fruit flavor. The alcohol content in beer could only upset one¡¯s stomach, hardly enough to intoxicate.


    Under the candlelight, Carter¡¯s complexion looked unnatural.


    Liszt had noticed this during the day, ¡°Mr. Carter, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°I am quite alright, my lord.¡±


    ¡°You must speak up if there¡¯s anything wrong. Don¡¯t force yourself. Though the castle cannot do without a butler at the helm, your health is more important. Please take good care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Old Carter was almost moved to tears.


    ¡°Tomorrow, once the Elf Bugs have completed their assimilation, I will accompany the caravan to Coral City. I may be away from Coral Island for a few days, so please see to the affairs of the castle in my absence.¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s nothing to be assured of. Aside from a few Elf Bugs, ensure that Douson and the Li Dragon are well taken care of. Also, visit the Black Tulip for me every day, and make sure the construction of the stables outside the castle does not halt. I hope to be able to settle the Alfalfa Bugs upon my return.¡±


    Duty always came first.


    After a brief chat, they returned to sleep, and the night passed just like that.


    The next morning, the eight Tulip Spirit Bugs had completed the assimilation of the Black Tulip, and the caravan departed immediately. Liszt rode atop a Fire Dragon Horse, with Marcus and Thomas accompanying him. The castle was entrusted to Carter, the town to Goltai, and his four Retainer Knights were to cooperate with them.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, upon my return, I expect to see the patrol team range from Thorn Ridge to the East Coast.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, I will train them well,¡± Goltai said with ease.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m off. Oh, and on my way back, I will bring some Juniper Wine.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s awesome!¡±


    From atop his Fire Dragon Horse, Liszt looked back. At the castle gate, Butler Carter stood with a servant, silently watching them off. No longer hesitating, Liszt gently kicked the horse¡¯s belly, and the Fire Dragon Horse immediately sprang forward, catching up with the caravan.


    He was somewhat excited.


    His predecessor was very familiar with Coral Island, but he, in the strictest sense, was leaving Fresh Flower Town for the first time to witness the outside world.


    A medieval world wrapped in magic power, a nobility system ruled by knights.


    After leaving Thorn Ridge, the land he stepped upon was mostly under the direct jurisdiction of an Earl, with only a few towns granted by the Earl to Barons, and a handful of even smaller villages and hamlets as fiefs of Honored Knights. The entire Coral Island had only one enfeoffed Viscount, who was a follower of the Earl since the beginning, Jonas Shattered Stone.


    Beyond Coral Island, there was another small island, held by another of the Earl¡¯s Viscount followers, Trick Weed.


    On Coral Island, there were six cities in total¡ªone large and five small¡ªCoral City at the foot of Tulip Castle was the largest. North Valley City, Birch City, Elm Forest City, and Serpent Spear City all belonged to the Earl. Shattered Stone Castle along with its affiliated Shattered Stone City belonged to Viscount Jonas.


    To get from Fresh Flower Town to Coral City, it was necessary to pass through North Valley City and Birch City.


    However, the caravan did not stop in the two small cities. After a quick meal in the manor of North Valley City, it headed straight for Coral City. By three in the afternoon, when the hooves trod into a sea of flowers, Coral City was before them.


    All the flowers were various kinds of tulips.


    Most were for magic potions, while a few were ornamental plants¡ªthe tulips cultivated by the Tulip Family in the Duchy of Sapphire were famous far and wide.


    The sea of flowers undulated with the slopes of the hill.


    To the left of the road was Coral City, with its towering city walls, abutting the sea with its bustling docks. From a distance, Liszt could see that on the docks, several ¡°advanced¡± two-masted sailing ships were moored.


    This world had slowly transitioned from the age of oars to the age of sails.


    It was with sailboats that the original conquerors of the Duchy of Sapphire came from the continent to these islands and established this island nation.


    Only sailboats traversed the seas.


    ¡°What a pity, sails are probably the endpoint of ships, since there is not enough steel to foster an age of armored warships or even steamships.¡±


    Liszt sighed lightly to himself and withdrew his distant gaze, turning to the right side of the road.


    To the right were mountain ranges, with steep cliffs on the side facing the sea and gentle slopes on the other. Tulip Castle was built upon the cliff. A wide stone-paved road stretched from the gates of the castle all the way down to Coral City at the foot of the mountain. The tall castle stood like a banner, soaring at the highest point of Coral Island.


    Sharp tower spires pierced the blue sky.


    The thick rocks blended into the mountains, solemnly and majestically surrounded by flowers, displaying the robust grandeur of an impregnable fortress. In just ten years, the Tulip Family had built such a tall and sturdy Tulip Castle on Coral Island¡ªduring which several hundreds of serfs had died from overwork.


    Even today, the castle was still expanding bit by bit.


    Nobles¡¯ glory was always built atop bloodshed¡ªthis was merely an earl¡¯s castle, and it was said that the castle of the Sapphire Duke took a hundred years to build. Beneath the cliff of the duke¡¯s castle lay piles of serf corpses, several tens of meters deep.


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s ashen gray, but in reality, it¡¯s bloody red. I¡¯d rather live in the small castle in Fresh Flower Town¡ªthere, at least my heart can rest easy.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s mood was heavy.


    Following behind his brother and sister, he made his way to the familiar yet strange castle.


    Halfway there, they encountered a group of knights exiting the castle. The leading knight respectfully greeted Levis, ¡°Young Master Levis, I hope you had a smooth journey.¡±


    ¡°The journey went smoothly, Captain Mickey,¡± Levis replied, bowing in return.


    Captain Mickey paid his respects to Li Vera as well, ¡°Miss Li Vera, I hope you had a smooth journey.¡±


    ¡°A smooth journey, Captain Mickey.¡±


    It was then that Captain Mickey turned to Liszt, with the same impeccable courtesy, ¡°Young Master Liszt, welcome home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Captain Mickey,¡± Liszt replied, bowing. The knight before him was the captain of the knight squad stationed at Tulip Castle, responsible for the security of the castle. Mickey himself was a baron, with his family managing his lands, while he served at Tulip Castle.


    Escorted by the knights, they soon arrived at the main entrance of the castle.


    Butler Louis stood at the entrance, eagerly welcoming the three siblings with a warm smile on his aged face, ¡°Oh, what a joy it is to see the descendants of the lord return to the castle like weary birds to their nests.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Louis, it has been too long. You¡¯re still as robust as ever,¡± Liszt said as he handed off the reins of his Fire Dragon Horse to a servant and greeted Louis.


    Louis must have been at least sixty years old by now, originally serving as a personal attendant to Liszt¡¯s grandfather.


    Now serving as the butler of Tulip Castle, even earls would show him utmost respect¡ªthis was a man who had dedicated his life to the Tulip Family, and he deserved such honor and status.

 Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 029: The Conversation Between Liszt and the Earl

    Chapter 29: Chapter 029: The Conversation Between Liszt and the Earl


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Two months without seeing each other, Master Li Te, you seem even more spirited than before. How is everything in Fresh Flower Town?¡± Louis asked with a smile.


    ¡°All is well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. The Lord has mentioned you several times; he is also very concerned about your life now.¡±


    Would Coral Island¡¯s Count really be concerned about Liszt¡¯s life? Liszt was skeptical. If the Count truly cared about Liszt, he wouldn¡¯t have sent him off to a dilapidated town like Fresh Flower Town.


    Returning to his family home, Liszt did not feel any trepidation at being near his hometown.


    The soul within him came from a distant other world, and those memories of his predecessor were nothing more than scenes of a movie, unable to affect his current emotions. His connection with the Tulip Family lacked the deep bonds of kinship; everything felt more like a ¡°game,¡± in which he was stepping into the role of Liszt.


    The bustling servants in the castle, upon seeing the young masters and miss, all bowed and paid their respects.


    The only members of the Tulip Family residing here were the Earl, the Earl¡¯s wife, Levis, Lidun, and Li Vera, who often returned to live here; however, there were more than two hundred servants.


    And the servants had almost no spare time, busy from morning till night.


    Their actual job, in summary, was to maintain the luxurious life of the nobles.


    ¡°I need to take a bath; I can¡¯t stand the smell on me,¡± said Li Vera as she entered the castle and turned to leave. ¡°If father asks for me, tell him I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    Levis acted as though he was the master of the castle: ¡°Liszt, do you also need to take a bath first? Your room has been kept for you by father, including clothes you didn¡¯t take with you, which servants meticulously manage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as obsessive about cleanliness as my sister. I¡¯ll wait here for father. Brother, if you have affairs to attend to, please go ahead; I don¡¯t need to be entertained.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, the castle is also your home. Well then, I must discuss the Black Tulip matter with Teacher Frank ¨C cultivation, sales, and medicine production, all of which he is managing for me. And also the Elves, they need to be properly settled; these delicate creatures can¡¯t be neglected even the slightest bit,¡± Levis replied.


    Levis left as well.


    Marcus followed a male servant to take care of the horses, and now only Liszt and a few male servants who greeted guests were left in the living room. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, admiring the crystal lamps on the stone columns¡ª the quantity of crystals and gemstones in a castle represented the wealth of a noble family, as most gemstones came from dragons.


    In Liszt¡¯s homeland, the role of gemstones was probably to look pretty.


    Here, gemstones are natural vessels of magic power, containing mystical forces, essential in the creation of magic items. The crystal lamp on the stone column in front of him was one such magic item, made from low-grade crystals, it could stay lit continuously until the magic within the crystal was depleted¡ªthen it could be recharged by a magician or knight.


    This cycle would repeat until the crystal wore out, becoming a common stone.


    ¡°Is a crystal lamp without any carved patterns really worthy of such prolonged admiration?¡± Accompanied by the tap-tap of boot heels on the ground, someone spoke from behind Liszt.


    Liszt turned around and saw, on the stairs leading to the second floor of the castle¡¯s living room, the lord of Tulip Castle¡ªa middle-aged man with pale gold hair, and a pair of not-so-pretty gray-green eyes, which contrasted starkly with the sapphire blue eyes of the three siblings.


    An ordinary face, with nothing special about it.


    Blending in with the crowd, Li Weiliam Tulip would probably not stand out at all. Yet he was the master of Coral Island, a Sky Knight who earned the tile of Earl through his own efforts.


    Levis and Li Vera resembled their father more than their mother, making them not particularly good-looking, with only their sapphire blue eyes inherited from their mother.


    Liszt, however, had inherited his mother¡¯s looks, excessively handsome.


    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m just too accustomed to lighting candles, it takes some time to get used to the glow of a crystal lamp.¡±


    ¡°What, are you complaining about life in Fresh Flower Town?¡± Li Weiliam stood on the stairs without continuing down.


    ¡°Life in Fresh Flower Town is exceptionally free, I am very satisfied, Father.¡± Liszt bowed respectfully, performing a salute, ¡°Your body remains as robust as ever, the surging Dou Qi is almost spilling out.¡±


    ¡°Your Dou Qi has also increased, that is good, content with a humble life, without complaints, that is good as well.¡± Li Weiliam nodded, ¡°Where are your brother and sister?¡±


    ¡°They are busy, they will come later.¡±


    ¡°Come with me to the study.¡± Li Weiliam turned and climbed the stairs.


    Liszt followed closely upstairs and entered the Count¡¯s study, a large room with one whole wall lined with bookshelves filled with many thick leather-bound books¡ªall sprayed with deodorant and fragrance, devoid of the distinctive smell of leather paper. Opposite the bookshelf by the window, a mahogany desk was also piled with plenty of books.


    Pop!


    The Earl uncorked a bottle of last year¡¯s Crescent Moon Wine and poured into two tall crystal cups, the amber-red wine swirling in the glasses like blood, crystal clear.


    He picked one up and handed it to his third son, the Earl seemed somewhat surprised, ¡°Two months of independent living seems to have tempered your disposition.¡± The Liszt of the past was not at ease in his presence, their relationship awkward, but the Liszt now seemed very calm.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Liszt accepted the wine, ¡°Understanding the responsibilities of a landlord, I needed to change.¡±


    ¡°A positive change.¡±


    ¡°I think so as well.¡±


    After a few exchanges, both father and son found that there was little of familial warmth to discuss. So, the Earl raised his cup and took a sip of the wine, awkwardly changing the subject, ¡°Is the matter of the Black Tulip settled? How much did Levis pay you?¡±


    ¡°Tulip Castle is responsible for cultivation and sales, I have a share in the profits for the next ten years, thirty percent, just in cooperation between me, Levis, and Li Vera.¡±


    The Earl pondered for a moment, ¡°Just you three siblings in cooperation?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You should not have left Lidun out, he is your brother too.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still young, isn¡¯t it good for him to be under Father¡¯s wing? My brother, sister, and I are adults, cooperation is a natural thing.¡± Liszt smiled slightly, not trying to explain or clear his thoughts¡ªLidun looked down on him, and he hardly esteemed Lidun.


    It seemed only now he remembered to ask, ¡°What about the Earless and Lidun? I haven¡¯t seen them.¡±


    ¡°The Earless took Lidun to Serpent Spear City. It¡¯s Lidun¡¯s uncle¡¯s birthday today.¡± The Earless came from a Baron family on Coral Island, which resided in a small town near Serpent Spear City.


    After that, another silence followed.


    Liszt did not inherit the father-son affection with the Earl and could not chat like strangers, finding it hard to gauge the appropriate level of interaction, preferring to speak less.


    The Earl was somewhat unaccustomed to Liszt¡¯s current demeanor, more like a conversation between equals than the previous compliance, missing the feeling of being able to scold.


    It was only after a while that he said, ¡°Dinner is some time away, you may walk around or go to Coral City to see your friends.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you, I would like to stay in the study and read.¡±


    ¡°You never seemed so fond of reading before.¡± The Earl finished his wine and stood up to leave, ¡°If you want to read, I¡¯ll have someone prepare a cartload for you, to take back when you return to Fresh Flower Town.¡±

 Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 030 Lady Penelope’s Disfavor

    Chapter 30: Chapter 030 Lady Penelope¡¯s Disfavor


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    History does not exist; it can only be speculated upon through various knight¡¯s novels, to understand the customs and social development of the past.


    This is Liszt¡¯s recognition of the matter.


    He also doesn¡¯t know the origin year of this world¡¯s humankind.


    What is certain is that the Duchy of Sapphire has been established for one hundred and fifty years. Last year, a grand anniversary celebration was held, which left an impression on Liszt.


    There are many knight¡¯s novels in the country about the Sapphire Family, and some of them record that the Sapphire Family has a thousand years of heritage.


    As for the Tulip Family, there is no such thing as a family tree. What Liszt knows is about his great-great-grandfather, who was his grandfather¡¯s grandfather¡¯s father¡ªat that time, there was neither a Tulip Great Elf nor a Tulip Lesser Spirit in the family, so the surname Tulip didn¡¯t exist either.


    Their original surname was ¡°Tile,¡± indicating they were originally just commoners. According to the family history passed down from father to son, the great-great-grandfather possessed extraordinary strength and followed a noble to serve the newly-founded Sapphire Family. He made achievements in war and was ennobled as an Honored Knight.


    From then on, the family entered the ranks of the nobility.


    In the generation of his great-grandfather, the family became Barons; in his great-grandfather¡¯s generation, they became Viscounts; and in his grandfather¡¯s generation, they obtained a Tulip Lesser Spirit.


    It was after Li Weiliam inherited the title that the little minor elf evolved into a Greater Elf, and the family surname was changed to Tulip. A few years later, Li Weiliam became a Sky Knight with illustrious wartime achievements and was ennobled by the Sapphire Duke as Coral Island¡¯s Count.


    To signify the family¡¯s rise to the upper ranks of nobility, the Serpent Script ¡°Li (L)¡± in Li Weiliam¡¯s name became the prefix for the names of subsequent generations. Every descendant would carry the Serpent Script L to honor the founder of the family. They might be named ¡°Li XX,¡± ¡°Li X,¡± or even ¡°Li XXX,¡± ¡°Li XXXX¡±¡­ How many ¡°X¡±s there could be depended on the mood of the person naming the child.


    Liszt understood that this ¡°Li L¡± probably amounted to a ¡°clan¡± name outside of the surname.


    His mother¡¯s family also had this tradition but used the character ¡°Mei (M)¡± instead.


    Therefore, the Tulip Family, when counting both past and present, only has a history of six generations, spanning around one hundred and fifty years.


    Beyond that, no one knows who the ancestors were.


    ¡°Progenitor, distant ancestor, great ancestor, esteemed ancestor, great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather, father¡­ A noble Earl family that, rather than having eighteen generations of ancestors, only remembers six; truly, it is a barbarous age.¡± Liszt dismissed this with disdain, for without history, how can one talk of heritage?


    In his homeland, his own family can trace its ancestry with precise names back to the time of the Ming Dynasty.


    As for tracing bloodlines, it can go back even further, to the time of the Yellow Emperor.


    ¡°And then there are these knight¡¯s novels that boast about the Sapphire Family; they¡¯re all nonsense. The family¡¯s thousand-year heritage is told in a myriad of bizarre and fanciful origins. Some say it started in the southern part of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, some say it migrated from Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, and others from the faraway Blue Dragon Empire¡­ If these novels are really self-congratulation of the Sapphire Family, then they¡¯re not very conscientiously done.¡±


    He would like to sort out a rough history of this world but feels there is little hope. The farthest back in history that any knight¡¯s novel he has read goes is a book titled ¡°Dull-headed Knight and the Red-tailed Fire Dragon.¡±


    This novel tells a story taking place ten thousand years ago in the Neverfall Empire¡ªbut Liszt has verified that the Neverfall Empire has been in existence for no more than three thousand years.


    The Neverfall Empire is also the country with the longest reign on the continent.


    Many kingdoms were established with the friendship of dragons, and would decline with the dragons¡¯ death or departure, or even vanish midway through a dragon-slaying war, which was considered normal.


    At the beginning of the Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s founding, there was such a dragon-slaying battle.


    In that battle, the Sapphire Dragon almost got killed by the invaders from the Eagle Kingdom and was unable to gain a foothold on the vast continent. Fleeing, the dragon¡¯s blood stained a mountain range blue, where countless sapphires formed, becoming an important mineral range for the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡ªthe Blue Blood Mountain.


    Although the dragon survived, the first Sapphire Duke was severely injured and had to withdraw from the continent, founding his nation on an island far away.


    Of course, this part of the history is Liszt¡¯s own deduction.


    In the knight¡¯s novels that worship the Sapphire Family, the origin of Blue Blood Mountain is due to the Sapphire Dragon wounding the White Maw Iron Dragon of the hostile Eagle Kingdom, and its blood dyed the mines.


    As to why the blood of a White Maw Iron Dragon can create a mountain range with sapphires, that is a matter of opinion.


    Fooling the common people is enough; there¡¯s no need to go into great detail.


    ¡­


    Knock knock knock, the sound of knocking at the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Liszt lifted his head from a book titled ¡°Fire Attribute Dou Qi Development Guide.¡±


    The person who entered was the castle¡¯s deputy butler, Silva, a man just over forty. He was Louis¡¯s deputy and the predetermined successor as the family¡¯s steward.


    ¡°Young Master Liszt, your grandmother, Lady Penelope, has arrived. She¡¯s in the drawing room, chatting with Young Master Levis and Miss Li Vera,¡± he said.


    ¡°Grandmother is here? I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    Liszt rubbed his forehead, feeling somewhat annoyed¡ªhis grandmother, after all, did not look kindly upon him.


    The disdain from his father was more about disappointment, but now, after returning with a changed demeanor, the Earl no longer showed any dislike, clearly pleased with his transformation. But his grandmother was different; she did not look kindly upon Liszt simply because he reminded her of Melissa, her daughter-in-law.


    Penelope lived in a small castle in Coral City and chose not to live with her son due to one reason¡ªher discord with her daughter-in-law, Melissa.


    Liszt, who looked very much like his mother, became an outlet for Penelope¡¯s frustrations.


    But no matter how annoyed he was, he still needed to go downstairs and pay his respects.


    ¡°Grandmother, you¡¯re here. Seeing you in good health brings me great peace of mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh, look who it is!¡± The wrinkles on Penelope¡¯s face were quite pronounced; she was approaching her sixtieth year. ¡°Liszt, if you didn¡¯t speak, I might have thought that Melissa had come to oppose me again. That beautiful face¡­ Thank God, she¡¯s gone to heaven to enjoy her peace, and this old woman dares to visit her son¡¯s castle.¡±


    Liszt sat down quietly, his face expressionless, saying nothing.


    Why bother humoring someone who disdained him? They rarely saw each other anyway. It was best to just treat her as a stranger and maintain a superficial respect.


    Li Vera laughed and said, ¡°Liszt, when Grandma heard you were back, she rushed to the castle. Usually around this time, she spends hours praying for the family.¡±


    Penelope turned her head away from Liszt, muttering under her breath, ¡°I didn¡¯t come just to see him.¡±


    Could this be grudging respect after all?


    Liszt thought to himself that Lady Penelope probably did love her grandson. It was just habit for her to attack Liszt, who bore a strong resemblance to Melissa¡ªover a decade of habit. Whether it was love or disdain, it didn¡¯t matter much to Liszt. He just wanted to be a quietly handsome man.


    ¡°Your sister said that Fresh Flower Town looks even more rudimentary than imagined, almost like a small village?¡± Lady Penelope inquired.


    ¡°It is indeed a bit rudimentary. However, it¡¯s more suitable for grand development. I already have plans for developing Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Look at that, such a grand manner of speaking. That¡¯s a bit more like our Tulip Family¡¯s temperament. Don¡¯t always imitate Melissa¡¯s calm, superior demeanor as if you¡¯re born better than others. It¡¯s bad enough you look so much like her; if you inherit her temperament as well, that would truly be the death of me, a cloud that I could never shake off.¡±


    Liszt did not respond.


    He didn¡¯t have many memories of his mother, as she passed away due to illness when he was very young.


    Lady Penelope continued to ramble, lamenting Melissa¡¯s faults. Essentially, her message was the daughter of the Marquis looked down on me, opposed me at every turn, and you must not inherit her flaws.

 Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 0031: Shit Road of Coral City

    Chapter 31: Chapter 0031: Shit Road of Coral City


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The past between Melissa and Lady Penelope had become an old tale within the Castle.


    Lady Penelope criticized Melissa for not being able to stand her. Backed by the Marquis, she was untouchable and had to move out of Tulip Castle.


    Li Si Te, however, felt that, in truth, Lady Penelope was too harsh¡ªit had been over ten years, and she was still incessantly complaining.


    Moreover, in those ten years since Melissa¡¯s death, Lady Penelope still hadn¡¯t been able to move in, because she was now at odds with the new Earl¡¯s wife.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have come back today; the Baron¡¯s daughter isn¡¯t in the Castle, or I would have been the first to turn around and leave. That woman has a kind of odor on her that makes me uncomfortable. Only your father could tolerate her. Now the whole Castle is filled with her scent, and I can¡¯t stand to stay for a moment,¡±


    Li Vera sat beside Lady Penelope and, hearing this, clung to her arm, swapping her usual assertiveness for a coquettish tone, ¡°Grandmother, if you dislike Tulip Castle, you can come to my Falcon Town; I have a very beautiful manor there, and a hot spring that you¡¯re sure to love.¡±


    ¡°My dear girl, as a noble lady, you must possess proper bearing. Look at yourself, nineteen years old and you still haven¡¯t found a suitable other half. This is because you¡¯re not ladylike enough.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother is right, Li Vera; you need to learn to be a lady, not to ride horses and bear arms like us,¡± Levis teased, and then said to Lady Penelope, ¡°Grandmother, if you think the Castle has a bad odor, I can put out more air fresheners.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t something air fresheners can fix. Two women in succession entering our home have already drained me. I don¡¯t want to visit the Castle unless absolutely necessary,¡± Lady Penelope said before turning her head to speak to the Butler, Louis, who stood at the ready, ¡°Louis, you will help me pass these words along to the Baron¡¯s daughter, right?¡±


    Her words carried a provocative undertone.


    Louis smiled amicably, ¡°Madam, as you know, I much prefer to keep my lips sealed.¡±


    ¡°Boring Louis, ever so dull from youth to old age,¡± she said.


    Ever since Lady Penelope entered the Castle, the entire conversation revolved around her. Of course, about eighty percent of the conversation was also dominated by her.


    Li Si Te could only offer an awkward yet polite smile.


    It wasn¡¯t until the Earl returned from outside and announced that the dinner could start that Li Si Te was released from that highly uncomfortable atmosphere.


    A banquet at Tulip Castle was obviously incomparable to one held in a small Castle in Fresh Flower Town.


    Simply in terms of the number of guests, there was no comparison.


    At tonight¡¯s banquet, basically all the Nobles in the Castle were seated, including the Earl¡¯s family, family tutors, the Knight Captain, and a few Earl followers who were guests at the Castle, amounting to sixteen Nobles in total, comprising Honored Knights, Barons, Viscounts, and Earls.


    With Lady Penelope at the banquet, there was no chance of a dull moment as she kept the conversation flowing at all times.


    Li Si Te focused on enjoying the food, and although he never quite accustomed himself to the Western style of eating, it was delectable compared to the rough fare in Fresh Flower Town. He did not participate much in conversation and few sought him out for a chat, thus, just like in the memories of his previous life, he became an invisible presence in the Castle.


    However, in the past, he had wanted to interject but found no opportunity.


    Now, he simply had no interest in doing so, for after all, he was but a transmigrator using another¡¯s body; he couldn¡¯t immerse himself in the Tulip Family and could only stand by as an observer, calmly dealing with everything and keeping a low profile, doing what was appropriate for the era while focusing on his own development¡ªperhaps, one day, he could live freely, without the need for secrecy.


    The day after the banquet ended, Li Si Te awoke early because he and his siblings were to set sail with the fleet to visit their ailing grandfather, Marquis Merlin Taro, on Red Crab Island.


    ¡°Convey my sincerest regards,¡± the Earl also got up early and had breakfast with his three children.


    As a son-in-law, he should have visited in person, but his current status was that of an ex-son-in-law, estranged from the Long Taro Family, making it inconvenient to visit anymore.


    Lady Penelope had already returned from her walk, her tone desolate, ¡°Levis, Li Vera, Liszt, send my regards to Marquis Merlin as well. I remember him as a handsome and elegant noble, strong and outstanding. But a few years have passed, and he has fallen ill to the point where he can no longer work, even stepping down from his position as captain of the Court Fleet.¡±


    ¡°Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural laws of the universe, mother, you shouldn¡¯t dwell on it.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to tell me that I¡¯m also a damned old hag?¡±


    ¡°Why would you think that, when I am hoping that you live past a hundred years old?¡±


    ¡°From the two women you married, it¡¯s clear you can¡¯t wait for me to die so you can have some peace. No one to bother you from doing whatever you want on Coral Island.¡±


    The Earl could only put on an awkward yet polite smile.


    Liszt, with Marcus and a castle servant following behind, carrying his luggage, bid farewell and together the siblings headed to the dock, a part of Coral City. Calling it a city, Liszt preferred to think of it as a ¡°giant latrine,¡± with the sour smell of fermenting feces pervading every street and alley.


    For this reason, the Tulip Family¡¯s production of richly fragrant Tulips, that were widely popular with city dwellers.


    The citizens who were out and about would pin a Tulip on their chests to neutralize the nauseating odor on the streets.


    Putting aside the smell of feces.


    In terms of grandeur, Coral City could not compare to even a small county town in Liszt¡¯s hometown.


    There were no tall buildings or mansions, just sporadic wooden houses next to stone ones, expanding constantly along streets of varying widths. Shops lined the streets, and hurried pedestrians inevitably stepped on various fecal matter¡ªresidents always liked to dump their waste on the road.


    If it was just a pile of dog feces, one could of course choose to sidestep it.


    But if an entire street was covered in dog feces, the correct approach was to frown and tread upon it.


    Thus, layer upon layer of feces, through constant trampling, merged with the road surface, creating the city¡¯s unique ¡°shit roads,¡± naturally reeking.


    Why was sanitation so appalling?


    Because the commoners were too busy making a living to care about cleanliness; nobles lived in castles on the edge of the city and didn¡¯t care about the filth.


    The only consolation was that Coral City was just an island city with a limited population. The amount of feces produced, weathered by nature, was still bearable.


    If it were a larger city, it might well have drowned in its own excrement.


    ¡°Could it be that the Elf¡¯s abilities limit their vision, leaving them unable to think of using feces as fertilizer for farming?¡± Liszt pondered while looking at Coral City, his imagination running wild, ¡°Perhaps I could collect all of the island¡¯s feces and haul them to Fresh Flower Town, and on the outskirts of town no, on the outskirts of the town, build a few biogas digesters.¡±


    He understood the principle of biogas digesters, but using biogas for lighting or cooking was a bit tricky.


    After simple fermentation to use as fertilizer was the quickest method; the barren soil of Fresh Flower Town, comparable to loess land, was indeed in dire need of fertilization.


    ¡°But the transportation is inconvenient, hauling a load of feces by carriage would cost more than the feces themselves better forget it, don¡¯t pollute my Fresh Flower Town. It¡¯s best if the town¡¯s feces are produced and consumed locally.¡±

 Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 0032: The Twin-Masted Schooner at Sea

    Chapter 32: Chapter 0032: The Twin-Masted Schooner at Sea


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The city isn¡¯t worth the anticipation, only the castle is worth looking forward to¡ªnobles do care about hygiene, with bathrooms and toilets available, and servants to carry feces and trash outside the castle walls.


    Since no one knows to use feces as fertilizer for fields, it is randomly discarded in the wild, naturally decomposing.


    Effectively using feces as fertilizer would definitely reduce the dependence on elves¡ªonly reduce, because elves also have the ability to improve crop traits.


    The twin-masted ship sails on the azure sea, with Coral City gradually disappearing from view, and the towering Tulip Castle beginning to sink below the horizon.


    Could this perhaps prove that this world is also spherical?


    Liszt would occasionally ponder about the world he had traversed to, unable to draw any conclusions due to the lack of information.


    ¡°My Lord, what are you looking at?¡± Marcus walked over.


    ¡°The sea, the azure sea, conceals countless treasures.¡±


    ¡°I grew up by the sea since I was a child, and don¡¯t have such wonderful imaginations about the sea. There are sea monsters in the sea, and maybe some fish, but there are also fish in rivers and lakes, and they¡¯re not dangerous. The wealth of the continent is the real abundance, inexhaustible. The glory of knights and nobles is also contested on the continent.¡±


    The Duchy of Sapphire is an archipelago nation, but has never given up on conquering the continent, organizing Knight Orders every few years to fight for mineral resources.


    That has created batch after batch of nobles.


    The Tulip Family also prospered from this, and Marcus often dreamt of going to the continent to fight in wars, hoping to be granted the title of an Honored Knight for his achievements.


    Now determined to serve Liszt, he naturally tried to entice him every so often.


    Liszt still looked at the profound sea, not caring for the ¡°continental wealth theory,¡± thinking that battlefields were so dangerous, why go there? It¡¯s better to be a quiet rural landlord, to do missions, to farm, to advance step by step steadily. If it were just a mere traversal, he didn¡¯t think he could stand out among the natives, but with the help of the Smoke Mission, becoming strong was just a matter of time.


    As for what the Smoke Mission was, the secret would be unraveled one day.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, I heard that there are large undeveloped islands beyond the archipelago of the Grand Duchy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have chatted with some old sailors, there are indeed a large number of islands beyond the archipelago, but those islands are situated in the deep sea, where storms are frequent, and there are many hidden reefs, making it difficult for ships to come and go, without much value for development.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    Liszt responded noncommittally.


    Leaving other things aside, as long as the deep-sea fishing industry is developed, the wealth of the sea will gradually reveal itself, and at that time, the competition for islands will probably not be less than that for land.


    He was not capable of that now, being just a small town¡¯s landlord, he would focus on developing further.


    ¡°Set sail! Navigate to the front side!¡±


    ¡°Set sail! Navigate to the front side!¡±


    Boisterous shouts from the crew came from below the mast, as a southerly wind had risen, blowing from the stern, rustling. The captain decisively ordered the sailors to set sail to catch more wind.


    The advent of sailing ships allowed humans to venture into greater areas of the sea. The ships of the Duchy of Sapphire were all sailing ships, but they were all equipped with horizontal sails, without the appearance of longitudinal sailboats yet. The advantage of horizontal sails is that they¡¯re fast with the wind, but the disadvantage is that they are almost ineffective against the wind, requiring oars to row.


    With the wind at their back, the fleet raised their sails, forming a triangular formation on the sea, a spectacular sight.


    Departing in the morning, they arrived at Red Crab Island by evening.


    Red Crab Island is ten times larger than Coral Island, and Long Taro Castle is not by the sea but on the mountainside in the center of the island. Thus, after disembarking, Liszt and his companions had to stay overnight in the port city of Sea Crab City, then switch to a carriage the next day, and it would take another day to reach Long Taro Castle.


    The practice of training pigeons to send and receive letters had not yet developed, and pigeons probably wouldn¡¯t be able to carry the weight of thick paper.


    However, because there had already been arrangements for knights to send messages, stating that youths from the Tulip Family would visit shortly, servants at Long Taro Castle¡¯s branch estate in Sea Crab City were specially assigned to wait for them. After receiving Liszt and his party, they immediately arranged for them to stay in the guesthouse, sparing them the dirty accommodations of the city.


    After dining in the evening, Liszt took a bath and lay down in bed.


    He was a bit seasick.


    Back home, he was used to airplanes and trains, and sincerely found seafaring quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, his predecessor was an islander with decent swimming skills, which helped him somewhat overcome the problem, so he wasn¡¯t completely incapacitated by seasickness.


    ¡°As an islander, yet subject to seasickness, Liszt, I must say you¡¯re losing face for the Tulip Family. I thought you had matured, but it turns out you¡¯re still so incompetent; it really reminds me of the cowardly acts you used to commit, my foolish little brother.¡± Li Vera appeared in Liszt¡¯s room at some point without his notice.


    No knocking.


    This gave Liszt a start, as he was examining his Smoke Serpent Script¡ªoften taking it out to see if there were any new insights.


    But he quickly calmed down, realizing that Li Vera seemed unable to see the Smoke Serpent Script. It was something only he could see, so there was no worry of leaking secrets.


    ¡°You forgot to knock.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t knock? That¡¯s not important,¡± Li Vera said, crossing her arms and glaring at Liszt as she expressed her disdain.


    ¡°To me it¡¯s important. You didn¡¯t respect my privacy, and besides, it¡¯s very unladylike to do so. Nobles prefer ladies, dear sister.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to change myself to please any noble! Besides, Liszt, when did I ever need your advice? If we weren¡¯t on Red Crab Island right now, I would truly teach you a lesson and make you understand that becoming an Earth Knight means nothing!¡±


    Liszt had been bullied by Li Vera since childhood.


    He believed the fundamental reason was Li Vera¡¯s jealousy of his appearance¡ªwhich could make most women feel ashamed of their looks.


    ¡°Did you come here just to tell me that I¡¯m still quite weak?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to see the pathetic sight of you being seasick.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve seen it, so could you please leave now?¡±


    Li Vera shot him an angry look before turning and walking away. Liszt got up and locked the door. At nineteen, she was still a young woman, and her behavior was indeed puzzling.


    Not that it mattered much, as the Li Vera in his memories was always blunt, or rather recklessly frivolous.


    The Earl often lamented that he and Li Vera should exchange temperaments.


    One more delicate than girls, and the other wilder than boys.


    As he lay back down, Liszt found himself unable to sleep and started thinking about trivial matters, ¡°Five months ago, I made a visit to Long Taro Castle for the holiday season. At that time, Marquis Merlin wasn¡¯t on the island as he was serving as a captain in the Court Fleet; it¡¯s been about four or five years since we last formally met.¡±


    Given the nobility¡¯s monogamous system, families often weren¡¯t very prosperous.


    Marquis Merlin had one son and two daughters. His youngest daughter, Melissa, had passed away, and his second daughter, Melinda, married Viscount Roland Pinecone, a follower of the Marquis. There was only one heir, the eldest son, Mesiro Taro, who also had only one son, Meioubao Taro.


    ¡°Cousin Meioubao seems to be nearly twenty-five and still unmarried? Is it because he¡¯s pursuing the Sapphire Duke¡¯s daughter? This princess of the small state is said to be quite the social butterfly.¡±


    The Grand Duchy, a vassal state of an empire or kingdom, is ruled by a Grand Duke at its highest rank. Strictly speaking, they are not kings, so their daughters cannot be called princesses. Moreover, the new Sapphire Duke, being unable to become a Dragon Knight, had his rank downgraded to Duke.


    In the system of nobility, the ranks of Prince, Grand Duke, and Duke are on the same level, but one can only be addressed as Prince or Grand Duke upon becoming a Knight; otherwise, one holds the title of Duke.


    However, rules are rigid, people are flexible; within the Duchy of Sapphire, all nobles refer to the ruler as the Grand Duke, and naturally his daughter is regarded and pursued as a princess.


    With malice, Liszt thought to himself, ¡°If Meioubao does marry the princess, he might well find out the children aren¡¯t his heh heh.¡±

 Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 0033: The Lord of Long Taro Castle

    Chapter 33: Chapter 0033: The Lord of Long Taro Castle


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The rocking carriage jostled Liszt to the brink of sleepiness.


    From Sea Crab City, he had endured a bumpy ride to Redstone City, where he spent a night. By dawn, after another two hours of travel, they finally saw Long Taro Castle standing halfway up the mountain.


    Long Taro Castle was almost four times the size of Tulip Castle, with arrow towers that soared to a height of one to two hundred meters. Its location on the mountainside almost merged the castle with the mountain range.


    Liszt had once traveled from his hometown, Earth, to visit Neuschwanstein Castle in Europe.


    The majesty of Neuschwanstein Castle was comparable to Tulip Castle, save for the latter¡¯s precipitous cliffs. However, compared to Long Taro Castle in front of him, Neuschwanstein seemed modest in scale. Long Taro Castle alone bore the grandeur rivaling The Lord of the Rings¡¯ White City.


    Below the castle lay a city.


    The carriage didn¡¯t need to go through the city, taking a rather steep mountain road directly towards the castle instead. Midway, it was spotted and approached by the Knight Squad of Long Taro Castle. Learning that they were relatives of the Tulip Family, the Knight Squad immediately escorted the carriage to the castle.


    And one knight sprinted up the mountain to inform them ahead of time.


    Thus, when the carriage arrived at the castle¡¯s entrance, the heir to Long Taro Castle, the three siblings¡¯ cousin Meioubao Taro, was already awaiting them with servants.


    ¡°Levis, Li Vera, Liszt,¡± said Meioubao Taro, who was handsome and graceful, with sapphire-like eyes shining exceptionally bright, ¡°I received the letter and have been waiting a long time. Was your journey smooth?¡±


    Liszt had to admit.


    This cousin, both in looks and demeanor, was quite outstanding, almost on par with himself. Standing together, he looked more like a brother to Liszt than Levis did.


    ¡°Cousin Meioubao, everything went smoothly.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, you¡¯ve become even more beautiful than last year.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the compliment, cousin, but compared to your handsome features, it always feels like mockery,¡± Li Vera said half-jokingly and half-seriously to Meioubao Taro.


    Meioubao Taro laughed heartily, ¡°I can¡¯t refuse this, right, Liszt?¡± The second part was addressed to Liszt.


    Liszt gave a slight smile.


    Finally, he confirmed that Li Vera had been teasing him all these years out of jealousy for his looks: ¡°Cousin speaks the truth.¡±


    ¡°Haha, indeed, heroes share common views. Let¡¯s go inside the castle. Father is overseeing this quarter¡¯s tax collection on foreign land and has yet to return. Grandfather is recuperating his health but was very pleased to hear of your arrival.¡±


    ¡°How is grandfather¡¯s health now?¡±


    Meioubao Taro sighed, ¡°Grandfather¡¯s illness is a complication arising from the recurrence of an old injury. It fluctuates; sometimes it¡¯s better, sometimes worse. The Grand Duke has already sent the Court¡¯s physician to treat him ¡ª I believe he will recover.¡±


    In the opulent bedroom, sitting on the bed was the master of Red Crab Island, one of the seven marquises of the Grand Duchy, former captain of the Court Fleet, the most venerable person in Long Taro Castle.


    Merlin Taro.


    He was a septuagenarian, his pale, wrinkled face still retaining its long-cultivated dignity, but fail to conceal the frailty brought on by age and illness.


    Even as a former Sky Knight capable of leaping into the air, he was not immune to the ravages of time.


    His sapphire-blue eyes had already turned cloudy, not to mention a head of white hair.


    He lay quietly against the headboard, with a low tea table on his quilt-covered legs, laboriously writing with an ink-dipped quill on a sheet of thick paper.


    The age spots on his face were particularly noticeable.


    ¡°My lord, Young Master Sun has already brought the three young masters and miss of the Tulip Family into the castle,¡± the butler, almost as old as Marquis Merlin himself, didn¡¯t bear to disturb him and spoke in an especially soft voice.


    Marquis Merlin¡¯s pen tip hesitated slightly, then he continued writing, not lifting his head, ¡°Melissa¡¯s children? Then let them come and visit this old man, half buried in the grave.¡±


    ¡°My lord, you are only temporarily indisposed, and you will recover soon. You¡¯ve said that you would live to a hundred, outlasting that old scoundrel Marquis Wallace from next door,¡± the butler said.


    ¡°Ha ha, I also threatened the Grand Duke¡¯s Sapphire Dragon, saying that if it didn¡¯t make me the Dragon Domain Landlord, I would slaughter it. However, it was to no avail; this time, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve lost to that old undying fellow,¡± Marquis Merlin laughed heartily, quickly finishing the last few words, and put down his pen.


    The servants attending beside him immediately carried away the tea table.


    The old butler supported the marquis, leaning him towards the head of the bed to sit more comfortably. He then bent down to straighten the red tie at the marquis¡¯s chest.


    A servant brought a bronze mirror.


    Other servants handed over water, towels, and hair clips, serving the marquis in turn.


    The marquis meticulously groomed his appearance, quickly transforming from a frail old man back to a figure of authority, and then, he waited.


    Hearing familiar footsteps outside the door, his murky eyes couldn¡¯t help but shine a bit of light.


    Which was quickly concealed again.


    Meioubao was leading the three siblings, and they had already walked into the bedroom.


    Levis took the lead, with Li Vera and Liszt quickly following to the bedside, addressing Marquis Merlin with the courtesy of juniors, ¡°Grandfather, Li Vera, Liszt, and I have come to visit you. Father also asked me to extend his sincere regards and hopes that you will recover immediately to restore the splendor belonging to the master of Long Taro Castle.¡±


    ¡°Your father is thoughtful,¡± the marquis nodded lightly, ¡°Did you have a smooth journey?¡±


    ¡°It was smooth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Since you have come to visit your grandfather, stay for a few days at Long Taro Castle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandfather.¡±


    The marquis¡¯s gaze moved past Levis and Li Vera, settling on Liszt, with a reminiscent look in his eyes, ¡°Liszt, you¡¯ve come of age.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my coming-of-age ceremony was on the ninth of March this year.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that your father has titled you a baron; which town is it?¡±


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, not even able to allocate a viscountcy, it seems Earl Li Weiliam has been quite unsuccessful,¡± Marquis Merlin commented bluntly, then his tone became wistful again, ¡°I wasn¡¯t there for your coming-of-age ceremony; Melissa will surely blame me. Seeing you is like seeing Melissa standing right before me.¡±


    Meioubao echoed, ¡°Grandfather, Cousin Liszt indeed resembles Aunt Melissa so much. When I was a child and met Aunt Melissa, I thought that the Long Taro flowers were truly the most dazzling in the Grand Duchy.¡±


    ¡°I can hardly remember my mother; I can only look up to her through the portraits at Tulip Castle,¡± Liszt said, indeed he had no memory of his mother.


    Liszt had been only two years old when Melissa passed away; what could a two-year-old child remember?


    There were portraits of Melissa in the castle, but he didn¡¯t often look at them. Besides, even if they were portraits, they lost much in their veracity, making it difficult to capture the true elegance of the person.


    It was a cause for regret.


    The marquis¡¯s emotions were quickly reined in, ¡°It¡¯s been over a decade, but sometimes it feels like just yesterday You must be tired from your journey. Meioubao, take your cousins to rest. I want the young men and women to be full of vigor at the luncheon. Also, if time permits, hold a ball tomorrow night; make it a lively one for the young people.¡±

 Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 0034 Little Minor Elf’s Saliva

    Chapter 34: Chapter 0034 Little Minor Elf¡¯s Saliva


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Chirp.¡±


    ¡°Chirp.¡±


    Down the corridor of the castle, a strange chirping could be heard. Liszt, who had planned to rest until noon before attending the banquet, pushed open his room door and saw, not far away, a little blue minor elf dancing around a pillar in the corridor.


    A few maids were attending to the minor elf.


    Seemingly noticing Liszt, the minor elf fluttered over in a swoosh, hovering about a meter in front of him. It curiously sized up Liszt with its big eyes, occasionally letting out a ¡°chirp,¡± with no indication of what it meant.


    ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt,¡± a maid approached him and greeted respectfully.


    Liszt asked, ¡°What kind of minor elf is this?¡±


    ¡°It is a Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf, just turned three years old,¡± replied a maid with a lovely face, who boldly took two glances at Liszt with her brown eyes.


    There was an inexplicable spiciness in her gaze.


    Liszt didn¡¯t notice her looking at him, and he stretched out his hand to lightly gesture towards the Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf, ¡°Does it have a name?¡±


    The minor elf tilted its head, clueless: ¡°Chirp?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a name. There are many minor elves in the castle, and we just refer to them as Cordyceps. However, this Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf is the naughtiest one of all. That¡¯s why several maids need to follow it around to prevent it from causing mischief and trouble,¡± the maid answered.


    Elves are magical creatures nurtured by nature, most are quite docile, but there are always some with tricky and quirky temperaments.


    ¡°What trouble can it cause?¡± Liszt felt it was much ado about little, a minor elf only needed one maid to follow it, yet several maids were attending to it, which seemed like they were slacking off.


    But before the maids could explain.


    The hovering minor elf suddenly pursed its lips at Liszt and then¡ªsplatter, it spat saliva right onto Liszt¡¯s face.


    It was so sudden that even with his Earth Knight reflexes, he didn¡¯t react in time.


    By the time Liszt regained his composure, the minor elf was already ¡°chirp,¡± ¡°chirp¡± laughing away as it flew into the distance.


    ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt, the Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf is very naughty, often spitting at guests of the castle. We are terribly sorry. We hope you won¡¯t take it to heart,¡± said the maid with the spicy gaze. Turning to her companions, she said, ¡°Quickly follow the Thick-Leaf Grass, don¡¯t let it disturb anyone else. I¡¯ll take Young Master Sun Liszt to wash his face.¡±


    Having said that, she elegantly extended her hand to guide him: ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt, please allow me to fetch water for you to wash your face, as an apology for the Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf¡¯s behavior.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Liszt had planned to just wipe it off, considering the minor elf to be a not filthy creature, and he didn¡¯t mind its saliva. But since the maid had offered, he decided to use the water to wash his face again.


    Once the wash basin was brought over, the maid wrung out the towel and proceeded to wipe Liszt¡¯s face.


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°It is our duty as maids.¡±


    ¡°For things like washing my face, I prefer to do it on my own,¡± Liszt coughed, fully aware that high society was used to indulgence, with servants attending to all their personal needs, but he would never get accustomed to it.


    After wiping his face.


    He handed the towel back to the maid.


    Her eyes shining, the maid asked: ¡°Would you like to wipe again?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s all right.¡±


    A fleeting look of disappointment crossed the maid¡¯s face as she picked up the basin and stood up to leave: ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave Oh, Young Master Sun Liszt, my name is Anna, and I would be more than willing to serve you if you require.¡±


    Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°Okay, Anna.¡±


    In that moment, with his forehead just damp from water and a stray wet lock of hair, he became even more charming by a fraction. The maid was obviously dazzled by Liszt for a moment, then she lowered her head and quickly exited the room.


    Once she left the room,


    She felt her heart pounding furiously in her chest, and a faint blush rose on her cheeks.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± suddenly a questioning voice came from beside her.


    It was a male servant, assigned to Liszt as his personal attendant in the castle, responsible for his daily personal care. He had just gone to fetch some milk tea for Liszt from the kitchen and returned to find Anna coming out of the room, still carrying the basin¡ªcaring for guests was his job!


    ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt needed to wash his face, so I attended to him.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s the maids¡¯ turn to do that, Anna. Don¡¯t do anything that would disgrace Long Taro Castle,¡± the male servant said sternly, his voice filled with menace.


    Anna kept walking: ¡°Lyskey, you¡¯re not the butler. You have no say in what I do!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell the butler!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job, what you choose to report is your business.¡±


    After Anna had completely disappeared around the corner of the corridor, Lyskey snorted coldly: ¡°A bunch of bitches!¡± After cursing, he quickly masked his anger with the proper solemn and dignified demeanor befitting of a male servant, along with a composed and graceful appearance.


    He knocked on the door: ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt, I have brought you the milk tea you requested.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Anna returned to the group tending to the Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elves.


    The maids immediately started chattering: ¡°Anna, did you touch Young Master Sun Liszt¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°Is Young Master Sun Liszt¡¯s face really smooth and delicate? Did your face turn red and your heartbeat speed up at that time? Is he as handsome as Young Master Sun?¡±


    ¡°Lucy touched Young Master Sun Liszt¡¯s face a few years ago when she washed it for him, even though he wasn¡¯t an adult yet, he was already so handsome.¡±


    Anna shook her head, her voice tinged with disappointment: ¡°No, Young Master Sun Liszt washed his own face; he doesn¡¯t like maids washing his face for him.¡±


    ¡°How could that be? Could it be that he like Viscount Ophius, likes likes men?¡±


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be, I saw Young Master Sun Liszt last year; he was staring at Sister Luya¡¯s butt.¡±


    ¡°Sister Luya¡¯s butt is indeed nice to look at; I¡¯m jealous.¡±


    ¡°Then you need to pat it every day; otherwise, you have no butt at all.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Young Master Sun Liszt is of age now, he should have received his title, right? What rank is he now? I think he¡¯s a Viscount. The Tulip Family¡¯s Coral Island, I¡¯ve heard, is quite a large island.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If Miss Melissa were still alive, with the Earl backing her, he would definitely be a Viscount. But the Earl of Coral Island has remarried, and Young Master Sun Liszt¡¯s situation might be quite awkward now.¡±


    ¡°I really want to go comfort him.¡±


    ¡°Stop dreaming during the day. Do you, a maid, need to worry about noble affairs? I advise you all to come to your senses and do your jobs as maids well. Ugly ducklings won¡¯t turn into swans; ducks will only sire ducks, and swans will sire swans.¡±


    ¡°So what? I¡¯ve decided to stay unmarried for life, like Mrs. Fini. Aren¡¯t I allowed to create a romantic love encounter for myself?¡±


    As she spoke, the maid propped her chin in her hands, lost in daydreams: ¡°A down-on-his-luck noble from afar, handsome and dashing riding a great horse, falls in love with a castle maid while she sweeps Because of family and societal pressures, they must part, a deep kiss before dawn, and then they separate. Oh my, I¡¯m about to tear up.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 0035: The Knight’s Quality of Self-Reliance

    Chapter 35: Chapter 0035: The Knight¡¯s Quality of Self-Reliance


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The maidservant¡¯s thoughts and feelings were unknown to Liszt.


    He had never considered, like most nobles, having an irresponsible fling in someone else¡¯s castle. His body was only sixteen years old, newly matured.


    According to the laws of his hometown, one was considered an adult at eighteen and could marry at twenty-two.


    For now, it was best to focus on growing, without dwelling on unnecessary thoughts that could sap his energy. His former self might have been useless, but the current Liszt had confidence in striving for the title of Sky Knight. After all, his comprehension was not bad, and he had the help of the Smoke Mission. Perhaps one day he might even ride a dragon and become a Dragon Knight.


    The pinnacle of combat power in this world was the Dragon Knight, an existence that could destroy the heavens and the earth.


    ¡°I must keep training in ¡®Fire Dragon Drill¡¯ and ¡®Flaming Wave¡¯. Although I can avoid going to the battlefield, it is essential to constantly practice the skills necessary for self-defense.¡±


    The lunch banquet at Long Taro Castle was a family meal, and the number of people attending was not large. The Mesiro couple was away overseeing tax collection, leaving only two masters in the castle¡ªgrandparent and grandchild. According to the rules of Long Taro Castle, the Knight Captain did not dine in the castle, and Meioubao¡¯s family tutor had already left to take an official position in town.


    So, sitting around the dining table were only the grandparent, grandchild, and the three siblings.


    Marquis Merlin was in a wheelchair, unable to walk easily. The castle¡¯s meals were a notch above those at Tulip Castle, as evidenced by the bread on the plate, which was the highest quality white bread.


    Liszt picked up a piece of white bread, took a light bite, and enjoyed the soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture¡ªhardly like bread at all, more akin to cake.


    The wine was from Raz Manor¡¯s cellar, a vintage even finer than Crescent Moon Wine.


    As each dish was unveiled¡ªpudding roast beef, golden salmon with sauce, avocet eggs, yolk sauce jellied rock lobster, roast goose with lettuce salad, cheese meat pies, asparagus leaves, lobster sauce trout¡ªthe abundance of food was on par with Tulip Castle¡¯s major festival banquets.


    However, the rich variety of food was contrasted by a rather stiff atmosphere.


    The Marquis was a serious man who once wielded great naval power, possessing a strong presence. Levis and Li Vera were restrained in front of the Marquis, speaking cautiously.


    Liszt also felt some restraint, for in his heart he didn¡¯t see these ¡°ancient people¡± as anything special, yet he couldn¡¯t feel at ease with strangers.


    So it was even more important to focus on enjoying the delicious food.


    Especially the yolk sauce jellied rock lobster.


    Very tasty.


    He had finished one plate and had called for another.


    ¡°Rock lobster is a product of the Red Crab Island waters. Our family¡¯s fleet rarely goes out fishing; it¡¯s mostly some fishermen who take the risk to harvest them. The yield is not high, and almost all of it is sent to the castle,¡± Meioubao explained in between bites of bread. ¡°If you like it, I can arrange to prepare a batch of live lobsters for you.¡±


    ¡°It may be difficult to transport them. From Long Taro Castle to my Fresh Flower Town is quite the distance. I would need a day and a half¡¯s travel to Red Crab Island, a day by boat, and another half day to get to Fresh Flower Town. Considering overnight stays and other delays, it would take at least five days to return.¡±


    ¡°Rock lobsters are actually quite easy to keep alive. Just dab them with water every day. They have the blood of the Aquatic Monster Exquisite Lobster, a sea creature, and are not easy to die.¡±


    Sea creatures, or magical beasts of the sea.


    Liszt, naturally, would not object: ¡°Then I thank you.¡±


    ¡°No need for formality,¡± Meioubao smiled. Among the three siblings of the Tulip family, he felt closer to Liszt¡ªpossibly a case of like recognizing like, or birds of a feather flocking together. Handsome people always seem to befriend other handsome people.


    Hearing their conversation, the Marquis suddenly said, ¡°Liszt, tell me some stories about Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Grandfather, life in Fresh Flower Town is actually quite unremarkable.¡±


    ¡°Every aspect of local customs and living environment can be discussed.¡±


    ¡°Well, the town has fewer than two thousand people. It all started with the discovery of a new variety of Tulip, so my father moved his subjects and built Fresh Flower Town. Now, the main crop is wheat, and the land is quite barren, with little tax revenue. But fortunately, a new variety of Tulip magic potion has sprung up in the town, bringing prospects for new development.¡±


    ¡°A new variety of magic potion, that certainly is good news.¡± The Marquis inquired, ¡°For this magic potion, did Tulip Castle pay a substantial amount of Gold Coins?¡±


    ¡°It was a profit-sharing arrangement. The town can¡¯t plant too much, so I reached an agreement with my brother and sister to grow it together, but they have to give me thirty percent of the profits.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a very interesting cooperation, worth far more than a lump sum of Gold Coins. Liszt, you¡¯ve inherited not only Melissa¡¯s beauty but also the shrewdness of the Long Taro Family.¡±


    The shrewdness of the Long Taro Family was well-known in the Grand Duchy.


    The reason lay with the Marquis¡¯s father, the previous Marquis, who at that time was only an Earl. Given the Grand Duchy¡¯s urgent need for funds to arm the Knight Order for an expedition to the continent to fight for mineral resources, the Earl dispelled his fortune to support the Sapphire Duke¡¯s endeavor, eventually securing Red Crab Island and the position of Marquis.


    Now, the annual revenue from Red Crab Island probably far exceeds what the Earl had spent from his family wealth.


    An exceptionally valuable deal.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town is just a small town, I need to make money to maintain the expenses of the Castle.¡±


    ¡°Self-reliance, that is a quality of a proper Noble.¡±


    Courage, politeness, loyalty, self-reliance Nobles preach a whole list of virtues, among which self-reliance is the most hypocritical. Essentially, they are a group of Vampires squeezing the common folk, and from birth, they probably don¡¯t even know what a hoe looks like.


    Of course, the self-reliance the Marquis speaks of probably means ¡°relying on oneself to squeeze others,¡± rather than asking for handouts from family.


    After the lunch came the dinner.


    After the dinner was rest, and then another lunch the next day; after lunch, Meioubao got busy, because per the Marquis¡¯s instructions, he planned to hold a grand ball that evening, gathering the young Nobles of both sexes from nearby towns.


    A Noble¡¯s ball could simply be seen as a matchmaking event.


    Especially those second and third sons of Nobles, who are most enthusiastic about such balls. The eldest son can inherit his father¡¯s title, with no worry of finding a match for marriage, but second and third sons need to strive on their own to marry a rich and beautiful woman so they can continue to enjoy a Noble¡¯s life.


    Otherwise, generation after generation, they will end up as ordinary Knights and fall out of the Noble class.


    Noblewomen also look forward to balls. Not every young lady can marry the eldest son of a Noble; they too need to target those potential Noble heirs and exert their charm.


    ¡°Liszt, you need to get ready!¡± Meioubao, along with his personal servant, brought over a pile of dresses, ¡°These are all ones I¡¯ve never worn. You and I are about the same size; they will definitely fit you.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, there¡¯s no need to try them on one by one, I think the one I¡¯m wearing is quite nice,¡± Liszt replied.


    ¡°No, we must strive for perfection. Think about it, the notices I had the Knights send out on fast horses yesterday will have reached at least thirteen small towns, whose Nobles received invitations and will be able to attend the ball. There will be many beautiful young ladies waiting for you, seeking to form a blissful union and a beautiful encounter.¡±


    ¡°I am still young, I am not in a rush to marry,¡± Liszt said somewhat speechlessly. How had he never noticed before how keen his cousin was on playing matchmaker? ¡°You should be dressing up my sister instead. She¡¯s at the right age for marriage. And my brother, he needs to find a suitable mistress candidate for Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t need my reminders. Levis had borrowed many suits very early on, and Li Vera has been dressing up since this morning, haven¡¯t you noticed?¡±


    ¡°Have they?¡± Liszt asked.


    Indeed, Liszt hadn¡¯t noticed, busy reading books from the Long Taro Castle¡¯s library in his spare time, and at meals, he was preoccupied with his food.

 Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 0036: Miss of the Salmon Family

    Chapter 36: Chapter 0036: Miss of the Salmon Family


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The tailored tailcoat, wavy hairstyle, and the reluctantly applied bright powder on his face made Liszt, fresh out of the dressing room, dazzling to behold.


    ¡°Perfect!¡±


    Sir Meioubao patted Liszt on the shoulder, ¡°You will be the center of attention for all the ladies at the ball tonight.¡±


    ¡°I have no such intention, perhaps in a few years I will be very keen, but for now, sorry cousin, I have no plans to get to know any noble ladies.¡±


    ¡°Words spoken against one¡¯s true feelings, those I will not believe. Rest assured, Liszt, the best thing in life is to meet the right person at the right time, don¡¯t just leave it to fate, you have to seize the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you, my cousin, are still unmarried after all these years?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t shift the subject to me; we are talking about you now.¡±


    Liszt shook his cuffs. Sir Meioubao was rather good to him, and he actually wanted to tell his cousin that instead of chasing the Sapphire Duke¡¯s socialite daughter with the possibility of elevating the Long Taro Family by replacing old with new, it would be better to sincerely find a noblewoman to marry.


    But the words reached his lips and he held them back.


    This situation surely involved the will of the Marquis¡ªthe Long Taro Family prided itself on its astuteness; perhaps they aimed to move further up the social ladder. Once someone married the Sapphire Duke¡¯s daughter, their family¡¯s status would be unbreakable.


    He was merely a Baron from a small town in the country and should not harbor the ambitions of a Marquis while eating coarse bread.


    After getting all dressed up, he followed Sir Meioubao to the hall where the ball was to take place. Nobles were arriving in twos and threes, chatting leisurely in the hall and enjoying the beverages prepared by the servants.


    ¡°Sir Meioubao, you finally deign to show up?¡± a noble with a wine glass in hand approached.


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush, the ball hasn¡¯t started yet, Matil.¡±


    Matil glanced at Liszt, ¡°And who is this?¡±


    ¡°My cousin, his father is Coral Island¡¯s Count.¡±


    ¡°Oh, from the Tulip Family, nice to meet you for the first time, I am Matil Nustinger.¡±


    ¡°Liszt Tulip.¡± Liszt kept a polite smile but wasn¡¯t very enthusiastic. He wasn¡¯t a noble keen on socializing and was at the ball rather reluctantly.


    But then, he had no choice but to endure, and, with Sir Meioubao¡¯s introductions, got acquainted with the young nobles from Red Crab Island. They were basically followers of the Long Taro Family¡ªnobles enfeoffed by the Marquis and utterly loyal to him.


    One interesting aspect of the nobility system was,


    The nobles enfeoffed by the King were the King¡¯s vassals, and the lesser nobles enfeoffed by a noble were that noble¡¯s vassals. However, the lesser nobles were not the King¡¯s vassals, nor did they have to be loyal to the King. For example, Earl William Lee of Coral Island was a noble conferred by the King and a vassal of the King, but Liszt was not. He only needed to be loyal to his own father.


    And after a century when his father passed away, he would have to be loyal to his brother, Levis.


    ¡°Have you taken a fancy to any pretty young lady? If so, let me know, and I can be your matchmaker. Don¡¯t hold back.¡± After greeting a round of guests, Sir Meioubao returned to Liszt¡¯s side, ¡°Look at your brother; he has completely adapted to the ball¡¯s scene and has already charmed the daughters of three Viscounts.¡±


    Following his gaze, one could see the average-looking Levis, who had said something to make a young lady burst into laughter.


    ¡°And your sister, she¡¯s being courted as well.¡±


    Over by Li Vera, two male nobles were laughing and chatting with her¡ªshe wasn¡¯t very beautiful, but with a little inquiry, it would become clear that Li Vera held a Baronetcy, which to those Honored Knights or nobles unable to inherit their family¡¯s title was a prime marriage prospect.


    Once married, they could go on enjoying noble status.


    Liszt lifted his cup of fruit wine and clinked it with Sir Meioubao¡¯s, ¡°Wishing them all the happiness, and as for me, cousin, you really needn¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but I will still keep an eye out for a suitable young lady for you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Liszt said speechlessly. His cousin was overdoing it. Was he really so keen on playing matchmaker?


    However, Sir Meioubao shrugged slightly and whispered to him, ¡°Actually, this is Grandfather¡¯s wish. He knows that you¡¯re not highly regarded in the Tulip Family and hopes you can come to Red Crab Island. Besides, I need a helping hand too. The Long Taro Family¡¯s numbers aren¡¯t flourishing; I have no siblings, you know. I really hope you all can come.¡±


    Liszt felt that Sir Meioubao was speaking earnestly.


    By his conversion of measurement units, Coral Island was roughly the area of a prefectural city, about ten thousand square kilometers.


    Red Crab Island was ten times larger than Coral Island, around one hundred thousand square kilometers.


    This area was comparable to provinces like Jiangsu and Zhejiang. With no roads and transportation relying on horse-drawn carriages, the larger the area, the harder it was to manage. Moreover, with nobles operating in a decentralized manner, an increase in small nobility could lead to more chaotic territorial management and even destabilize the ruling family¡¯s foundation.


    After pondering, to say he wasn¡¯t tempted would be untrue; Fresh Flower Town really had little development value.


    Moving to Red Crab Island for development, the Long Taro Family would at least have to offer him a higher status¡ªViscount, giving him a fief comprising a small town.


    Yet, to achieve this goal through marriage, Liszt was resistant, ¡°Let nature take its course, cousin. If there¡¯s someone I like, I won¡¯t miss out, but don¡¯t force me if there isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    As nightfall descended, the dance began.


    Soft piano music flowed from the fingertips of a pianist, creating a suitable atmosphere for the event.


    As the host, Sir Meioubao danced the first number with the daughter of a viscount, then stepped aside to signal everyone to freely choose their dance partners.


    Liszt sat in a corner, watching young men and women dance gracefully in the center of the ballroom.


    He made no move.


    He had already observed all the female attendees¡ªtall, short, plump, slim, beautiful, and plain¡ªand had formed an impression of each, but sadly, none caught his fancy. Even though a few mature women fit his aesthetic standards, their age was a barrier¡ªhe was, after all, only sixteen.


    At this age, many nobles already began to indulge in pleasures.


    But it was not yet the age for marriage. The time when men turned twenty and women eighteen was the restless season for wedlock.


    His gaze wandered over the crowd, resting nowhere in particular. Then, after a moment, an invisible mist began to emerge, coalescing into twisted Serpent Script.


    ¡°Task: Fresh and tender alfalfa, not only loved by cows but also by horses, is fundamental for setting up a horse field and is the first step in building achievements. Please arrange Cordyceps for the Alfalfa Bug. Reward: Three wild corn stalks.¡±


    The task had been present for several days, and he was slightly anxious.


    ¡°After several days¡¯ delay, the alfalfa should have grown by now. I can probably arrange it for the Alfalfa Bug when I get back Wild corn, I wonder what it looks like. Its yield should at least be several times more than that of wheat.¡±


    While he pondered the task,


    An oriole-like pleasant voice suddenly reached his ears, ¡°Hi, Liszt, may I sit here?¡±


    The mist disappeared abruptly.


    Liszt came back to his senses to see a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who looked somewhat like Mary Crawley, the Earl¡¯s oldest daughter from ¡°Downton Abbey.¡± Wavy flaxen hair, a pointed nose, deep-set eyes, and thin lips that seemed to always carry a smile.


    Quite striking, more than an eight out of ten.


    Sir Meioubao had introduced her to him before; she was the youngest daughter of a viscount, named Asina Salmon, and her family was famous for their Salmon.


    Liszt showed a gentle smile and extended his hand to gesture, ¡°Lovely Miss, any seat would welcome you.¡±

 Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 0037 You Can Come to My House as a Guest

    Chapter 37: Chapter 0037 You Can Come to My House as a Guest


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you dance,¡± Asina sipped her juice, asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you join in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very skilled at dancing, so it¡¯s nice just to quietly appreciate others¡¯ dance moves.¡±


    ¡°Then you should dance even more. The steps are simple, and you¡¯d learn after a few tries.¡± Asina blinked her eyes, her face full of expectation, ¡°If you want to learn, I can teach you.¡±


    With the lady taking the initiative, Liszt couldn¡¯t very well refuse bluntly; he could only stand up and extend his hand: ¡°May I have the honor of this dance with you?¡±


    ¡°The honor is mine.¡± Asina extended her hand to Liszt and stood up smoothly.


    And so, Liszt led Asina to the dance floor, and with the accompaniment of a soothing piano melody, he wrapped his arm around Asina¡¯s waist, their left hands clasping, and they began to dance together on the floor. The social dances of the nobility always had very simple steps. Liszt had never danced them himself before, but his predecessor had quite a lot of experience.


    ¡°You don¡¯t dance stiffly; it seems you were fooling me before,¡± Asina said with a smile as they danced.


    ¡°Perhaps it is an exceptional performance this time.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then I believe you.¡±


    After a moment of silence,


    Asina asked again, ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Coral Island. In fact, I¡¯ve never left Red Crab Island. Is Coral Island far from Red Crab Island?¡±


    ¡°Not very far, about half a day¡¯s sail. If there¡¯s a tailwind all the way, it might only take half the time.¡±


    ¡°What does Tulip Castle look like?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s built on the cliffs along the shore, much smaller than Long Taro Castle, but the surrounding hills are covered with tulips, in a riot of colors.¡±


    ¡°That must be very beautiful. If I get the chance, I would like to visit Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°There will be an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Do you live at Tulip Castle?¡±


    ¡°I grew up there, but I¡¯ve already moved to live in my own town now.¡±


    ¡°Right, I heard Sir Meioubao say that you¡¯re now enfeoffed as a baron, in Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°There must be many beautiful flowers there. Is the castle where you live also surrounded by flowers?¡±


    ¡°It might disappoint you, but there are only about a dozen acres of tulips, the rest is planted with wheat. As for around the castle, well, I¡¯m in the process of planting grass and building a horse ranch, and I might raise some dairy cows too.¡± Liszt spoke indifferently, sensing that Asina might be inquiring about his background.


    Perhaps the girl was attracted by his handsome appearance and wanted to become the Baroness of Liszt?


    It would be best to nip any such notions in the bud, he thought, and after a pause, he continued, ¡°Hmm, the town is quite remote. We don¡¯t have enough wheat or milk, and even vegetables can¡¯t be had regularly. Even with gold coins, it¡¯s difficult to buy meat because a mountain range, with magical beasts in it, cuts us off, and merchant caravans are unwilling to come in.¡±


    Asina opened her mouth in surprise: ¡°Are you an Earth Knight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just recently been promoted and am still practicing the Dou Qi Manuscript.¡±


    Liszt, over one meter eighty in height, looked down and could see Asina¡¯s expression, stiff with discomfort. She was barely one meter sixty.


    Probably the gap between ideals and reality was causing her distress.


    Anyone seeing Liszt for the first time would certainly take a liking to him; women, in particular. But once they understood Liszt¡¯s background, most would keep their distance. A baron from an unimportant, impoverished, remote town, with poor Dou Qi aptitude, might well end up selling his estate and wandering to some other landlord¡¯s domain.


    Managing an estate is no simple matter; many of the smaller nobility go bankrupt and end up as family tutors or knight captains.


    Goltai was one of them.


    Even the great Nobles could go bankrupt and lose their estates if they mismanaged their businesses.


    ¡°Next, I suppose it¡¯s time to let go, signaling the end of the dance,¡± Liszt thought.


    However, Asina did not let go. Her somewhat stiff expression quickly returned to her previous gentle smile: ¡°Your father, the Earl of Coral Island, wouldn¡¯t just ignore Fresh Flower Town, would he?¡±


    ¡°My relationship with my father isn¡¯t very harmonious, possibly because my brother and sister are too outstanding.¡±


    ¡°But I think your demeanor is more outstanding. When you stand next to Sir Meioubao, you look very much like a pair of close brothers.¡±


    ¡°I take after my mother more.¡±


    ¡°Your mother must have been a graceful and noble baroness.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t remember what she looked like; she passed away when I was two.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    The two then stopped talking and danced the entire piece with their waists embraced. During the rest, he returned to his seat, and to his surprise, Asina followed him over.


    Then she sat down beside him and continued to make conversation: ¡°My home is in White Fish City. The castle doesn¡¯t have a name. I also have an older brother who is married. He married Sister Lidia from Viscount Zavier¡¯s family. They met at the ball in Long Taro Castle last year.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, no wonder I didn¡¯t see your brother come today,¡± Liszt replied somewhat perfunctorily.


    ¡°He and Sister Lidia have a good relationship and rarely attend social balls anymore,¡± Asina said, blinking, ¡°My father is very hospitable, Liszt. You¡¯re welcome to visit my home if you have the time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the time. My grandfather is recovering, and I must return to Coral Island tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°When will you come again then?¡±


    ¡°Not until the holidays.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    As the piano music started up once again, Liszt danced another dance with Asina. He then excused himself, saying the dance floor was too stuffy, and declined Asina¡¯s hope to continue dancing with him.


    After making a round in the castle, he returned to find the ball approaching its end.


    With the music stopping, Sir Meioubao represented the host in announcing the end of the ball. The nobles, in groups of threes and twos, either went directly home by carriage if they lived near or, if they were from farther away, were led by the servants to the rooms prepared in the castle. Liszt also prepared to return to his room.


    Asina found him again, merely saying, ¡°Good night, Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Asina.¡±


    Before he went back to his room, Meioubao visited: ¡°Liszt, did you enjoy chatting with Asina?¡±


    ¡°We just danced twice.¡±


    ¡°I can tell that Asina is quite interested in you. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any thoughts.¡±


    Seeing Liszt was serious, Meioubao nodded: ¡°Alright, I understand. Have a good rest. Oh, and grandfather said he wants to give you an adult gift tomorrow. He regretted not being there for your coming-of-age celebration and hopes to make up for it a little.¡±


    ¡°Grandfather is too kind.¡±


    ¡°Right, good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    Late into the night, Liszt was still awake, pondering what the Marquis would give him as his adult present¡ªit should be something not too shabby given it¡¯s coming from a Marquis.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a magic longsword?¡±


    Among nobles, especially when elders give gifts to the younger generation, it is common to give weapons, signifying that a knight¡¯s honor must be earned with a blade or spear.


    A Marquis would at least give a magical weapon, wouldn¡¯t he?


    Magical weapons are incredibly precious, and he had never owned one, so the more he thought about it, the more excited he became. His excitement, to no small extent, also included Asina¡¯s enthusiasm¡ªinside and out, she seemed to radiate that she fancied Liszt and wished to become a baroness.


    It¡¯s always pleasing to be liked, especially by a rather pretty lady.


    Always a reason to be happy.

 Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 0038: The Crimson Blood Sword Set with Gemstones

    Chapter 38: Chapter 0038: The Crimson Blood Sword Set with Gemstones


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The next morning, Liszt, with slightly dim undereye circles barely visible, had already packed his luggage.


    And he enjoyed a breakfast in his room¡ªa spread of bread, fried eggs, pastries, jam, milk, honey, and coffee.


    After Levis and Li Vera had also packed up, the three siblings prepared to bid farewell to the Marquis. The Marquis, having risen early and seated in his wheelchair, was writing something.


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± the Marquis stopped writing, lifted his head, and looked at the three tall siblings, ¡°I heard you all enjoyed last night¡¯s ball immensely.¡±


    Levis replied with a smile, ¡°A very comfortable evening, Grandfather. The ball hosted by our cousin was delightful, and we met many nobles and fine ladies, some of whom I was quite taken with.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, while you¡¯re young, follow your heart and take action.¡±


    After a brief chat, the three siblings expressed their desire to depart, and the Marquis did not insist on them staying. Instead, he said to Liszt, ¡°I missed witnessing your coming of age ceremony, so to make up for that regret, I have a gift for you. Meioubao, bring the prepared gift over to Liszt.¡±


    Meioubao quickly entered, carrying a long box.


    Seeing the box, Liszt immediately understood and guessed correctly that the Marquis¡¯s gift was indeed what elders most liked to give to their younger relatives¡ªa weapon.


    ¡°What kind of magic weapon might it be?¡± he wondered in eager anticipation.


    Meioubao handed over the box, ¡°Liszt, your grandfather is giving you the Crimson Blood Sword, in hopes that you will blaze a trail and shine bright as a knight.¡±


    ¡°The Crimson Blood Sword?¡±


    Liszt opened the box, and instantly, a bright snow-white knight¡¯s two-handed sword caught his eye.


    The slender blade, guard, and hilt all came together in an ensemble reminiscent of a German two-handed sword. Where the guard and hilt met, a fiery red gemstone was conspicuously inset. Just by looking, one could feel the magic power emanating from the fiery red gem, circulating endlessly along the blade.


    One could even see fine, blood thread-like red traces emerging on the blade¡¯s surface.


    No wonder it looked snow-white but was named Crimson Blood Sword.


    Most importantly, this wasn¡¯t just a magic weapon, but something even better¡ªa gemstone weapon!


    ¡°A ruby?¡± Li Vera saw the red gemstone at the intersection of guard and hilt, and was immediately shocked, her eyes revealing deep envy and jealousy.


    A normal magic weapon would cost around a hundred gold coins.


    But a gemstone weapon could be worth thousands of gold coins, ten times that of a magic weapon.


    Just this Crimson Blood Sword might be worth several years of tax revenue from a wealthy small town. Her Falcon Town was roughly equal to a small prosperous town, and after scrimping and saving for years, could barely afford a gemstone weapon¡ªbut she would never give up her luxurious life, so there was a very high chance she¡¯d never be able to afford one.


    With jealousy in her heart, and characteristic straightforwardness, she voiced her thoughts, ¡°Grandfather, you¡¯re playing favorites with Liszt. You only gave me a dress for my coming of age gift.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t a Little Minor Elf given to you by the lad from Coral Island, and didn¡¯t he also bestow you with the title of Baroness? But Liszt couldn¡¯t enjoy that. Coral Island¡¯s lad can play favorites, but I can¡¯t?¡± the Marquis spoke as if it were the most natural thing, also revealing his dissatisfaction with Coral Island¡¯s Count.


    Liszt, who had scored a bargain, quickly ingratiated himself, ¡°Thank you for the gift, Grandfather. I¡¯ll cherish the Crimson Blood Sword and keep its brilliance untarnished.¡±


    A gemstone weapon, which could immediately be sold for one to two thousand gold coins¡ªhow delightful¡ªbut of course, he wouldn¡¯t sell it. The ruby inlaid on the Crimson Blood Sword clearly had fiery attributes, which would assist his cultivation much more effectively than using magic potion ingredients.


    A Dragon produces nothing but the finest goods.


    With the Crimson Blood Sword in tow, Liszt prepared to return home under the watchful eyes of Meioubao and a large group of servants.


    His brief stay at Long Taro Castle thus came to an end.


    He felt no great reluctance to leave, after all, there were piles of matters waiting for him back in Fresh Flower Town, and no nest was as cozy as one¡¯s own. Just as he was about to board the carriage, someone suddenly called out to him, ¡°Liszt, wait!¡±


    Turning around, he saw Asina.


    ¡°Miss Asina, good morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Asina was a bit out of breath, probably from running over from the castle, ¡°Are you leaving now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Levis, who had gotten on the carriage but then stepped out again, suddenly chimed in, ¡°If there were a beautiful girl looking forward to my return, I¡¯d rather not go back.¡±


    Liszt turned his head and shot him a glare, ¡°Brother, please get on.¡±


    Levis shrugged, ¡°Miss Asina, you two talk.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Levis.¡±


    With space left for Liszt and Asina, Asina fidgeted with the hem of her dress, ¡°Won¡¯t you stay a few more days?¡±


    ¡°There are many matters waiting for me to deal with in town.¡±


    ¡°Then will you come to visit White City?¡± Her eyes were filled with anticipation.


    Liszt smiled as he declined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no reason to visit your house; I do not know your father, and we have no social ties.¡±


    The interactions between nobles always required an excuse, one could not simply visit without cause.


    ¡°You could come to see me,¡± Asina said, and then lowered her head, the meaning couldn¡¯t be clearer¡ªif a man was unmarried and a woman was unmarried, a visit implied only one kind of relationship.


    Liszt sighed inwardly.


    Feeling that his next words might hurt this sweet young lady¡¯s heart, but he had to say it, ¡°Miss Asina, I appreciate your affection for me, but, I have never considered the possibility between us. Please, do not dwell on me; someone as beautiful as you will surely have many suitors better than I.¡±


    Asina¡¯s eyes quickly dimmed, but soon, she bloomed into a smile again, ¡°Thank you for your honesty, Sir Liszt, I wish you a safe journey.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, take care,¡± Liszt spoke, then turned and entered the carriage.


    The coachman cracked his whip, and the horses, pulling the carriage, sped down the mountain. On the gravel-paved road, there was no dust, only the sound of the wheels clinking and clattering.


    ¡°Liszt, you rejected the overture of a noble young lady with such a cold heart,¡± Li Vera remarked with a hint of an indefinable emotion, probably doubt over her brother¡¯s character, soft as she thought he was, to be able to turn someone down.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no feeling, why should I force myself and harm both parties?¡±


    He looked back through the carriage window and saw Asina still standing at the castle gate, her petite and exquisite figure clad in a dress fluttering in the wind.


    She was brave, but he simply couldn¡¯t accept her feelings.


    He felt like reflecting on this for a good ten minutes.


    But Li Vera¡¯s scoff broke the mood, ¡°Who needs feelings for a noble union?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you just randomly pick someone with good conditions to marry?¡±


    ¡°Because I do not wish to be a vassal. Even in marriage, it must be he who comes to Falcon Town! Or, they must have the charm to make me give up Falcon Town and move into their castle. If I were to meet such a person, even if I gave my all to them, what would it matter?¡± Li Vera said proudly.


    Liszt chose not to comment.


    A few moments later, Li Vera stretched out her hand, ¡°Let me see the Crimson Blood Sword.¡±


    Beholding the masterfully crafted Crimson Blood Sword and the vibrant ruby set in it, Li Vera¡¯s envy was undisguised, ¡°Why is Grandpa so good to you? A gemstone sword, I might never even be able to afford to use in my entire life! Liszt, it¡¯s a waste on you. Give it to me, and I¡¯ll give you a hundred Naldas in return!¡±


    ¡°No deal.¡±

 Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 0039: Information of the Formless Dragon

    Chapter 39: Chapter 0039: Information of the Formless Dragon


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Three days later, Li Si Te returned to Coral Island¡¯s Fresh Flower Town.


    It was Tulip Castle¡¯s Knight Squad that escorted him back to Fresh Flower Town, accompanying Li Si Te and Ma Ku Si were two down-on-their-luck nobles, descendants of nobility, yet themselves without inherited titles, only addressed as Knights.


    They were friends introduced by Goltai.


    Lured by the promise of double wages, they came to Fresh Flower Town to take up official posts.


    ¡°Li Si Te, welcome back, you were gone just over a week, and I started missing you,¡± Goltai greeted the town¡¯s landlord with slightly exaggerated enthusiasm.


    His warmth was extravagant yet thorough.


    ¡°And there¡¯s Ma Ku Si, the Baron¡¯s loyal knight. Seeing you both in fine attire, I knew at once that your journey went smoothly.¡±


    ¡°Haha, look who these two are, Isaiah and Blair, my old friends. Seeing you arrive with the Baron fills me with immense joy, evidently you have chosen Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Next, a banquet was prepared in the small castle to feast the Knight Squad that escorted Li Si Te and his group.


    Before the banquet began.


    Li Si Te couldn¡¯t care less about being travel-worn; he quickly cradled the Jade Box with the Alfalfa Bug to the newly finished castle¡¯s front paddock. The ground was already a lush green, the alfalfa sprouting rapidly, almost summer now, and the temperature would also promote their growth.


    ¡°Little guy, come on out.¡±


    The chubby Alfalfa Bug, adorned with purple patterns, was quite beautiful.


    Unlike the lethargic Tulip Bug, it was full of energy, opening its mouth to spit out the Cordyceps. In almost fast-forward, a single alfalfa plant sprouted and grew rapidly in the middle of the paddock. Larger and sturdier than ordinary alfalfa, it bloomed with purple flowers directly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to install fences around it, to prevent the horses from destroying the growth of the Cordyceps,¡± Li Si Te instructed his personal servant, Thomas.


    Elf-related matters were directly managed by the castle; there was no need for the town officials or serfs to intervene.


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I¡¯ll start building the fence right away.¡±


    By the time Li Si Te returned to the castle.


    Butler Carter greeted him: ¡°My lord, the banquet has been properly prepared; you may take your seat.¡±


    ¡°Then let us begin.¡±


    The banquet at Fresh Flower Town Castle was worlds apart from the feasts Li Si Te had partaken in a few days earlier, but he preferred the current atmosphere, for among all those seated, he was the most honored.


    ¡°Firstly, I¡¯d like to thank Lord Layden and the honored knights for their escort along the way, I raise a toast to you all.¡±


    ¡°Baron, you¡¯re too kind,¡± the knights lifted their glasses in unison.


    Emptying a pint of beer, servants immediately refilled it, and Li Si Te raised his second glass: ¡°This one, to wish Isaiah and Blair a joyful life in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Baron, for your blessings; we hope to contribute to the development of Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Lastly, a toast to my teacher Goltai, who managed all affairs in my absence.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I should do, Li Si Te, as long as there are fine wines to drink daily, I¡¯m willing to stay forever drunk in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Goltai laughed heartily.


    ¡°Sober to govern Fresh Flower Town, well-supplied with food and wine at meals,¡± said Li Si Te.


    ¡°Of course, work and fine wine go hand in hand.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    In the harmonious atmosphere, lunch was earnestly finished.


    After seeing off the Knight Squad, Liszt returned to the castle for a midday rest. Lying on the bed and concentrating for a moment, the familiar Smoke Mission promptly arrived. The Serpent Script finally altered, ¡°Complete the mission, reward three wild corn plants.¡±


    Suddenly, the smoke transformed, and a new mission was released.


    ¡°Mission: As a Landlord, taking care of Elves is your inescapable responsibility. Have you forgotten the Little Wheat Elf Bug? Its abilities can produce more food for your lands. Please arrange Cordyceps for the Little Wheat Bug. Reward: Information about the Formless Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Information about the Formless Dragon? What kind of reward is that?¡±


    An audacious idea suddenly sprang to Liszt¡¯s mind, ¡°Could it be that the Smoke Mission is preparing to reward me with a Dragon? That shouldn¡¯t be right, it¡¯s too much of a thrill, a Dragon! A being that suppresses the fate of a nation. However, what does Formless Dragon mean? Invisible? A Dragon without shape?¡±


    According to the memories of his predecessor, Dragons come in three main types.


    One type is the Gemstone Dragon, such as the Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s own Sapphire Dragon, which can produce Sapphires. The Crimson Blood Sword, gifted to Liszt by Marquis Merlin, with its set Ruby, is also produced by a Gemstone Dragon and possesses magical power.


    Another type is the Metal Dragon. In the Knight¡¯s Novel, the White Maw Iron Dragon that fought against the Sapphire Dragon is a Metal Dragon that can produce iron ore. In terms of numbers, Metal Dragons are more common than Gemstone Dragons, particularly the Iron Dragon subgroup about which Liszt has heard quite a bit through various Knight¡¯s Novels.


    Lastly, there are the Elemental Dragons, such as the Fire Dragon and the Water Dragon, which are very difficult to tame and possess intense magical elements, causing astonishing destruction. They often destroy towns and injure numerous people. They tend to be the targets of Dragon Slayers in Knight¡¯s Novels¡ªhumans are a peculiar animal, worshipping Dragons yet also wanting to slay them.


    ¡°Gemstone, Metal, Elemental which category would the Formless Dragon belong to?¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t fathom.


    He decided to ask others.


    He summoned Butler Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, have you ever heard of a Formless Dragon?¡±


    Carter thought for a moment, ¡°I have not, my lord.¡±


    The afternoon.


    Accompanied by his Retainer Knights, he went towards the town to seek Goltai and his two friends, incidentally seizing the opportunity to stumble upon a clue about the reward of three wild corn plants.


    ¡°A Formless Dragon?¡±


    Goltai stroked his chin, ¡°I seem to have heard about it from somewhere. Isaiah, Blair, do you remember?¡±


    Isaiah and Blair reflected carefully but shook their heads in unison.


    In the end, after half an hour of recollection, Goltai still couldn¡¯t remember whether he had ever heard of the Formless Dragon, ¡°One gets muddled with age, Liszt, I¡¯m sorry. Perhaps I¡¯m mistaken. I may have wasted your time; I may not have heard of a Formless Dragon at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. By the way, Teacher Goltai, how have you arranged Isaiah and Blair¡¯s duties?¡±


    ¡°I oversee the government affairs, Isaiah is in charge of finance, and Blair handles legal and foreign matters.¡±


    ¡°Since there are arrangements in place, I leave the development of Fresh Flower Town in your three hands,¡± Liszt did not linger in town. He was confident he could foster the growth of Fresh Flower Town, but that was limited to conveying his intentions to subordinates like Goltai to realize the specifics of the work.


    For him to take matters into his own hands would firstly go against the Noble system¡ªnobles that work the fields are not considered Nobles, and those who dine with Serfs are even less so. Secondly, arranging matters himself might not achieve the desired effect, instead wasting energy.


    For example, why should he personally conduct a census when he could have Servants do it instead?


    Having finally crossed over into nobility, not to indulge but to toil away was equivalent to needlessly burdening himself.


    Back in the Castle, Liszt pondered, ¡°Since the reward is information about the Formless Dragon, it implies that I won¡¯t receive the reward before completing the mission, right? In other words, nobody knows what the Formless Dragon is, and probably someone will come forward to tell me after I complete the task?¡±


    Immediately, he left the Castle without delay and hurried towards Little Wheat Village¡ª the Little Wheat Bug awarded by the Earl was waiting for him to arrange the Cordyceps.

 Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 0040: Why Wild Corn Looks Like This

    Chapter 40: Chapter 0040: Why Wild Corn Looks Like This


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Just as Liszt had properly settled the little wheat bug¡¯s cordyceps, suddenly the steward Gejir from Little Wheat Village told him something, ¡°Lord Landlord, I don¡¯t know if I should mention it.¡±


    ¡°What is it, please tell me.¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up, thinking that the other party might be about to reveal information about the formless dragon to him.


    Yet, Gejir said, ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡¯ve found three very strange plants on the wasteland of Little Wheat Village. They¡¯re exceptionally tall, about two to three meters, and lush green. Our chickens are very fond of eating their leaves.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s corn!¡±


    Liszt immediately realized that the lead given by the steward wasn¡¯t about the formless dragon, but about three wild corn plants. He promptly ordered the steward to take him there¡ªcorn, the anticipated corn.


    However, once they arrived before the wild corn plants, Liszt was plunged into confusion.


    ¡°Gejir, how long ago did you find these three plants?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been three months now.¡±


    ¡°Have they always looked like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡±


    Liszt habitually touched the Crimson Blood Sword hanging at his waist.


    He had kept the sword with him at all times; the magic power of the ruby constantly stimulated his fire attribute Dou Qi, nourishing and growing it. In other words, with the sword, he was always in training. Eat a little more magic potion in the future, and it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to become a Sky Knight.


    He kept examining the three wild corn plants.


    The corn in front of him wasn¡¯t a single straight stalk with a few leaves and a bunch of flowers on top, with one or two ears of corn in the middle. Instead, it was a messy cluster of several stalks, each tipped with a bunch of flowers, and where the ears of corn should¡¯ve been growing in the middle, there were a few tiny toothpicks.


    The toothpicks were segmented, each segment was a grass seed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me wild corn looks like this. This isn¡¯t corn; it¡¯s wheat!¡± Deep down, Liszt was hurt. He knew very well that the three wild corn plants were these three plants in front of him.


    But he couldn¡¯t accept it.


    What happened to the large, plump ears of corn that were promised?


    ¡°This is simply grass for livestock to eat Ah, I remember now, these three wild corn plants should probably be called Mexican corn grass?¡±


    Liszt, who had experience growing crops in his hometown, recalled that someone in the village had planted a certain pig grass, which was fed to pigs, known as Mexican corn grass. It was said to be a very high-yield forage, particularly favored by pigs, cows, and sheep.


    ¡°That must be it. If it were real corn, there would be no need to use the word ¡®wild¡¯ before it, as it seems corn does not have wild varieties, it¡¯s the result of millions of years of human cultivation.¡± With this understanding, he could only sigh inwardly and console himself, ¡°At least I¡¯ve obtained a high-yield variety of forage, not a loss.¡±


    He composed his disappointed feelings.


    Liszt put on a noble¡¯s restrained and subtle smile anew, ¡°Gejir, based on my judgment, this grass is called corn grass, and it¡¯s a highly productive forage that livestock are fond of. Chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, cows, and sheep all like to eat it. From now on, you need to take good care of it; I need its seeds.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord! Gejir will make sure to protect the corn grass, not allowing any serf or any livestock to get close to it!¡±


    ¡°Very good. I will inform Teacher Goltai, and when the time comes, he will make further arrangements. You just wait to cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡±


    After one last look at the Mexican corn grass, Liszt took a deep breath and lifted his riding crop, ¡°Let¡¯s go back!¡±


    The placement of the little wheat bug¡¯s cordyceps went very smoothly, and thus the peanut bug, alfalfa bug, tulip bug, and little wheat bug had all been adequately settled.


    Only the placement of the thorn bug was still uncertain, and the millet fields for the millet bug were still being planned.


    Nevertheless, the elves would be given the best care.


    On the way back, Liszt bumped into Marcus, who was on his way to see him at the castle.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°My lord, I heard from Sir Goltai that you were inquiring about the Formless Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know about the Formless Dragon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Marcus said seriously. ¡°It was mentioned in a knight¡¯s novel that had been torn in half, a book I read when I was very young. I don¡¯t know the name of it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? How was the Formless Dragon described in it?¡± Liszt knew that the reward for completing the Little Wheat Bug task had come.


    Marcus explained, ¡°The novel said that apart from the Gemstone Dragon, Metal Dragon, and Elemental Dragons, there is another type of dragon called the Sacred Dragon. The Formless Dragon is a type of Sacred Dragon; it is transparent, and no one can see its form. Wherever it goes, it brings endless disasters.¡±


    ¡°Disasters? Then why is it called a Sacred Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Because it can produce a very special gemstone.¡±


    ¡°A special gemstone? It should be categorized with the Gemstone Dragons then, right? And what¡¯s this special gemstone, does it possess any different powers?¡±


    ¡°This gemstone is related to a legendary piece of equipment. Have you heard of a Space Ring, my lord? It¡¯s a small ring that can hold a lot of things.¡±


    This world also has Space Rings?


    Liszt searched his predecessor¡¯s memories but hadn¡¯t heard of it. He then said, ¡°No, so, do Space Rings really exist? Or rather, can the gemstones produced by the Formless Dragon be used to craft Space Rings?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether Space Rings exist or not, and even if they do, they would be priceless treasures that only true Nobles could possess,¡± replied Marcus. ¡°The knight¡¯s novel I read indeed stated that wherever the Formless Dragon went, in addition to endless disasters, it would also leave behind gemstones it produced. Whoever found them would possess a Space Ring.¡±


    ¡°What happened then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all there was.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the book contain any more information about the Formless Dragon?¡±


    ¡°No, and I believe it¡¯s just a story fabricated by people. You know how those novels that inspire our knightly glory are often just full of fabrications by the authors with their eyes wide open.¡± Marcus had come specially to tell Liszt this information, but clearly, he didn¡¯t believe in the existence of the Formless Dragon himself.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t confirm or deny this and continued to ask, ¡°Then, are there any other Sacred Dragons?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, the book was missing half, and the part I read only introduced the Sacred Dragon, solely focusing on the Formless Dragon.¡±


    After Marcus left.


    Liszt still didn¡¯t understand.


    What exactly was the meaning of the task reward, the information on the Formless Dragon?


    Was it simply to inform him through a task that he now had knowledge of the Formless Dragon? Or did it imply that there was a Formless Dragon nearby that he could go and capture? Or perhaps it meant that a Formless Dragon was going to attack Fresh Flower Town, and he should be on guard? Of course, there was also the possibility that a Formless Dragon might come to deliver equipment, maybe even a Space Ring?


    While pondering, the smoke in front of him appeared again.


    ¡°Task completed, reward: Information on the Formless Dragon.¡±


    After a twist in the air, a new task was issued: ¡°Task: The sudden appearance of wild corn in Little Wheat Village has caught your attention, hasn¡¯t it, my lord? You need to consider why wild corn is growing in Little Wheat Village. Perhaps there is more wild corn nearby. Please find the original habitat of the wild corn. Reward: New information on the Formless Dragon.¡±


    Quickly, Liszt focused his attention on the reward for the new task.


    ¡°Again with information on the Formless Dragon, what in the world is this, how much information about the Formless Dragon are they going to tell me?¡±

 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: To Get Rich, Build Roads First

    Chapter 41: To Get Rich, Build Roads First


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Liszt regarded the issue with calm objectivity, freeing himself from the unrealistic fantasies about dragons and came to believe that the so-called information about the Formless Dragon was likely not a rewarding discovery.


    According to his previous deductions:


    First, the Smoke Mission was doing science outreach¡ª but this made no sense at all; as a ¡®golden finger¡¯, it shouldn¡¯t be this boring.


    Second, there might be a Formless Dragon nearby that could be captured¡ªif this were true, it would definitely be explosive news; however, Liszt had no power to capture a dragon. Those nations possessing dragons often captured them as youngsters since adult dragons were too difficult to handle. But even a young dragon would be too much for all the knights of Coral Island to overcome.


    Third, a Formless Dragon had traveled thousands of miles to deliver equipment¡ªLiszt didn¡¯t believe his dragon fate was that good yet.


    Fourth, it was possible that a Formless Dragon was about to launch an attack on Fresh Flower Town.


    The fourth deduction was undoubtedly the most likely since dragons attacking human villages and towns was no longer big news, or else the profession of ¡®Dragon Slayer¡¯ wouldn¡¯t have come into existence. In most knight¡¯s novels, Dragon Slayers were celebrated protagonists, second only to Dragon Knights.


    Essentially, in a satisfactory knight¡¯s novel, the protagonist was bound to become a Dragon Knight or slay a dragon, and then he would undoubtedly marry a beautiful Princess.


    ¡°So, the rewards for these two missions are telling me that I have to resist a dragon and strive to become the protagonist of a knight¡¯s novel, Dragon Slayer Liszt?¡±


    Liszt looked into the mirror and chuckled, ¡°Then, if the big dragon is gone, where is the princess?¡±


    Feeling somewhat conflicted, he worried that his speculation might come true while also feeling that such an event couldn¡¯t possibly happen. After much thought, he decided there was no need to borrow trouble. First, he would complete his mission and see what clues the final mission rewards would provide before making a decision.


    If there really was an invasion by a Formless Dragon, and he couldn¡¯t hold it off, that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t request help.


    The moment he delivered this news to the Sapphire Family, he believed it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to exchange for a Marquis title¡ªthe highest rank that could be conferred by the duchy.


    He called over Goltai, and immediately delegated the task: ¡°This type of Corn Grass wouldn¡¯t appear out of nowhere, it¡¯s definitely with the birds or wind that the seeds have been blown over. Teacher Goltai, mobilize all the idle farmers to search between the hamlets, we must locate more Corn Grass.¡±


    Goltai didn¡¯t quite understand the importance of the task: ¡°Liszt, is this type of Corn Grass very important?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is highly nutritious fodder, even more suitable for use in horse farms and dairy operations than alfalfa grass¡­ Anyway, planting a variety of fodders allows livestock to grow quicker.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s that valuable, I will arrange for people to search right away, we won¡¯t miss a single corner.¡±


    As they were talking, Liszt suddenly noticed a group of people marching in formation outside the castle, passing by the gate, heading towards Thorn Ridge in the south.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, is that the new Patrol Team?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Retainer Knights have been really helpful. At first, the bastards in the Patrol Team wouldn¡¯t take orders from me as the Administrative Officer, but after a few fights, they quickly learned to curb their tempers.¡±


    ¡°Well done, discipline is the first priority for the Patrol Team, Teacher Goltai, we need to continue strengthening our control over them. I have several ideas that need to be realized¡­ The Patrol Team needs to take on the security management of the town and the hamlets, with the town paying them, uniform dress codes, uniform behavioral standards.¡±


    Liszt outlined some broad ideas, planning to build the Patrol Team into a police station, initially responsible for public security, and eventually, to also take over the management of civil registration.


    This way, he could thoroughly know everything about the town, and any individuals with suspicious identities wouldn¡¯t be able to settle in Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°However, there are not many Gold Coins in the town, and Isaiah has complained to me more than once that without Gold Coins, he can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Gold Coins, Liszt¡¯s castle didn¡¯t have many either; previously the butler had reported that there were roughly one hundred and fifty left.


    However, the castle now is very ¡°affluent¡±: just Li Si Te¡¯s Crimson Blood Sword alone is worth a thousand or two Gold Coins, not to mention the profits from the Black Tulip Industry each year, as well as a large amount of materials obtained through assimilation.


    ¡°I will allocate fifty Gold Coins from the castle¡¯s treasury for the development of the town, and this portion of Gold Coins will be deducted from the town¡¯s retained tax revenue each year.¡±


    ¡°Fifty Gold Coins, Li Si Te, that¡¯s a lot¡ªI¡¯ve looked into it, and the town¡¯s annual tax revenue is a mere fifteen Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°Fifty Gold Coins is not much, Teacher Goltai. Inform Isaiah and Blair that Fresh Flower Town is entering a busy period, and they need to be prepared.¡±


    ¡°As you wish!¡±


    The development of Fresh Flower Town was something Li Si Te was indeed serious about.


    He was already working on drawing a map of the town¡ªan abstract and rudimentary terrain map that essentially depicted Fresh Flower Town as a right-angled triangle.


    The two perpendicular sides were Thorn Ridge, and the hypotenuse was the East Coast.


    The town was located at the center of the triangle, with the castle near the right angle, and the dairy farm and Barley Hamlet occupying the other two corners.


    ¡°To be rich, build roads first,¡± he said, holding a quill pen and emphasizing the dirt road from Thorn Ridge to the town. ¡°This main road¡ªI need to turn it into a gravel road. There¡¯s no cement, but there is plenty of sand. The East Coast has large quantities of sea sand, which can be hauled here for road construction.¡±


    Then there are the muddy paths between the farms, all of which can be paved with sand.


    However, paving with sand alone is not the best choice, as it¡¯s hard to drain and gets into shoes, spreading sand everywhere. Unfortunately, there aren¡¯t many stones near Fresh Flower Town to mix with the sand, so they¡¯d have to make do with sand roads for now¡ªit¡¯s still better than muddy roads that become unusable when it rains.


    Road construction is a major affair, as is farming.


    Elves can influence crop growth, but you can¡¯t rely solely on elves. Before the arrival of elves, the farmers of Fresh Flower Town still had to till their land.


    ¡°Scientific farming has only taken the first step, making the villagers aware of the need to fertilize crops. But that¡¯s not enough. We also need to create a batch of farming tools to increase the productivity of the farmers, so they can cultivate more fallow land for crops. I¡¯ve exchanged a bunch of iron from Tulip Castle and Falcon Town and can contact the smithy.¡±


    These two matters are urgent, but their effects won¡¯t be seen immediately.


    Yet another matter could bring immediate rewards¡ªsea harvesting.


    On the back of a Fire Dragon Horse, Li Si Te gazed at the endless sea, the unique briny scent of the seawater filling his nostrils as the waves beat against the shore, sparkling in the sunlight and filling his vision with little stars.


    Thomas led Douson around, allowing it to frolic on the sandy beach.


    Douson was growing rapidly, almost daily, and was now the size of a country mutt. It was not known whether it was because of the good diet, but it already showed signs of magic power flowing within. It might not need to reach adulthood before it could cast magic.


    Li Si Te planned to intensify its training to prevent an overly wild nature and potential harm to people.


    ¡°My Lord, is there anything of note along the East Coast? There are no deep-water bays here, not suitable for a dock,¡± Marcus said as he watched the waves, still not seeing the wealth of the sea.


    Li Si Te pointed to the rocks occasionally visible beneath the sea waves. ¡°Teacher Marcus, do you see those rocks? They are covered with food. When the tide is out, we can have the farmers go and pick up these foods¡­ Compared to the freshwater fish we usually eat, these are the real seafood.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: The First Seashore Foraging in Fresh Flower Town

    Chapter 42: The First Seashore Foraging in Fresh Flower Town


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°The tide is starting to recede, my lord,¡± Thomas tugged at Douson, speaking to Liszt.


    ¡°Hand Douson over to me, and you, along with Tom and Jessie, go search for the seafood as I have instructed you,¡± Liszt took the leash from Douson.


    Douson kept trying to dash outward, chasing the waves.


    Liszt suddenly shouted, ¡°Quiet, Douson!¡±


    Douson did not listen.


    Liszt dismounted and stretched out his hand, pressing Douson into the sands, making it unable to move, and commanded loudly, ¡°Douson, be quiet!¡±


    ¡°Woof woof¡­¡± Douson let out two confused barks, struggling in futility, and eventually lay down obediently.


    Then Liszt slowly let go of his hand.


    Douson tried to struggle and dash outward again.


    Liszt repeated the process of pressing it down and issuing commands for it to be quiet. After several attempts, Douson finally stopped moving, and at that moment, Retainer Knight Karl hurriedly brought over a piece of bacon, which Liszt rewarded to Douson, ¡°Quiet and you¡¯ll get to eat meat, understand, Douson?¡±


    ¡°Woof woof.¡± Douson frantically tore at the bacon, gobbling it up.


    Before leaving home, Liszt had specifically instructed Thomas not to feed Douson, for only hunger could engrave a deep memory in animals, better forming a conditioned reflex and achieving obedience training.


    ¡°Lord, you have a great talent for taming magical beasts, and I can foresee that Douson will become a qualified domestic magical beast in the future.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it will. If it can¡¯t achieve that, I will have it slaughtered halfway through. The smoked Fierce Earth Dog meat we had last night was quite delicious. I¡¯ve hardly ever had magical beast meat like that in Long Taro Castle.¡±


    The large Fierce Earth Dog had not been sold for its meat; all had been left at the castle to cure and dry.


    ¡°It was indeed a delicacy, and eating it, one could feel the magic power nourishing the body,¡± Marcus had also dined at the castle last night.


    After training Douson for a while, Liszt handed him over to Karl and then rode his horse to the beach where the tide had receded, to check on how the servitors were doing.


    At this time, Thomas, Tom, and Jessie, each wearing a pair of thick leather gloves and carrying buckets, wielded hammers and shovels, busily at work.


    Thomas was responsible for flipping rocks, searching for seafood under and on top of them.


    Jessie took charge of digging through the sand, looking for seafood buried beneath it.


    Tom, on the other hand, picked up various stranded seafood that hadn¡¯t made it back to the sea in time.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, do you know the correlation between the tides and the moon at night?¡± asked Liszt, in a good mood.


    Marcus shook his head, ¡°I do not know.¡±


    ¡°The moon keeps moving, and it attracts the seawater, causing tides to rise or fall. Of course, the sun does the same, but it¡¯s much further away and doesn¡¯t have as strong an attraction as the moon.¡±


    ¡°I do not understand these things you know, my lord,¡± Marcus politely admitted.


    Marcus was already being courteous.


    The moon and the sun can attract seawater? If it was someone else, he would surely have spat in their face, calling it nonsense. Then he would have countered, saying you claim the moon and sun attract seawater, so why don¡¯t they pull us humans up into the sky too? In that case, everyone could fly, and we could all be Sky Knights, so stop deceiving me for lack of education.


    Seeing Marcus¡¯ expression, Liszt found it uninteresting¡ªignorant natives.


    After his reflection, he thought to himself, ¡°Since the moon here can also cause tides, does it indicate that this world is indeed a planet? If I sail along the Sea of Azure Waves continuously, can I make a circle around the planet and come back to this place? If that¡¯s true, perhaps one day I could dispatch a fleet for a trip around the world?¡±


    The thought was distant, and Liszt did not dwell on it further.


    He rode up to where Tom was.


    Tom promptly saluted, ¡°My lord.¡±


    ¡°Continue with your task, I¡¯m just taking a look,¡± Liszt saw at a glance that Tom¡¯s bucket contained clams, conchs, starfish, crabs, sea cucumbers, clams and seaweed, as well as creatures similar to sea centipedes and sea cockroaches.


    However, sea cockroaches and sea centipedes could run away, occasionally spilling out of the bucket.


    So Tom had to go and pick them up again, all thumbs.


    ¡°These two kinds of bugs that run are not seafood, they can be thrown away,¡± Liszt reminded him.


    ¡°Oh, okay, okay, Master,¡± Tom busied himself throwing away the bugs, sweating profusely as if he was nervous about the landlord being present, always trying to catch them but failing.


    Not far off, Thomas, who was moving rocks, saw Tom¡¯s clumsy actions and turned around, smirking with pride¡ªhe was the only one of the castle¡¯s three male servants who was outstanding enough to be the proper successor to the butler.


    As for Jessie, who was digging in the sand, he had spent half the day without catching a single razor clam or shrimp that the landlord had mentioned; aimlessly digging, he didn¡¯t realize he was supposed to follow the small holes the seafood uses for breathing.


    ¡°What a couple of good-for-nothings!¡± he thought to himself.


    Therefore, he happily wielded his hammer, tapping it under the rocks, knocking off clams, sea cucumbers, and oysters, occasionally also picking up a few small crabs.


    ¡°The oyster meat needs to be removed like this.¡± Thomas took his hammer and shattered an oyster shell, then scooped out the soft flesh inside.


    Before leaving, Lord Landlord had mentioned that the flesh of oysters was delicious.


    Thomas didn¡¯t find those soft and unattractive things particularly tasty, but he was meticulous in carrying out the instructions of Lord Landlord.


    It was hardly any effort at all.


    On the exposed rocks after the tide had receded, there were oysters and sea cucumbers everywhere.


    In just two hours, Thomas had filled the two buckets he brought with him, one of which was entirely filled with the oyster meat he had harvested.


    Looking over at Tom, his bucket might have been full, but the landlord had told him several times not to pick certain things, yet he still did.


    Even though it was the same kind of bug, he thought they were different.


    That was just too silly.


    As for Jessie, he might as well be ignored, having dug himself into a sweaty mess with barely more than the bottom of his bucket covered. A few plump shrimp¡ªthe landlord had called them mantis shrimp¡ªand a few razor clams that looked like sticks, apparently called bamboo clams.


    He put down his bucket full of oyster meat, stuck out his chest, and awaited Lord Landlord¡¯s inspection.


    Mounted on his horse, spending most of his time under the coconut trees enjoying the cool breeze, Liszt noticed noon was approaching and the sunshine growing blistering hot, so he called an end to this foraging experiment.


    He rode over and examined each bucket.


    ¡°Tom, you still need to put in more effort to distinguish between pests and seafood, not everything found by the sea is edible. If it¡¯s poisonous, it could kill someone,¡± he said.


    Ashamed, Tom lowered his head and responded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master, I¡¯m too dumb and couldn¡¯t make out the difference.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Tom, it¡¯s normal to lack experience on your first foray into foraging; don¡¯t feel so guilty about it,¡± Liszt consoled him, then turned to Jessie¡¯s bucket, ¡°Hmm, Jessie, your hard work is visible to me, but obviously, you¡¯ve not applied the methods I taught you.¡±


    ¡°Master, I dug hard, but as I dug, the holes would just disappear,¡± Jessie said in a flustered manner.


    ¡°You need to dig following the direction of the holes,¡± he instructed.


    ¡°I¡­ I can stay and keep on digging here, Master, I¡¯m sure I can fill the bucket,¡± Jessie offered.


    ¡°If you stay here, then there¡¯s nobody in the castle to fetch water, Jessie. I¡¯m not blaming you. It¡¯s not an easy task to dig for mantis shrimp and bamboo clams,¡± Liszt explained.


    Finally, Liszt walked over to Thomas¡¯s bucket, one full of oyster meat, and the other also brimming with crabs, sea cucumbers, and more.


    ¡°Well done, Thomas.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Master, it¡¯s my duty, and I give my all in service to you,¡± Thomas beamed.


    Liszt responded with a smile befitting a noble, acknowledging Thomas¡¯s efforts¡ªhe was well aware of Thomas¡¯s ambitions, as Butler Carter had already informed him. As a landlord, he was not concerned, for Thomas¡¯s ambition extended no further than becoming the castle¡¯s butler.


    If he truly had the ability, and Old Carter was no longer up to the task, what harm would there be in letting Thomas become the butler?


    No servant could turn his world upside down.

 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Seafood Feast in the Castle

    Chapter 43: Seafood Feast in the Castle


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Carrying a pile of seafood and returning to the castle, Liszt did not immediately have the kitchen prepare it.


    These seafood items indeed resembled those from his memory, but whether they were edible or poisonous still needed to be verified. The verification process was simple: Marcus took a few of the town¡¯s scarce hunters to set traps on the outskirts of Thorn Ridge and captured several wolves and wildcats, among other carnivorous animals.


    The wolves and wildcats locked in cages were starving.


    When the seafood was thrown in, the beasts voraciously gobbled it up. Then, the cooked seafood was given to another group of animals. After waiting for a day, by the second day, aside from two animals that died after eating a certain type of sea urchin, the other creatures were still lively, showing no signs of poisoning.


    ¡°This indicates that the flavors of the sea here are quite similar to Earth¡¯s seafood, except for the sea urchins. We¡¯ll remove the sea urchins, and the rest of the edible seafood will be used to create specimens for the serfs who harvest the sea to reference,¡± he said.


    After some thought, Liszt was not in a hurry to have people harvest the seafood.


    He needed to make others understand that seafood was delicious, not something distasteful.


    Many kinds of seafood can be eaten raw, but Liszt did not recommend eating them this way; he always felt that consuming too much seafood could lead to infection by parasites within.


    Without any medical facilities, infection by parasites meant waiting for death.


    So he called over Cook Abbie Spoon, ¡°Mrs. Abbie, let me show you how to prepare seafood. See this crab? Use a brush to clean it thoroughly, then steam it directly; same with this shrimp¡ªclean it well, then boil it in plain water.¡±


    ¡°Look at this clam; you can use it to make soup or stir-fry it directly. And these oyster meats are actually edible raw, but I don¡¯t eat raw seafood, so you¡¯ll need to boil it in water or stir-fry them. We have plenty of oyster meats here, which I call oysters. If there are any leftovers, they can be dried and used to produce oyster sauce by boiling the dried oysters,¡± he explained.


    Oysters, scientifically known as Ostreidae, are a type of shellfish.


    They are a delicacy.


    Back in his hometown, Liszt was very fond of eating oysters because they are rich in zinc¡ªzinc plays an important role in the development of human secondary sexual characteristics; having trace amounts of zinc in the blood makes one more vigorous¡­


    Therefore.


    Oysters would undoubtedly become an essential delicacy on the Baron¡¯s dining table.


    Fortunately, Fresh Flower Town was situated by the sea and had not been overharvested by humans, so the sea was teeming with oysters, and there was no need to worry about zinc deficiency.


    The sixteen-year-old Liszt, still in a period of rapid growth, needed to eat more to grow stronger.


    After teaching Mrs. Abbie Spoon how to prepare the seafood, Liszt did not expect the first time he tasted seafood in this world to be memorable, or rather, he had already experienced it¡ª at Long Taro Castle, fishermen had found rock lobsters from the sea.


    As an archipelago nation, the Duchy of Sapphire had quite a few fishermen.


    The serfs, driven by necessity, naturally sought food from the sea and discovered the deliciousness of seafood. However, due to inconvenient transportation and a lack of information, the ways to enjoy seafood from the different islands could not be shared. On Coral Island, the Tulip Family had not yet finished reclaiming wasteland and had no incentive to exploit the sea.


    That¡¯s why the subjects of Fresh Flower Town had never thought of harvesting seafood for the past ten to twenty years.


    ¡°Mrs. Abbie cooking seafood for the first time would probably fail even at steaming crabs properly; she could only continue to explore how to cook the most flavorful dishes and slowly improve her cooking skills.¡±


    Indeed.


    At lunchtime, at the castle¡¯s dining table, Liszt ate the familiar seafood but could not find the familiar taste.


    The crabs were oversteamed, the shrimps overcooked and mushy, the oysters stir-fried too tough, and the clam soup was full of sand. However, he still enjoyed it quite a lot¡ªit was much more appealing than his usual bread with roast meat.


    Marcus, Goltai, Isaiah, and Blair accompanied Liszt at the seafood feast.


    ¡°Delicious!¡± Marcus simply commented, and then buried himself in the shrimp and crab.


    Isaiah smiled, ¡°Tasty!¡±


    Blair gave a thumbs up, ¡°A rare delicacy!¡±


    The most exaggerated was Goltai, who initially disliked the oysters for their ugly appearance and couldn¡¯t bring himself to eat them. But once he tasted them, he couldn¡¯t stop. He cleaned his plate in no time and then ordered two more servings.


    After a sip of hoppy beer and a bite of oysters, his face full of wrinkles lit up with happiness, ¡°I remember now, I remember now.¡±


    ¡°Remember what?¡± Liszt expertly cracked open a crab shell.


    ¡°When I was young, I visited a small island called Flying Fish Island. I had these¡­ oysters at a local¡¯s home. I got drunk that night and ate a pile of oysters, had a marvelous evening. After sobering up and leaving Flying Fish Island, I never found that delicious taste again, until now.¡±


    ¡°Then eat more, maybe another wonderful thing will happen tonight,¡± Liszt said with a smirk.


    He already knew Goltai had found a young girl in town, only sixteen or seventeen¡ª if she hadn¡¯t willingly chosen to follow Goltai, Liszt would have definitely stopped this cradle-snatching behavior.


    Goltai laughed, ¡°Who knows, but I¡¯ve already fallen in love with oysters.¡±


    Isaiah and Blair chuckled knowingly.


    They were all adults, understanding the implication of the words.


    Even Marcus¡¯s eyes lit up with expectation, and he turned to start eating oysters.


    Upstairs in the living room, nobles and knights were indulging in the delicious seafood, while downstairs in the kitchen, the servants were equally enjoying the pleasure that seafood brought.


    ¡°These shrimp are really good. If I hadn¡¯t tasted them myself, who would¡¯ve thought something so ugly could be so delicious?¡± Eileen Four Fingers devoured them with relish.


    Abbie disapprovingly said, ¡°Young lady, don¡¯t eat so rudely, you¡¯re practically like a boy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a kitchen maid, why can¡¯t I eat like this? At home, I always ate this way. Mr. Carter never said anything about it.¡±


    Carter elegantly sliced his oysters, as the butler, he always strived to ensure all his actions, including dining, were befitting of a noble butler¡¯s demeanor.


    He also expected other servants to as much as possible conform to noble etiquette.


    Upon hearing this, he said, ¡°Eileen, you¡¯ve seen Miss Li Vera¡¯s personal maid, perhaps you should learn how she dines.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to learn from her, holding a fork and knife so daintily. One might think she¡¯s some noble lady. Miss Maisie¡¯s manners have even been praised by the master, but she doesn¡¯t eat that way.¡±


    Maisie laughed, ¡°I grew up in the village; no one taught me how to dine elegantly, but I¡¯m learning from Mrs. Morson now. She worked at Tulip Castle, where the maids know more noble etiquette than many noble ladies.¡±


    Morson Paddy Field pinched the shrimp head and squeezed out the meat, ¡°That¡¯s because nobles have the right to break the rules, while we servants must strictly follow them, or face harsh criticism and punishment.¡±


    Eileen suddenly clamored, ¡°The master would never punish the servants, Tom broke a vase in the castle yesterday, and the master didn¡¯t even scold him.¡±


    ¡°The master is kind; I will definitely not break anything next time,¡± Tom said with a respectful expression on his face.


    As Thomas ate his scooped oysters, he snorted with disdain, ¡°That¡¯s not certain. Clumsy Tom, breaking a vase is just the beginning. You¡¯ll break more things in the future, the master should just ban you from going upstairs.¡±

 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Lord Landlord Wants to Establish a New Settlement

    Chapter 44: Lord Landlord Wants to Establish a New Settlement


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The banquet ended.


    ¡°I plan to build a new village on the East Coast to settle some serfs as fishermen for coastal fishing,¡± Li Si Te said.


    Planters are busy during the planting season, but once the crops are planted, they become idle.


    Li Si Te felt this was an unreasonable allocation of human resources. It would be better to reassign some planters to focus on developing nearshore fisheries, no, coastal fisheries.


    Now without boats, even if we wanted to fish nearshore, we couldn¡¯t do it.


    ¡°Such delicious food, we should indeed catch more. However, Li Si Te, the town¡¯s population is too small, we don¡¯t even have two thousand people. The agricultural production of each village can¡¯t do without the labor of serfs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out about the population,¡± Li Si Te didn¡¯t elaborate.


    In fact, he had already discussed with Levis, using the shared profits from the Black Tulip as payment, to buy serfs from Levis¡ªthe Earl¡¯s fleet went out to trade and could load quite a few serfs on the return journey. These serfs might come from war-torn islands or from the continent.


    Goltai seemed to have understood, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so, I will start planning for the new village immediately.¡±


    ¡°Baron, what will the new village be called?¡± Isaiah asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it¡­ Oyster Village,¡± replied Li Si Te.


    Li Si Te had high expectations for Oyster Village. He hoped that, once the village was established, it could transform a group of serfs into fishermen, continuously harvesting seafood, providing food for Fresh Flower Town, and offering a material basis for future construction¡ªone where the residents of Fresh Flower Town could hibernate at home during winter to reduce food consumption.


    With sufficient food, the cold of winter wouldn¡¯t matter at all.


    A large amount of construction could begin in winter.


    In the evening, Goltai came to the castle again, ¡°Li Si Te, Corn Grass has been found! The Patrol Team finally did something worthwhile. They discovered a bunch of grass similar to Corn Grass at the edge of Thorn Ridge, southwest of the town.¡±


    ¡°Take me to see it,¡± said Li Si Te.


    Before dark, Li Si Te personally saw the large expanse of Corn Grass, mixed among other wild grasses. They appeared much shorter than the three wild corn plants in Little Wheat Village, probably due to poor nutrition.


    Li Si Te took a tour and felt somewhat disappointed.


    This was probably indeed the original habitat of Corn Grass, but there was no sign of Elf Bug nurturing¡ªwithout the Elf Bug, the development of Corn Grass would be hard to thrive.


    And it also couldn¡¯t improve the variety gradually with the help of the Elf Bug to become more like a corn cob.


    ¡°Guard it well and be sure to collect the seeds carefully. Later, when we clear the fields in town, choose a suitable place and plant some to provide new varieties of forage for the horse farm and dairy farm,¡± Li Si Te instructed.


    At night, after bathing, Li Si Te read in his study.


    Before his eyes, the Smoke Serpent Script condensed: ¡°Task completed, reward with new information on the Formless Dragon.¡±


    Suddenly, the smoke twisted, and a new mission was released, ¡°Task: Fisheries have been scheduled by the Landlord, and a group of serfs will soon be driven to the sea. It¡¯s a Landlord¡¯s essential skill to drive the people, but sustainable development is more important. Please update the equipment for the fishermen. Reward: A large patch of Smoked Grass.¡±


    ¡°A large patch of Smoked Grass, what is that, tobacco?¡± Li Si Te mused.


    Updating the equipment for fishermen was a simple task. Even if the Smoke Mission wasn¡¯t assigned, he would have done it anyway. One can¡¯t expect fishermen to fish with their hands if they lack tools.


    After the tide receded, the rocks became extremely sharp, able to cut a finger with just a careless slip.


    The task reward was no longer the information about the Formless Dragon, which somewhat relieved Li Si Te (Liszt) and made him start to look forward to what Smoked Grass might be.


    Smoking was fashionable among nobles, and the Tulip Family had planted many tobacco plants and even had a Tobacco Minor Elf.


    ¡°So, Smoked Grass probably isn¡¯t tobacco, since there were tobacco seeds among the seeds traded from Tulip Castle. I could plant them anytime I wanted.¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) decided not to dwell on it, certain that he would eventually find out what Smoked Grass was.


    He waved his hand to disperse the Smoke Serpent Script and continued reading. The Earl had kept his word; upon Liszt¡¯s return, he was gifted a cartload of books.


    Now, he was reading an autobiographical novel called ¡°The Adventure of Ranger Griffe¡±.


    The story was told from a first-person perspective, recounting the experiences of an Earth Knight named Griffe as he journeyed through the Maple Leaf Duchy. The story was amusing, although Liszt thought many parts of it were simply the author¡¯s wild fantasies¡ªlike having an affair with the wife of an Earl, eloping with a Marquis¡¯s daughter, or conversing with the Duke of Maple Leaf in high spirits.


    Such experiences were certainly not for someone who wasn¡¯t even an Honored Knight, let alone a fallen noble descendant.


    However, the author must have been someone with a wealth of experience, as he described many customs different from those in Coral Island, along with the decadent lives of nobles and numerous hearsay stories.


    Quite interesting.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) enjoyed novels that provided both stories and knowledge.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    As he read, the story abruptly shifted to a chapter on a dragon-slaying battle, in which Griffe arrived at a town being invaded by an invisible entity. The town¡¯s landlord had fled, and the townspeople were unable to resist; at that moment, Griffe decided to save the suffering people.


    After observing, he concluded that it was a Formless Dragon¡ªthough the book didn¡¯t explain how he observed and came to that conclusion.


    ¡°The Formless Dragon is a mystical Giant Dragon that hides in another world; only the most courageous and upright knights can see it. I¡¯m not courageous enough. If I want to see it, I must muster my courage! I need to find it and confront it, to discover its weakness!¡±


    Thus, Griffe went off to meet his end before the Formless Dragon, got beaten to the point of vomiting blood, but it was also because of this that he saw the Formless Dragon.


    ¡°Ah, what a beautiful dragon it was, like a flowing crystal, colorless, its entire body transparent. I spat out a mouthful of blood, and it passed right through its body; yes, I could not touch it. I am very despondent because I may never be able to ride it.¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) admired Griffe¡¯s brazenness; nearly killed by the Formless Dragon, yet still lamenting the fact that he couldn¡¯t ride a dragon.


    Fortunately, Griffe was still somewhat self-aware.


    ¡°I knew it wanted to kill me. I couldn¡¯t see its eyes, I could only see a blurry mass of water, but I knew it aimed to end me, I could sense its emotions. I had forgotten life and death, and in that last moment, all I wanted was to take a couple more puffs of a cigarette. Oh sorry, I was out of tobacco leaves, so I just grabbed a handful of grass nearby and chewed it to fight the craving.¡±


    At this point, Li Si Te¡¯s (Liszt¡¯s) brows twitched.


    He continued to read on.


    ¡°Later, I found out that the grass I grabbed was called Smoked Grass, similar to tobacco but with a unique flavor, akin to my socks that I¡¯d worn for either sixteen or twenty-six days without washing. I almost threw up; yes, that moment successfully cured me of my addiction to smoking, I swore never to smoke again!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had a smoking addiction for seventeen years, since my father liked to roll his own tobacco leaves. He used to ask me, ¡®Hey, Griffe, do you smoke¡­¡¯¡±


    The next large section was all about his remembrances of his father teaching him to smoke.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) read on, frustrated: ¡°Stop beating about the bush, I want to see how you slay the dragon!¡±

 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: The Friendship Harvested from Smoked Grass and Cows

    Chapter 45: The Friendship Harvested from Smoked Grass and Cows


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Fortunately, after a recollection of more than five hundred words, Griffe finally got back to the main storyline of dragon slaying.


    ¡°I had to ensure that I truly meant it when I initially swore to quit smoking. It¡¯s just that later on, I forgot because I was astonished by the actions of the Formless Dragon. My God, it actually snatched the Smoked Grass out of my hands, devoured it, and I think it must have mistaken the taste due to not having bathed in years.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I spoke ill of the Formless Dragon. In fact, we became friends later on. Because it ate my Smoked Grass and didn¡¯t kill me, and I, in exchange for a bundle of Smoked Grass and two cows, gained the friendship of the Formless Dragon. Honestly, the Formless Dragon isn¡¯t that big, only slightly larger than a house.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Bronze Dragon of the Duke of Maple Leaf, which is a beautiful Metal Dragon nearly thirty meters in length. The Formless Dragon looked like its child, oh, but dragons don¡¯t have children.¡±


    ¡°We had a pleasant afternoon together. In the evening, it came up to me, shook its body, and then a gemstone just fell into my hands. It flew away, but it left behind its gemstone¡ªa gem no larger than a fingernail, which I¡¯ve since worn on my finger.¡±


    ¡°Haha, now you know where my Space Ring came from. Countless noble Sirs were willing to give up everything for this ring, but I wouldn¡¯t trade it because it¡¯s a testament to the heartfelt friendship between me and the Formless Dragon!¡±


    With that, the Formless Dragon chapter came to an end.


    Griffe quickly moved on to the next story¡ªthe battle of wits with the Headless Knight.


    When Li Si Te (Liszt) quickly flipped through the novel, which was only about fifty thousand words long, no further information about the Formless Dragon appeared, not even the Space Ring, which was only mentioned that one time.


    It was as if Griffe only wrote about the Formless Dragon when he remembered it, and after finishing, he forgot all about it.


    ¡°It seems that this reward is just the knowledge of the Formless Dragon recorded in ¡®The Adventure of Ranger Griffe¡¯¡­ Only the brave and upright can see the Formless Dragon, so there¡¯s probably no chance for me, being neither brave nor upright.¡± He was very self-aware.


    However, he seriously doubted the truth of this information. How could one rely on intangible and vague virtues like courage and integrity to determine whether one can see a Formless Dragon?


    ¡°This story always feels like a spin-off of ¡®only pure-hearted maidens can see unicorns¡¯.¡±


    Many female protagonists in knight¡¯s novels are noble daughters who ride unicorns. Li Si Te (Liszt) had read a few, all of which staunchly claimed¡ªonly the pure, beautiful, naive, and kind virgin girls could be accepted by unicorns. As for whether unicorns, these legendary creatures, exist, Li Si Te (Liszt) was skeptical.


    He was skeptical about unicorns and the same went for the Formless Dragon.


    Especially the bizarre setting that only knights with courage and integrity can see the Formless Dragon.


    Still, he quickly caught a piece of useful information: ¡°Griffe used Smoked Grass to fend off the Formless Dragon¡¯s slaughter. Later, he mentioned exchanging a bundle of grass and two cows for the Formless Dragon¡¯s gemstone. My current Smoke Mission rewards me with Smoked Grass. It seems it¡¯s still part of the chained missions.¡±


    First, the reward was information about the Formless Dragon.


    Then new information about the Formless Dragon was rewarded.


    Now, they want to reward me with Smoked Grass that the Formless Dragon loves to eat.


    All are interconnected rewards, like unlocking a large chain mission, so the target of the mission can easily be inferred¡ªthere may truly be a Formless Dragon that will invade Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Cows?¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) thought of another link, ¡°The dairy farm seems to have two old cows that can no longer produce milk, but the castle has plenty of food, and they haven¡¯t been used to entertain guests yet. Perhaps, these two old dairy cows are what I need to prepare for the Formless Dragon¡¯s dinner?¡±


    The information is still not clear enough, preparations remain insufficient.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) felt that the most urgent task was to continue completing missions to gain more details about the Formless Dragon chain mission, making it easier to devise a response strategy.


    Ding dong.


    A knock on the door.


    ¡°Please come in.¡±


    Butler Old Carter came in carrying an oil lamp, ¡°My lord, it¡¯s getting late. You should rest early.¡±


    ¡°I was just about to go to bed.¡± Liszt closed the book and put it back on the shelf, frowning slightly due to the unpleasant smell on his hands, ¡°Mr. Carter, by the way, light another box of air freshener in the study. I really can¡¯t stand the strange smell of these thick parchment papers.¡±


    The carriage of books given by the Earl this time brought a large amount of fishy smell, although Liszt had already lighted air fresheners, it still couldn¡¯t be masked.


    There was no such thing as the snow-white and clean paper.


    There was only yellowed, hardened parchment with a long-lasting stench.


    This type of paper was made from the inner layer of animal hides, peeled off whole and specially tanned. It was expensive to produce, difficult to preserve, and inconvenient for writing. Liszt truly wanted to hurry up and produce white paper to replace this thick parchment, but he also understood now was not the right time.


    For one thing, white paper wasn¡¯t an urgent necessity.


    Secondly, there were no copyright laws, and nobles could seize paper-making technology at any time.


    Just as he hadn¡¯t started researching horseshoes, saddles, or cement, similarly, he had the rough structure of a longitudinal sailboat in his mind. Once invented, it would definitely promote the development of the Age of Exploration.


    The most important reason was¡ªthey had no people.


    The entire town had 1,990 people, no, 1,991 people¡ªto be precise. Recently two elderly had died in the town, and four babies were born, with one succumbing early on.


    Of these 1,991 people, excluding the elderly and children without labor capabilities, only about 1,500 were capable of working, which was already quite fortunate. They needed to farm, repair roads, and now they had to build Oyster Village. Soon, a group of people would also need to be allocated to sew gloves, cast hammers and spades, and produce fishing gear for fishermen.


    As for Liszt himself, he was also very busy. He must continually practice his magic.


    ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± and ¡°Flaming Wave¡± had already been mastered, but required time to become proficient. After obtaining the Crimson Blood Sword, he became even more diligent in his cultivation, hoping to break free from the earth¡¯s bonds and soar into the skies.


    Carter lit the air freshener.


    He blew out a candle and said, ¡°My lord, should the castle hire a few more servants?¡±


    ¡°Is there a shortage of manpower?¡± Liszt asked in surprise. Ten servants to attend to his needs should be enough.


    However, Carter spoke solemnly, ¡°Little Wheat Bug, Peanut Bug, Tulip Bug, Alfalfa Bug¡ªthey are all good critters, but their cordyceps need a man-servant to inspect and care for them daily. These tasks were assigned to Jessie. Now that corn planting has begun, and soon Thorn Bugs will also need to be settled, Jessie is overwhelmed with work.¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°Douson, Li Dragon Horses, Fire Dragon Horses, and the other horses all require people to care for them. The seafood in the castle, before Oyster Village is constructed, also needs to be gathered by the servants. Moreover, the kitchen with the increased variety of dishes, Mrs. Abbie has already complained about being unable to cope.¡±


    The castle, the city, and the towns had many overlapping functions.


    However, the castle leaned more towards self-sufficiency in agriculture, while the town managed the entire territory and collected taxes. Liszt was not satisfied with this system, feeling it hindered the development of productivity, with the biggest obstacle being the castle¡ªa distorted monster controlling all elves and firmly bounding the greatest productive forces.


    After all, the castle¡¯s primary function was to provide a luxurious life for nobles, not to liberate productivity.


    Understanding this, yet without much desire to change it¡ªafter all, he was a noble himself!


    ¡°Since there is a lack of manpower, Mr. Carter, you¡¯ll be responsible for recruiting new servants.¡±


    ¡°Very well, my lord.¡±

 Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Hiring Male and Female Servants

    Chapter 46: Hiring Male and Female Servants


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Big Lily, where¡¯s Little Lily?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Old Yab? Little Lily is feeding the chickens in the yard.¡± Big Jasmine was a middle-aged woman, with a hunchbacked spine marked by years of hard labor.


    Old Yab¡¯s wrinkled face beamed with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s good news, Lord Landlord¡¯s castle is hiring new servants. Butler Mister Carter said they¡¯re looking to hire three male servants, one female servant, and one kitchen maid. Big Lily, Little Lily could apply for the maid position.¡±


    ¡°Really? Is Lord Landlord truly hiring new maids? Is this true? That¡¯s fantastic.¡± Big Lily sprinted into the house. ¡°I have to go tell Little Lily.¡±


    ¡°Go quickly,¡± said Old Yab, and by the time he finished speaking, Big Jasmine had already vanished from sight. He chuckled, shaking his head, and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve got to go spread the good news to everyone. In the castle, ah, they can drink milk every day, such a wonderful life awaits the children, they¡¯re so lucky.¡±


    Before long, all 48 serf households of Barley Hamlet knew of the news.


    ¡°What great news, I was just complaining that Malfoy doesn¡¯t have more fields to sow, and we can only go and clear new lands. He¡¯s strong and hardworking, eats a bit too much maybe, but he¡¯s sure to do well as a male servant.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a sure thing, Parker is more industrious and also polite. I think he could definitely get hired.¡±


    ¡°Is the news for real, that Lord Landlord would hire servants from the countryside?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what Old Yab said, and he¡¯s been helping make tools for Lord Landlord at the smithy these past few days. Could his words be false?¡±


    ¡°Old Yab certainly has craftsmanship skills, but can he still lift a hammer?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to do it himself, there will be apprentices arranged by Lord Landlord to do the hammering. Remember lame-footed Peter? He became an apprentice in the smithy, and Lord Landlord pays him a copper coin every day as wages!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the smithy owned by the Old Drunkard?¡±


    ¡°The Old Drunkard sold the smithy to Lord Landlord long ago, ho ho, for three Naldas!¡±


    ¡°Three Naldas, my goodness, Lord Landlord is so generous!¡±


    Good news always flies swiftly from ear to ear, like birds with wings.


    In the yard where she was feeding chickens, Little Lily¡¯s face flushed with excitement, ¡°Mama, can I¡­ can I really apply to be a maid?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s news from Old Yab, he wouldn¡¯t lie to us. Little Lily, you must prepare well. Just getting into the castle means you¡¯ll have a good life ahead,¡± said Big Lily joyously.


    ¡°But¡­ would Lord Landlord choose me?¡±


    ¡°Have confidence in yourself, Little Lily. You are Barley Hamlet¡¯s most outstanding girl, hardworking and capable; you¡¯re Mama¡¯s pride. Of course, you could also consider the role of the kitchen maid, Lord Landlord is hiring for that position too, and no one can wash vegetables as clean as you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I know what to do now, Mama,¡± Little Lily said, determination shining in her eyes.


    For the promise of a better future, she had to display exceptional qualities to be hired as a castle maid. Without a father, her Mama struggled to raise her and her two brothers in extreme poverty. Now grown up, she had to start taking on responsibility for her family. The seventeen-year-old girl clenched her fists in silent resolve.


    In the smithy, Liszt watched as several older blacksmiths and their apprentices busily crafted iron blocks.


    Using iron blocks obtained through trade with Black Tulips, Liszt had used them for making agricultural tools, starting with equipment for fishermen.


    Shovels, hammers, awls¡ªwith these three pieces of equipment, fishermen could harvest seafood.


    The seafood resources on the East Coast of Fresh Flower Town, untouched and unpolluted, included abundant shellfish and crabs, which could be easily caught without the need for advanced techniques.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, has the selection for the fishermen already started?¡± Liszt received the handkerchief passed by Marcus and wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    He had become accustomed to the services of a personal manservant, and, as long as there was no physical contact, he enjoyed having someone to pour tea and water for him.


    Goltai had no choice but to take out his own handkerchief to wipe his sweat, ¡°Your requirements have been conveyed, Clerks are doing the publicity in each hamlet. We¡¯re only taking the elderly, women, and some not yet grown-up children as fishermen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s like that, seaweed harvesting doesn¡¯t require much strength, just patience. It¡¯s a reasonable allocation of human resources to have the less efficient farming households go seaweed harvesting. However, you must do the publicity well; poisonous seafood must not be touched, and raw seafood must not be eaten.¡±


    The medical and health methods in this world are extremely undeveloped.


    Nobles cultivate Dou Qi and rarely fall ill, so there¡¯s no motivation to study medicine. Liszt also doesn¡¯t know medicine; all he could do was to focus on prevention for his subjects¡ªpromoting hygiene, drinking boiled water, and eating cooked food.


    ¡°They are lucky to have met you, Liszt; you have a unique charm,¡± Goltai flattered him.


    A regular young Noble, puffed up with a few compliments, would probably become conceited. Liszt, with the soul of an adult and well-established principles, couldn¡¯t possibly get dizzy from a few flattering words; he simply ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t stop the forging of iron, but don¡¯t let the few blacksmiths get too tired either. Adjust their wages from five copper coins to six copper coins, and apprentices to two copper coins.¡±


    Apprentices doing odd jobs, one copper coin a day.


    Master smiths wielding the hammers, five copper coins a day.


    These were the wages Liszt had offered previously, which were quite generous. Now a financially strong Baron, he no longer cared about exploiting the common folk for those few copper coins.


    Bear in mind that his Crimson Blood Sword at his waist was worth a thousand or two Gold Coins.


    That¡¯s tens of thousands of silver coins, or over ten million copper coins.


    Besides, the entirety of Fresh Flower Town was his. There was no difference between the subjects having money and him having money¡ªhe could adjust the tax rates anytime he wanted, however he wanted to collect them.


    ¡°Six copper coins a day, hmm, lucky blacksmiths,¡± Goltai muttered to himself.


    Then he walked into the smithy¡¯s forging room and shouted, ¡°Blacksmiths, Lord Landlord has just decided to raise your wages from five copper coins a day to six copper coins a day, and apprentices can now get two copper coins a day. Work hard, the generosity of Lord Landlord is beyond your imagination!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Six copper coins a day?¡±


    ¡°Long live Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°Praise Lord Landlord, Old Jack will forge iron for Lord Landlord all his life!¡±


    ¡°Apprentices can also get two copper coins a day; oh my, my parents will be overjoyed.¡±


    Laughter and chatter filled the smithy, complaints about the heat evaporated, and everyone worked hard to repay the generous Lord Landlord Liszt.


    Hearing the cheers inside, Liszt shook his head.


    He may have a kind heart, not wishing to exploit the serf class, but isn¡¯t he also using slight benefits to drive the productivity of the serfs? Rather than exploitation, he preferred creation, rational allocation of production resources, and boosting working efficiency. That¡¯s how to make perfect use of the less than two thousand people in the town.


    ¡°Master, are you going back now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Tailor Shop to check on the gloves, towels, and masks being sewn for the fishermen; I hope they are all qualified products.¡± Liszt mounted the Fire Dragon Horse and lightly flicked his whip.

 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: The Revolution in Clothing

    Chapter 47: The Revolution in Clothing


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Lily¡¤Bathing Basin, Wendy¡¤Big Toe, Jim¡¤Bull Dung, Parker¡¤Red Nose, John¡¤Doorknob, after the selection, you five will have the opportunity to work in the castle.¡±


    After three consecutive days of trial training, Butler Carter finally announced the three men and two women who met his standards for selecting servants, to be the new male and female servants of the castle.


    The remaining seven or eight trial participants asked unwillingly, ¡°Mr. Carter, please give me another chance, I will do better!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but once a decision is made, it cannot be changed. However, you don¡¯t need to worry. For these three days of trial training, each of you will receive a compensation of three copper coins, based on the standard of a kitchen maid. Moreover, your excellence is already remembered by me, and should the castle need to recruit servants again, I will definitely consider you first.¡±


    The ownership of the Castle Servants, strictly speaking, lies in the hands of Liszt.


    But they are not compelled to work without payment; they receive a wage, which servants can save to spend on food, drink, and clothing, or send back to their families.


    The wages of the castle are one copper coin a day for a kitchen maid or male servant assistant; two copper coins a day for a maid or male servant; three copper coins a day for the first male servant or Cook; and four copper coins a day for a male or female Butler.


    Aside from the solitary Carter and Morson, the other servants in the castle choose to send their wages back home to support their families.


    Furthermore, servants can apply to buy their freedom if they become too tired of working¡ªthat is, to return to a free status. Of course, the decision to accept or reject the buyout rests with the Noble.


    The young men and women who were not selected left the castle disappointed; losing the chance to work in the beautiful castle was a major blow to them.


    The five who were selected were beside themselves with excitement.


    ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯ve been chosen!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m staying in the castle?¡±


    ¡°Mother, I made it!¡±


    Carter watched the five newcomers with a smile, remembering his own youth when he came from a struggling Serf family and was selected by a castle, then under the Viscount Family, to become a Servant.


    He started as a lowly male servant assistant and gradually became an excellent servant. As the Tulip Family experienced leapfrog growth, he was sent by the Earl to manage the family¡¯s other estates and castles in different towns.


    Until Liszt came of age, he followed and became a Butler.


    The years had left deep marks on his face, and he could hardly recall the jubilance he felt when he first became a servant. For decades, he had worked in the castle, his relatives having passed away many years ago. There were regrets, but also happiness.


    Now his greatest wish was to accompany Liszt until the day the sun no longer rose, then to choose eternal rest.


    ¡°Young gentlemen, ladies, please be quiet,¡± he said, gesturing with his hand for the new recruits to tone down their excitement, ¡°I am about to announce your positions.¡±


    Lily and the others quickly calmed down.


    ¡°Lily¡¤Bathing Basin, Mrs. Abbie is very pleased with you. Your job will be as a kitchen maid, hmm, Eileen Lady will show you the ropes for a while so you can quickly assist Mrs. Abbie.¡±


    Little Lily immediately nodded rapidly like a pecking chicken, ¡°I will become familiar with the kitchen duties as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, but also don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. Mrs. Abbie¡­ is outspoken, but once you get used to her, you¡¯ll find she is a good person.¡± Carter was somewhat concerned for the young girl, wondering if she could withstand the blower-like booming voice of Abbie¡¤Spoon.


    He continued with the announcements, ¡°Wendy¡¤Big Toe, Mrs. Morson will show you what you need to know as a maid.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter.¡±


    ¡°Then, Jim¡¤Bull Dung, Parker¡¤Red Nose, John¡¤Doorknob,¡± Carter looked at the three young lads with vegetable stains on their faces.


    ¡°Mr. Carter,¡± all three puffed out their chests, trying their best to appear more elegant.


    Carter was pleased with the attitude of the three, preferring obedient lads like these over troublemakers like Thomas: ¡°In the time to come, I will get you quickly acquainted with the work of a manservant. Soon, you¡¯ll be busy not just within the castle, but outside it as well.¡±


    He looked up at each of the new servants: ¡°You are not only representing yourselves but also the image of the castle. Well-dressed, civilized in conduct, you must familiarize yourselves with noble etiquette quickly, and say a complete goodbye to the laziness that came with being a serf. Understand, gentlemen, ladies?¡±


    ¡°Understood, Mr. Carter!¡±


    ¡°Now, each of you has half a day off to go home and share this good news. From tomorrow, you will live in the castle.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, congratulations, you will soon become a head butler,¡± Mrs. Morson said to Carter after the new servants had eagerly gone home to report the good news.


    ¡°Mm, it feels good,¡± Carter replied with a rare playful smile, ¡°I must live a bit longer to prevent Thomas from taking over. I don¡¯t want to see him enjoying this feeling.¡±


    ¡°I think Thomas would rather stay by the master¡¯s side, he is indeed smarter than Tom and Jessie.¡±


    With a hint of incoherence, Carter said, ¡°The master has inherited the courage of the Tulip Family and the shrewdness of the Long Taro Family; sometimes, it might be better to be a bit dumber than smarter in front of the master.¡±


    Saying this, he suddenly cocked his head to listen, then said, ¡°Hoofbeats, the master is back. I must go to welcome him.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, Butler Carter, both dumb and smart.¡±


    Carter tilted his head.


    He had already formed a tacit understanding with Morson, and two such understanding butlers were what kept the castle in perfect order.


    Stepping to the door, riding atop a Fire Dragon Horse, the tall, handsome Liszt came galloping back, the golden sunlight casting a glow on his slightly curly flaxen hair as if it was a flowing mass of gold.


    ¡°The master is like a born noble, he has all the attributes of a noble,¡± Carter thought to himself.


    The body bent slightly, ¡°Welcome home, master.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, have the new servants been chosen?¡± Liszt handed the reins to Thomas and undid the cravat around his neck, tired of the stuffy noble attire, especially in the summertime.


    The noble clothing of the Grand Duchy was inspired by continental styles.


    Female nobles typically wore long gowns with a crinoline underneath; they would also pad their buttocks, making the whole gown stand up like a pyramid.


    Li Vera never wore such attire; she preferred male noble clothing.


    A full set of male noble clothing, called ¡°Flack¡¤Abaie,¡± included a tailcoat-like outer coat ¡°Flack,¡± a vest ¡°Gile¡± to be worn underneath, and tight knee breeches ¡°Best¡±. Of course, it also included long boots and stockings.


    Furthermore, male nobles had to wear accessories around their necks that symbolized noble authority.


    For everyday household wear, a cravat sufficed; for going out on business, they needed to wear a tie-like ¡°Cravat,¡± which Liszt referred to as a scarf; during grand ceremonies, they wore ¡°Ruff,¡± a large disc encircling their neck, which Liszt called a pleated collar.


    Undoing the cravat, he immediately felt the hot air from inside his clothing escaping through his neck, prompting Liszt to complain: ¡°I need to start a revolution against clothing!¡±

 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48 Chapter 0048: Monkeys That Steal Coconuts

    Chapter 48 Chapter 0048: Monkeys That Steal Coconuts


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ties, shirts, vests, undershirts, boxer shorts, suits, dress pants, gentleman¡¯s hats, leather shoes¡ªLiszt had a whole series of clothes he wanted to produce.


    But he couldn¡¯t be so innovative, after all, he was just a Baron from the countryside. If one day he became the ruler of a country, then he could freely reform and set trends.


    For now, he had to endure the cumbersome outfits to maintain the so-called noble dignity.


    ¡°My lord, I have given the servants half a day off, starting tomorrow, they will devote themselves to working for the castle.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, arrange it as you see fit.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sweating profusely, Liszt wasn¡¯t too interested in small talk, ¡°Mr. Carter, have someone prepare my bathwater, this kind of weather isn¡¯t too kind to people.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Carter hurried to instruct the maids to prepare the bathwater.


    Nowadays, the small castle always had bathwater ready because the servants all knew their lord was an exceptionally clean noble. It was normal for him to bathe once a day, usual to bathe twice, and he even bathed three times in a single day on occasion. It would only be abnormal for him not to bathe for a day.


    After taking a bath, he changed into home clothes, loose robes.


    This type of robe was a kind of pajama¡ªthe nobles here knew that it was uncomfortable to always wear tight formal wear, so they modified pajamas to serve as home wear.


    Liszt still found it cumbersome and uncomfortable to wear.


    During summer, he most liked to wear short-sleeve shirts and T-shirts, so he rolled up the sleeves of his robe to expose his forearms. Although this wasn¡¯t in line with noble etiquette, within the confines of the small castle, who would dare to question his minor transgression? The countryside did have its advantages.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s a pity we don¡¯t have ice; otherwise, I could make you a glass of ice sugar water to relieve the heat.¡±


    ¡°Even at Tulip Castle, there isn¡¯t much ice to squander in the summer. I can bear this difficulty, but, unfortunately, I¡¯ll miss being able to drink chilled beer again.¡± He wasn¡¯t fond of drinking, and his present consumption at banquets was due to his predecessor¡¯s love for alcohol combined with the need for social interaction.


    But he exclusively enjoyed drinking chilled beer during the hot summer, which was refreshingly cold to the core.


    As the height of summer was fast approaching, each day was hotter than the last. He remembered that at Coral Island, during the hottest days, eggs could cook on the ground, likely reaching forty degrees.


    Every year, a good number of serfs would die from the heat.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that saltpeter can be used to make ice, but it¡¯s hard to come by. It seems Coral Island doesn¡¯t have a saltpeter mine, and even if it did, I wouldn¡¯t recognize one¡­ I remember reading that the earthen wall corners of rural houses, stables, and toilet corners are rich in saltpeter, but Fresh Flower Town is all wooden houses, and there are no toilets¡­¡±


    The technology to make ice with saltpeter was basically impossible for Liszt to replicate.


    He could only do like other nobles: store ice in an icehouse during winter and use it during summer, ¡°Mr. Carter, don¡¯t forget to remind me to build an icehouse this winter.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    Dinner.


    As usual, he invited Goltai, Marcus, Isaiah, and Blair¡ªonly these four people from Fresh Flower Town had the privilege to dine at the same table as Liszt.


    ¡°Liszt, the planning for Oyster Village is complete. Tomorrow, the first group of fishermen from Oyster Village, clad in the new gear you¡¯ve prepared for them, will head to the East Coast to officially fish. They are all old men, women, and children, foolish and impulsive. These past two days, they¡¯ve already started collecting shells at the seaside.¡±


    Once the news spread that the lord personally served seafood at the banquet, the commoners began to imitate him, ready to catch seafood for themselves.


    They always followed the actions of their lord.


    Liszt spoke gravely, ¡°Teacher Goltai, you must ensure proper safety guidance. I do not want any civilian to be in danger from eating seafood. As officials of the town, you must take this matter seriously. The population is the most important productive force in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Perhaps in his heart, he still found it somewhat incredulous.


    However, having understood Liszt¡¯s attitude, Goltai and the others nodded without hesitation, indicating they understood.


    ¡°So, tomorrow, if you have time, accompany me to Oyster Village to see the effect of the fishermen¡¯s first experience of gathering at sea. At the same time, you should actively promote every kind of seafood that can be caught, as well as those that cannot be harvested. Moreover, you must teach them how to preserve seafood.¡±


    ¡°Baron, we have already organized clerks to repeatedly emphasize this point. Moreover, the seafood in the castle has been sampled by every clerk, and they are very enthusiastic about it.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    On the next day, considering the timing of the low tide, Liszt, accompanied by the Retainer Knights, arrived at Oyster Village. There were no houses in Oyster Village just yet; only a barren area not far from the beach had been leveled, which would later be used for building wooden houses.


    At that time, around two hundred elderly, weak, women, and children were turning over every rock and shoveling through the sand on the flat beaches of the East Coast, carrying baskets or buckets.


    Many of them did not have gloves, shovels, hammers, or other tools; they were working entirely with their hands¡ªthe productivity of the tailor shop and smithy in town couldn¡¯t keep up.


    ¡°Lord Landlord!¡±


    Seeing Liszt, the fishermen greeted him with bows.


    Liszt nodded slightly in response, riding the Fire Dragon Horse, patrolling around. Gathering from the sea was hard work, exposed to blistering wind and burning sun, but the workload was not very large. Thus, the fishermen, who often had a reputation for being somewhat idle, were buzzing with enthusiasm, busy and happy regardless of their experience.


    After watching for a while, Liszt felt unbearably hot and promptly took shelter under the coconut trees.


    Looking up at the tall coconut trees, he felt something was amiss. Then, it dawned on him: ¡°There are no coconuts!¡±


    He turned and asked a clerk standing by: ¡°Do these trees not bear fruit?¡±


    ¡°They do bear fruit, Lord Landlord. These are Fragrant Coconut Trees. Their fruit is called Fragrant Coconut Fruit. But when the fruit is very small, it gets picked by the monkeys from Thorn Ridge.¡±


    ¡°Monkeys?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a type of greyish-yellow monkey. We call them Fruit Thief Monkeys. They are quite ferocious and sometimes even descend in groups to ravage the crops in the fields.¡±


    ¡°Fruit Thief Monkeys¡­¡± Liszt nodded but did not speak.


    He suddenly remembered a news story he had read. It seemed that in some Southeast Asian countries, there was a tradition of training monkeys to pick coconuts. Coconut trees are very tall, and it¡¯s difficult for humans to climb, but monkeys can easily scale them to pluck the coconuts¡ªif the town could train a group of Fruit Thief Monkeys, maybe they could develop the coconut industry.


    Of course, he was still not sure whether these Fragrant Coconut Trees were real coconut trees¡ªFresh Flower Town in winter was buried under snow for more than two months; real coconut trees would have frozen to death by now.


    ¡°How does the Fragrant Coconut Fruit taste?¡±


    ¡°Once I picked up a Fragrant Coconut Fruit dropped by the Fruit Thief Monkeys, it had a lot of milk-like juice inside, tasting sweet and sour¡ªquite delicious.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s cravings were ignited.


    The East Coast had many Fragrant Coconut Trees; if they could be protected, many Fragrant Coconut Fruits could be harvested. They could completely be treated as a kind of beverage, perhaps even developing into a local specialty.


    He cast his gaze toward the distant Thorn Ridge. ¡°Sooner or later, Thorn Ridge must be taken. All threats to Fresh Flower Town must be eradicated!¡±


    The Fruit Thief Monkeys could be used to train in fruit picking.

 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: The Forgotten Dou Qi Secret Technique

    Chapter 49: The Forgotten Dou Qi Secret Technique


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Magical beasts can be trained, so naturally a few monkeys can be trained as well. For knights possessing Dou Qi, there is no difference between a wild beast and a small cat or dog.


    However, currently in Fresh Flower Town, there are only five people with Dou Qi¡ªLiszt, Marcus, Goltai, Isaiah, and Blair.


    Each has their responsibilities, and it¡¯s impossible for them to become beast trainers.


    ¡°It seems, it¡¯s time to select a few physically strong young men from the townspeople and teach them Dou Qi to become my Retainer Knights.¡±


    As for the Retainer Knights, as long as he could afford them, Liszt could even form a Knight Order.


    However, due to the financial and material constraints of the castle, at most he could maintain a dozen or so Retainer Knights, forming a Knight Squad. This had been his plan all along. The greatest use for this Knight Squad would be to eradicate the magical beasts in Thorn Ridge and incorporate it into Fresh Flower Town, making it part of his domain.


    ¡°Once the food supply from Oyster Village stabilizes and the castle¡¯s tax revenue becomes steady, I will immediately begin training the Retainer Knights.¡±


    The four Retainer Knights, including Karl Ironhammer, do not know Dou Qi, and their potential has been wasted, not worth cultivating. The new Retainer Knights should be cultivated from young men, teaching them to practice Dou Qi and become true knights.


    He was enjoying the cool breeze while pondering over the grand plans for development.


    Beside him, Goltai couldn¡¯t stop using his handkerchief to wipe his sweat; every day, he had to wear the neat three-piece attire of a noble, and he was hot to death: ¡°Liszt, the fisherman¡¯s inspection of the sea is complete, and everything is progressing smoothly. Shouldn¡¯t we head back now?¡±


    Liszt was also very hot.


    This weather really wasn¡¯t suitable for going out. Upon hearing this, he nodded, ¡°Indeed, let¡¯s return.¡± He wasn¡¯t a delicate person, but why subject himself to discomfort when he could enjoy comfort. As a landlord, in control of all the life-and-death authority in the territory, there was no need to show off some ¡°people-loving¡± or ¡°dedicated¡± qualities.


    Bloodline and Dou Qi were the foundation of a noble.


    On the way back, Liszt took the opportunity to inspect the road construction in each village. There was plenty of sand from the sea, but transporting it was difficult; the common people could only use buckets and basins to carry the sand, which was inefficient.


    But no matter what, the road was taking shape.


    It was while passing Fresh Flower Farm that a sudden stench wafted over from a distance, penetrating Liszt¡¯s nostrils, almost making him vomit with nausea.


    The Fire Dragon Horse beneath him also kept sneezing, looking like it couldn¡¯t bear it.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s too stinky, what is this smell!¡±


    ¡°Who created this strange smell?¡±


    A few Retainer Knights, just like him, were covering their noses, wishing they could vomit on the spot.


    ¡°Is someone cleaning out a toilet?¡± Liszt remembered his childhood experiences of cleaning out toilets in the countryside, that fragrance wafting everywhere; the current smell was even stronger, but he quickly realized, ¡°Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have toilets, nor has it built septic tanks, the picked-up manure shouldn¡¯t smell like this.¡±


    So, pinching his nose, he said to a Retainer Knight, ¡°Karl, you four go and investigate where this smell is coming from.¡±


    A moment later, Karl returned, pinching a blade of grass, ¡°My lord, the source has been found.¡±


    He lifted the grass in his hand, ¡°It¡¯s this grass. A few kids on the farm were messing around and broke a lot of it on a wasteland, unaware that this grass could emit such a disgusting stench.¡±


    As he spoke, a stronger stench entered Liszt¡¯s nostrils, coming from the grass in Karl¡¯s hand.


    Liszt endured the foul smell, but his eyes shone: ¡°This grass covers a large area?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good, very good! Karl, immediately go inform Goltai to protect this patch of grass. Do not allow anyone to approach, and especially don¡¯t damage it!¡±


    Confused but the Retainer Knights still followed the order.


    Liszt gave his command, feeling in high spirits.


    His personal servant Thomas couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°My lord, why do you feel happy about such a smelly grass?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, this grass has great uses.¡±


    He returned to the castle, and while taking a cool bath, he checked the Smoke Serpent Script, wanting to see if the task had been updated¡ªhe had thought that the task wouldn¡¯t be considered complete until all the fishermen had been outfitted with new gear, but now, the task reward of ¡°a large patch of Smoked Grass¡± was obviously in hand, indicating that the task had been completed.


    Indeed, after the smoke came out, the Serpent Script updated, ¡°Task completed, reward: a large patch of Smoked Grass.¡±


    A moment later, the Smoke Serpent Script changed to: ¡°Task: The newly cultivated millet fields have been sown with seeds; the Millet Bug is eager to breathe the fresh air, it¡¯s a brave little fellow, please place Cordyceps for the Millet Bug. Reward: The forgotten Dou Qi Secret Technique.¡±


    ¡°The forgotten Dou Qi Secret Technique? Not a Dou Qi Manuscript, but a Secret Technique, which suggests that the reward is just a powerful move?¡± Liszt speculated.


    A manuscript contains methods for refining and using Dou Qi, as well as various Dou Qi moves.


    A Dou Qi Secret Technique, in comparison, refers to a relatively powerful move, somewhat similar to the Ultimate Mystery Technique in a Dou Qi Manuscript, which can be understood as a powerful move.


    However, due to obscure and clandestine traditions, coupled with the great difficulty in learning, it is very hard for a minor noble to pass down secret techniques from generation to generation.


    The Tulip Family has no tradition of passing down secret techniques, and the Red Crab Island Marquis Family, which has not been around for long, also doesn¡¯t have any.


    Only the old Marquis Families may possess one or two secret techniques.


    But it¡¯s undeniable that the value of a secret technique is immense¡ªthe Ultimate Mystery Technique is the strongest move in each Dou Qi Manuscript, but its power is naturally limited by whether it¡¯s an intermediate or advanced manuscript; for a Secret Technique, however, the stronger the Dou Qi, the more powerful it becomes.


    Liszt was quite pleased with this, ¡°Not bad, not bad at all, although I do not like fighting, having a secret technique by my side will greatly enhance my combat ability and reduce the likelihood of encountering danger.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t know what the Dou Qi Secret Technique will be, but I¡¯ll know soon enough.¡±


    So far, none of the tasks in the Smoke Mission have been overly difficult, basically being the daily work Liszt would have to do anyway¡ªjust the same this time: the millet fields were cultivated in order to settle the Millet Bugs, and whether or not there was a task, Liszt would have taken care of it.


    After that, he pondered another question, ¡°Could this task still be part of the chain of tasks from the Formless Dragon series?¡±


    Three days later, the fishermen of Oyster Village were able to go to the open sea to catch seafood steadily, and each time they would harvest a large quantity of seafood.


    A portion of the seafood quickly made it to the commoners¡¯ tables, replacing the fishermen¡¯s need for bread and allowing the town¡¯s grain food supply to be conserved as much as possible.


    But much of the seafood had nowhere to be stored.


    ¡°Liszt, we must think of a solution, the East Coast has too much seafood, and the fishermen¡¯s catch is already more than can be eaten, it could spoil at any time,¡± Goltai found Liszt and started to fret.


    Liszt was rather speechless at this, ¡°If it can¡¯t all be eaten, then find a way to dry the seafood and preserve it¡­ Now is not a good season for making dried goods, summer and autumn would be more suitable¡­ If it¡¯s not the season for dried goods, then stop fishing. The seafood isn¡¯t going to disappear in the sea.¡±


    Without cold storage or sufficient quantities of salt for curing, drying is the best way to preserve food.


    Now the weather is too hot, making dried goods prone to spoilage, so it would be better to catch less seafood, only catching as much as can be eaten, which would also prevent overfishing of the sea.


    Having made his point, Liszt spoke with a slightly stern tone, expressing his dissatisfaction, ¡°Teacher Goltai, I am the landlord, and you are the official. I need you to manage Fresh Flower Town for me, not to come to the landlord at the first sign of trouble, understand?¡±


    Goltai gave a sheepish smile, ¡°Of course I understand, Liszt, believe me, I won¡¯t make this kind of mistake so easily again.¡±

 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: The Invasion Reward of a Dragon

    Chapter 50: The Invasion Reward of a Dragon


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The wooden houses in Oyster Village had not yet been built, but the fishermen¡¯s fishing work was progressing smoothly.


    The construction of roads in the hamlets and towns wasn¡¯t fast, but it went on every day.


    The low-yielding, low-nutrient two-leaf clover at the dairy farm had been completely eradicated and replaced with high-yielding, nutritious alfalfa. The ten dairy cows really liked the new grass, and their milk production had significantly increased.


    Outside the castle, in the horse paddocks, the alfalfa was also thriving, though there had been no mares impregnated yet, as the Li Dragon Horses hadn¡¯t entered their mating season.


    The peanuts in Peanut Hamlet were growing well, and the peanuts near the Millet Cordyceps were almost ready to harvest, with the prospect of yielding two crops a year.


    The black tulips at Fresh Flower Farm had begun to bear fruit, in the form of small, dry capsules, although they hadn¡¯t yet split open. Once they did, there would be many flaky seeds that could be propagated in large numbers. Influenced by the Tulip Bug¡¯s cordyceps, this black tulip had produced over thirty fruits.


    It was estimated that a single harvest could propagate several mu of land. The Greater Elf Xiangxiang at Tulip Castle would then continue the breeding process, and within half a year, large-scale planting would be achievable.


    If it were the normal cultivation method, it would take several years to scale up, which showed the capabilities of the elves.


    However, while elves were a strong helping force, they also represented a limitation, confining humans from visually cultivating plants and researching fertilizers, still using the primitive slash-and-burn agriculture to this day.


    Liszt was changing the agricultural methods of Fresh Flower Town¡ªevery hamlet had begun to popularize the use of manure, wood ash, and pond mud as compost.


    Little Wheat Village was still planting wheat. With the assistance of the Little Wheat Bug, it was feasible that the wheat yield could increase by twenty to thirty percent. Meanwhile, the three corn grasses were being tended by a dedicated person. However, more corn grass was planted in Barley Hamlet, cultivated by the serfs of Barley Hamlet and collecting pasture seeds.


    Barley Hamlet used to grow barley and oats primarily, but the recent millet fields were cultivated on the newly reclaimed land of Barley Hamlet. Due to the cultivation of corn grass, there was a severe shortage of serfs.


    Mushroom Hamlet and Tomato Hamlet remained at the same scale without significant changes.


    The biggest changes were in town; no more filthy manure, and no one dared to litter in the streets¡ªan edict strictly enforced by Liszt. With a patrol team checking daily, anyone caught littering would face harsh whipping¡ªa punishment preserved selectively by Liszt among the various tortures nobles inflicted on commoners.


    Initially, Liszt thought to adopt the police system of public security detention, but then realized that mere detention without physical punishment would be like a holiday for the serfs.


    No work to do, and still receiving food and drink every day.


    Thus, corporal punishment was inevitable.


    ¡°I have allocated fifty mu of wasteland for planting millet, which is the limit the Millet Bug can influence. Right now, Barley Hamlet can¡¯t meet the planting needs, and it¡¯s difficult to transfer serfs from other hamlets¡ªOyster Village has already taken some, so for now there are only ten mu of millet fields,¡± Goltai explained to Liszt.


    Today, they were here to settle the Millet Bug. The millet had already sprouted, a green layer stretching over the ten mu of newly reclaimed land that had been fertilized with farm manure.


    ¡°Ten mu it is for now. After the harvest of oats and barley, we¡¯ll switch to planting millet. Without an Elf Bug, growing barley and oats isn¡¯t cost-effective,¡± Liszt nodded and said.


    He then began to settle the Millet Cordyceps.


    The Millet Bug¡¯s cordyceps were golden millet, so its color was a bright, beautiful yellow that dazzled the eyes.


    ¡°Little guy, come on, breathe some fresh air,¡± he coaxed.


    The Millet Bug was indeed a brave little thing, crawling out of the jade box and with an open mouth, it spat out the cordyceps, planting them in the center of the field, which had been fenced off. It quickly grew with the wind, turning into a plant of golden millet laden with grains.


    With this, another task was completed.


    Six Elf Bugs had been settled, with five Elf Bugs already in place, leaving only the last Thorn Bug.


    Liszt, feeling elated, rode his horse and began to concentrate. The Smoke Serpent Script twisted rapidly before his eyes: ¡°Complete the task: Reward Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡®Eye of Magic Power¡¯.¡±


    The content then changed, posting a new mission: ¡°Mission: All companions have been properly settled, except for the Thorn Bug, which lacks a new home. As the Landlord, you cannot waste the productivity of any Elf Bug. Please settle the cordyceps for the Thorn Bug. Reward: Invasion of the Formless Dragon.¡±


    Accompanied by a review of the new mission¡¯s content, the prideful mood that had just filled him quickly shattered.


    Had it not been for the presence of retainers and servants around, he would have jumped up and cursed, ¡°A Smoke Mission, are you kidding me? Can the invasion of a Formless Dragon even be considered a reward?¡±


    According to the information obtained earlier, a Formless Dragon might leave behind a priceless Space Ring.


    But, one must still be alive to obtain it!


    A single dragon could easily destroy a town. Liszt had no desire to test whether he could send a Formless Dragon away with two old dairy cows and a bundle of Smoked Grass. As he saw it, one should enjoy the treatment one¡¯s capabilities allow. If he were the lord of Coral Island, he would even try luring the Formless Dragon at the cost of losing a city.


    Unfortunately, he only had Fresh Flower Town.


    If the dragon merely rolled over, he estimated the town would be gone, and he would become penniless, let alone lead a luxurious noble life.


    In an instant, he even decided to give up on the Thorn Bugs, never complete the mission, and not trigger the invasion of the Formless Dragon as a reward.


    However, after calming down, he couldn¡¯t reconcile with giving up.


    The Smoke Mission seemed only to be pushing at an open door, bringing something that should have already been in his path. Without this gentle push, who knew how difficult it would be for him to develop further ¡ª and he had already become dependent on the expedient benefits brought by the Smoke Mission, receiving a reward for each completed mission; it felt too wonderful.


    All the way to the castle, his mind was made up.


    ¡°Do it, it¡¯s just a Formless Dragon!¡±


    ¡°The Smoked Grass has been prepared, and the dairy cows are ready. If worse comes to worst and Fresh Flower Town is destroyed, I¡¯ll just go to Tulip Castle and shamelessly beg for another inheritance.¡±


    ¡°The Earl can¡¯t possibly watch his own son starve to death!¡±


    For the Space Ring, and even more for the Smoke Mission, Liszt was going all in.


    Once he had made up his mind, the next step was to make full preparations.


    For this.


    He spent a whole night in the castle¡¯s study, burning the midnight oil to design a plan. He didn¡¯t let anyone participate; keeping the secret of the Formless Dragon to himself was better, as more people could mean more confusion. And if he did manage to obtain the Space Ring, there was also the risk of it being leaked and stolen.


    The Space Ring deserved to be called a Divine Artifact.


    ¡°Prepare for defeat before expecting victory, survival is of utmost importance.¡± This was the core thought in Liszt¡¯s plan-making; no matter what, he must ensure his own safety above all.


    He looked at the sketch he drew of Fresh Flower Town, thought for a long time, and circled the dairy farm, ¡°Here, will be the battlefield for the invasion of the Formless Dragon. Leave the dairy cows as bait, and bring all the Smoked Grass here, piling it up at the dairy farm to attract the Formless Dragon¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°As for the fight, it¡¯s impossible to fight. No one can defeat a dragon, let alone think about slaying a Formless Dragon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that dragons have Dragon Breath, a special magic substance that is sprayed out of their mouths, stuff like flames, acid, or poison. Half of a dragon¡¯s combat power relies on its Dragon Breath. Therefore, the ground is very dangerous, and we must dig underground tunnels so we can escape instantly from in front of the Formless Dragon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not likely that a dragon will dig up the earth just to catch a few bug-like humans.¡±


    ¡°Then, I probably won¡¯t be able to see the Formless Dragon, and I suppose no one in Fresh Flower Town will be able to see it either. To ensure I know the Formless Dragon¡¯s exact location, I should spread a layer of flour over the dairy farm. If it walks, it will leave footprints¡­ But then again, do dragons need to walk? Don¡¯t they fly?¡±


    Liszt scratched his head, trying to figure out how to spot the Formless Dragon. But no matter how he thought about it, he had no idea how to see an invisible dragon.


    In irritation, he punched the table.


    Crack.


    The impact of his fist caused the candle to fall, the wax oil immediately flowing down the table and onto a corner where a knight¡¯s novel lay. Flames engulfed the Knight¡¯s Novel in an instant.

 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: The Eyes That Peep into Magic Power

    Chapter 51: The Eyes That Peep into Magic Power


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After much effort, the flames were extinguished, but the knight¡¯s novel had already been scorched to a yellowish-brown exterior.


    This was a knight¡¯s novel called ¡°The Vulture Knight Stephan¡¯s Expedition,¡± which, to be exact, resembled more of a chronicle. It narrated the experiences of Stephan Vulture, a Sky Knight who rode on the back of a Dragon Breed Magic Beast Vulture and soared through the skies, as he expanded the territory for Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom.


    The story was quite dry, but the content was detailed.


    Among the many fabricated knight¡¯s novels, this one stood out as a breath of fresh air. Liszt had read it three times already and felt that eighty to ninety percent of the story was true.


    Even now, the Vulture Family might still exist within the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom.


    ¡°What a pity, a good book ruined. Next time I go to Tulip Castle, who knows if I¡¯ll be able to get a new one,¡± Liszt lamented as he held the charred novel.


    Good books are hard to find.


    Suddenly, his brows raised, noticing the burnt cover partially peeling away to reveal a glittering golden color, as though there was a hidden layer within the cover.


    With a flick of his finger, the cover started to flake and fall off in pieces, revealing the golden color inside.


    ¡°Indeed, a hidden layer!¡± Liszt¡¯s disappointment was replaced by surprise, ¡°This must be one of the so-called forgotten Dou Qi secret techniques!¡±


    Earlier that day, having completed the Little Wheat Bug mission, he received his mission rewards by nightfall; everything was so natural.


    After rubbing away the cover completely, he found nestled within it a gold-leaf paper the size of the palm¡ª not truly paper, as Liszt discovered after examining it. It was made of gold in a foil-like thinness. The paper was embossed with tiny, dense characters and an illustration of the Dou Qi circulation within the human body.


    ¡°Magic Eye Dou Qi Secret Technique ¨C Stephan Vulture,¡± was written at the top of the gold leaf in larger Serpent Script.


    ¡°Indeed, a Dou Qi secret technique. Magic Eye, could it be the hereditary secret technique of the Vulture Family? Looking at it, the novel I obtained seems extraordinary, probably the only one of its kind. The weight of this gold leaf alone is equivalent to a gold coin; it¡¯s unlikely they¡¯d include one in every copy.¡±


    After finishing his thought, he shifted his gaze from the gold leaf to the bookshelf in the study: ¡°Among these books, there¡¯s information about the Formless Dragon, there¡¯s ¡®The Eye of Magic¡¯¡ªcould there be something else hidden within?¡±


    To test his theory, he sliced a cut along the cover of each novel.


    But no other hidden layers were found.


    Clearly, this was the only Dou Qi secret technique.


    ¡°¡®The Eye of Magic¡¯ has intricate content, involving remarkably complex and intricate Dou Qi circulation, much more complicated than the ultimate mystery techniques found in Dou Qi manuscripts¡­ It might be challenging to learn.¡±


    Liszt was confident in his own aptitude.


    He had quickly learned and was close to mastering both ¡°Flame Wave¡± and ¡°Fire Dragon Drill.¡± He was also preparing to learn archery from Marcus¡ªpreferring ranged attacks to close combat.


    ¡°Should I postpone learning ¡®The Eye of Magic¡¯?¡± As soon as the thought occurred, it was dismissed when he read the final description of ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± on the gold leaf.


    The description read, ¡°The Eye of Magic allows one to see through the circulation of magical power; even the invisibility spells of Grand Magicians cannot conceal their form under The Eye of Magic.¡±


    In that moment, he understood that this Dou Qi secret technique was still part of the chain missions, in preparation for confronting the Formless Dragon: ¡°Is this telling me that once I master ¡®The Eye of Magic,¡¯ I will be able to see the Formless Dragon?¡±


    Therefore, what Liszt was to do next became clear.


    He first repeatedly tested the scent of the Smoked Grass, finding that the juice it exuded had a potent, piercing smell, although not as strong as when it was burned.


    He had someone cut a batch of Smoked Grass to dry and built a ¡°Beacon Tower¡± at the dairy farm, solely to burn the Smoked Grass and attract the Formless Dragon.


    Beneath the Beacon Tower, he began the construction of an underground tunnel which would serve as a hiding place.


    Meanwhile, around the Beacon Tower, cows would be tethered, and before the invasion of the Formless Dragon, their bodies would be smeared with the juice of the Smoked Grass.


    On a mound of earth a short distance from the Beacon Tower, Liszt likewise commanded his men to excavate a tunnel, the entrance of which was disguised as a bunker.


    In his plan, he would hide here, constantly monitoring the invasion of the Formless Dragon. Upon sighting the Formless Dragon, he would instruct his servants to ignite the Smoked Grass at the Beacon Tower, and then the servants would take shelter in the underground passage. He, on the other hand, would watch the Formless Dragon feast to its heart¡¯s content, until it flew away, and then he would come over to search the ground, to see if the Formless Dragon would leave behind any of its gemstones.


    Standing on the mound where the tunnel was being dug, Liszt¡¯s mind was still contemplating, ensuring that nothing was overlooked.


    ¡°If it really is about completing missions, and rewards start to be distributed, it means that after I place the Thorn Bugs, the Formless Dragon will come to Fresh Flower Town¡­ Is it the Smoke Mission that controls the Formless Dragon, or is it merely a coincidental guide? Can I try placing Thorn Bugs at any time, and the Formless Dragon will invade Fresh Flower Town whenever I do?¡±


    How mystical.


    There was temporarily no answer.


    What he had to do was to strive to complete every Smoke Mission and grow stronger.


    ¡°Liszt, digging from here to that Thorn Forest is no simple task, and I still do not see the significance of doing this,¡± Goltai directed the civilians, excavating the tunnel according to Liszt¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°You do not need to know, Teacher Goltai. It is not a matter of mistrust, but rather a secret of my own. You merely need to take everyone from the dairy farms, on the day I inform you, and have them stay elsewhere for a day.¡±


    ¡°Well then, Fresh Flower Town is your territory, and no one dares to defy your wishes, of course, I will do as told.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°So, you really intend to place the Thorn Bug within that Thorn Forest? That forest isn¡¯t very large, not an ideal place for placement.¡±


    ¡°I have my reasons.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well, it doesn¡¯t matter, after all, the Thorn Bug is just a useless Elf Bug, it doesn¡¯t affect agricultural development.¡±


    ¡°Every Elf Bug has its unique usefulness; it¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t discovered it yet. Perhaps, one day, you will find that Thorns can also give birth to Magic Potions.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I hope so.¡±


    The project was advancing with great urgency, and no one understood why Liszt wanted to do this, but no one dared to resist either. In Fresh Flower Town, there was basically no one who would dare to stop Liszt from doing anything he wanted, including murder and arson.


    The tunnel was dug day by day.


    He began to practice ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± in the Castle, a Dou Qi Secret Technique that was quite complex, but with his keen understanding, he soon fumbled his way to the trick of it.


    To put it plainly, it was about using the eyes as a bridge to resonate one¡¯s Dou Qi with the Magic Power of the outside world. Magic Power is a rather fantastic force, constantly emitting vibrations, which he preferred to call the radiation of Magic Power dispersal.


    Receiving radiation, using the eyes as radar, that was the principle of ¡°The Eye of Magic,¡± a secret technique of a non-combative nature.


    After five days of continuous study, Liszt finally mastered the final technique for channeling Dou Qi, casting the Eye of Magic for the first time. In that moment, looking at his own eyes in the mirror, the sapphire blue pupils seemed to swirl, countless stars flowing within the rotating pupils, mysterious and profound.


    Eerie and beautiful.


    ¡°These eyes of mine, could they bewitch any young girl?¡±


    He turned his gaze toward the Window, where Marcus was teaching four Retainer Knights Dou Qi. They had passed their prime, but with diligent practice, they still had the potential to refine their Dou Qi.


    At that moment, Marcus in his field of vision appeared as a cyan silhouette.


    A little distance away, Douson, who was struggling with a rock, appeared as a faint yellow shadow.


    ¡°Wind Attribute Dou Qi¡¯s Marcus, Earth-Attribute Magic Power¡¯s Douson, this is the scene seen through the Eye of Magic¡­ Will it truly be effective against the Formless Dragon?¡±

 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: The Unceasing Growth of Ambition

    Chapter 52: The Unceasing Growth of Ambition


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The ¡°Eye of Magic¡± was somewhat draining on his Dou Qi, Liszt found that after straining to sustain it, he could only maintain it for five minutes at a time. Otherwise, not only would his Dou Qi fail to keep up, but his eyes would also feel sore and irritated.


    However, whenever the Dou Qi inside him was completely drained, a warm breath would emanate from the Crimson Blood Sword strapped to his waist, replenishing his depleted Dou Qi.


    The rubies produced by the dragon contained magical powers.


    When he focused the ¡°Eye of Magic,¡± he could see that the rubies shone with a blood-like light, swirling gently as if they were a vortex.


    ¡°If I can see the magic in the gemstones, I should also be able to see the magic in the dragon. During this time, I will seize every moment to practice so that I can use the ¡®Eye of Magic¡¯ at will.¡±


    Unsheathing the Crimson Blood Sword, Liszt was filled with a spirited determination.


    The time for ¡°dragon slaying¡± was fast approaching.


    ¡°Goltai, what do you think the Baron means by digging an underground tunnel here?¡± Isaiah was counting on his fingers, figuring out how many copper coins to distribute to the serfs later.


    Liszt never commandeered serfs for free, he always paid them a certain remuneration. That¡¯s why the serfs were always eager to sign up for all kinds of production and construction.


    The drive of interest plus the authority of the Lord were invariably successful.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m as clueless as you are,¡± Goltai said as he puffed on his pipe, looking as if he had no stake in the matter. ¡°Liszt has come of age. He¡¯s no longer the timid youth in Tulip Castle. Often, I cannot fathom what he¡¯s thinking. I have no idea what Fresh Flower Town will turn into.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what you said in your letter. You mentioned that Fresh Flower Town is flourishing.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t said that, would you have come? Besides, isn¡¯t Fresh Flower Town flourishing now¡­ at least we have seafood to eat every day, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°I admit, the fishing for seafood was an innovative approach, and the collection of manure was also a significant measure. But what are we doing today? Digging a tunnel underneath the farm, is this meant for storing hay or what?¡±


    Goltai removed his pipe, tapping out the ashes, ¡°Stop complaining, Blair never gripes. That is why with every dinner, Liszt always drinks an extra glass with him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s old now and just wants to find a noble to rely on, to live out his years without worry, no ambition left.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not so young yourself.¡±


    ¡°But I hope one day to rejoin the noble ranks. I must strive for my son¡ªhe¡¯s too dim-witted and will never marry into nobility.¡± Isaiah rubbed his head in distress. ¡°I originally came here hoping to find a chance to go to battle. You said that Liszt was full of great ambitions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but you could talk more with Marcus. That guy used to desire nobility more than anyone, but he quickly pledged his loyalty to Liszt,¡±


    Isaiah narrowed his eyes, ¡°I will.¡±


    Soon it was evening, and time to distribute the wages. Isaiah checked the list, handing out copper coins to each working serf, ¡°Next, Alewa **it.¡±


    ¡°Sir, that¡¯s me, that¡¯s me.¡± The serf with the unfortunate name, Alewa, rubbed his palms in glee as he received two copper coins from the clerk.


    That was enough for eight big chunks of black bread!


    But he had no intention of buying bread; his wife had joined Oyster Village and went out to sea daily to catch seafood. Besides delivering their share to the castle, they could enjoy seafood at home. After having seafood abundantly these past days, he felt a surge of strength in his body, and his stamina at night had doubled to a whole six seconds.


    His wife praised his vigor, encouraging him to eat more seafood.


    He was preparing for a third child, so earning more copper coins now meant sending the child to the smithy as an apprentice later¡ªthe Lord Landlord had said that a serf with a skill would be put to good use.


    ¡°Praise the Lord Landlord!¡± After tucking away the copper coin, Alaiwa couldn¡¯t help but pray inwardly. He liked his current landlord for the days were getting better, no worries about going hungry, and he could even save some copper coins, ¡°I just don¡¯t know why Lord Landlord wants to dig holes here?¡±


    He was a serf of the dairy farm, responsible for feeding the cows.


    He used to worry and complain to his wife, fearing he might lose his job, maybe Lord Landlord no longer wished to keep cows, otherwise, why would he dig holes in the cow farm.


    But his wife scolded him severely: ¡°If you¡¯re not raising cows, you could raise horses; if not horses, you could repair roads; if not roads, you could grow millet. Lord Landlord is a great man, who makes it easy for the elderly, women, and children to work and to eat their fill. Damn it, stop your complaining, you must believe in the Lord Landlord!¡±


    Alaiwa obeyed his wife, so he quickly changed his mind.


    He felt that Lord Landlord, no matter where he dug holes, was a great landlord, and what the holes were for didn¡¯t matter¡ªhow could the commoners understand the thoughts of a noble lord.


    Practicing the Eye of Magic, supervising the construction of the project, had become Liszt¡¯s main task over these past few days.


    Over the course of several days, all preparations for the dairy farm had been completed.


    The beacon tower was ready, the bunker disguised, the passages walked through multiple times with no obstructions. The smoked grass was harvested and piled on the beacon tower, ready to be ignited at any moment. Young cows were kept not far away for feeding, while Old Hua and Old Black, two aged dairy cows, were tied at the edge of the beacon tower.


    Liszt had also made several trips from the Thorn Forest to the bunker, to ensure that after he planted the cordyceps, he could immediately hurry to the bunker.


    The bunker had a U-shaped passage linking to another refuge.


    If the Formless Dragon did not leave Fresh Flower Town as expected, after feasting on the cows and grass, he would immediately retreat through the U-shaped passage to the refuge, then block the passage.


    The refuge had breathing holes connecting to the outside, and many food and drinks were stored.


    This would at least ensure his safety.


    He dared not be careless when dealing with a dragon.


    Walking through the dairy farm, Liszt was inspecting the quality of the construction project for the last time. It wasn¡¯t a big project, so the progress was swift, the quality satisfactory, and everything was built according to his wishes without skimping.


    ¡°I am starting to like this world, this era.¡±


    He climbed up the beacon tower, surveying the entire dairy farm: ¡°A word from the landlord, and everyone is busy. Before, I managed a small team of five in the company, and even faced opposition from troublemakers. Here, no one dares to question my words, not even Goltai or Marcus.¡±


    Power, for a man, is an irresistible desire.


    A person who has never experienced power may not find it wonderful; but once they have tasted it, the allure becomes addictive and impossible to resist.


    The identity of the Baron of Fresh Flower Town was something Liszt could no longer give up.


    At the same time, the ambition in his heart was growing continuously; Fresh Flower Town was too small to satisfy his thirst for greater power. Fortunately, it was just ambition, as reason governed his thoughts, rooted in the policy of ¡°accumulate grain widely, build walls high, and proclaim kingship slowly,¡± he plotted his course.


    ¡°Princes and generals have no predestined kin.¡±

 Chapter 53 - Chapter 53 The Invasion of the Formless Dragon

    Chapter 53 The Invasion of the Formless Dragon


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Early June, dry and tinder.


    The early morning sun rose, sweeping away the coolness and replacing it with heat that would last all day.


    Clad in black Magical Beast Leather Armor with the Gemstone Weapon, the Bloodsword, hanging at his waist, and sapphire-colored eyes sparkling with exuberance, the handsome face wore a solemn expression.


    Awakened early to heed commands at the Castle, Goltai looked at the Landlord of Fresh Flower Town in front of him, and for a moment, he was lost in thought¡ªeven Coral Island¡¯s Count did not possess the aristocratic charm that Liszt exuded at that moment.


    When it comes to looks, out of a perfect score of one hundred, Liszt could earn ninety-nine, the one point less being a precaution against pride.


    Good looks can¡¯t be eaten, but they do bring happiness.


    Every morning, when he looked at himself in the mirror, Liszt always started the day in a good mood.


    His personal servant, Thomas, meticulously smoothed out the wrinkles on Liszt¡¯s leather armor, as maintaining the appearance of nobility was a servant¡¯s main duty.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, according to the original plan, relocate the households of the cow farm to other settlements and enforce a full-day lockdown. No resident of the town, for whatever reason, may leave their home. The patrol team is to suspend patrolling and wait for my command in the administration building until the lockdown is lifted,¡± Liszt ordered.


    ¡°Understood, Liszt. I will carry out the order right away,¡± Goltai replied.


    Goltai turned around and rode out the door.


    All the townspeople were perplexed by the Landlord¡¯s decision, but obedience was ingrained in their bones. Once the command was given, Fresh Flower Town quickly fell silent.


    The silence was like the deep sleep of night, punctuated only occasionally by the barking of a dog.


    Not many could afford to keep a dog, so these few sounds were inconsequential.


    The sun continued to climb in the east, and Liszt personally fitted the Fire Dragon Horse with a bridle, forbidding it from making any noise: ¡°Mr. Carter, do you remember what I said?¡±


    ¡°Master, you said that today we need to shut the castle gate tightly, keep Douson and the horses confined, and try to keep them as quiet as possible. If there is danger, take all the servants to hide in the cellar and do not venture out until the master returns. Only then can the castle resume its regular operations,¡± replied Carter.


    ¡°Good, that¡¯s right,¡± said Liszt.


    Worry etched Carter¡¯s face: ¡°Master, is there danger on this journey?¡±


    ¡°A little, but I have made all necessary preparations, so don¡¯t worry about me, Mr. Carter.¡±


    On the side, Thomas hesitated before speaking: ¡°Master, you really should take me with you. I may not be skilled in many things, but I could buy you some time if we¡¯re in danger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased to hear you say that, Thomas, but it¡¯s not necessary.¡± Liszt raised his riding crop and gently tapped the horse¡¯s hindquarters, and the Fire Dragon Horse dashed out like a streak of flame.


    The wind whistled past his ears as the horse¡¯s hooves kicked up clouds of dust.


    On the roads of the town, not a single pedestrian could be seen, evidently having received the command to stay dutifully at home.


    With a heart full of turbulent emotions, he galloped all the way to the cow farm. Wearing a mask, Liszt climbed up the Beacon Tower. He planned to have a servant light it, but to minimize the risk of leaking information, he decided to do it himself.


    On the Beacon Tower, there were two jars filled with ground Smoked Grass Juice.


    Shading his eyes from the sunlight, he looked around, then without further hesitation, he opened the jars and poured the liquid over two old dairy cows below.


    The pungent odor spread rapidly.


    The cows thrashed wildly, trying to escape, but the ropes were tied tightly, leaving them only to endure the irritation in agitated suffering.


    Even with the mask, Liszt nearly vomited from the smell, but he bore the urge and quickly set the Smoked Grass hay alight on the Beacon Tower until the flames rose high.


    He leaped down swiftly.


    Mounting the equally restless and fleeing Fire Dragon Horse, he headed straight for the Thorn Forest.


    Upon reaching the Thorn Forest, he tied up the Fire Dragon Horse, took a deep breath to suppress the feeling of nausea, and looked around to make sure everything was perfectly safe. Then, from his bosom, he took out a Jade Box containing Thorn Bugs.


    ¡°Man proposes, God disposes. Success or failure rests on this move.¡± Opening the box, he said to the plump Thorn Bug inside, ¡°Come on, little fellow, make yourself at home.¡±


    They were in complete accord.


    The Thorn Bug crawled onto his hand, opened its mouth, and spat out Cordyceps, which landed in the small shrubbery and quickly took root and sprouted.


    Meanwhile, Li Si Te (Liszt) had already swiftly ducked into the tunnel, bent over and running towards the bunker. By the time he got inside the bunker, the Thorn Cordyceps should have grown sufficiently. He forced himself to calm down, focus his mind, and summon the Smoke Mission.


    The smoke twisted for a moment, forming Serpent Script.


    ¡°Task completed, reward: the Formless Dragon¡¯s invasion.¡±


    Seeing the task completed, he didn¡¯t wait for the new mission to be issued; he simply wiped away the smoke. He circulated his Dou Qi, employing the Eye of Magic, and looked up into the sky.


    The thick smoke from the burning Smoked Grass, swaying as it rose with the gentle breeze.


    Even inside the bunker, he could smell that half-year unwashed sock odor, a persistent nausea-inducing stench. Without a telescope, he could only rely on his own sight. Below the Beacon Tower, two old dairy cows seemed to be choking from the smoke, incessantly drooling white foam, which made Li Si Te extremely worried that they might be smoked to death before the Formless Dragon appeared.


    Seconds and minutes passed.


    Just as the Eye of Magic¡¯s duration was nearing its limit, he still had not spotted any trace of the Formless Dragon.


    ¡°Logically, once the task is complete, the reward should appear synchronously, just a matter of timing before it comes into my possession. So why hasn¡¯t the Formless Dragon invaded Fresh Flower Town yet?¡±


    ¡°Could there be a delay in the appearance of the reward?¡±


    ¡°If the information about the Formless Dragon is true, it should be attracted by the Smoked Grass as soon as it appears.¡±


    His eyes grew more and more tired, and just as he felt he couldn¡¯t hold out any longer and was about to disperse the secret technique, suddenly, next to the smoke column of the Smoked Grass and facing the sunlight, a faint shadow in the sky caught Li Si Te¡¯s attention.


    The shadow was initially very small and faint, but then it began to enlarge, eventually forming a light grey dragon shape.


    A pair of massive wings and a streamlined body.


    It circled around the smoke column as it descended.


    His heart thundered: ¡°The Formless Dragon!¡±


    ¡°It really is the Formless Dragon!¡± Li Si Te clenched the Crimson Blood Sword, attempting to keep the scarce Dou Qi remaining in his body running, continuing to support the Eye of Magic as he observed the Formless Dragon.


    This was his first encounter with a dragon!


    The dragon that represented the world¡¯s ultimate power!


    Even though he could see only the magic power on the dragon, not the dragon itself, he was still so excited that his blood boiled: ¡°Just like described in ¡®The Adventure of Ranger Griffe,¡¯ the Formless Dragon isn¡¯t large. Compared to a thatched hut, it¡¯s only about the size of a single house, with wings that would perhaps span two to three houses.¡±


    But that proud demeanor exuded an unrivaled majesty.


    Despite being quite far away, Li Si Te could still feel his body tensing in response to the dragon¡¯s might¡ªthis was Dragon Might!


    It was said that wherever a dragon went, all living beings would submit to it.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming down along with the smoke from the Smoked Grass¡­¡± Li Si Te¡¯s Eye of Magic had collapsed, his body couldn¡¯t sustain the Dou Qi Secret Technique any longer, and the form of the Formless Dragon disappeared without a trace.


    But without a doubt, the information provided by the Smoke Mission was correct; the Formless Dragon liked the smell of Smoked Grass.


    Rubbing his sore and swollen eyes, Li Si Te looked with his naked eyes towards the direction of the Beacon Tower. He couldn¡¯t see the Formless Dragon, but the commotion there indicated that the Formless Dragon was wreaking havoc¡ªthe smoke was scattered every which way, the old dairy cows were prostrate on the ground crying piteously, and in a moment, even the Beacon Tower began to collapse with flames roaring up.


    ¡°Woooooah!¡±


    An eerie, piercing, goosebump-inducing howl rose amidst the flames¡ªthat was the voice of the Formless Dragon.

 Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: A Legend Forever

    Chapter 54: A Legend Forever


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Moo¡­¡±


    Old Hua let out a mournful bellow and collapsed in a pool of blood.


    Clenching the Crimson Blood Sword, Liszt, peering through the fortress¡¯s window, once again activated the small amount of Dou Qi he had just recovered and cast the Eye of Magic.


    His vision transformed, and beside the flame, a greyish-white Formless Dragon composed of magic power was tearing into the old dairy cow, bite by bite. It had already devoured Old Black whole and was now savoring Old Hua, occasionally lifting its head to look around alertly while eating.


    Its shape was indistinguishable from the depictions of giant dragons Liszt had seen in books.


    A standard Western dragon¡¯s form, just slightly more slender.


    It had four limbs, but its wings did not fold up when walking on the ground. The wings were somewhat like those of a bat, with an arm-like structure inside where fingers were spread to support the spread of the wing membranes. When the fingers spread, the wings would open; when the fingers closed, the wings would contract.


    However, because the wings were structured like arms, they couldn¡¯t fold tight like a bird¡¯s.


    But they could fold, similar to the bending of an elbow, and in the middle of the wings at the palm bones¡¯ position, there was an extra finger that grew out, resembling a hook or a sickle.


    The Formless Dragon used the hook of its wings to slice the flesh and bones of the dairy cow, then grabbed the shredded flesh with its two small forelimbs and stuffed it into its mouth.


    The tail was very long, much longer than what was typically shown in dragon illustrations. There were horns on its head, not just a pair or a single one, but a whole row of varying lengths¡ªIt is said that dragon horns are a symbol of power and that scepters, which Kings carry during grand ceremonies, are often made from dragon horns.


    However, in Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic vision, the most concentrated magical power on the Formless Dragon¡¯s body wasn¡¯t in its horns or its heart.


    But in its teeth¡ªthe dragon teeth.


    The magic power of each dragon tooth was exceptionally clear. Counting them, there were forty-two in total. Besides the four huge fangs, the rest of the teeth were also quite sharp.


    ¡°It is said that a dragon¡¯s soul resides in its teeth; extracting the soul of a giant dragon and using the teeth to forge a divine weapon, then infusing the soul into it, can create the most powerful weapon.¡± For an instant, Liszt was heartfully tempted to kill the Formless Dragon on the spot and pluck out all its teeth.


    Of course, it was just a thought.


    ¡°Hurry up and eat, then leave quickly,¡± Liszt dispelled the Eye of Magic and continued observing the dairy farm.


    The Formless Dragon was not eating quickly, which allowed him to calmly replenish his magic power and call forth the Smoke Mission to check the new quests that he hadn¡¯t had the chance to view before.


    ¡°Quest: The Formless Dragon has appeared in Fresh Flower Town. Prepare its favorite Smoked Grass and the beef it loves to eat the most. For the remaining time, wait quietly until it is satiated and leaves. That¡¯s all you can do. Please avoid the invasion of the Formless Dragon. Reward: The Form of the Formless Dragon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already done what needed to be done; this mission can be completed while lying down,¡± he thought, focusing his attention on ¡°The Gift of the Formless Dragon,¡± ¡°What could the gift be?¡±


    He was fairly certain in his heart.


    For the next while, Liszt quietly observed the Formless Dragon, casting the Eye of Magic when his Dou Qi recovered and watching indirectly with the naked eye when it was depleted.


    About half an hour later, the fire had long been extinguished, and the two cows were reduced to scattered skeletons on the ground.


    Liszt noticed the alfalfa on the ground fluttering in the wind and immediately used the bit of Dou Qi he had just regained, enduring the soreness and swelling of his eyes to once again cast the Eye of Magic.


    Within his field of vision, the Formless Dragon had already soared into the sky, flying in the direction of the East Coast outside Fresh Flower Town, getting farther and farther away until Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic dissipated.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone¡­¡± Liszt felt a whirlwind of emotions.


    There was relief after tension, a sense of loss after beautiful things had departed, anticipation of an imminent reward, and a feeling of accomplishment from completing a dragon invasion.


    ¡°Wait a bit longer to prevent the Formless Dragon from returning.¡±


    He stayed in the bunker for nearly half an hour longer, then he cast the Eye of Magic to meticulously search the area, confirming there were no traces of the Formless Dragon.


    He pushed open the camouflaged cover above the bunker and stepped out.


    Facing the scorching sunshine, he stretched mightily, ¡°My first close encounter with a dragon has ended just like that.¡± He still didn¡¯t know what kind of dragon the Formless Dragon was, but as long as it was a dragon, it was an incredible being¡ªespecially since this was a Sacred Dragon capable of invisibility.


    The word ¡°sacred,¡± to some extent, implied the extraordinary nature of this kind of dragon.


    Back in Thorn Forest, he checked on the Thorn Cordyceps, which were growing well. After releasing the Fire Dragon Horse from its reins, he suddenly realized that the mare was covered in dung and urine¡ªshe must have been scared senseless by the Dragon Might of the Formless Dragon.


    Fortunately, the saddle was clean.


    Riding the Fire Dragon Horse, he set off towards the dairy farm, but the horse refused to go anywhere near the Beacon Tower, even when Liszt whipped her.


    ¡°Dragon Might¡­ no, even the scent of a dragon can scare you like this? To think you have the blood of a Low-Level Magical Beast, the Blazing Steed,¡± Liszt said helplessly, dismounting to walk.


    He couldn¡¯t smell the scent left by the Formless Dragon because his nose was full of the lingering Smoked Grass odor.


    The other eight dairy cows on the farm had vanished; he hoped they hadn¡¯t run deep into Thorn Ridge, for if they had, they would certainly have become a feast for the Magical Beasts.


    At the ruins of the Beacon Tower, Liszt searched carefully, not overlooking any patch of ground. He even took a hoe and turned over the soil¡ªpartly to look for the Formless Dragon¡¯s gift and partly to destroy any footprints of the Formless Dragon, eradicating all traces of it.


    An innocent man harbors no guilt; possessing a gemstone invites trouble.


    He had to be cautious.


    ¡°Found it!¡± Moments later, under a piece of cow bone, Liszt found what he wanted¡ªa transparent gemstone.


    It wasn¡¯t big, about the size of a fingernail cover, much smaller than the baby fist-sized Ruby inlaid in the Crimson Blood Sword. It also lacked dazzling color, somewhat similar to a diamond, clear and translucent, with an irregular flattened multi-faceted shape, capable of refracting sunlight into tiny sparkles.


    Somewhat inexplicably, a slogan came to Liszt¡¯s mind.


    ¡°A diamond is forever, a gem to be passed down for generations.¡±


    Indeed, it was good material to make a ring with, but he did not verify right away whether the space was real or fake. He carefully packed it away and continued to search the ground, hoping to find a second one. Unfortunately, after turning over every area within fifty meters where Formless Dragon footprints could be found, he couldn¡¯t find a second one.


    He didn¡¯t give up and activated the Eye of Magic to search again but still had no luck.


    ¡°It seems the so-called reward really is just this one gemstone.¡± Wiping the sweat from his forehead, his leather armor dirtied and his noble demeanor somewhat diminished, Liszt¡¯s face was nevertheless radiant with a brilliant smile, ¡°Regardless, the chapter with the Formless Dragon has ended, Fresh Flower Town is safe.¡±


    He entered a thatched cottage of a villager¡¯s home to cool off and check his new mission.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: gemstone of the Formless Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Mission: The tomatoes planted by John Bian Dan, a grower in Tomato Hamlet, are of better quality, yield more, and grow faster than those of the surrounding growers. As a landlord, how could you not find out the reason? Reward: one Elf Bug.¡±

 Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Exploring the Gemstone Space

    Chapter 55: Exploring the Gemstone Space


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°The reason why John Bian Dan¡¯s tomatoes are both large and good is very simple, because in his tomatoes, a Tomato Worm is being nurtured!¡±


    Upon reading the task and the reward given, Liszt made the judgment above.


    Tomatoes are the main vegetable here, and without the Elf Bug, the tomato production in Fresh Flower Town isn¡¯t high. Now that a Tomato Worm is finally about to be born, it¡¯s truly a cause for celebration, ¡°After returning, I¡¯ll investigate the Tomato Worm right away, we must ensure nothing goes wrong with its nurturing process.¡±


    He stretched out his left hand, holding the Formless Dragon gemstone in his palm.


    The light was flickering.


    Liszt took a deep look, clenched his hand shut, and tucked the gemstone close to his body. Then, he left the farmer¡¯s house, mounted his Fire Dragon Horse, and departed from the dairy farm¡ªthe matter had concluded, and all traces of the Formless Dragon had vanished.


    A moment later.


    Butler Carter came out with the servants to greet him at the Castle gates, ¡°My lord, knowing you have returned safely puts my mind at ease,¡± he said, exhaling a long breath of relief.


    ¡°No need to worry, what could happen to me?¡± Liszt nodded, ¡°Thomas, go to the town and inform Teacher Goltai that the confinement is lifted, and let Fresh Flower Town return to its original order. Mrs. Morson, prepare the bathwater, I¡¯m covered in sweat and in need of a good bath.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±


    The oppressive atmosphere was swept away, and the Castle suddenly bustled with activity.


    Thomas rode to town with the news, Tom had the new manservant busy feeding horses and tending to Douson, the maids needed to do laundry, and the kitchen was busy preparing lunch. Just for Noble Liszt, fifteen servants had to work nonstop to ensure Liszt could enjoy everything.


    He bathed frequently, but never for more than five minutes at a time, that was Liszt¡¯s principle.


    He changed into his home clothes and went to his study, locking the door behind him.


    He took out the Formless Dragon gemstone and began to study it.


    Just by appearance, it was impossible to divine any mysteries about the gemstone. Even with the Eye of Magic activated, he could only see countless specks wandering in the gemstone¡¯s magic vortex; aside from the different colors, the Formless Dragon Gem under the Eye of Magic didn¡¯t differ much from the Ruby on the Crimson Blood Sword.


    ¡°So, how is it connected to the Space Ring?¡±


    ¡°Or rather, how do I open the space inside the gemstone? Do I need to perform a blood oath, or should I infuse it with magic power?¡±


    Performing a blood oath required self-harm, which Liszt was somewhat apprehensive about, so he first tried to channel his Dou Qi into the gemstone¡ªwhen his Dou Qi made contact with the gemstone, he immediately felt a subtle connection akin to forming a contract with an Elf Bug being rapidly established, and then the gemstone began to vigorously absorb his Dou Qi.


    After absorbing about one-tenth of the Dou Qi from his body, the gemstone stopped absorbing, and the subtle connection had expanded into an invisible portal.


    Following the sensation connected by Dou Qi, Liszt suddenly discovered he could sense a space that was neither large nor small.


    The space was irregularly spherical, with no clear distinction of top, bottom, left, right, nor the cardinal directions, surrounded by ¡°walls,¡±¡ªthe unknown sturdy structures like walls had no gaps and were indestructible.


    ¡°Overall, it¡¯s like a sphere, about five meters in diameter, which is roughly the size of a studio apartment,¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes looked intently at the shining gemstone in his hand.


    Yet, his mind was simultaneously able to feel this space.


    A very wondrous sensation.


    He found that this state could continue as long as he had Dou Qi to replenish, keeping the magic power to maintain the open portal constantly present, with consumption that was not significant, roughly equivalent to the speed at which his body naturally recovered Dou Qi.


    He tried cutting off the supply of Dou Qi.


    Soon, the gateway to the space dissipated, the marvelous feeling in his mind vanished, and the spherical space disappeared without a trace, ¡°Relying on Dou Qi, or magic power to open the space, it consumes magic power to maintain the space opened, and once the magic power is cut off, the space immediately closes. The gemstone of the Formless Dragon is indeed a Space Ring.¡±


    It¡¯s the right size to be made into a ring.


    More importantly, it requires a constant supply of magic power, and the hand is the best position for supplying Dou Qi.


    ¡°However, I don¡¯t plan to set it in a ring; it¡¯s too ostentatious, and I don¡¯t need to use it all the time for now. For safety, I should make it into a pendant and hang it in front of my chest.¡±


    The Space Ring is a priceless treasure, especially for the Nobles, as it¡¯s too important for hiding secrets.


    But for Liszt, there wasn¡¯t much of value to store in the Space Ring at the moment, and it wasn¡¯t an urgent need for him. Honestly, if he could get a Greater Elf, he would definitely trade the Space Ring without hesitation¡ªthe Space Ring is good, but not as important as increasing productivity.


    In any case, research must continue.


    He reopened the Space Ring and began trying to store things inside, which wasn¡¯t difficult for him. After some simple exploration, he understood the method of storing things¡ªwrapping them with magic power.


    Left hand holding the Space Ring, right hand releasing Dou Qi to envelop the object he wanted to store, a book.


    In an instant, the book disappeared from the table and appeared inside the Space Ring. It seemed to move according to his will; he could make the book appear anywhere he wanted in the space, and so he joyously stored all the books in his study into the Space Ring, floating and stacking them as if there was a bookshelf there.


    The books remained motionless in the space, not moving in the slightest.


    ¡°Is this like a vacuum environment?¡± He lit a candle, then stored the candle inside, and what he saw was incredible¡ªthe candle remained lit and motionless.


    He distributed a bit of Dou Qi to maintain the gateway, moving the candle and bringing the flame close to a book. Though the flame was tilted by the cover, it neither went out nor ignited the book¡¯s cover. It was as if everything that entered the space became completely and utterly still.


    ¡°Is it that even the movement between atoms has been halted?¡± Liszt tried to explain it scientifically but soon gave up. Although this world seemed to have a scientific foundation, anything related to magic power had already gone beyond the scope of science¡ªthere was nothing scientific about the Space Ring.


    Enveloped in Dou Qi, with a thought, he retrieved the candle.


    Only then did the flame continue burning.


    After several experiments, Liszt could confirm that the interior of the Space Ring was relatively still.


    ¡°I wonder what would happen if live creatures were placed inside?¡± He wanted to try, but his Dou Qi had already been depleted.


    Opening the space consumes magic power, storing things consumes magic power, retrieving things also consumes magic power. With his Earth Knight¡¯s level of Dou Qi, it was still a bit stretched.


    For lunch, Goltai, Marcus, and others came over.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, has the order in the town been restored?¡± Liszt sat in the main seat, cutting a piece of roast meat with a knife; he had already adapted to the style of Western dining.


    Goltai took a sip of beer, ¡°Just a morning¡¯s confinement had no impact on the town. But Liszt, two cows are missing from the dairy farm.¡±


    ¡°So, the eight cows have come back?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they actually ran out from Thorn Ridge, which is crazy. Instead, we just found the carcasses of two old cows.¡± Goltai was obviously curious about the situation but didn¡¯t dare to ask since Liszt had previously said not to ask or think about what happened at the dairy farm.


    Liszt still had no intention of explaining, ¡°Well, let the farmers take the bones of the old cows back for stew. Fill in the tunnel there, and restore the dairy farm to its original state.¡±


    Goltai shrugged, ¡°As you wish.¡±

 Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: The Bright Prospects of Tomato Hamlet

    Chapter 56: The Bright Prospects of Tomato Hamlet


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After lunch, Liszt said to Goltai, ¡°There¡¯s a farmer in Tomato Hamlet named John Bian Dan whose tomatoes are especially large and fine. Let¡¯s go take a look together and see what interesting factors there might be.¡±


    Goltai was puzzled, ¡°Liszt, how did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°By paying attention and listening to what others say, Teacher Goltai, a qualified landlord can¡¯t be ignorant about his territory; one must be mindful of all aspects.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡±


    Goltai still couldn¡¯t figure out why he didn¡¯t know what was going on in town, yet Liszt did¡ªperhaps Liszt had arranged for surveillance personnel in town?


    Considering the secretive actions from that morning, as well as the tunnel excavation matters,


    he felt that he had to work earnestly since every move of his surely fell under Liszt¡¯s scrutiny.


    This was not a good sign, as it meant he could lose the landlord¡¯s trust at any time.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, this is John Bian Dan,¡± the clerk introduced, pointing to a simple-minded serf.


    John Bian Dan hastily brought his wife and two children to kneel before Liszt, ¡°Lord Landlord.¡± At the same time, he was extremely nervous; he had no idea why the landlord was seeking him out.


    If it had been the previous tax-collecting knight who had sought him, he might have wet himself out of fear, for no good ever came from a visit by a noble. However, since Liszt arrived in Fresh Flower Town, he had a very good reputation, so John was just nervous.


    Indeed.


    The landlord of Fresh Flower Town gave him a gentle smile and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, John. I¡¯ve heard that your tomatoes are the best, is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Lord Landlord,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Why are they the best, do you know the reason?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord, but this season, my tomatoes have been getting better and better. The freemen in town, they all like to buy tomatoes from my farm. Even Mrs. Abbie from your castle has praised my tomatoes as the best,¡± said John with considerable pride.


    For serfs, no praise could be more gratifying than an acknowledgment from the castle.


    Liszt dispensed with further questioning and went straight to the point, ¡°In that case, take me to your tomato field.¡±


    Following John Bian Dan, they quickly arrived at the vast tomato fields of Tomato Hamlet. Unlike wheat which is sown over large areas, tomatoes were planted in small, segmented plots. John¡¯s allocated tomato plot was situated right in the center of Tomato Hamlet, and it was noticeably better than the others.


    Of course, no matter whose plot it was, it all belonged to Liszt.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, these are my tomatoes,¡± John said, his face lighting up with enthusiasm, ¡°The town officials taught us how to farm, and every day I go to dig pond silt and collect manure to fertilize them, and they¡¯ve been growing better and better.¡±


    The tomato seedlings in the field were all robust, and it was impossible to tell which one might be nurturing an Elf Bug.


    However, today¡¯s Liszt had his own way of discerning.


    He swiftly activated his Eye of Magic and focused on the tomato field. Very quickly, he found one seedling where a faint, greenish magic power was circulating¡ªsurely a Cordyceps.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured it out,¡± Liszt dismissed the Eye of Magic and turned to Goltai, ¡°This is a sign of an Elf Bug being nurtured, Teacher Goltai. You have work to do again. Protect John¡¯s tomato seedlings, especially this one; it will be a Cordyceps.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my goodness, is this true? Another Elf Bug is to be born in our little town?¡± Goltai exclaimed, ¡°The glory of knighthood lingers on you, Baron. Fresh Flower Town is on the rise! Rest assured, I will protect this lovely little fellow and let it breed in peace.¡±


    Following along, Marcus also expressed his amazement and praise, ¡°To nurture two Elf Bugs in such a short time, my lord, you truly are beloved by the glory of knighthood!¡±


    He felt his loyalty to his following was worthwhile.


    Every sign indicated that Liszt was no ordinary minor Noble. His temperament, his ideas, and especially his fortune, all pointed to something greater.


    And as for fortune¡ªsometimes, fortune is more important than strength.


    Liszt smiled faintly. With the Smoke Mission around, surprises were never far off. He remained calm and announced in a gentle tone, ¡°The Tomato Elf Bug is about to breed and bring forth life; its existence will bring a brighter future to Tomato Hamlet. To reward John Bian Dan for his consistent attentive care, I¡¯ve decided to gift him a Gold Coin.¡±


    ¡°Lucky Serf.¡±


    Goltai couldn¡¯t hide his envy. His salary was ten copper coins a day, and it took over three months to save up one Gold Coin¡ªprovided he abstained from wine and meat.


    ¡°Elf Bug?¡±


    ¡°A Gold Coin?¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord rewarded me with a Gold Coin?¡±


    Long after Liszt had left with his entourage, John still felt dizzy, as if in a dream. He had merely been growing tomatoes, and now, as if by magic, he had produced a Gold Coin? To know that a Serf, after a year of toiling in the fields, might save less than a silver coin, in a lifetime might never see a Gold Coin, yet now he owned one.


    ¡°Daddy, Daddy, let me see the Gold Coin, wow, I¡¯ve never seen a Gold Coin!¡± his eight-year-old son clamored, trying to snatch the coin from his hands.


    John finally snapped to his senses, holding onto it tightly and giving his son a stern look, ¡°Get lost, a Gold Coin isn¡¯t for you to touch!¡±


    He turned to his wife, shaking as he handed it over, ¡°Annie, look, a Gold Coin, given to me by the Lord, we¡¯re rich! We have a Gold Coin!¡±


    Annie was equally trembling, out of excitement, ¡°Oh my, John, is this real? Am I dreaming?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not dreaming, I¡¯m not dreaming either, this is real, handed to me by Lord Landlord himself! Annie, we¡¯re wealthy now!¡±


    ¡°Oh ha ha, oh ha ha, our family is rich now!¡± their four-year-old daughter cheered, clapping her little hands.


    ¡°Dad, let me see the Gold Coin quick!¡± his son continued to reach for the coin.


    John paid his son no heed, focusing instead on discussing excited future prospects with his wife, ¡°Thank heavens, thanks to the glory of the Knight¡¯s favor upon Lord Landlord, our Fresh Flower Town will only get richer.¡±


    Annie took the Gold Coin and rolled it in her palm, a soft expression spreading across her plain face, ¡°John, we could use this Gold Coin to buy our freedom as Freemen!¡±


    ¡°Buy our freedom as Freemen?¡± John shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Didn¡¯t you always want to become a Freeman and leave Fresh Flower Town to live in another village?¡±


    ¡°That was because we could never get enough food in Fresh Flower Town, but Annie, what about now? We have seafood, incredibly cheap seafood, one copper coin buys a pile of clams. Look at Karl and Lucy, they¡¯ve put on weight! That we can fill our bellies in Fresh Flower Town is all thanks to Lord Landlord, and so is this Gold Coin!¡±


    With the fervor of a zealot, he spoke, ¡°I believe Lord Landlord will make Fresh Flower Town even better, I want to farm for Lord Landlord all my life! Annie, will you support me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the head of the family, John; you decide, and I¡¯m used to life in Fresh Flower Town as well,¡± Annie responded with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare dinner; how about we have white bread tonight?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha, of course, I miss the soft and sweet white bread from our wedding anniversary.¡±


    Their little daughter laughed and clapped, ¡°Oh oh oh, we¡¯re having white bread tonight!¡±


    The oldest son started to whine, ¡°Mom, let me see the Gold Coin, Mom¡­¡±

 Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Selection of the Young Knight

    Chapter 57: Selection of the Young Knight


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Complete the mission, and be rewarded with a Tomato Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°Mission: The territory lacks the protection of knights and is always on the brink of danger. The four Retainer Knights are useless, but more seeds await discovery. Seafood has brought nutrition, please select suitable youths for knight training. Reward: an unhatched Magical Beast Egg.¡±


    The serpent script formed by smoke slowly dispersed.


    Liszt came back to his senses, the mission in Tomato Hamlet was easily completed. In fact, all the Smoke Missions were not difficult, it was just a process of taking advantage of the situation.


    ¡°An unhatched Magical Beast Egg, huh? That would mean they¡¯re giving me another flying magical beast,¡± Liszt glanced at Douson, who lay sprawled at his feet panting like a dog to cool off, and suddenly envisioned a grand scene.


    Leading Dahuang with the left hand, brandishing the skies with the right.


    The old me indulges in the wild ways of youth.


    Without a big yellow dog or an eagle, he had even more ferocious magical beasts. Douson, the Fierce Earth Dog, had been trained to react on command, launching into attacks, biting, sitting, lying down, jumping, and climbing at a mere gesture from Liszt. Training Douson was easier than a dog, for it was smarter.


    But Douson, the Fierce Earth Dog, had yet to successfully cast the magic it could master¡ªRock Spike.


    ¡°I know how to train dogs but not eagles. I wonder if this soon-to-be pet magical beast bird will be smart and easy to train. If it can¡¯t be tamed, I¡¯ll have no choice but to roast it.¡± As he mused, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but stretch out his tongue and lick his lips involuntarily.


    Chicken rearing in Fresh Flower Town was rare, mostly for laying eggs, and even getting a chicken to eat was not easy, let alone more elusive ducks and geese.


    Now, he truly ¡°yearned deeply for a taste of bird¡±.


    In Thorn Ridge, game was plentiful, and Marcus was an excellent archer, easily shooting down a few birds. However, he, too proud and aspiring to be a noble, wouldn¡¯t degrade himself to a hunter¡¯s level with ease.


    For nobles, hunting was a pastime; for him, it was demeaning his status.


    For Liszt, this was a bizarre concept, but for someone like Marcus, it was his life¡¯s pursuit. So, Liszt felt it was inappropriate to casually command Marcus to hunt birds just to appease his own cravings.


    ¡°Originally, I hadn¡¯t planned on forming a Knight Squad so soon; there are too few freemen, hardly enough superior seedlings. But since the mission is issued, let¡¯s do it. Boys aged between ten and sixteen in the town, there should be a few hundred of them. Select twelve, and form a small team for now.¡±


    A Knight Squad comprises twelve members: one Captain, one Deputy, and ten knights.


    Large nobles establish their own Knight Academies, selecting children from a young age to train, eliminating batches until the qualified remain to become their landlords¡¯ Retainer Knights and join the Knight Order. Marcus was such a knight, sent to the Knight Academy at a very young age by his father.


    Sons of barons and Honored Knights also train at the Knight Academy, including Liszt, who had attended it.


    Without such foundations, Fresh Flower Town could only pick a few healthy youths and awkwardly form a not-quite-right Knight Squad for training. A skilled woman cannot cook without rice, and Liszt had no other choice but to make do and complete the Smoke Mission for now.


    ¡°My Lord, you wish to select new Retainer Knights and form a Knight Squad?¡± Thomas, having learned of Liszt¡¯s intent at the evening banquet, became immediately excited.


    ¡°With the abundance of food in Fresh Flower Town, we don¡¯t need to be cautious. The Patrol Team is unreliable; they are but ordinary people. Karl and the others have yet to produce any Dou Qi, so I need new strength to secure Fresh Flower Town¡¯s safety¡­ Winter is only half a year away.¡±


    As Liszt spoke, he blinked, ¡°Actually, I will inevitably make a move on Thorn Ridge; they are an obstacle to the development of Fresh Flower Town. Teacher Marcus, I need you to oversee the selection and training of the Knight Squad.¡± The Earl had not set boundaries for the town, so he naturally had the option to annex Thorn Ridge.


    Thomas immediately performed a knightly salute, saying earnestly, ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord, Marcus will surely select suitable Knight Cadets and properly train them!¡±


    ¡°I will have Teacher Goltai fully cooperate with you to train them excellently, Teacher Marcus.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±


    As Marcus left the castle with his head held high and chest out, his manner was that of a seasoned Earth Knight, without reservation. Since arriving in Fresh Flower Town, he had always been sulking, as the only things he could do every day, aside from protecting Liszt, were drilling the four Retainer Knights, including Karl.


    He had witnessed Liszt¡¯s wisdom and luck and understood Liszt¡¯s spirit and ambition. He decided to serve and lay in wait for the opportunity to establish merits and make achievements.


    Having also seen the ¡°wealth of the sea¡± that Liszt spoke of, his belief grew even stronger.


    Nevertheless, he had always been somewhat awkward, unsure of the role he could play in the little town. At the very least, for a few years, Liszt would not enter the battlefield¡ª without knights, what use was there to go to battle? He was eager to clear Thorn Ridge, but as a single Earth Knight, he knew it was impossible.


    It was quite a regret, akin to ¡°having no way to serve one¡¯s country.¡±


    Now, the opportunity had finally arrived. Liszt had decided to form a Knight Squad, taking the first step towards establishing merits and making his mark. Marcus could hardly wait to pick out the most suitable Retainer Knights, train them into a fighting force, and clear out Thorn Ridge. He wanted to be ready for battle when the Grand Duchy started the next war.


    That night, he obtained the census list of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s inhabitants from Goltai.


    He picked out all the boys between the ages of ten and sixteen and the next day sent the four Retainer Knights to bring these boys from their homes.


    The sun scorched the earth as two hundred and thirty-three boys of varying heights and builds stood tall, seriously and earnestly.


    Their eyes were filled with longing, nervousness, worry, fear, and aspiration, for they all had been informed that the Lord Landlord was preparing to select Retainer Knights.


    They all understood the meaning of being a Retainer Knight, and even if they didn¡¯t, their parents and neighbors would tell them what it entailed.


    There were two types of Retainer Knights.


    One kind, like Karl Ironhammer and Rom Barrel, primarily served as ¡°Retainers,¡± with a serf¡¯s status, sold to the nobles, whose main tasks were to accompany the nobles on travels and, when on the battlefield, to carry the equipment, do laundry, cook, and so on.


    The other kind was like Marcus, whose main role was to ¡°fight¡± as a Retainer Knight. They were usually freemen and their main task was combat.


    Many sons of minor nobles also went to other nobles¡¯ lands to serve as Retainer Knights, learning the combat skills of a knight and the etiquette of the nobility. After completing their training, they would either return home to inherit their titles or go to the battlefield to establish merits and achievements.


    Essentially,


    Retainer Knights were the nobility¡¯s reserves, a preliminary qualification.


    Even serfs, once chosen as Retainer Knights and having made meritorious deeds, would have their freeman status restored, and if they earned further merits, they could even be granted noble titles.


    Even without many merits to their name, following the nobles meant not worrying about food and drink, and they could save money to help support their families.


    Therefore,


    All the youths stood straight, each trying to present themselves in the best light, hoping to be chosen as a Retainer Knight¡ªthey all understood that this was an opportunity to change their fate, perhaps the only one they would get in their lifetime.


    Mounted on a dun horse, Marcus looked at each young boy and could vaguely see his own past self. Many years ago, hadn¡¯t he too gone through such a selection, picked by the Knight Captain of an Earl. Of course, at that time, he had already studied for two years at the Knight Academy.


    The foundation of these boys before him was zero.

 Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Learning Magic by Force

    Chapter 58: Learning Magic by Force


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Liszt did not disturb Marcus¡¯s selection process, and he did have the intention of performing some basic drill training like marching in step and keeping soldiers aligned. However, the existence of Magic Power and Dou Qi magnified individual strength so tremendously that discipline could not compensate.


    Elite Earth Knights like Marcus could fight a hundred ordinary Retainer Knights with ease.


    Even as a novice Earth Knight, Liszt could take on twenty or thirty ordinary Retainer Knights as long as his Dou Qi was sufficient. Regular Retainer Knights wouldn¡¯t be able to get close to him and would only be able to deplete his Dou Qi first.


    As a former instructor at the Knight Academy, Marcus had his own methods of training novice Knights.


    So.


    It was too hot, and Liszt stayed inside the castle, training Douson.


    ¡°Sit, Douson!¡±


    Now as big as a large dog, upon hearing the command, Douson immediately sat down on the ground, panting and looking up at Liszt. Liszt threw him a piece of jerked meat and then rubbed Douson¡¯s head.


    He used the Eye of Magic Power.


    He could see that Douson¡¯s Magic Power was already abundant.


    ¡°Theoretically, Douson has a large amount of Magic Power. Having been well-fed and taken care of in the castle, his development has been rapid, and he¡¯s reached the level where he can cast spells. Unfortunately, without the guidance of a mature Fierce Earth Dog, he probably doesn¡¯t know how to control the Magic Power within his body. Should I guide him a little?¡±


    With the Eye of Magic Power to observe, Liszt was confident that he could guide the release of Douson¡¯s Magic Power.


    But there was the risk of danger, and the possibility of accidentally killing Douson was hard to predict.


    Hesitation lasted but a moment before he quickly made a decision, ¡°I won¡¯t do the guiding. If the accumulation of Magic Power becomes too much and Douson cannot vent it, he could suffocate just the same. Rather than that, it¡¯s better to teach him magic earlier. Even if he dies, not much food would have been wasted¡­ and most importantly, our emotional bond isn¡¯t deep yet.¡±


    Before the transmigration, Liszt had kept dogs, and when they died of old age and sickness, it pained him for a long time.


    Now he didn¡¯t easily form emotional attachments to pets anymore.


    Half of a person¡¯s suffering stems from emotional investment. An adult¡¯s soul and mind act with the knowledge to cut losses in a timely manner.


    ¡°Come here, Douson.¡±


    He waved his hand and Douson immediately came trotting over, tail wagging.


    ¡°Woof woof, bark bark!¡±


    Truth be told, the Fierce Earth Dog was simply a larger version of an Earth dog, with behaviors and a temperament close to that of dogs. Perhaps this was also why they were named Fierce Earth Dogs¡ªessentially Earth dogs, just a bit more temperamental.


    ¡°I will now teach you magic!¡± Liszt soothed the Fierce Earth Dog, calming it down, and used the Eye of Magic Power to continuously observe the flow of Magic Power within its body.


    Magic and Dou Qi are both forms of Magic Power.


    The distinction lies in the fact that Magic is Magic Power refined by Magicians from outside elements, while Dou Qi is Magic Power refined by Knights themselves. This is why Magicians can control a variety of Magic attributes, one moment conjuring a fireball, the next compressing a water arrow; whereas Knights can only control the Dou Qi of their own attribute.


    As for the Magic Power of Magical Beasts.


    Half is refined from within and half absorbed from the environment, the recovery rate surpassing that of human Magicians and Knights.


    In terms of releasing Magic Power, Magicians simply need to guide the elements in the air to combine and form various spells. Knights, on the other hand, require weapons to infuse the Dou Qi and prevent it from dissipating into the air.


    ¡°Magical Beasts certainly can¡¯t learn the complex casting techniques and esoteric magical knowledge of Magicians, so their spellcasting is more akin to an instinctual bodily response¡­ If I guide its Magic Power to vent, it should naturally release Rock Spike¡­ Shouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    Just like Knights releasing Dou Qi.


    Knight typically channel their Dou Qi through their hands, and Liszt thought, ¡°Which part of his body should Douson use to cast spells? His paws?¡±


    Both paws shouldn¡¯t work, since it needs to walk on them¡ª I¡¯ve never heard of a knight releasing Dou Qi with both feet.


    Suddenly, he remembered when he had first arrived at Fresh Flower Town and encountered the Wind Blade Wolf at Thorn Ridge, which released magic¡ªWind Blade¡ªfrom its mouth.


    According to the structure of animal limbs, their most appropriate place for releasing magic should be the mouth.


    ¡°So, I need to channel Douson¡¯s magic power into its mouth and then break the bonds, which shouldn¡¯t be difficult¡­ I remember my predecessor was rather dumb, but he encountered no difficulty when releasing Dou Qi for the first time.¡± As he thought this, his hands were already in motion, pressing down on Douson, and his Dou Qi burst forth, guiding Douson¡¯s internal magic power.


    ¡°Whimper!¡±


    Douson, feeling as if it were on fire, struggled wildly, but as it was still just a pup of a few months old, it couldn¡¯t break free from the restraints of the Earth Knight.


    It could only be baptized with Liszt¡¯s Dou Qi. His fire attribute Dou Qi, with its searing and explosive nature, was equivalent to giving it a sauna bath at several hundred degrees.


    The dog¡¯s eyes turned red instantly.


    Its body temperature also rose rapidly, steaming hot.


    ¡°I seem to have forgotten that my Dou Qi is of the fire attribute, which seems unsuitable for guiding¡­ But what¡¯s done is done, success or failure hinges on this attempt.¡± With a sharp effort and coordinating with a shout, he exclaimed, ¡°Douson, release your magic power!¡±


    Bang-dong!


    The Eye of Magic saw Douson¡¯s internal magic power concentrate at the location of its mouth under his guidance and push of his Dou Qi. Then, with an explosive-like sound, the magic power suddenly burst open somewhere in Douson¡¯s mouth, like piercing a water-filled balloon.


    What followed was a moment of witnessing a miracle.


    Out of the grass nearby, three giant, bamboo shoot-shaped rock spikes emerged, each as thick as an adult¡¯s thigh, sharp at the tip like a needle, measuring at least one meter in length.


    ¡°Beautiful!¡±


    Liszt laughed loudly: ¡°Well done, Douson, you¡¯ve learned a magic spell!¡± Looking at the rock spikes, he felt extremely proud. This magic move was perfect for sneak attacks and ambushes. Just thinking about it, all he needed to do was shout, ¡°Douson, release your magic power,¡± and rock spikes would instantly invade the enemy¡¯s defenses.


    The scene was simply too beautiful for words.


    Suddenly, the voice of his personal servant, Thomas, came from behind: ¡°Master, Douson seems to be injured.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± It was only then that Liszt noticed Douson, now languishing on the ground with a large amount of blood flowing from its mouth¡ªits mouth had practically exploded.


    Fortunately, upon closer inspection, Douson had only suffered superficial injuries from the discharge of magic power, without damage to its bones and muscles. Its languishing was more a result of the excessive release of magic power, causing depletion within its body.


    Once he understood the situation, Liszt was able to relax.


    He said to Thomas, ¡°This is the danger that comes with magic¡­ Why do you think those mysterious magicians are so rare and not liked by everyone? It¡¯s because their magic experiments are always fraught with danger; explosions can happen at any time. They don¡¯t understand the scientific essence and yet they foolishly try to control the rules.¡±


    These words sounded more like he was talking to himself.


    Thomas didn¡¯t understand and asked curiously, ¡°Master, have you seen a magician before?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then you are truly great, Master. You have never seen a magician, yet you taught Douson magic. Praise the Master!¡± Thomas exclaimed with the awe of a zealot.


    Liszt smiled faintly.


    This trifle was hardly worth mentioning.


    He took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands, ¡°Thomas, take good care of Douson, bandage its wounds, and make sure to mash up its food before feeding.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

 Chapter 59 - Chapter 59 Ultimate Mystery Technique Inferno Slash

    Chapter 59 Ultimate Mystery Technique Inferno Slash


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Force had taught Douson how to release magic, leaving Liszt with a great sense of accomplishment.


    ¡°After all, I am someone who understands science.¡±


    Experimenting, conducting more experiments, that was the foundation of science, just as he had simply figured out the state of the Space Ring¡ªmotionless, able to store ordinary items, but not living creatures; the Space Ring would immediately annihilate the soul¡ªLiszt believed the soul was a kind of material motion that, once halted, ceased to exist.


    He also repeatedly put things in and took them out, experimenting with the consumption of magic power.


    For now, using the Space Ring consumed a bit too much power.


    Busy and fulfilled, life was very fulfilling.


    But over the next two days, he began to feel bored.


    The Elf Bugs were all well settled and didn¡¯t need his attention; agriculture and fisheries were thriving, needing no concern; road construction was slow but orderly, houses in Ganhai Tun were starting to dig foundations; the candidates for the Knight Squad were undergoing Marcus¡¯s trials, not requiring his attention.


    He had completely fallen into the lifestyle of most nobles¡ªboredom had set in, leaving him to invent tasks for himself.


    If he were near a city, he could host balls or banquets, or go hunting to expand his noble connections. But Fresh Flower Town was quite isolated, and there were only four people qualified to dine with him; he couldn¡¯t possibly prepare banquets for them every day.


    So, Liszt decided to find himself something else to do.


    He planned to conquer Thorn Ridge ahead of schedule.


    ¡°Thorn Ridge is the biggest obstacle for Fresh Flower Town; it must be opened up, otherwise communication with Coral City is difficult, and I¡¯m almost blind here.¡±


    Understanding the importance of information exchange as someone with a modern mindset, Liszt was acutely aware.


    He had discussed human trafficking with Levis but couldn¡¯t be sure that Levis was really taking it seriously. Counting the days, the Tulip Fleet should be almost ready to return, and if Levis forgot to make arrangements by the next trade voyage, it would be at least three months before another opportunity arose.


    For the fleet to trade at sea, it had to pass through quite a few islands, taking at least three months for one trip.


    Missing this opportunity would delay the development of Fresh Flower Town for another three months, and although time wasn¡¯t pressing for him, Liszt still didn¡¯t want to waste it.


    ¡°Magical Beasts, difficult to deal with for now, because they can launch surprise attacks in the forest at any moment. But if I clear all the trees in Thorn Ridge, can the Magical Beasts still defeat Marcus on an open field? Besides, I¡¯m not a vegetarian, and even if I were, my Crimson Blood Sword still thirsts for blood!¡±


    A gemstone weapon, against low-level Magical Beasts, is definitely a great advantage.


    Perhaps it couldn¡¯t cut through hair as if it were butter, but the embedded ruby, resonating with the power of magic and Dou Qi, could at least double Liszt¡¯s combat ability.


    Clang!


    He drew the Crimson Blood Sword, gripping it tightly with both hands, a two-handed sword suitable for slashing while on horseback.


    The silver-white blade gleamed with cold light.


    ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡±


    Liszt uttered softly, swinging the sword forward with both hands. The Ultimate Mystery Technique of ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± activated, with flames rising on the Crimson Blood Sword and surging forward; the air itself was scorched, making explosive crackling sounds. It was originally a move designed for unison between rider and horse, but Liszt, through recent study, could now perform it solo.


    And he could channel the attack in one direction, without harming himself.


    Sheathing the sword, he stood tall.


    The flames in the air dissipated and everything returned to calm, only the still scorching temperature indicating that someone had just used a powerful move. He exhaled lightly, ¡°With that strike, if there had been a Wind Blade Wolf in front of me, it would already be dead.¡±


    The ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± was now thoroughly mastered.


    He was no longer just a novice Earth Knight; he already possessed the power to fight, only lacking real battle experience. He planned to continue studying ¡°Flaming Wave¡±, a Dou Qi Manuscript suitable for a Knight¡¯s charge in group combat, requiring coordination with a mount.


    Three out of four Retainer Knights were assisting Marcus in selecting the Knight Squad.


    Only Gray Scythe remained standing by his side.


    ¡°Gray, carry my Knight Spear, I want to practice spearmanship on horseback.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    He went to the stables.


    The lush alfalfa stretched endlessly, its growth most vigorous near the Alfalfa Cordyceps. This meadow was occupied by the Li Dragon Horses, and other horses dared not graze here. Occasionally, Fire Dragon Horses would stealthily come to take a few bites but would get bitten and chased away if the Li Dragon Horses discovered them.


    The Li Dragon Horses that were not in heat paid no attention to whether the others were male or female.


    ¡°Master, are you planning to ride a horse? Do you need me to bring the horse gear?¡± Tom, returning with water, saw that Liszt had no manservant following him and hurried over to ask.


    ¡°No need, you go about your business.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Liszt whistled sharply, and in a flash, a pure black stallion came galloping as if riding the wind¡ªit was the dragon-blooded Li Dragon Horse.


    Its shoulder height was at least 1.9 meters, even taller than Liszt¡¯s stature.


    Therefore, mounting it required a leap onto its back.


    Such a tall and majestic horse truly warranted a magnificent rider. Without reins, saddle, or stirrups, the temperament of the Li Dragon Horse simply would not allow itself to be bound by such gear. Liszt didn¡¯t insist either, as he now possessed the physical attributes of an Earth Knight, and his equestrian skills were becoming increasingly exquisite.


    With his exquisite horsemanship, he could achieve a perfect unity with the horse without relying on any gear.


    ¡°Li Dragon, cooperate with me well,¡± Liszt said as he patted the neck of the Li Dragon Horse and took the Knight¡¯s Spear handed to him by Gray. The spear, nearly three meters long, required immense strength to wield.


    Forged from fine steel, the Retainer Knights polished and maintained it daily, so it gleamed with a silver shine.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    The Li Dragon Horse, as if showcasing its strength, reared up, lifting its front hooves off the ground and trumpeting towards the sunlight. It then carried Liszt around the paddock, his control seamless whether at a sprint, sudden halt, jump, or pivot. Meanwhile, Liszt, on horseback, took the opportunity to perform the ¡°Flaming Wave¡±.


    The Knight¡¯s Spear was too long to wield like a one-handed sword, but following the rhythm of the Li Dragon Horse, each movement was forceful and powerful.


    ¡°Inferno Slash!¡±


    Liszt bellowed, rallying all his Dou Qi into the Knight¡¯s Spear, which shone with intense energy as if fueled by the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s will in a mad leap.


    The Dou Qi ignited the air, and the entire Knight¡¯s Spear seemed ablaze.


    With a horizontal sweep from the soaring horse¡¯s back, crimson and golden flames rained down, scorching the alfalfa to cinders in an instant upon touching the ground.


    Hum!


    The Li Dragon Horse landed and steadied itself as Liszt drove the Knight Spear into the ground at an angle to stabilize the chaotic Dou Qi within his body. The Inferno Slash was the ultimate mystery technique of the ¡°Flaming Wave¡±, consuming a tremendous amount of energy but capable of wiping out dozens of enemies in one strike during a charge.


    Especially with the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s immense strength, lightning speed, and ferocious nature, this technique could be performed to its fullest effect.


    This was something he could not achieve in cooperation with the Fire Dragon Horses.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you are to become a prime stud horse, and I cannot ride you into battle¡­ Of course, it¡¯s also unlikely that I would personally go into battle.¡±


    Dismounting, Liszt patted the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s flank, signaling it to graze freely as he changed his whistle to call forth the Fire Dragon Horse.


    Riding the Fire Dragon Horse, he headed back towards the castle.


    ¡°Gray, go call Teacher Goltai over.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    A moment later, Goltai arrived at the castle: ¡°Liszt, what is it?¡±


    ¡°I plan to cut down the trees in Thorn Ridge, shrink the habitat of the Magical Beasts, and clear the path obstructing Fresh Flower Town¡¯s development,¡± Liszt declared with an air of confidence.


    Goltai frowned: ¡°Cutting down trees could lead to encounters with Magical Beasts; isn¡¯t that too risky?¡±


    ¡°With Teacher Marcus and me personally providing protection, as long as we don¡¯t encounter large numbers of Magical Beasts, there¡¯s basically no danger since we¡¯ll be fighting in an open area. Besides, Magical Beasts in Thorn Ridge are rare. I¡¯m not planning to cut down all the trees, just the ones along the sides of the road.¡±


    First, to cut down a part, gradually compressing the living space of the Magical Beasts, and then, when everything was ready, to finish the job in one fell swoop.


    That was Liszt¡¯s plan.

 Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Gao Ertai’s Psychological Struggle

    Chapter 60: Gao Ertai¡¯s Psychological Struggle


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Li Si Te¡¯s actions are becoming more and more frequent, and there isn¡¯t a moment of rest throughout the day, Isaiah, I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep for a week now.¡±


    Goltai, in the town¡¯s administrative housing, fanned himself vigorously with thick parchment to cool himself down: ¡°I originally thought that coming to Fresh Flower Town would be an easy job, but it has nearly exhausted me.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, officials without ambition are not what Li Si Te expects,¡± Isaiah, busy with his fingers calculating this quarter¡¯s taxes and without looking up, said, ¡°Goltai, you should make yourself more diligent, a comfortable life will erode a knight¡¯s fighting spirit.¡±


    ¡°It seems that you¡¯ve grown to like life in Fresh Flower Town just like Blair, I remember when you first arrived, you had endless complaints.¡±


    ¡°I was indeed very disappointed when I first arrived, it was dilapidated, crude, and there were hardly any people,¡± Isaiah moved his fingers, which had gone somewhat numb from doing arithmetic, ¡°But after getting used to it, I find that Fresh Flower Town has an unprecedented vitality. I¡¯ve talked to Marcus about it; he says that Li Si Te is a noble unlike any other.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, he is unlike any other,¡± Goltai spread his hands.


    ¡°So I think, Marcus¡¯s aspiration to become a noble lies with Li Si Te, and perhaps here is also where I can revive my family¡¯s hopes.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re serious.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep being mediocre. For the sake of my foolish son, I must pull myself together.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time to pull yourself together. I¡¯m going to check on the construction progress of the houses in Oyster Village. The entire town is short-staffed now, I need to rack my brains on how to organize a Lumberjack Team.¡±


    Despite his words, Goltai did not head to Oyster Village after leaving the administration; instead, he returned to his residence in the town.


    It was a two-story building, formerly the residence of the Tax Knight¡ªthe Castle could only be inhabited by the landlord, and even if it was vacant, ordinary people could not move in.


    ¡°My Lord, you¡¯re back. Is work over for the day?¡± A young girl dressed in a coarse linen dress hurried over to help Goltai take off his coat.


    Goltai¡¯s hands inappropriately touched the girl¡¯s buttocks: ¡°Work is never done, but life goes on.¡±


    The girl¡¯s face flushed red: ¡°If you don¡¯t go to work, won¡¯t Lord Landlord blame you?¡±


    ¡°I was Li Si Te¡¯s teacher, the town¡¯s administrative officer, I have the right to give myself a half-day off¡­ Freya, I¡¯ve missed you, I can¡¯t focus on my work.¡± Saying so, Goltai embraced Freya, kissing her cheek, and then pushed the girl toward the bedroom.


    Freya quickly wrestled free, panicking, ¡°My, my Lord, it¡¯s still daytime.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with daytime? Recently, there¡¯s been too much oyster-eating, not enough time at night,¡± Goltai selectively forgot that every evening, he could still only last once, and not more than thirty seconds at a time.


    Freya looked somewhat panicked, seemingly searching for a topic to divert the conversation: ¡°You seem to be in a bad mood, is it because of the advisor issue?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not in a good mood, he¡¯s the landlord, he has the right to command me to work for him, even if it¡¯s from morning to night, non-stop. But I¡¯ve been in Fresh Flower Town for three months now, and I still haven¡¯t been given the position of advisor. Damn it, who else here is qualified to be an advisor besides me?¡±


    Goltai hit the wall of the house hard, his tone filled with indignation: ¡°I¡¯m starting to regret coming to Fresh Flower Town!¡±


    Freya¡¯s expression changed: ¡°My Lord, do you, do you intend to leave here?¡±


    ¡°Not for now, Freya, it is you who make me linger, unwilling to leave.¡± Goltai embraced Freya again, kissing her.


    Freya pushed him away forcefully.


    Goltai¡¯s face suddenly darkened: ¡°Freya, what do you mean by that!¡±


    Freya took a deep breath, allowing herself to smile again: ¡°I know you¡¯re unhappy, you¡¯ve been preoccupied these past few days, I guess you want to return to Coral City, a much larger city than Fresh Flower Town, countless times more prosperous¡­ I want to tell you, my Lord, that Freya will stay in Fresh Flower Town, to raise your child. Please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Goltai¡¯s face changed and changed again.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    With a soft utterance, all of Goltai¡¯s expressions froze on his face. It took him a long while to come to his senses, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Freya touched her own stomach, and even though it was still flat, she could feel a strong little heartbeat throbbing within.


    During the conversation, she suddenly started to retch.


    No longer doubting, Goltai knew that Freya was indeed pregnant, but he didn¡¯t know whether to be thrilled or shocked¡ªhe had a wife and children in Coral City, his children were grown and married, and he even had a grandson who was born the year before last¡ªhe was only here seeking an affair to fill his loneliness.


    He had never thought such a day would come.


    ¡°Oh heavens, Freya, I mean, I¡¯m very confused right now, sorry, I don¡¯t know how to face this news.¡± Goltai stammered.


    Freya just smiled, ¡°It¡¯s alright, my Lord, I know that as a serf like me, there is no better tomorrow. I am very grateful to you for giving me some fairly happy memories, and I will raise him on my own, he will grow up healthy and strong¡­ I just hope, when you leave, can you grant him freeman status?¡±


    ¡°Freeman?¡±


    Goltai fell into hesitation and conflict, while Freya just smiled at him.


    After a moment, he took a deep breath and finally made a decision, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Freya, I have let you down¡­¡±


    Freya¡¯s smile quickly faded.


    But the next thing Goltai said brought a brighter smile to her face.


    ¡°I hesitated just now, which I shouldn¡¯t have¡ªI promise you, I will not, at least not now, leave Fresh Flower Town. I want to see him born, to tell him his father¡¯s name, Goltai Mast¡­ I think I know what to do now, I¡¯ve never really immersed myself in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Goltai drew Freya into his arms, with warmth and not lust, ¡°Because I¡¯ve been a noble, accustomed to comfort rather than struggle, I complained about Liszt not offering me a consultant position, yet I never worked hard. But now, I must work hard and earn back some noble glory, for our child!¡±


    ¡°Is this true, my Lord?¡± Freya¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Of course, I promise it, by my knight¡¯s honor!¡±


    A moment of tenderness.


    Goltai broke free from the tender trap and donned his own Flack Abaie, striding out of the house¡ªthis time he was truly inspecting the housing construction in Oyster Village.


    At night, another small feast was being held in the castle.


    Before the feast started, Marcus, Blair, and Isaiah were idly chatting, while in the study, Goltai was reporting his work progress to Liszt.


    ¡°The main road from Thorn Ridge to the town is now half-built, we have plenty of sand, but we¡¯re running short on stones. I¡¯ve started drafting robust serfs to form a Lumberjack Team and will also break up the stones from Thorn Ridge to transport for road construction. If the stone supply from Thorn Ridge is ample, the sandy roads between the villages could also be paved with gravel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent plan, carry it out just like that, Teacher Goltai,¡± Liszt nodded in approval.


    It wasn¡¯t just the plan that was appealing but also Goltai¡¯s attitude. In the past, Goltai would attend each feast only in body to eat and drink and to crack witty remarks, never taking the initiative to talk about work.


    Today was a bit unexpected, as he proactively reported on his work.


    As the landlord, of course, he favored subordinates who were keen on their jobs, rather than those who only mooched food and drink.

 Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Boiled Peanuts and Hops

    Chapter 61: Boiled Peanuts and Hops


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Peanuts for the main dish tonight?¡± Marcus expertly shelled peanuts, wondering aloud. Wheat might be the top choice for staple food, but its yield was generally low, so peanuts and peas had to fill the gap.


    ¡°How do they taste?¡±


    Liszt inquired, for he had no boiled peanuts before him.


    He didn¡¯t fancy boiled peanuts, so as the master of the castle, Cook Abbie had specially made him porridge with oats. As for everyone else, they weren¡¯t so fortunate.


    ¡°They¡¯re tender and appropriately mushy, just a bit bland and tasteless,¡± he commented.


    Goltai chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s just how boiled peanuts taste. They¡¯re nice for a change, to spice up the palate once in a while, but you¡¯ll get tired of them if you eat them often. However, tonight¡¯s peanuts are larger than usual¡ªdid you notice?¡±


    It dawned on Marcus, ¡°Has the harvest from Peanut Hamlet come in?¡±


    ¡°This is the first batch, from the peanuts grown near the cordyceps. The yield is thirty percent higher than usual, and the growing cycle has been shortened by a month. The castle won¡¯t be short of peanuts this year. I think Mrs. Abbie should find time to make more peanut butter. Spread on bread, it stays fragrant all day.¡±


    In Fresh Flower Town, none was a greater gourmet than Goltai, the Honored Knight who always had endless things to say about food and drink.


    Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°Pair it with juniper wine, and it would be perfect.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Liszt, you really get me, haha.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity the juniper wine we brought back from Coral City last time has all been drunk up.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I really didn¡¯t want to hear that.¡±


    ¡°In fact, there¡¯s even more disheartening news,¡± Liszt said, sipping his oatmeal porridge slowly, ¡°The stock in the wine cellar is at rock bottom. Mr. Carter advises against drinking any more red wine, or we won¡¯t have enough for the festivals in the second half of the year. And as for beer, the ones made with hops are almost finished. We¡¯re left with only the sour-tasting ones.¡±


    ¡°Good heavens, that can¡¯t be true, can it.¡±


    Liszt did not respond.


    Butler Carter, attending behind at the banquet, answered on his behalf: ¡°The weather is turning hot, and beer is being consumed in large quantities. Without trading caravans coming and going, we cannot produce our own hopped beer. If it weren¡¯t for the Earl¡¯s recent convoy, which brought many barrels of beer, the castle would be running even lower on the sour beer by now.¡±


    Goltai frowned deeply, ¡°I think we should really build a dock and purchase hops directly from Viscount Trik.¡±


    Unfortunately, the East Coast of Fresh Flower Town was all flat sandy beaches with no deep-water ports for constructing a dock.


    As for Viscount Trik, he was a follower of the Coral Island¡¯s Count, full named Trik Lycra, and he owned a separate small island¡ªBeer Island.


    There, a magnificent castle stood¡ªBeer Castle.


    The Lycra Family¡¯s beer, renowned for its use of hops, was a best-seller on several large islands.


    Beer was the most common type of alcoholic beverage in the Grand Duchy, coming in two varieties: hopped and unhopped.


    Hops, a species of the Lycra genus, played a significant role in beer¡ªthey imparted a refreshing aroma, bitterness, and preservative qualities to it, promoted good foam formation which helped clarify the wort, and the strong hop flavor balanced the natural sweetness of the malt and stimulated appetite.


    Beer without hops quickly turned sour and was hard to swallow.


    The hopped beer on Coral Island was exclusively brewed by the Lycra Family, and it was this industry that allowed them to afford the famed Beer Castle.


    ¡°A dock is out of the question; that¡¯s why I want to completely clear the roads through Thorn Ridge. Only then can trading caravans enter Fresh Flower Town¡­ We don¡¯t have the Tax Knights anymore to protect the traders coming and going,¡± said Liszt, then turning to Marcus, ¡°Teacher Marcus, has the selection for the Knight Squad not finished yet?¡±


    Setting aside the boiled peanuts he was holding, Marcus replied, ¡°Tomorrow is the last selection date. I already have some preliminary choices, but their physical conditioning is still too poor. Only two meet the entrance standards of the Knight Academy.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because they¡¯re not getting enough to eat, but now that the Knight Squad is being provided for by the Castle, I believe their physical condition will see significant improvement.¡±


    ¡°Then I can stop worrying about the food and focus on training.¡±


    ¡°Yes, make sure they master Dou Qi as soon as possible. Fresh Flower Town should not only have five knights capable of Dou Qi. Going forward, we will rely on knights for many things.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Liszt saw the Lumberjack Team the very next day.


    He had thought that Goltai would need at least two or three days to pull together healthy serfs for the work, but today brought a surprise.


    Mounted on his horse, Goltai personally led the Lumberjack Team to gather on the main road outside the Castle. In total, there were thirty strong serfs, but only half of them had either a new or old axe in hand, and the team had only two saws, both brought from home by the carpenter¡¯s son.


    Iron was scarce.


    The metal was controlled by nations with dragons, and it was very difficult to obtain.


    This was also why the Duchy of Sapphire often organized its knight orders to wage war on the continent and plunder mineral resources¡ªthe iron mines of the Grand Duchy were mostly seized from the Eagle Kingdom and then transported bit by bit to each island by sea.


    In Fresh Flower Town, many serfs had to work with wooden, stone, and bone utensils.


    It was a different scene from the orderly and solemn one he had imagined.


    The group of strong serfs wore thick anxiety on their faces¡ªthe Landlord demanded they fell timber in Thorn Ridge, a dangerous task. If they encountered a Magical Beast, their wives might have to remarry.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, didn¡¯t you tell them that I would send protection?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I informed them, but they are still trembling.¡±


    Liszt nodded, understanding, ¡°Words are pale.¡±


    While they were speaking, a team shouting slogans ran over from the riding ground to the Castle. Four knights followed and supervised, with Marcus leading the way.


    ¡°My lord!¡± Marcus dismounted and saluted Liszt.


    ¡°Why thirty?¡±


    ¡°They will escort the lumberjacks. Based on today¡¯s performance, I will make the final selection for my squad. Their physiques are about the same, and their minds aren¡¯t too dull. Now, the last criterion is an examination of courage. A knight cannot be without courage,¡± Marcus explained.


    Hearing this, Goltai said, ¡°Liszt, won¡¯t you say something before we set off?¡±


    Liszt nodded, of course he needed to say a few words for the occasion.


    Majestically attired in his black beast armor, he rode his Li Dragon Horse and slowly approached the front of both teams. With a solemn expression, Liszt swept his gaze over each person in the teams and spoke out loud, ¡°Fellow citizens, I am your Landlord, Liszt Tulip.¡±


    He paused, suddenly finding himself at a loss for words.


    He still hadn¡¯t quite mastered the skill of showing off, and after a moment, he decided to omit the lengthy, provocative speech and simply said with composure, ¡°Today, you will chop down the trees of Thorn Ridge for me, clearing the path between the town and the outside world, and I, will protect your safety!¡±


    Words are pale, and facing the still uneasy serfs, he simply raised his riding crop lightly, and the Li Dragon Horse lifted its forelegs and let out a skyward roar.


    As the horse hooves hit the ground, Liszt had already taken the lead on horseback.


    ¡°Forward!¡±

 Chapter 62 - Chapter 62 Monkeys and Birds Start Fighting

    Chapter 62 Monkeys and Birds Start Fighting


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Puff out your chest, and muster your spirit!¡± Marcus¡¯s roar echoed through the forests at the edge of Thorn Ridge, his riding whip cracking sharply from time to time.


    Thirty young boys, gripping wooden sticks, nervously surveyed every corner of the forest.


    They could hear the calls of various birds and beasts deep within the woods; among those calls might have been the roars of magical beasts. For boys who had grown up on terrifying tales of magical beasts, every extra moment spent here felt like a chill down their spine as if a magical beast could pounce and sink its teeth into them at any moment.


    Tony was one such fearful boy.


    Clenching the wooden stick tightly, he leaned against a large tree, his calves trembling slightly. Last winter, a Wind Blade Wolf attacked Little Wheat Village, devouring two serfs and causing him to have nightmares for several nights. Now, those nightmares resurfaced in his mind, and he prayed incessantly.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t let it eat me¡­¡±


    He kept glancing at the adults who were chopping wood outside, as if that would make him feel safer.


    Suddenly.


    There was a loud snap above his head. Without notice, Marcus had ridden his horse over to him, his whip lashed against the trunk, stripping away the bark.


    ¡°Tony, I told you to watch the forest, not the lumberjacks!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Marcus.¡±


    ¡°Show your manliness, and do not disappoint me or Lord Landlord,¡± Marcus said coldly.


    Tony quickly responded loudly, ¡°Yes, I will not disappoint Mr. Marcus, nor will I disappoint Lord Landlord!¡±


    Marcus then rode away.


    Seeing him go, Tony breathed a sigh of relief. He feared this cold and ruthless Earth Knight; during the past few days of selection, he had received his fair share of lashings.


    Real lashings, where each strike immediately left a bloody welts on his body.


    If it weren¡¯t for the chance to become a Retainer Knight and the opportunity to change his fate, he wouldn¡¯t want to face Marcus, let alone confront magical beasts here.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that Marcus had shaken his head as he left.


    This Earth Knight had already written him off. A knight who could not face his own fears, who could not overcome the pressures of the environment, held no potential in his eyes. To Marcus, a commoner becoming a Noble was only possible through a baptism of blood and fire. If one was not prepared, it was better to go home early and farm in peace.


    Otherwise, they might end up as corpses under the hooves on a battlefield.


    Moving continuously through the woods, Marcus not only monitored every movement but also assessed the boys. The morning passed without incident, and he had more or less decided on the twelve members of the squad.


    So, at noon.


    He reported his selections to Liszt, ¡°Lord, Philip Wool, Zavier Dung, Jacob Sole, York Baldy, Wayne Haystack, Zachary Pinky, York Cobbler, Evan Handkerchief, Sean Redface, Tracy Hunchback, Mullen Crotch, Theodore Rottensock; these twelve boys will become your Retainer Knights.¡±


    ¡°Zavier Dung, sounds a bit like the brother of the servant Jim Bull Dung; York Baldy, York Cobbler, with the same name, one as Big York and the other as Little York then¡­ Well, inform their families that from this moment, these twelve boys will be excused from production, supported by the castle.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Knight Squad¡¯s selections had been decided, and at noon, Liszt found a moment to summon the Smoke Mission.


    Indeed, the mission had been completed and updated.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward the hatching Wind Falcon.¡±


    ¡°Mission: Besides drift bottles, the seaside might also bring unexpected surprises. Now, there¡¯s a sailing ship carrying surprises drifting toward the East Coast. Please find and rescue the distressed ship. Reward: A portion of population.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t immediately pay attention to the reward of the Wind Falcon.


    Because he saw ¡°population,¡± which is what Fresh Flower Town is currently lacking the most. The small town has less than two thousand people, not even as many as a slightly larger village in his hometown. Without population, as a landlord, he couldn¡¯t unfold any plans; what he desired most was population.


    ¡°A population reward related to a ship in distress, does this mean a ship carrying population is about to drift to the East Coast?¡± Thinking of this, Liszt eagerly called for Goltai.


    ¡°Liszt, what do you need?¡±


    ¡°I just realized, the fishermen of Oyster Village face the sea where there are numerous sea monsters, which is very dangerous and must be taken seriously.¡±


    ¡°Sea monsters¡­ shouldn¡¯t come to the shore, right?¡± Goltai was somewhat skeptical.


    Sea monsters indeed posed a danger and frequently attacked ships, but they rarely came to the shore. Once the tide went out and they were stranded, it could lead to their certain demise.


    His mind not really on the conversation, Liszt emphasized, ¡°We can¡¯t be careless about even a bit of danger. Inform the patrol team immediately; they must focus on patrolling the East Coast during this period. Report any unusual activity to me. Hold the line for a while, and if truly no sea monster comes ashore, then readjust the focus of the patrol.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go inform them.¡±


    Once Goltai left, Liszt finally had the mood to pay attention to the reward for the previous mission¡ªthe egg of the Wind Falcon.


    He had heard about the Wind Falcon; it was a type of falcon magical beast, considered a low-level magical beast, often appearing by the sea, feeding on fish from the sea. Being a small animal, it rarely infringed on humans, and comparatively speaking, was less dangerous, but that didn¡¯t mean it was weak. On the contrary, it had strong combat abilities.


    It could release magic¡ªWind Blade.


    This magic was the same as that of the Wind Blade Wolf, but as a falcon, it had the natural advantage of flight, allowing it to strike from almost any direction.


    In other words, it could use hit-and-run tactics, wearing down its opponent without taking damage.


    ¡°So where is my Wind Falcon?¡± Liszt cast his gaze towards the large trees being cut down, alert in his heart, ¡°Could it be hiding in one of the trees that is about to be chopped down?¡±


    If there was indeed a Wind Falcon, the threat would be tremendous.


    He quickly called for Marcus, ¡°We can¡¯t just watch out for the terrestrial beasts in the forest; we must also be vigilant of the sky, as there may be flying magical beasts here.¡±


    Marcus took down the bow and arrows from his back, holding them firmly in his hands, ¡°Lord, compared to ground beasts, flying magical beasts have more fragile bodies, and my arrows are always ready for them!¡±


    His confidence infected Liszt.


    ¡°I had wanted to learn archery from you but never had the free time.¡±


    ¡°Lord, you can learn anytime.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, once I¡¯m through this busy period, I will start learning archery,¡± Liszt decided. Learning archery was a must, as ranged attacks suited his nature, eliminating the enemy from afar.


    Close combat was too crude and came with a high risk of injury.


    As a landlord who came to this world, he was supposed to enjoy life, not suffer.


    In the afternoon, Liszt kept looking up at the trees, hoping to find out which one held his reward. However, as the sun set in the west, Goltai rushed over, bringing unexpected news, ¡°There¡¯s a Fragrant Coconut Tree at Oyster Village that is currently the scene of a major battle between monkeys and birds.¡±

 Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Rich Spoils of War

    Chapter 63: Rich Spoils of War


    Translator: 549690339


    The battle between monkeys and a young bird.


    Goltai quickly described the scene in detail; it was actually a group of Fruit Thief Monkeys attacking an eagle: ¡°That bird built a nest on the Fragrant Coconut Tree, and it seems there are bird eggs in the nest¡ªthe monkeys have stopped stealing fruit and have started stealing bird eggs instead.¡±


    He took it as an amusing story.


    However, Liszt mounted his horse and announced on the spot, ¡°Logging is over for today. Everyone leave Thorn Ridge. Teacher Marcus, come with me to Oyster Village.¡± Without a doubt, that bird was a Wind Falcon, and what was lying in the nest were eggs awaiting hatching.


    That was his mission reward.


    At the Lord Landlord¡¯s command, the Lumberjack Team immediately stopped working and started heading back to town along the half-built gravel path. Liszt, leading Marcus and four Retainer Knights, raced ahead to Oyster Village. Upon reaching the East Coast, they saw the Patrol Team surrounding a Fragrant Coconut Tree.


    There was a large pile of monkey corpses under the tree.


    ¡°Lord Landlord!¡± The Patrol Members saluted one after another.


    Liszt looked up at the crown of the Fragrant Coconut Tree, which stood dozens of meters high, with the lowest branches as high as a four-story building and the highest, as tall as twenty stories.


    The tree in front of them was the tallest; it grew at a sixty-degree angle toward the sea, and looking up, the crown was almost a small point.


    At that moment, the crown was bustling with activity, chickens flying and dogs jumping erratically, and occasionally the body of a monkey would fall, dead on impact. Even if they didn¡¯t die from the fall, their bodies could be seen covered in cuts as if sliced open by blades.


    ¡°There is a Magical Beast up there; these wounds look to be caused by Magic Wind Blades,¡± Marcus cautioned, lifting the body of one of the Fruit Thief Monkeys.


    Liszt casually pointed, ¡°It¡¯s the Wind Falcon. These monkeys are attacking its nest; there should be its eggs inside. The battle is fierce. Teacher Marcus, do you have a way to retrieve the eggs? This could very well hatch into a new Wind Falcon.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s a Wind Falcon,¡± Marcus said, suddenly realizing, then frowned, ¡°Climbing the tree would be easy, but with a group of Fruit Thief Monkeys and a Wind Falcon up there, it would be very dangerous. A Magical Beast defending its nest is the most ferocious, and the Fruit Thief Monkeys themselves are a fierce wild beast too.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait, perhaps they¡¯ll both suffer losses,¡± said Liszt, somewhat uncertain.


    If it was a mission reward, it should not be difficult to obtain. Otherwise, getting bird eggs from a group of combat-capable Fruit Thief Monkeys, or from a combat-capable Wind Falcon, would be an impossible task.


    And so they waited for about fifteen minutes.


    The number of monkey corpses grew, and the Patrol Members gleefully collected the bodies. These were choice game, and though they couldn¡¯t eat them¡ªsince everything in the territory belonged to the Castle, and thus to Liszt¡ªit was certain the Lord Landlord would reward them with something.


    After some thought, Liszt told the Patrol Team, ¡°Collect the dead Fruit Thief Monkeys, finish off the gravely wounded with one stroke, and tie up those with minor injuries. I want them alive.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten his earlier plan to train the Fruit Thief Monkeys to climb trees and pick Fragrant Coconut Fruit.


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord!¡±


    Suddenly, Marcus spoke up, ¡°Lord, be careful, the remaining monkeys are trying to flee!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Liszt saw about a dozen Fruit Thief Monkeys rapidly descending the trunk of the Fragrant Coconut Tree. And behind them, a large bird, nearly plucked bare, flapping its wings in pursuit.


    ¡°Marcus, join me in intercepting the Wind Falcon, and all Patrol Members stop the Fruit Thief Monkeys. Don¡¯t let a single one escape. Capture them alive if possible!¡±


    When the snipe and clam grapple, it¡¯s the fisherman who benefits.


    Seizing such an opportunity, Liszt made an immediate decision.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Faced with the chance to kick someone while they were down, the Patrol Members were excited, each drawing their weapons and positioning themselves under the tree.


    Marcus took out his bow and arrows, ready to draw and shoot at a moment¡¯s notice. Liszt himself drew the Crimson Blood Sword he carried, the Gemstone Weapon boosting his confidence immensely.


    In the blink of an eye.


    The remaining Fruit Thief Monkeys had already scrambled down the trees, and the Patrol Members rushed up, howling and swinging wildly. After putting up a desperate fight, the monkeys were exhausted and barely put up any resistance. They ran around aimlessly like headless flies, unable to do anything but get beaten.


    With a few hits from the spears, the monkeys lay on the ground, unable to move.


    Elsewhere, a molting Wind Falcon was chasing after a Fruit Thief Monkey when Liszt suddenly charged over on horseback, the Crimson Blood Sword blazing with flames. He unleashed the Ultimate Mystery Technique, Inferno Slash. A torrent of fire rained down, and although the Wind Falcon deftly dodged, it still got caught in the firestorm, igniting its few remaining feathers.


    But after the attack, the Wind Falcon sensed the danger and let out a long screech, flapped its wings vigorously, and flew towards the sky.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t let it escape, and roared, ¡°Marcus!¡±


    Marcus was already prepared, he released his grip, and the bowstring snapped forward, propelling two arrows side by side. Accompanied by a sharp, piercing whistle, they plunged into the body of the Wind Falcon, burying the arrowheads completely, blood spraying the sky.


    The Wind Falcon staggered and plummeted onto the sandy beach.


    When the last Fruit Thief Monkey was knocked to the ground by a spear and then swarmed by the Patrol Members, taken alive on the spot, the battle between the monkeys and the small bird ended with no victor. All were claimed by the fisherman Liszt.


    After a quick count.


    There were a total of forty-six Fruit Thief Monkeys, with thirty-nine dead or fatally injured by finishing blows, leaving seven with minor injuries, all of which were bound.


    The body of the Wind Falcon was collected, its size not much larger than that of an earth dog.


    An agile Patrol Member carefully climbed to the crown of the Fragrant Coconut Tree, found the nest, and pulled out a bird egg slightly smaller than a pineapple.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, there really is a bird egg!¡± The Patrol Member, excited, presented the egg to Liszt.


    Liszt took the bird egg in his hands, and before he could begin to admire it, the egg suddenly made a soft cracking sound.


    ¡°Lord, the bird egg is hatching!¡± Marcus was astonished.


    Liszt was also stunned, thinking to himself that the Smoke Mission was indeed formidable. He had only just picked up the egg, and it was already starting to hatch. As he was lost in thought, the cracking sounds continued, and after a moment, the shell was pecked open, revealing a naked, ugly bird head, its mouth open, making unpleasant ¡°gacking¡± sounds.


    The bird head¡¯s huge eyes looked at Liszt, crying out as if begging for food.


    Liszt coughed lightly, ¡°Teacher Marcus, what does a young Wind Falcon eat?¡±


    ¡°It should¡­ eat small fish and shrimp, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°Then, Patrol Members, go to the fishermen¡¯s homes in Oyster Village and bring back some small fish and shrimp. Remember, they must be alive.¡± He vaguely remembered from ¡°Man and Nature¡± that there were sea birds feeding their chicks, holding squirming small fish in their beaks, evidently, these were live fish.


    However, he also seemed to recall that some birds would eat the small fish and shrimp and then bring them back up to feed to their chicks.


    In any case, feeding them live prey was the first thing to do.


    Today¡¯s bounty was already substantial, and it wasn¡¯t as if he particularly cared about one small Magical Beast¡ªa young bird. With the major pest of Fruit Thief Monkeys dealt with, they could freely pick the Fragrant Coconut Fruits, and even had ¡°workers¡± for the harvest; the large Wind Falcon carcass was also a rich resource for Nalda, whether it was sold or eaten, it was a great supplement.


    And then there was the mission soon to be completed, which would reward the town with scarce population.


    ¡°What a wonderful day!¡± Watching the young Wind Falcon gobble up the small fish and shrimp, Liszt felt especially content, ¡°Teacher Marcus, let¡¯s return to the Castle together. Tonight, we continue the feast. Hmm, barbecue Fruit Thief Monkeys!¡±

 Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: There is a Juan Fu in the Castle

    Chapter 64: There is a Juan Fu in the Castle


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Caw! Caw!¡±


    ¡°Caw! Caw!¡±


    ¡°Caw! Caw!¡±


    In the castle¡¯s study, an unpleasant bird call was heard from time to time. The fledgling Wind Falcons were quite ugly, covered only with fine down that was so thin it was almost invisible, and curled up tightly against the skin, making them look like plucked chickens. Compared to the streamlined bodies of adult Wind Falcons that roamed the skies, they were worlds apart.


    Yet Liszt liked them very much, after all, they were flying Magical Beasts.


    There was already a Fierce Earth Dog in the castle, which he occasionally took out for a walk, decking it out with a few Rock Spikes for a pleasing sight. If he could add a Wind Falcon to the mix, it would be absolutely cool to summon a Wind Blade whenever he felt like it.


    Unfortunately, falcons don¡¯t imprint on their owners and Liszt hadn¡¯t figured out how to train it yet.


    For now he could only feed it.


    He had already had the castle¡¯s maids sew a pair of leather gloves; he had seen videos of people doing falconry before, and they all wore a pair of leather gloves for the falcon to perch on. There seemed to be some sort of toy as well, which they threw to attract the falcon and then reeled it back in. Once the toy was back, the falcon would just circle nearby and not fly away.


    ¡°When I have time, I need to research this toy, or perhaps go to Coral City to inquire if there are any hunters skilled in birdkeeping, and find out how they tame birds.¡±


    The dinner was roasted Fruit Thief Monkey meat.


    It didn¡¯t have the tenderness of roasted beef and was slightly fibrous, making it tough to tear. However, perhaps due to their frequent consumption of Fragrant Coconut Fruit, the monkey meat had a faint scent of coconut milk after roasting, which was a unique taste different from ordinary roasted meat, and it proved very popular among the people at the banquet.


    ¡°If the meat of the Fruit Thief Monkey could be made a bit more tender, it would certainly become a delicacy. I suggest that the town could rear them in large quantities,¡± Goltai said with his mouth full of grease.


    Liszt was much more elegant, as he didn¡¯t choose to eat the roasted Fruit Thief Monkey meat and simply watched others enjoy their meal: ¡°Being able to breed them in large numbers is a good thing; that¡¯s also my decision. But eating their meat is not a good idea, for monkeys have higher intelligence and should be trained to climb trees and help fruit farmers with their work.¡±


    According to the theories from his hometown, humans and monkeys had a common ancestor and both belonged to the primate family.


    This world didn¡¯t have such a concept; humans were humans, with no evolution involved. Besides dragons and elves, all other creatures were considered inferior to humans¡ªeven in the eyes of many, dragons and elves were only slightly more magical creatures and couldn¡¯t compare to humans.


    There had been instances of eating dragons¡­ eating elves¡­ and even cannibalism was not unheard of.


    So he didn¡¯t eat, but he didn¡¯t stop others from eating either.


    Isaiah curiously asked, ¡°Sir, can monkeys really be trained well enough to help fruit farmers with their work?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the same as training dogs and horses,¡± Liszt was so certain because he had seen plenty of monkey performances.


    He had also read a news article saying that in Malaysia or Thailand, local people trained monkeys to climb trees and pick coconuts. A fruit farmer who had mistreated his monkey ended up dead after the monkey, in a fit of rage, pelted him with wild fruits.


    Now, since the ownership of the Fruit Thief Monkeys belonged to Liszt, once trained and handed over to the fruit farmers, he was sure no one would dare to mistreat them.


    It was unlikely that the same situation of monkeys killing their owner would occur.


    ¡°If the Fruit Thief Monkeys are really trained well, that will be an interesting sight. I¡¯ve never thought we could make monkeys work for us,¡± Blair said, laughing heartily as if he could already see the image of monkeys picking fruit.


    Liszt said with a smile, ¡°In that case, the task of training the Fruit Thief Monkeys will be your responsibility, Blair.¡±


    ¡°Er, okay, I think I can handle it.¡±


    That¡¯s when Marcus suddenly asked, ¡°Sir, how should we deal with the carcass of the Wind Falcon? Do I need to make another trip to Coral City to sell it?¡±


    The Wind Falcon was a Low-Level Magical Beast, and it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to sell it for about a dozen Gold Coins.


    If it had been before, Liszt would certainly have sold it to purchase living supplies.


    But now, the town was not short on money to spend, as the income from the Black Tulip was enough to support his noble lifestyle for decades.


    Feeling wealthy and powerful, Liszt said on the spot, ¡°No need to sell it. Let the meat dry, and someday we¡¯ll host a Wind Falcon barbecue party. As for the other parts, Teacher Marcus, do you have any good suggestions for their use?¡±


    ¡°Bird bones are hollow, especially the Wind Falcon¡¯s bones, which contain wind attribute magic power. The joint bones can be made into signal whistles for sending messages, and they produce a very loud sound. Larger bones could be turned into tools; they¡¯re light and strong, better than iron tools. Moreover, its feathers are excellent materials for making arrows,¡± said Marcus, quickly planning the use of every part of the Wind Falcon¡¯s body: ¡°You are about to learn archery, so you will need a batch of arrows.¡±


    Liszt asked, ¡°Does anyone in the town know how to make arrows?¡±


    Marcus immediately replied, ¡°I do. I make my own arrows.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Marcus,¡± said Liszt, lifting his cup filled with hop-flavored beer, ¡°This drink is to honor you, and thank you for those two arrows this afternoon. They secured the Wind Falcon, otherwise, it would have been a great menace.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to serve you!¡±


    Marcus, with a hearty gesture, raised his cup of hop-less beer and drained it in one gulp.


    The bonfire had died, and the stars filled the sky.


    Goltai, Marcus, and the others had already returned.


    The servants busied themselves cleaning up after the feast, while Liszt was holding a cup of milk tea brought by Butler Carter¡ªhe had a habit of drinking a cup of milk tea before bed.


    The rich nutrition of the milk was urgently needed by his body, being sixteen, an age for growth.


    ¡°Master, your bath water is ready,¡± announced the servant.


    ¡°How is the young Wind Falcon doing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still squawking a lot, but we have fed it plenty of little fish and shrimp. It¡¯s certainly not hungry. However, Master, that little bird¡­is quite ugly.¡±


    ¡°I agree with you. Let¡¯s go and see this little fellow. If it¡¯s going to squawk all night long then take it outside; I don¡¯t want to be woken up in the middle of the night,¡± said Liszt, handing his empty cup back to Carter, and walking inside the castle. Whenever he encountered servants working, they would stop and bow to him respectfully.


    This sensation was very pleasant.


    He was becoming more and more accustomed to his noble identity, aligning his mindset and loyalty with the noble class¡ªif anyone dared to shake the foundation of the nobles¡¯ power, it would mean crossing Liszt!


    ¡°Good night, gentlemen, ladies,¡± he said with an impeccable, standard noble smile, ¡°I hope you all have sweet dreams until the morning.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡±


    Soon, Liszt had ascended to the second floor, which was his private area.


    Carter pushed open the door to the study. The previously quiet room immediately filled with an unpleasant squawking¡ª¡±caw caw,¡± ¡°caw caw,¡± ¡°caw caw.¡±


    ¡°No matter how many times I hear it, it still sounds unpleasant,¡± remarked Liszt, looking at the unsightly, curly-feathered little bird in a nest padded with some straw. ¡°Mr. Carter, what do you think we should call it?¡±


    ¡°There is a ¡®Douson¡¯ outside the castle, found in the forest and shivering all over. Maybe this little bird found on the Fragrant Coconut Tree, shaking all over, could be called ¡®Shivery Coconut¡¯?¡±


    Even though Carter misunderstood the meaning of ¡°Douson,¡± Liszt still laughed: ¡°Mr. Carter, you are becoming more humorous. However, I don¡¯t like the name Shivery Coconut. It looks like it has curly, fine feathers, and I hope it will be lucky enough to live to the day it soars¡­ Let¡¯s call it ¡®Juan Fu¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Juan Fu¡­ Master, I think that name sounds nice.¡±

 Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: A Leaky Sailing Ship

    Chapter 65: A Leaky Sailing Ship


    Translator: 549690339


    The next morning, Liszt took Juan Fu¡¯s bird¡¯s nest and hung it on the windowsill of the castle. On one hand, he wanted to let it bask in the sun, and on the other, he had had enough of the bird¡¯s squawking.


    Something odd happened last night, as the bird unexpectedly started calling in the middle of the night.


    At this moment, Juan Fu, having just consumed some small fish and shrimp, was full of energy, crawling around in the nest and continuously emitting ¡°gah gee¡± sounds.


    Outside the castle, in the doghouse, Douson poked his head out, drooling as he stared at Juan Fu on the windowsill.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± Seeing Liszt come out, it immediately started wagging its tail happily, pulling on its chain collar with a clanging sound¡ªLiszt was truly raising a dog, having always used a dog chain from its puppyhood.


    He unfastened the chain and held it in his hand.


    Douson instantly spread his legs and ran wildly, with the time Liszt took him for a walk every day being perhaps the happiest moment of his day.


    Leading Douson to the horse field, Liszt began training.


    When Douson was smaller, he generally trained once a day, now the frequency had been reduced to once every three days. He had successfully taught Douson not to harm people or cast magic without a command, as well as not to eat things at random and not to chase the horses in the field.


    Of course, except for the Li Dragon horses, the other horses would avoid Douson.


    ¡°Sit down, Douson!¡±


    The previously lively Douson immediately squatted down, tongue out, looking at Liszt, barely distinguishable from a regular mutt.


    Liszt threw a small ball made of leather: ¡°Fetch it, Douson.¡±


    Douson instantly dashed out like an arrow, then jumped and twisted 180 degrees in midair, successfully catching the leather ball and dashing back to place it in Liszt¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Very good.¡± He rewarded Douson with a small piece of dried meat.


    Next, they repeated several training exercises, including casting the magic Rock Spike, until Douson was so tired he was panting. Then, Liszt reattached the chain and handed it to Thomas, ¡°Take him back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, m¡¯lord.¡±


    Considering the sun¡¯s position, Liszt thought that the lumberjack team should be arriving soon. However, it wasn¡¯t the lumberjack team that arrived, but a patrol member.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, urgent report!¡±


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°An askew sailboat has drifted to the East Coast, with people onboard waving flags. Sir Goltai believes it to be a distressed ship. He is organizing a rescue party and asked me to report to you immediately.¡±


    Upon hearing the news.


    Liszt¡¯s spirit was lifted. He immediately said to the patrol member, ¡°I¡¯ll head over now. Tell Goltai to make sure to rescue the ship, especially the people on board.¡±


    By the time Liszt, dressed in his Flack¡¤Abbieye and accompanied by four Retainer Knights and Earth Knight Marcus, arrived at the East Coast, he saw a group of people on the beach pulling on ropes, dragging a sailboat, not too big yet not too small, towards the shore.


    Among those pulling the ropes, there were also several unfamiliar faces.


    ¡°Lord Landlord.¡± Isaiah, who was in charge of orchestrating the boat-dragging work, bowed in respect.


    Goltai also rushed over from the seaside, ¡°Liszt, these are refugees from Little Papa Island. They fled by boat from Little Papa Island, intending to seek asylum on Da Pa Pa Island, but encountered a storm that damaged the ship, forcing them to drift along the sea breeze to Coral Island and run aground on the East Coast.¡±


    Liszt nodded. He had heard of Little Papa Island and Da Pa Pa Island.


    At that moment, an elderly man with a somewhat hunched back approached him and, while still at a distance, initiated a prostrate salute, ¡°Respected Baron of Fresh Flower Town, a person in distress, Bunier Zhen Dan, presents his sincere greetings and expresses his deepest apologies for disturbing your nobility.¡±


    ¡°Zhen Dan?¡± Liszt had heard many unusual surnames, but still found the name Zhen Dan to be peculiar.


    ¡°My Lord, my family has been collecting sea swallow eggs for the Lord of Little Papa for generations.¡±


    The assurance of agricultural yields was difficult, and in many places, food was scarce. Fear and ignorance of the ocean meant that the fishing industry was almost undeveloped. Meanwhile, serfs, driven by the need to survive, had to find ways to provide food to ensure the luxuries of the nobility in the castle.


    Among these, sea swallow eggs became one source of food.


    The sea swallow is a type of sea bird related to gulls, and it usually builds its nest on seaside cliffs. Collecting sea swallow eggs is a life-threatening task that requires climbing cliffs hundreds of meters high and fighting against the protective sea swallows safeguarding their eggs. It is indeed no small feat for these serfs to have survived and left descendants.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Liszt extended his hand, signaling Bunier to get up, ¡°Why did you flee from Little Papa Island?¡±


    ¡°Little Papa Island was attacked by a group of pirates; the castle fell, and the fate of the Lord of Little Papa is unknown. We had no choice but to seize the pirates¡¯ ship to escape from Little Papa Island. We originally planned to take refuge on Da Pa Pa Island but encountered a severe storm. The ship nearly capsized, and we finally ended up on your Lordship¡¯s territory.¡±


    Liszt frowned involuntarily, ¡°Little Papa Island was attacked by pirates?¡±


    Little Papa Island is the family territory of the Little Papa Viscount. If he remembered correctly, the current lord was named Vincent Xiao Pa Pa. That family, along with the Viscount Gena Da Pa Pa from Da Pa Pa Island, were part of the same family a hundred years ago¡ªthe Pa Pa Family¡ªknown for their finely sewn handkerchiefs.


    Later, one branch inherited the family title, and the other gained recognition on the battlefield¡ªboth becoming viscounts¡ªso one changed its surname to Da Pa Pa, and the other to Xiao Pa Pa.


    ¡°The pirates looted the castle and committed slaughter on the island. We had to flee.¡±


    ¡°What have you decided to do now?¡± Liszt looked toward the damaged sailing ship, its sails torn, the ship¡¯s body battered with several holes. The ship had already been pulled to the shore, and a group of bent figures were helping each other disembark, ¡°Will you continue to seek refuge on Da Pa Pa Island or stay in Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    In Bunier¡¯s cloudy eyes, a glint of hope suddenly flickered: ¡°My Lord, might we¡­ may we reside in Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    This was a population reward for a task, and of course, Liszt wouldn¡¯t miss the opportunity: ¡°Stay, and I can grant you the status of serfs. In Fresh Flower Town, there¡¯s a lot of uncultivated land I can assign for you to farm. A serf skilled in a craft can be highly valued. Whether you stay or go, report to Sir Goltai.¡±


    The ship was damaged and stranded; they had no way to leave. Besides, what difference does it make between going to Da Pa Pa Island and staying in Fresh Flower Town?


    Therefore, after a brief discussion with the other refugees, Bunier reported to Goltai, and they all decided to stay, becoming true serfs of Fresh Flower Town and pledging loyalty to Liszt.


    Since they had become serfs, it meant that these people, including the broken ship, were Liszt¡¯s assets.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, take a census of the newly joined serfs¡¯ identities, then allocate them to various settlements. Also, clean the sailboat thoroughly; I want to know what¡¯s in it. A ship seized from pirates is bound to have some weapons on it, right?¡±


    Goltai was eager, ¡°Rest assured, Liszt, not even a loaf of bread can be hidden by these serfs, and I¡¯ll present before you a clear account of everything they¡¯ve brought along with every detail about them¡­ all in half a day¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about this ship. If it can be repaired, fix it.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±

 Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Brainstorming at the Dinner Party

    Chapter 66: Brainstorming at the Dinner Party


    Translator: 549690339


    Banquet.


    It seemed that banquets were held every day in the castle¡ªfor the nobility, eating and drinking were simply part of daily life.


    ¡°Little Papa Island has encountered pirates, Teacher Marcus, are pirates prevalent in the Duchy of Sapphire?¡± Liszt asked while eating roasted meat.


    Marcus pondered before answering, ¡°If speaking solely of reports about pirates, nearly many small islands have experienced the scourge of pirates, but there might be another reason at play.¡±


    ¡°What reason?¡±


    ¡°These pirates, they are very likely to be in disguise. Not every noble family can manage to run a prosperous industry. When they face the brink of bankruptcy, risking danger becomes a shortcut to their self-salvation. Particularly among those nobles with grievances, some might even assume the identity of pirates to plunder their adversary¡¯s wealth.¡±


    Hearing this brutal information.


    If it were the sixteen-year-old of the past, he might feel too upset to accept it¡ªthe notion that nobles, who pride themselves on their noble lineage and possess countless virtues, could stoop to moonlighting as pirates was inconceivable.


    But the current Liszt only furrowed his brows slightly, and soon relaxed them, ¡°Fortunately, Coral Island has a strong Knight Order, and Fresh Flower Town has not faced the danger of pirates for the time being. However, we must be prepared for potential threats. Teacher Marcus, the Knight Squad must be well trained.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Baron, I will devote all my efforts to training the Knight Squad, turning each one into a qualified battle knight,¡± Marcus assured.


    Liszt then turned to inquire of Goltai, ¡°Teacher Goltai, report the information about the new serfs now, during the meal. I find it the most suitable time to talk about official matters.¡±


    ¡°If you wish, let¡¯s discuss it now.¡± Goltai signaled a servant to fetch his coat, and pulling out a thick piece of parchment from the pocket, he unfolded it, ¡°There are a total of fifty serfs. In fact, they were originally freemen, so they smartly chose to escape when the pirates attacked.¡±


    Little Papa City on Little Papa Island had fifty residents who owned their own properties.


    The relationship between a freeman and a landlord was more like that of a tenant and a landowner, while serfs were considered slaves. For the nobility, serfs were ¡°one of their own,¡± whereas freemen were ¡°outsiders.¡± Whenever wars broke out between landlords, they would choose to protect their serfs, as they are their assets.


    Freemen lack such protection; if they die, they have it coming, and it also serves as a chance for landlords to make some extra profit.


    So, being a freeman had its advantages and disadvantages, and not everyone wanted to become one.


    Some freemen from Little Papa City, upon seeing the defeat of Little Papa Viscount, knew they could be killed and robbed by the ¡°pirates¡± at any moment, and hurried to flee. They smartly chose to seize ships, taking advantage of the pirates still fighting in the castle, capturing a sailing boat.


    Unfortunately, having only a captain skilled in steering but no experienced sailors, they eventually lost control during a storm.


    ¡°So, none of them knows how to farm; they are all freemen with crafts,¡± Liszt was very satisfied with this, as craftsmen were more important than mere farmers to the development of his territory.


    Peasants could be bought as slaves at any time in the future, but craftsmen were hard to come by.


    ¡°Blacksmiths, coopers, embroiderers, tailors, bakers, brewers, shoeshiners, carpenters, dyers, soap makers, tanners, confectioners, salt workers, locksmiths, chefs, and their families, oh, and an innkeeper and a horse merchant, as well as a few small merchants who sell on the streets.¡±


    ¡°What is Bunier¡¯s profession?¡± Liszt recalled the old man who had spoken to him during the day.


    ¡°He is a soap maker, proficient in creating various kinds of soaps with floral fragrances.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, I have had enough of using soapwort powder for bathing; it¡¯s best to have him quickly make soap from it.¡± As someone who insisted on bathing daily, Liszt had a great demand for soap, lamenting that there was not an abundance of it in the castle, only some soapwort powder¡ªthe powdered fruit of the soapwort plant.


    Soapwort powder indeed could clean, but it was also troublesome to use and did not feel pleasant during the washing process.


    In fact, Liszt knew of a more straightforward cleaning item¡ªsoap.


    This is a type of soap made from a mixture of pig pancreas and wood ash, which is quite simple to produce. Just crush the pig¡¯s pancreas and mix it with the wood ash to create the most basic pancreas soap. Unfortunately, no one in Fresh Flower Town raises pigs¡­


    He sliced off a piece of roast meat, forked it, and dipped it into some ketchup.


    The roast meat paired with ketchup tasted good.


    After swallowing, he took a sip of seafood soup and then contentedly wiped his mouth with a napkin, ¡°The work arrangements for the new serfs should be discussed between Mr. Carter and Teacher Goltai. Suitable individuals can be assigned to the town to help establish shops specifically for manufacturing what the castle needs.¡±


    With too few residents in the town, there obviously wasn¡¯t much demand. As the Landlord, he had to unabashedly enjoy all this.


    Only in this way could these craftsmen be of use in a short time.


    Carter bowed and said, ¡°Yes, my lord, I will consult with Mr. Goltai.¡±


    Having finished discussing the new serfs,


    Liszt moved on to another official matter, ¡°The efficiency of the Lumberjack Team still needs to be improved, but now there¡¯s a new problem. There are often other matters that distract Teacher Marcus and me, and during those times, the protective force of the Lumberjack Team is virtually non-existent, which is very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°But indeed, we can¡¯t find more forces to defend against the Magical Beasts of Thorn Ridge.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, I think we need a way for the Lumberjack Team to be able to protect themselves even if they encounter Magical Beasts,¡± Liszt said calmly.


    No one immediately answered, they were all pondering.


    Liszt wasn¡¯t in a hurry and continued to eat his dinner.


    In fact, he was testing those present; he already had an idea, one that had a strong possibility of dealing with the Magical Beasts.


    This idea originated from the Smoke Mission.


    After the morning¡¯s sea rescue, he had completed the mission.


    ¡°Mission complete, reward: fifty new people.¡±


    ¡°Mission: The danger in the depths of Thorn Ridge could occur at any moment, putting the Lumberjack Team in a precarious situation. As the Landlord who possesses a patch of Smoked Grass, you ought to use your resources wisely to ensure the safety of your people. Please defend against one attack from Magical Beasts. Reward: Miniature Ore Deposit.¡±


    The mission had made it quite clear that Smoked Grass could be used to defend against Magical Beasts.


    The odor of Smoked Grass was something Liszt found quite striking; not all Magical Beasts might be able to tolerate it, especially those with particularly sensitive noses.


    Therefore, he planned to make simple ¡°Magical Beast Repellent Incense¡± from Smoked Grass, to be lit in case of an encounter with a Magical Beast.


    He was determined to secure the ¡°Miniature Ore Deposit.¡±


    But he didn¡¯t directly share his plan, hoping instead that someone would come up with the idea themselves; otherwise, there was always this nagging feeling of nurturing a group of freeloaders.


    After a moment, nobody had come up with a good solution.


    This left Liszt quite disappointed. Just as he was about to reveal his own plan, Isaiah suddenly said, ¡°Baron, perhaps we could use fire! Beasts are afraid of fire. Among the trees we fell are pines, which burn very easily. We could keep burning the cut branches and leaves continuously. This way, the Magical Beasts would be scared away!¡±

 Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Flame, Trap, and Smoked Grass

    Chapter 67: Flame, Trap, and Smoked Grass


    Translator: 549690339


    Are beasts afraid of fire?


    This was quite an interesting question.


    Goltai shook his head, offering a different opinion, ¡°Not all beasts are afraid of fire; some are even curious about it, to say nothing of fire attribute magical beasts that are naturally drawn to flames.¡±


    Marcus contemplated, ¡°I think this method might be workable. Small torches, of course, won¡¯t scare beasts, but the big fire from burning pine branches, I believe, would deter even fire attribute magical beasts. The value of the pine branches cut by the lumberjack team is not great; we only want the trunks.¡±


    The discussion on making fires lasted for a full quarter of an hour.


    Then Blair added another point, ¡°We could involve the town¡¯s hunters in cutting the trees and have them set traps around the area. It might not work against magical beasts, but at least it will serve as an early warning system. Combined with bonfires, I believe it should be enough to ensure the safety of the lumberjack team¡¯s serfs.¡±


    Eventually, Liszt made the final decision, ¡°Bonfires, traps, these are measures worth trying, but you must not overlook one of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s crops.¡±


    ¡°What crop?¡± Everyone was curious.


    ¡°Smoked Grass.¡±


    ¡°Smoked Grass? Oh, my God, how could I forget such a dreadful plant,¡± Goltai immediately began to gesticulate wildly, ¡°I am utterly convinced that just lighting a bit of smoked grass would even chase away a dragon with its smell¡­ That scent¡­ I still remember vividly the time you burned it at the dairy farm, Liszt!¡±


    Dragons would not be chased away by the smoke; on the contrary, they would be drawn to it.


    Liszt narrowed his eyes slightly, watching Goltai¡¯s expression, sure that the other man had brought up the matter unconsciously, not fishing for details.


    The day the Formless Dragon invaded, the burning of smoked grass, the dairy cows that died at the milk farm, the destroyed beacon tower, and that high, piercing dragon roar were all mysteries to others.


    But Liszt had said not to ask.


    So they had to suppress their doubts until they faded.


    ¡°I¡¯m convinced of it too. When I was studying smoked grass, I smeared a bit of smoked grass juice on the nose of a green rabbit, and it was miserable for two days, almost coming down with an illness,¡± Isaiah agreed, nodding definitively. The green rabbit was his mount, a green horse.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    Liszt set down his knife and fork and wiped his mouth, pausing his meal, ¡°Flames, traps, and smoked grass¡ªthree measures to protect the lumberjack team, ensuring that no magical beasts can harm anyone. This task, Teacher Goltai, Teacher Marcus, you should cooperate with each other to ensure nothing goes wrong.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Marcus accepted the command.


    Goltai also nodded quickly, ¡°Leave it to me, Liszt.¡±


    Liszt brought up another point in passing, ¡°Additionally, we finally found a value for the smoked grass, so I¡¯ve decided to cultivate the smoked grass field on the north side of Fresh Flower Farm properly and expand the planting scale of smoked grass. Teacher Goltai, you will need to come up with a plan and enforce it as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°The wasteland we¡¯re reclaiming might not be enough,¡± Goltai hesitated, ¡°There is a serious shortage of serfs. We didn¡¯t have many serfs to begin with, and Oyster Village took away some, along with the lumberjack team, the roadwork team, and the apprentices from town stores, even the knight squad and castle servants have taken away many serfs.¡±


    He stretched out his hand, bending his fingers one by one as he counted, ¡°Corn Grass, millet fields, tulips¡­ and the large number of seeds you traded for, sweetheart cabbage, turnips, onions, coriander, and such; they all need serfs to plant them. I think we need at least one thousand more serfs.¡±


    Without agricultural tools, the method of reclaiming wasteland was slash-and-burn.


    Farming was an energy-intensive task that required many serfs to maintain the normal growth of crops and vegetables. Without enough serfs, the fields could not be planted.


    ¡°With mechanized planting, a dozen people could plant all the fields of Fresh Flower Town,¡±


    Liszt often dreamed of leading Fresh Flower Town into the farming mode of the American farm owner, with large machinery moving through the endless fields.


    Unfortunately, it was all just a fantasy, as Fresh Flower Town didn¡¯t even have a few shovels or hoes.


    So he didn¡¯t insist that Goltai expand the cultivation hastily, ¡°Then let¡¯s just come up with a plan, divide up the fields, and when we have enough hands, we can start planting.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    At the lumbering site.


    The thirty-plus lumberjacks, working in pairs, were chopping down big trees with their axes. It has to be said, the serfs who had been doing heavy labor all year round had a lot of strength, and their efficiency at felling trees was pretty good.


    Liszt was riding on a Li Dragon Horse, slowly inspecting the area.


    Elsewhere, Marcus was leading the Knight Squad, continuously picking up the cut-off pine branches and dragging them to three fire sites in the woods. The fires were burning brightly, forming a triangle to protect the lumbering site.


    There were hunters setting up traps outside the fire.


    Occasionally, bird calls could be heard from the depths of the woods, with no sense of danger¡ªonly a scene bustling with activity. But Liszt was not the least bit relaxed. The Smoke Mission¡¯s prompts were clear¡ªmagical beasts would raid the lumbering site. He just didn¡¯t know when the attack would happen.


    ¡°Magical beasts, huh. Since I¡¯ve come to Fresh Flower Town, I¡¯ve already killed two.¡±


    One was a Fierce Earth Dog that had just given birth and hadn¡¯t recovered its strength, the other a Wind Falcon that fought to exhaustion against a Fruit Thief Monkey. But neither encounter had really been a fierce battle; they were more like taking advantage of the situation.


    The only direct conflict with a Wind Blade Wolf was a feint; it fled into Thorn Ridge after just one jab.


    Now, he was somewhat looking forward to the imminent magical beast attack. This time, he didn¡¯t know which kind of beast he would encounter, whether there would be a battle, and if he could kill another beast ¡ª the taste of magical beast meat was far superior to that of ordinary wild beasts, and it was also enriched with magic power, which Liszt loved.


    The sun blazed down fiercely, with hardly a breath of wind. Even under the shade of the trees, it didn¡¯t feel much cooler.


    The Fire Attribute Dou Qi flowed through his veins as he rested his hand on the hilt of the Crimson Blood Sword. His gaze traveled across the dappled shadows on the ground, feeling his desire for battle rising.


    Given his personal style, it was unlikely that he¡¯d be able to charge into battle as a knight would want to show off a noble¡¯s bravery. It seemed that he would have to find his chance with magical beasts ¡ª in such a crowded environment, fully prepared, with Marcus assisting on the side, what better opportunity could there be to showcase himself?


    ¡°Come on, magical beasts, my sword is already dying for a fight!¡±


    Schwing!


    He abruptly pulled out half of the Crimson Blood Sword, wanting to flourish it a bit, but then he thought it wasn¡¯t very serious, so he decided to sheath it again. However, just at that moment, through the ¡°crackle and pop¡± sound of the pine branches burning, an unusual ¡°clang¡± sound rang out from a distance, quickly capturing his attention.


    Marcus, who was also inspecting the area, clearly noticed the noise as well, calling out sharply, ¡°Be alert!¡±


    He drew his short gun and moved closer to the direction from which the sound had come.


    Liszt tightly gripped the hilt of the Crimson Blood Sword, with the gemstone blue color of his pupils swirling like whirlpools¡ªhis Eye of Magic was already in use.


    Soon, he spotted faint traces of magic power in several patches of grass.


    With just a quick discernment, he recognized there were three magical beasts!


    ¡°Marcus, come back!¡± Liszt drew his Crimson Blood Sword with a clang, calling out loudly, ¡°Fifty meters ahead, there are three magical beasts!¡±

 Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: The Routine from Three Wolves

    Chapter 68: The Routine from Three Wolves


    Translator: 549690339


    A low-level Magical Beast, Marcus could contend with one and find an opportunity to kill it.


    But three, if he charged blindly, he would only be dismembered.


    Marcus didn¡¯t have time to ponder how Liszt knew there were three Magical Beasts, he immediately reined in his horse to return. At the same time, with fast dexterity, he returned the Spear to its place on the horseback, and with a reverse hand, took down the bow and arrow, and bent the bow to load the arrow, firing four arrows in quick succession toward the bush fifty meters away.


    Although the arrows all missed, their effect was clear.


    Suddenly, a Wind Blade Wolf leapt out from one of the bushes, its gaze coldly fixed on Marcus. It didn¡¯t attack rashly, merely looking on coldly, watching as the serfs of the Lumberjack Team gathered toward a pile of fire.


    Karl and the other Retainer Knights pulled out the dried Smoked Grass leaves distributed to them, ready to throw into the fire at any moment, to create a pungent smoke from the burning leaves, designed to scare away the Magical Beast.


    Liszt rode the Li Dragon Horse, joined Marcus, and confronted the grey Wind Blade Wolf.


    ¡°Sir, are you sure there are three Magical Beasts?¡±


    ¡°Quite sure,¡± Liszt held the Crimson Blood Sword, still not dissipating the Eye of Magic, ¡°There is one in that clump of bushes to the left of this Wind Blade Wolf, and another one in the bushes to the right rear side. It obviously wants to attract our attention, allowing the other two to sneak attack.¡±


    Marcus bent the bow to load another arrow, ¡°Wolves are cunning and cautious by nature, I¡¯ll flush them out!¡±


    Two arrows were shot, but there was no movement in the bushes.


    In a situation that should have been tense, Liszt suddenly felt like laughing. These three Wind Blade Wolves thought they could play tricks on him, believing that by hiding in the bushes they would go unnoticed, but under the watch of the Eye of Magic, they had nowhere to hide.


    ¡°That one on the left, move a meter to the left below the bush. The one on the right rear side, move one and a half meters to the right.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Marcus.


    Immediately drew another arrow, this time not two with one bow, but a single arrow, aiming for the bush on the left.


    Thwack!


    Awooo!


    A sound of flesh splitting open, followed by the pained howl of the Wind Blade Wolf, and the shaking of the bush. The Wind Blade Wolf, with an arrow in its shoulder blade, fled, tucking its tail and quickly disappearing into the depths of the forest.


    The Wind Blade Wolf that served as a distraction also turned and ran.


    Only the Wind Blade Wolf hidden in the right rear bush remained, perhaps still hoping to launch a sneak attack.


    But the next moment.


    An arrow grazed its back and flew past, startling it, and no longer daring to hide, it bolted out of the bush, silently turning to flee.


    After just a few exchanges of arrows, without even needing to use the Smoked Grass, the three Wind Blade Wolves vanished without a trace.


    The Eye of Magic could no longer see the traces of magic power, Liszt called up the Smoke Mission to see the updated content, and with slight regret waved his hand, ¡°The Wind Blade Wolves have completely fled, stand down the alert, continue with the lumber work.¡± They hadn¡¯t managed to leave a single Magical Beast behind, nor had they a chance to show off.


    But it was good that the mission was complete.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: Miniature Saltpeter Mine.¡±


    ¡°A Saltpeter Mine?¡±


    Metal and gemstones came from Dragons, as for other mineral substances, they all originated from the land itself. Some time ago, Liszt was still complaining about the lack of saltpeter for making ice, unable to enjoy even a chilled beer in the height of summer. It was unexpected that he¡¯d now be rewarded with a Saltpeter Mine, quite considerate indeed.


    ¡°However, isn¡¯t it too wasteful to use saltpeter to make ice? I remember saltpeter is one of the components of black gunpowder,¡± he reflected briefly and recalled the formula of black gunpowder he had learned in high school physics¡ªcharcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate (saltpeter).


    Now that a use had been found for the saltpeter, it was a pity sulfur hadn¡¯t been accounted for.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just use it to make ice first. The days are getting hotter and hotter. Without ice blocks to cool down, without chilled beer, life simply isn¡¯t worth living.¡±


    As his thoughts churned, the Smoke Serpent Script began to transform.


    ¡°Mission: The crisis of the magical beast invasion has been resolved. It is time to go all out in logging, widen the roads of Thorn Ridge, and re-integrate Fresh Flower Town into the trade of Coral Island, winning development opportunities. Reward: a new species of mushrooms.¡±


    ¡°A new species of mushrooms?¡±


    Liszt immediately thought of Mushroom Hamlet: ¡°Could it be that magic potions are going to grow in the mushroom sheds of Mushroom Hamlet, just like the Black Tulips?¡±


    Mushrooms are a very important ingredient in noble cuisine.


    In terms of classification, they are categorized as mushrooms, which people of this world call Abandoned Cordyceps¡ªmeaning plants abandoned by Elf Bugs.


    Because they can¡¯t produce a single Elf Bug.


    In this world, even a weed could potentially give birth to Elf Bugs, the only exception being mushrooms which can¡¯t produce them, leading some to question whether they are plants at all. However, they do contain many varieties of magic potions, and only plants can grow into magic potions, which again places them in the plant category.


    In the end, no definite conclusion had been formed.


    The knowledge Liszt possessed told him that mushrooms are fungi¡ªbut in this world, whether they¡¯re fungi or plants doesn¡¯t really matter; this isn¡¯t a world that speaks of science.


    ¡°Although they can¡¯t produce Elf Bugs and hence supernaturally increase yield, as mushrooms, they grow very fast under appropriate conditions. If we indeed come across a new variety of magic potion mushrooms, that would be enormously good news. It would mean that Fresh Flower Town had gained a new local specialty.¡±


    The Black Tulip could have become a specialty, but he had only one Tulip Bug and couldn¡¯t scale up. Therefore, it would be best to cooperate with Tulip Castle.


    But it¡¯s different with magic potion mushrooms. Without the need for help from Elf Bugs, they could expand their planting scale on their own, making them an excellent choice for a local specialty.


    Just the addition of one type of magic potion mushroom might draw an endless stream of merchant caravans.


    At least, Levis and Li Vera would certainly not miss out on a new magic potion¡ªfor the dream of becoming a Sky Knight, they both aspired to be filled with potions.


    ¡°Logging! I will supervise the logging every day during this period. We must open up the roads of Thorn Ridge as soon as possible!¡± Liszt decided, excited.


    In the scorching heat of summer, as it became unbearable, he had been preparing to return to the castle earlier.


    Now revitalized, he immediately had Thomas pack food from the castle so they could enjoy a picnic right at the logging site¡ªa precaution in case the Wind Blade Wolves decided to return.


    They had just finished their picnic.


    On the nearby road, there suddenly came the clip-clop of horse hooves, and several knights galloping with a whoosh. It seemed that they had spotted the Lumberjack Team, and headed straight to the logging site.


    Karl and four Retainer Knights immediately went to greet them and then brought the knights over to Liszt.


    ¡°Baron,¡± said the knight leading them, a familiar face to Liszt, Lord Layden, a Knight Captain of Tulip Castle, who gave a Knight¡¯s salute, ¡°Lord Layden sends his regards.¡±


    Lord Layden had been the one to escort Levis and the others for the assimilation trade last time.


    Liszt returned the Knight¡¯s salute: ¡°Sir Layden, we meet again. What brings you here this time?¡±


    ¡°In five days, on June 26, it is the Festival of Sailing. The Earl has sent me to convey a message that all members of the Tulip Family will come to Fresh Flower Town to celebrate the Festival of Sailing with you.¡±

 Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Saltpeter Mine

    Chapter 69: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Saltpeter Mine


    Translator: 549690339


    Sea Festival.


    Li Si Te had almost forgotten about it.


    In the Duchy of Sapphire, the two most important festivals were the New Year Festival and the Sea Festival.


    The New Year Festival is a customary celebration of the entire continent, marking the end of one year and the beginning of another. Almost every country¡¯s nobles and commoners alike would celebrate the New Year.


    The Sea Festival, however, is unique to the Duchy of Sapphire, celebrating the first sea voyage of the Sapphire Family¡ªafter the failure of the Dragon Slaying Battle, the Sapphire Family was forced to migrate to the archipelago to establish their own nation. To gloss over the background of failure, the day of sailing was proclaimed as a day of great embarkation in pursuit of dreams.


    Commoners might prefer the New Year, a festival passed down through countless generations. But the Sea Festival was an annual celebration that the nobles of the island nations had to partake in.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Layden, for the effort in delivering the message.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my duty, Baron.¡±


    ¡°How are my grandmother, my father, as well as my brother, sister, lady, and Lidun doing?¡±


    ¡°All is well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    After chatting with Layden about the recent circumstances of Tulip Castle, Liszt inquired about the return of the Tulip Fleet and, without realizing it, had already returned to the castle.


    Layden and his party had not yet had lunch, so he immediately instructed the kitchen to prepare a meal and entertain them.


    ¡°Baron, is Fresh Flower Town planning to clear all the trees of Thorn Ridge?¡± Layden asked, puzzled by the extensive logging he had witnessed these past two days.


    ¡°The plan is to clear them all, to eliminate the Magical Beasts¡¯ habitats. However, we currently lack sufficient manpower. For now, we can only clear the trees on both sides of the road, creating open areas to reduce the risk of Magical Beast attacks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s indeed a good strategy. The Magical Beasts in the forest are terrible, but those in the open fields are just slightly stronger wild animals.¡±


    For knights with horses, open areas prevent surprise attacks by Magical Beasts, and even magic can be avoided. Moreover, horses can run so fast that Magical Beasts may not be able to catch up. Knights could launch a charge in open fields, merging with their horses to employ various Dou Qi Manuscripts.


    Maintaining the etiquette and courtesies between nobles.


    After lunch, Layden and his party took their leave.


    Liszt then needed to make arrangements: ¡°Mr. Carter, in three days, the Tulip Family will come to the castle to celebrate the Sea Festival with me. I¡¯m not very fond of such noisy occasions, so I¡¯ll leave the arrangements to you.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, sir. I attended many Sea Festivals at Tulip Castle in my youth. The scenes of Butler Louis hosting the festival banquets are deeply etched in my memory. Now, with an abundance of seafood and Magical Beast Meat in the castle, we can hold a perfect banquet, despite slightly lacking in beverages.¡±


    ¡°I remember among the new serfs, there is a brewer?¡±


    ¡°Yes, his name is Frank Dregs. However, he can only brew fruit wines and doesn¡¯t know how to make white wine, red wine, or beer. Moreover, we don¡¯t have any hops.¡±


    Liszt frowned, ¡°We don¡¯t have any beer with hops at all?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s half a barrel in the cellar. It¡¯s your lordship¡¯s only little indulgence, and I¡¯m somewhat reluctant to take it out,¡± Carter said regretfully, as Liszt had become the most important figure in his heart.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t take it out,¡± Liszt blinked.


    Carter responded with a knowing smile, ¡°I thought so too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity I forgot to have Layden convey a few messages to Levis when he left, asking Levis to help me purchase some wines and ingredients¡­ In the end, the root cause is still the obstructed roads. Otherwise, the castle¡¯s Gold Coins should be spent, not left to mold.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you could instruct Mr. Marcus to deliver the message?¡±


    ¡°No, Teacher Marcus has more important matters at hand; the Lumberjack Team needs his supervision, and the Knight Squad needs his training. If the Sea Festival is modest, then let it be modest. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing for Father Lord to see Fresh Flower Town¡¯s poverty.¡± A crying baby gets the milk.


    If the Earl sees that Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t even have hops beer, would his conscience not ache?


    Carter laughed, ¡°My lord, you¡¯re becoming more open-minded.¡±


    Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯ve recently read a knight¡¯s novel, which contains a little poem¡ªWhen life deceives you, do not feel sad, do not be in a hurry! In gloomy days, one needs to be calm; believe, joyful days will come! The heart forever longs for the future; yet now is often melancholic¡­¡±


    Everything is but a moment, everything will pass.


    And what has passed will become fond memories.


    The Earl did not place much importance on his third son, Liszt; it was hardly a significant issue. Thus, although life could sometimes be modest and strained, the current Liszt remained optimistic. Compared to most commoners and minor nobles, Fresh Flower Town¡¯s living conditions were already quite perfect.


    Being able to eat white bread every day was a dream beyond reach for many.


    In the following days, the town was still buzzing with construction¡ªbuilding roads, cutting wood, and building houses in Oyster Village. The serfs, with the copper coins paid by Liszt, worked enthusiastically even in the hot weather, which couldn¡¯t dampen their spirits.


    The castle was just as bustling, with Butler Carter busy directing the servants to clean inside and out and to decorate the castle. Cook Abbie Spoon, with her mighty voice, had Eileen and Little Lily, the two kitchen maids, spinning around, bustling between various ingredients.


    Marcus led the Knight Squad in protecting the Lumberjack Team and practicing the basics of Dou Qi.


    Goltai, Isaiah, and Blair were also working diligently.


    Only Liszt was somewhat troubled¡ªhe couldn¡¯t find where the tiny Saltpeter Mine was!


    The mission was already completed, but the reward of the Saltpeter Mine had yet to be discovered. No one reported to him the finding of any unusual stones, nor was there any abnormal situation that warranted his attention. For three consecutive days with no clues, Liszt was quite vexed.


    It was not that the Saltpeter Mine was of great value.


    Apart from using it for making ice, he didn¡¯t know what else saltpeter could be used for at the moment.


    It was the situation that was not optimistic, making him worry whether there was a problem with the Smoke Mission. The rewards for previous missions nearly always reached him on the same day.


    ¡°Could it be that my ¡®golden finger¡¯ is about to leave me?¡± At night, lying in bed looking at the Mushroom Hamlet mission still pending, he was truly worried.


    Thankfully.


    The worry only lasted until the fourth day.


    That day, after Goltai led the Lumberjack Team into Thorn Ridge to work, another team followed them¡ªthe rubble transport team, responsible for breaking down the stones of Thorn Ridge and moving them to the sides of the road for paving.


    While constantly searching for stones to smash, they suddenly discovered a pile of stones embedded on the earth¡¯s surface, accompanied by a large amount of white crystalline substance. At first, they thought it was salt, which is very important in daily life, so the serfs were very happy finding something good meant the Lord Landlord would reward them.


    However, after a simple taste test, they realized the white substance had not the slightest saltiness, but instead, a bitterness.


    Despite this, they still scraped off a lot of the white material and presented it to Goltai for verification. Unable to identify it, Goltai reported the situation to Liszt.


    Looking at the white crystalline powder in his hand, Liszt honestly couldn¡¯t tell whether it was saltpeter, but he knew an experiment would reveal the truth.

 Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Cheers for Ice Cold Beer

    Chapter 70: Cheers for Ice Cold Beer


    Translator: 549690339


    Potassium nitrate dissolved in water absorbs a great amount of heat, which is the principle behind ice-making with saltpeter. Thanks to his past experience of reading novels, Liszt knew quite a bit of such common knowledge.


    Moreover, he was aware that potassium nitrate could be reused.


    ¡°Saltpeter is a magical substance that dissolves in water and then chills the water until it freezes,¡± Liszt directed the servants to pour the white powder into a basin of water.


    Then, they watched the powder gradually dissolve.


    Tom dipped his fingers into the water and cried out in amazement, ¡°My lord, my lord, the water, the water has really cooled down, it¡¯s so cold!¡±


    Goltai pushed Tom aside, curious yet hesitant, but eventually dipped his fingers into the water too, ¡°It is indeed much cooler than before, Liszt. Is this a magician¡¯s doing? I once saw a magician proficient in ice magic who would make a fortune by creating large quantities of ice blocks during summer.¡±


    However, after a brief wait, the water had only cooled and had not frozen.


    ¡°Liszt, why hasn¡¯t it turned to ice?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, making ice with saltpeter isn¡¯t as simple as throwing in a bit of powder; what we¡¯ve done now is just to prove that it is indeed saltpeter,¡± Liszt said with a light smile. ¡°Now, gather all these pieces of saltpeter while breaking the rocks, and bring them all into the castle, without missing a single one.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I look forward to the moment you produce ice blocks. Having ice during the summer is the true mark of noble luxury.¡±


    Tomorrow is the Sea Festival, and the castle will host a banquet.


    Night fell.


    Looking at the amount of saltpeter powder collected in a day, enough to fill a wooden barrel, an excited Liszt instructed the servants to begin the real process of making ice with saltpeter.


    Saltpeter dissolved in water absorbs heat and turns the water to ice.


    But the brine directly resulting from melting saltpeter is toxic, so it was necessary to prepare a large tub and a copper basin with good thermal conductivity. Water was put into both the tub and the basin, then the copper basin was placed inside the tub. They poured the saltpeter into the water of the tub, waiting for it to dissolve and absorb heat, turning the water into ice.


    As there was a substantial amount of saltpeter powder prepared, the cooling effect of the dissolution was exceptionally strong.


    In no time at all, the water in the tub slowly began to solidify, and eventually, even the water in the copper basin began to freeze.


    ¡°It¡¯s frozen!¡±


    ¡°It really has frozen!¡±


    ¡°A miraculous scene; this is the method of legendary alchemists!¡±


    Marcus, Goltai, Isaiah, and Blair, who were watching from the side, all marveled. In their minds, ice belonged only to winter, and nobles who built ice cellars could enjoy the refreshing effect of ice in the summer. But an ice cellar was a luxury, and only wealthy landlords could organize large teams to harvest ice blocks from rivers and lakes in the winter.


    For fallen nobles like Goltai, they could only scrape a few ice blocks each year at Tulip Castle to get a taste.


    Marcus, Blair, and Isaiah did not even have the privilege of tasting summer ice.


    Liszt was just as thrilled, he had heard of ice-making with saltpeter before, but this was his first time undertaking the task. Seeing water turn to ice with his own eyes was indeed a stunning experience.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s turned to ice,¡± Thomas said as he circled the large tub, his eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Cut the ice,¡± Liszt nodded with a reserved noble smile on his face, calm and composed as he commanded, ¡°Cut the ice blocks into small pieces. Tonight, every gentleman and lady will be able to have a small piece of ice.¡±


    Carter said softly, ¡°My lord, ice is too precious, perhaps the servants don¡¯t need any?¡±


    ¡°Not to worry, Mr. Carter, do as I say,¡± Liszt replied.


    ¡°Yes, my lord. Your generosity is deeply appreciated on behalf of all the servants,¡± Carter bowed deeply, recognizing the fortune of serving a generous noble master.


    Having said that, he directed Thomas to bring the ice blocks in the copper basin to the kitchen to begin cutting them.


    Liszt then called for Tom, ¡°Preserve this tub of ice water well. Tomorrow, when the sun comes up, take it out to evaporate, not a single drop should go to waste.¡±


    Goltai was puzzled, ¡°Liszt, what¡¯s the rationale here, these ice blocks should just be used as they are, why do we need to let them melt?¡±


    ¡°The saltpeter directly melts the condensed ice; of course, it can be used, but it cannot be eaten. After drying out the water content, it becomes saltpeter again, and then it is repeatedly used to make ice.¡±


    ¡°Is saltpeter really that magical?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much more magical than you think,¡± Liszt thought to himself¡ªif he found sulfur, he would now dare to mix black gunpowder.


    Perhaps compared to yellow gunpowder, black gunpowder strictly speaking isn¡¯t even considered an explosive, but it¡¯s still a flammable and explosive high-explosive material. Suitable for making some homemade bombs, its power wouldn¡¯t be weaker than the magic released by low-level magical beasts. When used in low-level battles, it can still achieve an element of surprise.


    Of course, in a world where dragons, elves, and magic power exist, black gunpowder doesn¡¯t have any decisive advantage.


    The dishes at the banquet weren¡¯t very rich; Liszt couldn¡¯t afford to treat Goltai and the others to a lavish meal every day, as the castle¡¯s supplies ensured his own extravagant lifestyle.


    Even the alcoholic drinks were poor, all of them sour beers without hops.


    But the party atmosphere was buoyant because everyone¡¯s cup contained a few pieces of ice. As the ice melted, it turned the beer in their cups ice cold. A gulp refreshing the drinker instantly, cooling the heart, an absolute delight in this increasingly hot weather.


    ¡°Liszt, I propose, for the sake of the iced beer, let¡¯s toast!¡± Goltai happily raised his cup.


    Liszt picked up his cup in response, ¡°Then to the iced beer, cheers.¡±


    ¡°Cheers!¡±


    Gulp gulp, the sound of gulping down beer resonated at the dining table.


    The kitchen.


    Above the dining table.


    Eileen stirred the ice cubes in her plate with her spoon, making clattering noises.


    Mrs. Abbie Spoon couldn¡¯t help scolding, ¡°Eileen, stop making that unpleasant noise, eat the ice cubes gifted to you by the master quickly!¡±


    ¡°Rather than eating the ice cubes, I prefer watching them melt. Mrs. Abbie, don¡¯t you feel the temperature has dropped in the kitchen today?¡± Eileen Four Fingers continued to stir the ice, then looked towards the seat beside her at Lily Bath Touch, ¡°Little Lily, do you feel it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, everyone¡¯s plate has ice cubes.¡± As she spoke, Little Lily stuck out her tongue and licked the ice cube on her spoon; she didn¡¯t want to eat it all at once.


    The ice cubes didn¡¯t have much taste, but they were cool and felt comfortable, making all the heatiness in the body fade away.


    Abbie said angrily, ¡°Little Lily, I won¡¯t allow you to speak to Eileen during meals. Your clumsy hands and rude way of eating will only bring shame to our kitchen!¡±


    ¡°Cough cough.¡±


    Butler Carter bit the ice cube in his mouth forcefully, even though he was already in his fifties, his teeth were still strong, ¡°Mrs. Abbie, they are still children; let them have some slight indiscretions during meals.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t listen to you, but you shouldn¡¯t indulge them, or they will become unruly. Being clumsy is disappointing enough, and if they can¡¯t even learn a bit of etiquette, they will stay in the kitchen for a lifetime, unable to become maids upstairs,¡± Abbie said earnestly.


    Carter and Morson exchanged glances; they both knew that Abbie was a kind-hearted person who was tough on the outside but soft on the inside.


    But obviously, Eileen was not convinced, ¡°Mrs. Abbie, I don¡¯t even want to go upstairs. It¡¯s not comfortable at all, you have to be so careful you can¡¯t even leave a footprint. I want to be a cook in the future; I like working in the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°You can forget about it!¡± Abbie flared up immediately, ¡°As long as I¡¯m in the kitchen, you¡¯ll never become a cook, little girl, remember not to offend me!¡±


    ¡°But you will get old one day.¡±


    ¡°Even if one day I¡¯m so old that I can¡¯t do my job, the cook is still me, and you have to listen to what I say!¡±

 Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 071: The Festive Atmosphere of the Sea Festival

    Chapter 71: Chapter 071: The Festive Atmosphere of the Sea Festival


    Translator: 549690339


    Before dawn had broken, Butler Carter¡¯s voice was already echoing up and down the castle.


    ¡°Tom, brace yourself!¡±


    ¡°Thomas, prepare Lord Liszt¡¯s festive attire without a single mistake, Flack Abbieye!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Morson, there¡¯s dust on the second-floor window. Have the maids clean it immediately. We can¡¯t give our soon-to-arrive guests the impression of laziness.¡±


    ¡°Good heavens, why does the kitchen have the oysters out in the sun? Take them away quickly¡­ No, no, no, Eileen, absolutely not today!¡±


    ¡°I need to see the water in the castle¡¯s tank spilling over, but Jessie, you won¡¯t be carrying water, let John and Parker do that. You need to hurry and inspect all the cordyceps. Even on festival days, we can¡¯t neglect what¡¯s most important!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring the entire thing out to sun. You should break it up¡ªsmall chunks of ice will sun more easily.¡± Carter took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was indeed a busy day, and he still had a pile of precious crystal tableware to polish, but he had to sort out the trivial matters first.


    He watched the newly arrived manservant Jim, struggling to move the water tank used for making ice the day before out into the sun.


    He couldn¡¯t help but tell him to use his head.


    Jim was tall and quite clever, but only green in experience. Upon hearing Carter¡¯s words, he immediately started apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Carter, I didn¡¯t think of that. I¡¯ll break up the ice blocks right now and put them in a few buckets and basins.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t spill it, inside there is¡­ saltpeter, the Lord specifically mentioned it¡¯s very valuable.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Carter.¡±


    After making his rounds around the castle, Carter went up to the second floor, just in time to see Thomas carrying Flack Abbieye into Liszt¡¯s bedroom.


    He followed and knocked on the door to enter.


    ¡°My Lord, you¡¯ve awoken quite early today.¡±


    Liszt was donning his detested clothes and the particularly uncomfortable ruff ¡°Ruff¡± with Thomas¡¯s assistance.


    His mood was a bit sour for a moment, ¡°With all the commotion in the castle, I found it a bit difficult to sleep.¡±


    Carter suddenly bowed, looking somewhat uneasy, ¡°I apologize, it was a lapse in my work, disturbing Your Lordship.¡±


    Liszt was just a bit groggy from waking up, but seeing Carter apologize, his little irritation quickly dissipated. It wouldn¡¯t do to have this old man, faithful to him, bear the brunt of this small occurrence, ¡°It has nothing to do with you, Mr. Carter, don¡¯t blame yourself. It¡¯s the seafest today, I had to rise early.¡±


    Carter breathed a sigh of relief.


    Thomas cast a sidelong glance, somewhat disappointed¡ªhe had quite looked forward to seeing the Lord chastise the butler.


    After dressing, Liszt had a quick breakfast, then mounted his Fire Dragon Horse, ready to take a tour of the hamlet¡ªtoday was the festival, and even if only the nobles celebrated, it was still important to share joy with the common folk, to savor their support and compliments.


    By this time, he had already spotted Goltai, also in festive attire.


    And Marcus, Blair, and Isaiah, dressed rather formally. These three were not yet nobles with titles.


    ¡°Baron, Goltai offers you festive greetings.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, Marcus offers you festive greetings.¡±


    ¡°Baron, Isaiah offers you festive greetings.¡±


    ¡°Baron, Blair offers festival greetings to you.¡±


    The four of them greeted Liszt in turn, meticulously performing the nobility etiquette.


    Liszt responded with noble courtesy as well, ¡°Happy holidays.¡±


    Then came his four retainer knights, and twelve squire knights, who each stepped forward to salute and offer their holiday greetings. Finally, the castle servants, laying aside their work, led by Carter, also offered their festival greetings.


    As he walked through the town with Goltai and the retainer knights,


    phrases like ¡°Lord Landlord, XXX offers you festival greetings¡± continuously came from both sides of the road, with freemen kneeling on one knee, and serfs kneeling on both knees.


    The authority of the nobility was continuously consolidated within such rituals, sinking deeply into people¡¯s hearts.


    Once the commoners had grown accustomed to kneeling, the foundation of rule would be unbreakable.


    ¡°My lord, good news.¡± While patrolling Tomato Hamlet, Liszt encountered Jessie Asanobu, who had been promoted from assistant manservant to manservant, now earning a wage of two copper coins a day.


    ¡°Jessie, what¡¯s the good news?¡±


    ¡°I just checked the cordyceps in Tomato Hamlet and found that the Tomato Elf Bug has already been nurtured.¡±


    ¡°Is that so, this indeed is good news.¡± Liszt was delighted; the seventh elf bug had come to the castle. He directly led the patrol team to John Bian Dan¡¯s tomato fields.


    The cordyceps in the middle was notably tall, bearing red tomatoes.


    On one of its small yellow flowers, a plump, all-red elf bug basked leisurely in the sun. John Bian Dan watched nervously beside the elf bug, his duty to protect it for the landlord from any harm, and to prevent it from being contracted by anyone else.


    Only the landlord was qualified to contract an elf bug.


    And only those who possessed Dou Qi or magic could establish a contract.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, John Bian Dan offers you festival greetings.¡±


    ¡°Happy holidays, John.¡±


    Liszt briefly greeted him and then approached the bug, sprinkling a bit of Jade Powder to attract it. He then rubbed a little Jade Powder on his fingertip and reached out to the little one. The Dou Qi at his fingertip circulated, the charm of magic power and Jade Powder working together, and the bug bit down without hesitation.


    A fleeting sensation of a heart-to-heart connection passed, and the Tomato Elf Bug had established a contract with Liszt.


    Goltai looked on enviously at the elf bug, chuckling joyfully, ¡°Today really is a day of celebration, as if the elf bug chose to nurture today to offer you, Liszt, its festival greetings.¡± If only his own domain had an elf bug, perhaps he would not have ended in bankruptcy.


    ¡°It is a clever elf bug, I can feel it,¡± Liszt smiled and turned to John Bian Dan, ¡°John, the tomato field where the cordyceps stands will still be cultivated by you. Remember not to harm the cordyceps; it¡¯s the most important existence in Tomato Hamlet.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord, John is willing to give his life to protect it!¡±


    He spoke with great excitement; the tomato fields near the cordyceps were high-yielding and high-quality, meaning he could keep enough tomatoes after paying his taxes. For him, a prosperous life had taken off ever since Liszt rewarded him with a Nalda.


    ¡°It will get better and better.¡±


    ¡°I want to grow tomatoes for the Lord Landlord all my life!¡±


    As he watched the patrol team depart, his gaze focused on the noble and inviolable silhouette, his heart surged with emotion: ¡°May the glory of the knight forever favor the Lord Landlord.¡±

 Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 0072: The Earl Visits Fresh Flower Town

    Chapter 72: Chapter 0072: The Earl Visits Fresh Flower Town


    Translator: 549690339


    The Earl¡¯s caravan appeared at Thorn Ridge around ten in the morning.


    Learning from the last time when the caravan had reached close to the Castle before being noticed, the Patrol Team had been wandering on the road of Thorn Ridge early on.


    By now, a large number of trees had been felled on both sides of the road.


    The logs had not been removed yet; they were spread out on the ground, looking like a layer of flooring, undoubtedly providing great visibility for humans and reducing the risk of Magical Beast attacks. However, the job was not yet finished. The woodcutting was still underway, and Liszt was planning to set up two barricades to block the paths of the Magical Beasts.


    Although wooden barricades have zero restraining effect on Magical Beasts, the beasts, still having the minds of wild animals, would most likely turn back upon encountering them rather than destroy them.


    With the notification from the Patrol Team,


    Liszt, along with Goltai and others, went to meet this enormous troop¡ªconsisting of only five horse-drawn carriages but accompanied by a whole Knight Squad.


    Pristinely dressed, with weapons shining bright, this Knight Squad had originally followed the Earl in continental warfare.


    Many Knights, due to their military merits, were ennobled and left for their territories to enjoy the beautiful life of a landed gentry, then another batch of novices from the Knight Academy filled their places,


    Maintaining the integrity of the Knight Order.


    The Earl didn¡¯t travel by carriage; he rode upon his beloved Panther Horse and didn¡¯t wear festive attire but was clad in armor¡ªI suspect he purposely wore military attire to avoid the Flack Abaieye, especially the disc-like Ruff, which could smother someone with prickly heat, particularly during the summer.


    In the heat of summer, the Ruff isn¡¯t so friendly to people.


    No one likes wearing a scarf in the summer.


    ¡°Father, Sir Liszt extends his festive greetings to you.¡± Noble etiquette still needed to be observed.


    ¡°Happy holiday,¡± Li Weiliam responded, then looking towards the nearby Castle with a touch of emotion, ¡°More than ten years, and this little Castle has not changed much¡­ No need for formalities, let¡¯s go directly to the Castle, the weather outside is too hot, your grandmother needs to cool off sooner.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Liszt led the way at once.


    A moment later, the caravan stopped at the Castle¡¯s gate; all the servants, under the direction of Carter, stood ready on both sides to welcome the distinguished guests.


    Goltai approached with exaggerated fanfare, ¡°My Lord Earl, seeing you fills Goltai with such excitement! You seem even more splendid than a few months ago, despite my weakened Dou Qi, I can still feel the immense pressure emanating from you, the pressure of a Sky Knight!¡±


    Li Weiliam enjoyed such flattery and laughed, ¡°Goltai, your complexion looks even healthier. How is life in Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    Only then did Goltai shake out his clothes and bow deeply, ¡°Goltai presents his festive greetings to you, my lord. Life in Fresh Flower Town is vibrant and thriving; I enjoy working here.¡±


    While conversing, the voice of Lady Penelope could be heard from behind, ¡°The dust was so heavy on the way, I need water to clean up. Going on a long journey feels like enduring a nightmare, wishing for it to end but having to press on regardless.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, Sir Liszt offers his festive greetings to you.¡±


    ¡°Happy holiday,¡± Lady Penelope, assisted by her personal maid, entered the Castle and glanced around, ¡°It¡¯s hard for you, living in the countryside, enduring such a straitened lifestyle¡­ The only thing I might envy is the smell of this little house, the scent of the rural soil.¡±


    Then, she added, ¡°It¡¯s more comfortable to me than the smell of Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°If you find it comfortable, why not stay a few more days?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly, my servants at home don¡¯t know how to care for my Flowers. I¡¯d go mad if I didn¡¯t see them for even one day.¡±


    Following Lady Penelope was a middle-aged woman, dressed in glittering finery, her tall Bird Lady Hat adorned with various feathers¡ªthis kind of hat, originally called the Bird Lady Hat, symbolizes ¡°the sky¡± and can only be worn by the wife of a Sky Knight.


    It later became a trend that during festivals, all noblewomen would wear various extravagant and bizarre hats.


    In addition to her conspicuous hat, the woman also exuded a fox-like charm¡ªespecially her eyes. Liszt, inheriting the memories of his predecessor, had the deepest impression of those eyes.


    Back then, Liszt


    always felt that those eyes were constantly observing in secret without showing any signs. Yet, when she smiled, they carried the sweet flavor of the girl-next-door.


    The present-day Liszt, upon seeing those eyes again, could easily conclude that they were fox eyes.


    Slightly narrow, with upturned corners, they would curve into crescents when she smiled.


    ¡°Madam, Liszt presents his festival greetings to you,¡± he said with a faint smile on his face, demonstrating the impeccable etiquette of a noble as a matter of routine, even if his heart loathed it, his expression was still nothing but warm and cordial.


    ¡°Happy festival, Liszt. You¡¯ve grown taller,¡± the middle-aged woman replied with a smile. She was the current Countess, Lady Marie Lova.


    In her hand, she was holding a very young boy.


    The boy was clearly disdainful of the castle environment, showing only a forced semblance of respect while performing his courtesies: ¡°Brother Liszt, Lidun offers his festival greetings to you.¡±


    ¡°Happy festival.¡±


    Liszt responded indifferently and continued speaking to Lady Marie, ¡°Madam, please take Lidun inside the castle to rest. I will go and greet my brother, sister, and Sir Layden and the others.¡±


    Levis and Li Vera had been to Fresh Flower Town more than once.


    So after exchanging festivite greetings with each other, they entered the castle. Liszt then went on to greet the nobles who followed in the procession¡ªthese were lesser nobles serving at Tulip Castle, mostly Honored Knights and also a Baron, who was the Knight Captain of Tulip Castle, Miki.


    The leader of the Coral Island Knights was personally held by Li Weiliam. As the captain, Miki was responsible for the regular training of the Knight Order and the security of Tulip Castle, effectively acting as the actual leader.


    After the formalities were over,


    the castle became even more lively.


    Because there were too many people, there was a large gathering of nobles upstairs and even more knights downstairs; fifteen servants were simply not enough. Fortunately, the Earl himself had also brought many servants along with plenty of food and drinks¡ªproving that they understood the countryside had little to offer.


    Consider it a picnic here.


    Carter, acting as the butler, naturally took command of all the servants, even in the presence of Silva, the deputy butler of Tulip Castle.


    ¡°Carter, if there isn¡¯t enough food in the castle, don¡¯t bother, the Earl has brought enough food from Tulip Castle to last several days,¡± said Silva, younger than Carter, perfectly attired in a tailcoat, standing among the servants, he was every inch a noble of high status.


    Carter used to be just a butler at a manor castle.


    When interacting with Silva, the deputy butler, he had to follow the other¡¯s command.


    But now,


    he represented Liszt.


    So he couldn¡¯t help but puff out his chest, making himself look more spirited: ¡°Thank you for the Earl¡¯s consideration, but even without the food from Tulip Castle, the town can still offer a variety of delicious cuisine. We have prepared a feast, Mr. Silva. I¡¯ll take it from here.¡±

 Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 0073: A Successful Banquet

    Chapter 73: Chapter 0073: A Successful Banquet


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Black Tulip, truly beautiful.¡±


    Li Weiliam caressed the sole Black Tulip with a gentle expression. The rise of the family had relied on the Tulip, and naturally, he had a special affection for it.


    Lady Penelope also gently touched the purple-black bloom, ¡°Having a new variety of Magic Potion, and it being a Tulip at that, is a sign of the family¡¯s continued prosperity. I originally thought Liszt was not a lucky one, but now it seems he is the luckiest one in the Tulip Family.¡±


    ¡°We should promote the Black Tulip vigorously, for the sake of the family,¡± Lady Marie said, seemingly offhand.


    Following behind Lady Marie, Lidun said with a trace of naivety, ¡°It¡¯s really pretty, Father, can I have a Black Tulip too? I want to plant it on my bedroom windowsill so I can see it every day.¡±


    ¡°There will be a chance, Lidun,¡± Levis cut off Lidun¡¯s words directly, looking at the harvested capsule and then questioning Liszt, ¡°Have you already harvested a batch of seeds?¡±


    ¡°A total of thirty-five mature capsules, each with roughly thirty seeds. I think, entrusted to Xiangxiang for cultivation, we should be able to plant on a large scale within half a year.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Xiangxiang¡¯s speed in cultivating Tulips is top-notch among Greater Elves.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hand over the seeds to you later.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    The two of them chatted briefly and settled the matter of planting the Black Tulip without leaving room for others to interject¡ªthe brothers were united in their views, willing to include Li Vera but certainly not Lidun. Not raised by the same mother, they naturally didn¡¯t have the same priorities.


    The Earl glanced at Lady Marie and Lidun.


    Then looked at Liszt, who now stood much taller than himself, and ultimately said nothing.


    Lady Penelope whispered quietly in Li Vera¡¯s ear, ¡°The two boys already have their own opinions. Just look at Li Weiliam¡¯s face, it¡¯s truly delightful.¡±


    Although she whispered quietly,


    everyone was gathered close, and there was no semblance of privacy.


    Li Weiliam could only pretend not to hear, saying to Liszt, ¡°Fresh Flower Farm has fallen into disrepair. After I discovered the Tulips here, I planted a sea of Tulips and hope you can restore the scenery of that time.¡±


    ¡°Reviving Fresh Flower Farm has always been part of my plans.¡±


    ¡°I can see that, you really understand how to be a competent Landlord. Fresh Flower Town exudes a thriving atmosphere, I hope it continues.¡±


    After seeing the Black Tulip, as the day grew too hot, the group returned to the Castle. In the horse field outside the Castle, Li Weiliam saw the Li Dragon Horse. As a Sky Knight, his eye for horses was quite astute; just one glance was enough to see that the Li Dragon Horse was more magnificent than his own Panther Horse.


    ¡°What bloodline is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Liszt did not reveal the Dragon bloodline, for once mentioned, the Earl would certainly snatch away the Li Dragon Horse¡ªa Dragon Breed Horse was of immense importance to Nobles.


    ¡°Perhaps it carries the bloodline of an Intermediate Magical Beast. If you can breed a herd of equally magnificent horses, I¡¯ll buy a batch from you to replace the Knight Order¡¯s mounts.¡±


    ¡°That could take a long time.¡±


    Li Weiliam looked at Liszt with a meaningful glance, ¡°Don¡¯t be in a rush, time is on your side.¡±


    Inside the Castle.


    The servants had already prepared the banquet, and after a brief wash, it was time to enter the formal banquet stage. The footmen carried dish after dish on plates, placing them in front of each noble guest. Carter employed all his skills to direct the team of servants in an orderly fashion.


    The Earl¡¯s brought food did not cause any stir¡ªit was what they ate regularly.


    However, as seafood was served, what should have been a bland banquet hit a peak of excitement, with many appetizing dishes that they had never tasted before.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Lady Penelope, guided by a maid, dug a clam out of its shell, took a bite, and found it fresh, smooth, and delectable, a taste distinctly different from land dishes that blossomed on the taste buds, ¡°Hmm, very delicious, so soft I almost don¡¯t need to use teeth.¡±


    ¡°Clams, a type of seafood abundant by the sea, are very tasty in flesh. They are not only very delicious but also can prevent the onset of some diseases.¡±


    Li Vera, following the maid¡¯s method, peeled a shrimp: ¡°And what is this?¡±


    As the host, Liszt continued to explain, ¡°Mantis shrimp, or perhaps it¡¯s more interesting to call them peacock shrimps, their flavor is fresh, sweet, tender, and smooth, delicate and soft, not at all inferior to the rock shrimps from Long Taro Castle. It¡¯s a pity we are now in summer, if it were spring, the breeding season for peacock shrimps, the taste would be even more delicate and delicious.¡±


    ¡°So, they are all from the sea¡­ seafood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have any special products, so to improve our recipes, we must look to the Sea of Azure Waves on the East Coast. Fortunately, there are countless delicious seafood waiting to be developed.¡±


    Seafood is an important food source.


    Not many nobles have noticed this yet, but perhaps after today¡¯s banquet, Coral Island might experience a seafood development craze¡ªor perhaps not, as the ocean is far less important in the eyes of the nobles than the land.


    Sometimes, what restricts development is not vision.


    But inertia.


    Liszt discovered this among the incessant praises for the seafood. While the Earl and others highly appreciated the seafood, they preferred to buy it from Fresh Flower Town rather than catch it themselves. Perhaps, in their view, it wasn¡¯t proper to waste serfs who should be farming on becoming fishermen.


    ¡°Naturally, I can supply seafood for Tulip Castle. In fact, as you have seen, I am opening the route through Thorn Ridge, and once it is through, I will organize a caravan from Fresh Flower Town to go back and forth to Coral City. We will regularly sell the goods produced in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    The Earl took a sip of red wine and nodded, ¡°Once the restriction of Thorn Ridge is lifted, Fresh Flower Town might also develop into a prosperous town¡­ Like your sister, train a group of knights, for the glory of nobility is always fought for on horseback.¡±


    After the seafood.


    Another delicious dish was served, dried meat of the Wind Falcon. It was also the last main course, using magical beast meat as the finale of the main dishes, a fitting climax.


    Watching the guests enjoy their meal with no complaints made Carter, the butler, stand proudly beside the banquet. Everyone used to think Fresh Flower Town was a poor and shabby town, where the landlord was forced to live on poor food in a simple life. But this banquet demonstrated Fresh Flower Town¡¯s affluence.


    An affluent noble is a dignified noble.


    And his diligent direction of the servants¡¯ efforts perfectly reflected the aristocratic demeanor of the castle, convincing anyone who might have seen Liszt as a ¡°country baron.¡±


    Here in Fresh Flower Town, was a place blessed with the glory of knights.


    ¡°Master, may we serve the dessert now? Mrs. Abbie has already prepared a sufficient amount of ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Then bring it forth.¡±

 Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 0074: The Popularity of Ice Cream

    Chapter 74: Chapter 0074: The Popularity of Ice Cream


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Ice cream, what is that dessert?¡±


    True to her nature as a girl, as soon as the word ice cream came from Carter¡¯s mouth, Li Vera immediately took note and asked, ¡°Is it a dessert made of ice?¡±


    Carter gestured to a servant to bring the ice cream from the kitchen, then explained to everyone, ¡°Ice cream is a very delicious frozen delicacy, a special product of Fresh Flower Town Castle Kitchen, made from a unique recipe that is perfect for cooling off in the summer and as an excellent dessert after a meal. It¡¯s a great creation thought up by the master.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like some sort of frozen cheese.¡± Lady Penelope remarked with a bit of disdain, ¡°I¡¯m not fond of cheese; it would make me feel nauseous all afternoon.¡±


    Levis shrugged his shoulders, ¡°I don¡¯t like cheese either, perhaps I could have a cup of frozen juice instead.¡±


    ¡°Ice cream is not cheese, try it first, and I believe you will fall for the charm of ice cream, a food that is full of temptation,¡± said Liszt dismissively.


    ¡°You¡¯re knowledgeable about gourmet food as well?¡± Lady Marie asked with a smile, ¡°A dessert personally made by a noble, I must try it.¡±


    Initially, the earl was just eating the roast meat on his plate.


    Upon hearing Lady Marie¡¯s words, his face turned slightly grim, and he spoke with greater seriousness, ¡°Liszt, you¡¯ve come of age and been granted your own land; you should be focusing on developing Fresh Flower Town and attaining knightly glory. Focusing on food is not in keeping with noble etiquette; the kitchen is a place for servants!¡±


    Nobles absolutely never enter the kitchen, as it was deemed a place for lower-class individuals.


    Liszt took a casual sip of chilled beer, not minding the earl¡¯s scolding, ¡°Father, ice cream is just an idea, and Mrs. Abbie made it based on this idea. As a noble, all I need to do is taste it and offer suggestions on the flavor.¡±


    Saying so, he smiled at Lady Marie, ¡°If you like it later, you could praise Mrs. Abbie; she is a dedicated and diligent cook.¡±


    ¡°I would be happy to.¡± Marie smiled.


    She then lowered her head to cut the seafood on her plate, and her smile quickly faded.


    In the short time of a few sentences, the servants had already brought out cups of colorful ice cream on trays, arriving beside each noble to place the ice cream on the table.


    The cups were valuable crystal cups. Crystal is often an accessory mineral to dragon gems and, if of good quality with magic power, can be used to make lamps; with poorer quality and no magic power, it is often crafted into various crystal vessels and becomes a symbol of noble status, power, and wealth.


    The castle had twenty crystal goblets.


    Normally used in banquets to hold red wine, they were now being used to hold ice cream.


    ¡°Hmm, this is ice cream? It looks pretty and smells great,¡± Li Vera said as she picked up the cup of ice cream and examined it carefully. Inside the cup, there were three round balls.


    One pink, one light yellow, and one light green.


    On top, there were also two tiny purple wild berries.


    She then glanced at the cup beside Levis, which also contained three balls, but in the colors of light yellow, pink, and dark brown.


    Essentially, there were only four colors: pink, light yellow, light green, and dark brown.


    It was just that the color combination of the balls differed from one person¡¯s cup to another¡¯s.


    Carter spoke with grace, ¡°Lords, ladies, young masters, and misses, there are four flavors of ice cream. The pink is strawberry, the light yellow banana, the light green matcha, and the dark brown chocolate. You can choose different ice creams according to your own taste preferences.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very cold.¡± Captain Mickey said, holding the cup without hurrying to taste it, but rather asking curiously, ¡°Liszt, are they made of ice? If I remember correctly, Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have an ice cellar. Forgive my curiosity, but I cannot fathom how the ice cream is made.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Fresh Flower Town lacks an ice cellar, but that doesn¡¯t mean we have no ice,¡± said Liszt, looking into everyone¡¯s curious eyes without any intention of hiding the truth, ¡°I found a very small saltpeter mine in the town. I remember reading a knight¡¯s novel that said saltpeter could be used to make ice, and hence, Fresh Flower Town had ice.¡±


    ¡°Saltpeter? Making ice?¡± The Earl looked at the increasingly unfamiliar Liszt, and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is this the work of a magician?¡±


    ¡°While magicians can make ice directly, saltpeter ice-making is a kind of¡­ natural phenomenon. Saltpeter dissolves in water, absorbing heat, and that can turn the water into ice.¡±


    ¡°Magical saltpeter, may I see it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can, but I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible today, as the saltpeter has been used up. It takes so much saltpeter to turn a small amount of water into ice, and Fresh Flower Town has only a tiny saltpeter mine. Mining all the saltpeter, we can¡¯t make two buckets of ice in a day.¡±


    ¡°As Captain Mickey sighed, ¡°That¡¯s really a shame.¡±


    Li Vera spoke up directly, ¡°Liszt, give me enough saltpeter for a bucket of water, and I¡¯ll give you gold coins!¡±


    ¡°Try the ice cream and see if it suits your taste, sister,¡± Liszt said, awkwardly changing the subject. This sister had been addicted to stealing his toys since she was little; she wanted every good thing for herself.


    Li Vera glared at Liszt.


    This brother, who she could bully when they were young, had grown up enough to ignore her.


    ¡°Even if only making two buckets of ice each day, it¡¯s quite remarkable. Tulip Castle can¡¯t open the ice cellar and take out ice every day, and in the summer, ice is more expensive than gold coins,¡± Marie turned her head toward the Earl, ¡°Dear, saltpeter could perhaps be developed into an industry, you know, those nobles are always eying our ice cellar in the summer.¡±


    The Earl scooped up a ball of ice cream with a spoon and said without looking up, ¡°Magical as saltpeter is, two buckets of ice a day are barely enough for Liszt¡¯s own use, not of great value.¡±


    As he spoke, he tasted a scoop of the chocolate-flavored ice cream, and his eyes lit up instantly, ¡°A very unique texture.¡±


    Levis joined the conversation, ¡°It is indeed delicious. It¡¯s called ice cream, isn¡¯t it? I like this strawberry flavor of ice cream. It¡¯s creamier than frozen cheese but not so cloyingly sweet, more fluffy, melts in the mouth just right.¡±


    ¡°I prefer the matcha flavor,¡± said Li Vera, who had already eaten her light green ball of matcha-flavored ice cream.


    ¡°It makes a good dessert after a meal, especially after a summer banquet,¡± commented Captain Mickey.


    The delicious ice cream instantly conquered everyone¡¯s taste buds.


    There was only one person at the table shaking her head, Lady Penelope: ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not accustomed to such a taste. It doesn¡¯t feel like food at all to me. Mr. Carter, I¡¯d like a glass of iced sugar water instead.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother doesn¡¯t like it? I do. Mr. Carter, another cup of ice cream for me, please. I want both chocolate and banana flavors,¡± Lidun said, having already polished off a cup of ice cream.


    Ice cream was just an after-dinner dessert.


    Liszt ¡°invented¡± it merely to enjoy a cold treat in the summertime¡ªnot being able to drink iced beer all day long, but one could eat ice cream any time.


    However, at today¡¯s banquet, ice cream had truly stolen the show.


    Aside from Lady Penelope, as well as the disinterested Captain Mickey and the Earl, everyone else was conquered by the taste of the ice cream.


    The four large portions of ice cream made by Mrs. Abbie were eaten up in no time.


    Eventually, the luncheon ended with the deliciousness of the ice cream.


    Busily directing the servants to clean up after the meal, Carter stood up straight in the hallway, his tense mood completely soothed, and upon running into Butler Xi Er Wa, he smiled broadly, ¡°Mr. Silva, thanks to the food brought by His Lordship, the gentlemen enjoyed the luncheon immensely.¡±

 Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 0075: The Serf of Twenty Silver Coins

    Chapter 75: Chapter 0075: The Serf of Twenty Silver Coins


    Translator: 549690339


    Ice cream brought the festival banquet to a climax and nicely soothed the sultriness brought about by the hot weather.


    But although the banquet was over, the nobles lying in their chairs, digesting their food, were still discussing ice cream. Li Vera was the most enthusiastic among them, having fallen deeply in love with the taste of ice cream.


    ¡°Liszt, tell me, how is ice cream made?¡±


    ¡°Let Mrs. Abbie tell you. I only provided the idea, she completed all the other steps.¡± Liszt had no intention of keeping it a secret.


    If he could produce ice on a large scale, then he would definitely need to keep the ice cream recipe safe as a means of amassing wealth.


    But without the ability to produce ice in large quantities, it was impossible to make ice cream on the same scale, let alone transport it long distances for sale. Keeping the recipe to himself was of no use.


    Of course, extorting Li Vera was still necessary.


    ¡°I will tell only you the ice cream recipe, and it must not be revealed to others. Additionally, as part of a fair trade, you surely can¡¯t expect to get my things for nothing, can you?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Pig iron or wrought iron.¡±


    ¡°A hundred pounds of pig iron, that¡¯s all I can give you. If you ask for more, I would rather not have the ice cream recipe.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Getting anything was better than nothing, and Liszt understood the balance¡ªgiving something away for free was foolish generosity, and the other party might even think you¡¯re a fool; demanding too much was always not good, especially since they were siblings by blood, who could support and look out for each other.


    Having struck this little deal, he felt somewhat sentimental.


    He remembered his ¡°youthful¡± self on Earth, when he had made ice cream by hand to win over the girl he liked. Although he did not win her heart, he did learn the skill to make ice cream, which, looking back, was not learned in vain.


    ¡°It would be great if I could produce ice on a large scale. Making ice cream is still troublesome. If I made popsicles instead, I could definitely make a fortune¡­ even just making ice could be lucrative.¡±


    The ice cream recipe was sold to Li Vera.


    But when it came to Levis, he gave it away for free.


    ¡°Brother, how many more days before the Tulip Fleet returns?¡±


    ¡°If we go by the usual timing, they should be back at Coral City¡¯s docks in about a week.¡± Levis, lighting up a cigar, added, ¡°Are you talking about the slave trade?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I hope to buy a batch of serfs on the next voyage of the Tulip Fleet.¡±


    Having got the recipe, Levis was easy to talk to: ¡°Okay, but what price can you offer?¡±


    ¡°Ten silver coins per serf?¡±


    ¡°That was the old price. Now there¡¯s no fighting within the Grand Duchy, and serf trading is not so common, hard to come by.¡±


    ¡°But I heard not long ago that the lord of Little Papa Island was killed by pirates, and his territory was lost.¡±


    ¡°The Sapphire Duke is very angry about this, and the news has spread throughout the principalities, demanding cooperation to surround and trap these pirates. However, the pirates disappeared without a trace after wiping out Little Papa Island. Some believe this is not a group of pirates, but rather a lord in disguise. Da Pa Pa Island has offered a reward of three hundred gold coins for pirate clues.¡±


    Levis briefly mentioned the reaction caused by the pirate attack on Little Papa Island, then continued, ¡°Except for this incident, things have been calm within the Grand Duchy. Slave trading will require looking further afield, preferably on the borders where the Eagle Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom are at a standoff.¡±


    ¡°Name a price; if it¡¯s acceptable, I will agree.¡±


    ¡°Twenty silver coins per serf, it can¡¯t go lower than that, otherwise there¡¯s no profit for me,¡± Levis offered his price, ¡°Another thing, if the number of serfs is too large, I need the gold coins paid now, or I won¡¯t be able to explain it to our father on the accounts.¡±


    Liszt considered for a moment and then nodded in agreement, ¡°A hundred gold coins, upfront, to bring back five hundred serfs for me.¡±


    ¡°Straightforward.¡±


    ¡°I have one condition. These five hundred serfs should mainly be young people, buy more female serfs if possible, and if there are any who have a particular skill, prioritize purchasing them.¡±


    ¡°You mean serfs who are blacksmiths, tailors, tanners, that sort of thing? That won¡¯t be easy; artisans are usually freemen, and the laws of all countries protect them. It¡¯s hard to trade them as casually as serfs.¡± The various aspects of a city¡¯s operation depend on the freemen, which is why they are protected by state law.


    Liszt clenched his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll add twenty more gold coins. Out of the five hundred serfs, at least a hundred should be artisans.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With aching heart, he paid Liszt one hundred and twenty gleaming Nalda Gold Coins.


    Looking at the shriveled purse, Liszt felt somewhat wistful. Originally, he had about one hundred and fifty Gold Coins, but after continuously paying the wages of the civilian workers, he had already spent quite a few Gold Coins. Now, there were only sixteen Gold Coins left in his purse, which could run dry at any moment.


    Fortunately, the passageway through Thorn Ridge was about to be cleared, allowing merchant caravans to be established, and the seafood from Fresh Flower Town could be sold in Coral City.


    He believed that the delicious seafood could surely create decent wealth for him.


    After discussing the matter of the serfs, Levis suddenly brought up saltpeter: ¡°Liszt, can¡¯t the production of ice using saltpeter be scaled up?¡±


    ¡°I wish it could, but unfortunately, it cannot.¡±


    ¡°You can mine more saltpeter deposits.¡±


    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not about me wanting to mine; there simply aren¡¯t enough saltpeter deposits in Fresh Flower Town for me to exploit. I can give you some saltpeter powder and raw ore from when we mine it for you to try finding more. Maybe there are other saltpeter deposits on Coral Island.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will look for them. You might not have realized that if you can make ice during summer, you can definitely earn a lot of Gold Coins,¡± Levis said, taking a puff of his cigar. ¡°Once I find a saltpeter deposit, I won¡¯t let you down. Have you noticed that Lady Marie is urging father to get involved in the ice-making with saltpeter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed,¡± Liszt understood.


    ¡°Luckily, father doesn¡¯t care much for ice-making with saltpeter. In the summer, he mostly goes to The Court to serve as the Grand Duke¡¯s coachman, where there are innumerable Ice Blocks to enjoy. There are many ice cellars on Blue Dragon Island¡ªthe biggest one, they say, is like a maze. There were workers transporting Ice Blocks who got lost and ended up freezing to death right there.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t say anything.


    The grandest Noble he had ever seen was Merlin Taro, and beyond that, he had no idea what life was like for a Noble family with a Dragon.


    After digesting their meal, the Sun had begun to tilt westward.


    The Earl and his entourage prepared to leave; if they did not set off now, they would have to travel at night. Before departing, the Earl rode on his horse with Liszt following on his own steed.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town is very nice; I hope you continue to maintain your ambition. However, merely becoming a competent Landlord is not enough. The rise of the Tulip Family was due to military achievements. The Grand Duke is young and strong, and he has never extinguished the Flame of expansion. So, if you want to step out of Fresh Flower Town, do not give up the pursuit of a Knight¡¯s glory.¡±


    Wouldn¡¯t it be faster to make me a Viscount?


    Liszt felt somewhat critical in his heart. The Earl obviously did not like him, yet he played the stern father figure, which felt a bit off: ¡°I understand.¡±


    Afterward, neither of them spoke again, just riding quietly.


    A moment later, the Earl glanced at the Li Dragon Horse that Liszt was riding: ¡°That¡¯s a fine horse. Take good care of it; it will be a Landlord¡¯s most important companion.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Then the two returned, the Earl rejoining his convoy. Carter, accompanied by servants, stood at the gates of the Castle, respectfully seeing off their esteemed guests.


    Liszt bid farewell to everyone one by one.


    ¡°Grandmother, be careful getting on the carriage.¡±


    ¡°My little boy, if Fresh Flower Town isn¡¯t comfortable for you, come back to Tulip Castle. Although it doesn¡¯t smell great there, you should find everything you need,¡± said Lady Penelope, looking back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit Tulip Castle often.¡±


    Li Vera embraced him and said, ¡°A hundred pounds of iron, when will you come to Coral City to get it?¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Lady Marie, pulling along Lidun who was sullen at not being able to ride a horse, just smiled at Liszt and said goodbye.


    Captain Mickey and the other Knight guards displayed standard Knight etiquette.


    Like Li Vera, Levis also embraced Liszt, probably to show brotherly love in front of the Earl: ¡°Liszt, the doors of Tulip Castle are always open to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The convoy set off slowly, and Liszt watched them go.

 Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 0076: Three Merchants of the Town

    Chapter 76: Chapter 0076: Three Merchants of the Town


    Translator: 549690339


    By the time the caravan had left Fresh Flower Town, the castle had once again regained its tranquility, although there was a large pile of dishes, wine glasses, and the like that needed cleaning, and the small garden outside the castle had been trampled beyond recognition by the knights. But Carter could easily organize the servants to clean up at a leisurely pace.


    The castle had fifteen servants, which was more than enough.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, the festival will be over soon, and we need to pull ourselves out of the festive mood. The construction of the town must not stop; we must continue to expand the lumberjack team and the stone-breaking team, and the fence-building team, as well, and strive to open the passageway sooner.¡±


    Goltai was still savoring the moment, ¡°As you wish.¡±


    He had been in his element at this banquet, engaging in lively conversation with the Earl, feeling a level of enjoyment he hadn¡¯t experienced in many years.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town made quite the impression,¡± he described today¡¯s luncheon, with its dazzling array of seafood and the ice cream so refreshing it tingled the tongue.


    However, Liszt had a different thought.


    That evening, he had a private drink of red wine with Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, I had intended to show the impoverished side of Fresh Flower Town, perhaps in exchange for some aid from Tulip Castle. Accidentally, we threw a grand banquet with seafood, ice cream, Magical Beast Meat¡ªthere¡¯s simply no excuse to pretend poverty now.¡±


    Carter said with a smile, ¡°My lord showcased his charm. Your performance at the banquet won people¡¯s affection. If I were a knight, I might have just stayed in Fresh Flower Town to follow you.¡±


    The other meaning of a noble ¡®showing off wealth¡¯ was to demonstrate power and attract followers.


    Viscount Trick Lygrass was drawn by the Earl¡¯s charm and became a follower. He helped the Tulip Family and took part in the Grand Duchy¡¯s pioneering wars, eventually establishing the significant estate of Coral Island¡¯s Count.


    ¡°But no knights stayed behind, did they.¡±


    ¡°I believe the seeds have been sown, perhaps one day they will suddenly blossom into flowers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very philosophical phrase, Mr. Carter, for that, let¡¯s have a toast.¡±


    ¡°To your health, my lord.¡±


    A gulp of red wine soothed his throat, Liszt asked, ¡°How much food did my father bring today?¡±


    ¡°A fair amount of various foods, though most were consumed during the banquet. The surplus consisted mainly of beer and fine wheat flour, along with some seasonings¡ªfennel, ginger, pepper, licorice, as well as salt, and sugar.¡±


    ¡°How much wheat flour and beer do we have?¡±


    ¡°There are about five hundred pounds of fine wheat flour and thirty barrels of beer.¡±


    The fine wheat flour was clearly intended for Liszt to make white bread. He was slightly lost in thought¡ªhe could feel that the Earl still had fatherly love for him.


    Some details could reveal it.


    For instance, coming to Fresh Flower Town for the festival was a gesture of closeness; if he truly didn¡¯t care about Liszt, there would be no need to visit this remote town for the celebration. Deliberately playing down the importance of saltpeter at the banquet could be seen as protection for him, especially since Lady Marie specifically mentioned that the Saltpeter Mine deserved development.


    Now he had also brought a lot of extra food for him.


    ¡°Could the Earl also be one to rebuke with his words but benefit with his actions? This is a bit troubling.¡± He was somewhat uneasy in his thoughts. If the Earl¡¯s family had nothing to do with him, he could easily maintain a gentleman¡¯s detached style of interaction, leisurely living his own life.


    What he feared most was being entangled in family affection.


    He didn¡¯t know how to deal with it, whether to embrace this affection according to his current identity or to keep his individuality and maintain a distance.


    ¡°Is this the bond of kinship, that every person is inescapably ensnared by this net?¡±


    Having drained the red wine in one gulp, he decided not to dwell on these troublesome thoughts anymore¡ªjust let things take their course¡ªneither initiating nor rejecting. Shaking off his reverie, he asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, has the seafood gifted in return to Tulip Castle been sent out?¡±


    ¡°It has already been delivered to Mr. Silva, all of it top-quality dried seafood.¡±


    ¡°Very good, one good turn deserves another.¡±


    He set down his wine glass.


    Carter too finished his red wine, put away both glasses, bent slightly in a bow, ¡°Lord, you should rest early, I wish you a good night, I will take my leave now.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Mr. Carter, have sweet dreams.¡±


    In the following days, all was monotonous and calm.


    Liszt, apart from supervising the lumbering work, was also paying attention to another matter¡ªthe training of the Fruit Thief Monkeys.


    Initially, seven Fruit Thief Monkeys that were not seriously injured had been captured alive; all of them pulled through and regained their health. However, two of them were left with limps, and climbing trees was no longer much of a possibility for them.


    The remaining five were handed over to the hunters of the town for training.


    With ropes, whips, and fruits combined in use, they quickly subdued the arrogant Fruit Thief Monkeys, getting them to climb trees and enter cages on command.


    ¡°Three female monkeys, four male monkeys, I believe by the second half of the year, there will be ten Fruit Thief Monkeys.¡± The monkeys generally have two litters a year, but usually only one offspring per litter.


    Liszt looked on at the increasingly obedient Fruit Thief Monkeys with satisfaction, ¡°With no damage from the Fruit Thief Monkeys, this year¡¯s Fragrant Coconut Fruit can mature. I believe in one or two months¡¯ time, we¡¯ll be able to drink fresh and sweet coconut juice.¡± The Fragrant Coconut Fruit was not seasonal; besides winter, it bore fruits continuously throughout the other seasons.


    ¡°It seems Coral City doesn¡¯t sell Fragrant Coconut Fruit. Perhaps, if developed well, this could become another specialty of Fresh Flower Town. What a pity, though, that no Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bugs have been nurtured.¡±


    As he envisioned the future of the Fragrant Coconut Trees, the hunters had already begun training the Fruit Thief Monkeys to pick fruit.


    Faux fruits were tied to the tree branches for the Fruit Thief Monkeys to pluck; if they succeeded, they were rewarded with a peanut. Those who refused got whipped. The monkeys couldn¡¯t escape, for they were tethered by ropes around their necks¡ªdare to run, and they¡¯d be pulled back and whipped.


    ¡°Remember this, animals can hold grudges and pitch fits as well. As long as they work diligently, there¡¯s no need to lash out with the whip without good reason. I will administer these whips on anyone I find beating Fruit Thief Monkeys without cause,¡± he emphasized with a serious expression. He certainly didn¡¯t want a rebellion of Fruit Thief Monkeys that could potentially kill several fruit farmers.


    ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord. We dare not forget any of your instructions,¡± replied the hunters, who were taking on dual roles and understood they would soon transition from being farmers to fruit growers, using the Fruit Thief Monkeys for labor. They were all delighted.


    Had it not been for the need of training, they would have been loath to use the whip¡ªa Fruit Thief Monkey to a fruit grower was like a horse to a knight.


    Leaving the Fruit Thief Monkeys behind, he returned to the castle and summoned a few of the new serf merchants.


    ¡°Old Geronte, Sherlock, Abagon, were you all merchants on Little Papa Island?¡± Liszt repeated the question for confirmation.


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°Is there a merchant named Poliuxigin on Little Papa Island?¡±


    Old Geronte replied, ¡°Lord Landlord, there are only the three of us who deal exclusively in small commodities on Little Papa Island. I can call out the name of everyone in the city, but there is no one named Poliuxigin.¡±


    ¡°All right, I was just asking.¡± Liszt gave Old Geronte an appreciative look. The implication in the words ¡°I can call out the name of everyone in the city¡± showed his significance. ¡°I¡¯ve called you here today to establish a merchant fleet belonging to the castle, and I hope to entrust you three with its management.¡±

 Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 077: The Milk Tea Gets Better and Better

    Chapter 77: Chapter 077: The Milk Tea Gets Better and Better


    Translator: 549690339


    The management of caravan trade, Liszt had no intention of letting the townsfolk organize it spontaneously; he planned to establish a merchant group exclusive to the Castle. Without the drive and ideas for reform and innovation, he simply followed the practice of most nobles, managing his own domain.


    Old Geronte was elected as the head of the merchant group.


    Abagon and Sherlock assisted from the sidelines.


    ¡°The only product you can currently trade in is seafood, and I hope that from Coral City onwards, the seafood from Fresh Flower Town can gradually begin to be sold in all cities,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°As you wish, Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°So tell me, how do you plan to sell the seafood? It¡¯s a new thing, most people haven¡¯t eaten it before and will obviously fear it.¡±


    After a brief moment of thought, Old Geronte replied, ¡°Lord Landlord, we can advertise along the streets, claiming that even the Earl raves about the seafood. I believe countless subjects will flock to the food praised by the Earl.¡± This was leveraging a celebrity¡¯s name for hype, not creative but very effective.


    Sherlock added a suggestion to Old Geronte¡¯s method: ¡°We can also first make contact with most of the noble families¡¯ kitchens, offering them free samples of seafood to taste.¡±


    ¡°Coral City has a large number of freemen who are also potential buyers of seafood. We can set up stalls in the streets and cook seafood for free, allowing the passing freemen to taste. I believe it won¡¯t be long before everyone in Coral City knows the delicious taste of seafood,¡± Abagon suggested.


    Liszt felt that both methods were good: ¡°It seems you already have a complete notion of how to do business. Once the road through Thorn Ridge is finished, you can start trading.¡±


    Old Geronte hesitated for a moment before speaking, ¡°Lord Landlord, we have no carriages, how will we transport the seafood to Coral City?¡±


    ¡°After the road is finished, I will buy several carriages first thing,¡± Liszt mused, remembering that there were still sixteen Gold Coins in the Castle, and a standard carriage suitable for hauling goods with a cargo cover was one Gold Coin apiece.


    He could buy six; any more would not be feasible, as there weren¡¯t enough horses to pull the carriages.


    After sending off Old Geronte and the others, Liszt sighed softly.


    He had thought the Castle¡¯s Gold Coins were sufficient, but now he saw they were far from enough. Five hundred serfs had cost him one hundred twenty Gold Coins, and in order to grow the town to a population of five thousand, he would need at least another six hundred Gold Coins. To reach a population of ten thousand, almost two thousand Gold Coins would be necessary.


    ¡°Otherwise, should I sell the Crimson Blood Sword? To Levis or Captain Mickey? It¡¯s too expensive for them, but they might afford a price of a thousand Gold Coins, right?¡±


    However, when he gripped the Crimson Blood Sword hanging at his waist, the gentle touch of Magic Power made it impossible for him to decide.


    This was a Gemstone Weapon.


    Produced by Dragons, it symbolized power.


    And it matched his Dou Qi attribute, so even if he became a Sky Knight in the future, the Crimson Blood Sword would still befit his status.


    ¡°I can only develop things slowly. Hopefully, this year, relying on compost for farming, Fresh Flower Town will have a good harvest. Alongside the Elf Bug I brought and the ones bred here, the tax revenue for the next quarter might exceed fifteen Gold Coins?¡± The taxes for this quarter had already been submitted to the Castle.


    After Isaiah¡¯s careful calculation, the various crops and handicrafts collected this spring were worth around seven Gold Coins.


    In previous years, the tax revenue in spring was usually around three Gold Coins.


    There was virtually no tax revenue in the winter, about four in the summer, and around seven in the fall¡ªless than fifteen for the whole year.


    With the Elf Bug this year, relying on compost for farming, and seafood fishing, Liszt was confident that the summer tax revenue could reach last year¡¯s annual level.


    By autumn, the tax revenue would certainly be even higher, and surpassing Falcon Town governed by Li Vera wasn¡¯t impossible.


    ¡°My Lord, your milk tea is ready,¡± Butler Carter, holding a freshly brewed cup of milk tea, entered the study. A cup of milk tea before bed each night was Liszt¡¯s habit.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Taking the milk tea, Liszt, who was already a bit thirsty, drank it right away, downing half of the perfectly-tempered drink in one gulp.


    His tongue lightly licked the dab of milk tea froth on the edge of his lips, and with slight hesitation, he asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, is today¡¯s milk tea still brewed by Mrs. Morson?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, is there a problem with the way the milk tea was brewed today?¡± Carter became a bit nervous.


    Liszt shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no problem with the brewing, but I always feel that Mrs. Morson¡¯s skill is getting better and better, the milk tea is becoming more and more delicious.¡±


    ¡°I will convey your compliment to Mrs. Morson, I believe she will be very happy.¡±


    On the first day of July, the afternoon sun was lazy, and the clouds occasionally concealed the sun as if a naughty child stealthily covered a companion¡¯s eyes.


    The weather wasn¡¯t too hot, and there was a breeze blowing.


    Liszt, inspecting the woodcutting work, stood on the other side of Thorn Ridge, with a handsome smile on his face, he solemnly announced, ¡°The trees within a distance of one hundred meters on both sides of the road have all been chopped down, the Lumberjack Team has done a very good job in completing my orders, and as the landlord, I express my respect to you.¡±


    Respect was just a matter of lip service.


    Next, it was still the commoners¡¯ turn to continue working, ¡°Clearing the road through Thorn Ridge means that Fresh Flower Town will now be connected with the outside world, no longer secluded in the corner of Coral Island. Now anyone can go out and take a look. However, to further strengthen road safety, we must insist on finishing the fence.¡±


    He paused, then said, ¡°Therefore, the original Lumberjack Team will not be disbanded for the time being, but will go directly to constructing the fence, completely isolating the forests on both sides of Thorn Ridge outside of the fence.¡±


    The wood needed for the fence was sourced on-site; there was a large amount of felled timber just lying on the ground.


    The best timber was transported to the castle for storage, the second-best timber was hauled to build homes in Oyster Village, the next best for the fence construction, and the leftover scraps were taken by the commoners to burn for cooking.


    The opening of the road was a moment worth celebrating.


    Liszt gathered Goltai, Marcus, Isaiah, and Blair to arrange the following tasks.


    First was naturally the issue of the merchant caravans; after purchasing carts, seafood trade had to start immediately; second was procurement, Liszt planned to spend his last ten Gold Coins to purchase a batch of scarce food, including hops beer; then was to advertise to merchant caravans from various cities in Coral Island, telling them that Fresh Flower Town was now open for access.


    The castle¡¯s merchant caravans were responsible for the large trades entrusted by Liszt, generally not involving too much trade between commoners.


    Merchant caravans from other regions entering Fresh Flower Town would enliven the atmosphere of the small town, bringing wealth and a circulation of goods for daily life.


    ¡°Lastly, there¡¯s one more point to note, Fresh Flower Town will welcome freemen to settle here by lowering taxes, make sure to spread this news in every city,¡± Liszt now longed for more population, not at all concerned about the bit of tax revenue, as the development of the domain was the first priority.


    The others busied themselves with carefully noting down Liszt¡¯s orders.


    Marcus suddenly said, ¡°My lord, I plan to take a day off to bring my family to live in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isaiah let out a long sigh, ¡°My foolish son probably doesn¡¯t want to come to Fresh Flower Town; he¡¯s used to loafing around in Coral City.¡±


    Blair, however, cheerfully said, ¡°Then I will also bring my family over on the way. Life here is somewhat monotonous, but the air is fragrant.¡±


    Goltai gave an awkward smile, ¡°Liszt, I also want to bring my family here, but¡­ Freya is already pregnant, I¡¯m unable to handle it well.¡±


    Liszt solemnly said, ¡°Teacher Goltai, although keeping mistresses is a common indulgence of nobles, it¡¯s ultimately immoral. I have no intention of telling you to stop immediately, especially since Freya is already pregnant. So, in Fresh Flower Town, just treat Freya as your wife.¡±


    After a moment of contemplation, he added, ¡°If her child is a boy, I hope he could become one of my Retainer Knights in the future.¡±


    ¡°Your generosity shames me, my lord, Goltai is willing to serve you!¡± Goltai stood up, walked over to Liszt, and bowed earnestly.


    This was the same form of loyalty shown by Marcus before, true allegiance.

 Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 0078: Small Town Real Estate Planning

    Chapter 78: Chapter 0078: Small Town Real Estate Planning


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Completion of the task, reward: a new variety of mushrooms.¡±


    ¡°Task: Being a knight requires not only courage and wisdom but also sufficient survival skills to maximize the significance of one¡¯s life. Please learn Marcus¡¯s full set of archery skills. Reward: Black Pearl of the Deep Sea.¡±


    With the lumberjacking at Thorn Ridge pass completed, the Smoke Mission was timely updated.


    The new variety of mushrooms was evidently growing somewhere in Mushroom Hamlet, soon to be discovered, and Liszt had enough patience to wait for it.


    ¡°The Black Pearl of the Deep Sea, what is that?¡± He was somewhat puzzled, but pearls were not cheap on the market and were popular accessories among the nobles; black pearls should be even more valuable and could sell for a lot of money.


    He had been so poor recently that he was almost unable to pay his workers, and the thought of money consumed him.


    ¡°To learn archery from Marcus has been on the agenda for quite some time. So from tomorrow on, I shall officially start learning archery¡­ but tomorrow seems impossible since Marcus will be visiting Coral City to pick up his family. Let¡¯s start the day after tomorrow then, first having the caravan go to Tulip Castle to purchase a bow and arrows for me.¡±


    On Coral Island, only a few noble families were permitted to sell weapons.


    Liszt didn¡¯t need to be troubled by this, for he could simply make his purchase at Tulip Castle, since he was a direct member of the Tulip Family.


    Early the next day.


    The newly formed Fresh Flower Town caravan, led by Old Geronte, with three merchants, six drivers, and seven youths, drove six nags from the castle toward Coral City. Each horse carried several packs of seafood, along with pots and firewood, for boiling the seafood on-site.


    Marcus rode his dun horse, accompanying the caravan and incidentally serving as its escort.


    The training of the Knight Squad was temporarily handed to the Retainer Knight Karl Ironhammer¡ªhe was the only one who had felt the Dou Qi and was on the verge of mastering it.


    The other three Retainer Knights had shown no signs of Dou Qi to date.


    As for the Knight Squad, the young men had been eating well and training hard, muscles starting to bulge on their bodies. The two with the best physical fitness who met the entrance standard of the Knight Academy, Philip Wool and Zavier Bull Dung, had started to feel the Dou Qi and could cultivate it at any time.


    Blair also followed the caravan, on his way to pick up his family and settle them in Fresh Flower Town.


    For Goltai and Isaiah, whose families either did not wish to come or could not conveniently do so, they continued to keep the town¡¯s administration running, with plenty of work to do¡ªroads were still under repair, houses in Oyster Village were still being built, and fallow fields were continuously being cultivated. Moreover, a new important task had also begun to be planned.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, Isaiah, the town needs to be replanned. Probably tomorrow, Marcus and Blair¡¯s families will be arriving, so please make sure their housing arrangements are in order as soon as possible. They all come with large families, so they can¡¯t continue to reside in the temporary administration buildings.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Lordship, I had already considered this last night and rented two houses next to the temporary administration buildings for Marcus and Blair¡¯s families to stay in temporarily,¡± Goltai spoke with increasing respect, having decided to follow Liszt because of his soon-to-arrive illegitimate child.


    Following meant he became a subject of Liszt.


    It was no longer merely a relationship of noble ranks and teacher-student affections.


    ¡°I am pleased that you have anticipated my thoughts,¡± Liszt expressed satisfaction with Goltai¡¯s current attitude, ¡°Now, let¡¯s continue discussing the town planning. In about three months, a group of five hundred serfs and freemen will be settling in Fresh Flower Town. We will need to build more houses in each settlement, and the town itself must be expanded.¡±


    Goltai had long known that Liszt intended to engage in the slave trade, and upon hearing this, he directly asked, ¡°How will these civilians be allocated? How many serfs will there be?¡±


    ¡°If all goes well, there will be four hundred serfs to replenish the farming population in the various hamlets. One hundred freemen, most of them craftsmen, will be allotted some workshop land in the town as needed.¡±


    He spread out the rudimentary map of the town.


    On the only existing street, Liszt drew another line across it with his finger, ¡°We¡¯ll build another road to give the town a cross-shaped layout.¡±


    ¡°This is no small project, and three months may not be enough.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll build first and worry later,¡± said Liszt, who wasn¡¯t an expert with exact budgets or long-term planning, and many of his decisions were made on the fly. ¡°The streets must be built wide, and the four areas split by the cross should have designated purposes: the west for a commercial district where we¡¯ll eventually have a trading center and a vegetable market.¡±


    The development of social systems in this world was quite primitive, and cities resembled densely packed shanties with no concept of planned districts.


    But Liszt refused to accept this standard: ¡°To the south, we¡¯ll have the workshop district for things like mills, slaughterhouses, and smithies to be relocated to this area. The north will be designated for serf residences, and the east for freemen. Furthermore, to the west of the commercial district, closer to the castle, we¡¯ll plan a residential area for nobles.¡±


    It was highly unethical to classify people into hierarchical statuses.


    Yet such was the way of the social system; nobles couldn¡¯t possibly live alongside commoners, and freemen didn¡¯t mix with serfs.


    After pondering Liszt¡¯s words, Goltai couldn¡¯t help but express his admiration, ¡°My lord, your ideas are truly unique; they¡¯ve opened my eyes to new possibilities in city building. By categorizing areas this way, even the most distant merchants won¡¯t struggle to find places to do business.¡±


    Isaiah was a bit slower to catch on, but, understanding the value of city planning after hearing Goltai¡¯s explanation, commented, ¡°This has indeed been an eye-opener for me. Fresh Flower Town will become a pearl of Coral Island!¡±


    Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°There¡¯s one more crucial point¡ªthere must be plenty of toilets. I cannot stand to see anyone defecating or urinating in the town, even if they¡¯re only three years old!¡±


    He added, ¡°We need to hang signs on every shop and on each conspicuous toilet sign, and place markers at the entrances of roads. Whoever comes to Fresh Flower Town in the future must follow the rule against relieving themselves in the streets!¡±


    He felt strongly about this.


    Just a few days ago, during the Sea Festival, the knights accompanying the Earl had defecated more than a dozen times around his castle in just one afternoon!


    For many knights, such behavior was normal¡ªwhen they needed to defecate, they simply did so.


    But Liszt would not allow it. He didn¡¯t want to be strolling through the stables and, by happenstance, step in excrement.


    As natives, Goltai and Isaiah didn¡¯t care much about such matters, as they too had frequently relieved themselves wherever they pleased. However, Liszt had given the order.


    They nodded in agreement, ¡°Rest assured, my lord, we will prioritize the hygiene of the town.¡±


    Suddenly, Liszt recalled another matter, ¡°Right, Isaiah, my Knight Squad¡¯s young men can¡¯t recognize a single word. I wish to hire you as a literacy teacher for the Knight Squad, to teach them common writings, and at the very least, they should have the ability to read.¡± There was no Knight Academy in Fresh Flower Town, so he had to hire a teacher himself.


    To this, Isaiah didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Isaiah is willing to serve.¡±

 Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 0079: Crooked-neck Bob’s Mistake

    Chapter 79: Chapter 0079: Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s Mistake


    Translator: 549690339


    The trade caravan didn¡¯t return that evening, but waited until the following afternoon to make their way back to Fresh Flower Town.


    Out of the six horse-drawn carts, two were filled with goods, while the other four carried Marcus, the Blair family members¡ªsix nags, all quite exhausted. Each pulling a cart alone seemed a bit too much of a burden.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    Marcus dismounted and bowed in greeting, with a large group of people quickly descending from the cart behind him.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, if I remember correctly, you don¡¯t have that many family members, do you?¡± Liszt counted carefully; just Marcus¡¯s family alone amounted to 22 people.


    ¡°My two sisters and their families are also willing to follow me and settle in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Marcus replied. ¡°They live in poverty in Coral City, mainly because they have too many children. Even though I help them out often, it¡¯s still tough to provide for even basic needs.¡±


    Liszt nodded; he was always welcoming of more people.


    Then members of the Blair family also paid their respects. The Blairs weren¡¯t as numerous¡ªjust his wife with four children. Their eldest son had just gotten married not long ago and had no children of his own yet.


    He instructed Goltai to arrange for the settlement of the two families.


    Only then did Liszt begin to inquire about the business of this trade caravan.


    Old Geronte spoke with some nervousness, ¡°Lord, we didn¡¯t sell much seafood. Half of it was given away for free tasting to the citizens of Coral City. In fact, many who tasted it said the seafood was delicious, but one man broke out in red spots all over his body and suffered from vomiting and diarrhea after eating it, which caused the other citizens to become fearful of seafood.¡±


    Abagon added, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the patrol team hearing that the trade caravan belonged to you, Lord Landlord, we might have had all of our goods confiscated this time.¡±


    Seafood allergy?


    Liszt pondered. Some people are indeed allergic to seafood, but none of the residents of Fresh Flower Town had shown any allergic reactions to it, which made him think that seafood from the Different World wouldn¡¯t cause allergies.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that there would actually be people who are allergic to seafood.


    ¡°Such an incident is indeed unexpected, but don¡¯t feel pressured. Only a very few individuals will experience physical reactions from eating seafood. But these are rare cases, and once they stop eating, they¡¯ll recover quickly. Next time you sell seafood, remember to make this clear.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°Did you procure everything I needed?¡±


    ¡°Thick paper, powdered milk, hops for beer, red wine¡­ we got all of those, but we didn¡¯t find the pig pancreases you asked for. The few butchers¡¯ shops in Coral City didn¡¯t keep any. I¡¯ve already made arrangements with them to save pig pancreases for us, so we can buy them next time we go.¡±


    Pig pancreases are used for making pancreatin, which is soap.


    The castle currently uses soap powder, ground from the fruit of the soap pod tree. Among the new serfs, there was a soap maker who could add flower petals to the soap powder to make scented soaps.


    But scented soap production is complex; the soap maker Bunier lacked the equipment, and thus far, had not managed to produce any.


    Thus, Liszt wished to make pancreatin himself.


    After reporting the situation, Old Geronte prepared to hand over the money from the sale to Liszt, who of course wouldn¡¯t handle money directly, as it would be beneath him. He picked up the cup on the table and said indifferently, ¡°Mr. Carter, please take care of the handover with Old Geronte. From now on, you and Old Geronte will be in charge of the castle¡¯s purchasing.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, sir,¡± Carter willingly took on the task.


    After enjoying a meal at the castle, Liszt did not inquire further into the arrangements for Marcus¡¯s and Blair¡¯s families, entrusting the matter entirely to Goltai.


    As the landlord, his most important job was to enjoy himself.


    ¡°Sir, there is a minor issue at Mushroom Hamlet; I wonder if you¡¯d be interested in hearing about it.¡± Mrs. Morson, with Maisie helping to clean the study, spoke to Liszt, who was passing the time with a knight¡¯s novel.


    Mushroom Hamlet?


    Liszt¡¯s thoughts instantly turned to the reward for his quest, a new variety of mushroom, ¡°What happened at Mushroom Hamlet?¡±


    ¡°The mushrooms used in the castle are mostly picked from Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s place, his mushrooms are the freshest and most tender. But these past few days, Bob has been looking troubled. A kind of bright red mushroom appeared on the racks where he grows his mushrooms. He shovels off a batch, and another batch grows back.¡±


    Before he had finished speaking.


    Liszt had stood up from his chair and walked out of the study without looking back, shouting from upstairs, ¡°Thomas, prepare the horse!¡±


    Thomas, who had been getting ready to sleep, hurried out of the room and quickly went to prepare the horse.


    Carter also walked over quickly, ¡°Master, do you need to go out for something important tonight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a very important matter, I need to make a trip to Mushroom Hamlet. Inform Goltai for me.¡± He suddenly remembered something, turned around to the housekeeper still in the study, and said, ¡°Mrs. Morson, come with me to lead the way to Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s place.¡±


    A moment later.


    Thomas had the horses ready.


    Holding torches and under the moonlight, they set off toward Mushroom Hamlet.


    Jessie, the manservant, rode to the town to call on Goltai and the four Retainer Knights who served Liszt, to meet up with Liszt in Mushroom Hamlet.


    Mushroom Hamlet was in an uproar for a while.


    Crooked-neck Bob was extremely nervous. Mrs. Morson knocked on his door and told him that Lord Landlord was going to his mushroom greenhouses. He thought there was a problem with his mushrooms, and the Lord Landlord was coming to hold him accountable. As a serf responsible for farming for the landlord, failing to cultivate properly could mean a whipping.


    ¡°Bob, don¡¯t be nervous, the master is kind; this is not a mistake made on purpose by you, he will not punish you easily.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Morson, is this true? You must plead for mercy for me from Lord Landlord, please, I beg of you!¡± Bob was still nervous.


    By this time, Liszt was already inside his mushroom greenhouse.


    Thomas followed closely behind, holding a torch.


    ¡°Master, what are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°The thing I was looking for, I¡¯ve found it already.¡± Liszt¡¯s pupils swirled like whirlpools, and tiny specks of starlight twinkled as if within the vast universe, in his field of vision, the rotten wood used to grow mushrooms had pale red traces of magic power, outlining the shape of one mushroom after another.


    Dispelling the Eye of Magic, and aided by the torchlight, he saw the thing that was emitting magic power¡ªit was the bright red mushrooms.


    They looked a bit like Positive Red Mushrooms, dotted among the vast expanse of regular mushrooms. It was obvious that the surrounding mushrooms were already wilting, but this red mushroom alone was growing very fresh and vibrant.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed a magic potion mushroom.¡± Liszt wanted to laugh heartily because the magic power of such mushrooms revealed a red color; it was a hue characterized by the Fire Attribute of magic, ¡°I have the Fire Attribute Dou Qi. For me, these red mushrooms are an excellent tonic!¡±


    Sky Knights are essentially potion-philes, hardly able to push through to higher realms of Dou Qi with their own bodies without a large amount of magic potion supplements.


    ¡°Thomas, have Mrs. Morson bring Bob over.¡±


    When Bob stood before him, anxious and unsure, he said with a smile, ¡°You are Bob, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t be nervous.¡±


    Bob was so frightened that he knelt down, continually kowtowing, ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡­ I have erred, I spoiled the mushroom ingredient, I¡­ please, forgive me, Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°Bob, please get up. Not only will I not punish you, I will reward you.¡±

 Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 0080: Start Learning Archery

    Chapter 80: Chapter 0080: Start Learning Archery


    Translator: 549690339


    Crooked-neck Bob was so excited he couldn¡¯t sleep all night.


    Lord Landlord not only did not blame him, but also rewarded him with ten silver coins!


    This was like a pie falling from the sky, and moreover, Lord Landlord told him to find a way to expand the cultivation area of the red mushrooms¡ªhe had given them a name, calling them Flame Mushrooms¡ªand preferably replace all the mushrooms with Flame Mushrooms. The more he planted, the more rewards he would receive in the future.


    ¡°Quiet! John from Tomato Hamlet got a Gold Coin reward from Lord Landlord!¡± His wife, disliking Bob¡¯s excessive excitement, couldn¡¯t help but pour cold water on him.


    Bob didn¡¯t care at all: ¡°What do you know? The reward is only ten silver coins now because Lord Landlord needs me to figure out the Flame Mushroom cultivation ingredients. I, Bob, am the best mushroom grower in Mushroom Hamlet; once I figure out the ingredients, Lord Landlord said, there will be more rewards!¡±


    He looked forward with longing: ¡°Definitely more than John¡¯s one Gold Coin! Maybe¡­ it will be two Gold Coins? Oh, what a marvelous moment, to have two Gold Coins!¡±


    ¡°But you must first figure out the ingredients, and if you can¡¯t, Lord Landlord might take back the ten silver coins and have you whipped!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I will figure it out¡ªI¡¯m going to do it right now!¡±


    Finding the right cultivation ingredients for the Flame Mushroom would certainly not be left to Bob alone to figure out; Liszt had already discussed with the hastily arrived Goltai and gathered all the skilled mushroom growers from Mushroom Hamlet to investigate together. Whoever could figure out the recipe would be rewarded.


    Liszt, now down to just a few Gold Coins, would not be stingy.


    He wanted to use the magic of money to stir up the residents¡¯ enthusiasm for new things, rather than continue the stale, inherited ways of farming.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, classify the cultivation ingredients of the Flame Mushroom as Fresh Flower Town¡¯s top-secret information that must not be disclosed to anyone. In the future, all places growing Flame Mushrooms should be restricted areas, accessible only with Castle authorization,¡± said Liszt seriously.


    The Magic Potion of ordinary plants needs the cooperation of Elf Bugs, which makes them difficult to replicate.


    For example, the Magic Tulip can basically only be grown by the Tulip Family. Even if outsiders steal the seeds, without the Tulip Elves¡¯ cultivation, the plants would inevitably degrade into ordinary tulips within a generation or two.


    Mushroom Magic Potions, on the other hand, can be continuously propagated. If outsiders steal the spores and ingredients and do a little research, they would be able to mass cultivate them.


    Goltai understood the importance of the matter: ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I will discuss with Isaiah a set of confidentiality measures to ensure that there is absolutely no chance of the Flame Mushroom cultivation method being leaked.¡±


    ¡°Even more care is needed; this is a Magic Potion mushroom and no amount of vigilance is too much.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Goltai nodded, then sighed with emotion, ¡°In just a short time, Fresh Flower Town has changed dramatically, with two Elf Bugs nurtured and two kinds of Magic Potions born. This land is definitely the favored place of Knight¡¯s Glory, my lord, you must certainly be the inheritor of Knight¡¯s Glory!¡±


    Knight¡¯s Glory is the slogan most cherished by the Nobles.


    This world has a very medieval style, but it hasn¡¯t developed a nearly all-ruling religion. This might be because humans can cultivate themselves to become invincible and free from illness and disaster. Thus, they scorn ¡®gods¡¯ or even have a sense of ¡®I am a god¡¯.


    The belief of the Nobles is only in Knight¡¯s Glory!


    The cultivation of Dou Qi and the constant striving to become more powerful Knights bring them everything!


    Of course, there are exceptions; Magicians definitely do not believe in Knight¡¯s Glory¡ªrumor has it, they believe in ¡°knowledge.¡±


    Liszt calmly looked at the moonlit night.


    If there truly was Knight¡¯s Glory, he believed that he was indeed blessed by Knight¡¯s Glory¡ªgifting him a beautiful life experience.


    ¡°I hope one day to ride a dragon.¡±


    Marcus arrived at the castle early. Starting today, he would teach Liszt archery.


    ¡°My archery technique is called ¡®Multi-Arrow,¡¯ which is an advanced extension of ¡®Basic Archery.¡¯ It focuses on controlling multiple arrows rather than the power of the arrows. Right now, my lord, you lack basic archery skills, so you cannot learn ¡®Multi-Arrow¡¯ yet. You must start with ¡®Basic Archery¡¯ first.¡±


    As he spoke, he handed over a bundle of arrows.


    ¡°These are?¡± Liszt had a bow and arrows bought from Tulip Castle, which included a hard bow suitable for an Earth Knight, and he had also been given one hundred birch wood arrows.


    ¡°These are made of Wind Falcon feathers and oak from Thorn Ridge, Falcon Feather Arrows, all custom-made by me, totaling twenty-four. Within these, six are Falcon Tail Arrows made from the tail feathers of a Wind Falcon; to differentiate, I¡¯ve painted a red circle on the shaft. Falcon Tail Arrows have better balance than Falcon Feather Arrows.¡±


    Marcus said with some regret, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that most of the Wind Falcon¡¯s feathers were destroyed by monkeys, otherwise, I could have made a large batch of Falcon Feather Arrows, which are much better than the common bird-feather arrows on the market. The subtle magic power in the feathers can make the arrows fly faster and more steadily.¡±


    The Wind Falcon had fought a chaotic battle with monkeys, and all its feathers were torn to shreds, and then Liszt had unleashed a powerful spell that burned many of them.


    Being able to fix and craft twenty-four Falcon Feather Arrows was not an easy feat.


    However, Liszt did not accept the Falcon Feather Arrows: ¡°I haven¡¯t learned archery yet and do not need Falcon Feather Arrows for now. Please keep them, Teacher Marcus. When it¡¯s time to clear out the Thorn Ridge Beasts, we will rely on Teacher Marcus¡¯s precise archery skills.¡±


    Marcus did not refuse: ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Then came the time for teaching.


    As a Divine Archer, Marcus had a profound understanding of archery and a clear teaching approach. Liszt quickly immersed himself in learning to shoot.


    As an Earth Knight, his physical condition was robust.


    He could continuously draw the bow and shoot arrows, which made learning archery much easier than for ordinary people.


    ¡°The Smoke Mission requires me to learn all of Marcus¡¯s archery techniques, which means it¡¯s not enough just to learn ¡®Basic Archery,¡¯ I must also learn ¡®Multi-Arrow¡¯¡­ I need to speed up my learning progress, otherwise, this mission will last too long.¡±


    For this reason, Liszt even put his Dou Qi training on hold.


    He devoted himself entirely to archery.


    Therefore, on the castle¡¯s riding grounds, there was a shadow that sped back and forth, Liszt practicing shooting arrows from horseback at various erected targets.


    He learned very quickly, and after a day, he could already stand still and shoot at the target¡¯s center, with nine out of ten arrows hitting the seventh or eighth ring¡ªthe Earth Knight¡¯s control over his body allowed him to enhance muscle memory faster, helping him discover more precise shooting techniques.


    Two days later, he was able to hit the target with five out of ten arrows while shooting from horseback.


    On the fourth day.


    Liszt continued to the riding grounds to practice mounted archery, but a shameful act occurred on the grounds¡ªthe Li Dragon Horse mounted the Fire Dragon Horse, gyrating for more than four minutes before dismounting and acting nonchalantly, lowering its head to graze.


    ¡°Hmm, the riding grounds are about to face a passionate season. Perhaps I should reduce the frequency of the trade caravan¡¯s travels and bring over all the female nags for the Li Dragon Horse to mate with¡­ Although nags are of poor quality, crossbreeding with a trace of dragon blood, their offspring will definitely be much stronger than the nags.¡±

 Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 0081: Groom One-Eyed Barton

    Chapter 81: Chapter 0081: Groom One-Eyed Barton


    Translator: 549690339


    The Li Dragon Horse is a dragon breed horse, and to develop a Li Dragon Horse herd, the quality of the mares cannot be too poor.


    The Fire Dragon Horse is the most suitable mating partner, but as there is only one fire Dragon Horse, any battle-ready horse can be brought in for breeding.


    Marcus¡¯s mount, the dun horse, is one such battle-ready breed, though it is a stallion.


    The horses of Goltai, Isaiah, and Blair are all capable of battle and, moreover, are mares¡ªmares are usually not easily sent into battle, are more docile, and suitable for the kind of nobility or noble descendants who are not very fond of entering battle.


    ¡°I think we will be out of horses to ride very soon,¡± Goltai looked at his mount, which was being passionately whipped by the Li Dragon Horse, with an indescribable expression on his face.


    The most crucial point was that this mare was clearly not in heat, and it was being forcibly mounted by the overpowering Li Dragon Horse.


    This was Liszt¡¯s perverse taste; his mount, the Fire Dragon Horse, had already been despoiled by the Li Dragon Horse, so the mounts of others were naturally not spared.


    Marcus had a smile on his face.


    It was unclear if he was taking pleasure in Goltai¡¯s mount being overpowered or if he was looking forward to a future with herds of horses in Fresh Flower Town.


    He simply said, ¡°Even pregnant mares can be ridden, with about 11 months of gestation. They can be ridden for the first seven months, but after that, riding should be reduced. Also, avoid intense, long-distance sprinting, which could increase the risk of miscarriage for the mare.¡±


    Marcus was quite knowledgeable about horses, but he was not the most knowledgeable person about horses in Fresh Flower Town.


    The most knowledgeable about horses was One-Eyed Barton, a serf who had drifted from Little Papa Island; he had once transported horses for the Pa Pa Family, traveled to the south, ventured into the north, drunk water behind toilets, and encountered many kinds of horses.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, I have never seen a more magnificent horse than the Li Dragon Horse. It must possess extraordinary lineage,¡± One-Eyed Barton was around forty-five years old, with a bushy beard and one blind eye while the other squinted into a slit.


    To test his expertise,


    Liszt had him inspect the Li Dragon Horse.


    ¡°So, what lineage do you think it has?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen horses with low-level magical beast lineage, like the Fire Dragon Horse the Lord Landlord often rides, which is of a low-level magical beast lineage. I¡¯ve also seen crossbred horses resulting from the mating of an intermediate magical beast, the Black Nightmare Horse, with ordinary horses, a new breed cultivated in the horse fields of the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom.¡±


    As Barton spoke, he shook his head: ¡°But that breed does not possess the spirit and majesty of the Li Dragon Horse¡­ It is taller than the Li Dragon Horse, but it lacks the look and vitality. So I speculate that its mixed lineage must be higher than that of an intermediate magical beast¡­ Perhaps it is from an advanced magical beast, but I cannot be certain.¡±


    His high estimation of the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s lineage was still not close enough, for this was a dragon breed horse.


    Liszt, with plans he did not intend to reveal, remained low-key and asked One-Eyed Barton several more questions about horses, to which Barton responded very competently.


    So he directly said, ¡°Barton, tell me your surname.¡±


    One-Eyed Barton¡¯s face darkened: ¡°Lord Landlord, Barton was once an orphan without a surname, raised by a horse merchant. Later, Lord Little Papa bought Barton from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, and I have been trafficking horses for Lord Little Papa ever since.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡± Liszt nodded, ¡°Have you ever been married?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Not being married implied that having a surname was rather irrelevant¡ªhad he been married and had descendants, some legacy would be needed, and perhaps at that time, Barton might change his name to Barton the Cyclops?


    ¡°In that case, you will no longer need to till the fields. I hire you as the castle¡¯s stableman, specifically responsible for managing the stables and caring for the castle¡¯s horses.¡±


    Barton happily kowtowed: ¡°Barton will take good care of your lordship¡¯s stables!¡±


    A stableman¡¯s role was not simply that of a horse caretaker, but also a servant belonging to the castle, who would not need to worry about food and clothing as long as they did not make any missteps.


    In the aristocratic system, servants play a crucial role, bearing the burden of all the work in the castle and maintaining its internal operations.


    Essentially,


    servants can be divided into five categories: upstairs servants, Retainer Knights, downstairs servants, kitchen servants, and outdoor servants.


    Upstairs servants include tutors, family doctors, and companions for the elderly nobles; they generally do not reside in the castle but are allowed to dine with the nobles upstairs.


    Retainer Knights involve those retainers who carry out menial tasks on the battlefield and those who accompany in combat, with their own families.


    Downstairs servants encompass the butler, male servants, and maids, who are the main workforce of the castle and live downstairs.


    Kitchen servants are servants who work in the kitchen.


    Beyond that are the outdoor servants; this is a general term because it includes coachmen, foresters, gamekeepers, doorkeepers, gardeners, etc. They usually reside in separate houses outside the castle and do not work in the castle on a daily basis but maintain horses, grow flowers, and hunt for the castle.


    If it is a Noble, the servants will be further subdivided.


    The hall greeters, meal servers, wine stewards, laundry attendants, chief house officers, personal valets, secretaries, wardrobe attendants, Horse Tamers, Dog Trainers, jesters, harpists, drummers, flutists, and so on¡ªin short, nobles can hire a specific servant for any task they need.


    For commoners, becoming a servant is a matter worth mentioning.


    In comparison to serfs, servants clearly enjoy a more comfortable life and lighter work. And among nobles, it is common for lesser nobles to serve as servants to the greater ones. For instance, Goltai, a downtrodden Honored Knight, serves as a tutor in the Liszt household.


    Even the Earl of Coral Island, a Sky Knight who holds the power of life and death over the island, takes pride in serving as a stable hand for the Sapphire Duke.


    The longer Liszt lived in the countryside castle, the more he felt that there was no equality among people.


    ¡°First, take good care of the Li Dragon Horse, Barton; it has worked hard lately, and I do not wish to see it collapse one day under some mare,¡± Liszt said gravely, looking at the tirelessly working Li Dragon Horse.


    Barton inspected the horse¡¯s mouth through the gap as it opened its mouth: ¡°This is still a young stallion, a bit of restlessness is normal, and as the weather gets hotter, its rut will gradually subside over time. However, we must regulate the number of times it mates with each mare.¡±


    ¡°The top priority is to ensure the Fire Dragon Horse is impregnated.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Lord,¡± Barton quickly fell into the role of a horseman, addressing Liszt as Lord.


    In order for the Fire Dragon Horse to become pregnant as soon as possible, Liszt had decided against riding the Li Dragon Horse and the Fire Dragon Horse; he switched to a nag and continued practicing archery.


    By mid-July, when he could move swiftly on the nag and hit all the targets, never straying too far from the bullseye, Marcus announced that his ¡°Basic Archery¡± training was complete and he could begin studying ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±. All in all, it had only taken him a week.


    Therefore, he was very confident about learning ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, hoping to have it mastered by the time August arrived.


    ¡°Lord, your ice cream,¡± Thomas presented a cup of fragrant ice cream.


    Liszt, diligently practicing archery even in the scorching heat, took the ice cream and ate it voraciously. A refreshing chillness spread from his head to his toe, an indescribably delightful sensation. Without the aid of ice cream, cold beer, or chilled juice, he would never practice archery in the sweltering summer heat.


    Fortunately, the Miniature Saltpeter Mine mining had concluded, yielding a total of three hundred catties of saltpeter, enough to produce ample daily ice for the castle.


    At night, blocks of ice would also be placed in Liszt¡¯s study and bedroom to cool the temperature.


    With ice, this summer was not too hard to bear.

 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 0082: The Most Difficult Task

    Chapter 82: Chapter 0082: The Most Difficult Task


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± contains no content about Dou Qi cultivation and does not belong to Dou Qi Manuscripts, but it does belong to Dou Qi techniques. Any knight of any attribute of Dou Qi can practice it.


    It¡¯s divided into three levels: Double Arrow, Triple Arrow, and Multiple Arrow, plus one Ultimate Mystery Technique  the Multi Shadow Arrow.


    Riding on a yellowish-gray horse, Marcus meticulously demonstrated the ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± he had practiced on the horse track and then explained each shot in detail.


    ¡°There are five ways to use the Double Arrow, but the one I use most often is to shoot two arrows at once, which simply means releasing two arrows to hit a single target. The next is the crossing of the two arrows, which involves firing two arrows side by side and using magic power to guide them to collide mid-air, thereby changing their course. The remaining Double Spiral Arrow, Double Chain Arrow, and Double Speed Variation Arrow are not very practical.¡±


    Riding on a horse, controlling the horse and controlling the double arrows, is indeed difficult.


    Therefore, Marcus meant that as long as one masters both the Double Arrow Released Together and the Double Arrow Crossing, one can be called a Divine Archer, undefeated on the battlefield.


    The other types of archery can only be effective when carefully considered on the ground.


    He continued, ¡°The Triple Arrow is essentially an advancement of the Double Arrow, with the principles of Three Arrows Released Together, Triple Spiral Arrow, Triple Chain Arrow, Triple Speed Variation Arrow, and Triple Random Shot being the same, but with higher control requirements. The Multiple Arrow is the same, with Multiple Arrows Released Together, Spiral Shadow Arrow, Multiple Chain Arrows, Multiple Random Shots, and Multiple Arrow Crossing requiring even stronger control.¡±


    Only after dismounting was Marcus able to perform the Triple Arrow and Multiple Arrow one by one.


    After emptying the arrows in the quiver, he shook his head, unsatisfied with his archery, ¡°The Triple Arrow can be mastered while stationary, but the Multiple Arrow can¡¯t be. It¡¯s too difficult. And that last Ultimate Mystery Technique, the Multi-Shadow Arrow, takes me at least a quarter of an hour to prepare before I dare to shoot it.¡±


    A person¡¯s hand.


    One arrow is stable to hold; two arrows are not bad; three arrows can be managed, fitting exactly between three fingers, one arrow per gap.


    But more arrows are problematic, requiring two arrows to be held in each finger gap, a tremendous difficulty, let alone needing to distribute magic power to guide each one.


    Earth Knights don¡¯t have such delicate control over Dou Qi yet.


    The retainer plucked each arrow from the target and handed them back to Marcus.


    Marcus let out a long breath, easing his tense emotions, ¡°My lord, I¡¯m not so good at controlling more than three arrows at a time, and now the Ultimate Mystery Technique is even harder to master. That¡¯s why I split it into two shots, one with three arrows, which can just about achieve the effect described in ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±.¡±


    He pulled three arrows from the quiver, ¡°The first three arrows are shot with a gentle force, allowing them to be lobbed at a low speed. The next three arrows are shot with a swift force, to shoot them at high speed in a flat trajectory, striking the first three arrows, thus uniting the speed of all six arrows and confusing their flight path, creating an illusion-like effect.¡±


    Having said that.


    He bit the three arrows in his mouth and then pulled out three more arrows to shoot immediately. The instant he released them, the three arrows soared diagonally upwards.


    With a very quick motion, he placed the three arrows from his mouth into his hand, drew his bow again immediately, and this time, he stretched the bowstring almost to a full moon. As the arrows were shot, they made a sharp hissing sound as they broke through the air.


    ¡°Whiz!¡±


    ¡°Whiz!¡±


    ¡°Whiz!¡±


    In midair, the three fast arrows flew on a flat trajectory, hitting the arrows thrown in front of them just right. In an instant, the six arrows began spinning in the air.


    To the naked eye, it seemed as if dozens more arrows suddenly appeared, shooting chaotically at three targets.


    It happened in a blink of an eye. Before Liszt could even blink, the illusions scattered, leaving only the six arrows that hit the center of the targets. Five of them were embedded straight in the targets, but one arrow flew past.


    ¡°Still can¡¯t fully control the trajectory of all six arrows,¡± Marcus said somewhat disappointedly.


    But Liszt applauded, ¡°Teacher Marcus, your archery skills are already amazing. Let¡¯s start practicing quickly. I can¡¯t wait to perform the Multi-Shadow Arrow.¡± In truth, his heart was a bit bitter; Marcus¡¯s archery skills were profound.


    He had thought it was just a routine of two or three arrows, something to casually learn without seeking deep expertise, learning it was enough.


    But now he realized that without mastering Double Arrow or Triple Arrow, it was probably impossible to learn Multi-Arrow, let alone the Ultimate Mystery Multi-Shadow Arrow.


    ¡°This is probably the most difficult Smoke Mission I¡¯ve ever encountered¡­¡±


    It¡¯s already past mid-July, and he sincerely doubted he would be able to learn ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± by the time August arrived. Though it felt very challenging, he decided to set aside his mental burden and focus on learning archery. One day, he would master the intricate ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±.


    Just as the Earl had said during the Sea Festival, ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient, time is on your side.¡±


    He was only sixteen years old.


    There were decades of long life ahead of him.


    Fresh Flower Town was thriving every day, with no crisis too big to handle, allowing for a lifestyle of ease and pleasure. The dream of Dragon Riding couldn¡¯t be achieved in haste.


    In the blink of an eye.


    August had arrived.


    During this past half-month, Liszt had been furiously practicing archery and had successfully mastered Triple Arrow, now beginning to move towards Multi-Arrow. The mares in the horse pasture were mostly pregnant now, and the Li Dragon Horse had grown significantly thinner, tirelessly toiling day and night. Even with dragon blood, it couldn¡¯t endure endlessly.


    ¡°Sir, the alfalfa in the horse pasture has reached its support limit. Currently, the town has a total of fifteen horses, all grazing in the pasture, with five stallions and ten mares. Apart from the three elderly mares that have lost their reproductive ability, the other seven, including the Fire Dragon Horse, are pregnant,¡±


    One-Eyed Barton said, ¡°With so many pregnant mares, the Li Dragon Horse is about to strain itself, so they need a lot of nutrition. Relying solely on the pasture¡¯s grass is definitely not enough.¡±


    ¡°As long as the horses are well cared for, say whatever you need,¡± Liszt was very concerned about the horses¡¯ welfare.


    ¡°For their health and nutrition, they need better concentrated feed such as oats, barley, and wheat bran. If we could also have peanuts and peas, that would be excellent,¡±


    These foods were not inferior to what commoners ate, and even exceeded them¡ªin quantity, at least, as one horse¡¯s daily ration was equivalent to that of three adults.


    Liszt did not refuse at all; he readily agreed to One-Eyed Barton¡¯s request, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He also had the confidence to agree, because since the road through Thorn Ridge had been cleared, Fresh Flower Town¡¯s merchant teams could now travel unimpeded for business.


    Currently, their main trade was in seafood, which had started to open up the market. Tulip Castle was the main purchaser, buying seafood worth half a Gold Coin every three days. The citizens of Coral City had also begun to enjoy the taste of seafood, purchasing similarly every three days, generating another half a Gold Coin in sales.


    Then there were the numerous lesser Nobles residing in Coral City, as well as those nearest to Fresh Flower Town in North Valley City and its citizens, adding up to one Gold Coin worth of seafood every three days.


    This meant that Fresh Flower Town¡¯s merchant teams could earn two Gold Coins every three days.


    An average of 67 Silver Coins a day, with the cost of seafood and travel being almost negligible, this was pure profit. Of course, Liszt had not seen any Gold or Silver Coins himself, as the merchant teams had earned a little, he would order the purchase of items needed for the Castle¡ªsalt, sugar lumps, fabric, spices, soap, beer, and so forth.


    And specially ordered pork pancreas.


    He even had the merchant teams buy ten piglets, delivering them to the Serfs of Barley Hamlet to raise for slaughtering during New Year. Chick and ducklings were not in season to buy; colts, calves, and lambs were too expensive to afford; for now, the livestock business had to rely on the town¡¯s own produce.


    ¡°This time the merchant team brought back¡­¡± After finishing the transaction with Old Geronte, Carter returned to the Castle to report to Liszt.


    ¡°Mr. Carter, I have a question,¡± Liszt, who had little interest in such intricate accounts, held his teacup, his brows furrowed in thought, ¡°Why does Mrs. Morson manage to give me¡ªa feeling that the milk tea tastes better than yesterday, every single day?¡±

 Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 0083: The Chance to Change Destiny

    Chapter 83: Chapter 0083: The Chance to Change Destiny


    Translator: 549690339


    Why does the milk tea taste better day after day?


    Liszt had noticed this for over half a month now, initially thinking that it was the improved skill of Mrs. Morson from Morson Paddy Field, but it was not possible for the skill to improve noticeable every single day.


    ¡°In fact, my lord,¡± Carter said, ¡°the desserts made with cream lately have also tasted better. Mrs. Morson and Mrs. Abbie think it might have something to do with the dairy cows on the farm. Both Dahei and Dahuang are pregnant with calves, and the quantity and quality of the milk have been on the rise.¡±


    ¡°Pregnancy can improve the quality of milk?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because the dairy farm has started to cultivate alfalfa. Compared to the previous two-leaf clover, alfalfa is more nutritious. I have visited the dairy farm, and the condition of the eight cows is very good, especially the three younger ones who have grown quickly and are nearing milking age.¡±


    ¡°Good, once the calves grow up, the castle won¡¯t be short of milk.¡± Liszt emptied his cup of milk tea in one gulp, ¡°This time, we must keep the calves that are in the cows¡¯ bellies alive.¡±


    The gestation period for dairy cows is about nine months, and to maintain milk production, they must become pregnant again soon after giving birth.


    So, a dairy cow can basically give birth to one calf per year.


    But due to limitations in nutrition, sanitation, disease, etc., not all calves can grow into dairy cows, and there¡¯s a high probability of them dying young. In this era, even human childbirth carried a substantial risk of infant mortality. Even if nobles had robust health and access to doctors for treatment, it was impossible to ensure a hundred percent survival rate for infants.


    In more than a decade of breeding at the dairy farm, they had managed to raise only ten cows.


    Now that two older cows had been eaten by the Formless Dragon, only eight remained, but the pasture was sufficient to support a few more. Milk was an essential food for nobles, just as important as bread and beer.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t do without milk.


    He loved drinking milk tea. A cup of fresh milk in the morning and one cup of brewed milk for lunch and dinner, topped off with another cup of milk tea before bed. The nutrition from four cups of milk compensated for the energy he expended practicing Dou Qi every day¡ªknight¡¯s Dou Qi originated from the body; without nutrition, where would the Dou Qi come from?


    He wiped the milk tea foam from his lips with a handkerchief.


    Suddenly, Liszt really wanted to invent pearl milk tea.


    However, there were no purple sweet potatoes or pumpkins on Coral Island, so he couldn¡¯t produce ¡°pearls.¡± Therefore, he could only continue to drink milk tea without any additives¡ªwhen he first came to the castle, the milk tea brewed by Mrs. Morson was not just a mix of milk and tea, it also contained minced meat, eggs, salt, sugar cubes, salad, and more, which Liszt later forcefully eliminated.


    Restoring the original flavor of milk tea.


    After finishing his milk tea, he cheerfully said, ¡°When the castle¡¯s income improves, I plan to raise more dairy cows. I aim to give every servant and retainer in the castle a cup of fresh milk every day.¡±


    Carter responded with a smile, ¡°You are always so generous.¡±


    A little kindness can ensure the enduring loyalty of servants, but the main reason was that he wanted to improve the nutritional treatment of the Knight Squad.


    The next morning.


    He continued practicing ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± at the horse track, no longer requiring Marcus¡¯s guidance. Marcus was training the Knight Squad not far away; Rom Barrel, Gray Scythe, and Auden Insole, three Retainer Knights, were also training with the squad.


    Only Karl Ironhammer was no longer training with the squad but had returned to Liszt¡¯s side¡ªhe had successfully practiced Dou Qi and become an Apprentice Knight.


    The Dou Qi was very weak, and Marcus had judged that there was no potential left to tap into.


    But Karl was already more than satisfied, grinning ear to ear these past few days. Having Dou Qi meant being strong and healthy, it also meant being of great use.


    ¡°Karl, your Dou Qi talent was developed too late, and this is as far as you go. Once the Knight Squad training is up to standard, and you stay to be my Retainer Knight, it¡¯s hard to get a chance to improve. Therefore, I plan to have you work in town,¡± Liszt said while practicing archery and talking with Karl.


    Karl was not young anymore and had already taken a wife and had children in Coral City.


    He said solemnly, ¡°My lord, Karl is willing to follow you forever!¡±


    ¡°I know your loyalty, but the position of retainer is not suitable for you. With your strength, competing with the young men of the knight squad would be very disadvantageous.¡±


    ¡°My lord, I¡­¡± Karl also understood that he was no match for the young men of the knight squad.


    Among them were two youths, Philip Wool and Zavier Bull Dung, who had cultivated Dou Qi earlier than him, and both the abundance and recovery speed of their Dou Qi surpassed his; the remaining ten youths had all developed a sense of Qi and were close to obtaining Dou Qi, with ample time to strive towards becoming Earth Knights.


    He felt a bit panicked.


    Not being a particularly clever person, he became bewildered about his future for a moment.


    Liszt sighed inwardly. He wasn¡¯t unkind or hard-hearted, but the position of Retainer Knights wasn¡¯t a place for sentimentality¡ªthey needed to protect their own safety and could not afford to be careless: ¡°Go to the Patrol Team. The Patrol Team is made up of common people, and they need an Apprentice Knight to oversee their security work.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Karl felt somewhat disheartened.


    The Patrol Team was nowhere as glorious as the retainer knights of a landlord.


    Liszt noticed Karl¡¯s disappointment and said indifferently, ¡°I will bestow upon you the status of a freeman and appoint you as the Defense Officer of Fresh Flower Town, assisting Goltai in managing the town¡¯s security, with the Patrol Team under your direct command. This position is important, do not let me down, Karl.¡±


    His expression shifted from disappointment to surprise in an instant.


    Karl bowed deeply, ¡°Thank you for the promotion, my lord. Karl is willing to serve you for life!¡±


    In the afternoon, the news that Karl had been promoted to a freeman and appointed as the Defense Officer of Fresh Flower Town spread throughout the entire stableyard. During a break in the knight squad¡¯s training, Marcus came over to give Liszt archery guidance.


    They chatted casually as well.


    ¡°My lord, Karl¡¯s story has made the knight squad train even harder, especially Rom, Gray, and Auden who are pushing themselves to the limit.¡±


    ¡°Dou Qi changes fate; it used to sound more like a slogan. But giving them a living example will make them realize that this is not just a slogan, but a tangible opportunity,¡± Liszt said as he shook his sore wrist. Even he himself was striving to become stronger.


    Marcus, however, remarked, ¡°It is you, my lord, who bestows upon them the opportunity to change their fate.¡±


    The statement was irrefutable; Liszt acknowledged it.


    Then changing the subject, he drew four arrows and practiced the ¡°Spiral Shadow Arrow¡± from the Multiple Arrow technique, making the four arrows follow a spiral trajectory¡ªthis was a preliminary skill for the Ultimate Mystery Multi-Shadow Arrow, with a key technique of how to create the illusion effect of the arrows.


    Two arrows were clamped between his index finger, and two between his middle finger.


    Drawing the stiff bow to its full arc,


    he aimed at a target not far in front of him. Suddenly, he released his grip, and the four arrows shot out one after another with magic power spreading out around them, driving the arrows to spin in the air.


    Regrettably,


    the magic power dispersing one of the arrows was directed incorrectly, breaking the formation of the arrows. The airflow shattered, affecting the other three arrows, leading all four to miss the target.


    ¡°Still lacking a bit,¡± Liszt put down the bow and arrows, recalling where he had gone wrong¡ªthe study of archery was vast, involving control over the bowstring¡¯s force, direction of the arrows, balancing magic power, as well as accounting for wind resistance and gravity.


    Marcus watched the landing trajectory of the arrows, his eyes shining.


    ¡°My lord, your archery talent has already surpassed many. I started learning archery at your age, but it took me three whole years just to get started in ¡®Basic Archery.¡¯ After becoming an Earth Knight and nearly fifteen years of practice, I reached my current level of archery, and you are quickly catching up.¡±

 Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 0084 When will the task be completed?

    Chapter 84: Chapter 0084 When will the task be completed?


    Translator: 549690339


    This isn¡¯t flattery.


    Liszt himself felt that his talent was extraordinarily potent.


    Perhaps his body, by nature, had strong lineage, superior genes, far surpassing those of ordinary people. Now with a soul that surpassed the era¡¯s thinking, his grasp of principles allowed him a clearer touch on the essence of cultivation.


    Others learned archery, perhaps solely through practice and experience.


    In their minds, there was no conception of air resistance, parabolic trajectories, inertia, or Newton¡¯s three laws of motion.


    Yet he could, through some simple laws of physics, discern the trajectory of an arrow¡¯s flight and thus more quickly master how to shape muscle memory to rapidly learn archery skills.


    What he lacked was just control over technical details.


    Analyze failure.


    Improve technique.


    Bend the bow and shoot arrows again.


    Liszt felt that such pure cultivation, once one delved into it, was also a kind of painful yet joyful indulgence.


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯m planning to take a day off to buy my family out of serfdom and bring them to live in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Karl said, having successfully handed over the position of defense officer, and following the afternoon¡¯s briefing for the patrol team, attended the evening¡¯s banquet in the castle for the first time.


    He was nervously fidgety with excitement.


    Liszt, biting into a piece of bread, replied, ¡°I approve your leave. Go ahead and bring your family to live here, Goltai will ensure your work is managed well¡­ By the way, do you have enough money to buy their freedom?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve saved up enough, Rom and the others lent me some. There are only four people in my family, my parents and younger brother and sister, and the money I have is just enough to buy out their serf status.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, don¡¯t hesitate to speak to me, whether you need an advance on your salary or a low-interest loan.¡±


    Karl, formerly a retainer knight, had family members who were serfs of the Tulip family. Now that he had obtained freeman status, he wanted to free his family from serfdom.


    As a follower of a noble, he now had enough power to protect his family.


    Goltai raised his glass to Karl in celebration, ¡°Blair and Marcus¡¯ families have settled into their new lives and are doing very well; your family will do the same.¡±


    Karl downed his beer in one go, excitedly saying, ¡°Fresh Flower Town will only get better, the glory of the knights shines upon this place, shines upon the lord!¡±


    ¡°I agree!¡± Marcus, too, raised his glass and drained his beer.


    Blair and Isaiah also raised their glasses to drink heartily.


    Goltai, who had a taste for good wine, finished his glass, eagerly waited for the servant to refill it, and then promptly raised his glass again, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s drink another round to Fresh Flower Town, to our lord!¡±


    One glass of wine was downed.


    Then Goltai added, ¡°Karl, come back soon. In three days, a caravan from North Valley City will come to Fresh Flower Town. The patrol team needs to supervise the entire process and promote the rules of Fresh Flower Town to them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll return as quickly as I can, without delay to the work,¡± Karl assured.


    ¡°Douson, release the magic!¡±


    Outside the castle, Liszt held Douson¡¯s leash, issuing the command.


    Douson immediately followed the direction of his pointing finger, opened his mouth to roar, and in an instant, a rock spike emerged from the ground. After Liszt led Douson away, a male servant immediately came over, shovel in hand, to dig the rock spike out of the ground.


    This kind of rock spike was created by the earth attribute magic power solidifying the soil into a hard stone compound.


    It was extremely hard, with the toughness of granite.


    Every day Douson could produce many such rock spikes, then the male servants would collect them and use them for paving roads. Liszt had requested the construction of a stone road between the castle and the town¡¯s main street, passable even on rainy days; otherwise, it was impossible to go out when it rained.


    At the moment, this road was already forty meters long.


    ¡°Douson, up!¡± Liszt continued to train Douson. He had specifically bought all the wild rabbits caught by hunters, and these rabbits were materials for Douson¡¯s training.


    The wild rabbits ran rapidly on the ground, making various abrupt stops and changes in direction.


    Even if Douson was a magical beast, hailed as the King of Thorn Ridge, catching up to a wild rabbit still took considerable effort. It chased the rabbit around the riding ground for about a kilometer before finally pinning the rabbit to the ground and biting down on its neck.


    It killed the rabbit.


    Douson flung the rabbit carcass to one side.


    It no longer ate raw food, its mouth spoiled by Liszt, only consuming cooked meals.


    ¡°Ga ji!¡±


    On Liszt¡¯s left hand, which was cloaked in a leather glove, perched a fluffy big bird, Juan Fu, a young Wind Falcon. Still unable to fly, it had quite a loud voice, squawking ¡°ga ji,¡± ¡°ga ji¡± all day long, and had a huge appetite too, consuming several fish in one meal.


    Hearing Juan Fu¡¯s squawk,


    the cheerful Douson immediately turned around, then rushed beside Liszt, drooling at Juan Fu¡ªit certainly wanted to eat a bird, to taste its flavor.


    ¡°Ga ji!¡±


    ¡°Ga ji!¡±


    Juan Fu flapped its wings, seemingly eager to attempt flying. Once this layer of down fell out, replaced by flight feathers, it would probably be ready for its first flight.


    Liszt felt slightly troubled, as birds yearn for the sky and are hard to keep grounded.


    Yet without any sign of recognizing an owner, and with nobody on Coral Island adept at taming birds,


    ¡°Stop squawking, or I¡¯ll make you into a red-cooked dish,¡± said Liszt nonchalantly as he passed Juan Fu to Thomas, who hastily caught it with his gloved hand, fearing it might fall and become prey to Douson.


    Now roughly the size and weight of a sausage, Juan Fu was somewhat heavy for Thomas to hold with one hand.


    Liszt, sympathetic to his struggle, said, ¡°Take it back to the nest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    By the time Thomas returned after delivering Juan Fu, Liszt had already exhausted Douson with training: ¡°Lead Douson back and tie it up, I¡¯m going to start practicing archery.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Seeing this, two robust youths rushed over to pass Liszt his bow and arrows: ¡°My lord, your bow and arrows.¡±


    They were Philip Wool and Zavier Bull Dung, members of the Knight Squad who had cultivated Dou Qi and were no longer required to train daily with the squad, beginning their duties as Retainer Knights.


    Accepting the bow and arrows,


    Liszt quickly entered his zone, practicing Multiple Arrow. Now, he only lacked mastery of Spiral Shadow Arrow; he had successfully learned the other four techniques but wasn¡¯t very proficient yet.


    ¡°Today, I aim to master Spiral Shadow Arrow, and I¡¯ll start practicing Multiple Phantom Arrow tomorrow!¡±


    From morning until afternoon.


    Sweat streamed down time and again.


    Finally, as the sun set in the west, he successfully executed Spiral Shadow Arrow. Four arrows spiraled through the air, instantly creating layers of illusions, eventually all striking the target.


    ¡°Phew!¡±


    He breathed a sigh of relief.


    Rubbing his wrist, he decided to call it a day with archery: ¡°In another week, I should be able to master Multiple Phantom Arrow.¡± Thinking this, he summoned the Smoke Mission and habitually glanced over it.


    But this glance revealed that the Serpent Script had transformed.


    ¡°Mission complete, reward: Black Pearl of the Deep Sea.¡±


    ¡°Mission: A trade caravan is soon to arrive at Fresh Flower Town, the first since the Landlord¡¯s commencement. Ensure the trade¡¯s total proceeds reach at least 3 Gold Coins to attract the caravan for future visits. Reward: Drifting Bottle.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Liszt was puzzled, ¡°When did I actually complete the mission? I clearly haven¡¯t mastered the Ultimate Mystery Multi-Shadow Arrow?¡±


    Suddenly, it dawned on him.


    That time when practicing ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, Marcus¡¯s Multiple Phantom Arrow had one stray from the target.


    ¡°Does this mean that Marcus hasn¡¯t mastered the Ultimate Mystery Technique either? He shot in two sequences and still missed one, so he doesn¡¯t qualify as having mastery? So, do I only need to learn the earlier Double Arrow, Triple Arrow, and Multiple Arrow to complete the mission?¡±


    Without a doubt, that had to be the case.


    It was an unexpected blessing, which Liszt gladly accepted, then shifted his focus to the rewards and new mission: ¡°The Black Pearl of the Deep Sea? The Drifting Bottle? Is there any connection between them?¡±

 Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 0085: The Self-Recommended Captain

    Chapter 85: Chapter 0085: The Self-Recommended Captain


    Translator: 549690339


    The task was easy to accomplish.


    He didn¡¯t need to pay attention to how much the residents of the town traded, as he had already decided that the castle would directly purchase any goods above three Gold Coins.


    Recently, seafood had started to turn a profit, and the East Coast had become a constant stream of Gold Coins for the castle.


    His money pouch had successfully stopped deflating and was slightly recovering; he now had about five Gold Coins saved.


    ¡°Old Geronte, I¡¯ve called you here because I have a task for you. Tomorrow, a merchant convoy from North Valley City will come to Fresh Flower Town. I¡¯m giving you three Gold Coins, and you must spend them all, purchasing anything you can.¡±


    Old Geronte was astute, ¡°Lord Landlord, are you using the allure of Gold Coins to entice the merchant convoy to come again next time?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Old Geronte understands, I will see to it that it¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Good, you may go now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, I wish you a good night.¡±


    As Old Geronte turned to leave, he saw Bunier at the castle gate and greeted him, ¡°Bunier, has the Lord Landlord also summoned you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I made some soap and brought it to the castle specially.¡± Bunier shook the bag he was holding, ¡°Did the Lord Landlord call for you about the merchant convoy¡¯s matter for tomorrow?¡±


    Old Geronte said with a hint of pride, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the leader of the castle¡¯s merchant convoy, and the Lord Landlord trusts me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m envious of you, but I must be going now.¡± Bunier passed Old Geronte and, led by a servant, entered the castle to see Liszt.


    He bowed respectfully and handed the soap to the servant.


    ¡°Finally, the soap is made, and we no longer have to buy those soaps from Coral City, where they charge two silver coins for materials that plainly cost a copper coin.¡± Liszt picked up a bar of soap, feeling that Bunier¡¯s craftsmanship was decent and not much worse than the soaps bought from Coral City, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Bunier.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Bunier¡¯s fortune to work for Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°I have another task for you.¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, please command me.¡±


    Liszt said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a formula, mixing pig pancreas and wood ash¡ªbasically these two materials¡ªto create a soap that is more potent in cleaning than soapberry. It¡¯s called ¡®fat soap.¡¯¡± The term ¡®pancreas¡¯ didn¡¯t sound pleasant, so Liszt simply described it as ¡®fat soap,¡¯ since it was a new concept with no contention over naming rights.


    ¡°There is something better than soapberry? Lord Landlord, can pig pancreas also clean and remove stains?¡± asked Bunier, surprised.


    ¡°That¡¯s the case, but I can¡¯t remember exactly how to mix them. Therefore, I¡¯m handing over the task of making fat soap to you, hoping that you can quickly figure out how to create a bath soap using pig pancreas and wood ash. Once you¡¯ve succeeded, I will reward you handsomely.¡±


    Bunier quickly replied, ¡°It is Bunier¡¯s fortune to work for Lord Landlord. Please be assured, Lord Landlord, that Bunier will make the fat soap as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Hm, don¡¯t forget to keep making the regular soap as well; we cannot run out of soap in the castle.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord.¡±


    The rewards for the Smoke Mission arrived quickly.


    The next morning, Liszt received a report that the fishermen from Oyster Village had found a stranded giant sea creature on the East Coast. A sea monster, the Black Pearl of the Deep Sea, Liszt immediately realized and set off for the East Coast.


    By the seaside, he saw the stranded sea monster, accompanied by a putrid smell.


    ¡°Lord, do you recognize this kind of sea monster?¡± Goltai and the others had rushed over early, but they did not recognize what species the stranded sea monster was.


    Liszt looked closely and saw that the sea monster was some kind of mollusk, extremely large, at least over ten meters long. It had tentacles, soft and entwined together, and upon examining its body, which resembled a squid and lay spread out on the sand, he noticed signs of decay that made it hard to discern what it looked like alive.


    He used the Eye of Magic and discovered that there was no flow of magic power in the body of the sea monster.


    Strictly speaking, this was just some sort of marine animal, not a sea monster.


    ¡°It might be a type of large squid, not a sea monster,¡± Liszt fanned away the air in front of his nose, as the putrid smell of the decaying squid was extremely foul.


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s edible?¡± Blair suddenly asked.


    Goltai made a face of aversion, ¡°I can hardly stand the smell, let alone eat it. I think it¡¯s not seafood; it¡¯s a monster! Maybe it¡¯s poisonous, or it might even have eaten people in the sea. I¡¯ve heard of a kind of sea monster that entangles ships, and this squid has ¡®hands,¡¯ so it definitely could entangle ships as well.¡±


    Whether or not it was poisonous or had eaten people, Liszt would not consider it seafood.


    Something rotten should just be thrown away.


    But thinking of the Black Pearl of the Deep Sea, which might be related to this large squid, he ordered, ¡°Teacher Goltai, find some people to dissect this large squid to see if there¡¯s anything interesting inside. If there¡¯s nothing, chop it up and throw it into the sea to avoid creating a stench.¡±


    Goltai began organizing fishermen to come and dissect the large squid.


    Liszt then rode his horse towards the beached sailboat not far from the beach; this damaged sailboat, with a few holes, had already been repaired by carpenters. When the tide went out, they would move it back into the sea, and after the tide rose again, it could basically sail back out¡­ It¡¯s just that, while they had a captain who could steer, they lacked qualified sailors.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, Kostor sends his regards to you.¡±


    While Liszt was admiring the sailboat, his Retainer Knights Philip and Zavier stopped a fisherman. The fisherman knelt on the ground in a hurry, shouting loudly.


    Kostor?


    Liszt remembered the name, turned his horse around, and said to Thomas following behind, ¡°Let him come here.¡±


    Kostor was a tall, middle-aged man with a sun-baked, weather-beaten face: ¡°Lord Landlord, Kostor sends his regards to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already said that once,¡± Liszt looked at him with a critical eye, ¡°Stand up to talk. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you are the captain of this ship, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord still remembers Kostor, I am honored,¡± Kostor stood up and respectfully said, ¡°I used to work for Lord Little Papa as the captain of the Flying Number, a three-masted sailing ship that could reach 3 knots speed with the wind. This sailboat is even more outstanding than the Flying Number; it can reach 5 knots with the wind.¡±


    Knot was a unit of speed, and Liszt wasn¡¯t quite sure how fast a knot really was.


    But he knew that the fastest ship in the Tulip Fleet could reach 7 knots. It was said that the fastest sailing ships in the Court Fleet could reach a speed of 10 knots.


    Kostor looked up at the sailboat, his eyes filled with inexplicable emotion. ¡°Lord Landlord, don¡¯t you wish to see it return to the sea?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to captain this ship again?¡± Liszt looked with interest at Kostor, who clearly seemed ready to offer himself for the role. ¡°But Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have a single sailor.¡±


    ¡°They can be trained. I started out as a sailor, traversing the seas year-round. I know how to train qualified sailors. If Lord Landlord trusts me, you only need to give me twenty people; within three months, I can train them into qualified coastal crew members, and within a year, they should be able to sail in distant waters!¡±


    Liszt looked at him, ¡°Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have an appropriate seaport; how will you train the sailors?¡±


    ¡°We do, Lord Landlord, Fresh Flower Town has a place that is very suitable for building a seaport! The terrain is flat, the water is deep, and it can accommodate medium-sized ships and below!¡±

 Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 0086: The Unopenable Tridacna

    Chapter 86: Chapter 0086: The Unopenable Tridacna


    Translator: 549690339


    Kostor crouched on the sand, tracing a rough outline of the East Coast shoreline with his finger, and then circled a spot at one end of the coastline, ¡°Lord Landlord, this here is a suitable place for the construction of a harbor.¡±


    Liszt understood this crude map.


    Strictly speaking, the location of the harbor was no longer within the boundaries of Fresh Flower Town. The cow farm marked the northernmost boundary of Fresh Flower Town, while further north lay the section of Thorn Ridge that extended to the sea.


    And the site Kostor mentioned was where Thorn Ridge met the sea.


    ¡°Thorn Ridge is made up of low hills with flat roads running through it, and in recent times, I¡¯ve scouted the entire East Coast. I found that from this position, Thorn Ridge begins to fork, forming a flat valley. Right by the sea is a deep-water harbor, which I¡¯ve personally dived to explore. The terrain and roads are both suitable for the construction of docks.¡±


    ¡°You dared to go deep into Thorn Ridge?¡± Liszt was somewhat surprised.


    Kostor¡¯s tone was somewhat fervent, ¡°Since taking refuge in Fresh Flower Town, I have always wanted to set sail again. But without a harbor or docks in Fresh Flower Town, I couldn¡¯t settle. So, I explored farther¡­ I was lucky, encountering no Magical Beasts, only some wild beasts, and I found some Smoked Grass.¡±


    As he spoke,


    he suddenly knelt down again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Landlord, I went to the Smoked Grass field and picked up leaves that had fallen to the ground. Please penalize me.¡±


    Smoked Grass belonged to Liszt. Even naturally fallen leaves were his property, and picking them up was considered theft by anyone, let alone a serf.


    ¡°Stand up first, we¡¯ll talk about your actions later.¡±


    Liszt indicated for him to stand again and speak, ¡°You¡¯re quite bold, not only daring to enter Thorn Ridge but also to venture into the sea alone. It seems that neither Magical Beasts nor Sea Monsters can stop the love for the sea in your heart.¡±


    ¡°I love the sea!¡±


    Kostor took a deep breath, gazing toward the Sea Waves.


    ¡°I grew up by the sea, and as a youth, I sailed with ships. I¡¯ve spent more time at sea than on land. I¡¯ve seen the long horn of the narwhal piercing the surface, which is a tooth growing from its mouth; I¡¯ve witnessed mirages of wealthy cities at sea, unattainable however I chased; I¡¯ve heard enchanting songs from within the fog, the singing of Sea Serpents¡­¡±


    After a pause, he swallowed hard and spoke earnestly, ¡°I love sailing, I love moving across the sea, Lord Landlord, Kostor hopes to steer your sailboat and engage in maritime trade for you.¡±


    A brief exchange.


    Liszt could tell that Kostor was a person of insight, intelligence, action, and adventurous spirit. If he had been in the era of great European voyages, such a man might have become an explorer like ¡°Columbus¡±. Clearly, those who harbor dreams are worthy of respect.


    His talents were wasted in Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Kostor, I hereby appoint you Captain of the Fresh Flower Vessel.¡± He looked down at him from his position of authority. ¡°You may recruit your own Sailor Apprentices and train them in sailing skills along the East Coast.¡±


    ¡°Fresh Flower Vessel?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the name of the sailboat; I named it the Fresh Flower Vessel. It¡¯ll be the first ship of Fresh Flower Town!¡±


    Kostor was overjoyed, ¡°Lord Landlord, when do you plan on constructing the harbor, and when do you plan to set out for maritime trade? Just give me one year, and I will train a crew of qualified sailors!¡±


    ¡°You are not to enter Thorn Forest again until I have cleared all the trees of Thorn Ridge. There¡¯s no need for you to worry about the harbor; I will build the docks when the time comes. There is no salary for the position of Captain at the moment; you need to be self-reliant, perhaps by charging tuition fees¡­ Of course, you can choose to apply to be a teacher, teaching my Knight Squad about sailing.¡±


    Marcus teaches Dou Qi, Isaiah teaches literacy, and now with Kostor teaching sailing, Liszt highly values the education of the Knight Squad.


    Even if only a few of this group turn out to be exceptional, they can become qualified instructors for Liszt to train the next batch of Knight candidates.


    The outcome couldn¡¯t have been better. Kostor knelt on both knees and paid his respects, ¡°Lord Landlord, I am willing to apply for the teacher position!¡±


    ¡°Then, Captain, introduce me to the Fresh Flower Vessel.¡±


    The Fresh Flower Vessel was a two-masted schooner evidently much smaller than a three-masted one. It could barely be used for oceanic trade. Within the Tulip Fleet, there were quite a few two-masted schooners. They were most suited for sailing within the archipelago, where they would not encounter severe ocean storms, greatly increasing their safety.


    It had no cannons.


    If it encountered a Sea Monster, fleeing was the only option; however, while there were often stories of Sea Monsters attacking ships, in reality, such attacks were rare.


    While they were admiring the Fresh Flower Vessel, the fishermen dissecting the large squid corpse suddenly shouted.


    The news quickly reached Liszt. It turned out the fishermen had extracted a large shell creature from the squid¡¯s stomach. ¡°A shell shaped like a wave¡± and ¡°larger than a human¡± were the descriptions given by the Clerk relaying the message about this shell creature.


    Liszt immediately disembarked from the Fresh Flower Vessel.


    He understood, within this shell creature, there must be a Black Pearl of the Deep Sea.


    When he saw the shell creature for himself, he realized in an instant, ¡°This is a Tridacna!¡±


    The huge shell, the wave-like design, and the colorfully splendid mantle all declared its identity¡ªa Tridacna. In Liszt¡¯s homeland, the Tridacna was the world¡¯s largest shell creature. Its shell could be made into a gemstone and was extremely valuable; the flesh was also particularly delicious.


    On the table at his former home, there was a vase made from the shell of a Tridacna.


    Of course, that was a small Tridacna.


    The enormous Tridacna before him had at least a two-meter diameter, estimated to weigh over five hundred kilograms. The shell was tightly closed, and it was unclear whether it was still alive; the splendid mantle appeared to have been digested by the squid, exhibiting spots and signs of peeling.


    ¡°Lord, what kind of shell creature is this, do you know?¡± Goltai circled the Tridacna incessantly.


    ¡°Tridacna, a kind of large shell creature.¡± While speaking, he utilized his Eye of Magic to examine the Tridacna closely but did not detect traces of magic power. It seemed to be just an ordinary Tridacna, not a Sea Monster. ¡°Open it, I want to see if there are any pearls inside the shell.¡±


    ¡°Pearls? Can Tridacnas also produce pearls? I always thought that only the pearl oysters in Tranquil Lake could produce pearls.¡±


    Tranquil Lake was a vast lake on Blue Dragon Island and a property of the Sapphire Family. One of its special products was pearl oysters bred in the lake. They were a type of small Sea Monster, or Water Monster, that lived only in freshwater and could produce pearls. The pearls had a hint of magic power with a mild Water Attribute that could calm the mind.


    They were decorations favored by Nobles.


    Many well-bred ladies wore a string of pearl necklaces around their necks.


    Liszt pointed at the Tridacna, ¡°Open it up and we¡¯ll know if there are any inside.¡±


    Goltai hurriedly organized the manpower, prepared to pry open the shell of the Tridacna, but the group struggled for a long time and still couldn¡¯t open the hard shell of the Tridacna.


    ¡°My goodness, have you not eaten enough!¡± Goltai looked on incredulously, ¡°A shell has exposed your true feeble nature?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Goltai, this thing is too sturdy, our levers have broken,¡± someone complained.


    ¡°I guarantee it¡¯s like a stone, seamless, and simply impossible to open,¡± another assured.


    ¡°Maybe we should build a fire under it. When I eat oysters, I always roast them, and they open on their own.¡±

 Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 087: Bring in a Princess Bed

    Chapter 87: Chapter 087: Bring in a Princess Bed


    Translator: 549690339


    The shell of the Tridacna was extremely difficult to pry open, and the fishermen were helpless without the right tools.


    Liszt didn¡¯t insist, as long as the Black Pearl was inside, it couldn¡¯t escape. After the giant Squid was dismembered and its rotting body was thrown into the sea, Liszt ordered that the Tridacna be carried back to the Castle to be studied slowly.


    The immense Tridacna had a strange shape.


    Along the way, it attracted the curious gazes of many townsfolk, and upon reaching the Castle, all the servants came out to observe, having never seen anything so peculiar.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, what do you think is the best way to open it?¡±


    Marcus pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Its strength is formidable, the two shells are tightly fixed together, but since its outer shell is irregular with many crevices, we could insert a stick to pry it open. A regular wooden stick won¡¯t do; we need a thick iron bar, although, we probably don¡¯t have such an iron bar.¡±


    Iron was precious, no one would forge a thick iron bar specifically for prying open the shell of a Tridacna.


    ¡°Perhaps we could use fire to burn it,¡± Carter suggested.


    ¡°The shell is too thick, fire would hardly damage it,¡± Liszt refuted, and besides, there was a Black Pearl inside. The last thing he wanted was for it to be overheated¡­


    ¡°Use hooks. We can hook one on each shell and then use horses to pull them apart, thus opening its shell,¡± Marcus finally thought of a crude method.


    However, it proved effective.


    When two horses pulled on their respective ropes, almost snapping them, they eventually managed to pry apart the shell of the Tridacna. The now vertical Tridacna looked like a blossoming flower, not widely open, but enough to locate its ¡°bands,¡± the muscles used to close its shell.


    Marcus gripped his greatsword, his strength surging forth as he cut through one of the bands.


    Snap!


    The horses straining against the shell prompted the Tridacna to split into two halves, no longer able to close. Liszt¡¯s gaze was already on a group of protrusions on the inner wall of the Tridacna, where the pearls were nestled, round and plump.


    ¡°Cut it open, but be careful. The pearls inside are wrapped in it, don¡¯t scratch them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Marcus personally wielded the knife, cautiously slicing through the membrane of the protrusion, and when he cut open the largest one, a shiny Black Pearl was revealed, as large as a washbasin.


    ¡°There are more beside it, cut them all open and extract them,¡± Liszt said excitedly.


    He hadn¡¯t figured out what these Black Pearls were for yet, but finding such large Black Pearls was unimaginable. If these were auctioned in his homeland, they would certainly fetch an astonishingly high price.


    After Marcus completed the cutting, a total of sixteen Black Pearls of varying sizes were extracted.


    The largest was the one the size of a washbasin.


    Following that were two nearly the size of basketballs; then three about the size of a sea bowl; and finally, a bunch of smaller Black Pearls the size of apples, oranges, and ping-pong balls.


    After cleaning them, Liszt cradled the largest Black Pearl and suddenly felt traces of Magic Power flowing within it. He quickly used his Eye of Magic, and then, he saw a whirlpool-like profound Magic Power inside the Black Pearl. It was a light blue in color, indicative of Water-Attribute Magic Power.


    ¡°It actually has Magic Power?¡±


    Before, when he had used the Eye of Magic to observe the Tridacna, he hadn¡¯t detected the slightest trace of Magic Power. Little did he know, the Black Pearls themselves possessed Magic Power.


    ¡°My lord, these Black Pearls, they seem to have Magic Power?¡± Marcus also noticed something was amiss, but lacking the Eye of Magic, he wasn¡¯t certain.


    ¡°There is indeed magic power here.¡±


    Li Si Te became lost in thought as he handled the black pearl, recalling a knight¡¯s novel he had read. In one of these novels, it was mentioned that the song of a sea serpent could calm a raging storm, and there was a great knight who captured a sea serpent and turned it into a piece of magic equipment.


    This equipment allowed ships to sail steadily through storms without being affected.


    What exactly a sea serpent was, no one could say for sure. Some swore they had heard the song of a sea serpent¡ªKostor had just mentioned he once heard a sea serpent sing¡ªbut there were no records of what a sea serpent truly was. Most people believed that sea serpents were nothing more than tales spun by sailors.


    This story had no connection to the black pearls.


    What sparked Li Si Te¡¯s imagination was the idea of a sea serpent transformed into equipment that sheltered ships from storms.


    ¡°Could these black pearls also be turned into magic equipment to withstand storms? After all, they are magic items with water-attribute magic power, and the magic power is very rich, nearly rivaling that of gemstones produced by dragons. Suppressing sea storms might be uncertain, but making magic equipment should be feasible.¡±


    Without a magician, it was impossible to study the black pearls.


    Li Si Te thought there might be other uses¡ªfor example, as an air conditioner.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, Mr. Carter, everyone, do you feel the air has gotten much cooler?¡±


    Marcus took a moment to feel it: ¡°I don¡¯t feel the coolness, but there seems to be more moisture in the air. It must be the black pearls condensing the water vapor around us.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, they are valuable items. How much do you think they could sell for if we put them on the market?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a fist-sized white pearl before, and I heard that one could go for at least five gold coins. I guess black pearls of the same size should fetch about ten gold coins? As for the largest black pearl, my lord, I cannot estimate its value; it¡¯s completely new.¡±


    ¡°It has a very rich magic power, definitely worth more than white pearls, but the castle isn¡¯t in need of money at the moment. We¡¯ll have to think more carefully about its price,¡± Li Si Te was not very satisfied with Marcus¡¯s valuation.


    He felt that even if the black pearls were priced at twice the value of white pearls, they would still be undervalued; their worth was probably far greater than imagined.


    So he said to Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, please move them to my study.¡± He himself kept a black pearl the size of a ping-pong ball in his hand, carefully playing with it.


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± replied Carter.


    A moment later, Carter came back to ask, ¡°Master, what about the opened Tridacna shell? Can we eat its flesh?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­ Well, let Douson try it first. If it¡¯s poisonous, we¡¯ll just throw it away.¡±


    ¡°And the two shells?¡±


    ¡°Clean the inner walls of the shells thoroughly. I want to see if there¡¯s any jadeite formation.¡±


    Jadeite Tridacna is a prized jewel in Li Si Te¡¯s homeland, one of the seven treasures of Buddhism. In the West, Tridacna, pearls, coral, and amber are considered the four major organic gemstones. Jadeite Tridacna, the whitest substance in the world, is formed through the jade-like transformation of the inner walls of a Tridacna shell.


    ¡°Such a large Tridacna should have some jadeite parts, shouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    But Li Si Te soon realized his mistake, as the tremendous Tridacna shell had no signs of jadeite on its inner walls. It was only then that he remembered; a living Tridacna couldn¡¯t undergo jadeite formation. Jadeite formation required time, much like the gestation of jade¡ªit was the product of millions of years of accumulation and sculpting.


    Jadeite Tridacna formed when a dead Tridacna was buried in sand, slowly turning into jade over millions of years.


    Without jadeite formation, the shells could not be crafted into gemstones, yet Li Si Te had a wildly imaginative idea: ¡°Mr. Carter, what do you think would happen if we made it into a bed?¡±


    As he spoke, he imagined the animated films from his childhood¡ªthe Disney animations where the mermaid princess always slept inside a shell.

 Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 0088: What is the Value of the Black Pearl?

    Chapter 88: Chapter 0088: What is the Value of the Black Pearl?


    Translator: 549690339


    The Tridacna shell was huge, over two meters long and almost as wide, and while Liszt was still growing and now nearly reached a height of one meter eighty-five, he could still fit inside the clean Tridacna shell to sleep if he wished.


    Of course, that suggestion was just a casual remark.


    The shape of the Tridacna shell was too peculiar, its form like that of a great wave, not suited to be crafted into a bed. He had the Tridacna shell placed at the castle¡¯s entrance as a giant sculpture. It had to be said, the hollowed-out, cleaned Tridacna shell had quite an aesthetic appeal.


    Having dealt with the Tridacna, Liszt returned to the study to examine the Black Pearls.


    Carter had moved all the Black Pearls into the study, but now, apart from the small Black Pearl in Liszt¡¯s hand, the other Black Pearls were invisible¡ªthey had been stashed away by Liszt in a Space Gem near his chest, as he chose to keep valuable items close to his person.


    So when Carter brought in a glass of juice, he exclaimed in surprise, ¡°My lord, I clearly placed the Black Pearls on the shelf over there, where have they gone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve hidden them, no need to be astonished,¡± Liszt replied.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Carter did not probe further about where Liszt had hidden the Black Pearls. As the butler, he didn¡¯t need to know. His role was simply to serve the lord well and manage the daily affairs of the castle.


    Sipping the juice.


    After exploring for half a day.


    Liszt gradually gained a basic understanding of the Black Pearls, ¡°They are rich in Magic Power, nearly as much as the gemstones produced by dragons. However, unlike gemstones that provide a continuous supply of Magic Power, the Magic Power of the Black Pearls seems to require manual replenishment. I don¡¯t have Water-Attribute Magic Power, so I can¡¯t replenish them.¡±


    The ping-pong ball-sized Black Pearl he was toying with in his hand constantly emitted ripples of Magic Power.


    This ripple was utterly different from that of a Dragon Gem.


    He distinguished between the two using terms he could understand: ¡°Dragon Gems are more akin to forming a stable magnetic field with Magic Power, which does not dissipate. Black Pearls, on the other hand, are like a radioactive element, continuously emitting Magic Power, and over time, you can feel the loss of their Power.¡±


    So, in essence, Black Pearls were many levels inferior to Dragon Gems.


    A Dragon Gem could easily fetch seven to eight hundred Gold Coins, while as Marcus had said, a Black Pearl might only sell for a dozen or so Gold Coins.


    ¡°However, who knows what exorbitant price a basin-sized Black Pearl could fetch! I believe those nobles, as insane about collecting treasures and antiques as they are, would be willing to pay with Dragon Coins,¡± Liszt mused. A Dragon Coin was worth ten thousand Gold Coins, and only particularly wealthy nobles could afford them.


    With that thought.


    He became unsettled, ¡°I always feel that the reward for the Smoke Mission this time is the most substantial¡­ The content of the reward isn¡¯t particularly rich, but it¡¯s akin to being given money, tangible and real.¡±


    So far, he had completed eighteen missions, without fathoming the pattern for their appearance, nor the rules governing the rewards.


    But most of the mission rewards were very valuable.


    If one were to gauge, magical beast rewards like Douson and Juan Fu were probably worth over a hundred Gold Coins; productivity rewards like Elf Bug might be valued at a thousand or two thousand Gold Coins, as the Elf Bug was indeed magical and rare, but its ten-year lifespan was a significant limitation.


    As for Black Tulips, Flame Mushrooms, Dragon Breed Horses, they would probably fetch around a Dragon Coin in value; for a Dou Qi Secret Technique like ¡°The Eye of Magic¡±, it was definitely worth three thousand Gold Coins; and as for items like Corn Grass, Smoked Grass, a Miniature Saltpeter Mine, or fifty serfs, while challenging to quantify, were also very valuable.


    As for the information about the Formless Dragon, that was in a class of its own.


    The most valuable were the gems of the Formless Dragon, gems that contained their own space, priceless treasures.


    However, these rewards either needed a long time to fully display their value or due to various constraints, couldn¡¯t demonstrate their worth, or were simply so valuable that possessing them was a crime, such as Space Gems, which could not be revealed for fear of attracting disaster.


    But the current Black Pearls were different.


    They were highly valuable; the sixteen Black Pearls of varying sizes could fetch at least tens of thousands of Gold Coins combined. Crucially, they could be sold separately, as they were not a set but individual entities.


    ¡°Should I sell it, sell it, or sell it?¡± Liszt pondered for a moment before deciding to take out a black pearl the size of a sea bowl to test the waters of the market.


    Yesterday, Carter mentioned to him that August 19th was Levis¡¯s birthday and asked what gift was needed.


    He was to attend the birthday party at Tulip Castle.


    ¡°Just get some high-grade seafood as a gift. It would be a good opportunity to ask if he has any intention of buying black pearls. The Tulip Family all have Water-Attribute Dou Qi, so they should be interested in black pearls¡­ They could get a magician to help forge a magic equipment. By then, they could also help me understand how exactly black pearls can be used.¡±


    No one is better than a magician at studying magic items.


    It¡¯s uncertain if there are any magicians on Coral Island, but the Tulip Family can definitely make contact with one.


    If the price is right, Liszt is prepared to sell a few black pearls first and gather some gold coins, then hand them over to Levis to continue purchasing serfs for him.


    He also plans to buy more pig iron and wrought iron and give them to the smithy to make farming tools.


    He was not satisfied with the efficiency of the serfs farming in the town. Since he couldn¡¯t get oxen for plowing and the research on plows needed time, his only option was to make more shovels and hoes so all the serfs could turn the soil and farm more efficiently. This way, some could be freed to work in other trades.


    ¡°If a good price is gained, buy some calves, foals, lambs, and higher quality feed for the pregnant mares.¡±


    ¡°If convenient, the castle could be refurbished a bit, preferably with a heated kang, as winter is on its way. In an era without central heating, you have to rely on a heated bed for warmth.¡±


    Deep planning is probably what describes Liszt.


    Summer had just started not long ago, and he was already considering the challenges of living in winter.


    The merchant caravan from North Valley City arrived at Fresh Flower Town before eight o¡¯clock in the morning. After more than eight months, a merchant caravan had once again entered Fresh Flower Town. Usually, caravans followed the Tax Knight, visiting once every quarter except for winter, which meant three times a year.


    Each time a caravan arrived, the town celebrated as if it were the New Year.


    This time was no exception. The grand caravan quickly attracted all the residents of the town, who almost all stopped their work to watch.


    After finishing his morning exercises and not touching his bow and arrows again, Liszt took a bath and returned to the castle. Standing at the window, he could see the bustling crowd in the town.


    Especially the jesters who had set up a stage and started performing farces, attracting the majority of the town¡¯s residents.


    The sound of their laughter and cheers could even be heard from the castle.


    ¡°Maisie, go call for Mr. Carter,¡± he said to the maid Maisie, who was cleaning.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Soon, Carter hurried over, ¡°My lord, you called for me?¡±


    ¡°The town is very lively today. Tell everyone in the castle that if they want to take the day off, they can go ahead. There¡¯s no need to stay in the castle. Go to the town to watch the farce or buy some snacks to relax.¡±


    ¡°You are truly a generous noble. I will pass on your message to the servants.¡±


    ¡°That includes you, Mr. Carter.¡±


    Carter chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t need to, my lord. Let the younger servants enjoy your generosity. The castle needs someone to watch over it, and you should not be without the attendance of your servants.¡±

 Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 0089: Able to Raise a Pony

    Chapter 89: Chapter 0089: Able to Raise a Pony


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Mrs. Abbie, Little Lily and I are planning to go to town to see the clown show, would you like to join us?¡± Eileen moved the large chunk of tridacna meat out of the basket to dry outside the castle.


    Douson ate a large piece of tridacna meat yesterday and not only was he fine, but he was also full of energy and vigor.


    So, tridacna meat is edible.


    ¡°Oh, heavens! Why would the master be so generous to give you a day off?¡± Mrs. Abbie busily arranged various seasonings on the stove, ¡°If you like your job as maids, you should stay in the kitchen obediently; there is a big pile of work to do every day.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter said that the master instructed that only a fried steak is needed for lunch and that we servants may eat beans and bread. It does not require much work,¡± Little Lily said while moving the tridacna meat as well.


    A single tridacna weighs over five hundred pounds; after removing three hundred pounds of the shell, there is still over two hundred pounds of meat.


    ¡°Mr. Carter, like the master, always indulges you young servants who are not earnest in your work. This is not the kind of benevolence that befits a qualified butler. Back in my younger days, the kitchen was busy all day long, and not a moment was spared idle ¡ª that¡¯s the proper work attitude for a kitchen maid.¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡±


    The sound of Carter¡¯s cough came from the doorway; unbeknownst to them, he had already arrived: ¡°Although I can understand your dedication to work, Mrs. Abbie, don¡¯t always tense up. Go and take a stroll in town with the young ones; it¡¯s a rare occasion when the merchant caravan comes.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Carter, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you,¡± Mrs. Abbie felt a bit embarrassed, having been caught speaking ill behind someone¡¯s back.


    ¡°No problem, in fact I take your calling me kind as a compliment. Go on, join Eileen and Little Lily to see the clown show in town. The thought of those clowns makes even me laugh.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, I have to prepare the master¡¯s lunch.¡±


    ¡°Then make sure to return before eleven o¡¯clock, it¡¯s nine now, you still have two hours to roam around the town.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Before Mrs. Abbie could refuse, Carter cut her off: ¡°Consider it a work task I¡¯ve assigned to you, have a good two hours of fun.¡±


    ¡°Haha, good on you, Mr. Carter,¡± Eileen happily took Mrs. Abbie¡¯s arm, ¡°Come on, Mrs. Abbie, I can¡¯t wait to see the clowns.¡±


    Little Lily took Mrs. Abbie¡¯s other arm: ¡°Yeah, yeah, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Mrs. Abbie reluctantly began to walk out: ¡°I don¡¯t want to go shopping, but it¡¯s best I keep an eye on you two, to prevent you from getting carried away and forgetting to come back to work¡­ Also, wait a moment, I need to change into a new set of clothes; I can¡¯t go out looking like this, it would be unseemly for the castle.¡±


    Carter watched with a slight smile as the large and the two small ones made a commotion.


    Compared to working in the Earl¡¯s country estate castle, life in this small-town castle was a bit busier, but so much more lively. The youthful exuberance of the young people gave him an inexplicable surge in energy, making him feel as if he were growing younger instead of older with the passing year.


    He heard footsteps.


    Turning his head, he saw Mrs. Morson: ¡°Have Maisie and the others already gone to town to shop?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and Tom and Thomas went together as well. Mr. Carter, aren¡¯t you going with them?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Abbie, Eileen, and Little Lily are changing into their clothes; they¡¯ll soon head to town to see the clown show, and I think you should join them. As for the castle, I¡¯ll stay to serve the master. You know, with even Thomas gone, there must be a manservant to attend to him when he requests water.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay as well, you can call me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to join in the fun?¡±


    ¡°At my age, I should be avoiding crowds, not seeking them out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Mrs. Morson, I feel as if I¡¯m getting younger the more I live,¡± Carter declared, puffing out his chest to seem more spirited.


    ¡°Yes, young Carter.¡±


    ¡°Annie, have we already sold more than half of the tomatoes?¡± John Bian Dan walked up to his family¡¯s stall.


    The stall was situated on the southwest side of the small town, where a large, flat area had been cleared out for visiting caravans to set up and conduct their business and trade.


    There were also a few wooden outhouses placed around the area.


    The Patrol Team and the town clerks repeated the announcement over and over, ¡°Lord Landlord has decreed that no one is allowed to relieve themselves in public, violators will be fined and whipped! If you need to use the facilities, follow the arrows to the outhouses outside. The symbol with a circle on the bottom and an arrow pointing up () indicates the men¡¯s toilets, while the symbol with a circle on top and a cross beneath () is for the women¡¯s toilets¡ªdon¡¯t mix them up!¡±


    John had long since become accustomed to this rule.


    It had been a long time since he had defecated in the street; at home, they had prepared a chamber pot, storing up the collected waste. Once composted, it was used directly as fertilizer for the tomato fields¡ªthis was the agricultural magic taught by Lord Landlord. Farms that used this magic fertilizer saw a harvest increase of twenty to thirty percent!


    There used to be town officials who organized the purchase of human waste.


    Now they could no longer collect it, as every household kept their waste to fertilize their own farmland. After the harvest, the kind and generous noble Lord Landlord took taxes proportionally, rather than the Tax Knights of the past, who seemed to want to take all of a serf¡¯s harvest for themselves.


    Ever since Lord Landlord arrived, John felt not just his own life, but also the lives of his neighbors and surrounding community, had improved dramatically.


    Of course, he was the luckiest one.


    Because Lord Landlord awarded him a Nalda for the tomato worms nurtured by the tomatoes he cared for!


    ¡°John, aren¡¯t you going to work on the housing project today?¡± Annie asked curiously, as her husband usually worked there when there wasn¡¯t much farm work, earning a copper coin a day.


    ¡°The housing crew is off today, nobody wants to work on this day; they¡¯ve all come here¡­ to the commercial district,¡± John said, pointing to a place not too far away. ¡°Look, that¡¯s Wenger, he¡¯s also taking his son shopping.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, go and check out the comedy show. Once I¡¯ve sold the tomatoes, I¡¯ll come and watch the comedy too. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen one.¡±


    John didn¡¯t leave but said, ¡°Oh, Annie, when I was coming over from there, I saw someone selling kittens. I want to buy one. You know, now that we have grain stored at home, rats are starting to become more frequent. These filthy thieves always nibble at our food!¡±


    ¡°Really, someone¡¯s selling kittens? Then wait here for me, I¡¯ll finish selling the tomatoes and we can go buy a kitten together. We have to choose one that¡¯s really good at catching rats.¡±


    After hesitating for a moment, John added, ¡°Actually, I also want to buy a pony. I want little Jack to learn how to ride from an early age so he can join Lord Landlord¡¯s Retainer Knights sooner.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, John, do you even know how much a pony costs!¡±


    ¡°Fifty silver coins, but, Annie, it¡¯s a pony!¡± John explained eagerly, ¡°If we miss this chance, who knows when we¡¯ll be able to get a horse. I hope to grow tomatoes for Lord Landlord for a lifetime, but little Jack doesn¡¯t like it; he wants to become a Retainer Knight.¡±


    ¡°But John, you have to understand, we can afford fifty silver coins, but a pony needs to eat a lot every day¡ª a single horse would consume the food of several people. Can we afford to feed it?¡±


    ¡°I can!¡±


    John said with conviction, ¡°Our tomato field at home is the best and always brings us a steady income. I can also work. I asked the Steward of the construction crew, he¡¯s assistant to Lord Isaiah. He told me there will be more and more work in the town in the future, as Lord Landlord has ambitious plans to rejuvenate the town. As long as I keep working, we can afford to keep the pony!¡±


    ¡°Are you serious, John?¡±


    ¡°Of course, trust me, Annie.¡±


    Annie, looking into her husband¡¯s resolute eyes, ultimately didn¡¯t have the heart to say no, ¡°Alright, but you have to promise me that we won¡¯t be dragged down by the pony, okay?¡±


    ¡°I promise!¡±

 Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 090: Attitude Toward Life

    Chapter 90: Chapter 090: Attitude Toward Life


    Translator: 549690339


    Liszt had not intended to disturb the bustling atmosphere of the town, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t help himself and made a trip to the commercial district, followed by watching a comedic performance.


    It was nothing but clowns juggling on stage, breathing fire, or doing somersaults.


    To him, none of this was fresh at all, yet the residents of Fresh Flower Town clapped joyously. It made Liszt so inclined that he wanted to get on stage and show them a trick from ¡°Three Immortals Returning to the Cave,¡± to let these Different World inhabitants experience the charm of ancient Chinese cultural traditions.


    Of course.


    That was just a thought, as a noble could not afford to do something that would diminish his status.


    Moreover, in a world where magicians exist, magic tricks don¡¯t seem all that miraculous.


    After watching one play, he left the commercial area and headed to the town¡¯s administrative office, not wanting to make the townspeople uncomfortable¡ªthe presence of their landlord meant they couldn¡¯t relax, they were even afraid to speak loudly.


    Even though he had left, he continued to pay close attention to the matters of the caravan.


    He was listening to Isaiah report the prices of goods brought by the caravan, especially those related to the production and daily necessities, which were all of concern to him.


    ¡°A pony costs at least fifty silver coins, isn¡¯t this price too high?¡± he asked with a frown.


    One should know, he and Levis traded slaves, and a serf cost only twenty silver coins.


    ¡°Indeed, it is expensive, Baron. Coral Island is far from the mainland and lacks appropriate grazing areas, so horse breeding is always limited, meaning the price of horses remains high. Even the horses from Blue Dragon Island are priced similarly. On the mainland, a pony might only cost a few silver coins.¡±


    Island nations, all being islands, naturally do not suit for grazing and horse breeding.


    Liszt understood this principle, but did not want to accept it at the moment¡ªhe had given Old Geronte three Gold Coins, originally thinking he could buy a large number of goods.


    Now it seems, just six ponies would deplete the funds.


    ¡°How many young animals have the caravan brought?¡± he inquired, somewhat disappointed. He had wanted to acquire all the young livestock the caravan brought, but now that seemed an extravagant hope.


    Apart from him being able to purchase, it was likely that the ordinary residents couldn¡¯t afford to either.


    ¡°Five ponies, two calves, three lambs, eight piglets, six puppies, and five kittens. Plus, there are ten rabbits.¡±


    ¡°I gave Old Geronte three Gold Coins, and it looks like it¡¯s no help, not enough to buy several animals.¡± At this moment, he desperately wanted to sell the Black Pearl, exchange it for money to buy livestock¡ªmeat was the most nutritious food, and he hoped to eat meat every day, excluding seafood.


    If the territory doesn¡¯t raise livestock, where can he, the landlord, get meat to eat every day!


    ¡°Three Gold Coins may not buy many livestock, but they can buy many other goods, as the caravan has brought many specialties from other regions.¡±


    ¡°But I had told Old Geronte to prioritize purchasing horses. Just five ponies would consume two Gold Coins and fifty silver coins, using up all the funds of the castle.¡± Liszt thought of the two Gold Coins he still had. Perhaps, he would have to spend them today to secure some livestock.


    Isaiah, however, said with a smile, ¡°Baron, according to the trade records I checked, Old Geronte only bought two ponies. The other three were purchased by others.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°John Bian Dan bought one, and you must remember him.¡±


    ¡°So it was the farmer who grows tomatoes. I awarded him a Gold Coin, and evidently he could afford it. The other two?¡±


    ¡°The Blair Family bought one, and Marcus also bought one, with Goltai lending him the money.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s mood brightened from gloom to sunshine, having bought all the horses. Although they were not owned by the castle, as long as they remained in Fresh Flower Town, that was good enough. He could requisition those horses at any time if needed.


    But he soon laughed at himself again.


    He realized his perspective had been too narrow, focusing only on the livestock brought by the caravan, whereas, after selling the Black Pearl for money, he could purchase animals in other cities¡ªthat had been his plan all along. With Gold Coins, was there anything he couldn¡¯t buy?


    ¡°Isaiah, how much do you think the caravan¡¯s transactions will amount to today?¡±


    ¡°I guess about six Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°With a transaction volume of six Gold Coins, I believe many of the merchants in the caravan are already planning their next visit.¡±


    ¡°Of course, merchants are like flies; wherever there¡¯s money to be made, you will always see them swarming,¡± Isaiah said, with an inherent disdain in his voice. This was the unparalleled sense of superiority that the Noble class held toward commoners, coupled with a desire to keep the commoners in check.


    Nobles did not allow any class to shake their ruling position.


    Sometimes, merchants made Nobles feel they were being challenged¡ªthey sometimes even had more wealth than Nobles. Money talked, and it was not uncommon for near-bankrupt Nobles to marry off their daughters to merchants or to take merchants¡¯ daughters as wives to retain their Noble status, a humiliating affair.


    Liszt smiled.Y0u can read sh0rt, t0uching, and r0mantic st0ries ab0ut c0uples, as well as children¡¯s st0ries f0r free 0n sitest0rys . c0m


    His thoughts about the merchant class were consistent with those of the Nobility¡ªboth support and suppression were necessary.


    Back at the Castle.


    It was time for lunch. Although he had instructed the kitchen that he only needed a steak and nothing lavish, the meal presented was as usual¡ªwith meat, vegetables, mushrooms, seafood, milk, and white bread.


    ¡°Mrs. Abbie didn¡¯t go out shopping?¡±


    ¡°Sir, Mrs. Abbie did go out, but she returned to the kitchen after half an hour. Perhaps she isn¡¯t accustomed to the bustling town or can¡¯t let go of her work in the kitchen. She is too dedicated, always busy,¡± replied the servant.


    ¡°You should tell her that I¡¯m not considering a raise for now, so she doesn¡¯t need to work herself to the bone. She should have her own life.¡±


    Although he had adapted to his Noble status and had even grown to love it,


    Liszt still held on to modern virtues; he hoped that even servants could have lives of their own, not dedicating every moment to their Landlord. Life should be about more than just work; it should include joys and sorrows, laughter, and family.


    Carter served Liszt throughout the meal,


    and said, ¡°For the Cook, the kitchen is life. For the servants, the Castle is life. Sir, you don¡¯t always have to worry about us. The Sun climbs from east to west every day; servants hustle from morning to night¡ªlife is about everyone doing their part.¡±


    His words carried a philosophical weight.


    Liszt was left speechless.


    His ideas were still at odds with the era; he pursued freedom at his core, yet the concept of class hierarchy was deeply ingrained in everyone in the Different World.


    If servants didn¡¯t work, would they still be servants?


    If Nobles didn¡¯t enjoy luxuries, would they still be Nobles?


    Therefore, Liszt had no intention of arguing or correcting Carter¡¯s words. On the contrary, he felt a twinge of guilt, yet deep down, he felt quite pleased¡ªif everyone thought this way, the life of a Noble would be even more stable and comfortable¡ªsuch good citizens!


    Just after finishing lunch, ready to play with Douson and Juan Fu, then take a nap,


    Goltai suddenly rode in from the town and handed a metal bottle shaped like a wine bottle directly to Liszt: ¡°Baron, please look at this. The fishermen from Oyster Village found it by the seashore. They thought it was made of gold, but I have checked and it doesn¡¯t seem to be gold.¡±

 Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 0091: The Unopenable Bottle

    Chapter 91: Chapter 0091: The Unopenable Bottle


    Translator: 549690339


    The Metal Bottle had a shape somewhat like those used for packaging high-end rice wine, distinctively different.


    Its color was a golden yellow, close to the color of a Gold Coin, but a bit more toward brown. There were engraved patterns on it, with complex designs wrapping around some images. It looked like abstract depictions of the Sun and a large tree, along with bows, a type of harp, a bear, and an eagle in flight.


    In general, this Metal Bottle was just like the exquisite art pieces Nobles loved to collect.


    Clang, clang, clang.


    He tapped his fingers on the Metal Bottle, producing a peculiar sound, not one that metal should make¡ªmore akin to the sound of plastic. But it was clearly observable that this brownish-yellow bottle was indeed made of metal; it had the tactile sensation you¡¯d expect of metal.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, what metal do you think this is?¡± Liszt shook the bottle.


    It seemed to be empty inside, with no movement.


    Goltai spread his hands: ¡°Gold, silver, copper, iron, it¡¯s none of the metals I¡¯ve seen before, I apologize for my inability to determine what it is.¡±


    ¡°It has no opening?¡±


    ¡°It appears to be a single piece. At the place where the opening should be, I¡¯ve checked closely, there are no seams, and it cannot be twisted open.¡±


    Liszt tried it himself, indeed it could not be twisted open¡ªthe mouth of the bottle had no cap and was firmly in one piece: ¡°What do you guess is inside?¡±


    ¡°A bottle of fine wine?¡±


    ¡°Wishful thinking doesn¡¯t always come true, Teacher Goltai, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any liquid inside.¡±


    Goltai laughed heartily: ¡°Ha ha, one can always fantasize a little before it gets opened.¡±


    Liszt handed the bottle to Carter, instructing him to place it back in his study: ¡°Keep it safe for now. When I find the time, I¡¯ll take my time figuring out how to open it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    After Carter had left, Liszt gestured for Goltai to take a seat wherever he liked.


    He inquired, ¡°How¡¯s the trade with the merchant caravan going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going smoothly. Ever since you started developing Fresh Flower Town and providing plenty of paid job opportunities, the townspeople have gradually had extra money to spend at the merchants¡¯ stalls and pick out some small items. Nearly half of the merchandise the merchants brought has been sold, and even on the stage for the slapstick play, a few copper coins have been thrown.¡±


    Slapstick plays are generally funded by the merchant caravan, who offer free performances to attract customers.


    Only if the audience is sufficiently amused would they toss coins onto the stage, rewarding the hardworking clowns. Fresh Flower Town was poor, and its residents, despite likely laughing themselves to the point of stomach aches, would be reluctant to throw even a single copper coin. Unexpectedly, there were indeed people who actually tipped the slapstick performers.


    ¡°Who threw the copper coins?¡±


    ¡°I only saw one person throw copper coins, and that was your kitchen maid, Eileen Four Fingers.¡±


    Eileen Four Fingers?


    Liszt had little contact with this kitchen maid, barely seeing her once a day¡ªthe status of a kitchen maid was very low, they were prohibited from going upstairs, appearing in the first-floor hall, and especially showing themselves before the Noble lord¡ªhe just knew roughly about Eileen from what Butler Carter had mentioned, that she was a straightforward and lively young girl.


    ¡°Young people are always very generous,¡± he commented so.


    Goltai really wanted to say that you too are young, only sixteen, and not even as old as the young maid. Yet he did not speak out. The current Liszt held a maturity and steadiness usually found in middle-aged men, almost letting people forget his slightly youthful face when interacting with others.


    ¡°Perhaps this is the talent that comes with Noble blood,¡± Goltai often thought this to himself.


    When he first followed Liszt to Fresh Flower Town, he simply wanted to snag a consultant position for free food and drink. At his age, he had no illusions about reviving a family business or restoring Noble glory. What he didn¡¯t expect was for Liszt to change Fresh Flower Town, and change his mindset of just getting by day-to-day.


    Freya¡¯s pregnancy was just a catalyst, Goltai was well aware.


    At the end of the day, it was still Liszt¡¯s will that determined the actions of those around him, otherwise, there was actually no need to pay such close attention to a mere bastard. Which noble didn¡¯t have several bastards out there? For the sake of family harmony, many noble bastards could only remain serfs their entire lives.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai.¡± Seeing Goltai a bit distracted, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but speak up to remind him.


    Goltai immediately sat up straight and replied, ¡°What would you like to say?¡±


    ¡°Regarding the trade caravan, as an official, you must supervise every transaction to ensure no duplicitous merchants exploit the civilians, and also prevent the patrol team and clerks from recklessly taking things from the caravan.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I emphasize this daily.¡±


    ¡°Ensure that the promotional work is done well, advertise that Fresh Flower Town welcomes outsiders to settle here and offers the most favorable taxes. Also, inform the people of the caravan about what Fresh Flower Town plans to develop next, show them the plans for the commercial district, workshop area, and residential areas, so they can see the bright future of Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°As you wish!¡±


    After sending off Goltai, Liszt didn¡¯t immediately go to rest; instead, he went straight to his study and played with the metal bottle on the desk. This drift bottle piqued his interest.


    He focused for a moment and summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward Sea Drift Bottle.¡±


    ¡°Mission: A bottle that cannot be opened, words that cannot be understood, do not indicate an unsolvable problem but rather a disparity in knowledge. The old tanner at the Tanners¡¯ Shop, blind and feeling his health declining, might be willing to trade a certain book in exchange for a son. Mission Reward: An unknown book.¡±


    As expected, the metal bottle picked up by the fisherman was a reward from the Smoke Mission.


    The transaction mission involving three Gold Coins for the merchant caravan had been completed some time ago.


    However, seeing the new mission, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but show a wry smile on his face, ¡°A bottle that can¡¯t be opened, does that mean I can¡¯t open the drift bottle? Words that can¡¯t be understood, does that mean there¡¯s a piece of paper inside, possibly in a foreign language? But what in the world is this latter part of the mission about, giving the old tanner a son?¡±


    If the man¡¯s wife were still in the bloom of youth, graceful and enchanting.


    Liszt wouldn¡¯t mind giving the man a son and a metaphorical hat.


    But he had thoroughly reviewed the data on the town¡¯s craftsmen during a previous census. He remembered this old tanner, who was actually a widower without kin. He had come to Fresh Flower Town ten years ago by begging and had since settled down, picking up his tanner¡¯s craft again.


    For such a person, how was he supposed to ¡®give¡¯ him a son?


    ¡°Give a son¡­ perhaps my thoughts are a bit off-track, let¡¯s have someone investigate the old tanner first.¡± He shook the bell and called for Carter.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, send a message to Teacher Goltai asking him to investigate the old tanner in the town. I need a detailed report; if the man is facing any difficulties, help him out along the way.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Carter responded, ¡°Master, perhaps you should ask Jessie. He¡¯s quite familiar with the old tanner.¡±


    ¡°Jessie?¡±


    Jessie Asanobu was once a male servant assistant in the castle and has now been promoted to male servant, mainly responsible for running external errands for the castle.


    A short while later, Jessie, who was playing in the town, was called back.


    ¡°Master, you were looking for me?¡± Even as a servant, he still felt awkward in front of Liszt, unsure of where to place his hands.


    Liszt directly asked, ¡°You¡¯re quite familiar with the old tanner? Tell me about him.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Uncle Phil? I met Uncle Phil when I went to the Tanners¡¯ Shop to have my shoes repaired. Uncle Phil is blind, which makes his work very inconvenient, and now his health is deteriorating, so I often visit him to help out with some things.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard that the old tanner wants a son?¡±

 Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 0092 The Old Tanner’s Collection

    Chapter 92: Chapter 0092 The Old Tanner¡¯s Collection


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Uncle Phil wants a son?¡± Jessie was first taken aback, then nodded his head, ¡°It seems so, I¡¯ve heard him complain that he doesn¡¯t have a son to take care of him when he¡¯s sick.¡±


    Liszt looked at Jessie.


    Then he suddenly asked, ¡°Jessie, if I remember correctly, you¡¯re an orphan, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, I was raised in the welfare institution of Coral City, grateful for the Tulip Family¡¯s generosity, which allowed us orphans to survive,¡± Jessie said devoutly.


    The welfare institution was an organization where nobles gathered orphans, as commoners often had accidents that left children without care. To display their benevolence, some wealthy nobles would establish welfare institutions on their family domains to gather orphans, who would then work directly for the castle when they grew up.


    Jessie was such an orphan.


    ¡°Is the Old Tanner at the Tanners¡¯ Shop now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, I was thinking of inviting Uncle Phil to go shopping with me, but he didn¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Then Jessie, come with me to see the Old Tanner, I have some business with him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, I will prepare the horses for you at once.¡±


    In the castle¡¯s stable yard, there was a rudimentary rest area where Philip and Zavier always stayed as Retainer Knights; they did not have the luxury of enjoying holidays.


    Seeing Liszt mount the Fire Dragon Horse, they each mounted a nag and followed him.


    Heading toward the Tanners¡¯ Shop.


    In every small town, there were generally Tanners¡¯ Shops, where tanners made leather, sewed fur coats, and mended shoes. There were specific crafts, including helmet tanners, armour tanners, vest tanners, drumhead makers, bag craftsmen, utensil tanners, and most commonly, shoe tanners.


    The Old Tanner in Fresh Flower Town, Phil, was a shoe tanner.


    In big cities, shoe tanners were often wealthy freemen because handcrafting a pair of leather shoes required a lot of money. However, in small towns, the treatment of shoe tanners was poorer, as few could afford leather shoes. Thus, the Tanners¡¯ Shop could only barely make ends meet¡ªmost serfs and freemen wore wooden shoes or straw sandals.


    Of course, even more people went without any shoes at all.


    ¡°Is that you, Jessie?¡± The Old Tanner¡¯s somewhat hoarse voice came from the table, as he fumbled to mend a pair of shoes. Even though his eyes were blind, his hands remained deft.


    Jessie quickly said, ¡°Uncle Phil, it¡¯s Lord Landlord who has come, and Lord Landlord has some business with you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Lord Landlord, Old Phil sends his regards to Lord Landlord,¡± the Old Tanner got up hurriedly from his chair, bowing respectfully, his hands trembling nervously, just as commoners do when they see a Lord.


    Liszt surveyed the narrow, gloomy Tanners¡¯ Shop, noticing its signs of neglect and disrepair, as it was so dilapidated that the roof allowed glimpses of the sun above.


    Just like the Old Tanner himself, it bore signs of age and decay.


    ¡°Old Phil, don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯m just here to have a chat with you.¡±


    The Old Tanner¡¯s cloudy eyes showed no change in emotion.


    But Liszt felt that the man¡¯s hands had quickly stopped trembling¡ªnot because his nerves had been calmed, it appeared more like he had stopped putting on an act, as the earlier trembling was probably feigned. This was easy to understand; after all, nobles enjoyed seeing commoners tremble before them.


    The aged man had long learned to cope with life: ¡°Lord Landlord, it is an honor for Old Phil to have a chat with someone as noble as you.¡±


    ¡°You settled in Fresh Flower Town as a beggar ten years ago, so where are you originally from?¡±


    ¡°I was born on Dodo Island, Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°Dodo Island?¡±


    ¡°It is an unlorded wild island, even further north of Coral Island. The island is home to a kind of Dodobird that can¡¯t fly and cries out as if saying ¡®dodo¡¯. There¡¯s also a particularly tall type of tree with a terrible name, the Human Skull Tree, and its fruits are known as Human Skull Fruit.¡±


    ¡°Human Skull Tree?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, those fruits are white and from a distance, look just like human skulls. But they taste really good. The natives of the island satisfy their hunger with Human Skull Fruits; even Dodobirds eat them, but Dodobird meat is particularly nasty. Life on the island is extremely hard.¡±


    A Dodobird that sounds like ¡°dodo.¡±


    It reminded Liszt of the dodo bird that had become extinct on Earth.


    He wondered if the Dodobirds here were the same species as the dodo birds on Earth.


    ¡°So, how did you come to Coral Island from Dodo Island? You were born on Dodo Island, so you should be a native there. Where then did the inhabitants of Dodo Island originate from?¡± Liszt asked.


    Around the Duchy of Sapphire, there are still many undeveloped islands, and Dodo Island must be one of them.


    ¡°I am a native of Dodo Island. I don¡¯t know where we came from. Ever since I can remember, we all lived on Dodo Island. Then when the volcano erupted, many Human Skull Trees were destroyed, and without food, we had no choice but to cut down trees to make canoes and drift along the sea¡­ It was during that time that I drifted to Hot Spring Island and became an apprentice at the Tanners¡¯ Shop.¡±


    What followed was that Hot Spring Island was caught in wars, and he was sold into slavery to Coral Island as a serf. A Baron on the island bought him, but after the Baron went off to war with the Earl, he never returned, all Domain Elves died, serfs feared punishment and started to flee.


    The Old Tanner also fled.


    Through twists and turns, he arrived in Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Back then, all the serfs were spreading rumors that the Baron had died in battle because a Retainer Knight who was of serf origin betrayed him. The followers were furious and decided to slaughter all the serfs on the domain to avenge the Baron,¡± the Old Tanner said, with a sigh perhaps lamenting his past ignorance.


    It was a low-level rumor; nobles value their serfs highly.


    The correct course of events should be¡ªwhen the Baron died without an heir, the landlord he followed, which is Coral Island¡¯s Count, reclaimed all the rights to the domain, including the serfs.


    All in all, the Old Tanner¡¯s life wasn¡¯t dramatic nor was he a ¡°man with a story¡±; even his blindness occurred naturally while he was in Fresh Flower Town.


    The only thing close to a story was his identity as a native of Dodo Island.


    Liszt carefully inquired about Dodo Island and found out it was just a tiny island, with fewer than three hundred natives living on it, ultimately devastated by a volcanic eruption. Apart from the surviving few Human Skull Trees, there likely wasn¡¯t any value in developing it.


    He was somewhat disappointed.


    He had assumed that a person specifically mentioned in the Smoke Mission would have some mystery about them, but it turned out to be just an ordinary native.


    He still planned to continue the mission to get the book as a reward¡ªbringing Jessie along was to set him up with the Old Tanner as a son¡ªa fatherless, motherless orphan, with a widower who had no children; they both got along well and should easily form a father-son contract.


    But suddenly, he had a bold idea.


    ¡°Why should I follow the steps laid out by the Smoke Mission? I¡¯m not its puppet. I can simply ask the Old Tanner for the book directly, instead of relying on completing a mission to get the book!¡±


    The Old Tanner couldn¡¯t possibly have many books, Liszt thought.


    So.


    He simply said, ¡°Old Phil, I heard you have a collection of books, don¡¯t you? I would like you to sell them to me.¡±


    Given the command by the Lord Landlord, the Old Tanner dared not refuse and immediately agreed, ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, I do have a collection of books, but there is only one. I will present it to you right away.¡± Having said that, he stooped his back and, with Jessie¡¯s support, took a wooden box out of a cabinet full of leather shoes.


    ¡°Jessie, the book is in the box, quickly give it to the Lord Landlord.¡±


    Jessie opened the box, took out a very thick book, and handed it to Liszt. Liszt scanned it and saw that it wasn¡¯t printed but hand-written, with Serpent Script and another foreign language on the cover.


    He didn¡¯t recognize the foreign language.


    But he did recognize the Serpent Script ¡°Philip, Scion of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡±.

 Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 093 Descendants of the Sun

    Chapter 93: Chapter 093 Descendants of the Sun


    Translator: 549690339


    Serpent Script, the common script used in the Steel Ridge Kingdom, is also used in its vassal state, the Duchy of Sapphire.


    In addition to Serpent Script, there are various languages and scripts on the continent, such as the Wind Language of the Eagle Kingdom, the Rock Script of the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, the High Speech of the Neverfall Empire, the Dragon Language of the Blue Dragon Empire, and so on.


    Liszt¡¯s predecessor did not speak foreign languages, and therefore, he did not recognize the other strange script on the page¡ªactually, on closer inspection, it was less like writing and more like twisted drawings of little people.


    ¡°¡±Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡±, quite a strange title,¡± he mused curiously. ¡°Old Phil, what language is this other script?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord, the truth is I am illiterate. This book is a relic left by a native of Dodo Island. He was my good friend; we were in the same canoe, but he died at sea, leaving only this book behind. I have kept it as a memento.¡±


    ¡°So it is a keepsake with sentimental value. In that case, I will return it to you after I finish reading it.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, Lord Landlord, Old Phil is honored that you appreciate his collection. Old Phil hopes that you will accept it. Thank you, Lord Landlord, my Tanners¡¯ Shop is doing much better business now.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll buy it.¡±


    ¡°Old Phil would like to offer it to you, Lord Landlord, to express my respect.¡±


    ¡°I accept your respect, but I will still give you a reward.¡±


    Liszt returned to the castle with the diary.


    He asked Carter to take out three silver coins and give them to Jessie. Even if a book was very expensive, it wouldn¡¯t be worth three silver coins, but after all, it was an item with sentimental value: ¡°Jessie, give these three silver coins to Old Phil as a payment for the book. Also, tell Old Phil that I like his story very much and that he is welcome to add anything else at any time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    After Jessie left, Liszt did not immediately open the book. Instead, he summoned the Smoke Mission.


    A moment later, a wisp of smoke appeared before his eyes, twisting into a Serpent Script passage. To his surprise and apprehension, the Serpent Script was no longer the usual sentences.


    It was changing.


    ¡°The mission has changed.¡±


    The Serpent Script lasted for a few seconds; the smoke gradually twisted and formed new Serpent Script: ¡°Mission: Unlike other cordyceps that safely enjoy nourishment, the Thorn Cordyceps looks out in solitude. It has survived eight years and is about to age, but still, it is unwilling to give in. Please supplement nutrition for the Thorn Cordyceps. Mission reward: new species of Thorn.¡±


    The apprehension in his heart settled, leaving only surprise.


    He had been a bit adventurous and wanted to have a bit of a spat with the Smoke Mission, declaring that he was not just a puppet that could be led around. Yet, in his heart, he was actually worried that in doing so, he might lose the Smoke Mission¡ªwhether it was a golden finger or some hidden manipulator, it was an existence he could not refuse.


    Besides, there was no need to refuse.


    Up to this point, the Smoke Mission had been all benefit and no harm, helping him develop rapidly¡ªeven if there was a hidden hand behind it all, it was probably one he could not resist.


    If it could not be resisted, then might as well enjoy it.


    So much so that some base thoughts still wandered in his mind: ¡°If I can ride a dragon, what does it matter if I sell these hundred-plus pounds to the hidden manipulator. As long as I can enjoy wealth and rank, hidden manipulator, I am willing to be your lackey!¡± There was no response. Sometimes, the Smoke Mission had a very low presence.


    Now it seemed.


    He might have a tiff with the Smoke Mission, but it would not quibble with him in return, continuing as usual.


    And it also proved that those mission rewards weren¡¯t concocted out of thin air by the Smoke Mission.


    They already existed.


    At most, the Smoke Mission went with the flow, lightly nudging the threads of cause and effect, tilting the trajectory of time a little. Like a breeze that gently moves the crests formed by destiny¡¯s long river, whether they twist left or drift right, they eventually fall back into the water, returning to serenity.


    ¡°Perhaps one day, I will understand the meaning behind the existence of the Smoke Mission¡­ but for now, I¡¯m just going to enjoy the golden finger,¡± he concluded with an accepting mindset, shaking off thoughts that troubled the layman.


    All that remained was pure joy.


    The reward for the new mission included a familiar term, ¡°new species.¡±


    There were two instances of ¡°new species¡± tasks before. The new species of Tulip brought the Magic Black Tulip, and the new species of mushroom, the Magic Flame Mushroom.


    What kind of Magic Potion will this new Thorn species bring?


    ¡°Not enough nutrients, huh? Tomorrow, I will have the serfs transport over the prepared compost to replenish the Thorn Cordyceps with nutrients!¡±


    What¡¯s somewhat regrettable, however,


    is that the Thorn Bug has already lived for eight years, meaning it has only two years of life remaining.


    ¡°It seems, I need to find a way to acquire another Thorn Bug¡­ Tulip Castle seems to have a young Thorn Bug; I should buy it back when I have the chance.¡± Thorn is just a weed-like small shrub; therefore, Thorn Bugs aren¡¯t very useful, and the price shouldn¡¯t be too high.


    He waved his hand to disperse the Smoke Serpent Script.


    Liszt returned his attention to ¡°Philip, Scion of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡±: ¡°Philip, Descendant of the Sun, that surname carries a bit of dominance. My Retainer Knight is also named Philip, but his surname ¡®Wool¡¯ pales in comparison¡ªtruly, the difference between a domestic chicken and a Phoenix.¡±


    Flipping to the first page revealed a very abstract drawing of the Sun.


    Because it was handwritten, the Sun wasn¡¯t very round, and the surrounding Light was smeared in triangular shapes, with various haphazard lines inside the Sun.


    It looked like the scribbling of a seven-year-old child.


    Below the drawing was a passage in Serpent Script, perhaps a poem.


    ¡°My grandfather has such a tattoo on his back.¡±


    ¡°He said his father¡¯s back was also tattooed with the same pattern.¡±


    ¡°I asked him why my father¡¯s back wasn¡¯t, and neither is mine.¡±


    ¡°He said our ancestors have abandoned us, we can no longer bear the pattern of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°I do not understand what it means.¡±


    ¡°My grandfather said we were exiled from our homeland to a sinful land, and it would take five hundred years before we could return.¡±


    ¡°After five hundred years, a great ship sailing in the sky, shining under the Sunlight, will bring us back.¡±


    ¡°Five hundred years have passed, but the Sky Ship has not come.¡±


    Reading this poem,


    Liszt found it very interesting. The description in the poem seemed to say¡ªthe author¡¯s ancestors were a group of criminals, exiled to Dodo Island for five hundred years? They tattooed the Sun¡¯s pattern on their backs to signify their lineage. But after five hundred years, the promised Sky Ship to take them back did not come.


    So, assuming they were abandoned, the author¡¯s grandfather no longer gave tattoos to his son.


    ¡°Is this how the ¡®Descendants of the Sun¡¯ came to be¡­¡±


    ¡°If the records are true, the natives of Dodo Island should be the descendants of the Nobles on the mainland. Only Nobles, especially those of the royal lineage who err, would be exiled; minor Nobles who err would simply be killed. Without the custom of recording their history, probably in a hundred years, the royal family would have forgotten about these exiled descendants.¡±


    The first page contained a drawing and a poem.


    The second page offered an introduction.


    ¡°My name is Philip, I¡¯m twenty-six this year, just returned from working on foreign islands. I do not plan to go out again. Although the outside world is flourishing, life is tough. I plan to stay on Dodo Island, and marry Valissa. I will have my own son, whom I will raise. I am a Carpenter, able to build a big house for him to live in!¡±


    ¡°Starting from today, I will record every day; that way when I grow old, unlike my grandfather, I won¡¯t forget his stories and even where we came from. My son, because of my journal, will understand his father, and the interesting experiences I¡¯ve had.¡±


    ¡°However, I don¡¯t have much card stock or ink, so I must write sparingly. Hmm, write smaller, and even less.¡±


    ¡°Philip, Descendant of the Sun.¡±

 Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 094: The Last Entry of the Diary

    Chapter 94: Chapter 094: The Last Entry of the Diary


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Year 119 of the Grand Duchy, February 15th.¡±


    This is the starting date of the first diary entry in ¡°Philip, Scion of the Sun¡¯s Diary.¡±


    ¡°The current year is 151 of the Sapphire Grand Duchy, which means this diary began thirty-two years ago?¡± Liszt calculated briefly.


    The Duchy of Sapphire had no official calendar of its own and did not use the calendar of the Steel Ridge Kingdom. The concept of history was not popular in the Different World; generally, people had no thoughts about the past¡ªthere was no idea of learning from history.


    Thus, the Duchy of Sapphire did not even have a National Day.


    Sea Outing Festival and the New Year Festival were the most important holidays. Sometimes the national anniversary celebration would be held on the Sea Outing Festival; other times it would be scheduled on the New Year Festival, and sometimes it would be celebrated on a random day, according to the wishes of the Sapphire Duke. Liszt concluded that the concept of ¡°nationalism¡± had not taken root.


    The subtlety of the feudal nobility system lies in the structure of Knight vassalage, the greatest essence of which is¡ªmy subject¡¯s subjects are not my subjects; my lord¡¯s lords are not my lords.


    For example, Liszt¡¯s master was Coral Island¡¯s Count, not the Sapphire Duke.


    Therefore, as a subject of the Earl, he had no obligation to pay attention to the Sapphire Duke; the Sapphire Family had no commands over him. To him, his true nation was Coral Island, not the Duchy of Sapphire. If he were to feel love, it would be for Coral Island, with no need to love the Duchy of Sapphire.


    All Nobles were Landlords, even the King was merely a larger Landlord.


    Of course, a widespread sense of nationalism could not form.


    That¡¯s why only Nobles commemorate the Sea Outing Festival, commoners simply don¡¯t care. In Fresh Flower Town, Liszt¡¯s birthday celebration was definitely more important in the hearts of the residents than the Sea Outing Festival¡ªLord Landlord grants me land, as if a parent. Who is the Grand Duke, can he be eaten, steamed or braised?


    HIs thoughts digressed.


    Liszt continued to read the diary.


    ¡°Clear skies, climbed trees to pick fruit, ten Human Skull Fruits; cut down three trees; dug foundations, preparing to build a house. Organized the knowledge taught by my grandfather, in the Sun Script ¡®X¡¯ represents ¡®me,¡¯ I am a Descendant of the Sun, my ancestors spoke Sun Script.¡±


    This ¡°X¡± represented a very twisted character.


    It was complex, it looked like a painting, seeming like a little person with wings, carrying some kind of tool, dancing exuberantly.


    ¡°A single word is like a painting, which country¡¯s writing is this, it¡¯s too bizarre. I guarantee, with such writing, one wouldn¡¯t learn five hundred characters even by the age of a hundred!¡± Liszt exclaimed. Of course, it was an exaggeration, but indeed, the so-called ¡°Sun Script¡± was very complex.


    Many subsequent pages of the diary contained inconsequential records of daily life¡ªpicking fruits, cutting wood, building houses, trading items with someone, seeing certain wild animals.


    But at the end of each diary entry, a Sun Script character was recorded.


    I, father, mother, grandpa, grandma, big, rice, soil, sky, earth, horse, flower, individual, ten, painting, above¡­ For some words, Philip provided specific explanations, such as rice being a certain kind of cereal grain, horse referring to a unicorn, and flower referring to a sunflower, which he had never seen, only heard from his grandfather, common things to their ancestors.


    ¡°Unicorn? Could such legendary creatures really exist?¡± Liszt doubted.


    He even doubted the Sun Script itself, which just seemed like various little drawings; he didn¡¯t believe these depicted some kind of writing¡ªperhaps it was just Philip¡¯s grandfather, bored and concocting it himself, to fool his silly grandson.


    A thick diary.


    Most of it was Philip¡¯s mundane daily routines on Dodo Island and Sun Script lessons.


    Occasionally, he would recall his time working on other islands¡ªmeeting a noble¡¯s daughter, a very kind young lady, who taught them the commoners¡¯ language. Philip proudly stated that he learned the fastest and gained the young noble lady¡¯s favor, even reaching the point of eloping.


    Unfortunately, as documented in a certain diary entry¡ªhis affair with the young lady was discovered by her mother, who wanted to kill him.


    With the noble lady¡¯s help, Philip then escaped that island. He didn¡¯t mention the name of the island, saying he did not want to sully the noble lady¡¯s reputation.


    Apart from these details.


    The diary occasionally mentioned Philip¡¯s ancestors¡ªmainly stories his grandfather had told him.


    Such as, the ancestors raising a troop of magical dragons with two heads, the ancestors once shooting down the sun from the sky, the ancestors drawing extraordinary powers from well water, the ancestors living in cities grown from trees, the ancestors befriending wolves, bears, eagles, and tigers, the ancestors immersed in music.


    His grandfather referred to the ancestors as¡ªChildren of the Sun.


    ¡°So the question arises, why would the Child of the Sun shoot down the sun? Patricide?¡±


    The stories were fragmented and vague.


    Mainly because Philip¡¯s writing was very succinct. He worried he didn¡¯t have enough ink or thick leather paper to write on; the later entries became sparser, even reaching the point where he recorded his diary every few days¡ªhalf of the thick leather paper had been used, perhaps he realized that this diary could not record every trivial matter in his dull life.


    ¡°One might as well rename the book to ¡°Private Tutoring Records of the Sun Script¡±.¡± Liszt prepared to close the diary, having found no connection between it and the unopenable drift bottle.


    He thought he might as well smash the metal bottle.


    To see what exactly was inside it.


    But just as he was closing the book, since he was closing it from back to front, the last page closing last, something caught his eye from the periphery¡ªthis page was not blank.


    He casually flipped it open.


    To discover there was another diary entry, or perhaps an essay.


    ¡°My will.¡±


    ¡°Grandfather told me upon his departure, should one day a golden bottle be found upon the sea, it was a letter written to us by our ancestor. Our ancestor had mastered a method of sending letters across the sea, the magic-powered bottle would travel across the ocean guided by our bloodline. A smear of blood is all it takes to open the bottle and retrieve the letter inside.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it, but, my descendants, if one day you come across it, remember to send a reply.¡±


    This was Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s ¡°will,¡± which is why it was placed at the end of the diary. After reading it, Liszt was completely unsettled.


    The bottle Philip mentioned must be the one the fisherman had found by the seaside, now sitting on his desk.


    ¡°Does this mean that Philip and his grandfather¡¯s stories are actually true, that they really are descendants of some exiled noble family? Is the Sun Script real too?¡±


    He recalled the prior mission.


    It mentioned an ¡°unopenable bottle, incomprehensible script,¡± needing a book to guide one!


    Without a doubt, it was this book.


    Picking up the drift bottle, Liszt walked straight out of the study.


    ¡°Master, are you going out?¡±


    ¡°Off to the Tanners¡¯ Shop. Mr. Carter, you stay at the castle, let Jessie come with me. By the way, has Jessie returned?¡± He remembered that he had sent Jessie to deliver silver coins.


    ¡°Not yet; he probably went to the town to watch the comedy play again, you know, young people always like to join in the fun.¡±


    ¡°Never mind, no need to look for him. I will take Philip and Zavier to the Tanners¡¯ Shop.¡± Having said that, he hurriedly left the castle, took two Retainer Knights, and dashed straight for the Tanners¡¯ Shop.

 Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 095: The Thorn Bug’s Desire

    Chapter 95: Chapter 095: The Thorn Bug¡¯s Desire


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Old Phil, cut your finger; I need you to smear blood on this bottle,¡± Liszt said unequivocally. Philip was dead, and who knew how many of the indigenous people of Dodo Island remained¡ªthis old tanner was probably one of them.


    As for whether he had the bloodline of the ¡°Descendant of the Sun,¡± Liszt did not know.


    All he could do was try.


    Although the old tanner did not understand why, he must comply with the commands of Lord Landlord. He pricked his finger with a needle, squeezed out the blood, and smeared it on the beautiful golden bottle.


    Liszt had already deployed his Eye of Magic.


    He was intently observing the metal drift bottle.


    The moment the blood touched the bottle, his vortex-like pupils suddenly expanded as he witnessed a miraculous scene¡ªthe blood seemed to activate the magic of the metal bottle, which flowed along the engraved patterns, quickly outlining the lines of the sun, a big tree, a bow and arrow, a lyre, an eagle, and a bear.


    A man composed of lines emerged from the bottle, taking up a bow and arrow, shooting at the sun.


    A woman composed of lines also emerged from the bottle, picking up the lyre and gently playing it under the big tree.


    The eagle landed on the man¡¯s shoulder, the bear snuggled up to the woman, and the magic lines on the body of the bottle were lively and vivid.


    Suddenly, the sun pierced with arrows fell, and a well made of lines emerged, spouting a fountain that shot straight up to the mouth of the bottle.


    Pop!


    A crisp sound.


    All of the lines formed by magic dissipated, leaving no trace of magic on the metal bottle; and where there had been no seam before, the mouth of the bottle cracked. Liszt gently pulled and the cap came off. He turned the mouth of the metal bottle down and shook it, and out fell something rolled up into a small stick.


    It was a very delicate, thin piece of leather paper, which Liszt unfolded.


    On it was a line of hieroglyphics¡ªno, more precisely, a line of Sun Script. Liszt remembered seeing these drawings but could not discern their meaning.


    His heart was full of puzzles waiting to be solved.


    Yet outwardly, he was in no hurry. He rolled the paper back up and glanced at the old tanner, ¡°Old Phil, are you related to Philip?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord, maybe I am. Philip once said, he said we were all exiled criminals of some sort,¡± replied the old tanner.


    In fact, they should be relatives.


    Looking at the old tanner¡¯s hunched figure and aged expression, Liszt felt he was meant to complete the last mission issued by the Smoke Mission¡ªto at least give Old Phil a son, or rather, to at least facilitate a kinship contract between him and Jessie. It was the right thing to do, both morally and to aid in his mission.


    ¡°Old Phil, what do you think of Jessie?¡±


    ¡°Jessie is a good boy; he always helps me with chores, diving, sweeping¡­ Thanks to him, the Tanners¡¯ Shop smells much better,¡± the old tanner replied.


    ¡°Do you know Jessie is an orphan?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± said the old tanner.


    ¡°Have you ever thought that the two of you could form a contract of kinship?¡±


    ¡°What? This¡­¡± The old tanner was evidently a bit flustered, ¡°Jessie is a servant of the castle, and I¡¯m just an old tanner. He could have a better life; I wouldn¡¯t want to hold him back. Lord Landlord, Jessie is a sensible child. He likes his work at the castle, and he works hard. I will tell him not to come here anymore, so he won¡¯t be distracted from his duties.¡±


    He thought that his relationship with Jessie had displeased Lord Landlord.


    ¡°You misunderstood me; I don¡¯t blame Jessie at all. It was merely a suggestion,¡± Liszt suddenly felt that getting involved in such trivial matters of commoners wasn¡¯t befitting of his noble status. Why should a landlord concern himself with such trifles of the populace?


    He stood up, ready to leave the Tanners¡¯ Shop, saying, ¡°Decide for yourselves. I will inform Mr. Carter to oversee it.¡±


    To be or not to be, it was just a suggestion.


    After returning to the castle, Liszt casually mentioned his task to Carter and then set aside these miscellaneous matters to start working on the translation of the message from the drift bottle.


    With ¡°Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s Diary,¡± he found the corresponding meanings for the figures in the drawing one by one.


    Soon, he had finished translating the message.


    ¡°The tower has collapsed, Tree City is burning, XX has perished, and the Child of the Sun will ascend with the flames. Children who are lost abroad, you are now free.¡±


    The ¡°XX¡± is a series of Sun Script, but there was no corresponding explanation in the diary, and its style was rather abstract. Liszt couldn¡¯t make out its specific meaning, but he could roughly guess that it should represent the dwelling place of the Child of the Sun¡ªperhaps a country or possibly a continent.


    That is to say, the drift bottle brought bad news.


    ¡°The Child of the Sun, which country¡¯s nobility calls themselves that?¡± Liszt had read knight¡¯s novels, not a thousand, then at least one hundred, but none contained any record of the Child of the Sun.


    Stroking the parchment in his hands.


    He suddenly felt that this country might not be on this continent: ¡°The parchment on the continent is made of thick animal hide, not easily preserved, and not convenient to write on. But this parchment in my hand doesn¡¯t seem to be made of animal hide. It¡¯s very thin; such technology hasn¡¯t appeared on this continent yet, right?¡±


    But apart from the continental countries, the Duchy of Sapphire was the first to venture out to the sea and establish their nation.


    Immediately afterwards.


    Liszt came up with a possibility: ¡°Could it be that the Child of the Sun is not a human from this continent, but from beyond the Sea of Azure Waves?¡±


    Fresh Flower Town¡¯s East Coast faces the Sea of Azure Waves, and on the other side of it lies the legendary Devil¡¯s Sea, where no one can navigate.


    Legends are not entirely credible.


    If this Different World is also a planet, then by comparison to Earth, perhaps the so-called Devil¡¯s Sea is just a larger ocean.


    On the other side of the ocean, there might be another continent.


    Separated by an impassable ocean, perhaps there are also humans living on another continent.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s too little information to make any effective judgments. For the time being let¡¯s assume that there¡¯s a continent on the other side, and a group of humans called the Child of the Sun.¡± Liszt reined in his speculative thoughts, ¡°For now, I have neither the capability to unravel this perplexing mystery.¡±


    He put the metal drift bottle into the Gemstone Space without closing the lid¡ªjust in case he couldn¡¯t open it.


    The thin parchment as well as ¡°Philip¡¯s Diary of the Descendants of the Sun¡± were also placed in the Gemstone Space.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to focus on the Thorn Bug!¡±


    The Thorn Bug, eight years of age, unwilling to die alone in solitude, wanted to struggle one last time. Liszt could feel that this Thorn Bug was indeed somewhat different from the other Elf Bugs.


    He went to the Worm Room that Carter was taking care of and saw the Thorn Bug deep asleep in its box¡ªElf Bugs could sleep 24 hours a day.


    An intermittent telepathic connection kept Liszt constantly aware of his own Elf Bugs.


    ¡°Little fellow, I can feel the deep weariness within you, as well as your desire for evolution. Even though I know the chances of you evolving are slim, I am still willing to help you to the best of my abilities. Not for the Magic Medicine Thorns or to complete the Smoke Mission,¡± he said as he gently touched the grey-white body of the Thorn Bug.


    The Thorn Bug seemed to sense Liszt¡¯s presence and opened its little black sesame seed-sized eyes, turning its head to look at Liszt.


    Among the seven Elf Bugs, it was the ugliest one, with a duller color compared to the vibrant colors of the other Elf Bugs, and its body was also thinner and had a harder skin¡ªElf Bugs nurtured by shrubs and trees always seemed rougher than those nurtured by herbaceous plants.


    Its black eyes gave away no discernible expression.


    But Liszt could still feel the Thorn Bug¡¯s closeness and docility towards him.


    ¡°I have instructed Goltai to stop supplying the compost to the farms for the near future. As long as your Cordyceps can absorb it, it will be prioritized for your use,¡± he said.

 Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Lawbreakers Must Be Severely Punished

    Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Lawbreakers Must Be Severely Punished


    Translator: 549690339


    Thorn Cordyceps was located at the edge of Thorn Ridge, close to the dairy farm, within a not-so-large area of Thorn Forest. Thorn Ridge got its name from the abundance of short thorn bushes that surrounded it. However, the thorn bushes rarely grew in large clusters, typically appearing as small patches here and there.


    Liszt had investigated this and theorized that one possible reason was that thorn bushes are shrubs¡ªwithout a significant main trunk and tend to stay low to the ground in clumps.


    More accurately, the area should be called a thorn bush thicket.


    Clinging to the edges of a forest of tall trees, the lofty canopy blocked out the sunlight, limiting the shrubs¡¯ growth.


    ¡°The Thorn Bug¡¯s restlessness might stem not only from inadequate nutrition but also perhaps due to the limited expanse of the Thorn Forest; the trees overshadow the spread of the thorn bush thickets.¡±


    To the south of the Thorn Cordyceps lay the dairy farm.


    Liszt would not possibly shovel away the pasture grass to plant the utterly worthless thorn bushes.


    Therefore, he planned to organize another lumberjack team to fell the trees surrounding the thorn bush thickets, enabling the thorns to expand outward. The more thorn bushes there were, the wider the range the Thorn Bug could influence, the more pheromones it could collect, and the greater the possibility of evolution¡ªalthough he understood that the Thorn Bug¡¯s chances of evolving were next to none.


    The variety of thorns was too limited, making the collection of pheromones challenging.


    The likelihood was too low.


    ¡°Even though I can¡¯t discern the true essence of Elf Bug evolution, it often seems that the more plant varieties a cordyceps belongs to, the greater the potential for the Elf Bug to evolve. The extent to which plants grow also increases the chances of the Elf Bug¡¯s evolution.¡±


    This was evidenced by experience.


    The Tulip Family had managed their operation for generations, amassing a considerable variety of tulips, and with these varieties, they had cultivated the Greater Elf Xiangxiang, along with three Little Minor Elves and eight Elf Bugs.


    Of course.


    It wasn¡¯t to say that the Thorn Bug had no chance of evolving whatsoever.


    One should always harbor dreams, for what if they were actualized?


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, and the rest is up to the Thorn Bug itself, to see if it truly harbors any discontent and wishes to challenge its fate.¡±


    After patting the Thorn Bug, Liszt left the Worm Room.


    Around four in the afternoon, the leader of the North Valley City Caravan came to the castle to bid Liszt farewell.


    The leader was a middle-aged man with a large beard named Gabriel, who gave a deep bow: ¡°Honorable Baron, under your governance, Fresh Flower Town has emanated a dazzling light. I thank you for your generosity and kindness; the caravan has spent a wonderful day in Fresh Flower Town, and now, Gabriel bids you farewell.¡±


    ¡°Are you satisfied with the caravan¡¯s trade in the town?¡± Liszt asked with a smile.


    ¡°Very satisfied, Baron. The faces of the caravan members are brimming with the joy of their gains. We sold much more goods than imagined and also acquired some of the specialties of Fresh Flower Town. Personally, I am very fond of the business district environment, now that we are free from the trouble of dung.¡±


    ¡°So, Gabriel, does the caravan have plans for when it might visit again?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but I think, now that the road through Thorn Ridge is safe, the caravan won¡¯t wait too long. Perhaps in a month, we will return, laden with goods, to trade in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town welcomes the caravan¡¯s visit at any time.¡±


    ¡°I thank you, Baron!¡±


    Gabriel bowed and left the castle.


    Returning to his team, which had already packed up their wares in the business district and was setting off at a leisurely pace, the horses pulled carts one by one along the road paved with a mix of pebbles and sand. Illuminated by the glow of the setting sun in the west, they made their way toward Thorn Ridge.


    They arrived with cargo in abundance.


    They left with laughter and cheerful voices in abundance.


    And the delightful sound of Gold Coins, silver coins, and copper coins clinking against each other.


    A moment later.


    Old Geronte came to report the shopping situation this time, three Gold Coins in total. Apart from two small ponies, there was a pile of things, all handed over to Butler Carter, to be stored in the castle¡¯s cellar.


    Liszt did not like these worldly affairs and went directly to the stable to see the small ponies.


    In the stable, the two small ponies, which seemed to be newly born not long ago, were very shy and hid in the corner of the stable, not daring to run around. They were both very ordinary Nags, one with a reddish-brown coat and the other with a brownish-yellow coat. Even without knowing how to judge horses, Liszt could tell that they were not fit for the battlefield.


    ¡°Are they mares or stallions?¡±


    ¡°One mare, one stallion, my lord,¡± Jim, who was feeding the ponies, answered.


    ¡°Take good care of them, don¡¯t let the other horses bully them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Afterward, Liszt took another turn through the separate enclosure, a few pregnant mares were eating bran and peas, not showing any change yet.


    The Fire Dragon Horse, seeing his arrival, affectionately approached and stuck its head out of the fence.


    Liszt patted it, looking forward to the foal it would bear, wondering if it would be as majestic as the Li Dragon Horse. Perhaps with the blood of a Magical Beast mixed in, its foal might be even more majestic than the Li Dragon Horse.


    The banquet.


    A celebration of the caravan¡¯s successful transactions at Fresh Flower Town, it was also a moment to report on work.


    ¡°Baron, the total transactions amounted to 7 Gold Coins, 63 silver coins, and 12 copper coins. According to the low tax rate incentive scheme you have established, with the fixed stall tax and twenty-plus-one fluid tax, a total of 18 silver coins and 15 copper coins were collected¡­¡± Isaiah reported the details of the tax collection.


    The caravan transactions would certainly be taxed.


    Generally, landlords¡¯ taxation of foreign caravans was a standard ten percent, meaning one-tenth of the total transaction valium. Some more demanding landlords might adopt a standard of one-fifth. However, at Fresh Flower Town, Liszt had significantly reduced the tax rate to attract caravans.


    He set two standards.


    One was the fixed stall tax; after paying a silver coin for the stall, no matter how much money you made, there would be no additional taxes.


    The other was the twenty-plus-one fluid tax; that is, not paying according to the stall but extracting one-twentieth of the total transaction amount as tax.


    This gave merchants a choice; if they believed their transactions could exceed twenty silver coins, they would save more by paying the fixed tax. If not reaching twenty silver coins, it was more economical to pay the fluid tax.


    Considering the situation in Fresh Flower Town, the commercial tax collection was minimal, and Liszt did not intend to get rich from this aspect.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to add this commercial tax to the castle¡¯s accounts; use it directly for the construction of the commercial district. Aim to complete the construction of stalls, parking spaces, livestock spaces, as well as inns and toilet facilities promptly. Also, the wells and sewers must be planned together. While there is plenty of time, I hope the work will be completed as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord,¡± Goltai nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Karl, tell us about today¡¯s security issues.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Karl was not attending the banquet for the first time, but he was still nervous, ¡°The Patrol Team generally performed well. We apprehended thirteen merchants for urinating and defecating in public, who were then punished with whipping; additionally, a thief was caught and redeemed by Gabriel. Among the townspeople, two were caught for theft, and three for coercive trading.¡±


    Liszt asked, ¡°Did you tell the caravan leader Gabriel that the first time a thief is caught, they can be redeemed with a fine, but if caught a second time, they will be detained and demoted to hard labor in the territory?¡±


    ¡°I have already notified Gabriel. He said that after returning, he would reprimand the thief, and the next time the caravan returns, absolutely no one will violate your lordship¡¯s rules,¡± Karl hesitated, then continued, ¡°My lord, how shall we punish the five criminals from the town?¡±


    ¡°Freeman or Serf?¡±


    ¡°Among the crimes of theft and coercive trading, there is one Freeman each, and the remaining three are Serfs.¡±


    Liszt looked towards Goltai.


    Goltai immediately said, ¡°My lord, you place great importance on caravan transactions, and despite repeated publicity, there are still bold civilians who disregard the regulations. They must be severely punished! I think, the Serfs should receive fifty lashes, with all their possessions confiscated; the Freeman who stole should receive ten lashes and a tenfold fine. If unable to pay the fine, they should be demoted to Serfdom.¡±


    ¡°Proceed as you suggest,¡± Liszt consented.


    The town had no real laws; his will was the law. Those who did not abide by his will had to accept punishment¡ªbreaking the law knowingly made the crime one degree worse.

 Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 0097: The Constant Failure of Flame Mushroom Cultivation

    Chapter 97: Chapter 0097: The Constant Failure of Flame Mushroom Cultivation


    Translator: 549690339


    Before dawn the next day, the serfs from each hamlet were busy scooping up fermented manure from the cesspits. The serfs carried this manure toward the dairy farms.


    The disbanded Lumberjack Team also regrouped and arrived early at the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, escorted by the Knight Squad. Marcus, carrying a quiver of Falcon Feather Arrows, scoured the shrubbery to ensure no Magical Beasts lurked nearby, before turning to nod at Goltai.


    ¡°Sir, the area is secure,¡± he said.


    ¡°Good,¡± Goltai turned around and shouted at the serfs, ¡°Focus and get to work! You¡¯ve taken the Lord Landlord¡¯s copper coins, and anyone caught slacking off will be whipped to death by me! Remember, do not touch the Thorns; all other trees, without exception, must be cut down.¡±


    The serfs responded in unison.


    Then they began to cut down trees.


    They did not know why they were there to cut trees, but they followed the town officials¡¯ orders and also received a reward of two copper coins for a day¡¯s work.


    Before long, the manure-carrying team arrived, and Goltai hastily directed the serfs to fertilize the Thorn bushes.


    Finance Officer Isaiah followed, tasked with calculating each serf¡¯s pay. After tallying the number of workers, he recorded the data on thick parchment. Stretching leisurely, he conversed with Goltai, ¡°What do you think the Baron is planning with such care for the Thorn Bugs?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but there must be a purpose to what he does,¡± Goltai replied.


    ¡°Goltai, you¡¯ve become more and more invested in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Isaiah noted.


    ¡°Why not? With its booming development, I¡¯ll probably spend the rest of my life here. It¡¯s good to see it prosper. A barren countryside is unbearable, but in a prosperous one, there¡¯s plenty to discover,¡± Goltai said.


    ¡°Of course, nobody likes poverty.¡±


    ¡°For the Lord, and for ourselves, we must strive forward, Isaiah,¡± Goltai said, glancing at his old friend, who had recently become enamored with the idea of following Liszt.


    ¡°I think¡­ yes.¡±


    The town officers, Goltai, Blair, Karl, and Marcus, had all become followers of Liszt. As the only official who hadn¡¯t yet pledged allegiance, Isaiah naturally felt the pressure.


    Goltai didn¡¯t say much more; it was ultimately Isaiah¡¯s own decision. ¡°Isaiah, let¡¯s check the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery to see if there are any unusual Thorns. The Lord mentioned that the Thorn Bugs have been restless lately, perhaps due to changes in the shrubbery.¡±


    ¡°What are we waiting for? I¡¯ll have to search carefully. If I find a Magic Medicine Thorn¡­ well then. By the way, have the ingredients for cultivating Flame Mushrooms in Mushroom Hamlet been researched?¡±


    Goltai spread his hands helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s not so easy. Various ingredients have been tested to cultivate Flame Mushrooms, all to no avail. If it weren¡¯t for Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s mushroom shed still growing Flame Mushrooms, we might have botched it entirely. The Lord places high importance on Flame Mushrooms; I don¡¯t even know how to report on this,¡± Goltai said.


    The cultivation of Flame was in a predicament.


    Goltai had mobilized all Mushroom Hamlet cultivators, distributing Flame Mushroom seeds for them to grow.


    Unfortunately, all attempts ended in failure¡ªallegedly, Crooked-neck Bob had become obsessed, staying in his shed day and night, watching the Flame Mushrooms grow, but unable to fathom why, after replanting with new ingredients, they failed to thrive and the seeds died.


    ¡°Perhaps I should tell the Baron. He might have some good suggestions,¡± Isaiah suggested.


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Goltai, don¡¯t you think the Baron is knowledgeable? He knows a lot. His vision is broader than all of ours; he can see the vast world that we cannot,¡± Isaiah said.


    ¡°Is that how you see the Lord?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it was Marcus who said that. This Retainer Knight, who aspires to become a Noble, holds the Baron in high regard,¡± Isaiah conveyed.


    After contemplating for a moment, Goltai replied, ¡°Perhaps I really should report to the Lord. The matter of the Flame Mushrooms isn¡¯t something with which I can afford to be complacent.¡±


    He wanted to prove himself to earn an advisory position.


    But he was even more aware that if he screwed up with the Flame Mushrooms, Liszt might well kill him¡ªthe importance of Magic Potions to a Landlord was something anyone could comprehend.


    At noon, Liszt went for a round in the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery to inspect the progress and casually inquired about any unusual varieties of Thorn that might have been discovered.


    The officials had not made any progress, and even when Liszt used his Eye of Magic, he did not see any aberrant Thorns.


    He had now confirmed that the Smoke Mission could not create reward items out of thin air, the rewards were things that truly existed in this world, and as long as one was willing to dig, they could obtain the reward items even without going through the mission.


    This gave him great choice.


    He could choose to complete the mission, allowing the Smoke Mission to deliver the reward items to him effortlessly and comfortably.


    He could also choose to bypass the mission, directly obtaining the reward items, to ¡°refresh¡± new tasks.


    He even thought that perhaps the mission could fail, but he didn¡¯t know what kind of ¡°punishment¡± would follow a failure, whether it would be the reward items being kept from him or some other additional punishment. Or, he wondered if new tasks would be available after a mission failure?


    ¡°Perhaps one day, I could try to see the consequences of mission failure, but if it¡¯s possible to complete, I should still try to do so to avoid creating adverse outcomes,¡± he mused.


    He shook his head.


    Liszt was no longer troubled. Since there were no anomalies with the Thorns to be discovered, he could only wait to complete the mission to acquire new varieties of Thorns.


    Goltai approached, ¡°Lord, there seems to be a problem with the cultivation of the Flame Mushrooms.¡±


    ¡°What problem?¡± Liszt immediately became anxious.


    ¡°We have assigned Flame Mushroom seeds to all the serfs who plant regular mushrooms, but not a single one has successfully cultivated a living Flame Mushroom. It seems that Flame Mushrooms can only grow in Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s mushroom shed. However, we can¡¯t find any differences between his mushroom shed and the others.¡±


    Almost a month had passed.


    The Flame Mushrooms still hadn¡¯t been successfully cultivated.


    Liszt felt there must be a significant issue at hand. In fact, he had been monitoring the situation all along but wanted to give the serfs time to solve it¡ªthe Lord couldn¡¯t be expected to toil every day.


    To his surprise, a month had gone by.


    None of the distributed Flame Mushroom seeds showed any signs of life.


    Logically, the cultivation of mushrooms is quite rapid; once the spores germinate, they can usually grow from mycelium to fruiting bodies in just a few days, ready for harvesting in less than two months. However, the Flame Mushroom seeds (the mycelium) simply couldn¡¯t survive, no matter the variety of substrates and environments the serfs tried.


    Without specialized researchers, Liszt could only ask Goltai to lead the way to Mushroom Hamlet for an on-site investigation.


    To see if he could deduce some reasons with his knowledge.


    Arriving at Mushroom Hamlet.


    He saw Crooked-neck Bob, with bloodshot eyes and an exhausted appearance beyond recognition, kneeling on the ground, trembling all over, ¡°Lord Landlord, Bob is a waste, unable to cultivate the Flame Mushrooms alive in a month.¡±


    Liszt did not blame Bob.


    He merely asked Bob in detail about the process of cultivating the Flame Mushrooms.


    After listening, he cast his gaze over the Flame Mushrooms and used the Eye of Magic, wanting to identify the root of the problem. He looked at the few Flame Mushrooms growing in the mushroom substrate and then at the Flame Mushroom seeds prepared in the new substrate. He noticed something puzzling.


    Normally, the Magic Power in a Flame Mushroom is a process of congealing.


    This included the Flame Mushroom seeds produced by it, which also continually condensed Magic Power.


    But after inoculation, the Flame Mushroom seeds in the new substrate could not condense Magic Power and instead slowly dispelled Magic Power.


    ¡°What could be the reason for this?¡±

 Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 098: Speculation on the Cultivation of Flame Mushrooms

    Chapter 98: Chapter 098: Speculation on the Cultivation of Flame Mushrooms


    Translator: 549690339


    The dissipation of magic power was something Liszt could see, even though he wasn¡¯t a magician and couldn¡¯t delve into the essential reasons behind its loss. But as a transmigrator with a scientific mind, he had his unique insights.


    ¡°What¡¯s the biggest difference between the mushroom cultivation substrate for Fragrant Mushrooms and the new substrate?¡±


    ¡°According to Crooked-neck Bob, the growing conditions for most mushrooms are roughly the same, with slight differences in temperature, humidity, and nutrient ratios at most.¡±


    ¡°But the fact that Flame Mushrooms can grow in the Fragrant Mushroom substrate indicates they don¡¯t reject it outright. We¡¯ve been experimenting with the new substrate for quite some time, trying all kinds of ratios, yet still unable to help Flame Mushrooms thrive. It mustn¡¯t be an issue with the substrate.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not an issue with the substrate, then what is it?¡±


    A moment later.


    He formulated a hypothesis¡ªthe most significant difference between the Fragrant Mushroom substrate and the new substrate is that Fragrant Mushrooms grow on the former!


    Mushroom Hamlet had cultivated Fragrant Mushrooms for many years with no other mushroom species invading, yet Flame Mushrooms emerged, suggesting that Flame Mushrooms could be a mutant variety of Fragrant Mushrooms. This mutation might not result in an entirely new species but rather a coexisting variety during the growth of Fragrant Mushrooms.


    Mushrooms are fungi.


    Fungi are always full of surprises. The mycelium of Fragrant Mushrooms and Flame Mushrooms might entangle with and promote each other¡¯s growth.


    Therefore, he said, ¡°Teacher Goltai, please inform the serfs involved in the cultivation to try intermingling the Flame Mushroom spores with those of the Fragrant Mushrooms to see if it works.¡±


    ¡°Intermingling the cultivation?¡± Goltai didn¡¯t quite understand, but he did as instructed.


    Crooked-neck Bob, upon hearing Liszt¡¯s words, was greatly energized, ¡°Lord Landlord, Bob will try intermingling the cultivation right away, I must cultivate Flame Mushrooms for Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°This Fragrant Mushroom shed, remember not to mess with it at all, don¡¯t destroy the environment needed for the growth of Flame Mushrooms,¡± Liszt later emphasized sternly.


    It was alright if the Flame Mushrooms took a bit longer to cultivate; he wasn¡¯t yet at the stage where he needed to rely on magic potions to increase his Dou Qi.


    But if he ended up killing all the Flame Mushrooms, he would go mad.


    In the blink of an eye, five days passed.


    Liszt would visit the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery every day to check on the progress of fertilization and logging. The Lumberjack Team was experienced, and especially after the Smithy made a batch of sharp axes, the efficiency of cutting trees increased significantly. A large circle of trees around the shrubbery was completely cut down.


    Basically, all the trees within the region that could be affected by the Thorn Cordyceps were felled.


    The Fire Dragon Horse calmly ate various weeds; it was pregnant, but it didn¡¯t show, and riding it was still normal. According to Marcus, riding it for a few more months posed no problem.


    In its box, the Thorn Bug lay on jade powder, comfortably wriggling.


    Over these days, Liszt could distinctly feel the Thorn Bug¡¯s spirits were high, constantly in a state of excitement. That was abnormal as, typically, the emotional fluctuations of Elf Bugs are very small¡ªafter all, no matter how magical an Elf Bug is, in essence, it is still just an insect; one could not expect it to exhibit human-like emotions.


    ¡°Could this little fellow really be wanting to evolve?¡±


    No sooner did the thought arise than he swiftly extinguished it, for the likelihood of success was too slim. Greater hopes lead to greater disappointments, so it was better not to indulge in unrealistic fantasies.


    At that moment, Blair, responsible for supervising the work, came over.


    ¡°My Lord.¡±


    ¡°Have you made any discoveries?¡±


    Blair hesitated a bit but then spoke up, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m making a big deal out of nothing, but around the shrubbery, many young Thorn shoots have sprung up like grass from the soil, already reaching about half a finger in length.¡±


    His eyebrows raised.


    Liszt followed Blair to inspect these Thorn seedlings.


    Indeed, on the cleared land where trees had been cut down, tender but lively Thorn seedlings were poking through piles of fallen leaves.


    The Thorns weren¡¯t like any variety found on Earth, being merely a type of spiny shrub that, at most, grew to a person¡¯s height, non-toxic, not flowering, and not fruiting, propagating by continuously extending roots to sprout new seedlings. To be exact, Thorns were considered weed-trees, with Thorn Bugs being merely wild Elves.


    The wilderness jungles, untraveled by man, always be home to a small number of naturally bred elves.


    But the wild vegetation is messy and the soil poor, which means the probability of breeding Elf Bugs is very low. This chance is far less than with species that humans have been cultivating over a long period, which produce a greater number of Elf Bugs.


    Moreover,


    the varieties of Elf Bugs found in the wild are hard to guarantee. They might be a weed or a poisonous fruit tree, with relatively low utility value.


    The greatest use of a Thorn Bug bonded by humans is to construct a hedge.


    Especially for the Nobles, who plant a hedge around the perimeter of their estates to separate themselves from commoners.


    In Fresh Flower Town, the Thorn Bug really doesn¡¯t have much use¡ªthe space outside the castle has all been converted into a racecourse, with absolutely no need for any hedge to act as a barrier.


    Regardless, since it¡¯s an Elf Bug, Liszt still decides to cultivate it.


    ¡°Did all these thorn seedlings just sprout up in the last two days?¡± He gently pulled out a seedling. It was tender, but there wasn¡¯t the slightest trace of Magic Power flowing within it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t pay much attention at the start,¡± Blair shook his head, ¡°It wasn¡¯t just me, none of the serfs noticed either, as if they had all grown overnight.¡±


    Liszt inspected the situation carefully.


    Indeed, these were not the ¡°Magic Medicine Thorns¡± he had imagined but merely common thorn saplings.


    He still decided to summon the Smoke Mission to check on the situation. When the smoke twisted into Serpent Script, he finally understood¡ª¡±Complete mission, reward: fast-growing thorn species.¡±


    This meant that the mission to nurture the Thorn Cordyceps had been completed. It was disappointing that he didn¡¯t receive Magic Medicine Thorns as a reward, just a fast-growing type of thorn.


    ¡°A fast-growing thorn species, what do I need this for?¡± Liszt sighed in his heart, recognizing that not every Smoke Mission would bring a sizable reward.


    He didn¡¯t dwell on it and turned his attention to the newly issued mission.


    ¡°Mission: Without the devastation of the Fruit Thief Monkeys, the Fragrant Coconut Trees have finally borne ripe Fragrant Coconut Fruit. However, the fruit from one of the trees seems different. Please find out why. Reward: an Elf Bug.¡±


    Having read the mission, the sense of disappointment he felt just before was quickly smoothed over, and he became excited.


    Why was the Fragrant Coconut Fruit different?


    Because it was nurturing a Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug!


    The familiar pattern and familiar rewards shifted Liszt¡¯s gaze away from the thorn seedlings. He said to Blair, ¡°Don¡¯t stop fertilizing the shrubbery, but the logging work can be scaled back, shifting focus to fence building. Keep a careful eye on these thorn seedlings and record their growth.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Moments later.


    Liszt had arrived at Oyster Village.


    The construction of houses in Oyster Village was not rapid, barely managing to accommodate a few hundred serfs. No longer haphazardly built, the houses are arranged neatly into blocks, following the sketch personally planned by Liszt.


    Near the sea in the block, a huge plaza is reserved.


    In the plaza, a small hill made of colorful seashells symbolizes the specialty of Oyster Village¡ªseafood.


    On the East Coast beach, stands a clump of tall Fragrant Coconut Trees, among which, one near Oyster Village has a slightly larger house and yard beneath it¡ªthe Fruit Thief Monkey Training Ground.


    A few of the best serfs at training Fruit Thief Monkeys live here; they have been freed from the fields and seawater to focus on training and raising Fruit Thief Monkeys, becoming the honored¡ªFragrant Coconut Fruit Farmers.


    ¡°Lord Landlord!¡±


    Upon seeing Liszt, several Fragrant Coconut Fruit Farmers knelt and paid their respects.


    ¡°Stand up everyone. You¡¯ve been training the Fruit Thief Monkeys for quite some time now. Can they climb trees and pick fruit yet?¡±

 Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 0099: The Unique Fragrant Coconut Fruit

    Chapter 99: Chapter 0099: The Unique Fragrant Coconut Fruit


    Translator: 549690339


    The East Coast stretches for several kilometers, and there are a total of 171 Fragrant Coconut Trees of various sizes.


    The smaller Fragrant Coconut Trees might be only a few meters high, and there are even some that have just sprouted. The largest Fragrant Coconut Tree, which was the site of the battle between the Wind Falcon and the Fruit Thief Monkeys, is nearly sixty meters tall and leans towards the sea.


    Liszt rode his Fire Dragon Horse and took shelter under the shade of the tallest Fragrant Coconut Tree. He guessed that if there truly was an Elf Bug, it would definitely be in this ¡°Tree King¡±.


    Cordyceps are generally larger, stronger, and more vigorous than ordinary plants.


    If it had been before, he would have had to search each tree one by one to be sure of the Cordyceps. Now it was different; he just needed to deploy the Eye of Magic and look up at the top of the sixty-meter-tall Fragrant Coconut Tree.


    A few changes appeared in his field of vision.


    Faint traces of pale blue Magic Power circulated in the foliage at the top, not very clear, but certainly enough.


    ¡°There are traces of Magic Power, just as I thought, this Fragrant Coconut Tree has become Cordyceps. My eighth Elf Bug is about to arrive! However, this Elf Bug has climbed quite high,¡± Liszt thought for a moment and then decided not to investigate personally¡ªclimbing trees was really not becoming of a lord¡¯s dignity.


    He turned to look at a farmer next to him, ¡°You¡¯re Jiggs, the steward of the Fruit Thief Monkey Training Ground, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Jiggs nodded hurriedly, ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°Can you climb trees?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°Then climb this tree for me. Be careful not to damage the bark. Go up and take a look for me to see if there is something unusual about the Fragrant Coconut Fruits.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± Jiggs immediately set to work, climbing hand over foot toward the crown of the tree.


    He was not as agile as the Fruit Thief Monkeys, but he was steady enough, gradually making his way to the foliage. Moments later, Jiggs climbed down and began to report, ¡°Lord Landlord, it¡¯s very strange. There¡¯s a Fragrant Coconut Fruit that looks like it¡¯s fully ripened, smells very sweet, and it¡¯s very large, oh, about the size of a basin.¡±


    The size of a normal Fragrant Coconut Fruit is about that of a sea bowl.


    Now that a basin-sized Fragrant Coconut Fruit has appeared, there¡¯s no doubt that an Elf Bug is hidden inside.


    Liszt smiled, ¡°Jiggs, remember this, the tree is Cordyceps, and my Elf Bug is growing inside its Fragrant Coconut Fruit. You guys must guard this tree for me, not allowing anyone to touch the Fragrant Coconut Fruits, and you must go up each day to observe. If the Fragrant Coconut Fruit cracks open, notify the Castle immediately, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°My goodness, an Elf Bug? Incredible!¡± Jiggs was overjoyed and replied eagerly, ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord. Jiggs will definitely guard the Elf Bug!¡±


    He nodded lightly.


    Liszt concentrated his mind and summoned the Smoke Mission.


    He felt somewhat lightheaded; he had just completed a Smoke Mission half an hour ago, and now, he had finished another one¡ªthis efficiency couldn¡¯t be too high.


    Just as expected.


    The Serpent Script formed by the smoke said, ¡°Mission completed, reward: Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug.¡±


    Suddenly, a new mission appeared, ¡°The new-style milky bread brought by the trade caravan has sparked an inspiration in Reynard, the baker. He wants to make a new kind of bread, perhaps adding some meat would be a good idea, but he¡¯s distressed that he can only sell black bread. Please help him realize the development of a new bread. Reward: Sunken Ship Treasure.¡±


    ¡°Sunken Ship Treasure?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyes gleamed at the sight of the word ¡®treasure¡¯; there¡¯s nothing more exciting than discovering treasure and gaining an unexpected fortune.


    A task that must be completed.


    ¡°Reynard wants to make a new type of bread, with a bit of meat? Is he planning to invent meat-floss bread?¡±


    In this world, the culinary realm is still at a very primitive stage of food processing¡ªroasting meat, roasting fish, boiling eggs, boiling meat, frying steaks, tossing salads; sauce was invented, and everyone likes to spread it on everything they eat; milk is only used to make cheese and pudding, and they also like to stuff it with minced meat.


    The worst is their fondness for baking complete ingredients into a batter¡ªthe respectable name for it: ¡°Pie!¡±


    Mrs. Abbie was previously very skilled at making a dish called mushroom pie, the specific method being¡ªmix flour with sugar and oil into a paste, then sprinkle the whole mushrooms into it, stuff it into the oven, and bake it till done¡ªwith that, a mushroom pie was ready to eat.


    Liszt really couldn¡¯t get used to these ¡°pies,¡± always feeling like it was an insult to his taste buds.


    Even to his intelligence.


    But many times, he had to endure the torment of this dark cuisine and deeply regret why he didn¡¯t go to New Oriental to learn how to be a chef before.


    Eight hundred stainless beds, two hundred¡­


    Bread is the staple food of the Different World, from the king down to serfs, they all eat bread. Except nobles eat white bread, and the poor eat black bread. The nobles¡¯ requirements for food are definitely aspirational, but alas, the chefs¡¯ talents are limited, and after so many years, white bread is still white bread, black bread is still black bread.


    ¡°How do you make meat floss bread?¡± Liszt tried to recall the meat floss bread he had eaten, ¡°It seems like it¡¯s just bread with some meat floss sprinkled on top? But, how is meat floss made?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    He quickly gathered his thoughts, gave a few instructions to the fruit farmers, mounted his horse, and left Oyster Village. The retainer knights had already gone to inform Goltai that Liszt wasn¡¯t too concerned about the protection work for the Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps. He was ready to head straight for the town¡¯s bakery, to inspect the lives of the common people.


    The bakery was in the most conspicuous position in town, a rare two-story wooden building.


    The first floor sold bread, and the second floor was the residence of the baker¡¯s family.


    The bakery provided two main services, one was naturally selling various kinds of black bread, the other was to bake bread on behalf of others. Not all serfs could afford black bread, they would more often come to use the bakery¡¯s oven, bringing their own various bran and other ingredients to bake black bread.


    Reynard was a freeman, and also the richest freeman in town, it was said that his family wealth amounted to as many as five gold coins.


    The undisputed richest man in Fresh Flower Town.


    However, some said the Old Drunkard was the richest man, as he had sold his smithy to the landlord for three gold coins, and despite his love for fine wine, his excellent blacksmithing skills still brought him a great deal of wealth.


    At the moment, Reynard stood watching the baking oven, waiting for a new batch of bread to come out, but his mind was wandering. He was one of the few people in town who could regularly taste white bread, and the cream bread brought by the caravan a few days ago, he bought a bit and tasted its unique and wonderful flavor.


    It also made him realize that bread could be made even more delicious.


    ¡°Could I make better-tasting bread?¡± In the past, he wouldn¡¯t have thought about it because even if he made it, no one in town could afford it.


    But now it was different, the road to Thorn Ridge had been opened, and the castle¡¯s caravans went on trade missions almost every three days. He could definitely follow the caravans to sell his own bread outside¡ªas long as he could get to North Valley City, where many nobles resided.


    ¡°And, I could also sell to Lord Landlord.¡± Reynard thought of the day the caravan arrived, when he met Mrs. Abbie and chatted with her, learning that she could only make the simplest white bread, ¡°Lord Landlord must be tired of the monotonous white bread by now, most of the cream bread was bought by the castle.¡±


    Just at that moment.


    He suddenly heard his wife shouting loudly, ¡°Reynard, come out quickly, Reynard, are you listening, the landlord, Lord Landlord is here!¡±

 Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 100: The Development of New Bread

    Chapter 100: Chapter 100: The Development of New Bread


    Translator: 549690339


    In the bakery, Liszt saw the plump Reynard.


    Without showing much concern for his serfs or adopting a friendly demeanor, he went straight to the point, ¡°Reynard, how long have you been baking bread?¡±


    ¡°I started baking bread as soon as I arrived at Fresh Flower Farm, Lord Landlord, It¡¯s been eighteen years,¡± Reynard said respectfully, ¡°My mother was once a kitchen maid at Tulip Castle, and she taught me the skill of bread-making. I followed her here when Coral Island¡¯s Earl started the Fresh Flower Farm in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    The developmental history of Coral Island is hard to trace, with claims that people were already living on the island even before the Sapphire Duke came overseas to establish the kingdom.


    Later, the Sapphire Duke declared Coral Island property of the kingdom and sent officials to govern it.


    By the time Li Weiliam Tulip was granted the title of Earl of Coral Island for his military service twenty years ago, Levis was just two years old, and both Li Vera and Liszt had not been born yet. In those years, the Earl massively purchased serfs to populate and cultivate the wastelands of Coral Island.


    Eighteen years ago, new Tulips were discovered in Fresh Flower Town, prompting the Earl to cultivate Fresh Flower Farm there.


    At its height, the Tulips reached two hundred acres in size, and the small castle was also constructed during that time.


    The following year, which is seventeen years ago, as increasingly more serfs gathered at Fresh Flower Farm, Fresh Flower Town was built. Reynard, transitioning from a baker who made bread exclusively for Fresh Flower Farm, became the town baker and settled down here. Life in the small town was hard, but Reynard quite enjoyed it.


    In a blink, eighteen years passed.


    He had become the wealthiest commoner in Fresh Flower Town.


    Liszt then asked, ¡°Have you always made black bread?¡±


    ¡°Occasionally, I also make white bread, especially during festivals, and, well, when commoners get married, they also order some white bread from me.¡±


    ¡°How is your skill in making white bread?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord,¡± Reynard said, a bit embarrassed and with his head bowed, ¡°But, Mrs. Abbie from the castle has tasted my white bread, and she said it was delicious.¡±


    Aside, Reynard¡¯s wife suddenly interjected, ¡°Lord Landlord, Mrs. Abbie also said she wanted to collaborate with Reynard on researching milky bread, which she mentioned you¡¯re quite fond of.¡±


    ¡°The Lord Landlord didn¡¯t ask you a question, who gave you permission to speak!¡± Reynard glared at his wife and then quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Landlord, Rebecca is a foolish woman, she meant no disrespect to your authority.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t mind.


    He wasn¡¯t the kind of noble prickly to the touch, unable to accept the slightest offense¡ªbesides, he didn¡¯t feel that Rebecca¡¯s interjection was an affront at all.


    On the contrary, he was pleased that Abbie seemingly was collaborating with Reynard about creating milky bread.


    He always supported culinary research, so he smiled and said, ¡°Reynard, the castle needs bread with better taste. Since you and Mrs. Abbie are communicating, that¡¯s good, create more bread with different flavors. Don¡¯t worry about not being able to sell them, as long as they¡¯re tasty, the castle will purchase them in large quantities.¡±


    Reynard was overjoyed.


    This was exactly what he wanted, and he immediately accepted the order, ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord, I will surely work with Mrs. Abbie to develop milky bread and many more wonderfully flavored new breads.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    Liszt stood up, adding another suggestion, ¡°I like adding a bit of meat to the bread, but roasted meat is too dry and hard, which doesn¡¯t go well with bread. Maybe you could try to make the meat very tender, almost as if it were mixed with the bread, that might taste good.¡±


    ¡°Reynard will remember that!¡±


    Reynard and Mrs. Abbie would likely need at least ten days to half a month to bake meat floss bread or any other new type of bread. There was no way they would finish this task before Liszt attended Levis¡¯s birthday party.


    The date was rapidly approaching August 16th.


    Only three days were left until Levis¡¯s birthday, after which he would turn twenty-three. By that age, the Earl and Melissa had already conceived Li Vera. However, Levis still hadn¡¯t found a suitable match for marriage and remained single.


    Honored Knight Layden from Tulip Castle had sent the invitation for Levis¡¯s birthday party.


    Upon receiving the invitation, Butler Carter got busy with the preparations for the gift, ¡°My lord, are we really just going to use seafood as the birthday gift?¡±


    He asked with some uncertainty, as Liszt had instructed him that giving some seafood as a gift would suffice.


    But seafood was the cheapest food in Fresh Flower Town, cheaper even than black bread ¡ª it was found everywhere on the East Coast, not only collected by fishermen but even serfs would pick up some shells to eat.


    Liszt, engrossed in his book, didn¡¯t even lift his head, ¡°Mr. Carter, besides seafood, what else do we have in Fresh Flower Town that¡¯s worth offering as a specialty?¡±


    This rhetorical question left Carter speechless.


    The remote little town truly had no special produce worth boasting about, but he still tried to think of something, ¡°My lord, perhaps we could send some wild fruits from Thorn Ridge.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, I have been poisoned by wild fruits before. Although I am now able to differentiate between the types of wild fruits, there is still a risk.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, my lord, it was thoughtless of me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing. After all, the castle picks a lot of wild fruits every day, we¡¯re used to it. I just feel that gifting wild fruits isn¡¯t a good sign.¡±


    Liszt had occupied his predecessor¡¯s body and memories because of wild fruits, so of course, he wouldn¡¯t disregard them.


    He had ordered people to pick and test all the wild fruits from Thorn Ridge and eventually identified two poisonous kinds ¡ª including the Black Date Fruit that had poisoned his predecessor, a fist-sized, slightly purplish-black fruit.


    All other wild fruits were edible.


    However, whether there were more poisonous wild fruits deep within Thorn Ridge was not something he could guarantee. Those fruits were picked by the braver serfs from the edge of Thorn Ridge.


    The small town also had some fruit trees, but not many, with just a few fruits scattered here and there.


    Liszt had already ordered the collection of various wild fruit seeds, planning to plant them en masse come spring next year, but regrettably, he couldn¡¯t ensure a high germination rate. Without the Elf Bug, the growth of wild fruit trees was bound to be a challenge; the serfs had thought of planting them but couldn¡¯t make them thrive.


    The castle¡¯s wild fruits could only be picked from Thorn Ridge for the time being.


    With wild fruits ruled out as a birthday gift, Carter didn¡¯t know what else to give, something more appropriate than seafood.


    But then Liszt remembered, ordinary wild fruits from Thorn Ridge might not be suitable, but there were plenty of Fragrant Coconut Fruits on the East Coast, ¡°Calculating the time, the Fragrant Coconut Fruits should also be ripe by now. Mr. Carter, contact the fruit farmers and pick a bag of Fragrant Coconut Fruits. We¡¯ll pair them with the seafood as our gift.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    August 19th.


    Early in the morning, Liszt dressed in leather armor and strapped on the Crimson Blood Sword, setting off with his retainer knights just as the sun began to rise, facing the gentle breeze.


    Heading to Tulip Castle.

 Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Levis’s Birthday Party

    Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Levis¡¯s Birthday Party


    Translator: 549690339


    Walking on the main road of Thorn Ridge.


    Liszt felt quite satisfied. When he first arrived, this road made people anxious, constantly worrying about a magical beast jumping out. Now, the open view made it so that no one worried about the attacks of magical beasts. The original dirt road had also been transformed into a new gravel road, though it was still bumpy.


    Marcus rode a dun mare that was pregnant, half a horse length behind Liszt¡¯s Li Dragon Horse.


    He was fully armed, fearless in the increasingly warm weather, carefully inspecting every move around him. He was not only Liszt¡¯s home tutor for knight lessons but also the knight assigned by the Earl to protect Liszt¡ªsome countries would call such a knight a Chief Knight, but the Grand Duchy did not have this system.


    Following behind Liszt and Marcus was Karl Ironhammer, the town¡¯s defense officer.


    He did not need to come, but still volunteered to protect Liszt¡ªperhaps he was simply taking this opportunity to visit Coral City to see the sights, and to display his loyalty?


    Riding alongside Karl and scattered on both sides were Philip Wool and Zavier Bull Dung, two young Retainer Knights with not bad talents, having taken the lead in cultivating Dou Qi in the squad.


    Further behind was Rom Barrel, who had also successfully cultivated Dou Qi just the day before yesterday. As one of the first four to serve as retainers to Liszt, Rom practiced diligently and finally made progress. Liszt immediately appointed him as the captain of the Patrol Team, assisting Karl in commanding the team.


    Unfortunately, the other two of the initial four retainers, Gray Scythe and Auden Insole, had still not managed to cultivate Dou Qi.


    Marcus had given up teaching the two, as their talents were too poor and they had missed the opportunity during their youth; there was no hope. Liszt asked them to serve as assistants to officials, one assisting the Legal Officer Blair, and the other assisting the Finance Officer Isaiah.


    To his own people, Liszt was still sentimental, providing them with quite decent statuses.


    At the end of the team were four young knights, who were part of the Knight Squad and had followed after Philip and Zavier to cultivate Dou Qi. They too were reassigned closer to Liszt to serve as Retainer Knights. As for the other members of the Knight Squad, they were still practicing diligently in the town.


    In addition, there was Servant Thomas.


    The entire team consisted of eleven people and eleven horses in total. The horses¡¯ hooves raced, kicking up clouds of dust.


    Since there were quite a few pregnant mares in the team, they did not travel very fast, but they still arrived at Tulip Castle, surrounded by a sea of tulip flowers, around 10:30 in the morning.


    ¡°Oh, my dear brother, you have finally come; I¡¯ve been waiting for you here for a long time,¡± Levis, dressed in festive Flack Abbieye, wore a noble¡¯s proper smile on his face.


    He spread his arms, welcoming Liszt.


    A very enthusiastic welcome ceremony.


    Liszt dismounted and spread his arms as well, and hugged Levis: ¡°Dear brother, I wish you a happy birthday.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your wishes.¡±


    Liszt gestured to Thomas and the Retainer Knights behind him, ¡°Bring up the gift I¡¯ve prepared.¡±


    The gift was presented and handed over to Butler Xi Er Wa following behind Levis.


    ¡°What is it? It¡¯s a big package; it seems you didn¡¯t hold back on the expense,¡± said Levis, letting a servant open it¡ªaccording to customs here, gifts were to be unwrapped on the spot.


    The gifts inside the bag were beautifully packaged.


    First was a coconut the size of a sea bowl wrapped in cloth, looking very high-class with a faint scent of coconut milk drifting through the air.


    ¡°This is Fragrant Coconut Fruit. The coconut milk inside is very sweet. Open it and take a sip, and you will know how sweet and delicious it is,¡± Liszt exaggerated. In fact, it was only slightly better tasting than ordinary coconut water on Earth.


    However, the fruit from which one could directly drink the liquid was unique.


    Levis became curious indeed, ¡°Coconut milk? This kind of fruit contains milk inside?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simply magical; I can hardly wait to have a taste,¡± Liszt turned to look at the other side of the bag, where everything was neatly packed in small bags, ¡°What are these?¡±


    ¡°They are seafood.¡±


    ¡°Seafood?¡±


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t think of them as anything ordinary, these seafood are all hauled in by fishermen, the most precious of the catch. Especially the aged oysters¡­¡± Liszt leaned in and whispered into Levis¡¯s ear, ¡°It can keep you up all night, indulging in whatever you wish to do.¡±


    Levis¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Really? This is too precious, thank you, Liszt, my dear brother, this is the best birthday gift I have received.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t married yet, but then again, who made a rule that an unmarried noble can¡¯t have a bevy of mistresses?


    After securing the gift, the two brothers walked into the castle side by side.


    The great hall of the castle was already filled with nobles of all ranks.


    Apart from two Viscounts who sent their sons, the rest of the Barons and Honored Knights had made the effort to be present. After all, Levis was the heir of Coral Island, the future Earl of Coral Island, and their next lord paramount.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite lively.¡±


    Liszt had to maintain a standard noble smile, greeting the nobles who had come to attend the birthday feast, not fond of these masked social interactions. Yet as a member of the nobility, to uphold the dignity of nobles, such occasions were indispensable.


    Once he finished making rounds with his greetings.


    He was ready to go and pay his respects to the Earl.


    But upon asking, he learned from Levis that the Earl had already left Coral Island: ¡°A messenger from the Grand Duke brought orders, all direct landlords are to head to Blue Dragon Island to discuss this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate. In fact, I have been training the Knight Order, ready to follow Father to the mainland at any moment.¡±


    The Pioneer Mandate was an order the nobles of the Duchy of Sapphire were most enthusiastic about.


    The order was simple: to heed the call of the King of Steel Ridge Kingdom, head to the mainland, and plunder wealth, especially minesgold, silver, copper, iron, aluminum, and all manner of gemstones were targets of contention.


    The Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom were sworn enemies; both had slaughtered each other¡¯s dragons. Thus, nearly every year, a large-scale war would erupt, with both sides scrambling to snatch minerals. The Duchy of Sapphire was a vassal state of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, not very strong, but it posed a significant threat with maritime raids.


    Years ago, the Earl had penetrated deep into the heartland of the Eagle Kingdom, capturing an iron mine in one fell swoop and taking away at least two hundred thousand tons of iron ore.


    It was said that the ships hauling the iron ore were as numerous as ants moving house.


    Such a massive loss enraged the King of the Eagle Kingdom, who dispatched a Dragon Knight to intercept the fleet, only to be blocked by a Dragon Knight of the Steel Ridge Kingdom. It was also that battle where Marquis Merlin Taro, the captain of the Court Fleet, recognized the potential of Li Weiliam and arranged the marriage of his daughter, Melissa, to him.


    This story was one that Liszt had heard since childhood¡ªwhenever the nobility reminisced in feasts, they would always bring up this tale, flattering the Earl.


    Unfortunately, since that battle, the Eagle Kingdom began to take their coastal defenses seriously, and there had been no opportunity to achieve such a glorious victory since.


    Every year, the blood of a batch of knights was spilled, only to bring back a modest amount of metal and gemstone mines.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re going to battle too?¡± Liszt was somewhat surprised.


    ¡°Yes, I am already twenty-three; although I have not married, I am old enough, and if I don¡¯t go into battle, it would tarnish my reputation.¡±


    Liszt shook his head, feigning regret, ¡°I don¡¯t have a qualified Knight Squad, not even a chance to go to battle. I really wish I could fight alongside you, brother, and win the glory of a knight.¡±


    In truth, he had no desire for battle.


    How nice it would be to peacefully farm at home¡ªthere were so many uninhabited islands overseas. Why not develop those rather than go to the mainland and risk life and limb?

 Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 0102 The Fatty of the Lycra Family

    Chapter 102: Chapter 0102 The Fatty of the Lycra Family


    Translator: 549690339


    The Earl and Lady Marie had already left Coral Island, heading to Blue Dragon Island.


    Lady Penelope sent her blessings, but she did not come to Tulip Castle herself.


    Therefore, without the constraints of the landlord and the old lady, the atmosphere at Tulip Castle¡¯s luncheon was quite lively, especially among the young nobles, who were busy socializing and bonding joyfully.


    Liszt inevitably had to participate.


    Many nobles knew that the Earl did not place much importance on this third son with less impressive talents, but regardless, Liszt¡¯s lineage was undeniably noble¡ªhis paternal bloodline was that of an Earl, and his maternal bloodline was that of a Marquis, with no deviation for three generations, belonging to the direct line of descent.


    ¡°Liszt, it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you. Now that the road to Thorn Ridge has been cleared, why not visit my Mudbrick Town?¡±


    ¡°Brooke, I¡¯ll make time to visit Mudbrick Town. It only takes two hours from Fresh Flower Town to Mudbrick Town. And you are also welcome to visit Fresh Flower Town. I¡¯ll treat you to the finest seafood.¡±


    ¡°I will definitely go. I love seafood, especially oysters.¡±


    ¡°Of course, everyone loves oysters.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    After the sumptuous main course of the luncheon came the dessert.


    Liszt saw the ice cream, and compared to the four flavors available in the small town, Tulip Castle had as many as eight flavors.


    Ice cream had not yet become widespread.


    So this time, the dessert astonished all the nobles, but there weren¡¯t many who inquired about the ice cream recipe, as ice was not something that minor nobles could afford. The only exceptions were the sons of two Viscounts, who approached Liszt with the request to buy the recipe, as their families could afford ice.


    Liszt was not polite about it.


    For the son of Viscount Shattered Stone City, Brandon Brokenstone, he quoted a trade price: ¡°Three hundred pounds of pig iron, and the recipe is yours.¡± This price was double what he had offered his sister Li Vera; outsiders should not expect to get his favorable price.


    Brandon gritted his teeth: ¡°Deal!¡±


    Then Liszt gave a price to the son of Viscount Beer Island, Aubrey Lycra: ¡°One hundred and fifty barrels of hop-flavored beer.¡±


    The heir of the wealthy Lycra Family did not hesitate in the slightest: ¡°No problem, as soon as I return, I¡¯ll have the fleet carry an extra fifty barrels of beer. Have your merchant caravan wait for the trade in Coral City.¡±


    ¡°Refreshing.¡±


    Liszt was very pleased; an ornate but impractical recipe had been successfully traded for quite a lot of goods.


    But the next moment, he almost changed color.


    Because Aubrey suddenly said: ¡°By the way, Liszt, I¡¯m planning to catch seafood around the beaches of Beer Island to sell to others. What do you think?¡±


    His face still wore a smile.


    Internally, he wanted nothing more than to kill Aubrey, but Liszt just casually asked, ¡°Seafood? Why has the Lycra Family taken an interest in seafood? Haven¡¯t the hop fields already brought enough wealth to the Lycra Family?¡±


    ¡°Who would complain about earning too many Gold Coins, right?¡± Aubrey, very portly with a bulging belly akin to someone in their tenth month of pregnancy, clearly had been well-fed from childhood, ¡°Seafood is a great thing, especially oysters, endlessly delightful. The seafood business of Fresh Flower Town has made me envious.¡±


    Currently, only Fresh Flower Town on Coral Island was engaging in large-scale fishing and selling the seafood externally.


    The profits were substantial, bringing in nearly a Gold Coin a day. Just a few days ago, Liszt had boldly purchased three more wagons, adding to the previous six, for a total of nine wagons continuously trading seafood.


    Now, they had been divided into three merchant teams; Old Geronte personally led one back and forth between Coral City and Tulip Castle; Abagon led one toward Birch City; and Sherlock led another toward Serpent Spear City. Given the current sales momentum, two to three Gold Coins a day in the future was not an issue.


    He had been preparing to dominate the seafood market on Coral Island, but unexpectedly, someone new came out of the blue.


    Aubrey actually wanted to get involved in the seafood business.


    If it had been some minor noble like an ordinary baron wanting to get into the seafood business, Liszt wouldn¡¯t have minded complaining to the earl, letting the other party understand that you can¡¯t afford to offend the noblest bloodline on Coral Island. However, the Lycra Family was different¡ªthe Viscount Beer Island was one of the earliest followers of the earl, with notable meritorious services, making it difficult to pressure someone with power alone.


    If he were the heir to the earl, the Lycra Family certainly wouldn¡¯t dare to overreach, but the key point was that he was only the Baron of Fresh Flower Town.


    He squinted slightly.


    Liszt instantly contemplated various countermeasures in his mind, but outwardly he remained as calm as the wind, ¡°Is that so? It seems that the seafood market on Coral Island will be much livelier in the future.¡±


    With a laugh, Aubrey said, ¡°Liszt, sorry for the misunderstanding, I have no plans to sell seafood on Coral Island. That¡¯s your business, and for the sake of our friendship, I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin it.¡±


    His words caught Liszt a bit off guard.


    The two of them hardly had any friendship; Aubrey was probably in his late twenties, a bosom friend of Levis. Surprisingly, Aubrey did not intend to get involved in the seafood market of Coral Island at all.


    ¡°Not selling seafood on Coral Island, then what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Our family has a few decent channels that can sell to other islands. The seafood market was your first discovery; Coral Island naturally belongs to you. I don¡¯t want to compete maliciously with a friend,¡± Aubrey spoke with a tone of sincere candor. If Liszt were a bit less experienced, he might have been genuinely moved.


    No wonder the Lycra Family could monopolize the hop trade, knowing the times and when to advance or retreat; it¡¯s hard not to be successful.


    He picked up his wine glass and raised it as a signal, ¡°To our friendship, cheers.¡±


    ¡°Of course, cheers to our friendship.¡±


    The seafood business, a false alarm.


    But Liszt wasn¡¯t going to assume that the seafood market was now secure; today¡¯s friendly approach from Aubrey made it clear to him¡ªwealth stirs people¡¯s hearts.


    If at first the seafood was merely a novelty item for the nobility to taste,


    Now, he feared that the profit from the seafood business had been thoroughly researched by the nobility, at least one Gold Coin a day, and possibly even more in the future. Just think, one Gold Coin a day, over three hundred Gold Coins a year¡ªif one could earn three coins a day, wouldn¡¯t it amount to over a thousand coins a year?


    How is that any different from robbing people!


    It¡¯s almost equivalent to half a year¡¯s tax revenue from a small city.


    If minor nobles still respect Liszt¡¯s bloodline and dare not act recklessly. Then his sister, Li Vera, was probably already calculating how to snatch this business away¡ªLiszt was very clear about his sister, she wasn¡¯t the kind to dote on her younger brother; taking Liszt¡¯s toys had been her favorite pastime when they were children.


    Besides, Lidun and Lady Marie could be eyeing the opportunity as well.


    Catching seafood was not challenging at all.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t be careless!¡± As the luncheon ended, Liszt was still pondering, ¡°Perhaps, I should bring Levis over and partner with him.¡±


    Levis, Li Vera, Lidun, and Lady Marie were all far from being kind and faithful people.


    But Levis after all was the heir to the earl, the future landlord of Liszt; by winning over Levis, this business would be secure.


    ¡°I should offer shares to Levis, and collaborate with him privately, not with Tulip Castle. He would likely agree. With Tulip Castle now having to share half its resources with Lidun, Levis must be anxious. If there¡¯s a chance to do business without Lidun, he won¡¯t miss it.¡±

 Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 0103: Brothers Discuss Collaboration

    Chapter 103: Chapter 0103: Brothers Discuss Collaboration


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Liszt, look, I¡¯ve planted ten acres of black tulips!¡±


    Greater Elf Xiangxiang, flying amidst the sea of tulips, with rows of yet-to-blossom tulips trailing behind her. Under the glaring sun, the rows of tulips looked somewhat droopy.


    In the middle of the day, it¡¯s not just people who feel lethargic, plants do, too.


    Only the elves remained so effortlessly spirited and lively.


    ¡°Woo wah!¡±


    ¡°Woo wah!¡±


    Two Little Minor Elves followed behind Xiangxiang, uttering some nonsensical noises. Elves are not social creatures, but elves of the same kind can play together and even share knowledge about different plant species with each other. These two Tulip Lesser Spirits were Xiangxiang¡¯s entourage.


    Tulip Castle always hoped that these two Little Minor Elves could break through their constraints and evolve into new Greater Elves.


    ¡°Planted at the end of June, and it hasn¡¯t even been two months, they¡¯ve already formed buds,¡± Liszt strolled between the rows, looking at the buds of black tulips about to bloom, feeling excited, roughly in another month, these tulips would turn into one Gold Coin after another, flowing into his pocket.


    Xiangxiang held her pretty head high, proudly saying, ¡°Of course, these are the tulips I planted. Every single seed has sprouted under my care.¡±


    That expression clearly said, ¡°Hurry up and praise me.¡±


    Liszt smiled and praised, ¡°Xiangxiang is incredible.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I am incredible!¡±


    Xiangxiang rolled twice in the air.


    ¡°Woo wah!¡±


    ¡°Woo wah!¡±


    The two Little Minor Elves mimicked Xiangxiang¡¯s movements and also did somersaults in the air.


    ¡°Liszt, these black tulips are growing very well, filled with abundant magic power, and they have no obvious attribute distinctions. They are more outstanding than the two magic potions controlled by Tulip Castle. Magicians have already come to place orders,¡± Frank, the family tutor of Levis, accompanied Liszt.


    ¡°They will become the new cornerstone of Tulip Castle, further strengthening the family, and brother will rely on them to continue father¡¯s legacy and become a Sky Knight.¡±


    ¡°I completely agree with you, Levis has exceptional talent, and there is no doubt he will become a Sky Knight.¡±


    By that time, Xiangxiang had been causing a ruckus for a while, flying up to Liszt and saying with a grin, ¡°I will help Levis break through, and when that time comes, I want to carry him flying, just like I did with you when you were little!¡± When Liszt and the others were children, Xiangxiang loved to grab them and fly up into the sky.


    Watching the little tykes scream in fright.


    But once they got used to the high altitude and stopped crying, Xiangxiang lost interest in flying with them.


    A sprite with a rather wicked sense of humor.


    Liszt recalled these scenes and felt a warm fondness; Xiangxiang loved to play and cause trouble but never intended to harm them. Because of the contract, she had become very close to the bloodline of the Tulip Family.


    ¡°Memories are deep-seated, it¡¯d be best if you could scare Levis into crying again.¡±


    Xiangxiang said with regret, ¡°Ah, now I can¡¯t scare Levis into crying anymore, and once he becomes a Sky Knight, it will be even harder to make him cry. By then, he would be able to conquer the skies.¡±


    The reason they are called Sky Knights is that they have mastered Advanced Dou Qi. When they release their Dou Qi, they can briefly soar into the air. Even though they can¡¯t fly as freely as birds, a short leap ensures they can quickly strike anything or anyone within several hundred meters.


    After touring the black tulip fields, Levis had already seen most of the nobles off.


    Those who remained were those with a good relationship with him.


    Liszt was also getting ready to leave; he did not plan to stay overnight at Tulip Castle, so he directly called Levis to the study to discuss matters.


    ¡°Liszt, is there something that can¡¯t wait until evening to discuss? There are still many people in the living room that I need to entertain.¡±


    ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t plan to stay here overnight. After discussing matters with you, I¡¯ll head back.¡±


    ¡°So urgent?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot going on in the town that¡¯s waiting for me to handle.¡±


    ¡°Alright, what did you want to talk to me about? You¡¯ve already visited the Black Tulip plantation with Teacher Frank. As for the slave ships, we¡¯ll have to wait at least another month before they return.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about those things; I have something else to discuss with you.¡± Liszt wanted to talk about seafood, but he felt that saying it outright wouldn¡¯t have much impact.


    He needed to lay the groundwork first, to whet Levis¡¯s appetite before discussing the seafood investment.


    After some thought, he began, ¡°I¡¯ve come up with a new magic potion.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Levis exclaimed in surprise, ¡°You have a new Tulip magic potion?¡±


    ¡°Not Tulips, mushrooms. Flame Mushrooms, a kind of magic potion mushroom.¡± Liszt was very pleased with Levis¡¯s expression. ¡°How about a partnership, dear brother?¡±


    ¡°Partnership! We¡¯re blood brothers, the best partners, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°So how do you propose we partner up, the same way as with the Black Tulip? A personal partnership with me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of allowing Lady Marie and that kid Lidun to have all the benefits, so it¡¯s still a partnership with you, brother. However, this time, I only plan to sell the finished Flame Mushrooms to you. You¡¯ll be the Flame Mushroom vendor, not involved in their cultivation.¡± Liszt laid out the planned partnership.


    Flame Mushrooms, he intended to turn them into a specialty of Fresh Flower Town, not directly selling the cultivation technique.


    ¡°That¡¯s not right, how many Flame Mushrooms can Fresh Flower Town produce? You should sell me the cultivation technique, and I¡¯ll handle the production. Wouldn¡¯t it be great to share the sales profits?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in desperate need of Gold Coins to buy serfs; otherwise, I¡¯d be open to profit sharing. If you can give me five thousand Gold Coins right away, I could even sell you the cultivation technique for Flame Mushrooms outright, without any subsequent profit sharing. You would only need to help sell the Flame Mushrooms I produce in the future.¡±


    ¡°Five thousand Gold Coins?¡± Levis sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t even come up with a thousand right now, let¡¯s stick to selling the finished product.¡±


    Without much haggling, the partnership was thus agreed upon.


    Liszt then asked, ¡°Brother, have you found the Saltpeter Mine yet?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve searched every city, and no one has discovered such a mineral. You really are a lucky guy¡­ Why do all the good things happen to you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because good people get good rewards.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    ¡°By the way, brother, I have another business proposition I want to partner with you on.¡±


    Levis¡¯s eyes sparkled: ¡°What kind of business?¡± His suddenly matured younger brother had already brought him many surprises. Just the Black Tulip and Flame Mushrooms alone had increased his chances of becoming a Sky Knight by twenty percent, filling him with confidence in becoming a potion maker.


    ¡°The seafood business. I¡¯ve prepared to set up caravans in every city on Coral Island to sell seafood. But fishing isn¡¯t a skillful job, sooner or later someone would compete for that hard-earned money. So, I¡¯m planning to give you a twenty percent stake, and you help me get an exclusive seafood selling ordinance on Coral Island.¡±


    He planned to monopolize the seafood business and legalize it, directly cutting off the possibility for others to compete.


    ¡°The seafood market is not small, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re making quite a few Gold Coins a day?¡± Levis said casually.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you heard that, but I¡¯m not even making one Gold Coin a day right now. Perhaps when all the cities start selling, I could make two Gold Coins a day?¡± Liszt played poor and then threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll have to ask Father for help. I just want to earn some hard-earned cash to buy white bread to eat, brother.¡±


    Perhaps the Earl really didn¡¯t hold Liszt in high regard.


    But if Liszt truly pleaded, the Earl would probably not refuse, after all, it was a business Liszt had developed.


    ¡°Fine, but I want a thirty percent stake. The ordinance can come out tomorrow. Father left me in charge of all of Coral Island¡¯s affairs while he¡¯s away,¡± Levis said with a smile, drawing on his cigar.


    Greed!


    Liszt inwardly despised him but said aloud, ¡°Alright, thirty percent it is.¡±


    As he spoke, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket, unfolded it, and gently placed the fist-sized Black Pearl that was wrapped inside it on the table: ¡°Brother, take a look at what this is.¡±

 Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 104 – Within the Book Lies a Beauty as Jade

    Chapter 104: Chapter 104 ¨C Within the Book Lies a Beauty as Jade


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°What is this?¡± Levis picked up the Black Pearl and weighed it in his hand, ¡°Is there Magic Power inside? It feels like there¡¯s Water Attribute Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, there is Magic Power, it is a pearl.¡±


    ¡°A pearl?¡± Levis shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t seen pearls before. I have handled numerous pearl decorations that have passed through my hands. I once took a boat trip over Tranquil Lake on Blue Dragon Island and even personally dug out pearls from Pearl Oysters. Those were white and not nearly this big.¡±


    ¡°This is a Black Pearl, excavated from another kind of shell, the Tridacna.¡±


    ¡°Tridacna? Is it also a product of Fresh Flower Town?¡± Levis caught on to the key point, the produce from Fresh Flower Town was just too abundant.


    ¡°Actually, it was a giant Squid carcass that the Sea Waves brought in, and inside the carcass, there was a Tridacna, and inside the Tridacna, the Black Pearl was found. Brother, whether it is a pearl or not, what do you think of its value? A Water Attribute Magical treasure, it is more precious than White Pearls.¡±


    ¡°Are you giving it to me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so greedy, I have already given you your birthday gift. This Black Pearl is a personal treasure that I carry with me, it helps me calm my restless emotions¡ªthe effect is tens of times that of White Pearls. I want to know if you¡¯re interested in buying it. You know, I am of Fire Attribute Dou Qi, whereas you are of Water Attribute Dou Qi.¡±


    ¡°That is true, compared to White Pearls, the sensation of this Black Pearl is much more comfortable to me. How much are you planning to sell it for? A White Pearl of the same size on the market would go for a few Gold Coins. I¡¯ll give you ten Gold Coins for it, how¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Ten is too few.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not few, Liszt. No matter how much it calms the emotions, it¡¯s still just a decoration.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Magicians could craft it into Magic Equipment. It has outstanding Magic Power storage, suitable for crafting Magic Equipment. My Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have any Magicians, but I¡¯m sure you have contacts with some. Why not have a Magician craft a piece of Magic Equipment for you?¡±


    Levis shook his head: ¡°If its Magic Power were richer, it could indeed be crafted into Magic Equipment, but it doesn¡¯t have enough Magic Power, and it would be difficult to craft into effective Magic Equipment.¡±


    ¡°Cough, in fact¡­¡±


    Liszt finally revealed his true intentions, gesturing with his hand the size of a Sea Bowl: ¡°I have another Black Pearl this big, and it is filled with rich Magic Power, absolutely suitable for crafting Magic Equipment. Water Attribute Magic Power naturally suits you, brother.¡±


    ¡°A larger Black Pearl? That big?¡± Levis was no longer passive.


    A fist-sized Black Pearl was indeed a rarity, at most an interesting decoration, but a Sea Bowl-sized Black Pearl was a different story. If there really was a pearl that big, plus it was filled with dense Magic Power, it would definitely be excellent material for Magic Equipment. Those Magicians, craving for such rarity, would pay a high price for the chance to study it.


    ¡°Five hundred Gold Coins, I¡¯ll sell you the Black Pearl.¡±


    ¡°I need to see the Black Pearl first.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Liszt called Servant Thomas to fetch the Sea Bowl-sized Black Pearl that Marcus had brought. Moments later, the slightly irregularly shaped colossal Black Pearl was laid on the desk in the study.


    Running his hands over the massive Black Pearl.


    Levis¡¯s eyes shone continuously.


    More knowledgeable than Liszt, he understood the value of such a treasure, so he made his offer: ¡°One hundred Gold Coins, I¡¯ll take it. This novelty, despite having dense Magic Power, can¡¯t guarantee real developmental value. I can¡¯t risk buying something unusable.¡±


    His reasoning was sound.


    Liszt himself could not be sure that the Black Pearl could really be crafted into Magic Equipment.


    But some haggling was still in order, and after several back-and-forths, the Black Pearl was sold at the price of two hundred eighty Gold Coins. Additionally, the fist-sized Black Pearl that he also had with him was included as part of the deal.


    After the trade.


    Counting the Gold Coins with satisfaction, Liszt said with a smile: ¡°Brother, once you have crafted the Magic Equipment, let me know. I would like to see what uses it has¡­ This is also my first encounter with a Black Pearl.¡± Once its uses are confirmed, the remaining Black Pearls could be appropriately valued.


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    As he was preparing to leave the study,


    Liszt suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°By the way, brother, has Tulip Castle acquired any new books recently?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. When did you start to like reading so much? I¡¯d rather drink until dawn than stay in that study, looking at all those dizzying words.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of interesting knowledge hidden in books.¡±


    ¡°Knowledge?¡± Levis scoffed, ¡°Liszt, are you thinking of switching careers to become a magician? That¡¯s not a good idea. I deal with those magicians often, and they¡¯re all a bunch of bizarrely behaving maniacs, always talking about knowledge and exploration. The knight¡¯s honor is only ever taken on horseback!¡±


    Liszt hastened out of the study.


    There¡¯s a golden house in the book, there are beauties in the books. As a cultured man, he didn¡¯t want to stoop to the other¡¯s level.


    The collaboration was confirmed.


    Liszt took leave of Levis and left Tulip Castle.


    However, he didn¡¯t head straight back, but took the path towards an independent castle next to Coral City¡ªthat was Lady Penelope¡¯s residence, and during a trip to Coral City, he couldn¡¯t fail to visit his grandmother.


    The castle was covered with climbing ivy.


    It added an ancient air to the castle, along with an inexplicably eerie touch.


    There was a platform on the second floor of the castle, filled with various flowers and plants. Besides socializing with nobility, Lady Penelope¡¯s life revolved mostly around these flowers and plants.


    Watering the plants while chatting, ¡°You came out from the castle so soon. Didn¡¯t Levis keep you for dinner to continue celebrating?¡±


    ¡°I declined. There are many matters in Fresh Flower Town that cannot do without me.¡±


    ¡°A competent landlord always keeps himself busy. As long as a person is busy, he will feel fulfilled, effectively preventing a fall into degeneracy. Your father has been busy alongside your grandfather since he was a child, which is why he was able to become an earl before turning thirty.¡±


    Lady Penelope turned around and continued watering the flowers, ¡°It¡¯s just too bad that since marrying two troublesome daughters-in-law, he has never been able to advance further¡­ I just wish your brother would be a bit clearer in his mind, but that little rascal is also muddled. The youngest daughter of Marquis Roderick is quite a handful.¡±


    Marquis Roderick, one of the seven marquises of the Grand Duchy, served in the Blueblood Knight Order, deputy commander.


    No wonder Levis is still unmarried; it turns out he has set his sights on a marquis¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°Cousin Meioubao is deeply in love with the Little Princess, and brother harbors affection for Marquis Roderick¡¯s daughter. It seems they both have quite the intentions.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the same.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that because I¡¯m old, I can¡¯t hear news about you, Asina Salmon, right? Li Vera told me, she¡¯s a very cute girl, utterly admiring you, and yet you rejected her. She is a viscount¡¯s daughter. Although selling fish might be rather crude, having gold coins can just as well buy white bread, can¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Heh heh.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t want to say much.


    Lady Penelope continued to ramble on about ¡°young people not understanding things,¡± but soon she shifted her attention to one of her flowers.


    ¡°Oh, heavens have mercy, my Dragon Hollyhock is really going to die!¡±

 Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 0105: I’ll Take the Sick Dragon Hollyhock

    Chapter 105: Chapter 0105: I¡¯ll Take the Sick Dragon Hollyhock


    Translator: 549690339


    Dragon hollyhock, said to be a close relative of the eggplant, bears small, edible, black berries that are quite tasty. When he was younger, there were many wild dragon hollyhocks growing in the fields and Liszt loved to eat them.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if the dragon hollyhock in Lady Penelope¡¯s flowerpot was the variety he was familiar with.


    But upon hearing that the plant was sick, he immediately stepped forward out of habit and used the Eye of Magic to take a look at the dying dragon hollyhock. At that glance, he seemed to see a faint trace of magic power flowing, but it was just a flash and soon disappeared.


    Which made him extremely surprised.


    The presence of magic power meant that this dragon hollyhock was no ordinary plant.


    ¡°Could it be about to give birth to an elf bug?¡± Liszt thought excitedly, but he kept his composure and continued to examine the dragon hollyhock.


    This dragon hollyhock was on its last breath, its leaves yellowing and its roots showing black spots. It had a few buds that looked like they were about to wither away.


    However, under the scrutiny of the Eye of Magic, he soon discovered the magic power flow again, very faint and sporadically visible. It was so subtle that one wouldn¡¯t notice it without careful observation.


    He was almost certain: ¡°It¡¯s highly unlikely to be a magic potion plant; it¡¯s very possible that the dragon hollyhock is about to give birth to an elf bug.¡±


    ¡°Poor dragon hollyhock, I don¡¯t know what disease it has caught, but it¡¯s been a week, and it hasn¡¯t been revived. Watching it wither day by day, just like I grow older day by day, is truly distressing,¡± Lady Penelope kept prattling and spraying the dragon hollyhock with clear water.


    ¡°Grandmother, you are in good health and there are no signs of aging,¡± Liszt said in a light-hearted tone, ¡°Since you feel sad watching the dragon hollyhock, why don¡¯t you give it to me to take care of? Maybe the climate in Fresh Flower Town will revive it. If it doesn¡¯t, I will bring you a new pot of dragon hollyhock.¡±


    ¡°I am pleased that you think so, Liszt. Take good care of it.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Just like that, a pot of dragon hollyhock possibly harboring an elf bug was in Liszt¡¯s hands. Anxious to arrange for the dragon hollyhock, Liszt quickly took his leave and met with his retainer knights, hastening back to Fresh Flower Town.


    By the time he reached Fresh Flower Town,


    It was the afternoon, with the sun about to set.


    The sky was streaked with a red glow, a saying goes: ¡®No travel with a morning glow, a thousand miles with an evening one.¡¯ It would be another splendid sunny day tomorrow.


    Without taking a break, Liszt immediately ordered Goltai: ¡°Teacher Goltai, mobilize all the serfs to search for dragon hollyhock. Dig them up and bring them to the horse field. Remember to dig them up with the soil attached to the roots to avoid damaging them.¡±


    Taking advantage of the lingering daylight, he quickly found a few wild dragon hollyhocks near the horse field.


    He then moved the sick dragon hollyhock out of the flowerpot and planted it beside the wild dragon hollyhocks. He ordered people to bring manure, which was poured near the roots of the dragon hollyhock. As each wild dragon hollyhock was excavated and planted around the sick one, they formed a small dragon hollyhock field.


    ¡°My Lord, we¡¯ve gathered all the dragon hollyhocks we could find before nightfall. The sun has set now, and the serfs can no longer see to find more. I will have them continue the search tomorrow,¡±


    ¡°That will be fine.¡±


    Candles and lanterns shone.


    Goltai curiously looked over the dragon hollyhock field and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the use of these dragon hollyhocks?¡±


    Many knew that the berries of the dragon hollyhock were edible, but they were too small and produced too little to be of significant culinary value. Thus, no one cultivated them, and most of them grew wild at the edges of fields. Typically, only children would enjoy searching for the berries of dragon hollyhock.


    ¡°There may be significance, but it¡¯s too early to be sure. Regardless, have all the dragon hollyhocks you can find tomorrow transplanted here.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Back in the castle.


    Waiting for dinner.


    Liszt leaned back in the chair in the living room, opened a fragrant coconut fruit, and sipped the coconut milk, relishing its taste and relaxing his body. Riding all day, despite his strong Earth Knight constitution, had still left him with a hint of fatigue. However, his mood was good, and he felt a tad excited.


    The worries about the seafood market were resolved. With the seafood sales from Coral Island alone, he could support his lavish noble lifestyle.


    The sales channel for Flame Mushrooms was in place, just waiting for the serfs to solve the cultivation technology issues. There was still a month to go before the harvest season for the Black Tulips.


    The sale of the Black Pearl had brought in two hundred and eighty Gold Coins, nicely alleviating the castle¡¯s financial strain. He was ready to buy a few more horses and several carriages to expand the caravan, aiming to establish the seafood business in every small city as soon as possible, reaching a scale of daily sales over three Gold Coins.


    Of course, these were all predetermined plans.


    What truly excited him were the Dragon Kui Elf Bugs.


    Apart from the four Elf Bugs the Earl gifted him at the feudal ceremony, and one more as a reward for discovering the Black Tulip, the remaining Peanut Bugs, Tomato Bugs, and Fragrant Coconut Bugs were all found through the Smoke Mission.


    Only this potential Dragon Kui Bug was a personal discovery, which gave him a great sense of achievement.


    It proved that even without relying on the Smoke Mission, he could still find opportunities of his own¡ªalthough it seemed that without the Eye of Magic, it would have been very difficult to discover the secrets of the Dragon Kui, and the Eye of Magic, after all, was brought by the Smoke Mission.


    In the end,


    it seemed he still relied on the light of the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°No matter how you put it, this is a good omen¡­ Maybe in the future, I can often casually use the Eye of Magic to look for Elf Bugs that might be hiding in any plant!¡±


    In his original perception, Elf Bugs were extremely rare. The Tulip Family, working on Coral Island for twenty years, had only obtained a little over a hundred Elf Bugs, which indicated a very low chance of encountering them.


    But in Fresh Flower Town, this small place, in just half a year, three Elf Bugs had already been discovered.


    Put a step outside, and he has brought back a Dragon Kui Elf Bug.


    This could no longer be described as mere good luck.


    ¡°It can probably be confirmed that actually, the gestation rate of Elf Bugs is not low, but due to environmental restrictions, a large number of Elf Bugs may have been ¡®miscarried¡¯.¡±


    Without the Smoke Mission,


    the Peanut Bug would have died long ago, and the helpless serfs could not have provided the nutrition needed by the Peanut Bug.


    The Tomato Bug might have had a chance to gestate, but it might also have been directly picked by John Bian Dan, taking the biggest tomato and unknowingly eating the unborn Elf Bug.


    As for the Fragrant Coconut Bug, it¡¯s hard to say, but with its high position and the threat of the Fruit Thief Monkeys, it might also have been doomed.


    Even the current Dragon Kui Bug, without the Eye of Magic to spot its traces, was destined to die, with no chance of emerging into the world.


    ¡°Now that I have the Smoke Mission and the Eye of Magic, the Elf Bugs I can discover will surely keep pouring in. With these Elf Bugs, farming and accumulating wealth are bound to happen!¡±


    After dinner, Liszt summoned the three leaders of the trading team to the castle.


    He assigned them the matters of the seafood trade.


    Coral City, Birch City, North Valley City, Elm Forest City, Serpent Spear City, and Shattered Stone City make up the six cities of Coral Island, and trade routes have been opened to five of them, with only Shattered Stone City being too far away for trade.


    Fresh Flower Town was situated at the northeastern tip of the island, and Shattered Stone City at the southwestern tip, more than a hundred kilometers apart.


    ¡°Tomorrow, Tulip Castle will issue a seafood sale decree, which only we from Fresh Flower Town can obtain,¡± Liszt said with his hands clasped behind his back, looking out at the night scene through the window.


    The nights of Fresh Flower Town were still without many lights.


    Against the pitch-dark background, the stars were unusually bright, shining brilliantly.


    A faint Milky Way was visible across the sky, suggesting that this Different World still belonged to the Milky Way Galaxy.


    He continued, ¡°The seafood market is my exclusive domain, so make sure to take advantage of that. I want you to set up a fishing team near Coral City, catch seafood directly from the nearby beaches, and sell it externally.¡±

 Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 106: A Tour of Inspection of the Territory

    Chapter 106: Chapter 106: A Tour of Inspection of the Territory


    Translator: 549690339


    The East Coast is only a few kilometers long, and although there is an abundance of seafood distributed along it, overfishing could exhaust the area¡¯s resources in no time.


    Liszt was unwilling to engage in such destructive practices.


    He planned to implement a fishing moratorium in Fresh Flower Town, or at the very least a closed season during the hottest period of summer when fish are breeding and growing vigorously, to ensure the protection of marine resources.


    Of course.


    The closed fishing season was just a temporary measure. Once Thorn Ridge was conquered and a dock was built in Deepwater Bay, he would promote nearshore fishing. The seafood resources by the coast were meager and had to be protected, but the marine resources off the coast were more than enough for the entire Coral Island.


    Now, without docks, fishing boats, or fishermen, they could only develop the coastal fishery.


    ¡°Isaiah, I entrust you with the supervision of the establishment of Coral City¡¯s fishing team; I hope you can prepare everything as soon as possible. For each trade route¡¯s maintenance and the selection of responsible persons, Old Geronte will assist you from the side. Spread them out quickly. I will provide fifty Gold Coins for warehouse rental and the purchase of carts and horses.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Baron.¡± Isaiah took the command.


    Soon, they discussed the construction plan for the caravan.


    It was divided into two parts.


    One part was to form the ¡°Fresh Flower Caravan,¡± stationed in Coral City, with Old Geronte as the caravan leader and Abagon as the deputy leader.


    Old Geronte mainly managed the ¡°Coral City-Birch City¡± trade route, the ¡°Coral City-Elm Forest City¡± trade route, the ¡°Coral City-Shattered Stone City¡± trade route, and the ¡°Coral City-Serpent Spear City¡± route.


    Abagon was in charge of the ¡°fishing team¡± and the ¡°Castle Procurement Team,¡± where the procurement team would buy whatever the castle needed and take it back.


    The other part was to establish the ¡°Thorn Caravan,¡± with Sherlock as the caravan leader, focusing on the regular commerce between Fresh Flower Town and North Valley City.


    Each caravan had its focus.


    But both were important: one specializing in the seafood business to provide Fresh Flower Town with Gold Coins, the other focusing on everyday trade to supply Fresh Flower Town with all kinds of life necessities.


    Waking up early.


    Exercising the body, practicing Dou Qi.


    Liszt wasn¡¯t as diligent as he used to be when he had the archery tasks, leisurely times often lead to subtle degeneration, and the luxury of the nobility erodes the fighting spirit.


    ¡°Douson, release magic!¡±


    After walking the dog and watching the servants smash the Rock Spikes to pave the road, he felt: ¡°Still, the life of cockfighting and dog walking is more enjoyable.¡±


    The progress on ¡°Douson Avenue¡± has reached sixty meters; it should be completed smoothly by the end of the year.


    Well-fed and well-trained, Douson, though still not a fully grown Fierce Earth Dog, was already stronger than its mother had been, casting magic both quickly and accurately, and executing Liszt¡¯s commands to the letter. It had become a very good combat assistant, a loyal guardian.


    ¡°Ga ji!¡±


    ¡°Ga ji!¡±


    From the castle windowsill, the shrill cries accompanied by a familiar melody welcomed Liszt back. It was Juan Fu singing at the top of its lungs. The Wind Falcon¡¯s feathers were turning darker, and they had grown longer than when it was a chick, its longing to fly stronger every day. As a result, Liszt tied its feet with a rope.


    He hadn¡¯t yet decided how to train Juan Fu.


    It was likely he would kill it for its meat to avoid any trouble.


    After securing Douson, Liszt went to the Dragon Kui Field. The wild Dragon Hollyhocks he had planted the previous night were a bit wilted, not yet well adapted to the new soil environment. The Dragon Hollyhock that possibly harbored the Elf Bug was even worse than it had been yesterday; it seemed far weaker.


    On the brink of wilting.


    He used his Eye of Magic to observe carefully, noticing the bud of the Dragon Hollyhock was still flickering with Magic Power: ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t die; otherwise, it¡¯s all been for nothing.¡±


    I have done everything I could, now all that¡¯s left is to leave it to fate.


    In the town, there were many wild Dragon Hollyhocks that were being transplanted one by one. It took a whole day, but almost all of the town¡¯s wild Dragon Hollyhocks were moved to the Dragon Kui Field, covering a whole acre. The serfs kept watering, fertilizing, and weeding, striving to use the most careful care to ensure the Dragon Hollyhocks would survive.


    ¡°Lord, you really should take a look at the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery yourself, the Thorns there have undergone a transformation overnight, they¡¯ve already grown to half a person¡¯s height,¡± Blair said, gesturing with his hands to indicate the rapid growth of the Thorn species.


    In just a few days, the Thorn seedlings were rapidly becoming Thorn trees.


    But he was also a bit puzzled, ¡°However, my lord, I can¡¯t think of any use for them; they don¡¯t bear fruit and can¡¯t be used for timber. Perhaps we could plant Thorns along both sides of the fences lining the roads at Thorn Ridge. That way, wild beasts, even Magical Beasts, would likely detour and not dare to tread carelessly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed a use¡­ let¡¯s first cultivate the shrubbery,¡± Liszt could not think of a better use either.


    After that, he inspected the situation of the Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps and the cultivation of the Flame Mushrooms.


    The Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps were still gestating, with not much happening.


    The cultivation of the Flame Mushrooms, however, brought him a pleasant surprise.


    ¡°Your wisdom and insight are truly astonishing, my lord. After your guidance, the serfs in Mushroom Hamlet mixed the Fragrant Mushrooms with the Flame Mushrooms, and the Flame Mushrooms have successfully grown! I don¡¯t understand it, but the Flame Mushrooms really do require Fragrant Mushrooms to grow alongside them,¡± Goltai excitedly pointed at the Flame Mushrooms that had started to develop from the mycelium into fruiting bodies.


    The admiration from his subordinate gave Liszt a sense of achievement.


    He replied with a mild smile, ¡°Once we find out the reason, the next step is to cultivate Flame Mushrooms on a large scale. Teacher Goltai, we need to expand Mushroom Hamlet as much as possible. If the ingredients for cultivating the Flame Mushrooms are not sufficient, have the Caravan procure them from outside.¡±


    He spoke with emphasis, ¡°I need Magic Potions!¡±


    ¡°As you wish, I will squeeze every bit of strength out of the serfs to cultivate an ample amount of Flame Mushrooms. The beautiful red mushrooms will bring unimaginable wealth to Fresh Flower Town!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary to squeeze, but their treatment can¡¯t be scant. Tell all the Mushroom Hamlet serfs that as long as they can cultivate enough Flame Mushrooms, the taxes on the accompanying Fragrant Mushrooms will be halved directly!¡±


    ¡°My God, those contemptible serfs will be ecstatic, you truly are the embodiment of benevolence,¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am a benevolent landlord, but,¡± Liszt¡¯s tone changed, ¡°you must also tell those serfs that if anyone is lazy, if anyone carelessly damages the Flame Mushrooms, I will make them understand that nobles are not only generous and benevolent but also wield whips that can flay their skin.¡±


    Goltai nodded, ¡°Certainly, it¡¯s very necessary for them to understand this point!¡±


    People are not machines, uniformly diligent; there are always some who are idle and lazy. After barely scraping by, they don¡¯t want to do a bit more work.


    Liszt did not like such commoners¡ªhis thinking had become that of a qualified nobleman.


    Watching the figure of Lord Landlord leaving, Crooked-neck Bob felt downhearted.


    ¡°A Nalda¡¯s reward, my God, it was actually that old man Nash who got it! That old bachelor, how could he possibly cultivate the Flame Mushrooms before me!¡± he muttered resentfully.


    It wasn¡¯t a grievance aimed at Liszt; he did not have the courage for that.


    He was cursing Nash, simply because once the cultivation of the Flame Mushrooms succeeded, Liszt bestowed awards based on merit, and the first to research the appropriate ingredients was Nash.


    As a result, Liszt awarded Nash a Gold Coin.


    Everyone in Mushroom Hamlet envied and resented Nash, especially Bob, who had been determined to win this reward.


    After swearing for a moment,


    Bob put aside his resentment and clenched his fist, ¡°Lord Landlord said, at the first harvest of the Flame Mushrooms, whoever¡¯s Flame Mushrooms are the biggest, best, and most plentiful, can still get a reward! This time, I, Bob, must get the reward and show everyone that I grow the best Flame Mushrooms!¡±

 Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Correcting the Attitude of the Knight Squad

    Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Correcting the Attitude of the Knight Squad


    Translator: 549690339


    Another day.


    The sun rose in the east.


    In the horse field, Liszt shouted, ¡°Multiple Phantom Arrow!¡±


    Six arrows emitted a fierce whooshing noise as they chased one another in the sky, colliding in an instant, then scattering in disarray, without formation.


    Only two arrows had struck the target a hundred meters away.


    ¡°Failure,¡± he shook his head. It was the expected result ¡ª another failure. His current level of archery was not sufficient to wield the essence of ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± ¡ª Multiple Phantom Arrow.


    Having not touched bow and arrow for several days, his skill had even regressed slightly.


    Just as sailing against the current, if you do not advance, you will fall back, and the practice of Dou Qi techniques was the same. Fortunately, he was already quite adept at the most basic part of ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, the Double Arrow.


    On the battlefield, for an Earth Knight to effectively execute the Double Arrow, that was enough.


    Glancing over at a distance, Marcus was training the Knight Squad. Just yesterday, another young member had developed Dou Qi, becoming one of his Retainer Knights. Out of twelve members, half had become Apprentice Knights with Primary Dou Qi. Once all of them developed Dou Qi,


    It would be time to set out to clear Thorn Ridge.


    ¡°Before this winter, we must take Thorn Ridge!¡± Liszt didn¡¯t disturb Marcus¡¯s teaching. He handed his gear to a Retainer Knight and rode back to the Castle at a leisurely pace.


    Take a bath.


    Prepare for breakfast.


    Butler Carter stood to the side and reported, ¡°My lord, Baker Reynard and Mrs. Abbie have successfully created a new type of bread in town. Would you like to try it now?¡±


    ¡°Oh? The bread is ready? Bring it quickly.¡±


    The new bread did not resemble the meat floss bread he had envisioned, but was round like a bun. The surface was cracked, revealing a creamy filling oozing from within.


    ¡°What kind of bread is this?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a name yet; it¡¯s waiting for you to name it, my lord. Mrs. Abbie said it¡¯s made with flour, eggs, and cream¡­ separated into inside and outside parts. The outer part is a bit more of a hassle to make, but the baked cracks are quite attractive,¡± explained Carter, detailing the process of making the new bread.


    Liszt had already picked one up and taken a bite.


    Instantly, the creamy taste mingled with the bread¡¯s aroma in his mouth, tantalizing his taste buds, far more delicious than plain white bread.


    This taste, this appearance.


    Liszt directly said, ¡°Mr. Carter, tell Mrs. Abbie and Reynard to call it ¡ª Pineapple Bread!¡±


    ¡°Pineapple Bread, a very vivid name.¡±


    ¡°From now on, replace the white bread in my breakfast with Pineapple Bread, but there¡¯s no need to change my lunch and dinner. Contact Sherlock, let Thorn Caravan try to collaborate with Reynard and see if they can market Pineapple Bread in North Valley City,¡± Liszt instantly planned the sales strategy for Pineapple Bread.


    After some thought, he continued, ¡°Also, tell Reynard and Mrs. Abbie that as a reward for inventing the new bread, give each of them¡­ ten silver coins, and tell them to continue to innovate. The more varieties of bread flavors, the better.¡±


    He had initially wanted to award each person a Gold Coin.


    Having recently made money from selling Black Pearls, he felt flush with cash and generous.


    But a reward of a Gold Coin would be on a par with the rewards for discovering the Elf Bug and cultivating Magic Potions, which would be too extravagant. It was just bread to satisfy a craving, not worth too much of a reward.


    So he amended it to ten silver coins.


    Carter left.


    He slowly savored the Pineapple Bread, very satisfied that he hadn¡¯t been overly generous: ¡°You never know how expensive household supplies are until you run a household. Even the Lord¡¯s house doesn¡¯t have endless supplies.¡±


    Gradually,


    A wisp of smoke appeared before him, twisting and writhing, forming into a strand of Serpent Script.


    ¡°Complete the task, reward: Sunken Ship Treasure.¡±


    A moment later, the text dispersed, and the smoke regathered to set forth a new mission: ¡°Mission: Captain Kostor has been quite troubled lately. Since he began teaching the Knight Squad in sailing, the instruction has proved challenging as the young knights look down on the knowledge of sailing. Please correct their attitudes. Reward: Mutated Thorn.¡±


    ¡°So, the Sunken Ship Treasure is finally within reach¡­ The Knight Squad unwilling to learn about sailing? It seems that the rewards from the task and the new mission might be linked. Probably, only Captain Kostor could locate the Sunken Ship Treasure.¡± He shook the bell and called his butler, who hadn¡¯t gone far, back.


    ¡°My lord.¡±


    ¡°Send someone to bring Captain Kostor here, I have some questions for him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    About half an hour later, Kostor hurried to the castle: ¡°Apologies, Lord Landlord, I was diving near the shore and got delayed.¡±


    ¡°Diving?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been training my aquatic abilities and underwater fighting skills. Even though I am not a knight, I still desire to be able to fight.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the Knight Squad¡¯s learning progress with you recently?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Kostor hesitated.


    ¡°Speak your mind.¡±


    ¡°Your Retainer Knights have a very unfriendly attitude toward the study of sailing. They are not even keen on learning to swim, let alone instructing them in sailing. They always have the saying ¡®Knights rely on warhorses, not sailboats¡¯ on their lips. Moreover, Mr. Marcus occupies much of the knights¡¯ time.¡±


    Liszt immediately understood.


    Although Marcus had been subdued by him and started to follow and show loyalty, understanding that the sea could also yield wealth, deep down he still esteemed the glory of knights and the charge of warhorses, thinking that vessels were merely a means to transport them to land battles and there was no need to learn sailing.


    Thus, he passed his views to the Retainer Knights and even encroached on Kostor¡¯s teaching time.


    Regarding Marcus, Liszt sighed slightly ¡ª changing a person¡¯s identity is simple, but changing a person¡¯s mindset is somewhat difficult.


    Fortunately, he could exercise the authority of a landlord.


    He immediately summoned Marcus and the whole Knight Squad to assemble at the entrance of the castle.


    Liszt began to lecture them, ¡°Starting today, all of you will spend half of your time learning about sailing with Captain Kostor. Within three days, you must learn how to swim. Those who can¡¯t will receive fifty lashes. A week later, I will quiz you on your sailing knowledge, ten lashes for every question you fail!¡±


    The young men wanted to speak but stopped themselves.


    Liszt did not pay them any heed but called Marcus into the study: ¡°Teacher Marcus, you should know why I have summoned you.¡±


    Marcus solemnly said, ¡°My lord, I do not believe that knights need to be distracted by learning to sail. Indeed, we need to travel by ship across the ocean to the mainland. Let common sailors handle the vessel while we knights concentrate on fighting; the Coral Island Knights have always operated in this manner.¡±


    His words were sensible.


    Knights are part of the land forces, and Liszt was asking them to serve as a navy, naturally, they were unwilling.


    However, Liszt had his own thoughts, ¡°How many of these Knight Squad members do you think can become Earth Knights? Or when will they become Earth Knights?¡±


    ¡°I think, by the age of twenty, some people should be able to become Earth Knights, Philip and Zavier possess noteworthy talents,¡± Marcus answered.


    ¡°Only two¡­ I have worked hard to train them, and I can only reap two Earth Knights. So, can they form a Knight Squad and head to the mainland battlefield?¡±


    ¡°Ready to fight to the death for you, my lord!¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but that would be a foolhardy act borne out of impetuosity. Fresh Flower Town is still developing. I have purchased a large number of serfs; in the future, I will select vigorously, choosing suitably outstanding youngsters for training. But now, what I need are instructors with various basic skills, not experts in combat who are useless for anything else.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, some members of this batch of the Knight Squad will become the backbone of the Knight Order, while others will steer ships in the future, transporting my knights to the mainland to compete for mines¡­ Division of labor, each performing his own duty. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying now?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s expression was indifferent, but his eyes were stern.


    Marcus took a deep breath, knelt on one knee, lowered his head, and responded earnestly, ¡°Marcus has misunderstood your will, my lord, and passively resisted your arrangements for the Knight Squad. I await your punishment!¡±

 Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 0108: The Highly Poisonous Purple Thorns

    Chapter 108: Chapter 0108: The Highly Poisonous Purple Thorns


    Translator: 549690339


    With a month¡¯s pay docked, Liszt administered a simple punishment to Marcus.


    His main goal was to assist Kostor in completing the Smoke Mission, so he required the members of the Knight Squad to learn to swim within three days. Swimming would definitely involve going into the sea, which could potentially lead to contact with the Sunken Ship Treasure¡ªhe was very eager to find out what the Sunken Ship Treasure contained.


    Was it filled with Gold Coins, or dazzling jewels?


    Or perhaps it hid a Dragon Egg.


    ¡°However, one wonders, do Dragons really hatch from Dragon Eggs?¡± The origins of Dragons in the Knight¡¯s Novels were diverse and conflicting; there has never been an accurate answer.


    He had asked the Earl, but even the Earl didn¡¯t know where Dragons came from.


    It remained an unsolved mystery.


    The Knight Squad soon started their swimming lessons, but Liszt did not go to inspect; it was not too late to come back once there was a clue about the Sunken Ship Treasure.


    He was on his way to the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, where the reward for the new mission was the Mutated Thorn. He wanted to check if he could obtain the reward early¡ªthe previous Rapid Growth Thorn was not a Magic Potion, but this time, the Mutated Thorn was very likely to be one!


    The thorns were as tall as half a person, and they covered a large area.


    But, disappointingly, after deploying the Eye of Magic Power, he did not detect any traces of Magic Power.


    ¡°No Magic Potion¡­ Perhaps because the mission is not yet complete, so the Magic Potion has not successfully mutated?¡± He summoned the Smoke Mission and found it was still incomplete.


    Which meant that the attitudes of the young men had yet to be corrected.


    ¡°Ideological education alone is not enough; it seems I must make a trip to the seaside to see exactly who is resisting the nautical teachings.¡± He turned to Servant Thomas and said, ¡°You return to the Castle and bring my whip, then come find me at the seaside.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Ideological education by mere words is not very effective.


    One has to use the whip, so that they may unite spirit and flesh in excruciating pain and remember the lesson.


    Crack!


    Crack!


    With a dark expression, Liszt whipped two young Knights who feared the water ferociously¡ªthe inhabitants of the small coastal town on the island were actually afraid to get into the water.


    Faced with the choice of whip or seawater, the two young Knights eventually chose the seawater.


    Under Kostor¡¯s instruction, when they started to paddle with a doggy stroke, Liszt summoned the Smoke Mission and finally saw a change.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward Poisonous Mutated Fast-Growing Thorn.¡±


    ¡°Mission: The newly planted Dragon Hollyhock seems to be ill-adapted to the soil of Fresh Flower Town. Despite being well-nourished, it cannot quickly absorb the nutrients. Its gentle Magic Power is trickling away; it may be dying soon. Please help it gather Magic Power. Reward: One Elf Bug.¡±


    The Dragon Hollyhock was added to the Smoke Mission.


    Liszt was sure that it was indeed gestating an Elf Bug, but the problem was severe: ¡°It is not adapting to the local soil and is unable to absorb sufficient nutrients; its Magic Power is fading, which suggests that the Elf Bug is at risk of miscarriage¡­ How can I help it gather Magic Power? It is not a Douson that can release Magic by being stimulated.¡±


    He was stumped by this problem.


    At this moment, Kostor, who was teaching the Knight Squad how to swim, suddenly swam back from the sea and began shouting loudly, ¡°Lord Landlord, Lord Landlord, I¡¯ve discovered a sunken ship!¡±


    He hurried over to Liszt: ¡°A sunken ship! It¡¯s the wreckage of a sunken ship, buried halfway in the sand, just a short distance ahead in the sea!¡±


    ¡°A sunken ship?¡± Liszt¡¯s thoughts were reeled back in and quickly reacted, ¡°Captain Kostor, salvage it.¡±


    ¡°I need manpower to assist.¡±


    ¡°I will have Goltai support you. How long will it take for you to bring it up?¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, the location of the sunken ship isn¡¯t very deep¡ªwhen the tide goes out, it¡¯s only about five meters deep. At that time, I can dive and wrap up the wreck so the people on shore can pull the ship out of the mud directly.¡±


    ¡°When will the tide go out today?¡±


    ¡°It should be after three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Get ready.¡±


    The countdown for the Sunken Ship Treasure had begun; a weight was lifted from his heart.


    Unable to salvage for the time being, Liszt returned once more to the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery. He was searching for the poisonous mutated fast-growing thorns¡ªthe reward for the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mutated and poisonous, does that mean these thorns are toxic?¡±


    ¡°They can be referred to as Rapid Growth Poison Thorn.¡±


    Still not a Magic Potion.


    Sort of disappointing.


    But Liszt felt that perhaps the reward was much more than that, ¡°This seems to be a chain mission¡ªa chain mission about the evolution of Thorn Bugs. It started with the reward of Rapid Growth Thorn, and now a Rapid Growth Poison Thorn has appeared. This thicket of thorns is becoming more and more interesting.¡±


    Returning to the shrubbery, he didn¡¯t use the Eye of Magic again.


    He had used the Eye of Magic to search for Magic Potions in the morning; now, he wanted to find the toxic thorns. Faced with a large expanse of thorny shrubbery and not knowing what the Rapid Growth Poison Thorn looked like, he felt at a loss where to start.


    He could only mobilize his Retainer Knights, ¡°Look for thorns that are out of the ordinary. Remember, do not touch them carelessly; they could be poisonous.¡±


    The six Retainer Knights took the order and began searching in the thicket.


    Liszt, along with his personal servant Thomas, also searched.


    This search took several hours.


    They searched the shrubbery three times back and forth, eating meals delivered by servants¡ªof course, Liszt himself didn¡¯t search for long, as he had long since hidden in the shade of a nearby wild fruit tree, enjoying ice cream brought by a servant, watching others work.


    Finally, under the scorching sun in the afternoon, a serf sent to find the distinctive thorns discovered a particular thorn bush.


    This thorn bush blended into the thicket, not bearing the usual small spines on a green stem, but having a stem with purple stripes. The purple stripes lent it a touch of mystery, and each small spine was also purple, growing upon the purple stripes.


    ¡°Could this be the Rapid Growth Poison Thorn?¡±


    Liszt decided to test it.


    He had someone bring over a rabbit raised in the Castle and then used the small spine on the purple stripe to cut open a wound on the rabbit. The spine broke off instantly, releasing a purple liquid that mixed with the rabbit¡¯s wound.


    A moment later.


    The rabbit convulsed and fell to the ground, dead.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, my Lord, this thorn is highly toxic; the rabbit didn¡¯t last even a quarter of an hour. If it were a human who got scratched by such a spine, I¡¯m afraid they wouldn¡¯t survive either,¡± remarked Blair, who had been responsible for recording the growth conditions of the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, in astonishment.


    Liszt was satisfied with the experiment, ¡°Reward this serf with ten silver coins.¡±


    The serf left with many thanks.


    The other serfs also left with thanks; although they did not receive a reward, each got a copper coin for their work¡ªearning a copper coin for less than two hours of easy labor was such fortunate work.


    Looking at this plant of Rapid Growth Poison Thorn, Liszt had already thought of how to use it, ¡°Blair, I have a new task for you.¡±


    ¡°At your command.¡±


    ¡°Cultivate a batch of Rapid Growth Poison Thorn vigorously. In the future, I want to plant it along the paths of Thorn Ridge and decorate my castle with formidable hedges.¡±


    Blair took the order, ¡°As you wish.¡±

 Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Five Large Trunks

    Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Five Large Trunks


    Translator: 549690339


    East Coast.


    The tide had receded, leaving the beach, soaked in seawater, with plenty of shells, starfish, crabs, and other seafood behind. Fishermen had already started to harvest the seafood.


    Liszt sat on his Li Dragon Horse.


    He watched a large group of people busily working on the sandy beach with bare feet, connecting ropes and twisting almost all the ropes from the town into one thick cord.


    Captain Kostor had dived to locate the sunken ship and tied the rope around the dragon bone of the wreck.


    After swimming back, he gestured to everyone, ¡°Pull! It¡¯s ready to pull!¡±


    Dozens of serfs, like the Volga River boat trackers, stepped heavily and instantly tensed the ropes tight. Under Teacher Goltai¡¯s command, they shouted and mustered their strength: ¡°One, two, three!¡±


    One, two!


    Three!


    The shouts came in waves.


    The rope tightened against their shoulders, relaxing and tightening with the rhythm of their bodies. They pressed their feet deeply into the sand with each step, leaving firm imprints. Among them were old men past their prime and young boys, all engaged in the same task. Their clothes ragged, skin darkened by the sun, hair plastered to their foreheads, sweat dropping steadily.


    They really resembled the Volga boat trackers.


    But they were not.


    Liszt had seen Repin¡¯s famous painting ¡°Burlaks on the Volga¡± in his Chinese textbook. The boat trackers in the painting, who dragged ships along the river all year round, were depicted as numbed by life¡¯s hardships. Yet, the temporary workers from Fresh Flower Town had smiles on their faces, even under the scorching sun.


    Because for this job tracking the boats, each person could earn a copper coin.


    The generous and kind Lord Landlord had come from the grand Tulip Castle to this place, bringing them plenty of food and the clinking of copper coins, and even silver coins and Gold Coins!


    Life had never felt so hopeful.


    ¡°One, two, three!¡±


    ¡°Work harder!¡± Goltai shouted, ¡°You lazy bunch, didn¡¯t you eat anything?¡±


    At sea, Captain Kostor continually dived and resurfaced, calling out loudly, ¡°Give it more strength, the body of the ship has been pulled out! A little more force, and we¡¯ll have the bow out!¡±


    A few cycles of the chant settled.


    Then Kostor shouted, ¡°Success! The sunken ship has been successfully pulled out from the mud and sand!¡±


    With the ship now pulled out, the boat trackers worked with even greater ease, dragging the battered sunken ship effortlessly onto the beach. This ship, covered in green algae, was barely recognizable in its original form, with only one mast remaining, and even that was broken. The hull was riddled with holes, and crabs occasionally crawled out from inside.


    ¡°My lord, the sunken ship has been hauled up!¡± Goltai exclaimed excitedly.


    Captain Kostor also approached, ¡°An old-style schooner, by this form, it should be a hundred-year-old vessel. Lord Landlord, it must be a ship from the Duchy of Sapphire. A hundred years ago, only the Grand Duchy had the capability to build schooners.¡±


    Liszt rode around the wreck on horseback, ¡°A hundred-year-old shipwreck, then, is it a merchant ship? Or a warship?¡±


    ¡°It should be a merchant vessel, the cabin is sealed for transporting goods.¡±


    ¡°Well, what are we waiting for? Teacher Goltai, have people dismantle this hundred-year-old merchant ship. I want to see what¡¯s left in its cargo hold.¡±


    ¡°As you wish!¡±


    Building a ship is hard, but dismantling it is swift. Moments later, the cabin was smashed open. Patrol Members crawled inside and pulled out some fabric soaked and spoiled by seawater and debris of grains. It seemed to be a merchant ship that dealt in textiles and food, its fate unknown as it rested at sea¡¯s bottom.


    ¡°Can it be that sunken ship treasure is simply these few things?¡± Liszt expressed disbelief.


    And sure enough.


    A Patrol Member suddenly cried out, ¡°There are chests, here are several chests, intact and undamaged, the locks are still unopened!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and move the chest out!¡±


    ¡°Give me a hammer; the chest is stuck in the ribs of the ship, and I have to break the wood to get it out.¡±


    After some effort, a total of five large chests were dragged out of the sunken ship¡¯s hold and placed on the sand. Captain Kostor circled the chests, sizing them up for a few moments before coming to a conclusion: ¡°Lord Landlord, these seem to be made of redwood, solid and durable, and have obviously been treated for waterproofing. There must be valuables inside.¡±


    Liszt smiled, ¡°In that case, have them transported to my castle¡­ Right, everyone involved in the salvage operation will be paid double. Captain Kostor who discovered the sunken ship, thus, he will be rewarded with a Gold Coin.¡±


    He had not yet seen what was inside the chests.


    He started handing out rewards directly, aiming to encourage his subjects to discover and explore, to bring him more good things. At the same time, the Gold Coin was to encourage Captain Kostor to recruit more Sailor Apprentices, to see if he could indeed build up a qualified crew.


    The five large chests, each as big as a desk, were neatly placed in the castle¡¯s hall.


    The locks appeared to be cast from brass and had rusted over time.


    Carter stood guard over the chests, preventing the servants from getting close.


    As a result, the maids and manservants could only crowd at the entrance of the hall, curiously eyeing the chests.


    ¡°Debbie, what do you think is in there, could it be mermaids?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a Siren, there are Sirens at sea.¡±


    ¡°The chest is quite old; even if there were mermaids or Sirens inside, they would have turned to bones long ago.¡±


    ¡°That might not be the case. I¡¯ve heard that mermaids can live for hundreds of years!¡±


    ¡°I bet it¡¯s all Gold Coins inside, no, Dragon coins! A whole chest full of Dragon coins could buy the whole of Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Jim, use your brains to think about this, even if you sold the entire Fresh Flower Town, including you and me, it wouldn¡¯t fetch a few Dragon coins! A chest full of Dragon coins could buy the whole of Coral Island!¡±


    Carter turned around and scolded the chattering servants, ¡°Have you forgotten the etiquette of the nobility? Do your own jobs and pay no attention to what doesn¡¯t concern you, understood?¡±


    Mrs. Morson also came downstairs from the upper floor and cast a glance at the female servants, her gaze settling on Maisie: ¡°The cleanliness of the lord¡¯s study is unacceptable, there are still crumbs in the corners. Maisie, this is your negligence, you need to clean it again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Morson.¡± Maisie nodded in response and hurried to get her cleaning tools.


    After the reprimands from the two butlers, the servants dared not misbehave and went back to their respective posts. Only Carter and Morson were left in the hall.


    ¡°Has the master not returned yet?¡±


    ¡°The master went to the Dragon Kui Field; the Dragon Hollyhocks there are not doing well, he is trying to find a solution.¡±


    ¡°I have seen that Dragon Hollyhock, and indeed, it¡¯s not in good shape. Mr. Carter, do you think it can survive?¡±


    ¡°I believe it can,¡± Carter replied with a faint smile. ¡°Because the master will save it. The glory of knighthood watches over Fresh Flower Town and, even more, over the master.¡±


    Liszt did not know that his butler trusted him so much.


    At that moment, he was staring at the Dragon Hollyhock, which was nearly devoid of life, frowning, pondering how exactly to help it gather Magic Power: ¡°The mission says ¡®Moisture-like Magic Power¡¯ is being lost, does it mean that the Dragon Kui needs more Water-Attribute Magic Power? In our town, only Marcus and I possess Attribute Dou Qi, but it is Fire Attribute and Wind Attribute.¡±


    Suddenly.


    An idea flashed through his mind.


    He thought of the Black Pearls; in his Gemstone Space, there were fourteen Water-Attribute Black Pearls: ¡°Perhaps, I can grind the Black Pearls into powder and sprinkle it at the base of the Dragon Kui, allowing it to absorb the Water-Attribute Magic Power itself¡­ I¡¯m not sure if this is the right approach, but it¡¯s the only plausible method for now.¡±


    Better to try and fail than to do nothing at all. He immediately took out a fist-sized Black Pearl, ground it into powder, and buried it at the base of the Dragon Hollyhock.


    ¡°Whether it lives or dies, let¡¯s leave it to the fate of the Dragon Kui.¡± He mounted his horse and hurried back toward the castle, where five chests filled with treasures waited for him to open them.

 Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 0110 Vanishing Alchemy

    Chapter 110: Chapter 0110 Vanishing Alchemy


    Translator: 549690339


    The chests varied in weight.


    The lock was very sturdy.


    But this could not stop Liszt from using just one sword imbued with Dou Qi to cut through the copper lock of the lightest chest. The lock broke, and the chest opened.


    No one else was in the hall; Butler Carter had sent them all away, and he himself had stepped outside¡ªthere might be valuable treasures inside the chest; as a servant, he should not be concerned.


    Too many people, too much chatter. Liszt was very pleased with Carter¡¯s actions.


    Even though he trusted Carter¡¯s loyalty, he couldn¡¯t trust that all servants were loyal; in case they saw treasures that weren¡¯t meant to be seen, and talked about them outside, that would invite trouble.


    Wealth should not be flaunted.


    This principle must be understood.


    ¡°This chest is very light, quite different from the others, what could it contain? Or is it empty?¡± Liszt reached out and slowly lifted the lid.


    Immediately, a blinding light nearly dazzled his eyes¡ªthe chest was filled with intensely reflective white metal ore, which scattered the light coming in through the window all over the place.


    He blinked.


    Getting used to the scattered light, he then took a closer look at the white metal ore in the chest. He took out a piece and weighed it in his hand. It hardly had any weight, but the feel of it was definitely metallic, cool and extremely hard.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    He had never seen such a light metal before; in his knowledge, metals were generally very heavy.


    Of course, he also knew of one metal that was very light, lithium, lighter than water by half, able to float on the surface. But even lithium was heavier than the metal ore in his hand now. It felt as if he wasn¡¯t holding a piece of metal ore, but a piece of foam.


    He squeezed hard, but the metal ore did not budge.


    When he tried to cut it with a sword, he could not make a dent in it, only a faint scratch.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not foam, and it¡¯s not plastic,¡± he looked at the ore in his hand, recalling the knight novels he had read, the corners of his brows lifting slightly, gradually breaking into a smile, ¡°I think I have guessed what this metal is. It¡¯s as light as nothing, hard as iron¡­ It¡¯s a magic metal¡ªmithril!¡±


    In this world, metal was the same: gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminium, and so on.


    But there were also several special metals, which had an affinity for magic power, were very good conductors of magic, and were essential materials for making magic equipment.


    To date, there were three known types of magic metals¡ªmithril, fine gold, and mountain copper.


    Mithril as light as nothing, fine gold indestructible, mountain copper unbreakable.


    These three kinds of magic metal also originated from dragons, and it was said that the Neverfall Empire had a Mithril Dragon. In the knight novels, the ¡°Silver Knights¡± who often appeared to follow the protagonist into battle were all equipped with a set of brilliant mithril magic armor that made them swift as the wind.


    ¡°Mithril is very valuable, more precious than gold¡ªa chest full of mithril ore is worth at least one dragon coin!¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips.


    The treasure¡¯s reputation was well-deserved!


    He quickly used a Space Gem to store all the mithril ore, leaving behind an empty chest. Just this chest full of mithril ore could be considered a rich haul. However, he had no intention of selling it; he would keep it to craft equipment when he needed it in the future.


    Touching the Crimson Blood Sword at his waist, he felt that it must contain a small amount of mithril¡ªthe magic conduction ability exceeded that of ordinary fine steel weapons.


    Even without a Dragon Gem embedded, a weapon alloyed with mithril was at least a magic weapon.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what¡¯s inside the second chest,¡± Liszt lifted his sword and gently severed the rusty copper lock, lifting the lid.


    A foul odor assaulted him.


    He nearly retched.


    Inside were neatly stacked books, and the stench of the aged paper and binding was overpowering.


    Holding his breath.


    Liszt saw the book on top, inscribed in handwritten Serpent Script¡ªRudolf¡¯s Alchemy Diary.


    ¡°An alchemy diary?¡±


    His gaze flickered slightly.


    The alchemist probably belonged to the profession of legend, possibly equivalent to a chemist, or perhaps a Taoist alchemist? Legends said they could turn ordinary stones into gold through magical alchemy, and whoever mastered the mystery of alchemy could possess wealth to rival nations.


    In knight novels, alchemists appeared quite frequently.


    It¡¯s just that many who claimed the title of alchemist in reality never showcased any real alchemical skills¡ªthey were merely swindlers, tricking others for food and drink.


    Liszt, who had studied physics, didn¡¯t quite believe that the art of alchemy existed.


    Of course.


    In this Different World, where magic existed, who knew if alchemy were real? Like now, he had just seen a diary boldly claiming the title of ¡°Alchemy.¡±


    ¡°Could it really contain records of alchemical techniques? Is this the rhythm of bestowing upon me the art of alchemy? Am I about to ascend to the peak of life so soon?¡±


    Liszt felt his heart rate begin to accelerate.


    The career of an alchemist shouldn¡¯t be much less than those top-tier existences such as Dragon Knights, Dragon Domain Landlords, Archmages, and Dragon Slayers¡ªas having money meant one could do whatever they wanted.


    However, just as he was about to touch the book,


    the seemingly clear script in ¡°Rudolf¡¯s Alchemy Diary¡± suddenly shattered and dispersed into powder. Liszt¡¯s fingers passed right through the dust, grabbing at nothing.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    A string of curses almost escaped his thoughts.


    In the blink of an eye, the entire box of books turned to dust. A light touch was all it took for them to crumble, rendering any lettering unrecognizable and their forms forever lost.


    The wind blew in from the window, whisking away the powder along with a foul smell.


    Stunned for quite a while, Liszt finally regained his composure, clutching his chest, almost vomiting blood: ¡°My alchemy!¡± The thick leather-bound books had decayed with age.


    The diary that contained the secrets of alchemy had also turned to ashes.


    His heart was in agony.


    Even though he doubted the existence of alchemy, the slim possibility that it might be real had slipped through his fingers, and the sense of loss struck a heavy blow to his spirit.


    The chest that should have been filled with treasures of knowledge had turned into a pile of useless slag.


    A sigh escaped him.


    He forcibly suppressed his discomfort: ¡°Forget it, fortune comes to those who have it, and those who don¡¯t, it¡¯s not meant to be. Who knows if the diary really contained alchemy. It was an unexpected find anyway, and losing it won¡¯t shake my determination. A box of mithril ore is valuable enough.¡±


    After comforting himself, he cautiously drew his sword and opened the third chest.


    Inside were books as well.


    Lying on top were the covers of five books.


    Liszt learned his lesson and did not touch them directly, instead carefully memorizing the covers of each book.


    ¡°Beast Guide of the Steel Ridge Kingdom,¡± ¡°Close Encounters with the Multi-horned Magic Rhinoceros,¡± ¡°Tales of the Glittering Gold Tower,¡± ¡°The Colorful Mushrooms of the Red Monkey Forest,¡± ¡°The Rainy Night Thriller at Fox Manor.¡±


    The covers of these books were not written in Serpent Script by hand, but printed, clearly commercially published works.


    ¡°Glittering Gold Tower? Red Monkey Forest? Fox Manor?¡±


    He had never heard of these places, but he could be sure that all three locations were within the Steel Ridge Kingdom. Only Steel Ridge and its vassal states used Serpent Script. Including the aforementioned Rudolf who wrote the alchemy diary¡ªthey must all be from the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    He cautiously reached out to touch the books, hoping to turn a page.


    But it was still a failure. As soon as the books were touched, they immediately turned to powder and could not be preserved.


    ¡°What a shame, two boxes of books, a wealth of knowledge, all gone.¡± Liszt shook his head, turning his gaze to the last two chests, ¡°Are these two chests also filled with books?¡±

 Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 0111: Gemstones, Crystals, and Magic Jade

    Chapter 111: Chapter 0111: Gemstones, Crystals, and Magic Jade


    Translator: 549690339


    The last two chests were not filled with books.


    To Liszt¡¯s surprise, one chest contained a variety of jades, the other various crystals, ¡°Jades and crystals, the value of these two chests, will definitely not be lower than that of the mithril ores!¡±


    He picked up a milky white jade.


    The regret of the vanished books was somewhat diminished.


    Jades and crystals can be considered types of gemstones. However, their origins are entirely different. Jade comes from the earth and, like saltpeter and sulfur, is a naturally formed mineral. Crystals, on the other hand, originate from dragons. They are associated mineral stones produced alongside a dragon¡¯s gemstones.


    Dragons can produce gemstones, and gemstones possess extraordinary magic power.


    But gem mines are rare, and more common are the associated crystal mines surrounding the gemstones¡ªthe topaz is accompanied by yellow crystals, the ruby by red crystals.


    Crystals also contain magic power, but compared to gemstones, the magic power in crystals is relatively sparse.


    Nobles like to carve drinking cups out of crystal, and in Liszt¡¯s castle, there is a set of such crystal goblets used for entertaining distinguished guests. Crystals are also commonly used to make magic lighting fixtures which can brighten both day and night until the contained magic power is completely consumed. All reputable castles have crystal lamps.


    Crystals are also an ideal accessory for noblewomen, who can add quite a bit of grace to their demeanor with a crystal necklace.


    Jades originating from the earth, also known as magic jades, are stones that also have magic power. However, the magic power they contain has already highly integrated with the stone itself, making it difficult to utilize for creating magic items.


    But jade is the best food for elves.


    During the transplanting period for cordyceps, the elves relied on nibbling on jade to sustain life; when contracting elf bugs, jade is also used as bait; and using jade to make containers for elves to live in increases the probability of their evolution.


    Therefore, the value of jade is not cheaper than that of crystal.


    Opening the Gemstone Space.


    He put a chest full of jade and a chest full of crystals into it, shook the bell to summon the butler, ¡°Mr. Carter, I have stored the treasures in the chests, most of which are severely damaged and ancient, with only some slight residues left. Have someone move and dispose of them.¡±


    He had carefully examined the chests that contained books, and not a single legible word remained as the books were completely rotted.


    This is a disadvantage of parchment paper, which cannot be preserved for too long. Liszt believes that the lack of historical records in the different world is definitely related to parchment paper. During its production process, the paper undergoes an ¡°acidification¡± process to allow for smooth writing.


    But acid-prone substances are likely to undergo chemical reactions, making them difficult to preserve for a long time.


    That is how he understood it.


    ¡°Despite the regrets, overall, this sunken ship treasure has made me a fortune, which is great!¡± Liszt thought to himself.


    His mood gradually became more comfortable.


    So for that evening¡¯s dinner, he had the kitchen host a barbecue party.


    Goltai, Marcus, and others all attended. They knew that Liszt had made a hefty gain that day, but wisely refrained from asking about the specifics of the treasure.


    For three consecutive days.


    Liszt was monitoring the situation with the dragon hollyhocks.


    The transplanted wild dragon hollyhocks had already adapted to the new soil environment and began to show signs of life. Their green leaves were vibrant, those that were flowering continued to bloom, and those bearing fruit continued to fruit. Only the dragon hollyhock nurturing an elf bug remained in a deathly state, with its magic power intermittent, feeling as if it could die at any moment.


    Yet, it did not die; it just remained there, stiff and still.


    On the Smoke Mission, there had been no change, meaning that the mission had not been completed.


    ¡°The magic power of the Black Pearl should be sufficient, I can see traces of magic power emanating beneath the soil¡­ I can¡¯t exert any more strength. Little Dragon Hollyhock insects, whether you can survive or not, it¡¯s up to your own will to live.¡±


    This Smoke Mission could only involve waiting¡ªwaiting for the Dragon Hollyhock to die, marking the mission¡¯s failure, or for the Dragon Hollyhock to revive, signaling the mission¡¯s completion.


    Liszt stood up.


    Looking towards the direction of the Castle, a yellowish-gray horse was galloping toward the Castle.


    ¡°It¡¯s Marcus returning,¡± he mounted his Li Dragon Horse and rode back to the Castle, where he happened upon Marcus standing at the gateway. ¡°Teacher Marcus, was your trip successful?¡±


    ¡°All went well, my Lord. Tomorrow, crystal craftsman Brad will arrive with the Fresh Flower Caravan¡¯s transport team to serve you in Fresh Flower Town for a month.¡±


    ¡°Well done, Teacher Marcus.¡±


    Liszt nodded. After obtaining a large quantity of crystals, the idea of crafting a telescope began to take shape in his mind¡ªglass was the most suitable material for telescopes, but glass-making was rather complicated. Liszt did not yet have the capability to produce glass, so he had to use crystal to make the lenses.


    Transparent white crystal, when polished to a smooth finish, made crafting of a telescope rather simple.


    In Coral City, there were craftsmen who specialized in making crystal ornaments, and while these craftsmen might not be able to create crystal lamps, grinding concave and convex lenses would certainly not be beyond their expertise.


    ¡°For the telescope¡¯s lenses, should they be concave or convex?¡± Liszt had forgotten some of the physics knowledge. He just remembered that a monocular telescope consisted of two lenses, and the distance one could see changed as they were extended or shortened. Hiring a crystal craftsman for a month should enable him to produce a quality telescope.


    Crystal craftsman Brad.


    Arrived as scheduled the next day.


    He was a middle-aged man with a bald head and two large mustaches, his voice booming: ¡°Respectful Baron of Fresh Flower Town, Brad greets you.¡±


    ¡°Brad, do you know why I hired you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Marcus mentioned that you wish for me to create several crystal artifacts for you.¡±


    ¡°Right, I need you to make a batch of mirrors.¡± Liszt handed him several pieces of white crystal, which were deposits that often accompanied sapphires. As for which Dragon produced the sapphires, Liszt did not have this knowledge¡ªinformation about Dragons was plentiful but often vague.


    Those nations possessing Dragons tended always to shroud them in mystery.


    ¡°Is this white crystal? I can feel the magic power it contains.¡± Brad was a freelance craftsman and also an Apprentice Knight; he possessed Dou Qi¡ªa craftsman who worked with gemstones and crystals had to possess Dou Qi.


    Liszt unfolded a sheet of thick paper: ¡°I need you to craft these pieces of white crystal into mirrors of this design, with an extremely smooth surface. Moreover, their thickness must be consistent throughout, without any variations, and the shape must remain circular. The mirrors come in two sizes, but their thickness can vary.¡±


    The paper displayed diagrams of convex and concave lenses.


    Uncertain of what focal length of convex or concave lens would be suitable for assembling into a telescope, Liszt simply decided to have the crystal craftsman produce several of them, and he would experiment with different combinations later on.


    ¡°As you wish, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Then make yourself at home in Fresh Flower Town. If you can finish grinding the batch of mirrors ahead of schedule, you are free to leave earlier. The salary will still be the Gold Coin previously agreed upon.¡±


    Crystal craftsmen belonged to the higher end of the artisan spectrum, and they generally earned a good income. Earning twenty or thirty Silver Coins per month was quite normal. If Liszt wanted to employ them, he had to offer a more substantial reward.


    In the days that followed, Brad meticulously began grinding the concave and convex lenses.

 Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Respect for the Maid

    Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Respect for the Maid


    Translator: 549690339


    The telescope was still being ground.


    The Dragon Hollyhock was still half-dead.


    The Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug was still incubating.


    The Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery¡¯s Rapid Growth Poison Thorns were sprouting new shoots every day.


    Homes in various settlements were still being built sporadically, and houses were also under construction in the four districts of the town, with roadwork never ceasing. On the Douson Avenue of the castle, construction persisted daily.


    Shooting arrows, practicing spears.


    Merging horse and man, charging into battle.


    Liszt¡¯s life was fulfilling every day. Mrs. Abbie¡¯s culinary skills evolved rapidly, not only could she make pineapple buns, but she also learned to cook a few new dishes¡ªthe Thorn Caravan traveled to and from North Valley City daily, procuring supplies needed for the castle. With gold coins, anything was attainable.


    ¡°Quietly nurturing¡­ It¡¯s been almost half a year since I came to this world. I haven¡¯t done anything earth-shattering or made any radical developments. However, under my guidance, Fresh Flower Town has still entered a path of rapid development. Although the territory may still be barren, at the very least, it has taken on a new face.¡±


    Once he had only Goltai and Marcus as aides by his side.


    Now Goltai served as the Administrative Officer, Marcus as the interim Knight Captain, Isaiah as the Finance Officer, Blair as the Legal Officer, and Karl Ironhammer as the Defense Officer; Old Geronte led the Fresh Flower Caravan as its captain, with Abagon as his deputy, and Sherlock captained the Thorn Caravan; Kostor was the captain of the Fresh Flower Vessel.


    A team had begun to take shape.


    The Elf Bugs grew from four, the Tulip Bug, Millet Bug, Alfalfa Bug, and Thorn Bug, to seven with the addition of Tomato Bug, Little Wheat Bug, and Peanut Bug, and two more were awaiting birth, the Fragrant Coconut Bug and the Dragon Kui Bug.


    The number of horses in town, including those belonging to the newly arrived officials and their families, had grown from fifteen at the start to seven pregnant mares, the purchase of two foals, and eight nags. There were also twelve carriages allocated to the caravans. The grass at the horse farm was no longer sufficient; it had become necessary to purchase fodder from outside.


    In addition.


    Magic Potion, Smoked Grass, Fruit Thief Monkeys, seafood¡­


    The only slow development was the population, from the initial 1991 people to now 2074, an increase of just 83 people. However, by the end of September, five hundred serfs would be transported here to add to the labor force.


    ¡°The greatest gains are actually all within me,¡± Liszt leaned back in his chair, leisurely sipping a cup of milk tea without any additives.


    Behind him stood a fruit tree outside the castle, a green apple tree with a low yield, small fruits, and a tart taste.


    At least it could provide a bit of green shade.


    He felt pleased.


    Perhaps Mrs. Morson¡¯s cooking skills had improved, or maybe the quality of the pregnant cows¡¯ milk had increased, but regardless, the milk tea was becoming tastier by the day. So much so that after drinking it, he could feel the nutrients in the milk tea making his body exceptionally comfortable and invigorating his spirit.


    It swept away the lethargy of the scorching summer days.


    ¡°Douson is a good guard dog, Rock Spike is very powerful in attack, and Juan Fu could probably be kept for meat. The Space Gem is the most priceless treasure, the value of the Mithril Mine, Jade, Crystal, and Black Pearl should be calculated in Dragon coins. The Crimson Blood Sword is a gemstone weapon, along with the Drift Bottle from the Child of the Sun.¡±


    His personal wealth, if really assessed and measured, was probably unparalleled in Coral Island.


    ¡°I also learned the Dou Qi Secret Technique¡ªthe Eye of Magic. Although I don¡¯t know why the Bald Vulture Knight, Stefan, hid the Eye of Magic in a book, I should thank him. This assistive Dou Qi Secret Technique far surpasses any other powerfully destructive Dou Qi Secret Techniques.¡±


    Douson was frolicking all over the place.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Thomas followed behind it, pulling on the leash, sweating profusely. Given Douson¡¯s current strength, Thomas, just an ordinary person, really couldn¡¯t hold on to it.


    Liszt shifted his gaze away from Douson.


    He glanced at the small garden beside the castle.


    There, a maidservant was collecting the meat jerky that had been drying in the garden. Her black-and-white maid uniform was quite pleasing to the eye.


    ¡°Is that Little Lily?¡± Liszt, who was somewhat distant, couldn¡¯t make out the maid¡¯s facial expression but could tell it was her from her figure.


    Little Lily, the kitchen maid, was the tallest among the maids in the castle, standing at probably one meter seventy.


    He remembered the first time he saw Little Lily, the seventeen-year-old girl was just a skinny, dry stick. Perhaps it was from eating and living well in the castle and the ensuing relaxation, but it was clear now that she had developed breasts and her buttocks were a bit perkier than before.


    ¡°The young lady has blossomed, indeed. The sight of a maid at work is truly a delight to the eyes.¡±


    After reflecting on this, he redirected his gaze and began to circulate the Dou Qi within his body¡ªjust moments ago, there was some restlessness, as if wanting to express respect to the maid.


    His body was also developing rapidly.


    He had shot up in height, and he estimated that he must now be about one meter eighty-three tall. Earth Knight Marcus was a standard one meter eighty-six, and standing beside him, Liszt was now almost the same height.


    The Earl was about one meter eighty-one tall, and his late mother Melissa was said to be a tall beauty.


    Thus, Liszt surmised that he might still grow taller, surpassing Marcus wouldn¡¯t be a problem, and maybe he could even reach one meter ninety?


    The restlessness was hard to smooth over.


    Liszt simply stood up, drew the Crimson Blood Sword hanging at his waist, and began to practice the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±.


    Time flew, and it was suddenly September.


    The Earl had returned from Blue Dragon Island and had summoned all his followers to gather at Tulip Castle. As the newly ennobled Baron of Fresh Flower Town, it was only natural for Liszt to attend.


    The Coral Island faction was not particularly large.


    In total, there were two viscounts, sixteen barons, eighty-two Honored Knights, in addition to one Hereditary Viscount (Levis) and a few life barons.


    A life peerage is a non-hereditary title that allows for equivalent status and privileges without land and cannot be passed down.


    Some countries have established them, while others have not.


    In the Duchy of Sapphire, life peerages are generally granted to adult heirs of great families¡ªthey have come of age but their fathers are still alive, so it is not their turn to inherit. Some may even be over forty years old without having inherited, which can be somewhat awkward.


    Hence, life peerages were introduced.


    Of course, some magicians, skilled craftsmen with contributions, and even merchants of considerable wealth might also be granted life peerages.


    ¡°The Grand Duke has already issued the Pioneer Mandate. After autumn, we will act in coordination with Steel Ridge Kingdom to attack the coastal regions of Eagle Kingdom,¡± Levis informed Liszt with accurate news upon encountering him, ¡°Father has decided to accept the mandate and participate in this war.¡±


    ¡°Are you going as well?¡± Liszt asked.


    ¡°Of course, I have to go. This is a test for me; I need to prove that I can carry on Father¡¯s will and be favored by the glory of knighthood,¡± Levis said, not nervous but excited, ¡°The Grand Duke has arranged for Father to cooperate with Marquis Roderick, and I will act as the liaison officer, coordinating the actions between the two knight orders.¡±


    ¡°Marquis Roderick?¡± Liszt recalled that Lady Penelope had mentioned that Levis was pursuing the man¡¯s daughter, ¡°What¡¯s the name of the marquis¡¯s daughter?¡±


    Levis¡¯s eyes shimmered with the light of spring: ¡°Loria, Loria Gold Wheat Ear!¡±

 Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 0113: The Role of the Black Pearl

    Chapter 113: Chapter 0113: The Role of the Black Pearl


    Translator: 549690339


    The surnames of the great nobility are always very elegant.


    Even within marquis families, the Long Taro Family¡¯s surname ¡°Long Taro¡± is a step below that of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family¡¯s ¡°Golden Wheat Sheaf¡± in terms of class.


    This is also a display of heritage.


    The surname of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, just decades ago, was still ¡°Golden Wheat.¡±


    This is a powerful family, and the reason their surname is not ¡°Barley¡± or ¡°Little Wheat¡± is that their family not only has a Little Wheat Greater Elf but also a Barley Greater Elf. Before the Grand Duchy of Sapphire was established, the Golden Wheat Family had already risen by trading in grain.


    Later on, following the Sapphire Family, they established a nation and became one of the earliest Marquis families in the Grand Duchy.


    However, much like the Pa Pa Family, which split into Small Pa Pa and Big Pa Pa, the Golden Wheat Family also went through a division decades ago.


    The branch that had the Little Wheat Greater Elf, for their military achievements, was ennobled as Earls and changed their surname to ¡°Golden Wheat Grain.¡± The branch that had the Barley Greater Elf inherited the title and changed their surname to ¡°Golden Wheat Sheaf.¡±


    Every change of the surname.


    Signifies the development of the family, the elevation of bloodlines, and the alteration of status.


    ¡°If one day, I also cultivate a Tulip Great Elf, and rely on military achievements to be ennobled as an Earl. Then, following noble custom, perhaps the Tulip Family might change its name to ¡®Red Tulip,¡¯ and I to ¡®Black Tulip¡¯¡­ Liszt Black Tulip?¡±


    Sometimes, Liszt would indulge in such idle fancies.


    ¡°Then, dear brother, may your wishes come true,¡± Liszt said with a smile as he wished his brother well after learning the daughter of the marquis¡¯ name.


    ¡°I will succeed. Unlike Cousin Meioubao, Loria and I have been in correspondence for half a year already, I know she has taken notice of me. What I need to do now is to outperform the other competitors with excellent deeds. Cousin Meioubao is simply having a one-sided crush, the princess has¡­ many guests.¡±


    Levis said, not forgetting to tease Meioubao in the process.


    This cousin, well, he is beyond reproach in character, appearance, and family background, but he happens to be smitten with a flirtatious princess.


    Liszt actually had a good impression of Meioubao, so he did not join Levis in teasing: ¡°By the way, brother, the Black Pearl I sold you last time, have you had it crafted into magic equipment?¡±


    ¡°It has been successful. The magician carved special magic runes on it, and then it became an item capable of silencing the wind.¡±


    ¡°Silencing the wind?¡±


    ¡°The water-attribute magic power within the Black Pearl can suppress the flow of wind, especially silencing Wind System Magic. I saw with my own eyes a Wind Blade released by a magician dissipate after coming within five meters of the Black Pearl. Though it¡¯s a bit large, when hung on a warhorse, it can defend effectively against stealth attacks by Wind Dou Qi.¡±


    He looked at Liszt and continued, ¡°Especially for someone like your Marcus, a knight with Wind Dou Qi who loves to practice archery, vainly trying to use Dou Qi to control arrows for a fatal surprise attack. Now, when facing elite Wind Dou Qi Earth Knights, I don¡¯t need to be anxious.¡±


    ¡°It seems the Black Pearl is quite useful; I feel like I sold it too cheaply.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred and eighty gold coins is not a small amount; it can only silence the wind after all. If it could silence all magic power, then it would truly be valuable.¡± Levis leaned in closer, ¡°Do you have any more Black Pearls? As far as I know, a pearl oyster can produce several pearls, and Tridacnas should be the same; you must still have Black Pearls.¡±


    Liszt responded with a question instead of an answer: ¡°It can silence the wind, with a range of up to five meters?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Such capability sparked a flurry of thoughts in Liszt¡¯s mind.


    What he sold to Levis was a Black Pearl the size of a sea bowl, capable of enveloping a radius of five meters, silencing all wind. If replaced with two Black Pearls the size of a basketball, how much area could they silence? And what about that one the size of a basin, how much area could it silence?


    It was likely to cover a radius of dozens, if not hundreds, of meters.


    Such an ability might, on the battlefield, merely avoid the sneak attacks of Wind Dou Qi.


    But if applied to sailing, just think about it, if the Fresh Flower Vessel were equipped with a black pearl the size of a washbasin that silenced the wind around the entire ship, it would essentially never encounter a storm. Sailing the seas would then be like walking on flat ground¡ªeven if it couldn¡¯t calm the surges, silencing the wind would greatly reduce the threat.


    As for whether a ship could sail if the wind was silenced¡­ aren¡¯t there oars? If a storm was encountered, just take out the Black Pearl, and when there¡¯s no storm, put it away again. There¡¯s always a way to solve the problem.


    In an instant, he made his decision, ¡°Black pearls as big as washbasins or basketballs, absolutely cannot be sold. They are a must-have item for arming my own fleet in the future!¡±


    So he replied with an indifferent tone, ¡°Of course, I have some more. I originally planned to keep them as collectibles. Black pearls are not so easily obtained treasures.¡±


    ¡°Sell me another one.¡±


    ¡°You want another one?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I plan to make it into a new piece of magic equipment and then give it to Loria¡­ What do you think, isn¡¯t that a thoughtful and sincere gesture?¡±


    Liszt casually said, ¡°Women generally have no resistance to jewelry, I think it¡¯s a good idea. How much are you willing to spend? I have one black pearl about the same size as the one I sold you, as well as a few smaller ones.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred and eighty Gold Coins.¡±


    The price was the same as the previous black pearl, and Levis quoted the same price.


    ¡°To silence all winds with such a function, you can¡¯t get it for two hundred and eighty Gold Coins,¡± Liszt said unhurriedly, as it was now a seller¡¯s market.


    It was time to raise the price from the ground up.


    After some back-and-forth haggling.


    Finally, another black pearl was sold by Liszt at the price of four hundred and thirty Gold Coins.


    ¡°Liszt, your heart is as black as those merchants.¡±


    ¡°Whether my heart is black or not is not important. What¡¯s important is that you can show Loria your crimson heart, right?¡±


    The Earl announced the Pioneer Mandate during the midday banquet.


    He then began to summon his followers to join him in the military campaign¡ªa common occurrence, as every year or two, a Pioneer Mandate would be called.


    So in one afternoon, all the followers were rallied.


    Among them, the Earl himself would dispatch the most elite Coral Island Knights, consisting of ten Knight Squads totaling one hundred and thirty people, along with a temporarily assembled garrison Knight Order, fifteen Knight Squads totaling one hundred and ninety-five people. His followers would send out twenty-six elite or ordinary Knight Squads, totaling three hundred and forty-two people.


    All together, six hundred and sixty-seven knights were mixed into four Knight Orders.


    The Earl himself would lead the elite Coral Island Knights, while Levis also acted as the liaison officer and led one of the mixed Knight Squads, Viscount Trick Lygrass led another, and Jonas Rubble Viscount led the last one.


    ¡°Rest for three days, gather all knights in Coral City in three days, and set sail to Golden Island by ship, to act together with Marquis Roderick¡¯s Knight Order,¡± the Earl announced in full military attire, hand on sword, his grey-green eyes seemingly glowing, his words resonating with authority.


    All the nobles participating in the war.


    Each of them covered their left chest with one hand and performed the knight¡¯s salute, ¡°We follow you, my lord!¡±


    Liszt stood in the corner; he was not participating in the battle¡ªFresh Flower Town couldn¡¯t even muster a single Knight Squad. A regular Knight Squad indeed didn¡¯t need all members to be Earth Knights, but they at least had to possess Dou Qi. Of the twelve young knights, six had not yet developed Dou Qi.

 Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 114: The Conservation of Cordyceps

    Chapter 114: Chapter 114: The Conservation of Cordyceps


    Translator: 549690339


    The Earl was very busy, Liszt merely took a moment to greet him and offer his blessings before leaving Tulip Castle and returning to Fresh Flower Town.


    Before departing, the Earl solemnly said, ¡°Fresh Flower Town is developing quite well, I have been paying attention. Train your Knight Squad, I hope that in next year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate, you and Levis can fight side by side.¡±


    ¡°I am looking forward to it as well.¡±


    Liszt responded with these words.


    Yet in his heart, he was noncommittal¡ªengaging in battle was out of the question, he would never partake in battle in this lifetime. Flattery wasn¡¯t his forte, only farming, could he maintain his way of life.


    However, no one could predict the future.


    He would not be cooped up in Fresh Flower Town forever, remaining a countryside Baron. Riding dragons was a major life goal, while owning his own small island was a minor one. To possess an island as a fief, he would at least need to climb to the rank of Viscount, which would require some effort.


    During the return journey, the Li Dragon Horse galloped.


    He zoned out slightly while on horseback.


    The excitement of the nobles at the Pioneer Mandate banquet had indeed infected him¡ªthe nobles might be parasites, but their thirst for glory was very pure.


    To fight, to charge, to risk their lives for wealth and honor.


    ¡°Will I really not go to war? But without warfare, how else can I advance in rank? Rebel? Without the power to slay a dragon, rebelling is tantamount to suicide.¡±


    You can¡¯t treat the Sapphire Family¡¯s Sapphire Dragon as an ornament.


    That is a top-level power in this world, akin to a nuclear weapon; it is best not to test it.


    ¡°Earning merit on the battlefield is the most effective way to advance¡­ A Lord does not need to lead the charge, let the knights do the fighting and killing, it is still possible to ensure one¡¯s safety. In the worst-case scenario, being captured and ransomed back is a bit embarrassing, but preserving one¡¯s life is most important.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I could follow the path of a typical Noble¡¯s second son, and court a noble damsel?¡±


    Some nobles who only had daughters, their ranks would certainly be inherited by the daughters, as the Grand Duchy recognizes Baronesses. Such noble damsels are the best marriage prospects for second sons of nobles.


    Some noble damsels, pampered by their parents, would already have their own fiefdoms and become hereditary nobles, like Li Vera. They too would be prime marriage prospects for second sons of nobles.


    ¡°Unfortunately, in the Duchy of Sapphire, suitable noble damsels are after all in the minority¡­ There are many noble damsels at the ranks of Honored Knights and Barons, but noble damsels at the rank of Viscounts, Earls are very rare. The archipelago itself isn¡¯t very large, with only seven Marquises and a little over twenty Earls.¡±


    Besides, there was a very realistic problem¡ªnoble damsels aspired to marry higher ranking noble heirs, not just any minor nobility.


    ¡°I am handsome, my father is an Earl, my grandfather is a Marquis, and I have been granted a Baron¡¯s fief. Amongst the second sons, I am probably a very competitive candidate, let me think about which single Viscount damsels in the Grand Duchy are suitable for marriage¡­¡± After some thought, he couldn¡¯t come up with a single one.


    All nobles hope to have a son to inherit their rank.


    Nobles with only a daughter are very rare.


    The battlefield is too dangerous, and Baronesses are too scarce, Liszt then considered a third way to achieve rank¡ªby making a significant contribution. If he could contribute the art of paper-making to the Sapphire Duke, maybe he could fish for an Earl¡¯s, or even a Marquis¡¯s rank.


    ¡°But ranks conferred for contributions are lifelong ranks without fiefs. This method is utterly unacceptable.¡±


    The more he thought about it, the less feasible it seemed.


    He gave a self-deprecating laugh, feeling resignated, ¡°Rather than going through all this trouble, it would be better to hope for the Earl and Levis to¡­ stop, I feel like such thoughts shouldn¡¯t arise, after all, they are dear blood relatives.¡±


    After returning to Fresh Flower Town.


    Liszt fell back into the leisurely rhythm of life.


    The Earl was too pressed for time with war duties and couldn¡¯t even hold his September 14 birthday party on Coral Island, so there was no need for Liszt to worry about diplomacy and he could devote himself to developing the town.


    The Dragon Hollyhock was still half-dead, but as long as it hadn¡¯t died, it indicated that the Elf Bug had a will to survive.


    Hope remained.


    What brought him joy was the Fragrant Coconut Tree, as farmer Jiggs came to report that a Fragrant Coconut Fruit had cracked open. Instead of coconut milk flowing out, a plump, milky-white Elf Bug had crawled out.


    He brought Jade Powder and a Jade Box.


    Liszt hurried to Oyster Village and personally climbed the several dozen meters high Fragrant Coconut Tree to see the long-awaited Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug¡ªit was very plump, fatter than any Elf Bug he had on hand, and also exceptionally white, as if it were faintly glowing. It appeared as though it had just bathed in milk.


    ¡°Little guy, come on, my treat, have some Jade Powder.¡±


    He sprinkled Jade Powder on the Fragrant Coconut Fruit to tempt the Elf Bug. A newly born Elf Bug, acting on instinct, was quickly attracted by the magic power contained in the Jade Powder.


    It began to gobble up the Jade Powder in big bites.


    Next, all Liszt needed to do was to smear his finger with Jade Powder and stretch it out to the mouth of the Elf Bug.


    A bite down.


    The contract was complete.


    The pleasure of a heart-to-heart connection closely linked him with the Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug, sharing joy and sorrow.


    Having put the Fragrant Coconut Bug into the Jade Box, Liszt rewarded the farmers who had been patiently taking care of the Fragrant Coconut Bug, giving each person a silver coin, ¡°Jiggs, you all must continue to take good care of this Cordyceps, understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood, Lord Landlord.¡±


    Back at the castle, he handed the Fragrant Coconut Bug over to Carter to be placed in the Worm Room.


    Carter was very happy but also expressed his concerns, ¡°My lord, we now have eight Elf Bugs, and the castle servants may not be able to take adequate care of each Cordyceps. Do you think it is necessary to hire new servants to specifically care for the Cordyceps?¡±


    This question reminded Liszt.


    Indeed, no one in Fresh Flower Town would dare to defy him, let alone destroy his Cordyceps. But it¡¯s always the unexpected that happens¡ªif a commoner went mad and cut down the Cordyceps; or if an animal accidentally ate the Cordyceps¡ªdon¡¯t expect fences to stop everything.


    ¡°Your concern is very reasonable, but I don¡¯t plan to hire servants for watching the Cordyceps. Instead, I plan to set up a formal team to guard them,¡± he said.


    No sooner had he thought it than he acted, immediately calling Goltai, Marcus, and Karl Ironhammer.


    ¡°My lord.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, Teacher Marcus, Karl, I¡¯ve called you here because I have more and more Elf Bugs, and the Cordyceps are distributed all over the town. They need better protection.¡±


    ¡°Do we need to assign more Patrol Members to frequently patrol the Cordyceps, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Merely patrolling is not enough. I need dedicated, long-term protection. Do you have any good ideas?¡± Liszt had plans in mind, but he didn¡¯t reveal them.


    To hint but not divulge¡ªthis is the Controlling Path of those in high positions.


    Goltai thought for a moment and said, ¡°Currently, the protection for Cordyceps relies mainly on castle servants for care, local farmers for supervision, Patrol Team for inspection, and fences for isolation. Perhaps we can train more Patrol Members to specifically patrol the Cordyceps.¡±


    Marcus was more straightforward, ¡°The Knight Squad could take over patrol duties.¡±


    Last came Karl, ¡°My lord, I think we can arrange for Patrol Members to stand guard around the Cordyceps. Currently, we have twenty Patrol Members overseeing the town, which is not necessary; we can spare eight Patrol Members to protect the Cordyceps, ensuring they are guarded at all times.¡±


    ¡°Karl¡¯s suggestion aligns more with my thoughts, but we don¡¯t need Patrol Members for the job; that¡¯s a waste of manpower. Select sturdy serfs from each village, arrange them to guard the Cordyceps in shifts, and have the town administration pay their salary, one copper coin a day,¡± he said after a pause.


    Then he continued, ¡°In addition, Teacher Marcus, arrange for members of the Knight Squad to teach the guarding serfs some basic combat skills.¡±

 Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 0115: Thorn Chain Quest

    Chapter 115: Chapter 0115: Thorn Chain Quest


    Translator: 549690339


    Rom had been very excited lately; he thought he would end up like Auden and Gray, unable to cultivate Dou Qi and ultimately abandoned by Mr. Marcus.


    Being abandoned and becoming a useless person without Dou Qi was a terrifying prospect.


    He, along with Karl, Auden, and Gray, all of serf origins, had been employed as Retainer Knights for Baron Liszt. However, Karl had now become an Apprentice Knight and the Defense Officer of Fresh Flower Town, leading a Patrol Team of twenty men and basking in success.


    When meeting Karl, he would have to address him as Mr. Karl.


    The change in status brought immense pressure to him, a suffocating urgency as if the giant hand of fate was choking his throat, trying to strangle his hopes for progress. He was terrified of achieving nothing, so he practiced diligently not only during Marcus¡¯s lessons but also on his own, with reckless abandon.


    Eventually, he successfully cultivated Dou Qi, Primary Dou Qi, and became an Apprentice Knight.


    His wish fulfilled, his earnest and hard practice bore fruit¡ªLord Landlord appointed him as the captain of the Patrol Team, assisting Karl in maintaining the town¡¯s security.


    His status was not equal to Karl¡¯s, but Rom was already very satisfied, his talent being not as outstanding as Karl¡¯s and having taken many more days to cultivate Dou Qi.


    He should rightly take a place beneath Karl.


    The Patrol Team originally had a captain, who was just an ordinary person and was very resentful about his arrival. However, Rom taught him how to behave with just a few easy punches.


    ¡°Strength, with just Primary Dou Qi, I already possess the power that ordinary people cannot hope to match. How much more powerful could an Earth Knight be with Intermediate Dou Qi?¡±


    Before obtaining Dou Qi, his understanding of knights was not very clear. He only knew that knights were strong, but how strong they were and how marvelous Dou Qi was, he had no idea. Now that he had acquired Dou Qi, he fully understood the tremendous qualitative change Dou Qi brought to knights.


    ¡°Earth Knight¡­ I have no hope of attaining Intermediate Dou Qi in this lifetime. However, Lord Landlord has already given me a chance to change my fate, and I, Rom Barrel, will seize it! In the future, I will ensure my son starts practicing Dou Qi from a young age!¡±


    He was not yet married, but already many girls in town had shown their affection for him.


    An Apprentice Knight was still very appealing.


    ¡°My son will become an Earth Knight like Mr. Marcus! Then, he will have the hope of reaching out to join the Nobles!¡±


    For a bright tomorrow.


    Rom diligently did his job every day, never shirking his Patrol duties, and took great satisfaction in his role as the team captain.


    What Rom didn¡¯t know, however, was that his hard work had all been noticed by Liszt.


    Liszt did not like mundane affairs; dealing with the various day-to-day issues of the town was not his style. He did not wish to be a Han Xin skilled at leading soldiers but rather a Liu Bang competent at leading generals. Thus, he appreciated subordinates who worked diligently.


    Rom was one such diligent subordinate.


    ¡°Rom, in light of your performance, I have a new mission for you.¡±


    ¡°Please command, my lord!¡±


    ¡°You and Karl have both become Apprentice Knights capable of handling responsibilities on your own, so I plan to establish the position of ¡®Worm Affairs Officer¡¯ in Fresh Flower Town, under which there will be a ¡®Bug Guard Team.¡¯ Members will be selected from the strong labor force of each post. You will serve as the Worm Affairs Officer, and your task will be to lead the Bug Guard Team in protecting the Cordyceps.¡±


    After much thought, Liszt decided to establish the Bug Guard Team as a separate entity.


    This team¡¯s basic template was roughly equivalent to a militia organization, an augmentation to the Patrol Team. With an increasing influx of people to Fresh Flower Town, it would be impossible to maintain security with just the Patrol Team. Thus, the Bug Guard Team would become an integral part of the security forces.


    Patrol Team police station.


    Bug Guard Team militia barracks.


    Knight Squad Army.


    Such was the thought process of Li Si Te, the successor of borrowing ideas; his notions always tended to fit this mold.


    Rom immediately knelt on one knee, performing the knight¡¯s salute, ¡°Rom wishes to follow Your Excellency¡¯s footsteps for life!¡± His body trembled slightly, a sign of excitement, never having imagined that opportunities to change his fate would come one after another.


    Now, he officially stepped into the ranks of the officials.


    Being an official wasn¡¯t formally a social class, but assuming such a role indicated that one had entered the ranks of the ¡°nobility reserves.¡±


    When he left the castle, he was still somewhat dazed, feeling as if his body was afloat, ¡°Serving Your Excellency is a moment deeply graced by knightly honor in my life, Rom!¡±


    Perhaps it was Li Si Te¡¯s heartfelt care for the Elf Bugs that was sensed.


    Just two days after the establishment of the Bug Guard Team, he saw the Dragon Kui Cordyceps in the Dragon Kui Field regaining a hint of vitality in their leaves, and the previous black spots had also dissipated a great deal.


    ¡°Has it pulled through?¡±


    Li Si Te hastened to summon the long-missed Smoke Mission.


    Without any surprise, the Smoke Serpent Script had changed, ¡°Complete the task, reward one Dragon Kui Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Dragon Hollyhocks nurture Elf Bugs; this is my ninth Elf Bug, very good¡­ although I am unsure of what use the Dragon Hollyhocks are.¡± The berries of the Dragon Hollyhock are edible, but only as a snack; even with the boost from the Dragon Kui Bug, it¡¯s unlikely for it to yield many berries.


    Better than nothing, at least it is an Elf Bug.


    Smoke twisted, issuing a new task, ¡°Task: The long overdue heavy rain is about to visit Fresh Flower Town, the homes of the residents of the territory are mostly in disrepair, unable to withstand the torrential rain, as a Lord how can you sit idly, please repair the territory¡¯s houses. Reward: Mutated Thorn.¡±


    ¡°Another reward of Mutated Thorn?¡± pondered Li Si Te, ¡°This is the third task about Thorns, it seems to be a chain of tasks! The previous Formless Dragon chain task rewarded a Space Gem, I wonder what good thing this series of tasks will reward?¡±


    He had a vague guess  Thorn Minor Elf!


    ¡°Could it be the Thorn Minor Elf?¡±


    Not being certain, Li Si Te still forcefully suppressed the notion, harboring no hope to avoid disappointment, and should it truly be awarded, it would be an immense surprise.


    For now, just strive to complete the task at hand.


    ¡°Repairing houses, it seems it¡¯s time for another all-hands-on-deck battle.¡±


    He immediately convened all the officials of the town, arranging the housing repair work of the territory, ¡°This summer there has scarcely been any rainfall, which is unusual. I speculate that there might be strong storms coming in the next few days. Most houses in Fresh Flower Town are old wooden huts, which are very unsafe.¡±


    ¡°The new houses are already under construction, as for those serfs, just let them fix their wooden huts themselves.¡± Goltai couldn¡¯t help but look down on serfs.


    Blair appeared to be brown-nosing, ¡°The most in need of repair is the castle, where Your Excellency resides, should be even safer and more beautiful.¡±


    ¡°The castle¡¯s repair work can wait until after the autumn harvest when the labor force is idle. Now, each of you assign the tasks, and make sure every damaged wooden hut is properly reinforced. All civilians, regardless of whether they are serfs or freemen, must accept the work arrangement.¡±


    After a pause, Liszt said, ¡°All civilians will receive no compensation and must work for free to repair their own huts. However, the materials for repairing the huts will be provided by the Castle, as a benefit I bestow upon the residents.¡±


    ¡°You are truly generous. I will arrange this immediately and ensure that all the wooden huts are repaired within a week.¡±

 Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Dismantling One’s Own Wooden Hut

    Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Dismantling One¡¯s Own Wooden Hut


    Translator: 549690339


    Clip-clop, clip-clop.


    Horse hooves crunched over the gravel path, the Li Dragon Horse arching its neck, its black mane fluttering in the wind.


    This main road had been under construction for over two months, with an average of 180 civilian workers maintaining it daily, each paid a copper coin a day. Meaning, this road cost 180 copper coins every day, amounting to over ten thousand copper coins, roughly 1 Gold Coin in two months.


    Sometimes, the cost of manpower is astonishingly cheap.


    Rocks brought in from various places were smashed into pieces the size of fingernails, neatly spread over the ground, mixed with the sands from the East Coast, giving the whole road a clean and tidy appearance.


    Without cement, stepping on gravel and sand, one would invariably get them unknowingly into their shoes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Thorn Ridge is just a hillock with plenty of small stones; they are too small to even cut into slabs. Otherwise, building the main road with stone slabs would be more beautiful,¡± thought Liszt with some regret. The town was truly barren, with its surrounding resources extremely scarce.


    He had now sold Black Pearls twice, his purse bulging with over five hundred Gold Coins.


    But he couldn¡¯t immediately convert it into resources¡ªlivestock couldn¡¯t be bought in large numbers due to the lack of pasture; too few hands for more construction; roads couldn¡¯t be repaired often due to a shortage of stone; and not enough tools to cultivate barren fields.


    Just like today, the whole town was busy refurbishing wooden houses.


    Thus, there were no workers for the road.


    Under the supervision of the Patrol Team and Clerks, the commoners began inspecting their own wooden houses for soundness. Those with cracked beams were to report for replacement, those with holes in the roof were to report for patching, those with loose windows were to report to have them secured, and those with decaying corners were to report for repair¡ªthe commoners were very enthusiastic.


    Because Lord Landlord provided the repair materials.


    This made the commoners feel like they had gotten a great deal, and not reporting it would be a huge loss!


    ¡°Perhaps, I should start making bricks. If stone is insufficient, bricks will suffice,¡± Liszt mused as he witnessed the fervent renovation battle of wooden houses.


    Stonemasons and carpenters are the construction workers of the Different World¡ªcommoners live in wooden houses, nobles in stone castles.


    In Fresh Flower Town, only Liszt¡¯s castle was constructed with rock masonry and glued with glutinous rice. The value of glutinous rice was very precious; the Elf born from glutinous rice was called ¡°Wall Elf.¡± Its value lay not in its edibility but its strong adhesive quality.


    Without cement, walls were bound either with mud or glutinous rice.


    Fortunately, the Tulip Family had a Glutinous Rice Minor Elf, so the castles built by the Earl were extravagantly bonded with glutinous rice.


    Such castles, much stronger than those bonded with mud, could also be built very tall.


    Take Liszt¡¯s castle, for instance.


    Removing its pointed rooftop, it could continue to be extended several floors higher.


    ¡°The turning process of brick making has almost no technical content. Once suitable clay is found, qualified bricks can be made¡­ However, you need to build a brick kiln for firing bricks and that requires coal, or at least charcoal. Without experimentation, it¡¯s hard to produce qualified bricks.¡±


    Liszt, who enjoyed reading and pondering in his free time, knew quite a lot.


    He understood the production of ice from saltpetre, clay brick firing, handmade papermaking, black gunpowder formulas, primitive concrete, distilling spirits, pancreas formulas, telescopes, glass firing, and even grenade-making once black gunpowder was successfully mixed. Additionally, things like waterwheels, plows, windmills¡ªhe could explain the basic principles after a bit of tinkering.


    But to turn knowledge into physical objects is no simple feat.


    The biggest constraints were materials and manpower.


    Ice making with saltpetre required saltpetre; had he not found a Miniature Saltpeter Mine, ice making would remain an idle boast; the same went for glass firing, which needed quartz sand and soda ash. Quartz sand likely required finding a quartz vein, which he remembered as somewhat translucent rock.


    But what exactly is soda ash, is it soda?


    He remembered that a bit of alkali was needed when making porridge, and there might be a small amount of alkali in wood ash, but where could he obtain the pure soda for glass firing?


    Black gunpowder, besides saltpeter, also requires sulfur.


    Cement needs limestone.


    ¡°Strictly speaking, I seem to still not know what sulfur and limestone look like, right?¡± Liszt suddenly realized a very serious problem.


    He only knew saltpeter could produce ice, quartz could burn glass, limestone could make cement, and sulfur could make explosives.


    But what do limestone and sulfur look like?


    He only knew before that saltpeter was white, mentioned in many books, found in toilets and corners, and it was only after the Smoke Mission hinted about a Miniature Saltpeter Mine that he was able to find saltpeter.


    If he were to look for a saltpeter mine himself, he feared he might go grey-haired without finding any.


    ¡°Limestone sounds like a common type of rock, maybe related to marble or granite? As for sulfur, should I try looking around a volcano crater? They say that volcano craters smell of sulfur.¡±


    At this moment, Liszt felt that.


    The real him was far more ignorant than he imagined: ¡°This is somewhat embarrassing¡­ but I¡¯m definitely sure where to find the soil for making bricks!¡±


    Theoretically, brick-making requires clay, the kind that can be fired into red bricks.


    But if one doesn¡¯t aim for very high quality, most soils can be used to make bricks, with any slightly sticky soil being quite decent material.


    There¡¯s plenty of such soil in Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Once the mission is completed, I¡¯ll gather a bunch of serfs to make bricks for me. I want them to build houses for me.¡± He intended to build greenhouses for Flame Mushrooms, toilet facilities, pens for pigs, horses, cattle, sheep, and factory buildings. Then, perhaps, a soccer field, a basketball court, and recruit a team of professional players to come over for matches.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯ll need to take time to find quartz, limestone, and soda ash. The uses of cement and glass are very extensive.¡±


    Then he suddenly thought, ¡°Actually, I am a noble. Enjoying life should be what I¡¯m supposed to do. Why am I always thinking about inventing things and conducting research?¡±


    He was once a liberal arts student.


    Not a science student.


    He studied Information Management at college.


    ¡°Life is so beautiful, I don¡¯t want to become a magician.¡±


    As he rode his horse, lost in his thoughts.


    On a nearby street, a loud crash was heard as a wooden house unexpectedly collapsed.


    Liszt raised his hand to block the sunlight, looking in that direction, a crowd buzzing with excitement. He then commanded the Retainer Knights, ¡°What happened there? Go and ask.¡±


    The Retainer Knight quickly brought over a Patrol Member who was supervising the scene.


    The Patrol Member knelt on the ground and answered Liszt¡¯s question, ¡°Lord Landlord, it was the loud-voiced Hunte who tore down his own wooden house.¡±


    ¡°He tore down his own wooden house?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we saw Hunte with a stick, striking his own house forcefully, breaking several supporting pillars, and then the house collapsed, burying Hunte inside. However, he wasn¡¯t crushed to death but merely broke an arm.¡±


    ¡°Why did he tear down his own wooden house?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Hunte heard that Lord Landlord¡¯s castle would provide materials for house repairs, so he wanted to replace his wooden house¡­¡±

 Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 0117 The Torrential Rain at the End of Summer Approaches

    Chapter 117: Chapter 0117 The Torrential Rain at the End of Summer Approaches


    Translator: 549690339


    Insolent peasant!


    Upon hearing the report from the patrol member, the thought flashed across Liszt¡¯s mind¡ªit was as if someone had bumped right into the landlord¡¯s head¡ªseeking to take advantage of the landlord himself.


    However, he didn¡¯t immediately take the patrol member¡¯s word for it.


    ¡°Sean, go and question Hunte¡ªwhether it was he himself who dismantled his wooden hut,¡± he ordered.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Retainer Knight Sean returned quickly, and along with him came Goltai. The answer was affirmative: Hunte, upon hearing that the materials for the repairs of wooden huts would be paid for by the castle, immediately boasted that he would replace every single piece of wood of his own hut. Then, in tragically misplaced enthusiasm, his hut collapsed.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, what do you think should be done?¡± Liszt asked without anger on his face, only inquiring calmly.


    ¡°The vile commoner should be beaten to death alive!¡± Goltai responded loudly, ¡°My lord, the freeman commoner Hunte harbors malicious greed, he even dares to covet what is sacred and inviolable to the castle. He should be punished severely. In my opinion, we should demote him to a serf and administer a hundred lashes!¡±


    There were quite a few civilians watching nearby.


    Hearing Goltai¡¯s words, they couldn¡¯t help but shrink their necks. Being demoted to a serf wasn¡¯t terrifying, but a hundred lashes could kill a person. Some of the civilians had also tampered with their own wooden huts, trying to gain some advantage. Upon hearing this, their legs nearly buckled with fear.


    The sudden longing for greed faded in their hearts, as they stealthily stepped towards their homes, intending to stuff back the tampered wood¡­


    To be honest, a hundred lashes seemed a bit harsh.


    The crime did not warrant death.


    Still, Hunte¡¯s actions had displeased Liszt considerably¡ªhe worked hard to lead Fresh Flower Town towards prosperity, yet some people did not appreciate it and even sought to take advantage.


    This kind of attitude could not be encouraged; it had to be nipped in the bud.


    ¡°Considering that his arm was broken by the incident, let¡¯s keep a record of the lashes for now. Once he has recovered, we shall conduct the fifty lashes in two separate sessions,¡± he decided.


    He glanced at the anxious civilians around him and told Goltai, ¡°Make sure the publicity is done well, I don¡¯t want to discover a second person who commits a similar act.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±


    A cruel smile appeared on Goltai¡¯s face, ¡°I will make these foolish commoners understand what is more important: a few pieces of wood, or their very lives.¡±


    After such a commotion, Liszt had no interest in continuing the inspection of the wooden hut maintenance.


    He turned his horse around and headed back to the castle.


    The Dragon Kui Cordyceps in the Dragon Kui Field were gradually recovering, and the magic power could now flow steadily through the cordyceps. Black spots and withered leaves were slowly regaining their green vitality.


    After inspecting the Dragon Kui, Liszt rode around the riding range for a while.


    Finally, he returned to rest under the green apple tree.


    Carter, carrying a set of keys and just out from locking the cellar, approached. His pace was slow, displaying the serene confidence of the elderly. His clothes were always impeccable: a bit worn but ironed to smooth perfection, not a thread loose nor excessively wrinkled.


    ¡°My lord, you do not seem to be in the best of spirits,¡± he observed.


    ¡°It seems my mood is written all over my face.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Carter asked with a gentle smile, instantly imparting a sense of warmth.


    Liszt motioned for Thomas to bring Carter a stool, then said, ¡°Mr. Carter, do you think I am a competent landlord?¡±


    ¡°I have never doubted that for a moment. You have the bravery of the Tulip Family, and the nobility of compassion, fairness, humility, and honor. You are always blessed with the glory of knighthood.¡±


    ¡°Has there been any change in Fresh Flower Town in the past six months?¡±


    ¡°The change is significant. I remember when I first came to Fresh Flower Town, the expressions on the faces of the townspeople were numb. Now, it¡¯s as if they¡¯ve been reborn. I¡¯ve seen many smiling faces here, more than in any other place. Everyone is grateful for your kindness, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone.¡± Li Si Te picked up an ice-cold fruit juice and took a sip. The cooling sensation spread from his throat to his belly and then throughout his body. ¡°Today, I met a commoner who wanted the castle to repair his new house for free. He demolished his old wooden house without the slightest consideration for the kindness I had bestowed upon him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worth getting angry over such a commoner. The lowly commoners are different from the honorable nobles; they are always full of vices.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll accept your reasoning.¡± Li Si Te put aside the slight displeasure in his heart, ¡°In fact, Teacher Goltai¡¯s whip has already soothed my anger.¡±


    Perhaps he hadn¡¯t even noticed it himself.


    He was increasingly adopting the standpoint of the nobility in considering matters.


    As a transmigrator, Li Si Te still couldn¡¯t defy the heavens and change the grand era. Little by little, he became part of it, betraying the ideas of communism and falling on the side of the exploitative class.


    He was not far from becoming a qualified native.


    But to this, he had his own rebuttal, ¡°My dream is to ride dragons, not to change the world!¡±


    The great battle of repairing wooden houses lasted for a full five days.


    It couldn¡¯t continue any longer because on this day, the north wind howled, and dark clouds shrouded the sky. The alfalfa grass on the horse farm swayed with the wind, unable to stand upright even for a moment.


    The castle servants were busy installing wooden boards over the windows to keep out the wind and rain.


    If he had the money, Li Si Te could have used crystals to carve glass panels to install on the windows, just like in Tulip Castle. But he wasn¡¯t that extravagant. The box of crystals was reserved for making magic items in the future. For now, the castle windows relied on removable wooden boards for protection.


    In addition, each window had a curtain woven from straw, which could normally shield from sunlight and mosquitoes.


    But not now, as the strong winds outside would tear the curtains to shreds.


    Once the boards were installed, the already dim light in the castle grew even dimmer. Carter quickly had the servants light candles in the study, living room, and other rooms to restore brightness inside. Now that Li Si Te had a fairly sufficient amount of money, a few extra candles could be lit¡ªthey lit five or six in the study alone.


    ¡°Mr. Carter, don¡¯t worry about wasting them. I need my room to be bright enough. Reading in dim light is very harmful to the eyes,¡±


    Li Si Te held a novel, idly flipping through it.


    He had already read all 182 books in the castle¡¯s library at least twice. Generally, a book had tens of thousands of words at most, and only a few thousand words at the least.


    He greatly admired the authors of these knight novels for being able to weave complex and complete stories in just a few thousand words. And they had to include dragons, princesses, knight orders, kings, wars, feasts¡­ otherwise, no noble would buy their books.


    Nobles wouldn¡¯t buy books, and these down-on-their-luck nobles, who made up stories, would starve to death¡ªmake no mistake, those who chose writing were mostly destitute nobles.


    Commoners couldn¡¯t write at all.


    ¡°My lord, looking at the weather now, there will be a heavy downpour today.¡±


    ¡°A downpour would be good. The ponds in Fresh Flower Town are nearly dried up and desperately need replenishing with rainwater.¡±


    ¡°Just hope it doesn¡¯t damage the crops and affect this season¡¯s tax revenue,¡± Carter said, lifting a wooden board to peek at the gloomy sky outside, expressing his concerns.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The castle is not short on food, nor is the town. The East Coast is Fresh Flower Town¡¯s dining hall,¡± Li Si Te said nonchalantly.


    He leaned back in his chair, his gaze not focused on the knight¡¯s novel in front of him.


    Instead, he was looking at a wisp of smoke that twisted into a line of Serpent Script: ¡°Mission completed, reward: Mutated Fast-Growing Thorn Species.¡±

 Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 0118 Dirty Things in the Sunken Ship

    Chapter 118: Chapter 0118 Dirty Things in the Sunken Ship


    Translator: 549690339


    The storm approached with fury, and as Fresh Flower Town was swayed by strong winds and sand filled the sky, there was a moment when suddenly the entire world fell silent.


    Then, large raindrops pattered against the spires of the castle, as if a bucket of water had been overturned, splashing everywhere upon hitting the ground.


    From the doghouse, came the loud barking of Douson.


    Downstairs, in one of the rooms, Juan Fu was also making a ¡°cluck, cluck¡± noise.


    Outside and inside the castle, there were two different worlds.


    If one listened closely, Liszt could hear the servants in the kitchen downstairs chatting together¡ªwith the storm hitting, there was nothing to do but to chat.


    Mr. Carter¡¯s footsteps meandered upstairs and downstairs; he was always on the move, checking every aspect of the castle. He ran into Mrs. Morson, who was inspecting the maid¡¯s cleaning, and they seemed to exchange a few words, evaluating the performance of the male and female servants.


    The two butlers were conscientious and diligent.


    Yet the fifteen servants did not always get along so pleasantly.


    Thomas¡¯s attitude towards the male servants was particularly nasty, but as he was Liszt¡¯s personal manservant and held a high position, no one dared to say much.


    Not only did he often pick on the male servants and occasionally speak ill of them, but sometimes he was not so respectful to Carter either.


    Carter could not understand why Liszt would tolerate someone as unpleasant as Thomas¡ªThomas ruined the familial harmony among the castle servants.


    But it can only be said,


    Carter and Liszt had different statuses and thus looked at things from different perspectives.


    Carter tried to fill the castle with harmony and love.


    But Liszt did not wish for that¡ªif the servants united, it would make him, the master, uncomfortable. Just imagine, if a servant made a mistake and all the servants, being too friendly, helped to cover it up, they could easily fool Liszt.


    Without Thomas, the shit-stirring stick, the servants would become increasingly indulgent.


    With Thomas keeping an eye out and picking faults, the servants would work with trembling fear.


    Superiors always have to plant a few confidants within the lower ranks; it¡¯s just common sense, something even schoolteachers know when they cultivate students adept at snitching.


    Liszt chose not to eavesdrop on how the servants were chatting.


    His expression turned slightly stern.


    His thoughts wandered: ¡°Do phantoms really exist in this world?¡±


    In his younger years, the bedtime stories passed down by word of mouth mentioned specters. It was said that these were souls that had left their earthly shells after death, without consciousness, aimlessly wandering.


    Almost no one had truly seen a phantom.


    He rummaged through all of the memories of his former self, and on Coral Island, he had never heard of anyone encountering a phantom. Among the hundred-plus knight¡¯s novels he had recently read, a few mentioned phantoms, but mostly they were rare side characters with low frequency, just like vampires, werewolves, and mine zombies.


    Before, he would laugh it off when reading; it didn¡¯t seem important.


    Now, the reason he was thinking about phantoms again was due to the Smoke Mission which reminded him of them.


    ¡°Mission: An old, run-down sunken ship, weathered by the seaside winds and sun, but passing fishermen often feel a chill down their spine, as if something in the ship is watching them, keeping them from approaching. Please find out the reason. Reward: A piece of broken bone.¡±


    The sunken ship hiding five treasure chests was not something Liszt had people chop up for firewood.


    He felt that the sunken ship could barely be considered a tourist attraction, so he left it at Oyster Village to add to its historical depth. He even planned to one day have it well-maintained when he found the time.


    But this sunken ship, it turned out, still held secrets.


    ¡°What could be inside a sunken ship? When the patrol team searched for the treasure before, they turned the whole ship inside out. Besides some fabrics, grain residues, and five chests, there wasn¡¯t anything else¡­ Or is there something that¡¯s hard to see?¡±


    He could easily let his mind wander¡ªghosts, dirty things, sunken ships, ghost ships, and eventually to the specters of legend.


    Crack! Boom!


    A flash of light streaked past outside the castle, followed by a thunderous boom of lightning.


    The wind picked up again, accompanied by the sound of the pouring rain, isolating the castle from everything outside.


    Walking to the window, he lowered a plank of the shutter and watched the rain curtains that seemed to connect the sky and earth. Liszt felt a sense of desolation as if he was isolated from the world. Loneliness welled up inside him as he abruptly realized he had been in this world for half a year, transitioning from a world of technological civilization to one of magic and Dou Qi.


    It was neither good nor bad.


    Back in his hometown, the standard of living had been higher, but he was just a miserable, overworked drone.


    Here, the living standard was relatively poor, but he was an all-powerful noble with Dou Qi to strengthen his body, making him immune to hundreds of ailments.


    ¡°Comparatively speaking, I prefer my life now, and I like the sight of maids bustling in front of me¡­¡± The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in a smile; he was not overly concerned.


    Soon his thoughts returned to the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°If there really is a specter in the sunken ship, then it needs to be eradicated soon to prevent endangering the lives of the fishermen¡­ The mission reward is a segment of broken bone, but what does that have to do with the specter?¡±


    He really wanted to go to the sunken ship right now, find out the reason and complete the mission.


    But the rain outside was too heavy, making it hard to travel.


    He could only stay in the castle, bored and waiting.


    However, the wait


    lasted for three days.


    The relentless rain of varying intensity flooded the entire town. Fortunately, they had carried out maintenance on all the wooden houses beforehand, and the patrol team braving the rain had not found any collapsed houses. The cordyceps were also safe, even the most fragile Dragon Kui Cordyceps, which remained intact due to proper protection.


    Nevertheless, the three days of heavy rain still claimed two lives.


    An elderly serf who went out to pick vegetables slipped and never got up again. Another was a mother of three who braved the rain to collect seashells on the beach; she fell ill after returning and died.


    ¡°Collecting seashells on the beach?¡±


    Upon hearing Teacher Goltai¡¯s report, Liszt was struck with a thought: ¡°Could it be related to the sunken ship?¡±


    He immediately asked, ¡°Teacher Goltai, has the body of the deceased woman been examined for anything unusual?¡±


    ¡°Examining the body, I¡¯m sorry, sir, I did not examine the body. I thought it was just a serf who died of illness, which is quite common.¡±


    Perhaps Liszt was being too sensitive.


    But he still decided to personally inspect the dead woman¡¯s body: ¡°Teacher Goltai, we must remain alert. Lately, some fishermen have reported that there is something seriously wrong with that sunken ship, like there¡¯s some kind of dirty thing there. I suspect that this woman¡¯s death might have something to do with the sunken ship.¡±


    ¡°The sunken ship?¡± Goltai was puzzled.


    He hadn¡¯t heard such news, but since Liszt mentioned it, he couldn¡¯t ignore it¡ªhe believed that Liszt had many informants in Fresh Flower Town, and nothing could escape Liszt¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Then, my lord, shall I arrange for it now? Do you want to go check the body together?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±

 Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 0119: The Cold Magic Power in the Dragon Bone

    Chapter 119: Chapter 0119: The Cold Magic Power in the Dragon Bone


    Translator: 549690339


    A grand procession rode on horseback, splashing through puddles of water.


    Retainer Knights and personal servants crowded around Li Si Te, with officials like Goltai and Marcus closely following behind. Compared to the meager entourage of a few kittens at the beginning, now their presence commanded the air of being ¡°attended from front to back.¡±


    Actually, there was no need for so many people to follow within the town.


    But Li Si Te still preferred it this way¡ªhe really enjoyed the noble style. His entourage was still not as grand as that of the Earls or even his brother Levis, who were always followed by a Knight Squad, so he needed to work on growing his team.


    It would be best if he could bring along Douson and Juan Fu as well.


    Leading with one hand and lifting with the other.


    ¡°My lord, the roads of Fresh Flower Town are better than those of Coral City,¡± Isaiah praised sincerely; ¡°In Coral City, every rainy day feels like a city of manure, with feces floating in the streets making one nauseous. Here, there isn¡¯t any feces, not even mud.¡±


    The main roads were gravel, mostly free from mud.


    The paths between the hamlets were made of beach sand, there would be some mud, but not much.


    Goltai¡¯s timely, cheerful laughter complimented him, ¡°Without the lord¡¯s wisdom, there would be no such wonderful environment in Fresh Flower Town. Before, I couldn¡¯t appreciate the benefits of road construction, but now they are gradually unveiled before my eyes. I hope that in the future, every road will be built with gravel.¡±


    Li Si Te smiled.


    He didn¡¯t show any signs of pride¡ªthis was nothing; wait until he introduced concrete, then there would be something truly astonishing.


    The sky hadn¡¯t cleared completely yet and there was still a light drizzle. He wore a large black cloak over his armor and rode a pure black Li Dragon Horse. At first glance, he appeared rather foreboding. If not for his handsome face and a few strands of light golden hair on his forehead adding liveliness,


    he could probably pass as a Ringwraith from The Lord of the Rings.


    A while later, the party arrived at Barley Hamlet where the woman who died of illness was a serf of the village.


    Her body was still in her home. According to the funeral customs of the Duchy of Sapphire, after death, the body was to be buried directly into the ground. But due to the heavy rain these past few days, they couldn¡¯t bury her.


    The diseased woman¡¯s three children, two of whom were already adults, led by their stolid father, knelt on the ground to welcome Li Si Te¡¯s arrival.


    The purpose of his visit was explained by a retainer on his behalf.


    Li Si Te only needed to approach the body and inspect it. Marcus and Goltai had examined the body first, but neither could see any problems with it.


    Then Li Si Te personally conducted an inspection.


    Facing the dead was a first for him, and he was slightly nervous inside, but he controlled himself well and didn¡¯t reveal any emotions. Observing with the naked eye, he saw nothing unusual about the body, but when he used his Eye of Magic,


    a flash of black magic power passed over the body.


    Upon closer examination, the black magic power disappeared again. Li Si Te chose to trust his eyes. He observed quietly and after about a minute, another flash of black magic power flickered within the body and then vanished.


    ¡°My lord, did you observe anything?¡± asked Marcus.


    ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with the body. I felt signs of magic power on it, she didn¡¯t die from normal disease, but from some kind of filth.¡±


    Goltai exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Is there really such filth? What could it be, if it was from the sunken ship, could it be phantoms? There are legends of ghost ships on the sea. The sunken ship we found, it wouldn¡¯t be a ghost ship, would it?¡±


    ¡°Whether it is or not, we will find out after checking¡­ Right, about this body, what do you think should be done with it?¡±


    ¡°To be safe, it should be burnt.¡±


    Here, there was no concept of ¡°the dead are the most important¡±, nor any Tomb Sweeping Day for ancestor worship. After death, people were usually buried simply, especially the commoners.


    Once dead, wrapped in a straw mat, buried in a deep pit, there were no further concerns.


    Even some commoners were unwilling to dig a single pit, opting instead to throw the bodies of their loved ones into the mountains or water, which was entirely possible. So when Goltai proposed to cremate the bodies, the dull husband of the deceased woman had no objections. On the contrary, there was a vague sense of excitement.


    Because Liszt had given the man a compensation of ten silver coins through Goltai.


    The debris from the shipwreck had killed the woman, and ultimately, the blame lay with Liszt himself, for it was he who forbade others from dealing with the shipwreck¡¯s remains.


    Though he was a landlord, he would face no punishment.


    The ten silver coins were also a comfort to his own conscience.


    A moment later.


    A fire.


    The body burned to ashes in the flames.


    Watching the remnants after the burning, Liszt breathed a sigh of relief upon not discovering any traces of dark magic power. It proved that even contamination could be cleansed with fire.


    After dealing with the body.


    The group hurriedly rushed to Oyster Village, arriving near the sunken ship.


    Before Liszt could get close, Marcus called out to stop him, ¡°My lord, the sunken ship is dangerous. You should stay away, and leave the inspection to us.¡±


    Goltai also spoke with righteous indignation, ¡°Indeed, my lord, you shouldn¡¯t put yourself in danger. Mr. Marcus is an Elite Earth Knight, he can surely handle the sunken ship.¡± As he spoke, he stood beside Liszt with no intention of approaching the shipwreck.


    It seemed the shipwreck had been washed by heavy rain, as much of the seaweed and other attachments on its surface had been washed away, revealing the mottled wooden planks and the corroded metal brackets. This was not a large ship; it was much smaller than the Fresh Flower Vessel and severely damaged, with the ship¡¯s cabin almost entirely visible from the outside.


    Marcus led the members of the Knight Squad to surround the shipwreck, ready to enter the cabin for inspection.


    Suddenly, Liszt said, ¡°Teacher Marcus, there¡¯s no need to go to such trouble. This sunken ship definitely has issues. Just smash it, dismantle it, and inspect each plank to prevent any accidents.¡±


    He did not intend to keep the contaminated shipwreck as a sightseeing spot anymore.


    Thus, violent dismantling was the safest and quickest method.


    Naturally, Marcus wouldn¡¯t refuse and immediately led his men to split open the shipwreck; the planks and iron frames were dismantled piece by piece and piled up on the beach.


    During this process, Liszt intermittently employed the Eye of Magic.


    Just as two Retainer Knights were carrying a broken dragon bone, Liszt suddenly saw a flicker of dark magic power at the break of the dragon bone.


    Magic power usually has color.


    For instance, fire attribute magic power is mostly red, and water attribute magic power is mostly blue, which becomes especially clear when it manifests as Dou Qi. However, this is not absolute, as some magic powers represent multiple mixed attributes and can have a variety of bizarre colors. Some that do not exhibit any specific attribute can also display various colors.


    Even Archmages who have delved deep into the study of magic cannot unravel the essential mystery of magic power.


    What black magic power represents.


    Liszt did not understand.


    But he knew that he had likely found the reason for the problems with the sunken ship, ¡°Teacher Marcus, examine this dragon bone carefully. I can feel traces of magic power.¡±


    With Liszt¡¯s warning, Marcus quickly picked up the dragon bone, touched it with both hands, and observed and felt it closely. Moments later, Marcus¡¯s eyes shone with light; he felt the magic power too: ¡°My lord, there is indeed a problem. I feel a cold magic power!¡±


    Liszt spoke with a deep tone, ¡°Smash this dragon bone open. I want to see what¡¯s hiding inside it!¡±

 Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 0120: A Very Plump Specter

    Chapter 120: Chapter 0120: A Very Plump Specter


    Translator: 549690339


    The ship¡¯s keel is a main load-bearing component at the bottom center of the ship, extending from bow to stern.


    Once they discovered the broken keel had issues, it was easy to identify the unusual aspect of the keel¡ªMarcus found that the keel was not one solid piece, but had traces of being pieced together.


    Following the seams, they disassembled the keel and split it neatly into two halves.


    Inside the separated keel, embedded like in a casting mold, was a bone about a meter long, with one end fractured and the other end being the joint part.


    It was covered in dense carvings of magic runes.


    ¡°What bone is this?¡±


    ¡°There are magic runes on it, it must be the work of a magician!¡±


    ¡°This is a piece of magic equipment.¡±


    ¡°The bone is huge, could it be from a magical beast? Do intermediate magical beasts have bones this big, or could it be from an advanced magical beast?¡±


    Looking at the bone, Goltai and the others chattered away in confusion.


    Liszt¡¯s pupils, deep like whirlpools, could see through his Eye of Magic that dense magic power was circulating within the bone.


    The magic power seemed to want to burst out, but it was firmly sealed by the magic runes on the bone, unable to break through. Only at a few slightly dimmed rune sites was a bit of magic power leaking out.


    Just then.


    Marcus reached to pry the bone out of the dragon bone.


    But as soon as his hand touched the bone, the magic runes suddenly lit up one by one, then with a swish, the lit runes quickly extinguished.


    A dark light burst forth from the bone, heading straight for Marcus¡¯s face.


    Marcus reacted quickly, tossing aside the dragon bone and rolling on the ground. His posture might not have been graceful, but he moved swiftly; as he rolled, he drew his sword and unleashed his Dou Qi in a counterattack against the dark light.


    Boom!


    The dark light was successfully blocked.


    In midair, it suddenly dissipated, forming a faintly glowing humanoid figure with only an upper body, its lower half fluttering like ragged cloth. Its facial features were unclear, but it could be seen as the shape of a woman¡ªwith breasts, very full.


    It had two hands hanging by its sides, with long, slender palms that even had dimly glowing nails, at least ten centimeters long.


    ¡°Protect the lord!¡± Marcus roared loudly.


    The Retainer Knights, facing such a bizarre scene for the first time, were somewhat panicked, but still quickly formed a circle around Liszt, each drawing their spears, tense as they watched the hovering humanoid form.


    Goltai stepped back two paces and swallowed, his voice trembling, ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡±


    ¡°A specter!¡±


    Liszt had been eagerly anticipating specters, and now that he saw a real one, he felt not the slightest bit nervous; indeed, there was even a hint of excitement in him.


    He found this world growing more interesting by the moment.


    It was not just magic and Dou Qi, and not just dragons and elves, but also various mystical existences¡ªspecters had now been verified as real, so might the vampires, werewolves, unicorns, and sirens depicted in knight¡¯s novels also exist?


    What about giants and dwarves, who had also appeared in knight¡¯s novels? Did they exist?


    And even those called elves, but are humanoid beings with intelligence like humans¡ªdo they exist?


    ¡°A specter?¡± Goltai shrieked. ¡°Is it really a specter? Specters exist? Incredible, Marcus, you must be able to kill the specter, right!¡±


    Marcus stood tensely opposite the specter.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly a standoff, since the Specter, after its failed attack on Marcus and revealing itself, just floated in mid-air like this, stupidly motionless.


    If not for the slight fluctuation in its body and the faint glow it emitted, it really looked like a slide in a projector.


    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee I can kill it, I¡¯ve never seen a Specter before, it has no body, just a bunch of light,¡± Marcus said cautiously, his hands clutching the Knight¡¯s Sword.


    Liszt, protected by the crowd, was still casting the Eye of Magic.


    He discovered that the magic power in that bone seemed unrelated to the Specter; there wasn¡¯t much magic power in the Specter¡¯s body. Because whether it was the Eye of Magic or the naked eye, what they saw of the Specter was a dim shadowy figure composed of a half-body shape.


    He quickly recalled all the information about Specters he knew.


    Specters didn¡¯t seem to be any vicious ghost or monster; in the Knight¡¯s Novels with recorded encounters, the protagonist would deal with them easily, with no detailed battle descriptions. Even in bedtime stories, Specters were just treated as a curious phenomenon, not as a harmful entity.


    Just as Marcus was growing impatient and about to attack the Specter¡ª


    a spark of inspiration came from nowhere.


    Liszt suddenly thought that if a Specter could parasitize inside a Dragon Bone, it was somewhat similar to the Djinn in Aladdin¡¯s Lamp. He then brushed against his chest inside the cloak, having already taken out an unknown metal Drift Bottle from the Space Ring. He tossed it to Marcus.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, try to see if you can trap the Specter inside,¡± he said.


    It was just a whimsical idea, somewhat fantastically inspired.


    But astonishingly, when the bottle came into Marcus¡¯s hands, the Specter abruptly charged at Marcus, and before Marcus could swing his sword to intercept it, the Specter had swiftly entered the Metal Bottle.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Liszt was somewhat stunned.


    He never imagined that he would actually capture the Specter, it was simply inconceivable.


    But when Marcus walked over cautiously, holding the bottle, Liszt quickly masked his surprise with a look of serene tranquility and handed the bottle cap to Marcus.


    Marcus quickly sealed the bottle cap on.


    Several threads of magic power flashed, the Metal Bottle and cap becoming one, leaving no visible seam.


    ¡°Lord, your Magic Bottle,¡± Marcus said respectfully, handing it over. He was finding it more and more difficult to fathom the Landlord he followed, as if everything was in the latter¡¯s control.


    The Specter from the sunken ship was captured without any complications.


    Liszt took back the bottle and tucked it under his cloak, avoiding others¡¯ gazes, and directly sent the bottle into the Gemstone Space¡ªhe certainly didn¡¯t wish to be in close contact with the Specter. It was better to send it to the static confines of the Gemstone Space and wait until he had verified the information about Specters before conducting further research.


    ¡°But speaking of which, that Specter, it¡¯s at least 36D,¡± he mused.


    The Metal Bottle could only be opened by the bloodline of the Sun Descendant.


    The only source of blood for now was from Old Tanner at the Tanners¡¯ Shop. Old Phil the Tanner and the servant Jessie had not yet formed a contract as father and son, but their interactions remained close, as good as if they were father and son.


    Since Old Phil was getting on in years, Liszt only collected a small amount of his blood in a Jade Bottle, without asking for more. He also brought plenty of food for Old Phil as compensation.


    ¡°Jessie, take good care of Old Tanner. I¡¯ve taken a bit of his blood¡ªit¡¯s just for research, and I have no intention of harming him. The other servants can take over more of his work at the Castle; I¡¯ll have Mr. Carter make the arrangements. Most importantly, you must take good care of Old Tanner,¡± he instructed.


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± Jessie nodded.


    Next to them, Old Tanner said, ¡°I am honored to be able to contribute to Lord Landlord.¡±


    Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s good you think so.¡±


    In the future, he would come regularly to collect blood until he had enough to open the Metal Bottle an unlimited number of times.

 Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 0121: Dragonbone Stabilizer and Bloodline Fruit

    Chapter 121: Chapter 0121: Dragonbone Stabilizer and Bloodline Fruit


    Translator: 549690339


    The shipwreck incident was resolved satisfactorily.


    The Smoke Mission was consequently completed.


    ¡°Mission completed, the reward is a piece of a broken skeleton.¡±


    Undoubtedly, the item awarded for this mission was the large bone found within the dragonbone, carved with magic runes. Naturally, the bone was part of Liszt¡¯s collection, and its purpose was not yet clear¡ªit could basically be determined that this bone was a piece of magic equipment.


    Placed within the dragonbone of ships, it likely related to sailing equipment.


    Thereafter, Captain Kostor, the most knowledgeable about sailing in Fresh Flower Town, clarified Liszt¡¯s confusion about the bone, ¡°Lord Landlord, this bone is indeed a piece of magic equipment. It¡¯s called a ¡®Dragonbone Stabilizer,¡¯ and it can make the ship¡¯s dragonbone more stable, thus making the ship sturdier. But its most significant function is the deterrence of sea monsters.¡±


    ¡°Dragonbone Stabilizer? Deterrence of sea monsters?¡±


    Captain Kostor spoke fervently, ¡°Most Dragonbone Stabilizers are made of the skeletal remains of high-level dragonkin magical beasts because they contain the bloodline of dragons. When stimulated by magic power, it can produce a faint Dragon Might, thereby scaring away sea monsters¡­ Lord Landlord, this Dragonbone Stabilizer was custom-made for the Fresh Flower Vessel!¡±


    The skeletal remains of a high-level dragonkin magical beast.


    In terms of hierarchical distribution, high-level dragonkin magical beasts are even rarer entities than Greater Elves. On the islands of the Duchy of Sapphire, such high-level dragonkin magical beasts are seldom found. In fact, even advanced magical beasts are scarce within the nation, and only a single intermediate magical beast, the Purple Sand Crocodile, is currently present on Coral Island.


    This bone was extremely precious and had been carved with runes by a magician.


    Liszt immediately infused his own Dou Qi into the Dragonbone Stabilizer, and the magic runes on it gradually lit up. Moments later, it had become a glowing bone staff.


    A faint, heart-throbbing pressure began to emanate from the staff.


    Liszt had experienced this pressure before when facing the Formless Dragon; the Dragon Might made it hard for his Dou Qi to circulate. However, the Dragon Might from the staff was much weaker and did not affect his Dou Qi circulation¡ªthis was Dragon Might amplified by magic runes, and after all, dragonkin magical beasts are not true dragons, with a diluted bloodline.


    ¡°It¡¯s somewhat of a letdown, such Dragon Might is somewhat weak in its influence.¡±


    ¡°Not at all weak, Lord Landlord. I¡¯m covered in goosebumps, and I feel as if I¡¯m suffocating. Those sea monsters, regardless of size, would definitely flee as far as they could upon sensing the Dragon Might.¡±


    That made sense.


    The majesty of a dragon wasn¡¯t just something humans understood; as the natural enemies of magical beasts and sea monsters, sensing the presence of a natural predator, they would invariably flee. This Dragonbone Stabilizer was a treasure.


    Liszt handed the Dragonbone Stabilizer to the Retainer Knight to hold and told Captain Kostor, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it for now, and if the Fresh Flower Vessel ever sets sail, I¡¯ll decide then whether to install it on the ship.¡±


    Captain Kostor was somewhat disappointed but still bowed respectfully, as he dared not question the decision of the landlord.


    ¡°By the way, Captain Kostor, since the sunken ship had a Dragonbone Stabilizer, why doesn¡¯t the Fresh Flower Vessel have one?¡± Liszt suddenly thought of a question.


    ¡°The technology to craft Dragonbone Stabilizers has been lost with the fall of the Cohen Marquis Family. I once saw a sea vessel passed down from the Cohen Marquis Family and that was when I learned what Dragonbone Stabilizers were. It was a unique magic equipment manufacturing technology mastered by the magicians of the Cohen Marquis Family.¡±


    The key to the Dragonbone Stabilizer¡¯s technology was probably in the magic runes carved on its surface.


    The Cohen Marquis were the founding marquises of the Duchy of Sapphire, among the first followers of the Sapphire Duke a hundred years ago.


    However, the Cohen Marquis Family later seemed to have become embroiled in a court coup and afterward¡­ they were no more.


    This matter was not recorded officially, and over the span of more than a hundred years, there weren¡¯t many left who cared for the Cohen Marquis. There were too many nobles lost to history; it is the living who are worth socializing with, whereas the dead are forgotten.


    The magicians who mastered the technology.


    They must have also become a speck of dust in history along with the Cohen Marquis.


    ¡°What a pity, the Dragonbone Stabilizer has a huge impact on sailing¡­ If we want to sail toward the Devil¡¯s Sea, the Dragonbone Stabilizer could definitely play a significant auxiliary role. If we could find a dragon¡¯s skeleton to make the stabilizer, I¡¯m afraid even the fiercest sea monster would turn tail and flee.¡±


    It is said that the Devil¡¯s Sea has great storms and huge sea monsters, with no ships able to sail upon it.


    However, Liszt was very curious about the Devil¡¯s Sea, or rather, about what lay beyond the sea, ¡°Sooner or later, I¡¯ll hire a magician to research the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique for me.¡±


    To launch the great age of sea exploration!


    There are still many secrets left to unravel.


    Why would a specter be hiding inside a Dragonbone Stabilizer, how did the specter kill that woman, why would the specter enter a metal bottle, and whether it could continue to survive in the Gemstone Space. What state of existence it holds, who it was while alive, what it looked like, and why it boasts a magnificent 36D.


    All are questions.


    However, Liszt did not continue to ponder at the moment.


    A new mission was waiting for him.


    ¡°Mission: After the torrential rain, Thorn Ridge is more replete with magic power than ever before. A solitary magic potion plant is nurturing a fruit that can change the bloodline of a magical beast; perhaps a new intermediate magical beast is about to be born, and a crisis is looming over Fresh Flower Town. Please solve the crisis. Reward: A Bloodline Fruit.¡±


    The Bloodline Fruit is not a species of plant.


    It is a rather special existence among magic potions, an anomaly produced by an ordinary plant, but it cannot reproduce, even with the help of a corresponding elf.


    When the fruit gathers enough magic power and matures, it¡¯s the moment the plant dies.


    The fruit is called the Bloodline Fruit, a highly condensed embodiment of magic power, capable of stimulating the bloodline evolution of wild beasts and magical beasts¡ªIt¡¯s said that wild beasts can gather magic power and become magical beasts after eating the Bloodline Fruit; low-level magical beasts that consume it in large amounts can evolve into higher-level beasts.


    The Bloodline Fruit cannot be cultivated and is extremely precious.


    Moreover, it¡¯s something one may encounter by chance but cannot seek out. After maturation and falling to the ground, the magic power begins to fade, and in about a few minutes, it will devolve into an ordinary fruit.


    Many nobles are searching for the Bloodline Fruit, to raise domesticated livestock-type magical beasts¡ªThe Fire Rabbit is a small magical beast that has been artificially bred using the Bloodline Fruit, specially raised for consumption.


    Of course.


    The magic power of the Bloodline Fruit is astonishing, and after consuming it, there have been quite a few wild beasts and magical beasts that died from being ¡°over-nourished.¡±


    Seeing this mission, Liszt was anything but calm, ¡°I must obtain the Bloodline Fruit; otherwise, if an intermediate magical beast evolves in Thorn Ridge, Fresh Flower Town will suffer. I don¡¯t want to live under the shadow of an intermediate magical beast at all times!¡±


    An intermediate magical beast can contend with a human Sky Knight and, with thick skin and flesh, are generally not something a Sky Knight can deal with.


    The purple sand crocodile in the shallow waters to the south of Coral Island has been discovered for many years and is still living well.


    It¡¯s not that the Earl doesn¡¯t want to hunt it but that the risk is too great. If the Earl gets killed by the purple sand crocodile in retaliation, the loss would be more than the gain. It¡¯s better to leave the shallow water area for the Purple Sand Croccoli to reproduce and thrive, and there¡¯s no need to take risks as long as they do not overstep the boundary.


    An Earl¡¯s family with extensive estates can afford to set aside an area to raise magical beasts.


    But Liszt cannot afford this; once an intermediate magical beast evolves in Thorn Ridge, there will be no peace for Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, the Knight Squad has been training for several months, it¡¯s time to start eradicating the magical beasts of Thorn Ridge and eliminate all threats!¡±

 Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 0122: Taking Douson to Attack Thorn Ridge

    Chapter 122: Chapter 0122: Taking Douson to Attack Thorn Ridge


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°As you wish!¡±


    Marcus saluted solemnly, his eyes bright and spirited, ¡°Knights need the baptism of blood and fire to complete their essential transformation. The time has come for the members of the Knight Squad to face their trial!¡±


    Knights are born to fight!


    This was Marcus¡¯s belief.


    Now, he had convinced himself to lie low in Fresh Flower Town, waiting for the great battle to arise, to seize noble glory. But that didn¡¯t mean his ardor had cooled. Conquering Thorn Ridge was a fixed plan, and he had always been looking forward to it.


    Liszt, too, had not been idle.


    After bulking up his purse, he began stockpiling weapons. Now, he had accumulated a whole fifteen sets of knight¡¯s full body armor and weapons.


    One set of knight¡¯s equipment included a warhorse, a Knight¡¯s Spear, a Knight¡¯s Sword, a round knight¡¯s shield, a full suit of armor, as well as horse armor, in addition to weapons like war hammers and flails. It wasn¡¯t about fine craftsmanship but about meeting the standards for the battlefield. To have one full set of equipment neatly arranged would cost as much as five Gold Coins.


    The war hammer and flail, as siege defense weapons, could be omitted from the purchase.


    However, extra Knight Spears must be prepared. In battle, it¡¯s very easy for a Knight to break his spear during a charge, and typically each Knight needs to be equipped with three Knight Spears.


    A Knight is indeed a great spender of gold.


    The cost of food to train the body, the expense of the equipment, and the upkeep of both the equipment and the warhorse all require money.


    A Baron with a small town as his fief could only maintain a Knight Squad by diverting all his resources. The once-impoverished Fresh Flower Town simply couldn¡¯t afford a Knight Squad. But now, with the daily profits from the seafood business, Liszt could finally cultivate his own Knight Squad.


    ¡°My lord, I heard you want to exterminate the beasts of Thorn Ridge. Karl Ironhammer is willing to lead the Patrol Team and join the clearing sequence!¡± Karl, the town¡¯s Defense Officer, rushed to the castle upon hearing the news.


    Soon after, Rom Barrel, the Worm Affairs Officer, also hurried to the castle: ¡°The Bug Guard Team is mostly comprised of serfs; their fighting power is almost nil. But Rom is willing to serve as your Retainer, my lord, and fight for you in Thorn Ridge!¡±


    The combat abilities of Karl and Rom were similarly weak.


    Liszt was very satisfied with this sentiment, ¡°Your loyalty and courage are comforting to me. However, the affairs of Fresh Flower Town need your attention. You don¡¯t have to join me in clearing out the beasts of Thorn Ridge. Just ensure the defense affairs of Fresh Flower Town are handled well. In case any beasts flee into our town, I will need you to stand and fight.¡±


    ¡°As you wish!¡±


    ¡°We swear to defend Fresh Flower Town to the death!¡±


    Then Goltai, Blair, and Isaiah, one after another, came forward to pledge their loyalty and requested to join the battlefield. Liszt encouraged them as well, but letting this group of unskilled fighters onto the battlefield would be more of a hindrance than a help.


    The mission was urgent, and Liszt had prepared early. As soon as the sky cleared and the roads were still muddy, he planned to set off.


    With Thomas¡¯s assistance, he donned a black Magical Beast Leather Armor, equipped with his Gemstone Weapon Bloodsword, and stepped out of the castle. His boots tread upon the alfalfa of the paddock that still had some puddles, and with a whistle, the Li Dragon Horse grazing in the distance galloped over.


    Philip and Zavier, the two Retainer Knights, walked up one after the other, carrying Liszt¡¯s gear.


    They didn¡¯t bring the Knight¡¯s Spear, only two Knight¡¯s Swords, and a round Knight¡¯s Shield, because the upcoming battle would be in the woods, and the long Spear would not be suitable for charging.


    Of course, there were also bows and arrows. Liszt¡¯s archery skills were second only to Marcus¡¯s.


    ¡°Sir, here is your Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package,¡± Thomas handed over several small packets wrapped in thick paper, which contained dried smoked grass and flint.


    In an emergency, just rubbing the flint at the top of the packet would ignite the paper, releasing the stench of the smoked grass.


    It was believed this could save a life at a critical moment.


    Eliminating the possible crisis at Thorn Ridge was certainly important, but preserving one¡¯s life was even more so. However, the Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package was just a decoy; in his Gemstone Space, he had large bundles of smoked grass ready to be thrown at any moment, potentially burning to hold off the beasts¡¯ killing intent.


    He slung his bow and arrows, mounted the horse.


    Suddenly, Liszt saw Douson beside the doghouse, wagging its tail at him.


    His eyes lit up, Douson had become adept at releasing Rock Spikes and, strong and well-built, its combat capability was certainly not much inferior to an Earth Knight¡ªmaking it an excellent assistant.


    Most importantly, it had been trained to be very obedient and was utterly loyal to him.


    ¡°Thomas, bring Douson over here.¡±


    ¡°Are you taking Douson onto the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Thomas untied the rope, and Douson dashed over to the side of the Li Dragon Horse in an instant. The Li Dragon Horse was very familiar with Douson and showed no sign of tension. Douson did not attack the Li Dragon Horse but simply wagged its tail nonstop.


    ¡°Douson, follow me.¡±


    Liszt spurred his horse forward, and Douson hurriedly followed, extremely obedient.


    Everything was ready.


    When he reached the intersection of the main road and the horse track, Marcus was already waiting with the Knight Squad, ready to set out. Goltai and others stood there as well, seeing off the Knight Squad as they departed for battle.


    Douson was in no way daunted by the scene, mixing in with the group, calm and collected, closely following the Li Dragon Horse.


    ¡°My Lord, Douson has really distinguished itself,¡± Marcus remarked appreciatively.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve brought it to Thorn Ridge. In Thorn Ridge, it has a natural advantage and may be able to provide unexpected assistance.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, for the sake of the fief, the castle, and for you, my Lord, it too should make its contribution,¡± said Marcus, placing his right hand over his chest and bowing to Liszt, ¡°I am willing to charge into battle for my Lord!¡±


    The other Retainer Knights followed suit, saluting one by one.


    ¡°I am willing to charge into battle for my Lord!¡±


    Liszt¡¯s expression turned serious. His sapphire eyes under the helmet swept over his Knight Squad, full of vim and vigor: ¡°Let us set out, to Thorn Ridge!¡±


    The Li Dragon Horse strode forward mightily, and the rest of the horses followed suit, closely surrounding Liszt in their midst.


    There was no dust.


    Only the splash of water.


    The Knight Squad moved along the waterlogged road, gradually drawing away amid the blessings of Goltai and others.


    Old Carter, the butler, with other servants, stood at the castle gate, gazing at the retreating backs of the knights. His face showed nervousness, relief, and anticipation. He placed his hands over his chest and called out loudly, ¡°May the knights¡¯ glory watch over the master; the master will surely return laden with endless glory.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter, we all believe that to be true,¡± Mrs. Morson said gravely.


    In the nearby stables.


    One-Eyed Barton muttered softly with a pipe in his mouth, ¡°The master¡¯s Knight Squad has too mixed a collection of horses; they should keep a group of black horses to look more impressive¡­ However, the master is truly of the Tulip Family lineage; his radiance is undeniable. May the knight¡¯s glory shine upon him forever!¡±


    The Knight Squad had already gone far.


    Goltai, Isaiah, and Blair walked together toward the town.


    ¡°The threat of Thorn Ridge seems soon to be resolved,¡± Goltai said lightly.


    Isaiah¡¯s face showed some worry: ¡°Magical Beasts aren¡¯t so easy to deal with, Goltai. Do you really think the Baron can take care of those beasts that are so good at hiding?¡±


    ¡°I have a lot of faith because Liszt is much more composed than you think. Don¡¯t see him as a mere sixteen-year-old. He is a competent Landlord and a capable Knight. I¡¯ve seen his archery; it is already on par with Marcus. His side-sword is a Gemstone Weapon gifted by Marquis Merlin.¡±


    Blair said cheerily, ¡°The Lord is a Son of Glory watched over by knightly radiance. Thorn Ridge isn¡¯t a difficulty, just a whetstone to sharpen his blade.¡±


    He looked back at the sandy path, now void of any figures, and spoke with a slightly frivolous tone: ¡°When the Lord returns, it will be the time for the evening party¡¯s bonfire to be lit.¡±

 Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 0123: Another Fierce Earth Dog

    Chapter 123: Chapter 0123: Another Fierce Earth Dog


    Translator: 549690339


    Liszt decided that he would spend the upcoming period amongst the thorns.


    He publicly declared that he was going to eradicate the magical beasts of Thorn Ridge, and indeed he prepared to do so, but his most essential goal was to snatch that Bloodline Fruit.


    An exhaustive search was indispensable.


    ¡°All game that can be hunted must be completely eradicated. Thorn Forest is destined to be cleared, and there¡¯s no need to keep the beasts!¡± Marcus was the commander of the Knight Squad.


    He scolded the Retainer Knights loudly, ¡°Wayne, Evan, you two idiots who can¡¯t even muster Dou Qi, are responsible for gathering the bodies of the beasts. Pile them up and hang them on trees, do you understand? We are going to take all this food with us when we return!¡±


    This was a ruthless strategy.


    In Liszt¡¯s plan, apart from the wild fruit trees, all other trees in Thorn Ridge would be felled. Not only would the magical beasts be killed off, but all wild beasts as well. The area would later be transformed into farmland, stones would be extracted for road construction, and timber would be used for building houses and fueling fires.


    Environmental protection was nonexistent.


    Liszt¡¯s hand rested on the Crimson Blood Sword hilt, and his pupils occasionally turned into spinning vortices as he used the Eye of Magic to locate the lurking positions of the magical beasts.


    This was his biggest reliance for eliminating the Thorn Ridge Beasts.


    Although Marcus did not know about the Eye of Magic, a mysterious Dou Qi Secret Technique that Liszt possessed, he vaguely guessed that Liszt had the ability to see through magic power¡ªbeing a landlord from the Tulip Family with some secret methods was nothing out of the ordinary¡ªthus he was equally confident.


    Douson was probably the most fearless one; it was his first time visiting Thorn Ridge, and the entire dog trembled with excitement, darting back and forth, thoroughly enjoying itself.


    ¡°Douson, be quiet!¡±


    Liszt gently called out.


    In the field of view of the Eye of Magic.


    Douson was yellow, Marcus was cyan, and the other Retainer Knights were vague gray-white Dou Qi, their Dou Qi properties not yet displayed.


    Rustling sounds.


    A hare jumped out of the bush.


    Marcus did not move, but a Retainer Knight who had developed Dou Qi charged forward on his horse, piercing lightly with his longsword, and thus impaled the hare.


    The motion was fluid and smooth, aided by Dou Qi and the relentless practice of knightly drills, this twelve-year-old Retainer Knight was already agile, far surpassing an adult.


    The longsword quivered, and the body of the hare was thrown to the back of the group.


    Wayne, who had not yet developed Dou Qi, hurriedly caught the hare¡¯s body, pulled out a rope, bound the hare¡¯s feet together, and hung it behind the horse.


    There were already several small animals¡¯ carcasses hanging behind the horses, with the largest being a roe deer.


    In this way, the Knight Squad swept through the morning without encountering a single magical beast, but they did hunt a large number of wild animals. Once a certain number was reached, the carcasses of the animals were bundled up and hung in the trees¡ªthis prevented most wild beasts from stealing the carcasses.


    The town was not short of food.


    Some of this game would be cured or smoked for the castle¡¯s stores; some would be distributed to subordinates and their families as a way to win their hearts.


    The leftovers that couldn¡¯t be eaten would be sold at the seafood shop, a castle business aimed at providing seafood to the populace¡ªthe prices for the game were already set by Liszt, just slightly more expensive than black bread. This allowed the residents of Fresh Flower Town to have a taste of the game from Thorn Ridge.


    It was a kind of welfare gifted by the landlord.


    Liszt was a good man, or so he always considered himself.


    The serfs thought the same; never had there been a landlord who treated their serfs so well.


    Lunch consisted of barbecuing game in the middle of Thorn Ridge, with the Retainer Knights bringing spices for the food. After cleaning, they sprinkled the spices, skewered the meat on sticks, and cooked it right there.


    The flames quickly roasted the meat, tender inside and crisply charred outside.


    The savory aroma spread, whetting appetites and successfully attracting nearby beasts, which then became targets for the Retainer Knights to practice their swordsmanship¡ªover the course of the morning, the knights¡¯ sword skills improved rapidly, with hands-on experience helping them grow quickly, becoming neither panicked nor clumsy.


    ¡°We¡¯ll probably need three days to thoroughly search the southern part of Thorn Ridge. It¡¯s inevitable that some will slip through the net. Without food in the forest, they are likely to spill over to Fresh Flower Town,¡± Marcus said while eating his roasted meat, contemplating the consequences of their military operations.


    Liszt did not ask the Retainer Knights for help with roasting the meat.


    He roasted a deer thigh by himself, cutting slits in the meat with his dagger, sprinkling it with seasoning, and brushing on several more layers of oil. He cooked it over a high fire until the skin was golden brown, and the oil and seasonings had thoroughly penetrated the flesh.


    This skill, he had tested a few times in the castle, to great success¡ªa Noble might not enter the kitchen, but it was common to grill meat oneself in the wild since it was considered a refined pleasure.


    ¡°Before I set off, I had already instructed Teacher Goltai to tell the residents of Fresh Flower Town not to leave their homes unnecessarily in the near future and to go out in groups when they had to work. After this period passes and the Lumberjack Team cuts down all the wood in Thorn Ridge, Fresh Flower Town will be completely worry-free.¡±


    With his dagger, he prodded the deer thigh.


    It felt like the meat was roasted enough.


    He blew on the golden skin and took a gentle bite as if into a crispy cookie¡ªthe skin was crunchy. The meat was tender and easy to tear apart, its aroma bursting hot on his tongue. It was so hot that Liszt felt like spitting it out but couldn¡¯t bear to because it was too delicious.


    He ate the meat while exhaling.


    ¡°Delicious!¡±


    In his heart, he praised himself fiercely.


    After nibbling half of the deer thigh, he remembered that he should be observing his surroundings for any lurking Magical Beasts. The moment he used the Eye of Magic, he immediately noticed a yellow Magic Power-formed Fierce Earth Dog to the left front of the campfire¡ªif Douson hadn¡¯t been snuggled at his feet, he would have thought it was Douson!


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, do you see that thick tree trunk to the left?¡± he mentioned to Marcus without any change of expression, putting down the deer thigh and reaching for his bow and arrows on his back.


    Marcus¡¯s brows lifted: ¡°I see it. Is there something afoot, my lord?¡±


    ¡°In the bushes to the left of the trunk, there¡¯s a Magical Beast hiding. It could be a Wind Blade Wolf or a Fierce Earth Dog,¡± Liszt hadn¡¯t been able to directly identify which Magical Beast it was.


    Marcus nodded.


    He became serious.


    He turned and made a few simple hand signals to the Retainer Knights nearby¡ªthis was a common battlefield communication method among knights, as they couldn¡¯t always rely on shouting¡ªthe signals meant to be on guard, that there was an enemy nearby in the direction he was pointing, and to pass the message around to each other.


    Without a sound, all the Retainer Knights got the signal.


    Each of them held their weapons and began to move slowly, surrounding the area of the bushes.


    Douson seemed to sense the tense atmosphere, suddenly standing up with its fur slightly bristled. Liszt reassured him in a soft voice: ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Douson, wait for my command.¡±


    Only then did Douson restrain its urge to charge, its dog eyes darting everywhere, sniffing the smells in the air¡ªbefore, it was only busy smelling the roasted meat.


    The net was set.


    Liszt and Marcus exchanged glances, each raising their bow, with two arrows set to the string, aiming at the bushes.


    With a loud command, ¡°Fire!¡±


    The two men instantly released the arrows from their bows, with four arrows shooting toward the bushes from different directions. Marcus, unaware of the exact location of the Magical Beast, had arrows that were slightly off, but Liszt¡¯s were on target, aimed precisely at the head of the Magical Beast.


    Thwack!


    As expected.


    Only one of Liszt¡¯s arrows hit, striking the Magical Beast¡¯s back¡ªas it quickly reacted in a critical moment, twisting its body to dodge the dangerous attack.


    With that move, the Magical Beast jumped out of the bushes, an arrow sticking out of its back¡ªnot too deeply.


    It lunged directly at the nearest Retainer Knight.


    Still daring to counterattack.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Fierce Earth Dog!¡± Marcus raised his bow again, shooting first at the position where the Fierce Earth Dog was charging to save the life of a Retainer Knight.


    Liszt also raised his bow to shoot, while simultaneously giving a command, ¡°Douson, target the prey, cast Magic!¡±

 Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 0124: The End of the King of Thorn Ridge

    Chapter 124: Chapter 0124: The End of the King of Thorn Ridge


    Translator: 549690339


    Fierce Earth Dog, the King of Thorn Ridge, a powerful low-level Magical Beast.


    It is very likely related by blood to Douson¡ªDouson¡¯s mother had died, but its father was probably the very same one before them.


    Despite the possibility of kinship, it did not stop Douson from launching an attack under Liszt¡¯s command.


    Magic Power sprayed from its mouth, crossing the gap in space to accurately converge at the designated location, forming the Earth Attribute magic¡ªRock Spike.


    Whoosh!


    The Rock Spike burst from the ground beneath the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s belly, nearly skewering it through. The Fierce Earth Dog quickly sidestepped, dodging the Rock Spike with agility and continuing its evasion as it also avoided the four arrows shot at it. Then, it adjusted its stance and charged at the Retainer Knight once more.


    The Retainer Knight, having caught a moment to breathe, was ready to defend, propping up his round knight¡¯s shield in front of him.


    But he suddenly heard Lord Landlord¡¯s bellowing command in his ear, ¡°Zachary, roll!¡± His body involuntarily followed the voice¡¯s command, falling to one side and rolling twice on the muddy ground.


    In their knight training sessions, Marcus had repeatedly ingrained the concept of ¡°Lord above all¡± in their minds. As for the commands from Lord Landlord, there was absolute obedience. Therefore, Zachary didn¡¯t need to think with his brain; his body had developed a conditional reflex to act upon Liszt¡¯s commands.


    This time, obeying the command saved his life.


    Where he had been just a moment before, a thick Rock Spike shot out from the ground. Had Zachary not moved, the Rock Spike would have pierced through his body, likely impaling him in a critical area.


    Cold sweat broke out in torrents.


    Zachary swallowed hard and felt even more grateful towards Lord Landlord for the life-saving warning. However, there wasn¡¯t much time for gratitude, as the Fierce Earth Dog, missing its strike, charged at him again, seemingly fixated on biting and hunting him down to the death.


    ¡°My Lord, you shoot the arrows, I¡¯ll charge!¡±


    Seeing that the arrows could not hit the Fierce Earth Dog, Marcus called out loudly.


    Liszt had no objections to such a command¡ªat that moment, he was fully embodying a qualified archer, understanding that dealing damage from the rear was the logical choice.


    Besides, he also had to command Douson to cast spells and remind the Retainer Knights to dodge the Rock Spikes.


    The task was heavy.


    In the chaotic battlefield, there was an order. The Fierce Earth Dog was indeed fierce, and the Rock Spikes appeared unpredictably, but under the observation of Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic, every move it made was revealed. Aside from scratching an unwary Retainer Knight, the other Rock Spikes had not achieved any success.


    About ten minutes of skirmishing.


    The Magic Power of the Fierce Earth Dog had plummeted to a low ebb, and based on Douson¡¯s daily spellcasting experience, Liszt understood that the Fierce Earth Dog would have difficulty casting Rock Spike again in the short term.


    He abruptly drew his Crimson Blood Sword, ¡°Charge, finish it off!¡±


    His steed, the Li Dragon Horse, lifted its head proudly, galloping furiously, rushing towards the Fierce Earth Dog that was now surrounded and with no escape. Douson also charged with him; it did not understand the concept of kindred cruelty¡ªLiszt¡¯s command was its code of conduct.


    Two Earth Knights.


    Ten Apprentice Knights, plus two for chores.


    Fourteen men against a Magical Beast whose Magic Power was exhausted; the outcome was inevitable. All knights practiced coordinated attack patterns, secure in their positions, leading to Marcus taking the brunt of the assault head-on while Liszt found an opportunity to strike.


    ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡±


    The Crimson Blood Sword, in combination with the Ultimate Mystery Technique of the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, was unmatched in momentum, fully enveloping the cornered Fierce Earth Dog. Flames filled the sky, the manifestation of Liszt¡¯s explosive Dou Qi.


    Howl!


    The Fierce Earth Dog let out continuous pitiful wails.


    The King of Thorn Ridge, under the humans¡¯ hunt, could only end in bitterness.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t take much effort, and it fell.¡± Liszt calmly sheathed his Crimson Blood Sword, waiting for the flames to die down, to see the grim fate of the Magical Beast he had just killed by his own hand.


    But just when everyone relaxed a bit.


    Before the flames could dissipate, a charred silhouette suddenly burst forth, breaking through the slackened encirclement. It was the Fierce Earth Dog that was supposed to be killed by Liszt¡¯s powerful move. It was covered in wounds, even giving off a faint scent of roasted meat, but it still had the ability to run.


    ¡°Pursue!¡±


    How could Liszt tolerate his prey running away just as it reached his mouth?


    The Knight Squad didn¡¯t bother tidying up their barbecue setup; they all pursued. Douson was particularly eager, leading the chase after the scorched Fierce Earth Dog.


    ¡°My lord, be careful, we might encounter other Magical Beasts.¡± Marcus¡¯s mood was quite gloomy, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a Fierce Earth Dog to be so tricky, feigning death and escaping. It was also my negligence, without confirming the death of the Magical Beast, one must never let their guard down, they are cunning!¡±


    ¡°Magical Beasts are indeed cunning, but it won¡¯t survive, its body is nearly burnt to a crisp!¡± Liszt¡¯s morale was still high, unaffected.


    On the battlefield, he did indeed fear death and instinctively hid behind others.


    But once he set his mind to something, he would give it his all to accomplish it. If he said he would hunt down a Fierce Earth Dog, then he definitely wouldn¡¯t allow it any chance to catch its breath.


    With the Eye of Magic, he could already discern the timings of when Magical Beasts released magic, which meant he no longer faced any magic from Magical Beasts that could be fatal to him.


    A Magical Beast without magic is no different from a wild beast!


    Thorn Forest, there was nowhere in it Liszt couldn¡¯t go!


    Moments later.


    The fleeing Fierce Earth Dog finally stopped running. It stood in front of a plant, gasping for breath, with burnt wounds bleeding profusely. It turned to look at Douson, who was closing in, and the many Knights following behind, as if making a decision. Its gaze shifted to a golden, fist-sized fruit hanging on the plant¡¯s branches.


    The dog leaped towards the fruit, attempting to consume the golden treasure.


    However, a sharp whooshing sound came from behind. In the next instant, the Fierce Earth Dog felt its body being propelled by a force, inadvertently leaping half a meter further forward. Its mouth grazed the golden fruit, missing its bite, and upon landing, pain engulfed its body, and it could no longer hold on.


    It died.


    A short distance behind it, Liszt put down his bow and arrow, letting out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°What a tough creature, it really could run¡­ Fortunately, I arrived just in time.¡±


    Through the Eye of Magic, he had already spotted the magic-infused fruit, the Bloodline Fruit. Clearly, it had not yet matured and would be a waste if consumed by the Fierce Earth Dog now.


    Next to the dead body of the Fierce Earth Dog, Douson crouched down, its dog eyes fixed intensely on the golden fruit as drool flowed like a waterfall.


    It too was drawn to the allure of the Bloodline Fruit.


    ¡°Douson, stop drooling!¡± Liszt scolded, calling Douson back from reaching towards the Bloodline Fruit.


    ¡°Woof, woof!¡± Douson immediately wagged its tail at Liszt, constantly glancing at the golden fruit, clearly trying to please Liszt in hopes of getting a taste of the Bloodline Fruit.


    ¡°Hold your horses, it¡¯s not ripe yet.¡± Liszt dismounted, scanned the surroundings to ensure there were no other Magical Beasts nearby, and then turned his attention back to the Bloodline Fruit.


    The plant was unidentified, likely belonging to some kind of fern.


    Bearing just one golden Bloodline Fruit, it appeared rather striking.


    The fruit was very beautiful, round and full, not only was the color a dazzling golden hue, but there was also a translucent quality just beneath the skin. It didn¡¯t give off any fragrance, nor did it seem to radiate magic power outward. However, in the field of vision granted by the Eye of Magic, it contained a substantial amount of magic power within.


    It was almost at a solidity level.


    ¡°Is this¡­ a Bloodline Fruit?¡± Marcus, who had just finished dealing with the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s body and checking the terrain around, approached Liszt and immediately exclaimed in a low voice.

 Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 0125: The Turning Point of Douson’s Destiny

    Chapter 125: Chapter 0125: The Turning Point of Douson¡¯s Destiny


    Marcus understood the value of the Bloodline Fruit¡ªnobles often were willing to spend thousands of Gold Coins for the location of a Bloodline Fruit.


    If it weren¡¯t for the risk of failure associated with the Bloodline Fruit, its value might have been measured in Dragon coins.


    He was both excited and relieved, ¡°Thankfully, we started the campaign to clear out the Thorn Ridge Beasts early. Otherwise, by the time the Bloodline Fruit was ripe for the picking, this Fierce Earth Dog might have further evolved and become even harder to hunt down.¡±


    It was for this very reason that Liszt had initiated the early purge of Thorn Ridge.


    He reached out and touched the Bloodline Fruit, lamenting that it wasn¡¯t edible for humans, ¡°It seems like this Bloodline Fruit will soon mature. The Fierce Earth Dog originally wanted to gamble on this chance, but now it belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°My lord, treasures like these, once mature, will surely attract the Magical Beasts of Thorn Ridge. These beasts have acute senses; they must be lurking nearby, waiting for the Bloodline Fruit to ripen,¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just perfect,¡± Liszt had a stroke of inspiration, ¡°We can use the Bloodline Fruit as bait, wait at ease, and set up traps around the area.¡±


    ¡°I will lead the Knight Squad to set the traps right away!¡± Marcus said, exhilarated.


    Before entering Thorn Ridge, the Knight Squad was well-prepared, bringing plenty of ropes, shovels, and traps. The knights had also learned a lot from hunters¡ªthe knights¡¯ everyday work not only involved charging into the battlefield but also hunting Magical Beasts in the forest.


    Marcus was an expert.


    He had set numerous loops along the frequent routes of the Magical Beasts; such loops wouldn¡¯t stop the beasts but could effectively hinder their movements when triggered unexpectedly.


    The success of the hunt still relied on him and Liszt¡¯s offensive capabilities.


    By the time all traps were set, it was already evening. During this time, Liszt was by the side of the Bloodline Fruit the whole time, waiting for it to mature.


    He was also contemplating whether to feed the Bloodline Fruit to Douson or the Li Dragon Horses.


    Douson was a Low-Level Magical Beast that might evolve into an Intermediate Magical Beast after eating it. Of course, it might also fail to evolve, but dying an explosive death was unlikely.


    Li Dragon Horses were Dragon Breed Beasts that might evolve into Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beasts after eating the fruit. Here too, there was a possibility of evolution failure, even a risk of exploding to death.


    ¡°Better to give it to Douson. Li Dragon Horses are extraordinarily rare Dragon Breed Beasts charged with the responsibility of proliferating their species. They cannot afford any loss,¡± Liszt decided after careful consideration.


    As for Juan Fu in the castle, he was outright ignored.


    The sun set in the west.


    The campfire was lit once again.


    Liszt took the front leg of the Fierce Earth Dog from a retainer, skewered it on a stick, and prepared to roast it for his dinner. His physical strength grew day by day, and his Dou Qi climbed ever higher. At the stage of an Earth Knight, his progress was incredibly rapid, incomparable to that of a Common Earth Knight.


    The reason was simple: he ate well!


    While talent is key to training, the essence of it is the absorption and utilization of nutrients. If every meal was Magical Beast Meat, even a pig could become a Magic Power Pig.


    Without enough to eat, even those with exceptional talent could not cultivate Dou Qi.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson barked at him, drooling, coveting the Magical Beast Meat in his hands.


    Liszt patted Douson¡¯s big head, ¡°You can¡¯t eat this. It might be your father¡¯s meat, or if not your father¡¯s, then perhaps your uncle¡¯s or maybe your brother¡¯s¡­ anyway, it¡¯s likely related to you.¡± Fratricide was already cruel enough, but cannibalism was beyond the pale ethically.


    So Douson only got a roasted hare.


    Then he drooled as he watched Liszt tucking into the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s leg while nibbling on the skinny rabbit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be envious, your delicacy is right here,¡± Liszt pointed at the Bloodline Fruit, a significant opportunity for Douson, ¡°Look, the Magic Power is almost tangible. It¡¯s about to mature, probably tonight. Douson, conserve your strength; I hope that after tonight, you can become an Intermediate Magical Beast.¡±


    An Intermediate Magical Beast was a match for a Sky Knight.


    Moreover, a well-trained Magical Beast was imperative on the battlefield, owning an Intermediate Magical Beast was like having a Sky Knight as a retainer, one without ambition. Poised for glory on the battlefield, the owner of a Middle-Level Magical Beast only needed to await a rise in rank.


    ¡°Can Douson evolve?¡± Liszt wondered internally.


    He was unsure.


    There were all sorts of powerful Magical Beasts in the world, but on Coral Island, the Magical Beasts were mostly Low-Level ones, with only a single Purple Sand Crocodile. The Fierce Earth Dog was known as the King of Thorn Ridge, but it was still essentially a Low-Level Magical Beast. Whether it was an opportunity to rewrite its bloodline or simply a waste of a Bloodline Fruit on a failed evolution was hard to predict.


    ¡°My lord, would you like to rest for a while?¡± Marcus asked, returning from his patrol.


    ¡°No need, staying up occasionally is not a big deal.¡±


    Time passed.


    The night grew deeper.


    Apart from the occasional crackling of the campfire, Thorn Ridge was left with only the sound of the wind and the unnamed chirring of insects, punctuated by the occasional calls of small animals.


    Douson had already sprawled at the foot of Liszt, snoring evenly.


    Liszt leaned against the trunk, his spirit still fairly vigorous, watching the bloodline fruit. After a long time, his gaze suddenly sparkled with vitality, and his spirit lifted, ¡°It¡¯s about to ripen, I can feel it. The magic power is about to dissipate from the bloodline fruit. It¡¯s reached the critical point!¡±


    He kicked Douson, waking him up.


    He also called out to Marcus, ¡°Teacher Marcus, the bloodline fruit is ripening. Have the knights stay alert, and be careful of possible magical beasts!¡±


    ¡°Is it ripening?¡± Marcus¡¯s expression was serious as he quickly alerted the Knight Squad to get ready.


    Just at that moment.


    The bloodline fruit suddenly fell, spreading an overpowering fragrance swiftly.


    It had ripened!


    Liszt quickly picked up the bloodline fruit and stuffed it into Douson¡¯s mouth, ¡°Eat it quickly, Douson, eat it!¡± The bloodline fruit only lasted for a few minutes. Wasting a moment would mean losing some of its magic power, reducing its effect significantly.


    Douson understood this was something good.


    His mouth opened, and he gulped down the bloodline fruit in one swallow.


    Meanwhile, Liszt, who was utilizing the Eye of Magic, had already noticed several shadows of magic power rapidly approaching. ¡°Marcus, we are under attack! Magical beasts, to the east, southwest, and northwest!¡±


    Crack!


    Crack!


    The traps were the first to act, entangling two of the magical beasts.


    Marcus charged forward, leading the way toward the beast to the east, a familiar one, the Fierce Earth Dog! It turned out that the Fierce Earth Dogs of Thorn Ridge weren¡¯t limited to just Douson¡¯s family. A burst of Wind Attribute Dou Qi furiously unleashed, and the Fierce Earth Dog, whose hind legs were caught in ropes, was struck before it could react.


    It immediately retaliated with Rock Spike, forcing Marcus to dodge in a frenzy, unable to kill the Fierce Earth Dog for the moment.


    The magical beast from the southwest was also caught in the ropes.


    Several Retainer Knights roared as they attacked.


    Liszt drew his Crimson Blood Sword and glanced at this beast, a boar-shaped one. In Thorn Ridge, there¡¯s only one kind of boar-shaped magical beast, the Thunderfang Boar that once attacked Fresh Flower Town in the winter. It was a Thunder Magic Beast, its teeth capable of releasing Thunder Magic ¡ª Lightning Flash.


    Boom!


    Without hesitation, the Thunderfang Boar unleashed Lightning Flash, lighting up the woods with a bolt of lightning.


    ¡°Dodge! Get close! Raise shields! Plant swords! Release Dou Qi!¡± Liszt issued five commands in one breath. The Retainer Knights reflexively retreated, gathered together, raised their shields, and planted their longswords in the ground, releasing their Dou Qi, which clung to their round shields.


    Boom!


    The lightning struck the round shields like a whip, instantly sending two Retainer Knights flying.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Two screams of agony.

 Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 0126: The Formidable Elite Earth Knight

    Chapter 126: Chapter 0126: The Formidable Elite Earth Knight


    The screams were heart-wrenching.


    But after the two Retainer Knights landed, they managed to struggle to their feet, evidently without serious harm. Their good response had neutralized the powerful magic¡ªthey had all practiced resisting routines for the Magical Beasts they might encounter at Thorn Ridge.


    The Thunderfang Boar was one of them!


    Falling back was to wait for the exhaustion of Lightning Flash; Thunder Magic was the most draining, its force weakened with distance, and the Thunderfang Boar would also have a rather long preparation time when releasing Lightning Flash.


    Moving closer was to disperse the Lightning Flash¡¯s attack on a single target.


    Raising shields was to enlarge the area affected by the lightning, protecting the body.


    Planting the sword was to channel the force of the Thunder Magic directly into the ground.


    Releasing Dou Qi was to use it to neutralize the remaining force of the Thunder Magic involved.


    Indeed, two Retainer Knights had been sent flying, but managing to have a group of Apprentice Knights successfully neutralize a powerful magic strike was a successful strategy.


    ¡°All units, obey orders, hit-and-run attack! Tie down the Thunderfang Boar, wait for my combined strike!¡± Marcus finally spared a moment of attention from the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s Rock Spike attack and hurriedly issued commands to the Retainer Knights.


    He was the commander of the battlefield, tasked with overseeing the entire situation.


    ¡°My lord, there¡¯s another Magical Beast!¡±


    ¡°Leave this one to me!¡± Liszt¡¯s voice was cold. He had the Eye of Magic, which made him safer than the others, ¡°It¡¯s just a Serpent Type Beast!¡±


    The Crimson Blood Sword was imbued with Fire Attribute Dou Qi, flames slowly igniting.


    He had already charged toward the serpent-like monster to the northwest¡ªThorn Ridge had no record of such a serpent-type monster, but regardless of the record, Liszt had to face it.


    Douson could no longer be relied on.


    After consuming the Bloodline Fruit, it had become listless on the ground, seemingly caught in deep sleep.


    ¡°Fire Dragon Stab!¡±


    With the Eye of Magic locking on the target, Liszt did not hesitate to launch his attack. The Crimson Blood Sword turned into a bloody arrow, aimed straight at the serpent-like monster¡¯s vital spot.


    That spot was clearly where the magic converged, visible to his Eye of Magic.


    Strike a snake at its vital spot, it was the snake¡¯s weakest area, and a solid hit meant certain death.


    The Serpent Type Beast appeared to sense the fatal threat, as its thick body, wide as a bowl, twisted, dodging the attack while opening its mouth to spew magic power.


    Liszt leaped into the air, dodging the Magic Attack.


    At the spot where he had jumped, a dark whirlpool formed, quickly corroding the dry grass and dead leaves on the ground to sludge.


    ¡°Dark Magic Whirlpool! It turns out to be a Shadow Snake!¡± he quickly identified the species of the serpent-like monster he was hunting¡ªit was a Shadow Snake.


    The Shadow Snake was a Dark Attribute Magical Beast.


    It tended to live in swamps or dark, damp woodlands, capable of releasing the spell ¡°Dark Magic Whirlpool.¡± The Dark Attribute¡¯s magic power inherently carried a corrosive effect; once hit by the Dark Magic Whirlpool, it could instantly corrode a human¡¯s body to nothingness. This was a very malicious creature, but its body was quite frail.


    If it were Marcus, he might well have been caught off-guard, legs severed by the Shadow Snake, left to be devoured by it.


    But it was facing Liszt now, dodging the magic with ease, and the remaining time was a matter of how to kill it cruelly.


    ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡±


    He started with a powerful move, a rain of fire raining down on the Shadow Snake, which coiled into a ball, not even getting the chance to cast spells. A lion still uses its full strength to fight a rabbit, Liszt never believed in conserving energy in a fight, his style was either to stay back and attack or to go the front line and bombard fiercely.


    Splash!


    The flames ignited the scales of the Shadow Snake.


    Scorched by the burn, the Shadow Snake kept rolling in agony, trying to extinguish the flames. Whether it was the heat of the flames affecting its judgment, the snake released magic wildly. A small area was hit with three Dark Magic Whirlpools in quick succession, all of them missing Liszt by a wide margin.


    Facing such an irrational Shadow Snake, Liszt let out a relieved smile, raised the Crimson Blood Sword high, and aimed for the vital seven inches of the snake before bringing it down with a mighty swing.


    Crack!


    With one strike, the Shadow Snake was cleaved in two. The lower half writhed in madness, while the upper half could not twist and turned, its mouth still opening and closing.


    No more magic could be released.


    All that was left for it was death.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Liszt exhaled a heavy breath, momentarily at a loss. Once considered useless, he had now easily killed a Magical Beast.


    While the Shadow Snake wasn¡¯t very strong, it was still a Low-Level Magical Beast with strength comparable to that of an Earth Knight.


    Yet in his presence, it only had the chance to be beaten, not lasting more than ten moves before being cut in two: ¡°It seems I¡¯ve grown this strong, almost like an Elite Earth Knight.¡±


    Indeed, with the Eye of Magic to see through illusions and the Crimson Blood Sword to enhance his power, it was clear that Liszt had become stronger.


    His reflections were brief, for in the next moment, not waiting for the bifurcated Shadow Snake to stop squirming, he mounted his horse with the Crimson Blood Sword in hand, charging towards the Thunderfang Boar¡ªsome Magical Beasts required fighting on foot, and others were better dealt with on horseback. The Thunderfang Boar, massive and thick-skinned, required the power of a warhorse to hunt.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    Rider and steed became one, Dou Qi bursting forth, the Crimson Blood Sword slicing through the air with a piercing whine.


    As he charged into the fray, the Thunderfang Boar was about to release magic, only to be sent flying by Liszt¡¯s ¡°Inferno Slash,¡± blood scattering on the spot, and its magic thwarted and kept at bay.


    The thick-skinned Thunderfang Boar was not seriously harmed, however, and started to charge at Liszt with grunts of defiance.


    But after only two steps, it was sent flying once again, this time by Marcus who had just dispatched the Fierce Earth Dog, charging in unison with the horse despite his injured left leg, blood flowing freely from a gash caused by a Rock Spike. However, this did not hinder his mounted charge.


    ¡°Sir, let¡¯s combine our attacks!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the left, you take the right, one round of charging each. Follow my command and don¡¯t let it cast any magic!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    After a brief exchange, Liszt initiated another round of charging, knocking the Thunderfang Boar off its feet once again. Before the boar could rise, Marcus charged again, knocking the still unsteady beast back to the ground.


    Two Elite Earth Knights, alternating rounds of attack.


    As their teamwork grew more seasoned, the Thunderfang Boar lost its chance to stand up again. It couldn¡¯t release its Lightning Flash, and so it could only bellow in frustration as more and more gashes were cut into its flesh, quickly soaked with its own blood, then stained black by the mire on the ground.


    The Retainer Knights, exhausted by the Thunderfang Boar¡¯s antics, lit torches one by one, surrounding the battlefield to prevent the boar from breaking through and escaping.


    Watching the two Earth Knights toy with the Thunderfang Boar, their blood surged with excitement, wishing it were they who were in the fray, tormenting the beast.


    After at least a dozen charges back and forth.


    Marcus¡¯s warhorse was too tired to lift its feet any longer, and the Li Dragon Horse was also heaving with heavy breaths. It was then that the Thunderfang Boar finally ceased its plaintive grunts, lying on the ground, breathing in far more than it could breathe out.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally dead.¡±


    Liszt breathed heavily. The Thunderfang Boar was not much of a threat to Earth Knights¡ªit moved clumsily and unleashed its magic slowly, making it easy to dodge. But its hide was too thick, and they could only wear it down softly and slowly till its death.


    Marcus¡¯s face was pale, his left leg bleeding quite a bit, sapping his strength, but he still managed to shout first, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t just stand there, clean up the battlefield, we¡¯re preparing to leave!¡±


    After saying this, he dismounted, ready to tend to his wound.


    However, Liszt suddenly spoke in an urgent tone, ¡°Teacher Marcus, we¡¯re in trouble. One, two, three, four¡­ a total of seven beasts, converging on us.¡±

 Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Douson’s Big Battle Against the Wind Blade Wolf

    Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Douson¡¯s Big Battle Against the Wind Blade Wolf


    It was the Wind Blade Wolves.


    These cunning creatures didn¡¯t come to snatch the Bloodline Fruit right away but showed up after a big battle, hoping to benefit from the fisherman¡¯s fortune.


    The previous three Magical Beasts had already kept the team in disarray.


    Now facing seven all at once, and at night with their conditions not being ideal, it was very difficult to defeat this group of Wind Blade Wolves.


    ¡°Sir, we should retreat.¡±


    Marcus directly took out the Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package he had distributed: ¡°Fighting at night is very disadvantageous for us, traps won¡¯t stop the pack of wolves, and my left leg is injured, preventing me from unleashing my full strength. Let¡¯s light the Smoked Grass now, I¡¯ll use ¡®Multi-Arrow¡¯ to cover your retreat, and we¡¯ll retreat toward the main road.¡±


    Liszt was decisive: ¡°Okay!¡±


    When it¡¯s time to act, do it with zeal; when it¡¯s time to run, do it just as decisively.


    The flint had not yet struck.


    A piercing wolf howl shattered the eardrums: ¡°Awoo, awoo, a-w-o-o-o-o-o-o¡­¡±


    Liszt turned his head and saw Douson, who had been lying on the ground unconscious, had at some point stood up, thrown back its head, and was howling at the sky.


    Its body seemed to inflate like a balloon, muscles bulging under its fur, eyes bloodshot, and teeth becoming even more ferocious and sharp.


    He quickly employed the Eye of Magic.


    Liszt saw that Douson¡¯s earthy magic power was rising like flames, giving the impression of a fiery fierce beast: ¡°Douson!¡±


    Douson, hearing Liszt¡¯s call, turned its head, showing a moment of confusion in its eyes.


    The next moment, a familiar scene flashed by, and Liszt¡¯s order echoed in its ears: ¡°Attack the prey!¡± Instinctively following the direction of Liszt¡¯s finger, it charged out.


    There, were two Wind Blade Wolves.


    Seeing Douson coming, they hastily retreated, but by then, Douson¡¯s speed had become so fast, it caught up with the Wind Blade Wolves in just two steps, and opened its mouth to release magic.


    A larger Rock Spike shot out from the ground, impaling one of the Wind Blade Wolves, its belly completely torn open, with intestines and blood spilling out.


    ¡°Woo-awoo¡­¡± the Wind Blade Wolf howled in agony.


    The other six Wind Blade Wolves charged over, pouncing toward Douson, starting a battle without any prelude. The Wind Blade Wolves¡¯ Wind Blades flew chaotically, slicing through branches and trunks, and tearing furrows in the ground. Douson¡¯s Rock Spikes fired precisely with each shot leaving marks on the Wind Blade Wolves.


    It was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, unrivaled in ferocity, with the Wind Blade Wolves trying to bite Douson, only to be swatted away.


    Even when bitten, it was only superficial, as its muscles, inflated like balloons, allowed it to effectively avoid the Wind Blade Wolves¡¯ sharp teeth.


    Then it would turn around and bite back, and the Wind Blade Wolves couldn¡¯t stand it, yelping and jumping away.


    Blood splattered, magic flew.


    The battle between wolf and dog was extremely fierce.


    ¡°Has Douson evolved?¡± Marcus asked, his hand trembling slightly while holding the Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package, the scene was indeed spectacular, a Fierce Earth Dog taking on six Wind Blade Wolves by itself.


    Liszt¡¯s breathing was slightly hurried, he had seen the look in Douson¡¯s eyes just now, as if it didn¡¯t recognize him anymore. There even seemed to be a bloodthirsty hostility lurking, the innate instincts of a wild beast, and he had no doubt that Douson might attack him at any moment.


    Fortunately, at the critical moment, he didn¡¯t panic, and his mind remained clear.


    He quickly gave the order to attack, redirecting Douson¡¯s attention.


    As he expected.


    Douson¡¯s response to his order was a conditioned reflex, subconsciously charging out, attacking the Wind Blade Wolves. What he hadn¡¯t expected was for Douson to take on six alone without falling behind in the least.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, its magic power is very violent, maybe it¡¯s evolution, maybe it¡¯s not evolution. Either way, it needs to vent!¡± said Liszt, his tone calm but with an undertone of indifference, ¡°Teacher Marcus, Douson seems to be influenced by the Bloodline Fruit, becoming wildly beastly. Be prepared to take it down.¡±


    If Douson really becomes unrecognizable and attacks him later,


    he will not hesitate.


    Marcus nodded heavily, drawing his bow and arrow, and while retreating to the vicinity of the intact traps, he paid close attention to the scene of the fierce battle between the dog and the wolves, ¡°Understood!¡±


    The Retainer Knights stood in formation, protecting Liszt in the center.


    Quietly waiting.


    The battle did not last long.


    The wildly peerless Douson found an opportunity, impaling a Wind Blade Wolf with a Rock Spike, breaching the perimeter of the wolf pack, and then began his slaughter. He violently grabbed a Wind Blade Wolf and before it could twist its body to flee, another Rock Spike emerged, piercing through the wolf.


    It was far more proficient in using magic than the Wind Blade Wolves, and the Rock Spike was already a spell suited for stealth attacks, having been trained by Liszt for a long time.


    One by one.


    The Wind Blade Wolves were cruelly impaled by it.


    And the frenzied aura on its body gradually subsided, and when it was about to kill the last Wind Blade Wolf, it ran out of magic power and failed to release another Rock Spike.


    It watched helplessly as the Wind Blade Wolf escaped disaster and fled into the distance without looking back.


    For a moment, it gasped for air, forgetting to give chase.


    But the next moment.


    Four sharp arrows flew, pinning the severely wounded Wind Blade Wolf to the ground. It was Liszt and Marcus acting together, catching one that slipped through.


    After shooting the fleeing Wind Blade Wolf, the two of them bent their bows to notch another arrow, taking aim at Douson.


    They did not shoot.


    Liszt gently called out to the panting Douson, ¡°Douson, sit.¡±


    Douson paused, its bloodthirsty eyes flickering, as if it no longer understood Liszt¡¯s command or recognized who Liszt was. It just gasped for air, staring at Liszt and the others, without any movement.


    Liszt maintained his archery stance.


    His heart was filled with mixed emotions.


    Having raised it for nearly half a year, even though it wasn¡¯t as a pet, he had grown fond of it. He didn¡¯t want to turn into strangers and then have to kill Douson by his own hand¡ªa loss that wasn¡¯t just a Bloodline Fruit, but so much more.


    Time ticked by slowly.


    Liszt¡¯s mood also darkened bit by bit.


    However, at that moment, Douson slowly sat down and barked at him twice with a ¡°woof woof.¡±


    In an instant, his spirits lifted, and Liszt laughed out loud, beckoning, ¡°Douson, come back!¡±


    Douson immediately wagged its tail, limping over to him. Dismounting, he touched Douson¡¯s fur, and Douson cooperatively stuck out its tongue, licking Liszt¡¯s palm. Its eyes had lost their bloodthirsty crimson and returned to their usual liveliness and vibrancy.


    Marcus smiled and turned to shout, ¡°Clean up the battlefield, collect the prey, let¡¯s head back!¡±


    The Retainer Knights were relieved from the tension of the battle, chatting and laughing as they picked up the bodies of the magical beasts, packing and hanging them on the horses. After this battle, it¡¯s likely that no magical beasts will be left on the southern side of Thorn Ridge¡ªThorn Ridge had been divided into two disconnected sections by the main road, with a fence constructed, completely separating the north from the south.


    ¡°How¡¯s the leg injury?¡± Liszt inquired.


    While bandaging, Marcus replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a superficial wound, the bones are fine. Sir, has Douson evolved? Has it become an Intermediate Magical Beast?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it looks¡­ bigger than before.¡±

 Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 0128 Glory Belongs to Lord Landlord

    Chapter 128: Chapter 0128 Glory Belongs to Lord Landlord


    Douson had indeed grown a bit larger, mainly because his muscles had developed quite a bit, and it seemed as if they were inflated by the magic power of the Bloodline Fruits, giving a somewhat swollen appearance.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, have you ever seen an intermediate magical beast?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡±


    Intermediate magical beasts were not something just anyone could encounter, just like how Coral Island only had one Sky Knight, the Earl, and only one intermediate magical beast, the Purple Sand Crocodile. These weren¡¯t crocodiles kept in zoos that one could visit with a ticket purchase; the magic of intermediate magical beasts wasn¡¯t limited to just one single type.


    According to the records of Tulip Castle.


    The Purple Sand Crocodile was a water-attribute magical beast, which had released three types of magic during a skirmish with the Knight Order.


    These were ¡°Water Arrow Barrage,¡± ¡°Water Wave Shield,¡± and the extremely powerful ¡°Waterfall,¡± capable of summoning waves over ten meters high on dry land which could even crush an Earth Knight to death.


    Therefore.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t be sure whether Douson had evolved into an intermediate magical beast or not. At least from the current state of affairs, Douson hadn¡¯t undergone much change, and even in a berserk state, it had no overwhelming advantage over the pack of Wind Blade Wolves¡ªthe dense and numerous wounds on its body were proof of that.


    ¡°Regardless, the Bloodline Fruits should bring about some changes to Douson; subtly and gradually, they will make it stronger.¡± Liszt reassured himself in his heart, trying not to worry too much.


    The Knight Squad had been cleaning up for quite a while and still hadn¡¯t managed to deal with the corpses of the magical beasts.


    Mainly because the Thunderfang Boar was simply too large, estimated to weigh as much as a full-grown hippopotamus, close to 3 tons. No horse, no matter how strong, could carry the Thunderfang Boar. There were also two Fierce Earth Dogs, seven Wind Blade Wolves, and one Shadow Snake; today¡¯s haul was immense.


    ¡°Let¡¯s send some of the magical beast corpses back first, then bring the caravan¡¯s wagons. This Thorn Forest still has many more animal carcasses to be collected,¡± Marcus thought aloud.


    Liszt had no objections to this, as mundane matters like these he couldn¡¯t be bothered to contemplate.


    Right now, he only wanted to return to the castle, take a good bath, and then get some sleep.


    On the way back, he summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward one Bloodline Fruit.¡±


    ¡°Mission: You have initiated an attack, determined to eradicate Thorn Ridge, to create a peaceful new environment for Fresh Flower Town. So gather your determination and slaughter all magical beasts in Thorn Ridge. Reward: Traces of the Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡±


    The new mission gave Liszt a burst of energy.


    The reward was actually the traces of the Li Dragon Horse Herd¡ªan existence he had always suspected might not be a solitary one. Logically, there shouldn¡¯t be horses on the island, but who could guarantee that there really was no horse herd? After all, this was a world full of magic power. Unexpectedly, the Smoke Mission provided a direct clue.


    There were indeed Li Dragon Horse Herds.


    This was a Dragon Breed Horse, its value goes without saying.


    ¡°I was planning to rest after clearing out the southern Thorn Ridge and finding the Bloodline Fruit. Now it seems I can¡¯t rest. I must press on and finish the extermination work, to welcome my Li Dragon Horse Herd!¡±


    The moon had long since set.


    The stars in the sky twinkled brightly.


    Under the starlight, Liszt and his Knight Squad, bearing a full harvest, returned to the castle.


    Lamps were lit in the castle, and the butler, Old Carter, had been waiting all along, not knowing when the lord of the castle would return. Following Liszt¡¯s instructions before leaving, there was no need to wait if he wasn¡¯t back by nightfall. Yet he still rose from bed from time to time, going to the window to look outside.


    Then, he saw the torches.


    ¡°The master is back,¡± Carter felt an inexplicable relief, then quickly dressed and knocked on Mrs. Morson¡¯s door, ¡°Mrs. Morson, the master is back, wake the maids and prepare the bathwater for the master. Have the kitchen rush to prepare a late-night meal, the squad has already reached Douson Avenue.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Carter, I¡¯ll get up right now,¡± Mrs. Morson responded.


    Carter quickly roused the servants one by one, and then continuously lit lamps, awakening the entire castle from darkness¡ªhis lordship loved light; he always said not to worry about wasting candles, now that they had money!


    Lights in the castle rapidly brightened.


    The returning master on horseback felt exceptionally at ease.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but think of a song¡ª¡±Stars light up, illuminating my doorstep, guiding lost children to find their way home.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem quite fitting, so he thought of another short poem¡ª¡±The steady cadence of my horse¡¯s hooves is a beautiful mistake; I am not a home-comer, but a passerby¡­¡±


    Alright.


    Neither was very fitting.


    Unable to find the right words to describe his feelings at the moment, he was simply excited. When he reached the castle gate, the servants were already lined up, waiting to greet him.


    ¡°Knightly honor favors us! Lord, seeing you return safely brings me peace of mind,¡± Carter said.


    ¡°No need for concern, Mr. Carter; it was just a hunt in the forest, and there were no dangers,¡± Liszt replied with a light smile. ¡°Tom, take my retainer knights and drive out the merchant¡¯s wagon. Later we¡¯ll head back to Thorn Ridge to haul all the game we¡¯ve hunted¡­ You¡¯ll be busy tonight.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Lord, I¡¯ll take care of it now,¡± Tom responded.


    Carter, seeing the knight squad return with the carcasses of the game, understood that it would be a sleepless night: ¡°Serving his lordship is our honor.¡±


    ¡°Has Mrs. Abbie prepared the late-night snack?¡±


    ¡°The kitchen has started working; I¡¯ve had Mrs. Abbie prepare portions for the entire knight squad.¡±


    ¡°Good, when we return, we must drink heartily and celebrate today¡¯s bountiful harvest,¡± Liszt said without dismounting his horse. ¡°Thomas, lead Douson over there; it¡¯s injured and needs to be bandaged.¡±


    ¡°Your wish is my command, Lord,¡± Thomas replied.


    Gazing at the game that had been unloaded, Liszt went on, ¡°Mr. Carter, inform Teacher Goltai that he can come and divide this batch of game. Reserve a portion for the castle, distribute another portion to the families of officials and retainer knights, with the rest to be supplied to the seafood shop at the price of seafood.¡±


    The game being discussed was just beasts.


    As for magical beasts, they definitely couldn¡¯t be handled the same way¡ªLiszt wasn¡¯t that generous yet. Except when hosting banquets, when he would allow his subordinates to enjoy a little extra, the meat of magical beasts was exclusively for him.


    After two trips, all of today¡¯s spoils had finally been brought back.


    Piled in front of the castle like a small hill.


    The great hall on the first floor was bustling with activity.


    It was a rare moment, transcending the noble hierarchy, where the landlord and retainers sat together at the same table.


    Tonight¡¯s late-night snack was comparable to a holiday feast¡ªLiszt had the kitchen prepare an entire Shadow Snake into steaks, and each official and retainer received a large piece of steak.


    Meat from a magical beast, rich in magic power, was a great tonic that they normally couldn¡¯t afford. Seizing this opportunity, everyone devoured their share, wishing they could even lick the plates clean.


    Outside in the castle, Douson also received a large piece of steak.


    ¡°Knightly honor watches over Fresh Flower Town, it watches over Lord Landlord, with courage and wisdom going hand in hand! I propose, let us raise a glass together, to Liszt, who is favored by knightly honor, glory be to Lord Landlord!¡± Teacher Goltai, holding a glass filled with juniper wine, took charge of the banquet¡¯s atmosphere.


    Fostering interaction and enhancing the mood were among his specialties.


    The others lifted their glasses and shouted in unison, ¡°Glory be to Lord Landlord!¡±


    Sitting at the head of the table, Liszt¡¯s face was not the formulaic noble smile, but one of excited joy, savoring the atmosphere. He lifted his glass and declared loudly, ¡°The glory is mine, and I am with all of you!¡±

 Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 0129 Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn

    Chapter 129: Chapter 0129 Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn


    Though they aimed to conquer all of Thorn Ridge in one fell swoop, they still rested for two days, mainly because the members of the Knight Squad had some minor injuries, including Marcus, whose leg had sustained a graze.


    Having Dou Qi, they recovered from minor injuries very quickly.


    Two days were enough to relieve the fatigue in their bodies and let the wounds scab over.


    Liszt, unharmed, woke from a night¡¯s sleep feeling reinvigorated and adjusted to optimal condition. He was in high spirits, racing his horse across the training field and rigorously practicing ¡°Fire Dragon Drill,¡± ¡°Flaming Wave,¡± and ¡°Multi-Arrow.¡± This combat experience had granted him ample experience.


    He felt that the Dou Qi within him had surged significantly. Originally a tender noble, a newbie among the Earth Knights, he now solidified his foundation and took a great stride toward becoming an Elite Earth Knight.


    Compared to Marcus, he was almost on par¡ªthe experience was still lacking, and so was the amount of Dou Qi, but with the Eye of Magic and the Crimson Blood Sword, the outcome of a real fight was uncertain.


    ¡°I think in a one-on-one duel with Marcus, it should be an even split!¡± he estimated.


    Turning to look at Douson who, with glossy fur, was frantically running around the training field seemingly bursting with endless energy, he started to strategize: ¡°With Douson¡¯s help, Marcus is definitely no match for me. In fact, I believe that Douson alone could be an even match for Marcus.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t yet clear whether the Bloodline Fruit had caused any evolutionary changes in Douson.


    Regarding this knowledge, there was still too little.


    But there was no question that the amount of Douson¡¯s magic had increased tremendously; it used to be able to cast Rock Spike only about ten to twenty times a day, but now could cast it from morning till dusk. While it might not reach fifty times, thirty-five times was absolutely within reach.


    Because of this, the progress on Douson Avenue¡¯s road construction had greatly accelerated.


    ¡°Douson, cast the magic!¡±


    Whoosh!


    A Rock Spike rose from the ground, one and a half times larger than the ones Douson used to cast. The amount of rock produced in a day was equivalent to three to four days¡¯ yield in the past, making it resemble a mini ¡°Rock Young Dragon¡±¡ªaccording to a knight¡¯s novel called ¡°Mercenary World,¡± dragons in their youth looked somewhat like dogs.


    Overall, Douson, having gotten a taste of blood, had more than doubled in strength, but it was still far from reaching the power of an Intermediate Magical Beast. Its recovery ability, however, had increased dramatically, and the wounds on its body were about to heal completely.


    ¡°Looking at Douson¡¯s current performance, it wasn¡¯t a waste of the Bloodline Fruit after all, at least, it¡¯s much better than if the evolution had failed.¡±


    About this clean-up,


    he was satisfied.


    The Shadow Snake¡¯s hide was excellent lining material for leather armor. There were some signs of fire damage, but overall, it was relatively intact and could at least sell for ten Gold Coins.


    As for the two Fierce Earth Dogs, one was entirely charred and could only be kept for Liszt to eat; the other had its fur largely slashed by Marcus, so it couldn¡¯t fetch a high price. The internal organs could be sold to magicians, but mostly they were kept for personal consumption since the castle wasn¡¯t in urgent need of the money.


    The two large tusks of the Thunderfang Boar were excellent forging materials, especially suitable for creating Magic Equipment, with one tusk worth at least five Gold Coins. The hide was also great for making leather armor and could sell for around ten Gold Coins. The meat and bones could either be kept for consumption or sold.


    Selling them for seven or eight Gold Coins wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    With a massive physique and tough hide, the Thunderfang Boar was valuable all over.


    The other prizes were the seven Wind Blade Wolves¡ªsince they were hunted by Douson, the wounds were small and the fur was mostly intact, making it feasible to sell each for over ten Gold Coins without issue.


    If estimated, this batch of magical beasts could bring Li Si Te at least a hundred and thirty gold coins.


    ¡°The Southern Thorn Ridge has probably been cleared out, but there are likely still many magical beasts in the Northern Thorn Ridge. We can harvest another hundred or more gold coins. Clearing out Thorn Ridge not only yields magical beast meat and materials to exchange for gold coins but also sharpens the Knight Squad and reduces the threat to the town. It¡¯s a profitable deal.¡±


    The math was sound, but the magical beasts were a one-time bounty; once killed, they were gone.


    The Thorn Forest of Thorn Ridge would also disappear¡ªhe had already ordered Goltai to reorganize the Lumberjack Team to make Thorn Ridge a thing of the past.


    In addition, Blair was preparing to form a tree-planting team to plant two types of thorns, Rapid Growth Poison Thorn and Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn, around the periphery of Thorn Ridge.


    The rapid-growth thorn species grew incredibly fast. With enough moisture and fertilizer, they could grow more than ten centimeters overnight.


    The Rapid Growth Poison Thorn, after cultivation, already covered several acres. Its roots could be dug up at any time for transplantation elsewhere. The ¡°Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn¡± had been discovered not long ago as a reward from the Smoke Mission¡ªa spiny, fast-growing, mutant thorn variety whose branches were covered in dense clusters of large and small spikes, quite terrifying.


    These two types of thorns, used as hedging, posed little threat to humans, as a few shovelfuls could clear a path. But wild beasts and magical beasts would surely despair.


    ¡°Actually, now that the tall trees of the Thorn Forest have been chopped down, and magical beasts can no longer inhabit it, we don¡¯t need thorns for defense. However, to let others know that Thorn Ridge is Fresh Flower Town¡¯s territory, I¡¯ll still plant a circle of thorns.¡±


    During the fief distribution, the Earl declared Fresh Flower Town to be Li Si Te¡¯s territory.


    But the official boundaries of Fresh Flower Town were not clearly defined, and likewise, Thorn Ridge had previously been an independent hazardous area unclaimed by any other town.


    After Li Si Te took over Thorn Ridge, it became de facto territory of Fresh Flower Town, an exploitation of loopholes that was perfectly legitimate.


    ¡°The area of Thorn Ridge, added together, is at least the size of Fresh Flower Town. This means my territory will double in size and at least half of that land can be cultivated into farmland!¡± Concerning his somewhat bandit-like actions, Li Si Te felt not a hint of shame, but rather quite pleased with himself.


    If he did this after Levis inherited the earldom, he might face a backlash¡ªnobles value their land highly, and not even brothers are allowed to take advantage of it.


    But currently, the Earl was his father. A son capitalizing on loopholes and going to great lengths to secure Thorn Ridge, taking a little advantage was hardly a matter for censure.


    All things considered, his father was unlikely to squabble with his son over what was originally ¡°useless¡± land.


    Taking a sip of fresh coconut milk, Li Si Te counted the days on his fingers.


    ¡°Today is September 14th. The Earl¡¯s birthday is on September 19th. He has already led the Coral Island Knights to charge into battle on the mainland, so there won¡¯t be a birthday party¡­ By the end of this month, the Tulip Fleet should be back, and the five hundred serfs I purchased will arrive¡­¡±


    He planned to spend a week to completely turn over Thorn Ridge, exterminating all the magical beasts.


    The trees would all be cut down within a month, and once the serfs arrived, he would swiftly cultivate the land into farmland, managing to plant a crop of winter wheat before winter set in.


    ¡°Five hundred serfs are not enough. After selling the magical beast materials, I¡¯ll pull out some gold coins from the seafood business, amass six hundred gold coins, and buy an additional two thousand five hundred serfs!¡±


    Previously.


    Five hundred serfs, including a hundred craftsmen, cost one hundred and twenty gold coins.


    By that ratio, six hundred gold coins could buy exactly two thousand ordinary serfs and five hundred craftsmen.


    ¡°I wonder if I can get a discount on serfs with this Pioneer Mandate. Once Frank, Levis¡¯s confidant, returns, I need to have a good talk with him¡­ Wars always bring countless refugees. Maybe I could even buy some knights who can¡¯t pay their ransoms and directly establish my own real Knight Squad.¡±

 Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 0130: A Strange Scream

    Chapter 130: Chapter 0130: A Strange Scream


    Two days flew by, and the Knight Squad set forth once again, heading towards Thorn Ridge up in the north. The successful annihilation of the Southern Thorn Ridge sent the team¡¯s morale soaring, and a hint of ferocity now tinged the tender faces of the Retainer Knights.


    However, the main force of the extermination team was neither the Retainer Knights nor Marcus or Li Si Te (Liszt).


    It was Douson.


    It had become belligerent and full of vigor, almost tireless. From a tiny squirrel to the Low-Level Magical Beast, the Ice Tree Frog, none were spared from its ravages.


    Especially toward the Ice Tree Frog, a Low-Level Magical Beast with an affinity for ice, which perched on tree branches and cast the magic ¡°Ice Blade¡± at Douson in a wild bombardment. But Douson even taught itself to climb trees. Despite the Ice Tree Frog¡¯s frantic leaping, it was still pounced on by Douson, killed in just a few bites without even using Rock Spike.


    The King of Thorn Ridge¡¯s imposing manner was already taking shape.


    ¡°Douson, even if not an Intermediate Magical Beast, is not far from it. Sir, its combat power is growing stronger, and I feel that it is still growing and getting stronger.¡±


    Marcus watched as Douson carried the Ice Tree Frog in its mouth, wagging its tail excitedly, and cheerfully placed its trophy next to the Li Dragon Horse. He couldn¡¯t help but express his sincere admiration.


    Keeping a fighting Magical Beast that was also loyal and brave proved immensely practical.


    Liszt, delighted, tossed out a fried meat strip as a reward for Douson¡ªDouson was quite picky with its mouth, not eating raw food; it preferred fried delicacies the most.


    ¡°At first, I thought the Bloodline Fruit had failed, unable to change its bloodline, and it was still a Fierce Earth Dog. But now, we can¡¯t jump to conclusions so easily. Teacher Marcus, have you noticed that after two days in Thorn Ridge, Douson¡¯s size has grown even bigger?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it has grown quite a bit. Now Douson is as big as an adult tiger.¡±


    An adult Fierce Earth Dog could at most match the size of a leopard, but now Douson had reached the size of a tiger and was still growing.


    Liszt waved his hand, and Douson bounded out again, continuing its hunting endeavors.


    ¡°No matter what, Douson is only half a year old, not yet mature, but it¡¯s already this strong. Once it matures, I am afraid there won¡¯t be any opponents below the rank of Intermediate Magical Beast.¡± The growth rate of Magical Beasts was generally fast, but Douson¡¯s was clearly faster. Back in the Castle, Liszt had never skimped on providing well for it, serving up plenty of fish and meat.


    Compared to ordinary Magical Beasts that survived on raw food in the forest, Douson had always consumed cooked meals, making nutrient utilization much higher. In less than three months, it could cast magic, and within half a year, it could struggle against adult Magical Beasts. After consuming the Bloodline Fruit, its body and magical powers exploded, easily subduing Low-Level Magical Beasts.


    Once Douson matured, among the Magical Beasts of Coral Island¡ªexcept for the Purple Sand Crocodile¡ªthere would likely be none that could rival Douson.


    While they were speaking, Douson encountered another Magical Beast. It was a massive Thunderfang Boar, with four smaller Thunderfang Boars trailing behind it.


    It was very possible that it was family to the one encountered in Southern Thorn Ridge.


    Confronted with Douson, the big boar was quite ferocious, but Douson was far craftier than imagined, skillfully circling around and biting the little boars to death.


    It did not confront the big boar head-on.


    Only when the big boar¡¯s magic, Lightning Flash, was cast so much that its magic power was depleted did Douson begin to throw Rock Spike, teasing the big boar. Finally, seizing the opportunity, it knocked down the Thunderfang Boar, finished it off with a Rock Spike through the boar¡¯s neck, and sent the whole boar family packing.


    Marcus held his bow and arrows without much chance to use them: ¡°The timing of magic release was just right. Douson¡¯s wisdom is high, and Sir, your training has been very effective.¡±


    Liszt was equally idle: ¡°It really is smart. Magical Beasts rely on instinct, but it relies on its brain.¡± He was increasingly pleased with Douson.


    With Douson around, the extermination tasks were as easy as leisure activities.


    Marcus didn¡¯t let the Retainer Knights sit idle. When they encountered a lone Wind Blade Wolf, he summoned Douson back and then allowed Liszt to arrange for the Retainer Knights to surround and attack the Wind Blade Wolf: ¡°This is an old and weakening Wind Blade Wolf; it has started to shed, likely having been expelled from its pack. I¡¯ll leave this one to you.¡±


    Ultimately, with three Retainer Knights injured, ten Retainer Knights worked together to corner and kill the Wind Blade Wolf.


    The prey was hung up on the tree.


    The team continued to delve deeper.


    As the sea was soon in sight, it meant that the northern part of Thorn Ridge was about to be cleared, with not much to show for it. Just five Thunderfang Boars¡ªone big and four small¡ªa single Ice Tree Frog, and a single Wind Blade Wolf, barely six magical beasts in total. Plenty of wild beasts had been hunted, but Liszt had no interest in those.


    Having grown accustomed to the meat of magical beasts, he considered the meat of wild beasts to be of inferior quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, the Thorn Forest is about to disappear, leaving Fresh Flower Town with no environment for magical beasts to dwell in. If we want to eat magical beast meat in the future, we¡¯ll have to go out and buy it.¡±


    The clearing of Thorn Ridge would supply enough magical beast meat for about half a year¡¯s consumption.


    After that would be over, he¡¯d need to spend quite a sum to buy magical beast meat for consumption.


    Marcus saw the brighter side, ¡°Once Thorn Ridge is turned into farmlands, the castle¡¯s tax revenue will increase substantially, and the landlord will naturally be able to buy magical beast meat with gold coins. Moreover, by that time, the sale of Black Tulip and Flame Mushroom magic potions will also bring in a considerable income. Fresh Flower Town will become more and more prosperous.¡±


    ¡°Still, we need to open up more sources of income. In the future, we¡¯ll need to do more than just feed ourselves; we¡¯ll also have to train a Knight Squad.¡± The success in hunting magical beasts made Liszt¡¯s ambition grow, ¡°I hope that by the next Pioneer Mandate, my knights can bring me true glory. A landlord needs more land!¡±


    Marcus¡¯s eyes shone brightly, ¡°I am at your service, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Douson suddenly barked, interrupting the landlord and knight¡¯s pleasant anticipation.


    Liszt took advantage of the situation to utilize his Eye of Magic, scanning the surroundings. Then, he spotted signs of magic power; a magical beast was lurking not far away.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find a magical beast so close to the sea. Douson, attack.¡±


    On command, Douson dashed out like an arrow, charging straight at the magical beast. Clearly, he had sensed the presence of the magical beast even before Liszt had.


    Liszt and the others followed at a leisurely pace.


    They could hear Douson¡¯s intermittent barking and another dog¡¯s yelping.


    ¡°It seems there¡¯s still a Fierce Earth Dog,¡± Marcus deduced from the sound that the magical beast was a Fierce Earth Dog.


    ¡°That¡¯s normal. For Fierce Earth Dogs to reproduce on Thorn Ridge, there can¡¯t be just two or three of them. In fact, I think it¡¯s possible there are more that slipped through the net¡ªThorn Ridge must have more than one Shadow Snake, more than one Ice Tree Frog, and there might even be Wind Falcons nearby.¡±


    After a pause, Liszt added, ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t be certain. Eighteen years ago, when Fresh Flower Town wasn¡¯t yet built, this place was all forest, cleared once by the Coral Island Knights. Shadow Snakes and Ice Tree Frogs might be from that time¡­ after all, magical beasts can live for quite a few years.¡±


    Magical beasts live longer than ordinary wild animals.


    Theoretically, they could still be alive today. Fierce Earth Dogs, Wind Blade Wolves, and Thunderfang Boars had all found mates to continue their species; Shadow Snakes and Ice Tree Frogs were likely to become extinct, but their bloodlines might persist, as they could breed with wild animals.


    There¡¯s not necessarily reproductive isolation between magical beasts and the wild animals of their kind.


    Magical beasts forcing themselves on wild animals and producing magical beast offspring is a common occurrence¡ªLiszt¡¯s mount, the Fire Dragon Horse, is the offspring of a Blazing Steed and an ordinary horse.


    The proliferation of species always ebbs and flows.


    Sometimes they evolve, sometimes they regress; magical beasts won¡¯t always stay magical beasts.


    Suddenly.


    Liszt felt something was amiss; he couldn¡¯t hear Douson¡¯s barking anymore, only the painful howls of the other Fierce Earth Dog. But there was something strange about the howls¡ªwhile they were certainly piteous, the breath behind them remained strong and sustained, not like the cries that would be expected from a creature being hunted by Douson.

 Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 013: The Bound Birthing Machine

    Chapter 131: Chapter 013: The Bound Birthing Machine


    As Liszt approached on horseback, he witnessed a rather shocking scene.


    Douson was actually riding on the Fierce Earth Dog, which prompted Liszt to grimace disdainfully.


    He turned his head and asked, ¡°Teacher Marcus, Douson should only be about half a year old, right?¡±


    ¡°When we found Douson, it hadn¡¯t even opened its eyes yet, it was definitely newly born not long ago. Thus, Douson won¡¯t be that large; it definitely isn¡¯t a year old yet, at most seven months.¡±


    ¡°A seven-month-old dog can do this kind of thing?¡±


    Marcus rarely smiled and said, ¡°My lord, dogs are definitely different from humans; for Douson¡¯s age, it is indeed a bit early, but it¡¯s not uncommon. It can only be said that Douson has developed well, and with the stimulation of the Bloodline Fruit, it should have reached full maturity.¡±


    Liszt had raised dogs back in his hometown, but that was when he was a child.


    Besides, no one really cared about the rural mutts.


    Hearing Marcus¡¯s explanation, he also let go of his surprise.


    Standing not too far away, he enjoyed an action-packed show.


    ¡°My lord, should we take this opportunity to shoot this Female Tyrant Earth Hound dead?¡± Marcus picked up his bow and arrow, eager to try, at this moment the Female Tyrant Earth Hound was a living target.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    Liszt immediately stopped him.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, figure out a way to capture this Female Tyrant Earth Hound alive and keep it in the castle. Now it seems that Douson has come of age and can reproduce. Perhaps I can obtain a group of Fierce Earth Dogs.¡±


    ¡°But the Female Tyrant Earth Hound is already wild and dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Then tie it up, secure it with iron chains, declare the surrounding twenty meters as a forbidden zone and build a Rock wall around it. After it gives birth to a batch of puppies, then take the puppies away¡­ In any case, Fierce Earth Dogs are not abundant on Coral Island, and Douson ultimately needs a female dog.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to do it.¡± Marcus nodded, then turned around and told the Retainer Knights, ¡°Bring out the net. Jim, York, take the tree on the left, Philip, Sean, take the one on the right, Zavier, Tracy, take the one at the back¡­ When the Fierce Earth Dog tries to escape, immediately net it!¡±


    The knights immediately approached cautiously and climbed up the trees, each holding one end of the net, ready to cast it.


    About twenty minutes later.


    The two Fierce Earth Dogs naturally separated.


    The Female Tyrant Earth Hound turned to flee at once, but Marcus, who was prepared, immediately ordered, ¡°Ready the net!¡±


    The knights immediately threw the ropes in their hands, and a large net enveloped the Female Tyrant Earth Hound. It was fast, but not faster than the knights who were prepared.


    It was directly covered by the large net.


    In a panic, it released Magic, with Rock Spikes piercing the ground one after another, but these Rock Spikes only pushed the net up and couldn¡¯t pierce through it. It struggled to run but got increasingly tangled in the net until it was tightly bound and unable to move. Rock Spikes protruded everywhere until, exhausted of its Magic Power, it couldn¡¯t break free.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Douson simply watched from the side, neither pouncing to attack nor walking away. It only barked at the Female Tyrant Earth Hound from time to time, with unclear intent.


    ¡°It should have run out of Magic Power, go down and tie it up, first muzzle it,¡± Marcus tested a few times, concluding.


    Very soon, the Female Tyrant Earth Hound was tied up securely, especially its mouth. Even if it regained Magic Power, it couldn¡¯t easily use Magic.


    ¡°Woo woo¡­¡±


    The Female Tyrant Earth Hound, with its mouth and limbs bound, kept growling angrily, but its fate was already sealed¡ªto become Douson¡¯s toy, a breeding machine for Fierce Earth Dogs.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Douson wagged its tail, circling and barking around the Female Tyrant Earth Hound, seemingly comforting it.


    ¡°That must be the last Magical Beast, right?¡± Liszt silently summoned the Smoke Mission, using it to judge the situation, as it was the most direct manifestation.


    However, the Smoke Serpent Script showed no change.


    ¡°Mission: You have launched an attack, determined to eradicate Thorn Ridge to create a peaceful new environment for Fresh Flower Town. So keep up the momentum and slaughter all the Magical Beasts of Thorn Ridge. Reward: Li Dragon Horse Herd¡¯s tracks.¡±


    He frowned slightly, ¡°Are there more Magical Beasts?¡±


    Having thoroughly combed through Thorn Ridge, with the help of the Eye of Magic, he reasoned he should have found any Magical Beasts within his field of vision.


    It seemed that some Magical Beasts had managed to evade the purge while his Eye of Magic was recovering.


    ¡°My lord, we¡¯re nearing the seashore, should we go back?¡± Marcus asked.


    Liszt pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°No rush, keep going forward, let¡¯s take a look at the seashore. I heard from Kostor that there is a deepwater port nearby, which is perfect to check out. We can start planning sooner and get a dock built for Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    The team continued its journey.


    Douson, enticed by beauty, lost interest in hunting, and circled the bound Fierce Earth Dog for the entire trip. Fortunately, the journey was smooth, with only a few wild beasts seen before they reached the seashore. After walking along a difficult rocky path by the sea, they arrived at the location Kostor had mentioned.


    It was a hundreds-of-meters-wide rocky beach, with rocky mountains on both the left and right. Only the middle part was laden with rocks of various sizes, which could be cleared out to create a flat area with a little effort.


    Kostor had not lied.


    A large port could not be built here, but there was no problem constructing a medium or small-sized dock.


    After walking around among the rocks, Liszt immediately had a plan in mind: ¡°On our way back, we¡¯ll head straight towards the Cow Farm, find a flat path first, instruct the Lumberjack Team to start clearing trees from this spot as soon as possible, and open up a road to this place. The stones near the dock could be hauled back for road paving.¡±


    ¡°Here will be the starting point for Fresh Flower Town¡¯s future,¡± he gestured around the rocky beach.

 Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 132: A Great Step in Exploring the Universe

    Chapter 132: Chapter 132: A Great Step in Exploring the Universe


    Because the task had not been completed yet, Liszt returned to the castle to regroup for a day before continuing his journey with Douson and the Retainer Knights toward Thorn Ridge.


    He was determined to hunt down the last of the escaped prey completely.


    The Female Tyrant Earth Hound was still tied up. To wear down its ferocity, Liszt, synthesizing everyone¡¯s opinions, decided to starve it for three to five days so it couldn¡¯t use magic to harm people. Meanwhile, the Thorn Caravan had been arranged to order cages from North Valley City. Its fate was destined to be spent in a cage for the latter half of its life.


    Perhaps one day, when it became accustomed to its new life and was content to follow Douson, it might regain its freedom.


    ¡°Douson should be able to handle it. After all, he was almost an Intermediate Magical Beast!¡± Liszt was very confident in this regard. The Fierce Earth Dog might not be a gregarious Magical Beast, but submission to a stronger being was a consistent trait in Magical Beasts, especially given that they were a pair, one male, and one female.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Douson, who was chasing his tail in the distance, felt a bit dizzy.


    Still so young!


    ¡°Now that she has become your wife, it¡¯s time to give her a name¡­ She is a Tyrant Earth Hound, and she is your wife, so let¡¯s call her ¡®Earth Matron¡¯!¡± Liszt took naming seriously, ¡°Douson, do you approve of this name? If you do, bark twice.¡±


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson, still chasing after his tail, indicated approval.


    Entering Thorn Ridge once again.


    Douson, without Earth Matron to draw attention, regained his majestic presence as the King of Thorn Ridge and continued on his way, constantly seeking out animals to hunt¡ª all were solitary beasts, the ones that had slipped through the net during the previous hunt.


    What a pity.


    Another three days passed.


    Liszt had not found any Magical Beast and felt that his Eye of Magic had become proficient enough to cast it seamlessly, maintaining it for 24 hours a day. Yet, he still saw no signs of magic, as if the Magical Beasts had hidden underground to hibernate.


    But the time was late summer and early autumn; hibernation was not possible.


    ¡°So, where are the escaped fishes hiding?¡± Liszt, riding on a Li Dragon Horse, looked towards the bustling Lumberjack Team cutting down trees not far away and felt somewhat perplexed.


    Without completing the task, the clues he wanted pertaining to the Li Dragon Horse Herd wouldn¡¯t surface¡ª probably the clues were hidden within the Thorn Forest, but even after sweeping the area twice there were no leads. There were only hopes pinned on completing the mission.


    If they couldn¡¯t be found, they simply couldn¡¯t be found.


    Eventually, Liszt could only give the order, ¡°Teacher Marcus, you lead the Retainer Knights to continue training in Thorn Ridge, protect the Lumberjack Team well, and if you encounter any Magical Beasts that can be fought, fight; if not, flee.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    The Smoke Mission was a troublesome problem.


    It dampened the spirits.


    However, in these few days, there was some good news: the Crystal Craftsman successfully polished the concave and convex lenses needed, a total of twenty pieces.


    Liszt experimented with random combinations and found that a convex lens paired with a concave lens could make a telescope, as could two convex lenses, though the latter resulted in an inverted image.


    He naturally chose to combine the convex and concave lenses and instructed the blacksmith at the Smithy and the carpenter at the Carpenter¡¯s Shop to jointly craft the telescope tube. The tube was about one meter long, and after the lenses were fitted, the magnification was not very high, but Liszt was very satisfied and named it the ¡°Liszt Telescope.¡±


    At night, he aimed the telescope at the moon in the sky.


    After fine-tuning the distance between the lenses, the unevenly dark areas on the moon were instantly captured in his eyes. However, what struck Liszt as odd was that the moon he saw was surrounded by a faint halo¡ª Liszt, with superficial knowledge of astronomy, quickly recognized it.


    ¡°The atmosphere!¡±


    ¡°This moon actually has an atmosphere!¡±


    ¡°If it has an atmosphere, could it be inhabited by intelligent life?¡± he suddenly thought. This world had all sorts of wondrous myths about the moon.


    Some legends say that the royal family of the Neverfall Empire came from the moon.


    Some say the Elf King resides on the moon.


    Others claim the moon is the homeland of dragons.


    Even more legends suggest that at the summit of Mount Mulagao Ding, the central mountain range of the continent, there is a magic teleportation array that leads to the moon. Whoever could reach the top of Mount Mulagao Ding and activate the magic teleportation array would master the endless wealth on the moon¡ªthis legend is somewhat like the myth of Chang¡¯e flying to the moon.


    Everyone knows it¡¯s not true, but they still yearn for it deep down.


    Magic Teleportation Array¡ªsaid to be a colossal magic researched by ancient magicians that could traverse time and space, it had long been lost to history, only remaining in legends.


    Mount Mulagao Ding is the highest mountain range on the continent, unscalable by mortals at tens of thousands of meters high. Even riding a dragon, one could not reach the highest peak; the endless storms at the mountainside, more frightening than the strongest wind system magic, could shred both man and dragon into pieces.


    As for the name ¡°Mulagao Ding¡±, it is translated from a foreign language, to be exact, from an ancient language called ¡°Moon Language.¡± The language of the Moon Empire from long ago is no longer used by any nation. Still, many countries have incorporated or even directly adopted certain words from the Moon Language.


    The term Mulagao Ding, when translated, means ¡°Knight of the Moonlight.¡±


    Some interpret Mount Mulagao Ding to signify the knight that guards the Moon Empire.


    Others contrive it to mean the knight guarding the magic teleportation array that connects to the moon.


    Regardless, ¡°Mount Mulagao Ding can lead to the moon¡± is a legend known by everyone.


    ¡°So, are these legends true or false? To judge this Different World by Earth¡¯s common sense is no longer appropriate. Whether the moon really has ¡®people¡¯ is uncertain!¡± Liszt, who was once a steadfast atheist, had become an agnostic.


    This world had no worship of gods but was filled with all sorts of bizarre legends, which was very conducive to the development of agnosticism.


    Despite not fully understanding the moon¡¯s content.


    During that evening¡¯s banquet, Liszt still loudly announced, ¡°The invention of the Liszt Telescope is a significant step for mankind in exploring the universe. It will lift the veil of the cosmos and reveal it to the eyes of us all.¡±


    He was excited about his discovery and wanted to share the joy with the people.


    However, when his subordinates eagerly took turns to view the moon through the telescope, their feedback was somewhat disappointing.


    Goltai muttered while looking at the moon, ¡°Is this the moon? It does seem quite beautiful. Is it a round cake? Why are there no dragons or the Elf King?¡±


    Blair said softly while observing the moon, ¡°The moon¡¯s light is too dim, much weaker than the sunlight. Some places seem almost extinguished.¡±


    What he referred to as extinguished were the areas with heavier shadows on the moon, perhaps like the plains or the seas on Earth¡¯s moon. The Liszt Telescope¡¯s magnification was still not enough, managing only to enlarge by thirty-plus times, hence their observation of the moon was not clear, especially with the atmospheric layer in the way.


    Isaiah did not look at the moon; he wanted to see the stars, but under the moon¡¯s backdrop, barely any stars were shining.


    After viewing the moon, Marcus remained calm, ¡°My lord, why are we looking at the moon?¡±


    Ignorant natives!


    Liszt¡¯s originally excited mood had completely dissipated, leaving him with a sense of loneliness as though he was the only sober person among a crowd of drunkards.


    Fortunately, he was skilled at adjusting his attitude, and his noble demeanor quickly returned him to tranquility. With a polite smile, he said, ¡°It can not only observe the moon but also distant objects. With this telescope, distant scenes can be captured as if they are before your very eyes, and you can use it to observe magical beasts.¡±


    Marcus¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled, ¡°Indeed! My lord, you truly are the glorious Son of Glory favored by the knight¡¯s honor. The Liszt Telescope, indeed, is a great invention!¡±

 Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 0133 Good Afternoon Gao Ertai

    Chapter 133: Chapter 0133 Good Afternoon Gao Ertai


    The Liszt Telescope comes in two types, long and short tube. The long tube is used for observing the moon, with magnification reaching over thirty times; the short tube is the portable telescope that he intended to create for the Knight Squad, which can be extended with a maximum magnification of around fifteen times.


    Twenty concave and convex lenses could only assemble one long tube and three short tubes, with the remaining lenses failing to meet the standard.


    He tossed the lenses to Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, have a look and see which pair of lenses can magnify the image. You can use it to read books when the time comes.¡±


    Carter was old and his eyesight was somewhat poor; giving him a magnifying glass, wouldn¡¯t that be delightful?


    One long tube was kept in the castle; three short tubes, of which Liszt carried one with him, Marcus¡¯s Knight Squad received one, and Karl¡¯s Patrol Team got one.


    With that, the distribution was complete.


    Liszt had originally planned to retain the crystal craftsman Brad with a high salary, but the latter refused without hesitation¡ªFresh Flower Town was indeed booming, but compared to Coral City, the difference was still vast and could not attract these freemen artisans of good social standing.


    The same was true for Isaiah¡¯s family.


    Isaiah¡¯s family had visited Fresh Flower Town to see him, but when Isaiah urged them to stay, they refused without hesitation¡ªhis son even bluntly said, ¡°What a joke, there isn¡¯t even a brothel here!¡±


    Goltai¡¯s family also visited Fresh Flower Town, stayed for two days, and then left.


    Being nobles, their children and grandchildren were living a decent life and had no desire to reside in the countryside. His wife did plan to settle in Fresh Flower Town, but Goltai refused, with a lofty reason that Fresh Flower Town was too barren and he did not want his wife to suffer.


    In reality, he was afraid she might discover the existence of Freya¡ªFreya¡¯s belly was already swelling.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, I heard that you¡¯ve invented a telescope that can see great distances?¡± Captain Kostor, upon hearing the news, hurriedly came to the castle. ¡°I wonder if the Fresh Flower Vessel could be equipped with a telescope? We need excellent visibility at sea, and a telescope would be of great help to us.¡±


    A very reasonable request.


    Liszt was somewhat torn. The telescope suitable for navigation was probably this one long-tube ¡°Liszt Telescope¡± in the castle, but this was his equipment for exploring the universe.


    After thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°Captain Kostor, you go back and train your sailor apprentices first. The lumberjack team will soon clear the path to the dock, and Fresh Flower Town¡¯s own dock is about to be established. You can familiarize yourself with the surroundings of the dock first. As for the telescope, there will be one.¡±


    Sending Kostor away,


    Liszt, with a bit of heartache, took out a crystal and handed it to Thomas, ¡°When the Fresh Flower Town transport team returns, give it to the person in charge. Tell him to ask Brad the crystal craftsman to carve two sets of 3 and 17 lenses.¡± Lenses number 3 and 17 were the types used to assemble the long tube.


    To Liszt, the matter of the telescope was more like a playful hobby.


    After figuring it out and playing with it for a while, he actually lost interest in telescopes¡ªhe could not discern any secrets of the universe¡¯s movement from constantly observing the moon and stars.


    So,


    He took Douson out to inspect the work of the lumberjack team, taking it as an opportunity to relax.


    North of the dairy farm, a vast area of thorn bushes, this was a region covered by Thorn Cordyceps. In addition to the regular thorns, the predominant type was the rapid growth variety¡ªincluding the Rapid Growth Poison Thorn and Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn¡ªwhether the Thorn Bug chain task would have a follow-up was uncertain.


    The thorny bush stretched northeast to where the lumberjack team was working.


    The site was bustling with activity.


    Smoke billowed.


    Countless serfs were sweating as they cut down large trees. Some wielded axes to chop through trunks, others sawed off branches with saws, some hacked at leaves with machetes, and still, others piled up the trunks and branches, then carried away the leaves to burn on the spot.


    The burning of piles of debris served not only to intimidate wild beasts and magical beasts but also to accumulate ash for future use as compost when cultivating wasteland.


    Clerks and patrol members constantly weaved through the serfs, frequently scolding and cursing them in order to urge them to work diligently. Goltai, Isaiah, Blair, and Karl each commanded a large group of serfs, maintaining order at the site. Marcus, leading the Knight Squad, patrolled the perimeter seriously.


    Upon seeing Liszt¡¯s arrival, Goltai hurried over, ¡°Lord Landlord, good afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon, Teacher Goltai,¡± Liszt greeted, ¡°A quarter of the town¡¯s population must be here chopping trees. How long do you think it will take to clear all the trees in Thorn Ridge?¡±


    ¡°If we had enough tools, we would only need twenty days, no, perhaps only two weeks. But we¡¯re short on tools, Lord Landlord. Many people are sharing one axe, one saw, one machete. It¡¯s terribly inefficient. Even though the serfs are enthusiastic in responding to your call, they¡¯re still not able to work to their full potential.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already instructed the Fresh Flower Caravan to purchase tools from various cities. Ironware is too expensive, bone utensils too fragile¡­ I hope my father can plunder a batch of iron ore; otherwise, Coral Island¡¯s lack of iron will remain unresolved.¡±


    Without metal, without gemstones, even the number of elves was sparse.


    One of the reasons nobles were keen on contending for the mainland, rather than peacefully staying on their islands, was oftentimes out of necessity. If they had the foresight of a prophet, perhaps they would develop technology to make up for this shortfall, but they didn¡¯t, so plundering resources from the mainland to compensate was their only solution.


    Why had the Eagle Kingdom been repeatedly harassed by the Sapphire Kingdom? Because they had the White Maw Iron Dragon, capable of producing a large amount of iron ore.


    Iron is perhaps the most utilitarian metal of all.


    As such, as soon as the Steel Ridge Kingdom called for warfare, the Sapphire Duke instantly issued the Pioneer Mandate, and the nobles swarmed forth¡ªburn everything, kill everything, loot everything.


    Occasionally, Liszt would think, ¡°Why do I always feel that the Duchy of Sapphire is like the pirates of a Different World?¡±


    They took advantage of having established a nation overseas, with a developed fleet, to brazenly attack kingdoms on the mainland, seizing and fleeing. They repeated this script yearly, quite contentedly. Although not very technical, it still succeeded each year, and the Earl had been to the mainland countless times.


    Bit by bit, they accumulated such a substantial heritage for Coral Island.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, because of the lumbering job, the construction of the town and the roadworks have temporarily ceased. Autumn harvest is approaching, and we may be short on workers in Barley Hamlet and Little Wheat Village.¡±


    ¡°Once we determine the harvesting date, we can assign workers to go back, there¡¯s no hurry,¡± Liszt suddenly thought of something and glanced at Goltai, ¡°Teacher Goltai, how long have you been with me in Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    Goltai was startled, then replied, ¡°Lord Landlord, you were bestowed the Baron of Fresh Flower Town on March 9th, we set off the next day, and we arrived in Fresh Flower Town that same afternoon. Today is September 23rd, which means it has been six months and two weeks.¡±


    ¡°Six and a half months, time flies.¡±


    ¡°But today¡¯s Fresh Flower Town is absolutely not the same as it was six months ago; it radiates vigorous vitality everywhere.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I am very satisfied with the development of Fresh Flower Town,¡± Liszt, riding his Li Dragon Horse, walked slowly through the world unfolding before him, now a part of him, ¡°The change in thinking pleases me the most, Teacher Goltai. Six months ago, you used to clamor for alcohol all day, now you know to finish work before drinking, even delaying your drink for work.¡±


    Goltai gave an embarrassed smile, ¡°As one grows older, a person tends to slack off. Fortunately, I came to Fresh Flower Town, where I found the confidence and drive of my youth once again.¡±


    ¡°I am glad to see these changes in you.¡±


    Liszt looked into the distance and said, ¡°In a few days, a group of five hundred serfs will arrive, and I need you to prepare a placement plan. It¡¯s not just a matter of arranging for the serfs individually but requires an overall coordination, a blueprint for the future of Fresh Flower Town¡ªas an advisor.¡±


    Upon hearing the word ¡°advisor.¡±


    Goltai¡¯s pupils suddenly widened.

 Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 134: The New Consultant of Fresh Flower Town

    Chapter 134: Chapter 134: The New Consultant of Fresh Flower Town


    The Duchy of Sapphire follows the system of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    Knights are led by the Knight Commander, while officials are headed by consultants.


    As Liszt¡¯s family tutor, Goltai, after the implementation of the Feudal system, was designated by the Earl to accompany Liszt to Fresh Flower Town, what he sought was the position of consultant.


    After all, no matter how nicely one puts it, a family tutor can¡¯t change the fact that he is part of the servitude.


    Marcus was the same, also a family tutor, yet still a Retainer Knight in status, belonging to the servant hierarchy. Even Goltai himself was a noble, although the lowest-level Honored Knight, while he was not even a noble, just one of the better-off among the commoners.


    ¡°Lord, are you going to appoint me as the consultant of Fresh Flower Town?¡± Goltai was still a bit incredulous. Having been there for half a year, Liszt had never mentioned the role of a consultant, and he had almost given up hope.


    Unexpectedly, fortune fell from the sky, and without warning, he was appointed as a consultant.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Teacher Goltai, do you not wish to take up the position?¡±


    ¡°Willing, of course, I¡¯m willing, how could I not be, haha.¡± Goltai was invigorated, his face abloom with joy, ¡°I am always ready to serve you, my Lord. I will take part hands-on in governing Fresh Flower Town and will definitely live up to the responsibilities of a consultant without any slack.¡±


    Liszt said, ¡°I have been observing your recent work attitude. You are my family tutor, and I trust you. Fresh Flower Town is my only fief, and it is also the foundation for my quest for honor. Its importance goes without saying, and I hope you will take it seriously.¡±


    Goltai put away his bright smile, placed his left hand over his chest, and performed a solemn Knight¡¯s salute, ¡°As you wish!¡±


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town is in your hands now, my consultant.¡±


    ¡°I am honored to serve you, my Lord!¡±


    There was no grand appointment ceremony; Fresh Flower Town was just a small rural town, and thus simply and plainly, a consultant, akin to the head of the town, was chosen.


    Strictly speaking, a consultant was only slightly more prestigious than an Administrative Officer, and Goltai¡¯s actual power had not increased much¡ªconsultants could appoint town officials, which might sound powerful, but the Castle was just next door, and no official¡¯s appointment could possibly avoid Liszt¡¯s notice.


    However, his income had greatly increased.


    His former salary of ten copper coins a day had risen to twenty. His income increased, and he could buy lots more fine wine or some furniture for his little family with Freya.


    ¡°Congratulations, Consultant Goltai!¡± Isaiah and the others congratulated Goltai one after another.


    Goltai was full of pride, his laughter incessant, ¡°For Baron Liszt, for the favor of Knight¡¯s honor, and for the future of us all, let us together build Fresh Flower Town into a more prosperous and wealthy place!¡±


    A man revived by good news has a spirited glow.


    Goltai, now a consultant, threw himself into his work with boundless enthusiasm for the next two days. In addition to managing specific affairs, he did not forget Liszt¡¯s instructions and made a comprehensive plan for the future of Fresh Flower Town. For this, he made a request during the evening banquet.


    ¡°My Lord, I¡¯m planning to conduct another census of the town, no, it should be called a town¡¯s resources survey. First, we should calculate the acreage of farmland, properly plan the agricultural structure of Fresh Flower Town, so that, when the five hundred serfs arrive, we can quickly arrange for them to farm. Secondly, we¡¯ll investigate the trade situation of the caravans and organize craftspeople to run their shops rationally.¡±


    Waving his little fork, he spoke passionately without concern for noble etiquette, ¡°The caravans passing through our town are growing in number. The Fresh Flower Caravan and the Thorn Caravan can sell our town¡¯s produce outwards. Our business district will soon flourish, bringing a great many Gold Coins to the Castle!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good line of thinking, Consultant Goltai. Make this plan more detailed and then submit it to me for review.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡±


    Outside the town office.


    Kostor was pacing back and forth, occasionally greeted by passing civilians whom he responded to one by one. Now, Kostor was a town celebrity, not because he had been the first captain of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s first vessel, the Fresh Flower Vessel, but because of his tireless quest for knowledge.


    He had tried to recruit nearly every young son of the households: ¡°Young man, you¡¯ve got spirit, come learn to sail with me!¡±


    Even the young bachelors were approached: ¡°There are more men than women in Fresh Flower Town, you won¡¯t find a wife here. Better to learn to sail with me; there¡¯s a world full of women out there. One voyage, and you could land a hard-working, big-bottomed woman to bear you many sons.¡±


    Most people just sneered at Kostor¡¯s recruiting efforts.


    The ¡°continental mindset¡± brought by the nobles had given the narrow-minded civilians a natural fear and ignorance of the sea.


    So, after countless rejections, Kostor had managed to recruit only ten bachelors and twelve young men to learn sailing with him, becoming Sailor Apprentices. And this was free education; if he charged tuition, probably no one would come, and he¡¯d have to subsidize their lunches from time to time.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the Lord Landlord¡¯s fixed payment for the Teaching Knight Squad¡¯s salaries, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to recruit even one apprentice.


    His yearning for the sea stopped Kostor from feeling discouraged; he remained enthusiastic, training these Sailor Apprentices of various ages.


    But for the past couple of days, not a single Sailor Apprentice had turned up.


    Kostor was becoming frustrated.


    Clip-clop-clip-clop.


    The sound of horseshoes on the gravel road rang clearly.


    He immediately went to meet him; the town¡¯s consultant was back: ¡°Consultant Gao Ertai!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Captain Kostor, what can I do for you?¡± Goltai looked travel-worn, his face turned somewhat purple from the sun¡¯s exposure.


    ¡°My apprentices have all gone to chop wood, Consultant Gao Ertai, they need to study sailing, not to be diverted to irrelevant tasks like chopping wood.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Kostor, but chopping wood is not irrelevant. It¡¯s an order directly from the Lord Landlord, vital for the future development of Fresh Flower Town. Your sailing business, it can wait a few days, especially since you don¡¯t need to set out to sea. Consider it a vacation for yourself¡ªI wish I had time for one.¡±


    Goltai didn¡¯t take Kostor seriously, wanting only to send him away¡ªthe town has enough trouble farming, let alone having spare time for sailing.


    However, he underestimated Kostor¡¯s determination. Once Kostor mentioned that ¡°the Lord Landlord hopes to develop the sailing business,¡± he stuck to Goltai relentlessly, following him everywhere, even if Goltai went home. Pressured, Goltai finally agreed to a compromise.


    ¡°I can let you take back the twelve young Sailor Apprentices to continue their training with you, but the adult apprentices must chop wood.¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡± Kostor responded eagerly, satisfied to have secured the twelve young apprentices.


    ¡°One more thing, the youngsters will help at the chopping site, earning two copper coins every two days. You will have to cover this loss.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, I don¡¯t have the money!¡±


    ¡°Would you have the youngsters earn nothing then? Their parents will have a word with you about that, Kostor.¡±


    ¡°The sailing business is for the glory of the Lord Landlord; should the town stand by and watch? The town should pay for this!¡±


    After a fresh bout of stubborn haggling, Goltai finally promised that during the woodcutting campaign, the apprentices¡¯ lost wages would be subsidized by the town.


    Only then did Kostor board the Fresh Flower Vessel contentedly.


    Facing the twelve apprentices, he called out loudly, ¡°At high tide, the Fresh Flower Vessel will sail towards the docks of our future. For the next few days, we will spend our time around the docks!¡±

 Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 0135: Kostor’s Carrot and Stick Approach

    Chapter 135: Chapter 0135: Kostor¡¯s Carrot and Stick Approach


    ¡°Ready¡­ all ready¡­ tack with the wind!¡±


    ¡°Tighten the braces!¡±


    ¡°Keep downwind, heading downwind!¡±


    ¡°Prepare to lower the sails!¡±


    ¡°Oar room, row on the port side!¡±


    ¡°Raise the fore-and-aft sail!¡±


    The waves gently undulated across the sea as the Fresh Flower Vessel slowly sailed with the current, intermittently stopping, circling, or turning. Captain Kostor¡¯s voice, with the effect of a loudspeaker, continuously rang out over the entire ship, issuing various commands. Twelve sailors busied themselves in a frenzy, controlling the large ship.


    Considering the size and tonnage of the Fresh Flower Vessel, twelve sailors were simply not enough to operate it; the full complement was thirty sailors.


    The tasks meant for thirty people were being carried out by merely twelve youths, all novices at that, so the pressure was imaginable. Consequently, the ship¡¯s voyage was intermittent, never able to smoothly head towards the target.


    But regardless.


    Under the command and instruction of Kostor, the Fresh Flower Vessel still managed to sail north, bumpily along the coastline, towards the dock area. Half a day later, the instructional voyage successfully reached its destination.


    This was a rocky beach.


    The Fresh Flower Vessel moored briefly in the bay for a lunch break, while also taking the opportunity to train the sailors in swimming lessons.


    ¡°The coast is not as people say, with sea monsters eating humans; this is not the habitat of sea monsters! Sea monsters live in the deep sea, and coastal voyages hardly ever encounter them¡­ Of course, with bad luck, even sunbathing on the shore could end with a sea monster crawling over to devour you.¡±


    Kostor tried to dispel the Sailor Apprentices¡¯ fear of deep waters, but his rhetoric was clearly inadequate, making them even more afraid to enter the water.


    Swimming at the beach could cause them half a day¡¯s nervousness, let alone this Deepwater Bay.


    ¡°Captain, we already know how to swim,¡± a Sailor Apprentice said softly in defense.


    ¡°Is deep water the same as shallow water? Absolutely not, you need to overcome your fear of the azure seawater; it could save your lives at a critical moment!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? We are on the ship; we would definitely not run into the water for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Idiots! While sailing on the ocean, sea waves often sweep sailors overboard into the sea. If you can¡¯t swim, you won¡¯t even have the time to wait for rescue!¡±


    ¡°But, captain, I am just here to be a Sailor Apprentice, I have no plans to go out to sea.¡±


    ¡°You have no such plans, then why are you learning to sail? Do you think I, Kostor, am easy to fool?!¡± Kostor suddenly became furious, pointing at the Sailor Apprentice¡¯s nose and bellowing, ¡°I am appointed by Lord Landlord as the captain of the Fresh Flower Vessel, and in the future, I will sail out to trade for the Lord Landlord. You are the first batch of sailors! You might fool me, but do you dare fool the Lord Landlord?¡±


    The Sailor Apprentices nodded timidly in agreement.


    They felt as though they had boarded a pirate ship.


    Kostor also gave up on trying to persuade them with kind words, and instead threatened them directly, ¡°I have been given full authority by the Lord Landlord to be responsible for all maritime affairs, and the Lord Advisor of Fresh Flower Town must cooperate with me. Remember, anyone who dares to evade or disobey my commands, I will hand you over to Lord Karl¡¯s Patrol Team!¡±


    Hearing the name of the Patrol Team, the youths became even more frightened.


    The Lord Landlord was indeed noble and untouchable, but it was said he was the embodiment of kindness, so they were not afraid, only awestruck. However, the Patrol Team had an illustrious reputation for fierceness¡ªLiszt always wanted to build the Patrol Team to be a police station with the motto ¡°police and citizens as one family,¡± but it was hopeless.


    The existence of physical punishments like flogging ensured that fear was inevitable.


    Karl was meticulous in enforcing the regulations, repaying the Lord Landlord¡¯s trust by lashing at any commoner who made a mistake.


    No mercy was shown with the whip.


    Thus, mention of the Patrol Team made people change color with fear.


    Seeing the expressions on the boys¡¯ faces, Kostor was quite pleased. Having swung the big stick, he now began to dangle the carrot, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of the sea. The sea and the land are the same. We can farm on land, so we can sail on the sea. Going out to sea is the best decision you¡¯ve ever made. Beyond the sea lies endless wealth, and women with huge chests and even bigger butts!¡±


    ¡°Really¡­ are there really women with big butts?¡± a boy overcame his fear and swallowed hard.


    ¡°Of course. I once visited an island that had just ended a war, where women stood in lines, and everyone could take their pick. I chose a woman with the biggest butt¡­¡± Kostor said, reminiscing.


    ¡°And then what, Captain?¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Captain, what happened next with that big-bottomed woman?¡±


    ¡°Later,¡± Kostor licked his lips, ¡°I gave her three copper coins when in fact, two would¡¯ve been enough for a comfortable night. But I gave her one extra copper coin. Those towering peaks provided an unparalleled experience. I swear they could bury your head inside and suffocate you!¡±


    Kostor gestured a large circle with his hands.


    A very large circle.


    So large that it left the boys speechless.


    Gulp.


    Gulp.


    The boys swallowed hard, one after another.


    ¡°Alright, break¡¯s over. Time for lessons, lads! If you want a woman with surging waves, then learn well following my instructions. Once you become qualified sailors, you too can spend two copper coins for a marvellous night! Now, jump into the water, swim!¡±


    The boys suddenly overcame their fear.


    They rushed into the sea, crying out excitedly.


    Kostor took a wooden flask out of his bosom, uncorked it, and savored a sip¡ªhe knew what these boys wanted, after all, he¡¯d been young once too.


    After a sip of liquor, he returned to the captain¡¯s quarters and carefully took out a one-meter-long cylinder from a chest¡ªthis was the telescope that Lord Landlord had sent via a servant yesterday, fitting out the Fresh Flower Vessel with his very own telescope. It was this telescope that informed him of Lord Landlord¡¯s view on sailing!


    ¡°He craves the sea more than any Noble!¡± Kostor felt his future was bright; a Noble who longed for the sea would undoubtedly support his voyage.


    It was also for this reason that he had the confidence to go to the administration office and nag Lord Advisor Goltai relentlessly to reap benefits.


    Cradling the telescope, he walked onto the deck.


    The swaying deck was, to him, steadier than land. He lifted the telescope to his eyes and began to look into the distance, where everything afar seemed to suddenly appear before him.


    It was an amazing transformation, incredibly astonishing.


    ¡°Only such an exalted Noble as Lord Landlord could craft such a miraculous item!¡±


    He observed the distant sea surface for a while, the thick smoke from Thorn Ridge, a few sea birds walking on the rocky beach, and then the sheer cliffs of the rocky mountains on the shore.


    Suddenly.


    His brow furrowed slightly as he noticed what appeared to be a cave on a cliff face washed by the sea at the rocky mountains, ¡°A cave? The cliffs here aren¡¯t high, could they have caves? Is that a rock cave? I seemed to have seen a sea bird flying out just now; could there be Sea Swallows?¡±


    Sea Swallows are a type of gull that builds nests on seaside cliffs, and their eggs are highly sought after by Nobles.


    To the extent that some Nobles would specifically send Serfs to risk their lives to collect Sea Swallow Eggs.


    ¡°Sea Swallow Eggs are an indispensable delicacy on the Noble¡¯s table. If I discover a collective nesting place for Sea Swallows and offer it to Lord Landlord, he will surely be delighted, then reward me handsomely!¡± he felt the excitement growing, ¡°With that, I¡¯ll have the money to attract more Sailor Apprentices!¡±

 Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 0136: Simultaneously Releasing Two Rock Spikes

    Chapter 136: Chapter 0136: Simultaneously Releasing Two Rock Spikes


    For the sake of the Sea Swallow Eggs.


    After Captain Kostor and the other young men completed their swimming lessons, they immediately set sail, steering the Fresh Flower Vessel unsteadily towards the cave. As they approached the cave, which was not far away, they could clearly see its appearance¡ªit was not very big, as the mountain ridge was not high, and the flat entrance of the cave resembled a large mouth.


    The inside wasn¡¯t deep either; they could see clearly into the cave with just a glance.


    Especially since Captain Kostor was using a telescope, his view was even clearer, ¡°Oh, my God! There are bones!¡± He saw several decaying human skeletons lying inside, as well as various tattered items, and even the wreckage of a small boat.


    ¡°Drop anchor!¡±


    ¡°Launch the canoe!¡±


    He shouted, preparing to disembark in the canoe to get a closer look at what exactly was inside the cave.


    The Castle.


    The nearby Dragon Kui Fields.


    Liszt was inspecting his Dragon Hollyhocks.


    ¡°It¡¯s about to be born, Mr. Carter, my ninth Elf Bug,¡± he said, caressing the soon-to-bloom large flower bud, using the Eye of Magic to see clearly. A pale blue magic power was converging from all around the Dragon Hollyhock¡¯s branches and leaves towards the special flower bud, nurturing the Dragon Kui Elf Bug.


    ¡°It is indeed a knight¡¯s glory that watches over us! We all thought it wouldn¡¯t survive, but it has stubbornly held on. My lord, Mr. Goltai says you are the Son of Glory, and I firmly believe that. It¡¯s your glory that has shone upon the Dragon Kui Elf Bug!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, I am indeed very lucky.¡±


    The title of Son of Glory, like ¡°Descend of the star of literature¡± from his hometown on Earth, was a descriptive honorific. Liszt didn¡¯t know if he was the Son of Glory or the son of something else, but the Smoke Mission had brought him luck far beyond the average person, which probably qualified as the ¡°knight¡¯s glory that watches over us.¡±


    He didn¡¯t dwell on this point.


    He simply ordered, ¡°Make sure to check on it often, and notify me immediately once the Dragon Kui Bug is born.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, aside from nighttime, a manservant from the Castle will come check on the Dragon Kui every hour,¡± Carter replied.


    ¡°That reminds me, is it time to water the Earth Matron?¡±


    ¡°It was nearly one o¡¯clock in the afternoon when we set off, now it indeed is time for watering,¡± Carter responded.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s head back.¡±


    Returning to the Castle, Liszt led Douson along with the servants to begin the watering.


    The Fierce Earth Dog, named Earth Matron, now had a specially made iron cage located about 500 meters from the Castle. Centered on the cage, a foundation was being dug twenty meters around, with plans to build a three-meter-high wall. The top of the wall would have inclined shields installed to prevent Earth Matron from escaping.


    However, the Earth Matron hadn¡¯t eaten for three days.


    Liszt waited to be present to oversee the situation, instructing the servants to give it a little water to prevent it from dying of thirst.


    ¡°Woo!¡±


    Seeing someone approach, the Earth Matron lying on the ground weakly got up, glaring fiercely at Liszt and his party. Its violent temper was clearly unmitigated.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Douson sprinted over, circling the iron cage and wagging his tail enthusiastically, barking at the Earth Matron.


    Earth Matron, however, had no affection for Douson, turning its head to glare at Douson and continuing to emit low, threatening growls.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t the feeding device arrived yet?¡± Liszt glanced at the cage and asked Thomas, who was following behind, ¡°The posts aren¡¯t even in place yet, the work is too slow.¡±


    The feeding device was a special contraption designed for the Earth Matron¡¯s feedings.


    After all, the Earth Matron was not like Douson, it could become violent and injure someone at any moment. To prevent this, they kept it caged. But it still needed to be fed ¨C they couldn¡¯t really let it starve. Hence, they designed a set feeding device, which allowed them to feed the Earth Matron from outside the wall using a system of ropes that slid food into the cage.


    At the same time, the cage was movable. Once there was a significant accumulation of feces, they would drag the cage, along with the Earth Matron away. After cleaning the ground, they would pull it back into place.


    It sounds complicated.


    But in reality, it¡¯s quite simple; just a basic application of a few ropes.


    In order to design his future army of Fierce Earth Dogs, Liszt put in a lot of effort.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have any magic power left. The fact is, even Magical Beasts can¡¯t gather magic power when they are starving,¡± thought Liszt.


    A Magical Beast¡¯s magic power is half produced by its body and half absorbed from the outside.


    But when starving, not only can the body not produce magic power, it also lacks the strength to absorb it from the surroundings, rendering it completely useless¡ªthus highlighting the importance of nutrition for training.


    ¡°Thomas, give it water.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± said Thomas carefully carrying the bucket of water to the side of the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s iron cage, his movements shaky even though he had done this a few times before.


    ¡°Woo-woo!¡±


    The Earth Matron roared at him with increased volume in its deep growl.


    Thomas¡¯s hands trembled violently, spilling half of the water he scooped up. When he tried to pour the water into the cage, the Earth Matron stuck its head out again, and all the water ended up spilling.


    He lowered his head and hurriedly apologized: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master.¡±


    ¡°Keep feeding it. The Earth Matron can no longer cast magic; it¡¯s now equivalent to a wild dog. Remember that,¡± said Liszt.


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    The second time, with preparation, Thomas finally managed to pour the water into the basin. After the Earth Matron roared for a while and saw that it couldn¡¯t scare Thomas, it began to drink.


    After the Earth Matron finished drinking, Douson was already anxiously circling outside.


    It had acquired a taste for it.


    Liszt cleared his throat and said, ¡°Thomas, bring over that iron cage.¡± Two cages were prepared: one for the Earth Matron to live in, and one to hold Douson.


    In fear of the Earth Matron escaping, the cages would be connected together before opening their doors.


    Since the process had been done once the day before, Douson cooperated and crawled into the smaller cage, which Thomas and other servants pushed to the front of the larger cage¡¯s door. The iron door of the cage was pulled out, and the two cages were connected. Douson quickly darted in and pounced on the Earth Matron, starting to violently thrust.


    The Earth Matron, having starved for three days, was truly unable to resist.


    Half an hour later, it was all over.


    The Earth Matron lay in the cage, its dog eyes half-closed, dully looking at the sky divided into sections by the bars, clouds drifting freely in the distance.


    On the other hand,


    Douson was full of energy, carefree and frolicking in the horse field, getting it on every day, utterly blissful.


    Its body grew stronger, a strength that could be felt every day. The muscles were no longer as swollen as they were at first, slowly reverting to the normal physique of a Fierce Earth Dog, a slightly overweight streamline form. But its current body length and height had clearly surpassed that of a grown tiger.


    Its magic power was also on the rise, now able to cast Rock Spike forty-five times a day.


    Liszt became increasingly convinced that Douson might indeed have a chance to evolve into an Intermediate Magical Beast. Thus, he improved its diet, almost exclusively feeding it Magical Beast Meat¡ªthis was akin to feeding Douson gold coins, as its daily intake surpassed that of seven Liszts combined.


    ¡°A diet costing at least one Gold Coin per day, Douson, you must not let me down,¡± Liszt murmured to himself, then gave an order, ¡°Douson, cast magic!¡±


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    As it ran, Douson let out an instinctive bark and simultaneously cast magic.


    Pfft! Pfft!


    Two Rock Spikes shot up from the ground in front of it.


    ¡°Hm? Two Rock Spikes released at the same time?¡± Surprised by the sight, Liszt noted that simultaneously casting two spells was equivalent to a brand-new type of magic.


    Only Intermediate Magical Beasts are capable of casting multiple spells!


    Before Liszt could snap out of his surprise, Butler Carter¡¯s voice came from behind him: ¡°Master, Captain Kostor requests to see you. He says he has found a treasure in a cave near the docks.¡±

 Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Galloper Island Discovered by the Rat

    Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Galloper Island Discovered by the Rat


    ¡°A treasure?¡±


    Liszt got excited as soon as he heard it.


    He immediately called over Kostor, who was waiting in the castle, ¡°What kind of treasure is it?¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, it¡¯s a sailing route to an island. During the trial voyage of the Fresh Flower Vessel, I discovered a cave not far from the dock, which contained human skeletons. Upon examination, it was found that they were horse traders who had become trapped in the cave and died. Before their deaths, they left the location of their horse trading¡ªit¡¯s on that island!¡±


    Horse traders?


    Liszt quickly associated this with the Smoke Mission¡ªthe tracks of the Li Dragon Horse Herd.


    He abandoned his plans to continue researching the new magic cast by Douson and immediately said, ¡°Take me to the cave, I want to investigate personally!¡± As he prepared to depart, he took the opportunity to summon the Smoke Mission and discovered that it had undergone changes.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: tracks of the Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡±


    ¡°Mission: The Magical Beasts have been completely exterminated, Fresh Flower Town has never been safer. As the landlord, it is time to make a big move for Fresh Flower Town to achieve leapfrog development, what does it matter if the environment is destroyed, please level the Thorn Forest. Reward: Mutated Thorn variant.¡±


    The Magical Beasts were completely exterminated.


    The Thorn Bug chain mission also resumed.


    Liszt felt that today was truly a day of celebration, only lacking magpies chattering on the branches. And soon enough, he understood how the mission was completed¡ªRetainer Knight Sean, bringing a dead Shadow Snake to the castle. The Shadow Snake had killed three serfs.


    ¡°The lumberjack site was in chaos for a while, but under the suppression of Teacher Marcus, Consultant Gao Ertai and other nobles, the serfs were put back to work in lumbering,¡± Sean reported the scene at that time.


    The burning bonfires did not scare the Shadow Snake away.


    It attacked three serfs in succession and was ultimately killed by Marcus with a bow and arrow. Afterwards, the serfs were thrown into panic, and although they were suppressed, their work efficiency inevitably wavered.


    ¡°Sean, tell Teacher Marcus to continue to strengthen the protection of the lumberjack team.¡± Although the Magical Beasts had been exterminated, Liszt could not clearly tell others, so he could only continue to reinforce protection, ¡°Also, tell Consultant Gao Ertai to give ten silver coins to each family of the deceased serfs.¡±


    At that moment, silver coins were the best way to console them and the best way to encourage the serfs to work hard¡ªthey were more persuasive than any threat or words of encouragement.


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Sean took the order and left.


    Liszt put on his Magical Beast Leather Helmet and armor, accompanied by his personal servant Thomas and Rom Barrel, who had been notified to come as a retainer¡ªafter all, the landlord could not go out without retainers.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, actually you can also reach the cave by land, but it requires crossing over mountains and climbing a steep cliff. Taking the Fresh Flower Vessel is the most convenient option,¡± Kostor said as he bowed to Liszt, starting to command the launch of the Fresh Flower Vessel.


    Raising the anchor, rowing, hoisting the sails.


    Changing direction, they sailed slowly on the sea. With the experience of a previous voyage, the young sailors performed quite well. They greatly increased their previous travel speed, reaching the vicinity of the cave in about twenty minutes. They put down a canoe, and Kostor led Liszt and the others into the cave.


    The cave was very damp, almost level with the rising tide of the sea surface, so it was occasionally pushed in by the seawater.


    But deeper inside, it was dry.


    It was now the afternoon, with the sun already behind the mountains, so the light no longer shone inside, making the cave seem somewhat dark. Thomas lit the prepared wax candle lanterns early, adding brightness to the cave.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, here¡¯s the wreckage of a small boat. Looking at its design, it seems to be a tender carried by a large ship. Washed repeatedly by the seawater, only a little bit of the wood is left,¡± Kostor said, as he turned the boat wreck over, and the wreck fell apart, scattering the wood chips on the ground.


    Then, he walked to a few skeletons: ¡°Three sets of human skeletons in total. I¡¯ve checked them, and they are relatively intact, without losing too many bones. They had weapons with them, bone swords. The bones are very hard, but not in the shape of a Knight¡¯s Sword, so they should be a group of rats.¡±


    Knights, as the name implies, were mounted warriors.


    Knights were the main force in warfare, a component of the army; wars between landlords were essentially charges between knights. However, not all who practiced Dou Qi chose to become a knight¡ªknighthood was a product of the nobility system, and there were still some who chose to remain outside this system.


    These people were smugglers, outcasts, members of a despicable class.


    They did not obey the rule of the landlords, did not engage in production, were free and loose, and took part in professions that went against the nobility system¡ªthieving, robbery, smuggling, pimping, or accepting employment for assassination, slave trading, and so on.


    These people were naturally referred to as¡ªrats.


    But they called themselves¡ªrangers.


    ¡°Rats, huh.¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t particularly moved; he was no stranger to rats, as he often had to work with them when he and Levis were involved in slave trading.


    The nobility reviled and belittled these people as rats, but that didn¡¯t stop them from cooperating with rats. After all, there were many dirty deeds that nobles couldn¡¯t undertake personally, so they needed the rats to do it for them. The pirates that roamed the Duchy of Sapphire were also considered rats¡ªessentially disguised nobles.


    Or one could say.


    Rats were just another skin of the nobles¡ªordinary people couldn¡¯t afford the nutrition needed to practice Dou Qi, only nobles could breed rats.


    Liszt believed that the Tulip Family also had their own rats.


    Being the second son of an earl, he simply wasn¡¯t privy to that information.


    ¡°Is there anything else preserved that shows their identity?¡± Liszt picked up a bone sword and asked.


    This bone sword should have been forged from the skeleton of a magical beast, with a more curved shape, vastly different from the long, straight knight¡¯s sword, and was more suitable for close-quarter combat.


    Due to long-term natural corrosion, the bone sword no longer had any traces of magic power.


    ¡°Their clothes and bundles have all rotted away. The moisture here is too great; nothing could be preserved. Only these serpent scripts etched into the cave walls have survived,¡± Kostor pointed to the walls of the cave and said.


    Thomas brought the candle lantern up close.


    Illuminated the serpent script on the cave wall.


    The script was blurred, divided into two major segments, with only parts recognizable.


    ¡°I am heavily injured, close to death, Sweet¡­ as a traitor¡­ a mole, the Green Light¡­ attempted to scuttle¡­ they took away the galloper, but he underestimated me¡­ I killed him. Can¡¯t make it out of here¡­ cliffs are too steep, the horse¡­ the message on its back, you might still come in time.¡±


    ¡°Galloper¡­ Island¡­ nautical chart¡­ my family, tell Morrie, I love her Casper of the Iron¡­ .¡±


    The  represents the individual serpent characters that are unclear, while the ¡°¡­¡± indicates entire segments of the script that are illegible.


    With some guessing and deduction, one could barely make out the content of these two passages.


    After pondering momentarily, Liszt understood the gist¡ªthere was a mole among the horse merchants, seemingly called Sweet, who scuttled a large ship intending to take the gallopers. Casper turned the tables and killed him, but Casper got severely injured, and before dying, he sent the horse away with a tied message on its back.


    Then he left a nautical chart.


    Considering the rewards from the Smoke Mission, Liszt realized, ¡°Clearly, these rats discovered the island where the Li Dragon Horse Herd lived. They must have been rats working for the Tulip Family¡­ My Li Dragon Horse is that galloper sent away by Casper!¡±


    With this realization, his gaze couldn¡¯t help but turn to the nautical chart next to the serpent script.


    The carvings on the nautical chart were very deep, obviously, Casper had applied a great deal of force while inscribing it. Even as the serpent script nearby was nearly eroded beyond recognition, the nautical chart remained clear.

 Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 0138: Black Horse Island Fiefdom Conquest

    Chapter 138: Chapter 0138: Black Horse Island Fiefdom Conquest


    Understood the significance of the treasure.


    Liszt suppressed his excitement and asked calmly, ¡°Captain Kostor, can you understand this nautical chart?¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, this nautical chart is a standard one and there are no overly complicated contents. It seems that the rat himself was not proficient in navigation, so I can fully understand the routes on the chart,¡± Kostor said confidently. The twisted, abstract, and bizarre symbols on the nautical chart posed no challenge to him.


    ¡°So, is the island where the galloper horses live far from Coral Island?¡±


    ¡°Judging from the nautical chart, the island is about one hundred and thirty kilometers north of Coral Island. With the Fresh Flower Vessel¡¯s speed of 5 knots, it would take approximately fourteen hours to reach Galloper Island, barring currents and storms,¡± Kostor calculated, using his fingers before replying.


    Liszt¡¯s math was not bad.


    From Kostor¡¯s explanation, Liszt estimated roughly that one knot was less than two kilometers per hour, making the Fresh Flower Vessel¡¯s speed about nine kilometers per hour.


    That¡¯s even slower than the speed of riding a bicycle.


    He vaguely remembered that the narrowest point of the Taiwan Strait was only one hundred and thirty-five kilometers wide. This meant that the distance between Coral Island and Galloper Island was the width of the Taiwan Strait.


    ¡°Captain Kostor, when can the Fresh Flower Vessel set sail for Galloper Island?¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, if it¡¯s just about setting sail, the sailor apprentices are already competent enough, as Galloper Island isn¡¯t that far and falls within the coastal navigation range. However, the sailors lack experience and would be helpless in the event of a storm, which makes the likelihood of an accident quite high.¡±


    ¡°How soon can we set sail if we train intensively?¡±


    ¡°If Lord Landlord allows me to recruit thirty sailor apprentices and we train every day without fail, within a month, I can make the Fresh Flower Vessel sail to Galloper Island!¡±


    Liszt made a quick decision: ¡°I will have Consultant Goltai fully support you. In one month, we head for Galloper Island¡­ Give the island a name; call it Black Horse Island.¡±


    Kostor was excited, ¡°I am honored to serve you, Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°Make a copy of this nautical chart, then erase the drawings on the cave walls.¡±


    After completing these tasks, the Fresh Flower Vessel returned home.


    Nighttime.


    The castle¡¯s evening banquet summarized the day¡¯s work; it had become routine. Liszt was not a stingy landlord and didn¡¯t mind his subordinates freeloading in the castle¡ªit was also a method of winning people over.


    ¡°My lord, if the clue left by the rat is real, we must take control of Black Horse Island as soon as possible to prevent other powers from occupying it. Then we must quickly earn military achievements, obtain a fief, and mark Black Horse Island as your territory. Horse resources are more important than any resource!¡± Marcus spoke seriously.


    Considering the Duchy of Sapphire had many deserted islands, meritorious landlords could choose their own deserted islands as fiefs.


    Without being granted a fief, all the deserted islands in the Sea of Azure Waves theoretically belonged to the Sapphire Duke¡ªthey could choose to operate them in secret, which was an unspoken rule. However, once the Duke designated a deserted island as a fief for a certain landlord, they were obligated to vacate it immediately.


    But such secret operations of deserted islands were rare.


    Firstly, nobles didn¡¯t lack land for farming, what they lacked were elves and metals; secondly, it was very difficult to ensure that the management of a deserted island would remain a secret. Once operated to a certain extent, the Duke might forcibly grant the island as a fief. In principle, all produce from the island would become the property of another landlord.


    Therefore, the secret operation of a deserted island was more trouble than it was worth.


    For example, ever since the Tulip Family obtained Coral Island, they had been cultivating it for twenty years, and still, a third of the land remained uncultivated.


    In Fresh Flower Town, before Liszt¡¯s arrival, much of the land was wasteland, uncultivated¡ªup to the present, many places were still wasteland, not to mention Thorn Ridge awaited development.


    ¡°The information must be kept secret, everyone who knows must be severely warned, else Black Horse Island will surely be taken by other lords,¡±


    Goltai spoke just as seriously.


    He and Marcus were very clear about the importance of warhorses to nobles, especially the Li Dragon Horse breed with its exceptional bloodline, which played a crucial role in enhancing a knight¡¯s power on the battlefield.


    It could be directly said.


    During a charge on the battlefield, an Elite Earth Knight on a nag might not necessarily defeat a Common Earth Knight mounted on a Li Dragon Horse.


    ¡°Then, the information is limited to those present, as well as Captain Kostor, Rom, and my servant Thomas,¡± Liszt said agreeably, ¡°When the sailor training is complete, they and their families will move directly to live on Black Horse Island¡­ of course, first we need to see what the conditions on Black Horse Island are like.¡±


    Goltai spoke optimistically: ¡°Black Horse Island, able to breed such godly steeds as the Li Dragon Horse, must be a flat, green island. I think its area is definitely large, maybe even enough to accommodate an earl.¡±


    Liszt cut off a piece of Magical Beast Meat, swallowed it, and seemed to mention in passing: ¡°No matter its size, it is destined to be my island¡­ Consultant Goltai, you must actively cooperate with Kostor in training the sailors, meeting their needs as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    Preparations to secretly approach the Li Dragon Horse Herd of Black Horse Island began.


    The work of the Lumberjack Team remained flamboyant, with hundreds of people collectively felling trees, and despite the limitations of their tools, meaning individual efficiency might not be high, overall progress was swift.


    In just five short days, about a third of the trees at Thorn Ridge to the north were cut down.


    A large area of Thorn Forest around the docks had been completely cleared, with only a few wild fruit trees remaining.


    To complete the new Smoke Mission, it would take roughly half a month more, and there was no use in hurrying. Since Goltai became a consultant, his enthusiasm for work soared, taking initiative so much that Liszt often found himself with nothing to do. As a result, training Juan Fu became his current research topic.


    Juan Fu¡¯s feathers grew increasingly stiff, and its inner Magic Power more abundant. If it weren¡¯t for the chain tied to its legs, it might have already been learning to fly.


    ¡°Old Geronte, is there really not a single falconer to be found on the vast Coral Island?¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, I have had the people of the Fresh Flower Caravan inquire in every city and even small towns, and indeed, no artisans skilled in falconry have been found,¡± replied Old Geronte, the captain of the Fresh Flower Caravan, who had come to the castle to report.


    ¡°Keep looking.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡±


    After sending off Old Geronte, Liszt rubbed his forehead. Although Juan Fu¡¯s ¡°caw caw¡± was annoying, it was still a Magical Beast raised from a young age, and it would be a pity to just keep it around to slaughter for meat.


    But he did not dwell on Juan Fu for long.


    The Dragon Kui Manservant, who took care of the Dragon Kui, reported good news upon returning: ¡°Master, the Dragon Kui Elf Bug has been born!¡±


    Rushing to the Dragon Kui Field, Liszt saw the pitch-black, glossy Dragon Kui Bug, which resembled a black gemstone¡ªvery interesting.


    With just a simple lure of Jade Powder, the Dragon Kui Bug bit onto Liszt¡¯s finger, completing the contract.


    His ninth Elf Bug finally settled in the castle.


    Yet the good news did not stop there. As he returned to the castle, a knight who had rushed from Coral City brought him important news¡ªthe Coral Island Caravan had returned, and Levis¡¯s family tutor, Frank, was asking him to come to Coral City to receive five hundred serfs.

 Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 0139: Five Hundred Serfs Arrive

    Chapter 139: Chapter 0139: Five Hundred Serfs Arrive


    The arrival of the serfs invigorated the small-town officials, as there was currently a shortage of labor.


    Liszt had made preparations to head to Coral City to take charge of these five hundred serfs. Although the weather was still somewhat hot at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, the sun was no longer so scorching, and wearing the noble¡¯s Flack¡¤Abbieye could still be tolerated.


    He no longer needed to ride a horse.


    The castle had just purchased a brand-new four-wheeled carriage. The servants carefully adorned it, attaching a flag on top embroidered with a purple-black tulip.


    The Tulip Family had their own flag, a bright red tulip. It represented the kind of tulip that had birthed their first Tulip Bug, but sadly, despite evolving into a Little Minor Elf, it had died of old age. The current Tulip Great Elf was bred from a Magic Tulip.


    Now that Liszt had been enfeoffed, he was no longer a formal member of the Tulip Family, so the red tulip flag was no longer suitable for use.


    So, he had chosen the Black Tulip as his own flag.


    The flags of the caravans of the Fresh Flower and Thorn merchants bore the Black Tulip.


    On Coral Island, this was probably already familiar to everyone. Seeing a Black Tulip flag meant it was Liszt, the third son of the Earl¡¯s family, the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, who had recently garnered much attention.


    Black Tulip.


    That was the name of this brand-new carriage.


    The coachman driving the carriage was One-Eyed Barton. There weren¡¯t many horses, so his workload was light. He took the opportunity to drive the carriage, which also allowed him to visit Coral City and see the world.


    ¡°My lord, following your instructions, I¡¯ve selected the healthiest Dragon Hollyhock plant, dug it out with the soil, and placed it in a pot. Look, it has green fruits and ripe black ones, and it continues to flower. The lady will surely like it.¡±


    ¡°Very good, water it and put it in the carriage,¡± Liszt signaled.


    The Dragon Kui Bug originated from Lady Penelope¡¯s Dragon Hollyhocks, so to show some appreciation, Liszt prepared a new pot of Dragon Hollyhocks for the old lady.


    It was an act of reciprocity.


    It was also an opportunity to show off his abilities, given that the old lady always found fault with him¡ªfor being too handsome!


    ¡°My lord, are you taking Douson with you?¡±


    ¡°Take Douson around for a spin; it¡¯s now my loyal guard, and the Earth Knights are no match for it anymore,¡± Liszt said proudly.


    He was very satisfied with Douson.


    The Bloodline Fruits weren¡¯t wasted; it could now release several Rock Spikes at the same time. At its most, it had managed to release six Rock Spikes at once.


    After synthesizing the opinions of Marcus, Goltai, and others, everyone agreed that Douson was now an Intermediate Magical Beast! It might be weaker compared to those capable of crushing the Coral Island Knights like the Purple Sand Crocodile, making Douson somewhat of a rookie. But an Intermediate Magical Beast was still an Intermediate Magical Beast.


    It had transcended the shackles of a Low-Level Magical Beast, able to cast two spells¡ªRock Spike and ¡°Multiple Stone Spikes.¡±


    Moreover, it had room to grow; after all, it was only seven months old. It might comprehend more magic as it continued to grow.


    With Douson, he could virtually do as he pleased on Coral Island.


    Carter, observing the majestic and robust Douson, teased, ¡°Taking it away is good, so it doesn¡¯t keep hovering around the Earth Matron. Mr. Marcus said the Earth Matron is almost due to be pregnant, and they shouldn¡¯t mate anymore.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Douson is presently growing, so it shouldn¡¯t exhaust itself,¡± Liszt said seriously. ¡°Additionally, concerning the Earth Matron, from now on, she must be provided with ample nutrition¡­ If it¡¯s confirmed she isn¡¯t pregnant, we will cut off the supply and wear down her ferocity, as necessary.¡±


    Having starved for so many days, eating only occasionally, and still being overpowered by Douson made for a rather difficult existence for the Earth Matron; her fierceness was gradually being eroded. When Liszt and others approached, it no longer chose to roar but was left only with fear.


    No matter how smart a Magical Beast is, it is still ultimately a kind of wild beast.


    The tactic of boiling a frog in warm water was entirely capable of instilling fear in the Earth Matron towards Liszt and others. Even if it regained its strength in the future, it would not dare to rebel against them ¡ª just like circus lions, whipped by their trainers from a young age. They don¡¯t dare to escape, nor to rebel, completely lacking the demeanor of a king of beasts.


    Given the Earth Matron¡¯s swift compliance, Liszt was struck with many inspirations.


    Gradually, he started to form a vague plan, which he intended to implement on Juan Fu. This Wind Falcon that kept getting fatter with each meal was about time to experience some hardships.


    He dressed himself and the carriage was prepared.


    Goltai also arrived with Isaiah, Blair, and Rom Barrel, along with a few clerks. They came to join in the reception of the serfs.


    At the same time, Marcus arrived, ¡°My lord, don¡¯t you need the Knight Squad to follow?¡±


    ¡°No need, Teacher Marcus, the work of the Lumberjack Team is equally important.¡±


    A brief farewell.


    The caravan set off.


    Even with the robust physique of an Earth Knight, Liszt still found riding in a carriage far more comfortable than on horseback. All the windows were open, and the breeze blew through as they swayed and jostled on the journey, nearly lulling him to sleep. During the trip, Douson also tried to get into the carriage for some comfort, but Liszt kicked him out resolutely.


    ¡°A dog that doesn¡¯t run alongside the carriage wheels but wants a ride, where¡¯s the sense in that!¡±


    The main reason, however, was that Douson was simply too big. Once inside the carriage, Liszt would have no room to stretch his legs. Moreover, the dog¡¯s weight was close to eight hundred pounds, which left the two nags pulling the carriage panting heavily once he boarded.


    Leaving the road of Thorn Ridge, they entered the ubiquitous dirt roads of Coral Island.


    The dust was immense.


    Douson, running behind the caravan for a while, turned into a dust shaker, prompting Liszt to hurriedly put on a mask and draw the curtains of the windows. At around ten in the morning, the caravan smoothly arrived at Coral City.


    ¡°Consultant Goltai, you go with Blair and Isaiah to discuss the handover with Mr. Frank. I¡¯ll go visit my grandmother first.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    They then parted ways, with the carriage continuing towards the independent small castle beside Coral City. When the servants of the castle saw the Black Tulip banner fluttering on the carriage, they knew who had arrived, and the butler quickly led the servants to greet them at the door.


    ¡°Master Liszt, I am so pleased to see you.¡±


    ¡°And my grandmother?¡±


    ¡°The old lady is inside the castle, chatting with Miss Li Vera. Earlier today, Miss Li Vera arrived at the castle to keep the old lady company.¡±


    ¡°My sister is here too?¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t surprised.


    Because he had already noticed a carriage parked at the entrance to the castle, bearing a flag with a special design, that was Li Vera¡¯s carriage. The design on the flag, which she had created herself ¡ª supposedly an abstract combination of a hot spring, birds, Tulips, and a Baroness ¡ª was lost on Liszt.


    As he entered the castle, he spoke to the manservant Tom, ¡°Take good care of Douson, and don¡¯t let it injure anyone indiscriminately.¡±


    ¡°Understood, my lord.¡± Tom, holding Douson¡¯s leash, seemed a bit tense. It was Thomas¡¯s job to look after Douson before.


    Today, Thomas had to stay close to Liszt, so the task fell to him.


    His strength was not enough to restrain Douson, he could only barely manage.


    Fortunately, Douson was well-trained and obedient. If Liszt commanded it not to wander, it would not.


    ¡°Look, look, who has come.¡± When they saw Lady Penelope, there was no need for Liszt to greet her first, as the old lady had already called out, ¡°Li Vera, I told you, this boy must have some private dealings with that boy Levis. The caravan has just returned, and he couldn¡¯t wait to get here.¡±

 Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Sherry of Bull Horn Academy

    Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Sherry of Bull Horn Academy


    ¡°Grandmother, you have a pair of eyes that can see through everything,¡±


    Liszt said with a smile.


    The dealings between him and Levis were not particularly secretive, and it wasn¡¯t difficult for those who wanted to know to find out about them. At least the Earl was definitely aware of their slave trade plan, and as he wished, he could find out about anything happening on Coral Island anytime.


    Li Vera, watching the increasingly extraordinary Liszt, was very dissatisfied, ¡°Liszt, the Fresh Flower Caravan¡¯s seafood business has reached my Falcon Town!¡±


    ¡°Then congratulations, Sister, the residents of Falcon Town can enjoy delicious seafood now,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I will organize the serfs to harvest seafood themselves. Although you and Levis have monopolized the seafood market, other landlords will also organize their serfs to harvest seafood. Your good business won¡¯t last long!¡±


    Liszt, sitting in his chair, didn¡¯t mind Li Vera¡¯s childish provocation, ¡°Seaside towns, of course, can harvest their own seafood since they have the right to do so. But Coral Island is so large, and not every small town is beside the sea, nor does every stretch of beach have abundant seafood.¡±


    In fact, the Fresh Flower Caravan no longer had to work hard to catch seafood.


    They simply cooperated with the landlords of the coastal towns, allowing these landlords to catch the seafood, and then the Fresh Flower Caravan would buy it and sell it to the cities. Each small town¡¯s specialty seafood was different, and the Fresh Flower Caravan held the most complete variety of seafood, enabling them to buy at low prices and sell at high ones.


    As the nobles and commoners of Coral Island gradually grew accustomed to having seafood on their tables,


    revenue had risen from the initial estimate of three gold coins a day to four coins a day.


    After paying Levis his share and covering the caravan¡¯s expenses, more than three gold coins a day were pure profit. With the seafood market, Liszt was able to join the ranks of Coral Island¡¯s wealthy.


    This was a profit that made people envious.


    Li Vera was green with envy but understood that Liszt had confidence¡ªhe had already satisfied Levis. On Coral Island, the two most influential people were the Earl and Levis. The Earl was Levis¡¯s father and obviously would not compete with his son¡¯s property, and Levis, having received shares, had issued seafood permits.


    Now, no one could take away Liszt¡¯s lucrative business.


    She had no choice but to awkwardly change the subject, ¡°You came over early in the morning, what for?¡±


    ¡°I came to bring Grandmother flowers,¡± Liszt said with a slight smile, then turned to his personal servant Thomas, ¡°Go bring the potted plant from the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Soon, a potted Dragon Hollyhock was brought in by Thomas.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Dragon Hollyhock,¡± Lady Penelope realized, ¡°This is the Dragon Hollyhock I gave you. Have you taken good care of it? That¡¯s not right, it¡¯s not the same plant I gave you¡­ Did that Dragon Hollyhock die? What a pity, it still couldn¡¯t escape wilting.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be sad. That Dragon Hollyhock is still alive and well, and moreover, very healthy, much healthier than the average Dragon Hollyhock,¡± he responded.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lady Penelope beckoned her servant to place the Dragon Hollyhock on the balcony, ¡°Stop beating around the bush, Liszt, just speak plainly. Talking in this convoluted way reminds me of Melissa. I have convinced myself that you have your father¡¯s shadow, despite having Melissa¡¯s face.¡±


    Lady Penelope, the depth of her grudge against Melissa, was still profound.


    Liszt had no memories of his mother nor knew the tone of her voice when she was alive, but he could guess that his way of speaking appeared somewhat ¡°mysterious¡± and maybe even a bit distant. This was unavoidable since, after all, he was not the original Liszt and couldn¡¯t invest too much emotion.


    So, he continued to smile, ¡°The Dragon Hollyhock you gave me wasn¡¯t sick, it was just nurturing an Elf Bug. Now, the Dragon Kui Bug has been born.¡±


    At the news of the Elf Bug, both Lady Penelope and Li Vera were taken aback.


    Lady Penelope was sincerely pleased, having forgotten her annoyance at Liszt¡¯s manner of speech, she heaped praise upon her grandson, ¡°The glory of the knights favors you, Liszt, you are the luckiest of the Tulip Family. Take good care of the Dragon Kui Elf Bug, receive it as a gift from me.¡±


    ¡°I am deeply moved by Grandmother¡¯s gift, and I will prepare a thoughtful present for you on your birthday this year,¡± Liszt expressed.


    Seeing that Li Vera was about to speak.


    Liszt, who had no interest in the adolescent girl, had already stood up, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ve arranged to meet with Mr. Frank, so I won¡¯t stay here any longer. I hope to have lunch in the castle at noon.¡±


    ¡°Go on, lucky boy, I¡¯ll have the kitchen make your favorite pan-fried egg pancakes,¡± she said.


    ¡°Mr. Frank.¡±


    ¡°Baron Liszt, you look even more mature now, but still as handsome as before,¡± said Frank, whose hairline was already close to the center of his head and had an unsightly red nose, ¡°My Sherry, just back from Bull Horn Academy, has been talking nonstop about wanting to see Brother Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Sherry is back?¡± It took Liszt a moment to recall that Sherry was Frank¡¯s younger daughter.


    In his childhood memories, Sherry was his little follower, only a year younger than him, which meant they could play together. But then Liszt went to the Knight Academy, and Sherry was sent by Frank to Bull Horn Academy, and they had not met since.


    As for Bull Horn Academy, it is located on Iron Hoof Island.


    Iron Hoof Island is the fief of the Marquis of Bull, a member of the Sapphire Lineage. His ancestor was the Sapphire Duke¡¯s favorite youngest son, who, having just come of age, was made the Earl of Bull; after the establishment of the kingdom, the island was directly granted as a fief, and he was promoted to Marquis.


    The Bull Marquis Family built the Bull Horn Academy, originally to train maids for The Court.


    Gradually, nobles big and small sent their daughters to Bull Horn Academy to learn ¡ª noble ladies with a Bull Horn Academy education were highly sought after for noble marriages. These ladies were deemed cultivated for studying etiquette, needlework, household management, music, and reading and writing at the academy.


    Of course, not all noble ladies went to Bull Horn Academy, Li Vera being one of them.


    He couldn¡¯t be sure if it was just an illusion.


    Liszt always felt that Frank couldn¡¯t help but bring up Sherry every three sentences, as if he were trying to sell her to him.


    ¡°Perhaps, I have now become the most sought-after eligible young noble on the island,¡± he thought to himself, but he had no thoughts about Sherry at all; in his memories, Sherry was a little chubby girl.


    After Frank had pushed the agenda for a while and saw that Liszt did not respond enthusiastically, he gradually returned to the main topic.


    ¡°Your officials and servants are taking inventory,¡± he said.


    Five hundred serfs were gathered in small groups on a plot of land not far from the harbor. Most of them looked sickly, it was unclear whether they were ill or simply seasick.


    Goltai and others, along with the clerks, were counting the number of serfs and calculating the ratio of men to women, as well as the number of craftsmen. After a rough tally, they quickly returned to Liszt¡¯s side.


    ¡°My lord, a total of four hundred and seventy-six serfs¡­¡±


    Frank casually explained, ¡°Serfs are transported from far away, and it is inevitable that some get sick or fail to acclimate during the journey. The fleet initially purchased five hundred and ten serfs, and we lost a total of thirty-four people.¡±


    He sighed inwardly.


    Liszt nodded in acknowledgment¡ªhe was well aware that the trade of serfs inevitably involved death.


    ¡°Teacher Goltai, have the Fresh Flower Caravan cooperate to move these serfs to Fresh Flower Town for settlement as soon as possible,¡± he instructed.

 Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 141: The Magician of Coral City

    Chapter 141: Chapter 141: The Magician of Coral City


    Four hundred and seventy-six serfs, about two-thirds of whom were females, along with quite a few infants and children. The elderly also made up a considerable portion, while there were very few able-bodied men¡ªon the serf trade market, able-bodied men were regarded as excellent laborers, and their price was much higher compared to the elderly, children, and women.


    To another landlord, the quality of these serfs would be considered very poor.


    Aside from skilled artisans being valuable, women and children were a burden, and the artisans were all elderly, which was very uneconomical.


    But Liszt did not have any complaints in his heart¡ªwomen could marry the bachelors of the territory and help mitigate the gender imbalance in Fresh Flower Town; with proper nurturing, children and infants could become future knight candidates; and old artisans possessed exquisite skills and could completely train a large number of apprentices.


    Of course.


    Able-bodied men were equally important to Fresh Flower Town, whether for farming or for constructing roads and docks, as they required strong labor.


    Therefore, on the surface, Liszt still had to voice a complaint, ¡°Mr. Frank, the quality of these serfs is not very good. Women were specifically requested by me, so having more is not a problem, but there are too many children, and the artisans are all older folks. Isn¡¯t this somewhat deceiving me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Baron Liszt, I wouldn¡¯t dare deceive the blood of the Tulip Family,¡± Frank said with a smile. ¡°This batch of serfs was assembled by the fleet from various serf markets, the able-bodied laborers were bought up by others early on. You know, without war, there aren¡¯t high-quality serfs.¡±


    ¡°So, now, with the fleet setting sail once again, we should be able to purchase high-quality serfs, right? The Steel Ridge Kingdom has already gone to war with the Eagle Kingdom, and my father and the others have already entered the battlefield.¡±


    Frank¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°You want to continue the serf trade¡­ Oh yes, the seafood market has brought you a large amount of gold coins.¡±


    ¡°You are very aware of the profits from the seafood market, aren¡¯t you, Mr. Frank,¡± Liszt did not play poor, especially since the other party had always been helping Levis to collect dividends, ¡°I will put together a sum of gold coins as soon as possible, hoping the fleet can bring me another batch of serfs.¡±


    ¡°There should not be a problem; the Tulip Fleet always conducts business when setting sail. Now that the war has started, the serf trade is an even better deal. So, how many serfs are you planning to buy?¡±


    ¡°One thousand, including two hundred skilled artisans.¡±


    ¡°One thousand serfs, according to the price, would need two hundred and forty gold coins.¡±


    ¡°The serf trade was difficult before, and I could accept the higher prices, but now during the war, if serfs are still so expensive, I cannot accept that, Mr. Frank.¡±


    ¡°War or not, the serf trade is always filled with risks¡­¡±


    After some haggling back and forth.


    They finally agreed on the price of two hundred and ten gold coins.


    After taking out the gold coins he had saved by cutting expenses, and also shifting funds from the trade convoys, and handing them to Frank, Liszt¡¯s smile was not so amiable anymore¡ªfacing another period of frugality, the feeling of an empty purse was uncomfortable, especially after getting used to spending money lavishly.


    Liszt declined Frank¡¯s invitation to have lunch together under the pretense that ¡°Little Sherry really wants to see you.¡± Instead, he had his lunch at Lady Penelope¡¯s castle.


    Lady Marie from Tulip Castle had also sent servants to invite him, but he did not go as he was not well acquainted with Lady Marie. Li Vera stayed there too, and at the dining table, she kept asking Liszt, ¡°Your Fierce Earth Dog has grown so big, how many gold coins to part with it, just say the price!¡±


    What an international joke.


    Although Douson had not unleashed any magic, and others were unaware of its abilities, one could tell by its form that it was extraordinary.


    It could not be measured in gold coins!


    Liszt responded coolly, ¡°Dear sister, Douson opened its eyes to see me as the first person, it recognizes no one but me. Even if you used dragon coins, you can¡¯t win its affection, so give up on this foolish thought.¡±


    Hearing ¡°foolish,¡± Li Vera¡¯s face darkened, ¡°You¡¯re becoming more and more arrogant now, daring to disregard even your sister¡¯s words.¡±


    Liszt, with a knife in his left hand and a fork in his right, leisurely sliced his steak, ¡°I¡¯m merely stating a fact. Please remain rational.¡±


    Lady Penelope seemed to appreciate the dominant change in Liszt and, against her usual stance, spoke in his favor, ¡°Li Vera, please eat like a lady and stop trying to take what¡¯s in Liszt¡¯s hands. If you want something, you can certainly choose a suitable husband from among so many excellent nobles to fulfill all your desires.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, you don¡¯t love me at all now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve all grown up, my girl, and you lads as well. Your grandmother is getting senile and only hopes that you three siblings will get along harmoniously, and by the way, take care of little Lidun, letting the Tulip Family¡¯s bloodline flourish and develop.¡±


    The lunch was far from harmonious.


    After the meal, Li Vera, fuming with anger, drew her sword and blocked Liszt¡¯s path, ¡°Like a warrior, fight me. I want to prove that you are still that cowardly Liszt!¡±


    Before Liszt could respond,


    Douson, who had been lying lazily to one side, suddenly broke free from Tom¡¯s grasp and charged towards Li Vera. It moved with the momentum of a tiger descending a mountain, roaring deeply and stirring up a whirlwind.


    In that moment, Li Vera¡¯s face was instantly drenched in cold sweat.


    She felt enveloped by a strong intent to kill.


    It was the kind of deadly threat one feels when facing an irresistible force, a threat to one¡¯s life¡ªlike when she was seven and whipped a fiery horse, which then charged at her, mouth open to bite¡ªexcept now she was a distinguished Earth Knight, but just as helpless to resist.


    ¡°Come back, Douson!¡±


    With a calm command from Liszt, the charging Douson abruptly halted and no longer lunged forward. However, the fierce glint in the eyes of the beast still flickered menacingly, its gaze fixed on Li Vera with a viciousness that suggested it might pounce and devour at any moment.


    ¡°It is a Magical Beast from Thorn Ridge. Even though it acknowledges me as its master, its ferocity isn¡¯t so easily subdued. I apologize for frightening you. I have other matters to attend to; I¡¯ve made an appointment. Dear sister, we shall talk another time,¡± he said, with a faint smile.


    Then, leading Douson, he left the castle.


    Li Vera¡¯s face turned ashen, and she stood rooted to the spot, no longer attempting to verbally assert herself. The attack from Douson that she had just witnessed had truly frightened her¡ªafter all, she was but a flower raised in a greenhouse.


    On the balcony of the castle, Lady Penelope, watering her new Dragon Hollyhock, undoubtedly witnessed the whole scene unfold at the castle gates.


    She simply muttered, ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Girls should act like girls, boys like boys. Melissa and Marie, these two simpletons, certainly don¡¯t lack the ability to bear children.¡±


    Liszt did not deceive Li Vera.


    He indeed had an appointment, or rather, needed to find someone.


    He went directly to a small town near Coral City, and as he saw the dilapidated state of the town, his brow furrowed slightly, ¡°Rom, is this the place?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, this is the place, Moss Town. I¡¯ve been to this small town before,¡± replied Rom Barrel.


    ¡°Whose fiefdom is this town?¡±


    ¡°It was once the fiefdom of a baron, who later went bankrupt. It was reclaimed by the Earl and has not been assigned since.¡±


    ¡°It is indeed here. I have found the white-tipped, two-story building that Goltai mentioned.¡± Liszt gestured with his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to meet this magician, sir.¡±

 Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 0142: Eye of Truth and Exploring the World

    Chapter 142: Chapter 0142: Eye of Truth and Exploring the World


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    The wooden door of the small building opened, and a teenager dressed in black with hair like a bird¡¯s nest and deep-set eyes poked his head out. He looked at the group of people in front of him, plus a huge dog, and asked cautiously.


    ¡°Does Mr. Grandini live here?¡± Thomas stepped forward, maintaining proper etiquette, and asked gently, ¡°Our master, the son of Coral Island¡¯s Count and the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, Liszt Tulip, wishes to meet with him to inquire about some matters of magic.¡±


    ¡°Ah, wait a moment.¡±


    The youth was startled for a second, then shut the door abruptly.


    After a moment, the door swung open entirely, and the emaciated, shriveled figure of the youth appeared: ¡°The teacher invites the Baron inside; the others, please wait outside.¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°You all stay outside.¡±


    ¡°Sir¡­¡± Rom wanted to say something.


    Liszt gestured to him, on Coral Island, even the secretive magicians had to give face to the Tulip Family.


    Entering the small building, a strange smell drilled into his nostrils, not a stench of life, but more like the odor emitted from some chemical substances.


    This made him frown involuntarily.


    The room was quite gloomy, with various cluttered ¡°equipment¡± visible, some metallic vessels, others made of jade and crystal. There were numerous bottles and jars, and even a wax candle burning in an iron kettle, within which a green liquid was boiling¡ªthe strange smell was probably emanating from there.


    The room was incredibly messy, even the pathways were barely wide enough to walk.


    ¡°The teacher is upstairs, he is waiting for you.¡± The youth seemed somewhat dull, and while he looked at Liszt with the nervousness of meeting a stranger, he lacked the fear and reverence for nobility.


    Perhaps following a magician for too long had caused him to lose his awe of nobility¡ªa significant reason magicians were unpopular: this group of individuals who believed in ¡°knowledge¡± dismissed the authority of nobility, convinced that knowledge was the only truth in the world, not the brute force revered by the nobles.


    The stairs creaked and groaned, but as they ascended, the light grew brighter.


    Then Liszt saw the magician, Grandini Truth¡ªa man with a hooked nose, blue eyes, and brown hair, around forty years old, his figure shrouded in a large cloak.


    He was sitting in a chair, engrossed in a book.


    Upon seeing Liszt, he closed the book and placed it amidst the clutter on his desk. Liszt had a keen eye and saw that the cover read ¡°Alchemical Speculations on Iron¡ªDedicated to His Excellency Grand Magician Dembaba Truth,¡± with a drawing beneath it.


    It was a triangle with an eye inside.


    ¡°Baron Liszt, compared to your brother, Viscount Levis, you more closely resemble a graceful nobleman,¡± Grandini stood, taller than Liszt, his frame just as thin beneath his cloak. His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time.


    ¡°Mr. Grandini, you have met my brother?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have had a few collaborations with Viscount Levis. Please make yourself comfortable; I don¡¯t stand on ceremony here with the pretentious niceties of nobility.¡±


    Liszt found a relatively clean stool: ¡°Noble etiquette isn¡¯t pretense; it¡¯s cultivation.¡±


    Grandini mocked, ¡°Cultivation¡ªis it about learning how to cannibalize others more elegantly?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s how you must understand it, it¡¯s not wrong.¡± Liszt felt some resentment towards Grandini¡¯s attitude, having grown accustomed to the reverence that came with nobility, but he had to admit there was some truth in the other¡¯s words¡ªthe world was indeed dog eat dog, ¡°Your surroundings here aren¡¯t very pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it can¡¯t be compared with a castle; I am but a humble magician, with all my energy and resources dedicated to exploring the truth of the world.¡±


    Exploring the truth of the world, that¡¯s the rallying cry of magicians.


    All magicians discard their worldly surnames and uniformly adopt the surname ¡°Truth.¡± As for that triangle and eye on the book, it¡¯s called the Eye of Truth. The magicians discovered that the triangle is the most stable form of deconstruction and that the world is also composed of triangles¡ªmatter, spirit, and magic power.


    And they are the eye within the triangle, endlessly exploring every truth.


    ¡°May I ask how to cast a spell?¡±


    ¡°There is no difference between magic and Dou Qi. As a knight, why care about magic or Dou Qi? They are both ways of harnessing magic power.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s change the subject. How many magicians are there on Coral Island?¡± Liszt asked casually. He had come to visit the magician that day out of slight purpose but more out of curiosity.


    ¡°You¡¯d get a clearer answer from Levis than from me. I can only tell you that within Coral City, there are only three magicians that I¡¯ve been in contact with.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t magicians often gather for meetings and exchanges?¡±


    ¡°The path to exploring the world is one of solitude; magic power is the embodiment of Truth. Only by listening quietly can you understand the knowledge it wants to tell you!¡±


    Liszt continued to ask a few more questions.


    Until he annoyed Grandini, ¡°Baron Liszt, did you visit me just to ask these ignorant questions? If so, please leave immediately. Do not waste my time; my time is dedicated to the great Truth, not to chatting with you!¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not just to ask questions¡ªI also want to find you for a collaboration.¡±


    ¡°Speak quickly if you have something to say.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the prior insight into Grandini¡¯s temperament from Goltai, Liszt felt that this disrespectful fellow should be dragged out and fed to Douson¡ªalthough, of course, Douson might not eat him, as it preferred cooked food, or maybe needing a roast first with a sprinkle of cumin on top.


    ¡°You¡¯ve helped the Tulip Castle, or other nobles, craft magic equipment before, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You want me to help you craft magic equipment?¡± Grandini became slightly interested, calming down a bit in his tone, ¡°My skills are definitely impeccable. Even your father has asked me to repair a few pieces of magic equipment.¡±


    Liszt was straightforward.


    He took out a fist-sized black pearl he had prepared and placed it on the table: ¡°Do you recognize this?¡±


    ¡°A black pearl, you actually have one of these things?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen a black pearl before?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Levis had also brought a black pearl before. Crafting magic equipment, it must be a specialty product of your Tulip family. It is more abundant and gentle in magic power than the white pearls from Blue Dragon Island, and it¡¯s a good path to wealth.¡±


    ¡°So the Black Pearl Magic Equipment in Levis¡¯s hand was also crafted by you. Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m not going to beat around the bush. This kind of black pearl, if larger in size and with more abundant magic power, could you craft it into magic equipment capable of suppressing storms at sea?¡±


    ¡°How large?¡±


    Liszt, playing it coy, gestured the size of a basketball: ¡°How about a black pearl this big?¡±


    Grandini furrowed his brow in concentration, pondered for a moment, and said, ¡°I need to see the actual object to determine whether I can craft equipment powerful enough to suppress storms. But I believe that as long as the quality meets the standard, the crafting process isn¡¯t a problem. I am a magician, with twenty years of experience in practicing magic runes and formations!¡±


    Within the magic practice hierarchy.


    A Magic Apprentice is equivalent to an Apprentice Knight, a Magician to an Earth Knight, a Grand Magician to a Sky Knight, and an Archmage to a Dragon Knight.


    Grandini Truth is a Magician.

 Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 0143: Strong Desire for Knowledge

    Chapter 143: Chapter 0143: Strong Desire for Knowledge


    ¡°The item is in my castle; after all, it¡¯s a valuable item. If you accept the cooperation, you can go to Fresh Flower Town,¡± Liszt said, still not trusting the magician.


    He himself did not have enough strength, and merely relying on the prestige of the Tulip Family might not be enough to deter the other party.


    If the other party ran off with the black pearl, there would be nowhere to find them.


    However, Grandini shook his head, ¡°Do you think that making a piece of magic equipment is an easy task? If your black pearl is really big enough and of high quality, it will need more materials to be forged into suitable magic equipment¡­ In a countryside place like Fresh Flower Town, you can¡¯t even buy the raw materials!¡±


    ¡°I have two caravans, whatever materials are needed, they can be delivered promptly,¡± Liszt said, unperturbed by others looking down on Fresh Flower Town as the countryside. He had the heart of a fierce tiger and naturally maintained a calm demeanor, ¡°Moreover, Mr. Grandini, won¡¯t you listen to what kind of compensation I can offer?¡±


    ¡°Oh, what compensation are you willing to give?¡±


    ¡°Viscount Levis has you make black pearl magic equipment¡ªhow much is he paying you¡­ Give me a true figure, I can always go and ask Mr. Frank.¡±


    ¡°Fine then, nobles are really cunning. I can¡¯t fool you. Viscount Levis is paying three gold coins, that¡¯s just the artisanal fee; he provided all the raw materials himself. But his black pearl is only this big. If you have a much larger black pearl, the price won¡¯t be so cheap.¡±


    ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t have gold coins.¡±


    ¡°No gold coins?¡± Grandini glared, ¡°Baron Liszt, are you mocking me?¡±


    Liszt said evenly, ¡°But I have a black pearl, don¡¯t I?¡±


    Grandini¡¯s eyes quickly lit up, ¡°Oh, so you are planning to use this black pearl to pay for the services?¡±


    ¡°You think too highly. Do you know how much a black pearl is worth? This black pearl is worth at least two hundred gold coins. With that amount, I could hire a grand magician to make magic equipment for me,¡± Liszt said, spinning the black pearl in his hand, ¡°Of course, if you want to earn it, it¡¯s not that hard.¡±


    Clearly, the black pearl was attractive to Grandini; he licked his lips, ¡°State your terms.¡±


    ¡°First, help me make the black pearl that suppresses storms, providing the raw materials yourself. Second, teach me magic, provide me with knowledge and books. Third, I have some crystals, you help me make them into crystal lamps. The remaining value of this black pearl can be considered my sponsorship for your pursuit of the Truth.¡±


    To Liszt, the black pearl itself wasn¡¯t of high value¡ªin Coral Island, aside from Levis, nobody would likely be a fool enough to buy it.


    ¡°You want to learn magic?¡± Grandini was surprised, ¡°That¡¯s not typical for your nobility. Moreover, magic and Dou Qi are mutually exclusive. Are you willing to give up your noble status to become a magician?¡±


    Dou Qi refines the magic power within oneself, while magic draws on the magic power around oneself.


    Despite both being magic power, in cultivation, they repel each other¡ªthere have been nobles who considered practicing magic, but it is difficult to succeed. This is like how magic requires the mind to remain rational and clear at all times, yet Dou Qi demands a state of passionate fervor. Cultivating both magic and martial arts could lead to a split personality.


    Liszt spoke, ¡°I simply wish to understand the principles behind the casting of magic.¡±


    As a soul with the scientific literacy of the 21st century, it was only natural that he possessed a strong desire to learn about this Different World filled with magic power. He had already encountered and begun to practice Dou Qi; his understanding of Dou Qi was quite profound, yet he knew nothing about magic.


    Getting close to a magician, understanding magic, was something he had always wanted to do.


    With the territory development now on the right track and having a certain ability to protect himself, he could pursue understanding more information about the outside world at his own volition.


    ¡°It seems you are a noble with a strong curiosity. Well, I¡¯ll take this black pearl,¡± Grandini said after a moment of thought, agreeing to the terms.


    ¡°I hope you have a pleasant time in Fresh Flower Town for the next while. Oh, by the way, in Fresh Flower Town, I have houses for you to stay in, and you can transport the necessary materials and equipment to Fresh Flower Town through the Fresh Flower Caravan.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan to stay in the countryside for long. Once the magic equipment is made and you understand what magic is, I¡¯ll return. Moss Town is only a quarter-hour¡¯s journey from Coral City, and the city¡¯s prosperity makes it hard to leave.¡±


    He walked to the window and looked in the direction of Coral City.


    In his eyes, the city piled with waste was a symbol of prosperity.


    With a glance from the corner of his eye, he saw a line of people waiting outside the small building and the huge Douson, ¡°Is that your pet? A Fierce Earth Dog magical beast? Why is it so big? I don¡¯t remember Fierce Earth Dogs ever growing that large.¡±


    ¡°Because it eats well.¡±


    Magician Grandini Truth needed time to prepare before he could rush to Fresh Flower Town.


    Liszt led his people back in advance.


    Meanwhile.


    In Coral City, near Tulip Castle, within a two-story small building with a garden, Frank had just finished his nap. He came downstairs to the living room and sat down on a chair.


    A servant immediately brought him tea.


    He was a noble, an Honored Knight, with his own fief, a small village. Compared to bankrupt and fallen nobles like Goltai, his fief was relatively prosperous, bringing him nearly ten gold coins in surplus each year, plus his salary as a tutor for the Levis family, life was quite delightful.


    ¡°Has the lady and the young miss not returned from walking in the flower fields?¡±


    ¡°They have returned. They are taking a cool break in the little garden.¡±


    After a short while, his wife and daughter returned to the house.


    ¡°Frank, have you woken up?¡± the middle-aged woman dressed in the currently fashionable hoop skirt asked, despite the heavy makeup she couldn¡¯t conceal the fact that she was aging, ¡°Do you still have to work for Tulip Castle this afternoon? Sherry wants you to accompany her back to the manor; she left her clothes in the wardrobe.¡±


    Frank looked at his daughter, ¡°I remember you brought many outfits, and you bought some on Iron Hoof Island as well, aren¡¯t they enough?¡±


    ¡°But I forgot to bring a black long dress, I really like it, daddy,¡± Sherry swayed her slender waist.


    ¡°Let the servant go back and fetch it. I don¡¯t have time, my dear,¡± Frank spread his hands, addressing both his daughter and explaining to his wife, ¡°Levis is still on the battlefield. I¡¯m responsible for all his properties, and the Earl has given him partial authority to govern Coral Island, which also falls under my responsibility.¡±


    ¡°I understand, now is a great opportunity for you to make a name for yourself, but I hope you can make some time to pay more attention to Sherry. She is already fifteen.¡±


    Fifteen meant the age to start socializing.


    Noble girls were expected to marry around the age of sixteen or seventeen.


    Frank looked at his increasingly beautiful daughter and felt very satisfied, ¡°Of course, I know. Sherry is already a big girl. In fact, this morning, I was worrying about her future. There are not many suitable nobles for Sherry on Coral Island, and I want her to have the best happiness.¡±


    His wife¡¯s interest piqued immediately, ¡°What did you worry about? Have you found someone for her?¡±


    Sherry also gazed expectantly at her father. As a noble young lady, socializing was a skill she had to learn, discussion of marriage was never something to be shy about.


    At Bull Horn Academy, how to choose a suitable noble and get married had already become a public course.

 Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 0144: Ivan’s Numbing Journey

    Chapter 144: Chapter 0144: Ivan¡¯s Numbing Journey


    ¡°Liszt.¡±


    Frank pronounced the name, ¡°Baron of Fresh Flower Town, the third child of the Earl, Sherry, you must remember him, as a child you always used to play following him around.¡±


    ¡°Is it Brother Liszt? Of course, I remember.¡± Sherry blinked, and a somewhat childish but handsome face emerged hazily in her mind.


    Liszt had been very handsome since he was young.


    However, she had left Coral Island to study at Bull Horn Academy for several years.


    Due to inconvenient shipping, she didn¡¯t even return home during festivals, and her memories of Liszt had gradually faded. At that time, she wasn¡¯t of the age to be infatuated with the opposite sex, so naturally, she didn¡¯t retain a clear memory of any particular playmate.


    ¡°What do you think of Liszt?¡± Frank inquired.


    Sherry shook her head, ¡°Father, I¡¯ve only met Liszt when he was twelve, a mere child. Now that he¡¯s an adult, I have no idea what he¡¯s turned into.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, we should find an opportunity for you two to meet.¡±


    At this moment, Frank¡¯s wife asked, ¡°It seems that Liszt isn¡¯t much valued by the Earl, his fief is even the most remote Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Liszt isn¡¯t highly regarded by the Earl. The Earl, relying on his own determination, established Coral Island and wishes for his children to be bold and forward-thinking,¡± Frank said. ¡°But regardless, he is of the Tulip Family¡¯s bloodline, and to receive his fief upon reaching adulthood is not a treatment commonly enjoyed by the secondary sons of nobility.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the Earl¡¯s kindness, and he is a diligent father, even Li Vera has been granted a baronial fief,¡± his wife said enviously.


    Li Vera had significant influence among the noble ladies of Coral Island, a Hereditary Baroness, a rarity in the entire Duchy of Sapphire.


    ¡°The reason the Earl doesn¡¯t value Liszt much is that Liszt¡¯s talents aren¡¯t outstanding, and he has a soft nature. But from my recent interactions, Liszt has transformed, carrying an authority with his gentleness, and he is becoming increasingly mature. The Earl even went to Fresh Flower Town to celebrate the Outing Festival, and that is a sign.¡±


    ¡°A sign of what?¡±


    ¡°What else could it be but a sign that a son has regained his father¡¯s trust? The Earl is still in his prime, and naturally, he hopes to attain more knightly glory with his sons.¡±


    ¡°Really? But he hasn¡¯t been on the battlefield while Levis has already been there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time, he carries the blood of both the Tulip and Long Taro Families.¡± Frank felt his wife was narrow-minded like a minor country noble, so he simply spoke directly to his daughter, ¡°Sherry, Liszt has been preparing his own Knight Squad and has purchased a batch of armed Knight Squad equipment from the Tulip Castle.¡±


    No praise has more convincing power than action itself.


    A country lord who owns a Knight Squad is, of course, extraordinary.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Father, Mother, when can I meet Brother Liszt? I feel that I have my own discerning eyes.¡±


    ¡°Our Sherry is smart and beautiful, of course, you have your own discerning eyes. Father will soon find you an opportunity.¡±


    Footsteps faltered.


    Exhausted and hungry.


    Ivan wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked with a numb gaze at the equally numb companions beside him. Their clothes were filthy and reeked, their hair tangled into knots, and the dust on their faces could not hide the pale and jaundiced skin. The group was indistinguishable by age or gender, even the cries of babies were feeble and weak.


    ¡°Hurry up, if you don¡¯t want to be whipped, keep your spirits up and keep up with the group!¡± the Clerk, holding a whip, shouted loudly.


    Every now and then, he snapped the whip in the air, producing a sharp crack.


    Ivan shuddered, his head, slightly dizzy, suddenly cleared, and his heavy steps quickened. Just a moment ago, one of his companions had been whipped by the Clerk, tearing their clothes and leaving them crying out in pain.


    ¡°Crack!¡±


    Another crack of the whip.


    Ivan lowered his head, gritting his teeth, trying to hasten his pace. He was terrified of the whip. On the ship, a companion from the same small town who slept in a corner, had been beaten to death by the first mate with that very whip. The dying wails had caused him to have nightmares for several nights in a row.


    In dreams, it was a nightmare.


    In reality, it was also a nightmare.


    He missed the days of toiling in the fields on the island, where although he might go hungry, and knights with whips would lash serfs who couldn¡¯t pay their taxes. But most of the time, he could move freely and chat with others. He could even go to the town, just to catch a glimpse of the beautiful baker¡¯s wife.


    However, one day, everything changed.


    He heard the cries of knights shouting and killing, followed by a group of bloodstained knights, who came to his village and drove them out. Some people didn¡¯t want to go and were killed; those who didn¡¯t want to be killed had no choice but to follow them. It was this day that he left his homeland, starting his endless, bumpy nightmare.


    He was taken to a market where everyone sold was a serf just like him.


    Locked in cages, eating a bit of spoiled black bread, dazed and confused. Serfs were taken away continuously, and new ones were constantly brought in.


    Then, he was taken away too.


    He followed a group of strangers onto a big ship, not understanding the language spoken there, and not daring to speak with others. To his surprise, there was someone on the ship who recognized him, from the same town.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Sapphire People!¡± his companion told him.


    He instantly thought of the legend of the ¡°barbarians.¡± Every year, barbarians from the seas would come to the Eagle Kingdom to raid and plunder; they all came from the Duchy of Sapphire across the sea.


    ¡°The people on the ship are Sapphire People, we¡¯ve been sold to barbarians! The ones who captured us are mercenaries, they¡¯re even worse than rats!¡± his companion said bitterly, ¡°I swear! One day, I¡¯ll come back, find these mercenaries, and kill them all!¡±


    Ivan didn¡¯t respond.


    His companion¡¯s words terrified him.


    He had been farming since he was young and had never killed even a chicken¡ªhe did not have chickens¡ªonly nobles killed serfs, serfs would never dare to kill anyone.


    Unfortunately, not long after his companion had sworn his oath, he was beaten to death with a whip.


    With no one else to talk to, Ivan continued living the nightmare from which he could not awaken. He had never been on a ship before, and the seasickness was almost fatal. After several days like this, today, he finally set foot on land, arriving at a completely foreign place. He couldn¡¯t understand a word spoken here.


    He didn¡¯t even know where he was being driven to.


    He was confused about tomorrow, not knowing what he was holding on for, not even knowing what holding on meant. He just followed wherever the whip drove him, never thinking about death, nor understanding what joy in life was. His legs had gone numb for what felt like the umpteenth time.


    He heard the clerk waving his whip again, shouting something.


    He couldn¡¯t understand, but the line slowly came to a halt. When the others stopped, so did he, finally able to give his legs a moment of rest.


    He saw that others began to sit down.


    He followed suit and sat down.


    Nobody spoke; on the ship, all were forbidden from communicating, and he had grown accustomed to silence. He lifted his head, his gaze falling on a female serf not far ahead who was preparing to nurse her child, lifting her tattered clothing to reveal her shriveled breast and placing it in the baby¡¯s mouth.


    The baby sucked vigorously, unsure if it could draw even a drop of milk.


    If this had been in the past, Ivan would certainly have salivated and greedily peeked at the woman¡¯s breasts, he was still young and had never touched a woman¡¯s hand, let alone those swollen breasts.


    But in this moment, there was no allure to be found in breasts, and he had not the slightest urge to think about such things¡ªhis stomach was so empty his intestines felt like they were knotting up.


    The sun moved overhead, it was noon.

 Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 0145: Teaching of Three Serpent Script Vocabulary

    Chapter 145: Chapter 0145: Teaching of Three Serpent Script Vocabulary


    Ivan sat on the ground and soon lay down like others, trying to rest as much as possible to regain a little strength. He didn¡¯t know where he was going or how much longer the journey would be.


    Clatter, clatter.


    The sound of carriage wheels turning came through.


    Ivan didn¡¯t get up, just slowly turned his head with the least amount of effort to look in the direction of the sound. He saw a line of carriages with flags fluttering on them. The flags were blue with embroidered purple-black flowers. He recognized these banners as symbols of nobility.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t know to which noble the flag belonged.


    As he watched the caravan without any particular thought, the familiar sound of whips cracked again. His body sprang up as if fitted with springs, and he instinctively rose from the ground and stood up¡ªnot just him, but everyone did the same, stumbling to their feet.


    The clerk was brandishing his whip and shouting something loudly.


    Ivan couldn¡¯t understand.


    But he quickly did, as someone shouted in the wind language of the Eagle Kingdom, ¡°Line up everyone! Follow the clerk¡¯s commands and form a line behind each carriage! No talking, no moving around, stand properly!¡±


    Ivan began to panic.


    He didn¡¯t know how to line up and had never done so; seeing others move, he moved too. Then he got a kick on his behind from one of the clerks, who was cursing incomprehensibly at him.


    It seemed that the clerk had noticed the bewilderment on his face.


    The clerk dragged him over and shoved him behind a serf, all the while cursing. Then he went to pull over another serf.


    The disorganized group soon formed six awkward lines under the clerk¡¯s direction.


    The Sapphire person who spoke the wind language walked to the front of the lines, had a brief conversation with a few who seemed to be nobles, then addressed the many serfs, ¡°You will be fed twice a day, traveling from afar to Coral Island, soon heading to your future home, Fresh Flower Town!¡±


    Like the others, Ivan numbly watched the speaker, showing little reaction.


    The speaker continued, ¡°The Lord of Fresh Flower Town is the great bloodline of the Tulip Family, Baron Liszt, and he will be your master from now on! Remember your future home, Fresh Flower Town, remember your future master, Liszt Tulip, a great descendant of the Tulip Family!¡±


    The last few sentences were shouted with vigor and authority.


    However, the serfs below remained calm.


    The speaker didn¡¯t care at all; he waved his arms and his grizzled hair tousled in the wind, ¡°Remember, from now on, you need to speak the Serpent Script of the Duchy of Sapphire. Of course, you are just a bunch of serfs, and no one cares if you can speak Serpent Script. But you need to remember these three terms: Fresh Flower Town, Tulip, and Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°Now, follow me and recite these three words!¡± he shouted, ¡°Pronounce these words correctly, and you will enjoy a wonderful lunch. Understand?¡±


    Lunch, in a flash, stirred the silent and numb line into action.


    The starved serfs could not resist the temptation of lunch¡ªthey had been fed only twice a day on the ship, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, the rest of the time spent lying still.


    A bold serf, trembling, responded, ¡°Understood, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Good, now start following me¡ªFresh Flower Town¡­¡±


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Louder, Fresh Flower Town!¡±


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town!¡±


    Ivan felt he was too hungry to speak, but for the approaching lunch, he still mustered the scant strength left in his body to shout along with the others, ¡°Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    The phrase wasn¡¯t hard to pronounce.


    It was easy to learn.


    After shouting it a few times, he even felt a bit excited, having learned a foreign language.


    ¡°Very good, it seems you have mastered the term Fresh Flower Town, now follow me¡ªTulip¡­¡±


    ¡°Tulip.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Tulip, idiot. Don¡¯t curl your own tongue, say it again¡ªTulip¡­¡±


    ¡°Tulip.¡±


    ¡°Louder, Tulip.¡±


    ¡°Tulip!¡±


    ¡°Although it¡¯s not standard, remember it. Here, everything on this land belongs to the Tulip Family! Your lord is the bloodline of the Tulip Family!¡± instructed the person who could speak the Wind Language. ¡°Next, you need to understand how to express your loyalty when you see your lord. You must first kneel.¡±


    A few serfs, upon hearing the instruction to kneel, immediately knelt down.


    The other serfs followed suit and knelt as well.


    In an instant, all six teams were kneeling.


    The speaker was taken aback; he was no Liszt and didn¡¯t dare to have the serfs kneel before him, so he quickly stepped aside, ¡°Idiots, I didn¡¯t tell you to kneel now. Never mind¡­ Kneel to the Black Tulip banner on the carriage as if you were in the presence of Lord Landlord. Now, follow me and say¡ªLord Landlord¡­¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord.¡±


    Ivan knelt on the ground, joining the crowd and shouting, trying his best to straighten his tongue.


    After a few repeats.


    The person speaking Wind Language ran to a group that looked like nobles nearby and spoke in Serpent Script, ¡°Mr. Goltai, is this manner of teaching acceptable?¡±


    Wearing Flack¡¤Abbieye¡¯s attire, Goltai nodded, ¡°The teaching before today¡¯s lunch ends here. Let the serfs fill their stomachs first. Fresh Flower Town isn¡¯t so poor that they can¡¯t afford a meal. Old Geronte, you have worked hard. We¡¯ll still need your translation for making arrangements for the serfs.¡±


    Old Geronte smiled, ¡°Serving Lord Landlord is Old Geronte¡¯s honor and pleasure. Then I¡¯ll tell them it¡¯s time to eat.¡±


    Then, addressing the serfs who were still kneeling on the ground, ¡°You may rise now. Continue to stand in your teams. We will now start distributing lunch, one by one, everyone gets a share. No snatching is allowed! Otherwise, the clerk¡¯s whip won¡¯t be merciful.¡±


    Upon hearing Old Geronte¡¯s words,


    The fluttering hearts of the serfs swiftly turned to surprise¡ªthey really had lunch!


    And then, as the carts opened, one by one, they received types of food they had never seen before, served on bread plates, handed to them.


    There were no cutlery like knives or forks, only food and bread plates.


    Ivan received his portion, he recognized the bread plate; he often used bread plates and after some time, he would cook them so he could continue eating. On the bread plate, there was a half piece of dark bread and then a lot of large, small, round, flat things.


    He couldn¡¯t help reaching out to touch them; they were very hard.


    Yet he didn¡¯t know how to eat it.


    Fortunately, he always did what others did. He saw others eat the dark bread, and some had already opened those things and eaten the soft content inside.


    So, holding his bread plate, he sat on the ground, first biting fiercely into the dark bread. Then following others¡¯ lead, he also opened that thing, which was quite easy to do because it already had cracks. A simple tug with his hands and it split apart. A strange, alluring scent quickly reached his nose.


    After swallowing the bread, Ivan, seeing several others eat, finally mustered the courage to take a bite.


    It was very soft, almost melting in his mouth.


    He didn¡¯t know what it was, but it tasted pretty good, so he stopped fussing and focused on eating his portion. Maybe it was because he had been hungry for so long that in just a short while, he had already eaten all the food. When the last shelled item went down, it was almost the first time in his life


    he felt what ¡°full¡± meant.


    Just at that moment, Old Geronte¡¯s shout reached Ivan¡¯s ears once more, ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve all eaten your fill. You¡¯re a bunch of lucky fellows, remember this feeling. From today on, in Fresh Flower Town, as long as you work hard for our great Lord Landlord, you will eat like this every day, eat until you¡¯re full!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Ivan heard someone nearby gasp in astonishment.


    He, too, felt shocked¡ªTo eat like this every day, to eat until full!


    His mind buzzed blank, with only one thought left: ¡°Fresh Flower Town, food.¡±

 Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 0146: Offering Loyalty to the Landlord

    Chapter 146: Chapter 0146: Offering Loyalty to the Landlord


    The second day after returning to the castle, the four hundred and seventy-six serfs who had camped out in the wilderness overnight finally made their way to Fresh Flower Town. Having had a few full meals, the serfs¡¯ complexions were still poor, but at least there was a significant improvement in their spirits.


    In the afternoon.


    As the sun began to set in the west, all the serfs lined up on the main thoroughfare of Fresh Flower Town, silently waiting.


    Liszt, riding on the back of a Li Dragon Horse and escorted by the Knight Squad, arrived in front of the lines. Thomas, leading Douson, followed suit, now making a point of taking Douson with him when going out¡ªa bit of a man depending on his dog for status.


    ¡°Lord, the quality of these serfs¡­ is very poor,¡± Marcus remarked with a frown after scanning them.


    ¡°True, there are very few able-bodied serfs, but there are many children who can be well trained to become potential knights in the future,¡± Liszt replied simply.


    During this conversation, Goltai had already come forward: ¡°Lord, the serfs have finally made it to Fresh Flower Town, and not a single one is missing.¡±


    ¡°Well done. The losses at sea are unavoidable, but on Coral Island, I do not wish to see any further loss.¡±


    ¡°So, Lord, shall we now start arranging for them to kneel before you and pledge their loyalty?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    When serfs meet their landlord, they need to pledge loyalty, which is a form of servitude.


    Old Geronte, having received instructions from Goltai, turned towards the serfs and shouted in Wind Language: ¡°Lowly serfs, before you stands the great bloodline of the Tulip Family, the Landlord of Fresh Flower Town. Now, kneel before Lord Landlord, and pledge your loyalty!¡±


    In an instant.


    The serfs knelt to the ground, and in the newly learned, awkward Serpent Script, they called out: ¡°Lord Landlord!¡±


    It was not very orderly, but their voices were loud.


    The cries of nearly five hundred people, even if they were just a group of ragged, varying heights, malnourished, and weak serfs, still carried a kind of overwhelming momentum.


    Such scenes had become routine for Liszt. In Fresh Flower Town, kneeling and shouting to him happened every day. So, he merely looked over this group of serfs with a smile on his face, all of whom buried their heads deeply in the ground, not daring to look directly at their future master.


    A moment later.


    Liszt, having prepared his lines, spoke up: ¡°I accept your loyalty. From now on, you are part of Fresh Flower Town. Work hard for me, and you will receive my protection and a stable life.¡± He then glanced at Old Geronte, the interpreter.


    Old Geronte got the message and translated: ¡°Lord Landlord has accepted your loyalty. Lord Landlord tells you that from now on you are part of Fresh Flower Town. Work hard for Lord Landlord, and you will receive his protection and can live a stable life in Fresh Flower Town. Do you all understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°I will work hard.¡±


    The serfs responded sporadically. Many people still did not know what to say and were just kneeling.


    Seeing this, Liszt said, ¡°Old Geronte, let them stand up.¡±


    And so.


    The brief serf reception ceremony came to an end.


    Liszt did not linger and returned directly to the castle. Marcus continued to lead the Knight Squad back to Thorn Forest to guard the Lumberjack Team. Goltai and other officials began to get busy, as they had to arrange the living and working conditions of these four hundred and seventy-six serfs in a short time.


    Fortunately, the town and the various settlements already had many wooden houses built.


    The commercial district, workshop area, and residential area, not yet completed, also have many wooden houses that can provide temporary shelter.


    There is certainly no shortage of food, with bread and vegetables perhaps in short supply, but seafood is abundant. If that¡¯s not enough, a few more trips out to sea by fishermen from Oyster Village will be sufficient.


    ¡°We need to complete the distribution of serfs as quickly as possible; the autumn harvest is fast approaching,¡± Goltai said loudly.


    ¡°The resource survey is not yet complete. There are too many women, children, and elderly among the serfs. The original arrangement plan is no longer appropriate; we need to make adjustments,¡± Isaiah replied.


    Blair looked at the serfs squeezing into the wooden houses to prepare for the night and said with a chuckle, ¡°Let¡¯s set aside the small children and nursing women for now. The other able-bodied serfs could all be sent to Thorn Ridge. Let them transport timber or stones and be responsible for road repair.¡±


    Goltai interjected, ¡°That¡¯s an irresponsible distribution plan.¡±


    ¡°I mean, let¡¯s not make arrangements for now until the resource survey is complete. Then we can make comprehensive plans,¡± Blair clarified.


    ¡°Hmm, that is a solution. It is indeed difficult to make arrangements in a short period, and we can¡¯t just feed them for nothing. It¡¯s better to send them to the lumberjack team,¡± Goltai conceded.


    During dinner, Goltai relayed Blair¡¯s suggestion to Liszt.


    In response, Liszt agreed and added, ¡°Try to arrange easy tasks for the artisans. Among the serfs who are physically weak or sick, do not assign any work to them. Let them rest and recover.¡± He valued the artisans the most among this batch of serfs.


    The skills of artisans are the technology of this world and an indispensable part of a prosperous domain.


    Suddenly thinking of something, he said, ¡°Stay up a bit late tonight and compile a list of the artisans, especially what skills they possess. I will have the castle¡¯s servants assist with recording. I want to see it first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    In today¡¯s Fresh Flower Town, Liszt¡¯s word was law.


    By the next morning, after he had walked the dog and got up, a thick list on parchment paper was already laid out on the dining table. After a bath and changing into comfortable clothes, he then sat down at the table to enjoy breakfast.


    It was time for Carter to instruct the male servant to bring breakfast.


    A cup of creamy fresh milk, a pineapple bun and a milk-flavored bread, a fried egg, a large piece of fried Magical Beast meat, a vegetable salad, and several pieces of fruit.


    This was his standard breakfast.


    Worth at least a dozen or more silver coins, especially the Magical Beast meat, which was quite valuable.


    But after all, he had recently come into money. As a hidden rich man on Coral Island, he was not willing to skimp on himself. He had never been one for frugality; if he could enjoy life, he would make sure to do so.


    He took a big gulp from the glass of milk.


    ¡°The milk produced by the castle itself tastes better. I think the climate and environment in Fresh Flower Town are definitely suitable for raising dairy cows.¡± He licked the milk froth from the corner of his lips and made his judgment.


    ¡°Sherlock has already bought three calves. Currently, the pasture is occupied by horses, and there is no room to raise more dairy cows, my lord,¡± a servant informed him.


    Liszt affirmed with conviction, ¡°Once Thorn Ridge is developed, the dairy cattle farm will definitely be expanded, at least doubled. I want to raise more dairy cows!¡±


    Because of the increasingly delicious milk tea, he had specifically looked into the dairy cattle farm and found no reason that could account for the improved milk production quality of the cows¡ªit certainly wasn¡¯t the earlier speculation that the cows had entered gestation. Compared to the milk from other cows outside, one could clearly taste the difference in quality.


    The milk from the dairy cattle farm in Fresh Flower Town was not only creamy but also more refreshing.


    Liszt later surmised that it could be due to the new variety of forage, Corn Grass. But after feeding them separately, it turned out to be unrelated to Corn Grass. Therefore, he concluded that the climate of Fresh Flower Town was suitable for breeding dairy cows.


    He bit into a pineapple bun.


    Liszt then turned his attention to the thick parchment on the table, casually flipping it open to examine the information about the artisans.

 Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 0147: A Major Work in Sociology

    Chapter 147: Chapter 0147: A Major Work in Sociology


    Anyone engaged in technical civilian work other than farming was called a craftsman.


    Craftsmen, relying on their own skills, ran their own shops and could be called artisans. Therefore, most artisans were freemen while most craftsmen were serfs.


    In Liszt¡¯s understanding, these people, if given time to develop and manage their businesses independently, would become the bourgeoisie. However, based on his knowledge of Different World¡¯s society, craftsmen evolving into capitalists was temporarily impossible, as Nobles wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    If one were to refer to medieval Europe on Earth,


    With the progression of the industrial revolution, artisans who mastered the means of production either accumulated these means and evolved into capitalists or lost them and became workers.


    Here, craftsmen had existed for a very long time, and they were still craftsmen.


    No capitalists had emerged, nor had there been a large workforce. No matter how they developed, they were vassals of the Nobility¡ªthe absolute difference in individual strength provided by Dou Qi Cultivation allowed Noble Knights to firmly hold all the power without fear of being overthrown by a new class.


    Of course, between different kingdoms and cities, the development of the class of craftsmen varied to some extent.


    There was no fixed hierarchy.


    Liszt summarized it simply.


    Craftsmen could roughly be divided into four grades: ¡°Family,¡± ¡°Master,¡± ¡°Craftsman,¡± and ¡°Worker.¡±


    Master Technician, Master.


    The craftsmen at this level generally lived in big cities. They were high-status freemen and had reached the level of minor nobility.


    Examples include Architects, Shipbuilders, Carriage Makers, Goldsmiths, Jewelry Masters, Casting Masters, and Drillers, who were top craftsmen in their respective trades.


    Architects were responsible for building Castles, large buildings, and Mage Towers; Shipbuilders specialized in designing and building ships; Carriage Makers produced carriages, mine carts, and chariots; Goldsmiths crafted Gold Coins, silver coins, copper coins, and even Dragon coins; Jewelry Masters designed precious jewelry and carved Crystals, Jade, and even gemstones.


    Casting Masters could manufacture various fine equipment, and Drillers were able to dig mines.


    In Coral Island, only Architects, Shipbuilders, Carriage Makers, and Casting Masters existed¡ªthere were no Goldsmiths, Jewelry Masters, or Drillers.


    Craftsman Craftsman.


    This level of craftsman constituted the backbone of the craftsperson community. They were the most basic layer in big cities, permeating various industries, and formed the foundation of a city or territory¡¯s prosperity. Most of them were freemen, free to either run shops or sell their skills.


    Stonemasons, Carpenters, Blacksmiths, Tanners, and Tailors were the most basic five occupations of craftsmen, as well as the most numerous.


    Stonemasons built structures, Carpenters made furniture, Blacksmiths forged tools, Tanners tanned hides, and Tailors made clothes.


    In addition, Bone Craftsmen, Paper Craftsmen (thick paper), Locksmiths, Shoemakers, Coopers, Crystal Craftsmen, Jewel Craftsmen, Gem Craftsmen, Jade Craftsmen, Soap Makers, Brewers, Bakers, Barbers, Chefs, Confectioners, Spice Makers, and Salt Makers were all at the craftsman level.


    Worker¡ªWorker.


    These craftsmen also formed the backbone of the craftsperson community but were predominantly found in large numbers within a Landlord¡¯s estate. Most of them were serfs and virtually indistinguishable from farming peasants, only engaged in slightly technical work.


    Embroiderers, Weavers, Dyers, Salt Workers, Confectioners, Millers, Miners, Sailors, Ship Workers, and Laborers, among others, were all workers.


    Additionally, individuals like innkeepers, small merchants, grocery shop owners, Horse Merchants didn¡¯t possess craftsmanship skills, but they were in charge of the distribution of craftsmanship with a status generally equivalent to that of a craftsman, which is to say, ordinary freemen.


    At last,


    Family, Grand Master.


    This level is basically not considered a craftsman, but should be called an artist.


    Novelists, Minstrels, Pianists, Painters, Court Musicians, Sculptors, Singers, and so on, most of them belong to the noble class. Without inheritable titles, they develop their own artistic cells and move among the nobility, enjoying a high-quality lifestyle.


    If one has to further define it, magicians who make magic equipment and ¡°Iron Knights¡± who forge various weapons would also be considered craftsmen.


    But they are either outside the system or are nobles themselves.


    ¡°Not a single technician, few craftsmen, mostly just workers, I feel like the money spent is somewhat lacking,¡±


    Looking at the list on thick parchment in his hand, Li Si Te couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of regret. He had wanted craftsmen, but among the serfs he bought, there were mostly workers.


    Clearly, these craftsmen were leftovers picked by others, or rather, Levis¡¯s subordinates were only willing to buy cheap craftsmen¡ªamong the serf trades, a craftsman¡¯s price was clearly a bit higher than that of a worker, not to mention a technician. No one would sell technicians, craftsmen, workers, and peasants for the same price.


    ¡°In any case, having a group of skilled workers can barely add a few industries to Fresh Flower Town¡­ I can make my own sugar, soap, textiles, even sun-dry salt from seawater, or make paper using traditional methods, or develop other industries,¡± Li Si Te comforted himself. It¡¯s not just consolation; skilled workers are still valuable.


    He asked Thomas to bring a quill, ink, and blank thick parchment, and he began to write and draw.


    He planned to consider which industries these craftsmen could develop, how many workshops could be added to the town¡¯s workshop district. However, while writing, he moved from the development of handicraft industry to the study of social systems.


    ¡°If I wanted to, I could become a sociologist!¡±


    He categorized the entire social system of the Different World.


    Social upper layer¡ªNoble Landlords.


    Upper middle layer¡ªMagicians pursuing truth, officials and knights without titles, and indispensable artists.


    Middle layer¡ªTechnicians with irreplaceable skills, knights turned mercenaries in their downfall.


    Lower middle layer¡ªServants in castles, craftsmen with productive technologies, merchants handling the circulation of goods, workers serving as laborers, rats scurrying in the shadows.


    Social lower layer Serfs who plant fields, beggars who can¡¯t even become serfs.


    ¡°Very clear, crystal clear.¡± He bit into a big chunk of Magical Beast Meat, chewed, and swallowed, ¡°If I could elaborate further, the responsibilities that each social layer bears in society, and the mobility between layers, I could probably write a magnum opus on sociology, and get it published.¡±


    This was just an idea; he hadn¡¯t fallen so low as to need to write books for a living¡ªthat was something for destitute noble offspring.


    Moreover, works of sociology would not sell well.


    You have to write Knight¡¯s Novels.


    To slay dragons, to make a pact with the Elf King.


    The best start would be a down-and-out Prince, accompanied by a Little Minor Elf, casting adrift at sea for a romantic night with a Siren, followed by a few days of dalliances in a Marquis Manor with a noblewoman, before single-handedly defeating an evil Dragon, or riding a Dragon, with the Little Minor Elf breaking through to become the Elf King.


    Ultimately, the hero saves the beauty and marries the beautiful Princess recognized by the Unicorn.


    With these elements in place, it would essentially be a best-selling Knight¡¯s Novel, which those fond of fantasies would be very willing to pay for.


    After finishing breakfast.


    Li Si Te collected the thick parchment he had written on, and glanced out the window at the now high Sun, ¡°When Granney arrives, maybe I can discuss sociology with him.¡±

 Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 0148: Fresh Flower Town Resource Survey

    Chapter 148: Chapter 0148: Fresh Flower Town Resource Survey


    Granney Truth¡¯s letter was delivered to the castle by the Fresh Flower Caravan.


    He postponed his arrival time. There was a shortage of materials for making the Black Pearl Magic Equipment, which required some time to prepare. Approximately in mid-October, he would head to Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Wasting my time, I should have chosen another magician to visit!¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t very pleased when he saw the letter. He felt that the magician wasn¡¯t giving him due respect. Preparing the materials took over a week, which implied a low efficiency and lack of dedication, bordering on perfunctory.


    However, the magicians he had access to were few.


    Such creatures always lived reclusively, leading a semi-hermitic life, seldom making contact with ordinary people. If Liszt weren¡¯t a member of the Tulip Family, perhaps Granney wouldn¡¯t have agreed to meet him¡ªthe nobles probably wouldn¡¯t let a magician settle in their city anyway, for they were prone to causing explosions every now and then, which was frightening.


    He threw away the letter.


    Liszt no longer cared when Granney would arrive.


    Now in Fresh Flower Town, the resource survey and the logging campaign were underway simultaneously. Even though Goltai devoted himself as an advisor, there was still an overwhelming amount of work causing trouble for Liszt.


    He had his own troubles too.


    Standing in front of the castle window, he frowned at Juan Fu, who was shackled by the legs.


    ¡°Garrulous!¡±


    ¡°Garrulous!¡±


    Juan Fu kept making noise, continuously flapping his fully-feathered wings.


    With eyes turning into vortexes, Liszt unleashed the Eye of Magic. To him, Juan Fu appeared as a fat bird made of green magic power.


    ¡°Juan Fu has reached the stage where it needs to release magic power. In a few days, it might not need my guidance to cast magic¡­ Eating too well is also a burden. Should I reduce its food? This bird eats as much in one meal as a servant does in three.¡±


    Juan Fu wasn¡¯t large; curled up, it was about the size of a dog.


    But being a Magical Beast, its appetite far exceeded that of ordinary birds: ¡°To keep feeding it like this is just not cost-effective.¡±


    Without finding a falconer, Juan Fu will always be a wild Magical Beast, whose main use is to be killed for meat or selling materials for Gold Coins.


    Shaking his head, Liszt decided not to kill it for the time being. Having taken care of it for so long, they had grown familiar with each other. No matter how he teased it, Juan Fu wouldn¡¯t bite him, only dodge. It didn¡¯t like to be touched by anyone.


    ¡°There¡¯s still some friendship between us.¡±


    The life in Fresh Flower Town was busy and orderly.


    The resource survey presided over by Goltai was soon completed. The data was summarized and sent to the castle, sparking spirited discussions at the dinner party.


    ¡°According to the lord¡¯s instructions, a portion of the serfs in the town who work in agriculture will be transformed into specialized workers. The farming serfs will get interest-free loans from the castle. The loans will not pass through the serfs¡¯ hands but will be delivered to them in the form of farming tools, along with guidance for scientific farming,¡± Goltai read passionately from his lengthy dissertation. The resource survey was his performance project, naturally filled with enthusiasm.


    ¡°The current resource survey results for Fresh Flower Town are as follows, Peanut Hamlet¡­¡±


    Peanut Hamlet  Peanut Fields covering 100 acres, including one Peanut Elf Bug; Corn Grass Fields covering 20 acres; about 500 acres of uncultivated wasteland, mostly overgrown with weeds; a residential area covering 20 acres.


    Mushroom Hamlet Mushroom sheds covering 80 acres; a mixture of Mushroom and Flame Mushroom sheds covering 30 acres; about 800 acres of uncultivated wasteland, mostly overgrown with shrubs; a residential area covering 30 acres.


    Barley Hamlet Barley Fields covering 50 acres; Oat Fields covering 50 acres; Rye Fields covering 150 acres; Corn Grass Fields covering 30 acres; Millet Fields covering 50 acres, including one Millet Elf Bug; about 500 acres of uncultivated wasteland, mostly overgrown with weeds; a seaside beach covering 1800 acres, with some Fragrant Coconut Trees; a residential area covering 50 acres.


    Little Wheat Village Little Wheat Fields covering 500 acres, including one Little Wheat Elf Bug; a pig farm with 12 large fat pigs; about 300 acres of uncultivated wasteland, mostly overgrown with weeds; a residential area covering 50 acres.


    Tomato Hamlet  Tomato Fields covering 80 acres, including one Tomato Elf Bug; Vegetable Fields covering 20 acres; about 40 acres of uncultivated wasteland, mostly overgrown with weeds; a residential area covering 60 acres.


    Oyster Village A seaside beach covering 4600 acres, with some Fragrant Coconut Trees and one Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug; a Fruit Thief Monkey Training Ground, housing 7 Fruit Thief Monkeys, of which 3 females are pregnant; a residential area covering 30 acres.


    Dairy Farm Alfalfa Grassland covering 150 acres, housing 11 dairy cows, of which 3 females are pregnant; Thorn Forest covering 180 acres, including one Thorn Elf Bug; about 300 acres of uncultivated wasteland, mostly overgrown with shrubs; a seaside beach covering 1700 acres, with some Fragrant Coconut Trees; a residential area covering 15 acres.


    Fresh Flower Farm Tulip Fields covering 200 acres, including 15 acres of St. Dence Tulips, 10 acres of William I Tulips, 20 acres of Black Tulips, the rest being wasteland; about 500 acres of uncultivated wasteland, mostly overgrown with shrubs and weeds; a residential area covering 20 acres.


    The town A commercial district covering 40 acres; a workshop district covering 80 acres; a serf residential area covering 150 acres; a freeman residential area covering 120 acres; a noble residential area covering 80 acres; a government building covering 10 acres. Most are planned areas, with the current housing footprint being very small.


    The Castle  Alfalfa Grassland covering 120 acres, including one Alfalfa Elf Bug, housing 22 horses, of which 7 mares are pregnant; Dragon Kui Field covering 5 acres, including one Dragon Kui Elf Bug; the castle itself covering 20 acres; about 400 acres of uncultivated wasteland, mostly overgrown with shrubs and weeds.


    The entire town¡¯s cultivable land is roughly 5165 acres, with about 8100 acres of seaside beach, and approximately 775 acres occupied by buildings, including small rivers, ponds, roads, totaling about 15,000 acres of land  as for the standard of this ¡°acre,¡± Liszt was also unclear, lacking a comparison.


    If his body had traveled through time, with himself as a reference, it would have been easy to understand the local system of measurements.


    Unfortunately, he traveled through souls, unclear whether now, compared to his past self, he was a giant or a dwarf  but it no longer mattered, as he had gotten used to the units of measurement here.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town roughly covers 15,000 acres and Thorn Ridge about 13,000 acres, total that¡¯s 28,000 acres, which is the size of my territory¡­ hmm, I also need to count the nearly 5000 acres of beach revealed at low tide. Then, I have 33,000 acres of land.¡±


    A small town of 33,000 acres was already one of the larger towns on Coral Island.


    He had even taken the time to draw a detailed topographical map of Fresh Flower Town, the map might not be completely accurate, but the basic framework should be correct.


    There were mountains, and water, with clear roads.


    His gaze traveled across the map, quickly moving to the north side of Thorn Ridge: ¡°From here on out, it¡¯s all low shrubs, and further out, large tracts of uncultivated land that nobody has developed. Should I include this piece of land as well?¡±


    After some thought, he decided against it.


    Swallowing Thorn Ridge was greedy enough; it was better to make a fortune quietly. Being too greedy and grabbing more land might backfire, possibly displeasing the Earl and Levis.


    ¡°Right now, the wasteland of Fresh Flower Town hasn¡¯t been fully cultivated. I should develop low-key and steadily. I have the Smoke Mission; there¡¯s no need to take risks. The old saying still applies: amass provisions, build high walls, and proclaim kingship at a slow pace. I¡¯m sixteen this year; I¡¯ll set a small goal for myself ¡ª by the age of twenty, I want to own an island of my own!¡±


    In his mind surfaced the information about Black Horse Island.


    This nurturing ground for the Li Dragon Horse Herd hadn¡¯t yet been uncovered, but its allure had already left Liszt enchanted.

 Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 0149: Silently Approaching the Dou Qi Bottleneck

    Chapter 149: Chapter 0149: Silently Approaching the Dou Qi Bottleneck


    ¡°Task completed, reward: Mutated Quick-Growing Thorn Species.¡±


    The slowly shifting smoke before Liszt¡¯s eyes brought him a sense of satisfaction. Starting with the extermination of Magical Beasts to the middle of October, after nearly a month of cutting, the Lumberjack Team had finally chopped down every tree on Thorn Ridge.


    The once lush but not overly dense woods had turned into bare, undulating slopes of soil.


    If there were environmental organizations here, they would undoubtedly lodge a serious protest against Liszt¡ªaccusing him of destroying vegetation and causing soil erosion, crimes against humanity¡ªbut unfortunately, this was Liszt¡¯s territory, and he could do whatever he wanted. Besides, with Coral Island lush and thriving, what did a few trees matter!


    In a world with Elves, there was no fear of land desertification.


    Moreover, there was no industrial development here; whether on the islands or the continent, no matter how poor the soil, at least 70% of the land was covered by forests. At least 95% was covered by vegetation, whether it be farmland or weeds, there was never a shortage of plants.


    Therefore, Liszt never paid attention to environmental protection.


    ¡°Mutated wood? What does that mean?¡± It was the reward for the Thorn Bug chain quest; previous rewards had been for thorn mutations with spikes or poison¡ªboth spikes and poison were easy to understand. But now the wood aspect was a bit baffling, ¡°Does wood¡­ could it be about the quality of the timber?¡±


    His sharp mind quickly rotated: ¡°Trees differ from each other; some are suited for making furniture and are exorbitantly priced, while some are not even good enough for paper production¡­ Does Mutated Quick-Growing Thorn Species mean that the wood properties of the thorns have changed?¡±


    Ordinary thorns were useful for nothing more than hedges.


    They could neither bloom nor bear fruit, and were not particularly hard, quite a useless feature.


    ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out by thinking alone, I need to see the actual item and research this ¡®Rapid Growth Wood Thorns¡¯ to determine its value,¡± Liszt named the new thorn variety in the blink of an eye.


    At that moment.


    The smoke before him also transformed into a new chapter.


    ¡°Task: The commercial district of Fresh Flower Town is gradually prospering, but the workshop area has been idle for a long time and lacks enough workshops to support it. Craftsmen should not waste their talents on cutting trees and farming. Please build three new workshops to increase town prosperity. Reward: Bottleneck of Dou Qi.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyes widened; he saw the odd reward of ¡°Bottleneck of Dou Qi.¡±


    But in his heart, there was no surprise, only excitement, ¡°My first task¡¯s reward was the sublimation of Dou Qi, which enabled me to break through from Apprentice Knight to Earth Knight smoothly. This time, it¡¯s the Bottleneck of Dou Qi, does this mean I am about to become an Elite Earth Knight? It must be!¡±


    Knights are categorized as Apprentice Knights, Earth Knights, Sky Knights, and Dragon Knights, according to the levels of Dou Qi: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and Dragon Dou Qi.


    Within Earth Knights, one can roughly divide them into two stages¡ªCommon Earth Knights and Elite Earth Knights.


    Those who¡¯ve just broken through to Earth Knight are Common Earth Knights; during this time, if you continue to train, the total amount of Dou Qi in your body will slowly increase.


    Liszt was in this stage, feeling the growth of his Dou Qi every day.


    When the total amount of Dou Qi reaches its peak and stops increasing, it signifies reaching the level of an Elite Earth Knight. At this stage, it is very difficult to increase the total amount of Dou Qi through mere cultivation alone.


    Many knights are confined to this stage, unable to advance further, only continuously developing their technical use of Dou Qi. As they age, around their fifties, their physical functions will start to decline, the total amount of Dou Qi will gradually decrease, and they will regress from Elite Earth Knights back to Common Earth Knights.


    Now in his forties, Marcus was still at the peak of his physical abilities. In another decade or so, he would likely begin to decline, and his strength would greatly reduce. This was the urgent reason he yearned for distinction on the battlefield¡ªhonors needed to be gained early so that he could enjoy them when old.


    Half of the Elite Earth Knights shared Marcus¡¯ mindset.


    Honors.


    Yet, there were some Elite Earth Knights who were not in a rush to achieve distinction. Instead, they preferred to continue enhancing their own strength, such as Levis and Li Vera.


    However, relying solely on cultivation was no longer very effective.


    At this time, a copious amount of magic potions was needed to stimulate the body¡¯s functions and continue to increase the amount of Dou Qi until the quantitative change led to a qualitative leap, breaking through to become a Sky Knight.


    One Sky Knight could easily handle a hundred Earth Knights.


    If they had good mounts to cooperate with them, they became killing machines on the battlefield, constantly collecting honors.


    ¡°After completing this task, will I officially step into the phase of an Elite Earth Knight?¡± Liszt still found it hard to believe, ¡°Originally, I thought it would take at least three to five years of cultivation to enter the ranks of the Elite Earth Knights. Unexpectedly, in just over half a year, I¡¯ve completed this process.¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.


    It was as if he could see himself radiating with the light of a genius from top to bottom.


    ¡°To construct three new workshops in the workshop district is too simple. Currently, there are six workshops in the district: a smithy, tanners¡¯ shop, mill, carpenter¡¯s shop, tailor shop, and locksmith store¡­ According to the current number of craftsman serfs, I can build a soap-making workshop, a brewing workshop, and a cooperage.¡±


    The soap-making workshop had a soap maker, Bunier, who had drifted from Little Papa Island. He could not only make scented soaps but also undertook the task of making lye soap arranged by Liszt. Though he hadn¡¯t finalized the ultimate lye soap formula, he had produced a barely usable lye soap.


    A soap-making workshop would be his reward, and after all, it would earn money for Liszt.


    The brewing workshop had among the artisans who had drifted from Little Papa Island a brewer named Frank Dregs who could make fruit wines; there were also two purchased serfs who knew how to brew rice wine and beer, respectively.


    Now, Liszt had a good relationship with the heir of the hops family, Aubrey Lycra, whom he contacted frequently through letters and could obtain hops at a relatively low price for his own beer brewing.


    Not aiming to make a profit, a brewing workshop could barely sustain itself if it produced for its own consumption.


    As for the cooperage, among the purchased artisan serfs, there were several coopers¡ªa common skill combining woodworking and blacksmithing. Barrels were indispensable in daily life, so there would be no problem with sales once the cooperage was built. Even without the task, he had plans to construct a cooperage.


    ¡°The only question is, does a cooperage count as a workshop? It should be considered a handicraft workshop, right?¡± Liszt pondered in uncertainty, not clear on whether establishments like cooperages and tailor shops should be classified as shops or workshops.


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t count, I¡¯ll just build an additional workshop, which will need to be built sooner or later¡­ maybe a peanut processing workshop. Boiled peanuts, five-spiced peanuts, fried peanuts, salt-and-pepper peanuts, sauce-flavored peanuts, peanut butter¡ªI¡¯ll produce whatever can be produced. Fresh Flower Town shouldn¡¯t be directly selling raw agricultural products.¡±


    The value of raw agricultural products was too low.


    At the very least, they needed to undergo initial processing before being sold.


    Thinking of this, he immediately summoned Goltai, who was growing visibly busier day by day, ¡°Consultant Goltai, I need to see results in the development of the workshop district. Arrange to start construction on the soap-making workshop, brewing workshop, cooperage, and peanut processing workshop immediately, with direct investment from the castle.¡±

 Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 0150: The Thorn of Ironwood Quality

    Chapter 150: Chapter 0150: The Thorn of Ironwood Quality


    As for the current stage,


    the workshops and stores in Fresh Flower Town, aside from the few primitive ones opened by freemen, essentially all had to be established by Liszt himself¡ªhe didn¡¯t mind monopolizing all the industries in Fresh Flower Town since this was his own territory.


    When he said to build a workshop, a workshop could be built.


    However, Goltai had doubts, ¡°Lord, the soap making workshop can be handed over to Bunier, the brewing workshop has Frank, Bording, and Huntera, and there are many coopers for the cooperage¡­ But what about the peanut processing workshop, what is it for, and who should it be handed to?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about taking the harvested peanuts and processing them simply. They can be sold cooked with the shells, roasted, or as shelled peanuts, can be made into peanut butter, and perhaps new and unique peanut recipes can be developed. The goal is to turn ordinary peanuts into delicious peanuts, just like turning ordinary bread into pineapple buns,¡± Liszt explained.


    ¡°Who will make these delicious peanuts?¡±


    ¡°Among the serfs we bought, aren¡¯t there some who have served as chefs in other castles? My castle doesn¡¯t need that many chefs for now, so let these people research how to make tasty peanuts¡­ Remember this, Consultant Goltai.¡±


    ¡°Please go on,¡± Goltai said.


    ¡°The agricultural products from Fresh Flower Town are priced very low and don¡¯t have much trading value. But after our initial processing, they can be sold at a good price, and we can even purchase agricultural products from outside to process. I hope Fresh Flower Town can become a center for processing agricultural products,¡± Liszt said.


    There was no word in Serpent Script equivalent to ¡°initial processing.¡±


    Liszt could use Serpent Script to create a word with a similar meaning, then provide a brief explanation.


    Goltai understood, ¡°So, it¡¯s like Tulip Castle rarely sells whole Magic Tulips, but instead processes them into finished magic potions for sale, right?¡±


    ¡°You have understood correctly.¡±


    ¡°Then I will go and arrange this now.¡±


    After Goltai left, Liszt soon departed from the castle as well.


    He hurried to the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery to look for the Rapid Growth Wood Thorns. Standing amidst the shrubbery and looking around, apart from this patch of shrubs, only bare slopes could be seen in the distance. In the shrubbery, Rapid Growth Poison Thorns and Rapid Growth Spiky Thorns were artificially separated, each occupying a large area.


    ¡°Lord Landlord!¡±


    The two Bug Guard Members guarding the Thorn Cordyceps hurriedly came forward to greet him; they were serfs from the dairy farm selected by Rom due to their robust physique to be Bug Guard Members and received a decent part-time salary.


    Liszt asked, ¡°Since you¡¯ve been stationed at this shrubbery, have you noticed any unusual thorns?¡±


    He had specifically instructed Rom to tell the Bug Guard Members here to pay close attention to the growth of the thorns and to immediately report any special ones they found.


    The members hesitated, ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡¯m not sure if they are unusual thorns or not.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°There is a patch of thorns¡­ they have become¡­ very thick,¡± one member said.


    ¡°Very thick? Show me,¡± Liszt instructed.


    The Bug Guard Member quickly led Liszt to a patch of thick thorns.


    The thorns here, with their color and spikes, were just ordinary, but each one was about twice as thick as a regular thorn. This was a distinct difference, yet the Bug Guard Member didn¡¯t realize it was worth reporting¡ªsimply a pig-brained oversight.


    Of course.


    Liszt understood that the intelligence of common people was indeed limited. He said, ¡°Cut down this thorn.¡±


    The Bug Guards were not equipped with iron tools, only relatively cheap bone weapons.


    They hastily pulled out their bone knives and swung them ferociously at the thorns. These small shrubs weren¡¯t difficult to cut down, especially since they were still in their juvenile phase. The Bug Guard Members, full of confidence, believed they could sever the thorns with a single strike, showing their bravery in front of Lord Landlord.


    However, to their embarrassment, when the bone knives struck the trunk of the thorn shrub, they produced a crisp ¡°clang¡± and were repelled, leaving behind only a shallow mark.


    ¡°Uh.¡±


    The two Bug Guard Members grew a bit panicked, swinging their bone knives again with great force. But each chop only left shallow marks on the trunk of the thorn shrub, and after a dozen or so strikes, they hadn¡¯t managed to create a split as wide as a thumb. Instead, the edges of their bone knives were already chipping away.


    On the verge of breaking.


    ¡°Stop, Thomas, hand them my Knight¡¯s Sword to cut with,¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes shone with understanding. He had probably figured out the nature of the mutation that the Rapid Growth Wood Thorns had undergone.


    Receiving the Knight¡¯s Sword.


    The Bug Guard Members continued chopping, still unable to sever the thorns quickly, but thankfully the Knight¡¯s Sword was crafted from fine steel and was extremely sturdy. Relying on constant chopping and grinding, they finally managed to sever a thorn as thick as a wrist. They then chopped off its smaller branches, turning it into a bare thorn rod.


    Panting heavily, they handed it over to Liszt.


    Holding the thorn rod in his hands, Liszt could feel its weight.


    ¡°It¡¯s heavy, very solid, and the texture is extremely hard. If I¡¯m not mistaken, its wood has likely mutated in the direction of ¡®ironwood¡¯.¡±


    Ironwood, as the name implies, is wood as hard as steel. On Earth, many kinds of wood are called ironwood, such as ironbirch, mangrove, and phoebe, which are harder than steel, sink in water, aren¡¯t affected by insects, and can¡¯t even be pierced by nails. Many ships, vehicles, special buildings, and even aerospace parts are made from ironwood.


    The current Rapid Growth Wood Thorns hadn¡¯t reached the standard of ironwood yet.


    But their ¡°rapid growth¡± characteristic determined their value. Even if they didn¡¯t meet the ironwood standard, they were still far superior to regular wood and better than steel.


    ¡°Given this quality, Rapid Growth Wood Thorns are practically steel that grows on its own!¡±


    There were trees with ironwood qualities in Thorn Ridge, such as rockwood, stonewood, and others, but they were rare and grew slowly. It took hundreds of years for them to mature, and cutting one meant one less left.


    Rapid Growth Wood Thorns could mature in a short time, their value was so great that even Liszt found it hard to imagine.


    ¡°Compared to the previous poison and spiky mutations, these are nothing! This is the true treasure among thorns. My Thorn Bug, well done, you¡¯ll get an extra treat tonight. Feast on the Jade Powder!¡± The chained tasks reward from the Thorn Bug¡¯s influence had led to such a mutation.


    He felt increasingly certain that there was a chance for the Thorn Bug to evolve into a Thorn Minor Elf.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡±


    Emotions stirred, he could no longer contain his thoughts: ¡°I¡¯ll plant all 180 acres of shrubbery directly affected by the Thorn Cordyceps with Rapid Growth Wood Thorns!¡±


    The ordinary Rapid Growth Thorns, Rapid Growth Poison Thorns, and Rapid Growth Spiky Thorns should either be relocated or cut down directly.


    They shouldn¡¯t take up the influence of the Thorn Cordyceps.


    The Li Dragon Horse raced.


    Returning to the castle like the wind.


    He planned to immediately call Isaiah, the newly appointed Administrative Officer, to replan the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery. However, as the wind cooled his mind, he immediately realized a key problem: ¡°The Thorn Bug is still accumulating power for its evolution, and the chain tasks aren¡¯t over yet. The Rapid Growth Thorns could still mutate.¡±


    Now, if he cut down the ordinary Rapid Growth Thorns, it would be hard to generate new mutations.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t cut down all the ordinary Rapid Growth Thorns. Ironwood can wait. There¡¯s no rush. Right now, the most important thing is to let the Thorn Bug continue to develop, to let the Rapid Growth Thorns continue to mutate¡­ However, the name ¡®Rapid Growth Wood Thorns¡¯ needs to be changed. Let¡¯s call them ¡®Rapid Growth Iron Thorns¡¯ instead!¡±

 Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 0151: The Thorn Bug’s Fat Pupa Stage

    Chapter 151: Chapter 0151: The Thorn Bug¡¯s Fat Pupa Stage


    The discovery of Rapid Growth Iron Thorns was as significant to Fresh Flower Town as a catalyst to a chemical reaction, or an athlete taking a stimulant.


    Although they would still have to wait for the Thorn Bug chain mission to be fully completed before they could start planting on a large scale,


    it didn¡¯t hinder him from bringing the trunks of the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns back, and during the dinner, he gathered the officials of the town to study and discuss its uses.


    ¡°If it can grow to two meters high, it can be used to build houses, it¡¯s much harder than the fir wood we use, and I bet that houses built with it would be safe and sound in a storm.¡±


    ¡°Blair, you¡¯re not considering everything, wood has to not only be firm but also waterproof, termite-resistant, and rot-resistant.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m missing anything, look how compact its wood is, it¡¯s nearly the same as the rockwood cut by the Lumberjack Team, and rockwood never gets bugs,¡± Blair countered, speaking of rockwood, which is a tree known as rock tree that likes to grow in rock crevices.


    Rockwood is precious, a two-hundred-year-old rock tree can fetch a price of fifty silver coins.


    They only found fewer than ten rock trees when they cleared Thorn Ridge, of which only three were two hundred years old; the rest were younger.


    Another type of wood of the same nature as rockwood is stonewood, which is also extremely rare.


    Goltai came up with an idea, ¡°Let¡¯s sink it in water, if it sinks, it means it¡¯s almost like rockwood, if it doesn¡¯t, then it¡¯s not as good.¡±


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s try it.¡±


    So the servant brought over a basin of water.


    After some effort, they took a section of the trunk and threw it into the basin, and the trunk sank straight to the bottom.


    Seeing this, Blair said proudly, ¡°Look, everyone, I never tell a lie, Rapid Growth Iron Thorns are as excellent as rockwood!¡±


    The usually quiet Marcus also spoke up, ¡°Its texture is sturdy and the trunk is straight, it¡¯s suitable for making Knight Spear shafts, and also for arrow shafts, it should be more suitable than birch wood.¡±


    Ordinary Knight Spears¡¯ shafts and arrows¡¯ shafts are all made of birch wood.


    Coral Island¡¯s Birch City specializes in planting birch trees and producing birch wood for weaponry. The Tulip Family even has a Little Minor Elf of the birch tree.


    ¡°If it is really better than birch wood, we can supply Tulip Castle with it, I am sure the Earl would like better spear shafts and arrow shafts.¡±


    ¡°Especially since it can grow rapidly, this advantage is incredible. A rock tree only grows to the thickness of a palm in two hundred years, and this one is just a young sprout and it¡¯s already as thick as a wrist.¡±


    ¡°I seem to see a bush of gold coins.¡±


    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s a tree that bears gold coins.¡±


    ¡°Who would have thought the most useless thorns would turn out to be the most useful wood.¡±


    The banquet was filled with laughter and good spirits, all expressing anticipation for the morrow of the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns.


    After Liszt and others had finished their discussion,


    they raised their glasses, full of high spirits, ¡°We can¡¯t be sure it¡¯s a money tree yet, but you can keep an eye on it and study it, to unearth its full value completely. If it really is a money tree, we¡¯ll have to plant it on a large scale, it would be best to plant Rapid Growth Iron Thorns everywhere on Thorn Ridge where the land can¡¯t be cultivated.¡±


    Everyone raised their glasses and responded loudly, ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    After dinner,


    Liszt, slightly inebriated, walked around the castle¡¯s estate and played with Douson for a while before planning to return to the study to read. He was preparing to learn a new foreign language¡ªWind Language, the language of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Old Geronte, a well-traveled man who knows both Serpent Script and Wind Language, is the only one in Fresh Flower Town for now; therefore, he temporarily handed the management of the Fresh Flower Caravan to Abagon. He himself returned to Fresh Flower Town to serve as a translator, coordinating the officials in managing the new 476 serfs, and also undertaking to teach Wind Language.


    Mastering a foreign language is indeed somewhat useful.


    However, Old Geronte was too busy with tasks to teach individually, so he contributed a notebook from his early years of learning Wind Language to Liszt.


    In this notebook, there were records of rather everyday Wind Language and how to pronounce them using Serpent Script.


    Learning is tedious, and although interesting at first glance, after two days, his patience wore thin. While passing by the Worm Room, he simply went in to tease his Elf Bugs.


    All nine Elf Bugs were kept in one large box.


    It was like raising silkworms, except these ¡°worms¡± were colorful and competed in beauty. He reached in and touched each one; Elf Bugs had smooth exteriors which felt nice to the touch. Some were lethargic, not moving at all, while others were energetic, roaming about, including the Thorn Bug.


    The gray-white Thorn Bug was not exactly eye-catching, originally the least conspicuous among the group of Elf Bugs.


    But now, he always felt that this Thorn Bug stood out from the rest.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± The effect of alcohol made his brain react a bit slow. After pausing, he suddenly jerked awake, ¡°It¡¯s gotten fat, the Thorn Bug has gotten fat! It¡¯s obviously larger than the other Elf Bugs! This is a signal of evolution!¡±


    Tulip Castle bred over a hundred Elf Bugs.


    He often played with Elf Bugs as a child, even witnessing firsthand two of them break through into Little Minor Elves. The biggest change in Elf Bugs before their breakthrough was ¡°getting fat,¡± a phenomenon usually referred to as the Fat Pupa Stage. Little Minor Elves, unlike butterflies, do not undergo metamorphosis by cocooning; they simply get fat directly.


    During the process of getting fat, Elf Bugs slowly decay and age.


    If unlucky, they simply die of old age and turn to dust.


    If lucky, one day, the Little Minor Elf will break through its exterior and emerge, spreading its wings to fly.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Fat Pupa Stage!¡±


    Liszt was now fully sober, his entire body overtaken by tense emotions that mingled with a hesitant excitement. The Fat Pupa Stage was indeed a signal of evolution but also a signal of death. Elf Bugs wouldn¡¯t last long at this stage; at most, one to two months. Failure meant death; there was no third option.


    ¡°Only one or two months left. This little time might not even be enough to complete the Thorn Bug¡¯s chain tasks. I must help it!¡±


    The plump Thorn Bug scuttled around the box non-stop.


    From time to time, it would lift its head and gaze at Liszt with eyes like black sesame seeds, expressing affection. At the same time, Liszt could feel a restlessness in its emotions¡ªperhaps a longing and impulsion for evolution. Counting them up, it had already affected four types of mutated thorns.


    No detailed documentation explained the impact of Elf Bugs on plants, but Liszt was convinced it definitely had to do with the Elf Bugs¡¯ moods.


    The thorns had been extremely violent lately, continuously mutating.


    ¡°How am I to help it?¡±


    ¡°Provide it with nutrition, fertilize the Cordyceps every day?¡±


    ¡°Expand the area of the thorn bushes?¡±


    ¡°These seem like common methods. They may be effective for evolution but not determinative¡­ The chance of evolving mostly comes down to luck.¡± Adequate nutrition, to a large extent, is capable of breeding Elf Bugs, but it cannot ensure their breakthrough.


    After much thought, it seemed that only the Smoke Mission might truly help the Thorn Bug.


    ¡°I must complete the Thorn Bug¡¯s chain tasks as soon as possible, starting with the ¡®Bottleneck of Dou Qi¡¯ task at hand. Starting tomorrow, I will personally supervise the construction of the workshop!¡±


    His mind was made up.


    Liszt let go of his tension and smiled as he watched his Elf Bugs, especially the Thorn Bug.


    The decisive moment that would determine fate had arrived: ¡°Little guy, you need to work hard.¡±


    As if sensing Liszt¡¯s encouragement, the Thorn Bug propped up half its body, locking eyes with Liszt with its sesame-seed eyes, full of emotion.


    It was brimming with confidence!

 Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 0152: The Conscience Represented by Mung Bean Soup

    Chapter 152: Chapter 0152: The Conscience Represented by Mung Bean Soup


    ¡°My lord, why are you in such a hurry to have the four workshops built?¡±


    ¡°I want to see results sooner.¡±


    On the empty lot of the workshop area, Liszt led Douson while inspecting the construction of the workshops.


    Consultant Goltai, who was in charge of the construction, was somewhat baffled. Just this morning, Liszt issued a new order demanding that the four workshops be completely built within five days. Because of this, he had to gather even more serfs to participate in the construction.


    The whole construction site was bustling with activity.


    It was now autumn, and the temperature was gradually becoming less hot than in the summer, but they were still sweating profusely while working.


    ¡°Tell the workers building the workshops that if they finish within five days, their salary will be doubled, and if they finish within four days, their salary will be tripled,¡± Liszt said, unconcerned by a few more copper coins. He cared only about whether he could complete the task ahead of schedule.


    ¡°Oh lord, the serfs will go mad,¡± exclaimed Goltai, before spreading his hands, ¡°But it¡¯s impossible to build the workshops in four days. Workshops aren¡¯t wooden huts; they need skilled people to construct them.¡±


    Liszt indifferently said, ¡°Then make them more crudely, as long as they can produce, that¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t expect the workshops to bring me much income, as long as they can assure the supply to the castle, that would be considered good.¡±


    One must not overestimate the skills of the serfs.


    But neither should one underestimate their pursuit of money.


    When they are driven, they can work night and day to cobble together the four workshops¡ªthe quality might not be guaranteed, but Liszt was not pursuing quality at the moment, only speed.


    Even if the workshops turned out to be defective, it didn¡¯t matter. The goal was just to complete the task.


    Compared to the evolution of the Thorn Bugs, these were secondary concerns.


    Goltai didn¡¯t understand Liszt¡¯s thinking, but he was just a consultant. All the power of the land was bestowed by Liszt, so he could only accept, ¡°I will properly motivate these serfs. I dare not guarantee four days, but within five days, there will definitely be four workshops appearing in the workshop area.¡±


    ¡°Complete this task, Consultant Goltai, and I will reward you with a few bottles of juniper wine, a cellar-aged vintage purchased directly from Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°Oh lord, cellar-aged juniper wine, that is utterly tantalizing. I haven¡¯t had juniper wine from Tulip Castle¡¯s cellar in years! Ha-ha, I will supervise the construction of the workshops day and night for the next few days. Please rest assured, my lord!¡±


    He straightened out the attitudes of the officials and workers.


    Only then did Liszt lead Douson back the way they came.


    Halfway there, he directly mounted Douson¡¯s back, using it as a mount¡ªDouson had been rapidly growing recently, already weighing over a ton. Tigers, in front of Douson, could only be considered slightly larger cats. The explosive power contained within its body could tear tigers and leopards apart.


    Even without using magic, it could stand at the top of Coral Island¡¯s food chain.


    At first.


    Liszt riding it made it somewhat unwilling, but after a beating, it obediently served as a mount. Carrying a person hardly affected its movements


    Upon reaching Douson Avenue,


    Liszt gave the command: ¡°Douson, multiple stone spikes!¡±


    Douson opened its mouth wide, let out a roar, and then, on the sections of the road that had been planned but not yet constructed, seven thick stone spikes burst forth with a ¡®pfft, pfft¡¯ sound.


    ¡°Good boy!¡±


    Patting Douson¡¯s large head, Liszt was very satisfied and continued with the commands: ¡°Keep it up, Douson, multiple stone spikes!¡±


    ¡®Pfft, pfft!¡¯


    Another six stone spikes broke through the ground.


    ¡°Well done, little guy. Come on, stone spikes!¡±


    Pfft!


    With just a single Rock Spike thrusting out, Douson had already grasped the difference between a Rock Spike and Multiple Stone Spikes.


    A piece of jerky as a reward.


    Liszt rubbed Douson¡¯s chubby neck and continued the training, ¡°Douson, bigger, make it bigger, Rock Spike!¡±


    Pfft!


    A Rock Spike emerged.


    ¡°Bigger, Rock Spike!¡±


    Pfft!


    Another Rock Spike appeared.


    ¡°Not good enough, Douson, no jerky reward. Bigger, only then comes the jerky, understand?¡± Liszt teased Douson by waving the jerky in front of it, but didn¡¯t let it eat, making clear that its performance wasn¡¯t up to par.


    He trained it bit by bit like this.


    Only when the Rock Spike became thicker did Liszt stuff the jerky into its mouth, repeating the command, ¡°Bigger, Rock Spike,¡± to indicate that only a larger Rock Spike would earn a reward. Douson was smart, but since they didn¡¯t speak the same language, he could only use conditioning to make it understand various commands.


    Such training was repetitive and tedious.


    But when Douson mastered a new command, Liszt felt a great sense of accomplishment because his ultimate goal was to train Douson to cast a greater variety of magic.


    ¡°Douson is definitely an Intermediate Magical Beast, but it still falls short of a Purple Sand Crocodile. As a postnatal evolved Intermediate Magical Beast, its aptitude is certainly inferior to that of innate ones. How to compensate depends on how I, as its master, train it and use techniques to offset its lack of natural talent.¡±


    He reveled in personally training a powerful Intermediate Magical Beast.


    However, the Roadwork Team following behind wasn¡¯t as thrilled. As Douson¡¯s Magic Power soared and it produced a large number of Rock Spikes, the team¡¯s workload greatly increased.


    Hammers pounded continuously, smashing the Rock Spikes to pieces and spreading them out on Douson Avenue¡ªan incredibly strenuous task, since Liszt demanded that each piece of rock shouldn¡¯t be bigger than a wine bottle cap. The serfs responsible for breaking the rock had to hammer constantly, even reducing the stones to dust.


    Only in this way could the road they built be smooth.


    Seeing the sweaty, dust-covered serfs of the Roadwork Team, Liszt felt somewhat sentimental¡ªhe had it far too easy compared to them.


    Reincarnation was a skill, and evidently, he had done it quite well.


    ¡°Have Mrs. Abbie prepare some mung bean soup and send it to the serfs of the Roadwork Team, a bowl for each,¡± Liszt instructed as Butler Carter approached.


    ¡°Your mercy will astonish them.¡±


    ¡°As long as they work hard for me, I¡¯m never stingy with rewards and benefits. In Fresh Flower Town, I want everyone to be able to earn their living through work, have enough to eat, stay warm, and live healthily even when winter comes,¡± Liszt proclaimed with high-sounding words, his vision ahead of the times.


    Merely exploiting serfs is a very low-level form of exploitation.


    Motivating the serfs¡¯ productivity is what truly maximizes the exploitation of laborers to gain more surplus value. He was a man who had read through Karl Marx¡¯s ¡°Das Kapital¡±.


    As for the conscience of a capitalist¡ªhadn¡¯t he already given them mung bean soup? What more could they want!


    So many people building one road, the wages paid on time, and only twelve hours of work a day, that was already quite kind. Any other Landlord might make the serfs learn from Xu Sanduo; not spending a copper coin, picking up rocks to build the road themselves.


    Riding on Douson.


    Liszt continued training, depleting all of Douson¡¯s Magic Power to create a large batch of Rock Spikes to be used as materials for the road. Only then did he leave the construction site, heading straight to where the Earth Matron was imprisoned¡ªas a reward for Douson.

 Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 0153: The Earth Matron Who Refused to Mate

    Chapter 153: Chapter 0153: The Earth Matron Who Refused to Mate


    After Liszt left.


    The serfs, busy with their work, began to whisper amongst themselves.


    ¡°Lord Landlord¡¯s pet is so formidable, I don¡¯t even dare to look at it. When it roars, my whole body trembles,¡± one serf said in amazement as they watched the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s retreating figure.


    ¡°Of course, the Fierce Earth Dog is the King of Thorn Ridge, only the great Lord Landlord could tame it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord is a noble graced with the glory of a knight, with a single sword he can subdue any Magical Beast. This winter, we no longer have to fear the Magical Beasts eating people.¡±


    ¡°Thorn Ridge, ah, who would¡¯ve thought we would chop down all the trees there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity my family isn¡¯t large enough, and I don¡¯t have enough tools, otherwise I would definitely reclaim ten more acres of wasteland¡­ The officials in town said, the more you farm, the more grain you get to keep! My son is reaching the marrying age next year, I need to prepare enough food and a house for him, otherwise, he won¡¯t be able to get a wife.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Old Brown, has your son found a girl willing to be with him?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I asked Captain Grantaire of the Fresh Flower Caravan, and he promised he¡¯d find a girl who speaks Wind Language for my son, right, with a big butt!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the new serfs Lord Landlord recently purchased, I heard they come from the Eagle Kingdom, is that right?¡±


    ¡°Only the Eagle Kingdom speaks Wind Language, but here in Coral Island, Lord Landlord will have them speak Serpent Script. By the way, Old Brown, why don¡¯t you find one? Among the newly purchased serfs, there are several older women who would be a perfect match for you, to help you with housework and farming.¡±


    Old Brown smiled bashfully, ¡°Heh heh, I¡¯m on the lookout.¡±


    ¡°Those women from the continent can¡¯t speak Serpent Script, if Old Brown marries one, the two would only be able to gesture.¡±


    ¡°As long as they can lie in bed, it doesn¡¯t matter if they can¡¯t talk, as long as they can perform the motions, haha.¡±


    ¡°Old Brown¡¯s good days are coming.¡±


    ¡°Praise Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°Praise Lord Landlord, life in Fresh Flower Town is getting better and better.¡±


    The serfs had a simple way of thinking, life was better than before, all thanks to Lord Landlord, so they must praise Lord Landlord and farm more, work harder for him.


    Walls, iron cage.


    After losing her freedom, the life of the Earth Matron was confined to this small piece of land.


    From initial resistance to gradual acceptance, now the times when Douson came to visit were her happiest and most exciting moments. Even faintly, she had started to like these peaceful days, her days filled with eating and sleeping, occasionally getting up to mate, enjoying Douson¡¯s fierce thrusts.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    The sound of Douson¡¯s bark, drawing nearer from afar.


    The Earth Matron lying on the ground sleeping immediately got up and went to the edge of the cage, responding with a bark: ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Moments later, the gate to the enclosure opened, and the two Fierce Earth Dogs saw each other. Liszt was still riding on Douson¡¯s back, leisurely approaching the cage, now entering Earth Matron¡¯s magic release range. However, Earth Matron did not release any magic; she almost forgot about Rock Spike.


    Her conditioning was simple.


    Release magic¡ªfood is taken away.


    After a few days, the Earth Matron was left with the impression that each time she released her magic, she would go hungry. If she didn¡¯t release magic, food would appear.


    So, it no longer released its magic.


    The instincts of the beast told it that eating was far more important than magic.


    However, it was only because Liszt relied on the Dou Qi Secret Technique, Eye of Magic, that he dared to approach so casually. The castle servants who fed the Earth Matron did not dare to come in.


    They moved the cage, allowing Douson to enter the iron cage for a rendezvous with the Earth Matron.


    What should have been a smooth mating process encountered a problem: the Earth Matron could accept Douson¡¯s affection but firmly resisted, forbidding Douson¡¯s request to mate.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Liszt had a flash of insight, ¡°Could it be that the Earth Matron is pregnant?¡±


    A pregnant female would resist mating; of course, a female not in heat would do the same. However, the Earth Matron was supposed to be in heat, and it hadn¡¯t been resisting mating before.


    Anyway, since the Earth Matron was resisting, it meant that it either was no longer in heat or was already pregnant and no longer suitable for forced mating ¡ª previously, Douson mated with it every day but failed to impregnate it, because the Earth Matron wasn¡¯t in heat ¡ª heat involves the ovulation of animals.


    Without eggs, how could it become pregnant.


    ¡°Douson, come out,¡± Liszt knocked on the cage.


    Douson didn¡¯t want to come out and only after several urges did it reluctantly step out.


    ¡°It seems I need to go to Coral City to buy some female large wolves to bring back; otherwise, Douson¡¯s vigorous energy won¡¯t have any outlet, which is not a good thing.¡± Continuously holding back without proper diversion is not conducive to healthy development, ¡°I just don¡¯t know if Douson can produce offspring with the large wolves.¡±


    The thought was quite exciting.


    Perhaps they could breed a batch of magical beast bloodline wolf-dogs, similar to the quality of the Fire Dragon Horse.


    ¡°Douson is an intermediate magical beast, its bloodline is stronger, the mixed-breed magical beast pups will certainly be strong, and if selectively bred and reared over time, they might become an excellent breed of hunting dogs or work dogs¡­ If it¡¯s really possible, then I¡¯ll build a dog farm to cultivate an army of wolf-dogs.¡±


    He was lost in wonderful speculation.


    A servant rushed in to report, ¡°My lord, the magician from Coral City has arrived at the castle with the Fresh Flower Caravan.¡±


    ¡°Go back.¡±


    Liszt turned around, riding the Douson who looked back three steps at a time, returning to the castle.


    The people from the Fresh Flower Caravan were busy unloading goods and moving them into the castle¡¯s cellar, while another carriage parked on Douson Avenue. A tall, thin man in a black cloak stood in front of the carriage, gazing at the nearby town. Beside him was a thin little boy also clad in a cloak.


    This was none other than the magician Grandini Truth and his magic apprentice.


    ¡°Mr. Grandini, welcome to Fresh Flower Town.¡± Despite Liszt¡¯s dissatisfaction with the belated arrival of the magician, his face still wore the standardized noble smile.


    Grandini flipped back his cloak, revealing disheveled brown hair: ¡°The roads of Fresh Flower Town are quite good, actually paved with stones; I thought they would be muddy. Baron Liszt, constructing stone roads costs quite a few Gold Coins, even if a Noble needs to maintain appearances, why waste it on a road?¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze was fixed on Douson.


    Now Douson, wherever it went, became the focus of attention ¡ª its massive body and formidable presence had an astonishing effect.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, such a fine Fierce Earth Dog, majestic and extraordinary, truly fitting of the title King of Thorn Ridge, it¡¯s far superior to low-level magical beasts. Possessing it is your good fortune.¡±


    ¡°No, following me is its good fortune,¡± Liszt extended his hand to gesture, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside the castle; Mr. Carter has already prepared teas and drinks.¡±


    Grandini did not move, his eyes still intently looking at Douson: ¡°Baron Liszt, I wonder if I might have the honor to study this Fierce Earth Dog? Perhaps I could pay to buy it from you. You should know, the value of a magical beast lies in the Magic Equipment it can produce.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s smile turned cold: ¡°Heh, you¡¯re thinking too much.¡±

 Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 0154: Correct Your Work Attitude

    Chapter 154: Chapter 0154: Correct Your Work Attitude


    I want to buy Douson.


    I want to turn Douson into magic equipment.


    Liszt felt he should release Douson¡¯s leash, then let it teach Granney how to be a decent person, for an Intermediate Magical Beast was not something a magician could simply touch.


    In the castle living room, host and guest sat down respectively.


    Perhaps it was the prestige brought by the ¡°hermit¡± title, or maybe because magic possessed a certain allure, but magicians held quite a high status in society, belonging to the upper-middle class, with the privilege of entering the second floor of the castle.


    ¡°Is this the famous ice cream from Tulip Castle I¡¯ve heard so much about, invented by you?¡± Granney was instantly drawn to the ice cream with its varied colors as the servant brought it over.


    Ice cream is a luxury food¡ªmaking a small amount of ice cream requires a significant amount of ice, which ordinary people simply couldn¡¯t afford.


    Granney had only heard of it, never tasted it.


    ¡°Try it. Outside of Fresh Flower Town, only Tulip Castle, Falcon Town, Beer Castle, and Shattered Stone Castle offer this frozen delight,¡± Liszt said. He had sold the recipe to four people: Levis, Li Vera, Aubrey Lycra, and Brandon Brokenstone.


    Other nobles wanted to buy it but were too reluctant to spend the money.


    Taking a cup, Granney tasted it, ¡°Hmm, is this ice from nature, not made by magic? Interesting. How is it made?¡±


    ¡°The ice cream recipe is quite valuable.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need the recipe for the ice cream. What I want to know is where does the ice come from? Baron Liszt, don¡¯t tell me your castle is so small that it has an ice cellar underneath.¡±


    Creating ice with saltpeter was not a secret worth keeping.


    But the tone of Granney¡¯s inquiry made Liszt uncomfortable, so he responded indifferently, ¡°Mr. Granney, I invited you to Fresh Flower Town to craft equipment and teach me related knowledge about magic, not for me to teach you. I hope you can adjust your attitude.¡±


    Granney scooped another mouthful of ice cream, oblivious, ¡°Seeking the truth is our magicians¡¯ nature. It is still hot weather; even Ice System Magic is hard to cast, let alone making ice by natural means. This is a significant discovery, and I hope you can teach me.¡±


    ¡°Teaching knowledge costs money.¡±


    ¡°How many gold coins?¡±


    Judging by Granney¡¯s demeanor, he was indeed willing to pay in gold coins for the information on the saltpeter ice-making process.


    Liszt¡¯s eyes gleamed with a new idea, ¡°I¡¯m not short of gold coins. If you want to know how I make ice, it¡¯s simple: work diligently for me during this period, and after completing the work, I will naturally teach you the principles of ice-making.¡±


    Granney frowned, ¡°I hate working with unresolved questions.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, under the premise of ensuring quality, complete the work as soon as possible, and you¡¯ll be rid of your doubts sooner,¡± said Liszt bluntly. He had already figured out how to deal with magicians; there was no need to be considerate, just scold them directly¡ªhere in Fresh Flower Town, magicians couldn¡¯t stir up trouble.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about the work. Which black pearl do you need me to craft into magic equipment?¡±


    ¡°Thomas, go fetch my Black Pearl from the study, it¡¯s in the cabinet.¡± Just moments ago, he had entered the study, taken out the basketball-sized Black Pearl from the Gemstone Space, and placed it in the cabinet, to mislead any observers.


    Thomas quickly brought the Black Pearl over.


    He placed it on the table.


    This Black Pearl wasn¡¯t a regular spherical shape; it was rather lopsided and didn¡¯t look very appealing. But that was Liszt¡¯s aesthetic. To Granney, who had never seen a larger Black Pearl, it was perfect: ¡°Incredible, incredible. A black pearl itself is incredible, but to actually have one so large!¡±


    He caressed the Black Pearl with his hand, ¡°Abundant water system magic power, as if placing me upon the great sea, it must have been born in the deep ocean, oh, it also has this historic heaviness to it, I feel like it has existed for hundreds of years!¡±


    ¡°Do you think it can be made into magic equipment for suppressing storms?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s even more outstanding than I imagined, a top-quality material for making magic equipment¡­ However, the materials I brought are probably not enough, I need to purchase more.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving now?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, there¡¯s no need to leave, I¡¯ll write a letter and have Charley go buy it, it¡¯s just that some auxiliary materials are lacking, the core materials are not in short supply.¡±


    Charley was that skinny magic apprentice.


    Granney was efficient at work, immediately asking for paper and pen to start writing a letter. He addressed it to a fellow magician, asking him to help purchase materials, and then handed the letter to Charley to be taken to Coral City by the Fresh Flower Caravan when they set off. The fellow magician lived near Coral City.


    ¡°Baron Liszt, I need a separate workspace to create a piece of magic equipment, especially with such a prime material, it will take a long time.¡±


    ¡°There are many newly built houses in town, you can pick one,¡± said Liszt as he rose to his feet, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the town now to choose your room.¡±


    Granney did not bring a horse, and astonishingly, he could not ride one.


    So a manservant had to take him by horse.


    Upon reaching the town.


    Granney¡¯s eyes never stopped scanning. He saw large plots of planned land, including drainage ditches, curbs, and green strips. Although not built yet, the areas were already parceled out. Some houses had been torn down, replaced by neat rows of new ones.


    There weren¡¯t many pedestrians. At this time, most people not busy with farming were at the docks, moving rocks.


    Only in the workshop area were crowds of serfs bustling about.


    ¡°There¡¯s¡­ no¡­ manure?¡± He looked for a long time before expressing his surprise.


    ¡°Defecating in public is prohibited in Fresh Flower Town, there are toilets here, and all residents must use the facilities,¡± answered Goltai, who had just arrived, ¡°Mr. Granney, long time no see, I hope you like Fresh Flower Town, the environment here is even more beautiful than that of Coral City.¡±


    ¡°I must admit, the streets are clean, but in terms of prosperity, this place is too remote compared to Coral City.¡±


    ¡°It depends on how you define it, brothels, gambling houses, and taverns¡ªnone exist in Fresh Flower Town, life is more peaceful. After all, Fresh Flower Town is just a small settlement,¡± shrugged Goltai, ¡°Once accustomed to its tranquility, you¡¯ll definitely fall in love with it, although admittedly, nights with nothing to do can indeed be hard to bear.¡±


    Freya was already over four months pregnant, and they couldn¡¯t do that, so Goltai¡¯s nightlife was limited to his hand.


    Liszt could not help but admonish, ¡°Take good care of Freya, Consultant Goltai.¡± If he didn¡¯t remind him, who knows, this guy might start flirting with some town girl again.


    Goltai chuckled, ¡°Of course.¡±


    After walking around the small town.


    Granney did not choose any of the houses here: ¡°My work requires quiet, Baron Liszt, the noise of construction in the town is too disturbing, not suitable, please provide me with a more secluded house.¡± He enjoyed bustling cities, but his work required silence, hence he lived hidden away in the dilapidated Moss Town.


    ¡°In that case, Consultant Goltai, in one of the new houses in Little Wheat Village, pick out a separate house for Granney to serve as his residence and studio,¡± said Liszt.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± replied Granney.

 Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 0155: The Incarnation of the Mundane Truth

    Chapter 155: Chapter 0155: The Incarnation of the Mundane Truth


    All the materials and items were moved into the new house, and thus Mr. Grandini settled down in Fresh Flower Town.


    The noon banquet was held in the castle by Liszt to entertain Grandini, where nobles and would-be noble classes gathered in numbers, yet the atmosphere of the banquet was somewhat mediocre.


    The magician wasn¡¯t as unsociable as imagined.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t be described as witty and humorous either; often, it was Goltai and others entertaining themselves, with Grandini merely eating and drinking, more like a self-absorbed creature.


    The materials for crafting the Black Pearl were not yet sufficient.


    Therefore, after the banquet ended, starting from the afternoon, Grandini¡¯s work mainly focused on teaching¡ªalthough he also had the task of crafting Crystal Lamps, he needed the cooperation of a crystal craftsman, as the magician wasn¡¯t skilled in carving crystals.


    The Fresh Flower Caravan had already gone to invite the crystal craftsman Brad, who would probably arrive the day after tomorrow, if he wasn¡¯t too busy.


    ¡°Magic, just like Dou Qi, is a form of magic power,¡±


    Grandini started without any fuss, ¡°The world is triangular; matter is one corner, spirit another, and magic power the third. This is our magicians¡¯ understanding of the nature of the world, and the source of magic. Specifically, as it relates to ourselves, the caster is matter, the power from meditation is spirit, and the combination of matter, spirit, and magic power creates magic.¡±


    ¡°What about knights, then?¡±


    ¡°As I said, magic and Dou Qi are alike¡ªmagic power, the releaser, and spiritual power create various Dou Qi manuscripts. The difference between magicians and knights is that knights regard themselves as the triangle, while magicians integrate themselves into the larger triangle of the world.¡±


    As he spoke, he asked, ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    Liszt nodded as if he really got it, ¡°A triangle, huh? The most stable structure.¡± In fact, he didn¡¯t understand at all¡ªwhat large triangle, small triangle.


    Then.


    Grandini continued to talk about his triangle theory, like how Taoism believes the universe is divided into the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, and Buddhism generalizes that matter is composed of earth, water, fire, and wind. Magicians believe the world is divided into spirit, matter, and magic power.


    A very broad cognition, its correctness unknown, and the content extremely dull.


    Grandini wasn¡¯t a good teacher either, and his speech was even more tedious. An afternoon of repeating the same triangle theory nearly put Liszt to sleep several times.


    Finally, he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and interrupted, ¡°Mr. Grandini, I¡¯ve already understood the triangle theory, you can skip it. What I want to know now is how magic is released and why magic power is divided into different properties like water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, light, ice and darkness. Also, I¡¯d like to witness real magic.¡±


    Grandini frowned.


    Being interrupted during a long lecture was very disappointing.


    Luckily he still knew that Liszt was his patron, so he raised his left hand, his fingers slightly spread, and quickly rubbed together a fireball. The fireball appeared out of thin air, from a tiny flame to a fist-sized fireball. With a fierce push of his hand, the fireball shot out of the castle window and exploded in mid-air not too far away.


    ¡°Fireball Technique, the most basic of the Fire System magic.¡±


    ¡°Do it again,¡± said Liszt, narrowing his eyes, bringing forth the Eye of Magic Power. He wanted to observe closely¡ªhe had observed a Magical Beast releasing magic, where magic power condensed in its body and was expelled from its mouth, naturally forming magic.


    Grandini nodded.


    Raising his hand, he once again created a fireball.


    Liszt watched very clearly this time¡ªGrandini had only a small amount of magic power inside him, chaotic and colorless. The moment he cast the Fireball Technique, the magic power in his palm quickly turned red, becoming Fire Attribute Magic Power. Then, speckles of red magic power in the air were attracted by the magic power in his palm, coalescing into a ball and forming the fireball.


    Pop!


    The fireball exploded outside the castle.


    In the vision of the Eye of Magic Power, that fiery attribute magic power dissipated with a roar as if it never existed.


    He had a rough idea of the process of casting magic.


    However, he still didn¡¯t understand why magic could gather into a fireball, as the Eye of Magic couldn¡¯t observe the force that caused the magic power to condense.


    Perhaps, as Grandini had said, it was the power of the spirit.


    Like him, a single thought could drive the Dou Qi within his body to circulate according to his will. Why it followed his thoughts was a mystery.


    At this moment,


    Grandini continued to manipulate the magic.


    ¡°Meditate, to build a bridge between your spirit and the magic power,¡± his voice was somewhat ethereal, his gaze fixed on the palm of his hand, his whole being immersed in a certain state, ¡°Magic power is a third existence outside of the material and spiritual realms. It has emotions. Feel them, befriend them, and they will serve you.¡±


    Gradually,


    A gray-brown substance, which was magic power materialized as soil, began to appear in his palm.


    The soil sphere slowly grew larger, and his voice continued to drift: ¡°Meditation is an essential step in building the bridge. Only when your spirit is in a state of calm can you touch the existence of magic power. It is everywhere, jumping for joy. Once you find them and make friends with them, you can obtain magic, and then, understand the world!¡±


    Finally, the soil sphere expanded to the size of a fist and then gradually solidified, turning into a rock with distinct edges and corners.


    Grandini didn¡¯t stop, continuing to cast magic, compressing and solidifying the rock over and over again until it emitted a cracking sound, and only then did he stop.


    With a flick, the rock completely shattered.


    But unlike the fireball from before, the shattered rock didn¡¯t disappear; it remained as debris: ¡°Flying Rock Technique, an Earth System Magic, as low-level as the Fireball Technique. However, I can¡¯t master it very well. I specialize in Water System and Fire System Magic, and I have a slight understanding of Wind and Earth Systems but am not proficient.¡±


    ¡°Lightning, Ice, Darkness then?¡±


    ¡°I have not delved into these four systems of magic and cannot cast them.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that magicians can master and cast magic of every type.¡±


    ¡°If I can get closer to Truth and become a Grand Magician, maybe I will have enough energy to study Lightning, Ice, and Darkness Magic. But right now, I am far from the Truth, and my spirit is not broad enough to be proficient in both Water and Fire Systems is already pushing it.¡±


    ¡°What is an Archmage like?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    Grandini lifted his head, his hooked nose tilting upward: ¡°Archmages are incarnations of Truth walking in the secular world, beings that magicians look up to. Baron Liszt, why do you think I would understand Archmages? Even you, do you understand what a Dragon Knight is?¡±


    Faced with such a question, Liszt couldn¡¯t argue¡ªhe had always thought that Dragon Knights were simply knights who rode on dragons.


    However, the Advanced Dou Qi of a Sky Knight was just one level below Dragon Dou Qi, the legendary Dou Qi shared with dragons. As for what Dragon Dou Qi was, not even his noble relatives and friends, like Marquis Merlin, a veteran Sky Knight, knew what it was.


    All the noble knights dreamed of becoming Dragon Knights.


    But knights who possessed dragons were lofty beings, out of reach for the common man¡ªeven the King who had dragons, such as the Sapphire Duke, likely had no idea what being a Dragon Knight felt like. The first Sapphire Duke was a Dragon Knight, but the current Sapphire Duke was merely the dragon¡¯s partner and caretaker.


    No chance for dragon riding.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s change the subject. Why did the rock condensed from magic power continue to exist?¡± He asked a question that had puzzled him for a long time.

 Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 0156: Chronicles of the Dragon Lance

    Chapter 156: Chapter 0156: Chronicles of the Dragon Lance


    ¡°You mean these residues?¡± Granney poured the rock fragments in his hand onto the table, ¡°They¡¯re just ordinary stone residues, devoid of any magic power.¡±


    ¡°So, why is that?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t the rocks formed by the agglomeration of magic power disappear?¡± Granney stirred the fragments on the table with his hand, ¡°Your question is too broad, just like questioning how dragons can produce gemstones and metals, and why elves can cultivate plants, it concerns the essence of the world. I can only tell you my understanding.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    ¡°Spirit, material, magic power, they form a triangle.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve told me many times.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not immutable, or rather, spirit and material can have a dual influence on magic power. Spirit can influence magic power into becoming material, and material can also affect magic power to generate spirit¡­ Casters, with their own spirit, create magic, forming material; material combined with magic power, in turn, forms¡­¡±


    He paused before continuing, ¡°Dragons, elves, that¡¯s how I believe they came to be.¡±


    Liszt glanced at Granney, somewhat surprised by this fresh idea¡ªdragons and elves originating from the combination of magic power with material.


    Before Liszt could voice his doubts,


    Granney explained on his own: ¡°This is just speculation, Baron Liszt, not based on a foundation of Truth, so it¡¯s best forgotten after hearing it. I will not admit that this set of ideas originated from me. Magicians pursue truth and despise lies.¡±


    He nodded.


    Liszt did not dwell on it and changed the subject: ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Elf Bug¡¯s reproductive process many times, yet I know nothing of a dragon¡¯s breeding. Do you know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about dragon breeding, I¡¯m just a magician, I¡¯ve never even seen a dragon,¡± Granney¡¯s tone carried a hint of regret, ¡°However, I can recommend you a book, ¡®Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight¡¯ by the great Archmage, Odom Truth. It has a detailed introduction to dragons.¡±


    ¡°Do you have the book with you?¡±


    ¡°No, in fact, I don¡¯t own the book. I only browsed through it when I was young, serving as a magic apprentice under my teacher. It was part of my teacher¡¯s collection, and in his quest for Truth and greater knowledge, he has travelled to the mainland. I haven¡¯t seen him for many years.¡±


    Without the book, Liszt could only ask Granney to narrate its contents to him.


    Speaking a few words for money, Granney naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse and immediately recounted what he remembered.


    ¡°Young dragons before the age of one hundred are the easiest to capture. It is said that most Dragon Knights cultivate a bond during the dragon¡¯s youth, enabling dragon riding. From one hundred to eight hundred years old, adult dragons reach their peak period for producing gems and mineral deposits, with dragon blood, dung, saliva, breath, scales, and might, all capable of infecting the surroundings and forming mineral deposits.¡±


    After eight hundred years come the elderly dragons.


    Most elderly dragons leave their dwellings during this time to head for the ¡°Valley of Dragons,¡± a mythical place.


    ¡°Some say the Valley of Dragons is in the Devil¡¯s Sea, others say it¡¯s in the Whirlpool Sea, and there are those who say it¡¯s on Mount Mulagao Ding, but no one has seen it; it¡¯s a legendary place. Dragons bury themselves in the Valley of Dragons. They do not die but rather become one with the world, to be reborn as dragons after countless years.¡±


    Dragons are categorized into three types.


    Elemental Dragons, Gemstone Dragons, Metal Dragons.


    Metal Dragons can infect metal ores like gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminum. ¡®Dragonlance History: Dragons of Autumn Twilight¡¯ records twenty-three types of Metal Dragons.


    ¡°Brass Dragons, Bronze Dragons, Purple Copper Dragons, White Copper Dragons, White Maw Iron Dragons, Malleable Cast Iron Dragons, Grey Iron Dragons, White Heart Iron Dragons, Black Heart Iron Dragons, Golden Dragons, Platinum Dragons, Silver Dragons, Mercury Dragons¡­ These are roughly the types of Metal Dragons I remember.¡±


    Gemstone Dragons can infect gemstone mines and are broadly categorized into blue, red, yellow, and green.


    Like the Sapphire Dragon, Ruby Dragon, and others such as the Azure Sapphire Dragon, Crimson Gem Dragon, Light Green Emerald Dragon, etc. The gemstones produced by the Gemstone Dragons possess extraordinary magical powers and are even more valuable than those of the Metal Dragons. However, their production is not as high as that of the Metal Dragons.


    Most of the Elemental Dragons are Evil Dragons, embodiments of the elements themselves. A Fire Dragon can infect a volcano, a Water Dragon can infect a swamp, a Wind Dragon can conjure storms, an Earth Dragon can raise mountains, and so on.


    ¡°Archmage Odom Truth once battled a Wind Dragon, his blood drenched the entire plain. Now that place is called Windhowl Valley, located in the Neverfall Empire, where fierce winds blow endlessly throughout the year. Countless magicians who specialize in the Wind System aspire to visit Windhowl Valley, to feel the magic power engraved by the Wind Dragon.¡±


    Liszt was brimming with interest, ¡°How many years ago did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Based on the era in which Archmage Odom Truth lived, it should have been about four thousand years ago, at that time, the Neverfall Empire didn¡¯t even exist.¡±


    The Neverfall Empire has a history of only three thousand years.


    ¡°For four thousand years, the magic power of the Wind Dragon in Windhowl Valley has not dissipated?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the power of Dragons. They possess the ability to change the world. Unfortunately, even Archmages find it difficult to peer into such mysteries.¡± Granney shook his head, his regret apparent.


    Liszt was equally astonished.


    He had read many Knight novels that described dragons, all of which seemed to be made up¡ªportraying dragons as nearly divine creators, yet with intelligence comparable to that of a small dog.


    The records left by Archmages are very credible, and the magic power of the Wind Dragon has indeed not dissipated in four thousand years.


    This revelation left him dazzled and eager to rush to Windhowl Valley immediately to observe with his own Eye of Magic, to discern what was different about the Wind Dragon¡¯s magical power.


    After a moment.


    His eyes flickered slightly as he casually asked, ¡°Mr. Granney, in the Knight novels I have read, some authors have mentioned a category of dragons beyond the Elemental, Metal, and Gemstone ones, known as Sacred Dragons?¡±


    ¡°I have heard of Sacred Dragons too, but ¡®Dragonlance History: Dragons of Autumn Twilight¡¯ makes no mention of them; that¡¯s just nonsense spun by novelists. I don¡¯t like reading Knight novels; they¡¯re all made up, they defy Truth and are lies!¡± Granney said with disdain when it came to Knight novels.


    ¡°Can you tell me about Sacred Dragons? I¡¯ve only read about one kind in a book, the Formless Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Those authors invented five kinds of Sacred Dragons,¡± said Granney, his disdain didn¡¯t prevent him from being well-informed: ¡°The Immortal Dragon, which represents life, grants one eternal life¡ªvery fake; The Twilight Dragon, which represents time, can stop time, I don¡¯t see the use of that; The Jade Dragon, representing dreams, can enter into dreams. I¡¯ve seen jade, it¡¯s a kind of gemstone, what does that have to do with dragons?¡±


    He continued his disdainful remarks.


    Liszt, however, listened very earnestly.


    ¡°The Formless Dragon, representing space, can produce Space Rings, akin to a ring that can hold many things¡ªa concept as ridiculous as my cup holding an elephant; and lastly, the Smoke Dragon, representing destiny. According to the Knight novels I¡¯ve read, it¡¯s described as a wisp of smoke¡ªI find that imaginative.¡±


    After he finished talking about the five Sacred Dragons, Granney concluded with scorn: ¡°No one has ever seen a Sacred Dragon with their own eyes, and no country possesses such dragons. They are just figments of the imagination by those who have never seen a dragon¡ªdreamt up in their dreams at night¡­ There¡¯s nothing more to discuss, let¡¯s continue talking about magic.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± responded Liszt absentmindedly.


    However, inside his head, a gigantic wave had already surged.


    The Smoke Dragon, representing destiny!


    A wisp of smoke!


    The Smoke Mission!

 Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 0157: The Fate Choice of the Smoke Dragon

    Chapter 157: Chapter 0157: The Fate Choice of the Smoke Dragon


    Seven months ago.


    Liszt awoke from the darkness, comprehended his situation, and accepted the memories of his predecessor, knowing the latter could see the smoke from a very young age.


    But back then, the smoke was too faint to see clearly.


    It wasn¡¯t until he had transmigrated and merged with this body that he could truly see what the smoke was made of; it turned out to be a text-formed task.


    When he first saw the content clearly, he was really startled.


    If you could call it a golden finger, the smoke formed Serpent Script, not Chinese characters.


    If you said it wasn¡¯t a golden finger, both the language style and the task content were familiar to Earth¡¯s style.


    He could only convince himself that before a transmigrator did anything, the golden finger acted first. Then he accepted the existence of the Smoke Mission, guessing that behind the faint outline, there must be some schemer or conspiracy. However, this time, upon hearing Mr. Grandini describe the five Sacred Dragons, he found there was one representing fate¡ªthe Smoke Dragon.


    It brought him a tremendous shock.


    ¡°Perhaps, this golden finger of mine, this Smoke Mission, is not some kind of conspiracy?¡± There was no indication that the Smoke Mission had any ulterior motive or was driving him towards some sort of layout. From beginning to end, the Smoke Mission simply issued some simple tasks.


    And then rewarded him with things that already existed but were extremely easy to miss.


    This manner of awarding.


    Upon reflection, it had a strong flavor of destiny¡ªwhether it was a brush past or an embrace, both are different trajectories of fate.


    Ordinary people cannot change the trajectory of fate, or rather, their fate¡¯s trajectory is unknown, chaotic.


    But with the help of the Smoke Mission, Liszt¡¯s destiny¡¯s trajectory included an added element of choice.


    Granney continued to prattle beside him, expounding endlessly on matters of magic.


    Liszt was already lost in his thoughts, entering his own inner world. He lowered his head, looking at his own body: ¡°Representing fate¡­ a puff of smoke¡­ Could it be that residing in my body is a Smoke Dragon? Because of the Smoke Dragon¡¯s infection, I have been granted the right to choose my fate?¡±


    Unlike Granney¡¯s denial of the Sacred Dragons.


    He believed in the definite existence of Sacred Dragons¡ªthe Formless Dragon had eaten two cows in front of him and left behind a Space Gem, an undeniable fact.


    If the Formless Dragon existed, why couldn¡¯t the Smoke Dragon exist?


    The Immortal Dragon, Twilight Dragon, Jade Dragon, they definitely all existed; they might be transcendental beyond belief, but dragons and elves were already incredible creatures. No matter how inconceivable, what of it? This was a world completely different from Earth, a remarkable world filled with magic.


    His thoughts continued to soar.


    He tried to find traces of the existence of the Smoke Dragon.


    ¡°If it were to be said that the Smoke Dragon resides in my body, it¡¯s not impossible, since I often see the Smoke Mission. But the smoke could only form Serpent Script, it never formed the shape of a dragon, nor has it ever communicated with me¡­ It¡¯s very likely I haven¡¯t actually obtained it, but rather am just influenced by it?¡±


    ¡°Ordinary animals can be infected by dragons to become dragon seed animals. Although there have never been any dragon seed humans, it¡¯s possible that my predecessor, as a child, was accidentally infected by the Smoke Dragon and became a Smoke Seed person.¡±


    Thinking this way.


    He didn¡¯t know whether to feel fortunate or regretful.


    Fortunate because others rarely encounter dragons, while he had come into contact with two, each leaving behind precious gifts¡ªthe Smoke of fate control and the unique Gemstone Space. Regretful because the close encounters with the two dragons didn¡¯t make him a Dragon Knight, nor did it earn him the friendship of the dragons.


    ¡°Baron Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Baron Liszt!¡±


    Granney¡¯s calling voice brought Liszt back from his reverie: ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was introducing magic, were you even listening attentively!¡± Mr. Grandini was quite displeased, ¡°Learning magic requires maintaining focus, and on the path to pursuing truth, despite the loneliness and dullness, only the joy of acquiring knowledge can fill your soul from emptiness to fulfillment!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I just wanted to understand a bit about magic, not to learn it,¡± Liszt suppressed his cluttered thoughts and squeezed out a formulaic smile, ¡°Without a nap, I¡¯m a bit sluggish, how about we end today¡¯s lesson here and continue tomorrow. Thomas, please show Mr. Grandini around, let him have a look at Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, my lord,¡± Thomas extended his hand with perfect gentlemanly grace, ¡°This way, please, Mr. Grandini.¡±


    Grandini glanced at Liszt and showed a look of disdain: ¡°Truth is becoming more and more distant from you.¡±


    Having said that, he strode out of the castle.


    After Grandini left.


    Liszt stayed alone in the study, looking out the window, lost in thought amid Juan Fu¡¯s ¡°caw,¡± ¡°caw¡± calls.


    Smoke Dragon.


    Smoke Mission.


    Destiny.


    Many thoughts flickered back and forth.


    The smoke in front of him twisted and changed forms, but the text remained constant: ¡°Mission: The commercial district of Fresh Flower Town is gradually prospering, but the workshop district has been unoccupied for a long time, still lacking sufficient workshops to support it, and craftsmen should not waste their talents on chopping wood and tilling the fields. Please build three new workshops to increase the town¡¯s prosperity. Reward: A breakthrough in Dou Qi.¡±


    No matter how hard he tried to focus his attention, attempting to communicate with the ¡°Smoke Dragon¡± behind the smoke, the content of the Serpent Script remained unchanged.


    He could not communicate with the Smoke Dragon that may or may not exist within him.


    He also could not change the Smoke Mission; the so-called choice of destiny was merely an additional option. It was like a scenic area building a road; you can choose to build a straight path from the front gate to the back gate. The Smoke Mission, on the other hand, would hint at where there are attractions, allowing you to take a detour to include them.


    But if you want to build a toilet or a parking lot, sorry, there¡¯s no function for that.


    ¡°So now, there are four possibilities for the things happening to me.¡±


    First, as a child, he had close contact with a Smoke Dragon, was influenced by it, and became a person of the Smoke Dragon seed, possessing some ability to choose his destiny.


    Second, the Smoke Dragon is snoozing somewhere in his body, and the scattered wisps of smoke form the Smoke Mission, allowing Liszt to steal a part of destiny.


    Third, the Smoke Dragon might just be a young dragon, weak in power, hiding away and biding its time to grow.


    Fourth, he might be overthinking, and the Smoke Mission has nothing to do with the Smoke Dragon¡ªit¡¯s just a transmigrator¡¯s golden finger privilege.


    The first, second, third, and fourth possibilities are all viable, but there is too little information to determine which one is more likely. He tried hard to recall the memories of his childhood, trying to find a node¡ªa moment of close contact with the Smoke Dragon.


    There was a high probability that he had come into contact with the Smoke Dragon.


    ¡°Since having memories, the places my predecessor visited were not many. Red Crab Island was one, where he only moved around the vicinity of Long Taro Castle, the rest was on Coral Island. He visited every city on Coral Island, every year going on vacation with the Earl, staying a few days in the castles¡¯ guesthouses in various cities.¡±


    There were no waves, just an ordinary noble second son¡¯s life, always plain and insipid.


    Half an hour later, he gave up on recalling.


    He also gave up on contemplation: ¡°Well, what comes will come, if I am fated with the Smoke Dragon, someday we shall meet face to face. Do what I must, and let destiny decide the rest¡­ If it truly represents destiny¡¯s Smoke Dragon, I believe it is meant to be!¡±


    He stretched himself.


    The thoughts about the Smoke Dragon, he buried deep within his heart.

 Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 0158: Release of Meditation Model Rune

    Chapter 158: Chapter 0158: Release of Meditation Model Rune


    For the following two or three days, Liszt¡¯s schedule was packed.


    In the morning, he would cultivate his Dou Qi, train Douson, and supervise the workshop; in the afternoon, he focused on studying magic, particularly the spells mastered by the magician Granney. This magician was proficient in Fire and Water System Magic, had a slight understanding of Wind and Earth System Magic, and knew nothing of the magic of lightning, ice, darkness, and the like.


    ¡°The difficulty of cultivating magic is far greater than that of cultivating Dou Qi.¡±


    ¡°The steps of casting magic are meditation, model, runes, and release.¡±


    ¡°Meditation is to summon spiritual power to connect with magic power; the model is to mobilize the connected magic power and form a bridge between the internal and external magic power; runes are used to repair the model and strengthen the channels for magic power¡¯s ingress and egress; release ¨C when the bridge is complete and the channels are secure, with spiritual power as the guide, magic can be cast.¡±


    ¡°Each spell has a fixed model and runes, and it takes time to master them. For example, I can instantly cast the Fireball Technique and Water Arrow Spell because I have cast them thousands of times, imprinting the details of the magic in my body and brain, and can naturally release them.¡±


    ¡°But for the Earth System¡¯s Flying Rock Technique and the Wind System¡¯s Wind Blade Spell, I must spend time constantly adjusting the model and supplementing the runes to cast them smoothly.¡±


    ¡°There are many spells I have mastered that require secrecy; I can only show you the Fireball Technique, Water Arrow Spell, Flying Rock Technique, and Wind Blade Spell.¡±


    ¡°Every magician is also a Casting Master of Magic Equipment; actually, the principle is very simple. Making magic equipment is just carving a casting model. The core material can be seen as a rough casting model, while supplementary materials are the runes that fill in the model¡­ Additionally, materials from Magical Beasts are a good source of runes.¡±


    ¡°That Fierce Earth Dog of yours is quite extraordinary, I bet that if you slaughtered it and added it to a Black Pearl, I could even create a piece of Magic Equipment that rivals a Little Elf Weapon!¡±


    Granney said this with a gleam in his eyes.


    Little Elf Weapons, more precious than gemstone weapons.


    As the name implies, Little Elf Weapons are forged with the blood of Little Minor Elves ¨C their blood, imbued in the weapon, can endow it with miraculous magic power. Although all the kingdoms have enacted laws to prohibit the slaughter of Minor Elves, the use of Minor Elves in forging weapons is a persistent issue.


    After all, some Minor Elves are of little use in agricultural production.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring up Little Elf Weapons anymore,¡± Liszt commented with deep loathing, finding Elves to be beautiful beings that shouldn¡¯t be treated this way. ¡°Furthermore, don¡¯t even think about Douson. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t mind letting Douson have some ¡®intimate contact¡¯ with you.¡±


    Granney sneered at Liszt, his eyes filled with contempt.


    He probably thought Liszt was a hypocrite, as many Nobles spoke against elf slaughter but secretly used the ¡®useless¡¯ Minor Elves to forge Elf Weapons ¨C not just Little Elf Soldiers, but also Greater Elf Warriors and even Dragon Elf Weapons.


    He licked his lips: ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re willing to let me study that Fierce Earth Dog, Douson?¡±


    ¡°Granney, I advise you not to think like that. Douson is very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Magical Beasts are all dangerous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s especially dangerous,¡± Liszt warned lightly, and after work was done, if the other party was still not dissuaded, he would not mind letting Douson loose for a while. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that Black Pearl. I want you to design a control device during the manufacturing process, allowing it to be switched on and off freely.¡±


    If the Black Pearl was always suppressing the storm, clearly, relying on paddles alone wouldn¡¯t be enough for long-distance voyaging.


    When there are no severe storms, the effects of the Black Pearl would be sealed. Then, when a storm came, it would be unsealed.


    Granney thought for a moment: ¡°No problem, that¡¯s easy. I already have a complete idea on how to make an exquisite piece of Magic Equipment, and in fact, I can hardly wait. Add another Douson to it, and the Black Pearl will be even more outstanding!¡± He circled back to the topic.


    Liszt picked up the cold drink on the table, ignoring him.


    Granney waited momentarily, then seeing the awkward silence, added, ¡°I saw a walled area near the Castle, there is a Fierce Earth Dog inside. Using it should suffice.¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°Then, what about this Magical Beast that¡¯s chirping away, the Wind Falcon, right? It could be worth a try.¡±


    Juan Fu?


    Liszt was about to refuse when he suddenly paused.


    Juan Fu was a mystery when it came to training; he had even thought of using hunger as a means to train it. But after all, it was a bird, and if let loose, it would immediately fly away. The falconer was nowhere to be found, and if Juan Fu stayed in the Castle, it would only be good for display, and perhaps for meat before it learned the Wind Blade Spell.


    ¡°Do you know any falconers?¡±


    ¡°You want to tame it?¡±


    ¡°This wind falcon was picked up from an egg, it recognizes people, but lacks training. It can¡¯t even cast magic.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best to slaughter it, its materials as a wind system magical beast make for better rune-assisting agents in supporting the Black Pearl, suppressing storms.¡±


    ¡°I want to know if you recognize a falconer.¡±


    Granney was silent for a moment before slowly nodding: ¡°I do know one, but I still suggest that you slaughter it to use as auxiliary material for the Black Pearl.¡±


    Under Liszt¡¯s persistent questioning, he finally revealed the name of the falconer¡ªElkerson True, another magician residing in Coral City.


    Knowing the existence of the falconer,


    Liszt was eager to invite him over, so he forced the reluctant Granney to write an invitation letter, since the two magicians knew each other.


    ¡°Juan Fu¡¯s fate has taken a turn.¡±


    He was in high spirits.


    What remained was to see when Elkerson True would arrive.


    When the letter was sent out,


    the crystal craftsman Brad happened to come to Fresh Flower Town to work with Granney on carving crystal lamps.


    It was also that very night, the fourth night of the workshop¡¯s construction, that Goltai rode his horse at a gallop to the castle to report to Liszt: ¡°Sir, the workshop has been completely finished!¡±


    ¡°Very good, finished in four days, exceeding expectations! Consultant Goltai, as I said, triple the wages of the serfs who worked on it.¡±


    ¡°As you wish. Do you need to inspect the workshop personally?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t have time to inspect it; he had already started calling for the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the task, reward: the bottleneck of Dou Qi.¡±


    ¡°Task: No matter how many candles are lit, the flickering flames can hurt the eyes. Since you are already accustomed to staying up late, take care of yourself and find a new stable light source. Please install ten crystal lamps in the castle. Reward: Mutated Thorn.¡±


    Task complete, a new task appeared¡ªthe anticipated chain mission.


    ¡°Another mutated thorn, it seems I was very prescient not to cut down the Rapid Growth Thorn Bug,¡± Liszt¡¯s mouth curved into a smile.


    Every time he completed a Thorn Bug chain mission, it increased the chances of the Thorn Bug¡¯s evolution into a little elf.


    ¡°Ten crystal lamps, a task purely of benefits. I need to urge Granney and Brad later to hurry up and finish making the crystal lamps.¡±


    Suddenly,


    his attention shifted, focusing on himself: ¡°The bottleneck of Dou Qi, when will it come? I don¡¯t seem to have reached the bottleneck; the Dou Qi inside me is still slowly growing.¡±


    After feeling it for a moment,


    he called for Butler Carter: ¡°Mr. Carter, for tonight¡¯s late-night snack, ask Mrs. Abbie to fry up an extra batch of magical beast meat steaks, I¡¯m feeling a bit hungry.¡±


    Have a big meal, get a good night¡¯s sleep, and quietly await the arrival of the bottleneck.

 Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 0159: Elite Earth Knight Liszt

    Chapter 159: Chapter 0159: Elite Earth Knight Liszt


    I don¡¯t know if it was because I ate too much Magical Beast Meat at once.


    I felt stuffed.


    Tossing and turning at night, I just couldn¡¯t fall asleep. In the separate room at the corner of the second floor, the occasional ¡°gagging¡± sound from Juan Fu added to my irritability.


    Normally, I couldn¡¯t say that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, but usually, I would fall asleep after turning over once. Tonight, however, I was unusually excited.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a little over half a year, but I¡¯m about to reach a Dou Qi bottleneck. It somehow feels too fast.¡±


    I was pondering.


    Pondering why I could shorten the cultivation time.


    In terms of the total amount of Dou Qi in my body, I am now definitely no less than Marcus. I eat well and have a noble lineage; there¡¯s no reason I should be worse than Marcus, who comes from commoner stock¡ªDou Qi cultivation is related to nutrition, but noble families, with their continuously optimized genetics, are indeed stronger than commoners in many aspects.


    As a child, Liszt was very much favored by the Earl because of his appearance, at least until the age of ten. Even with a stepmother, he never lacked for anything in his upbringing.


    After turning ten, the Earl grew gradually disappointed with him, and my treatment might have suffered a bit, but I was never mistreated.


    Therefore, I laid a very solid physical foundation from a young age. I just lacked a bit of insight and, before adulthood, didn¡¯t manage to break through Primary Dou Qi. But when I had my transmigration, body and soul merged, and I achieved breakthrough in one fell swoop, becoming an Earth Knight. Just over half a year more, and I was set to advance to an Elite Earth Knight.


    ¡°Putting it that way, it seems quite natural. Good foundation, high aptitude, good nutrition¡ªfaster cultivation speed is normal.¡± But I always had the feeling that my cultivation progress was too fast.


    There must be something I was overlooking.


    Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind, ¡°Could it be because of the Smoke Dragon¡¯s influence that I¡¯m affected?¡±


    But I quickly dismissed that idea, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case. My predecessor had the Smoke Mission since he was young, and his cultivation wasn¡¯t notably fast. He didn¡¯t even manage to become an Earth Knight.¡±


    ¡°So, what other factors could be promoting it?¡±


    ¡°Magical Beast Meat?¡± I¡¯ve been eating a lot of Magical Beast Meat, especially lately. Every meal seems to involve it. If I weren¡¯t young with a fast metabolism, I would probably be so over-nourished that I¡¯d have nosebleeds. ¡°Levis¡¯s diet is certainly no worse than mine, and he only joined the elite ranks at the age of twenty, two years ago.¡±


    ¡°Li Vera¡¯s diet is also good, always scrounging meals and drinks in the Castle, and yet she still hasn¡¯t become an elite.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, Lidun, that little guy, is only twelve this year, and Lady Marie has been boasting everywhere that her son is about to break through as an Earth Knight¡­ If that¡¯s true, his talent is stronger than Levis¡¯s and might just fall a bit short of mine. No wonder half of Tulip Castle¡¯s resources are slanted towards him.¡±


    My train of thought became a little erratic, with all kinds of things about Tulip Castle floating through my mind.


    When I had first transmigrated, I wish I would never have to deal with Tulip Castle again to avoid awkward encounters. As time went on, and I became more integrated into the identity of Liszt, the position of Tulip Castle in my heart subtly changed¡ªI began to care about the matters of Tulip Castle, seeing myself as a member of the Tulip Family.


    Or perhaps.


    Deep down, I harbored the ambition of taking charge of Tulip Castle.


    Growing and developing my own farm was joyful, but it couldn¡¯t compare to inheriting family property.


    ¡°Perhaps Lidun is the one the Earl pins his hopes on the most now. For his sake, he doesn¡¯t hesitate to divide the resources intended for Levis¡¯s cultivation, giving half to Lidun. Otherwise, no matter how influential Lady Marie¡¯s pillow talk might be, it wouldn¡¯t sway him. This Earl, forged on battlefields, is not the type to be easily cowed.¡±


    The foundation of the Tulip Family¡¯s earldom was built by Li Weiliam with spear and sword.


    ¡°He is in his prime, his Dou Qi as a Sky Knight at its peak, and he certainly harbors ambitions of advancing even further. He never misses the Grand Duke¡¯s Pioneer Mandate every year.¡± Liszt recalled his interactions with Li Weiliam. The latter¡¯s vast Dou Qi gave a sharp and unmatched impression.


    The Earl¡¯s Dou Qi is of the Water Attribute, and generally, Water-Attribute Dou Qi gives off a gentle and accommodating feeling, but his was sharp.


    There¡¯s no doubt that personality plays a part.


    Liszt, with his Fire Attribute Dou Qi, should be impetuous and fervent, but he comes off as mild and soothing as a spring breeze¡ªthis is the influence of his personality¡ªhe doesn¡¯t even want to go to the battlefield, only preferring to shrink back in Fresh Flower Town, farming, farming, farming, and still farming.


    How fierce can he get?


    He didn¡¯t like Marcus and Lidun, this mother and son pair, and neither did he, so he quickly stopped thinking about them. He thought of his sister, Li Vera, the somewhat chuunibyou nineteen-year-old spinster whose talent wasn¡¯t weak, and who had made a breakthrough to become an Earth Knight before adulthood. Yet, several years had passed, and she still hadn¡¯t become elite.


    This is related to the physical constitution of women, as the cultivation of female knights is generally weaker than that of male knights.


    It is said that the world has yet to see a Female Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Li Vera and Lidun don¡¯t have comparative characteristics¡­ Based on Levis¡¯s situation, my advancement to the elite sequence this time will certainly startle everyone. He prides himself on being a genius, an elite at twenty, but what is that before me¡ªa sixteen-year-old elite? In the Duchy of Sapphire, that¡¯s hardly common!¡±


    He didn¡¯t think the bottleneck in Dou Qi was artificially elevated by the Smoke Mission¡ªthe rewards were merely a catalyst, and touching the bottleneck of Dou Qi was achieved through his own accumulation.


    ¡°Aside from being a genius, there must be other influencing factors.¡±


    Lying in bed, he turned from side to side.


    He pondered deeply into the night.


    Then a spark of inspiration struck him: ¡°Could it be the milk? Three cups of milk in the morning, noon, and evening, and another cup for supper, four cups of milk a day, plus various dairy products¡ªsuch abundant nutrition!¡±


    He had previously thought it was the delightful climate of Fresh Flower Town that made the milk from the cows so delicious, but clearly, that was wishful thinking. Even if the climate were agreeable, the milk wouldn¡¯t undergo an ongoing improvement in taste¡ªafter all, these were not cows in their first lactation.


    The dairy farm had been raising cows for over a decade¡ªif the quality of milk were high, it should have been discovered long ago.


    Granney¡¯s mention of the Smoke Dragon earlier that day had given him much to think about.


    ¡°The Formless Dragon caused havoc at the dairy farm¡ªcould its Dragon Might have somehow affected the cows?¡± The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, ¡°The continuous improvement in the taste of the milk indicates something¡ªthat the lineage of these cows is changing, and they are quite possibly already Dragon Breed Cows!¡±


    Milk Flower, Milk Yellow, and Milk Black were all pregnant, and the improvement in the taste of their milk indicated an enhancement in their bloodlines.


    Perhaps as regular cows, they have limited aptitude and can¡¯t transform into Dragon Breed Cows, but it¡¯s very likely that their unborn calves will inherit the blood of the dragon and become true Dragon Breed Cows.


    He simply sat up.


    His heart was tumultuous.


    Dragon Breed Cows sounded incredibly rare and of immense value.


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, I must focus on the dairy farm and provide the cows with rich pastures, especially the three pregnant ones¡ªthey must be well taken care of, to ensure the smooth delivery of their calves!¡±


    There was no chance of sleep now.


    He forced himself to calm down and began to cultivate Dou Qi.


    Dou Qi was continuously generated in the cells of his limbs and torso, converging in his meridians. Maintaining this cultivation, he trained all the way until the next morning.


    When the Sun rose and the first ray of sunlight streamed in,


    Liszt suddenly opened his eyes, and at that moment, he felt the ¡°fullness¡± within his body and the surging Dou Qi in his meridians.


    He was both mentally exhausted and exhilarated: ¡°I¡¯ve touched the bottleneck of Dou Qi, and now, I have indeed become an Elite Earth Knight.¡±

 Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 0160: Preparing to Become a Medicine Jar

    Chapter 160: Chapter 0160: Preparing to Become a Medicine Jar


    The sun rose in the east.


    Chained Doussan paced back and forth, tugging at its chain, waiting for Liszt to take it for a walk.


    At the castle¡¯s dining table, Liszt perused Grandini Truth¡¯s collection of books while enjoying breakfast. The meal was as lavish as ever, but he was particularly savoring the milk.


    Whether it was psychological or if he could truly taste a difference, what was once simply delicious milk now revealed an extraordinary quality.


    It¡¯s no surprise it¡¯s from Dragon Breed Cows!


    ¡°Mr. Carter, have someone inform Consultant Goltai that I¡¯d like him to come to the castle after nine o¡¯clock.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Also, tell Mrs. Morson that from now on, every morning, I want two cups of milk and two cups of milk tea in the evening.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Having emptied his cup of milk in one gulp, Carter took the cup to find Mrs. Morson to brew another. Liszt closed the ¡°Sixteen Minor Skills of Enhancing Fireball¡± he was reading and leaned back in his chair, planning his next moves.


    He planned to join the elite ranks.


    Just by consuming meat and milk, it was unlikely that his Dou Qi would improve significantly.


    At this point, magic potions were needed to expand the body¡¯s cellular capacity for generating Dou Qi, steadily increasing his total amount of Dou Qi. When he reached the threshold of his body¡¯s capacity to store Dou Qi, an abrupt increase could trigger a qualitative change, allowing for a breakthrough.


    ¡°Starting today, I¡¯m going to become a potion guzzler.¡±


    Liszt did not know how Sky Knights became Dragon Knights, but he was clear about how Earth Knights became Sky Knights. His father was a Sky Knight and had shared his breakthrough experience with his sons and daughters without reservation.


    It boils down to consuming potions!


    ¡°The Black Tulips from the first three years all have to be handed over to Levis to take care of, which is a tricky matter. However, the Flame Mushroom¡ªI can keep it for my own use. Flame Mushrooms possess the fire attribute magic power, making them excellent ingredients for magic potions that enhance Fire Attribute Dou Qi,¡± he thought of Grandini, ¡°Grandini is proficient in fire system magic; I could ask him to make the magic potions.¡±


    Magic potions here refer to both plant magic potions.


    And the refined magic potions.


    Most plant magic potions have chaotic attributes and can aid in enhancing various attributes of Dou Qi. A few plants, like the Flame Mushroom, have clear attributes that can be used to create targeted magic potions, and their enhancement effects are much better than those of the chaotic magic potions.


    One is general-purpose, the other specializes; their value is not easy to compare.


    But to Liszt, the Flame Mushroom-derived magic potion was the most suitable potion for him.


    Magicians certainly knew how to make magic potions¡ªmagic equipment and magic potions were the two crafts that allowed magicians to enter the upper echelons of society.


    Otherwise, magicians alone, not subjected to the power constraints of the nobles, would have long been suppressed by the knights


    In this world, whether in numbers or in strength, knights hold an absolute advantage. Archmages are said to stand at the pinnacle of power just like Dragon Knights and can go head-to-head with a dragon, but they stand no chance against a Dragon Knight. The synergy between a dragon and its knight isn¡¯t simply additive; it¡¯s a qualitative leap.


    Therefore, knights are mainstream, while magicians are fringe.


    Liszt¡¯s thoughts drifted, but he quickly refocused and continued his musings: ¡°Although Grandini has a stubborn personality and is a bit slow, he¡¯s still within the range of normal intelligence. Perhaps, I could persuade him to settle in Fresh Flower Town¡­ He likes Coral City, probably because of the brothels there. I could find him a wife.¡±


    Magicians are typically single, giving up worldly constraints in their pursuit of truth.


    But magicians are also human, and solving problems on their own doesn¡¯t hold the same appeal as discussing them with others.


    ¡°No matter what, I need to make money. Only with money can I buy more magic potions.¡± He felt a tinge of regret for giving the entire Black Tulip share for the first three years to Levis. At that time, he thought it would be at least three years before he¡¯d reach the bottleneck of his Dou Qi.


    Otherwise, the self-production and self-sale of magic potions would save me a sum of money.


    There are too many expenses. Once we run out of magical beast meat, if we want to maintain the training speed, we¡¯ll have to buy more from outside, which is a huge expenditure.


    Whether it¡¯s the cost of magic potions or magical beast meat, it¡¯s difficult for a typical small-town landlord to sustain.


    Even with the seafood business, Liszt cannot guarantee that he can keep up. There¡¯s no way to tighten the belt any further; the only solution left is to think of ways to increase revenue.


    Workshops must be built in large numbers, aiming to turn Fresh Flower Town into a center for agricultural product processing.


    Black Horse Island also needs to be conquered as soon as possible. The trading business of Li Dragon Horses will definitely bring in a large amount of gold coins.


    At the same time, the construction of the knight squad must be accelerated. A territory without the protection of knights is not in a healthy state.


    ¡°Luckily, I have dragon breed milk cows to provide me with rich nutrition and alleviate the food pressure.¡± A few cups of dragon breed cow milk a day are at least equivalent to the nutritional intake of magical beast meat.


    Of course.


    The premise is that they really are dragon breed cows.


    After walking the dog.


    Goltai had already come to the castle.


    Without a doubt, he had received another task from Liszt to improve the milk cow farm¡ªa task highlighting Liszt¡¯s occasional unorthodox approach, something Goltai had grown accustomed to.


    ¡°As you wish, the cows on the dairy farm will definitely enjoy the same treatment as your Li Dragons!¡±


    Having sent Goltai on his way,


    Liszt rode his horse with his retainers straight to Little Wheat Village to inspect the work progress of Granney and Brad and urge them to complete their tasks as soon as possible.


    Twelve retainer knights, roaring as they followed behind him, formidable as dragons.


    After the lumberjack team had leveled Thorn Ridge, the tasks of Marcus and the retainer knights ended, with the retainer knights returning to Liszt¡¯s side to guard the landlord. As for Marcus, he had been tasked with training the children brought by the serfs.


    Currently in Fresh Flower Town, among the local and purchased serfs, there are three hundred fifty-four children aged three to ten.


    Marcus needed to sort them into groups based on gender, age, physique, intelligence, and so on. Liszt would then arrange for suitable instructors to train these kids¡ªto ensure future loyalty to him, they must become Earth Knights, and training must start from childhood.


    ¡°Lord Landlord!¡±


    The patrol members guarding outside Granney and Brad¡¯s house immediately saluted upon seeing Liszt.


    Magic apprentice Charley opened the door and instinctively shrank back, ¡°Baron, do you, do you wish to come in?¡± The once ill-mannered Charley now held a heightened reverence for Liszt¡ªsimply because Liszt had scared him with Douson, making him wet his pants.


    Since then, Charley didn¡¯t dare show any disrespect in Liszt¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Is your teacher working?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the teacher is currently crafting the second crystal lamp.¡±


    Once inside the house, Liszt quickly spotted the busy Granney and Brad. Brad was already carving the fifth crystal while Granney had just finished a lamp.


    He urged, ¡°Speed up the progress, Mr. Granney, Brad, I¡¯m fed up with the flickering candlelight and urgently need the crystal lamps.¡±

 Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 0161 Apple Table Meeting

    Chapter 161: Chapter 0161 Apple Table Meeting


    He took the finished crystal lamp with him.


    Once back in the castle, Liszt ordered his servants to install the crystal lamp in his study. The lamp, made of white crystal, emitted a soft white light, reminiscent of natural light, although not as intense as sunlight. Just one crystal lamp was as bright as ten candles.


    ¡°It¡¯s about as bright as a 50-watt incandescent lamp, which is still not strong enough. It would be better to install two more.¡±


    Three crystal lamps in a room is the most suitable level of brightness¡ªany more is glaring, any less too dim. These crystal lamps could remain lit for several years on end. They could also be designed to be switched on and off at any time, but that would require high-level craftsmanship, which is not cost-effective.


    The value of crystal is indeed high, but the price is not unacceptably so.


    With hundreds of crystal lamps illuminating Tulip Castle from morning till night, it is a beacon of light that never falls into darkness. Many nobles like to use crystal for their tableware. After being enfeoffed, Liszt also received a set of exquisite crystal tableware. Although its magic power had been exhausted, it still highlighted his class when entertaining honored guests.


    ¡°I need to also install a crystal lamp in the bedroom, then put on a lampshade. That way, I won¡¯t need to turn off the lamp¡ªjust closing the lampshade will be like turning off the light.¡± He was accustomed to sleeping in the dark; he couldn¡¯t sleep with the light on.


    He directed the servants to adjust the position of the crystal lamp.


    Making a quick calculation in his head, he estimated that at Granney¡¯s pace, it would take another three to five days to make ten crystal lamps. Ten lamps could at most sustain five rooms, but he had no intention of adding more; taking out so much crystal at once would be a bit ostentatious. Better to keep a low profile.


    After all, three lamps for the study, two for the living room, two for the dining room, two for the bedroom, and one for the bathroom should be sufficient for his use.


    ¡°Master, Mr. Marcus has arrived and is waiting for you in the living room,¡± Carter approached to inform him.


    ¡°Did Teacher Marcus mention what it is about?¡±


    ¡°He has come to report on the knight training of the serf children.¡±


    Liszt pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Have someone notify Karl Ironhammer and Rom Barrel to come here. Also, summon my twelve Retainer Knights; I want to hold a meeting.¡±


    He went downstairs.


    And met with Marcus.


    ¡°My lord, Marcus offers his greetings to you.¡±


    ¡°Good day,¡± Liszt, while letting Thomas adjust his necktie, replied, ¡°Teacher Marcus, let¡¯s talk under the apple tree. I have also invited others to join us in a meeting to discuss knight training.¡±


    The apple tree was a wild fruit tree not far from the front of the castle.


    There were stone benches and a wooden table beneath the tree where Liszt often read books or contemplated. Regrettably, during this season, the apples had already ripened and fallen. Thus, he momentarily could not emulate Newton, getting hit by a falling apple and then contemplating and formulating the epoch-making law of universal gravitation.


    Next year, once apples grew on the tree again, he would definitely ponder astronomy, physics, magic and Dou Qi under it.


    ¡°Apples are wonderful, three apples can change the world.¡± Liszt sat down and smiled, gesturing towards the apple tree.


    Marcus was puzzled, ¡°Apples are indeed tasty, but how can they change the world?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how humanity came to be?¡±


    ¡°We are the rulers of nature, born alongside this continent, my lord.¡±


    Alright, watching Marcus answer seriously, Liszt suddenly found it boring; this Earth Knight was not one to exhibit humor. So, he cut to the chase, ¡°There is a legend that the first two people ate an apple and created the humans of today.¡±


    Marcus asked, ¡°Then why is it that three apples changed the world?¡±


    Temptation in the Garden of Eden, gravity, the iPhone¡­ Liszt regretted starting this topic and had to blather, ¡°Later, someone ate an apple and cultivated Dou Qi, someone else ate an apple and created magic. Of course, these are just legends I¡¯ve read in knight novels; those authors have quite the imagination.¡±


    ¡°Those magicians? They can¡¯t change the world; the world belongs to the knights!¡±


    A moment of blathering followed.


    Karl and Rom had already arrived, and the Retainer Knights had formed a circle under the apple tree.


    Looking at Marcus, Karl, and Rom sitting upright and the Retainer Knights standing straight, Liszt suddenly thought of King Arthur and his round table meetings. This fictional ancient British king liked to have meetings with his knights around a round table, and Europeans wrote many stories about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.


    The Japanese also produced many works about King Arthur.


    ¡°If one day in the future I were crowned king, would this table under the apple tree come to be known by posterity as the Apple Table, the Apple Table Conference? Would Marcus, Karl, Rom, and this group of elders be called the Apple Table Knights? Or perhaps just the Apple Knights?¡±


    His thoughts were fleeting.


    He spoke earnestly, ¡°Teacher Marcus, has the sorting of the serf children finished?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, out of three hundred and fifty-four children, twenty-six were excluded due to deformities or an inability to train, leaving three hundred and twenty-eight¡ª169 boys and 159 girls. Following your instruction, I have separated the girls into one group and divided the boys into passing and failing groups.¡±


    ¡°The girls¡¯ group will be trained by Rom,¡± Liszt decided on the spot, ¡°The purpose of the training is to keep them physically fit, making it easier to assign them jobs in the future. If there are any exceptionally talented individuals who can develop Dou Qi, we¡¯ll make special arrangements.¡±


    Rom immediately stood up to take the order, ¡°As you wish, I will rigorously train this group of girls!¡±


    Training women to develop Dou Qi was not the mainstream; at least most landowners choosing knights would opt for boys. However, it wasn¡¯t fixed; there were also quite a few landlords who trained female knights¡­ Liszt¡¯s sister, Li Vera, trained a group of girls to form a women¡¯s knight squad, although she also trained many more boys.


    Liszt¡¯s training of girls wasn¡¯t about forming a knight squad.


    It was because he wished for women to also increase their strength to undertake hard labor in the future, or rather, to take on farming entirely, freeing up the male labor force. Men could work in workshops, or do more physically demanding jobs like building roads, bridges, and ships.


    An even more crucial point was that with a stronger female constitution, the difficulties of childbirth would lessen and the baby survival rate would greatly improve.


    Besides, there was another reason¡ªif a few outstanding female knights emerged, they could be taken on as Retainer Knights, and if they were fair and beautiful, they could be adjusted to serve as personal guards, which would be delightful.


    ¡°The failing group will be trained by Karl.¡±


    Liszt put aside his private thoughts and continued, ¡°The training of the failing group, like the girls¡¯ group, is about building physical strength, preferably to cultivate Dou Qi. In the future, among this group, those with Dou Qi can join the Patrol Team or the Bug Guard Team, while those without it can build roads and bridges.¡±


    Karl stood to accept the command, ¡°As you wish!¡±


    ¡°Lastly, I¡¯ll entrust the passing group to Teacher Marcus for training; they are the candidates for the future Land¡¯s Guard Knights. Philip, Zavier, you Retainer Knights will take turns assisting Teacher Marcus to train the passing group¡­ I think the passing group should be further divided into smaller groups by age to train separately.¡±


    Marcus nodded, ¡°We can divide them into one group for those under six years old, mainly focusing on etiquette and basics; one group for those between six and eight years old, mainly cultivating Dou Qi and loyalty; and one group for those over eight, primarily training courage and mounted charges.¡±

 Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 0162: Falconer Elkerson

    Chapter 162: Chapter 0162: Falconer Elkerson


    As the meeting progressed, the number of participants gradually increased, with Goltai, Isaiah, Blair, as well as Old Geronte and Kostor joining in.


    The content ranged from training serf children to future planning for Fresh Flower Town, all of which were included.


    By the time the sun was at its zenith at noon, the Apple Table Meeting concluded successfully.


    The meeting resolved to establish the Knight Academy of Fresh Flower Town, because the territory was only a small town, so the academy kept a low profile. The academy was merely an informal appellation rather than a permanent institution. Everyone involved in training knights would also serve as an instructor and receive a salary of two copper coins per day.


    The first batch of eight instructors was as follows.


    Ettiquette Instructor ¨C Goltai Mast, responsible for training serf children in loyalty to their landlord.


    Knight Squad Instructor ¨C Marcus Wheel, responsible for training the potential candidates of the Knight Squad, i.e., the serf children who passed.


    Patrol Team Instructor ¨C Karl Ironhammer, responsible for training the potential candidates of the Patrol Team, i.e., the serf children who did not pass.


    Bug Guard Team Instructor ¨C Rom Barrel, responsible for training the potential candidates of the Bug Guard Team, i.e., the girls¡¯ group of serf children.


    Administrative Instructor ¨C Isaiah Moss, responsible for teaching serf children administrative skills.


    Serpent Script Instructor ¨C Blair Steel-Nail, responsible for teaching serf children how to read and write Serpent Script.


    Wind Language Instructor ¨C Grantaire Short Bench, responsible for teaching serf children how to read and write Wind Language.


    Marine Affairs Instructor ¨C Kostor Hoofprint, responsible for teaching serf children nautical knowledge.


    The meeting also readjusted the duties and salary regulations of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s provisional officials. Among them, consultants received twenty copper coins per day, affairs officers received ten copper coins per day, and assistant affairs officers received five copper coins per day.


    The list is as follows.


    Consultant and Diplomatic of Fresh Flower Town ¨C Goltai Mast, overseeing all affairs of Fresh Flower Town, including diplomatic affairs.


    Administrative Officer and Legal Officer ¨C Isaiah Moss, responsible for the administrative affairs and legal matters of Fresh Flower Town.


    Assistant to the Administrative Officer ¨C Auden Insole.


    Finance Officer ¨C Blair Steel-Nail, responsible for the financial affairs of Fresh Flower Town.


    Assistant to the Finance Officer ¨C Gray Scythe.


    Defense Officer ¨C Karl Ironhammer, responsible for Patrol Team affairs.


    Worm Affairs Officer ¨C Rom Barrel, responsible for Bug Guard Team affairs.


    Marine Affairs Officer ¨C Kostor Hoofprint, responsible for nautical affairs.


    It was anticipated that separate Legal Officers, in charge of legal penalties, and Diplomats, in charge of external affairs, would be appointed, but there were no suitable officials for the positions at that time.


    Whether it was Old Geronte or Captain Kostor, they were acting in official capacities whilst still being serfs. They needed to accumulate enough merit for Liszt to release them from serfdom and convert them into formal officials. Therefore, their remuneration was granted according to serf standards, much lower than that of formal officials.


    Even so, both were so excited that they prostrated themselves on the ground, kissing the tips of Liszt¡¯s leather shoes.


    For them, this was an opportunity given by Liszt to rewrite their destiny and a window bestowed upon them towards nobility¡ªas long as the future landlord continuously achieved glory, they as following officials would naturally receive rewards. Even if they could not, their descendants would have a higher starting point to strive for noble glory.


    ¡°The glory of knighthood watches over Fresh Flower Town, over Lord Landlord, and over each and every one of us.¡± Goltai was very excited at the luncheon.


    The more prosperous Fresh Flower Town became, the more it highlighted his importance as a consultant and his power.


    He was not worried about facing challengers that would shake his status since only nobles could serve as consultants, and in Fresh Flower Town, there was no other noble besides Liszt.


    At least for a few years, this pattern was unlikely to change.


    The excited Goltai, almost getting drunk on beer, flattered effusively, ¡°Under the leadership of Baron Liszt, the prosperity of Fresh Flower Town is just around the corner. Let us raise a toast to the Baron!¡±


    ¡°A toast to the Lord!¡±


    As for Gao Ertai¡¯s bootlicking,


    Liszt was naturally immune and remained unaffected.


    Fresh Flower Town had already passed the difficult initial stage and was now in a phase of high-speed development. With the help of the Smoke Mission, his vision was beyond the likes of Gao Ertai.


    After the noon banquet,


    the officials returned to their posts.


    Liszt asked Captain Kostor to stay behind, ¡°Captain Kostor, how is the sailor training progressing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about to be completed. I have already started trial sailing. Just waiting for a big storm at sea to test the sailors¡¯ adaptability, and then we¡¯ll be ready to set sail for Black Horse Island!¡± Kostor replied excitedly.


    ¡°I need not repeat the importance of Black Horse Island, make sure to keep the training confidential.¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, rest assured, I haven¡¯t spoken a word about Black Horse Island in front of the sailors.¡±


    ¡°Well done, keep up the good work.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord!¡±


    The sun was setting in the west.


    Time flew by, and an afternoon passed just like that.


    Liszt had just returned from inspecting the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery,


    when he happened to meet his servant Tom, who was looking for him: ¡°Sir, the Fresh Flower Caravan transport team has brought back a magician named Mr. Elkeson Truth. He¡¯s waiting for you at the castle.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    This magician was a falconer invited by Mr. Granney Truth.


    When Liszt arrived at the entrance to the castle, he just so happened to see the other party wearing the distinctive black magic cloak, completely enveloping his body¡ªtruth be told, Liszt had always been curious why magicians liked to wear black cloaks. He had worn a black cloak too, but he also had red, gray, and blue ones.


    ¡°Baron Liszt, Mr. Elkeson True pays his respects to you,¡± Elkerson, showing more courtesy than Granney, bowed slightly.


    Liszt returned the courtesy: ¡°Mr. Elkeson, welcome to Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°The town is beautiful, quiet and peaceful. I am delighted to be here to work. By the way, where is Mr. Granney Truth? I received his invitation letter.¡±


    ¡°He is making crystal lamps.¡±


    Once inside the castle, the servants brought tea, and Liszt went straight to the point, ¡°I heard you are a falconer, and I especially asked Mr. Granney to invite you to help me train a magical beast, the Wind Falcon. It¡¯s time for its trial flight, but it still doesn¡¯t know how to release the Magic Wind Blade.¡±


    Elkeson replied calmly, ¡°First of all, I must clarify that I have never trained falcon-type magical beasts, only ordinary falcons. It¡¯s hard to guarantee whether I can train the Wind Falcon.¡±


    ¡°Just do what you can to train it. If it really doesn¡¯t work out, it¡¯s not a problem. Mr. Granney happens to want to use the materials of the magical beast to make a piece of magic equipment for me,¡± Liszt laughed, ¡°If the training is successful, I will provide you with two gold coins as payment. Even if it fails, there will still be a gold coin as payment.¡±


    ¡°You are very generous,¡± Elkeson was satisfied with the offer, ¡°I will do my utmost.¡±


    Compared to magicians like Granney who are stubborn, rigid-minded and fail to grasp the situation, Elkeson was an excellent conversationalist. Ample knowledge, an interesting demeanor, a tone tinged with respect, and a strong, iron-like cadence made Liszt feel favorable towards him.


    The refined iron cadence popular in high society was certainly more pleasing to the ear than the clumsy local speech of Coral Island.


    It¡¯s not that one fears unfamiliar goods, but rather fears comparing goods and finding them wanting.


    As they talked, Liszt began to regret¡ªhe should have directly invited Elkeson earlier, instead of spending a fist-sized Black Pearl to invite Granney.

 Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 0163: The Cruel Eagle Torture Training

    Chapter 163: Chapter 0163: The Cruel Eagle Torture Training


    ¡°Such a beautiful creature¡­ The eagle is a majestic flier, and the falcon is the same; even eagles and falcons raised from birth yearn for freedom, rather than being a loyal dog.¡±


    Mr. Elkeson admired the Wind Falcon perched on the windowsill, clucking his tongue in amazement.


    Outside the castle, Douson, tethered by a chain, suddenly sneezed for some reason.


    ¡°Do you mean to say that eagles and falcons can¡¯t be commanded?¡± Liszt furrowed his brow, his idea was to train the Wind Falcon to be as loyal and obedient as Douson.


    ¡°They can become close to the person who feeds them, but there¡¯s no way to force them to recognize a master except by subjugation. Taming an eagle or falcon essentially involves applying constant external force to force it to change its natural habits as a bird of prey.¡±


    ¡°How do you change it, and how do you train it?¡±


    ¡°Endurance!¡±


    ¡°Endurance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, enduring is the most important step in subduing the proud nature of eagles and falcons. By preventing them from sleeping and keeping them hungry, you can completely shatter their spirit and change their habits. Only then will they hunt prey in the designed manner and not flee after being set free.¡±


    Mr. Elkeson, with many years of falconry experience, expounded on this in front of Liszt.


    He explained all details including the tools used for training, the steps involved, as well as different approaches for various eagles and falcons. Later, he planned to take forty days to summarize the training methods for the Wind Falcon, aiming to break its spirit completely and turn it into a puppet on strings for the falconer, thereby achieving total subjugation.


    After hearing this, Liszt felt an inexplicable discomfort.


    Especially concerning the methods used for taming.


    Enduring¡ªto prevent the eagle or falcon from sleeping and thus break its spirit; Starving¡ªby wrapping twine around meat, causing the eagle or falcon to eat and then clean its stomach, followed by the removal of the twine to maintain a state of hunger; Restrain¡ªplacing a hood over the bird¡¯s eyes so it wouldn¡¯t dare escape even when untethered; Hobble¡ªtying strings to its legs so it couldn¡¯t extend its legs to hunt.


    The entire training process was nothing but an endless torture for the bird of prey.


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Elkeson, is an eagle or falcon trained this way still an eagle or falcon?¡±


    The ever-talkative Mr. Elkeson paused abruptly, then laughed and said, ¡°Baron Liszt, an eagle or falcon is just a wild beast. When humans tame wild beasts, they either eat them, ride them, or use them for farming, treating them all as tools. Falconry is merely a more complex way of using a tool.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a relatively more humane method?¡±


    Liszt did not consider himself to be of the tender-hearted sort, as he had treated the Earth Matron quite cruelly. But Juan Fu was different from the Earth Matron, Juan Fu had been cared for bit by bit by him and was not just any magical beast.


    Besides, it was also a reward from the Smoke Mission, with a not-so-common cachet.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord,¡± said Mr. Elkeson calmly, ¡°I understand your thoughts. Indeed, the means of falconry can be cruel, but compared to the rewards, what is a little cruelty? The Wind Falcon is merely a magical beast. If you do not tame it, it will eventually rebel and escape, only causing you trouble.¡±


    Thinking about it, after a moment,


    Liszt tucked away that shred of kindness in his heart and replied, ¡°Fine, from tomorrow on, Juan Fu will be in your hands for training.¡±


    ¡°I will need your cooperation as well, ideally five hours a day, to train with me. Only by doing so can it truly submit to you.¡±


    Juan Fu was still chirping away on the windowsill.


    Completely unaware that its fate was about to plummet.


    Liszt took a deep breath, suddenly changing his mind, ¡°Mr. Elkeson, how about we wait another two days? Help me make the crystal lamps first. Mr. Grandini alone will have a hard time finishing the crystal lamps quickly.¡±


    He half wanted Juan Fu to enjoy two more days, and half wanted to accelerate the progress on the Thorn Bug chain mission.


    ¡°If you truly need it, I¡¯d be happy to serve you.¡±


    In the evening.


    Mr. Elkeson met with Mr. Grandini.


    He greeted him warmly, ¡°Grandini, I¡¯m delighted to see you again. It¡¯s been half a year since our last meeting. I¡¯ve wanted to visit Moss Town several times, but kept being delayed by other matters.¡±


    Mr. Grandini, however, was cold-faced, ¡°If Baron Liszt didn¡¯t need a falconer, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered writing to you.¡±


    ¡°It seems you have quite a prejudice against me, which is truly regrettable. Baron Liszt hopes that we can work together to finish making all the Crystal Lamps as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Work together with you? You must be joking!¡±


    Baron Liszt, who had been letting the two magicians introduce themselves, saw that things were about to become unpleasant, so he said, ¡°Mr. Grandini, rest assured that you will not be shorted on your compensation. I simply hope to accelerate the production of the Crystal Lamps, for the Black Pearl Magic Equipment needs to be made as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think working with him will speed up the progress. Not every magician knows how to make Magic Equipment.¡±


    Mr. Elkeson maintained his smile, ¡°Lord Grandini, I acknowledge your craftsmanship is excellent, but please do not belittle me. Even if my skill is not as good, we¡¯re only making Crystal Lamps after all, and it¡¯s very common for two people to collaborate on such a project. Besides, Baron Liszt has said that he will pay my salary separately, so it won¡¯t take away from your business.¡±


    Seeing that Mr. Grandini was about to speak again.


    Baron Liszt said impatiently, ¡°Enough, this matter is settled. Now, let¡¯s begin the banquet to welcome Mr. Elkeson, with hopes that he¡¯ll enjoy his upcoming days in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Mr. Elkeson, still smiling, bowed in thanks, ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. I¡¯ve taken a stroll around Fresh Flower Town and have already fallen in love with its beautiful landscape and people, as well as its thriving atmosphere.¡±


    Look at that.


    The way he spoke made even Baron Liszt blush.


    He had assumed all magicians were like Mr. Grandini, but now he knew that there were indeed magicians with the elegance of nobles.


    When the banquet began, town officials joined in.


    The atmosphere became even livelier, with Mr. Elkeson¡¯s wit, humor, and erudition quickly winning everyone¡¯s favor. Mr. Grandini, however, kept a cold face throughout the entire event, focusing solely on his own eating and drinking, and not fitting in with the festivities.


    In the following two days.


    With Mr. Elkeson¡¯s involvement, the making of the Crystal Lamps indeed sped up, and by the morning of the third day, they successfully finished making ten Crystal Lamps.


    All of the Crystal Lamps had been installed in the castle.


    ¡°Mr. Grandini, next, let¡¯s quickly forge the Black Pearl Magic Equipment,¡± said Baron Liszt, who was in fact already regretting choosing to have him make the Magic Equipment. Still, maintaining a basic level of integrity was necessary, so he did not show any significant emotional change towards Mr. Grandini.


    Mr. Grandini, with his usual indifferent expression and a hint of pride in his eyes, said, ¡°What do you plan to name it? It¡¯s certainly going to be an exquisite piece of Magic Equipment. It deserves a name that reflects its character, so as not to waste my Magic Equipment crafting skill!¡±


    ¡°Calming Sea Pearl, I¡¯ve already thought of it.¡±


    ¡°Calming Sea Pearl?¡± Mr. Grandini, after pondering for a moment, replied without courtesy, ¡°It¡¯s a mediocre name. How about ¡®Eye of the Storm¡¯ instead? It has a stronger presence and fits its role better than Calming Sea Pearl.¡±


    Eye of the Storm?


    Calming Sea Pearl?


    Deep down, Baron Liszt had to admit that the name Mr. Grandini came up with was indeed more impressive than his own, but he was displeased with Mr. Grandini¡¯s attitude, ¡°It will be called Calming Sea Pearl, no, Calming Sea Divine Pearl!¡±

 Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 0164: The Key to the Evolution of the Thorn Bug

    Chapter 164: Chapter 0164: The Key to the Evolution of the Thorn Bug


    Having dispatched the clueless Granney,


    Liszt closed the door and, in the brightly lit study, he waved his hand, summoning forth the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the task, reward: Magic Potion variable rapid growth variety of Thorn.¡±


    ¡°Magic Potion!¡±


    Seeing these two Serpent Script characters, Liszt¡¯s pupils dilated instantly. The long-desired mutation was now a reality, for indeed, a Magic Potion had been cultivated from the Thorns! Not cutting down the ordinary Rapid Growth Thorns in the beginning was truly a wise choice; no matter how practical the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns were, they couldn¡¯t compare to the importance of a Magic Potion.


    Especially now, as he had entered the Elite Earth Knight Sequence, it was precisely the time he needed a Magic Potion.


    It was like a timely rain, pouring refreshingly through his heart, utterly exhilarating.


    The smoke slowly transformed in front of his eyes, forming new Serpent Script: ¡°Mission: A chain outbreak of five varieties of mutant Thorns is the Thorn Elf Bug expressing its desire for evolution, launching a firm attack against fate. As its contracted master, you should lend a hand, please provide new varieties of Thorns for the Thorn Bug. Reward: A Little Minor Elf.¡±


    At this point,


    Liszt¡¯s pupils dilated once again.


    ¡°A Thorn Bug chain mission, finally at the last link. My first Little Minor Elf will be a Thorn Minor Elf! I originally thought it the least likely to evolve successfully, but unexpectedly, it¡¯s the first to evolve¡­ The new Thorn variety isn¡¯t available in Fresh Flower Town; it seems I need to go outside to find it.¡±


    With that thought, he did not hesitate for a moment.


    He directly called over his Retainer Knights, Philip and Zavier¡ªthe two Apprentice Knights who had been the first to cultivate Dou Qi and the most likely to break through to become Earth Knights; Liszt was focusing on training them.


    ¡°Philip, Zavier, I have a task for you.¡±


    The young faces, now tanned dark, no longer held a wooden expression but rather a resolute one: ¡°We are at your service, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Philip, make a trip to Coral City. Tell Captain Abagon to mobilize all the routes of the caravan to look for Thorns, not ordinary Thorns, but unusual varieties within them.¡±


    Philip promptly replied, ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Zavier, accompany the Thorn Caravan on a trip, the same mission, to find unusual Thorn varieties. Also, when leaving, stop by and call for Teacher Marcus.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Zavier quickly brought Marcus, who had been training the serf boys, over.


    ¡°My lord, you called for me?¡±


    ¡°Come with me.¡± Liszt led Marcus straight to the Worm Room on the second floor, pointing out the increasingly plump Thorn Bug, ¡°Teacher Marcus, you are the person I trust the most. Take a look at these Elf Bugs, do you notice anything?¡±


    Marcus seldom saw Elf Bugs.


    But that did not mean he was unfamiliar with Elf Bugs. As someone who aspired to be a Noble, he had made it a point to inquire about matters related to Elf Bugs. Therefore, when he saw the Thorn Bug, he was stunned: ¡°My lord, this Thorn Bug¡­ has it entered the Fat Pupa Stage?¡±


    ¡°The emergence of four consecutive varieties of mutant Thorns has made my Thorn Bug no ordinary bug. It has a strong desire to evolve. I can already feel its urgent craving to evolve. So, I want to help it. I need you to make a trip to Tulip Castle, as well as to the Beer Castle and Shattered Stone Castle.¡±


    ¡°My lord, what¡¯s the task you¡¯re entrusting me with?¡±


    ¡°Get in touch with them to inquire about Thorn Bugs. I suspect all three places have Thorn Bugs; Tulip Castle alone has two more. If they also have control over unusual varieties of Thorns, negotiate for me. I want to bring my Thorn Bug to assimilate these Thorn varieties.¡±


    Thomas nodded in agreement, then furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°My lord, do you think the Thorn Bug could possibly break through to become a Little Minor Elf?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Maybe the odds are low, but nothing is absolute. Even if there¡¯s only the slightest possibility, I will not give up. I need a Thorn Minor Elf to care for my Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll set off at once.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll write three letters for you to take with you.¡±


    Marcus set off with the three letters.


    Liszt wasn¡¯t idle either. After greeting Douson and Elkerson, who was preparing to train Juan Fu, he set off toward the thorn shrubbery.


    He was searching for a new variant of magic potion rapid growth thorn, which he called Rapid Growth Magic Thorn.


    Rapid Growth Thorn, Rapid Growth Poison Thorn, Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn, Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, Rapid Growth Magic Thorn¡ªthe benefits brought by the Thorn Bug were already rich and were now on the verge of a breakthrough. The future profits that thorns could bring would be even richer.


    Riding on the back of a Li Dragon Horse,


    he suddenly thought of a very serious question, ¡°Now that I have a Little Minor Elf, I can probably choose to change my surname, right?¡±


    Some nobles would change their surname for their elves.


    Usually, they would change their surname after acquiring a Greater Elf, to declare their family¡¯s glory. But since Greater Elves were rare, many smaller nobles followed suit; upon acquiring a Little Minor Elf, they would change their surname¡ªafter all, Greater Elves lived two hundred years and Little Minor Elves lived one hundred years, both of which could prolong the glory of a family for several generations.


    The Tulip Family began in the era of the earl. The Tulip Lesser Spirit evolved into the Tulip Great Elf, and the surname changed from ¡°Tile¡± to ¡°Tulip.¡±


    The Lycra Family of Beer Castle had a Lycra Minor Elf and directly changed their surname to ¡°Lycra.¡±


    The Shattered Stone Family from Shattered Stone Castle also had a Little Minor Elf but did not change their surname. Perhaps they harbored ambitions to wait for a Greater Elf before changing the surname, or perhaps they were too modest to use a Little Minor Elf as their surname.


    ¡°In any case, I can now change my surname to Thorn¡­ Liszt Thorn¡­ It doesn¡¯t sound as noble as Liszt Tulip, never mind, I won¡¯t change it. I¡¯ll continue to bear the surname Tulip and maintain some distance from Tulip Castle so that I can still benefit from the Earl in the future.¡±


    He arrived at the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery.


    Bug Guard Members came forward to salute.


    He simply used the Eye of Magic to observe the thorns. The Thorn Cordyceps were the most conspicuous with their abundant magic power. Moments later, Liszt discovered a new trace of magic power in a corner of the shrubbery and determined the location of the Rapid Growth Magic Thorn.


    The Rapid Growth Magic Thorn was not conspicuous.


    On the contrary, compared to the surrounding Rapid Growth Thorns, it was even smaller. This smallness was not because it was in the seedling phase but rather because the entire plant had a dwarfed appearance. Judging by its form, it had definitely grown for more than a month, with branches fully spread out, but the height only reached the lower leg.


    ¡°The chaotic, attribute-less magic power is like that of the Black Tulip, not bad at all. With this, I have a new magic potion available to use¡­ Most importantly, this is a rapid growth variant of the magic potion, practically a Gold Coin production line!¡±


    He touched the Rapid Growth Magic Thorn. Its thorns were very small and rather blunt, posing virtually no harm.


    Beside it was a Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn, whose thorns glinted coldly, as if ready to kill at any moment.


    ¡°I need to protect this Rapid Growth Magic Thorn. Clear out all the other varieties of thorns, from top to root, to make room for its growth.¡±


    Having confirmed the plan for cultivating the Rapid Growth Magic Thorn,


    he faced another concern: ¡°The Rapid Growth Magic Thorn needs Thorn Bugs to increase production, as does the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, how should I allocate them?¡±


    One can¡¯t have both the fish and the bear¡¯s paw.


    His only hope was for the Thorn Bug to break through into a Thorn Minor Elf soon and affect a larger range of thorns.


    Standing up, he looked across over a hundred acres of Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, envisioning an endless supply of magic potions and high-quality wood.


    ¡°The Sea of Thorns is a bit exaggerated; The Land of Thorns is a bit mundane; The Forest of Thorns lacks creativity¡­ I might as well call this shrubbery the Thorn Garden. I¡¯ll tend to it as I would a garden!¡±

 Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 0165: Flame Mushroom Magic Potion Collaboration

    Chapter 165: Chapter 0165: Flame Mushroom Magic Potion Collaboration


    ¡°Oh, my God!¡±


    When Goltai received the notification and hurried to the Thorn Garden, he immediately opened his mouth wide and exaggeratedly described, ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is real, Magic Medicine Thorns? I thought Fresh Flower Town was the place where the knight¡¯s glory shone, but now I realize that this place is more like the birthplace of the knight¡¯s glory!¡±


    ¡°The birthplace of knight¡¯s glory? I like the sound of that, Consultant Goltai, and there might be even more surprises that you can¡¯t imagine,¡± Liszt said mysteriously.


    With the existence of the Smoke Mission as a golden finger, everything here was to be expected.


    Dragon!


    Smoke Dragon!


    A dragon that could found a nation, bringing such benefits, is nothing.


    ¡°Are there more surprises?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you will know soon,¡± Liszt referred to the evolution of the Thorn Bug, believing that soon, they would receive news of a new variety of thorns, and after that, the assimilation of the Thorn Bug.


    What would be gained then was a miraculous Thorn Minor Elf.


    He didn¡¯t tell Goltai; Goltai couldn¡¯t keep secrets. Regarding the evolution of the Thorn Bug, he wasn¡¯t planning to announce it until it was successful, letting only Marcus in on it. Liszt had great trust in Marcus; his family had already settled in Fresh Flower Town.


    He swiftly changed the subject.


    Liszt said, ¡°Teacher Goltai, this Thorn Garden can commence with transplantation and planning. My idea is to transplant the Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn and Rapid Growth Poison Thorn to the edge of Thorn Ridge, to enclose Fresh Flower Town and prevent invasions from magical beasts or thieves from outside.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a significant project,¡± Goltai said with a troubled look, ¡°It might not be feasible in a short period, as the autumn harvest is upon us, and I¡¯m organizing serfs to reap this year¡¯s crop.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait until after the autumn harvest to arrange for the Thorn Garden. But for now, around the Rapid Growth Magic Thorns, someone must immediately arrange for the removal of the ordinary thorns, allowing the Magic Medicine Thorns to grow and breed,¡± said Liszt.


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    A moment later.


    Worm Affairs Officer Rom Barrel, who was inspecting the cordyceps, also hurried over.


    Liszt had to give another set of instructions: ¡°The protective measures for the Thorn Garden must be strengthened, with at least a squad of four Bug Guard Members on guard, divided into eight-hour shifts, with three squads rotating.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Also, I will purchase several large drums to be placed in the wooden hut where the Bug Guard Members keep watch. In case of any situations, they should beat the drums as a signal,¡± said Liszt.


    After making proper arrangements, he reluctantly left the Thorn Garden.


    Back at the castle.


    Mr. Elkeson True had already designed a complete set of tools for training Juan Fu, including an eagle hood, eagle tether, eagle water bottle, eagle gloves, eagle creance, falcon stand, bait, and other equipment. All these were made to precise measurements according to Juan Fu¡¯s body shape.


    It wasn¡¯t too expensive, but neither was it cheap¡ªaltogether, it cost a gold coin.


    ¡°Baron Liszt, for the next period, we must enter the stage of training the bird through sleep deprivation. You must refrain from feeding Juan Fu. The rest, leave to me, preventing it from sleeping. Eventually, it will submit its proud head to you completely,¡± advised Elkeson.


    ¡°I understand,¡± said Liszt.


    Liszt reached out and petted Juan Fu. Although Juan Fu didn¡¯t bite Liszt, it dodged his touch, as it didn¡¯t like anyone touching it.


    In the following time, the training of Juan Fu began.


    Having moved out of the castle and confined to a separate falcon room, Elkerson watched Juan Fu closely, recording all the detailed data about him. It must be said, this witty and humorous magician, instead of performing his duties as a magician, found it interesting to take on the role of a breeder.


    ¡°Mr. Elkerson, which systems of magic are you skilled in?¡±


    ¡°Earth System and Water System.¡±


    ¡°I have a curious question, how did you embark on the path of a magician?¡±


    Elkerson reflected, ¡°Baron Liszt, I come from a family of serfs. As it happened, my teacher passed by Serpent Spear City on his way to the small town where I lived, to select some plants; he needed an assistant and chose me. Afterward, he asked if I wanted to join him to explore the truth, and I agreed.¡±


    ¡°So, you are from Serpent Spear City.¡±


    ¡°My family were originally serfs from Midway Island, but when I was very young, because Viscount Clare angered Marquis Deep Throat, Clare was exiled to an uninhabited island. Thus, my family and I came to Coral Island and settled down in Serpent Spear City, but my parents have passed away, and I¡¯m on my own now.¡±


    The Marquis of Deep Throat Island, full name Wallace Pineapple Green, is one of the seven marquises of the Grand Duchy.


    The long-forgotten Viscount of Little Papa Island, whose brother, the Viscount of Da Pa Pa Island, is a noble vassal of Marquis Deep Throat. As for Midway Island, Liszt had not heard of it before, and knew nothing about Viscount Clare.


    However, in earlier years, when the Tulip Family received their fief on Coral Island, they bought a large number of serfs from various places; Elkerson was likely bought as a serf to Coral Island at that time.


    They made small talk for a bit.


    Suddenly, Liszt asked, ¡°Mr. Elkerson, do you know Fire Attribute magic?¡±


    ¡°I am not proficient in it, but I can definitely do it.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I have a batch of Fire Attribute magic potions; could you make them into magic power potions for me?¡± Liszt decided to entrust the creation of magic power potions to Elkerson.


    Elkerson¡¯s brows raised slightly, and he chuckled, ¡°I would not refuse a task that brings in money. On the path to seeking truth, I am always in need of gold coins; knowledge never comes for free.¡±


    Magicians like to mess around with vials and jars, studying various types of explosions and dangerous things.


    All of these materials must be purchased with gold coins. As a class existing outside the feudal system, if they want to earn gold coins, they have to work on their own ¡ª making magic potions, crafting magic equipment; those specializing in the Ice System might even make and sell ice blocks.


    Of course, some magicians choose to join the feudal system.


    For example, they serve as court magicians or magic advisors for nobles, enjoying the patronage of a noble.


    But magicians like Elkerson and Granney, of their level, certainly cannot enjoy such patronage and must work on their own to earn money to purchase knowledge and explore the truth.


    At Tulip Castle, there is a magician specializing in the cooperative production of magic potions, living a reclusive life without lacking money.


    These two could only take on odd jobs, living a semi-secluded life.


    ¡°Then, I entrust the magic flame mushrooms I have to you for processing. I will build a Flame Mushroom Processing Workshop at Mushroom Hamlet and plan to have a long-term cooperation with you, how does that sound?¡±


    He had intended to keep Granney around, but now, he felt that Elkerson was a better choice.


    Elkerson seemed hesitant, ¡°To stay in Fresh Flower Town for a long time?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay here all the time; the production of flame mushrooms is limited. If you could take out a week every month, that would be enough to process all of the Flame Mushroom magic potions.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I am willing to cooperate,¡± Elkerson nodded, then voiced his confusion, ¡°Baron Liszt, why don¡¯t you cooperate with Tulip Castle?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same if the products are made first? There is no loss due to transportation costs and perhaps that could even earn a little more.¡±


    Liszt narrowed his eyes, choosing not to tell the truth. He had been very conspicuous lately, making quite an impression on Coral Island. Too much rigidity can lead to collapse, so moderation is key in everything. As for joining the Elite Earth Knight Sequence, it¡¯s best kept to himself.

 Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 0166: Juan Fu’s Miserable Bird Life

    Chapter 166: Chapter 0166: Juan Fu¡¯s Miserable Bird Life


    Elkerson oversaw the construction of the Flame Mushroom Processing Workshop and stewed falcon Juan Fu every day.


    Granney threw himself into the making of the Calming Sea Pearl wholeheartedly.


    Goltai and other officials presided over the autumn harvest work of Fresh Flower Town.


    The commoners of the town also joined the harvesting teams, reaping wheat, barley, rye, leveling wasteland, picking wild fruits, gathering vegetables, and collecting Tulip pod fruits. After autumn, the long Ice Snow winter will set in, and all the crops in Fresh Flower Town will cease to grow.


    ¡°Master, these are the freshly picked Dragon Kui from today,¡± Butler Carter brought over a plate of dark little fruits.


    With the boost from the Dragon Kui Bugs, the yield of the Dragon Kui Field surged, harvesting a plate of fruits every day. These things indeed tasted good, but eating too much was not comfortable, Liszt only tasted them occasionally, and the rest were given to his subordinates.


    Ever since the outbreak of the Thorn Bugs.


    The Dragon Kui Bug had become the most chicken-ribbed among the Elf Bugs.


    The output of Dragon Kui was low and couldn¡¯t be sold in bulk, only serving as a taste improver.


    However, taking the example of the Thorn Bug, Liszt would not underestimate the Dragon Kui Bug, who knew when it might have a big outbreak and trigger a set of chain tasks, evolving into a Dragon Kui Junior Elf.


    ¡°You should try some too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡±


    After eating a few Dragon Kui fruits, Liszt asked, ¡°We¡¯re approaching the end of October now, and in two more months, it will be winter. Has the warehouse started preparing for food storage?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already entrusted Captain Abagon and Captain Sherlock to be ready at any time to purchase the newly harvested wheat.¡±


    ¡°Relying on just wheat isn¡¯t enough, sorghum, beans, salt, sugar, etc., all need to be purchased, even in winter, I don¡¯t want the dietary conditions at the Castle to decline,¡± said Liszt, who did not want to compromise, ¡°I will notify Consultant Goltai to build a warehouse near the Castle specifically for storing winter supplies.¡±


    Suddenly.


    He thought of something, ¡°Right, remember to remind me to hire people to build an ice cellar in Fresh Flower Town when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Saltpeter ice-making was indeed convenient, readily available, and recyclable. Unfortunately, there was some loss in the process, and now, out of more than three hundred pounds of saltpeter powder, only over two hundred and sixty pounds were left, a loss of nearly forty-fifty pounds. In another year and a half, ice-making would no longer be possible.


    A new Saltpeter Mine was sought in vain.


    So, at the end of the day, it was essential to dig a large ice cellar to preserve the ice from winter, for use in the following year.


    Warehouse, ice cellar, falcon stand, dog kennel, dog prison (Earth Matron), apple desk, stables, Tridacna shell, Liszt discovered that the Castle, which was supposed to stand alone on a hillside surrounded by green grass, was quickly becoming encircled by various illegal buildings.


    ¡°No, the warehouse and ice cellar have to be built in a faraway place; the dog kennel will be moved to the entrance of the Castle; the falcon stand can be relocated to the Castle¡¯s top platform, built into a third floor in the form of a loft. Apple desks, apple trees, and Tridacna shells can be considered as scenery, the stables need to be moved further away.¡±


    The reason for leaving open space around the Castle.


    Is to set up a ring of safety zones where one cannot hide their form, to prevent assassins from sneaking in.


    ¡°Not only the illegal buildings need to be moved, but a ring of hedges should be planted, and a moat should be dug as a part of the Castle¡¯s defense. If funds and materials permit, the Castle walls, especially the entrance, should be fortified, preferably into a bridge-style gatehouse.¡±


    With the terrain advantage, the gate of the Castle can be built at a high position, connected to the outside by a bridge, under which people can directly walk.


    This would make it difficult for attacking forces to charge in large numbers of knights at the same time, ensuring the Castle could not be taken down in a short period.


    To win time for reinforcements from allies.


    Speaking of which, it was unlikely that Fresh Flower Town would be attacked, after all, Liszt was the son of an Earl, and the blood of the Tulip Family was a banner on this island. But just in case of an encounter with Pirates, just in case the pirates insisted on attacking, a well-defended Castle could be a lifesaver.


    ¡°To thoroughly complete the castle, a considerable sum of money is needed. I am indeed very wealthy, with countless fixed assets¡­ but as for liquid funds, even though the seafood business lends support, it still falls short of the mark, which is a headache,¡±


    A castle that could bear one¡¯s own name.


    It should at least sustain an independent life within its walls, with ample food, solid defenses, and a water source. Perched atop a cliff, Tulip Castle had a spring; even if soldiers surrounded it, it could at least hold out for half a year to a year¡ªin this regard, the castle in Fresh Flower Town was lacking.


    Without a water source, water had to be drawn from the town¡¯s well.


    ¡°Should I seize the opportunity to sell some mithril, crystals, and jade? Get a few thousand gold coins for them first!¡±


    The high-value items he could sell externally were a box of magic power mithril, a box of dragon¡¯s mine crystals, and a box of magic power stones jade.


    And the remaining dozen or so Black Pearls.


    Black Pearls were of immense value, especially the large ones the size of washbasins or basketballs, instrumental for navigation, while smaller Black Pearls could be made into personal defense ornaments. Selling them now would be very disadvantageous, as Tridacna were not commonly found.


    Especially such large Tridacna.


    The remaining mithril, crystals, and jade were also valuable but unsellable items he equally couldn¡¯t bear to part with.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not think about these things anymore; it¡¯s not yet time for me to lie back and enjoy,¡±


    ¡°I still have to strive!¡±


    As these thoughts came to him, he felt his blood stir, unable to stay put in the castle.


    He simply took his retainer knights and the ever-growing Douson on a casual stroll¡ªvisiting the Dog Prison to see the seemingly pregnant Earth Matron, allowing Douson to cozy up to it; going to the cow farm to see the pregnant three cows, feeling the little calves inside their bellies that were likely to be Dragon Breed Cows.


    Heading to the Fruit Thief Monkey Training Grounds in Oyster Village, watching the obediently trained Fruit Thief Monkeys climbing trees to pick Fragrant Coconut Fruits, and also the three female monkeys with swollen bellies.


    Visiting Little Wheat Village to see the 12 large, fat pigs in the pig farm; by winter, these big fat pigs would be ready for slaughter.


    And the growth of every piece of Elf Cordyceps.


    As such, the day came to an end.


    Then, in the blink of an eye,


    Three days had slipped past in a blur.


    With no news of a new Thorn Bug species coming in, Liszt had been cooperating with Elkerson in training Juan Fu. Juan Fu, having not eaten or drunk for three days, had become hoarse from crying, unable to sleep, its eyes bloodshot red. Upon seeing Liszt, its cries were even more pitiful.


    ¡°Gah-jee!¡±


    ¡°Gah-jee!¡±


    Its regal appearance had disappeared, leaving only a disheveled, oversized fat bird. Seeing that Liszt did not feed it any food after calling for quite some time, Juan Fu seemed to have run out of energy and plummeted from the Falcon Stand.


    Liszt was just about to go help it up.


    But Elkerson stepped in to stop him: ¡°Baron Liszt, now is the perfect opportunity to break Juan Fu¡¯s spirit. Do not interrupt; otherwise, it will take even more time to wear it down.¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t submitted yet in this state?¡±


    ¡°No, it has not bowed its head, so it does not count as being subdued.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you continue to tough it out with the bird,¡± Liszt shook his head, glanced at Juan Fu rising from the ground, and turned to leave. Walking far away, he could still faintly hear the pitiful cries of Juan Fu.


    ¡°Gah-jee¡­¡±

 Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 0167: Fly Free, Juan Fu

    Chapter 167: Chapter 0167: Fly Free, Juan Fu


    At the end of October, the weather turned cool.


    The atmosphere in the castle became more and more oppressive, mainly because its master, Liszt, was growing increasingly irritable.


    Fresh Flower Town was thriving, with more than four hundred new serfs quickly integrating and the autumn harvest yielding large amounts of food each day, stacking the storehouses full.


    In such an atmosphere, he should have been happy.


    However, the news relayed by the caravans left him quite restless, his tone slightly gloomy, ¡°Abagon, the Fresh Flower Caravan covers so many small towns¡¯ seafood businesses and has built such a vast network of information, yet you haven¡¯t even found one different species of thorn?¡±


    Abagon knelt on the ground, trembling with fear.


    The words of an angry Elite Earth Knight, the extremely dissatisfied attitude of a Domain Overlord, put him under immense pressure.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡¯m sorry, Abagon has disappointed you. I¡¯ve already had everyone in the caravan put out the word¡ªanyone who can provide a new species of thorn will receive a handsome reward, but all the thorns that have been delivered are common varieties, none meeting your requirements.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve searched the entirety of the area covered by the Fresh Flower Caravan?¡±


    ¡°Birch City, Elm Forest City, Serpent Spear City, Shattered Stone City, and the surrounding small towns¡ªhave all been searched. To continue searching, we would need to go to the villages beneath the towns.¡±


    ¡°Then go to the villages, one by one, ask, one by one, search,¡± Liszt¡¯s temper was not really directed at Abagon, but regardless, he was irritable, ¡°You can directly retain one-tenth of the Fresh Flower Caravan¡¯s funds to use in the search for new species of thorn.¡±


    Abagon replied cautiously, ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, I will search diligently!¡±


    Grantaire had been promoted, and he had only just been given the opportunity to be promoted to captain of the Fresh Flower Caravan. He certainly didn¡¯t want to be incompetent and then be sent back by Liszt to farm again.


    ¡°Go on, get to work.¡±


    Liszt waved his hand, signalling Abagon to leave.


    Then he sat down in his chair, rubbing his temples with his hands. Not only had the Fresh Flower Caravan come up empty-handed, but Sherlock¡¯s Thorn Caravan had likewise turned up nothing, having just been scolded by him. He had thought that it would be a simple matter for the caravans spread across Coral Island to casually inquire and find a new species of thorn, but it turned out to be not so easy.


    ¡°The caravans have offered a handsome reward for finding a new species of thorn, and the commoners who hear about it will surely search frantically¡­ the lack of results for several days suggests a strong possibility that Coral Island truly has no new species of thorn¡­ now, I can only wait for Marcus¡¯s news.¡±


    He had instructed the caravans and Marcus to look in two different directions.


    It was all to discover more species of thorn, to enhance the chances of the Thorn Bug¡¯s breakthrough, the more pheromones gathered, the greater the possibility of evolution.


    ¡°If Marcus also brings no good news, where should I go to search?¡±


    With no leads on Coral Island, he could only search other islands. As a minor noble, his social circle was largely limited to Coral Island. Earls are nobles directly enfeoffed by the Grand Duke, and most of the surrounding islands are ruled by Marquises and their followers, with relationships to Coral Island that are not very cordial.


    It was frowned upon for followers of different landlords to make casual contact with each other.


    However, there was one island he could enter and exit freely¡ªRed Crab Island.


    Liszt was a legitimate descendant of the Long Taro Family bloodline, and his mother was the daughter of the master of Long Taro Castle, one of the seven great Marquises of the Grand Duchy on Red Crab Island, Marquis Merlin Taro. When he had visited Marquis Merlin, he had once been recruited by the sparsely populated Long Taro Family.


    ¡°If I were to ask Grandfather Merlin, no, if I just ask Cousin Meioubao for help, I should be able to complete the task.¡±


    The vast Red Crab Island, when considered, is equivalent to a province in China, could it really not produce a few different species of thorn? Perhaps in the hedges of Long Taro Castle, there are several different species of thorn.


    At that thought.


    His irritation subsided slightly, ¡°If one day I can¡¯t make it on Coral Island, I will go to seek refuge at Long Taro Castle. I believe Grandfather would at least arrange for me a Viscount¡¯s domain.¡±


    However, with Red Crab Island¡¯s extensive family and businesses, it might not be as easy as Coral Island.


    No matter how close a cousin is, they can never be as close as immediate family.


    Suddenly, his thoughts turned to Asina Salmon, and his mood inevitably warmed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s been months, I wonder if Asina has held hands with another noble¡­ Ah, I remember the running under the sunset that afternoon, that was my fleeting youth.¡± He had quite a fondness for this noble young lady who had brazenly confessed her love to him.


    But soon.


    The pleasant memory was shattered by a piercing howl.


    The sound came from the falcon room outside the castle, an expression of torment from Juan Fu.


    Just as his irritation began to subside, it surged back up. He rose to his feet, walked out of the castle, and approached the falcon stand. Mr. Elkerson was sitting opposite, his eyes red with bloodshot veins.


    Seeing Liszt arrive, he hurriedly said, ¡°Baron Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Elkerson, has Juan Fu not yet submitted?¡±


    ¡°The pride in this Wind Falcon¡¯s heart is beyond my imagination,¡± Mr. Elkerson explained with some embarrassment. He believed the harrowing falconry step he¡¯d thought all but assured had come to a complete standstill.


    The Wind Falcon, Juan Fu, would rather starve to death than bow his head.


    Liszt suddenly noticed traces of red blood at Juan Fu¡¯s beak. ¡°Has it vomited blood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, due to prolonged starvation, its body is now in danger. If it fails several more falconry sessions¡­ I apologize, Baron Liszt, this is something I¡¯ve never encountered with regular hawks or falcons.¡±


    ¡°So, Juan Fu might starve to death?¡±


    ¡°There is that possibility, but also a possibility that after a few more days, it might bow its head. As you know, after all, magical beasts are just wild animals; they will succumb to the threat of death. At that time, after several training sessions, it will become your qualified pet.¡±


    ¡°Cawww¡­¡± the blood-vomiting Juan Fu on the falcon stand let out a pitiful and mournful cry.


    But its gaze didn¡¯t hold a shred of submission; it remained defiant. Looking into its eyes, Liszt felt as though he could see its disdain for fate.


    Fate.


    Perhaps it was an aftereffect from the Smoke Dragon, but he often found himself associating everything with fate lately, almost veering towards the prophetic; always contemplating cause and effect, fate and destiny.


    Thankfully, the materialistic values rooted in him from childhood still stood guard.


    ¡°I think Juan Fu will not submit to anyone,¡± Liszt shook his head. The Wind Falcon was not a caged bird; from a young age, he could see Juan Fu¡¯s yearning and longing for the sky, ¡°Mr. Elkerson, let¡¯s stop the training here. I need you to devote more effort to the development of Flame Mushroom Magic Potion.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Mr. Elkerson was stunned. ¡°Baron Liszt if we give up now, all the effort put in previously will be in vain, and there will likely be no second chance for falconry as it matures.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pay you as if you¡¯ve completed the job,¡± Liszt decided to be wilful just this once, the beautiful imagery of controlling the falcon in each hand was best left to the imagination.


    As he spoke, he untied the ropes binding Juan Fu on the falcon stand.


    He personally brought meat and water to feed Juan Fu. As a magical beast, Juan Fu had strong recovery abilities, regaining much of its vitality in just half a day.


    ¡°Fly, Juan Fu!¡±


    He opened the door of the falcon room and gave Juan Fu a push. Clearly unaccustomed to the situation, Juan Fu turned its head to look at Liszt, its eyes flickering with confusion.


    But after a moment¡¯s hesitation, it finally flapped its wings and hopped off the falcon stand.


    Flying.


    Thud.


    It fell down.


    However, it quickly discovered its inborn instinct for flight amidst the failure. With one final leap from the ground, flapping its wings, shedding two feathers, it successfully soared into the sky.


    ¡°Caw!¡±


    Leaving behind a final call, without looking back, it vanished into the expanse of blue sky and white clouds.

 Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 168: The Evil Scientist

    Chapter 168: Chapter 168: The Evil Scientist


    ¡°Master, Juan Fu has flown away.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You must be feeling quite upset right now.¡±


    ¡°Of course, these damn magical beasts. Next time I catch one, I should just make soup out of it!¡± Liszt complained bitterly, ¡°I fed it, gave it freedom, raised it for so long, and still couldn¡¯t tame it. It just flew away like that. It just goes to show that magical beasts and wild beasts are really not much different.¡±


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson in the doghouse lodged its protest.


    After venting his frustration on Juan Fu, Liszt turned around; there was no sign of anger on his face. ¡°Mr. Carter, has the Thorn Caravan not purchased the female mastiff yet?¡±


    ¡°According to Sherlock, we need to contact the Fresh Flower Caravan; North Valley City does not have a suitable female mastiff for Douson¡¯s¡­ size,¡± Carter said carefully, choosing his words.


    ¡°Hurry it up, otherwise Douson will go crazy sooner or later. I¡¯ve noticed it¡¯s been looking at those horses in the stables with a strange gleam in its eye.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    To keep Douson from going mad,


    Liszt could only train it vigorously: ¡°Douson, Rock Spike!¡±


    Pfft!


    A thick rock spike pierced the earth¡¯s surface.


    ¡°Douson, Multiple Stone Spikes!¡±


    Pfft, pfft, pfft¡­ pfft!


    A cluster of thick rock spikes pierced the earth¡¯s surface.


    ¡°Casting magic quite skillfully, Douson really is an outstanding magical beast. Baron Liszt, Douson must be at the intermediate magical beast level now,¡± said Mr. Elkeson, who had just woken up from a nap, as he walked over from a distance, eyes sparkling while looking at Douson, ¡°Such a magnificent creature, calling it the King of Thorn Ridge is no longer fitting.¡±


    He already knew that Douson had consumed a Bloodline Fruit.


    Liszt stroked Douson¡¯s big head: ¡°Among intermediate magical beasts, it¡¯s probably one of the weaker ones, especially since it can only cast Rock Spike. Multiple Stone Spikes barely counts as a new kind of magic, but after all, it¡¯s just a superposition of Rock Spike, the essence has not changed.¡±


    Douson turned its head and licked Liszt¡¯s hand with its tongue.


    Immediately, its hand was covered in saliva.


    The personal servant hurriedly took out a handkerchief and handed it to Liszt to wipe his hand.


    Mr. Elkeson laughed, ¡°It¡¯s still not quite a mature magical beast, and its comprehension of magic isn¡¯t very extraordinary. Even for us magicians, mastering a single type of magic takes a long time to refine, let alone a magical beast. As it ages, it will self-learn the power granted by its bloodline and discover how to unleash new magic.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± said Liszt, not dwelling on it, ¡°At least for now, Douson has no natural predators on Coral Island. In the future, I will train it to adapt to the battlefield and help me achieve glory.¡±


    ¡°You will, like the Earl, attain numerous dazzling glories.¡±


    Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°I think so too.¡±


    This was not boasting.


    This was confidence.


    A noble must have both a desire and confidence for glory; humility is only seen as timidity or a lack of ambition. Regardless of what Liszt really thought, on the surface, he must always appear ready for battle, ready to earn accolades. Only this way would his subordinates follow him.


    Life is but a play, all dependent on acting.


    As a soul of an experienced adult, coupled with the noble education received from childhood, his acting skills were undoubtedly masterful.


    After performing for a bit, he asked, ¡°Mr. Elkeson, how is the progress on the production of the Flame Mushroom Magic Potion?¡±


    ¡°The agents are being mixed and tested, and I believe we will soon enter the production phase. Flame Mushrooms are a very excellent magic potion, extracting magic power to create the potion is not difficult.¡±


    ¡°Then proceed with production as soon as possible.¡±


    In the past few days, Liszt had firmly settled into the phase of an Elite Earth Knight. He had also tried to continue his training without the aid of Magic Potions. However, it proved that his talent was not exceptional, as he was still confined by the limitations of Dou Qi and unable to increase the total amount of Dou Qi inside his body.


    Usually, Elite Earth Knights who cannot afford the Magic Potions turn to honing their Dou Qi circulation skills instead.


    By continuously tempering these skills, one can also improve their strength, and meticulously refining their understanding of Dou Qi manuscripts can lead to more than a minor increase in power.


    A single Elite Earth Knight is capable of dueling seven or eight Common Earth Knights without a problem.


    As a wealthy upstart, Liszt wasn¡¯t in a hurry to refine his Dou Qi circulation skills. He had already mastered two Dou Qi Secret Techniques, ¡°Flaming Wave¡± and ¡°Fire Dragon Drill,¡± and had partial mastery over ¡°Multi-Arrow.¡± Moreover, another Dou Qi Secret Technique, ¡°The Eye of Magic,¡± had reached a high level of accomplishment.


    Coupled with the Li Dragon Horse and the Crimson Blood Sword, his personal strength far surpassed Marcus¡¯s and was undoubtedly a top figure among Elite Earth Knights.


    If one were to include Douson, perhaps he could even give the Earl a run for his money.


    ¡°It should¡­ be possible¡­ I guess.¡± He had never seen a Sky Knight fight with all their might, nor had he witnessed their formidable charge on the battlefield, so he could only make an estimate.


    After all, it was said that the stronger Low-Level magical beasts could even spar with Sky Knights.


    Douson, now an Intermediate Magical Beast, could give the Earl a hard time with just its fierce Rock Spike magic. With Liszt shouting support from the sidelines¡ªno, commanding the battle¡ªit should be possible to hold their own.


    The development of the territory was on the right track.


    There was no need for Liszt to do anything in particular.


    So most of the time, he found things to do for himself. At sixteen, his youthful body was bursting with energy, which he could either use to endure tedious training or find something else to occupy himself.


    He decided to inspect the progress of the Calming Sea Pearl¡¯s creation.


    In the new house in Little Wheat Village, Granney led the Magic Apprentices, living almost without showing his face, even eating meals in the studio.


    On this point, Liszt had to admit that Granney was more dedicated than Elkeson: ¡°Both are magicians, but the two seem to be complete opposites. One is arrogant and paranoid, the other is witty and humorous. Elkeson is better at socializing, while Granney is focused on work. Another thing, Granney seems to have a deeper well of knowledge?¡±


    If another young indigenous landlord had to choose, they probably would find Elkeson¡¯s wit and humor far superior to Granney¡¯s dullness, but Liszt appreciated Elkeson¡¯s mannerisms while understanding the need to analyze rationally¡ªaside from detailed falconry techniques, Elkeson¡¯s other areas of expertise seemed quite superficial.


    Especially in terms of professional knowledge, far from as solid as Granney¡¯s.


    ¡°Baron, the teacher is busy. He asked that you not disturb him,¡± the magic apprentice Charley said cautiously, afraid that his teacher¡¯s temper might irritate Liszt.


    Gathering his thoughts, Liszt replied, ¡°I¡¯m just here for a visit. I won¡¯t disturb your teacher. Take me inside.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ okay, but please speak softly. The teacher needs quiet for his work, and he hates being interrupted. I¡¯ve been scolded by him many times for that.¡±


    They entered the inner workshop of the room.


    The light from the Crystal Lamps illuminated the workbench¡ªGranney had his own Crystal Lamp fixtures, designed like a desk lamp, a very clever idea.


    The desk was cluttered with a large number of materials and tools.


    Next to it were many stoves with pots and basins of various sizes boiling on them, containing liquids of different colors. The strange mix of odors was uncomfortable to smell.


    Granney was hunched over the table, carving runes into a basketball-sized Black Pearl with a fine engraving knife. His brown hair was a mess, stained with who knows what, speckled with multiple colors. His magic cloak was dyed like a camouflage uniform, giving him an oddly villainous mad scientist vibe.


    Completely absorbed.


    Too busy to pay attention to Liszt.

 Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 0169: Fresh Flower Town Specialty Fresh Flower Soap

    Chapter 169: Chapter 0169: Fresh Flower Town Specialty Fresh Flower Soap


    Liszt watched silently for a moment.


    Without saying a word, he left Granney¡¯s workshop¡ªhe simply couldn¡¯t understand what Granney was doing.


    ¡°Take good care of your master, especially be careful with those bottles and jars boiling on the stove, and make sure they don¡¯t explode. Personal safety is far more important than work,¡± he specifically cautioned Charley before leaving.


    He really feared that Granney would suddenly cause an explosion.


    In magicians¡¯ research accidents, nine out of ten times involved explosions¡ªthe forms of explosion included, but were not limited to various out-of-control violent magic.


    Why are there so few magicians in this world?


    One reason is that the inheritance of magic is secretive and doesn¡¯t involve taking on many apprentices. Another reason is dying from various magical experiments and explorations. No matter how much a knight struggles with Dou Qi, at most they harm or disable themselves, but a magical explosion could kill both the master and the apprentice.


    It¡¯s no pity if a magician is killed by an explosion.


    But if his Calming Sea Pearl is destroyed, that¡¯s a severe loss.


    This Calming Sea Pearl was to be equipped on the Fresh Flower Vessel, which was about to undertake its first long-distance voyage to explore Black Horse Island.


    He also had another Calming Sea Pearl the size of a basketball and one the size of a washbasin; these two were reserved for future new ships.


    Especially the one the size of a washbasin.


    In the future, when he went to sea, this massive black pearl would be his standard equipment.


    A normal small-sized black pearl could dispel the wind within a five-meter radius; the Calming Sea Pearl, according to Granney¡¯s estimation, could disperse the wind within a hundred and fifty-meter radius.


    But even if the wind is dispersed, the sea waves will continue to churn, and the ship will still be in danger, albeit to a much lesser extent.


    The black pearl the size of a washbasin, if made into a Calming Sea Pearl, might be able to disperse the wind within a three hundred-meter radius. Thus, even if the waves are enormous, without the wind¡¯s boost, the force would be greatly reduced, and the threat to ships would significantly diminish.


    Leaving Granney¡¯s workshop.


    Liszt rode his horse to the town¡¯s workshop area to inspect the three newly built workshops.


    Inside the Soap Making Workshop.


    Soap Maker Bunier was producing soap while training several apprentices¡ªthe apprentice system was something Liszt had enforced, prohibiting serfs from hoarding their skills and rewarding those from the castle who produced a competent apprentice. With the introduction of this system, craftsmen and workers became much more serious about training apprentices.


    He had previously bought the old blacksmith¡¯s smithy in town.


    He gave the old blacksmith several Gold Coins, an amount he could never have earned in his lifetime, hoping that he would train a group of competent blacksmith apprentices. Still, after several thousand pounds of iron had been cast, not a single apprentice had learned the blacksmith¡¯s skills.


    This infuriated Liszt.


    The blacksmith was a freeman, essentially only needing to pay taxes, not subject to the landlord¡¯s personal constraints. But still, Liszt found an opportunity to give him a thorough punishment. The delightful taste of being whipped left a deep impression, and now the old blacksmith earnestly trained his apprentices, as if he was desperate to impart all his knowledge.


    So.


    There had to be carrots, but there also had to be sticks.


    A carrot and a stick were required to implement the will of the landlord effectively.


    ¡°The production of Fresh Flower Soap is stable, while the output of regular soap is limited by the supply of pig pancreas and the waste from experimenting with formulas,¡± Bunier reported to Liszt, who was visiting his progress.


    ¡°Hmm, continue your research. The current soap is nearly as comfortable to use as Fresh Flower Soap.¡±


    Soap was made from the pods of the Soap Pod Tree, mixed with flowers, and its cleansing effect was average, but it was very expensive to produce, especially on Coral Island where the Soap Pod Tree was scarce. Only the nobles could afford soap.


    Soap (also known as lye soap) was made by mixing wood ash with pig pancreases, though other animal pancreases might also work. Its production cost was relatively low, and it cleaned very effectively.


    However, as it stood, the quality of the soap that Bunier was developing still needed improvement.


    Therefore, the current soap workshops were operating at a loss, with production capacity only able to supply the castle and a portion of officials and their families.


    At this moment, Bunier suddenly said, ¡°Lord Landlord, while I was researching the soap formula, I had an idea. What if I mixed scented soap with lye soap? Could it create a better soap? So I tried it, and found that the kneaded soap took shape quickly, and the usage was very smooth, but I don¡¯t know if this is the soap you wanted.¡±


    Mixing scented soap with lye soap?


    Liszt felt the idea was brilliant, ¡°Is that so? Show me the kneaded mixed soap and fetch a basin of water.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± Bunier quickly dispatched an apprentice, who brought out a plate of light pink mixed soap. The soap was pressed into flat oval shapes, three pieces in total, which looked rather rough.


    Another apprentice came over with a basin of water.


    Liszt dipped his hand in the water, then lathered up with the mixed soap and rubbed it, immediately creating lots of suds. The soap in his hand was very slippery, and it seemed to clean quite effectively. Especially after washing, his hands felt very clean and there was a faint fragrance.


    Although this was not the soap he had seen before, the effect was already close to the Safeguard he remembered.


    ¡°What is the production cost of it, and what is the ratio of scented soap to lye soap?¡± Liszt asked.


    ¡°About one piece of scented soap can be mixed with three pieces of lye soap to make four pieces of mixed soap. However, I think it might save more to directly grind the pods of the Soap Pod Tree into powder; about one piece of mixed soap could be produced at the cost of forty copper coins.¡±


    ¡°The cost of scented soap is one silver coin, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s even more than one silver coin. The bought soap powder is too expensive.¡±


    The cheapest scented soap costs two silver coins each, which is two hundred copper coins, with the soap powder costing one silver coin, giving a total cost of at least one hundred and ten copper coins. If the cost of the mixed soap could be compressed to forty copper coins, it could be sold at the price of two silver coins, undermining the existing scented soap market.


    Even without using soap powder.


    Directly buying scented soap and making it into mixed soap, increasing the cost to one silver coin, would still yield a profit.


    ¡°Bunier, you¡¯ve done well. The mixed soap is better than I imagined. You can continue researching the lye soap slowly, but the workshop will start making mixed soap immediately¡­ It needs a catchy name. Do you have any suggestions?¡± Liszt was confident in the mixed soap¡ªthe feel of it while washing and its cleaning effect were both better than that of scented soap.


    Even someone as picky as he was thought it was good, and other nobles would surely be impressed. Nobles were always willing to spend money on items that improved their quality of life.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, it¡¯s under your guidance that I was able to develop the mixed soap. It should be you who names it,¡± Bunier said respectfully.


    People get more artistic in their speech as they age.


    Liszt was very pleased with Bunier¡¯s response: ¡°Then let¡¯s call it Fresh Flower Soap. I will make it a specialty of Fresh Flower Town. Bunier, and your apprentices, you must keep the formula for Fresh Flower Soap a strict secret.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°Do your work well. I have rewards for any invention that brings in profit. Although the lye soap hasn¡¯t been perfected, the Fresh Flower Soap is passable. Bunier, your reward is ten silver coins, and twenty copper coins for each of your apprentices.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Landlord!¡±


    Bunier and his apprentices expressed their thanks, brimming with happiness.


    Liszt was also very pleased. Although he couldn¡¯t say the Fresh Flower Soap would bring in profits comparable to the seafood business, he was confident of crushing the current scented soap market, and perhaps even exporting it to distant islands.


    The most important thing was that the transition of Fresh Flower Town from agriculture to manufacturing was beginning to show results.

 Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 0170: The Leader is in Need of a Secretary

    Chapter 170: Chapter 0170: The Leader is in Need of a Secretary


    The Soap Making Workshop is soon to bring in good profits.


    The peanut processing workshop is also about to yield decent profits. Among the newly purchased serfs, several chefs were assigned to study tasty peanut recipes. They have already developed peanut butter, peanut brittle, salt and pepper peanuts, and deep-fried peanuts, which are sold in small batches by the Thorn Caravan.


    The response has been very good, and many nobles who have tasted these delicious peanuts have expressed their desire to purchase in large quantities next time.


    The peanut yield of Fresh Flower Town is insufficient, as are the workers. The head of the peanut processing workshop, Chef Lucas, has entrusted the Thorn Caravan to purchase shelled peanuts from North Valley City.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Liszt gave only verbal praise before leaving. The entire peanut processing workshop was his idea; these people were mere executors, devoid of creativity.


    He preferred to use gold coins, silver coins, and copper coins to encourage creativity and discovery, to establish models, rather than to encourage hard work¡ªbecause the serfs were supposed to work hard in the first place.


    The last stop was the Brewing Workshop.


    Frank Dregs could brew fruit wine, Bording could brew rice wine, Huntera could brew beer, and now all were busy brewing, striving to produce as soon as possible to earn income for the workshop. Unfortunately, there was no one in the workshop who knew how to brew spirits or make grape wine.


    Ordinary grape wine is no different from fruit wine.


    But craft grape wine requires high levels of expertise and careful selection of grapes. The technology for dry, semi-dry, sweet and semi-sweet varieties of grape wine is all different.


    Only the Tulip Castle on Coral Island possessed the technique for sweet grape wine brewing; their Crescent Moon Wine was sweet and sharp, famous throughout the Grand Duchy.


    The Raz Manor cellar red wine that Liszt had tasted at Long Taro Castle was an exquisite example of dry grape wine.


    These techniques were closely guarded secrets held exclusively by the big nobles.


    It was the same with spirits.


    As distillates, the production process for spirits is even more complex, monopolized by the big nobles. Spirits like juniper wine were not always available for purchase.


    Therefore, the Fresh Flower Town¡¯s Brewing Workshop could only brew some simple fermented wines.


    After inspecting the workshop, Liszt began to ponder, ¡°If I remember correctly, distilled spirits are made only by adding the step of distillation to fermented wines¡­ It seems to involve using the difference in vaporization temperature between alcohol and water to purify the alcohol, and repeated distillation yields high-proof spirits.¡±


    Because he did not enjoy drinking, his research in this field was limited.


    He had read about distillation in many novels before; it seemed straightforward, so he had some vague recollection of it.


    ¡°Perhaps, I could get the Brewing Workshop to research distillation techniques. It¡¯s possible they could produce spirits and add another specialty to Fresh Flower Town,¡± he thought.


    Rice wine is a type of alcohol fermented from grains.


    Spirits are also essentially brewed from grains.


    Liszt wondered if distilling rice wine could result in spirits.


    So he called over three brewers, ¡°I have a task for you. Remember, this task is highly confidential, and if anyone should leak it, their entire family will be whipped to death!¡±


    The three brewers¡¯ buttocks tensed, and they all responded, ¡°We swear to keep the secret of the task!¡±


    ¡°Good. I have obtained a formula, which claims that spirits are derived by distilling rice wine. By heating rice wine, turning it into steam, then directing that steam elsewhere to cool it into water, the water in the rice wine is removed, and what remains is the spirit¡­ Try to figure it out several times and strive to brew Fresh Flower Town¡¯s spirits as soon as possible!¡±


    The three brewers were somewhat confused by the explanation.


    However, they promptly responded, ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord, we will brew spirits as soon as possible.¡±


    The task was assigned.


    Liszt felt another special product from Fresh Flower Town beckoning him, and he even thought of a name for it at this moment: ¡°Let¡¯s call it Fresh Flower Brew. Yes, it should come in different classes. The low-alcohol Fresh Flower Brew could be known as a five-year vintage, while the higher-alcohol ones could be referred to as ten-year, even twenty-year vintages, or we could have a hundred-year cellar aged variety, or why not five hundred years¡­¡±


    Suddenly, he remembered that the Duchy of Sapphire had only a history of a little over one hundred and fifty years since its establishment, and before that, the island was probably only inhabited by monkeys.


    ¡°Forget the five-hundred-year vintage. Why not just make a vintage as old as the country itself? Just say that in the year the nation was founded, a brewer came to Coral Island and personally made a barrel of wine¡­ There¡¯s only one barrel, but we can produce a barrel every year, just like the ¡¯82 Lafite that¡¯s been drunk for so many years and never seems to run out.¡±


    Thinking of wine sales, many classic examples immediately sprang to his mind.


    But he also saw the risks: ¡°In such a lucrative industry as liquor, it¡¯s hard to ensure security without strong backing. We must cooperate with Tulip Castle.¡±


    Business would be easy with the Tulip Castle¡¯s banner flying overhead. As an Earl granted his title by the Grand Duke, Li Weiliam Tulip was most certainly one of the high-ranking figures in the Duchy of Sapphire.


    Moreover, he also served as the Grand Duke¡¯s horseman, having close contact with him every year.


    Liszt didn¡¯t mind having to share profits with Tulip Castle to fly its flag¡ªit was indeed becoming clearer to him the more he integrated into this world, the importance of noble connections.


    Levis, Li Vera, and even Lidun¡ªall of them, no matter how much they might scheme against each other, were family. In times of crisis, they could provide help.


    The Viscount of Little Papa Island was wiped out, and the separated Viscount of Da Pa Pa Island was still actively inquiring, urging the Grand Duke to find the murderer.


    Liszt certainly hoped that the Tulip Family could grow strong, becoming a formidable tree that shielded against wind and rain.


    The Li Dragon Horse moved so smoothly that there was hardly any feeling of motion.


    Astride his horse, Liszt could think things through very well. His mind raced from one idea about profit sharing to another: ¡°Speaking of monkeys, perhaps I could hype up some ¡®Monkey Liquor¡¯? It doesn¡¯t matter if Monkey Liquor actually exists, what matters is the gimmick.¡±


    Nobles love extravagance.


    Extravagance not only encompasses wearing gold and silver or owning gemstones and prestigious horses but also includes art and the pursuit of rare novelties. Monkey Liquor would certainly be considered a rare novelty.


    ¡°However, there are few nobles with deep roots¡ªmost are simply nouveau riche, not rich beyond three or four generations, including the Tulip Family, which has only risen to prominence in recent generations. They might not necessarily fancy something like Monkey Liquor; they are probably more interested in gemstones and Gold Coins.¡±


    In any case, he could start by generating some buzz when selling the fruit wine.


    Afterward, Liszt inspected a few other shops and workshops.


    For the moment, Fresh Flower Town¡¯s commercial district comprised only a bakery, a grocery store, and a barber. The workshop district had just a Smithy, Tanners¡¯ Shop, Locksmith Store, Tailor Shop, Cooperage, the newly built Brewing Workshop, Soap Making Workshop, and Peanut Processing Workshop.


    Many completed wooden houses stood vacant.


    If not for the numerous Serfs paving roads, constructing buildings, and planting grass, Fresh Flower Town would look like a ghost village.


    The addition of four hundred and seventy-six Serfs, distributed to the various settlements to farm the land, didn¡¯t make much of an impact. The hundred or so skilled laborers who had been eagerly anticipated were mostly workers unable to independently support a shop or workshop; they could only go to work in the fields temporarily, wasting their artisanal skills.


    ¡°For the time being, the commercial district can only serve as a marketplace to accommodate the occasional caravans that pass by,¡± he said, looking at the empty houses with a sense of contemplation. ¡°We need to focus on developing the workshop district first. After establishing it as a center for production and processing, we could then drive the growth of the commercial district.¡±


    He gestured towards the commercial district.


    He very much wanted to discuss how to build this or that here, but when he turned around, he saw that only Servant Thomas and a few Retainer Knights followed behind him.


    They were all men of simple tastes.


    His ambitions to elaborate grand plans were promptly stifled.


    ¡°A leader¡¯s inspection usually entails local officials and people gathering around, or at the very least a couple of secretaries should follow me with little notebooks, ready to jot down whatever I say¡­¡±

 Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 0171: The Continuous Growth of Ambition

    Chapter 171: Chapter 0171: The Continuous Growth of Ambition


    ¡°Secretary¡­¡±


    Liszt felt a sense of loss, as he did not have a secretary.


    He was unable to realize the privileged class¡¯s ideal of a leisurely life ¡°the secretary handles the affairs, and if there is nothing to do, one does the secretary¡± without either shame or agitation.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t even have a personal maidservant¡ªunder the societal system of enforced monogamy, regardless of nobles having mistresses everywhere and illegitimate children being born in bunches, this system was still observed.


    It was not an official system.


    It was a social convention that had become customary.


    To ensure the continuity of monogamy, female nobles could only have female personal maids, and male nobles could only have male personal servants, to prevent the disruption of monogamy under the guise of personal servants.


    He had explored the origin of this social trend, eventually surmising that it probably stemmed from the queenly system of the Moon Empire.


    This long-vanished empire, much like ancient Rome in Europe, had cultural and institutional influences that deeply affected the entire European continent, even though the Roman Empire was destroyed by barbarians. The Moon Empire, being the strongest empire of its time, had cultural influences that persisted as well.


    Most countries now incorporate the Moon Language into their own languages, to a greater or lesser extent.


    Including the classification of knights and the relationship between landlords and vassals, all were derived from the Moon Empire. The queendom was also preserved. Many countries have had women serve as kings. The Duchy of Sapphire had yet to see a queen, but the monogamous system was inherited nonetheless.


    ¡°The Moon Empire¡­ I wonder what it was like,¡± Liszt mused.


    As a small town landlord with quite some free time, Liszt enjoyed reading knights¡¯ novels. Countless times he had come across references to the Moon Empire¡ªknights would always encounter relics of the empire in some places, then acquire treasures, and immediately become overwhelmingly powerful, challenging the heavens, the earth, and the air.


    Due to the lack of a tradition of recording history,


    most of the information about the Moon Empire was passed down orally.


    This method of information transmission had a high distortion rate of 99%, making the Moon Empire a legendary kingdom in tales, infinitely beautiful and amazingly prosperous. It became much like how Europeans regarded ancient Greece or how Confucius spoke of the ancient sage kings¡ªadorned in all manner of praises, these legends replaced truth to become what people recognize as authentic history.


    ¡°It¡¯s troublesome not to have historical records¡­ I really fear that after reading too many knight novels, I might start believing their nonsense,¡± said Liszt, shaking his head.


    He stopped pondering these confusing matters.


    His study of history was meant not only to satisfy his curiosity but more so to learn from the past about power play and to deliberate on the great trends of the world¡­ However, he figured it was best to steer clear of nonsensical histories.


    He returned to his regret about the lack of a secretary.


    He felt he needed to expedite the training of a group of female Retainer Knights as his personal guards; otherwise, his future speeches and guidance would lack atmosphere and passion.


    After inspecting the buildings in town, he returned to the castle.


    He entered the study directly, took out thick parchment and a quill, and prepared to reorganize his planning thoughts for Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°If Fresh Flower Town is to be developed into an economy primarily based on the initial processing of agricultural products, then the current layout of the town must be re-planned, and trade routes also need to be adjusted. Land transportation is nowhere near as efficient as sea transportation, and sailing directly to Coral City by sea saves much more in terms of transport capacity,¡± he noted.


    He first drew a rough map of Coral Island.


    In the study of the Earl at Tulip Castle, there hung a map of Coral Island, which overall looked like a twisted figure ¡°8.¡±


    In the northeastern corner was Fresh Flower Town, and in the narrow part in the middle of the ¡°8¡± lay the deepwater port, beside which Coral City was built.


    From Fresh Flower Town to Coral City, due to the terrain, it was impossible to take a straight line. The route had to pass through North Valley City and Elm Forest City, forming a ¡°z¡± shape and wasting a lot of time.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town is in a remote location, so the dock must be built quickly to open up sea transportation; land transportation should be supplementary, and a checkpoint could be set up at the entrance to Thorn Ridge. In this way, Fresh Flower Town¡¯s main areas would be divided into the dock, the small town, and Thorn Ridge, each responsible for trade, processing tasks.¡±


    He wrote several pieces of Serpent Script in the workshop district of the small town.


    They were plans for workshops to be constructed¡ªsugar refinery, spice workshop, textile workshop, leather workshop, paper mill, tofu workshop, and dried Tulip flowers workshop, as well as a shoemaking shop, bone craftsman shop, and so on.


    At the dock, he also wrote about workshops planned to be built¡ªbrick factory, cement factory, pottery kiln factory, salt drying field, glass workshop, and others.


    Near the Thorn Ridge checkpoint, there were also plans for workshops¡ªwoodworking workshop, abattoir, horse market, and so on.


    Some of these workshops lacked enough craftsmen to support them, while others were waiting for technology development, but in Liszt¡¯s plans, these were all things that could be achieved through hard work.


    However, soon.


    He lost interest in writing again.


    ¡°Kostor has already reported that the Fresh Flower Vessel is ready to sail at any time. Now we are just waiting for Granney to finish making the Calming Sea Pearl, and then we can explore Black Horse Island.¡±


    Once Black Horse Island is seized, future efforts would focus on it.


    The importance of Fresh Flower Town would undoubtedly decline a lot. Especially when he earned military accolades and turned Black Horse Island into his fief, he would surely need to hand over Fresh Flower Town, much like the Tulip Family gave up their original lands to settle in Coral Island.


    ¡°Once I have enough financial and material resources to solve the issues of paper, cement, tofu, glass, and other technologies, by that time, I fear I will already be Viscount Black Horse Island.¡±


    The birth of the Thorn Minor Elf was imminent, and once there was a Minor Elf, a steady stream of financial power would ensue, making it effortless to arm a Knight Squad.


    Charging into battle and establishing achievements wouldn¡¯t be difficult at that time.


    Instead of laboriously researching technology, it may indeed be better to focus solely on accumulating Minor Elves.


    The Lycra Family and the Shattered Stone Family both obtained the title of Viscount by relying on their respective Minor Elves. As the son of an Earl, as long as he made achievements in battle, the Earl had no reason not to grant his son the title of Viscount. At that time, Black Horse Island could be marked as his own territory¡ªnobles can exchange their merits for barren islands.


    If he managed to perform outstandingly in battle and caught the eye of the Grand Duke, it was not impossible that the Grand Duke himself would grant him his fief.


    Becoming a direct vassal of the Grand Duke would be more impressive than being a vassal of a Marquis or Earl. His rise in rank would be much faster¡ªthe rulers always prefer to promote new nobles to counterbalance the old ones.


    ¡°But if I become a vassal of the Grand Duke, I¡¯ll have to become independent of the Tulip Family, won¡¯t I? Then perhaps I will be Viscount Liszt Thorn of Black Horse Island?¡±


    Of course, this possibility was small¡ªjust a Baron, and it would take a significant accomplishment to be noticed by the Grand Duke. Besides, with his background as a vassal of an Earl, the Grand Duke generally would not overstep boundaries to win over another¡¯s vassal. Especially since the Earl and the Grand Duke had a good relationship, he would not be recruited lightly.


    ¡°No matter what, Black Horse Island is going to be mine, and the Li Dragon Horse Herd must not be touched by anyone!¡±


    To get Black Horse Island, one must achieve merits and receive a title.


    Liszt set down his quill and looked out of the window. In the distance, on the horse field, a few horses grazed leisurely on the grass: ¡°The battlefield is a place where people die¡­ When the time comes, I¡¯ll see if I can find a position like Levis, acting as a liaison, working in logistics, and picking up some military honors.¡±


    He paused.


    With a determined tone, he spoke to himself, ¡°But, the Knight Squad must be trained as quickly as possible, I must also accelerate my Dou Qi cultivation, and Douson¡¯s training must be intensified!¡±


    Once a person has ambition, many thoughts begin to change unconsciously.

 Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 0172: The Final Link of the Thorn Bug

    Chapter 172: Chapter 0172: The Final Link of the Thorn Bug


    Having just transmigrated to this world, Liszt felt he needed to keep a low profile, content to be a rural baron and solve the basic problems of food, clothing, and shelter.


    As the quality of his life improved, his class stance underwent a betrayal, and he began to flock to the noble knight system, but he didn¡¯t want to go to battle; he only wanted to focus on development.


    Now, Fresh Flower Town was fast developing, and the Thorn Minor Elf was about to be born. His thoughts changed again, the impulse for glory, the longing for an island of his own, steadily deepened. The idea of not wanting to go to battle was replaced by the desire to engage in combat, manage logistics, and mix in the pursuit of military achievements.


    He was becoming like a true noble.


    Being swallowed by this world, or rather, actively integrating into this world, into the knight system.


    ¡°Some people are proletarian warriors, committed to the liberation of all mankind for their entire lives. I admire such people, but I will never imitate them,¡± Liszt¡¯s mind was still clear. Integrating into the world was not passive; it was the result of his active choice, ¡°My life goal is to ride dragons, to become my own master.¡±


    He wanted to be a king, not a vassal.


    With the existence of the Smoke Mission and the modern knowledge in his head, coupled with the societal system¡¯s ascending channels, he had enough confidence to achieve his grand life goals.


    He walked to the window. Juan Fu, who used to like ¡°cawing¡± messily on the window sill, was no longer there. A feeling of nostalgia flashed in his eyes, then passed.


    He then set his sights on the distance.


    Just as Juan Fu didn¡¯t want to be a pet, he also didn¡¯t want to be a servant, not even for the king.


    He could accept being corrupted and decayed by the noble life, but he would not allow his knees to kneel to anyone other than heaven, earth, or his parents.


    The road is tortuous, the future is bright: ¡°First set a small goal for myself, find a secretary, cough, no, become a viscount!¡±


    The knight system of this world has a medieval style, with its core revolving around landlords, vassals, and land. Although the social customs and cultural production have a huge gap compared to medieval Europe on Earth. The production forces are centered around dragons and elves, also different from Earth¡¯s production forces.


    But essentially, it¡¯s a deformed European medieval serfdom.


    An economic system established by feudal landlords on their lands, exploiting serfs in a very cruel manner ¡ª serfs and freemen possess virtually no means of production, because the real means of production, dragons and elves, are firmly monopolized by the nobility.


    This system, the exploitation is very strong.


    But compared to the Dark Ages established by the barbarians on the corpse of the Roman Empire, and the serfdom of western Tibet with the legend of ¡°The Drum of A-Jia¡±, this world¡¯s feudal serfdom is much milder.


    At least serfs and commoners have a slim chance of climbing upward.


    Dou Qi is like the ancient Chinese imperial examinations ¡ª most people can¡¯t afford to take the exams, but there are always a few civilians who can change their fate by relying on the exams. In this world, most people can¡¯t get enough to eat and have no spare nutrition to cultivate Dou Qi, but there will always be landlords who select civilians with good physical quality to train.


    With Dou Qi, after a few generations of accumulation, it¡¯s not difficult to cultivate an Earth Knight.


    Fight for a few more generations, with a bit more opportunity, and one could compete for a noble title ¡ª the Tulip Family followed such a path to success. Judging from the surname ¡°Tile¡± of the ancestors, it can be inferred that they were probably freemen or serfs, in any case, they had nothing to do with nobility.


    The great-great-grandfather had superhuman strength and was chosen by the nobility to be trained as a Retainer Knight, serving the newly established Sapphire Family.


    Accumulating merits in several wars, he was ennobled as an Honored Knight, thus stepping into the noble class. From there, it was a few generations of hard work, by the great-grandfather¡¯s generation becoming a baron, the great-grandfather¡¯s generation becoming a viscount, and ultimately, in Li Weiliam¡¯s generation, becoming an earl under the Sapphire Duke.


    The surname was also changed to the noble ¡°Tulip¡±.


    ¡°However, when it comes down to it, it¡¯s all about mutations!¡±


    As the saying goes, the rich rely on technology, and the poor rely on mutation ¡ª Dou Qi, a mysterious existence, requires nutritional accumulation. Without nutrition and still wanting to become stronger, one would need to resort to physical mutation.


    For example, the superhuman strength of the Tulip Family¡¯s great-great-grandfather is a kind of mutation ¡ª it was probably just more physical strength, which later generations contrived as superhuman strength.


    ¡°Now, I no longer need to rely on mutation; I can rely directly on technology.¡±


    Technology is nutrition; technology is a magic potion.


    Arriving at the Flame Mushroom Processing Workshop, Liszt saw the magician who was smoking: ¡°Mr. Elkeson, has my Flame Mushroom Magic Potion already been made?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, not yet, but I¡¯ll be able to finish them soon, you won¡¯t have to wait too long,¡± Elkeson replied.


    Having the leisure to smoke instead of working annoyed Liszt slightly, but he didn¡¯t show it: ¡°Do you have any finished magic potions? Give me those first.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He quickly carried out a large box, inside which were magic potions wrapped in cloth strips.


    Liszt unwrapped the cloth from a magic potion to reveal a crystal tube as long as a thumb and as thin as a little finger, containing a light red viscous liquid.


    Such a small tube would sell for at least one gold coin.


    ¡°Baron Liszt, you can try its effects. Although I am not the designated magician for creating magic potions for Tulip Castle, I am still confident in my potion-making skills,¡± Elkeson said with a flick of his cigarette ash, proudly.


    Liszt nodded.


    He opened the stopper of the crystal tube, observed it for a moment with the Eye of Magic, and then tilted his head back to drink the entire magic potion in one gulp. Like jelly, it poured straight into his mouth without a single drop left.


    It dissolved upon entering his mouth.


    He immediately felt a flame-like magic power rise in his belly and surge toward his limbs and bones. The entire surge lasted a full three minutes before gradually subsiding. Liszt¡¯s eyes gleamed; he felt the total amount of his long-stagnant Dou Qi jump up by a large margin.


    He couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°That was exhilarating!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Elkeson, I won¡¯t disturb your work then. If you have any needs, just let me know, and I will try my best to fulfill them,¡± Liszt said, then, leading Douson and carrying a box of magic potions, returned to the castle.


    Starting today, the path of potion jars officially begins.


    A day later.


    After being away on business for several days, Marcus finally returned to Fresh Flower Town.


    And he brought the news Liszt cared about most: ¡°My lord, I have accomplished the task without dishonor!¡±


    ¡°How did it go, did you find new species of Thorns?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve contacted both Tulip Castle and Shattered Stone Castle without finding any new Thorn species. Only Beer Castle on Beer Island has them. Viscount Trik said he is always ready to welcome you to Beer Castle for a visit, and Sir Aubrey has sent a letter for you as well.¡±


    Aubrey was Trik¡¯s son and the heir to Beer Castle. He had established a good relationship with Liszt through the seafood business.


    Upon hearing there were new Thorn species on Beer Island, Liszt let out a long sigh of relief: ¡°In that case, it looks like I need to take the Thorn Bug to Beer Island.¡±


    However, Marcus replied, ¡°You certainly can go, but it¡¯s also not necessary. I have already brought the new Thorn species back, and we can plant them directly in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Liszt was greatly touched by such considerate actions; this was what a qualified subordinate looked like, knowing how to relieve their leader¡¯s worries: ¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s plant them quickly. The Thorn Bug¡¯s Fat Pupa Stage is more than half over; it urgently needs assimilation!¡±


    A short while later.


    Not far behind the castle, the new Thorn species was already planted. After watering and fertilizing, Liszt placed the Thorn Bug on it.

 Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 0173: Waa Waa Little Minor Elf (First Update, Please Subscribe)

    Chapter 173: Chapter 0173: Waa Waa Little Minor Elf (First Update, Please Subscribe)


    The Thorn Bug in its Fat Pupa Stage had already grown to three times the size of the other Elf Bugs, and its once glossy skin gradually dimmed as if it had aged.


    And indeed, that was the case, because the Fat Pupa Stage meant evolution, as well as death.


    Within just a month or two, if it could not break through its own constraints and evolve into a Little Minor Elf, it would use up its remaining vitality and turn to dust.


    ¡°It has already sensed the pheromones of the new variety of thorn!¡±


    Liszt picked up the Thorn Bug from the Jade Box, deeply connected by the Mind Connection, and could profoundly feel the Thorn Bug¡¯s emotions at that moment.


    Those were complex emotions filled with excitement, anxiety, fear, and courage¡ªemotions that ordinary Elf Bugs definitely would not possess. It was only during evolution that it could grow.


    The new variety of Thorn was just a Thorn that exhibited a variation in the color of its branches and leaves, and wasn¡¯t much different from the common Thorns.


    Regardless,


    When the Thorn Bug landed on a branch of Thorn, its originally sluggish movements suddenly quickened, as it swiftly climbed along the trunk of the Thorn.


    It had no legs, only small fleshy protrusions, but however it climbed on the trunk, it would never fall off.


    This magical creature was capable of defying physical laws, moving through the air. Especially when it wanted to climb from one Thorn to another, it did not need to touch the ground at all but instead wriggled through the air effortlessly, bridging the gap between two Thorns to collect the pheromones from the next Thorn.


    After arranging for the Retainer Knights to stand guard and patrol, Marcus had already hurried over.


    He looked anxiously at the Thorn Bug, ¡°My lord, can the Thorn Bug¡­ succeed?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it can!¡±


    Liszt¡¯s lips suddenly curved into a handsome arc, smiling as brightly as the March sun, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Teacher Marcus, the Thorn Bug has already succeeded¡­ I can feel the restlessness inside it, that¡¯s a brand new power brewing, it¡¯s evolving!¡±


    In fact, this was imperceptible.


    The reason he was so certain was that the Smoke Mission was emerging right before his eyes.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward one Thorn Minor Elf.¡±


    Due to Marcus¡¯s interruption, the Smoke Serpent Script quickly dissipated, as if nothing had appeared before him.


    Sometimes, Liszt felt that there was no smoke at all; the reason others couldn¡¯t see it was simply a projection of ¡°fate¡± in his mind¡ªotherwise, the Smoke Dragon must have visited Earth, or else why would they display it in the form of missions, in a style familiar to Liszt.


    Just like the Formless Dragon couldn¡¯t be seen, and only those with ¡°integrity and courage¡± could see it.


    The smoky form of the Smoke Dragon was likely similar to the Formless Dragon, both being a special existence beyond Magic Power. The other Immortal Dragons, Jade Dragons, Twilight Dragons, probably exist in some special forms as well.


    This also made it easy to explain why the Sacred Dragon was just a legend¡ªpeople couldn¡¯t see their true form.


    Even the common Tri-Element Dragons, and the Elves.


    Were also special existences in themselves.


    At this moment, the skin of the Thorn Bug turned grey at a visible rate, its shine completely faded, and its once firm skin was now covered with wrinkles, as if it had arrived at the end of its life in an instant.


    But its emotions were intensely exhilarated, filled with indescribable joy and happiness.


    Using the Eye of Magic, Liszt could see the Chaotic Magic Power inside it bubbling like boiling water, then the bubbles burst, and some unseen changes occurred. As if blown up by the boiling bubbles of Magic Power, the Thorn Bug¡¯s body continued to grow.


    The bigger its body became, the more its appearance decayed and aged.


    The more tumultuous its excitement surged.


    The surge was so stimulating that Liszt felt a wave of excitement himself, almost wishing to burst into song.


    Marcus, beside him, couldn¡¯t experience this excitement, but seeing the Thorn Bug inflate like a balloon, his eyes shone keenly, clenching his fists tight, sweating for the Thorn Bug¡¯s evolution.


    Time seemed to stretch on endlessly.


    But the wind only needed to brush through Liszt¡¯s forehead a few times, stirring his pale golden, slightly curled hair, before the Thorn Bug had already inflated into a thick, gray, and large insect as wide as a calf.


    The setting sun dyed the clouds at the edge of the sky red.


    In the distance, the barking of Douson could be heard, followed by the Earth Matron in the Dog Prison, responding with barks of her own.


    The castle bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, as if it had been coated with a layer of golden brilliance, making it hard to distinguish the windows from the rock walls; only the silhouette of a spire¡¯s rooftop was clear.


    The tranquility of twilight, at this moment, was especially distinct.


    Liszt continued to use the Eye of Magic, staring intently at the Thorn Bug; he had witnessed the birth of Little Minor Elves in Tulip Castle before. But those memories had grown distant, and since he was just a boy then, they weren¡¯t deeply imprinted. Now, the clear process of the transformation of the Elf Bug into a Little Minor Elf unfolded before his eyes.


    Suddenly, as if understanding each other telepathically, Liszt whispered two words, ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    That moment.


    There was the sound of paper being torn¡ªssla.


    The gray, withering outer shell of the Thorn Bug split open, and then a delicate, fair little hand emerged from beneath the skin of the Thorn Bug, followed shortly by a palm-sized white Little Minor Elf who burst through the Thorn Bug¡¯s skin and jumped out. In the blink of an eye, the white Little Minor Elf opened its translucent wings at its back and flew up into the mid-air.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    The crisp shouts, like those of a three-year-old child, echoed in the air, circling around Liszt. The flight wasn¡¯t fast, but the movements were graceful and agile, tumbling countless times.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    One could feel that cheerful mood, even without any Mind Connection, just by listening to its shouts.


    Liszt¡¯s gaze was firmly locked on the figure of the Thorn Minor Elf, and a warm smile spread across his lips. He finally had a Little Minor Elf that was bound to him by contract, blood, and a shared heart.


    He did not disturb the Thorn Minor Elf¡¯s emotional release.


    He could feel the little creature¡¯s joy after successfully evolving.


    Turning his attention to the ground, he knelt down and touched the shed skin of the Thorn Bug gently with his hands. The molt swiftly turned to dust and dissipated with the breeze, leaving not a trace behind.


    He didn¡¯t see clearly how the Elf Bug had evolved into a Little Minor Elf beneath that skin. It was just a surge of magic power, followed by a transformation into a Little Minor Elf; so brutally simple and operating beyond logic.


    When he came to his senses again.


    The Thorn Minor Elf had finished expressing its emotions and landed on his shoulder, holding onto his hair with one hand to stabilize its body, and gazing at the world with large, curious eyes as it looked back at Liszt, who had turned his head to see it. Its eyes were very large, unlike human eyes¡ªblack and shiny, as if it wore cosmetic lenses.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Liszt reached out his hand, and the Thorn Minor Elf immediately climbed onto it, hugging one of his fingers.


    Upon closer inspection, one could see on top of its round little head a tiny sprout of a thorn; a normal thorn, signifying that it had been born from an ordinary Thorn Bug.


    Its little hands and feet were chubby.


    Very exquisite.


    As if they could pinch out water.


    Underneath was bare, with no distinction of gender.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, how is my Thorn Minor Elf?¡± Liszt said with a proud smile.


    Marcus expressed sincere admiration, ¡°Beautiful!¡±

 Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter 0183: Maggie Has an Older Sister Who is a Magician (First Update)

    Chapter 183: Chapter 0183: Maggie Has an Older Sister Who is a Magician (First Update)


    After lunch,


    Maggie diligently took care of cleaning up the plates, her slight body bustling about like a Little Minor Elf.


    ¡°Let me do that, Maggie. You should go take a nap now. You have to follow Lord Rom for training this afternoon, remember to perform well in the training class,¡± Mrs. Harriet said, fond of Little Maggie. She didn¡¯t have a daughter and genuinely treated Maggie, who was staying at her house, as her own.


    Because Mrs. Harriet spoke so quickly, Maggie could only understand a few words in Serpent Script like ¡°nap,¡± ¡°Lord Rom,¡± and ¡°training.¡±


    But she was smart and guessed at Mrs. Harriet¡¯s intention, promptly replying in Serpent Script, ¡°Training with Lord Rom is easy, Maggie is happy, three meals! Fresh Flower Town, great!¡±


    She communicated successfully through a combination of speaking and gesturing.


    Mrs. Harriet smiled wistfully, ¡°Fresh Flower Town wasn¡¯t always like this. Back then we could only eat twice a day, and in winter, just once. It was Lord Landlord who brought us everything, making Fresh Flower Town great, now we can eat three meals a day.¡±


    In times of scarce resources, eating twice a day was the norm for commoners, while three meals a day was the standard for nobles.


    When Maggie was in the Eagle Kingdom, living in the countryside, she and her family also ate twice a day. Being able to have three meals a day in Fresh Flower Town was a huge blessing.


    She was still young and hadn¡¯t been assigned farm work yet. All she had to do every day was attend training classes and textile classes. The training classes taught some basic physical combat skills, and the textile classes were taught by serfs who were dyers and spinners, passing on dyeing and textile skills.


    Maggie learned earnestly.


    Because she knew skills were very precious. In her hometown, learning a skill cost a lot of money before someone was willing to teach it.


    Compared to the intangible prospects of building up strength and developing Dou Qi, she preferred to become a spinner.


    By the time she finished her textile classes and returned to the house where she was staying with Mrs. Harriet, dinner was just about ready. But compared to other days, the atmosphere at home seemed more solemn.


    Harriet¡¯s husband sat on a stool with a serious expression.


    Mrs. Harriet¡¯s estranged son and daughter-in-law also rushed over.


    It wasn¡¯t until the bread and seafood were served that Maggie understood what day it was¡ªthrough the gestures of Harriet¡¯s daughter-in-law¡ªit was the anniversary of Harriet¡¯s daughter¡¯s death.


    Mr. and Mrs. Harriet once had a young daughter, but she fell ill in winter and, coupled with not having enough to eat, died three years ago. She was only slightly older than Maggie at the time of her death.


    This was also why Mr. and Mrs. Harriet were willing to take in Maggie as a lodger.


    The next day, Mr. and Mrs. Harriet even invited Lord Grantaire from the town to their house. Through Grantaire, they communicated with Maggie, ¡°Maggie, Mrs. Harriet wants to form a contractual mother-daughter relationship with you.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Maggie was caught off guard and didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    Old Geronte said gently, ¡°What¡¯s in the past has already happened, don¡¯t think too much about it. Now that you¡¯ve come to Fresh Flower Town and your family has died, why not form a contractual mother-daughter relationship with Mrs. Harriet? It would be convenient for support, and they can even help you buy back your serf contract, restoring your Freeman status.¡±


    This was incredible news.


    Since the Harriet family ran the town¡¯s general store and had no worries for food and clothing, they were among the wealthier ones. By forming a contractual relationship with them, Maggie knew she would have a promising future.


    But for some reason, she felt somewhat reluctant, ¡°Lord Grantaire, I have relatives¡­ I still have a sister.¡±


    Old Geronte furrowed his brow; he had checked Maggie¡¯s personal information and had not found any of her relatives among the serfs. According to Maggie herself, her parents had been killed by mercenaries.


    ¡°You still have a sister? Where is she? Why didn¡¯t you mention her before?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ My sister left home several years ago,¡± she said she¡¯d come find me after she learned magic¡­ My sister will come back for me.


    Learn magic?


    Could it be that she was chosen by a Mr. Truth to become a Magic Apprentice?


    This thought flickered through Old Geronte¡¯s mind, but he didn¡¯t take it seriously. Even if Maggie¡¯s sister had become a magician, the likelihood of her traveling the great distance to Coral Island to find her sister was slim to none.


    Besides.


    She might have died in one of the explosions already. The profession of a magician comes with a high probability of explosions.


    He assumed Maggie was just a bit shy and embarrassed, so he told her to take a few days to think about it. The Harriet couple and their family didn¡¯t bring it up again, continuing the previous amiable atmosphere.


    But Maggie couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time.


    Meanwhile.


    In the Eagle Kingdom, many miles away, war raged on.


    The Steel Ridge Kingdom launched a major invasion, forcing the Eagle Kingdom to resist. Dragon Knights roamed everywhere to support the battlefield. Meanwhile, in the hinterlands of the Eagle Kingdom, the Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s troops, like locusts, desperately scoured the coastal border castles, plundering wealth and minerals.


    Against this backdrop of turmoil, a warship flying the Red Tulip Flag slowly approached the harbor. The lighthouse at the harbor also flew the Red Tulip Flag.


    Needless to say.


    This was naturally a stronghold that the Tulip Family, had taken on the coastline of the Eagle Kingdom.


    The Tulip Family¡¯s servants had already met with the ship¡¯s crew to sort out the goods, all special products of the Duchy of Sapphire. They were fighting and robbing on one hand, and trading and smuggling on the other, without any delay. The entire seaport bustled with people busily loading, unloading, and transporting goods non-stop.


    ¡°Is this the Tulip Family¡¯s sea vessel?¡± In a shabby tavern on the dock, a female mercenary with a scarf covering her face looked out the window, holding a wine glass, and asked.


    She was speaking Wind Language.


    In front of her was a sly-looking fellow who greedily glanced at the mercenary¡¯s chest bulging against her leather armor and replied sleazily, ¡°Of course, this dock and most of the surrounding castles have already been occupied by Sea Wave Sword Saint Li Weiliam. The Red Tulip has become a nightmare for many nobles.¡±


    ¡°Are Li Weiliam¡¯s ships always engaged in slave trading?¡±


    ¡°Heh, the Sapphire People are all a bunch of serf traders. It¡¯d be strange if they weren¡¯t trading slaves.¡±


    ¡°When will the fleet return?¡±


    ¡°That depends on how fast you mercenaries can catch serfs. If you¡¯re quick, maybe you can trade a bunch of serfs this month.¡±


    ¡°For your troubles.¡± The female mercenary casually flicked her fingers, and a shiny silver coin flew into the air, spinning before landing neatly on the table.


    She left without looking back.


    The sly fellow grabbed the silver coin in an instant, licked his lips greedily, picked it up, held it in his palm, and laughed brightly, ¡°If you need more information, my lord mercenary, just come to Old Fort Tavern and ask for me, Three-Eared Goldie¡­ Eh, where did she go all of a sudden?¡±


    By the time he looked up, the female mercenary was nowhere to be seen in the tavern.


    But he didn¡¯t care, fondling the silver coin in his palm with satisfaction. Earning a silver coin for a few words was a solid deal.

 Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 0184: Baffling Goodwill (Second Update)

    Chapter 184: Chapter 0184: Baffling Goodwill (Second Update)


    ¡°I wonder how father and brother are faring in the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s wars, and how much profit they¡¯ve gained this year,¡± Liszt thought, having finished one session of the¡±Fire Dragon Drill¡±and the¡±Flaming Wave¡±.


    He picked up his bow and arrows and began to practice the¡±Multi-Arrow¡±again.


    After beginning his life of taking potions, he, an Elite Earth Knight, had been feeling his blood surge with enthusiasm these past few days, almost desperate to charge into battle and demonstrate his formidable strength.


    It was as if someone had suddenly struck it rich.


    While reason dictated that he should keep a low profile, emotionally, he definitely wanted to show off a bit.


    ¡°Once I delve into the Dou Qi Manuscript a bit more, I must challenge Marcus to a fight¡ªarmed with the Crimson Blood Sword and my Li Dragon Horse, even if my experience falls short, and my Dou Qi circulation techniques are inferior to Marcus, I can still fight and win!¡± Confident in his equipment to compensate for what he lacked in strength, his confidence was boundless.


    Of course, any such duel had to be carried out in private.


    If Liszt happened to lose by a mischance, as long as the parties involved kept silent, it would naturally not affect his image.


    Thinking this way, his emotions in his training intensified even further. Placing his hand on the bowstring, he shot out two sharp arrows side by side. Guided by his Dou Qi, they collided in midair, altering their flight path slightly, and shot straight toward two targets a hundred meters away, ten meters apart from each other.


    Bang Bang!


    Two crisp sounds.


    Liszt looked up to see that the arrows had hit dead center in the thick targets a hundred meters away, one arrow in each target, with uncanny precision.


    His vision had greatly improved thanks to his long-term use of the Eye of Magic.


    Combined with ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, he could effortlessly hit any target he aimed at; not to mention piercing a leaf at a hundred paces, even a thousand paces was not too difficult. The only issue was that at such a distance, the Dou Qi infused into the arrows would dissipate in midair, and the arrows would have to rely solely on their kinetic energy to fly.


    Both their attacking power and their trajectory would be greatly diminished.


    ¡°Many Earth Knights practice the¡±Multi-Arrow¡±, but few have the talent of a Divine Archer. Marcus is one, but I have even more talent.¡± In Fresh Flower Town, Liszt enjoyed comparing himself to Marcus to gauge his own strength. ¡°With my proficiency in the Double Arrow alone, I¡¯ve definitely surpassed Marcus!¡±


    Sweating with exertion, he continued to practice ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±.


    He had not yet mastered the Ultimate Mystery Multi-Shadow Arrow, but he had achieved a transcendent mastery of the most basic Double Arrow.


    Drip Drip.


    The sound of the merchant caravan¡¯s wagons approached from afar, transporting the newly purchased wheat past the castle and straight to the granary. Officials had already gathered a large group of serfs waiting for work to start transferring the wheat into the storage.


    Every face bore a smile.


    Although the food stored in the castle was Lord Landlord¡¯s private stock, when the castle had food, the serfs naturally benefited¡ªat the very least, the Lord would not levy the serfs¡¯ meager winter reserves.


    In previous years, the knights who collected taxes in Fresh Flower Town were like vampires at the end of fall, almost wishing to drain the serfs of all their grain.


    The caravan transferred all the wheat into the storehouse.


    ¡°There must be a hundred tons of wheat, right?¡±


    Liszt had just finished practicing the¡±Multi-Arrow¡±and watched as the caravan began its return journey. A thought crossed his mind, and he summoned the Smoke Mission on horseback.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: the goodwill of Serf Maggie.¡±


    The goodwill of Serf Maggie?


    That sounded like a female serf.


    Befuddled, Liszt turned to Servant Thomas riding behind him and instructed, ¡°Go find out if there¡¯s a serf named Maggie¡­ Don¡¯t make a big deal out of it, just inquire about her situation.¡±


    Thomas immediately set off to make inquiries.


    Liszt walked towards the castle, all the while continuing to speculate about the content of the mission reward, ¡°What exactly does the goodwill of a serf mean? Could it be that there is something amiss with this serf, or perhaps she has some talent that I¡¯m supposed to unearth¡­ The name is feminine, so it¡¯s a female serf, or perhaps¡­¡±


    A thought suddenly struck him.


    In an excited moment, he considered, ¡°Is it possible that the Smoke Mission noticed how attentive I have been to my secretary these past few days and is now telling me that there is a beautiful female serf in Fresh Flower Town who I could take on as a secretary?¡±


    That idea seemed far-fetched.


    But what if it were true?


    Luckily, he still had some sense about him and reined in his thoughts when he saw the new mission.


    ¡°Mission: The sailors have been thoroughly trained, and the captain is full of ambition. The Calming Sea Pearl is about to be completed, and the only large ship in Fresh Flower Town, the Fresh Flower Vessel, is gearing up for its maiden voyage across the vast ocean towards the stars. Please personally complete the Fresh Flower Vessel¡¯s first voyage. Reward: Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡±


    The mission reward was not unexpected.


    Black Horse Island had already been assessed to be home to the Li Dragon Horse Herd.


    But the content of the mission made Liszt somewhat irritably surprised, ¡°To personally undertake the maiden voyage? Even with the help of the Calming Sea Pearl, it¡¯s dangerous for Kostor and his crew to take to the sea. How irresponsible of the Smoke Mission to ask me to risk myself like this!¡±


    His original intention was to have Marcus and the others make a trip to Black Horse Island first to scout the danger.


    He would set off only after ensuring safe sailing and landing on the island.


    Upon further consideration, he relented, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have to go. My subordinates could discover the Li Dragon Horse Herd and claim the reward in advance, and the mission would change regardless¡­ But I¡¯ll make the trip anyway. If I prepare properly before sailing and minimize the risk, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡±


    The group of refugees from Little Papa Island had managed to drift to Coral Island, a thousand miles away, under Kostor¡¯s command. The Taiwan Strait, which only separated Coral Island from Black Horse Island, should not be difficult to navigate with a trained crew.


    Having made up his mind,


    Liszt no longer hesitated and quickly found Kostor, ¡°Captain Kostor, I am prepared to accompany the journey to Black Horse Island. During this time, make sure you and my Retainer Knights coordinate well.¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord, I will definitely ensure your safety!¡± After expressing his stance, Kostor asked, ¡°Lord, may I know when the Calming Sea Pearl will be completed?¡±


    ¡°No later than three days.¡±


    ¡°Then, please have your Retainer Knights spend as much of the next three days as possible training on the Fresh Flower Vessel, to ensure they can protect you at the first sign of danger.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s settled,¡± Liszt suddenly thought, ¡°How about I take Douson on the voyage as well? What do you think?¡±


    Kostor pondered carefully before responding, ¡°Douson is a land-based Magical Beast. On its first voyage at sea, it¡¯s certain to get seasick. Even with three days of continuous training, it might not overcome seasickness.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try it out first and see if Douson gets seasick.¡±


    He had never before considered embarking on the maiden voyage to Black Horse Island himself, let alone taking Douson along. But Douson was definitely meant to follow him into battle in the future as the most suitable bodyguard. So, regular sea voyages were essential, and it was only right to start training early to prevent seasickness.


    Not being one to be indecisive, the very next day, Liszt led Douson onto the Fresh Flower Vessel.


    Once aboard, Douson¡¯s curiosity was apparent as it clattered about on the deck, jumping here and there, each leap making the Fresh Flower Vessel tremble on the sea surface.


    A creature weighing over a ton had such formidable power.


    However, Douson was afraid of water and would not dare get close to the ship¡¯s side. Whenever Liszt pulled it closer to the rail, Douson refused to move, its eyes not daring to look down at the sea from the ship¡¯s side.


    Especially when the Fresh Flower Vessel left the makeshift dock made from a few planks of wood tied together.


    Out at sea, with the ship riding the wind and waves, Douson¡¯s normally lively nature deflated, lying morosely on the deck, not daring to budge.


    It also kept whining intermittently with, ¡°Woo woo¡­ woof woof¡­ woo woo¡­¡±

 Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 0188: The First Night on Black Horse Island (First Update)

    Chapter 188: Chapter 0188: The First Night on Black Horse Island (First Update)


    Sailing is extremely boring.


    Liszt had to maintain the dignity of a noble and couldn¡¯t mingle with the sailors or retainer knights, so after lunch, he took a nap and continued to practice Dou Qi in the afternoon.


    He practiced for the entire afternoon.


    The Fresh Flower Vessel arrived around half-past one in the afternoon at the location marked on the sailing map, but Black Horse Island was nowhere to be found, forcing them to continue searching at sea.


    It took nearly three more hours to pinpoint the exact location of Black Horse Island.


    ¡°This sailing chart is off by a whole ten kilometers, those rats¡¯ knowledge of sailing must have gone to the dogs!¡± Kostor gnashed his teeth in fury.


    Had it not been for good luck, they might not have found Black Horse Island even by nightfall.


    ¡°Don¡¯t complain, the fact that we found Black Horse Island is fortunate,¡± Liszt was quite optimistic, even feeling somewhat unsatisfied; he was growing increasingly fond of the sensation from indulging in medicine and cultivating, ¡°Are we now looking for a place to land?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord, Black Horse Island is, after all, an undeveloped wasteland, and we need to find a suitable spot to land. The island¡¯s outline is much larger than I imagined, possibly as large as Beer Island. This area is all beach, making it difficult to land.¡± He pointed toward the island¡¯s horizon outside the window.


    ¡°As big as Beer Island?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just my estimate, but it should not be too different.¡±


    Liszt was pleased with such conjecture; the size of Beer Island was just right for a viscount¡¯s fief. If it were too large, it would be divided and shared with other nobles; too small, and it would be a disadvantage. Not too big, not too small¡ªjust right.


    They circled half of it.


    Just as the sunset began to plummet towards the sea level, they finally found a suitable landing spot. The Fresh Flower Vessel approached slowly, dropped anchor, lowered the lifeboats, and except for a few sailors tasked with guarding the Fresh Flower Vessel, everyone else took the lifeboats ashore. The shore was piled with rocks, similar to the dock at Fresh Flower Town.


    Looking around, the vegetation on the island was not lush, with only a few sparse trees in the distance.


    Mostly weeds.


    Some hares and deer in the distant weed patches watched Liszt¡¯s group warily, especially the tall and formidable Douson.


    From a distance, they could not sense Douson¡¯s intermediate magical beast aura, but its appearance alone indicated that Douson was not to be trifled with.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, we will first explore along the coastline. We have about an hour before it gets dark. Once it¡¯s dark, we¡¯ll return here and spend the night on the Fresh Flower Vessel,¡± Liszt instructed.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    No horses were brought along, so everyone was on foot, except for Liszt, who could ride on Douson.


    Douson¡¯s large frame made riding it more comfortable than a horse.


    Many knights, especially powerful ones, were no longer limited to riding horses and had switched to various strong dragon breed beasts and magical beasts. For instance, the bearer of the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡°The Eye of Magic¡±, Steve Vulture, rode a Dragon Breed Magic Beast Vulture, soaring through the skies.


    The personal combat strength of a Sky Knight was superior to a knight¡¯s charge, so their mounts accentuated individual combat capabilities.


    Ordinary knights relied on shoulder-to-shoulder charges to form a powerful surge of Dou Qi; hence their mounts emphasized uniformity, making horses the most suitable.


    Although riding a dog might not sound very elegant, Liszt did not seem out of place at all on Douson¡¯s back. On the contrary, having an intermediate magical beast as a mount made everyone envious, subtly elevating his image even further.


    Grasping Douson¡¯s black fur, he secured himself in place.


    Liszt¡¯s mind went blank for a moment, and during that brief interval, he summoned the Smoke Mission.


    The smoke coalesced, forming Serpent Script: ¡°Mission complete, reward Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡± Unquestionably, once the Fresh Flower Vessel had moored, the long sea voyage was already completed; it didn¡¯t require a return voyage to be considered complete.


    For a moment.


    The smoke shifted and changed.


    A new task was immediately issued.


    ¡°Task: You have set foot on new land, and as a landlord determined to pioneer and develop, how can you allow Black Horse Island to be so neglected and unmanaged? Please establish a temporary outpost on Black Horse Island and station one hundred serfs there. Reward: A few decayed bones.¡±


    ¡°A temporary outpost?¡±


    ¡°A few decayed bones?¡±


    Liszt quickly recalled a previous Smoke Mission about specters, in which the reward was a piece of a broken skeleton.


    It was eventually identified as a Dragonbone Stabilizer made from the bones of a high-level dragonkin magical beast.


    ¡°So, what are these ¡®few decayed bones¡¯?¡± He didn¡¯t bother guessing too much. Regarding the Smoke Missions, Liszt could sometimes become quite lazy, for as long as he could complete the tasks, the rewards would always arrive in his hands by coincidence. ¡°Establishing a temporary outpost is already in the plan; it¡¯s a giveaway question.¡±


    The team walked only a few miles.


    They found that the rocky coast had disappeared, replaced by a sandy beach.


    ¡°The spot where we anchored likely belongs to the transition area between east and west, with most of Black Horse Island¡¯s east side being sandy beaches and the west side consisting of rocky cliffs,¡± Kostor, who often sailed out to sea and had visited many islands, could deduce the situation of the entire island from its details. ¡°Looking towards the center of the island, there are no undulating high mountains, mostly gentle slopes.¡±


    He squinted his eyes, taking a careful look into the distance, and added, ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve noticed that Black Horse Island is quite round.¡±


    ¡°Quite round?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the topography of this island is continuous, at least the side we are on is continuous; what¡¯s on the opposite side is yet to be known. Perhaps we could sail around the island tomorrow to fully observe the shape of Black Horse Island.¡±


    Liszt looked up at the sunset already vanishing at the horizon and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait until tomorrow. The current situation is unclear; let¡¯s return to the Fresh Flower Vessel for now.¡±


    That night passed without incident, and nothing unusual occurred either.


    Liszt wasn¡¯t very accustomed to sleeping on a ship; the repetitive sound of sea waves crashing and the mixed snoring of sailors and retainer knights in the cabin made it difficult for him to fall asleep.


    Douson stood guard outside his door.


    Dogs snore too, so Douson¡¯s snoring, resembling bubbles, wasn¡¯t unusual.


    Liszt himself never snored and liked a very quiet environment for sleeping. Unable to sleep, he simply sat up and took out a crystal lamp, placing it on the table.


    The crystal lamp, purchased from Granney, was very convenient for carrying and use, equivalent to a flashlight.


    With the light on, he continued to take out objects to fiddle with from the Gemstone Space¡ªthere was the Crimson Blood Sword, worn at his waist during the day and stored in the Gemstone Space at night; bows and arrows, a set of Fine Steel Knight Equipment, and three Fine Steel Knight¡¯s Spears for emergencies; Mithril Mine, crystal, jade, all neatly piled up.


    There were also the Black Pearl, Dragonbone Stabilizer, telescope, drift bottle, and Smoked Grass.


    Plus a large pile of food including plenty of milk, eggs, roasted meat, vegetables, fruits, bread, and various seasonings. In the Gemstone Space where materials remained static and unspoiled, food could be kept for as long as desired.


    With these supplies, he could be thrown onto a deserted island and live comfortably for months¡ªhe even packed a few bars of Fresh Flower Soap.


    Also, the thirty Flame Mushroom Magic Potions completed by Elkerson were in the Gemstone Space as well.


    ¡°Not easy at all, accumulating little by little, I¡¯ve built up a substantial foundation.¡± He rearranged his possessions with satisfaction, put the Space Gem close to his body, lay on the bed, and began counting sheep.


    He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when he finally couldn¡¯t resist fatigue and fell asleep.

 Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 0189: This is the Li Dragon Horse Herd (Second Update)

    Chapter 189: Chapter 0189: This is the Li Dragon Horse Herd (Second Update)


    Circling the island,


    it turned out just as Kostor had speculated,


    Black Horse Island is an irregularly shaped oval island.


    There are no natural harbors for sheltering from the wind,


    and the most suitable place for a seaport is the Rock Pier where they docked last night.


    However, it is difficult to dock large ships there,


    because the water is not deep enough for a medium-sized merchant ship like the Fresh Flower Vessel, it was a bit of a struggle.


    When the sun began to release its heat,


    everyone gradually ventured deeper into the hinterlands of Black Horse Island in search of the Li Dragon Horse Herd.


    The island had few trees and the hills were not very steep, so the view was wide-open,


    allowing clear visibility for great distances. Marcus used his monocular telescope all the way,


    searching for traces of the herd without expending much effort, and soon found what he was looking for.


    ¡°My lord, this is horse dung, the Li Dragon Horse Herd is nearby!¡± he exclaimed excitedly,


    bending over to use a stick to turn over a clump of small black ball-shaped objects in the bushes.


    Knight¡¯s familiarity with horse dung certainly surpasses knowing how many moles are on their wife¡¯s body.


    Liszt was just as familiar with horse dung, and upon hearing that, he looked up at the gentle hill in front of him: ¡°They should be on the other side of the slope, let¡¯s go around.¡±


    Douson the Dog took the lead, carrying Liszt, and stepped into a delicate trot.


    Marcus and the others, without mounts, could only follow with a jog.


    A moment later, the group successfully crossed over the weeds and came to the other side of the hill.


    No telescope was needed to see a herd of black wild horses on the distant slope, leisurely grazing, quite contented.


    ¡°The Li Dragon Horse Herd!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all black, they must be Li Dragon Horses!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush over there, first observe carefully and count how many horses there are,¡± Liszt said calmly,


    pulling out a telescope and looking towards the Li Dragon Horse Herd.


    Through the lens,


    horse after horse, no less majestic than the Li Dragon Horse at the castle, seemingly unaware of their presence,


    was simply busy eating grass and frolicking about.


    One, two, three¡­ there were exactly thirty-seven black horses.


    Though a small herd, it was a significant discovery for Liszt,


    because every single black horse here might be a Dragon Breed Horse!


    After Marcus had counted the horses, his excitement was hard to contain: ¡°My lord, there are thirty-seven in total,


    nine of which are foals, and the remaining twenty-eight are enough to arm two squads of knights!¡±


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, you can now have one of them,¡±


    Liszt said.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡± Marcus could hardly wait to go capture and tame a black horse,


    but to avoid startling the herd, he said, ¡°There must be a horse king among these wild horses, my lord,


    it should be up to you to tame the horse king personally, then the rest of the Li Dragon Horses won¡¯t run away.¡±


    The term ¡°horse king¡± is a colloquial way to refer to the leader among a herd of wild horses.


    Typically, the bravest stallion leads and protects the herd.


    Taming the horse king would lead the other horses to naturally follow its lead,


    effectively meaning the entire herd would be tamed.


    ¡°Are you sure which one is the horse king?¡± Liszt asked eagerly,


    as the horse king would naturally belong to him; only a landlord is entitled to ride the king.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, we scare the herd, and the one leading them will be the king,¡± Marcus suggested.


    The task of intimidation went directly to Douson,


    and upon his appearance, the aura of an Intermediate Magical Beast immediately spooked the Li Dragon Horse Herd.


    Then they stopped grazing and turned to run.


    ¡°Did you see clearly which one it is?¡±


    ¡°I saw clearly, my lord, the horse king is that black horse with a hint of violet on its forehead.


    It has the longest mane and is the tallest among them, I feel it¡¯s even more majestic than your Li Dragon Horse,¡± Marcus said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s first survey the terrain around us,


    and once the herd has calmed down, we shall encircle them and I shall personally tame the horse king!¡± Liszt declared.


    The Li Dragon Horse Herd was already a sitting duck, requiring no excessive vigilance.


    The location he was in was slightly to the south of the center of the island, on the north slope of the highest hill, which served as the grazing ground for the Li Dragon Horse Herd. The pasture was extensive, stretching from this hill to another, including the valleys in between¡ªall sparsely wooded grasslands.


    ¡°This is a natural pasture, where I have found four types of high-quality forage, my lord, please look¡­¡± Marcus was like a connoisseur when it came to pastures.


    ¡°This is Sheep Grass, most suitable for sheep; it¡¯s not abundant, but very nutritious; this is Needle Grass, horses¡¯ favorite food, although its growth here is a bit weak; this is Alfalfa, which can¡¯t grow without Elf Bugs; and this is Ice Grass, an excellent forage, but unfortunately it¡¯s also not thriving, with plants tending to be short.¡±


    The grasslands on Black Horse Island have the potential to become a top pasture, with a very rich variety of forages. However, the land is barren and lacks Elf Bugs for care, resulting in generally poor growth of the forages.


    This is likely why the Li Dragon Horse Herd only numbers thirty-seven, as the pasture can¡¯t support more wild horses.


    The team continued to explore.


    They made their way to the northeastern part, almost to the center of Black Horse Island, and climbed the highest hill, barely able to glimpse the full expanse of the island. The oval-shaped island lacked great undulations, with the highest hill being the one beneath their feet, estimated to be no more than three hundred meters above sea level. There were also three other shorter hills.


    The four hills were distributed in a ¡°¿Ú¡± shape, forming the topography of the island.


    ¡°Let¡¯s mark these down for now: Sheep Grass Hill, Needle Grass Hill, Alfalfa Hill, and the Ice Grass Hill beneath our feet,¡± Liszt irresponsibly named the four hills.


    Standing atop Ice Grass Hill, one could see that on the slopes of Needle Grass Hill, the Li Dragon Horse Herd had once again started to graze leisurely. The range of the grassland stretched from Sheep Grass Hill to Needle Grass Hill and bisected Alfalfa Hill. From Alfalfa Hill to the slopes of Ice Grass Hill, miscellaneous trees became more frequent and pastures gradually decreased.


    ¡°Cut down all these miscellaneous trees and cultivate forage, to expand the scale of the Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡±


    Liszt already envisioned a magnificent scene of Li Dragon Horses racing back and forth between the four hills in the future. Of course, now was not the time for daydreaming; he and Marcus discussed briefly, planning how to tame the lead stallion.


    It wasn¡¯t rocket science.


    They simply divided the Retainer Knights and sailors they had brought into four groups, approaching the Li Dragon Horse Herd from four directions to induce a situation where the horses could neither advance nor retreat, causing panic and breaking their formation. Then Liszt would charge directly at them, mount the lead stallion, and begin taming¡ªtaming a horse was a piece of cake for an Elite Earth Knight.


    Thus.


    An hour later.


    Liszt was hugging the neck of the lead stallion, letting it buck and jump wildly, carrying him in a frenzied dash all over the hillside.


    A contest of strength between man and horse.


    He even had the mind to hum a song, ¡°Spin, leap, I close my eyes¡­¡±


    After another half an hour, the lead stallion showed no sign of slowing down, still running wildly over the hills. Compared to his initial taming of Li Dragon Horses, the stallion was evidently stronger and more patient.


    But the outcome was still submission.


    In time, the lead stallion lowered its proud head, allowing Liszt to ride and command it.


    ¡°Congratulations, my lord, for obtaining an even more majestic steed!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s stronger and taller than the Li Dragon Horse,¡± Liszt took the handkerchief from Thomas, wiped off his sweat, and threw it back, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. He kept stroking the lead stallion¡¯s neck, ¡°See the purple-red hair on its forehead? Does it not resemble a flash of lightning?¡±


    With a slight smile,


    He declared, ¡°This lead stallion of the Li Dragon Horse Herd shall be called Lightning!¡±

 Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 0193: The Changing Heart of a Young Girl (First Update)

    Chapter 193: Chapter 0193: The Changing Heart of a Young Girl (First Update)


    ¡°The master is a real noble!¡±


    In the kitchen, Eileen Four Fingers, the kitchen maid, proudly said to Maggie, her apprentice, ¡°Little Maggie, you will fall in love with this castle. I have never seen a noble more gracious than our master. His grace is innate, a kind of grace we can only look up to!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sister Eileen,¡± Maggie nodded earnestly in agreement.


    In reality, Eileen had spoken too quickly, and Maggie had only understood part of it¡ªabout the master being noble.


    ¡°Don¡¯t add too much flour, or the pineapple bun won¡¯t taste good,¡± Eileen stopped Maggie from pouring more flour. ¡°Our kitchen has many kinds of new bread, all invented in collaboration between Mrs. Abbie and Boss Reynard¡ªbread that the master likes.¡±


    She then whispered in Maggie¡¯s ear, ¡°Every day Mrs. Abbie makes bread of various flavors, and if the master doesn¡¯t eat them, we get to have some.¡±


    Maggie exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Ah, the master, servants eat, good bread?¡± Her Serpent Script was halting and she had to use gestures to make herself understood by Eileen.


    ¡°Humph, you¡¯ll come to understand the master¡¯s kindness and generosity in time,¡± Eileen asserted.


    Indeed, Maggie came to understand that very night when she got a small piece of the pineapple bun during dinner. The Lord Landlord had entertained two guests that evening, prompting the kitchen to bake plenty of bread. When there was an abundance left over, each servant got a small share.


    Compared to the dark bread, this distinctive white bread was simply the most delicious food Maggie had ever eaten in her life.


    ¡°Little maids, little manservants, come along, be careful of snakes on the road after dark,¡± called out a Patrol Member, who was responsible for escorting the young apprentices back to their host families after dark.


    Following behind the Patrol Member, Maggie felt incredibly safe.


    She knew the warnings about snakes were just to scare the children.


    Savoring the delicious taste of the pineapple bun, she silently praised the master over and over in her heart. Then, she suddenly remembered she had eaten her pineapple bun and had forgotten to save some for Mrs. Harriet¡¯s family. Although her boarding was a mandatory arrangement by the town administration, Mrs. Harriet¡¯s family had been genuinely kind to her.


    ¡°Should I¡­ sign a contract of mother and daughter with Mrs. Harriet?¡± Maggie wondered, returning to an issue she had been troubled by for several days.


    As a nine-year-old girl, whose parents had been killed by mercenaries, she naturally longed for a new family in her grief.


    But, deep in her heart, she still held on to memories of her sister¡ªa sister ten years her elder, tall and with curly hair. She always remembered when her sister left home, saying, ¡°Maggie, when I come back, I¡¯ll teach you magic. We¡¯ll be magicians together, magicians who can cast fireballs!¡±


    At that time, her sister was fifteen and their parents had forced her to marry a lame old man from the village.


    The very next day, she had decisively run away from home.


    Her sister had always been the idol she admired the most.


    ¡°Maggie, you¡¯re back,¡± Mrs. Harriet greeted her warmly as she arrived back in town, unaware of how long the walk had been.


    ¡°Oh, yes, Mrs. Harriet, you don¡¯t need to, pick me up every day,¡± Maggie managed to communicate.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, come on in,¡± Mrs. Harriet invited her.


    Night fell.


    A crescent moon formed in the sky. As Maggie lay in bed, she thought of Mrs. Harriet¡¯s family¡¯s kindness, of the castle¡¯s delicious food, and somehow, her sister¡¯s features from her childhood started to blur and become distant in her mind, and certain decisions quietly rose to her heart.


    ¡°If Mrs. Harriet asks me again, I¡¯ll agree to it¡­ She¡¯s like my mother.¡±


    The morning air was refreshing, Liszt greedily took a few extra breaths.


    Then he began his daily practice and dog-walking routine before inspecting his territory¡ªhe didn¡¯t like to socialize, and several nobles from North Valley City had sent him invitations to birthday banquets and noble gatherings. He generally just sent gifts in return, without attending in person¡ªa form of keeping a low profile.


    After all, the designated heir to Coral Island was his brother, Levis.


    It wasn¡¯t convenient for him to get too close to other nobles.


    The Li Dragon Horse, holding its head high, trotted on the gravel path, unaware that its status was on the verge of collapse. Perhaps it would understand when Black Horse Island came into existence that a king is a king, be it yesterday or tomorrow¡ªyour lord is always your lord.


    ¡°The town lacks stonemasons to carve and polish stones; otherwise, we could pave the roads with stone slabs, just like those at the castle.¡±


    Accompanying Liszt was Isaiah, who was also acting in his capacity as the administrative officer, reporting on the progress of various projects in Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Paving with stone slabs is a massive undertaking; the manpower of the town should be allocated to more pressing matters.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, the autumn harvest has already been completed, as have the road construction and building projects. I am arranging for the serfs to focus on reclaiming the wasteland in each territory. Once the next batch of one thousand serfs arrives, we should be able to take over these fields smoothly. By next spring, we can begin sowing directly.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the expansion of the Flame Mushroom greenhouses going?¡±


    ¡°An additional 20 acres have been expanded, bringing the total to 50 acres. The serfs have mastered the cultivation techniques for Flame Mushrooms, and the current yield has doubled from the initial levels. In a month¡¯s time, with the new greenhouses producing, we can expect the yield to double again,¡± Isaiah happily replied.


    But he also expressed his confusion, ¡°Only, my lord, are the revenues from the Flame Mushroom Magic Potion Workshop directly recorded in the castle¡¯s books, bypassing the town administration?¡±


    ¡°They bypass it, but issues regarding the taxation and welfare of the Mushroom serfs will be uniformly arranged by the town administration, and subsidization will then be handled by the castle.¡± Flame Mushroom Magic Potions had all gone into Liszt¡¯s stomach, and to date, nobody had discovered he had become an Elite Earth Knight.


    Isaiah didn¡¯t ask further; it was normal for the landlord not to want anyone to meddle with magical potions.


    The group, without realizing it, had arrived at the Thorn Garden.


    The Thorn Cordyceps had grown into a four-meter-tall Thorn Tree, lush and eye-catching. Two-thirds of the surrounding area was encircled by Rapid Growth Magic Thorns, and one-third by Rapid Growth Iron Thorns. Only a small area was left to the common Rapid Growth Thorns as a token of remembrance.


    Whether new varieties of thorny mutations would be born was still an unknown.


    Without waiting for Liszt to ask, Isaiah spoke up, ¡°My lord, the Thorn Garden originally spanned 180 acres, but with Jela¡¯s birth, I¡¯ve already had people fence off 800 acres for the Thorn Garden¡¯s expansion. According to the current ratio, one-third will be Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, and two-thirds will be Rapid Growth Magic Thorns.¡±


    He then pointed toward Thorn Ridge, ¡°The Rapid Growth Spiky Thorns and Rapid Growth Poison Thorns have already started being transplanted towards the edge of Thorn Ridge. Due to a shortage of serfs, currently, only fifty serfs are responsible for transplanting the thorns. I¡¯ve calculated their workload; by the onset of winter, we should be able to complete the transplanting for one-third of the path with thorns.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush the work with Spiky Thorns and Poison Thorns; just plant as much as we can.¡± With Iron Thorns and Magic Thorns at his disposal, Liszt no longer placed much value on Spiky Thorns and Poison Thorns.


    Especially the Spiky Thorns.


    They were of little use, except perhaps for preventing the intrusion of chickens, ducks, and geese.


    The Poison Thorns were highly toxic and could be extracted to create poison. This poison could then be applied to bladed and pole weapons or arrowheads for use in warfare.

 Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 0194: Highly Acclaimed Fresh Flower Soap (Second Update)

    Chapter 194: Chapter 0194: Highly Acclaimed Fresh Flower Soap (Second Update)


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    Having completed his inspection of the territory, Liszt saw Jela teasing and provoking Douson. This lively and active Little Minor Elf, who enjoyed flying in and out of the castle, had an extremely domineering temperament. Anyone who dared to block its path would get punched.


    It could also spread seeds.


    This must be some sort of ¡°wood¡± or ¡°nature¡± magic, able to rapidly make seeds germinate and then entangle someone. What sprouted seemed to be Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn; the huge wooden spikes could pierce someone to death¡ªof course, it had never pierced anyone, as Liszt forbade it from spreading seeds at will.


    The magic looked terrifying, but it could only deal with ordinary people.


    A knight with Dou Qi could easily activate their Dou Qi to destroy the germination of the seeds.


    Therefore, a Little Minor Elf¡¯s combat power was generally very weak, almost negligible¡ªeven an ordinary person, in a fit of rage, could take it by surprise and kill it.


    However, Jela did not consider itself weak at all, its domineering temperament remained unchanged, and then, it naturally encountered another creature with a fiery temper¡ªDouson.


    The first time Douson saw Jela, it was very curious and wanted to lick the smooth and shiny Jela with its tongue.


    Unexpectedly, this enraged Jela, who waved its hand to scatter seeds, giving Douson quite a fright. Not knowing how to activate its internal magic, it could only watch helplessly as the thorns bound it, yelping in pain. But after all, it was an intermediate-level magical beast with thick skin, so it didn¡¯t sustain any injuries after the pain.


    After shaking off the thorns, it chased Jela around everywhere.


    One small creature and one large creature thus became enemies, tearing into each other on sight, with no possibility of peaceful coexistence. A few days later, Douson was the first to submit, as its magic couldn¡¯t harm Jela, and it couldn¡¯t fly, so it could only be kited by Jela¡ªof course, it might have been letting Jela win, knowing that Jela had a good relationship with Liszt.


    Nevertheless, Jela did not let it go, always finding ways to tease and toy with it.


    Scattering a handful of seeds, inducing sprouting, Jela gave Douson a taste of bondage art.


    When Liszt returned.


    He saw Jela teasing Douson once again, covering Douson in thorns that rapidly sprouted and twined around Douson¡¯s body, quickly turning the big black dog into a big green dog.


    Douson, however, had no reaction.


    It just called out weakly to Liszt: ¡°Woof, woof.¡±


    ¡°Jela, stop it!¡± Liszt glared at the Thorn Minor Elf, and only then did it reluctantly suspend the growth of thorns, landing directly on top of Liszt¡¯s head.


    Yawning, it decided to go to sleep just like that.


    Liszt, unforgiving, pulled Jela down, handing it to Thomas: ¡°Put it in the jade box, and send it to the Worm Room to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    Jela was unwilling.


    Liszt glared again, using mental communication to let it understand that resistance would mean a beating. Finally, the Thorn Minor Elf obediently lay in the jade box, ready to sleep¡ªafter all, most of their time was spent sleeping, since their true form was a Cordyceps.


    Removing the thorns from itself.


    Douson lay on the ground feeling aggrieved, expressing its pitiful state to Liszt.


    ¡°An intermediate magical beast that can¡¯t even defeat a minor elf is simply useless!¡± Liszt kicked it lightly and said, ¡°Off you go, go whine to your wife¡­ But first, let¡¯s take you to the dog field.¡±


    In the dog field, after a vigorous session, Douson successfully regained its lively nature.


    But Liszt felt somewhat regretful.


    The dog field manager, Old Difo, shook his head and said, ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡¯m afraid Douson doesn¡¯t have the capacity to impregnate these female dogs. Normally, several female dogs are in heat and should get pregnant easily, but there¡¯s been no sign.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s no sign, then leave it be, take good care of them.¡±


    Ordinary low-level magical beasts typically can breed with their wild counterparts. By the intermediate level, however, genetic mutations have generally led to reproductive isolation.


    At least Douson should have become reproductively isolated from wolves and dogs.


    ¡°Good thing we have Earth Matron around.¡± Seeing Douson getting cozy with Earth Matron, any regret Liszt felt in his heart quickly turned to anticipation.


    Looking forward to the future army of Fierce Earth Dogs, ¡°The question is, will the offspring of Douson and Earth Matron be intermediate magical beasts or low-level magical beasts?¡±


    This thought reminded him that ever since he arrived in Fresh Flower Town.


    The town had entered its breeding season¡ªafter the townspeople¡¯s lives stabilized, more and more chose to have children; Earth Matron was pregnant, the dairy cows were pregnant, the Fire Dragon Horses were pregnant, even the Fruit Thief Monkeys were pregnant; Goltai¡¯s lover Freya was showing more and more, and he heard Marcus was busy quarreling with his wife.


    It seemed he was the only one still single.


    He shook his head.


    Liszt stopped dwelling on it and continued to train Earth Matron, tempting her with dried meat to follow his commands.


    The study, bright with the glow of the crystal lamp.


    A few knight¡¯s novels lay on the desk as Liszt absentmindedly flipped through them, occasionally jotting something down on a piece of thick paper.


    A knock on the door.


    Carter came in with a cup of milk tea: ¡°Master, Mrs. Morson¡¯s brewed milk tea, I have placed it on the desk for you.¡±


    Liszt, without looking up, continued to scribble, ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Bunier wishes to update you on the progress of the Fresh Flower Soap production.¡±


    ¡°Let him in.¡±


    Moments later, Bunier Zhen Dan entered the study, led by Carter. Knowing that Liszt disliked idle talk, he spoke directly after bowing, ¡°Lord Landlord, I have completed the revamped production process for the Fresh Flower Soap, and we can start mass production. With the current pace of the Soap Making Workshop and enough raw materials, we can produce fifty bars of Fresh Flower Soap a day.¡±


    ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Start tomorrow and produce at full capacity,¡± Liszt ordered.


    After sending Bunier away, Liszt summoned Sherlock from the Thorn Caravan, ¡°Have you tried the Fresh Flower Soap from the Soap Making Workshop yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, Lord Landlord.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very effective. You can try it once and summarize its benefits. I will give you a batch of Fresh Flower Soap to distribute for free to all the nobles of North Valley City, so they understand the benefits of Fresh Flower Soap. Afterward, work together with Abagon to devise a sales strategy for it.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord, Sherlock knows what to do.¡±


    Liszt sipped from the freshly brewed second cup of milk tea, ¡°I have high hopes for the Fresh Flower Soap. I hope you can break into the market quickly, completely edge out the ordinary soaps until we monopolize Coral Island¡¯s soap market.¡±


    Sherlock hesitated, as if he wanted to say something.


    Liszt gestured for him to speak freely.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, the soap business has always been a major industry under Baron Henderson of Serpent Spear City. Selling Fresh Flower Soap will inevitably impact Baron Henderson¡¯s business. Should we give him a heads-up?¡±


    If Liszt remembered correctly, Baron Henderson had gone to the battlefield along with the Earl.


    Even if the other party hadn¡¯t joined the battle, Liszt saw no need to be concerned about him. As the son of an Earl, conducting legitimate business was his prerogative, and no one could justifiably complain. If Baron Henderson went bankrupt as a result, that would be due to his lack of business acumen in managing his territory and could not be blamed on Liszt.


    And if Henderson did blame him, Liszt wouldn¡¯t be afraid; he dared to come, Liszt dared to unleash Douson.


    Of course.


    Leaving no room for survival might be going a bit too far.


    After all, Henderson had made contributions to the Tulip Family before. Liszt thought it over and decided he could develop Henderson into a raw material supplier for Fresh Flower Town, ¡°Sherlock, coordinate with Abagon, and once Fresh Flower Soap has crushed Henderson¡¯s business, tell him when he has nowhere to turn, that he can specialize in providing soap powder for Fresh Flower Town.¡±

 Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 0198: Forcibly Cultivating Corn Grass (First Update)

    Chapter 198: Chapter 0198: Forcibly Cultivating Corn Grass (First Update)


    ¡°Abagon is much bolder than Sherlock and has a vision and spirit of struggle,¡± said Liszt as he considered his plans for cross-sea trade. ¡°Once Captain Kostor is skilled in navigation, I intend to have Abagon take charge of it.¡±


    In the castle¡¯s study at night.


    Liszt and Butler Carter each held a glass of red wine, savoring it slowly while casually discussing the past, present, and the future.


    Carter¡¯s hair had turned even whiter, but his spirit was much better than when he first arrived in Fresh Flower Town: ¡°Lord, isn¡¯t it a bit too soon to engage in cross-sea trade?¡±


    ¡°For now, we are just utilizing the external trade channels of Tulip Castle and Beer Castle, while simultaneously building our own channels for Fresh Flower Town. It¡¯s not an urgent quest to take over these channels,¡± Liszt replied with a slight smile. ¡°Fresh Flower Town is only temporary. In the near future, I will have my own city or island.¡±


    He took a sip of his red wine and continued, ¡°I can¡¯t always be under the protection of the family wings. My father may not mind, but Levis, Lidun, they will always have something to say.¡±


    ¡°So your sight is set on much more, my lord. Please forgive my shortsightedness.¡±


    ¡°Looking ahead is one aspect, but doing well in the present is also important. I need you to remind me of this often, Mr. Carter.¡±


    The master and servant flattered each other in a harmonious atmosphere.


    After a while, the conversation turned to Fresh Flower Soap.


    Carter expressed his amazement: ¡°I was very surprised to hear your conversation with Mr. Abagon; I didn¡¯t expect Fresh Flower Soap to be so popular and capture such a vast market.¡±


    ¡°Its popularity is not surprising,¡± Liszt responded calmly.


    In truth, the technical content of Fresh Flower Soap was not that high, and its cleaning capability wasn¡¯t extraordinary. However, adding certain substances from pig pancreas and wood ash indeed gave the Fresh Flower Soap many appealing qualities¡ªsmoothness, lather, and a tightening effect on the skin. It was enough to outshine ordinary soaps with mediocre cleaning effects.


    Those accustomed to ordinary soap would find a huge contrast when they switched to Fresh Flower Soap. Cleaned well, one¡¯s whole being would naturally shine anew.


    For the nobles, this was enough reason to ditch their regular soap for Fresh Flower Soap.


    As for the fact that using Fresh Flower Soap also stirred their husbands¡¯ desires, apart from Lady Gelta, others probably didn¡¯t realize it.


    Naturally.


    Under deliberate promotion by the Fresh Flower Caravan, the reputation of Fresh Flower Soap began to spread from North Valley City to the entirety of Coral Island. Coral City, always the barometer of fashion, was particularly influential.


    The cost to produce Fresh Flower Soap wasn¡¯t low; it wasn¡¯t feasible to give a bar to every noble for a trial. Abagon hadn¡¯t adopted Sherlock¡¯s strategy of casting a wide net but instead targeted his approach precisely.


    ¡­


    ¡°Miss Sherry, this is a gift from Baron Liszt, my lord, for you¡ªtwo bars of Fresh Flower Soap made in Fresh Flower Town. It surpasses normal soap and suits your stunning beauty and noble temperament perfectly,¡± said the gift bearer.


    ¡°Ah, is it from Brother Liszt? Thank you!¡± Sherry exclaimed joyfully as she accepted the gift and noticed an accompanying sheet of thick paper.


    On the thick paper was written in Serpent Script by Liszt himself.


    ¡°Dear little Sherry, I am busy with many affairs in Fresh Flower Town and cannot come to see you in Coral City. Thus, I send you these two bars of special Fresh Flower Soap, wishing beauty to always be by your side¡ªyours, Brother Liszt.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Esteemed madam,¡± Abagon greeted Lady Penelope respectfully.


    ¡°Abagon, the leader of the Fresh Flower Caravan, right? Did Liszt send you?¡± Lady Penelope said as she met with Abagon.


    ¡°Baron Liszt misses you greatly, and he sent me to bring you two bars of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s special Fresh Flower Soap, hoping you would like it,¡± Abagon said respectfully. ¡°The Baron mentioned that if you enjoy it, you need only send word to the caravan, and we will provide Fresh Flower Soap for you free of charge.¡±


    ¡°Special Fresh Flower Soap? Just a kind of soap?¡± Lady Penelope wasn¡¯t like the young girl Sherry; a flicker in her eye and she understood everything. ¡°That boy is getting shrewder, no wonder he looks like Melissa, that woman. Such cunning truly befits the grandson of Marquis Merlin.¡±


    Abagon gave an awkward smile without responding. It wasn¡¯t his place to comment on a noble, especially his own lord.


    Lady Penelope said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve accepted the gifts. If they truly are good, I¡¯ll speak well of him. At the very least, this old face of mine still knows many people.¡±


    ¡°Once again, I bid you farewell, Abagon takes his leave.¡±


    ¡­


    The Fresh Flower Soap was undoubtedly completing its assault on the soap market.


    For Sherlock and Abagon, it was a matter of great importance, but for Liszt, it was just another way to make money. He simply gave some instructions to his subordinates and then put it out of his mind.


    Now, he had a new task.


    This very afternoon, the smoke had changed. ¡°Complete the mission, reward: five decayed bones.¡±


    Without guessing, it was clear that Marcus and his people on Black Horse Island had finished building a temporary stronghold and had settled in a hundred serfs.


    A new task was immediately born.


    ¡°Mission: To feed the herd of horses, a large number and variety of grasses are needed. Black Horse Island is currently not suitable for planting more grass, so why not cultivate Corn Grass in Fresh Flower Town to increase nutrients for the Black Blood Treasured Horse herd? Please cultivate 100 acres of Corn Grass. Reward: one Elf Bug.¡±


    A mission rewarding an Elf Bug was definitely one to be completed, as each Elf Bug was a treasure.


    But upon seeing the content of the mission, Liszt frowned deeply and called over the steward of Barley Hamlet, ¡°Gejir, how many acres of Corn Grass do we have planted in Barley Hamlet right now?¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, we have a total of thirty acres of Corn Grass,¡± he replied.


    ¡°If Corn Grass is planted now, can it sprout and safely overwinter?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Gejir hesitated a bit, ¡°Lord Landlord, Gejir has not taken care of Corn Grass during the winter and does not know if it can overwinter.¡±


    ¡°Then how many Corn Grass seeds have you harvested?¡±


    ¡°The seeds have all been handed over to the administration, probably several hundred pounds. A lot of the Corn Grass was directly cut down for grazing, and only a small part was used for seed saving.¡±


    Liszt looked at the weather outside. It was nearly late autumn, and the weather was no longer warm.


    Such climate was not suitable for planting crops, but with the Smoke Mission at hand, it could not be ignored. Otherwise, it would be hard to ensure the birth of an Elf Bug¡ªhe was certain in his heart that this was a Corn Grass Elf Bug, but whether it could be cultivated was hard to say and depended on the progress of the mission.


    No matter how difficult, he had to force the duck onto the perch and continue.


    He immediately ordered, ¡°Immediately plough seventy acres of land, expand the Corn Grass fields to a hundred acres, Gejir, hurry.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, Gejir will arrange for everyone to start ploughing the new fields right away,¡± he responded.


    The task began here.


    Meanwhile, Liszt also took the time to inspect the Corn Grass fields of Barley Hamlet, constantly using his Eye of Magic, trying to find signs of an Elf Bug being nurtured.


    As long as he found signs of the Elf Bug, even if the mission failed, he was confident he could nurture the Elf Bug into existence.


    Unfortunately, he saw no signs of magic, this Corn Grass field was just ordinary Corn Grass, without a single plant appearing special in any way.


    He sighed and consoled himself, ¡°I just hope that in this weather, the Corn Grass can sprout and let me complete the mission.¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, the Fresh Flower Vessel returned home.


    Marcus brought him a new piece of news concerning the rewards for the missions.


    After sending the servants away and closing the doors of the study, he spoke gravely, ¡°Baron, we found the remains of an unknown animal in a valley on the island. Most of the bones had shattered, but five large bones remained. Each as thick as a person¡¯s height and half-buried in the rocks in the ground.¡±

 Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 0199: Maybe the Bone of the Dragon (Second Update)

    Chapter 199: Chapter 0199: Maybe the Bone of the Dragon (Second Update)


    ¡°What do you think those bones are from?¡±


    Liszt asked curiously. A normal person¡¯s height would be around one meter seventy, meaning the diameter of each of those five bones exceeded one meter seventy.


    It could be imagined how long they must be and how large the skeleton they formed.


    Marcus glanced at the room door as if ensuring no one was eavesdropping behind it, then spoke carefully, ¡°I think they might be dragon bones!¡±


    ¡°Dragon bones!¡±


    Liszt was suddenly startled, but then he suppressed his surprise and excitement, voicing his doubts, ¡°If they are dragon bones¡­ was there any sign of mineral deposits in that valley?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ it seems no mineral deposits have been discovered. We¡¯ve excavated the bones, dug several meters deep until rock stopped us, and found no ores like metals, nor any signs of crystals or gemstones.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Dragons can infest their surroundings. If the remains were of metal dragons or gemstone dragons, Black Horse Island would likely become a minefield. Since it hasn¡¯t turned into a mine, these bones should not be from a metal dragon or a gemstone dragon.¡±


    Marcus speculated, ¡°Perhaps they are the remains of elemental dragons?¡±


    ¡°Elemental dragons are also unlikely. I¡¯ve talked with Elkerson; he has seen a book written by an archmage, which mentioned that the magic power of elemental dragons lingers for a long time, similarly infesting the surroundings. The Windhowl Valley in the Neverfall Empire was formed after a battle with a wind dragon, and to this day the winds still roar.¡±


    After several such discussions.


    The species of the bones in life had half the possibility of being dragons ruled out.


    ¡°Could they be left by a super dragonkin magical beast?¡± Marcus proposed another possibility, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard of high-level dragonkin magical beasts, but an advanced magical beast, no matter how large, wouldn¡¯t likely have a bone diameter of one meter seventy¡­ thus, I speculate it¡¯s a super dragonkin magical beast, but that seems to be a creature of legend.¡±


    The classification of magical beasts: low-level, intermediate, advanced, and super.


    In fact, the distinction between advanced magical beasts and super magical beasts is quite vague. This is because there haven¡¯t been enough observations of individuals, and no standard as to whether the categorization should be based on combat ability or size. Basically, humans do not wish to provoke powerful magical beasts.


    Moreover, it¡¯s rumored.


    In the Duchy of Sapphire, not a single super magical beast exists.


    The mainland is infinitely vast, and it¡¯s only in knight¡¯s novels that super magical beasts frequently appear. Even the Earl, who invades the Eagle Kingdom every year and is well-travelled, has never heard of a super magical beast residing anywhere in the Eagle Kingdom.


    Let alone a super dragonkin magical beast.


    At the level of a super magical beast, the bloodline is already incredibly powerful, and the chance of being infected by dragons seems purely theoretical.


    After much discussion, the two of them were unable to come to any conclusion and could only guess what creature those five massive bones might have belonged to.


    ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll go to Black Horse Island myself to see what is so peculiar about these five bones!¡±


    ¡­


    When he said he would go, he went.


    After instructing the town officials to ensure the serfs in Barley Hamlet cultivated the corn grass,


    Liszt took a ship directly, taking Douson and Marcus with him, heading for Black Horse Island. A half-day¡¯s sailing went smoothly, bringing them to their destination.


    A simple dock had already been constructed out of wood, floating on the water¡¯s surface and swaying slightly as they walked on it. As for Douson, he had to be transported by wooden boat due to his excessive weight that the floating dock couldn¡¯t bear.


    Upon landing, they saw a row of brand-new wooden houses erected not more than a hundred meters from the dock.


    There were serfs clearing away rocks and weeds in the area.


    A very rudimentary base.


    But it signified that Liszt had now firmly planted one foot on Black Horse Island.


    Without delay, taking advantage of the time left, he headed straight for the valley where the five large bones had been found. En route, he happened to meet with the herd of Black Blood Treasured Horses. The Horse King was somewhat unfamiliar with Liszt, but once Liszt mounted it, they quickly became accustomed to each other. Carrying Liszt, they continued to sprint and loop back throughout the journey.


    On the way, Marcus took the opportunity to report to him the findings from the past few days¡¯ exploration of Black Horse Island.


    ¡°There are no Magical Beasts on the island, or at least none have been found yet, only some small carnivorous and herbivorous animals. The largest animal is the Black Blood Treasured Horse. The vegetation is also quite monotonous; trees are rare, consisting mostly of miscellaneous ones that no one recognizes, with few branches.¡±


    He pointed to a tree by the road.


    This was the miscellaneous tree he mentioned, with a very straight trunk and branches high up, which were not lush. It bore neither flowers nor fruit, was not very tall, and its leaves were already turning slightly yellow, seeming to be a deciduous tree.


    Utterly ordinary.


    Marcus continued, ¡°There are many weeds on the island. Apart from the forage in the grasslands, the rest are common weeds which the Black Blood Treasured Horses do not eat. Removing them would be the best choice.¡±


    Finally, he added, ¡°My lord, I am currently drawing a map of Black Horse Island, but it has not yet been completed.¡±


    Liszt suddenly asked, ¡°Have you chosen a place for building the castle?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, the island lacks defensive terrain. There are no high hills, nor steep terrain. It is not possible to build a castle as precipitous as Tulip Castle, and it may not even compare to the terrain of Beer Castle. I think, if we are to build a castle, it can only be built on flat ground, with thickened walls and a moat excavated for protection.¡±


    Not every castle can rest against a cliff; most are built on flat ground.


    Liszt was just casually inquiring.


    Soon, under the setting western sun, the group arrived at the valley where the five bones had been located, situated between Ice Grass Hill and Needle Grass Hill.


    Because the weeds were deep and the bones buried deep as well, they were hard to spot.


    ¡°I was riding Black Fiend to survey the terrain when I found these remains and these five bones,¡± said Marcus, patting his mount, Black Fiend, and walking into the center of the valley where the weeds had been cleared.


    Behind him was a newly dug large pit, with a huge grey-white broken bone diagonally embedded deep into the ground at the center of the pit.


    Around it were four more bones poking out a section and numerous bone fragments scattered all around.


    It was as if some creature had perished here and, over time, weathering had caused most of its bones to decay, leaving only these five bones still erect¡ªthough they must have decayed too, for the reward of the Smoke Mission explicitly mentioned that these were five decayed bones.


    Dismounting.


    Approaching the large pit and stepping on the rocks at its bottom, Liszt advanced step by step towards the bone.


    The closer he got to the bone, the more he felt his own insignificance, as if standing before a giant stone column. He reached out and touched the bone¡¯s surface; it was as hard as rock. When he knocked on it, it emitted a sound similar to that of stone.


    He used his Eye of Magic to examine the five bones and the scattered bone fragments.


    No trace of magical power was found.


    ¡°This bone must have fossilized, right?¡±


    But he quickly shook his head in denial¡ªfossils were fused with the rock, and this bone clearly had a part that was exposed to the outside.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, have you tested the bone fragments on the ground?¡±


    ¡°They are hard, suitable for making fine Bone Utensils,¡± Marcus replied succinctly. The term ¡®fine Bone Utensils¡¯ was enough to illustrate the quality of the bones, indicating they were at least of a quality corresponding to that of Low-Level Magical Beast bones.


    Clang, clang, clang!


    Liszt knocked on the bone again. For a moment, he was left shocked and confused, clueless as to what use the reward of the five bones from the Smoke Mission could be for him.


    ¡°Could it be that it knows my territory is short on iron and wants me to break these down to take back and forge a batch of fine Bone Utensils?¡±

 Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 0203: Liszt’s First Battle (First Update)

    Chapter 203: Chapter 0203: Liszt¡¯s First Battle (First Update)


    The price of Elf Bugs generally fluctuates around one or two thousand Gold Coins, with some of the less valuable ones going for just a few hundred Gold Coins, and the higher-priced depending on the species.


    The highest on record in the books is the Red Holy Fruit Elf Bug, fetching a price of five thousand eight hundred Gold Coins. The reason is that the Red Holy Fruit is a highly valuable Magic Potion ingredient, and to expand its cultivation, one must rely on the Red Holy Fruit Elf Bug. Considering that Elf Bugs only live for ten years, achieving such a high price is inconceivable.


    If there is a market for Elf Bugs, there simply isn¡¯t one for Little Minor Elves.


    They are treated as family heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation.


    Even the least valuable weed Little Minor Elf wouldn¡¯t be sold by anyone, for their sheer beauty alone is considered priceless.


    In summary, ¡°Market Selling Prices of Wild Elf Bugs¡± is a book of Magic that holds referential value.


    The next dozens of printed Magic Books are also good and have referential value. He planned to read them slowly, in no hurry, as ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild¡± couldn¡¯t be written in a day. He remembered his identity, as a Landlord who aspired to Dragon Riding, not as a Noble brought so low as to live off writing bat Skills, taking drugs to enhance Dou Qi.


    Walking the dog, Douson, and visiting the Earth Matron.


    Inspecting Thorns, and examining workshops.


    Only after his daily itinerary was completed would he pick up his pen to write history. Occasionally inspired, he would also return to his study room to jot down his ideas.


    These days, his energies were mostly spent on the Corn Grass fields.


    The serfs from Barley Hamlet were busy tilling the fields and sowing Corn Grass seeds, while Liszt would continuously hover around the already thriving Corn Grass, employing the Eye of Magic to observe signs of Elf Bugs breeding. He believed that once any Elf Bugs were breeding, he would be the first to know.


    ¡­


    By the end of November, it seemed that a cold wave had struck, causing the temperature in Fresh Flower Town to plummet suddenly.


    The servants in the castle had switched to newly tailored work outfits.


    The male servants continued to wear traditional tailcoats, exemplifying gentlemanly elegance.


    The female servants, however, had ordered the latest popular Coral City version of the improved maid outfit¡ªwith a headband known as a ¡°Katsushika,¡± a black long skirt with a loose fit, covered by a white cinched one-piece apron, paired with white stockings and two black round-toed leather shoes.


    Simple yet not plain, cheeky yet adorable.


    Liszt liked it very much.


    Watching the maids every day with their brooms, rags, and dusters cleaning was a pleasure. Especially the former kitchen maid, Little Lily, Lily¡¤Bathing Basin, who, due to her outstanding performance in the kitchen, Mrs. Morson had promoted to maid cleaning upstairs, often working in front of Liszt.


    Her previously scrawny body, with the improvement in living standards, had blossomed. At the flowery age of sixteen, her charm fully unfolded. With a protruding front and curvy back, coupled with a decent face, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but show his respect.


    Sometimes, he had very beastly thoughts.


    In the castle, he was the only master; he could do whatever he wished¡ªwhy not pounce?


    But he managed to quell his restlessness, channeling that urge into the drive for training his Dou Qi. ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± and ¡°Flaming Wave¡± were deeply memorized, each move executed without hesitation. His proficiency in ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± also gradually improved, mastering the Double Arrow realm completely, and he was not far from mastering the Triple Arrow realm.


    The Multiple Arrow realm was just slightly out of reach, and as for the Ultimate Mystery Multi-Shadow Arrow, he was almost complete.


    ¡°When I finish the Multi-Shadow Arrow, that will be the moment when ¡®Multi-Arrow¡¯ fully surpasses Marcus,¡± Liszt said, holding his bow and arrow with a sharp gaze, staring at the target a hundred meters away. With three arrows clamped in his left hand and three more in his mouth, he calculated, ¡°Wind speed¡­ humidity¡­ gravity acceleration¡­ attachment force of Dou Qi¡­ Calculations complete, shoot!¡±


    The whistling generated wind.


    The three arrows were like three parallel rays of Light.


    His hands moved continuously, plucking the three arrows from his mouth and again placing them onto the bowstring, drawing the bow and releasing.


    Six arrows followed one after another, weaving in and out of each other due to different speeds, quickly intertwining and performing complex collisions, simultaneously changing direction, altering the angle of flight.


    Then, six arrows, as if released at the exact same time, hit the dead center of the target, sinking in steadily, the arrowheads completely disappearing.


    ¡°No misses!¡±


    Liszt suddenly started, then instantly beamed with joy, ¡°No misses, I¡¯ve mastered the Multiple Phantom Arrow! My archery, has surpassed that of Marcus! I, Liszt Tulip, have now ascended to the rank of a Divine Archer!¡±


    After the surprise had faded, a unique sense of unbeatable loneliness arose¡ªhe had become a combat force of another level in Fresh Flower Town, an uncommon Earth Knight.


    Even across the entirety of Coral Island, he was among the top ten knights.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Levis is no match for me now, he¡¯s just a pampered Elite Earth Knight. Although I¡¯ve never been on a battlefield, my archery is exceptional.¡±


    Divine Archer, a title which signified his combat power far exceeded that of a regular knight.


    However, considering Levis was gaining experience on the battlefield, he decided to still use Marcus as a benchmark. An Elite Earth Knight like Marcus represented the majority of knights who couldn¡¯t afford Magic Potions, with their only means to increase combat power being to continuously refine their combat skills.


    ¡°My Dou Qi quantity already far surpasses Marcus, my archery is ahead of him, and I also have the Crimson Blood Sword to amplify the power of the Dou Qi Manuscript.¡±


    With a ringing sound, he drew the Crimson Blood Sword.


    Liszt looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle and murmured softly, ¡°Such a Marcus, I would take on ten of him.¡±


    Marcus was still away at Black Horse Island, unavailable for a match, but there were still two Earth Knights in Fresh Flower Town, Rondo Waterpot and Lasse Steelyard.


    ¡°Join me for a real combat training session, Rondo first.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Baron!¡± Rondo replied solemnly; he was older than Liszt and thus not very nervous. On the contrary, he looked somewhat relaxed.


    After all, in everyone¡¯s estimation, it had only been a little more than half a year since Liszt had broken through to become an Earth Knight. Granted, with the support of Douson, his prestige was immense, but his own combat ability was probably quite limited, even if mounted on a divine steed. Nothing to fear.


    ¡°Are you ready, Rondo?¡±


    ¡°Baron, I am ready to begin at any time!¡±


    ¡°Then, Lasse, you be the judge!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Baron. Rondo, please listen to my command,¡± Lasse announced loudly. ¡°In the name of a knight¡¯s honor, ready, begin!¡±


    At the command, Liszt and Rondo, a hundred meters apart, each steered their mounts and began their charge. At this moment, Rondo was relaxed; he wasn¡¯t lacking in real combat experience. On the other side, Liszt was somewhat tense; it was, after all, his first time in a combat practice, and his body was a bit stiff.


    Taking a deep breath.


    He swung the Knight¡¯s Spear, and as they were about to brush past each other, he thrust out forcefully: ¡°Fire Dragon Sweep!¡±


    Boom thud!


    Flames suddenly surged on the Knight¡¯s Spear, the move fierce. It collided violently with Rondo¡¯s Knight¡¯s Spear, and then the flames dissipated, with both spears rebounding off each other. Rondo swayed slightly in the saddle, but quickly steadied himself. Liszt didn¡¯t sway, but his hand holding the Knight¡¯s Spear almost twisted from the recoil.


    Because of his nervousness, he hadn¡¯t controlled his strength properly, and half of the recoil was due to his own excessive force.


    ¡°A mistake.¡± He understood clear as day, annoyed by such a rookie blunder, but it did much to dissolve his nervousness, ¡°Rondo¡¯s strength is much weaker than I expected, or rather, my own strength far surpasses his!¡±


    An Elite Earth Knight against a Common Earth Knight should indeed exhibit an overwhelming momentum.


    Realizing this.


    He let go of any nervousness and bellowed, ¡°Again!¡±


    The Li Dragon Horse, in tune with his heart, spun around and, as one with Liszt, charged towards Rondo once more.

 Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 0204: Both of You Come at Me Together (Second Update)

    Chapter 204: Chapter 0204: Both of You Come at Me Together (Second Update)


    Boom thud!


    The Knight¡¯s Spear collided again, Rondo felt his hands starting to tremble, the force transmitted from the spear was unexpectedly immense, and there was a scorching heat.


    Just two clashes, and he had already understood that he had underestimated the young Landlord of Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Is this the disparity of bloodlines, he¡¯s only sixteen, and I am already twenty-one, yet I can barely withstand his two thrusts,¡± Rondo thought with a chill in his heart, and even a sense of despair was rising.


    As an illegitimate child, the only thing he took pride in, was his Noble bloodline. But this very point of pride, in front of Liszt, had no reason for pride at all, the other was the son of an Earl, with the bloodline of a Sky Knight, and also the grandson of a Marquis.


    ¡°Once more, once more!¡±


    Liszt¡¯s shout snapped Rondo back to reality, he quickly pulled his horse back, restrained the trembling of his arms, and braced his spear for the attack.


    The easy-going attitude was gone, replaced by nothing but caution and bitterness.


    As an Earth Attribute Earth Knight, Rondo had always been adept at defense, for someone of his same level, defeating him in a short time was somewhat troublesome.


    But facing Liszt, he seriously doubted he could block the third spear thrust.


    And indeed, it was true, when the two Fine Steel Spears collided, he felt an overpowering force hit him, followed by a high temperature like raging fire, forcing him to lose grip on the spear.


    Clang!


    The Knight¡¯s Spear flew high into the air, and Rondo himself was sent flying, the sky spinning violently above him. His mind hadn¡¯t caught up by the time his body heavily slammed onto the ground, causing his internal organs to be violently shaken, with a breath stuck in his chest. Staring dazedly at the sky, he didn¡¯t stand up for quite a while, not understanding how he was defeated in just three thrusts.


    On the other side, Liszt shook his head.


    He felt Rondo¡¯s strength diminishing with each thrust, and by the third, it was barely withstanding the hit. He hadn¡¯t even used half of his strength yet he had sent Rondo flying; if he had put in his full effort, the thrust would have pierced a hole through Rondo¡¯s body, skewering him on the spear.


    Since the fight had not been satisfying, he turned his gaze towards Lasse: ¡°Lasse, your turn!¡±


    Lasse¡¯s scalp numbed, he watched clearly how Liszt sent Rondo flying with three thrusts, understanding that he was no match, but he had to accept the challenge: ¡°Lasse challenges Baron!¡±


    The two riders crossed paths.


    Dou Qi burst forth, fiery flames surged, and in the midst of the flaming Dou Qi, Lasse was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, following in Rondo¡¯s footsteps.


    And moreover, Liszt had only put forth the first thrust.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lasse lay on the ground, wanting to say something, opened his mouth, but no words came out.


    After a moment, both Rondo and Lasse recovered from the shock, and looked towards Liszt with eyes no longer on the same level, only respecting the strength of the more powerful. Liszt¡¯s bloodline was more noble than theirs, his status higher, and his strength greater; apart from reverence, they had no other choice.


    ¡°I am stronger than I imagined, all this time I¡¯ve underestimated myself.¡±


    He was inwardly pleased.


    On the surface, Liszt did not reveal this, a grown man¡¯s soul knows how to restrain his emotions. He merely stated indifferently: ¡°Since leaving the Knight Academy, I have yet to engage in real combat training, neither of us showed our full strength just now. This time, you two come at me together, let¡¯s train once more!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Baron!¡± the two replied in unison.


    A two-on-one battle began, with double the attacks coming his way, Liszt was initially thrown into disarray. But the gap in strength was too clear, after two rounds of charges, he adapted to the double attacks, wielding the Fine Steel Knight¡¯s Spear, creating flames that filled the sky.


    Clang!


    ¡°`


    Clang!


    After the two strikes, Rondo and Lasse were sent flying again, crashing heavily onto the ground. Neither was adequate enough to pose a threat to Liszt.


    Once they got up, Liszt did not show any joy of victory; he still wore his standard noble smile, ¡°Today¡¯s training ends here. You two have just arrived at Fresh Flower Town and lack sufficient members to practice with. For now, hone your own Dou Qi. If you wish to enter the battlefield, you indeed fall short.¡±


    Both had somewhat harbored the mentality of picking up beans, thinking that due to the lack of people in Fresh Flower Town, pledging allegiance early would allow them to pick some achievements.


    However, today¡¯s training made them realize that without sufficient strength, no good outcomes await them anywhere they go. Putting aside their frivolity, they responded earnestly, ¡°Yes, Baron!¡±


    They had not yet chosen to pledge loyalty, nor had Liszt accepted them.


    Whether a relationship of following and fealty could be established in the future depended on their performance¡ªbased on their current one, Liszt really did not think much of the two.


    Of course, he did not outright reject them.


    He planned to wait for Marcus¡¯s return and test his own strength against him. Marcus¡¯s combat power was clearly at the level of Coral Island¡¯s elite knights¡ªthe Earl specifically assigned him to protect Liszt and to serve as his family tutor, valuing this very aspect.


    Thus, Marcus could be used as a benchmark.


    ¡­


    The session dispersed.


    Everyone returned home.


    This battle-


    might not have been very satisfying, but the process was invigorating. After bathing, Liszt leaned back in the living room chair, recalling the details of the fight, thinking about what could be improved. Being good at summarizing and deducing allowed him to better identify and improve upon his deficiencies.


    As he reminisced, he might have been somewhat distracted.


    Smoke Mission silently emerged and quickly caught Liszt¡¯s attention, ¡°Mission completed, reward: one Corn Grass Elf Bug.¡±


    A reward without surprise, a Corn Grass Elf Bug without surprise.


    ¡°It seems that the task of tilling one hundred acres of Corn Grass has been completed. Quite good, the Corn Grass Elf Bug, my tenth Elf Bug¡­ no, still the ninth, as the Thorn Bug has already evolved into a Thorn Minor Elf.¡±


    He waved his hand.


    A new Smoke Mission had already been posted.


    ¡°Mission: Haven¡¯t had enough of grilled meat and seafood? As a noble landlord, how can your dietary nutrition lack poultry, fish, meat, and eggs? With this year¡¯s abundant harvest, please raise over a thousand chickens in Fresh Flower Town to provide enough eggs and chicken meat. Reward: Special ore vein.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Special ore vein?¡± Liszt was overjoyed, ¡°The reward is an ore vein? The last rewarded ore was a super small Saltpeter Mine; this time it is a special ore vein. I wonder what kind of ore it will be¡­ Right, could it be related to the Basalt Columns?¡±


    He made the connection that it probably had to do with Black Horse Island¡¯s main body formed by the Basalt Columns.


    Whatever the special ore vein was, it could be buried within these Basalt Columns.


    No matter what it was-


    As long as it was an ore vein, it had to be secured: ¡°Raising chickens, just one thousand chickens. Distributed among the serf families, each household raising about ten chickens is enough!¡±

 Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 0208: Captain Swann the Female Mercenary (First Update)

    Chapter 208: Chapter 0208: Captain Swann the Female Mercenary (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Wiping away the slave girl¡¯s tears with a thumb, the owner of the hand spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Get up.¡±


    The slave girl lifted her head and saw a face covered by a bandana, with disheveled hair and a dirty bandana, but the eyes that were exposed shone so brightly she could hardly keep hers open.


    She was clad in a leather armor that had seen better days; its edges frayed from wear. A large sword, its hilt wrapped in tattered cloth, hung on her back. As she squatted down, her pressed chest touched her knees, nearly stretching the worn edges of the leather armor to their breaking point.


    After helping the slave girl wipe her tears, she stood.


    Tall in stature.


    Her somewhat scruffy attire revealed a wild and extraordinary temperament, which quickly reminded the slave girl of the group that had stormed into the village, killing, looting, and separating her from her family to be sold on the serf market. The serfs in the marketplace said that the group was a band of infamous mercenaries.


    And the woman before her looked just like a mercenary.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Startled, the slave girl seemed to muster some strength, struggling to rise from the ground, and she stammered an apology, ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry, my lord, I didn¡¯t mean to fall.¡±


    The female mercenary looked at her, and her hoarse voice came forth again, ¡°You did nothing wrong; why apologize.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± The slave girl didn¡¯t know how to respond and felt like crying again in her panic.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    The female mercenary spoke in an unquestionable tone and turned to leave the cabin, with the slave girl hesitantly following. She bowed her head, not even daring to glimpse the mercenary¡¯s retreating figure.


    The female mercenary seemed to be heading towards the canteen.


    On the way.


    She suddenly said in her hoarse voice, ¡°A girl must learn to be strong, especially when walking alone.¡±


    The slave girl didn¡¯t know how to respond, but it seemed the female mercenary didn¡¯t expect an answer as they quickly reached the canteen. The mercenary pushed through the crowded serfs, bringing the slave girl to the serving window and shouted, ¡°Fatty Jack, get her a plate of food!¡±


    ¡°Ah, right away, Captain Swann.¡±


    In the midst of speaking, the female mercenary had already turned, ready to leave.


    The slave girl stood woodenly at the window, unsure whether to get food or follow the mercenary. It was not until Fatty Jack served her a semi-liquid meal on a wooden plate, stuffing it in her arms, ¡°Here you go, I don¡¯t know what got into Captain Swann¡¯s head, helping serfs get food.¡±


    Holding the fragrant food, the slave girl felt tears coming on again, this time tears of happiness.


    She had never had such a full plate of food in her daily life.


    In a voice as faint as a mosquito¡¯s, she whispered a thank you, not sure if it was to Fatty Jack or to Captain Swann.


    But as she squatted in a corner of the deck, eating the mixture of beans and flour, she etched the name ¡°Captain Swann¡± deep in her heart¡ªshe didn¡¯t understand the Serpent Script spoken between the mercenary and the sailor serving food but remembered only the way Fatty Jack had pronounced the mercenary¡¯s name.


    ¡­


    ¡°Does Captain Swann have a soft spot for little slave girls?¡±


    On the foredeck, the female mercenary was enjoying the sea breeze, when the second officer approached and inquired with self-presumed grace.


    ¡°And if I do, is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. On the contrary, such actions are heartwarming. It¡¯s clear that behind Captain Swann¡¯s toughness, there lies a woman¡¯s tender heart.¡±


    The female mercenary didn¡¯t take up the conversation, just continued to gaze out at the seawater, lost in thought.


    The second officer, not willing to give up, added, ¡°I¡¯ve seen you help several little slave girls like that. Do you see a reflection of yourself in them? People always reminisce about their past selves. Did you have a childhood like that? Sorry, I don¡¯t mean to bring it up, just want to understand you, Captain Swann, better.¡±


    A moment later.


    ¡°`


    Just when the second mate thought he had failed to strike up a conversation, the female mercenary, gazing at the seagulls above the ocean, slowly began to speak, ¡°I have a sister, I haven¡¯t seen her for four years. If she¡¯s still alive, she¡¯d be about the same age as that little female servant.¡±


    ¡°Hm, I see, being separated from family is indeed¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t get to finish.


    The female mercenary suddenly changed her tone, impatiently saying, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve satisfied your curiosity, can you piss off?¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t be like that, Captain Swann, I know you¡¯re not in a good mood,¡± the second mate said, reaching out his hand to pat her shoulder, ¡°I just want to comfort you, or maybe, lend a shoulder for you to¡­¡±


    But before his hand could touch her shoulder.


    The female mercenary swung her elbow abruptly, sending the second mate flying two meters away: ¡°Piss off!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± The second mate was angry.


    What met him was the female mercenary¡¯s icy stare and her hoarse voice: ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, don¡¯t bother me. A few corpses thrown overboard at sea¡ªI doubt the captain would care.¡±


    Swelling with anger, the second mate had to swallow it down, rubbing his chest, reluctantly walking down from the deck.


    After he entered the sailors¡¯ quarters, he was immediately teased by a bunch of disheveled sailors: ¡°Look at that, Spike, a prime example of biting off more than you can chew!¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, you really thought you could hit on Captain Swann with that pockmarked face of yours, hilarious.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose heart, Spike, you held out two minutes longer than Fox.¡±


    ¡°Fair¡¯s fair, Spike didn¡¯t make it past five minutes, you lost the bet, pay up!¡±


    ¡°To celebrate Spike¡¯s glorious failure, I¡¯ve decided to take another swig of watered-down juniper wine, ha-ha.¡±


    ¡­


    The crude laughter of the sailors filled the cabin.


    The female mercenary didn¡¯t hear it; she lay on the railing of the deck, looking at the ship ploughing through the waves, her thoughts drifting far away: ¡°Coral Island¡­ Fresh Flower Town¡­ Little Maggie¡­¡±


    Meanwhile.


    At the place she was longing for.


    Inside the castle, Butler Carter, with his grizzled hair, approached the landlord who was composing the historical epic ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild¡± and said, ¡°My lord, there¡¯s something that you would be happy to hear.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Liszt, who was writing about the ¡°ancient battle between the evil Fire Dragon and the mighty Dragon Knight on the Sea of Azure Waves,¡± without even raising his head.


    ¡°The castle¡¯s trainee maid, Maggie, has just entered into a contract of mother and daughter with Mrs. Harriet from the grocery store.¡±


    Upon hearing it was about Maggie.


    Liszt finally put down his quill, reluctantly, and asked with raised eyebrows, ¡°So, what does the Harriet family plan to do? Take Maggie back and end her training?¡± Maggie was a clue involved with the Smoke Mission, and he had gone through the trouble of concocting excuses just to bring Maggie closer to him.


    He wasn¡¯t willing to let Maggie go that easily.


    Carter¡¯s answer eased his mind: ¡°Of course not, my lord. Working at the castle is an immense honor for commoners. The Harriet family wouldn¡¯t pass up such an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Then, Mr. Carter, please convey my congratulations to Maggie. By the way, will she be coming to train this afternoon?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t ask for leave, so she should be here for her normal training.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, add a piece of grilled steak to her dinner.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±

 Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 0213: Volcanic Glass Experiment (First Update)

    Chapter 213: Chapter 0213: Volcanic Glass Experiment (First Update)


    Charging and sword fighting with Marcus benefited Liszt greatly.


    Though one could improve on their own by working behind closed doors, it was also essential to match moves with others¡ªthe lack of real combat experience made it difficult to determine the advantages or disadvantages of the techniques developed in solitude.


    And such real combat also gave Liszt a clearer understanding of his own strength.


    ¡°Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be in peril.¡± He believed that if he were to cross swords with Marcus again, whether in a charge or a sword battle, he could completely overpower his opponent.


    ¡°An Elite Earth Knight on a potion regimen completely crushes one who focuses on combat skills. Having money really does let you do as you wish.¡±


    Therefore.


    The biggest takeaway from these days of continuous combat was not how to fight technically.


    It was that one must always make money for potions.


    ¡°Before long, the Rapid Growth Magic Thorns will be ready for harvest. I¡¯ll have Elkerson turn them into Magic Potions to augment the Flame Mushroom Magic Potion, speeding up my potion regimen!¡± His eyes were ablaze with understanding of the essence of knightly practice, ¡°And the Magical Beast meat¡ªI must eat several pounds a day even if it means borrowing money!¡±


    Knock knock knock.


    Carter¡¯s voice came from outside the door: ¡°My lord.¡±


    Putting his thoughts aside, Liszt tucked the thick paper with ¡°Potion, Meat, Milk¡± written on it into the Magic book he had been reading lately and replied, ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°The merchant caravan has returned, bringing with it child serfs among the serfs. Mr. Isaiah asks for your instructions on how to deal with this batch of serfs.¡±


    ¡°Have him arrange it according to the original plan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Carter took out a letter from his chest and handed it to Liszt, ¡°There¡¯s also a letter from the caravan, written by Consultant Goltai.¡±


    Goltai did not return with the caravan; there were still many serfs waiting outside who needed him to arrange accommodation for the night.


    So he sent a letter with the caravan, providing an update on the handover of the serfs.


    Reading the letter, it detailed the number of serfs. There were originally one thousand serfs ordered, including two hundred craftsmen, but only eight hundred thirty-six serfs and one hundred forty-four craftsmen survived the journey to Fresh Flower Town. The loss was much greater than the quota Liszt had given.


    ¡°Frank has guaranteed that he will compensate us with one hundred additional serfs and twenty craftsmen on top of the next sale.¡± The letter recorded the outcome of Goltai¡¯s haggling with Frank.


    This was followed by a transaction of three hundred Gold Coins.


    Frank did not agree because he had received a letter from Levis. It mentioned that the war would cease with the onset of winter, and the Earl was gathering the resources plundered, ready to retreat back to the country. Frank wanted to wait for Levis¡¯s return before deciding whether to continue the serf trade.


    ¡°The Earl is coming back?¡± After reading the letter, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but calculate the time.


    It was December, and the Earl had left in September. He had been out campaigning for nearly three months, which wasn¡¯t very long compared to the years when he would even spend holidays abroad.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know if this year¡¯s harvest will be rich. As the Eagle Kingdom is a major producer of iron, if we can plunder more iron ore, I can buy a batch for weapon forging¡­ aiming to equip a Knight Squad as soon as possible and, perhaps next year, follow the Earl to the battlefield to scavenge some spoils.¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt dined alone that evening.


    The town officials were busy taking in the children serfs, placing the ones without family directly into the homes of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s serfs.


    Children with relatives were temporarily placed in new houses in the residential area, waiting for their parents to arrive before arranging their living situation.


    The food was distributed to the serf¡¯s homes early on, then prepared by the serfs, and delivered into the hands of these children. Extra clothing and bedding were borrowed from the serf¡¯s homes to keep these children warm. These items would be returned to each serf¡¯s household once the castle procured new clothes.


    There were also many children who had caught colds or were struggling to adapt to the new environment, necessitating the assignment of old and stable serfs to take care of them, to prevent any deaths.


    The snow fluttered on this night, but Fresh Flower Town was destined to be bustling.


    Tomorrow would be just as busy, as over eight hundred serfs, looking to integrate into the life of Fresh Flower Town, would need time. The biggest barrier among them was the language issue, as the here spoke Serpent Script, while most of the new serfs spoke Wind Language¡ªfortunately, an earlier group of new serfs had already learned basic Serpent Script and could facilitate communication.


    After dinner, Liszt went for an inspection of the town.


    Seeing the emaciated children shivering in the cold wind, being directed by the officials to greet him, he felt uncomfortable¡ªthis was a direct clash of two worldviews.


    A sigh in his heart.


    After showing his face, he went straight back to the castle, with no mood to linger.


    Upon returning to the castle, he went straight upstairs, where he happened to see the maid, Little Lily, bending over to clean. Her improved version of the maid¡¯s uniform stretched her skirt, revealing a pair of straight white pantyhose over her long legs. Under the cover of her skirt¡¯s hem, there was a round curve, worthy of respect.


    Hearing the footsteps, Little Lily quickly turned around, stood in the corner of the wall, and let Liszt pass: ¡°My lord.¡±


    ¡°Carry on,¡± said Liszt, regretfully retracting his gaze and entering his study to stabilize his emotions for three minutes before picking up a piece of volcanic glass from the table.


    He had studied it for a while before his noon rest.


    No matter how he circulated his Dou Qi, he couldn¡¯t penetrate the volcanic glass to come into contact with the mana locked within the bubbles. This Fire Dragon Magic Power was trapped in the bubbles as if utterly solidified, not allowing a hint to escape.


    However, after some exploration, he nonetheless discovered something.


    The Fire Attribute Mana surrounding the volcanic glass was distinctly more agitated, as though drawn by the Fire Dragon Magic Power inside the bubbles. This resembled a magnetic field¡ªdespite being separated by the volcanic glass, unable to make contact, it could still cause the Fire Attribute Mana to become restless. That¡¯s why Marcus could sense its magic power.


    ¡°Based solely on this characteristic, it seems suitable for manufacturing magic equipment.¡±


    He mused silently: ¡°If there were a large number of volcanic glasses aligned together, could they form a magic array? Then could it incite a riot of Fire Attribute Mana within the magic array, creating an environment rich in Fire Attribute Mana? If a magician were placed inside, could they effortlessly conjure fireballs?¡±


    This seemed somewhat pointless.


    So, he was more inclined to smash open the volcanic glass and release the Fire Dragon Magic Power within. However, once released, the consequences of this distinctly Fire Dragon Mana were uncertain.


    ¡°Could it infect the surrounding environment, for instance, starting a large fire?¡± He couldn¡¯t be certain, but obviously, his study was not the right place for such a release, as the bookshelves held many decorative books, too valuable to be burned.


    Daytime would be better.


    Armed in armor, he could find an open space to release the Fire Dragon Magic Power.


    But then he thought that might be overreacting¡ªjust a few bubbles in a piece of volcanic glass, how much mana could they store, how strong a reaction could they produce.


    After a moment of indecision, he chose not to smash the volcanic glass.


    He contemplated several possibilities and potential uses, leaving the verification for the following day.

 Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 0218: Deserving of an Oscar (First Update)

    Chapter 218: Chapter 0218: Deserving of an Oscar (First Update)


    If a thief suddenly emerged, even if she were a woman, Liszt would find an opportunity to eliminate her¡ªhow could he let someone who threatened his own life to grow fond of him?


    But as the reward for the Smoke Mission.


    Eliminating her would be like throwing the reward away, after all, the Smoke Mission had already given a ¡°hint¡±¡ªthe serf Maggie.


    The apprentice maid Maggie was the key to unlocking the reward, the key to having control over this female mercenary or female magician. As for how to use the key to open the treasure chest, it certainly wasn¡¯t about capturing Maggie and threatening the other party. The best way would likely involve love.


    ¡°Maggie has already formed a contract of mother and daughter with Mrs. Harriet from the general store; counting that, this female mercenary is practically half a Fresh Flower Town¡¯s person!¡±


    Since she was one of his own people, Liszt¡¯s mood suddenly brightened.


    And he began contemplating how to best play his cards¡ªMaggie and his personal reputation.


    At this moment.


    The female mercenary had already stated who she wanted to take away, ¡°I want to bring a maid from the castle with me, does the Baron agree?¡±


    ¡°A maid from the castle?¡± Liszt pretended to ponder for a moment before speaking, ¡°There are sixteen maids in the castle, which one would you like to take away?¡±


    ¡°Eileen.¡±


    ¡°Eileen Four Fingers?¡± Liszt looked at the female mercenary in surprise; he hadn¡¯t expected her to play mind games with him. If he hadn¡¯t already speculated, he would have been fooled, ¡°Why take Eileen away? Give me a reason to agree to it.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a maid, what reason do you need. Baron, if you want to test whether my sword is sharp, I don¡¯t mind letting you find out.¡±


    ¡°My sword hasn¡¯t rusted either.¡± Liszt stood his ground as he met the bright eyes of the female mercenary.


    He was half performing, half confident.


    With Douson, with the Crimson Blood Sword, as an Elite Earth Knight.


    As long as she was not a Sky Knight, she would have no advantage over him.


    With confidence, he could perform at ease¡ªshow the Landlord¡¯s affection for his people, his own tough side, display the nobility image that met the common people¡¯s expectations¡ªin a knight system, equality does not exist, brave and merciful Lords are the incarnations of justice.


    The worn leather armor of the female mercenary clearly indicated her lower social status.


    A moment later.


    She indeed took a step back, ¡°Eileen is my sister, is that reason enough?¡±


    ¡°Your sister?¡± Liszt smiled, ¡°If it¡¯s true, I will call her over for you to identify in person. I have no opposition to family reunions. In fact, you could have approached me directly as her relative. Eileen applied for the maid position herself in Coral City, it¡¯s her own choice to stay or leave.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know she has a sister like me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, that reason does not hold. Eileen¡¯s parents are in Coral City working the fields for Tulip Castle. I don¡¯t think she would suddenly have a thief, mercenary, or magician for a sister. Therefore, until Eileen confirms it herself, I cannot let you take her away.¡±


    ¡°What if I insist on taking her away?¡±


    ¡°It seems my actions have led to a misunderstanding.¡± Liszt suddenly placed his hand on the hilt of the Crimson Blood Sword, speaking earnestly, ¡°Serfs work for their Lord, and the Lord protects the safety of his serfs. This is the knightly honor I live by. I don¡¯t allow, and you shouldn¡¯t think of taking away anyone from Fresh Flower Town!¡±


    This series of actions was full of momentum, the words spoken with passion, resonating with conviction.


    Paired with his handsome face, the sense of justice was overwhelming.


    Of course, there was the suspicion of trying a bit too hard¡ªa Lord with such a strong sense of justice seemed somewhat grandiose and empty.


    Across him, sitting on the chair, the female mercenary¡¯s bright eyes were glinting, not responding to Liszt¡¯s righteous rebuke for a moment. Just when Liszt was about to feel awkward, she finally spoke slowly, ¡°You¡¯re different from the other Lords I¡¯ve killed, Baron. I will stay in Fresh Flower Town for a few days to see what makes you different from the other Lords.¡±


    She then stood up, roughly one meter seventy-five tall, quite tall.


    Liszt narrowed his eyes.


    He felt that whether he let her go out or stopped her from leaving would not be a good solution¡ªthe key point, he couldn¡¯t gauge the other party¡¯s strength.


    It certainly wouldn¡¯t be weak.


    If the strength was insignificant, the Smoke Mission wouldn¡¯t need to be so formal in considering her as a type of reward.


    As she arrived at the door of the study, ready to open it, Liszt stood up and followed her, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are targeting Eileen, but I must warn you not to attempt to harm Eileen. Do not have any ill intentions in Fresh Flower Town, and, leave your name.¡±


    ¡°Swann.¡± The female mercenary smiled, unconcerned with Liszt¡¯s threat.


    It wasn¡¯t a standard female name; probably an alias, Liszt guessed.


    Thomas, who was arranging the living room, saw Liszt follow a female mercenary out and was stunned. He then came forward to greet, ¡°Master.¡±


    Liszt said, ¡°Thomas, escort this uninvited guest, Miss Swann, out of the castle. Also, inform Consultant Goltai that she can be accommodated in a new house in town.¡±


    Feeling that such an enticement was too deliberate, he added, ¡°Her board and lodging costs should be the same as for the foreign merchants.¡±


    Although Thomas was puzzled about how such a woman in that attire appeared in the castle, he still respectfully accepted the command, ¡°Yes, Master. Miss Swann, please follow me.¡±


    After Swann left the castle with Thomas.


    Butler Carter, filled with confusion, asked, ¡°Master, I haven¡¯t seen Miss Swann enter the castle, I¡¯ve been dusting in the hall the entire time.¡±


    ¡°She climbed over the wall to get in,¡± Liszt stood at the doorway, watching Swann¡¯s figure disappear down the road, ¡°I will tell you about her origins when the time is right. For now, pay more attention to the servants in the castle, especially the maids. If they have any grievances, they should be resolved promptly.¡±


    Carter, of course, did not ask further, ¡°As you wish, Master.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Mr. Carter, call Eileen to my study, I have some questions for her.¡± Since the female mercenary claimed she came for Eileen, he had to act accordingly.


    Eileen hurriedly came to the study.


    ¡°Master, did you call for me?¡±


    ¡°Eileen, how many siblings do you have in your family?¡±


    ¡°I have two younger brothers.¡±


    ¡°No sisters? Or any cousins?¡±


    ¡°No, Master.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have any, like a sister who was given away to someone else when she was a child?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about that, but my mother was only seventeen when I was born, so I don¡¯t think there would be another sister.¡±


    Therefore, the possibility that Swann was Eileen¡¯s sister was essentially eliminated; she was just being cunning. Liszt felt a great relief, his tone became even more amiable, ¡°How is the work in the kitchen going?¡±


    ¡°Everything is going well, Master.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear, if anything comes up, you can report directly to Mr. Carter. You should take good care of the young maids in training in the kitchen, as their elder sister, don¡¯t let them be mistreated.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I will.¡±


    With the conversation over, he sent Eileen away.


    Liszt carefully went over his response after encountering Swann, feeling that there were a few details that were not well managed, with some small flaws, but overall, he had handled things quite well.


    There was no inappropriate enthusiasm, no deliberate hostility.


    The courage and benevolence that needed to be shown were also displayed, achieving an amiable demeanor as if bathed in the spring breeze.


    Worthy of an Oscar¡­ or at least a Golden Rooster.

 Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 0219: A Choice in Line with Interests (Second Update)

    Chapter 219: Chapter 0219: A Choice in Line with Interests (Second Update)


    The mercenary Miss Swann will stay in Fresh Flower Town for a few days to observe.


    This is a good sign, indicating that she has already taken a liking to Fresh Flower Town and to Li Si Te (Liszt). The following few days will be crucial for solidifying that good impression.


    Of course, there is also the possibility that the good impression could turn into a bad one.


    But the probability is small.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) is confident about this point: ¡°The current Fresh Flower Town is clean and sanitary, with wide roads, and the commoners have houses to live in, clothes to wear and food to eat, and even a little surplus; the Patrol Team is no longer a gang of riffraff, and while it may not be safe enough to leave one¡¯s doors unlocked at night, at least there are no thefts occurring.¡±


    Although the town is rural and not bustling, it has seen significant improvements under nearly half a year of governance.


    This undoubtedly adds many favorable impressions.


    ¡°Trafficking serfs is indeed a disgraceful act, but practically all nobles traffic in slaves, and it¡¯s not just me doing it. Moreover, the serfs who come to Fresh Flower Town do not suffer; they are allocated houses, clothing, and food, and even land, and their quality of life might have even improved. This, at the very least, won¡¯t be a mark against me,¡±


    Such is the nature of the social system.


    The mercenary Miss Swann claims to have killed many a baron, though it¡¯s hard to tell truth from falsehood. But she must understand that what Li Si Te (Liszt) has done already makes him one of the better nobles.


    ¡°And there¡¯s an even more important point. Maggie¡¯s life in Fresh Flower Town is very good, and she has regained a sense of family¡­ She and Mrs. Harriet have formed a mother-daughter contract, which is nothing short of a stroke of genius!¡± Thinking of this, Li Si Te (Liszt) felt there was no reason he couldn¡¯t keep the well-built female mercenary around.


    In law and morality, a contract mother and daughter are no different from a real mother and daughter.


    If the mercenary Miss Swann wants to take Maggie away, she must first sever their mother-daughter relationship. But the key is, would Maggie be willing? Li Si Te (Liszt) had been paying close attention to Maggie and knew that Mrs. Harriet truly treated her like a daughter. The heart of the young maid had already melted.


    Maggie is not a cold-hearted little girl. If she knows gratitude, she will surely not want to make Mrs. Harriet sad.


    ¡°Therefore, I need to discreetly send someone to give Mrs. Harriet a hint. When the critical moment comes, she should retain Maggie. Then, using Maggie¡¯s influence, retain the mercenary¡­ On Eileen¡¯s side, we must also continue to strengthen the feelings, letting the maids feel the love of the castle and the warmth of the large family atmosphere.¡±


    Finally.


    Using his experience from the many failures he had with pursuing girls in the past, he made the most important decision: ¡°Women are emotional creatures, and maybe Fresh Flower Town has a myriad of advantages that the mercenary doesn¡¯t quite appreciate. However, a warm-hearted initiative out of pure goodwill could make her see things differently.¡±


    At that evening¡¯s banquet, only Goltai and Isaiah came along, with others continuing to organize the new serfs.


    Without waiting for the dishes to be served, Goltai asked, ¡°Lord Landlord, what exactly is Miss Swann¡¯s status? I have arranged for her a new residence in the noble living area. Is that appropriate?¡±


    ¡°She may be an enemy, or she might become a friend; it all depends on her choices,¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) did not directly disclose her identity. He continued, ¡°Consultant Goltai, pass the word to Karl and Rom, tell the Patrol Team to keep an eye on her movements, prohibit her from approaching the Flame Mushroom Processing Workshop, the Soap Making Workshop, and the Brewing Workshop. The Bug Guard Team needs to safeguard the Cordyceps, especially those in the Thorn Garden.¡±


    ¡°Your words have confused me a bit,¡± Goltai shrugged, ¡°but I will heed your wishes and remind Karl and Rom as instructed.¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) then turned to Isaiah and said, ¡°With the arrival of new serfs, their clothing, food, and housing need to be properly arranged. I will have the merchant convoy make an urgent purchase of more quilts and cotton clothes. Do not worry about spending money, the most important thing is to take good care of the serfs¡¯ daily needs, to make them feel that the winter in Fresh Flower Town is as warm as home.¡±


    Goltai patted Isaiah¡¯s shoulder and winked, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s important to make the serfs feel the warmth of home. And Miss Swann, she should also witness this scene and feel the warmth of Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Isaiah was no fool; he quickly grasped the essence, ¡°Of course, with a benevolent Lord Landlord like yourself, Fresh Flower Town is a warm home for all the commoners here.¡±


    Liszt smiled as he raised his cup, ¡°Cheers.¡±


    ¡°Cheers.¡±


    ¡­


    He went to sleep in the night.


    Using the Eye of Magic, he carefully checked the castle once more, making sure there were no mercenary women lurking. Liszt then led Douson to the castle hall and let it sleep there.


    And watched with his own eyes as Carter locked the castle gates.


    Only then did he lock his bedroom door and lay down on the bed. He couldn¡¯t fall asleep, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of the female mercenary, Swann. He had complex feelings about this ¡°thief who peeped at the landlord.¡±


    Due to the Smoke Mission, he naturally felt that subduing her would fulfill the reward¡¯s intent.


    But the information revealed in Swann¡¯s words had not failed to impact his senses¡ªclaiming to have killed many barons, this was a clear stance against the nobles.


    Liszt was also a noble, and his ¡°arse decided his head,¡± he would never allow anyone who tried to shake the rule of nobility to exist.


    ¡°Swann is Maggie¡¯s sister, so she should be from the Eagle Kingdom, and the barons she killed should also be from the Eagle Kingdom. I hope this is the case¡­ If she killed people from the Sapphire Kingdom, then I should definitely not leave her alive¡­ Actually, I¡¯ve been too hasty.¡±


    He turned over and continued to think.


    ¡°I should investigate her background first and then decide whether to subdue her. The Smoke Mission has already influenced my judgment, I need to contain this dependency!¡±


    He originally thought the Smoke Mission was the conspiracy of some puppet master behind the scenes, unable to resist such a manipulator.


    But now, guessing that the Smoke Mission was the doing of the Smoke Dragon, a mere grasp of destiny, that gave him the right of independent choice.


    ¡°One¡¯s destiny should be in one¡¯s own hands, not becoming a puppet. Accept what benefits me, discard what harms me.¡±


    His restless thoughts slowly smoothed over, ¡°No matter how beautiful the face beneath Swann¡¯s veil, as long as she doesn¡¯t align with my interests, I absolutely cannot keep her! Even if for Maggie¡¯s sake, she wouldn¡¯t harm Fresh Flower Town or threaten my rule, I must send her away.¡±


    Of course, all these were assumptions.


    Having seen her for the first time, it was hard to judge whether this person who claimed to be Swann was telling the truth or not. Her identity and background were also hard to guess.


    Learning from Maggie, her sister went to study magic; from Swann¡¯s attire, one could infer that she was a mercenary trained in Dou Qi; yet she was capable of Invisibility Technique, which, though the principle was unclear, must be a sort of magic; moreover, the description in the Smoke Mission referred to her as a thief.


    So whether she was a knight or a magician, it was unknown.


    Whether she was a mercenary or a thief, also unknown.


    Touching the Crimson Blood Sword beside his bed, Liszt had completely calmed down, ¡°Let things take their course, I can¡¯t decide whether she comes to Fresh Flower Town or not, but I must decide whether she can stay or not!¡±


    The Crimson Blood Sword was not for decoration¡ªit could truly kill and draw blood!

 Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 0223: Applying to Stay on My Own (First Update)

    Chapter 223: Chapter 0223: Applying to Stay on My Own (First Update)


    That day.


    Maggie didn¡¯t go with Paris, and remained living in Mrs. Harriet¡¯s house. Paris also had her lunch at Mrs. Harriet¡¯s place.


    Liszt didn¡¯t immediately dig deep to interrogate Paris about her background.


    It was like fishing with a long line, where the line cannot be tight at all times, as it could snap due to a big fish¡¯s struggle. What needed to be done was to relax it occasionally, and then tighten it again, constantly trembling, wearing out the big fish¡¯s strength, and finally pulling it ashore.


    Lord Landlord¡¯s life was quite boring.


    Therefore, Liszt had plenty of time to enjoy this method of manipulating people¡¯s hearts. A landlord who couldn¡¯t manipulate people¡¯s hearts wasn¡¯t a qualified landlord. Whether it was using the temptation of benefits, the seduction of honor, or even the threat of binding, these were all means of manipulation.


    After lunch, he met with Old Geronte again and told him, ¡°Go remind Mrs. Harriet that keeping Maggie from leaving is actually quite simple. Just let her sister Paris stay in Fresh Flower Town as well.¡±


    Old Geronte, now an official of the town, was full of energy, ¡°Lord, perhaps it would be better if I spoke to Dennis about it and let Dennis remind Harriet.¡±


    Dennis was Mrs. Harriet¡¯s husband.


    ¡°That works.¡±


    Old Geronte took the order and left.


    In the afternoon, Liszt thought Maggie would take the day off to accompany her sister. However, to his surprise, Maggie came to the castle to start her apprenticeship with the other young maids and young manservants.


    ¡°Mr. Carter, call Maggie here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±


    After Maggie arrived, Liszt directly asked, ¡°Maggie, why don¡¯t you go spend time with your sister? You can take the day off.¡±


    ¡°Lord, I want to work, work, stay in Fresh Flower Town¡­ I don¡¯t want to leave.¡± Maggie was both happy and troubled. Her long-desired sister had indeed appeared, but she didn¡¯t want to leave Mrs. Harriet¡¯s family, nor this beautiful town, and the compassionate landlord.


    She might have been young, but she had seen the landlord of her hometown, sitting atop a tall horse, frequently using a whip to lash at the serfs.


    Once, her father had been harshly whipped ten times by Lord Landlord.


    But in Fresh Flower Town, she had never seen Liszt lash anybody¡ªeven if there were lashings, they were officials punishing the misbehaving commoners¡ªin her simple view, a compassionate landlord deserved to be followed by everyone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maggie. As long as you don¡¯t want to leave, both Mrs. Harriet and I will let you stay. Go back and spend time with your sister now; I¡¯ll have Mr. Carter give you half a day off.¡±


    ¡°Lord, can I really stay?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡­


    Maggie happily took her leave to find her sister.


    The two sisters strolled around Fresh Flower Town all afternoon. Maggie shared the peanuts she had fried in the castle kitchen, and then Paris gave her a pendant.


    The pendant wasn¡¯t very pretty because it didn¡¯t have gemstones or crystals hanging from it, but two wrinkled leaves, one larger than the other.


    ¡°Keep it with you, Maggie, and don¡¯t ever lose it.¡±


    ¡°What kind of leaves are these, sister?¡±


    ¡°The large leaves with wavy edges are oak leaves, while the small elongated ones are mistletoe leaves,¡± Paris explained. ¡°Mistletoe is a plant that parasites on oak trees. It represents hope and abundance, while the oak symbolizes strength and resilience.¡±


    Maggie understood and tucked the pendant into her clothes.


    ¡°Sister, are you going to leave?¡±


    ¡°Maggie, come with me, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Maggie hung her head, ¡°But Mom and Dad were killed, and our village was destroyed. What is there to do if we go back?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ I will protect you,¡± Paris struck a pose with her arm bent and bicep flexed. ¡°You have to believe in your sister¡¯s strength. Even though I¡¯m not a magician, I am more powerful than one.¡±


    ¡°But I think Fresh Flower Town is quite nice. Lord Landlord will protect us, and besides, I have a new mother now. Mrs. Harriet is my mother.¡±


    They still had dinner at Mrs. Harriet¡¯s house that evening.


    Paris once again brought up the idea of taking Maggie away. This time, Mrs. Harriet, who had been tipped off, quietly asked, ¡°Paris, why are you so insistent on taking Maggie away with you? She¡¯s just a nine-year-old girl; how can she adapt to a nomadic lifestyle?¡±


    ¡°I will take good care of her, Mrs. Harriet.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know that, you¡¯re her sister, but have you considered¡­¡±


    ¡°Considered what?¡±


    ¡°Staying in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Mrs. Harriet said with a smile. ¡°If you¡¯re not in a rush to leave, you could stay in Fresh Flower Town, couldn¡¯t you? I¡¯ve lived here for twenty years, it¡¯s peaceful and undisturbed. My son grew up and got married here, and he will soon have children. Maggie can grow up here, too.¡±


    Paris had never thought of this.


    But after a moment¡¯s pause, she found the proposal indeed interesting ¨C she had traversed great distances to Coral Island with the aim of saving her sister sold into bondage, but now her sister was living well. What then was the meaning of rescuing her, and why insist on taking her sister away?


    ¡°I will consider it, Mrs. Harriet, thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    That night, Paris didn¡¯t bring up taking Maggie away again. She still lodged in the noble district, and of course, Liszt very generously waived her lodging fee ¨C he had been kept fully informed about the progress between Paris and Maggie through Old Geronte and others.


    Knowing that the situation had stabilized.


    ¡°Probably tomorrow or the day after, Paris will actively request to stay¡­ if she has no pressing reason to return to the outside world,¡± Liszt mused.


    But to Liszt¡¯s surprise, Paris came to visit the castle the same night.


    This time, she didn¡¯t use invisibility to sneak in but instead presented herself openly and was asked by Carter to wait in the hall. When Carter knocked on the door of the study to ask for instructions,


    Liszt, who was reading, nodded calmly, ¡°Let her come to the study, and while you¡¯re at it, make two cups of milk tea.¡±


    Shortly after, Carter led Paris in.


    Once seated, she got straight to the point without any preamble, ¡°Baron, I was a thief mercenary in a Mercenary Corps within the Maple Leaf Duchy, and although I¡¯ve left, I still retain the status of a registered mercenary. I wonder if you would need to hire a mercenary to work for you.¡±


    The Maple Leaf Duchy, like the Duchy of Sapphire, is one of the vassal states of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    ¡°You mean to say, you plan to stay in Fresh Flower Town to take care of Maggie?¡± Liszt nodded. ¡°Well then, first, make a complete self-introduction. You said you¡¯ve killed nobles, and I am a noble, so I need to ensure that your stay in Fresh Flower Town won¡¯t cause trouble.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ve indeed killed a fair number of nobles, and I¡¯m wanted in the Maple Leaf Duchy, but no one will come all the way to this remote island country to trouble me,¡± said Paris bluntly as she picked up the milk tea and took a sip. ¡°It tastes very good, definitely produced by top-quality cows¡­ If you want to hear my story, there¡¯s nothing to hide. To avoid an arranged marriage, I left home at fifteen in search of a magician to learn magic.¡±

 Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 0229: Cheers for a Hot Shower (Second Update)

    Chapter 229: Chapter 0229: Cheers for a Hot Shower (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The bathhouse needed to burn hot water, a lot of it.


    In this era, humans burned wood to heat water: commoners used firewood, nobles used charcoal, and there were no records of coal use¡ªcoal was likely not a product of dragons, as it is neither a metal nor a gemstone. It seemed that no humans knew about this mineral called coal, at least not in the Duchy of Sapphire.


    There were also no records of other fossil fuels like oil or natural gas.


    According to Liszt¡¯s speculation, given the existence of saltpeter mines and the fact that volcanoes could erupt basalt, it didn¡¯t make sense that coal, oil, and natural gas didn¡¯t exist.


    But that was also uncertain.


    After all, all metal ores originated from dragons, and there were no naturally formed metal ores; therefore, the absence of naturally formed coal and oil wasn¡¯t surprising.


    In short, firewood and charcoal were the primary sources of fuel.


    Firewood consisted of dry tree branches and straw, while charcoal was made by incompletely burning wood, removing moisture and impurities, leaving a solid fuel. Burning firewood caused smoke due to moisture, and it couldn¡¯t burn completely; charcoal, however, was smokeless, burned completely, and was lighter.


    But firewood was cheap, and charcoal was expensive.


    After Fresh Flower Town cut down the trees at Thorn Ridge, they stockpiled a large amount of timber. Besides the wood used for construction, many of the inferior pieces were turned into charcoal for exclusive use by the castle. The commoners picked up a lot of dry wood to take home and store for cooking fires. Since the bathhouse was aimed at commoners, they certainly couldn¡¯t afford charcoal.


    So, with no other choice available, they had to burn firewood, but heating a large pool of hot water and maintaining its temperature would consume an enormous amount of firewood.


    It was labor-intensive, a waste of resources, and environmentally damaging.


    After Liszt obtained the Magic Little Fire Dragon, he decided to take things to the next level and build a ¡°Magic Bathhouse.¡± Natural and pollution-free, it didn¡¯t consume energy and saved labor, providing round-the-clock service.


    The design of the men¡¯s bath was primarily in the shape of a hot pot¡ªthe center was fenced off for the Magic Little Fire Dragon to heat the water, with the surrounding area as a pool for soaking.


    With Douson¡¯s stone columns, building the bath wasn¡¯t difficult.


    They dug pits, laid down stones, and secured wooden planks for waterproofing, quickly constructing the bathing pools. Next, they filled them with water, and Liszt personally released the Magic Little Fire Dragon, continuously adjusting the amount of magic power. Eventually, they determined that a bucket-sized Magic Little Fire Dragon was needed to heat the water in a pool to forty degrees Celsius.


    With that accomplished,


    they built wooden structures around the pools, and the construction of the two bathhouses was completed.


    The entire process took no more than five days. On December 16, they officially opened for trial operation¡ªfree of charge every day from six in the evening until midnight, with a five-minute bathing time limit. From eight in the morning until six in the evening, it was open for a fee, costing one copper coin per person, with no time limit.


    Liszt had his own bathtub hot spring, so naturally, he didn¡¯t care for the public bathhouse.


    But Goltai and others had been eyeing the bathhouse early on. Such bathhouses for bathing were only found in large cities. Coral City barely counted as a big city, but it was far from being metropolitan, so it didn¡¯t have any bathhouses¡ªordinary bathhouses that used firewood for heating were extraordinarily expensive.


    ¡°Mmm, comfortable, so comfortable it reaches the bones.¡± Goltai sat in the hot pot bath, soaked by the warm water, moaning in comfort, almost wanting to shout out loud.


    Bathing in warm water on a cold day was indeed a supreme luxury.


    The men¡¯s bathhouse was located in the commercial district, with a conspicuous sign¡ªFresh Flower Town Public Men¡¯s Bathhouse.


    The women¡¯s bathhouse was situated between the common residential area and the office district, also bearing a conspicuous sign¡ªFresh Flower Town Public Women¡¯s Bathhouse. Karl also specifically recruited a few female patrol members to be responsible for the bathhouse¡¯s security maintenance, to prevent peeping toms from spying on the bathing commoner women.


    At this moment, Paris was lying in the bath with her sister Maggie, enjoying the soaking in warm water.


    ¡°It¡¯s so comfortable, sister.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s very comfortable. I never thought that in such a small rural town, we could bathe in such comfortable hot water,¡± she said contentedly as she scrubbed the dirt off her body, having not taken a serious bath during her long travels, ¡°Eating delicious food every day, working so easily, and being able to soak in hot water, living in a clean and tidy house, Maggie, your sister has fallen in love with this place.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Maggie loves Fresh Flower Town too,¡± Maggie paddled around in the pool trying to swim, then ran back to help her sister scrub her back, all the while chanting, ¡°Praise the Lord, praise the noble Lord Landlord of Fresh Flower Town!¡±


    They enjoyed the pleasure of having their backs scrubbed.


    ¡°`


    Paris squinted her eyes, feeling so comfortable that she wanted to sleep, and couldn¡¯t help but express her agreement, ¡°Baron, Baron is truly extraordinary.¡±


    With Liszt¡¯s deliberate concealment, nobody asked exactly how such a large pool of water was heated.


    On the first trial business day, during the daytime, not many people came to bathe.


    Because commoners had already gotten used to not bathing, some even didn¡¯t take a single bath throughout the entire winter. Moreover, bathing cost a copper coin, and they weren¡¯t foolish. With that money, it was better to heat water at home for a body wipe and save enough to buy four large black loaves of bread to eat for several days.


    However, after six o¡¯clock in the evening, the number of people coming to bathe swelled substantially.


    Civilians returning from work at construction sites and wastelands formed long queues, not wanting to miss out on anything free. Luckily the pool was large, and the allotted time was only five minutes, which was just enough for everyone to bathe. After just one round, the water in the pool turned black, with a thick layer of mud and grime floating on top.


    The serfs didn¡¯t mind and enjoyed the hot water soaking with giggles and laughter.


    Bathhouse workers shouted loudly, ¡°This is the great Lord Landlord¡¯s benefit for the common people. The happiness you are enjoying is all thanks to the Lord Landlord!¡±


    Thus, the serfs responded loudly and in turns, ¡°Praise to the Lord Landlord!¡±


    After washing up, there were workers loudly proclaiming, ¡°The great Lord Landlord has bestowed upon you hot water!¡±


    ¡°Praise to the Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord is so great.¡±


    ¡°Great Lord Landlord, great Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    All sorts of slogans relentlessly poured from the serfs¡¯ mouths, including those new serfs who stumbled through the Serpent Script, ¡°Praise to the Lord Landlord.¡±


    This was Goltai¡¯s idea, a rather forceful propaganda-like brainwashing tactic.


    Liszt didn¡¯t oppose it¡ªhe believed that the common people should naturally be grateful to him, as Fresh Flower Town was the only place in Coral Island with a bathhouse open to freemen and serfs.


    Although his original intention for establishing the bathhouse was to complete the Smoke Mission, he thought good deeds should be praised and extolled.


    Right?


    ¡­


    At the banquet, after having bathed and coming over to freeload a meal, the buoyant Paris couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°The public bathhouse of Fresh Flower Town is a noteworthy achievement, Baron,¡±


    Liszt, cutting his steak, responded indifferently, ¡°I bestow upon my subjects food, cotton clothes, copper coins, and jobs, and even hot water for bathing. No one is more suited to be a landlord than I am.¡±


    Goltai immediately stood up, raising his glass high and shouted, ¡°To the hot baths, to Fresh Flower Town, a toast to the great Baron Liszt!¡±


    ¡°A toast to the great Baron Liszt!¡±


    Seeing everyone lifting their glasses, Paris couldn¡¯t continue to eat and drink in peace and followed suit, lifting her glass, ¡°A toast to the great Baron Liszt.¡±


    Liszt raised his glass towards his followers and subordinates, smiling in acknowledgment, ¡°I stand with you all.¡±


    Every time such a situation arose at a party, it left him thoroughly pleased. It was also the reason he favored Goltai as an advisor for the town, as at least in the aspect of leading the flattery, Goltai¡¯s performance deserved extra points.


    But getting too full of oneself wasn¡¯t good.


    After all, as a rational adult with just a hint of wine on his lips, he thought to himself, ¡°I need a Loyal Minister.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    With burst releases at five in the morning for ten consecutive days, Old White hasn¡¯t asked for votes in a long time. Now, with the new book¡¯s monthly vote rankings being unstable, I ask everyone who has votes to cast them for Old White to solidify a position in the top ten of the monthly votes!

 Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 234 Tulip Family’s Family Dinner (Second Update)

    Chapter 234: Chapter 234 Tulip Family¡¯s Family Dinner (Second Update)


    ¡°Young Master Levis and Young Master Lidun are at the Knight Academy, and Miss Li Vera is accompanying the elderly lady to watch a comedy in Coral City. They do not know of your arrival today and will probably not be back until noon,¡±


    Louis led Liszt up to the upper floors of Tulip Castle.


    The celebration banquet was not scheduled for today; all members of the Knight Order had returned to their territories to deal with their respective affairs, and the banquet was set to take place the day after tomorrow, on December 23. Therefore, Tulip Castle was not very lively at the moment, with only a few hundred servants busy at work within the castle.


    Rondo, Lasse, Paris, and others, who were not nobles, could not ascend the floors and had to wait downstairs.


    ¡°Master Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Master Liszt.¡±


    The servants in Tulip Castle greeted him with a bow as they saw him.


    They quickly passed the living room and saw Lady Marie having tea. She was listening to a report from the deputy butler, Silva, probably dealing with the management of Tulip Castle¡¯s properties.


    ¡°My lady, may I offer my greetings,¡± Liszt said politely, his voice revealing a hint of unfamiliarity.


    Lady Marie responded warmly, ¡°Liszt, how come you¡¯re here today? Your brothers and sister have not yet returned. You should have informed us earlier so that I could prepare.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for special preparations. I will stay at Tulip Castle for a few days. Today, I just missed my father and brothers too much, so I came early.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? You must have a lot to say to your father. Go on; he¡¯s in the study.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After bidding farewell to Lady Marie and arriving at the study, the doors were already open; servants had informed the Earl of Liszt¡¯s arrival. There were not only the Earl in the study but also several strangers, who could be identified as officials from Coral Island based on their attire and the way they stood in the study.


    These officials were all minor nobles.


    The Earl, looking over from behind his desk, said to the group of officials, ¡°You may leave now. I won¡¯t keep you for lunch; I am hosting a family banquet.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± the officials took their leave.


    They also greeted Liszt, ¡°Master Liszt, long time no see.¡±


    ¡°Good to see you,¡± Liszt replied with a smile, not recognizing any of them. He had spent most of his time at the Knight Academy before coming of age and truly didn¡¯t know who these officials were.


    Once the officials left and the servants also departed, closing the door behind them.


    Seeing the Earl again, Liszt felt differently¡ªIt was challenging to truly establish a father-son relationship when the blood connection was there, but their souls had previously been unconnected. However, that didn¡¯t stop him from reconsidering how to position his relationship with the Earl from both a benefit and a familial perspective.


    In simple terms, Liszt¡¯s sense of identification with the Tulip Family had increased.


    His predecessor was timid and liked to evade, feeling invisible and overlooked by everyone. However, through just a few encounters, Liszt noticed some previously overlooked details.


    Lady Penelope, who constantly grumbled about not liking him, actually cared a lot about her grandson; his sister, who always bullied him, had never gone too far; his greedy brother mostly targeted Lady Marie and Lidun and hadn¡¯t really gone after Liszt.


    Lady Marie and Lidun might look down on Liszt, but they maintained a superficial politeness on the surface.


    Just now, the brief exchange with Lady Marie gave Liszt the impression that she had become somewhat warmer¡ªprobably recognizing that Liszt would not be mediocre in the future, she had to reconsider how to handle their relationship¡ªeven if they couldn¡¯t be close, she needed to try and be as friendly as possible.


    What surprised Liszt the most was actually the Earl himself.


    This powerful Sky Knight, the Sea Wave Sword Saint Li Weiliam Tulip, was not as indifferent to his second son as the predecessor¡¯s ¡°memory¡± had suggested.


    He wore a smile as he measured up the increasingly dashing Liszt.


    He extended his hand, motioning for him to sit down and talk.


    ¡­


    The predecessor always felt that the Earl was disappointed in him, especially since at the coming-of-age ceremony, he had been made a baron of the most remote small town, and was given only four Elf Bugs.


    The gap was colossal compared to Li Vera¡¯s allocation ceremony.


    This once affected the transmigrator Liszt¡¯s feelings.


    He felt that the Earl surely did not value his second son, but after digesting the memory imprints of his predecessor and analyzing with an adult¡¯s rationality, he thought that it might not be so simple¡ªthat if the Earl truly did not care, he could have made Liszt an almost noble with no title at all.


    Many nobles¡¯ second sons ended up in such circumstances, with no fief and no title.


    But the Earl had given him the title of Baron and a small town fief, just that the location was not great and material compensation was less. This was far from neglect, in fact, it showed more consideration than many other nobles¡¯ second sons received.


    Even after the allocation, on the first Sea Festival, the Earl brought his family to celebrate in Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°There was probably some disappointment because he had placed great hopes on him¡­ The remote fief and baron title were perhaps meant to let his predecessor lead a quiet life¡­ Having a title meant not needing to struggle on the battlefield. The town could sustain basic needs, but was insufficient for forming a knight squad, let alone fighting in a war.¡±


    These thoughts swiftly crossed Liszt¡¯s mind, but he couldn¡¯t be sure.


    Familial affection was not his forte.


    ¡°Father, upon receiving news of your safe return, the weight in my heart was quickly lifted, and seeing you well fills me with joy,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve caused you to worry,¡± the Earl smiled. ¡°This Pioneer Mandate expedition concluded somewhat hastily, and the gains were modest, but fortunately, your brother has matured a great deal after experiencing a war.¡±


    ¡°Is my brother safe as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, compared to his former impetuosity, he is now more polished and steady¨Cmost importantly, he has established his own prestige.¡± There was nothing that made a father happier than seeing his heir mature, ¡°When I returned to Coral Island, I immediately heard news about you.¡±


    Liszt smiled.


    The Earl took out some high-quality red wine from the cabinet and poured a glass for himself and his second son, ¡°A cause for celebration, indeed. So, where is your Jela?¡±


    ¡°My servant is looking after her,¡± Liszt replied.


    The Earl rang a bell to call a servant, and Liszt quickly said, ¡°Please inform my valet to bring Jela over.¡±


    The servant took the order.


    The Earl then asked, ¡°Would you prefer to hear stories from the battlefield first, or talk about the developments in Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear the stories from the battlefield first,¡± said Liszt without any hesitation.


    Surprised for a moment, the Earl said with a sigh, ¡°Indeed, the warmth of a castle can restrain one¡¯s ambitions. A fledgling needs to keep trying to fly¡­ As for the war stories, Levis would probably talk your ear off for a day and a night, so I won¡¯t bother. Let us play a strategic game simulation instead.¡±


    A strategic game simulation was an early form of war chess used to simulate military scenarios.


    A thick leather map depicting the coastal region of the Eagle Kingdom was spread out, and crystal pieces symbolizing castles, knights, and Sky Knights were placed one by one.


    The game could now begin.

 Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 0238: Extravagant Performance (First Update)

    Chapter 238: Chapter 0238: Extravagant Performance (First Update)


    The banquet was not grand; it consisted of the Earl summoning the officials of Coral Island while Levis invited his subordinates to gather and chat.


    After the banquet, Liszt found an opportunity and went with Levis into his study.


    ¡°Brother, how are your skills at tasting spirits?¡± Liszt took a bottle filled with Primeval Floral Brew from the servant¡¯s hand, unscrewed the cap, poured a glass and pushed it in front of Levis, ¡°Try this spirit and give me an evaluation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite good at evaluating liquor, hmm, what kind of spirits is this, and where did you get it?¡± He picked up the glass, sniffed it, ¡°It tastes awful, there¡¯s a rancid smell, it looks like inferior spirits. The diluted spirits I drank during the war in Eagle Kingdom were better than this!¡±


    Having said that, he put the glass to his lips and sipped just a bit, ¡°It¡¯s sour, lacks strength, this liquor is really poor quality.¡±


    He put down the glass and said no more; his meaning was clear without words.


    Liszt¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he continued to ask, ¡°Brother, how much do you think a bottle of this spirit could sell for?¡±


    ¡°How much per bottle?¡± Levis squinted, ¡°Liszt, don¡¯t tell me, is this spirit brewed in Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    ¡°As you said, this is exactly the self-brewed spirits, Fresh Flower Brew, that I am studying. Although it¡¯s not yet successfully brewed and the quality of the obtained spirits is very low, but anyway, I have already researched the technology for distilling spirits, haven¡¯t I.¡±


    Upon hearing this.


    Levis¡¯s eyes lit up, and he couldn¡¯t wait to speak, ¡°What? You¡¯ve already researched the technology for distilling spirits? Oh my God, Liszt, don¡¯t lie to me, okay, do you know how valuable the technology for distilling spirits is? In the Grand Duchy, there are only five kinds of spirits, with three in the hands of a Marquis and two in the hands of the Grand Duke.¡±


    The Earl considered Levis mature for having been on the battlefield.


    But at this moment, Levis was still the same Levis, his impatient eyes reddening, ¡°Even our grandfather hasn¡¯t mastered the technology for distilling spirits!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised, brother. It¡¯s just the business of spirits. Compared to magic potions, the business of spirits is nothing,¡± Liszt responded nonchalantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± Levis breathed heavily, ¡°Of course, magic potions are valuable, but they are barely enough for our own use. Tulip Castle¡¯s magic potions are needed by our father, by me, and perhaps Lidun will take a part in the future, and Li Vera, she will definitely have the nerve to take some away!¡±


    With the magical powers of the Tulip Great Elf, the Black Tulip can produce a large amount of magic potions, but there are many who rely on these potions.


    Indeed, the business of the Black Tulip was signed by the three siblings.


    But once the power of the Greater Elf is used, the share that must be handed over to the Earl can¡¯t be lessened by a bit, leaving Levis at most to consume all the increased revenue.


    As he spoke, he said with some envy, ¡°I¡¯m not as lucky as you, with intermediate magical beasts, the Black Tulip, Flame Mushroom, and Magic Medicine Thorns all for your own personal benefit!¡±


    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t make much money from magic potions, brother.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t, not a single Gold Coin. All the money from my other business is thrown into magic potions. Do you know I wince every time I take a bottle of magic potion¡­ and you are not an Elite Earth Knight, you can¡¯t understand the pain and pleasure of an Elite Earth Knight.¡± His expression was almost contorted.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re really short of money, brother.¡±


    ¡°Asking knowingly.¡±


    ¡°What if I am willing to share the spirits business with you, brother?¡± Liszt cast the bait he had prepared, simply tossing it out¡ªtruly tired of continuing the charade.


    Levis¡¯s exaggerated expressions and tone were all an overblown act, unconvincing at heart. He probably guessed something about the situation as soon as Liszt asked him to taste the spirits¡ªLevis was never a fool, advancing to Earth Knight status as a youth, hailed as a genius.


    If it were an outsider, Liszt might have had to feign politeness.


    But since it was his own brother, he decided to be upfront.


    Indeed, upon hearing Liszt¡¯s words, Levis immediately dropped his exaggerated act and adopted an eager tone, ¡°What, Liszt, are you saying you want to share the white liquor brewing technology with your brother?¡±


    ¡°The value of the white liquor brewing technology has been made clear to me by my brother. Before I split from the family, it doesn¡¯t matter who holds it, but if the day comes when I do, I¡¯ll be sure to hand over the white liquor brewing technology to you first. My idea is that I¡¯ll handle the brewing, you take care of the sales, and we split the profits fifty-fifty¡­¡±


    After some haggling.


    The brothers had essentially settled on their method of cooperation.


    Levis would provide protection for the white liquor business, supply the necessary raw materials for brewing, and handle external sales, taking sixty percent of the profits; Liszt was responsible for brewing the white liquor, taking forty percent of the profits¡ªa 60/40 split, which Liszt was quite satisfied with. It was normal for the distributor to take the larger share, especially since they also provided protection.


    If one day, the two brothers truly parted ways.


    The cooperation would cease, and the technology would be shared.


    ¡°As of now, the white liquor brewing technology is still being improved. There¡¯s some time before we can truly brew a qualified white liquor. Most importantly, we urgently need a batch of iron tools for the brewing equipment, but Fresh Flower Town is extremely short on iron. I hope you can help me solve this problem.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re eyeing the spoils of this battle?¡± Levis stroked his chin, knowing that if he wanted a part of the white liquor business, he would have to cough up a big favor. ¡°Iron has always been one of the most coveted spoils of war, and we didn¡¯t bring back much ore this time. I don¡¯t have much to allocate¡­ Three thousand catties of iron ingots is all I can spare.¡±


    ¡°Three thousand catties, that should be close enough.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t complain about it being too little, this three thousand catties will be enough to make Viscount Trick and Viscount Jonas green with envy. Oh right, I forgot to ask you¡ªwhy has the production of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s Magic Flame Mushroom stopped?¡±


    Liszt pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°I want to stock up on magic potions.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, brother. Although I¡¯m not as gifted as you, with Jela, I yearn to reach further. Even if I might fail, I still want to try my hand at it, then I¡¯ll be content.¡± Liszt said, half in earnest, half in jest, but no one knew he was already an Elite Earth Knight.


    ¡°What about the Black Tulip and Magic Medicine Thorns?¡±


    ¡°The Black Tulip will continue as usual, I¡¯ll supply it to you; I plan on stockpiling the Magic Medicine Thorns.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a real shame¡­ I find it difficult to dissuade you from trying, just as with Li Vera; I can¡¯t stop her willfulness. However, I still hope you¡¯ll consider it more. If you change your mind, come back to me for a partnership. As your brother, you must trust that I may take advantage of anyone else but not of you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have unwavering faith in this.¡±


    Then, the two turned to the topic of serf trading. With the white liquor business as a foundation, neither was too nitpicky, and they quickly struck a deal to purchase two thousand five hundred serfs for five hundred Gold Coins.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the Gold Coins later.¡±


    ¡°Just make sure to deliver them before the fleet departs,¡± Levis didn¡¯t ask where Liszt had got so many Gold Coins from. He was finding his own brother more and more incomprehensible.


    Gone were the naivety and timidity, replaced by shrewdness and generosity.


    As Liszt took leave, Levis couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°Liszt has come of age, and Fresh Flower Town can no longer contain his ambition. From the way he speaks, he¡¯s even considered splitting from the family¡­ Is he confident he can reach our father¡¯s stature?¡±

 Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 0239: The Earl’s New Toy (Second Update)

    Chapter 239: Chapter 0239: The Earl¡¯s New Toy (Second Update)


    Gold Coins.


    Liszt didn¡¯t have many of these, his current liquid assets amounted to just about a hundred or so gold coins. Indeed, Fresh Flower Town had been making a decent profit from the Fresh Flower Caravan trade and the taxes were increasing day by day. However, the expenditures for the domain were also growing daily.


    Just Liszt¡¯s own food and drink expenses were such that a month would hardly pass without spending several tens of gold coins.


    The various exotic foods were cheap, the cost of ingredients and labor were very affordable. What was expensive was the magical beast meat, he had become a carnivore who could not do without magical beast meat at every meal¡ªif it weren¡¯t for the domain being able to produce magic potions on its own, his personal consumption would be even more terrifying.


    Domain development was even more expensive.


    If Black Horse Island were to be fully developed, it would inevitably become a huge money sink, and it would be difficult to see any returns within at least a year or two; the development of Fresh Flower Town was basically on the right track, but the investment in it was by no means small.


    It might seem bustling with nearly nine months of development, but Liszt had poured at least a thousand gold coins in it before and after.


    If it weren¡¯t for the Smoke Mission, he didn¡¯t dare to imagine how little he could achieve.


    Therefore.


    This time, Liszt would have to rely on the rewards from the Smoke Mission again to cover the shortfall of five hundred gold coins. After thinking it over, he decided to visit the earl tomorrow and exchange some mithril for a batch of gold coins.


    ¡­


    The next day dawned.


    The sun failed to rise promptly, so it seemed a bit gloomy.


    The earl was already up, feverishly writing at his desk in his study¡ªthese past few days he had been very busy, needing to sort out the distribution of the spoils of war.


    ¡°Liszt, you¡¯re up early,¡± the earl indicated for Liszt to find a chair to sit, ¡°Levis didn¡¯t keep you up, talking about war stories all night?¡±


    ¡°Actually, brother¡¯s eloquence still needs work, he¡¯s far from being able to talk nonstop for a whole day and night.¡±


    ¡°Alright, he indeed doesn¡¯t have the talent of a diplomatic. Would you like something to drink? Wine or coffee?¡± Speaking with his son felt stiff without something to drink.


    A father-son relationship could never reach the level of heartfelt communication that existed between mother and daughter.


    ¡°Do you have milk? I don¡¯t want to drink wine or coffee this early in the morning.¡± Liszt could not do without milk, with Dragon Breed Cow¡¯s milk temporarily unavailable, he could only drink regular milk.


    When a servant brought over freshly brewed milk, Liszt could clearly sense that the quality of the milk from Tulip Castle¡¯s cows was far inferior to that from the cows in Fresh Flower Town.


    Even if the cows from the dairy farm weren¡¯t turned into Dragon Breed Cows, they had definitely undergone some mutation.


    ¡°These last few days, I¡¯ve been bathing with Fresh Flower Soap, and it truly is very nice to use. This industry should bring you quite a profit,¡± the earl said.


    ¡°One or two gold coins a day, about the same as the initial seafood business, but now the seafood trade is almost halted, the profits are not as good as before. Fresh Flower Soap, hindered by limited production, can¡¯t expand to other islands for the time being, which keeps my funds in a very tight state.¡±


    ¡°The development of Fresh Flower Town has surprised many, including me, so don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself.¡±


    Pressure.


    There was no such thing as pressure.


    Liszt felt that his daily life really did not have any pressure, indulging in eating and drinking, practicing martial arts and writing, horseback riding, walking dogs, playing with Little Minor Elves, and overseeing the domain. Occasionally, if he had an inspiration, he would have the serfs implement it, otherwise, he would follow up on the Smoke Mission.


    Apart from enjoying himself, he was still enjoying himself.


    Of course, a life of such decadence needed to be kept low-key. So he joked, ¡°There¡¯s still pressure. To achieve my desire to ride a dragon before the age of thirty, I need to work tirelessly at all times.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The Earl momentarily failed to adjust to the humor, ¡°Don¡¯t aim too high and miss.¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Actually, I wish to become a Sky Knight soon. Hearing from my brother about your battle with Count Figo, I am greatly yearning for it.¡±


    This ambition was much more realistic, and the Earl easily accepted it, ¡°I hope that all four of you siblings can aim to become Sky Knights. The Tulip Family strives for progress in every generation. The knight¡¯s spirit of enterprise can never come to a halt; use pressure as a driving force for effort.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Now that I am of age, things that were once unclear to me are now fully understood,¡± said Liszt, suddenly remembering something. ¡°That¡¯s right, Father Lord, apart from bringing some specialties and delicacies from Fresh Flower Town to Tulip Castle, I also prepared a special gift for you and my brother.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what gift?¡±


    ¡°A telescope.¡±


    Liszt took out a beautifully crafted retractable monocular telescope from his pocket and handed it to the Earl, showing him how to use it, ¡°This is a retractable monocular telescope. Place this small eyepiece before your eye, yes, just like that, then point the larger objective lens towards the window.¡±


    After the Earl did as instructed, he was startled at the first glance, ¡°Oh my, the tulip flower sea appears to be right before my eyes!¡±


    ¡°You can pull the telescope¡¯s objective lens tube further out, yes, like that, it can extend even longer.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re getting closer. Do they move, or is this magic?¡± The Earl, holding the telescope, excitedly watched the distant scenes, ¡°I can see Silva, he¡¯s got a cigarette in his hand, and is looking for a place to smoke ¨C a hand-rolled cigarette using fire grass, not a flame striker.¡±


    With the telescope in hand, the Earl began spying, while outside the castle, deputy butler Silva had no idea that his minor act of smoking had been caught by the Earl.


    The excited Earl couldn¡¯t stop for quite some time.


    Liszt was very satisfied with the effect of the telescope, but Silva¡¯s smoking habit suddenly sparked a thought ¨C should he invent matches?


    The fire-making tools in this world consisted of ¡°fire grass,¡± which could be rubbed together to create fire, and ¡°flame strikers,¡± made from fire grass material¡ªneither as convenient as matches.


    Lighters are more advanced, more convenient.


    But Liszt didn¡¯t think he could invent a lighter, it was too technologically advanced.


    As for matches, there was no technical challenge, the only problem being that match heads are made with phosphorus as the igniter. If he remembered correctly, they used red phosphorus, coating it on both the match head and the striking surface of the matchbox separately.


    Strike them together when needed, keep them apart when not, dubbed safety matches.


    ¡°Phosphorus¡­ I do have quite an understanding of it,¡± Liszt thought silently.


    Firstly, in rural farming, a fertilizer called phosphate fertilizer is indispensable; secondly, it¡¯s said that the discovery of the phosphorus element came from alchemy, when a guy dreaming of alchemy accidentally produced phosphorus from urine; thirdly, he had learned in his middle school geography class about a country named Nauru, where bird droppings accumulated, creating phosphate mines.


    Lastly, the legendary will-o¡¯-the-wisp is said to be bone phosphorus burning in the air.


    ¡°So, to get phosphorus, I have to deal with excrement?¡± Liszt was rather helpless. He did not want to be like TFBOYS, ¡°It¡¯d be best to find bird droppings, perhaps on an island with many sea birds, there might be a phosphate mine¡­ Even if I can¡¯t extract phosphorus, I can use it as fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer.¡±


    After carefully recalling his knowledge about phosphorus twice, the Earl finally put down the telescope, still in awe, and said, ¡°Liszt, where did you get such a telescope?¡±

 Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 0241: The Deceased and the Ennobled (First Update)

    Chapter 241: Chapter 0241: The Deceased and the Ennobled (First Update)


    That evening, Liszt hosted a feast for his friends at Tulip Castle, a total of fifteen people. They were all descendants of knights who could not acquire an earldom or Apprentice Knights currently studying at the Knight Academy.


    Among them, the ones Liszt valued most were two Earth Knights: Rick Trace, who had previously said he would follow him on the noble estate, and Griffin Haystack, an orphan.


    Griffin¡¯s Dou Qi attribute was Lightning, and he had just turned twenty. His combat ability was decent, but his only flaw was a stutter.


    Nobles pay attention to their appearance and also to their bearing. One can be ugly but not disabled; a stutter is categorized as a disability. Therefore, Griffin was never selected for the Knight Order of Coral City and was deeply saddened by this for a long time. Liszt¡¯s predecessor even mocked Griffin for it.


    But later, when he found Griffin to be a good, honest person, he gradually felt a sense of camaraderie¡ªof course, maybe he hoped to have a disabled person by his side to set himself off.


    Now, Liszt was very satisfied with Griffin.


    Being honest and hard-working, and seeing himself as a ¡°kindred spirit,¡± Griffin could be said to be a most suitable candidate for a follower, with assured loyalty.


    Besides Rick and Griffin, the rest were Apprentice Knights.


    They might suffice as officials, but fell far short of the requirements for a Knight Squad.


    ¡°By my count, with Marcus, Lasse, Rondo, Rick, and Griffin, I already have five members for the Knight Squad. If I can gather seven more, I can form a team,¡± Liszt considered quietly in his room, where he had lived for over a decade, after sending off his drunken friends.


    Knight Squads work as units, able to practice combined strike techniques, mixing Dou Qi into a single force.


    Having a Knight Squad is what grants the right to enter the battlefield. As for Liszt himself, he could entrust his safety to Douson and the hired Paris¡ªbelieving that the explosive power of one man and one dog could save him from disaster, even if he were chased by a Sword Saint.


    ¡°Besides, I am the Earl¡¯s son; logistics work is my duty!¡±


    If Levis could engage in logistical work on the battlefield, there¡¯s no way he could lose to Levis; he must seize the logistics work for himself.


    ¡­


    The next day was the celebration banquet.


    All the nobles from near and far of Coral Island rushed to Tulip Castle, and together with their servants, the place was as noisy as a marketplace.


    The members of the Knight Order who participated in the battle and had no noble rank¡ªcertain they would not be receiving one this time¡ªcollected their Gold Coin rewards and promptly returned home to their families.


    Seven knights without titles were left behind.


    These seven had distinguished themselves greatly in the battle and could be knighted as Honored Knights. They were all immersed in immense joy, eager for the knighting ceremony to begin immediately.


    In fact, there were another three knights eligible for knighthood, but they were followers of two Viscounts and thus could not attend the celebration banquet hosted by the Earl.


    At that moment in Tulip Castle, there were three Viscounts¡ªTrick Weed, Jonas Shattered Stone, Levis Tulip.


    Sixteen Barons, including Liszt Tulip; seventy-six Honored Knights, and with the newly promoted seven, there were eighty-three.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, the Earl had eighty-two Honored Knights before. It seems we lost six Honored Knights on the battlefield this time,¡± he noted.


    The sacrifice of knights was quite normal, and the loss of Honored Knights was not rare. The death rate for Barons and higher-ranking nobles decreased¡ªthe role of a Landlord is to command his following of Knights. It is the followers who are supposed to fight to the death in dangerous charges; the Landlord certainly wouldn¡¯t lead the charge himself.


    Just like Liszt, when forming his Knight Squad, he never intended to count himself as part of it.


    He had his own reasons for not participating in battle. Mounted on Douson, he was a rearguard presence: ¡°With me here, no need for panic. Charge!¡± he would say.


    ¡°`


    It¡¯s said that there are two types of charismatic leadership¡ª¡±follow me¡± and ¡°go for me.¡±


    Leaders who say ¡°follow me¡± can win the support and love of their subordinates, thus unleashing great combat power; still, Liszt always chose ¡°go for me.¡± How can the life of a rustic compare with that of a noble! Leaders who say ¡°follow me¡± are often already etched on monuments, while those who say ¡°go for me¡± are always your leaders!


    ¡°In fact, this statement isn¡¯t very precise. There should be three types of landlords.¡±


    The first type says, ¡°Everyone, follow me, and we¡¯ll share the benefits.¡± The second type says, ¡°Everyone, go for me, and we¡¯ll share the benefits.¡± The third type says, ¡°Everyone, go for me, and I¡¯ll keep all the benefits.¡±


    ¡°I most aspire to be the third type of landlord, but for now, I¡¯ll settle for the second type.¡±


    ¡­


    The knighting ceremony before the victory banquet was lively, with seven new Honored Knights holding the medals symbolizing their Honored Knighthood, their eyes brimming with hot tears.


    There is a vast chasm between commoners and nobles, often requiring the effort of several generations to bridge.


    But once they have a title, even if they die on the battlefield, their descendants will inherit the title, an honor that is hereditary and unshakeable¡ªunless there are no offspring or a grave mistake is made that rarely leads to deprivation of the noble title.


    ¡°I pledge to serve you to the death, my lord!¡±


    The seven Honored Knights knelt on one knee, solemnly performing the standard knightly loyalty ceremony to the Earl.


    The Earl sat in the main seat, accepting their homage, and spoke words of encouragement and caution, essentially meaning¡ª I hope you will serve me diligently in the future. I have bestowed upon you your titles, and I can also take them back. Maintain a humble attitude, adhere to the knightly virtues, and don¡¯t disappoint me.


    After the knighting ceremony, the atmosphere instantly peaked.


    The Honored Knights were drinking and boasting downstairs, while the Barons, Viscounts, and Earls were doing the same upstairs. Whether they had earned their stripes in battle or not, everyone was drinking heartily.


    Liszt still wasn¡¯t accustomed to such boisterous banquets and lapsed into silence. He only raised his glass when others toasted to him, exchanging a few complimentary words¡ªLiszt¡¯s identity was no longer just that of the Earl¡¯s useless son but that of a Viscount on the rise.


    Even Baron Henderson, who had loudly cursed Liszt for his greed in the territory, sought an opportunity to offer Liszt a pleasing smile and a toast, rather than complaining to the Earl.


    ¡°Baron Liszt, I wish Fresh Flower Town a prosperous business.¡±


    One does not strike a smiling face; Liszt simply responded, ¡°I also wish your territory a prosperous business.¡±


    Baron Henderson wanted to say something more, but he opened his mouth and said nothing. Instead, he drained his glass in one gulp, smiled ingratiatingly again, and returned to his seat.


    The most eye-catching young generation at the banquet.


    Was not Liszt, but his brother Levis.


    This time on the battlefield, though Levis was in charge of logistics and communication, seeing blood and killing enemies had made him a qualified heir in the eyes of the Earl¡¯s followers. With the Earl being too austere, barely wetting his lips with his drink, the followers naturally focused their attention on Levis.


    Liszt was merely affected by the fallout.


    But even with his reticence, his efforts to remain unnoticed, by the end of the victory feast, he was thoroughly intoxicated.


    As the servants helped him to bed, his hazy mind harbored a single thought, ¡°Someday, I will also rise to the rank of Earl. It will be me urging others to drink, with no one daring to coax me to drink!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A new week, please vote for me~


    ¡°`

 Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 0242: Brad’s New Life (Second Update)

    Chapter 242: Chapter 0242: Brad¡¯s New Life (Second Update)


    After a good night¡¯s sleep, the Dou Qi within had dispelled the symptoms of his hangover, and Liszt returned to his lively and vigorous self.


    He proposed his departure to the Earl, ¡°The annual festival is just two days away, I need to return to Fresh Flower Town to attend to some estate matters.¡±


    ¡°Perfect timing, I was about to send someone to notify you about something,¡± the Earl said.


    ¡°Please speak, Father.¡±


    ¡°Last night, ships from Coral Island arrived; the vice butler of Long Taro Castle came aboard one of them, bringing a letter from your uncle Mesiro. The letter mentions that your grandfather¡¯s health has not recovered and this year is likely to be the last time he celebrates the festival. Thus, your uncle hopes that you and your siblings can celebrate the festival at Coral Island.¡±


    The end of Marquis Merlin¡¯s life¡­ Liszt felt an inexplicable sadness. He was very fond of the Marquis who had once gifted him the Gemstone Weapon Bloodsword, not to mention the emotional connection from the memories of his former self.


    ¡°When do we depart?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll return to Fresh Flower Town today, come back here tomorrow, and the day after, you all will set sail together. Two days of sailing will get you there just in time for the festival,¡± the Earl determined the schedule.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Finally, time to go back!¡± Paris stretched and perked up, ¡°I¡¯ve started to miss the egg rolls of Fresh Flower Town already; heaven knows why Coral City doesn¡¯t have egg rolls!¡±


    ¡°Not every place is called Fresh Flower Town,¡± Liszt quipped as he donned his cloak and mounted his Li Dragon Horse.


    The black warhorse, black Magical Beast Leather Armor adorned with a bright red cloak, with the hood not worn over his head, revealing his short light golden hair that fluttered in the cold wind.


    He could dazzle a whole crowd of young ladies and spinsters alike.


    ¡°Young Master Liszt is just too handsome!¡± The maids cleaning outside the castle gates blushed at the sight of him.


    They might be imagining some sort of Mary Sue or Tom Sue story.


    Paris overheard the maids¡¯ whispers and rolled her eyes, but when she saw Liszt on horseback, waving goodbye to Lady Penelope, Li Vera, and Lady Marie, she too was struck with vertigo, overwhelmed by a towering Tom Sue aura that invaded her entire being.


    ¡°No man should be this handsome!¡±


    Riding all the way and arriving at Fresh Flower Town, snowflakes were still falling from the skies of the town, the snow on the ground wasn¡¯t much. The main road was well-cleared; during the days Liszt was away, the officials and serfs of Fresh Flower Town had obviously not slacked off.


    After returning to the castle, the officials immediately came to report their work.


    ¡°Consultant Goltai, these people are Brad¡¯s family; they¡¯ve moved to Fresh Flower Town. You are to arrange housing for them. Also, Philip, send for Brad. I have some matters to assign to him.¡± After Liszt spoke, he added another question, ¡°Have the iron ingots the caravan brought back been handed over?¡±


    ¡°The iron ingots have been stored in the castle¡¯s warehouse, and without your instructions, they have not been given over to the smithy to forge.¡±


    ¡°Keep three thousand jin of iron ingots in the warehouse, take ten thousand jin out and give them to the smithy. Make a batch of construction tools and woodcutting tools as much as you can. The harvesting of the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns will be a big problem in the future.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Soon, the crystal craftsman Brad, who was carving volcanic glass vessels, hurried over to the castle. Then he learned from his family that the Earl had ordered their relocation to Fresh Flower Town to become Liszt¡¯s subjects¡ªa life to be lived in Fresh Flower Town hereafter.


    Brad¡¯s heart was in turmoil, going from a comfortable city dweller to a small-town bumpkin.


    But he dared not complain, for this was the Earl¡¯s command. On Coral Island, no one dared to defy the Earl¡¯s will, not even the noble lords.


    Seeing Brad¡¯s reluctance, Liszt was in a good mood and offered a rare consolation, ¡°Brad, don¡¯t worry about your future life; the wonders of Fresh Flower Town will exceed your imagination.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Lord Landlord, I¡¯m not worried about living,¡± Fresh Flower Town is very beautiful, and the food is delicious¡ªI know all that. But I¡­ I¡¯m worried about my job; I can¡¯t get any crystal carving work here, oh heavens, I feel like I might starve to death.¡± The more he thought about it, the sadder he became, almost crying.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, don¡¯t worry about your livelihood, and there¡¯s even less need to worry about work. You just need to work for the castle, for me. I can assure you of your income, it won¡¯t be less than what you earned in Coral City.¡±


    Brad was a craftsman level artisan, and Liszt valued him highly because he could not only carve crystal but also volcanic glass¡ªthis meant that future glass carving could entirely be entrusted to Brad¡ªglass was a product that Liszt was bound to research eventually.


    After offering a few simple words of comfort, he quickly grew impatient; even the most skilled craftsmen were just commoners in his presence.


    A few kind words if he felt like giving face, or a direct whipping if he didn¡¯t: ¡°Isaiah, remember to build a crystal workshop in the workshop district and let Brad take charge.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    The town¡¯s affairs were not too few, yet not too many either.


    At least, the annual festival of Fresh Flower Town had to be organized¡ªit was a celebration enjoyed by every country. The town also needed a festival so that the denizens could relax and strengthen their sense of unity.


    Goltai, as the consultant, could manage this year¡¯s annual festival for him; Marcus could be sent to Black Horse Island to preside over the festival there.


    With Isaiah, Blair and others taking care of the territorial engineering projects, he felt at ease.


    Moreover, he had decided to let Zambrotta start his duties ahead of schedule, first serving as the town¡¯s legal officer and assisting Isaiah with the management of the construction projects.


    Lasse and Rondo, the two Earth Knights, were plainly sent home for the holiday¡ªafter all, they had not officially followed him yet.


    This way.


    The report concluded.


    He dismissed the officials.


    Liszt began dealing with the castle¡¯s private matters, instructing Butler Carter, ¡°I must return to Tulip Castle tomorrow, for this year I will spend the annual festival at Long Taro Castle on Red Crab Island. Hence, I won¡¯t be back for at least ten days to half a month; preparations must be made. Mr. Carter, look after the castle for me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your will is my guide to action,¡± Carter replied elegantly.


    ¡°Then help me choose gifts first. What gifts shall I bring for grandfather, uncle, and cousin? With Levis and Li Vera taking the lead, there¡¯s no need for me, a mere country baron, to spend too much. It¡¯s best to bring some special products¡ªthe Fresh Flower Soap is quite good, and the oyster sauce as well!¡±


    Oyster sauce was the specialty of Oyster Village, with half of the Fresh Flower Caravan¡¯s seafood business revolving around selling oyster sauce.


    The nobles of Coral Island needed oyster sauce for their cooking.


    It was very fitting as a gift, especially since men, in particular, would like the effects of oyster sauce.


    With oyster sauce and Fresh Flower Soap as the foundation, Carter helped to select a few more supplementary gifts, completing the list of presents. They then discussed issues like how to care for the Elf Bugs.


    Suddenly, Carter remembered something, ¡°My lord, there¡¯s a matter I¡¯m unsure how you wish to arrange.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°When Old Difo from the dog kennel came to check on the Earth Matron, he said she might give birth within the next half a month. I wonder how you plan to handle it?¡±


    ¡°Did he give an exact time?¡±


    ¡°He can only estimate broadly. Should I have Old Difo called over?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Liszt nodded, the Fierce Earth Dog whelps in the Earth Matron¡¯s belly were magical beasts he held in high regard, essential for the future Fierce Earth Dog army.

 Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 0246: Green Flame in the Darkness (First Update)

    Chapter 246: Chapter 0246: Green Flame in the Darkness (First Update)


    You jump, I jump!


    (If you jump, then I jump.)


    Back then, Little Lizhi stood on the ship¡¯s bow, bewitching countless ignorant young girls.


    Liszt always thought, what¡¯s so touching about that? It¡¯s just cheating, depicted as though it were as intense as a thunderous strike igniting the earth.


    But at this moment, looking at Paris, who was so moved that she stammered, he suddenly understood that women really are a different species from men. After uttering that sentence just now, he got goosebumps; it was truly disgusting. He found it hard to imagine how he could say it with even a slight hint of emotion.


    The most crucial point was that Paris actually believed it and was touched, her eyes becoming tender.


    ¡°The Controlling Path is profound and vast¡­ Speaking to men about honor and interests can be effective. But for women, interests and honor are secondary; emotions are what truly matter,¡± he reflected. At this moment, many realizations dawned on Liszt. Practice brings true knowledge, and his understanding of women had ascended a level.


    And he immediately realized why in his past life he¡¯d always hit a wall when chasing after girls, even though he had personally made ice cream for them¡ªhe had failed to win their favor.


    The reasons were simple, two in fact:


    Not handsome enough, and not good at sweet-talking.


    Now, not only was he handsome, but he had also learned how to sweet-talk: ¡°The loyalty of the female mercenary toward me has probably risen by ten points. If the full value is one hundred, it should be around seventy by now.¡±


    The lingering atmosphere vanished in an instant, as the black thunderclouds with lightning flashes had approached. The sky darkened completely, with only the flicker of lightning shining.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, back to the cabin!¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Douson was also pulled into the cabin.


    In the cabin, Levis and Li Vera received the notice, and the three siblings exchanged glances, instantly sharing their thoughts¡ªshould danger arise, the life rafts would be allocated by them. If necessary, all the sailors on this ship could be sacrificed.


    A pang in his conscience, Liszt sat down and sighed inwardly: ¡°I hope nothing really happens. It would be best to arrive at Red Crab Island safely.¡±


    Crack! Boom!


    A bolt of lightning struck just outside the window, and the dark clouds enveloped the fast-moving ship, heralding the full assault of the tempest. The fierce winds howled, accompanied by the pitter-patter of large raindrops, and the once-stable ship started rocking wildly in the waves. Liszt, with one hand braced against the wall, calmly looked out the window.


    The darkness was impenetrable, with no light to be seen save for the flashes of lightning.


    It was as if a giant mouth was swallowing the whole ship. Faint shouts from the sailors could be heard on deck as they struggled to control the ship, preventing it from capsizing in the fierce wind. At sea, wind and waves are the main causes of accidents, and experienced captains know how to navigate through them.


    At this time, the waves weren¡¯t that high, but the wind was very strong, and together with the rain, it slapped the fast-moving ship around like a toy.


    The sister and brothers, who rarely experienced storms, grew tense for a while. Then, realizing that though the ship rocked and its bow and stern rose and fell, there was no sign of it capsizing, they began to relax. Looking out the window, they saw no sign of any Ghost Ship.


    ¡°Molodo was indeed talking nonsense; there¡¯s no Ghost Ship of Marquis Cohen.¡± Levis said with disdain.


    ¡°Did Marquis Cohen really die in the prison on Blue Dragon Island?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s no secret. After Marquis Cohen¡¯s involvement in the failed coup, he was immediately imprisoned by the Grand Duke. Once all of his family members had been captured, he was secretly executed in prison. The Sapphire Family didn¡¯t create their present glory by being kind and merciful.¡±


    Levis spoke with a tone of admiration. He held the Sapphire Family in high esteem.


    ¡­


    It seemed just as Levis had said, this was only a common storm.


    Half an hour later, the clouds still enveloped the sky, but the lightning had ceased, and both the heavy rain and fierce winds had gradually settled, as the swift sailboat regained its stability.


    ¡°The storm has finally passed,¡± Li Vera stretched her back.


    But before she could finish her sigh of relief, the lookout who had climbed to the top of the mast blew the horn once again, its deep sound spreading through the gloomy environment, giving off a sinister feeling.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    No excessive words were needed, the continuous sound of the horn made everyone¡¯s heart sink sharply, all understanding the gravity of the situation¡ªthe storm had stopped, but the danger had not passed. There must be a new threat approaching. Normally, they might think of a sea monster, but having been haunted by the Devil Cloud,


    everyone felt a sense of foreboding as though they had encountered the Devil Cloud itself.


    That feeling became reality.


    Suddenly a sailor cried out: ¡°Ah, light! Light! Light! It¡¯s the green light of the ghost ship!¡±


    Liszt and the others quickly climbed from the cabin to the foredeck, then towards the darkness in the distance where a green glow was moving, heading in this direction, flickering as if truly a wraith of flames.


    Others could only see a wraith of flames.


    Using the Eye of Magic, Liszt saw signs of magic power, faint green magic outlining the vague shape of a tattered sailboat.


    ¡°It¡¯s really a ghost ship!¡±


    He shuddered violently. To say he was surprised was not quite right; he had seen specters before, and had even a Black Dragon Childe with ties to wraiths by his side; specters were not a legend but a very real existence. Nonetheless, he was very tense, as encountering a ghost ship on the vast sea spelled unmistakable danger.


    ¡°The spectral vessel of Marquis Cohen, could it actually be real?¡± Levis, swallowing his saliva, was equally tense beside him.


    No one keeps their composure when facing the implausible sight of a ghost ship; even Douson, the Intermediate Magical Beast, sensed the unease in the air, his fur standing on end as he growled softly.


    At that moment, Levis¡¯s guard, Honored Knight Captain Layden stepped forward: ¡°Do not panic, Sir Levis, Baroness Li Vera, Baron Liszt, we knights possess Dou Qi, even devils can be beheaded by our blades! Gather all knights, prepare for battle against the ghost ship!¡±


    ¡°Philip, Zavier, you lead the Retainer Knights and follow Captain Layden into battle!¡± Liszt made a swift decision.


    Soon, a fighting team composed of knights and Retainer Knights was assembled.


    Under Sir Layden¡¯s command, everyone drew their weapons, prepared to face the ghost ship drawing closer, whose decaying, damaged, and spotty hull could now be seen clearly along with the Ram Head Flag hanging from the mast, engulfed in green flames¡ªas Captain Molodo had said, this was the ghost ship of Marquis Cohen.


    ¡°Baron, be careful!¡± Paris drew her greatsword, guarding in front of Liszt, her tone grave, sensing the threat of the ghost ship.


    Her inner turmoil was intense, her hand clenching white as she held onto Douson¡¯s leash.


    But on the surface, Liszt still maintained his composure, forcibly appearing calm: ¡°It¡¯s just a ghost ship, it might not have been strong while alive, let alone in death. My Crimson Blood Sword has yet to taste fresh blood; it seems it couldn¡¯t wait for the battlefield, so let¡¯s use phantoms to whet its blade instead!¡±


    Clang!


    The Crimson Blood Sword was drawn, and the Dou Qi within him stirred, ready for combat.


    Creak, sizzle, creak¡­


    The ghost ship, drawing ever closer, stirred not a single wave on the sea surface, yet it made a grating noise of decay as it bore directly towards the swift sailboat¡¯s bow, without any intention to evade, just charging straight ahead.

 Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 0247: Overlapping Worlds (Second Update)

    Chapter 247: Chapter 0247: Overlapping Worlds (Second Update)


    The sky was still shrouded in dark clouds, with not a single ray of light.


    Only the ghost ship flickered with dots of greenish ghost fire, and the Goat Head Flag was ablaze with flames, illuminating parts of the sea.


    ¡°Hard to port! Turn! Turn!¡±


    Marquis Molodo¡¯s voice pierced the quiet, followed by the ratcheting sound of the ship¡¯s wheel turning. But despite this noise lasting for a while, it was still impossible to feel the fast sailboat turning around.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been hexed by the devil, Captain, we can¡¯t turn the ship!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no wind, no waves, even rowing won¡¯t get us anywhere!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s truly the Devil Cloud, it¡¯s Marquis Cohen¡¯s Ghost Ship, coming to take vengeance on us!¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have peeked at Lady Gaia bathing in the tavern, truly, I knew I¡¯d face retribution!¡±


    The sailors were already petrified.


    Marquis Molodo was also out of options, the fast sailboat was as if under a freezing spell, motionless, waiting for the collision with the ghost ship.


    ¡°Douson, Multiple Stone Spikes!¡± Liszt, seeing the Captain was out of options, suddenly decided to strike first, pointing at the ghost ship and giving Douson the command.


    Douson, very nervous due largely to the atmosphere, had no idea what the ghost ship opposite was, and upon hearing Liszt¡¯s command, immediately spewed magic from his mouth.


    Pfft!


    Pfft!


    Pfft!


    Several Rock Spikes protruded from the ghost ship¡¯s deck one after another, but unexpectedly, these Rock Spikes did no damage to the ghost ship; instead, they fell directly off the deck, and you could even hear them plunging into the sea with a splash, splash.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Liszt wanted to say this was unscientific.


    But after seeing dragons, elves, specters, and Black Dragon Wraiths, what else could be scientific? Perhaps, in this fantastical Different World, the existence of such things was scientific, merely inexplicable by science.


    In a daze.


    Some sailors had begun to scream, clutching their heads, some even wetting themselves from fear; the Captain slumped in the cabin, his bottle of wine wobbling, wanting to drink but unable to lift it to his lips; even the normally brave Li Vera gripped her longsword, shouting shakily: ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    Unable to resist!


    Everyone watched helplessly as the ghost ship, with an unavoidable posture, collided head-to-head with the fast sailboat, bit by bit.


    ¡°Hold tight!¡±


    ¡°Prepare for boarding combat!¡± Captain Layden raised his Knight¡¯s Longsword and bellowed, ¡°Knights, summon your courage and charge with me!¡±


    His display was worthy of a knight¡¯s stature, fearless and valiant.


    However, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t as he imagined; the collision never came. The decaying ghost ship simply passed through the fast sailboat, like a mist, without any physical presence.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    With his Knight¡¯s Sword raised, Captain Layden was somewhat dumbfounded.


    At that moment, the previously tense Levis suddenly burst with courage: ¡°Liszt, Li Vera, gather around me! Captain Leo, organize the knights to hold the deck. We¡¯ll stay right here and collide with these damn phantoms. Knights with Dou Qi are invincible in battle!¡±


    Liszt gripped his Crimson Blood Sword tightly, quickly joining Levis: ¡°I was just thinking of fighting side by side with my brother and sister!¡±


    As he spoke, he deployed the Eye of Magic in his eyes.


    He could see the ghost ship burning with green ghost fire, its structure outlined by magic, slowly engulfing the fast sailboat. Or perhaps not engulfing, but passing through like a phantom. In the blink of an eye, the decayed hull was already rushing towards him.


    The decayed wooden hull was tattered, and one could even smell the stench of rot.


    It looked very real, but this ghost ship had already ¡°swallowed¡± several sailors who failed to dodge in time. Their cries for help could still be heard as they sat on the deck calling out for salvation.


    Creak!


    The grating sound burst through the eardrums as the Eye of Magic, pushed beyond its limits, collapsed in an instant.


    Liszt and the others were also swallowed by the ghost ship, and everything in front of them seemed to change in an instant. He was no longer standing on the deck of the once-fast sailing ship, but on the crumbling deck of the ghost ship. The surrounding area was shrouded in mist, and he couldn¡¯t see Paris, Levis, and the others who were just beside him.


    But that was only what the naked eye could observe.


    It was as if he were trapped on the ghost ship; he even extended his foot to probe a hole in the deck, and indeed he could actually slip his foot in, meaning he truly was standing on the deck of the ghost ship.


    ¡°Why is this happening?¡±


    Suppressing his anxiety, he thought rapidly but could not understand why one moment he was standing firmly on the deck of the fast sailing ship, and the next he was on the deck of the ghost ship, stepping on it and hearing the creaking as if the boards would break at any time¡ªvery real, not an illusion.


    ¡°Levis!¡±


    ¡°Li Vera!¡±


    He called out, but there was no answer, only the creaking of the wooden boards.


    ¡°Douson!¡±


    ¡°Paris!¡±


    All without response. The mist was swirling, the light dim, and even the will-o¡¯-the-wisps he could see earlier were now gone: ¡°Have I been trapped inside the ghost ship? Why is this happening, are my senses experiencing an illusion? Or have matter and spirit twisted at this moment?¡±


    The triangular theory believed by magicians surfaced in his mind; he remembered what Granney had said about the theory¡ªthe constant transformation of matter, magic power, and spirit.


    But the Crimson Blood Sword was still in his hands; he refused to believe that so many people and the vast fast sailing ship could be transformed so swiftly.


    ¡°I must be having an illusion!¡±


    ¡°Yes, an illusion!¡±


    Rubbing his eyes fiercely, the feeling of fatigue seemed to have subsided a bit. He immediately cast the Eye of Magic again. In a flash, everything around him underwent a drastic change. He saw where his companions had gone; their human shapes outlined by magic power had not strayed far.


    They were just spinning in place, even brandishing weapons to fight, engaged in infighting.


    He saw Levis, desperately swinging his sword at the air in front of him. He saw Li Vera, holding her sword and trembling. He saw Captain Layden, who had chopped down an Apprentice Knight to the ground.


    Then, he spotted Paris, right behind him, less than a meter away.


    Douson was over there too, but Paris and Douson hadn¡¯t noticed each other. Paris held her knights¡¯sword and vigilantly surveyed her surroundings, while Douson kept opening his mouth, apparently barking.


    At that moment, the movement of a magic power figure alerted Liszt¡ªthe subject had fallen from the deck into the hold of the ghost ship.


    Which meant, even though these people, including himself, were plunged into illusions.


    The place they were in was no longer the fast sailing ship but indeed the ghost ship, for only the ghost ship would have such a decayed and hole-riddled deck.


    Without the time to ponder the reasons, Liszt moved straight towards Douson and then slapped him hard on the back: ¡°Douson!¡±


    Douson turned and snapped, shooting a Rock Spike.


    Luckily, Liszt was prepared, he twisted away and continued to slap Douson while constantly calling out: ¡°Douson! Have you even forgotten your master?¡±


    But Douson seemed completely unresponsive, his dog eyes confused as he continued to recklessly release Multiple Stone Spikes.


    It wasn¡¯t until Liszt took out a piece of jerky, found the opportunity to stuff it into his mouth, that Douson finally bit down hard on the jerky, then shook his head, his dog eyes regaining clarity.


    Seeing clearly the person in front of him was Liszt, he held the jerky and barked joyfully: ¡°Woof woof!¡±

 Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 0252: The Messenger of Justice, Li Si Te (Second Update)

    Chapter 252: Chapter 0252: The Messenger of Justice, Li Si Te (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The Goat Head Flag and the ship figurehead, both made from special materials as magic equipment, were hard for Liszt to part with when it came time to destroy them.


    He simply wrapped them in his Dou Qi, pulled out the Goat Head Flag, and tossed it into the Gemstone Space; then he dismantled the Sapphire Dragon from the figurehead and threw it into the Gemstone Space as well.


    The originally not so large Gemstone Space was almost filled to the brim after this frenzied stuffing.


    With the suppression of the Goat Head Flag and the Sapphire Dragon ship figurehead gone, the fog that enveloped the Ghost Ship gradually dispersed, and the people trapped within the mist were about to awaken.


    The planks were rotting, aging visibly fast.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally over,¡± Liszt sighed in relief, wrapping his arms around Douson¡¯s neck, savoring the enormous sense of accomplishment.


    But suddenly, a sharp screech from the spectral mage reverberated in his ears, ¡°No! Damned knight! You¡¯ve destroyed the Goat Vessel! No! You cannot destroy the Goat Vessel!¡±


    Liszt stood on the decaying deck.


    Indifferent to Curtis¡¯s screaming as the fog slowly thinned out.


    He was immensely curious about Curtis, this type of ¡°Lich¡±, and was filled with curiosity towards the ¡°Dragon Domain Landlord plan¡±, and even wanted to slowly study the Ghost Ship beneath his feet. However, his opponent was very cunning; without any means of keeping the balance, staying would be suicide.


    So.


    ¡°You¡¯d be better off dead, not wreaking havoc in the Exiled Lands¡­ not harming souls.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    The piercing scream resonated from the cabin, as if it could perforate the eardrums. ¡°Knight, no! Do not destroy the Goat Vessel, do not destroy my Soul Submerged Wood!¡±


    Her voice was both dismal and shrill, ¡°Knight, please stop! I will offer my Life Box, knight, take my Life Box!¡±


    ¡°Your Life Box is already in my hands, those pieces of Soul Submerged Wood.¡± Liszt scoffed coldly, at this point, the wicked magician still daring to deceive him, was simply insulting his intelligence.


    ¡°No!¡± the spectral mage screamed, ¡°That is just where my soul slumbers in exile, it¡¯s where I self-exile my soul. Before reaching the Exiled Lands, I need the Soul Submerged Wood to protect the integrity of my soul! My Life Box, I give you my Life Box, it¡¯s the key to my returning to the real world!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The shrill screams lingered in his ears, feeling as if the other party was still trying to deceive him.


    But with the Ghost Ship about to collapse, according to the records in ¡°To Prince Annuette¡ªThe Truth of Curtis¡±, even with the existence of the Soul Submerged Wood, she couldn¡¯t maintain her ¡°Lich¡± state once the Ghost Ship was lost; her soul would collapse and she would die¡ªit was one with her.


    It made no sense for her to be playing tricks at such a critical moment.


    With this thought, he tugged Douson and went back down into the cabin. There he saw the spectral mage, whose body¡¯s green light was unstable, trembling as if it might dissipate at any moment.


    ¡°Where is your Life Box?¡±


    The spectral mage glared hatefully at Liszt, extended her left hand, and thrust it violently into her own chest.


    At that moment, as if her chest was being torn apart, green light shone through, and she slowly drew out her hand. Clenching it into a fist, she rapidly presented it before Liszt, opened her fingers, and on her palm quietly lay a blue gemstone ring. ¡°Take it, quick. Put the figurehead and the Goat Head Flag back. The Goat Vessel is about to collapse!¡±


    The Crimson Blood Sword lifted the Sapphire Ring.


    After making sure there were no traps, Liszt picked it up and took a look, seeing nothing special. ¡°This thing is your Life Box? Don¡¯t deceive me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to deceive you. This is the token of love Annuette gave to me¡­ I have no grudge against you; I don¡¯t even know you. All I want is to enter the Exiled Lands with my full consciousness intact, to search for Annuette¡¯s soul!¡± After speaking, the spectral mage fell silent, merely watching Liszt quietly.


    ¡°If I crush it, will you die?¡±


    ¡°No, my soul is anchored in the Soul Submerged Wood, the Life Box is just the key, ensuring I can return to the real world, that I won¡¯t get lost in the Exiled Lands.¡±


    ¡°If I repair the Ghost Ship, what about my friends?¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°`


    ¡°The Ghost Ship is already close to collapse, unable to continue sailing in the Exiled Lands, it will no longer interfere with the real world, and soon it will vanish at the edge of the Exiled Lands and the real world.¡±


    ¡°I have repaired the Ghost Ship, are you sure you will leave immediately, without causing further disturbance?¡±


    ¡°You return my Soul Submerged Wood to me, and I will disappear along with the Ghost Ship right away. Without the Soul Submerged Wood, my soul lacks an anchor, and entering the Exiled Lands, I¡¯d lose myself and become a Specter¡­ I just hope you can protect my Life Box, it¡¯s my only hope of returning.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Liszt turned, swiftly putting the Sapphire Ring into his Space Gem, then left the cabin without looking back, neither promising nor refusing.


    Watching Liszt¡¯s retreating figure, the nearly formless phantom woman magician¡¯s eyes flashed with a ghostly light.


    She seemed to be holding onto hope for the future, to follow the Ghost Ship into the Exiled Lands and find her true love, Annuette Sapphire. However, after waiting for a moment, she saw that the Ghost Ship was still collapsing, the rotted planks finally splitting apart, barely revealing another three-masted schooner.


    She suddenly realized.


    ¡°No!¡±


    She shouted loudly, ¡°No! No! No! Damn Knight! You lied to me!¡±


    ¡­


    Standing on the deck, watching below as the deck alternated between that of a rotting Ghost Ship and a sturdy, fast sailboat.


    The enveloping mist had dispersed, the shadow of the Ghost Ship was gradually fading, and the disappearing schooner was becoming real.


    Or rather, he had gradually returned to the real world from the realm of illusion.


    Around him, Paris, Captain Layden, and others were slowly coming to their senses, looking puzzled at everything before them ¨C blood was everywhere, and amidst the chaos between reality and illusion, many had died.


    Fortunately, Levis, Li Vera, who were pulled into the cabin by Liszt, Paris, Captain Layden, and the Deputy Butler Ranieri were all unharmed.


    Liszt¡¯s two manservants, Tom and Thomas, were wise enough to lie down and play dead, so they were not slaughtered by the Knights.


    But he also saw the bodies of his three Retainer Knights, Sean Redface, York Baldhead, and Theodore Rottensock; the three young men had neither the chance to show their vigorous vitality nor would they ever again on the open sea.


    ¡°No! No! No! Damn Knight! You lied to me!¡±


    The mournful screams of Curtis faintly reached his ears.


    Yet he felt no sympathy in his heart, thinking coldly, ¡°Such a wicked and perverted magician, death is your destiny; don¡¯t come out and harm others again! I, Liszt Tulip, have a line of justice in my heart!¡±


    In the distance, the dreadful screams faded away.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°I will curse you! You damned Knight!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    With Curtis¡¯s last scream, the Ghost Ship violently shattered into dust, blown away by the sea breeze, vanishing without a trace.


    The dark clouds above quickly dispersed, and the sun behind them cast its light anew.


    After carefully checking his surroundings and making sure that there were no traces of Curtis left, Liszt dispelled his Eye of Magic, smiling lightly, ¡°Curse me? Do you even know my name?¡±


    Just then.


    The awakened Paris saw Liszt and with a surprised tone asked, ¡°Baron, are you all right?¡±

 Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 0256: The Inner Struggles of Meioubao (First Update)

    Chapter 256: Chapter 0256: The Inner Struggles of Meioubao (First Update)


    In the afternoon, Count Sharke came to Long Taro Castle to inquire about the sea expedition to exterminate pirates and the Ghost Ship. Liszt and his siblings needed to provide some clues to him to facilitate the confirmation of the Ghost Ship¡¯s matters.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like Sharke.¡±


    Meioubao, who had come to call on Liszt, whispered, ¡°In fact, I dislike both of the earls from Red Crab Island, especially Sharke.¡±


    Liszt, having just woken up, asked curiously, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They lack reverence for Long Taro Castle.¡±


    Liszt nodded.


    He understood; to put it bluntly, it was because Uncle Mesiro¡¯s strength was not enough to establish sufficient prestige. As the next Marquis of Red Crab Island, he lacked the charisma to convince his followers.


    Meioubao continued, ¡°This year, grandfather¡¯s health has not been good, and Red Crab Island did not respond to the Grand Duke¡¯s Pioneer Mandate, there has been some dissent, and I know Sharke is the source of that noise.¡±


    A moment later.


    Liszt met with Count Sharke, whose full name was Sharke Cauliflower, his surname derived from the Cauliflower Greater Elf he owned.


    With a tall and imposing figure, his voice was also very loud when he spoke.


    Following Meioubao¡¯s hint, during the questioning, Liszt particularly paid attention to Count Sharke¡¯s attitude and found that he still held much awe for Marquis Merlin. However, he displayed some slight disrespect toward Mesiro and Meioubao, or rather, it wasn¡¯t disrespect; he simply treated their statuses as equal.


    His conversation with Mesiro had no lack of politeness but also did not convey the sense that Mesiro would be his future landlord.


    He placed both of their positions on the same level.


    And as for Meioubao, that was purely a condescending manner typical of an elder. No wonder Meioubao was displeased; no one likes their follower assuming the posture of an elder, even though Meioubao was not yet the Marquis of Red Crab Island but merely an heir to the heir.


    However, in the knightly system, Meioubao was the master, and Sharke was the subordinate; the master-servant relationship was clear.


    ¡°No wonder when I first came to Red Crab Island, Meioubao came to win me over; the island¡¯s power structure is clearly one of a weak master and strong servants¡­ Once Grandfather Merlin passes away, Uncle Mesiro will likely be unable to control the situation on Red Crab Island.¡±


    When a lord cannot control his own followers,


    The outcome can be very embarrassing; it is inevitable that followers will drift away from a lord who cannot retain them. Such a lord would certainly be the biggest joke among the nobility.


    Liszt suddenly understood why his cousin, despite knowing that the Grand Duke¡¯s youngest daughter had a poor reputation, still pursued her persistently.


    It may have been an attempt to use the princess¡¯s influence to suppress the group of followers on Red Crab Island.


    Being short-handed is not a good thing for a noble family.


    ¡°So should I consider developing on Red Crab Island? With my current trajectory, securing a viscountcy is guaranteed. If I show strength later on, uncle and cousin might rely on me even more, and advancing to earl would be a piece of cake,¡± Liszt wavered, tempted by the shortcut.


    Better to learn to curry favor than to exchange one¡¯s life for a noble title on the battlefield.


    Although that was the case, he was not yet ready to give up his operations on Black Horse Island and switch to Red Crab Island. And the effect of lending a helping hand during prosperity is far less significant than offering aid in desperate times.


    He suddenly pictured a scenario.


    If he had become a Sky Knight and had received the title of viscount, but his father was still an earl, how could he surpass his father and become an earl himself?


    At that time, he would either become a direct enfeoffed earl of the Grand Duke or follow a marquis who could bestow an earldom. By then, his uncle¡¯s family, struggling to support Red Crab Island, would likely beg him to come¡ªby that time, the treatment as an earl would be many times better than going to Red Crab Island now.


    Thinking this way felt a bit like betraying family ties.


    But amongst nobles, kinship always gives way to interests. Liszt was equally aware that if he couldn¡¯t demonstrate his value, the Long Taro Family would definitely not make any sacrifices for him.


    ¡°Of course, right now, I¡¯m probably thinking too much. This time around, the Long Taro Family hasn¡¯t started to woo me yet¡­¡±


    In thought.


    Count Sharke had already understood the cause and effect regarding the Ghost Ship, and immediately paid respect to Marquis Merlin, saying, ¡°Please rest assured, my lord. As soon as the festive season is over, I will lead the fleet and the Knight Order to sweep the seas around Red Crab Island, and shut the mouths of those who gossip about it!¡±


    ¡°Very well, I look forward to your performance.¡±


    Sharke gave another bow, nodded to Mesiro and Meioubao, and left with big strides.


    ¡­


    The new year¡¯s festival is the first day of each year, January 1st.


    On this day, everyone in all the countries chooses to put down their work and celebrate the arrival of the new year.


    Waking up early in the morning, while it was still dim outside.


    Lying in bed, Liszt called upon the long-missed Smoke Mission, ¡°Mission: After a year of hard work, even landlords need to relax, enjoy the upcoming new year¡¯s festival, contemplate the path of development for the coming year, broaden social relations, or simply do nothing and wait for the festival to end. Reward: Unknown reward.¡±


    The reward is unknown, and the mission has still not been completed; it probably needs today to pass.


    Around 10:30 in the morning.


    Liszt was amusing that Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf who liked to spit, while Anna, the maid who once helped him wipe his face, kept making secret overtures to him.


    At this time, a servant from the Long Taro Castle came to inform him that a new guest had arrived.


    The new year¡¯s festival is a family holiday. Without needing to ask, Liszt knew that it was his aunt¡¯s family visiting Long Taro Castle today.


    Indeed, at the castle gate, Liszt, along with his brother and sister, met his mother¡¯s sister, Melinda Taro, the second daughter of the marquis. And her husband, Viscount Roland Pinecone of Longtail City, and their two sons, Russell Pinecone and Rolie Pinecone.


    There was also Russell¡¯s wife, and their daughter, who had just turned one and was wrapped up like a cotton ball.


    Russell and Rolie are Liszt¡¯s first cousins.


    The order of age among the cousins is roughly: 25-year-old Meioubao Taro, 24-year-old Levis Tulip, 22-year-old Russell Pinecone, 20-year-old Li Vera Tulip, 19-year-old Rolie Pinecone, and 17-year-old Liszt Tulip¡ªeveryone ages a year when the new year comes.


    Russell¡¯s daughter is the only younger relative of Liszt.


    ¡°Aunt, uncle, Liszt greets you, happy new year,¡± Liszt greeted them first before speaking. He didn¡¯t have a strong memory of these relatives in his former life.


    Since Melissa¡¯s death, Li Weiliam¡¯s social dealings with Red Crab Island had become increasingly infrequent, so the three siblings would at most visit Marquis Merlin and seldom went to see their aunt.


    ¡°Happy New Year, Liszt. You¡¯ve grown so much, and you¡¯re so tall,¡± Melinda was a plump lady of nobility, unfortunately not inheriting the good looks common in the Long Taro family.


    And it seemed her luck wasn¡¯t great either, just like Melissa, she and her sister both married viscounts.


    But Li Weiliam advanced to an earl early on, whereas Roland Pinecone remained a viscount. Even in his former memories, the aunt¡¯s two sons appeared to be even more useless than ¡°himself.¡±


    Quietly using the Eye of Magic.


    Liszt observed that indeed, the total Dou Qi of the two cousins was only about the same as Li Vera¡¯s, not reaching the level of an Elite Earth Knight.

 Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter 0257: Sky Knight’s Training Journal (Second Update)

    Chapter 257: Chapter 0257: Sky Knight¡¯s Training Journal (Second Update)


    Both sons were no good.


    Viscount Roland, who had the appearance of a middle-aged uncle, was no genius either. As a follower of Marquis Merlin and married to Marquis Merlin¡¯s daughter, one would think he had access to plenty of resources. Yet, after all these years, he remained merely an Elite Earth Knight.


    He had no hope of being promoted to an earl.


    Just as one cannot be a Grand Duke without being a Dragon Knight, one cannot be an earl without being a Sky Knight. However, one could have a hereditary right for three generations, which means that if an earl¡¯s descendant is not a Sky Knight, they can still inherit the earldom, but if they fail to produce a Sky Knight after three generations, then, unfortunately, they must be demoted.


    Originally, there was also the rule that one cannot be ennobled as a baron without being an Earth Knight.


    According to the rules, once Liszt came of age, he would not be able to obtain the title of baron as he had not advanced to Earth Knight. However, since Earth Knights had become dime a dozen, provided one had sufficient nutrition, it was rare for someone not to achieve Earth Knight status. This rule was not written into the enfeoffment system of the Duchy of Sapphire, and the nobles did not care about it either.


    When the earl conferred the title upon Liszt, nobody dared to utter a word of dissent.


    ¡°Liszt, why didn¡¯t your father come?¡± Viscount Roland suddenly asked.


    The question was rather gauche; Li Weiliam had remarried, and Marquis Merlin was no longer his father-in-law, so how could he join the celebration?


    Liszt merely smiled and responded, ¡°My father has stayed on Coral Island, and there are many matters in the territory that require his attention; he really couldn¡¯t get away.¡±


    Viscount Roland was about to ask another question.


    Aunt Melinda interrupted directly, saying, ¡°Your two cousins often talk about you. You used to play together as children, and now that you¡¯ve all grown up, you meet less often.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, how have you grown taller than Levis? You¡¯re very robust and already an Earth Knight? That¡¯s impressive!¡± Cousin Russell said enviously as he thumped Liszt¡¯s chest.


    He was built like his aunt, somewhat short and stocky, and must be the straightforward type; his accent was not quite standard, tinged with a bit of dialect.


    Liszt enjoyed dealing with straightforward people.


    Before he could speak, Russell went on, ¡°Come, let me introduce you. This is my wife, Cassie Broccoli. Her uncle is Count Sharke. And this is our daughter, Rossi, she just turned 2 years old.¡±


    Cassie Broccoli?


    Her uncle is Sharke Broccoli?


    Liszt smiled and greeted the gentle lady warmly, then enthusiastically lifted the little ball of fluff that was Rossi, ¡°Hi, Rossi, say¡­ ¡®Happy New Year, Uncle Liszt.¡¯


    Rossi obviously had no such intention and immediately pouted and started wailing.


    Liszt, startled, quickly handed Rossi back to the servant who had been holding her before.


    Li Vera laughed, ¡°You need to realize that being handsome is of no use with little children.¡±


    ¡­.


    Marquis Merlin¡¯s descendants were all in attendance.


    During the luncheon, the elderly master of Long Taro Castle, in high spirits, drank a few extra glasses. It was unclear whether it was the alcohol that made him livelier or if he had prepared beforehand, but starting with Meioubao, he called his grandchildren one by one into the study.


    Liszt, being the youngest, naturally went in last.


    ¡°Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Sit.¡±


    The clear enunciation and the murky yet sharp gaze proved that Marquis Merlin was not drunk. The old butler brought in two cups of coffee and casually closed the door to the study.


    ¡°You¡¯ve given me quite a surprise, Liszt,¡± the words from Marquis Merlin startled Liszt, ¡°The last time you were here, you were just a Common Earth Knight, yet now, you have become an Elite Earth Knight. Such rapid progress is quite rare.¡±


    Without denial, Liszt curiously asked, ¡°Grandfather, how did you figure it out?¡±


    ¡°When I was young, I defeated even the Grand Duke with my Knight¡¯s Sword, so seeing through your level of Dou Qi is nothing to be surprised about.¡± Marquis Merlin¡¯s voice was not loud, but his words always carried an air of dominance, mentioning casually that he had even defeated a Grand Duke.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange when I talk about it. After moving to the countryside, my diet wasn¡¯t as good as it was at Tulip Castle, but I felt as if a light had suddenly turned on. I broke through to become an Earth Knight almost immediately upon arriving at Fresh Flower Town. Recently, I felt like I touched the bottleneck of Dou Qi, so I started taking Magic Potions.¡±


    Of course, the Smoke Mission could not be revealed, so Liszt had no choice but to make up a story.


    It wasn¡¯t entirely made up, though. The accumulation from an Earth Knight to an Elite Earth Knight had indeed been quite natural for him, even surprising himself when he found out.


    What should have been years of grinding was shortened to mere months.


    ¡°Perhaps living in Tulip Castle was oppressive for you. Those magicians are fond of speaking about the theory of spiritual and material transformation, aren¡¯t they? The power of the human spirit can indeed influence one¡¯s body. Melissa died too soon, and your father failed to take on the responsibility of looking after you, which truly wore down your talent.¡±


    While speaking, Marquis Merlin unapologetically lauded himself, ¡°Li Weiliam had strong talent, and the bloodline of Long Taro Castle is even more noble. All three of you siblings have inherited your parents¡¯ good traits, but you inherited the most, and rightly so, you are the most gifted! In you, I see the shadow of my youthful self.¡±


    Liszt maintained a smile.


    After boasting for a while, Marquis Merlin asked, ¡°Is the wealth of Fresh Flower Town sufficient to support your need for Magic Potions?¡±


    ¡°Currently, there are three kinds of Magic Potions growing in Fresh Flower Town. Although the output isn¡¯t high, I¡¯m not at the stage where I need a large amount. With some effort, it¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°You have a Little Minor Elf that produces Magic Potions; training it will be of great help to you. You also have an Intermediate Magical Beast, that Fierce Earth Dog should be cultivated with effort; it will become a good companion for you.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    ¡°Having advanced to an Elite Earth Knight in such a short time, it¡¯s right to be cautious, but you don¡¯t have to be too modest. Strength dictates everything. Don¡¯t forget that you have the support of the Tulip Family and the Long Taro Family behind you. You should let everyone witness your boundless future¡­ The reason I married Melissa to your father was because he was fearless.¡±


    Li Weiliam, who back then was still a Common Earth Knight viscount, took a daughter of a marquis for his wife, which would have been difficult without any boldness.


    Liszt was somewhat moved.


    His own behaviour had indeed been quite ¡°low-profile,¡± lacking the ostentatiousness or fervor of youth. However, the thought was fleeting. His modesty was not due to a lack of strength, but because he had too many secrets. He preferred to progress step by step; he disliked taking risks.


    ¡°Grandfather, I have a clear vision for my future, I know what I should do.¡±


    Marquis Merlin looked at Liszt with some surprise and nodded, ¡°Good, it¡¯s rare for a young person to have such a mentality. I¡¯m even more optimistic about your future.¡±


    He picked up a thin booklet from the table and tossed it to Liszt, ¡°I believe your future achievements will surpass your father¡¯s. These are some insights from my years of Dou Qi Cultivation, you can take them for reference.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Rolling on the floor begging for votes~

 Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter 0261: The Receiver and the Narcissist (First Update)

    Chapter 261: Chapter 0261: The Receiver and the Narcissist (First Update)


    The carriage stopped, and a servant helped a lady in a magnificent gown alight; she wore a Bird Lady Hat, a favorite among the noblewomen, adorned with a colorful bird feather standing tall and very eye-catching.


    What was once the signature hat of the Lady Sky Knight had now become the favorite of the common nobility.


    However, Liszt did not recognize this noblewoman.


    ¡°Liszt, why are you hiding here, I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time,¡± the voice of Cousin Meioubao came from behind him, ¡°What are you looking at by the Window?¡±


    He walked straight up to Liszt and looked outside, perfectly overlooking the carriages in front of Long Taro Castle, ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re not trying to suss out in advance which lovely lady is worth the effort, are you? Indeed, viewed from this angle, the ¡®height¡¯ is very clear.¡±


    The ¡®height¡¯ he referred to was the impressive silhouette when seen from the front and the profile.


    ¡°Not at all, just feeling it¡¯s too stuffy in the hall.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°What do you understand?¡±


    Meioubao clinked his glass of red wine against Liszt¡¯s champagne flute, ¡°You¡¯re waiting for that beautiful Asina from the Salmon Family, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± he replied half-heartedly before suddenly asking, ¡°Is she coming this time too?¡±


    ¡°You said you weren¡¯t looking forward to it, did you? Liszt, when you rejected Asina back then, why do you care about her now?¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t beat around the bush and said directly, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it feels significant to me; I seldom attended such balls on Coral Island or had an invitation from a female noble of my own age to visit her home. At the ball on Red Crab Island, Asina was the first to recognize how outstanding I was.¡±


    ¡°No wonder.¡±


    As if a nerve had been struck.


    Meioubao suddenly stopped teasing and instead, with a touch of melancholy, said, ¡°A man should find a woman who understands him¡­ If she doesn¡¯t understand him, I can¡¯t imagine what the future life would be like.¡±


    Liszt ventured, ¡°Are you talking about Princess Angela?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Angela Sapphire, the brightest pearl on the Grand Duke¡¯s Crown, and if all goes well, she¡¯ll be the future mistress of Red Crab Island.¡±


    Duke Andrew had two sons and two daughters; Angela was the youngest daughter.


    ¡°Have you confirmed your relationship with her?¡±


    ¡°Not me and her, but my grandfather and the Grand Duke have sealed our relationship.¡± He drained the glass of wine in one gulp, throwing the glass back onto the servant¡¯s tray with a ¡°Go away.¡±


    The servant hurriedly bowed and left.


    Meioubao rested his hands on the window ledge, ¡°Do you know why I chased after her so desperately without a single response, only to have a definite relationship now?¡±


    Liszt watched him, waiting for the rest of the story.


    ¡°Grimmand Truth, I naively thought he truly came with the Grand Duke¡¯s blessing, but the truth was¡­¡± he suddenly turned around and patted Liszt on the shoulder, ¡°Grandfather says your future is immeasurable, and we share the same blood; I have nothing to hide from you.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me, cousin,¡± Liszt had already guessed.


    Sure enough, Meioubao¡¯s telltale disclosure was almost exactly as he had surmised¡ªhe had become the fall guy.


    Of course, Princess Angela would certainly not come with her child in tow. Even as the Grand Duke¡¯s most beloved daughter, she could not bring a child into a marriage with an heir to a Marquis. This was not only a violation of the morality under the knight system but also an immense disgrace to the Marquis Family.


    Therefore, Princess Angela, several months pregnant, was forced to have an abortion.


    ¡°Her reputation was dreadful, I knew that much already, as long as there wasn¡¯t too much of a scandal, let bygones be bygones. But what¡¯s unforgivable is that the father of that aborted child¡­ his¡­ his¡­ was nothing but a street performer!¡±


    If her reputation was already tarnished, it wouldn¡¯t matter who the father of the child was.


    But as a noble, a member of the natural ruling class, Liszt could very well understand Meioubao¡¯s feelings. Nobles could fool around with each other, but never with commoners, especially not nobles of such high birth as the daughter of a duke. A street performer was as low as a serf, so it was no wonder Meioubao was furious.


    Swirling his champagne, Liszt took a careful look at Meioubao and then had another thought.


    Perhaps Meioubao was not angry because the princess had dallied with a street performer, but rather because the news had leaked out¡ªit was clear to the Long Taro Family that the princess had conceived with a street performer, which meant the affair was no secret on Blue Dragon Island.


    ¡°Perhaps in Meioubao¡¯s eyes, Long Taro Castle has started to look green, sickeningly green.¡±


    He suppressed the urge to gloat over the misfortune.


    He pondered for a moment.


    He decided to comfort Meioubao, ¡°Life isn¡¯t always smooth sailing. Although Princess Angela doesn¡¯t meet the moral standards of a noble lady, she is still the mistress Long Taro Castle needs the most. Compared to the harmony of marital life, what are those pre-marital incidents, really?¡±


    As he said this, Liszt suddenly recalled his own views on romance.


    In his youth, he had hoped to save his first time for the girl he chose; as a young man, he thought it didn¡¯t matter if it was the first time or not; in his early adult years, he felt the past wasn¡¯t important; as he matured, he believed that what mattered was mutual love. Reaching the cusp of thirty without having found someone, he just wanted to settle with whoever came along.


    The struggle between man and life is such that if you take a step back, life moves forward a step.


    It was perhaps just a grumble.


    Meioubao soon freed himself from the fury of having to take up the unwanted legacy, already resigning himself to the role of the scapegoat: ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s chat in the hall. All the young nobles from Red Crab Island are here today; perhaps you¡¯ll find someone satisfactory.¡±


    Only then did he remember, ¡°I¡¯ve been so caught up in my own affairs, I forgot to tell you, don¡¯t wait for Asina; she won¡¯t be attending the ball. She fell in love with a baron at the Sea Festival dance and is likely to become a baroness by next year.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Liszt responded flatly, as if indifferent.


    In fact, his heart tightened severely inside, a feeling of discomfort that he couldn¡¯t put into words. The effort he had put into repressing the schadenfreude he felt towards Meioubao popped like a balloon.


    Meioubao being forced to take up the unwanted legacy was laughable indeed, but wasn¡¯t his own long-standing self-love just as laughable?


    ¡°I assumed too much. Among the nobility¡­ there¡¯s no such thing as love at first sight, and what¡¯s more, it was just a fleeting encounter at a ball; perhaps she forgot about me right after it ended.¡±


    All of a sudden,


    His enthusiasm waned.


    The social ball that was supposed to stir some excitement, especially with the anticipation of seeing Asina, suddenly felt empty. The thought of the so-called social dance being nothing more than a union of noble interests, showing off their assets, and selecting suitable matches to continue their family lineage made his previously restless heart settle back down, and a standard noble smile returned to his face.

 Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter 0262: Liszt’s Piano Pieces (Second Update)

    Chapter 262: Chapter 0262: Liszt¡¯s Piano Pieces (Second Update)


    The ball, as expected, lacked the presence of Asina Salmon.


    Levis and Li Vera merged into the crowd, eagerly engaging in conversation with the nobility of both genders. Meioubao still wore a smile, strenuously maintaining the dignity of Long Taro Castle¡¯s host.


    He was very good at this kind of work.


    Liszt was his usual self, neither taking the initiative nor refusing; if someone came over to exchange pleasantries, he would casually chat along. Although he had never thought of coming to Red Crab Island to make a name for himself, why refuse the opportunity to broaden his connections?


    The pianist played a beautiful melody.


    Couples twirled through the dance floor, one pair after another.


    Laughter rose continuously from every corner, a clear sign of enjoyable conversations. Meioubao made a round, attended to all the noble ladies and gentlemen, and then, with a glass of wine in hand, took a seat next to Liszt.


    ¡°More tiring than having fought a charge,¡± he gasped for breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m just a baron, not obliged to speak a word with each and every man and woman here.¡±


    ¡°They are all followers of Long Taro Castle, come from afar in hopes of exchanging words with me; I can¡¯t bear to let them down.¡±


    It was unclear whether this statement was self-mockery or self-satisfaction.


    He suddenly asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to dance?¡±


    ¡°Those who invited me are not of interest to me.¡±


    ¡°Then take the initiative and invite someone; such proactivity is what a gentleman noble should possess.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet whom I might like to invite.¡±


    ¡°Your way of thinking is quite peculiar. If it were me, I would invite every beautiful lady in turn; it¡¯s not like you can only dance once. If you come across someone suitable, find a corner for a heartfelt talk, then the trip here wouldn¡¯t be in vain. Who knows, if the conversation goes well, you might even lead her home as the lady of the house.¡±


    Liszt was still reserved, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too hasty?¡±


    Meioubao shook his head, unable to understand his own cousin, ¡°Since you don¡¯t feel like dancing, can you play the piano?¡±


    ¡°I guess¡­ a little.¡± Liszt himself didn¡¯t know how to play an instrument¡ªnot any kind of instrument. But his predecessor, as a member of the nobility, had learned the piano.


    He barely remembered a few pieces.


    Nobles love music, and the piano is the most popular instrument, especially at balls. Without piano music to set the mood, how could one create an enchanting atmosphere? Many down-and-out nobles relied on playing the piano to maintain their high-society lifestyle, even becoming the distinguished guests of noble women.


    ¡°Get ready, we¡¯ll each play a piece later,¡± Meioubao said.


    He beckoned a servant, ¡°Go tell the pianist to come down after this piece. Liszt and I are going to play the piano.¡±


    ¡°Yes, young master.¡±


    ¡°Have you thought about what piece you¡¯re going to play? I¡¯m planning on ¡®Elly by the Water.¡¯ It¡¯s my favorite piano piece with a beautiful melody and a touching story. Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to play the piano, and besides, I¡¯ve never heard of this piece.¡±


    ¡°Heavens, you¡¯ve never heard of it? It¡¯s a masterpiece by Czerny Windmill, composed for a story he experienced personally! Eurie Ellie, the mythical Gorgon with snaky hair¡ªwhen Master Czerny traveled through the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, he laid eyes on Eurie Ellie by the water, and in that moment, he turned to stone!¡±


    ¡°Turned to stone? So, he died?¡±


    ¡°You truly lack any sense of artistry! It¡¯s a rhetorical device. Czerny didn¡¯t literally turn into stone, but the beauty of Eurie Ellie petrified him metaphorically¡ªnot that her gaze physically turned him to stone. What he saw might not have been Eurie Ellie; it¡¯s just a metaphor.¡±


    Meioubao spoke of the piano piece animatedly, his face alight with excitement, ¡°Eurie Ellie is a creature of legend and does not exist. Legend has it she had three sisters, all Gorgons, all beautiful yet deadly. Master Czerny saw a woman by the water and felt her beauty was like poison, petrifying him. Do you understand now?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I understand,¡± Liszt replied carelessly.


    ¡°Then, prepare yourself, you¡¯ll go on stage to play a piece later. Only art can make people forget their worries, trust me.¡± He left Liszt a very artistic silhouette as he got ready to perform on stage.


    It seemed that Liszt¡¯s ignorance had scared him.


    During his performance, he intentionally used his Dou Qi to amplify the volume and started by telling the backstory of ¡°Elly by the Water¡±, before he began to play.


    One had to say, his piano performance skills were very superb, the melody sometimes soothing and sometimes passionate, truly immersing people in scenes like ¡°I see Eurie Ellie,¡± ¡°I have turned into stone,¡± ¡°Her beauty leaves me breathless.¡±


    The piece concluded.


    The nobles, who were immersed in the music, began applauding one after another.


    Meioubao elegantly stood up, bowed slightly to express his gratitude, ¡°Next, my cousin, Liszt Tulip, will perform the following piano piece for everyone.¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt really wanted to smash Meioubao¡¯s head with a hammer.


    He had absolutely no desire to play any piano piece. Indeed, almost all nobles would learn instruments like the piano to augment their noble demeanor. The former Liszt had often played the piano, but the current Liszt was a musical ignoramus, with a preference for pop music!


    Since he had crossed over into this world, he had not touched any musical instrument again.


    The piano techniques from his former life¡¯s memories had become unfamiliar, asking him to perform would be an embarrassing spectacle. He didn¡¯t know whether this was Meioubao¡¯s way of seeking revenge¡ªgiven that during their previous conversation by the window, he had probably exposed his schadenfreude attitude, since at that moment, he genuinely felt like laughing.


    But.


    At this moment, the feeling of being awkward simply did not exist.


    His current mindset was somewhat detached from worldly concerns; he never intended to find love at this ball, so if he was going to embarrass himself, so be it.


    Having adjusted his mindset and with a smile on his face, Liszt made his way to the stage one step at a time.


    Sitting in front of the piano, he swept his hands across the keys, producing a neat sequence of notes. He looked down at the piano keys, compared them with his predecessor¡¯s memories to locate the corresponding keys for do, re, mi, fa, so, la, si, and then a melody of a song popped into his head, swiftly figuring out how to play it.


    Just like Meioubao, he too planned to give a prelude monologue.


    He channeled his Dou Qi to boost his own volume, ¡°It¡¯s a very ancient legend¡­ Long, long ago, in the forest kingdom of a distant land, there lived a brother and sister, each with a special ability. The brother¡¯s eyes could see far into the distance, and the sister¡¯s ears could hear sounds from afar; they grew up together, sharing joy and sorrow.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s voice was very magnetic.


    There was no sense of abruptness when he recited the monologue; on the contrary, it was easy for people to be drawn into his story.


    ¡°In their free time, they would run to the mountain, the brother gazing into distant kingdoms and sharing the wonders he saw with his sister; the sister listening to the messages carried by the wind and singing heavenly songs to her brother¡­ They fell in love, threw off all constraints, and reveled in their love.¡±


    ¡°But society would never allow their love to exist. No matter how hard they tried, they still lost to the moral shackles. To prove their everlasting love for each other, the brother blinded himself, and the sister blocked her ears, unable to receive the blessings of others, what good were those abilities.¡±


    ¡°Many years later, a foreign musician heard this poignant and moving love story, deeply touched. Overwhelmed by emotions, he composed a soul-stirring melody. I happened to hear this melody, and could not help but feel deeply moved; how can the fate of the siblings not evoke deep sighs and emotion!¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I did not retain the entire melody nor the full song. I can only share with everyone what I remember of the melody and the song.¡±


    Bang!


    Bang bang!


    Liszt¡¯s hands caressed the piano, firmly pressing the keys, beginning to play that piece.


    With its simple, brisk melody gaining momentum, a touch of faint sorrow seemed to mingle within the brisk clarity. His singing voice, too, blended with the melody, drifting above the dance floor in Chinese that no one could understand: ¡°Two Tigers, Two Tigers, running fast, running fast¡­¡±

 Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 0264: You Know I’ve Never Been a Part of It (First Update)

    Chapter 264: Chapter 0264: You Know I¡¯ve Never Been a Part of It (First Update)


    Duniko aptly threw a flirtatious glance at Liszt, ¡°So, you¡¯ve deceived everyone.¡±


    ¡°How can it be called deception? Every piano piece has a beautiful story behind it. Does it matter which stories are true and which are fabricated?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter?¡±


    ¡°A story just offers a tiny touch of sentiment, but it¡¯s the melody that truly moves the heart.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Unless you can come up with a story better suited to ¡®For Alice,¡¯ I won¡¯t agree with you.¡±


    When it came to making up stories, Liszt was quite adept, but he didn¡¯t agree to Duniko¡¯s ¡°request.¡± Perhaps he could invent a tale, play up to the Earl¡¯s daughter, and engage with Duniko in a story beyond the story. Maybe, given his temperament and charm, it would be normal to win over Duniko.


    But there was no need for that.


    He didn¡¯t like deliberately seeking favor.


    Maybe he was just in love with himself all along, or perhaps he was only interested in Duniko¡¯s outer beauty and lacked that impulsive drive to pursue.


    ¡°There¡¯s no romantic tale, just a piano teacher who fell in love with his student, and a little tune born out of passion,¡± Liszt said casually.


    Duniko cast another seductive glance, ¡°Like you¡¯re filled with passion right now?¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t catch on immediately, ¡°What?¡±


    It was only when Duniko gently rubbed his thigh with hers that he suddenly realized his admiration had been too obvious.


    With two lifetimes of experience combined, he lacked the shyness of youth, ¡°You know it¡¯s hard to maintain a calm disposition in the presence of a beautiful lady, especially one as exceptionally beautiful as you.¡± He slightly retreated his body to cool down the warmth.


    Yet Duniko took a big step forward, pressing her body closer, ¡°I accept your compliments. No one has ever expressed their admiration for me so candidly.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Liszt suddenly found himself at a loss for words.


    Perhaps no more words were needed. They could just dance quietly, bodies close, swaying gently to the rhythm of the piano. As their gazes met and the corners of their mouths turned up slightly, maintaining a consistent smile seemed adequate.


    Duniko also ceased to speak, following Liszt¡¯s steps in a gentle rhythm.


    The piano piece ended.


    The two did not separate immediately, continuing to embrace each other, waiting for the second piano piece. However, halfway through the piece, Duniko suddenly asked, ¡°Would you like to step outside for some fresh air?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Liszt released the hand around her waist and took Duniko¡¯s hand, quietly leaving the bustling dance floor. The sky outside was completely dark, only the lights of Long Taro Castle remained bright.


    In the corridor outside the hall, servants hurried past.


    Neither of them spoke again, just held hands and headed toward a secluded corner, where they could see couples tightly embraced in the nooks of private alcoves.


    In a corner where the crystal lamp¡¯s light was relatively dim.


    They stopped in one such spot.


    ¡°The air is fresh outside, and you can breathe in the chill of winter,¡± Liszt said, with one hand on the window sill and the other still holding Duniko¡¯s, ¡°Miss Duniko, you¡¯re dressed rather lightly today, aren¡¯t you cold now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not cold, in fact, I feel a bit warm,¡± Duniko said, looking at him, then suddenly suggested, ¡°Call me Duniko.¡±


    ¡°Duniko.¡±


    Liszt gazed at Duniko¡¯s long eyelashes and her delicately made-up face and couldn¡¯t help but lower his head. Standing about 1.7 meters tall, Duniko quietly rose on her toes, lifting her face, and gently closed her eyes.


    No need for an excess of words to describe the moment.


    The next second, Liszt¡¯s lips met with softness.


    They remained clutched together until they nearly suffocated. A sparkling thread stretched between them, reflecting the light of the distant castle. Duniko wrapped her arms around Liszt¡¯s neck, unwilling to let go, her gaze intense.


    Here is the translated text:


    Liszt hurriedly said, ¡°My room is upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Hold on tight.¡±


    Bend down.


    Hook arms.


    Liszt picked up Duniko sideways from the bend of his legs, activated his Dou Qi, and with legs springing like coils, he swiftly walked through the corridor, up the stairs to the fourth floor of the castle. He bypassed the servants who greeted him in the hallway without a response, heading straight to his own room.


    The door wasn¡¯t locked. At Long Taro Castle, the fourth floor was the living area of the master.


    Clack!


    The door shut with a foot, and all was understood without words.


    ¡­


    When Liszt awakened from his sore back and stiff waist, the morning sun had already risen, a rare clear and sunny day. He sat up and saw the woman beside him still deep in sleep, her blonde hair scattered across the pillow.


    There was a slightly unpleasant smell in the room.


    Shaking his head, Liszt still felt a tinge of surrealism.


    A rendition of ¡°For Alice¡±, two intimate dances, several deliberate or accidental flirtations, all led to a wild night. Recalling the fervent heat of last night, he suddenly felt bewildered; in other words, he had wholly surrendered his first time in this new life.


    Perhaps he had been too loud getting out of bed.


    The sleeping Duniko suddenly woke up, and seeing Liszt getting dressed, she greeted him groggily, ¡°Hi, Liszt. What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Getting up.¡±


    Liszt, having put on his pants and bare-chested, showed his perfect inverted-triangle physique as he walked to the bedside, bent down, and kissed Duniko¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to sleep a bit longer?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep anymore.¡± Duniko stretched out her hand and drew a circle on his chest. ¡°You could call a castle maid to help you dress.¡±


    ¡°On the battlefield, there won¡¯t be any servants to help me dress; I prefer to do it myself. Only the complicated Flack Abaie would be dressed by servants.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call my maid in, and I¡¯ll get up too.¡±


    Ringing the bell, summoning the maid, Duniko with the help of the maid picked out a new outfit and got dressed. Liszt also got dressed with the help of the maid into his Flack Abaie. Castle servants then brought washing utensils, attending to both of their morning grooming.


    When the maids left with the wash utensils, only Liszt and Duniko remained in the room.


    Duniko threw herself at him enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around Liszt¡¯s neck. ¡°Kiss me, as if it¡¯s the last time.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    After they separated,


    Duniko spoke breathlessly, ¡°I love the way you play ¡®To Alice¡¯. I love your conversation and demeanor. You have a distinctive look in your eyes. In them, I saw ambition beyond the reach of others and a solitude that doesn¡¯t fit with the rest of the world.¡±


    Such keen perception.


    Liszt laughed it off. ¡°I guess you also saw a dragon since my greatest ambition is Dragon Riding.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to the day you ride a dragon. If that day comes and I¡¯m not yet old, you¡¯re welcome to come kiss me again¡­ At the dance, so many men invited me, but I chose only you. My dear Baron, they will be jealous of you, just as those women were jealous of me when I took you away.¡±


    So intimately.


    Liszt was unsure whether his feelings toward Duniko were of admiration or just a moment of passion. He gently pulled away the hand that was around his neck: ¡°I guess there must be many broken hearts in Long Taro Castle, but yeah, I¡¯ve never been involved, so I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    After speaking, he opened the room¡¯s door: ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go downstairs for breakfast. I¡¯m leaving here today.¡±

 Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 0265: There Are So Many Castles in the World (Second Update)

    Chapter 265: Chapter 0265: There Are So Many Castles in the World (Second Update)


    ¡°Good morning, dear Duniko,¡± Cousin Meioubao was up early and greeted the two who came down for breakfast with a smile.


    ¡°Good morning, Brother Meioubao,¡± Duniko always addressed Meioubao as brother, showing the closeness between their families.


    Meioubao then, behind Duniko¡¯s back, gave a thumbs-up and mouthed ¡°well done¡± before saying, ¡°Liszt, I¡¯m glad to see that you¡¯ve grown up.¡±


    Such an obvious and brash jest nearly made Liszt want to roll his eyes.


    But what was done was done, and since Duniko had been quite open about it, there was no need for him to be squeamish. He merely changed the subject, ¡°Have Levis and Li Vera gotten up yet?¡±


    Li Vera had gotten up early.


    Levis was a bit late; the night before, he had, unsurprisingly, been holding hands with a certain noble maiden, talking about life and aspirations deep into the night.


    After breakfast, the carriage from Long Taro Castle was ready.


    Marquis Merlin, leaning on his cane, came to the castle¡¯s entrance to personally see his grandchildren off. Not just the three Liszt siblings were leaving today, but Aunt Melinda¡¯s family was also returning home.


    ¡°Grandfather, you must take good care of yourself. I¡¯ll come to visit you again in a little while,¡± Liszt said with some reluctance.


    But Marquis Merlin wasn¡¯t particularly touched, ¡°Don¡¯t act like a woman. If you¡¯re going to leave, then just leave.¡±


    The relatives said their goodbyes.


    Liszt saw Duniko, standing with Meioubao and smiling at him, and without waiting for Liszt to say anything, Duniko walked over and hugged him.


    It was nothing too over the top.


    A simple hug among nobles that represented their friendship, as for what kind of friendship, it was in the eye of the beholder.


    ¡°I thought you would play ¡°For Alice¡± for me before you left,¡± she said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a rush; if you¡¯d like to hear it, I¡¯ll play it for you the next time I come to Red Crab Island.¡±


    ¡°Will you practice it so that you¡¯re proficient?¡±


    ¡°If I have the time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever forget last night¡¯s events for a long time, Liszt, dear.¡±


    ¡°We will always have the memories of Long Taro Castle,¡± Liszt replied with a smile, indeed a period worth reminiscing about for a long time.


    If at this moment, Duniko had given a tender and heartfelt plea for him to stay, he might have been ready to stay regardless of everything. Not caring about Duniko¡¯s past, just wishing to stay by her side from now on. He had learned the libertine ways of nobility, yet deep down, he carried the traditions of a Chinese man.


    Alas, after only a brief exchange of sweet nothings, Duniko waved him off with an insouciant gesture.


    Without any dithering or dragging.


    Unwilling to appear more affected than a woman, Liszt nodded calmly and boarded the carriage. The coachman raised his whip and with a loud ¡°hup,¡± the procession began to move slowly.


    Li Vera pulled her head back into the carriage.


    Looking at Liszt, who seemed a bit dazed, she chuckled, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take one last look at your thorny rose? My dear brother, you were quite the show-stealer last night, your ¡®For Alice¡¯ enchanted so many noble maidens that they wanted to spend the night in your room, even Duniko was swept off her feet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just basic tactics,¡± he replied.


    After a moment of thought, Liszt leaned out to take one last look at Long Taro Castle, now gradually receding in the distance. There were many people at the door; there were many nobles leaving today. He could no longer find the figure of Duniko Hyacinth, so with a touch of disappointment, he sat back inside the carriage.


    He rested his hands behind his head, leaning against the cushion behind him.


    He didn¡¯t know what he was pondering, but he couldn¡¯t help mutter, ¡°There are so many castles in the world, and inside those castles so many barons. Yet she managed to make her way to my side.¡±


    Losing the beautiful fantasies he had about Asina Salmon, he¡¯d acquired wonderful new experiences brought on by Duniko Hyacinth.


    Liszt felt a strong fondness for Red Crab Island.


    Of course, the bigger change was in his mindset.


    It was as if he had been reborn.


    After a night of frenzied baptism, he had truly come of age, both in soul and body, from the inside out.


    ¡­


    Sapphire Calendar, Year 152, January 6th, at the port of Sea Crab City, clear skies.


    Boarding a sea vessel at the port, this time, the Long Taro Family had employed a swift sailing ship and four ordinary double-masted sailing ships as escorts to take the three siblings back to Coral Island.


    The Ghost Ship incident made Long Taro Castle take no chances.


    Count Sharke had already led the fleet from Red Crab Island to patrol the vast waters between Red Crab Island and Coral Island, clearing out pirates and searching for Ghost Ships.


    Standing on deck.


    The caress of the chilly sea breeze freed Liszt from his pleasant reminiscences; his attention temporarily shifted to another matter.


    ¡°Where will the Sea Serpent be waiting for me?¡±


    Definitely in the sea, since it is a Sea Serpent, after all. Perhaps he would hear the Sea Serpent¡¯s song during the voyage and then be able to find it.


    However, he still had no clue how to obtain the Sea Serpent.


    In the legends, kind Sea Serpents would use their songs to save people but never show themselves, hiding from humans. On the other hand, evil Sea Serpents would use their songs to bewitch people and then kill them. In short, except for Knight¡¯s Novels, no human had ever encountered a Siren.


    However, even on the ship where he¡¯d wake from sleep from time to time, as the fleet neared the waters around Coral Island, he still hadn¡¯t heard any sea songs, nor had any strange occurrences taken place.


    Not until he landed on the dock of Coral City.


    There were no signs of the Siren.


    ¡°It seems that the Siren might be waiting in the waters near Fresh Flower Town, no, maybe around the waters of Black Horse Island, waiting for me to claim it. I just don¡¯t know how to claim it, whether it would require some kind of contract like with a Little Minor Elf.¡±


    He rested for a night at Tulip Castle.


    Equipped with a batch of specialties from Long Taro Castle and a batch from Tulip Castle, Liszt couldn¡¯t wait to leave the next morning, returning to Fresh Flower Town which he had been away from for over a week.


    Snow blanketed everything in white.


    The roads were muddy.


    In terms of latitude, Coral Island should be much higher than Red Crab Island, so the climate is a bit colder. But to this day, Liszt hadn¡¯t figured out whether this world was spherical or if it had a North or South Pole. As for the exact latitude and longitude of Coral Island, it was even more of a mystery.


    And there was one thing that puzzled him.


    He had observed the position of the Sun and found that the Sun¡¯s elevation was nearly the same in both summer and winter, not very off. This suggested that the location of Coral Island didn¡¯t have much of a changing angle with the Sun. Or perhaps, the planet¡¯s rotation and orbit didn¡¯t have a tilt.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame there¡¯s no astronomer to solve these mysteries for me, to understand what kind of environment lies under my feet.¡±


    He remembered the ancient legends of the Moon Empire, where a profession known as ¡®Astrologer¡¯ existed, and it¡¯s said the reckoning of years, months, and days was passed down from the Astrologers of the Moon Empire. Sadly, with the fall of the Moon Empire, many technologies, discoveries, and inventions from that era had been lost.


    They had become but snippets of fantasy in Knight¡¯s Novels.


    ¡°My lord, we¡¯ve arrived at Thorn Ridge,¡± Thomas¡¯s voice interrupted Liszt¡¯s daydreaming.


    Indeed, ahead the serfs could be faintly seen laboring in Thorn Ridge. In this winter of dancing snowflakes, only the serfs of Fresh Flower Town, well-fed and strong, had the energy to go out and work.


    All at once.


    A feeling of ¡®returning home¡¯ emerged from within him.


    A golden nest, a silver nest, none as good as one¡¯s own dog nest; in Fresh Flower Town, he was the supreme Landlord!


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson must have felt the same.

 Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Sorrow Mixed with Longing and Resentment (First Update)

    Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Sorrow Mixed with Longing and Resentment (First Update)


    Liszt, after loading the Fresh Flower Vessel with cargo, set sail for Black Horse Island.


    So far, the Fresh Flower Vessel had made more than ten trips between Coral Island and Black Horse Island without encountering a single storm, so the Calming Sea Pearl had never been used.


    However, having the Calming Sea Pearl on board gave the crew plenty of confidence, and Liszt felt at ease.


    ¡°When I get back, I¡¯ll ask Elkerson if he can make a Calming Sea Pearl¡­ Never mind, I¡¯ll just go to Granney. Granney has a lot of experience, and although his temper is a bit annoying, for the sake of the Calming Sea Pearl¡¯s quality, it would be best to have him make it.¡± Liszt stood at the bow of the ship, scanning his surroundings.


    He hoped to encounter his own Siren during the voyage.


    Unfortunately, by the time the Fresh Flower Vessel reached the dock named Black Horse Port, there was still no sign of the Siren.


    ¡°What on earth is going on, has my Siren been swallowed up by the Smoke Mission?¡± He was no longer able to remain calm; casting aside those inexplicable fantasies about love and color, the intrinsic value of the Siren was absolutely immense.


    With a Siren, a ship would definitely never lose its way at sea again.


    After unloading the cargo, night had fallen, and it was too late to survey the waters around Black Horse Island; Liszt went straight to find King of Black Blood Treasure Horses Lightning. Lightning, seeing him, affectionately lowered its head and rubbed against his arm, not forgetting the master who had once conquered it, carrying Liszt as they sped through the snowflakes.


    Black Horse Island was also covered with ice and snow, and in the grassland between the four hills, only the parts near the valleys seemed to have geothermal heat, with no snow accumulation, revealing the pastures that were still growing.


    The Black Blood Treasured Horses were quietly grazing there.


    Perhaps because they had seen so many people, they were no longer afraid of humans and acted as if they didn¡¯t see them.


    The burial ground between Needle Grass Hill and Ice Grass Hill was also covered with snow, but the pits and uneven ground where volcanic glass and Dragon Bone fragments had been excavated were faintly visible, as well as those five tall Fire Dragon Bones. These bones had not completely decayed and surely still held significant value.


    Alas, Liszt could neither take them away nor preserve them, and could only let them be battered by the wind and rain.


    ¡°When the day comes that Black Horse Island can be fully revealed, I must invite a Magician to help me study these five Fire Dragon Bones¡­ But first, I need to recruit a Magician follower; any secrets about the Fire Dragon Bones should be kept as confidential as possible.¡± One must always be cautious with any secrets relating to Dragons.


    Never underestimate the people here and their great desire for Dragons.


    Even he, a transmigrator, could not resist the allure of Dragons.


    Marcus had already created a rough map of Black Horse Island¡¯s topography, not being a professional cartographer, so the map was very simple, showing only the basic terrain. Ice Grass Hill, Needle Grass Hill, Sheep Grass Hill, and Alfalfa Hill formed a broken ring mountain range of a volcanic crater; inside were the grasslands and the Burial Ground, and outside were lands of rocks and weeds.


    The dock and harbour town were located to the direct south of Black Horse Island.


    Around the periphery of Black Horse Island, there were a few islets. In the southwestern waters, three small islands of several hundred acres each were scattered, which Liszt named respectively as Mangrove Island, Rocky Island, and Sandy Beach Island.


    Because Mangrove Island was densely covered with mangrove forests; Rocky Island was full of weathered Basalt Columns; Sandy Beach Island was quite flat, all sand, with just a few scattered Fragrant Coconut Trees.


    Beyond the three major small islands were scattered reefs, most of which were exposed during low tide and submerged during high tide.


    ¡°The Siren I¡¯m looking for is probably between the shores of Black Horse Island and these islets.¡± Liszt looked at the rough map, contemplating.


    So the next day, just as dawn began to break,


    he led Captain Kostor and others to start sailing around Black Horse Island.


    ¡°Your Excellency, apart from Black Horse Port, in the northwest corner of Black Horse Island, there¡¯s a body of water suitable for a dock. The water¡¯s depth may not compare to Black Horse Port, but its breadth is very suitable for anchoring ships,¡± Captain Kostor said, directing the Fresh Flower Vessel while doubling as a guide.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°We will consider developing a new dock in the future, but for now, Black Horse Port is sufficient.¡±


    Walking intermittently and visiting the islands along the way, it took a whole day to finally circle around Black Horse Island and check all the coastlines and surrounding reefs.


    No Siren!


    Resting at night in a newly constructed house in the port town, Liszt tossed and turned, unable to sleep, feeling frustrated and irritable, ¡°Did I look in the wrong direction? Why is there no Siren? Where has my Siren gone!¡±


    He didn¡¯t sleep well all night.


    But he didn¡¯t get discouraged and continued to lead the Fresh Flower Vessel in search of the Siren in the waters around Black Horse Island. This time he searched in farther waters, starting with the three small islands distributed in a triangular pattern.


    Because it was difficult to dock, they all took a wooden canoe to paddle ashore.


    The Mangrove Island was densely wooded, with the kind of mangrove that could grow in seawater. Mangroves are a general term, much like how a thicket is not only thorns but also other small shrubs. The mangrove forest also contains many other types of plants, not just mangrove species.


    The variety of tree species in the mangrove forest is numerous, and just the mangrove plants themselves have many varieties.


    However, Liszt didn¡¯t recognize any of them, and even the well-traveled Captain Kostor only knew a few, and those were more colloquial names, such as mangrove bark, autumn eggplant, sea lotus, and chicken claws, among others.


    The mangrove forest, with its well-developed root system, seemed to grow in seawater, completely hiding the interior of the island.


    Unable to land, Liszt then used the Eye of Magic, paddling the wooden canoe around. He didn¡¯t detect any signs of magic power, there were neither Sirens nor Magic Potions and Elf Bugs in this stretch of mangrove forest.


    Rocky Island was even more clear at a glance, there was nothing.


    Lastly was Sandy Beach Island, where the entire island was covered in white sand. Stepping on the white sand after landing from the wooden canoe, he only felt that the view of the blue sea and the white sand, coupled with a few tall Fragrant Coconut Trees, was so beautiful, it seemed like a paradise on earth.


    However, Liszt had no mood to appreciate the scenery. He made a round and left with a cold expression.


    ¡°My lord, do you wish to continue the search?¡± asked Captain Kostor, looking at Liszt¡¯s expression with caution. Never before had the landlord, although always dignified and imposing yet very mild-mannered, shown such a chilling face.


    ¡°Search!¡±


    Liszt pressed down his irritation and said gloomily, ¡°If we don¡¯t find it, we won¡¯t go back. We will continue searching at night!¡± Perhaps they couldn¡¯t find the Siren during the day because it liked to hide during the day and come out at night.


    Indeed.


    They found nothing during the day. The Fresh Flower Vessel went to the dock to replenish some lights and other supplies and continued to search at sea. The weather cleared that night, and a bright moon rose from the sea, driving away the darkness and casting broken beams of light dancing with the waves.


    Liszt stood at the bow of the ship, not feeling the slightest bit sleepy.


    As he passed by islands and reefs, he used the Eye of Magic to observe the magical traces around the islands and reefs, attempting to find the existence of the Siren. The first half of the night passed in a flash, and the moon of the late night was about to set.


    As he was about to give up, agitated by the fruitless search, Liszt¡¯s ears twitched.


    A barely audible song reached his ears. When he perked up and listened carefully, he could no longer hear it, as if it was a mere illusion. But he didn¡¯t believe it was only that, because the faint song was filled with longing and grief, with sadness and lament; just hearing it once stirred sadness in his heart.


    This was no ordinary illusion.


    He took a deep breath, struggling not to shout out loud for fear of startling the singer, ¡°It¡¯s my Siren!¡±

 Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 0270: Shivering in the Shell (Second Update)

    Chapter 270: Chapter 0270: Shivering in the Shell (Second Update)


    A moment later.


    The Fresh Flower Vessel came to a quiet halt, and that faint singing voice finally reached Liszt¡¯s ears once again. He couldn¡¯t understand the language of the singing, the word pronunciation was very strange, but it sounded noble, looking down upon all living beings.


    Only now, the singing voice was easily filled with sadness and pain.


    ¡°It¡¯s a female voice, the Siren is a female, if it has a gender,¡± he listened silently, not rushing to search for her, fearing he might accidentally scare the Siren away.


    At the same time, he carefully distinguished and sought the direction from which the singing voice came.


    Eventually, he determined the direction of the singing voice to be to the front left, where there seemed to be several reefs connected together. He used his Eye of Magic to look, but because the distance was too far, he saw nothing.


    ¡°Captain Kostor, set sail in this direction toward that reef,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    The Fresh Flower Vessel resumed its voyage, cutting through the sea¡¯s sparkle under the light of the setting moon. It was unclear whether the sound of the vessel was too loud, drowning out the singing, or if the Siren had discovered the Fresh Flower Vessel and stopped singing. Liszt could no longer hear that sorrowful and moving singing voice, and as for the sailors, they heard nothing at all.


    The sails billowed with the wind, and the oars moved in unison.


    The Fresh Flower Vessel rapidly approached the reef.


    Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic constantly worked, sweeping back and forth over the reef, still seeing no signs of magic. However, he guessed that the Siren was here, for this was the only area with reefs¡ªif the Siren didn¡¯t need the reefs to live and could drift anywhere in the ocean, then he would just have to accept it.


    Finding a Siren that could move anywhere in the vast sea would be a challenge of hellish difficulty.


    ¡°Lower the boat, I want to personally search this area of the reef,¡± said Liszt after some thought, decisively embarking on the boat to start searching in the shallows within the reef.


    The boat navigated between the shallow reefs.


    Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic kept observing, and finally, when surveying near the middle of a rock, he saw a faint trace of magic in the shallow waters by the rock.


    That speck of pure white light was so alluring in the night.


    ¡°Over here, quickly, row this way!¡±


    The sailors rowed furiously, and the boat, like a swift arrow, shot toward the rock. The closer they got, the clearer the pure white magic radiance became in the vision of the Eye of Magic. He could now see the exact location of the light, nestled among the broken stones in the rocky waters.


    Waves kept crashing against the surrounding rocks.


    The boat¡¯s progress became difficult.


    But with Liszt¡¯s guidance, they managed to inch closer to the source of the magic radiance.


    At last, they were just fifty meters away.


    The Eye of Magic could clearly see that it was a humanoid creature curled up into a ball. Strangely, there seemed to be a faint halo around the humanoid creature, the shape of which looked like a seashell. It was very faint and hard to see clearly, especially when the waves crashed and the halo flickered in and out of sight.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, we can¡¯t move any further, the boat is grounded on the rocks below,¡± a sailor said.


    ¡°Get into the water directly.¡±


    Assured by Liszt that there were no sea monsters around, he jumped off the boat, as the water here was already very shallow. Below the surface were various pebbles and stones, making it hard to stand firmly, plus the moonlight couldn¡¯t illuminate the bottom, making the going very difficult.


    Fortunately, Liszt was prepared; he took out a Crystal Lamp akin to a desk lamp, which could barely illuminate a small part of the water surface, as well as the stones on the seafloor.


    Stepping on the stones, avoiding pitfalls, he let the seawater wash over his legs and waist.


    He led a few sailors, groping their way forward bit by bit. When they were less than ten meters away, he could clearly see what the magic radiance was.


    In the vision of the Eye of Magic, there was an enormous shell, inside which lay a shaking, magic creature curled up into a ball. A clear female silhouette was visible, yet there were other, fainter magical outlines around her. On the creature, there were also wings and fins.


    Fin-like ears jutted out from behind her ears and fin-like wings extended from her back; her legs merged with the faint magic radiance around her ankles, making her feet indistinguishable.


    The entire shell emitted a faint magic radiance.


    He ceased using the Eye of Magic.


    The white shell, stark in the light of the crystal lamps, lay stranded between two broken stones.


    ¡°My Siren!¡± Liszt¡¯s heart raced with excitement, his mental fatigue disappeared in an instant, and his previous irritation quickly dissipated as he whispered to himself, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I am actually a good person.¡±


    At last.


    He approached the shell.


    It was a very standard scallop-shaped shell, with a diameter of about three meters. The surface showed radiating wave-like patterns, a perfect symmetrical structure without any other color¡ªpure white.


    ¡°What a beautiful large shell!¡± Captain Kostor, following behind Liszt, exclaimed in awe.


    The sailors also marveled, ¡°My God, it¡¯s so big!¡±


    ¡°So beautiful!¡±


    ¡°To think there¡¯s such a large shell here, it¡¯s even bigger than the tridacna shell at the entrance of Lord Landlord¡¯s castle.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s brows raised in annoyance, not wishing these people to disturb him, he ordered, ¡°Captain Kostor, take your men back and bring a large net. Later, we¡¯ll pull the shell onto the ship.¡± He was definitely taking the Siren with him; since the Siren lived inside the shell, it was necessary to take the shell along as well.


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Kostor quickly scolded the sailors and returned to the Fresh Flower Vessel to retrieve a net.


    Once everyone had left.


    Liszt rapped on the shell, ¡°Hey, can you hear me speaking?¡±


    His Eye of Magic observed the trembling Siren inside the shell, who wrapped her arms around her legs, curling up even tighter, clearly hearing Liszt¡¯s voice.


    Liszt paused for a moment.


    Making his voice sound gentler, he continued, ¡°You should be able to hear me talking. I am just a human passing by, a Noble Landlord, and these reefs are part of my territory. I heard your song; it was sad and painful. Is there anything I could do to help you?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if the Siren could speak Serpent Script, but he had to try communicating first.


    After all, she was a spirit of the sea and should be treated with gentleness.


    If it had been a Sea Monster, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to pry open the shell and kill it. But with the Siren, who had a feminine silhouette and an apparently graceful figure, he couldn¡¯t be so rough.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I really just want to help you. My name is Liszt Tulip, Lord of Fresh Flower Town. I am a landlord who believes in peace. I think whether they are humans, elves, or Sirens, we¡¯re all part of nature and should live in harmony, not harm each other.¡±


    He proceeded to talk non-stop about his peace ideologies.


    This seemed to work, as the shivering Siren finally relaxed a bit. She turned her head as if to respond to Liszt.


    However, at that moment, Kostor and the others came back, shouting, ¡°Lord Landlord, we¡¯ve brought the net!¡±


    Startled by the commotion, the Siren curled up tightly once again.


    Liszt¡¯s face darkened as he turned to Captain Kostor and the others, barely containing his anger, he said in as low a voice as possible, ¡°Shut up, stand still, no, move back¡ªgo back a hundred meters!¡±

 Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter 0273: Ach at Forty-One (First Update)

    Chapter 273: Chapter 0273: Ach at Forty-One (First Update)


    ¡°A sight too beautiful to behold!¡±


    Facing the true form of Sea Sprite Ake, Li Si Te couldn¡¯t help but express his amazement.


    Of all the magical creatures he had encountered, the ones that had profoundly touched his soul were the Formless Dragon, composed of magic power, and the Tulip Great Sprite Xiang Xiang at Tulip Castle.


    In terms of beauty, the Formless Dragon probably didn¡¯t count, for it possessed the beauty of strange strength, or perhaps¡­ fierceness.


    Only Greater Elf Xiangxiang could compare with the Sea Sprite in beauty. But the Greater Elf did not have a human figure, just a human-like form; its beauty was a pure kind of beauty. The Sea Sprite, almost indistinguishable in appearance from humans, had a beauty that was more breathtaking.


    It was the kind of beauty that resonated from the soul, devoid of any eroticism¡­ At least Li Si Te was certain that at this moment he truly had no such thoughts.


    He didn¡¯t feel any disrespect, nor did he entertain any such ideas.


    He even felt that the Sea Sprite¡¯s beauty was surreal, or was a kind of beauty that should not be sullied by the mortal world. Any profane thought would be an unforgivable sin.


    As they admired each other.


    Sea Sprite Ake glanced again at Li Si Te, and he understood her look.


    He slowly composed his emotions and showed a warm smile, then pushed the plate of fruits on the table towards the side closer to the seashells, ¡°Eat whatever fruit you like, they are all washed and very clean.¡± Saying so, he himself picked up an apple and took a bite.


    Eating alone is not as comfortable as eating together, and Li Si Te¡¯s gesture was very considerate.


    After seeing Li Si Te bite into the apple, Ake boldly reached out with her slender arm and picked up a raspberry with her long fingers. After another glance at Li Si Te, she placed the raspberry into her dainty mouth and began to eat.


    ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­ delicious.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s delicious then eat more, I have lots of fruits here. In my domain Flower Town, there are many fruit trees; you can eat fruit every day, just so you don¡¯t get tired of it.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Ake likes fruits¡­ likes them most.¡±


    As they chatted and ate fruit, the atmosphere gradually relaxed.


    The Sea Sprite seemed not to be very old and still possessed a pure innocence. Within a short conversation with Li Si Te, she opened up her heart simply and laughed away her previous tension and fear.


    However, as they conversed, Li Si Te discovered a very awkward problem.


    Although Ake¡¯s key body parts were covered by water currents, she still seemed very exposed, hardly different from being unclothed. He had thought that he wouldn¡¯t have any improper thoughts, but when he looked down, he realized that he had unintentionally pitched a tent, which meant that he did, in fact, have some respect.


    ¡°Ake, do you need to wear clothes?¡±


    ¡°Humans¡­ wear clothes, Ake does not¡­ Ake is a child protected by the spirit of the sea,¡± Sea Sprite Ake seriously replied.


    Perhaps for Sea Sprites, clothing was merely a human thing, and they had no need for them.


    They are the sprites of the sea, much like Minor Elves and Greater Elves; elves also do not need to wear clothes¡­ Of course, elves neither have chests nor figures, nor reproductive organs, so it doesn¡¯t matter if they wear clothes or not.


    ¡°Uh.¡±


    Li Si Te paused for a moment.


    He said nothing more; if she didn¡¯t wear clothes, then so be it. He was planning to hide Sea Sprite Ake away from others anyway, so there was no need for her beauty to be concealed by clothes¡ªnot that he liked to see her unclothed, but he didn¡¯t want to constrain Ake¡¯s nature.


    After Ake had finished a raspberry, he asked, ¡°Ake, how old are you?¡±


    Ake tilted her head, as if pondering, ¡°I was born¡­ not long ago¡­ I have seen forty-one snowy winters¡­ I should be forty-one years old, yes, Ake is forty-one years old.¡±


    Forty-one years old?


    Are you calling that not long after being born?


    ¡°So how long do you guys live?¡± Li Si Te asked, feeling uncomfortable without understanding this, ¡°We humans have a lifespan of less than a hundred years, and I¡¯m only seventeen this year.¡±


    ¡°Seventeen, so young, hee hee.¡± Ake first ¡°mocked¡± Li Si Te¡¯s age, then pondered seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I haven¡¯t come of age yet¡­ Sea serpents¡­ can grow legs when they mature.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you truly don¡¯t have legs right now?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so magical, I can¡¯t imagine how beautiful you will be when you grow legs.¡± Words of praise never tire a lady, even if she¡¯s a sea serpent.


    Ake was quite pleased.


    She had a bit of a small appetite, seemed to really like eating raspberries, but stopped after only a few, ¡°I¡¯m full, Li Si Te.¡± Then she yawned comfortably.


    ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°Then you sleep for a bit. This vessel will dock at Black Horse Port to resupply, then head straight back to Fresh Flower Town. You can settle down in Fresh Flower Town for a long time, the town has a very beautiful beach, and calm bays.¡±


    Li Si Te had many questions he wanted to ask.


    But he didn¡¯t think bombarding her with all of them at once was a good way to communicate.


    Now that they had found the sea serpent Ake, there was no need to rush. Building a relationship takes time¡ªit was different from the fiery passion he had with Duniko, and not the kind aimed at building the bonds of trust¡ªLi Si Te hoped to keep the sea serpent Ake by his side forever.


    ¡°Mhm, Ake¡­ sleep for a bit.¡± Saying this, the sea serpent Ake sat down, her body soaking in the seawater inside the shell.


    This seawater was not ordinary seawater. In the vision of Li Si Te¡¯s Eye of Magic, it emitted a faint Magic Radiance. It could be said that the entire seawater and shell were part of the sea serpent Ake.


    It was similar to how cordyceps are part of an elf.


    The shell and seawater were probably like the sea serpent¡¯s cordyceps, similar to a personal magical treasure.


    ¡°Rest assured and sleep. In my domain, Dulu Miqita cannot harm you.¡± Li Si Te said with a smile, watching the shell slowly close and completely encase the sea serpent Ake inside.¡±


    ¡­


    The Fresh Flower Vessel docked at Black Horse Port in the morning sunlight.


    Li Si Te disembarked and quickly instructed Marcus on some matters before directly sailing back to Fresh Flower Town. He had no desire to linger any longer; he just wanted to return to the castle and settle down the sea serpent Ake.


    The ship sailed on the vast sea.


    Douson stood guard outside the cabin, while Li Si Te stayed in the room.


    Looking at the pristine large shell, he pondered silently, ¡°Where should I place Ake? Judging by Ake¡¯s condition, she seems able to stay on land for extended periods, just needing to go into the sea regularly to replenish the shell¡¯s seawater.¡±


    Li Si Te definitely didn¡¯t want to leave the sea serpent in the sea. Not to mention the sea monster Dulu Miqita, whose whereabouts were unknown¡ªif someone were to scare off the sea serpent, he¡¯d be devastated to the point of spitting blood.


    But keeping the sea serpent in the castle felt like a form of imprisonment, and he couldn¡¯t possibly stay in the castle all the time to accompany her.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity I can¡¯t take Ake with me¡­¡±


    Shaking his head, he decided to take off his shoes and lie down on the bed to rest as well. Staying up all night wasn¡¯t too exhausting for an Elite Earth Knight, but since there was nothing to do: ¡°When we get to Fresh Flower Town, I¡¯ll ask Ake what she thinks before making arrangements.¡±

 Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 0274: The New Residents of the Castle (Second Update)

    Chapter 274: Chapter 0274: The New Residents of the Castle (Second Update)


    Upon waking up, they had already arrived at Fresh Flower Port.


    Stirred by the noise of the Fresh Flower Vessel docking, Sea Sprite Ake woke up from her shell, stretched lazily, and then quietly cracked open a slit, ¡°Li Si Te, have we arrived?¡±


    ¡°We have. I will take you to visit my castle first.¡±


    ¡°Castle¡­ The place where landlords live¡­ I¡¯ve heard of it, with many princes and princesses dwelling in the castles, and there¡¯s beautiful¡­ love.¡±


    Hearing that Li Si Te would take her to the castle, Ake felt somewhat uneasy but also filled with excited anticipation, wondering about the stories of castles she had heard in the past. Perhaps they were the beloved fantasies of commoners, filled with the poignant and elegiac, emotive love stories between princes and princesses.


    ¡°There are no princes or princesses in my castle, only myself as the landlord, the male and female servants, and many Elf Bugs and the mischievous Thorn Minor Elf Jela.¡±


    ¡°Minor elf¡­ so pretty, I have seen them¡­ a long, long time ago, by the seaside.¡±


    ¡°Which seaside?¡± Li Si Te¡¯s eyes lit up as he inquired.


    ¡°I do not know; it must be far away¡­ I was chased by Dulu Miqita and ended up here¡­ I have forgotten¡­ where that was.¡±


    What a pity.


    If Sea Sprite Ake could provide the exact location, Li Si Te would certainly have set sail to try to capture a seaside minor elf ¨C in this world, there are many wild Elf Bugs, but wild minor elves are extremely rare, for evolving from an Elf Bug into a minor elf requires an abundance of pheromones.


    With the Elf Bugs alone, it¡¯s hard to gather enough pheromones to overcome other difficulties and evolve.


    ¡­


    The workers at the dock had already begun unloading the cargo.


    Captain Kostor came to ask Li Si Te about how to transport the large shell.


    ¡°Let me think for a moment, Captain Kostor, please wait for a while,¡± Li Si Te said, sending Kostor away before questioning the sea sprite again, ¡°Ake, can you make your shell a bit smaller? It¡¯s too large, there are no suitable carriages to transport it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Ake cannot¡­ The shell has been this size since Ake was born, it has always protected Ake¡­ from being eaten by sea monsters.¡±


    Ake had the ability to control water currents, allowing her to swim through the sea in her shell. However, once on land, the shell couldn¡¯t move at all.


    As for Ake herself, before she grew legs, she couldn¡¯t leave her shell.


    Because she and the special seawater inside the shell were one and the same, just like an Elf Bug that has yet to mature and fall from cordyceps.


    ¡°Then I will command people to dismantle the carriage body and transport the shell. After you have visited my castle, I will find a way to settle you in safely, away from the threat of Dulu Miqita.¡±


    From within the opened shell, Sea Sprite Ake revealed a sweet smile, ¡°Hmm¡­ thank you, Li Si Te.¡±


    Li Si Te bowed gracefully, ¡°It¡¯s my honor to protect the beautiful Ake.¡±


    He turned and left.


    He immediately ordered his subordinates to dismantle a valuable carriage body, retaining only the carriage frame. This way, the three-meter diameter shell could be placed on the frame and secured with ropes.


    Under the curious gaze of officials like Goltai who hurried over, Li Si Te rode Douson, personally escorting the large shell along the gravel road, securely transporting it to the castle.


    ¡°Continue with your own work, do not gather here; it¡¯s just a large shell picked up from the sea, similar to the previous Tridacna,¡± Li Si Te scolded those officials like Goltai whose curiosity got the better of them.


    He had the shell placed in the great hall of the castle.


    Now a new problem arose ¨C the three-meter diameter shell was light in weight ¨C the shell, along with the seawater inside and Sea Sprite Ake, were not much heavier than two or three people ¨C but due to its large size, it was very difficult to move into the second floor of the castle.


    ¡°Sigh, I neglected many problems earlier, my mind has turned to mush¡­ Accommodating Ake in the castle is quite challenging, my castle is too small.¡±


    If it were Tulip Castle, it would be very easy to prepare a special room for the sea sprite on the upper floor.


    But the castle in Fresh Flower Town was just a nameless small castle, with only two stories, and the passages and stairways were extremely narrow, so the large shells simply couldn¡¯t fit through.


    Putting it downstairs and living on the same floor as the servants was even less appealing to Liszt.


    It was selfishness that made him lose his reason, wanting to monopolize Ake¡¯s beauty, and of course, Ake did indeed need to be kept secret. Once faced with the issue, he regained some semblance of rationality after calming down.


    He let Carter take the servants out of the hall first, then he knocked on the shell.


    The shell opened, and Ake, filled with curiosity, carefully observed the castle¡¯s hall: ¡°Liszt, this is a castle¡­ such a beautiful castle, Ake has arrived at a human castle.¡±


    ¡°Actually, the upstairs is even more beautiful, that¡¯s where I live. This floor is for the servants. But the stairway is too narrow; I can¡¯t get you up there.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ake looked disappointed.


    Liszt¡¯s heart softened and suddenly, he had a bright idea, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll build a two-story wooden house outside the castle. You can live in the upper part, and I¡¯ll break through the wall between the wooden house and the castle. That way, you can visit the second floor¡­ Yes, let¡¯s do that.¡±


    As someone who was action-oriented, Liszt didn¡¯t hesitate to call Isaiah over and issued his orders.


    He pointed to the north side of the castle¡¯s Worm Room, ¡°Isaiah, arrange for the workers to build a two-story wooden house at this spot, connected to the castle.¡±


    ¡°My lord, are you planning to keep the Shell Sea Monster on top of the wooden house?¡± Isaiah asked curiously, as it was hard to ignore the immense shell.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a very interesting shell. I think there might be pearls inside, so let¡¯s raise it for now and see.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t shells supposed to be kept in water?¡±


    ¡°If it stays in water, it might run away. I still need to do some research. We know too little about sea monsters. It¡¯s a great opportunity for observation, don¡¯t you think?¡± The advantage of being a noble landlord was that his word was law. Once Liszt made a decision, no matter how peculiar it was, his subordinates would faithfully carry it out.


    Isaiah bowed respectfully, ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡­


    During the construction period, the shell parked in the hall never opened. It only opened when Liszt brought fruit for Ake.


    Using construction as a reason, the castle stopped hosting banquets.


    Liszt still dealt with official duties, practiced Dou Qi, and went out on inspections every day, but he had stopped writing ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild,¡± the history book series of his lifetime. This period demanded soothing the Sea Sprite Ake, who was somewhat uneasy about the new environment, to make it feel more at home.


    The beauty of the sea sprite was one aspect, but more importantly, with a sea sprite, one would not get lost while sailing the high seas.


    Besides, after questioning, he also learned that sea sprites can predict storms, sense sea monsters, and perform some water attribute magic. Therefore, the significance of Sea Sprite Ake was immense, having strategic value.


    Three days¡¯ time.


    The illegal construction of the Shell Wood Tower¡ªwas completed successfully, and the large shell was smoothly hoisted up. The passage that connected to the Worm Room was opened, and Sea Sprite Ake and Minor Elf Jela became neighbors.


    ¡°Wu wa!¡±


    Jela was very irritable towards strangers, but towards Sea Sprite Ake, it showed intense curiosity and a cordial affinity.


    It circled around the shell.


    When the shell opened, it stared curiously at Sea Sprite Ake: ¡°Wu wa, wu wa!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Jela¡­ My name is Ake, I¡¯m a sea sprite.¡± Ake extended her hand, and Jela, tilting its head and making a few meaningless sounds, landed in her palm.


    The sea sprite cradled the elf.


    Liszt watched this scene from the side, feeling quite regretful that he didn¡¯t have a camera to capture this beautiful moment.

 Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 0277: Getting High on the Scientific Method (First Update)

    Chapter 277: Chapter 0277: Getting High on the Scientific Method (First Update)


    Night.


    Basking in the warmth of a Fire Dragon Brand Air Conditioner, Liszt took out a Flame Magic Potion and a Thorn Magic Potion from the Gemstone Space.


    The Flame Magic Potion was a magic potion made from Flame Mushrooms, and the Thorn Magic Potion was made from Rapid Growth Magic Thorns. To facilitate differentiation, he used simple and clear terms.


    First, Liszt consumed the Thorn Magic Potion, waited a moment, and then consumed the Flame Magic Potion.


    He then closed his eyes and began to circulate his Dou Qi, mobilizing the strength of his limbs and bones to absorb the magic power of the potions. At the same time, he was constantly reflecting on the different effects brought about by the different consumption methods of the two potions¡ªthe difference in physique caused even the same potion to have different effects and consumption methods for different knights.


    To find the most suitable method of consumption is to be twice as productive with half the effort.


    How to find the best way?


    This requires time and continuous experimentation.


    Liszt had already consumed three doses of the Thorn Magic Potion and had some preliminary understanding of its effects. He was adjusting the dosage and interval of consumption between it and the Flame Magic Potion to carry out the correct testing of the potions.


    After about twenty minutes.


    Liszt slowly opened his eyes and sensed the total amount of Dou Qi inside his body, which had quietly climbed another notch, and he revealed a relieved smile. The refreshing feeling of sensing one¡¯s strength improve every day is something most people would find hard to experience.


    ¡°The cultivation of an Elite Earth Knight is like a ¡®pharmacology study,¡¯ constantly trying out different methods of consuming magic potions to make the body absorb the magic power more easily and to break through the total amount of magic power that cells in various body parts can hold,¡± he thought and had already taken out paper and a pen to start filling in a chart.


    This chart recorded different effects resulting from different dosages and intervals of magic potion consumption.


    Once he had consumed it multiple times, by turning the data in the chart into a curve graph, it would be very easy to determine the optimal method for consuming magic potions.


    This was a scientific approach.


    Science is about induction and summarization.


    In contrast to the average knight who haphazardly tries out potion consumption methods, taking more some days and less on other days, Liszt¡¯s scientific approach was simple, quick, efficient, and accurate: ¡°Even though I don¡¯t understand the fundamental principle behind Dou Qi cultivation, as a transmigrator, my knowledge and mastery of cultivation are definitely far beyond that of the natives.¡±


    He believed that not even the emperor¡¯s son could necessarily find a suitable potion consumption method faster than he could.


    ¡°My confidence in advancing to a Sky Knight before the age of twenty-two is solid.¡±


    The quill did not stop.


    Liszt then took out another piece of thick paper, also with a chart, which was a comparative data chart, comparing the differences between consuming potions in rooms with air-conditioning and those without.


    Because of the cold weather in winter, when Liszt consumed the potions, he chose to do so in his study, enjoying the warmth of the Fire Dragon Brand Air Conditioner.


    However, on the first day, he noticed some problems¡ªhis potency seemed somewhat increased when consuming the potions. At first, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, as the effect was always good whenever he consumed potions in the study. But when he visited Tulip Castle and then Long Taro Castle, he clearly felt that consuming potions outside was not as effective as at home.


    This comparison made him aware that the environment must have played a role.


    He easily thought of the Fire Dragon magic power present in the study.


    So he began to record the different effects of consuming potions in environments with Fire Dragon magic power and those without. Over the past few days of observation, he had recorded quite a bit of data, and there were clear differences between consuming potions inside and outside the study.


    ¡°With the bonus of Fire Dragon magic power, the effect of my Flame Magic Potion consumption increases by about 6.5% to 9.2%¡­ I have only consumed the Thorn Magic Potion three times so far, so I cannot yet determine the increase, but there should be an effect¡­ I guess the benefit of Fire Dragon magic power is to stimulate my Fire Attribute Dou Qi.¡±


    He could feel that within the radiation range of the Magic Little Fire Dragon, his Dou Qi inside his body seemed more lively.


    At the same time.


    The size of the Magic Little Fire Dragon also determined the effect of the amplification. Under the premise that it wouldn¡¯t burn people to death, Liszt had once made a Magic Little Fire Dragon as big as a water tank, using up an entire Fire Dragon Jar¡¯s capacity of magic power. The result was that when he consumed a Flame Magic Potion, the effect was amplified to about 10.4%.


    Compared to the palm-sized Magic Little Fire Dragon, which could achieve a 7% amplification, the water tank-sized Magic Little Fire Dragon, with twenty times the magic capacity, only increased the amplification effect by one point forty-eight times, making the improvement not very significant.


    Moreover, the water tank-sized Magic Little Fire Dragon could almost cook him alive, making it impossible to concentrate on consuming the potion.


    Therefore, after considering everything, he still chose to consume the magic potion in his study room. The temperature was just right, and it wouldn¡¯t cause him to be distracted while taking the potion, so he could remain focused and calm from beginning to end.


    ¡­


    The potion consumption continued, and the records were kept in a chart.


    In a flash, two weeks had passed since he returned to Fresh Flower Town on January 9th, and it was now January 24th. The eight Blizzard Beasts had grown robust, grabbing and fighting over milk during feeding times, and their eyelids often twitched, which was a sign they were about to open their eyes. Liszt started to feed them himself and prohibited others from entering the room.


    Sea Sprite Ake lived in the castle, playing with Minor Elf Jela and enjoying the fruits, not appearing too gloomy, except for the occasional replenishment of seawater.


    That just meant taking her to the seaside and letting her soak in the seawater for two hours.


    At that time, there was only Liszt by the seaside, standing on the snowy rocks, watching Ake dive and frolic in the ocean; his mood was as bright as the sun in the sky. Over the past week and more, he had already inquired all information about Sea Nixie Ake.


    Sea-bred and sea-nurtured, the sea nymphs, rightfully called the elves of the ocean, have a birth process that is ingeniously similar to that of elves.


    One is the essence of plants condensing, and the other is the essence of seawater condensing.


    One can manipulate Cordyceps and affect the growth of plants; the other can manipulate their own shells and the seawater within them, as well as control the surrounding seawater.


    However, elves need to evolve from Elf Bugs, growing until they reach a Greater Elf with the intelligence of an adult human; sea nymphs start with nearly adult intelligence. The growth of legs below their knees over time signifies maturation, with the appearance of two feet indicating adulthood, although their lifespan is unclear.


    Ake is just an underage sea nymph, growing up alone in the ocean, where the ¡°sea would tell¡± her some information; the rest she learned by listening to human ships.


    Forty-one years allowed her to learn Serpent Script.


    But she still retained the innocence and pure goodness of elves.


    ¡°Ake¡¯s habitat may be between Golden Island and Newland Island; she has seen many ships with flags that appear like wheat sheafs. Those are the flags of the Golden Wheat Sheaf and Golden Grain Families.¡±


    The Golden Wheat Sheaf is a Marquis Family with Golden Island as its territory, while the Golden Grain is an Earl family with Newland Island as its territory.


    The two families split a few generations ago, with both having flags featuring a curved wheat sheaf that looks quite similar. Liszt¡¯s brother, Levis, seems to have started a relationship with Marquis Roderick¡¯s daughter, Loria Gold Wheat Ear¡­ He hadn¡¯t gone out of his way to learn about it, and most of the time, he was only concerned with his own matters.


    After swimming in the sea for two hours.


    Sea Sprite Ake obediently came ashore, although recently there had been no sightings of Intermediate Sea Monster Drumla Miktita, but he couldn¡¯t guarantee it had left the area.


    ¡°Liszt, I¡¯ve replenished my seawater; let¡¯s hurry back, Jela must be getting impatient,¡± said Ake, now speaking Serpent Script more fluently and showing a livelier personality, with no reservations towards Liszt.


    Stretching languidly, her elegant curves and pale skin dazzled Liszt¡¯s eyes.


    He composed himself, ¡°Let¡¯s go, home.¡±

 Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 0278: The Ultimate Fresh Flower Brew in Wine (Second Update)

    Chapter 278: Chapter 0278: The Ultimate Fresh Flower Brew in Wine (Second Update)


    The time for the Blizzard Beasts to open their eyes was drawing near.


    As if to celebrate the upcoming arrival of the Blizzard Beast Legion, the head of the Brewing Workshop, Frank Dregs, ran all the way to the castle roaring with excitement, to report to Liszt.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, we¡¯ve distilled pure white spirits!¡±


    ¡°Distilled?¡± Liszt rejoiced inwardly but remained composed on the surface, ¡°How is the quality of the Fresh Flower Brew?¡±


    ¡°Compared to the Juniper Wine you left in the brewing workshop, there might be some differences in taste. The Fresh Flower Brew isn¡¯t as strong but is smoother on entry, each has its own merits.¡±


    ¡°Softer than Juniper Wine, if it truly meets the standards, I will reward you handsomely.¡±


    A group of people quickly made their way to the Brewing Workshop, where Frank had the apprentices bring out the freshly brewed white spirits. Several large barrels full, each containing white spirits more valuable than silver. There was no faking the white spirits inside the barrels; it no longer had that foul or sour smell.


    ¡°We adopted pot distillation, and found while the first distillation was strong, the taste wasn¡¯t good; not until we refilled the ingredients and started the second distillation did we produce white spirits with a very pure taste, free of impurities, reaching a quality suitable for sale.¡±


    Liszt tasted the white spirits from the second distillation.


    He found that upon entry, it reached the spiciness of white spirits. After tasting for a moment and recalling the taste of Juniper Wine, he instantly felt each had its own merits, unable to say which was better or worse.


    ¡°Go call for Goltai.¡± He turned and commanded Servant Thomas.


    Shortly after, Goltai hurried over: ¡°Lord, is the Fresh Flower Brew ready? Oh my, I can hardly wait to taste it!¡±


    Seeing Goltai¡¯s drunken demeanor, Liszt reprimanded him unsatisfiedly: ¡°Aren¡¯t you tasting the Fresh Flower Brew every day?¡±


    The town¡¯s advisor¡¯s greatest passion in life was to drink and boast.


    Before the success of the Fresh Flower Brew, the poor quality of the spirit was evident, but still, he would head to the Brewing Workshop after work every day to scrounge some low-quality spirit, drinking himself into a stupor before heading home to sleep.


    ¡°Heh heh.¡± With an awkward laugh, Goltai offered no rebuttal.


    Pointing to the newly brewed high-quality spirit, Liszt spoke: ¡°You are an expert in tasting, try this and compare it with the Juniper Wine, and give me a comprehensive analysis.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Lord!¡±


    Goltai eagerly grabbed a jug, tilted his head back, and took a swig of the Fresh Flower Brew¡¯s raw spirit, then swayed back and forth with his eyes closed. After some moments, he opened his eyes, sparkling with excitement: ¡°Lord, by the knight¡¯s glory! The Fresh Flower Brew can certainly match the Juniper Wine, offering a completely different taste that is just as intoxicating!¡±


    Following that, he took a sip of the raw spirit to compare the differences between Juniper Wine and Fresh Flower Brew.


    One was strong, with a spicy taste but a heavy kick that was quick to go to one¡¯s head; the other was slightly less intense, but had a smoother taste, lesser kick, and didn¡¯t go to the head as easily.


    ¡°I think, once the Fresh Flower Brew is on the market, it will sell better than Juniper Wine because it doesn¡¯t give as much of kick and allows nobles to drink from before the banquet until after it has started. Juniper Wine can¡¯t last that long; the Fresh Flower Brew can suit more nobles, even those noble ladies!¡±


    In the end.


    Goltai was already half-drunk, holding the jug with his thumb raised: ¡°To me, the Fresh Flower Brew is one notch below the Juniper Wine, but for more nobles, it¡¯s a cut above, truly top-notch!¡±


    Listening to his extensive analysis.


    Liszt gained a rough understanding that Juniper Wine was akin to Russian vodka, strong and pungent; Fresh Flower Brew was similar to Beijing¡¯s erguotou, not quite as strong but soft. An old drunkard might choose vodka for the sheer kick, but more people would accept erguotou, suitable for family banquets.


    ¡°Erguotou? It seems Fresh Flower Brew is made using the second distillation, could this be its true meaning?¡± Liszt pondered for a moment.


    Not being a frequent drinker, he had too little knowledge of spirits.


    He turned to ask Frank, ¡°Is there a grading for Fresh Flower Brew, according to my method, divided into several grades?¡±


    ¡°Following your idea, we set the pure second distillation as the highest grade; the blend of the first distillation and the second distillation is the second grade; the first distillation alone is the third grade; the blend of the third and the second distillations is the fourth grade; and the third distillation alone is the lowest grade.¡±


    Frank and others divided the grades meticulously, obviously after Liszt¡¯s previous scolding, they strived to do their best work before daring to report back to the castle.


    ¡°Bring out the lowest grade Fresh Flower Brew, let Consultant Gao Ertai have a taste.¡±


    Having had too much of the highest grade from the second distillation, when Goltai tried the lowest grade from the third distillation, he almost spat it out, ¡°The taste is too complex. It¡¯s just a little better than the previous Fresh Flower Brew, it should not hit the market.¡±


    After that, Goltai tasted the other grades as well, with mixed reviews. The first three grades could be sold as liquor, while the last two were not up to standard.


    Liszt understood now.


    With the top three grades of liquor, Fresh Flower Brew was a huge success, and the Brewing Workshop would become the largest source of gold coins for Fresh Flower Town, as well as a cornerstone for Liszt¡¯s career development.


    ¡°From now on, the Brewing Workshop is a top secret of Fresh Flower Town; no idle persons are permitted to enter at will. Patrol members are dispatched to guard the area 24 hours a day, isolated from other workshops. The brewers with technical know-how must be strictly protected¡­ Consultant Goltai, can you hear me clearly?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my Lord, I¡¯m just slightly tipsy, I heard your instructions very clearly, I¡¯ll certainly give the Brewing Workshop the utmost priority¡­ *hic*.¡± Goltai swayed a little and ended the conversation with a hiccup.


    Upon seeing this.


    Liszt, not trusting him, summoned Administrative Officer Isaiah and handed over the tasks to him.


    Subsequently, Liszt began offering rewards, ¡°I promised you that as long as the Fresh Flower Brew meets the standards, there would be gold and silver coins. Now, Frank Dregs, Bording, and Huntera, I will reward each of you with a Gold Coin, and each apprentice involved in the brewing will get twenty silver coins!¡±


    ¡°Praise Lord Landlord!¡±


    ¡°We thank Lord Landlord for your generous reward!¡±


    The brewers and apprentices, receiving the gold and silver coins, proceeded to thank him excitedly.


    Liszt continued with encouragement and reminders for them to work diligently; future benefits would not be lacking. Brewing was simple, but creating a qualified spirit was much more challenging than one might imagine. Fortunately, under his guidance on ¡°distillation technology,¡± the brewers finally produced real spirits.


    ¡°Actually, I should be the most rewarded¡­ Ah well, let¡¯s just keep my contribution concealed. Why bother competing for a little honor with a few serfs?¡±


    Having praised himself internally, Liszt immediately took action to prepare the launch of Fresh Flower Brew.


    First, he sent someone to notify Levis.


    The Fresh Flower Brew business needed substantial support from Levis to quickly expand production capacity, open sales channels, and rapidly recoup investments.


    As the town¡¯s landlord, he was in dire need of money!

 Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Cultivating a Water Mage (Fifth Update)

    Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Cultivating a Water Mage (Fifth Update)


    The workshop area had a separate, huge factory district planned for the expansion of the Brewing Workshop.


    The Carpenter¡¯s Shop, Smithy, Bone Craftsman Shop, and Cooperage organized by officials worked together from dawn to dusk, rushing to make brewing equipment.


    Even the Brad family, who ran the Crystal Workshop but could only carve Volcanic Glass all day, received a new task to carve some key equipment positions with Volcanic Glass.


    The town was bustling, yet the Castle remained as peaceful as ever.


    Only, on the shelves in Liszt¡¯s study were additional bottles filled with Fresh Flower Brew, not for drinking, but kept as mementos.


    These were the true original liquor of the Fresh Flower Brew.


    After completing today¡¯s Knight training lesson, Liszt took a bath in the bathroom and then went to the Worm Room. He chatted with Sea Sprite Ake and, by the way, enjoyed the beautiful scenery.


    Recently, Sea Sprite Ake had become fascinated by all kinds of books.


    Since she couldn¡¯t read, Liszt often taught her. It wasn¡¯t clear if it was a racial talent, but she learned very quickly and soon remembered a large amount of Serpent Script, allowing her to read independently.


    She especially loved to study those Magic Books, and was extremely curious about magic.


    At the moment.


    The Shell was open.


    Minor Elf Jela was soaking in the Seawater, a part of what belonged to Ake. Liszt touched it with his hand, finding it not much different from ordinary seawater, probably just warmer and lacking the usual chill of seawater. It was hard to imagine that these waters would eventually grow Ake¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Liszt, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Ake, are you still reading books?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking at ¡®Fredo¡¯s Fireball Technique.¡¯ This Magic Apprentice, Fredo Truth is so funny, he actually rubbed a Fireball Technique from the back of his hand, hee hee, so silly.¡± Ake closed the book, revealing a sweet smile.


    Jela, with eyes closed, only opened them upon hearing Liszt speak, glanced at Liszt, and continued soaking in the seawater, enjoying the warmth blissfully. Behind her, nine Elf Bugs of various colors swam in the seashell sea as well.


    No guessing needed; it was Jela who had thrown the Elf Bugs in.


    ¡°It is pretty funny, but magicians are all humans with some unusual ideas.¡± Liszt poked Jela¡¯s belly with his hand, only to have Jela scurry away, ¡°They¡¯re in the Shell there, they aren¡¯t disturbing your reading, are they?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Jela and the insect babies are very quiet.¡±


    ¡°Only around you are they quiet. Outside, Jela is the top bully of Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Hearing someone speak ill of her, Jela protested, poking her head out of the Seawater and crying out ¡°Wah¡± to object. But after being glared at by Liszt, she tucked her head back in again and continued to bathe.


    After chatting for a while.


    Ake suddenly lifted her hand, ¡°Liszt, is this how magic is released?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    She spoke while seeming to gather Magic Power, ¡°Imagine a bridge between the spirit and Magic Power, get familiar with them, experience them. I can only get along with Water Attribute Magic Power; they¡¯re like many gentle little babies that will heed my call.¡±


    Then, something unexpected happened to Liszt.


    On her delicate hand, she was truly gathering a ball of water bit by bit. The ball of water slowly twisted, then elongated into the spiral shape of an arrow.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read a book about the Water Arrow Spell, and I think the magic principles recorded in the book are very simple. It seems very easy for me to do.¡±


    That crystal-clear Water Arrow looked so vivid and real.


    Using the Eye of Magic, Liszt observed that the Magic Power of the Water Arrow originated from the free Magic Power in the air, not from Ake¡¯s own Magic Power.


    This was the Magic released by magicians, unexpectedly taking shape in the hands of a Sea Sprite.


    ¡°Ake, release the Water Arrow Spell outside the window.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ake obediently pushed with her hand, and the water arrow shot out like a real sharp arrow, flying out of the window and finally disappearing into the horizon, ¡°Hee hee, the water arrow flew out, Li Si Te, have I learned the Water Arrow Spell?¡±


    ¡°You have learned it!¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyes gleamed, as he had already overestimated as much as possible the role of the sea sprite, feeling that she was a strategic aid to the launch of his age of navigation. But now, it must be revised, for the sea sprite could not only play an important role in navigation, she also had the potential to become a magician.


    A Water Mage.


    At this moment, an irresistible idea arose in him, to cultivate the Sea Sprite Ake into a Grand Magician of the Water System, or even a Water Mage.


    With her talent for self-learning, it seemed that becoming a Water Mage was not an impossibility.


    In his excitement, he couldn¡¯t help but reach out and stroke Ake¡¯s deep blue hair, ¡°I will collect all the Magic Books that record Water Magic, you can immerse yourself in studying Water Magic, and in the future strive to become a Sea Sprite Magician.¡±


    ¡°Can Ake be called a Magician?¡±


    ¡°Of course, as long as you work hard.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    ¡­


    One good piece of news followed another.


    Fresh Flower Brew was successfully created, the Sea Sprite Ake learned magic, and then, after Liszt had been feeding the little Blizzard Beasts for most of a month, they finally opened their eyes one after another at the end of January.


    The first person they saw was Liszt, and that first glance represented recognition of their master.


    Perhaps this so-called recognition of master was not to the extent of unwavering loyalty, but it meant the eight little Blizzard Beasts all regarded Liszt as the person closest to them, in the role of a father or mother. With slow training and cultivation, they would, like Douson, follow Liszt¡¯s commands.


    ¡°What should their names be?¡± Liszt found himself in a bit of a predicament.


    There were eight in a row, all with black fur and more or less the same size, chunky and not easy to distinguish. In fact, Liszt had already forgotten the order in which they were born.


    In the end, recalling how he treated Douson, Liszt decided to craft a collar for each of the eight Blizzard Beasts.


    Every collar was adorned with a nameplate.


    The colors of the nameplates had to be different so that at a glance one could tell which was which and not call them by the wrong names. He also decided to raise the Blizzard Beasts separately; having raised dogs before, he knew all too well the horrors of a litter of puppies. Once they go mad, they could wreak havoc.


    Raised separately, trained separately, until all the Blizzard Beasts could obey commands, then brought together to undergo military-style training.


    To prepare for the battlefield in the future.


    ¡°My lord, all four kennels have been covered with cotton pads, ready for the Blizzard Beasts to move in. The dog collars you ordered to be made have also been delivered from the Tanners¡¯ Shop, eight sets in total,¡± Butler Carter walked into the room, reporting.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s move them today, clean the entertainment room thoroughly, especially the smell must be cleared away, it¡¯s too offensive.¡±


    ¡°I will instruct Mrs. Morson to handle it.¡± Carter continued, ¡°Then, what names would you like engraved on the nameplates for the eight Blizzard Beasts you wish to make?¡±


    ¡°Wait until I think of them,¡± Liszt replied.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    As the servants began to carry the eight little Blizzard Beasts one by one into the four kennels set apart in different locations, Liszt waved his hand calling out the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward eight Intermediate Magical Beast Blizzard Beasts.¡±


    Seeing the Smoke Serpent Script clearly, Liszt smiled faintly.


    Indeed.


    Fed with Dragon Breed Milk, the Blizzard Beasts had stabilized their foundations and become Intermediate Magical Beasts!

 Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 0282: Full Body Armor Crushes Poisonous Bees (First Update)

    Chapter 282: Chapter 0282: Full Body Armor Crushes Poisonous Bees (First Update)


    ¡°Mission: Due to the Fresh Flower Vessel¡¯s reduced trips to sea, Black Horse Island is in short supply of the necessary wood for construction. Marcus decided to cut down the scattered trees on the island but encountered lethal poisonous bees. Please eliminate the bee nests to prevent more people from being stung to death. Reward: One Elf Bug.¡±


    Smoke Serpent Script gently flowed before his eyes, its content already etched into Liszt¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Very good, finally another reward that¡¯s an Elf Bug!¡±


    Since obtaining the Corn Grass Elf Bug, he hadn¡¯t harvested any Elf Bug for two full months. This certainly had to do with the arrival of winter, when most plants stopped growing, but Liszt felt a deep sense of regret. Elf Bugs were an indisposable productive force for the Lord Landlord.


    Now, finally, a new mission had appeared, and the reward was an Elf Bug.


    ¡°I wonder what kind of Elf Bug it is, the clues for the mission aren¡¯t many¡­ Whatever it is, let¡¯s get rid of the bee nest first!¡± Liszt was brimming with fighting spirit.


    Removing the bee nest wasn¡¯t difficult, considering that knights had full body armor.


    During the time when Fresh Flower Town made a killing selling seafood, Liszt had managed to save up for twenty sets of knight equipment. Among them was fine steel armor that covered one from head to toe. Once suited up, no matter what kind of poisonous bee, crazy bee, or killer bee came at him, they would all be swatted to death.


    ¡°I just hope not too many serfs die.¡±


    Far away on Black Horse Island, Marcus had the same thought.


    After returning from Black Horse Island on the Fresh Flower Vessel, he immediately reported to the Landlord, ¡°My Lord, I regret to inform you that there have been killer bee nests on Black Horse Island which have claimed the lives of sixteen serfs to their stings. I plan to bring back several full body armors during this trip and eradicate the poisonous bees completely!¡±


    He brought back a few dead bodies of the poisonous bees.


    Each poisonous bee was the size of a thumb, and there were even larger Queen Bees guarding them.


    Even as an Elite Earth Knight, Marcus didn¡¯t dare to approach the beehives lightly. He had to keep his distance and seek the protection of the knight¡¯s full body armor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to Black Horse Island to see for myself what these killer bees look like,¡± Liszt said in a deep voice. Not only did he want to find the Elf Bug, but he also wanted to check if there was honey in the killer bee nests.


    If there was honey in the hives, it would undoubtedly be top-quality honey.


    Honey is a top-tier ingredient in noble cuisine, but no one keeps bees. Instead, they send serfs to gather wild honey, and every year a large number of these honey-gathering serfs get stung to death by various bees.


    There aren¡¯t many beehives in Fresh Flower Town.


    Even if there were, he wouldn¡¯t send serfs out to gather honey; he wasn¡¯t cruel enough to exchange serfs¡¯ lives for delicacies.


    Liszt decided to go along.


    Marcus had no objections.


    But he had other matters to report: ¡°The issue that arose during the tree cutting is not only due to the unexpected bee attacks, but also due to lax management. The serfs were skiving off, going far away to relieve themselves, which led to their deaths from bee stings. My Lord, the port town needs more management personnel!¡±


    ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll arrange for it as soon as possible.¡±


    As an action-oriented Landlord, once a problem arose, he immediately set out to solve it. After a brief period of consideration, he summoned Griffin Haystack and Lasse Steelyard.


    Griffin was an orphan and a friend of Liszt¡¯s from the Knight Academy; Lasse was of commoner descent, with his family having moved to Fresh Flower Town.


    Looking at the two Earth Knights, Liszt asked solemnly, ¡°Lasse, Griffin, can I trust you?¡±


    Griffin replied without hesitation, ¡°Baron, I came to Fresh Flower Town to follow you, and I¡¯m ready to follow your lead at any time!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also ready to follow at any time!¡± Lasse wasn¡¯t to be outdone.


    ¡°Then, I need to send you to a place for a task ¨C you might not return to Fresh Flower Town for a very long time. Lasse, you have to take your family with you¡­ You probably won¡¯t be able to come back to Fresh Flower Town for two or three years. Would you still be willing?¡±


    Lasse, puzzled, asked, ¡°Baron, what duty are you assigning us that would warrant such a long absence, and why must my family join as well?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a duty, it¡¯s not dangerous but it¡¯s a bit hard work, and it requires confidentiality. As for the nature of the duty, I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Liszt looked at them, ¡°but I can assure you that there will be ample rewards for your efforts.¡±


    Griffin, upon hearing this, immediately said, ¡°Baron, I am willing!¡±


    Lasse hesitated briefly then nodded in agreement, ¡°Since Lasse has decided to follow the Baron, naturally I will obey the Baron¡¯s arrangements!¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Then, from today on, you are officially part of my Knight Squad!¡±


    This was an acceptance of their allegiance. Griffin and Lasse instantly realized, knelt on one knee, and performed the solemn Knight¡¯s gesture of fealty and loyalty, ¡°We swear to serve you, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Rise, pack your belongings, and communicate sufficiently with your families. Gather at Fresh Flower Port first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡­


    The next day.


    The Fresh Flower Vessel, riding the wind and waves, arrived at Black Horse Island in the afternoon.


    It was only then that Lasse and Griffin learned they had been dispatched to work on a desolate island, and that this Black Horse Island would become the future domain of Lord Landlord.


    ¡°From now on, my Knight Squad¡¯s training will be conducted on Black Horse Island. Lasse, Griffin, Teacher Marcus will serve as the captain of the Knight Squad, responsible for the daily training of the Knight Squad. The construction of the port town will also be led by him. Construction needs to be meticulous, and training must be persistent,¡± Liszt explained.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Knights are capable of fighting on horseback as well as serving as officials off horseback.


    Without much delay, Liszt, along with three Earth Knights, hurried to the location of the poisonous bees. All four were clad in fine steel full body armor, riding their mounts, even their eyes shielded by iron-wire-mesh visors. With such airtight gear, exterminating the poisonous bees was a breeze.


    Leaving Douson and the horses at a distance, Liszt and his men walked towards the bee nest.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s just ahead,¡± Marcus pointed to a nearby location, ¡°Do you see that large tree? The hive is on its branches, quite huge and clearly visible.¡±


    ¡°I see it. Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll aim to kill all the poisonous bees before nightfall.¡±


    The Earth Knights¡¯ pace was swift, and shortly after they arrived at the base of the tree, puzzled as to why those serfs who came to relieve themselves had to run so far.


    To take a shortcut and risk their lives, it was truly speechless.


    ¡°Buzzzz!¡±


    The poisonous bees had already spotted the four newcomers.


    Without hesitation, they called their comrades and began an offensive attack. The thumb-sized poisonous bees darted around vigorously, but their efforts were futile against steel defenses. The four Earth Knights circulated their Dou Qi and swung their longswords, swatting one after another of the large poisonous bees.


    Especially Liszt, being the strongest Elite Earth Knight with fire attribute Dou Qi, which had explosive properties. Every time he executed combat skills, the flames that filled the sky would burn swathes of poisonous bees to death.


    The hive was very large, at least one and a half times the height of a man.


    Tens of thousands of fearless poisonous bees flew out, swarming toward the four men, but it was in vain, they fell as lifeless bodies under the sword, dropping to the ground.


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯ll climb up and chop down the hive!¡± Griffin, with thunder attribute Dou Qi and a longsword crackling with lightning, though only a Common Earth Knight, possessed an extremely ferocious combat strength.


    He used his hands and feet nimbly and climbed the branches with ease.


    The poisonous bees surrounded him in layers, but they couldn¡¯t stop his actions. He drew his longsword, aimed at the base of the branch, and began hacking away, breaking the entire branch and causing it to fall to the ground with the hive.


    Four Earth Knights.


    They surrounded the fallen hive, frantically slaughtering the poisonous bees.


    The battle was fierce.

 Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter 283: Natural Adhesive Glue (Second Update)

    Chapter 283: Chapter 283: Natural Adhesive Glue (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The species of poisonous bees was unknown, and nobody cared about exactly what type of poisonous bees they were, as Dou Qi burst forth in spurts and limbs flew chaotically. When the sunset was about to fall below the horizon, almost all the poisonous bees had perished.


    Even the beehive was split open, and the hidden bee queen was found and directly pinched to death.


    Only a small number of poisonous bees flew away. According to bee behaviors, they would likely linger around here for a few days until they were sure the beehive no longer existed before they would completely leave.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, remember to warn all serfs not to come over to this area,¡±


    ¡°Understood, my lord,¡±


    At this moment, Lasse suddenly shouted, ¡°My lord, it¡¯s honey, there is honey inside this beehive!¡±


    ¡°Is there really honey?¡± Liszt lifted his visor and looked through the broken face of the beehive that Lasse had pried open. Indeed, he saw golden, glistening honey, exuding a faintly tempting sweet fragrance.


    He pried deeper with his hand and discovered that many honeycombs contained white larvae.


    These were bee pupae.


    They were about as thick as an index finger and as long as a thumb, plump in size.


    Seeing these white bee pupae almost made Liszt drool; he had tasted stir-fried bee pupae before, which were savoury, crispy, and delicious. Moreover, bee pupae contained high protein, low fat, various vitamins, and trace elements, making them a very nourishing ingredient. Now, this beehive, a person and a half tall, could yield at least ten pounds of bee pupae.


    There was food!


    ¡°Lasse, Griffin, lift the beehive and carry it back! The honey and bee pupae inside are all good stuff, I want them,¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    The two of them said so and began to move the beehive, but they could not lift it, their faces turning beet red with the effort.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten?¡± Marcus asked incredulously.


    An Earth Knight¡¯s strength, although not boundless, was at least several times that of an average adult. Lifting a poisonous beehive that weighed less than five hundred pounds should not have been so strenuous.


    At this comment, Lasse¡¯s face turned even redder.


    He exerted all his strength, and his Dou Qi ran wildly, finally causing the beehive to wobble.


    Griffin, who was lifting with him, suddenly discovered the problem, ¡°Captain Marcus, it seems like the beehive is stuck to the trunk of the tree here, as if glued by something. No wonder we cannot move it.¡±


    ¡°Stuck?¡± Liszt also went over to inspect the part where the beehive and the tree trunk were connected and indeed saw, as Griffin had said, some white substance tightly bonding the two, which could not be pulled apart, ¡°Could it be the sap secreted by the tree, with such strong adhesive properties?¡±


    Following the white substance upward, it originated from where Lasse had previously cut off a branch, leaving a lot of sap, which had flowed down here and then dried and solidified.


    It seemed even stickier than 502 glue.


    ¡°Glue¡­ solidified¡­¡± Liszt felt that this substance was very unusual and, if utilized, could have a wide range of potential uses.


    At that moment, Marcus had already drawn his Fine Steel Longsword and aimed it at the bonded area, striking with his sword.


    Clang!


    Clang!


    Clang!


    Three strikes in a row only cracked a small slit into the white material, showing no signs of coming apart.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Chop a few more times with your Dou Qi, Teacher Marcus,¡± Liszt indicated for Marcus not to stop and to continue swinging his sword to test the strength of the sap¡¯s adhesion.


    Marcus did as told.


    He surged his Dou Qi, and a cyan light clung to the longsword. Targeting the white substance, he struck fiercely¡ªcrack! This strike finally split the white material apart, completely detaching the wasp nest from the tree trunk: ¡°What is this thing so hard that I had to use all my strength to cut it down?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the sap that¡¯s flowing down from the tree. Teacher Marcus, Lasse, Griffin, we might have found something even better,¡± Liszt said, pointing at the tree in front of them with a smile.


    The tree was a kind of ordinary mixed tree that Liszt had studied when he landed on Black Horse Island for the second time in search of dragon bones. The trunk was straight, and the branches were high up and not lush, bearing no flowers or fruit, nor did it grow very tall. When he had first arrived before the New Year, the leaves were only slightly yellow, but now they had turned completely yellow.


    The conclusion he had reached then was that it was a deciduous tree, quite ordinary, probably suitable for timber use.


    He had even planned to cut down all the mixed trees near the pasture to expand the cultivation area of the grass once he had enough hands. Now it seemed fortunate that he hadn¡¯t cut them down, for trees that could secrete such a potent glue were clearly gifts from nature.


    The sun was setting in the west.


    Liszt was in no rush to return, as there were no magical beasts on the island, and hence no dangers. ¡°Griffin, chop at the tree trunk with your sword.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    With one strike, the tree bark split open.


    About a minute passed, and then a white sap started to ooze from the split. Liszt collected some with a stick and then stuck it to the tree trunk, occasionally shaking it to judge the speed of the sap¡¯s adhesion. Exposed to the air for about five minutes, the sap began to solidify.


    Once solidified, it was nearly indestructible.


    ¡°The effect is very strong. Do you see its use?¡± he asked proudly, with a hint of showing off¡ªthis tree¡¯s sap was undoubtedly a natural adhesive, and judging by its durability after congealing, it was definitely comparable to rubber, essentially a hybrid of rubber and 502 glue.


    The importance of rubber was unquestionable, and the uses of 502 glue were also very significant.


    The combination of the advantages of both clearly made a more valuable natural glue.


    However, the trio of Marcus didn¡¯t quite realize this point so quickly, hence they seemed a bit confused.


    Griffin even replied earnestly, ¡°Maybe it can glue two things together? It seems a bit troublesome, my lord. The serfs might end up gluing their axes to the tree trunks when cutting down trees.¡±


    ¡°Cutting trees?¡±


    ¡°That, my lord, aren¡¯t you planning to cut down all the trees on the island to expand the grassland area?¡±


    ¡°That was the old plan, but now it has changed, we need the pastures, but we need these trees even more!¡± Liszt stated definitively, ¡°It seems you did not understand what I just said; the sap of this tree is a good thing, a very good thing. In my view, it¡¯s more valuable than gold.¡±


    ¡°More valuable than gold?¡±


    ¡°The sap can be used directly as a glue to bond things. For example, when a cooper makes a barrel, with this glue, simply sticking two planks together would make a perfect seal that won¡¯t loosen or leak. It would seem a waste to use it just for barreling, it might be suitable for bonding weapons.¡±


    Liszt calmed his excitement and continued, ¡°Of course, we first need to determine its properties: its durability, whether it¡¯s fire-resistant or water-resistant, how to collect and store it, and so on¡­¡±


    As he said this.


    He suddenly remembered that the Smoke Mission had been completed and that his Elf Bug was due to arrive. While letting Marcus and the others study the properties of the natural glue, he silently summoned the Smoke Mission.


    However, he found that the content of the mission hadn¡¯t changed, and the task of clearing the wasp nest had not yet been completed.


    ¡°It seems that I need to wait until all the wasps have flown away and the danger is completely removed for the task to be considered complete, but this tree and this mission¡­¡± Looking at the trunk and thinking about the mission, he felt there might be a connection between the two: ¡°Could it be that my tenth Elf Bug is related to this type of tree?¡±


    He quickly activated his Eye of Magic and began to examine the big tree before him. As his gaze moved to the canopy at the top of the trunk, a flash of magic power flitted across his field of vision.

 Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 0284: Rubber Tree Elf Bug (Third Update)

    Chapter 284: Chapter 0284: Rubber Tree Elf Bug (Third Update)


    A flash of magic light passed by, a pale yellow that seemed to belong to Earth Attribute magic, right at the crown of the large tree. This tree wasn¡¯t very tall, Li Si Te could clearly see its crown, where the magic was emanating from a treetop that had grown a large round bulge. There was no doubt that inside it housed an Elf Bug.


    Which meant, this tree, was Cordyceps!


    Realizing this, Li Si Te immediately felt a pang of distress. Lasse had cut off a robust branch, and Griffin had slashed a wound into the trunk, they were basically making things difficult for his own Elf Bug.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, Lasse, Griffin, this tree is Cordyceps,¡± he touched the somewhat rough bark, ¡°My Elf Bug is inside, gestating. I can feel its presence. You must protect it well, and when it¡¯s born, I will come back to make a contract with it.¡±


    ¡°There really is an Elf Bug?¡± Lasse clicked his tongue in amazement.


    Marcus, however, was not surprised at all, knowing Li Si Te¡¯s keen vision: ¡°My lord, rest assured, I will arrange for someone to patrol this tree at all times. Once the Elf Bug is born, I will immediately inform you!¡±


    Griffin spoke with excitement, ¡°Lasse, you just chopped off a branch of the Cordyceps, and I made a cut on it! Our lord really is the Son of Glory, blessed with knightly radiance. Fresh Flower Town has gained another Elf Bug!¡± It was unclear whether he was excited about the Elf Bug or the fact that he had cut into the Cordyceps.


    Regardless.


    The three of them, who were initially unclear about natural glue, now paid serious attention because of the gestating Elf Bug.


    For them, a plant capable of nurturing an Elf Bug was valuable. In their eyes, Elf Bugs were a symbol of nobility, an embellishment of power.


    Li Si Te looked at the Cordyceps Tree in front of him, feeling very pleased: ¡°Although the beehive has claimed the lives of sixteen serfs, leaving me heartbroken, there is gain for every loss. We have acquired a new crop and an Elf Bug thanks to that. I now bestow upon this tree the name ¡®Rubber Tree¡¯!¡±


    This Rubber Tree was different from the rubber trees on Earth, it was just borrowing the name.


    The impending Elf Bug would then become known as the Rubber Tree Elf Bug.


    Night had fallen.


    After collecting some rubber samples and carrying the poisonous beehive, they also collected some of the bees¡¯ corpses, and headed back. Upon returning to the port town, they immediately found wooden planks to make a box, and put the beehive into the box.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, the bees¡¯ poison sacs can be collected. By concentrating the bee venom and refining it, we may obtain a potent poison,¡± Li Si Te suggested.


    Speaking of poisons, the Rapid Growth Poison Thorn of Fresh Flower Town was truly toxic. Its prickly thorns would cut the skin and cause ulceration and scarring, but wouldn¡¯t kill a person. However, when refined and tempered on the blade of a weapon, even ordinary beasts would convulse upon being struck, if not entirely incapacitated.


    Even when used against magical beasts with magic power, it could deal a serious blow, weakening the magical beast for a short period and causing its recovery abilities to decline significantly for a long time thereafter.


    It would have a similar effect on knights as well.


    Using poison wasn¡¯t a noble deed; it violated the chivalrous values of knights who favored straightforward charges.


    But a toxin that merely caused weakness was tolerable; war naturally called for diverse strategies, and one couldn¡¯t rely solely on fiery passion. The loser is the villain, and the victor the king; only the victor has the right to display noble virtues. The loser faces death, bankruptcy, or servitude as a serf, anyway, far removed from nobility.


    Marcus understood this principle and nodded immediately: ¡°I will have people collect all the bee carcasses, extract the poison sacs and refine the toxins.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡­


    The next morning,


    Li Si Te took a boat back to Fresh Flower Town, leaving Marcus and the others to continue overseeing the construction of the port town.


    The first thing he did upon returning to the castle was to order the servants to clean up the beehive: ¡°Mrs. Abbie, have your people pick out all the bee pupae from the beehive, and then scrape off the honey¡­ first experiment on small animals to see if it¡¯s toxic. If not, it¡¯s to be included in my recipes.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, what a huge wasp nest, sir, you can look forward to enjoying delicious bee pupae. When I was a kid, I often dug up wasp nests to find those cute, tasty pupae to cook with. And this honey, look, look, it¡¯s just so golden and tempting!¡±


    Mrs. Abbie circled the massive poison bee nest, inspecting it excitedly from every angle.


    Since coming to the castle in Fresh Flower Town, under Liszt¡¯s deliberate and inadvertent guidance, she had become a top-class chef renowned far and near. Everyone said, ¡°Mrs. Abbie is so skillful and creative,¡± ¡°Mrs. Abbie¡¯s dishes are astonishing,¡± ¡°Mrs. Abbie¡¯s mind is full of delicious food,¡± which greatly pleased her.


    She had thrown herself into the innovation of developing new dishes and there was no stopping her.


    As a result, the castle not only hired a serf who was a chef to be her assistant but also employed two new kitchen maids.


    The chef was Julia, a serf bought from the Eagle Kingdom, who had no surname.


    The two kitchen maids, Oly and Kelsey, were also serfs bought from the Eagle Kingdom, without surnames.


    Unlike the Duchy of Sapphire, many serfs in the Eagle Kingdom didn¡¯t have surnames. They cultivated the land generation after generation, with little mobility, essentially not needing surnames. For example, Paris and Maggie, the sisters, didn¡¯t have surnames; Bording and Huntera, who assisted Frank Dregs in winemaking, also didn¡¯t have surnames.


    Whereas in the founding history of the Duchy of Sapphire, a large number of serfs were bought, and to facilitate census and strict control of the serfs, all were forced to take surnames.


    Noble vocabulary was not allowed to be used, which directly resulted in the surnames of the commoners being a mishmash of lowly words.


    Before becoming a noble, Liszt¡¯s ancestors¡¯ surname was the lowly word ¡°Tile.¡± Only after rising alongside the Tulip Great Elf did the surname change to the noble word ¡°Tulip.¡±


    While Mrs. Abbie was busy fussing with the poison bee nest,


    Liszt began training the eight Little Blizzard Beasts, following his instructions, new nameplates had already been hung on each of the Blizzard Beasts¡¯ necks.


    ¡°Storm, Flame, come!¡±


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    ¡°Whoo!¡±


    Using jerky as an enticement was the quickest way to strengthen the bond.


    The chubby Blizzard Beasts couldn¡¯t resist the jerky and quickly pounced on Liszt, licking both his hands and the jerky. Storm had a green nameplate on its neck, and Flame had a red one.


    Following the method summarized when training Douson, he practiced with the two Little Blizzard Beasts.


    He continued on to the other three dog kennels.


    Rock wore a yellow nameplate, Surge had a deep blue nameplate; Thunder had a purple nameplate, Light had a white nameplate; Ice Snow wore a light blue nameplate, and Shadow had a black nameplate.


    The names of the eight Blizzard Beasts corresponded to the eight magic attributes of wind, fire, earth, water, thunder, light, ice, and shadow.


    It didn¡¯t mean much and didn¡¯t fit their physical characteristics; it was merely for differentiation.


    After running through a round of training, an hour and a half had passed, and Liszt took the milk tea handed over by the butler and drank it down in one go, ¡°The workload is too much, training dogs is such a waste of energy and time!¡±


    He had a premonition that as the Blizzard Beasts grew up, he would probably have no spare time left to write ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild.¡±


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯ll really have to be a history book series for my lifetime.¡±

 Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 286: Incredible Area (First Update)

    Chapter 287: Chapter 286: Incredible Area (First Update)


    The units of measurement in this world are not the same as those on Earth.


    As a soul-transmigrating transmigrator, he didn¡¯t bring any items that could be used for comparison to determine whether this was a world of giants or ants.


    He could only deduce the breadth of this world based on the proportions of his own body.


    According to his research, his height had grown to about 1.87 meters, making him the tallest person in the Tulip Family.


    Assuming that he and his Earthly self are the same size.


    Coral Island is roughly equivalent to the area of a prefecture-level city in China, with an average area of 10,000 square kilometers; Red Crab Island is comparable to the area of a medium-sized province, with an average area of 100,000 square kilometers; then, the Duchy of Sapphire has more than ten islands the size of Red Crab Island, including the much larger Blue Dragon Island.


    All the islands combined have an area of approximately 2 million square kilometers, roughly a fifth the size of China.


    The Duchy of Sapphire is just a remote archipelago on the edge of the continent and is likely smaller than other duchies and grand duchies. Its suzerain, the Steel Ridge Kingdom, has seven vassal states, and their combined area already exceeds that of China; and the area of the Steel Ridge Kingdom itself is twice as large as all its vassal states combined.


    That is to say, the area of the Steel Ridge Kingdom combined with its vassal states is equivalent to the size of the Asian continent¡ª45 million square kilometers.


    The rival of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, the Eagle Kingdom, has a slightly smaller area and one fewer vassal state, with a total area of about 30 million square kilometers; the neighbor of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, is larger and has more vassal states, totaling over 60 million square kilometers in area.


    The total area of these three kingdoms, along with some deserted islands nearby, exceeds the sum of Earth¡¯s land area¡ª149 million square kilometers.


    But these three kingdoms are just tucked away in the northeastern corner of the continent.


    The entire continent¡¯s area is probably twenty times the size of the three kingdoms combined, after all, the area of any single empire on the continent is larger than several kingdoms put together.


    In this land, Liszt clearly knew, there were three existing empires¡ªNeverfall Empire, Blue Dragon Empire, and Kushan Imperial.


    Earth¡¯s surface area seems to be 500 million square kilometers, this continent¡¯s area is almost 3 billion square kilometers, equivalent to the combined surface area of six Earths.


    It sounds unbelievable.


    But that is indeed the case, the land is so vast that for the Sapphire Duchy, which is located in the northeastern corner of the continent, news from states on the other end of the continent relies not on rumors but legends¡ªlegends say that the emperor of the Neverfall Empire has been on the throne for two hundred years, legends say that in the Neverfall Empire there is a Windhowl Valley where storms rage year-round.


    A continent of 3 billion square kilometers.


    It took Liszt a long time to accept this fact.


    However, based on his recent collection of data on day and night duration, seasonal changes, continental temperature variation, and more, there are even more incredible facts awaiting verification.


    ¡°If I haven¡¯t completely forgotten my high school geography knowledge, the information at hand suggests that this continent is just a small piece of land in the Northern Hemisphere, it hasn¡¯t even crossed the equator, nor has it approached the pole?¡±


    Across the equator, the temperature of the continent would gradually decrease, but the hottest countries are at the southernmost tip of the continent, suggesting it hasn¡¯t crossed the equator.


    Nearing the pole, not to mention the ice and snow, the sun should be hovering around the horizon, but now the sun is just slightly tilted above the head, which means it¡¯s still far from the pole.


    ¡°The position of the continent may even be between the tropical and temperate zones, not even entering the frigid zone¡­ after all, the sun is always above the head, never very slanted.¡±


    He felt.


    Based on Earth¡¯s geographic location, that would be roughly equivalent to the Southeast Asia region.


    ¡°So, if I¡¯m living on a sphere, just how big is this sphere?¡± With his limited imagination, he was unable to unravel the complex equation of ¡°given the surface area of a sphere, find its volume,¡± so he couldn¡¯t compare it to Earth, ¡°Is there another land beyond this continent?¡±


    In the legends of the Duchy of Sapphire, beyond the Sea of Azure Waves lies the Devil¡¯s Sea, where devils roam.


    Even Dragon Knights cannot cross the Devil¡¯s Sea, it seems that besides the continent, the rest of this world is an endless ocean. No one knows what lies beyond the sea, nor is anyone curious. The vast and boundless continent is enough to captivate the gaze of all nobles.


    Liszt still remembered that when he once marveled at the endless wealth of the sea, Marcus was quite dismissive, only thinking of making a name for himself on the continent.


    Looking back now, the difficulty of developing the sea is immense, let alone crossing the Devil¡¯s Sea, even navigating within the Sea of Azure Waves is fraught with danger at every moment.


    Ghost Ship, Dulu Miqita¡­


    He suddenly remembered again, ¡°That¡¯s right, I almost forgot about ¡°Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡±, that descendant of the Child of the Sun who shares the same lineage as the old tanner, must have come from another continent, cast away to this place¡­ So there must definitely be new continents, and with them, new ¡®human¡¯ civilizations.¡±


    That Drift Bottle, which stores a 36D Ghost for the sole purpose of communication, the craftsmanship in its making and the miraculous use of magic, all show that it comes from a highly developed magic society.


    Thinking thus.


    He pulled out the Drift Bottle from the Gemstone Space, feeling its special metallic texture and admiring its exquisitely carved patterns, which he had done countless times.


    He had also speculated innumerable times, but in the end, he hadn¡¯t figured out anything.


    ¡°Maybe one day, the Smoke Mission will release another task related to the Child of the Sun, and then I¡¯ll be able to make use of this Drift Bottle. Speaking of which, I¡¯ve collected so much of the old tanner¡¯s fresh blood over the past half a year, enough to open the Drift Bottle hundreds of times, right?¡±


    Whenever he had some free time, he would ask the old tanner for some blood.


    Then he would have Jessie send many tonics to the old tanner, fearing that he might die from excessive blood loss.


    Perhaps it was because regular bleeding was beneficial to his health, or maybe the tonics had an effect, but the old tanner seemed to be getting younger as he lived. Liszt even heard Butler Carter mention that the old tanner had discussed with Jessie whether he should find a wife¡ªmaybe with some effort, he could even have a son.


    Liszt did not interfere with this.


    On the contrary, he hoped that the old tanner could find a wife, and better yet, produce offspring, so that he could collect more blood from the descendants of the Sun and open the Drift Bottle repeatedly.


    After fiddling for a moment.


    He put away the Drift Bottle.


    Liszt casually took out a piece of rubber to study.


    The rubber from the Rubber Tree; he planned to meticulously explore and figure out all of its properties. First was its hardness¡ªthe rubber, once set, was as hard as the marble used to build castles; second was its fire resistance¡ªflame had no effect on it, it was completely fireproof like stone.


    Water-resistant, it did not change when immersed in water and also reacted chemically with practically none of the liquids Liszt could find.


    It had an extremely strong adhesive quality, but since it had already set by the time he brought it back, he could only determine that when it was stuck to wood, it was almost fused with the wood as one.


    Yet it was very light, almost the same as plastic.


    ¡°Based on the data I have now, this variety of rubber could at least serve as an alternative to cement¡­ but it¡¯s completely unusable as cement, considering how little rubber a single Rubber Tree can produce!¡±

 Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 287: A Sudden Grapple and Slam (Second Update)

    Chapter 288: Chapter 287: A Sudden Grapple and Slam (Second Update)


    New models of rubber still required a lot of data analysis, and a method for collecting and preserving rubber also needed to be found.


    Although he was a man of action, he was not impetuous, but rather he paid great attention to personal pleasure. Only after satisfying his personal enjoyment would he consider striving for improvement.


    ¡°Baron, your Retainer Knight Philip Wool has returned from Tulip Castle and brought back a message¡ªMiss Li Vera has expressed her discontent with the Fresh Flower Soap you sent as a birthday gift,¡± Butler Carter reported in a serious manner.


    Fresh Flower Soap had become Liszt¡¯s standard gift.


    He smiled slightly, ¡°I am reminding her that personal hygiene is very important. Fresh Flower Soap is not cheap; she can easily wash with one and toss it away.¡±


    The soap making workshop in Fresh Flower Town gradually expanded its scale, successfully crushing Baron Henderson¡¯s soap business and forcing him to switch to supplying washing powder.


    That is to say, Fresh Flower Soap had already taken over the Coral Island market.


    Moreover, under the leadership of merchants Sherlock and Abagon, they cooperated with Tulip Castle and Beer Castle respectively, shipping far and wide to other islands, with the market expanding day by day. The exquisite Fresh Flower Soaps easily outcompeted the old-fashioned soaps, thus profits were continuously increasing.


    Even in winter, when bathing was less frequent, a net profit of five Gold Coins per day was still achievable.


    In the present situation, where the seafood business had completely slumped and Fresh Flower Brew had yet to hit the market, the castle was wholly reliant on the income from Fresh Flower Soap. As for the peanut processing workshop and the small town¡¯s taxes, the revenue was minimal.


    What surprised Liszt was that, even in the cold winter, the two public baths could bring in dozens of silver coins in revenue each day. Merchants from other places, as well as nobles from North Valley City, would rather travel by carriage to Fresh Flower Town just for a hot bath.


    Some people would stop over in Fresh Flower Town.


    Because there were so many people stopping over, the commercial district specially allocated two two-story wooden houses in the name of castle-owned businesses¡ªone to serve as a hotel, the other as a restaurant, and there were plans to open a pub as well.


    The popularity of the small town was growing, which also began to thrive the businesses of the commoners.


    Reynard¡¯s bakery could sell all kinds of bread every day; the Old Tanner from the Tanners¡¯ Shop hired four apprentices to help and pass on the craft; the general store was busy to the point where Harriet¡¯s family, including Maggie, had to help in sales. Even those selling eggs, vegetables, and wild fruits always managed to empty their baskets.


    More and more merchant caravans came to do business in Fresh Flower Town, and the purses of the more than two thousand serfs in the territory were bulging, with their desire to spend growing.


    Even the comedy troupe from North Valley City would often come to perform in Fresh Flower Town and receive quite a few tips.


    At least when Liszt watched the performance, he would always toss up a few silver coins¡ªhe purely spent money to hire the comedy troupe for a performance to enrich the leisure life of the town¡¯s residents.


    He even specifically ordered the square in the small town to have several gigantic snowmen built.


    Those huge snowmen, as tall as a three-story wooden house, could be clearly seen from inside the castle, and the town¡¯s children loved to run around them.


    The snowmen had a name, called Snow Treasure.


    ¡°What are you doing, Paris?¡± When Liszt walked out of the castle, he saw the female mercenary also building a snowman, seemingly trying to replicate the snowman in the town square.


    ¡°The castle is too monotonous; it should have a Snow Treasure.¡±


    ¡°Have you completed your Serpent Script teaching lesson for today?¡±


    ¡°Today is Sunday, according to the rules you made, we can take a day off every Sunday,¡± Paris earnestly continued piling up the snowman, although it looked quite ugly.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re idle with nothing to do, come and have a fight with me.¡±


    ¡°Can we not fight? Without transforming, I¡¯m no match for you at all, Baron. It¡¯s meaningless for you to fight with me,¡± Paris responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s not appropriate to say. I¡¯m now prepared to use a Fine Steel Longsword and not restrain your Light and Shadow Tug anymore, earnestly depending on basic strength to refine my combat prowess,¡± Liszt stated.


    Paris stood up, ¡°As you wish!¡±


    In the open snowy field.


    Liszt, holding a Fine Steel Longsword, didn¡¯t use the Eye of Magic, and fought earnestly against Paris. The effect of Light and Shadow Tug was quite evident. Without the boost from the Crimson Blood Sword, he found himself floundering at times. But the benefit of long-term medicine use became apparent, even without the Crimson Blood Sword, he still had ample Dou Qi to rectify mistakes.


    Clang!


    The Fine Steel Longsword collided with Paris¡¯s Greatsword, sparking flames.


    The great strength bestowed upon Paris by the Black Dragon Childe was dissolved by Liszt¡¯s Dou Qi, and this collision resulted in a draw. The subsequent clashes still did not determine who had the upper hand. Without using Dou Qi Secret Techniques and Gemstone Weapons, Liszt was on par with Paris, who did not transform, with their combat power being almost at the same level.


    Liszt was panting heavily.


    He was not so talented that he could rapidly break through in a single battle and defeat an opponent of the same level.


    Paris across from him was also gasping for air, her full chest heaving, and her hands holding the greatsword began to tremble, ¡°Again!¡±


    Clang!


    The Fine Steel Longsword clashed with the greatsword once more.


    This time, Liszt¡¯s hand holding the Fine Steel Longsword suddenly emitted a slight cracking sound, and in the next moment, half of the blade spun and flew away.


    Paris raised her eyebrow upon seeing this and charged without hesitation.


    She harbored the thought of seizing the moment to crush Liszt in one fell swoop.


    ¡°My sword is actually not as sturdy as Paris¡¯s greatsword, this is bad!¡± Liszt thought anxiously, as he certainly did not want to lose to Paris.


    In the recent live combat drills, he had been utterly dominating Paris and had grown accustomed to victory.


    However, having been bullied for so long, Paris naturally knew that her chance was rare, and this was the moment to turn the tables on Liszt.


    ¡°Hyah!¡±


    The greatsword whistled fiercely, forcing Liszt, who was holding onto half a broken sword, to continuously retreat. Facing such a dangerous situation, Liszt slowly calmed down, his mind cleared and he furiously thought about how to respond.


    Suddenly!


    He thought of a plan.


    As Paris raised the greatsword once more, preparing to swing, he did not back down but moved forward, like a nimble leopard, rushing towards the wide-open Paris. His hands clasped around her waist and he forcefully executed a bear hug takedown. Knightly combat almost never saw such close-quarters fighting.


    Paris was too slow to react, and Liszt managed to take the initiative and get close. By the time she thought to counterattack, she was already falling to the ground with Liszt.


    Due to inertia, the two rolled like tumbling gourds.


    To prevent Paris from retaliating, Liszt held on very tight, forcing Paris to be unable to twist her body, and her greatsword was thrown away as well.


    After five or six rolls, they stopped.


    The fight also came to a stalemate, with Liszt holding Paris, unable to attack further, and Paris unable to strike back, with neither side able to do anything to the other.


    However.


    Just as Liszt felt the body he was holding soften, he suddenly realized he was being pressed down by Paris. Her full chest was right against his head, a large area of roundness and elasticity pressing continuously against his face, almost suffocating him.


    ¡°You¡­ can let go of me now.¡±


    Paris¡¯s voice was unusually soft.


    Liszt, not the least bit embarrassed, maintained his original posture, ¡°How about a draw?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He then let go.


    Paris propped herself up with her arms and rolled off him.


    The air became fresh again, and Liszt took deep breaths. Looking at the blushing Paris, who seemed to want to stand up but lacked the strength, he said, ¡°If my Fine Steel Longsword hadn¡¯t suddenly broken, this live duel would have ended in a more composed draw, with no need for such a disgraceful struggle.¡±

 Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 0291: Pianist Deep in the Heart (First Update)

    Chapter 292: Chapter 0291: Pianist Deep in the Heart (First Update)


    Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong¡­


    Slim, powerful fingers danced across the piano keys.


    ¡°To Alice¡±, the melodious tune, began to rise slowly, notes leaping at the fingertips as the graceful body wrapped in a gauzy veil shimmered in the glow of the furnace, as if coated in a layer of golden sheen.


    Dong, dong, dong!


    The last few notes fell.


    Duniko Hyacinth released her hands and let out an imperceptible sigh all at once.


    Behind her, a maid holding an evening gown spoke softly, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you want to attend tonight¡¯s banquet? Sir Richard is waiting to dance the first dance with you.¡±


    ¡°I am only eighteen years old, Luya, do you understand? I am only eighteen, and I don¡¯t want to get married so soon. Why does this Richard act like an old man, starved for affection for fifty years, clinging to me, clinging to the Hyacinth Family? Can¡¯t he wait a few more years? He hounded me before the festival, and he¡¯s back at it again after the festival!¡±


    ¡°Miss, Sir Richard is deeply devoted to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what a joke, it¡¯s just an alliance between families, with no foundation of feelings.¡± Hyacinth tore off the gauzy veil, leaving her shapely body completely exposed, and allowed the maid Luya to help her change, ¡°Besides, he doesn¡¯t meet my aesthetic standards.¡±


    The maid Luya asked, ¡°What kind of noble do you favor, miss?¡±


    ¡°Elegant, detached, handsome, one who can play beautiful piano melodies¡­ Music can express the soul, and only those without so much self-interest can play tunes that touch the heart.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Baron Liszt, miss? You now play ¡®To Alice¡¯ every day. But the master seems unhappy. He is very angry about what happened at Long Taro Castle; you should try to avoid making the master angry.¡±


    ¡°He is courting favor from the Pineapple Green Family, everyone thinks the Long Taro Family is in decline, so he is eager to find a new support. But I don¡¯t want to fulfill his wishes, Brother Meioubao will get through the hard times, and the Long Taro Family will still be the rulers of Red Crab Island.¡±


    Duniko Hyacinth got dressed in her undergarments, her hair was put up, regaining the elegant grace of a noble young woman, her face filled with nostalgia, ¡°I just wanted to visit Long Taro Castle to clear my mind, and then, I met Liszt. His nonchalant way of playing piano was a freedom I had never seen before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Baron Liszt is even a bit handsomer than Sir Meioubao.¡±


    ¡°I had the most delightful night of my life at Long Taro Castle, Luya, you have no idea how strong he is, and¡­ how heartless!¡±


    ¡°No wonder you can¡¯t forget him, playing ¡®To Alice¡¯ every day.¡±


    ¡°No, I will forget him, I forgot him the moment he left Long Taro Castle. I just want to change parts of ¡®To Alice¡¯. There are many flaws in this piece, as if it were improvisation¡­ I guess it was Liszt improvising, I can tell from the way he was so indifferent at the ball.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you write to him and ask?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Duniko paused abruptly, ¡°I took the initiative once, I don¡¯t want to do it a second time. I am the rose with thorns of Red Crab Island, not a humble foxtail.¡±


    The evening gown was ready.


    Duniko looked at herself in the crystal mirror, still as beautiful as a blooming rose. She took a deep breath and put on the standard smile of a noble young woman, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Rubber Tree Elf Bug Triplets?¡±


    Seeing the reward for the Smoke Mission, Liszt found it unbelievable. He had never heard about Elf Bugs having twins or triplets.


    As the essence of plant gestation, Elf Bugs are always born singly.


    At least, in the information he possessed, there had never been mention of twin or triplet Elf Bugs, not even in those absurd Knight¡¯s Novels, where no author dared to venture so far as to depict Elf Bug multiples.


    ¡°This mutation really is¡­ exhilarating!¡±


    Whether there had been elf bugs with multiple sprites before or not, the result now is thrilling. I thought there was only one, but suddenly, I got three of them.


    It¡¯s like a promotional sale: buy one, get two free.


    ¡°Just in time, now that rubber has been analyzed to be increasingly important. With three elf bugs, rubber tree cultivation can be greatly enhanced, and the rubber output will increase as well.¡±


    This was a very good mutation, and Liszt was very satisfied with the result.


    He suppressed his excitement and turned his attention to the new task at hand.


    ¡°Task: A performance of ¡®For Alice¡¯ will spread the fame of the Piano King Liszt across Red Crab Island, and also make a certain young girl¡¯s heart flutter. You might think a one-night passion is the conclusive period, but perhaps there¡¯s a chance for an encore. Please write a letter to Duniko Hyacinth. Reward: A melody from memory.¡±


    He read the content of the Smoke Serpent Script carefully.


    Liszt¡¯s recent surprise was quickly replaced by a sense of absurdity: ¡°What the hell is this!¡±


    Piano King Liszt?


    When Liszt had touched the piano at Long Taro Castle, he indeed had imagined his piano playing astonishing the world, but he never intended to actually become the Piano King.


    Moreover, after a night of romance with Duniko, although he occasionally reminisced about the moment of passionate union of body and spirit, he had not considered stirring things up with her again.


    What also depressed him was that the reward for the task was just a melody from memory. What significance did that hold?


    He wished he was seeing things incorrectly.


    But the Smoke Mission was written in clear, unmistakable Serpent Script, engraved with content he could not ignore. Indeed, the task was to write a letter to Duniko and then receive a certain tune, which could be the melody of a popular song or perhaps a piano piece.


    In his previous life as an IT worker, he had a period where he liked to code while listening to ¡¯70 Famous Piano Works of the World¡¯, always looping that playlist.


    A moment later.


    He relaxed his emotions.


    He accepted the reward from the Smoke Mission, no matter how useless, and would move on to the next task when it came; he also accepted the contents of the task, seeing no reason not to have another go with Duniko.


    He was just pondering.


    ¡°Why does the Smoke Mission issue such peculiar content and dull rewards: ¡®The Smoke Mission originates from the Smoke Dragon, it¡¯s the power of destiny driving all this¡­ What does destiny represent? The birth of elves in the territory, sea serpent encounters, invasions by formless dragons, Paris¡¯s infiltration ¡ª all are events that could happen or not.¡±


    But in the end, they did happen and were grasped by Liszt in the form of tasks.


    There were other tasks that seemed to be tied to the residents¡¯ desires, like Kostor wanting to sail, Reynard wanting to bake, Karasko wanting to be a craftsman, and even Douson wanting to release magic.


    Then there were those things the territory already possessed, like the Miniature Saltpeter Mine, the fragments of Fire Dragon Bones, and the magical beasts of Thorn Ridge, and so on.


    ¡°So, the triggering of the Smoke Mission, or rather, the triggering of destiny, has three ways ¡ª the first is what I already have around me, which destiny guides me to obtain; the second is situations that may or may not occur, which destiny guides me to acquire or cause to happen; the third is that the desires and thoughts of people can also pull at destiny?¡±


    Thinking this far.


    He looked at himself in the mirror once more: ¡°There¡¯s no great surprise in wanting an encore with Duniko after having savored the flavor¡­ And deep down inside, am I actually harboring a pianist?¡±

 Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 0291: Sealing a Letter with Pine Rosin (Second Update)

    Chapter 293: Chapter 0291: Sealing a Letter with Pine Rosin (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The piano, an instrument that requires exquisite craftsmanship to produce, it is unknown when exactly it was invented.


    Many people believe that the piano originated from the Moon Empire¡ªa civilization that disappeared thousands of years ago, whose historical truths have long been distorted to the point that anything and everything can be attributed to the Moon Empire.


    Self-proclaimed nobles cannot live without music.


    And among all forms of music, it is the piano that nobles value the most, with many of them learning to play from a young age; for instance, the former Liszt spent no small amount of time at the piano.


    His sister, Li Vera, played the piano well, and his cousin Meioubao was even more of a piano enthusiast.


    Even some of the lesser nobles would scrimp and save to buy a piano for entertainment. Many younger sons of noble families, with no hope of inheriting a title and fearful of the battlefield, would turn their attention to the piano, practicing hard to master its play and become pianists.


    After becoming pianists, they could continue to mingle in high society.


    It¡¯s not uncommon for pianists to attract the favor of noble young ladies with their charm.


    Famous piano performers, even within the court, receive considerable attention. And those pianists who can compose their own pieces are without exception called masters, welcomed by nobles everywhere they go, along with furtive glances from young ladies.


    Liszt enjoyed such treatment with his performance of ¡°For Alice¡± at Long Taro Castle.


    The nobility¡¯s craze for pianos directly spawned a group of Iron Knights whose profession is to make pianos¡ªIron Knights are Dou Qi practitioners who craft magical weapons, gemstone weapons, and other equipment. They do not go into battle or practice combat skills, devoting themselves instead to forging weapons, regarded as advanced blacksmiths.


    Those Iron Knights who make pianos are known as Piano Knights.


    Only families of at least Marquis status have the financial ability to train a Piano Knight capable of making a qualified piano¡ªevery piano is equivalent to a magic weapon.


    The cheapest piano costs at least ten Gold Coins.


    As a result, many pianists start with second-hand pianos.


    There were several pianos at Tulip Castle. Unfortunately, the Earl did not give any of them to Liszt, so after traversing to this world, Liszt did not discover the ¡°Piano King Liszt¡± that lay deep within his soul.


    ¡°Could it be that the piano piece I played freely at Long Taro Castle has released the Piano King within me, prompting this Smoke Mission?¡±


    He had already adjusted his emotions, accepting his fate calmly, without joy over gains or grief over losses.


    The most important thing was to figure out a way to complete the mission.


    ¡°How should I write to Duniko? As a friend, or as a lover? Or should I just scribble something to get this Smoke Mission over with?¡±


    He pondered for a moment.


    Going back to the study, he unfolded a sheet of thick parchment and began dipping a quill in ink: ¡°Dear Duniko¡­¡±


    ¡°I wonder if you are still practicing ¡®To Alice¡¯? Returning by ship, the surge of the ocean helped me organize the score, but the tossing cabin and the clamor of the waves always disrupted my grasp of the melody, perhaps there was also the unrest of parting playing a part.¡±


    ¡°Back in Fresh Flower Town, far from the hustle and bustle and breathing in the chilly air amidst the snow, my mind finally cooled down. Although the score had already been sent to Long Taro Castle with Butler Ranieri and then handed over to you, I still tried to play those melodies again.¡±


    While writing this, he couldn¡¯t help pulling out a thick piece of parchment covered in musical notes from the desk.


    This was what he had rewritten after returning to Tulip Castle. After many performances, he finally unearthed the details of ¡°For Alice¡± from deep within his memory.


    The scores he had promised to send to Meioubao and Duniko were hastily written while he was being jolted on the sea.


    Far from perfect.


    When he left Tulip Castle, he chose not to send the more perfect version of ¡°For Alice,¡± probably feeling it unnecessary since he didn¡¯t have to rely on the identity of a pianist to enhance his noble demeanor.


    So the score remained on his desk, gathering dust.


    Looking at the forceful characters inscribed above, he felt as if he were recalling the wild euphoria of that night once again. In terms of beauty, Duniko was far outshone by the Sea Sprite Ake, yet the flirtatious allure Duniko possessed¡ªblightless and innocent¡ªwas something that the guileless Ake lacked. One made you feel that desecration was a sin, the other made you want to sin.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    A knock on the door broke the silence, it was Butler Carter, ¡°My lord, are you available?¡±


    His thoughts retreated, and Liszt replied, ¡°Please, come in.¡±


    Carter came in with a cup of milk tea, ¡°This is the milk tea Mrs. Morson just brewed, with just a pinch of fine honey added. If you like it, I will tell Mrs. Morson to continue brewing it this way.¡±


    ¡°Let me try it first.¡± Liszt took the cup and took a sip. Compared to the fresh milk he had before, the milk tea with honey was undoubtedly more delicious.


    This fine honey had been scrapped out of a destroyed hornet¡¯s nest on Black Horse Island, totaling twenty pounds, toxin-free and incredibly aromatic and sweet.


    It was stored in several large jars and labeled ¡°For the Master¡¯s Use Only.¡±


    And those honeybee pupae, after Mrs. Abbie stir-fried them with oil, salt, and seasonings, most of them were devoured by Liszt¡ªhalf eaten on the spot, and the rest stored in the Gemstone Space for a chew whenever he pleased, utterly delightful.


    At this moment, he finished the milk tea.


    The delightful taste stimulated his taste buds, and Liszt couldn¡¯t help but drink down the rest in one go, ¡°Delicious, the sweetness is just right, Mr. Carter. Please convey to Mrs. Morson to measure the spoonfuls for the tea as she did today¡¯s cup.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Carter said before taking the cup and leaving.


    Liszt continued to bury his head in his desk, writing a letter, the quill never pausing.


    ¡°¡­Now I have filled in the details for ¡®For Alice,¡¯ and I think it should be placed upon the piano rack of Miss Duniko who understands music best, accompanying your slender fingers as they turn into beautiful notes.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard your touching piano play, lingering in my ears, as pure as moonlight.¡±


    ¡°Sending my regards!¡±


    ¡°Yours sincerely, Liszt.¡±


    He set down the quill, picked up the thick paper and shook it to speed up the drying of the ink. Then after checking it twice and feeling that the wording was acceptable¡ªnot too unfamiliar, yet not shamelessly enthusiastic¡ªhe merely stated the reason for writing and did not suggest meeting again.


    Men can do anything in a moment of impulse.


    But with reason, they know better what to choose and forsake. He certainly couldn¡¯t abandon the affairs of Fresh Flower Town and travel thousands of miles to Red Crab Island just to have a fling with Duniko.


    If it weren¡¯t for the absurd content of the Smoke Mission, he probably would never contact Duniko again.


    Passion is not love.


    As a Noble, one must be able to pick up and let go.


    ¡°I wonder what Duniko will think when she receives the letter¡­¡± Liszt folded the thick paper, took out an envelope, and tucked it inside.


    On the envelope, he wrote ¡°To be opened by Duniko Hyacinth,¡± ¡°Sender Liszt Tulip.¡±


    Then using a Flame Striker, he lit a candle and took a scoop from the box of rosin on the table, taking a few small pieces of rosin and placing them over the candle flame to melt.


    When the rosin turned into a liquid, he poured it evenly over the seal of the envelope. Just as it was about to set, he took out his personal seal, a rectangular stamp bearing half of his name ¡°Lis¡± in Serpent Script, and pressed firmly onto the rosin, leaving a distinct mark.


    Having completed all this, he called over Retainer Knight Philip, ¡°Have this delivered to Tulip Castle first thing tomorrow morning, hand it to Sir Levis and ask him to send it on my behalf.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±

 Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter 0293: The Frenzy of the Ice Flame Potion (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 295: Chapter 0293: The Frenzy of the Ice Flame Potion (Fourth Update)


    Sea Sprite Ake lay on a rocking chair cushioned with beast hide, gently swaying her body.


    The chair, custom-made to suit Liszt¡¯s size, seemed somewhat too large for Ake, who was only one meter and fifty-five centimeters tall. Instead of staying in her shell, she had dragged along a long ribbon of seawater and lay down on the rocking chair. Without legs, she couldn¡¯t leave the vicinity of her shell.


    Fortunately, she could control seawater, stretching it out into a ribbon, or else she wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave the shell at all.


    It was a strange visual experience: having no legs, with everything below the ankles gradually turning into seawater. Liszt had always been puzzled by what that sensation might feel like.


    He sat next to Ake and eventually couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Ake, do you feel anything below your ankles?¡±


    ¡°Yes, brother, this seawater is part of Ake¡¯s body. Although it¡¯s not as clear as the sensation from the flesh and bone part of Ake, it still feels.¡± she replied.


    ¡°Really? May I study it?¡± Liszt asked with a gentle smile, ¡°My curiosity is just too strong.¡±


    Ake shyly lowered her head and then sneaked a peek at Liszt, ¡°Mmm, if brother likes, Ake will let brother study it, hehe, humans probably haven¡¯t seen a real sea sprite.¡±


    Permission granted.


    Liszt certainly didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. He immediately squatted down and touched Ake¡¯s ankles, which felt delicate, smooth, and elastic, like holding a mass of bone and flesh made from water.


    He seemed to detect a faint aromatic scent at the tip of his nose, Ake¡¯s body fragrance.


    The delicate touch swayed Liszt¡¯s mind for a moment, but he quickly composed himself and began to study earnestly. The area where the flesh and seawater gradually transitioned felt a bit like a gelatinous substance. After using the Eye of Magic, he could see that the mana in this part of Ake¡¯s body was very active, far surpassing the magic power within the rest of her body.


    ¡°Ake, if your ankles were severed from the water ribbon, what would happen?¡± he inquired.


    After pondering seriously, Ake answered, ¡°Ake would probably feel very uncomfortable and get hurt because Ake hasn¡¯t matured yet and can¡¯t leave the shell.¡±


    Well, Liszt abandoned that idea.


    ¡°What about when I touch the water with my hand? What do you feel?¡±


    ¡°It feels like brother¡¯s hand, yes,¡± Ake responded. ¡°It¡¯s the same sensation as when Jela and the Insect Baby swim in the water. Hmm, how can I explain it? The seawater is a part of Ake, but it¡¯s not exactly Ake¡¯s body. It¡¯s similar to what brother mentioned about the relation between Elves and Cordyceps.¡±


    Even so, Liszt still had no idea what that sensation was like.


    Harming Cordyceps would cause injuries to Elves, and severe damage might even threaten their lives. However, most Elves could survive even if their Cordyceps died. They would endure and nurture new seeds, eventually developing into new Cordyceps plants¡ªthough greatly weakened, at least they would stay alive.


    Suddenly, Ake asked, ¡°Brother, do you think sea sprites are a kind of Elf?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but even if sea sprites are Elves, they would be Elves of the sea, not like Jela,¡± Liszt replied while caressing Ake¡¯s calf, enjoying the even more comforting texture, ¡°You see, Ake, your body is almost the same as a human¡¯s, but Jela¡¯s body is different.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Ake nodded, ¡°Jela is like a piece of soft jade, while Ake and brother are both made of flesh and blood.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you can master magic.¡±


    Having had his fill of touching, Liszt finally let go of Ake¡¯s legs and stood up to stroke her enticing azure blue hair, ¡°How¡¯s your Water Arrow Barrage coming along? Any progress?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but Ake has found the reason,¡± Ake said excitedly. ¡°This book, ¡®Detailed Concepts of Magician Advancement,¡¯ has very meticulous records. It turns out the reason Ake¡¯s Water Arrow Barrage failed was that there were no Magic Arrays formed inside the body¡­ A magician needs to engrave magic in the form of Magic Arrays within their body.¡±


    Liszt had studied magic books, but he only flipped through them roughly, not delving in deeply, ¡°Do any of these magic books teach about Magic Arrays?¡±


    ¡°There are many. Magicians love writing research notes on Magic Runes and Magic Arrays,¡± Ake replied with a radiant smile, ¡°Brother, it won¡¯t be long before Ake becomes a true magician!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡­


    Under the apple tree.


    There was a rocking chair swaying back and forth, with Liszt sitting on it, lazily enjoying the sunlight.


    The date had already passed February 15th, and as expected, just like the serfs native to Fresh Flower Town had said, the winter would disperse by mid-February each year.


    Several days of clear, sunny weather had melted most of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s snow, and although the temperature was still below zero, it was certainly worth going outside to bask in the sun.


    He rarely let the Eight Tiny Ones and Douson out together.


    Perhaps due to a father-son instinct, the Eight Tiny Ones were very clingy to Douson, chasing him all around the castle. To the servants of the castle, the dangerous and terrifying intermediate magical beast had become commonplace, and sometimes they even forgot that the Blizzard Beast was an intermediate magical beast, treating them merely as a pack of dogs.


    ¡°Baron, you seem quite at ease,¡± said Mr. Elkeson, clad in a magic cloak, as he walked over.


    ¡°Please, take a seat, Mr. Elkeson.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished concocting the magic potion from the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms. Surprisingly, these Flame Mushrooms that thrive in cold, possess Fire Attribute Mana that can¡¯t be matched by ordinary Flame Mushrooms. Please inspect this potion first,¡± he said, handing over a crystal vial.


    The golden-red liquid swayed within the crystal tube.


    This was Fresh Flower Town¡¯s fourth magic potion following the Black Tulip, Common Flame Mushroom, and Rapid Growth Magic Thorn¡ªmade from the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms.


    The greenhouse cultivation technique for Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms had already been researched by serfs driven by Gold Coins. After initiating a mass effort, they had cleared fifty acres for mixed greenhouses, planting Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms. Liszt hoped to harvest another crop of Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms before the weather warmed up.


    This magic potion thrived in the cold and couldn¡¯t be cultivated in hot weather, making it a seasonal potion. Every year, it could only be planted for about two or three batches during the three-month winter period.


    However, its potent Fire Attribute Mana and the trait of growing in winter could well compensate for the magic potion yield during the cold season.


    After all, the growth of various magic potions slowed down or even stopped during winter.


    After drinking the magic potion from the crystal tube, Liszt immediately felt a Flame Ascension inside his belly¡ªseveral times stronger and hotter than the Flame Mushroom Magic Potion, nearly making him cry out.


    The Fire Attribute Mana tumbled inside his body, wildly stimulating his cells to expand and absorb the frenzied mana.


    If there had been a thermometer, Liszt felt that his body temperature must have reached at least sixty degrees by now!


    This burst of mana came quickly and left just as fast. Two minutes later, everything returned to normal. After collecting his thoughts, he felt that his Dou Qi had greatly increased.


    The effect was indeed ferocious.


    ¡°That was invigorating, Mr. Elkeson. How many more potions can you make?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms are in short supply. As it stands, we can only make three more Ice Flame Potions.¡± Ice Flame Potion was the abbreviation for the Ice Snow Flame Mushroom Magic Potion.


    Hearing Mr. Elkeson¡¯s words, Liszt felt a bit disappointed.


    The potion was excellent, but there was just too little of it. He thought he should store the Ice Flame Potion. It would be better to save it for when the effects of the Flame Magic Potion and Thorn Magic Potion began to wane, and then use the Ice Flame Potion for a new surge and stimulation.


    Taking potions scientifically was the way to ensure optimal use and double the results.

 Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 0295: The Strain of Work Without Documentation (First Update)

    Chapter 297: Chapter 0295: The Strain of Work Without Documentation (First Update)


    ¡°`


    After sending off Aubrey and his party, the town returned to its tranquil state once more.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Soap, Fresh Flower Brew, gourmet food, and now ironwood¡ªthe specialties of Fresh Flower Town are growing in number.¡± Li Si Te sat in his study, flipping through the records of public affairs sent by Goltai, quietly sipping his milk tea.


    With a net profit of five Gold Coins per day from Fresh Flower Soap, as long as the technology isn¡¯t stolen or counterfeited, he could continue to monopolize the market and gradually expand the scale with the channels of Tulip Castle and Beer Castle.


    ¡°No one should know the technology formula of Fresh Flower Soap in the short term.¡±


    Soap Maker Bunier Zhen Dan was continuously refining the formula for Fresh Flower Soap. Compared to the initial Fresh Flower Soap, the present version, although still primarily made of soap powder, pancreas, and plant ash, now included several additional auxiliary materials. These enrich the variety of Fresh Flower Soap and improve its cleaning effect.


    Even if inferior counterfeit soaps appeared on the market, they wouldn¡¯t pose much of a threat to Fresh Flower Soap.


    Li Si Te picked up his quill, dipped it in ink, and wrote down the number ¡°10¡± on a blank piece of thick parchment. He hoped that Fresh Flower Soap could reach a daily net profit of ten Gold Coins.


    If that were achieved, there would be no more worries about feeding the Castle and the Blizzard Beasts.


    ¡°So, the worry that the Blizzard Beasts would eat me out of house and home was an unfounded fear. As a transmigrator, I do have some goods in store; a casual move can bring in a substantial profit,¡± he thought with some pride.


    Fresh Flower Soap was now the pillar industry of Fresh Flower Town.


    Gourmet food is also a pillar, although it doesn¡¯t make much money, it greatly enhances the reputation of Fresh Flower Town. Now, who on Coral Island doesn¡¯t know that Fresh Flower Town has the most delicious food?


    However, reputation is not very important to nobles; at most, it makes people notice Fresh Flower Town and Li Si Te.


    Li Si Te himself didn¡¯t place much emphasis on it. He developed these foods for his own stomach.


    What he truly valued was the upcoming white alcohol business: ¡°Next, whether we eat meat or drink porridge depends on the impact of this wave of Fresh Flower Brew.¡±


    The expansion of the Brewing Workshop hadn¡¯t been completed yet.


    The Brewers sent by his brother Levis had already arrived and were learning brewing techniques under the tutelage of Frank Dregs and others. The family members who came along had settled in Fresh Flower Town. Thirteen thousand pounds of iron had been transported in two batches, and batches of corn and other brewing materials had also been delivered.


    Wooden bottles, ceramic bottles, and jade bottles were being crafted.


    Levis¡¯s family tutor, also named Frank, often followed the convoys back and forth, supervising the progress of the Brewing Workshop. Clearly, Levis was more anxious than Li Si Te¡ªLevis had taken some Fresh Flower Brew base and traveled through all the nobles in the six cities of Coral Island, inviting them to taste the new brew.


    Pre-orders had piled up on the desk.


    In about a week, the first batch of Fresh Flower Brew could be produced and then packaged for the market.


    The quill paused for a moment.


    Li Si Te forcefully wrote down the number ¡°50¡± on the thick parchment, hoping that after dividing the profits, the daily business of Fresh Flower Brew could net fifty Gold Coins.


    But he furrowed his brows slightly.


    He crossed out ¡°50¡± and replaced it with ¡°100¡±, considering white alcohol as a luxury item here, a consumable luxury sought after by nobles in their daily lives.


    As long as he could capture the markets of Coral Island and Red Crab Island, making a hundred Gold Coins a day should be achievable. If he could also take over Golden Island and Newland Island, the profits would be even greater.


    By then.


    Black Horse Island could forge ahead with full-scale development, instead of the current situation where he had to stealthily send a few hundred serfs who toiled night and day, barely managing to build a few streets and rows of houses.


    Once the Rubber Tree Elf Bugs were in place, Li Si Te planned to immediately expand the planting area of the Rubber Trees.


    After the spring, the grazing fields for Black Blood Treasured Horses would also need to be expanded.


    ¡°`


    ¡°`


    This requires a large workforce and it¡¯s impossible without money.


    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help feeling fortunate, ¡°Thank goodness I have the Smoke Mission, which has already rewarded four types of magic potions. The revenue from the Black Tulips is used to pay for the current construction of Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island, barely enough. Flame Mushrooms, Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms, and Rapid Growth Magic Thorns, I¡¯m keeping for my own use.¡±


    The Black Tulip could bring in about four or five hundred Gold Coins each month, which would almost immediately be invested in town construction, not even getting a chance to warm up.


    Now is the early stage of expansion and burning money.


    Just buying food every month costs over a hundred Gold Coins¡ªthe price of grain is astonishingly high, especially in winter. The noble landlords on Coral Island can barely manage to feed themselves, let alone sell any grain.


    ¡°This winter, a large amount of farmland needs to be reclaimed. I hope that Fresh Flower Town¡¯s grain can achieve self-sufficiency¡­ no, if it can fulfill three-quarters of the food requirements, I¡¯ll be satisfied, after all, there aren¡¯t enough Elf Bugs to amplify the harvest. For the remaining quarter, I¡¯ll have to buy with money.¡±


    Now is the time to tighten one¡¯s belt and work hard, for only through enduring hardship can one emerge superior to others.


    Yet Liszt felt that he must first ensure his own quality of life, so¡­ the expenditure for the castle is nearly catching up to the standards of a Viscount Lord.


    It¡¯s precisely because of his lavish spending on food and drink that he¡¯s been able to quickly advance to an Elite Earth Knight and rapidly increase his Dou Qi reserves.


    Those nobles with excellent bloodlines make it to Sky Knight in their twenties, and isn¡¯t that also achieved through good nutrition?


    Eating Magical Beast Meat like bread and drinking Magic Potions like water, even a pig could fly¡ªhis uncle Mesiro is the living proof of this, with mediocre talents and yet still trained by Marquis Merlin into a Sky Knight.


    He yawned.


    Liszt had no patience to look at these government records anymore. He tossed his quill into the inkwell, ¡°Why do I need to know how much money is spent and earned each day? I only need to ensure that there¡¯s enough money for spending, to meet the needs of my life and training, and then to keep getting stronger!¡±


    He stood up and left the study.


    He ordered someone to call Paris, ready for a real fight to sweat it out.


    ¡­


    After a satisfying battle, he felt completely relaxed.


    At noon, his appetite was wide open, and he ate an extra plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, then took a comfortable nap. Just after waking up, Liszt received good news.


    Marcus had returned to Fresh Flower Town aboard the Fresh Flower Vessel.


    He hurried to the castle, ¡°Lord, the Elf Bugs of the Rubber Tree have been born! Incredibly, there are three Elf Bugs, an unheard-of occurrence! Lasse, Griffin, and I checked every two hours, and when it was my turn early this morning, I personally witnessed three Elf Bugs emerge one after the other!¡±


    He emphasized that he had personally climbed the tree to check, fearing that Liszt wouldn¡¯t believe him.


    Liszt had already known this, so he showed no surprise, merely nodding calmly, ¡°I know, Teacher Marcus. Triplets of Elf Bugs are indeed miraculous, but not impossible. As soon as the Fresh Flower Vessel is finished unloading and loading cargo, we will set sail immediately.¡±


    Surprised by the Landlord¡¯s reaction.


    Marcus also suppressed his excitement and regained his composure, ¡°Yes, Lord!¡±


    Normally, the Fresh Flower Vessel would not sail at night, as nighttime navigation carried great risks. However, due to the urgency about the Elf Bugs, as soon as the Fresh Flower Vessel was loaded in the afternoon, Liszt urged Kostor to set out.


    Splitting the seawater, the spray splashed.


    They sailed at full speed towards the setting sun.


    Marcus was describing the scene he had witnessed, ¡°They were three ivory-colored Elf Bugs, identical, smooth like milk. One was crawling in front, two followed behind, moving lively from one branch to another. They looked very lively.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter 0296: The Arrival of the Iron Wood Era (Second Update)

    Chapter 298: Chapter 0296: The Arrival of the Iron Wood Era (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    Night had fallen, and the Fresh Flower Vessel had sailed in quite a circle before it finally located Black Horse Port.


    ¡°Black Horse Port needs a lighthouse, my lord. Navigating at sea at night by the stars might allow us to identify our direction, but it doesn¡¯t help to accurately find the port,¡± Kostor said, after docking the boat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it later. I don¡¯t have an architect at the moment, and it¡¯s not time to reveal Black Horse Island just yet.¡±


    He disembarked.


    Without any further ado, Liszt mounted Douson and headed straight for the location of the Rubber Tree Cordyceps. The crystal lamp illuminated the path, and he effortlessly followed the small trail that had been trodden through the bushes to his destination.


    He used the Eye of Magic.


    He saw the three Elf Bugs, motionless on a tree branch.


    Without wasting words, he began climbing the tree. For an Elite Earth Knight, climbing a tree was a piece of cake, and he easily reached the branch where the Elf Bugs were perched.


    In the light, three plump, ivory-colored Rubber Tree Elf Bugs lined up in a row. It was unclear whether they were sleeping or not.


    They were almost pure white, even their eyes, and without careful scrutiny, it was hard to tell which end was the head and which the tail.


    The fingers were long, about as thick as a thumb.


    They resembled caterpillars, but were prettier and more delicate, as if they were living creatures carved from jade. Even though Liszt could see Elf Bugs in the Castle every day, he still marveled at their beauty and the incredible artistry of their creator.


    ¡°Little guys, no more sleeping, how about some Jade Powder for a midnight snack?¡±


    He spoke softly, and then proceeded with the usual routine, smearing Jade Powder in front of the Elf Bugs to entice them awake and begin licking the Jade Powder.


    Next, he applied Jade Powder on his own finger and extended it toward the mouth of an Elf Bug.


    A gentle nibble.


    He contracted one Elf Bug.


    A gentle nibble.


    He contracted another Elf Bug.


    A gentle nibble for the third time.


    With the last Elf Bug contracted, he had successfully bonded with the trio of Rubber Tree Elf Bug Triplets, establishing a soul-connected ownership relationship.


    ¡°Come, onto my hand.¡±


    He stretched out his hand to catch the three chubby Elf Bugs and he felt something very peculiar in his mind¡ªa sense of having three overlapping, fuzzy emotions appearing in his head, perfectly in sync. Their emotions were exactly the same and the feedback they gave Liszt was also the same.


    They climbed from his hand to his shoulder.


    And followed Liszt as he left the Cordyceps.


    ¡°Congratulations on contracting with new Elf Bugs, my lord!¡± Marcus, Lasse, and Griffin, who had gathered around, congratulated him one after another.


    Liszt placed the Elf Bugs into the Jade Box held by a servant, smiling at the congratulations, ¡°It¡¯s been hard work for you guys guarding the Elf Bugs recently. I brought a barrel of Fresh Flower Brew base. You guys share it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your generosity, my lord!¡±


    ¡°I should thank you for your hard work in building Black Horse Island.¡±


    After exchanging a few pleasantries, they soon arrived at the port town. He would rest for the night, and tomorrow Liszt would return to Fresh Flower Town. There was no need for his presence on Black Horse Island any longer.


    ¡°Marcus, Lasse, Griffin, the contracting of the Rubber Tree Elf Bugs is complete, but I do not plan on moving the Rubber Tree Cordyceps. The environment there is quite suitable for the growth of Rubber Trees. If you find the time, you can organize a group of serfs to relocate the scattered Rubber Tree saplings to the vicinity of the Cordyceps and plan out a Rubber Tree garden.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡­


    The following day, Liszt got up very early in the morning because he wanted to share a bond with his mount Lightning and take it for a spin. He left under Lightning¡¯s reluctant gaze.


    ¡°`


    Sitting at the bow.


    Gazing at the sea, he had believed it would be another monotonous voyage, but the white clouds floating in the sky that day strangely stirred his heart, as if countless sparks of inspiration were bursting forth.


    It was a familiar melody that quietly surfaced in his mind, lingering around his ears.


    Without hesitation, he quickly took out heavy parchment and ink, picked up a quill, and, using Douson as a support, began to record the notes. Moments later, as the melody gently dissolved in his ears, the parchment was filled with dense musical notes.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡°Castle in the Sky¡±¡­¡±


    He shook the heavy parchment, the flash of brilliance in his mind had extinguished, but his heart still resonated with the excitement of recording the notes. The melody that appeared in his ears was indeed the widely known ¡°Castle in the Sky¡±, comparable to ¡°For Alice¡±, or rather, it should be called ¡°With You¡±.


    It was the classic work of the master musician Joe Hisaishi, the theme song of Hayao Miyazaki¡¯s classic animated film ¡°Castle in the Sky¡±.


    The fame of this piece had even surpassed that of the film itself.


    He carefully put away the hastily recorded music, then invoked the Smoke Mission.


    The Serpent Script transformed remarkably: ¡°Task completed, reward: Melody of ¡°With You¡±.¡±


    This meant Duniko Hyacinth had received the letter he had sent, and at the same time, the Smoke Mission opportunistically unearthed that segment of melody from his memory.


    ¡°The power of fate is indeed magical, to even bring memories to the surface¡­ I wonder when it could reward me with the memory related to cement? I should have seen and studied how to make cement, but now I only remember a vague principle: limestone mixed with clay, finely ground then calcined in a kiln.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t yet figured out what limestone looked like, nor had he found clay.


    Cement development, temporarily powerless.


    If the Smoke Mission could dig out his memory, presenting images of limestone and clay he had seen, he would easily be able to find limestone and clay by comparison.


    Glass was the same.


    His thoughts were fleeting.


    The Smoke Serpent Script changed swiftly: ¡°Task: The Rapid Growth Iron Thorns have matured, and the carpenter at the Carpenter¡¯s Shop has accepted the impact of the new invention; it is time to decisively drive the Iron Wood Era of Fresh Flower Town. Please build a woodworking workshop and produce modern furniture. Reward: Three wild tea trees.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    He saw the reward content¡ªwild tea trees.


    It was known that there was ¡°tea¡± in this world, which was necessary for making milk tea, but this ¡®tea¡¯ was prepared from a kind of fruit known as the Red Tea Tree.


    After the fruit was dried and fermented, it could be used to make milk tea.


    There were Red Tea Trees on Coral Island, and Tulip Castle even had a Red Tea Tree Elf Bug, yet Liszt had never heard of tea made from fruit. He had also tried to brew the leaves of the Red Tea Tree after frying them, but found the taste too bitter and astringent to drink, and the fruit-infused tea had an odd flavor.


    This Red Tea Tree was clearly not the tea tree from Earth, and according to the information in the Knight¡¯s Novel, there were no tea products to be directly brewed; he once thought that no such plant as the tea tree existed here.


    Unexpectedly, he was now being rewarded with wild tea trees.


    ¡°It must be in some corner of Black Horse Island! Tea trees are great, as drinking tea can be beneficial for health maintenance, especially for its ability to clear greasiness, aid digestion, and act as a diuretic¡­ If I remember correctly, in ancient China, tea leaves were strategic commodities like salt and iron, particularly in trade with northern nomadic tribes.¡±


    Nomadic tribes mainly consumed meat, which was too greasy and hard to digest without tea to offset it. Hence the Tea-Horse Exchange, trading strategic resources like horses for tea leaves.


    Even America¡¯s independence could be said to have been sparked by tea¡ªthe Boston Tea Party, in protest against the Tea Act, directly ignited the flames of the Revolutionary War.


    The importance of tea was thus evident.


    Liszt¡¯s situation was similar; he ate too much meat, especially Magical Beast Meat which was greasier and harder to digest than regular meat, and the digestive effect of milk tea was limited. With the help of tea leaves, he could better absorb the nutrients of the Magical Beast Meat.


    This applied to most nobles.


    ¡°One can imagine, tea leaves will become another major specialty of mine!¡±


    His spirits lifted: ¡°Once I return, I¡¯ll immediately build a woodworking workshop, bringing the Iron Wood Era to Fresh Flower Town as soon as possible!¡±

 Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter 0299: It’s Not My Fault for Trafficking Slaves (Second Update)

    Chapter 301: Chapter 0299: It¡¯s Not My Fault for Trafficking Slaves (Second Update)


    The export of Fresh Flower Brew will still need some preparation time, as the current production cannot meet demand, and the consistency of quality is still slightly lacking.


    March had just arrived, and following Earl¡¯s journey to Blue Dragon Island to attend The Court meeting, he took the opportunity to promote the finely packaged Fresh Flower Brew in Crystal Bottles embedded with gemstones to the Sapphire Duke. Levis also left Tulip Castle, heading to Golden Island as per the agreement to visit the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family.


    To confirm his marriage to the daughter of Marquis Roderick, Loria Gold Wheat Ear.


    The task of selling Fresh Flower Brew was handed over to Frank.


    Liszt also entrusted the sales work to Goltai.


    With the direction for Fresh Flower Brew set, the remainder of the task was naturally delegated to subordinates; his own important work was training dogs and practicing cultivation.


    In the blink of an eye, the sun was blazing on the 5th of March.


    On this day, the Tulip Caravan¡¯s ships returned, and the two thousand five hundred serfs purchased by Liszt also arrived with the ship, with the handover arranged at Fresh Flower Port.


    Ever since Fresh Flower Town had its own dock, there was no need to go through the transfer via Coral City¡¯s dock.


    ¡°Two thousand five hundred serfs, plus the losses from the last slave trade, number a total of two thousand seven hundred¡­ The losses this time might still be substantial, but the quality is good, with quite a few craftsmen mixed among them,¡± Frank, following the fleet to Fresh Flower Town, handled the transfer of serfs.


    As for the arrangements for the serfs, the town had long been prepared.


    Thus, there was not much chaos, and bilingual receptionists proficient in Serpent Script and Wind Language, under the direction of town officials, quickly completed the tally of serf numbers, skill screening, and recording of identity information.


    ¡°A total of two thousand two hundred twenty-six serfs, among them thirty-seven might be terminally ill and beyond help¡­¡± Goltai returned to the house at the dock.


    Reporting to Liszt.


    Upon hearing this, Frank immediately began calculating with his fingers, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll count on two thousand one hundred¡­ two thousand one hundred eighty-nine serfs, with a total loss of¡­ loss of¡­ loss of¡­¡± He calculated twice, finding it somewhat difficult, and didn¡¯t come up with an answer.


    Liszt, adept at arithmetic operations, had already silently figured out: ¡°A loss of five hundred eleven serfs.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, right, right, a loss of five hundred eleven serfs,¡± Frank spread his hands, not embarrassed by his poor arithmetic.


    The people here generally weren¡¯t good at math.


    He also did not harbor any negative emotions about the high number of deaths, saying with a smile, ¡°If you continue the serf trade, you can compensate for the losses in the next transaction, um, you can supplement three hundred serfs, and the other¡­ more than two hundred serfs, consider them as normal losses.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Liszt nodded.


    The death of over five hundred people due to the slave trade had begun to numb him, but he still felt somewhat choked up¡ªwithout the trade, there would be no harm, but how else could he develop his territory and achieve his dragon riding ambitions without buying serfs? He could only apologize to the souls of the deceased.


    Being born into this dog-eat-dog world was a sorrow in itself.


    Moments later, he put away any pretense of crocodile tears or true feelings. Stepping out of the house, he looked at the bustling dock square.


    The serfs were being sorted.


    Karl Ironhammer of the Patrol Team was selecting strong men among them to form a new patrol squad.


    Rom Barrel did the same, selecting sturdy men left over from Karl¡¯s choices to join his Bug Guard Team, and then distributing them one by one to the various farms to cultivate the land and guard the Cordyceps.


    Earth Knight Lasse Rondo and Rick Trace, meanwhile, took responsibility for selecting robust youths and grouping all the children, who would later begin their Dou Qi Cultivation.


    On their way to Fresh Flower Town, they had endured torment, but upon setting foot on this land, they would start anew.


    Butler Carter and Mrs. Morson also led the Castle¡¯s servants in choosing from among the serf throng, mainly picking suitable servants and young children. Li Si Te¡¯s Castle would eventually expand to become a named Castle, and at that time, many servants would be needed.


    ¡°Mrs. Morson, females who look clever and moderately pretty, under the age of twenty, can also be selected, around ten or so. The Castle needs a group of maids who can handle heavy chores, the current few of you can¡¯t attend to everything thoroughly,¡± Carter instructed.


    Mrs. Morson nodded, ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll choose the qualified maids.¡±


    The clerks bustled about, commanding the serfs, bringing food and water, and arranging for those serfs left over to be sent to various farms.


    At present, only those serfs assigned to farming were arranged, craftsmen and workers were also allocated to farm work.


    It would not be until there were suitable positions available that they could be relieved from farm labor and return to their old trades, utilizing the skills they possessed.


    Li Si Te climbed onto a rock, surveying the port scene, without anyone following him, except Douson. Suddenly, Douson¡¯s nose twitched, and he barked at the empty air beside him.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Douson.¡±


    Someone¡¯s voice came out; Douson still roared uneasily until Li Si Te stroked his neck, calming him down.


    Without turning his head, he asked, ¡°Why are you invisible?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, just didn¡¯t want to show up¡­ My sister was probably sold to Fresh Flower Town in the same way initially,¡± said Black Dragon Changeling Paris.


    ¡°Maggie was lucky. She was part of the first batch of serfs purchased by Fresh Flower Town. It wasn¡¯t the peak season for the slave trade then; each serf was a treasure, so they received fairly decent care on the ship. These serfs are less fortunate, many packed together, and if they got sick, they could only be thrown into the sea.¡±


    Paris, still invisible, spoke in a somber voice, ¡°Baron, why do such things as the slave trade, so devoid of conscience, happen?¡±


    ¡°Because they haven¡¯t met a landlord who treats his people well. At least in Fresh Flower Town, they will definitely not suffer any further harm,¡± Li Si Te said offhandedly.


    He was a participant in the sin, so there was nothing good to say; all the blame was cast onto others.


    By the way, he beautified himself; while other landlords were evil-doers, he was the incarnation of justice, the landlord who brought hope to the serfs.


    Perhaps it was a lack of intelligence.


    Though Li Si Te couldn¡¯t see, Paris still nodded approvingly, ¡°For them, it is indeed lucky to come to Fresh Flower Town. Here, life doesn¡¯t need to worry about food and clothing, nor fear of mercenary plunders¡­ I have come to like the peaceful life here.¡±


    ¡°But it won¡¯t always be peaceful. Soon, I will head to the battlefield to fulfill the truth in my heart,¡± Li Si Te said, touching the Crimson Blood Sword at his waist.


    The ruby inlaid on the sword flickered, the crimson carrying a strange allure.


    The setting sun¡¯s glow shone on his handsome face, making it seem especially sacred and just, with sapphire blue pupils that could rival real sapphires. He proclaimed loudly, ¡°My horse, my sword, my spear, my knights, will scatter my ideals of justice and flaunt my knightly way.¡±


    Paris was spellbound, unable to utter a word.

 Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 303: Overwhelming Force with a Single Stroke (First Update)

    Chapter 305: Chapter 303: Overwhelming Force with a Single Stroke (First Update)


    After the nap.


    He jingled a bell to summon a servant, who brought him a cup of milk tea.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) sat in front of the upright piano, his emotions had calmed down, and the explosive inspirations had all dissipated, leaving only tranquility.


    The sheet music of ¡°For Alice¡± lay on the stand.


    He was about to play a piece, to feel the sound quality of the new piano, and at the same time, to refine his personal sentiments. His fingers touched the keys, and familiar rhythms immediately awakened, as if driven by an internal force, his hands began to play on their own, and notes blossomed one after another.


    The simple yet wonderful melody echoed in the study, and the thick walls provided excellent soundproofing, allowing him to immerse himself in his own world, to indulge as he pleased.


    At the end of the piece, an intoxicated expression lingered on his face.


    A moment later.


    He awoke from his reverie and began to reminisce about the previous experience, ¡°Compared to the grand piano of Long Taro Castle, the sound quality is much worse, and it¡¯s not comparable to the grand piano of Tulip Castle either. But the upright piano also has its advantages, reducing sound quality also covers up many technical flaws.¡±


    A grand piano can hit about 14 times per second, but an upright piano can only achieve 7 hits per second.


    It doesn¡¯t feel as smooth as a grand piano, and the sound isn¡¯t as rich, the contrast between loud and soft isn¡¯t clear enough.


    Of course, if you¡¯re not a professional, you probably can¡¯t tell the difference between an upright and a grand piano.


    Li Si Te (Liszt)¡¯s former self was half a professional, and it seemed he himself also had the talent of a pianist, thus he could acutely feel the difference.


    It was quite a pity, the Earl hadn¡¯t gifted him a grand piano.


    ¡°I was being greedy, even the cheapest grand piano costs hundreds of gold coins, and with that money, one could buy quite a lot of magic potions. The Earl, though wealthy, is not one to spend money recklessly.¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) soon came to terms with this, feeling overjoyed simply to have his own piano.


    He took a sip of milk tea and replaced the sheet music.


    It was the ¡°With You¡± he had ¡°composed¡± on the ship, this sheet music was similar to ¡°For Alice¡±, both very simple kinds, with his performance technique inherited from his predecessor and a good pianistic atmosphere cultivated, it should have been enough to reach the standard of an amateur level ten, sufficient to handle simple pieces.


    ¡°In my name as Li Si Te (Liszt), the Piano King, playing pieces of amateur levels four or five is a piece of cake!¡±


    Dong!


    He pressed the keys forcefully with his fingertips and began to play, a melody infused with faint melancholy wafted through the air.


    In a flash, Li Si Te (Liszt) felt as if he was back on that sea voyage, reliving the moments of blossoming inspiration under the blue sky and white clouds, the poignant melody also encapsulating longing, advancement, aspiration, and unyielding determination.


    Well aware that tragedy lay ahead, he still charged forward without hesitation.


    Dong dong dong dong.


    The final key was struck, and Li Si Te (Liszt) felt nearly moved to tears by the beautiful performance. Music touches the heart, and the piano, being the king of instruments, is especially enchanting. At this moment, he finally believed that he had the talent of a pianist, that within him resided the Piano King.


    Dong!


    He played it again, and then again.


    Not until he had played ¡°With You¡± and ¡°For Alice¡± flawlessly did he stop. He felt as if after the baptism of music, his dusty soul was transparent again.


    He glanced out the window.


    The sunset was exceptionally bright.


    ¡°Time for my medicine.¡±


    The thick paper was spread out on the desk and the quill was inserted into the inkwell, as Li Si Te (Liszt) fetched two Thorn Magic Potions and one Flame Magic Potion from the Gemstone Space.


    The crystal hourglass on the table was turned over.


    As the sand began to fall, he immediately consumed the first Thorn Magic Potion. The gentle Chaotic Magic Power fermented within him and spread out, giving him a sense of swelling. Opening his eyes, he maintained the conversion of Magic Power into Dou Qi while circulating it through his meridians, quietly observing the hourglass.


    When five minutes¡¯ worth of sand had trickled down, he suddenly opened a Flame Magic Potion and downed it in one gulp.


    The surging Fire Attribute Magic Power exploded instantaneously; enveloped by the Chaotic Magic Power, it seemed to create a certain chemical reaction, generating an even greater, more surging Magic Power that battered every cell in his limbs and bones. His face reddened, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body felt a vaguely tearing pain.


    For a full ten minutes, the pain abated slightly. He glanced at the hourglass and silently opened the second Thorn Magic Potion, consuming all of its contents.


    The chaos of the Magic Power surged again, covering his body that had been battered by the Flame Magic Potion, and solidifying the effects produced by the previous potion consumption.


    When his body returned to its optimal state, half an hour¡¯s worth of sand also passed through the hourglass.


    The setting sun was about to dip below the horizon.


    ¡°Ah, so refreshing.¡± Feeling the total amount of Dou Qi climbing higher every day, Liszt¡¯s lips curled into a smile as he began to ink down today¡¯s potion-consumption insights and record data.


    ¡°Some fine-tuning of the timing is needed, along with a redistribution of the dosage for the Flame Magic Potion. Reducing the volume of each potion a bit will ensure the least loss for the greatest gain.¡±


    Recording complete.


    He pulled out another piece of heavyweight paper and plotted all the data on a coordinate system with X and Y axes, drawing a curve to precisely measure the direction for subsequent adjustments.


    Quite a brain drain.


    Just the coordinate systems drawn for various comparisons numbered eleven, but the final results drawn from these eleven variable comparisons were highly accurate. He was nearly at the point of deducing the optimal potion-consumption plan his body could withstand.


    Compared to when he had just become an Elite Earth Knight, his total amount of Dou Qi had already increased by one and a half times. He felt like he could take on two Combat Skills-oriented Elite Earth Knights¡ªsuch was the strength of a potion-consuming Elite Earth Knight.


    Combat Skills focused purely on honing technique.


    Potion-consumers merely needed to keep spending money.


    ¡°No matter how much you train for ten days, it¡¯s not as good as one potion-consuming session: ¡®This must be the so-called ¡°mighty force that overcomes skilled maneuvers,¡± where a physically strong person can defeat ten skilled warriors. An Elite Earth Knight who consumes potions daily can defeat ten Elite Earth Knights who can only ponder Combat Skills.¡¯¡±


    Moreover, Liszt wasn¡¯t just a potion consumer; he was still honing his own Combat Skills.


    ¡°Flaming Wave¡± and ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± he had fully mastered. ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± too was nearly perfected, and even the Ultimate Mystery Technique Multi-Shadow Arrow, which Marcus had not managed to master, he could execute flawlessly.


    Training talent, potion-financed wealth, diligent perseverance¡ªhe was without the lack of any aspect.


    He stood up, put away the heavyweight paper, and stood in front of the window with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the distant clouds lit with the glow of fire: ¡°How far am I from becoming a Sky Knight?¡±


    Unknown.


    All he knew was that continuing to consume potions was the right path!


    Walking out of the study, he saw the maid Little Lily bending over to clean the corridor, with her ample bottom sticking out as if inviting more picking.


    Hearing the sound of the door opening, Little Lily hurriedly stood up and curtsied to Liszt: ¡°Master.¡±


    The young girl appeared ever more slender and graceful.


    Liszt was in a good mood and wore a mild smile on his face: ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Master, Little Lily is very happy working in the castle, it¡¯s not hard at all.¡± She hurriedly spoke, her face bearing a sincere smile.


    Life in the castle, this time last year, was something she couldn¡¯t have even imagined.


    Abundant, warm, respectable¡ªit was like a fairytale dream come true.

 Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 304: Return to River Castle (2nd Update)

    Chapter 306: Chapter 304: Return to River Castle (2nd Update)


    The castle had ten more maids and ten more manservants.


    Eight maids were responsible for cleaning the castle¡¯s exterior: Omira, Lucy, Lopa, Ros, Wenna, Glemy, Monica, Bellucci, and there were also two kitchen maids, Jessica and Anna¡ªit¡¯s worth mentioning that Eileen Four Fingers received a promotion, although she still worked in the kitchen.


    She had worked for the castle for a full year and was supposed to be promoted to a formal maid.


    But she loved the kitchen and wished to stay there.


    Thus, she became a formal kitchen maid, with her wages rising from one to two copper coins per day, the same as Mrs. Abbie¡¯s three kitchen assistants.


    Of the ten manservants, five were manservant assistants: Isido, Morris, Harris, Sam, and Alger¡ªthey were given all the heavy and rough tasks in the castle.


    The other five were handed over to One-Eyed Barton, the coachman, to be trained to tend to the castle¡¯s horses, dogs, forests, gardens, and cordyceps.


    Altogether, there were forty servants, and the castle could no longer accommodate them all.


    Therefore, the newly arrived male and female servants were all arranged to stay in a corner of the town¡¯s civilian residential area, specifically designated as the castle servants¡¯ living quarters, separated by a wall.


    In addition, the castle also had forty intern girls and boys.


    Once they grew up, by which time the castle with Liszt¡¯s name should be completed, they would become qualified servants. Just like the development of the town, the training of servants was an integral part of the nobility¡¯s upbringing.


    Seeing the contented smile on Little Lily¡¯s face.


    Liszt felt the same satisfaction.


    All these people were living life around him, and being able to bring stability and happiness to those close to him was naturally a very fulfilling matter.


    ¡°Little Lily, go inform Butler Carter to lead the manservants to move the piano to the Worm Room,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± she replied.


    Little Lily hurried down the stairs, leaving behind a graceful figure. Liszt watched as she disappeared around the stairwell corner and chuckled softly: ¡°The beauty of youth in her prime, I wonder if she will choose to stay in the castle like Mrs. Morson, remaining unmarried for life, or decide to get married and have children at some point?¡±


    Although manservants and maids were servants of the castle, they could still get married.


    However, many maids did not wish to choose marriage; marrying meant having children, and having children meant losing their jobs. It was very hard to return to work in the castle once they had children. Manservants, on the other hand, had no such concerns; their earnings were enough to support a wife and children, and by leveraging relationships, they could even arrange for their children to work at the castle.


    Landlords usually trusted the offspring of the castle¡¯s old folks more.


    There were also many manservants who remained single, Butler Carter being one of them. Sometimes, Liszt found it difficult to understand their way of thinking, dedicating their whole lives to the noble landlords.


    As of the latest information reported by Butler Carter, there had yet been no development of private affairs between any of the manservants and maids in the castle.


    When Liszt initially discussed with Butler Carter and established the castle¡¯s regulations, there was no prohibition against manservants and maids dating; it was just that they were not allowed to let their relationships interfere with their work, nor were they permitted to commit lewd acts within the castle.


    Soon.


    Butler Carter led the manservants to move the upright piano into the Worm Room.


    The room most suitable for the placement of the piano was actually the entertainment room, which could be converted into a practice room with a little renovation. But Liszt didn¡¯t want a separate practice room, as a practice room without grand pianos would seem too shabby.


    He placed the piano in the Worm Room.


    Playing the piano without an audience was a lonely affair; not only were there numerous Elf Bugs in the Worm Room, but there was also the Thorn Minor Elf Jela and the Sea Serpent Ake who truly understood music.


    The Sea Serpent was more commonly known as the Siren because of her enchanting voice.


    Ake had once hummed a ballad from the Duchy of Sapphire into Li Si Te¡¯s ear on a lazy afternoon, that nightingale-like melodious singing made him linger on, and he almost felt as though he had entered the world described by the song, half-awake, half-dreaming, not knowing where he was.


    ¡°Brother, is this the piano?¡± the sea sprite hovered in front of the piano, her ankles connected to the seawater, as the seawater buoyed her in midair.


    A few strands of water obstructed the view into the mysterious area, further provoking the imagination, making one want to peer into the secrets.


    He momentarily gathered his wits before shifting his gaze to the piano, ¡°This is an upright piano, if you wish to learn, I can teach you how to play.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, Ake wants to learn,¡± she quickly nodded, but then hesitated, ¡°Let¡¯s not learn now, Ake still has to study magic, so many spells await exploration, hoping Ake can become a Grand Magician one day sooner.¡±


    Ake had her own ideas,


    Li Si Te had no intention of insisting.


    He was just practicing piano nearby, repeatedly playing ¡°For Alice¡± and ¡°With You¡±, trying to regain the playing technique left by his predecessor as soon as possible.


    Perhaps it was his exceptional talent, just like his rapid progress in practicing the Dou Qi Manuscript, his piano proficiency was also improving swiftly.


    The memory of his fingers, called out by music.


    Before he knew it, Ake¡¯s singing had already begun, softly, as if accompanying the piano.


    ¡°Look, how beautiful the ocean is! How thrilling the emotions! Look, the scenery of nature, how intoxicating!¡±


    ¡°Look, the berry farm beside the hillside, filled with lipstick-red raspberries, fragrance spreading everywhere, warmth filling every corner.¡±


    ¡°But you said ¡®goodbye¡¯ to me, abandoning your lover forever, leaving your homeland forever, do you really have the heart not to return? Please don¡¯t abandon me, don¡¯t let me suffer again!¡±


    ¡°Return to River Fort, come back!¡±


    This was a very widely circulated folk song from the Steel Ridge Kingdom, the story described the berry farm workers in a region called River Fort, hoping their lovers who had left their hometown would return.


    The author was already unknown.


    Some say it was the berry farm workers, their husbands off to war, singing out of longing; some say it was a minstrel collecting local tales, who abandoned a heartbroken girl and penned this poem; others say it was the landlord of River Fort, whose wife ran off with someone else, and in immense pain, he created this ¡°Return to River Fort¡±.


    The Duchy of Sapphire was a vassal to the Steel Ridge Kingdom; basically, whatever was popular in the Steel Ridge Kingdom would eventually become popular here as well.


    ¡°Return to River Fort¡± was no exception.


    In Ake¡¯s singing, Li Si Te gradually felt that his piano playing was not powerful enough to accompany her. The sea sprite¡¯s singing belonged to the ocean, not to a small room, not to be accompanied by an amateur-level piano player on an upright piano. However, Li Si Te still tried hard to maintain it.


    Even under the pressure of the sea sprite¡¯s singing, his playing technique gained a noticeable, epiphany-like growth.


    He poured his emotions into the piano playing, his fingers linked with his ears, his body swaying with the rhythm.


    Bang!


    Bang bang!


    With the last note struck, Ake¡¯s singing also happened to stop.


    His mood was exhilarated, his playing skill skyrocketed, as if he had already become a master.


    He couldn¡¯t help but grasp Ake¡¯s slender fingers and kissed the back of her snow-white, delicate hand passionately yet gracefully, ¡°This was a wonderful collaboration, Ake.¡±


    Ake blushed, her eyes like pools of water, she responded softly through her nose, ¡°Mhm.¡±

 Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter 0308: Merlese’s Magic Apprentice (First Update)

    Chapter 310: Chapter 0308: Merlese¡¯s Magic Apprentice (First Update)


    Liszt¡¯s sources for magic books had three channels. One was to purchase from the bookstore in Coral City every time the Fresh Flower Caravan came; another was to obtain magic books for internal exchange from Elkerson; and the last was to commission the caravan from Tulip Castle to buy books from abroad.


    The reward for the task was very likely to be within one of these three channels.


    Thinking this way, he felt somewhat indignant, as even without this task, the magic books would still end up in his hands. It felt like taking off one¡¯s pants to fart, an unnecessary act.


    Nonetheless, a task that needed to be done had to be done.


    ¡­


    Coral City, a certain small town nearby.


    At the decrepit hut in the forest, Elkerson True enveloped himself in a cloak, standing at the doorway of the hut. With a creak, the door opened, and an aged woman with dark green hair opened the door.


    She, too, was wearing a magic cloak, but it was filthy and clearly hadn¡¯t been washed for a long time.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come, Elkerson.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Merlese Your Excellency,¡± Elkerson said, repressing a frown and attempting to hold his breath; the smell inside the hut was too odd, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it your magic apprentice opening the door instead, requiring us to bother you to do so?¡±


    ¡°Clumsy and useless waste, he has already been turned into a pile of fertilizer for planting flowers,¡± said Merlese Truth indifferently while recounting the private murder.


    Elkerson tugged at the corner of his mouth, wanting to laugh but unable to do so.


    He could only change the subject, ¡°Your friend, has he brought you new magic books?¡±


    Merlese let out a cold smile, ¡°Of course, he did. What about you, Elkerson, have you prepared the gold coins you swindled from Lord Little White?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t deceived Baron Liszt, it was just a normal business transaction.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I¡¯ve noticed you frequent the Songbird Tavern more than you have the entire last year,¡± Merlese licked her dry, cracked lips, pondering something, her gaze flickering, ¡°Young people should exercise restraint, not indulge themselves upon earning money; the path to Truth requires solitary exploration.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your advice, Your Excellency Merlese. If there¡¯s nothing else, I would like to receive the magic books first. I have some other matters to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Upon entering the hut, Merlese pointed to a wooden chest: ¡°Here are the new batch of magic books, no duplicates, a total of fifty-one, I¡¯ll charge you three Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°Last time, a chest of magic books only cost two Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°Prices have gone up,¡± Merlese smirked sinisterly, ¡°Since you can swindle more money from Lord Little White, why care so much about a small sum of one or two Gold Coins?¡±


    ¡°Your Excellency Merlese, please don¡¯t spread baseless rumors, my business dealings with Baron Liszt have always been open and above board, with no underhand short-changing.¡±


    ¡°Heh, take your lies to deceive the Specters, three Gold Coins, not one less.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re practicing extortion, fifty-one magic books for three Gold Coins, I can hardly bear such a price.¡±


    Despite the haggling, Elkerson ultimately paid three Gold Coins with great reluctance in the end.


    He appeared deeply aggrieved as he gestured to a magic apprentice who had accompanied him to carry the chest away, and with a quick ¡°farewell,¡± left the malodorous forest hut.


    On the way back.


    The magic apprentice curiously asked, ¡°Teacher, there was a strange smell in Your Excellency Merlese¡¯s hut ¡­ she looked very sloppy.¡±


    ¡°Not every magician is as cultured as I am, nor is every magic apprentice as fortunate as you to have a teacher who loves peace¡­ Your Excellency Merlese¡¯s magic apprentices tend to change every month; there¡¯s always some naive youngster who thinks magic is some kind of noble existence.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Your Excellency Merlese is that harsh with her magic apprentices, needing to get rid of one every month?¡±


    ¡°Get rid of?¡± Elkerson laughed as if he had heard a joke, ¡°Ha ha, Hans, you should learn to speak less, or it will betray a serious lack of knowledge.¡±


    However, he did not continue to explain.


    He left behind a puzzled youth, struggling to carry the box, following closely behind him.


    Back in his residence, Elkerson dismissed Hans to meditate, then began to organize the books in the box. Merlese had sold him the books for three gold coins, which was indeed steep, but he could re-categorize the books, taking out ones with higher value separately.


    ¡°Quinn¡¯s Minotaur Conjecture? Hmm, this oddity that Merlese considers useless should fetch a nice price. Baron Liszt likes this kind of¡­ uninhibited imagination,¡± he selected the book and set it aside.


    He then picked out a few more, such as ¡°Kamchatka¡¯s Giant Footprints: An On-Site Verification¡±, ¡°Rondo Truth¡¯s Travels in the Brass Grand Duchy¡±, ¡°Analysis of the Principle of Magic Turning Frogs into Sheep¡±, and so on.


    Finally, he came across a¡±Secrets of Sea Serpent Aquatic Monsters¡± and after closely reading a few pages, he said, ¡°This probably won¡¯t fetch a good price, it¡¯s just some dry notes on the habits of aquatic monsters. Baron Liszt wouldn¡¯t like this sort of dull notes.¡± So he threw the book back into the box.


    The books in the box were sold separately, with no bargaining.


    Looking at the large stack of organized books, he laughed, ¡°These should sell for five, maybe six gold coins¡­ But next time I need to contact a new magician to buy books. Merlese, that old witch, is just too greedy¡­ It¡¯s a pity that the magic casting schemes I want are so hard to come by.¡±


    Once you get the taste for it, selling magic, something despised by the magical world, you find it hard to stop.


    Especially since the recent payment for the Fresh Flower Brew, where Baron Liszt directly paid twenty gold coins to purchase the Rock Grenade spell schema.


    Netting twenty gold coins in one go, Elkerson quickly fell in love with the sensation.


    ¡°Next, I need to expand my network, and make contact with magicians from the outer islands.¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt was not concerned with Elkerson¡¯s business methods.


    He of course knew that whether it was buying magic books or refining magic potions, Elkerson was bound to make a handsome profit, but that¡¯s the nature of a technological monopoly.


    Paying any magician for work required sufficient technical fees.


    Unless he personally trained a magician¡ªperhaps the future Sea Sprite Ake could help refine magic potions, but she was not yet up to the task.


    For now, he could only pay with money.


    The income from the second batch of Fresh Flower Brew was swiftly in hand, a full two hundred gold coins.


    The nobles of Coral Island quickly adopted a taste for Fresh Flower Brew¡ªnot that they had a choice, as the sale of Juniper Wine had been banned on the island.


    With ample gold coins, he didn¡¯t care about the bit of money given to Elkerson.


    He felt wonderful every day.


    The iron wood thorn products of the carpentry workshop were also gradually making headway in the market. The iron wood grade quality, just slightly more expensive than ordinary wood products, was quickly favored by the lesser nobles, and orders flowed in continuously.


    Clothes racks, rocking chairs, drawer cabinets¡ªthese three types of modern furniture were also quite popular, earning a good number of orders.


    All the carpenters in the small town were so busy they had to have their meals delivered, working from dawn till dusk making various wooden items, which were then sold throughout Coral Island via the caravan.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town is now thriving, Charles, you should be able to feel it,¡± said Zambrotta, serving as the diplomat of Fresh Flower Town while entertaining a noble.


    An Elite Earth Knight with a Thunder Attribute.


    Charles Trap, an Honored Knight with a title.


    He was an outsider and a wandering stranger who didn¡¯t fit in with the nobles of Coral Island, powerful, yet unable to find a place of his own.

 Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter 0309: Beware of being deceived (Second update)

    Chapter 311: Chapter 0309: Beware of being deceived (Second update)


    There was a group of nobles.


    They followed their Lord into battle, only for the Lord to die on the battlefield. The fief lacked an heir and was directly annexed by the superior Lord. However, the superior Lord refused to recognize the landed rights of this group of followers of the deceased Lord. Consequently, their lands were stripped away, leaving them with nothing but an empty noble title.


    And there was a group of impostors.


    What they were best at was forging their own noble identities, such as a bankrupt Honored Knight, a Baron¡¯s follower whose Lord had died, or a Viscount wrongfully deprived of his lands. In short, they possessed so-called noble statuses, fabricating all sorts of fallen backgrounds.


    The state¡¯s vast territory and backward transportation made it very difficult for ordinary nobles to verify these impostors upon encounter.


    Thus, when dealing with such ¡°nobles,¡± their approach was to extend a courteous reception once or twice but never to truly acknowledge the other¡¯s noble status.


    Charles Trap was one such noble.


    Originally a follower of Count Feirolan, who fell on the battleground of the Eagle Kingdom seven years ago, leaving no offspring to inherit the title, his Lord, Marquis Wallace Pineapple Green, reclaimed the fief according to the laws of the Grand Duchy.


    He refused to recognize the legitimate rights of Count Feirolan¡¯s followers to the land.


    Marquis Wallace believed that it was the failure of his followers that led to Count Feirolan¡¯s death, and thus, he stripped them of all their lands.


    Charles was deprived of his lands, and he harbored resentment, thinking Marquis Wallace too greedy.


    He left Pineapple Green Family¡¯s domain of Deep Throat Island and wandered to Coral Island.


    Li Weiliam Tulip did not take Charles¡¯s word for it¡ªhe was not familiar with Feirolan, and even less about his followers.


    Therefore, on Coral Island, Charles became a marginalized man. He could join the battlefield, might be inducted into a mixed Knight Order, but even after fighting desperately, he still couldn¡¯t earn much merit.


    The Earl simply didn¡¯t care about such an Elite Earth Knight; his elite Knight Order was made up of Elite Earth Knights. The two Viscounts were also unwilling to share their merits, much less with an outsider, a knight ¨C and possibly an impostor. As a result, Charles wasted seven years and gained nothing.


    He began to set his sights on Fresh Flower Town.


    Initially, he wrote to Goltai, recounting old times, after all, they were both dispossessed nobility.


    Now, he simply came in person to Fresh Flower Town, making his intentions clear as day. Yet, Liszt did not see him and only arranged for Zambrotta to receive him¡ªLord Landlord of Fresh Flower Town, too, was cautious, fearing that if the other party were truly an impostor, his lifetime reputation could be ruined in an instant.


    Dealing with a knight of unknown origin required caution.


    In his former life, Liszt had heard of many high provincial officials who were deceived by imposters, shaming themselves all the way to their grandmother¡¯s house.


    When the time for the banquet came, he kept Zambrotta back.


    He inquired about the reception of Charles, ¡°What do you think of Charles?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, from what I know of Charles, his strength is indeed formidable, but as for his identity¡­ Many strong knights prefer to take shortcuts. If they can impersonate nobles and attain glory without fighting on the battlefield, why would they risk their lives there? As you know, not every Elite Earth Knight can obtain a noble status,¡± replied Zambrotta.


    ¡°I need some more objective information,¡± said Liszt.


    Zambrotta was indeed worldly-wise and had a knack for amusing conversation; however, he had one bad habit¡ªhe liked to talk broadly about theories without getting involved in practical matters.


    Good at abstract ideas, but lacking in practicality.


    After clearing his throat, Zambrotta answered, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that he used to fight quite bravely in the battlefield a few years ago, but in the last two years, his performance started to become mediocre. He tries too hard to fit into the circle of nobility, often overexerting and appearing too deliberate. When I received him today, I could feel that he was too anxious.¡±


    ¡°Too anxious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he kept bringing up Lord Landlord yourself during our conversation, which made me feel that his intentions were too strong, and he was always trying to hide something,¡± Zambrotta tried to sound more earnest. ¡°We can clearly see the purpose of his visit to Fresh Flower Town, but he seems to think that we can¡¯t.¡±


    To put it crudely, it¡¯s as if ¡°he wants to play the harlot but also erect a memorial archway.¡±


    Liszt understood and responded, ¡°Then continue hosting him without agreeing to anything. Let him hang for a while to see clearly what he needs to do, and then I¡¯ll meet with him again.¡±


    First, dismantle the other party¡¯s facade.


    Then, engage in an honest meeting to discuss the intertwined interests of following and being followed.


    ¡­


    In the following days, Liszt became very busy, as he went to Black Horse Island.


    The sparks of inspiration from the inventor surged, prompting him to order others to carry Jomaya Bangtu on a stretcher, personally overseeing the construction of the kiln at the Fire Dragon Brick Factory.


    ¡°I brought you here, not just to have you guide the stonemasons in building the brick factory¡¯s kiln but also to hope you will learn about the help rubber water provides to construction,¡± he said to Jomaya.


    Then he entered a simply constructed kiln, took out a Fire Dragon Jar filled with Fire Dragon Magic Power, and released the magic power.


    After several adjustments, he successfully confined the activity range of the Magic Little Fire Dragon within the calcination space of the kiln. He then instructed the stonemasons to use rubber water to bond a stone wheeled cart together, testing the push and pull effect. He personally led people to find the right brown-red soil and yellow clay soil on Black Horse Island, mixing them into a clay material.


    Using a wooden brick mold filled with the mixed clay, a rectangle of brick blank was formed with the press of a wooden board.


    The hundreds of serfs might have been somewhat dull, but they followed orders unconditionally, without needing to ask why, and went straight to work.


    So the pace was quick. A cart of brick blanks was already stacked up.


    ¡°One, two, three!¡±


    Chanting the count, the serfs exerted their strength together and pushed the stone wheeled cart into the kiln, starting the calcination.


    This would take some time.


    Liszt then went to the other side where Jomaya was observing the serfs mix rubber water with the beach¡¯s sand and stones, then pile up a new brick factory¡¯s kiln.


    ¡°What do you see?¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, this rubber water is really incredible. It¡¯s faster than glutinous rice juice which needs at least one day to solidify and a week to be completely firm. You asked me to build a lighthouse, and I originally estimated it would take a month to complete. Now it seems, maybe it will only take a few days!¡± Jomaya exclaimed.


    Building a lighthouse was no easy task.


    It first required choosing a perilously high location, usually atop cliffs or reefs, involving not just the transport of materials but also significant danger. The stone construction would also need to solidify for a long time, and building a large lighthouse was even more challenging.


    But with the fast-setting effect of rubber water, the construction time would be reduced significantly, and it was no difficult task to build a lighthouse in a short time with massive accumulation of manpower and materials.


    Liszt didn¡¯t plan on building a large lighthouse. He only intended to build a small ten-meter-tall lighthouse on the nearby Rocky Beach of Black Horse Port.


    Once equipped with a Crystal Lamp, a range of two or three kilometers would be sufficient.


    Moreover, the lighthouse would only be lit when the Fresh Flower Vessel navigated at night¡ªalthough Black Horse Island was not on a sailing route and was only discovered by the Rats by accident, if one or two ships happened to pass by, a lighthouse shining all night would undoubtedly expose Black Horse Island¡¯s coordinates.


    Now was not the time to expose Black Horse Island.


    But even if it were exposed, Liszt wasn¡¯t particularly concerned¡ªThe Earl was on the rise, and the Grand Duke, even if aware, would not rashly assign Black Horse Island and annoy his own ¡°groomsman¡±; Liszt himself was also on the rise, and as long as he kept the secret of the Black Blood Treasured Horse, the Earl would not vex his own son.


    In the meantime,


    The first batch of bricks had been fired.

 Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter 0310: Spring Tea Harvesting and Frying (Third Update)

    Chapter 312: Chapter 0310: Spring Tea Harvesting and Frying (Third Update)


    Splash water for cooling.


    Great plumes of smoke rose from the grayish-brown bricks as a serf, wearing gloves, removed a few and handed them to Liszt, Goltai, and Marcus.


    ¡°Test the hardness.¡±


    Clang, clang!


    Two hammer strikes shattered the brick.


    ¡°The hardness is mediocre, the level of firing is not enough, let¡¯s try another kiln.¡± Liszt said calmly, as this batch of bricks obviously did not meet the quality of his experiments.


    The next batch took an extra ten minutes to fire, a full half hour before leaving the kiln.


    After cooling with water, the hardness of the grayish-brown bricks met the standards, hardly inferior to the hardness of granite.


    Jomaya Bangtu felt the hardness and weight of the bricks on a stretcher, and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim again, ¡°Lord, with bricks of this uniform shape, constructing any building would be very convenient. Compared to those fragile ceramics, the hardness of the bricks is just like stone.¡±


    ¡°As long as they¡¯re useful, that¡¯s good. As for the remaining brick kilns, I¡¯ll leave their design and command to you. Once the brick factory construction is complete, start working on the lighthouse immediately.¡±


    Without Jomaya¡¯s early arrival, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to produce quality bricks at this point and complete the task, encountering Jomaya only after successful brick manufacturing. However, the Smoke Mission had changed, with Jomaya arriving ahead of time, and he had begun preparations for the lighthouse construction, significantly shortening the task¡¯s time frame.


    Liszt turned and asked Marcus, ¡°Teacher Marcus, have you chosen a location for the lighthouse yet?¡±


    ¡°Captain Kostor and I have inspected the site in person, and we¡¯ve decided to build it one mile west of Black Horse Port. The land there is high, with a good viewing angle, the lighthouse will be very clear from the ships. Additionally, the surrounding Rocky Beach will not obstruct walking, making transportation of building materials very convenient.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll construct the lighthouse at that location, Consultant Goltai, continue to oversee the brick factory construction.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Lord Landlord.¡±


    With the construction supervision tasks assigned to Goltai, Liszt, along with Marcus, Lasse, and Griffin, mounted his steed Lightning and commenced another task of their journey on Black Horse Island¡ªsearching for wild tea trees.


    Trees were already scarce on the island.


    Most of them were rubber trees.


    Therefore, trees of indiscernible varieties were very rare. It took only a day for Liszt to find the reward from the previous Smoke Mission, three wild tea trees. These three wild tea trees, growing closely together on the northern slope of Ice Grass Hill, were clearly visible at a glance.


    These shrub-type tea trees weren¡¯t very tall, at just about two meters.


    With numerous branches in a wild, disorderly fashion, these trees lacked the neatness of those cultivated by humans. It was March, and the buds of the wild tea trees had just started sprouting, slightly different from the tender buds of tea trees in Liszt¡¯s memory, with less distinct serrated edges and less pronounced bud heads.


    They were not as refined as the domesticated tea trees.


    In tea picking, particularly spring tea, one could pick single buds, as well as one bud with one leaf or one bud with two leaves.


    A single bud is just the newly emerged bud, not yet formed into a young leaf; one bud with one leaf is when a bud has grown into a young leaf; one bud with two leaves is when two buds have grown into young leaves.


    Some people enjoy drinking the single buds, where typically forty thousand buds are needed to produce one pound of single buds. The undeveloped single buds have a freshness that isn¡¯t fully expressed, a slight bitterness, and are not resistant to multiple infusions. Yet, those who like them savor the buds¡¯ delicate fragrance and sweetness, as well as the noble ambiance they evoke.


    The first and second leaves are rather common, well-developed with plenty of amino acids and vitamins, and the aroma of the tea is also sufficient. However, when brewed, they do not have the visually pleasing aspect of the ¡°stand-up-like-a-needle¡± form seen in single buds, and the rich flavor of the tea lacks a few threads of elegance.


    Premium Longjing tea, for instance, is made from the roasting of single buds.


    Liszt had no familiarity with this knowledge; before his transmigration, he was just an ordinary wage earner, consuming more beverages than tea. His understanding of tea came from pervasive advertisements on video websites, learning about large-leaf teas, small-leaf teas, the numerous processing steps, and how aged experts personally supervised production.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, these three trees should be called tea trees,¡± Liszt said, standing in front of the wild tea trees, speaking indifferently.


    Full of curiosity, Marcus asked, ¡°Black tea trees? My Lord, black tea trees don¡¯t quite look like this. Their leaves have a slightly reddish, plump shape, and they bear fruit.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­ a green tea tree,¡± Liszt said. ¡°I read in a magic book that green tea trees are completely different from black tea trees. Their young buds can be picked and roasted to be brewed directly into tea, which is very beneficial for health.¡±


    ¡°Green tea tree?¡±


    Marcus chewed over the name of the tree without saying much more; he understood that he did not possess the extensive knowledge of Liszt¡ªthe young landlord, who was well-read and knew many things. The rubber tree was the best example: without the Lord Landlord¡¯s wisdom, they would have missed something of tremendous importance like rubber.


    Without any delay, Liszt gave a direct order to gather a group of female serfs to pick the young buds of the three green tea trees.


    Regardless if they were single buds or one bud with one or two leaves, or even with three or four leaves.


    Pick first and talk later.


    Of course, with his middle school biology knowledge, he knew that tea picking should focus on the tips of the tea tree. This is because of the apical dominance in plants¡ªtop buds grow first and suppress the growth of lateral buds. After the top buds are picked, the lateral buds will grow, and the growth of the tea tree will not be affected.


    Nearly fifteen hundred serfs were now working on Black Horse Island.


    There were also many female serfs. Griffin called for twenty of them and brought several ladders to pick the top buds of the green tea trees. Watching the serfs at work, Liszt suddenly thought of a legend about tea picking¡ªthe Lip Tea.


    The story goes that there is a kind of tea leaf picked by virgins using their mouths, imbued with the unique fragrance of virgin saliva. After being roasted, the tea is further processed by being placed near the bosom of virgins for flavor infusion, resulting in newly produced tea that is fragrant and fresh, carrying the unique scent of virginity¡ªa tea called Lip Tea.


    The legend is not credible; at least Liszt did not believe it.


    If the virgins picking the tea happened to resemble the unattractive character Feng Jie, he doubted anyone would be willing to drink such Lip Tea.


    In two hours, the serfs had picked most of the top buds, which wasn¡¯t a lot, roughly two pounds. With the two pounds of tender leaves and buds, Liszt was ready to catch a boat back to Fresh Flower Town¡ªthe work on Black Horse Island was under the watchful eyes of Goltai and Marcus, so there would be no problems.


    Just before departure, Goltai looked at him wistfully, ¡°My Lord, Freya is nine months pregnant and could give birth at any time, yet I can¡¯t be by her side.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, once the lighthouse construction is finished, you can come back¡­ Consultant Goltai, Fresh Flower Town is important, but so is the development of the port town on Black Horse Island. It needs you to maintain things for a while longer; Teacher Marcus simply lacks experience.¡±


    With things as they were, Goltai could only rally his spirit: ¡°Rest assured, my Lord, I will diligently plan the development of the port town!¡±


    After comforting Goltai,


    The Fresh Flower Vessel set sail, cutting through the waves under the blue sky and over the azure sea.


    Looking at the basket containing two pounds of fresh tea leaves, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°I don¡¯t know how many pounds of dry tea these will make, or what the flavor will be like when brewed?¡±

 Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter 0311: Sword Defeated by Veteran Elite Earth (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 313: Chapter 0311: Sword Defeated by Veteran Elite Earth (Fourth Update)


    A pound of fresh tea was fried into about two ounces of dry tea.


    Mrs. Abbie, following Liszt¡¯s instructions, continuously stir-fried the tea leaves on low heat with her palms until, after about an hour, the leaves had become curly and dried out, signaling completion.


    Since he didn¡¯t know the appropriate temperature or what the tea should look like when done, Liszt stored the leaves in the Gemstone Space to keep them fresh.


    He only took out a pound of fresh tea for the experiment.


    After the fried tea leaves were spread out to cool, the next day Liszt tried brewing a cup.


    Watching the curly, dried leaves slowly unfold in the crystal cup with the infusion of hot water, as if coming to life, and seeing the tea¡¯s color gradually turn a light yellow-green, he felt sure that success was waving at him.


    Indeed it was.


    After the tea had cooled down a bit, he immediately began to taste it.


    Upon the first sip, the familiar taste of tea exploded on his taste buds. He was moved, his eyes even becoming a bit misty: ¡°Tea, I have tasted you! This is truly tea¡­ Although it¡¯s a bit bitter and the quality isn¡¯t very good, it is undoubtedly tea!¡±


    Two ounces of dry tea could brew about ten cups.


    In the Gemstone Space, there was still a pound of fresh tea, which could be made into about four ounces of dry tea, equaling about forty cups of tea.


    ¡°If I drink one cup a day, I can only drink for forty days. After three months, I should be able to pick the summer tea, another forty cups; seems like I can pick again in autumn, another forty cups. That is to say, I can drink one hundred and twenty cups of tea in a year!¡± Liszt thought about it and felt that this wasn¡¯t the right calculation.


    If all the tea leaves were drunk, what would he do later on: ¡°I should focus on cultivating tea trees, but¡­ who can tell me, how do you plant tea trees?¡±


    Is it through the cutting method?


    Or perhaps through direct seeding?


    He wasn¡¯t very familiar with this, and did not recall ever hearing about tea trees flowering and fruiting.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s wait and see if tea leaves will flower and bear fruit. If they do, I¡¯ll collect the seeds and begin sowing next year; if not, I¡¯ll use the cutting method to plant green tea trees next year.¡±


    Savoring the pure taste of the tea.


    Liszt had already decided to cultivate tea trees on Black Horse Island, even if he didn¡¯t spread tea culture, he should plant a tea garden and fry tea for his own consumption.


    A cup of tea was finished.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt noticeably lighter, as if the greasiness from all the meat he had eaten was dissipated by the tea.


    At dinner, he had a great appetite and ate an extra piece of magical beast meat.


    ¡­


    After a few days of airing out.


    Through Zambrotta, Liszt knew that the Honored Knight who had come to Fresh Flower Town had gone from initial anxiety but restraint to just irritability, and now to full disappointment.


    Liszt decided to meet Charles Trap.


    Regardless, on Coral Island, the nobles still recognized his title of Honored Knight, and etiquette must not be neglected.


    ¡°Sir Charles, how have you found your stay in Fresh Flower Town these few days?¡± Liszt asked with a noble¡¯s standard smile, under an apple tree that had just started to bud and was preparing to bloom, rocking in a rocking chair.


    The weather was agreeable today, very sunny and pleasant.


    Charles sat up straight on a stool. Liszt¡¯s reception reignited his previously disappointed heart: ¡°Baron, Fresh Flower Town has a great future!¡±


    ¡°Many have said so, including my father and my grandfather, Marquis Merlin.¡± Liszt appeared quite casual, and not boastful on purpose, ¡°When I first came to Fresh Flower Town, it was just like many other small towns without a landlord, living in privation.¡±


    ¡°It was your arrival that brought happiness to the civilians of Fresh Flower Town.¡± Charles commended earnestly.


    ¡°A person¡¯s fate, ah, must certainly rely on their own struggle, but also consider the historical process¡­ Sorry, you might not understand what history is.¡±


    Liszt picked up his milk cup, gesturing for Charles to have some milk as well.


    He took a sip to moisten his throat.


    He continued, ¡°The development of Fresh Flower Town is not just due to my leadership, but also the support from Tulip Castle, the slave trade, seafood, Fresh Flower Soap, Fresh Flower Brew. The market is large but one has to integrate into it to see the broader world. So, Sir Charles, what do you see?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Charles didn¡¯t understand what Liszt was talking about for a moment.


    Actually, it was just a pretense of mystery.


    Liszt didn¡¯t give him time to think deeply and simply said, ¡°I heard you are a veteran Elite Earth Knight with exquisite combat skills and great strength. Recently, my talent has begun to show, and I have defeated more than one Elite Earth Knight, so why not have a sword duel for practice?¡±


    ¡°Since Baron is interested, Charles is willing to accompany Baron in a sword duel practice.¡±


    ¡°This will be a real combat practice, go all out. I can defeat Elite Earth Knights, I¡¯m not joking.¡± Liszt drew a Fine Steel Longsword and walked onto the grass field. Now considering going into battle, he would not miss the opportunity to spar with an Elite Earth Knight.


    Charles, about forty years old, took the Fine Steel Longsword handed over by a manservant, and his demeanor abruptly changed. A strong aura emanated from him, even more imposing than Marcus¡¯s.


    One with Fire Attribute Dou Qi, the other with Thunder Attribute Dou Qi, they were ready to clash.


    ¡°Great Fire Wave!¡±


    Liszt made the first move with a fierce attack, typical of his style. Beating the master with wild punches, he didn¡¯t care how exquisite the combat skills were, he relied on his abundant Dou Qi fueled by potions to launch a strong offense.


    Charles¡¯s sword flashed with lightning, swiftly cutting through the sky-full of fire Dou Qi and aiming straight for Liszt¡¯s head.


    Precise and ruthless.


    With just that move, Liszt dared to assert that Charles was stronger than Marcus, stronger than Paris when she wasn¡¯t transformed. But, just this level couldn¡¯t scare Liszt off.


    His blood boiled even more fiercely, Dou Qi exploding out as if he wanted to release it all at once: ¡°Fire Dragon Sweep!¡±


    Clang!


    The swords collided, sparks flying everywhere, not just fire sparks but electric ones as well.


    Liszt¡¯s body, wrapped in Fire Attribute Dou Qi, was still hit by some Thunder Attribute Dou Qi, making the affected areas feel slightly numb.


    But it hadn¡¯t reached the point of affecting his movements.


    ¡°Fire Dragon Roll!¡±


    Another huge burst of Dou Qi exploded, and Liszt came on even more aggressively, pressing Charles in the fight. His rough-looking attack style was actually nuanced, always on the lookout for Charles¡¯s counterattacks. Incorporating feints with reality and occasionally sneaking in a clever attack.


    With such a ferocious fighting style, he caught Charles completely off guard, gradually wearing him down. Charles wanted to counter, but was surrounded by a sea of flames, unsure of where to strike back.


    Despite his solid defense, he felt incredibly frustrated, feeling that he was not facing an Earth Knight, but a domineering Sky Knight.


    However.


    Being a veteran Elite Earth Knight who had fought on many battlefields, his eyes were bright, searching for any chance to counterattack.


    He believed!


    Violent attacks never last long.


    Yet this principle was ineffective against Liszt, who suddenly bellowed, ¡°Inferno Slash!¡± His Fine Steel Longsword turned into a fanning rain of fire, wildly assaulting Charles.


    Just as Charles had barely withstood the explosive attack, there came another roar: ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡±


    This time, the Fine Steel Longsword transformed into a fire dragon, gathering up the scattered Fire Attribute Mana from the Inferno Slash around it, and charged madly. With one thrust, the Dou Qi-illusioned giant fire dragon crashed heavily into Charles.


    Bang!


    Charles¡¯s solid defense crumbled like paper, unable to hold any longer. His longsword flew out of his hand, and the front of his leather armor was heavily struck by the fire dragon, sending him, like the longsword, flying into the air.


    He somersaulted several times before crashing to the ground heavily.


    Seeing stars, he was disoriented when he slightly recovered from the dizziness. He suddenly realized a red-hot Fine Steel Longsword was positioned at his neck.


    The tip of the sword was scorching hot, as if it could sear his skin at any moment.


    The person holding the sword, standing with his back to the sun, had an unclear face, but his figure highlighted by the light was tall and imposing, involuntarily invoking a sense of submission.


    ¡°I¡­ lost.¡±

 Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Chapter 0312: Vampire Dracula (Fifth Update)

    Chapter 314: Chapter 0312: Vampire Dracula (Fifth Update)


    Defeating Charles Trap seemed like a commonplace matter to Liszt. Just as most who rely on performance-enhancing drugs can defeat those who rely solely on combat skills, money indeed can do as it wishes.


    But, as Liszt¡¯s opponent, Charles found this difficult to accept; he was over forty years old and had been unable to defeat a youth of seventeen.


    It was an outcome he never expected before the live combat training.


    The most crucial point was the utter lack of resistance¡ªbeing dominated from beginning to end, a situation quite embarrassing.


    Yet the longsword, emitting a scorching heat, was already at his neck, and Charles had to admit that he truly was defeated, beaten by a young person.


    This should have been a matter of shame and anger.


    Taking into account Liszt¡¯s identity, he quickly came to terms with it. Heir to the Tulip Family and inheritor of the Long Taro Family¡¯s bloodline, such a high-born noble should naturally possess such strength.


    In the end, he could only sigh and say sincerely, ¡°I¡­ have lost.¡±


    ¡°There are more than one Elite Earth Knights defeated by my hand; you need not be too concerned. Amongst the Elite Earth Knights, your strength is not bad, and the paralyzing effect of your Thunder Attribute Dou Qi is quite threatening,¡± Liszt said indifferently. In reality, he¡¯d only had friendly spars with Marcus and Paris.


    It wasn¡¯t really about who won or lost; they weren¡¯t fighting to the death.


    But at the Earth Knight level, sword duels were rare, with group charges being the main strategy. Liszt did not plan to enter the battlefield for duels anytime soon; he focused more on archery. Learning the ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± technique from Marcus, he had already surpassed the teacher.


    If it were a battlefield showdown, he¡¯d definitely rely on shooting arrows from the outskirts.


    ¡°Baron, your strength is formidable. Charles is both convinced and in awe. The bloodline of the Tulip Family is one of the noblest I¡¯ve seen,¡± said Charles as he got up, his words half flattery and half heartfelt, ¡°The only thing separating the Tulip Family from a Marquis Family is time.¡±


    Liszt tossed his fine steel longsword to the servant and took a handkerchief to wipe his hands, ¡°One should attain a peerage sooner rather than later; time is the enemy of us all.¡±


    Charles felt this deeply: ¡°Yes, feeling as enemy to time is indeed terrifying.¡±


    As an Elite Earth Knight like him, with no hope of breakthrough and no money to spend on drugs, he feared his physical capabilities would start to decline in a few years.


    That was why he was eager to look for opportunities: ¡°Baron, if you need support on your glorious road to peerage, Charles is willing to charge forward on your behalf!¡±


    He was prepared to follow.


    However, Liszt considered, ¡°I am but a Baron, the second son of an Earl. The members of my Knight Squad are knights struggling against their fate, just like me. They have no choice but to fight for glory. What about you? You have so many options, why come to Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    Of course, because Fresh Flower Town offered opportunities.


    But Charles knew that such an answer was not what Liszt wanted. Just as knights choose a landlord to follow, landlords also choose suitable followers.


    He needed to prove to Liszt that he was a worthy follower.


    But how to prove it, he didn¡¯t quite understand at the moment, ¡°Baron¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not be hasty, Sir Charles. Time is indeed our enemy, but it can also help us to clearly recognize what we want. You can go back first, take some time to think about what you want and what you can achieve. Then we can talk about following,¡± suggested Liszt.


    In the end.


    Charles still left Fresh Flower Town with regret and confusion, as well as a glimmer of hope.


    ¡­


    Under the apple tree.


    The new conversation partner had turned to Zambrotta, ¡°Sir, you refused to accept Charles¡¯s followership?¡±


    ¡°No, but I didn¡¯t accept it either. I told him to go back, understand himself, and then come back,¡± Liszt said while sipping his milk tea, ¡°That was just an excuse to send him away. In fact, I haven¡¯t decided whether or not to accept his followership. As you¡¯ve said, his identity is an obstacle.¡±


    To take an Elite Earth Knight as a follower would actually be quite good.


    But there was the fear that the other party might be a noble with a fake identity, and if one day they were exposed by fraudsters, it wouldn¡¯t just be Charles who would lose face, but Liszt more so¡ªthe pitiable Noble Landlord deceived by a scammer.


    Zambrotta nodded, somewhat emotionally, ¡°The very noble title he values most is what¡¯s hindering his path to knightly glory.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps one day he¡¯ll figure it out and abandon his title for the sake of striving for glory,¡± Liszt chuckled, thinking it unlikely, and changed the subject, ¡°Where did we leave off last time? Was it the Duke of the Rose Duchy¡¯s Count Dracula, who was mistaken for a vampire?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he secluded himself in Blood Castle and never partook in social gatherings among the nobles. He was once the most glorious Sky Knight of the Rose Duchy, even the granddaughter of the Duke of Rose was smitten with him.¡±


    Talking politics wasn¡¯t Zambrotta¡¯s strong suit, but in storytelling, he was always able to narrate engagingly, ¡°As the Earless succumbed to a deep slumber, Count Dracula also became dark and eccentric. Hence, people said he had made a pact with the devil, turning himself into a vampire, hoping to revive the Earless.¡±


    ¡°I guess that Earless must have been remarkably beautiful,¡± Liszt guessed.


    ¡°When I passed Blood Castle, I lingered for a long while, yet rarely heard others discuss the Countess¡¯s appearance, and even the identity of the Earless was elusive¡­ quite regrettable,¡± said Zambrotta.


    Vampire and werewolf tales were widespread.


    However, a living Earl being mistaken for a vampire was quite amusing. This provided Liszt with a lot of inspiration, and he felt the urge to write the historical epic ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild¡±¡ªperhaps he could invent an ancient great war between humans and vampires.


    The vampires retreated, blending into humanity.


    Perhaps even amongst us.


    ¡­


    Unfortunately.


    The writing plan for ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild¡± was delayed once again.


    He barely managed to settle the matters with the carpentry workshop and the brick factory and hadn¡¯t had a few days of leisure when he received notice from the Tulip Castle¡¯s Knight that the young heir of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family had visited Long Taro Castle. Levis accompanied the return and informed Liszt to attend to the guest.


    As fellow noble heirs, they naturally had to socialize with each other.


    Liszt had no choice but to arrange affairs in Fresh Flower Town and spent a few hours playing by the sea with the Sea Sprite Ake. He then led his standard mount¡ªa Blizzard Beast Dousen¡ªaccompanied by his Personal Guard, Black Dragon Childe Paris, and set off for Tulip Castle the next morning.


    ¡°Sigh, nobles are really keen on socializing, always finding ten thousand reasons to gather and feast¡­ I don¡¯t aspire to live such a life,¡± he lamented.


    Sitting in the carriage adorned with the Black Tulip Banner, Liszt boredly gazed at the landscape outside the window.


    Forests, shrubs, wastelands, farmlands, sparsely scattered cottages composing a village¡ªthis was an era with significantly backward productivity, full of primordial customs. When the carriage entered Coral City, the bustling crowds almost seemed to pull him back to the dirty and chaotic streets of the medieval ages.


    Yet, as they traveled up the hillside blanketed with a sea of tulips towards the grand and majestic Tulip Castle,


    What struck him was the light of civilization.


    The lives of the nobility and the commoners were two different worlds. Liszt stepped out of the carriage, and seeing the old Butler Louis greet him, he felt immensely fortunate to be a noble.

 Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter 0313: Ill Definitely Help You With This (First Update)

    Chapter 315: Chapter 0313: I¡¯ll Definitely Help You With This (First Update)


    ¡°Liszt, you must help me!¡±


    Before even meeting the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, Levis rushed over and pulled Liszt into a corner of the hall, speaking with some urgency, ¡°Whether my brother¡¯s marriage can be happy falls on your shoulders!¡±


    What did that mean?


    Liszt didn¡¯t catch on at first, even wondering if there was something wrong with Levis physically, needing him to stand in.


    But the next moment, Levis gave his own answer: ¡°Loria has some resistance to Marquis Roderick¡¯s arrangements, and she didn¡¯t show a good face to me during my trip to Golden Island. Although the marriage is settled due to pressure, she might back out at any time.¡±


    ¡°Why? With your status, you are definitely a qualified marriage match.¡±


    An earl¡¯s heir in his ascendant, the future heir to Coral Island, with talent of his own too, an Elite Earth Knight, ready to break through as a Sky Knight ¨C an ideal match for many noble maidens, that was Levis.


    ¡°Because she has a bastard sister!¡± Levis said through gritted teeth, ¡°Who always instigates Loria to defy Marquis Roderick and pursue true happiness. I really want to kill her! But I can¡¯t, Loria is very close with her sister, I must win over Rona Sally!¡±


    Rona Sally Golden Wheat, Loria¡¯s younger sister, had just turned sixteen this year.


    Liszt inquired, ¡°So what do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Win over Rona Sally!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Conquer her, just as you did at Long Taro Castle. With your looks, winning over a sixteen-year-old girl should be easy¡­ If the two sisters marry us brothers, it would make a classic love story that could be written into a knight¡¯s novel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother, I refuse,¡± Liszt said bluntly, ¡°I have no intention of getting married, at least not for now.¡±


    ¡°You will eventually need a noble wife to accompany you for life. Rona Sally is an excellent choice, the daughter of a marquis ¨C you won¡¯t get a better marriage prospect than this.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I prefer to let things take their natural course, I don¡¯t like to force matters of status.¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t fathom your thoughts!¡± Levis complained, then added, ¡°But no matter what, you must help me win over Rona Sally¡­ My dear brother, for your brother¡¯s happiness, you wouldn¡¯t refuse, right?¡±


    He had put it that way.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t refuse, unless he wanted to ruin Levis¡¯s marriage: ¡°Of course, I will try to win over Rona Sally.¡± Being too handsome, sometimes¡­ is also a kind of trouble.


    Seeing Liszt nod,


    Levis then took him upstairs to the second-floor hall, where there was something like a family tea party in progress. Around the round table spread with various fruits and pastries sat Lady Penelope, Lady Marie, Li Vera, Lidun, and two unfamiliar young people.


    One was a male, quite handsome, around twenty years old.


    The other was a female, with brown-black hair, large eyes, a pure face ¨C like a fairy. The lady¡¯s dress fitted her perfectly, her extraordinary beauty instantly reminded Liszt of Deborah Silva, a Brazilian model he had once followed online.


    On a scale of ten, she could score an 8.5, almost equal to Duniko Hyacinth¡¯s rating.


    ¡°Roger, Rona Sally, let me introduce to you, this is my dear brother, Liszt Tulip. He is currently the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, but on Coral Island, everyone knows that Liszt¡¯s future is boundless, he is the glory of the Tulip Family.¡±


    In front of others, Levis gave Liszt a lot of face, turning a country baron into the light of Coral Island.


    He then introduced to Liszt: ¡°This is Roger Golden Wheat, the son of Marquis Roderick, the heir of Golden Island, Loria¡¯s brother; and this is Rona Sally Golden Wheat, Loria¡¯s sister, the most beautiful flower of Golden Island.¡±


    ¡°Sir Roger, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Liszt said with a smile.


    ¡°Likewise, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Liszt,¡± Roger responded with a standard nobleman¡¯s smile, using the customary courteous phrases.


    Liszt looked toward Rona Sally, and from the moment they met, he had decided that, for the sake of his brother¡¯s happy marriage, he must lend a hand, ¡°Miss Rona Sally, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Sir Liszt,¡± Rona Sally responded with slight reserve.


    After the greetings were exchanged.


    Liszt took off Flack Abaie¡¯s coat and handed it to a servant to hang on the rack, then he took his seat. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry to join the conversation, merely smiling and listening quietly.


    The topics were tedious ¡ª just some nobles¡¯ anecdotes or mutual flatteries about the prosperity of each other¡¯s families.


    Throughout the luncheon, he barely said much, certainly not because he couldn¡¯t get a word in, but purely out of disinterest. Discussing trivial noble anecdotes wouldn¡¯t make him appear witty or conversational; in fact, he only needed to maintain a presence as beautiful as the flowers beside him.


    The presence of a noble with his aura evidently raised the overall caliber of the gathering by a great margin.


    Confidence endowed him with charm; no one could overlook the Liszt of today.


    As lunch ended and afternoon tea began, Rona Sally approached Liszt to strike up a conversation, ¡°I heard from Levis that ¡®To Alice¡¯ is a wonderful piano piece you heard in a distant land?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Levis has told you the story behind ¡®To Alice,¡¯ the heart-wrenching, sincere love between a brother and sister¡­ I heard someone play this piece, but it was incomplete, so I added and altered some of the melodies myself.¡±


    ¡°Then you must be a talented pianist; I tried playing ¡®To Alice¡¯ several times, it sounds so perfect, it¡¯s almost flawless.¡±


    ¡°Almost flawless means there are still some minor flaws, Rona Sally. May I discuss with you where the flaws might be and how to correct them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid my skills might not be enough to offer you a better suggestion.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, it¡¯s just a mutual exchange. On the piano, I am but a novice. I have a decent grasp of melodies, but I don¡¯t often play the piano, so I need someone who can play proficiently to work with me.¡± Liszt extended an invitation, inviting Rona Sally to the piano room.


    The Tulip Castle¡¯s piano room was large, housing several grand pianos.


    The servants quickly lifted the covers, brought in tea, and fetched a score of ¡®To Alice¡¯, placing it on the stand.


    Liszt sat at the piano, his hands gently caressing the keys, the touch of the grand piano incomparable to that of his upright piano.


    ¡°I will play it through first, to familiarize myself with the melody,¡± he stated.


    Rona Sally smiled and said, ¡°I look forward to your performance.¡±


    Dong!


    Without further ado, he began to play like a focused concert pianist, seemingly there only to discuss the piano. His long, powerful fingers danced across the black and white keys, his whole demeanor merging seamlessly with ¡®To Alice¡¯.


    He had been emanating a calm aura before.


    Now, it seemed as if a stream of warm affection was flowing from him.


    Suppressed and led by the singing of the Sea Sprite Ake, his current technique in playing was masterful, at least for ¡®To Alice¡¯ and ¡®With You¡¯.


    Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong ding¡­


    The crisp notes fluttered through the empty piano room; the slightly chilly atmosphere gradually warmed, the charm of music at work.


    And the radiance that Liszt exuded.


    Seated on the stool, her legs together, knees touching, Rona Sally maintained her dignified ladylike posture, her eyes lighting up as she watched Liszt¡¯s shoulders move with the rhythm.

 Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter 0314: The Embrace of a Stumble (Second Update)

    Chapter 316: Chapter 0314: The Embrace of a Stumble (Second Update)


    The man playing the piano always brings a feeling called ¡°romantic¡± to women.


    This is the charm of music, as well as the cultivation of culture. When nobles regard the piano as an essential possession, playing the piano becomes synonymous with the best of noble temperament.


    If, in addition, the man playing the piano is handsome and dashing, that¡¯s even more romantic.


    The piece ended.


    Liszt waited for the notes to completely settle in the piano room before turning his head and looking at Rona Sally, who was immersed in the music, ¡°Miss Rona Sally, my performance was not very good, I¡¯m embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°Just call me Rona Sally.¡± She smiled sweetly. ¡°But I think you played brilliantly, really. I¡¯ve always thought there were a few minor details that weren¡¯t quite right. But now I see it wasn¡¯t a flaw in the score but rather in how I didn¡¯t know what technique to use.¡±


    Liszt raised his eyebrows.


    Rona Sally continued, ¡°After hearing your performance, I now know that ¡®To Alice¡¯ truly is a flawless existence.¡±


    ¡°Nothing in the world is flawless¡ªyour belief that it is is because you¡¯ve learned how to appreciate it,¡± Liszt stood up and extended his hand toward Rona Sally, ¡°Come, try playing it as well. Perhaps you¡¯ll have a burst of new inspiration and find its flaws for me.¡±


    She reached out her hand and placed it in Liszt¡¯s, letting him pull her up.


    Rona Sally felt the atmosphere was so good at the moment that she sat in front of the piano with a smile on her face, ¡°If I don¡¯t play well, don¡¯t laugh at me.¡±


    ¡°Nobody would laugh at a beautiful lady.¡±


    Liszt sat down, picked up a cup, took a sip of the coffee he didn¡¯t particularly like, and assumed a listening posture.


    Rona Sally took a deep breath. Her not-so-prominent chest quivered slightly, fully revealing her slender figure. Her side sitting posture was dignified, back straight, with an impeccable ladylike demeanor¡ªgood manners cultivated from childhood in a household of nobles.


    The sound of the piano started, different from Liszt¡¯s style.


    Each note was played correctly, but there was something lacking in liveliness, as if played deliberately for accuracy¡ªit was apparent to Liszt after just a short segment that Rona Sally¡¯s piano level was technically solid and skilled, but truly not gifted.


    What he heard was not the youthful tenderness of ¡°To Alice,¡± but rather like a schoolchild overwhelmed by homework.


    Honestly, the level of her playing was a stark contrast to the image of Rona Sally. From what Levis had described, Rona Sally often encouraged Loria to pursue a free marriage. It was hard to imagine someone ¡°longing for freedom¡± could produce such rigid piano playing.


    When the music ended,


    The contrast was striking.


    Rona Sally clearly recognized her issue, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liszt. I was too nervous while playing.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel that way. Indeed, there were two melodies that were a bit stiff, but the rest was quite good, skillful, not a single note misplaced.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Rona Sally asked, hopeful, ¡°My piano teacher said I¡¯m not good at expressing my emotions through the piano. But I love playing the piano; it makes me feel like a bird flying.¡±


    Liszt thought for a moment.


    It was difficult to praise the playing with a clear conscience, so he replied, ¡°I think you¡¯re lacking a spark of collision, like there¡¯s something missing in your life, some crazy act?¡±


    ¡°Would rebelling against my parents count as a crazy act?¡±


    ¡°Every rebellious young person resists their parents, but those are not the kind of sparks I¡¯m talking about¡­ Have you ever thrown caution to the wind and just ridden a horse at full speed? Instead of having afternoon tea, why not ride a horse and have a good run? That¡¯s what relaxation is,¡± Liszt suggested a new leisure.


    Riding horses, having tea, hunting, playing the piano¡ªthose are common diversions for nobles.


    He really didn¡¯t want to listen to Rona Sally play the piano¡ªRona Sally was a fine listener but not a good performer.


    Ever since he awakened the soul of a pianist, his appreciation for music had ascended dramatically. Though he needed to please Rona Sally to help Levis, he saw no need to torment his own ears.


    The young lady nodded gently, ¡°Then let¡¯s go riding.¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt rode on a Li Dragon Horse.


    Rona Sally rode a brownish-yellow steed from Tulip Castle, which clearly had a much lesser pedigree than the Li Dragon Horse, and appeared uneasy in its presence.


    North of Tulip Castle, along the slope, was a vast grassland perfect for a full gallop.


    As the two horses took off, Rona Sally¡¯s brownish-yellow steed clearly couldn¡¯t match the speed of the Li Dragon Horse and fell behind by a length, and that was with Liszt slowing down.


    He gently kicked the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s belly, drawing closer to Rona Sally, and shouted against the wind, ¡°From here, further north, is the Rocky Beach by the sea. Rona Sally, when you ride, you must let loose and chase the source of the wind! Only then can you, like the horses, become one with nature.¡±


    ¡°Go!¡±


    The Li Dragon Horse accelerated.


    ¡°I understand now, go!¡±


    Rona Sally too urged her brownish-yellow steed to chase continuously.


    The wind howled in her ears, a friction of freedom, casting off the restraint of being a noble lady, and letting her spirit soar through the air, which felt extraordinarily liberating.


    She tilted her head and, through strands of hair tousled by the wind, she watched the handsome rider ahead on horseback who occasionally turned back to flash her a smile.


    Suddenly, she felt that the moments in life worth looking forward to were not when a prince on a white horse slowly led his steed over.


    Instead, it was when a dark horse prince unexpectedly arrived to sweep you off your feet.


    Thump, thump, thump¡­


    Her heartbeat quickened.


    She watched the Li Dragon Horse gradually widen the gap and, with a flick of her riding crop, shouted, ¡°Go!¡±


    The brownish-yellow steed, pained by the whip, broke into a wild gallop, but it still couldn¡¯t catch up with the speed of the Li Dragon Horse, making her anxious as she continued to press it to run faster.


    As they streamed across the grassland and entered a rocky wasteland with loose stones, the brownish-yellow steed suddenly stepped on an unstable rock and stumbled, falling over.


    Caught off guard, Rona Sally was violently thrown to the ground.


    She let out a sharp scream, ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    Upon hearing the scream, Liszt immediately reined in the Li Dragon Horse, and with a swift turn, he galloped towards Rona Sally. Dismounting, he knelt on one knee to help her up, and asked with gentle urgency, ¡°Where are you hurt, Rona Sally?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hurt, just a bit sore from the fall.¡± Rona Sally had trained in Dou Qi, and after flexing her wrist to make sure she was not injured, but only clothed with some soil, she said with a touch of embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was too impatient with my horse.¡±


    Glancing at the side, the brownish-yellow steed seemed to be injured, lying on the ground without getting up, yet its manner of nibbling grass suggested otherwise.


    But it was obviously not suitable for riding again.


    Seeing the Retainer Knights had not yet caught up, Liszt carried Rona Sally, ¡°Let¡¯s share one horse for now.¡± He said, gracefully mounting the horse, and placed Rona Sally on the back of the Li Dragon Horse.


    Encircling Rona Sally¡¯s waist.


    He nudged the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s belly and spoke, ¡°If you¡¯re not in a rush to go back and change clothes, let¡¯s stick to the original plan and head to Rocky Beach by the sea first.¡±


    Rona Sally shifted her position.


    Feeling her heartbeat quicken from being held in an embrace, she pretended to be calm and responded, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Go!¡±


    One horse, two riders, continued to gallop in the sunset.


    When the Retainer Knights arrived, aside from the horse still lying and eating grass, they saw only the retreating figures of Liszt and Rona Sally, fading towards the seaside.

 Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter 0315: This is How a Lord Landlord Should Be (Third Update)

    Chapter 317: Chapter 0315: This is How a Lord Landlord Should Be (Third Update)


    ¡°`


    As Liszt rode the Li Dragon Horse along the shoreline, holding Rona Sally in his arms and admiring the sunset, he had to admit, he didn¡¯t know what to do next.


    His original intention was just to help Levis, to leave a good impression on Rona Sally, so she wouldn¡¯t coax her sister into pursuing freedom and would settle down to marry Levis.


    But after the horse stumbled, the two of them ended up riding together.


    The contact between front chest and back, coupled with the beauty of the sunset sinking into the sea, made the atmosphere unconsciously turn ambiguous. He felt the slight trembling of the petite body in his arms, could even listen to her quickening heartbeat, and the breaths growing heavier and heavier.


    Suddenly, as if by some telepathic connection, Liszt gently turned her shoulder.


    She obediently twisted her upper body around, tilting her neck backward, closing her eyes. Liszt leaned forward, looking at her long lashes, with no formalities, he wrapped his hands around her slender waist, pulling her into his embrace, and then kissed her red lips fiercely.


    Sucking.


    Entwining.


    Finding the position somewhat awkward, he suddenly broke the intensely entwined lips and tongues, quickly picked up Rona Sally, and placed her sideways on the horseback.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Mm¡­¡± Rona Sally didn¡¯t have time to exclaim before her outcry was muffled, reduced to a faint hum through her nose.


    The passionate kiss was like practising a difficult piano piece, requiring all his strength to match, with his mind void of any thought but the warmth coming from the contact, moving ceaselessly through their clothes, so tantalizing that he wanted to resist but couldn¡¯t bear to do so.


    They lost themselves in the primitive, natural bliss.


    Allowing the red sunlight to strive in elongating their shadows.


    ¡­


    In the distance.


    Retainer Knights of two nobles gathered together, watching the entwined figures from afar, none daring to approach, silently dismounting and leading their horses to graze.


    Zavier Dung patted Philip Wool on the shoulder and whispered, ¡°Lord Landlord is incredible.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Philip was somewhat puzzled.


    Zavier jerked his chin and said, ¡°I mean his charm, Lord Landlord¡¯s charm is unbeatable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Zavier, you¡¯re right, everyone in Fresh Flower Town respects and adores Lord Landlord, he is truly a Son of Glory, the knightly honor that favors him shines as brilliantly as the sun.¡±


    ¡°Er, I wasn¡¯t talking about that.¡±


    Philip blinked, ¡°Then what were you referring to?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen what Lord Landlord is doing?¡± Zavier said in an astonished voice, ¡°Who is that with him? It¡¯s the young miss from the noble Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, unreachable like a star in the sky. But now, she¡¯s in our Lord Landlord¡¯s arms, enjoying his passion.¡±


    ¡°That sounds normal to me.¡± Philip looked towards the distant shore where Liszt and Rona Sally had dismounted and were walking hand in hand among the rocks, ¡°Lord Landlord is like the sun, and the miss from the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family is like a star; isn¡¯t it natural for the sun and star to be together?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡±


    Zavier suddenly found Philip¡¯s words to be quite reasonable and was left speechless.


    He wanted to say that it should be surprising! After all, their Lord Landlord was merely a country Baron, while she was from the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, destined to be a lady of the nobility. Yet within half a day, she had fallen into the Lord Landlord¡¯s hands.


    However, upon thinking again, the future of Lord Landlord was bound to be bright, his status equally noble, so why couldn¡¯t he kiss and hold hands with the miss from the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family?


    They had seen at Long Taro Castle, a young lady from an Earl¡¯s family adjusting Lord Landlord¡¯s collar with deep affection at the moment of farewell.


    ¡°`


    He had also seen that formidable, beautiful female mercenary, looking at Lord Landlord with eyes full of deep love.


    From the moment he had been chosen as a Retainer Knight, he felt as if Lord Landlord was glowing, radiating the knightly glory, and he firmly believed that following Lord Landlord would bring him under the many gazes of glory.


    Therefore.


    Looking again at the noble couple strolling hand in hand on Rocky Beach, he couldn¡¯t help but think how harmonious they were, as if it were only natural: ¡°Lord Landlord should indeed be like this.¡±


    Suddenly.


    He remembered the mercenary Paris: ¡°Thank goodness she didn¡¯t come along, or, seeing Lord Landlord with the miss of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, her heart might have broken. But after all, she¡¯s just a mercenary; she should understand that Lord Landlord isn¡¯t someone someone of her station could aspire to.¡±


    Nobles, commoners, the stark disparities of status are etched into everyone¡¯s mind.


    Without a sweeping movement of enlightenment, those chains of thought can never be erased¡ªyet, the transmigrator Liszt, who should have hoisted the flag of reform, had already degenerated into one of the nobles, sweetly dreaming of a dragon-riding life, with no time for reform.


    ¡­


    The setting sun finally sank beneath the sea, leaving only a faint afterglow, a trace of brightness remaining.


    Holding Rona Sally¡¯s hand and looking at the excited smile of the sixteen-year-old girl, he couldn¡¯t help but smile himself, ¡°Dear, it¡¯s time to go back.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm.¡± Rona Sally hopped down from a rock, rushed at Liszt, and hugged his arm, seemingly wanting to hang from him, tilting her head back, her big eyes blinking, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go back yet.¡±


    Liszt leaned down and kissed her desirable red lips again.


    The girl had passed her initial awkwardness, her hands moved from his arm, reached upward to embrace his neck, stood on tiptoes, and began to respond eagerly to Liszt¡¯s kiss. She was a bit over one meter sixty, appearing somewhat short in front of Liszt who was over one meter eighty-five.


    They broke the kiss.


    Composing himself, Liszt released his hands still wandering on Rona Sally¡¯s body, took her small hand again, and repeated, ¡°We should head back.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm.¡± Rona Sally, rewarded with a kiss, didn¡¯t throw any tantrums and nodded obediently.


    A whistle.


    The Li Dragon Horse grazing in the distance galloped over, Liszt supporting Rona Sally¡¯s waist, hoisted her up, then swiftly mounted himself.


    He encircled the girl¡¯s slim waist and spurred the horse into a gallop.


    By the time they rushed back to Tulip Castle, it was already dark, and guided by moonlight, they chatted playfully, stopping at the castle gate. After helping Rona Sally off the horse, Liszt did not hold her hand again. This wasn¡¯t the passionate moment after a dance where indulgences could be excused, he had to maintain some of the nobility¡¯s decorum.


    ¡°Is that Douson?¡± Rona Sally exclaimed upon seeing a huge dog approaching.


    ¡°Yes, would you like to pet him?¡± Liszt gestured, and Douson came over wagging his tail, letting Rona Sally stroke his glossy black fur.


    He caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye of his guard Paris, peeking out from a window on the first floor of the castle and then retreating.


    He didn¡¯t mind, only saying with a smile to Rona Sally, ¡°Douson is about to be one year old, I was lucky to have met him when he was younger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a gentle Intermediate Magical Beast, Liszt, will you ride it into battle?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it will be my battle companion,¡± he affirmed.


    Rona Sally looked up at him with her big eyes, bright and twinkling, ¡°You have a great future ahead, and I hope to see you gain even more glory in the near future.¡±


    ¡°There will be such a day,¡± Liszt nodded, ¡°Come, Grandpa Louis is already waiting for us at the door.¡±

 Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Chapter 316: There Is Only One Rule (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 318: Chapter 316: There Is Only One Rule (Fourth Update)


    The banquet found Liszt returning to his reticent self.


    However, this time, there were always young ladies who approached him for conversation, ¡°Liszt, can we visit Fresh Flower Town tomorrow? I believe it must be very beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if you wish to go, Fresh Flower Town is always welcoming to your visit,¡± Liszt responded with a smile, slicing a piece of steak and eating it with elegance.


    On the other side, Roger Golden Wheat, also elegantly enjoying his steak, cast a smile towards Rona Sally and then glanced at Liszt.


    Without saying anything, he raised his glass to clink with Levis¡¯s and savored the Crescent Moon Wine in small sips.


    Meanwhile, Lady Penelope played with the fried egg on her plate while silently exchanging glances with her granddaughter, Li Vera, seated next to her.


    Then, she said to Rona Sally, ¡°There¡¯s nothing remarkable about Tulip Castle for those from Harvest Castle. It¡¯s good for young people to go out and get some fresh air if they feel bored. Fresh Flower Town is a nice place, if not for the bumpy carriage ride, I would go there often to enjoy the scenery.¡±


    ¡°Old madam, will you and Li Vera join us tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I am old and prefer to stay in my own house, quietly watching the ivy cover the whole wall. My ivy is thriving; it might even give birth to an Elf Bug. Let me tell you, Rona Sally, my potted plants have really produced an Elf Bug before, and Liszt knows it best.¡±


    Rona Sally suddenly became interested, ¡°What kind of Elf Bug was it?¡±


    ¡°A Dragon Kui Bug, the Dragon Kui potted plant was sick. I took it away, intending to replace it with a new Dragon Kui for grandmother, but to my surprise, it bred an Elf Bug, and then grandmother gave it to me as a gift.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s such a heartwarming story. I really wish my grandmother would also give me a potted plant that could breed an Elf Bug.¡±


    Liszt, however, sighed seriously, ¡°But since then, each holiday, grandmother just gives me a potted plant and tells me¡ªLiszt, please cherish this plant, maybe it hides an Elf Bug!¡±


    ¡°Ha ha.¡±


    The people at the banquet burst into laughter, especially Rona Sally, who laughed with delight.


    A not-so-humorous brief joke was, to her, the funniest deadpan joke in the world. This made Liszt feel quite embarrassed, having made her laugh so hard with his simple teasing. What if he had told a few genuinely interesting tales, would she need artificial respiration?


    The banquet ended in a bustling atmosphere.


    Liszt left the still-chatting dining room to go downstairs and see Douson, having heard Douson barking outside earlier. Now when Douson went out, he was looked after by the manservant Tom. Thomas was the head manservant, handling everything before and after for Liszt; Tom was the second manservant, doing the same for Douson.


    ¡°Tom, what happened to Douson just now?¡± Liszt saw Douson lying on the ground chewing on a bone, seemingly without any issues.


    ¡°Master, Douson saw a Doberman earlier, but after a few barks from Douson, the Doberman got scared and ran away.¡±


    Well, maybe Douson just wanted to befriend the Doberman, but the Doberman clearly didn¡¯t entertain such a thought. Liszt rubbed Douson¡¯s neck, stood up, and left, ready to return to the Castle.


    At that moment he heard a rustle nearby, yet couldn¡¯t see anyone.


    ¡°Paris?¡±


    No one on either side.


    Paris revealed herself, ¡°Baron.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t gone to rest yet, is something the matter?¡± Liszt asked in a gentle tone.


    Paris opened her mouth, and said softly, ¡°The young miss from the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family is very beautiful.¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°You mean Rona Sally? Indeed, she is beautiful.¡±


    ¡°So, will she become the lady of Fresh Flower Town, I apologize, Baron, I¡¯m just a bit curious,¡± Paris said somewhat awkwardly.


    Glancing at Paris, who had become increasingly womanly after regaining her figure,


    Liszt suddenly felt a heavy pressure, as the world was filled with so many wonderful things, tempting him to fall into decadence. Fate was ever so fickle, preferring to entangle all simple emotions together, making one owe debts everywhere.


    He looked up at the stars in the sky.


    Blinking.


    Tonight there is no moon, only these twinkling stars.


    Drawing back her gaze, she said calmly, ¡°Perhaps it will, perhaps it won¡¯t, you know, I have never thought about these things. I like to let things take their natural course, just like you don¡¯t know whether it will be sunny or rainy when you wake up in the morning, but no matter what the weather is, it¡¯s a new day, embrace it, and that¡¯s all.¡±


    Having said that, he patted Paris on the shoulder, ¡°Good night, Paris.¡± Without waiting for Paris to respond, he went straight into the castle.


    Paris was left behind, chewing on the words ¡°let things take their natural course.¡±


    She was a Black Dragon Childe with only ten years left to live, and life, for her, was also about letting things take their natural course. With a wry smile, she no longer dwelled on the sadness in her heart, returned to her room, took out a book, and slowly started reading under the light of the crystal lamps in the corridors of Tulip Castle.


    One day Liszt had said, ¡°You should learn to read and write,¡± and so she began to study Serpent Script, despite finding it extremely difficult.


    ¡­


    Just as she returned to the corridor of the dining hall, she saw that everyone had already come out.


    ¡°Liszt, Roger and I are planning to go to the study to discuss some matters, you and Li Vera accompany Rona Sally,¡± Levis said.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After Roger and Levis left, Li Vera, helping Lady Penelope, said, ¡°I¡¯ll take Grandmother home first, you guys go and have a cup of tea.¡±


    With that, she also winked at Liszt.


    In the blink of an eye, the bustling crowd dispersed, but Lady Marie, having sent Lidun to do his homework, did not leave. As the lady of the castle, she couldn¡¯t be rude.


    Liszt didn¡¯t want to stay with Lady Marie any more than necessary, and asking a servant to pick up a bottle of Flack¡¤Abaie from the rack, he asked, ¡°Rona Sally, would you like to take a walk outside?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that very much,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Then Lady Marie, would you care to join us for a walk?¡± Liszt asked.


    Lady Marie smiled, ¡°You two go ahead, I¡¯m not accustomed to walking at night, but it¡¯s cool outside. Rona Sally, Liszt, remember to ask the servants to bring an extra coat, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your reminder, Lady Marie.¡±


    ¡­


    A walk was just a walk.


    At most, holding hands, hugging a few times, and kissing.


    About an hour later, Liszt was leading Rona Sally back to Tulip Castle.


    ¡°My dear, I¡¯m too excited today, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight,¡± Rona Sally said reluctantly as he was about to take her back to her room.


    ¡°Rest well, I¡¯ll take you to Fresh Flower Town tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s settled then.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The servant stood at the door, and Liszt did not leave Rona Sally with a farewell kiss, but simply waved his hand and turned away eegantly. In her room, Rona Sally remained seated on the edge of her bed, smiling dazedly for a long time after Liszt¡¯s departure, until a maid informed her that Master Roger had arrived.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°Did you have fun today?¡± Roger asked, having drunk a bit, his face still slightly flushed.


    Rona Sally was a little shy, but still said boldly, ¡°Yes, brother, I had a lot of fun today.¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re happy,¡± Roger leaned against the wall, raising an eyebrow, ¡°but I have to remind you of something, as a woman of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, you need to understand some truths¡ª¡¯There are no laws, no restrictions, just one rule: never fall in love.''¡±

 Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Chapter 0317: The Prince Turns into a Frog (Fifth Update)

    Chapter 319: Chapter 0317: The Prince Turns into a Frog (Fifth Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to Fresh Flower Town anymore, dear. Let¡¯s just take a stroll around Coral City.¡±


    After breakfast in the early morning, when Li Si Te invited Rona Sally to visit Fresh Flower Town, he received an unexpected response. The girl, who the night before had been so passionate she¡¯d wanted to give her body and soul to Liszt, stood by his side today as distant as if separated by a vast sea.


    Liszt could not fathom it.


    Why had there been such a change from yesterday to today, just over the course of one night?


    He simply concealed the slight disappointment in his heart, smiled, and remained as gentle and sunny as ever, ¡°Then let¡¯s go to Coral City. I haven¡¯t been to the city for a long time.¡±


    The servants brought two specially-made dried tulip flowers, the rich fragrance of which was enough to mask the pungent smell of Coral City. Even the boots were changed, replaced with high-soled long boots to avoid stepping on anything disgusting.


    Shopping in the city.


    It was not a great choice, at least for Liszt. He wasn¡¯t accustomed to the aromatic wafts of stench.


    However, it seemed that many nobles could tolerate such an environment. Probably because they grew up accustomed to the city being just that way, dirty and foul-smelling.


    The carriage bore the flag of the red tulip, and as it moved through the streets of Coral City, every peddler, serf, and freeman would halt and bow in respect to the carriage. In Coral City, the Tulip Family was seen as kings by the commoners, an untouchable authority.


    Pulling back the carriage curtain, Liszt pointed at various shops along the street and incessantly shared both interesting and dull stories with Rona Sally.


    After making a round through Coral City, they went to visit Lady Penelope at her castle to have a chat with the grandmother about her precious potted plants.


    In between, Liszt took a bathroom break.


    Lady Penelope took Rona Sally¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t met your sister Loria, but I like you, Rona Sally. I can imagine what Loria must be like. I hope you can also come to like Coral City and Tulip Castle and convey to your sister this old lady¡¯s expectations.¡±


    ¡°I will, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Liszt is an excellent young man. His grandfather, Marquis Merlin, holds him in high regard. He will be the pride of the Tulip Family. When I saw you and him coming down from the carriage holding hands, I felt as if I beheld a match made in heaven,¡± Lady Penelope prattled on.


    As one ages, one tends to enjoy gossiping about the young.


    Rona Sally forced a smile, then, tinged with a trace of dejection, asked, ¡°My lady, should a woman always sacrifice her own life for her family?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a serious question,¡± Lady Penelope made a deliberate face, ¡°My crush, when I was young, was not Liszt¡¯s grandfather. But when Liszt¡¯s grandfather died, I truly wanted to follow him. Thankfully, I persevered.¡±


    ¡°Were you also in a marriage of alliance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as a noble lady, you either meet a Prince Charming at a ball, or await the family to arrange a Frog Prince, hoping he¡¯ll turn into a handsome, tall human prince after turning around.¡± She touched the green gemstone ring on her finger, ¡°If he can¡¯t become a human prince, you¡¯d better pray you have enough sweet memories to comfort yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to choose¡­¡± Rona Sally frowned, clearly distressed.


    ¡°Then throw caution to the wind, and just love,¡± Lady Penelope said liberally, ¡°My girl, at least once in your life, you ought to forget yourself for someone. Don¡¯t seek an outcome, don¡¯t ask to accompany them on their journey, don¡¯t longing for past possessions, and even don¡¯t demand that he loves you. You just hope that during the most beautiful years, you meet him.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, whom are you hoping to meet?¡± Liszt returned to the living room and caught the last few words Lady Penelope said.


    ¡°Certainly not you, you little rascal.¡±


    After chatting a bit more.


    Lady Penelope started shooing them away, ¡°Off with you, off with you. I know you young people have no patience for an old woman¡¯s ramblings. Go on, I didn¡¯t plan on keeping you here for lunch.¡±


    Leaving the little castle.


    Strolling down the country lane, Rona Sally said, ¡°The old lady is really adorable, and it¡¯s so much fun to be with her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she has her wisdom and her ¡®sharpness,''¡± as long as her old feud with my mother doesn¡¯t always involve me, I quite enjoy chatting with her.¡±


    ¡°Feud?¡±


    ¡°Yes, like in every great family, it is always difficult for the mother of the male head of the household to get along with his wife.¡±


    ¡°It seems to be the case; my mother often quarrels with my grandmother over trivial things.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s just life.¡±


    In the countryside paths of March, the wild grass had already grown out, lush and green, feeling soft underfoot. The Retainer Knights, along with male and female servants, followed not far behind, giving space to the man and woman. When two people of opposite genders are together, the ambiance easily drifts into flirtation.


    The sunlight wasn¡¯t too dazzling and was not enough to make the early spring heat up.


    Suddenly.


    Rona Sally stopped in her tracks with an ¡°ouch.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I stepped in dog poop.¡± She moved her foot, revealing a half-dried lump of dog feces precisely squashed by her riding boot.


    ¡°Scrape it off on the grass roots beside you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just bad luck? I didn¡¯t have any problems stepping in anything in the city, but I end up stepping in it on a country path.¡±


    ¡°That means you have good luck.¡±


    Rona Sally looked up, curiosity in her eyes, ¡°Why is stepping in dog poop considered good luck?¡±


    ¡°On¡­ some island, the locals believe that stepping in dog poop brings good fortune; they call it ¡®poop luck,''¡± Liszt said offhandedly. In fact, in this world, there was no such saying as ¡®poop luck¡¯; stepping in poop was just a normal everyday occurrence.


    ¡°So, will I have good luck today?¡± Rona Sally laughed, ¡°Like, perhaps, finding a wonderful love?¡±


    As she spoke, she paused, her bright eyes gazing at Liszt, filled with bold affection and full encouragement. Setting aside the dog poop incident, the whole atmosphere was quite pleasant, even the gentle sunlight was just right. With just one more step, there would be endless possibilities.


    Liszt also stopped, reaching out to smooth a stray lock of Rona Sally¡¯s hair behind her ear.


    He sighed softly in his heart.


    There are some things you hope will happen, others you fear will happen, but more often than not, it¡¯s about whether you choose to let them happen.


    ¡°Miss Rona Sally.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Some are superficial, others are all glitter on the surface but trash inside,¡± he said, pointing to the spot where she had stepped in the poop, and smiled, ¡°One day you will meet someone as dazzling as a rainbow. When you meet them, you¡¯ll feel that everyone else is just insignificant.¡±


    A moment later.


    Rona Sally held her head high with a touch of pride and said, ¡°The rainbow I meet will appear in my room at midnight!¡±

 Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter 318: Laputa: Castle in the Sky (First Update)

    Chapter 320: Chapter 318: Laputa: Castle in the Sky (First Update)


    Some people are superficial, some people are all glitz and no substance; one day, you will meet someone as dazzling as a rainbow, and after you meet that person, everyone else will seem like fleeting clouds.


    ¡­


    Rona Sally leaned against the window.


    Gazing at the vast, azure sea outside, she could almost hear the words Liszt once whispered to her at the height of their deepest affections.


    It was already the second morning, and after breakfast, Roger Golden Wheat, who should have stayed another day, excused himself from Tulip Castle, citing urgent business matters.


    Lady Marie and Levis tried their best to persuade him to stay, but ultimately, luggage was packed.


    Liszt sat at the breakfast table, elegantly savoring his meal from beginning to end, bidding farewell with a smile, without a single word of persuasion. If he had said anything, Rona Sally didn¡¯t know whether she would have stayed regardless of everything, even if Roger urged her to leave.


    Roger said, never fall in love.


    Lady Penelope said, at least once, you should forget yourself for someone else.


    She could easily do what Lady Penelope said, let go of restrictions and enjoy. But she found it very difficult to do what her brother said, not to fall in love.


    ¡°Are you trying to tell me that you are all glitz and no substance?¡±


    She waved her hand gently, wiping away the moist tear from the corner of her eye, ¡°But how do you know, why aren¡¯t you someone as dazzling as a rainbow? Do you know how many nobles on Golden Island have pursued me? But after seeing you, those people became fleeting clouds.¡±


    She bit her lower lip.


    She lifted her head, trying to appear as calm as possible, ¡°It¡¯s a pity I was born on Golden Island, a woman of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, and you are just a country baron, even with a bright future ahead, right now you are still weak¡­ Thank you for the happiness we shared, I look forward to seeing you again, Liszt!¡±


    The sea breeze howled.


    The ship sailed into the vast, blue yonder.


    ¡­


    Tulip Castle.


    Liszt stayed in the piano room, not touching a single key for half a day.


    Until Li Vera walked in, ¡°Why are you hiding in the piano room but not playing the piano? I saw your Retainer Knights and your dog haven¡¯t left, which is strange. You usually don¡¯t like to stay in Tulip Castle for long¡­ Is it because of the beautiful and enchanting Miss Rona Sally, my affectionate and cruel brother?¡±


    ¡°Cruel?¡± Liszt asked lightly.


    ¡°Why not cruel? You stir the strings of a girl¡¯s heart, yet leave her to wait in agony at night. A single word could warm a heart, yet you always refuse to ask her to stay; isn¡¯t that cruel?¡±


    ¡°You are well-informed,¡± he noted.


    Li Vera smiled proudly, ¡°Of course, with so many servants and retainers in Tulip Castle, they are all my informants. Did you think that after I was granted my own fief, this place would become Lady Marie¡¯s territory? Impossible!¡±


    Liszt couldn¡¯t deny it.


    Honestly speaking, this place is now the domain of the Earl, and in the future, it should be Levis¡¯s domain. It really has little to do with Li Vera.


    ¡°I have to admire you, Liszt, with your sickeningly sweet good looks and decent demeanor, you always manage to attract any noble lady of high standing. At Long Taro Castle, a single error-ridden piano piece was enough to bed Duniko Hyacinth; here, just by riding a horse, you¡¯ve captured the heart of Miss Rona Sally Golden Wheat.¡±


    ¡°Why do you stay in Tulip Castle all day? Doesn¡¯t your own domain need governing?¡± Liszt noticed that Li Vera had reverted to her adolescent ways.


    He was not in a good mood.


    It was probably because of the wrong beginning paired with the wrong end, breathlessness, chest tightness, unable to accept.


    But the way things turned out was beyond his expectations. He should not have agreed to Levis¡¯s request to help him woo Rona Sally, needlessly creating so many ripples. In fact, with Roger present, Loria would surely become the future mistress of Tulip Castle without a hitch.


    However, from the moment the horse stumbled, things had already become irretrievable.


    ¡°Actually.¡±


    He really wanted to confide in someone, and Li Vera was a somewhat suitable choice, ¡°I had planned to practice diligently, to present her with a newly composed piano piece, and then to tell her a story about ¡®Castle in the Sky¡¯¡­ But time was limited, and who could have expected Roger to leave right after breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he feared you would cause his sister to fall.¡± Li Vera¡¯s tone was slightly gentle, ¡°In the eyes of the Golden Wheat Sheaf family, women are merely tools for forging connections. Since they had already made ties with Coral Island through Loria, naturally, they wouldn¡¯t want to leave another behind. By the way, what is the story of ¡®Castle in the Sky¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to charm little girls; you wouldn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°What about the piano composition? You can actually compose piano pieces? Play it for me, quick.¡±


    Liszt stood up and left the grand piano, ¡°I find you really have a lot of leisure time. Sorry, but I¡¯ve lost my inspiration and can¡¯t play anything. Let¡¯s talk about it next time. It really is getting late; I should return to Fresh Flower Town. I haven¡¯t been practicing earnestly these past few days, which is not proper for a knight.¡±


    He had just shaken off the slightly huffy Li Vera.


    Levis, who had come back from the send-off, now sought him out to speak.


    ¡°Liszt, truly worthy of being my own brother. Do you know? Roger dared not stay longer in Tulip Castle. He¡¯s afraid if Rona Sally doesn¡¯t leave today, she¡¯ll never be able to leave. Haha, I enjoy seeing him at a disadvantage. The women of the Golden Wheat Sheaf family should all marry into Coral Island!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re happy that Roger is angry? Aren¡¯t you worried he¡¯ll ruin your marriage with Loria?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not like the naive Rona Sally. No matter how upset he is, he won¡¯t stop the alliance between Golden Island and Coral Island. Besides, it was on your own merit that you won Rona Sally¡¯s heart. Who can find fault with that?¡± said Levis indifferently, ¡°I really envy you for having such a handsome face.¡±


    He was of average looks, and despite brandishing his status as the Earl¡¯s eldest son, he frequently faced rejection.


    After all, not every noble young lady would be dazzled, enticed by the title of an Earless. It was the handsome nobles like Liszt, whom they preferred, appealing to their desire for a brief escapade rather than everlasting love.


    ¡°Being handsome has its own troubles.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t wish to dwell on the topic.


    He refused to admit that he had become one of the many licentious nobles, for he believed he had a heart full of feelings¡ªafter the passionate encounter with Duniko, he would have been willing to marry her if she had asked, regardless of any past; after spending time with Rona Sally, he feared that too many emotions might encumber a fine lady.


    Perhaps this was the true face of nobility¡ªdesire and advantage at a crossroads.


    Every person was sacrificing or indulging for the sake of benefit.


    Therefore.


    After much deliberation, he still believed that he should shift his focus away from romantic entanglements and prepare seriously for the great endeavor of Dragon Riding, aiming to become a Dragon Domain Landlord!


    ¡°By the way, brother, when do you plan to marry Loria?¡±


    ¡°I had a pleasant talk with Roger, especially after tasting Fresh Flower Brew. He won¡¯t allow Loria to act recklessly. Our wedding will take place this September,¡± Levis stated excitedly.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Then you should settle down as well and manage this marriage earnestly.¡±


    ¡°Marriage of course requires serious management, as it concerns the future development of Coral Island, and must be approached with gravity. However, that doesn¡¯t mean one can¡¯t enjoy pleasures outside of marriage,¡± Levis said, winking, ¡°There¡¯s an underground ball next week, held in Serpent Spear City. I¡¯ll take you there to see for yourself!¡±


    ¡°No, I want to go home.¡±


    Indulgence without responsibility for a single night¡ªhe needed time to heal his deeply wounded spirit. How could he possibly attend such a depraved gathering?


    ¡­


    The sound of horse hooves hastened and Fresh Flower Town came into view.


    On the gravel road of Thorn Ridge, a caravan caught up with a carriage bearing no insignia. The carriage pulled to the side, and Elkerson stepped down, removing his hood, and gestured a greeting to Liszt¡¯s coach.

 Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter 0319: The Death of The Swan of Saint-Saens (Second Update)

    Chapter 321: Chapter 0319: The Death of The Swan of Saint-Saens (Second Update)


    ¡°Quinn¡¯s Minotaur Conjecture¡±? In a town called Quinn in the Brass Grand Duchy, they found the rotting carcass of a Minotaur. Are Minotaurs real creatures?¡±


    Liszt casually flipped through a few of the magic books brought by Elkerson and happily paid for them.


    To encourage Elkerson to pick out useful books for him, he adopted a strategy of buying uninspiring books by the box and valuable books individually.


    Among this batch of books, there were indeed a few that were quite good.


    So, he paid a total of seven Gold Coins. Just the money he spent on books each month could amount to a dozen or twenty Gold Coins¡ªnow that he had money, he didn¡¯t care about this expense. It was like subscribing to a few newspapers back on Earth.


    Most of the magic books, he would not bother to read.


    Because truly¡­ they had no value.


    Just like now, he no longer felt like reading most Knight¡¯s Novels. His taste had been spoiled by one bizarre, grotesque story after another. Besides, ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild¡± had been indefinitely suspended, even his interest in searching for information had vanished. The number of books on his shelf kept increasing, yet the number he read dwindled.


    On the other hand, Sea Sprite Ake read books with relish.


    Those boring, tedious notes on magic experiments, in her eyes, seemed like heart-stirring gold and jewels. The naive and cheerful Little Sea Monster was almost turning into a bookworm.


    To prevent this from happening,


    he played the piano by her side and often took her out to sea to have fun, meanwhile discussing magic with her to keep her from getting bored.


    ¡°Brother, Ake has learned a new spell, look quickly.¡± She stretched out her hand, and a water bullet instantly formed, shooting towards the window and exploding with a bang in mid-air. ¡°This is Water Bullet. The principle is similar to the Water Arrow Spell, but the power is much greater, and it uses less Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    Liszt had already been astonished by her talent for magic, so he nodded placidly and said, ¡°Keep it up, strive for the greatness of a Grand Magician.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ake will work hard!¡±


    Every conversation with Ake was like a psychological counseling session, healing all negative emotions. It made him forget about the desire, interest, passion, and chaos that occurred in the named Castle.


    He brewed a cup of Biluochun tea.


    It was a tea brewed from the leaves of the Green Tea Tree, named Biluochun because of the slightly curled leaves: ¡°Ake, try my tea-making skills. This is a new beverage, and besides me, probably only you in the world can taste it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Brother.¡±


    Ake picked up the transparent Crystal cup and took a sip. Immediately, her face changed, exclaiming, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s so bitter. Ake doesn¡¯t like it!¡±


    ¡°The bitterness leads to sweetness. Try it again, and you¡¯ll find the fragrance of the tea lingering between your lips and teeth.¡±


    However, after two more sips, Ake still cried out that it was bitter, ¡°It¡¯s not tasty at all, Brother. Ake doesn¡¯t want to drink tea. Ake likes to drink juice.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Liszt regretted that his first sharing of tea ended in failure. He didn¡¯t mind Ake¡¯s saliva and directly drank the remaining half cup of tea himself.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to pick more leaves from the three tea trees that were to be used for breeding. He couldn¡¯t afford to drink one cup a day; he could only save as much as possible.


    Ake again floated on the surface of the shell, earnestly reading her book, undisturbed by the world¡¯s distractions.


    He set down the teacup.


    Liszt walked over to the piano.


    His emotions surged, as if a swan had risen on the lake of his heart, dancing elegantly. Then another swan flew in, joining in the graceful dance. Soon after, two more swans appeared, all dancing together.


    He savored the feeling in his mind, and his hands involuntarily struck the keys, pulsating with rhythm.


    One note after another blossomed from the upright piano, like a bouquet of vibrant red roses unfurling, forming four dancing swans.


    Ake closed the book in her hands, staring at Liszt in wonder.


    Unaware, Liszt was immersed in playing the piano, surrounded by four dancing swans composed of rhythmic notes. Suddenly, one swan let out a mournful cry, its wing broken. It collapsed onto the piano, bloodstaining the keys red as if Liszt was playing with blood.


    Then, another swan followed with a mournful cry, its wings snapping, as blood dyed the entire piano red.


    In the end, the last two swans flew away in terror, one to the left, the other to the right, leaving behind the blood-red piano and its owner, Liszt, who continued to strike the keys, allowing the notes to dance in the blood.


    The swans that were to die had died, those meant to fly had flown, all turning into nothingness.


    The room was still that same worm room.


    Jela was dozing off, Ake cocked its head to one side, listening, and only Liszt sat before the upright piano, elegantly playing the black and white keys, his fingers like ten little minor elves leaping.


    Until the final note ended.


    Liszt swiftly grabbed the paper and pen on the piano, dipped it in ink, and with the most abstract and hurried scribbles, recorded all the melodies in his head.


    Just three short pages.


    In an instant, they were filled. Comparing them to the melody that still lingered in his ears, he corrected a few erroneous notes, and finally transcribed this new piece.


    With a pen, he wrote in the blank space, the title ¡°Saint Sa?ns-Swan-Piano Solo.¡±


    In 19th century Paris, France, there was a not-so-famous composer, Saint Sa?ns, who created the symphonic work ¡°Carnival of the Animals¡± for fun. Since many of its melodies were malicious alterations of others¡¯ work without permission, they were never published.


    Only one piece, ¡°The Swan,¡± had been performed publicly, which paradoxically became Saint Sa?ns¡¯ signature piece and a timeless classic, depicting the swan¡¯s graceful and noble swimming in the water, her lonely and unapproachable yet profoundly sacred figure.


    Liszt did not know why.


    Inspiration had suddenly burst forth, and without relying on the Smoke Mission, he recalled this melody on his own.


    After a thought, he scratched out the ¡°Saint Sa?ns¡± in Serpent Script and wrote a new title: ¡°Liszt-Swan-Piano Solo,¡± earnestly adding it to his own collection of piano scores.


    Previously, he already had ¡°Liszt-With You¡± and ¡°Liszt-To Alice-Rearrangement¡± in his piano repertoire.


    ¡°To Alice¡± had already been adapted with a backstory credited to someone else¡¯s creation, making it impossible to use it directly as his own composition, so he only included it under the guise of revision and arrangement.


    ¡°By accident, I¡¯ve become a piano master,¡± he mused.


    ¡­


    The following day after returning,


    The Fresh Flower Vessel also returned to port, bringing good news: the main body of the lighthouse was complete, ready for the installation of the crystal lamps. These crystal lamps were specially made to harness the magic power within the crystals through a magic array, releasing it as light.


    Unfortunately, the light from the crystal lamps was not very bright.


    Whether it could reach two or three kilometers away was uncertain.


    When arriving at Black Horse Port, Jomaya Bangtu, who had been whipped so brutally he couldn¡¯t walk, was now able to hobble around with a cane.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, rubber is truly miraculous. By using rubber water to mix with sand and stone, the construction of the lighthouse far exceeded expectations. Moreover, once solidified, its sturdiness is comparable to sticky rice mortar. Coupled with the gray bricks you guided us in firing, we saved a great deal of time in selecting materials, so we built it in five days!¡±


    He pointed at the ten-meter-high lighthouse on Rocky Beach, his voice carrying a hint of pride. He had lived in the shadow of his teacher Mbapp¨¦, but now he could finally build independently.


    The lighthouse was neither large, tall, nor thick.


    The lower half was mainly constructed of piled rocks, while the upper half predominantly featured brickwork. The seams between the stones and bricks were not very neat, but the structure was complete.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, I entrust this crystal lamp to your care. When the Fresh Flower Vessel needs to sail back at night, have someone light it on the lighthouse, and if there¡¯s no need for navigation, take it down,¡± he instructed.


    ¡°Understood, my lord!¡±


    With that, the lighthouse was finished.


    Liszt quickly began checking the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission complete, reward: the magic book ¡®Secrets of Sea Serpent Aquatic Monsters.¡¯

 Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter 0324: Murder Notebook and Dragon Bone Calcination (First Update)

    Chapter 326: Chapter 0324: Murder Notebook and Dragon Bone Calcination (First Update)


    Whether it¡¯s for the reward of the Smoke Mission or for the safety of the shipping routes to Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island, Dulu Miqita must die.


    After Paris left, Liszt directly summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: the research notes of Merlese Truth.¡±


    The few notebooks that he had packed and brought back from Merlese¡¯s cabin in the woods were the rewards for the Smoke Mission, and the real prize within them was for Liszt to find.


    He returned to the study and, before opening the notebooks, reviewed the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Recently, many outsiders have chosen to settle in Fresh Flower Town, which shows that Fresh Flower Town¡¯s charm has bloomed on Coral Island, but the increase in outsiders also brings risks. Please root out three hidden rats. Reward: The Assault of the Six-Headed King Serpent.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Liszt muttered, feeling surprised, ¡°This chain mission has only gone through two links, and it¡¯s already entering the final showdown? The reward seems a bit small, and it doesn¡¯t give enough sense of security.¡±


    The chain mission of the Thorn Minor Elf Jela was the longest, with a total of six Smoke Missions before Jela was born.


    For the Formless Dragon chain mission, including the final gain of the Space Gem, there were also six Smoke Missions.


    However, Liszt soon reconciled with the thought: ¡°The two previous missions, plus this one, and possibly another during the final battle, make four missions in total. For an Intermediate Sea Monster like the Six-Headed King Serpent, that¡¯s quite up to par. After all, it cannot be compared with Jela and the Space Gem.¡±


    Hunting an intermediate sea monster is a prize of much lower rank than acquiring a minor elf.


    One can imagine that the day the Smoke Mission decides to involve a Greater Elf, it might distribute many more Smoke Missions, perhaps more than ten. If it decides to involve a real Dragon, maybe there would be over fifty Smoke Missions, or even more.


    After all, dragons are the most noble of beings.


    ¡°From the look of it now, the secret to dealing with the Six-Headed King Serpent must be hidden within Merlese¡¯s notes,¡± Liszt opened a notebook and began to read.


    He wasn¡¯t in a hurry to tackle the task of rooting out the rats, waiting until everything was ready and choosing an appropriate moment to root them out.


    He had just flipped to the first page of the first notebook.


    And his eyebrows shot up.


    Because on the first page of the notebook was drawn a goat¡¯s head, its familiar shape immediately reminded him of the Goat Head Flag on the Ghost Ship, ¡°This is the emblem of the Magic Goat Family, how come it appears in Merlese¡¯s research notes? Could it be that she is a remnant of the Magic Goat Family?¡±


    The Magic Goat Family had two legacies, one primarily trained in knighthood, and the other in magic.


    After the failure of the coup at The Court, both were eradicated.


    Now encountering this goat head emblem again on a magician from Fresh Flower Town, and considering the cruelty of this Merlese Truth, who tortured and killed over a hundred Magic Apprentices.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help shaking his head, ¡°They really seem like one family. Curtis Truth was cruel enough to use living people as sacrifices, while Merlese Truth tortured Magic Apprentices, with the same degree of brutality. No wonder the Magic Goat Family back then, in order to help Annute¡¯s longevity, even dared to target the Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    The content of this notebook mainly contained records of magic casting and refinement, essentially the insights and experience that Merlese had in meticulously practising her own magic.


    From beginning to end, it had no relation to the Six-Headed King Serpent.


    However, it included detailed experiences in casting the Water Magic Water Wheel Barrier, which could be passed on to the Sea Sprite Ake for reference to accelerate his learning process.


    He put down this notebook.


    He opened the second research notebook.


    The cover and pages were severely damaged, indicating that Merlese consulted them frequently. The first page bore a hand-drawn goat symbol and a scrawled line of Serpent Script.


    ¡°Only in death during the release of passion can the purest soul be stripped away.¡±


    He didn¡¯t understand the meaning of this sentence.


    He turned directly to the second page, and the more Liszt read, the more alarmed he became. The page shockingly detailed how Merlese had killed all the magic apprentices.


    What was terrifying wasn¡¯t the act of murder itself but her method and motive¡ªshe was studying souls.


    She began her research when she was young, trying various methods to strip human souls. For example, she might suddenly kill a magic apprentice at the climax of mating and then begin to strip their soul; she also tormented apprentices to the brink of death before killing them to strip their souls.


    She believed that when a person was in a state of abundant emotion, their soul was most easily stripped away and at its purest.


    Liszt nearly forced himself through the discomfort in his scalp and heart as he finished the research notebook. Then he could confirm that the reward for the Smoke Mission was the content of this notebook¡ªMerlese had invented a potion extracted from blood, named Soul Disturbing Agent.


    She had never succeeded in stripping a soul away but did find a substance of grudge in the blood of dying people; after purifying it, she created the Soul Disturbing Agent.


    It could plunge a person¡¯s soul into chaos.


    Not lethal, but it could easily dull a person¡¯s intellect; however, the Soul Disturbing Agent was ineffective against those with strong mental strength.


    People like Earth Knights and magicians, who have strong mental strength, would just feel dizzy for ten days to half a month after being injected with the Soul Disturbing Agent and could recover on their own.


    ¡°So this is the reward for the Smoke Mission, a Soul Disturbing Agent to confuse the mind of the Six-Headed King Serpent? Intermediate sea creatures probably don¡¯t have weak mental strength, perhaps, it is targeting the two immature snakeheads?¡± Closing the research notes, he quickly went to the castle¡¯s storeroom.


    Merlese¡¯s relics that he had brought back were not yet sorted out thoroughly.


    After rummaging around, he saw eight crystal tubes filled with Magic Potion enter his view; under the detection of ¡°The Eye of Magic¡±, they emitted a luminous green light, almost the same as the soul light he saw on the Ghost Ship.


    Apparently, these were the Soul Disturbing Agents.


    He packed up the crystal tubes.


    Liszt thought for a moment and decided to finish reading the remaining three research notebooks. One chronicled her study of magic arrays, which he could give to Ake to study; another documented her bizarre experiments, which were somewhat referential.


    The last one recorded the manuscript for the magic book she was preparing to publish, with even the name decided¡ª¡±Different Kinds of Bone Handling Techniques¡ªMerlese Truth¡±.


    The manuscript was still unfinished.


    But to Liszt¡¯s surprise, it contained records on the treatment of dragon bones.


    ¡°Dragon bones are part of a dragon, containing the magic power of the dragon. The biggest difference between dragon bones and other bodily tissues is that dragon bones are related to the soul. It is said that the soul of a dragon resides in its teeth, so weapons made from dragon teeth are the divine arms Knights most covet, Dragon Tooth Soldiers.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the means to purchase dragon bones, but based on my research on Dragon Beast bones, I infer that dragon bones are the source of Dragon Might. If you have a little understanding of the past of the Duchy of Sapphire, you¡¯d know there once was a technique known as Dragonbone Stabilizer¡­which activates the Dragon Might within the Dragon Beast skeleton through a magic array.¡±


    ¡°Actually, there is an even quicker method: smash the dragon bones and calcine them with fire, and the Dragon Might will be released quickly. Of course, the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique can continue to stimulate the Dragon Might, while calcining the dragon bones will release all the Dragon Might at once. If you all want to experience Dragon Might, you may wish to burn some dragon bones.¡±

 Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Chapter 0325: Hope of Fresh Flower Town (Second Update)

    Chapter 327: Chapter 0325: Hope of Fresh Flower Town (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°Calcining Dragon Bones have this effect?¡±


    If verified to be true, then the huge pile of Fire Dragon Bone Fragments that he had collected would be extremely useful. Liszt, an action-oriented person, immediately began the experiment.


    He lit a bonfire.


    Threw in a few Fire Dragon Bone Fragments, then, he began to wait for the Dragon Might to emerge.


    However, half a day passed, the bonfire was almost out, and he didn¡¯t feel the anticipated Dragon Might. He stirred the charcoal ashes with his Longsword, only to discover that the Fire Dragon Bone Fragments were merely charred on the surface, without much change.


    ¡°Is it due to insufficient flame, or are the bones not shattered enough?¡±


    He then ordered a servant to bring a tin box, placed charcoal inside, poured some grease, and began to light it. The temperature in the center of such flames was extremely high; he continued to smash the Fire Dragon Bone Fragments into even smaller pieces, scattering them into the furnace.


    Yet, half a day later, there was still no production of Dragon Might.


    ¡°Is Merlese¡¯s conjecture wrong, or are the Fire Dragon Bone Fragments in my hands completely decayed, unable to stimulate any Dragon Might?¡±


    ¡°Or is it ineffective to burn the Fire Dragon Bones with fire? After all, it¡¯s a Fire Dragon, an expert in playing with fire.¡±


    Thinking this,


    he took out the only Dragonbone Stabilizer from the Space Gem.


    The Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique had been lost with the fall of the Magic Goat Family; this sole remaining bone of a Dragon Beast ostensibly had no more use.


    ¡°Dragon Bones can stimulate Dragon Might, and the bones of a Dragon Beast can also slightly stimulate it; while the Dragonbone Stabilizer is still relatively fresh, why not give it a try?¡± He hesitated no more, directly knocking off a small piece from the Dragonbone Stabilizer.


    He tossed it into the rekindled fire pile.


    A moment later,


    a faint breath burst forth from the fire, instantly causing Liszt¡¯s skin to break out in goosebumps, his heart tightened, immediately reminding him of the Dragon Might he felt when the Formless Dragon had come by. Compared to that time, this Dragon Might was very faint, very weak, but it was indeed Dragon Might.


    After lasting a short while, this faint Dragon Might had slowly dissipated.


    Liszt extinguished the fire and returned to the Castle.


    His mood was somewhat excited, ¡°Indeed, Merlese¡¯s guess was correct, calcining Dragon Bones can release Dragon Might. The Fire Dragon Bone Fragments might not produce Dragon Might due to decay, or resistance. Only the Dragon Beast bone from this Dragonbone Stabilizer can still release some Dragon Might¡­ I wonder if it can intimidate Dulu Miqita.¡±


    He had already decided.


    To combine Serpent Blood Fruit, Soul Disturbing Agent, and Dragon Might, a triple disturbance to disrupt Dulu Miqita¡¯s magic casting.


    ¡°With this, restrictive measures prepared, magical disturbance measures ready, and the finishing move, Magical Grand Fire Dragon also set, hunting Dulu Miqita only awaits the trap¡¯s proper arrangement.¡±


    ¡­


    Serpent Blood Fruit was not difficult to purchase.


    The Fresh Flower Caravan bought a batch of Serpent Blood Tree Plant Pots from Coral Island, a total of twenty-two pots; due to the season, none had flowered or fruited yet.


    They resembled young pepper plants, about as tall as two palms.


    ¡°Quite regrettable, Lord Landlord, there were no Serpent Blood Fruits for sale on Coral Island, we only managed to purchase some plant pots,¡± reported Abagon.


    ¡°Continue to purchase, buy all the Serpent Blood Tree Plant Pots that can be found.¡± Liszt gave the command indifferently, not much concerned with the outcome from the Fresh Flower Caravan.


    Tulip Castle¡¯s caravan hadn¡¯t returned yet; it was unsure if they¡¯d acquired any Serpent Blood Fruits, but the caravan from Beer Castle had already sent a batch of Serpent Blood Fruits through Fresh Flower Port, roughly a thousand catties. Serpent Blood Fruit is a dry fruit; several islands in the Duchy of Sapphire have many venomous snakes, so local landlords hoard Serpent Blood Fruits.


    The trade channels of Beer Castle¡¯s caravan were complex, making it easy to contact these minor landlords.


    ¡°`


    With an ample supply of Serpent Blood Fruits,


    every part of the plan was now in place.


    When Marcus returned to Fresh Flower Town by ship, Liszt directly instructed him, ¡°Teacher Marcus, I need you to make another trip to Black Horse Island and bring back Griffin and Lasse. The Earth Knights will play a principal role in this hunt against the Six-Headed King Serpent, and we need to start training ahead of time.¡±


    Upon hearing Liszt¡¯s decision, Marcus did offer a few words of persuasion. But compared to Goltai¡¯s downcast spirit, his eyes sparkled with a greater sense of fighting spirit.


    ¡°My Lord, your plan is perfect. I believe Douson should take on a more significant role. Although Douson is not yet fully mature, the Six-Headed King Serpent is also not fully grown; maybe Douson could put up a direct and tough fight against it. Acting as our main force, you also need to seize this opportunity to train its combat abilities,¡± he suggested.


    Liszt nodded. ¡°Indeed, Douson should definitely engage in a good fight. Being raised in the yard may dull its wild instincts.¡±


    ¡°Also, if you intend to use a bow and arrow to inject a Soul Disturbing Agent, disrupting the Six-Headed King Serpent from casting magic, why not have the Apprentice Knights join the battle with bows and arrows? Your collection includes a highly toxic bee venom. With arrowheads dipped in poison, I believe they could inflict considerable damage on the King Sea Serpent.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent addition,¡± Liszt acknowledged.


    Many hands make light work, and after exchanging ideas with Marcus, the plan for the serpent hunt was more thorough.


    ¡­


    At the end of March.


    Spring plowing had rolled out its magnificent prologue. Aside from the one thousand and five hundred people working on Black Horse Island, Fresh Flower Town had over three thousand inhabitants.


    Hundreds of serfs were digging river traps under the guise of ¡°clearing water channels.¡±


    The remaining serfs, the majority of them, were engaged in cultivation, striving to seed all the cultivated farmland within the boundaries of Fresh Flower Town and Thorn Ridge.


    The compost accumulated over the winter was also being continuously spread into the fields.


    All the serfs were equipped with a full set of agricultural tools¡ªfrom bone spades, bone hoes, bone knives to wooden buckets, wooden basins, carrying poles¡ªwhich greatly improved work efficiency.


    Having returned from inspecting the river traps, Liszt, with Zambrotta, Blair, Nemo, and other town officials, continued to oversee the spring plowing activities.


    Monster hunting was important, as was spring plowing.


    Standing on the ridge of the fields and observing the serfs working with their backs to the sky, he gave an important directive: ¡°The development of Fresh Flower Town has not come easy. As town officials, you must value this highly and ensure you manage this spring plowing mission well. The town¡¯s reclaimed wasteland must not be abandoned.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± the officials responded in unison.


    ¡°Goltai and Isaiah are in charge of the river channel excavation, so the tasks they should have assumed will start with Blair. You all must take over their responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡±


    Afterward, Liszt, accompanied by the officials, went on to inspect each garrison and meet with the stewards to hear about the progress of the spring plowing. Although he did not adopt an approachable posture by going into the fields to talk amiably with the serfs, the image of Lord Landlord placing importance on agriculture was already established.


    No one dared to slack off when it came to spring plowing.


    In fact, without this posture, the serfs would not be lax; most of them had already lived through hard times. After arriving in Fresh Flower Town, the kind Lord Landlord, ample food and clothing, job opportunities everywhere where one could earn money, and the labor distribution system that rewarded hard work gave them hope.


    ¡°This year, I¡¯m going to cultivate twenty acres of farmland, all planted with wheat!¡± an excited new serf, watching the Lord and his party depart, said to himself, ¡°My wife and children have died of starvation. I am still young. If I earn money, I can remarry and have a bunch of children!¡±


    The serfs who had been sold had almost all lost their families.


    After overcoming their grief, they longed to start new families.


    And the great, benevolent, noble Lord Landlord had given them a visible opportunity.


    ¡­


    Riding on the back of a Li Dragon Horse, Liszt looked out and saw the town enveloped in a light called ¡°progress,¡± and he couldn¡¯t help feeling his spirits soar: ¡°This is the land I strive to develop!¡±

 Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter 0329: The Fragrant Smell of Snake Meat Wafts Over (First Update)

    Chapter 331: Chapter 0329: The Fragrant Smell of Snake Meat Wafts Over (First Update)


    Marcus¡¯s arrows were not ordinary arrows.


    They were improved Falcon Feather Arrows and Falcon Tail Arrows, with Iron Wood Thorns as the shaft and Dragon Bone as the arrowhead, balanced with the feathers of the Magical Beast Windfalcon.


    The best set of arrows in Fresh Flower Town.


    He pulled out two arrows wrapped with Soul Disturbing Agents, aiming at one of Dulu Miqita¡¯s immature snake heads¡ªa mature snake head¡¯s mental strength must be strong, with better resistance; an immature snake head, however, was the best target for disruption. A single Soul Disturbing Agent would definitely drive it insane.


    Hitting the writhing snake head was difficult, but fortunately, he had eight good arrows to try with.


    Pff!


    Seizing the right moment, he released the bowstring, and the arrow, guided by Dou Qi, shot towards an immature snake head.


    Unfortunately, these two arrows merely grazed past the snake head, missing their target. But he remained calm and unhurried, as though he were facing an ordinary beast instead of an Intermediate Sea Monster. For the time being, Dulu Miqita posed little threat to him.


    Because Douson had already pounced.


    This increasingly mature Intermediate Magical Beast Blizzard Beast, long trained by Liszt, had developed intelligence far beyond that of ordinary magical beasts. It understood the essence of hit-and-run tactics, enemy advance I retreat, slippery positioning, and would use Multiple Stone Spikes whenever there was a chance.


    Not only did it put Dulu Miqita in a difficult position, but it also continuously attracted Dulu Miqita¡¯s intermittent magical firepower.


    A barrage of Water Arrows fired at the hill, sending mud flying everywhere.


    A swing of the Blade of Water, but what it struck was only Douson¡¯s afterimage.


    A snake and a dog managed to come to a temporary standoff, and it even looked as if Douson had the upper hand. As soon as Dulu Miqita showed the slightest sign of recoil, Douson would rush up and use Multiple Stone Spikes to block its movements; whenever Dulu Miqita unleashed magic in retaliation, Douson would crazily jump about and flee.


    It was quite the enhanced version of a rural pastime¡ªdog fighting a water snake.


    When attacked, a snake would first coil itself up in defense rather than turn and flee, and Dulu Miqita was no different. But a coiled-up Dulu Miqita was a perfect living target for Douson¡¯s stone spikes. Moreover, the disruption from nets, silk lines, and arrows prevented it from successfully casting a Water Wave Shield.


    Water Wave Shield is a defensive magic that summons a giant shield made of water, which condenses like waves over the surface of the body, able to dissolve a great deal of attacks.


    Without its Water Wave Shield, the strength of the juvenile Six-Headed King Sea Serpent was greatly reduced.


    Pff!


    Just as its attention was drawn by Douson, two more arrows shot out, accurately hitting one of the immature snake heads, even striking it in the eye area.


    The Soul Disturbing Agents were injected instantly, and in the next moment, that snake head started thrashing wildly, lashing about like a whip, and even took a fierce bite at the adjacent snake head.


    Seizing such an opportunity, Marcus fired two arrows at once, successfully hitting another of Dulu Miqita¡¯s immature snake heads.


    He had two arrows left and boldly fired two more, this time targeting mature snake heads.


    Unfortunately, they missed their mark due to the chaotic twisting of the snake heads, shooting into the air instead.


    Two snake heads fell into confusion, frenziedly tearing at the mature snake heads, causing the four mature snake heads to panic. They immediately stopped coiling, preparing to leave. However, Liszt certainly wouldn¡¯t let such an opportunity slip by and directed Douson to attack again, tangling intensely with it.


    Elsewhere.


    The Apprentice Knight responsible for smelting Dragon Beast bones had already raised a blazing fire, crackling as it smelted the Dragon Beast bones. In a moment, a formidable Dragon Might began to rise from the flames, radiating in all directions.


    The Dragon Might was fierce. Dulu Miqita, which had been frantically and fearfully fleeing, was so terrified that it fell flat.


    Unable to move.


    But unexpectedly, Douson also shook in fear, not daring to attack, wasting a prime opportunity. The knights were well-prepared, some continuing to kick up dust, others to dump soil, trying to speed up the solidification of this shallow river section and freeze Dulu Miqita in place.


    From a distance, the scent of the simmering Serpent Blood Fruit also began to drift over.


    It seemed that this scent stimulated the two still-crazed immature snake heads, causing them to stir into action again, biting the four mature snake heads until they were miserable, and rendering them completely unable to cast any magic.


    ¡°Get up, Douson! Get it done!¡± Liszt kicked the trembling Douson, this unreliable mongrel. ¡°Douson, Multiple Stone Spikes!¡±


    Douson was kicked awake, still shaking, but managed to release a set of Rock Spikes, fiercely stabbing into Dulu Miqita, nailing it in place.


    The sludge mixed with rubber began to harden, the tangled ship nets, and silk threads also tightened more and more.


    Liszt knew the opportunity had come and immediately roared, ¡°Marcus, get ready!¡±


    After speaking, he immediately threw out a Fire Dragon Jar.


    Marcus¡¯s ordinary arrows shot the Fire Dragon Jar flying in mid-air, shattering it with one shot; Liszt kept throwing Fire Dragon Jars, and he continued shooting arrows. In the short time when Dragon Might burst forth, all twelve Fire Dragon Jars exploded in mid-air, and the Volcanic Glass Vessels Brad painstakingly crafted were smashed to pieces.


    There was no heartache. The Eye of Magic was cast.


    Liszt saw the Fire Dragon Magic Power merge together, forming a huge Magical Grand Fire Dragon that dived towards Dulu Miqita, which was starting to recover.


    Boom!


    Passing through it, the severely wounded Dulu Miqita screamed a piercing ¡°hiss,¡± its body bouncing like a rubber band, blood spilling everywhere, leaping out of the mud pit, and escaping into the stone forest.


    ¡°All of you, fall back, retreat beyond forty meters!¡± Only Liszt could see the Magical Grand Fire Dragon, so the burden of stopping Dulu Miqita could only be carried by him and Douson.


    Pointing in the direction Dulu Miqita was fleeing to, he commanded: ¡°Douson, Multiple Stone Spikes!¡±


    The Dragon Might came and went quickly, Douson had already regained his composure and upon Liszt¡¯s command, opened his mouth and released Multiple Stone Spikes, fiercely stabbing into Dulu Miqita, stopping its escape. This delay allowed the Magical Grand Fire Dragon to dive again, fiercely searing Dulu Miqita.


    The two crazed snake heads twisted wildly, not sure if they were attracted by the scent of the Serpent Blood Fruit, causing havoc to its thoughts.


    This made Dulu Miqita twitch a few times, unable even to run away.


    Phut!


    Multiple Stone Spikes were released again.


    Boom!


    The Magical Grand Fire Dragon dived again, and the range of forty meters had become the desperate distance for Dulu Miqita; the disruption of the Soul Disturbing Agent, the continuously bleeding wounds, and the Stone Spikes stuck in its body¡ªperhaps even including the arrows tainted with bee venom¡ªwere all claiming its life.


    When the Magical Grand Fire Dragon dived for the fourth time.


    Dulu Miqita¡¯s tightly stretched four snake heads finally went limp, life rapidly slipping away, magic power in its body slowly dissipating.


    A faint scent of snake meat began to spread.


    Liszt, who had been observing using the Eye of Magic, made a quick decision, directing Douson to charge forward: ¡°Douson, quick, bite its tail and drag it away!¡±


    Douson, already accustomed to Liszt¡¯s complex commands, lunged forward, bit into Dulu Miqita¡¯s snake tail, and started dragging it outside.


    ¡°Paris, you too, come and help drag it!¡±


    Taking advantage of the interval in which the Magical Grand Fire Dragon flew away, the two of them with one dog successfully dragged the dying Dulu Miqita beyond forty meters.


    ¡°My lord! The Six-Headed King Sea Serpent isn¡¯t dead yet, be careful!¡± Marcus circled around and ran over, saw Liszt personally dragging Dulu Miqita, and couldn¡¯t help but shout.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to live, Teacher Marcus. You all go over there and get the Serpent Blood Tree Plant Pot I prepared. I¡¯m going to use the serpent blood to nourish them!¡±


    Although the blood of an Intermediate Sea Monster could certainly be sold for money, in view of the Smoke Mission reward hint, he still thought it was more worthwhile to use the serpent blood to cultivate Sprite Bugs.


    Because the reward was ¡°an unknown number of Sprite Bugs,¡± maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªhe could cultivate more than one Serpent Blood Fruit Sprite Bug!


    Sprite Bugs, that¡¯s the biggest gain of this battle!

 Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter 0330: Inventorying the Spoils of War (Second Update)

    Chapter 332: Chapter 0330: Inventorying the Spoils of War (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The Serpent Slaying operation was a complete success, and the huge thrill was written on everyone¡¯s face as they all gathered around the six-headed King Sea Serpent, marveling at its enormity and ferocity.


    Bucket after bucket of serpent blood was quickly collected in water buckets.


    Liszt didn¡¯t want to waste it, pouring it onto the Serpent Blood Tree plant pots, but there was too much blood, and the pots couldn¡¯t hold it all. He wanted to maximize benefits, ¡°Transport the serpent blood in carts, along with the Serpent Blood Tree plant pots, and immediately take them back to the castle. And take my shells back to the castle as well!¡±


    He stood up and looked at the huge corpse of the Six-Headed King Sea Serpent. Due to the roasting by the Magic Grand Fire Dragon, parts of it were nearly cooked.


    So, selling it for a good price might be difficult¡ªafter all, he had never heard of selling materials from a magical beast or sea monster after they had been cooked.


    ¡°As for the corpse of the Six-Headed King Sea Serpent, drag it back to the castle, then break it down into materials to see if there are any valuable parts that can be sold; the rest, store as food,¡± Liszt announced his decision on handling the corpse.


    Suddenly, he felt it was necessary to give a speech and to inspire his followers, ¡°In hunting the intermediate Sea Monster, the Six-Headed King Sea Serpent, everyone gave their all. I¡¯ve seen your courage and sacrifices. Now, the spoils of war are here, and everyone will get to enjoy them, that¡¯s my decision!¡±


    Raising his voice, he scanned the surroundings.


    Liszt declared loudly, ¡°Hunting an intermediate Sea Monster is just the beginning; in the future, more honors and glories await us to claim! And remember, the glory is mine, and I am with you!¡±


    ¡°Swear allegiance unto death to the Lord Landlord!¡± shouted an astute Apprentice Knight, loudly and passionately. It was Zavier.


    Immediately after, everyone, including the Earth Knights, began shouting with fervor, ¡°Swear allegiance unto death to the Lord Landlord!¡± The chants echoed repeatedly, and with the Six-Headed King Sea Serpent¡¯s corpse as backdrop, it seemed especially enthusiastic and wild.


    Liszt was pleased with the scene.


    Of course, he took note of Zavier¡¯s shrewdness.


    The shouting gradually ceased.


    Then he resumed a serious expression, ¡°Now, let¡¯s clean up the hunting site, take all the materials we can carry, and head back!¡± He then rushed to the Sea Sprite Ake, instructing the Apprentice Knights to lift the shells out of the pond and onto the flatbed carts to be taken back to the castle, and then returned to the Shell Wood Tower.


    When they, along with the immense corpse of the Six-Headed King Sea Serpent, returned to the town,


    Fresh Flower Town immediately erupted with excitement. Curious civilians flocked together, crowding around to catch a glimpse of the intermediate Sea Monster¡¯s corpse¡ªmany of them had never seen even a low-level Magical Beast in their lifetimes, let alone the stuff of legends, an intermediate Sea Monster. Of course, Douson and the Eight Tiny Ones were exceptions.


    The whispers and private conversations were incessant, groups of two or three marveling and discussing.


    ¡°What kind of Magical Beast is this, it¡¯s terrifying!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a Magical Beast, it¡¯s a Sea Monster, a big Sea Monster, one that eats ships!¡±


    ¡°Good heavens, how long is it, and it has so many heads.¡±


    ¡°The Knight¡¯s glory shines upon us, thanking our great Landlord for slaying such a fearsome beast, may the Knight¡¯s glory forever shine upon Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a Magical Beast; it¡¯s a Sea Monster!¡±


    ¡°I heard the Lord Landlord killed the Sea Monster with a single sword strike!¡±


    ¡°Intermediate Sea Monster, it¡¯s an intermediate Sea Monster, as powerful as our Lord Landlord¡¯s Douson.¡±


    ¡°It can spew terrifying magic, whipping up huge sea waves to smash anyone it encounters. My brother took part in the sea monster hunt, he saw with his own eyes the Lord Landlord riding Douson, killing this giant sea serpent!¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°There is no magical beast or sea monster that Lord Landlord cannot slay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth at least a hundred Gold Coins!¡±


    ¡°Ha ha, Old Bok, are you joking? This is an intermediate sea monster, take a good look, it can sell for a thousand Gold Coins!¡±


    ¡°Its snake skin can be made into the finest leather armor; even an Earth Knight hacking at it won¡¯t leave a mark.¡±


    ¡°I really want to taste some snake meat.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be burst open by the flesh of the sea monster, there is so much magic power in it that it will tear your body to shreds, just like a scarecrow in the field.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s too terrifying.¡±


    At such moments, Liszt should have come out to show himself and receive the worship and cheers of the citizens of Fresh Flower Town. But he didn¡¯t; instead, he simply sent the town officials to drive away the civilians gathered around the body of the Six-Headed King Serpent. He had more important things to do¡ªorganizing the Space Gem.


    There was too much stuff inside, already filled to the brim.


    Now, he had to store the unusable Serpent Blood and take out some every day to water the Serpent Blood Fruits.


    Without anticoagulants to remove clotting factors, blood is difficult to preserve; once it coagulates, the contained magic power will quickly dissipate. The Grand Magician who wrote ¡°Secrets of Sea Serpent Aquatic Monsters¡± would irrigate with Serpent Blood in one go, as it was difficult to catch a living Sea Serpent.


    But Liszt had a Space Gem, which could store this Serpent Blood indefinitely.


    Fine Steel Knight Suit, Drift Bottle containing a 36D Ghost, Mithril Mine, Jade, Crystal, Black Pearl, Smoked Grass, Volcanic Glass, Fire Dragon Bone Fragments; Sapphire Magic Ring, Goat Head Flag, Sapphire Dragon Ship Figurehead, Soul Submerged Wood, some Knight¡¯s Novels and Magic Books.


    A vast array of food, drinking water, and other living supplies, bee venom and thorn poison, as well as essential camping gear for journeys.


    A Gemstone Space the size of half a room simply couldn¡¯t accommodate any more items¡ªit was only possible to clear out some items¡ªhe removed some camping gear, books, bone fragments, volcanic glass, and the knight suit, placing them in the study room.


    Only then was he able to fit in ten barrels of Serpent Blood.


    ¡°There¡¯s still a bit of space left. After processing the body of the Six-Headed King Serpent, the surplus Magical Beast Meat can be put in there to be used slowly¡­ This is the body of an intermediate sea monster; the nutritional value of its meat is far superior to that of low-level magical beast meat, and it should be enough to last me a very long time.¡±


    He had no intention of giving away even a morsel of the Six-Headed King Serpent meat.


    After all, it would be a waste to feed it to his followers¡ªonly the potion-addicted Elite Earth Knights could make the most of the magical beast meat.


    He planned to reward the followers who participated in the battle with Gold Coins.


    If there was excess snake skin, it could be distributed amongst the Earth Knights¡ªone piece each to stitch into a piece of leather armor. A piece of intermediate sea monster level armor would be the absolute best way to win people¡¯s hearts.


    But, three seconds later.


    ¡°Never mind, they didn¡¯t put in much effort, ninety percent of the credit should go to myself. Giving them the armor to wear is a waste¡­ I¡¯ll just reward them with more Gold Coins. I believe the knights¡¯ love for Gold Coins is greater than anything, after all, Gold Coins can buy everything.¡±


    Between a boss distributing oil bonuses and a boss handing out cash bonuses, everyone would undoubtedly choose cash.


    Cash represents the power of self-disposition.


    Furthermore, the body of the Six-Headed King Serpent is entirely a treasure, and Liszt didn¡¯t even want to sell it; he knew that even with Gold Coins it would be tremendously difficult to buy materials from the body of an intermediate sea monster¡ªCoral Island used to have one Purple Sand Crocodile, a testament to the rarity.


    ¡°A snake¡¯s whole body is a treasure, and so is the Six-Headed King Serpent, it¡¯s all a treasure. I¡¯ll eat everything edible! Anything inedible and unusable, I¡¯ll consider whether to sell it to magicians then.¡±

 Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter 0333: Tri-Phase Force (First Update)

    Chapter 336: Chapter 0333: Tri-Phase Force (First Update)


    Worked through the night to distribute the Fire Dragon Magic Power into the brick factory¡¯s furnaces.


    The brick factory had six furnaces in total, all of them were lit, but they used just two Fire Dragon Jars worth of Fire Dragon Magic Power. There was no longer any real need to produce traditional bricks, since there were many Basalt Columns on the island, and just one to two meters below the ground there was nothing but hard rock.


    There was no shortage of stone materials.


    Besides, when it came to building houses, wood was still the preferred material, as wooden houses were a great time saver.


    The six working furnaces were mainly used for testing new types of clay building materials¡ªselected workers with a flair for brick-making were researching slate, culverts, tiles, and other materials, striving to find the most suitable clay and produce quality materials.


    Slate could be used for paving roads, and Liszt had long been dissatisfied with the gravel roads in Fresh Flower Town.


    Smooth slate roads were indeed the standard for nobles.


    Culverts could be used for drainage in sewer systems and for bridge construction and water supply systems¡ªnot yet necessary, but he would certainly need a comprehensive sewer system when the time came to construct his new castle.


    Tiles were used for laying on the roofs of tile-covered houses.


    Traditional wooden house roofs were constructed with thatch, straw, and thorn branches, which would leak during heavy rains. Roofing with tiles greatly reduced the chance of leaks and also prevented thatch from being blown about on windy days.


    ¡­


    The secondary function of the furnaces was to produce charcoal.


    Charcoal was a fuel widely used by nobles, and with these Fire Dragon furnaces, just neatly stacking the wood and igniting it for a moment was enough to burn off the impurities, then quickly dousing it with water to cool down, leaving behind charcoal.


    Every time the Fresh Flower Vessel returned to Fresh Flower Town, it brought back a ship¡¯s worth of charcoal.


    Charcoal burned with Fire Dragon Magic Power was of high quality, environmentally friendly, smokeless, and burned completely¡ªboth the Fresh Flower Caravan and the Thorn Caravan had already begun selling these charcoals in small batches. Once the workers mastered the technique of charcoal production, it would increase yet another specialty product.


    ¡­


    Last of all,


    Liszt was in the process of setting up a ¡°Calcination Technology Experimentation and Development Group¡±, planning to use the Fire Dragon furnaces to diligently delve into calcination technology.


    Bricks, pottery, porcelain, glass, cement, and lime¡ªall were products of calcination.


    Although right now, Liszt only knew how to calcine bricks, pottery, porcelain, glass, cement, and lime were all in line for future research.


    In short,


    The brick factory was just a front, its true essence was¡ªthat of a Calcination Research Center.


    ¡­


    The next morning,


    Liszt picked up the bugle, mounted Douson, and headed straight for the Rocky Beach beneath the lighthouse, where he then sounded the bugle. Before long, a large white conch shell emerged on the surface of the sea, followed by the sound of the bugle in response.


    After exchanging greetings,


    Liszt then began a new day¡¯s work, taking the triplet Rubber Bugs to the oak forest.


    He intended to study the unique abilities of the triplets, to restore the vitality of damaged Rubber Trees. The Cordyceps were now intact, with all previous cuts healed. He placed the triplets on a Rubber Tree with several notches cut into it and, through the contract of mental communion, let the triplets heal the Rubber Tree.


    ¡°Come on, you three little ones, try to heal the Rubber Tree and help it regain its vitality,¡± he said.


    With the Eye of Magic in use, he observed their actions closely.


    The three Rubber Bugs lined up, began to move on the trunk of the Rubber Tree, and then two of them moved apart, climbing to the other side of the trunk.


    ¡°Huh, these three little guys, they actually separated on their own without any external force?¡± Liszt expressed his surprise.


    Unless someone picked them up and separated them, as long as they were placed on the ground, they would crawl together, then line up and act in unison.


    This kind of initiative to separate had never occurred before.


    However, before Liszt had finished expressing his amazement, the Rubber Bugs positioned in a triangular formation on three sides of the tree trunk suddenly quivered with magic power.


    A ripple of shock waves radiated out from them, spreading in all directions.


    Through the Eye of Magic, the shock waves spread out in circles as magic wave patterns, touching a Rubber Tree and igniting its magic power, outlining its shape. Then, with that Rubber Tree as the center, new magic wave patterns emanated.


    The patterns spread farther and farther, and soon the whole Rubber Tree forest was a series of spreading magic wave patterns.


    The intense visual impact left Liszt speechless.


    He had never known that magic could be used this way. As his gaze shifted from the fading magic wave patterns, the damaged parts of this Rubber Tree had rapidly healed under the stimulation of magic. In a few minutes, as the magic wave patterns gradually disappeared, all the damaged Rubber Trees were completely restored.


    There was no sign they had ever been cut.


    ¡°Incredible!¡± Liszt checked each Rubber Tree one by one, finding each perfectly intact, ¡°This is almost like a cheat ability!¡±


    Suddenly.


    Through their mental connection, he felt the exhaustion of the three Rubber Bugs; after releasing such a miracle, they seemed very tired.


    He quickly had his personal servant bring the Jade Box, collected the triplets inside, and sprinkled them generously with Jade Powder, allowing them to thoroughly recuperate.


    Now.


    These three Rubber Bugs had become Liszt¡¯s treasures.


    He had initially felt that three Rubber Bugs for only one Cordyceps was too wasteful. Now he realized that Elves, such magical creatures, should not be surmised by common sense; they always bring astonishment.


    Having put away the Elf Bugs, Liszt suddenly wondered, ¡°I wonder if the Rubber Trees outside the garden have also been repaired?¡±


    So he rode Douson to the pasture, switched to the King of Black Blood Treasure Horses, Lightning, and started to inspect the Rubber Trees scattered across the island one by one¡ªthe young Rubber Trees had all been transplanted to the garden, and the much larger ones, which couldn¡¯t be moved, were left to grow wild.


    However, there was a bit of regret.


    On the first wild Rubber Tree he checked, the cut was very clear, and it had not received treatment from the Rubber Bug triplets.


    This indicated that the peculiar ¡°magic¡± released by the Rubber Bug triplets only affected Rubber Trees within its range or, in other words, Trees within the area where the magic waves could overlap had the healing effect. Rubber Trees beyond this range could not enjoy the enhancement of the Rubber Bugs.


    They were left to fend for themselves.


    ¡°In that case, does that mean we would need to use the Tri-Phase Force on every single wild Rubber Tree?¡± He referred to the Rubber Bugs triplets¡¯ ability as Tri-Phase Force.


    If it really had to be done that way, it would exhaust the triplets to death.


    However, the Smoke Mission seemed to only require the discovery of the triplets¡¯ special ability and did not demand the repair of the Rubber Trees, so Liszt directly summoned the Smoke Mission.


    The swirling smoke formed a piece of Serpent Script.


    ¡°Task completed, reward one Apple Tree Elf Bug.¡±


    Indeed, upon discovering the Tri-Phase Force of the Rubber Bug triplets, the task was already complete, and the reward was astonishingly an Apple Tree Elf Bug.


    The first thing Liszt thought of was the apple tree not far from the Castle gate.


    The Apple Desk beneath the apple tree was where he often communicated with his Knight followers, ¡°It must be this apple tree that nurtured the Elf Bug, which is very interesting. Now, the apple tree truly has exceptional symbolic meaning¡­ It might become another tale of knightly glory coming my way.¡±

 Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Chapter 0334: The Sudden Second Little Minor Elf (Second Update)

    Chapter 337: Chapter 0334: The Sudden Second Little Minor Elf (Second Update)


    The gestation of the Apple Tree Elf Bug made Liszt¡¯s imagination soar, bringing to mind an endless stream of stories.


    Before long, this would become another topic of avid conversation at noble banquets throughout Fresh Flower Town and even Coral Island, following tales of the Blizzard Beast Dousen, the Thorn Minor Elf, and the Six-Headed King Serpent.


    And perhaps, countless years later.


    The world would have transformed completely.


    Archaeologists digging up a piece of wood from underground might solemnly tell the youth, ¡°This is a branch of the very apple tree that changed the world! The Holy Dragon Knight, the Dragon Domain LandLord, the Thorn Emperor, the Sea Monster King, the Rubber Master, the Dog Master¡­ all sat under the apple tree planted by Liszt Tulip himself, dominating the world¡¯s patterns.¡±


    Under the curious gazes of the young, an archaeologist, clutching an ancient book ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild¡±, would chant like a minstrel, ¡°The Thorn Emperor, Liszt. His mandate from heaven, for longevity and prosperity¡­¡±


    ¡­


    All of this was nothing but a wild fantasy conjured up by Liszt.


    In fact, as soon as the new mission was released, he forgot these fantasies, opened his mouth wide in shock, unable to utter a word¡ªthe happiness had come too suddenly!


    ¡°Mission: With the increasing business between Black Horse Island and Fresh Flower Town, a single Fresh Flower Vessel is no longer sufficient for the bustling transport demands. As the Landlord, it¡¯s your duty to solve this issue, please purchase a medium-sized sea vessel. Reward: One Little Minor Elf.¡±


    He could scarcely believe what he was seeing.


    So, he closed his eyes and rubbed them fiercely before summoning the Smoke Mission again.


    The reward for the mission still read ¡°One Little Minor Elf¡± and not ¡°One Elf Bug¡±, a genuine Little Minor Elf, all for purchasing a new ship.


    To obtain it!


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit¡­ hard to accept, so sudden¡­ Why don¡¯t I need five or six chained missions to get a Little Minor Elf?¡± Liszt always felt that with the nature of Smoke Missions, it would be difficult to directly lead to a Little Minor Elf.


    Because Smoke Missions can¡¯t conjure rewards out of thin air.


    It is through the power of destiny that it threads the needle, presenting the reward. Needless to say, to lead to a Little Minor Elf, it would need to change countless Threads of Destiny.


    However.


    After he took a deep breath and calmed down, he realized he had fallen into a misconception. For the power of destiny, it doesn¡¯t need to lift a rock; it only needs to find a fulcrum, and with a gentle lever, it can change the whole rock, or even lift up an Earth.


    ¡°If there is a Little Minor Elf around Fresh Flower Town or Black Horse Island, couldn¡¯t it be levered by the Smoke Mission and then presented as a mission reward?¡±


    With this thought, everything suddenly became clear.


    After all, the Smoke Mission had once drawn in even a Formless Dragon; the wonders of the power of destiny were evident from this alone.


    As his initial excitement slowly settled, Liszt steadied his emotions, turned his horse around, and headed straight for the port town. He couldn¡¯t wait to spend another moment on Black Horse Island; he wanted to return to Fresh Flower Town, and then, using the channels of Tulip Castle, obtain a new vessel.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, I¡¯m entrusting you with the affairs of Black Horse Island, the Rubber Trees in the Rubber Garden have recovered and can be harvested again, organize the serfs to collect some rubber as soon as possible, I need to construct a house in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡±


    There was nothing else to instruct.


    Seeing it was still early, he ordered Captain Kostor to set sail again, heading back to Fresh Flower Town.


    The call of the small horn sounded.


    And was swiftly met with the response of horn calls.


    Liszt, seated at the prow of the ship, spotted a white shadow surfacing beneath the vast ocean¡ªthat was Ach catching up. Resting on the back of Dousen, his thoughts ran wild like an untamed horse, racing freely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of minor elf it is.¡±


    ¡°It should be a wild minor elf; none of my elf bugs seem to show any signs of evolution.¡± Among his twelve elf bugs, eight were bred successively within the last year and hadn¡¯t had much time to develop, showing fewer signs of breakthrough.


    Liszt had assimilated them with a batch of crops and collected pheromones, but needed time to grow.


    The other four elf bugs, the millet bug, little wheat bug, tulip bug, and alfalfa bug, were gifts from the earl. There was also a thorn bug, which had already evolved into Minor Elf Jela.


    ¡°The millet bug, little wheat bug, alfalfa bug, and tulip bug probably have no potential for evolution, none of them are of particularly outstanding quality.¡±


    So, the new minor elf was very likely a wild one.


    Being wild, its breed was hard to ensure, and most likely it was a minor elf of little use¡ªbecause most plants in the wild are difficult to tame, and those that are truly valuable have been domesticated by humans and cultivated on a large scale long ago.


    Of course, no matter what kind of useless minor elf it was, even if it was just a weed minor elf, to Liszt, it was still a possession¡ªat least weeds could be used for landscaping.


    His thoughts soared.


    He still couldn¡¯t guess the breed of the minor elf or how to obtain it.


    He then reined in his thoughts and began considering the special ability of the rubber bug triplets he had discovered today¡ªTri-Phase Force. This could definitely be considered a type of magic.


    According to different properties.


    Humans classified magical power into eight attributes: water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, light, ice, darkness, but magical power clearly didn¡¯t possess only these eight attributes; there were many more chaotic properties, which do not show as any attribute.


    Liszt had seen in knight novels and magic books, where elf magic power is referred to as natural magic power.


    Or, it could also be called wood-based magic power.


    Because it can control plants.


    Jela¡¯s method of sowing thorn seeds could be considered a kind of wood-based magic; therefore, the rubber bug triplet¡¯s Tri-Phase Force should also be classified as wood-based magic.


    Actually, some people also considered dragon magic power as a new magic attribute¡ªmetal attribute magical power.


    A metal dragon, needless to say, can produce metal at any time, naturally can be classified as metal attribute magic power.


    Gemstone dragons, although not producing metal but gemstones, produce them in the same way as metal dragons, and therefore are also referred to by a few humans as metal attribute magic power.


    Elemental dragons, even though their magical power has attributes such as water, fire, earth, wind, their ability to infect the surroundings is obviously different from regular magic power, and it can also be reluctantly classified as metal attribute magic power.


    By that rationale, sacred dragons would also be metal attribute magical power.


    ¡°Wood attribute represents nature, metal attribute represents infection and creation, the division always seems far-fetched, as if one has to categorize different types of people into four categories: tall, short, fat, thin,¡± Liszt shook his head, unsupportive of such classification. Fire dragons should belong to the fire attribute.


    Why classify it as metallic attribute?


    Just like sea serpents, those like Ach possess unique magical power, but her innate affinity is water attribute, so she should be classified as a water attribute creature. Fire dragons also have extraordinary magical power, but they release fire attribute mana and should naturally be grouped as fire attribute creatures.


    ¡°In summary, magical power has myriad extraordinary expressions, one needn¡¯t be fixated on which exact attribute it is¡­ Tri-Phase Force is magical in its formation of magic.¡±


    It¡¯s still unclear.


    Whether this is unique to rubber bugs or if triplet-type elf bugs all have this trick. Liszt believed that in the future, he would still obtain such types of elf bugs.


    ¡°With Tri-Phase Force, my rubber garden will be able to cut a batch and use Tri-Phase Force to repair immediately. Once the rubber bug triplets have rested sufficiently, cut another batch and repair again¡­ a cycle without end, my rubber will be inexhaustible!¡±

 Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter 0338: Tide-Calling Mermaid Princess Nami (First Update)

    Chapter 341: Chapter 0338: Tide-Calling Mermaid Princess Nami (First Update)


    The light green Mangrove Minor Elf was indeed found by Ake on Mangrove Island.


    ¡°When Ake was playing on Mangrove Island, I discovered this little girl. She¡¯s so tiny and cute, just like Jela. But she¡¯s very timid. I threw her some fruit to eat, and she hesitated for a long time before picking it up. Then she gradually came closer to me and even bit my finger,¡± Ake recounted her encounter with the Mangrove Minor Elf in detail.


    ¡°At that time, Ake suddenly realized that I was forming a contract with the little girl, allowing me to understand what she was thinking¡­ Brother, is this the contract between humans and elves? Can Sea Sprites also form contracts with elves?¡± Ake asked.


    ¡°You contracted with it?¡± Liszt asked in surprise.


    It was indeed a perplexing situation, as this Minor Elf was a reward from the Smoke Mission given to him, yet it unexpectedly formed a contract with Sea Sprite Ake. Even though Ake also belonged to him personally, not having contracted it himself left a somewhat unsavory taste.


    However, he quickly put aside his personal feelings, nodded, and said gently, ¡°Generally, elves only contract with humans, but that doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t contract with other creatures, after all, this magic contract wasn¡¯t invented by humans. So it¡¯s not surprising that a Sea Sprite can contract with an elf.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Ake tilted her head: ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to take care of an elf. Brother, how about I release the contract with the little girl and you contract with her instead? Her Cordyceps is a mangrove tree, located in the center of Mangrove Island. The surrounding trees bear many small fruits, which are quite tasty.¡±


    He was momentarily tempted.


    Liszt immediately declined: ¡°Since she took the initiative to contract with you, it means she has a connection with you. I don¡¯t need to waste her contract count. Yours and mine are the same¡­ Did you bring any of the mangrove fruits?¡±


    ¡°I brought some.¡±


    She motioned with her hand, and the seawater in the shell immediately lifted a handful of pale yellow fruits into Liszt¡¯s hand.


    The fruits carried no magic power and were simply ordinary, with awkward shapes about the size of a thumb¡¯s nail. He pinched one and chewed it twice in his mouth, tasting a faint sweetness and sourness, quite delicious indeed¡ªit could be treated as a type of fruit.


    This was possibly the greatest value of the Mangrove Minor Elf at present.


    One could only hope to encounter the Magic Medicine Mangrove in the future or to discover a more valuable mangrove variant.


    ¡°Ake, have you named her?¡± Liszt asked while looking at the Minor Elf who was peeking curiously out from Ake¡¯s hair.


    Unlike Jela¡¯s rugged and carefree image, it looked more delicate and exquisite, its color translucent like jade. On its head were two small green leaves and a tiny red flower.


    Its large eyes blinked, radiating innocence.


    The sound it made was like a little girl muttering to herself: ¡°Jigu.¡±


    No wonder Ake referred to it as a little girl: ¡°Brother, Ake has thought for a long time but still can¡¯t decide on a name. Why don¡¯t you name her?¡±


    ¡°I will?¡±


    Liszt did not refuse, pondered for a moment, and had an idea: ¡°Let¡¯s call her Nami.¡±


    ¡°Nami?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this name signifies the call of the tides.¡±


    ¡°Nami¡­ Mm, we¡¯ll call her Nami; it¡¯s a lovely name,¡± Ake said as she pulled the Mangrove Minor Elf from her hair and placed it on her palm. ¡°Little girl, from now on, your name is Nami, do you understand?¡±


    The little elf gave a timid call: ¡°Jigu.¡±


    Accepting her new name¡ªNami.


    ¡°Ake, since Nami is now your contracted Minor Elf, take good care of her. I will send you a Jade Box and some Jade Powder to feed her. Then, each time you visit the Mangrove Forest, pay attention to the attributes of the Mangrove Cordyceps and work out the functions of those mangroves.¡±


    The Sea Sprite nodded: ¡°Ake understands. Nami will definitely help brother and fulfill the elf¡¯s intended role.¡± She had read many books and knew the value of elves to humans.


    ¡°Wait here for a moment; I¡¯ll bring over Jela so she can meet Nami,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Moments later, the sound of horse hooves approached, and Liszt returned with Jela.


    Upon seeing Ake, Jela was overjoyed, making constant ¡°woo-wah,¡± ¡°woo-wah¡± noises. It had been several days since it saw the Sea Monster Miss.


    At that moment, Nami poked her head out from Ake¡¯s hair again.


    Suddenly,


    The two little elves met for the first time.


    Jela was stunned for a moment, flapping her wings and staring blankly at Nami, not sure what to think. It wasn¡¯t her first time seeing another of her kind, as she had seen them before at Tulip Castle. Nami, on the other hand, was meeting another of her kind for the first time and appeared somewhat delighted. She wriggled out of the hair and stood on Ake¡¯s shoulder, waving at Jela and making eye contact.


    She greeted softly, ¡°Coo.¡±


    After about a dozen seconds, Jela reacted and flew towards Nami.


    Liszt watched the two little ones interact with a smile, thinking such a scene was a true delight. However, the next moment, his smile abruptly ended.


    Just as Jela flew up to Nami, she raised her little hand and gave Nami a fierce slap on the head: ¡°Wham!¡±


    The emotion was intense.


    Liszt immediately sensed that she was telling Nami to get lost.


    Nami was dumbfounded by the slap and tumbled off Ake¡¯s shoulder, but luckily Ake reacted in time, creating a stream of water to catch Nami.


    Landing on the stream, Nami cried out with a ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Jela!¡±


    Liszt hastily commanded, ¡°Stop that!¡±


    After hearing Liszt, Jela put her hands on her hips and strutted midair, calling out ¡°Wham¡± to Liszt and then ¡°Wham¡± to Ake as if to show off her prowess.


    It wasn¡¯t until she saw Liszt¡¯s glare,


    That she pouted and flew back onto his shoulder, no longer daring to misbehave.


    Meanwhile, Ake was already holding Nami, whispering comforting words: ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Nami. Jela didn¡¯t mean it; she¡¯s usually very cute. I believe you two can become good friends.¡±


    This was not a pleasant meeting.


    After Ake¡¯s comforting, Nami stopped crying, but she hid in the hair and didn¡¯t come out again; she was truly timid compared to Jela¡¯s boldness.


    ¡°Take good care of Nami ¡­¡± Liszt didn¡¯t know what else to say, so he simply took Jela and headed back.


    Along the way, Jela inevitably faced reprimands and punishment, being sentenced to three days without leaving the Worm Room. If she hit another little elf again, the punishment would be doubled. Faced with such discipline, Jela seemed downhearted all the way; she was too lively, and confinement was a nightmare to her.


    Moreover, the Worm Room now lacked the warm shells for taking baths.


    ¡­


    By the time they got back to the Castle,


    Town Government Official Isaiah had just arrived: ¡°My lord, do you have any orders?¡±


    After handing Jela over to Butler Carter to take to the Worm Room, Liszt said, ¡°I plan to expand the cultivation of 500 acres of Corn Grass. Take a look at any wasteland that can be farmed, and arrange for the Serfs to begin ploughing immediately. It¡¯s already past the spring ploughing season, and we need to finish as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°We already have 280 acres of Corn Grass, and according to the plan at the beginning of the year, there is enough for Fresh Flower Town¡¯s use. Why do we still need to cultivate an additional 500 acres?¡±


    ¡°Because I plan to expand the scale of cattle and horse farming,¡± Liszt answered.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Isaiah said, accepting the command.


    Mrs. Morson had brewed some milk tea, which Carter brought over to Liszt. He took a sip of the fragrant milk tea, and the turbulent emotions within Liszt were well soothed¡ªno matter what, the second little elf of his domain was now in hand.


    Nami, the Mangrove Minor Elf.

 Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter 0339: High-Quality Milk Source Region (Second Update)

    Chapter 342: Chapter 0339: High-Quality Milk Source Region (Second Update)


    Just like with Ach, Liszt had no intention of revealing Nami¡¯s true potential. Although the true benefits from the Smoke Mission were not known to others, the part that had been exposed was already frightening enough.


    To reveal more would stretch beyond what could be explained by the glory accorded to a knight.


    He was a cautious man and would continue to keep a low profile.


    For instance, now.


    Hiding in the castle¡¯s flower garden, he quietly watered twenty potted Serpent Blood Tree plants with the blood of the Six-Headed King Serpent.


    When more than half of the serpent blood was used up, magic reactions occured in four of the potted Serpent Blood Tree plants, successively nurturing the birth of the Serpent Blood Fruit Sprite Bugs.


    ¡°Another four Sprite Bugs, this year feels like it¡¯s going to be a bountiful harvest,¡± Liszt stopped pouring serpent blood over the potted Serpent Blood Trees that had nurtured Sprite Bugs.


    From now on, he just needed to fertilize diligently and provide enough nutrition for the Sprite Bugs, without wasting anymore serpent blood.


    The remaining serpent blood was mainly poured over the other sixteen potted Serpent Blood Trees. However, after continuously watering for two more days, there was still no reaction from the other potted Serpent Blood Trees.


    After one more day of watering, still no reaction.


    ¡°It seems that the Serpent Blood Trees which should have nurtured Sprite Bugs have already done so; continuing with the ones that haven¡¯t wouldn¡¯t make any difference,¡± Liszt took measures to cut his losses in time, decisively keeping about one-fourth of the remaining serpent blood. He stored it away for the next usage.


    In his mind, perhaps after a few years when the Serpent Blood Fruit Sprite Bugs begin to evolve, the serpent blood could come in handy again, helping them transform once more.


    However, he suddenly thought¡ªyears from now, he might already be riding a dragon.


    If hunting down a sea monster serpent would be a piece of cake, why keep this serpent blood and waste space in the Gemstone Space?


    So.


    He decided to split the serpent blood in two parts: one part to continue watering one of the Serpent Blood Tree pots to see if a new Sprite Bug could be nurtured; the other part for consumption.


    The blood of an Intermediate Magical Beast is a great tonic, significantly enhancing the effects of consuming Magic Potions.


    Recently, he had found the most reliable method for consuming potions¡ªtaking the least amount of potions for the maximum effect. Along with eating the flesh of an Intermediate Magical Beast, his Dou Qi volume steadily climbed higher, almost breaking through new levels every day.


    ¡°Now, I have increased my Dou Qi volume by two-thirds compared to when I hunted the Six-Headed King Serpent! Speaking of which, I could probably take on four Marcuses by myself now, right?¡± Marcus had become the standard unit by which he measured his own strength, perhaps it could be casually referred to as ¡®the strength of four Marcuses¡¯?


    This method of calculation was unscientific, but there wasn¡¯t a better reference available.


    On Coral Island, there weren¡¯t many Elite Earth Knights capable of standing up to him in a potion-binging battle, only Viscounts like Jonas and Trick who were probably stronger than Liszt as they were representatives of the old potion-bingers. Besides them were a few knights from the Coral Island Knights¡¯ elite Knight Squad who could match Liszt evenly¡ªthey were half potion-binger, half combat skills.


    After that, his brother Levis and the heir to Shattered Stone Castle, Brandon Brokenstone, were also potion-bingers, but their strength was definitely inferior to Liszt¡¯s.


    Not every Elite Earth Knight in the potion-binging circles could afford the cost of Magic Potions.


    Those who could afford it, like Levis and Brandon, certainly had not mastered the scientific method of potion-binging, nor did they have Dragon Breed Milk and Intermediate Magical Beast meat to supplement their diet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look for an opportunity to spar with the elites from the Knight Order soon, to test my combat strength.¡±


    Under the apple tree, in the rocking chair.


    Liszt canceled his Eye of Magic, the apple tree in front of him had already confirmed the nurturing of a Sprite Bug, located right above the apple desk in the branches among the flowers.


    This made Liszt believe that the birth of this Apple Bug was most likely influenced by his presence every moment.


    ¡°Magic, matter, spirit¡­ roughly the triangle theory that magicians study.¡± He didn¡¯t quite understand it, nor did he have the desire to understand it.


    I just needed to understand that I already had seventeen Sprite Bugs¡ªone Peanut Bug, one Alfalfa Bug, one Tulip Bug, one Millet Bug, one Little Wheat Bug, one Tomato Bug, one Fragrant Coconut Bug, one Dragon Kui Bug, one Corn Grass Bug, three Rubber Bugs, four Serpent Blood Fruit Bugs, and one Apple Bug.


    From the original four Sprite Bugs, a year later I had two Little Minor Elves, seventeen Sprite Bugs, and nine Intermediate Magical Beasts.


    I was quite satisfied with this harvest¡ªeven Tulip Castle, from the Viscount era to now, had only accumulated one Greater Elf, twelve Little Minor Elves, and over a hundred Sprite Bugs.


    A town¡¯s land, a year¡¯s time, to achieve such accomplishments, there was nothing to be dissatisfied with.


    I moved my wrist, stood up, and said, ¡°Philip, give me my bow and arrows.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Retainer Knight Philip Wool immediately handed over the bow and the arrows.


    Standing under the apple tree, I aimed at the distant target and began to practice ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±; by now, not only was I a powerful Elite Earth Knight, but I was also a skilled Divine Archer.


    I knew the principle ¡°Excellence comes from diligence, sloth from playfulness.¡±


    For the growth of my strength, I needed to practice combat skills and archery every day, making them instinctive to me.


    ¡­


    April just passed in a continuous series of harvests.


    The weather grew increasingly hot, spring seedlings sprouted quickly, and by the time May arrived, the serfs had already replanted 500 acres of Corn Grass; the Smoke Mission was quickly completed as well.


    ¡°For completing the mission, you are rewarded with four Dragon Breed Cows.¡±


    Meanwhile.


    The good news from the Cow Farm rapidly reached the Castle; one of the three cows, Dahuang, first gave birth to a healthy little calf, a female that could produce milk.


    Excited, I circled the little calf, looking at her from left to right.


    On the third day, Dahei also began to give birth; it was carrying twins and had some difficulty. It took half a day of work to successfully deliver the calves, one male and one female.


    Then, the following week, Dahua who had been quiet, gave birth to the fourth Dragon Breed Cow, a small female calf.


    I personally named the four Dragon Breed Cows¡ªthree female calves named Young Flower, Young Black, Young Yellow, and the male calf named Strong Strong. Inheriting the tradition of the Cow Farm, Young, Milk, Little, Big, Old, along with Strong, Stout, the five stages correspond to five different designations, quite distinctive.


    I also instructed the serfs of the Cow Farm.


    ¡°From now on, the cows of the Cow Farm will be divided into three grades. The first grade is the most outstanding, which are these four calves. You have to nurture them with the best feed and most careful care; the second grade are the original nine cows, which also require attentive care; the least are the newly purchased cows, treat them ordinarily.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, your orders are our goals for work,¡± said the skinny old steward of the Cow Farm. He was skinny and gaunt, trying to suck up but not quite managing it, and spoke in a dry tone.


    He was very skilled at delivering calves, personally bringing all four little calves into the world.


    For this, I rewarded him with four silver coins, to honor his contribution during the delivery of the calves, one silver coin for each successful delivery.


    So, for the past week, he had been quite elated.


    Leaving the Cow Farm, I could already envision the future pastures filled with herds of Dragon Breed Cows¡­ By that time, all the milk in my diet would be replaced by Dragon Breed Milk.


    Rich in nutrients.


    The growth of my Dou Qi as swift as flight.

 Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter 0343 Conflict Involving Little Wheat Bug (First Update)

    Chapter 346: Chapter 0343 Conflict Involving Little Wheat Bug (First Update)


    ¡°Soul Storage Vessel? It sounds like a very mysterious item, a jar that stores souls; it feels like something an Evil Magician would concoct.¡±


    Liszt pondered.


    Anything related to the soul is never devoid of evil.


    Previously, during the great battle with the Ghost Ship, he had obtained the Soul Submerged Wood from Curtis Truth, tainted with the resentment of countless people¡ªafter all, it was made through the sacrifice of an entire ship¡¯s crew; the Soul Disturbing Agent obtained from Merlese Truth was also extracted from the blood of the dead.


    The triangular theory of magic power, materials, and spirit inherent to magicians naturally pushes them toward the exploration of the spiritual realm¡ªthe soul.


    Liszt, too, wanted to know the meaning of the soul, but he was more keen on living a comfortable life.


    He was now pondering in what manner this Soul Storage Vessel would present itself before him, ¡°Currently, there are two magicians in town, Elkerson is making Magic Potions, and Granney has been invited by me to redesign the new Calming Sea Pearls, to be equipped on the soon-to-be launched Thorn Number.¡±


    So he guessed.


    The Soul Storage Vessel would either come from Elkerson or Granney.


    As for how he would obtain it, it was still unclear. But if neither of them offered it up voluntarily, he would make a thorough inquiry, unwilling to let his reward fall into someone else¡¯s hands.


    In the midst of thinking.


    The Smoke Serpent Script had already morphed.


    ¡°Mission: The wheat leaves in Little Wheat Village turned yellow and withered, right near the Little Wheat Elf Bug¡¯s Cordyceps; despite the farmers¡¯ desperate efforts to water and pile on compost, it was ineffective, and even burned a batch of wheat seedlings. As the Landlord, it¡¯s incumbent on you to solve the problem. Reward: An Elf Bug.¡±


    After reading the mission, Liszt understood that a new Little Wheat Bug was about to emerge in Little Wheat Village.


    Indeed, with the arrival of spring, everything came to life, and the Elf Bugs of Fresh Flower Town were also nurturing new life. The wilting of the wheat leaves must be due to the Elf Bugs requring large amounts of nutrients during their nurturing period, yet even with the farmers¡¯ desperate fertilization, they could not prevent the wheat leaves from continuing to yellow and wither.


    ¡°Why is this happening?¡±


    As inspiration sparked in his mind, he swiftly arrived at the Worm Room on the second floor.


    In the large box where the Elves lived, Jela monopolized the central position, with a dozen Elf Bugs crawling around it pointlessly.


    Occasionally licking up some Jade Powder.


    Living quite a cozy life.


    Yet among them, there was a discordant Elf Bug¡ªthe Little Wheat Bug.


    At the moment, it appeared quite restless and through the heart-mind contract connection, Liszt could feel its inner world. Though not quite clear, the message was adequately conveyed. It was agitated and even developed a slight hostility due to some matters.


    ¡°Little guy, come here.¡± He extended his hand, inviting the Little Wheat Bug to crawl onto it.


    At that moment, the sleeping Jela suddenly woke up, snatched the Little Wheat Bug from Liszt¡¯s hand, and put it back into the box: ¡°Wah!¡±


    There was no special meaning, just mischief.


    You¡¯re immediately met by Liszt¡¯s stern Finger-Flick Magic, sulking in the corner with its head covered: ¡°Wah, wah¡­¡±


    ¡°You better behave yourself, I¡¯m going to take care of your hide soon!¡± Liszt picked up the Little Wheat Bug again, not before dropping a harsh threat.


    ¡°Wah!¡± Jela protested, not believing it was being mischievous.


    Liszt pointed at it: ¡°Mind your hide!¡±


    ¡°Wuwaa!¡±


    ¡°Wuwaa!¡±


    ¡°Wuwaa!¡±


    Amid Jela¡¯s protests, Liszt left the Worm Room and hurried towards Little Wheat Village. Just as he arrived, he saw Isaiah discussing something with the serfs in the field.


    After the exchange of greetings,


    Liszt knew they must be dealing with the wheat seedlings turning yellow, but he still couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Isaiah quickly replied, ¡°My lord, there¡¯s been an issue with the wheat seedlings in Little Wheat Village, particularly near the cordyceps. The leaves are gradually yellowing, and it started just a couple of days ago. At first, I thought there was an issue with the cordyceps, but they¡¯re still healthy. I even asked Mr. Carter, and he told me the Little Wheat Bugs are healthy as well.¡±


    He then wondered if it was a nutrient deficiency, even contemplating if it could be related to the incubation of Elf Bugs.


    But using fertilizer did not help, leaving him puzzled, ¡°If I cannot resolve this, I was preparing to seek your counsel, my lord, as I am powerless to face this situation.¡±


    Agricultural anomalies in Fresh Flower Town should be reported directly to the Castle.


    Because every anomaly might relate to the incubation of Elf Bugs, but after many false alarms, Liszt canceled this protocol¡ªthe occurrence of anomalies in farming is too common and most of them have nothing to do with Elf Bugs. Apart from the alerts provided by the Smoke Mission, not once was there an extra harvest.


    ¡°I have understood.¡± Liszt did not blame Isaiah. Without the help of the Smoke Mission, his own management of the town would not necessarily be better than Isaiah and the others¡¯, especially in the face of this special situation, ¡°I think a new Little Wheat Bug has been born here, but its location is somewhat conflicting, right near the Little Wheat Cordyceps¡­ so, the two Little Wheat Bugs are competing, causing the yellowing of wheat around them.¡±


    Friction between Elves is indeed rare, but it does not mean that they are all friendly towards each other.


    The slap Jela gave Nami is clear evidence of that.


    The existing Little Wheat Bug clearly does not have friendly intentions toward the upcoming one, hence the current problem.


    Liszt took a simple approach to resolve it, ¡°Little fellow, retrieve your cordyceps.¡±


    The anxious Little Wheat Bug couldn¡¯t resist Liszt¡¯s thought.


    It quickly aimed at its cordyceps and spat out a mouthful of Magic Power. Then, the cordyceps reverted its growth at a visible speed, quickly turning back into a wheat seed and being swallowed by the Little Wheat Bug.


    ¡°I will move the Little Wheat Cordyceps elsewhere. You all must manage this wheat field carefully. If there are excess nutrients, use less fertilizer, if there¡¯s a deficiency, apply more. Watering and weeding must be done diligently. Don¡¯t let my second Little Wheat Bug die young.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured my lord, I will personally supervise the serfs in caring for this wheat field.¡±


    The Elf Bug¡¯s cordyceps would at most affect a range of a hundred acres or so. Therefore, in another wheat field, Liszt chose a relatively good spot and allowed the Little Wheat Bug to spit out its cordyceps again.


    The seed touched the ground.


    Growing visibly once more, it quickly turned lush green and sprouted ears of wheat. The ears were green, and they would remain perpetually in that almost-ripe state.


    The magical cordyceps, never a normal plant, resembles the incarnation of Magic Power more than anything else.


    After moving its cordyceps, the Little Wheat Bug felt waves of exhaustion. Cordyceps are not supposed to be moved frequently, for every casting by an Elf Bug takes a heavy toll on its vitality.


    Fortunately, Jade Powder can repair this damage.


    After a while, it would be lively and invigorated once again.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the new Little Wheat Bug, I definitely would not have moved the cordyceps. While vitality can be restored, there is no direct evidence to show that moving the cordyceps won¡¯t damage the Elf Bug¡¯s evolution probability,¡± Liszt said, stroking the Little Wheat Bug¡¯s golden yellow body with a trace of apology, ¡°Little fellow, I hope this doesn¡¯t affect your evolution.¡±

 Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter 0344: Aladdins Lamp (Second Update)

    Chapter 347: Chapter 0344: Aladdin¡¯s Lamp (Second Update)


    The probability of an Elf Bug evolving into a Little Minor Elf is very low, out of twenty or so Elf Bugs, maybe only two or three will evolve, and there¡¯s a high chance of evolution failure.


    As for whether the probability of evolution is related to the transplantation of Cordyceps, Liszt is not clear.


    There is no evidence to suggest a connection between the two.


    When Jela was still a Thorn Bug, its Cordyceps were planted in Tulip Castle, and it was only after migrating to Fresh Flower Town that it began to evolve and successfully did so. Although the assistance of the Smoke Mission played a part, it at least shows that Cordyceps can still evolve successfully after relocation.


    ¡°Perhaps for Elf Bugs, the transplantation of Cordyceps is like¡­ the Tri-Phase Force of the Rubber Bug triplets?¡± Liszt suddenly thought.


    The Tri-Phase Force should be considered a kind of magic, and it shouldn¡¯t affect the evolution of the Rubber Bugs, otherwise, the Smoke Mission¡¯s exploitation of their abilities would be betraying Liszt.


    This doesn¡¯t align with the usual style of the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°The Rubber Bug triplets recover after using the Tri-Phase Force and resting for a while, the Elf Bugs also recover after transplanting Cordyceps and resting. Maybe for Elf Bugs, this is like a magician casting spells, definitely consuming a bit of energy, but mainly serving as training?¡±


    To exercise control over their ¡°magic¡± by constantly releasing the Tri-Phase Force, through constantly transplanting Cordyceps?


    This speculation doesn¡¯t seem very reliable, the Tri-Phase Force can be explained as being ¡®strengthened by training,¡¯ but how could transplanting Cordyceps be considered training? Which Elf Bug would bother moving its own Cordyceps back and forth¡ªfor a plant, isn¡¯t it supposed to just quietly grow in the field?


    ¡°The essence of Elf Bugs lies in their Cordyceps, so transplanting Cordyceps should be considered harming their foundation; the Tri-Phase Force probably isn¡¯t¡­¡± Liszt could only judge so.


    At least as for the Rubber Bug triplets, their current condition is very good, showing no negative effects from having used the Tri-Phase Force once.


    He waved his hand.


    The Smoke Mission surfaced.


    It was still the original mission, not completed by the transplantation of Cordyceps.


    ¡°Probably because the withering incident in the wheat fields isn¡¯t completely fixed, the mission can¡¯t be considered complete, so I¡¯ll wait another two days to see if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡­


    After resolving the conflict with the Little Wheat Bug, Liszt primarily kept his attention on Elkerson and Granney.


    These two magicians showed no signs of handing over the Soul Storage Vessel. One was steadily making Magic Potions and cracking jokes at banquets, while the other was engrossed in crafting the Calming Sea Pearl to the point of not wanting to bath, and their apprentices were working obediently, showing no unusual behavior.


    No other channels had any information about the ¡°vessel¡± either.


    This made Liszt¡¯s mood somewhat depressed; watching the two magicians eat and drink at the banquet, he was not very cheerful, ¡°It seems like they¡¯re not going to hand over the Soul Storage Vessels unless I force them to.¡±


    Just as he was considering what method to use to force them to surrender the Soul Storage Vessels.


    The situation took an unexpected turn the next day.


    Bug Guard Members came to report that a horn had sounded by the sea¡ªthis was the signal for communication between him and Sea Sprite Ake; he had told the Bug Guard Team in charge of the Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps to report to him as soon as they heard the horn.


    So¡­


    He knew Ake was looking for him, as she generally wouldn¡¯t sound the horn unless there was something important, preferring to quietly stay in her room reading and studying magic.


    After rushing to the Sea View Villa, Ake somewhat frantically said, ¡°Brother, Ake found an unconscious human in the sea, and I don¡¯t know how to deal with her.¡±


    Following the direction of Ake¡¯s pointing hand, Liszt saw a pale woman lying on the bed in the wooden house on the second floor.


    She looked almost like a corpse, and her soaking wet clothes were obviously a Magic Cloak¡ªthis is the standard attire of a magician, which means this unconscious female is a magician.


    Then.


    He saw a pot, similar to a teapot, on the bedside cabinet.


    ¡°Soul Storage Vessel?¡± Liszt¡¯s inspiration burst forth. He realized his previous speculations had been misguided. Perhaps it had nothing to do with Elkerson and Granny. The clue guided by fate was right before his eyes, embodied in this unconscious magician. ¡°Ake, what¡¯s the deal with this teapot?¡±


    ¡°It was hidden in her clothes, and it was in the way, so Ake took it out and put it on the table,¡± Ake said nervously. ¡°Brother, is she already dead?¡±


    He checked her breathing; it was very steady.


    ¡°She is not dead,¡± Liszt touched his chin, feeling that the magician¡¯s unconsciousness was unlikely caused by drowning since a drowning person¡¯s breathing wouldn¡¯t be this normal.


    He then touched her heart, and its beating was also very steady.


    ¡°Seems like she didn¡¯t drown but is merely unconscious. The town doesn¡¯t have a doctor, only a few old people who know how to brew herbal medicine. I will ask them to come take a look, and Teacher Marcus should also know a bit about how to save people,¡± Liszt said to Ake. ¡°You should step out for a second.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ake returned to his shell and swam back to the sea.


    Liszt ordered the Retainer Knights to summon people immediately, and he continued to stay by the side of the female magician. Watching the unconscious magician, he felt helpless¡ªhe didn¡¯t know how to save someone; he only knew the theory behind mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, which didn¡¯t seem to be necessary since she was breathing on her own.


    After all, she was breathing.


    So he picked up the teapot from the cabinet and began to study it. It appeared to be a copper teapot, yet it was clear its purpose wasn¡¯t for holding tea. The Duchy of Sapphire didn¡¯t use teapots at all.


    Because the real tea was owned by Liszt alone.


    Others only drank milk tea brewed in cups from the fruits of the tea tree, with no need for a teapot.


    ¡°Looks a bit like the lamp from Aladdin¡¯s Lamp in ¡°One Thousand and One Nights¡±?¡± While handling the copper teapot, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but rub it.


    Expecting a blue smoke-formed Djinn to suddenly emerge.


    To grant him three wishes.


    However, nothing appeared.


    He shook the teapot; nothing was inside, and there was no lid. It was a single piece; probably only the spout served as the mouth of the vessel. ¡°So, is it really a Soul Storage Vessel?¡± Even after using the Eye of Magic, he couldn¡¯t see any trace of magic power; it seemed like a common piece of teaware.


    A teapot carried by a magician couldn¡¯t possibly be an ordinary object.


    But Liszt had no leads. He set down the teapot and carefully examined the unconscious magician. Her pale complexion made her look almost like a dead person. Her appearance was average, with some freckles on her face. Her hair was brown, with a height of probably around one meter sixty-five, neither fat nor thin.


    Since no one else was around, with no need to be concerned, he began to search the magician¡¯s clothes with his hands, hoping to find something else that could prove her identity.


    In the end, he only found a pendant around her neck.


    The pendant had a silver coin hanging from it¡ªnot a coin that could be used for trading, but a light, silver-colored, round metal coin, feeling somewhat like mithril to the touch.


    The front was engraved with a triangular pattern and an eye in the center, the symbol of magicians, the Eye of Truth. Under the Eye of Truth triangle, there were several wavy lines, likely representing water.


    The back was engraved with a tiny Serpent Script: ¡°May your voyage in search of Truth be surrounded by the ocean of knowledge, Chris Truth.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Chapter 0347: Dragon Beast Sailboat and Goat Assembly (First Update)

    Chapter 350: Chapter 0347: Dragon Beast Sailboat and Goat Assembly (First Update)


    36D had turned into a young girl, but still possessed the 36D bust size.


    When she was the 36D Ghost, her facial features were almost indiscernible, but now they were very clear, bearing a vague resemblance to Curtis Truth, and quite beautiful.


    However, her style was completely the opposite; Curtis always had a gloomy Lich-like presence, surrounded by green light, which was very uncomfortable. In contrast, this misty figure radiated a white light, appearing somewhat holy.


    ¡°You can¡¯t remember who you are?¡± Liszt looked at the Soul Storage Vessel in his hand, feeling it was incredible.


    With just an inhalation and exhalation, the once fierce and terrifying specter had transformed into holy light. It seemed that the Soul Storage Vessel was definitely Divine Artifact-level Magic Equipment.


    Moreover, it really bore some resemblance to Aladdin¡¯s Lamp, at least the girl¡¯s body, which was like a puff of smoke coming out of the spout of a teapot.


    The upper half of her body was humanoid, while the lower half remained as smoke.


    The girl lowered her eyelids, seemingly in thought.


    Liszt didn¡¯t disturb her.


    In fact, he had some speculations.


    The 36D Ghost originated from the Dragonbone Stabilizer, from a sunken ship of the Magic Goat Family, containing five chests of treasure. Two chests held Magic Books, and the others contained crystals, jade, and mithril. The fact that such cargo could be transported indicated the sunken ship was no ordinary vessel, but likely an important one belonging to the Magic Goat Family.


    Thus, the identity of the girl sealed within the stabilized Dragon Bone of such a ship was not hard to deduce; she should be related to the Magic Goat Family.


    The more he thought she resembled Curtis, the more it supported Liszt¡¯s guess that she might be from the Magic Goat Family, or even someone whose soul had been stripped by Curtis and sealed within the Dragonbone Stabilizer.


    ¡°The Magic Goat Family¡­¡±


    A family lost in the rivers of time, yet time and again entangled with Liszt. He didn¡¯t know whether to feel honored or unlucky.


    He also thought of Merlese Truth, who was killed by Paris, and who seemed to have connections with the Magic Goat Family; her research notes were all marked with the goat symbol. And the Magician, Chris, who was in a coma, whether she too was related to the Magic Goat Family was uncertain, yet the Soul Storage Vessel appeared to be the work of an Evil Magician like Curtis.


    A moment of contemplation.


    The girl, looking somewhat absent-minded, raised her head and looked at Liszt again, ¡°I can¡¯t remember¡­ It seems I¡¯m no longer a human, right? Do I look like I¡¯m in a soul state?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are currently in a soul state, but slightly different from any other soul I have seen; they all exist in the form of light. Whereas you are more like a smoke form, and previously, you were a Specter sealed within the Dragonbone Stabilizer.¡±


    Liszt shook the Soul Storage Vessel in his hand, and following the smoke from the mouth of the teapot, it immediately started to quiver.


    This, in turn, caused the girl¡¯s entire body to tremble, as if wavering like ripples on water, yet it didn¡¯t seem to make her feel uncomfortable.


    She just stared blankly at the Soul Storage Vessel, looking at the smoke that connected to her body.


    Murmuring to herself: ¡°Dragonbone Stabilizer¡­ Dragon Beast Sailboat¡­ Truth¡­ Magic Goat¡­ Who am I¡­ Who am I exactly?¡±


    Dragon Beast Sailboat?


    Liszt¡¯s ears perked up upon hearing a new term. He guessed that this must be the name of the sailboat itself that used the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique, the unique technology of the Magic Goat Family ¡ª the Dragon Beast Sailboat.


    When he heard her mention the ¡°Magic Goat,¡± it was quite evident; she indeed was from the Magic Goat Family. Liszt interrupted her troubled pondering, ¡°I think I can give you a hint. The Dragon Beast Sailboat is likely the exclusive type of sailboat mastered by the Magic Goat Family, and as for you, you might be someone from the Magic Goat Family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from the Magic Goat Family?¡± The girl seemed touched by a memory, yet she couldn¡¯t recall anything, ¡°Do you know anything more?¡±


    Liszt raised an eyebrow, ¡°Do you know Curtis Truth?¡±


    ¡°Curtis!¡± The girl¡¯s face drastically changed, her expression full of panic, and her body made of smoke and light started to flicker, ¡°It¡¯s her! It¡¯s her! Curtis Truth, that terrible woman! She¡¯s the one who killed me! She massacred the ¡®Goat Assembly¡¯; anyone who didn¡¯t obey her commands was killed by her!¡±


    Suddenly, she clutched her head and wailed in pain, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t kill me¡­ I¡¯m Virginia, I¡¯m your sister¡­ don¡¯t kill me, Curtis¡­¡±


    It was unclear if the pain was too much, or if time had simply run out.


    She turned back into a wisp of smoke, returning to the Soul Storage Vessel. When Liszt shook it, he could feel the bit of liquid inside, but nothing would pour out no matter how he tried.


    Having no other choice, he stored the Soul Storage Vessel in the Gemstone Space¡ªliving things put into the Gemstone Space would soon have their souls extinguished and thus die, but a soul could avoid extinction if it took refuge in an object. The Drift Bottle had been in there for a long time, and the 36D Ghost was still normal, so the Soul Storage Vessel likely had a similar function.


    Of course, it was also possible that it didn¡¯t have that function, and Virginia might have extinguished right away¡­ He hadn¡¯t considered that possibility.


    He returned to the castle.


    He took out a piece of thick parchment and wrote down the three Serpent Script phrases: ¡°Dragon Beast Sailboat,¡± ¡°Virginia Truth,¡± and ¡°Goat Assembly¡±: ¡°The ¡®Goat Assembly¡¯ is probably an organization of magicians, and Virginia might be Curtis¡¯s biological sister, possibly in possession of the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique.¡±


    As for the grudges and grievances of those days, Liszt no longer cared¡ªit was nothing more than a sappy story about a woman mad with love, who betrayed her own family.


    Regardless of justice or evil, it was all irrelevant to him; he was more interested in the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique.


    On the vast sea, the chances of encountering a Sea Monster were indeed not high, but should it happen, using the Dragonbone Stabilizer to release Dragon Might would definitely increase the chances of survival considerably.


    ¡­


    Virginia Truth couldn¡¯t be tipped out of the Soul Storage Vessel, and Chris Truth lay on the bed, never waking up.


    Before he knew it, May was drawing to an end, and the weather officially entered the scorching summer days.


    Good news followed one after another.


    First were the four Serpent Blood Tree Plant Pots, from which the Elf Bugs had successively emerged, biting Liszt¡¯s finger and becoming his contract Elf Bugs.


    Four Serpent Blood Fruit Bugs, all a light white base color with a red stripe on their bodies, were very beautiful.


    Liszt had transported the Serpent Blood Fruit Bugs to Black Horse Island, planting them on a newly reclaimed wasteland there¡ªSerpent Blood Fruit attracted snakes, and since there were no venomous snakes on Black Horse Island, there was no danger of attracting poisonous ones. The only precaution was to not attract Sea Serpent class Sea Monsters.


    Following the Serpent Blood Fruit Bugs, the Apple Bugs also successfully emerged.


    The apple tree that had become Cordyceps grew more robust and lively, producing a plethora of little green apples this year. Unfortunately, that was their extent; they would no longer grow¡ªwhether it was spring, summer, autumn, or winter, they remained in that state.


    Many of the lesser nobles especially enjoyed going into the forest to find Elf Bugs during winter; if they were lucky, they could discover a green Cordyceps among a vast expanse of withered trees.


    Of course, the probability was very low as the distribution of wild Elf Bugs was quite sparse.


    In the winter on Black Horse Island, Marcus and others had searched several times to no avail, without discovering any Cordyceps.


    The light green Apple Bug was now lying in Liszt¡¯s palm, chubby and cute, resembling a lush and tender piece of soft jade.


    ¡°As I do not plan to transplant this Apple Tree Cordyceps, therefore, Mr. Carter, you should contact Administrative Officer Isaiah to transform the surroundings of the castle into an apple orchard,¡± Liszt decreed.


    Butler Carter bowed in response, ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±

 Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Chapter 0348: I Need to Lie Down a Bit Longer (Second Update)

    Chapter 351: Chapter 0348: I Need to Lie Down a Bit Longer (Second Update)


    Not long after the birth of the Apple Bug, Liszt¡¯s eighteenth Elf Bug was also about to arrive. The yellowing leaves in the wheat field had finally recovered to lush green under the meticulous care of the serfs, and among them, a tall wheat seedling stood out with its exceptional growth.


    It had condensed Magic Power, becoming a Cordyceps.


    The Smoke Mission, too, had conveniently changed: ¡°Complete the mission, reward: one Little Wheat Elf Bug.¡±


    Liszt was very pleased with the birth of the Little Wheat Bug, for wheat was among the most important of grain crops. A Little Wheat Bug, capable of increasing wheat yield, generally commanded a price of over four thousand Gold Coins on the market.


    ¡°Before the festival season, it took me nearly half a year to harvest five Elf Bugs: Peanut Bug, Dragon Hollyhock Bug, Tomato Bug, Fragrant Coconut Bug, and Corn Grass Bug; after the festival season, in less than half that time, I¡¯ve already harvested nine Elf Bugs: Little Wheat Bug, Apple Bug, three Rubber Bugs, and four Serpent Blood Fruit Bugs.¡±


    Although the variety might not be rich, the quantity was certainly plenty, especially the Rubber Bugs and Serpent Blood Fruit Bugs, which came in droves.


    Just a few days ago, the Rubber Bug exerted Tri-Phase Force for the second time, restoring the nearby Rubber Trees in the rubber plantation to their optimal state, greatly enhancing both the speed and amount of rubber harvested.


    The Port Town had already begun using liquid rubber to construct houses and roads.


    This would be the first modern town under Liszt¡¯s rule.


    The Smoke in front of him slowly drifted, forming new Serpent Script content: ¡°Mission: Perhaps in your hasty search, you have not discovered the significance of the Silver Coin Pendant, it is no mere common silver coin, it has received the blessing of Magic Power, and perhaps it can awaken a magician in a coma. Reward: A down-on-his-luck Magician.¡±


    A light brightened before his eyes.


    Without hesitation, Liszt went to visit the comatose Magician in the town.


    ¡°Stay outside the door, do not disturb me while I heal the Magician.¡± After dismissing the manservant and Retainer Knights, he went straight to the bedside, looking at Chris, who was being meticulously cared for by several women.


    When she was first pulled up, her complexion was pale without a trace of color, like a dead person.


    Now, however, she was quite rosy, although her looks were still of ordinary rank, with Liszt only able to rate her a passing score of 6 out of 10.


    The Silver Coin Pendant was still around her neck.


    When he had previously examined it, he had noticed nothing unusual about the silver coin, other than perhaps that it was made from a particularly unusual material, possibly the feather-light Magic Metal Mithril. Now that the Smoke Mission had mentioned it, he used his Eye of Magic to scrutinize it carefully and attempted to infuse it with Dou Qi.


    The moment Dou Qi was infused, a few runes of Magic Power flashed brightly on the silver coin.


    Subsequently, a Magician¡¯s chanting sound began, akin to celestial music, yet he couldn¡¯t understand the content of the song, which was merely a repetition of a few syllables.


    ¡°Is this the Moon Language?¡± Liszt tried to capture the melody, ¡°According to several Magic Books, Magicians from the Ancient Moon Empire were all able to perform blessing spells. Could this melody be one such blessing spell?¡±


    The Moon Empire was the ¡°source¡± of all civilizations in the nations.


    Magicians also took pleasure in uncovering magic from the era of the Moon Empire, delighting in studying the Moon Language and advocating that all national languages were inherited from it, with many words being variants of the Moon Language.


    Now, the blessing spell in Moon Language began to resonate.


    It indeed sounded very pleasant.


    Liszt found himself somewhat entranced, but he continued to observe the Silver Coin with the Eye of Magic, its Magic Power runes acting like the strings of a musical instrument, with each vibration producing a tone of the Moon Language. Gradually, the Magic Power in the air seemed to respond to the blessing spell, rippling and converging like water waves.


    ¡°`


    Eventually, the converging magic power began to wash over the unconscious magician.


    A long while later.


    The blessing spell dissipated, and the luster of the silver coin also faded gradually. Despite Liszt¡¯s efforts to inject Dou Qi, he couldn¡¯t trigger a new blessing spell. At that moment, the magician, who had been unconscious for over a week, let out a light cough.


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t woken up yet, but her eyelids were fluttering.


    Liszt straightened his Flack¡¤Abaie and displayed an appropriately noble smile, thinking to himself, ¡°Though using the magician I already had in my possession as a reward for the Smoke Mission is a bit sly, being able to awaken Chris quickly is still quite good.¡±


    ¡­


    The dim world had no end.


    She felt her body was full of fatigue, her head as if it had been struck by a hammer, unable to concentrate, weak, uncomfortable, exhausted, and dizzy.


    With no escape, she could only keep wandering in the dimness, growing more tired and helpless with each passing moment.


    Just then, a faint voice reached her ears. It was like a spring of clear water pouring over her body, drenching her completely, seeping through her from head to toe. Her clouded consciousness also began to clear, and a lamp suddenly lit up in the dark world, marking the exit.


    She ran with all her might toward the exit¡¯s light, using every ounce of her strength.


    No longer wishing to sink into the boundless gloom, she finally reached the exit, where the light was bright enough to dazzle her, making her involuntarily close her eyes.


    But still, she rushed through without a second thought.


    A brand new world unfolded before her eyes ¨C a simple wooden hut. There were no extra decorations, yet there was a handsome man with eyes as blue as gemstones, wearing the highest form of a smile, gazing at her faintly. Their eyes met, as if seeing into each other¡¯s souls.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± She made a sound, but her voice was terribly hoarse.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± the handsome man said with a slightly magnetic, pleasant voice, questioning her.


    Such elegant demeanor, such tender voice, and eyes that saw through to the soul, it was like a dream, making her feel as if she had escaped a nightmare and entered a spring dream: ¡°I¡­¡± Her voice was still very raspy and unable to convey a complete thought.


    In fact, her entire being was still in a daze, not fully conscious.


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased you¡¯ve woken up. You might still be unclear about what happened, but after I rescued you from the sea, you¡¯ve been unconscious for almost a week now,¡± the handsome man said with a smile that seemed to clear the gloom away. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be completely recovered yet. I¡¯ll have someone take care of you, and we¡¯ll talk more when you¡¯re alert.¡±


    Then, he turned and left. Shortly after, a few women dressed as commoners came in.


    They roughly helped her up, one of them vigorously wiping her face with a towel and asking, ¡°Magician miss, are you feeling better now?¡±


    Another was braiding her hair with enough force to pull it out, while also speaking, ¡°When the great and benevolent Lord Landlord rescued you, your hair was a mess. I¡¯m not sure how you usually do your hair, so I just tied it into a ponytail for now.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She was truly at a loss for words from being fussed over so much but finally gritted her teeth and managed to say, ¡°Can I lie down a bit longer? I¡¯m feeling a bit dizzy.¡±

 Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Chapter 0352: The Resentment of Five Jin of Snake Meat (First Update)

    Chapter 355: Chapter 0352: The Resentment of Five Jin of Snake Meat (First Update)


    Six newly recruited Earth Knights had gone through a period of adjustment without causing too many issues that dissatisfied Liszt.


    However, Liszt planned to consider their allegiance after a full three months.


    Now that the Smoke Mission had issued a task in advance, with a reward as valuable as a Dou Qi Secret Technique, he had no reason not to complete it.


    ¡°After I return, I will have these six follow me.¡±


    The sunrise had yet to break the eastern sky, and the early summer morning still carried a lingering chill, while Liszt¡¯s thoughts flickered rapidly: ¡°No one can predict whether the path ahead is full of thorns or a smooth journey¡­ Does this mean that even the Smoke Mission cannot influence the Threads of Destiny tied to the Sapphire Dragon?¡±


    On second thought, that seemed incorrect. If the Formless Dragon could be influenced, there was no way that the destiny thread of a Gemstone Dragon would be thicker than that of a Sacred Dragon.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a matter of distance?¡±


    He suddenly realized, ¡°Up to this point, I have undertaken sixty Smoke Missions, completing fifty-seven of them, with only three changing¡­ the Old Tanner¡¯s hidden books, the Thief spying on the Landlord, and the founding of the Fire Dragon Brick Factory¡­ Out of all the tasks, fifty-nine were related to Fresh Flower Town or Black Horse Island, with only one concerning Duniko Hyacinth.¡±


    In other words, the range within which the Smoke Mission could influence the Threads of Destiny was all within Liszt¡¯s territory.


    The only exception, Duniko, who had shared a bed with him, was undeniably also influenced by that unhealthy relationship, however slight the pull on her thread might have been.


    As three months had passed since Liszt gave up on going to Red Crab Island to find her, there were no more ties, and the Threads of Destiny had likely already snapped.


    ¡°So, it was because the Formless Dragon stayed near Fresh Flower Town that it was affected by the Smoke Mission, or perhaps by the Power of Destiny of the Smoke Dragon. But with the Sapphire Dragon located on the distant Blue Dragon Island, the Smoke Mission simply cannot involve it?¡±


    These were only speculations, without any concrete conclusions.


    After all, Liszt wasn¡¯t even sure whether the smoke he saw was left by the Smoke Dragon. If it was, was he some form of a Dragon Wraith, or a Dragon-Bred human? Moreover, looking at cases where Dragons infected beasts, Dragon bloodlines didn¡¯t seem to possess the magical attributes of Dragons.


    Beasts infected by the Fire Dragon, Water Dragon, or Metal Dragon were just ordinary Dragon Breed Beasts¡ªsome exceptionally majestic, but that was about it.


    They wouldn¡¯t turn into fire horses from Fire Dragon infection or into water horses from Water Dragon infection.


    And certainly not into smoke horses from Smoke Dragon infection¡ªby the same logic, if Liszt were infected by the Smoke Dragon, he would at most become a small dragonkin, not what he appeared like now.


    As for Dragon Wraiths,


    The White Dragon Wraiths were a special form of existence where ghosts were created by combining Magic Power with the Soul after death by a Dragon; Black Dragon Wraiths willingly dedicated themselves and were then corrupted by a Dragon¡¯s Magic Power.


    Liszt was certainly not a ghost and had never offered himself willingly, so he was likely not a Dragon Wraith either.


    ¡°So, did the Smoke Dragon die and its power entered my body? The key question is, who could kill a Smoke Dragon that represents fate¡­ According to some Knight¡¯s Novels and Magic Books, when a Dragon is near death, it flies to the Valley of Dragons, whose location is unknown.¡±


    Therefore, it was improbable for the Smoke Dragon to have died naturally and then had its power attach to Liszt¡¯s body¡ªbut it couldn¡¯t be ruled out either, since even the Fire Dragon had died and decayed on Black Horse Island, reduced to a pile of bones.


    Regardless,


    All these divergent and logical thoughts leading to speculations had been considered by Liszt more than once. Still, ultimately, there was too little evidence to prove anything.


    ¡­


    His thoughts fluctuating along the way, he arrived at Tulip Castle by eight o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Levis was just about to leave the house and was surprised to see Liszt¡¯s arrival: ¡°My brother, why have you come today, and so early at that? What time did you leave Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    ¡°I set off before dawn. Where is Father?¡±


    ¡°Father is practicing his morning exercises in the flower garden on the back hill. Do you have a matter to discuss?¡±


    ¡°Very serious business, brother. Please go and call father back. I will wait for you in the study,¡± Liszt said gravely.


    ¡°What is it? Tell me first.¡±


    ¡°More serious than anything you could guess.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t want to talk about it outside the study and simply urged Levis to hurry and summon the others.


    He then led Chris into the Earl¡¯s study first.


    Butler Louis was sick. Now Tulip Castle was in the hands of Vice-Butler Silva, who personally brought in two cups of milk tea¡ªmilk tea was the only drink Liszt enjoyed at Tulip Castle.


    ¡°Please have a seat, Chris. Don¡¯t be nervous. My father is not too strict,¡± Liszt reassured her as he could see her nervousness.


    Chris nodded and sat down, ¡°Baron, I¡¯m just a bit worried that this might involve you and the Tulip Family behind you¡­ You saved me, and I don¡¯t want you to suffer misfortune because of me.¡±


    ¡°Coral Island is remote, and information doesn¡¯t flow smoothly. As long as you don¡¯t reveal your identity, nobody will recognize you, and no one will connect you with that incident. As for my father and brother, the more they know, the better they can deal with danger.¡±


    ¡°Yes, as long as I can help the Baron.¡±


    ¡°Have some milk tea. You seem not to have fully recovered yet.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The wait wasn¡¯t long. Soon the Earl¡¯s voice could be heard from outside the door: ¡°¡­I would really like to know what kind of matter would bring a son, who hunted a one-ton serpent but only gave five pounds of its meat to his father, to seek his own father.¡±


    Liszt, who was drinking milk tea, couldn¡¯t help but cough.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was stingy. He simply couldn¡¯t bring himself to part with it¡ªmiddle-grade sea monster meat was priceless, each piece of snake meat was a part of his future strength.


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t stopped coughing yet.


    The Earl had already pushed the door open and entered the study. After glancing at Liszt and Chris, who wasn¡¯t in her magic cloak but dressed like an ordinary person, he walked straight to the desk, ¡°Speak up, Liszt, my dear son, what do you have for me?¡±


    Levis closed the door tightly and then asked, ¡°Liszt, are you sure¡­ this lady, whose name we have yet to ask, should remain in the study?¡±


    ¡°Her name is Chris Truth. She is a magician, and the source of the news comes from her.¡± Liszt ignored the Earl¡¯s earlier jibe about the ¡°five pounds of snake meat¡± and said solemnly, ¡°Brother, please check again to make sure there¡¯s no one outside or near the window eavesdropping.¡±


    ¡°That careful?¡±


    Finding himself being ordered about by Liszt, Levis felt a bit awkward, but still took the task seriously and checked again.


    The Earl had already helped himself to a glass of red wine and took a small sip, ¡°Put an end to your secretiveness. Speak plainly. What news does Her Excellency Chris bring?¡±


    ¡°The Marquis of Bull might be planning to assassinate the Grand Duke¡¯s Sapphire Dragon, no, he might have already done so. At least a week and a half have passed since Chris brought the message; it could be two weeks¡­ She was pursued by Grand Magicians in the open sea and cast into its depths using Permafrost, eventually drifting to Coral Island.¡±


    Chris and others fled Iron Hoof Island by sea but did not know where they were headed. After being overtaken by the Grand Magicians, she sank into the sea.


    Drifting with the current, she arrived in the waters of Fresh Flower Town five days later¡ªenough time to assume the Marquis of Bull would strike within that period, to avoid delayed complications.


    After that, Chris was unconscious for nine days. Nine days were enough time to discern the outcome of slaying a dragon.


    Upon hearing this, Levis burst into a wry laugh, ¡°Assassinate the Grand Duke¡¯s dragon? Liszt, and Miss Chris, do you realize how foolish that decision is?¡±

 Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Chapter 353: The Atmosphere Returns to Harmony (Second Update)

    Chapter 356: Chapter 353: The Atmosphere Returns to Harmony (Second Update)


    Assassinating a dragon was indeed a very foolish decision.


    However, to assassinate a dragon with meticulous planning filled people with awe and terror.


    ¡°Father, brother, I cannot guarantee that this information is true, I can only relay the news brought by Her Excellency Chris, for you to analyze¡­ The assassination plan of the dragon originated more than thirty years ago. The remnants of the Magic Goat Family lurked within the magicians¡¯ organization, the Goat Assembly, and they probably used Lich transformation techniques to make contact with the Former Marquis of Bull.¡±


    Subsequently, Liszt relayed the news brought by Chris and his own summarization of deductions, laying it all out.


    After he finished speaking, Levis still refused to believe it, ¡°This is too preposterous, assassinating the Sapphire Duke¡¯s dragon is not something a sane person could conceive. Dragons represent the pinnacle of the world¡¯s power. Even a sub-dragon or a dragon beast is not something one could casually hunt down.¡±


    His words held a certain logic.


    Just as there was an immeasurable gap between Sky Knights and Dragon Knights, there existed an immeasurable gap between magical beasts and dragons.


    Sky Knights and Grand Magicians were mighty; they could hunt down Intermediate Magical Beasts and even Advanced Magical Beasts.


    But between Advanced Magical Beasts and dragons, there lay Super Magical Beasts, High-Level Dragonkin Magical Beasts, and Super Dragonkin Magical Beasts¡ªthree tiers of separation. It was hard to imagine anyone being able to overcome so many levels and kill a dragon that underpinned the fate of a nation. Therefore, the Marquis of Bull¡¯s dragon assassination plan seemed like a tasteless joke.


    The earl didn¡¯t laugh; he looked at Chris, ¡°You are a magician from the Goat Assembly, then, do you know a magician named Weber Truth?¡±


    ¡°He is one of the lead Grand Magicians of the Goat Assembly; we call him Instructor Weber. He¡¯s responsible for guiding new members to join.¡±


    ¡°What about Worrent Truth?¡±


    ¡°Another lead Grand Magician. It was he and my teacher, Olivie Truth, who were responsible for hunting down us young magicians who knew the secrets,¡± Chris answered with some pain.


    The earl nodded and said to Liszt, ¡°Escort Her Excellency Chris to rest, and then come back so we can talk more.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    ¡­


    After Liszt had escorted Chris out.


    Levis couldn¡¯t wait, saying, ¡°Father, you can¡¯t possibly believe the news Liszt brought is real. I have never believed a word said by that magician Chris from beginning to end.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, Levis,¡± the earl sipped his wine, his expression stern, ¡°I¡¯ve met Weber Truth and Worrent Truth on one occasion. They are the two Grand Magicians worshipped by the Marquis of Bull¡­ As for the Goat Assembly, I have heard of this magicians¡¯ organization; it originated from the exterminated Magic Goat Family.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Maybe Chris just appropriated the name ¡®Goat Assembly¡¯ to concoct a plot. Magicians love engaging in such things!¡±


    ¡°What could possibly be on Coral Island that merits a magician¡¯s scheme? Who would immerse themselves in seawater, unconscious for nine days, just to get close to a baron? Or to approach me through Liszt?¡± the earl said, his expression returning to calm, ¡°The odds are nine out of ten that it¡¯s true. I understand the Marquis of Bull; he would definitely go mad in pursuit of immortality.¡±


    ¡°Father, do you think this is true? Would the Marquis of Bull really assassinate the Grand Duke¡¯s dragon?¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem with that? It¡¯s just the killing of a dragon. If no one had the guts, how would the world have ever seen the rise of heroes with the title of Dragon Slayer?¡±


    ¡°Dragon Slayers are heroes because they kill Evil Dragons. But murdering the Grand Duke¡¯s dragon is an atrocious act,¡± Levis countered.


    ¡°If he succeeds, who will care whether he killed a good Dragon or an evil Dragon¡­ Levis, I hope you can calm yourself. As the heir of Coral Island, you¡¯re not as composed as your brother Liszt.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I just find it hard to believe this fact.¡±


    ¡°Belief is not important; what you need to learn is to distinguish the primary from the secondary,¡± the Earl said. ¡°Liszt brought this news solemnly. He cannot tell if it¡¯s true or false, and neither can I. But that doesn¡¯t prevent us from discussing the impact it would have on the Family and on Coral Island if it were true.¡±


    Levis wanted to say something, then gave up: ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    ¡°Tell me your thoughts, what impact would the Marquis of Bull hunting the Sapphire Dragon have?¡±


    ¡°It would be a disaster. Without the Sapphire Dragon, our country could no longer exist; the Sapphire Family would be destroyed, and all the smaller families, including ours, that depend on the Sapphire Family would be doomed too,¡± Levis grew increasingly anxious as he spoke, ¡°Father, if it¡¯s true, we must prepare!¡±


    ¡°Your analysis is still not comprehensive enough. The Marquis of Bull¡¯s assassination of the Dragon could end in three outcomes¡ªfailure, success, and something in between. Each outcome will bring a different situation we need to deal with, and how should Coral Island position itself in such scenarios?¡±


    Levis fell into deep thought; he was only a young man in his twenties who had not yet married.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile.


    Liszt had already handed Chris over to Paris and quickly returned to the study, finding a place to sit down.


    The Earl asked, ¡°Did you arrange everything?¡±


    ¡°I left her with my guard, Paris. You can rest assured, Father. Paris is trustworthy and will not make a mistake,¡± Liszt knew what the Earl wanted to ask.


    The Earl, however, seemed to recall something odd and said, ¡°Although I don¡¯t think inheriting your mother¡¯s looks is an advantage for a male noble, it often has certain benefits¡­ Still, young people should learn self-restraint.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t understand what he was getting at but nodded anyway.


    The Earl changed the subject and added, ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t be too restrained either; five pounds of snake meat is truly too little!¡±


    ¡°Father, the meat of an Intermediate Sea Monster is just a novelty for you, but for me, it is a huge help. It¡¯s critical for my future and reaching greater heights¡­ Actually, I¡¯ve brought gifts for you, Brother, and for Lidun as well¡ªarmors made from the skin of the Six-Headed King Serpent for each of you,¡± Liszt said calmly.


    He had to admit, five pounds of snake meat was not overly generous, but hunting the Six-Headed King Serpent had taken a lot of effort, and the meat, which was an excellent ingredient for pairing with medicines, was something he truly didn¡¯t want to share.


    So, he simply compensated with the snake skin armors.


    Upon hearing about the snake skin armors, and even with a share for Lidun, the Earl finally expressed satisfaction: ¡°Learning to control your desires and understanding trade-offs is good progress. As a father, I can understand your urgent desire for improvement in strength; you wasted too much time when you were young.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand. Being born into the Tulip Family with the least talent really troubled me a lot.¡±


    ¡°But knightly honor favors you more,¡± Levis interjected.


    A few words and three armors resolved the apparent rift between father and son. The harmonious atmosphere of the family returned as they began to discuss the myriad issues arising from the Marquis of Bull¡¯s assassination attempt on the Dragon.

 Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Chapter 0357: Female Follower (First Update)

    Chapter 360: Chapter 0357: Female Follower (First Update)


    Having obtained ¡°Breath Decay¡±, Liszt immediately decided to practice it.


    Now that he had completely mastered ¡°Flaming Wave¡± and ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, and had basically mastered ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, and his ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± had become even more transcendent, pondering over these Dou Qi manuscripts and Dou Qi secret techniques would not significantly improve his strength. It was better to practice ¡°Breath Decay¡± to conserve his resources.


    At the same time.


    Thomas had returned with the organized documents to report, ¡°My lord, this is the dossier on the serf girl Emily from the commissioner¡¯s office.¡±


    Emily, from the Eagle Kingdom, was an orphan with both parents deceased, and her brother had also died. She was eleven years old this year and was the first girl in the girls¡¯ group to cultivate Dou Qi, even quicker than most of the boys in the qualifying group. She performed excellently in knight training, but she still needed to attend embroidery classes.


    Moreover, she performed poorly in her embroidery classes¡ªshe couldn¡¯t even thread a needle properly.


    ¡°Emily isn¡¯t getting along well with her foster family, mainly because she does not do household chores and thinks all day about becoming a female knight, which leads to frequent scolding. After knight training classes, she¡¯d rather stay in the Knight¡¯s Square than go home early,¡± said Thomas.


    After reviewing the dossier.


    Liszt basically understood that this girl named Emily yearned for the life of a knight, ¡°Call Rom over, and have Emily brought along as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Before long, Rom and Emily both rushed over, with Rom standing to the side after paying his respects. Liszt¡¯s gaze was entirely on Emily, the eleven-year-old girl who was around one and a half meters tall, and although her face was immature and her body frail, her eyes were bright and full of life.


    Her deep eye sockets and high nose bridge gave her a somewhat exotic appeal¡ªrelative to the people of the Duchy of Sapphire and the Eagle Kingdom.


    Perhaps she would be quite beautiful when she grew up.


    However, her large bone structure contrasted with her skinny frame, making her appear somewhat disproportionate, likely due to the lack of flesh on her body.


    ¡°Your name is Emily, I heard you don¡¯t like being an embroiderer?¡±


    Emily wasn¡¯t meeting Liszt for the first time, but it was her first time speaking so closely with Lord Landlord, which made her a bit nervous. Still, she mustered her courage and replied in a tender yet firm voice, ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, Emily does not like to be an embroiderer. Emily hopes to become a knight!¡±


    ¡°Ambitious, but do you know that for a woman, becoming a knight requires far more effort than it does for all others?¡±


    ¡°Emily knows, but Emily is not afraid!¡±


    Seeing Emily¡¯s determination, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Then do you know that the resources spent to train a female knight exceed those required to train a male knight? If I spend a lot of resources to train you as a knight, do you know what you should do?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Emily was somewhat at a loss, being just an eleven-year-old child, but she quickly regained her resolve, ¡°If Lord Landlord trains Emily, Emily is willing to serve Lord Landlord for life, and will not retreat a step even if it costs her life!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    This precocious response somewhat astonished Liszt.


    Indeed, she was a child capable of attracting the Smoke Mission and pulling on the Threads of Destiny, a bit extraordinary; he nodded in approval, ¡°I am satisfied with your answer, Emily. Since you have chosen a difficult path, as your Landlord, I will give you a chance to change your fate, hoping you will keep your promise.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, Emily is willing to follow the lord and charge forth for the lord!¡± Emily, with her young frame, mimicked the adult knights and performed the grand salute of a follower¡ªkneeling on one knee, right hand on her chest, leaning forward ninety degrees while bowing, head lowered, gazing at the ground.


    Liszt walked over and lifted her up, ¡°I accept your allegiance, Emily.¡±


    By the time Emily climbed up, she excitedly stood straight, and he smiled, saying, ¡°You are my youngest follower and also my first female follower. I wish that in the future, you may become a glorious knight, chasing honor shoulder to shoulder with me¡­ For now, you will train with Maggie.¡±


    Maggie, the object of envy among all the serf children because her sister was the personal guard of Lord Landlord.


    She received specialized knight training every day and was making rapid progress.


    Emily nodded excitedly, ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Liszt then turned to Rom, ¡°Rom, please arrange for Emily¡¯s training personally. Also, tell her foster parents to treat Emily better. From now on, she does not need to attend any more embroidery classes; she should focus entirely on knight training.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°All right, you may go now,¡± Liszt indicated for everyone to leave, then he said to his personal servant, ¡°Go and call Paris over.¡±


    Calling over Paris was simply to inform her that her sister Maggie was going to have a companion for her training. It was somewhat wasteful for Maggie to enjoy the knight training alone, and training with a companion was often better than alone, if nothing else, for having a good point of reference.


    Paris replied, ¡°I have no objections. In fact, I am happy to see that Maggie will have a companion. She has been getting increasingly lazy with her knightly drills¡­ But I am surprised, Baron, that you would accept an eleven-year-old girl as a follower.¡±


    ¡°It was her longing look filled with desire for knighthood that moved me. I believe that someone with such a gaze will not lead an ordinary life in the future. Perhaps, among my followers, there will emerge a female Sky Knight,¡± Liszt said with a smile. In actuality, it was the Smoke Mission he believed in, not Emily herself.


    Paris smiled, ¡°I wish her luck.¡±


    ¡°How is your Dou Qi cultivation progressing?¡±


    ¡°I have not found a clue yet. The power of the Black Dragon Childe always manages to assimilate the little Dou Qi that I have painstakingly refined.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you are taking the wrong approach. Dou Qi originates within a knight, but you already have the power of the Black Dragon Childe within you, which is a conflict in itself¡­ You could consult with Chris, learn magic, use the Black Dragon Childe¡¯s power to harness Light System Magic. Maybe that¡¯s more reasonable.¡±


    Invisibility Technique is one of the Light System Magic disciplines; many Grand Magicians study Invisibility Technique. And Paris, after acquiring the power of the Black Dragon Childe, soon developed her own Invisibility Technique.


    ¡°Hmm, when my cultivation of Dou Qi is declared a failure, I¡¯ll turn to magic,¡± she said.


    ¡­


    After Paris left,


    Liszt concentrated for a moment, and smoke slowly emerged.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward Douson with new magic ¨C Rock Wall.¡±


    ¡°Rock Wall?¡± He stood in front of the window, just in time to see Douson playing with the Eight Tiny Ones in the sunset. Suddenly, Douson opened his mouth, and a rock wall burst forth frantically from the apple tree grove of the estate, obstructing the path of the Eight Tiny Ones.


    Facing a rock wall that was three meters high, ten meters wide, and twenty centimeters thick, irregular and twisted.


    The Eight Tiny Ones barked excitedly, nonstop.


    And Douson, as if he had found a new toy, continued raising rock walls, turning the originally beautiful apple garden into chaos with walls everywhere.


    ¡°Quiet, Douson!¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help but shout out loud.

 Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter 0358: The Courts Sailing Ship Arrives (Second Update)

    Chapter 361: Chapter 0358: The Court¡¯s Sailing Ship Arrives (Second Update)


    Rock Wall isn¡¯t a lethal magic, but its usefulness in group battles is very apparent, whether for blocking or for defense, it¡¯s a valuable spell.


    Rock Spike, Rock Grenade, Rock Wall¡ªDouson¡¯s training needed to be replanned to accommodate new commands.


    However, the pressing matter wasn¡¯t training Douson, but to complete the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: News from afar is soon to arrive, an earth-shattering scheme may unfold into reality, no one can predict, but as a Landlord, one must stay armed and be ready for battle. Prepare for combat and await the moment the message is delivered. Reward: The breeding of the Green Caterpillar.¡±


    This was the new mission content.


    The reward was the peculiar ¡°breeding of the Green Caterpillar¡±; he wasn¡¯t clear on what the Green Caterpillar was. After inquiring many people, nobody knew what it was. It sounded like some kind of caterpillar, but generally, caterpillars were pests, so why would it be a reward?


    ¡°Could it be like a silkworm? Spinning green silk?¡± This question could only be answered after completing the mission.


    What concerned him was the content of the mission¡ªprepare for battle.


    ¡°The Smoke Mission hasn¡¯t provided exact news, meaning whether the dragon-slaying occurs and the outcome of it are still unknown. But I should confirm Fresh Flower Town¡¯s battle sequence for heading into the battlefield and be ready to join the fight at any time,¡± Liszt thought deeply about his own strength.


    He and Douson were a pair, so when heading into battle, he would undoubtedly bring along Douson.


    Now, Douson¡¯s strength could be compared to a newly knighted Sky Knight, with three magic skills: the main attack ¡°Rock Spike¡±, the control skill ¡°Rock Wall¡±, and the ranged assault skill ¡°Rock Grenade¡±¡ªno apparent weaknesses. Combined with Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic and archery, they were an extremely powerful offensive platform.


    Paris should be brought to the battlefield, not to fight, but to unleash a burst at a critical moment, to handle any fatal crisis.


    Then there was the Knight Squad, comprising two Elite Earth Knights and ten Common Earth Knights, not outstanding but should be capable of supporting roles.


    Essentially, this was all of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s combat ability.


    In terms of equipment, the Knight Squad had a full set of Fine Steel Knight Suits armed by him, as well as arrows made from Thorn Ironwood and Thorn Poison¡ªnot too great, but not too bad either.


    And there were Telescopes to peek into the forefront.


    ¡°My Knight Squad will follow the Coral Island Knights and take on logistics and support tasks¡­ Once we really enter the battlefield, I¡¯ll think about how to make decisions. The battlefield changes rapidly, so one can only adapt accordingly,¡± Liszt pondered.


    ¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to enter the battlefield so soon. Don¡¯t worry, Baron, I will ensure your safety,¡± Paris said with a smile.


    Liszt replied with a smile as well, ¡°With my current strength, combined with Douson, as long as we don¡¯t encounter a Sky Knight of the Sword Saint Level, it¡¯s not too dangerous. I will fight alongside my father and brother, so it would be difficult to come across a Sky Knight¡­ If we really face an irresistible force, then you can step in.¡±


    He paused and added, ¡°Be cautious about using your transformation. You have a whole youthful future to look forward to; save me if you can, and if not, escape on your own.¡±


    It¡¯s impossible to predict how a person will react when faced with danger.


    Liszt was simply preparing for the worst scenario. As someone who had lived in peaceful times and then crossed over to this Different World where knights charged into battle, it was natural for him to be nervous about the battlefield. Or perhaps, without experiencing the baptism of blood and fire, he couldn¡¯t transform his mentality and set his spirit free.


    Marquis Merlin had told him that young people should be passionate.


    Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t young and rarely had moments of passion, being cautious and considering all aspects was his style.


    Paris, who had directly faced the Light Dragon, said with ease, ¡°Within the scope that my life allows, I won¡¯t let you, Baron, fall into danger.¡±


    It seemed as if an atmosphere was brewing.


    They exchanged a knowing smile, and then Paris bid farewell and left the study.


    ¡­


    Within the Sea View Villa.


    Ach, the Sea Serpent magician, was still earnestly learning magic. She had completely immersed herself in the world of magic, unable to extricate herself. She spent most of her time in the Sea View Villa, continuously paging through magic books, soaking up various kinds of magic knowledge like a sponge.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I came to see how Ach is doing.¡± Every time he saw Ach, Liszt was in a good mood, ¡°And also to check on Nami.¡±


    The Mangrove Minor Elf was sleeping on the table. It rubbed its eyes, saw Liszt, and whispered ¡°jee¡± as a greeting.


    Then it continued to sleep soundly. Unlike the active Thorn Minor Elf Jela, most elves actually prefer peace and spend most of their lives sleeping¡ªafter all, they are born from plants, and plants stay in one place for their entire lives.


    ¡°Does brother want to hear Ach sing?¡±


    Ach put down her magic books and asked with wide eyes.


    Liszt would naturally not refuse.


    So, a beautiful and melodious song quietly began to play. It was a popular folk song from the Duchy of Sapphire, and when sung by Ach, it sounded celestial. Compared to playing the piano, it could soothe Liszt¡¯s restless mood more quickly, making him feel at ease.


    After singing.


    Liszt habitually reached out and ruffled Ach¡¯s sapphire blue hair, and Ach giggled and nestled into Liszt¡¯s arms. She liked to snuggle there, feeling very warm¡­ even though the weather was getting hotter.


    ¡°Ach, I might have to travel far away. I hope that during my absence, you will continue to study magic diligently, striving to become a Grand Magician as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Where is brother going?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I might go to the battlefield, or I might not have to leave Fresh Flower Town. In any case, you should study hard.¡±


    ¡°Mm, Ach is studying hard every day. It won¡¯t be long before Ach becomes a Water System Grand Mage. Then in the sea, Ach will no longer have to worry about being hunted by Dulu Miqita. If Dulu Miqita ever thinks about eating Ach, I¡¯ll use magic to fight them!¡±


    ¡­


    At the beginning of June, the blazing sun scorched the earth.


    That day, Coral City Port welcomed a swift three-masted ship flying the Sapphire Dragon Banner. After docking, news had already reached Tulip Castle.


    Earl William Lee personally hurried to the port to greet this ship representing the Court.


    The people from the ship had disembarked and were waiting at the port. Upon seeing Earl William Lee and his party arrive, a knight clad in silver-white armor at the forefront rode forward: ¡°Earl William Lee, I am Boski Pansey, captain of the seventh Knight Squad of the Blueblood Knight Order. I come bearing orders from the Sapphire Duke!¡±


    ¡°Good day, Captain Boski. What message has the duke brought?¡±


    ¡°This is a letter personally written by the duke.¡± Boski took out a black-sealed letter from his breast and handed it to Earl William Lee with gravity, ¡°The orders are within the letter!¡±


    Taking the letter, Earl William Lee already anticipated the unfolding of certain events, but he remained composed as he offered his hand: ¡°Captain Boski, please accompany me to Tulip Castle to rest.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡±

 Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Chapter 0360: Becoming the Knight Orders Commander (First Update)

    Chapter 363: Chapter 0360: Becoming the Knight Order¡¯s Commander (First Update)


    ¡°The Grand Duke¡¯s Dragon must have encountered some problem, that¡¯s my father¡¯s speculation,¡± said Liszt calmly. ¡°He believes that, given the Grand Duke¡¯s temperament, if the Sapphire Dragon were unharmed, he would never have issued an order to suppress the Marquis of Bull. The Grand Duke would have directly commanded the Sapphire Dragon to annihilate everything on Iron Hoof Island as a deterrent to his enemies.¡±


    After rushing to Tulip Castle, Liszt encountered his brother Levis, who was busy receiving the continuously arriving nobles.


    Taking the opportunity, Levis told him what had happened¡ªthe Sapphire Duke had sent a letter, summoning all his followers to assemble at Iron Hoof Island to annihilate the Marquis of Bull.


    ¡°Have you deduced what exactly has happened to the Sapphire Dragon?¡± Liszt asked with a steady gaze.


    ¡°At the very least, it¡¯s injured¡­ The knight who came to inform us is a viscount from the Blue Blood Alliance, and he was very tight-lipped. I wasn¡¯t able to extract any useful information from him.¡±


    ¡°So, is father planning to proceed with the original plan and follow the Grand Duke¡¯s command to join the suppression?¡±


    ¡°When the situation is unclear, that¡¯s the most appropriate course of action. Father is already in communication with several marquises and earls, and after reaching Bull Horn City, we¡¯ll carefully consider how to proceed with the second step. However, the war is essentially set in stone. Liszt, you¡¯re only seventeen; are you really planning to go to war?¡±


    He felt a bit displeased. As someone who had been called a ¡°prodigy¡± and as the family¡¯s heir since childhood, he had only gone to battle at twenty-three, and now seventeen-year-old Liszt was about to go to the battlefield.


    Liszt was unaware of what Levis was thinking; he simply said indifferently, ¡°As a noble¡¯s second son, the only chance to change my fate is through war¡­ I don¡¯t have much time to waste.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    ¡­


    The meeting convened at dusk.


    Earl Li Weiliam Tulip announced the Grand Duke¡¯s orders and immediately began arranging which knights would be deployed. ¡°Everyone will go to war. Bring yourselves and your followers. All Earth Knights who are not old, weak, sick, or disabled must appear on the battlefield.¡±


    He looked around at all the nobles. ¡°My plan is to form six Knight Orders, one elite Knight Order and four regular Knight Orders that will directly participate in the war, and one more to patrol within the island, to garrison and defend the security of Coral Island.¡±


    Six Knight Orders, six Commanders.


    Coral City Advisor Jacob was appointed as the Commander of the defensive Knight Order, to stay behind and ensure the safety of Coral Island.


    Of the remaining five Knight Orders, four Commanders had already been selected. Li Weiliam himself naturally led the elite Knight Order, while Jonas, Trick, and Levis, the three viscounts, each led one Knight Order.


    Now only the last Knight Order¡¯s commander was needed.


    ¡°Earl, please allow me to lead it,¡± Liszt said without much hesitation or conflict. ¡°Although this is my first time on the battlefield, I have an Intermediate Magical Beast as a pet, with combat power on par with an ordinary Sky Knight. I believe I am fully capable of leading a Knight Order to vie for glory.¡±


    Li Weiliam looked over the attendees. ¡°Is there anyone else who intends to volunteer as a Knight Commander?¡±


    Indeed, several barons who were elite Earth Knights had been eager to try, but after Liszt volunteered, they immediately backed down.


    Not to mention that Liszt had already been hailed as a future viscount; just by virtue of being Li Weiliam¡¯s son, it would be very difficult for anyone to contest with him. After all, no one would be foolish enough to think that they ranked higher in the Earl¡¯s eyes than Liszt, even though he was Lady Marie¡¯s brother.


    Lady Marie¡¯s brother was also an Elite Earth Knight and had inherited a baron¡¯s title; his prestige on Coral Island was not insignificant.


    He was very keen on securing the position of Knight Order Commander, it being the best position to earn military honors, but now, he could only look at Liszt with resentment.


    He dared not vie for the position anymore ¡ª Liszt was known to set his dog on people.


    He always brought Douson with him whenever he left home, as if worried others wouldn¡¯t realize he owned an Intermediate Magical Beast. Of course, the benefits of doing so were quite apparent.


    No objections were raised during the meeting, so Liszt smoothly became the new Knight Order Commander.


    The meeting then began discussing how many Earth Knights each landlord could dispatch to participate in the war and then allocate them subjectively among the five Knight Orders. Evidently, the Knight Order led by Liszt was not very attractive, as not many nobles were willing to join, and the response was sparse.


    He didn¡¯t mind.


    He wasn¡¯t even that concerned about his own Knight Squad¡ªonly Douson was his greatest reliance.


    Ultimately, it was the Earl who made a forceful arrangement, ¡°Captain Layden, you are an experienced and prudent Elite Earth Knight; you will lead a Knight Squad to assist Liszt in decision-making. Cobalt, Nash, both of you lead your Knight Squads and join Liszt¡¯s Knight Order as well.¡±


    Captain Layden had always been the Knight Captain of Coral Island¡¯s elite Knight Squad, which meant the Earl had directly supplemented Liszt¡¯s Knight Order with an elite Knight Squad.


    Cobalt and Nash, on the other hand, were established Barons, each with their own Knight Squads, including Elite Earth Knights among their followers.


    In addition, since each Knight Order had a fixed ten Knight Squads but there was still an extra Knight Squad, the Earl made a grand gesture by slotting it into Liszt¡¯s Knight Order¡ªthus, Liszt¡¯s Knight Order ended up with eleven Knight Squads, totaling one hundred and forty-two people.


    The Earl looked deeply at his son, ¡°Liszt, please remember that all the glory of these Knights is tied to your person.¡±


    Liszt replied calmly, ¡°I stand with the Knights!¡±


    The Knight Orders were distinguished by color.


    The Earl led the Red Knights, Levis led the Yellow Knight Order, Jonas Shattered Stone led the Grey Knight Order, Trick Weed led the Green Knight Order, and Liszt led the Black Knight Order.


    All was agreed upon.


    The Earl stood up, announcing solemnly, ¡°My followers, you have two days to prepare. At 10 a.m. on June 7th, all Knight Orders must assemble at Coral Island Port. May the glory of knighthood bless us all and may we fight side by side on the path to glory!¡±


    Everyone, including Liszt, stood up and solemnly saluted with their right hand to their chest, ¡°Ready to charge for our lord!¡±


    ¡­


    The meeting concluded, and they had a simple dinner at Tulip Castle.


    They returned to their own lands overnight.


    Liszt, regardless of it being one o¡¯clock in the morning, quickly gathered all the Earth Knights and town officials for a midnight meeting. The meeting lasted only half an hour since everything that needed to be prepared had been ready; it was merely a repetition. After taking care of these matters, he took a bath and lay down in bed.


    He called forth the Smoke Mission.


    Unsurprisingly, as soon as he secured the position of Knight Commander, the mission was completed: ¡°Mission completed, reward: settlement of the Green-headed Duck.¡±


    ¡°Not sure where the Green Caterpillar and the Green-headed Duck are, I¡¯ll send someone to look for them in Fresh Flower Town tomorrow. If they can¡¯t be found there, they¡¯re probably on Black Horse Island¡­There¡¯s no time to search Black Horse Island; I¡¯ll leave Goltai in charge of it. Whether it¡¯s the Green Caterpillar or the Green-headed Duck, neither is likely to be an impressive reward.¡±


    He clenched his fist, ¡°War is now my utmost priority!¡±


    The smoke shifted, forming new Serpent Script.


    ¡°Mission: War has arrived! Serving as a Knight Commander has paved the way for your path of glory; now lead your Knight Order to set foot triumphantly on Iron Hoof Island¡¯s port, and start the steps of your own war! Reward: The awakening of Virginia Truth.¡±


    ¡°Virginia Truth?¡± Liszt suddenly remembered that this referred to the Magic Goat Family girl who used to be the 36D Ghost and had regained her appearance.


    After placing her into the Soul Storage Vessel, he had almost forgotten about her.

 Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Chapter 0361: The New Ethnic Group of Mangrove Island (Second Update)

    Chapter 364: Chapter 0361: The New Ethnic Group of Mangrove Island (Second Update)


    He pulled out the Soul Storage Vessel and tilted the spout of the teapot to pour, but no smoke came out, indicating that Virginia Truth had not yet awakened.


    Without giving it much thought, he continued to sleep.


    The next day.


    The entire day was busy with preparations for logistical support to the battlefield. Besides the Knight Squad, Liszt would also bring Paris, Douson, and eight Retainer Knights to serve him on the battlefield. When going out to fight, laundry and cooking were unavoidable, and these tasks could not possibly be done by himself, so they had to be entrusted to the Retainer Knights.


    Additionally, he had to bring along a few town officials for a special mission¡ªrelocating serfs.


    Once the siege of Iron Hoof Island began, they would certainly conquer castles one by one, and the serfs belonging to those castles would become spoils of war. Liszt would never allow these serfs to flee and end up in the pockets of the Sapphire Duke to be redistributed to other Nobles.


    He had discussed with the Earl and his brother a long time ago about renting the family¡¯s sea ships for the transportation of serfs.


    If there ever was a chance to take serfs to the seaport to board a ship, he would absolutely not be polite. Black Horse Island had a vast expanse of wasteland, even Fresh Flower Town still had plenty of fallow land not fully cultivated.


    Serfs were truly scarce.


    These serfs were different from those in the Eagle Kingdom, as they spoke the same language; after being captured, they could be directly put to work without the need for an adjustment period or acclimatization.


    ¡°Remember to bring enough provisions, especially flatbreads, breadsticks, and jerky,¡± Liszt checked the supplies on the carriage.


    When a Landlord called upon smaller landlords to join the fight, they would not prepare supplies for these little landlords, only for their own Retainer Knights¡ªMarcus, Charles, and others were nominally followers, but in fact, before they received Noble titles and domains, they were only Retainer Knights under Liszt.


    ¡°My lord, we¡¯ve brought 1,500 flatbreads, 1,000 breadsticks, and 800 pieces of jerky, enough for everyone to eat for a month,¡± replied Marcus.


    Flatbread was a creation Mrs. Abbie made at the direction of Liszt, easy to carry and store, suitable for the needs of marching and warfare. Flatbread saved more space than traditional breadsticks carried during war marches in this world. Flatbread, breadsticks, and jerky would constitute the main food during war.


    Of course.


    The Knights would not only eat these items; once they conquered the next Castle, they could eat whatever they wanted. These flatbreads, breadsticks, and jerky served more as emergency rations, just in case.


    To fight a war supported by the spoils of war was the essence of Knightly combat.


    After meticulously checking the supplies to ensure nothing was overlooked, Liszt reorganized his Gemstone Space once again¡ªhe took out some items that he wouldn¡¯t need and stored them in the Castle¡¯s warehouse, such as Mithril, Jade, and Crystals.


    And refilled it with food.


    Together with the earlier chunks of Six-Headed King Serpent meat, this food would be enough for him to eat for a year; he would definitely not starve to death.


    Afterward, he went to the Magic Workshop located in Mushroom Hamlet¡ªoriginally called the Flame Mushroom Processing Workshop, a place Elkerson used for making Magic Potions. Now his work had been replaced by Chris, and the workshop¡¯s name had also been changed to Magic Workshop¡ªall the Magic Potions produced in Fresh Flower Town were processed here.


    ¡°Chris, are my Magic Potions ready?¡± he asked.


    Chris moved out a prepared box: ¡°Baron, I finally managed to finish making these Magic Potions before you set off to war¡­ However, I must say, the Mr. Elkeson you previously cooperated with, his method of making Magic Potions was really rudimentary and wasted too much Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°His potion-making skills are poor?¡±


    ¡°Not to say too poor, but relatively inferior. It¡¯s possible he had little experience in making Magic Potions, wasting at least 20% of the Magic Power,¡± Chris said. She was quite a talented Magician, advancing to the next level at the age of seventeen, while people like Elkerson did not advance until they were in their twenties.


    Moreover, what Chris was most proficient in was Magic Potion production, so it was quite normal for her to increase the efficiency of Magic Potion use by 20%.


    Liszt smiled and said, ¡°Thankfully I have you to help me now, otherwise the thought of my large batches of magic potions being lost in the production process, and perhaps even being embezzled, would not be a happy one.¡±


    ¡°If I could break through to become a Grand Magician one day, the efficiency of magic potion production could continue to improve. For now, it has basically reached the saturated utilization rate that a magician can master.¡±


    ¡°Do your best. During my absence, feel free to make any requests to the castle.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Baron.¡±


    All the magic potions were packed into the gemstone space.


    Even though he was headed out to war, he still did not want to interrupt his potion consumption routine. The practice of Dou Qi was like sailing against the current; if you don¡¯t advance, you will fall back. Now, with the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡°Breath Decay¡± to augment the effects of the magic potions, breaking Merlin Taro¡¯s record of becoming a Sky Knight at twenty-two should not be difficult.


    ¡°Who knows, I might become a Sky Knight at eighteen and ride a dragon at twenty!¡± Liszt ambitiously thought.


    By evening.


    He made another trip to the Sea View Villa to bid farewell to Ach.


    However, he unexpectedly received news about the Green Caterpillar and the Green-headed Duck from Ach, ¡°Brother, a bunch of ducks and caterpillars have come to Nami¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Ducks and caterpillars? What do they look like?¡±


    ¡°The caterpillars are a bit like Elf Bug babies, about as long as a finger, and their bodies are covered with fluffy fur, not like insect fur but more like animal fur; the ducks have gray bodies, green heads, and are as big as swans. They can also spit water jets, and are low-level magical beasts that love eating caterpillars the most.¡±


    Clearly.


    The reward for the Smoke Mission had landed on Mangrove Island.


    The Green Caterpillars bred on Mangrove Island, hence attracting the low-level magical beasts, the Green-headed Ducks, that prey on them. The use of the Green Caterpillars was not very clear¡ªit¡¯s possible that their green fur could be used to make clothing like animal fur¡ªbut the meat of the magical Green-headed Ducks was definitely an excellent food source.


    Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up. With his current archery skills, hunting low-level magical beasts would be an easy catch.


    At that moment, Ach added, ¡°Brother, those ducks love to lay eggs everywhere, and they have already laid a lot of eggs on the island. They seem to never incubate the eggs, as I haven¡¯t seen any ducklings.¡±


    ¡°Duck eggs?¡±


    Magical Green-headed Ducks were laying eggs on the island.


    This meant that if he picked them up, he could directly hatch Green-headed Ducks and then artificially rear them. Much like Tulip Castle¡¯s method of raising low-level magical Fire Rabbits for food, satisfying the castle¡¯s great demand for magical beast meat¡ªeven if he couldn¡¯t incubate the eggs, they would definitely be a delicious delicacy.


    After thinking for a bit, he said, ¡°Ach, could you and Nami collect these duck eggs and put them inside the Sea View Villa¡­never mind, don¡¯t bother collecting them. Let¡¯s talk when I get back.¡±


    It was summer now, and he estimated that these duck eggs probably couldn¡¯t be stored for long. By the time he returned from Iron Hoof Island, they would likely be spoiled.


    It would be better to let the Green-headed Ducks proliferate on the island by themselves¡ªif these duck eggs didn¡¯t require incubation and the ducklings could hatch on their own, it would only serve to increase the population of Green-headed Ducks.


    Leaving the Sea View Villa, Liszt was in high spirits.


    Now that his territory had Blizzard Beasts, Green-headed Ducks, and the Black Pearl Tridacna, which was not a Sea Monster, it was as if he had gained control of three special magical beast resources.


    He felt full of high ambition, ¡°I hope to distinguish myself quickly in this war and be soon granted the title of Viscount of Black Horse Island!¡±

 Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Chapter 0363: Covered with Dried Tulip Flowers (First Update)

    Chapter 366: Chapter 0363: Covered with Dried Tulip Flowers (First Update)


    Draped with stars and crowned with the moon, chasing the morning dew, the fish-belly white of the eastern horizon gradually turned into a red sky. By the time the red sun rose from the eastern skyline, the troop had already arrived at the Coral City Port.


    The port had already gathered many knights, as well as their retainers.


    ¡°Captain Layden, I¡¯ll leave the assembly of the Black Knight Order to you,¡± said Liszt as he saw Layden Pot, entrusting the task of assembly to him.


    He then proceeded to discuss with Levis the allocation of his own ships.


    The Tulip Family owned about fifty sea vessels, half of which were twin-mast cargo sailing ships; the remaining half comprised two-thirds twin-mast ordinary sailing ships and one-third twin-mast fast sailing ships. There were only two triple-mast ships, one being the Tulip¡ª a triple-mast ordinary sailing ship, and the other being the Coral¡ª a triple-mast cargo sailing ship.


    Liszt certainly would not be assigned the triple-mast ships.


    He was allocated a twin-mast fast sailing ship, two twin-mast ordinary sailing ships, and one twin-mast cargo sailing ship.


    The cargo ship was used to transport food and water, ordinary ships for the retainer knights and horses, and the fast ship for nobles to ride in. Of course, Liszt had privileges¡ªhis knight squad and retainer knights also rode on the fast ship, serving him, even the Li Dragon Horse was placed on board.


    Paris stayed next door, with Douson standing guard at the door.


    Personal safety reached the highest level.


    After he had negotiated with Levis which four ships belonged to the Black Knight Order, the Earl had already come over and, after delivering a speech at the port, took the lead to board the triple-mast ship Tulip.


    Afterward, one by one, the sailing ships left the port.


    In the rising sun, the Knight Order of Coral Island set sail, heading toward Iron Hoof Island.


    ¡­


    Sailing was boring.


    However, this time Liszt was somewhat busier, as he had to straighten out the Knight Order, so he kept gathering the one hundred and forty-two knights of the Black Knight Order on the ship. Charging together in training was impossible, but establishing various battlefield signals and slogans among one another, and building a simple trust, was feasible.


    At the same time, it was a period to establish authority, as there were two other seasoned Barons on the ship besides him¡ªCobalt and Nash.


    After a simple sword fight on the deck, they had to admit that even without relying on Douson, the intermediate magical beast, they were no match for Liszt.


    Even two against one, they could not defeat Liszt.


    ¡°Knight Commander, are you sure you have not become an Elite Earth Knight?¡± asked Cobalt, very dejected after their sound loss in a two-against-one.


    Liszt smiled faintly, neither denying nor confirming, ¡°The combat power of a knight is not entirely based on the level of Dou Qi. All you need to know is that my strength is sufficient to shoulder the responsibilities of a commander. Follow me into the charge, and the glory on the battlefield will definitely belong to our Knight¡¯s Spear!¡±


    He had already begun practicing ¡°Breath Decay¡±.


    But he had not yet succeeded in his practice, and the effect had not been shown; the Dou Qi in his body was still continuously dissipating outward.


    Before obtaining the Dou Qi secret technique, he thought this kind of waste was normal, but with the secret technique, seeing the Dou Qi dissipate made him uncomfortable¡ªit was not just a little waste of Dou Qi; it was a waste of his strength, a waste of his gold coins.


    Cobalt was thoroughly convinced, ¡°Of course, I would not dare to doubt it now.¡±


    Nash also replied, ¡°With the Knight Commander¡¯s mighty strength, I am even more confident in seizing glory; I will definitely follow the commander¡¯s footsteps closely.¡±


    Status, strength, both completely suppressed.


    No one in the Black Knight Order dared to defy Liszt, so in just a short four-day journey, he had already successfully grasped the authority of the entire Knight Order.


    There were no more voices of dissent.


    ¡°`


    ¡­


    Encountering neither storms nor sea monsters, the expedition fleet from Coral Island arrived safely at the Bull Horn City Port, now flying the Sapphire Dragon Banner, on the night of the fourth day.


    The vanguard Knight Squad landed at the port.


    After a brief reconnaissance, they confirmed that the port was indeed occupied by the Knight Order of the Grand Duke.


    Consequently, a series of flag signals were sent from the Tulip, and all the ships began to dock one after another, with five Knight Orders swiftly assembling at the port.


    Liszt, clad in fine steel armor with a fine steel round shield in his left hand and a fine steel Knight¡¯s Spear in his right, also had the Crimson Blood Sword hanging at his waist. The lining of his armor was made from the skin of the Six-Headed King Serpent, making its defense unparalleled. Mounted on his Li Dragon Horse, the unity of horse and rider exuded an imposing aura.


    He rode around the assembled Black Knight Order, his face solemn beneath his lifted visor, his sapphire-colored pupils shimmering under the torchlight.


    Once he was certain that all the knights had found their positions in the rows, he suddenly snapped his visor down and bellowed, ¡°All units, close your visors and follow me!¡±


    ¡°Click!¡±


    ¡°Click!¡±


    ¡°Click!¡±


    The crisp sound of metal fasteners echoed as over a hundred and forty knights in orderly rows quickly shut their visors, completely encased in their armor.


    Following Liszt, they moved from the port towards Bull Horn City.


    Bull Horn City is a major city on Iron Hoof Island and one of the renowned cities in the Grand Duchy of Sapphire, famous for the Bull Horn Academy at its edge. This academy supplies servants to The Court year-round, and numerous noble maidens come here to learn needlework.


    It is also for this reason that many single nobles linger in Bull Horn City, hoping to court a well-born lady from the academy.


    However, the once-busy Bull Horn City was now almost devoid of civilians, with well-armored knights being the main figures on the streets.


    The knights stationed in Bull Horn City coordinated with the Earl and accommodated the Knight Orders from Coral Island in a common district.


    ¡°Knight Commander Liszt, the Earl has informed me that after you set up camp, you and the other commanders are to go to Bull Horn Castle for a welcoming banquet,¡± a knight relayed the message.


    ¡°I understand,¡± he replied.


    He then called over to Captain Layden, ¡°See to it that accommodations are arranged for each knight.¡±


    Layden was not put off by Liszt¡¯s delegating attitude; on the contrary, he relished the temporary authority, raising his voice as he directed the knights to their lodging.


    Liszt instructed his Retainer Knights, ¡°Ensure my room is thoroughly cleaned, call for water to wash the floor and furniture, and spread dried Tulip flowers liberally to dispel this nauseating stench!¡± Accustomed to the fragrant air of Fresh Flower Town, he struggled to endure the foul odor of excrement mixed with urine in the city.


    Paris, who stood nearby, coughed.


    Liszt casually added, ¡°Also clean the room for Paris¡¯s guard and sprinkle it with dried flowers as well.¡±


    Paris gave a small curtsy, ¡°Thank you, Baron,¡± her face unable to hide her amusement.


    ¡°Paris will accompany me to the banquet to ensure my safety. Zavier will take care of Douson, and Philip will look after the horses,¡± Liszt briefly ordered.


    Having left the encampment of the Black Knight Order, he headed towards the area where the Yellow Knight Order was stationed. It so happened that Levis had also finished arranging his knights and was ready to set out with a few retainers. After a short wait for Viscounts Jonas and Trick, the four Knight Commanders made their way together to Bull Horn Castle.


    To attend the welcoming banquet.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Chapter 0364: Bull Hooves, Bull Tail, and Bull Horns (Second Update)

    Chapter 367: Chapter 0364: Bull Hooves, Bull Tail, and Bull Horns (Second Update)


    The Sapphire Duke was not in Bull Horn City.


    In fact, the Duke had not left Blue Dragon Island at all, and the one who came to oversee the encirclement campaign on Iron Hoof Island was his eldest son, Anthony Sapphire.


    This 32-year-old heir to the Grand Duchy had already reached the level of a Sky Knight of the Sword Saint Level, and was gradually taking over the management of the Blueblood Knight Order from the Duke.


    If nothing unexpected happened, he would be the Sixth Duke¡ªbut now it was hard to say, as the unexpected had already occurred.


    He was stationed in the largest coastal city to the southwest of Iron Hoof Island¡ªBull Hoof City.


    ¡°The port of Bull Hoof City is the last stop for the Pioneer Mandate each year. We must prevent the Marquis of Bull from fleeing from Bull Hoof City and also defend against any possible intervention from the Eagle Kingdom. Therefore, the First Prince must personally take charge,¡± Levis commented after mingling in Bull Horn City¡¯s castle before returning to his seat.


    Iron Hoof Island is known as the barrier of the Duchy of Sapphire, being the island closest to the mainland. It only takes six days to sail from Iron Hoof Island to the coast of the Eagle Kingdom.


    As the nearest seaport facing the mainland, Iron Hoof Island is where the fleets carrying out the Pioneer Mandate replenish their supplies before heading to the mainland.


    For this reason, the island was granted to a branch of the Sapphire Family, and has been controlled by the Bull Family. Unfortunately, it is now the once most trusted Bull Family that is rebelling against the Sapphire Family, led by none other than the current Duke¡¯s closest partner and comrade in arms¡ªAndy Sapphire.


    Liszt did not walk back and forth as he was not very keen on mingling, and as a follower of Coral Island¡¯s Count, he was also not suitable to interact with nobles from other islands.


    ¡°So, who is in charge of Bull Horn City?¡±


    ¡°Marquis Glendenton,¡± Levis replied, his expression not very pleasant, ¡°the leader of the Blue Blood Alliance, the deputy commander of the Blueblood Knight Order, the father-in-law of the eldest princess.¡±


    Glendenton Red Maple Leaf, one of the seven Marquises of the Grand Duchy, with his domain in Red Maple City. The Red Maple Leaf Family is one of the two major Marquis Families in the Blue Blood Alliance, and the Grand Duke¡¯s eldest daughter, Princess Annie Sapphire, is married to Glendenton¡¯s son, the future Marquis of Red Maple City.


    Levis glanced toward the young man in the hall, surrounded by others, his demeanor quite arrogant: ¡°See that? That¡¯s Glendenton¡¯s son, just an ordinary Sky Knight propped up by his family and magic potions. Look at how smug he is, as if he¡¯s the next Dragon Knight.¡±


    The tone was one of discontent.


    Clearly, Levis¡¯s interaction with the other party was not so pleasant.


    The Blue Blood Alliance and the landed Nobles have never been on friendly terms.


    Even a Marquis in the Blue Blood Alliance only has one castle; even a Viscount who is a landlord owns either a small island or a city. One depends on the Sapphire Family, akin to a servant, wealth entirely reliant on plunder and rewards; the other follows the Sapphire Family, akin to a vassal, almost a little king in his own domain.


    They could never really get along.


    Thankfully.


    The noble knights of the Blue Blood Alliance did not give Levis much face, but the noble knights of the landlord Nobles frequently greeted Levis.


    Even Liszt received quite a few greetings.


    Moments later, Liszt caught sight of the Earl, trailing half a step behind an elderly Noble and a middle-aged Noble. He understood that the elderly Noble must be Marquis Deep Throat¡ªWallace Pineapple Green; the middle-aged one was the Marquis of Red Maple City¡ªGlendenton Red Maple Leaf.


    There were also several Nobles walking shoulder to shoulder with the Earl, likely all bearing the title of Earl.


    As this group of Nobles entered the hall, the Knights who were previously busily engaged in conversation quickly returned to their seats, and the room fell silent in an instant.


    Marquis Glendenton unhesitatingly walked to the main seat, clad in bright silver armor, with deep wrinkles that made him look exceedingly stern, ¡°Tonight is the welcome banquet for Earl Li Weiliam Tulip of Coral Island. With the arrival of Earl Li Weiliam, the battle array of Bull Horn City is now fully assembled. The war begins next!¡±


    He paused.


    He continued, ¡°After the banquet tonight, starting tomorrow, each Knight Order will be assigned their own direction of attack, waiting for the troops from the other ports to assemble completely. Together, we will launch an offensive and sweep Iron Hoof Island! We must fulfill the Grand Duke¡¯s wrath and annihilate everything of the Bull Family!¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, everyone must take note that all spoils of war from Iron Hoof Island are prohibited from private trafficking. These are the internal resources of the nation and must be personally allocated by the Grand Duke! Should anyone break the rules, do not blame my longsword for drinking their blood!¡±


    Having said this, Marquis Glendenton waited for everyone to digest the information briefly before he continued speaking.


    ¡°Now, let the banquet begin!¡±


    ¡­


    Sitting in his place.


    Liszt was very unhappy in his heart; he had made full preparations, intending to transport a batch of serfs back to Fresh Flower Town. He didn¡¯t expect that before the battle even began, his plan to plunder serfs was already blocked.


    This made him dissatisfied with the Sapphire Duke¡ªwishing the horse to run, yet not wanting the horse to eat grass.


    In addition, the dishes served were not to his taste, so he felt no joy throughout the welcome banquet. His enthusiasm for the war cooled rapidly. Now, the only reason that sustained his drive was the path of achieving military merit¡ªhe still needed to secure the Viscount title of Black Horse Island as soon as possible.


    After the banquet, people returned to their barracks.


    The Earl summoned Liszt and others to a room for a brief meeting, ¡°Marquis Glendenton is known for his iron fist. You must restrain any acts of private plundering¡­ There will be spoils of war, and after the struggle ends, you will not miss what you deserve, so do not slacken.¡±


    Jonas asked, ¡°Earl, what exactly is the current situation? I¡¯m still unclear about it.¡±


    It was not just Jonas who was unclear; Liszt was equally in the dark, knowing only that the Grand Duke had issued an order to besiege, and so the Knights of Coral Island hurried to assemble in Bull Horn City.


    After a moment of consideration, the Earl said, ¡°Judging from the information revealed by Marquis Glendenton, the Sapphire Dragon is wounded and temporarily unable to mobilize, and the Grand Duke is healing the Sapphire Dragon. After the Marquis of Bull and his party initiated the attack, they have fled Blue Dragon Island and holed up back on Iron Hoof Island.¡±


    The situation was somewhat perplexing, and the Earl could only simplify it to one clue, ¡°So what we need to do now is follow the command, sweep Iron Hoof Island¡­ and believe that the situation will soon become clear.¡±


    Although the overall picture was still unclear.


    But everyone felt somewhat relieved, knowing that the Sapphire Dragon was not dead, meaning that the Duchy of Sapphire would not be unstable for the time being. The siege of Iron Hoof Island would continue without overthinking.


    ¡­


    However, just as everyone was confident and pondering how to crush Iron Hoof Island, suddenly shocking bad news arrived.


    Second Prince Angus Sapphire, stationed in another port city, Bull Tail City, was ambushed by the elite Knight Order of Marquis of Bull due to a rash attack. Three hundred knights of the Blueblood Knight Order, along with eight hundred knights of the fief, were completely obliterated. Only Prince Angus himself managed to escape back to Bull Tail City with the desperate protection of his guards.


    ¡°The Wrath Knight Order, under the direct command of the Marquis of Bull, is attacking Bull Tail City, attempting to breakthrough from Bull Tail City. The First Prince has already issued an emergency secret order, calling for reinforcements from each city to support Bull Tail City!¡±


    The messenger was a Sky Knight, who descended from the sky¡ªhe was a true ¡°Sky¡± Knight, mounted on an Ashen Hawk, a low-tier Magical Beast that could be tamed.

 Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Chapter 0367: Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beast (First Update)

    Chapter 370: Chapter 0367: Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beast (First Update)


    He did not rush to investigate whether the Barley Bugs in the barley fields had hatched.


    Liszt chose to stay in Honey Town, rest for the night and directly assault the castle tomorrow, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to strengthen the vigilance! Layden, split the Black Knight Order into three groups, each standing guard for four hours in rotation! Marcus, lead the Knight Squad to inspect the warning barriers again!¡±


    Unlike other Knight Squads, the squad from Fresh Flower Town not only had to learn how to charge but also had to learn about traps, sailing, languages, and other knowledge.


    Actually, Liszt wanted to nurture his Knight Squad into a special forces unit.


    Layden organized the Knights and Retainer Knights for the watch, while Marcus took his men to check the guard devices. During this busy time, Paris suddenly approached, ¡°Baron, I¡¯m prepared to scout out the castle in Mane City to find out the internal situation of the stronghold.¡±


    As a Black Dragon Childe of a Light Dragon.


    She could turn invisible using the ability to tug at light and shadow, which was an excellent reconnaissance skill.


    Naturally, Liszt was willing for her to make a trip to the castle, knowing both ourselves and the enemy ensured victory in every battle. However, he did not immediately agree, ¡°The castle of Mane City must have received news of our attack by now, and they will definitely defend every aspect rigorously. Wouldn¡¯t it be too dangerous for you to scout out?¡±


    ¡°Please trust my skills. As long as they don¡¯t possess abilities like yours, Baron, no one will find me. Even if they do, they can¡¯t keep me. I¡¯ll be back soon, and if possible, I might even kill a few leading knights along the way.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t bragging; Paris had such abilities.


    However, Liszt shook his head, ¡°The power of Mane City isn¡¯t strong, there¡¯s no need for your intervention. Just carefully find out whatever you can and do not put yourself in danger¡­ You know, I wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡± As he spoke, he patted Paris¡¯s shoulder with his hand.


    At once, a blush crept onto Paris¡¯s face, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s mouth curved into a pleasing arc as he spoke calmly, ¡°Moreover, I need to use the knights of Mane City for practice. This is my first time leading the Knight Order into battle, and finding a suitable whetstone isn¡¯t easy.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Paris looked up at Liszt, ¡°Baron, I will be back soon.¡±


    With that, her figure had already vanished from sight, the sound of her footsteps spreading into the distance, eventually blending into darkness, elusive as ever.


    Liszt remained standing there, lost in thought for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only made armor from the skin of the Six-Headed King Serpent for myself, and there¡¯s still plenty of skin left. I should make a set for Paris¡­ Additionally, I should find an opportunity to forge the Mithril I have collected into Mithril Armor to equip my Knight Squad¡­ It¡¯s a pity I don¡¯t have a blacksmith capable of forging Mithril.¡±


    Mithril, as a magic metal, demanded highly precise forging techniques beyond the capabilities of a normal blacksmith.


    Immediately after.


    He summoned the Smoke Mission.


    Ever since setting foot on Iron Hoof Island.


    The Smoke Mission had already indicated, ¡°Mission completed, reward available: the awakening of Virginia Truth.¡±


    Virginia, residing in the Soul Storage Vessel, was ready to be brought forth, but the timing was not right, and Liszt did not bring her out ¡ª she was of little help on the battlefield, but once she mastered the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique from the Magic Goat Family, she could answer questions once he returned.


    Now, the smoke swirling before his eyes formed new Serpent Script with a new mission.


    ¡°Mission: Without taking the initial steps, there is no journey of a thousand miles. As a Dragon-Riding Landlord with aspirations to reach the four corners, please showcase your prowess on the battlefield. Only by personally slaying an enemy of equal rank can you stand out and earn greater glory. Reward: One Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beast.¡±


    ¡°A Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beast!¡±


    Excitement surged in Liszt¡¯s heart, ¡°I wonder what kind of Dragon Breed Magical Beast it will reward me with. In the Duchy of Sapphire, Dragon Breed Magical Beasts are rare specimens. A Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beast won¡¯t be much worse off than an Intermediate Magical Beast¡­ And if it can be bred in large quantities, it¡¯s even more valuable!¡±


    According to some enthusiasts who rated the preciousness of mythical species, excluding legendary creatures such as Sea Serpents/Nixies and Vampires,


    The first tier ¡ª Elf Kings and Dragons;


    The second tier ¡ª Super Dragonkin Magical Beasts, also known as Sub-dragons;


    The third tier ¡ª Dragon Elves;


    ¡°`


    Fourth rank ¡ª High-Level Dragonkin Magical Beast, also known as High-Level Dragon Beast;


    Fifth rank ¡ª Greater Elf;


    Sixth rank ¡ª Super Magical Beast;


    Seventh rank ¡ª Intermediate Dragon Breed Magical Beast, also known as Intermediate Dragon Beast;


    Eighth rank ¡ª Advanced Magical Beast;


    Ninth rank ¡ª Little Minor Elf;


    Tenth rank ¡ª Intermediate Magical Beast;


    Eleventh rank ¡ª Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beast, also known as Low-Level Dragon Beast;


    Twelfth rank ¡ª Dragon Breed Beasts;


    Thirteenth rank ¡ª Elf Bug;


    Fourteenth rank ¡ª Low-Level Magical Beast;


    Fifteenth rank ¡ª Magical Beast breed creatures, that is, wild beasts mixed with a bit of magical beast lineage.


    In Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island, Liszt already had two kinds of Dragon Breed Beasts, the Black Blood Treasured Horse and Dragon Breed Cows, as well as an Intermediate Magical Beast Blizzard Beast and a Low-Level Magical Beast Green-headed Duck. To count it all, there was also the Black Pearl Tridacna, which should be considered a Magical Beast breed creature, no, it should be said a Sea Monster Shell.


    Each one is an industry worth developing vigorously.


    Of course, they all need time to mature, and without several years of cultivation, they temporarily cannot explode with much value.


    ¡°I wonder if the Low-Level Dragon Beast rewarded from the Smoke Mission could be developed into a breeding industry, but in any case, in this battle to clear Mane City, I must personally kill an Elite Earth Knight!¡± Liszt did not have a bloodthirsty desire, nor did he like killing people.


    But since it¡¯s war, one must be prepared for life and death situations.


    From the moment he chose to step onto the battlefield, killing became a compulsory course, and in fact, he adapted quite well¡ª the two rats were just one practice, since they chose to spy on the Black Knight Order, they were the enemy. He would definitely not mercifully let rats go, allowing them to take the news back to Mane City.


    ¡­


    About an hour later.


    Liszt was practicing ¡°Breath Decay¡± when he heard familiar footsteps, causing him to look up at the door.


    Knock knock knock.


    The sound of knocking came, accompanied by Paris¡¯s voice, ¡°Baron, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    As Paris entered, he immediately asked, ¡°Did you encounter any danger?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, the castle in Mane City is indeed very tense, but none of their knights could detect my presence,¡± replied Paris with a hint of pride, then added, ¡°It seems they do not plan to defend the castle to the death. I discovered they were digging tunnels leading towards Mane City.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re preparing to flee at any moment?¡±


    ¡°I think they might be bolder than we imagined. I have seen that Baron Moray and overheard his secret conversation with other knights. They¡¯re planning to gather through the tunnels in Mane City, and when you lead the Knight Order to attack the castle, they will launch an assault from Mane City.¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°That¡¯s a very good plan¡­ You¡¯ve worked hard, Paris.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter.¡±


    ¡°You must be tired; get some rest early.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Baron.¡±

 Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Chapter 0368: The Clash of the Knight Torrent (Second Update)

    Chapter 371: Chapter 0368: The Clash of the Knight Torrent (Second Update)


    Nameless Castle, located on a hillside surrounding Mane City, was at some distance from the city. According to Baron Moray¡¯s plan, if they could quietly gather inside the city during the Black Knight Order¡¯s attack on Nameless Castle and then charge with all their might in a concerted effort with the castle¡¯s defenses,


    perhaps there really was a chance to break through the Black Knight Order.


    The reason knights were so powerful lay in the fact that when they charged, all the knights¡¯ Dou Qi would merge into a single force, releasing a tremendous power of attack.


    It was almost invincible.


    This was why knights could rule the world.


    Of course, with Douson as his reliance, Liszt wasn¡¯t worried in the least about Baron Moray¡¯s stealth attack plan¡ªbecause perhaps before they even finished gathering, Douson, who was capable of instant cast magic, might have already taken down Nameless Castle.


    However,


    now that Paris had discovered the enemy¡¯s plan, Liszt quickly decided to turn the tables. He feigned an attack on the castle but was actually using a telescope to observe Baron Moray¡¯s stealth attack in advance. Taking advantage of the moment before the enemy could launch their charge, the Black Knight Order would make the first move.


    Face the battle head-on, sharpening sword blades!


    Pursue the maximum casualty!


    To prevent any knights from taking the chance to flee, they might have to pursue and kill.


    ¡­


    The night passed in peace, and the knights on watch detected no nocturnal attack from the enemy.


    By the next day before dawn, fires were lit for cooking, and as the sky showed the first light of dawn, the Black Knight Order had already finished gathering. Liszt, clad in fine steel armor, drew the Crimson Blood Sword, and pointed to the sky, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    A rumble!


    The horses, adorned in armor and carrying knights, surged like a flood of tanks.


    They raced towards Nameless Castle, crushing the earth beneath them and kicking up billowing clouds of dust that blotted out the sun. Such a commotion was naturally discovered by the time they approached the hillside.


    Through the telescope, Liszt also saw the reaction of Nameless Castle¡ªclosing the gates, shuttering windows, and the knights in armor becoming archers, standing behind the crenelations of the castle, aiming at the Black Knight Order.


    This was a stance for a staunch defense.


    With the defensive advantage of the castle, it was very difficult for knights without siege equipment to quickly take down a castle, even a nameless one.


    However, after activating his Eye of Magic, Liszt clearly saw that the magic power in these archers was faint; they were not Earth Knights after all.


    Just a group of Apprentice Knights.


    ¡°The Elite Earth Knights aren¡¯t defending, but instead letting Apprentice Knights hold the defense. Arrows without Dou Qi attachments are no threat to Earth Knights¡­ It looks like Baron Moray intends to deceive me, and he himself is quite decisive and has already begun to gather from underground passages for a stealth attack against me, huh?¡±


    Liszt was a bit surprised; he had expected the other side to at least resist for a while, to gauge the difference in combat strength, and to pretend to defend for some time, repulse a few attacks, and then arrange a stealth attack.


    Looking at the situation now, the other side had no plans of this sort and had directly initiated a stealth attack: ¡°If it were an average person, they might indeed be caught off guard.¡±


    After all, who would have thought that the attack would start without even a probe.


    Unfortunately for them, Liszt was no average person, and he immediately issued a command, ¡°Archers, fire a feint attack!¡±


    The knights proficient in archery immediately stepped forward, and under the leadership of Captain Layden, began a suppressive shooting around the castle. Earth Knights could now attach Dou Qi to their arrows, making them quite potent, at least chipping off a large chunk of stone with each hit at the castle. However, since it was just a feint, the speed, strength, and frequency of their shots were low.


    On the battlements of Nameless Castle, the Apprentice Knight archers were quietly retaliating with even less force, posing no threat.


    Liszt sat astride his Li Dragon Horse, quietly enjoying this pretense of an attack and defense, watching the arrows hit the outer walls of the castle, shattering stone after stone, and felt particularly at ease.


    Douson was panting.


    Stimulated by the scene of battle or not, it let out a couple of noises towards Liszt.


    Liszt patted its large head, ¡°Easy, Douson, no rush tearing down the castle.¡±


    On the other side.


    Marcus had been holding the telescope, observing every move within Mane City. Thanks to Paris providing the direction at the end of the passage, he was able to easily monitor the movements inside Mane City.


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve spotted knights gathering inside Mane City!¡±


    ¡°Keep me updated on the movements of Mane City,¡± Liszt instructed before turning to address the other Knight Squad captains, ¡°Maintain formation, and be ready to charge at any moment!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Liszt wasn¡¯t kept waiting.


    Moments later, Marcus exclaimed, ¡°My lord, knights are charging out from Mane City, heading straight toward us¡ªnearly a hundred of them!¡±


    A hundred knights, that was almost all of the Earth Knights from the Nameless Castle.


    Liszt instantly raised his Knight¡¯s Spear, crying out, ¡°All troops, attack! Follow me in the charge!¡± No need for further words, the Black Knight Order, already in formation, roared down the hillside.


    He himself was also in the charging ranks of the knights. According to the original plan, he did not intend to join the charge but only to command Douson to support the knightly force, using Douson¡¯s magic to hinder the opponents. However, the atmosphere of the battlefield affected his mood at that moment.


    Fired up, he joined the charge of the Knight Order along with Douson.


    When a warhorse surged forward at a speed of sixty kilometers per hour, one¡¯s body rose and fell on horseback, and their Dou Qi circulated as swiftly as blood. The Knight¡¯s Spear clutched in his hand had become an extension of his body, and Liszt unleashed the ferocious Dou Qi of an Elite Earth Knight.


    The Black Knight Order charged down from the hillside just as the attacking Knight Legion was also beginning their charge.


    The ones caught off guard were no longer the ambushed Black Knight Order but the counter-ambushed knights of Mane City. Nevertheless, the charge had commenced; nobody could stop, and the expressions under their visors remained unseen. Two torrents racing at high speed were about to collide.


    Countless glows of Dou Qi burst forth, mingling and entwining, converging into one force that drew all knights in, fusing into a single entity.


    Within this entity, Liszt became an arrowhead, his wild Fire Attribute Dou Qi spreading all around him as if he bathed in flames.


    Surrounded by the flames, he still retained a clear mind, cautiously judging the distance at which the two Knight Orders would soon collide.


    Once the opponents entered that range.


    He suddenly bellowed, ¡°Douson, Multiple Stone Spikes! Don¡¯t stop!¡±


    Sputter!


    Sputter!


    Sputter!


    Douson opened his mouth and spat continuous magic, countless Rock Spikes, as if guided by sight, bursting forth precisely from below each knight. Evading a lone Rock Spike might not be difficult for a prepared Earth Knight on flat ground, but this was during a charge.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Immediately, several fast-charging knights, with their warhorses impaled by the Rock Spikes piercing through, took a heavy fall. The knights following closely behind, unable to dodge in the blink of an eye, could only trample over their fallen comrades to continue the charge.


    The relentless barrage of Rock Spikes, causing only minor damage, significantly disrupted the charging formation of the Knight Legion.


    Without giving them any chance to realign, the Black Knight Order, led by Liszt, charged fiercely.


    His Knight¡¯s Spear, filled with raging Fire Attribute Dou Qi, thrust harshly, and an Earth Knight who was too slow to dodge, before he could even raise his shield, was brutally pierced in the chest by Liszt.


    The Fine Steel Armor only slowed the strike for a fraction of a second before being instantly penetrated. The long spear brutally skewered the knight¡¯s body, lifting him into the air and hurling him away.


    A mere flick.


    And Liszt had claimed the first head on the battlefield.

 Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Chapter 0370: Dividing the Spoils of War (First Update)

    Chapter 373: Chapter 0370: Dividing the Spoils of War (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Seeing Liszt seemed hesitant, Captain Layden approached and reminded in a low voice, ¡°Commander, the Grand Duke¡¯s order is to accept no captives.¡±


    As long as the Grand Duke¡¯s dragon was not dead, he remained the sole authority of the Duchy of Sapphire.


    Liszt, of course, would not have a ¡°conscience¡± attack and release these men. From the very moment they resolved to resist, it became an outcome of life or death¡ªtraitors are unforgivable. It was their fault for following the wrong landlord and for failing to turn back in time.


    His gaze swept over the group of people kneeling on one knee.


    He spoke slowly, ¡°Captain Layden, give each of them a chance to write a final letter, surrender the Elf Bug, and then let them end their own lives. Cobalt, Nash, take control of the castle, clear any threats, and we will rest here for a day. Marcus, you lead the Knight Squad to patrol the surroundings with me.¡±


    He no longer concerned himself with the fate of these surrendering knights and how they would end their own lives.


    Liszt headed straight for the barley fields on the other side of the castle. According to the rat¡¯s intel, an Elf Bug was gestating in the barley field¡ªhe planned to secretly contract this Elf Bug as his personal spoils of war. Since no one else knew about this Elf Bug, swallowing it posed no problem.


    The barley field was easy to find. Casting the Eye of Magic and scanning the area, he quickly found the Cordyceps being protected within.


    Within the huge barley ears, Magic Radiance abounded. The Barley Bug had not yet been born, but it should be soon, probably within the next day or two.


    Finding the Elf Bug but unable to take it away immediately was frustrating for Liszt.


    He was also eager to get to Bull Hair City to meet up with the Earl, to jointly raid Count Sned¡¯s Knight Order, and to seize glory. There was no time to linger here.


    However, since he was not planning to leave today, it was still possible to wait.


    He thought, ¡°If by tomorrow morning, the Barley Bug has matured, I will contract it immediately; if it has not by then¡­ then I will leave Marcus to station here temporarily to care for the wounded until the Barley Bug matures, then dig up the Cordyceps and bring it with us.¡±


    Digging up the Cordyceps would be troublesome and might harm the Cordyceps itself. The best approach would be to award it to a subordinate for contracting, and then have the Elf Bug relocate the Cordyceps itself.


    Elf Bugs could be given as rewards to followers.


    But typically, no landlord wanted to do this.


    Because Elf Bugs only have two chances for contracting. After a landlord has contracted once and then released it, the Elf Bug could only be contracted one more time, which would significantly decrease its value.


    The Elf Bugs sold in the market are all wild ones that have not been contracted before.


    This Barley Bug clearly met the criteria for an award¡ªbut Liszt was not willing to award it to a subordinate. He would rather give his subordinates a large amount of Gold Coins to buy an Elf Bug than let go of one he had encountered himself.


    ¡°Philip, you lead two retainers to keep watch here, and pay close attention to the birth of the Barley Bug.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Having inspected the Cordyceps, Liszt quickly led the Knight Squad back to the castle, which by then had already been adorned with the Black Tulip Banner.


    Captain Layden greeted him, ¡°Commander, all knights from Mane City have committed suicide. A batch of civilians from Mane City have come to drag the bodies away for burial. We¡¯ve started tallying the castle¡¯s stores; there¡¯s plenty of food and water, but no Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Yes, these knights had received word in advance and transferred the Elf Bugs to their own wives and children early on. And their wives and children¡ªwe did not inquire, as the Elf Bugs can no longer be contracted a third time.¡±


    Liszt nodded.


    These knights had obviously prepared early. It¡¯s unclear how many promises the Marquis of Bull had made to persuade them to take the risk of opposing the Duchy of Sapphire and die defending Iron Hoof Island. Normally, other than the die-hard followers of the Marquis of Bull, the nobles should have surrendered early and welcomed the royal forces.


    ¡°`


    After all, the Grand Duke has a dragon.


    Perhaps, just as the rat¡¯s message indicated, significant landlords like Count Sned had their offspring by Marquis of Bull¡¯s side; their wealth was likely already transferred to Iron Hoof City. They could only pledge allegiance and dared not betray the Marquis of Bull¡ªbetrayal would leave them with nothing.


    One could only pin their hopes on an unending stream of glory after ¡°the matter¡± was accomplished.


    Liszt didn¡¯t know how these knights thought, nor did he want to. He came here for the sole purpose of achieving merits. Landlords like Count Sned¡¯s determined resistance provided an excellent opportunity to vie for glory.


    He had already dispatched two Earth Knights at breakneck pace to Bull Hair City, to report to Earl Li Weiliam the intelligence he had gathered¡ªthat magicians were secretly communicating with Count Sned, discussing a significant matter, and promising Count Sned¡¯s promotion to Marquis after its successful conclusion.


    As for what this grand matter was, that was still unclear.


    He would let the Earl worry about that.


    Walking into the Nameless Castle with Captain Layden, he was immediately assaulted by a mix of excrement and urine, making him feel nauseated. The castle must have housed too many people, resulting in the unbearable stench.


    It was like a massive castle-sized toilet.


    ¡°Have someone immediately clean the third floor where I¡¯ll be staying!¡±


    ¡­


    The third floor was continuously washed with water to cleanse the filth from the corridors and rooms.


    While the faint odor couldn¡¯t be dispelled completely, it was tolerable enough to reside in questionably, and Liszt sat behind a desk that once belonged to some noble.


    He listened to reports about the spoils of war from Captain Layden and others.


    As a small city, Mane City did not boast a vast treasure, especially since the elves had long been moved away. After some consideration, he issued an order, ¡°Divide the gold coins equally; remember, let every knight keep their own mouth shut and hide their share of the gold coins well.¡±


    This act of privately dividing the spoils of war was in defiance of the Grand Duke¡¯s orders.


    However, Earl Li Weiliam had previously mentioned that the plundering of spoils should be ¡°restrained,¡± but it wasn¡¯t strictly forbidden¡ªsuch actions couldn¡¯t be stopped. Why would knights exert themselves in a war without benefits? After all, they were responsible for their own equipment, logistics, including their own lives.


    Nobody would believe that after handing over the spoils to the Grand Duke, they would get their fair share¡ªthe Grand Duke was sure to favor the Blue Blood Alliance.


    Captain Layden replied with a smile, ¡°Sir Commander, all knights understand; when they benefit, they¡¯ll keep their mouths tightly shut.¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Replace the weapons we lost from Mane City¡¯s stores, and replenish our food supplies from here¡­ Oh, and call Marcus for me.¡±


    Marcus arrived promptly.


    Liszt gestured for him to close the door before he spoke, ¡°Teacher Marcus, I have a task for you. Go to Mane City and search for craftsmen. Ordinary craftsmen aside, we must find craftsmen of high calibre, especially those not available in Fresh Flower Town, such as Paper Craftsmen, Salt Makers, and the like.¡±


    Marcus asked, ¡°Sir, can we take these craftsmen with us?¡±


    ¡°Tell them, once Iron Hoof Island falls, everyone will bear the Grand Duke¡¯s wrath for their treachery. Fresh Flower Town, however, can offer them better sanctuary¡­ And as for taking them away, with the sea so vast, we¡¯ll always be able to get them on a ship.¡±


    Taking a large amount of goods off the island without going through a port was challenging.


    But taking away a few craftsmen, including their families, wasn¡¯t very difficult.


    Marcus accepted the task, ¡°As you wish!¡±

 Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Chapter 0371: Little Minor Elf Swift Shadow Bow (Second Update)

    Chapter 374: Chapter 0371: Little Minor Elf Swift Shadow Bow (Second Update)


    Sitting in the study and looking out to the environment different from Fresh Flower Town, Liszt again found himself entwined in a moment of repulsion at the idea of ¡°killing.¡±


    In the end, he used his reason to overcome his chaotic emotions, focused his mind, and summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°The task: for completing the mission, you will be rewarded with a Low-Level Dragon Beast Landwalker Bird.¡±


    Clearly.


    Among the Earth Knights that Liszt had killed, there was an Elite Earth Knight, so the task was deemed complete. However, he was a bit puzzled, ¡°What is a Landwalker Bird? It feels like it¡¯s some low-level dragon beast similar to an ostrich?¡±


    Whether it was like an ostrich or not.


    A Low-Level Dragon Beast was a highly valuable prize, ¡°I wonder how this Landwalker Bird will become my reward.¡±


    He only planned to stay in this castle for one day.


    However, after a search of the surroundings, there was no trace of the Landwalker Bird to be found, but Liszt was not in a hurry. As long as it was a reward from a Smoke Mission, the right opportunity would always appear to tug at the Threads of Destiny and intersect with the Landwalker Bird. He began checking the new tasks, and his eyes lit up after reading the content.


    ¡°Task: The first battle is won, the loser will pay with everything, and the victor will take it all. Complete a thorough search of the castle in front of you, and all that is obtained will belong to the spoils of war, including the treasures in the underground vault. Reward: a Little Elf Soldier.¡±


    ¡°A Little Elf Soldier?¡±


    This was a weapon whose name sounded interesting but was actually very cruel in practice, as it required the killing of a minor elf and soaking in its blood to create a Little Elf Soldier. After absorbing the Magic Power in the elf blood, the Little Elf Soldier would undergo special property changes.


    In terms of value, a Little Elf Soldier might sell for 1 Dragon Coin, which is tens of thousands of Gold Coins.


    But the act of turning an elf, such a beautiful creature, into a weapon was extremely cruel.


    Liszt would never do such a thing, but he wouldn¡¯t give up on a Little Elf Soldier that had already been made, ¡°Scouring the castle, the spoils of war are not all mine; they must be stored and handed over to the Grand Duke¡­ It doesn¡¯t hinder me from taking away the most valuable things. It seems that the Little Elf Soldier is in the underground vault.¡±


    He immediately called Captain Layden, ¡°Did you find an underground vault while you were cataloging the castle?¡±


    Captain Layden shook his head, ¡°We only found a storage room filled with flour and jerky; we didn¡¯t find any underground vault.¡±


    ¡°I suspect there is an underground vault in this castle; have your men search carefully and notify me immediately upon finding it.¡± Having subordinates to direct, Liszt didn¡¯t need to search on his own.


    Soon.


    Captain Layden excitedly reported back, ¡°Commander, your guess was incredibly accurate. We indeed found the underground vault!¡±


    The vault was right next to the entrance of the underground passage, disguised as a wooden wall. However, once the wooden wall was dismantled, behind it was a sturdy stone door with a special secret lock, and the knights were looking for the key.


    ¡°Sir, we haven¡¯t found the key yet.¡±


    ¡°No need to search anymore, break it open!¡± Liszt doubted if these knights had brains at all. They were all Earth Knights with Dou Qi, and it wasn¡¯t their own castle to worry about, so they should just forcefully dismantle it.


    With Liszt¡¯s reminder, two Earth Knights immediately brought several broken Knight Spears, infused them with Dou Qi, and began frantically dismantling the stone door. Even the most robust stone door would crumble under the relentless assault of Earth Knights. A dark passage leading deep underground was quickly revealed.


    Liszt had someone bring torches and shone them down the passage, where rough stone walls were visible all around.


    There didn¡¯t seem to be any signs of traps, and with the castle¡¯s rough construction work, it didn¡¯t look likely to have any. An Earth Knight was sent in as the vanguard, with Liszt closely following.


    The passage turned out to be much shorter than expected; after turning a corner, they arrived directly at the underground vault, which wasn¡¯t very large¡ªjust a small storage room.


    On the walls of the storage room, several rows of holes had been chiseled out, holding eight wooden chests.


    ¡°Open a chest and take a look,¡± Liszt commanded.


    An Earth Knight promptly pulled out a wooden chest, smashed the lock with a Knight Spear, and lifted the lid. Instantly, silver coins glittered dazzlingly under the torchlight¡ªone after another¡ªa chest full of silver coins appeared. Judging by the number, there were at least a few thousand silver coins.


    Equivalent to several dozen Gold Coins.


    ¡°Storing silver coins in chests?¡± Liszt was somewhat speechless. Normally, chests hidden in secret rooms should contain gold.


    However, the Earth Knight was very excited, ¡°Commander, can we divide up these silver coins?¡±


    ¡°As long as you can carry them away, I don¡¯t mind if you divide them up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Captain, for your generosity. It¡¯s truly admirable,¡± the Earth Knight wished he could immediately grab a handful of silver coins and stuff them into his clothes.


    But he restrained himself, pulled out the second chest, and opened it again.


    It was still a chest full of silver coins.


    Four chests in a row, all filled with silver coins, it was unclear what sickness afflicted the castle¡¯s owner that they didn¡¯t exchange them for gold coins, which might not have even filled half a chest. Instead, they used silver coins to fill four chests. If it had been gold coins, each knight could easily walk away with a few and be done.


    Now, they had to fill their pouches with silver coins to be able to carry them away.


    There were four chests left on the wall.


    They didn¡¯t contain silver coins, nor gold coins, nor copper coins, but armors.


    ¡°Captain, this set of armor is very light, it must not be ordinary fine steel armor!¡± The Earth Knight passed the armor to Liszt.


    Liszt felt it, the armor indeed was very light and thin, yet its hardness was not at all inferior to the fine steel armor he wore.


    This made his eyes twinkle: ¡°It¡¯s Mithril Armor!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, Captain!¡± The Earth Knight immediately started flattering. Without a doubt, as they had divided the gold and silver coins, Liszt should receive the better spoils of war, and this set of Mithril Armor was definitely not bad.


    Out of the four chests, there were three sets of Mithril Armor.


    Liszt was very satisfied. One set of Mithril Armor was worth at least the equivalent of seven or eight sets of fine steel armor, which he unhesitatingly accepted with a smile.


    The last chest.


    It only contained one bow, with emerald green limbs and silver-white strings, clearly in the style of the popular cavalry straight pull bow from the Duchy of Sapphire¡ªsomewhat similar to the English Longbow.


    The length was about one meter one, and the limbs¡¯ arc wasn¡¯t very large; it didn¡¯t have the curved ends of a recurve bow.


    Strictly speaking, this kind of straight pull bow was not exactly Liszt¡¯s favorite; he knew that the development of bows would eventually yield to recurve and compound bows. But the straight pull bow was simpler to construct and less likely to lose its internal stress, making it easier to maintain and tame.


    Picking up the longbow, he pulled the strings, which were very stiff.


    Without using Dou Qi, Liszt could hardly pull it, but he quickly circulated the Dou Qi within his body, drew the longbow open, and then released it.


    ¡°Twang!¡±


    The power that the strings and limbs generated upon returning to their original state could be felt through the vibration of the air.


    ¡°A very strong bow!¡± After trying it, he felt that he should discard his old hardwood cavalry bow, as this emerald green longbow was worthy of his superb archery skills.


    Moreover, he had already guessed that this longbow was the Little Minor Elf awarded for completing the Smoke Mission.


    Holding the bow, he said, ¡°This bow and these three sets of Mithril Armor belong to me, the silver coins are yours to divide.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡­


    Back in the study, he carefully examined the emerald green longbow in his hand and discovered that there was fine Serpent Script carved into the limbs, which he inspected under the light from the window.


    The Serpent Script was clearly written as ¡°Little Minor Elf ¡¤ Swift Shadow Bow¡±¡ªthis was the standard naming convention for Little Elf Soldiers, ¡°Little Minor Elf¡± indicated it was soaked in the blood of Little Elf Soldiers, ¡°Swift Shadow Bow¡± was its true name.


    He took out an arrow.


    Circulating his Dou Qi, he drew the Swift Shadow Bow. Liszt didn¡¯t use ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, relying only on the bow¡¯s innate power, he released the string.


    Whoosh!


    The sound of cleaving air rose.


    The arrow shot forth like a ray of light, instantly hitting a large tree not far from the castle, with the shaft burying itself in the trunk.


    With a smile at the corners of his mouth, Liszt was satisfied with the power of the bow and arrow: ¡°Worthy of being called the Swift Shadow Bow, the speed of drawing the bow could be called swift, and the speed of the arrow could be described as a shadow. This is probably the special property change it obtained from the magic power in the Little Minor Elf¡¯s blood¡­ This Little Elf Soldier is more precious than my Crimson Blood Sword!¡±

 Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: Chapter 0373: Capturing the Landwalker Bird (First Update)

    Chapter 376: Chapter 0373: Capturing the Landwalker Bird (First Update)


    Since it was a fledgling, things should have been easy, with Douson¡¯s magic ¡°Rock Wall,¡± it would¡¯ve been completely possible to block the path, and then they could capture it as if catching a turtle in a jar.


    However, Liszt did not choose to do so.


    Seeing the Landwalker Bird still lingering, unwilling to leave, he suddenly realized that the bird must be seeking something, ¡°It appeared because of the breeding of the Barley Bugs, does this mean it feeds on Elf Bugs? That¡¯s somewhat unacceptable, although Elf Bugs aren¡¯t as valuable as low-level Dragon Beasts, raising them is simply horrifying.¡±


    Using Elf Bugs as food, even feeding dragons seemed tremendously extravagant, let alone a low-level Dragon Beast.


    Furthermore, given the scarce production of Elf Bugs, the fact that the Landwalker Bird had grown so large and was still alive was truly unbelievable¡ªhe deduced that the Landwalker Bird was merely interested in the Elf Bugs.


    ¡°Perhaps I can lure it with something else?¡± Thinking so, he had someone bring dried meat and threw it over.


    The Landwalker Bird startled by the dried meat hid in the bushes, but soon came out again, approached the dried meat cautiously, pecked at it, but did not eat.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t eat meat?¡±


    Liszt had someone throw bread and fruits and found indeed the Landwalker Bird ate a little, but with little interest, still looking longingly at the Elf Bugs held in the hands of the Retainer Knights.


    ¡°My lord, this odd bird probably wants to eat the Barley Bugs,¡± Marcus stated bluntly, ¡°Just shoot it down, keeping it is a destruction to the Elf Bugs.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, let me try again,¡± Liszt disagreed.


    He did not believe the Landwalker Bird rewarded by the Smoke Mission was there to eradicate the abundant Elf Bugs on his territory. After pondering, he decided to test the effect of Jade, maybe this low-level Dragon Beast would like to eat Jade too. He threw a piece of Jade near the feet of the Landwalker Bird.


    The Landwalker Bird pecked at the Jade, indifferent.


    The dried meat didn¡¯t work, bread and fruits didn¡¯t work, and neither did Jade, Liszt frowned instantly, ¡°Could this bird really want to eat Elf Bugs?¡±


    ¡°My lord, shoot it!¡± Marcus proposed again.


    Douson also barked ¡°Woof Woof¡±, showing its impatience as well.


    But Liszt still chose to try luring it, after all, it was his reward, and it had to be treated ¡°gently.¡± However, half an hour later, the assortment of items thrown in front of the Landwalker Bird remained untouched, still failing to lure it. At this point, he could no longer remain gentle.


    With a cold face, he directly gave the command, ¡°Douson, Rock Wall!¡±


    Boom!


    Douson charged forward and spat out magic, a ten-meter long Rock Wall precisely cast behind the Landwalker Bird.


    ¡°Geda!¡±


    The Landwalker Bird squawked and took off running, its movements light and agile, it bypassed the Rock Wall on the left side. Yet before it could escape, Douson released another Rock Wall¡ªthis Intermediate Magical Beast, under Liszt¡¯s training, had greatly improved intelligence and knew how to utilize magic, cooperating in the hunt.


    However.


    Everyone had underestimated the speed and agility of the Landwalker Bird, this low-level Dragon Beast that resembled a long-necked Grand Duke chicken, could leap high on the spot like a flea, and whenever the path was blocked by a Rock Wall, it would leap high over it. After all the hassle, they couldn¡¯t even touch a feather.


    The Knight Squad had already circled around the bushes, trying to enclose it, but they failed to do so, and even when Liszt commanded to shoot with arrows, they still missed it.


    Busy and sweating, the Landwalker Bird remained unharmed, hopping and jumping chaotically.


    ¡°My lord, there¡¯s something wrong with this bird, it is no ordinary beast,¡± after several failed attempts at shooting arrows, Marcus said with a dark face.


    Liszt waved his hand, no longer wasting energy, and declared the plan to encircle the Landwalker Bird a failure, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s extraordinary, since we can¡¯t block it, let¡¯s all stop.¡±


    Fortunately, the Landwalker Bird seemed to be toying with them. It could have taken the chance to flee, but it stubbornly didn¡¯t, as if it was playing a game of hide and seek with them. One could imagine that the allure of the Barley Bug was very strong, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have risked staying here.


    The knights stopped, and Douson also lay on the ground, panting with his tongue out. It had chased the most ferociously, but no matter how many barriers the Rock Wall placed, it just couldn¡¯t catch up to the Landwalker Bird.


    All it could do was pant with its tongue out in an awkward yet dignified manner, pretending that the heat was affecting its performance.


    As they stopped their pursuit, so did the Landwalker Bird. It hopped onto a Rock Wall, looking at Liszt and the others dryly, as well as the Jade Box in their hands filled with Barley Bugs.


    The best method now was to use the Barley Bug as bait to lure the Landwalker Bird into a trap.


    But Liszt couldn¡¯t bear to do it¡ªgiven the speed and agility of the Landwalker Bird, if it ate the bait but still got away, that would be quite embarrassing. Moreover, to lose a Barley Bug for an unclear and undecided usefulness of the Landwalker Bird, he found it hard to judge whether it was worth it or not.


    Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind, and he thought of a new plan.


    He had Marcus fetch some rope and make a few hunter¡¯s nooses, casually tossing them on the ground. Then, he picked up the Jade Box, opened the lid, and shook it in his hand to draw the Landwalker Bird¡¯s attention. The yellow-orange Barley Bug immediately attracted the Landwalker Bird¡¯s cries of ¡°Karlo,¡± ¡°Karlo.¡±


    Liszt quickly closed the lid.


    He turned around, took out the Barley Bug and placed it in another Jade Box, discreetly passing it to Marcus.


    Then he turned back, holding the empty Jade Box, and placed the Jade Box in the center of the rope trap area. Then he slowly retreated to a position ten meters away, where he and Marcus and the others each held a rope, waiting quietly.


    ¡°Karlo!¡±


    The Landwalker Bird clearly didn¡¯t understand what the ropes on the ground were, its intellect hadn¡¯t evolved to that point yet.


    So after anxiously pacing back and forth, unable to resist the craving for the Barley Bug, it hesitantly approached the Jade Box, retreated halfway, and then finally couldn¡¯t help but dash toward the Jade Box.


    When it stepped into the trap,


    Liszt shouted fiercely, ¡°Pull!¡±


    Several Earth Knights pulled their ropes, most of them coming up empty, but Griffin¡¯s rope successfully entangled the Landwalker Bird¡¯s claws, instantly tightening. This sudden turn of events shocked the Landwalker Bird, and as it desperately tried to flee, the rope yanked it forcefully, causing it to tumble to the ground.


    At that moment, Douson, like a black¡­ brick, ferociously pounced on it, pinning it down the moment it managed to rise, its bulky body preventing the Landwalker Bird from moving.


    ¡°Douson, no biting!¡± Liszt hastily commanded.


    He didn¡¯t want the reward they had worked so hard for to be killed by Douson¡¯s bite. Douson instinctively obeyed the command, not biting down, but rather holding down the struggling Landwalker Bird, his heavy body making it unable to move.


    Then the Knight Squad members rushed over, each using the rope to tie the head, the legs, the wings, binding the Landwalker Bird tightly.


    They had successfully caught a Low-Level Dragon Beast.


    ¡°It¡¯s so plump!¡± Charles Trap said while tying, touching the Landwalker Bird¡¯s belly and clicking his tongue in awe, ¡°My lord, this bird is enough to feed us for several days!¡±


    Liszt, stroking the dinosaur-like head of the Landwalker Bird, was very satisfied with this hunt, ¡°Eating it is out of the question, I want to tame it to be my mount!¡±


    During the encirclement, the Landwalker Bird had shown the qualities of an excellent mount.

 Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Chapter 0374: The Temptation of Magic Potion (Second Update)

    Chapter 377: Chapter 0374: The Temptation of Magic Potion (Second Update)


    The capture of the Landwalker Bird was successful, and as dusk approached, Liszt dismissed the curious members of the Knight Order and began to ponder how to tame the Landwalker Bird.


    This was not a horse that, upon defeating it, one could simply ride it.


    It was a low-level Dragon Beast, perhaps not yet mature, but its magic power was already abundant. Through the Eye of Magic, Liszt could see the blue magic radiance, indicating that it was a Wind System low-level Dragon Beast. Wind System Magical Beasts were generally known for their incredibly fast running speeds, a fact that the Landwalker Bird¡¯s performance had proven.


    ¡°It can¡¯t yet cast magic; otherwise, the capture would have been much more difficult.¡±


    ¡°But how to tame it? Without the emotional bond and conditioned reflexes forged from rearing it from a young age, it¡¯s impossible to tame it quickly like I did with the Earth Matron. Especially considering its current state of hostility towards me, it¡¯s even harder to subdue,¡± Liszt mused as he stood in a pen, observing the Landwalker Bird huddled in a corner.


    The Landwalker Bird had been unbound, but was confined in a warehouse converted into a pen within the castle.


    At first, when Liszt entered, the Landwalker Bird had tried to attack him, but after a few punches imbued with Dou Qi from Liszt, it shrank back into its corner and dared not meet Liszt¡¯s gaze directly.


    This allowed Liszt to study it in peace.


    Using the Eye of Magic, he observed the magic power within the beast¡¯s body to see what differed from typical Magical Beasts: ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that this peculiar bird is the low-level Dragon Beast Landwalker Bird, the reward from the Smoke Mission. It seems to be in its fledgling stage, with magic power that appears somewhat stagnant and incoherent.¡±


    When it came to researching Magical Beasts, Liszt dared to consider himself the foremost expert on Coral Island.


    After all, he spent all day studying the Blizzard Beasts.


    He had an entire set of experiential notes on Douson¡¯s transformations, and now he also had extensive notes on the Eight Tiny Ones, understanding clearly the changes in the magic power within Magical Beasts. He also had a mass of observations and records on Elves¡¯ magic power, and even that of Sea Serpents.


    Therefore, he quickly identified some traits in the Landwalker Bird¡¯s magic power that were different from typical Magical Beasts.


    ¡°Its magic power seems to fall somewhere between that of Magical Beasts and Elves. Analyzing the rate of dissipation, its magic power decays much slower than that of Magical Beasts. Could this situation be judged by the degree of solidity of the magic power itself?¡± Liszt speculated internally.


    He had summarized the properties of magic power from different species.


    The magic power of Dragons was undoubtedly the most wondrous, able to be inscribed for a long time without dissipating. The Fire Dragon on Black Horse Island, despite being dead for who knows how many years, still had magic power that could manifest as a Magic Little Fire Dragon.


    The degree of solidity was very high, nearly perpetual.


    The magic power of Elves was undeniably second only to that of Dragons. Through the Cordyceps, they released magic power that constantly affected the surrounding flora. Although it couldn¡¯t be inscribed for the long term, it could slowly imbue the environment. While different from the Dragons¡¯ magic power in terms of solidification, the effect was similar.


    The magic power of Magical Beasts was definitely a bit inferior, solely leading to the activation of magic spells.


    By comparison, human Dou Qi was the most pathetic, as it was constantly dissipating, virtually impossible to stop ¨C despite this, the utilization of Dou Qi by humans could not be said to be poor because it held endless possibilities for executing various Combat Skills.


    Dragons were like the epitome of solidified magic power, even representing certain rules.


    Humans were naturally devoid of magic power and incapable of storing it for extended periods, yet they had an endless array of cultivation methods to refine magic power (as Dou Qi is a form of magic power).


    It was as though they were two extremes.


    Liszt even had a bold guess, ¡°The infinitely variable Dou Qi, when combined with the most wondrous magic power, might spark an extraordinarily delightful chemical reaction? Perhaps this is why Dragon Knights are invincible in the world?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t too much theoretical evidence to support his conjecture.


    The existence of Dragon Knights was a phenomenon currently inexplicable.


    He shelved his thoughts and focused on the magic power of the Landwalker Bird: ¡°It seems that magic power has reached a critical point, which reminds me of when Douson evolved, stimulated by the Bloodline Fruit¡­ Could it be that this Landwalker Bird is also on the verge of metamorphosis? Does it hope to use the Elf Bug¡¯s magic power as a breakthrough?¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.


    Otherwise, there was no explaining why the Landwalker Bird, even while surrounded, kept a longing gaze fixed on the Elf Bug.


    ¡°What a pity, I won¡¯t use Elf Bugs to feed the Landwalker Bird.¡± Every Elf Bug not only represents its underlying value but also embodies beauty.


    He thought of Jela and wondered if the Thorn Minor Elf, after losing his restraint, might rebel within the castle.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t use Elf Bugs, how can I stimulate the metamorphosis of the Landwalker Bird?¡± Liszt stroked the Space Gem and pulled out a vial of Thorn Magic Potion, ¡°Could a magic potion have the same effect? The stimulation of external magic power should be able to replace the magic of an Elf. It¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    In fact, there was no need for further conjecture.


    As soon as he took out the Thorn Magic Potion, the Landwalker Bird reacted, its body tensed up, and its eyes fixated on the crystal tube in Liszt¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Cluck!¡±


    ¡°You want this?¡±


    ¡°Cluck!¡±


    ¡°Let me ride you, and I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Cluck!¡± The Landwalker Bird dodged Liszt¡¯s approach, but its gaze remained on the Thorn Magic Potion.


    Liszt thought for a moment, took out a small Jade Box, poured out a bit of the Thorn Magic Potion, and offered it to the Landwalker Bird. The bird looked at Liszt¡¯s outstretched hand, pecked quickly, snatched the Jade Box away, then threw back its head and drank the tiny bit of magic potion that was less than the size of a fingernail cap.


    After drinking it, it extended its tongue and licked the Jade Box until it was nearly broken before reluctantly tossing it aside and calling out to Liszt again, ¡°Cluck!¡±


    ¡°Want more? If you want more, let me ride!¡±


    After several temptations, the Landwalker Bird, succumbing to allure, finally allowed Liszt to seize the opportunity and mount it. Its broad, plump body was very suitable for riding, and its thick feathers were extremely soft, especially the patch on its neck and back, which was just like a natural saddle.


    The Landwalker Bird, upon being ridden by Liszt, immediately wanted to lash out.


    However, the next moment, it quickly steadied itself and allowed to be ridden because Liszt already had the remaining half-tube of Thorn Magic Potion close to its mouth.


    The allure of the Thorn Magic Potion was irresistible to it. It grabbed the crystal tube, tipped it back to drink the potion, then cleaned the tube thoroughly, contentedly calling, ¡°Cluck!¡±


    It temporarily forgot that it still bore a person on its back.


    ¡°Good, just like that. Ride, and you get a potion. Got it?¡± Liszt smiled smugly, taming a low-level Dragon Beast was just that simple.


    Unlike a simple beast or Magical Beast, the Landwalker Bird exhibited higher intelligence, which precisely made it very susceptible to temptation.


    Riding meant a magic potion.


    If you want the potion, you have to be ridden.


    Simple logic quickly imprinted on its clever mind.


    Riding the Landwalker Bird around the enclosure a few times, once he found that it had adapted to being ridden, Liszt shouted outside, ¡°Thomas, open the door to the enclosure.¡±


    The door was opened.


    The Landwalker Bird burst out in a flash, shaking Liszt on its back, showing signs of a wild outburst. Liszt hastily took out a new vial of Thorn Magic Potion and instantly stabilized the Landwalker Bird. He then used the potion to guide it to change direction and head back toward the enclosure.


    Finally, after another vial of Thorn Magic Potion was used up, the Landwalker Bird obediently entered the enclosure.


    ¡°Successfully tamed!¡±


    Liszt left the enclosure smiling, looking at the reluctant Landwalker Bird and feeling good: ¡°Success in acquiring a low-level Dragon Beast as a mount, a few more training sessions, and it should be completely tamed¡­ The only issue is having to use magic potions to tame it, which is a bit costly.¡±

 Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: Chapter 0379: The Great Battle of Green Leaf Fortress (Second Update)

    Chapter 382: Chapter 0379: The Great Battle of Green Leaf Fortress (Second Update)


    Green Leaf Fortress was far larger and sturdier than Nameless Castle.


    However, under the suppression of the Black, Yellow, Blue, and the remaining Grey Knight Order, Douson still spent half a day in dismantling one of the castle walls.


    Next was a swarm of knights from the four Knight Orders rushing in.


    Liszt, Trick, Jonas, and Levis, four elite Earth Knights who indulged in drug use, formed an ultra-luxurious combination. They bulldozed their way through, and in less than an hour, the siege of Green Leaf Fortress was over. This time, by assembling elite knights from four different Knight Orders, the casualties were fewer.


    The Black Knight Order lost just five knights in battle and had ten seriously injured.


    After three battles, out of the one hundred and forty-two knights in the Black Knight Order, fourteen had died, twenty-nine were seriously injured, leaving ninety-nine knights still capable of combat.


    Besides military honors and Liszt¡¯s previous gains, there were not many spoils of war to be privately divided¡ªjust some gold coins.


    Most resources had been moved, especially valuable goods, which were taken by the knights¡¯ relatives to Iron Hoof City¡ªMarquis of Bull had long been prepared for the assassination of the Sapphire Dragon and the subsequent retaliation from the Grand Duke.


    That very night.


    The four Knight Orders, with their coin pouches bulging with gold, met up with the Earl.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard,¡± the Earl hosted a feast at the camp to welcome the commanders of the four Knight Orders. However, there was no drinking¡ªjust a hearty meal.


    Jonas wore a look of shame, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, I¡¯ve disappointed you!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, your performance was disappointing, Jonas,¡± the Earl said. ¡°Count Sned is just an ordinary Sky Knight, and his followers are far below you in quality. If it had not been for Liszt¡¯s support, your casualty rate would have far exceeded that of the opponent, and that¡¯s during a charge on flat ground!¡±


    Jonas knelt on one knee, silent.


    The Earl waved his hand, ¡°You¡¯ll have to bear the consequences of this mistake yourself, but now, you still have a chance to make amends. Merge the Grey Knight Order into the Black Knight Order and serve as Liszt¡¯s deputy.¡±


    Jonas did not complain, ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t mind.


    He wasn¡¯t bothered by Jonas sharing a piece of the pie because he was the one who led the Knight Order, and all credit had to go through him before being distributed to the members of the Knight Order.


    In the knighthood system, Great Lords are only accountable to Minor Lords and their directly affiliated knights. All military achievements of a Knight Order or Knight Squad led by a Minor Lord are credited to that lord. When the Great Lord distributes rewards to the Minor Lord, the Minor Lord then calculates how to share these rewards with his knights.


    Now, Jonas¡¯s rewards would also be calculated by Liszt.


    ¡°My lord,¡± he replied aloud, ¡°with Viscount Jonas¡¯s assistance, the Black Knight Order can take on more tasks.¡± His mind was already making calculations.


    The more the Black Knight Order distinguished itself, the greater the likelihood of him being granted the title of Viscount.


    As long as he became a Viscount, all was well¡ªhe could extract funds from Fresh Flower Town as rewards for his knights. Even if this meant incurring some debt in the short term, the ownership of Black Horse Island was the most crucial outcome.


    The Earl understood Liszt¡¯s intentions.


    He nodded, ¡°Douson will be very useful, the Black Knight Order naturally needs to take on more tasks¡­ Now, let¡¯s plan the capture of Celery Fort. We rest for a day and then commence the siege right away! Be the first to complete the purge of Bull Hair City!¡±


    ¡­


    Bow and arrow suppression.


    Douson released Magic Stone Grenades and Rock Spikes.


    The whole day was spent repeating this routine, and Li Weiliam rode his warhorse, surveying the area below the fortress, ready to charge without hesitation towards Sned should he dare show his face and engage him in a fierce battle.


    Once Douson¡¯s magic power was exhausted, the knight order would retreat.


    After Douson had recovered, the knight order would charge again and continue the suppression with arrows.


    Back and forth with this torment, the knights of Celery Fort could only watch helplessly as Douson dismantled the castle, bombarding it from windows and other spots. Each rock grenade blast would create cracks in the walls, and in less than two days, they would surely take down an entire wall, leaving Celery Fort wide open.


    So the battle situation was as expected, and by the following morning, Count Sned of Celery Fort could no longer endure it.


    Seizing the moment when Coral Island¡¯s knight order retreated to rest, he quickly led his knights out and launched a charge. Unfortunately, his every move was anticipated. They were constantly under surveillance with telescopes, and the every action of Celery Fort was monitored.


    ¡°The time for a decisive battle has arrived!¡±


    Sea Wave Sword Saint Li Weiliam raised his longsword high, with one yellow and one green gemstone shining brightly on it: ¡°Charge!¡±


    The knight order of Celery Fort launched a charge, and the knight order of Coral Island also charged forward¡ªCelery Fort had roughly three hundred knights, while Coral Island had about five hundred knights, a significant disparity in strength. Sned was an ordinary level Sky Knight, while Li Weiliam was a Sword Saint Level Sky Knight.


    This battle, from the moment Douson joined the fight, had its conclusion already written.


    A southwesterly wind blew, rolling up clouds of sand that enveloped the sky, and the two cavalry torrents rapidly approached each other. The thundering sound of hooves on the ground made it seem as though an earthquake had erupted within miles around, scaring all wild beasts and birds into fleeing in all directions, leaving only the uniform charge cries echoing across the battlefield.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    ¡°All troops, attack!¡±


    Liszt, riding a Li Dragon Horse, charged shoulder to shoulder with Douson. Facing such a deluge, he couldn¡¯t help feeling that an individual was insignificant; it was only through merging into one that the knight order became a true war machine. Various Dou Qi diffused and mixed, concentrating the spirit of every person into one.


    That surging mixture of Dou Qi connected to the Dou Qi within each knight, boosting their bursting force by at least twenty percent.


    Clutching the knight¡¯s spear in his hand, Liszt¡¯s body rose and fell with the gallop of the Li Dragon Horse, and suddenly, three lines from ¡°The Song of the Great Wind¡± came to mind.


    ¡°When the great winds stir and clouds fly, my might spreads far and I return to my homeland. Who can bring forth the valiant to guard all sides!¡±


    The spears were about to clash.


    He quickly focused and gave the command, ¡°Douson, Multiple Stone Spikes!¡±


    Douson¡¯s magic power hadn¡¯t fully restored but unleashing Multiple Stone Spikes several times was not strenuous. Rock spikes like bamboo shoots burst forth in an instant, disrupting the formation of the knight order facing the Black Knight Order.


    Their connected Dou Qi scattered.


    The enemy knights lost their power enhancement, and their charge stumbled. Meanwhile, the Black Knight Order, with Liszt and Jonas at the forefront and the ferocious behemoth Douson adding two tons of Multiple Stone Spikes, tore through the opponents¡¯ defense in an instant, like three sharp knives plunging into the chest, beginning to gut them.


    Splash!


    The knight¡¯s spear pierced through an Elite Earth Knight.


    The two cavalry torrents collided in a moment, with blood and flesh flying, Dou Qi and horses in a deadly dance. After breaking a knight¡¯s spear, Liszt immediately switched to another, and if there was no time to switch, they used their shields or drew their swords. In just a few breaths, the Black Knight Order, with the help of Douson, penetrated the enemy¡¯s formation.


    Turning their horses around, the unified Dou Qi didn¡¯t scatter but immediately commenced a second charge.


    Just at that moment, a thunderclap sounded in the sky.


    Distracted, Liszt momentarily lost focus and looked up to see a mass of emerald green and a mass of pale purple light colliding violently in the sky.


    Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and a downpour began.


    Li Weiliam battled Count Sned a hundred meters in the air, their surging Dou Qi blooming, altering the weather itself.

 Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Chapter 0383: Dousons Special Armor (First Update)

    Chapter 386: Chapter 0383: Douson¡¯s Special Armor (First Update)


    The value of the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword was hard to judge.


    Considering the gemstone settings, the price difference between sapphires and rubies was not significant. Seen purely as a gemstone weapon, it was on the same level as the Crimson Blood Sword.


    Compared to the Earl¡¯s longsword, which had two gems embedded, there was quite a gap¡ªsetting a single gemstone was manageable, but embedding two required much more skill to coordinate without interference between the stones.


    However, the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword was not a standard gemstone weapon.


    The hilt was carved with a magic array, a feature of magic equipment, which, with the blessing of the array, allowed it to better leverage the power of the sapphire.


    In addition, the sword¡¯s blade was made from the bones of an intermediate magical beast mixed with magic metal fine gold. This material was significantly better than the fine steel of the Crimson Blood Sword, which had been mixed with mithril.


    ¡°In my opinion, its value might be a bit less than the Swift Shadow Bow, but more upscale than the Crimson Blood Sword,¡± Liszt had already decided to replace his Crimson Blood Sword with it.


    As for the Crimson Blood Sword, he planned to keep it as a spare weapon in the Gemstone Space.


    ¡­


    After the meeting was over.


    Liszt quickly oversaw the allocation of battle achievements for the Black Knight Order, mainly distributing magic equipment. There were a total of eleven pieces of magic equipment, and he picked out two for himself.


    One was an Amplification Bracelet that could slightly enhance the level of Dou Qi.


    After replacing the Crimson Blood Sword with the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, he needed a piece of magic equipment to replace the function of the Crimson Blood Sword. The bracelet, which could boost Dou Qi, had a slight effect, but it was better than nothing.


    The other was a Stabilizing Ring, worn on the thumb, which could stabilize the Dou Qi in the hands when shooting an arrow, thereby improving archery precision.


    He wasn¡¯t very reliant on this magic equipment.


    But since he had acquired them, why not use them? Even if they weren¡¯t used, it would be good to keep them in the Gemstone Space as a collection.


    All knights participated in the allocation of this batch of resources, which could be privately divided: Gold Coins and magic equipment, as well as a few common Dou Qi Manuscripts. A clerk recorded the distributed resources, and after returning to Coral Island, these pre-distributions would be taken into account when allocating battle achievements.


    Subsequently.


    Liszt began his new task¡ªtraining the landwalker bird Loki.


    This was a critical period for taming. The landwalker bird was on the verge of transformation, its magic power ready to burst forth at any moment. Thus, Liszt planned to quickly establish a conditioned reflex with Loki, solidifying their riding relationship. Previously, the landwalker bird had already helped him participate in Sky Knight battles effectively.


    Next, he wanted to charge into battle shoulder to shoulder with the landwalker bird.


    Ordinary warhorses charged at around 60 kilometers per hour, which was precisely the most common speed at which a landwalker bird could run, and it could maintain this pace for most of the day.


    He tamed Loki until late into the night and then personally fed it before returning to the castle.


    He couldn¡¯t sleep yet, as he had to take potions and practice ¡°Breath Decay¡±¡ªregardless of how difficult the conditions were, his training routine could not be neglected. In fact, the conditions weren¡¯t too difficult; everything he needed¡ªmagical beast meat, magic potions, dragon breed milk¡ªwas all stored in the Gemstone Space.


    Not long after taking the potions, just as he was about to take a bath, someone knocked on his door.


    ¡°My lord, the armor for Douson has been crafted, but Douson doesn¡¯t want to wear it,¡± entered Zavier, a retainer knight with a quick wit, who was held in high esteem by Liszt.


    ¡°Let me have a look.¡±


    Arriving at Douson¡¯s tent, it was gnawing on a large bone, while a few retainer knights stood by, holding the armor. They dared not force Douson to wear the armor as it was unwilling.


    Now that Liszt had arrived, soon Douson was forced into dog armor. The armor protected its neck and upper body, which were the most vulnerable to attack.


    As for the helmet, they didn¡¯t create one for Douson. Firstly, there was no blacksmith to forge a suitable helmet, and secondly, the helmet might have interfered with Douson¡¯s magic casting.


    Dressed in the dog armor, Douson felt uncomfortable and constantly tried to take it off.


    Liszt had an idea.


    Thinking back to the initial teaching of the new magic ¡°Rock Wall¡± to Douson¡ªsimulation, demonstration¡ªhe found a rock and smashed it in front of Douson.


    Douson looked on, puzzled, and decided to lower its head to continue gnawing on its big bone.


    Quickly, Liszt put a set of fine steel armor, dismantled by half, atop the rock and struck it again. With two clangs, the rock, protected by the armor, did not shatter. He shook the rock in front of Douson, repeating the routine, trying to get Douson to understand that armor could protect it.


    Nevertheless, Douson still refused to wear the armor.


    After persisting for an hour, and the night having grown deep, it still refused to wear the dog armor. Just when Liszt was getting impatient, Douson suddenly opened its mouth, and the next moment, a layer of cracked rock quickly surfaced on its body, wrapping itself¡ªonly partially, as most of its torso remained uncovered.


    ¡°Hm!¡±


    Liszt raised an eyebrow, ¡°Good, it seems the magic you¡¯ve learned can completely replace this set of dog armor, so¡­ Douson, take a few steps to try it out!¡±


    The cracked rock armor, distributed across the neck, forehead, shoulders, back, and thighs, looked like it was adhering to the body, not hindering movement as it cracked or contracted with its steps.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Douson barked proudly, showing off its new armor.


    Liszt hammered the rock armor, finding it very sturdy, and unlike ordinary rock, it seemed to have reached a crystalline level. Under the illumination of candlelight, it even had a faint translucency. With effort, he could break off a piece.


    Then, he thrust violently with a spear, and with a loud thump, the rock was sent flying but didn¡¯t immediately crack.


    ¡°With the force I just used, even fine steel armor would have been pierced, but the rock didn¡¯t crack. Its hardness is almost catching up with mithril armor!¡±


    Liszt was quite astonished.


    He then summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward Douson with new magic¡ªFirmstone Armor.¡±


    ¡°Firmstone Armor? I remember now, Elkerson mentioned that within the Earth System magic, there is a spell that only a grand magician can master, called Firmstone Armor. It can arm oneself like armor, defending against attacks, many grand magicians proficient in Earth System magic like to research Firmstone Armor.¡±


    However, very few grand magicians successfully learned this magic¡ªof course, magicians were already rare to begin with.


    ¡°My Douson is growing stronger.¡± He used Eye of Magic to gauge the level of magic power consumption and found that Douson¡¯s magic power had thinned significantly, suggesting that Firmstone Armor was highly demanding of magic power, and he couldn¡¯t help patting the rock on Douson¡¯s body, ¡°Douson, take it off, can you remove it?¡±


    He made several gestures.


    Douson quickly understood, shaking its body as if shaking off water, and the yellow-gray rocks were flung in all directions, not a single one remaining.


    ¡°Very good, now let¡¯s learn a new command¡ªDouson, Firmstone Armor!¡± Liszt decided to strike while the iron was hot and get Douson accustomed to its new magic as quickly as possible.


    Lest it forget.

 Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Chapter 0384: Time for Iron Hoof Island to End (Second Update)

    Chapter 387: Chapter 0384: Time for Iron Hoof Island to End (Second Update)


    The Firmstone Armor was very consuming of magic power.


    From Liszt¡¯s observations, if Dou Qi releasing a Rock Spike required 1 point of magic power, releasing a Rock Grenade required 5 points of magic power, and releasing a Rock Wall needed 7 points of magic power, then releasing Firmstone Armor would need at least 20 points of magic power.


    ¡°This probably has to do with the degree of condensation of the rock, the rock of the Firmstone Armor is almost to the point of crystallizing into gemstones; whereas the rocks of the Rock Wall, Rock Grenade, and Rock Spike are just rock.¡±


    A quantitative change leads to a qualitative change.


    The more magic power consumed, the higher the quality of the rock can be.


    With this set of Firmstone Armor, Dou Qi will have an even more explosive combat power in the future, capable of charging into enemy lines and defending towers effortlessly. Having trained until midnight, Dou Qi was already good at understanding the command ¡°Dou Qi, Firmstone Armor,¡± and only then did Liszt yawn and go back to sleep.


    He too was exhausted today, a charge taking a heavy toll on his physical strength.


    Before falling asleep, he suddenly missed Fresh Flower Town¡ªthe elves, Sea Sprite Ake, the servants in the castle, and the Little Wheat Bug he hadn¡¯t managed to bond with, as well as the Eight Tiny Ones he was unsure had learned to use magic or not.


    Cultivating an army of Blizzard Beasts was a dream he never gave up on.


    In a trance.


    A phantom Smoke Serpent Script slowly emerged in front of him.


    ¡°Mission: a knight hastily flying is bringing new messages, how tomorrow¡¯s battles will commence is unknown, but you also have the chance to become one of the flying knights, please assist Landwalker bird Loki in mastering the method of releasing magic. Reward: Loki¡¯s magic.¡±


    This was the new Smoke Mission.


    Its content was explosive; it meant for Liszt to become one of the flying knights, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement, ¡°It¡¯s about time Loki released some magic, what kind would it be? According to the Smoke Serpent Script, will Loki be able to fly soon? Is it not a flightless bird?¡±


    Flightless birds, such as ostriches, emus, and kiwis, are adept at running but cannot fly.


    The Landwalker bird fits the profile of a flightless bird well, with long legs that allow high-speed running, a hefty body, and wings so short they can be practically ignored.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine how it could fly.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just a fledgling and when it matures its wings will grow, turning into something like a Red-crowned Crane?¡± Liszt thought to himself.


    Wading birds, with a pair of long legs, like to live by the water and search for food in the water or mud, with birds such as cranes, storks, snipes, and bustards falling into this category.


    The Landwalker bird, with its features, could barely wade in the water relying on its long legs.


    ¡°No!¡± Liszt suddenly remembered, the long legs of the Landwalker bird are covered with feathers, and having feathers makes it difficult to walk comfortably in water, it will not become a wading bird.


    So, thinking it over, Liszt still had no idea how the Landwalker bird was supposed to fly, and moreover, its very name, Landwalker bird¡ªwhy would it fly?


    ¡­


    The next day, he continued to rest at Celery Fort.


    The Earl was still waiting for the next war instructions from Marquis Glendenton, while Liszt continued to tame the Landwalker bird and attempted to help it learn to cast magic.


    His relationship with the Landwalker bird was not as close as with Dou Qi, making it difficult to infuse Dou Qi and guide the flow of magic power.


    Therefore, he could only do some superficial work, stimulate the Landwalker bird¡¯s magic power a bit, letting it be vented out to complete the basic casting of magic.


    The difficulty is somewhat high, so success has not yet been achieved.


    However, Liszt did feel one change: as Loki¡¯s magic power became more abundant, its running speed, endurance, and jumping power had all seen substantial improvement.


    It was clearly still maturing, and once it was fully grown, its capabilities were likely to be even more formidable¡ªafter all, it was a low-level Dragon Beast with the bloodline of a dragon.


    Landwalker bird.


    The leisure time passed just like that.


    He didn¡¯t get to relax for long, as at dusk, a messenger knight dispatched by Marquis Glendenton arrived at Celery Fort, delivering new orders, ¡°Earl Li Weiliam, the Marquis orders you to lead the Knight Order immediately and set out for Bull Ridge City to the west. He needs to see your arrival by the morning after next.¡±


    ¡°Why the urgency?¡± The Earl frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a full day¡¯s march from Bull Hair City to Bull Ridge City; this is forcing us to travel at night.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the reason, as the Marquis did not reveal it, but when I departed, the Marquis himself was also leading the Knight Order toward Bull Ridge City. According to the marching time, if we are to arrive at Bull Ridge City by the morning after next, the Marquis will also need to march through the night.¡±


    Marching at night is not a good decision, as it is the most susceptible time for an ambush.


    But when an order is given, it must be executed.


    The Coral Island Knights, having rested for a day, were back in peak condition. Leaving behind some of the injured to continue garrisoning Celery Fort, the Earl immediately led his knights to break camp and head west.


    Naturally, Liszt was no exception.


    Riding the Landwalker bird, he led the Black Knight Order along with the rest of the troops as they set out.


    They hastened on their way.


    Both the men and their mounts were exhausted but had safely arrived at Bull Ridge City, where the forces of Glendenton had just barely made it as well.


    Armies from several other Earls had also only just arrived shortly before.


    ¡°The First Prince has taken Iron Hoof City, which the Bull Family has cultivated over generations, and even Bull Castle has been occupied. However, no battle took place¡ªBull Castle was already empty. A month before the assassination incident, the rebel Andy had already transferred the people from Bull Castle overseas.¡±


    Glendenton Red Maple Leaf, with a solemn expression and more pronounced creases on his face, said: ¡°The vast majority of the riches on Iron Hoof Island, along with the seed of various noble families, have all fled overseas, possibly to the Eagle Kingdom or the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡ªit¡¯s impossible to know.¡±


    ¡°Then, Marquis, is the Marquis of the Bull still on Iron Hoof Island?¡±


    ¡°That is why I have called you here.¡± Glendenton unfolded a map of Iron Hoof Island and drew a circle with his hand around a large area between Bull Tail City and Bull Ridge City, ¡°The Wrath Knight Order was repelled by the reinforcing Knight Order that arrived later and retreated into this area. All the exits to the sea are blocked; they can only continue to hide!¡±


    He looked around at the Earls gathered in a circle and said in a cold tone, ¡°Our task is to find the Wrath Knight Order, the rebel Andy, and those sinister magicians from the Goat Assembly! The Grand Duke¡¯s directive is to find them and kill them on the spot, we don¡¯t need any survivors!¡±


    Then, Glendenton presented the information he had on the Wrath Knight Order and the Goat Assembly, including the composition of their members.


    Next, he assigned tasks: ¡°Bull Rump City, Bull Tendon City, these two major cities, along with the nine smaller cities under them, we¡¯ll primarily search these four smaller cities¡­ Earl Li Weiliam, you need to lead the Coral Island Knights to search Snow Pear City thoroughly, not missing any trace¡­¡±


    Tasks were distributed.


    Finally, Glendenton said, ¡°The Grand Duke¡¯s wrath will burn for a long time, until the entire Bull Family is destroyed, no matter where they hide! Now, our job is to annihilate their main forces, shatter the backs of the rebels¡­ It¡¯s time for Iron Hoof Island to draw the curtain.¡±


    He paused.


    He attempted to smile to lighten the mood, but his deeply etched creases only made his expression seem grimmer, ¡°A new order will be established on this land, gentlemen, and all have an opportunity!¡±

 Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Chapter 0387: The Legend of the Dragon Elf (First Update)

    Chapter 390: Chapter 0387: The Legend of the Dragon Elf (First Update)


    With the conclusion of the battle at Bull Rump City, the siege of Iron Hoof Island reached a clear stage.


    The trace of the Wrath Knight Order was also discovered around the last major city, Bull Tendon City, which had not been parceled out and still belonged to the Marquis of Bull.


    Not only did the Wrath Knight Order appear around Bull Tendon City, but magicians from the Goat Assembly also swaggered into the city to select various magic materials.


    They made no attempt to avoid the encircling knight orders that were soon to besiege Bull Tendon City.


    They were fearless.


    ¡°The Hemp Eagle Knights have locked down the Marquis of Bull¡¯s location.¡± After the meeting, Li Weiliam summoned his followers and announced the final battle plan set by the Second Prince, ¡°All knight orders will immediately break camp and head to Bull Tendon City to join the First Prince and complete the encirclement of Milk Lake.¡±


    Liszt took a deep breath, ¡°Earl, is this the final battle?¡±


    Li Weiliam looked at his second son, who had been frantically claiming credit in the recent two battles, and felt extremely gratified, ¡°Yes, this is indeed the final battle!¡±


    After this battle ended, perhaps, the Tulip family might advance even further.


    No matter what, it was always a pleasure to see one¡¯s son grow up at such a chaotic juncture.


    ¡­


    Ten kilometers away from Bull Tendon City lay a huge lake called Milk Lake.


    In the center of the lake stood a towering Solitary Island, upon which was a castle, not too grandiose but slightly larger than Tulip Castle ¡ª Juniper Castle.


    The name of the castle originated from the dense shrubs and small trees on Solitary Island ¡ª the junipers.


    The fame of Juniper Castle was known throughout the Duchy of Sapphire, for it was the place where the precious cellar-aged spirit, ¡°Juniper Wine,¡± was produced. There was an obscure rumor that the Bull Marquis Family had a Dragon Elf with a lifespan of five hundred years, the Juniper Dragon Spirit, which specialized in brewing wine.


    This Juniper Dragon Spirit was a gift from the First Grand Duke to his favorite youngest son.


    It then became the Bull Family¡¯s heirloom.


    If the rumor was true, then the Duchy of Sapphire would have a total of two Dragon Elves ¡ª the Sapphire Family also had an Oat Dragon Elf.


    Because Dragon Elves were so rare, scarcely more numerous than dragons themselves, few people knew what Dragon Elves actually looked like.


    Liszt did not know either.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gathered information about Dragon Elves, and the most reliable theory is that in order for an elf to evolve into a Dragon Elf, it needs the help of a dragon.¡±


    ¡°A dragon¡¯s help?¡± Paris rode a Li Dragon Horse alongside Liszt as they set out with the knight order.


    Now that Liszt could mount a Landwalker Bird and charge at will, he lent Paris the Li Dragon Horse, so she could be quicker in coming to his aid when necessary.


    ¡°Or it can also be described as an ¡®infection,¡¯ which is my own speculative conclusion,¡± Liszt said. ¡°Just like Dragon Breed Beasts and Dragon Breed Magic Beasts, dragons can probably ¡®infect¡¯ a Greater Elf, which then uses the dragon¡¯s miraculous power to transform and become a Dragon Elf.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ve heard that Dragon Elves are servants to dragons.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one theory. Dragon Elves are very friendly with dragons and enjoy living around them. I¡¯ve seen some magic books that mention Dragon Elves appearing around evil dragons. However, there are also a few magic books and knight novels that suggest another interesting idea.¡±


    ¡°What idea?¡±


    ¡°Dragon Elves are servants to dragons, but when a Dragon Elf evolves into an Elf King, the dragon will become its steed, subject to its command.¡±


    ¡°Baron, does the Elf King really exist in this world?¡±


    This was an interesting question. Most people might refute such a statement, believing the Elf King to be merely a legend, since from ancient times to the present no one had ever seen the Elf King, nor was there an accurate description of him¡ªsome said the Elf King was as large as a forest, others said he could ride dragons.


    However.


    Liszt replied, ¡°He exists, the Elf King exists in this world.¡±


    ¡°Really? What does the Elf King look like?¡± Paris asked with keen interest.


    ¡°I have not seen him, so I cannot answer.¡±


    His reliance was because the creatures of legend, one after another, appeared before his very eyes. First specters, then dragon wraiths, followed by liches, and soon sea serpents¡­ Therefore, should the Elf King one day appear before him, he would not be surprised at all. This world is not Earth.


    It doesn¡¯t necessarily have to adhere to the theory of species evolution.


    Paris did not dwell on whether the Elf King existed or not. Her thoughts shifted quickly, ¡°Baron, why is the Marquis of Bull not called the Marquis of Iron Hoof Island, or why doesn¡¯t he change his name to Andy Juniper?¡±


    According to the ennoblement system, the correct title for a noble is the fief followed by the rank¡ªfor instance, Li Weiliam Tulip¡¯s title is Coral Island¡¯s Count; Liszt Tulip¡¯s title is Baron of Fresh Flower Town.


    Only the Marquis of Bull had the title Marquis of Bull and not Marquis of Iron Hoof Island.


    ¡°It is a remembrance,¡± Liszt knew the interesting story behind it, ¡°Before the Sapphire Family came to this sea area to establish a nation, they were in some place on the continent. Back then, the youngest son of the First Grand Duke had a nickname, Little Bull. When he was first ennobled, he was made Earl of Bull.¡±


    Afterward, when the Sapphire Family founded the nation, Little Bull was promoted to Marquis of Bull, with Iron Hoof Island as his fief.


    Possibly not wanting to change this intimate relationship, the title of Marquis of Bull continued; as for the surname, it was more or less for the same reason, to emphasize the closeness to the Sapphire Family, the surname had always been Sapphire. Of course, it could also be that the Marquis of Bull didn¡¯t actually have a Juniper Dragon Elf.


    Without a Juniper Dragon Elf, naturally, he could not bear the surname Juniper.


    ¡­


    After a day¡¯s march, they reached the shores of Milk Lake.


    The Knight Order that was besieging Iron Hoof Island had successfully rendezvoused, firmly surrounding the lake, ready to launch the final strike at any moment. Liszt was also making his final preparations; the entire campaign to besiege Iron Hoof Island boiled down to this last battle¡ªif he missed this opportunity, it would be difficult to claim any battle honors.


    Up until now, the news of the death of the Sapphire Dragon had not arrived, nor had the possible invading troops from Eagle Kingdom.


    The battlefield became increasingly clear, and the Marquis of Bull was inescapable doom.


    A cloth dampened with a bit of special resin, and he slowly wiped the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword; these maintenance tasks helped reduce weapon wear and tear and extended their lifespan.


    Any weapon would wear down with constant use and ultimately become scrap.


    Even a divine weapon forged from the teeth of a dragon would decay over time; only the rate of decay varied.


    ¡°Baron!¡± A messenger knight arrived, ¡°The Earl asks that you get ready, in half an hour, please follow him to the banquet.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Half an hour later, Liszt, wearing Mithril Armor, accompanied by his father Li Weiliam and brother Levis, headed toward the First Prince¡¯s tent to take part in the evening¡¯s banquet¡ªeven in war, one could not stop the nobility from dining and drinking, and even wine cups were set out on the table.


    Was this to be a bout of unrestrained revelry before the battle front?


    Fortunately, the First Prince had not lost his senses. The first thing he said when presiding over the banquet was, ¡°Everyone is limited to one beer only, to moisten your parched throats. After the war ends and the fury of the Sapphire Family has been vented, I will drink heartily with all of you!¡±

 Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Chapter 0388: The Defensive Barrier of Juniper Castle (Second Update)

    Chapter 391: Chapter 0388: The Defensive Barrier of Juniper Castle (Second Update)


    At the banquet.


    Liszt saw various nobles, most of whom held higher ranks than himself, or were noble heirs without a title yet.


    ¡°Marquis Wallace Pineapple Green of Deep Throat Island, Marquis Roderick Gold Wheat Sheaf of Golden Island, Marquis Ramirez White Glutinous Rice of Leather Island, Marquis Glendenton Red Maple Leaf of Red Maple City¡­¡± Liszt counted the attending marquises to reinforce his impression of them.


    In the Grand Duchy, there were seven marquises in total¡ªfour of whom were present here.


    The other three marquises were unable to attend.


    Marquis Merlin Taro of Red Crab Island had retired and was residing at home; Marquis Andy Sapphire of the Bull had become a rebel and was now besieged; as for the last marquis, Marquis Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea of Quicksand City, he was assisting Lady Sarette in purging the court¡¯s servants.


    The arrangement of the seven marquises had solidified since the accession of the fifth Grand Duke and had remained stable to this day.


    ¡°Perhaps in a few days, there will only be six marquises left,¡± Liszt thought, finding little appetite for the coarse food before him¡ªhe still preferred Mrs. Abbie¡¯s cooking.


    He then observed the First and Second Prince.


    To be precise, these two were sons of a duke, not actual princes, but just as the daughters of the Sapphire Duke were referred to as princesses, so too were they called princes.


    Crown Prince Anthony Sapphire, aged thirty-two, was known as the Ice Seal Sword Saint; Second Prince Angus Sapphire, aged twenty-seven, was known as the Ice Spring Sword Saint. One was a veteran Sword Saint and the other, a newly minted one. To be recognized as a saint with the sword at such ages meant they both were quite talented.


    Both brothers bore a strong resemblance to each other, yet neither could be deemed handsome.


    The Crown Prince appeared more amiable, exuding an inviting warmth; the Second Prince, perhaps due to the annihilation of the Knight Order, maintained a perpetually cold expression, unapproachable to strangers.


    ¡°From what my cousin has mentioned, Anthony and Angus only became Sky Knights after turning twenty. Their talents are indeed good, but not particularly outstanding. With the backing of the unlimited resources of the Sapphire Family, true prodigies would likely have become Sky Knights before reaching adulthood.¡±


    Liszt had only become an Earth Knight after coming of age and was now seventeen years old; he hoped to become a Sky Knight before he turned twenty.


    Though he started from a disadvantage, he was now playing with a cheat¡ªdestined to win at the finish line.


    Especially when he saw the Crown Prince mingling and toasting with the nobles, basking in their flattery, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but feel uncomfortable, malice creeping into his thoughts: ¡°Perhaps the Sapphire Dragon is already dead, and the Grand Duke is in a state of chaos, yet his son here is still merry as can be.¡±


    He picked up the juice in front of him and took a sip.


    He also tried the medium-done steak, suddenly feeling poignant: ¡°Having a banquet at a time like this seems inappropriate. Marquis of the Bull won¡¯t just sit back and wait for doom; he must be plotting something¡­ It seems in this battle, I need to be extra cautious and not recklessly charge forward.¡±


    Those who scheme to slay dragons are definitely no pushovers.


    When facing soft targets, one must strike decisively, but when dealing with tough ones, learning to be humble is key.


    The steak was not particularly delicious, but the juice tasted good. He drained half the cup in one go and felt somewhat satiated by the meal, planning to supplement with some Six-Headed King Serpent meat back home.


    Looking at the nobles still engaged in mutual adulation and toasting.


    He suddenly had another thought: ¡°If the Duchy of Sapphire really descends into chaos, could I seize the opportunity to obtain the ¡®Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual¡¯ from the Sapphire Family?¡±


    ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual,¡± written by the First Grand Duke, was passed down to his descendants for cultivation, with the hope that some would become Dragon Knights.


    Regrettably, in the hands of the Sapphire Family, no new Dragon Knights had emerged to date.


    Liszt knew that he was a man destined to ride dragons, so the significance of this ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Manual¡± for him was immense.


    In this region of the sea, it was probably the only book on how to ride dragons.


    ¡­


    Juniper Castle was surrounded by Milk Lake, preventing knights from charging.


    But this did not stop them. The next morning, serfs from Bull Tendon City were driven to fell trees from the surrounding forests, and logs were brought to Milk Lake one by one, fastened into rafts, and cast into the waters. Countless rafts piled up, quickly encasing the edge of Milk Lake.


    Layer upon layer of rafts could easily bear the weight of charging cavalry.


    Though the lake was vast, it could not hinder the busyness of numerous serfs. Bit by bit, the surface of Milk Lake shrank visibly, as if covered by fabric, spreading towards the Solitary Island where Juniper Castle stood.


    ¡°The Marquis of Bull has no reaction, and the guards of Juniper Castle do not seem overly panicked,¡± reported Li Weiliam from atop a nearby hill, putting down his telescope.


    Liszt also lowered his telescope, ¡°Father, I think the Marquis of Bull is planning something big.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s given up on himself, Liszt. You need to think more positively,¡± Levis said with a relaxed expression. ¡°With the army bearing down on him, the Marquis of Bull can¡¯t resist. From the beginning, when he tried to assassinate the Sapphire Dragon, he was gambling with his own life. Now, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s lost.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too optimistic.¡±


    The Earl glanced at Levis and said, ¡°When dealing with the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, remember to think critically, weigh issues from all angles carefully, and don¡¯t let love cloud your judgment.¡±


    These past days, Levis had been frequently visiting the tent of Marquis Roderick, eager to display his good qualities before his future father-in-law since he would not settle until he wed Loria Gold Wheat Ear.


    Levis defended himself, ¡°Father, you worry too much. My aim is to actively form ties with the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family to prepare for any potential future problems.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to form connections proactively, but don¡¯t make it obvious, and certainly don¡¯t become a pawn in someone else¡¯s hands. Learn to conceal your intentions,¡± the Earl remarked with a tinge of sentimentality. ¡°Both of my sons are outstanding, yet so very different; Levis, you mingle too eagerly, while Liszt, you neglect to do so.¡±


    Liszt smiled confidently and nonchalantly, ¡°That¡¯s because I have more faith in my own strength, far more reliable than unpredictable connections. Besides, brother can handle the socializing; I will follow in the footsteps of Father and my brother.¡±


    The future Dragon Knight was unconcerned with establishing noble relations at the moment.


    Li Weiliam shook his head slightly, feeling somewhat helpless; his sons were both exceptional yet had their own strong opinions and no longer listened to him attentively.


    ¡­


    Three days passed, and on July 10th, the sun shone brightly.


    Milk Lake was completely covered by the rafts, and the Crown Prince no longer hesitated, announcing the attack on Juniper Castle. Earth Knights assembled in the form of a Knight Order to besiege the castle; the Sky Knights soared into the sky for precision strikes.


    A grand battle was about to unfold.


    However, upon Solitary Island where Juniper Castle stood, a faint light suddenly blossomed, followed by rings of barrier-like ripples appearing in the sky above the entire island, seemingly inverting a large bowl over the castle.


    The Earth Knights could not breach the barrier.


    The Sky Knights could only cause the barrier to shake erratically.


    ¡°It¡¯s merely a defensive Magic Array; the magicians of the Goat Assembly can only create such an obstacle!¡± Crown Prince Anthony drew his longsword, pointing skyward with passion, ¡°All hear my command! Charge with me, attack the magic barrier, and crush it!¡±


    Boom!


    The torrent of knights once again surged, fiercely colliding with the ripple-like luminescent barrier.

 Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Chapter 0391: Mesiro Takes Action (First Update)

    Chapter 394: Chapter 0391: Mesiro Takes Action (First Update)


    Lich.


    This term, or rather this type of artificial creature, originated from ancient times, possibly beginning in the Moon Empire¡ªyes, it seems that everything in this world is eventually connected to the Moon Empire, as if there was only one human nation in the ancient era, which was the Moon Empire itself.


    In some Magic Books of magicians, the Moon Empire is described as a realm in pursuit of magic, and thus gave birth to a wide variety of magical professions.


    Just as recorded in the book he obtained from the Ghost Ship, ¡°To His Highness Annuette¡ªCurtis Truth,¡± surrounding the triangular symbol of the Eye of Truth, there were professions like Alchemist, Vampire, Necromancer, Magician, Druid, Wizard, Sorcerer, Prophet, Succubus, Shaman, and others.


    All these professions have been obliterated by the river of history, with only magicians continuing to exist.


    According to the information that Liszt summarized and searched, liches originated from the wizards of the Moon Empire, who were roughly magicians studying soul techniques. An ancient wizard invented the Life Box Technique that could harbour souls and turned himself into an undying lich.


    Afterward, there was a brief flourishing period for liches.


    Of course, immortality hardly exists¡ªbecause in this era, there are no longer any signs of liches¡¯ existence.


    Those ancient liches have long since turned into mere dust between heaven and earth, and even dragons cannot live forever, so how could these artificial creatures grasp the secret of immortality.


    It was probably just a technique for extending one¡¯s lifespan.


    ¡°But now it seems that the lich transformed by Andy Sapphire is somewhat unusual¡­ Compared to the lich form of Curtis Truth, Lich Andy appears to be very formidable¡­ His height is that of two men, and even the greatsword in his hand is emanating blue flames.¡±


    Liszt, watching the Marquis of Bull conversing with the Crown Prince at the breach in Juniper Castle, grew nervous.


    He had guessed that the Marquis would certainly have a contingency plan, but the outcome turned out to be the Marquis smoothly transforming into a lich, and with an unrivalled manner, appearing before everyone.


    The battlefield fell into a stunned silence.


    Crown Prince Anthony, standing on the ground, looking up at the towering Lich Andy, said sharply, ¡°Liches are nothing but relics discarded by time, and there is no one in the world who is immortal; the same applies to you. Andy, your act of self-deception cannot intimidate anyone!¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha, such laughable words.¡± Lich Andy gently swung the greatsword in his hand; the sword had a striking design, with a blade resembling a piece of bone, and the hilt, forged out of metal, topped with a bull¡¯s head. The pair of bull horns acted as the sword guard, and the blue flames burned coldly, ¡°I am not just trying to scare you, because, I¡¯m about to come kill you!¡±


    Boom!


    Lich Andy suddenly leapt down from Juniper Castle, causing the ground to tremble slightly under his landing.


    The Crown Prince couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of fear, but he quickly roared, ¡°All knights, throw your spears and shoot your arrows at this lich! Sky Knights, follow me to besiege him!¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to oppose me?¡± Lich Andy, seeing the knights around him preparing to attack, immediately spoke out loud, ¡°I have become a lich and have taken the power of the Sapphire Dragon, my very existence proves the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s death, and yet, do you still choose to be buried with the Sapphire Family!¡±


    His words instantly caused the movements of the knights to hesitate.


    The dragon slaying incident had occurred, and now with the Marquis transforming into a lich so successfully, there was no doubt that he had stolen the power of the Sapphire Dragon. But then, what had become of this dragon that repressed the nation?


    Everyone would certainly have doubts in their minds.


    However, the Crown Prince quickly rebutted, ¡°How dare you covet the power of the dragon. The Sapphire Dragon is safe and sound. Soon, it will recover from its injuries and eliminate the scum who dare to challenge its majesty!¡±


    Having said that.


    The Crown Prince charged directly at Lich Andy. At this moment, Liszt truly admired this heir to the duke, who not only did not retreat in such a situation but also charged forward without hesitation. Seeking to directly influence the judgment of the surrounding knights with his example.


    In contrast, the Second Prince beside him did not immediately rush out with the Crown Prince.


    This newly acclaimed Sword Saint was hesitant and wavering in his heart.


    ¡°This battle is going to be tough.¡± Liszt certainly felt the urge to retreat as well. He did not know how strong the lich transformed by the Marquis was, but the success of the Marquis easily led one to speculate on the safety of the Sapphire Dragon, hence causing hesitation. Just like now, only the Crown Prince was charging forward alone.


    Even the Second Prince began to waver.


    The scales of victory had already tipped toward the Marquis of the Bull, and the new Lich Andy. Once the Crown Prince¡¯s assault tested Andy¡¯s immense strength, it was likely that a huge change would occur on the battlefield.


    Thinking of his own retreat planned long ago, Li Si Te couldn¡¯t help but mock himself inwardly, ¡°Nobles are the best at seeking fortune and avoiding disaster.¡±


    But the next moment.


    He realized his understanding of nobles was still very superficial.


    From their ranks, following right after the Crown Prince, another Sky Knight charged out, clad in golden armor and wielding a golden greatsword. This ostentatiously dressed figure was none other than his uncle¡ªwho, in Liszt¡¯s opinion, was considered as ¡°useless¡± among the nobility and had only reached the rank of an ordinary Sky Knight by relying heavily on magic potions.


    Mesiro Taro.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    His gaze locked, he was momentarily unable to respond.


    And there wasn¡¯t time to respond, for he soon discovered that his father, Sea Wave Sword Saint Li Weiliam, was following right behind Mesiro, being the third one to charge out. Then, one after another, Sky Knights surged forth, including the Second Prince, all heading toward Lich Andy.


    Seeing such a scene, Lich Andy couldn¡¯t help but curse loudly, ¡°Foolish ants! It seems you really don¡¯t understand your current actions, it¡¯s like committing suicide!¡±


    Boom!


    The greatsword emitting blue flames was raised and then lightly swept across, sending a fan-shaped wave of blue shock impact that rapidly struck many Sky Knights.


    Instantly, the Sky Knights were sent flying backward as if they were small boats capsized by waves.


    Li Weiliam was among those retreating, yet he was not injured¡ªmerely struck by a great force, causing his ribs to ache slightly. Catching his breath, he charged forward again, right beside the also retreating Crown Prince. He glanced at the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince looked back at him.


    Without any verbal or eye contact, the two quickly rejoined the fray.


    This was going to be a difficult fight!


    Thunder, hail, stone shards, Wind Blades, flames, waves¡ªthe magic power in the air was pulverized into sludge by the Knights¡¯ own Dou Qi, displaying a variety of phenomena, except for the rarer Light Attribute Dou Qi and Dark Attribute Dou Qi. The other six attributes of Dou Qi were displayed in the sky.


    In such a wild onslaught, Lich Andy roared angrily, the greatsword emitting blue flames actually blocked the group assaults, and he even had the strength to counterattack.


    Phut!


    The blade emitting blue flames suddenly pivoted, and a Sky Knight of common strength who couldn¡¯t dodge in time was brushed across the chest by the greatsword, blood splattered and rapidly evaporated.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The Sky Knight screamed as he retreated.


    He couldn¡¯t even withstand a single sword strike from Lich Andy.


    The vastness of the gap was chilling. The Earth Knights surrounding Juniper Castle didn¡¯t dare to join the battle, as this was a fight among the highest echelon of Knights¡ªLich Andy seemed like a creature made of magic, but his combat style was still that of a Knight.


    Mingling among the Knight Order, Li Si Te raised his Swift Shadow Bow several times, only to put it down again.


    With the Earl entering the fray, the Tulip Family¡¯s stance was quickly determined. The Coral Island Knights had no choice but to fight¡­ But this battle was no longer at a level an Elite Earth Knight like him could participate in, even sneak attacks with arrows would be difficult.


    ¡°Andy with the ¡®Pleasure of Flame¡¯ is too strong. This feeling, it¡¯s like we¡¯re going to lose.¡±

 Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: Chapter 0392: Pillaging the Study of the Marquis of Bull (Second Update)

    Chapter 395: Chapter 0392: Pillaging the Study of the Marquis of Bull (Second Update)


    In the game of World of Warcraft, the Lich King Arthas possesses a divine artifact known as Frostmourne. The Marquis of Bull now wields a similar greatsword that bursts with blue flames, easily reminding Liszt of another divine artifact, ¡°Pleasure of Flame¡±.


    Of course.


    The sword doesn¡¯t bear this name, but its majesty is in no way inferior.


    Fighting alone against dozens of Sky Knights, the Marquis of Bull¡¯s support consists only of seven or eight Sky Knights from Juniper Castle. Yet even so, the Marquis of Bull holds the upper hand, his blue-flame-bursting greatsword grievously wounding a Sky Knight from time to time.


    ¡°How could ants understand the might of a Lich!¡±


    With a fierce grin, the Marquis of Bull slashed out with his sword. One of the Sky Knights, unable to dodge in time, had his arm severed on the spot, rendering him completely useless as he screamed and fell to the ground. Fortunately, he was quickly rescued by the knights on the ground, who rushed over just in time to save his life, although his ordeal was just the beginning.


    A minute later, another Sky Knight was seriously injured; his waist almost bisected by the greatsword that burst with blue flames.


    If it were not for the Advanced Dou Qi that forcibly stopped the bleeding, he likely would have died already.


    ¡°Sir Captain, what should we do?¡± Captain Layden was visibly agitated. The situation on the battlefield was beyond what they, the Elite Earth Knights, could comprehend.


    Liszt signaled him to keep calm and directly ran towards Levis¡¯s direction: ¡°Sir Levis!¡±


    ¡°Baron Liszt.¡± Levis, leading the red and yellow Knight Orders, likewise stood his ground, but his expression matched Captain Layden¡¯s, lost and anxious.


    ¡°Are you planning to run away?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Levis shrieked before lowering his voice, ¡°Have you gone mad? Father is fighting out there!¡±


    He still had family ties and reason, not terrified by the battlefield.


    Liszt took a moment to soothe his own tension before saying, ¡°We can¡¯t help in the battle with the Sky Knights, but Juniper Castle is right in front of us. Since father has already decided to fight, we must not remain idle!¡±


    Levis immediately gestured dismissively: ¡°If you have a plan, just spit it out. We don¡¯t have time for your hesitations!¡±


    ¡°Very well, you must immediately round up the Knight Orders. We shall avoid the main battlefield and continue our assault on Juniper Castle!¡± Liszt spoke calmly.


    His tense emotions did not cloud his judgment. On the contrary, his thoughts were more active.


    He looked at Levis, who seemed to cling to a lifeline, and declared loudly, ¡°We need to advance or retreat together with father, which means we must have an unshakable belief in victory. Thus, the glory of taking Juniper Castle must not be lost! You go and contact the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, and I¡¯ll get in touch with the Long Taro Family!¡±


    ¡°Can we take down¡­¡±


    Liszt cut him off directly: ¡°Nonsense, can¡¯t you see the gap in the castle wall? Everyone charge together, and any castle can be flattened! Hurry and gather everyone!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Levis clenched his teeth fiercely and followed Liszt¡¯s arrangement.


    The two brothers, one to the left and one to the right, started rounding up the leaderless Knight Orders¡ªthe Sky Knights were all off fighting Lich Andy, and no one was paying attention to the insignificant Juniper Castle anymore.


    However.


    Liszt saw clearly that Juniper Castle was the key.


    For two reasons, the first being the Lich had a Life Box¡ªaccording to Curtis Truth¡¯s situation at the time, the Life Box wasn¡¯t fatal, merely the coordinates for her return from the Exiled Lands, but it wasn¡¯t necessarily the same for Andy Sapphire; perhaps his Life Box was his Achilles¡¯ heel.


    The second reason was that taking Juniper Castle could at least disturb the Marquis of Bull¡¯s state of mind, as it was his stronghold. Inside, there might be plenty of wealth, as well as numerous magicians from the Goat Assembly, all representing military achievements.


    The coordination was very smooth, and Meioubao immediately nodded, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll go coordinate with the other families. With our strength, we can directly capture Juniper Castle!¡±


    About five minutes later, the battle in the sky reached a fever pitch with as many as ten Sky Knights seriously wounded. Marquis of Bull was also hit several times, his armor damaged and emanating more blue flames.


    At the same time.


    Under the leadership of the knights from the Long Taro and the Golden Wheat Sheaf Families, the Knight Order launched a renewed charge toward Juniper Castle. The Elite Earth Knights climbed up the breaches, fiercely clashing with the Wrath Knight Order. With their landlords battling in the skies, the Earth Knights on the ground naturally dared not slacken.


    Especially the heirs to the families, wishing to alleviate the pressure on their fathers, were eager to capture Juniper Castle immediately.


    Liszt was mixed in with the charging troops, not being too high-profile, nor coveting this bit of military merit¡ªsince the coordinated attack originated from him, he would definitely not lack his share of the honors; moreover, the First Prince had already acknowledged his other contribution in the siege earlier.


    He had enough of the limelight.


    As long as they won the war, the title of Viscount was assuredly within reach.


    If he was too prominent now, should the Marquis of Bull casually strike down at him, he wouldn¡¯t even know how he died.


    A massive battle was raging in the skies and at the castle.


    Surrounding Juniper Castle, epic moments of the battle intensified, and after fifteen minutes, finally, the Knight Order broke through the blockade of the Wrath Knight Order and stormed into Juniper Castle.


    The massacre of the people within the castle commenced.


    ¡°Vermin! How dare you!¡± Marquis of Bull, noticing the turn of the battle at Juniper Castle, turned and roared furiously, about to charge over to intervene.


    But he was entangled by the First Prince and other Sky Knights. As they got accustomed to Marquis of Bull¡¯s strength, the Sky Knights stopped suffering casualties and managed to stabilize their positions, holding Marquis of Bull back. The First Prince even soared into the sky, bellowing, ¡°Knights, flatten Juniper Castle, I am with you!¡±


    ¡°Flatten Juniper Castle!¡±


    ¡°Flatten Juniper Castle!¡±


    Chanting the slogan, the Knight Order launched an even more frenzied assault.


    Liszt also shouted a few times, leading Jonas and other Elite Earth Knights into the castle. He didn¡¯t go in any specific direction but searched for Marquis of Bull¡¯s study. In his view, the importance of knowledge far exceeded any other wealth in the castle. With the Eye of Magic activated, he could calmly avoid powerful opponents.


    The Elite Earth Knights blocking the way were simply bypassed, engaging only the weaker Common Earth Knights. Soon, he burst into the third floor of the castle and found the location of the study.


    ¡°Jonas, guard the door. I need to find something!¡±


    ¡°Make it quick!¡±


    There were bookshelves in the study with neatly arranged books, but Liszt did not bother to search through them, as they were mostly for show, just like the ones in his bookshelves at Fresh Flower Town. He searched on top of the desk, where the most important manuscripts and the ones Marquis of Bull perused often would surely be.


    Indeed, there was a stack of books on the desk.


    Atop the stack, Liszt caught a glimpse of a title¡ª¡±A Night with Miss Havana in the Piano Room.¡± Without a second thought, he stuffed the whole stack into the Gemstone Space along with a few other books from different corners of the room, again without even looking at them.


    A silver-white knight¡¯s armor was hanging on the wall; he did not hesitate to take it down and put it into the Gemstone Space as well¡ªif armor was stored in this study, it was certainly not ordinary armor.


    Then, without looking back, he left the study, ¡°Jonas, I didn¡¯t find anything good, let¡¯s go search Marquis of Bull¡¯s bedroom!¡± He remembered that the Advanced Dou Qi Manuscript, ¡°Thousand Thunderstrike Sky Flash,¡± was found by a knight on the bedside table of Count Sned.

 Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter 0395: The Grand Dukes Dragon Might (First Update)

    Chapter 398: Chapter 0395: The Grand Duke¡¯s Dragon Might (First Update)


    The Marquis of Bull was shackled, bound by metal handcuffs and shackles.


    After the Sapphire Duke extracted the sapphire from his chest, his body rapidly withered away, with his armor nearly falling off. The blue flames gradually disappeared, turning into faint green light that emerged from the gaps in the armor, just like Liszt had initially seen in Curtis Truth.


    ¡°This is probably the true appearance of the Lich, the faint green glow of the soul. The blue flames of the Marquis of Bull before were the result of the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s power being conferred upon him.¡±


    Liszt glanced at the listless Lich Andy, then paid him no more heed.


    Activating his Eye of Magic, he repeatedly scanned the rotting Sapphire Dragon, overlooking no detail of its body, from head to tail, from outside to inside.


    The Grand Duke quickly stuffed the sapphire into the mouth of the Sapphire Dragon.


    The Sapphire Dragon opened its mouth and inhaled, and the sapphire entered its belly, vanishing from sight. Afterwards, its eyes, as tough as krypton, continued to stare at the Marquis of Bull, or to be precise, at the blue-flaming greatsword that had fallen to the ground. The blue fire on the sword had already extinguished, revealing a white blade.


    A knight picked up the greatsword and presented it to the Grand Duke.


    The Grand Duke fondled the blade.


    The Sapphire Dragon became inexplicably irritable, its broken front limb shaking violently.


    In the next moment, the Grand Duke already held the great sword up to the mouth of the Sapphire Dragon. The dragon inhaled and swallowed the sword into its belly. Opening its mouth, it let out a roar of dragon song, spread its wings fiercely, and with its hind legs pounding on the ground, it leapt into the sky amidst a raging wind and flew away without looking back.


    The dark clouds had already scattered from the sky, and the sunlight shone on its broken body, making it glitter with splendid sapphire blue, shining brilliantly.


    Transforming into a blue dot, it finally disappeared in the sky.


    From its appearance to its departure, it took no more than five minutes, yet its figure was firmly imprinted in the hearts of all the knights, making every one of them boil with blood.


    Riding dragons, it is definitely the lifelong achievement every knight dreams of.


    Most knights might never see a dragon in their lifetime, but these ten thousand or more knights were fortunate, almost coming into zero-distance contact with the only known dragon within the territory of the Duchy of Sapphire.


    The Grand Duke didn¡¯t say anything appropriate to the occasion.


    After sending off the Sapphire Dragon, he went straight into the dilapidated Juniper Castle and convened his direct followers to discuss the aftermath of the war at Juniper Castle.


    As for the others, they rested outside, pitched camp, and incidentally cleared the battlefield.


    As a small landlord, Liszt naturally didn¡¯t need to be busy; he gathered with Levis, Jonas, and Trick to chat idly about the topic of the Sapphire Dragon.


    Levis had seen the Sapphire Dragon, and he could discern the changes in the Sapphire Dragon more clearly.


    ¡°This is quite different from the Sapphire Dragon I saw on Blue Dragon Island. At that time, the Sapphire Dragon was clad in exquisite scales, like a giant sapphire¡­ I wonder what it went through to become what it is now, still majestic but with a bizarre appearance.¡±


    ¡°It must be Marquis of Bull¡¯s assassination attempt that caused the Sapphire Dragon to be gravely injured and disfigured,¡± Liszt said. ¡°Did you notice the relationship between the Grand Duke and the Sapphire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Dragon Might?¡± Trick keenly observed this point, ¡°The Sapphire Dragon is gone, but the Dragon Might it possesses is still stimulating my skin.¡±


    ¡°The Grand Duke has Dragon Might as well.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡­¡±


    The three of them didn¡¯t continue the topic. This wasn¡¯t the appropriate occasion to discuss the ruler of the nation, and they quickly moved on to talk about the war.


    Jonas spoke with a hint of regret: ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I didn¡¯t manage to kill a Grand Magician; my merit isn¡¯t enough to compensate for the losses of the Grey Knight Order.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯ve completed the encirclement of Iron Hoof Island, and the Grand Duke¡¯s Dragon is alive and well. The Duchy of Sapphire will soon be able to flourish again, and in the future, Earl will lead us to continue to expand the continent,¡± Trick consoled. ¡°Earl, together with Lord Mesiro, followed the First Prince into battle. This time, our achievements in war may far exceed our expectations!¡±


    The Marquis of Bull made a shocking appearance and used the news of the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s death to shake the besieging knights.


    Mesiro was the first to attack with the First Prince, and Li Weiliam was the second. The facts proved that their gamble was a success, and this unhesitant loyalty was worth more than a glorious victory in battle.


    Jonas suddenly said excitedly, ¡°Do you guys think that Earl, because of this war, might be promoted¡­ to be the new Marquis of the nation?¡±


    Trick contemplated.


    Levis rubbed his palms together, starting to waver with apprehension. ¡°That, that shouldn¡¯t be likely, right?¡±


    Liszt glanced at his brother and thought he was getting carried away. He couldn¡¯t help but interrupt his fantasy, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s not possible. The Marquis of Bull is just a Marquis. All nobles in the country are involved in the attack, and without creating resources or new territories, how could one be granted a Marquisate?¡±


    The veteran Marquises all followed the Grand Duke of old to the continent, snatched up a great number of resources, and supported the Duchy of Sapphire before they were promoted.


    Currently, it¡¯s just an internal rebellion. Unless Li Weiliam leads the Knight Order alone and obliterates Iron Hoof Island, there won¡¯t be any chance of accruing the merits to become a Marquis.


    After analyzing the reality, he offered Levis a glimmer of hope: ¡°But our father will definitely become a strong contender for the next Marquis in the eyes of the Grand Duke and the First Prince. As long as he accumulates sufficient merits, his ennoblement as a Marquis is as good as done.¡± For such a loyal follower, the landlord has no reason to suppress.


    Given equal conditions, Li Weiliam is definitely one step closer to that achievement.


    For a landlord, sometimes a follower¡¯s loyalty is more important than strength.


    Suppressing his undue greed, Levis regained his clarity of mind and couldn¡¯t help saying to Liszt, ¡°Regardless, once you return, you should be the new Viscount.¡±


    Trick and Jonas both nodded in agreement.


    Liszt¡¯s contributions were evident¡ªduring the battle at Bull Hair City, it was thanks to Douson¡¯s siege efforts and his assistance with Li Weiliam in slaying Count Sned; at Bull Ridge City, he scraped together some kills, and the same at Bull Rump City, though the merits were not significant; however, at Bull Tendon City, also known as Juniper Castle, his role was crucial.


    The breach in the walls of Juniper Castle was caused by Douson¡¯s destruction, and the First Prince personally acknowledged this contribution.


    Initiating the coordination of the Knight Order¡¯s attack on the castle was Liszt¡¯s suggestion, demonstrating not just merits but also loyalty¡ªnot everyone has the guts to oppose the Marquis of Bull, who has become a Lich.


    The only regret was not breaking the Magic Array and killing a few Grand Magicians. Now that the battlefield has died down, it¡¯s uncertain who will capture the escaping Grand Magicians.


    All things considered, the title of Viscount is virtually in Liszt¡¯s grasp.


    Suddenly.


    Levis thought of a question: ¡°If the First Prince remembers you, it¡¯s very likely he will recruit you as one of his followers. Liszt, would you accept the First Prince¡¯s ennoblement?¡±


    For followers like Jonas and Trick, it would be challenging to change allegiances.


    But in cases like Liszt¡¯s, as a second son directly descended from the landlord¡¯s bloodline, changing allegiances is easy, and the family would support such behavior.


    However, Liszt just shook his head, ¡°I plan to choose an uninhabited island near Coral Island as my domain.¡±


    ¡°Are there still uninhabited islands near Coral Island?¡± Levis asked curiously. ¡°We¡¯re already at the northeasternmost corner of the Grand Duchy. Father said it took him a long time to find a suitable Earl¡¯s domain. Other than Viscount Trick¡¯s Beer Island, he didn¡¯t find any new islands.¡±


    ¡°There will always be some, the Sea of Azure Waves is so vast.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A new week, asking for recommendation tickets!

 Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Chapter 0396: The End of the Iron Hoof Island Campaign (Second Update)

    Chapter 399: Chapter 0396: The End of the Iron Hoof Island Campaign (Second Update)


    The conference at Juniper Castle lasted a full two days.


    During these two days, the knights from various domains had gradually left, and the knights from Coral Island also left Juniper Castle on July 12, by order of the Earl.


    ¡°Levis, you lead the Knight Order back to Bull Horn City first and meet up with the fleet of our family. Once the meetings here are over, I will head directly to Bull Horn City,¡± he ordered.


    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    After the Earl left the Knight Order and returned to Juniper Castle, Liszt chased after him and asked a question, ¡°Father, there shouldn¡¯t be any major problems if I look for a few craftsmen in the cities along the way and take them with me, right?¡±


    ¡°The Knight Order of the Grand Duke has already taken over the major cities, so don¡¯t do that¡­ We are currently discussing military exploits, and it would be best to follow the rules. It¡¯s not worth spoiling the glory that should be yours over some trivialities,¡± the Earl advised. ¡°Your Viscount title can be secured through this battle; that¡¯s what matters most.¡±


    Theoretically, as a land-owning Earl, William could grant anyone the title of Viscount.


    However, in practice, he only held the rights to divide his own lands and to suggest and make deals for the ennoblement of new territories¡ªofficially speaking, this means that if he were to carve out a piece of land from Coral Island to grant a title to a follower, The Court would not interfere at all, even if he created ten Viscounts, as long as there was land to be divided.


    But Coral Island is only so large; accommodating two Viscounts has already required carving out a lot of land, and sectioning off an entire city would destabilize Tulip Castle¡¯s finances.


    At this point, it would be necessary to trade for new territories from the Grand Duchy to grant titles to followers.


    The compensation needed for such a trade is military exploits.


    The Court reserves the right to inspect and review the ennoblement of knights, and if a knight doesn¡¯t meet The Court¡¯s criteria for ennoblement, The Court has the right to refuse new land trades. Followers¡¯ military exploits can be accumulated as material rewards, or as a tally of exploits.


    Wait for an appropriate method to cash in on those military exploits.


    William hadn¡¯t increased the size of his domains in years, compensating for military exploits with material rewards because the demands for new territories were high.


    Unless he could accumulate enough military exploits to be promoted to Marquis and obtain a larger island as a domain, using exploits to exchange for a new small island would be neither worthwhile nor meaningful.


    ¡°Are my military exploits sufficient?¡±


    ¡°They are sufficient. The First Prince is very satisfied with the performance of the Long Taro Family and the Tulip Family, and he had many good words to say, including about you. If you are willing, you could even become a follower of the First Prince, but I know, you¡¯re developing a new island?¡± William revealed.


    Indeed, he had already learned about Liszt¡¯s project on Black Horse Island.


    Liszt nodded, without denying, ¡°I want Black Horse Island as my fief. The island is roughly two thousand square kilometers, which is about the same as the territory of a small city.¡±


    ¡°Black Horse Island, eh? It will soon become reality.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Father, can I keep Fresh Flower Town for a long time? It¡¯s just a small town, and I can offer the family additional compensation as if it were a long-term lease,¡± he ventured.


    William took a moment to consider, ¡°That¡¯s possible, we¡¯ll discuss this later, I have to get back to the meeting.¡±


    After the Earl left.


    Liszt was still contemplating the details of his ennoblement.


    He had studied the knightly ennoblement system quite thoroughly. In this knight-dominated world, the ennoblement systems of different countries are essentially similar in nature¡ªthey are all inherited from the Moon Empire¡¯s system, where landlords have complete ownership of their lands.


    But there are many differences in form.


    The ennoblement system of the Duchy of Sapphire differs from the vassal Kingdom of the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡ªthe Steel Ridge Kingdom¡¯s feudal system is one of overlapping domains, while the Duchy of Sapphire utilizes an island exchange feudal system.


    ¡­


    Fiefdom overlap.


    This refers to the ability to continuously acquire territories and stack them together.


    For example, a knight, after becoming an Honored Knight, receives a small village as his fiefdom, and then, after achieving military distinction, is promoted to Baron and receives a small town as his fiefdom. Hence, his titles would be ¡°Baron of Some Town¡± plus ¡°Honored Knight of Some Village,¡± possessing two separate lands.


    In this way, his eldest son could inherit the title of Baron of Some Town, while his second son might be able to inherit the title of Honored Knight of Some Village.


    Of course, most of the time the eldest son gets all the titles, and the second son goes off to fight wars, write novels, play the piano, court noble ladies¡ªthe misfortunes of the younger son are probably one of the reasons why monogamy is practiced among the nobility. Having too many wives means there would be more younger sons, and the imbalance of fief distribution would intensify conflicts, leading to the collapse of the knight system.


    ¡­


    Island exchange.


    This is a special feudal policy of the Duchy of Sapphire, meaning that a noble can only own one island or one city; territories do not stack.


    For example, a knight, after becoming an Honored Knight, receives a small village as his fiefdom, and then, after achieving military distinction, is promoted to Baron and receives a small town as his fiefdom. However, he can only choose the town as his fiefdom and must give up the original village fiefdom, retaining only the highest title of ¡°Baron of Some Town.¡±


    But there¡¯s a considerate strategy to ensure that the benefits of the territory are not compromised¡ªthe original fiefdom can be retained for a harvest period of three to five years, to transfer wealth such as elves and population from the territory.


    When the Tulip Family still bore the name Wafers, Liszt¡¯s grandfather, Greg Wafers, was the Viscount of Tahiti City on an island near Blue Dragon Island.


    After Li Weiliam inherited the Viscount title, he distinguished himself and became an Earl, choosing Coral Island and retaining the three-year harvesting period of Tahiti City by paying taxes.


    After transferring the family¡¯s assets, three years later, Tahiti City was reclaimed by The Court.


    This system was adopted because the Duchy of Sapphire is an archipelago nation. With many islands, limited land, and difficult maritime transportation, it would cost nobles a fortune to connect two fiefdoms far from each other, so they might as well focus on a single island.


    Thus, the island exchange system was born out of necessity.


    However, systems are static, but people are dynamic.


    Liszt wants to lease Fresh Flower Town long-term, and as long as he pays, there is no reason for Li Weiliam and Levis to disagree¡ªafter all, they¡¯re family.


    ¡°Fresh Flower Town is where my career began, and most of the rewards from the Smoke Mission originate from there, it may have special significance, I cannot bear to give it up.¡±


    Fresh Flower Town is his land of dragon prosperity.


    Even though this world does not pay much attention to the concept of lands of dragon prosperity, Liszt is still somewhat influenced by geomancy and has a preference for such places. Even without considering the land¡¯s auspiciousness, Fresh Flower Town also holds the majority of his hard-earned achievements, making it difficult to let go so easily.


    Most importantly, the Formless Dragon has graced this town.


    This is one of the Dragon¡¯s clues, and perhaps one day the Formless Dragon will visit the town again, then Liszt could have a proper encounter with it, striving to ride it one day and become a Dragon Knight.


    Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful!


    ¡­


    Li Si Te landed on Iron Hoof Island, Bull Horn City, on June 11th, and returned to Bull Horn City on July 14th. The Iron Hoof Island campaign, which took an entire month, finally came to an end.


    Liszt could relax and lie in bed, enjoying the post-war tranquility.


    Once the Earl arrives, he could begin the journey home.

 Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: Chapter 400: Return to Coral Island (Second Update)

    Chapter 403: Chapter 400: Return to Coral Island (Second Update)


    As a Grand Duchy that started from the serf trade, besides the original followers, most of the civilians and the knights born from civilians in the Duchy of Sapphire actually originate from the serfs who were once plundered or purchased.


    With generations living through it, these descendants of serfs have come to identify with the identity of the Duchy of Sapphire.


    However, to continue to strengthen this sense of identification, the reigning Grand Dukes have refused to accept prisoners of war¡ªthe loyalty and identity recognition of captured knights are obstacles. Moreover, the lack of knights among the domestic nobles means that once the gates are opened, a large influx of prisoner knights would lead to a loss of national identity.


    Without this sense of identification, a nation is no longer a nation; noble rebellions could occur at any time.


    Just like Liszt, who grew up on Coral Island, it was estimated that there were just over a thousand Earth Knights; each time a Pioneer Mandate mobilized the Earth Knights, only about five or six hundred would be involved.


    In the battle against Iron Hoof Island, the mobilization of Earth Knights reached a peak of seven hundred, which was the limit. However, casualties among the Earth Knights amounted to two hundred, especially the Grey Knight Order led by Viscount Jonas, which suffered more than half in losses¡ªfortunately, the Earth Knights were remarkably resilient and survived serious injuries, or the losses would have been even greater.


    Once the release of the prisoners was allowed, one can imagine how many foreign Earth Knights the Earls would recruit to replenish their forces.


    The treatment of foreign Earth Knights would definitely be far lesser than that of local ones, but as long as they could be assured not to revolt, recruiting the foreign Earth Knights would quickly become mainstream. Once Coral Island was filled with foreign knights, it goes without saying that thoughts would quickly change.


    The knights might continue their loyalty to the Tulip Family, but they would have no good feelings towards the Sapphire Family that waged the wars.


    The sense of national identity would rapidly collapse.


    As one of the major nobles, Li Weiliam was not blind to this situation, yet he still readily accepted it. The reason was simple; as long as his power as a noble remained intact, the loss of national identity mattered little to him. The one truly shaken would only be the authority of the Sapphire Family.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why would the Grand Duke make such a decision?¡±


    ¡°Because the Grand Duke doesn¡¯t care,¡± he replied confidently. ¡°He¡¯s convinced he can suppress any situation. You can judge this from the Dragon Might emanating from him¡­ In fact, I suspect that the Grand Duke may have already completed the most crucial dragon riding process, using the Marquis of Bull¡¯s assassination attempt on the dragon as an opportunity.¡±


    The Earl paused, ¡°He may have already become a Dragon Knight, and he¡¯s dissatisfied with the Grand Duchy¡¯s seclusion.¡±


    Speaking of Dragon Knights, the Earl gazed outside the cabin, lost in thought.


    Levis added, ¡°Moreover, the internal instability requires that the Grand Duke strengthen morale through war and warn other nations not to think that the Grand Duchy of Sapphire is in decline.¡±


    My father and brother make a reasonable analysis.


    Liszt said no more, but he always felt that the Grand Duke was like trying to quench thirst with poison.


    After returning to his room, he quietly reflected for a moment, ¡°If the Grand Duke¡¯s aim to boost morale is beneficial to me, I can use the opportunity to earn more military exploits and expand my own power; if the Grand Duke is quenching thirst with poison, by the time the country collapses, I would probably already have the power to protect myself, so it still won¡¯t affect me.¡±


    Even more so, he thought.


    If the country doesn¡¯t unravel, how can I seize the opportunity to rise?


    And how can I grab the ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual¡±?


    ¡­


    The morning of July 21st.


    After four days of drifting, the fleet formally returned to Coral Island.


    Knowing that the Knight Order that went off to battle had come back, Tulip Castle buzzed with excitement, which had been missing for a long time.


    Lady Marie, along with Lidun, the castle¡¯s butler, and servants, received them on the castle hillside road. Lady Penelope and Li Vera set out from the small castle in Coral City to wait on the road as well. The nobles from Coral City, hearing the news, also rushed over in a frenzy.


    The sky had just cleared after the rain. There were still some puddles on the stone-paved road, but that did little to damper the welcoming crowd¡¯s enthusiasm.


    The cheers could be heard from afar.


    Liszt rode on a Landwalker Bird, clothed in a simple undershirt with a leather armor on top, the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword hanging at his waist, and the Swift Shadow Bow on his back. It was difficult to find the right words to describe his appearance other than handsome and dashing¡ªalways mindful of his appearance, he took great care to groom himself regularly, even on board the ship.


    Maintaining cleanliness and dryness every day not only made him appear sharp to others but also boosted his confidence significantly.


    Douson¡¯s wounds had healed, and returning to the familiar Coral Island, it was in good spirits, darting around the Knight Squad, now shooting forward, now looping back.


    However, Loki seemed listless; it might have been a bit seasick. Fortunately, the robust recovery abilities of low-level Dragon Beasts allowed it to maintain its basic riding capabilities.


    ¡°This is the treatment for a hero¡¯s return. I used to stand in the welcoming ranks, but now I have grown fond of this triumphant feeling,¡± Levis said, also buoyant in spirit, riding alongside Liszt. ¡°Seeing the homeland safe, a sense of accomplishment fills my chest. Perhaps this is the knight¡¯s mission.¡±


    These were heartfelt words. Knights fought for their territory, while the denizens supported the knights, each with their own life and path, complementing one another.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°I hope we can see the cheering welcome teams time and time again.¡±


    ¡°We will!¡±


    The knights walked on the road where Tulip Castle and Coral City diverged. Most would continue towards Coral City, disband on the spot, and each return to their own home. Nobles like Liszt with titles would head to Tulip Castle to enjoy the first feast upon their return.


    The Earl, at the front of the procession, dismounted as soon as he saw Lady Penelope, and briskly walked up to give her a deep bow, ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve caused you worry!¡±


    ¡°My son, Li Weiliam Tulip, I knew you would triumph with every return!¡±


    Levis and Liszt also dismounted and quickly approached Lady Penelope, ¡°Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Strong lads of the Tulip Family, seeing you return safely, I can once again settle the anxious heart back into my stomach,¡± Lady Penelope said, embracing them with relief. ¡°Despite braving the elements and enduring hardship outside, you clearly took good care of yourselves; still as hearty as ever.¡±


    The family members exchanged greetings and expressed their concern for each other.


    Even though he had integrated into this world, into the Tulip Family, Liszt still felt uncomfortable, but he restrained his emotions well and was fully invested in the moment.


    After the greetings, the group reassembled and continued walking towards Tulip Castle.


    Liszt sent Retainer Knights to Fresh Flower Town to send messages of safety and planned to return in the afternoon, without spending the night in Tulip Castle¡ªhe was really missing Fresh Flower Town and couldn¡¯t wait to rush back to the land that truly belonged to him.


    ¡°Baron, I¡¯d like to return to Fresh Flower Town first, I miss my sister dearly,¡± Paris said to Liszt, riding on her Li Dragon Horse.


    Liszt did not refuse, ¡°You may.¡±


    Back on Coral Island, he no longer needed Paris¡¯s close protection.


    ¡­


    Luncheon.


    After mourning the fallen knights, the atmosphere quickly heated up; knights were accustomed to departures with each campaign, and those who returned alive inevitably chose to celebrate wholeheartedly.


    The banquet was in high spirits when Levis suddenly stood up and clapped his hands, ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, I need to announce this¡ªthe Iron Hoof Island campaign was a glorious victory, and on Coral Island, a new Viscount will be born¡ªmy brother, Liszt Tulip!¡±


    The applause thundered.


    Liszt nodded in acknowledgment to those around him.


    Once the applause died down, Levis smiled and continued, ¡°Three days from now, a title-conferring ceremony will be held at Tulip Castle. Let¡¯s all witness Liszt¡¯s glorious moment together!¡±


    Everyone raised their glasses, ¡°To Viscount Liszt, cheers!¡±


    ¡°To Liszt, cheers!¡±


    ¡°To Viscount, cheers!¡±


    ¡°My glory, I wish to share with you all.¡± Raising his glass, Liszt saw all the nobles around him raising their glasses in his honor, and he swirled his glass in front of him with a smile.


    Then he tilted his head back and drained the spicy Fresh Flower Brew.


    The liquor flowed down his throat, exhilarating and liberating.

 Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Chapter 402: Rebellion of the Blizzard Beast (First Update)

    Chapter 405: Chapter 402: Rebellion of the Blizzard Beast (First Update)


    ¡°Jela, stop!¡±


    Liszt reprimanded the still mischievous Jela, and before the thorns had time to grow, he plucked the green thorn sprout from Loki¡¯s head.


    The green light on top of the head flickered and vanished in an instant.


    Loki, not understanding the reason, let out a meaningless cry: ¡°Lok-da!¡±


    And continued to walk.


    Douson Avenue had been renovated to be even smoother, with apple orchards growing lush on both sides of the road, bearing no fruit this year since they were recently transplanted. But the Apple Tree Cordyceps was covered with green apples, clearly having grown at least twice its size.


    Its branches and leaves spread out, providing a cool shade.


    Under the tree, tables, benches, and rocking chairs were neatly arranged.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Jela flew up to the apple tree, clutching a green apple and swinging it; the apple didn¡¯t touch the ground, but it clearly had become Jela¡¯s plaything, as she liked to swing on it.


    They soon arrived at the castle entrance.


    Butler Carter was there with all the castle servants, lined up on either side of the door by gender, looking at the tall and handsome Liszt as he leapt down from the back of the Landwalker bird. Carter stepped forward immediately and with a familiar, deep, steely voice said, ¡°My lord, welcome home.¡±


    Mrs. Morson also represented the maids, smiling as she said, ¡°My lord, welcome home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, home at last.¡±


    He had intended to express his triumphant emotions further, but a burst of barking interrupted the mood of the scene. Eight glossy black dogs swarmed over, rushing towards Douson and Liszt: ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    It was the Eight Tiny Ones.


    In just over a month¡¯s time without seeing them, the eight Blizzard Beasts had grown a lot, now larger than big wolf dogs.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson, perhaps because the separation had been a bit long, wasn¡¯t too fond of his sons¡¯ approach and barked a few times to chase them away.


    On the other side, belatedly, came the Earth Matron, calling out to Douson: ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Douson immediately rushed over enthusiastically, mingling with the Earth Matron, wagging its tail excitedly. Now, both the Earth Matron and the Eight Tiny Ones could move freely.


    ¡°Storm, Flame, Rock, Surge, Thunder, Light, Ice Snow, Shadow, line up!¡± Liszt ordered sternly.


    However, the Eight Tiny Ones were too busy frolicking to pay any heed to his command.


    They even started growling at the Landwalker bird Loki, attempting to attack the long-legged, long-necked, fat bird. Loki hopped around, dodging the Eight Tiny Ones¡¯ harassment.


    ¡°Lok-da!¡±


    ¡°Lok-da!¡±


    The scene turned into a chaos of chickens flying and dogs leaping, an unruly mess, and the sense of triumph that had just been conjured was utterly destroyed. The servants rushed to control the Eight Tiny Ones, but with so many people and excitement today, the Eight Tiny Ones were overstimulated and impossible to restrain.


    Even one of them, Surge, opened its mouth to release a Rock Spike, attacking Loki.


    Loki was adept at running but not at fighting, so he could only passively take the hits: ¡°Lok-da!¡±


    At the critical moment.


    Liszt shouted with a grim face: ¡°Douson!¡±


    Douson instantly left the Earth Matron and charged over, ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    ¡°Get these eight crazy dogs down for me!¡± Liszt made a subduing gesture, paired with a command, which immediately made Douson understand what it needed to do.


    Turning around and pouncing fiercely, Surge, the one who barked the loudest, was slapped by Douson and rolled over, stopping to lie on the ground, whining and whimpering, not daring to move.


    After subduing Surge, Douson continued to violently subdue Rock, Light, and Ice Snow, finally getting the eight tiny ones to behave, all lying on the ground, not daring to move¡ªthey still had obedience towards Douson due to their blood relation and the fear of a stronger being among their own kind.


    ¡°Someone take these eight crazy dogs, and Earth Matron too, tie them all up, and leash them to their respective kennels,¡± Liszt was somewhat angry, ¡°No training for over a month and it¡¯s complete chaos. It looks like the castle has been tormented by them during this period, Mr. Carter, has anyone been injured because of them?¡±


    After all, they are magical beasts, which become very hard to control once they go wild.


    When Liszt had set out on his campaign, he thought his training had been very effective, and that the eight tiny ones would listen to the servants who fed them, but now it seemed this was not the case.


    Mr. Carter sighed, ¡°Today is the day your lordship returns in triumph, and I had not intended to report these matters. In fact, in the second week after you left on your campaign, the eight Little Blizzard Beasts started to become restless. Over the following two weeks, they successively learned to release Rock Spikes, making them very hard to manage.¡±


    So these eight Blizzard Beasts were locked up in their kennels, no longer allowed out.


    However, a few days ago, they successfully escaped from prison and started ravaging the area, taking the castle as their center, and even rushed into the residential area of the town yesterday, injuring several people.


    ¡°Stableman Barton was stabbed in the leg by a Rock Spike, and although his life was saved, he has been left with a permanent disability in that leg. Several members of the town¡¯s Patrol Team were also injured and became disabled. If it weren¡¯t for the magician Lady Chris Truth¡¯s intervention, there might have been even more casualties.¡±


    ¡°My oversight,¡± Liszt breathed out a cloud of murky air, ¡°See to it that compensation for Barton and the injured patrol members is generous. Do not be stingy about the damage the Blizzard Beasts have caused outside the castle; draw up a list of all the losses and have the castle compensate for them directly. Also, build a separate shack for Loki.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    He then turned and said to Goltai and other officials, ¡°I am quite fatigued today. The banquet will proceed as normal, no official business will be discussed. Tidy up the affairs of Fresh Flower Town and report them to me in detail tomorrow¡­ Also, prepare to gather four thousand Gold Coins, which I urgently need.¡±


    Three days later would be the day he was promoted to Viscount.


    Starting with Viscount, he would officially join the ranks of the middle Nobles. At that point, the finances between the Castle and the estate needed to be gradually separated to prevent confusion in the accounts¡ªbecause a Viscount has the power to grant Nobility, which is tantamount to establishing a simple bureaucratic system.


    Goltai replied, ¡°As you wish, Baron!¡±


    ¡°Then you may all disperse. I will join all of you to drink and chat about the Iron Hoof Island campaign during the banquet,¡± Liszt dismissed the crowd directly, preparing to set aside all vexing matters and rest for a while.


    Only after confirming that all the Blizzard Beasts were locked up in their kennels and Loki had adapted to the new environment did he enter the Castle.


    Mrs. Morson brought him brewed milk tea and handed it to him.


    He drank it all in one gulp.


    The familiar taste, the familiar feeling, quickly smoothed over his irritation from the rebellion of the eight tiny ones. He had intended to hide in the study, using deep thought to adjust back to life in Fresh Flower Town. However, he quickly remembered that he had not yet visited Sea Sprite Ake to complete the task.


    So he got on Loki and rushed to the seaside.


    The Sea View Villa had been taken care of in his absence; he entered the room and blew the horn.


    There was no response for a long time.


    Ake was probably not nearby and might have gone to other places, ¡°I¡¯ll come back in the evening.¡±


    ¡­


    Unable to find Ake, Liszt went directly to the Magic Workshop; he had run out of Magic Potions and needed to replenish them now, or else he would interrupt the potion-taking process.


    Even though stopping for a while wouldn¡¯t cause too much of a problem, he still hoped his path of cultivation could be as perfect as possible.


    ¡°Baron, congratulations on your victorious return,¡± The host of the Magic Workshop, Lady Chris Truth, had grown accustomed to life in Fresh Flower Town, and the delicious and plentiful food had made her gain a bit of weight.


    Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°It was only a battle that was destined to be won.¡±

 Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter 0405: The Feasibility of Raising Magical Beasts (First Update)

    Chapter 408: Chapter 0405: The Feasibility of Raising Magical Beasts (First Update)


    The sea view villa was equipped with crystal lamps, which Liszt had installed for the convenience of the sea sprite Ake to read books.


    When he arrived at the sea view villa and pushed open the door, he clearly smelled a faint fragrance in the room, which was the familiar body scent of Ake.


    However, Ake was not in the room, certainly considering Liszt¡¯s arrival as that of a castle servant coming to clean the room and hiding herself.


    Liszt stood by the window and blew a small horn.


    In a short while, through the Eye of Magic, he saw a giant shell swimming over from the sea and entering the room on the first floor. Then, the shell crack opened slightly, and upon seeing Liszt standing at the top of the stairs, it quickly opened completely, revealing Ake wrapped in a water band at the crucial parts.


    The sea sprite was still so beautiful and lively.


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    Ake shouted excitedly, the sea water in the shell carrying her directly towards the top of the staircase, and she plunged into Liszt¡¯s arms: ¡°Ake missed brother so much!¡±


    As he held the soft figure in his arms, Liszt felt like he was embracing a large elf. The fullness of her chest was pressing against him, and even with the barrier of the water band soaking his clothes, he could still feel a suffocating pressure. He could not help but hold Ake a little tighter and carried her back to the study.


    It was a while before Ake let go of her hands, containing her excitement, and blinked her large eyes, smiling at Liszt.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Ake.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, Ake has been looking forward to brother¡¯s return every day. Does brother think of Ake every day too?¡±


    ¡°Of course, thinking of Ake every day, Ake is so cute.¡± Liszt rubbed her blue hair, and she immediately burrowed into his arms like a kitten, sitting with him on a chair.


    Or rather, Liszt sat on the chair, and Ake sat in his arms.


    Her petite stature of no more than one meter fifty-five, when in the arms of Liszt who was over one meter eighty-five, indeed made her seem like a little cat. But although Ake was petite, her body was curvy and well-proportioned, which unavoidably led to some inappropriate thoughts.


    Liszt felt somewhat feverish himself.


    But he quickly harbored righteous thoughts: ¡°Ake is just a sea sprite who doesn¡¯t quite understand human emotional communication, she is not yet of age, I should not indulge in fantasies.¡± Despite the embrace making it difficult not to imagine some parching scenarios, he still restrained his impulse.


    He chatted with Ake about some amusing anecdotes from the battle of Iron Hoof Island, boasting about his own brilliant valor.


    Then he got down to business: ¡°Ake, how has your magic progressed while I¡¯ve been away?¡±


    ¡°Ake has already fully mastered the magician-level water magic¡ªWater Arrow Barrage, Water Wheel Wall, Water Bullet, Water Whirlpool, Fountain of Water can be cast instantly¡­ But the Water Wave Shield, which can only be mastered by a grand magician, Ake has been unable to release it.¡± Ake said with some frustration.


    The Water Wave Shield was provided by Chris Truth; although she was not a grand magician, because she had a grand magician as a teacher, she mastered several advanced magic casting methods.


    Liszt naturally obtained the casting method effortlessly and passed it on to Ake.


    ¡°Tell me the difficulties you¡¯ve encountered, I will consult with other magicians,¡± Liszt said. The town now not only had Chris, the magician from the Goat Assembly but also Virginia Truth, a private magic consultant. Coming from the Magic Goat Family, this magician would likely have extensive knowledge.


    Ake left Liszt¡¯s embrace and took a book from the study cabinet, handing it to Liszt: ¡°Brother, Ake has recorded all the questions she doesn¡¯t understand in this notebook.¡±


    Taking the notebook, Liszt flipped through it casually, the handwriting in the first half was crooked and ugly, but as he reached the latter half, the handwriting became more and more graceful, with many special magical symbols also drawn. It had to be said that Ake¡¯s magical talent was brilliant, and so was her talent for drawing.


    ¡°I will consult with other magicians and help you solve these as soon as possible.¡± Putting away the incomprehensible notebook, Liszt asked another question, ¡°Ake, where¡¯s Nami, not following you?¡±


    Nami is a mangrove minor elf.


    Ake said with a smile: ¡°Nami is at Mangrove Island, there are now many little ducklings hatched on Mangrove Island, Nami likes them very much. Every day she catches green caterpillars to feed them and even sleeps with the ducklings.¡±


    ¡°How many adult Green-headed Ducks are there on Mangrove Island, and how many just hatched?¡±


    ¡°There are twenty-five adult ducks, and forty-four ducklings have hatched. There are also many eggs that haven¡¯t hatched yet.¡±


    Hearing that there were so many, Liszt was excited¡ªthe Green-headed Duck was a Low-Level Magical Beast, a source of a large amount of Magical Beast Meat.


    ¡°Won¡¯t those Green-headed Ducks attack Nami?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. The adult ducks are just looking for Green Caterpillars to eat on Mangrove Island. They don¡¯t care about their own eggs and the ducklings that hatched; it¡¯s Nami who is feeding the ducklings.¡±


    ¡°Are those eggs hatched by the adult Green-headed Ducks?¡±


    Ake shook his head: ¡°No, they cracked open by themselves after basking in the Sun.¡± It was clear that Magical Beast Green-headed Ducks are not ordinary ducks; they don¡¯t need to be incubated.


    ¡°Do they only eat Green Caterpillars?¡±


    ¡°They also go to the shore to eat small shrimp and crabs, and they eat the leaves of the Mangrove Forest and wild berries.¡±


    After listening to Ake¡¯s detailed description, Liszt basically understood that Green-headed Ducks were omnivorous, Low-Level Magical Beasts that could be domesticated. Artificial breeding was highly feasible, but the breeding of Green Caterpillars must also be managed artificially, as it was the Green Caterpillars that attracted the Green-headed Ducks to settle there.


    Of course.


    Feeding techniques would certainly require some time to explore, as these were Magical Beasts capable of spitting Water Arrows, which was very dangerous.


    ¡°So, Ake, do you often go to that Coral Reef? Have you found any larger Tridacna in Black Pearl Lake?¡± Liszt inquired further.


    The Coral Reef was the coral reef that submerged during high tide, the surrounding waters of which he had named Black Pearl Lake; naturally, the Tridacna that produced Black Pearls were named Black Pearl Tridacna.


    ¡°I often go there to play, but there aren¡¯t any larger Tridacna in Black Pearl Lake. I¡¯ve looked into them when they open their mouths; there are no very large Black Pearls. All of them are much smaller than the Black Pearl brother gave to Ake,¡± Ake said, conjuring a Black Pearl the size of a fist as if by magic.


    Holding the Black Pearl, she said, ¡°Ake has been practicing Magic Array construction with Black Pearls recently.¡±


    ¡°Good, apart from learning to cast Magic, try to work on researching Magic Arrays. Aim to not only be able to fight in the future but also to produce Magic Potions and manufacture Magic Equipment.¡±


    ¡°Hm!¡±


    ¡­


    Leaving the Sea View Villa, it was already midnight.


    He had intended to hand over Ake¡¯s Magic Notes to Chris for solutions, but considering the time, he decided not to disturb her as she might already be asleep.


    Early the next morning.


    He had a servant send the Magic Notes to Chris: ¡°Tell Chris to try to complete the solutions as soon as possible. If there are parts that she cannot answer, just skip them.¡± Liszt would ask Virginia about the parts Chris couldn¡¯t solve.


    Afterwards.


    He was having breakfast while listening to Butler Carter¡¯s report on the Castle¡¯s activities over the past month. There were no problems requiring his intervention, so he could skip over them.


    After breakfast, he gathered knights such as Marcus and Consultant Goltai to set sail towards Black Horse Island.


    Black Horse Island was already ready to be disclosed to the public, but first, it had to welcome a land measurement by The Court Envoy and the Tulip Fort Envoy to ensure it was suitable to be a Viscount¡¯s titled island.


    On this trip, Liszt was going to handle the secrets on the island that couldn¡¯t be exposed¡ªmore importantly, he wanted to inspect the revitalized Fire Dragon Bones on-site.

 Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Chapter 0406: Cant Hit the Fire Dragon Bones (Second Update)

    Chapter 409: Chapter 0406: Can¡¯t Hit the Fire Dragon Bones (Second Update)


    Burial Ground, in the afternoon.


    Liszt walked among the five huge Fire Dragon Bones, constantly using the Eye of Magic to observe the magical feedback of the bones.


    He saw no sign of magic.


    The so-called resurrection of dragon bones by the Smoke Mission showed no signs; these five decayed dragon bones still looked the same as ever.


    He dismissed the Eye of Magic and observed the dragon bones with his naked eye. Geographically, from Black Horse Island, the Burial Ground was located between Ice Grass Hill and Needle Grass Hill, roughly to the due east of the island.


    ¡°If I take this number one dragon bone beside me as the starting point (0,0) of the coordinate system, with the eastward extension as the x-axis and the northward extension as the y-axis, with twenty meters to a scale. Then, the number two dragon bone is located at (-2,3); the number three dragon bone at (4,5), the number four dragon bone at (8,3), and the number five dragon bone at (11,4), with the closest distance between numbers one and two being seventy-two meters.¡±


    As Liszt examined, he plotted the coordinate system on thick parchment.


    The five dragon bones, positioned on the coordinate system, could roughly be connected to form a pentagon shaped like a sword blade: ¡°Is there some special reason for this shape or for this distribution of bones? Or is it just because the volcano erupted at random, scattering the bones to these five points?¡±


    It seemed to be a random scatter without a special reason.


    He packed up the parchment and climbed to the top of the number one dragon bone, which had been weathered into a flat horizontal surface at the break. The bone was originally covered with soil and weeds, but now the weeds had been cleared away to reveal the fine patterns of the dragon bone itself. According to normal skeletal structures, bones are hollow, but the Fire Dragon¡¯s bones were not.


    ¡°Or rather, the location of the bone marrow inside its bones has been filled with some substance,¡± Liszt squatted on the broken surface and looked closely; one could see a division line between the bone and the marrow.


    Like the growth rings in a book.


    ¡°The Fire Dragon Bones haven¡¯t turned into fossils and are still bony in nature, including the large fragments previously transported to Fresh Flower Town, which are real bones. Those bone fragments didn¡¯t contain the substance that marrow transforms into¡­ What exactly has the marrow in these five dragon bones turned into?¡±


    He wanted to chip off a piece for research.


    But the Dragon Bone was too tough to be chipped open, and strangely, the echo seemed a bit too loud. He stopped, and the echo disappeared instantly. When he struck the bone hard, the echo surged again.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right!¡±


    He immediately used the Eye of Magic again, looking around in a circle; no magical traces were found.


    He struck the bone again, and at that moment, along with the surging echo, a magical pattern, like lightning, appeared beneath his feet on the dragon bone¡ªred magic power, intertwining like blood vessels within the dragon bone, flashing by in an instant.


    ¡°There¡¯s a situation!¡±


    He struck once more, seeing even more clearly the fire-red magic power within the dragon bone emerge, thick and thin, convoluted like roots. He turned his head to look at dragon bone number two nearby; when struck again, the second dragon bone also displayed a mass of densely intertwined fire-red filaments that flashed over the bone.


    Looking towards the distant bones three, four, and five, every time he struck bone number one, they too would flash red magic filaments.


    The echo expanded accordingly.


    And as Liszt continued to strike, the twinkling of these fire-red threads became brighter and brighter, as if they would ignite at any moment.


    He inexplicably thought of the sensation of turning the crank on a tractor from his childhood.


    With the acceleration of the crank¡¯s rotation, the ignition of the cylinder increased, eventually accompanied by billowing black smoke, and the tractor ignited successfully.


    So, his chisel danced on the Fire Dragon Bone like the needle of a sewing machine.


    In his view through the Eye of Magic, the fire-red magic filaments grew brighter with each pass until at last they almost blazed into a large fire.


    The temperature in the surrounding air was also rising progressively.


    ¡°Just a bit more effort, and I would have ignited these five dragon bones!¡± His heart surged with excitement as he increased the pace of his work. However, just as the flames were about to catch, the fine steel chisel snapped with a crack.


    The fiery red threads on the fire dragon bones also extinguished instantly.


    All his efforts were in vain.


    Suppressing his frustration, Liszt took out a bone hammer made from fire dragon bone fragments from the Gemstone Space and continued to hammer away at the bones.


    But after he had also broken the bone hammer, the fire dragon bones still failed to ignite.


    ¡°There must be something missing, perhaps fire dragon magic power?¡± he stopped hammering and sat on the fire dragon bones to think, his wrist already numb and sore, requiring a rest.


    After he had rested, he took out his stock of fire dragon jars¡ªaside from the supply used for the Fire Dragon Brick Factory, there was still quite a lot of fire dragon magic power that had not been put to use.


    He released a small amount of fire dragon magic power onto the fire dragon bones.


    He quickly discovered¡­


    As the fire dragon magic power touched the fire dragon bones, it instantly turned into numerous fiery red magic threads and was devoured by the bones. After the fiery threads vanished, no Magic Little Fire Dragons flew out.


    After watching for a while, Liszt was certain of one thing: ¡°Has my precious fire dragon magic power just gone to waste like that?¡±


    Unwilling to accept this, he took out another bone knife and continued to strike the fire dragon bones.


    However, the result was the same as before¡ªthe fiery red threads grew brighter and brighter until the bone knife broke, and still, the fire dragon magic power did not ignite: ¡°Could it be that I need to keep feeding it fire dragon magic power?¡± It seemed the fire dragon bones were lacking a kind of ¡°fuel,¡± much like a tractor without oil.


    No matter how much you try to crank a tractor with no oil, it won¡¯t start up.


    But still¡­


    For Liszt to use fire dragon magic power as fuel, adding it to these five seemingly useless fire dragon bones, felt somewhat reluctant. After all, the uses of fire dragon magic power were so immense¡ªcurrently, the Fire Dragon Brick Factory relied entirely on fire dragon magic power to operate, and the raw material ratios for slabs, conduits, and pottery had already been figured out.


    They could be fired into finished products.


    The conduits and slabs from the Fire Dragon Brick Factory directly accelerated the construction speed of Black Horse Island. The streets of the port town were already paved with slabs, and the drains were covered with conduits¡ªneat and smooth, showing none of the backwardness and primitiveness typical of a small town.


    Once you step away from the Fire Dragon Brick Factory, the feeling of backwardness hits you in the face.


    ¡°The Fire Dragon Brick Factory is one of the few industrial lights on my territory, and I must ensure its smooth operation¡­ The current stock of fire dragon magic power could barely be used as ¡®fuel¡¯ for the addition¡­ Besides, we could continue to mine the underground volcanic glass and extract new fire dragon magic power.¡±


    He made a decision right then: while Black Horse Island was still undeveloped, he would first clear the land and mine all the volcanic glass and fire dragon magic power.


    The entire underground of the island was made of basalt columns, with gaps filled with lots of volcanic glass¡ªit should be possible to mine plenty of fire dragon magic power.


    ¡°Igniting the five dragon bones should be nearly enough, right?¡± He looked at the dragon bones in front of him and released all the remaining fire dragon magic power.


    As the bones rapidly absorbed the magic power, he struck for the last time.


    Unfortunately, the result was still the same¡ªall his efforts had been in vain, unable to ignite the magic power.


    ¡°Regardless, the five fire dragon bones have clearly revived. The next step is to keep mining fire dragon magic power and add it as fuel! When it finally ignites, what will it breed¡­ could it really be a Fire Dragon Cub?¡± Liszt swallowed his saliva, feeling his heartbeat quicken.


    He quickly dismissed this unreliable fantasy.

 Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Chapter 0408: The Shortage of Craftsmen (First Update)

    Chapter 411: Chapter 0408: The Shortage of Craftsmen (First Update)


    It was a Green-headed Duck.


    A very plump and large Green-headed Duck, about the size of a wolfhound, with shiny, oily green feathers on its head.


    It didn¡¯t fly, but instead, waddling through the mud, came from the island toward the shore.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s a¡­ very plump wild duck!¡± Marcus quietly took off his bow and arrow, preparing for the hunt, ¡°Take it on board, smear it with oil and char, we can change up the flavor.¡±


    Influenced by the castle, he had also become a part of those who appreciate fine food.


    Liszt raised his hand to stop Marcus, ¡°This is not a wild duck, it¡¯s a Low-Level Magical Beast called a Green-headed Duck, capable of shooting water arrows. Let¡¯s observe for a while and see how many Green-headed Ducks are on the island.¡±


    ¡°Low-Level Magical Beast?¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow, much more cautious now.


    Perhaps a Low-Level Magical Beast wasn¡¯t much of a threat to Liszt, an Elite Earth Knight well-equipped and adept at consuming magic-enhancing substances, but it still posed a threat to him, an Elite Earth Knight focusing on Combat Skills.


    This Green-headed Duck had been living leisurely on Mangrove Island for over a month without encountering any danger, so its vigilance had greatly diminished as it strolled around looking for food. It seemed to notice a Green Caterpillar on the branch of a mangrove tree, so it snapped its beak, releasing a water arrow and accurately hitting the Green Caterpillar.


    The Green Caterpillar was knocked down by the water arrow, and the duck walked over slowly, bit the caterpillar.


    Its flat beak trembled rapidly a few times, then spit out the caterpillar, or rather, the green hairs of the caterpillar, eating only its flesh.


    After finishing one caterpillar, it waddled away to look for more Green Caterpillars.


    Only then did Liszt come out from behind the mangrove where he was hiding, ¡°Green-feathered Ducks have come to Mangrove Island, which is good news. Let¡¯s look around for the eggs of the Green-headed Ducks, these Magical Beasts don¡¯t like making nests, so their eggs are scattered everywhere.¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Marcus shouted, ¡°My lord! Here¡¯s an egg!¡±


    A pale green large egg, probably three times the size of a normal duck egg. Liszt used his Eye of Magic to see the pale blue Magic Power flowing inside; undoubtedly, this was a fresh egg of the Green-headed Duck.


    After spending an hour


    The group roughly searched the entire Mangrove Island, not only finding twenty Green-headed Duck eggs but also several plump Green-headed Ducks. However, the whereabouts of the forty or so hatched ducklings were unknown. Liszt did not find them, and they were probably hidden by the Mangrove Minor Elf Nami.


    Because when Liszt found the Mangrove Cordyceps, he had seen Nami hiding in the mangrove bushes, not greeting him, probably a bit apprehensive of the Retainer Knights following Liszt.


    So, Liszt did not force her to show herself either.


    There was no need to tell everyone about the treasure like an Elf; it¡¯s better to enjoy it privately.


    ¡°Carefully hold the Green-headed Duck eggs; let¡¯s head back!¡± Liszt specially took another look at Nami¡¯s Mangrove Cordyceps and felt it was just an ordinary mangrove without much use.


    So, he didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it and returned directly to the Fresh Flower Vessel.


    Having collected enough samples, it was possible to try breeding Green Caterpillars and Green-headed Ducks back in Fresh Flower Town.


    Once the technology was fully mastered, the breeding scale could be expanded on Black Horse Island¡ªGreen-headed Ducks would definitely become a high-value Magical Beast industry in Liszt¡¯s hands.


    On the ship.


    Liszt commanded the Retainer Knights to lay the eggs on the deck, padded with cloth, so that the sunlight could continuously shine on them, to avoid delaying their hatching.


    ¡°Consultant Goltai, make sure to figure out the breeding techniques for green caterpillars and green-headed ducks as quickly as possible,¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡°I also need you to quickly arrange for the seven craftsmen I brought back,¡± Liszt remembered, initially he had asked Marcus to search for craftsmen in Mane City and then have them sent directly to the seaside to secretly join the fleet. In total, there were seven craftsmen and their families.


    He had planned to continue searching for craftsmen, but unfortunately, the Earl had called a halt to it. He did not want to risk losing what¡¯s important over something trivial, so the only craftsmen he could bring back were these seven.


    ¡°Fred Ginch¡¯s job is easy to arrange, I will set him up with a specialized drilling team,¡± Goltai said, a bit excited, ¡°His arrival is very important to Black Horse Island. It¡¯s difficult to get water in the harbor town, and the nearby rivers have too little flow, so drilling wells for water is a must.¡±


    Fred Ginch was the only one among the seven craftsmen to have reached master level, and he was a driller¡ªan essential profession for the territory¡ªnot one who drills for oil, but for water wells. His surname also originated from drilling; ¡°Ginch¡± is a wooden tool used to stabilize well walls.


    It could be said that Fred¡¯s relocation to Black Horse Island had resolved the island¡¯s water source issue.


    Goltai continued, ¡°Paper craftsman Lavaigne can have a thick paper workshop built for him so we can produce our own thick paper; shoe craftsman Flaton can set up a shoe store in Fresh Flower Town, and I believe the business should be passable; the two carving artisans can be arranged to work with the carpenters in the woodworking workshop to carve furniture; umbrella craftsman Gomez can also prepare an umbrella shop.¡±


    ¡°I recall there was also a gelding artisan?¡± Liszt inquired.


    ¡°Yes, Gelding Artisan Dwight,¡± Goltai answered, revealing his increasing comfort with his role and diligence at work, ¡°I asked him yesterday, and he can castrate cows and horses. He once gelded horses for the nobles of Mane City, and those warhorses all stemmed from his gelding. With the batch of crossbred horses about to be born in the stables, all future gelding work for the grown horses can be handed over to Dwight.¡±


    By calculation,


    The pregnancy of the Fire Dragon Horse mares had reached eleven months; it was time for them to give birth.


    This was the first batch of horses mixed with the bloodline of the Black Blood Treasured Horse¡ªLiszt wasn¡¯t sure about their quality, but he held high hopes for them. Purebred herds of Black Blood Treasured Horses would take decades to cultivate and develop, making it challenging to equip the Knight Order. However, they could continue to breed and produce mixed breeds.


    As long as the mares could keep up, these crossbred horses could expand in scale in a short period, easily arming the Knight Order¡ªLiszt was now Viscount Black Horse Island and could support an Earth Knight Order of over a hundred people to fight for him.


    Driller.


    Paper Craftsman, Shoe Craftsman, Umbrella Craftsman, Carving Artisan, Gelding Artisan.


    These seven selected craftsmen could somewhat compensate for the industries that Fresh Flower Town lacked, but to properly develop Black Horse Island, more craftsmen were needed¡ªpot menders, vinegar brewers, butchers, scale makers, salt workers, blade sharpeners, pen makers, bamboo weavers, mold makers, wax workers, ink makers, etc.


    Even comedians and other performers were necessary as part of the cultural enrichment.


    ¡­


    Back in Fresh Flower Town, the green-headed duck eggs continued to bask in the sun.


    Liszt then took a trip to the Magic Workshop to inquire about Chris¡¯s progress on the Magic Notes. To his surprise, it had only been a day, and she had already solved all the questions.


    ¡°My lord, the magician who posed these questions is very clever, but his experience is immature. It seems as if he is groping in the dark; many of his basic understandings are incorrect. I have temporarily finished answering the questions in this Magic Notes. If you need it, I can write a more detailed basic magic textbook to give to you,¡± Chris offered dutifully.


    Seeing Liszt as her benefactor or as a patron of magic research, Chris was very committed.


    Liszt certainly wouldn¡¯t refuse, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you. It¡¯s for a young relative of mine, a sister who doesn¡¯t like to practice Dou Qi but is instead very interested in magic.¡±


    Chris smiled and said, ¡°If she has any questions, she can come and ask me anytime. I shall share all I know.¡±

 Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Chapter 0409: A High-Profile Appearance (Second Update)

    Chapter 412: Chapter 0409: A High-Profile Appearance (Second Update)


    Presenting the Magic Notes solved by Chris to the diligent Ach, the Smoke Mission was immediately completed, ¡°Mission accomplished, reward: Water System Grand Mage Acherloides Truth.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Ach is about to break through to become a Grand Mage¡­ But then again, how exactly is the distinction defined between a Grand Magician and a Magician?¡±


    Liszt was puzzled by this point. Magic, unlike Dou Qi, did not have a hierarchy of low-level, intermediate, advanced, and Dragon Dou Qi, so he wasn¡¯t clear about the differences between a Grand Magician and a Magician besides the variety of magic they mastered. Nor could anyone clear up this confusion for him.


    So far, the only Grand Magician he had seen was at Red Crab Island, the Court Grand Mage Grimmand Truth, who set off fireworks for Marquis Merlin.


    They had shared a drink at the banquet, but their chat did not exceed two sentences.


    Chris obviously had been in contact with Grand Magicians, as her teacher was a Grand Magician. However, her teacher had not told her the significance of being a Grand Magician too early¡ªprobably treating her as cannon fodder for the Goat Assembly, not intending to teach her further magical knowledge.


    ¡°Once Ach breaks through to become a Grand Magician, I¡¯ll study it thoroughly. Perhaps I can summarize some data, which could be used to enlighten Chris and help her break through to become a Grand Magician as well¡­ In this way, I¡¯ll have two Grand Magicians¡­ Magicians are indeed evil, but I¡¯m sure these two wouldn¡¯t harm me.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s impression of magicians was not very good. Granted, a knight¡¯s cultivation could not do without magicians to supply Magic Potions and create Magic Equipment.


    But the magicians¡¯ obsession with Truth made them irreverent, always committing terrifying acts¡ªcausing explosions was one thing, but even daring to mess with dragons¡ªThe Grand Magician of the Maple Leaf Duchy using a Light Dragon to transform a White Dragon Wraith; the Grand Magician of the Goat Assembly, even using a Sapphire Dragon to transform a Lich.


    As a noble Knight and a member of the ruling class,


    Liszt naturally condemned the magicians, ¡°Anarchy!¡± And decided in his heart that if he couldn¡¯t keep a firm grip on the magicians, he would not allow them to live on his territory.


    In the Sea View Villa,


    Ach was studying the book earnestly, his face sometimes puzzled, sometimes delighted, completely immersed in solving the Magic Notes. Liszt sat aside, contemplating new Smoke Missions.


    ¡°Mission: There are not many moments in a person¡¯s life that are worth engraving in memory. For a Knight, promotion of rank is definitely such a memorable moment. Approach this ennoblement ceremony with your utmost fervor, and enhance your noble prestige. Reward: Bursting Elf Bugs.¡±


    ¡°Bursting Elf Bugs, what does that mean?¡± he pondered, ¡°Does it mean another Elf Bug is about to evolve? Or does it mean that my territory is about to breed a new batch of Elf Bugs?¡±


    Whichever it was, both were rewards that excited him.


    Currently, he had two Little Minor Elves and nineteen Elf Bugs¡ªwealth beyond madness for a Baron, and even for a Viscount it was a substantial fortune. Yet Liszt was not satisfied; his life goal was not to be just a minor Viscount, so he needed to accumulate Elves continuously.


    ¡°Approach the ennoblement ceremony with utmost fervor, enhance my noble prestige¡­ I was planning to keep it low-key, but it seems I must make a grand gesture now.¡±


    His grand gesture was to lead a lavish entourage the next day en route to Tulip Castle.


    The Landwalker bird Loki was his mount; Mithril Armor, a Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, a Swift Shadow Bow, paired with a bright red cloak embroidered with Black Tulips; the Blizzard Beast Dousen leading the Eight Tiny Ones who were taught a lesson and returned to their trembling days, followed closely behind; on the back of the Li Dragon Horse was his Personal Guard, Black Dragon Childe Paris.


    Following them were ten Earth Knights from Fresh Flower Town, along with a host of Retainer Knights and officials waiting to witness his ennoblement.


    It was as if he had brought out his entire following¡ªonly stopping short of placing Jela and Nami on his shoulders, and choosing nineteen servants to carry the Elf Bugs.


    Such an ostentatious entrance, galloping all the way to Tulip Castle, drew countless gazes.


    Having made a deliberate detour through Coral City, he had drawn countless citizens to the streets, sparking widespread discussion, ¡°That¡¯s the Earl¡¯s most outstanding son, the new Viscount!¡±


    ¡°Magical Beasts, so many Magical Beasts! The Magical Beast dog that glanced at me just now scared me so much that I nearly wet my pants¡ªit had such a terrifying gaze!¡±


    ¡°The one riding on the giant bird, that¡¯s the Viscount, with a noble aura as admirable as the Earl¡¯s, invoking respect from within one¡¯s heart.¡±


    ¡°The Tulip Family¡¯s lineage is so noble, their glory unceasing.¡±


    The commoners¡¯ envy and admiration went unheard by Liszt as he roared away from Coral City and sped toward Tulip Castle. Escorted by the guard knights, he headed straight to the gates of the castle. Nobles who had come to attend the ennoblement ceremony walked out of Tulip Castle one after another to welcome Liszt¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Viscount Liszt, congratulations, tonight will be your solo show,¡± said Trick Weed as he came forward.


    ¡°Glory belongs to all the knights who will be ennobled tonight,¡± Liszt responded with a smile.


    Besides him, there were several other Honored Knights receiving their titles tonight, all veteran Earth Knights who had accumulated military exploits over several battles, earning their noble titles.


    For these knights of common birth, today marked a day of transformation, the moment of glory they had long dreamed of.


    The ten Earth Knights from Fresh Flower Town had not been ennobled, for they had not yet accumulated enough military merits, nor did they possess Liszt¡¯s talents and background.


    ¡°Viscount, Aubrey sends his regards,¡± said the once jovial fat man who had been on friendly terms with Liszt. Now, he dared not speak to Liszt as an equal, standing respectfully beside his father and bowing deeply in greeting.


    Liszt was inwardly moved, but even more so, he was proud.


    Yet, his face remained as warm as a spring breeze, with the standard noble smile, ¡°Aubrey, you¡¯ve gained a lot more weight. Visit me in Fresh Flower Town or Black Horse Island when you¡¯re free.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re not busy, I always look forward to visiting Black Horse Island.¡±


    Jonas Shattered Stone and his son also came to greet him, but their approach was not very warm¡ªthe Iron Hoof Island campaign had resulted in losses for Jonas that did not balance out with his gains, causing him silent distress.


    No sooner had the greetings been exchanged than Levis appeared, wrapping an arm around Liszt and proclaiming loudly, ¡°Liszt, welcome the true master of Tulip Castle for tonight¡¯s festivities!¡±


    The remark was mostly polite, but it was also tinged with genuine pride for Levis.


    After the pleasantries.


    He swiftly changed the subject, ¡°Liszt, is this your Blizzard Beast?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯ve grown up, and I took this opportunity to bring them out, to prepare them for future battle training,¡± Liszt snapped his fingers, and Dousen immediately led the eight tiny ones to gather around him, ¡°I¡¯m planning to form a Blizzard Beast siege team.¡±


    ¡°I have regrets,¡± said Levis in a tone of envy and complaint, ¡°I really should have snatched a few Blizzard Beasts back then. Dousen is too eye-catching on the battlefield! By the way, has that Female Tyrant Earth Hound gotten pregnant again? Don¡¯t forget, you promised me half of the next litter from the Fierce Earth Dogs!¡±


    ¡°I said I would share a few with you, but not half. Of course, as long as they can keep reproducing, I¡¯d be more than happy to share them with the family¡­ However, it¡¯s somewhat regrettable that the Female Tyrant Earth Hound has not become pregnant,¡± Liszt expressed his disappointment genuinely.


    Reproductive isolation had broken his dream of building an army of Blizzard Beasts.

 Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: Chapter 0413: Namis Apple (First Update)

    Chapter 416: Chapter 0413: Nami¡¯s Apple (First Update)


    Having entrusted the production of the Fire Dragon Horses to One-Eyed Barton, Liszt returned to the castle.


    Before dinner, he squeezed in some time to play the piano again. The impulse of a Piano King had probably faded, but he still enjoyed playing the piano very much.


    Listening to the music, he purified his soul.


    At the banquet, his followers got wildly drunk to celebrate his successful ennoblement of Black Horse Island.


    ¡°I really wish I could be carefree like them¡­¡± Liszt envied them, who could eat and drink without worrying about the future.


    He felt somewhat depressed because before the meal began, the Finance Officer Blair reported to him, ¡°My lord, the 4,260 Gold Coins you requested to be raised, considering Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island¡¯s finances, even moving all the business funds and tax revenues, we¡¯ve only managed to gather 1,350 Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°How long would we have to mortgage the future earnings of Fresh Flower Brew to extract enough Gold Coins from Tulip Castle?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve calculated it, considering the current production scale and market sales of Fresh Flower Brew, which have only partially spread to Coral Island and Red Crab Island, while still in negotiation with Golden Island, the monthly profits are around 600 Gold Coins¡­ It would take about six months of mortgaging to withdraw enough Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s mortgage it.¡±


    ¡°But my lord, if we mortgage the future income of Fresh Flower Brew, the territory¡¯s construction will immediately fall into difficulty in this half year¡­ We don¡¯t have sufficient funds to support the construction of Black Horse Island, and relying solely on the income from Fresh Flower Soap, the carpentry workshop, and Black Tulip, we cannot sustain it,¡± Blair said helplessly.


    Fresh Flower Town was simply too thinly capitalized, and Liszt¡¯s eagerness for rapid development meant that the capital chain was always on the brink of collapse.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s first mortgage the income from Fresh Flower Brew. I¡¯ll figure out a way for the remaining Gold Coins,¡± Liszt reassured him, but his heart bled. He knew that he had to sell off personal assets again.


    So.


    While his followers drank merrily, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to join in¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to and didn¡¯t like drinking.


    Holding a glass of iced juice, he sipped it slowly, his thoughts occupied with how to make money: ¡°Fresh Flower Town is so rich in resources, with a bunch of Elves enhancing production, but¡­ it still can¡¯t keep up with my consumption. The most profitable Magic Potion is just enough for my own use¡­ It¡¯s difficult to support an Elite Earth Knight addicted to Magic Potions.¡±


    In this world, as long as one was well-fed and not of too poor aptitude, one could generally train to become an Earth Knight.


    But an Elite Earth Knight who insisted on daily use of Magic Potions was not something everyone could afford.


    Black Horse Island was not yet developed, so Liszt¡¯s revenue all came from Fresh Flower Town. It was only with the help of the Smoke Mission and the development of products like Fresh Flower Brew and Fresh Flower Soap that a small town could support his continuous Magic Potion consumption.


    Gold Coins were the greatest obstacle to a Knight¡¯s progress.


    ¡°Maybe sell the rubber. Black Horse Island hasn¡¯t been fully developed, and doesn¡¯t use much rubber. Such a fine product, Tulip Castle should need it, and it could fetch a good price.¡± Following Magic Potions and ironwood, the most important agricultural output of the territory was the versatile rubber.


    Certainly, the milk of the Dragon Breed Cows was also an important output, but it was not suitable for publicity and best used for internal supply.


    In fact, he could also sell the stored Mithril, Jade and Crystal, but these were consumable resources, easy to sell but hard to acquire, and he was reluctant to sell them again.


    ¡°That settles it, sell the rubber.¡±


    ¡­


    After the banquet.


    He made a trip to the Sea View Villa. These past few days, Ach had hardly gone swimming, instead, he was earnestly reviewing notes and studying magic, almost immersed in it.


    It made Liszt feel a hint of neglect.


    ¡°Brother, Ach feels close, very soon I¡¯ll be able to grasp the key information and make a breakthrough to become a Grand Magician! To help Brother navigate the seas!¡± Thankfully, she was just too engrossed in her magic studies and not really neglecting Liszt.


    ¡°Hard work is a given, but don¡¯t stay up too late. Relaxing more can make your brain clearer and more effective than burying yourself in magic books all day,¡±


    ¡°Mhm, Ach understands,¡±


    Even so, her eyes still couldn¡¯t leave the magic books.


    Liszt didn¡¯t disturb her any further and began to play with Nami. The mangrove minor elf hadn¡¯t fed the ducklings on Mangrove Island today but had followed Ach to stay at the Sea View Villa.


    ¡°Chirp,¡±


    Nami was sitting on the table with an apple she had bitten into in her hands, a gift from Liszt, and she liked eating apples very much.


    ¡°Nami, do you like the mangrove forest?¡±


    ¡°Chirp, chirp,¡± Nami took another bite of her apple, then blinked her large eyes at Liszt, who couldn¡¯t tell if she understood his words.


    ¡°Based on the living habits of the mangrove forest, I plan to plant mangrove forests by the seaside in Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island to create a habitat for green caterpillars and green-headed ducks.¡± He was ostensibly talking to Nami, but he was actually pondering to himself, ¡°Green caterpillars cannot be bred in ordinary forests.¡±


    Green-headed ducks might be kept in cages, but to breed them properly, they can¡¯t do without green caterpillars.


    The green caterpillars of Mangrove Island definitely couldn¡¯t support the large-scale breeding of green-headed ducks.


    ¡°Chirp.¡±


    Nami glanced at Liszt, then looked down at the large apple in her hands, and then, somewhat reluctantly, offered the big apple to Liszt, ¡°Chirp.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I won¡¯t eat it, you eat,¡± Liszt pushed the apple back, then stroked the small green leaf and little red flower on Nami¡¯s head.


    The emerald Nami was exceptionally pleasing to the eye.


    Originally, her main use apart from looking good was that the mangrove could produce a kind of fruit that tasted faintly sour and sweet, not particularly delicious, and its use was unclear. However, as the food chain relationship between the green caterpillars and green-headed ducks was established, the use of the mangrove forest began to emerge.


    The mangrove forest couldn¡¯t do without Nami¡¯s mangrove cordyceps, not to mention Nami also reared ducklings.


    After playing for a while,


    Liszt left the Sea View Villa.


    ¡­


    The next morning, he took the Fresh Flower Vessel to Black Horse Island, which now basically traveled back and forth between Black Horse Island and Fresh Flower Town every day.


    Captain Kostor was both transporting goods and using the voyages to train his crew.


    Once Black Horse Island entered a rapid development phase, Liszt would have to assemble a flotilla to serve his own territory.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, Isaiah, what do you think of this land for building a castle? I hope to build a waterfront castle, half submerged in the water and half standing by the shore,¡± standing on the rocky shore to the east of the port town, Liszt asked his followers for their opinions.


    ¡°The castle is closely linked with the city, my lord. Have you decided to build the port town into a port city?¡±


    ¡°The size of Black Horse Island is too small; a port city is very necessary. Other than the current Black Horse Port, there is only one more harbor suitable for construction in the northwest,¡± Liszt said, ¡°In terms of shipping routes and distance, building a city at the port town is most suitable.¡±


    ¡°Then I have no objections to the castle being built in this current location¡­ However, my lord, perhaps we could build the castle entirely on shore to prevent attacks from marine creatures.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Liszt said emphatically, ¡°I love a seaside castle!¡±

 Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Chapter 0414: Brads Work Dilemma (Part Two)

    Chapter 417: Chapter 0414: Brad¡¯s Work Dilemma (Part Two)


    Liszt planned to build a modern castle.


    With rubber and ironwood, many plans could be realized¡ªof course, there was no money to build a castle now, and he would have to live in a cash-strapped situation for a few days.


    This did not hinder him from planning the location of the castle¡¯s construction, as well as its footprint, floor height, and other requirements.


    An attached castle was generally the tallest building in a city. Fresh Flower Town¡¯s Nameless Castle only had two floors; most unnamed castles stood between two and three floors in height.


    Named castles were mostly four floors high, and many viscounts and earls would build four-story castles. Beyond the four-story main body, there might be an even taller spire for vigilance and defense. Tulip Castle was a four-story castle, but it looked particularly majestic as it was built according to the mountain terrain.


    Nobles generally chose steep and rugged terrains for their castles, easy to defend and hard to attack.


    The most magnificent castle Liszt had ever seen was Long Taro Castle, which seemed to merge with the mountain range, a miracle of rock masonry five stories high.


    ¡°In the future, this Rocky Beach will be the site for the castle¡¯s construction; to the east and north, the castle¡¯s ancillary buildings will be constructed in succession; to the south, a stone road connecting to the port city will be built. And the planning of the port city, I hope, can be between that of a large city and a small one,¡± he said.


    By the way, Liszt also outlined his thoughts for his new city.


    Typically, a landlord¡¯s city construction would develop organically, gradually accumulating population and slowly expanding in size. This led to cities appearing chaotic and filthy, with sewage and excrement flowing everywhere. Liszt did not wish his city to become another so-called excrement city.


    Sewers, toilets, and septic tanks were essential facilities he required for building a new city and town.


    Separating the commercial district, workshop area, and residential zone was another principle he advocated for city planning, as only such a city could be called the light of civilization.


    ¡­


    Nighttime.


    Liszt called forth the Smoke Mission, ¡°The location for the new castle has now been decided, this place is definitely the right one.¡±


    Fate¡¯s threads moved, smoke twisted into trails like little snakes, forming a message in Serpent Script, ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Advanced Dou Qi Manual ¡®Rising Sun Blaze¡¯.¡±


    The Advanced Dou Qi Manual had arrived; it was probably being stored at Tulip Castle now.


    He immediately turned his attention to the new mission.


    ¡°Mission: Crystal craftsman Brad is unemployed, and all the volcanic glass stocked in the town has been carved into vessels, leaving his crystal workshop completely idle. As a landlord, it is your responsibility to solve his employment issue. Reward: Mutated Variety Corn Grass.¡±


    ¡°Mutated Variety Corn Grass?¡±


    Corn Grass was currently being cultivated as fodder on a large scale, covering an area of 300 acres. Frequently harvested, it provided nutrition for the Black Blood Treasure Horses and Dragon Breed Cows.


    Liszt thought to himself, ¡°Could the mutated variety of Corn Grass develop towards a magic potion? Or toward¡­ corn?¡±


    Corn Grass is not corn.


    According to Earth¡¯s taxonomic classification, corn was domesticated from wild Corn Grass millennia ago by humans, and only in modern times has it turned into the grain corn with the big ears. This suggests that there is some connection between Corn Grass and corn ears, and in this world full of magic power, it is not impossible for Corn Grass to mutate into corn.


    Compared to the fodder attribute of Corn Grass, the grain attribute of the corn ear is the real divine artifact.


    ¡°I remember not only that corn is a high yield crop but compared to other grains, it is the simplest to grow¡­¡± Liszt recalled some of the videos about Africa he had seen.


    Africans love to grow corn because it can be directly sown into the fields without weeding or fertilizing, waiting until the harvest season when the wild grass withers.


    They then find that the corn has managed to produce ears!


    Corn could be processed into cornmeal, from which they made their staple food ¡°xi ma¡± ¡ª similar to corn pudding, which could be eaten by pinching it with one¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°If only we could really mutate corn. Black Horse Island is huge, and I don¡¯t have enough serfs to cultivate it. But with corn, all you need to do is plant it and then leave it be. Come harvest time, the yield might not be high, but it¡¯ll be better than other crops that can be taken over by weeds and end up with no grains at all.¡±


    This was a wonderful expectation.


    In order to obtain the possible corn cobs, Liszt decided to seriously solve the issue with Brad¡¯s employment.


    Brad was a crystal craftsman, making a living by carving crystal items. He had a good income in Coral City, belonging to the wealthy class among the commoners. However, due to the secrecy of the telescopes, he was sent by the Earl to Fresh Flower Town, becoming one of Liszt¡¯s subjects and settling there.


    Now there was no need to make telescopes, nor volcanic glass vessels, so he was idle all day long.


    ¡°I had originally planned to have Brad make glass in the future, but it seems glass won¡¯t be figured out anytime soon¡­ Even if it is, glass seems to be very brittle and difficult to carve; it appears that glass is ¡®blown¡¯ into shape,¡± Liszt recalled from his memories of glassmaking.


    The red-hot glass, after being blown and inflated, then hand-molded, forms glass goods like wine glasses, tea cups, jars, etc. Moreover, there seems to be another method of flattening, pressing molten glass into flat pieces to be used as windowpanes.


    Unfortunately, neither of these two manufacturing methods seems to have anything to do with Brad¡¯s profession. It¡¯s not like they could have him abandon his expert carving skills to deal with high-temperature glass solutions. As for finished glass, it doesn¡¯t require further carving.


    ¡°Should I have him learn other carving arts?¡± Liszt thought next.


    But he quickly dismissed the idea, as the craftsman¡¯s trade is generally passed down through the generations ¡ª a type of profession where the son follows in the father¡¯s footsteps. It would be very difficult for Brad to change to other forms of carving.


    His thought processes had become rigid; it was clear when he was asked to carve volcanic glass that he was quite reluctant.


    Besides, the art of crystal carving also requires constant practice to maintain proficiency.


    ¡°Why not just give him another batch of crystal to keep him busy, after all, once the castle is completed, a large number of crystal items will be needed for decoration. By the time he finishes carving this batch, it will be about time to mine new volcanic glass, keeping him busy¡­ Those five revived Fire Dragon bones are still waiting for my rescue.¡±


    Having made a decision,


    he could rest easy and sleep.


    ¡­


    Early the next morning.


    Riding the landwalker bird Loki, he headed to the pasture and switched to the King of Black Blood Treasure Horses ¡ª Lightning.


    Actually, he no longer needed such ordinary Dragon Breed Horses as mounts, but in order to show that the Landlord and his following Knights were united, he still had to have a fine horse ¡ª even the Sapphire Duke kept a Blue Blood Treasure Horse as a mount, often charging into battle with his Knights.


    Lightning was the link between Liszt and his Knights.


    ¡°Giddy up!¡±


    Accompanied by the Retainer Knights, he dashed straight to the green tea trees on the north slope of Ice Grass Hill. The green tea was still being picked vigorously this season.


    The tea leaves that had been fried could satisfy Liszt¡¯s personal drinking needs.


    Using the Eye of Magic, he could easily see that the biggest green tea tree in the middle had already nurtured an Elf Bug, ¡°Karl, this green tea tree has nurtured an Elf Bug. Protect it, and as soon as the Elf Bug is born, notify me immediately.¡±


    ¡°The glory of a Knight favors us!¡±


    Karl Ironhammer responded with excitement, ¡°Please rest assured, my lord, I will protect the green tea tree cordyceps carefully and prevent the Elf Bug from any harm!¡±

 Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Chapter 0416: Water Wave Shield under the Moonlight (First Update)

    Chapter 419: Chapter 0416: Water Wave Shield under the Moonlight (First Update)


    Why a Greater Elf Warrior weapon called the Wailing Cage Sword is so named remains a mystery.


    But its value is absolutely enormous, after all, it requires soaking in the blood of a Greater Elf¡ªwhether the blood is from an enemy Greater Elf or an elderly one, the value is still expensive.


    Beneath the weapons of Greater Elf Warrior rank are Dragon Bone Weapons, weapons made from dragon bones¡ªLiszt highly suspects that the great sword of the Marquis of Bull that spews blue flames is a Dragon Bone Weapon. Coincidentally, the left foreleg of the Sapphire Dragon is broken off, and much of its power has been stolen by the Marquis of Bull.


    The clues match.


    Furhter down are Little Elf Soldier weapons, followed by Gemstone Weapons, followed by Magic Equipment¡ªthe value of Magic Equipment varies, depending on the value of the materials used to craft it. If it is made from materials of Advanced Magical Beasts or even Super Magical Beasts, its value can certainly be on par with Dragon Bone Weapons.


    Above the Greater Elf Warrior weapons, the most likely weapons to exist are the Dragon Tooth Soldier weapons and Dragon Elf weapons, and now there is also the Dragon Soul Soldier weaponry informed by Elkerson.


    ¡°Perhaps in the future, even ¡®Elf King¡¯s Weapons¡¯ may appear and become legendary,¡± Liszt thought to himself.


    The Elf King is evolved from a Dragon Elf, and though only existing in legend, no one knows its appearance, abilities, or value. But it might become reality, as long as there¡¯s a possibility of existence, there¡¯s the possibility it could be slain, bled, and its blood used to soak weapons.


    He even thought, ¡°Using dragon teeth as the main material for the weapon, infusing it with the soul of a dragon, and then soaking it in the blood of an Elf King, could it become an ultimate, unparalleled Divine Artifact? I really hope that one day I can forge such a unique Divine Artifact, gallop across the continent on the back of a dragon, and explore this world.¡±


    In this world filled with magic power, there are countless hidden secrets waiting to be discovered.


    Of course, Liszt is still very weak at present, and his range is limited to a few islands, so he must proceed step by step, very steadily.


    One day, the dream will be realized.


    ¡­


    Under the illumination of the Crystal Lamps, the study was bright.


    Liszt flipped open the covers of magic books one by one, and if opening a hundred book covers could earn him the Bronze achievement ¡°Cover-Sliding Maniac,¡± he probably had become a Gold-level ¡°Cover-Sliding Maniac.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t find any Dou Qi secret techniques in this batch of magic books, I can sleep easy now.¡± Liszt piled the books into a stack, waiting for tomorrow to classify them into story type or research type, keep the story type, and send the research type directly to Chris and Ake, ¡°I just wonder what they will think when they see the opened covers.¡±


    He left the study.


    He had the servants prepare the bathwater, took a quick bath, and then went to the bedroom to sleep.


    However, just as he fell asleep, many miles away at Black Pearl Lake, on a coral reef exposed at low tide, a huge white shell slowly swam upwards from the depths.


    In the moonlight.


    The white shell slowly opened, and the silhouette of a young girl slowly unfolded, propped up by the seawater within the shell, and soon she was floating above the sea surface.


    With her back to the moon, she quietly hovered in midair.


    A clear voice pierced the tranquility of the night at Black Pearl Lake, ¡°Let meditation communicate with magic power, use magic power to build a bridge, the bridge extends into a pathway; at the end, surrounded and escorted by countless runes, there is magic!¡±


    The girl slowly raised her left hand.


    Her fingers spread apart, a faint blue light gathered at her fingertips, forming a shield with wrinkles the size of a bowl¡¯s mouth. The wrinkled surface slowly expanded outwards in the shape of water waves, creating a larger arc.


    That faint blue light, along with the moonlight, illuminated the girl¡¯s face, revealing her to be the sprite of the sea¡ªSea Sprite Ake. At that moment, Ake¡¯s face was full of devotion, her gaze was especially firm and serious, and traces of sweat were seeping from her forehead, showing she was exerting great effort.


    ¡°Let the magic power boil inside the body, let the runes constrain them into a magic array, magic, is born within the magic array!¡±


    ¡°Ake will definitely succeed!¡± The sea nymph bit down on her teeth and tried hard to release the magic, ¡°Brother is so looking forward to Ake becoming a Water System Grand Magician, Ake absolutely cannot disappoint Brother¡­ In the name of Acherloides Truth, Water Magic, Water Wave Shield, come forth!¡±


    Whoosh!


    The seawater around the seashells trembled, splashing countless waves. Accompanied by Ake¡¯s final crisp shout, the arc-shaped water wave light in front of her abruptly expanded, bending and extending left and right, finally closing up to form an egg-shaped sphere of light, enveloping Ake within.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Ake exclaimed in surprise, then unable to contain her joy: ¡°Ake has done it, the Water Wave Shield that only a Grand Magician can master! Hehe, Ake finally overcame the cognitive barriers of a magician, completed a deep understanding of the magic array, and advanced to become a Water System Grand Magician!¡±


    She sank into the sea from the surface like this, with the Water Wave Shield continuously surrounding her.


    Without the need for much magic power to sustain it, the light shell could last continuously until the magic array that maintained it collapsed, which would likely be nearly half an hour.


    Swimming swiftly, and then replacing the Water Wave Shield once along the way, she supported the Water Wave Shield and returned to the Sea View Villa.


    Wanting to share the good news with Liszt, but looking at the pitch-black night sky, she suddenly thought, now it was the middle of the night: ¡°Alas, I can¡¯t share the joy with my brother, how annoying.¡±


    ¡­


    The next morning, early on.


    After Liszt walked the dog, Brad was already waiting in the castle: ¡°Lord Landlord, do you have any orders for me?¡±


    ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been idle recently, I just happen to have a task for you, I need a set of exquisitely carved crystal tableware, to reflect the prestige of a Viscount. I will have Mr. Carter take out the crystal tableware from the castle for your reference. You must carve this new set of tableware to perfection.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± Although he had complaints in his heart, Brad still respectfully accepted his new task in front of Liszt.


    The problem that troubled Brad was thus easily resolved.


    This set of crystal tableware would take him nearly a month to carve, and after a month when volcanic glass began to be mined, his work would be even busier.


    Having sent Brad away, Liszt directly called out the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Mutated Variety Corn Grass.¡±


    ¡°Mutated grain variety, has it really become corn cobs?¡± Liszt expressed his surprise and then instructed a servant to pass the message to the Administrative Officer Isaiah in the town hall to halt the harvesting of Corn Grass.


    He would go to Tulip Castle to meet with Meioubao himself upon their arrival and would personally find the corn cobs to arrange for cultivation.


    To provide a new food source for the territory.


    At this moment, he looked at the next Smoke Mission: ¡°Mission: As a landlord, one only needs to manage one¡¯s own majesty well, but to achieve leapfrog development, one cannot avoid hard work, please carefully consider the positioning of Fresh Flower Town, and make an industrial transfer plan. Reward: Mutated Variety Corn Grass.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°More Mutated Variety Corn Grass?¡±

 Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Chapter 0417: Green Lush Hat (Second Update)

    Chapter 420: Chapter 0417: Green Lush Hat (Second Update)


    I wasn¡¯t sure what the new mutated variety of Corn Grass was.


    On the way, Liszt had been contemplating the industrial transfer of Fresh Flower Town. Even without the prompts from the Smoke Mission, the idea of industrial relocation had crossed his mind.


    The future would certainly revolve around the development of Black Horse Island.


    His vision for Fresh Flower Town was clear: it was to serve as a trade hub for Coral Island and a location for cooperative industries.


    He planned to relocate some industries with advanced intellectual property to Black Horse Island, within his own sovereign territory.


    Once he roughly mapped out his plan,


    he had arrived at Tulip Castle and soon met his cousin, Meioubao Taro. After exchanging pleasantries, he learned the reason for Meioubao¡¯s visit¡ªhis engagement to Angela Sapphire, the youngest daughter of the Grand Duke, had been set for August 17th, which also happened to be Angela¡¯s nineteenth birthday.


    ¡°Congratulations, Cousin,¡± Liszt offered his good wishes.


    Meioubao smiled, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s not much to congratulate. After shedding singlehood, longing for the life I have now will not be easy.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, especially since the other party is the Little Princess.¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m engaged, your brother Levis also engaged to Marquis Roderick¡¯s daughter, it leaves only Li Vera and you¡­ Now that you¡¯ve become a Viscount, it¡¯s time to consider a Viscountess,¡± Meioubao¡¯s matchmaking tendencies were still not subdued, even after arriving at Tulip Castle and taking such concerns to heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry; time is on my side,¡± Liszt interrupted promptly. He genuinely had no thoughts of marriage or children at present. He planned to wait until he was at least twenty-five or twenty-six before considering such matters.


    ¡°True, you are in the ascendant phase of knighthood¡¯s glory, and your future looks very bright. Do you know what Grandfather said about you three, father, and sons?¡±


    ¡°Oh, what did Grandfather say?¡±


    ¡°Grandfather said Uncle could become the new Marquis in the Grand Duchy.¡± Meioubao glanced around, making sure no one was eavesdropping, ¡°He said Levis could barely hold on to his achievements, but you¡­ you might become the new glory of the Grand Duchy¡¯s younger generation if your strength can improve faster.¡±


    ¡°I only advanced to Earth Knight after becoming an adult. Although I¡¯ve now become an Elite Earth Knight, does Grandfather really think so highly of me?¡± Liszt felt curious.


    His performance was extraordinary, but it still paled in comparison to real geniuses.


    After all, those geniuses became Earth Knights before reaching adulthood.


    Meioubao shrugged, ¡°Grandfather said that he saw a strong confidence in your eyes, not the conceit common to geniuses but a calm confidence that you believe you can achieve greatness through effort. Honestly, I admit your eyes are bright, but not as bright as mine.¡±


    ¡°Confidence and how bright someone¡¯s eyes look aren¡¯t quite the same thing, are they?¡±


    By then Levis had come over, ¡°Meioubao, Liszt, what are you two discussing?¡±


    Liszt replied with a smile, ¡°Cousin and I are comparing whose eyes are brighter, which shows who has more confidence.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is that so? Well, then I¡¯m definitely in first place,¡± Levis declared with an air of self-evidence, ¡°Liszt can be second. As for Meioubao, after marrying the Little Princess, he¡¯s likely to live a dim and unilluminated life¡­ Angela is not easy to deal with.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t bring shame to the Long Taro Family. Just you watch; once Angela moves into Long Taro Castle, she will only be the lady of the house, and I¡­ I will be the absolute master of Long Taro Castle.¡±


    Regarding this,


    Liszt harbored doubts in his heart¡ªhe wasn¡¯t the kind to maliciously speculate about others¡¯ characters, but Angela Sapphire¡¯s reputation was truly poor.


    Looking at Meioubao, who was still caught in the joy of his impending marriage to the princess, he silently prayed, ¡°I hope Cousin Meioubao¡¯s hat doesn¡¯t turn green.¡±


    ¡­


    Meioubao had no plans to stay long in Tulip Castle, as many nobles still awaited his personal invitations; therefore, on the next day, July 25th, he left Coral Island.


    ¡°Angela is very sociable, she keeps in touch with many daughters of the great Nobles, don¡¯t worry, I will keep an eye out for you and strive to introduce you to a suitable noble lady to help you manage the castle,¡± he said before leaving, still not forgetting to continue playing the role of matchmaker.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Liszt said thanks, but inwardly he was speechless¡ªdare he marry a noble lady introduced by Angela!


    Birds of a feather flock together; Given Angela¡¯s open lifestyle, it was hard to believe that the noble ladies who socialized with her were very conservative.


    After seeing off Meioubao,


    Liszt soon received his reward for the Smoke Mission¡ªthe previous reward had been the Advanced Dou Qi Manual ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±.


    This Advanced Dou Qi Manual was, in fact, brought over by Meioubao; the Earl¡¯s so-called trade of manuscripts meant trading with Long Taro Castle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t set your sights too high, Liszt, keep this Advanced Dou Qi Manual safe, and in a few years when you¡¯ve advanced to a Sky Knight, then study it. At this stage, what you need is to earnestly consolidate your foundations¡­ Right, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, when did you advance to an Elite Earth Knight?¡± the Earl queried in the study, speaking to Liszt alone.


    This secret couldn¡¯t be kept¡ªprobably exposed during the battle at Iron Hoof Island, as his valiant fighting style, overpowering strength, clearly weren¡¯t things a Common Earth Knight could achieve.


    ¡°About a few months ago,¡± Liszt replied humbly, ¡°After exterminating the forces at Thorn Ridge, I gained a large amount of Magical Beast Meat, enough for me to engage in Dou Qi Cultivation. Moreover, I feel like my talent has begun to unfold, and perhaps I can make a push to surpass everyone and become the first Sky Knight.¡±


    The Earl¡¯s mouth hung open.


    It took a moment before he said, ¡°Your talent is indeed different from ordinary people. Seventeen-year-old Elite Earth Knight, a year earlier than your brother, maybe you really do have a chance to be the first to advance to a Sky Knight¡­ However, I hope that between father and son, we can have more communication.¡±


    Liszt smiled awkwardly.


    Perhaps he had been too overly cautious, treating the family of this body with wariness; in fact, he could afford to be more capricious¡ªadopting the unreasonable stance of ¡°my talent is unique¡±.


    He wanted to make amends.


    So he said, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve been holding my breath; I couldn¡¯t beat my brother or sister when I was younger. Now I want to achieve surpassing them to prove myself¡­ Becoming a Sky Knight faster is the way to prove that my talent is not inferior to theirs.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Maybe in the past, the pressure I put on you was too much, not only did it not help you, it may have suppressed your talent,¡± the Earl, led by Liszt¡¯s words, began to find reasons in himself, ¡°Fortunately, assigning you to Fresh Flower Town, the impoverished environment unleashed your talent.¡±


    ¡°Arriving at Fresh Flower Town indeed gave me a new perspective.¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve become Viscount Black Horse Island, work hard on managing your own industries. The trade of Fresh Flower Brew, supported by Tulip Castle, should suffice for your daily expenses¡­ I believe you can surpass Levis and become a Sky Knight earlier, after all, you carry the noble bloodline of Melissa and me!¡±

 Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Chapter 0418: Earl Suffers a Provocation (First Update)

    Chapter 421: Chapter 0418: Earl Suffers a Provocation (First Update)


    Liszt didn¡¯t argue when the Earl attributed his success to the noble lineage he and Melissa shared.


    One must always give the other party some respect.


    He changed the subject, ¡°Father, how do you plan to deal with the sales of rubber?¡±


    ¡°I tested the rubber you provided yesterday. It is indeed an extraordinary item, more impressive and versatile than glutinous rice juice,¡± the Earl said thoughtfully, then continued, ¡°Tulip Castle has acquired quite a bit of supplies in the Iron Hoof Island campaign, so we¡¯re not heavily reliant on gold coins. I can purchase a batch of rubber to relieve some of your pressure.¡±


    ¡°Rubber is a specialty crop of Black Horse Island, with a low yield. Moreover, harvesting rubber does significant damage to the rubber trees, so it won¡¯t be cheap.¡±


    ¡°More expensive than glutinous rice?¡±


    Glutinous rice is a type of cereal that can be eaten, but its juice is more useful in the watering of castles. The Marquis of Leather Island, Ramirez White Glutinous Rice, built his family¡¯s wealth on glutinous rice.


    ¡°I think it would certainly be more expensive than glutinous rice, because rubber can also be used for building. The quality of construction is no worse than that of glutinous rice juice, and in terms of speed, hardness, and adhesiveness, it is even slightly superior. But rubber is not only good for building; it can bond any object, be it for shipbuilding or armor repair, it can be used for everything!¡±


    This kind of treasure, if he weren¡¯t in dire need of money, Liszt would never want to part with it.


    The Earl looked at Liszt and asked with puzzlement, ¡°Just how many treasures are you hiding on your Black Horse Island?¡±


    ¡°Um, well, there are indeed some special products,¡± Liszt replied indifferently, ¡°The main thing is that the development work has been done well. For example, the rubber from rubber trees might be considered just sap by most people, without exploring its uses.¡±


    In his heart, he was very pleased because his domain had too many special products.


    In terms of crops¡ªrubber, the infinitely possible adhesive, Thorn Wood of ironwood quality, Fragrant Coconut Fruit that can be consumed directly, Green Tea Trees not yet planted on a large scale, Smoked Grass that can attract Formless Dragons, and Corn Grass which might become corn cobs.


    In terms of magic potions¡ªthe Black Tulip, a symbol of the domain flag, Flame Mushrooms, and Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms grown from mushroom farming, Magic Medicine Thorns that can grow quickly among thorns, and Dragon Hollyhock, a type of auxiliary medicine recently started being farmed on a large scale.


    In the field of animal breeding¡ªGreen Caterpillars and Green-headed Ducks would become major specialties, Black Pearl Tridacna is also a fine specialty, Black Blood Treasured Horses need no mention of their value, Dragon Breed Cows are similarly precious, and if the breeding difficulties could be overcome, the Blizzard Beast should be considered a specialty.


    In the industrial sector¡ªThe Fire Dragon Brick Factory¡¯s products are all specialties, including slates, culverts, bricks, and other fired products under development like ceramics, glass, cement, lime, etc.; distilled liquor Fresh Flower Brew, bathing products Fresh Flower Soap, and future white paper as well.


    In terms of culinary delights¡ªthere¡¯s no need to mention much, as Fresh Flower Town has always been known as the source of Coral Island¡¯s delicacies, with countless dishes spreading from there.


    Where others would kill for just one specialty product, Liszt is troubled by having too many, unable to develop them all, leaving many specialties unattended.


    Thus, with so many specialty products in Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island, he still finds himself so poor that he can barely afford books.


    ¡°To find treasures, one must first have treasures that genuinely exist¡­¡± The Earl took a deep breath to suppress his jealousy toward his son, ¡°How many elves do you have now?¡±


    ¡°Um, well,¡± Liszt pondered, considering how to answer.


    The Earl, dissatisfied, said, ¡°Do you still need to hide things from me?¡±


    ¡°I have 24 Elf Bugs¡­ and also 2 Little Minor Elves.¡±


    ¡°2 Little Minor Elves?¡±


    ¡°One is Jela, whom you¡¯ve seen; the other is an insignificant Mangrove Minor Elf,¡± he said humbly. Now, Nami is not without use, as her abilities are essential to the breeding of Green-headed Ducks.


    The Earl was taken aback for a moment.


    Then he sighed, ¡°I remember when I ennobled you, I only gave you four Elf Bugs, and later, when you discovered the Black Tulip, I rewarded you with another Elf Bug, meaning, you¡¯ve found nineteen Elf Bugs on your own? And two Little Minor Elves?¡±


    ¡°The origins of the Elf Bugs are somewhat complicated. Two Elf Bugs were born from the potted plants my grandmother gave me; I contracted a Barley Bug outside the Nameless Castle in Mane City; Father, you remember the Six-Headed King Serpent, don¡¯t you? Following the records in a Magic Book, I cultivated four Serpent Blood Fruit Bugs with its blood.¡±


    Liszt calculated, ¡°Leaving those aside, the number of Elf Bugs born in the domain is not many, only thirteen¡­ and Jela was an evolution of the Thorn Bug you gave me.¡±


    Which is to say,


    the number of elves that were born within the Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island itself is thirteen Elf Bugs and one Little Minor Elf.


    ¡°Thirteen and you still think that¡¯s few? Since I took over Coral Island, in twenty years of cultivation, a total of just over two hundred Elf Bugs have been born, only about ten a year!¡± The Earl tried to keep his emotions steady, ¡°The key is, I have never discovered any wild Little Minor Elves.¡±


    Liszt wanted to say something to lighten the mood.


    But the Earl interrupted him directly, ¡°I used to think ¡®Knight¡¯s Glory¡¯ was just a slogan to inspire people, but now I believe it truly exists, and it clearly favors you¡­ Go back, do not let down the ¡®Knight¡¯s Glory¡¯ that has been bestowed upon you, I look forward to your future!¡±


    He quickly sent Liszt away without even intending to discuss the pricing of rubber.


    When the door closed.


    The study fell silent.


    The Earl leaned fully into the chair and his gaze slowly drifted to a space and time unknown, whispering, ¡°Melissa, the son you were most worried about has grown strong enough to take flight at any moment¡­ it¡¯s just that this boy is too cunning. Marquis Merlin wrote to me telling me that he was already promoted to Elite Earth Knight last year¡­¡±


    The voice faded into obscurity.


    After a while, he raised his volume slightly, ¡°From Common Earth Knight to Elite Earth Knight, it only took half a year¡­ His domain has several Magic Medicines, and he even shelters a Magician who specializes in making Magic Medicines¡­ Our son might just outshine me in my youth!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Actually, I should have been more discreet and not provoked the Earl,¡±


    Riding on the back of the Landwalker Bird Loki and recalling the Earl¡¯s near breakdown scene, Liszt shook his head and sighed, ¡°Forget it, tomorrow I¡¯ll have Goltai come over and have a good talk with Levis and Frank, aiming to negotiate a fair price to ease the finances of the domain.¡±


    The tremendous properties of rubber were plain for all to see, and he was not worried about getting a good price.


    Upon returning to his domain, before he had time to inspect the Corn Grass fields, he received a report from the office¡ªSerf Old Bore found that in his field of Corn Grass, there was a patch that was very odd, with huge tassels growing on the top.


    Isaiah further explained, ¡°My lord, we are unable to determine whether this patch of Corn Grass is incubating Corn Grass Bugs. They look rather unusual, but their number is too great, a good twenty or so Corn Grass plants, all sprouting huge tassels¡­ It¡¯s unlikely that so many are all incubating Elf Bugs at once.¡±


    ¡°Tassels growing on top?¡± Liszt furrowed his brow; this was not quite what he had envisaged for corn cobs.

 Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Chapter 0419: Emilys Little Pony (Second Update)

    Chapter 422: Chapter 0419: Emily¡¯s Little Pony (Second Update)


    Arriving at the cornfield, Liszt saw the flowering heads of the corn grass, and indeed, there was a large, fluffy tassel at the top of the human-height corn grass.


    In the view of the Eye of Magic, there were no signs of magic power, meaning this was either the nurturing of Elf Bugs or simply a mutation of the ordinary corn grass.


    ¡°Are the tassels at the top of the corn grass mentioned in the Smoke Mission hint referring to a grain mutation?¡± he pondered. The mutated state of the corn grass didn¡¯t seem to be evolving into the type of corn he had in mind, ¡°It rather seems to be evolving into sorghum, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    It had to be said that this patch of corn grass indeed resembled sorghum.


    Only the tassels of the corn grass were yellow.


    ¡°Take good care of this patch of corn grass, don¡¯t harvest them. Wait for them to mature before assessing what they really are,¡± Liszt instructed before leaving the cornfield.


    Whether the corn grass had mutated into corn or sorghum needed more time to confirm, but his mood was somewhat deflated since sorghum wasn¡¯t a high-yield crop.


    He still held out hope for corn cobs.


    However, hope remained, ¡°Once I¡¯ve planned the industry transfer, there will be new mutated varieties of corn grass waiting, perhaps those will be the real corn cobs.¡±


    Back at the castle,


    good news came immediately. One-Eyed Barton, responsible for delivering the foals, helped the Fire Dragon Mare give birth to a healthy colt. It was a male foal with a coat that was a combination of black and red, looking very majestic, though still very weak, trembling as it walked.


    ¡°Master, this colt has an excellent lineage, it¡¯s fantastic. It has inherited its mother¡¯s quiet grace and its father¡¯s robust physique, and it will surely become an exceptional warhorse when it grows up,¡± Barton said excitedly.


    ¡°Very good!¡±


    Liszt, equally excited, tried to reach out to pet the little colt hiding by the side of the Fire Dragon Mare. Although he no longer needed such a mixed-blood mount, warhorses were undoubtedly a noble¡¯s wealth. There were no large horse farms on Coral Island, and a qualified warhorse would cost several Gold Coins.


    Nevertheless, it was a celebration that after the Iron Hoof Island campaign, many knights had switched to better mounts¡ªthe spoils of war could not be taken away, but no one could stop them from changing their equipment.


    It could be said that Liszt¡¯s knights, both Earth Knights and Retainer Knights, had amassed a set of Fine Steel armor and robust warhorses from the battlefield.


    This equipment was not included in the military exploits and belonged to the knights¡¯ private distributable property.


    ¡°Barton, take good care of it, and the other mares will also give birth soon. Make sure this batch of foals is well looked after,¡± Liszt ordered.


    But Barton said, ¡°Master, you should arrange for knights to come and tame this batch of foals as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Tame them now? They¡¯re too young. Start taming them when they¡¯re two or three years old.¡±


    ¡°Master, actually the best time to tame a foal is right after it¡¯s born¡­ In the first few months of a foal¡¯s life, that¡¯s when we can most influence its growth. Before I was sold to the Duchy of Sapphire, I began raising horses and saw many knights on the mainland prefer to train newly-born foals.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Liszt was mildly surprised; he had never heard of this.


    For knights who possess Dou Qi, any spirited horse could be tamed, so there was little systematic training of horses. Like how Liszt had tamed the Li Dragon Horse and Lightning, just get on their back, subdue them, and the rest was a slow process of bonding which wasn¡¯t considered poor.


    However, Barton¡¯s opinion also served as a reference.


    Training a foal from a young age would make it more accustomed to interacting with humans, so he decided to give this foal to his only female follower, the young girl Emily, for taming.


    ¡°My lord, may I have this foal?¡± Emily, returning from training in the Knight¡¯s Square, was called to the castle stables and asked excitedly.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Of course, you can try taming it. By the time it grows up, you will also be of an age to join the charge.¡±


    He had been keeping an eye on Emily¡¯s training and discovered that she indeed had an extraordinary talent. Compared to Paris¡¯s sister Maggie, Emily had made terrifying progress, leaving Maggie far behind¡ªeven with Paris desperately helping her sister by providing lots of meat, even some Magical Beast Meat.


    Therefore, Liszt¡¯s expectations for Emily¡¯s future were growing.


    Perhaps he really could cultivate a female Sky Knight as his follower. Thinking of this prospect was quite exhilarating.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord, Emily swears allegiance to you unto death!¡± Having received the beloved foal, Emily¡¯s youthful face wore a solemn expression.


    ¡°I accept your loyalty, Emily,¡± Liszt said with a smile.


    So that afternoon, Emily didn¡¯t return home and instead stayed at the stables to bond with the pony, giving it a pleasant name¡ªSara.


    There was nothing spectacular about a little girl taming a horse.


    Liszt returned to the castle and brewed a cup of tea.


    Just as he was preparing to read a book and pass the time, Butler Carter knocked and entered, ¡°My lord, Consultant Goltai, accompanied by the town officials, has come to report on their work.¡±


    ¡°Is today the work report day?¡± Liszt pulled out a schedule from his desk and glanced at it.


    The schedule was outlined boldly with ink.


    ¡­


    Morning 6:00 to 6:30¡ªWake up, wash up.


    Morning 6:30 to 7:30¡ªWalk the dog, feed the dog, feed the birds, feed the horses.


    Morning 7:30 to 8:00¡ªHave breakfast.


    Morning 8:00 to 10:00¡ªPractice combat skills on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; practice archery on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.


    Morning 10:00 to 11:30¡ªTrain Douson and the Eight Tiny Ones.


    Morning 11:30 to 12:30¡ªHave lunch.


    Afternoon 12:30 to 1:00¡ªRead, drink tea, digest.


    Afternoon 1:00 to 1:30¡ªNap.


    Afternoon 1:30 to 3:30¡ªRead on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; patrol the domain on Tuesday and Saturday; listen to officials¡¯ work reports on Thursday.


    Afternoon 3:30 to 4:00¡ªPlay the piano.


    Afternoon 4:00 to 6:00¡ªTake medicine, cultivate Dou Qi.


    Afternoon 6:00 to 7:30¡ªFree time, occasionally conduct live combat drills.


    Evening 7:30 to 8:30¡ªHave dinner.


    Evening 8:30 to 9:30¡ªVisit the Sea View Villa to watch the sea.


    Evening 9:30 to 10:30¡ªRead, drink tea, summarize the day.


    Evening 10:30 to the next morning 6:00¡ªSleep.


    ¡­


    He mostly arranged his life according to this schedule. Of course, the timing wasn¡¯t always fixed, and the number of times it was interrupted by unexpected events was many. He could count the days he strictly followed the schedule on one hand.


    He put the schedule back and said, ¡°Then please show them into the study.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Footsteps followed, and Goltai along with other officials streamed into the study, each finding a stool to sit on. Half an hour was plenty for them to report on their respective responsibilities¡ªin fact, there were rarely any significant issues, since governance matters were often discussed during the evening banquets.


    Afterward, Liszt threw out his topic for discussion, ¡°What are your thoughts on Fresh Flower Town¡¯s industry transfer to Black Horse Island?¡±

 Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Chapter 0423: The Gift Must Be Given (First Update)

    Chapter 426: Chapter 0423: The Gift Must Be Given (First Update)


    Fresh Flower Soap and Fresh Flower Brew obviously couldn¡¯t be considered the main gifts, as it would greatly diminish Liszt¡¯s stature, who was now the Viscount of Black Horse Island, a mid-tier noble.


    Moreover, the person getting married was his own cousin with whom he had a good relationship.


    Specialties, food, resources, these three things fundamentally make up the gifts exchanged between nobles in this era.


    ¡°Aside from gourmet food, the specialties of Fresh Flower Town include Fresh Flower Soap and Fresh Flower Brew, and I¡¯ll definitely choose a good amount of these three. As for resources, I can gift a few small Black Pearls, and pick some Jade, Crystal, and Mithril respectively. The total value of the gifts should properly convey my sentiments.¡±


    Interactions among nobles, especially big nobles, tend to be quite generous.


    Liszt was rather helpless but he had no choice but to give a gift, and it couldn¡¯t look shabby either; he could only painfully gather a batch of resources: ¡°If I don¡¯t get married soon, it seems unlikely that I¡¯ll be able to recover these gifts¡­ With the custom of gift-giving, it doesn¡¯t seem like I have many opportunities to receive gifts either.¡±


    As a bachelor, he had neither weddings nor funerals to organize, nor occasions to celebrate a longevity, at most he could celebrate a birthday.


    After giving it some thought.


    He instructed the butler, ¡°Mr. Carter, I¡¯ll prepare a batch of precious gifts myself, please help me choose some supplementary gifts, preferably some novel specialties, mainly delicious food.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    And with that, the matter of the gifts was mostly settled. Splurging was inevitable, but Liszt was willing to pay that price. Not to mention that Meioubao had treated him quite well, just the Sword Saint¡¯s Notes given to him by Marquis Merlin were worth reciprocating ¡ª he often read it and had committed it to heart.


    The experiences summarized by the Sword Saint at the Completion Level were invaluable.


    He rose to his feet and went out the door, mounting the now fully recovered Fire Dragon Horse, and headed for the Magic Workshop in Little Wheat Village. At the Magic Workshop, Chris was extracting Magic Potions while teaching Paris magic.


    ¡°Viscount.¡±


    ¡°How is the magic learning progressing?¡±


    ¡°Paris has shown outstanding affinity for Light System Magic; what she lacks are only casting plans. Despite this, she has already started working on the Magic Array¡­ Thanks to you for bringing the ¡®Three-Phase Magic Array and Reality Interaction Theory¡¯, it has opened the door for me to advance to Grand Magician.¡±


    ¡°Is that so, you¡¯re about to advance?¡±


    Chris Truth said modestly, ¡°I am trying, but I can¡¯t guarantee when I will succeed.¡±


    ¡°Chris is remarkably skilled in magic, and she is also an excellent teacher,¡± Paris praised without reservation. ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot of magic knowledge following her¡­ Viscount, you know I¡¯m not fond of reading, and Chris always explains magical knowledge to me like she¡¯s telling a story.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, teaching students in accordance with their aptitude, that¡¯s indeed a very good method.¡± Liszt suddenly asked, ¡°Chris, which field of Advanced Magic are you focusing on to be your pathway to becoming a Grand Magician?¡±


    Chris shook her head, ¡°I haven¡¯t made a choice yet, currently there are casting plans for Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, and Ice High-Level Magics, any of which could be the breakthrough point.¡±


    The magics brought by Chris and Elkerson combined, amounted to seven kinds of Advanced Magic¡ªWater System¡¯s Water Wave Shield, Waterfall; Earth System¡¯s Rock Grenade, Rock Wall; Fire System¡¯s Resist Flame Ring; Wind System¡¯s Tornado; Ice System¡¯s Permafrost.


    Actually, Paris¡¯ innate abilities obtained through the Light Dragon Magic Power, ¡°Light and Shadow Tug,¡± could be categorized as an Advanced Light System Magic¡ªInvisibility Technique.


    However, this was her instinct, lacking a systematic casting plan.


    Paris suggested, ¡°I think, Chris, you could learn Permafrost. It¡¯s so hot right now, by mastering Permafrost you could place a large block of ice in the Magic Workshop for cooling.¡±


    ¡°I can already create Ice Blocks with my regular Ice Freezing Spell, Paris,¡± Chris rejected Paris¡¯ suggestion. ¡°I can make ice cream on my own workbench; for a Magic Technician who isn¡¯t biased towards any particular system, summer isn¡¯t too difficult¡­ Ice System Magic is quite challenging, I should choose a simpler Advanced Magic.¡±


    Liszt suggested, ¡°I suggest choosing the Water System or Wind System as the breakthrough point, as the Duchy of Sapphire is an archipelago nation where sailing is an important component. The use of advanced Water System and Wind System magic is significant.¡±


    ¡°Then I will choose the Wind System. If Viscount brings me along when sailing, I can help speed up the journey,¡± Chris quickly decided.


    And she cast a covert glance at the strikingly handsome Liszt.


    As a magician who esteemed the Truth and was prepared to dedicate herself to it, she had no intention of continuing with the secular institution of marriage. Instead, she was prepared to devote her finite life to the infinite study of magic.


    However, it didn¡¯t prevent her from working for a lord who made her heart flutter, frequently seeing his confident smile was enough to console her during the lonely nights¡ªno matter if it¡¯s a man or a woman, as long as one has hands, one could fend for oneself.


    Thus.


    After a brief chat with the two ¡°Lis''¡±, Liszt got down to business, ¡°Chris, how much of this batch of magic potions have you completed? I¡¯m about to leave for Red Crab Island to attend a wedding and need a batch of magic potions as backup.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve completed the majority, enough for you, Viscount, to use for a week,¡± she replied.


    ¡°I will depart in three days. Can you prepare two weeks¡¯ worth for me by then?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± he said.


    Chris smiled, ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Chris is always willing to serve the Viscount.¡±


    ¡­


    Three days later, a well-prepared Liszt set off for Tulip Castle with his Retainer Knights. Riding the landwalker bird Loki, he led the Blizzard Beasts Storm and Flame.


    Douson, together with Rock, Surge, Thunder, Light, Ice Snow, and Shadow, stayed in Fresh Flower Town.


    He was now consciously training the discipline of the eight tiny ones during outings. As Intermediate Magical Beasts, they must adapt to various environments and maintain absolute obedience to Liszt.


    Only in this way could he command the Blizzard Beast Squad at will and sweep through the enemy forces on the battlefield of the knights¡¯ charge.


    No one yet knew that they were all Intermediate Magical Beasts, but they would learn soon. At that time, the name Liszt would once again astound everyone¡ªwith nine Intermediate Magical Beasts as pets, military exploits would be within easy reach, and the title of Earl was almost assured.


    As long as his strength could break through to that of a Sky Knight¡ªthe Grand Duchy¡¯s regulation stated that an Earl must be a Sky Knight and if for three generations none can become Sky Knights, the title would be revoked.


    A noble¡¯s strength was explicitly linked to their title.


    ¡°Liszt, have you prepared my birthday gift?¡± Levi¡¯s asked after a hug at Tulip Castle, ¡°This time I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to celebrate my birthday at Tulip Castle. I¡¯ll either celebrate at Long Taro Castle or on the way back.¡±


    His birthday was on August 19th.


    The wedding date for Meioubao was August 17th, just two days apart.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot. Since we can¡¯t hold a birthday party, let¡¯s just skip it then. You can make up for it with a grand birthday party next year,¡± Liszt suggested somewhat gloomily.


    Levis laughed, ¡°The birthday party can be skipped, but I must definitely receive the gift.¡±

 Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Chapter 0424: Earls Quality Green Tea (Second Update)

    Chapter 427: Chapter 0424: Earl¡¯s Quality Green Tea (Second Update)


    The entire Tulip Castle household set off, including the Earl, Lady Marie, Levis, Li Vera, Liszt, and Lidun. Only Lady Penelope stayed behind due to ill health.


    ¡°Lucky Liszt, take this potted plant with you and tell that handsome young fellow at Meioubao that my plant has given birth to two Elf Bugs.¡±


    Lady Penelope earnestly told Liszt before leaving.


    She already knew her fig potted plant had bred Fig Bugs, so she was now doubly concerned about her potted plants and truly believed they were treasures.


    ¡°Of course, I believe my cousin will be delighted to receive your potted plant; perhaps he too will be blessed with an Elf Bug,¡± Levis had a servant take the potted plant.


    He sneakily used the Eye of Magic to check the plant and found no trace of magic power.


    Lady Penelope said with an air of expectation, ¡°It depends on his luck. If he is favored by the knight¡¯s glory as you are, he is certain to get an Elf Bug. If he doesn¡¯t get one, it¡¯s not because my potted plant isn¡¯t precious enough, but because he isn¡¯t favored by the knight¡¯s glory.¡±


    Liszt offered a faint smile.


    At that moment, Li Vera came over, ¡°I just can¡¯t help but feel envious of you; why do you always have luck that others don¡¯t? I looked through all of grandmother¡¯s potted plants and couldn¡¯t tell which might give birth to Elf Bugs, yet in your hands, they continually produce them.¡±


    ¡°You know, I am blessed by the knight¡¯s glory; I am the Son of Glory.¡± He had now learned to shamelessly toot his own horn; being high-profile on Coral Island wasn¡¯t a mistake.


    After a moment of thought, Li Vera sighed, ¡°I won¡¯t be surprised the day you become an Earl.¡±


    ¡°Neither will I.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve really grown up; I can¡¯t find a trace of your childhood self anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still there; after all, I¡¯ve always been this handsome since I was young.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    ¡­


    The ship sailed across the vast ocean.


    Liszt spent his idle time at the bow of the ship, setting up a deck chair, a parasol, brewing a cup of green tea, and arranging a plate of fruit.


    Enjoying the cool breeze on his face.


    ¡°You really know how to enjoy yourself,¡± said the Earl, emerging from the ship¡¯s cabin to the deck, where he found Liszt lounging in his chair.


    He couldn¡¯t help feeling a pang of jealousy, thinking that his son¡¯s life seemed different from his own.


    ¡°It¡¯s too hot and the cabin is too stuffy. Better to come out and enjoy the sea breeze,¡± Liszt stood up and instructed his personal manservant, ¡°Thomas, bring over a chair.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Tom, brew a cup of green tea for the Earl.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Thomas quickly brought over a chair for the Earl to sit in, and Tom prepared a cup of green tea, placing it on a side table. Both the table and the chair were products of the woodworking workshop that Liszt had brought specially.


    The Earl¡¯s gaze fell upon the scene behind Liszt.


    Storm and Flame were fast asleep, snoring heavily.


    ¡°Are they descendants of Douson?¡±


    ¡°Yes, one is named Storm and the other Flame.¡±


    ¡°Do they take after Douson or the Fierce Earth Dog?¡± the Earl asked casually.


    Liszt casually replied, ¡°They¡¯re probably more like Douson.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad to keep a few low-level magical beasts¡­ Wait, what did you just say? Their lineage is closer to Douson¡¯s?¡± The Earl immediately stood up, walked over to the sleeping Blizzard Beasts, and reached out to pet one of them, Storm.


    Storm¡¯s alertness was commendable, as it immediately opened its eyes and, seeing the unfamiliar Earl, made to rise and bite.


    But Liszt promptly commanded, ¡°Storm, lie down and don¡¯t move!¡±


    A moment later.


    The Earl¡¯s astonishment had not lessened: ¡°This truly is the behavior of an Intermediate Magical Beast. Its magic power dissipates very quickly, surpassing the scope of Low-Level Magical Beasts¡­ If this is the case, with Douson having eight offspring, doesn¡¯t that mean there are eight more Intermediate Magical Beasts?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost safe to say that, but neither Douson nor the Eight Tiny Ones are powerful Intermediate Magical Beasts. However, tearing down a castle should not be difficult for them.¡±


    After a good while.


    The Earl returned to his own chair and slowly began, ¡°Liszt, do you realize what this means?¡±


    ¡°It means that once they grow, even Sky Knights could be besieged to death; or during a Knight Order charge, they could hold off several knights¡­ Does it also mean that, perhaps even before my promotion to Sky Knight, I could achieve glorious military exploits and even satisfy the military exploits required to be granted the title of Earl?¡±


    ¡°Under ideal conditions, indeed it could be so. Maybe by that time I¡¯d still be an Earl, and you would already have the chance to start a new family line.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about starting a new family.¡±


    ¡°Starting a new family is nothing special, it¡¯s just a change of surname, a part of Noble honor. Both the Golden Wheat Sheaf and Golden Wheat Grain families, despite being offshoots, are as close as ever,¡± the Earl said. ¡°If you become the new Earl, I would be very pleased to see you start a new family.¡±


    Liszt still couldn¡¯t quite understand this world¡¯s perception of honor, hence he uttered a meaningless, ¡°Hm.¡±


    The Earl didn¡¯t know how to continue.


    Nine Intermediate Magical Beasts, a force like this, so long as no accidents occur, challenging for the title of Earl would definitely not be difficult, and charging for the title of Marquis would just be a matter of time.


    He prided himself on his strong talent, having fought his way from Viscount to Earl, and he even harbored hopes of charging towards the rank of Marquis, always full of pride.


    Though he was looking forward to each of his offspring achieving greater things, he knew deep down that of his daughters and three sons, the one with the most hope to surpass him was Lidun.


    This was also the reason he wasn¡¯t fully committed to piling resources onto Levis for the Sky Knight challenge.


    He had placed the hopes of ¡°hoping for his son to become a Dragon¡± on his youngest son. Hence, for a small mistake in the past, he directly stripped Lidun¡¯s family tutor, the Honored Knight Zambrotta, of his title¡ªhe was very expectant of Lidun¡¯s future development, if indeed Lidun¡¯s talents were extraordinary.


    If father and son joined hands in their efforts, the charge toward the rank of Marquis would be stable.


    If Lidun¡¯s performance upon maturing was unlike his childhood, it wouldn¡¯t be too late then to fully support Levis, stacking Magic Potions and advancing to Sky Knight.


    So his consistent belief was¡ªLevis could maintain what has been achieved, while Lidun represented hope.


    As for Liszt, the more he grew, the less promising he became, from a beacon of hope to a disappointment, and eventually, when he was indifferently granted his own fief, he became the most failed creation in the Earl¡¯s heart.


    Yet, it was this overlooked son who was now showing momentum that surpassed his own.


    A seventeen-year-old Elite Earth Knight was not particularly outstanding¡ªbut Liszt had become an Earth Knight only after reaching adulthood and had been promoted to elite status in just over half a year; this talent was terrifying enough.


    His strength was already formidable.


    Even more incredible was his luck.


    The Earl didn¡¯t want to list examples to prove how greatly Liszt was favored by knightly glory, he breathed deeply, lifted the teacup on the table, and took a sip of green tea.


    Upon tasting, he immediately frowned: ¡°What is this tea? Why is it so bitter?¡±


    Liszt explained, ¡°This green tea is brewed from the leaves of the Green Tea Tree, which indeed tastes bitter at first, but after lingering for a moment, you can taste the freshness and fragrance on your lips and teeth.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡± The Earl savored carefully, indeed sensing the taste of green tea, which was not just bitter, but behind the bitterness was a very novel flavor.


    Just like his current mood¡ªinitially shocked by Liszt, feeling the bitterness, but after accepting it, filled with a sense of achievement of surpassing the blues.

 Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Chapter 0425 (Third update, 10,000 coins reward celebration 1/2)

    Chapter 428: Chapter 0425 (Third update, 10,000 coins reward celebration 1/2)


    This chapter is a bonus update for ¡°bittertree¡± and their 20,000-coins reward; another update will follow tomorrow.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°The green tea is quite nice, the more I drink, the more flavorful it becomes. Is this also a specialty product from your territory?¡± the Earl asked after finishing a cup and having it refilled.


    Liszt replied, ¡°I discovered three green tea trees on Black Horse Island, and I¡¯m thinking of ways to expand the planting scale. Fortunately, a green tea bug emerged among them, which greatly reduced the difficulty of cultivating green tea trees.¡±


    ¡°Can you just pick the leaves of the green tea tree and brew them in water?¡±


    ¡°They need to be roasted to remove the raw taste and to allow more nutrients from the tea leaves to infuse into the water, which makes the tea especially tasty.¡±


    ¡°It does have a rich flavor; I like this taste.¡± The Earl looked at Liszt with a knowing expression, ¡°A cup of green tea after a nap seems to greatly relieve the heat.¡±


    ¡°When I return, I¡¯ll send a batch of tea leaves for you to brew, Father.¡±


    ¡°How many cups will it make?¡± asked the Earl with a smile.


    Liszt, without any embarrassment, answered seriously, ¡°Morning tea, afternoon tea, evening tea¡ªthree cups a day, and each cup can be brewed three times. However, drinking that often seems excessive; too much green tea isn¡¯t good. So brewing two cups, six times a day, is more appropriate.¡±


    He continued, ¡°If we calculate 5 grams per cup, that¡¯s 10 grams a day, 300 grams a month. Father, leave the provision of tea leaves for your consumption to me. Once I develop the green tea planting industry, everyone in Tulip Castle will be able to enjoy green tea.¡± Of course, by that time, he would charge for the tea leaves.


    While they were chatting,


    Levis also stepped out of the cabin and joined the tea tasting¡ªa good thing Liszt brought plenty of tea leaves.


    However, unlike the Earl, Levis didn¡¯t have the same earnest approach to tea tasting. After a few sips, he still couldn¡¯t get used to it: ¡°What¡¯s so good about such a bitter drink?¡±


    ¡°Bitter first and sweet later; Brother, you need to taste it carefully.¡±


    ¡°I have tasted it, but it¡¯s bitter indeed. You should add some milk, sugar cubes, or maybe a bit of minced meat or egg to balance the taste,¡± Levis suggested.


    ¡°Its flavor should be appreciated as is, to fully experience the character of green tea. Brother, your life is too impetuous. Drinking tea requires patience. If you don¡¯t take the time to experience it, you¡¯ll never discover the sweetness behind the bitterness. It¡¯s like life itself¡ªyou attend too many parties and social events and often overlook the essence of life.¡±


    ¡°Oh heavens, Liszt, have you become a minstrel now? Advising me on how to live my life? Sorry, but my life is much more exciting than you imagine. And, I don¡¯t like drinking this¡­ green tea,¡± Levis shook his head.


    Liszt wasn¡¯t annoyed.


    It was like playing the lute to a cow.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m relieved to hear that. The green tea trees have a low yield of tea leaves right now; supplying them for my and Father¡¯s consumption is already difficult. If you also liked tea, Brother, I really wouldn¡¯t know what to do,¡± he said.


    After a while,


    Liszt shifted the topic: ¡°Cousin is already married, so when is Brother¡¯s wedding with Loria Gold Wheat Ear going to take place?¡±


    ¡°It will be set at the beginning of September, before the Pioneer Mandate begins. Levis will marry Loria,¡± the Earl stated.


    With two wedding ceremonies coming up, Liszt was rather helpless at the thought of the expenses: ¡°It¡¯s as if it¡¯s been agreed upon¡ªMeioubao in August, Levis in September¡­ Father, when will you start worrying about Li Vera?¡± he asked, showing rare concern for his sister.


    ¡°Li Vera is too picky, I don¡¯t know what kind of noble she wants to marry. I¡¯ll see if she makes a suitable choice; if not, in a couple of years, I¡¯ll choose a partner for her,¡± he responded.


    As nobility with a title, Li Vera actually wasn¡¯t worried about finding a match.


    So Liszt just asked casually, his interest lying more in this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate: ¡°Is the Grand Duke still waiting for the Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom to go to war? He has not asked about the dragon-slaying incident in our country, what impact does it have on the outside world?¡±


    The battle for Iron Hoof Island had been concluded for a month.


    The feedback from foreign countries should have reached the Grand Duchy by now.


    The Earl said, ¡°The specifics are not very clear, but probing is inevitable. Steel Ridge Kingdom will likely send an envoy to visit Blue Dragon Island to communicate with the Sapphire Family¡­ The Pioneer Mandate this year will reflect the will of the Grand Duke as well as the positions of the various kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°When do you think the Pioneer Mandate will be issued?¡±


    ¡°No later than October.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, do you plan on participating in the Pioneer Mandate again?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I hope to continue participating. Although the strength of my territory is still rather weak, my personal strength is not. I also have Douson, and at the very least, I can take over the logistics¡­ Most importantly, my territory is in dire need of serfs, and I hope to purchase more from the Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    The Earl nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine, you can join me this year, and have Levis stay in Tulip Castle.¡±


    Levis interjected eagerly, ¡°I look forward to going into battle as well, father.¡±


    ¡°You need to stay with Loria, and, it would be best if you can produce the fourth generation of the Tulip Family as soon as possible, to ensure the continuity of the family¡¯s property.¡±


    Lady Penelope was the first generation, the Earl was the second, Levis was the third, and his son would naturally be the fourth.


    Such matters did not require shyness, so Levis nodded and replied, ¡°I will work hard with Loria to try to have an heir as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°In addition, you need to properly manage your mistresses and illegitimate children, understand?¡± said the Earl suddenly.


    ¡°Oh heavens, father, are you perhaps mistaken? I do indeed know several women, but I definitely do not have any illegitimate children.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to explain to me. You must understand Loria¡¯s status as a Marquis¡¯s daughter; she will not tolerate your mistresses and illegitimate children taking even half a step into Tulip Castle.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    The private lives of the Nobles often involve various mistresses and illegitimate children.


    However, when the Great Nobles intermarry, it is difficult to tolerate the involvement of illegitimate children in the family, especially within families where the bride¡¯s side is a strong Noble house. Illegitimate children can only end up outcast, struggling against the injustices of the world on their own.


    Drifting at sea for one day and one night.


    Finally reaching Red Crab Island.


    The Deputy Butler Ranieri of Long Taro Castle had been waiting early at the port of Sea Crab City to receive the Tulip Family¡¯s delegation. By the time they reached Long Taro Castle, it was the afternoon of August 15th, with only a day and a half left before the wedding at Meioubao.


    ¡°Li Weiliam!¡±


    ¡°Mesiro!¡±


    On the road outside Long Taro Castle, Mesiro personally greeted the Earl and his group, expressing great enthusiasm. Clearly, the Tulip Family, with its burgeoning growth, was a powerful ally of the Long Taro Family.


    The two Earls who were followers of Marquis Merlin were also in the welcoming party¡ªSharke Cauliflower and Durant Hyacinth.


    After a warm and boisterous round of pleasantries.


    Liszt was just another inconspicuous person within the crowd exchanging courtesies; he demonstrated his grace by greeting everyone, then stood to one side.


    Glancing at Durant Hyacinth, he was Duniko Hyacinth¡¯s father. Clearly, Duniko¡¯s excellent genes were inherited from her father, a handsome, middle-aged man who also possessed a refined and elegant demeanor. His style was quite different from that of the more domineering Earl Sharke standing beside him.


    Mesiro, Li Weiliam, Sharke, Durant.


    The four Sky Knights standing together made Liszt very pleased to find that although his father had the most ordinary appearance, his presence was the most dazzling. It stemmed from his Advanced Dou Qi that was harmonious inside and out, constantly radiating a robust aura that influenced the senses of those around him.

 Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Chapter 0426: Better to see once than hear a hundred times (first update)

    Chapter 429: Chapter 0426: Better to see once than hear a hundred times (first update)


    The grey-white walls of Long Taro Castle were adorned with an abundance of flowers, branches, and ribbons, making the majestic castle look especially sacred.


    Two huge banners fluttered high on the castle¡¯s highest spire.


    One was the abstract ¡°Chang Yu¡± banner of the Long Taro Family, and the other was the Sapphire Family¡¯s Sapphire Dragon Banner, rustling in the wind.


    These temporarily hung massive banners represented the family marriage alliance.


    In the vast area before the castle gate, countless servants were busy arranging the wedding site, with squads of knights interspersed among them, and even officials-looking figures were participating and gesturing orders.


    ¡°These are professional servants from the Court and Internal Affairs officials, as well as knights from the Blueblood Knight Order. They are not only taking over the wedding process but also responsible for the defense, as the Grand Duke will personally attend the Little Princess¡¯s wedding with Meioubao,¡± Mesiro Taro explained.


    Upon hearing this, Earl Li Weiliam¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and his expression quickly turned cold, ¡°It¡¯s understandable that the Blueblood Knight Order is taking over the defense, but why isn¡¯t the wedding process conducted according to the traditions of Long Taro Castle? This is Long Taro Castle¡¯s ceremony of welcoming its mistress, even if she is the Grand Duke¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Durant and Sharke did not join the conversation.


    Mesiro also felt somewhat embarrassed, ¡°It¡¯s my father¡¯s wish, hoping to show more respect to the Little Princess.¡±


    ¡°The Long Taro Family¡¯s contribution of more knights¡¯ glory is the respect for the Grand Duke and the Little Princess, not this way,¡± Earl Li Weiliam was very dissatisfied with the Court interfering with Long Taro Castle¡¯s etiquette, ¡°I need to talk with Marquis Merlin. Mesiro, is your father in the castle?¡±


    ¡°I will take you to find my father, Durant and Sharke, please entertain the guests for me.¡±


    With that, the two hurried into the castle to find Marquis Merlin. Lady Marie and Lidun followed the deputy butler to the guest lounge. These two had rather special identities; they were considered relatives of Long Taro Castle by status, but they had no blood connection, and it was even a bit awkward.


    Levis, Li Vera, and Liszt, the three siblings, didn¡¯t treat Long Taro Castle like someone else¡¯s home.


    They found a butler and inquired, ¡°Where is Cousin Meioubao?¡±


    ¡°Master Meioubao has gone to Matsutake Castle. The First Prince has already escorted the Little Princess to reside in Matsutake Castle, waiting for the wedding to come,¡± said the butler. ¡°Miss Melinda¡¯s family has also gone with the young master to Matsutake Castle to take care of the Little Princess¡¯s daily life.¡±


    Matsutake Castle is another castle of the Long Taro Family.


    ¡°Should we rush over there or stay in Long Taro Castle?¡± Liszt asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a two-hour ride on horseback from Long Taro Castle to Matsutake Castle; we might as well hurry over. I haven¡¯t seen what the Little Princess looks like yet,¡± Li Vera said excitedly.


    Levis shook his head, ¡°I need to stay here. Father is very unhappy with the Court arranging the wedding process for the Long Taro Family. I might be needed to lend a hand later. You go ahead and send my regards to the First Prince.¡±


    Afterward.


    Liszt and Li Vera set off for Matsutake Castle together.


    When they arrived at Matsutake Castle, the sun was about to set, and the entire castle was guarded by knights of the Blueblood Knight Order, barring outsiders from entering.


    The siblings waited outside for nearly ten minutes.


    Only then did they see Meioubao hastily coming to greet them, ¡°Li Vera, Liszt, you¡¯ve arrived? Didn¡¯t you rest at Long Taro Castle, how come you came to Juniper Castle?¡±


    ¡°We heard that Aunt Melinda¡¯s family and Cousin You are all here, and that the First Prince and Little Princess have already moved into Matsutake Castle, so we came over,¡± Li Vera said eagerly. ¡°Where is the Little Princess, cousin? Hurry, take me to visit the Little Princess. I can¡¯t wait to meet my future sister-in-law.¡±


    Meioubao smiled, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Upon entering the Matsutake Castle, it was necessary to first pay a visit to the First Prince¡ªeven though Liszt and Li Vera were not vassals of the Sapphire Family, they only needed to be loyal to their father, Earl Li Weiliam.


    ¡°Your Highness the First Prince, I am pleased to see you again,¡± Liszt bowed and paid his respects, neither pretending to be aloof nor deliberately lowering his stance.


    The First Prince clearly remembered Liszt, ¡°The only knight promoted during the Battle of Iron Hoof Island, Liszt, I¡¯m also glad to see you.¡±


    After a few simple courtesies, Liszt and Li Vera took their leave.


    Given the great difference in status and the absence of a vassal relationship between them, indeed, there wasn¡¯t much they could talk about. Following Cousin Meioubao, they proceeded to the second floor of the castle, and in the piano room on the second floor, they met Aunt Melinda and Cousin Russell¡¯s wife, Cassie Broccoli.


    Of course, there were also several other young, eye-catching, lavishly dressed noble debutantes.


    ¡°Everyone is here, so please wait a moment to chat,¡± Meioubao said loudly.


    Drawing everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Please allow me to introduce¡­ This is my cousin, the daughter of Earl Li Weiliam, Li Vera Tulip, Baroness of Falcon Town; and my cousin, the second son of Earl Li Weiliam, Viscount Liszt Tulip of Black Horse Island, and incidentally, his viscounty is a reward for his military service.¡±


    Family shadow and merit-based enfeoffment are two different concepts.


    One represents identity, the other represents potential.


    While being a second son might be somewhat awkward, gaining recognition through one¡¯s own efforts is more noteworthy¡ªwho doesn¡¯t favor a stronger knight?


    Upon entering the room, Liszt felt the gaze of these noble debutantes brighten when they looked at him.


    When Meioubao introduced him as a knight ennobled for his military service, their eyes brightened yet again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you, Liszt, the new Viscount who was promoted during the Battle of Iron Hoof Island and has tamed an Intermediate Magical Beast,¡± a noble debutante said quickly, her eyes roaming over Liszt.


    Even though he wasn¡¯t dressed in flamboyant Flack Abbieye attire, wearing only a simple suit of leather armor, he still had an outstanding presence.


    Seeing that the debutante had already spoken, Meioubao proceeded to introduce her to Li Vera and Liszt, ¡°This is Miss Grasutti Red Maple Leaf, the sister of the Red Maple City Marquis.¡±


    Red Maple City Marquis Glendenton Red Maple Leaf was precisely Liszt¡¯s immediate superior during the Battle of Iron Hoof Island.


    As Marquis Glendenton was the husband of Grand Princess Annie Sapphire, it was natural for his sister Grasutti to become best friends with the Little Princess.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you, the lovely Miss Grasutti,¡± Liszt said with a smile and a bow, though against his better judgment, as Grasutti was not particularly beautiful in his eyes.


    In Liszt¡¯s opinion, she would be considered quite ordinary.


    Meioubao continued, ¡°This is Salando Dahlia Hui Lan, the daughter of the Quicksand City Marquis, and she is already spoken for¡­ This is Joanna¡­¡±


    He introduced several noble debutantes in succession, all offspring of Nobles.


    Birds of a feather flock together, and it was only the offspring of Nobles who could be companions to the Little Princess.


    Finally, Meioubao approached a beautiful woman sitting at the piano, took her hand, and introduced her with emphasis, ¡°Li Vera, Liszt, need I continue¡­ Angela Sapphire, my fianc¨¦e, the future Lady of Long Taro Castle, and your future sister-in-law.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Your Highness,¡± the siblings said, smiling and paying their respects.


    The Grand Duchy¡¯s most famous socialite, finally met in person, and soon to become family as well.

 Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Chapter 0427: Escape from Matsutake Castle (Second Update)

    Chapter 430: Chapter 0427: Escape from Matsutake Castle (Second Update)


    ¡°Li Vera, Liszt, greetings.¡±


    Angela Sapphire exhibited a noble-like smile, brimming with the grace of a lady. She appeared to be about twenty-one, fair-skinned, attractive, and well-rounded¡ªnot the epitome of beauty, but she certainly conformed to Liszt¡¯s aesthetic preferences.


    Moreover, her tone and demeanor were the epitome of elegance.


    It was hard to believe that this was the same person alleged to be the infamous socialite known for her openness, or rather, licentiousness. Of course, judging by appearances is wrong, and Liszt didn¡¯t let any of his thoughts show.


    After exchanging greetings with the myriad of noble young women, he sat next to Aunt Melinda, not wishing to become the center of attention. He spoke little, allowing his sister, Li Vera, to quickly engage with the ladies. He simply exchanged pleasantries with Meioubao.


    The cousin was in a state of excitement, constantly glancing over at Angela while talking.


    Eager to join in the conversation.


    Before long, several noble young women broached the subject of the piano¡ªa common topic amongst them.


    Meioubao declared his favorite piece to be ¡°Yuri Ely by the River¡±.


    That didn¡¯t resonate with anyone, but Salando Dahlia Hui Lan countered, ¡°My favorite is ¡°For Alice¡±. It¡¯s simple, pure, like the first time one meets someone they like¡ªthe subtle joy and impulse.¡±


    ¡°Do you know, it was I who popularized that piano piece,¡± Meioubao chimed in smoothly, ¡°I sent it to Master Hannibal, and later his apprentice performed it all over the country, making ¡°For Alice¡± renowned nationwide. But guess, where did the piece originate from?¡±


    ¡°Where did it come from?¡± Salando asked eagerly.


    ¡°There is a heartbreaking love story behind it, but let¡¯s have Liszt tell everyone. Both the original and the revised versions stemmed from him!¡±


    All eyes turned to Liszt in an instant.


    This left Liszt quite speechless, as he had no desire to stand out. He did not wish to develop any memories with a particular young woman on this outing.


    ¡°It was merely in memory of a pair of siblings in love who were forced to part. I happened to hear it and transcribed it,¡± he answered, glossing over the details.


    However, Li Vera interjected, ¡°Liszt has an exceptional piano talent. I¡¯ve heard him play a piece he composed himself about Castle in the Sky¡­ Liszt, why not play that piece for us again?¡± While speaking, she even winked purposefully.


    A puzzled look came his way, suggesting, ¡°With so many noble ladies here, you¡¯d better take one home. That¡¯s all the help I can offer, brother.¡±


    That made Liszt want to laugh and cry at the same time.


    Then Meioubao, Grasutti, and Salando started egging him on to play the piano piece he composed. Liszt intended to refuse, but even the Little Princess spoke up, ¡°Liszt, may I have the honor of hearing you play this piece?¡±


    Without any other choice, he walked to the piano and sat down.


    His fingers gently brushed the keys as he briefly narrated a story, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a city above the sky, affluent, peaceful, and happy. There was a child named Xida who descended from the sky holding a flying stone, and a serf named Bas who wished to prove the existence of Castle in the Sky¡­¡±


    While getting to grips with the new piano, he finished the story, ¡°To prevent Castle in the Sky from falling into the hands of the Evil Magician, Xida and Bas chanted a spell that made the castle disintegrate and crumble¡­ Though Castle in the Sky was ultimately destroyed, the pursuit, a brave heart, and the beautiful journey was enough.¡±


    ¡°This piece is called ¡°With You¡±.¡±


    After finishing the story, Liszt¡¯s hands pressed the piano keys, starting to play the piano piece he knew all too well.


    ¡­


    The piece concluded.


    Noble young ladies almost clapped their hands raw.


    ¡°It¡¯s so exquisite, I feel as though I am in the sky, soaring among the clouds.¡±


    ¡°It made me feel a tranquility in my heart that I have never known, an emptiness.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I have fallen in love with this piano piece, just as I fell for ¡°For Alice¡±!¡±


    Even Meioubao couldn¡¯t help but clap and exclaim, ¡°Li Si Te, if you switched to being a pianist, you would surely achieve the accomplishments of Master Czerny!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only a momentary feeling, which I composed into a piano piece.¡±


    But no matter how modest he was, at Matsutake Castle¡¯s dinner, he had already become the center of attention. Noble young ladies always managed to casually inquire about his various details while pretending to chat with him, and there were even those who made suggestive remarks¡ªlike three young ladies who bluntly invited him to teach them how to play ¡°With You¡±.


    Private lessons.


    What would happen behind closed doors was anybody¡¯s guess.


    Li Si Te eloquently refused such invitations on the grounds of not having the time.


    ¡°I must admit I¡¯m jealous of your talent, Li Si Te. If I could compose something as moving as ¡°With You¡± or ¡°For Alice¡±, I wouldn¡¯t need to go through so much trouble pursuing Angela; she would take the initiative and throw herself into my arms,¡± Meioubao kept talking non-stop as they walked.


    They left after the dinner, with only one day left before the wedding. It was not appropriate to stay overnight at Matsutake Castle, so they had to return to Long Taro Castle.


    To escape this one night.


    ¡°You could have easily chosen one of the noble young ladies to return with you to Long Taro Castle; I believe she would not have refused,¡± Li Vera said.


    ¡°Sorry, sister, I¡¯m currently in a critical phase of my practice and I don¡¯t want to be disturbed by these messy things,¡± Li Si Te replied as he undid the button at his collar. ¡°You, on the other hand, should be more mindful of seizing your own opportunities. Surely many noble young talents have come this time.¡±


    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about me; I have my own standards for choosing,¡± she replied.


    Li Si Te shrugged noncommittally, which was just as well¡ªhe didn¡¯t fancy playing matchmaker.


    During his walk around Long Taro Castle, he found it bustling with countless servants scurrying back and forth, busily setting up for the wedding ceremony the day after tomorrow, a stark contrast to the quiet he¡¯d encountered on previous visits.


    He didn¡¯t find the Earl, but he did find Levis.


    ¡°Brother, father went to see Grandfather; do you know what they talked about? I saw that The Court¡¯s servants and the Internal Affairs Officials haven¡¯t left,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a misunderstanding. These servants and Internal Affairs Officials are a wedding gift from the Grand Duke to the Little Princess. They will join Long Taro Castle to take care of the Little Princess¡¯s daily life and will be under the jurisdiction of Long Taro Castle¡¯s butler,¡± Levis shook his head. ¡°The Grand Duke really is too indulgent with the Little Princess.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± was the reply.


    ¡°You should also get ready. You, me, Rolie, and three other young nobles will form Meioubao¡¯s groomsmen. We¡¯ll need to participate in the rehearsal for the wedding tomorrow, so better rest early tonight.¡±


    ¡°Do I need to wear some strange clothes?¡±


    ¡°A formal suit is necessary, and you¡¯ll even need to wear a floral garland, did you know? But there¡¯s a part worth looking forward to¡ª we¡¯ll have more interactions with a group of beautiful bridesmaids.¡±

 Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Chapter 0429: Come to My Daisy Castle (First Update)

    Chapter 432: Chapter 0429: Come to My Daisy Castle (First Update)


    ¡°`


    The wedding was underway.


    Liszt removed the sapphire ring from his left middle finger, lifted Angela¡¯s right hand, and carefully placed it on her right ring finger, saying, ¡°Friend¡ªwith this gemstone ring you shall understand, I am yours¡ªall my love, forever loyal.¡±


    Angela did the same, removing the sapphire ring from her right middle finger, and sliding it onto Liszt¡¯s left ring finger, she repeated the same words, ¡°Friend¡ªwith this gemstone ring you shall understand, I am yours¡ªall my love, forever loyal.¡±


    The landlord witnessed, rings exchanged.


    The ceremony was now complete, and by law, Meioubao Taro and Angela Sapphire were husband and wife, protected under the kingdom¡¯s laws.


    Shortly thereafter.


    The bride and groom were sent to change clothes, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen were finally liberated, able to shed their peculiar formalwear for more comfortable attire.


    Liszt was almost the first one to rush into the bath, taking a quick shower.


    He then changed into a well-fitting Flack¡¤Abbieye¡ªthough in reality, Flack¡¤Abbieye was also quite elaborate, and it was still suffering to wear it in the heat, but at such formal gatherings, nobles must dress in Flack¡¤Abbieye, which at least was more comfortable than the earlier outfit.


    Once dressed, he stood before the crystal mirror, meticulously attending to the details, letting a servant make sure every hair was in place.


    Only then did he step out of the room to attend the upcoming noon banquet.


    Standing at a height of 188 centimeters, his tall, upright figure, handsome face, and extraordinary demeanor, along with a pair of deep sapphire-blue eyes.


    No matter where Liszt went, he was always a sight for sore eyes.


    He had already noticed several bold noble ladies sending him the ¡®spinach of autumn¡¯. Of course, he had no response for them, not even a smile¡ªthere was already one bridesmaid watching him like a hawk, and he really didn¡¯t want to invite more trouble; indulgence didn¡¯t bring too much pleasure.


    The banquet didn¡¯t adopt a fixed dining format due to the lack of space, instead, a buffet style was chosen.


    Only the Grand Duke and those marquises, earls, and other great nobles were privileged to sit in the castle¡¯s second-floor dining room, enjoying an undisturbed lunch.


    The lesser nobility or noble heirs circulated around the buffet tables in the first-floor hall and the garden.


    Liszt, who was already hungry, naturally did not hold back, picking up a plate and casually selecting food. As most of the food in this world did not suit his taste, he would usually only pick the nutritious ones for the banquets, needing a lot of nutrients for practicing Dou Qi.


    He had just chosen a few pieces of magical beast meat and placed them on his plate.


    A servant holding drinks came by, smiling and offering Liszt a glass, but he simply shook his head. If he had the chance to avoid alcohol, he would never miss it.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    A woman¡¯s voice greeted him from behind.


    Liszt sighed inwardly, sure enough, being handsome was a hassle, always attracting moths to the flame. He turned around to see a woman, around thirty years old, holding a glass of golden champagne. Dignified and of noble demeanor, yet her eyes betrayed an irrepressible slyness.


    ¡°You are Liszt, right? The groom¡¯s cousin. I saw you as a groomsman, and you looked very cute,¡± the mature woman said. ¡°I¡¯m Martha Yiniang Peng; my husband was the Earl of Diagonal Island before he fell in battle.¡±


    ¡°Lady Martha, nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°I heard from a few bridesmaids that you played a very moving piano piece at Matsutake Castle, ¡®With You,''¡± she began. ¡°I must tell you, I am utterly fascinated by the piano, so I couldn¡¯t help but take the liberty of making your acquaintance. I can¡¯t afford to miss out on a talented noble pianist like yourself.¡±


    Li Si Te replied, ¡°I play the piano merely as a hobby.¡±


    ¡°But your talent is exceptional, just as dazzling as your demeanor. I walked into the buffet corridor, and I saw and recognized you at a glance.¡±


    Such flattery usually comes with strings attached.


    Li Si Te, while enjoying the praise, did not let down his guard: ¡°I am just one among many young nobles.¡±


    ¡°But you are the most special one to me,¡± Lady Martha blurted out. ¡°My husband left me with only a three-year-old son. I live alone in Daisy Castle, and the piano is like a spiritual companion to me¡­ I wonder if I might invite you to be my personal piano teacher, just for a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have the time.¡±


    ¡°In my castle resides a Little Minor Elf who is just as obsessed with the piano as I am. Perhaps, you should come to the castle and take it away, so it can listen to your wonderful piano playing every day.¡±


    The subtext of those words was not lost on Li Si Te¡ªLady Martha was proposing to keep him as her patron for a while in exchange for a Little Minor Elf.


    Any young viscount would find such a temptation hard to resist.


    Li Si Te¡¯s heart skipped a beat, even with the help of Smoke Mission, he still had only two Little Minor Elves, each one a treasure in its own right, enough to be passed down through generations. Being kept for a while would cost him little to nothing, yet he would acquire a Little Minor Elf¡ªthe offer was almost irresistible.


    He took a serious look at Martha Yiniang Peng, in her early thirties, not too old. Although she wore a bit too much makeup, the foundation was good, at least a 7 out of 10 by any standard.


    Her husband had passed away, leaving her only a three-year-old son.


    The castle was hers alone, free from the interference of family relations¡ªshe was virtually the ideal lover for most impoverished nobility. He could definitely rely on Lady Martha¡¯s finances and resources to acquire a noble foundation and return to the routine life of high society.


    Yet Li Si Te declined, ¡°Sorry, Lady Martha, I don¡¯t have the time to teach piano lessons.¡±


    Lady Martha was not upset but just smiled slightly and left him with a phrase, ¡°The doors of my castle are always open to you. Whenever you wish to become my personal piano teacher, feel free to write to Daisy Castle¡­ I will personally welcome you and let you experience the wonderful life at Daisy Castle.¡±


    Having said that, she twisted her perky hips and left without hesitation.


    Looking at Lady Martha¡¯s receding figure, Li Si Te felt a vain sense of pride swell within him: ¡°With the piano and good looks, I could completely rely on my own face and talent to live a luxurious life in high society¡­ Yet I chose to stay in a remote and barren domain, farming day after day.¡±


    Only through continuous struggle and the help of the Smoke Mission did he manage to cultivate Jela, the Little Minor Elf.


    But simply by spending a few months entertaining a lady of stature, he could easily obtain another Little Minor Elf. This thought filled him with sudden regret.


    ¡°I should have accepted!¡±


    Before he could go after her to seal the deal, a cheer burst out from the buffet at the luncheon. Meioubao and Angela, having changed into their reception attire, had arrived to join the banquet. Arm in arm, each holding a glass of red wine, they accepted the well-wishes and toasts from everyone present.


    Li Si Te then remembered he needed to toast the newlyweds, so he took a glass of red wine from a servant¡¯s tray and joined the line of well-wishers.


    ¡°Cousin, Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°Call me Angela, Li Si Te,¡± the Little Princess said with a smile.

 Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Chapter 0430: Displaying Ones Talent (Second Update)

    Chapter 433: Chapter 0430: Displaying One¡¯s Talent (Second Update)


    The Little Princess wasn¡¯t particularly tall, standing around one meter sixty-five. A smile brought out two shallow dimples, truly giving her the appearance of a beauty.


    Nobility and temperament coexisted within her, but whenever Liszt looked at her, his mind was flooded with definitions of a socialite, which made it impossible for him to associate her with purity.


    Thus, he was unable to link her with innocence.


    ¡°Meioubao, Angela, I wish you happiness in your marriage,¡± he lifted his glass, offering his blessing.


    Angela¡¯s eyes twinkled with a smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Meioubao had been in an excited state these past few days and, hearing this, laughed, ¡°I don¡¯t have time to talk more with you now. After the lunch banquet ends and the guests have left, we¡¯ll have a good chat.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Surrounded by the young nobles, the Meioubao Couple left, and the thought that had surfaced in Liszt¡¯s mind about finding Lady Martha for a chat also settled down.


    Carrying his plate, he prepared to find a corner dining table to enjoy his lunch alone.


    Before he found a seat, a familiar voice came from behind him, ¡°Viscount Liszt, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    He turned his head and found the speaker was a well-known socialite wearing a Bird Lady Hat, and she was also Duniko Hyacinth, with whom he¡¯d had one wild night.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡± Liszt¡¯s thoughts suddenly became complex, though he managed a faint smile on his face.


    After exchanging greetings, the next few seconds became somewhat awkward for them as they both felt there was nothing more to say. The passion of that day had vanished with the lightest breeze after the cessation of their correspondence. So, Duniko said, ¡°My friend is waiting for me over there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, please go ahead.¡±


    A single encounter.


    A brief exchange, and they parted ways.


    Taking a deep breath as he found a seat, Liszt was struck by some inexplicable emotions¡ªDuniko was the first woman with whom he had left his bachelorhood behind. Even though it had been a night of indulgent passion without any real emotion involved, there were still some unusual thoughts deep in his mind.


    But, what¡¯s in the past is past.


    Upon meeting again, they inevitably fell into the same awkward silence as before.


    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll never learn the carefree indulgence of the nobles here,¡± he mused, eating his Magical Beast Meat, yet feeling a dissonance between his soul and the festivity of the banquet.


    For most nobles present, attending a wedding was more of a social event.


    But he was genuinely there just to attend the wedding.


    He looked around, seeing nobles gathered in groups of two or three, busily networking with wine glasses in hand, too preoccupied even to take a bite of the roasted meat. He also saw his brother Levis laughing and chatting with a wine glass in hand, just like the others. As for his sister Li Vera, she was sitting face to face with a male noble, engaging in conversation.


    ¡°Hey, our Master Pianist, hiding here for some peace and quiet?¡± Joanna Evening Primrose approached, plate in hand.


    Liszt wasn¡¯t in the mood to engage with this socialite who had made passes at him before, which made his tone somewhat cold, ¡°I just want to have a serious lunch.¡±


    Joanna remained oblivious, ¡°Everyone is so keen on networking, and all you think about is having lunch?¡±


    ¡°For a knight, breakfast, lunch, and dinner must all be taken seriously. Especially for a knight like me who is in a period of training and improvement.¡±


    ¡°Really, you are different from others. No wonder you could compose ¡®With You.¡¯ Did you know? I admire you very much.¡±


    Liszt responded perfunctorily, ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡±


    But Joanna leaned in closer, licking her tempting red lips, ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to admire you from a much closer distance. Very close.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t quite catch that.¡±


    ¡­


    After embracing his Little Princess in the afternoon, the Grand Duke, along with a large group of Nobles, left Red Crab Island without lingering for long. The bustling Long Taro Castle quieted down quickly.


    A night went by.


    The family of Liszt also declined to stay longer and said their goodbyes to leave.


    ¡°We should¡¯ve stayed a couple more days, tomorrow is my birthday, and I was hoping to invite the Little Princess to my birthday celebration too,¡± Levis expressed regretfully on the road.


    ¡°Meioubao just got married; they should be given time to be together, and you, you need to prepare for your marriage to Loria,¡± the Earl said, riding on his horse.


    Liszt, too, was riding the Landwalker bird Loki, casually following the group.


    Nobles should travel by carriage, but everyone preferred to ride their mounts, relying on the rushing wind to alleviate the heat. Thus, only Lady Marie, Li Vera, and Lidun were inside the carriage.


    Before long.


    The Earl suddenly looked at Liszt: ¡°Liszt, why are you so quiet?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± A distracted Liszt came back to his senses, ¡°I was just thinking about some things, Father, Brother, what were you discussing?¡±


    ¡°We were talking about your piano performance, the way you played ¡®With You¡¯ at dinner, even the Princess couldn¡¯t stop praising, and her friends had flames in their eyes, they almost wanted to devour you¡­ but what surprises me more is that you didn¡¯t respond to Joanna¡¯s flirting; she is very beautiful,¡± Levis looked at Liszt with an expression reserved for treating the cognitively challenged.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said that now is the critical period for training, I must put all my effort into cultivating Dou Qi, and I have a feeling I will become a Sky Knight before you,¡± Liszt stated.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only been using medicine for so long, and you want to surpass me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve found the most suitable way for me to use medicine, and I have my own unique insights into cultivation. My bodily talents are also gradually showing themselves. Brother, if you continue to indulge in worldly pleasures, you are bound to be unable to catch up with me,¡± Liszt looked up at an angle of forty-five degrees toward the sky.


    The light of the Sun draped over him, as if coating him in a layer of rosy glow.


    Levis clicked his tongue in disbelief: ¡°Do you truly have confidence that you will become a Sky Knight faster than I will?¡± His heart was skeptical, but the vibe that Liszt gave off didn¡¯t seem like he was boasting, and although Liszt could sometimes be a forced ¡°cold humorist,¡± he usually spoke with substance.


    The Earl also looked over.


    Liszt did not lower his head, still maintaining the posture of looking up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle: ¡°Yes, I am very confident, because the glory of the Knight shines upon me, I am the Son of Glory.¡±


    His confidence did not come from blindness.


    However, in Levis¡¯ eyes, this was a sign of arrogance: ¡°You might have some misunderstandings about Sky Knights, maybe Father will tell you the difference between Earth Knights and Sky Knights.¡±


    But the Earl said: ¡°Levis, as for the difference between Earth Knights and Sky Knights, I believe Liszt is very clear about it¡­ As to who will become a Sky Knight first, I cannot judge. But your attitude towards cultivation is clearly not as devoted as Liszt¡¯s, and excessive indulgence indeed harms the foundation of a Knight.¡±


    Levis gave a sheepish laugh: ¡°I haven¡¯t indulged excessively¡­¡±


    Seeing such a scene.


    A smile couldn¡¯t help but appear on Liszt¡¯s face. Calling himself the Son of Glory just now didn¡¯t fit his usual low-profile style, but he had a purpose in saying it¡ªhe was laying the groundwork for his future advancement, becoming a Sky Knight before the age of twenty would surely be astonishing.


    If he didn¡¯t lay the groundwork now, it would be troublesome to explain later.


    So, displaying his talent appropriately and showing an attitude favored by the Knight¡¯s glory would make it easier for others to accept it. At least for now, the Earl already believed his younger son had the talent to challenge becoming a Sky Knight.


    ¡°A good change.¡±

 Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: Chapter 0431: Selling Off Family Assets for Construction (First Update)

    Chapter 434: Chapter 0431: Selling Off Family Assets for Construction (First Update)


    Levis¡¯s birthday was celebrated on board the ship. Although there was no lively banquet, the family gathered together, and everyone, except for Lady Penelope, who never went to sea, extended their blessings.


    The following afternoon, they returned to Tulip Castle and held a belated celebration. Liszt also rested for one night at the Tulip Castle before returning to Fresh Flower Town.


    However, his trip back to Fresh Flower Town was far from leisurely.


    Levis¡¯s wedding was about to be organized¡ªAt Long Taro Castle, Li Weiliam had discussed with Marquis Roderick and his only son, Roger Golden Wheat Sheaf, and the wedding date had been set for September 12th.


    The Pioneer Mandate was also fast approaching¡ªSteel Ridge Kingdom would surely send an envoy to Blue Dragon Island to confirm the date of this year¡¯s war with Eagle Kingdom¡ªstrangely, almost every year around the time of the autumn harvest, the two Kingdoms would erupt into large-scale conflict, a tradition that had lasted for centuries.


    Aside from ancient enmities, another reason was likely the knight system¡ªhow could one gain honors and wealth without war, how to alleviate the tension between new and old nobles, how to redistribute wealth, and without war, where to channel one¡¯s vigorous energy.


    To train hard and become an Earth Knight, even a Sky Knight, was to seek glory and establish one¡¯s career on the battlefield.


    On the way back, Liszt was a bit annoyed, ¡°Levis¡¯s birthday gift was easy to choose, but his wedding gift can¡¯t be inferior to the one I gave Meioubao¡­ Although the Knight Squad has replenished two Earth Knights, with the territory¡¯s construction booming, it is really not suitable to deploy knights for combat now.¡±


    Knights were crucial, both mounted in battle and dismounted in governance, the cornerstone of the knight system¡ªbecause only knights had access to a complete education, especially those of Noble descent.


    Without knowledge to expand their thinking, it would be difficult to be competent in management positions.


    Now both the port town and Fresh Flower Town were short of officials, especially those capable of leading in ¡°major battles¡±; Earth Knights could barely maintain the territory¡¯s management.


    Withdrawing them all would seriously impact construction.


    ¡°However, if I plan to go to war, it is impossible not to bring the Knight Squad¡­ For the sake of the serfs, it is necessary to prepare to set out. Fortunately, it is possible to loot resources. My Douson and the eight tiny ones can all be taken to battle. By tearing down a few castles, I should be able to gather enough money to buy serfs.¡±


    In the battle for Iron Hoof Island, the Grand Duke prohibited the looting of resources.


    But the Pioneer Mandate was about looting resources, with the only requirement being to pay taxes to the Grand Duke, certainly making the Pioneer Mandate more profitable.


    On the road.


    He called out the Smoke Mission again.


    ¡°Mission: Reviving Fire Dragon Bones. Have you forgotten? The dried-out dragon bones need to be nourished with Magic Power, only then can they foster a result that touches your heart. Please organize serfs to mine 10 tons of Volcanic Glass. Reward: the restlessness of the Rubber Bug.¡±


    No change.


    The ten tons of Volcanic Glass had not yet been mined sufficiently.


    When he arrived back at Fresh Flower Town, he found that Goltai was waiting for him.


    ¡°My lord, in the process of developing Black Horse Island, there was a problem that was overlooked and needs urgent resolution,¡± he said. ¡°We only have two sailing ships, Fresh Flower Vessel and Thorn Number, but Black Horse Island still cannot produce food. Merely for transporting food, most of the two ships¡¯ transport capacity is occupied.¡±


    ¡°That is indeed a problem. Has the Fresh Flower Town agency seen any increase in finances recently?¡± Liszt turned to inquire of Isaiah.


    ¡°With Fresh Flower Brew completing distribution in Red Crab Island, profits have increased significantly. However, we are required to make payments to Tulip Castle to settle debts. The scale of Fresh Flower Soap has always been unable to expand further due to insufficient supply of raw materials¡­ So, the agency¡¯s current revenue has not seen a significant increase,¡± replied Isaiah.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°My lord, with the increased profits from Fresh Flower Brew, do you think it might be possible to repay part of what we owe, while keeping some funds for the territory¡¯s expenses?¡± Goltai suggested.


    Liszt rubbed his forehead, ¡°I would like to do that too, but Tulip Castle is also facing a Gold Coin crisis. My brother is about to get married and needs a considerable amount of Gold Coins for the wedding. My father has already decided to levy an extra tax to tide over this difficulty.¡±


    Tulip Castle was his support.


    But Tulip Castle couldn¡¯t endlessly cater to his demands, especially when faced with Levis¡¯s upcoming wedding¡ªa noble¡¯s wedding was definitely an event of overwhelming extravagance, requiring a large expenditure of Gold Coins. Therefore, it was customary for kingdoms to impose a special ¡°wedding tax.¡±


    The Landlord or the landlord¡¯s daughter, son was getting married.


    But what to do if there was no money?


    Of course, it was to levy taxes, shifting the financial pressure of the landlord¡¯s marriage onto the subjects of the land, whether the subjects complained or accepted it with good grace was not important.


    Now Tulip Castle had to rely on the wedding tax to raise funds, and Liszt really felt embarrassed to borrow money from Tulip Castle again.


    He could only find a way by himself.


    ¡°The Thorn Ironwood, though fast-growing, couldn¡¯t keep up with the rate of logging; the Rubber Bug, however adept at repairing Rubber Trees, couldn¡¯t allow for rubber to be harvested in large quantities; Fresh Flower Soap, though popular, was limited by the supply of ingredients like animal pancreas; Fresh Flower Brew, though it could capture the market, still needed time to be distributed.¡±


    Essentially, the products of the land could be quickly converted into cash, yet still couldn¡¯t fill the financial void for the development of Black Horse Island.


    So, after much distress, Liszt still had to sell his family¡¯s assets. He sent away Goltai and Isaiah and hid in the study to take inventory of his assets that could be liquidated.


    Mithril, Jade, Crystal, there wasn¡¯t much left.


    He really didn¡¯t want to sell them.


    His gaze finally settled on three gemstones, one being the Crimson Blood Sword embedded with a Ruby, another a Sapphire Magic Ring, and the last being a Pink Gemstone seized during the battle at Iron Hoof Island.


    ¡°I no longer need to use the Crimson Blood Sword, and Li Vera has long coveted it. She certainly wouldn¡¯t be willing to pay one thousand five hundred Gold Coins, so just sell it to her at half price, eight hundred Gold Coins should do, she should be able to afford that; the Sapphire Magic Ring, as Curtis Truth¡¯s Life Box, I don¡¯t know if it holds any secrets, so let¡¯s not sell it for now; the Pink Gemstone can be sold.¡±


    But then he had another thought.


    He had a new inspiration, ¡°I actually don¡¯t need to prepare a pile of gifts for Levis¡¯s wedding. I could completely give him the Pink Gemstone as a gift¡ªa gemstone worth a thousand Gold Coins is definitely a powerful gift¡­ The Pink Gemstone as a gift, and money from selling the Crimson Blood Sword could buy two second-hand sailboats to almost make up for the loss of shipping capacity.¡±


    The plan was well-conceived.


    He immediately went to Tulip Castle to seek out Li Vera¡ªalthough she had been granted a fief in Falcon Town, she spent eleven months of the year at Tulip Castle, a true case of lingering dependency.


    ¡°You want to sell the Crimson Blood Sword to me?¡± Li Vera looked at the dusty Liszt in surprise.


    ¡°Not sell, it¡¯s half sale, half gift. I happen to be short of money and I thought of my sister, who lacks a good weapon, so I made this decision.¡±


    ¡°Are you really that short of money?¡±


    ¡°As you can imagine, for the fiefdom of Black Horse Island, I almost didn¡¯t receive any material rewards from the Iron Hoof Island campaign; the development of Black Horse Island has left me penniless; and with Meioubao and Levis¡¯s wedding, my finances are seriously depleted, so I need to find a solution from you.¡±


    Facing Levis¡¯s predicament, Li Vera thought for a moment and said, ¡°The Crimson Blood Sword was a gift from grandfather, and it means a lot. I wouldn¡¯t want to take away his expectations of you, but I can lend you some Gold Coins.¡±


    Liszt, of course, didn¡¯t want to sell the Crimson Blood Sword if he could borrow money.


    This was a very good backup weapon.


    ¡°How many Gold Coins can you lend me?¡±


    ¡°Five hundred, is that enough?¡±


    ¡°Make it a thousand, I¡¯m really short on money¡­ If you have more, just lend me two thousand Gold Coins.¡±

 Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Chapter 0432: The Future Chief Knight (Second Update)

    Chapter 435: Chapter 0432: The Future Chief Knight (Second Update)


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m raising a Golden Dragon?¡±


    Li Vera rolled her eyes in frustration and complained, ¡°I¡¯ve only accumulated a thousand Gold Coins, relying on the Tulip Lesser Spirit and twelve Elf Bugs, in addition to the family savings from my childhood! I can lend you at most eight hundred Gold Coins. My Falcon Town hasn¡¯t produced a single Elf Bug in a year!¡±


    Compared to the thriving Fresh Flower Town, Falcon Town, which should have been a prosperous small town, hadn¡¯t improved much under her management.


    It was only because she had a Tulip Lesser Spirit that she was able to quickly plant over eight hundred acres of Black Tulips in Falcon Town. The crop had just reached a large scale, and she hadn¡¯t reaped much profit from it yet.


    What frustrated Li Vera was that Fresh Flower Town frequently bred Elf Bugs, but she hadn¡¯t found even one in Falcon Town for nearly a year.


    Considering her own expenses and her plans to train a squad of female knights, she hadn¡¯t managed to accumulate much wealth¡ªif she had been a male Earth Knight, with just one Little Minor Elf, she might have had a chance to aim for the title of Viscount. Unfortunately, she was a woman.


    There was no use in going to battlefields or keeping the Gold Coins idle.


    Lending out eight hundred Gold Coins was close to Liszt¡¯s expectation from selling the Crimson Blood Sword, so he didn¡¯t insist any further, ¡°Then I¡¯ll borrow eight hundred Gold Coins.¡±


    Li Vera said, ¡°You must prepare a grand gift for my birthday next year.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡­


    Having successfully borrowed eight hundred Gold Coins from Li Vera, Liszt felt somewhat relieved. Sometimes he deliberately tried to avoid the constraints of kinship, but family was still different from strangers. He had inherited the bloodline of this body, and there was no doubt he was a member of the Tulip Family.


    Family would be a solid backup for each other.


    ¡°Li Vera¡¯s eight hundred Gold Coins can wait a year or even longer to be repaid, and if I am still short of money, perhaps¡­ I might borrow some from my grandmother,¡± he thought to himself.


    Once, his grandmother had always compared him unfavorably to Melissa because of his personality and appearance, her words tinged with harshness.


    However, as he continued to demonstrate exceptional performance, his grandmother¡¯s attitude towards him softened considerably.


    This was indeed opportunistic.


    Yet being born into a Noble family, such things were inevitable.


    A waste, even if they are an eldest legitimate son, would be scorned; a talented individual, even if born out of wedlock, would be valued. Strength was the basis of a family¡¯s succession, and sitting in the Noble¡¯s chair, Liszt saw this very clearly.


    He wasn¡¯t a young man. With the maturity of an adult, he understood how to let go and be tolerant, just as he knew how life involved a mixture of interest and affection¡ªeven the most loving parents would feel disappointed by their children¡¯s failures. The difference was in the inability to sever the kinship that blood relations brought, no matter what.


    ¡°In my grandmother¡¯s eyes, my status must be roughly equal to Levis¡¯s by now. She should not refuse a loan. Moreover, she must have accumulated quite a few Gold Coins, which would only molder away in the little Castle; it would be better to lend them to me to make profits¡­ In the future, I will reciprocate with much more.¡±


    It felt somewhat like spronging off the elderly.


    Liszt felt a tinge of embarrassment in his heart; he had originally wanted to focus on his own territory, to minimize entanglements with his family.


    In the end, he still needed his family¡¯s help.


    ¡°However, having the family as support does feel very good. Building up Black Horse Island from scratch, even with the Smoke Mission, would require a significant amount of time. Now, with Li Vera¡¯s Gold Coins and those from my grandmother, I can maintain a state of rapid development.¡±


    For some reason, on the way back, he suddenly thought of Martha Yiniang Peng.


    This widowed Earl¡¯s lady was willing to provide for him for a while in exchange for a Little Minor Elf. If it had been right after he had arrived when his territory was destitute, he might not have been able to resist the temptation and would have gone straight to Daisy Castle to become the lady¡¯s petticoat knight.


    As for now, his pride and dignity still mattered.


    Back to Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Consultant Goltai, I leave the purchase of the ships to you. With eight hundred Gold Coins, make sure to choose the best old sailing ships¡ªyes, two cargo ships,¡± he handed over the borrowed Gold Coins to Goltai¡ªhe was all about efficiency. Since they needed ships, he bought them without hesitation.


    This style, of course, was not meticulous enough.


    It didn¡¯t match the maximization of benefits like those Landlords skilled in planning and management, who could stretch a penny into two. But the simplicity and brutality saved mental and physical energy, time he didn¡¯t have to spare.


    Practicing Dou Qi and enjoying life was what he should be doing daily.


    ¡­


    In the following days, his life became more peaceful.


    Only outside his regular schedule, he intensified the training of the Eight Tiny Ones. This year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate, the Eight Tiny Ones and Douson would be powerful aides in his plundering of resources.


    ¡°Storm, Rock Spike!¡±


    ¡°Pff!¡±


    Storm opened its mouth to cast Magic, and a Rock Spike shot up from the ground not far away. The Eight Tiny Ones were still pups, but they were well-fed and fast-developing, with their Magic reserves already considerable. With Douson¡¯s command, their discipline and obedience had greatly improved.


    The Blizzard Beast Squad had begun to take shape, just waiting to be tested on the battlefield.


    Apart from training dogs.


    Liszt still persisted in taking potions, practicing Dou Qi, and honing archery skills. Triple Arrow had become second nature, and Multiple Arrow was becoming more proficient.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    The shout of Defense Officer Rom Barrel echoed across Knight¡¯s Square. He now mainly handled knight training courses for minors. Most of these hundreds of children would continue as serfs, but a few dozens of them would seize the opportunity and become Retainer Knights for Liszt.


    Among them, those with exceptional talent could even reach for Earth Knight status and the chance to earn merits on the battlefield.


    However, Liszt¡¯s gaze was focused more on another part of Knight¡¯s Square where a newly recruited Earth Knight was training Maggie and Emily.


    Maggie had average talent at best and would likely max out as an Earth Knight.


    But Emily had powerful talent. Her internal Dou Qi was abundant, and Liszt had no doubt that she could become an Earth Knight within half a year.


    ¡°This talent, even I¡¯m jealous¡­ The waste that I was before, with all the family resources piled up, didn¡¯t become an Earth Knight before reaching adulthood. Emily has only practiced for half a year and is already showing signs of a breakthrough. The future of this female Knight is boundless.¡±


    With that thought.


    He couldn¡¯t help but instruct his personal manservant, ¡°Thomas, remember to tell Mr. Carter and Mrs. Morson to send Emily a piece of Magical Beast Meat and a cup of high-quality milk every day.¡± The high-quality milk referred to Dragon Breed Milk, which was plentiful, and Liszt on his own couldn¡¯t finish it all.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    With Magical Beast Meat and Dragon Breed Milk to enhance her nutrition, Emily¡¯s training resources would be no less than those of any Noble offspring.


    Liszt watched as she meticulously completed various movements. Her small face was sunburned red, sweat continuously dripping down her cheeks, but she did not complain of fatigue nor slack off.


    He couldn¡¯t help imagining, ¡°Once Emily grows up, perhaps she can replace the aging Marcus and become my ¡®Chief Knight,¡¯ leading the charge for me.¡±


    Marcus was approaching forty and after a few more years of campaigns to earn a Noble title, he would likely retire from the front lines to serve as a Territory Officer. Liszt needed new Knights to manage his Knight Order¡ªBlack Horse Island would certainly need to maintain its own Knight Order.

 Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Chapter 0433: The Conch Produces Pearls (First Update)

    Chapter 436: Chapter 0433: The Conch Produces Pearls (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Black Horse Island.


    Liszt was inspecting the mining of volcanic glass ore, which was quite interesting. It was hard on the outside, filled with bubbles on the inside, and had a clear boundary with the surrounding soil and rocks.


    As long as one dug deep into the earth, reached the basalt columns, one could follow the cracks to find the volcanic glass.


    So, once a thousand serfs mastered the excavation technique, they turned over the land along the low-lying areas. Not only did they unearth a large amount of volcanic glass, they also managed to convert the land into farmland in the process.


    ¡°My lord, we have cleared the wilderness and mined to the south with the Red River as our boundary. We have now reached the wasteland between the eastern foothills of Needle Grass Hill and the East Coast. We¡¯ve scattered soybeans and peas on the reclaimed wild fields. The seed germination rate might not be very high, and I¡¯m afraid the yield will be quite sparse,¡± reported Administrative Officer Blair from the port town.


    Mining, reclaiming, sowing¡ªthese were the construction plans that Liszt directed.


    In choosing crops, he selected soybeans and peas because legume plants can propagate rhizobia in their roots¡ªhe had observed that this world¡¯s legume plants still grew rhizobia, only not very prominently. Among them, soybeans, peas, and peanuts were not only stable species, but also had a higher count of rhizobia.


    Furthermore, the legume alfalfa also contained rhizobia, which might be one of the reasons it became a superior pasture grass.


    Hence, he decided to plant a large amount of legumes and alfalfa during the early stage of land reclamation on Black Horse Island to fertilize the fields and provide the soil with organic nitrogen.


    ¡°Low germination rates and yield don¡¯t matter. As long as the harvest can offset the cost of sowing, that¡¯s sufficient. Farmland needs continuous acclimation to mature. The sooner we acclimate it, the sooner it can give back to us,¡± said Liszt with a smile. He alone understood the benefit of rhizobia.


    The humans of this world relied too much on elf bugs for farming; they didn¡¯t understand fertilization, let alone something like rhizobia.


    Under the rule of landlords, the serfs¡¯ most common farming method was the fallow system¡ªeither the two-field or three-field system. They divided the farmland into long strips, letting each strip rest every two or three years to allow the soil to regain fertility. It was only within the influence of elf bugs that they needn¡¯t let the land lie fallow, permitting yearly cultivation.


    A small portion of the farmland in Fresh Flower Town had already abandoned the fallow system and adopted artificial fertilization to ensure that planting could occur every year.


    Of course.


    Due to the lack of serf labor, most wild fields couldn¡¯t be intensively farmed and still followed the two-field system. They were cultivated one year and rested the next¡ªafter all, there was more land than laborers, and they could plant as they wished. As development progressed, Liszt would gradually guide the serfs on how to farm more precisely.


    In conjunction with elf bugs, they would practice scientific farming.


    As for the farmlands currently being reclaimed on Black Horse Island, as long as some beans could grow without loss, that would be enough.


    After inspecting the work site, he said to Blair, ¡°Organize the serfs to transport all the volcanic glass to the Burial Ground. Place it between those five big bones.¡±


    He planned to collect the Fire Dragon Magic Power within it.


    This was a massive project and one that only he was capable of undertaking¡ªhe planned to hide on Black Horse Island to carry out this task carefully while also enduring a few hard days to save expenditures for the castle in Fresh Flower Town.


    Breaking the volcanic glass and releasing the Fire Dragon Magic Power, the magic power was quickly absorbed by the five Fire Dragon Bones. What he needed to do was repeat the action. However, he soon discovered that the magic power from a single piece of volcanic glass was not enough to form a Magic Little Fire Dragon.


    That is to say, it couldn¡¯t burn people, because the bones would absorb it before the magic power could converge.


    ¡°I could completely have Marcus and the others come to work, arranging two or three knights around each Fire Dragon Bone to repeat my task.¡±


    With that thought, he immediately arranged for the knights to come and work¡ªApprentice Knights could complete this task.


    He walked with his hands behind his back at the Burial Ground, using his Eye of Magic to watch as red magic power continuously gathered towards the Fire Dragon Bones, lighting up their vein-like lines before settling down peacefully.


    The task continued until August 25th.


    ¡°`


    Finally.


    The Smoke Mission changed.


    ¡°Complete the task, reward the restlessness of the Rubber Bugs.¡±


    Mining ten tons of Volcanic Glass wasn¡¯t difficult, and half a month was more than enough. The reward for the Smoke Mission was quickly distributed. However, when Liszt took out the Rubber Bug triplets he carried with him, the three little ones seemed to have no reaction.


    He stared at them intently for a while.


    Still no movement.


    This left him a bit embarrassed, ¡°Would you start squirming, please!¡±


    The Rubber Bugs, hearing the call from within Liszt¡¯s heart, moved slightly but were far from restless. He had no choice but to put down the triplets and turn his attention to the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Task: With the ten tons of Volcanic Glass ore mined, the Fire Dragon Magic Power has also emerged from the earth¡¯s surface. This is exactly the source that the dried-up Dragon Bones urgently need. Please infuse all the Magic Power into the Fire Dragon Bones, revitalizing the staled Fire Dragon Bones. Reward: Pink pearl-producing conch.¡±


    ¡°A Pink pearl-producing conch?¡±


    ¡°A conch can produce pearls?¡± Liszt was quite surprised. He only knew that shells could produce pearls, whether it was Pearl Oysters or Tridacna, both kinds were types of shells.


    But a conch¡­


    ¡°It seems a conch is indeed a kind of shell. It looks like that¡¯s the case; otherwise, how could it produce pearls.¡± He set aside his doubts and thought about the appearance of a conch.


    On the beaches of Fresh Flower Town, it was common to find conchs.


    Serfs from Oyster Village had even offered a few very beautiful conch shells to the Castle as ornaments, ¡°So, the pink pearl-producing conch, does it appear on the beaches of Fresh Flower Town or on Black Horse Island?¡±


    Now in the height of summer, both Fresh Flower Town and the Harbour Town had organized many serfs to dive for seafood by the sea. Oyster Village in Fresh Flower Town had even a group of professional fishermen diving for seafood in the offshore waters, rowing sampans. The fishing industry was booming in Liszt¡¯s territory.


    He called over Goltai, ¡°Consultant Goltai, inform all the serfs engaged in sea fishing to look out for conchs, especially to check for pearls inside the conchs.¡±


    ¡°Pearls?¡± Goltai, eyes wide, expressed his confusion, ¡°My lord, what does a conch have to do with pearls?¡±


    ¡°I recently read a book that mentioned a Magician finding a miraculous pearl inside a conch picked up by the sea. In short, pay more attention to this matter.¡± Liszt found a casual excuse to dismiss Goltai. The Landlord¡¯s authority often meant he didn¡¯t have to try too hard to find excuses to justify his actions.


    Goltai had grown accustomed to Liszt¡¯s style and thus did not ask further, just got on with the job¡ªhe understood one thing, that Liszt was favoured by the glory of Swordsmanship. If he said there were pearls in the conchs, then it was very likely there were pearls.


    ¡­


    In the following two days, Liszt still stayed on Black Horse Island, supervising the release of Fire Dragon Magic Power from the Volcanic Glass.


    Only when all ten tons of Volcanic Glass had been completely released did he order the remaining Volcanic Glass to be stored and no more Fire Dragon Magic Power to be released¡ªthis Fire Dragon Magic Power was a treasure, enough for the Smoke Mission, and there was no need for wasteful extravagance.


    At this moment.


    He called out the Smoke Mission.


    The content of the Serpent Script had changed, ¡°Complete the task, reward a Pink pearl-producing conch.¡±

 Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: Chapter 0434: The Rubber Bugs New Cordyceps (Second Update)

    Chapter 437: Chapter 0434: The Rubber Bug¡¯s New Cordyceps (Second Update)


    The conch that produces pink pearls has not yet been reported by fishermen, so Liszt does not know where to find this kind of conch and can only wait.


    Having stayed on Black Horse Island for a week, he was preparing to return to Fresh Flower Town.


    By the way, complete a new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The fishermen of Oyster Village are no longer afraid of the shallow areas near the shore and dare to dive to the seabed to gather seafood, but they do not recognize all the seafood. As a seafood enthusiast, why not guide the fishermen in identifying the delicacies of the sea? Reward: Mutated Rubber Tree.¡±


    The carpentry workshop used thorns and rubber to produce many high-quality sampans, arming the fishermen to fish in the near sea.


    However, upon encountering numerous marine creatures at the sea floor, they were not easily able to identify which ones were edible, mainly sticking to the few kinds of seafood they could pick up on the beaches.


    ¡°I don¡¯t seem to know many kinds of seafood, I know how to eat them but not how to catch them.¡± He thought for a moment and decided to take a dumb approach, letting the fishermen bring up everything they could gather from the seabed, and then he would select and test for poison to verify what was edible.


    Just as he was preparing to leave Black Horse Island, a sudden urge struck him.


    A faint restlessness transmitted to him, causing him to quickly open his eyes wide: ¡°It¡¯s the Rubber Bug triplets.¡± He immediately had the manservant bring the three Rubber Bugs to him.


    At this moment, one of the triplet Rubber Bugs that normally loved to line up and move in sync, left the formation and scurried around inside the Jade Box.


    It was feeling extremely restless, even more so than the other two.


    It was a rare situation.


    ¡°Little guy, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He carefully established a deeper spiritual communication with the Rubber Bug, a capability supported by the contract.


    Soon, he discerned a unique emotion from the Rubber Bug¡¯s restlessness¡ªit was actually about to spit out its own cordyceps.


    ¡°The cordyceps of the Rubber Bug has been planted in the rubber garden since the contract, and it hasn¡¯t been moved since then; what does this Rubber Bug mean?¡± Liszt suddenly raised an eyebrow, ¡°Could it be that it has been brewing a new cordyceps inside its body?¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.


    Perhaps this was the reward from the Smoke Mission¡ªthe restlessness of the Rubber Bug.


    Since the Rubber Bug was about to spit out cordyceps, Liszt certainly would not refuse. He quickly mounted the Landwalker Bird Loki and rushed to the rubber garden. The temporary plan for the rubber garden was a thousand acres, aiming in the end for ten thousand acres, or even a hundred thousand acres¡ªthe more of this miraculous crop, the better.


    But the rubber garden at the moment didn¡¯t have many Rubber Trees, only a sparse few in number.


    The original Rubber Tree cordyceps still stood in the center of the garden. Liszt roughly estimated its radiation range and then went further out to find a flat terrain suitable for planting more Rubber Trees. He held the very restless Rubber Bug in his hand: ¡°Little guy, spit it out.¡±


    The Rubber Bug crawled on Liszt¡¯s palm, raised its head, and opened its mouth.


    It spat out a faint green light that contained a small seed. Once the seed hit the ground, it quickly germinated and grew.


    In three minutes, visible to the naked eye, it grew into a Rubber Tree as tall as the previous Rubber Tree cordyceps.


    However, the difference was quite conspicuous. This Rubber Tree cordyceps was laden with dense white spherical fruits. Ordinary Rubber Trees, including the first Rubber Tree cordyceps, showed no signs of bearing fruit. Moreover, the propagation of Rubber Trees relied on adventitious bud reproduction from their roots.


    It was common to find new seedlings growing around Rubber Trees¡ªall originated from the roots of the Trees.


    Liszt ordered the serfs to dig out these seedlings and to cultivate them in rows in the rubber garden, constantly expanding the scale of the Rubber Trees.


    Therefore.


    This was a plant that reproduced asexually.


    Thus, Liszt was now surprised to find the rubber tree cordyceps, which had neither flowers nor fruits, had actually borne fruit. He pondered for a moment and, risking damage to the cordyceps, plucked one fruit¡ªonce the fruit or leaves of the cordyceps were picked, they would quickly lose their magic power and become ordinary plants, at most superior ones.


    Plucking just one fruit from a tree full of rubber fruits was not a big problem.


    Turning the magic power-draining rubber fruit in his hand, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but reflect, ¡°Elf Bugs really are full of wonders, a cordyceps which has borne three elf bugs, and now, the three elf bugs have given birth to a new cordyceps¡­ Does this mean that the next time the Rubber Bugs become restless, they will give birth to a new cordyceps? Or a mutated cordyceps?¡±


    Problem solved.


    He returned to the port town and boarded the Fresh Flower Vessel, already laden with cargo, set off towards Fresh Flower Town¡ªThe Fresh Flower Vessel was fast, his own designated ship.


    During the dull moments of sea travel, aside from teasing the Blizzard Beasts,


    He spent most of his time studying the rubber fruit. When he drilled a hole through the hard-shelled rubber fruit, he found that it was filled with rubber.


    ¡°So, the new variety of rubber trees concentrates the rubber into its own fruit?¡± he exclaimed with joy, ¡°Does this mean that rubber can be easily collected from the new varietal rubber trees without harming the trees themselves? As soon as the new seedlings emerge, I¡¯ll have the serfs try to grow them immediately!¡±


    Rubber collection was cumbersome and harmful to the trees, but if the rubber was concentrated in the fruit, it would not only be convenient to harvest but also easier to store.


    Such a rubber fruit could be preserved just like Fragrant Coconut Fruit for several years without spoiling.


    The value was higher.


    ¡­


    After arriving at Fresh Flower Port,


    Liszt¡¯s anticipation for the rubber fruit was already under control.


    He headed straight for the office to meet with Administrative Officer Isaiah, ¡°The sampan fleet of Oyster Village is now familiar with shallow-water fishing. However, their knowledge of seafood is still too limited. Isaiah, you must immediately issue an order to the oyster sampan fleet to search the seabed for all kinds of creatures.¡±


    ¡°My lord, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We need to develop new seafood to recapture the market on Coral Island, and not just rely on oysters and minor oily captures. I need to restore a seafood market even more booming than last year.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. I will immediately give the orders to Oyster Village to dredge up every creature they can find.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, you need to send someone to purchase a batch of ship nets and fine nets in Coral City. There should be schools of fish near Fresh Flower Town, and we can try to fish for them.¡±


    So far, the seafood harvested by Fresh Flower Town consisted mostly of shellfish, mollusks, and crustaceans. Seldom were fishes caught.


    But the most abundant creatures in the sea were surely the many kinds of fish, a resource that Liszt would not overlook. If this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate goes according to plan, he would definitely bring back tens of thousands of serfs, and the grains alone would not be enough. He would need to mix sea fish with their grains to fill the serfs¡¯ stomachs.


    ¡°I understand,¡± replied Isaiah and added, ¡°My lord, concerning the Corn Grass fields you instructed me to pay attention to, there has been a new discovery.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What kind of discovery?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve found a patch of mutated Corn Grass, with thick stems and leaves as well as large ears of grain that could be pinched to release a thick oil with a delicious fragrance, very much like the butter we eat.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    Without a doubt.


    The oily mutated variety of Corn Grass, a reward from the Smoke Mission, had been discovered.

 Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Chapter 435: Pinch and Its All Oil (First Update)

    Chapter 438: Chapter 435: Pinch and It¡¯s All Oil (First Update)


    Corn Grass Field.


    The grain mutated variety of corn grass, which originally had large bunches of flower spikes, had now produced plump grains that looked like rather rounded triangles, all clustered together on a single spike.


    They did not bear much resemblance to the corn kernels in his memory, but they were about the same size.


    This bunch of fruit spikes weighed at least half a pound, and once mature, they would definitely yield a far greater harvest than wheat or millet. It was unknown how they tasted, whether they would be similar to corn cobs or other grains¡­ And it was also uncertain whether they could be eaten like rice or ground into flour.


    Not far from the grain mutant corn grass, Liszt saw the oil-rich variant of corn grass.


    The fatty stems and leaves were mixed in with the regular corn grass and weren¡¯t very conspicuous, but its fruit spikes were very noticeable. While the regular corn grass had thin and shriveled spikes, the spikes of this variant were unusually plump, with a tender green husk that seemed almost transparent, clearly indicating the abundance of oil within.


    When he pinched it, indeed, oil came out onto his hand.


    These were unripe fruit spikes; it was unknown what the oil content would be like once they matured.


    ¡°These are very valuable mutations,¡± he said, appreciating the grain and oil-rich mutated corn grass, slowly diminishing his craving for corn cobs.


    He then conveyed to Isaiah, ¡°This kind of corn grass with grain on top will be called ¡®grain corn,¡¯ and this kind that yields oil when pinched will be called ¡®oil corn.¡¯ Take good care of them, and when they mature, we¡¯ll research their utilitarian value and prepare for large-scale cultivation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    After identifying grain corn and oil corn, Liszt used his Eye of Magic to circle the corn field, but he found no trace of magic.


    He returned to the castle, where he enjoyed a sumptuous feast.


    After dinner, he went to the Sea View Villa to chat with Ach for a while. During the week¡¯s visit to Black Horse Island, he had met Ach by the sea twice, primarily to have her command Magic Mangrove Elves to aid in the stabilization and rooting of the Mangrove Forest at the Red River Mouth¡ªthe Little Minor Elves¡¯ magic was quite strong.


    Ach, now a Water System Grand Mage, was more cheerful and lively than when she was engrossed in studying magic before.


    Upon blowing her horn, she swam quickly from the ocean, flinging back her deep blue hair as though a waterfall cascaded before his eyes, ¡°Brother, Ach scared away a sea monster today!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A sea monster, a really big conch that can create water whirlpools, it attacked Ach but couldn¡¯t defeat me!¡±


    A conch?


    A sea monster?


    Liszt¡¯s inspiration bloomed on the spot, but he still chose to be cautious, ¡°You weren¡¯t hurt, were you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ach is a Water System Grand Mage now, and it¡¯s just a low-level sea monster; it definitely couldn¡¯t beat me. I made it hide in the rock crevices and not come out,¡± Ach replied with a smile, quite pleased with having defeated a low-level sea monster.


    Actually, with her current strength, she could now barely contend against a Dulu Miqita that had already turned into organic fertilizer.


    Afterwards, Liszt began to inquire about the low-level sea monster conch.


    According to Ach¡¯s description, it was a large conch big enough to be the size of a basin, with a yellow-white shell, fond of crawling on the seabed rocks, capable of releasing Common Magic water whirlpools to catch small fish and shrimp¡ªit turned out to be a carnivorous predator.


    Combining this information, Liszt roughly understood that this was a conch capable of producing pink pearls.


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ach, can you capture it for me?¡±


    ¡°You want this big conch, brother?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then Ach will go now and catch it, and bring it to brother¡­ Oh yes, brother said that human knights need Magical Beast Meat to practice, so Ach will often look for sea monsters, catch them and bring the meat to brother, so brother can become a Sky Knight sooner!¡±


    Such a considerate little sprite!


    Liszt ruffled her deep blue hair vigorously, ¡°Ach, you understand me!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, then I¡¯ll go catch the giant conches.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to hurry, let¡¯s catch them tomorrow. It¡¯s already night, and the sea must be very dark now.¡±


    ¡°Ach can see, and Ach swims very fast. Brother, you wait for Ach, Ach will be back soon. Hmm, let Nami keep you company,¡± Ach said as she placed Nami on the table, then turned and left the Sea View Villa to catch the low-level Sea Monsters, the giant conches.


    All Liszt could do was shake his head helplessly and then start playing with Nami.


    He took out a candy wrapped in hemp leaves, unwrapped it, and held it out to the Little Minor Elf, ¡°Peanut nougat, Fresh Flower Town¡¯s new product, want to try?¡±


    ¡°Chirp,¡± Nami cocked her head to look at the peanut nougat.


    She then approached the nougat, sniffed its aroma, and wrapped her hands around it, taking a bite. Despite being just a palm-sized little thing, she had strong teeth and crisply bit off a chunk of nougat, chewing vigorously in her mouth.


    Then she excitedly chirped, ¡°Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!¡±


    ¡°Is it good?¡±


    ¡°Chirp!¡± Nami hugged the nougat and munched away happily.


    Liszt watched the beautiful little creature and said softly, ¡°Eat and drink well, but don¡¯t forget to work for me. The Mangrove Forest in Mangrove Island is growing well, it no longer needs the influence of Cordyceps. Once the Mangrove Forest at the Red River Mouth grows, move the Cordyceps there to help me develop the Red River Mouth Mangrove Forest.¡±


    Without a contract, his communication with Nami was hindered.


    So Nami didn¡¯t understand a word he said. She just hugged the nougat and relished it, looking up at Liszt from time to time to call out, ¡°Chirp.¡±


    After one nougat was finished, Liszt pulled out another.


    Instead of immediately eating it, Nami rewrapped it with the hemp leaves and stashed the nougat in a drawer of the cabinet.


    Then she flew up to Liszt¡¯s shoulder and landed, beginning to groom Liszt¡ª or what could also be called picking lice.


    She meticulously combed through his hair, checking his scalp. She might have learned this trick while raising Green-headed Ducks, but unfortunately for her, Liszt washed his hair daily, so there was no dirt to be found.


    ¡°Such a gentle Little Minor Elf. Compared with Nami, Jela is simply a hooligan,¡± he thought of Jela who liked to cry and shout.


    He could not help but sigh.


    Just at that moment, the sound of waves came from outside, and then he saw Ach swimming into the bottom floor of the Sea View Villa. She used Water to bind a huge conch, transporting it to the second floor: ¡°Brother, Ach has stunned the giant conch, it can¡¯t release Water Whirlpools anymore.¡±


    His eyes shining, Liszt took the giant conch and said, ¡°Well done, my Ach.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s late, you should rest too. I¡¯ll deal with this giant conch first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Holding the giant conch, Liszt quickly returned to the Castle and began dissecting the giant conch on the open ground of the apple orchard. Taking advantage of its unconsciousness, he promptly pulled out the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword and channeled Dou Qi to kill it. Then he extracted the conch meat, which was only a small lump considering the basin-sized conch.


    He carefully peeled, and soon found a hard object wrapped in a membrane.


    Gently peeling off the outer membrane, he revealed a pink, oval-shaped pearl inside¡ªthe Pink Pearl.

 Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: Chapter 0436: Snails Competing, Fisherman Gains (Second Update)

    Chapter 439: Chapter 0436: Snails Competing, Fisherman Gains (Second Update)


    The pink pearl, roughly the size of an egg, revealed flame-like patterns on its surface after being cleaned. At first, Liszt thought it was a pearl imbued with Fire Attribute Mana, but the Eye of Magic observed that the magic power it radiated was a pale blue color. Like the giant conch, it belonged to the Water Attribute.


    The Black Pearl also contained Water Attribute magic power, but its effect was to disperse Wind System magic power.


    At the moment, the egg-sized Pink Pearl¡¯s effect was unknown, but its magic power concentration was even denser than the largest Black Pearl in Liszt¡¯s collection.


    ¡°I probably won¡¯t be able to figure anything out, better to hand it over to Chris for research.¡± Now that he was sponsoring the Magician Chris Truth, in addition to making Magic Potions, he could assign her any work related to magicians.


    Inside the Magic Workshop.


    Chris looked at the Pink Pearl and nodded solemnly, ¡°Viscount, this is an object brimming with magic power. I need to thoroughly research its effects before I can analyze the results for you.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased to serve you.¡±


    Liszt suddenly asked, ¡°Chris, are you confident about advancing to Grand Magician?¡±


    After thinking it over, Chris replied, ¡°I¡¯ve made some headway, but I still need more time to mull it over. If everything goes smoothly, I might be able to attempt advancing to Grand Magician within a year. If not, it could take several years before I can make the attempt.¡±


    ¡°Ask for anything you need, and I wish you an early promotion to Grand Magician. When that time comes, I will build a Mage Tower for you on Black Horse Island for your quest for Truth.¡±


    Chris was truly elated, ¡°Thank you, Viscount.¡±


    Unlike second-rate peddlers like Elkerson, she genuinely enjoyed delving into magic and researching Truth. Having her own Mage Tower would be a great honor and benefit.


    After a brief chat.


    Liszt left the Pink Pearl behind and took his leave.


    Upon returning to the castle, Mrs. Abbie had already cleaned the meat from the Sea Monster, the Giant Conch¡ªthis Magical Beast Meat naturally belonged to Liszt.


    ¡°It would be great if low-level Sea Monsters like the Giant Conch could be farmed¡­ Unfortunately, there¡¯s no knowledge on farming Sea Monsters. The pearl had to be harvested by killing the creature¡­ Still, not only did it yield a Pink Pearl, but it also contributed a large heap of conch meat and a beautiful conch shell.¡±


    He cleaned the conch shell and drilled a hole at the tip.


    He blew into it.


    A deep, resonant horn sound boomed out, carrying far and wide, more powerful than a loudspeaker. Using the Eye of Magic, he could see magical light flickering on the shell when blowing the conch, indicating that the amplification effect was related to magic power, barely qualifying as a type of magic.


    ¡°I should also give this to Chris to research, she might come up with a horn that works like a large loudspeaker. With such a Magic Horn, it could serve as an ¡®air-raid siren¡¯; in times of crisis, its blast could probably wake even those in deep sleep.¡±


    Even if they couldn¡¯t create a very powerful loudspeaker.


    As a decorative piece placed on the curio shelf in the study, it would be a delightful sight to behold.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a shame there¡¯s only one Giant Conch,¡± he thought.


    ¡­


    However.


    Just as he felt the reward from a solitary Giant Conch wasn¡¯t very valuable, Ach brought new information: ¡°Brother, Black Pearl Lake has been invaded by many Giant Conchs, and they are fighting with the Tridacnas. Loads of huge Tridacnas have also arrived at the bottom of the lake, resisting the invasion of the Giant Conchs.¡±


    ¡°A battle between the Giant Conchs and Tridacnas?¡±


    ¡°Yes, brother. You told Ach to look for very large Tridacnas, and Ach hadn¡¯t found any until now. But many Tridacnas larger than two meters in diameter have appeared in Black Pearl Lake. The biggest one is twice the size of Ach¡¯s shell!¡±


    Ach¡¯s shell was three meters in diameter; a Tridacna shell even larger than Ach¡¯s would be at least four to five meters in diameter, truly colossal and much larger than the one they had salvaged before.


    What kind of Black Pearl could be inside, one can only look forward to finding out.


    Moreover, there was a large batch of low-level Sea Monsters and giant tridacnas. Whether it was for the pink pearls or the meat of the tridacnas, Liszt would not give up on this opportunity, ¡°Ach, pay attention to coordination, and join me in sweeping up all the tridacnas and giant tridacnas causing havoc in the Black Pearl Lake in one fell swoop!¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    Ach nodded excitedly.


    The once delicate, innocent, and loving little sea monster had now been influenced by darker company, becoming a Grand Magician who favored fighting and hunting sea monsters without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but feel sentimental¡ªhow girls change as they grow up.


    The Fresh Flower Vessel was immediately summoned by him, heading towards the Coral Reef¡ªthe Coral Reef had no clear owner, but now it belonged to Liszt. Several flags bearing the emblem of the Black Tulip were planted on the rocks.


    Upon reaching the Coral Reef.


    The tide had just receded, leaving vast stretches of snow-white, fine sand exposed on the sea surface. The Fresh Flower Vessel slowly entered Black Pearl Lake, while Liszt used the Eye of Magic to guide the vessel on how to salvage the tridacnas and giant tridacnas¡ªAch was at the bottom of the lake pointing to the locations of the carcasses of both Sea Monsters (tridacnas were barely considered Sea Monsters).


    This was a brutal slaughter.


    As the divers continuously tied the ropes, more and more tridacnas and conches were hauled up, and Liszt¡¯s mood grew more and more excited.


    He had just opened a tridacna with a diameter of about 1.8 meters, finding a Black Pearl the size of a sea bowl inside, along with several fist-sized Black Pearls.


    These were treasures.


    On the other hand, a basin-sized giant conch did not yield any pink pearls. After dissecting five of the giant conches, no pink pearls were found.


    It wasn¡¯t until the sixth giant conch, the largest one, that new pink pearls were discovered.


    A pink pearl the size of a goose egg.


    ¡°The probability of giant conches yielding pink pearls is a bit low, while tridacnas have a high probability of producing Black Pearls, but the larger Black Pearls have a lower probability.¡± He silently estimated the pearl yield rates for the tridacnas and conches.


    The hunt continued for two hours.


    Ach tracked the tridacnas and giant conches with great effort. Finally, the largest tridacna was killed in the center of Black Pearl Lake, along with it were three basin-sized giant conches. When the four large creatures were hauled up, the sailors on the ship cheered loudly.


    Captain Kostor was so excited that he said, ¡°Sir, such wonderful shells and conches, it¡¯s simply unbelievable! The glory of the Knight has blessed us, under your guidance, we were able to reap such a bountiful harvest.¡±


    ¡°Remember to keep this a secret, Black Pearl Lake will be the brightest ocean jewel in my territory, anyone who dares to leak it will receive a bloody retribution!¡±


    After finishing his fierce words, Liszt patted Kostor on the shoulder and said with a pleasant smile, ¡°I will grant you the status of Freeman soon, and from then on, you can claim rewards based on your service as an official. Follow me, and one day, you will become a Noble.¡±


    Today, he had completely revealed his ¡°talent¡±¡ªwherever he pointed, there would be prey.


    Although Kostor and others dared not inquire into Liszt¡¯s gifts, it was inevitable that someone with a big mouth might spill the events of today.


    Therefore, he had wielded both the carrot and the stick.


    To preemptively mitigate any potential risk.


    Half an hour later.


    Seeing the signals made by Ach underwater, Liszt understood that the territorial struggle between the tridacnas and the giant conches was probably over. He blew the horn in response to Ach.


    He then gave the order, ¡°End the salvage, we¡¯re heading back!¡±

 Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: Chapter 0437: Warehouses Full of Big and Small Pearls (First Update)

    Chapter 440: Chapter 0437: Warehouses Full of Big and Small Pearls (First Update)


    ¡°`


    The Fresh Flower Vessel returned to Fresh Flower Port, laden with the weighty Tridacna and conches.


    It was time to tally the harvest, and watching the workers on the dock carry off one enormous seashell after another stirred Liszt¡¯s emotions.


    He had always wished to manage Coral Reef and Black Pearl Lake, but due to insufficient manpower, he had struggled to even develop Black Horse Island, let alone Black Pearl Lake. However, with the Sea Sprite Ake, a single voyage yielded so many shells, those which could produce Black Pearls and Pink Pearls.


    ¡°Two or three trips a year should be essentially sufficient!¡±


    The growth of Tridacna and conches was very slow. There was no way to over-harvest them, and it seemed that the larger specimens all hid in the waters around Black Pearl Lake. It was rare to see them engage in fierce battles over territory in Black Pearl Lake, allowing Ake the pleasure of reaping the benefits.


    ¡°My lord, how should we deal with these marine products?¡± asked a Knight who served as a dock official, coming over to inquire. He was a former classmate of Liszt¡¯s, born to a minor noble family¡¯s second son.


    Liszt said directly, ¡°Hand over the large conches to the castle for processing¡­ Harvest the Black Pearls from the Tridacna and give them to the castle, as for the meat, release it into the seafood market, half to be sold by Thorn Caravan and the other half to be sold cheaply for consumption by the residents of Fresh Flower Town and the port town.¡±


    Whether it was Fresh Flower Town or the port town, except for grain such as wheat which had to be purchased from elsewhere, other items like seafood were very cheap.


    Even serfs could afford it and could enjoy seafood feasts every day.


    The reason was simple: the sea area had never been overfished, and the fishery resources were abundant. Unfortunately, these methods did not involve much technical skill, and the lords of the small seaside towns of Coral Island indulged in private fishing. They either consumed the seafood themselves or secretly sold it to surrounding towns.


    The seafood business of Fresh Flower Town, impacted by such conditions, found that the seafood from the beaches had become worthless.


    That was why he now asked the residents of Oyster Village to advance to the near sea and dive for other seafood to replace the beach seafood.


    Ultimately realizing a fishing industry scale that developed deep-sea seafood, shallow water seafood, and beach seafood simultaneously.


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s too much meat from the large conches, and I fear it can¡¯t all be consumed, nor is it easy to store¡­ There¡¯s not much ice left in the ice cellar, and we¡¯re unable to continue keeping the seafood fresh,¡± Mrs. Abbie said worriedly upon seeing another big batch of large conches being brought back to the castle.


    ¡°Just turn them into food and hand them over to me; I¡¯ll distribute them among the knights of the territory for all of us to enjoy the nourishment of the Magical Beast,¡± Liszt said casually.


    He had already eaten all the meat of the Six-Headed King Serpent and turned the snake skin into snake skin armor, handing over the snake bone and other parts to Chris Truth to be processed into magical materials. Now, his Gemstone Space had very few items stored¡ªthe wealthier Liszt no longer stored low-value items like Fine Steel Armor there.


    Currently, in the Gemstone Space, there was only the Crimson Blood Sword, Drift Bottle, Soul Storage Vessel, a set of spare Mithril Armor, two telescopes, Sapphire Magic Ring, Goat Head Flag, Sapphire Dragon Ship Figurehead, Soul Submerged Wood, and a batch of poison-coated Thorn Wood Arrows.


    And five books¡ª¡±Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡± used for learning the Sun Script; ¡°To His Highness Annuette¡ªCurtis the Truth¡± detailing how to make Liches and Ghost Ships; the Sword Saint¡¯s Notes gifted by Marquis Merlin; a nameless Dragon Rearing Manual, and the Advanced Dou Qi Manual ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±.


    The Mithril Mine, Jade, Crystal, and Black Pearls, he had sealed in the storerooms of the castle.


    Therefore.


    He had freed up quite a bit of space in his Gemstone Space, to store Magical Beast Meat, Sea Monster Meat, Dragon Breed Milk, Magic Potions, ensuring that no matter where he went, he could enjoy the same nutrition. This batch of large conches¡¯ meat could be perfectly stored in the Gemstone Space, to be savored slowly.


    Of course, he was not so stingy as to enjoy all the Sea Monster meat by himself.


    The Earth Knights of the territory could get a share, and the officials of the territory could have a bit, too. This was a fair distribution of benefits.


    ¡°`


    ¡­


    After the inventory was completed.


    The number of pink pearls was not large, totaling seven including the one Chris was studying.


    Two ordinary bowl-sized pink pearls came from those bathtub-sized sea snails, one of which had no pink pearl; two goose egg-sized pink pearls, and three chicken egg-sized pink pearls. These seven pink pearls were all irregularly shaped ovals with flame-patterned textures.


    The quantity of black pearls was considerable, a total of one hundred thirty-six. The largest Tridacna alone contributed twenty-nine black pearls.


    Adding to Liszt¡¯s existing stock of black pearls.


    There were a total of three basketball-sized black pearls, eleven sea basin-sized black pearls, forty-eight fist-sized black pearls, and many smaller ones.


    There were also two basin-sized black pearls, one from the stock and one from the largest Tridacna caught today.


    Additionally, there was an even larger black pearl, nearly the size of a bathtub. Without a doubt, it came from the largest Tridacna.


    ¡°Hmm, so many pearls, am I rich again?¡± Liszt grinned as he gazed at the pile of black pearls, already envisioning future maritime domination.


    Previously two basin-sized black pearls had been made into Calming Sea Pearls, mounted on the Fresh Flower Vessel and Thorn Number.


    Although there were no severe storms between Black Horse Island and Coral Island, engaging the Calming Sea Pearls during the occasional convection weather could greatly reduce the rocking of the vessels, allowing safe passage through the storm.


    ¡°This bathtub-sized one must be used on my future flagship. Once I get the shipbuilding technology and study the technology of square rigging, as well as the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique, relying on rubber and Thorn Wood, I will surely create a super luxurious multi-mast ship¡­ Right, maybe I can study magic-driven technology too!¡±


    Black pearls can disperse wind attribute magic power and even ordinary wind, so, by reverse engineering, could a magic array be developed that stimulates wind power?


    Maybe delve deeper and design a magic array that controls wind attribute magic power, turning storms into a driving force for the vessels.


    Thinking about it is exciting.


    However, to achieve all these, without substantial financial, material, and human resources, it¡¯s simply unattainable: ¡°I still need to continue biding my time on Black Horse Island, developing the land slowly¡­ Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll become successful at dragon riding and become a Dragon Knight soaring through the sky before the land is developed.¡±


    By then, there might be no need to study magic-powered vessels.


    Regardless, he immediately placed the bathtub-sized black pearl into the Gemstone Space, its value undoubtedly immense.


    The rest of the black pearls were simply stored in the warehouse.


    Gazing at the gleaming black pearls, inspiration suddenly struck him: ¡°I was originally planning to give Levis a pink gemstone as a wedding gift, but now it seems unnecessary. The pink gemstone can go to Ake or Chris, as they are magicians and need a boost to their spirits.¡±


    Not to give Levis the pink gemstone.


    The alternative gift became clear: ¡°Gift a black pearl instead, one basketball-sized. Solely based on appearance, it¡¯s definitely more shocking than a single gemstone.¡±


    Initially, even a fist-sized black pearl sold to Levis fetched hundreds of Gold Coins; now giving him a basketball-sized black pearl would surely make him ecstatic.

 Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Chapter 0438: Braised Abalone in Oyster Sauce (Second Release)

    Chapter 441: Chapter 0438: Braised Abalone in Oyster Sauce (Second Release)


    Tridacna and sea snails brought a large number of pearls, but the greatest contributor was actually Sea Sprite Ake.


    At the Sea View Villa during the night, Liszt patiently listened to Ake¡¯s endless tales of the sights at Black Pearl Lake, how the tridacna and sea snails fought over their territories.


    He first redefined a new name for the tridacna and sea snails¡ª¡±Hei Chequ¡± and ¡°Fen Hai Luo¡±¡ªand classified both types of shells as sea monsters.


    The reason was simple, the largest Hei Chequ actually brimmed with magic power and could cast magic¡ªa Water Bullet.


    On its own, it battled the strongest among the three Fen Hai Luo, clashing Water Whirlpools and Water Bullets. The seabed rocks shattered and splashed, darkening the water hazy. In the end, when all four sea monsters were utterly exhausted, Ake effortlessly rushed out and ended their lives. On other battlefields, the Fen Hai Luo and Hei Chequ also determined a victor.


    Indeed, the Hei Chequ managed to repel the Fen Hai Luo¡¯s attack, but it was gravely damaged and had to cede half of Black Pearl Lake¡¯s territory to the Fen Hai Luo.


    ¡°Brother, Ake discovered that Hei Chequ and Fen Hai Luo are very smart. When they saw Ake hunting many large Hei Chequ and Fen Hai Luo, they stopped fighting voluntarily. The Hei Chequ left behind many small Hei Chequ, and the Fen Hai Luo left behind many small Fen Hai Luo, then they both retreated.¡±


    The young Hei Chequ and Fen Hai Luo had little value when harvested.


    ¡°So, Black Pearl Lake is actually more like a nursery for young shells?¡± Liszt was curious about this behavior.


    The large Hei Chequ and Fen Hai Luo obviously didn¡¯t live in Black Pearl Lake; they survived in the surrounding deep sea, leaving their offspring to breed in Black Pearl Lake¡ªthe place was once the Hei Chequ¡¯s breeding ground, but now it had obviously lost half to the Fen Hai Luo.


    Thus, continuing to call it Black Pearl Lake was no longer suitable.


    ¡°Ake, what do you think we should call this marine lake, Hei Fen Lake or Pearl Lake?¡± Liszt inquired.


    Ake tilted her head and thought about it: ¡°Brother, Hei Fen sounds so unpleasant. Let¡¯s call it Pearl Lake, both Hei Chequ and Fen Hai Luo can produce beautiful pearls.¡± She held a black pearl as big as a sea bowl and a pink pearl as big as an egg, with stars twinkling in her eyes.


    Women always seem to have no resistance to pearls and gemstones¡ªeven though they were just materials Liszt provided for her to study magic arrays.


    As a Grand Magician, studying magic had become secondary, but researching magic arrays was the real deal.


    After confirming the name of the marine lake formed by the coral reef as ¡°Pearl Lake,¡± Liszt took his leave, reminding Ake to frequently check on the situation at Pearl Lake regarding the Hei Chequ and Fen Hai Luo. One was to determine the breeding times of the two shell sea monsters, and the other was to await their next battle.


    The territory conflict was far from over, and the next time, it might be another brilliant harvest.


    ¡­


    The story of the shell sea monsters at the Coral Reef and Pearl Lake comes to an end.


    But the work related to seafood was not over yet, as Liszt visited Oyster Village every day, identifying the shallow water seafood that the fishermen brought up.


    The species of shallow water seafood were obviously richer than those of the beach.


    Not only were there more shellfish, shrimps, and crabs, but there were also many novel creatures.


    There was a strange fish with a very good texture, which Liszt named ¡°Xia Chan,¡± and it had already become one of the castle¡¯s daily dishes; a strange black bump covered with soft spikes, named sea cucumber, also became a daily dish; and a squishy, eight-legged little thing with its legs and head joined together, named squid, became yet another daily dish.


    Mrs. Abbie was now busy figuring out how to cook these seafood delicacies every day.


    And the fishermen of Oyster Village were figuring out how to quickly catch these shallow-water seafood.


    Unfortunately.


    ¡°`


    Liszt called for the Smoke Mission several times but did not see it completed.


    It was still the original Serpent Script content: ¡°Mission: The fishermen of Oyster Village are no longer afraid of the shallow waters near the shore and dare to dive into the seabed to gather seafood. However, they do not recognize all the seafood. As a seafood enthusiast, why not guide the fishermen in identifying the delicacies of the sea? Reward: Mutated Rubber Tree.¡±


    Until today.


    On September 5th, right after a torrential rain, the fishermen of Oyster Village couldn¡¯t wait to go out to sea to fish. At dusk, they brought back new seafood.


    They came to the Castle to have Liszt identify it.


    Liszt saw an ugly shell.


    At first glance, the shell seemed like just a shell with flesh attached to it, very unattractive. Yet, he was excited, for he had seen and eaten this kind of seafood on Earth. It is a very precious delicacy, known as ¡°the gold on the table, the crown of sea treasures¡± ¡ª to put it plainly, it is abalone.


    The value of abalone on Earth is indescribable.


    As for whether the abalone in this world has such rich nutritional value, one only needs to taste it a few times to find out. After completing the toxicity test for the abalone, Liszt immediately had Mrs. Abbie focus on cooking abalone ¡ª he roughly provided some ideas, such as frying the abalone with oyster sauce and seasonings, and mixing it all to cook.


    Soon, a fragrant dish of oyster sauce braised abalone was freshly prepared.


    The butler served the oyster sauce braised abalone on the table, and the butler poured Liszt a glass of wine from the estate¡¯s Brewing Workshop. Then, he could start eating.


    His utensil was a pair of chopsticks; he always used chopsticks when eating privately.


    He disliked using a knife and fork.


    Picking up a tender piece of abalone meat, he placed it in his mouth and chewed for a moment: ¡°Not bad, the texture is smooth and delicate, although the oyster sauce flavor is a bit strong. Next time, we should use less to let the natural flavor of the abalone come through.¡± After consuming several pieces of abalone, he announced with lingering enjoyment that abalone would become a regular dish at the Castle.


    Lobster, crab, clams, mantis shrimp, razor clams, oysters, sea cucumbers, squid, pawn, conch, abalone, dried fish ¡ª and occasionally soft-shelled turtles and geoducks ¡ª these had all been added to the Castle¡¯s menu.


    Currently, the estate could essentially rely on the sea for sustenance.


    ¡­


    When abalone officially made it onto the dining table,


    the long-awaited Smoke Mission finally changed.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: Fruiting Mutated Rubber Tree.¡±


    The new mission was also promptly released: ¡°Mission: Two secondhand sailboats will soon join the estate¡¯s fleet, taking on the cargo transport task between Black Horse Island and Fresh Flower Town. Consultant Goltai, who purchased the sailboats, seems to have brought some very good news. Please seize this information. Reward: Mutated Variety Corn Grass.¡±


    ¡°The fruiting mutated variety of the Rubber Tree, if things go as expected, should be a rubber tree bred by the new Cordyceps, a rubber tree that bears fruit ¡ª the Rubber Fruit Tree.¡±


    Liszt speculated in his mind: ¡°As for the mutated variety of Corn Grass, this time, it should be the turn of the corn cobs, right?¡±


    First, there was the corn similar to sorghum, followed by the oil-rich corn. The direction of the evolution of Corn Grass obviously still includes corn cobs.


    ¡°Actually, I suspect this is a chain mission about the Corn Grass Elf Bug, could it be that the Corn Grass Elf Bug is about to evolve?¡± he suddenly thought but then quickly denied himself, ¡°It probably isn¡¯t, the Corn Grass Elf Bug hasn¡¯t been around for long, and there is no ¡®restlessness.¡¯ What¡¯s restless are the Rubber Bug triplets.¡±


    Conveniently, this time¡¯s fruiting mutated Rubber Tree also seemed to be a part of a chain mission: ¡°Could it be that what¡¯s really about to evolve is the Rubber Bug triplets?¡±

 Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Chapter 441: The Water Attribute Calming Sea Pearl (First Update)

    chapter 444: chapter 441: the water attribute calming sea pearl (first update)


    at tulip castle, liszt quickly immersed himself in preparing for the wedding.


    however, he didn¡¯t have much work to do, as tulip castle had hundreds of servants who could manage tasks smoothly. besides the earl, lady marie also held decision-making power; there was no need for family members with their own fiefs to come and make decisions.


    liszt didn¡¯t want to compete with lady marie for power in the castle either; he just occasionally supervised the progress of the wedding preparations to ensure everything was in order for his brother levis.


    most of the time, he was remotely directing the development of his territory.


    knights traveling between fresh flower town and tulip castle reported to him the progress of the territorial development every day. they also brought fresh foods such as dragon breed milk.


    the mangrove and pearl were undergoing major repairs at fresh flower port. the process mainly involved removing the damaged wooden planks and replacing them with new thorn ironwood, then using rubber tree wood to glue them together¡ªthis repair method was low-tech but highly effective, as the adhesive strength of rubber was formidable.


    even without removing the old wood and simply using rubber and wood to fill the holes, the two old sailboats could be as good as new.


    in fact, with the reinforcement from rubber, the performance of the former fresh flower vessel and thorn number had already surpassed that of new ships, with no wear and tear.


    news about the rubber trees arrived three days later.


    after captain kostor returned to black horse island, he didn¡¯t find any fruit-bearing rubber trees, but near that new cordyceps, he saw many rubber tree saplings just sprouting. following liszt¡¯s previous instructions, administrative officer blair organized a workforce to dig out these saplings and replanted them in rows around the cordyceps.


    it could be confirmed that these saplings were indeed the rubber fruit trees rewarded by the smoke mission.


    on another note, chris truth also had good news. in the letter delivered by the knights, she explained that she had figured out the effects of the pink pearl¡ªit could disperse the surrounding water-attribute magic power.


    the black pearl from the hei chequ could disperse the surrounding wind attribute magic power; the pink pearl from the fen hai luo could disperse the surrounding water attribute magic power.


    once that egg-sized pink pearl was turned into magic equipment, it could roughly disperse all water-attribute magic power within a hundred-meter radius. such an effect combined with a calming sea pearl made from a black pearl could almost negate all storms and sea waves at sea, allowing ships to sail smoothly.


    ¡°to think it has such a powerful effect. is this specifically prepared for my upcoming era of navigation?¡± liszt, looking at the content of the letter, was overwhelmed with excitement.


    the calming sea pearl was already strong, suppressing all storms, and now with the pink pearl, suppressing all the sea waves as well.


    so, apart from sea monsters, what else could be fearsome at sea¡ªthe most crucial point is that virginia truth, residing within the soul storage vessel, had already described the dragonbone stabilizer technique. when this technique is used in future shipbuilding, even sea monsters need not be feared at sea.


    ¡°with this, the obstacles of storms, waves, and sea monsters are all eliminated. can i lead a fleet, leave the sea of azure waves for the devil¡¯s sea where devils lurk, cross the devil¡¯s sea, and explore further worlds?¡±


    what lies beyond the devil¡¯s sea?


    liszt had a vague guess¡ªhe surmised that on the other side was where the children of the sun lived, as mentioned in the drifting bottle. it was also the world described in the diary of old phil from the tanners¡¯ shop, who was the ancestor of his friend, philip, descendant of the sun.


    it¡¯s worth mentioning that liszt had already learned all of the sun script recorded in the diary.


    though complex, it contained a set of patterns, convincing him that such sophisticated and regular script could only be created by a highly developed civilization.


    unfortunately,


    the amount of sun script recorded by philip was too limited, and this vocabulary was not enough for reading and writing.


    ¡°once i figure out the magic power drive and how to harness the fore-and-aft sails, along with the dragonbone stabilizer technique, as well as the ¡®calming wind pearl¡¯ and ¡®calming water pearl,¡¯ nothing in the devil¡¯s sea will stop me!¡± he had already decided to turn the pink pearl into a new calming sea pearl, using ¡°wind¡± and ¡°water¡± as suffixes to differentiate from the black pearl products.


    feeling cheerful, he sent a letter back to chris, asking her to continue the research on the pink pearl to see if she could create a calming water pearl following the calming wind pearl¡¯s example.


    chris wasn¡¯t very skilled at making magic equipment, so if it didn¡¯t work out, liszt would still have to invite granney truth to do the job.


    the letter was handed to a knight to deliver back.


    liszt sat by the round table in the tulip castle garden, feeling that his transmigrated life was essentially worry-free, aside from being a bit poor.


    ever since the smoke mission began, good news kept coming.


    he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the mighty force of fate; with just a small nudge, he really became like the son of glory.


    however, before he could finish his reflection, another knight from fresh flower town came with more good news, ¡°lord landlord, consultant gao ertai has sent a letter.¡±


    he opened the letter.


    the contents were straightforward; after discussions with viscount jonas, gao ertai had finalized the prices for the dragon kui bug and the venus flytrap worm. he had managed to get the dragon kui bug¡¯s price down to eleven hundred gold coins and the venus flytrap worm¡¯s price down to seven hundred gold coins, which was two hundred gold coins less than liszt¡¯s bottom line.


    of course, it was actually one hundred and eighty gold coins less, since he had to give gao ertai a commission of twenty gold coins.


    after reading the letter.


    liszt immediately took the two thousand gold coins he had borrowed from his grandmother and rushed to shattered stone city. upon arriving, he was promptly welcomed by viscount jonas into shattered stone castle.


    ¡°if it weren¡¯t for the tight turnover of funds, i would really hate to sell these two elf bugs. it¡¯s rare for the knight¡¯s glory to shine upon us, spawning two elf bugs in a month, and yet they have to be sold for cash.¡± after the courtesy, viscount jonas complained directly, ¡°it¡¯s truly heart-wrenching!¡±


    ¡°with this year¡¯s pioneer mandate, we can go to the eagle kingdom to plunder resources and make up for the losses.¡±


    ¡°are you also taking part in the pioneer mandate?¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s what i¡¯m preparing for.¡±


    ¡°without any surprises, since you have the intermediate magic beast dorsen, you can work with the earl to be invincible in warfare. gaining military exploits should not be difficult for you. i can¡¯t even begin to guess how far you¡¯ll go in the future,¡± jonas exclaimed in amazement.


    liszt smiled: ¡°let¡¯s take it one step at a time. my territory is still in very poor shape, to tell you the truth. to buy your two elf bugs, i had to borrow the gold coins from my grandmother.¡±


    they engaged in a brief exchange of laments about their financial woes.


    the transaction formally took place.


    after paying the agreed amount of one thousand eight hundred gold coins, viscount jonas took liszt to the elf bugs¡¯ cordyceps site, allowing liszt to form contracts successfully. once the cordyceps were collected, he stayed at shattered stone castle for lunch. in the afternoon, liszt hurried back to tulip castle.


    his brother levis had returned from the outer islands, and accompanying him was the eldest legitimate son of the golden wheat sheaf family, roger golden wheat.

 Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: Chapter 442: Cousin Needs Help (Second Update)

    chapter 445: chapter 442: cousin needs help (second update)


    roger golden wheat sheaf¡¯s arrival was a prelude to that of his sister, loria gold wheat ear, but the tulip family had already made all the necessary arrangements.


    the detached castle in birch city would serve as a temporary residence for the bride.


    an earl¡¯s daughter marrying a viscount¡¯s son certainly couldn¡¯t match the scale of a grand duke¡¯s daughter¡¯s wedding. the tulip family¡¯s financial and material resources also couldn¡¯t compare to that of the long taro family, but the festivities would not be lacking.


    as the wedding day approached.


    nobles on good terms with the tulip family began to arrive in droves. among them, the most distinguished were the mesiro couple, bringing along newlyweds cousin meioubao and princess angela.


    tulip castle became increasingly lively, and liszt was so busy he hardly had a moment to rest. he was naturally a member of the groomsmen¡¯s party and also had the responsibility of receiving guests. moreover, he had to endure the harassment from female guests¡ªthere were always bold and spicy noblewomen who admired his looks.


    as a single noble, such harassment was inevitable.


    but these were not the sources of his worry, nor was it the awkwardness of potentially seeing rona sally golden wheat, once romantically ambiguous with him, accompanying the bride back to coral island.


    his real worry was brought on by meioubao.


    or to be precise,


    it was caused by the smoke mission, which made every encounter with his cousin exceptionally awkward, and his heart was a mess of confusion and entanglement, like a bundle of knotted yarn.


    ¡°liszt, liszt?¡± meioubao patted his shoulder, ¡°what are you thinking about? angela is asking you what kind of noblewoman you like. she knows many noblewomen of marriageable age and could help you find a match.¡±


    next to meioubao, princess angela was looking at him with a smile on her face.


    liszt came back to his senses and with a look known only to himself, glanced at the newlywed couple in front of him and laughed, ¡°sorry, i was just thinking that i have two elf bugs that i haven¡¯t had time to place with cordyceps, so i got a bit distracted. by the way, did the grand duke give you a greater elf?¡±


    meioubao responded grumpily, ¡°it¡¯s an oat greater elf, but let¡¯s not talk about greater elves now. we¡¯re discussing what kind of noblewoman you like.¡±


    angela also spoke up, ¡°liszt, you¡¯re different from meioubao and levis; you can¡¯t inherit a peerage. marrying a noblewoman wouldn¡¯t just help with the development of your estate, but also with your advancement in peerage. grandfather said you have great potential, but having a noblewoman as your wife could further ensure the realization of that potential.¡±


    ¡°let¡¯s take it as it comes. i¡¯m still young. for now, i want to focus on my cultivation. i need to build a solid foundation so that in the future i can break free from the shackles of the earth,¡± liszt gave an excuse, ¡°when the day comes that i want to find a noblewoman to expand my family, i will definitely ask for your help, angela.¡±


    seeing the couple so concerned about his marriage, liszt felt even more conflicted inside.


    but soon,


    he decided within his heart to cut through the chaos quickly, forsaking the new smoke mission¡ªjust two days ago, after he contracted the dragon kui bug and venus flytrap worm, he completed the smoke mission.


    ¡°mission completed, reward mutated variety corn grass.¡±


    the reward set his mind racing; a fruit mutation sounded like the corn grass really had mutated into corn cobs. he immediately ordered blair to keep a close watch on the corn grass fields to find the new mutated variety.


    the subsequent updated smoke mission,


    caused him to be conflicted for two whole days.


    ¡°mission: continuation of the bloodline is of utmost importance for a noble family. your older brother, levis, is about to enter into matrimony and spread the family¡¯s branches, but your cousin seems to have encountered some trouble. his marital relations with angela sapphire are not harmonious, and he may need your help. reward: piano scores from meioubao¡¯s collection.¡±


    this time, the smoke mission contained a rich amount of information.


    marital disharmony,


    was understandable,


    but needing his help left liszt puzzled; how could he possibly help with someone else¡¯s marital issues? this was why he was conflicted¡ªif it had been anyone else, given angela¡¯s status and appearance, he wouldn¡¯t have been tormented and would readily have offered his help.


    however, meioubao was his own cousin, and they were close.


    as he grew closer to the moral standards of this world, he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to engage in such scandalous and incestuous behavior, and so he decided to cut through the chaos quickly: ¡°i¡¯ve been studying the piano recently, and meioubao, i remember you have a collection of piano scores. how about giving me one?¡±


    ¡°no problem,¡±


    meioubao agreed immediately.


    this relieved li si te (liszt), grateful that the task reward was merely a piano score, which he could possess to change the mission.


    if the reward had been a little minor elf or information related to fire dragon bones, his sense of morality might have tormented him¡ªthere would be no choice but to feed himself to the tiger.


    ¡­


    the internal conflict unraveled.


    li si te (liszt) returned to his usual indifference, but he couldn¡¯t help thinking that cousin meioubao¡¯s head would inevitably turn green¡ªwithout a harmonious life, problems would arise sooner or later.


    all he could do was wish the long taro family could maintain the purity of their bloodline as much as possible.


    the morning before the wedding day.


    the official fleet of golden island finally docked at coral city port.


    marquis roderick and his spouse, along with the nobles from golden island who had come to attend the wedding and their daughter about to be married, loria golden wheat sheaf, headed for the separate castle in birch city. they would stay overnight in birch city and come to tulip castle tomorrow to attend the wedding.


    as the second son of the tulip family, li si te (liszt) needed to serve as a groomsman.


    the group of groomsmen consisted of familiar faces: cousin rolie pinecone from aunt melinda¡¯s home, the son of viscount trick, aubrey lycra, and three barons¡¯ sons.


    only unmarried men could serve as groomsmen.


    similarly, only unmarried women could serve as bridesmaids.


    rona sally golden wheat, loria¡¯s sister, was among the bridesmaids. there were inevitably face-to-face encounters when they took time to practice the wedding procedures.


    ¡°hi, li si te (liszt),¡±


    ¡°hello, rona sally,¡±


    ¡°i heard from my brother that you have been titled viscount for your military achievements, congratulations.¡± rona sally said with a smile, ¡°you own your own island now, is it a city?¡±


    ¡°black horse island, right next to coral island.¡±


    ¡°that must be a beautiful island.¡±


    ¡°beautiful is yet to be seen, it¡¯s just an undeveloped desert island. i¡¯ve built a small town on it, and then ran out of money to develop it any further.¡±


    ¡°difficulties will always pass, right?¡±


    ¡°exactly.¡±


    then there was no more conversation to follow, and the day ended just like that, with the rehearsal leaving everyone exhausted.


    ¡­


    night.


    inside a guest room at tulip castle, meioubao, having bathed and changed, returned to the bedroom. looking at angela, who was already lying in bed, he couldn¡¯t help feeling exhilarated, ¡°angela, in this new environment, do you feel all fired up? i believe with a bit more effort, we will have our own bundle of love.¡±


    ¡°i look forward to it, bearing an heir for the long taro family is my unshirkable duty,¡± angela replied with a smile, but her eyes showed a hint of an unusual expression.


    they had been trying for almost a month, and there was no sign of any movement in her stomach.


    and she had inquired around¡ªmeioubao, already twenty-five, had many lovers in the past, but he had never impregnated any of them, let alone fathered a child out of wedlock.

 Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Chapter 0455: Praise at the Birthday Banquet (First Update)

    chapter 448: chapter 0455: praise at the birthday banquet (first update)


    there are also elf bugs in the sea, a significant discovery.


    liszt couldn¡¯t help but contemplate how to obtain the ocean¡¯s elf bug resources¡ªhe could swim but not dive, and it was very tough to approach the ocean elf bugs. moreover, transferring cordyceps into the sea was quite troublesome. besides, the cordyceps from the deep sea regions might not adapt to the shallow waters.


    even if the cordyceps could adapt, the marine plants affected by them couldn¡¯t be relocated to coastal waters for cultivation¡ªit would be a futile effort as these were marine plants that required certain habitats.


    the current situation.


    even as an elite earth knight known for consuming potions, he could not conquer the ocean.


    but sea sprite ake could do it, as she was a spirit of the ocean itself. she could easily contract any elf bug in the sea and move the cordyceps at will.


    as for his relationship with ake, liszt was never worried since they had an inseparable bond of kinship.


    if he had to be wary of and distrust even ake, life would be far too exhausting.


    of course.


    for elf bugs that liszt could contract, he still wanted to do it himself: ¡°ake, to manage the elf bugs more easily, from now on, when you find elf bugs in the shallow waters, be careful not to contract them. leave them for me to contract, to fully utilize the elf bugs¡¯ potential.¡±


    ¡°mm, ake understands.¡±


    ¡°also, when you play in the ocean, remember to pay extra attention to the various seaweeds. if you spot elf bugs, you must not let them slip away.¡±


    ¡°mm-hmm.¡±


    since discovering the elf bugs in the ocean, liszt had decided to heavily invest in ake¡¯s development. in the future, he could rule the skies and the earth of his domain, and ake would assist him in dominating the ocean.


    ¡­


    for the earl¡¯s birthday, liszt also gifted a black pearl, though it was only the size of a sea bowl.


    with the discovery of the black tridacna and fen hai luo colonies, black pearls and pink pearls were no longer rare items. in fact, the black pearl, due to its abundant numbers, had significantly depreciated in liszt¡¯s eyes. now, he was only interested in black pearls larger than a basketball.


    because a basketball-sized black pearl, when made into a ¡°calming wind pearl,¡± could disperse all wind attribute magic power within a hundred-meter radius, perfectly sheltering a sea vessel.


    smaller, and it wouldn¡¯t cover a ship sufficiently, naturally decreasing its value.


    hence, aside from giving the levis couple a basketball-sized black pearl for their wedding, he chose to give black pearls of sea bowl size or smaller for other festive gifts.


    even more so, he had decided to recognize the black pearl as a commodity for external sale, to increase his domain¡¯s financial revenue.


    ¡°smaller black pearls and pink pearls can be sold. the pearls capable of making calming wind pearls and calming water pearls must be kept as strategic resources¡­ but the names calming wind pearl and calming water pearl seem a bit lengthy. it might be better to simply call them calming wind pearl and water calming pearl.¡±


    a calming wind pearl and a water calming pearl, along with a dragonbone stabilizer, together composed the calming sea set.


    ¡­


    noon was time for a family banquet.


    so no followers came.


    the earl sat at the head of the table, with lady marie on his right side. lady penelope sat in the middle of the long table, with levis and loria sitting in the center on the other side. next to them was loria¡¯s sister, rona sally, who would spend some time at tulip castle with her sister and was not in a hurry to return.


    li vera and li si te (liszt) sat at the other end of the long table.


    the noble banquet did not have a strict seating arrangement, aside from the host taking the seat of honor and nobles of equal rank sitting at the same table; other than that, there weren¡¯t many particularities. in fact, at a buffet, there weren¡¯t even designated seats¡ªeveryone ate wherever they felt comfortable. after all, everyone was a landlord with only a nominal colleague relationship.


    in most countries, including the duchy of sapphire, there wasn¡¯t centralized power but rather a feudal distribution of territory.


    regardless of the size of the territory, unless it was a relationship between a lord and his followers, there were no entanglements between them; hence there was no need to be too concerned about the disparities in their statuses,


    for instance, marquis roderick of golden island, one of the six marquises of the grand duchy, would be greeted by liszt, but nothing more than a nod was necessary; he owed his allegiance solely to earl li weiliam.


    as liszt attended more banquets,


    he became increasingly accustomed to this system and its rules, gradually shedding his bureaucratic mindset. he wouldn¡¯t go weak at the knees just because the other party was a marquis, nor would he think he could boss someone around just because they were merely an honored knight¡ªthe rights of nobles were confined to their own territories.


    ¡°having been busy with overseas endeavors for many years, birthdays were seldom celebrated, and since lidun¡¯s birth, the family hadn¡¯t added any new tableware.¡±


    the earl raised his glass and said with a smile, ¡°now that levis has married loria, the tulip family¡¯s dining table can finally be adorned with a new set of tableware. my hope is to add a second set as soon as possible. in fact, i wish to have more tableware each year than the year before.¡±


    the second set of tableware naturally meant for levis and loria to hurry and have children.


    even though the monogamy limited the number of nobles¡¯ offspring, the nobles still hoped to have numerous descendants to carry on the family lineage.


    ¡°father, loria and i will work hard to provide the family with more children,¡± levis raised his glass and casually responded.


    ¡°it is your duty, not just to be taken lightly but to be treated as something even more important than seizing glory on the battlefield.¡±


    after advising the levis couple, the earl turned to li vera: ¡°my daughter, you are already twenty years old. you have your own thoughts, and i shall not interfere. however, i hope that you will take action soon, attend more social balls, meet more young nobles, and select a suitable partner.¡±


    ¡°of course, i understand,¡± li vera replied.


    having spoken to li vera, it was then liszt¡¯s turn.


    the earl picked up his glass but pondered for a long time before saying: ¡°liszt, i am quite satisfied with everything about you. you are the son of glory of the tulip family¡ªsteady, smart, brave, with great vision. all the virtues of a knight can be found in you.¡±


    ¡°i am just a bit luckier than others and a bit more thoughtful,¡± liszt said modestly.


    ¡°luck is part of a knight¡¯s strength in itself. let¡¯s drink to that,¡± the earl tilted his head back and finished the wine in his glass.


    liszt also finished the wine in his glass.


    finally, the earl¡¯s gaze fell upon his youngest son lidun and he gave him a series of wishes. as the half-brother of the three siblings from different mothers, lidun had grown up under the protection of the earl and lady marie. gifted and at the age of thirteen this year, he looked set to break through to become an earth knight soon.


    such talent posed a pressure on the three siblings.


    especially levis, who felt the greatest pressure¡ªmany resources of the tulip family were devoted to lidun, which made levis, the legitimate eldest son and heir of the family, quite dissatisfied.


    liszt¡¯s predecessor had once been very jealous of lidun¡¯s talents.


    but the current liszt was rather indifferent to lidun. he harbored a hidden estrangement even towards his full siblings, levis and li vera, let alone lidun, a half-brother. he maintained a relationship where they did not encroach on each other¡¯s affairs.


    he neither suppressed nor paid much attention to him.


    his gaze was fixed on the vast future, with no place for lidun in his vision.

 Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: Chapter 0446: The Dawn of Glass Making (Second Release)

    Chapter 449: Chapter 0446: The Dawn of Glass Making (Second Release)


    At the Earl¡¯s birthday party, the most unexpected thing for Li Si Te was the restoration of a tepid relationship with Rona Sally Golden Wheat.


    Perhaps this is the instinctive way of behaving for nobles, passions having faded, returning to their respective life tracks.


    Without interference with each other.


    Apart from some reflections, he didn¡¯t have many other thoughts, and took a short rest in the afternoon before returning to Fresh Flower Town. With myriad duties on his land, the absence of its backbone always instilled unease. However, upon returning to his territory, he found no urgent matters awaiting him.


    So he went straight to the Burial Ground on Black Horse Island to extract Fire Dragon Magic Power.


    Filling Fire Dragon Bones with magic power could be helped by his knights, but extracting Fire Dragon Magic Power and infusing it into Fire Dragon Jars had to be done by him alone, as only he possessed the Dou Qi Secret Technique¡±The Eye of Magic¡±. Once he became skilled at the craft, the speed at which he could fill jars with Fire Dragon Magic Power increased.


    He could extract about four tons of Volcanic Glass a day, filling nearly eight Fire Dragon Jars.


    After extracting the Fire Dragon Magic Power, the Volcanic Glass was immediately sent to the newly built Crystal Workshop in the port town, where the crystal craftsman Brad carved vessels.


    Volcanic Glass is not as hard as crystal, but it is much harder than glass, and its translucency is not bad, making it suitable for making glass vessels. Water glasses, wine glasses, tea cups, teapots, wine bottles, glassware, test tubes, and small bottles for storing Magic Potions¡ªall these vessels were not for sale.


    The reason is simple: Volcanic Glass has a blocking effect on Fire Dragon Magic Power, which led him to guess that this material might also block other dragons¡¯ magic power.


    Then its value would be incalculable.


    In his spare time, Li Si Te also went to the Smithy to fetch a blacksmith¡¯s furnace, bellows, and charcoal for high-temperature experiments¡ªas he remembered, glass could be melted and blown repeatedly.


    So he wanted to melt down the remnants produced when Brad carved the Volcanic Glass to reuse them by shaping into other forms.


    Charcoal burned in the blacksmith¡¯s furnace, with servants continuously pumping the bellows to stoke the coals into a roaring flame. The Volcanic Glass was placed inside the furnace in an iron container and heated¡ªhe was not sure about the melting point or softening point of glass, but if it was higher than that of iron, the experiment would certainly fail.


    Fortunately, the Volcanic Glass began to melt as soon as the iron container started to glow red.


    It quickly melted into a bright, soft substance.


    Li Si Te instructed the servant operating the furnace to pour this mass of Volcanic Glass onto another red-hot iron plate. He then had one of the Retainer Knights insert an iron tube into the soft glass and blow hard. The knight had strong lungs, and with a gentle blow, the soft glass began to expand.


    Once it expanded into a sphere shape, Li Si Te asked him to stop and pull out the iron tube.


    After slightly processing the bottle¡¯s mouth, an ugly glass bottle was freshly made. Then a master from the Fire Dragon Brick Factory came to help complete the annealing process¡ªannealing was a technique discovered by the workers of Fire Dragon Brick Factory, who had used water spraying after brick firing for faster cooling in the past.


    However, bricks splashed with water tended to shatter.


    Encouraged by the rewards from Lord Landlord, the workers, after much trial and error, found the proper annealing procedure, greatly reducing the fragility of the fired products. Ten workers were awarded ten silver coins each for this discovery and became the first masters of the Fire Dragon Brick Factory.


    They were upgraded from mere workers to qualified craftsmen.


    Since Volcanic Glass was a new product, the master did not know the appropriate temperature for annealing and had to explore slowly. After the cooling of the Volcanic Glass, he took the initiative to report to Li Si Te, ¡°Lord Landlord, there is something I wonder if you¡¯d like to know.¡±


    ¡°Speak,¡± Li Si Te always encouraged his people to discover new things.


    The Master Craftsman was not old, around twenty years of age, and his name was Atest, a serf from the Eagle Kingdom: ¡°You know that the Fire Dragon Brick Factory is always looking for new materials to calcine. Once, a serf from the Thorn Caravan brought a kind of yellowish-white rock that felt a bit transparent when held up to the light.¡±


    Seeing that Liszt was listening earnestly.


    Atest said, both nervous and hopeful, ¡°So I threw this type of rock into the kiln to calcine, but it was very strange, it melted into a puddle very quickly, and when I took it out, it had changed into something else¡­ just like, just like the volcanic glass you asked me to anneal, only much cloudier.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyebrows raised: ¡°Like volcanic glass?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was also soft and soon solidified, and it was somewhat transparent. I showed it to the master craftsmen at the brick factory, and nobody could figure out what use it had, and it broke apart quite soon after, so we assessed it was not suitable for calcination and abandoned this type of rock,¡± Atest explained.


    His words greatly stirred Liszt.


    If he was not mistaken, the substance that Atest had calcined was the glass he had long anticipated¡ªprimitive glass made from quartz.


    The stone brought by the serf from the Thorn Caravan was definitely the raw material for glass¡ªquartz.


    Liszt had once searched for quartz and had tried calcining all sorts of stones and soil from his territory in the kilns of the Fire Dragon Brick Factory, but never succeeded in making glass.


    He vaguely remembered that seaside sand could be used to make glass, but the results had been disappointing; glass did not emerge from the sand after calcination.


    The beach¡¯s sand here seemed to be the remains of ancient coral reefs weathered over time.


    Unexpectedly, the rock brought from foreign lands could potentially be quartz ore, and Liszt immediately issued an order for Goltai to take charge: ¡°Consultant Goltai, what you need to do is to purchase a batch of the type of rock mentioned by Atest, then cooperate with the forging glass experiment. Remember confidentiality.¡±


    ¡°Lord, can this kind of stone really be calcined into glass, just like the cups you made from volcanic glass?¡± Goltai was very skeptical.


    ¡°Whether it is or isn¡¯t, we will decide after the experiment.¡±


    ¡­


    The potential discovery of quartz filled Liszt with great joy; he could already imagine how glass, as the specialty of Black Horse Island, would amass fortune in the future.


    In an era where crystals were expensive, minor nobles would definitely find it hard to resist the allure of glassware.


    Of course.


    Before confirming that the rock was indeed quartz, Liszt did not get carried away. He continued his volcanic glass experiment¡ªhe needed to verify that the volcanic glass, once recalcined, still had the effect of blocking the magic power of the Fire Dragon.


    The Dragonfire Syringe drew a little bit of Fire Dragon Magic Power.


    Injected into the new ¡°Fire Dragon Bottle,¡± he quickly found that the Fire Dragon Magic Power still assumed a Magic Form, flowing quietly within the Fire Dragon Bottle without any leak. This proved that the volcanic glass¡¯s ability to block the magic power of dragons did not change with the melting and reshaping process.


    ¡°So it seems the volcanic glass from Black Horse Island indeed has significant strategic value and is very likely to help me subdue dragons, thereby achieving the great endeavor of Dragon Riding,¡± he thought to himself, pleased.

 Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: Chapter 0448: Collapsed Sinkhole at the Burial Ground (First Update)

    Chapter 451: Chapter 0448: Collapsed Sinkhole at the Burial Ground (First Update)


    September 21.


    It had been nine days since Levis¡¯s wedding.


    After extracting all the Fire Dragon Magic Power on Black Horse Island, Liszt took a ship back to Fresh Flower Town, preparing to spend a leisurely life in Fresh Flower Town.


    It was mostly to prepare for the upcoming Pioneer Mandate¡ªsoon after the Earl¡¯s birthday, he would head to The Court to attend the Grand Duke¡¯s followers meeting to officially discuss this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate.


    The footsteps of war were approaching.


    Liszt, who had already decided to go to battle for the second time, was not nervous, only excited. He was excited for the impending military achievements, for setting foot in new lands, and for the plunder of population and resources. It was hard to imagine that he, who once loved peace, would become someone yearning for war.


    Perhaps he was also scared of poverty.


    Not long after returning to Fresh Flower Town, a knight from Tulip Castle galloped over and delivered a package. The package, which had been sent from Red Crab Island, contained several piano scores¡ªMeioubao had indeed sent his treasured piano scores that he had collected over the years to Liszt, along with a book on his own experience of playing the piano.


    When he received the piano scores,


    the Smoke Mission also immediately changed.


    ¡°The mission has changed.¡±


    As expected, after receiving the reward in advance, the Smoke Mission automatically changed.


    The new Serpent Script quickly coalesced, ¡°Mission: The craftsman Atest from the Fire Dragon Brick Factory has revealed clues to quartz mines, showing you a glimmer of hope in glassmaking. Please explore how quartz mines can be used to make glass, and successfully craft an ordinary glass product. Reward: Collapsed Sinkhole.¡±


    ¡°Collapsed Sinkhole?¡±


    ¡°What kind of reward is this?¡±


    Liszt looked at the Smoke Serpent Script¡¯s reward content, puzzled. It seemed that a sinkhole was about to collapse and reveal itself in a corner of his domain.


    Speaking of sinkholes.


    There are many sinkholes on Earth, often appearing very mysterious. Liszt had watched a documentary where they talked about the formation of sinkholes, usually related to underground rivers. In karst areas, the underground rivers continuously erode the surface to form caves, and after multiple collapses of the cave ceiling, sinkholes form.


    ¡°It seems that Fresh Flower Town has no connection to karst landforms, and Black Horse Island is irrelevant to karst landforms as well¡­¡± Liszt¡¯s geographic knowledge was not good¡ªhe only knew that karst landforms, also known as karst topography, are related to caves, underground rivers, stalactites, and sinkholes.


    But these landforms were not present on Coral Island or Black Horse Island.


    So he couldn¡¯t figure out how this Collapsed Sinkhole was going to appear on his land, and he could only wait. Fortunately, the wait was not long. The Thorn Caravan had already brought in a large number of yellow-white stones¡ªthese stones came from the Viscount Jonas¡¯s territory of Serpent Spear City.


    There was a low hill around Serpent Spear City, all made of this kind of stone.


    Whether or not it was quartz, a test would tell.


    Liszt, having nothing else to do at the time, went back to Black Horse Island by ship and observed the workers at the Fire Dragon Brick Factory burning these stones. Through the Eye of Magic¡¯s vision, the Magic Little Fire Dragon continuously blasted onto the stones, quickly burning away the impurities within them.


    Then the remaining part began to soften and melt, eventually forming blobs of liquid resembling sunlight.


    Calling it a liquid wasn¡¯t quite accurate; it was a soft semi-fluid, like a piece of play-dough.


    ¡°When the temperature is not too high, this kind of stone only softens, then melts, and finally becomes a true liquid,¡± Atest explained. ¡°However, liquid isn¡¯t suitable for blowing glass objects, so we start blowing them when they become soft.¡±


    They had already been using volcanic glass, painstakingly forging the craft of glassblowing.


    Seeing the stones melt into a fiery mass, they immediately scooped out this semi-fluid, inserted it into an iron pipe, and began to blow air into it. They even used special high-temperature-resistant beast skin gloves to knead the glowing mass of molten glass¡ªa world filled with magic power often imparted unique properties to many materials.


    The gloves that Liszt distributed to the craftsmen were made from the hide of a magical beast, able to withstand temperatures of several hundred degrees.


    Originally they were intended to prevent burns during brick firing, but now they were being used to make glass.


    As the craftsmen kneaded and worked the material, the blob that had initially been blown into a ball gradually turned into a cylindrical jar. With the help of a bellows to blow and cool it down, a glass jar with some colorful patterns quickly came into being¡ªnot entirely pure, but very clear.


    ¡°Indeed, this ore is quartz, capable of being made into glass¡­ The quality isn¡¯t very high; both the craftsmanship and the raw materials need to be improved.¡±


    The glass jars were uneven in thickness, asymmetrical in shape, and their colors were messy, and even their hardness could not be guaranteed.


    Liszt only played with a glass jar for a little while before accidentally breaking it, probably due to uneven stress distribution during cooling.


    Regardless.


    Glass had been born in his hands, and that exquisite clarity was sure to set off a trend in this world, bringing a steady stream of wealth to the territory¡ªbut before selling glass products abroad, they would need further improvements in the process and mass training of the workers.


    The process of making a finished glass product was complicated, and relying on just the few craftsmen from the Fire Dragon Brick Factory was severely insufficient.


    Just as he was about to personally blow a presentable glass piece, a Retainer Knight hurried over to report, ¡°My lord, an accident has occurred at the Burial Ground; serfs were stacking volcanic glass ore when the ground in the centre of those five large bones suddenly collapsed, revealing a huge pit. Four serfs have fallen into the hole.¡±


    ¡°A pit?¡±


    Liszt had to interrupt his plan to blow glass himself and head to the Burial Ground. He had already understood that this was a reward from the Smoke Mission¡ªthe Collapsed Sinkhole.


    On the way, he summoned the Smoke Mission: ¡°Complete the mission, reward Collapsed Sinkhole.¡±


    Then, a new mission was released.


    ¡°Mission: The Collapsed Sinkhole has exposed the bases of five reviving Dragon Bones, and something seems to be brewing. As a member of the Magic Goat Family, Virginia Truth may have the clues you need. Reward: A fire seed composed of magic power.¡±


    ¡°The Collapsed Sinkhole exposes the bases of five Dragon Bones, it seems that this is another part of a series of connected missions about Fire Dragons. Virginia Truth¡­ I¡¯ll ask her later. But what is this reward, a fire seed composed of magic power? What does it mean, or what is it?¡±


    In the midst of his thoughts.


    He had arrived at the Burial Ground.


    Many people were gathered around the five Fire Dragon Bones, discussing animatedly. When they saw Liszt arrive, the official overseeing the work immediately dispersed the serfs and welcomed Liszt.


    ¡°What happened, what¡¯s down in the pit? Have the fallen serfs been rescued?¡± Liszt asked as he walked.


    ¡°My lord, four serfs fell down; three are dead, only Sean is still alive. But his leg is broken, and he lies on a pile of stones at the bottom of the pit. We are looking for ropes to get him out. As for what¡¯s down there, we¡¯re not yet sure, the pit is very dark.¡±


    Soon.


    Approaching the edge of the Collapsed Sinkhole, Liszt looked carefully¡ªthe opening was not very large, at most a hundred square meters in a circle.


    Standing at the edge of the hole and peering down, it was pitch black and hard to see, but he could hear the serfs¡¯ cries and Sean¡¯s moaning from below.

 Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: Chapter 0449: Dragon Bone Magic Array (Second Update)

    Chapter 452: Chapter 0449: Dragon Bone Magic Array (Second Update)


    While waiting for the rope, Liszt carefully inquired about the situation at the bottom of the collapsed sinkhole from the serf Sean.


    Serf Sean had already grown accustomed to the dark environment, claiming that the bottom of the pit was spacious without any underground rivers and seemed to have large pillars around it.


    There were no wild beasts or poisonous gases.


    From Liszt¡¯s visual estimate, the bottom of the pit was about thirty meters deep; because the sun could not shine directly, the light was very dim. It didn¡¯t take long for someone to bring the rope, and after piecing it together, it was finally long enough to reach the bottom of the pit. Two retainer knights were sent down first, carrying crystal lamps.


    By the time they hauled up the serf Sean, tethered to the rope, the two retainer knights had already reported back about the bottom of the pit, ¡°My lord, the pit is strange, with many passages that lead outward in all directions. At the bottom of this hole, there seem to be the lower halves of five big bones, sticking into the hole.¡±


    Danger ruled out.


    Unable to hear the retainer knights¡¯ description clearly, Liszt personally went down to investigate.


    Upon reaching the sinkhole¡¯s bottom, with the aid of the light from the crystal lamps, he finally saw the pit¡¯s structure¡ªa typical lava cave and tunnel formation, with a massive cavern at the bottom surrounded by countless tunnels leading deeper underground. At the top of the cavern, five fire dragon bones were embedded.


    These five fire dragon bones formed an irregular bladed shape on the surface above.


    Liszt had thought that dragon bones were straight, but the bones piercing into the cavern delineated the complete shape of the dragon skeleton¡ªthe structure of curved ribs.


    ¡°These five dragon bones must be the ribs of a fire dragon, and the tips of the ribs seem to point towards a central point, the distance between them is more or less the same, about ten meters apart on average,¡± he surmised.


    He moved around the cavern, walking to the middle of where the tips of the five dragon bones converged.


    The Eye of Magic revealed no trace of magic power, ¡°Where went the fire dragon magic power I infused before? Could it be stored within the dragon bones?¡±


    He touched the dragon bone.


    The dragon bones in the cavern seemed ¡°fresher¡± than those on the surface, more like bone than rock. With no clear idea in hand, he began to explore the surrounding lava tunnels. However, these tunnels were impassable, becoming narrower and narrower until they closed off.


    ¡°It feels as if Black Horse Island¡¯s original volcano specifically created this cavern during an eruption of magma.¡±


    He returned to the center of the cavern and instructed the two retainer knights to leave, ¡°Return to the surface and disperse all the onlookers around here, seal off the Burial Ground. I want to continue my research down here for a while.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    The retainer knights left.


    Liszt quickly took out the soul storage vessel and poured out the soul state of Virginia Truth.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve had a long nap¡­ Hello, Viscount Liszt, I am pleased to meet you again,¡± Virginia stretched and greeted before realizing she wasn¡¯t in the library, ¡°Huh, where is this, a cavern underground? And what are those five pillars?¡±


    She squinted her eyes.


    In his heart, Liszt was weighing his options. Following the instructions of the Smoke Mission, Virginia seemed to hold clues about the dragon, and he didn¡¯t know whether he should share the secrets of the fire dragon bones with her.


    After a moment, he decided to reveal the truth.


    After all, Virginia was completely under his control, ¡°Virginia, what you see are not mere stone pillars, but the remnants of fire dragon bones.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Virginia exclaimed in surprise, ¡°The remnants of fire dragon bones?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is a secret I have discovered. Countless years ago, a fire dragon fell here, and its carcass decayed, leaving only these five bones. They form a formation that seems to contain a special power. Do you have any insights or ideas on this?¡±


    ¡°I have too little information, Viscount Liszt. Would you be able to help me examine these dragon bones closely?¡±


    ¡°What do you wish to observe?¡±


    Virginia, in the form of smoke and light, slowly entwined one of the dragon bones, trying to touch it, but was unable to: ¡°I want to know if these dragon bones still retain the Fire Dragon¡¯s magic power. My family¡¯s generations of magicians all like to study dragons and dragon beasts, and they believe that dragons do not decay.¡±


    ¡°But this Fire Dragon has clearly decayed, leaving only five bones behind, probably five ribs that still exist.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe, the dragon has laid down the secret of reincarnation?¡± Virginia shook her head and said, ¡°Some believe that the Valley of Dragons is where dragons die and become reborn, where they complete a cycle of reincarnation¡­ But I don¡¯t know what dragons that die outside of the Valley of Dragons are like.¡±


    Reincarnation¡­


    Liszt wanted to reject this notion, but in his heart, he was very eager¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be wonderful for the Fire Dragon to reincarnate as a Little Fire Dragon after its death?


    ¡°So, do you think these five dragon bones are the¡­props for the Fire Dragon¡¯s prepared reincarnation?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just speculation.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Liszt turned and walked to the entrance of the pit, calling out, ¡°Philip, has the Burial Ground been cleared of all unrelated personnel?¡±


    ¡°They have all been expelled, sir.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s any commotion next, you don¡¯t need to be alarmed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    After giving instructions to his Retainer Knights, he took out a Bone Hammer and began to strike the dragon bone. With the rhythm of the hammering, blood-red magic power patterns quickly flashed across the surface of the dragon bone as seen through the Eye of Magic. In normal vision, the dragon bones didn¡¯t change much, but any Knight or Magician would likely sense the magic power rippling over them.


    Although Virginia was in a soul state, she could still feel the presence of magic power. She looked at the dragon bones in amazement, closely examining the position of the five dragon bones.


    Something seemed to stir in her gaze.


    ¡°How about it, Virginia, do you see anything?¡± Liszt had been watching her expression and asked at the first moment.


    ¡°Viscount Liszt, I don¡¯t know if my speculation is correct, but I feel that these five dragon bones seem to be arranged into a magic array.¡±


    ¡°Magic array?¡±


    ¡°Magicians need great talent to practice, and our Magic Goat Family cannot produce a genius every generation. But the reason we can pass on the magic through generations relies more on using a special magic power convergence magic array to assist mediocre apprentices in learning magic¡­ I became a magician by relying on this convergence of magic power.¡±


    In her life, Virginia was just an ordinary magician.


    Her talent was average, understandable.


    Liszt asked, ¡°Then, what kind of magic array are these five dragon bones arranged into?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the magic power convergence magic array I mentioned. Its principle is somewhat similar, but I don¡¯t know the specific situation as I can no longer observe the arrangement of runes within the magic array. I speculate that the part of the dragon bone exposed on the ground surface can absorb free-floating magic power, and then converge it together through the dragon bones inside the pit.¡±


    ¡°Can it be started again?¡±


    ¡°Based on the information you¡¯ve provided, the dragon bones have existed for thousands or tens of thousands of years, and they probably lost the possibility of starting long ago. However, the emergence of magic power on the surface of the dragon bone just now proves that it still has a trace of vitality. Perhaps one day, it can indeed gather enough magic power to once again coalesce into a Fire Dragon.¡±


    Can dragons reincarnate? It¡¯s hard to say.


    Are dragons made of magic power? Difficult to ascertain.


    Can the dragon bone magic array still be used? There¡¯s no guarantee.


    But Liszt, trusting his belief in the Smoke Mission, felt he should try once more: ¡°I have collected a great deal of Fire Dragon Magic Power; perhaps, I should pour it all into the dragon bones, allowing them to converge and incubate¡­ In case of failure, I shall find a way to shatter the dragon bones and reclaim the Fire Dragon Magic Power!¡±

 Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: Chapter 0451: Facing the Fire Dragons Head (First Update)

    Chapter 454: Chapter 0451: Facing the Fire Dragon¡¯s Head (First Update)


    ¡°`


    The flames blazed furiously.


    Liszt awoke from a coma and shockingly found himself in an underground lava cave, standing on a stone floating in the magma.


    The scorching temperature made him sweat profusely.


    The bubbling magma combined with the endless flames gave him a sense of falling into the abyss of hell. He tried to circulate his Dou Qi within his body to resist the hot air, but he couldn¡¯t muster any strength. Even the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword on his back couldn¡¯t be drawn.


    ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s heart raced with panic, his head buzzing and blank.


    Just then, the flames in front of him parted, and a huge head emerged from the fire.


    It was as big as a room, with reddish-brown skin stained with clumps of flames, shaped like a triangle and sporting five curved horns. The scales were clearly visible, and there were a pair of eyes flickering with golden flames, along with a slightly open mouth gaping wide.


    Sharp teeth lined up in rows, and although the tongue couldn¡¯t be seen, flames could be observed flickering within.


    This head remained less than ten meters in front of Liszt, the golden flames in its eyes almost humanely sizing him up.


    The neck and everything below it were engulfed in flames, obscuring them from sight.


    But Liszt recognized it at a glance; it was a dragon¡¯s head ¡ª the head of a Fire Dragon.


    At first glance it was ugly and fierce, but a closer look revealed rhythm in every line, filled with an unusual beauty of power that no other creature possessed.


    It could only be found on a dragon.


    Shivering was not enough to describe Liszt¡¯s emotion at that moment. Facing the Fire Dragon¡¯s head, all he wanted was to turn around and escape, far from his usual ambitions of Dragon Riding. But at the critical moment, his legs weakened, unable to move as if he¡¯d been hit with a paralyzing spell, or as though his legs weren¡¯t his own.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    He was extremely frightened.


    Apart from the Dragon Knights and Archmages, perhaps nobody could overcome fear when facing a dragon. However, apart from fear, his mind was more blank, and his thoughts weren¡¯t working flexibly. He didn¡¯t feel the pressure of the Dragon Might, but his body reacted just like those animals paralyzed by fear.


    The dragon¡¯s head just stared at him.


    And he just stood there on the stone, too scared to move.


    The surrounding flames continued to burn, and the magma still bubbled.


    But soon.


    Liszt¡¯s mind gradually cleared, and he began to remember he had woken up from a coma. But the place he had passed out was not here; it was in a¡­ Collapsed Sinkhole.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°I activated the Dragon Bone Magic Array, condensed a Magic Fire Seed made of magic power, and then¡­ then the fire seed burrowed into my body, went to the position of my heart¡­ It seemed to have burned away my heart. That¡¯s not right, am I dead or alive right now?¡±


    His thoughts were still a bit chaotic.


    But as he took a few deep breaths and carefully sorted through the fleeting thoughts, he finally pieced together the current situation, ¡°Either I¡¯m dead, and this is a posthumous scene from hell; or the Magic Fire Seed triggered a volcanic eruption, filling up the Collapsed Sinkhole; or¡­ all of this is just a hallucination while I¡¯m in a coma, affected by the Magic Fire Seed!¡±


    After death.


    Without surprises, one would probably be left with nothing, only in rare cases might one become a soul. This world doesn¡¯t have the concept of hell; a soul either exists as Virginia does or goes to the Exiled Lands.


    Therefore, the current scene doesn¡¯t match any posthumous visuals.


    As for a Magic Fire Seed triggering a volcanic eruption and even bringing forth a Fire Dragon, it¡¯s even more illogical. Black Horse Island is indeed a volcanic island, but the volcano has been dead for who knows how many years, and the Fire Dragon has long been reduced to a few remains. It makes no sense for such a massive Fire Dragon to be reborn.


    ¡°So the current scene is just a dream sequence while I¡¯m in a coma?¡± With this thought, Liszt suddenly felt the fear that had been binding him dissipate abruptly.


    He regained control over his body.


    ¡°`


    He stood up straight.


    He drew out the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, and with a piercing voice, said to the still glaring Fire Dragon¡¯s head, ¡°So you are the projection of the Magic Fire Seed! It¡¯s a strange state; my body is still unconscious, yet my mind exists in such a vivid environment. Even this phantom body feels so real.¡±


    The Fire Dragon¡¯s head swayed slightly, its golden fiery eyes flickering with a dangerous light.


    Its mouth gradually opened, revealing flames as hot as the sun brewing within, seemingly ready at any moment to unleash the Dragon Breath and reduce Liszt to ashes.


    But Liszt felt no fear.


    From another aspect, he confirmed his speculation¡ªthe Fire Dragon lacked any Dragon Might; it was merely a facade. He had personally experienced the Dragon Might of the Formless Dragon, that overwhelming force that made his scalp tingle and left him breathless, an unforgettable memory. The Fire Dragon before him, however, lacked this trait.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Fire Dragon did not release its Dragon Breath, instead, it let out a shrill, peculiar dragon roar that was indescribable.


    Liszt did not cover his ears but raised the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, ready for any impending danger.


    Even having guessed that he was in a dream affected by the Magic Fire Seed, he remained cautious; to not leave meant danger could strike at any time.


    Fortunately,


    the danger did not materialize.


    After the roar, the eyes of the Fire Dragon¡¯s head reflected a vibrant, indescribable meaning. Then, it slowly retracted back into the flames and vanished without a trace. Following that, the surrounding flames began to die down, the molten rock around him dulled, and everything suddenly plunged into darkness.


    The high temperature disappeared.


    Liszt felt waves of exhaustion wash over him, and he closed his eyes, dozing off.


    ¡­


    Hunger.


    An immense hunger.


    There was an irresistible urge to eat anything, even himself, to relieve the hunger.


    Liszt abruptly opened his eyes, awakened by the driving hunger, his mind foggy with nothing but thoughts of food. He resisted the growling protest from his stomach and looked around.


    A Crystal Lamp cast a faint light, barely illuminating his surroundings.


    He was still in the cavern of the Collapsed Sinkhole.


    Only, the five Dragon Bones that had originally pierced through were now gone, leaving behind five passages leading up to the surface, with faint light seeping in.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    He let out a long breath of relief, ¡°It was indeed just a dream, a dream influenced by the Magic Fire Seed¡­ I¡¯m so hungry, I can¡¯t stand it, I need to eat something!¡±


    Unable to wait, he took out Magical Beast Meat and Dragon Breed Milk from the Gemstone Space and started devouring them wildly, both eating and drinking voraciously.


    It took him about five pounds of Magical Beast Meat and three large cups of Dragon Breed Milk before the hunger finally started to recede and his mind became completely clear.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened to me? The amount I¡¯ve just consumed is probably equivalent to my usual food intake for two meals.¡± He rubbed his swollen stomach, surprised.


    His appetite was naturally large; he usually ate in one meal what others did in two or three.


    After all, the Dou Qi generated by a Knight required transformation from the food consumed. Even though his practice of the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡°Breath Decay¡± had some success in effectively controlling the loss of Dou Qi, his appetite remained large. However, he paid close attention to eating healthily and rarely overindulged.


    He tried to increase the number of meals rather than eating too much at one time.


    Rarely did he experience such pangs of hunger: ¡°How many days have I been unconscious to be this hungry¡­ Right, why haven¡¯t my Retainer Knights come to rescue me after being unconscious for so long? And what about that seed of Magic Fire that entered my body!¡±

 Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: Chapter 0452: Fire Dragon Chain Quest (Second Update)

    Chapter 455: Chapter 0452: Fire Dragon Chain Quest (Second Update)


    Thinking of the Magic Fire Seed.


    His chest suddenly grew hot, and he could clearly feel that something had been added to the position of his heart. He exerted his inner Dou Qi to the fullest, attempting to guide this thing at his heart out, but after several attempts, all ended in failure.


    The Magic Fire Seed just like that lodged itself in his heart and was not prepared to leave.


    Liszt¡¯s expression was grave.


    His body had been invaded by the Magic Fire Seed, and although he had regained consciousness from the coma, it obviously did not put his mind at ease, ¡°What exactly have I smashed open? Can this Magic Fire Seed really hatch a Little Fire Dragon? It¡¯s in my heart, does it have any negative effects?¡±


    Unable to drive it away, Liszt could only try to console himself.


    He quickly summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward one Magic Fire Seed.¡±


    The mission was already completed, and the Magic Fire Seed indeed was the reward from the Smoke Mission, just that the method of reward was somewhat unexpected.


    ¡°If it is obtained through the guidance of the Smoke Mission, the Magic Fire Seed should not cause harm to my body, right?¡± Liszt pondered in his heart.


    Thus far, the rewards from the Smoke Missions have all been beneficial, without any adverse effects.


    It can be seen, then, that the Magic Fire Seed is also a benefit, it¡¯s just that how to utilize this benefit is something he currently cannot comprehend.


    In a moment.


    The smoke transformed into new Serpent Script.


    ¡°Mission: The Magic Fire Seed has been obtained, the most valuable existence on Black Horse Island has been acquired by you, the Collapsed Sinkhole has become a huge hidden danger on your territory, liable to collapse at any moment, and threatening the safety of your subjects, please resolve the safety hazard of the Collapsed Sinkhole. Reward: The restlessness of Rubber Bugs.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    Upon seeing the new mission, Liszt¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°The Magic Fire Seed is the most valuable existence on Black Horse Island, so it could really be connected to the Fire Dragon. Just as Virginia said, it¡¯s the key to the Fire Dragon¡¯s cycle of reincarnation¡­ Does that mean that inside my body, there might live a Fire Dragon that will one day come to be?¡±


    The thought alone was very exciting.


    But after the initial thrill had subsided.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache, ¡°Just to condense a Magic Fire Seed took such a great cost, nearly half of Black Horse Island¡¯s Volcanic Glass Ore had to be mined, just barely gathering enough Fire Dragon Magic Power required. Additionally, a special soul item from the Ghost Ship was used.


    If he was to nurture the Fire Dragon to life.


    He might have massive expenses awaiting him afterward.


    ¡°Strictly speaking, the Magic Fire Seed should only be one link in the ¡®Fire Dragon Chain Mission¡¯, let me calculate it.¡± Standing in the pit, Liszt was not in a hurry to leave.


    He began to tally the Smoke Missions he had completed.


    Including the completed and changed ones, a total of eighty-three missions in one and a half years.


    Among them, the missions related to the Fire Dragon, started with the thirty-sixth mission¡ªrelocating one hundred serfs to settle on Black Horse Island, reward five Decaying Dragon Bones.


    Next was the thirty-eighth mission¡ªraising over a thousand chickens in Fresh Flower Town, reward a Fire Attribute Condensation Core Vein, also known as Volcanic Glass.


    Then came the seventy-first mission¡ªwaiting for the Iron Hoof Island battle to end, reward the revival of Decaying Dragon Bones.


    After that, the seventy-seventh mission¡ªmine 10 tons of Volcanic Glass, reward the restlessness of Rubber Bugs.


    The seventy-eighth mission¡ªinfuse Fire Dragon Magic Power into Dragon Bones, reward Pink Pearls from Fen Hai Luo.


    The eighty-second mission¡ªproduce glass products, reward the Collapsed Sinkhole.


    The eighty-third mission¡ªsecure a clue from Virginia Truth, reward the Magic Fire Seed.


    These seven missions are all related to the Fire Dragon, either in content or in rewards, and can generally be considered as part of the interconnected Fire Dragon quests.


    If one were to seriously investigate,


    further quests could probably be linked to the Fire Dragon, like the several related to Virginia.


    The twenty-seventh quest ¡ª Discover the reason behind the coldness of the sunken wreck, reward: Dragonbone Stabilizer, which hid a 36D Ghost.


    The fifty-seventh quest ¡ª Collect the Black Pearls of the Coral Reef, with the reward being a Soul Storage Vessel, allowing the 36D Ghost to successfully regain its memory, becoming Virginia Truth.


    The sixty-fifth quest ¡ª Set foot on Iron Hoof Island, reward: the awakening of Virginia.


    So many tasks, obviously not existing in isolation, with many interlinked with other chain quests, forming complex Threads of Destiny. If Liszt had not mastered the Smoke Mission, gaining the golden finger to manipulate the Threads of Destiny, he would have likely missed many rewards.


    It was precisely the pull of the Threads of Destiny that made a reward, seemingly unrelated at first, gradually accumulate, eventually leading to a greater reward.


    A Fire Dragon!


    ¡°I am definitely undertaking the interconnected Fire Dragon quests, it¡¯s just that there are many steps, and I can¡¯t complete them all in one go. Now, the eighty-fourth Smoke Mission, the reward has changed to the restlessness of the Rubber Bug¡­ which means, this Magic Fire Seed will probably have to stay inside me a bit longer.¡±


    Calm contemplation,


    helped him soothe his restless emotions.


    Since it has come to this, as long as the Magic Fire Seed isn¡¯t causing harm, he would let it reside in his heart. In the future, he would slowly figure out how to interact with the Magic Fire Seed, or wait for a new Fire Dragon chain quest to emerge to resolve the issue with the Magic Fire Seed.


    He pulled on the dangling rope.


    And shouted upwards towards the Collapsed Sinkhole, ¡°Philip, Zavier!¡±


    ¡°My lord, we are here!¡± the voices of the Retainer Knights came from the opening, they had been guarding the Burial Ground all this while.


    ¡°Pull me up.¡±


    Back on the surface, after making inquiries, he realized that he hadn¡¯t stayed too long in the pit, which meant he was unconscious for about a quarter of an hour.


    A quarter of an hour, starving to the point of dizziness, even considering devouring himself.


    Clearly, it was the doing of the Magic Fire Seed.


    Fortunately, it was just hunger, with no other changes to the body, and his Dou Qi was functioning as usual.


    ¡°Lord, how is the situation at the Burial Ground?¡± Marcus, who had come from the training grounds, asked. The five iconic bones once at the Burial Ground had vanished, leading anyone to wonder.


    ¡°It seems that the bones have decayed, triggering a collapse of the surface, leaving nothing inside the sinkhole,¡± Liszt said casually, ¡°What needs to be done now is to fill the sinkhole to prevent further collapses that could endanger the safety of the citizens in the territory. Three deaths and one injury have already caused significant loss.¡±


    Every serf in the territory is an important labor force.


    Apart from death due to age or illness¡ªforces beyond control¡ªLiszt hoped to minimize other casualties.


    ¡°We could transport rocks produced by the Blizzard Beast to fill in this sinkhole,¡± Administrative Officer Blair suggested.


    Training the Blizzard Beast was also taking place nearby, where every session ended with a large number of rocks left behind from the unleashed Rock Spikes.


    After some thought, Liszt said, ¡°The terrain of the Burial Ground isn¡¯t high, it¡¯s quite low-lying, and the absence of accumulated water in the past was actually a bit abnormal. You can fill it halfway with rocks and sand, then the other half should be somehow filled with fresh water, for farming or grazing, we¡¯ll need fresh water.¡±


    He guessed the absence of water in the sinkhole was probably related to the Fire Dragon Bones, which had evaporated all accumulated water.


    Now that the bones had decayed, it might be possible to retain water.


    Blair nodded, ¡°Lord, there isn¡¯t an abundance of fresh water on the island, perhaps we can hope for a heavy rain.¡±

 Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Chapter 0454: The Secret of the Seed (First Update)

    Chapter 457: Chapter 0454: The Secret of the Seed (First Update)


    ¡°Spit it out, little guy.¡±


    Liszt held a restless rubber bug in his palm and stepped through the muddy water to reach a pre-planned vacant rubber garden area¡ªthe rubber gardens were to be cultivated on tens of thousands of acres, so the layout of the area had all been determined in advance.


    As the rubber bug opened its mouth, a faint green light flew out.


    It was a tiny seed that took root immediately upon landing and then grew at a rate visible to the naked eye, sprouting stalks, branching out, and producing leaves, eventually becoming a huge cordyceps tree.


    This dynamic scene of plant growth stirred something in Liszt: ¡°A seed can grow into a towering tree, elf bugs nurture life in this way¡­ then what is the magic fire seed within me, and does it have any connection with the seeds of the elf cordyceps?¡±


    Elves could be seen as being nurtured from seeds.


    If his guess wasn¡¯t wrong, fire dragons would also be nurtured from magic fire seeds.


    Thus, elves and dragons are both nurtured from seeds, and their seeds are clearly not ordinary¡ªthey are condensed from magic power. The seeds of the elf cordyceps possess the functions of ordinary plant seeds as well, but it¡¯s unlikely the magic fire seeds could be planted in the ground to sprout.


    ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t sprout in my heart and consider me the soil from which it draws nutrients, draining my Dou Qi to nurture itself into a fire dragon.¡±


    As the new rubber tree cordyceps grew, his thoughts were active.


    One moment he compared the similarities and differences between the elf seeds and the magic fire seeds; the next moment, he thought of humans developing from fertilized eggs, which could also be considered seeds; he concluded that perhaps all life originated from seeds, yet he inexplicably thought of Sea Sprite Ake, who seemed not to have developed from a seed.


    When she was born, she was already inside a shell, complete in body parts except for legs below the knees.


    ¡°Perhaps, Ake was originally just a shell?¡±


    It was like elf bugs, which did not exist initially; sudden mutations in ordinary plants then nurtured elf bugs. Maybe sea sprites also did not exist, and a sudden mutation in a shell brought forth a sea sprite.


    Such thoughts were a bit strange.


    He didn¡¯t believe Ake was transformed from a shell¡ªthere¡¯s hardly any aesthetic in the flesh of a shell: ¡°The only thing is, how was Ake¡¯s shell formed, and where did she come from? If I can solve this mystery, perhaps I could mass-cultivate new sea sprites.¡±


    Although Ake was still underage and under cultivation, her role was clearly significant.


    Nami was discovered by her, kelp bugs were found by her, the coral reef, Pearl Lake, and the tridacna were located by her, the fen hai luo was also found by her, Chris Truth was rescued by her, green caterpillars, green-headed ducks were discovered by her, and even the Six-Headed King Serpent was lured by her.


    Basically, all the rewards from the ocean-related smoke missions were inseparable from Ake¡¯s shadow¡ªafter all, Liszt was not an aquatic creature.


    Knights could conquer the land, and in the future, the skies as well, but the ocean was perhaps beyond the reach of even dragon knights¡ªexcept for those riding water dragons, for water dragons could definitely roam the sea at will.


    He did not drift long in the sea of thoughts.


    The cordyceps had been successfully placed.


    Liszt put away the rubber bug that had calmed down and began to examine the new rubber tree cordyceps. He noticed that this cordyceps was completely different from the previous two; it was much larger, with a thicker trunk and more branches. Especially its leaves were extremely exaggerated, larger even than those of a banana plant.


    It had not borne fruit.


    Perhaps like a common rubber tree, rubber could be extracted from the trunk.


    ¡°The biggest difference with this new Cordyceps might be its leaves, I¡¯ll pick one to study first.¡± Liszt carefully plucked a leaf imbued with magic power.


    The magic power quickly dissipated, turning into an ordinary leaf.


    From the cut at the base of the leaf, a small amount of rubber was seen to seep out, proving that the new rubber tree could still produce rubber and had not lost this ability¡ªin Liszt¡¯s view, the value of rubber can be compared to that of magic potions; losing the ability to produce rubber would be an absolute failure of a mutation.


    ¡°Such a large leaf, and quite sturdy, too.¡± He tugged at the leaf, but it didn¡¯t tear, ¡°It could be made into a fan, or maybe¡­ packaging bags? Like wrapping zongzi, using its leaves to wrap delicacies? I always feel that this function doesn¡¯t quite match the worth of a rubber tree.¡±


    ¡­


    After settling the new Cordyceps rubber tree.


    Liszt¡¯s next priority was to complete the new Smoke Mission¡ªstockpiling enough food for ten thousand people to get through the winter.


    But he soon discovered a serious problem: ¡°It¡¯s not even October yet, winter is from mid-December to mid-February, so when should I stockpile enough food to consider the task completed? Should I start stockpiling now?¡± He was unsure whether the food stockpiled now would count as winter food.


    Nevertheless, he had to start somewhere, and there was no way to stockpile enough food in a hurry.


    Under the condition of ensuring basic food and clothing, a young adult male would consume about 600 jin (approximately 300 kg) of grain per year. After deducting the consumption of the old, young, women, and children, and taking into account the extra consumption of knights, it was estimated that each servant needed 2 jin (approximately 1 kg) of food per day.


    Ten thousand people would need 20,000 jin (approximately 10 tonnes) of food per day.


    The food required by ten thousand people for two months would be 600 tonnes.


    ¡°Starting now, I need to find a way to buy grain from all over Coral Island every day, storing 3 tonnes a day, so by December, I should be able to store about 100 tonnes; plus the grain produced from my own territory minus the consumption for eating, should allow storing another 100 tonnes; with the addition of preserved meats and seafood, another 100 tonnes shouldn¡¯t be an issue¡­ But there is still a shortfall of 300 tonnes.¡±


    This 300 tonnes had to be purchased from other islands.


    The cost would definitely not be small.


    As of now, Fresh Flower Brew¡¯s profits have been mortgaged until next year, and the revenue from Black Tulips, Fresh Flower Soap, and rubber can barely support the development of the territory.


    To buy additional food, I must find a way to raise new Gold Coins.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no other way, start selling Black Pearls and see if the market is indeed eager for Black Pearls smaller than a sea bowl.¡± He had previously sold a fist-sized one to Levis for several hundred Gold Coins.


    Now, with Black Pearls becoming more plentiful.


    The price will surely fall, but no matter to what extent it falls, it will definitely be more valuable than the White Pearls produced by the Grand Duke¡¯s Pearl Oyster farming at Tranquil Lake¡ªWhite Pearls can only calm and soothe, while Black Pearls not only have that effect but can also disperse Wind Attribute Magic Power.


    Moreover, they are larger and contain more abundant magic power.


    ¡°At ten times the price, they¡¯ll definitely sell! Now, large Tridacna in Pearl Lake are hard to come by, but there is still an abundance of small ones, just by catching a batch, I can make Gold Coins¡­ I don¡¯t need to worry about the territory¡¯s finances at all, I may be out of money but I have special products!¡±


    So, after returning to Fresh Flower Town, he immediately took a few samples of Black Pearls and rushed to Tulip Castle to discuss the trade of Black Pearls with the Levis couple.


    If there¡¯s no market on Coral Island, my sister-in-law Loria can take them to Golden Island to sell.


    I believe the ladies of Golden Island will pay a handsome price for Black Pearls.

 Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: Chapter 0455: Issuance of the Pioneer Mandate (Second Update)

    Chapter 458: Chapter 0455: Issuance of the Pioneer Mandate (Second Update)


    ¡°Black pearls can now be mass-produced, so you mean they can continuously produce white pearls like the ones from the Sapphire Family¡¯s pearl oysters?¡±


    Liszt asked, astonished.


    Sitting beside him, Loria was playfully examining several black pearls smaller than table tennis balls that Liszt had taken out: ¡°Liszt, the black pearl pendant you once gave me for protection, it was made from these kinds of black pearls, wasn¡¯t it? And that huge black pearl as well, is it the same variety?¡±


    Liszt nodded: ¡°That¡¯s right, Loria.¡±


    Liszt carried a faint smile on his face: ¡°The wedding gift I gave you, that black pearl which can strongly disperse the wind attribute magic power in a two to three hundred meter radius, and the one Liszt gave you before, as well as these black pearls, are all the same variety, produced by the Sea Monster Chequed Venus Clam.¡±


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but complain: ¡°But when you sold me the black pearls originally, you said they couldn¡¯t be mass-produced, that they were a rare commodity!¡±


    ¡°At that time, they indeed were a rare commodity. However, after my continuous exploration of the sea, I finally discovered a habitat thriving with Hei Chequ, hence black pearls have become the specialty of my territory.¡±


    ¡°Now, if you try to sell black pearls to me again, you¡¯re not planning to use the original price, are you?¡±


    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s true that the high price of the two original black pearls was based on rarity, but you can¡¯t deny that their inherent value is extremely high. Moreover, even if the Hei Chequ become a territorial specialty, the production is still very limited; they are still scarce commodities.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your proposed price?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I am not planning to sell them to you. Of course, if you are willing to buy, as long as the price is right, I can certainly offer a discount.¡± Liszt casually courted business and continued, ¡°In fact, I am planning to delegate the sales of black pearls to Loria. Are you interested by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Sales agency?¡± Loria¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Nobles, despite despising merchants, were not ashamed to do business.


    ¡°Yes, according to the different sizes of the black pearls, we will set different prices, and I can give Loria a certain commission. For example, this black pearl in your hand, I price at fifty Gold Coins. If you can sell it on Golden Island, I will give you a direct commission of ten percent, that is, five Gold Coins.¡±


    Loria was tempted.


    However, she glanced at Liszt.


    Liszt stroked his chin: ¡°Black pearls are indeed nice, more valuable than white pearls; we can do this business. But a ten percent commission is too little, at least twenty percent.¡±


    ¡°Twenty percent? You might as well rob me!¡± Liszt exclaimed in shock, ¡°Brother, sister-in-law, the black pearls are produced by the Sea Monster Chequed Venus Clam. Hunting them costs me a lot, even the lives of fishermen. They look like black pearls, but really they are blood-stained pearls!¡±


    When it came to storytelling, Liszt was never lacking.


    He vividly depicted the difficulties of hunting for the Hei Chequ, portraying himself as driven mad with poverty, risking life-threatening battles with sea monsters to dredge up black pearls in exchange for some Gold Coins.


    Perhaps.


    Since his performance was too exaggerated, Liszt remained unmoved, ¡°Black pearls obviously aren¡¯t something minor Nobles can afford; they are luxury items for the great Nobles, who need channels for purchase. Liszt, if you want us to use our channels to do business, we can¡¯t settle for less than twenty percent commission.¡±


    Liszt was also feeling the pinch, realising that he might have to bleed a little to make a deal.


    But he quickly thought of a new way to cut his losses: ¡°My pricing for the size and quality of black pearls is fixed, and the commission stays at ten percent, but¡­ if you can sell them at a higher price, then any excess over the listed price is all your profit!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡± Levis and Loria looked at each other and immediately made their decision, ¡°We¡¯ll take as many black pearls as you have. Though this deal is troublesome and requires Loria to use quite a few connections. But we should be able to earn a considerable amount of hard-earned money in a short time, enough to offset what I spent on my wedding.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have many black pearls collected, so I need to carefully check each one to agree on a satisfactory price. Plus, you¡¯ll need to pay me a deposit in advance as I am in dire need of funds for territorial development.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much liquid capital left in the castle. I could probably scrape together up to three thousand gold coins,¡± said Levis.


    Suddenly, Loria interjected, ¡°Levis, I have some personal dowry left, which could amount to about five thousand gold coins.¡±


    ¡°Three thousand plus five thousand, that¡¯s a total of eight thousand gold coins, fair enough to make the deposit!¡±


    ¡­


    The black pearls that were put up for sale were not exceptionally large, the largest being only slightly bigger than a sea bowl, with all others being small black pearls.


    The large black pearls that could be used to make Calming Wind Pearls were all retained for Liszt¡¯s future personal use.


    The Levis couple were bold.


    They were convinced that the black pearls could definitely be sold at a high price, so they took all the black pearl stock Liszt had in hand.


    The pricing of these black pearls ranged from a high of 1,500 gold coins each to a low of 50 gold coins each, adding up to a total price of 24,550 gold coins. An initial deposit of eight thousand gold coins was paid, and the subsequent payment of 17,550 gold coins would be settled after the black pearls were sold out.


    ¡°Pleased to do business with you, Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to do business with you, Levis and Loria.¡±


    After the inventory check was complete, all three were satisfied¡ªLiszt was happy that he finally had enough funds on hand and wasn¡¯t so strapped for cash that he needed to borrow money.


    As for how much profit the Levis couple could make by flipping these black pearls, that was their own skill. He had sold them for the price he wanted, and how much others could earn thanks to their channels was none of his concern, nor was there any reason for him to feel jealous or regretful. His mindset in this regard was quite positive.


    After all, black pearls were not a one-time business.


    If necessary, when the next batch had accumulated, the price could just be increased.


    Sea Sprite Ake often went around Pearl Lake, collecting some black pearls. Her magic had become very skilled, allowing her to pry out the black pearls while the Chequed Venus clams were opening their shells. There was no need for killing, practically achieving sustainable development, and continuously harvesting black pearls.


    Of course.


    Currently, only small black pearls could be collected, as the large Chequed Venus clams didn¡¯t live in Pearl Lake.


    With the smallest black pearls available, Liszt strung together a black pearl necklace as a gift for his sister Li Vera in advance. He also paid off his debt of eight hundred gold coins to Li Vera and the two thousand gold coins he owed Lady Penelope¡ªHe didn¡¯t like the feeling of owing money to others.


    The rest of the money was mostly invested in the purchase of grain and production materials.


    With the help of the Tulip Family¡¯s merchant fleet and the Beer Island¡¯s traders, they acquired a large quantity of wheat, barley, sorghum, beans, and other cereals, which were then stored in the warehouses on Black Horse Island.


    Time passed in this manner.


    Soon, it was October of the year 152 by the Sapphire Calendar, and the Earl finally returned from Blue Dragon Island, bringing this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate¡ªThe Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom, these eternal rivals, inevitably continued their tradition of waging war against each other after the end of autumn each year, each trying to seize the accumulated resources of the other.

 Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: Chapter 457: Territory Cash Flow (First Update)

    Chapter 460: Chapter 457: Territory Cash Flow (First Update)


    The knights had already departed.


    Fresh Flower Town had returned to the tranquility of its usual mornings, yet the town¡¯s administrative office was bustling with extraordinary activity. Officials from both the Port Town and Fresh Flower Town, as well as the Retainer Knights left behind, all gathered here for a meeting chaired by Consultant Goltai.


    ¡°Isaiah, Blair, you two go first and discuss the financial situation of the two towns so we can make reasonable arrangements for the subsidy of gold coins provided by Lord Landlord,¡± Goltai said.


    Isaiah spoke first, ¡°The income of Fresh Flower Town is roughly as follows¡­ The expenses of Fresh Flower Town are roughly as follows¡­ All in all, the town has a very high turnover, but it has to bear the consumption of the castle and Black Horse Island, losing at least five gold coins a day. A minimum of one hundred and fifty gold coins in subsidies is needed each month.¡±


    The construction in Fresh Flower Town had slightly stalled, and its various industries were mostly making money. Unfortunately, the main projects were either mortgaged or had limited capacity and could not be used as cash cows for continuous extraction. Add to this the castle¡¯s daily consumption and the support of construction materials for Black Horse Island, and indeed operations were difficult.


    Blair followed, ¡°The current main income of Port Town relies solely on rubber produced from rubber trees and pottery and charcoal from the brick factory¡­ The expenses of Port Town, which need to underpin the comprehensive construction of Black Horse Island, face shortages in manpower, materials, and funds¡­ losing at least fifteen gold coins a day.¡±


    The rubber production was not yet high, and the brick factory had to meet the needs of the territory.


    Black Horse Island was developing various industries in parallel; being able to maintain a loss of only fifteen gold coins a day was already a sign of healthy finances.


    Both administrative officers reported on the situation of their respective territories.


    Goltai cleared his throat and said, ¡°Lord Landlord has allocated a total of two thousand three hundred gold coins to the territory¡¯s finances. I plan to allocate a total of five hundred gold coins to store food. According to his lordship¡¯s wishes, we need to store enough food for ten thousand new serfs on top of the territory¡¯s existing population, which means food for fifteen thousand people.¡±


    ¡°Consultant, if we keep stockpiling food, the price is bound to increase significantly. I think we¡¯re lucky if we can stockpile enough food with one thousand gold coins,¡± Blair countered Goltai¡¯s idea from another perspective.


    Isaiah corroborated this, ¡°I¡¯ve talked with Captain Abagon of the Fresh Flower Caravan. It¡¯s indeed becoming more and more difficult to buy food. We can¡¯t expect those lords from other places to sell us food at fair prices, just like the lords of Coral Island.¡±


    Rebutted by both administrative officers.


    Goltai was somewhat displeased, but he nodded, ¡°Then let¡¯s set a budget of one thousand gold coins for storing food. With this issue settled, let¡¯s move on to the next topic, the allocation of funds for various industries.¡±


    ¡­


    A meeting was in session at the town¡¯s administrative office.


    There was also a small meeting in the castle involving Butler Carter, Mrs. Morson, Mrs. Abbie, and Chris Truth, as well as Captain Abagon, Charlotte, and other caravan leaders.


    Carter was the first to speak, ¡°Her Excellency Chris is busy with many matters, so let¡¯s start with the purchase of Magic Books. The master has allocated one thousand gold coins for book purchases, of which four hundred are for buying knight novels and six hundred for magic books. We will mainly deal with Mr. Elkerson, and Her Excellency Chris will preside over this.¡±


    Chris¡¯s demeanor stood out from that of the servants. She simply sat to the side and said lightly, ¡°Mr. Carter, the Viscount has told me that when Mr. Elkerson comes to town for the trade, you just need to notify me, and I will handle the pricing for each Magic Book.¡±


    ¡°That would be for the best.¡±


    ¡°Then, if there is nothing else, I shall take my leave.¡±


    On her way back, she seemed somewhat preoccupied.


    Her thoughts were a bit scattered, ¡°I feel that I have recently touched upon cognitive barriers, and according to ¡°Three-Phase Magic Array and Reality Interaction Theory¡±, this is a sign of transitioning from a Static Magic Circle to a Dynamic Magic Array. Unfortunately, my accumulation is still insufficient, and I need more magic references.¡±


    She thought back to yesterday when Liszt came to get a Magic Potion.


    What he had said to her, ¡°Chris, I don¡¯t have the money to build you a Mage Tower yet, but whatever Magic Books you wish to buy, you may. Also, I will ask Elkerson to find a sufficient spellcasting scheme for your reference. I hope you can advance to Grand Magician soon.¡±


    ¡°`


    With these thoughts in mind, she couldn¡¯t help but breathe unevenly, ¡°The value placed on magicians is too low. I cannot let Liszt down. I need to be promoted to Grand Magician to repay him for saving my life and for his daily smiles¡­ I¡¯ve dedicated my whole being to the Truth¡­¡±


    Various images and smiles of Liszt flashed through her mind.


    Gradually, her face revealed a hopeful expression, and her eyes warmed with affection, ¡°But I still wish to see him smile every day.¡±


    ¡­


    Out at sea.


    A huge white seashell opened.


    Ach held a small horn, gently blowing into it, his expression somewhat listless. Mangrove Minor Elf Nami held a peanut nougat candy, crunching it loudly.


    At Nami¡¯s feet, a dark green Kelp Bug swam in circles around her, its gills opening and closing at the back of its neck in a lively fashion. The Kelp Bug¡¯s belly, rather than being bumpy like other Elf Bugs¡¯ legs, was more flattened, allowing it to swim swiftly.


    Soon.


    Ach put away the small horn, touched Nami, then the Kelp Bug, and took a deep breath, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Nami, Kelp Bug. Let¡¯s catch more Elf Bugs so we can give big brother a huge surprise when he returns!¡±


    Of course, Liszt didn¡¯t know that the little sea monster was preparing a surprise for him.


    He was already at Coral City Port.


    After checking his Knight Order members, he boarded the flagship Tulip of the Coral Island fleet. Once all the knights, Retainer Knights, and supplies had boarded their respective ships, the immense fleet set sail across the Sea of Azure Waves, heading for Iron Hoof Island once again.


    Liszt was busy securing Douson and the Eight Tiny Ones in the cabin, preventing them from running amok; the landwalker bird Loki was also kept in the cabin, where it enjoyed living with grains and beans.


    Afterward.


    As per tradition.


    All the nobles came to the Tulip to attend the meeting chaired by the Earl, where the agenda was the allocation of the battle loot.


    The basic principle of military merit was to allocate according to work: more work gets more, less work gets less, no work gets nothing. The principle for materials was that whoever seized them kept them, but had to donate one-third to the Knight Order¡¯s death compensation.


    It was also stipulated that seized mineral resources were forbidden to be sold to Mercenary Corps, but must be handed over to the treasury for the Grand Duke to allocate ¨C the main purpose of each year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate was to snatch mineral resources.


    After the battle loot allocation was clarified, the nobles dispersed and returned to their own ships.


    Suddenly, Liszt thought of a question and asked the Earl, ¡°Father, can those mercenary groups be trusted?¡±


    ¡°From my many years of experience in campaigning, it¡¯s not about trust. As long as they can help us trade, some losses are bearable.¡±


    ¡°If I were the landlord of the Eagle Kingdom, I would never allow mercenary groups to develop unchecked.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± the Earl finally found a sense of superiority, ¡°Liszt, you are still somewhat naive. Whether it¡¯s the mercenary groups of the Eagle Kingdom or the pirates of the Duchy of Sapphire, they exist for a reason. To summarize, it¡¯s all driven by interest.¡±

 Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: Chapter 0458: War and Justice (Second Update)

    Chapter 461: Chapter 0458: War and Justice (Second Update)


    In terms of social status, the position of mercenaries belonged to the middle tier, comparable to that of master craftsmen who possessed irreplaceable skills.


    They were just below the upper nobility, and above the magical magicians, non-titled knight officers, and indispensable artists of high society. They ranked higher than the lower-mid servants, craftsmen, workers, merchants, rats, and the lowest tier of serfs, roles often filled by down-and-out knights.


    There were no mercenary corps in the Duchy of Sapphire, and consequently, no mercenaries.


    However, in the nations of the continent, mercenary corps were a widespread and common phenomenon, often established under the pretense of guarding trade, hunting magical beasts, or capturing elves. But in secret, mercenary corps were direct participants in the slave trade, often playing the roles of robbers and bandits.


    Liszt didn¡¯t know how mercenary corps originated and developed to the extent they had today.


    But after a conversation with the Earl, he started to understand clearer that mercenary corps were, in fact, similar to rats¡ªan extension of noble influence¡ªif rats played the part of intelligence organizations, then mercenaries acted like dynamic social organizations.


    One of the disadvantages of the feudal system was that there were no overarching jurisdictional relationships between territories, but rather significant competition.


    Many landlords had various private feuds and couldn¡¯t directly dispatch knight orders to plunder each other, so mercenary corps played their roles well. Mercenary corps were also a source of substantial profit. The continent was not short of population, and during every war, the slave trade was a lucrative business.


    Even many local landlords were hopeful for invasions by the Duchy of Sapphire¡ªas long as their own territories weren¡¯t the ones being raided.


    During such times, they would eagerly cooperate with invading knight orders to trade, exchanging easily captured serfs for the materials the knights had plundered from other places. Every war between the Eagle Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom was the busiest time for mercenary corps.


    These mercenary corps dared not invade the territories¡¯ castles, but they could come and go like the wind when plundering serfs.


    ¡°It can be said that when we invade Sardine Bay Area, apart from the landlords within the area who will resist, the landlords and mercenary corps from the surrounding regions will only be brandishing their cutlery, joining us in feasting on the wealth of the Sardine Bay Area,¡± the Earl spoke fluently. ¡°This is also the reason we dare to attack the Eagle Kingdom every year.¡±


    He looked at Liszt, who was listening attentively.


    Finally, feeling the sentiment of a father teaching his son, he continued, ¡°Moreover, some landlords in the Sardine Bay Area, we can sit down and talk business with them at night even as we wage war by day.¡±


    Liszt was puzzled, ¡°Why is that?¡±


    The Earl retorted, ¡°What do you think nobles rely on to govern their territories, or rather, what do we depend on to live lives a thousand times more comfortable than commoners?¡±


    ¡°Nobles govern their territories, relying on Dou Qi cultivation.¡±


    ¡°And where does Dou Qi cultivation come from?¡±


    ¡°From¡­ the land.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re smart and can see the essence of the issue,¡± the Earl complimented before continuing, ¡°Nobles rely on land, all resources are extracted from it. Either from one¡¯s own land or someone else¡¯s, whether by making serfs farm or by knights looting.¡±


    ¡°What does this have to do with the landlords of Sardine Bay, who wage war with us on one hand and trade on the other?¡±


    ¡°Since war is inevitable, some landlords will, of course, look for opportunities to mitigate their losses. Grand landlords can transfer the losses to lesser landlords through trading with us, while smaller landlords can pass it on to commoners, or to other landlords¡­ Undoubtedly, they have lost the noble virtue of knighthood.¡±


    ¡­


    Do knights possess noble virtues?


    Liszt was already confused.


    After talking with the Earl and learning about the background of mercenary corps, he faintly felt the similarities with history. Although this world was completely different from Earth and the kingdom he lived in had no connection to Earth, he considered the essence of the relationship between the Duchy of Sapphire and the Eagle Kingdom from a fundamental perspective.


    Wasn¡¯t it just a different world¡¯s version of the Wokou Pirate turmoil during the Ming Dynasty?


    In the Ming Dynasty, the Wokou Pirates originated in Japan and often raided the southeastern coastal areas of China. However, by the latter part of the turmoil, true Japanese pirates had become rare. According to historical records, true Wokou Pirates only accounted for one-third, and the rest were impostors, that is, rebels of the Ming Dynasty.


    After all, the Japanese ronin who made up the early Wokou Pirates were not familiar with the southeastern coast and could not form a fighting force. Only by colluding with the locals could they land and plunder everywhere.


    In the Ming Dynasty¡¯s specialized anti-pirate book, ¡°Zhou Hai Tu Bian,¡± fourteen Wokou Pirate leaders were listed, and they all turned out to be from the Ming Dynasty.


    The root cause lay in the Ming Dynasty¡¯s sea ban policy, which prevented coastal residents from making a living from the sea. When they could no longer survive, they were forced to become pirates. Moreover, merchants would turn to piracy when the sea ban was stringent, and some powerful gentry also colluded secretly, leading to centuries of turmoil from the Wokou Pirate raids.


    In this world filled with magic power.


    The Pioneer Mandate of the Duchy of Sapphire had resemblances to the Wokou Pirate turmoil.


    ¡°True, we can snatch plenty of resources from the Eagle Kingdom, but the real wealth created on the land is all plunder by the landlords of the Eagle Kingdom¡­ Perhaps we¡¯re just grabbing some mines, buying some serfs, while the rest of the materials are transferred by the local nobles.¡±


    Ultimately.


    It confirmed a line from a Yuan dynasty song¡ªwhen it rises, the common people suffer; when it falls, the common people suffer.


    Throughout the struggle of the Pioneer Mandate, it was still those hardworking peasants and serfs who were truly plundered. Liszt even thought, ¡°Is the annual war between the Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom somewhat like the Hundred Years¡¯ War between England and France on Earth?¡± In medieval times, England and France were at war for over a century.


    Nobles waged wars of knights for profit.


    And naturally, it was the commoners who suffered the most.


    As Liszt reflected on the wars, he suddenly felt dispirited, although his soul was from Earth and had nothing to do with this world.


    However, he quickly rallied.


    ¡°If I do nothing, the commoners will still be oppressed by the nobles; if I strive with all my might, and one day succeed in dragon riding, I could perhaps bring a new order to this world.¡±


    He clenched his fist.


    His eyes became more determined, ¡°As long as I maintain justice in my heart, if I can bring a better life to the commoners, then my participation in war is a just act!¡± This self-analysis, while somewhat of a justification for waging a war for profit, also reflected his innermost feelings.


    The standard of living for the commoners under his governance was definitely far superior to those in other territories.


    His goal was dragon riding and exploring this miraculous world. He did not intend to act like a saint, nor did he wish to become a cold-hearted, profit-driven noble.


    Striving for the great cause of dragon riding, bringing goodness to the world along the way¡ªwhy not?


    His conviction was clear.


    He returned to his usual calm demeanor, standing at the bow of the ship, holding a glass of juice, enjoying the blue sky, white clouds, and undulating waves. Four days passed in a flash, and the fleet had successfully arrived at Bull Hoof City on Iron Hoof Island.


    Here, they would make the final supply replenishment.


    In six days, they would set their sights on the continent!

 Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: Chapter 459: The Fear from the Deep Sea (First Update)

    Chapter 462: Chapter 459: The Fear from the Deep Sea (First Update)


    Iron Hoof Island, Bull Hoof City.


    Now taken over by the Sapphire Family, but the scars of war had yet to be erased, the huge castle standing by the sea still bore pockmarked and cracked traces on its walls.


    Those had been left by the First Prince when he led the Knight Order to capture Bull Hoof City.


    At the moment, the port of Bull Hoof City was densely packed with various sailing ships, flying a variety of banners. The Red Tulip Flag of the Tulip Family was quite inconspicuous. During the stopover for supplies, Liszt found the Red Crab Island Fleet, led by his uncle, Mesiro Taro.


    ¡°Uncle, I want to rent the Red Crab Island Fleet to transport a batch of serfs for me,¡± Liszt stated directly.


    Mesiro was quite fond of Liszt, his nephew who had the fine features of the Long Taro Family: ¡°No problem, as long as you pay the corresponding reward, the Red Crab Island Fleet can be rented at any time. How many serfs are you planning to transport to your domain?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to transport at least ten thousand. If I can buy more, I hope to round up to twenty thousand.¡±


    ¡°Black Horse Island is just an undeveloped barren island, isn¡¯t it? Are you sure you can support so many serfs based on your territory? If there is a food shortage, it may cause unrest in the territory, and the death of serfs would also be a huge loss.¡±


    ¡°I have already stocked enough food for ten thousand people to survive the winter. Adding another ten thousand would just tighten the food supply in the domain. I believe that I can obtain food from other channels and support us safely until the next year¡¯s harvest,¡± Liszt replied confidently.


    Live off the mountains if near the mountains, live off the sea if near the sea.


    If the serfs had nothing to eat, they would be sent to the sea to catch seafood, and seafood could also be purchased from the various coastal towns of Coral Island. There was absolutely no problem with filling their bellies.


    It was just a matter of how many Gold Coins it would cost.


    ¡°You are prepared for this, and that¡¯s enough,¡± Mesiro said with a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, speaking gently, ¡°If Melissa were still alive, seeing how you are now, she would surely have a radiant smile every day.¡±


    To Liszt, Melissa was merely a symbol.


    She had passed away when his former self was very young, so he had no memories or much to talk about regarding her, and thus he changed the subject: ¡°How is grandfather doing? With Meioubao and Angela¡¯s marriage, Long Taro Castle must be filled with even more warmth.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s getting stronger by the day, with no need to worry about worldly affairs, but his temper lately is not good. Every day Meioubao and Angela do not bring a Long Taro Family heir into this world is another day he will not be satisfied. Even a princess must strive for the continuity of the Long Taro Family lineage.¡±


    ¡°Yes, family succession is the most important issue,¡± Liszt said, and then suddenly remembered the Smoke Mission from before ¨C Meioubao and Angela did not have a harmonious marital relationship.


    At that time, his first thought was the taboo scenario of ¡°cuckoldry,¡± so he immediately changed the mission.


    But upon thinking it over later, he felt maybe he had overthought it, always viewing Angela, with her liberal lifestyle, through tinted lenses ¨C The Smoke Mission mentioned a lack of harmony in the marital relationship, leading to an inability to continue the family line, which includes several other possibilities.


    It could be that Meioubao had a problem with his virility, preventing Angela from becoming pregnant.


    It could also be that Angela had fertility issues, preventing her from conceiving.


    Another possibility was inactive sperm unable to reach where they were meant to go, naturally making pregnancy difficult.


    If it were the first two possibilities, there would be no solution, but if it were the latter, it required regulation. If it was just an ordinary level of inactivity, eating foods rich in zinc, maintaining proper rest and relaxation could improve the activity level ¨C oysters, also known as oysters, contained the highest amount of zinc.


    The zinc content in animal livers is also quite high.


    ¡°If Meioubao and Angela cannot conceive for too long, I really should step in to help, at least by providing them with oyster food,¡± he thought to himself.


    ¡­


    After anchoring at Bull Hoof City for just one night, the fleet continued its journey.


    On the azure Sea of Azure Waves, a line of sailboats sailed in formation. Liszt specifically climbed to the crow¡¯s nest at the top of the mainmast, took out his telescope, and gazed at the surrounding fleet.


    The telescope he held in his hand was the second generation model, both precision and clarity far surpassing the first generation. This stemmed from the Earl¡¯s continuous investment; he was very fond of the telescope, and after Liszt explained the principles behind it, the Earl pushed hard to have crystal craftsmen research and refine it.


    Just then.


    Through the telescope, Liszt caught sight of a whale leaping mightily from the ocean¡¯s surface to the right of the fleet, only to crash back into the water, raising a large spray of waves.


    These massive creatures were a part of the scenery on the voyage; they would often accompany the fleet for a while.


    As long as the ships didn¡¯t attack them, they would not attack the ships, and all was well. Liszt had even heard crew members say that when ships were attacked by sea monsters, these large whales would sometimes come to their aid, chasing away the monsters¡ªtheir immense size meant average low-level sea monsters simply couldn¡¯t cope.


    ¡°This could be the whales¡¯ protective behavior towards their young. Sea monsters hunt baby whales, so the adult whales try to block any hunting behavior by the monsters, not allowing them to develop peacefully and reducing the chances of the young whales being hunted,¡± Liszt deduced.


    He had watched documentaries where humpback whales would often embark on rescue missions over thousands of miles to save prey about to fall into the jaws of an orca.


    There was no evidence as to why they did this, but they seemed to enjoy it, showing gallant valor.


    During this voyage.


    Besides witnessing a few instances of whales escorting the fleet, there were no other memorable moments; they didn¡¯t even encounter a single sea monster. Tales of attacks by sea monsters abounded in the ocean, yet the chance to actually come across one in a lifetime as a sailor was quite rare indeed.


    The vast ocean was simply too immense; sea monsters had specific prey and had no reason to attack wooden ships or to munch on humans, hardly worth a snack.


    What really hindered humanity from setting their sights on the ocean were the constraints of their understanding, and the fact that acquiring resources in the ocean was far more difficult than on land.


    Indeed.


    If Liszt had a large fiefdom on the continent, he wouldn¡¯t think about developing the ocean to lead the era of great maritime voyages. The profound ocean always emitted a mysterious and shadowy aura. Sometimes, as he stood at the helm, gazing into its unfathomable depths, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of fear.


    The merciless ocean could swallow a man whole with ease.


    Cultivate.


    Cultivate.


    Cultivate.


    The monotonous six-and-a-half-day voyage soon ended, and the fleet was already heading towards a major city of the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡ªComb City¡ªwhere they would gather, resupply, and collect information before launching an offensive on the Sardine Bay Area.


    ¡°The Pioneer Mandate warfare is of a different style compared to the battle of Iron Hoof Island. Liszt, here, defeating opponents and plundering resources is our primary task,¡± the Earl said spiritedly as he looked towards the approaching port, ¡°The wars that take place on the continent are the true battleground for knights.¡±

 Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: Chapter 0460: Wild Elf Trade Market (Second Update)

    Chapter 463: Chapter 0460: Wild Elf Trade Market (Second Update)


    Comb City is located at the easternmost edge of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, serving as the central metropolis of Marquis Zhil¨ªng Benedict Gubuasu¡¯s domain, known as the Rooster Pheasant Hills, which is said to be even larger than Iron Hoof Island.


    Of course.


    The land is indeed so vast that the size of a territory doesn¡¯t mean much, as most of it is covered by primeval jungles, home to numerous magical beasts. Many of these jungles are no-go zones for humans, where not even Sky Knights dare to set foot lightly for fear of being attacked by advanced magical beasts.


    Human societies on the continent are more likely to build large cities on flat plains and gather towns along roads between cities to ensure safety in living and communication.


    Many long-distance trades require the escort of Knight Orders.


    Ordinary merchants who cannot afford to hire formal Knight Orders will employ Mercenary Corps for protection. Therefore, the existence of Mercenary Corps is always legal.


    ¡°Gubuasu is a kind of fruit magic potion that tastes like a mix of chocolate and pineapple, an expensive specialty of the Gubuasu family. It¡¯s said to be a variant of the cocoa fruit, which is used to make chocolate, and all the chocolate in our country is imported from Comb City.¡±


    The one introducing this to Liszt was Captain Layden, who was once again assigned to the Knight Order under Liszt¡¯s command.


    The Earl had already gone to Rooster Pheasant Castle to attend the welcome feast hosted by Marquis Zhil¨ªng and to hold a war council on the side. He decided to take a tour around Comb City and buy some local specialties, ¡°Chocolate has a high sales volume; why isn¡¯t there a landlord in our country growing cocoa trees?¡±


    ¡°Probably because the climate isn¡¯t suitable, or maybe there are no Elf Bugs for cocoa.¡±


    Comb City is much larger than Coral City, with seven-story wooden buildings on both sides of the street and residents ranging from superbly dressed nobles to ragged serfs, all mixed together. There are also many knights dressed like them, probably those participating in the Pioneer Mandate.


    ¡°Hey, Viscount Liszt.¡± Soon someone took the initiative to greet Liszt; he was a young viscount from Golden Island who had attended a wedding on Coral Island.


    Liszt recognized the man, having personally received him before, ¡°Viscount Cyril, are you also visiting Comb City?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m not really interested in Comb City; I¡¯m planning to go to the Elf Market to see if there are any suitable Elf Bugs. I intend to buy a few.¡±


    ¡°Elf Market?¡± Liszt became interested, ¡°I plan to take a look there too.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Following Viscount Cyril, the group soon arrived at the Elf Market located in a corner of Comb City. It¡¯s a small wild Elf Market, selling not many Elf Bugs. Liszt owns a magic book called ¡°Wild Elf Bug Market Sale Prices,¡± which includes information about the Elf Market.


    In the capital City of Steel of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, there is a large-scale wild Elf Market, where the trading prices of elves are clearly recorded in the book.


    For example, a Venus Flytrap Spirit Worm sells for three thousand six hundred Gold Coins¡ªit had cost him only seven hundred Gold Coins to purchase from Viscount Jonas.


    However, in the City of Steel, mosquitoes are rampant, and every household likes to buy and breed Venus Flytraps at home, even though Venus Flytraps have very limited insect-catching abilities. As long as the cultivation scale is increased, they still have a decent effect on catching mosquitoes and flies.


    On Coral Island, Venus Flytrap has almost no use; there are not many mosquitoes, and the commoners can¡¯t afford them while nobles have other means to repel them.


    Walking through, Liszt gradually gained a clear understanding of the prices in this small Elf Market.


    They were similar to those in the City of Steel, generally around one to two thousand Gold Coins; Elf Bugs of little use were priced at several hundred Gold Coins; those linked to magic potions had prices starting from two thousand Gold Coins; the most expensive Elf Bug Liszt saw was priced at three thousand eight hundred Gold Coins, a Mysterious Fruit Elf Bug.


    The Mysterious Fruit is not a magic potion, but it can enhance the human sense of taste, making it an excellent accompaniment to meals.


    ¡°Too expensive. Buying it would not cover the cost,¡± he shook his head, devoid of any intention to purchase. ¡°There¡¯s a sparse population on Coral Island and not many nobles, with little demand for Mysterious Fruit.¡±


    However, he was interested in buying some grain-related Elf Bugs.


    Unfortunately, the prices for grain-related Elf Bugs were not cheap either, none below two thousand Gold Coins. Considering the value of the increased grain production over ten years, it just wasn¡¯t enough to offset the cost of the bugs themselves. The main hope in purchasing them was that they would evolve into Little Minor Elves, at which point, the profits would be substantial.


    After all, grain is a crucial component of human food, and the increased production brought by a single Little Minor Elf could save countless lives.


    Liszt was in dire need of grain-related Elf Bugs. He only had one Barley Bug, one Millet Bug, and two Little Wheat Bugs. Perhaps the Corn Grass Bug could also be considered a grain-related Elf, especially now that there was Stick Corn and Grain Corn.


    ¡°The Little Wheat Bug is priced at 2,300 Gold Coins, which isn¡¯t worth it. I don¡¯t have that much money right now. Forget it, I¡¯ll just wait for my territory to breed its own. I have the Smoke Mission; obtaining Elf Bugs isn¡¯t a problem,¡± Liszt quietly calculated before giving up on the idea of making a purchase.


    He planned to continue looking around for Dragon Kui Bugs, Rubber Bugs, and Thorn Bugs. If the prices for these three types of Elf Bugs weren¡¯t outrageous, he would undoubtedly snatch them up without hesitation.


    Unfortunately.


    After making a round, he couldn¡¯t find any.


    The Elf Market had less than a hundred Elf Bugs for trade, most of which were useless. Elf Bug trading was not very prosperous to begin with, with many being provided by smaller nobles unable to manage them. Nobles would buy but never sell¡ªElves were always scarce for nobility.


    If Viscount Jonas hadn¡¯t encountered financial issues, he wouldn¡¯t have sold his Dragon Kui Bug and Venus Flytrap Worm in the first place.


    ¡­


    Leaving the Elf Market, Liszt asked Captain Layden, ¡°When does the serf trade take place?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not happening right now, but once the war starts, it won¡¯t be long before Mercenary Corps come forward to make contact¡­ All we need to do is prepare ships by the seaside, and the Mercenary Corps will bring a large number of serfs for trade. The entire transaction might be completed within an hour, and then everyone leaves,¡± replied Captain Layden, who had participated in several Pioneer Mandates and was very familiar with serf trading.


    In fact, some serf trades were conducted on the same day they plundered villages, bringing the serfs for immediate exchange.


    Captain Layden added further, ¡°We could also contact serf traders who will buy slaves for us, they always have ways to acquire a large number of slaves. We would just wait for their ramshackle wooden boats by the seaside, and we could complete the trade without even going ashore.¡±


    This kind of indirect serf trading was obviously to prevent detection by Knight Orders during the transaction.


    While this increased security significantly, it would incur a fee from the serf traders, making it less profitable than dealing directly with Mercenary Corps.


    ¡°On Coral Island, do we usually trade directly, or do we contact serf traders?¡± Liszt inquired.


    Captain Layden smiled mysteriously.


    Looking around to ensure no one was near, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Lord Commander, do you know how those small landlords frequently invaded by the coast survive? Their territories might not produce much, but the Mercenary Corps they foster are often larger than those fostered by some larger landlords¡­ They are all secretly involved in the slave trade.¡±


    He added another sentence: ¡°Rat will help us make contact with the Mercenary Corps, and we might even acquire a small port without having to fight.¡±

 Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: Chapter 0462: Nobles Plundering Game (First Update)

    Chapter 465: Chapter 0462: Noble¡¯s Plundering Game (First Update)


    Apart from Elite Earth Knight Veddry Woodkindle, Liszt had also selected four other Earth Knights. Including the three chosen by the Earl and the fifteen selected by the Viscount, that left eight other old and weak Earth Knights for the Barons to choose from.


    Thus,


    his first recruitment of Knights was complete.


    The loyalty of these Knights could not yet be guaranteed; it had to be determined by their performance. As for the Knights who chose to pay a ransom, they were simply bound. But there was no need to worry, for Knights are a rather trustworthy group on the battlefield.


    Being captive wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    One could still eat, drink, sleep, and even attend banquets¡ªjust pay the sufficient ransom when the time came.


    In this era, nationalism hadn¡¯t taken root, and the feudal system meant that national identities were not very strong, so the most fervent ideologies of nationalism and patriotism had not emerged. The wars of the Knights were for mutual benefit, a struggle among Nobles.


    Similar to an arm wrestling match.


    The victorious side would not mistreat the captives, who thus did not need to plot escapes but could eat, drink, and wait for their families or Landlords to deliver the ransom so they could return home happily.


    Just as long as they didn¡¯t die in battle.


    The battlefield was as leisurely as a vacation¡ªof course, once defeated and captured, one had to bleed a great deal of money for their ransom.


    Watching in the Castle, as the five Earth Knights who had just sworn loyalty quickly mingled with the Knights of the Fresh Flower Squad, raising their cups together, Liszt still found it absurd how the serious matter of war seemed like mere play to these Knights.


    ¡°Perhaps it really is just a game, a game of plundering¡­ Attacking the Sardine Bay Area is inherently to plunder resources, not to occupy the land,¡± he thought as he lifted his cup and took a sip, responding to a newly loyal Earth Knight who had toasted him.


    Suddenly, he felt this was also good. Should he ever be defeated, he could also pay a ransom to release himself; survival was the best outcome.


    ¡°My lord, Veddry has a request, and I wonder whether you would permit it,¡± Veddry Woodkindle suddenly said formally, speaking in Serpent Script.


    The Sardine Bay Area was near the Steel Ridge Kingdom and bordered the Rooster Pheasant Hills, so many Knights were fluent in both Wind Language and Serpent Script.


    ¡°Speak, Knight Veddry.¡±


    ¡°On the eve of war, my family had just moved. I had them hide in the village of a nearby small town. I ask for your permission, my lord, to bring them here and, after the war, to return with you to the Duchy of Sapphire.¡±


    The families of loyal Knights.


    Of course, he had to permit it; with family ties, their loyalty would not be too low.


    At least when Knights were defeated, they were very likely to choose to pay a ransom¡ªprovided they had enough money for it. It was precisely because the local Viscounts had died in battle, and there were no Landlords to pay their ransom, that these landless commoner Earth Knights readily chose loyalty over stubbornly awaiting death.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, I need you to take a trip. Have Veddry write a letter to fetch them, then have them leave this place by ship with the serfs, returning to the domain,¡± Liszt decided, not trusting Veddry enough to let him fetch his family himself.


    He planned to take their families to Black Horse Island first.


    This way, Veddry, free from worries, could quickly integrate into the Knight Squad.


    Then he turned to the four Earth Knights: ¡°What about your families? Do you need them taken as well?¡±


    Three Earth Knights disclosed their families¡¯ hiding places, but one hesitated: ¡°My lord, I am a bastard and not held in high regard within my family; they¡¯re just strangers to me. My mother was a serf and has passed away.¡±


    ¡°In my domain, being a bastard does not serve as an obstacle,¡± Liszt raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re still young. Following me, you will see plenty of opportunities to change your fate.¡±


    The Earth Knight immediately knelt on one knee: ¡°I will serve you, my lord!¡±


    His expression was extremely excited.


    Once, as a second son of a noble, he was not valued, even suppressed, and the landlord he followed also did not take him seriously; changing his fate seemed almost hopeless. After losing the battle, he couldn¡¯t even afford the ransom and thought he would be sent to work in the mines or workshops until death.


    Unexpectedly, he could now choose to pledge his allegiance anew¡ªthis was practically great news. The former Duchy of Sapphire did not allow the recruitment of captives; either ransom was paid, or captives were sent to toil as laborers.


    What was even more important was,


    the landlord did not care about his illegitimate status.


    ¡­


    Weapons, armor, equipment, food¡­the collected resources were immediately apportioned to each knight according to their military achievements after being tallied.


    Of course, these resources wouldn¡¯t be distributed right away but were all transported to a small port city by the sea. There, numerous Mercenary Corps and second-hand dealers would come to trade¡ªgemstones, crystals, jade, metals were all part of the trade, and of course, serf trading was also included.


    ¡°Father, I don¡¯t need other materials, I only want serfs,¡± Liszt stated his intention clearly.


    ¡°I will have Captain Mickey convert your portion of the spoils entirely into serfs. The merchant ships brought along will also be reallocated to transport the serfs for you,¡±


    ¡°Thank you, father.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to pay the rental fee.¡±


    ¡°You have to give me a discount, at least 20 percent cheaper than if I were to rent my uncle¡¯s merchant ships.¡±


    ¡°Ten percent, and not a penny more. If you were not my son, I would charge a premium of three times the fee,¡±


    ¡°All right then.¡± Negotiating business deals between father and son was also a common practice among the nobility, after all, Liszt had been enfeoffed and was an independent entity.


    He tasked Marcus to handle the serf trading separately from his Knight Squad.


    ¡°Teacher Marcus, accept all serfs delivered by the Mercenary Corps, as long as they are not ill. Even if a serf is disabled, as long as they have some skill, they can be sent to Black Horse Island,¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I understand!¡±


    ¡­


    The serf trade had already begun.


    And the pace of the war advanced rapidly as well, maintaining contact with other Knight Orders. After resting for a night at River Bay Fort, the Coral Island Knights set off again, attacking a broader territory, plundering every wealth from the Earth. The knights¡¯ forces of the small landlords could not stop their offensive.


    Especially Liszt, who always led nine Blizzard Beasts into the charge and with a barrage of Rock Spikes, always managed to disrupt the enemy knights¡¯ formations and achieve a rout.


    He reaped one glorious victory after another.


    Even if those Knight Orders took refuge in castles, they could hardly resist the Earth System Magic of the Blizzard Beasts. For a time, they were unstoppable, with him as the arrowhead, the Coral Island Knights took down four small cities in succession, directly pressing towards the first major city¡ªFalconseen City, the territory of Peregrine Count.


    The name of Falconseen City stems from being witnessed by the peregrine, naturally referring to Peregrine Count¡ªTasker Scentcartleaf.


    At this moment, within Scentcartleaf Stronghold on the eastern hillside of Falconseen City,


    Peregrine Count¡¯s face was somber as he convened a meeting with his followers, ¡°We have received a warning from Rattlesnake Marquis; the disgusting flies of Sapphire are here again, this time choosing the Sardine Bay Area. And the Wildfowl Marquis has come as well, so all of us landlords in Sardine Bay must unite!¡±


    His followers howled in response, ¡°We¡¯ll heed your command, my Lord!¡±


    Tasker¡¯s eagle-like gaze swept over all the knights, revealing a satisfied smile, ¡°Very well, then, what follows is¡­ we defend Scentcartleaf Stronghold to the death!¡±

 Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: Chapter 0463: Proficient Siege Rhythm (Second Update)

    Chapter 466: Chapter 0463: Proficient Siege Rhythm (Second Update)


    Scentcartleaf Stronghold was not very tall, at least not when compared to Tulip Castle, it fell short by quite a length. However, the scale of Falconseen City at the foot of the mountain far surpassed that of Coral City.


    The population of Coral City was around thirty thousand, while Falconseen City had at least a population of forty to fifty thousand.


    ¡°My lord, if we are to plunder Falconseen City, our charge formation will inevitably be disrupted and the knights of Scentcartleaf Stronghold will be ready to charge and defeat us at any time,¡± Viscount Trik, leading the Knight Order, returned from a patrol around Falconseen City to report.


    Although the city was not as fortified as a castle,


    it still had basic walls, as well as many apprentice knights guarding it, making it no easy task to breach under a rain of arrows. Not to mention the elite knights of Scentcartleaf Stronghold, lying in wait hungrily.


    Had it been in the past,


    The Coral Island Knights would¡¯ve directly bypassed the major cities, looting small towns and rural villages instead, and stumbling upon a mine was like striking it rich. That¡¯s when the knight order hiding inside the strongholds would need to consider whether to charge out for a decisive battle, or to remain holed up and resolutely not emerge, allowing the Coral Island Knights to loot and leave afterwards.


    However, now, Li Weiliam glanced at his increasingly steadfast second son and the black behemoth beside him, confidently saying, ¡°Then let¡¯s crush Scentcartleaf Stronghold first, and after that plunder Falconseen City!¡±


    His gaze turned to Liszt, ¡°Is Douson ready?¡±


    ¡°Douson is always ready for siege, my lord!¡± Liszt patted Douson¡¯s huge head. The almost two-year-old Douson had matured in every aspect of his body, and his mastery of the four types of magic was particularly adept, essentially reaching the pinnacle that his bloodline could attain.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin the siege! I¡¯ll take care of the Scorching Sword Saint Tasker; you guys focus on suppressing the counterattacks from Scentcartleaf Stronghold¡¯s archers. Douson, along with the eight Blizzard Beasts, will lead the main assault on the city!¡±


    The order was given.


    Combat was imminent.


    The divine archers of the Coral Island Knights exchanged fire with the knights on the walls of Scentcartleaf Stronghold, while Liszt, mounted on the Landwalker bird Loki, holding the Swift Shadow Bow, began directing the Blizzard Beasts in the siege¡ªone of the eight tiny ones was responsible for prying at the base of the wall with Rock Spikes, while Douson handled bombarding it with Rock Grenades.


    The mixed Dou Qi of the knights, capable of shredding the magic cast by magicians who gathered the free-floating magic power in the air, was unable to shred the magic released by the inherent magic power within magical beasts.


    However,


    during the siege, Liszt noticed that there were a few spells cast from within Scentcartleaf Stronghold, which had injured several of the knights from the Coral Island Knights.


    ¡°There are also magical beasts in Scentcartleaf Stronghold, but fortunately, they seem to be low-level, only capable of casting Wind Blade Spell and Fireball Technique,¡± his Eye of Magic gazed, quickly zeroing in on the firing openings of the castle.


    He distinguished the non-human forms of Magic Radiance.


    He soon found the magical beasts that were constantly changing positions, as the Swift Shadow Bow was drawn to full moon, a poisoned arrow was being readied. He had mastered ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± to a proficient level, and as soon as a magical beast stuck its head out to cast a spell, he released the bowstring, sending an arrow angrily whistling through the air.


    Whoosh!


    The arrow spun through the air, following a path hard to discern with the naked eye, accurately flying into the firing hole and piercing the mouth of the magical beast.


    It was as if the scream of the magical beast could be heard from his ear, as the one peeking from the firing hole had already withdrawn into the fortress, not showing itself again.


    Liszt¡¯s lips slightly curled upwards, his archery skills must have reached an incredibly profound level.


    Overseeing nearly a thousand Earth Knights from the Coral Island, he should be the strongest archer among them, justifying his daily archery practice, coupled with his exceptional talent.


    In combination with the Eye of Magic, the effect was even better.


    The bowstring was drawn to full moon again, as he aimed at a second magical beast, awaiting for it to peek out and prepare to cast a spell before he fired another arrow, spinning it into the mouth of the magical beast.


    Another scream rang out.


    The magical beasts retreated back into the castle.


    It was unclear whether the two magical beasts had perished, but the arrows were dipped in a high-concentration poison from Rapid Growth Poison Thorn. Even if they didn¡¯t die, the beasts would certainly shed a layer of skin.


    When shooting at people, he adhered to the knight¡¯s code and did not use poisoned arrows.


    But when it came to magical beasts, there weren¡¯t so many scruples.


    Suddenly.


    He bellowed, ¡°Rock, come back!¡±


    Turned out, Rock, the Blizzard Beast, got carried away in the heat of the battle and charged towards the area bombarded with a hail of arrows. If Liszt could take down a beast from Scentcartleaf Stronghold, then the stronghold¡¯s Divine Archer would certainly dare to strike down his beast. Thus, he immediately called Rock back to ensure all eight tiny ones remained outside of the arrow¡¯s range.


    The discipline of the eight tiny ones still needed to be strengthened.


    Only Douson required less of Liszt¡¯s worry.


    It simply donned a suit of Firmstone Armor and charged headlong, deploying Rock Grenades at close range to bombard the wall, smashing it until cracks followed one after another.


    After depleting its Magic Power.


    The attack would pause, and the knights, like the tide, fell back, waiting for Douson to replenish its Magic Power before continuing the siege. Following the previous battle at Iron Hoof Island, the knights of Coral Island had long since learned to coordinate with Douson¡¯s rhythm, attack wave after wave successively.


    ¡°Father, do you think we can capture the Scorching Sword Saint?¡± Liszt asked during a brief respite.


    Li Weiliam shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s difficult, a Sky Knight who has reached the Sword Saint Level, even if their offensive power may be lacking, possesses unparalleled abilities to escape. Moreover, I¡¯m not adept at tracking an opponent, and my Dou Qi and Dou Qi Manuscript aren¡¯t particularly outstanding in terms of speed.¡±


    He practiced the Water Attribute Advanced Dou Qi from ¡°Giant Wave Breaks the Tide¡±, excelling in endurance, stout attacks, and solid defense, but it lacked a bit in explosive power, and the speed was quite ordinary.


    ¡°I wonder what kind of Advanced Dou Qi Manuscript Tasker has. It would be great if we could capture his Dou Qi Manuscript,¡± Liszt added expectantly.


    Scorching Sword Saint Tasker Scentcartleaf, from the title of Sword Saint alone, it was evident that he utilized Fire Attribute Dou Qi. Liszt had already obtained an Advanced Fire Attribute Dou Qi Manuscript, ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±, but he wouldn¡¯t mind having another Advanced Dou Qi Manuscript to compare and contrast for greater mastery.


    Although it was not the case that the more Dou Qi Manuscripts one studied, the better¡ªit could even cause problems with training due to conflicting techniques.


    But Liszt believed in his own ability to overcome such obstacles.


    The Earl spoke, ¡°There¡¯s a good chance he carries his Dou Qi Manuscript with him. Unless we capture him, we can¡¯t obtain the manuscript.¡±


    Father and son discussed the post-battle issues.


    They didn¡¯t regard the desperate defense of Scentcartleaf Stronghold to be of any concern.


    However, before they had rested sufficiently, the alarm horn suddenly sounded¡ªthe knights from Scentcartleaf Stronghold were pouring out of the castle, boldly charging toward the camp of the Coral Island Knights.


    With a telescope, the movements of Scentcartleaf Stronghold were discovered in real-time.


    ¡°I thought he was a turtle hiding in his shell, but I didn¡¯t expect Tasker Scentcartleaf to still have some valor. Well then, let me snuff out his valor!¡± Li Weiliam suddenly rose, his Advanced Dou Qi surging around him, giving off the pressure of a vast ocean about to unleash massive surges.


    Liszt also quickly stood, rejoining his own Knight Order, arraying themselves to meet the enemy.


    He had charged many times and, with the assistance of the Blizzard Beast, had emerged victorious every time. Facing the charge of other knights, he felt no pressure, only a blazing fighting spirit¡ªthese were all feats of valor delivered right to his doorstep!

 Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: Chapter 0466: Corn Minor Elf (First Update)

    Chapter 469: Chapter 0466: Corn Minor Elf (First Update)


    On the grasslands, if a gazelle is caught and killed.


    Then the lion that made the kill would first enjoy the delicious parts, followed by the hyenas waiting to partake in the leftovers, then the vultures hovering ready to pick scraps from the bones, and finally the flies buzzing around the bones and remaining rotting flesh, laying maggots to partake in the final revelry.


    Undoubtedly.


    With the conquest of Scentcartleaf Stronghold and the plunder of Falconseen City, the Coral Island Knights were the predators, savoring the most delicious portions. Then came the mercenary corps and second-hand traders flocking in to share the remaining resources, and rats, thieves, and the like would come to divide whatever leaked out.


    So much so that when Li Si Te witnessed such a scene, he felt that the fruits of their hard-fought battle, in reality, amounted to less than one-third of what they had to their mouths.


    The rest was snatched away by mercenaries, traders, rats, and others.


    This was the ecological environment of the hinterlands along the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s coastline¡ªhow many of these mercenary corps were fostered by the local landlords of Sardine Bay was hard to say clearly. One could say that these landlords themselves were also gnawing at each other¡¯s carcasses, becoming an important part of the entire ecological chain.


    Without their channels, resources would be difficult to digest quickly.


    Only by satisfying the demands of most ¡°creatures¡± in the ecological chain could it continue to sustain itself and not collapse easily. Without mercenary corps to pass on losses, what the Pioneer Mandate would face annually would probably be fiercely resisting knight orders.


    Although a large part of the resources were shared out.


    Liszt was still satisfied with this Pioneer Mandate¡ªhe came for the serfs, and now thirty merchant ships were carrying nearly eight thousand five hundred serfs and more than five hundred knights¡¯ relatives back to Black Horse Island. Just this trip alone met his expectations before the war, the rest was all profit.


    At the same time.


    He received a verbal message.


    It was from a knight of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family who had participated in the Pioneer Mandate: ¡°Viscount Liszt, I bring a message from Sir Roger. Hearing that you are renting merchant ships at a high price to transport food, Sir Roger is prepared to offer you thirty idle merchant ships, and you can defer payment of the rent.¡±


    Just as he was drowsy, someone brought a pillow.


    Although Liszt knew that the two families had already formed an alliance, interests still had to be clarified in advance, ¡°Sir Roger is offering such a huge favor, what does he need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Sir Roger hopes that you could bring your Intermediate Magical Beast Douson and help him conquer the castle of Count Feijiang¡ªHands Fort. He will calculate your battle reward based on the standard merits, and ensure the safety of both you and Douson,¡± the knight conveyed.


    ¡°Wait, I need to consult with the Earl.¡±


    Liszt quickly relayed the message to his father.


    Roger Golden Wheat was seeking help just to utilize Dorson¡¯s siege capabilities, along with protection, which seemed like an easy battle honor to pick up.


    After hearing this, Li Weiliam said, ¡°Just right, I don¡¯t plan on plundering any further. The Coral Island Knights¡¯ performance in conquering Scentcartleaf Stronghold was outstanding enough. If we make another big move, it will attract the attention of Marquis Snake Fang. According to exchanged intelligence, Marquis Roderick is facing off against Marquis Snake Fang, who is the lord of Peregrine Count. It¡¯s better for Roger to draw their attention instead.¡±


    Count Feijiang, Russell Finger Citron, was also one of Marquis Snake Fang¡¯s followers.


    Marquis Snake Fang was one of the major landlords of the Sardine Bay Area, and his territory was a principal attack direction of the Duchy of Sapphire. The original battle plan was for Coral Island to restrain Peregrine Count, cutting off one of Marquis Snake Fang¡¯s arms. It¡¯s just that now the cut was a bit too severe, with Scentcartleaf Stronghold falling directly.


    ¡°Then I shall go and support Roger.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Russell Finger Citron is known as the Swift Flying Sword Saint; he possesses Wind Attribute Dou Qi and is as fast as Lightning,¡± Li Weiliam warned.


    However, he might as well not have mentioned it, because as soon he did, Liszt¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled, ¡°A Wind Attribute Sword Saint?¡±


    In order to increase the safety of sailing, he had brought a Calming Wind Pearl this time. Imagine, once he took out the Calming Wind Pearl, all Wind Attribute Magic Power within a few hundred meters would be dispersed. Even if a Sword Saint¡¯s Dou Qi originated from within and could not be dispersed, the power of their Dou Qi moves would definitely be greatly reduced.


    In that case,


    Wouldn¡¯t that mean he could even catch the Swift Flying Sword Saint by surprise and, in cooperation with others, manage to detain him?


    Li Weiliam seemed to have guessed Liszt¡¯s thoughts and couldn¡¯t help but warn, ¡°I know you have the Black Pearl that can disperse Wind Attribute Magic Power, but I¡¯ve experimented with it, and the reduction of a knight¡¯s burst of Dou Qi is limited. The Dou Qi of the Sky Knights is of a special nature, and the reduction will definitely be smaller than you imagine.¡±


    ¡°I will proceed with caution, and if it¡¯s not feasible, I won¡¯t rashly act.¡±


    ¡°Good¡­ Once we¡¯ve cleaned up the battlefield over by Scentcartleaf Stronghold, I will lead the Coral Island Knights to meet up with Marquis Roderick, and we¡¯ll see each other there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    With all matters clearly explained, Liszt rode the landwalker bird Loki, and took Dorson along with nine Blizzard Beasts. He also led his own knight squad, which had expanded to over fifty men, and a fully staffed knight order, following the knights of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family towards Hands Fort.


    While galloping on the road, he occasionally took out his telescope to survey the surroundings.


    This was to ensure that he wouldn¡¯t fall into an ambush, combined with the Eye of Magic¡¯s sensitivity to magic power, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for an enemy to ambush him.


    During the journey, he still called upon the Smoke Mission from time to time to check on the progress of the mission.


    It was at this moment that he noticed a sudden change in the Smoke Mission: ¡°Complete the mission, reward with one Corn Minor Elf.¡±


    ¡°Hm!¡±


    His mood was immediately filled with surprise, ¡°Getting a Minor Elf, and it¡¯s the expected Corn Minor Elf, such a Minor Elf is very valuable, representing a bountiful grain harvest! The food crisis of the land can finally take a breath, and the corn can feed more serfs!¡±


    One could imagine, at this very moment, miles away, the Corn Grass Bug is probably entering its Fat Pupa Stage.


    Unable to care for it from afar, and even the connection through the contract¡¯s bond becoming blurred and invisible due to the distance, he could only hope that under the influence of the Smoke Mission¡¯s Threads of Destiny, the Corn Grass Bug could smoothly evolve into a Corn Minor Elf.


    Worrying is useless.


    He wisely chose not to worry and began to look at the new mission.


    ¡°Mission: Count Feijiang is hiding in Hands Fort, constantly threatening the safety of the flanks of the Golden Island Knight Order and preventing Marquis Roderick from attacking Marquis Snake Fang¡¯s territory with full strength. His son Roger thus requests your help; please assist in capturing Hands Fort. Reward: A sprout of a Magic Fire Seed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s gaze sharpened, the content of the mission was not surprising, but the promised reward set his mind racing.


    The Magic Fire Seed had been residing in his heart for a long time, always competing with him for nutrients, yet not giving him any possibility to harness it. It was like growing a tumor, giving him both anticipation and a knot in his heart. He always felt that there was something uncontrolled inside his body, which was quite uncomfortable.


    ¡°The Magic Fire Seed is about to sprout, is it really going to grow into a tree, or will it suck my body dry?¡± After pondering for a long time, he finally shook his head in silence, not entangling himself with this issue.


    He trusted that the Smoke Mission would not harm him.


    Perhaps after the Magic Fire Seed sprouted, new discoveries would be made.

 Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: Chapter 0467: Kiting the Sprinting Sword Saint (Second Update)

    Chapter 470: Chapter 0467: Kiting the Sprinting Sword Saint (Second Update)


    They successfully rendezvoused with Roger Golden Wheat Sheaf.


    During the rest period, Liszt learned about the overall situation of the frontline from Roger.


    The Golden Island Knight Order needed to attack the territory of Marquis Snake Fang, the great Landlord of Sardine Bay Area¡ªthe Poisonous Snake Ridge. Marquis Snake Fang had four Earl followers guarding the surrounding four territories, among which the territory of the Peregrine Count was the direction of the Coral Island Knights¡¯ attack, while the others were the target of Marquis Roderick and his followers.


    Roger and the newly promoted Sword Saint, yet-to-be Earl Fredo Curved Thorn, had their attack directed at Count Feijiang¡¯s Hands Fort.


    ¡°The Swift Flying Sword Saint is very powerful; I¡¯m at a disadvantage when facing him,¡± said Fredo, looking straight at Douson with a cold expression. Known as the Sprinting Sword Saint, he was a Thunder Attribute Sky Knight.


    Because of certain personality reasons, he hadn¡¯t been able to advance to the status of Earl over the years.


    Roger explained from the side, ¡°Fredo can only draw the Swift Flying Sword Saint away, but Hands Fort is extremely strong. We cannot capture it. This means that Count Feijiang¡¯s Knight Order can break through our blockade at any time and charge into the other territories, preventing us from securely plundering resources.¡±


    ¡°I can have the Blizzard Beast join the siege, but you must ensure my safety.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liszt, I will accompany you to the walls of Hands Fort. My Knight Order will do everything to protect us,¡± said Roger. As a mere Elite Earth Knight reliant on potions, he naturally needed the protection of a Knight Order on the battlefield.


    ¡°Then when do we start the siege?¡±


    ¡°The sooner, the better¡ªas long as you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°I can depart at any time.¡±


    Thus,


    The siege battle unfolded quickly, with the lined-up Blizzard Beasts acting like movable turrets, constantly casting Earth System Magic to strike the walls of Hands Fort. With the Blizzard Beasts, Roger¡¯s Knight Order could launch organized attacks, forcing the Knight Order inside the castle to come out and fight.


    Because if they did not fight, the castle walls would eventually be bombarded and collapse.


    The Swift Flying Sword Saint could not bear this situation and charged out of the castle, intending to attack the Blizzard Beast. His speed was indeed lightning-fast, like a streak of light, but the Sprinting Sword Saint¡¯s speed was equally fast. He thundered forward to meet the attack, blocking the Swift Flying Sword Saint¡¯s assault. It turned into a sword battle between two Sky Knights.


    On the back of Landwalker bird Loki, Liszt, holding the Calming Wind Pearl that he had taken out of the Gemstone Space, commanded the Blizzard Beast in the attack while pondering.


    He wondered whether he should join the battle between the Sword Saints or not.


    Rationality told him that it was sufficient to focus on the siege, leaving the rest to Roger¡¯s concerns, as the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family would bear the casualties of the war anyway. But his confidence was soaring. He had intervened in the battle between Li Weiliam and the Scorching Sword Saint; during the campaign on Iron Hoof Island, he had even fought alongside Li Weiliam to slay Count Sned.


    As an Earth Knight, to intercept a Sky Knight¡ªjust the thought was exhilarating.


    Moreover, he wanted to test whether the effect of the Calming Wind Pearl on a Wind Attribute Sky Knight was as significant as he expected, ¡°Roger, if I assist the Sprinting Sword Saint and intercept the Swift Flying Sword Saint, how do you plan to calculate my combat achievements?¡±


    ¡°What, intercept the Swift Flying Sword Saint?¡± Roger looked at Liszt skeptically, ¡°I understand you have an Intermediate Magical Beast, but I don¡¯t recommend you get involved in the fight between Sword Saints. The attack speed of the Swift Flying Sword Saint is terrifying. Liszt, be patient, we just need to focus on the siege.¡±


    He nodded his head.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t deny it.


    He decided to observe for a while longer. The Swift Flying Sword Saint currently held a clear advantage against the Sprinting Sword Saint, and the effect of the siege on Hands Fort hadn¡¯t shown yet. It was best to keep a low profile for a while. Once the impact of the siege became evident and the Swift Flying Sword Saint had to decide whether to fight or retreat, that would be the opportune moment for an interception.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have Fredo wear down the Swift Flying Sword Saint for a bit longer. Then, I¡¯ll make a grand entrance with my sharp archery and the Calming Wind Pearl!¡±


    This stalemate lasted for two days.


    After several sieges over two days, Hands Fort was riddled with holes, and a wall could collapse at any moment. The Swift Flying Sword Saint Lasse had fought seven or eight sword battles with the Sprinting Sword Saint Fredo. Although no winner had emerged, it was evident that he was pressuring Fredo.


    However.


    These seven or eight sword battles had already allowed Liszt to see clearly and gain an intuitive understanding of the attacking power of the Swift Flying Sword Saint.


    ¡°He is indeed very strong, but he still lags behind the Earl. I can intervene in their fight!¡± The Earl he referred to was Sea Wave Sword Saint Li Weiliam.


    So, before the next siege, he found Fredo: ¡°Viscount Fredo, for this siege battle, once the Swift Flying Sword Saint is drawn out, I plan to join you in ambushing him, aiming to kill or capture him.¡±


    ¡°You, joining me? Are you joking?¡± Fredo replied with a cold face, his contempt unhesitating, ¡°Ridiculous! You¡¯re just an Earth Knight; maybe in a few years, you¡¯ll barely have the chance to soar the skies. But the battle between Sword Saints is not a scene you can imagine!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, a Sword Saint has a very strong attack, and I can¡¯t withstand it, but my mount is also very strong. If I want to flee, even a Sword Saint can¡¯t catch up with me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so!¡±


    ¡°You can try it if you want!¡± Liszt said, his expression turning cold as well, for he did not like to be mocked.


    ¡°Liszt, Fredo¡­¡± Roger hurried over to smooth things over, not wanting the two to come to blows, but his intervention was ineffective.


    Fredo directly scoffed with his indifferent face: ¡°Even Li Weiliam wouldn¡¯t dare claim he could escape my pursuit. Who gave you the courage to show off in front of me!¡±


    ¡°Verbal aggression doesn¡¯t prove anything, Fredo!¡± Liszt suddenly spurred his Landwalker bird, leaping out of the camp, ¡°Get ready to accept my challenge!¡±


    Having said that, the Swift Shadow Bow was quickly drawn to full moon, and as soon as three arrows were slightly mounted to the bowstring, they immediately flew towards the Sprinting Sword Saint.


    ¡°Arrogant!¡±


    Fredo leapt into the air, soaring towards Liszt to unleash his attack.


    But Liszt was not the least bit flustered. He drew the Swift Shadow Bow again, scattering three more arrows across the sky. After one volley, he made the Landwalker bird leap high, gliding a hundred meters to evade Fredo¡¯s attack. At the same time, he took the chance to turn around and shoot again, with even more elusive paths for the arrows.


    Fredo was just about to get up when the arrows already flew in front of his eyes, forcing him to wield his Longsword and block them.


    Such scenes occurred one after the other in the time that followed.


    Admittedly.


    Liszt¡¯s archery skills posed no real harm to the fully focused Sky Knight, but they successfully disrupted the opponent¡¯s attack rhythm. It allowed the Landwalker bird to move dexterously, circling around Fredo, giving Liszt the enjoyable feeling of kite-flying tactics.


    ¡°Damn it, I want to see how many arrows you can fire!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I have enough arrows to keep shooting for half an hour,¡± Liszt responded loudly. In reality, he could shoot for half a day since he had a large supply of arrows in the Gemstone Space.


    A quarter of an hour later.


    Roger arrived and stopped the two, who were at a stalemate¡ªLiszt was always shooting arrows, which felt too wasteful; Fredo couldn¡¯t catch up with the Landwalker bird and was also vexed by the shooting.


    Putting away his Longsword and calming his agitated Advanced Dou Qi, he looked coldly at Liszt: ¡°I admit I underestimated you. You have a fine mount, and your archery is passable. But with your ticklish fighting power, what makes you think you can participate in a battle between Sword Saints?¡±


    ¡°My combat strength is indeed not strong, but I can disrupt a Sword Saint¡¯s attack rhythm. And you shouldn¡¯t forget, I have nine Blizzard Beasts, and with a single whistle, they will hunt fervently. Do you think I can¡¯t leave a few transparent arrow holes or claw marks on you?¡±


    The kite-flying battle with Fredo Curved Thorn significantly enhanced Liszt¡¯s air, and he had already measured that Sword Saints were nothing more than this.


    With the Blizzard Beasts¡¯ help, he might be able to hunt and kill ordinary Sky Knights on his own.

 Chapter 474 - Chapter 474: Chapter 0471: Only I Can Rob You (First Update)

    Chapter 474: Chapter 0471: Only I Can Rob You (First Update)


    The strength of low-level magical beasts was not weak, especially the flying low-level magical beasts; they could easily take on an Earth Knight in single combat. Unfortunately for this group of Black Bats, they encountered Li Si Te, who was one of the elite Earth Knights even among those who relied heavily on drugs.


    He was even a knight whose Dou Qi was transforming towards ¡°Dragon Dou Qi.¡±


    Furthermore, the Landwalker Bird he rode, when executing the Light Body Skill, could leap to astonishing heights, scattering the group of Black Bats completely. One after another, they were cleaved by the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword and fell to the ground; in a moment, twelve Black Bats lay dead. By then, the remaining Black Bats had already fled far away, beyond reach.


    ¡°Damn, the prey that was in my mouth slipped away!¡±


    Out of the group of twenty or thirty Black Bats, not even half were left behind.


    He quickly switched to the Swift Shadow Bow, attempting to shoot down one or two more, but the Black Bats, equipped with ultrasonic location, were least afraid of arrows; not a single one was hit.


    Counting the three Black Bats he had shot before the Bloodline Fruit matured, he picked up a total of fifteen Black Bat corpses¡ªas large as piglets, they could provide quite a bit of Magical Beast Meat, and many scraps suitable for Magicians to create Magic Arrays. A single one was worth at least ten Gold Coins.


    Fifteen amounted to one hundred and fifty Gold Coins, a considerable profit akin to the ransom of five Earth Knights.


    The combat in the jungle was also over; eight juvenile Blizzard Beasts, with the strong bloodline and bodies of Intermediate Magical Beasts, had nearly annihilated the twenty-odd Wind Blade Wolves that had invaded. Only three Wind Blade Wolves managed to escape, with the remaining eighteen left behind.


    This was close to two hundred Gold Coins in earnings.


    ¡°Gather all the Black Bats and Wind Blade Wolves¡¯ corpses, and allocate one Black Bat and two Wind Blade Wolves for tonight¡¯s extra meal for the Knight Squad.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡± Charles and the other knights replied with great excitement.


    Having not exerted much effort, they were indeed happy to enjoy delicious Magical Beast Meat. The group quickly returned, laden with spoils, busying themselves in sorting out the non-edible materials and the edible Magical Beast Meat, preparing for the evening feast.


    Li Si Te did not participate.


    He was observing Loki, who had eaten the Bloodline Fruit.


    This Landwalker Bird was extremely excited, and unlike Douson, who had fallen straight to sleep after ingesting the Bloodline Fruit, it had no intention of sleeping but kept hopping excitedly. Using the Eye of Magic, he could see that the Magic Power within it was boiling.


    Like water awaiting the boil.


    ¡°Loki needs to release some energy, so I might as well make the effort and go a little wild with it to help process the powerful effect of the Bloodline Fruit,¡± Liszt decided. He mounted the Landwalker Bird and began to race and leap across the wilderness.


    Loki was too excited to stop its feet.


    Liszt just gripped its neck, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere, ¡°The five-minute maturation time of the Bloodline Fruit is indeed too brief. Once contested by magical beasts, there¡¯s no time to organize a hunting operation properly. I should have stayed by the Bloodline Fruit myself, ready to pick it as soon as it matured.¡±


    Then he could distribute it to his own pets and mounts, which would be safer than letting Loki eat the Bloodline Fruit on its own.


    ¡°Right, although the Bloodline Fruit starts to lose Magic Power once it matures, there¡¯s still a five-minute window. If I can store it in the Gemstone Space the moment it¡¯s ripe, could I preserve its medicinal effect? Then I can calmly allocate it to the one I most want to give it to,¡± he thought.


    The one he most wanted to give it to had an excellent candidate¡ªEarth Matron.


    Once Earth Matron broke through the restrictions of her bloodline and became a Blizzard Beast, he would have a complete Blizzard Beast Legion. Douson and Earth Matron could continuously produce offspring, and even if the offspring weren¡¯t as exceptional as them, they would definitely be stronger than the low-level magical beasts, the Fierce Earth Dogs, from before.


    Thinking of this, he immediately felt regret so strong it was like a toothache, ¡°I thought I was so cunning, why did I forget about my Space Gem at such a critical moment?¡±


    A single, small Bloodline Fruit could potentially represent the loss of an entire Blizzard Beast Legion.


    ¡°Next time I get a Bloodline Fruit, I must store it in the Gemstone Space to see if it continues to lose Magic Power¡­ Logically, it shouldn¡¯t, as the Gemstone Space is formed by the Magic Power of the Formless Dragon, definitely the most miraculous and incredible gemstone.¡±


    What was done was done, and regrets were useless now.


    He could only hope that the next Smoke Mission would continue to reward Bloodline Fruits or that he could obtain them through other channels¡ªthe price of one thousand Gold Coins was still acceptable compared to the Blizzard Beast Legion.


    His thoughts were still soaring.


    Loki was still excitedly hopping around.


    After more than an hour of continuous bouncing that almost made Liszt vomit, Loki finally exhausted all its strength and returned to its nest in Nameless Castle to rest.


    Feet on the ground.


    Liszt steadied his still wobbling body and used the Eye of Magic to observe the Magic Power within Loki¡¯s body once more. The blue Magic Power was a bit thicker, no longer boiling, but slowly seeping into its body. This was the medicinal effect of the Bloodline Fruit settling, which would continuously improve its bloodline over the coming period.


    ¡°I hope you can become an Intermediate Dragon Beast soon.¡±


    After personally feeding it grains and fruits, Liszt then left.


    ¡­


    The banquet.


    The Magical Beast Meat from Black Bats and Wind Blade Wolves made the Knights eat with passionate exuberance.


    This period of leisure was nothing like being on the battlefield¡ªonly the Knights of Coral Island, relying on the supplies captured from Scentcartleaf Stronghold, could enjoy such a delightful life. Other Knight Orders were still constantly plundering, trying to obtain more wartime merit and supplies through the Pioneer Mandate.


    ¡°The Grand Duke has ridden the Sapphire Dragon to the war front to discuss a retreat with the Dragon Knights of the Steel Ridge Kingdom,¡± Viscount Jonas mentioned in passing when he stopped by Nameless Castle after raiding a small city.


    Among the Knights of Coral Island, only Viscount Jonas and his Knight Order were still fervently on the move¡ªhaving suffered heavy losses in the battle of Iron Hoof Island, he took this opportunity to make up for the loss.


    ¡°The Grand Duke riding a dragon? Has he really become a Dragon Knight?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s what I heard from others.¡±


    Jonas wasn¡¯t sure.


    Liszt left Nameless Castle and went to ask his father.


    Li Weiliam¡¯s answer was also somewhat vague, ¡°There is a very good chance, yes, but the Grand Duke has not revealed his current status to us. His Sapphire Dragon is also somewhat different; the broken parts of its body have not healed and still look¡­ quite ferocious.¡±


    Half rotten, half intact.


    This was the deep impression left on Liszt when he first saw the Sapphire Dragon; he didn¡¯t expect that after so long, the Sapphire was still in such dire straits.


    It seemed the surprise attack from the Goat Assembly had left the Sapphire Dragon with irreparable injuries.


    Li Weiliam quickly added another conjecture, ¡°Now that the Grand Duke dares to ride the Sapphire Dragon out, it indicates the dragon should be alright. Those Continental Landlords who want to take advantage of the turmoil within our Kingdom probably need to extinguish their thoughts¡­ We can rob them, but they can¡¯t rob us.¡±


    A Grand Duchy protected by Dragon Knights was indeed difficult to conquer. The Dragon Knights of all countries, as the ultimate deterrent force, were monitored by enemy forces, making it hard to go on an expedition easily.


    Moreover, mainland countries generally did not manufacture large sailing ships, leaving Knight Orders without the capability to sail the high seas.


    Still, Liszt was a bit speechless¡ªwas it really okay to bluntly state, ¡°I can rob you, but you cannot rob me¡± like this?


    Regardless.


    Three days later, on December 6th, the Grand Duke returned from the front line meeting and officially announced the end of this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate; it was time to go home.

 Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: Chapter 0472: The Rebirth of Dou Qi (Second Update)

    Chapter 475: Chapter 0472: The Rebirth of Dou Qi (Second Update)


    Arriving with nearly a thousand knights, and leaving with one thousand five hundred, the scale of the Coral Island Knights had grown like this for the first time during the Pioneer Mandate war.


    Liszt himself had incorporated nearly sixty Earth Knights, including ten Elite Earth Knights.


    The total number of Earth Knights in the territory had increased to seventy-nine, enough to form six knight squads with some to spare. Supporting so many knights was a significant burden for Black Horse Island, which was still in its development phase, but the construction of the territory also inevitably depended on the knights, since they were the class that held knowledge.


    Although Liszt was vigorously training knights from within his own territory, he still relied on the help of knights who had come over during the transition period.


    The development and construction were never things that could be achieved with just a snap of the fingers.


    When the last batch of supplies and serfs were loaded onto the ships, and the knights began to lead their horses on board in succession, Liszt, after guiding Douson and the Eight Tiny Ones into the ship¡¯s cabin, also led the Landwalker bird Loki aboard, its breathing unsteady and its expression listless¡ªthe effects of the Bloodline Fruit were showing, transforming its bloodline.


    Half an hour later.


    The last sailboat left the harbor and headed towards the azure sea.


    The Pioneer Mandate of the year 152 officially ended.


    Standing at the bow and watching the coastline gradually fade away, Liszt was full of anticipation, waiting to return to his territory to flex his muscles and build a new outlook.


    At this moment.


    He summoned the Smoke Mission.


    With the war over, the Serpent Script changed, ¡°Complete the mission, reward: the rebirth of Dou Qi.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Liszt¡¯s gaze sharpened, surprised by the content of the reward, ¡°The rebirth of Dou Qi, what does that mean? I remember that the rewards about Dou Qi included the sublimation of Dou Qi, which helped me advance to Earth Knight; and the bottleneck of Dou Qi, which helped me reach Elite Earth Knight.¡±


    Now, the rebirth of Dou Qi was also awarded.


    ¡°Is it saying that my Dou Qi, because of the germination of the Magic Fire Seed, is gradually transitioning to ¡®Dragon Dou Qi¡¯; or does it mean that in the process of cultivating with the Magic Fire Seed, I¡¯ve undergone a quantitative change leading to a qualitative leap, advancing towards Advanced Dou Qi?¡± He pondered, sensing the abundant Dou Qi within him.


    No matter which result it was.


    This was a significant breakthrough in his personal strength.


    As a noble scion, he had gained considerable cultivation experience, whether from his father Li Weiliam or his maternal grandfather Marquis Merlin.


    He had a deep understanding of the process of ascending from Intermediate Dou Qi to Advanced Dou Qi.


    Dou Qi, as a form of Magic Power, is referred to as ¡°Qi¡± precisely because of its nature at the stage of Advanced Dou Qi.


    Low-Level Dou Qi is an aggregation of nutrients within the body, chaotic with no attribute, and after cultivation, one only becomes an Apprentice Knight with no significant breakthrough in strength; Intermediate Dou Qi is Dou Qi that displays a change in properties, and with it, one can traverse the Earth, hence the title of Earth Knight.


    Similarly, the reason why a Sky Knight is called a Sky Knight is that they can soar into the sky.


    What they rely on is the nature of Advanced Dou Qi¡ªlight as air, which can support the body, almost as if merging with the sky. At the stage of Advanced Dou Qi, it truly demonstrates the properties of ¡°Qi¡±, distinctly set apart from Magic Power and showing even more significant changes in properties.


    High-level Water Attributed Dou Qi is like a stream of water flowing through the meridians; High-level Wind Attribute Dou Qi is like a mass of wind constantly cleansing the meridians.


    Similarly.


    High-level Fire Attribute Dou Qi should be like a flame that continuously spreads throughout the meridians.


    Paired with an Advanced Dou Qi Manual, one can fully unleash the entire power of Advanced Dou Qi, and even cause changes in the weather during battles.


    A battle between a Water Attribute Sky Knight and a Thunder Attribute Sky Knight would definitely bring thunder, lightning, and pouring rain in that area.


    ¡°No matter whether this rebirth of Dou Qi turns out to be Dragon Dou Qi or becomes Advanced Dou Qi, I am filled with anticipation!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started quickly!¡±


    Amid anticipation, the smoke before his eyes transformed.


    New Serpent Script emerged: ¡°Mission: 17,000 new serfs have arrived, your territory now has 22,300 citizens. The existing Fresh Flower Town and Harbor Town can no longer accommodate them, please plan new towns for the resettlement of your citizens. Reward: Peas that produce rhizobia.¡±


    The number of serfs had soared.


    Setting up new towns was a necessary step.


    Li Si Te would have planned this way even without the Smoke Mission¡¯s reminder, and he was delighted at the reward¡ªthe peas that produce rhizobia.


    Rhizobia, undoubtedly, were important agricultural auxiliary microorganisms. After forming nodules with leguminous plants, they could symbiotically fix nitrogen, greatly enhancing the nitrogen fertilizer required by plants and aiding in increased crop yields. Li Si Te had planted many soybeans and peas on Black Horse Island, hoping to use them to produce rhizobia to improve soil fertility.


    However, the results seemed to be underwhelming. Many of the sprouting soybeans and peas grew weakly. When pulled out, their roots had few nodules.


    Clearly, most leguminous plants had not been infected with rhizobia.


    Li Si Te remembered that on Earth, the cultivation of leguminous crops required artificial inoculation with rhizobia. What he could do was collect a small amount of rhizobia and mix it with the bean seeds. It was hard to guarantee that inoculation would occur¡ªand the outcome proved they had hardly been inoculated.


    The rhizobia in the natural ecosystem were still too scarce.


    ¡°With peas capable of producing rhizobia, I believe we can gather enough rhizobia strains, and then promote artificial inoculation throughout the territory!¡±


    ¡­


    Returning to Coral Island from the mainland required about ten days of sailing.


    During this time, Li Si Te kept taking potions and eating meat, tirelessly training. Finally, on the third day of the voyage, he sensed a brand-new change in his Dou Qi.


    Previously, because it had been contaminated by the impure Magic Power excreted by the Magic Fire Seed, his Dou Qi had already undergone one evolution, becoming a new Intermediate Fire Attribute Dou Qi¡ªmore powerful, less dissipative, with deeper qualities, allowing for faster breakthroughs. He thought he had already attained Dragon Dou Qi.


    But he felt that was unlikely. The power of Dragon Dou Qi should not be limited to this. Moreover, since the Magic Fire Seed had not yet nurtured a Fire Dragon, how could he have Dragon Dou Qi already?


    It could only be considered special Intermediate Dou Qi.


    And now, the special Intermediate Dou Qi was undergoing another change, as if it was a liquid sublimating into gas. Yet, the Dou Qi didn¡¯t expand; instead, it became lighter and more agile. As it circulated through his meridians, it gave him the sensation that he was beginning to ride the clouds and mist.


    It was as if the Dou Qi had become a flame.


    Burning along his meridians, there was no sensation of scorching pain, only relief and comfort.


    ¡°This is¡­ the process of Intermediate Dou Qi gradually evolving into Advanced Dou Qi. It looks like I¡¯m beginning to break away from the constraints of an Earth Knight, advancing towards becoming a Sky Knight!¡±


    It should have been a moment to tremble with excitement, but he had anticipated this.


    So at this moment, his mind was incredibly calm.


    He continued to focus on his training, constantly circulating his Dou Qi to accelerate this transformation¡ªfor many Elite Earth Knights, evolving from Intermediate Dou Qi to Advanced Dou Qi required a high unity of body, energy, and spirit, constantly striking, breaking through for a glimmer of a chance to touch the sky.


    However, as he calmly trained, the transformation of his Dou Qi naturally took its course, encountering no resistance whatsoever.


    ¡°Is my talent so exceptional that no barriers to advancement exist? It¡¯s a bit too self-congratulatory. A more likely possibility is that my Dou Qi was changed by the Magic Fire Seed, resulting in the disappearance of barriers to advancement¡­ After all, I can now be considered a reserve Dragon Knight!¡±


    He opened his eyes abruptly, his body slightly undulating with the rocking of the ship.


    He felt that by merely circulating the Dou Qi that was changing, his body could take flight, a wondrous sensation.


    ¡°Once the voyage ends, this change will also be complete. By then, I will have truly become a Sky Knight! A seventeen-year-old Sky Knight, everyone will be astonished! Although there is still a gap from the sixteen-year-old Sky Knight candidate for Dragon Knight, it¡¯s not far off!¡±


    With that thought, he could no longer contain himself.


    All his joy and pride were released with his laughter: ¡°Hahahaha!¡±

 Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: Chapter 0476: Name Shakes Coral Island (First Update)

    Chapter 479: Chapter 0476: Name Shakes Coral Island (First Update)


    Once again soaring, Liszt gently landed on the deck of the Tulip, having mastered the control of his descent¡¯s impact force, and did not damage the newly repaired deck.


    The Earl had already been waiting at the bow.


    Upon seeing Liszt land, he took a deep breath and exclaimed, ¡°I am proud of you, my son!¡± After saying this, he suddenly realized that he had told Liszt something similar several times during this period¡ªthe pride Liszt brought was one event after another.


    ¡°Thank you, Father.¡±


    ¡°When we return to Tulip Castle, I will hold a grand banquet for you to announce this good news to all the nobles and commoners of Coral Island.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Liszt readily agreed.


    Afterward, he received congratulations from all the nobles on board, and everyone was aware that a new noble star was rising within the Duchy of Sapphire. At this moment, no one doubted Liszt¡¯s future or whether he could achieve what Earl William Lee had now; he was always on the verge of establishing a new family.


    Establishing a family, to carry on and glorify the bloodline, was an extraordinarily proud matter for the nobles of this world.


    Liszt did not understand this at first, but after communicating with the Earl, he came to realize that the Earl was very much looking forward to such an event. It meant that the Tulip Family was growing stronger and achieving new accomplishments¡ªjust as the Earl had changed the family name to Tulip in the past, it was a moment of glory.


    And then.


    The sailboat carrying his followers quickly approached, and Marcus and the others filed onto the Tulip and offered Liszt a song of loyalty.


    The noise continued for half a day.


    Despite the ship¡¯s simplicity, a feast was held, the cups clinked as everybody drank themselves into a stupor. Liszt was no exception; he was already exhilarated, and with the nobles constantly urging him to drink, he kept downing one glass after another. In the end, he simply collapsed on the table and fell into a deep sleep.


    A night passed.


    Still, he woke up early in the morning, fresh as dawn. As an ordinary Sky Knight, his robust recovery allowed him no hint of a hangover.


    He was in high spirits, watching the sailboat head towards the port of Coral City.


    He was eager to fly there directly and flaunt his new status, but he controlled the impulse. A noble¡¯s image needed to be maintained; he couldn¡¯t afford to get carried away. After disembarking, he immediately mounted the Landwalker bird Loki, which had grown considerably larger, and followed behind Earl William Lee.


    All along the way, without a doubt, he received more saluting glances than the Earl.


    Not only was he handsome with an outstanding demeanor, it was more because of how majestic Loki looked beneath him. The creature had grown considerably, almost reaching four meters in height with legs nearly one point seven meters long, a neck of one point five meters, and a body length of less than one meter¡ªslimmer than before, its body was closer to an oval streamlined shape.


    The biggest change was its wings, which had grown longer and longer, with a wingspan that could stretch to six or seven meters.


    Since these changes had all occurred during the voyage, he hadn¡¯t yet been able to measure Loki¡¯s current physical condition, but from the outside, it captivated everyone¡¯s attention.


    In the past, Loki, when walking beside Douson, seemed somewhat less imposing.


    But now, walking side by side with Douson, the average person would be hard-pressed to discern which of the two was the Intermediate Magical Beast. Douson had a larger tonnage and area, while Loki boasted greater height and length.


    They were both impressive in their own right, and it was hard to declare a winner.


    However, Loki¡¯s bloodline evolution was clearly not yet complete; there was still room for growth, and surpassing Douson in terms of aura was only a matter of time. After all, its future would be as an Intermediate Dragon Beast¡ªand fortunately, two Bloodline Fruits in succession had successfully evolved the magical beasts that consumed them without exploding from within.


    ¡°Perhaps it was the Smoke Mission stirring the threads of fate, altering the destinies of Douson and Loki,¡± Liszt could only understand it this way.


    Encircled by civilians on both sides of the road, the triumphant knights rode their tall horses, heads held high and chests puffed out as they slowly galloped towards Tulip Castle. Every triumph was a perfect opportunity to proclaim the prestige of the knight, and in such traditions, the stratification between nobles and commoners was continuously reinforced.


    Despite his inner denial,


    Liszt still greatly enjoyed the feeling of parading through the streets on horseback. What people pursue in life is nothing more than fame, wealth, and beauty, and wasn¡¯t this moment the best accolade to ¡°fame¡±? Everyone wants to be the center of attention; the difference lies in whether one can become it.


    Now he had the chance to become the center, and indeed, he had become it.


    The whispers of the commoners always revolved around him and his mount, Loki, and many children, whose envious gazes followed him everywhere.


    ¡°When I grow up, I want to be as impressive as that knight and ride a big bird!¡± a child loudly declared.


    This led to laughter from the older children in the group: ¡°Haha, you might as well ride the chickens you raise at home.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you can ride a big bird in your dreams! That¡¯s a magical beast, a magical beast bird that could eat you in one bite!¡±


    An older boy, clearly more informed, boasted, ¡°You might as well give up. He is the great lord of the Tulip Family bloodline, the ruler of Black Horse Island! He is the Son of Glory from Coral Island, none are more favored by the glory of the knights.¡±


    The child let out an ¡°ah¡± and fell silent.


    During the ignorance of youth, everyone has dreams too grand for their reach, yet growing up means compromising. With constant compromising, one gradually strays from their dreams and can no longer become the person they wished to be. Fate doesn¡¯t need to strike a blow, just slowly erode the fighting spirit.


    In the end, the lowered head will declare that not everyone can grasp the throat of fate.


    Of course, as long as one doesn¡¯t give up, hope will not fade, and this world ultimately leaves a sliver of hope for progress even for the commoners. This hope drives countless commoner knights to march towards the battlefield, one after the other. Some remain forever on the battlefield, wrapped in hide, while others return home draped in glory.


    Liszt was undoubtedly one of those draped in glory.


    When they arrived at the crossroads between Tulip Castle and Coral City, the welcoming party was already assembled at the junction. Just like the triumphant return from the Iron Hoof Island campaign, Lady Penelope, Lady Marie, Li Vera, Levis, and The Loria Couple all stood at the front of the group.


    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve caused you concern,¡± said Earl William Lee as he dismounted and bowed to Lady Penelope. Every time he saw his mother come to welcome him, he would bow like this.


    Nobility is full of exchanges of interest.


    But there is also affection.


    Lady Penelope smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you. You always stand on the side of victory, and you¡¯ve never disappointed me, from past to present.¡±


    Following closely behind the Earl, Liszt dismounted from the bird and quickly approached: ¡°Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Strong boy, Liszt, you¡¯ve grown taller and more handsome!¡± Lady Penelope was very pleased, took Liszt¡¯s hand, and prattled on, ¡°When William would go to battle alone, I wasn¡¯t worried about his safety, but I worried about his loneliness. Now that he has his sons with him, battling side by side with his father, he will no longer be lonely.¡±


    Earl William Lee smiled gently, ¡°Mother, Liszt can truly fight alongside me now. You can¡¯t imagine the surprise he brought to us!¡±


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush and just say it,¡± Lady Penelope chided impatiently.


    The others watched closely, waiting for the Earl to finish his statement.


    The Earl, long used to Lady Penelope¡¯s attitude, maintained his smile, unchanging: ¡°Liszt has been promoted to a Sky Knight!¡±


    Boom!


    The ranks of those gathered for the triumphant return suddenly stirred.


    Liszt, on the other hand, stood quietly to the side, his expression as if untouched by clouds or wind, as if the person the Earl was speaking about wasn¡¯t himself.

 Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: Chapter 0477: Status Brought by Strength (Second Update)

    Chapter 480: Chapter 0477: Status Brought by Strength (Second Update)


    ¡°Sky Knight?¡± Levis¡¯s mouth fell open in disbelief, ¡°Father, are you saying that Liszt has been promoted to a Sky Knight?¡±


    Loria clutched his arm, equally agape with astonishment.


    As the future lady of Tulip Castle, she had always believed that Levis was the most talented member of the Tulip family, and that the promotion to Sky Knight would be led by him. Unexpectedly, it was Liszt, who had once been entangled with her sister, who suddenly erupted.


    Lady Marie¡¯s eyes widened, and though she made no sound, her eyes were filled with distrust.


    Her son Lidun could hardly hide his own terror, despite Lady Marie¡¯s teachings that he must respect his second brother. His talent, which had earned the Earl¡¯s favor, had always made him believe he was the true genius.


    Without a doubt, in his eyes, Levis was merely mediocre, and Liszt was once considered a good-for-nothing.


    Yet at this moment, he heard the terrifying news: the once useless second son of the Tulip family had become an exalted Sky Knight.


    This was a lofty height many knights dreamt of but could never reach.


    Even those with talent struggled to attempt this level without ample resources.


    ¡°Why is this happening?¡±


    ¡°Why is this happening?¡±


    ¡°Why is this happening?¡±


    Lidun¡¯s head felt dizzy, echoing the question.


    He felt as if all his strength had dissipated, barely able to stand still, anxious and choked, deeply uncomfortable. However, no one cared about how he felt at that moment, not even his mother, Lady Marie, who was tensely watching Liszt, eager to hear him say ¡°Sky Knight¡± himself.


    Lady Penelope held onto Liszt¡¯s hand tightly: ¡°My boy, is what your father said true?¡±


    Li Vera rushed over as well, seizing Liszt¡¯s other hand: ¡°My dear brother, are you truly a Sky Knight now, a mighty knight who can soar through the skies?¡±


    Faced with everyone¡¯s concern and anticipation.


    Liszt wanted to wipe the nonexistent sweat from his forehead; he was a bit overwhelmed by his family¡¯s enthusiasm¡ªhe preferred quiet adulation to warm inquiries.


    Nevertheless, he maintained his usual demeanor, showing just the right amount of standard noble smile: ¡°Yes, Grandmother, I have been promoted to Sky Knight, having completed it during my recent voyage. Now I am a common-tier Sky Knight who can ascend to the heavens and wield Advanced Dou Qi.¡±


    His answer.


    Relieved those who were expectant, hit those who were jealous like a hammer, but regardless, the scene instantly erupted into ecstatic cheers. His family, no matter who they were, kept sending blessings, with Lady Penelope particularly embracing him and vigorously patting his shoulders.


    He was tall and had to bend down so Lady Penelope could embrace him.


    It was a while before Lady Penelope let go, her eyes shimmering with tears: ¡°Knightly glory has looked upon us; our Tulip family has finally given birth to a new Sky Knight. Our family¡¯s brilliance will not fade but will flourish even more!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother, the Tulip family will grow stronger and larger.¡± The Earl, supporting Lady Penelope, announced loudly to those around, ¡°The ceremony of the triumphal return is now concluded. Knights, disband on the spot and return to your own lands, to be reunited with your families. Everyone else, back to Tulip Castle!¡±


    Liszt straightened up, just about to mount Loki.


    But he was stopped by Levis: ¡°Liszt, I simply don¡¯t know how to address you. Sky Knight, you¡¯ve achieved the height I¡¯ve always dreamed of! Tonight, you must discuss with me until late, I have so much about cultivation that I need your opinion on.¡±


    Clearly.


    He wouldn¡¯t be able to return to Fresh Flower Town today, so he could only reply: ¡°Brother, if Loria doesn¡¯t mind, I would be happy to share my insights on cultivation with you.¡±


    Loria came over with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, Liszt; I hope you and your brother can have a pleasant chat.¡±


    Li Vera also came over, ¡°I want to join in too.¡±


    Liszt smiled, ¡°No problem.¡± Whether it was one person or two, it was still an exchange; he didn¡¯t mind sharing his successful experiences with his relatives¡ªalthough he thought his successes were not worth emulating, at most he could tell them some cultivation tips he had summarized.


    He was adept at taking notes and used scientific methods to summarize and deduce problems that arose from cultivation.


    A thought crossed his mind, ¡°Perhaps I could write a ¡®The Earth Chronicle of Liszt¡¯ as an heirloom to provide a scientific reference for future generations¡¯ cultivation.¡±


    At that time, urged by Lady Marie, a somewhat pale-faced Lidun approached, forcing a smile, ¡°Brother Liszt, I would like to join you too, even though I am not an Earth Knight yet, but I am eager to receive your guidance.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± The Earl was not far off, and Liszt couldn¡¯t bring himself to refuse, no matter how much he disliked the boy, Lidun.


    He had to consider the Earl¡¯s feelings and maintain a superficial brotherly affection.


    And so.


    He was escorted back to Tulip Castle.


    Using the excuse of needing to instruct his followers about some matters, he managed to extricate himself from Levis, Li Vera, and Lidun¡¯s entanglement and called for Marcus, ¡°Teacher Marcus, the planning for the territory¡¯s development, especially the planning for the new town on Black Horse Island¡ªI mentioned it to you on the boat; you remember it all, right?¡±


    Now before Liszt, Marcus had become increasingly cautious and careful.


    Back when they were both Earth Knights, Marcus hadn¡¯t felt it, but once Liszt became a Sky Knight, he experienced tremendous pressure and boundless motivation, ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡±


    ¡°I might not be able to return to Fresh Flower Town immediately these next few days, pass my thoughts on to Officer Blair, and have him send someone to survey a suitable location for the new town. Additionally, have Captain Abagon from the Fresh Flower Caravan come here immediately; I have some questions for him.¡±


    Abagon¡¯s Fresh Flower Caravan was not only engaged in trade but also involved in information exchange.


    It essentially acted as ¡°Fresh Flower Town¡¯s office in Coral City,¡± and if there was anything that needed to be understood, he was the fastest way. Moments later, Abagon rushed to Tulip Castle to report the latest situations in Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island to Liszt.


    First and foremost was the issue Liszt was most concerned about¡ªhad the Corn Minor Elf been born?


    Abagon answered, ¡°Lord Landlord, I am unaware of the Corn Grass Bug situation, as such information is confidential within the Castle, and I dare not inquire carelessly. However, I have not heard of the Castle recently having any new Minor Elves born; perhaps you need to ask Mr. Carter or Consultant Goltai.¡±


    Indeed, that was the case.


    Elves were important assets to a Lord and could not simply have their information revealed carelessly.


    Therefore, Liszt could only wait for Consultant Goltai, who was to be notified, to hurry to Tulip Castle and bring him news of the Corn Minor Elf.


    After listening to most of the construction status of Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island, he sent Abagon away.


    He became the focus of everyone in Tulip Castle once again.


    It was apparent that with each visit to Tulip Castle, his treatment changed slightly. In the beginning, after he had first crossed over, he was practically invisible; after that, his significance grew once he obtained the Intermediate Magical Beast and the Thorn Minor Elf; and then he became a pivotal figure in the Castle having been successfully ennobled as the Lord of Black Horse Island.


    Now.


    The treatment he enjoyed was almost on par with that of the Earl¡ªhis family vied to show closeness, and the servants expressed endless respect.


    Holding a cup of fresh milk, he relaxed and leaned back in his chair, thinking, with a pleased mood: ¡°This is the status that comes with power.¡±

 Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: Chapter 0480: Corn Above the Head (First Update)

    Chapter 483: Chapter 0480: Corn Above the Head (First Update)


    Now on Coral Island, Liszt could go wherever he wanted without anyone being able to stop him, especially when it was a return to his own territory. Declining the banquet invitations from his noble colleagues, he led Retainer Knights directly to Fresh Flower Town at a fast pace.


    The significantly grown Landwalker bird Loki finally had the chance to fully release itself.


    ¡°Take Douson and the Eight Tiny Ones back to Fresh Flower Town, I¡¯ll go ahead alone, no need to follow me!¡± he instructed the Retainers and servants, then calmed the Blizzard Beasts and mounted Loki, who started running like the wind.


    ¡°Faster, Loki!¡±


    ¡°Clatter!¡±


    The intelligent Landwalker bird understood many of Liszt¡¯s commands. Immediately it broke into a sprint, its approximately 1.7 meters tall legs were like stilts, exceptionally stable, and even when running so fast that only the afterimages of its legs were visible, it still remained unruffled.


    The wind howled past his ears.


    By Liszt¡¯s estimation, Loki¡¯s speed at the moment was at least over 300 kilometers per hour because it had been only twenty minutes since they left Tulip Castle before they saw a small town on the outskirts of North Valley City¡ªa distance of less than a hundred kilometers from Tulip Castle to North Valley City.


    ¡°Originally, when Loki did not use magic, its top speed was 200 kilometers per hour, and it could only maintain that for ten minutes; now it can reach 300 kilometers per hour and sustain it for twenty minutes,¡± Liszt silently calculated as he watched Loki, whose speed had noticeably decreased as it reached its physical limits.


    He let Loki rest for a while in the small woods beside the road.


    Gave it some wheat grains and water.


    After a quarter of an hour, Loki started clattering again, announcing that its strength had been restored. Liszt then continued to ride it to complete other data measurements.


    A vertical leap from a standstill measured six meters high and thirty-five meters in length.


    A sprinting leap reached eight and a half meters high and ninety meters long.


    Such data were already impeccable. However, when Liszt permitted Loki to use the Light Body Skill, its statistics became even more astonishing¡ªthe running speed peaked at 500 kilometers per hour, like a flash of lightning, Loki swiftly traveled from North Valley City to Fresh Flower Town.


    They stopped by the edge of the Thorn Forest at Thorn Ridge.


    During the sprint leap, the height reached a staggering twenty meters, with the horizontal span exceeding two hundred meters¡ªit almost looked like low-altitude flying.


    ¡°Sky Knights can soar a hundred meters into the sky, Loki is slightly behind, but its speed is faster; it¡¯s almost my perfect mount¡­ If only it could fly, it¡¯s a pity those long wings still haven¡¯t learned how to fly,¡± Liszt thought proudly, yet with a hint of regret.


    The inability to fly was always a flaw.


    When he rode Loki onto Douson Avenue, the Patrol Team quickly spotted him, and the news swiftly spread throughout the town. At the Castle gates, Butler Carter was already hurriedly leading the servants to welcome the master¡¯s return.


    ¡°Welcome home, master.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Carter, Mrs. Morson, and all you ladies and gentlemen,¡± Liszt greeted the servants with a smile.


    He handed over Loki to be led away for feeding and entered the Castle while chatting with Butler Carter.


    Without any delay, he headed straight for the Worm Room.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    Jela, already aware through Mind Connection that Liszt was home, flew out, shouting at Liszt¡ªit was unsatisfied with Liszt¡¯s lengthy absence, though amidst the displeasure was joy for his return.


    ¡°Jela, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    He patted the small thorns on Jela¡¯s head and settled it onto his shoulder.


    Then he saw the Corn Grass Bugs in the Fat Pupa Stage that had been carefully protected. The originally greenish-yellow bugs had now turned grey-yellow, their skins dull and motionless.


    But Liszt could sense the strong vitality throbbing beneath their skin.


    He cast his Eye of Magic, and saw the chaotic magic power suddenly boil like water, continuously forming bubbles. Bubbles burst one after another, followed by indescribable changes in nature. The Corn Grass Bug, already huge in its Fat Pupa Stage, also swelled up in an instant.


    Excitement flowed from it, deeply affecting Liszt¡¯s emotions.


    Butler Carter stood behind him, witnessing the transformation, and exclaimed, ¡°Master, has it evolved successfully?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jela¡¯s birth was just like this!¡± Liszt said with a radiant smile, truly a complete surprise; his Corn Grass Bug had started its final evolution just as he returned.


    Time trickled by.


    The Corn Grass Bug had grown as thick as a calf¡¯s leg.


    And then.


    As if sensing something, he suddenly widened his pupils and saw the Corn Grass Bug¡¯s grayish-yellow skin turn pale and suddenly split open. A tender, pale yellow little hand emerged from beneath the skin, followed by an arm, and then a plump little head poked out.


    There was also a small corn cob on top of its head.


    The exquisitely beautiful Minor Elf had revealed its face.


    With curiosity about the world, it looked around and finally fixed its gaze on Liszt, opened its little mouth, and cried out crisply, ¡°Chirp.¡± Its cry, different from Jela¡¯s clearer sound, was somewhat similar to Nami¡¯s delicate voice.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Jela, seeing the newborn Minor Elf, quickly flew up, wanting to pounce towards it.


    But Liszt grabbed her and placed her on a table beside him, issuing a ¡°do not move¡± command, and she pursed her lips in disappointment.


    Afterward.


    Liszt smiled and waved at the newborn Minor Elf.


    The Corn Minor Elf then crawled out from the ruined skin, its chubby body wobbled, and a pair of transparent wings unfolded, it took flight, circling the room once before landing on Liszt¡¯s palm: ¡°Chirp.¡±


    The husk the Corn Grass Bug left behind.


    Before Liszt could touch it, it turned to dust and vanished without a trace.


    ¡°Such a gentle Minor Elf, I can feel your tranquil heart,¡± he mused, looking at his third Minor Elf, his emotions brimming, ¡°Mr. Carter, look, isn¡¯t it incredibly beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master, it¡¯s unbelievably beautiful; I feel so fortunate to have witnessed the birth of a new Minor Elf in my lifetime,¡± Mr. Carter said, his voice choked with emotion. The birth of the Thorn Minor Elf was a surprise, the Mangrove Minor Elf he had only heard about, apparently, it was reared outside.


    Now this Corn Minor Elf, he had witnessed its entire birth process.


    He regarded Liszt as his dearest person, happy for Liszt¡¯s growth, and he couldn¡¯t help but shed tears of joy for Liszt having a new Minor Elf.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Jela cried out from the table.


    But neither Liszt nor Carter paid attention to it, still admiring the pale yellow, incredibly beautiful Corn Minor Elf¡ªit should be called the Corn Grass Minor Elf, but following the successive births of Stick Corn, Oil Corn, and Corn, ¡°Corn¡± had become a large family.


    This year¡¯s harvest of Grain Corn, Oil Corn, and Stick Corn seeds had already been saved, waiting for extensive promotion and cultivation in the next spring planting season.


    Though their effects were yet unclear, there was no doubt that all three types of corn were excellent.


    Even if the variety wasn¡¯t great, the Corn Grass itself was high-quality forage.


    The Corn Minor Elf had significant value.


    Carter quietly wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and composed himself before asking, ¡°Master, have you decided on a name for it?¡±

 Chapter 484 - Chapter 484: Chapter 0481: The Cover-Sliding Maniac Reappears (Second Update)

    Chapter 484: Chapter 0481: The Cover-Sliding Maniac Reappears (Second Update)


    The name of the Corn Minor Elf had not yet been decided by Liszt.


    The name of Thorn Minor Elf Jela stemmed from ¡°Rise of the Thorns,¡± while the name of Mangrove Minor Elf Nami came from ¡°Tidecaller.¡± Both were heroes from ¡°League of Legends¡±, but it seemed there were no heroes related to corn.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that there are none, for the explosives expert Jiggs does have a connection with corn¡ªexplosions, popcorn. However, Jiggs as a name is not flashy enough, nor is it solid or vivid. Besides, I remember the steward of the Fruit Thief Monkey Training Ground is called Jiggs, so to use that name again would be awkward.¡±


    Therefore.


    After thinking for a long time and not finding a suitable name, he simply made a random decision, ¡°Just call it¡­ Mickey.¡±


    Why it was named Mickey, Liszt did not know. He had just thought of this name and decided to use it for the Corn Minor Elf¡ªgenerally in noble families, minor elves do not have names, and they are directly called by their Cordyceps names since there are too many of them.


    However, the Tulip Family had not yet reached such an affluent state, so every minor elf had a name.


    Naturally, Liszt also named his own minor elves.


    ¡°My lord, I will spread the news of Mickey¡¯s birth immediately,¡± said Carter, somewhat eagerly. The birth of a minor elf was clearly another glorious occasion worth a grand celebration.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    However, before Carter could leave, the officials of the town hurriedly arrived at the castle. Isaiah, leading the officials, had received the patrol member¡¯s notification and quickly rushed to the castle.


    ¡°Mr. Carter, is the lord in the castle?¡±


    ¡°Gentlemen, the lord is currently welcoming the birth of the Corn Minor Elf Mickey. I was just about to inform you all.¡±


    ¡°What? The Corn Minor Elf has been born?¡± The informed officials exclaimed in surprise, ¡°My goodness, knightly glory has favored us, one marvelous event following another, all the glory converging upon the great lord we follow!¡±


    Just at that moment.


    Liszt came down from the second floor.


    On each shoulder was perched a minor elf. On his left shoulder sat a snow-white, pouting, and angry Thorn Minor Elf Jela; on his right shoulder was a pale yellow Corn Minor Elf Mickey, with a face of curiosity about its surroundings. It was a pity Nami wasn¡¯t there; otherwise, there might have been one on top of his head as well.


    ¡°Praise the lord!¡±


    ¡°Praise the lord!¡±


    The officials quickly started bowing and saluting.


    Liszt said with a smile, ¡°There is no need for such formalities. Let¡¯s save the celebrations for the banquet later. Right now, I am more concerned with the development of the estate, especially the arrival of the new serfs, and the arrangements for the knights and their families.¡±


    Isaiah stepped forward, ¡°My lord, the knights that were taken in have already been led to Black Horse Island by Captain Marcus. Except for a few Earth Knight instructors who remained in Fresh Flower Town, the other knights have gone to Black Horse Island. Consultant Goltai also went to Black Horse Island to settle the knights.¡±


    ¡°Then how are the serfs in Fresh Flower Town arranged?¡±


    ¡°Following your instructions, Fresh Flower Town did not continue to reclaim wasteland. Most of the Cordyceps has been gradually moved to Black Horse Island, so the new serfs in Fresh Flower Town are only temporarily arranged to live there, and tasked with repairing roads and wooden houses. They will gradually move to the new town on Black Horse Island to farm once it is built.¡±


    ¡°You officials must ensure the procurement of supplies, to guarantee that the serfs can survive this winter. I will find a way to handle the matter of Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    After receiving compliments from everyone and discussing government affairs for half an hour, Liszt dismissed the officials. It just so happened that the retainers and servants had already led the Blizzard Beasts back to Fresh Flower Town, so Liszt arranged for the Blizzard Beasts to be placed in dog kennels before leaving the castle for the Magic Workshop.


    He was in dire need of Magic Potions and urgently required Chris Truth to provide a new batch of them.


    He also came here to collect those Magic Books¡ªhaving given Chris many Gold Coins to purchase Magic Books, the pursuit of the achievement of the Cover-Sliding Maniac would continue.


    What if a new Dou Qi Secret Technique is hidden within the cover of one book?


    Sliding the cover doesn¡¯t do any harm.


    When he arrived at the Magic Workshop, Chris wasn¡¯t working, but sitting on a rocking chair in the cold wind, looking at a withering tree not far away, watching its last leaf fall.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s voice interrupted Chris¡¯s reverie.


    She hurried to her feet, ¡°Viscount, have you returned? I heard you successfully advanced to a Sky Knight, praise the lord, it is an impressive achievement indeed.¡±


    ¡°With both talent and hard work, becoming a Sky Knight is only natural,¡± Liszt said indifferently. In his own territory, he didn¡¯t need to be modest.


    ¡°Viscount, are you here to take the magic potion?¡±


    ¡°I came to see you, to check on your training progress, and incidentally to take some magic books back for viewing. Only then will I take the magic potion,¡± he said. Of course, his goal was the magic potion. But when speaking, there was no need to be so blunt; he could adjust the order appropriately.


    A flash of surprise crossed Chris¡¯s face, then she replied, ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve been a bit unsettled, as if my understanding of the Magic Array has reached a critical point. But there are a few places that I don¡¯t quite understand, which need more careful thought.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. If there are any difficulties, you can tell me. I may not be a magician, but I can consult with other magicians.¡±


    ¡°If I really can¡¯t solve it, I will ask for your help, Viscount.¡±


    ¡°So, how many magic books did Mr. Elkeson sell?¡±


    ¡°I spent a total of thirty Gold Coins to buy three boxes of magic books, mostly theoretical notes. I also spent one hundred and thirty-six Gold Coins to purchase four types of advanced magic, along with eight types of common magic, among them was a high-level Light Magic ¨C Shadow Projection, worth forty Gold Coins.¡±


    These magic books were directly handed over to a servant to carry to the castle.


    Only then did they start to transfer the magic potions. Chris was very fast at making magic potions, as long as the materials could keep up, and the losses during production were quite low. However, it was clear that the magic potion materials produced by the domain were still too few. The potions she had made recently accounted for only a small batch.


    It wouldn¡¯t be enough for even half a month¡¯s training for Liszt.


    Therefore, he still needed to spend Gold Coins to buy potions from outside, even though it was painful. But for the sake of training, it was a necessary expenditure ¨C fortunately, the final payment for the sale of the Black Pearls would be received soon, as well as the earnings from the Fresh Flower Brew. The production of glass was also on the agenda.


    Otherwise, Liszt would really struggle to face the gold-devouring maw of his domain¡¯s construction.


    ¡­


    He took the magic potions.


    Returned to the castle.


    Liszt immediately began the Cover-Sliding Maniac achievement. The castle¡¯s library was now full to the brim with shelves upon shelves of books, looking like the study of a learned scholar.


    But in reality, besides the covers showing creases, half of all the knight¡¯s novels and magic books were brand new.


    One book, two books, three books¡­ He was like a busy little bee, constantly slicing open covers, searching for possible hidden layers and metallic papers.


    Hoping to find another Dou Qi Secret Technique.


    Unfortunately, his hopes were dashed by the time he sat down for dinner, having sliced open the cover of every book with no hidden layers found.


    He sighed, ¡°Without the guidance of a Smoke Mission, it indeed isn¡¯t reliable. It seems I must set off for Black Horse Island immediately tomorrow, outline the new town, and complete this phase of the Smoke Mission.¡±

 Chapter 487 - Chapter 487: Chapter 0484: Jelas Furious Outburst (First Update)

    Chapter 487: Chapter 0484: Jela¡¯s Furious Outburst (First Update)


    The planning scheme for the six new towns went through continuous revisions and was eventually confirmed and passed by Liszt. According to this plan, the future administrative division of Black Horse Island was already clearly defined.


    The southernmost town was the port town, adjacent to Black Horse Port, and it was set to be upgraded into a port city, serving as the central city on Black Horse Island, with Liszt¡¯s new castle situated on the outskirts of the city. This city would concentrate most of the territory¡¯s industries, becoming a modern industrial city.


    The most northwestern town was New Harbor Town, neighboring the yet-to-be-developed New Harbor, and also had the potential to be upgraded into a city. It would serve as the starting point for Liszt¡¯s exploration of the Sea of Azure Waves and the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    The southwesternmost town was Green Tea Town, located at the foot of Ice Grass Hill, with vast lands planned for green tea plantations. The future development of this small town would mainly focus on the green tea business.


    The easternmost town was Red River Town, situated at the mouth of the Red River, with the mangrove forest nearby. The future development of this town would primarily revolve around the industry of green caterpillars and green-headed ducks.


    The valley between Sheep Grass Hill and Needle Grass Hill held Horse Ranching Town, neighboring Black Horse Ranch. The town¡¯s future development would mainly concentrate on ranching.


    The valley between Alfalfa Hill and Ice Grass Hill was to be Thorn Town. In the future, Thorn Garden would move here, and naturally, the town¡¯s development would focus on thorn planting.


    To the west was Grain Town, situated in the valley between Alfalfa Hill and Sheep Grass Hill, with plans to open up large-scale grain farms, serving as the food base of Black Horse Island.


    If one more town, Fresh Flower Town, which was the main trading town with the potential to upgrade into a trading city, were to be counted,


    then Liszt¡¯s territorial planning would consist of a structure with eight small towns at its core. The knights didn¡¯t have enough merits to be granted fiefs just yet; everything in the territory was still his property¡ªany future grants of small towns or villages would be to places that were impoverished and undeveloped.


    With the scheme set, the next step was to arrange the construction.


    The idle labor force of serfs would be mobilized this winter, ensuring enough food and warm clothing to make sure the projects wouldn¡¯t be delayed too much during winter.


    The territory officers had already accumulated construction techniques for winter and knew how to arrange work and rest reasonably.


    Liszt was not stingy; he immediately decided to start by planning several baths for men and women in the port town and other towns that were ready to be constructed in winter, using the heat from Fire Dragon Magic Power to help the serfs drive away the chilly air from a day¡¯s work.


    With this settled,


    after the evening meeting dispersed,


    Liszt summoned the Smoke Mission and found that the mission was already completed.


    ¡°Mission accomplished, reward: a pea that produces rhizobia.¡±


    Subsequently, a new mission was issued: ¡°Mission: With the successive arrivals of the Mangrove Minor Elves and the Corn Minor Elves, the Thorn Minor Elf feels its status is threatened, only able to vent its anger through inappropriate means such as violence. Please guide it to properly channel its anger. Reward: An Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, venting Jela¡¯s anger¡­¡± Liszt¡¯s eyebrows rose, looking at the mission reward and connecting it with the content of the mission, he vaguely had an idea, ¡°Should I tell it to release its anger in farming to earn my best affection? Or perhaps influence thorns to breed a new Elf Bug?¡±


    Whether a minor elf can affect the birth of a similar Elf Bug is uncertain.


    However, based on observations from the Tulip Family, there is at least some influence¡ªTulip Castle not only had one Tulip Great Elf, but also two Tulip Lesser Spirits (one was given to Li Vera) and eight Tulip Bugs (two were given to Li Vera).


    Additionally, there was a Tulip Bug given to Liszt.


    That is to say, the Tulip Family clearly had an abnormal number of Tulip Elves, which was certainly related to the family¡¯s massive cultivation of tulips, but the influence of other Greater and Little Minor Elves on each other could not be discounted.


    ¡°Regardless, I have to guide Jela to channel its hot temper into farming to prevent it from bothering Mickey. It would be best if it can really help bring about a new Thorn Bug. With one more Thorn Bug, I could plant more than a hundred acres of Rapid Growth Magic Thorns.¡±


    Jela would plant eight hundred acres of Rapid Growth Magic Thorns, and a new Thorn Bug could plant another hundred acres.


    Just relying on Thorn Magic Potions would be roughly enough for a third of what Liszt needs for his potion consumption. Coupled with Flame Magic Potion, Ice Flame Potion, Dark Magic Medicine, and Dragon Kui Auxiliary Medicine, it would make up half of what he needed.


    He didn¡¯t stay long on Black Horse Island.


    The next day, after inspecting the overcrowded dormitories of the serfs, he took a boat and left Black Horse Island to return to Fresh Flower Town. After filling his stomach and practicing magic, he continued the training of the Blizzard Beast and began to guide Jela, instilling in it the correct moral values, values, and perspective on life as an elf.


    ¡°Jela, I know you don¡¯t like other minor elves, but you need to understand that they are all my elves, and you can¡¯t just hurt any of them,¡± Li Si Te said.


    Jela retorted, ¡°Woah!¡±


    Its emotions made it clear that it just wanted to give Mickey and Nami a lesson.


    Pop.


    Li Si Te flicked it on the head with Finger-Flick Magic.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Jela made an angry face and pretended to intimidate Li Si Te, but its actions were futile.


    Pop!


    Li Si Te flicked it again with Finger-Flick Magic.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    Pop!


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    Pop.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Finally, Jela submitted, covering its head and daring not to cry out anymore.


    Having tamed Jela¡¯s temper, Li Si Te then began to lead gently: ¡°Jela, do you know how to make me like you? You must cultivate your thorns well. I need the thorns, and you can cultivate them. That will make me like you. If you can find Thorn Bugs to help you, I¡¯ll like you even more.¡±


    ¡°Woah?¡± Jela seemed a bit unclear.


    Li Si Te had no choice but to pull out a thorn vine, put on a happy expression, and then pointed at Jela, and then at the thorn. Jela paused for a moment, then waved its hand and scattered a beam of green light, which immediately made the thorn vine sprout anew.


    Seeing this, Li Si Te decisively gave it a kiss with a pop.


    Jela immediately laughed happily, very pleased with Li Si Te¡¯s kiss. It then applied magic more cheerfully, causing the thorn vine to sprout even more.


    Basically.


    Li Si Te had made it understand that ¡°thorns equal kisses,¡± and the next step was to guide it to cultivate the eight hundred acres of Thorn Garden to vent its dissatisfaction. At this moment, the cooperation of the Corn Minor Elf, Mickey, was needed. Li Si Te deliberately treated Mickey very well to incite Jela¡¯s anger.


    Then let Jela plant more thorns, thus treating it even better.


    This required some time to deeply influence it, and Li Si Te could only stay in Fresh Flower Town for one day before having to interrupt the training to attend the celebration banquet of the Pioneer Mandate at Tulip Castle this year. The Earl reconfirmed several Honored Knights and one of them was conferred as a new Baron.


    Then came the distribution of the minerals, which could only be distributed to the landlords after the Grand Duke had collected taxes on them.


    Even though the mineral loot this time wasn¡¯t much, Li Si Te, with his achievements second only to the Earl, still managed to obtain fifty thousand pounds of iron and some copper, tin, and aluminum metals. Metals could not only be used to make weapons and tools, but were also very practical magic materials, and one could never have too many.


    After a night of reveling, the year¡¯s first major snowfall quietly arrived in the night.


    Early the next morning, Li Si Te set off through the snow to return to his territory¡ªthis time, he would stay for a long while, with no need to go out.


    ¡°Jela, get ready to start over as a new elf!¡±

 Chapter 488 - Chapter 488: Chapter 0485: Mutated Crops (Second Update)

    Chapter 488: Chapter 0485: Mutated Crops (Second Update)


    Heavy snow was whirling in the air, swiftly enveloping Fresh Flower Town in a silver garment, with only the roads remaining clear.


    The officials organized the serfs who had no tasks at hand, continually clearing the accumulated snow on the roads to ensure all the pathways throughout the town were unobstructed.


    Meanwhile, some roads were still under construction, with rocks produced by the Blizzard Beasts being constantly broken into cobblestones to pave the roads. The main thoroughfare of Fresh Flower Town had already been expanded to accommodate four carriages driving abreast, and the roads between various settlements could also fit two carriages side by side.


    While other towns commonly had mud roads, Fresh Flower Town had already achieved modernization in transportation.


    Viscount Liszt, the Lord Landlord, always remembered the slogan, ¡°If you want to be rich, build roads first.¡± Without smooth roads, the development of Fresh Flower Town would always be limited.


    Although fundamental construction required the burning of a substantial amount of funds, it was absolutely a significant boost to economic development.


    Liszt even had a plan to collaborate with Tulip Castle to build a gravel road from Fresh Flower Town to Coral City to further reduce the travel time between the two. However, this road would be costly, and the Earl might not agree.


    At least until Black Horse Island experienced an economic boom that would greatly enhance trade between the two, it was highly unlikely that the road would be built.


    People in this world did not yet have the concept of ¡°infrastructure development.¡±


    To the nobles, it made no difference whether the serfs walked on a gravel road or a mud road; whether they trod on green pastures or through excrement and wastewater.


    Only Liszt would go to great lengths to build infrastructure.


    On Black Horse Island, he had already planned numerous future roads wide enough for four carriages to drive side by side¡ªsimply called four-lane roads.


    Between every two towns, there would be a four-lane road. In the future, as the cities of New Harbor Town and the port town developed and were upgraded, a direct six-lane road would also be built.


    He believed that Black Horse Island¡¯s industries would need such roads for support.


    ¡­


    On this day.


    More good news arrived.


    The serf household that had discovered the Pea Cordyceps reported a miraculous change in their peas¡ªthe influence of the Pea Cordyceps allowed peas to grow even in autumn and winter. However, as the Pea Cordyceps were removed, the leftover peas at home could no longer thrive.


    Now that the pea shoots had withered, the serfs planned to uproot them and gather the mature peas as seeds¡ªthese peas had developed well and were excellent seeds.


    But.


    When he pulled out the roots of the peas, he found nodules the size of fingernails. The serf remembered the Lord Landlord mentioning that leguminous plants had rhizobia in their roots, which could enhance crop production, so he excitedly reported his discovery.


    The local officials, naturally having heard Liszt explain the benefits of rhizobia for the soil and plants, immediately reported to the Castle, informing Liszt.


    ¡°Many nodules the size of fingernails?¡± Liszt understood at once that these were the ¡°peas that produce rhizobia¡± from the previous Smoke Mission reward.


    He immediately led the Retainer Knights to the serf¡¯s home to see the peas.


    The roots of the peas were quite loose, indeed harboring a large number of nodules. Not only were they numerous, but also significantly larger than the artificially inoculated soybeans with nodules that Liszt had seen on Earth.


    He immediately ordered all the peas to be uprooted, discovering that there were more than twenty plants with rich nodules on their roots, while the rest of the peas were quite ordinary.


    ¡°Gather all these nodules and preserve them carefully. Next spring, when planting peas, soybeans, peanuts, and the like, remember to use soil mixed with these nodules. Also, buy up all these pea seeds for focused cultivation next year, planting them near the Pea Cordyceps,¡± he ordered.


    ¡°Yes, Lord,¡± the officials hastily noted down Liszt¡¯s instructions.


    The new variety of peas were named ¡°Mushroom Peas¡± by Liszt, meaning they were peas that could produce rhizobia.


    ¡°`


    He believed that with the continuous cultivation of the Pea Cordyceps, the Rhizobia that Liszt was hoping for would be produced in large quantities, boosting the yield of all leguminous plants and enriching the fertility of the soil.


    ¡°The estate now has more and more new varieties of crops.¡±


    On the way back, he suddenly thought that many new varieties of crops had been born in this land over the past two years.


    The Black Tulip was first, followed by Corn Grass, Smoked Grass (Smoked Grass probably doesn¡¯t count, as it should grow in other areas too; after all, Liszt recognized it from a Knight¡¯s Novel), and then the Flame Mushroom, the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms, and after that came the Rapid Growth Thorn.


    The Rapid Growth Thorn set off a trend of crop mutation and led to Liszt¡¯s unique naming method.


    Suddenly, five new varieties emerged¡ªRapid Growth Thorn, Rapid Growth Poison Thorn, Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn, Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, and Rapid Growth Magic Thorn.


    Two new varieties of Rubber Tree were developed¡ªFruit Rubber and Fan Rubber (a new Cordyceps species, its use currently unknown).


    Corn Grass developed into three new varieties¡ªGrain Corn, Oil Corn, and Stick Corn.


    Now peas have also yielded a new variety¡ªthe Pea Cordyceps.


    In addition, there¡¯s the mutated Auxiliary Medicine Dragon Mallow; these new mutant crop varieties were all named in the format of ¡°property¡± plus ¡°original name,¡± creating new names.


    ¡°These really are interesting names, distinctive and self-explanatory, simple yet expressive.¡± He was quite satisfied with his own naming ability.


    ¡­


    The Pea Cordyceps was just a small episode.


    The chaos in the estate caused by the influx of new serfs soon settled into stability, without needing Liszt¡¯s concern. He resumed his usual schedule, living a plain but fulfilling life. Lately, his greatest pleasure was to train Thorn Minor Elf Jela, teaching it to be an elf again.


    Without the prompting of the Smoke Mission, Liszt probably wouldn¡¯t have had any idea how to educate an elf.


    He would simply think of elves as straightforward farming tools, without considering ¡°ideological reformation.¡± Now it seems, at times spiritual power should not be underestimated, as it can brainwash humans, unleashing enormous productivity in work; similarly, why couldn¡¯t it brainwash elves.


    He had experience in teaching the Blizzard Beast.


    So, he quite enjoyed educating Jela, continuously guiding her to channel her anger into growing thorns. After five days of training, Jela finally completely adapted to the new behavior, whenever she disliked other minor elves or got angry.


    She would run to the Thorn Garden, use her magic power to promote the growth of thorns.


    ¡°Good girl!¡± Liszt would then offer loving encouragement, a rewarding word of praise, a gentle pat, or a little treat.


    Jela would be instantly delighted.


    Afterwards, he summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Task completed, reward one Thorn Elf Bug.¡±


    No surprises, having spent every day recently in the Thorn Garden, the Smoke Mission¡¯s reward indeed originated there. It was a Rapid Growth Magic Thorn that had undergone a change; a large bulge had grown on its branches. Magic power gathered inside, evidently nurturing an Elf Bug.


    ¡°It looks like it has been nurturing for several days, not just recently developed; seems like it¡¯s not influenced by Jela?¡± Liszt mused.


    Thorns are evergreen plants all year round, with slower growth in the winter.


    Because Magic Potion itself has magic power, Liszt hadn¡¯t noticed the abnormality of this particular Magic Potion before; now judging from the degree of magic power accumulation, it had been nurturing for at least half a month.


    Regardless.


    The emergence of this Thorn Bug came just at the right time, alleviating the shortage of Magic Potion.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 492 - Chapter 492: Chapter 0489: The Feather of the Phoenix (First Update)

    Chapter 492: Chapter 0489: The Feather of the Phoenix (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Three boxes, three gifts, Liszt opened the first box with eager anticipation.


    This box was a congratulatory gift from the Meioubao Couple and Angela. Although the box seemed large, upon opening it, it was mostly filled with packing shavings. Only in the center of these shavings was a smaller box. Once he opened this smaller box, the gift inside was immediately revealed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a sapphire pendant,¡± Levis said, standing by his side. His knowledge was anything but superficial, and he directly recognized the gift, ¡°It must be sapphire magic equipment that has been energized by a magic array to amplify strength!¡±


    The sapphire produced by the Sapphire Dragon contained a mysterious power¡ªstrength amplification, increasing the user¡¯s strength significantly. Additionally, gemstone items generally have a common effect¡ªenhancing the casting effect of magic. Different magic arrays can trigger different gemstone effects.


    Given that it was a gift for Liszt, it naturally wouldn¡¯t be for the amplification of magic, but definitely for enhancing strength.


    ¡°Indeed, becoming the son-in-law of a grand duke is different; owning a Sapphire Dragon at home means the gifts you receive are sapphire magic equipment.¡± Liszt was very satisfied with this gift. The value of gemstone equipment was extremely high, worth at least a thousand or two gold coins.


    His grandfather, Marquis Merlin, had given him the Crimson Blood Sword in a similar manner.


    Speaking of which,


    he hung the sapphire pendant around his neck without any hesitation. He energized the pendant with his Dou Qi, quickly establishing a connection between their essences. He then felt an overwhelming strength spontaneously arise in his body, stirring under the stimulation from the sapphire pendant¡ªas if he could kill a magical beast with a single punch.


    Once he put it on, he had no intention of taking it off again.


    He then proceeded to open the second box which was a congratulatory gift from the Mesiro Couple. Upon opening it, he took out an exquisitely crafted cloak.


    Red on the outside, black on the base, with golden thread along the edges¡ªit looked quite luxurious.


    This was no ordinary cloak but a piece of magic equipment. According to the accompanying letter, it was meticulously woven from the fur of a Low-Level Beast with a mantle of fur. Just this cloak alone took the fur from ten such beasts, and not even an Earth Knight¡¯s attack could tear it apart.


    Its value was not low, but it was not exceptionally high either, roughly worth four or five hundred gold coins.


    Liszt was quite satisfied; after all, it was just a relative¡¯s gift for congratulations, so a gift worth four or five hundred gold coins was already quite precious.


    Last was the gift from his grandfather, Marquis Merlin, which, like the one from the Meioubao Couple, consisted of a box within a box. Eventually, he opened the small box to find it contained only a feather.


    Before he had a chance to examine what kind of feather it was,


    Levis exclaimed in awe, ¡°Oh my God, Liszt, your grandfather is too good to you! That is a Phoenix Feather! From the legendary Sub-dragon ¡®Phoenix¡¯!¡±


    ¡°A Phoenix feather?¡± Liszt was also startled.


    He had heard of Phoenix, said to be a superior dragonkin magical beast¡ªa Sub-dragon¡ªborn from flames, possessing dragon blood.


    But the Phoenix was just a mythical creature, with no solid evidence to prove its existence in this world. Phoenixes are depicted in some knight novels, but more often it is the Phoenix Feathers that are portrayed.


    No one has seen a Phoenix, not even in knight¡¯s novels where it has yet to make a straightforward appearance. However, its feathers are frequently featured in these stories, generally depicted as the essence of Flames.


    For a Knight of the Fire Attribute, obtaining a single Phoenix Feather could tremendously aid in their training, akin to a tiger growing wings.


    It could significantly boost the training speed of Fire Attribute Dou Qi!


    For Knights of other attributes, a Phoenix Feather was quite useless; but for those of the Fire Attribute, it was a treasure surpassing millions of others.


    No one had ever priced a Phoenix Feather in mere currency, but it was certainly calculated in terms of Dragon coins.


    Just this single Phoenix Feather could probably be sold for several Dragon coins, which is to say, tens of thousands of gold coins, more valuable than even a Little Elf Soldier.


    Almost comparable to a Dragon Bone Weapon forged from Dragon Bone.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Is this really a Phoenix Feather?¡± Li Si Te cradled the feather in his hand, feeling the surging Fire Attribute Mana, and couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard, ¡°The gift Grandfather sent me is truly precious, I shouldn¡¯t accept such a valuable gift¡­ But I can¡¯t bear to send it back!¡±


    ¡°Of course you should keep it, it¡¯s a Phoenix Feather after all, and you are a Fire Attribute Knight, it¡¯s something you simply can¡¯t miss! Moreover, since Grandfather gave it to you, why wouldn¡¯t you accept it!¡± Levis exclaimed, his behavior slightly uncontrolled due to the gift¡¯s immense value.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, since Grandfather gave it to me, I must accept it!¡± Li Si Te said solemnly.


    At the same time, his mind was particularly clear. Grandfather¡¯s lavish gift was not just a congratulations, but also a form of entrustment¡ªhoping that he would help the Long Taro Family more. During the festival at Long Taro Castle, Marquis Merlin had expressed this sentiment, given that the Long Taro Family was quite thin in members.


    Regardless of whether there was such a gift.


    Being of the Long Taro Family bloodline, he would definitely help the Long Taro Family whenever he could.


    Now that Marquis Merlin had sent such a precious gift, and considering the kindness he had shown from a young age, Li Si Te couldn¡¯t escape this responsibility, both emotionally and rationally.


    ¡°Huff!¡±


    He turned his gaze to the Phoenix Feather in his hand, still feeling somewhat incredulous. A Phoenix Feather, from a Sub-dragon Phoenix, was now truly before him.


    Before this.


    The existence of a Sub-dragon was still just a legend, with no one able to prove it.


    Now it seemed there was no need for any more proof. The powerful surge of Fire Attribute Mana from the Phoenix Feather was enough to show that it was not much weaker than Dragon Bone.


    But.


    When Li Si Te carefully examined the Phoenix Feather, he suddenly noticed that this ¡°feather¡± didn¡¯t quite seem to be a real feather. Instead, it resembled some kind of fiery red gemstone shaped like one. The texture, upon touching, was also very hard, almost like wire, grippy and difficult to deform.


    ¡°Is this really a feather?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask aloud, ¡°Levis, do you think a Phoenix Feather is really the feather of a Phoenix? It doesn¡¯t seem to be a real feather.¡±


    ¡°Let me have a look.¡±


    Levis carefully took the Phoenix Feather and observed it seriously: ¡°I can¡¯t be sure either, it really doesn¡¯t look like a real feather¡­ But then again, we¡¯ve never seen a Phoenix, nor do we know what a Sub-dragon looks like. Maybe this is just how a Phoenix Feather is supposed to look. Anyway, as long as it works for you, it¡¯s a real Phoenix Feather!¡±


    Indeed, that was the logic.


    No matter whether it fell from the body of a Phoenix or was naturally formed as some kind of gemstone, as long as its effect was still the same as the legends described, then it was a real Phoenix Feather¡ªthe surging Fire Attribute Mana was proof enough that it was authentic.


    Tucked into his chest.


    It was like placing a furnace in his bosom, full of warmth.


    ¡­


    A moment later.


    In the upstairs living room, the whole Tulip Family sat together, examining the Phoenix Feather on the table. The Earl was even using a magnifying glass, bent over and carefully observing the patterns of the Phoenix Feather¡ªthis magnifying glass was a byproduct of Li Si Te¡¯s invention of the telescope.


    ¡°I can¡¯t determine whether it¡¯s truly the remains of a living creature. At least compared to Dragon Bone, it shows more signs of being magical in nature, and it might very well be a product of concentrated Magic Power, like the gemstones produced by Dragons.¡±


    The Earl lifted his head and shared his analytical conclusion.


    Seeing this, Li Si Te nodded: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the existence of a Sub-dragon is still in question?¡±

 Chapter 493 - Chapter 493: Chapter 0490: You Should Go Rest Now (Second Update)

    Chapter 493: Chapter 0490: You Should Go Rest Now (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    Dragon¡ª¡ªFlying Dragons.


    Super Dragonkin Magical Beast¡ª¡ªSub-dragon.


    Other Advanced, Intermediate, Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beasts¡ª¡ªDragon Beasts.


    Plus one Dragon Breed Beast, they constitute the taxonomy of dragons and dragon-related creatures.


    Flying Dragons represented the pinnacle of power in this world, standing at the top of the food chain, with few creatures capable of threatening their existence; Sub-dragons were legendary species with many descriptions, but no one had ever seen them in person; Dragon Beasts, although rare, did exist, and Liszt¡¯s Landwalker bird Loki was a Low-Level Dragon Beast.


    Loki¡¯s bloodline evolution had not yet been completed, perhaps it could eventually become an Intermediate Dragon Beast.


    Dragon Breed Beasts generally existed in the form of tribes, such as the Blue Blood Treasure Horses bred by the Sapphire Duke, the Black Blood Treasured Horses and the Dragon Breed Cows raised by Liszt.


    In short, items like the Phoenix Feather, which resembled a gemstone, could not prove the existence of a Phoenix.


    After showing it to his family, he immediately took the Phoenix Feather back and kept it in the Gemstone Space. To him, it was a priceless treasure, and he couldn¡¯t be too cautious with it. So much so, that he didn¡¯t even plan to study the Phoenix Feather at Tulip Castle but instead, waited until the holiday season was over to go back to his territory and study it slowly.


    This year¡¯s holiday season was relatively lively.


    The family exchanged gifts, which were common items like food and clothing, with no valuable goods involved. The gift from Lady Penelope was still one of her meticulously cared for potted plants, a pity that Liszt hadn¡¯t found any potted plants harboring Elf Bugs while he toured her balcony.


    Those two Elf Bugs were indeed once in a lifetime.


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve read ¡®The Earth Chronicle of Liszt¡¯ which you wrote, many of the experiences in cultivation are clear and notable, many methods are inspiring to me,¡±


    the Earl said in the study, chatting leisurely with Liszt face to face.


    It was uncertain when it began, but Liszt¡¯s visits to the study had gradually become more frequent.


    Of course, a lot of the time was spent on awkward small talk, and this evening was no different. After discussing some trivial matters of life, the two simply began exchanging their insights on cultivation.


    Liszt replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to inspire you.¡±


    ¡°I always wondered how you became a Sky Knight in such a short period, contradicting my understanding of cultivation. However, through the notes, and your exchanges with Levis and Lidun, I¡¯ve finally come to understand the reason.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Father, what reason have you understood?¡±


    ¡°You have a profound understanding of cultivation, an understanding that is even deeper than mine, a Sword Saint. We often think that talent in cultivation is shown through bloodlines, but it¡¯s not really like that. A person¡¯s vision and understanding can also determine their talent.¡±


    The Earl then began summing up his discoveries¡ªhe talked a lot, blah blah blah, but in essence, he was saying that Liszt was smart, taking fewer detours in cultivation.


    It was hard for the Earl to justify it for him.


    Of course, Liszt wouldn¡¯t refuse such kindness, and he nodded in agreement: ¡°That¡¯s right, Father. My bloodline is the same as yours and my brother¡¯s, not outstandingly talented. But I think more about cultivation, and this thinking has helped me open the doors to a new world of cultivation.¡±


    ¡°So, I believe that in the future, we father and son should exchange more. I have a wealth of experience in the practice of a Sky Knight, and you have a keen insight into cultivation. More exchange between us can greatly benefit both sides, and who knows, in a few years I might become a Completion Level Sky Knight.¡±


    ¡°I too hope to help you reach Completion soon,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°So, have you figured out any clues about Sky Knight cultivation recently?¡± asked the Earl.


    Liszt answered, ¡°I am currently adjusting to a new level of adaptation to Magic Potions, and at the same time, I¡¯m also exploring the secrets of practicing from the Advanced Dou Qi Manual.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, feel free to ask me.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± said Liszt.


    ¡°Take a closer look at the ¡®Sword Saint¡¯s Chronicles¡¯ that your grandfather gave you. I often borrow and read it from Levis. Indeed, it contains many valuable experiences to reflect upon.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve already memorized the ¡®Sword Saint¡¯s Chronicles.''¡±


    Earl felt somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Liszt continued to boast, ¡°I love reading, and I have a good memory. In fact, I¡¯ve also memorized the ¡®Rising Sun Blaze¡¯ Secret Manual. I think instead of keeping frequently used knowledge in books, it¡¯s better to store it directly in one¡¯s mind, ready to be accessed at any time.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like magicians, as they are always causing destruction, but I admire their determination to research the truth. I also think using magic books to spread knowledge is a very good method. The best way to understand something is to record and study it.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°I do the same. I research the interactions between magic potions and Dou Qi, the interactions between drugs and the body, reasonable methods of cultivation, and I¡¯m even researching new Dou Qi manuscripts. I believe if our predecessors could create Dou Qi manuscripts, then I surely can create them too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re planning to create a Dou Qi manuscript?¡± Earl exclaimed.


    ¡°Father, it¡¯s not hard to understand.¡±


    Liszt casually took a sip of milk, ¡°If drug consumption can be summarized to suit one¡¯s personal constitution, why can¡¯t Dou Qi manuscripts be summarized to suit one¡¯s personal style? Everyone¡¯s combat style is distinct and their bodies are different too. The Dou Qi manuscripts of our ancestors might not fit me perfectly.¡±


    Earl sat in his seat, holding a glass of red wine, continuously sipping.


    Liszt was still going on and on. Now that he was a Sky Knight, it was a rare opportunity to converse with an Earl who was also a Sky Knight, naturally, he wanted to indulge in the exchange, ¡°When I was at the Earth Knight stage, I was eager to break through to Sky Knight, so I had no time to create a Dou Qi manuscript. Now that I have become a Sky Knight, I should contemplate more carefully, and create a Dou Qi manuscript that fits me.¡±


    This was the truth.


    Before, when he was weak and felt insecure, he was desperate to use drugs to cultivate.


    Now that he had become a Sky Knight, and even the shadow of his future dragon mount was taking shape, he naturally didn¡¯t need to hurry and could cultivate more patiently.


    He was prepared to continue his long speech.


    Suddenly, Earl interrupted, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, Liszt. It¡¯s time to go to rest, and don¡¯t forget that today is the festival. Relax appropriately and don¡¯t always think about cultivating. I approve of your ideas and hope you will have greater breakthroughs¡­ I¡¯m proud of you, my son.¡±


    Although slightly disappointed, Liszt still stood up to take his leave.


    Earl was left sitting alone in the study, looking glum. He poured himself a full glass of red wine and gulped it down.


    ¡­


    Returning to his room to rest.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t seem to fall asleep, partly because he was waiting for the unknown reward that would be given after midnight for completing the Smoke Mission, and partly because the Phoenix Feather always tempted him, making him eager to take it out and play with it.


    The fiery red feather, about the length from the middle finger joint to the wrist, was slightly curled with a translucent luster.


    This was a flight feather.


    Flight feathers, along with tail feathers, are large feathers that cover the body of birds and are considered primary feathers. The structure of a primary feather includes the shaft, the rachis, barbs, and barbules, and this Phoenix Feather had these features. However, its barbs were not soft but had many small, crystalline protrusions.


    The barbules were also robust, similarly adorned with crystal-like protrusions.


    ¡°No matter how you look at it, it doesn¡¯t resemble a real feather, more like the fossil of some feather. Is it really from a phoenix?¡± Liszt began to recall the knowledge he had about phoenixes.


    Sub-dragon phoenixes are different from the phoenixes of Chinese legend.


    More akin to the Western legend of the immortal bird, in essence, it is a Fire Attribute Magical Beast.


    Its Serpent Script pronunciation and meaning are also unrelated to a phoenix, but Liszt habitually compared it to one ¡ª because its Serpent Script meaning is ¡®great bird born from flames¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 496 - Chapter 496: Chapter 493: Call Me Big Brother (First Update)

    Chapter 496: Chapter 493: Call Me Big Brother (First Update)


    The Fire Seed state of the Little Fire Dragon was clearly not a true young dragon yet.


    It meant that the anticipated Fire Dragon had not truly been born, and there was still a significant distance before becoming a Dragon Knight. Yet the mere Fire Seed state of the Little Fire Dragon had already scared Liszt half to death.


    Maintaining it now required such a vast amount of resources; what if it truly hatched, becoming a tangible Little Fire Dragon? Would that not lead to bankruptcy?


    ¡°How exactly do other Dragon Knights ride dragons?¡±


    ¡°Could it be that Dragon Knights can suppress the fortune of a nation, not because a dragon¡¯s strength can protect a nation alone, but because it requires the resources of an entire nation to sustain it?¡±


    Thinking like this, it seemed to really be the case; basically, dragons were controlled by the various countries of the continent, and there were no known cases of private dragon ownership.


    ¡°The most crucial point is that the dragons of these countries seem to be Gemstone Dragons and Metal Dragons, with only one or two being Elemental Dragons,¡± his thoughts became hazy, and even more melancholic, ¡°The Fire Dragon is an Elemental Dragon, and most Elemental Dragons are Evil Dragons who do not produce goods and can¡¯t contribute to me. Wouldn¡¯t sustaining it be even more expensive?¡±


    Gemstone Dragons could produce gemstones, and selling those gemstones was absolutely a big profit; Metal Dragons could produce metals, which were resources coveted by nations.


    What could a Fire Dragon do?


    Produce volcanoes? Or fuel furnaces?


    However, just as this idea arose, Liszt had a flash of inspiration: ¡°Perhaps it could indeed fuel furnaces? The current Fire Dragon Brick Factory, and the public baths, are both powered by Fire Dragon Magic Power. If my Little Fire Dragon grows, couldn¡¯t it provide an even greater supply of Fire Dragon Magic Power?¡±


    Fire Dragon Magic Power was a high-efficiency energy source, clean and pollution-free.


    If used properly, it might replace coal, oil, natural gas, and start a new energy revolution!


    ¡°Thinking about it this way, the Fire Dragon is quite useful after all, and the combat power of Elemental Dragons is stronger. Once I mount the Fire Dragon, couldn¡¯t I easily beat the Sapphire Dragon? Perhaps even seize the entire Duchy of Sapphire, and best of all, capture the Sapphire Dragon as well?¡± Liszt indulged in this wild fantasy for a moment.


    He slowly calmed his emotions.


    Regardless, the Fire Dragon was already incubating within him, and he could at any moment realize his dream of becoming a Dragon Knight.


    If resources were insufficient, he would strive to farm and earn money; if his strength was lacking, he would continue to accumulate energy and bide his time.


    Countless Completion Level Sky Knights, despite preparing all the resources, failed to find a dragon and died in discontent. Compared to them, he had already completed the most important step; the rest was just preparation. Having the Smoke Mission and many industries, prosperity was only a matter of time.


    ¡°Little Fire Dragon, Little Fire Dragon, I¡¯ll definitely raise you up!¡± Liszt squinted his eyes, entertaining another thought, ¡°And if there are no other dragons, I¡¯ll have to form a contract with you, and share half of your lifespan with me, making me a Dragon Domain LandLord.¡±


    The Little Fire Dragon probably needed to grow for more than a hundred years to reach a modest size.


    But Liszt didn¡¯t have that much lifespan to wait; becoming a Dragon Domain LandLord was an essential step¡ªunless the Little Fire Dragon suddenly matured into adulthood.


    Of course.


    Everything was still too rushed for now. First, he needed to find a way to incubate the Little Fire Dragon. Hopefully, the incubation wouldn¡¯t take tens of years. He focused his attention, summoning the Smoke Mission again to check the new mission.


    ¡°To incubate the Fire Seed state of the Little Fire Dragon into a true Fire Dragon, a massive amount of resources is needed, but don¡¯t forget the legacy left by the Fire Dragon. That is the true nourishment to raise the Little Fire Dragon. Please feed the Fire Seed state Little Fire Dragon once. Reward: Amber with Magic Power.¡±


    The content of the mission brought him a quick insight: ¡°The legacy of the Fire Dragon? That definitely refers to the Fire Dragon Magic Power within the volcanic glass! Certainly, this Fire Dragon Magic Power will help the development of the Mini Little Fire Dragon¡­ After all this time, it still comes down to draining my Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    Collecting Fire Dragon Magic Power was not easy; last time, in order to activate the Dragon Bone Magic Array and incubate the Magic Fire Seed, he had already exhausted most of the Fire Dragon Magic Power mined on Black Horse Island.


    Now, these reserves of Fire Dragon Magic Power had to be used to feed the Mini Little Fire Dragon.


    There might not be any left by the end.


    The Fire Dragon Jar filled with Fire Dragon Magic Power was in his Gemstone Space. He didn¡¯t choose to start feeding it now, after all, this place was Tulip Castle, and if the Fire Dragon Magic Power leaked, it would be troublesome. He didn¡¯t even pay attention to the reward of the Smoke Mission, the Amber with Magic Power.


    He calmed his mind and began to sleep.


    ¡­


    Early the next morning, he left Tulip Castle.


    Upon returning to his own domain, Liszt couldn¡¯t wait to take out the Fire Dragon Jar and draw out a bit of Fire Dragon Magic Power to try how to absorb it.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t troublesome at all. When he let the Mini Little Fire Dragon out, the little guy immediately smelt the ¡°flavor¡± of the Fire Dragon Magic Power.


    It kept crying out ¡°oh ho¡±, ¡°oh ho,¡± emanating a strong desire.


    Liszt didn¡¯t give it the Fire Dragon Magic Power right away but tried to tame it as he had tamed the Blizzard Beast¡ªthis age was probably the most suitable for education, as it wouldn¡¯t be so easy once it grew up¡ªhe didn¡¯t know how to ride dragons and could only grope his way forward.


    ¡°Do a somersault, and I¡¯ll give you Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    ¡°Do a somersault, and I¡¯ll give you Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    ¡°Do a somersault, and I¡¯ll give you Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    After several repetitions, the Mini Little Fire Dragon somewhat reluctantly did a somersault and got a bit of Fire Dragon Magic Power as a reward from Liszt. It opened its mouth, the Fire Dragon Magic Power was sucked dry in one gulp, leaving nothing behind. Then from its body, a bit of impurity magic power was released, mixing into Liszt¡¯s Dou Qi.


    He felt a very slight improvement in the quality of his Dou Qi¡ªthis was probably the process of advancing to Dragon Dou Qi.


    ¡°Fan your wings, and I¡¯ll give you Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    ¡°Lift your hind leg, and I¡¯ll give you Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    ¡°Stick out your butt, and I¡¯ll give you Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    ¡°Sing a song, and I¡¯ll give you Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    ¡°Sing, Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    ¡°Sing, Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    Finally, the Mini Little Fire Dragon, anxiously pacing around, still opted not to sing. Liszt had to give up, ¡°It seems that you indeed can¡¯t sing. Well then, lick my finger and I¡¯ll give you Fire Dragon Magic Power.¡±


    The Mini Little Fire Dragon had no choice but to stick out its tongue and lick Liszt¡¯s finger, after which it was given a large clump of Fire Dragon Magic Power.


    All morning, Liszt did nothing but happily feed the Mini Little Fire Dragon, establishing a bond with it through training. It seemed that the Mini Little Fire Dragon possessed dragon¡¯s pride, disdainful of Liszt even though it was nurtured within his body.


    But for the Fire Dragon Magic Power, it had to lower its proud head¡ªlife always manages to smooth out the edges.


    Gradually, all the Fire Dragon Magic Power from a Fire Dragon Jar was fed to the Mini Little Fire Dragon, making it comfortably belch and then retract into Liszt¡¯s Dou Qi meridians, scurrying off to sleep soundly near his heart.


    It was satiated.


    The Smoke Mission was also completed.


    ¡°Mission complete, reward with Amber containing Magic Power.¡±

 Chapter 497 - Chapter 497: Chapter 0494: Amber of the Package Era (Second Update)

    Chapter 497: Chapter 0494: Amber of the Package Era (Second Update)


    The amber containing magic power was quickly delivered into Liszt¡¯s hands without requiring his concern.


    ¡°Viscount, this is a peculiar stone that the serfs responsible for the expansion of Fresh Flower Port Square found while leveling the Rocky Beach,¡± Isaiah personally brought a transparent yellow stone to the castle, ¡°It is as transparent as a gemstone, and there is actually an Elf Bug inside it!¡±


    An Elf Bug?


    Liszt swiftly took the palm-sized flat stone, its yellow color bright and decidedly transparent.


    Most wondrous was that inside it was a plump Elf Bug, curled up into the shape of a doughnut, looking vividly lifelike. There were bits of leaves and other impurities around it, and the overall shape confirmed that this was indeed amber, a reward from the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Is this the amber that contains magic?¡± Liszt quickly cast the Eye of Magic, examining the piece of amber.


    He immediately saw a faint swirl of Magic Radiance, chaotic in color, and it was actually emanating from the Elf Bug. The Elf Bug wrapped in amber had stripes of yellow and black on its body¡ªit was unclear if that was its original appearance or if it changed color within the amber.


    This surprised him: ¡°An Elf Bug turned into amber can still possess magic power?¡±


    As far as he knew, amber was the result of pine resin falling and being buried underground for millions of years, fossilizing under heat and pressure to form a gem-like stone. Many insects caught on the trunk of pine trees when the resin fell become encased and form exquisite fossils.


    However, amber on Earth usually forms between forty to sixty million years ago, because it takes a very long time for pine resin to fossilize.


    How long it takes for amber to form in this world was unknown to Liszt.


    But it certainly couldn¡¯t be a brief process; otherwise, it would merely be rosin, not amber.


    After playing with the amber for a while, Liszt asked Isaiah, ¡°Apart from this stone, have any other stones been found at the site?¡±


    ¡°Not so far.¡±


    ¡°Continue the search, it¡¯s best to turn over all the sand and stones in that area, to see if there are any other similar stones.¡±


    Isaiah asked, ¡°Viscount, what kind of stone is this? I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡±


    ¡°Amber is a stone formed from pine resin after tens of millions of years of change. Do you see this Elf Bug? I suspect it¡¯s an Elf Bug from tens of millions of years ago.¡±


    ¡°Tens of millions of years ago?¡± Isaiah exclaimed in astonishment.


    Human history in this world was unclear even a few hundred years back; the sparse early records that did exist were all attributed to the Moon Empire, confusing and unclear. The idea of what this world was like tens of millions of years ago was simply unimaginable. Even Liszt was puzzled about whether humans here had evolved or not.


    To say they evolved, then how did magical creatures like Elves and Dragons evolve?


    And Sea Serpents, according to Ach, she was born within a shell¡ªthere seems to be no apparent evolutionary link between shell-dwelling Sea Serpents with a humanoid form and humans.


    Therefore.


    No one knows what this world was like tens of millions of years ago.


    ¡°Have the serfs continue to search for amber like this, perhaps they will find more things from tens of millions of years ago encapsulated within¡­ The falling pine resin wrapped up things from that time, and then it was preserved indefinitely, just like this Elf Bug preserved in the amber,¡± he told Isaiah.


    Curious as well, Isaiah replied loudly, ¡°Yes, Viscount, I will personally supervise the serfs in their search for amber!¡±


    After the Administrative Officer left, Liszt continued to toy with the amber.


    And he began to ponder.


    He always believed that each reward from the Smoke Mission was valuable¡ªexcept for that Wind Falcon, Juan Fu, that damned bird that never returned. He should have slaughtered and eaten it when he had the chance.


    ¡°Since the Smoke Mission has delivered this piece of amber and specifically mentioned that it contains magic power, what exactly does that mean? Could this be a piece of natural magic equipment, like the Black Pearl? No, that¡¯s not right; the magic doesn¡¯t come from the amber itself but from the Elf Bug within it. Yet, the Elf Bug should have already merged with the amber, right?¡±


    Tens of millions of years of immersion.


    The amber and the object it encloses have long since become inseparable, leaving only the original structure behind.


    ¡°So, what use is this chunk of amber, as an ornament?¡± Li Si Te shook his head, making a decision, ¡°Better let Chris study it and see if she can find any valuable clues¡­ It¡¯s perfect timing since she¡¯s about to become the second Grand Magician under my command!¡±


    The advancement of Chris to Grand Magician had not yet occurred, but it was imminent.


    Because the Smoke Mission had already tugged at the thread of fate.


    ¡°Mission: Chef Bawel from Fresh Flower Town Tavern is very interested in the ¡®tofu¡¯ reward issued by the Landlord, but despite trying various bean products, he cannot produce tofu, which has exhausted all his savings. However, he is not disheartened and plans to continue his research on tofu. Reward: One Grand Magician.¡±


    Tofu was one of Li Si Te¡¯s great frustrations.


    He knew tofu was made from beans, but what exactly is gypsum; he never understood. He had issued a reward early, hoping someone could make a soft jelly-like food from beans.


    However, more than a year had passed, and still no chef had completed this research. Yet it had led to many pleasant surprises¡ªfermented bean curd, soy milk, bean sprouts.


    Now.


    It seemed that the dawn of tofu production had arrived, and without hesitation, Li Si Te supported Bawel with ten Gold Coins to continue his tofu research. He also shared all his knowledge about tofu with Bawel, hoping this would help him produce the long-awaited tofu sooner.


    And that Chris Truth would advance to Grand Magician all the sooner.


    Among the magicians in his territory, apart from Chris, there was only Paris¡ªand Paris clearly was not ready yet, leaving Chris the one about to advance.


    ¡­


    In the Magic Workshop.


    Due to the scarcity of magic potion raw materials, Chris only needed to set aside seven or eight days a month to produce the Magic Potions from the local output. She spent the rest of her time studying Advanced Magic and Magic Arrays¡ªessentially, Advanced Magic is just more complex Magic Arrays.


    ¡°Viscount, what brings you here?¡± Chris seemed surprised; Li Si Te had only recently collected magic potions before the New Year.


    Li Si Te smiled, ¡°Are you still working on Advanced Magic?¡±


    ¡°I am studying the Black Pearl and Pink Pearl. Both types of pearls are natural Magic Arrays, which provide a lot of inspiration for me, and I have begun to try making them into Magic Equipment.¡±


    ¡°The Black Pearl and Pink Pearl are indeed excellent research materials, but I¡¯ve brought you another type of precious material that might give you new insights.¡±


    With that, Li Si Te took out the palm-sized, flat, round piece of amber and handed it to Chris.


    Just at first glance.


    Chris exclaimed in amazement, ¡°What is this, a gemstone? It¡¯s so beautiful! I¡¯ve never seen such a gemstone before, and it even has an¡­ Elf Bug inside?¡±


    ¡°This is amber, a wonderful mishap from tens of millions of years ago that formed a treasure,¡± Li Si Te explained the origin of the amber.


    To call the amber a treasure was not an exaggeration.


    For enclosed within the amber was not merely some kind of bug, but the essence of an era.

 Chapter 499 - Chapter 499: Chapter 0496: Druid Transforms into a Bear (First Update)

    Chapter 499: Chapter 0496: Druid Transforms into a Bear (First Update)


    ¡°`


    This was a box of seeds shaped like fava beans, but they were certainly not fava beans, for their colors were dazzling: black, white, red, yellow, purple, green, blue, gray¡­ all in single colors, yet each differed from the others, and there were far more colors than those of a rainbow.


    Some seeds could be seen with a faint magic power through the Eye of Magic, a chaotic magic without any color attribute.


    But most of the seeds did not shine with magic radiance.


    ¡°These should be seeds of the same plant species, with those possessing magic power being Magic Medicine Seeds and those without being ordinary seeds?¡± Liszt swallowed, but soon denied his own guess, ¡°That¡¯s not right either; even among the fava beans of the same green color, some have magic power while others don¡¯t. The same is true for other colors.¡±


    The fava beans of the same color, presumably of the same species, exhibited forms both with and without magic power.


    Moreover, not all magic beans with magic power showed the same intensity. Liszt even found that a few beans had nearly imperceptible magic power.


    ¡°These¡­ Could it be that the magic power has leaked due to being stored for too long, resulting in their current state? Does this mean that these beans were once Magic Medicine Seeds?¡± With this thought, his excitement surged, the prospect of so many varieties of Magic Medicine was like striking it rich.


    But his enthusiasm quickly diminished, and his brows furrowed.


    ¡°Having Magic Medicine Seeds is all well and good, but without the corresponding Elf Bug, how am I to cultivate them?¡±


    The growth of Magic Potion plants relies on the influence of Cordyceps, and once separated from the Cordyceps, the Magic Potion would soon lose its magic power and revert to ordinary plants. This box of Magic Medicine Seeds was clearly not any plant species Liszt already knew, and naturally, there were no corresponding Elf Bugs.


    Thus, the idea of planting Magic Potions was nothing but a pipe dream.


    It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him from head to toe.


    Chilling to the core.


    ¡°Was this all just a fleeting joy?¡± He paused for a moment, then quickly regained his composure, as there were still twelve other boxes to check slowly.


    Maybe there would be Elf Bugs in the others¡­ which didn¡¯t seem likely, as Elf Bugs didn¡¯t have such long lifespans.


    He opened the second box in the same manner, immediately storing it in the Gemstone Space and proceeding to inspect it¡ªthis box, too, was full of seeds, but they were flat and round. Golden in color, and about the size of a little fingernail, they were also Magic Medicine Seeds.


    Some had magic power, some did not.


    The third box contained seeds; the fourth box, seeds¡­ until the tenth box, all were Magic Medicine Seeds. Each of these ten boxes contained different seeds, all of which were species Liszt had never seen before. Some resembled beans, others grains; some were as large as fists, while others as tiny as sesame seeds.


    The sheer number and variety of Magic Medicine Seeds should have been a cause for ecstatic joy.


    But the more Liszt looked, the more stifled he felt¡ªgiven seeds without Elf Bugs, it was like seeing a feast he couldn¡¯t eat, utterly frustrating!


    Only three boxes remained.


    With a resigned heart, he opened the first, and this time, the box did not contain Magic Medicine Seeds, but books. Book after book were neatly stacked, piled up vertically, and on the spine were complex characters¡ªhe recognized at a glance that this was Sun Script.


    And he could even make out quite a few of the characters.


    After all, reading Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s Diary hadn¡¯t been for naught.


    ¡°XXX Sun Tower XX construction XX?¡± Liszt read the title of one of the books. While he didn¡¯t understand all of the Sun Script, he could guess the general idea; it seemed to be a book on how to construct the Sun Tower. Then he looked at the next book, ¡°XXX transformation XX bear X¡­¡±


    The following several books had a similar template:¡±XXX transformation XX eagle X¡±, ¡°XXX transformation XX leopard X¡±, ¡°XXX transformation XXXX¡±and so on.


    ¡°`


    ¡°`


    Many Sun Scripts, Li Si Te couldn¡¯t recognize, so he could only guess, ¡°These first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth books, seem to be about shape-shifting. Could it be that the Child of the Sun can transform into bears, eagles, leopards, and the like?¡±


    He pulled out one of the books titled ¡°XXX Shapeshift XX Bear X¡±. The book was well-preserved and showed no signs of decay.


    The cover was very soft and delicate, feeling like some sort of tree leaf, and the pages within were also very thin, much like the strip of paper he had found in the Messaging Drift Bottle. On the first page, there was a beautifully colored painting; if it weren¡¯t for the traces of drawn lines, Li Si Te would have almost thought it was a photograph.


    In the painting was a huge bear with brown fur and large fangs.


    As he continued to flip through the pages, the following sections were filled with dense Sun Script texts which Li Si Te found he couldn¡¯t read, despite learning some Sun Script from ¡°Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡±. Indeed, he recognized a few Sun Scripts, but he did not understand them when they were connected.


    ¡°Dizzy, let¡¯s switch to the next one.¡±


    The next book¡¯s first colored painting depicted a dolphin, so its title should probably be ¡°XXX Shapeshift XX Dolphin X¡±. The one after that depicted a walking tree, so it was named ¡°XXX Shapeshift XX Tree X¡±.


    Another book followed, featuring a painting of a fat bird that seemed incapable of flight, walking instead. Li Si Te had never seen it before and could not determine what it actually was. He couldn¡¯t even find a comparable species; it had a posture like a penguin but looked like an overly obese owl.


    ¡°Just call it Owl Beast then, it¡¯s all translated names anyway, doesn¡¯t matter if they are accurate or not.¡±


    Thus, this book was named ¡°XXX Shapeshift XX Owl Beast X¡±, from which it could be known that the Child of the Sun¡¯s shape-shifting magic included transformations into bears, leopards, eagles, dolphins, trees, and Owl Beasts.


    ¡°Shape-shifting magic, this reminds me of the ¡®Druid¡¯ profession. It seems that Curtis Truth mentioned Druids in his leftover notes, ranking them alongside magicians, liches, alchemists, and so forth. Perhaps the three Sun Scripts at the front of the book title are the words ¡®Druid¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡±Druid Shapeshift XX Bear X¡±?¡±


    He could no longer guess the remaining Sun Scripts in the book title, so he put down the book rather quickly and continued browsing. However, for many of the following books, he couldn¡¯t recognize a single Sun Script, let alone guess their meaning.


    ¡­


    The penultimate chest contained more books.


    This made Li Si Te somewhat conflicted. He enjoyed reading, but Sun Script was a foreign literature to him, and with his limited vocabulary, he couldn¡¯t understand it.


    He was not an archaeologist who could spend a considerable amount of time studying these books to collate and summarize, to determine the meaning of every Sun Script.


    Therefore.


    These books were just like those Magic Medicine Seeds to him, seemingly very precious but actually utterly useless.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one last chest left, don¡¯t tell me this one also contains Magic Medicine Seeds or books,¡± Li Si Te said nervously as he opened the final chest.


    Instantly.


    The contents of the chest came into view.


    They were neither Magic Medicine Seeds nor Sun Script books.


    Instead, it was a broken scepter in two pieces, a golden scepter, with one piece being a metal rod intricately carved with dense patterns, and the other piece an adornment resembling the Sun bursting with light. Right in the center of the radiant Sun was a shattered, large golden gemstone.


    Even within Gemstone Space, where it was impossible to see directly with the naked eye, it still gave him the illusion of being ¡°blinded by the light¡±.

 Chapter 500 - Chapter 500: Chapter 0497: The Glass Greenhouse of the Castle (Second Update)

    Chapter 500: Chapter 0497: The Glass Greenhouse of the Castle (Second Update)


    The golden Sun Scepter, although broken in half, still allowed a glimpse of its once magnificent form. This was definitely an artifact of extraordinary value, and its owner must have been a person of towering power and influence.


    Liszt reached out and picked up one half of the scepter.


    It was a rod, with a metallic texture, but it was not clear what metal it had been made from. It felt moderately heavy in hand, perhaps slightly lighter than a similar iron rod. The pattern on it was very regular, with one ring nestled within another, yet it was a mystery what it intended to convey.


    At the very end of the scepter was a hexagonal prism one finger in length.


    On the cross section of the break, there were jagged notches, not as if it had been chopped or smashed, but as though the break was caused by some kind of stress.


    ¡°So it¡¯s not made of a single metal, but a metal rod cast in layers,¡± Liszt concluded as he looked at the colors on the fractured surface.


    Because the fracture surface contained changes much like growth rings.


    In the center was a transparent triangle, only as thick as a finger, resembling some kind of crystal. Surrounding it was a circle of silvery-white metal, encasing the crystalline triangle. Beyond that layer was gray metal in a hexagonal structure. Then there was metal of a light blue color, also in a circular structure.


    The outermost layer was golden metal, circular as well, and about as thick as a baby¡¯s arm.


    These five structured layers had clear color boundaries, yet were so tightly arranged and even in thickness that they nearly fused into one. Such casting technology exceeded Liszt¡¯s knowledge. At least the Duchy of Sapphire didn¡¯t have an Iron Knight capable of forging metal with such precision.


    He put down the lower half of the Sun Scepter and picked up the upper half.


    The tip of the upper section where the sun burst forth in a structure of radiant light was hard to describe. Inside, there was a circle with an irregularly shaped gem, the size of an adult male¡¯s fist, embedded within. The gem wasn¡¯t perfectly round but an irregular meteorite shape, transparent, with the clarity of a diamond.


    Regrettably, the gem was already cracked, the largest crack as thick as a fingernail.


    Even so, this golden gemstone continued to ¡°blind the eyes¡±, implying how dazzling its brilliance must have been when it was intact.


    Outside the inner circle lay another circle.


    This outer circle¡¯s shape somewhat resembled the Moon Gold Wheel design from ¡°The Legend of Shushan¡±, circular but with a slight gap, like a crescent moon. Arranged on this crescent-shaped outer circle were larger and smaller representations of ¡°light¡±, depicted by metal pins.


    They varied in length, arranged without any clear pattern, but the pins slanting at forty-five-degree angles upward and downward were the longest.


    Both the inner and outer circles were made of the same golden metal as the scepter handle.


    ¡°What kind of level does this divine artifact belong to? Is it a weapon or magic equipment? Is it a scepter symbolizing status, or a magic wand wielded by a magician?¡± Liszt matched the two halves of the scepter together, the fractured surfaces aligning perfectly, but without any reaction.


    In this world, as far as he had observed, magicians did not wield magic wands.


    They might wear some magic power amplifying equipment, but they did not need to wave a magic wand and then chant a magic spell.


    As for the weapon equipment rank of the Sun Scepter, Liszt was likewise unable to determine it.


    Based on the information he currently had from knight novels and magic books, the most top-tier divine artifacts were the Dragon Soul Soldier ¡ª weapons forged from dragon bone infused with the dragon¡¯s soul, their power astounding. Following those were the Dragon Elf Weapon and the Dragon Tooth Soldier, but all three types of weapons had never appeared in the Duchy of Sapphire.


    Beyond those were the Greater Elf Warrior and Dragon Bone Weapon.


    There was one Greater Elf Warrior in the Duchy of Sapphire, the Grand Duke¡¯s own sword ¡ª the Wailing Cage Sword.


    As for the Dragon Bone Weapon, during the battle at Iron Hoof Island, the sword in the hands of the Marquis of Bull, which emitted blue flames, made Liszt wonder if it was a Dragon Bone Weapon.


    After that came the Little Elf Soldier and Gemstone Weapon, both of which Liszt possessed ¡ª the Swift Shadow Bow and the Crimson Blood Sword.


    ¡°Judging by the material used to make the Sun Scepter, it¡¯s at most the level of a gemstone weapon, but the jewel embedded in it is a bit on the larger side.¡±


    Typically, gemstones are quite small, and one the size of an adult male¡¯s fist is rare indeed.


    Moreover, its golden color also differs from that of regular gemstones. Liszt had seen similar-colored topaz before. During the New Year¡¯s celebration at Long Taro Castle, his grandfather had given Cousin Rolie a topaz pendant, but the color of the topaz was more yellow than gold.


    Regrettably.


    This golden gemstone had already shattered, and even the Eye of Magic couldn¡¯t detect a trace of magic power in it. It had become a useless gemstone.


    ¡­


    Liszt packed all thirteen chests into the Gemstone Space.


    Even though he couldn¡¯t understand the books and didn¡¯t know how to plant the seeds, perhaps their value would be revealed in the future. As for the Sun Scepter, he planned to keep it, even though it was no longer functional. He could repair it when the opportunity arose¡ªjust for show, it still had some allure.


    Apart from the contents of the chests, the other items Ach retrieved had no value.


    Not to say they were worthless; they might have great archaeological value¡ªbut archaeological value still meant nothing to Liszt for the time being.


    ¡°Ach, I¡¯m taking the chests with me. You should rest early and not stay up late.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Leaving the Sea View Villa and returning to the castle, Liszt was not tired. The Mini Little Fire Dragon kept snoozing at the spot over his heart and wouldn¡¯t wake up anytime soon.


    He glanced at a book written in Sun Script, which might as well have been a celestial tome, and soon felt his eyes swell.


    He sighed and put the book away, ¡°Better go to sleep, then get up tomorrow and set up a glass greenhouse. I¡¯ll start planting those Magic Medicine Seeds!¡±


    No sooner said than done.


    Early the next morning, he had a batch of glass from the Fire Dragon Brick Factory brought over¡ªglass had now officially entered production, continuing the cooperative approach with Tulip Castle, and profit-sharing negotiations were underway. Glass that could be produced in large volumes would surely impact the crystal market.


    The pricing was hard to pin down.


    With the discovery of quartz ores, Liszt had sent people to various parts of Coral Island to discover these mines, ensuring an ample supply of raw materials.


    Even though the glass still contained impurities and wasn¡¯t completely transparent.


    Making a glass greenhouse was nevertheless effortlessly within reach. He instructed the servants to use wood and rubber to bind and secure the glass, soon constructing a modest glass greenhouse in the castle¡¯s garden. Next, Liszt picked a selection of seeds without magic power from the Magic Medicine Seeds and began to sow them.


    Watering and fertilizing, waiting for them to sprout.


    To maintain the indoor temperature, he also placed a Magic Little Fire Dragon in the glass greenhouse. With the Magic Little Fire Dragon providing warmth, the temperature inside the greenhouse could easily stay around ten degrees, which was suitable for the seeds to germinate.


    ¡°I hope that the seeds that have lost their magic power can still sprout.¡±


    He wanted to see what kind of plants these seeds would yield. Once he knew the types of plants, he could buy the corresponding Elf Bugs and then plant the Magic Potions. Even without the corresponding Elf Bugs, he could cultivate them generation by generation, as there was a chance an Elf Bug might emerge.


    Then, he could once again plant the Magic Potions.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but commend himself for his cleverness.

 Chapter 503 - Chapter 503: Chapter 0500: The Secret in Amber (First Update)

    Chapter 503: Chapter 0500: The Secret in Amber (First Update)


    The Elf Bug Amber was still brilliantly yellow, beautifully beyond words.


    However, for Chris Truth, it had another layer of beauty, ¡°Viscount, what do you think elves truly are as an existence?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve discussed this with Granney Truth; he outlined to me the triangular relationship between the spirit, the material, and magic power,¡± Liszt pondered, then replied, ¡°I somewhat agree with his understanding that the fusion of the material with magic power, under certain conditions, creates an individual¡¯s spirit.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that elves are the fusion of plants and magic power, an accidental creation of spirit, thus endowing life to an individual?¡±


    ¡°I believe that whether it¡¯s elves or dragons, they all originate from this,¡± Liszt explained earnestly, as he himself was currently nurturing a Fire Dragon, and his understanding of it was profound, ¡°I don¡¯t know how the spirit comes into being, but I feel that everything begins with seeds.¡±


    ¡°Seeds?¡±


    ¡°Plants sprout from a seed, growing into a flower or a mighty tree. Elves are also, in a way, nurtured from a seed, and no one has clearly explained the birth of dragons; perhaps they, too, are nurtured from a seed. Moreover, humans are also nurtured from a seed.¡±


    Chris was surprised, ¡°How can humans come from a seed?¡±


    ¡°That involves human physiology¡­ let me use a frog for example. Have you seen the eggs laid by frogs by the field ditch? Actually, those eggs are the joint masterpiece of a male and a female frog; each egg is a seed, which could turn into a tadpole and then grow into a frog.¡±


    Chris frowned and took a while to respond, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Viscount, but I haven¡¯t seen frog eggs.¡±


    ¡°Eh.¡±


    Liszt gave an embarrassed smile, ¡°Then you¡¯ve seen a hen lay eggs, right? Actually, an egg can also be considered a seed, a normal egg can be said to have no ¡®spirit¡¯, no soul. This is like the seed of a plant, but in the nurturing process, it ultimately possesses a soul, which must be due to the production of spirit in some way.¡±


    ¡°Is that the same with humans?¡± Chris humbly asked; she had long discovered that the young Noble Landlord she was affiliated with had knowledge that sometimes surpassed even a Grand Magician.


    ¡°Humans are the same, but they are incubated in the mother¡¯s stomach, belonging to viviparous creatures, just like cows, horses, and sheep. In fact, no matter the animal or human, at the beginning, it all starts with a seed, just pure matter, and spiritual power is gained later.¡±


    Liszt tried to make his explanation of the origin of life as simple and clear as possible for Chris.


    Linking this to elves and dragons¡ªhowever, after such an explanation, not only did Chris not understand the relationship between seeds and elves or dragons, but he himself also became entangled, feeling there indeed was no connection.


    So he decisively switched the topic, ¡°You were asking me what exactly elves are, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I think elves are a very magical type of magic creature.¡±


    Chris smiled, unsure whether she understood Liszt¡¯s dry humor or not; she began to explain her own understanding, ¡°When studying amber, I found that the magic structure encased within the amber is actually a Magic Array. And the reason why the Elf Bugs inside still have magic reactions is the Magic Array hasn¡¯t collapsed.¡±


    ¡°Magic Array?¡±


    ¡°Yes, so I believe that elves are a kind of special Magic Array. By understanding this kind of Magic Array, one could utilize it to achieve magical effects just like the elves.¡±


    Liszt suddenly perked up, ¡°Then have you understood it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I cannot understand¡­ The Magic Array that constitutes Elf Bugs is far more complex than I imagined; I think even an Archmage could not unravel such a complicated Magic Array. The Dynamic Magic Arrays that a Grand Magician needs to master are already complicated enough; the Elf Bug¡¯s Magic Array is countless times more complex than a Dynamic Magic Array.¡±


    ¡°So what use is this piece of amber, and how does it help you?¡±


    ¡°This piece of amber could possibly be designed as a type of Magic Equipment to replace Cordyceps, though I¡¯m unsure how to design it¡­ As for its help to me, it has inspired my cognition of Magic Arrays, and that¡¯s the biggest help,¡± Chris paused for a moment, then seriously added, ¡°Viscount, I plan to go into quiet meditation for a few days, trying to break through to Grand Magician status.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything that I can help with?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Alright, take the Elf Bug Amber for now. It might provide you with some inspiration when you attempt to become a Grand Magician.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡­


    Chris finally began her attempt to become a Grand Magician.


    Meanwhile, the results of the research on tofu development released by the Smoke Mission were still pending.


    Liszt didn¡¯t have too much work to do for the time being, but he spent every day fully engaged, so much so that he didn¡¯t have any spare time from morning till night.


    Training dogs, cultivating, and feeding the Little Fire Dragon occupied most of his day.


    The Magic Power of the Fire Dragon dwindled day by day, and the supply of volcanic glass that Black Horse Island could mine was also approaching exhaustion. The Mini Little Fire Dragon grew robustly, falling into a deep sleep immediately after eating its fill, all the while continually excreting impure magic power, aiding the growth of Liszt¡¯s Dragon Dou Qi.


    The practice of the Advanced Dou Qi Manual ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡± was going smoothly; Liszt soared through the sky daily and continually stimulated the Landwalker bird Loki to fly as well.


    Loki¡¯s body had stopped developing, clearly indicating the effects of the Bloodline Fruit had been fully realized, and its abilities had significantly improved.


    Considering the dispersal of magic power, Loki had become on par with Douson, reaching the status of an Intermediate Dragon Beast.


    Yet it still only knew the Light Body Skill and its progressively longer wings were still useless¡ªit couldn¡¯t fly.


    Returning from his training that day, Liszt, as usual, took a walk through the glass greenhouse. He loosened the soil, weeded, and calmly waited for the Magic Medicine Seeds to sprout. However, a week and a half had passed since planting, and the seeds had yet to sprout, diminishing his hopes for their viability.


    On the other hand, while researching the Sun Scriptures, he had some new inspiration.


    ¡°The Child of the Sun, Sky Ship, Tree City, Druids, Long Legs, Sun Scepter, Magic Medicine Seeds¡­ The Child of the Sun race seems somewhat similar to the elves from Western legends on Earth¡ªthose tall, handsome beings who live in the forest and are proficient archers.¡±


    However, thinking of the appearance of the Sun Descendant¡ªOld Phil¡ªhe seemed to have nothing to do with handsomeness.


    Then another thought occurred to him.


    The continent where the Child of the Sun lived was likely across from the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    But the wreck of the Sky Ship was submerged near Black Horse Island, which meant it had crossed both the Devil¡¯s Sea and the Sea of Azure Waves. This suggested that the continents had interactions long ago¡ªthe fact that the Sun Descendant could be exiled to the Duchy of Sapphire also served as clear evidence.


    ¡°Thousands of years ago, there was a human kingdom called the Moon Empire, and across the continent lived a group of the Child of the Sun. ¡®Moon¡¯ and ¡®Sun¡¯, could there be a connection? Was the Sky Ship a tool for different human races across continents to interact?¡±


    Information was too scarce.


    He couldn¡¯t make any substantial judgments.


    He bent his head and continued weeding the soil of the glass greenhouse¡ªwhile the Magic Medicine Seeds failed to sprout, various weeds were racing to emerge.


    Just then, as his small shovel removed a weed, he suddenly discovered a Magic Medicine Seed pushed upward by the loosened soil. The seed had split open, and a tender green-white shoot extended, pushing it to the surface of the earth, almost ready to break through the soil.


    ¡°The Magic Medicine Seeds have sprouted!¡±

 Chapter 504 - Chapter 504: Chapter 0501: New Magic Power Hardware (Part Two)

    Chapter 504: Chapter 0501: New Magic Power Hardware (Part Two)


    The seed had just germinated and hadn¡¯t broken through the soil yet.


    So, Liszt didn¡¯t disturb it but simply used his Eye of Magic Power to observe it for a while, finding no trace of magic power. It seemed that the magic potion had degraded along with the seed, turning into an ordinary plant.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that it has sprouted. As long as we know what plant it is, we can find the corresponding Elf Bugs. If all else fails, with the existence of the Smoke Mission, I believe there is a high probability that these plants will nurture Elf Bugs,¡± said Liszt in a good mood as he personally watered and fertilized the plant.


    Only after doing all this did he proceed with his routine research for the day.


    When he arrived at the smithy in Fresh Flower Town, the steward in charge of the smithy came forward to report, ¡°Lord Landlord, our research on the pale blue metal is not going well. Forging this metal is no less difficult than forging Mithril. Perhaps only an Iron Knight could accomplish the forge.¡±


    An Iron Knight was a blacksmith who practiced Dou Qi, typically one had to become an Earth Knight to earn the title of Iron Knight.


    Their Dou Qi had special properties, and the Dou Qi Manuscripts they cultivated were also unique, with all their skills dedicated to forging. Magic metals like Mithril, Mountain Copper, and Fine Gold could only be forged by Iron Knights.


    ¡°Does that mean this pale blue metal might be a magic metal?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord,¡± the steward replied quietly. ¡°The blacksmiths in our smithy used the bellows to burn the best charcoal, trying to get the furnace as hot as possible, but we still couldn¡¯t melt it or shape it by hammering.¡±


    Liszt nodded.


    Suddenly, he felt that he should use Fire Dragon Magic Power to build a stronger furnace for the smithy. Maybe Fire Dragon Magic Power could fully forge magic metals¡ªit was something to consider over the long term, as the Fire Dragon Magic Power was constantly decreasing and could be completely exhausted at any time.


    He couldn¡¯t possibly stop cultivating the Mini Little Fire Dragon.


    At that moment, the Mini Little Fire Dragon within his heart awakened and immediately started clamoring in his mind with a ¡°Whoa-ho!¡± It was simple in its desires¡ªit wanted to eat, to consume Fire Dragon Magic Power.


    Eat, eat, eat!


    That¡¯s all it knew day in and day out!


    Liszt had to restrain it to behave inside his heart. Then he left the smithy, took out a Fire Dragon Jar, released and absorbed Fire Dragon Magic Power to satiate it. Each time the Mini Little Fire Dragon consumed enough Fire Dragon Magic Power, it would excrete about one-tenth the amount of magical impurities.


    This helped Liszt¡¯s Dragon Dou Qi grow in a very special way.


    He hardly needed to cultivate himself and continued to grow stronger¡ª the power of the Dragon Dou Qi greatly increased the power of his Combat Skills. He hadn¡¯t fully learned the Rising Sun Blaze yet, but felt that merely with the addition of Dragon Dou Qi, he could hold his own against an Earl.


    ¡°Maybe I should find an opportunity to have a real fight with the Earl¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful to accidentally defeat him in combat?¡±


    He thought wryly.


    Although getting stronger felt great, the thought of the priceless Fire Dragon Magic Power being continually consumed caused him a sharp pain in his chest.


    After taking a few deep breaths to suppress the pain, he quickly took out the pale blue metal to shift his attention. The smithy was unable to forge it, and he hadn¡¯t figured out much about it himself¡ª it was as heavy as Fine Gold, conducted Dou Qi well, but its other properties were unknown.


    Mithril was light as a feather.


    Fine Gold was indestructible.


    Mountain Copper was unbreakable.


    These were the properties of the three known magic metals. The properties of Fine Gold and Mountain Copper were just descriptive; there was no logical relationship between spear and shield. A weapon made of Fine Gold could easily destroy an ordinary Mountain Copper weapon; a powerful weapon made of Mountain Copper could easily block an ordinary Fine Gold weapon.


    ¡°The light blue metal is highly likely a magic metal, but I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s called in Sun Script. However, since this continent doesn¡¯t have a similar magic metal, I can name it whatever I want in Serpent Script¡ªlet¡¯s just call it Blue Steel. Gold, silver, copper, steel, that makes four types of magic metal.¡±


    Fine Gold, Mithril, Mountain Copper, Blue Steel, arranged neatly in order.


    Yet, Liszt suddenly thought, ¡°The Sun Scepter contains five layers of materials. Other than the central material that seems like crystal and might not be a metal, the other four could possibly be metals, even magic metals. Additionally, the materials of the Messaging Drift Bottle and the thirteen chests could also be magic metals.¡±


    He took a chest out of the Gemstone Space.


    This was a chest for storing books, but the books had already been removed by Liszt and were piled up in the corner of the space. Handling the chest, roughly the size of a delivery box, it was easy to discover that the metal was quite unique ¨C very light and felt a bit like plastic to the touch.


    But it was undoubtedly metal.


    ¡°Its weight could match that of Mithril, and it¡¯s similarly durable. Moreover, the items it has preserved for hundreds, even thousands of years, are still intact, which speaks volumes about the value of this metal. Most crucially, it seems capable of being engraved with a magic array and can be activated using the blood of a Sun Descendant.¡±


    Liszt couldn¡¯t be certain whether the magic array was the lines on the chest or something else.


    But he knew that the effects of this metal were potent: ¡°Now that I have Blue Steel, I should give it another name. What should I call it? Hardware is usually¡­ gold, silver, copper, steel, aluminum, or gold, silver, copper, steel, tin?¡± He had little to do with hardware tools in his previous life, not even fixing a pipe.


    He couldn¡¯t remember whether hardware included aluminum or tin.


    However, tin seemed to have less application in daily life, mainly for tin foil used in grilling? Liszt was inclined to think of hardware as aluminum, since he had seen many aluminum products, like aluminum alloy windows and doors used in construction. Moreover, he knew there was a layer of metal paper inside cigarette packs, called aluminum foil.


    It was clear that aluminum was very common.


    ¡°Then, this magic metal shall be named after aluminum. It¡¯s mainly used for packaging, lightweight, with a feel like plastic; let¡¯s just call it Cast Aluminum¡­ Why does that name sound so odd?¡±


    Despite the peculiarity, he still decided to name this metal Cast Aluminum¡ªCast Aluminum Drift Bottles and Cast Aluminum Chests.


    ¡­


    While Liszt was immersed in his research of Blue Steel and Cast Aluminum.


    In the Magic Workshop.


    Chris Truth was struggling hard to cast the Advanced Magic Water Wave Shield. Without the innate talent of the Sea Sprite Ake, who could cast it successfully in one try, her attempts were met with repeated failures. Finally, as she kept trying, the Water Wave Shield she released grew larger and larger until a light blue curtain of water enveloped her.


    ¡°Just a little more, and I¡¯ll be able to close the Water Wave Shield and truly anchor the Dynamic Magic Array of the advanced magic!¡± Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead. Even in winter, she felt both tired and hot.


    But she clenched her teeth and made a final effort.


    Bit by bit, the Water Wave Shield began to close.


    At last.


    Ten minutes after casting the magic, the Water Wave Shield completely closed. Instantly, her mind surged, entering a new realm. Her perception and mastery of the magic Water Wave Shield advanced to an insightful level, feeling that the next time she cast it, it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as strenuous.


    The details of the Dynamic Magic Array had never been so clear.


    ¡°I did it!¡±


    Chris allowed herself a modest smile, her emotions stirred as she looked at the Water Wave Shield enveloping her: ¡°Overcoming cognitive barriers, discerning the Dynamic Magic Array, successfully casting advanced magic. Now, I have finally become a Grand Magician!¡±

 Chapter 506 - Chapter 506: Chapter 0503: Varcey Knights Loyalty Song (First Update)

    Chapter 506: Chapter 0503: Varcey Knight¡¯s Loyalty Song (First Update)


    More precisely, Liszt was setting out to create a stage play in the form of a spoken drama, akin to the style of Shakespeare¡¯s ¡°Hamlet¡± and ¡°Romeo and Juliet.¡±


    Of course, he didn¡¯t know much about this kind of stage play.


    He had never watched a complete stage play.


    But that did not prevent him from creating an entirely new stage play in this world. He didn¡¯t need highly sophisticated art forms or rich plot content¡ªjust to pioneer the theatrical form of stage plays. Once stage plays became popular, surely novelists would craft genuinely good works.


    Even more so.


    Liszt simply needed to adapt one or two classic Knight¡¯s Novels to create a stage play. Besides, according to the Smoke Mission hint, Artknow Veil Mask itself possessed artistic aptitude; what it lacked was merely inspiration. Adapting stage plays could be left to her.


    ¡°Avril, I plan to acquire your comedy troupe and help you create an entirely new form of drama plays. Your group will move to Fresh Flower Town and perform mainly for the residents of my domain. As long as you rehearse classic plays, I will recommend that you go perform in larger cities.¡±


    The members of the comedy troupe were all freemen and lived quite a challenging life, mostly being relatives of one another.


    With Liszt willing to purchase, there was no reason for Avril and her family to disagree. Moreover, the idea of brand-new stage plays deeply attracted Avril: ¡°Lord Landlord, Avril is very willing to perform stage plays for you. I just don¡¯t know if they will be popular.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about whether it will be welcomed or not. Once I acquire your troupe, I will set a basic salary according to the standard of workshops in the domain. Afterward, the earnings from each performance will be shared¡­ My expectation for you isn¡¯t to make money but to study art.¡±


    Whether stage plays could make money depended on whether this artistic form could gain recognition.


    But, even if stage plays became popular, the troupe¡¯s performance times and frequency were limited; thus, making substantial money was difficult. Liszt had a vast number of industries under him and did not need to rely on stage plays to earn money.


    His investment in stage plays was partly to complete a mission and partly for promotion.


    He was even willing to continue despite potential losses.


    Upon receiving Liszt¡¯s affirmative response, Avril was overjoyed and immediately asked Liszt how to rehearse the stage play.


    ¡°I have already told you about the form of the stage play. You might still be confused, but you have plenty of time to explore. I¡¯ll recommend two Knight¡¯s Novels for you, ¡®Varcey Knight¡¯s Loyalty Song¡¯ and ¡®Sir Pierrot of Grand Ambitions.¡¯ Simplify them, distill the main stories, and then adapt them to the stage.¡±


    These two Knight¡¯s Novels didn¡¯t have many battle scenes and were in a realistic style, which made them easy to adapt.


    Most crucially, their themes were very wholesome.


    ¡®Varcey Knight¡¯s Loyalty Song¡¯ can be understood from its title as a story that describes the loyal protection offered by a knight of the domain to his Lord Landlord; ¡®Sir Pierrot of Grand Ambitions¡¯ depicts how a commoner, through bravery and following his Lord Landlord, eventually becomes a glittering Noble Honored Knight.


    Without a doubt, these are stories that plebeians enjoy and nobles appreciate.


    ¡°Avril, quickly rehearse a rough story, and when the time comes, I will guide you on which parts have problems, and you can then make corrections,¡± said Liszt in order to finish the task promptly, setting a deadline, ¡°Within three days, I want to see ¡®Varcey¡¯s Song¡¯ brought to the stage.¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord, is three days too short? I¡ªI don¡¯t know if I can do well.¡±


    ¡°Then let me give you a bit more guidance. The story of ¡®Varcey¡¯ is quite simple¡ªbandits arrive in the domain, the Lord Landlord gets injured, and Varcey loyally protects him. He performs extraordinarily, defeating the bandits and securing the safety of the domain, therefore, the Lord Landlord rewards him greatly. You just need to capture the main storyline, add a bit of dialogue, and do some simple action imitation.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡­


    Avril¡¯s comedy troupe was renamed ¡°Black Horse Island Drama Troupe,¡± and they began to diligently choreograph ¡°Varcey Knight¡¯s Loyalty Song.¡±


    Liszt, along with Chris Truth, went to Black Horse Island to select a site for the Mage Tower.


    Magicians typically build their towers in secluded places to conduct their research on Truth undisturbed. However, Chris could no longer live apart from the town, so she chose a site on the edge of the port town to build her Mage Tower.


    Additionally, the port town, the new castle, and the Mage Tower were arranged in a triangular formation.


    Chris did not have a say in the architectural style of the tower because Liszt proposed an entirely new style¡ªarched doors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and large pillars.


    It also featured separate stairwells and a plumbing system with its own water tower.


    The design was five stories high, with a circular structure, and each floor had four rooms besides the stairwell. Calling it a Mage Tower was a bit of a misnomer¡ªit was actually more like an apartment building. Liszt planned to continue adding such towers in the future to train more magicians or magic scholars.


    He did not like the madness of magicians when they studied Truth, but exploring magic power and magic arrays was a worthy research direction for the future.


    It was entirely possible to industrialize magic.


    Of course, this idea was not yet feasible, as Chris was not even willing to take on a magic apprentice, let alone train a large number of scholars to research magic. Besides, magicians posed a high level of danger. To realize the industrialization of magic, one must first gain complete control over the land.


    Only the Dou Qi of knights could contain the threat of magic.


    ¡°The requirements are clear, you need to complete the Mage Tower design as soon as possible. Once it¡¯s approved by Her Excellency Chris and me, construction shall start immediately,¡± Liszt commanded Jomaya Bangtu.


    This architect with a tarnished record had been conscientious since arriving on Black Horse Island and had caused no further trouble. Having arrived early, he had extensive research experience with rubber, bricks, glass, and was temporarily serving as the chief architect of the land. Architects among the new serfs still struggled with the language and needed to adapt to the building style.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, please rest assured, we will perfect the design of the Mage Tower!¡±


    Liszt then turned to Chris and said, ¡°The Mage Tower will be built according to your preferences. Do not hesitate to make any requests.¡± That being said, since he had established the architectural tone of the tower, Chris did not have the heart to overturn it and build the Mage Tower she envisioned.


    Besides, Liszt¡¯s plan was indeed quite appealing.


    A Mage Tower in the neoclassical style would certainly be more aesthetically pleasing and practical.


    ¡­


    Three days later.


    Liszt had returned to Fresh Flower Town, and the Black Horse Island Drama Troupe¡¯s performance of ¡°Varcey¡± had officially debuted in the castle¡¯s manor, with only the town¡¯s officials as the audience.


    The stage was primitive, the content of the drama even more so, and the actors¡¯ performances were incredibly poor.


    The fifteen-minute ¡°Varcey¡± came to an embarrassing close. To call it a drama was a stretch; it was more like a farce. Liszt was left speechless, realizing that these comedians had no idea how to perform a stage play.


    Nevertheless.


    When he summoned the Smoke Mission, he couldn¡¯t help but smile happily.


    ¡°Task completed, reward: Loki¡¯s new spell¡ªLevitation Spell.¡±

 Chapter 508 - Chapter 508: Chapter 505 One Third Germination Rate (First Update)

    Chapter 508: Chapter 505 One Third Germination Rate (First Update)


    ¡°Task completed, reward: one Thorn Bug.¡±


    As Liszt was riding the Landwalker bird Loki, which had learned the Levitation Spell, they were flying midair when a changing smoke appeared before his eyes, signaling that his task had been completed.


    The orphanage had been temporarily established.


    The requirements for the Smoke Mission were not strict; much of its content resembled reminders. Once he noticed them and began working on them, the tasks were considered complete.


    ¡°Another Thorn Bug?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes sparkled. He had just contracted the Thorn Bug that was a reward from a previous task the day before yesterday and had moved the Cordyceps to the Thorn Garden that was planned for the yet-to-be-built Thorn Town, ¡°The cultivation of two consecutive Thorn Bugs will greatly increase my production of Thorn Magic Potion, excellent!¡±


    Patting Loki¡¯s elongated neck, Liszt called out loudly, ¡°Loki, to the Thorn Garden!¡±


    This Thorn Garden was the Thorn Garden of Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°Clatter!¡±


    Loki responded cheerfully, flapping its wings, turning its body, and flying toward the Thorn Garden next to the dairy farm at an unhurried speed. A light Wind Attribute Magic Power was supporting Loki¡¯s body, making it as light as a feather, allowing it to fulfill its dream of flying by flapping its wings.


    The Levitation Spell is an Advanced Wind System Magic and is a more advanced form of the Light Body Skill.


    The Light Body Skill is Magic that every Magician will research when studying Wind System Magic. It gathers Wind Attribute Magic Power to lift oneself or other objects to reduce weight. It is very practical Magic, and Magicians like to use the Light Body Skill to climb mountains or move heavy objects.


    But the Light Body Skill is after all just Common Magic, and it can¡¯t make one fly.


    Its advanced form, the Levitation Spell, however, has standard flying capability and can gather a mass of Wind Attribute Magic Power, lifting oneself or other objects into midair, as if floating. This Magic is challenging; even Grand Magicians find it difficult to master, almost as hard as the Invisibility Technique in the Light System Magic.


    However, Loki had refined Magic Array information in its bloodline, allowing it to easily grasp this Magic and truly fly in the blue sky.


    Unfortunately, the Levitation Spell allowed Loki to fly but caused it to lose its speed while running on the ground.


    No matter how Loki flapped its wings, its speed was only comparable to that of a sparrow. The Levitation Spell also had a time limit; it would collapse every fifteen minutes, requiring re-gathering of Magic. Fifteen minutes was not enough to cross the sea, let alone travel the sea area between Black Horse Island and Fresh Flower Town.


    But it was possible to fly from the port town to Mangrove Island.


    It could also fly from Nameless Castle straight to the Thorn Garden. After landing, Liszt immediately used the Eye of Magic to look for the new Cordyceps that would nurture the Thorn Bug. Since basically all of the Thorn Garden consisted of Magic Medicine with magic feedback, it was somewhat difficult to search, but he still found it after half an hour.


    ¡°Carefully protect my Cordyceps, and notify me immediately when the Thorn Bug is nurtured and emerges!¡± he instructed the Bug Guard Members.


    The Bug Guard Members replied loudly, ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord!¡±


    Satisfied, Liszt left. With that, he now had three Little Minor Elves, twenty-nine Elf Bugs, as well as Ach and the five Elf Bugs she had contracted. This foundation already far surpassed that of an ordinary Viscount, with huge potential for development. While he still lacked a bit compared to the foundation of an Earl, he believed he would soon catch up.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s my strength or my Elves, I will soon surpass the Earl.¡±


    Thinking of that exciting scene in the future, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh: ¡°Hehe.¡±


    On the way back.


    He summoned the Smoke Mission again: ¡°Mission: You have already studied the Blue Steel, Cast Aluminum, and unreadable books left behind by the Sky Ship, along with those magic-infused seeds. Why not continue researching that pile of strange wood? Perhaps it can provide you with new inspiration. Reward: a follower with extraordinary talent.¡±


    The strange wood mentioned in the mission content was the pieces of wood salvaged from the Sky Ship.


    The wood seemed to have sprouted at one point and was very hard, not of lesser quality than Thorn Ironwood. However, Liszt had studied it for a few days before and had not discovered much information. He even planned to use it to build a castle if there were no leads¡ªthe branches of its kin had already been used to build the Sky Ship.


    Now it seemed, these strange pieces of wood were hiding a secret.


    ¡°However, what does ¡®a follower with an astonishing talent¡¯ mean? Does it require me to recruit another follower from among the new serfs? What kind of talent qualifies as astonishing, could it be even more astonishing than mine?¡±


    Liszt was somewhat conflicted in his heart.


    Of course, he hoped to have a follower with great strength, yet he preferred the title of ¡°astonishing talent¡± for himself.


    ¡°First complete the mission, then pay attention to this follower over time.¡±


    Upon returning to the castle, he immediately set out to study the strange wood, which clearly belonged to building materials. Its most unique feature was the naturally formed dragon bone shape within the Sky Ship, which demonstrated the high malleability of the wood.


    However, Liszt felt that it was shaped by magic.


    According to the clues at hand, the Child of the Sun lived in the forest, with trees as companions. They also possessed a profound mastery of magic, not only able to transform into bears, eagles, leopards but also into trees. It was not surprising they mastered a magic that allowed trees to grow in a fixed shape.


    This kind of magic was even recorded among that batch of Sun Scripture.


    Regrettably, Liszt¡¯s knowledge of the Sun Script vocabulary was too limited to understand the content of the books: ¡°I speculate that among the Magic Medicine Seeds I¡¯ve harvested, there are seeds that grow into this kind of tree¡­ But what does the Smoke Mission mean by asking me to study the wood again? What other secrets do the wood conceal waiting to be unearthed?¡±


    In the castle, he subjected the wood to soaking in water, burning with fire, and chopping with a knife; besides proving it reached the quality of ironwood, he still did not discover much useful information.


    Shaking his head, he temporarily set aside his research on the wood.


    He went to the glasshouse and patiently tended to the Magic Medicine Seeds, which one third had sprouted. The first to sprout, a fava bean seed, had grown into a seedling, its tender leaves looking no different from those of any common plant.


    While he was loosening the soil, a seed was accidentally turned over.


    He was just about to rebury it when he suddenly noticed that the seed had sprouted, but the sprout had died at some point.


    ¡°The seed died?¡±


    He was surprised for a moment, then thought of something and quickly dug up another spot with a seed that hadn¡¯t sprouted. A seed was unearthed, and just like the previous one, it had sprouted but died. Several more seeds were dug up in succession; except for one that had not sprouted, the others had all sprouted but died.


    ¡°Why would they die after sprouting, is it because they were stored for too long and lack vitality?¡± Since the dead seeds involved many varieties, and there were corresponding varieties growing robustly, environmental issues could be ruled out.


    He pondered deeply, feeling it was likely due to the seeds being too ancient and thus lacking vitality.


    Despite some regrets over the nearly two-thirds of dead seeds, the one third that had sprouted still somewhat lessened his disappointment.


    It was at this moment that a flash of insight struck him.


    He associated the seeds with the wood, ¡°The seeds sprouted but died, and the batch of wood I salvaged had also sprouted once but the sprouts quickly died¡­ Does this imply that the batch of wood cut into segments was originally intended as a ¡®seed¡¯ for cultivating plants?¡±


    Not all plants rely on seeds to sprout; there are numerous plants that can sprout directly from the trunk.


    Therefore.


    He hastily took out a few pieces of wood and buried them in the soil of the glasshouse, watching for any changes.

 Chapter 509 - Chapter 509: Chapter 506: Astonishingly Talented Mutant (Second Update)

    Chapter 509: Chapter 506: Astonishingly Talented Mutant (Second Update)


    Time imperceptibly reached February.


    Snow was still falling intermittently, and the serfs of Black Horse Island and Fresh Flower Town continued to toil through the heavy snowfall. Liszt, who was researching wood, received a message from a knight at Tulip Castle, inviting him to a banquet. The theme of the banquet was to celebrate the breakthrough of his younger brother, Lidun, to Earth Knight.


    ¡°A fourteen-year-old Earth Knight, it seems Lidun¡¯s birthday is in November, which means he¡¯s actually just thirteen years old and a few months,¡± Liszt had the butler entertain the messenger knight and did not accept the invitation, ¡°This talent is indeed not bad, stronger than Levis at the time.¡±


    Liszt was not interested in what Lidun¡¯s future would hold.


    Rushing the butler to prepare a congratulatory gift, he continued with his research work¡ªhis status now meant he didn¡¯t need to care about what others thought, and if he didn¡¯t want to attend a banquet, not even an Earl could compel him. No one in the Tulip Family would dare to blame him.


    Strength was the source of confidence.


    ¡°It seems in another month, I¡¯ll turn eighteen, and the five power-gathering moves in ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡± will almost all be mastered¡­ After I complete them, I¡¯ll challenge the Earl to see just how wide the gap between me and a Sword Saint really is.¡±


    He was confident, relying on the powerful attributes of Dragon Dou Qi, to duel the Earl.


    However, before the fight began, it was difficult to directly predict the outcome of the battle. There were many factors that affected the fights between Sky Knights, not just a contest of Dou Qi.


    ¡°Woo-ah!¡±


    ¡°Chirp-chirp!¡±


    Suddenly, Thorn Minor Elf Jela, chasing after the Corn Minor Elf Mickey, flew out from the castle. Mickey flew directly to Liszt for refuge, with Jela in hot pursuit. However, upon seeing Liszt, it turned around and flew out of the castle¡ªto vent its anger in the Thorn Garden.


    A conditioned reflex had formed; whenever it got angry, it would run to the Thorn Garden to plant thorns.


    The first Thorn Bug might not have much to do with Jela, but the second Thorn Bug still incubating was definitely affected by Jela¡¯s continuous use of magic.


    Liszt was pleased to see this outcome.


    ¡°Chirp-chirp, chirp-chirp, chirp-chirp.¡± After Jela left, Mickey became lively, flying around the glass greenhouse, occasionally touching the recently sprouted Magic Medicine Seeds with its little hands.


    Fearing it might harm the young plants, Liszt waved his hand: ¡°Mickey, go play outside.¡±


    ¡°Chirp-chirp.¡±


    Mickey was obedient and immediately flew outside.


    Not long after, Servant Thomas came over: ¡°My lord, Administrative Officer Isaiah wishes to see you.¡±


    ¡°Let him come over.¡±


    Isaiah was waiting beneath the Apple Tree Cordyceps in the castle, and it took only a few steps to reach the glass greenhouse: ¡°My lord, Isaiah has come to report the fiscal revenue of Fresh Flower Town for January.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°The main income in January was glass sales. The nobles of Coral Island showed tremendous enthusiasm for glass. The glassware made by the glass workshop, blown glassware, and pressed window glass were the most popular products, and the sales profit for just half a month exceeded the revenue from Fresh Flower Brew.¡±


    ¡°Glass is that popular?¡± Liszt didn¡¯t worry too much about administrative affairs, but he was interested in profitable business. He remembered the production of glass was not very high yet, and was surprised to learn that the profits had already surpassed spirits.


    ¡°Glass is extremely popular. However, glass is not a consumable item like spirits. As nobles purchase large amounts of glass products, the Coral Island market will soon become saturated. The Tulip Family¡¯s merchant fleet is already prepared to sell to other islands. This is our exclusive product, with no competition, and we can completely monopolize the entire country¡¯s market.¡±


    ¡°We can also sell to the mainland, and the future development of glass will definitely exceed that of spirits.¡± Liszt was very clear about the potential of glass, ¡°What restricts us now is the production capacity of the glass workshop and the protection of the glass-making technology.¡±


    Afterward.


    Isaiah introduced other fiscal revenues, and overall, the financials of the territory had turned from deficit to surplus in January, with Fresh Flower Town alone bringing in more than three hundred Gold Coins. And with the revenue from spirits soon to be collected, the territory¡¯s income would greatly increase next month, eliminating the need for Liszt to keep subsidizing aggressively.


    Up until now, the funds for territory construction had largely come out of his own pocket¡ªof course, the territory was his personal property.


    He hoped to separate his personal earnings from the territory¡¯s revenue.


    It was just not very likely to be so clear-cut; after all, things like magic potions, magical beasts, and pearls could be counted as either his personal property or as special produce of the territory. Only things like sunken ship treasures strictly qualified as his personal income and could be added to his private coffers.


    With his purse bulging, Li Si Te felt his confidence return.


    If there was not enough magic potion, he¡¯d buy it; if there was not enough magical beast meat, he¡¯d buy it; if there was not enough food for the serfs, he¡¯d buy it; if there were not enough construction materials, he¡¯d buy it. He even wrote to Tulip Castle and Long Taro Castle, asking them to keep an eye out for Dragon Kui Bugs and Thorn Bugs; if someone were selling them, he was willing to pay a high price to purchase them.


    Dragon Kui Bugs and Thorn Bugs were of little use in others¡¯ hands.


    In his hands, they were priceless treasures.


    Besides, whether it was Barley Bugs, Little Wheat Bugs, or Millet Bugs, he was interested in buying them if they were available. The territory¡¯s grain output was too small, and they were far from being self-sufficient, which made Li Si Te feel insecure. He hoped that the territory would not only rely on various special products to make a fortune but also achieve self-sufficiency in food.


    In a flash, another three days passed.


    The wooden seeds that Li Si Te had been eagerly awaiting finally sprouted, confirming his conjecture about wood breeding: ¡°Indeed, this batch of wood is the seed, and although I don¡¯t know how to guide them into growing into dragon bone shapes, I can start exploring. One day, I¡¯ll figure it out¡­let¡¯s call it ¡®Seedship Wood¡¯.¡±


    Seedship Wood could grow into timber for ships.


    As the secret was unearthed, the Smoke Mission was also completed.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward the Dou Qi Sublimation of Emily.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Li Si Te¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Emily¡¯s Dou Qi Sublimation, what does that mean? I remember I also once received the reward of Dou Qi Sublimation, and at that time, I broke through from Apprentice Knight to Earth Knight. Does it mean that Emily has broken through to Earth Knight as well?¡±


    All in all, Emily had only been practicing Dou Qi for a year.


    Even with the aid of magical beast meat and Dragon Breed Milk provided by Li Si Te, it was unbelievable for her to break through to Earth Knight from scratch in a year.


    Li Si Te let out a breath and calmed down: ¡°No wonder the Smoke Mission calls her an extraordinarily gifted follower, her talent completely outshines Lidun!¡±


    Lidun was currently the earliest genius in the Tulip Family to break through to Earth Knight.


    It had taken him at least five to six years to become an Earth Knight at the age of just under fourteen, thirteen years old. Emily started practicing at eleven, and at twelve, she had already become an Earth Knight. Comparing the two, one could see how terrifying Emily¡¯s talent was.


    So terrifying that it made Li Si Te envious.


    He had actually noticed quite some time ago that Emily found the cultivation of Dou Qi effortless, having abundant low-level Dou Qi six months ago, with the potential to break through at any moment.


    But to actually see her break through was still hard to accept: ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be, she¡¯s just a commoner¡¯s daughter¡­ Based on my research on this world, the cultivation of Dou Qi is directly related to nutrition and is a decisive factor, with nobles inherently not lacking in nutrition. And so-called talent often means that noble bloodlines are more likely to produce outstanding offspring.¡±


    He once summarized this.


    The theory of getting stronger in this world¡ªnobles rely on taking drugs, commoners on mutation.


    Indeed, among the commoners, there were those with decent talent who, through several generations of effort, entered the ranks of the nobility. But a mutation like Emily¡¯s was unheard of. Her background was very clear; in the Eagle Kingdom, both her parents were ordinary serfs.


    She was not of noble blood, nor had she gone through several generations of genetic improvements.


    ¡°Such a mutation is terrifying. If commoners could all mutate like this, the foundation of noble rule would have been severed long ago¡­ But then again, if she had not met me, Emily would probably be just another peasant, farming for life. Even the best talent, without the chance to be unearthed, will still be buried.¡±


    He decided not to dwell on Emily¡¯s talent any longer and went straight to find Emily to see for himself.


    To see if she had truly broken through to become an Earth Knight.

 Chapter 513 - Chapter 513: Chapter 0510: On the Shoulders of Giants (First Update)

    Chapter 513: Chapter 0510: On the Shoulders of Giants (First Update)


    ¡°Why did you think to come today? I thought you would be so busy on Black Horse Island that you wouldn¡¯t even have time to attend Lidun¡¯s Knight advancement celebration,¡±


    In the study, the Earl was somewhat surprised by Liszt¡¯s visit.


    His jesting carried a hint of dissatisfaction with Liszt for not attending Lidun¡¯s Earth Knight advancement banquet. Of course, it was just a slight dissatisfaction.


    Liszt smiled, ¡°I have indeed been very busy recently. Black Horse Island¡¯s grand development has countless matters that require my attention. But now things are on the right track, and I have more free time. So I thought to enjoy a lunch at Tulip Castle and also to seek some cultivation experience from you, Father.¡±


    ¡°Seek my advice, huh¡­¡± The Earl¡¯s heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition emerging in his mind, ¡°In the path of cultivation, you have always had firm opinions. Do you really need my guidance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are a Sword Saint Level Sky Knight, while I am just a common Sky Knight. With your guidance, I can avoid some detours and find the most correct path to cultivate,¡±


    ¡°It is correct for you to have such cautious thoughts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always believed that by standing on the shoulders of giants, I can see further.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s an interesting saying.¡±


    ¡°On the path of Dou Qi cultivation, the wisdom of predecessors is undoubtedly as vast as giants. We cultivate the Dou Qi Manuscripts they have left behind, continuing the Dou Qi levels they had traversed. If we cannot conquer this giant, if we cannot climb up from their shoulders, then it means failure.¡±


    The Earl frowned, that uneasy feeling resurfacing¡ªThis guy clearly came to ask for advice, so why is he preaching me these grand truths?


    Liszt also quickly realized that today was not for idle chat; he decisively got straight to the point, ¡°Father, to me, you are like a towering giant, and also the one I aspire to surpass! Today, having made some progress in ¡®Rising Sun Blaze,¡¯ I wanted to ask for your guidance in actual combat.¡±


    ¡°Guidance in actual combat?¡±


    The Earl was stunned, then nodded his head, his expression complex, ¡°I thought you really came to seek my advice, but it turns out you just want to challenge me¡­ You challenged me once when you were an Elite Earth Knight, it seems that after becoming a Sky Knight, your confidence has swelled.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s expression remained calm, ¡°I haven¡¯t become arrogant, I just yearn to understand my true strength.¡±


    ¡°Very well, I also want to see clearly, just how much strength my most outstanding son possesses that I am not aware of.¡± The Earl stood up resolutely and left the desk, ¡°Go wait for me in the manor, I¡¯ll change into my gear.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    Liszt turned and left, heading to the manor to wait patiently.


    Meanwhile, back in the castle, Li Weiliam called his personal servant, ¡°Bring me my battle gear, I need to change.¡±


    As the servant returned with a pile of gear, Lady Marie approached, ¡°Dear, are you planning to go out today? You¡¯ve even taken out your armor.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just going to have a sword duel lesson with Liszt.¡±


    ¡°A sword duel?¡± Lady Marie was surprised, ¡°Was that his purpose for coming today, to ask you for a sword duel lesson?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lady Marie did not fully understand the duels between Sky Knights; she was the quintessential noble lady of a manor adept in socializing and stewardship, but clueless about cultivation, ¡°Let Lidun watch from the side. He is already an Earth Knight, and watching the fight of a strong knight will certainly help his cultivation.¡±


    ¡°The combat of Sky Knights does not offer much insight to an Earth Knight. My lady, what Lidun needs is to solidify his foundation, not combat experience. Even if Levis does not accompany Loria to Golden Island, standing here, I would not allow him to watch. Earth Knights and Sky Knights are at different realms.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m just being overly concerned. I just hope that Lidun can grow up faster, dear, you must know his talent is second to none.¡±


    ¡°I understand, do not worry.¡±


    The Earl comforted Lady Marie with a few words and continued to change his equipment while she helped him adjust his armor before accompanying him out of the Castle.


    By this time, Liszt was already mounted on the back of the Landwalker bird Loki. Seeing Li Weiliam emerge, he quickly said, ¡°Father, the Rocky Beach to the north is quiet and uninhabited, making it suitable for real combat. I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± With that, he directed Loki to set off and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the horizon.


    Lady Marie watched the direction in which Liszt disappeared and sighed softly, ¡°Is there really a Son of Glory in this world? One Bloodline Fruit created Douson, and another created Loki. His fortunes are unbelievable¡­ All these years, you¡¯ve been seeking an Intermediate Magical Beast, yet you¡¯ve never found one.¡±


    The Earl did not wish to continue the conversation.


    He simply had his Retainers bring his own steed, a horse with the mixed bloodline of a Magical Beast and a Tinder Panther ¡ª the Panther. He mounted the horse and pursued in the direction Liszt had left.


    ¡­


    Rocky Beach.


    Liszt stood with his hands behind his back, watching the surging Sea Waves by the shore, quietly adjusting his physical state. What was to follow would be his first sword battle since becoming a Sky Knight, and it would also be of the highest quality.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop.


    The Earl soon arrived.


    There were no Retainers, no Servants, and no spectators. On Rocky Beach, there were only Coral Island¡¯s two Sky Knights, facing each other.


    ¡°Father, Liszt challenges you!¡± He slowly drew the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, and the surging Dou Qi within his body began to circulate.


    The Earl didn¡¯t waste words and drew his own Longsword, one adorned with a Topaz and a Green Gem; both shimmered brilliantly: ¡°Let¡¯s start!¡± The sword was called the Ever-Resilient Sword, derived from the two gemstones with the effects of tenacity and enhancing stamina attributes.


    Before his words could fade,


    Boom!


    A whistling sound cleaved through the air as Liszt mobilized his Dou Qi, transforming into a streak of light rushing towards the Earl. A basic move from ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡± had astonishing offensive power.


    In an instant, the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword arrived in front of the Earl.


    The Earl¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and the Ever-Resilient Sword was raised promptly to strike the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword accurately. The Dou Qi from both their blades erupted luminously, red and blue reflecting one another. Before the supremacy of their Dou Qi could be determined, their blades parted, and each swordsman stepped back.


    Then Liszt launched another sword strike, and the Earl met it with his sword as well.


    Clang!


    Clang!


    The fiery red Fire Attribute Dou Qi and the blue-white Water-Attribute Dou Qi intertwined with each continuing test attack, gradually twisting together and consuming one another.


    Liszt continued to test with his attacks. His fighting style could be described as fierce, relentless when gaining the upper hand. Discovering the Earl¡¯s resistance was not as formidable as imagined, he could no longer restrain himself and intensified the output of his Dou Qi, ready to shift from testing to a frenzied barrage.


    On the other side, the Earl furrowed his brows amid the probing.


    He had fought countless times under Pioneer Mandates, with countless sword battles, against opponents strong and weak. Some favored entanglement while others valued bursts of power, yet their Dou Qi paled in comparison to Liszt¡¯s more enduring and ferocious Fire Attribute Dou Qi in front of his own Water-Attribute Dou Qi.


    Even more alarming was the fact that every strand of Liszt¡¯s Dou Qi demanded he release even more of his own Dou Qi to negate it.


    After just a few probing skirmishes, his Dou Qi was nearly as taxed as if he were employing powerful techniques: ¡°How can this be, my Dou Qi is actually being crushed!¡±

 Chapter 514 - Chapter 514: Chapter 0511: The Sword Saint in the Past Tense (Second Update)

    Chapter 514: Chapter 0511: The Sword Saint in the Past Tense (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The Earl was shocked in his heart.


    However, Liszt felt great. He went all out, barely giving the Earl time to react. High-level Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi clung to the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, rampaging wildly.


    Taking advantage of the slowed dissipation rate of Dou Qi, he almost filled the surrounding area within tens of meters with Dou Qi.


    ¡°Full Sun Wheel!¡±


    He roared inwardly, and the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword danced like a round of glowing morning sun, intensely compressing the Dou Qi. In the next tenth of a second, it ignited all the surrounding Fire Attribute Dou Qi. With a rumbling explosion, a vast sea of flames surged toward the Earl.


    The blue-white Water-Attribute Dou Qi was compressed to just a few meters in front of the Earl.


    Facing such roaring flames, his Dou Qi simply could not cause the qualitative change to transform into seawater. It could only evaporate continuously within the flames, and when he wanted to replenish it, he had to face Liszt¡¯s relentless assault. He was pressed into a state of passive defense, an embarrassing situation.


    He wanted to counterattack, but he couldn¡¯t break through the pervasive flames.


    This caused his anger to accumulate more and more in his heart, feeling not as if he was receiving instruction from Liszt, but rather being suppressed and beaten by Liszt, as if being locked in a steaming cage, completely embarrassed.


    However, having been through countless sword battles, his embarrassment did not lead to his capitulation.


    If he couldn¡¯t outlast in Dou Qi consumption, he focused on defense, patiently looking for opportunities. Finally, he found a flaw in Liszt¡¯s overwhelming assault and immediately unleashed a powerful attack. Water-Attribute Dou Qi, along with the Ever-Resilient Sword, brushed aside the attack of the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword.


    Then his Dou Qi burst forth, and his body soared a hundred meters into the sky with a whoosh.


    Leaving the area of flames, it was truly like the vast sky after a storm, where the birds could fly freely. The howling cold wind cooled his face, quickly cooling his flushed face from the near-boiling flames.


    The refreshing sensation stimulated him to shout, ¡°Liszt, my son, the real battle of the Sky Knights has just begun!¡±


    But before he could get into position, he saw in the corner of his eye four streaks of fiery arrows coming straight for him.


    One in front, one behind, one to the left, and one to the right. They sealed off his space for nimble evasive maneuvers. After all, being in the high altitude with no support, it was difficult to avoid the arrow attacks.


    ¡°Arrow techniques are hardly lethal against Sky Knights!¡± The Earl calmly and effortlessly swept a circle with the Ever-Resilient Sword, ready to block.


    However, the next moment, when the Ever-Resilient Sword touched the arrows, they suddenly exploded.


    The power was not very strong, but it was entirely unexpected. Never had he seen arrows from such a distance still imbued with Dou Qi. Therefore, with one careless move, the Earl was close to being knocked out of the sky by the explosion of the Fire Attribute Dou Qi, and the chaotic blast almost caused him to fall. Even though he stabilized his form in time, his brow hair was singed by the flames.


    ¡°My hair!¡±


    The Earl¡¯s recently cooled face quickly reddened again, visible to the naked eye.


    However, before he could get enraged, Liszt, who had quickly put away the Swift Shadow Bow, pushed off the ground, his Dou Qi spewing out as he too soared into the air. He became a red rocket shooting straight for him, the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword waving in the air, as the move ¡°Rising Sun Ascend¡± suddenly struck the Earl.


    The next second.


    The Earl let out a cry as he flew towards the distant sea in free fall.


    Liszt adjusted his form, pursuing the Earl, not planning to give him any chance to counterattack. He had entered the state of a sword battle, immersing his whole heart in this fight. He was well aware that his opponent was a powerful Sword Saint, and only by going all out could he defeat the other party.


    Even in a real combat drill between father and son, there should be no holding back in a sword battle.


    Stronger fighters always go all out in battle.


    ¡°Setting Sun Drop!¡±


    The charged move from ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡± was released again. Liszt, catching up to the Earl, delivered another fierce blow. Even though the Earl had adjusted his posture mid-flight and was prepared to meet the attack with his strongest fighting power, he was still heavily struck by the blow. The exploding Fire Attribute Dou Qi was not something his Water Attribute Dou Qi could resist.


    There was a fundamental disparity in strength.


    ¡°Why is this happening!¡±


    With a thought of incomprehension flashing through his mind, the Earl fell towards the ground like a plane crash. He didn¡¯t understand why, even though he had taken to the skies, starting the fight in the way of the Sky Knights, he still couldn¡¯t block Liszt¡¯s attacks. His Water Attribute Dou Qi, known for its toughness, crumbled before the Fire Attribute Dou Qi.


    ¡°I am a Sword Saint! It shouldn¡¯t be like this, my Dou Qi should be denser!¡±


    ¡°`


    Thud!


    In the critical moment before landing, the Earl twisted his body and fiercely stomped on the rocks of Rocky Beach, shattering them to pieces. Using the reaction force and the bursting Dou Qi, he once again leaped into the air.


    Just barely avoiding Liszt, who sought to accelerate his attack by falling.


    Boom!


    The Fire Attribute Dou Qi exploded on the ground, blasting all the rocks within dozens of meters around the impact site. After missing his strike, Liszt didn¡¯t pause for even a moment, swinging the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword again and unleashing Dou Qi that jetted out dozens of meters from the blade.


    ¡°Crimson Dawn Burn!¡±


    The Dou Qi, transformed into flames, caught the Earl mid-leap, instantly dispersing his Water-Attribute Dou Qi, preventing him from ascending further.


    ¡°Scorching Sun Sting!¡±


    Surging forward, in sync with the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, within one breath he was upon the Earl who had just landed. The flames became a drill, effortlessly destroying the Earl¡¯s hastily released blue-white Dou Qi¡ªfrom start to finish, the Earl¡¯s Dou Qi never managed to undergo transformation, never induced any natural phenomena.


    Every clash of Dou Qi was crushed by the Fire Attribute Dou Qi.


    Moreover, he had to release multiple times more Dou Qi just to ward off the seemingly slow but actually swift erosion of the Fire Attribute Dou Qi, a situation he had never encountered in countless sword fights.


    Crash!


    The Dou Qi was blasted apart once more.


    The Earl attempted to release his Dou Qi again but was already too late, for the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword pierced through the flames toward his neck. Just one inch more, and it could penetrate the skin. He could even feel the sting and burning sensation on his neck¡ªthe pressure created by the sword tip compressing the air.


    He faintly sensed the threat of death.


    This was a profound sense of helplessness, an emotion he had almost never experienced in his career as a Sword Saint¡ªhis duels usually ended with him conquering his opponents, and even in the few defeats, he could easily escape.


    This time.


    It was a crushing defeat, almost without the strength to fight back, passively taking hits from start to finish until his Dou Qi collapsed.


    The Longsword at his throat.


    No more tactics at his disposal.


    ¡­


    At the critical moment.


    The Sky-Cleaving Greatsword halted and slowly retracted.


    The sky full of flames also rapidly dissipated, revealing the handsome face of the youth panting heavily, ¡°Father, you were careless.¡± Liszt, suppressing his rapid breathing, broke the silence with a calm voice.


    His eyes shone like the stars, and his face once again bore an expression of nonchalance as if nothing mattered.


    Inside, however, he was ecstatic, having thought that it would be a tough battle. Who could have imagined it would instead be an overwhelmingly one-sided domination? The Sea Wave Sword Saint, whose combat strength was ranked in the top ten throughout the Duchy of Sapphire, was so easily defeated by him¡ªhe couldn¡¯t even manage to escape.


    In one explosive burst, the battle was over.


    Winning decisively, he had become the strongest person on Coral Island.


    There were no words to describe his feelings at that moment, it was simply exhilarating. Had it not been for the complex expression on the Earl¡¯s face, he would have burst into loud laughter. For now, he had to lower his head while sheathing his Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, struggling to suppress his urge to smirk.


    Still, he sneakily observed the Earl from the corner of his eye.


    On the Earl¡¯s face, emotions like anger, frustration, fear, relief, excitement, and confusion surfaced one after another, continuously changing and contorting, creating a conflicted, twisted expression of embarrassment.


    After a good while of this flickering.


    He looked painfully at the sky and stuttered, ¡°Yes¡­ I was careless.¡±

 Chapter 516 - Chapter 516: Chapter 0513: Alternative Species for Dragon Bloodline (First Update)

    Chapter 516: Chapter 0513: Alternative Species for Dragon Bloodline (First Update)


    After returning to the castle, no one mentioned the outcome of the sword duel; since neither of the parties involved brought it up, others simply assumed it was a sparring session between father and son.


    Since it was just a sparring session, there was no question of victory or defeat.


    However, the Earl still felt a bit embarrassed, especially when Lady Marie asked, ¡°Dear, why is there a bit less hair on your forehead? It looks like it¡¯s been singed by fire?¡±


    Fortunately, Liszt cleverly extricated the Earl from the awkward situation, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Marie. When father was instructing me, I accidentally exerted too much force, causing my Dou Qi to burst and burn off a wisp of father¡¯s hair¡­ Thankfully, it doesn¡¯t affect the hairline at all, really not at all.¡±


    Lady Marie smiled, ¡°You are both Sky Knights, with powerful attacks. You must be careful when practicing.¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Please rest assured.¡±


    ¡°We will certainly be cautious, my lady, you need not worry,¡± the Earl chimed in before swiftly changing the subject, ¡°Today¡¯s schedule seems to involve accompanying mother to watch a comedy play, why didn¡¯t you go? If you don¡¯t want to watch the play, invite mother over to chat with Liszt for a while.¡±


    ¡°Mother didn¡¯t ask me to accompany her; she went to the flower market today to choose some potted plants. Recently, she gave away a batch of potted plants as gifts and needs to restock with a new batch.¡±


    ¡°She really treasures her own potted plants. Apart from the two Elf Bugs that Liszt received, none of the other potted plants have ever produced Elf Bugs¡­ By the way, the potted plant she gave to Lidun, do you think it looks like it might bear an Elf Bug?¡± the Earl said helplessly.


    Ever since two potted plants had respectively nurtured a Dragon Kui Bug and a Fig Bug, Lady Penelope had become obsessed with her own potted plants, believing that the ones she cared for were the best gifts for bearing Elf Bugs.


    Her gifts were always potted plants.


    This caused dissatisfaction among many, as they felt the old lady was simply too stingy to spend money¡ªon her birthday, others needed to give her valuable gifts; but when it was her turn to give, she only gave potted plants worth a few copper coins or at most a few silver coins.


    Liszt smiled to himself.


    Regardless, he had profited.


    The three chatted idly for a while; the atmosphere was neither particularly warm nor awkward. However, they truly didn¡¯t have much in common to discuss¡ª the Earl didn¡¯t want to talk about cultivation, and Liszt didn¡¯t want to talk about personal matters. Noticing it was already ten in the morning, he said, ¡°Father, Lady Marie, I¡¯m planning to go to Coral City to buy a batch of daily necessities.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, just don¡¯t be late for the luncheon.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡­


    Buying daily necessities was an excuse; he didn¡¯t have to prepare his daily needs himself.


    He was making preparations for the next visit of the Formless Dragon¡ªfrom now on, he had to get ready to drain the Formless Dragon, to extract the greatest benefits.


    ¡°The Formless Dragon loves the scent of Smoked Grass; I need to prepare a garden of Smoked Grass for it. Ideally, a dense pile of dry Smoked Grass, lit at the same time to form a grand smoky stage. I believe the Formless Dragon will be so intoxicated by the scent of Smoked Grass that it will be unable to extricate itself.¡±


    Smoked Grass is a special product of the domain, so he didn¡¯t need to worry too much about it.


    At most, he would use different methods to extract the scent of Smoked Grass¡ªburning dry grass to create smoke, crushing tender grass to make a spray, and concocting some Smoked Grass sauce to apply to food.


    ¡°The food must be beef, and live cattle need to be prepared: adult cows, calves, all are necessary. Cooked beef also must be readied, braised, pan-fried, deep-fried, boiled, and a varied assortment of seasonings can¡¯t be omitted. I must ensure the Formless Dragon fully enjoys the allure of a complete beef feast!¡±


    The domain did not raise beef cattle, so these would have to be purchased from the livestock market on Coral Island, and a chef proficient in cooking beef would need to be hired to help in the domain.


    He wrapped himself in his cloak.


    Passing through the foul-smelling streets inconspicuously, he appeared at the Fresh Flower Caravan¡¯s Coral City office.


    Buying beef was naturally not something he needed to do personally; the caravan leader Abagon was listening to his orders: ¡°All varieties and sizes of cattle, as well as chefs proficient in cooking beef, Abagon, this is the most important task you need to accomplish in the next three days.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Lord Landlord.¡±


    Three days was the time Liszt had set for preparations.


    It was too short to make full preparations, but he feared that if he waited any longer, the Formless Dragon might slip away or visit early. Should it arrive early without proper preparations in place, not only could it lead to significant losses for the territory, it might also expose the secret of the Formless Dragon.


    By then, there would certainly be endless trouble.


    Therefore, he only gave himself three days to fully prepare: ¡°Abagon, there¡¯s one more thing. Chefs who can cook various meats like lamb, horse, pork, and chicken must also be hired.¡± Just because the Formless Dragon favored beef did not mean it wouldn¡¯t enjoy other meats.


    Liszt did not believe that the Formless Dragon could survive on beef alone.


    According to the Dragon Rearing Manual he had once obtained from the desk of the Marquis of the Bull, dragons were carnivorous creatures, and different dragons had preferences for different foods. Some dragons would even eat stones or wood, seeming to have particular tastes, but most preferred meat.


    The Formless Dragon was clearly carnivorous, and while beef was a favored food recorded in The Adventure of Ranger Griffe, it was no guarantee that the Formless Dragon wouldn¡¯t eat other meats.


    That¡¯s why Liszt wanted a bountiful meat feast to fill the Formless Dragon¡¯s belly and conquer its taste buds.


    And that wasn¡¯t all.


    He also instructed Abagon to collect various alcohols from the market, to serve as a complement to the meal for the Formless Dragon¡ªshould it happen to get tipsy, wouldn¡¯t that be¡­ exciting to just think about.


    ¡­


    After having lunch at Tulip Castle,


    Liszt hurried back to Fresh Flower Town, dispatched a large batch of Smoked Grass from the storeroom and transported it to Black Horse Island¡ª he had decided to set up the dining table for the Formless Dragon in the open wilderness of Black Horse Island¡ªmany places on the island were free from serf activity, making them very suitable for contact with the Formless Dragon.


    He also had serfs uproot a large number of fresh and tender Smoked Grass, especially the high-quality ones growing around the Cordyceps.


    The serfs, wearing thick masks, pounded the tender leaves into juice, sealed it in glass bottles, and sent it to Black Horse Island.


    As for Liszt himself, he chose suitable livestock overnight, prepared to be infected by the Formless Dragon¡¯s magic power and acquire dragon bloodlines.


    ¡°The bloodline magic power released by the Formless Dragon must be very limited, otherwise the world would be full of dragon breed creatures, so there¡¯s a limited number of chances for infection,¡± he mused.


    Firstly, the Dragon Breed Horses were already in existence, with the Black Blood Treasured Horse population slowly growing; there was no need to occupy more slots.


    Secondly, there were already Dragon Breed Cows, but their number was small, with only four coming from close kin, which wasn¡¯t conducive to future breeding¡ªtaking two or three pregnant cows could help increase the number of new Dragon Breed calves.


    Next, poultry like chickens, ducks, and geese were relatively small in size and probably required less magic power; he could choose some females along with their incubating eggs to bring in bulk.


    Then, since pork was going to be a main source of meat for the territory, having a batch of Dragon Breed Pigs was clearly necessary; he could bring a few pregnant sows.


    Furthermore, he could select a batch of Green-headed Duck eggs to take with him; creating Dragon Breed Green-headed Ducks would surely be wonderful.


    ¡°We can basically guess that embryos are the most susceptible to infection by dragon bloodlines¡­ So, should I also bring a group of adult individuals?¡± he wondered, thinking of Douson and the Eight Tiny Ones, turning them into Intermediate Dragon Breed Magic Beasts would definitely greatly increase their might.


    However, the last visit from the Formless Dragon did not evolve the adult cows into Dragon Breed Cows, which shows that the bloodlines of mature organisms were already set and hard to infect.


    The Earth Matron was already reproductively isolated and could no longer breed, essentially dashing any hope of Douson¡¯s offspring becoming Dragon Beasts.


    ¡°Besides, to turn Douson into a Dragon Beast would probably require a lot of bloodline magic power¡­ I have so many species needing infection that I really can¡¯t spare much magic power for Douson¡­ Nevermind, they have already achieved greatness, so this time let¡¯s not consider the Blizzard Beast,¡±


    He shook his head, unwillingly gave up, and continued to think about what other species needed to be taken.

 Chapter 517 - Chapter 517: Chapter 0514: The Picnic Proceeds (Second Update)

    Chapter 517: Chapter 0514: The Picnic Proceeds (Second Update)


    Liszt ultimately did not add any new species to the list of those infected.


    He was somewhat worried that if the Formless Dragon was not as excited as he had imagined, the bloodline infection magic power released might not be enough to infect many species.


    ¡°Besides, I already have a Little Fire Dragon of my own. Once this chap breeds, creating some dragon-related species should not be difficult. There¡¯s no need to rush the process.¡± Formless Dragons, difficult to capture as they are, should be exhausted for resources if possible, but even if they can¡¯t be, it¡¯s not a big deal.


    The Mini Little Fire Dragon lived in his heart, giving him ample confidence.


    By now, he had completed the list of species to infect¡ªhe had three pregnant dairy cows, two pregnant sows, ten incubating Green-headed Duck eggs, a hen currently laying eggs and five chicken eggs, a duck currently laying eggs and five duck eggs¡­ Well, okay, the domain does not raise geese for the time being.


    ¡°The ducks and chickens must be confirmed to be the healthiest ones, and their eggs must be fertilized!¡± The next morning, before the ship was loaded, Liszt repeated the selection criteria.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Lordship. These batches of chicken and duck eggs are from the best hens and ducks currently incubating, and we¡¯ve even brought their nests in cages with them.¡±


    ¡°Make sure the dairy cows and the pigs are well-protected and not injured.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The cargo ship, with all the prepared materials, raced towards Black Horse Island and finally arrived before nightfall. Liszt had already arrived at Black Horse Island ahead of time on the Fresh Flower Vessel. The picnic spot he chose for the Formless Dragon was located north of Green Tea Town, which is at the northernmost tip of Black Horse Island.


    This area is an extension of the grassland of Ice Grass Hill. There were originally some scattered shrubs, but since the mining of Volcanic Glass, all the shrubs had been dug up and burned as firewood.


    The cultivated wasteland had started to sprout a few weeds as the temperature hovered around zero degrees.


    The snow had just melted, making the area quite muddy, but Goltai, having received notice the night before, had already brought the serfs over for construction¡ªthey mainly came to dig tunnels. Liszt had the blueprint sent over by ship overnight, requiring the excavation of a cross-shaped tunnel with a round one in the center.


    The cross-shaped and round tunnels neatly divided the picnic spot into northwestern, southwestern, southeastern, and northeastern areas.


    Liszt also requested the placement of eight fire points for Smoked Grass above the round tunnels, where he could hide and light them one by one, releasing the smell of Smoked Grass. Meanwhile, directly above the center of the cross-shaped tunnel, where the dining table would be situated.


    All the food and drinks would be placed here.


    The Smoked Grass Juice in sealed glass bottles would be personally sprinkled around the dining table by Liszt, along with several large pots that would be continuously cooking Smoked Grass. An entrance to the tunnels right below the table allowed Liszt to hide easily within and transition through the cross-shaped passages to the round ones.


    In the four areas of the picnic spot, wooden houses would be built to house the sows, dairy cows, chickens, ducks, and Green-headed Duck eggs, evenly distributing the bloodline infection magic power released by the Formless Dragon when excited.


    ¡°My lord, may I know what all these tunnels and items you have brought are for?¡± Blair, responsible for arranging the Chefs to prepare the food, asked out of curiosity.


    Liszt dismissed him casually, ¡°I need to practice Advanced Dou Qi here; this is a special training method. You do not need to ask too much, and remember to keep it a secret, understand?¡±


    Blair¡¯s spirits immediately lifted, ¡°Understood, Your Lordship!¡±


    He had no idea what Advanced Dou Qi was or how to practice it, but whatever Liszt said it was, he believe it. The same went for everyone else¡ªthey took Liszt¡¯s word for it as the reason for the training methods of a Sky Knight surely differ from those of the average Knight.


    Even if there were some doubts, no one dared to question Liszt.


    Thus, including the half-day of busyness before, after a total of three and a half days, the picnic site had completely transformed. The center of the ground, covered with dry straw, was laid out with row upon row of delicious food, interspersed with jars of fine wine, as well as living old bulls, young bulls, dairy cows, calves, and newborn bull calves.


    Additionally, there were piles of sealed glass bottles, all filled with Smoked Grass Juice.


    The dawn¡¯s sunlight shone upon the earth.


    Liszt came alone to the picnic site.


    Everyone, including his mount, was miles away from here. He soared high into the sky, speeding on his journey, checking on the pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, and eggs in four different areas waiting to be infected, ensuring everything was normal. Then, with the last bit of Fire Dragon Magic Power, he fed the Mini Little Fire Dragon until it was full.


    He made sure it wouldn¡¯t sense the Formless Dragon¡¯s Magic Power and cause a fuss¡ªhe couldn¡¯t predict what might happen when dragons met and had to avoid it as much as possible.


    ¡°Almost there.¡±


    ¡°Once I ignite the Smoked Grass around me, the Smoke Mission will be complete, and the Formless Dragon will arrive soon; there isn¡¯t much time left for me.¡±


    Liszt took a deep breath.


    He donned his mask, conjured the Eye of Magic, and carefully observed the skies to ensure the Formless Dragon had yet to appear. Then he grabbed a sealed glass bottle, quickly opened it, and flung the juice around the picnic table. He also opened a jar of sauce made from Smoked Grass and smeared it onto some of the cows.


    Next, he threw tender Smoked Grass into a pot of boiling water.


    The disgusting smell spread, causing Liszt¡¯s stomach acid to rise, even with the mask; he almost vomited. The cows smeared with sauce foamed at the mouth and nearly fainted from the stench.


    Fighting back the urge to throw up, he splashed out the last bottle of Perpetual Grass Juice, pulled out a Flame Striker, and lit a large bunch of Smoked Grass next to the table.


    Looking up at the sky, the Formless Dragon still hadn¡¯t arrived.


    But he didn¡¯t dare linger. He quickly dove into a nearby tunnel, lifted a prepared stone, and sealed the tunnel shut. He then ran along the tunnel, racing towards the circular tunnel and lighting the Smoked Grass fire points along it in succession. He completed all these actions within five minutes.


    Even with the physique of a Sky Knight, such exertion left him sweating profusely.


    Finally, he hid in a bunker, ready in advance, peering through a window at the picnic table not far off and the sky above it.


    The air was filled with the scent of Smoked Grass.


    The flames crackled as they burned, thick smoke billowed up into the sky, accompanied by the sounds of cows mooing, pigs grunting, chickens clucking, and ducks quacking.


    ¡°Come join the feast, old friend,¡± Liszt said, having already removed his clothes tainted with the smell of Smoked Grass and thrown them into a water tank in the bunker.


    He called out the Smoke Mission.


    Noticing the completed prompt, ¡°Mission complete, reward: Gemstone of the Formless Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Still a Gemstone of the Formless Dragon? Aren¡¯t the dragons infected by the bloodline included in the reward?¡± Liszt wondered, though he didn¡¯t dwell on the question.


    The last time, the four Dragon Breed Cows that were infected through the bloodline weren¡¯t counted as part of the Formless Dragon¡¯s gifts¡ªit seemed bloodline infection required time to ferment.


    The smoke gradually morphed before his eyes, forming new Serpent Script.


    Just as he made out the content of the script, Liszt¡¯s gaze froze in an instant.


    ¡°Mission: The Formless Dragon has arrived; its aura fills the entire sky. For you, well-prepared, it is a giver of riches, but its arrival will also trigger the rampage of the Little Fire Dragon in its fledgling flame form. Please calm the Little Fire Dragon. Reward: The Rebirth of the Fire Dragon.¡±

 Chapter 519 - Chapter 519: Chapter 0516: Kiss Me on the Lips Now (First Update)

    Chapter 519: Chapter 0516: Kiss Me on the Lips Now (First Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°Wuu yii ya!¡±


    The smoke was swirling around, and within a few kilometers, likely all was the peculiar smell of smoked grass; the sounds of cows mooing, pigs squealing, and chickens and ducks calling from the wooden house could no longer be heard.


    It was unclear whether they had been knocked out by the smell of the smoked grass or fainted from the Formless Dragon¡¯s Dragon Might.


    Through the smoke, the Eye of Magic could barely make out what the Formless Dragon was doing. After it had finished eating the calf, it became picky, biting something on the left and then throwing it away and doing the same on the right. It was uncertain whether it had eaten any other food or not.


    Occasionally, it would lick the wine in the water jar but didn¡¯t seem to immerse itself; it appeared to have no love for fine wine.


    ¡°Wuu yii ya!¡±


    Suddenly, it raised its head with another sharp call.


    The intent was not clear; it was unknown whether it was enjoying the meal or feeling bored. However, since it didn¡¯t leave and was still picking food here and there on the table, it seemed that it wasn¡¯t bored and was still enjoying the picnic. Then, it was seen to suddenly focus on a particular food and started to devour it.


    It simply sat on the ground, continuously grabbing food with the claws on its wings and stuffing it into its mouth.


    It occasionally stuck its head into a jar full of wine, constantly licking with its tongue.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, with wine and meat, this meal must make you feel completely relaxed; get excited quickly!¡± Liszt pressed his hand against his chest, his gaze firmly fixed on the Formless Dragon. The Little Fire Dragon¡¯s frenzy was almost too much to suppress, but he had to keep it under control and dared not reveal his struggle, ¡°Leave the gemstone, release your bloodline magic power, then, you can leave gracefully!¡±


    He was feeling conflicted now.


    He hoped that the Formless Dragon would happily enjoy its picnic and then leave behind the treasure, yet he also wanted it to leave soon so that he could deal with the increasingly troubling frenzy of the Little Fire Dragon.


    The Mini Little Fire Dragon¡¯s mood was more excited than ever before.


    It was an excitement like that of being drunk and going on a rampage.


    ¡°The Formless Dragon isn¡¯t excited yet, but you are getting ahead of yourself. Wait until I have a spare moment, and then I¡¯ll teach you how to be a dragon,¡± Liszt reasoned.


    Taking deep breaths and circulating his Dou Qi, he had to divert half of his attention to suppress the Little Fire Dragon¡¯s rampage. Time slowly ticked away in this standoff, and a quarter of an hour had already passed. On the other side, the Formless Dragon had been eating, drinking, and making ¡°Wuu yii ya¡± noises for a while.


    It definitely got excited, but it was uncertain how much bloodline magic power it could release or how many Space Gems it would produce.


    Suddenly.


    The Formless Dragon made another ¡°Wuu yii ya¡± call, left the dining table on foot, used its wings to maintain balance like a bat crawling. Its crawling direction, however, was toward the fortress where Liszt was. It hadn¡¯t crawled more than a few steps before suddenly it spread its wings, pushed off with its hind legs, and flew up in an instant.


    ¡°Is it leaving?¡±


    Just as Liszt was thinking this, the Formless Dragon suddenly descended; its landing spot was right where Liszt¡¯s fortress was situated. Liszt had barely time to react when the Formless Dragon accurately crashed down five meters in front of the fortress, raising its head and letting out a long ¡°Wuu yii ya!¡±


    Diverting his attention to suppress the Little Fire Dragon made Liszt¡¯s reactions somewhat slow. Only then did he remember to retract to the tunnel inside the fortress and make a quick escape.


    But as his gaze fell on the Formless Dragon, his feet remained unmoved.


    The Formless Dragon in front of him seethed with magic power, undergoing some transformation. He couldn¡¯t see its eyes, but he could feel it was staring straight at him.


    It was a peculiar feeling, a gaze without hostility.


    Moved by a thought, Liszt stopped shifting his feet and dispelled the Eye of Magic, reverting to normal human vision. Upon seeing this, he was astounded to find that the Formless Dragon in front of the fortress was no longer invisible; it revealed its form¡ªlike a flowing mercury, shimmering with a faint multicolored light.


    ¡°I can actually see the Formless Dragon?¡±


    ¡°It revealed itself to me on its own initiative? What does this mean? Is it like what ¡°The Adventure of Ranger Griffe¡± described, that I¡¯ve earned the friendship of the Formless Dragon?¡± Liszt stood in front of the fortress window, cautiously still, his mind whirring at high speed, analyzing the current situation.


    The posture of the Formless Dragon didn¡¯t appear as if it wished to hunt.


    For hunting, being invisible was the best strategy, unless it intended to play a game of cat and mouse, otherwise, there was no need to reveal itself.


    ¡°So, should I step out now and meet it?¡± Watching the slender shape of the Formless Dragon, yet his feet hesitated to move. A dragon is a dragon, and just standing there, its Dragon Might was so oppressive that he, a Sky Knight, could hardly breathe, let alone engage it in face-to-face communication.


    ¡°`


    One minute swiftly passed by.


    The Formless Dragon did not continue to approach the bunker; it merely revealed its body and sat on the ground, watching the bunker. Liszt, however, was struggling within himself, wanting to step out but not daring to do so. He wished the Mini Little Fire Dragon near his heart would act up again to interrupt his impulse.


    Yet, at this moment, the Mini Little Fire Dragon was unusually quiet, not making a single move.


    ¡°Should I go out or not?¡±


    ¡°With the might of a Dragon, even if I hide in the tunnels, it could easily snatch me out, couldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°So, go out?¡± He gritted his teeth fiercely and made a decision, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll boldly step out and present myself with good manners; that way, at least if I am slain by the Dragon, it will be a dignified death.¡±


    Immediately after,


    he shook off the mud clinging to his clothes and pushed aside the stone blocking the entrance of the bunker. With inner tension and an outwardly calm demeanor, he stepped out of the bunker.


    The air outside was thick with the foul odor of Smoked Grass; even wearing a mask, he couldn¡¯t resist it.


    Feeling nauseous enough to vomit.


    Praiseworthy though, was that the disgusting smell somewhat eased his tension, allowing him to relax considerably. The Formless Dragon, five meters away, still fixed its gaze on Liszt. It sat tall, perfectly concealing the rising sun behind it, giving it a golden halo.


    Compared to its form sketched by magic power, its current form truly showcased the elegance of a Dragon.


    Every line was incredibly beautiful.


    Especially its long, triangular head, which possessed a combined elegance of a lady and the dignity of a gentleman. Its eyes were also elongated and did not appear sinister but, on the contrary, exuded an odd enticing power. The pupils were deep black, revealing a touch of human-like quality.


    It opened its mouth and softly called out, ¡°Wuu yee ya!¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t attacked me; indeed, it bears no malice towards me!¡± Liszt didn¡¯t understand what the other was yelling, but he knew that he hadn¡¯t made the wrong decision.


    The behavior of the Formless Dragon was friendly.


    Thus, he walked towards the Formless Dragon calmly; a five-meter distance required just a few steps, and soon they were face to face, closely observing one another.


    ¡°Wuu yee ya.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Wuu yee ya.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    A Dragon and a man thus commenced to converse.


    After a few exchanges, seemingly realizing that Liszt was a simpleton, a hint of ¡°helplessness¡± flashed through the narrow eyes of the Formless Dragon. Then it quietly lifted its left forelimb, stretched it out, and shook it.


    It called out to Liszt once more, ¡°Wuu yee ya.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Are you asking me to put my face there?¡± Unprompted, Liszt remembered a short video he¡¯d watched. A man extended his hand, and his girlfriend would promptly place her face upon it. Regardless of what she was doing, whenever the man reached out, she would come and rest her face on his hand.


    He didn¡¯t know what it meant, but he had been quite annoyed after watching the video.


    He detested people who flaunted their affection publicly.


    Of course, the Formless Dragon wouldn¡¯t be so frivolous, and Liszt understood its intention after a moment of reflection. He then mimicked the gesture by extending his own left hand.


    The next moment,


    the Formless Dragon lowered its head and drew close to his left hand.

 Chapter 520 - Chapter 520: Chapter 0517: The Fire Dragon Finally Takes Flight (Second Update)

    Chapter 520: Chapter 0517: The Fire Dragon Finally Takes Flight (Second Update)


    Open your mouth.


    Spit out three gemstones as bright as diamonds, each the size of a fingernail.


    That was all the Formless Dragon did. It left Liszt with three Space Gems and then, with a high-pitched ¡°woo Yi ya¡±, kicked with its hind legs, spread its wings, and shot into the sky, never looking back. It didn¡¯t turn invisible again, maintaining the appearance of flowing mercury.


    The twinkling, multicolored light, like a rainbow, faded in the distance.


    Watching the calm sky, Liszt gripped the Space Gems in his hand, feeling a sense of loss. His first close encounter with a true living dragon had just happened and ended like that. His dreams of becoming a Dragon Knight didn¡¯t seem to have landed on the Formless Dragon, and he had to go back to cajole the Little Fire Dragon.


    ¡°But it¡¯s already worth it, three Space Gems, plus the original one, the Formless Dragon gave me four Space Gems!¡±


    The value of four Space Gems was incalculable; in fact, just one Space Gem was priceless. These gems, having their own independent space, were essentially the stuff of legends and couldn¡¯t be bought with money. Thanks to the generosity of an old friend, Liszt now owned four.


    He could be described as filthy rich.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wear two on my left hand, two on my right hand, sorted!¡± he thought to himself delightedly. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t make them into rings right now. He still chose to keep them close to his body to prevent exposure.


    The Formless Dragon was gone.


    Liszt stowed away the Space Gems and walked toward the dining area, carefully searching to see if the Formless Dragon had left any additional Space Gems behind. However, he used his Eye of Magic to inch his way through the chaotic mud field and found nothing.


    At this point, he realized something, ¡°It seems that dragons can control the production of their gemstones¡­ And it¡¯s very likely that the Space Gems the Formless Dragon dropped last time were intentionally left behind as a meal ticket?¡±


    From the fact that the Formless Dragon had approached him on its own and left behind three Space Gems, it was evident that the Formless Dragon¡¯s intelligence was by no means low. It understood that this picnic wasn¡¯t naturally occurring but was a deliberate gesture of goodwill from humans. So after eating, it left payment for the meal.


    It didn¡¯t freeload¡­ ahem, it didn¡¯t mooch off.


    ¡°Speaking of this Formless Dragon, indeed, dragons seem to lack gender. There was nothing under its belly, no reproductive organs. But it seems, I didn¡¯t even find its excretory opening. How does it excrete dragon feces? According to the Dragon Rearing Manual, isn¡¯t the excretion of a dragon a liquid?¡±


    The Dragon Rearing Manual had rather detailed descriptions of dragons, including a section on dragon feces.


    Dragon feces weren¡¯t like the waste of ordinary creatures; it was a fluid-like substance that, once released from the excretion opening, quickly merged with the surface of the ground and formed crystal mines in the nearby area.


    One could say,


    Many crystal utensils used by nobles are evolved from dragon feces, and even the crystal tableware in Liszt¡¯s castle might also have been transformed from dragon feces.


    However, like the residual magic power excreted by the Mini Little Fire Dragon, dragons are, after all, extraordinary creatures. Their entire make-up can be explained by magic power¡ªfrom the breeding situation of the Little Fire Dragon, it is corroborated that dragons are composed of and born from magic power.


    Such creatures, even their feces, are valuable products.


    Too bad Elves don¡¯t excrete feces, or else Elf feces might also be a significant resource.


    ¡°So when the Formless Dragon was eating just now, did it not excrete? If it did excrete, there should be crystals under the ground nearby¡­ I wonder what kind of crystals are formed by the Formless Dragon.¡± Crystals are usually accessory minerals to gemstones and have the same properties.


    But their quality is much lower than that of gemstones and can only be used as materials for magic equipment.


    Once the residual magic power from the dragon is used up, the crystal becomes mere crystal, merely attractive to look at.


    ¡­


    Half an hour later.


    He didn¡¯t find any gemstones.


    He didn¡¯t discover any crystal mines either.


    Liszt no longer wasted his efforts. He walked into the wooden house to check on the three dairy cows. He found them all fainted, foaming at the mouth, and if they weren¡¯t breathing, Liszt would have suspected they were dead. The two fat pigs had also collapsed, surrounded by filth, with nothing but their breath left.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll soon give birth to Dragon Breed Cows and Dragon Breed Pigs¡­ The dairy cows are expected to be due in the fall; it¡¯ll be another month and a half before the fat pigs are expected to give birth.¡±


    A cow¡¯s gestation period is about 280 days, close to nine months. It is now the end of February, and considering the days they had already been pregnant, the calves are likely to be born around September or October. A pig¡¯s gestation period is about 114 days, which is about three months and three weeks plus three days, so they should give birth in April.


    The good mood brought by the expectation of Dragon Breed Cows and Dragon Breed Pigs was lost upon entering the chicken and duck coop.


    That was because Liszt found that the hens and ducks in the cages had died, scared to death or crushed by the dragon might. Only five chicken eggs and five duck eggs were left, unsure if they could still hatch into chicks and ducklings. He covered them with dry straw, planning to take them back and let other hens and ducks incubate them.


    The last were ten eggs of Green-headed Ducks, showing no changes¡ªthese duck eggs were easily dealt with, just needed some sunlight for hatching, and didn¡¯t require a mother duck.


    Essentially, that marked the end of the Formless Dragon¡¯s visit.


    Suddenly.


    He once again clutched his chest, feeling the Mini Little Fire Dragon that lived in his heart going berserk again. No matter how he tried to soothe it, he couldn¡¯t suppress the rampage.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    The Mini Little Fire Dragon¡¯s emotions wildly spilled over, a complex mix of restlessness, excitement, fear, anticipation, anxiety, and urgency.


    ¡°Since I can¡¯t calm you down, let¡¯s let you go berserk, prepare to be reborn!¡± Liszt stopped trying to suppress it, after all the Formless Dragon had left, and it was very safe here.


    He simply welcomed the rebirth of the Fire Dragon.


    No sooner had he released the suppression than he felt a powerful sucking force at the position of his heart, just like the last time, the Little Fire Dragon directly drained all his Dou Qi. Then, through the channels of Dou Qi, it rapidly headed towards the palm of Liszt¡¯s left hand, as if it were expelling Dou Qi normally.


    The Mini Little Fire Dragon burst out directly from the palm, in the form of a cluster of flames.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    The voice was no longer rising within his mind but by his ear, as the cluster of flames swiftly solidified into a small Little Fire Dragon. This Little Fire Dragon could now exist independently of Liszt. It fluttered its wings, slowly circling in front of him, and kept calling ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Oh!¡±


    It seemed to be anxiously awaiting something.


    ¡°Do you want Fire Dragon Magic Power?¡± Liszt asked weakly. Without the Dou Qi, he felt very uncomfortable, as if his body was hollowed out¡ªwhich indeed it was.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    The Little Fire Dragon nodded with almost human-like understanding.


    This intelligence was definitely not low, but Liszt sighed and said, ¡°My last of the Fire Dragon Magic Power was already fed to you this morning. There¡¯s only a bit left at the Fire Dragon Brick Factory and glass workshop. I¡¯ll take you there to get it.¡± Struggling to his feet, he prepared to take the Little Fire Dragon and set off for the port town.


    But the Little Fire Dragon was not willing to leave: ¡°Oh!¡±


    Liszt guessed with bewilderment, ¡°Do you want the Fire Dragon Magic Power now?¡±


    The Little Fire Dragon nodded frantically, appearing very anxious: ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°Where can I get you some now¡­ Perhaps you could take some medicine in the meantime,¡± Liszt suggested, as he pulled out a handful of Magic Potion from the Space Gem, prepared for his daily practice.


    Seeming to understand that the Fire Dragon Magic Power would not be available,


    The Little Fire Dragon charged toward Liszt¡¯s palm and directly ate all the Magic Potions in Liszt¡¯s hand, along with the glass vials, crunching them down.


    After eating, it again raised its head to Liszt: ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°You want more?¡±


    Liszt, with no choice left, had to take out another handful of Magic Potions¡­ He took out five handfuls in total, handing over all of his monthly supply of Magic Potion, and only then did the Little Fire Dragon, still seemingly unsatisfied, stretch out its tongue of flames to lick its lips.


    The next moment.


    It soared high with a powerful flap of its wings.


    Midflight, the solid flames burst with a bang, creating a rain of fire across the sky. As the dazzling fire rain hit the ground, the form of a bright red Fire Dragon gradually emerged in midair. The Fire Dragon¡¯s body was ablaze, but the flames were dying down, and the color was increasingly becoming black-red.


    Ultimately.


    The flames extinguished completely, and a Fire Dragon covered in black-red scales, flapping its wings and raising its dragon head, let out a resounding roar: ¡°Oh!¡±


    The Fire Seed form of the Little Fire Dragon had finally been reborn, grown into a real creature of flesh and blood.


    Now it could be called¡ªa Fire Dragon!

 Chapter 526 - Chapter 525: Chapter 0522: Lets Learn to Swim Together (First Update)

    Chapter 525: Chapter 0522: Let¡¯s Learn to Swim Together (First Update)


    The castle was already busy preparing for Liszt¡¯s birthday celebration.


    In the past few days, apart from fretting over how to care for the Little Fire Dragon, Liszt didn¡¯t have much else to do, so he dedicated more of his energy to the glass greenhouse.


    The Magic Medicine Seeds, with a one-third germination rate, had begun to grow robustly, albeit at a slow pace, but they were still healthy. The Seedship Wood was also thriving, growing slowly as well. Normally, plants grow fastest in the seedling stage, but this rapid growth was hardly noticeable in the Magic Medicine Seeds and Seedship Wood.


    Watering the plants, fertilizing the soil.


    He had high hopes for these Magic Medicine Seeds.


    If they all could grow into Magic Medicines, that would indeed be a tremendous fortune. Currently, what Liszt lacked the most was Magic Medicine. It wasn¡¯t just that he couldn¡¯t afford to buy them, it was also that he had no way to buy them in sufficient quantities¡ªMagic Medicines were products needed by any Noble, and not many were put on the market.


    Like in his own domain, the Magic Medicines produced, including the Black Tulips, had already been retained for his own use.


    He had never sold a single Magic Medicine to the outside world.


    ¡°I really wish I could sell a Space Gem and exchange it for endless wealth to support myself and the Little Fire Dragon,¡± he thought as he touched the four Space Gems hanging on his chest.


    Of these four Space Gems, three were already filled, leaving only one as a commonly used space, ready to be filled whenever necessary.


    The three full ones mainly held books, Mithril, Blue Steel, Cast Aluminum, Magic Medicine Seeds, Seedship Wood, Jade, Crystals, Magical Beast Meat, Dragon Breed Milk, and so on. Previously, one Space Gem was not enough to hold everything, but now it was, so he certainly wouldn¡¯t leave his fortune exposed.


    Keeping it in a warehouse always felt unsafe.


    The four Space Gems, the size of fingernails, had been made into a necklace, set in the line of a Sapphire Pendant, giving off a crystal-like appearance unless one looked closely¡ªattractively adorned with a few brightly colored Crystals, typical for a gemstone pendant¡¯s design meant for aesthetics.


    This way, the pendant around his neck appeared to be just an ordinary gemstone accessory to others.


    For a Sky Knight, not having gemstone equipment would be inconceivable; possession was the norm. And no one would target a Sky Knight for just one gemstone. Therefore, the exposure risk of these four Space Gems was very small, making them very secure.


    Actually, the biggest risk of exposure came from their use.


    Especially since he would occasionally bring out items that should not exist, which could arouse suspicion over time. Of course, he didn¡¯t need to worry too much about this. Firstly, as a Landlord and a Sky Knight, his followers would not dare question him; secondly, few people knew of the Formless Dragon legend, and even fewer knew about Space Gems.


    Even if someone became suspicious, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily link it to the legendary item like a Space Gem. The concept of an ¡°independent alternate space¡± didn¡¯t even exist in their minds.


    Liszt soon sighed, ¡°It¡¯s better to use them less when possible, even the smallest risk is still risk¡­ If the Space Gems were exposed, then the Formless Dragon¡¯s secret would be impossible to hide¡­ While the Little Fire Dragon certainly has great potential in the future, I still harbor ambitions for the Formless Dragon.¡±


    Not being naturally optimistic, he sighed more often when faced with troubling matters.


    His greed was also never fulfilled; struggling to sustain the Little Fire Dragon, he still found himself longing for the time when he could also ride the Formless Dragon¡ªwondering if he would be rendered unconscious by the stench of Smoked Grass if the Formless Dragon enjoyed soaking in it.


    ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t have the ability to keep a Dragon, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t in the future!¡±


    ¡°My goal is to find a Dragon to contract with and become a Dragon Domain Landlord, then keep another Dragon specifically for riding¡­ The best would be to contract with the Immortal Dragon that symbolizes life. Successful contracting might mean I could have eternal life!¡± Dragons, such captivating creatures, naturally the more the better.


    Feeling the warmth of the Little Fire Dragon on his chest, a bold thought suddenly struck him, ¡°I really want to raid Blue Dragon Island and snatch the Grand Duke¡¯s Sapphire Dragon too! And that ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual¡± must be obtained as well! The Sapphire that can amplify strength is priceless.¡±


    ¡­


    Fantasy could only temper one¡¯s Spiritual Power.


    It¡¯s not beneficial to reality.


    After having lunch, Liszt once again obediently left Fresh Flower Town to come to the deserted lands to the west of the small town and released the Little Fire Dragon. It freely flew around by the seaside; it could switch between its fleshly body and magic power at will, but it still yearned for the freedom of flight.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    The cry of the Little Fire Dragon drifted over the sea.


    Next to Liszt, the Landwalker bird Loki shivered.


    Under his command, it had stopped running away from the Little Fire Dragon. But due to the suppression from its instinctual bloodline, it still deeply feared the Little Fire Dragon¡¯s Dragon Might¡ªactually, it¡¯s much better now. Previously, every time he released the Little Fire Dragon, it would be scared witless.


    ¡°Get a good feel of the Little Fire Dragon¡¯s Dragon Might. I hope you can become the first animal that isn¡¯t afraid of Dragon Might.¡± Since he couldn¡¯t ride the Little Fire Dragon, Loki was still his exclusive mount.


    Just at that moment.


    The Little Fire Dragon suddenly folded its wings, plunged into the seawater, and then began to cry out ¡°Oh ho,¡± ¡°Oh ho,¡± in distress, struggling and flapping its wings nonstop on the surface of the sea¡ªit couldn¡¯t swim.


    ¡°This useless dragon!¡±


    Liszt quickly pulled out a rope and threw it towards the Little Fire Dragon, and after catching its wings, he dragged it out from the sea onto the shore.


    This series of movements was very proficient, clearly not the first time he had done this.


    The reason is simple: every time the Little Fire Dragon was by the seaside, it wanted to conquer the seawater, to become a Fire Dragon that could swim. However, it was really terrible at swimming. Even though Liszt had taught it many times, it panicked whenever it touched water. If Liszt wasn¡¯t there to save it, it might¡¯ve been the first dragon to drown.


    ¡°Oh¡­ho¡­¡±


    Lying on the shore and coughing up water, the Little Fire Dragon called out weakly.


    It was a bit dizzy after choking on water, and partly dizzy from hunger since it hadn¡¯t eaten its fill.


    Seizing the opportunity, Liszt continuously stroked it with his hand to deepen their bond: ¡°You useless dragon, you¡¯re a Fire Dragon, you know. Why should a Fire Dragon learn to swim? You¡¯re supposed to soak in magma inside volcanoes¡­ Hmm? Volcanoes? Magma?¡± A sudden burst of inspiration struck him, leading to an important question.


    The might of an Elemental Dragon is clearly the ultimate display of the nature of its magic power.


    The magic power of a Fire Dragon is the pinnacle of Fire Attribute Dou Qi, capable of changing the environment between heaven and earth, constantly nurturing the eruption of volcanoes.


    The magic power of a Wind Dragon can continuously create storms.


    ¡°Following this line of thought in reverse, does this mean that where storms exist, there is extreme Wind Attribute Magic Power? And where volcanic eruptions occur, could there be extreme Fire Attribute Magic Power? If I throw the Little Fire Dragon into magma, could it grow quickly?¡±


    He remembered the descriptions in Knight¡¯s Novels: Fire Dragons always live in volcanoes, Ice Dragons amidst ice and snow, Water Dragons always dwelling in the great seas, Earth Dragons living next to deserts, Wind Dragons¡¯ lairs are constantly blasted by fierce winds, and Lightning Dragons always appear during stormy, thundery nights.


    The appearance of Light Dragons is accompanied by various illusions, while when Dark Dragons appear, everything goes pitch black.


    These were indeed scenes fantasized by down-and-out Noble writers, but they also might not be a natural kind of common sense¡ªit¡¯s very likely that Fire Dragons live in volcanoes.


    ¡°Volcanoes, Little Fire Dragon¡­¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes sparkled.

 Chapter 527 - Chapter 522: Chapter 0519: Inventory of Task Gains (First Update)

    Chapter 522: Chapter 0519: Inventory of Task Gains (First Update)


    ¡°A Little Fire Dragon could actually reside inside my body?¡± Liszt was completely stunned as the wonders of dragons refreshed his understanding yet again; dragons of flesh and blood could seemingly switch at will between flesh, blood, and magic power.


    The Fire Dragon Pattern extended from the position of his collarbone down to his abdomen and the sides of his ribcage, and it remained ever-changing.


    One moment it would spread its wings as if to fly, another moment it would contract them as though lying down, and then it would start walking upon his chest.


    It even hung upside down over his chest at times.


    Liszt could feel it, and he could continue with his previous cultivation method; the Little Fire Dragon was still able to refine his newly generated Dou Qi, then excrete the impurities of magic power, aiding the evolution of his Dou Qi towards Dragon Dou Qi¡ªthis might well be the true cultivation method of a Dragon Knight.


    The Little Fire Dragon residing on his chest seemed quite smug, its emotions reconnecting with Liszt; he could sense it though it was a vague connection.


    It was probably mocking Liszt for making a fuss over nothing.


    However, Liszt didn¡¯t pay attention to the Little Fire Dragon¡¯s temporary squall; the risk of exposure was now essentially resolved, leaving only the issue of Dragon Riding. With his experience in taming Blizzard Beasts and Landwalker Birds, dealing with a newly born juvenile dragon didn¡¯t seem like an insurmountable task.


    He put on his clothes and silently communicated with the Little Fire Dragon, releasing his feelings: ¡°Just stay quietly on my chest. When you want to come out for air, let me know in advance, and I will take you somewhere deserted to get some fresh air¡­ Also, if you want to drain my Dou Qi again, give me a heads-up!¡±


    Being drained twice consecutively made Liszt quite angry.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡± The Little Fire Dragon reluctantly agreed. Although it was resistant to the idea of Liszt riding it, it was not an irrational wild creature but rather more like an intelligent being capable of thought.


    Feeling it still faintly releasing Dragon Might, Liszt added, ¡°Also, don¡¯t carelessly emanate Dragon Might. Keep your Dragon Might in check!¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    The Little Fire Dragon was a bit displeased as it liked to manifest Dragon Might, a symbol of its dignity as a dragon.


    But knowing that uncontrolled Dragon Might could expose it, it seriously reined it in, not letting even a trace leak out. Then, after yawning, it curled up on his chest and fell sound asleep.


    He touched his warm chest.


    Standing in place, Liszt took three minutes to sort through all his experiences that morning, making sure nothing was overlooked. Only then did he summon the Smoke Mission, summarizing his gains for the day.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: the birth of a new Fire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Mission: The long-awaited Fire Dragon is now yours. From this moment on, you will need to strive for dragon raising; its appetite will not be small, so work hard to cultivate and save, become a qualified Fire Dragon breeder. Please complete this year¡¯s spring plowing without leaving any fields fallow. Reward: twenty-two Dragon Breed Pigs.¡±


    Seeing the new mission content, he clenched his fist in excitement, ¡°As expected, successful. The Formless Dragon¡¯s bloodline infection of magic power has created a new dragon lineage species for me¡ªDragon Breed Pigs! From now on, even the ordinary pork I eat can provide plenty of nutrition, saving consumption of Magical Beast Meat!¡±


    Twenty-two Dragon Breed Pigs.


    Considering the average litter size of about ten piglets, this meant the offspring of two pigs could all be Dragon Breed Pigs.


    Pairing them with each other, it wouldn¡¯t take long to breed a large number of Dragon Breed Pigs. Then by mixing Dragon Breed Pigs with ordinary pigs, maybe even more hybrid pigs with diluted dragon bloodline could be cultivated¡ªessentially, they are all Dragon Breed Pigs but with varying degrees of bloodline dilution and quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to mark out the lineage of dragon species in the future, classify them according to the dilution and mixing of blood¡­ might as well issue lineage certificates,¡± Liszt thought.


    On Earth, to ensure the pedigree of pet cats and dogs, specialized organizations would issue lineage certificates.


    They record health conditions, training results, and more of the pet and its ancestors up to the third generation.


    He prepared to imitate this method, establishing archives for the dragon species of the territory, issuing bloodline certificates, and meticulously recording every detail of the breeding, mating, and kinship of each Dragon Breed Horse, Dragon Breed Cow, Dragon Breed Pig, and possibly Dragon Breed Chickens, Ducks, and Green-headed Ducks.


    Only in this way could the dragon bloodline be ensured to flow strongly for generations.


    Otherwise, it would continuously be diluted by ordinary bloodlines, and the creatures of dragon lineage would ultimately degenerate into ordinary ones.


    ¡­


    Dou Qi had already accumulated quite a bit.


    After carefully erasing the footprints of the Formless Dragon and the Fire Dragon, Liszt leapt into the sky, soaring a hundred meters high, and flew towards Green Tea Town in the distance. Sky Knights used Dou Qi for flying, which allowed them to travel at incredible speeds, but it couldn¡¯t last long since ascending to high altitudes consumed a great deal of Dou Qi.


    However, for short distances, it was manageable.


    Green Tea Town had not yet been developed; currently, it was just flat land with a few planned streets and residential areas. However, a team of serfs, along with officials and knights, were waiting there.


    ¡°My lord, have you completed your cultivation?¡± Goltai stepped forward to greet him.


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Liszt said with an expressionless face, though feeling a bit embarrassed inside. The so-called ¡®cultivation¡¯ excuse wasn¡¯t exactly a solid alibi, especially when preparing such a large quantity of food, Smoked Grass, and pregnant cows and pigs, along with chickens, ducks, and eggs.


    But none of his followers dared to question him.


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°Take some people to clean up the area where I was cultivating. Remove the Smoked Grass and food, and take those cows and pigs back carefully, so they aren¡¯t injured. Also, handle those chicken, duck, and Green-headed Duck eggs with care and continue incubating them.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Consultant Goltai, this batch of cows, pigs, and eggs has been specially improved by me using unusual methods. Each one is extremely valuable. I require that you treat them with great care, documenting the breeding of each one in archives and then choosing the finest breeds for pairing to form an industry.¡±


    ¡°As you desire, my lord.¡±


    Thinking it over, he still felt uneasy, ¡°How about this, build a cattle farm in Horse Ranching Town specialized in raising these three pregnant milk cows; construct a pig farm in Red River Town for the two pregnant fat pigs; and if the chicken eggs and duck eggs hatch, also establish a chicken farm, a duck farm, and a separate ¡®Green Caterpillar ¨C Green-headed Duck Breeding Garden¡¯ in Red River Town.¡±


    Horse Ranching Town, adjacent to the high-quality Black Horse Ranch, was very suitable for raising cattle.


    The Estuary Mangrove Forest at the mouth of the Red River in Red River Town had abundant water grass, and the mangrove forest itself bore many fruits not consumed by humans, which was perfect for pig breeding. Moreover, a large number of Green Caterpillars had already been bred, providing exceptional feed for raising chickens and ducks.


    All the arrangements were made.


    It was now noon.


    After lunch, Liszt gathered all the officials for this year¡¯s spring cultivation meeting, ¡°We are about to enter March, and as the weather warms up, spring cultivation will begin soon. Some crops might already have arrangements for spring cultivation¡­ Consultant Goltai, you will preside over this meeting and arrange the spring cultivation matters.¡±


    It was said to be presided by Goltai, but everything was under Liszt¡¯s control. He arranged the core content of the spring cultivation according to the requirements of the Smoke Mission, ¡°Ensure that no farmland lays fallow. Every piece of land must have seeds sown, especially beans and corn seeds, sown as widely as possible.¡±


    Corn could be planted carelessly without management¡ªall that mattered was survival, and there would be some yield, however little.


    Leguminous plants were for the slight chance of producing rhizobia¡ªthere weren¡¯t enough pea plants to rely on their production of rhizobia yet.


    ¡°In this year¡¯s spring cultivation, all officials must participate to gain experience. The newly constructed towns need many officials. Whether you can secure a post as a chief officer will depend on your performance this time.¡± Liszt threw out the biggest bait at the end of the meeting, causing the officials to become restless.


    For the sake of promotion and salary increase, they would fully commit to the spring cultivation.

 Chapter 528 - Chapter 528: Chapter 0525: Black Pearl Pendant and Estuary Pig (First Update)

    Chapter 528: Chapter 0525: Black Pearl Pendant and Estuary Pig (First Update)


    After his birthday, Liszt carefully checked the gifts brought by the guests, which, aside from the Unexpected Green Yuanbao Elf Bug that his grandmother had given, were mostly various resources. For instance, the gift from the Earl and his wife was a batch of valuable jade, while the Levis couple sent ten pounds of lead metal.


    The function of lead metal is Magic Resistance¡ªby mixing it into equipment, it can increase resistance to Magic Power.


    Therefore, the value of lead metal is high, and it serves as an excellent auxiliary material for casting armor and weapons.


    In fact, every metal possesses properties related to Magic Power, which are detailed in a magic book called ¡°Metal and Magic Observation Notes¡±.


    Iron has good Magic Power conductivity, copper has good Magic Power adhesiveness, silver has good Magic Power coagulation properties, and gold has good Magic Power amplification properties¡­


    Of course, compared to their minor magical properties, the greater value of gold, silver, and copper is as currency in circulation.


    ¡°The total value of these gifts only reached two-thirds of the birthday banquet¡¯s expenses, as expected, I knew celebrating a birthday would be a loss,¡± Liszt muttered, tossing aside the ledger, too lazy to look any further. He directly left the Castle, mounted Loki, and flew towards the Sea View Villa in the sunset.


    The Sea Sprite Ake did not go out and was busy producing Magic Equipment according to the experiments recorded in the magic books.


    Having reached the stage of Grand Magician, her research on Magic Power had fully shifted to Magic Arrays. The strength of a Grand Magician lies in the understanding of Magic Arrays. In this aspect, Ake¡¯s talent was outstanding, with progress that was astonishingly swift.


    She had already mastered the two Advanced Magic spells, Water Wave Shield and Waterfall.


    Although she still couldn¡¯t cast them instantaneously like Common Magic, she had managed to reduce the casting time to within three seconds. Another Water System Advanced Magic spell, Strong Water Column, that Elkerson had recently brought, she also learned quickly. It was only a pity that she could only learn Water Magic, so her improvement was limited.


    If Ake¡¯s talents were transferred to a human, who could resonate with all types of Magic Power, her improvement would be terrifying.


    Compared to her, another Grand Magician, Chris Truth, who was overseeing the construction of the Mage Tower, was far behind in learning Advanced Magic. She hadn¡¯t even mastered Water Wave Shield, and her training progress was full of hitches¡ªin fact, among human magicians, Chris was already exceptionally talented, but her comparison was with Ake.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    Ake greeted Liszt with a smile.


    This Little Sea Monster, now forty-two years old, had gradually matured through her interaction with Liszt and magic books. However, what remained unchanged was her innocence and her growing dependence on Liszt.


    ¡°What Magic Equipment are you making?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Black Pearl Pendant. Ake is almost finished with it. Brother, those small black pearls of yours can be used by Ake to make pendants and then sell them. Selling the finished Magic Power pendants will definitely be more profitable than selling the raw black pearls,¡± said Ake cheerily.


    She had gradually come to understand economic principles, knowing that processed products were more profitable than raw materials.


    In fact, this has always been Liszt¡¯s approach. As a modern person with an advanced civilizational soul, he was very aware that the income from selling raw materials was far less than the profits from selling processed goods. His vision for the development of his territory was also against selling raw materials, preferring to sell them after fine processing.


    Be it the same millet, once distilled into liquor, the price could increase a hundred times, a thousand times.


    So, he would never consider selling millet as soon as it was harvested. Besides consumption, all the millet and grains were to be used for brewing. To the extent that he would import basic agricultural products such as grains and, after processing, produce alcohol, pastries, and then sell them.


    ¡°Ake is very capable,¡± praised Liszt, and then he took out a few books, ¡°These are the Magic Array notes organized by Grand Magician Chris. Take them for reference, and if you have any insights, you can write some notes, which I will then pass on to Chris for her consideration. The exchange of ideas is the best way to explore Truth.¡±


    Ake took the notes and nodded vigorously.


    The Mangrove Minor Elf flew over from a shell, holding a peanut candy in its hand and offered it to Liszt: ¡°Chirp.¡± It was treating him.


    Liszt had no particular interest in peanut candy but instead took out the latest chocolate-covered peanut candy produced by the peanut processing workshop and handed it to Nami, ¡°Here, try the tastier chocolate-covered peanut candy.¡±


    ¡°Squeak?¡±


    Nami tilted her head, took the new candy wrapped in dry leaves, and then revealed a sweet smile. After peeling off the leaves, she held the chocolate-covered peanut candy and crunched off a corner. She only chewed twice before making a sour face and handing the chocolate-covered peanut candy back to Liszt, shaking her head and going back to hugging her peanut nougat candy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like chocolate?¡± Liszt rewrapped the chocolate-covered peanut candy, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it back and give it to Mickey to eat; he loves eating chocolate-covered peanut candy.¡±


    Nami quickly said, ¡°Squeak, squeak, squeak.¡±


    Liszt was puzzled, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Ach raised his head and translated for Liszt, ¡°Brother, Nami wants to play with Mickey but doesn¡¯t want to play with Jela.¡±


    Clearly, no elf liked to play with the temperamental Jela¡ªactually, most elves didn¡¯t enjoy playing with other elves. They possessed the independent spirit of plants and didn¡¯t like communal living.


    ¡°Alright, next time I come, I¡¯ll bring Mickey along.¡±


    ¡°Squeak!¡±


    Nami was very happy, being a Little Minor Elf that enjoyed playing with other elves. But the truth was, Mickey didn¡¯t like playing with Nami. He too was an elf with an independent nature and only liked to play by himself.


    After chatting with Ach for a while.


    Liszt teased Nami, then pet the Kelp Bugs, Laver Bugs, Redstone Flower Bugs, Horsetail Bugs, and Inkangle Bugs swimming in the seashells, and then left the Sea View Villa, not wanting to disturb Ach, who was diligently studying¡ªmagicians could easily become engrossed in experiments, and his visits to chat with Ach were more about helping Ach relax.


    Constantly experimenting, he was worried that Ach might develop the bad habits of magicians and become psychologically disturbed.


    In truth, he treated Chris the same way, not wishing her to turn into a crazed Grand Magician like those at the Goat Assembly¡ªthis relaxation was what Liszt called mental therapy, and he considered himself a mental health specialist solving magicians¡¯ psychological issues.


    ¡­


    Such days continued until early April.


    The Territory Officers, striving day and night for promotions and raises, had finally seeded the nearly three million acres of Black Horse Island¡ªregardless of whether the seeds would sprout or whether there was enough manpower for the next steps of cultivation, they at least completed the task of seeding.


    ¡°Complete the task and receive a reward of twenty-two Dragon Breed Pigs.¡±


    At the newly established Estuary Pig Farm next to the Red River Mouth in Red River Town, two old sows being fed a large amount of high-quality pig feed, finally began to give birth one after another.


    The pig farm Steward who was responsible for delivering the babies, successively carried out twenty-two small piglets.


    The good news spread, and Liszt personally went to the Estuary Pig Farm. After confirming that all twenty-two Dragon Breed Pigs were healthy, he immediately rewarded the farm¡¯s feeders with one silver coin each as a benefit.


    Then.


    He categorized the new Dragon Breed Pigs separately, naming them¡ªEstuary Pigs.


    This would be another special produce of Black Horse Island.

 Chapter 529 - Chapter 529: Chapter 0526: One Thousand Acres of Mushroom Greenhouses (Second Update)

    Chapter 529: Chapter 0526: One Thousand Acres of Mushroom Greenhouses (Second Update)


    The birth of the Estuary Pig means that Dragon Breed pork is not far from arrival.


    According to the information Liszt exchanged with the pig farm steward, the original breed of the Estuary Pig is the Longstrip Pig, which is a fast-maturing breed that can become sexually mature and mate in about 6 months. This means that by this October, the Estuary Pigs should be able to mate, and by next January or February, there could be a litter of piglets.


    The breeding pigs reserved for mating definitely can¡¯t be eaten, but the piglets from crossing them with ordinary Longstrip Pigs, of course, can be eaten.


    ¡°By next February, there should be piglet meat to eat, very good, Dragon Breed pork, I wonder what it will taste like!¡± he secretly anticipated.


    At the same time, he thought of the Dragon Breed Cows.


    ¡°In Horse Ranching Town, they have already set aside half of the slope of Needle Grass Hill to relocate Alfalfa Cordyceps, cultivate the alfalfa that milk cows love to eat, and build the ¡®Banpo Cattle Farm.¡¯ Once the pasture is abundant, we can relocate the Dragon Breed Cows there, the cows can get pregnant at the age of 2 next year, produce milk after giving birth the year after, and then the true Dragon Breed Milk will arrive!¡±


    With the construction of the Banpo Cattle Farm, the Dragon Breed Cows also got a new name¡ªBanpo Cattle.


    Estuary Pigs, Banpo Cattle, all are to conceal the dragon bloodlines within them; together with Black Horse Ranch¡¯s Black Blood Treasured Horses, these are the Dragon Breed livestock that Liszt owns.


    After inspecting the Estuary Piglets, he mounted Loki and took a round trip around Black Horse Island to inspect the construction progress of all the new towns.


    Currently, on Black Horse Island, New Harbor Town has already started to take shape, becoming increasingly prosperous with the migration of a large number of industries, now almost on par with Fresh Flower Town.


    Especially the ever-growing glass workshop, housing over eight hundred workers; the other side, now renamed as ¡°Black Horse Kiln Factory,¡± the Fire Dragon Brick Factory, has absorbed more than thirteen hundred workers, with subordinated workshops for pottery, bricks, charcoal, and new materials (continuing research and development of porcelain, cement, lime, etc.).


    If it weren¡¯t for Fire Dragon Magic Power as fuel, by now New Harbor Town would have been shrouded in thick smoke.


    So as an Elemental Dragon, the only output of a Fire Dragon, it seems, is to fire up the boilers.


    Beyond New Harbor Town, New Harbor Town is also taking shape. The new port has been completed, and the shipyard has begun renovations of old ships, reassembling the three-masted large sailing ship Sunset. And transferred some of the carpenters and woodworkers from Fresh Flower Town¡¯s woodworking workshop to build a new Sampan Workshop here, focusing on producing sampans for fishermen¡¯s use.


    Additionally, Red River Town and Horse Ranching Town are taking shape, Grain Town has just started construction, Thorn Town is barely breaking ground, and Green Tea Town is still on paper.


    Overall, things are looking up.


    After making the round of inspections,


    Liszt returned to New Harbor Town, first to check the progress of the Mage Tower under construction¡ªtwo out of the five planned stories were already completed. Then he met with Chris Truth, who had moved the entire Magic Workshop here, for a conversation. He also picked up this month¡¯s Magic Potions, mainly the Ice Flame Potions.


    Feeling the whole box of Ice Flame Potions in the Gemstone Space, Liszt was very excited.


    ¡°This year, after expanding the scale of the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms, despite the lack of manpower, the yield was still bountiful, finally allowing me to enjoy myself¡­ These should be enough to sustain me and the Little Fire Dragon for ten days,¡± he silently calculated. Now the Ice Snow Flame Mushroom greenhouse has been expanded to five hundred acres.


    Apart from the one hundred and fifty acres of greenhouse in Fresh Flower Town¡¯s Mushroom Hamlet, the rest are here on the south side of Needle Grass Hill on Black Horse Island¡ªthe north slope is where Banpo Cattle Farm is.


    ¡°Five hundred acres, the scale is still not enough; we need to expand by another five hundred acres, to quickly reach a thousand acres of greenhouse and complete the new task!¡±


    With the Dragon Breed Pig task completed, a new Smoke Mission was already issued.


    ¡°Mission: The bountiful harvest of Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms has slightly eased your need for Magic Potions, showing the importance of Magic Potions not cultivated by Elves. Please continue to expand the scale of the mushroom greenhouses to reach a thousand acres. Reward: Giant Algae Forest.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t know what a Giant Algae Forest was.


    It sounded like the algae had formed a forest under the sea, possibly containing a wealth of fishery resources. He had already asked Ach to pay attention to any patches of giant seaweed¡ªGiant Algae Forests would definitely be in the sea, and only Ach could discover it during his swims.


    Cultivating crops on a thousand acres of farmland is easy, but growing mushrooms in a thousand acres of greenhouses is much more difficult.


    Mushrooms, including the mutated Flame Mushrooms and Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms, require a high level of skill to cultivate, which not just any ordinary serf can do well.


    Nowadays, the number of people in the territories who can cultivate these three types of mushrooms doesn¡¯t exceed three hundred.


    Of course, Flame Mushrooms were the only magic potions Liszt could obtain and mass-produce quickly, so he devoted a considerable amount of energy to it. He arranged for these three hundred mushroom farmers, each to take ten apprentices, and after training them, to go on to teach even more apprentices.


    Moreover, with division of labor and cooperation, the mushroom farmers were responsible for the raw materials, temperature, and greenhouse management, while the apprentices were responsible for the heavy labor.


    Only by continuously opening up new greenhouses could they plant more Flame Mushrooms¡ªbecause the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms could no longer be cultivated as the weather got warmer.


    ¡°Consultant Gao Ertai, the mushroom greenhouses must be expanded to a thousand acres within half a month. The number of mushroom farmers also needs to be constantly increased. I¡¯ve decided to build a new town here, called Mushroom Town. It will be dedicated to serving these mushroom farmers and become the main production base for the potions I need.¡±


    Gao Ertai, who had become immune to Liszt¡¯s impulsive actions, nodded without hesitation and said, ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I will transfer a group of officials to come and build Mushroom Town.¡±


    ¡°This is a crucial task; Flame Mushrooms are very important to me.¡±


    ¡°Your cultivation is critical to the future of all your followers, and we certainly cannot afford to be negligent. You should know that, as your follower, I am excited every day and filled with boundless fighting spirit. Even though I do not have your talent, to follow you, who has such a grand future, is already more than what many other knights of the territories could hope for,¡± said Gao Ertai.


    This blatant flattery didn¡¯t cause any displeasure for Liszt,¡ª


    nor did it give him much of a thrill, because Gao Ertai frequently offered flattery, and Liszt was similarly immune to it. He smiled and said, ¡°You are my family tutor, and you have taught me much of my knowledge. As long as you follow me wholeheartedly, I will certainly promise you a bright future.¡±


    Gao Ertai immediately kneeled on one knee, offering the grand gesture of a knight: ¡°I thank you, my lord, Gao Ertai swears fealty to you unto death!¡±


    ¡°Rise, the territory needs you. Complete the construction of the mushroom greenhouses as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡­


    Leaving Black Horse Island, Liszt did enjoy a full ten days of indulging in potions with the Little Fire Dragon, who was so delighted it kept calling out ¡°oh ho,¡± ¡°oh ho¡± every day. Liszt also acquired a large amount of impure magic power, upgrading his own Dragon Dou Qi. His strength steadily increased, getting stronger with each passing day.


    While indulging in potions, he often rode Loki, rushing to Birch City.


    His destination was the dead volcano located between Birch City and North Valley City. This volcano had no official name, similar to Thorn Ridge, it was just a desolate mountain. The serfs in the area called it Broken Tooth Mountain¡ªbecause the crater had a big gap, which from a distance looked like a half-missing front tooth.


    Upon reaching his destination, he landed in the center of the volcano crater and released the Little Fire Dragon to circle freely.


    He then rode Loki, constantly exploring around the rim of the volcano crater.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s very likely a futile effort, and there¡¯s no chance of finding the so-called lava channels that lead to the underground magma river¡­ I won¡¯t be satisfied without thoroughly searching several times.¡±

 Chapter 532 - Chapter 532: Chapter 0529: Secrets Follow One After Another (First Update)

    Chapter 532: Chapter 0529: Secrets Follow One After Another (First Update)


    Li Si Te had already overestimated the area of the Giant Algae Deep Forest, but as he continued to explore underwater, he was still amazed by the vastness of the Giant Algae Forest.


    It was outrageously large, and that afternoon, he and Ach almost got lost among it.


    Fortunately, after relentless effort, Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic finally located the radiance of magic feedback, which was a whole patch of Giant Algae emanating Magic Radiance.


    They looked almost identical to regular Giant Algae, perhaps just a wee bit finer, but overall they still exceeded the length of twenty to thirty meters. Intermixed with the regular Giant Algae, there was no doubt that this was the new secret hinted at by the Smoke Mission¡ªthe Giant Algae Magic Potion.


    And it was Giant Algae Magic Potion in large quantities.


    Looking at the endless, densely scattered Giant Algae Magic Potion releasing Chaotic Magic Radiance, Liszt involuntarily took a sharp intake of breath.


    Then he choked on the water, and Ach promptly reacted, lifting him above the surface.


    But he still gulped down several mouthfuls of seawater, continuously coughing on the ocean¡¯s surface.


    ¡°Brother, are you alright?¡± Ach asked with concern, patting his back to help him catch his breath.


    It took Liszt quite a while to stop coughing, he floated on the surface taking deep breaths, but his mood remained excited, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just choked on some water! Ach, do you know what I found in the Giant Algae Forest, it¡¯s Magic Potion! An entire swath of Giant Algae Magic Potion, as far as the eye can see, all Giant Algae Magic Potion!¡±


    ¡°Wow, Giant Algae Magic Potion!¡± Ach cheered along.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the Giant Algae Magic Potion. Recently, I¡¯ve been in desperate need of Magic Potions, and the ones produced in my territory can¡¯t satisfy my use, and purchasing from the outside is very difficult. I never expected the Giant Algae Forest you discovered to be filled with so much Giant Algae Magic Potion!¡±


    Ach rejoiced sincerely for him, ¡°That¡¯s great, brother can continue to consume Magic Potion without a hitch.¡±


    Liszt smiled proudly.


    Warmth radiated from his chest, clearly, the Little Fire Dragon had sensed his emotions and understood that it would soon have Magic Potion to eat.


    Sending an emotion of ¡°patience¡± to it, Liszt took a deep breath and gestured to Ach to continue diving with him to ascertain the extent and quantity of the Giant Algae Magic Potion.


    Most crucially, he needed to find the second Giant Algae Bug, ¡°Besides the likes of mushrooms, which are Abandoned Cordyceps, any plant with Magic Potion would have Elf Bugs. This patch of Giant Algae Magic Potion is far away from the previous Giant Algae Cordyceps; that means another Giant Algae Bug must be concealed nearby!¡±


    There are also plants without Elf Bugs that could mutate into Magic Potion carriers, but they would regress to ordinary plants after one or two generations and can¡¯t breed.


    Diving.


    Searching.


    Today was destined to be a day of abundance, and Ach soon found a new Giant Algae Bug and its Cordyceps. Then, Liszt once more successfully lured the Giant Algae Bug with Jade Powder and smoothly contracted it. After the contract, he tossed it into Ach¡¯s shell¡ªthe sea Elves preferred the environment of the ocean.


    Splash.


    Breaking through the seawater, floating on the surface, Liszt felt exceptionally relaxed. The sun had already set below the horizon, its afterglow reddening half the sky, and the seawater glowed red as well, like clusters of flames dancing on the ocean¡¯s surface.


    ¡°Time to go back.¡± Watching the sun nearly disappear, he smiled faintly, ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll arrange for the fishermen to come harvest these Giant Algae Magic Potion and clear out the non-magical Giant Algae as well. We¡¯ll move the two Giant Algae Cordyceps over here, expanding the growing area for the Giant Algae Magic Potion, letting the ocean cultivate more Magic Potion for me!¡±


    Concentrating slightly,


    He soon called up the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: Giant Algae Magic Potion variety.¡±


    Then he glanced at the new mission, ¡°The swathes of Giant Algae Magic Potion are a tremendous discovery, and they can effectively alleviate your need for Magic Potions. However, it seems the area of the Giant Algae Magic Potion has gone beyond the influence of the Giant Algae Elf Bug. Please locate the other Elf influencing the Giant Algae Magic Potion. Reward: one Giant Algae Minor Elf.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    At first, Liszt didn¡¯t take much notice, thinking that contributing two Giant Algae Bugs and a piece of Magic Medicine Kelp from the Giant Algae Forest was already a very worthwhile harvest.


    He hadn¡¯t expected the main event to be yet to come.


    There were even Giant Algae Minor Elves hidden within this Giant Algae Forest.


    He steadied his breathing, suppressed the surge of emotions, and calmly said to Ach, ¡°Have you noticed that the range of the Magic Medicine Kelp seems to have extended beyond the influence of the Giant Algae Cordyceps?¡±


    Ach was very smart and caught on quickly, his big eyes shining brightly, ¡°Brother, are you saying there are other Giant Algae Bugs here?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps not just Giant Algae Bugs, but also Giant Algae Minor Elves. This Giant Algae Forest is really too vast, it¡¯s hard to know how many years it has grown and exactly how many Elves it has nurtured,¡± Liszt thought more and more that his line of thought was correct, ¡°Ach, there must be more Elves inside, waiting for us to explore!¡±


    ¡°Brother, shall we continue the search?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting dark, the light is dim, and diving again would be very inconvenient¡­ there¡¯s no rush, Ach, let¡¯s go back for now and resume the search tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡­


    Back in the port town, Liszt had already sorted out how to deal with this Giant Algae Forest.


    Undoubtedly, when the Magic Medicine Kelp was discovered, it had transformed from an interesting underwater plant into an indispensable strategic resource for the territory.


    ¡°With Ach¡¯s help, I can easily determine the area of the seaweed, but for the fishermen, the location of the Giant Algae Forest and the area of the Magic Medicine Kelp are difficult to distinguish; they don¡¯t have coordinates to confirm it¡­ So I need to help them mark the coordinates of the Giant Algae.¡±


    He immediately ordered his servants to prepare ropes and sampans.


    Using ropes to secure the sampans, he marked the edges of the Giant Algae Forest and the distribution area of the Magic Medicine Kelp. Of course, this is just a temporary measure. The best method is to learn the maritime cultivation techniques from Earth, using buoys to plan the cultivation fields in the sea.


    Regularly harvest the Magic Medicine Kelp and strive to explore the cultivation techniques for the Giant Algae.


    ¡°So far, we have yet to determine the full extent of the Giant Algae Forest. Judging from the areas explored at present, this Giant Algae Forest is likely to span tens of thousands of acres,¡± Liszt and Ach had only explored a fraction of the area.


    So the next day,


    He took the ropes and sampans and spent the entire day not diving in search of the Giant Algae Minor Elves, but busy marking the borders of the Giant Algae Forest.


    Setting them every one kilometer, he placed the sampans and had Ach secure them with ropes.


    Working tirelessly until nightfall, it took twenty-three sampans to map out the border of the Giant Algae Forest. Then he rode Loki to survey from above the Giant Algae Forest, drawing the positions of the sampans. The result showed that the Giant Algae Forest took on an irregular, elongated shape.


    Then, he sketched it to scale on thick paper, and after a rough calculation, concluded that the Giant Algae Forest might span 24 square kilometers, approximately 36,000 acres.


    This area was about the size of Fresh Flower Town.


    ¡°It¡¯s truly immense, it¡¯s time to search for the Giant Algae Minor Elves and determine the range of the Magic Medicine Kelp!¡± Having found the kelp, it was time to send people to harvest it, then take it to the Magic Workshop for Chris Truth to make Magic Potions.


    Days without Magic Potions to nibble on.


    Were indeed hard to bear.

 Chapter 533 - Chapter 533: Chapter 530: This Jade Powder Smells Amazing (Second Update)

    Chapter 533: Chapter 530: This Jade Powder Smells Amazing (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    As a powerful Sky Knight, Li Si Te (Liszt) had a strong ability to adapt his body; just two days ago, he could only hold his breath for fifteen minutes, but now he was able to do so for twenty-five minutes.


    In the process of searching for Magic Medicine Kelp, the surprises kept growing because the distribution of the Magic Medicine Kelp far exceeded his imagination.


    At first, he thought it was just over a hundred acres affected by one Giant Algae Bug and over eight hundred acres affected by one Minor Elf, but now it had reached over a thousand acres, and he still hadn¡¯t seen the end of it.


    ¡°Based on the normal distribution of elf influences, a Greater Elf influences about 6,000 acres, a Minor Elf around 800 acres, and an Elf Bug around 100 acres, with the fluctuation in their influence not exceeding twenty percent. That is, the maximum range of influence for a Minor Elf wouldn¡¯t exceed 960 acres, and an Elf Bug wouldn¡¯t exceed 120 acres,¡± he said.


    960 acres plus 120 acres equaled 1,080 acres; this meant that under the current known elf influences, the area of Magic Medicine Kelp in the Giant Algae Forest would not exceed this number.


    However, even after the area exceeded a thousand acres, Li Si Te (Liszt) had yet to explore the edge of the Magic Medicine Kelp.


    ¡°There are still elves!¡±


    ¡°There must be more elves, this is truly amazing, how many surprises will this Giant Algae Forest bring me!¡± murmured Li Si Te (Liszt), growing more and more excited as he patrolled underwater, monitoring the magic feedback light. He felt that this trip would really make him a fortune.


    The azure sea that he had pinned so much hope on had not let him down; the wild magic medicines were growing in patches.


    Just at that moment.


    Ach suddenly took him to a giant algae, and then she pointed to the base of the giant algae, where, all of a sudden, a yellow-brown Giant Algae Bug was perching on the petiole at the root.


    Another Elf Bug!


    Li Si Te (Liszt) did not hesitate, he took out Jade Powder, sprinkled it in the water to lure the Giant Algae Bug, and then extended his finger for it to bite down on.


    Mind connected, contract established.


    The third Giant Algae Bug was secured!


    The appearance of this Giant Algae Bug was an unexpected delight, but it did not disrupt Liszt¡¯s process of searching for the Giant Algae Minor Elf. He continued to search for the Giant Algae Magic Potion with Ach¡¯s help, continuously discerning where there might be Giant Algae Cordyceps¡ªCordyceps mixed in with the Magic Medicine Kelp were hard to find, given they all emitted a magic feedback light.


    Eventually.


    It was still thanks to Ach¡¯s keen observation.


    She patted Li Si Te (Liszt)¡¯s shoulder and then pointed towards a cluster of Giant Algae in front of them. Following the direction of her finger, Liszt could vaguely see a light point that was different from the others. He dispersed his Eye of Magic to observe with his naked eye and found the light point was behind the frond of a Giant Algae.


    Although it wasn¡¯t clear, that shape was definitely a Minor Elf without a doubt.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) quickly gestured for Ach to swim with him towards the Minor Elf, but as soon as they approached, the nimble Minor Elf fled and left the Giant Algae.


    The wild Minor Elves were highly vigilant, unlike the Mangrove Minor Elf Nami who was a wild Minor Elf and, upon seeing Ach, would be unable to move and willingly offered a contract. This Giant Algae Minor Elf was different; it had no intention of approaching Ach and disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go up,¡± Liszt gestured to Ach to surface.


    They took a breath, revitalizing themselves.


    He said, ¡°Later, you¡¯ll take me to that Giant Algae again. I have observed it; it is definitely the Cordyceps of the Giant Algae Minor Elf. The base is very thick, not much smaller than a water bucket, and although it winds and twists below the surface, its length definitely exceeds sixty or seventy meters.¡±


    ¡°Brother, but the Giant Algae Minor Elf will run away,¡± Ach said.


    ¡°I will use Jade Powder to lure it and see if it can be attracted, then I¡¯ll attempt to initiate the contract. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll need you to control the water flow to bind the Giant Algae Minor Elf so I can then contract with it,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Ach nodded.


    Although she was kind and innocent, she did not have the mindset of ¡®Minor Elves are so cute; how can we harm them?¡¯ In fact, the law of the survival of the fittest had often been a part of her upbringing¡ªbeing hunted by Sea Monsters wasn¡¯t an exception; she often faced them when she was a child.


    ¡°`


    So to Liszt, the means of dealing with the elf were quite normal, and the act of killing sea monsters was taken for granted.


    She probably wouldn¡¯t oppose even if Liszt asked her to kill someone, for her sense of right and wrong differed considerably from that of humans¡ªnot to mention, being around Liszt all the time, one couldn¡¯t help but be affected by his influence¡­ ahem, to be tinged with the same hue.


    A moment later.


    Liszt had fully recovered and returned to the root of the giant algae cordyceps, taking out a powder ground from jade and sprinkling a large patch of it. Jade powder would float with the currents and settle to the bottom in the seawater, but due to density, quite a bit would still adhere to the cordyceps.


    No one knows how the jade powder tempts the elf, but the elf certainly loves jade.


    As expected.


    Without waiting more than three minutes, Liszt noticed the giant algae minor elf cautiously coming back. It hid behind the giant algae¡¯s leaves, approaching stealthily, unaware that the magic radiance on its body had already given away its position. Liszt, without a change of expression, pointed out its location to Ach.


    Ach nodded to signal she was ready to capture it.


    Only then did Liszt relax and take out another handful of jade powder, tossing it towards the location of the giant algae minor elf, though the powder didn¡¯t spread far in the water.


    Yet the ¡°scent¡± it emitted successfully attracted the giant algae minor elf.


    Two minutes later, it brazenly appeared in Liszt¡¯s line of sight, only to retreat and reappear twice or thrice before it started to approach Liszt, licking the jade powder sprinkled on the giant algae cordyceps. It occasionally turned its head to look at Liszt, opening its mouth to emit a vague sound.


    The sound was akin to a ¡°gurgle.¡±


    It was also amber-colored, crystal-clear like a gem, with a super-miniature piece of giant algae on its head. Its big eyes were very expressive, though its teeth inside the mouth were quite sharp, giving it a fierce edge amidst its beauty. It had no wings, but had structures like transparent fins on its ears, armpits, calves, and tailbone.


    Clearly.


    The structure of the minor elves in the sea was significantly different from those on land.


    Liszt didn¡¯t disturb it, instead just watched it with interest as it licked the giant algae clean of jade powder. Only then did he take out another handful of jade powder and slowly extend his hand towards the giant algae minor elf.


    If it were a human child, not even a kindergarten kid would fall for such crude enticement.


    However, the other party was just a giant algae minor elf.


    After coaxing its head for a dozen seconds and grinning broadly, it quickly swam over and started licking the jade powder by hugging Liszt¡¯s hand.


    Liszt took the opportunity to quietly stand his middle finger up and slip it into its mouth.


    It immediately responded with a bite.


    It hurt.


    It instantly drew blood from Liszt¡¯s finger, but the contract was also completed in a flash. In the moment of heart-to-heart connection, Liszt could feel its wariness, nervousness, and a surge of aggressive emotion, which was quickly replaced by feelings of confusion and affection.


    Probably the giant algae minor elf was bewildered¡ªwhy does this annoying person feel so dear to me?


    ¡°Little guy, I¡¯ve got you now,¡± Liszt said, activating his dragon dou qi to stop the bleeding on his finger and cradling the giant algae minor elf in his palm.


    He gestured to Ach to take them to the surface of the water.


    The giant algae minor elf, now above water, seemed upset; it didn¡¯t like being away from the seawater.


    ¡°Gurgle!¡± The noise it made was clear, resembling a pigeon¡¯s call but even more crystalline. Clinging to Liszt¡¯s finger, it swayed its body back into the water, soaking in the sea, and then it cheered up, ¡°Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle!¡±

 Chapter 536 - Chapter 536: Chapter 0533: Harvest and Experiment (First Update)

    Chapter 536: Chapter 0533: Harvest and Experiment (First Update)


    The Giant Algae Forest was distributed in a long strip, covering a total of approximately 36000 acres, with the western end close to the seashore and the eastern end far away from the sea.


    So far, Liszt had explored the area at the western end near the sea, which was about one third or around 12000 acres, of which approximately 2500 acres were covered in Magic Medicine Kelp. Further east, the water was gradually getting deeper, reaching depths of 80 meters, and the seafloor was uneven, with some areas even exceeding 100 meters.


    The fish that lived in this part of the Giant Algae Forest were also getting larger, and ferocious predators such as sharks even lurked on the ocean floor.


    Of course.


    Even underwater, where Liszt¡¯s Dou Qi was not as agile, he could still easily kill the ferocious sharks, especially with the help of Ake, the Water System Grand Mage, by his side.


    As long as no Sea Monsters appeared, he would be safe on the ocean floor, ¡°The eastern region of the Giant Algae Forest is not very suitable for marine culture due to the deep water and sharks. It is very dangerous for ordinary fishermen to harvest the Giant Algae here¡­ Even if the territory promotes Dou Qi and ordinary fishermen may be able to have Dou Qi in the future, it would still be dangerous.¡±


    A knight¡¯s domain is the land and sky.


    The sea is not included.


    Even knights who possess Water Attributes are restricted in the sea and could easily drown. Not just knights, but Magicians, too, cannot conquer the sea; the human flesh and blood is naturally not suited for action in the sea. Whether one becomes a Dragon Knight or an Archmage, going into the water spells trouble.


    This is also the reason why the Duchy of Sapphire tirelessly attacks the mainland¡ªeven island nations find it difficult to conquer the sea, let alone those countries on land.


    Without the existence of the Sea Sprite Ake, Liszt would also have a hard time developing the sea.


    At least until technology evolves to allow for underwater operations, the sea is synonymous with danger. Even on Earth in the age of technology, humans cannot completely conquer the sea. Confronted with the resource-rich sea, they can only look on helplessly. Very few countries are even capable of extracting offshore oil.


    However.


    With Sea Sprite Ake, the ocean is no longer so mysterious to Liszt.


    ¡°Ake, exploring the Giant Algae Forest takes quite a lot of time. Today, we will start by developing the Magic Medicine Kelp. I have redesigned the placement of the Giant Algae Cordyceps; in the future, the planting range of the Magic Medicine Kelp will gradually move toward the seaside¡­ Underwater, cut down all the Magic Medicine Kelp in this area so it floats to the surface; I will send fishermen to salvage it,¡± Liszt instructed.


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Ake was a hardworking and obedient Sea Serpent, never refusing the tasks assigned by Liszt.


    Watching her skillfully dive into the sea, Liszt felt quite moved¡ªthe Smoke Mission brought him many rewards, the most important of which was Ake. She even surpassed the Little Fire Dragon Leo in his heart. If he had to choose one to give up, he would rather give up Leo.


    Of course.


    He would never reveal such thoughts to Leo.


    Otherwise, Leo might get his fur in a fluff and quite possibly fly away¡ªthough it was hard to say, as he was well fed and cared for by Liszt, he might not be willing to leave at all.


    ¡­


    The operation to harvest Magic Medicine Kelp was quickly underway.


    About 600 acres of Magic Medicine Kelp were not in Liszt¡¯s planned area and could be cut down.


    Distinguishing between Magic Medicine Kelp and regular Giant Algae was not difficult; the ones with longer leaves were Magic Medicine Kelp, and those with slightly thicker leaves were ordinary Giant Algae.


    There was no doubt about Ake¡¯s working capabilities, and soon large clusters of yellow-brown Giant Algae were floating on the sea surface.


    The sampan fishing fleet from Black Horse Island had grown to over three hundred, and Liszt drafted a hundred of them to swarm the surface, searching for Magic Medicine Kelp drifting with the waves, and transporting it to shore. Then, serfs would load the Magic Medicine Kelp onto carts and haul it to the Magic Workshop in Port Town, handing it over to Chris Truth.


    It was inevitable that some ordinary Giant Algae were mistakenly cut by Ake in haste, but Magicians had ways to differentiate between the Magic Medicine and ordinary plants.


    Liszt did not forget to instruct the official in charge of transportation, ¡°Do not throw away the incorrectly cut ordinary giant algae. Send someone to explore whether they can be eaten and if there is any other value they might have.¡±


    If the 36,000 acres of giant algae couldn¡¯t be eaten or used, that would be too wasteful.


    The preparation for harvesting the 600 acres of magic medicine kelp was slow, as only Ake was cutting it continuously.


    Liszt would also dive underwater to harvest as much magic medicine as he could. His diving and breath-holding ability was getting stronger. Now, he could swim underwater for twenty-five minutes without needing to breathe¡ªthis was without Ake using the currents to help him, which showed his rapid progress.


    First, based on the plan for the magic medicine kelp nursery he had devised last night, he brought the two contracted giant algae minor elves and three elf bugs, and started to transfer the cordyceps. He aimed to transplant them as close to the coastal areas as possible, ensuring that the ranges of cordyceps coverage did not overlap, to maximize planting area.


    Then he selected a section where the water depth was no more than twenty meters and marked out an experimental field.


    He would experiment with the growth, harvesting, and reproduction of the giant algae.


    Based on his understanding of algae, they were a very primitive form of plant; in fact, some algae couldn¡¯t even be classified as plants but as primitive life forms.


    But in this world, most algae could nurture elf bugs and were naturally classified as plants.


    He had previously observed kelp; the leaves of kelp had little bumps. When the kelp matured, the bumps on the leaves would burst, likely containing the seeds of the kelp¡ªhe had asked Ake to experiment, and planting a piece of mature kelp into the silt quickly resulted in the sprouting of kelp seedlings.


    Giant algae were probably similar to kelp and could also reproduce in this manner.


    Moreover, with the help of Fizz and Tam, it was even easier for him to breed the giant algae; they could just let the minor elves reproduce on their own¡ªusing jade powder as the driving force.


    All minor elves had a ¡°planting¡± type of ¡°magic.¡±


    For example, Jela could casually plant thorns, Nami could easily plant mangroves, Mickey could plant corn at will, and Fizz and Tam could also casually plant giant algae. However, the minor elves were not professional farmers after all; when they planted, they would just scatter seeds without concern for quality, density, or position.


    After scattering, they did not attend to them, and all of these steps required human intervention to manage.


    Especially during the seedling stage, the seedlings spread by the minor elves varied in strength, with many being substandard. Human-selected and bred seedlings were somewhat more qualified.


    The only regret was that the minor elves could not distinguish whether the seeds they scattered were magic medicine seeds or ordinary seeds¡ªessentially, the magic medicine still needed to be bred manually.


    Now.


    Liszt was not in a hurry to plant the giant algae; his main experiment was with the harvesting of giant algae and their continued growth.


    He cut the giant algae in the experimental field into pieces of ten meters, twenty meters, thirty meters, etc., leaving behind giant algae of various lengths to see whether they would die or continue growing. If they could continue growing, then the giant algae could be harvested time and again; if they could not, then it would be necessary to cultivate new seedlings.


    As evening approached.


    Liszt joined Ake, who had been busy all day, and received good news, ¡°Brother, while harvesting the magic medicine kelp, Ake found another giant algae elf bug.¡±


    ¡°Really? Take me to it quickly.¡±


    Diving, finding the elf bug, enticing it with jade powder, the contract was successfully made naturally. He had now obtained two minor elves and four elf bugs from the giant algae forest!


    He had practically stumbled into an elf nest.


    And there was still two-thirds of the giant algae forest waiting for his exploration. The Smoke Mission hinted at more core secrets; perhaps it would indeed be the greatly anticipated greater elf.


    ¡°Greater elf, oh greater elf, don¡¯t be in a hurry; as soon as I harvest this batch of magic medicine kelp, I¡¯ll come looking for you!¡±

 Chapter 537 - Chapter 537: Chapter 0534: The Pharmacist of the Magic Academy (Second Update)

    Chapter 537: Chapter 0534: The Pharmacist of the Magic Academy (Second Update)


    ¡°Viscount, the giant algae magic potion you discovered in the sea is truly unbelievable; there¡¯s even magic potion in the ocean, and Elves live there too!¡±


    Nighttime.


    The magic workshop was illuminated with crystal lamps, with four installed in the workspace alone, brightening every corner. These crystal lamps were all provided by Li Si Te, who had initially handed over many crystals to the crystal craftsman Brad to carve, before turning them into magic equipment.


    This included over thirty crystal lamps.


    As Chris Truth refined the magic essence from the giant algae magic potion, she conversed with Liszt, who had come to inspect, ¡°This is a remarkable discovery, it¡¯s a pity I can¡¯t swim, otherwise I really would like to see the giant algae forest you described. Each strand of the giant algae is so huge; the Giant Algae Deep Forest must be incredibly majestic.¡±


    ¡°It is indeed majestic. However, the visibility is rather limited underwater, so besides being majestic, it also feels a bit gloomy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sometimes when I travel by boat, looking at the profound blue depths will involuntarily provoke a sense of fear in me, as if the sea could swallow me up at any moment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s thalassophobia.¡± Liszt said with a smile, ¡°The deep sea possesses all the elements that can frighten people: ferocious sea monsters, unknown creatures, oppressive colors, unpredictable weather, being far from the mainland with no help, just a tiny speck in the vast waters, at any moment you could be drowned by the sea¡ªthese can all lead to thalassophobia.¡±


    In summary, it¡¯s just one sentence¡ªGod knows what¡¯s beneath the water.


    Chris didn¡¯t quite understand, ¡°Is that an illness?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an illness, just a psychological effect. The fear comes from the unknown. With effort to face it, you can largely overcome it.¡±


    ¡°It seems I should learn how to swim.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, as an islander, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing not to know how to swim.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t linger on the topic, but after some small talk, he got straight to the point, ¡°How¡¯s the production of the giant algae magic potion? Is it superior to land-based magic potions?¡±


    ¡°If we compare the same weight of potions, the yield of the giant algae magic potion isn¡¯t excellent, as the magic power it contains is somewhat more diluted. However, each strand of giant algae is tens of meters long, and a few can be refined into one potion. Viscount, you¡¯ve sent too much giant algae magic potion, and I fear I can¡¯t finish it alone.¡±


    ¡°Is that so, then I¡¯ll stop the harvest tomorrow, and we¡¯ll resume once you have some free time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I estimate that this batch of giant algae magic potion will keep me busy for three days, and I can probably produce about four hundred bottles,¡± said Chris.


    The standard dose of magic potion required ten bottles a day for Liszt, and the Little Fire Dragon needed sixty bottles; that adds up to seventy bottles.


    Four hundred bottles of giant algae magic potion, without delving into its efficacy, could last for about five or six days.


    The giant algae magic potion harvested today was less than one hundred acres.


    The six hundred acres of giant algae magic potion ready for harvest could keep him and Leo going with their potions for a month. And the remaining nineteen hundred acres, once harvested, could maintain another three months. This meant that the giant algae forest¡¯s magic potion was enough to keep him and the Little Fire Dragon comfortable for four months.


    Indeed, it was a fortune!


    In those four months, more magic potions would be successively produced in the domain, and with additional purchases from the outside, it¡¯s estimated that it could sustain another three months¡¯ worth.


    That is to say.


    This year, there is no need to worry about magic potions.


    By next year, the scale of the Flame Mushrooms should have developed.


    By then, Flame Magic Potions, Thorn Magic Potions, and Giant Algae Magic Potions will be the mainstays, supplemented by Dark Magic Potions and Ice Flame Potions, as well as the aid of Dragon Kui Auxiliary Medicine. Most of his needs for magic potions will have been solved, with only a small part left to figure out, which should not be difficult to resolve.


    With his worries gone, his mood instantly brightened, and all the previous suppressions dissipated.


    He suppressed the smile of delight and said gently, ¡°Chris, I am currently in a critical period of my training and need to take a large number of magic potions. So, I may need to trouble you to make more potions during this time¡­ Having you work day and night really troubles me.¡±


    ¡°You need not worry so much. As a Grand Magician, my technical manipulation has become more and more precise. Extracting magic juice from the potions is very simple, and the difficulty of turning it into a magic potion is not great. It¡¯s just a few fine operations that might take some effort¡­ Viscount, I would like to take on a batch of apprentices.¡±


    ¡°Taking on apprentices? That¡¯s a good thing. You can choose from the children at the orphanage and the commoners¡¯ children,¡± Liszt said, fully supportive with both hands and feet.


    In fact, he had long wanted Chris to take on magic apprentices.


    The magicians of this era might have some mental quirks, but that¡¯s because the goal of pursuing the truth twisted their worldviews. On the Black Horse Island Domain, Liszt would directly intervene in the growth of magicians, ensuring they stay on the correct path of ideology.


    He would rather train magicians into scholars who study magic power, runes, and magic arrays.


    They don¡¯t have to fight on the battlefield. They just need to learn how to produce magic potions, create magic equipment, and conquer various magic array schemes to achieve the integration of production, study, and research.


    Chris nodded and said, ¡°At the Grand Magician stage, much of the research work needs to be carried out over a long period and with great detail. One person¡¯s ability is very limited¡­ I finally understand why those Grand Magicians from the Goat Assembly trained us common magicians¡­ I plan to start with ten magic apprentices.¡±


    ¡°Chris, I have a suggestion for you to consider,¡± he said.


    ¡°Please speak, Viscount.¡±


    ¡°I want to build a magic academy, no, it should be called a Magic Power Academy. It should be responsible for cultivating productive and research-oriented magicians, rather than seeking both magic and combat. Some students from the Magic Power Academy would specialize in learning how to make magic potions, or even just learn one aspect of potion-making; while others would learn another aspect; others would learn how to create magic equipment¡­¡±


    He was thinking of breaking down magicians into assembly line workers.


    After all, training a magician not only requires resources but also time. He did not have the patience to wait for several years or even a decade for apprentices to become enlightened and turn into magicians.


    Quickly trained assembly line workers are the best choice.


    Chris considered carefully and answered, ¡°If we focus solely on producing magic potions, this method is indeed viable, but producing magic equipment is quite difficult, as only magicians can grasp the concept of magic arrays.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s focus on training students to produce magic potions. In fact, we can classify potion production separately as pharmacology. Students capable of producing magic potions could be called pharmacists, how about that?¡±


    ¡°Pharmacists?¡± Chris smiled and nodded. ¡°I have no objections and am willing to take on the work of the Magic Power Academy. However, training students is very energy-consuming, so I hope the Viscount can hire a few magicians from elsewhere to assist me in managing the Magic Power Academy.¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡±

 Chapter 539 - Chapter 539: Chapter 0536: The Ferocious Giant Algae Greater Elf (First Update)

    Chapter 539: Chapter 0536: The Ferocious Giant Algae Greater Elf (First Update)


    Upon waking up and opening the window, I was greeted by the beautiful sunshine.


    Another clear day, as April¡¯s pages kept turning, the weather on Black Horse Island got better day by day. After the spring farming ended, the serf army had returned to construction, wooden houses in several small towns were rising rapidly, roads were connected in succession, and craftsman workshops started operating one after another.


    The transfer of the Cordyceps was also gradually completed.


    Now, except for the Apple Tree Cordyceps, the Tomato Cordyceps, and the Venus Flytrap Worm planted in Fresh Flower Town, all the other Cordyceps had been moved to Black Horse Island.


    The planting gardens in various small towns were demarcated, and the Cordyceps were settled there.


    Even a group of Castle Servants had been divided to stay in the port town, serving Liszt specifically. By the way, they were also adapting to the life in the port town, contributing to the future establishment of the new castle. The number of Castle Servants was just over thirty people, but there were also thirty or forty children interning.


    In this world, there was no law against the use of child labor. For the children interning at the castle, whether it was the quality of life or future employment opportunities, there was ample guarantee¡ªmany civilian parents wanted to send their own children to intern at the castle.


    After a quick wash, without taking a bath.


    Since I was going to get into the water anyway, there was no need to take another bath.


    After breakfast, it was not yet half past seven, and the fishermen who harvested the Giant Algae by the seaside had already started their hard work. Liszt went to the seaside, jumped onto a sampan, and prepared to keep rowing towards the Giant Algae Forest. At the same time, he habitually summoned the Smoke Mission to take a look.


    Just one glance, and he was suddenly astonished.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: a Rainbow Dolphin.¡±


    The reward was not unexpected; he had guessed two days ago that the Rainbow Dolphin being chased by Ach would be his reward, a low-level Dragon-kind Sea Monster.


    What was unexpected and surprising was the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Ach has already discovered the most central secret of the Giant Algae Forest at the bottom of the sea. It is a huge Giant Algae Cordyceps that belongs to a ferocious Giant Algae Greater Elf. Ach can¡¯t even get close to it. You may need a new helper; why not first get a water mount? Reward: a Giant Algae Greater Elf.¡±


    ¡°Giant Algae Greater Elf!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really a Giant Algae Greater Elf! Ach has already found its Cordyceps. Clearly, he has already had contact with it!¡±


    Liszt had been dreaming of this Giant Algae Greater Elf for a while, not even sure if it existed, but now he finally had confirmed information, and one could imagine his feelings. A Greater Elf was a symbol of an Earl Landlord¡¯s status; only families with Greater Elves dared to call themselves Nobles.


    Now.


    Through the Giant Algae Chain Mission.


    He would finally obtain a Greater Elf, joining the ranks of the Nobles¡ªif he were to release Leo, he might instantly join the ranks of Dragon Knights, launching an assault at the King; of course, he might also be pinned to the ground by the Sapphire Duke, who would forcefully take Leo away.


    Since the Little Fire Dragon couldn¡¯t be exposed, a Greater Elf would be his best symbol of status.


    Inhale.


    Exhale.


    He took several deep breaths before he could calm down: ¡°The appearance of the Giant Algae Greater Elf means I can plant over six thousand acres of Giant Algae Magic Potion. But the pressing issue is how to contract it. I¡¯ve only heard about contracting wild Greater Elves in Knight¡¯s Novels, where they usually voluntarily contract with humans.¡±


    Knight¡¯s Novels are beautiful fantasies, not only do Elves eagerly seek to contract with the protagonist, but even Dragons beg to be ridden by the protagonist, and there¡¯s a heap of Noble ladies throwing themselves at the protagonist.


    But in reality, Elves that actively contract with humans are very rare.


    Minor Elves like Mangrove Minor Elf Nami, who take the initiative, are an exception. The Elves of Giant Algae certainly do not fall into this category. They do not get close to humans, and they do not even get close to their own kind. Before contracting with Fizz and Tam, they both snarled at Liszt and Ach, and without the true Jade Powder, it would have been impossible to make a contract.


    Even after contracting, they argued often.


    If it weren¡¯t for Liszt¡¯s strict orders, they probably would have fought each other by now.


    And this Giant Algae Greater Elf, described in the Smoke Mission as ¡°ferocious¡±, clearly indicated its temperament.


    ¡°The Minor Elves possess the magic of planting, while the Greater Elves¡¯ planting magic is even stronger and they already have considerable power. Even Ach can¡¯t get close, so I think it must be very difficult to contract with it underwater¡­ I must bring enough Jade Powder, and be prepared for a standoff mentally. Most importantly, I need to capture the Rainbow Dolphin.¡±


    The Rainbow Dolphin was a key hint in the Smoke Mission.


    Liszt still hadn¡¯t completely understood the principles or rules of the Smoke Mission, let alone how powerful the Smoke Dragon¡¯s Power of Destiny was, or how it generated connections by manipulating threads of fate. However, following the cues of the Smoke Mission was obviously the fastest way.


    In contemplation.


    He had already taken a sampan and paddled past the fishermen in the nearby sea, heading further away. Ach had been keeping an eye on Liszt underwater, so she quickly surfaced to meet up with him. The shell opened, and Fizz and Tam swam over with four Elf Bugs, circling around him.


    ¡°Brother, you finally came, Ach found the Giant Algae Greater Elf!¡± As soon as they met, Ach excitedly shared her encounter.


    She had accidentally discovered a huge patch of Giant Algae Cordyceps while working overtime.


    Upon closer inspection, she successfully found the Greater Elf. It was the size of a baby, the same yellow-brown as the Minor Elves, transparent and shiny all over, like a huge gemstone. It opened the transparent fins on its body and swam joyously and tirelessly around its Cordyceps.


    Sometimes when fish approached it, it would simply wave its hand and scatter a ray of Light, and in an instant, Giant Algae would burst out of the fish, turning it into a pile of minced meat.


    ¡°It¡¯s very fierce. After it spotted Ach, it chased me for quite a distance. Ach didn¡¯t want to harm it and was scared it would implant that Giant Algae in me,¡± said Ach in a subdued voice. In a real fight, she could certainly defeat the Giant Algae Greater Elf, but with her hands tied, she could only be chased.


    ¡°The Giant Algae Greater Elf is that fierce? Have you tried luring it with Jade Powder?¡±


    ¡°Ach tried, but it just chased Ach away before going to eat the Jade Powder. As soon as Ach approaches it again, it stops eating Jade Powder and chases Ach away again¡­ Brother, this Giant Algae Greater Elf is really fierce, and its big mouth looks terrifying.¡±


    The Giant Algae Minor and Greater Elves were all beautifully made, except for the mouth and the teeth inside, which were somewhat frightening.


    ¡°If the Giant Algae Greater Elf is not easy to contract, then let¡¯s come up with a solid plan to settle it in one strike,¡± Liszt said, changing the subject. ¡°But before that, I plan to catch the Rainbow Dolphin. I saw it save people; maybe it can understand human nature.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that big Sea Monster can save people?¡± Ach said surprised.


    Liszt briefly explained the Serf falling into the water and then said, ¡°This way, I¡¯ll arrange for a Serf to fall into the water to lure out the Rainbow Dolphin and then try to communicate with it. You just hide nearby. If things go smoothly, that would be great, but if they don¡¯t, we¡¯ll have to capture it first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With the plan set, Ach dived and followed Liszt back to the nearby sea area. He found some swimming-capable Serfs and had them pretend to fall into the water to attract the Rainbow Dolphin.


    They had no idea where the Rainbow Dolphin was lurking or how far it had gone.


    The pretend drowning continued from the morning until the afternoon without a single sighting of the Rainbow Dolphin. Just as Liszt thought it was hopeless, suddenly, a Serf frantically screaming for help in the water was suddenly lifted out of the water by something.


    Instantly.


    From not far away, Liszt, through his Telescope, clearly saw a Rainbow-colored dolphin beneath the Serf¡¯s body.


    The dolphin was large, much larger than any he had seen in aquariums on Earth, and it might have been comparable to the size of an Orca. It had the streamlined body typical of dolphins, and its skin color, under the reflection of the sunlight, was shimmering with iridescence.


    ¡°To be precise, it actually looks more like a beluga whale.¡±


    Liszt marveled quietly, as he subtly rowed his sampan closer to the Rainbow Dolphin. In his sampan, he carried several dozen small fish with an exceptionally delicious flavor¡ªfor both people and animals, eating is a primary driver of survival, and using food as a lure is the least technical, yet most effective, method.


    As he was approaching the Rainbow Dolphin.


    The Rainbow Dolphin, which was originally nudging the Serf towards the shore, suddenly turned around and pushed the Serf towards Liszt.


    Seeing this.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but let out a surprised, ¡°Huh?¡±

 Chapter 540 - Chapter 540: Chapter 0537: Rainbow Whale Knight (Second Update)

    Chapter 540: Chapter 0537: Rainbow Whale Knight (Second Update)


    The Rainbow Dolphin, or perhaps more aptly, the Rainbow Whale.


    Carrying the fallen serf towards Liszt¡¯s sampan, its intention was clear; it aimed to deliver the serf onto the sampan. Liszt made no move, but his body was already tense, ready to leap into the air at a moment¡¯s notice and have Ach capture the Rainbow Whale should it dare to attack.


    However.


    As the Rainbow Whale drew closer to the sampan bit by bit, it showed no sign of aggression, only the earnest effort to save the person. Upon reaching the sampan, it arched its head forcefully, catapulting the serf onto the sampan¡ªLiszt¡¯s sampan was rather large, and he himself used his Dou Qi to stabilize it, preventing it from being capsized by the serf¡¯s impact.


    Seeing that the serf was safely on board.


    The Rainbow Whale¡¯s head floated on the water surface, joyfully calling out, ¡°Jiyo¡­ Jiyo¡­¡± It sounded somewhat like a magpie, melodious and varied in tone, as rich and diverse as human speech.


    Feeling its joyful mood.


    Liszt relaxed as well, the eight or nine meter long creature appeared to indeed be very friendly towards humans. He quickly grabbed a small fish from the bow and tossed it to the Rainbow Whale.


    This type of small fish was a specialty of Pearl Lake, known as Silverstripe, tasty and a staple in Liszt¡¯s daily diet.


    Upon seeing the small fish, the Rainbow Whale immediately opened its mouth to catch it and swallowed it whole. Whether it savored the taste was unknown, but it seemed to enjoy the feeding, lingering beside the sampan. It kept its head above water, continuing to gaze at Liszt with its small eyes.


    Liszt was not stingy, and threw out another Silverstripe.


    ¡°Jiyo¡­ Jiyo¡­¡± The Rainbow Whale ate with great excitement, extending its head to the edge of the sampan, mouth open, eagerly awaiting more. It was unclear whether it was delighting in the taste of the Silverstripe or simply the joy of free food.


    Its head indeed resembled that of a beluga, with a large, round forehead, and a somewhat large mouth, but few teeth. Its eyes, small in comparison to its body, were situated at either side of its head. The colorful sheen of its skin seemed not the natural color of the skin itself, but rather caused by a layer of oily secretion reflecting the sunlight.


    From different angles, the colors constantly shifted.


    A rather peculiar secretion.


    Utilizing his Eye of Magic, Liszt fed the Rainbow Whale another Silverstripe and took a closer look at its body. The body was full of blue and white magic power, characteristic of the Water Attribute¡ªmost sea monsters in the ocean were of the Water Attribute, naturally, given that they were immersed in seawater all day.


    That layer of secretion was also teeming with the colors of magic power, and it was very active, constantly in motion.


    ¡°This secretion feels like some sort of magic, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Liszt was unsure, but that didn¡¯t impede his communication with the Rainbow Whale¡ªwith food.


    It is said that cetaceans are highly intelligent, second only to chimpanzees, ranking second among animal intelligences. Some theories even suggest that orcas, part of the dolphin family, are smarter than chimpanzees; after all, humans rule the land while orcas rule the seas, and since both are sovereigns, their intelligence likely isn¡¯t far off from each other.


    Moreover, like dolphins, orcas are friendly towards humans; there are no records of wild orcas ever killing a person.


    After a few Silverstripes, Liszt felt that the time was ripe. He couldn¡¯t help but extend his hand and stroke the Rainbow Whale¡¯s big head.


    The Rainbow Whale did not resist; it allowed him to pet its head.


    Thus, after a bit of back and forth, Liszt felt that he had established a friendship with the Rainbow Whale, ¡°The Smoke Mission suggests that the Rainbow Whale is a suitable water mount; should I take it for a ride? It doesn¡¯t seem very friendly to just hop on. Maybe I¡¯ll jump into the water first and then mount it?¡±


    As soon as he thought it, he acted upon it.


    He first used the horn to make a sound, alerting Ach to protect him, then grabbed a Silverstripe in one hand and jumped into the sea.


    ¡°Jiyo¡­¡± The Rainbow Whale immediately started circling Liszt, occasionally brushing against him gently, but it showed no intention of attack.


    Its pair of small eyes stayed focused on the Silverstripe in his hand, but it didn¡¯t rashly snatch it away.


    Seeing this.


    Liszt had already realized that he had successfully mounted the Rainbow Whale halfway. He stuffed a silverstripe into the Rainbow Whale¡¯s mouth, then groped for another silverstripe from the sampan to feed it. At the same time, he filled his waist pack with silverstripes and slowly hugged the Rainbow Whale, before swiftly flipping over to sit on its back.


    He grabbed its dorsal fin.


    His body was ready to be flipped over.


    However, to his surprise, the Rainbow Whale did not throw him off but instead remained still, emitting a peculiar tone, ¡°Ji yo¡­ Ji yo¡­¡± the meaning of which was not entirely clear.


    But Liszt quickly produced another silverstripe, still in front of the Rainbow Whale, and with a surge, the Rainbow Whale snapped up the silverstripe and ate it.


    It moved slowly on the surface of the water, still not throwing Liszt off.


    ¡°Lord Landlord is so great!¡± exclaimed the serf who had fallen into the water earlier, sitting on the sampan and staring mouth agape at the sight. In just a short moment, the great Lord Landlord had mounted the sea monster, truly worthy of being the great Sky Knight, effortlessly subduing even a sea monster.


    Following this, he watched as Lord Landlord rode the Rainbow Whale farther and farther away.


    Accompanied by the melodic calls of the Rainbow Whale, ¡°Ji yo, Ji yo,¡± and the hearty laughter of Lord Landlord, they eventually disappeared from sight.


    ¡°So great!¡±


    ¡­


    Riding the Rainbow Whale, creating splashes on the water¡¯s surface, Liszt was drenched from the splashing but still laughed joyously.


    Riding dogs, birds, or even dragons was nothing special, but riding a fish was truly cool!


    The silverstripes in his pocket had all been fed to the Rainbow Whale, but their friendship, built upon the bridge of silverstripes, was now unbreakable. The Rainbow Whale carried Liszt, roaming freely in all directions.


    At that moment, it called out high-pitched, ¡°Ji yo¡­¡±


    Then, with a dive, it plunged into the water, and before Liszt could hold his breath, he too sank into the sea with the Rainbow Whale.


    He was immediately shocked, feeling like he was about to gulp down water.


    But the expected choking didn¡¯t come; instead, his body was enveloped by a cool sensation, and he was surprisingly able to breathe freely underwater. Breathing wasn¡¯t as comfortable as it was above water, but it didn¡¯t hinder the intake of oxygen. Once he regained his composure from the shock, he realized that his body was also emitting a rainbow glow.


    ¡°Is this¡­ the Rainbow Whale¡¯s magic?¡± Liszt was stunned for a moment, then used the Eye of Magic to see that his body indeed had an active layer of magic, just like the Rainbow Whale¡¯s, circulating continuously.


    A moment later,


    Understanding the principle, Liszt laughed heartily underwater, absolutely adoring the Rainbow Whale¡ªthis was a natural aquatic mount that could even help a knight breathe under water. The colored grease-like protective layer was clearly a type of magic, a magic unheard of.


    No wonder the Smoke Mission had hinted that the Rainbow Whale would help him contract the Giant Algae Greater Elf.


    The Rainbow Whale¡¯s magic was essentially granting him the ability to move under water, no longer having to hold his breath until his face turned red and frequently surfacing to breathe.


    ¡°Very good!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but pat the Rainbow Whale¡¯s back, shouting loudly, ¡°Well done, Rainbow Whale, from now on you are my best mount in the water!¡± With the protection layer-like magic, he could now speak freely under water, and his hearing and vision were not impaired at all.


    ¡°Ji yo!¡±


    The Rainbow Whale responded with a cheerful call, though it was unclear if it understood.

 Chapter 544 - Chapter 544: Chapter 0541: Followers Astonishment (First Update)

    Chapter 544: Chapter 0541: Followers¡¯ Astonishment (First Update)


    After training Pike for a short while, the sunset was rapidly sinking towards the sea¡¯s horizon.


    Liszt also had to return to the port town, back to land to rest, but he was worried about Rainbow Whale Rose. Although they¡¯d had a pleasant time today, it would be embarrassing if Rose were to wander off and couldn¡¯t be found the next day.


    So.


    He planned to entrust Rose to Ach, just as he entrusted all those sea elves to him: ¡°Rose, follow Ach and don¡¯t run around. You¡¯ll live in the waters around Black Horse Island. I¡¯ll treat you well with good food and drinks in the future, and Ach will take good care of you.¡±


    ¡°Jiyu¡­¡± The Rainbow Whale didn¡¯t know if it understood, but it seemed very cheerful.


    It originally held great hostility towards Ach, who was bent on hunting it, but now it had completely forgotten and was able to accept Ach¡¯s embraces and petting.


    Upon reaching the seaside, Liszt stood in the shallow water and waved to the Rainbow Whale.


    The Rainbow Whale dared not swim ashore, but it lingered in the shallow water, unwilling to leave, and clearly reluctant to part from Liszt. It wasn¡¯t until Liszt left the shore with the waiting servants that it, urged by Ach, reluctantly returned to the sea and was led by Ach toward Mangrove Island.


    Meanwhile.


    Upon Liszt¡¯s return, he was immediately visited by Consultant Goltai.


    This territory advisor had been very spirited recently. His wife and children had moved from Coral City to settle in Fresh Flower Town, and then he quietly moved his mistress, Freya, and his illegitimate son, Donald, to the port town. When he went to Fresh Flower Town, he was with his aging wife and two grown children; when he returned to the port town, he was with his young lover and a two-year-old illegitimate son.


    The joy of family life was unending.


    ¡°My lord, I hear you subdued a sea monster out on the ocean?¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve already heard. Yes, it¡¯s a Rainbow Whale, and it has become my mount. I can ride it to roam the vast and boundless ocean, which to me is like a backyard,¡± Liszt said, his brows raised in pride. He indeed had reason to be proud.


    Goltai expressed his amazement: ¡°A sea monster can become a mount?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no difference between a sea monster and a magical beast. If I can ride a magical beast, naturally I can also ride a sea monster. Consultant Goltai, look beyond the land for a moment, and consider the sea. Everything the land has to offer, the sea has as well¡ªmagic potions, elves, sea monsters, and even those pearls.¡±


    ¡°I understand, my lord. It¡¯s just a bit sudden. You actually discovered two Little Minor Elves and four Elf Bugs in the sea, all Giant Algae Elves that can cultivate Magic Medicine Kelp. It¡¯s simply incredible,¡± Goltai said.


    ¡°Your information is a bit outdated. I now have three Giant Algae Minor Elves and five Giant Algae Elf Bugs, and moreover¡­¡±


    Liszt left a bit of suspense.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly suspense; he was weighing the pros and cons of whether to reveal the existence of Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike right now. But after ten seconds of deliberation, he decided to reveal it. The concept of ¡°hidden wealth¡± could be applied to the Little Fire Dragon Leo. As for a Greater Elf, there was no need for such caution.


    As a Sky Knight, acquiring a Greater Elf was no issue at all.


    So, while Goltai listened earnestly, Liszt spoke calmly: ¡°I also contracted a Giant Algae Greater Elf in the Giant Algae Forest.¡±


    As expected, the response was spectacular.


    Goltai nearly jumped: ¡°What? My lord, you, you, you mean, a Giant Algae Greater Elf? A Greater Elf, as in¡­ that kind of Greater Elf?¡± He became incoherent, stammering with surprise and disbelief, his gaze filled with utter astonishment.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be surprised. It is indeed a Greater Elf, not an Elf Bug or a Little Minor Elf, but a Greater Elf.¡± Liszt took a sip from his green tea on the table, ¡°Its name is Pike, and since it¡¯s a wild Greater Elf, it hasn¡¯t yet learned to speak and needs time to adapt to human life.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, wild Greater Elf, needs time,¡± Goltai managed to say, still not recovered from his shock.


    Liszt called for his personal servant Thomas: ¡°Summon the town¡¯s officials here; I want to hold a meeting.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    A moment later.


    The officials remaining in the port town arrived one by one under the leadership of Teacher Marcus and Blair.


    Liszt wasted no time, stating directly: ¡°I¡¯ve summoned you here tonight to share some good news. Today at sea, I discovered a Giant Algae Greater Elf and have completed a contract with it. The dominion¡¯s first Greater Elf has been born, and its name is Pike.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°My lord, did I hear that correctly?¡±


    ¡°A Greater Elf!¡±


    ¡°A Giant Algae Greater Elf?¡±


    ¡°Incredible!¡±


    ¡°A Greater Elf, oh, how much Magic Medicine Kelp it could produce!¡±


    Gasp of shock and exclamations of astonishment intermingled, rising one after another among the officials, all dizzy from the unexpected news of the Greater Elf.


    The presence of a Greater Elf signified a Nobles family, as families that owned a Greater Elf could almost effortlessly accumulate military achievements and be ennobled as Earls. After all, a Greater Elf represented a wealth accruing over time, which nobility had to cultivate over generations. Some Marquis families possessed only one or two Greater Elves at most.


    Liszt was merely a Viscount, an ennobled Viscount of less than a year.


    Yet he had become a Sky Knight and even obtained a Greater Elf that could cultivate Magic Potions. The future of such a landlord was so dazzling, that it hardly took any thought to imagine. And as his followers, serving a landlord with limitless prospects naturally came with many benefits.


    At this moment, all followers were thankful for the favor of knightly glory, including those knights who had been won over.


    An increase in the followers¡¯ loyalty followed, as if by an unseen force.


    Liszt was satisfied with his followers¡¯ reactions, but he still maintained his usual noble composure, unruffled and nonchalant, ¡°I shall send a knight to deliver a message to Tulip Castle, setting a date for a celebration. Teacher Marcus, I entrust you with this task.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡± Marcus responded, exhilarated, as he knelt on one knee, performing the knightly salute.


    Watching Liszt, sitting in the seat of honor, calmly sipping his tea, he seemed to see the glory of knighthood as a cloak, draped over his own student.


    Marcus himself had once been a commoner student at the Coral Island Knight Academy. Though not among the top in strength, he was considered a practice genius among commoners. After advancing to an Elite Earth Knight, he was assigned by the Earl to be Liszt¡¯s home tutor, responsible for teaching Liszt¡¯s knightly practice.


    At first sight,


    he had lofty ambitions, prepared to assist Liszt in accomplishing great deeds. After all, being a commoner himself, he wasn¡¯t eligible to follow the Earl¡¯s heir, Levis, the second son of the Tulip Family. The second son needed continuous war to earn nobility.


    However, the initial Liszt was simply a youth with poor aptitude and a timid character, not favored in Tulip Castle.


    Indeed,


    ultimately Liszt was made a Baron, bypassing the process of struggle, but Marcus couldn¡¯t be happy at all. He didn¡¯t believe Liszt would participate in wars, vie for glory, and following such a landlord would not allow him to achieve his noble ambitions.


    Before departing for Fresh Flower Town, he was often in despair.


    But he couldn¡¯t defy the command of the Earl.


    However, the Liszt who arrived in Fresh Flower Town had changed, as if a completely different person, maturing inside and out in an instant.


    Even more surprising, starting with the rearing of the Fierce Earth Dog Douson, knightly glory had been lavished upon the land and the landlord like water, without cost. In just one year, Liszt, originally of mediocre talent, had grown at a startling pace into an Elite Earth Knight and had even defeated him head-on.


    In the two subsequent wars, his performance was nothing short of exceptional.


    On his first participation in the Pioneer Mandate, he broke through and became a Sky Knight, dazzling all of Coral Island. It¡¯s also imaginable that even across the Grand Duchy of Sapphire, there would be Nobles discussing the seventeen-year-old Sky Knight Liszt¡ªthis signified the rise of another nobility star within the nation.


    And today, the youngest Sky Knight had made a pact with a Greater Elf.


    Such a Greater Elf, that Noble families need generations to bring forth, was obtained so effortlessly, as if crossing the struggles of several generations within a mere two or three years.


    ¡°Apart from ¡®Son of Glory,¡¯ no other title could describe him!¡± Marcus felt a fiery passion in his heart and brimmed with expectations for the future; becoming a follower of the Son of Glory, glory was within grasp!


    He even couldn¡¯t suppress the thought: ¡°As the ¡®Son of Glory¡¯, how long will it take for Liszt to become an Earl, to become a Marquis? He became a Sky Knight at seventeen, is there a possibility of¡­ Dragon Riding in the future?¡±


    Dragon Riding might be remote,


    but he believed at the very least, Liszt¡¯s future would see him become a Marquis.

 Chapter 545 - Chapter 545: Chapter 0542: The Earls Shock (Second)

    Chapter 545: Chapter 0542: The Earl¡¯s Shock (Second)


    ¡°`


    The clatter of hooves was urgent.


    The towering Tulip Castle was already in sight, and Marcus could not recall how many times he had visited this grandest castle on Coral Island. Since following Liszt, entering and leaving Tulip Castle had become as common as having a meal at home.


    He advanced along the causeway leading to the castle.


    Soon, a patrolling Knight Squad approached to greet him, with a captain who was clearly an acquaintance calling out from a distance, ¡°Captain Marcus.¡±


    ¡°Captain Xuleer.¡±


    After explaining the reason for delivering the message.


    The Knight Squad immediately escorted Marcus to the castle gate.


    He had been here many times, and each time he could sense the varying changes in the glances cast upon him by the knights. When he first visited Fresh Flower Town, mockery and contempt were common, as everyone believed he had lost his eligibility in the contest for nobility. Later, when he came with Douson, some began to express surprise.


    After the birth of Jela, he finally enjoyed the gaze of admiration; the knights understood what a Little Minor Elf meant.


    Moreover, after the battle for Iron Hoof Island, Liszt became famous in a single fight, and the knights looked at him with even greater admiration; and after the issuance of the Pioneer Mandate, the admiration turned into envy.


    ¡°After today, with what sort of gaze will you be watching me?¡± Marcus tried to maintain his composure, yet his mood was so elated he wanted to burst into song¡ªof course, he had never sung before. His personality was always stern and rigid, and, even with rich emotions within, he was reluctant to show them.


    The Castle¡¯s new deputy butler greeted him.


    ¡°Captain Marcus, what brings you here today?¡±


    ¡°I bring a message from Lord Landlord for the Earl.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a message from young master Liszt. Please wait in the drawing-room; I will inform the master at once.¡± The deputy butler left briefly and soon returned, ¡°Captain Marcus, the master is in his upstairs study, please go there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    At the study¡¯s door, Marcus straightened his attire, still full of reverence for the Earl. After entering, he promptly performed the knightly courtesy: ¡°Marcus greets the Earl.¡±


    ¡°Please, take a seat, Marcus,¡± said the Earl from behind his desk, gesturing for Marcus to sit down before asking, ¡°What message does Liszt send me? It¡¯s such a short distance from Fresh Flower Town to Tulip Castle, he could have arrived in an hour¡¯s ride on a Landwalker Bird, yet he had someone deliver a message.¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord is attending to important matters on Black Horse Island and couldn¡¯t spare the time, which is why he sent me with the message.¡±


    ¡°Very well, go ahead.¡±


    Marcus cleared his throat and spoke formally, ¡°Lord Landlord invites you and your lady to Fresh Flower Town on the 14th of April to attend the Greater Elf birth celebration.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The Earl didn¡¯t immediately grasp the news, and after a three-second pause, he suddenly realized, ¡°What did you say, a Greater Elf birth celebration?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Liszt has a Greater Elf? Which Little Minor Elf evolved, Jela, Nami, or Mickey? Jela and Mickey just evolved, so it seems unlikely they would evolve again. Could it be Mangrove Minor Elf Nami?¡± The Earl was well aware of Liszt¡¯s Little Minor Elves.


    ¡°Earl, the Greater Elf that Lord Landlord has contracted is not a domestic one but a wild Greater Elf. It¡¯s a Giant Algae Greater Elf. Lord Landlord personally dived into the sea to explore the Giant Algae Forest made of giant algae, discovered and contracted it, its name is Pike.¡±


    ¡°`


    After Marcus finished speaking, he added a few more details, ¡°Pike was born in the Giant Algae Forest, and besides that, Lord Landlord also discovered and contracted with three Giant Algae Minor Elves named Fizz, Tam, and Eddie, as well as five Giant Algae Elf Bugs.¡±


    ¡°One Greater Elf, three Minor Elves, five Elf Bugs?¡± Even with his seasoned composure, the Earl couldn¡¯t help but gape in astonishment, taking a while to recover from the shock, ¡°Marcus, tell me what Giant Algae are. Is there really a forest in the sea, and do all these elves live in the ocean?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Earl. Giant Algae is a plant that grows on the seabed, dozens or even hundreds of meters long. They grow densely together, forming vast seabed forests. Those Giant Algae Elves live within these Giant Algae Forests. Moreover, Lord Landlord also found vast areas of Magic Medicine Kelp.¡±


    ¡°Magic Medicine Kelp?¡± exclaimed the Earl once more.


    Marcus was not accustomed to seeing the always lofty and dignified Earl lose his composure, but he dared not show any unusual expression and replied respectfully, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a wide expanse of Magic Medicine Kelp. Lord Landlord has decided to expand the cultivation of Magic Medicine Kelp in the sea, allowing all Giant Algae Cordyceps to farm it.¡±


    ¡°Stop there a moment.¡±


    The Earl waved his hand and then let out a long breath, leaning back in his chair and seeming to drift off into thought. After a moment, he came back to himself, his voice steady again, ¡°Sprites in the sea, that is indeed a surprising discovery. A celebration is indeed in order for contracting so many elves capable of cultivating Magic Potion.¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord will be looking forward to your and your wife¡¯s arrival in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to wait. I¡¯m preparing to visit Black Horse Island right now. By the way, where was the Giant Algae Forest discovered?¡±


    ¡°Off the coasts of Black Horse Island.¡±


    ¡°You still have to notify others, right? Go ahead, and when you go back, tell Liszt that I plan to leave the day after tomorrow for Black Horse Island, to see the Giant Algae Forest and Greater Elf Pike for myself.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, I will convey your arrival to Lord Landlord.¡±


    Marcus bowed and took his leave from the study.


    The study quieted down.


    The Earl leaned back in his chair, falling into deep contemplation. He too had contracted with a Greater Elf, although he had now passed Greater Elf Xiangxiang to his son, Levis. When he received the contract from his father, Greg Wafers, Xiangxiang was still a Little Minor Elf.


    Then, the news of his father¡¯s death on the battlefield arrived, and at that time, he was still an Earth Knight, striving to grow stronger and avenge his father.


    Shortly thereafter, Xiangxiang suddenly advanced to a Greater Elf, and his family truly encountered an opportunity for development. Although he had ascended to the rank of Earl through constant Pioneer Mandate wars, the true foundation of his family¡¯s success lay in its heritage. Compared to Liszt, he lacked almost nothing in terms of resources during his youthful years of training.


    However.


    Now, the thought of Liszt owning a Greater Elf, six Little Minor Elves, and dozens of Elf Bugs left him feeling profoundly conflicted.


    On one hand, he was proud that his son was so favored by knightly glory; on the other hand, he felt a sense of loss at the thought of his son far surpassing himself.


    In combat, he was already no match for his son¡¯s exceptional talent, and now it seemed his son¡¯s wealth might even surpass his own¡ªThe Tulip Family had a Greater Elf, twelve Minor Elves, and over a hundred Elf Bugs, but that had been the result of over twenty years of cultivating Coral Island; in comparison, the gains over three years were no match for Liszt¡¯s.


    ¡°Perhaps, he will soon separate from the family¡­ Melissa, if you could see Liszt¡¯s achievements now, you would be so pleased; your son has started a new family dynasty.¡±


    The Earl shook his head.


    Melissa had been dead for over a decade, and he should have long forgotten her, but with every achievement of Liszt¡¯s, he couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of his late wife.


    After all, the only one in the family who inherited Melissa¡¯s beauty was Liszt.

 Chapter 549 - Chapter 549: Chapter 0546: A Conversation with the Earl (First Update)

    Chapter 549: Chapter 0546: A Conversation with the Earl (First Update)


    Waves washed ashore as thick, transparent glass blocked the seawater, with elves soaking in it, snoring soundly. The visiting crowd stood behind the glass, chattering and admiring, offering their comments.


    It was somewhat similar to the underwater glass passageways of an oceanarium.


    ¡°Look how beautiful that Greater Elf is, Pike, Pike, it¡¯s so plump, though it lacks wings,¡± Lady Penelope said with a smiling face.


    Li Vera followed, ¡°Elves are the most beautiful creatures, they are like giant gemstones, even more beautiful than the gemstones themselves.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t have wings but fins instead, is this the difference between sea elves and land elves?¡± Levis craned his neck, trying to get closer to the glass for a better look.


    At that moment, Pike seemed to sense the commotion outside the glass from the soundproof room.


    Groggily rubbing his eyes, he got up, turned around, and saw a big crowd peeping at him. He was immediately enraged and opened his mouth to curse, ¡°Gurgle¡­ Anje¡­¡±


    With that opening of the mouth.


    Rows of sharp teeth were revealed without reservation.


    Lady Marie let out a scream on the spot, ¡°Its¡­ its teeth, how can they be so sharp?¡±


    Liszt hushed Pike¡¯s unfriendly behavior inwardly, while smilingly explaining, ¡°Rows of sharp teeth indeed don¡¯t look very nice, but they are wild Minor Elves, and probably having sharp teeth helps protect themselves better. After all, countless dangers hide in the ocean, where even we humans cannot maintain footing, let alone the elves.¡±


    ¡°Never mind what its teeth look like, it¡¯s a Greater Elf, its value is what¡¯s most important,¡± Lady Penelope cast a disdainful glance at Lady Marie, then pulling Liszt aside, said with a warm smile, ¡°Grandmother has already seen these elves, and you have brought so much glory to our family.¡±


    Liszt modestly said, ¡°I was merely fortunate with the knight¡¯s glory, I was just swimming in the sea when I came across them.¡±


    That was a joke.


    Yet it made many people behind him grit their teeth in secret.


    Only Loria laughed, ¡°Because you are the Son of Glory, these elves appeared before you on their own to accept your contract.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    There was no need for a long visit with just a few elves.


    A quarter of an hour later, everyone left the seashore castle under Liszt¡¯s leadership.


    They then watched Liszt command the Rainbow Whale Rose with a whistle to frolic by the seaside for a while, showering praises like beautiful, magical, blessed with glory, and the like.


    Before they knew it, it was already eleven o¡¯clock, the sun was high in the sky, and the temperature began to heat up.


    The group returned to their carriages, heading back to the castle.


    The Greater Elf birth celebration had not invited too many guests, mainly just Liszt¡¯s own followers, and members of the Tulip Family¡ªother nobles were followers of the Earl, and Liszt did not want to court them, now that he was a Sky Knight, soon to serve the Grand Duke over the Earl.


    That was the implication, as Li Weiliam¡¯s title limited Liszt¡¯s prospects for advancement.


    Even if he did not take the initiative to leave, the Earl would persuade him to do so.


    In the second-floor drawing room, there was just the family and Goltai, the Honored Knight who lightened the atmosphere. The first floor was where the territory officers and knights chatted lively.


    Lady Penelope sipped the excellent green tea Liszt had offered to entertain them.


    The old lady seemed not to favor the green tea, barely taking a sip before putting it down.


    She asked Liszt very seriously, ¡°My young man, you now have your own Greater Elf. It¡¯s common for nobles to change their family name and establish a new household when they possess their own Greater Elf. Like Loria¡¯s grandfather¡¯s generation, the Golden Wheat Family split into the Golden Wheat Sheaf and Golden Wheat Grain families. Do you have any thoughts?¡±


    Levis interjected directly, ¡°You could change your surname to Giant Algae, the Giant Algae Family, sounds quite wonderful. My dear brother, in a blink of an eye, you could even start a new family.¡±


    ¡°Giant Algae Family, Liszt Giant Algae, I also think it¡¯s not bad,¡± Li Vera chimed in.


    Even Lidun added, ¡°If those Giant Algae are really tens of meters tall, starting the Giant Algae Family would indeed give off a commanding presence, brother.¡±


    Liszt just smiled.


    ¡°`


    Then, in a subdued response, he said, ¡°Grandmother, the day before yesterday, when Father was touring Black Horse Island, I discussed this matter with him.¡± He glanced at the earl.


    The earl also nodded at the right time, ¡°Liszt has his own thoughts.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of changing my surname, nor do I have any immediate plans to start a new family. After all, I am still very young, and I want to establish a solid foundation first. Father said that the Grand Duke might have already sent someone to assess me. Perhaps in a couple of years, I will pledge my loyalty to the Grand Duke, and that will be the time to talk about surnames and family issues.¡±


    ¡­


    He had indeed discussed this matter carefully with the earl.


    Three days earlier, the earl had arrived by boat on Black Horse Island, and Liszt had accompanied him on a thorough tour, visiting various towns and even diving underwater to admire the Giant Algae Forest.


    The father and son also had many heart-to-heart conversations.


    After all, the earl knew he was no match for Liszt and had mentally started to treat him as an equal, especially after seeing the thriving development of the Black Horse Island Domain, the magic-driven Black Horse Kiln Factory and the glass workshop, the towering grey-white Mage Tower, and the exceptionally handsome Black Blood Treasured Horses¡­


    All of this helped him gain a deeper understanding of his second son.


    ¡°I know there are secrets hidden within you; is there something you would like to tell me?¡± Standing on the pier of Giant Algae Town and watching the sampans ferrying giant algae in the distance, the earl asked with a hint of emotion.


    The situation on Black Horse Island.


    Any discerning person could see that many aspects were conspicuously unusual. Liszt did not attempt to hide much, and so, he wasn¡¯t surprised by the earl¡¯s question, ¡°Indeed, I have some secrets, or perhaps luck, about me. Father, do you believe in the notion of the Son of Glory?¡±


    ¡°I do not. Knightly glory can favor a person, but effort is the key to earning glory.¡±


    As a seasoned Sword Saint, Li Weiliam had a keener insight and a better understanding of the essence of things than most humans who devoutly believed in knightly glory.


    Liszt spoke the words he had prepared in advance, ¡°When I first came to Fresh Flower Town, I accidentally ate a poisonous fruit in Thorn Ridge and almost died.¡±


    ¡°That was my negligence; I overlooked you too much before.¡±


    ¡°All that is in the past now. In fact, my misfortune turned into a blessing. Not only did I survive, but it also triggered changes in my body. My talents were fully revealed, and most importantly, my eyes can now sense magic power. So, as you have seen, I discovered many elves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± the earl said in surprise. He had considered various secrets Liszt might have, but never anticipated such a secret.


    Liszt nodded.


    He couldn¡¯t disclose the secret of the Smoke Mission; it was too far-reaching, especially being related to the Smoke Dragon. Nor could he reveal the secret of the Gemstone Space, which was likewise linked to the Formless Dragon. And Little Fire Dragon Leo was out of the question as well. Perhaps the earl would keep his secret and might even be willing to support his dragon riding.


    But there was no guarantee that the earl could truly keep a secret.


    If Lady Marie found out, and if it accidentally leaked¡­


    There would surely be people who, for their own gain, would silently sell the secret of the fire dragon. By then, Liszt would be in big trouble¡ªeven though he was not afraid of someone showing up at his door, since he could always ride the Rainbow Whale Rose and roam the world at any time. But Black Horse Island would not be safe, and his years of effort would be wasted.


    Therefore.


    Choosing another secret to divert the earl¡¯s attention was the best method¡ªhe could not rely on the earl to forever ignore the manifold incongruities of Black Horse Island. Just like with the Magic Medicine Kelp, he could choose to hide news of the Greater Elf, but the continuous production of magic potions could not elude the notice of those who were paying attention, and the truth would eventually be exposed.


    Better to steer the conversation proactively than to wait and react later.


    Since the earl was planning to visit Black Horse Island for a tour, Liszt conveniently guided the discussion¡ªin essence, he had intended to bring up the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡°The Eye of Magic,¡± but in the end, he couldn¡¯t bear to do so and simply fabricated a tale about his eyes undergoing a mutation.


    In the end.


    The earl chose to accept this explanation, ¡°This is a mutation others can only dream of having. Perhaps, I shouldn¡¯t dismiss the notion of the Son of Glory. The transformation you¡¯ve undergone is itself a profound sign of the knightly glory¡­ Liszt, you will create a family that surpasses the Tulip Family!¡±


    ¡°Father, I would prefer to help you ascend to the rank of marquis first, and afterward, I will work hard to strive for my own elevation to marquis,¡± Liszt said with a smile.


    This was not without an implication of ¡°deal¡±¡ªthe earl would stop delving into his secrets, and he would help the earl compete for the title of marquis.


    The more important reason, of course, was that Liszt didn¡¯t care for the surname ¡°Giant Algae.¡±


    He was a man with a dragon in his blood, destined to ascend to the skies on dragonback. If he were to change his surname, it would be to one associated with dragons. Names like Smoke/Fate, Formless/Other Dimension, and Flame/Magma were powerful and commanding surnames. How could he possibly be content with a name derived from a Greater Elf?

 Chapter 550 - Chapter 550: Chapter 0547: Thorn Castle and Giant Algae City (Second Update)

    Chapter 550: Chapter 0547: Thorn Castle and Giant Algae City (Second Update)


    The Earl stayed on Black Horse Island for half a day. Before leaving, he exchanged much information about the sea elves with Liszt.


    Liszt did not choose to withhold information. For people nowadays, developing the sea was very difficult. Without mounts like the Rainbow Whale or a Sea Serpent sister like Ach, diving could only be done near the shore. However, it was almost impossible to discover Elf Bugs by diving near the shore.


    Without the Eye of Magic, searching for Cordyceps with the naked eye was like finding a needle in the ocean.


    In fact, according to the Earl¡¯s introduction, many Nobles were aware that there were elves in the sea, but few were willing to develop it¡ªthe technology, manpower, and resources required to farm in the sea, how much would that cost?


    Moreover, most of the sea is populated by algae, which, apart from serving as feed for livestock, doesn¡¯t seem to have much value.


    If there had not been Magic Medicine Kelp discovered in the Giant Algae Forest, just ordinary Giant Algae, it would not be worth the effort for Liszt to develop it so intensively.


    The cost of cultivating Giant Algae was better spent putting more effort into farming on land.


    But it was different with Magic Medicine Kelp. Spending a bit more to cultivate magic medicine in the sea still had huge benefits, especially since Magic Medicine Kelp had a large yield. Therefore, all things considered, apart from Liszt, it was hard to find a second person who could develop Elf Bugs in the sea.


    He certainly was not afraid to exchange the technology.


    All in all,


    the Earl¡¯s tour around Black Horse Island probably wasn¡¯t very pleasant. Fast forward to the Greater Elf Birth Celebration three days later, his impression of Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike was similarly not so good. It wasn¡¯t that Pike¡¯s tooth ruined his entire face or that Pike lacked value.


    It was the thought that he couldn¡¯t develop the sea elves and the near impossibility of finding a Giant Algae Elf like Pike that left him brooding with frustration.


    Before setting foot on Black Horse Island, he had come with high spirits.


    Indeed, Lady Marie was behind pushing him, and he himself truly hoped for a new source of Elf Bugs. Sadly, only his son reaped the benefits.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I encounter a Magical Beast or Sea Monster mount!¡± he lamented, recalling how astounded he was when Liszt first told him of the magical spell of Rainbow Whale Rose¡ªthe Rainbow Breathing Membrane.


    It allowed one to breathe underwater.


    It completely made the sea as trivial to tread as land.


    Envy blazed fiercely in the Earl¡¯s heart, but alas, the object of his envy was his own younger son, whom he could not directly vie with. Even if it weren¡¯t his offspring, it seemed he couldn¡¯t best Liszt now¡ªbetween Loki, who flew in the sky, Ros, who swam in the water, and a host of Blizzard Beasts, one man was like an army.


    Therefore, he could only wait patiently, leaning back in his chair, continuing to listen to Liszt¡¯s seemingly casual but actually bragging chat.


    At that moment, the family was just discussing Liszt¡¯s new castle.


    Only to hear Liszt say, ¡°I plan to build a five-story castle because the terrain of Black Horse Island is flat without steep cliffs to serve as barriers, so I have to build it taller. Although the castle will feel somewhat empty with just me living in it, you are also welcome to vacation at my castle.¡±


    ¡°Have you thought of a name for the castle?¡± Loria asked.


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it Giant Algae Castle, just like Tulip Castle, both named after Greater Elves,¡± Li Vera proposed.


    Liszt smiled and disagreed, ¡°Actually, I favor calling it Thorn Castle.¡± He snapped his fingers, and immediately a ¡°woo-ah¡± cry sounded throughout the Castle. In the next moment, Thorn Minor Elf Jela had flown over and landed on Liszt¡¯s shoulder, yawning.


    He continued, ¡°Pike is an elf of the sea. It doesn¡¯t like to reside in Castles, whereas Jela is my very first Minor Elf, and naming the Castle after it is more meaningful.¡±


    ¡°Woo-ah!¡± Jela didn¡¯t understand what Liszt was saying, but that didn¡¯t stop it from echoing his words.


    Out of all the Elves,


    Jela was Liszt¡¯s favorite, despite its terrible temper.


    This was his first Minor Elf, and he personally witnessed its indomitable spirit, its struggle to transform from an overlooked Thorn Bug during the Fat Pupa Stage into a Minor Elf who plants Magic Medicine. He still remembered the shock that struck his soul when he saw Jela¡¯s hand reaching out from under the gray, deteriorated skin of a Thorn Bug.


    He had grown accustomed to Jela rudely flipping through his food at every banquet, eating a bit and throwing some away.


    Jela wasn¡¯t the most precious among the Elves, but in his heart, it was the most special.


    Lady Penelope glanced at Jela and pretended to sigh, ¡°Oh, my poor Pike, it didn¡¯t even get a family surname, let alone a Castle named after it.¡± She was somewhat unhappy that Liszt didn¡¯t change his surname and start a new family line to gain glory.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just call it Thorn Castle,¡± Liszt didn¡¯t want to discuss it further. ¡°However, after the port town develops into a city, I can name it Giant Algae City.¡±


    ¡­


    The liveliness of the luncheon goes without saying, with a series of toasts and compliments under the knightly glory and dish after dish brought to the table¡ª¡ªeating to one¡¯s heart¡¯s content and bringing the event to a joyous close.


    After dining,


    everyone also enjoyed a newly arranged stage play ¡°Varcey Knight¡¯s Loyalty Song,¡± with Avril Mask impressing everyone as the female lead.


    Applause surged wave after wave.


    Especially Lady Penelope, who really liked this new form of stage play: ¡°It¡¯s so captivating, much more moving than those monotonous and dull comedies. This is an art form akin to piano music. I would like to stay here and watch their performances every day.¡±


    Liszt responded, ¡°This is a play arranged by the Black Horse Island Drama Troupe. They are still training newcomers. Once the performance matures, I will have them perform on Coral Island, and you can enjoy their wonderful performances at home, along with a richer repertoire.¡±


    ¡°That would be marvelous. I can¡¯t wait to see their performance on Coral Island,¡± Lady Penelope said. She had her servant grab a handful of copper coins and scatter them onto the stage¡ªthis was the main income for slapstick plays, relying on the audience¡¯s tips.


    But Liszt no longer planned to charge in this manner.


    He chose to rent out houses to transform into theaters, build large stages indoors, and sell tickets to the public, taking a more high-end approach.


    After ¡°Varcey Knight¡¯s Loyalty Song,¡± the Greater Elf birth celebration officially ended. Liszt personally saw the Carriage team off from the Castle. He knew that the name Pike would spread quickly to the entire Coral Island with the departure of the Carriages and even further to distant islands.


    And his own name would once again enter noble society¡¯s conversation within the Grand Duchy, reminding those Nobles that there were indeed geniuses in this world.

 Chapter 554 - Chapter 554: Chapter 0551: Marquis Merlins Resentment (Part One)

    Chapter 554: Chapter 0551: Marquis Merlin¡¯s Resentment (Part One)


    On the day before setting off in search of Dodo Island, another delightful event occurred, the Elf Bug that had been gestating in the Green Yuanbao Bonsai gifted to Liszt by his grandmother on his birthday was finally born.


    After the contract was made.


    It became Liszt¡¯s thirty-eighth Elf Bug.


    Up until now, including the Elves contracted by Ach, he had a total of one Greater Elf, six Little Minor Elves, and forty-three Elf Bugs. With such a large family and business, gone were the days of his humble beginnings in Fresh Flower Town. He was not much different from some of the lesser noble Earl families.


    He reminisced about the birthday party at Meioubao, where he met Lady Martha Yiniang Peng, the widow of the Feudal Marquis of Diagonal Island.


    When she mentioned that by simply staying at her Daisy Castle for a while, he could obtain a Little Minor Elf, he was almost tempted.


    ¡°I agonized over a single Little Minor Elf back then, and now I have so many Elves¡­ But why does it still feel like there¡¯s an agony within me?¡± He had thought he could easily overlook the invitation to Daisy Castle, only to find that he was still hung up on that Little Minor Elf.


    To stay for a while and obtain a Little Minor Elf, what else in the world could be more profitable than that!


    The image of Lady Martha would occasionally surface in his mind, a lady in her thirties, graceful and of noble temperament, with an irrepressible allure in her brow and eyes. One could imagine that in her prime, she must have been stunningly beautiful.


    Unfortunately, after Meioubao¡¯s birthday banquet, he never saw Lady Martha again.


    And they did not exchange contact information.


    While he didn¡¯t correspond with Lady Martha regularly, Liszt always maintained correspondence with the Long Taro Family. Frequent trade relations were kept between Coral Island and Red Crab Island, with Fresh Flower Brew, glass, and Fresh Flower Soap all having caused quite a sensation on Red Crab Island, receiving wide acclaim.


    At the moment, within the main bedroom of Long Taro Castle, Marquis Merlin suffered a relapse of his old illness and was resting in bed.


    Yet he couldn¡¯t idle away his time; he buried himself in writing at the small desk on his bed, summarizing the achievements of his life. Just then, Meioubao knocked and entered with a smile, ¡°Grandfather, a letter from Liszt has arrived, and you won¡¯t guess what has happened. I¡¯ve read the letter and I can still hardly believe it.¡±


    Marquis Merlin raised his head, his face etched with the wrinkles of old age, the flame of life flickering like a candle in the wind, ¡°Did he become a Sword Saint so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Not that, it¡¯s about the Elves.¡±


    ¡°Has he obtained another Little Minor Elf?¡±


    Knowing he should not tease Marquis Merlin too much, Meioubao spoke directly with an astonished tone, ¡°It¡¯s a Greater Elf! A Giant Algae Greater Elf that can cultivate vast quantities of Magic Medicine Kelp and it¡¯s even found in the sea!¡±


    Marquis Merlin was taken aback but soon regained his composure, ¡°Encountering a wild Greater Elf in the sea is indeed praiseworthy, but how will he overcome the numerous obstacles to cultivate Magic Potions in the ocean?¡±


    ¡°The letter did not mention these details, but Liszt has written that he has planned out ten-thousand-mu of coastal sea area, all to be planted with Magic Medicine Kelp. In doing so, he must have a way to cultivate Magic Potions in the sea. I remember he has always been interested in the ocean and always sends me a lot of oyster sauce.¡±


    ¡°Oyster sauce is indeed a delicacy, and the seafood he mentioned, enjoyed occasionally, has a distinctive flavor.¡± Marquis Merlin nodded, ¡°All the beauty and intelligence of Melissa have passed on to Liszt, William is a lucky fellow indeed!¡±


    ¡°When Liszt was undervalued in the Tulip Family, I thought it was due to his lack of talent, so I always wanted to look after him a bit more. But it turns out he simply hadn¡¯t shown his abilities. After being enfeoffed these past two years, his development has been so rapid, he has already become a Sky Knight.¡±


    Meioubao¡¯s eyes held much envy, yet his admiration was sincere, ¡°The ¡®The Earth Chronicle of Liszt¡¯ he sent to me has been very enlightening to my cultivation, and I feel I am close to a breakthrough as well¡­ Perhaps in another year and a half, I could become a Sky Knight too.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to that day, the Long Taro Family will eventually be in your hands.¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    Marquis Merlin motioned for a servant to place a pillow behind his head before continuing, ¡°That notebook was well written. Among all the descendants of the Long Taro Family, his understanding of cultivation is the most profound. He has even come up with many innovative methods of practice, far surpassing how he performed when he visited me the year before last.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what the limits of Li Si Te could be in the future. Grandfather, do you think Uncle Li Weiliam could become the seventh Feudal Marquis in the Grand Duchy?¡±


    ¡°The territory of Iron Hoof Island could be divided among three Marquises, and the Grand Duke is also planning to expand the Blue Blood Alliance, making room for two more Marquises. Out of the five Marquis positions, Li Weiliam should be able to secure one without any problem, and he might even become the Feudal Marquis of Iron Hoof Island, as he probably wouldn¡¯t be interested in the Blue Blood Alliance.¡±


    The titles within the Blue Blood Alliance consist of only one city, and all its resources depend on the support of the Sapphire Family. It¡¯s far less appealing than a feudal title, after all, who would want to be a lackey when they could be an emperor in their own right.¡±


    Marquis Merlin rested a moment, then continued, ¡°As for Li Si Te, he¡¯s the rising star among the country¡¯s nobility, with a bright future. Perhaps the Grand Duke has already taken notice of him.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, after all, he¡¯s the youngest Sky Knight in the country.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen many people, and Li Si Te is of good character, one to be relied upon. However, what¡¯s most important is to rely on oneself, this country¡­ it¡¯s a time of many troubles.¡±


    ¡°Grandfather, it can¡¯t be as bad as you think, can it? When Angela went back to visit her family, everything with the Grand Duke and the Sapphire Dragon was normal.¡±


    Marquis Merlin squinted his eyes, and his gaze flickered as if recalling something, but eventually, it turned murky again, ¡°Is there still no sign of Angela being with child?¡±


    Caught between embarrassment and anxiety, Meioubao replied, ¡°We¡¯ve been trying hard.¡±


    Then he hurriedly found an excuse to leave Marquis Merlin¡¯s bedroom.


    Watching his grandson flee, Marquis Merlin sighed with a complex expression, then buried his head back into his writing, furiously documenting his life.


    The aged butler brought over a cup of green tea, ¡°My lord, this is the new tea that Young Master Sun Li Si Te just sent. The color and fragrance after brewing are much better than before. After finishing the tea, you ought to rest; you¡¯ve been writing for two hours straight and shouldn¡¯t overexert yourself anymore.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left.¡±


    ¡°My lord, I am certain you will live a long and healthy life.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for comforting words. We¡¯ve known each other for over fifty years, and although there¡¯s a difference between master and servant, we¡¯re both of the same age. There¡¯s no need for noble platitudes,¡± Marquis Merlin said with a carefree smile before sighing again, ¡°I¡¯ve had many splendid times in my life; I thought I could die contented, but ultimately there are many things I am concerned about.¡±


    ¡°Is the master worried about the young lord and Young Master Sun?¡±


    ¡°The descendants of the Long Taro Family are few in number. I only have Mesiro for a son, and Mesiro only had Meioubao. With Meioubao, there has been no word from Angela for half a year.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Sun and his wife are still trying; you should have confidence in them, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that anymore. Have you heard any news from that old man Wallace recently?¡±


    ¡°All is quiet on Deep Throat Island. It¡¯s said Marquis Wallace is in good health, capable of eating three pounds of Magical Beast Meat in one sitting.¡±


    The more Marquis Merlin thought about it, the angrier he became, ¡°That old scoundrel, about the same age as me, still hopping around, chasing young men on the battlefield, it¡¯s shameless!¡±


    What¡¯s even more irksome is that the progeny of Marquis Deep Throat, Wallace Pineapple Green, are many in number; with three sons all married with children, and his eldest son even has a grandson.


    Comparing oneself to another is indeed infuriating.

 Chapter 555 - Chapter 555: Chapter 0522: The Sea Monster That Glows All Over (Second Update)

    Chapter 555: Chapter 0522: The Sea Monster That Glows All Over (Second Update)


    The troubles and worries of Red Crab Island did not affect Liszt¡¯s expedition to find Dodo Island.


    He meticulously organized the four Space Gems, storing all necessary survival supplies, from the large items like magical beasts, milk, magic potions, and weapons, to the smaller essentials such as brewed tea. He then inspected Black Horse Island, Fresh Flower Town, and the surrounding seas, and held two meetings to arrange the construction tasks for his territory.


    After the preparations, he notified Ake, mounted the Rainbow Whale Rose, and set off to search the northern seas.


    To the north and west of the Sea of Azure Waves lies the Devil¡¯s Sea, a place of legend where devils roam and even Dragon Knights cannot cross. The Duchy of Sapphire has been established in this archipelago for 153 years, but aside from opening up sea routes in the Sea of Azure Waves, almost no one has charted courses toward the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    Therefore,


    Coral Island and Hot Spring Island are basically the furthest north that humanity has explored.


    Dodo Island is the kind of place that even if someone knew of it, they wouldn¡¯t have any designs on it, so no nautical charts would point to this island.


    Ake could only rely on her seafaring knowledge and her affinity with the sea to lead Liszt through the vast ocean.


    A distance of eight hundred kilometers, with time spent eating and resting en route, took approximately twelve hours to reach the predetermined area.


    ¡°Big brother, based on the map we drew earlier, we need to start from here and continue to search this area of the sea,¡± Ake said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed a problem before.¡±


    ¡°What problem?¡±


    Liszt said, ¡°This area of the sea is very deep. Generally, islands form either within continental shelves, from volcanic eruptions, or from the continuous deposition of coral reefs.¡± The islands of the Duchy of Sapphire are primarily continental shelf islands.


    They cover large areas and boast numerous islands.


    The waters of the Sea of Azure Waves are shallow, with an average depth of only a few hundred meters, without any areas surpassing a kilometer deep. Several hundred kilometers west of Coral Island, there are deepwater areas exceeding one thousand five hundred meters. Liszt felt that Coral Island and Black Horse Island might already be at the edge of the continental shelf.


    Further out lies the continental slope.


    The continental slope descends toward the bottom of the ocean, leading to the true underwater world.


    Of course, Liszt was not a geographer or oceanographer and had only a superficial understanding of continental shelves and slopes. He also couldn¡¯t explore the deepwater areas firsthand since he could only dive a few hundred meters deep, and even the Sea Sprite Ake could only dive to one thousand five hundred meters.


    One thousand five hundred meters is not enough to reach the true seabed.


    Fundamentally, the Sea of Azure Waves is a continental shelf region, while the Devil¡¯s Sea represents the true deep sea, with unknown creatures living there.


    With his thoughts racing, he continued, ¡°Dodo Island should be a typical volcanic island. To find it, we could actually look at the underwater terrain¡­ a volcano erupting from the seabed would form a gentle slope on the mountain. If we find that kind of terrain, we can follow it to find Dodo Island!¡±


    As he spoke, he took out a thick piece of paper, ink, and a quill pen to draw a demonstration chart on the back of Rose.


    After Ake studied it, she quickly grasped Liszt¡¯s intention. ¡°Mmm, big brother, Ake understands. Next, Ake will examine the seabed carefully. Just wait for Ake on the surface,¡± she said, knowing that Liszt couldn¡¯t dive to the seabed and that Ake would be the main force in the search.


    However, even with a method,


    Finding Dodo Island did not become much easier.


    Ake indeed dived to the seabed, over eight hundred meters deep, but she couldn¡¯t discern the underwater terrain, which rose and fell unevenly.


    ¡°Take your time searching; I¡¯m already prepared to spend a week in these waters,¡± Liszt, lying on the sampan, soothed the somewhat anxious Ake.


    The sampan was naturally stored in the Gemstone Space.


    As long as his Dou Qi could envelop the sampan, he could stuff it into the Gemstone Space. He wasn¡¯t a fish; he couldn¡¯t sleep in the sea, so he had to bring a boat and sleep on it. With the Calming Wind Pearl and the Water Calming Pearl, the sea¡¯s winds and waves couldn¡¯t affect him.


    Ake¡¯s large shell floated beside the sampan, and she looked enviously at Rose, who was wandering in the distance, ¡°It would be nice if Ake could sleep like Rose.¡±


    Rose, a member of the dolphin family, would sleep with one eye open and the other closed, her body constantly moving. This was because her left and right brains took turns sleeping, ensuring she would never drown from falling asleep.


    ¡°I don¡¯t envy Rose at all; one should sleep soundly and think of nothing for the best pleasure,¡± Liszt said, gazing at the stars in the sky, and casually asked, ¡°Ake, do you know what the stars in the sky are?¡±


    ¡°Stars?¡± Ake shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, are they glowing stones?¡±


    ¡°Every single star is a sun.¡±


    ¡°A sun?¡±


    ¡°Yes, most of the glowing stars are stars like the sun, with only a few probably being planets orbiting around a sun. The world we live in is one of those planets¡­ of course, these are just my guesses,¡± Liszt didn¡¯t dare make definite assertions.


    He couldn¡¯t guarantee that this world was truly a planetary world; what if it was flat with corners.


    What if it was all carried on the back of a giant turtle.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t stop him from showing off his knowledge of common astronomical science from Earth to the little sea sprite, especially the big bang theory, which completely befuddled the little sea monster. But after the initial shock, she seemed to begin pondering deeply, and even her conversation seemed less engaged.


    Seeing this, Liszt had no more interest in boasting about his half-true, half-false, pretentious understanding of the big bang theory.


    He just wondered to himself, ¡°With Ake in this state, could it be that my talk about the big bang theory inspired her to gain new insights into her magic practice?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then her talent really is incredible!¡±


    Thinking this, he decided to quiet down and enjoy the stars by himself. A bright Milky Way hung in the resplendent night sky; he wondered if this was the Milky Way Galaxy or some other galaxy.


    His thoughts drifted; his spirit wandered beyond the material.


    Just then.


    A sudden clap of a giant wave sounded in the distance, jolting him back to reality. He quickly turned his head, peering into the darkness. The night was too dark to see clearly, but it seemed like some kind of fish was causing a commotion at a distance. Whatever was making such a loud noise had to be a big fish.


    He immediately deployed his Eye of Magic, wanting to see if it was a sea monster.


    The next moment.


    His vision was filled with dazzling blue and white light, a giant whale made up of intense magic power, its concentration far surpassing all the magical beasts and sea monsters he had ever seen.


    It was rolling on the sea surface, leisurely slapping the seawater, swimming towards his direction.


    He abruptly stood up, his skin crawling with goosebumps, ¡°With such intense magic power¡­ could it be an advanced sea monster?¡±

 Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: Chapter 0555: Brother Has a Dragon (First Update)

    Chapter 558: Chapter 0555: Brother Has a Dragon (First Update)


    By the seaside.


    A crystal lamp illuminated the beach at night.


    Liszt sat on a rock, pondering how to communicate with Ake, ¡°Ake, have you ever seen a dragon?¡±


    ¡°A dragon? Ake really wants to see a dragon. They say dragons are the most beautiful creatures in the world, but Ake has never seen a real dragon.¡± Even as a Sea Sprite, she harbored an unending yearning for dragons.


    ¡°Dragons are indeed very beautiful.¡±


    In the end, Liszt decided to share the secret of the Fire Dragon with Ake: ¡°Actually, big brother has a dragon, a young Little Fire Dragon named Leo. But this Little Fire Dragon is quite disobedient, even somewhat ungrateful.¡± Seeing Ake¡¯s mouth gape in astonishment, he didn¡¯t forget to add a few bad words about the Little Fire Dragon.


    ¡°Ah! Does big brother really have a Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a Little Fire Dragon I revived from the remains of a Fire Dragon on Black Horse Island, and that is my biggest secret. A dragon¡¯s influence is simply too great, so I haven¡¯t mentioned it to anyone. Therefore, Ake, you are the first person to know this secret.¡±


    Ake was both surprised and delighted, nodding earnestly, ¡°Mmm, Ake will definitely keep the secret of the Fire Dragon for big brother!¡±


    Liszt stroked her azure hair, smiling, ¡°Actually, when it comes down to it, Ake, you are my most precious secret. Who would have thought that I would have a Sea Sprite sister?¡±


    ¡°Hee hee.¡± Ake squinted her eyes, as comfortable as a contented little kitten.


    Liszt wasn¡¯t lying; in his heart, Ake was far more important than Leo. The relative he recognized most was Ake, not the Tulip Family. Perhaps his physical blood ties couldn¡¯t be severed from the Tulip Family, but his soul was incompatible with the Tulip Family, as it was with this world.


    Only the pure and blank Sea Sprite Ake was his warmest emotional refuge.


    ¡°I came to Dodo Island to find a volcano, to provide Leo with a suitable habitat, but Leo forgot about me the moment he burrowed into the volcano.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what will big brother do? Don¡¯t lose Leo.¡±


    ¡°No worries, ever since its rebirth, Leo requires food to sustain its flesh and blood body. There aren¡¯t many animals on Dodo Island to stave off its hunger, so sooner or later it will fly over from the volcano on an empty stomach to apologize to me.¡±


    As if she could envision the Little Fire Dragon apologizing to Liszt, Ake chuckled and said, ¡°Hee hee, hearing big brother say this, Leo also sounds quite adorable.¡±


    ¡°No, it is a poorly trained capricious young Evil Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Leo is still too little to understand, big brother could be a bit more patient with it. I believe that one day Leo will recognize big brother and become your most important companion. Like those legendary Dragon Knights, standing atop the most supreme power in the world.¡±


    ¡°I think so too, which is why it needs proper guidance,¡± Liszt shared his plans, ¡°I need to constantly develop my territory to provide for this Fire Dragon, so I won¡¯t often stay on Dodo Island. I might visit every few days to train with Leo, and when I¡¯m not here, I¡¯ll need you to take extra care of him.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, if I take part in the Pioneer Mandate, I¡¯ll be gone for months, and the care of the Little Fire Dragon will also fall to you. We can¡¯t really let it starve to death.¡± Being young, Leo would just be a burden if he followed him into battle, apart from providing no help, there was also the risk of exposure.


    ¡°Ake can catch fish for it to eat.¡±


    ¡°Mm, once I find it in the Volcano Crater, I¡¯ll bring it over for you to meet. But be careful with Leo, he has a bit of a vile temperament, and you don¡¯t want to get hurt by him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ake will take good care of herself,¡± said Ake with an expectant expression, her eyes almost sparkling with stars. Even as a Sea Sprite, she was utterly defenseless against dragons¡ªin this world, dragons represent all that is wonderful, even if there are Evil Dragons.


    The Little Fire Dragon Leo belonged to the rank of Evil Dragons.


    Humans could, without hesitation, valiantly set out to slay Evil Dragons to earn the heroic title of Dragon Slayer. They could also bestow countless positive epithets upon any dragon.


    After revealing Leo to Ake.


    Liszt suddenly felt much more relaxed; he hid too many secrets with nowhere to vent. Secrets such as the Smoke Dragon and the Formless Dragon were manageable, bearing no burden and could be kept for a long time. But the secret of Little Fire Dragon Leo couldn¡¯t be kept forever; he always needed someone to help share the burden.


    Originally, he was inclined to tell the Earl about the secret of the Little Fire Dragon, so that the Earl could help him raise the dragon.


    However, with the discovery of the Giant Algae Forest, it was possible to maintain the independent care of Little Fire Dragon Leo in his territory. So, he extinguished the idea of seeking family help in raising the dragon, trying to minimize exposure risk as much as possible.


    Now, revealing the secret to Ake was the most suitable choice.


    She could take care of Little Fire Dragon Leo in Liszt¡¯s absence¡ªhe couldn¡¯t expect a dragon, less than a few months old, to take care of itself. Liszt didn¡¯t know how other young dragons were nurtured and grew, perhaps they were naturally strong enough to cope with crises.


    Just burrowing into the vast forest, they could grow up safely.


    But Leo was different; he was a Fire Dragon, born on an island in the sea!


    He couldn¡¯t turn invisible like a Formless Dragon, so he couldn¡¯t hunt without revealing himself, nor could he swim in the sea to catch fish. Hunger could expose him to human sight at any time, and then he might be captured by powerful knights, ending up either being forced into dragon riding or converted into a Dragon Domain Landlord.


    Meeting Liszt was his good luck¡ªhe helped him revive, fed him sparingly to grow up, didn¡¯t ride him or force him, and even put in great effort searching for a volcano.


    Like this.


    After talking about dragons for half the night, they each went to sleep.


    ¡­


    The next day, before dawn broke, Liszt had already gotten up, taken his toiletries out of the Gemstone Space to carefully clean up, and then enjoyed a hearty breakfast.


    He hurriedly went up the mountain.


    The path was familiar; he could just fly up directly. Soon, he arrived at the Volcano Crater. The pool was still boiling, the magma was still tumbling, and the smell of sulfur was still pungent and acrid.


    ¡°Leo!¡±


    ¡°Leo!¡±


    ¡°Leo!¡±


    Besides the echo from the Volcano Crater, there was no response. Even using the Eye of Magic, he couldn¡¯t spot any trace of Leo. Despite being mentally prepared, the lack of response after a night still made him feel instantly terrible. It took a while to adjust before he went down the mountain to explore the Human Skull Tree Forest.


    The island wasn¡¯t very large, and the Human Skull Tree Forest was even more distinctly ring-shaped around the island¡¯s shore, making it easy to scan with the Eye of Magic.


    So by the afternoon, he had explored the entire Dodo Island, and he had also found the Elf Bug¡ªa Human Skull Tree Elf Bug¡ªawarded for the Smoke Mission.


    On a noticeably taller Human Skull Tree, the Human Skull Worm was comfortably basking in the Sun.


    Suddenly, a lot of delicious Jade Powder fell from the sky, which it ate and ate until it bit onto a finger and instantly contracted to become Liszt¡¯s thirty-ninth Elf Bug.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: one Human Skull Tree Elf Bug.¡±


    The Human Skull Tree Forest had no potential for development on Dodo Island; Liszt had no plans to develop this island, it was just a training ground for himself and Leo.


    Therefore, this Cordyceps was to be taken back to Black Horse Island for cultivation.


    He quickly turned his attention to the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The astronomical knowledge you brought has greatly inspired Ake, leading her to gradually refine her understanding of Magic Power. Perhaps more knowledge could provide her a better reference to understand the essence of magic operation. Reward: Ake¡¯s new magic.¡±

 Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: Chapter 0556: Draining the Little Fire Dragon (Second Update)

    Chapter 559: Chapter 0556: Draining the Little Fire Dragon (Second Update)


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, my half-baked knowledge of astronomy has given Ach a deep inspiration! Perhaps my remaining half-baked knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, and geography can also inspire Ach! Magicians are always seeking the Truth, and my knowledge is Truth too, right?¡±


    This world is different from Earth; in addition to the category of physical rules, there are also the rules of magic power.


    Therefore, simple Earth knowledge cannot measure this world, but those physical category rules and knowledge are obviously a very meaningful reference.


    Dodo Island had already been explored once over, and Little Fire Dragon Leo still hadn¡¯t come out.


    With time to spare, he naturally prepared to have a good chat with Ach and explain more astronomical, geographical, physical, and chemical knowledge to her, inspiring her cognition of the Truth.


    He found a stretch of beach.


    Picked up a stick.


    He drew a star system on the sand: ¡°This is a star, the ones you see in the sky at night, stars emit light and heat. Many planets that don¡¯t emit light revolve around stars; these planets might be very cold or very hot, uninhabitable, but there are also worlds like ours.¡±


    Ach kept nodding her head.


    She was digesting Liszt¡¯s knowledge.


    She even actively asked questions: ¡°Big brother, why can those planets revolve around the stars?¡±


    ¡°Planets revolve around stars because of gravity. All objects produce gravity, the larger the object, the greater its gravity. A star¡¯s gravity can capture a planet, making it revolve around it. That¡¯s why you see, the Sun is always the Sun, it doesn¡¯t go far or come close.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t the planets crash into the stars? If they attract each other, they should come together quickly, right?¡±


    ¡°This, well,¡± Liszt coughed, he apparently didn¡¯t really know why, it seemed to have something to do with rotational speed and centrifugal force, ¡°requires further exploration, it seems related to the rotation of the planet, like when you spin a ball tied by a string, it flies outward, perfectly offsetting the gravitational pull.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ach didn¡¯t seem to understand, then she asked another question, ¡°Why can stars hang in the sky, won¡¯t they fall down?¡±


    ¡°The universe doesn¡¯t have the concept of falling down.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    How come you have so many whys!


    Liszt forcibly changed the topic: ¡°No reason, the essence of the universe awaits exploration. Now, let¡¯s talk about the relationship between stars and galaxies. Based on the information I¡¯ve received and some deductions, innumerable star systems make up huge galaxies, possibly revolving around central black holes. As for what black holes are¡­¡±


    ¡­


    In the following two days,


    Liszt was either filling Ach with his superficial knowledge or searching for Leo at the volcano crater. Unfortunately, Leo never responded, and he couldn¡¯t jump into the magma to look for him; he could only wait passively.


    ¡°It¡¯s been three days without eating, it should be getting hungry¡­ Even if the volcano holds extreme Fire Attribute Mana, it can¡¯t use it as food.¡±


    However,


    Little Fire Dragon Leo still hadn¡¯t shown up, but on the morning of the fourth day on the island, Ach, who had been pondering and meditating by the seaside, suddenly sprang into action. She stood on a shell, slowly raising her hands, then with a nightingale-like chirp, a glimmer of light flashed on her palms, and a huge explosion happened far out at sea.


    Boom!


    The explosion was so big, it was almost as powerful as the Vacuum Water Burst created by the Sea Monster a few days ago, and it took a long time for the waves on the sea to calm down again.


    Such commotion naturally drew the attention of Li Si Te, who hurried over and asked, ¡°Ach, are you creating a new magic?¡±


    Ach replied with a hint of excitement, ¡°Yes, brother. Ach listened to what brother said about stars and planets orbiting each other, and the principle of nuclear fusion where two atomic nuclei merge into one¡­ So Ach condensed a dynamic, spinning Magic Array and forced a merger, ultimately causing an explosion.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, my Ach is impressive!¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help but exclaim with envy and admiration¡ªthe talent of this Little Sea Monster was terrifyingly astonishing.


    With only a smattering of knowledge, she had created such a powerful magic.


    He then asked, ¡°Is your magic considered Advanced Magic, or is it of an even higher level?¡±


    ¡°It is just one form of a Dynamic Magic Array, so it should still be classified as Advanced Magic, having not broken through the properties and principles of a Dynamic Magic Array.¡±


    ¡°Give it a name.¡±


    ¡°Brother, you name it.¡±


    It seemed Ach trusted Li Si Te¡¯s ability to name, and without declining the task, he thought for a moment and said, ¡°Just call it Whirlpool Convergence.¡±


    The name aptly encompassed the two principles constituting the magic.


    ¡°Brother, Ach will write down the spell scheme for Advanced Magic-Whirlpool Convergence right away. You can give it to Her Excellency Chris for reference,¡± said Ach, aware of Chris¡¯s existence, though Chris was unaware of Ach¡¯s. In a way, Chris could be considered Ach¡¯s teacher since she answered many of the difficult questions Ach posed.


    ¡°She will be delighted to see a new magic spell scheme.¡±


    ¡°Actually, after brother told Ach so much fascinating knowledge, Ach has many more inspirations to test and create new magic.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t rush to write the spell scheme. First, hold on to those inspirations. Chris has many other series of Advanced Magic to learn. There¡¯s no hurry to learn Whirlpool Convergence.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Ach nodded and continued with her magic experiments.


    Li Si Te, on the other hand, leaped toward the Volcano Crater once again, looking for Little Fire Dragon Leo, while simultaneously calling out the Smoke Mission, ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Ach¡¯s new magic¡ªWhirlpool Convergence.¡±


    Immediately thereafter.


    A new mission was issued, ¡°The stubbornness of the Little Fire Dragon has angered you, altering your attitude towards it. Now that you have come to understand the Little Fire Dragon¡¯s nature, why not exhaust it completely this time to make it fundamentally recognize its mistakes and adjust its behavior. Reward: A large swath of Hemp Rope Vine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Seeing this mission, Li Si Te fully understood that the Smoke Mission was a projection of his own Spiritual Power. At least in the formation of the mission, his personal will played a dominant role.


    It was somewhat akin to the adage ¡°The day¡¯s thoughts become the night¡¯s dreams.¡±


    Exhausting the Little Fire Dragon to teach it how to be a proper Dragon was precisely the issue Liszt had been contemplating over the past few days. Now it was truly reflected in the Smoke Mission, much to his satisfaction.


    ¡°The reward for this mission is a large swath of Hemp Rope Vine. What kind of plant is that?¡±


    With so many species of plants, Liszt¡¯s knowledge was limited; he had never heard of Hemp Rope Vine. Judging by the name, it should be a vine-like plant that grows like hemp rope. Its purpose was unknown, as was whether it grew on Dodo Island, Black Horse Island, or perhaps even in Fresh Flower Town.


    He didn¡¯t pay too much attention to the Hemp Rope Vine.


    Eager to figure out how to exhaust the Little Fire Dragon, just then, the fading light of the setting Sun barely cast its last rays on the Volcano Crater. The slowly rolling lava erupted with a boom, and immediately a Flame burst forth, rapidly outlining the shape of a dragon, accompanied by a loud ¡°oh¡± of a roar.


    The flame slowly extinguished, and the figure of Little Fire Dragon Leo appeared, spiraling as he flew towards Liszt.

 Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: Chapter 0558: Humans and Dragons Reach an Agreement (First Update)

    Chapter 561: Chapter 0558: Humans and Dragons Reach an Agreement (First Update)


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Liszt waved his hand.


    Leo sat in place and only after a while did he slowly crawl over to Liszt. A dragon has four legs and a pair of wings; it can fly, stand on its hind legs, or crawl on all fours like a dinosaur. However, Leo¡¯s current crawl was walking with his hind legs squatting, his forelimbs lifted, and his wings on the ground to maintain balance.


    His speed was slow, and his posture was strange.


    Just like the conflict in his heart, which could be felt through the furrowed scales on his dragon face and the struggling look in his dragon eyes.


    He came closer.


    Only a meter away, he stopped, swallowing saliva, his gaze unable to drift away from the roasted leg of beef.


    It was impossible to know what state he was in while in his magic form, but in his flesh and blood body, he needed to eat bloody food. During the time Liszt had been raising him, he naturally did his homework thoroughly, summarizing clearly everything about the little fire dragon¡¯s habits, sounds, and logical thinking.


    The intelligence of a dragon was definitely on par with that of a young human, even if Leo was just a newly born youngling.


    It was much higher than that of a Greater Elf¡ªthe intelligence of a Greater Elf was about equivalent to that of a ten-year-old child, who could speak clearly, communicate normally without obstacles but wouldn¡¯t actively contemplate problems.


    Animals with higher intelligence were obviously easier to communicate with.


    Apart from the barrier of language, the communication between Liszt and Leo could basically be assisted by language, behavior, and emotion, achieving barrier-free communication¡ªLeo could directly understand Liszt¡¯s Serpent Script, complemented by facial expressions, to grasp the meaning; Liszt could also infer Leo¡¯s intentions from his tone and behavior.


    When Leo lived on his chest in his magic form, they could even vaguely sense each other¡¯s emotions, making communication more direct.


    This was more efficient than relying on the power of a contract to suppress barriers, like with a Greater Elf.


    There was no contract between Liszt and Leo, and influencing each other through communication alone was really challenging, especially since Leo was quite stubborn. Without using some means, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to tame him.


    ¡°Want to eat this?¡± He held up the roasted leg of beef, made an incision with a small knife, and suddenly the fragrant aroma of the roasted meat intensified.


    Leo nodded involuntarily, ¡°Oh-ho.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still the same choices as before, first, starve to death, second, let me ride.¡± Liszt cut off a strip of beef leg, tossing it to the little fire dragon.


    The little fire dragon opened his mouth, caught the strip of beef, and gobbled it down.


    Then, with a conflicted gaze, he stared at the roasted leg of beef, not responding to Liszt.


    Liszt cut another strip of beef leg, fed it to him, then stopped the knife in his hand and asked calmly, ¡°How is it, the taste of the roasted beef leg, your favorite dish? I¡¯ve prepared a lot here; just let me ride, and when you come out of the volcano after training, there will be beef leg meat waiting for you.¡±


    If he hadn¡¯t tasted it before, Leo might have been able to resist the temptation.


    However, the remaining taste of the two strips of beef in his mouth was enticing him, and he simply couldn¡¯t refuse, only able to hug his own dragon head with his tiny front legs, shaking it wildly in an attempt to stop his will from sinking further. But the more he resisted, the less he could change his degraded attitude.


    Finally, he let out a huge, reluctant ¡°Oh-ho,¡± his body instantly turning into a flame and rushing towards Liszt.


    Boom!


    He collided into Liszt¡¯s body, lingering at the Dou Qi meridians, staying at the chest area.


    Immediately afterward, Liszt felt Leo trying to initiate an emotional exchange¡ªhe first solemnly indicated that he would absolutely not accept the fate of being ridden.


    ¡°Sure you won¡¯t let me ride?¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    ¡°If you won¡¯t let me ride, then you can forget about eating meat. I can take magic potions, but I won¡¯t let you have any.¡±


    Leo expressed dissatisfaction with an ¡°Oh-ho,¡± then released another wave of emotion, suggesting he could help Liszt train in exchange for food.


    It was resolutely unwilling to be ridden.


    Liszt was somewhat puzzled.


    He did not understand why it was so resistant to being ridden; as far as he knew, the Sapphire Duke¡¯s dragon had even served as a transport for moving batches of strategic materials back to Blue Dragon Island from the continent¡ªbeing able to transport goods meant it naturally could carry people, it¡¯s just that no one could become its Dragon Knight.


    But now this Little Fire Dragon.


    It didn¡¯t even want to be ridden at all, which was really frustrating.


    Directly riding the dragon seemed impossible, so Liszt had no choice but to settle for the next best thing, squeezing every bit of training potential out of the Little Fire Dragon by practicing together.


    After repeated negotiations, he agreed to Leo¡¯s terms, ¡°I can refrain from riding you for now, but you must help me cultivate with all your effort, no slacking! The Dragon Magic Qi Cultivation Effect must be more than five times the effect I¡¯d get from taking Magic Potions alone, and for Dragon Breath Tempering, you must ensure it¡¯s completely out of reach for you!¡±


    ¡°Oh hoo!¡± Leo cried out with grievance.


    ¡°You have no reason to feel wronged. I found the volcano for you, which is like delivering the perfect training ground to you, and I will regularly provide you with Magic Potions to speed up your growth. It can be said that our joint cultivation is a win-win situation. Think carefully with your silly little brain!¡±


    Moments later, Leo agreed, ¡°Oh hoo!¡±


    Then, bursting forth from Liszt¡¯s chest and emerging from the flames, it took shape and landed on the beach. Taking the roasted leg of beef that Liszt handed over, it gobbled down the food. Its appetite was huge; one whole Banpo cow per meal was no problem. After devouring one roasted beef leg, it continued to eat the food Liszt handed over.


    That included green-haired duck eggs, Fire Rabbit meat, Banpo cow milk, etcetera. To raise it, Liszt had spared no expense.


    What he fed Leo was better than what he ate himself.


    After Leo had eaten his fill.


    He then said, ¡°Leo, stop eating for a moment and come to the seashore with me. I want to introduce you to someone. This person is my kin, and in the future when I return to my estate, she will often come to look after you and bring you food.¡±


    ¡°Oh hoo!¡± Leo rolled his eyes, showing a ¡°don¡¯t want to meet¡± expression.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go hungry in the future, you¡¯d better meet her.¡±


    Thus,


    The reluctant Little Fire Dragon, carrying a big chunk of meat, followed behind Liszt to the beach. Ach was already waiting by the sea. Seeing Liszt coming with Little Fire Dragon Leo, her big watery eyes almost curved into crescents, twinkling with many little stars.


    ¡°Wow, Brother, this is Little Fire Dragon Leo, right? It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Ach wanted to get close but didn¡¯t dare to.


    Leo swallowed the meat in his mouth and immediately let out a roar at the Sea Serpent, showing no affection just because she was a cute, beautiful, and innocent creature. On the contrary, it displayed deep pride and disdain. Perhaps in its mind, Liszt barely qualified as a delivery guy, and all other life forms were mere ants.


    Out of respect for Liszt, it refrained from attacking Ach.


    But Liszt needed more, he directly stroked Leo¡¯s belly and said, ¡°She is Ach. When I¡¯m not on Dodo Island, Ach will be in charge of feeding you. You must not harm her, understand?¡±


    For the sake of future food, Leo reluctantly responded, ¡°Oh hoo.¡±


    ¡°As a sign of friendship, let Ach touch you now.¡±


    ¡°Oh hoo!¡± Leo instantly bristled, baring his teeth and snarling at Liszt, flames puffing from his nostrils, a sign of anger when challenged.


    Ach hurriedly said, ¡°Brother, Leo is angry ¨C Ach doesn¡¯t need to touch him. It¡¯s good enough just to be able to see him.¡±


    Liszt was somewhat taken aback, not expecting Leo to react so violently, even daring to bare his teeth at him in front of Ach, which signified the daunting task of taming it was far from over.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit shy on the first meeting,¡± he said, trying to cover up the awkwardness, and calmly continued, ¡°So first, I¡¯ll go practice with Leo. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to interact later, and Leo will come to be friendly to you.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±

 Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: Chapter 0559: The Unbreakable Hemp Rope Vine (Second Update)

    Chapter 562: Chapter 0559: The Unbreakable Hemp Rope Vine (Second Update)


    ¡°Oh¡­ Roar¡­¡±


    At the edge of the Volcano Crater, Leo hung his head, utterly exhausted. He had been spewing Dragon Breath for a full ten minutes, completely draining his Magic Power to assist Liszt with his Dragon Breath Tempering¡ªthis time, there was no acting; he was genuinely so tired that even taking a Magic Potion couldn¡¯t revive his energy.


    The flames died down.


    Shaking off the ash from his body, Liszt let out a long breath of turbid air, having not felt such a satisfying cultivation session in a long time. The effect of today¡¯s training session alone was equivalent to half a month of solitary practice. No wonder Dragon Knights are the strongest fighting force in this world, the assistance of a dragon in cultivation was simply too powerful.


    Leo was still just a young Dragon that hadn¡¯t even reached a month of age after birth.


    Without personal experience, one couldn¡¯t understand the pleasure and refreshing feeling that came from cultivating with a dragon, so exhilarating and liberating. During Dragon Magic Refining Qi, it felt as if one had just stepped out of a sauna, an indescribable comfort; and during Dragon Breath Tempering, it was like having a full-body massage, with bones being stepped on and cracking satisfyingly.


    Seeing the dejected Leo, Liszt knew he had ¡°squeezed dry¡± this disobedient Little Fire Dragon.


    ¡°I probably need five days to digest what I¡¯ve gained from today¡¯s training, as doing it too frequently is more than my human body can bear. After all, I cannot compare to the physique of a dragon,¡± Liszt concluded, as he moved his arms and legs to feel his current physical state.


    Thus, he said to Leo, ¡°Rest well, this is the Magic Potion you deserve. I will have Ach prepare a pile of fish for you by the sea in three days. I will come back here in five days, bringing your favorite beef, and then we will continue our training in the same rhythm as today.¡±


    ¡°Oh roar¡­¡±


    Leo responded weakly and silently swallowed the Giant Algae Magic Potion that Liszt had given him.


    Patting Leo¡¯s belly, Liszt waved and said, ¡°Go on, return to the Volcano and cultivate properly. I don¡¯t know how much longer this volcano can maintain itself, so we must make the most of the time we have. With the volcano¡¯s magic power, the assistance of Magic Potions, and my training, the time for your growth will be significantly shortened.¡±


    ¡°Oh roar.¡±


    Leo nodded humanly and then spread his wings to fly. He plunged into the magma inside the Volcano Crater and disappeared from sight. Liszt changed into a new set of clothes and returned to the wooden hut at the foot of the mountain for rest.


    ¡­


    The next morning, he was awakened by a chorus of ¡°dodo¡± calls.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Dodobird, a unique species on this island, which even gave the island its name,¡± Liszt had seen Dodobirds a few days earlier, a kind of bird slightly smaller than a turkey, awkward in appearance and flightless but skilled at burrowing, always hiding in holes at the slightest fright.


    No matter what was happening outside, they would keep their heads buried and not come out.


    So, when the ancient Sun Descendants ran out of food, they would dig out these birds one by one from their burrows¡ªunfortunately, Dodobird meat was very tough to chew, like eating dry sticks, and was hard to swallow.


    Liszt had no interest in them whatsoever.


    But to let them keep making noise outside and disturb his serene dreams was unacceptable, especially since he did not want to wake up so early, which put him in a bad mood.


    He begrudgingly got up, left the wooden hut, and went to drive away those Dodobirds.


    The Dodobirds were about a hundred meters away in the forest, seemingly having a frenetic gathering as if many of them had gone mad.


    When he approached, he realized the Dodobirds were not going crazy, but were circling around a thick, black snake¡ªLiszt recognized this type of snake, having hunted one in the Thorn Ridge forest before, a Dark Attribute Magical Beast called Shadow Snake that released the Dark Magic Whirlpool.


    On the ground were several puddles of what looked like the corroded remnants of Dodobirds, clearly the handiwork of the Shadow Snake.


    But this did not scare the Dodobirds away, as they frenetically circled the Shadow Snake, trying to peck at it¡ªone after the other, hopping and jumping, their short wings flapping like spinning wheels.


    Seeing this, Liszt activated his Dou Qi and charged forward, lunging to grab the neck of the Shadow Snake, his Dou Qi instantly enveloping it.


    With a gentle push, he stowed it into the Gemstone Space.


    Then he kicked the Dodobird with a foot, ¡°Scatter, all of you, stop making noise, a bunch of foul-tasting rubbish.¡± Driving the Dodobirds away, he began to examine the Shadow Snake in the Gemstone Space. In almost just a few breaths, the Shadow Snake was completely devoid of life, dead beyond any doubt.


    Aside from Virginia Truth, who was in a soul state and parasitizing a Soul Storage Vessel, no creature lacking a soul could survive in the Gemstone Space.


    The fundamental reason, Liszt conjectured, was that the Gemstone Space belonged to a type of ¡°alternate dimension,¡± with incomplete rules that couldn¡¯t sustain the existence of souls. Even for Virginia, once the Soul Storage Vessel she parasitized was placed into the Gemstone Space, it would become inert, incapable of even dreaming.


    According to Liszt¡¯s experiments, Virginia could dream within the Soul Storage Vessel, existing in a state akin to dreaming but not. She could feel the passage of time, though not intensely, but at most could sense a slight difference between a day and a month inside.


    But once placed into the Gemstone Space, this sense would become muddled, unable to feel the flow of time.


    Therefore.


    The ability to erase souls, Liszt used it to hunt¡ªLow-Level Magical Beasts couldn¡¯t resist his Dou Qi wrap, so he caught them with certainty.


    It was ineffective against humans with Dou Qi and high-level Magical Beasts.


    Because Dou Qi would resist, failing to envelop completely and thus unable to be sent into the Gemstone Space.


    The complete skin of the Shadow Snake could sell for over a dozen Gold Coins; he couldn¡¯t bear to let the Dodobirds peck it to ruins, nor chop it up himself. Conveniently using this method, he directly eradicated the soul, leaving the intact snake body behind.


    ¡°Not bad, the Dodobirds are pretty useless in combat, they didn¡¯t damage the snakeskin, this is the best quality, should be able to earn fifteen Gold Coins.¡±


    The snakeskin could be sold for money, and the remaining parts could be used as snacks to accompany drinks.


    Easily pocketing fifteen Gold Coins, any dissatisfaction that arose from his peaceful sleep being disturbed had completely dissipated. Just as he was about to leave, something caught his peripheral vision¡ªa cluster of vines entwined around a Human Skull Tree. Taking a direct look, he saw the vines climbing the trunk, virtually merging with the Human Skull Tree.


    On several of the neighboring Human Skull Trees, there were climbing vines as well.


    ¡°This¡­ should be the Hemp Rope Vine that¡¯s meant to reward me.¡± He quickly realized, and advanced toward the Human Skull Tree. As he drew closer, more and more Hemp Rope Vines became visible ahead.


    Indeed, it was a vast patch.


    These Hemp Rope Vines weren¡¯t Magic Potions, just ordinary plants, with very small leaves and not particularly thick vines. Some bore pale yellow flowers, while others had pods. Without a close examination, it would indeed be difficult to notice the flowers and pods, no wonder it had not been discovered despite being only a hundred meters away from the wooden house.


    ¡°What use are these pods?¡± Liszt picked a few and rubbed open their husks, revealing seed after seed of black, watermelon wedge-like seeds inside, ¡°They¡¯re so small, they don¡¯t seem edible, perhaps I should collect a sample plant and some seeds to ask others about them.¡±


    He was ready to pull down a vine.


    The vines were tightly entwined and could not be pulled down, so he decided to forcefully tear them off. However, as he increased his strength, an embarrassing thing happened¡ªthe Hemp Rope Vine didn¡¯t break at all, and he ended up tearing off a wrist-thick branch of the Human Skull Tree while the Hemp Rope Vine remained unbroken.


    ¡°It¡¯s too sturdy!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called Hemp Rope Vine, could it be that its sturdiness is comparable to that of hemp ropes?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes quickly lit up with the realization. If the effect was indeed like that, the Hemp Rope Vine could be very useful.


    Rope has a very wide range of uses in daily life.


    The ropes currently used by humans are all hemp ropes, made from flax or sisal, which, while sturdy, are prone to rot. Especially the fishing nets used for fishing in the territory, after being soaked in water for three days, require two days of drying to prevent rot.


    ¡°If the effects of Hemp Rope Vine are better than those of hemp ropes, it¡¯s definitely a specialty worth promoting!¡±

 Chapter 565 - Chapter 565: Chapter 562: Aquatic Elves and Terrestrial Elves (First Update)

    Chapter 565: Chapter 562: Aquatic Elves and Terrestrial Elves (First Update)


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s ready, Rock Grenade!¡±


    Following Liszt¡¯s command, Douson led the Eight Tiny Ones to line up and target an abandoned stone house in the distance, casting the magic spell ¨C Rock Grenade.


    Boom!


    Huge rocks formed in the air, densely bombarding the stone house, and with just one round of casting, the stone house was smashed into ruins.


    The spectacle was magnificent; Count Jonas, watching from the side, couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth wide, and it took him a while to squeeze out a word, ¡°Impressive!¡±


    The next moment.


    Liszt issued another command, ¡°Everyone¡¯s ready, Multiple Rock Spikes!¡±


    Boom!


    The nine Blizzard Beasts once again cast their magic ¨C Multiple Rock Spikes, conjuring countless rock spikes out of thin air on the vacant ground, dense as a forest shooting up from the earth. The area covered hundreds of square meters. Although the distribution was not uniform, the suddenness and lethality were absolutely strong.


    Clap clap clap clap clap clap.


    Count Jonas clapped his hands in admiration, ¡°Having such a Magical Beast Squad on the battlefield can play a role that¡¯s not inferior to that of an elite Knight Order, especially in sieges, which are Knights¡¯ weakest aspect, where Blizzard Beasts¡¯ Earth System Magic can be unimaginably effective.¡±


    Earl Li Weiliam nodded. ¡°Earth System Magic indeed shows great strength in destroying buildings; it¡¯s a pity we cannot train a second Blizzard Beast Squad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m truly envious of you for having such an exceptional son. Not only blessed with remarkable talents but also possessing such powerful magical beasts to aid in battle. At many noble gatherings on Blue Dragon Island, people talk about Liszt, regarding him as a rising star. But I¡¯d say, he will soon surpass us.¡±


    ¡°He has just been promoted to Viscount and Sky Knight; his territory is yet to be developed, and he has a long way to go before becoming an Earl.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps others might need to work harder, but Liszt has already entered the Grand Duke¡¯s vision. Maybe it won¡¯t be long before you and your son become Earls side by side.¡±


    Earl Li Weiliam smiled and didn¡¯t respond. Liszt had already made it clear that he was willing to help his father become a Marquis¡ªso the battle merits accumulated over this period would all be transferred to Li Weiliam, who would only collect materials.


    After watching the training session.


    There was still some time before dinner, and Liszt proposed to lead everyone to the seaside villa to take a look and appreciate his Giant Algae Greater Elf, Pike.


    ¡°Pike, come here.¡± Liszt beckoned, and Pike, previously hidden in the water, immediately leaped out onto his shoulder.


    Grabbing his hair, Pike greeted him, ¡°Liszt.¡±


    Although sea elves are not able to fly and have gills, it does not mean they cannot survive on land.


    They simply don¡¯t like it.


    Pike¡¯s temper was still violent, but he no longer resisted Liszt and was willing to follow his commands. Perched on his shoulder, he eyed the unfamiliar people around him with a malevolent gaze, occasionally baring his teeth and making fierce expressions. However, he managed to restrain the impulse to cast magic.


    ¡°Sea Greater Elves are indeed as magical as those on land,¡± Jonas remarked, unphased by Pike, ¡°A glory of Knightly honor, the Grand Duchy hasn¡¯t seen anyone bind with a wild Greater Elf in many years¡­ it seems the land elves are all bound, only the sea still harbors them.¡±


    ¡°Count Jonas, how much do you know about the sea elves? I would like to learn more,¡± Liszt inquired.


    Jonas stroked his chin, ¡°I haven¡¯t personally bound any sea elves, or more precisely, they should be classified as aquatic elves, opposite to terrestrial elves. The Grand Duchy¡¯s Sapphire Family does keep quite a few aquatic elves; they have no wings, but gills and fins.¡±


    ¡°Aquatic¡­ Terrestrial¡­¡± Liszt pondered the words without interruption.


    Jonas continued, ¡°Aside from these two differences, there is no fundamental distinction between aquatic and terrestrial elves. However, the development of aquatic elves, especially those in the sea, is quite challenging and almost devoid of value. Thus, you are quite fortunate, not only to have acquired a Greater Elf but also to harvest magic potions.¡±


    A court scribe took note of this on paper and then said with a complimenting smile, ¡°Viscount Liszt¡¯s luck doesn¡¯t stop at a Greater Elf; he also has three Minor Elves.¡±


    Liszt said with a smile, ¡°My luck has always been quite good.¡±


    Having been imbued with the power of the Smoke Dragon, he had scarcely experienced bad luck since his arrival in this world. What others would undoubtedly miss, for him, was a certainty to obtain.


    Up to now.


    Not once had he failed a mission, and he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the strength of the power of destiny. As a dragon, the Smoke Mission had even managed to involve both the Formless and Fire Dragons. The Fire Dragon could, of course, be overlooked since Elemental Dragons seemed to be a notch below the Sacred Dragons, but the Formless Dragon was also one of the Sacred Dragons.


    He often queried in his heart, ¡°So, am I a special human being influenced by the Smoke Dragon, or has the Smoke Dragon¡¯s power completely transferred to me? Otherwise, how could the Smoke Mission involve dragons at the apex of power?¡±


    This question, for the time being, remained unanswered.


    And he did not know when the answer would come.


    But it did not impede Liszt from now enjoying the benefits that the Smoke Mission brought¡ªhis grand enterprise of dragon riding was just a step away, soon to reach the pinnacle of life.


    After observing the elves,


    On the way back, Jonas said in a joking tone, ¡°Liszt, I¡¯m becoming increasingly optimistic about your future. Perhaps I should introduce my daughter Joanna to you right away.¡±


    ¡°I am acquainted with Joanna; when she served as a bridesmaid for the Little Princess, I happened to be the best man for Cousin Meioubao.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, since you are already acquainted, that¡¯s even better. You are welcome to visit Moonlight City any time.¡±


    ¡°I definitely will when I have the time.¡±


    This was but a courtesy, and Jonas, understanding with a smile, did not press further. He naturally knew that his daughter was unlikely to catch Liszt¡¯s eye¡ªthe Marquis families with daughters had probably long been scheming for Liszt, who was now the youngest Sky Knight favored by the Grand Duke.


    ¡­


    On the morning of April 23rd, Jonas and his party set off for Black Horse Island on the Fresh Flower Vessel.


    They only reached Black Horse Port in the afternoon, immediately met with a flurry of construction activity¡ªaccompanied by several refurbished old ships being launched, the port¡¯s throughput was achieving record highs, necessitating expansion and the construction of larger docks and warehouses.


    At the same time, the built-up area of the port town had already merged with Black Horse Port, with various workshops rising from the ground. Following last year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate, Liszt had poached many craftsmen from the Eagle Kingdom. Under Liszt¡¯s support, these craftsmen started establishing their own workshops.


    Admittedly, the population of Black Horse Island was still not significant, with less than twenty thousand, and once allocated across the smaller towns, it became even more sparse. But for a primary development town like the port town, at least five thousand people settled here, with the majority of the island¡¯s trade passing through.


    The pace of development was naturally rapid.


    After exchanging pleasantries with the town officials, the group decided to rest first, planning to conduct a formal inspection the following day. So, the night was spent dining and drinking to excess, indistinguishable from any noble feast.


    ¡°To the glory of knights, cheers!¡±

 Chapter 566 - Chapter 566: Chapter 563: Abandoned Cordyceps and the Magic Web (Second Update)

    Chapter 566: Chapter 563: Abandoned Cordyceps and the Magic Web (Second Update)


    The so-called inspection often amounts to little more than a cursory overview of the territory¡¯s general situation, without the possibility of delving into the specifics of the territory¡¯s production and population.


    ¡°Is that a Mage Tower?¡± Count Jonas asked, pointing to a building in the distance that rose like a cylinder.


    ¡°Yes, it is one dedicated to the service of the Grand Magician, Lady Chris Truth, who has built it. She is not fond of the social gatherings among nobles and has recently been absorbed in researching a certain magic, so she did not attend last night¡¯s dinner,¡± explained Consultant Goltai, the guide for the inspection team.


    Earl Li Weiliam and Viscount Liszt, obviously not wanting to act as tour guides, left Goltai as the most suitable person for the task.


    The appearance of the Mage Tower is somewhat similar to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, totaling five levels.


    The base level is the tallest, at nine meters high, housing the Magic Academy; the second through fourth levels each stand at a standard height of five meters, with the second level consisting of rooms for the academy¡¯s students and teachers; the third level is a workshop for concocting Magic Potions; the fourth level is a workshop for producing Magic Equipment; and the fifth level, at a height of six meters, is Chris Truth¡¯s personal space, including her bedroom, study, and laboratory.


    Hence, the total height of the Mage Tower is thirty meters.


    Beyond the fifth level, there is also a basement, used for storage.


    Count Jonas was a bit puzzled: ¡°Liszt, did you actually build a Mage Tower for the magician without even constructing a castle?¡±


    This was not in line with the usual noble style. While it was indeed important to provide for magicians, in terms of importance, it was secondary to the castles where nobles resided. Within the social hierarchy, nobles were always the most esteemed group, and all luxuries should first be available to them before other classes.


    Liszt could not say he was building up the architects¡¯ experience, nor could he say it was to win over magicians¡ªdue to the Marquis of Bull¡¯s dragon slaying incident, the noble opinion of magicians within the country was quite poor.


    So he simply smiled, ¡°My castle differs significantly in structure from standard castles, so as the design is not yet complete, the Mage Tower was built first. In fact, I quite enjoy staying in the small castle in Fresh Flower Town and am not in a hurry to move into a spacious, famous castle.¡±


    This rationale was somewhat forced; a normal noble would definitely prioritize the construction of a castle, as their defensive and residential qualities are essential to a noble¡¯s standing.


    However, Jonas did not press the issue further and quickly moved on to the next inspection site.


    The next site was the mushroom greenhouses in Mushroom Town. The thousand-acre greenhouse project had been completed and was still expanding, basically reaching a scale of two thousand acres. With the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms production halting, Flame Mushrooms have been largely cultivated here.


    Liszt was also requesting serfs to continue expanding the cultivated area.


    And he was already negotiating with The Levis Couple to send serfs to learn the Flame Mushroom cultivation techniques, with plans to promote it on Coral Island in the future¡ªprofits per acre of Flame Mushrooms were to be shared with Liszt, with the specific share still under discussion.


    ¡°This is the territory¡¯s specialty, the Flame Mushroom, a type of Magic Mushroom fostered by Abandoned Cordyceps, with a Fire Attribute. We are endeavoring to increase production,¡± Goltai explained, knowing the formula was kept under strict security, so there was no fear of others stealing it simply by visiting.


    Count Jonas looked at the endless stretch of greenhouses and expressed his surprise, ¡°How many acres of Flame Mushrooms have you planted?¡±


    ¡°About two thousand acres, and we¡¯re still expanding.¡±


    ¡°Two thousand acres? All planted with Flame Mushrooms?¡±


    Sensing something off in Jonas¡¯s tone, Liszt frowned and asked, ¡°What is it, Count Jonas? Is there an issue with that?¡±


    ¡°How is the harvest of Flame Mushrooms in your territory, and what about the efficiency of refining Magic Potions from them?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve just expanded our scale; the first batch has yet to be harvested.¡±


    Jonas nodded, then said to Earl Li Weiliam, ¡°Earl Li Weiliam, have you not reminded Liszt?¡±


    Li Weiliam was clueless, ¡°Reminded him of what?¡±


    Liszt felt the same way, ¡°Is there a problem with my Flame Mushrooms?¡±


    ¡°Unless there is some unforeseeable issue, the quality of these two thousand acres of Flame Mushrooms will be very poor, and the efficacy of the Magic Potions extracted will be greatly diminished.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°It seems your understanding of the Abandoned Cordyceps is indeed lacking,¡± said Jonas with a hint of regret. ¡°Mushrooms, although not restricted by elves, still have a cultivation scale limitation. Within a million square kilometers, generally more than a thousand acres will significantly degrade, and some varieties degrade even if exceeding six hundred acres.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Liszt was clearly baffled, ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, the magic power source of Abandoned Cordyceps is related to the Magic Web.¡±


    ¡°The Magic Web?¡± It wasn¡¯t Liszt who expressed surprise, but Earl Li Weiliam, ¡°Count Jonas, are you talking about the Magic Web that only Archmages are said to be able to touch?¡±


    ¡°Yes, according to what those magicians say, the world is enveloped by the Magic Web, and whoever touches it can advance to become an Archmage.¡±


    Jonas shook his head, ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t tell you more because even the Court Grand Mage doesn¡¯t fully understand the Magic Web. Nonetheless, it¡¯s very likely that the Abandoned Cordyceps are subject to the limitations of the Magic Web, which would explain the characteristic that only six hundred to a thousand acres can be cultivated within a million square kilometers.¡±


    The limitations of the Abandoned Cordyceps.


    The existence of the Magic Web.


    This was undoubtedly a significant blow to Liszt¡¯s ambitious plans for his Flame Mushrooms. The total land area of the Duchy of Sapphire was about two million square kilometers, and adding the maritime territory, it was only six or seven million square kilometers. Planting across the entire island nation would yield only a little over six thousand acres at most.


    As for Black Horse Island and Coral Island, evidently neither had an area close to a million square kilometers, meaning if Black Horse Island had a thousand acres planted, then Coral Island would have none.


    ¡°To think there are such restrictions.¡± Liszt was somewhat at a loss; he had planned to meet the growing demand for Magic Potions by continuously expanding the cultivation of Flame Mushrooms.


    Jonas then said, ¡°It is indeed unfortunate, you will need to clear the excess Flame Mushrooms, ensuring only a thousand acres remain¡­ However, the exact amount you need to find out through your own exploration because different Abandoned Cordyceps have varying cultivation densities and species differences, which can affect the Magic Web¡¯s restriction.¡±


    ¡°It appears that¡¯s the only way,¡± Liszt didn¡¯t doubt the other¡¯s word. The new batch of Flame Mushrooms would soon mature, and then he would know whether the quality had degraded or not.


    Suddenly, Earl Li Weiliam asked, ¡°Count Jonas, do you have any Abandoned Cordyceps in your industries?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my Moonlight City grows the ¡®Blue Pine Mushroom¡¯, a type of Water Attribute Abandoned Cordyceps. If Liszt is willing, I can exchange the planting techniques for Blue Pine Mushroom with the planting techniques for Flame Mushroom. Blue Dragon Island is far from Black Horse Island, so there is no conflict between us.¡±


    Liszt quickly composed himself.


    He responded, ¡°Blue Pine Mushroom, huh? I think such cooperation could be feasible.¡±


    Jonas added, ¡°The trade of Abandoned Cordyceps can maximize benefits. I can help you connect with nobles who have suitable conditions for growing Abandoned Cordyceps, and involve them in the multilateral trade of Abandoned Cordyceps.¡±


    The restriction of the Magic Web.


    This led to limited regions where Abandoned Cordyceps could be cultivated, resulting in each noble wanting to sell their Abandoned Cordyceps to those far from their own lands, with certain terms attached¡ªthe most important being to restrict the spread of the Abandoned Cordyceps to prevent them from eventually making their way back to their own area, causing degradation of the species.


    However, given the large size of the Duchy of Sapphire, some potential Flame Mushroom customers could always be found.


    With Jonas spearheading the effort, Flame Mushrooms could be better traded with other nobles for Abandoned Cordyceps, obtaining more varieties of the species, which was a way to indirectly alleviate the restrictions of the Magic Web.

 Chapter 568 - Chapter 568: Chapter 0565: Nodes in the Magic Web (First Update)

    Chapter 568: Chapter 0565: Nodes in the Magic Web (First Update)


    ¡°Completion of the task: Reward with the Blue Blood Knight Suit.¡±


    Once the faction made a choice, the Blue Blood Knight Suit naturally came into their possession, and a lively banquet immediately ensued.


    Count Jonas, on the second day after the dinner, April 26th, set off to return to Blue Dragon Island.


    He also arranged to convene all the nobles suitable for trading Abandoned Cordyceps, on June 10th, a month and a half later, to come to Black Horse Island for the technology trade of Flame Mushrooms.


    Prior to his departure, he made another request, ¡°Viscount Liszt, the new-style food prepared by your chef, Mrs. Abbie, is simply too tempting. I hope to bring a team of chefs to learn some special dishes from Mrs. Abbie during the Abandoned Cordyceps trade.¡±


    ¡°Earl, since you are taking care of the Abandoned Cordyceps trade for me, the exchange of chefs naturally goes without saying. Feel free to send chefs to learn, and I believe Mrs. Abbie would be happy to spread them far and wide, except for those few dishes that can be passed down to offspring.¡±


    Gourmet food does not make money.


    Besides some private dishes, which are included in the exclusive menu of the Castle, most of the gourmet dishes have been handed over to the restaurants in Fresh Flower Town and the port towns for public business. Tulip Castle, Falcon Town, Shattered Stone Castle, and Beer Castle have all sent chefs to learn dishes from Mrs. Abbie.


    Liszt did not mind Count Jonas took these dishes to Blue Dragon Island, finding the idea of spreading these home-cooked dishes quite interesting.


    At least as the dishes spread, the names of Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island would also become widely known.


    Broadening his reputation.


    ¡­


    ¡°Task: Under the effect of the contract, and with the teaching of Sea Sprite Ake, the Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike has become increasingly humanized and has evolved into a Greater Elf that can communicate normally. Why not help it break through a vocabulary of one thousand? Reward: A migratory flock of flamingoes.¡±


    This was the latest task.


    After sending off Count Jonas and his party, the domain finally settled down. Liszt did not rush to expedite the progress of the task, trusting in Ake¡¯s teachings to Pike.


    He also did not pay attention to the reward for the task¡ªafter more than two years and completing over one hundred and ten tasks, he had become numb to the rewards.


    After all, the rewards were certain to be obtained sooner or later, so there was no point in worrying before getting them.


    As long as they were not chain tasks, the content of the rewards was not worth fretting over.


    Early in the morning, he arrived at the Mage Tower and met Chris Truth, not bothering with pleasantries, and directly took out three magic casting plans recently written by Ake.


    One was Advanced Magic-Water Vortex Fusion; one was Common Magic ¨C Water Strike Cannon; and one was Common Magic ¨C Ring of Water.


    Water Vortex Fusion had been witnessed by Liszt himself and ranked among the top in terms of lethality in all systems of high-level magic; Water Strike Cannon was like a high-pressure water gun attack with average power; Ring of Water was special, summoning a ring of water to revolve around the body, which could automatically defend against attacks.


    ¡°Viscount, where did you get these three Water System magic spells from? I have never seen this kind of magic, not even heard of it. Looking at their casting plans, they seem very novel,¡± Chris, who came from the Goat Assembly and was quite knowledgeable, mentioned after looking over the casting plans, judging the three Water System magic spells to be creative.


    Liszt spoke indifferently, ¡°I traded for them from outside, they might not be held by magicians of the Duchy of Sapphire.¡±


    Chris solemnly put away the casting plans, ¡°It seems that they were created by magicians from the other side of the continent. I need some time to study and learn them; they are quite interesting.¡±


    ¡°Chris, let¡¯s put the matter of magic aside for now. I¡¯ve come today to ask you, have you ever heard of the Magic Web?¡±


    ¡°Magic Web?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Magic Web,¡± Liszt meticulously explained the limitations of Abandoned Cordyceps in relation to the Magic Web, ¡°I am currently instructing my people to research whether the quality and scale of Flame Mushroom cultivation are related. If there truly is a connection, then the existence of the Magic Web might be beyond doubt. After all, it concerns the advancement of Archmages, and I think you should pay more attention to it.¡±


    Chris shook her head, ¡°I apologize, but up until now, I¡¯ve never heard of the Magic Web. Even though it¡¯s unlikely that I¡¯ll have the opportunity to advance to Archmage in this lifetime, I still wish to research it¡­ Viscount, I would like to take charge of investigating the relationship between Flame Mushrooms and the Magic Web.¡±


    ¡°That would be fine, you are a Magician, and your perception of Magic Power is keen, so I am assured leaving this task in your hands. Moreover, in a month and a half, I will trade new batches of Abandoned Cordyceps with other nobles, and you can take over the research then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Viscount.¡±


    ¡­


    Leaving the Mage Tower.


    Liszt was still pondering matters related to the Magic Web, feeling that there was something extraordinary about it, and that Abandoned Cordyceps were merely one demonstration of its functions.


    Even Elves and Dragons might be related to the Magic Web.


    ¡°In many legends, an Archmage is described as a powerful Magician who can single-handedly fight a Dragon. It¡¯s clear to see that elevating from a Grand Magician to an Archmage is similar to a qualitative leap from a Sky Knight to a Dragon Knight. Perhaps this leap in quality is related to the Magic Web?¡±


    According to the basic information supplied by Jonas, the Magic Web envelops the whole world.


    ¡°So could the Magic Web be seen as a rule manifestation within the domain of Magic Power, just as Earth operates on pure physical laws, representing the Magic Power rules?¡± He let his imagination run wild, ¡°Why can Elves farm, and why are they the only ones who can cultivate Magic Potions? Could it be because Elves are a node of the Magic Web?¡±


    They utilize nodes to channel Magic Power, thus cultivating Magic Potions.


    Similarly, why are Dragons so powerful? Could they also be nodes of the Magic Web, allowing them to influence physical laws¡ªGemstone Dragons producing gemstones, Metal Dragons producing metals, Elemental Dragons producing volcanoes, strong winds, etc., and Sacred Dragons even impacting fate or accessing other dimensions?


    Thinking this way, it really does seem plausible, at least the logic holds up.


    However, Liszt lacked any evidence to prove this, and he wasn¡¯t even able to ¡°touch¡± the Magic Web, so naturally, he didn¡¯t know what it truly looked like.


    ¡°Perhaps to start researching the Magic Web, we must wait for Ake¡¯s advancement to Archmage?¡± he wondered, riding the Landwalker bird Loki towards the seaside Castle, ready to share the news of the Magic Web with Ake¡ªRegarding whether Ake could ascend to Archmage, he still harbored strong confidence.


    The little Sea Monster¡¯s talent in Water Magic was truly terrifying.


    After arriving at the seaside Castle.


    Ake was teaching Pike to speak, capable of multitasking as she studied a book of Magic on the side, which made her extremely happy.


    ¡°Ake, I have some information related to Archmages to share with you. It is said that our world is surrounded by the Magic Web, and to ascend to Archmage, one must touch the Magic Web¡­ The details are sketchy, but the restrictions of Abandoned Cordyceps are a manifestation of the Magic Web, and I suspect that Elves and Dragons might actually be nodes in the Magic Web.¡±


    ¡°Magic Web? Archmage? Nodes?¡± Ake was evidently intrigued.


    ¡°Have you ever seen a spiderweb?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡±


    ¡°Each strand of a spiderweb converges at certain points¡ªthose are the nodes. If we consider a spiderweb as a network transmitting information, then the nodes are where all information from the nearby strands is collected. Extending this to the Magic Web, could the locations where Magic Power interacts with reality be the nodes?¡±


    Having finished, Liszt added, ¡°Of course, this is just my personal speculation. Don¡¯t be too quick to believe it, lest you be misled by me.¡±


    He did not know if the Magic Web was similar to the internet or if his own knowledge provided any enlightenment; in this area, there was little he could assist with, and the Magicians must explore the Magic Web on their own.

 Chapter 569 - Chapter 569: Chapter 0566: The Secret Seat of the Dragon Knight (Second Update)

    Chapter 569: Chapter 0566: The Secret Seat of the Dragon Knight (Second Update)


    The Magic Web was a new discovery, neither Chris nor Ach had explored it, so the two of them needed to search on their own. But Liszt, inspired by internet nodes, had his own set of conjectures about the Magic Web.


    On the spot, inspiration burst forth, and he prepared to write a speculative book on the relationship between the Magic Web, Elves, and Dragons.


    Although he was a true Knight ¡ª a Half-Step Dragon Knight.


    That didn¡¯t hinder his achievements in the field of Magecraft. The two books involving magic theory, ¡°Three-Phase Magic Array and Reality Interaction Theory¡± and ¡°The Unification of Triangular Theory and Magic Array Structures¡±, were enough to secure his position within the circle of ¡°Truth.¡±


    Even Chris and Ach, both Grand Magicians, gave ample affirmation to his theories.


    This was much more significant than what those ordinary magicians were fumbling with, such as nonsensical alchemy or enhancing Fireball Technique, because his writings looked at the essence through the phenomena. It was like Einstein¡¯s treatise ¡°The Theory of Relativity¡± in the physical sciences, a study of theoretical physics.


    He, on the other hand, pursued the study of theoretical magic power.


    Nowadays, he had yet another new theory to put forth and was preparing to take time to write the book ¡°The Conjectures on the Nexus of the Magic Net, Elves, and Dragons¡±.


    Maybe in a thousand years, many Grand Magicians would rely on this magic book to advance to the level of Archmage.


    Perhaps humanity could use this book to mass-produce Elves and Dragons.


    ¡°No, this book can be written, but must not be published; like my previous two treatises, it can only circulate within my domain. This knowledge isn¡¯t ready to be disseminated. If it were to inspire magicians from other lands, it wouldn¡¯t be a good thing.¡± Fundamentally, Liszt still distrusted magicians.


    He certainly didn¡¯t want to repeat the mistakes of the Sapphire Duke and the Sapphire Dragon, to have another dragon-slaying incident caused by a magician.


    Time whisked by.


    Before even starting on his new work, he rode the Rainbow Whale Rose alongside Ach to Dodo Island. Upon arriving, he summoned the Little Fire Dragon Leo at the volcano crater.


    ¡°Oh hoo!¡±


    Flames burst out of the lava, forming a Fire Dragon clad in black and red scales.


    It might have been an illusion, but Liszt noticed that, having not seen Leo for just a few days, he seemed larger. After consulting Ach, it was clear that Leo indeed grew larger. It was evident how crucial a volcano, alive with magma, was for the growth of a Fire Dragon.


    ¡°Eat up, this is beef transported from Red Crab Island. To get you your favorite beef, I¡¯ve bought all the available cattle on Coral Island.¡± As Leo ate, Liszt took the opportunity to stroke him lovingly, to deepen their bond.


    Without looking up, Leo responded: ¡°Oh hoo!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s hardly any beef left on Coral Island now, I had to buy it at a high price from Red Crab Island. It¡¯s not easy to feed you. And I only come here to train with you every five days; once I receive the Pioneer Mandate, I may not even be here for months. Without my support, how could you live so comfortably?¡±


    Perhaps language didn¡¯t have as much effect as food, but long-term, subtle influences would definitely have a brainwashing effect, making the Little Fire Dragon Leo eventually accept him.


    He had come to see.


    Dragons were too proud by nature, even juvenile ones retained an intrinsic aloofness.


    To succeed in Dragon Riding, one needed to deepen the bond over years, gradually softening the Dragon¡¯s pride, eventually becoming partners who fought side by side.


    Even then, he vaguely discovered something, that there was a flat spot on the back of a Dragon, right at the scapula, which seemed ideal for riding ¡ª possibly related to Dragon Knights ¡ª to be precise, likely a ¡°contract¡± spot. Once mounted, unexpected changes might occur.


    As for why he thought so.


    It came to him as he reflected carefully, after his enthusiasm for Dragon Riding cooled down.


    Because when he had seen the Sapphire Duke riding the dragon at Juniper Castle, he had clearly observed that the Sapphire Duke was standing on the dragon¡¯s back, not sitting. Whether it was the Sapphire Dragon, the Formless Dragon, or Little Fire Dragon Leo, the neck and shoulder areas of these dragons all had a spot suitable for riding.


    The Duke didn¡¯t need to show off, standing on the dragon¡¯s back instead of sitting in the right spot.


    ¡°So, the Duke might not have become a Dragon Knight at all, but rather, he might exist in another way¡ªas the Dragon Domain Landlord!¡± Liszt speculated in his heart.


    Years ago, when Annute Lanbao sought to become the Dragon Domain Landlord, with the annihilation of him and the Magic Goat Family, it¡¯s likely that the technology to be a Dragon Domain Landlord had fallen into the hands of the Sapphire Family.


    Perhaps the attack on the Sapphire Dragon by the Marquis of Bull and the magicians of the Goat Assembly, which left it gravely wounded and transformed into a Lich, prompted the Duke to pick up this technology and become the Dragon Domain Landlord. That would explain the scene where he turned the tide of battle, sending the Marquis of Bull back to his original form and capturing him.


    However, Liszt could not guarantee his conclusion was correct.


    He had never seen what a Dragon Knight looked like, so whether the Duke standing on the dragon¡¯s back represented a Dragon Knight or a Dragon Domain Landlord was hard to say.


    But this did not prevent him from coveting the spot above Leo¡¯s shoulder blades.


    He could now touch Leo¡¯s body at will but couldn¡¯t climb on and ride yet, so uncovering the secrets of that spot would still take time.


    ¡°Whether riding up there establishes the ¡®contract¡¯ of a Dragon Knight will surely be discovered by me one day!¡±


    His heart was burning with passion.


    Yet his reasoning remained calm, not rushing to ride the dragon.


    After making sure Leo was well-fed and content, the training officially began. He started with Dragon Breath Tempering, pushing Leo to the brink of exhaustion. Then he gave the dragon a short rest and a snack of magic potions. Next, he merged with the flame and absorbed it into his body, performing another exercise¡ªDragon Magic Refining Qi¡ªand continued to consume Magic Potions to enhance his Dragon Dou Qi.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    After a night had passed.


    Feeling refreshed, he bid farewell to Little Fire Dragon Leo and officially concluded this round of training. At the foot of the mountain, he collected a large batch of Hemp Rope Vine seeds before leaving Dodo Island.


    The Hemp Rope Vine sample had already been studied, with tensile strength comparable to iron wire of the same thickness and great flexibility. Especially with advice from a master who knew how to make hemp ropes, it could be treated with oil to prevent decay and maintain the vine¡¯s flexibility. It definitely could replace hemp rope and become an important resource.


    So he planned to plant a large batch of Hemp Rope Vine in his domain, add more fertilizer, and strive to cultivate an Hemp Rope Vine Elf Bug at some point.


    ¡°Ach, have you seen those two Advanced Magical Beasts, the Water Explosion Giant Whales, since last time?¡± Liszt asked, gazing at the calm and vast sea.


    He had named those two gigantic whale Sea Monsters Water Explosion Giant Whales and identified them as Advanced Magical Beasts¡ªbelieving he was the discoverer, and under Earth¡¯s academic rules, the discoverer had the naming rights. The name was based on the Sea Monsters¡¯ Vacuum Water Burst Magic.


    These were only the second Advanced Magical Beasts he had seen.


    Ach shook his head, ¡°No, they might have left already. Didn¡¯t you say that whales can migrate thousands of miles in the ocean, Brother?¡±


    ¡°Indeed ¡­ what a pity to have only glimpsed an Advanced Magical Beast and missed each other in a fleeting moment,¡± Liszt sighed.


    He had watched documentaries where some whales migrated from tropical seas to Antarctic waters, and some even swam from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Other documentaries claimed that whales are social animals, though the range of their ¡®group¡¯ might span hundreds to thousands of kilometers.


    It was a rare opportunity to see an Advanced Magical Beast that passed by in a flash.


    However, what he didn¡¯t expect was that within a couple of days of returning to his domain, the Giant Algae Greater Elf¡¯s vocabulary had broken through a thousand words, then the Smoke Mission was completed, and the new mission was related to Advanced Magical Beasts.

 Chapter 571 - Chapter 571: Chapter 0568: The Hunters Grand Entrance (First Update)

    Chapter 571: Chapter 0568: The Hunter¡¯s Grand Entrance (First Update)


    Dying in the prime of youth might also be a form of beauty.


    Paris thought so, but Liszt didn¡¯t care much for the sentiment. Sooner or later, he would investigate Paris¡¯s Black Dragon Childe identity, which could provide good insights and guidance for the application of Dragon Magic Power. A Black Dragon Childe or a White Dragon Wraith seemed somewhat evil to humans, but apparently beneficial to dragons.


    According to Paris, without changes, she would be consumed by the Magic Power of the Light Dragon and eventually return to it¡ªthe Dragon Wraith seemed to be a form of cultivation method. If Little Fire Dragon Leo could learn it, shedding Three Thousand Drops of Blood¡­ creating three thousand Black Dragon Childe, wouldn¡¯t his growth be rapid?


    Of course.


    For the time being, Liszt hadn¡¯t even completed Dragon Riding, and unlocking the mystery of the Black Dragon Childe was still a long way off. There was no need to rush.


    After resting for a night in the port town, he rode the Rainbow Whale Rose early the next morning to the southwest beach of Coral Island, which was the territory of the Purple Sand Crocodile.


    ¡°I wonder if the Magical Beast has finished off the Purple Sand Crocodile. If it has finished feeding, then this trip would be for naught.¡±


    The beach where the Purple Sand Crocodile resided was vast, but for Liszt, having the Eye of Magic was like being equipped with radar¡ªit was very easy to spot the Purple Sand Crocodile¡¯s traces.


    It was lurking at the edge of the beach in the sea, not yet preyed upon.


    Liszt didn¡¯t disturb it, opting instead to wait nearby. ¡°Where is that Advanced Magical Beast?¡± His gaze searched the area, but he saw no sign of the shadow of the Advanced Magical Beast mentioned in the Smoke Mission.


    Thankfully, he had plenty of patience.


    He waited for two long hours.


    As the day grew brighter, the Purple Sand Crocodile finally grew restless in the ocean and began to crawl up onshore. This part of the beach, with many unnamed mixed trees, offered the Purple Sand Crocodile a large range of activity, and it continued along the beach into the depth of the woods. Liszt signaled Rose to stay by the shore while he hastily followed the Purple Sand Crocodile.


    A moment later.


    The Purple Sand Crocodile crossed the beach and the marshland, sliding into a swampy lake. Its massive body quickly blended with the mud, leaving only its head above water, waiting for prey to arrive.


    Liszt climbed up a nearby tree, playing the role of the mantis stalking the cicada, the oriole behind, quietly waiting for the Advanced Magical Beast to appear.


    In a blink.


    Noon arrived; the Purple Sand Crocodile had not caught its prey and was still waiting, while the shadow of the Advanced Magical Beast had yet to appear. Liszt was still not anxious. He took out the lunch he had prepared and started eating it in the tree¡ªthough he usually dined finely, enjoying his meals, this didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t endure hardships.


    He was just somewhat unaccustomed to it.


    Dining in the castle was clean and hygienic. After finishing a dish, he would wipe his hands, sip some wine, maintaining his demeanor neat and tidy, while not letting the taste of one dish interfere with the next. Outdoors, he could only rely on himself; his hands became greasy, and it wasn¡¯t convenient to savor wine.


    All in all, the flavor of the food and dining atmosphere were greatly compromised.


    Gradually.


    The sun began to tilt.


    Liszt, leaning against the tree trunk, almost dozed off in a daze. At that moment, he activated the Eye of Magic out of habit, scanning the surroundings and was startled. At some point, a colossal creature outlined in red Magic Power had appeared on the edge of the swamp.


    It was a bird-like creature, hidden among the shrubs by the swamp.


    Dispelling the Eye of Magic and invigorating his spirit, Liszt observed this Fire-Attribute High-Level Magical Beast with his naked eye¡ªcompared to the surrounding trees, its height reached just to the neck of a ten-meter-tall tree, meaning it stood over ten meters tall. Its grey-brown feathers, when not considering its head and neck, resembled that of a large crane or stork.


    However, looking at its thick neck and the massive head upon it, it differed greatly from any crane or stork.


    Especially the large bird¡¯s bill, flaxen and covered in brown spots; it looked like an enormous boot.


    This reminded Liszt of the dopey large birds he had once seen in online videos¡ªthe Whalehead Stork. When the Whalehead Stork in the videos was fed fish, it repeatedly dropped them from its mouth, which was truly clumsy, no wonder it was said to be near extinction.


    The Advanced Magical Beast before him was not one to be compared with a Whalehead Stork. Although it had a similar appearance, its posture and presence were majestic and intimidating, and its rich red Magic Power evidenced its strength.


    It stood motionless in the bushes.


    Its sharp eyes intently focused on the Purple Sand Crocodile in the swamp, not even blinking.


    Hours passed, one after the other¡­


    ¡°Might as well call you the Boot Beak Giant Stork, your beak really does resemble a boot, and your body is like that of a heron or a stork, plus your massive size. This name is quite pictorial and summarises all about you.¡± Liszt got bored and started naming the bird. By the time he finished naming it, the sky was almost dark.


    In those afternoon hours, the Purple Sand Crocodile still hadn¡¯t waited for any prey, and the Boot Beak Giant Stork was still standing in the bushes, patiently waiting.


    It has to be said.


    The patience of animals when hunting is indeed very strong.


    It made him think about driving a prey to the Purple Sand Crocodile for feeding, then luring the Boot Beak Giant Stork to hunt the Purple Sand Crocodile. Or perhaps, he thought more impetuously about charging straight forward and battling the Boot Beak Giant Stork directly, disregard its status as an Advanced Magical Beast, just hunt it down straight away.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s wait some more, there¡¯s plenty of time, no need to take risks.¡±


    The thought had just settled.


    The scene turned unexpectedly, suddenly a few grunting sounds of pigs could be heard. Two large Thunderfang Boars leading several smaller ones ran towards the marshland. Thunderfang Boars are Thunder Attribute Low-Level Magical Beasts that can release Magic-Thunder Strike Flash.


    Back at Thorn Ridge, Liszt, in cooperation with the knights, had once hunted Thunderfang Boars¡ªtough-skinned and somewhat difficult to deal with.


    As these Thunderfang Boars entered the swamp, they began to roll in the marshy mud, grunting playfully and oblivious to the fact that they were inching closer to the Grim Reaper. Finally, one of the larger Thunderfang Boars rolled near the Purple Sand Crocodile. The next second, the Purple Sand Crocodile suddenly pounced.


    Its huge mouth clamped on the Thunderfang Boar, violently twisting its body and submerging the boar into the swamp.


    ¡°Grunt!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The remaining Thunderfang Boars frantically scattered. However, the Purple Sand Crocodile did not care about them. The single ton-heavy Thunderfang Boar it captured was enough for it to luxuriously indulge in a big meal. Yet, like the Thunderfang Boars, the Purple Sand Crocodile was unaware that it was not at the top of the food chain.


    As it was numbed by the struggling Thunderfang Boar continuously releasing Lightning Flash and had to surface from the marsh, the Boot Beak Giant Stork that had been hiding in the shrubs all afternoon swiftly struck.


    Its wings spread wide and its long legs stepped forward, as its enormous boot-shaped beak, alongside its body, shot out like lightning, savagely pecking at the Purple Sand Crocodile¡¯s head.


    Within its beak, a Super Fireball was brewing, an Advanced Magic that with each powerful peck on the Purple Sand Crocodile¡¯s head, smashed the crocodile, almost charring its skull. Flapping its wings, it also cast another sort of Advanced Magic, Flame Slash, severely slicing at the Purple Sand Crocodile¡¯s body.


    The Purple Sand Crocodile hastily shook off the half-dead Thunderfang Boar, opened its mouth and spat out its own Advanced Magic, Water Wave Shield, conjuring armor for itself. Then, it fiercely unleashed another Advanced Magic, Water Arrow Barrage, striking back at the Boot Beak Giant Stork. As an Intermediate Magical Beast, it was bigger than the Boot Beak Giant Stork.


    Its counterattack was also extremely fierce.


    But it couldn¡¯t change its fate.


    The Boot Beak Giant Stork was agile, with dodging and swift movements, continually releasing various kinds of magic¡ªfireballs in rapid succession, Fire Resistance Rings, Flame Slash, Super Fireball, Flame Tornado, Dancing Fire Snakes¡­ It was like a moving arsenal of spells, relentlessly bombarding the Purple Sand Crocodile, ultimately breaking through the Water Wave Shield and brutally charring the crocodile¡¯s body.


    The giant beak didn¡¯t forget to keep hammering down on the Purple Sand Crocodile¡¯s head, its objective clear¡ªto crack open the Purple Sand Crocodile¡¯s skull, as the crocodile¡¯s skin was too thick and its magic baking apparently hadn¡¯t fully cooked its opponent.


    ¡°Gurgling¡­¡±


    In agony, the Purple Sand Crocodile wailed, but no matter how it rolled, it couldn¡¯t stop the Boot Beak Giant Stork from drilling a hole in its head. Soon, with a crack, the skull broke and even its brain splattered out.


    The wailing gradually ceased, and the body was left with only simple twitching.


    The Boot Beak Giant Stork flapped its wings, uttering a strange call of satisfaction, ready to enjoy today¡¯s feast in the afterglow of the setting sun.


    ¡°Phew!¡±


    Having watched the exciting hunting scene from the tree, Liszt jumped down. Suddenly drawing the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, he circulated the Dragon Dou Qi within his body. His legs kicked off, as if shot like an arrow soaring into the sky. Then, wrapped in the vast Dragon Dou Qi, he executed the move ¡°Setting Sun Drop¡± from ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±.


    Together with the already hidden sunset in the sky, he shone mutually, diving down towards the Boot Beak Giant Stork.


    Now!


    The praying mantis had caught the cicada, the oriole behind did the mantis in. It was time for the hunter to make a grand entrance!

 Chapter 572 - Chapter 572: Chapter 0569: New Special Category of Magic (Second Update)

    Chapter 572: Chapter 0569: New Special Category of Magic (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The Dragon Knight made his entrance with an imposing aura.


    Enveloped in the mighty high-level fire attribute Dragon Dou Qi, the Setting Sun Drop fiercely struck the Advanced Magical Beast Boot-beaked Giant Stork. The move was so sudden that the stork had barely reacted when the unstoppable Dou Qi technique had already hit it.


    But at that moment.


    The Boot-beaked Giant Stork instantly released an Advanced Magic ¨C Fire Resistance Ring.


    Boom!


    Huge flames burst from the body of the Boot-beaked Giant Stork, trying to deflect Liszt¡¯s attack. However, as soon as the resisting force touched the Dragon Dou Qi released by Liszt, it quickly collapsed. Following that, the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword brutally smashed into the stork¡¯s body, severing a large number of feathers.


    The stork¡¯s body was then slammed into the marshy mud, with its big head screaming as it plunged into the water.


    ¡°That felt weak!¡±


    Liszt felt an unreal sense of haziness, as he was attacking an Advanced Magical Beast that the Duchy of Sapphire could hardly find a few of. Yet, with one strike, it was like swatting a fly, too easy.


    ¡°Ooga!¡± Pulling out its bird head, the Boot-beaked Giant Stork was furious and spewed out a long chain of fireballs, shooting in a string like pearls.


    This was the Fire-based Advanced Magic ¨C Fireball Barrage.


    Liszt swung the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, the Dragon Dou Qi adhering and spurting out, forming a forbidden zone. All the fireballs that slammed in front of him quickly dissipated into nothingness, unable to touch him at all.


    ¡°Magic that can¡¯t withstand a single blow!¡±


    ¡°Is this the overwhelming power of Dragon Magic over ordinary magic power¡­¡± Overflowing with excitement, Liszt felt that combat was far simpler than he had expected. Ever since his Dou Qi had advanced to Dragon Dou Qi, every battle had been utterly one-sided.


    Earl Li Weiliam was no longer his match.


    And the Advanced Magical Beast Boot-beaked Giant Stork was just so-so, merely slightly stronger than a low-level Magical Beast.


    Scorching Sun Sting!


    He lunged forward, thrusting the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, once again knocking down the Boot-beaked Giant Stork that had not yet stabilized, and dug out a charred hole in the chest and belly of the giant bird.


    ¡°Ooga!¡±


    In pain, the Boot-beaked Giant Stork ceased casting magic and instead frantically flapped its wings. The strong winds generated by its enormous wings were even more powerful than Wind System Magic. Importantly, the splashes of mud and muddy water scattered everywhere. Once again, as they were vaporized by Liszt¡¯s Dragon Dou Qi, a mist formed.


    None of this affected Liszt.


    He took advantage of the momentum to push off, stepping on the corpse of the Purple Sand Crocodile and flew straight into the sky, then circled back down, performing another Setting Sun Drop, turning into a roaring red sun as he plummeted down. The spewing high-level Fire Dragon Dou Qi turned into a sky-wide inferno, hitting the Boot-beaked Giant Stork head-on.


    Rumble!


    The Boot-beaked Giant Stork, like the Purple Sand Crocodile before it, was powerless to retaliate, its speed, attack power, and the nature of its magic power all utterly unable to withstand Liszt.


    The outcome that awaited it was thus sealed, and ten minutes later, the Boot-beaked Giant Stork breathed its last.


    Liszt stood on its corpse, panting heavily¡ªalthough it was a one-sided slaughter, high-level Magical Beasts were after all very enduring. Going back and forth for ten minutes exhausted almost half of his Dou Qi reserve¡ªsuch strength was basically equivalent to a Sky Knight at the Completion Level.


    ¡°The Purple Sand Crocodile consumed a wave of magic power, plus I didn¡¯t let it fly away, as an avian Magical Beast, that probably cut its strength by half¡­ But even if it had fought with all its might, it wouldn¡¯t be my match. The overwhelming nature of Dragon Dou Qi against ordinary magic power is just too strong.¡±


    He reflected on the details of the fight for a moment, summarizing any shortcomings.


    By now the sky had completely darkened, and Liszt, looking at the corpses of the Boot-beaked Giant Stork, the Purple Sand Crocodile, and the Thunderfang Boar, felt a bit troubled.


    ¡°`


    ¡°What about these corpses? The Boot Beak Giant Stork can be taken away secretly, but the Purple Sand Crocodile is after all produced from the Earl¡¯s territory, belonging to the Earl¡¯s private wealth¡­ Forget it, just take all away, it was the Boot Beak Giant Stork that hunted the Purple Sand Crocodile. Later, I¡¯ll compensate for the loss of the Earl¡¯s Purple Sand Crocodile from somewhere else.¡±


    The meat of an Advanced Magical Beast, Liszt didn¡¯t want to give up, but if he handed over the Purple Sand Crocodile to the Earl, it would obviously expose the existence of the Boot Beak Giant Stork¡ªthe wounds couldn¡¯t be concealed, only an Advanced Magical Beast could hunt an Intermediate Magical Beast.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just make up an excuse and say Seagull Island was invaded by an Advanced Magical Beast, and I slayed it¡­ The Earl should understand later that the Purple Sand Crocodile was hunted by an Advanced Magical Beast¡­ I¡¯ll send some Boot Beak Giant Stork meat to the Earl to taste, this matter should then be over.¡±


    ¡°After all, if I hadn¡¯t taken action, the Earl would not have been able to deal with the Boot Beak Giant Stork; he should be thanking me!¡±


    ¡°Who tells me to be a son, to suffer a bit.¡±


    Thoughts concluded.


    He looked at the corpse of the Boot Beak Giant Stork and sighed faintly, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I fought too hard at the time; if I could have held back and tamed it, an Advanced Flying Magical Beast as a mount would definitely be impressive¡­ But it doesn¡¯t matter, I now have Intermediate Dragon Beast Loki, and in the future there will be dragons, what do I want this ugly Boot Beak Giant Stork for!¡±


    The Boot Beak Giant Stork was an adult Advanced Magical Beast and not easy to tame, a big danger to leave in the territory. The most crucial point was that Liszt really didn¡¯t lack mounts, and they were all Dragon Beast mounts. It was rare to encounter an Advanced Magical Beast; better to kill it for its meat¡ªan absolute nourishment.


    The Gemstone Space was limited and could not fit such a large Magical Beast.


    So he could only leave the three corpses here for now, and head back to the beach first, took out the Conch Horn, and started playing it rhythmically.


    ¡°Jiyo!¡±


    A moment later, a response from Rainbow Whale Rose came over the sea; it hadn¡¯t left and was waiting for Liszt all along.


    Mounting it, Liszt gave the direct command, ¡°Rose, let¡¯s go!¡±


    A few hours later, they returned to Fresh Flower Town.


    He organized the crew overnight, mobilized two cargo ships, and set sail for the southwest end of Coral Island. By the time the sky started to brighten slightly, the ships finally reached the beach. The water was too shallow to anchor near shore, so he had to lower the sampans first and send the serfs to drag the three corpses to the sea¡ªthe Magical Beast corpses decayed slowly, attracting a few Wind Blade Wolves to gnaw on them.


    These Wind Blade Wolves quickly became food for the territory as well.


    With Liszt personally supervising the dragging of the corpses, no other Magical Beast could snatch away these benefits.


    ¡°My Lord, the three Magical Beast corpses and the Wind Blade Wolves¡¯ bodies have been loaded onto the ship,¡± someone reported.


    ¡°Set sail,¡± Liszt directed Isaiah, who was in charge of the operation, ¡°After we return, remember to keep this quiet. I don¡¯t want tonight¡¯s events leaked carelessly.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my Lord. The serfs organized before departure are forthright and dull new serfs, not only are they taciturn, they have barely learned a few phrases of the Serpent Script. Besides, we are heading directly to Black Horse Island, these serfs will assist with the construction on the spot, and the crews of both ships will also be reassigned to new tasks on Black Horse Island.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±


    Although exposing the secret wouldn¡¯t be too problematic, this incident was not exactly honorable, and Liszt did not want to cause misunderstandings.


    ¡­


    The ships sailed on.


    Advanced Magical Beast meat was soon to be enjoyed.


    Smoke Mission had already been completed: ¡°Complete the mission, reward various Abandoned Cordyceps.¡±


    The Abandoned Cordyceps that belonged to him in the first place, as a task reward, made Liszt quite unhappy. He preferred those unknown rewards brought about by the Smoke Missions, rather than reaping benefits that were already certain. It felt like moving candies from his left pocket to the right.


    But he didn¡¯t dwell on it, the new task made him frown.


    ¡°Mission: Magic Medicine Seeds have grown robustly, but you have no clue about cultivating them, and the information might be hidden in those Sun Scripture books. Why not study this pile of books carefully and try to decipher the method of cultivating the Magic Medicine Seeds. Reward: Special Category Magic.¡±

 Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: Chapter 0571: Handing Over the Sun Script Task (First Update)

    Chapter 574: Chapter 0571: Handing Over the Sun Script Task (First Update)


    Is Advanced Magical Beast meat delicious? Actually, it¡¯s not, at least the texture is a bit off.


    ¡°The meat is tough and disappointing,¡± Liszt complained dissatisfactorily. As an Advanced Magical Beast, the Boot Beak Giant Stork indeed had rich nutrition, causing a warm surge in the belly and continually generating Dou Qi with magic power, but its texture couldn¡¯t even compare with the Low-Level Magical Beast, the Wind Blade Wolf¡ªit was dry and overly firm.


    However, even so, followers like Goltai still ate it with tears streaming down their faces.


    ¡°So blessed, in my lifetime I actually got to eat Advanced Magical Beast meat!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lord, praise the lord, the meat of the Boot Beak Giant Stork is so¡­ chewy. It¡¯s the most precious food I¡¯ve ever eaten!¡±


    ¡°Knight¡¯s glory shines upon us, only the lord could slay an Advanced Magical Beast. Although I¡¯ve never seen what a Boot Beak Giant Stork looks like, I see its meat, and to eat it is utterly satisfying!¡±


    ¡°As long as we follow the lord into battle, Advanced Magical Beast meat isn¡¯t a luxury, and it¡¯s not impossible for us to even eat Super Magical Beast meat!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the lord is the youngest Sky Knight in the country, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before he becomes a Dragon Knight!¡± Some followers directly shouted the slogan of the Dragon Knight, which wasn¡¯t inappropriate, as the Dragon Knight represented a beautiful aspiration.


    Every Knight talked about becoming a Dragon Knight.


    This picnic, though simple, left everyone bursting with happiness, except Liszt was not at all satisfied with the texture and quality of the Boot Beak Giant Stork¡¯s meat. The chef even made him a separate portion of grilled Purple Sand Crocodile, which was equally unsatisfactory in texture and very coarse, forcing him to eat it just to fill the belly.


    In fact, the texture of Magical Beast meat didn¡¯t correlate much with its level.


    Low-Level Magical Beasts, like the Fire Rabbit and Fen Hai Luo, had very good meat texture despite slightly less nutrition and magic power. Moreover, compared to ordinary livestock meat such as beef, Magical Beast meat wasn¡¯t necessarily better¡ªFormless Dragons and Little Fire Dragons both preferred beef over Magical Beast meat.


    Of course.


    The pursuit of eating Magical Beast meat wasn¡¯t for the taste, so no matter how unpleasant the meat of Boot Beak Giant Stork or Purple Sand Crocodile was, he would still devour it alone.


    ¡­


    Early in the morning.


    Riding on the Rainbow Whale Rose, Liszt went straight to his seaside villa in Fresh Flower Town. As it happened, Ach stayed at the seaside villa these past few days and hadn¡¯t gone out.


    Without mincing words, Liszt said straight out, ¡°Ach, I¡¯ve got a task I¡¯d like to ask for your help with.¡±


    ¡°Brother, just say the word, and Ach will definitely help you complete the task.¡±


    ¡°I have a batch of foreign books here that might come from the continent across Devil¡¯s Sea, from a race known as ¡®Children of the Sun.''¡± Liszt took out a pile of Sun Script books and placed them on the table, ¡°You can start with this ¡°Philip, Scion of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡± which has a simple teaching of Sun Script.¡±


    ¡°A continent across Devil¡¯s Sea?¡± Ach seemed very surprised, ¡°Are there humans living there too? Ach thought Devil¡¯s Sea was the edge of the ocean.¡±


    Liszt said, ¡°Have you forgotten what I told you? Our world might be a planet. If that¡¯s the case, then the boundary of the ocean can only be land, and the boundary of land can only be the ocean. So there must be a landmass opposite Devil¡¯s Sea.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on the eastern side of the continent, then¡­ what if the other side of Devil¡¯s Sea is the western side of the continent?¡± Ach asked.


    Liszt was momentarily startled.


    He had actually not considered this possibility. If the other side of Devil¡¯s Sea really was the western part of the continent, it wasn¡¯t impossible¡ªassuming the planet only had one continent and one ocean, then Devil¡¯s Sea would be the sole ocean, just difficult to cross, hence the various legends.


    As for the western part of the continent, it¡¯s too far and information is not well circulated, not many people know what it¡¯s like there.


    All he could do was say awkwardly, ¡°Some books have records that the westernmost part of the continent is the Neverfall Empire, where they use High Speech¡­ which probably isn¡¯t the same script as Sun Script. Neverfall Empire isn¡¯t related to Children of the Sun¡­ Anyway, you figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ach said, caressing the unusual paper of the Sun Scripture books, then spoke up, ¡°These papers are so thin, they really don¡¯t seem to be produced in the countries on our continent, brother. Do you want me to learn Sun Script and then translate the content of these books?¡±


    ¡°Ach is really smart,¡± Liszt said, habitually touching her azure blue hair. ¡°I¡¯ve found some clues. Remember that sunken ship? Its boxes were filled with these Sun Scriptures and some seeds. The seeds have already sprouted, but their growth is very slow. I believe the technique of how to cultivate these seeds is hidden within these books.¡±


    ¡°Is that sunken ship from another continent?¡±


    ¡°Yes, according to my speculation, it might not be a sea ship but a Sky Ship!¡±


    ¡°Ah! A Sky Ship?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still not enough evidence to support my guess. You¡¯ll need to search through these books. Besides, I¡¯m going to move those sprouted seedlings over here. Once you find useful clues from the books, you can study them.¡± Liszt simply handed over the task of cultivating the Magic Medicine Seeds to Ach.


    He was getting more and more used to being a hands-off manager.


    It was a pity that Ach hadn¡¯t grown legs yet and couldn¡¯t walk normally on land; otherwise, she could have been of even greater help.


    ¡°I really hope the Smoke Mission would post some rewards that could help the sea serpents grow.¡± He kept thinking to himself, trying to influence his own subconscious, to tug on the threads of fate.


    The subconscious cannot be controlled.


    One can only interfere with the Smoke Mission by constantly thinking during the day and dreaming at night, incessantly self-hypnotizing, in hopes that it really works.


    ¡­


    He had to monitor the moving of the Magic Medicine seedlings from the glass greenhouse all the time to prevent the servants from damaging them¡ªalthough there were still a large number of seeds stored in the Gemstone Space, if a seedling was broken, one less would remain.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Thorn Minor Elf Jela flew out of the castle and landed on his shoulder, then pulled at his hair, loudly demanding Liszt to play with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy right now, Jela. Go play by yourself.¡± Liszt patted Jela¡¯s head, signaling her to stop bothering him.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Jela pouted and flew away reluctantly.


    Back in the castle¡¯s Worm Room, she saw Corn Minor Elf Mickey playing with a group of elf bugs. Jela charged straight at them, raising her hand as if to hit them.


    Mickey fled in shock, chirping as it flew away.


    Actually, Jela¡¯s palm didn¡¯t come down; it stopped mid-air, confused. Without even looking at Mickey, she flew directly out of the castle and toward the Thorn Garden, where the Cordyceps had been moved from Fresh Flower Town. The Thorn Garden no longer grew Rapid Growth Magic Thorns; it was now planted with Rapid Growth Iron Thorns.


    She yelled ¡°Wow,¡± waved her hands, and called forth a swath of thorns.


    Then her temper cooled.


    She planned to return to play with Liszt, but he was no longer in the castle. He was escorting the Magic Medicine seedlings to the seaside villa.


    Following the vague sense in her heart, Jela flew directly to the seaside villa.


    The Apprentice Knight Squire Bug Members who followed her couldn¡¯t stop her from entering the now-unfamiliar seaside villa. However, Liszt, who was teaching Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike to speak, had already sensed her arrival and called her over.


    ¡°Jela, come here. This is Pike,¡± Liszt signaled Jela to land on his shoulder and then said to Pike, who was standing on the table, ¡°Pike, this is Jela. You must coexist peacefully when you meet in the future.¡±


    Pike bared his teeth, uncertain whether he was smiling or threatening: ¡°Jela, ugly little elf.¡±


    Jela was furious: ¡°Wow!¡±

 Chapter 575 - Chapter 575: Chapter 0572: The Earls Ambition (Second Update)

    Chapter 575: Chapter 0572: The Earl¡¯s Ambition (Second Update)


    ¡°Take a deep breath, Jela!¡±


    Seeing that Jela was about to start sowing the magic seeds, Liszt quickly stopped her, then scolded Pike, ¡°Pike, don¡¯t use insulting words on our own elves!¡±


    Pike, looking unconcerned, said, ¡°Pike, the handsome Greater Elf; Jela, as ugly as Fizz, Tam, and Eddie; Nami, brings me food, that one is not so bad; Mickey, never seen, must be ugly too; Ach, the gentle little sister; Liszt, as handsome as Pike.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s face turned dark, ¡°Shut up, Pike!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Pike lazily sat down, continuing to bare his teeth and grin at Jela.


    ¡°Wuaa!¡±


    ¡°Wuaa!¡±


    ¡°Wuaa!¡±


    Jela¡¯s anger was hard to calm, and if Liszt hadn¡¯t covered her with his hands, she would have definitely charged at Pike to fight him¡ªwhether she could win or not was another matter, but her stance had to be clear.


    ¡°Pike, review the Serpent Script I taught you today.¡± Liszt flicked Pike¡¯s forehead, his expression grim¡ªever since this guy learned to speak, his mouth had become more and more venomous. Despite learning from the gentle Ach and the gentlemanly Liszt, he hadn¡¯t picked up a shred of elegance.


    Pike sprawled across the table, ¡°I want Jade Powder.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll check tonight. If you haven¡¯t learned the Serpent Script, you won¡¯t get anything!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    ¡­


    Returning to the castle with an enraged Jela, it took a long time to soothe her before her anger subsided.


    Liszt was also helpless about this. Jela¡¯s fiery temper was not to be underestimated, and Pike, as well as Fizz, Tam, and Eddie, weren¡¯t easygoing elves either. Only Nami and Mickey were more worry-free. If not for the constraints of their contracts, if not for the fact that terrestrial elves and aquatic elves didn¡¯t live together, they¡¯d be fighting sooner or later.


    When he was troubled,


    Inside Tulip Castle, tasting the unpalatable Boot Beak Giant Stork meat, the Earl felt a bitterness in his heart: ¡°A high-level Magical Beast, so easily slain, Liszt¡¯s strength must now surpass all the Sky Knights¡­ The key question is, why kill the Boot Beak Giant Stork?¡±


    He struggled to swallow a piece of Magical Beast meat.


    It pained his heart: ¡°A high-level Magical Beast! A flying high-level Magical Beast! Why not call me to go and capture it too, tame it, and it would be a high-level flying Magical Beast mount¡­ I¡¯ve chased half my life and have not even seen an Intermediate flying Magical Beast, and now a high-level flying Magical Beast, it has become food on a plate!¡±


    Reason told him that it wasn¡¯t certain Liszt could have captured the Boot Beak Giant Stork; killing and capturing alive were two different difficulties. Moreover, even if he had captured and tamed it, it would have been for Liszt¡¯s own use as a mount first, and for him to consider owning one, he could only buy it¡ªthe father and son had already divided their assets.


    The value of a high-level Magical Beast was astronomical, the materials alone obtained from its corpse were probably worth more than a Little Minor Elf, many of them priceless in the market.


    If tamed as a mount, it would not only be rideable but could also help in battle, making it even more valuable. After all, the combat power of a high-level Magical Beast was stronger than that of a Sky Knight.


    Therefore,


    After much distress, he had to admire, ¡°This kid¡¯s luck is still so incredible; if one day he tells me he¡¯s ridden a Dragon, I¡¯ll probably be indifferent¡­ I¡¯ve become numb.¡±


    At the dinner table,


    His heir, Levis, chewed on the Magical Beast meat, marveling, ¡°The meat of a high-level Magical Beast, although the taste is average, eating it feels very significant. I didn¡¯t expect Liszt to get a high-level Magical Beast so quietly. Father, are high-level Magical Beasts that easy to hunt?¡±


    ¡°High-level Magical Beasts have their strengths and weaknesses, not many people have seen one, let alone fought with one. However, this Boot Beak Giant Stork knew a lot of Advanced Magic, so it must have been quite strong, the might of a Completion Level Sky Knight is probably there.¡± The Earl agreed with Liszt¡¯s evaluation.


    In the letter, Liszt estimated the battle power of the Boot Beak Giant Stork to be that of a Completion Level Sky Knight.


    ¡°A Completion Level Sky Knight?¡± Levis exclaimed.


    Lidun was even more dumbfounded, ¡°Father, Brother Liszt is only an ordinary Sky Knight, how could he possibly hunt down a Completion Level Sky Knight!¡±


    Lady Penelope, who had come for the dinner, was also surprised, ¡°That means, Weiliam, you definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to hunt the Boot Beak Giant Stork, yet Liszt did. Doesn¡¯t that mean his strength is actually greater than yours?¡±


    Lady Marie, Li Vera, and Loria all stared at the Earl, waiting for an answer.


    The Earl glanced at everyone, his hand holding the knife and fork trembled slightly, then he regained his composure and said indifferently, ¡°Fighting a Magical Beast isn¡¯t simply a matter of who is stronger than whom, all kinds of factors can interfere with the outcome of the battle. Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to hunt the Boot Beak Giant Stork¡­ However, with Liszt¡¯s talent, surpassing me was only a matter of time.¡±


    He was too embarrassed to directly admit that he was already no match for Liszt.


    He just vaguely mentioned Liszt¡¯s talent¡ªsurpassing him was a ¡°matter of time,¡± which sounded like it would be ¡°later¡± rather than sooner. But what he really meant was that Liszt had ¡°already¡± surpassed him. Whether the others understood it or not wasn¡¯t his main concern.


    Still, he assertively changed the subject, ¡°Liszt¡¯s talent is indeed remarkable, but hard work is equally important. Levis, you are at a critical point in your pursuit of becoming a Sky Knight, and I hope I can hear good news from you very soon.¡±


    Levis nodded vigorously, ¡°Father, I have always been working hard!¡±


    Loria took over the conversation, ¡°My Lord Father, Levis has always been diligent, but his talent, after all, cannot compare to Liszt. He needs substantial support from the family. With Levis becoming a Sky Knight even one day sooner, I believe it would be of great help to our family¡¯s struggle for the Marquis title.¡±


    Weiliam glanced at Loria and nodded, ¡°The family will naturally support him wholeheartedly.¡±


    Lady Marie smiled and said to the Earl, ¡°As the heir to the Tulip Family, Levis indeed needs strong family support. You are still in your prime, and with an outstanding heir like Levis, and the genius assistance of Liszt outside, I believe that after a few Pioneer Mandates, no one will be able to stop the Tulip Family¡¯s progress.¡±


    Weiliam heard this.


    The previous gloom had been swept away, replaced by excitement, ¡°Indeed, together with Liszt, we father and son will claim the accomplishments of the Pioneer Mandates! In a few years, I will set foot on the soil of Iron Hoof Island and take possession of one-third of its land!¡±


    ¡­


    Unaware of the lofty aspirations sparked by the Boot Beak Giant Stork, Liszt was still busy within his domain. Even though he left the work to his subordinates, he still took care of the details and monitored the progress.


    Right now, what concerned him the most was the issue of cultivating Flame Mushrooms.


    ¡°The Conjectures on the Nexus of the Magic Net, Elves, and Dragons¡± was already in the works, and the limitations of Flame Mushroom cultivation would be an excellent starting point.


    ¡°Viscount, based on the current harvest of mature Flame Mushrooms, the quality is indeed much lower than the previous batches,¡± Chris confirmed after refining the Magic Potion.


    ¡°This proves that the limitations of the Abandoned Cordyceps do exist¡­ This is a bit awkward; I have just developed two thousand acres of Mushroom greenhouses in Mushroom Town, and there are over two hundred acres in Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°Although it¡¯s regrettable, reducing the number of Flame Mushroom greenhouses is inevitable. Once I calculate the most suitable acreage for Flame Mushroom cultivation, you, Viscount, can start dismantling them. However, you could switch from Flame Mushrooms to conventional mushrooms and plant Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms when winter comes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also a solution,¡± Liszt nodded, ¡°In a month¡¯s time, those Nobles will send envoys to trade for the Abandoned Cordyceps. I hope you can calculate the appropriate acreage soon, so we aren¡¯t at a disadvantage during the negotiations.¡±


    Chris thought for a moment, ¡°The calculations should be almost complete.¡±


    Abandoned Cordyceps trade.


    The more comprehensive the information Liszt had, the more initiative he could take during the trade. Otherwise, a trade based on incomplete information would surely lead to a significant undervaluation of the Flame Mushrooms.

 Chapter 578 - Chapter 578: Chapter 0575: Orphanage Twins (First Update)

    Chapter 578: Chapter 0575: Orphanage Twins (First Update)


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Druid Magic ¨C Magic Bean Planting.¡±


    Ach deciphered the magic ¡°Bathing in Sunlight¡± from the ¡°Druid¡¯s Compulsory Courses ¨C Magic Bean Planting¡± the natural mission was thus completed, and the reward for this magic was made clear.


    For Liszt, this was akin to opening the door to a new world.


    It turned out that the seeds preserved by the Sky Ship were not simply magic medicine seeds but special plants developed by Druids that required Druid Magic to spur growth. No wonder the seedlings sprouted and grew slowly, without a single sign of magical power in them.


    Immediately after,


    Ach demonstrated the Magic Bean Planting Magic ¡°Bathing in Sunlight¡± for him on the spot. She lightly waved her slender fingers and a stream of chaotic magic power cascaded onto the magic beans in the pot. The leaves seemed to come to life in an instant, rhythmically sparkling with a crystal clarity similar to jade.


    Sunlight scattered across them, reflecting a faint rainbow glow.


    After three minutes, everything reverted to its original state, and Liszt noticed that the magic bean plant had grown significantly taller in just a short time.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing!¡±


    He had never seen any magic besides the Elves¡¯ that could promote plant growth.


    Ach, however, shook her head, ¡°Brother, Ach can only resonate with Water System magic. It took a long time to use Water System magic to drive Chaotic Magic Power and cast this magic. If it were an ordinary magician, casting this magic would probably be much easier than for Ach.¡±


    Liszt exclaimed in surprise, ¡°You can actually use Water System magic to drive Chaotic Magic Power?¡±


    Ach smiled sweetly, ¡°Hehe, Ach works really hard.¡±


    ¡°Then have you ever thought about using Water System magic to drive other types of magic? If so, couldn¡¯t you cast magic from other systems?¡±


    ¡°Actually, Ach has thought about it, but it¡¯s very difficult, and Ach doesn¡¯t have time to try it for now. There are so many Sun Scriptures waiting for Ach to decipher¡­ Compared to driving other systems¡¯ magic, Ach prefers to study Druid Magic, they¡¯re really wonderful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, Druid Magic is somewhat more important,¡± Liszt immediately decided, ¡°Ach, write down the magic you¡¯ve deciphered. I will take them to the Magic Academy later, and strive to train a group of human Druids to help me plant these magic-bean-like plants.¡±


    The Magic Academy wasn¡¯t just a place to train magicians; in his mind, it was for training pharmacists and Magic Equipment Forgemasters.


    Now, with the addition of Druid Magic, it also became a place to train magic farmers.


    Plants like magic beans that could be eaten or used to make magic potions undoubtedly held great value. In the Sun Script, such plants did not have a fixed name; after discussing with Ach, Liszt decided to name them ¡°Magic Plants,¡± abbreviated as ¡°Magic Plant,¡± to distinguish them from magic potions.


    To conceal the secret of the Child of the Sun, Liszt also instructed Ach to omit the Druid profession when recording Druid Magic.


    In its place, they coined the term ¡°Magic Plant Master,¡± and ¡°Natural Magic¡± ¡ª although ¡°Wood-based Magic¡± would be more appropriate, the world¡¯s humans had already dubbed the Elves¡¯ representative magic as such. To distinguish it, the Druid magic related to plants was renamed to ¡°Natural Magic¡± by Liszt.


    ¡­


    After instructing Ach to continue developing Natural Magic,


    Liszt left the seaside castle, riding the Rainbow Whale Rose directly to the port town. Upon arrival, he changed his clothes and quickly went to the Knight Academy.


    The Knight Academy was located near the Knight¡¯s Square in the port town, similar to how the Magic Academy was housed in the Mage Tower. Knight¡¯s Square was a good distance from town, a row of three-story stone buildings surrounding a vast square, newly constructed.


    The architectural style was similar to that of the Mage Tower, featuring a neoclassical design.


    In fact, after the architectural style of Thorn Castle had been set, Liszt had insisted that the future buildings of Giant Algae City, including the Mage Tower and Knight¡¯s Square, must have a consistent style with Thorn Castle. Other buildings like the city hall and administrative buildings, which were just breaking ground in Giant Algae City, were also employing the Neo-classical style.


    Giant Algae City is currently still a port town,


    but it is already being planned with the metrics of a city, including streets, sewers, and building layouts, all designed for a medium-sized city with a population of ten to twenty thousand.


    Now,


    they were only waiting for the final version of Thorn Castle¡¯s blueprints to be completed. Then Liszt¡¯s new home would finally settle on Black Horse Island, complementing and forming a cornerstone with Giant Algae City.


    ¡°My Lord!¡± Marcus, who was in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Knight Academy, hurried over to pay his respects.


    Liszt spoke briefly, ¡°I am planning to inspect the orphanage and select some suitable children to send to the Magic Academy to study magic.¡±


    Marcus looked puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t Her Excellency Chris come with three magicians to make her selection already?¡±


    ¡°She selected too few children, I¡¯ll supplement her with another batch. The training of magicians is difficult; the more seedlings we have, the higher the chance of success,¡± Liszt lied with his eyes open.


    Actually, his visit to the orphanage was due to the latest Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The Mage Tower¡¯s brilliance bathes in the dawn¡¯s light. To ordinary people, it is a mystical place of magic, inhabited by mysterious and dangerous magicians. However, for the orphanage twins Lucy and Rose, it is the place they yearn for in their hearts. Why not arrange for them to study magic? Reward: One Elf Bug.¡±


    Arranging for the orphaned twin sisters Lucy and Rose to study magic at the Magic Academy¡ªthis was almost blatantly telling Liszt that these two had extraordinary magic talent.


    What made him so sure was because there was a previous Smoke Mission that had instructed him to arrange appropriate knight training for the girl Emily.


    As a result, Emily made the rank of Earth Knight in just one year, her talent was so outstanding it was enviable.


    Moreover, under Liszt¡¯s generous nutritional support and relentless training, Emily had recently shown signs of nearing the threshold of becoming an Elite Earth Knight.


    Now, with the Smoke Mission hinting at Lucy and Rose studying magic, how could Liszt not look forward to the terrifying magical potential that the twins might possess?


    After all, for the sake of the Elf Bug, the mission had to be completed.


    If they could become genius magicians, it would be a happy affair; if they couldn¡¯t, it wouldn¡¯t cause any loss, so why not do it?


    Marcus didn¡¯t say much else and immediately led Liszt to the orphanage.


    The orphanage had a separate large courtyard in Knight¡¯s Square, where hundreds of orphans of varying ages lived, under military-style management¡ªthere was no talk of a happy childhood, the orphans¡¯ only chance for changing their fate was to demonstrate potential during their daily studies.


    Choosing seedlings was just an excuse, and he had no idea how to distinguish those with magical talent.


    So his choice was to look at the names of the orphans in the orphanage, ask the person in charge of the orphanage about how many sets of twins there were¡ªafter inquiring, there were fully five pairs of twins, among which were the names of Lucy and Rose.


    He selected Lucy and Rose.


    He also simply chose eighteen other eye-catching lads and lassies, making up a group of twenty to send to the Magic Academy. By now, the Magic Academy already had forty magic apprentices learning, including Chris and three other magicians, each responsible for a part of the teaching content.


    Seeing Lord Landlord bring another twenty magic apprentices, Chris, looking at the children, began to feel overwhelmed, ¡°Viscount, training forty magic apprentices is already too much, and you¡¯ve brought another twenty, the Magic Academy is going to explode.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Chris, I didn¡¯t discuss it with you in advance,¡± Liszt said with a slight smile, ¡°but I believe after you hear what I am about to say, you will understand my intentions¡­ I have obtained a legacy of Natural Magic, and I hope the Magic Academy will take on the task of training a group of Magic Plant Masters.¡±

 Chapter 579 - Chapter 579: Chapter 0576: The Wealth of the Child of the Sun (Second Release)

    Chapter 579: Chapter 0576: The Wealth of the Child of the Sun (Second Release)


    ¡°¡±¡±


    ¡°Natural Magic?¡±


    As expected, Chris was captivated by the mention of natural magic, ¡°Viscount, what is natural magic, and what is a Magic Plant Master?¡±


    Liszt recited the prepared speech to Chris and added, ¡°Regarding natural magic, I¡¯m still organizing the information and it¡¯s not convenient to reveal it yet. However, I will send you the materials soon. When you study natural magic, pay more attention to training Magic Plant Masters.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I can¡¯t wait to see natural magic.¡±


    Pointing to the twenty new magic apprentices lining up downstairs to register, Liszt said to Chris, ¡°Do you see those twin girls? The older sister is Lucy, and the younger one is Ruth. They have great learning aptitude in the orphanage, and they¡¯re already very proficient in reading, writing, and speaking Serpent Script.¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡±


    ¡°I appreciate their desire for magic. Pay close attention to them. If they have great magic talent, please focus on training them. If not, then so be it.¡± Whether Lucy and Ruth were indeed magic geniuses, Liszt couldn¡¯t be sure.


    Chris looked at Lucy and Ruth intently and nodded, ¡°I understand, Viscount.¡±


    Having done this.


    Liszt then left the Mage Tower.


    He called out to Smoke Mission, ¡°Complete the mission, reward one Alfalfa Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, an Alfalfa Bug? Not bad, Black Horse Ranch has only one Alfalfa Bug, and its influence range is too small. One more Alfalfa Bug will allow for the cultivation of premium pasture, making the Black Blood Treasured Horse herd stronger.¡± Liszt was satisfied with this Alfalfa Bug.


    Since it was already late, he planned to visit Black Horse Ranch the next day to find the Elf Bug before it was accidentally eaten by one of the horses.


    He then turned his attention to the new mission.


    ¡°Mission: Your excessive attention to the Giant Algae Greater Elf has fueled jealousy in the Thorn Minor Elf of the castle. Its anger is burning fiercely; it seems that sowing thorns in the fields is no longer enough to vent, perhaps it needs more of your love. Reward: Mutated Thorn variety.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Liszt suddenly felt an indescribable emotion, ¡°Have I been paying too much attention to Pike? Has Jela become so jealous that it can¡¯t be contained? It seems I do indeed favor the new over the old, and I really should take good care of it¡­ With the promise of a new Mutated Thorn, Jela truly is my lucky star.¡±


    The Thorn Minor Elf had a terrible temper, but it was his first minor elf, and thus held special significance.


    So.


    What he needed to do was return to Fresh Flower Town overnight with Jela by his side, then continue back to Black Horse Island. Early the next morning, he would head to Horse Ranching Town, gallop across Black Horse Ranch on Lightning, and after some searching, successfully find the nascent Alfalfa Bug¡ªits Cordyceps not very apparent, indicating it was just beginning to fertilize.


    ¡°Charles, have the Bug Guard Team dispatch someone immediately to protect this Alfalfa Cordyceps,¡± he commanded.


    Security team leader Charles Trap bowed in response, ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Immediately after.


    Liszt headed straight for Thorn Town, opposite Black Horse Ranch. Thorn Town was only just being built with several rows of houses for the serfs. The town¡¯s current industries were limited to two: a Thorn Plantation of over a thousand acres and a Blackberry Bug Plantation of just over a hundred acres. The blackberry plantation held Blackberry Cordyceps, while the thorn plantation was home to three Thorn Cordyceps, one of which belonged to Jela.


    Arriving at the thorn plantation.


    Jela was very excited, making non-stop ¡°woo-wah¡± noises. Whether it was getting close to the thorns or playing with Liszt, everything seemed to make it very happy.


    He didn¡¯t know what level of care was needed to complete the mission.


    ¡°¡±¡±


    Liszt planned to spend some time playing with Jela, to make up for his previous neglect. As time flew, he had visited Dodo Island three times, training with Little Fire Dragon Leo. The Smoke Mission was still incomplete, but during this period, Jela truly had the time of its life.


    Following Liszt, Jela¡¯s figure could be found all over Black Horse Island.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere.


    Ach, after relentless effort, deciphered more and more of the Sun Script, making rapid progress in the study of natural magic. He managed to translate 60 percent of ¡°Druid Essentials ¨C Magic Bean Planting¡± and learned six magic bean planting spells: Magic Bean Sprouting, Bathing in Sunlight, Rapid Shoots, Lush Foliage, Bud Protection, and Magic Power Condensation.


    In his leisure, he also deciphered the ¡°Vigorous Wheat Stalk¡± and ¡°Developed Root System¡± spells from ¡°Advanced Druid Essentials ¨C Magic Wheat Planting¡±, the ¡°Vine Co-development¡± spell from ¡°Specialized Druid Courses ¨C Magic Melon Planting¡±, and the ¡°Lotus Seed Germination¡± spell from ¡°Hydromancy Specialization ¨C Magic Lotus Root Planting¡±.


    Moreover, he determined the titles of related books for several other magic plants.


    They are ¡°Vegetable Specialization ¨C Magic Eggplant Planting¡±, ¡°Seasoning Specialization ¨C Magic Pepper Planting¡±, ¡°Healing Specialization ¨C Magic Ginseng Planting¡±,¡±Fruit Specialization ¨C Magic Pear Planting¡±, ¡°Dry Fruits Specialization ¨C Magic Sunflower Planting¡±, ¡°Advanced Druid Essentials ¨C Transforming Tree Cultivation¡±, and ¡°Advanced Druid Electives ¨C Magic Tangerine Planting¡±.


    ¡°So the Seedship Wood that I got before, which can grow Sky Ships, is actually called Transforming Tree, a higher-level natural magic taught in Advanced Druid Essentials,¡± Liszt realized. He had great expectations for the Transforming Tree.


    According to the simple content deciphered by Ach, by using the Transforming Tree planting magic, one could control the growth of Transforming Trees into any desired shape.


    This wood could achieve the quality of iron-wood, remain immersed in water for hundreds or even thousands of years without rotting, and stay as hard as ever¡ªwith such magic-grown carriages and ships, one could imagine how incredibly sturdy they would be.


    He couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°The Child of the Sun truly is a miraculous race, their natural magic is boundlessly wondrous.¡±


    Ach nodded and agreed, ¡°Magic Beans and Magic Wheat are staple foods, Magic Melons are fruits, Magic Lotus Roots are aquatic vegetables, Magic Eggplants are vegetables, Magic Peppers are seasonings, Magic Ginseng can heal, Magic Pears are fruits, Magic Sunflowers are nuts, and Transforming Trees are building materials. And there¡¯s Magic Tangerine, probably another fruit, they¡¯ve got a rich variety indeed.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, this is a precious heritage of wealth. Ach, your work is very important.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm, Ach will surely translate them all.¡±


    There was no doubt.


    The magic plants and the natural magic brought by the Sky Ship have infinite potential. Once developed, the assistance they could provide was immeasurable.


    ¡°But why did a Sky Ship, carrying almost all of the Child of the Sun¡¯s survival resources, sink here at Black Horse Island?¡±


    It seemed to him that it might be related to the note in the Messaging Drift Bottle¡ª¡±The tower has collapsed, Tree City is ablaze, XX is no more, the Child of the Sun will ascend with the flames, drifters, you are now free.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the Child of the Sun¡¯s homeland was destroyed, and the Sky Ship was the ¡®ark¡¯ they used to escape?¡± Liszt shook his head, not delving further.


    It was also impossible to delve further.


    All those Sun Scriptures were about records of natural magic and some architectural blueprints, but there were no historical accounts of the Child of the Sun.


    Not even a word or phrase.


    Despite Ach¡¯s efforts in scouring all the Sun Scriptures, he couldn¡¯t decipher what the ¡°XX¡± in ¡°XX is no more¡± referred to. It seemed like a place name, yet they couldn¡¯t even figure out on which continent the Child of the Sun lived, let alone a place name that could be a proper noun.


    ¡°When I become a Dragon Knight, I will organize a Naval Fleet to cross the Devil¡¯s Sea!¡±


    To uncover the truth!

 Chapter 583 - Chapter 583: Chapter 0580: Cool Summer with Green Silk (Second Update)

    Chapter 583: Chapter 0580: Cool Summer with Green Silk (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The clothing in this world clearly wasn¡¯t as advanced as in the era of Earth, According to the different materials used in making clothes, they are divided into ordinary clothing and magic equipment.


    Magic equipment was obviously something only noble knights could afford, like the red-faced, black-bottomed, gold-trimmed cloak of Li Si Te, which was magic equipment. There was also his Six-Headed King Sea Serpent Armor and various other pieces of magic equipment crafted from magical beast materials that could serve as either clothing or equipment.


    As for ordinary clothing, the top tier was naturally fur¡ªfur garments made of precious pelts, such as mink and fox, which were exclusive to nobles.


    Besides, normal nobles generally wore woolen clothes, which is fabric woven from wool; to keep warm, they usually wore down clothes, such as goose or duck down.


    Commoners mostly wore linen and cotton garments.


    No one had seen silkworm raising, so naturally, there was no product like silk. However, upon seeing the fabric woven from the Green Caterpillar¡¯s fur, Li Si Te immediately thought of silk.


    Light, transparent, smooth to the touch¡ªit felt like a layer of gauze.


    Although the Green Caterpillar¡¯s woven fabric wasn¡¯t as comfortable as genuine silk, it was still a superior silk textile. Moreover, after a thorough washing, the color improved significantly, no longer a shiny oily green, but only a faint misty green.


    ¡°This is a very good textile, let¡¯s call it silk,¡± Li Si Te decided to use a knockoff once again to inhabit the name of the genuine article¡ªof course, this world didn¡¯t have silk, so it was no big deal to call the Green Caterpillar¡¯s woven fabric silk. A name was just a code, convenient for him to differentiate and remember.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Have the textile workshop hurriedly make a few sets of silk clothes for me, summer is obviously a good time to wear silk.¡±


    The Green Caterpillars bred very quickly, and the Green-headed Ducks and Flamingos ate them, consuming only the flesh and not the fur. So every time they fed in the Mangrove Forest, they would collect a pile of fur left over by the ducks and birds. Transported to the textile workshop, a large amount of silk was woven.


    This would undoubtedly be a special product.


    Nobles were believed to have a strong interest in this kind of lightweight, cool, and breathable cloth.


    You have to know that even in the heat of summer, nobles have to dress neatly in their Flack¡¤Abbieye, complete with a Ruff collar that envelops the entire neck, for social gatherings. If clothes were made from silk, the comfort would be at least tripled¡ªperhaps the high nobles had ways to keep cool, but the lesser nobles would surely go crazy for silk.


    Li Si Te calculated in his mind, ¡°The price of Green Caterpillar silk should be set higher than down clothing¡­ To meet the demands of more nobles, I should have Nami put more effort into scattering several more patches of Mangrove Forest along the coast of Black Horse Island to feed the Green Caterpillars¡­ It would be best if the Green Caterpillars could be bred artificially.¡±


    Like silkworm raising, the efficiency of artificially raising Green Caterpillars should significantly increase.


    Then, the Green Caterpillars would only need to eat, drink, sleep, and once they matured, they would be thrown to the Green-headed Ducks and Flamingos to eat, and the leftover fur would be collected for recycling.


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow this routine; I¡¯ll have Gao Ertai arrange for someone to implement it later¡­¡± Just as he thought this, he suddenly paused; the shortage of serfs on his land was huge.


    Breeding Green Caterpillars would obviously require a large number of serfs, which seemed unfeasible at present.


    They would have to wait until after the issuance of the Pioneer Mandate when the lands could welcome a leap in development.


    Speaking of the Pioneer Mandate.


    Before long, Li Si Te received a message from the knights of Tulip Castle¡ªthe Earl had invited him to a family feast at Tulip Castle because the Earl had received a court summons and was about to head to Blue Dragon Island to gather at the Azure Sky Peak Palace for the court assembly. This year¡¯s assembly was scheduled much earlier than usual.


    Thus, on the same day, Li Si Te mounted his Landwalker Bird Loki and headed quickly towards Tulip Castle.


    Loki¡¯s speed was becoming faster and its stamina had greatly increased; it was still growing. However, much to Li Si Te¡¯s disappointment, it still hadn¡¯t learned a third spell. For an Intermediate Dragon Breed Magical Beast, knowing only two spells was indeed below its status¡ªprobably the power of the Bloodline Fruit was insufficient.


    Rendering it a half-baked Intermediate Dragon Beast.


    ¡­


    ¡°Li Si Te, you arrived so quickly,¡± his brother Levis greeted at the doorway.


    Letting the servant take away the Landwalker Bird, Li Si Te replied, ¡°With the Landwalker Bird Loki, it takes only forty minutes to come from Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°I envy you so much, having mounts in the water and the sky, and even the Blue Blood Treasure Horse given by the Grand Duke.¡±


    ¡°Once you advance to a Sky Knight, brother, you¡¯ll have it all. You must be close, aren¡¯t you?¡± Liszt walked side by side with Levis into the castle, asking.


    A restrained smile appeared on Levis¡¯s face: ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s close. I¡¯ve already touched the bottleneck of restraint, but I¡¯m still brewing a breakthrough. Your ¡®Earth Notes¡¯ have been a huge help to my cultivation. I have to admit, in terms of intuitive understanding of Dou Qi cultivation, you are astonishing.¡±


    ¡°Glad I could help.¡±


    Just as they sat down in the living room, Loria, who was pregnant, personally brought him a cup of pure milk tea¡ªeveryone at Tulip Castle knew Liszt¡¯s taste; he preferred either green tea or milk tea without minced meat, eggs, or other ingredients.


    With a smile, she said, ¡°Father and Lady Marie are handling this quarter¡¯s taxes in Coral City, they should be back soon. Grandmother and Li Vera have sent someone to invite you, and Levis can chat for now. Lidun is also in the castle, I¡¯ll call him over too.¡±


    Liszt took the milk tea: ¡°Thank you, but with your pregnancy, you should let the servants handle these things. The child in your belly is most important.¡±


    Levis added from the side: ¡°It¡¯s only because you¡¯re here that Loria would do these things; others don¡¯t get such a privilege.¡±


    Turning to Loria with a gentle expression: ¡°You should rest soon so you don¡¯t tire yourself; Liszt won¡¯t care for such conventional acts. Sit down and let¡¯s chat together. No need to call Lidun. He¡¯s just a child, what could he possibly contribute to our conversation?¡±


    After Loria sat down, she still instructed the butler: ¡°Mr. Silva, please bother to call Lidun.¡±


    Liszt quietly savored his milk tea.


    He had no interest whatsoever in the intrigues of daily life at Tulip Castle.


    After the butler had left to summon Lidun, Liszt seemingly remembered something and said: ¡°By the way, my territory has lately produced a very special type of fabric, and I¡¯ve brought a batch to give to you for making clothes.¡±


    A servant quickly brought in a bolt of green silk.


    And handed it to Loria to examine.


    Being a woman who had studied sewing at Bull Horn Academy, Loria naturally knew the quality of fabrics. After feeling it for a moment, her eyes lit up: ¡°Smooth, lightweight, breathable, and very comfortable to the touch, plus the fabric has a beautiful sheen, shimmering with a faint green hue!¡±


    The personal servant Thomas explained on her behalf: ¡°This is called silk, young mistress.¡±


    ¡°Silk¡­ Liszt, how valuable is this fabric?¡± Loria keenly asked, having sensed the commercial value of green silk.


    ¡°I think it won¡¯t be cheaper than high-quality down. However, I haven¡¯t set a specific price yet since production capacity in my territory isn¡¯t high enough, and we can¡¯t mass-produce silk at the moment. I¡¯ve just brought some to have summer clothes made for you.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything we can do to help?¡±


    ¡°Not for the time being. Let¡¯s talk once the production of green silk stabilizes.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Loria was not disappointed, still saying joyfully, ¡°The silk feels really comfortable. This summer, we won¡¯t have to wear those stifling full-length dresses anymore.¡±


    Levis also admired the silk, touching it as he exclaimed: ¡°I¡¯m going to use it to tailor-make several sets of Flack Abaie for myself. Woolen Flack Abaie in summer is a disaster, and those damned ugly Ruffs, it¡¯s like having a hot water bottle around your neck!¡±


    In the midst of idle chatter.


    Lidun quickly arrived and greeted Liszt obediently: ¡°Brother Liszt, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Liszt responded with a grunt, ¡°Hmm,¡± and then used his Eye of Magic to gauge the other¡¯s level of Dou Qi¡ªit was fairly dense. Lady Marie must have stacked resources for him over these past few months.


    But that was only a glance.


    He didn¡¯t care beyond that.


    As a Dragon Knight, Liszt didn¡¯t even consider a Completion Level Sky Knight worthy of his attention, let alone a mere Earth Knight. Within the whole Duchy of Sapphire, the only one he regarded was the Sapphire Duke¡ªAndrew Sapphire¡ªwho was not known to be a Dragon Knight or a Dragon Domain LandLord.

 Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: Chapter 0583: Emilys Perseverance (First Update)

    Chapter 586: Chapter 0583: Emily¡¯s Perseverance (First Update)


    ¡°`


    The cultivation of Lithops in pots required delicate care to avoid miscarriage of the incubating Elf Bugs, but Liszt did not pay too much attention to this. The reason was simple, Lithops did not produce Magic Potions or any other yield.


    They were simply ornamental plants, at most, complemented by Cordyceps, which could enhance the quality of ordinary Lithops and fetch a slightly higher price when sold as potted plants. Just like the Venus flytraps he raised around the castle to catch flies, they were nice to look at but not practical.


    What he now valued more were the two Tulip Bugs awaiting fertilization¡ªthe cultivation of the Black Tulip was inseparable from the Tulip Bug.


    The Fresh Flower Farm was not large, hosting a little over a hundred acres of Black Tulips, as well as twenty acres of the red St. Dence Tulip, and more than ten acres of the yellow William I Tulip. Both varieties were discovered after he came to Coral Island, one commemorated his ancestor Saint Dance Tile, and the other commemorated Li Weiliam being made an Earl.


    As ordinary tulips, their main use was to be made into dried Tulip flowers, relying on their rich fragrance to counteract the stench of urine and feces in the city.


    However, under his rule, there were no issues with urine and feces, and therefore there was no need for dried Tulip flowers.


    Furthermore, the serfs from Fresh Flower Town had all been reassigned to Black Horse Island, resulting in the serfs of the Fresh Flower Farm being too busy in the fields of Black Tulips to tend to the St. Dence and William I Tulips. By the time Liszt came for an inspection, parts of the red and yellow tulips had withered.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, Rayman did not notice the withering of the St. Dence and William I Tulips, please punish me,¡± said the steward of the Fresh Flower Farm, his face filled with regret and fear.


    According to the rules of the estate, any anomaly in crops must be reported to the administration at once.


    Punishment was definitely in order, but such matters were no longer Liszt¡¯s concern; the town officials would punish the stewards¡¯ negligence accordingly.


    Liszt was only interested in the Elf Bugs. Using the Eye of Magic, he searched around and, after some effort, found two Cordyceps plants with dimly glowing Magic feedback.


    These two Cordyceps plants were clearly malnourished, with some yellowing and curling leaves.


    ¡°Immediately fertilize and water, provide these two Cordyceps plants with sufficient nutrients!¡± Liszt ordered on the spot.


    Administrative Officer Isaiah, who had come to deal with the situation, asked in surprise, ¡°Sir, have these two tulips already nurtured Elf Bugs?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Liszt grew frustrated with Isaiah as well. If it weren¡¯t for the Smoke Mission alert, it might have been too late to notice the problem until the serfs realized it, and the Elf Bugs would have miscarried by then.


    He sternly reprimanded, ¡°Isaiah, as the Town Government Official, I know you¡¯re busy. But the anomaly in crops must be taken seriously; it has always been a strict rule I¡¯ve set. As an administrative officer, you must be vigilant and frequently inspect the crops!¡±


    Isaiah replied ashamedly, ¡°Please punish me, sir.¡±


    Liszt was unambiguous, ¡°Deduct half a month¡¯s salary. Do not make this mistake again. Although Fresh Flower Town is based on trade, the slightest change in the conditions of the crops is still the most important administrative matter.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, sir, Isaiah will certainly remember this lesson and will never be negligent again!¡±


    ¡­


    The cause of the tulips¡¯ withering had been thoroughly investigated, and now it was just a matter of waiting for the solution to the problem and for them to recover. Then the task would be completed.


    Liszt was not focused on the mission.


    He had been gradually getting busier with work recently; the Earl had already gone to Azure Sky Peak Palace to discuss this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate. As a Viscount Lord, he naturally needed to shore up his forces and prepare the Knight Order.


    The estate now had a total of seventy-seven Earth Knights,


    ¡°`


    Liszt planned to select sixty knights to form five knight squads, accompanying him to the battlefield, including one squad of Elite Earth Knights. The remaining Earth Knights were entrusted to Captain Paris to lead the patrol unit, maintaining the safety and defense of the territory.


    After he announced the list of knights selected for the battlefield, young and tender Emily pleaded with him, ¡°Lord, please allow Emily to follow you into battle and take part in this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate war!¡±


    Twelve-year-old Emily had gradually grown to over 1.6 meters tall.


    When they first met last year, she was only 1.5 meters tall, and in just over a year, she had shot up more than ten centimeters; her future height would certainly not be short. Moreover, her exotic features, with deep-set eyes and a high nose bridge, were becoming increasingly striking; she was a beauty in the making. Only, her skin had been tanned dark due to intense training.


    ¡°You are only twelve, what battlefield are you going on?¡± Liszt refused, intending to cultivate Emily into a female Sky Knight, not wanting to lose her on the battlefield.


    Emily insisted, ¡°Lord, the battlefield is the best training ground for knights, and Emily already feels her training speed slowing. I need new pressures to stimulate myself!¡±


    ¡°Slowing down is normal; as a twelve-year-old Earth Knight, you already show more talent than many nobles.¡±


    ¡°But Emily is a female!¡±


    ¡°What about being a female?¡±


    Emily bit her lip and replied, ¡°Lord, Emily has inquired with Captain Paris that there are very few outstanding female knights in the Duchy of Sapphire. Moreover, once a woman¡¯s menstrual cycle begins, it will greatly affect the progress of Dou Qi cultivation. Captain Paris said that the cycle usually starts at 14, and by then Dou Qi cultivation would definitely slow down, so¡­¡±


    Her implication was clear.


    She hoped to solidify her foundation before her menstrual cycle began, so that she could keep pace with the male geniuses in the future¡ªthe inevitable monthly cycle of bleeding in females would indeed severely impact the cultivation of Dou Qi.


    ¡°The depletion from the menstrual cycle can be replenished with magic potions, don¡¯t worry. With such great talent, I will do everything to cultivate you; there¡¯s no need to rush for success.¡±


    Going into battle at twelve, still a little girl, was indeed too cruel.


    Emily knelt on one knee and solemnly said, ¡°Lord, Emily is grateful for your concern; meeting you is the most precious honor in my life. You have spared no expense to help Emily train, and I do not wish to become a waste, unable to repay your kindness!¡±


    Before Liszt could speak to comfort her,


    She continued, ¡°Only the battlefield can carve out a strong knight, and you, Lord, shone brilliantly in two wars, becoming the youngest Sky Knight in the grand duchy! Emily too has ambitions and hopes to become the first female Sky Knight in the grand duchy!¡±


    Having said that,


    She knelt on both knees and bowed her head, performing the greatest gesture of respect a serf could offer to a landlord: ¡°Please allow Emily to join the battlefield.¡±


    She was adamant about her idea, hoping to solidify her foundations in the two years before her menstrual cycle began, which would then give her a chance to advance to a Sky Knight¡ªshe had already vaguely felt the tingling in her chest.


    This signified the onset of development, and according to Paris¡¯s hints to her, about two years after a female¡¯s breast development, the menstrual cycle would begin.


    She had two more years of rapid cultivation without loss.


    The twelve-year-old girl, although still flat-chested, emitted a glow that was so dazzling.


    Liszt watched her calmly for a full thirty seconds before speaking indifferently, ¡°The first female Sky Knight of the grand duchy, huh¡­ For the sake of the future, I have no reason to object to your going into battle. However, Emily, my youngest follower, please be prepared to die on the battlefield.¡±


    Emily trembled and replied, ¡°Yes, Lord!¡±

 Chapter 587 - Chapter 587: Chapter 0584: The Dragon Knights Training Secret (Second Update)

    Chapter 587: Chapter 0584: The Dragon Knight¡¯s Training Secret (Second Update)


    Emily was assigned to a Knight Squad. As a female knight, especially such a young one, it certainly brought some trouble.


    She lacked the independent financial means to buy weapons and hire retainers, so all the arrangements were made by Li Si Te (Liszt).


    Had it not been for the hint of genius indicated by the Smoke Mission, merely based on the potential she had shown, it wouldn¡¯t have been worth Liszt¡¯s trouble¡ªby his current status, he no longer needed to treat his followers with special favor. Instead, it was the followers who had to strive to prove themselves before him.


    It was clear to everyone that following Liszt meant a guaranteed share of military exploits.


    This was the most promising viscount in the Grand Duchy. Becoming an earl was the minimum expectation, and a marquis was also within the normal realm of possibility.


    However, Emily was specifically named by the Smoke Mission. It was believed that the power of destiny wouldn¡¯t haphazardly pull strings to have Liszt take notice of a good-for-nothing.


    Perhaps, Emily would become the Grand Duchy¡¯s first female Sky Knight in the future.


    From then on.


    Emily and her Knight Squad trained relentlessly at Black Horse Ranch on Black Horse Island. They rehearsed knightly charge formations, ready to confront enemy knights in a charge at any moment. She had to continually improve her combat strength; even on the battlefield where the advantage was great and the protection thorough, there still existed the possibility of death.


    She wasn¡¯t like Liszt at the beginning, who had the Black Dragon Childe Paris secretly protecting him. Once on the battlefield, Liszt would not go out of his way to protect her.


    Surviving meant growth.


    Dying only signified Liszt¡¯s failed investment, nothing more.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    Ma Ku Si (Marcus), riding his warhorse, commanded half of the Knight Order to a thundering impact across the field, their Dou Qi forming an unbroken front. Had Liszt used the Eye of Magic to observe, he would have seen a colorful mist of magic power enveloping the knights. This surging Dou Qi disturbed all the stray magic power in the air.


    Making magicians seem redundant.


    The powerful elite Knight Orders, when bursting with waves of Dou Qi, could drown even a Sky Knight in a continuous sea of energy, leaving them to be tragically trampled to death under the horse hooves.


    Of course, a Sky Knight would not be foolish enough to confront a charging Knight Order head-on.


    Sky Knights have their own way of combat¡ªSword Fight.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Emily, amidst the squad with her armor soaked by sweat underneath, maintained an utterly focused expression. When she practiced Dou Qi alone, she felt her training was stalling without the previous exhilaration. But charging with the knights, in addition to the exhilarating feeling,


    she also felt new Dou Qi continuously emerging in her body. That was the nourishment provided by Lord Landlord through the food he supplied incessantly.


    ¡°For Lord Landlord¡¯s cultivation!¡±


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    With a surge of high spirits, Emily suddenly lunged forward with her spear, her Thunder Attribute Dou Qi becoming even sharper under the enhancement of the battle formation, piercing the air and producing a cracking sonic boom.


    This charge let her distinctly feel her power increase by another half again.


    ¡°This is progress. Even the charges on the training ground can give me such great improvement. When issued with a Pioneer Mandate, on the real battlefield, what kind of force will that pressure give me?¡±


    She was not sure at the moment.


    But she looked forward to it.


    ¡­


    Dodo Island, Volcano Crater.


    Liszt was also cultivating. The Little Fire Dragon Leo transformed into a mass of magic power, condensing at its chest area.


    One magic potion after another was popped into Liszt¡¯s stomach, then absorbed by Leo, transforming into impure magic power, enhancing the quality of his Dragon Dou Qi¡ªLiszt thought, although the magic power lifting his own Dou Qi was considered impurity after Leo¡¯s absorption, it was far more condensed in quality than the magic of the magic potions.


    As long as he kept transforming and enhancing it steadily, sooner or later, his Dragon Dou Qi would synchronize with Fire Dragon Magic Power, reaching the same limit quality.


    At that time, perhaps one of his attacks would last for thousands of years without fading: ¡°Just like in some novels, where the sword intent of an unparalleled expert remains in the air, and even after tens of thousands of years, can still kill. Perhaps sooner or later, I will become an expert who comprehends the ¡®sword intent¡¯ of the Fire Attribute,¡± he speculated.


    Of course.


    To unleash ¡°sword intent,¡± which is the magic of ultimate quality, there might be many restrictions.


    Based on the magic that Leo was currently releasing, every time it exhaled flames or flapped them, it was just turning ordinary levels of magic into reality, only slightly stronger than the Fire System magic of a magician. That real Fire Dragon Magic Power was all stored within its body, not casually leaked out.


    Even its body was made up of the ultimate quality Fire Dragon Magic Power¡ªthat¡¯s why it could switch between a corporeal body and a magical form at will.


    Therefore.


    Dragons usually hunt and fight.


    They likely use ordinary attacks, and only in a life-or-death battle would they release ¡°sword intent.¡±


    For example, in the Neverfall Empire, there is a Windhowl Valley, where the magic power of a Wind Dragon had been permanently inscribed. It was the remnant of a life-or-death battle between a Wind Dragon and an Archmage, and even after thousands of years had passed, it could still stir up ferocious winds. An ordinary Wind Dragon roaming freely certainly would not leave magic behind at will.


    Otherwise, wherever it went, there would certainly be storms non-stop.


    Sooner or later, the entire continent would be contaminated by these Elemental Dragons, Metal Dragons, Gemstone Dragons, and even Sacred Dragons. Yet, traces of their existence are rare, and most people would die for the metals and gemstones formed by their magic power.


    ¡­


    Dragon Magic Refining Qi.


    Continuously ongoing.


    Liszt could feel his Dragon Dou Qi growing stronger unceasingly.


    As his emotions surged, his thoughts flew: ¡°If the ultimate quality Dragon Magic Power is the key for dragons to freely switch between magic form and a corporeal body, then once I cultivate to where my body also fills with ultimate quality Dragon Dou Qi, might I be able to transform as well?¡±


    In a vague sense, he felt he had stumbled upon much content regarding the cultivation of Dragon Knights.


    The cultivation continued, as did his thinking: ¡°Can all dragons freely switch forms, or is the Little Fire Dragon Leo just an exception?¡±


    Unfortunately, without a benchmark, Liszt was uncertain.


    But as far as he could tell, Leo hasn¡¯t shown too many abnormalities and seems to be rather like the proud dragons described in knight novels¡ªresistant to being ridden, except by those with a protagonist¡¯s halo; many knight novels depict dragons proactively sticking to the protagonist to be ridden.


    By that standard, Liszt did not have a protagonist¡¯s halo.


    ¡°Without more evidence to prove that Leo is a mutation, I should treat it as a normal Fire Dragon¡­ According to the theory I just finished writing in ¡®The Conjectures on the Nexus of the Magic Net, Elves, and Dragons,¡¯ within the Magic Net system, dragons are a crossroads between magic rules and physical rules.¡±


    Freely switching between magic form and corporeal body.


    That obviously represents the transformation between magic and matter, fitting with his theory.


    Thus he pondered further: ¡°Perhaps the path of a Dragon Knight¡¯s cultivation is to turn oneself into a node within the Magic Web? Mastering both physical rules and magic rules?¡±


    It was a bold conjecture.


    He needed more clues to verify it, for now he could only come up with a name for this form of Dragon Magic Power: ¡°Dragon¡¯s Intent?¡±

 Chapter 590 - Chapter 590: Chapter 0587: Fish Spring out of the Well (First Update)

    Chapter 590: Chapter 0587: Fish Spring out of the Well (First Update)


    ¡°`


    In the Worm Room of the Nameless Castle.


    Liszt stood in front of the box covered in Jade Powder, watching the Tulip Bug lying lazily and feeling the little guy¡¯s inner anxiety, doing his best to encourage it with his own emotions.


    Beyond that, there were no more effective ways.


    It was just an Elf Bug after all, possessing simple emotions and not any real intelligence or comprehension. Communication was limited to the instructions Liszt could deliver through emotions.


    Otherwise, it was simply patting it, expressing care.


    ¡°Wuwah.¡± On the edge of the box, Thorn Minor Elf Jela yawned out of boredom and made a sound; it ruled the Worm Room.


    In the box to the right of Liszt, Mickey was counting its collection of corn kernels.


    It didn¡¯t like Jela, nor did it like clinging to Liszt¡ªperhaps not as irritable as Jela was, but relatively more independent, immersed in its own little world.


    Jela, Nami, Mickey, and also Fizz, Tam, Eddie, these Lesser Elves were all adorable, embodying the essence of heaven and earth. They were each an independent entity, with their own personalities and thoughts. In fact, they had no concept of ¡°kin,¡± even elves of the same type didn¡¯t see each other as kin.


    Like the Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike, who had a probably ¡°blood¡± connection with the three Giant Algae Lesser Elves¡ªFizz, Tam, and Eddie¡ªit was highly likely they all had sprouted from Pike¡¯s cordyceps, which gave birth to the Lesser Elves.


    Yet Pike was just as ferocious to the three Giant Algae Lesser Elves, showing absolutely no elder¡¯s affection toward the younger generation.


    In Liszt¡¯s view,


    Elves inherited the ¡°individuality¡± of plants, growing independently and quietly, unlike humans and animals that have companions, family, and other emotional bonds. Take Nami, for example, a Lesser Elf with an outgoing personality; it certainly loved making friends, but its approach to making friends was the same whether with humans, elves, Rainbow Whales, or little ducks.


    It wouldn¡¯t befriend someone just because they were an elf and, therefore, think that they should be closer friends because they were the same kind.


    ¡°Wuwah!¡±


    Jela called out again, it was terribly bored and wanted Liszt to play with it. But Liszt simply waved his hand, indicating it should play by itself.


    He was implementing the ¡°stimulate Jela¡± plan, deliberately being cold to Jela.


    To evoke anger in it and then unleash its potential for evolution¡ªalthough being cold one moment and warm the next was cruel to Jela, Liszt believed this was the best way to help it evolve.


    The pheromones from new plant species greatly aided the evolution of elves. He was also using trade caravans to continuously collect plants of the same kind as different Elf Cordyceps, trying to help elves obtain more pheromones. But that alone was not enough; often, the elves needed to strive on their own.


    Like this Tulip Bug, born in Tulip Castle, it could be said to have all the pheromones that other Tulip Elves possessed.


    But whether it could evolve still required its own effort.


    If it lacked sufficient will to advance, it might not even enter the Fat Pupa Stage by the end of its ten-year life span.


    Jela, seeing that Liszt always paid attention to the Tulip Bug, gradually grew discontent and loudly called out, ¡°Wuwah!¡±


    ¡°Go away!¡±


    ¡°Wuwah!¡±


    Liszt ignored it again.


    After calling out a few times and receiving no response, Jela flew around the Worm Room in anger. At this point, Mickey, who was counting corn kernels, probably felt annoyed and yelled at Jela, ¡°Jiggle!¡±


    This immediately ruffled Jela¡¯s feathers.


    It flew right up to Mickey¡¯s face, fists clenched, and shouted, ¡°Wuwah!¡±


    ¡°Jiggle!¡±


    ¡°Wuwah!¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Chirp!¡±


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    The two Little Minor Elves didn¡¯t lay hands on each other, but the argument was quite fierce, with saliva spraying out.


    ¡°Both of you, shut up, get back into your boxes, and don¡¯t make a sound!¡± Liszt glared and commanded the two Little Minor Elves loudly.


    They dared not defy the command.


    Minor Elf Jela flew back to her box with a pout and even covered it, sulking inside. But it wasn¡¯t long before she fell asleep¨CMinor Elves indeed have abundant emotions but are also simple-minded little creatures. On the other side, Mickey went back to counting his corn kernels as if nothing had happened.


    Each time he returned from an outing, Liszt would bring him a corn kernel, which Mickey loved to study as if he had a collecting habit.


    ¡­


    Whenever he was free,


    Liszt would enter the Worm Room to encourage the Tulip Bug, inspiring it to bravely evolve.


    During this period, the rewards from the previous Smoke Mission soon appeared, with news coming from the construction site of Thorn Castle.


    Consultant Gao Ertai sent someone to report to him, ¡°Lord Landlord, Mr. Fred the Driller led the drilling team to drill for the castle, and after breaking a rock piece, water began to spout from the ground. Along with the water, plenty of small fish surged out of the spout, with thousands of pounds being caught and still more fish coming out.¡±


    ¡°Are there really fish coming out?¡±


    Liszt, even though he knew about the reward, was still somewhat surprised.


    Drilling a well had actually yielded a fish spring, with fish spouting out like a fountain¨Cthis was indeed an unusual event. Therefore, he immediately rode on Rainbow Whale Rose to head for Black Horse Island.


    Upon arriving at the construction site, Gao Ertai quickly took him to the well that had already been fenced off.


    ¡°My lord, this well is truly miraculous. I sent people to fish continuously for over three thousand pounds, and the number of small fish inside has not decreased at all.¡± Gao Ertai took over a fishing net handed to him by a Clerk, filled with several lively little fish, ¡°These are the small fish that spouted out of the well, previously unseen by anyone.¡±


    The little fish resembled the carp but were a bit more slender and their color was a pale golden yellow, which made them look quite pretty. Their sizes ranged from about 15 centimeters to 25 centimeters, with the longest not exceeding 30 centimeters, and the average weight of each fish was around four or five liang.


    ¡°Are they sea fish?¡±


    Liszt looked at the small fish and asked. He suspected that a passage in the well¡¯s spring might connect to the ocean, bringing the small fish up.


    Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t explain the appearance of the fish spring.


    Gao Ertai replied, ¡°They should be freshwater fish. The well water is drinkable, and the small fish are well adapted to it. Chefs from the town¡¯s tavern have taken some samples, and after cooking these small fish, they¡¯re not toxic and actually have a very nice taste¡ªdelicate flesh and more delicious than sea fish by a lot.¡±


    ¡°Freshwater fish, you say. This suggests there might be an underground river beneath the Basalt Columns of Black Horse Island, where these small fish dwell,¡± Liszt speculated. If it wasn¡¯t a passageway connected to the ocean, it could only be an underground river¡ªlikely formed by rainwater erosion.


    However, Black Horse Island is a volcanic island, its main structure composed of Basalt Columns. The formation of an underground river beneath Basalt Columns is indeed extraordinary.


    It prompted him to consider the plan to delve into the underground river and explore its secrets.


    ¡°Consultant Gao Ertai, let¡¯s not use this well for water. Instead, dig a sloping tunnel directly and guard the fish spring for fishing. Also, dispatch knights with strong diving abilities to follow the spring down and explore, to see if this spring is connected to an underground river.¡±


    ¡°An underground river?¡± Gao Ertai was puzzled.


    ¡°Some land has cavities underneath with flowing water that come together to form an underground river. Just send someone to investigate and report the findings to me.¡±


    Gao Ertai suppressed his curiosity and accepted the order.


    Afterwards, Liszt went to the tavern and tasted several dishes made from the little fish from the fish spring. The taste was indeed much fresher and more delicate than fish caught in the ocean. He immediately declared this kind of small fish a staple on his daily menu and bestowed the name ¡°Well Fish¡± upon them.

 Chapter 591 - Chapter 591: Chapter 0588: Making a Pact with Pike (Second Update)

    Chapter 591: Chapter 0588: Making a Pact with Pike (Second Update)


    The fish from the well didn¡¯t cause much of a stir. If it were on Earth, the novelty of fish emerging from an underground spring would definitely be a hot topic for hype.


    But in this world full of wonders,


    it¡¯s no big deal to have fish springs underground, let alone fish raining from the sky.


    For Liszt, it was the same, he was merely curious about how the fish spring formed and enjoyed the taste of the fish from the well, but didn¡¯t take it too seriously. The specialties of his territory, apart from magical beasts and magic potions, were limited to unique products like rubber trees and hemp rope vines that piqued his interest.


    The knight he sent to dive into the fish spring quickly delivered a survey report¡ªthe fish spring was indeed connected to an underground channel, but the passageway was very narrow. Diving in, one could swim less than ten meters back and forth before encountering a narrow spot that was impassable. However, there were a large number of well fish in the waterway.


    This confirmed that the fish spring was truly hitting an underground river, causing the emergence of schools of fish.


    After reading the survey report, Liszt was not quite satisfied, ¡°If the underground river is just a narrow channel, it couldn¡¯t possibly support so many well fish. There must be a huge underground cavern or lake at some location. Perhaps the underground river is connected to former magma channels!¡±


    He remembered over at Red River Town, there was a Bone Lake, which used to be a Burial Ground.


    Underneath those dragon bones, there was a vast magma cavern with magma channels blocked off in all directions. Perhaps the underground river developed in these cut-off magma channels.


    ¡°Forget it, speculating aimlessly is pointless. I¡¯ll have the opportunity to slowly explore the underground river system on Black Horse Island in the future.¡±


    Although the fish spring didn¡¯t lead to more interesting findings, Liszt still made it a point to incorporate it as an attraction affiliated with Thorn Castle.


    He had a downward tunnel excavated.


    A pavilion was constructed on the surface, named Fish Spring Corridor¡ªa great place for relaxation.


    Liszt even planned to set up a barbecue stall at the Fish Spring Corridor, so that in the future, Thorn Castle could hold barbecue buffets here, offering freshly caught and grilled fish, full of fun.


    Having arranged all this,


    Liszt no longer focused on the construction of Thorn Castle. He went to Dodo Island Volcano and cultivated overnight with Little Fire Dragon Leo. Laden with many insights, he returned to Fresh Flower Town to organize the content and incorporate it into his other magnum opus, ¡°Liszt¡¯s Dragon Taming Manual¡±.


    He then revised it again and again, finalizing ¡°The Conjectures on the Nexus of the Magic Net, Elves, and Dragons¡±.


    He handed it to Ake for reference.


    Ake, who was studying Druid Magic, was rarely so engrossed in a theoretical magic book, reading it with relish. Liszt, meanwhile, chatted with Pike, who had already mastered Serpent Script and was able to communicate normally. Pike had even learned quite a bit of Wind Language¡ªit was all taught by Ake.


    In the territory, Ake undoubtedly had the strongest learning ability, picking up anything quickly.


    ¡°Liszt, did you bring me jade powder? I need a change of flavor. Eating white jade powder all the time is unsatisfying. Bring me some special jade powder. The taste of the purple jade powder I had last time was pretty good,¡± demanded Pike nonchalantly while lounging in the pool, its current concern being jade powder.


    ¡°There¡¯s no more purple jade, but I¡¯ve brought green jade powder,¡± Liszt handed a packet of finely ground green jade powder to Pike.


    Jade powder is neither gemstone nor crystal; it¡¯s a naturally formed stone in the earth¡¯s veins that contains magic power. This magic power is hard to harness for making magic equipment, but it¡¯s quite suited to an elf¡¯s palate. Regular consumption of jade powder can ensure an elf¡¯s vitality. During the transplantation of cordyceps, they depend on jade powder to survive.


    However, there¡¯s no evidence that jade powder aids in an elf¡¯s evolution. It merely sustains the vitality of an elf.


    Of course, it also satisfies an elf¡¯s culinary desires.


    There are many types of jade¡ªgreen jade, purple jade, white jade, yellow jade, Jade, chalcedony, agate, black jade, red jade, and so on. As long as it¡¯s naturally formed and possesses magic power, it¡¯s considered jade. Jade is sufficiently distributed on the earth¡¯s surface, so its price is much cheaper than that of crystals.


    As elves increased in number, Liszt had to use many gemstones every day. He tried hard to find them on Black Horse Island, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t find any jade veins,


    and had no choice but to continue purchasing from outside.


    In fact, Black Horse Island was extremely poor in resources. Apart from the volcanic glass mined previously, there was not a second type of mineral resource. The graphite, saltpeter, sulfur, jade, and phosphorus mines he wanted were all missing. Even the raw materials for making glass, quartz mines, were non-existent.


    If it weren¡¯t for Liszt having the Smoke Mission to transform the island,


    it would probably be suitable only for raising horses, specifically for breeding that herd of Black Blood Treasured Horses.


    ¡°Green jade powder tastes terrible. Don¡¯t bring it anymore next time. I don¡¯t like it,¡± Pike licked the jade powder and said unhappily, ¡°Liszt, I feel you don¡¯t care about me enough. You know I love eating hard-textured jade powder, but you keep giving me soft-textured powder!¡±


    ¡°Be grateful you have something to eat. Where do all these complaints come from?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel guilty treating the handsome Pike like this?¡± Pike covered his small chest and pretended to be dramatic.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Liszt said with a smile.


    Pike yelled, ¡°Ah!¡±


    He tumbled in the pool, venting his dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Stop yelling. Look at the neighbors, Fizz, Tam, and Eddie. They¡¯re eating happily.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t compare the handsome Pike with those ugly and idiotic Three Stooges. It¡¯s an insult to me and to you because we are both handsome,¡± Pike said disdainfully. In its eyes, apart from Liszt and itself, no one could be considered handsome.


    The three Giant Algae Minor Elves were often mockingly called The Three Stooges to their faces by it.


    The Giant Algae Minor Elves dared not speak out in anger¡ªbecause they couldn¡¯t win in a fight. Unlike minor elves who couldn¡¯t disobey Liszt¡¯s orders, Pike had relatively more freedom under the contract. It often disobeyed Liszt¡¯s commands behind his back, teaching a lesson to those three Giant Algae Minor Elves who dared to bare their teeth at it.


    Fortunately, it was aware of the importance of elves in Liszt¡¯s eyes and did not dare to seriously harm the other elves; at most, he caused some superficial bruising.


    ¡°Pike, let¡¯s make a deal, okay? From now on, let¡¯s not say we¡¯re equally handsome. I think you¡¯re the most handsome,¡± said Liszt.


    Pike immediately burst into laughter: ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s okay, we are both handsome.¡± It truly believed Liszt was complimenting it.


    The corner of Liszt¡¯s mouth twitched, and he stopped talking.


    No matter how clever a Greater Elf is, it¡¯s still just a Greater Elf; unlike real humans, they lack comprehensive understanding. He walked into his study and looked at Sea Sprite Ake, who was reading seriously¡ªher petite exquisite figure, fair skin blushing with health, beautiful and innocent face, and the private parts wrapped with water.


    Such a scene always sparked endless daydreams in him.


    Sometimes Ake would wear clothes, but most of the time, she disliked the constraint of clothing, and Liszt, with ulterior motives, didn¡¯t force her to wear them daily.


    His gaze wandered along Ake¡¯s well-proportioned body and eventually settled on her ankles, which merged with the seawater of Shell Sea, the lack of feet being Ake¡¯s biggest flaw at the moment.


    ¡°Alas, why do I always seem to encounter minors?¡± he straightened his sleeves, feeling somewhat sentimental.


    Ake was underage, Leo had just been born, the Formless Dragon was probably underage too, Emily was underage, and the twin sisters Rose and Lucy were not of age either¡­


    Shaking his head, he threw out the somewhat disorderly thoughts. He was a man of integrity, after all!

 Chapter 593 - Chapter 593: Chapter 0590: Gold Coins Are Just Numbers (Second Update)

    Chapter 593: Chapter 0590: Gold Coins Are Just Numbers (Second Update)


    The Sunset was moored in the dockyard, ready to set sail.


    Liszt, riding on the Landwalker bird Loki, gazed at the Sky Ship that was 65 meters in length and 19 meters wide, with three massive and sturdy masts erected.


    As the civilization of the Child of the Sun crumbled, this immense ship, which once soared through the skies in an unimaginable manner, became history. When Liszt salvaged it and decided to convert it into a seafaring vessel, it bid farewell to its past and moved towards a new future.


    ¡°Lord Landlord, judging from what I¡¯ve seen, the condition of the Sunset is now on par with the Court¡¯s fast sailing ships,¡±


    The speaker was Bak Fumu, an apprentice shipbuilder.


    He came from a shipyard on Leather Island, which is a property of the Marquis of Leather Island, Ramirez White Glutinous Rice; he was forced to leave the shipyard for some reason. Subsequently, he was invited by the Tulip Family to settle in Black Horse Island through the merchant caravan¡¯s network and took charge of the dockyard.


    Only three families in the Duchy of Sapphire could build double-masted sailing ships: the White Glutinous Rice Family, Pineapple Green Family, and the Sapphire Family. The Bull Marquis Family used to grasp the technique for building double-masted sailing ships but has long dissipated into nothingness.


    The Sapphire Family also possessed the technique for building three-masted ships, which was basically the world¡¯s top shipbuilding technique, kept strictly confidential and not leaked.


    Ordinary nobles couldn¡¯t dream of poaching shipbuilders from the Sapphire Family; even if they did manage to abduct one, they would quickly incur the Grand Duke¡¯s wrath.


    Therefore, Liszt had to ask his father, Li Weiliam, to poach from the White Glutinous Rice and Pineapple Green Families. Unable to poach a shipbuilder, he managed to recruit an apprentice shipbuilder. This apprentice named Bak Fumu had decent skills and was responsible for overseeing the development of double-masted sailing ship technology.


    Liszt believed it would not take long before he mastered the double-masted sailing ship technology.


    In addition to the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique he acquired from Virginia Truth, and his own knowledge of square-rig technology, he would definitely be able to build high-quality sailing ships.


    Leveraging his extensive shipbuilding experience,


    Bak Fumu also took on the responsibility of refitting the Sunset from Captain Kostor.


    After numerous explorations of new materials and structures, he eventually completed all the refitting work for the Sunset: ¡°I have studied the Court¡¯s fast sailing ships before. The mortise and tenon structures are very complex. Many of the weight-bearing and pivoting mortise and tenon techniques elude me. However, the rubber latex from the manor can replace those mortise and tenon structures.¡±


    The Duchy of Sapphire lacked iron.


    All ships were wooden structures that could not be welded, so mortise and tenon joints were used. These joints were not something you could understand just by looking at them a few times. Even if he dismantled a court sailing ship and placed it before Bak, he would still not grasp it.


    However, one of the most important special products of Black Horse Island played a significant role in shipbuilding technology¡ªrubber latex.


    The materials bonded with rubber latex were stronger than steel rivet welding, and the solidified rubber latex was fire-resistant, water-resistant, sturdy, magic-resistant, and anticorrosive.


    ¡°As for the main keel, mortise and tenon joints still need to be used for fixing, but for the details, rubber latex can replace them. Therefore, the condition of the Sunset is not inferior to the Court¡¯s fast sailing ships¡­ However, it might take time to develop the technology for three-masted sailing ships,¡±


    Bak was about thirty-five years old, having started work at the dockyards at fifteen.


    He might not have much talent, but with years of experience, his judgments were spot on¡ªthe Sunset had reached the standard for long voyages.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s set sail!¡±


    After the Sunset was stocked with naval supplies, Liszt led a Knight Squad, together with officials including Goltai, Blair, and Kostor, aboard the ship.


    The spacious deck.


    It felt even more expansive than the fast sailing ship of the Long Taro Family he had previously taken. The sea breeze brushed against his face, and immediately under the command of the first mate and second mate, the crew raised the anchor, hoisted the sails, and rowed, the Sunset cleaving through the waves as it slowly sailed out of the dockyard, transitioning from green waters to blue.


    The ship sailed very steadily, and with cups set on the deck tables, Liszt could sit under the parasol indulging in the juice of Fragrant Coconut Fruits.


    At the top of the main mast, a black Tulip flag fluttered proudly in the wind.


    ¡°My Lord, the Sunset is truly magnificent; such a sailing ship is definitely no inferior to the Grand Duke¡¯s court fast sailing ships,¡± said Goltai blissfully as he held a Fragrant Coconut Fruit.


    ¡°Indeed it¡¯s mighty, but I always feel like it¡¯s missing something,¡± Liszt walked to the bow and said.


    Goltai looked toward the ship¡¯s bow and suddenly realized, ¡°I know now, my lord, the repairs on the Sunset are impeccable, yet it lacks a figurehead. To garner the favor of knightly glory on the high seas, a Sapphire Dragon figurehead should be installed at the bow.¡±


    The Sapphire Dragon is the dominion of the Sea of Azure Waves, and its figurehead is naturally popular.


    ¡°A figurehead?¡±


    Liszt narrowed his eyes, for he was not keen on installing a Sapphire Dragon figurehead¡ªif anything, a Fire Dragon figurehead seemed more appropriate. However, compared to a figurehead, he had a preference for another tool to be mounted on the bow¡ªa ram.


    Currently.


    The Duchy of Sapphire was the only navy on the Sea of Azure Waves. Installing a ram on a sailboat seemed pointless, as there were no naval battles¡ªthose small sampans or rowboats produced by the land kingdoms dared not venture out to sea, as they would nearly capsize and kill people with the sweep of a wave.


    ¡°However¡­¡± Liszt still decided that after returning, he would have the shipbuilders study rams, ¡°If I can coexist peacefully with the Sapphire Family, rams are naturally useless. But should the Sapphire Duke not tolerate me and naval battles become inevitable, rams might provide a strategic advantage.¡±


    He called over Kostor and Bak Fumu and described the concept of armor to them, ¡°After you return, you must carefully investigate the ram.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡­


    The broad Sunset, undoubtedly slower than the Court¡¯s fast sailing ships, matched only the speed of a regular two-masted sailing ship. Departing from the port town and arriving at Coral City Port, it was sunset. The setting sun hung in the sky, perfectly reflecting against the Black Tulip banner when viewed from the port.


    Levis, who had come to greet Liszt, looked at such a scene with little emotion¡ªhe did not know the significance of the Sunset.


    It was a memorial to the lost civilization of the Child of the Sun¡ªthe civilization of the Child of the Sun had completely fallen since the sinking of this sky ship.


    ¡°Liszt, is this the three-masted ship transformed from the sunken ship you salvaged from the seabed?¡± Levis asked upon seeing Liszt disembark from the Sunset, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be a Court three-masted ship; its shape and style are quite different from Court sailing ships.¡±


    ¡°It might be a hundred-year-old wreck of the Magic Goat Family, basically only a hull remained, the rest was patched up with rubber water,¡± replied Liszt.


    ¡°But it looks quite good, not like a wreck.¡±


    ¡°It was thoroughly polished and many rotten materials replaced to have this new look,¡± Liszt said with a slight smile, ¡°It might not match up to the Court¡¯s fast sailing ships, but it should be more imposing than the Tulip. At least it looks an entire circle larger.¡±


    Levis pursed his lips, ¡°The Tulip is over a decade old and should have been replaced¡­ If it weren¡¯t for the struggle with Lady Marie and her son, I would have long since paid out of my pocket to buy a more comfortable three-masted ship.¡± He had made no small fortune collaborating with Liszt on various industries.


    Thus, he spoke with a bold tone.


    A three-masted ship costing several thousand or even tens of thousands of Gold Coins, he talked about purchasing one as if it were nothing.


    As for the fight over the family fortune, Liszt, who had already been entrusted with distant lands, had not the slightest interest. He watched the dock workers unload the cargo from the Sunset, quite pleased, ¡°With the Sunset, we can transport at least a thousand more serfs per voyage¡­ Once you have money, you should buy ships, and only with ships can you do big business!¡±


    ¡°The family indeed plans to continue purchasing a batch of cargo ships, mainly because the glass produced from your lands is becoming increasingly popular. Liszt, Loria has calculated that, with the current rate of sales growth, just the glass business alone is enough to support the original Tulip Family!¡±


    The most profitable industry of the territory used to be spirits, but now glass had far surpassed it¡ªthis was an exclusive business with little to no cost.


    ¡°Let Loria think bigger, the Duchy of Sapphire is ultimately just a remote archipelagic nation, with few people and nobles. The vast continent is the real place to do business. When I fully understand the glass-making technology and expand the production scale, Gold Coins will be nothing but numbers.¡±


    ¡°Haha, precisely, one day Gold Coins will be mere numbers to us!¡± Imagining the splendid blueprint, Levis was exceptionally excited, ¡°Father is still absent from Blue Dragon Island, grandmother doesn¡¯t like Lady Marie, Li Vera has returned to Falcon Town, and Loria is unwell¡­ Should we just go to Shattered Stone Castle?¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    Levis revealed a wicked smile, ¡°An interesting party.¡±


    Liszt shook his head calmly, ¡°Brother, how many times have I told you? I don¡¯t like those kinds of parties. I¡¯ll rest at Tulip Castle for the night and set sail back in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, you really don¡¯t act like a noble. What kind of noble doesn¡¯t enjoy life!¡±

 Chapter 594 - Chapter 594: Chapter 0591: Tulip Bug Fat Pupa Stage (First Update)

    Chapter 594: Chapter 0591: Tulip Bug Fat Pupa Stage (First Update)


    Levis had his own social circle, with nobles from Shattered Stone Castle and Beer Castle, who would likely become his followers in the future. Liszt did not want to get involved, especially since he really did not enjoy the debauchery of certain parties. He preferred to enter the dance floor to the sound of piano music, dancing elegantly.


    After finding someone he saw eye to eye with, he would then take their hand and discuss the ideals of life.


    Not just to eat, drink, and indulge in senseless revelry void of emotion and driven only by desire, which could hardly be considered classy.


    First, he visited the small castle next to Coral City to chat with his grandmother¡ªmainly to check if Lady Penelope¡¯s potted plants showed any signs of birthing Elf Bugs¡ªbut there were no such indications. In fact, he had not revealed to Lady Penelope about the Elf Bug borne by the Lithops.


    He understood one thing: the Smoke Mission was the only reason for the miraculous nature of Lady Penelope¡¯s potted plants, and therefore he did not want her to become further obsessed with them.


    The elderly lady should spend more time watching plays, hosting tea parties, and enjoying the twilight years of her life, tending to her potted plants only in her spare time.


    After resting for the night at Tulip Castle, he departed early the next morning.


    The voyaging went smoothly, and he arrived at Black Horse Port before nightfall, completing Sunset¡¯s maiden deep-sea voyage.


    After a thorough inspection of Sunset by the apprentice shipbuilders, one of them, Bak Fumu, said, ¡°Lord Landlord, Sunset¡¯s structure is now up to standard, but there are a few areas that can be improved upon. With another week of reinforcement and modifications, it should be able to finalize its design.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    Liszt expressed his satisfaction and then selected a captain; Kostor, with his wealth of experience, was the obvious choice. The crew was also comprised of some of the earliest sailors from Fresh Flower Town, having battled the winds and waves many times at sea and knew how to navigate through harsh weather.


    Yet, Sunset was unlikely to encounter such severe weather.


    To complement his flagship, Liszt entrusted the largest of his cherished black pearls, the one as large as a bathtub, to Chris, Elkerson, and two other magicians to create the most powerful Calming Wind Pearl.


    In addition, a Water Calming Pearl created from a Pink Pearl was also designated for Sunset.


    The Temperature Calming Pearl, crafted from a Golden Pearl, was similarly installed in Liszt¡¯s private cabin¡ªSunset had a broad and robust hull, allowing for a relatively large turret structure, a wooden two-story building. This turret building served as Liszt¡¯s private cabin.


    When aboard, the turret building would be staffed with male and female servants, ensuring that he could enjoy the full service of attendants while sailing.


    The only pity was that the Temperature Calming Pearl could not cool temperatures below freezing.


    Otherwise, it could have been used as a refrigerator, storing a variety of delicious food without having to place everything within the Gemstone Space. The Gemstone Space was not very large, about the size of a single apartment at five meters in diameter, approximately 65 cubic meters. He owned four Space Gems, totaling only about 260 cubic meters.


    Based on the standard ceiling height of 2.6 meters in Earth¡¯s apartments, that would be nothing more than the size of a 100 square meter apartment.


    Magical Beast Meat took up most of the space, leaving scant room to carry an assortment of gourmet foods.


    Of course.


    That was his greed showing, as even Sapphire Duke, who ruled over a country, likely did not possess a Space Ring. When he traveled by sea, he too would have to simplify everything. Liszt¡¯s ownership of four Space Gems, selling just one, would easily secure him an earldom¡ªkings and dukes would not be stingy for such a ring.


    However, as the Space Gems were tied to the secret of the Formless Dragon, Liszt was reluctant to reveal this.


    ¡­


    In the subsequent days, Sunset remained docked at Black Horse Port for painting, refurbishment, and interior decoration.


    Liszt returned to Fresh Flower Town and resumed his mundane daily life.


    The only thing that was not mundane was the birth of two Tulip Bugs, one entirely golden and the other a vivid red, both lustrous and translucent like jade, exquisitely beautiful. After forming contracts with them, the number of Elf Bugs he owned reached 47¡ªincluding five contracted by Ach.


    ¡°Our financial base is getting thicker and thicker, now it¡¯s up to you, little guy! Keep it up!¡± Looking at the Tulip Bug that had already begun to turn grayish-white and whose body was rapidly swelling.


    Liszt was filled with anticipation.


    This Tulip Bug, under increasing pressure, finally launched an assault on its destiny, entering the decisive fat pupa stage.


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    Jela ran over.


    Liszt suddenly reached out and grabbed Jela, who was about to approach the fat pupa stage Tulip Bug, and glared, ¡°Jela, listen up, from now on, you are strictly prohibited from getting close to this box, not to mention any touching of the Elf Bug! Did you hear me?¡±


    Jela, twisting her body, cried out in ¡°wahs.¡±


    But after being scolded in Liszt¡¯s mind, she quickly calmed down, pouting her lips and nodding reluctantly, agreeing to his terms.


    ¡°Go on, go and play.¡± Feeling a bit sorry for her, yet he still toughened his heart and showed indifference.


    It was to stimulate Jela, to make her work harder and aim higher.


    Jela flew back into her box, sullen, while Mickey in another box not far away kept herself entertained by counting corn kernels.


    Liszt was greatly encouraging to the Tulip Bug in its fat pupa stage.


    Only then did he leave the castle and came under the apple tree, where he lay in the rocking chair to relax his body. Seeing Butler Carter approaching, he suddenly asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, do you think we should transplant this apple orchard to Thorn Castle? I will definitely spend most of my time at Thorn Castle in the future, and without an apple orchard, it always seems like something¡¯s missing.¡±


    Butler Carter placed a cup of green tea on the apple table, smiling as he said, ¡°My lord, you can now start planting apple trees in Thorn Castle. By next year when the main body of the castle is completed, the apple trees should also begin to sprout, and in a few years, you will have a new apple orchard.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity there isn¡¯t a second Apple Bug; an apple orchard without Apple Tree Cordyceps is not perfect.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we could purchase Apple Bugs from other islands,¡± Butler Carter suggested, something he definitely wouldn¡¯t have considered before, but as the revenues of the territory grew higher, his ambitions also grew stronger¡ªbuying an Elf Bug was no big deal.


    Liszt nodded at once, ¡°Mhm, have the merchant fleet pay extra attention, if there are Apple Bugs for sale, buy them immediately!¡± He decided to build an apple orchard in Thorn Castle as well.


    In case an apple falls and hits his head one day.


    An epiphany might strike, and he could discover the ¡°universal gravitation¡± of this world.


    ¡­


    While the days passed leisurely,


    Earl William Lee finally returned from Blue Dragon Island, and on the day of his return, he gathered his followers and went to Tulip Castle for a meeting. He laid out the content of this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate: ¡°The Grand Duke has already contacted the Steel Ridge Kingdom, and the Pioneer Mandate war will start in August. We will depart on July 20th to assemble in Bull Hoof City.¡±


    The Pioneer Mandate wars have been going on for over a hundred years.


    Whether it¡¯s moved forward, postponed, or even canceled, none of it was new.


    Therefore, no one raised objections, and the meeting moved on to the next item¡ªwhat scale of force to deploy, and the allocation of Knight Order personnel.


    Liszt sat relaxed in his chair, showing little interest in the discussion.


    He used to think that a knight¡¯s charge required cunning, and had even specially recalled ¡®The Art of War by Sun Tzu¡¯, but now with his strength soaring, he gradually lost interest in using any tactics¡ªjust do it!

 Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: Chapter 0592: Dispersing Husk (Second Update)

    Chapter 595: Chapter 0592: Dispersing Husk (Second Update)


    The final conference concluded that Coral Island would devote its full strength to the Pioneer Mandate, a campaign scale even larger than the battle of Iron Hoof Island and the extermination of the Marquis of Bull.


    Since many Earth Knights were recruited during last year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate, this time nearly eleven hundred Earth Knights could be sent into battle.


    Among them, Liszt led sixty Earth Knights on the campaign, also taking on the role of Captain of the Black Knights. However, his main task remained sword fighting, directly handing over command of the Knights to Marcus. Until Emily could rise to assume the position, Marcus was always his Chief Knight.


    The well-trained Blizzard Beast Squad would soon make their full appearance¡ªit was time for the nobles of the Eagle Kingdom to experience the terror of a big dog wreaking havoc at home.


    The conference ended.


    The nobles returned to their own lands to prepare their Knight Orders.


    They were set to depart on July 20th, and there was not much time left until departure. Fortunately, Liszt had prepared in advance, so he was not very busy and continued his routine life. He made two trips to the Dodo Island Volcano, severely exploiting Little Fire Dragon Leo, enhancing his own strength even further.


    Then, he entrusted Leo to Ach, delivering food every few days, lest the Little Fire Dragon starve to death upon his return from the war of the Pioneer Mandate.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother, Ach will take good care of Leo.¡±


    ¡°You should also take extra care of Pike and the others,¡± continued Liszt.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Ach suddenly remembered something, ¡°Are you taking Ros with you, brother? Ros could protect the fleet in the sea.¡±


    ¡°Ros? No, let her stay with you,¡± Liszt said.


    Liszt had no intention of bringing Rainbow Whale Rose along; apart from the twenty-some days of the round trip, he wouldn¡¯t be at sea the rest of the time, and since battles would occur on land, Rose would be of little help.


    ¡°By the way, Ach, have you started writing your book yet?¡±


    ¡°Ach is currently organizing the categorization of the books to be written. There are so many ideas; there will be a lot of Magic Books to author. By the time brother returns from the war, Ach should be able to complete a part of it.¡±


    ¡°Then, when I return, I will be looking forward to enjoying your work.¡±


    ¡­


    In the blink of an eye,


    The day of departure was fast approaching.


    All the affairs of the domain had been meticulously delegated: with Goltai overseeing the officials as a whole, if not ambitious, at least he could ensure that everything proceeded as usual. Paris, in her role, was securing the safety of the territory, while Ach also guarded in secret.


    Paris, transformed into a Black Dragon Wraith, was a force not to be underestimated, and Ach, as a Water System Grand Mage, was very powerful in water-based combat.


    If pirates did assail Black Horse Island, Ach alone could likely resolve the situation. Standing in the midst of the sea, with high-level Magicians casting spells in succession without Sky Knights to block them, there was no stopping Ach. And the Rats he had covertly sent would be exposed under Paris¡¯s search.


    For Paris, who could become invisible, investigating a person could not be simpler.


    Adding to that the Grand Magicians of the Mage Tower, led by Chris Truth, the safety of the domain required no concern from Liszt.


    The only thing that troubled him was the Tulip Bug, which, under pressure, had advanced into its Fat Pupa Stage, and despite Liszt¡¯s daily encouragement, its Magic Power continued to wane day by day. By the time of departure, the magic of the fat, wilted Tulip Bug was becoming barely perceptible.


    ¡°This is dangerous, could it be about to fail?¡±


    Liszt felt uneasy within; he could no longer sense the emotions of the Tulip Bug, and its will to live was almost gone. No matter how he tried to reach out, he could not elicit any response from the Tulip Bug.


    ¡°Why is this happening?¡±


    ¡°Even though the Smoke Mission stirred the threads of destiny, the Tulip Bugs still continued to wither?¡± His expression grew increasingly grave as the Fat Pupa Stage Tulip Bugs inside the castle were clearly continuing to perish.


    In the fields of Tulip flowers at the Fresh Flower Farm, the Tulip Cordyceps too began to curl and yellow, its leaves gradually withering and the flower atop its head listless. Even as Liszt tried tirelessly to replenish it with fertilizer, sprinkle Jade Powder, and even grind up numerous Magic Potions infused with Chaotic Magic Power to supplement the Cordyceps with magic energy.


    It still could not reverse its decline.


    In the end, under Liszt¡¯s helpless gaze, the evening before he set out. The magic power of the Fat Pupa Stage Tulip Bug completely dissipated, and with a gentle touch, its plump body immediately turned to ash, vanishing into the air. The Tulip Cordyceps in the tulip fields also dispersed with the wind.


    Since his transmigration, it was the first time one of his own elves had died.


    Evolution failure seemed to erase them completely, leaving no trace of Tulip Bugs other than his memory.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Standing behind Liszt, Carter called out softly, wanting to offer some comfort¡ªFor those who were not bound by a contract, the life and death of Elf Bugs did not have much impact. They had never experienced that wonderful feeling of a heartfelt connection and naturally did not have deep feelings.


    For many people, the failure of an elf¡¯s evolution was a very normal phenomenon.


    The chance for an Elf Bug to evolve into a Little Minor Elf was only a few percent. Most Elf Bugs failed to pass this stage of evolution. For instances like Jela and Mickey in the castle to succeed continuously in their evolutions, it was attributed to the favor of a knight¡¯s glory and was otherwise inexplicable. Even many small Nobles would suppress the evolution of their Elf Bugs.


    They would rather the Elf Bug live out its ten-year lifespan to the point of old age, rather than having it die early due to evolution.


    ¡°I¡¯m all right, Mr. Carter, just feeling a bit down,¡± Liszt said, looking at the empty box and taking a deep breath to rally himself. ¡°It¡¯s just one Elf Bug. I saw many Tulip Bugs fail to evolve back when I was a child at Tulip Castle¡­ There will be more and more cases like this in the future.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, all beings experience birth, aging, illness, and death, and elves are no different.¡±


    ¡°I am leaving tomorrow. I leave the castle in your hands.¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, Master.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to worry about. At the seaside villa on the other side, have someone clean it occasionally according to my previous arrangements, and don¡¯t let just anyone get close.¡±


    Butler Carter nodded, ¡°As you wish, Master.¡±


    Liszt turned his head and smiled, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, Mr. Carter. I have many secrets, and I trust you¡¯ll keep them for me, won¡¯t you?¡±


    His behavior often differed from that of ordinary people. As a trusted butler, how could Carter not notice?


    The white-haired Carter chuckled playfully, ¡°From the Sapphire Duke to a serf in the fields, everyone has secrets. The Master¡¯s secrets are Carter¡¯s secrets, hidden in the cellar of the castle. There is only one key to open it, and one day, it will accompany Carter to be buried in the ground.¡±


    ¡°You will live a long and healthy life.¡±


    Liszt smiled knowingly, ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard, take good care of yourself. My castle cannot do without you. Leave those trivial tasks to the servants.¡±


    ¡­


    Talking with Butler Carter lightened the heaviness in his heart.


    After returning to his study, Liszt sat in his chair, lost in thought for a moment, before he called up the Smoke Mission¡ªthis was the first time the mission had failed, and hence he wondered how the Smoke Mission would change.


    With intense concentration.


    The ethereal, shifting smoke slowly rose and quickly twisted into Serpent Script.


    ¡°Mission failed, Tulip Spirit Bug died.¡±

 Chapter 598 - Chapter 598: Chapter 0595: Black Knight Family (First Update)

    Chapter 598: Chapter 0595: Black Knight Family (First Update)


    Although the disturbance in the room was brief, it still alarmed the guard¡¯s retainers outside, who quickly came to inquire.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    ¡°Nothing of concern. Continue back to your post,¡± Liszt didn¡¯t intend to alert others, preferring to ascertain the vampire¡¯s identity before making further plans.


    After the retainer withdrew.


    He looked at the bat, which had stopped struggling, and gently released his hand.


    The bat, upon hitting the ground, suddenly burst into a blood-red glow and transformed back into a woman wearing tight leather clothing. She didn¡¯t run again, and although her pale face appeared calm, disbelief and panic were evident in her eyes. However, she quickly regains a normal expression and masks her emotions with a smile.


    ¡°Indeed, the youthful Sky Knight of the highest strength in the Duchy of Sapphire,¡± she said, her Serpent Script clumsy and riddled with grammatical and sequencing errors, revealing she was obviously not from the Duchy of Sapphire¡­ vampire.


    ¡°My strength is indeed formidable, but let¡¯s talk about you, what is your identity?¡± Liszt smiled faintly, maintaining the demeanor of a gentleman despite the assassination attempt, ¡°I¡¯ve always believed in the existence of vampires, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen one with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just passing by. Would the Viscount believe that?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, every move you made from before you entered the door until after you were inside fell within my view. So why not be straightforward, reveal your identity and intention in detail, and then I¡¯ll decide whether to kill you or let you go.¡±


    ¡°But really, I was passing by, smelled delicious blood, came here to find the Viscount¡­¡±


    Before she could finish.


    Liszt reached forward and grasped the female vampire¡¯s neck again, his expression calm but the strength in his hand increasing: ¡°I am usually a very patient person, but I¡¯m feeling uncomfortable for not having bathed tonight, so my patience is wearing thin. If you don¡¯t talk, my lost patience will lead me to simply crush you to death.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­¡± The female vampire tried to speak but couldn¡¯t because her neck was being squeezed.


    Liszt seemed to have no intention of letting go, continuing, ¡°I¡¯m actually very interested in your background, but sometimes I can¡¯t control myself and have a penchant for killing indiscriminately. If you want to run, feel free, if you escape this room, you win.¡±


    Only after completing his speech did he release his grip.


    ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± The female vampire coughed violently for a moment, her ample chest trembling continuously, certainly captivating, ¡°Viscount, you¡¯re so heartless, women don¡¯t take kindly to the heartless.¡±


    Liszt said indifferently, ¡°Continue spewing nonsense, testing my patience.¡±


    The female vampire, feeling helpless, underwent an internal struggle, her expression torn and hesitant, and she didn¡¯t speak again. Liszt didn¡¯t rush her, just watched her, but his thoughts shifted elsewhere¡ªhe summoned the Smoke Mission to see if there was any prompt from it.


    Strangely though.


    The Smoke Mission hadn¡¯t changed at all, indicating the mission was still incomplete.


    ¡°Hmm? Have I not defeated the Bats in the Dark Night?¡± Liszt looked at the female vampire behind the smoke, furrowing his brow slightly. He was slightly confused about the meaning of the Smoke Mission¡ªdid he need to kill this female vampire to consider the mission complete?


    Such a frown, and the murderous intent showing in her eyes.


    The struggling female vampire made her decision in an instant, ¡°Viscount, my name is Elizabeth Black Knight, from the Black Knight family of vampires, from the Eagle Kingdom¡­¡±


    ¡°You can speak Wind Language, I understand it.¡±


    ¡°Um, my name is Elizabeth Black Knight, I am a mixed-blood vampire of the Black Knight family, and as for the Black Knight family, we serve Prince Alonso Xenkelai as vampire retainers.¡± Elizabeth Black Knight began speaking in Wind Language and no longer stuttered, clearly expressing her thoughts.


    ¡°Alonso Xenkelai?¡± Liszt had heard the name. It was written on the title page of the Marquis of Bull¡¯s book about dragons: ¡°To the respected Prince Alonso Xenkelai¡±.


    So he asked, ¡°Who is Alonso?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a Marquis of the Eagle Kingdom, with Xiankelai as his surname, but he¡¯s also one of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knights. My knowledge of him is limited, I haven¡¯t even met him, haha, I¡¯m just a mixed-blood vampire, and within the Black Knight family, my status is very low.¡±


    ¡°Talk about the Black Knight family, and about vampires, as well as your intentions for being here.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, I can tell the Viscount, but I have one condition.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t like to negotiate terms with prisoners.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Viscount, hear me out¡­ I am a mixed-blood vampire, my heart is controlled by a pureblood vampire. The heart is a vampire¡¯s greatest vulnerability; without my heart, it makes no difference whether I am alive or dead¡­ If you help me retrieve my heart, I will submit to you completely!¡±


    While speaking, Elizabeth gently stuck out her tongue and licked around her red lips, ¡°Then you can do whatever you wish, and I will obey your commands.¡±


    The female vampire under the light was full of temptation.


    Although Liszt¡¯s soul was no longer that of a young man in the prime of life, his body still was, and he unconsciously felt a warm reaction, thankfully he immediately circulated his Dragon Dou Qi, pressing down this hint of warmth.


    His face gave nothing away, ¡°A vampire that only dares to skulk in the darkness, I have little interest in such allegiance, but I am quite interested in pureblood and mixed-blood vampires. Explain the difference, to me it seems like there might be more than one vampire around here?¡±


    ¡°Pureblood vampires are those whose blood has been highly refined and has completely integrated with Blood Magic, which is a special branch of dark magic that can be passed down from generation to generation within a family, though we have very low fertility. Mixed-blood vampires are those whose blood has not yet integrated with Blood Magic; we are all vampires who have been transformed from humans.¡±


    ¡°So, earlier when you had that syringe, were you trying to turn me into a vampire?¡±


    ¡°It was the command of Tuobert Black Knight. He wanted to turn you, Viscount, into a mixed-blood vampire, to exist as his subordinate.¡± Elizabeth continued seductively, ¡°You, Viscount, are very strong. Just kill him, and I will swear allegiance to you, and share all secrets with you!¡±


    ¡°Why should I believe you? In fact, I have sufficient means to make you submit and beg for mercy, to voluntarily tell me your secrets. Now I give you a choice. One, refuse to cooperate, and be killed by me; or two, cooperate willingly, and if you perform well, I might help you kill this Tuobert Black Knight.¡±


    He could see that when Elizabeth spoke about Tuobert, a flash of hatred flickered through her eyes.


    Of course, he could not dismiss the possibility that she was purposely putting on an act.


    After a moment of thought.


    Elizabeth decisively chose the second option, ¡°Tuobert is acting on the orders of Prince Alonso to seek out the Grand Magicians of the Goat Assembly. After the dragon-slaying incident, several Grand Magicians of the Goat Assembly went missing, and only they know what exactly happened to the Sapphire Duke and that Sapphire Dragon.¡±

 Chapter 599 - Chapter 599: Chapter 0596: Elizabeths Blood (Second Update)

    Chapter 599: Chapter 0596: Elizabeth¡¯s Blood (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    The dragon slaying incident had passed a year and a half ago, during which the Duchy of Sapphire issued a Pioneer Mandate and was preparing to launch a second one; everything seemed unaffected.


    However, unforeseen by many, Liszt once again became entangled in the aftermath of the dragon slaying incident.


    A Dragon Knight on active duty from the Eagle Kingdom, Marquis Alonso Xiankelai, sent his vampire servant to Iron Hoof Island to search for the missing Goat Assembly¡¯s Grand Magician and to inquire about the true reality behind the original dragon slaying incident¡ªit seemed that during the dragon slaying incident, he was the shadow behind the Marquis of Bull.


    Unfortunately.


    Elizabeth Black Knight was only a mixed-blood vampire, transformed into a vampire from her human form by the pureblood vampire Tuobert Black Knight. In her own words, during the day she was on the level of a common magician, as sunlight caused severe disruption to her blood magic.


    In the dark of night, the power of blood magic significantly increased, and her strength could reach that of a Grand Magician.


    And as a bat, she could stealthily infiltrate many places and quietly complete missions.


    ¡°Tuobert is a core member of the Black Knight family, his wife is a native pureblood vampire, and he is a foreign pureblood vampire who transformed from human and gradually attained pureblood status. In the night, his strength is approximately that of a Completion Level Sky Knight,¡± Elizabeth explained in detail.


    Vampires could be described as a caster profession, but also as a completely new species.


    Most vampires are mixed-blood, humans transformed through rituals to replenish the vampire numbers.


    The core vampire circle is very small, primarily family-based, consisting entirely of purebloods. And it¡¯s mostly native purebloods born from vampire unions, with only a few being foreign purebloods who have transformed from humans and ascended. Pureblood vampires have low birth rates but formidable strength.


    ¡°I am not familiar with the core members of the Black Knight family, I simply obey Tuobert, who holds my heart in his grip¡­ This time Tuobert came to Iron Hoof Island, bringing five mixed-bloods, and I am one of them. If you kill Tuobert and take his heart, you can command the five of us mixed-bloods.¡±


    After hearing many secrets.


    Liszt¡¯s face remained expressionless as he asked indifferently, ¡°If Tuobert is a Completion Level Sky Knight, why do you think I can kill him? You must know, I have only just been promoted to a common Sky Knight.¡±


    That was the truth.


    Although he had become a Dragon Knight and his Dou Qi was gradually changing into Dragon Dou Qi, it still belonged to the category of common Advanced Fire Attribute Dou Qi, not to the level of Completion¡ªThe proper ranks of a Sky Knight should be just common and elite, like the Earth Knights, but an additional category of Sword Saint Level was created due to the significant disparity.


    The title of Sword Saint, christened by the sword, felt more like an honorary distinction.


    Without Completion, an Advanced Dou Qi is considered a common level Sky Knight; once Advanced Dou Qi reaches Completion, it signifies a Completion Level Sky Knight. There isn¡¯t a separate Advanced Dou Qi classification for Sword Saint Level; Sword Saint is a title earned through power, a transitional phase between common and Completion.


    So with his Advanced Dou Qi not at Completion, Liszt naturally could claim he was a common Sky Knight.


    Elizabeth licked her lips.


    Whether intentionally or not, she always managed to incorporate a hint of seduction, ¡°If I had not experienced it firsthand, I would not believe that Viscount¡¯s prowess could be so formidable. But in the hands of Viscount, I couldn¡¯t even cast blood magic, I could feel the Dou Qi in your body terrifyingly subdues blood magic.¡±


    Her blood-red eyes were incredibly bright, ¡°I once fought with a Sword Saint, and granted I could not beat him, but he couldn¡¯t catch me either, not even Tuobert could easily grasp me¡­ But Viscount, you captured me effortlessly, your strength is far greater than what I heard, I¡¯m willing to take a bet!¡±


    ¡°`


    Speaking of which.


    She then showed a trembling expression, ¡°The Black Knight Family is terrifying. I was once just an ordinary Magic Apprentice, and it was Tuobert who discovered my blood was suitable for Blood Magic, forcibly turning me into a Vampire¡­ I hate Vampires, I hate the Black Knight Family, and even more so, I hate Tuobert!¡±


    Her expression was vivid as if she bore deep-seated fear and hatred.


    However, Liszt was certain that Elizabeth was indeed acting, her expressions were slightly overdone. Therefore, her words could only be listened to for the moment and not taken seriously.


    Nevertheless.


    Defeating Tuobert Black Knight was probably a necessary mission. After all, he had already captured Elizabeth, and the Smoke Mission was still incomplete, meaning that ¡°Bats in the Dark Night¡± were not just Elizabeth, but also included Tuobert and four other Mixed-bloods.


    According to the information provided by Elizabeth, Tuobert¡¯s strength was probably equivalent to a Completion Level Sky Knight, which was nothing in Liszt¡¯s eyes.


    Even if including the other four Mixed-bloods, as well as Elizabeth himself, he wouldn¡¯t have any trouble dealing with them.


    Only, Vampires are, after all, elusive. Elizabeth might just be bait sent by the enemy to lure Liszt into a trap. He was not yet an invincible Dragon Knight, at most a Half-Step Dragon Knight, whose Dragon was not only unmounted but also not mature. Even his strength was not as good as the Marquis of Bull initially.


    He still needed to be careful and cautious.


    ¡°Elizabeth, how can I trust you?¡±


    ¡°Viscount, what do I need to do for you to trust me? I¡¯m even willing to agree to do anything for you.¡±


    ¡°Try to act less in front of me. You may not believe me, but I often instruct the theater troupe¡¯s actors on how to perform in my territory¡­ Tuobert can control you with your heart, and since I can¡¯t do that, how can I trust that you aren¡¯t deceiving me? Or that you won¡¯t turn against me when the time comes to kill Tuobert?¡±


    Elizabeth¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Has Viscount already decided to kill Tuobert?¡±


    Liszt smiled faintly, as if discussing a trivial matter, ¡°If you can convince me, I don¡¯t mind killing a few Bats.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, her full chest expanded even further.


    Elizabeth extended her right hand, and with a slight swipe of her fingernail across the wrist of her left hand, a cut immediately appeared, blood began to ooze out. Of course, she was not committing suicide; rather, she was extracting her own blood through Blood Magic, pulling out a fist-sized lump of sticky, glowing blood.


    Her already pale complexion became even paler, almost to the point where the blue veins beneath her skin were visible.


    She held out this lump of blood to Liszt, ¡°Viscount, this is the blood I have infused with Blood Magic over the years. Although leaving it won¡¯t kill me, I will lose almost all my magic and the potential to advance to a Pureblood¡­ I hope this can make you trust me.¡±


    In the vision of the Eye of Magic, this lump of blood was wrapped in a rich red Magic Power, while the Magic Radiance on Elizabeth herself was dim, nearly extinguished.


    After hesitating for a few seconds, he reached out and took the lump of blood.


    Squinting his eyes, he said, ¡°Tell me, where is Tuobert, how do I find him, what are his weaknesses¡­ I believe you must have a plan.¡±

 Chapter 601 - Chapter 601: Chapter 0598

    Chapter 601: Chapter 0598


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The Sky-Cleaving Greatsword pierced into the heart, and Tuobert let out a sharp, agonizing scream.


    His body exploded instantly, and though many blood-colored lights were burned by the flames created from his Dragon Dou Qi, preventing him from transforming into a bat, many still turned into bats and flew away in all directions. However, in the next instant, Liszt already had the Bloodlight Web out.


    He cast it over his head.


    It almost captured all the bats in one sweep. When the blood-red web touched the bats, it sizzled, scorching them while they shrieked and thrashed about, desperately trying to escape but failing, only to be left burning in the lingering flames.


    The duration of the Dragon Dou Qi was becoming increasingly longer.


    ¡°Viscount, three bats have escaped!¡± Elizabeth cried out from the ground, pointing and shouting loudly in three directions.


    Liszt had already noticed without her reminders.


    He stood still, and at some point, the Swift Shadow Bow had found its way into his hands. Three arrows were swiftly nocked and shot out. They circled in a triangular formation, flashed by, and struck one of the bats, causing a tremendous explosion. The bat was obliterated into nothingness.


    He turned and shot out three more arrows, causing another bat to burst.


    The last bat had already flown far away, but Liszt quickly shot three arrows, then rapidly drew three more arrows and continued to shoot. The second set of arrows quickly caught up with the first under the guidance of Dou Qi and collided with each other, tracing a peculiar arc and instantly catching up to the bat.


    Boom!


    The arrows hit and exploded, sending a firework slowly drifting down from the sky¡ª¡±Multi-Arrow,¡± the Ultimate Mystery Technique ¨C Multiple Phantom Arrow, a failproof skill.


    Less than five seconds had passed since Elizabeth had called out the warning.


    Watching the three fleeing bats being successively shot down, the female vampire swallowed hard, shaken, and at the same time, immensely relieved she had made the right choice. The young Sky Knight before her was no ordinary Sky Knight; his strength was unbelievable.


    ¡°With such power, at such a young age, if he were in the Eagle Kingdom, he would definitely qualify to be selected by the Royal Family as a candidate for Dragon Knight, and eventually, like Prince Alonso Xenkelai, become a serving Dragon Knight!¡±


    The Royal Family didn¡¯t always produce offspring with natural talent.


    To demonstrate their combat capabilities, the Kingdom¡¯s dragons needed Dragon Knights. Thus, being a candidate for Dragon Knight became a contest for the talented.


    Whoever emerged victorious among the candidates would become a true Dragon Knight and serve the Kingdom.


    It would be easy to earn military honors and be knighted.


    In fact, as long as one successfully rode a dragon, they¡¯d be knighted as an Earl; with sufficient military achievements, one would quickly be promoted to Marquis, and with continual accumulation of combat achievements, it would be easy to eventually become a Duke. Although one would retire due to age and the dragon would be taken back by the Kingdom, and the title of Duke would be revoked, the descendants could inherit the title of Marquis, continuing the lineage unbroken.


    The Duke¡¯s title was reserved for the sovereign, and the regulations of the Kingdoms didn¡¯t allow for it to be conferred lightly. Only those Dragon Knights who raised their own dragons could create a Grand Duchy with the title of Grand Duke¡ªif the descendants fell into decline for a long time, they might be reduced to a mere Duchy, or even demoted to ordinary Nobility.


    The idea of becoming a Dragon Knight echoed in Elizabeth¡¯s mind.


    She even suddenly felt a tinge of pity for Liszt¡ªpity that Liszt didn¡¯t live in the Eagle Kingdom or the Steel Ridge Kingdom; his astonishing talent was destined to be unconnected with the Dragon Knights.


    ¡­


    Of course, Liszt wasn¡¯t aware of Elizabeth pitying him for not having the chance to ride dragons.


    After he had shot down the three fleeing bats, he had painstakingly squeezed and burst each bat captured by the Bloodlight Web. Ultimately, these bats reverted back to their original form, the blood-red Magic Power coalesced, and Tuobert Black Knight, a Pureblood Vampire, emerged, bleeding from all seven orifices.


    ¡°Er, er, er¡­¡±


    Tuobert was immobilized, his bones seemed to have been crushed to dust, or perhaps it was the suppressive effect of the Dragon Dou Qi that caused a problem with his physical restoration, leaving him limp like a pile of mud.


    ¡°`


    Muffled, indecipherable sounds came from the throat, yet not a complete sentence or even a full word could be uttered.


    The gaze was also somewhat scattered, unable to focus.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Liszt turned his head and asked Elizabeth, who was still in a daze, ¡°I¡¯ve hardly made a move, why does he look like he¡¯s about to die?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Elizabeth came to her senses and stammered, ¡°Maybe, maybe Viscount, you struck too hard. Looking at his condition, it¡¯s very likely that the Blood Magic ¨C Bat Incarnation was forcibly broken, causing a backlash of magic power, unable to maintain the normal functioning of his body.¡±


    A vampire¡¯s body can switch freely between bat and human form, relying on Blood Magic ¨C Bat Incarnation.


    If the spell is forcibly broken, it can easily cause a backlash¡ªthough unless it¡¯s an attack powerful enough to kill in one blow, even killing many bats won¡¯t break the Blood Magic. Tuobert just needed to escape as an incarnated bat, and he could revert to his human form while only losing a bit of blood magic power.


    Those crushed incarnated bats would revert back to blood magic power and return to his body through some unknown means¡ªLiszt guessed it was an application of the Magic Web.


    The transmission of magic power regardless of distance.


    Anyway.


    Tuobert had fallen, and it seemed he wouldn¡¯t live much longer.


    Elizabeth approached excitedly, with a not-so-obvious slap mark on her face, her eyes unable to suppress the longing as she stared at Tuobert: ¡°My lord, extract it before his heart stops beating, and the blood magic power can be collected without losses. And his personal belongings, there¡¯s a blood casket inside, containing my heart!¡±


    However, she was still rational enough to know to ask for Liszt¡¯s permission: ¡°Please allow me to retrieve it for my lord!¡±


    Liszt nodded, signaling Elizabeth to proceed.


    Next.


    Elizabeth crouched down, cast a spell with both hands, and a cluster of blood-red light emerged, enveloping Tuobert, who was not yet dead. The blood magic power made contact, causing Tuobert¡¯s blood to flow backward surprisingly quickly back into his body, gradually converging toward the heart.


    ¡°Er, er, er¡­¡±


    Tuobert, like a stuck tape, repeated a syllable that he tried to emit.


    Amid his stuck syllables, Elizabeth violently tore open his chest with her hand, reached in, and brutally extracted a heart no longer beating, glowing red.


    This heart wasn¡¯t like flesh and blood; it was as crystalline as blood jade, semi-translucent, with veins clearly visible, slowly bleeding out.


    As soon as this heart of blood jade was extracted, Tuobert¡¯s unfocused eyes suddenly flashed, and his mud-like body muscles twitched, slowly lifting an arm as if trying to stop Elizabeth from taking his heart.


    But this was merely a fleeting revival.


    It had barely lifted halfway when the muscles relaxed, the arm fell down instantly, and he was dead for good.


    Immediately after the heart was extracted, Elizabeth¡¯s actions didn¡¯t slow down for a moment. While the corpse was still warm, and blood magic power lingered in Tuobert¡¯s body, she continued using blood magic. From the pocket inside Tuobert¡¯s coat, she miraculously produced several personal items.


    Finally, she slowly pulled out a long, box-shaped object.


    She opened the box eagerly, and instantly, blood-red light flickered. Five hearts like blood jade were arranged inside the box.


    Just as she was about to reach in for her own heart.


    A slight cough sounded from behind.


    Elizabeth froze in place, turned her head, and with a sheepish smile said, ¡°My lord, this is¡­ my heart.¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°I know, hand it over.¡±

 Chapter 602 - Chapter 602: Chapter 0599: The Vampire Who Doesnt Drink Blood (First Update)

    Chapter 602: Chapter 0599: The Vampire Who Doesn¡¯t Drink Blood (First Update)


    The heart of a vampire probably resembles the Life Box of a lich, except that a lich¡¯s Life Box seems to be just a coordinate pointing to the real world, while the heart of a vampire is the core of life itself.


    Within the long box, Liszt stored away five hearts, including that of Tuobert.


    He would not trust vampires.


    However, he tossed the clump of blood back to Elizabeth, ¡°Tuobert is dead, unexpectedly. I originally planned to ask him some questions. Now that the pureblood is dead, how do I contact the other four mixed-blood vampires?¡±


    ¡°As long as you squeeze the heart, they will sense it and come to see you. Having the heart, we all become your vampire servants,¡± Elizabeth quickly changed her attitude, showing full gentleness and obedience, after Liszt took possession of the hearts.


    It was clear to her that Liszt had become her master.


    ¡°Bring all of Tuobert¡¯s personal belongings, and let¡¯s go back, otherwise my father will probably go find the First Prince for a chat,¡± Liszt whistled, summoning the landwalker bird Loki.


    Elizabeth had already integrated the blood into her body and smiled coquettishly, ¡°My body is still quite weak, sir, do you mind if I ride your mount?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just say it, Elizabeth, your tricks are useless on me, understand. There are many noble ladies in the Grand Duchy who wish to share the night with me, but few have caught my eye¡­ So, being a tame vampire servant is the most sensible choice.¡±


    After speaking, Liszt climbed onto the bird and headed straight to the port of Iron Hoof City.


    Elizabeth stamped her foot on the spot, feeling frustrated and annoyed, but she was helpless. She could only transform into a bat and chase after the departing landwalker bird.


    ¡­


    Upon returning to the Sunset, Liszt first went to the Tulip to see the Earl.


    ¡°Is the matter resolved?¡±


    ¡°It was much easier than I thought. It was just a bat that can¡¯t stand the light; pity I acted too forcefully, directly slapping Tuobert Black Knight to death. He also had five mixed-blood subordinates, who now basically belong to my vampire servants. Maybe I can get some secrets out of them.¡±


    Liszt simplified the course of events. The arrival of the vampires was not an isolated incident; it had already implicated the internal stability of the Grand Duchy.


    ¡°Never would have thought that vampires really exist and are hiding right among us,¡± the Earl pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s act like this never happened. You need to keep those five vampires under control, don¡¯t expose them rashly¡­ And let¡¯s not worry about the Grand Duke¡¯s affairs.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t you bring Elizabeth over? I want to see what a vampire looks like, especially one that can turn into a bat,¡± Li Weiliam was also curious.


    ¡°After we set sail, I will bring her to you so you can see. A vampire turning into a bat is indeed quite magical.¡±


    After not chatting for very long, and taking the Earl¡¯s advice to downplay the matter, he went straight back to the Sunset. Elizabeth Black Knight was in his room, playing with the personal items seized from Tuobert.


    There were five items in total.


    A dagger shimmering with silver light. Elizabeth was familiar with it, ¡°Sir, this dagger is called ¡®Silver Oath,¡¯ one of the magic equipment inherited by the Black Knight family. It enhances the power of blood magic and is the top equipment for a vampire¡¯s nighttime assassination.¡±


    A set of clothing, including a cape with black surface and red lining, and a tuxedo similar to the one Flack Abaie wore. This suit was similar to Elizabeth¡¯s tight leather top and pants, simply a piece of standard magic equipment that could transform, offering only a slight defensive property.


    An item that looked like a book.


    Elizabeth equally knew of it, ¡°This book is called ¡®Reincarnation Ritual.,¡¯ It has but one purpose. Activated by blood magic power, it can boil a person¡¯s blood and gradually transform it into the cold blood of a vampire. It is part of a set with the Blood Extractor Needle you seized¡­ I was transformed from magician to vampire using this Reincarnation Ritual.¡±


    She caressed the cover, lost in a brief reverie.


    Then she snapped back to reality and took up the fourth item, ¡°I have not seen this mirror before, but I feel it must be a protective item, probably able to resist sunlight and the light system magic that restrains blood magic.¡±


    At last.


    She picked up the fifth item.


    This item was a red mask, ¡°I often use this mask, it¡¯s called the ¡®Blood Mask.''¡± Every time I briefly take back my heart and start training under Tuobert¡¯s supervision, I wear it. It can calm the heated components in vampire blood and keep the blood cool at all times.¡±


    Vampire blood is cold.


    Daylight or light system magic makes it warm and boil, thereby consuming and disrupting Blood Magic Power, significantly reducing their strength.


    After knowing the functions of each item, Liszt took them away one by one from in front of Elizabeth, completely ignoring her resentful gaze.


    ¡°I heard Tuobert call you Mary, is that your original name?¡±


    ¡°After I became a vampire, Tuobert gave me the name Elizabeth Black Knight, it¡¯s been twenty years¡­ Mary Truth was my name when I was a magician, and later, it became a code name for me within the Black Knight family¡­ Bloody Mary.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Liszt narrowed his eyes.


    The Smoke Mission just happened to float in front of his eyes, ¡°Mission completed, reward: Bloody Mary ¨C Elizabeth Black Knight.¡±


    Before Liszt could contemplate the dominance of the alias Bloody Mary.


    Elizabeth quickly said, ¡°We mixed-blood vampires like me all have a code name; purebloods don¡¯t like to call us by our names. Oh, I forgot to mention, the other four vampires brought by Tuobert are called Crimson Peggy, Blood Hamill, Night Demon Wimbledon, and One-Eyed Uso.¡±


    They all sounded quite domineering.


    Among them, One-Eyed Uso made Liszt¡¯s brow raise¡ªhis coachman¡¯s name was One-Eyed Barton.


    Because of this digression, the smoke had already dissipated, and Liszt hadn¡¯t had the chance to see the new mission content. But he wasn¡¯t in a hurry; instead, he asked, ¡°Do vampires live by drinking blood?¡±


    ¡°Sir, vampires do not drink blood. Purebloods like to call themselves blood clan. Authors of knight novels always portray us as bloodsucking monsters. In fact, we are just magicians who study Blood Magic, only our bodies underwent some unusual changes.¡±


    ¡°So you also eat food?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we eat, sir. Whatever common people eat, we eat the same.¡±


    Since Tuobert had died and his heart was in the hands of Liszt, Elizabeth answered his inquiries extensively and exhaustively, displaying the behavior of a loyal subordinate.


    Liszt gradually understood more about these vampire casters who were neither human nor ghost. Aside from having a more secretive heritage, preferring to stay hidden by day and come out by night, transforming into bats to cause mischief, and having an unsavory reputation, they didn¡¯t have too many unique characteristics. They were scattered across the continent but were quite rare in numbers.


    One reason was that their birth rate was very low, and it was exceedingly difficult for the original purebloods to procreate. The second reason was that transforming mixed-bloods consumed a vast amount of resources, and those with poor talent had no chance to be promoted to external mixed-bloods.


    A vampire family with fifty members was considered a large family.


    As they talked, they came to the cause of the current incident.


    Bloody Mary explained, ¡°Originally, Tuobert did not plan to transform you, sir. Even the Black Knight family would be unwilling to waste resources to transform mixed-bloods. Later, when he found out that you, sir, were the youngest Sky Knight of the Sapphire, Tuobert changed his mind and wanted to transform you.¡±


    Liszt showed no particular reaction.


    However, he understood in his heart that this must have been the backlash from the Power of Destiny due to the failure of the previous mission, drawing Tuobert¡¯s malice toward him.


    But this malice seemed more like a boon, bestowing upon him five vampire servants.

 Chapter 603 - Chapter 603: Chapter 0600: Memories of a Terrifying Posture (Second Update)

    Chapter 603: Chapter 0600: Memories of a Terrifying Posture (Second Update)


    Magicians, Druids, Vampires, Wizards.


    Liszt had already encountered four kinds of special Casters.


    In the leftover notes from Curtis Truth, there was an illustration of the Eye of Truth, in which the three corners of the triangle represented matter, Magic Power, and spirit, each one listing out the relevant Caster professions.


    In the material branch, there were Alchemists, Vampires, and Necromancers.


    In the Magic Power branch, there were Magicians and Druids.


    In the spiritual branch, there were Wizards, Sorcerers, Prophets, Succubi, and Shamans, among which ancient Wizards mostly transformed themselves into Liches, which is to say, Curtis Truth and Andy Sapphire of the Marquis of Bull, belonged to the category of Wizards.


    It was unknown if these Casters really existed.


    But at least it could be inferred that they more or less had existed on this continent. The Duchy of Sapphire was located in a remote area and its history only spanned just over one hundred and fifty years, so it was relatively ¡°clean.¡± Those special Casters, even if they existed, were probably scattered across the various nations of the continent.


    ¡°This black cloak with a red interior from Tuobert, take it as a reward for pledging allegiance to me, you wear it. I¡¯ll have Thomas arrange a cabin for you on the ship, where you¡¯ll live from now on, focused solely on serving as my Vampire Servant. Perform well and I will consider whether to return your heart to you,¡± he said.


    After chatting for a while and being unable to extract more information from Elizabeth,


    Liszt began arranging her new identity, ¡°You are no longer a Vampire from the Black Knight Family, so don¡¯t use the name Elizabeth Black Knight any longer, revert to your original name Mary¡­ Bloody Mary, that sounds pretty good.¡±


    Bloody Mary unwillingly, and in a fawning manner, said, ¡°My lord, how about you give me Tuobert¡¯s heart to absorb? Once I ascend to a Pureblood Vampire, I can serve you better.¡±


    ¡°When you have made enough contributions, everything is negotiable, without contributions, don¡¯t mention anything,¡± Liszt calmly stated a fact, ¡°According to my past standard, you dared to harbor ill intent towards me, I would never have left you alive, now I don¡¯t kill you, you should be grateful.¡±


    That was a bluff.


    Back when Paris had also infiltrated the Castle, intending to harm him, he did not kill Paris¡ª or to put it another way, his thoughts were actually deeply influenced by the Smoke Mission, the power of destiny represented by the smoke, and his own spiritual power, might have already merged.


    Indistinguishable from each other.


    Paris and Bloody Mary were both rewards from the Smoke Mission, naturally he was reluctant to kill them casually. Paris had her sister to restrain her, now Bloody Mary was also restrained by her heart. With a means of control, it was naturally best to maximize benefits and reap more advantages.


    When Paris came to Fresh Flower Town, Liszt was still weak, chiefly playing the emotional card.


    Bloody Mary had already missed the opportunity, by the time she arrived, Liszt had already become a Half-Step Dragon Knight, no longer needing to exhaust himself playing the emotional card. Holding her heart, no matter how much Bloody Mary struggled, she couldn¡¯t escape his palm¡ªplacing the heart into the Gemstone Space, it couldn¡¯t even be stolen.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath now, those four Vampires might soon arrive, you¡¯ll entertain them and make them understand their current situation.¡±


    ¡°Understood, my lord,¡± Bloody Mary solemnly replied.


    She finally realized that this young Sky Knight was not a naive youth who could be confused by beauty. Moreover, she wasn¡¯t much to look at, not young, nearing forty years old¡ªshe was transformed into a Vampire at the age of seventeen, and had since spent twenty years.


    Although because of Blood Magic, she didn¡¯t show signs of aging, and her body remained tender.


    But she was no longer young.


    And she clearly felt that, when she revealed her age, Liszt¡¯s enthusiasm quickly dropped by a third, ¡°Heh, men¡­¡±


    Knock, knock, knock.


    The sound of knocking pulled Bloody Mary back to reality, and she responded in clumsy Serpent Script, ¡°Please enter.¡±


    The door was pushed open, and a maid who already knew about the existence of Bloody Mary brought in a glass of juice and set it on the table, ¡°Lady, please enjoy the juice.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Bloody Mary was very friendly toward the servants of Liszt.


    She was a clever woman and knew that her looks would not help her anymore; she needed to use her real skills to win Liszt¡¯s appreciation and rewards in order to regain her heart and freedom.


    And possibly obtain Tuobert¡¯s heart to advance to a Pureblood Vampire.


    So she could not afford to offend the servants around Liszt carelessly¡ªa casual word from a servant might ruin her image in Liszt¡¯s eyes.


    The maid responded with a smile, but when she saw Bloody Mary¡¯s red eyes and pale complexion, she couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth in surprise.


    Immediately realizing her reaction, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I am not one of the Sapphire People; my eyes are a little different from yours.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, my lady, but your eyes are very beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°If there is nothing else, I will take my leave now.¡±


    ¡°You may go.¡±


    As soon as the maid left the room, Bloody Mary suddenly called out to the window, ¡°Peggy, come in now!¡±


    Flap, flap.


    A bat fluttered its wings and flew in. As the bat landed, it quickly transformed into a tall woman with golden hair, having the same pale complexion and blood-red eyes, ¡°Mary, Lord Tuobert summoned me here, what¡¯s the matter? The aura here is not friendly to us.¡±


    ¡°There is no longer any Lord Tuobert. Now, your master is Viscount Black Horse Island, Lord Liszt Tulip.¡±


    Crimson Peggy, who had an ordinary appearance and a shrill voice, exclaimed, ¡°What kind of joke is this?¡±


    ¡°I am not joking. Tuobert was killed by Lord Liszt with a single sword strike, and even his bat forms were crushed one by one¡ªhe could not be deader. Now, our hearts are in Lord Liszt¡¯s hands, and he has summoned you here, apparently, to incorporate you into his service.¡±


    Crimson Peggy still did not believe it.


    Bloody Mary picked up a cloak from the table, ¡°See for yourself, Tuobert¡¯s clothes, which have been awarded to me by Lord Liszt. So, Crimson Peggy, accept your new identity and serve Lord Liszt well. As long as you perform excellently, freedom is not out of reach.¡±


    Crimson Peggy¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Then, this Lord Liszt?¡±


    ¡°The lord has matters to attend to and will return later. I am waiting here for you, as well as Hamil, Wimbleton, and Uso who are on their way, to make you understand the facts¡ªTuobert¡¯s demise is no joke.¡±


    ¡°Mary, tell me about Lord Liszt. It seems I have heard this name before, isn¡¯t he the youngest Sky Knight of Sapphire?¡±


    ¡°You heard correctly, but I need to clarify one thing¡ªLord Liszt¡¯s strength is terrifying, terrifying to the extent that he could kill Tuobert in an instant. As for how terrifying exactly, only those who have personally witnessed him kill Tuobert in an instant can truly understand that indomitable and violent nature!¡±


    Bloody Mary spoke slowly, her mind racing back to that previous battle. She was still shaken to the core¡ªLiszt¡¯s transformation into flames and his stance while firing arrows, scenes she would never forget for the rest of her life.

 Chapter 605 - Chapter 605: Chapter 602: The Earl Wants to Come Mooch the AC (First Update)

    Chapter 605: Chapter 602: The Earl Wants to Come Mooch the AC (First Update)


    ¡°`


    The vampire¡¯s task had come to an end.


    As the sky began to lighten, a fleet of ships anchored at Port of Bull Hoof City left one after another, and Sunset followed the Tulip Fleet, leaving the port.


    They sailed towards the azure sea.


    The vampires on board Sunset had a new mission.


    This was the first task that Liszt had assigned to them: ¡°Compile the blood magic you are familiar with into a book, detailing the casting methods of each spell, as well as comprehensive information on reincarnation rituals and other full-spectrum knowledge. Include also the member composition of the Black Knight Family, and what you know about other vampire families.¡±


    A few vampires were somewhat taken aback.


    They did not understand the purpose of this mission.


    Only Bloody Mary, thinking herself clever, asked with shining eyes, ¡°Do you wish to establish a new vampire family, my lord?¡±


    Liszt nodded noncommittally.


    Blood magic was very eerie.


    The blood of vampires was cold, and during the day they needed to hide in dark places to keep their body temperature cool. ¡°Cold-blooded¡± often implies treachery and betrayal; whether this is true or not, the impression that Bloody Mary and these vampires gave him was just that.


    Therefore, he did not actually wish to establish any new vampire families. However, using the guise of forming a new family did not stop him from motivating the five vampires to work.


    His true intention was to compile blood magic into a tome of magic books.


    To hand it over to Ach, Chris, and others for research, to glean meaningful insights from it, and to lay the foundation for their pursuit of becoming archmages ¨C Chris¡¯s talents might not be sufficient, but Ach was extremely likely to ascend to the rank of archmage.


    In the days that followed,


    The five vampires hid in the cabin¡¯s bottom, toiling over the book that Liszt had named ¡°The Nature and Development of Blood Magic.¡±


    By the time they were about to reach Roaring River Mouth, the new battle plans had been distributed to all the Follower Lords of the Sapphire Duke. Li Weiliam quickly gathered his followers to meet on the Tulip, then assigned the tasks of the Coral Island Knights.


    ¡°We will cooperate with the First Prince and focus our attack on the coastal areas around Roaring River Mouth. Among all the coastal cities, I have chosen Ice Pear City. It is the territory of a Viscount, and to my knowledge, this Viscount was only assigned Ice Pear City in the past two years. His castle is Snow Pear Castle, and he himself is known as the Clear Water Sword Saint,¡± he said.


    Known as the Clear Water Sword Saint, he naturally was a Sky Knight of the Sword Saint Level, probably a Water Attribute Sword Saint.


    ¡°A Sword Saint who is only a Viscount?¡± Jonas Shattered Stone asked curiously.


    ¡°Perhaps he offended the Nobles and was demoted to Viscount.¡±


    ¡°Quite possible.¡±


    Liszt was not curious about this; as a Dragon Knight himself, he was still only a Viscount. So he directly said, ¡°Even if the opponent is a Sword Saint, a Viscount¡¯s castle won¡¯t hold against the dismantling prowess of the Blizzard Beast. Let¡¯s capture Ice Pear City first as a statement!¡±


    Li Weiliam understood Liszt¡¯s strength and therefore easily concurred, ¡°Taking on a Sword Saint at the beginning of the battle couldn¡¯t be better!¡±


    The meeting ended promptly.


    Upon returning to Sunset, Liszt gathered the five vampires who were earnestly writing: ¡°Set aside the task of writing for now, as it¡¯s a long-term project and not urgent. We are now not far from the coastline, and I need you to infiltrate Ice Pear City, gather information, especially regarding magicians.¡±


    ¡°Ice Pear City? The domain of Clear Water Sword Saint Yevich Waterflower?¡± Night Demon Wimbleton couldn¡¯t help blurting out,


    ¡°You know of this person?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, I have heard of the Clear Water Sword Saint. He was once a candidate for Dragon Knight of the Eagle Kingdom, but as he grew older, he indulged too much and squandered his talents. Moreover, he had character issues, having followed three Marquises in succession, all ending in disputes. That¡¯s how he ended up in Roar City, following Marquis Nuta Dimaria Yuhua Stone and received his title as Viscount.¡±


    The Eagle Kingdom had many Marquises.


    It¡¯s possible that many Nobles of Eagle Kingdom didn¡¯t even know the exact number of Marquises.


    Just the Roaring River Mouth area alone encompassed the territories of five Marquises, including Marquis Nuta as one of them. His territory, named Impact River Plain, extended from the mouth of the Roaring River all the way up to the tributary Three Dragon River, with Roar City as the central city.


    The name of Roaring River Mouth came from the Roaring River, a river much greater than Earth¡¯s Yangtze, Nile, and Amazon rivers.


    The downstream Impact Plain was also immensely vast,


    and Ice Pear City was one of the mid-sized cities on the Impact Plain.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Night Demon Wimbleton continued, ¡°The Clear Water Sword Saint is very powerful, having been a potential Dragon Knight candidate. It¡¯s unlikely we can infiltrate his presence undetected.¡±¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to confront him directly, just find out if there is any Grand Magician within the city.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡­


    The vampires left the Sunset at dusk and flew toward Ice Pear City.


    Liszt stood at the bow of the ship, not resting. They were now only about ten kilometers away from land, ready to land and engage in battle at any moment.


    It was August 1st, and the weather at night was still somewhat muggy.


    Suddenly, a figure dashed across the sky, engulfed in the mighty Water-Attribute Dou Qi, it was none other than the Sea Wave Sword Saint Li Weiliam.


    Liszt turned around and greeted, ¡°Father, what brings you here?¡±


    Li Weiliam gestured for the servants and others on the ship to leave, leaving only the two of them at the bow, ¡°Have the vampires been dispatched?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, what are you worried about? According to past practices, we should directly attack. It¡¯s just a small city. What about the Clear Water Sword Saint is worth our caution?¡±


    ¡°Father, what¡¯s wrong with being cautious? The other party was a potential Dragon Knight in the past.¡±


    ¡°A potential Dragon Knight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked the vampires. Clear Water Sword Saint Yevich Waterflower had strong talent in his youth and was one of the candidates for the Dragon Knights. However, as he grew older, his talent was squandered, his character was poor, and he only managed to scrape together a viscount title in his middle years.¡±


    ¡°It seems that despite his plight, his strength is still formidable. We should indeed proceed with caution,¡± Li Weiliam nodded and then with a hint of emotion said, ¡°The First Prince should have already conquered several other small cities and begun to rest on land. Life aboard the ship, even after decades, is still uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°We just have to wait one more night.¡±


    Li Weiliam boarded the ship with no intention to leave soon, but turned to look at the small tower castle at the stern, ¡°Your ship is very peculiar, is that where you reside?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You are a noble who enjoys comfort. Let me visit your room.¡±


    Upon entering the small tower castle, Li Weiliam, who was prepared, was still stunned by the room¡¯s conditions. A full set of Thorn furniture, exquisite glassware, curtains woven from green silk, carpets laid with magical beast fur¡­ and most crucially, the master bedroom was cool.


    It was only August, and the climate was still hot.


    Yet, Liszt¡¯s dwelling was pleasantly cool, without a hint of heat.


    ¡°What is this? A magic array?¡± Li Weiliam stood in the room, feeling the temperature cool to the point of being slightly cold, and asked in surprise.


    ¡°A piece of magic equipment.¡±


    Liszt smiled awkwardly, like someone caught sneaking a chicken leg, ¡°In the seas of my territory, there is a production of Golden-Lipped Clams that produce Golden Pearls, which can be fashioned into magic equipment for controlling temperature. I call it the Temperature Calming Pearl. The output is very low right now; I¡¯ve only brought one with me.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the production of the Golden Pearls? Liszt, I need it!¡± Li Weiliam exerted a father¡¯s authority, ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t take your things for free; sell them to me at market price.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to spend money. I had planned to give out two Temperature Calming Pearls as birthday gifts to you and grandmother.¡±


    ¡°You are thoughtful, but are there only two? I would hope to use Temperature Calming Pearls in my bedroom, study, dining room, and ideally the living room.¡±


    The Earl¡¯s appetite was indeed large.


    Liszt flat out interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Father, but the Golden Pearls are scarce, and even my Thorn Castle cannot meet the supply¡­ However, I will prioritize selling any new Golden Pearls to Tulip Castle.¡± The Golden Pearls would definitely be for sale in the future, but he first had to ensure his own enjoyment.


    The Earl could not push further, and seeing that Liszt had no intention of giving him the Temperature Calming Pearl on the ship as a gift, he said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll squeeze in with you on the Sunset; you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Mind!


    But it wouldn¡¯t be polite to say so, and he could only reply, ¡°Of course not, I will have the servants arrange a room for you, and I¡¯ll place the Temperature Calming Pearl between the two rooms.¡±

 Chapter 608 - Chapter 608: Chapter 0605: Catching Demons Underground (First Update)

    Chapter 608: Chapter 0605: Catching Demons Underground (First Update)


    Charging headlong, Liszt dashed directly from the breach in the castle, all the way to the back garden of the castle, where he deployed the Eye of Magic but did not find the figure of Yevich Waterflower.


    However, beneath a patch of grapevines, he saw several servants hiding something.


    He sharply sensed a problem and rushed over, grabbing a servant to demand, ¡°Where¡¯s Yevich!¡± Without waiting for the servant¡¯s response, he had already kicked away the water tank used for storing water, suddenly revealing a square basement hatch.


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Fool!¡± Liszt casually tossed the uncooperative servant towards a stone table to the side. The servant smashed onto it and rolled off to the ground, unable to get up for the moment.


    Under normal circumstances, he had no desire to kill those outside knights and magicians.


    War is a game among nobles, and commoners usually constitute part of the wealth; it is morally unacceptable for knights to kill commoners ¡ª unless the commoners dare to resist, in which case they must be put to death without question. Even with moral constraints, there are knights who get carried away, slaughtering civilians indiscriminately.


    There would be no punishments afterward.


    For example, if Liszt slaughtered all the civilians of Snow Pear Castle now, who would speak ill of him ¡ª he simply was not a cruel person and had a touch of compassion for the commoners.


    Whether knights adhere to morals.


    Depends on self-discipline and the whole honor discourse favored by knightly glory.


    Fortunately, Liszt did not need the servant¡¯s answer; he directly kicked open the basement hatch and quickly jumped down. It was clear that this basement was a castle¡¯s escape route. With Dragon Dou Qi in operation and a crystal lamp in hand, he quickly found the entrance to the passage.


    With Dragon Dou Qi shielding his body, he had no fear of traps within the passage, as the world had not yet developed the art of traps.


    Even if there were traps in the escape tunnel, they would be straightforward and simple means of harm. Had there been magic equipment applied to the escape passage, his Eye of Magic would observe and solve it.


    The passage was somewhat narrow.


    With the illumination of his crystal lamp, Liszt¡¯s vision was unobstructed, so he swiftly charged along the passage. It was twisting and turning, with plenty of standing water, and he could clearly see fresh, still-damp footprints.


    ¡°Not just one person¡¯s footprints, they are a bit messy; they should be the footprints of Yevich and those three grand magicians!¡±


    With clarity in his heart, his pursuit quickened even more.


    Just then, a loud rumble suddenly came from ahead.


    Followed by very faint voices.


    They seemed to be shouts and curses.


    He continued to charge forward.


    Soon, at the end of the passage, he saw three faint figures outlined by magic radiance; they were indeed the three grand magicians who had previously cast the combination magic. Their cursing was also clearly audible, quickly informing Liszt of the reason ¡ª Yevich had collapsed the gate at the end of the passage.


    That is to say.


    To escape, Yevich had left the three grand magicians behind as bait.


    ¡°Stop the nonsense, Lars, let¡¯s join forces and cast magic to blast the top of the tunnel, creating a way out!¡±


    ¡°Cyrille, put up the Firmstone Armor for me, Dulac, put up the Water Wave Shield, I¡¯m afraid if the tunnel collapses again, it¡¯ll bury me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t die!¡±


    The three grand magicians were trapped in the passage, attempting to save themselves.


    Unfortunately, before they could cast their magic, Liszt had already caught up along the passage: ¡°Gentlemen, why the hurry to leave? Come continue your visit to Snow Pear Castle with me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡±


    ¡°One arrow sent Yevich¡¯s knight flying!¡±


    ¡°They really have caught up already, heh.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic focused on the three Grand Magicians as he slowly approached, ¡°Since you¡¯re already aware of me, let¡¯s dispense with formalities. Continue back down the corridor and return to Snow Pear Castle where we can have a good talk¡­ The magician on the left, stop secretly gathering magic power, you can¡¯t escape my perception.¡±


    The discovered Grand Magician gave a sheepish smile and dissolved the magic power he had been condensing in his palm.


    When a magician is approached by a knight, or even more so, a powerful Sky Knight, it¡¯s almost as if there¡¯s no difference between them and lambs waiting for slaughter. The era of the caster has declined¡ªapparently during the Moon Empire era, magicians were very powerful, dominating the continent and ruling over everything, but unfortunately now it¡¯s the era where knights dominate the continent.


    Sometimes Liszt doubts those legends, where archmages were said to duel with dragons and, although they couldn¡¯t defeat a Dragon Knight in single combat, were still considered representatives of the peak powers in the world.


    Why are Grand Magicians and magicians so weak?


    Although they can release powerful spells, their true combat ability can¡¯t be demonstrated. Especially due to the constraints on casting speed, allowing knights to attack magicians without any scruples. No matter how strong the magic power is, it¡¯s useless if it can¡¯t hit the knight. Even solid defensive spells like the Water Wave Shield or Firmstone Armor will eventually be hacked apart by knights given enough time.


    Not to mention when knights form a team, their Dou Qi merges to shred any stray magic power, creating an anti-magic zone, effectively nullifying a magician¡¯s casting abilities.


    Watching the three Grand Magicians dejectedly walk back along the corridor,


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but be reflective, ¡°When I was compiling ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild¡±, I read a lot of magic books and knight¡¯s novels, all mentioning the glory days of magicians during the Moon Empire. There are even legends that the Moon Empire¡¯s magicians built a Magic Array atop Mount Mulagao Ding that reached the moon.¡±


    If that era was really as recorded in history, it would have been a truly magnificent and splendid civilization.


    The magicians who founded the Moon Empire certainly wouldn¡¯t have been as weak as today¡¯s magicians.


    ¡°So what led to the decline of the magician¡¯s era? What differences exist between the magicians of the Moon Empire era and those of today? What happened after the Moon Empire fell apart that allowed knights to rise?¡± Sadly, history hasn¡¯t been recorded.


    The fragments of oral history have long since strayed from the truth.


    The mystery remains unsolved.


    ¡­


    Liszt did not continue to pursue Clear Water Sword Saint.


    Since the passage was blocked, there was basically no hope of catching up, which was a pity as the reward for capturing the Sword Saint just flew away. However, having three Grand Magicians as prisoners could make up for the loss somewhat, as he believed they would pay a sufficient ransom for their freedom.


    When he returned to Snow Pear Castle, the Earl had already sent people to start cleaning up the castle, which wall had collapsed.


    ¡°Yevich didn¡¯t catch up?¡±


    ¡°He escaped through the tunnel, even collapsing the exit behind him, but he left us three interesting guests,¡± Liszt pointed at the three Grand Magicians clad in Magic Cloaks.


    Though they were captured,


    they still maintained a proud demeanor, calmly awaiting the trial that was to come.


    Liszt handed over the task of judging to the Earl and prepared to search Snow Pear Castle personally, to see if Yevich left anything valuable behind.


    According to the previously agreed upon method¡ªbattle honors to Li Weiliam, resources to Liszt.


    Therefore, all the resources of Snow Pear Castle belonged to Liszt. Captain Marcus had already sorted through the resources once and immediately came to report when he saw Liszt return, ¡°My lord, the castle¡¯s reserves of food and other resources have been inventoried, aside from what is needed to replenish the Knight Order, the rest is sealed and ready for transport by wagons.¡±


    ¡°What about the elves?¡±


    ¡°We have searched the Worm Room, there are no elves left, they must have been taken away by Yevich.¡±


    With Yevich himself gone and the elves taken as well, Liszt felt frustrated, ¡°I really want to chop down all the Cordyceps outside the castle. Isn¡¯t this guy supposed to be a potential Dragon Knight? How can he escape so quickly!¡±

 Chapter 609 - Chapter 609: Chapter 0606: Hand-drawn Map (Second Update)

    Chapter 609: Chapter 0606: Hand-drawn Map (Second Update)


    The castle inspection didn¡¯t yield any special findings.


    The assets of Clear Water Sword Saint Yevich Shuisheng were embarrassingly meager, not befitting a Sword Saint. The supplies in the storeroom of Snow Pear Castle were even less than those of Shattered Stone Castle and Beer Castle, which Liszt found quite contemptible.


    Of course.


    He wasn¡¯t angry enough to actually destroy the Elf Cordyceps; knightly wars are part of the noble game, and although there are no explicit rules that war must follow, it is akin to how countries on Earth signed the Geneva Convention to protect civilians and those suffering in war.


    Under the knightly system, there is also a set of rules pertaining to the knightly spirit and character.


    The knightly spirit and character are varied in the propaganda of different countries, but overall, they include slogans of loyalty, fearlessness, bravery, honesty, fairness, protection of territories, and pursuit of glory.


    Some unwritten but firmly established rules include prohibiting the killing of prisoners, the redemption of knights with gold coins, forbidding harm to Elves, not slaughtering civilians, treating betrayers with disdain, and ensuring that the lineage of a noble¡¯s wife is pure.


    There was a time when the King of the Steel Ridge Kingdom deployed the army to the court of a certain duke from a grand duchy because he was notorious for killing civilians. Ultimately, the duke was stripped of his title, yet the kingdom didn¡¯t abolish the grand duchy; instead, they supported the duke¡¯s brother to inherit the title.


    Of course, the real reasons for the action might relate more to a conflict between that duke and the kingdom rather than his tendency to kill civilians.


    But killing civilians provided an excellent excuse to dispatch troops against the duke.


    Liszt likewise followed these rules.


    He had no intention of destruction.


    After all, if Elf Cordyceps were cut down, it would greatly harm the elves and affect the final yield. Even if transplantation was attempted, it wouldn¡¯t work, as the Cordyceps would wither over time if elves were away for too long. Although elves could cultivate new Cordyceps, they too would suffer greatly and likely die prematurely.


    The wool has to come from the sheep, and if the Duchy of Sapphire wished to plunder sufficient resources from each Pioneer Mandate, it couldn¡¯t recklessly consume resources like the elves.


    Otherwise, after several mandates, the coastal hinterlands would probably lack nobles willing to cultivate the land.


    In fact, as the Pioneer Mandates continually invaded, many costal hinterland regions in the Eagle Kingdom that were frequently raided had given rise to nobles who did not engage in production. These nobles supported Mercenary Corps in secret, involved in serf trading and various smuggling activities, to avoid open moral condemnation.


    For instance, town civilians are usually spared the ravages of war; sadly, if the knights don¡¯t plunder them, the mercenaries still will.


    It is easy to imagine, without the protection of Snow Pear Castle, Ice Pear City would soon face attacks from Mercenary Corps.


    But these were not issues Liszt cared to concern himself with.


    Standing on the second floor of the castle, he looked at the grapevines in the backyard and still regretted Yevich¡¯s escape, ¡°It seems many castles have tunnels; I should also construct tunnels in Thorn Castle¡­ build one leading to the sea, that would not only be convenient for meeting Ach, but also for escaping into the sea if necessary.¡±


    If he fled into the sea, he had the Rainbow Whale Rose to provide him with the ability to breathe; even Dragon Knights would not be able to reach him¡ªexcept for Water Dragon Knights, as Water Dragons are Elemental Dragons, and perhaps their riders could breathe underwater.


    Amid these reflections,


    a distorted wisp of smoke once again drifted before his eyes.


    ¡°Task completion reward: a hand-drawn Ruins Map.¡±


    With Yevich having fled and three Grand Magicians turned into prisoners, the task¡¯s completion was a matter of course. Moreover, Liszt believed that the Ruins Map was bound to be in the possession of these three Grand Magicians, and he could take it whenever he wished¡ªthe Earl would claim the military achievements, and he would take the supplies, so naturally, the Ruins Map was also his.


    He turned his attention to his next task.


    By his count, this was the one hundred and twenty-sixth task, ¡°Task: The fleeing Yevich Water Peanut, reluctant to concede, may be waiting for you in the next city, hoping to plunder the resources of the Impact River Plain. A major battle is impending, please capture or kill Yevich. Reward: One Iron Knight.¡±


    There was nothing particularly out of the ordinary about the task¡ªit was just a typical development of taking advantage of the situation.


    What surprised him was the reward for the task, ¡°An Iron Knight? That means the city Yevich has fled to must be Steel Dyke City, and there are Iron Knights in Steel Dyke City?¡±


    Steel Ridge City was the next target for the Coral Island Knights.


    An Iron Knight is a type of knight that cultivates special Dou Qi manuscripts to forge various divine weapons.


    The Crimson Blood Sword, Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, Swift Shadow Bow ¡ª these weapons were all forged by Iron Knights ¡ª whereas magicians make magic equipment, such as sapphire pendants, amplification bracelets, and calming wind pearls; Iron Knights forge all sorts of gemstone weapons, mithril armor, elf weapons, and dragon bone weapons.


    The magic equipment made by magicians activates the inherent magic power of the materials through magic arrays, to produce special effects and power.


    The weapons forged by Iron Knights, on the other hand, integrate materials with the weapons, which after special processing, are suitable for knights to infuse Dou Qi into, triggering the resonance of the material¡¯s own magic power to bring out great strength.


    As long as one possesses magic power, they can activate magic equipment, whether it¡¯s Dou Qi or magic; gemstone weapons, elf weapons, and the like, however, require Dou Qi to bring out their power.


    Cultivating an Iron Knight consumes a tremendous amount of resources.


    Typically, only great nobles would select talented young knights from their territories to cultivate into Iron Knights, and many Iron Knights are the progeny of these great nobles. The grandson of the Marquis of the Bull was also a young Iron Knight, which led Liszt to surmise his extraordinary talent.


    ¡°I hope this Iron Knight can bring me the methods to train Iron Knights. The Iron Knight himself isn¡¯t all that significant; it¡¯s the systematic training methods he possesses that are truly valuable.¡±


    ¡­


    Back in the castle,


    The Earl had already finished interrogating the three Grand Magicians.


    Lars¡¤Truth, Cyrille¡¤Truth, and Dulac¡¤Truth were the names of these three Grand Magicians. Although they were all magicians from the Eagle Kingdom, they came from different regions and had come together at the same stall during a magician¡¯s gathering six months earlier.


    A regular magician there had offered a decaying, incomplete ruins map for sale.


    Lars explained with an expressionless face, ¡°It was a Map of Moon Language. After our assessment, we realized it was a map left by the Moon Empire, leading to a lost civilization. All three of us were interested in this map, and none of us wanted to give it up, so we finally decided to study it together¡­¡±


    Cyrille added, ¡°The map was incomplete, and that magician told us it was excavated from the ruins of an ancient Mage Tower, so we spent all our savings to excavate the Mage Tower ruins¡­¡±


    From the Mage Tower ruins, they did not find the missing parts of the incomplete map.


    However, based on the clues left in the ruins of the Mage Tower, they successfully completed the incomplete map and hand-drew a not-so-accurate map, which pointed to the Roaring River Mouth.


    ¡°Based on our research, during the era of the Moon Empire, most of the area around the Roaring River Mouth was actually the sea, and the lost civilization that the map guides to was a strange race living in the sea. The Moon Empire engaged in trade with this peculiar race, and so we came here, hoping to find that race.¡±


    ¡°A race from the sea?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly, and a flicker of realization shot through his mind, ¡°Could it be that they¡¯re referring to the Sea Monster Tribe?¡±

 Chapter 610 - Chapter 610: Chapter 0607: Splendid Night Journey (First Update)

    Chapter 610: Chapter 0607: Splendid Night Journey (First Update)


    Liszt pressed his thoughts and asked, ¡°Have you found the lost civilization in the map?¡±


    Lars¡¤Truth expressed his regret, ¡°We can roughly determine that the lost civilization should be somewhere near the Roaring River Mouth, but it¡¯s really difficult to locate it.¡±


    Dulac¡¤Truth followed with a sigh, ¡°The Moon Empire was a great civilization from thousands of years ago, and even it has disappeared. The lost civilization must have been destroyed in the ocean long ago. Over the years, other than Sapphire¡¯s people, there hasn¡¯t been much activity at sea. The difficulty of finding it in the vast ocean is indeed very great.¡±


    Without money, progress was hard to come by, so they thought of approaching the coastal nobles for investment into their research and excavation work.


    Clear Water Sword Saint Yevich¡¤Shuisheng, agreed to fund them.


    ¡°Who would have known that Sapphire would issue a Pioneer Mandate? If we had known, we wouldn¡¯t have rushed over so hastily.¡±


    ¡°But you still came.¡±


    ¡°Yes, our desire for knowledge drove us to come here at an inopportune time, and we received a treatment we shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Cyrille¡¤Truth complained.


    He harbored a grudge for becoming a prisoner at the feet of his captors.


    Liszt did not care about the attitudes of the three Grand Magicians; he put away the hand-drawn map of the ruins as well as the map research notes they carried with them.


    At his leisure, he said, ¡°I have taken receipt of the ruins map. Now, let¡¯s talk about the ransom for the three of you.¡±


    ¡°We apologize, my lord, but the only possessions we have are the map in your hands. We not only have no spare money but also owe a considerable sum to several magicians. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to get the ransom you¡¯re hoping for from us. We should not have been involved in a knight¡¯s war.¡±


    As Charles spoke, the other two Grand Magicians nodded, indicating agreement.


    ¡°Hmm, can¡¯t afford the ransom?¡± he mused. ¡°Normally, as magicians, if you had not taken part in the knights¡¯ war, I would not have made things difficult for you. But since you have exercised magic and joined in this war of the Pioneer Mandate, rules are rules, and you can¡¯t escape just because you are not knights.¡±


    ¡°But we truly can¡¯t pay the ransom.¡±


    ¡°Ransom doesn¡¯t only come in the form of gold coins,¡± Liszt said indifferently. From the moment he learned that these three were penniless, he had thought about how to deal with them. ¡°There can be other forms, such as knowledge, which in my eyes is wealth. You can exchange your knowledge for freedom; if knowledge is insufficient, working for me is another way to gain freedom.¡±


    ¡°Could you specify what kind of knowledge can buy our freedom?¡±


    ¡°All the knowledge in your heads, such as the development of Eagle Kingdom¡¯s magicians, the casting plans you hold, and the magical experiments you research all year round¡­ However, knowledge is not highly valued, so your best choice is to work for me.¡±


    ¡°Does your lordship wish to take us into his patronage?¡±


    ¡°Not patronage, but rather to work for me without compensation. You should be well aware, knights who cannot pay ransom are thrown into mines for mining, or into workshops for menial labor¡­ What I need is for you to manufacture magic equipment, refine magic potions, and teach magic apprentices.¡±


    Without waiting for the three Grand Magicians to respond, he added, ¡°Let¡¯s put the specific ransom plan aside for now. We¡¯ll discuss it in detail after the Pioneer Mandate is over. You will need to spend a few days confined on the ship¡­ Think carefully about what knowledge you can provide. The more knowledge, the shorter your subsequent work years will be.¡±


    Having said this,


    Liszt no longer paid attention to the three men and had his subordinate knights take them away¡ªnaturally, the ship was equipped with tools to bind magicians.


    He wanted these Grand Magicians to cool down a bit, to grind away their arrogance and understand how precious freedom was. After all, in his eyes, magicians were all psychologically unsound perverts who needed effort and time to be reformed. Otherwise, employing them would sooner or later lead to rebellion incidents such as dragon slaying.


    The matter with the magicians was settled.


    There were no current plans to explore the Ruins Map; the Pioneer Mandate was the only task at hand.


    ¡°Father, the knights we dispatched should have already uprooted all the noble castles under the jurisdiction of Ice Pear City. We will be able to complete the purge by tomorrow. Based on my guess, Yevich has probably fled to Steel Dyke City, and we should strike first, capturing several castles outright before Marquis Nuta can react!¡±


    He could hardly wait to capture or kill Yevich.


    However, the Earl hesitated, ¡°The Knight Order of Marquis Nuta holds the choke points across the Impact Plains. If we act too rashly, we may easily become his target. Should we perhaps slow down and let other nobles take the lead as a cover for us?¡±


    The Coral Island Knights only had a little over a thousand knights and were finding it difficult to contend with the Marquis¡¯s power.


    ¡°Speed is of the essence in warfare. Only by continually plundering can we achieve enough military exploits to gain the upper hand for you, Father, in your promotion to Marquis,¡± Liszt urged expansively, ¡°I have Blood Servants to scout the enemy forces, Blizzard Beasts to attack and capture strongholds, and my own formidable strength. Who could possibly stop us!¡±


    ¡°Just how powerful have you become?¡± The Earl inquired, seemingly offhand.


    Liszt pondered before answering, ¡°I may still fall short of the Marquis of Bull who went on a rampage back in the day, but the gap is not big anymore.¡±


    Only the Earl and Liszt were present in the room.


    After a moment of silence, the Earl once again asked, ¡°The Marquis of Bull stole the power of the Sapphire Dragon and transformed into the legendary Lich to gain his formidable strength. So, tell me, son, how have you become so powerful as well? Especially considering that only half a year ago, you were just an Earth Knight.¡±


    He had not planned to voice this question, but he could not hold it back. The shock of that morning¡¯s arrow shooting the Sword Saint into the air still hadn¡¯t settled down.


    Faced with this question.


    Liszt was momentarily silent. After all, acquiring a Fire Dragon and becoming a Quasi-Dragon Knight, he should have kept a low profile and worked on his development, that was the proper way.


    However, thanks to the continuous manipulation of the Threads of Destiny in his Smoke Mission, his domain was thriving, his personal cultivation growing stronger each day, and he had acquired various treasures. In particular, Rainbow Whale Rose and Sea Sprite Ake allowed him to confidently retreat into the ocean to escape, avoiding desperate crises.


    This bred a restless presence in his heart, feeling uncomfortable if he didn¡¯t show off for a day.


    He was like a nouveau riche who wanted to flaunt his wealth every day by wearing watches, rings, and thick gold chains everywhere. The ancient overlord Xiang Yu once said, ¡°Riches not returned to one¡¯s hometown is like traveling by night in brocade¡ªno one knows of it¡±; this vividly described Liszt¡¯s mentality.


    Dressed in fancy clothes, yet choosing to walk at night, who would notice the elegance of your attire!


    Of course, Liszt could disguise himself as an average Sky Knight and methodically tend to his island farm until he was ready to soar into the sky. But that wasn¡¯t his style. Everyone¡¯s pursuit of life was different; he reveled in the shocked expressions of others.


    After a long while.


    Just when the Earl thought Liszt was not going to answer.


    He slowly started speaking, with a hint of a smile, ¡°My strength is far greater than what I have shown, and it is still increasing. Father, I have had my own extraordinary encounters, and I will openly tell you when the time is right¡­ As for now, isn¡¯t seizing glory the most important thing?¡±

 Chapter 611 - Chapter 611: Chapter 0608: Unexpectedly One Against Two (Second Update)

    Chapter 611: Chapter 0608: Unexpectedly One Against Two (Second Update)


    Ice Pear City was the viscount¡¯s fiefdom, and Snow Pear Castle was his fortress.


    And Steel Dyke City was Earl¡¯s domain, with the fortress named Little Riverheart Castle. The Earl was called Deborah Yuhua Stone, known as the River-Cleaving Swordsaint, who was said to have once sliced through the Roaring River with a single sword stroke. He was the nephew of Marquis Nuta Dimaria Yuhua Stone, but not the landlord of Yevich.


    The Clear Water Sword Saint was a follower of Marquis Nuta.


    When the Coral Island Knights arrived at Little Riverheart Castle, Earl William Lee immediately felt the difficulty, ¡°No wonder it¡¯s called Little Riverheart Castle, this is clearly a fortress on a river isle. The difficulty of seizing this castle is too high, especially with those four large stone bridges traversing the river, it¡¯s like being a live target during the Knight Order¡¯s charge.¡±


    There were four stone bridges connecting Little Riverheart Castle with the riverbank, each able to accommodate four horses running abreast.


    Liszt just took one look.


    And he had a plan in mind, immediately saying, ¡°If we can¡¯t seize it, then let¡¯s tear down these four stone bridges and isolate Little Riverheart Castle from the riverbank. This should draw out Deborah¡­ If Deborah doesn¡¯t come out, then we can move on to attack other fortresses.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also a solution.¡±


    Demolishing the bridge, naturally, required the Blizzard Beast Squad.


    ¡°Douson!¡± Liszt called out, and Douson immediately came over with his eight children to the front of the stone bridge, ready to follow the command, ¡°Aim at the bridge piers, release the Rock Grenades!¡±


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    The Blizzard Beast Squad, even more disciplined than police dogs, began to release Rock Grenades one after another, incessantly bombarding the bridge piers. Despite the stone bridge¡¯s remarkable sturdiness, it kept shattering under the relentless destruction of the Rock Grenades, and if this persisted for a moment longer, collapse was inevitable.


    Mounted on the Landwalker bird Loki, Liszt observed Little Riverheart Castle in silence; his target was within that fortress¡ª last night, the Blood Servant had already come to scout, and although deterred from getting too close by the presence of two Sword Saints, they still spotted Yevich.


    And just as he was eyeing the fortress,


    There were people within the castle watching him. Among them was Yevich Waterflower, the Clear Water Sword Saint with a look of hatred, and the younger one was the River-Cleaving Swordsaint, Deborah.


    ¡°Earl Deborah, this Sapphire swordsman, Liszt, is extremely powerful. He nearly brought me down with a sneak arrow shot at the battlements of Snow Pear Castle. You should hold firm in Little Riverheart Castle and wait for reinforcements from the Great Riverheart Fortress, instead of rashly launching an attack!¡±


    ¡°Viscount Yevich!¡±


    Deborah turned his head and looked at Yevich beside him, a disdainful smile seemingly playing on his lips, ¡°You were just sneak attacked by Liszt with an arrow; are you that scared now?¡±


    Yevich¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. You should know that I was once a candidate for the Dragon Knights, so I¡¯m not unclear about the opponent¡¯s strength.¡±


    Deborah snorted softly, ¡°You were a candidate, but you are no longer one now.¡±


    Yevich clenched his fist, holding back his anger, ¡°Either way, I still suggest that you hold Little Riverheart Castle, rather than launch an attack.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re smashing my bridge, and those Earth Attribute Magical Beasts pose too great a threat to the stone bridge! Understand that just these four stone bridges cost half as much as the fortress itself!¡± Deborah suddenly drew the sword hanging at his waist, his eyes flashing with a cold light, ¡°Pass my command, the Knight Order to prepare immediately for a charge with me!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± A knight standing behind promptly accepted the command and left.


    Deborah looked at Yevich again, ¡°I may not have been selected as a Dragon Knight candidate, but I have never lost my courage. Yevich, if you don¡¯t want to be looked down upon by me, then show your courage and join me in battle side by side! I shall squash all the sapphire flies dead in my territory!¡±


    With that, he fixed his gaze directly on Yevich.


    The meaning in his eyes was clear, if Yevich dared to back down, then in such a large territory as Impact River Plain, there might no longer be a place for Yevich¡ªafter all, Deborah was the nephew of Marquis Nuta Dimaria, not like any ordinary follower, at least making Yevich leave wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    Yevich took a deep breath.


    Suppressing the fear from the chilling arrow of the day before, he nodded, ¡°Since you insist, I shall prove my courage!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Moments later.


    While Liszt was still directing the Blizzard Beast Squad to bomb the stone bridge relentlessly, the gates of Little Riverheart Castle had already swung open, as the Knight Order charged out in an instant, roaring slogans, emitting Dou Qi, raising the Knight¡¯s Spears high, charging across the four wide, sturdy stone bridges.


    ¡°Douson, form up and retreat!¡±


    Liszt made a snap decision, pulling back the Blizzard Beast Squad, away from one end of the stone bridge.


    And behind him, Earl William Lee was already directing the Coral Island Knights, lining up to meet the challenge, ¡°Seal off the stone bridges, and don¡¯t let them cross!¡±


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    The charge of warhorses and the tide of armor commenced, heralding the onset of a clash between knight orders.


    Liszt patted the neck of his landwalker bird Loki, which responded with a ¡°clack¡± and immediately spread its wings, casting a levitation spell and soaring into the sky.


    He was searching for the figure of Yevich.


    As the knight orders charged, sky knights typically flanked the battlefield, so Liszt quickly located Yevich, mounted on a majestic steed. Yevich happened to look up and spot the landwalker bird ascending, causing his body to tremble as the memory of that terrifying arrow resurfaced in his mind.


    However, the knight in flashy gold armor by his side, following Yevich¡¯s gaze to Liszt, showed no tremors, but rather a fiery stare full of intent, as if silently issuing a challenge.


    ¡°Interesting!¡±


    Liszt, riding atop Loki, didn¡¯t rush. He was calculating the distance, a distance from which both men would be unable to escape back to the castle¡ªhe wasn¡¯t about to let Yevich get away again.


    Boom!


    One end of the stone bridge near the shore.


    The two knight orders finally collided, and with the Blizzard Beast Squad having retreated, this was a direct confrontation between knight orders. Layers of Dou Qi from both sides intertwined in an instant, knight¡¯s spears piercing through formations, sending dozens of knights flying off their mounts in a flash.


    But Liszt paid no attention to this battle; with an earl watching over, the charge was bound to succeed.


    He was merely silently gauging the distance, and when Yevich and Deborah stepped onto the middle of the stone bridge, already a fair distance from Little Riverheart Castle, his brows suddenly furrowed. High-level fire attribute dragon Dou Qi surged through his body, and he leaped from Loki¡¯s back, diving toward the middle of the stone bridge.


    There was no fear, nor excessive fervor, just an invincible presence as he drew his sky-cleaving greatsword, performing the fully mastered move, Setting Sun Drop¡ªone of the five power-gathering moves from ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±, all of which he had mastered to the extent they became part of his instinct.


    Whoosh! Dragon Dou Qi transformed into flames, enveloping his body.


    A true embodiment of a setting sun plummeting towards the horizon!


    ¡­


    On the stone bridge.


    Yevich, who was constantly monitoring Liszt, cried out in alarm as the other leaped down from the bird¡¯s back, ¡°He¡¯s coming, Deborah! He¡¯s coming!¡±


    ¡°Daring to fight two on one? Seeking his own death!¡±


    Deborah unsheathed her knight¡¯s longsword in a reflexive motion, her Dou Qi erupting as she ascended towards the sky.


    Though dubbed the River-Cleaving Swordsaint, he was a thunder attribute sword saint, his body crackling with streaks of lightning, fearlessly charging toward the falling fireball that was Liszt.


    On the other side.


    Yevich, with trembling palms, clenched his teeth and likewise mustered his water-attribute Dou Qi, soaring into the sky after Deborah, incessantly hypnotizing himself, ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s only strong in archery. Against two sky knights like me and Deborah, he can¡¯t possibly have the advantage!¡±


    However, in the next moment.


    In his field of view, Liszt and Deborah collided.


    Before he could convince himself of his hypnotism or adjust his mindset, the previously confident Deborah screamed as he was sent flying backward in the air, plummeting to the stone bridge with a velocity thrice the speed of his ascent, creating a thunderous crash and raising a cloud of dust.


    Seeing this.


    The slight courage Yevich had mustered retreated like the tide, his eyes widened in shock while he forcibly changed the direction of his Dou Qi, abruptly halting his own ascent.


    He reversed direction, fleeing toward Little Riverheart Castle.


    But just as he gained some distance, a fierce whooshing noise invaded his ears, followed swiftly by a scorching heat that slammed into his body.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    His scream echoed, involuntarily mimicking Deborah¡¯s earlier maneuver; he plummeted rapidly, crashing heavily onto the ground. Even with the robust physique of a sky knight, such a fall left him feeling as if his internal organs were upended, spewing a mouthful of fresh blood.


    Enduring the crushing pain as if his bones were shattered, he readied himself to stand and continue running.


    But a weight suddenly bore down on his back, a foot firmly planted on him, and a cold voice conveyed, ¡°Yevich Water Peanut, do you think you could escape?¡±

 Chapter 612 - Chapter 612: Chapter 0609: Cloaked Bear-wearer (First Update)

    Chapter 612: Chapter 0609: Cloaked Bear-wearer (First Update)


    ¡°There¡¯s no escape, I knew this would be the outcome!¡± Yevich Water Peanut, pinned to the ground, wailed in self-pity like a woman mourning her fate, ¡°With the foresight of a Dragon Knight candidate like me, how could I be wrong, how could I be wrong, your strength is terrifying indeed!¡±


    ¡°Terrifying indeed¡­¡±


    Liszt lifted his foot and turned his head to the other side, where the River-Cleaving Swordsaint, Deborah Yuhua Stone, had already risen from the ground and was preparing to flee.


    So-called courage had vanished without a trace after a single encounter, replaced by a mind full of confusion and a desire to flee for life.


    ¡°Stay here and lie down honestly,¡± Liszt casually instructed Yevich as he stood up, took flight and shot straight toward Deborah, ready to take captive those who offered themselves up.


    Seeing Liszt approaching, Deborah¡¯s scalp exploded, Thunder Attribute Dou Qi erupting gratuitously, turning her speed into a bolt of lightning.


    Thunder Attribute Dou Qi enhanced speed, and although Liszt only had Fire Attribute Dou Qi, which had since been upgraded to Dragon Dou Qi, with a flying speed no slower than his opponent¡¯s, the gap in their take-off left him trailing Deborah. However, he was in no panic, promptly switching to the Swift Shadow Bow.


    The arrow nocked, the bow drawn fully.


    Releasing his hold, three flames tore through the sky, racing straight for Deborah.


    Naturally, Deborah saw Liszt shooting arrows. At the level of a Sky Knight, archery was hardly effective in single combat, and a knight who could fly could easily dodge arrows. She was about to scoff at him in her mind for his stupidity when she suddenly remembered what Yevich had once said¡ªthat he was nearly killed by one of Liszt¡¯s arrows.


    When she first heard it from Yevich, Deborah completely disbelieved that even a Completion Level Sky Knight could kill a Swordsaint with an arrow.


    But now, she dared not disbelieve.


    She twisted her body in a frantic attempt to dodge the trajectory of these three fire-like arrows. Her expertise in archery informed her that arrows shot by knights were capable of changing their trajectory, so she dodged as much as possible, estimating the path of the three flame arrows to avoid them within a span of dozens of meters.


    Yet as the three arrows collided with each other, they seemed to track her somehow and charged toward her again.


    Clearly, her speed was not faster than the arrows, and with no way to dodge, Deborah, shocked, mobilized her entire Dou Qi to resist the incoming arrow.


    Just as the arrow touched her Dou Qi.


    Boom!


    An explosion rang out as the Dragon Dou Qi clinging to the arrow was detonated without hesitation by Liszt. The blast, hitting Deborah mostly directly, also accelerated the three arrowheads, which pierced through her golden armor and into her body with soft thuds.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Deborah screamed as she once again fell from the sky.


    She couldn¡¯t block even one move from Liszt face-to-face, and at a distance, she couldn¡¯t withstand even one of his arrows. The gap between a Dragon Knight and a Sky Knight was just that vast.


    Deborah, who fell to the ground, tried to endure the pain of three arrows piercing into her body as she struggled to rise. Then, she was kicked fiercely back to the ground by Liszt, who descended from above, her body once more ravaged, letting out an even more agonizing scream.


    This scream sent a chill through Yevich, who was debating internally in the distance, freezing him in terror.


    Just a moment ago, he noticed Liszt chasing after Deborah while he himself was left unbound. It was the perfect opportunity to flee, but before he could resolve his hesitation, Deborah¡¯s agonized scream instantly evoked his fear of Liszt.


    He was once admired by everyone as a Dragon Knight candidate, but the years passed, and his edges had long since worn down.


    Liszt¡¯s aggressive attack evoked the fears he once harbored, fears dominated by those true Dragon Knights¡ªhe fell into his fear of the Dragon Knights. It was clear that he had been eliminated from the Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knight program as a candidate who was afraid of Dragon Knights.


    And he never recovered from this setback.


    ¡°Why!¡±


    ¡°I, Yevich, have a justifiable fear of Dragon Knights, so why do I feel such fear towards Liszt?¡±


    ¡°Why does the fear he brings to me feel just like the fear Prince Alex White Maw Iron of the past brought to me?¡±


    Looking at Liszt¡¯s upright figure, a thought suddenly emerged, one he couldn¡¯t suppress no matter how hard he tried, ¡°Could it be¡­ he is also a Dragon Knight?¡±


    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s impossible!¡±


    ¡°How could a Sapphire Fly possibly become a Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°Aside from that Sapphire Dragon which was nearly killed by Prince Alex White Maw Iron¡¯s mount, it¡¯s impossible for another Dragon to appear in the Duchy of Sapphire! That place is nothing but a desolate island where, each year, the starving Sapphire Flies must come to the bountiful continent to loot supplies in order to survive!¡±


    The Duchy of Sapphire has always been viewed by the people of the Continental Kingdoms as barren, impoverished, barbaric, and uncouth, which is why they rob the continent every year.


    Moreover, many Nobles were aware that the Sapphire Family had once sought to establish a kingdom on the continent but were thwarted by the Eagle Kingdom during the Dragon Battle. With the deployment of just one White Maw Iron Dragon, the Sapphire Dragon was nearly killed, leaving behind the Blue Blood Mountain with its rich Sapphire mines before they fled in panic overseas to establish a nation on the barren islands.


    To this day, Blue Blood Mountain still occasionally yields Sapphire mines.


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Yevich shook his head, having convinced himself to believe that Liszt was not a Dragon Knight but had somehow attained power that surpassed that of a Sky Knight.


    There¡¯s a vast gulf between Sky Knights and Dragon Knights, but that doesn¡¯t mean there haven¡¯t been strong figures bridging that gap.


    At least Yevich knew of a Marquis, a Landlord he had once followed, Marquis Pilof the Earth Fury of Boulder, who was such a powerful intermediary.


    With his initial strength just entering the ranks of the Swordsaints, he couldn¡¯t even withstand a single punch from his opponent.


    Moreover, he knew the direct bloodline of the Earth Fury Family did not call themselves Knights but ¡°Cloaked Bear-wearers.¡± He had heard of similar families, such as ¡°Cloaked Wolf-wearers¡± and ¡°Cloaked Pig-wearers,¡± after Pilof got drunk, but he didn¡¯t know which two families these referred to.


    Additionally, Yevich had also heard of Vampire families. Among those Vampires who liked to affiliate with the Nobles, the most powerful Pureblood Vampires indeed had strength surpassing that of Sky Knights.


    ¡°So young, what is Liszt¡¯s identity? What is the nature of the power he has acquired?¡±


    Not much time was left for him to ponder. After dragging Deborah up, Liszt was already approaching Yevich.


    Meanwhile, on the other side, with the Earl personally intervening and witnessing the defeat of two of their Sky Knights, the Knights of Little Riverheart Castle could no longer hold out and scattered in all directions.


    Those who couldn¡¯t escape knelt on one knee, accepting their fate as prisoners.


    What should have been a straightforward Knights¡¯ charge ended in a dramatic fashion. Leading the bound Deborah and Yevich, the Coral Island Knights triumphantly entered Little Riverheart Castle.


    The Earl watched the wide-open gates of the towering Little Riverheart Castle, his heart surging with emotion, as if seeing a promising future beckoning, ¡°Another glorious victory. Even though there¡¯s little military merit in conquering a castle, every gemstone collected will earn me a merit!¡±

 Chapter 613 - Chapter 613: Chapter 0610: Refusing to Follow (Second Update)

    Chapter 613: Chapter 0610: Refusing to Follow (Second Update)


    Sitting in the main seat of the council hall of Little Riverheart Castle, Li Weiliam felt extremely pleased. He had easily gained a castle. His side had suffered only a few dozen knight casualties, yet they had captured two Sky Knights and a large number of Earth Knights. Moreover, with the knights previously conscripted at Snow Pear Castle, the more they fought, the more knights they seemed to have.


    Although according to the plan, the supplies were all Liszt¡¯s, the military exploits belonged to Li Weiliam.


    At the same time, these surrendered knights were all Noble Landlords of Coral Island, each one available to be chosen and conscripted, provided that one could afford the knights¡¯ upkeep. There was no shortage of captive knights, even Elite Earth Knights were captured in large numbers, many unable to pay their ransom, available for the taking.


    Li Weiliam was in high spirits.


    Liszt was equally elated, having captured two Sky Knights in succession, one an Earl and the other a Viscount, their ransoms were not sums that ordinary wealth could compensate.


    His face beaming, he asked the Earl, ¡°Father, you have captured a Sky Knight before too, what did it cost him to redeem himself?¡±


    This matter was basically known to all the knights of Coral Island, and naturally, Liszt knew as well. Asking this question was merely a way to vent his excitement.


    Light shone from the Earl¡¯s eyes: ¡°In that battle, I received two Little Minor Elves as ransom!¡±


    ¡°If one Sky Knight is worth two Little Minor Elves, then I¡¯ll demand the same from Yevich. However, Deborah, being the nephew of Marquis Nuta, who has a very rich territory, should pay a bit more, let¡¯s say four Little Minor Elves.¡± Liszt instantly decided on the ransom amount.


    Yevich, a bit poor, pays less, Deborah, a bit richer, pays more, fair and just.


    And indeed, that was how he conveyed his demands.


    He first met with Yevich, this former Dragon Knight candidate, who seemed to be quite devastated, staring blankly at the ceiling with listless eyes.


    ¡°Yevich,¡± Liszt called out across the cage.


    Yevich turned his head woodenly, and upon seeing Liszt, he jolted slightly, coming somewhat back to his senses, ¡°It¡¯s you¡­ you look even younger than before.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the nonsense, you should know why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°How much ransom do you want for my freedom?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to haggle with others, so the standard is the bottom line, I don¡¯t accept bargaining,¡± Liszt replied indifferently, ¡°Two Little Minor Elves, no older than fifty years and must be Grain or Magic Potion type, or of equivalent value. Additionally, you¡¯ll need to compensate me with a batch of craftsmen.¡±


    ¡°Two Little Minor Elves? Must be of the Grain or Magic Potion type?¡± Yevich gave a piteous smile, ¡°Viscount Liszt, you are a viscount too, do you think a viscount can have so many Little Minor Elves?¡±


    ¡°An ordinary viscount might only have one Little Minor Elf, but you as a Dragon Knight candidate and a Sword Saint, don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t bear to part with two. Keep in mind, your Sword Saint status alone is worth at least three Little Minor Elves, but since you are only a viscount, I¡¯ve lowered the demand to two.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Yevich¡¯s laugh grew more wretched, his eyes even wanting to tear up, ¡°Once I was a contender for Dragon Knight, but I was born a commoner, all my training expenses came from my landlord¡¯s resources. Later, it was the Kingdom that provided the resources, I myself didn¡¯t have much in the way of resources¡­ Decades have gone by, stuck at the Sword Saint level, what do you think I could have saved up?¡±


    Liszt frowned, ¡°You mean to say, you can¡¯t produce two Little Minor Elves as ransom?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I have two Little Minor Elves, but both are Shui Huasheng Minor Elves. Shui Huasheng is just ordinary water grass, other than serving as livestock feed, there are no additional outputs.¡±


    Such was the plight of a mighty Sword Saint.


    It also broadened Liszt¡¯s horizons: ¡°Are you joking with me?¡±


    ¡°If you truly think so, I am willing to exchange my freedom with two Shui Huasheng Little Minor Elves; as for the craftsmen, you can take any from Ice Pear City¡­ In fact, I probably can¡¯t follow Marquis Nuta anymore; my reputation has completely deteriorated.¡±


    Yevich had served four landlords in succession, falling out with the first three, and now he had been captured while serving the fourth; it was unlikely that any more landlords would be willing to take him in.


    Liszt felt a toothache coming on, he had hoped that capturing Yevich would result in a huge profit, but it turned out he had caught a pauper instead.


    Two Little Minor Elves that could only produce weeds certainly had value but were nowhere near comparable to the grain or Magic Potion Little Minor Elves. To use these two as a ransom, he was far from satisfied, suffering too great a loss. However, apart from that, Yevich really had no other Minor Elves¡ªa fact that would be easy to verify with a little investigation.


    After some thought.


    He inquired, ¡°Besides the two Little Minor Elves, how many Elf Bugs do you have, and what kind are they?¡±


    ¡°I have fourteen Elf Bugs, one of which can cultivate Magic Potions, one can cultivate grain¡­ but if I use them as a ransom, I¡¯ll be completely devoid of resources. I might as well simply surrender and pledge allegiance to you¡­¡± As he spoke, Yevich suddenly had a bright idea.


    Seizing a spark of inspiration, he stared blankly at Liszt outside the cage.


    Breathing heavily with excitement, he said, ¡°Viscount Liszt, no, Lord Liszt, your power is so terrifying it sends shivers down my spine, and I cannot afford my own ransom! Perhaps, I can pledge my loyalty to you. I cannot survive in the Eagle Kingdom, I might as well follow you and join the Sapphire!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Liszt was shocked by Yevich¡¯s wild idea; he didn¡¯t know how to respond¡ªfor a Sword Saint to willingly pledge allegiance because he couldn¡¯t pay his ransom was definitely astounding news that would make people¡¯s eyes pop.


    Far too ostentatious!


    He also didn¡¯t trust Yevich¡¯s character, so after some thought, he flatly refused, ¡°I do not need your allegiance, just pay the ransom.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford the ransom, I wish to follow you, my lord!¡±


    ¡°I can give you a discount, just hand over all your Minor Elves.¡±


    ¡°Handing over all the Minor Elves would mean my life¡¯s efforts have gone down the drain. Please allow me to follow you, my lord!¡± Yevich knelt down on one knee in the cage, his tone becoming increasingly fervent.


    He had witnessed Liszt¡¯s strength and seen his youth; such a landlord had boundless prospects. His reputation in the Eagle Kingdom was ruined, so he might as well start afresh by pledging himself to Liszt¡ªfrom the Duchy of Sapphire, he would start over¡ªmanaging territory was not his strong suit, but with tasks like the Pioneer Mandate, he was quite fit for the job of robbery.


    ¡°Pay the ransom!¡±


    ¡°I wish to follow you, my lord!¡±


    The two were at a stalemate, Liszt very much reluctant to accept Yevich, a person of low character considered useless, but Yevich had set his mind on Liszt and insisted on following him.


    After going back and forth several times.


    Liszt¡¯s expression darkened, and through gritted teeth, he said, ¡°The two Little Minor Elves will serve as the ransom, the Elf Bugs I do not want, Yevich, this is my bottom line!¡±


    Yevich also gritted his teeth, ¡°My lord, Yevich is willing to offer all his Elves, just to be able to follow you! You are the most powerful person I have seen beneath a Dragon Knight, and so young. Yevich is willing to charge into battle for you and seize glory!¡±

 Chapter 615 - Chapter 615: Chapter 0612: Berserker (First Update)

    Chapter 615: Chapter 0612: Berserker (First Update)


    ¡°Who is the Marquis of Boulder?¡±


    ¡°He is the second landlord I followed, Pilaf the Earth Frenzy, from an old marquis family of the Eagle Kingdom. The offspring of this family call themselves Cloaked Bear-wearers and do not like to charge on horseback; they prefer fighting on foot. Sometimes, their fists are more powerful than guns and swords!¡±


    ¡°Cloaked Bear-wearers, what kind of profession is that?¡± With the Pioneer Mandate continually expanding his knowledge, Liszt had already encountered many cultivation systems different from those of knights and magicians.


    ¡°I¡¯m not clear on the specifics, but aside from the Cloaked Bear-wearers, there should also be Cloaked Wolf-wearers and Cloaked Pig-wearers. When I first entered the level of Sword Saint, I challenged the Marquis of Boulder. After he ate a poison mushroom, his momentum skyrocketed in an instant. Just with one punch, he sent me flying.¡±


    ¡°Poison mushroom?¡±


    ¡°A kind of poisonous mushroom that¡¯s very common. It¡¯s a small, gray, umbrella-shaped mushroom called Dog¡¯s Mantle.¡±


    Liszt was familiar with Dog¡¯s Mantle; even on Coral Island and Black Horse Island, these small toxic mushrooms would grow after rain. Unexpectedly, this kind of poison mushroom could act like a stimulant, causing the Cloaked Bear-wearers to become frenzied and significantly increase their strength.


    However, the Cloaked Bear-wearers somehow reminded him of the druid bear warriors.


    In the Sun Scriptures studied by Ach, there had been detailed explanations stating that warriors among the Children of the Sun could transform into bears, eagles, leopards, and other creatures for combat, utilizing natural magic and their observations of animals.


    Perhaps there really was some connection between Cloaked Bear-wearers and druid bear warriors.


    So, he asked, ¡°Then, what changes occur in the body of a Cloaked Bear-wearer after consuming Dog¡¯s Mantle?¡±


    ¡°It seems their bodies enlarge slightly, their eyes turn somewhat red, and their spirits appear to fall into a state of intense frenzy. Normally, the Marquis of Boulder is cultured and refined, making him seem like a born noble. But once he eats Dog¡¯s Mantle, he becomes a berserk¡­ almost like a humanoid magical beast.¡±


    Yevich tried his best to recall, but since he had seen the Marquis of Boulder take action only a few times, he didn¡¯t have a thorough understanding of the Cloaked Bear-wearers¡¯ combat methods.


    After all, it was the family¡¯s secret training inheritance, hard to reveal the intricacies to outsiders.


    ¡°Do Cloaked Bear-wearers have Dou Qi Manuscripts like knights?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Do they practice magic, or Dou Qi?¡±


    ¡°It should be Dou Qi.¡±


    ¡°Dou Qi, huh¡­¡± Although Yevich¡¯s descriptions were vague, Liszt was gradually forming a preliminary impression of the Cloaked Bear-wearers through his account.


    They didn¡¯t transform into bears, but there were signs of ¡°going berserk.¡±


    They didn¡¯t like mounted combat, so they could not be called knights, but rather warriors. The thought of warriors capable of going berserk made Liszt involuntarily think of a fighting profession from Earth¡¯s legends¡ªthe berserker.


    Of course.


    The Cloaked Bear-wearers were only similar to berserkers.


    In fact, as a Different World with language and history distinct from Earth¡¯s, this world had no such terms as dragon, elf, magician, or knight¡ªthese were labels Liszt translated in his mind according to his personal preferences, comparing them to Earth¡¯s legends to aid his own understanding.


    Just like the term ¡°druid,¡± which in Serpent Script was just a string of squiggly symbols resembling little snakes, devoid of any reference meaning¡ªwith neither the semantic evolution of Chinese words nor the root and affix changes of English words¡ªLiszt named it ¡°druid¡± based on his impression.


    His impression from Earth¡¯s legendary stories mentioned druids capable of transforming into bears, eagles, and other animals.


    Thus, this chain of meaningless symbols was interpreted by him as ¡°druids.¡±


    Liches and vampires, both are interpreted in a similar manner.


    Take elves, for instance. On Earth, they are supposed to be the high intelligence race living in forests as described in ¡°The Lord of the Rings¡±. However, in Li Si Te¡¯s understanding of this world, there is no elf race, so based on the literal meaning of elf, it becomes a magical creature endowed with the ability to plant vegetation.


    ¡°Yevich, you have felt the strength of Marquis of Boulder. Compared to me, who is more powerful?¡±


    ¡°I believe you are more powerful, my lord. When I first became a Sword Saint, Marquis of Boulder sent me flying with a punch, but I did not suffer much harm; Now that I¡¯ve spent many years as a Sword Saint, and am much stronger than when I first entered the rank, yet I was severely injured by one of your arrows and defeated by a single sword strike, the defeat was much more swift and decisive.¡±


    Li Si Te nodded, not saying a word, yet he understood clearly in his heart, ¡°Indeed, being a Dragon Knight is the most powerful profession¡ªa Cloaked Bear-wearer is at best a stronger inheritance, lacking the strength to compete with a Dragon Knight.¡±


    All in all.


    The Marquis of Boulder represents a new occupational system¡ªthe Cloaked Bear-wearer.


    This indicates that in this world, not only do casters have a variety of professions, but those who cultivate Dou Qi aren¡¯t limited to knights either. Cloaked Bear-wearers, Cloaked Wolf-wearers, and Cloaked Pig-wearers could all potentially cultivate to become very powerful systems. There are even more hidden occupational systems on the continent.


    In the ordinary stages of cultivation, knights do not necessarily have an advantage¡ªafter all, a Cloaked Bear-wearer at the Completion Level could very likely overwhelm a powerful Sky Knight.


    But with the almost cheat-like method of Dragon Riding to gain the dragon¡¯s strength, it becomes only logical for knights to rule the world.


    And with the rise of Dragon Knights, not only have other Dou Qi occupational systems gradually declined, but so have the magicians who were the rulers of the Moon Empire era. The era progresses, civilization advances, and anything that cannot adapt to survival will be eliminated like the ancient casters and warriors.


    Even those who survive can only tremble and gasp for breath in fear under the domain of the Dragon Knights.


    Li Si Te felt quite fortunate.


    He too was part of the hierarchy of this era¡¯s rulers, not the ruled.


    He quickly curbed his excitement and pride; the information about the Cloaked Bear-wearers broadened his horizons, but what mattered now was Yevich¡¯s ransom.


    He still did not want to accept Yevich: ¡°Yevich, counting Marquis Nuta, you have followed four lords. How did you fall out with the first three?¡±


    Yevich took a deep breath and sighed, ¡°When I was full of pride as a reserve Dragon Knight, my first lord promised to marry his daughter to me, but after I was quickly eliminated from the Dragon Knight program, that lord swiftly reneged on his word and married his daughter to the offspring of a Noble.¡±


    In a fit of anger, Yevich refused to follow him.


    The second lord was Marquis of Boulder, powerful and elegant, but he valued loyalty above all else. Thinking that Yevich wasn¡¯t loyal enough, he was very strict with him regarding military achievements and material distribution.


    Yevich simply handed over his fief and left.


    The third lord valued Yevich highly, but just when the fief granted to Yevich was not yet fully transferred, a wild Little Minor Elf was discovered on it. The lord forcibly took the Little Minor Elf under contract away.


    Having grown scared of poverty, Yevich, upon seeing the Little Minor Elf that belonged to him being taken, confronted him directly.


    After wandering for some time, he followed his current lord, Marquis Nuta. After several deeds of valor, he was entitled a Viscount; the relationship was normal, but after being defeated and captured in battle, even Marquis Nuta¡¯s nephew Deborah was implicated¡ªthis disgraceful experience was to completely exhaust whatever little fame Yevich had left.


    That¡¯s why he planned to leave the Eagle Kingdom and follow Li Si Te.


    ¡°I do not owe the Eagle Kingdom anything. Apart from Marquis Nuta, I don¡¯t feel any debt to the other lords. Now that I am defeated and captured, I am dutiful to Marquis Nuta¡­ At this moment, I choose to follow you, my lord, to lead charges into battle for you, to start anew and begin again!¡±


    By that account, Yevich¡¯s character is at least much better than L¨¹ Bu¡¯s.


    However, a follower who casually turns against his lords is not something Liszt wants. He simply said, ¡°Since you cannot pay your own ransom, I will demand it from Marquis Nuta. He is your lord, two units of grain and a Magic Potion-type Little Minor Elf, and your freedom will be returned to you immediately!¡±

 Chapter 616 - Chapter 616: Chapter 0613: Bold Idea (Second Update)

    Chapter 616: Chapter 0613: Bold Idea (Second Update)


    ¡°Of course, given that you¡¯ve answered my questions seriously and provided me with quite a lot of valuable information, I won¡¯t be demanding an exorbitant ransom. We can sit down and talk about everything,¡± Liszt was rather satisfied with Yevich¡¯s attitude, aside from the information about the Dragon Knights and the Cloaked Bear-wearer.


    Yevich also detailed the situation of Marquis Nuta, as well as the information about the assaults on the territories around the river¡¯s source, which was of great value to Liszt.


    Therefore, he decided not to be too hard on him, only demanding the release of two Little Minor Elves and all the craftsmen.


    After that, he disregarded Yevich¡¯s disappointment.


    He turned and left the cell, then prepared to go see Deborah Yuhua Stone. Compared to Yevich, a poor wretch, Deborah was definitely rolling in wealth!


    The cells where they were being held were separate, to prevent the two from colluding or planning an escape.


    As he walked, he summoned the Smoke Mission: ¡°Task completed, reward Iron Knight Alvin Eagle Sword.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Alvin Eagle Sword?¡±


    ¡°This surname is a bit special, actually being named after a sword. And isn¡¯t ¡®Eagle Sword¡¯ the name of most standard magic longswords used by the Eagle Kingdom?¡± Liszt was familiar with this, as he had seized plenty of equipment from the Knights of the Eagle Kingdom and gained quite a few Eagle Swords.


    The Eagle Sword belonged to magic-powered weaponry. Although not exceptionally outstanding in quality, the materials were common and the craftsmanship was excellent, which led to a high rate of proliferation.


    Many Elite Earth Knights liked to wield Eagle Swords.


    Compared to the standard magic longswords manufactured by the Duchy of Sapphire, Eagle Swords were slightly shorter, but had broader blades that required more strength to wield properly.


    Of course, there was no fixed standard for the quality of a Knight¡¯s Longsword. The Knight Order of the Duchy of Sapphire adhered to a swift style, rarely engaging in head-on clashes, so their Knight¡¯s Longswords were longer and narrower, suitable for thrusting and quick maneuvers. The Eagle Sword, being weighty and forceful, was more fitting for charges and defending castles.


    ¡°This Iron Knight being named after the Eagle Sword is certainly no ordinary person¡­ Of course, it seems only large families are capable of fostering Iron Knights.¡±


    He merely pondered for a moment before shifting his attention to the next task.


    ¡°Task: Upon receiving news of the fall of Little Riverheart Castle and the capture of Deborah Yuhua Stone, Marquis Nuta is furious beyond measure, already leading his elite knights on a hundred-mile rush to assist Little Riverheart Castle. This is destined to be a life-and-death trial. Please repel Marquis Nuta¡¯s Elite Knights. Reward: Unknown number of Little Minor Elves.¡±


    ¡°An unknown number of Little Minor Elves?¡±


    Liszt was initially delighted, then frowned: ¡°Does this seem to be talking about Deborah Yuhua Stone¡¯s ransom?¡±


    At first, he thought there might be new Little Minor Elves waiting for him to discover, but upon further thought, the most likely opportunity to gain Little Minor Elves recently was clearly Deborah¡¯s ransom. Given the nature of the Smoke Mission, rewards would never appear out of thin air; they leverage situations and provide guidance.


    The most appropriate guidance now was undoubtedly Deborah¡¯s ransom.


    Marquis Nuta wouldn¡¯t hold back just because the hostage was in Liszt¡¯s hands¡ªit was only his nephew, not his son. He would definitely choose to defeat the Coral Island Knights first, before considering the ransom for Deborah. Liszt had already invaded his territory; there was no reason to shrink back.


    At least, according to the rules of warfare among knights, once a Knight is captured, they are out of the war and just wait for the ransom to be paid.


    If he could defeat the Coral Island Knights, he might not even need to pay a ransom, and if he captured Liszt, then it would be Liszt¡¯s turn to worry about how to prepare his own ransom.


    ¡°Marquis Nuta is a seasoned Completion Level Sky Knight, and in his youth, he was known as the Surging Waves Sword Saint. His elite knight order is called the Roaring Knights, named after the Roaring River, so they must be very powerful!¡± Liszt pondered intently, realizing that the Coral Island Knights clearly could not contend with the Roaring Knights.


    They weren¡¯t on the same level.


    The Marquis¡¯s direct elite knight order was filled with Elite Earth Knights.


    ¡°I plan to command the Blizzard Beast Squad to join the charge. I wonder if they can support the Coral Island Knights in holding their ground against the Roaring Knights¡­ If they cannot, then I must take action myself. Given my strength, I should be able to take on the elite knight order alone with my sword!¡± As a Half-Step Dragon Knight, Liszt had that confidence.


    He didn¡¯t immediately go to see Deborah; instead, he took a moment to reflect alone,


    drawing upon the information revealed by Yevich and combining it with the arrangement of the Smoke Mission, a bold idea quickly sprung to mind: ¡°Little Riverheart Castle¡­ Great Riverheart Fortress¡­ Roar City, Three Dragons City¡­ Yevich said that Trapped Dragon Mountain harbors a secret iron mine!¡±


    He suppressed the thought.


    He summoned Bloody Mary and five other vampires: ¡°How is the Blood Magic Tome coming along?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, we vampires have a greater affinity for violence rather than writing, which is more suited for magicians. It has been many years since we have undertaken such tasks, so it will take some time,¡± they replied.


    ¡°No hurry¡­ I have a new mission for you now. Based on the information I¡¯ve received, there is a Trapped Dragon Mountain west of Three Dragons City with a secret iron mine within. Investigate Trapped Dragon Mountain for me, locate this secret iron mine, and ascertain the defenses!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡±


    The five vampires adapted well to their roles as Blood Servants, as ever since they had witnessed Liszt¡¯s awe-inspiring might, they no longer harbored any malicious intentions.


    Once the Blood Servants departed,


    Liszt hurried to find the Earl to discuss how to resist the attack led by Marquis Nuta and the Roaring Knights and to communicate his bold plan to the Earl.


    ¡°Father, based on my estimation of Marquis Nuta, he has already led the Roaring Knights to confront our Coral Island Knights,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°I had the same guess. That¡¯s why, once the supplies are packed and transported away, we will leave Little Riverheart Castle and raid other cities and castles.¡± Hit and run¡ªa cornerstone of pioneer warfare¡ªwas something that Li Weiliam had mastered through years of battle; being outnumbered and overpowered meant avoiding head-on confrontations.


    However, Liszt shook his head and said, ¡°I do not wish to leave Little Riverheart Castle. We should rely on the fortifications here to take the initiative!¡±


    ¡°Take the initiative?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have telescopes that can give us an early look at the movements of the Roaring Knights. Why not ambush them with two knight orders attacking from the flanks, with Father leading a charge down the middle and me supporting with the Blizzard Beast Squad. When our knight orders clash, I can step in to suppress them!¡±


    The Earl hesitated, ¡°Your boldness concerns me; we should not engage Marquis Nuta in direct combat.¡±


    ¡°If we acted as we do every year during the Pioneer Mandate, seizing a bit of supplies and then leaving, of course, we wouldn¡¯t need to confront Marquis Nuta. However, if we aim to expand our achievements, the quickest way is to plunder mines.¡± He took out a map collected from Little Riverheart Castle, pointing at the Roaring River.


    Meticulously crafting a blueprint for war.


    ¡°The Roaring River is a Golden Waterway. Its broad expanse allows the Tulip Fleet to sail from the sea upriver. Once we secure the Roaring River, the entire upper river basin will be open to our expeditions! Moreover, with this Golden Waterway, we could use Three Dragons City upstream as a springboard to make a significant trade!¡±

 Chapter 618 - Chapter 618: Chapter 0615: Ancient Warrior Legacy (First Update)

    Chapter 618: Chapter 0615: Ancient Warrior Legacy (First Update)


    After formulating the plan, Liszt could leave the remaining work to the Earl to arrange, and took the opportunity to visit Deborah Yu HuashI. The River-Cleaving Swordsaint resided in a cell, yet she apparently hadn¡¯t suffered any indignities.


    ¡°You are very strong!¡±


    Upon seeing Liszt, he spoke calmly with his first sentence, ¡°I couldn¡¯t even withstand a casual blow from you, it seems your background is extraordinary. May I know which Ancient Warrior inheritance you possess?¡±


    Ancient Warrior inheritance?


    Liszt had never heard of it, but he cleverly did not show it, merely smiling slightly, ¡°Guess.¡±


    ¡°The bear-skin wearer, unlikely, you haven¡¯t gone mad; the wolf-skin wearer, also unlikely, you aren¡¯t bloodthirsty; the pig-skin wearer, seems incorrect, you haven¡¯t turned into a sphere of flesh¡­ Could you be a gladiator inheritance? Or perhaps the bronze-muscled warrior inheritance, or the Shadow Incarnation inheritance?¡±


    The bear-skin wearer.


    The wolf-skin wearer.


    The pig-skin wearer.


    The gladiator.


    The bronze-muscled warrior.


    The Shadow Incarnation.


    Deborah listed six types of Ancient Warrior inheritances in one breath, impressing Liszt immensely; he did not realize how vast the world was before coming to the mainland. Within the Duchy of Sapphire, he thought there were only magicians and knights, but on the continent, all sorts of strange cultivation systems continuously emerged.


    ¡°You seem quite knowledgeable about Ancient Warrior inheritances?¡± Liszt inquired subtly, as if making idle chat.


    Deborah harrumphed, with an undeniable pride in her tone, ¡°As a member of a nobility that has continued for hundreds of years, the Yu Huashi Family is naturally familiar with Ancient Warriors and Ancient Magicians. However, it¡¯s quite unexpected to find Ancient Warrior inheritance in a place like Sapphire, which is a remote overseas territory.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know which Ancient Warrior inheritance I carry.¡±


    ¡°With so many inheritances lost to the river of time, how could I possibly know them all? However, this is the era of knightly rule; the Ancient Warrior inheritances will eventually be extinguished, all becoming part of the Dou Qi secret techniques that knights can cultivate!¡±


    Ancient Warrior inheritances, ultimately transformed into Dou Qi secret techniques?


    Liszt cleverly uncovered another important piece of information ¨C it turns out that so-called Dou Qi secret techniques actually belong to the Ancient Warrior inheritances ¨C could it be that the knightly cultivation system, which gathers the strengths of all trades, assimilates most of the Ancient Warrior inheritances?


    It made sense.


    He had practiced ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± and ¡°Breath Decay¡±, which were vastly different from the mainstream Dou Qi manuscripts on the market. Not only was the difficulty of cultivation considerably greater, but more importantly, compared to ordinary Dou Qi manuscripts, Dou Qi secret techniques tend to favor special effects.


    To keep probing.


    Liszt still did not reveal any emotion, and simply remarked, ¡°Who knows what the future holds, even though Dragon Knights rule the world, how many Dragon Knights are there in the world? Without a dragon to fight alongside, the strongest a knight can ever be is just a Completion Level Sky Knight!¡±


    ¡°A few Dragon Knights are enough!¡± Deborah said, looking at Liszt who was already thirty-four years old, yet with a naivety more fitting of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old, ¡°I admit that as an Ancient Warrior inheritance, your strength is remarkable, but this is the end of the road for Ancient Warrior inheritances, with no further progress possible!¡±


    He didn¡¯t know where his sense of superiority came from, as if feeling sorry for Liszt, he added, ¡°Only a knight can grasp how to wield the power of a dragon, which is why knights rule the world! And it¡¯s not just about Ancient Warriors or Ancient Magicians; even magicians will eventually be integrated into knightship, becoming part of the Iron Knight Order!¡±


    ¡°It seems you mainlanders know much more, I have never heard so much about Ancient Warriors and Ancient Magicians back home.¡±


    ¡°Heh, the Duchy of Sapphire has been established for just over a hundred years, isolated on an island, spending each year pillaging like Magical Beasts, what cultural inheritance could there be!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, living secluded overseas has left me ignorant of many things,¡± Liszt nodded earnestly before adding, ¡°But you are my prisoner now, and since you are both a Swordsaint and of noble lineage, I¡¯ve set a high ransom for you. You need to produce four magic potions and grain-type little Minor Elves for your ransom!¡±


    Pfft!


    Deborah, who was wallowing in a sense of superiority, almost choked on air, ¡°What! My ransom is four little Minor Elves, and they must be grain and magic potion type Minor Elves!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Impossible, absolutely impossible!¡± Deborah¡¯s face was as dark as still water, ¡°My uncle, Marquis Nuta, will crush you, and then I won¡¯t need to pay any ransom at all.¡±


    ¡°I will crush Marquis Nuta, and even take him captive!¡±


    ¡°Naive!¡±


    ¡°You have seen my strength. Do you think Marquis Nuta could escape my onslaught? Even if he brings along several Sky Knights, I can still crush them all!¡± Liszt¡¯s face was haughty, his tone triumphant, ¡°Although I am not a Dragon Knight, I am invincible below the Dragon Knights!¡±


    ¡°Naive, how naive!¡± Deborah laughed in anger, ¡°The Yu Huashi Family is not an ordinary noble house. You may have an Ancient Warrior heritage, and your family might have a Dou Qi Secret Technique heritage, but the Roaring Knights will show you what an unstoppable force is! Ancient Warrior heritage, it can¡¯t block a knight¡¯s charge!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t naivety, it¡¯s confidence. As an heir to the Ancient Warrior tradition, wiping out the Roaring Knights would only be slightly strenuous for me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overestimating the Ancient Warrior inheritance. If it were truly so powerful, it wouldn¡¯t be on the brink of decline as it is now!¡±


    ¡°The Ancient Warrior and Ancient Magician heritages haven¡¯t declined, there are still many legacies in this world!¡±


    ¡°They are merely lingering on their last breaths, very few are actually making a difference.¡±


    Liszt scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re only an Earl. You didn¡¯t even get selected as an alternate for Dragon Knights like Yevich, so what do you know about the Ancient Warrior and Ancient Magician heritages.¡±


    ¡°Haha, a Sky Knight of commoner origin like Yevich, what would he understand!¡± Deborah sneered, ¡°As for the Cloaked Bear-wearer, Cloaked Wolf-wearer, Cloaked Pig-wearer, gladiators, bronze-skinned muscle warriors, Shadow Incarnations, I¡¯ve had more or less contact with all of them. Although I can¡¯t identify your heritage, it¡¯s most likely one of these.¡±


    ¡­


    When leaving the cell, Deborah was still seething with indignation. He hated Liszt¡¯s arrogant, ignorant, and self-centered nature.


    Though he had been defeated by Liszt, he believed it was only because of the Ancient Warrior heritage. If he could obtain the Dragon Knight inheritance, killing Liszt would be a matter of minutes. In the end, it was just bad luck; the knight¡¯s glory didn¡¯t shine upon him, and it surely wasn¡¯t due to a lack of skill!


    But he didn¡¯t know.


    After Liszt left the cell, he reflected, ¡°Yevich had told me that Deborah was a conceited, shallow fool, and it turns out to be true¡­ With just a little scheming, I obtained a lot of hidden knowledge about the Ancient Warrior and Ancient Magician heritages and Dou Qi Secret Techniques.¡±


    In recent years, nobles have enjoyed hoarding their treasures and do not easily reveal secrets that could empower others.


    If Liszt had asked directly, Deborah would certainly have kept silent. However, by pretending to be an heir of the Ancient Warrior heritage and provoking the other a little bit, Deborah revealed a lot of secrets not even known to Yevich¡ªthe Ancient Warrior heritage had not been severed, it had mostly turned into Dou Qi Secret Techniques.


    As for the Ancient Magician heritage, it seemed to be integrated with knights, becoming part of the Iron Knights.


    ¡°It seems I need to visit and provoke Deborah a few more times; perhaps he will even reveal his family¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Techniques to me¡­ But one thing is certain, Marquis Nuta must possess Dou Qi Secret Techniques. Now, how can I obtain the Dou Qi Secret Techniques of the Yu Huashi Family?¡±


    He shook his head, not ruminating over it too deeply.


    Perhaps he would capture Marquis Nuta on the battlefield, and then the Dou Qi Secret Techniques would easily fall into his hands.


    Thinking about the Ancient Warriors and Ancient Magicians heritages, he was reminded that he hadn¡¯t yet received the reward for his last Smoke Mission¡ªthe Iron Knight Alvin Eagle Sword.

 Chapter 619 - Chapter 619: Chapter 0616: Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword (Second Update)

    Chapter 619: Chapter 0616: Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword (Second Update)


    Alvin Eagle Sword didn¡¯t need to be found; in fact, he was imprisoned in the dungeons of Little Riverheart Castle.


    ¡°My lord, this is the prisoner list of Little Riverheart Castle. Alvin Eagle Sword is in this cell,¡± said Marcus, holding the dungeon list and locating the cell that confined Alvin.


    The dungeon was dark, damp, and smelled foul, where prisoners on straw mats were snoring loudly in their sleep.


    Marcus couldn¡¯t help but rap on the cell door with a stick, bellowing, ¡°Get up, get up, no more sleep, Alvin Eagle Sword!¡±


    ¡°Why is today¡¯s meal so late?¡± Alvin grumbled as he got up and slowly made his way to the cell door.


    Clad in tattered rags, his hair unkempt, his beard ragged, and heavy metal shackles on his hands and feet, it was obvious that he had been imprisoned in the dungeon for a lengthy period.


    He looked at Marcus standing at the door, and couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback, ¡°The one serving food has changed today, and it¡¯s now a knight. Are you preparing my last meal?¡±


    Overwhelmed by the stench of the dungeon, Liszt had already backed up to the entrance. Hearing the dialogue inside, he directly said, ¡°Marcus, let him out, have someone clean him up, and then bring him to the drawing room to see me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    About a quarter of an hour later, Liszt, who was sipping tea in the drawing room, saw Alvin Eagle Sword, now bathed, hair cut, shaved, and dressed in new clothes.


    This was a tall and thin middle-aged man. From his frame, one could tell that before his imprisonment, he must have been a strapping man. But now his cheekbones were prominent, his eye sockets deeply sunken, and his skin on his face and hands pale as if it had never seen the light. Perhaps he had not been abused, but he certainly had never been well-fed.


    ¡°So you are Alvin Eagle Sword, an Iron Knight?¡± said Liszt, looking at the man with interest. ¡°Captain Marcus has told you about the current situation, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    Alvin seemed somewhat unused to the environment, taking a while before responding, ¡°You are a Sapphire person, you have taken over Little Riverheart Castle? Deborah Yuhua Stone, that hypocritical, greedy man, has he been captured by you too?¡±


    Liszt frowned, ¡°Right now I am the one asking questions. You only need to answer mine!¡±


    ¡°I am Iron Knight Alvin Eagle Sword.¡±


    ¡°Tell me your background, and why you were imprisoned in Little Riverheart Castle.¡±


    Alvin took a deep breath before responding, ¡°My ancestors were once marquises of the kingdom and had forged magic weapons like the Eagle Sword for the kingdom, taking the name Eagle Sword as our surname¡­ But now our family has fallen into decay. By my generation, not only have we lost our title, but many of our forging skills are also hard to reproduce.¡±


    To hone his skills, to revive his ancestors¡¯ glory.


    Alvin had moved between many nobles, using their resources to study weapon forging technology. However, with limited talent and an unwillingness to casually hand over family secrets, the nobles who invested in him considered him a fraud and expelled him from their lands. Afterwards, he wandered to the region around Roaring River.


    ¡°Deborah promised to recommend me to Marquis Nuta, but due to the wrapping of my heirloom crumbling apart revealing its true nature, he became greedy. He snatched away my family heirloom and imprisoned me, demanding that I hand over my family¡¯s forging skills¡­ I did not yield, and thus have been living in the dungeon.¡±


    Liszt wasn¡¯t too interested in his story, instead asking eagerly, ¡°What heirloom is this?¡±


    Alvin hesitated.


    Liszt waited patiently.


    A moment later.


    Alvin seemingly made up his mind, ¡°Captain Marcus mentioned your incomprehensible strength, overpowering Deborah in one move. That I can see the light of day again is thanks to you¡­ If you help me retrieve my family heirloom, I will follow you and contribute all of the Iron Knight skills of the Eagle Sword family to you!¡±


    ¡°I released you because I need you to follow me, to serve me. But what is this family heirloom of yours?¡±


    ¡°It is a Greater Elf Warrior weapon, the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword! Originally forged from dragon bone, refined through generations in my family and finally cast as a Greater Elf weapon. It has already been presented by Deborah to Marquis Nuta. I do not dare hope to possess it again; I only wish to see it one more time when you retrieve it!¡±


    Alvin knew the power of a marquis¡¯s influence; he could not afford to ask for a higher price, so he was not greedy, only yearning to hold the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword once more in his hands.


    Liszt was not excited by the Greater Elf Warrior.


    Even the strongest weapon is only as good as its wielder. For example, even with a common weapon in hand, he was still stronger than a Sky Knight wielding a divine weapon.


    ¡°Are you sure you know how to forge Magic Power weapons?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I haven¡¯t inherited my family¡¯s talent. Ordinary Magic Power weapons like the Eagle Sword can certainly be forged, but beyond gemstone weapons, I am powerless. However, I possess my family¡¯s complete forging techniques, and I¡¯m willing to offer them to you, so you can train more talented Iron Knights!¡±


    ¡°Are you willing to part with them?¡±


    Alvin looked down at his now thin and weak body, his tone filled with resentment, ¡°I wasn¡¯t willing before, but what have I got left to lose now?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I agree to this trade!¡±


    No matter what, the Marquis Nuta was someone he planned to deal with.


    Powerful weapons like the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword should not be in the hands of a common marquis¡ªThe Sapphire Duke himself owns a Greater Elf weapon known as the Wailing Cage Sword, the best weapon Liszt knows of. Now, this Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword would be a fitting match for his identity.


    ¡­


    Alvin Eagle Sword himself was only an Elite Earth Knight and over half a year in the dungeon had ravaged his body, which would take a long time to recover.


    Arrangements were made for this Iron Knight.


    Liszt glanced over the list of other prisoners in the dungeon and ordered their interrogation, one by one, to see if there were any special figures among these captives.


    The result was disappointing; they were just some knights from the territory who had made mistakes.


    For these errant knights, Liszt had no intention of releasing them¡ªat all. Having taken Snow Pear Castle and Little Riverheart Castle, he had enough prisoners to choose from to select a hundred Elite Earth Knights. Now, he wouldn¡¯t even spare a thought for Common Earth Knights, let alone this bunch of prisoners.


    The Tulip Fleet was making its way up the Roaring River against the current, heading for Little Riverheart Castle. The castle¡¯s supplies had been packed, ready to be loaded onto ships and transported to the river mouth.


    Knight allies of the Long Taro Family and the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family had also received their orders and departed. The Earl had even written letters to Liszt¡¯s uncle, Mesiro Taro, and Roderick Gold Wheat, the Marquis of Golden Island, directing the dispatch of Knights and ships to be ready to move out along the Roaring River at a moment¡¯s notice.


    The first hurdle to the success of this plan was the Marquis Nuta¡¯s Roaring Knights.


    ¡°Possessing the Dou Qi Secret Technique, being a Completion Level Sky Knight himself, and having the Greater Elf weapon Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, I wonder just how strong Dimaria Yuhua Stone truly is!¡±


    Standing in front of the Window on the fourth floor of the Castle.


    Gazing at the undulating crops on the vast land, Liszt was brimming with confidence, ¡°I hope for a good fight, to truly understand how strong I am!¡±


    He felt that recently he had been very inflated, acting so high-profile without regard for consequences¡ªa dangerous behavior.


    But he couldn¡¯t suppress the smugness itching to surface.


    ¡°I can¡¯t control myself!¡±


    So, he hoped a hearty battle would completely wake him up to reality, adjust the appropriate attitude, and be prepared for the possible suspicions of the Sapphire Duke, ¡°Perhaps, I should now fabricate an Ancient Warrior¡¯s legacy to appease the Duke¡­ Should I invent an ancient bronze muscled hero, a gladiator, or perhaps the Cloaked Wolf-wearer?¡±


    As a historical inventor.


    Inventing stories was not a difficult task for Liszt.

 Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: Chapter 0618: World-Conquering Hero (First Update)

    Chapter 621: Chapter 0618: World-Conquering Hero (First Update)


    The Blizzard Beasts opened their mouths one by one, releasing magic spells.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh¡­


    Countless Rock Spikes burst from the ground, the horses that couldn¡¯t dodge in time were skewered by the spikes, and even some Knights were pierced through by the Rock Spikes. Other horses crashed directly into the spikes, falling and causing a domino effect as they tripped a swath of others, with screams of agony rising and falling one after another.


    Merely in the first encounter.


    The mighty Intermediate Magical Beast Blizzard Beasts had dealt a heavy blow to the Roaring Knights, totally disrupting their formation.


    After two waves of Rock Spikes, the Coral Island Knights had already charged over. Liszt blew a whistle and, riding Douson, leaped into the Roaring River beneath the stone bridge, followed by the eight tiny ones.


    They quickly cleared the path, allowing the Knight Order to charge through.


    In the blink of an eye.


    The Coral Island Knights had already plunged into the midst of the disarrayed Roaring Knights, using the favorable conditions created by the Blizzard Beast Squad to slaughter these elite Earth Knights. Countless Dou Qi collided and tore through the air, with various colors of Combat Skills being cast and spears clashing against longswords.


    Blood and flesh splattered, with the screams of agony drowned out by battle cries.


    Of course, the screams were mostly from the Roaring Knights, while the battle cries were predominantly from the Coral Island Knights. The advantage gained by the nine Intermediate Magical Beasts working together was not something that could be erased in a short period of time.


    ¡­


    Watching his own Knights being slaughtered.


    The Marquis Nuta, who had been following in the charge, was finally unable to bear it. He was riding a huge yellow tiger that was bigger than the Blizzard Beasts. If not obscured by the dust, it would have been extremely conspicuous in the crowd. Suddenly, the tiger¡¯s body heavily sank down.


    Marquis Nuta had already risen into the air.


    Behind him, four Sky Knights shot up.


    Five Sky Knights soared through the sky, a formidable force that, once launched an attack on the Knight Order, would undoubtedly be a terrifying sight. Clearly, Marquis Nuta was completely enraged. He didn¡¯t plan to play a game of Earth against Earth, Sky against Sky anymore; he aimed to directly crush the Coral Island Knights and retake Little Riverheart Castle.


    At this moment.


    Liszt had already returned to the front of Little Riverheart Castle, and the nine Blizzard Beasts had also swum back and were lying on the ground to rest, recovering their Magic Power.


    The Earl glanced at the five Sky Knights in the sky, then back at Liszt.


    Liszt nodded, a smile brimming with battle intent appearing at the corner of his mouth. In a volume only he could hear, he softly said, ¡°It¡¯s time for me, the Ghost Swordsman Liszt Tulip, to take the stage!¡±


    He pulled out his Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, channeling his Dragon Dou Qi.


    With a stomp of his feet!


    Two deep footprints were left on the turf.


    He took to the air, heading straight for the five Sky Knights. His gaze shifted, finally locking onto the Sky Knight clad in golden armor with the richest Dou Qi inside¡ªwithout a doubt, this Knight who, like Deborah, favored golden armor, was Marquis Nuta.


    In his youth, he was known as the Surging Waves Sword Saint, a Completion Level Sky Knight with the Water Attribute, the mastermind behind the assault on the river¡¯s source¡ªDimaria Yuhua Stone.


    Liszt saw him, and he likewise saw Liszt.


    Ignoring Liszt¡¯s companion Li Weiliam, Dimaria charged straight at Liszt, filled with soaring battle spirit but without a trace of complacency.


    He had inquired the fleeing Knights from Little Riverheart Castle and knew that the day before, with a single sword strike each, Liszt had effortlessly defeated the Sword Saints Yevich and Deborah¡ªsince they could guess that Liszt was of the Ancient Warrior inheritance, he naturally could as well.


    Inheritances of Ancient Warriors had their strength and weaknesses.


    The strong among them, like the Cloaked Bear-wearer Marquis of Boulder, was declared the mightiest beneath the Dragon Knights. As for the weak, they must be similar to Knights in training, with both beginners and failures.


    In his heart, he had already regarded Liszt as a strong one like the Marquis of Boulder, hence he was fully alert.


    In his hand was a pale blue longsword, as translucent and sparkling as Crystal. One could vaguely make out that it was originally a piece of bone, finely carved following its natural shape. There were no gemstones embedded, but the hilt, the guard, and the blade all seemed to be coated in a layer of faint silver sheen.


    The surging water-attribute Dou Qi covered the longsword as Marquis Nuta flew towards Liszt, about to collide with him. With a fierce swing of his longsword, he released a pale blue light, which instantly transformed into a raging waterfall, engulfing Liszt from above.


    His nephew, Deborah, possessed the thunder attribute.


    He himself embodied the water attribute.


    Boom!


    The waterfall, a manifestation of advanced water-attribute Dou Qi, swallowed Liszt, who was wielding the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, as if a giant wave crashed onto a surfer. But as soon as the illusory waterfall engulfed Liszt, it exploded with a loud bang in the next moment, with countless droplets of water vaporising and spreading into a huge cloud of mist in the air.


    Immediately after, a flash of red burst forth within the mist.


    Striking straight at Dimaria¡¯s chest was Liszt, cloaked in flames, his Dragon Dou Qi easily shattering the advanced Dou Qi¡ªit was not even a contest, even as his opponent¡¯s concentrated water-attribute Dou Qi was nearly tangible, it still couldn¡¯t withstand the Dragon Dou Qi.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Dimaria cried out as he was sent flying backward, his golden armor was sturdy, and the flame-engulfed Sky-Cleaving Greatsword did not cleave through the armor.


    ¡°Such strength is not even enough to test the depth of my power,¡± Liszt said as he followed Dimaria¡¯s retreating direction and fell, ¡°But the shell is quite hard¡­ It must be armor made from Mountain Copper, possessing unbreakable properties and resistance to magic, not excluding Dragon Dou Qi.¡±


    Just this set of armor alone was probably worth a fortune.


    Liszt looked down on this with disdain¡ªhe disliked rich people!


    But he didn¡¯t have more time to ponder, as five Sky Knights from the Roaring Knight Order followed the Marquis Nuta who had cried out and fallen back, leaving four Sky Knights remaining.


    One was being suppressed by Li Weiliam, leaving three to rush at Liszt after Marquis Nuta was sent flying, attempting to stop Liszt from continuing his pursuit.


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Liszt¡¯s Dragon Dou Qi burst forth as he swung the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword in a full circle, unleashing the charged move Crimson Dawn Burn in an instant. Flames, like a sky full of burning clouds, swept toward the three Sky Knights advancing from different directions.


    Lightning!


    Wind!


    Ice!


    The three attributes of advanced Dou Qi were unleashed, performing powerful combat skills that met with the burning clouds. For a moment, the sky changed color, with thunder and lightning, howling winds, and scatterings of hail as if it were the apocalypse. The battle of the Sky Knights was capable of changing the weather, triggering intense local convection weather patterns.


    However, it was only a momentary occurrence, and in the next instant, the burning clouds engulfed all changes in the sky, leaving only flames burning aloft.


    The lightning ceased, the winds stopped, and the hail melted into vapor, dissipating and vanishing.


    The three Sky Knights were each dealt a heavy blow; although they were not sent flying by Liszt¡¯s move, they were unable to soar in the air and could only accelerate their fall to the ground.


    Using this collision, Liszt¡¯s body rose again, locating the direction of Marquis Nuta and preparing to strike while the iron was hot, aiming to settle the battle with one blow.


    But.


    The Eye of Magic, constantly running, suddenly detected changes in the Roaring Knight Order below. What was once a tumultuous blend of multicolored Dou Qi following the knight order¡¯s formation, seemed to be guided by some force. The Dou Qi rapidly coalesced and lifted a figure.


    It was Marquis Nuta Dimaria Yuhua Stone.


    He held his sword at an angle toward the ground, his body not leaping but stepping on the solidified mass of Knight Order Dou Qi, slowly rising in mid-air.


    This massive collective Dou Qi of the Knight Order attracted and merged with his own advanced water attribute Dou Qi, rapidly condensing into a colorful auspicious cloud.


    At this moment.


    A classic phrase inexplicably surfaced in Liszt¡¯s mind.


    ¡°My ideal man is a peerless hero¡­ One day he will appear in a situation where all eyes are on him, cloaked in Golden Holy Armor, riding upon clouds of seven colors to take me as his bride!¡±

 Chapter 622 - Chapter 622: Chapter 0619: How Could This Happen (Second Update)

    Chapter 622: Chapter 0619: How Could This Happen (Second Update)


    ¡°Pah!¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt), feeling nauseated, shook off the lines that flashed through his mind; he even felt a surge of envy. Rightfully, the scene of standing atop the seven-colored auspicious clouds, donned in golden battle armor, should have been his to create.


    Yet, it was Marquis Nuta who had coolly pulled it off.


    ¡°An aberration!¡±


    ¡°A monkey dressed in silk!¡±


    His brows knitted slightly, his form never pausing for a moment. No matter how flashy Dimaria Yuhua Stone¡¯s posture was at this moment, to Liszt, it was nothing more than a target for his sword to slash through.


    Scorching Sun Sting!


    Enveloped in flames, he brandished his Sky-Cleaving Greatsword with a mighty swing, his charged attack brutally colliding.


    Marquis Nuta¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly, a cold light bursting forth in his eyes. He raised his Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, both hands gripping it to cleave downwards at an angle. In an instant, the Knight Order¡¯s Dou Qi that gathered around him found an outlet for release, bursting forth with the ferocity of a raging tide, making even the earth and sky lose their luster.


    Boom!


    This overwhelming mixed Dou Qi clashed rapidly with Liszt¡¯s Dragon Dou Qi. The otherwise invincible Dragon Dou Qi could easily shatter the mixed Dou Qi, but the latter seemed endless, one batch collapsing only for another to surge forward, forcefully repelling the Dragon Dou Qi.


    Then, like a tidal wave, it struck Liszt, who couldn¡¯t stop his motion.


    Clang!


    ¡°A powerful attack!¡±


    His Mithril Armor, as though struck by countless mighty hands, caused Liszt¡¯s internal organs to nearly shift out of place; his body could no longer maintain its leaping posture and he started to fall from mid-air.


    Below were the Roaring Knights. How could these Elite Earth Knights let such a godsent opportunity slip away? They quickly swapped to bows and arrows, desperately shooting at the falling Liszt. The arrows fell like rain, swiftly enveloping the area where Liszt was plummeting, so numerous they were uncountable.


    Setting Sun Drop!


    Liszt once again emitted Dragon Dou Qi, a forceful strike sweeping away the arrow rain¡ªhe was not like those Sky Knights he had flung away with a single blow. Although Marquis Nuta¡¯s formidable strike caused him to fall, his body was still under his control, and his Dragon Dou Qi remained abundant.


    Just as he cleared the arrow rain, a roaring cacophony surged from behind; Marquis Nuta had once again directed the Knight Order¡¯s Dou Qi toward him.


    Caught in the momentum of the fall, Liszt couldn¡¯t even manage to turn and counterattack.


    He had no choice but to diffuse his body with Dragon Dou Qi, to withstand this second blow from Marquis Nuta. The mixed Dou Qi could still use its mass to overcome and shatter the powerful nature of the Dragon Dou Qi.


    Whizz!


    Suppressing the urge to scream in pain.


    Liszt, however, could no longer maintain any semblance of grace, crashing to the ground like a cannonball.


    The moment he hit the ground, only one thought crossed his mind, ¡°What kind of attack is this that even my Dragon Dou Qi can¡¯t counter? Is it a special Dou Qi Secret Technique from the Yu Huashi Family, or some unique Dou Qi Cultivation System?¡±


    Afterward.


    His body shook, darkness clouded his vision.


    He had already slammed into the ground, creating a human-shaped shallow pit and kicking up a cloud of dust. A searing pain spread through his organs, and with the opening of his mouth, a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out. Since his arrival in this world, he had been through three major battles and countless battle drills.


    This was the first time he had been beaten to the point of vomiting blood.


    His heart was filled with utter shock. He had indeed hoped that Marquis Nuta would be powerful, a whetstone for his own skills. However, he had never imagined that Marquis Nuta would be so formidable; the attack that harnessed the whole Knight Order¡¯s Dou Qi was beyond his wildest imagination.


    Unprecedented, unheard of.


    Thump, thump, thump¡­


    The ground trembled beneath the pounding steps of charging knights.


    Liszt didn¡¯t dare to lie on the ground and gasp for breath, as a Sky Knight, once trampled underfoot and ravaged by the Knight Order¡¯s charge, could easily be crushed to death. Even with the physique of a Half-Step Dragon Knight, he couldn¡¯t brace his flesh against the terrifying situation of being trampled by countless hooves.


    Dragon Dou Qi burst forth, and his body sprang from the ground like a spring. He didn¡¯t fly very high, just narrowly avoiding a few charging Elite Earth Knights nearby.


    Then he turned back with a sword strike.


    Full Sun Wheel!


    Flames blossomed from the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, sweeping away a few knights who were keen to kick a man when he was down. He then erupted with Dou Qi in a frenzy and fled into the distance.


    For the Marquis Nuta, who wielded the colorful Knight Order¡¯s Dou Qi, was hot on his heels. Having experienced the power of this move before, Liszt no longer dared to confront Marquis Nuta head-on, constantly sprinting around to evade the fierce, torrential, and wild mixed Dou Qi attacks.


    He had never encountered such a perilous situation in his typically smooth-sailing battles.


    Panic surged within him.


    But Marquis Nuta, relentless in victory, had no other thoughts than to control the Knight Order¡¯s Dou Qi, doggedly chasing Liszt. With each swing of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, he channeled the mixed Dou Qi, transforming it into tidal waves to crush Liszt, who was desperately trying to escape.


    Without a dragon to ride, the Half-Step Dragon Knight Liszt found himself in an embarrassing predicament.


    On the other side, Li Weiliam, the Sea Wave Sword Saint who had placed his hope in his son wielding an unknown power, began to realize the situation had changed.


    He had been pursuing one Sky Knight and delighting in their torment, but as Liszt got turned around and pursued by Marquis Nuta, those three Sky Knights he¡¯d sent flying started to turn their spears against him. This meant that he, as a Sword Saint, was now facing four Sky Knights¡ªat least two of whom were Sword Saints.


    ¡°How did this happen?¡±


    Gone was his earlier swagger. Li Weiliam thought to turn and flee, only to find himself surrounded by the four Sky Knights, with no escape.


    The situation in the sky continued to deteriorate.


    On the ground, the two clashing Knight Orders saw the tide of battle slowly turn. Originally, the Coral Island Knights had been savagely crushing the Roaring Knights. However, as more and more knights from behind the ranks of the Roaring Knights joined the fray, the advantage that the Blizzard Beast Squad had created was gradually being offset by numbers.


    The Coral Island Knights found themselves in a hard-fought struggle.


    Emily, holding her third Knight¡¯s Spear, had her Mithril Armor stained red¡ªthat was the blood of the second Earth Knight she had slain, spattering out.


    Looking into the distance, she saw her lord, Liszt, whom she loyally followed, being chased relentlessly by Marquis Nuta through heaven and earth. Turning to the other side, she saw Liszt¡¯s father getting beaten up in turns by four Sky Knights, with defeat just a matter of time.


    And her fellow knights of Coral Island all around her¡ª


    Their entwined Dou Qi was in a state of utter disarray.


    Emily knew that the scales of this war were gradually tipping in favor of the Roaring Knights¡ªan Earl¡¯s Knight Order was no match for a Marquis¡¯ in quality or quantity, making victory incredibly difficult.


    Yet, she was not the least bit afraid.


    For she was fighting for Lord Liszt, willing to battle until the last drop of her blood!


    Clenching her fist, a surge of warm restlessness within her body gave rise to a new strength of Dou Qi, which seemed to instantly fill her being.


    A thought struck her.


    She understood that she had touched the bottleneck of an Earth Knight and had become an Elite Earth Knight.


    But she had no time to revel in the excitement, as the Knight Order once again crashed into the Roaring Knights. Pff, pff, pff¡ªmany knights, both familiar and foreign, fell from their horses, impaled by the Knight¡¯s Spear. Among them were even some who had taught her in Black Horse Island¡¯s Knight classes.


    Suddenly!


    A Knight¡¯s Spear¡¯s whooshing sound whizzed past her ear¡ªa knight from the Roaring Knights, clad in black armor and garb, nearly skewered her right through.

 Chapter 624 - Chapter 624: Chapter 0621: A Sword that Determines the Universe (First Update)

    Chapter 624: Chapter 0621: A Sword that Determines the Universe (First Update)


    When a third of the Roaring Knights had fallen to Liszt¡¯s deadly strikes and were subsequently ambushed by the Coral Island Knights charging from both flanks, Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic clearly saw the Dou Qi of Marquis Nuta¡¯s Knight Order become thin and loose, no longer possessing the earlier majesty.


    At this point, the irate Marquis Nuta had no words to say.


    Liszt could clearly sense that he might already have the thought of fleeing in mind, only hesitating to abandon his own Knight Order because they were still charging.


    However, when Liszt once again pulled his bowstring, three arrows suddenly struck down a Sky Knight, creating an opportunity for Li Weiliam to catch his breath.


    Marquis Nuta could no longer hold out, and he fully understood that this furious attack had turned into a rout.


    ¡°The Roaring Knights, retreat!¡± With a resentful roar, the Domain Knight clad in golden battle armor personally covered the retreat, attempting to buy time for the Roaring Knights¡¯ withdrawal.


    With a thunderous boom¡ª


    Following Marquis Nuta¡¯s order, the Knight Order, already spine-chilled from Liszt¡¯s arrows, turned around, no longer daring to charge, instead fleeing frantically back the way they came. The standoff¡¯s balance was tipped, the Roaring Knights broke into a rout, and the Coral Island Knights pursued.


    Unfortunately, the Coral Island Knights, already diminished from charging back and forth, lacked the strength to further capitalize on the victory.


    They could only watch helplessly as the enemy knights fled into the distance.


    However¡ª


    The Knight Order might escape, but Marquis Nuta could not. Having stowed away his Swift Shadow Bow and seeing the Roaring Knights begin to retreat, Liszt wasted no time, gripping his Sky-Cleaving Greatsword and diving towards Marquis Nuta enveloped in high-level Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi.


    Bathed in a flame-like battle garment, he executed his charged move, Scorching Sun Sting, exclaiming, ¡°Thinking of escaping? Did you ask my permission?¡±


    With a momentum like a rainbow stretching across the sky, he struck like a comet hitting Earth.


    Marquis Nuta did not retreat, still harnessing the thin Dou Qi of the Knight Order, issuing the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, raising a huge wave to violently clash against the fireball that Liszt had become.


    Crasht boom!


    Flame and wave consumed and splattered each other; half of the sky was fire, half rain, with the flame entangled with evaporated water vapor and the rain mixed with unquenchable flames.


    Borrowing each other¡¯s forces, the two continuously swung their swords in the sky.


    The disorderly Water Attribute Dou Qi and the pure Fire Attribute Dou Qi initially seemed evenly matched, but as the fire continued to devour the waves, soon Marquis Nuta felt himself surrounded by flames.


    The Roaring Knights had already retreated to the rear.


    With the Knight Order Dou Qi¡¯s distance increasing, his Dou Qi Domain unavoidably weakened further, now incapable of resisting the erosion of the Dragon Dou Qi. From overwhelmingly crushing Liszt, to being gradually overpowered by him. After several lapses, his Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, riddled with notches, had already started to split open his golden battle armor.


    If it weren¡¯t for the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword being extremely hardy, always chipping off a bit of the greatsword¡¯s blade, Liszt would have already been recklessly hacking away at him.


    No matter the technique, anything that could cause harm was a brilliant one.


    Clang!


    After another clash of the swords, the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword once again chipped off a piece of the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword¡¯s blade.


    Seizing the opportunity, Marquis Nuta shouted, ¡°Inheritor of the Ancient Warrior of Sapphire, Liszt Tulip! The battle of the Knight Orders has ended, and I must concede that your strength is formidable. Continuing this fight is meaningless, let¡¯s stop here, and we can discuss the ransom for Deborah!¡±


    Liszt offered no reply; now that he had the upper hand, he had no intention of being distracted by talk and letting Marquis Nuta off the hook.


    Giving the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, now nearly destroyed, a glance, he firmed his resolve, suddenly channelling the remaining Dragon Dou Qi in his body into the sword. Gathering all his strength, he swung both hands, drawing a circle overhead to chop downward, aiming to bisect Marquis Nuta with one strike!


    Seeing this¡ª


    Marquis Nuta¡¯s eyes turned red with anger, ¡°What wrong have I done to you, what grudge do we have!¡±


    Cursing inwardly, he had no choice but to hastily raise the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword above his head to block Liszt¡¯s desperate and self-destructive fighting style.


    However, he miscalculated again, for Liszt¡¯s move was a feint. The true target was the hilt of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword.


    Clang!


    The Sky-Cleaving Greatsword shattered into two pieces on the spot, ruining it completely, but the exploding Dragon Dou Qi successfully injured Marquis Nuta¡¯s hand that was holding the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, forcing him to drop it.


    Seemingly realizing he had been tricked,


    Marquis Nuta, disregarding the injury on his hand, lunged towards the falling Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword.


    Liszt gasped for air, the last move having drained too much of his Dragon Dou Qi, but he wasn¡¯t finished with his plan yet. Gritting his teeth, he once again drew the Swift Shadow Bow, pulled at the string, and loaded an arrow imbued with Dou Qi.


    Three arrows shot out.


    Then another three arrows followed.


    The ultimate mystery technique of ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, the Multiple Phantom Arrow, was executed, attacking the path that Marquis Nuta advanced upon. This archery skill was extremely intricate; once successfully deployed, it almost never missed. This time was no different; the six arrows followed unpredictable trajectories and struck Marquis Nuta fiercely.


    The Golden Battle Armor was indeed solid; the arrowheads couldn¡¯t completely penetrate, but the exploding Dragon Dou Qi blasted Marquis Nuta hundreds of meters away.


    The very next second, Liszt quickly descended, catching up with the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword in free fall.


    When he grabbed the hilt, a piercingly cold and icy breath transmitted to him, causing his agitated Fire Attribute Dou Qi to momentarily stagnate.


    ¡°Could the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword be made from an Ice Dragon¡¯s bone? It doesn¡¯t seem to match well with my Fire Attribute Dou Qi. However, the weight and size are quite suitable, especially this asymmetrical design, which aligns perfectly with my aesthetics!¡± He landed, holding the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword.


    After just a brief examination, he took a liking to the cool design of the sword.


    Crystal clear, glittering with cold light, and oddly shaped, it was very eye-catching. Such a high-profile weapon naturally matched Liszt¡¯s dressing style.


    He tried infusing it with Fire Attribute Dou Qi.


    He found that the Greater Elf Warrior sword¡¯s enhancement for Fire Attribute Dou Qi was quite weak, but the speed of Dou Qi infusion and the smoothness with which it operated greatly surpassed that of the now-destroyed Sky-Cleaving Greatsword. Although it might not be compatible with Fire Attribute Dou Qi, it had no problem replacing the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword.


    The weapon itself doesn¡¯t have an attribute suppression, it¡¯s just that materials limit the speed with which different types of Dou Qi operate ¡ª similar to how different objects have different resistances.


    As a Greater Elf Warrior sword made of Dragon Bone, the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword had a far lower ¡°resistance¡± than the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, even for Fire Attribute Dou Qi.


    Considering its robust material and the special properties endowed by Greater Elf blood not yet known,


    the sword quickly became the ideal weapon in Liszt¡¯s eyes.


    He looked up and saw that Marquis Nuta, who had been shot away, did not come rushing back to snatch the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword. The Marquis merely shot Liszt a glance from afar before taking the four Sky Knights who had already retreated and flew into the distance. They escorted the remnants of the Roaring Knights away from the Little Riverheart Castle battlefield.


    Apparently, he no longer intended to negotiate the ransom for his nephew Deborah.


    Liszt stood his ground.


    He did not pursue Marquis Nuta.


    Not yet accustomed to the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword and with his Dragon Dou Qi nearly depleted, even if he caught up, it would be difficult to kill Marquis Nuta. Moreover, killing him would be sensational news ¡ª there were many Marquises in the Eagle Kingdom, but the shock of such a prominent Landlord¡¯s death or capture could potentially draw the attention of Dragon Knights.


    It was best not to attract too much attention before seizing the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine.


    Holding the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, he took hold of a war horse that a Knight brought over and began to ride at a careful pace, ¡°Let¡¯s go back, thoroughly review the gains and losses of this battle, and make preparations for the next step, seizing the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine!¡±

 Chapter 625 - Chapter 625: Chapter 0622: Ice Seal Domain (Second Update)

    Chapter 625: Chapter 0622: Ice Seal Domain (Second Update)


    The knights who had survived, along with their Retainer Knights, began to clean up the battlefield, gathering the armor, longswords, spears, and horses left scattered on the ground, and categorizing the bodies of the fallen.


    The corpses of enemy knights would be returned to Marquis Nuta.


    As for their own fallen knights, their bodies would be cremated on the spot, and their ashes were to be taken back.


    However, most of the wounded on the battlefield were knights¡ªrobust knights were not easily killed, even pierced by a Knight¡¯s Spear, many had survived. Provided their wounds were not crippling, after a period of rest and healing, they could return to their vigorous selves.


    These knights could also be exchanged for a large ransom or be conscripted into their own ranks.


    After the Sapphire Duke allowed the conscription of captive knights, such a fierce battle, if won, no longer entailed great losses¡ªthe captives and materials gained were enough to offset the casualties.


    Liszt carried the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword back to Little Riverheart Castle, intending to find Earl William Lee directly to discuss the overwhelming offensive strength of Marquis Nuta.


    But the Earl had just landed when he was carried back, surrounded by a group of knights.


    While Liszt was being overpowered by Marquis Nuta, Earl Lee faced four Sky Knights alone. If Liszt hadn¡¯t adjusted tactics at a critical moment and wielded his Dragon Dou Qi to support with archery, the Earl might have already gone to visit Liszt¡¯s mother, Melissa Taro, to complain about his son causing him trouble.


    The Earl needed to rest quietly, so Liszt didn¡¯t disturb him.


    Actually, he himself had suffered some internal injuries¡ªthe kind caused by being smashed forcibly to the ground from mid-air by Marquis Nuta, which had displaced his internal organs.


    Healing them with Dou Qi was not a problem.


    ¡°Have the chef prepare the meal,¡± he ordered succinctly, then headed to the bath to wash up and change. Afterwards, in the bedroom, he drank some Banpo Cattle milk, ate some Boot Beak Giant Stork meat, and popped a few Magic Potions.


    First, he needed to replenish his Dragon Dou Qi.


    Having strength gave him confidence, immune to being unsettled by unforeseen events. Thus, after half an hour in the bath, his body was mostly recovered, his Dou Qi halfway restored, feeling the abundant power once again. Especially his high-level Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi seemed to have improved in this battle.


    The Advanced Dou Qi of a Sky Knight is divided into ordinary and Completion Level stages.


    Although Liszt¡¯s Advanced Dou Qi was transforming into Dragon Dou Qi, it had not yet fully matured. This was a new cultivation experience, one that likely only he, uncompleted Dou Qi and all, could cultivate alongside a dragon.


    In the dining room, a delicious spread was already prepared.


    The chef was someone Liszt had brought from Fresh Flower Town. While not as skilled as Mrs. Abbie, this chef was very knowledgeable about cooking.


    Liszt had just seated himself and tucked a napkin into his collar.


    Alvin Eagle Sword promptly arrived to pay his respects, already informed that Liszt had seized the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword from Marquis Nuta.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    ¡°I know why you¡¯re here,¡± Liszt said as he tossed the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword lying beside him to the man, ¡°Take a good look at it, and in the meantime, tell me about the properties of this Greater Elf Warrior weapon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡±


    Alvin took the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword with trembling hands, panting with excitement, ¡°I thought I would never see our family heirloom again. With Marquis Nuta¡¯s status and power, he would never return the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword¡­ The Eagle Sword Clan has possessed this sword for hundreds of years.¡±


    Liszt ate his meal while listening to Alvin¡¯s explanation.


    Though Alvin¡¯s talents were somewhat wanting and the Eagle Sword Clan had long been in decline, the information about the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword had been passed down from generation to generation: ¡°At the very beginning of the Eagle Kingdom, they had slain an Ice Dragon, and a section of a forelimb bone was preserved by the royal family¡¯s magicians, which was later awarded to my family.¡±


    ¡°At that time, an ancestor from my family who was an Iron Knight, after much exploration, forged it into a Dragon Bone Weapon¡­ and later, upon obtaining a Greater Elf whose life was nearing its end, soaked and reforged it with the Greater Elf¡¯s blood, completing the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword as a symbol of our family¡¯s legacy.¡±


    ¡°Its basic attribute is to amplify Ice Attribute Dou Qi, which can reach an effect four times stronger; the more powerful the knight, the more they can bring out its power. At the same time, it can boost Water-Attribute Dou Qi, Thunder Attribute Dou Qi, and Wind Attribute Dou Qi between two to three times, and even Fire Attribute Dou Qi can be amplified to double effectiveness.¡±


    ¡°It also enhances the solidity of Dou Qi and slows down the dissipation of Dou Qi. But its real power lies in the special ability bestowed by the Greater Elf¡¯s blood¡ªthis is a secret that even Marquis Nuta doesn¡¯t know. I have always claimed to be ignorant to Deborah, but in truth, I know.¡±


    Liszt was well aware that elf blood had a special effect on weapons.


    As the Swift Shadow Bow, a weapon of the Little Minor Elves, had a special effect that increased the speed of arrows, he asked with shining eyes, ¡°What is the special ability of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword?¡±


    ¡°Ice Seal Domain.¡±


    ¡°Ice Seal Domain? What does that mean?¡±


    Alvin answered, ¡°My lord, I watched your battle with Marquis Nuta from within the castle. If my family¡¯s inheritance is correct, Marquis Nuta is a powerful Domain Knight.¡±


    ¡°Domain Knight? What does that mean? An ancient warrior¡¯s inheritance?¡±


    ¡°Quite the opposite, Domain Knights have severed many ancient warrior inheritances. I am merely an Elite Earth Knight and not very knowledgeable about Sky Knights. It has been recorded in the knowledge passed down in my family that a Sky Knight at the Completion Level can resonate with the Knight Order¡¯s Dou Qi, thus forming a powerful Dou Qi Domain.¡±


    ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    ¡°I heard it from my father in the past, just like a story, not very clear. My father told me that a Domain Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Domain is not indestructible, and the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword can seal the Dou Qi Domain¡¯s resonance, thereby cutting off the Domain Knight¡¯s source of power.¡±


    This was a new cultivation system.


    Or rather, it was a missing link between Sky Knights and Dragon Knights.


    Liszt asked Alvin in detail, but Alvin¡¯s knowledge was vague; he only knew that a Sky Knight at the Completion Level had a Dou Qi Domain. As for how to cultivate the Dou Qi Domain and such, he knew nothing. Even about how to activate the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword¡¯s ability to seal the Dou Qi Domain, Alvin did not know.


    ¡°You will have to explore this yourself, my lord. What information I can provide is that the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword seems to be able to transform the nature of the user¡¯s Dou Qi. I remember my father saying that if he could use the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, then just by selling ice, he could make a fortune¡­ Unfortunately, it requires Advanced Dou Qi to activate,¡± Alvin said.


    Having said this,


    Alvin handed the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword back to Liszt with both hands and knelt on one knee, performing the Knight¡¯s loyalty ritual: ¡°Thank you, my lord, for rescuing me from the cage, and for retrieving our generations-old Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword. Alvin Eagle Sword will follow you loyally, and by the glory of the knight, I swear to charge forward at your command!¡±


    ¡°I accept your loyalty, Alvin Eagle Sword,¡± Liszt said, holding the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, accepting the loyalty pledge.

 Chapter 627 - Chapter 627: Chapter 0624: The Earls Teaching (Part One)

    Chapter 627: Chapter 0624: The Earl¡¯s Teaching (Part One)


    ¡°If the plan is successfully completed, Mary, this heart that belonged to Tuobert will be your reward. As for the rest of you, continue to distinguish yourselves, and perhaps the heart of Fomuir will belong to one of you.¡±


    Just wielding a big stick can indeed make the blood servants revere you, but it doesn¡¯t necessarily make them give their all.


    However, with the carrot added, I believe these vampires will exert all their strength for the tasty heart of a pureblood vampire.


    But by looking at the expressions and eyes of Bloody Mary and the four blood servants, one can tell that the tactic has worked.


    Send away the blood servants.


    Liszt sat on the mount that originally belonged to Deborah, concentrating as he summoned the Smoke Mission.


    As early as when he was bathing, he had already received the task completion prompt: ¡°Complete the task, reward an unknown number of Little Minor Elves.¡±


    The ransom issue with Deborah had not yet started negotiations, so the reward for this task was still unclear.


    But Liszt wasn¡¯t in a hurry, he even planned to intentionally delay the ransom exchange, numbing Marquis Nuta to complete the plan of attacking Three Dragons City and Trapped Dragon Mountain, ultimately squeezing out time to transport the iron ore¡ªthe quantity of iron ore was immense, and even with a large number of ships called in, it would still be difficult to quickly remove so much iron ore.


    Shipbuilding technology in this world was not advanced¡ªthe Ming Dynasty¡¯s Zheng He¡¯s treasure ships could allegedly reach a tonnage of 2500 tons; even a ship one-tenth the size could carry 250 tons.


    Alas, here a two-masted merchant ship¡¯s cargo tonnage is usually a little over a hundred tons, and a million tons of iron ore would require tens of thousands of trips¡ªThe Tulip Family probably had around a hundred merchant ships, the Long Taro Family about seven hundred, and the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family probably had about one thousand one hundred, making up a total of around two thousand ships.


    However, transporting the iron ore to the mouth of the Roaring River, the commander-in-chief of this Pioneer Mandate, the First Prince, will surely organize more fleets to come and assist with the transportation.


    With over a hundred years of experience with Pioneer Mandates, the Duchy of Sapphire has turned this kind of operation into an instinct.


    Liszt didn¡¯t need to worry about the final transportation, he just needed to secure approximately ten days¡¯ time¡ªensuring the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine is emptied before any Dragon Knights could arrive, then assist the First Prince in transporting the iron ore back to the realm, and the military merits of this battle would be completely his.


    ¡°I will delay the news for one more day if possible¡­ with the help of the Long Taro Family and the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, block off the banks of the Roaring River and sever the connection between Trapped Dragon Mountain and Lock Dragon City. Furthermore, dispatch blood servants to assassinate any knights who attempt to carry messages; I believe this could delay things for a while.¡±


    If the delay is successful, then the Dragon Knights would need time to receive the news and time to travel. By the time they would arrive and return, the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine would have long been cleared out.


    He looked at the Smoke Serpent Script that was already appearing before his eyes.


    ¡°Task: As the scale of the war grows larger, and you as a future Dragon Knight have larger combat plans to control, this is a mandatory course for a Dragon Knight. Please comprehensively oversee the operation to plunder the iron ore and capture the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine. Reward: Advanced Dou Qi Manuscript.¡±


    The task reward was nothing surprising; with the ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±Secret Manual in hand, he does not need to practice any more.


    Besides, he also had the Earl¡¯s ¡°Giant Wave Breaks the Tide¡±and the reward for killing Count Sned, ¡°Thousand Thunderstrike Sky Flash¡±¡ª any more would just be for reserve.


    What he focused on was the task itself.


    ¡°Even the Smoke Mission is urging me to plunder the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine. This battle plan, I absolutely cannot afford to fail! Whether it¡¯s the Long Taro Family or the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, they must strictly follow my instructions, or else I do not mind revealing a bit of the ¡®Ghost Swordsman¡¯s¡¯ prowess.¡±


    The battle with Marquis Nuta made him realize his own strength was not strong enough. If it weren¡¯t for his archery prowess, this time he might have faced utter defeat and lost everything.


    The war made him temper his arrogant attitude.


    But since he ultimately achieved victory, he still retained a bit of the spirit of adventure in his heart, unwilling to cower and feign incompetence¡ªthis is probably the dignity of a Dragon Knight, not allowing him to continue being low-key.


    ¡­


    At Little Riverheart Castle at night, with the solemn cremation ceremony ending at dusk, the knights found their joyous spirit once again.


    Drinking heartily, shouting loudly, celebrating the victory of the war.


    To have defeated the stronger Roaring Knights with a weaker force, it was naturally a matter to be proud of¡ªalthough a large part of the credit belonged to Liszt, they still had made significant contributions, withstanding the charge of the Roaring Knights and ensuring the battle did not collapse one-sidedly, providing Liszt with the opportunity to turn the tide.


    ¡°To this toast, I wish for Lord Liszt to ride a dragon soon and reach the pinnacle of knighthood!¡±


    ¡°I wish for Lord Liszt to ride a dragon soon!¡±


    ¡°May the Lord ride a dragon soon!¡±


    The knights were howling, spilling beer everywhere. Riding a dragon was a beautiful wish that was on every knight¡¯s lips. They had witnessed with their own eyes how Liszt had turned the tables and killed the powerful Marquis Nuta. In their hearts, if the Duchy of Sapphire were to have a new dragon, then the next person to ride it would undoubtedly be Liszt.


    Of course.


    Deep down, none of them really believed that Liszt would ride a dragon. Dragons were simply too rare, and the difficulty of riding one was just too high¡ªeven many had no clear concept of what a dragon was. Those nobles who had dragons always preferred to keep it a secret, ensuring the nobility and authority of dragons remained unshakeable.


    Or rather, nobles were very cautious about keeping any secret that could potentially shake their status.


    The cultivation of elves, the training of knights, the training of Iron Knights, cultural knowledge¡ªall were kept secret. But the most secretive of all were the dragons.


    At this moment.


    The very Liszt they were vocally blessing was in his bedroom, chatting with the resting earl.


    ¡°The battlefield has been cleared up. We have lost a little over five hundred men, but have taken more than eight hundred prisoners. I have replenished the Black Horse Island Knights Order and used the majority of the knights to make up for your losses. Viscount Jonas and Viscount Trik are satisfied with this allotment.¡±


    ¡°You already have the authority that they dare not violate. Of course, they have no objections to your distribution, and I trust your decision.¡± The earl looked gravely injured, but in fact, most of it was superficial. After some rest, his complexion started to return to normal, and he would be fully healed in a few days.


    ¡°The plan to snatch the Trapped Dragon Mountain iron mine is already in preparation, just waiting for the Long Taro Family and the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family to be ready, and then we shall begin execution.¡±


    ¡°Given that you were able to defeat Marquis Nuta, the likelihood of success of the plan will greatly increase. I have no objections.¡±


    ¡°The feasibility of the plan is indeed very high, all within my control. However, I need you, father, to coordinate more with the Long Taro Family and the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, to prevent them from holding me back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Father, have you learnt anything from my sword duel with Marquis Nuta that you could teach me?¡± Liszt was preparing to ask the earl about being a Domain Knight.


    However, the earl¡¯s face fell gloomy: ¡°I have nothing to teach you. Your sword duel with Marquis Nuta is beyond my understanding.¡±


    ¡°Father, you fought in the Pioneer Mandate wars for many years. Haven¡¯t you ever encountered a Domain Knight like Marquis Nuta?¡±


    The earl looked lost as he said, ¡°Domain Knight?¡±


    ¡°A Completion Level Sky Knight, once resonating with a Knight Order, can condense a Dou Qi Domain and thereby augment their power. Such Completion Level Sky Knights are known as Domain Knights. There are quite a few Completion Level Sky Knights in the country, and Grandfather is one too. Don¡¯t they practice Dou Qi Domain?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps when Roderick arrives, you can ask him¡­.¡± The earl leaned against the pillow, staring at the ceiling with a very confused look, ¡°I have fought in nearly twenty Pioneer Mandates, but I always deliberately avoided clashing with the forces of marquises. If it hadn¡¯t been for your insistence, I would not have agreed to confront Marquis Nuta head-on.¡±


    The implication was clear: Li Weiliam always adhered to the strategy of ¡°bullying the weak,¡± raiding for resources.


    Therefore, he may have clashed with Completion Level Sky Knights, but he had never fought against one in a large-scale Knight Order charge. Hence, he had never witnessed the power of a Domain Knight, nor did he know that there was something beyond the Completion Level: the Domain Knight.


    He sighed deeply.


    Suddenly turning his head, he looked at his young but mature second son: ¡°When Roderick and Mesiro arrive, they will likely ask you why you are so powerful. Maybe you should tell me how the glory of a knight has favored you.¡±


    Liszt remained silent for a moment.


    He solemnly spoke, ¡°Initially, I didn¡¯t plan to say it, but since you asked, I have nothing to hide¡­ I have inherited the Ghost Swordsman!¡±

 Chapter 628 - Chapter 628: Chapter 0625: Sword Cuts through the Flesh (Second Update)

    Chapter 628: Chapter 0625: Sword Cuts through the Flesh (Second Update)


    ¡°Father, do you still remember my flagship, the Sunset?¡±


    ¡°Of course, the Temperature Calming Pearl in the pavilion¡¯s small tower gave me a very good experience, you really know how to enjoy yourself.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Liszt chuckled dryly and then spoke seriously, ¡°Actually, my Ghost Swordsman Inheritance originally comes from the Sunset, which was an undersea shipwreck¡ªand not one belonging to the Magic Goat Family, but from an ancient and strange civilization called Arad.¡±


    ¡°Arad?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the master of the Sunset was a Ghost Swordsman mentor named G.S.D. After the collapse of the Arad civilization, he crossed the sea in search of a new habitat suitable for his people, but encountered a catastrophic tsunami. He only had time to leave behind the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance before sinking into the ocean.¡±


    ¡°So, you acquired this G.S.D¡¯s Ghost Swordsman Inheritance, which is the true reason for your rapid progression and outstanding strength?¡± The Earl seemed to let out a sigh of relief, probably because it was more face-saving to know that his son¡¯s excellence had other reasons.


    ¡°Sword cuts through flesh, heart cuts through soul. Listen with your ears, strike with your heart.¡± Liszt stated flatly, uttering two catchy slogans, ¡°The Ghost Swordsman¡¯s sword never hesitates, because wisdom is with me. These are the teachings left by mentor G.S.D, and the Spiritual Power that the Ghost Swordsmen abide by.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s evident from your battles that the Ghost Swordsman is indeed a powerful inheritance.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, as the inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman, are you able to teach more people the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not for the time being. The most important aspect of the Ghost Swordsman¡¯s inheritance is the transmission of Spiritual Power. My Spiritual Power comes from the residue of G.S.D mentor¡¯s Spiritual Power. Unless I can fully comprehend and penetrate the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance, I am unable to teach others the Spiritual Power of the Ghost Swordsman.¡±


    Of course, a fabricated Ghost Swordsman Inheritance couldn¡¯t just be taught to anyone.


    Seeing that the Earl was about to ask more questions.


    Feeling that the story he had concocted was already thrilling enough, and continuing might be overdoing it, he forcefully changed the subject, ¡°Father, the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance is very mysterious and powerful, I hope the family can support me and safeguard its core secrets. When I comprehend the inheritance, it will become the greatest boost for the Tulip Family¡¯s rise.¡±


    Hearing that Liszt was willing to share the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance with the family.


    Li Weiliam¡¯s breathing quickened, ¡°Rest assured, I understand the value of an Ancient Warrior inheritance; this is your opportunity, even the Grand Duke cannot demand it! Besides, the Sapphire Family has the inheritance of the Dragon Knight, they won¡¯t come seeking the Ancient Warrior inheritance from a follower.¡±


    Nodding, Liszt said no more.


    His feelings toward the Tulip Family were actually quite complicated. On one hand, he had been enfeoffed and was an independent entity, with all profits belonging to him; on the other hand, whether it was managing his territory or the future task of dragon riding to found a nation, the Tulip Family was an important support.


    ¡°If I weren¡¯t a transmigrator, perhaps I wouldn¡¯t be so conflicted, always feeling that interests outweigh emotions¡­ Of course, it seems that familial affections among nobles are quite thin, with interests being the component that nobles most value.¡±


    Shaking his head inwardly, he stood up and left the bedroom.


    No matter whether his interactions with the Tulip Family were mainly based on interests or kinship, at least the two existed simultaneously, and he shouldn¡¯t sever this relationship.


    ¡­


    After resting for two days.


    The Earl¡¯s health was mostly restored, and Sir Mesiro and Marquis Roderick came to Little Riverheart Castle, each leading their family¡¯s elite Knight Order.


    The lively banquet concluded.


    All the essential information was made clear, with the Earl even subtly mentioning Liszt¡¯s Ghost Swordsman Inheritance.


    Soon after, a small-scale meeting took place in the study.


    Liszt naturally took the lead in the meeting, ¡°Sir Mesiro, Marquis Roderick, what you need to do is lead your Knight Orders to harass the lands of Marquis Nuta, ensuring he has no time to care about situations outside his domain¡­ Additionally, each of you shall detach an elite Knight Order under my command, for me to lead the assault on Three Dragons City and Trapped Dragon Mountain.¡±


    ¡°I have no objections, the three hundred elite knights under my command are yours, Liszt,¡± Mesiro agreed readily.


    Knowing that Liszt had received the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance and had defeated a powerful Domain Knight, Mesiro was quite pleased¡ªLiszt would be a powerful ally for the Long Taro Family.


    Marquis Roderick gave it some thought and then gladly agreed, ¡°My main Knight Order is coordinating with the First Prince¡¯s actions, so I can only provide three hundred elite knights to assist you in accomplishing the task.¡±


    ¡°That will do, with your six hundred elite knights, plus the two hundred from the Tulip Family, eight hundred elite knights are more than enough for me to ride across the land!¡± Liszt spoke confidently, having experienced the fierce battle with Marquis Nuta, he already knew his limits.


    Recognizing his own strength and not becoming complacent, he instead grew more confident.


    Without much hesitation, once the Knight Order was ready, Liszt led the mixed elite Knight Order, charging westward along the path scouted by the Blood Servants, bathed in the rising morning sun.


    Meanwhile, the Red Crab Island Knight Order, Golden Island Knight Order, and Coral Island Knights also began massive mobilizations. Not aiming to kill or plunder, their main goal was to harass and contain¡ªan approach well-mastered by the knights of the Duchy of Sapphire.


    The entire Impact River Plain under Marquis Nuta¡¯s control remained fortified in their castles amidst the harassment by the three Knight Orders, and the knights of the surrounding domains likewise dared not venture out rashly.


    Many minor noble landlords even began scorched earth practices, preparing to hide in their castles until the end of the Pioneer Mandate.


    Under these circumstances, in the evening, Liszt led his mixed elite Knight Order to a position not far from the outskirts of Three Dragons City.


    He cast a covert glance at Egret Castle, which stood on the riverside, built against the mountain.


    ¡°My lord, Count Egret is hiding in Egret Castle. Ever since you defeated Marquis Nuta in the great battle, Count Egret, as one of the participants, has been terror-stricken by your authority. He not only widened the moat but also fortified the walls of the castle, planning to hold on to Egret Castle at all costs,¡± reported a lieutenant.


    Egret Castle was the main castle of Three Dragons City.


    ¡°They won¡¯t be able to hold it,¡± Liszt said, seated on the back of the landwalker bird Loki, followed by nine imposing dogs, ¡°Give the order. Take down Egret Castle before nightfall, making it the bastion for defending Three Dragons City, ensuring the thoroughfare of both Three Dragon River and the Roaring River.¡±


    No one questioned Liszt¡¯s decision.


    In the era where knights ruled and strength was king, he had shown the prowess of a top warrior. Hence, as his subordinates, it was acceptable to offer suggestions during meetings, but at wartime, they just needed to carry out orders.


    The leaders of the various Knight Orders dispersed to make preparations.


    Liszt looked towards the five Blood Servants, ¡°What you need to do is ensure not a single knight escapes. Once Egret Castle is breached, all messages must be contained within the scope of Three Dragons City.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord, please leave it to us!¡±


    The five transformed into bats and disappeared into the twilight, hovering around Egret Castle as both watchers and assassins, silently awaiting the attack.


    A quarter hour later.


    The Knight Order was ready. Liszt raised the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword and gave the command, ¡°Charge!¡± Amid the thunderous sound of galloping hooves, he rode the landwalker bird Loki, personally participating in the siege.

 Chapter 629 - Chapter 629: Chapter 0626: Its Him (First Update)

    Chapter 629: Chapter 0626: It¡¯s Him (First Update)


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡±


    Muffled horn sounds rose from Egret Castle, as all knights busily donned their battle armor and surged onto the ramparts to observe the enemy forces and defend the castle.


    Count Egret, who had hurriedly changed into his armor, also climbed to the top of the castle walls and gazed at the composite knight order rushing towards them in the twilight¡ªCoral Island elite knights wore silver helmets and armor, Red Crab Island elite knights were in golden helmets and armor, and the elite knights from Golden Island sported gray helmets and armor, with the colors of their steeds varying as well.


    Despite clearly being a mixed knight order, Count Egret¡¯s body tensed up as he saw the flag that fluttered high in the forefront of the knight order¡ªa long banner with a red background, upon which an open Black Tulip was embroidered.


    He had a deep memory of this pattern.


    The defeat of the Roaring Knights three days ago had occurred under this very banner.


    ¡°It¡¯s him, it¡¯s him, it¡¯s him¡­¡± Count Egret¡¯s chest rose and fell with a hint of a tremor as he recalled that epic battle where the Marquis Nuta, encapsulating the power of an entire knight order, had ultimately been overturned and defeated by an excessively young Sapphire Knight.


    Marquis Nuta was his landlord, one of the prominent Feudal Marquises of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Therefore, he was well aware of Marquis Nuta¡¯s prowess. Since his youth, he had followed Marquis Nuta, and now in middle age, he had witnessed the magnificence of a Domain Knight more than once, especially during grand campaigns on the frontiers. Even the renowned Cloaked Bear-wearer, the Marquis of Boulder, held a position slightly below that of Marquis Nuta.


    He had always thought that unless a Dragon Knight appeared, his lordship was an unbeatable existence. Yet, to his utter disbelief, he had been defeated by a Sapphire Fly.


    Because of this, he had spent the two days since returning to the castle to recuperate in a daze, unwilling to accept this reality.


    However.


    ¡°It¡¯s him¡­ he has come, he has actually come to Egret Castle!¡± Count Egret forced himself to calm down and then shouted loudly, ¡°Knights of Egret Castle, the enemy from Sapphire is formidable, but if we unite and fight together, no one can break through the impregnable walls of Egret Castle!¡±


    ¡°Defend the castle!¡±


    ¡°Repel the Sapphire Fly!¡±


    The knights responded enthusiastically, and their cries helped Count Egret to fully regain his composure. Perhaps in a sword fight, he was no match for the knight named Liszt Tulip. But this was no sword duel, nor a cavalry charge across open ground; it was a defense of the castle.


    The Sapphire knight order was not adept at siege warfare, their actions during Pioneer Mandates akin to locusts¡ªseizing supplies and quickly retreating.


    They neither besieged nor claimed land.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that conceited fool Deborah Yuhua Stone, who relied on Marquis Nuta¡¯s favor and acted so arrogantly, refusing to defend the castle and instead charging out, the battle would never have collapsed so utterly! Even Liszt, that inheritor of the Ancient Warrior, wouldn¡¯t have been able to cause much of a stir!¡±


    Once calm, Count Egret even had the spare time to blame Deborah. He himself was a Sword Saint, but he looked down on the overrated Deborah, the Clear Water Sword Saint with high esteem but low ability.


    His gaze turned towards the approaching composite knight order.


    Count Egret gripped his longsword tightly and stopped his idle thoughts. His expression was neither joyous nor sorrowful¡ªEgret Castle was situated such that one side backed against a mountain and another was surrounded by water, making it easy to defend and hard to attack.


    Repelling the enemy¡¯s assault would be effortless.


    But in the next moment, his calm wavered. Before the composite knight order, he saw a person riding a colorful large bird¡ªhe recognized Liszt, the very one who had defeated Marquis Nuta¡ªand following behind were nine Intermediate Magical Beast Blizzard Beasts that had inflicted heavy casualties on the Roaring Knights.


    At this instant, Liszt had already taken out his Swift Shadow Bow, readying his arrow for the shot.


    When he first relied on archery to target the Roaring Knights, ultimately reversing the battle and defeating Marquis Nuta, Count Egret had not forgotten a single detail.


    ¡°A mighty Ancient Warrior Inheritor actually has to join the siege in person?¡±


    The answer to his question in his heart came in the form of three flaming arrows. Boom, boom, boom, the three arrows each hit three windows, exploding and blasting the wooden window guards to smithereens.


    It was a greeting, as well as a signal.


    Next, the mixed Knight Order each took out their bows and arrows, aiming at Egret Castle to carry out suppressive shooting. Douson, already familiar with warfare, took the Eight Tiny Ones with him, and without needing any extra instructions from Liszt, began to release Rock Grenades and Rock Spikes, attacking the walls of Egret Castle.


    ¡°The sword slashes the flesh, the heart slashes the soul!¡±


    Liszt got too immersed in his role and, before actually beginning the attack, muttered a slogan to himself. Then, with a leap, he soared high into the sky, then gathered his energy and plummeted down fiercely.


    Boom!


    Amidst the barrage of arrows retaliating from the castle, he used his Dragon Dou Qi to forcibly open up a clear area and landed on the battlements of Egret Castle.


    Spurt, spurt, spurt!


    Immediately, countless Earth Knights thrust their spears through from the inner wall, aiming to turn Liszt into a wasp¡¯s nest. With a cold gaze, Liszt swung the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, conjuring up flames with each motion that instantly cut the Knight¡¯s Spears in two. The sturdiness and sharpness of Dragon Bone combined with Dragon Dou Qi were inexplicably formidable.


    After cutting through the Knight¡¯s Spears, he swung the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword again, chopping down a few knights who attempted to retaliate. Without caring whether they were dead or not, Liszt immediately got up and leapt towards another part of the battlements.


    His goal was clear: to remove all the battlements¡¯ retaliatory forces of Egret Castle, then let his elite knights scale the castle and swarm to take down this seemingly sturdy fortress. If he were a Dragon Knight, perhaps a single breath of Dragon Breath could roast the entire castle, but he had to do the hard work himself.


    The difference between riding a dragon and not was obvious.


    ¡°If I could produce black gunpowder, the speed of the siege would definitely increase greatly¡­ There¡¯s sulfur on Dodo Island, charcoal can be made on the spot, now all that¡¯s missing is a Saltpeter Mine. The formula of one part sulfur, two parts saltpeter, and three parts charcoal, I remember it very clearly¡­ But it¡¯s better to wait until I become a Dragon Knight before inventing such a devastating siege weapon as black gunpowder.¡±


    As Liszt was clearing out the retaliatory forces of Egret Castle, his mind still wandered.


    He had been paying attention to black gunpowder for a while and had always listed it on his invention to-do list. Unfortunately, when he had saltpeter, there was no sulfur, and after the discovery of Dodo Island and access to sulfur, the saltpeter was used up, hindering his research¡ªthis type of gunpowder might not be very useful in battle, as its destructive power could not compare to Dou Qi and magic.


    But in present times, when materials resistant to magic were commonly used in castle construction, the physical impact of black gunpowder was definitely a powerful means to dismantle fortresses.


    ¡°In the future, I must seriously look for a Saltpeter Mine.¡±


    With his thoughts gathered, he continued to clear the area seriously.


    As Liszt worked hard and exerted himself, the retaliation from Egret Castle completely died down, Count Egret didn¡¯t dare show his face, and neither did the other Earth Knights.


    The large and sturdy castle was like an unconscious strong man who, no matter how strong, could not escape the indignity of fate.


    Numerous elite knights from the mixed Knight Order began to climb up the outer walls of the castle. Led by Liszt, they were sent into the castle to engage in street fighting. He too mixed in with the troops, deploying his Eye of Magic and targeting Earth Knights with concentrated Dou Qi.


    And he quickly pinpointed the location of Count Egret, leading the knights on a direct path, pushing towards Count Egret.


    With Count Egret taken down, Egret Castle could declare its surrender.

 Chapter 630 - Chapter 630: Chapter 0627: Some Advice (Second Update)

    Chapter 630: Chapter 0627: Some Advice (Second Update)


    ¡°I surrender!¡±


    Just as Liszt had expected, when he stepped past the surrounding knights and stood before Count Egret, this Earth Attribute Sword Saint threw away his longsword in a very straightforward manner.


    ¡°A wise man submits to the circumstances. I¡¯m starting to appreciate you. Now, please go to the cell and stay there for a few days. After we both have taken ample time to think things over carefully, we shall discuss the matter of your ransom,¡± Liszt said with gentle elegance. Since the other party did not resist, he naturally maintained his own dignity.


    And so,


    As night fell, a battle that was predetermined in its conclusion came to a quiet end, and the castle¡¯s dungeons were filled to capacity.


    Sitting in the main seat of the castle hall, Liszt casually ordered, ¡°Captain Marcus, send someone to inform Sir Mesiro to arrange for the Knight Order to take over Egret Castle. This castle controls the confluence of the Three Dragon River and the Roaring River. We must treat it with the utmost care to ensure the Golden Waterway remains unobstructed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Marcus responded with excitement.


    He was fortunate to know Liszt¡¯s plans, and so he had been in a state of excitement for several days. The military exploits from capturing the iron mines were bound to benefit a large number of knights, and he was almost certain that he would be promoted to nobility, becoming an Honored Knight. Moreover, due to the considerable military achievements, it might not take many years for him to ascend smoothly to the rank of Baron.


    Liszt was not a miserly landlord when it came to rewarding his subordinates for their military exploits; he was always generous.


    Marcus was well aware of this!


    Liszt, who sat in the main seat, took a sip of tea and then continued, ¡°Gentlemen, although we have taken Egret Castle, and Three Dragons City becomes our resource-gathering field, you must understand that neither the city nor the castle is our ultimate goal. Rest for the night, and tomorrow we continue moving forward!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Now, all of you go and rest. Let¡¯s forgo the celebration feast tonight. When our real purpose is achieved, we can enjoy banquets every day, and the richness of the military exploits will drive you mad!¡±


    The inspired leaders of the Knight Order respectfully bowed and left.


    At that moment, a bat flew in from the outside window, quickly transforming into Bloody Mary dressed in leather pants, a leather jacket, and a black cloak¡ªshe had already donned Tuobert¡¯s cloak over herself. The oversized cloak completely hid her voluptuous figure; she had decided to rise through the ranks by ability, not by beauty.


    Of course, the main reason was that beauty was ineffective.


    Her personal style also began to turn from seductive to serious, ¡°My lord, Mary reports to you.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Liszt was slightly disappointed by the conservative Bloody Mary. Although the female vampire was getting on in years, her figure and skin were well-maintained and could be pleasing to the eye¡ªhe regretted giving her Tuobert¡¯s cloak as a reward, ruining a potential spectacle.


    ¡°We have already locked down Egret Castle, including the tunnels beneath the castle which we have discovered and are guarding. Several knights and rats who tried to send messages outside have been killed. Hamil and the others are still blocking the paths out to ensure no information leaks from Egret Castle.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Liszt stood up, ¡°Next, hand over the lockdown task to the Knight Order on night duty, and let¡¯s begin the hunting plan!¡±


    Bloody Mary unconsciously licked her lips, ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±


    ¡­


    The dark night is a vampire¡¯s favorite environment.


    There is no sunlight to burn them, just endless shadows that allow them to move freely in any corner.


    Three Dragons City is approximately two hundred and fifty kilometers away from Lock Dragon City, with a large expanse of mountains lying between them. One of these mountain ranges is called Trapped Dragon Mountain.


    Here lay vast valleys and never-ending excavation of iron mines¡ªthe origin of the mines revealed by the mountain¡¯s name. Once upon a time, a Malleable Cast Iron Dragon or a White Maw Iron Dragon became trapped here and continually infected the mountain range, eventually resulting in an abundance of iron mines.


    Fomuir Black Knight was savoring the flavor of virginity within a castle at Trapped Dragon Mountain.


    His duty was that of a supervisor, overseeing the iron ore mining at Trapped Dragon Mountain.


    Because his master, Summit Marquis Alonso Xiankelai, had already ridden a Bronze Dragon to the border battlefield to confront the Dragon Knights of Steel Ridge Kingdom. The Knight Order of his family had also gone to the border to participate in the war and could not escort the convoy transporting the iron ore. Thus, the massively mined iron ores were piled up in the valley, waiting for the war to end before being guarded and transported.


    Even within the territory of Eagle Kingdom, there were still reckless Mercenary Corps that would attack and plunder the iron mines.


    Behind these audacious mercenary corps could be other Dragon Knights or aspiring Dragon Knights. Or perhaps some longstanding noble forces, up to and including some royals, vassals, and enemy states providing secret support. The nearly thousand-year-old Eagle Kingdom was no longer harmonious.


    Just dealing with the power struggles and conflicts within the kingdom itself consumed vast amounts of energy.


    Add to this the annual warfare initiated by Steel Ridge Kingdom, never giving Eagle Kingdom a moment¡¯s respite; the Sapphire Pirates, though weak, were like bone-clinging maggots, always able to leech blood and flesh.


    The seemingly powerful kingdom.


    Was actually finding it increasingly difficult to maintain its vast territories.


    But none of this impeded Fomuir from living a life of debauchery on Trapped Dragon Mountain. As an original pureblood of the Black Knight Family, he enjoyed ample family resources and absolute authority. Tasting a few virgins outside was not a problem at all¡ªin fact, he and his original pureblood partner were each playing their own games.


    Just as he had barely started moving for a few seconds, there was a knock on the door.


    However, he paid no attention¡ªwith his authority here at Trapped Dragon Mountain, even the two stationed Sky Knights held no greater power than him, for he was the eyes of Alonso.


    So it was.


    After persisting for a minute, Fomuir¡¯s body trembled and he ceased his movements.


    At this point, the knocking outside the door resumed, and he lazily called out from the bed, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The one who entered was one of his followers, a mixed-blood Vampire: ¡°My lord, Sir Tuobert has sent Bloody Mary to visit you. She is waiting in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Tuobert? Didn¡¯t that guy go to Sapphire? He completed his task so quickly? Bring Bloody Mary here.¡±


    Soon Bloody Mary arrived in the bedroom. She showed no curiosity towards the girl lying on the bed, looking directly at Fomuir, who was half-covered with his sleeping gown: ¡°Lord Fomuir, Sir Tuobert has returned from Iron Hoof Island and is currently recuperating in the mountains, not far from here. He suffered some minor injuries on Iron Hoof Island.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he come to Lock Dragon Castle?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Lord Fomuir, you must be joking. This is your territory.¡±


    Fomuir was very smug: ¡°Haha, Bloody Mary, you do have a way with words! That fellow Tuobert definitely does not dare to come to my turf, afraid I¡¯d eat his heart. Speaking of which, if it wasn¡¯t for me sparing him once ten years ago, how could he have had the chance to become a pureblood.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, what the lord says is right. Sir Tuobert hopes you will meet with him on the opposite mountain. He has some clues about the investigation on Iron Hoof Island and hopes to discuss with you first before deciding on how to report to Prince Alonso¡­ This is his token.¡± Bloody Mary handed over the token of Tuobert that she had prepared in advance.


    ¡°Hmph, at least he knows his manners!¡±


    Glancing at the token and then tossing it back to Bloody Mary, Fomuir proudly raised his head, a pale face wearing a smug smile: ¡°Let¡¯s go. Speaking of which, he¡¯s something like my brother-in-law. It¡¯s a good time to give him some advice.¡±

 Chapter 634 - Chapter 634: Chapter 0631: Return Fully Loaded (First Update)

    Chapter 634: Chapter 0631: Return Fully Loaded (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Li Weiliam and Mesiro relentlessly trailed the magical beast¡¯s tracks, while Liszt lazily followed behind, instructing Emily on how to cultivate and fight.


    Even though he was currently just an ordinary Sky Knight aside from his Dragon Knight status, he had fought a considerable number of opponents. Especially with the powerful force of the Dragon Dou Qi, he could calmly observe how other Sky Knights fought.


    By using a scientific approach to summarize his experiences, he had not only written ¡°The Earth Chronicle of Liszt¡±; he was now pondering ¡°The Sky Chronicle of Liszt¡±.


    In the realm of knight training, he believed his ideas were far more advanced than the ideas of his time.


    Emily was an excellent student¡ªintelligent, resilient, and not given to complaints or idle talk. She always maintained a humble and respectful attitude towards him. Attitude is particularly important; Liszt did not like those who are arrogant due to their talents, nor did he like those who considered themselves geniuses.


    The reason he was not fond of Lidun was related to Lidun¡¯s often-displayed attitude that he was a genius¡ªan attitude incompatible with Liszt¡¯s presence, in which no one could claim to be a genius!


    ¡°Elite Earth Knights mainly rely on consuming magic potions. Once the Pioneer Mandate is over and we return to our territory, I will provide you with enough Magic Potions. Furthermore, you should diligently study ¡°The Earth Chronicle of Liszt¡±, which will guide you on how to take potions effectively and break through the constraints of your cells.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°In addition, you must also learn archery. It¡¯s a standard skill for knights. However, my ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± is not suitable for you. I will choose an archery instructor from among the Elite Earth Knights to teach you other types of archery,¡± Liszt said. His ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± relies on the ¡°infinite bullets¡± cheat provided by the Gemstone Space.


    That¡¯s why it can inflict such powerful damage, with each casual shot releasing three arrows. A regular knight wouldn¡¯t have enough arrows in a quiver to execute it many times.


    He believed that the creator of the secret manual for ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± must have had access to a Space Gem; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t invent such an arrow-consuming archery skill¡ªif one is only satisfied with the realm of Double Arrow, then ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± is a fine choice, but his expectations for Emily went beyond just being an Elite Earth Knight.


    Emily didn¡¯t ask why: ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Further, if you¡¯re not good at arithmetic, I can help you measure your body¡¯s tolerance and adaptability to Magic Potions. It¡¯s only through scientific consumption that one can minimize expenditure and maximize benefits to break free from the shackles of the earth as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    Emily no longer just thanked Liszt with words for his nurturing grace. She had already resolved in her heart that everything about her belonged to Liszt. Simple words of thanks were meaningless. Dedicating herself entirely to Lord Landlord was now her sole focus in life.


    ¡­


    To the Earl¡¯s regret, the hunting party ultimately lost track of the powerful magical beast, and by nightfall, they had not rediscovered any useful clues.


    After a whole day¡¯s journey,


    Aside from hunting a number of low-level magical beasts, they captured only one Intermediate Magical Beast¡ªa Spiked Porcupine.


    This Spiked Porcupine, with its Thunder Attribute, had formidable offensive power. Liszt forcefully breached its lightning coat with Dragon Dou Qi and then knocked it out alive.


    He inquired if the Earl wished to use the Spiked Porcupine as a mount.


    Looking at the long, sharp spikes on the back of the Spiked Porcupine, which resembled a Knight¡¯s Spear, the Earl fell into a profound silence. After returning to Trapped Dragon Mountain, the evening feast saw dish after dish of delicious Spiked Porcupine roast served. The Earl picked up a pork rib and crunched it up, bones and all.


    ¡°`


    ¡°What a pity.¡±


    Liszt said, eating a leg of Spiked Porcupine meat, expressing regret, ¡°In fact, if you remove the spikes on the back of the Spiked Porcupine, it can still be tamed as a mount for riding.¡±


    Of course, it¡¯s pointless to talk about that now. He had to focus on filling his stomach.


    Thus, a day passed.


    In the blink of an eye, Liszt had been stationed at Trapped Dragon Mountain for five days, and it was time to depart. The Sunset, tasked with transportation, had already sailed up the Roaring River against the current, and Captain Marcus had the Black Horse Island Knights Order tirelessly moving the mass of goods collected to the Sunset.


    The elite knights sent by the First Prince had already taken over the defense of Trapped Dragon Mountain. The commander was a Sword Saint, strong enough to uphold the mountain¡¯s defenses in the coming times.


    ¡°Viscount Garcia, Viscount Fox, once the knights withdraw from Trapped Dragon Mountain, your letters will be sent out at the same time. Once your families or landlords send someone with your ransom to Iron Hoof Island, you will gain your freedom¡­ As for now, you need to pay a visit to Coral Island.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The two Sky Knights responded listlessly; they were followers of Alonso Xiankelai. They didn¡¯t come from major families but from the orphanage of the Xiankelai family and hadn¡¯t been Sky Knights for long. Therefore, apart from one or two Little Minor Elves, they had nothing else.


    Liszt had them write letters, primarily to Alonso, asking him to pay the ransom with two ordinary Little Minor Elves per person, or one grain-related or Magic Potion-related Little Minor Elf.


    Seizing his iron mines, enlisting his knights, and now demanding a ransom¡ªLiszt would not be lenient with this potential rival in the upcoming dragon-slaying battle.


    The Sunset set sail.


    The eight Blood Servants also departed, having transported away 500,000 tons of iron ore from Trapped Dragon Mountain, now completely handed over to the knights under the control of the First Prince.


    The Earl didn¡¯t follow the Sunset but boarded a Court Fast Sailing Ship provided by Mesiro.


    The two stood at the prow of the ship, gazing at distant Trapped Dragon Mountain, sharing their sentiments. Mesiro said, ¡°Leaving now, most of the remaining military exploits will be consumed by the many noble landlords, which is quite a pity indeed.¡±


    Li Weiliam smiled, ¡°The military exploits that are mine cannot be taken away by anyone.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, with Liszt¡¯s formidable power as a Ghost Swordsman Inheritor, he is more than capable of safeguarding the share of military exploits belonging to Coral Island. However, at such a young age, Liszt has helped you achieve such splendid results. After returning to our country, I fear a whole host of nobles will be driven mad with envy.¡±


    ¡°Only those who are superior to others invite envy. My second son, Liszt, is destined to become the cornerstone of Sapphire. They envy him now, but in a few more years, they will change their mindset¡ªbecause Liszt will make them understand that envy cannot destroy a genius.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Mesiro, resting his hands on the railing, said, ¡°If Liszt were still weak, obtaining the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance would not be a good thing. But he has grown strong enough to protect himself. Even a Grand Duke must pay him the utmost attention¡­ Perhaps in a few years, he will join you and me in ascending to the rank of Marquis.¡±


    The Earl, with hands clasped behind his back, spoke in a nonchalant tone, ¡°Let¡¯s see how he develops.¡±

 Chapter 635 - Chapter 635: Chapter 0632: Overnight Wealth (Second Update)

    Chapter 635: Chapter 0632: Overnight Wealth (Second Update)


    The ape-like cries on either shore persist, yet my light boat has already passed through a myriad of mountain ranges.


    Though the speed of the Sunset on the sea wasn¡¯t fast, it far surpassed the sea¡¯s pace when flowing downstream on the Three Dragon River and the Roaring River, even when the cabin was filled with mountainous stacks of supplies.


    It soon arrived at Little Riverheart Castle.


    Imprisoned at Little Riverheart Castle were three Sword Saints, one of whom was Deborah Yuhua Stone, another was Count Egret, and the last was Yevich Water Peanut.


    Marquis Nuta sent people to participate in the ransom discussion for the three followers. The final agreement was that Count Egret would pay for two grain-producing, Magic Potion-related Minor Elves and one common Minor Elf; Deborah would pay for two grain-producing, Magic Potion-related Minor Elves and two common Minor Elves.


    The Minor Elves¡¯ lifespans could not exceed fifty years.


    As for Yevich, Marquis Nuta had given up and did not intend to pay any ransom for him.


    ¡°This is really awkward, isn¡¯t it? Yevich can¡¯t even fetch a price!¡± Levis felt quite gloomy about Marquis Nuta¡¯s decision. To abandon a Sword Saint follower as if discarding him like cabbage, ¡°As a marquis, you have no sense of public duty. Trash shouldn¡¯t just be thrown anywhere!¡±


    Yevich felt similarly embarrassed, of course knowing that Marquis Nuta wouldn¡¯t pay much for him. However, to not even name a price was a great insult to his dignity!


    He made up his mind resolutely, ¡°My lord, Yevich wishes to follow you, to start anew, forsaking any titles from the Eagle Kingdom!¡±


    By now, he had become an inextricably attached burden.


    Liszt pondered for a long while and at last came up with a decision, ¡°You¡¯ve decided to start over and I, being as merciful as I am, can¡¯t deny you an opportunity. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do, I don¡¯t want your Minor Elves, but they must be planted on my land, with Elves in my custody. And you¡­¡±


    Yevich had two rather useless Water Peanut Minor Elves and fourteen Sprite Bugs.


    The contract count for Sprite Bugs was too low, and switching contracts was too much trouble. Moreover, only one ¡°Erect Centipeda Elf Bug¡± was capable of planting the Magic Potion Erect Centipeda, and one ¡°Sweet Potato Sprite Bug¡± could cultivate the grain Sweet Potato, both had slight value. Contracting them wasn¡¯t worth it. They were better used as a means to keep the other party in check.


    ¡°Please give your orders, my lord. Yevich has no objections!¡±


    ¡°I plan for you to venture out to sea and to find new habitable islands outside the Duchy of Sapphire. Each island found would be equivalent to you establishing a feat in battle. If you can find a large island like Iron Hoof Island, making you an earl wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all¡­ You do believe I have the power to make you an earl, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Yevich agreed readily, ¡°I believe completely in your lordship!¡±


    ¡°Then, you agree to set sail in search of islands?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Swear your oath of allegiance.¡±


    The loyalty ceremony was carried out, and Yevich officially became one of Liszt¡¯s freemen followers, having cast aside the noble titles granted by the former Eagle Kingdom. Once the oath was done, his identity naturally changed, with no possibility of returning to the past¡ªpublic allegiance, under the watchful eyes of many, held clear legal effect.


    Having regained his freedom, Yevich could not decide whether to feel happy or sorrowful.


    A man, a Sword Saint, reduced to such a state was sincerely devoid of anything that could offer self-comfort. Moreover, he was also mentally weary of war; after a lifetime of struggle, things had only gotten worse, and it seemed better to explore the solitary seas. No need to face the manipulative schemes and one-upmanship among the nobles.


    Observing the somewhat dejected Yevich, Liszt wasn¡¯t concerned.


    He didn¡¯t want Yevich involved in any knightly wars, as the fellow¡¯s character was unreliable. If he changed loyalties again, it would be a losing deal.


    Better to dispatch him to search for new islands.


    This way, without Liszt¡¯s support, Yevich wouldn¡¯t stand a chance in the vast ocean, and there was no need to worry about him attempting to defect. And Liszt did need a powerful knight to lead the fleet on his behalf, to scout for him and find suitable maritime territories to establish a state.


    Toppling the Sapphire Family was only a contingency plan; it would be activated only if the Grand Duke were confirmed to turn hostile.


    He disliked the life of constant fighting and preferred to establish a nation on an island, living a tranquil life separated from the world¡ªturning to the continent for sustenance, much like the Sapphire¡¯s Pioneer Mandate, whenever impoverished or starved.


    Especially once the new sailing technology was developed, he planned to sail around the continent, seizing all islands and establishing his influence. To rear the continent as his private garden was a tempting thought, yet the difficulty of making it a reality was enormous.


    Resolve the following issue with Yevich¡¯s followers.


    Little Riverheart Castle also welcomed the team delivering the ransom for Marquis Nuta. The Sword Saints could raise their own ransom, but it was up to Marquis Nuta to cover the cost for the numerous captured members of the Roaring Knights.


    The ransom, after much back-and-forth during this period, was essentially settled. Now it was just a matter of completing the exchange.


    For Count Egret¡¯s part, his family delivered three Minor Elves¡ªa Wheat Minor Elf and a Sword Minor Elf related to grain, along with an ordinary ornamental plant ¡°Snapdragon Minor Elf.¡± The Sword, being a type of grain, was very valuable, not only for making ropes but also as fodder for livestock and poultry.


    Deborah herself personally handed over four Minor Elves¡ªa Coptis Minor Elf related to Magic Potions, a Millet Minor Elf related to grain, as well as a common Apple Minor Elf and a Flipped-White Grass Sprite¡ªthe Apple Minor Elf could also be used to grow apples, and the Flipped-White Grass Sprite could probably only grow wild grass.


    Marquis Nuta, moreover, brought not only a large amount of Gold Coins and seeds but also owed two Minor Elves¡ªa Tobacco Minor Elf, equivalent to grain since it could be used to make cigarettes, and a Pine Elf Bug, a commonly used timber, also equivalent to grain.


    All the Minor Elves were contracted to Liszt. One could easily imagine his excitement as he watched the nine Minor Elves that now surrounded him.


    War indeed was the best way to wealth.


    After more than two years of farming on the island, he had gained only one Greater Elf and six Minor Elves. But with this Pioneer Mandate of less than a month, he had harvested nine Minor Elves, and if you added Yevich¡¯s two Water Peanut Minor Elves, that was eleven in total!


    The most crucial part was,


    Most of them were grain and Magic Potion-related Minor Elves, which were more valuable.


    ¡°If Alonso weren¡¯t likely to return at any moment, I would really like to stay here, continue to capture Sky Knights and earn ransom. After a year or so, I might be able to fill an entire room with Minor Elves,¡± thought Liszt, watching the procession handing over the ransom and continuously carting away the supplies, feeling delighted.


    An Earl typically had but one Greater Elf and twelve Minor Elves.


    Yet he now possessed one Greater Elf and fifteen Minor Elves, not even counting the two Water Peanut Minor Elves, a veritable overnight fortune.


    ¡­


    Late August.


    Liszt, replete with his harvest, bade farewell to Li Weiliam before setting sail on the Sunset: ¡°Father, I leave the matters here to you. I will be waiting on Coral Island for your return.¡±


    ¡°Go, the war may not be over, but your Pioneer Mandate is. After you return, focus on cultivating on Black Horse Island without minding other affairs, and strive to penetrate the Spiritual Power of the Ghost Swordsman soon.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Let Enchantress Phoebe, Night Demon Wimbleton, and One-Eyed Uso be at your command. Although their combat strength is quite average, they are the most suitable as eyes,¡± he assured.


    The Earl glanced at the three Vampires wrapped in black cloaks: ¡°Mm.¡±


    And so,


    The Sunset weighed anchor.


    With paddles stirring and sails rising, the ship faced the undulating Sea Waves and sailed into the deep blue sea. Moments later, it disappeared over the horizon.

 Chapter 636 - Chapter 636: Chapter 0633: The Scholar (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch added 11/63)

    Chapter 636: Chapter 0633: The Scholar (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch added 11/63)


    Out at sea, the strong wind whipped up waves, but the Sunset remained steady.


    Liszt sat at the bow, enjoying the breeze, with nine Blizzard Beasts either sitting or lying down, occupying the entire front of the ship; Loki was a bit more spirited, occasionally flying up into the sky for a loop before landing back on the bow, taking a batch of wheat kernels scented with a secret recipe from Liszt¡¯s hand, savoring them one by one.


    Not far away on the deck, Alvin Eagle Sword was studying the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword. As a family heirloom of a Greater Elf Warrior, he mastered the usage methods more swiftly than Liszt.


    The Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword had two properties.


    One was to transform the nature of Dou Qi, turning the user¡¯s Dou Qi into ice-attribute Dou Qi¡ªLiszt referred to this as ¡°Ice Rotation,¡± and he was close to figuring it out; just one final step, along with prolonged integration and practice, would enable the effortless use of the Ice Rotation Skill.


    The second was the Ice Seal Dou Qi Domain, sealing the Domain Knight¡¯s resonance within the Dou Qi Domain¡ªLiszt called this ¡°Ice Seal,¡± and at present, there was no clue. It was unlikely that even Marquis Nuta could have figured it out after half a year of trying; Alvin wouldn¡¯t be able to master it right off the bat.


    Fortunately, there was Alvin Eagle Sword, an Iron Knight. Though his talent was mediocre, the techniques of the family¡¯s Iron Knight, combined with unlocking the special abilities of the heirloom Greater Elf Warrior, should not be too difficult.


    ¡°Once Alvin cracks the Ice Seal Skill of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, Domain Knights will be no different from ordinary Knights in my presence!¡± Liszt thought to himself as he drank the still-warm Banpo cow milk, ¡°Besides, Alvin has already decided to offer his family¡¯s Iron Knight techniques to me, it¡¯s time to start an Iron Knight course at the Knight Academy.¡±


    Since the future was destined for nation-building.


    Then all kinds of talents had to be nurtured in advance, lest when the time comes, the nation would be desolate, scarcely populated.


    After finishing the Banpo cow milk in the cup, Liszt took out a piece of roasted Magical Beast Meat from the Gemstone Space and began to eat. Although he was reluctant to expose the Space Gem, he was no longer overly cautious; even if the Space Gem was revealed, who would dare to snatch it.


    Even if the Grand Duke took action, he wouldn¡¯t be afraid.


    At worst, he would just turn against them.


    Of course, most of those around him were his followers and Servants. As long as he avoided strangers, no matter how he exposed the Gemstone Space, news would not leak easily¡ªvery few people knew of the miraculous gemstone called Space Gem, and most people didn¡¯t even know or believe in the existence of the Sacred Dragon.


    On the deck in the middle of the ship.


    Emily was practicing archery under Viscount Garcia¡¯s guidance, studying the secret tome ¡°Guided Arrow.¡±


    As an Advanced prisoner, he could move freely within the designated areas of the Sunset. Since he was skilled in archery, he took the initiative to teach Emily¡ªLiszt treated him with good wine and meat, so it was only natural for him to reciprocate. On the other side, Viscount Fox, another prisoner, was also instructing a few young Knights.


    After several consecutive battles.


    The original sixty-plus members of the Black Horse Island Knights Order had suffered a third of casualties, falling in battle¡ªa fate inevitable for Knights. However, not only did the size of the Knight Order not diminish, it expanded to over a hundred and twenty, with all the additions being Elite Earth Knights.


    So many Earth Knights were definitely beyond Liszt¡¯s means to support, and he was not willing to do so.


    But the ransom from this wave of prisoner exchanges brought him nine Little Minor Elves, including a Coptis Minor Elf that produced Magic Potions, as well as two Minor Elves of wheat and corn that produced grains. The output of Magic Potions and grains basically sustained the expansion of his territory.


    Once the iron ore transport was completed, Liszt was also planning to ask the Earl to purchase thirty thousand Serfs for him.


    Black Horse Island was developing industry instead of merely agriculture, hence it could absorb a large number of Serfs. As long as food was sufficient, it could support up to a hundred thousand Serfs.


    ¡°Elite Earth Knights must be constantly trained to form an exclusive elite Knight Order of my own, and before I ride dragons, I can contemplate how to cultivate the Dou Qi Domain¡­ Although I¡¯m a Dragon Knight, there¡¯s no guarantee that my descendants will inherit the talent. If they can¡¯t ride dragons, then they must master the Dou Qi Domain,¡± said Liszt.


    He didn¡¯t even have a wife yet, but he was already worried about his future children.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop.


    The sound of high heels tapping against the ground.


    It was Bloody Mary, shrouded in a long robe, walking towards him. Her pale face concealed in her hood was tinged with an unnaturally red flush. ¡°My lord,¡± she greeted.


    The Eye of Magic was deployed.


    With one glance, Liszt could see that the Blood Magic Power surging within Bloody Mary had reached another level. ¡°Have you successfully evolved into a Pureblood Vampire?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks to your lordship¡¯s cultivation, Mary has finally become a Pureblood Vampire,¡± she confirmed.


    ¡°Good, by evolving into a Pureblood Vampire on your own, you must have gained a new understanding of the Blood Magic system, which can provide more research material,¡± Liszt noted.


    ¡°I am already preparing to add this material to ¡®The Nature and Development of Blood Magic,''¡± said Bloody Mary as she presented her heart, cradled in both hands, to Liszt. ¡°My lord, my cultivation has come to a pause, please continue to safeguard it for Mary.¡±


    Taking the heart.


    Liszt found himself increasingly satisfied with her attitude and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your loyalty. Now, I entrust you with this Reincarnation Ritual, this Blood Extractor Needle, and this Blood Mask. In addition, the hearts of the Mixed-bloods are yours too, their cultivation will be under your supervision from now on.¡±


    He had no desire to waste time overseeing the training of a few Mixed-bloods.


    ¡°Thank you for your trust, my lord. Mary will surely manage the Blood Servants well and be your eyes in the darkness of night!¡± Bloody Mary accepted the items and bowed deeply, kissing the tip of Liszt¡¯s shoe once more. ¡°My lord, may I transform new Vampires?¡±


    ¡°If you wish to transform others, you may. But it must be on a voluntary basis, forcing no one to become a Vampire,¡± he instructed.


    Bloody Mary replied respectfully, ¡°Your lordship¡¯s kindness is the happiness of your subjects. Had I encountered you first, perhaps my life would have been different.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you would have become a Grand Magician,¡± suggested Liszt with a slight smile. ¡°You should know, though I am a knight, I have also conducted extensive research on magic theory. I have published three books on the subject, and in my domain, there¡¯s a magician who was promoted to Grand Magician after studying my work.¡±


    He was referring to Chris Truth.


    Indeed, his Magic Books had profoundly inspired Chris¡¯s advancement.


    Bloody Mary expressed her astonishment fittingly, ¡°Ah, lord, you study magic as well? Your writings helped a magician advance to Grand Magician? You truly are a scholar. If you had not chosen to cultivate Dou Qi but instead pursued magic, you would certainly have become a great Archmage!¡±


    Liszt gave a faint smile.


    He seemed to be indifferent to the praise, quickly changing the subject, ¡°Not only must you manage the Blood Servants, but don¡¯t forget to supervise Lars, Cyrille, and Drak, these three Grand Magicians. If they can¡¯t pay the ransom for their freedom, then they must work for me honestly.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±


    COMMENT

 Chapter 637 - Chapter 637: Chapter 0634: I Love the Ocean (Fourth Update, Reward of 10,000 Coins)

    Chapter 637: Chapter 0634: I Love the Ocean (Fourth Update, Reward of 10,000 Coins)


    This chapter, titled ¡°The Whale That Never Grows Up,¡± is a special additional update for the million rewards.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Speaking of the three penniless Grand Magicians, Liszt suddenly remembered the hand-drawn map, pointing towards the lost civilization ruins of an unknown race.


    The map pointed to the seas near the coast by Roaring River Mouth.


    When the three Grand Magicians found Yevich, since he was also penniless, they coaxed him into believing that this civilization¡¯s ruins might contain a vast amount of ancient treasure¡ªYevich took it for truth and prepared to finance their excavation of the ruins.


    ¡°Whether there is treasure, we don¡¯t know, but as an unknown marine civilization, we believe there must be extremely valuable knowledge left behind.¡± This was the evasive answer Lars¡¤Truth gave to Liszt when he inquired, as he also wanted to coax Liszt into searching for the treasure.


    But actually, without his cajolery, Liszt would still excavate the ruins of the lost civilization of the unknown race.


    Taking out the handmade map and looking at its three sections, he couldn¡¯t help but want to quickly return to his Black Horse Island¡ªas successful location of the ruins with this map would definitely rely on the assistance of Sea Sprite Ake and Rainbow Whale Rose, or else diving would be a major problem.


    ¡°Could the unknown race actually be a race of sea sprites?¡±


    No answer.


    He put away the hand-drawn map of the ruins, no longer thinking about it.


    Instead, he turned his gaze towards the sea, where Clear Water Sword Saint Yevich¡¤Waterflower was trying hard to learn to swim. Being a landlubber, though he had Water Attribute Dou Qi, he wasn¡¯t very good at swimming. Set to take the position of captain of the Adventure Fleet, he went to the sea every day to struggle in acclimation to nautical life.


    At first, he had to be fished out of the water by sailors several times.


    Now he could swim back to the ship himself and was gradually overcoming his fear of the deep sea: ¡°I¡¯ve grown to love the sea, its endless azure hues give me great enjoyment of its depth and vastness. Although I arrived almost thirty years late, at this moment I¡¯ve found true love!¡±


    Yevich, fresh from swimming, made a passionate declaration of love for the sea.


    However, by the afternoon, this declaration fell apart in haste, leaving only Yevich¡¯s hoarse roar: ¡°My Lord, let me back into the cabin; I don¡¯t want to stay on deck!¡±


    The weather was clear in the morning, but by the afternoon it turned into a violent storm.


    The huge waves slapped against the sea¡¯s surface, making the Sunset resemble a frail leaf, helpless against the force. The Sunset was equipped with a Water Calming Pearl and a Calming Wind Pearl, but Liszt didn¡¯t allow the captain to activate them because he wanted to scare Yevich, to see if he had truly fallen in love with the sea.


    A moment later.


    The Water Calming Pearl and the Calming Wind Pearl were activated at the same time, and the Sunset returned to calm. A hundred meters out at sea, tumultuous waves were still raging, but as they entered the influence area of the Calming Wind Pearl and the Water Calming Pearl, they gradually slowed down and settled. However, there were still some waves rocking the ship.


    Many people who had never been on a ship before.


    Like Alvin Eagle Sword and the three Grand Magicians, were vomiting profusely.


    Yevich, originally with the robust physique of a Sky Knight, was not prone to vomiting. But after being locked out on the deck rolling about, he could no longer hold back, heaving over the side of the ship with ¡°woah,¡± ¡°woah,¡± vomiting out everything he had eaten at noon, his face turning pale.


    Once he was cleaned up by several Retainer Knights and changed into clean clothes,


    Liszt received him in the small tower building: ¡°Yevich, the sea is so fickle, gentle one moment and cruel the next. Do you still feel that you¡¯ve fallen in love with the sea, and want to live upon it?¡±


    Yevich took a deep breath.


    His answer was still firm: ¡°Yes, My Lord! My swimming is poor, and I was seasick just now. The sea indeed has such a terrifying aspect, but I still wish to ride the waves. I once missed the opportunity to conquer dragons, and now I don¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to conquer the sea!¡±


    Dragons and the sea¡­ what¡¯s there to compare?


    Liszt didn¡¯t understand Yevich¡¯s line of thinking, but since the man wasn¡¯t scared witless and was still full of fighting spirit, it showed the Adventure Fleet could be entrusted to him.


    ¡­


    The Sunset docked at the Port of Bull Hoof City on Iron Hoof Island on August 23rd.


    The port was bustling, with ships carrying iron ore coming and going one after another. Stationed at Bull Hoof City was the Marquis of Quicksand City ¨C Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea, the Grand Duke¡¯s big brother-in-law.


    Upon receiving news of Liszt¡¯s return, Nesta personally went to the port to receive him.


    ¡°Marquis Nesta, thank you for coming to meet me, I am truly honored.¡± Liszt performed noble etiquette with great grace.


    Of course.


    There was not the kind of devout ceremony that a minor noble would exhibit upon meeting a great noble, but rather a more battlefield-oriented knightly etiquette, which skillfully circumvented the status gap brought about by their respective ranks.


    Otherwise, a viscount like Liszt meeting a marquis would have necessitated a level of ceremony that would have made him uncomfortable.


    Nesta didn¡¯t mind this point.


    Arrogance is a fault exclusive to the young.


    He enthusiastically clapped Liszt on the shoulder, ¡°So young and promising, young and promising! I¡¯ve heard about you back in the country and I was itching to personally head to the Impact River Plain to witness your great battle with Marquis Nuta. The Sapphires have not seen such an excellent youth like you for a very long time!¡±


    Liszt gave a restrained smile, choosing not to respond.


    Nesta immediately took him by the arm and headed towards the nearby castle, ¡°I¡¯ve written to the Grand Duke about your affairs and he has praised you highly in his reply. It¡¯s a pity that his two daughters are already married, otherwise he would definitely have wanted them to marry you¡­ But don¡¯t worry, my eldest granddaughter has just come of age, and you two could get to know each other.¡±


    By rights, Nesta¡¯s granddaughter was one generation younger than the Little Princess and so also one generation younger than Liszt.


    However, status is not a major concern here; marriages are primarily considered based on whether the parties are well-matched and whether the union benefits both families.


    As for female nobles, Liszt never held any expectations unless it was a cultivated relationship; otherwise, he would not easily accept¡ªone must admit that the customs were too liberal.


    He had his subordinates arrange for the Sunset¡¯s resupply.


    Liszt only brought a few retainers, as well as Yevich and Emily, to the castle to attend Marquis Nesta¡¯s banquet. There were quite a few nobles attending the banquet, most of whom were from the Blue Blood Alliance nobility stationed on Iron Hoof Island, which for the moment was firmly in the grip of the Sapphire Family.


    At the banquet.


    Marquis Nesta didn¡¯t shy away from beating around the bush to inquire about Liszt¡¯s identity, quickly coaxing a lot of information from the ¡°not so shrewd¡± Liszt, including details about the ¡°sunken ship,¡± ¡°G.S.D instructor,¡± ¡°spiritual power,¡± the ¡°Ghost Swordsman,¡± and the like. He realized that Liszt, basked in the glory of knighthood, had actually obtained the legacy of Arad civilization.


    Whether or not they believed it, at least the atmosphere at the banquet was pleasant.


    They flattered each other.


    So much so that one could grow calluses from hearing it all.


    No young noble lacking foresight came to challenge Liszt¡ª after all, since Liszt became the youngest Sky Knight in the country, he had not encountered a single impudent young noble who dared to provoke him.


    Being an earl¡¯s son himself and just barely making it into the ranks of the great nobility, plus his lack of enthusiasm for socializing, meant he met few young nobles. Most of the young nobles who did make the rounds were heirs of great families, trained in the art of hypocritical social tactics, and furthermore, most were only at the Earth Knight level.


    How could they dare to challenge a Sky Knight, and the country¡¯s youngest at that?


    And so.


    The banquet ended amidst a joyful atmosphere.


    Nesta still didn¡¯t let Liszt leave, but continued to chat idly with him, probing for more information about him while also subtly promoting his granddaughter.


    Liszt was not interested in these topics; instead, he asked, ¡°Marquis Nesta, do you know about Domain Knights? Marquis Nuta is one, and he almost killed me. If his Dou Qi Domain hadn¡¯t been unstable, I¡¯m afraid I would have had a hard time making it back alive.¡±


    ¡°A Domain Knight, you say¡­¡± Nesta murmured, organizing his thoughts.

 Chapter 638 - Chapter 638: Chapter 0635: Scared (First Update)

    Chapter 638: Chapter 0635: Scared (First Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°There are quite a few Completion Level Sky Knights in the country, and basically, as long as a member of the Marquis Family isn¡¯t too stupid or worthless, they can accumulate a Completion Level Sky Knight with the help of Magic Potions. However, a Domain Knight has never been born; this is no longer something that resources can accumulate.¡±


    Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea shared many valuable pieces of information, probably because Liszt had reached a certain height, which made him feel it was worth giving a favor by telling him: ¡°The past generations of Grand Dukes have all attempted to trade for the Dou Qi Domain cultivation inheritance from the Steel Ridge Kingdom, but without exception, they failed.¡±


    ¡°Is it because the price offered was not high enough, or is it the technology blockade of the Steel Ridge Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°You see the problem very clearly. Indeed, it¡¯s not that the Grand Dukes were unwilling to pay a huge price, but the Steel Ridge Kingdom does not want to see the Duchy of Sapphire becoming too powerful. When the First Grand Duke failed in the dragon-slaying battle, no one would have thought that one day the Duchy of Sapphire could dominate the seas, even posing a threat to the Steel Ridge Kingdom.¡±


    The Sapphire Fleet, coming and going like the wind, easily attacking the Continental Kingdoms¡¯ hinterland, grabbing as they pleased, certainly posed a threat.


    ¡°Then hasn¡¯t the Grand Duke tried to snatch the Dou Qi Domain inheritance from the hands of those landlords who have it?¡±


    ¡°The Grand Duke cannot act rashly, and without taking action himself, with our strength, it¡¯s very difficult to deal with a Domain Knight. Perhaps after you grow stronger, you can suppress a Domain Knight and find an opportunity to snatch the Dou Qi Domain inheritance.¡± Nesta stared at Liszt with burning, spirited eyes.


    Anyone with clear eyes could see the value of the Ghost Swordsman inheritance.


    Although the general trend of the era is for Knights to overpower everything, and all inheritances of Ancient Magicians and Ancient Warriors are gradually fading away and being swallowed by the Knights, the Ghost Swordsman is also a declining inheritance of a fallen civilization, destined to eventually disappear into the river of history.


    But, under the current circumstances, the Ancient Warrior inheritance is still a very important force in combat.


    ¡°My strength mostly comes from the Spiritual Power left by G.S.D mentor, not the results of my own cultivation. I¡¯m afraid it will take me a few more years to grasp the real cultivation system of the Ghost Swordsman. When that time comes, if I have the opportunity, I will take action myself to snatch the Dou Qi Domain inheritance.¡±


    Liszt gave a simple, evasive reply.


    Half an hour later, after mutually flattering and pandering to each other, the conversation ended. Liszt declined Marquis Nesta¡¯s invitation to dinner and left the castle to return to Sunset.


    Without spending the night in Bull Hoof City, Sunset set sail for the sea directly.


    Four days later.


    Sunset arrived at Black Horse Port harbor, setting off on July 20 and returning on August 27. This period of over a month could be described with the saying, ¡°One should view those who have undergone changes with a fresh eye.¡± Lsi Te, returning to his territory, was warmly welcomed by Territory Officers and civilians alike.


    Consultant Goltai piled on relentless flattery as if it cost nothing at all.


    ¡°The glory of the Knight shines upon you, my Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t speak of hollow formalities. I am going to be very busy upon my return. So, Consultant Goltai, coordinate with the Territory Officers and give me a detailed report on the territory¡¯s development tomorrow. For now, I have many Little Minor Elves that need to be quickly settled with Cordyceps.¡±


    Nine Little Minor Elves were currently being held in Jade Boxes by Retainer Knights, following behind Liszt.


    Wheat, Sword Grass, Broad Bean Green, Sorghum, Coptis, Apple, Turn White Grass, Pine, Tobacco¡ªany of the nine Minor Elves were waking up from their slumber.


    Flying out of the boxes, they circled around Liszt, either curiously or boredly, cautiously or boldly looking at the new environment. They varied in shape and personality, their calls high and low, but all were so beautiful and exquisite, a delight to the eyes, instantly endearing.


    Seeing so many Little Minor Elves.


    The eyes of Goltai and the others were practically popping out: ¡°My, my, Lord¡­ this¡­¡±


    ¡°I captured a few Sky Knights, and this is the ransom they paid. Now let me tell you their species. you must quickly plan out their Cordyceps settling points on Black Horse Island¡­ Also, this is Yevich Water Peanut, known as the Clear Water Sword Saint. He is my follower.¡±


    Immediately, Yevich stepped forward, bowing slightly, and greeted in not very fluent Serpent Script: ¡°Yevich greets everyone.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Ah, a Sword Saint!¡±


    ¡°A Sword Saint powerhouse?¡±


    ¡°My lord¡¯s follower is actually a Sword Saint powerhouse?¡±


    ¡°My heavens!¡±


    The territory officials were all shocked, for even an average Sky Knight was an unattainable existence to them, let alone a Sky Knight of the Sword Saint Level.


    However, Liszt was not pleased with their reactions.


    Exclaiming in surprise at the sight of a Sword Saint, what if they saw how he had crushed the Domain Knights in his glorious days? Wouldn¡¯t they have been scared to death?


    Of course, Liszt did not blame them, nor did he flaunt himself¡ªthere was no need for him to boast, as the knights who had followed him into battle and returned would naturally spread his great achievements far and wide, ensuring that all the residents of his territory knew just how powerful their lord was.


    Having a Sword Saint as a follower was just basic practice for him.


    He glared at the flustered Goltai, ¡°Yevich also has two Little Minor Elves, as well as fourteen Elf Bugs, which will be planted on Black Horse Island. You need to coordinate the arrangements¡­ Captain Marcus, take Yevich to get familiar with Black Horse Island.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Goltai hurriedly responded.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Marcus replied in kind.


    Liszt continued his introductions, ¡°This is Alvin Eagle Sword, a Steel Ridge Knight, and my follower. He will be teaching the Steel Ridge Knight courses at the Knight Academy, Consultant Goltai, make sure to arrange this properly.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°These two are Viscount Garcia and Viscount Fox, two Sky Knights. They are¡­ foreign guests. Arrange accommodations for them in the port town.¡± Without Liszt having to clarify their status, it was evident from their expressions that they were captives.


    Goltai was taken aback for a moment, not immediately catching on.


    It wasn¡¯t until Marcus approached him and quietly explained the situation that Goltai finally realized what was happening and stammered, ¡°Y-yes, my lord, please rest assured, I w-will make the necessary arrangements.¡± After speaking, he laboriously swallowed, as today¡¯s events proved to be a massive shock to him.


    He would need to find a small tavern later and sit for a moment to drink some Fresh Flower Brew to calm his nerves.


    Yet his alarm was not over.


    Down from the Sunset came seven or eight magicians donned in Magic Cloaks, one of them a pale-faced female magician who curiously surveyed Black Horse Port and asked softly, ¡°My lord, is this your Territory Black Horse Island? The residents here have happy smiles on their faces.¡±


    The equally shocked Blair had a sudden flash of insight at that moment and quickly responded, ¡°Esteemed magician, the happiness you see in the lives of the residents of Black Horse Island is all thanks to our Lord Landlord¡¯s benevolence!¡±


    While this flattery was blunt,


    it was more pleasurable to the ear than the flattery Goltai offered upon first meeting.


    Liszt smiled and said to Bloody Mary, ¡°I hope you will enjoy life here, Mary. Take the three Grand Magicians with you and follow me to the Magic Academy in the Mage Tower. You¡¯ll be residing in the Mage Tower from now on.¡±


    ¡°We obey your arrangements, my lord.¡±

 Chapter 639 - Chapter 639: Chapter 0636: Dawnbreak (2nd Update)

    Chapter 639: Chapter 0636: Dawnbreak (2nd Update)


    Mage Tower.


    In the Magic Academy, Chris Truth was instructing Rose and Lucy.


    The twin girls were magic talents suggested by the Smoke Mission, and Liszt had specially arranged for them to study at the Magic Academy. They also indeed did not disappoint Liszt¡¯s expectations, having completed their affinity with magic power in a short period, standing out from their peers.


    Having caught Chris¡¯s attention, they were taken as official magic apprentices.


    Chris had more than once declared, ¡°Once they grow up, they will become my successors, continuing my steps in exploring more truths!¡±


    At that moment, a magic apprentice hurried over, ¡°Dean, Lord Landlord has returned and has come to the Magic Academy, please go there.¡±


    ¡°Lord Landlord has returned already?¡± Chris was somewhat surprised, as normally the Pioneer Mandate wouldn¡¯t have started at this time of the year, yet this year it had already ended and he had returned.


    However, she did not hesitate, signaling the twins to try out the Fireball Technique by themselves.


    She then hurried to the first floor of the Mage Tower¡¯s Magic Academy, and upon descending the stairs, she saw a group of people inspecting the condition of the academy. Leading the group, the handsome and tall young man enveloped by the crowd was none other than that comforting, warm-hearted, and stirring Liszt Tulip, the Viscount of Black Horse Island.


    Although she had sworn her life to the pursuit of truth, ordinary human emotions still controlled her, and she couldn¡¯t help but be captivated by Liszt.


    ¡°Viscount.¡±


    ¡°Dean Chris.¡±


    A simple greeting, no need for excess words.


    Liszt went straight to the point, ¡°My Pioneer Mandate has ended, and I¡¯ve captured three Grand Magicians. They don¡¯t have the money for a ransom, so they¡¯ve volunteered to serve me. I plan to have them stationed at the Mage Tower, to carry out work under your command.¡±


    The three Grand Magicians each shrank back into their hoods.


    Being captured was always a bit embarrassing, not to mention that they would now have to obey a somewhat younger female Grand Magician ¡ª not that they discriminated against women, but age was the issue; each of the three Grand Magicians was over forty, while Chris was only in the prime of her twenties.


    Chris looked at the three Grand Magicians and nodded, ¡°I will arrange their work.¡±


    Liszt turned to the three men and warned, ¡°Your freedom will definitely be limited. You need to submit an application to leave the Mage Tower. You¡¯re prohibited from researching anything beyond the topics that Chris has assigned, although you may submit proposals for your own research projects. You will also bear some teaching responsibilities.¡±


    Liszt was always wary of magicians, hence his preparation of a compulsory system to manage the magicians¡¯ research direction, pushing them to transition into scholars and researchers.


    This was actually more in line with the temperament of a magician ¡ª those willing to dedicate themselves to truth already bore the aspects of a scientist.


    By providing them with comfortable personal services, he believed these magicians would eventually adapt to the future he had arranged for them.


    The Mage Tower had designated servants for these tasks.


    Soon, arrangements were made for the living quarters of the three Grand Magicians.


    On the other side, Liszt was still introducing to Chris, ¡°These five are my Blood Servants, you might have heard of the legendary occupation of vampires, they are vampires¡­ Mary can assist you in managing the Mage Tower, although they have been transformed into vampires for years, their magic knowledge shouldn¡¯t be completely gone.¡±


    ¡°Lady Chris, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. We should have a good talk when you have the time,¡± Bloody Mary took the initiative to extend a friendly hand.


    Chris nodded her head, her attitude not very enthusiastic.


    As for these suddenly appearing magicians and vampires, she needed time to accept their presence. She used to be the only Grand Magician of the Mage Tower, relied upon by everyone, and could do as she pleased. Now, not only were there three more Grand Magicians but also many more vampires.


    Especially that leading vampire, who always made her feel an immense threat¡ªnominally there to assist with managing the Mage Tower, but who knew she wasn¡¯t there to seize power?


    Actually.


    Liszt had indeed considered letting Bloody Mary take over part of the Mage Tower¡¯s authority. It was not because he held her heart in his hand, ensuring her inability to betray him and thus gaining more trust, but because he thought Chris was more suited to being a scholar than a manager, as she lacked the cunning and intrigue of the vampires.


    However, he did not understand Chris.


    After a moment of bewilderment, Chris quickly started her own ¡°politic maneuvering.¡± In front of Liszt, she said, ¡°Viscount, I think names like Bloody Mary and Crimson Peggy are really unsuitable for the harmonious atmosphere of the Mage Tower. It¡¯s improper to address them as such in front of young apprentices.¡±


    Bloody Mary and the others narrowed their eyes at once.


    Proposing a name change to their face was undoubtedly a power move.


    Liszt could not help but hold Chris in higher regard. He had held high positions for a long time and had some insights into politics, naturally understanding that Chris wanted to establish authority through changing names.


    He was pleased to see this scenario, a combative Chris could better balance the power structure of the Mage Tower: ¡°You make a good point. Terms like bloody, blood, and fangs are indeed inappropriate. So, Mary, what do you think about changing your name?¡±


    Bloody Mary said with a smile, ¡°It is entirely up to you, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s change the names. Magicians take Truth as their surname, while vampires see the family as a collective¡­ You are bats that walk in the darkness in the Black Knight Family; with me, you shall see the light¡ªlet ¡®Dawnbreak¡¯ be your surname,¡± he proposed.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord, for granting us a new surname. From now on, I shall be Mary Dawn Break,¡± expressed Bloody Mary with pleasure.


    She did not necessarily truly like the surname ¡°Dawnbreak.¡±


    But since it was a gift from Lord Landlord, it certainly held a different significance.


    Although Chris had established authority by changing names, she also used this opportunity to gain new trust¡ªbestowing a surname was an act of closeness, representing trust.


    As she spoke.


    She turned and smiled at Chris: ¡°Mary Dawn Break once again greets Lady Chris Truth.¡±


    Chris showed no particular emotion: ¡°Hello, Mary Dawn Break.¡±


    ¡­


    The vampires went to arrange their accommodations.


    Liszt and Chris walked into her workshop alone, where a large number of finished Magic Potions were piled up, all the fruits of Chris¡¯s labor over the past month.


    Liszt, who hadn¡¯t had a Magic Potion in a long time, urgently needed these potions to nourish his cells, which were close to drying out.


    ¡°You have worked hard, Chris.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my duty to do so.¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Liszt gently added, ¡°The Mage Tower is named after you, Mary and the others are just staying temporarily. Their roles are more suited to scouting on the battlefield. You don¡¯t need to have other ideas, these magician positions need you to manage them properly for me.¡±


    ¡°Viscount, I can understand your arrangement and am willing to help you manage the Mage Tower wholeheartedly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

 Chapter 640 - Chapter 640: Chapter 0637: Elves Quarrel (Third Update, Reward of 10,000 Coins)

    Chapter 640: Chapter 0637: Elves Quarrel (Third Update, Reward of 10,000 Coins)


    This chapter is the ¡°Bullhead Berserker¡± bonus update.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Since neither the Sea Serpent nor the Rainbow Whale Rose were at Black Horse Island, Li Si Te couldn¡¯t quickly rush to Fresh Flower Town, nor could he immediately head to Dodo Island to see Little Fire Dragon Leo.


    So he spent his afternoon inspecting his own Thorn Castle.


    After more than a month of construction, the peripheral buildings and facilities of Thorn Castle were essentially completed, and the main foundation of the Thorn Castle was under construction.


    In front of the castle was a nine-hundred-plus meter long Tonghai Canal.


    On both banks of the canal, they had just settled one of Yevich¡¯s Elf Bugs¡ªthe Wolf Tail Grass Elf Bug. Wolf Tail Grass doesn¡¯t have many uses, it can be used as feed for animals like cows, sheep, rabbits, geese, and fish, and its mature stems can be woven into various grass products. Additionally, it helps stabilize the banks of the canal.


    This section of the canal near the castle was to house Li Si Te¡¯s newly acquired Apple Minor Elf. It was there to create a larger apple paradise within Thorn Castle.


    That way the apple garden of Fresh Flower Town Castle wouldn¡¯t need to be transplanted anymore.


    Under the Cordyceps Tree of the apple paradise, a round apple table would still be built, with a few chairs placed around it, which would be where Liszt and his knights would hold meetings in the future¡ªhis elite Knight Order had been decided to be named the Apple Table Knights. Perhaps not the most overbearing name, but meaningful nevertheless.


    To the left of the apple paradise, a Shell Corridor had been built from various shells produced in the territory, serving purely as a decorative structure.


    On the right was Fish Spring, and built above it, the Fish Spring Corridor, mainly for future outdoor barbeque parties.


    Additionally, in the middle of the apple paradise there was a well, and a bird¡¯s nest¡ªthe bird¡¯s nest was the dwelling place for Landwalker bird Loki, Li Si Te¡¯s main mount before dragon riding.


    To the right of the castle was a newly constructed large ice cellar. Initially, a flower bed was planned around the ice cellar, but now Liszt had directly converted the flower bed into a Daisy Garden¡ªYevich had a Daisy Spirit Worm, which was perfect for cultivating the Daisy Garden. Daisies were ornamental flowers in this world, but Liszt felt they had value for making tea.


    Without chrysanthemum available, chrysanthemum tea for removing heat and toxins could only be substituted with daisies.


    To the left of the castle was also a well, and an in-construction Venus Flytrap Garden for housing the Venus Flytrap Worm he had purchased from Viscount Jonas.


    Behind the castle was the horse ranch.


    To the right of the ranch were stables and a well, for raising the horses of the castle and for noble guests to store their mounts; in the middle of the ranch was a training ground used solely for Liszt¡¯s personal cultivation; to the left were several dog kennels, mainly for the Blizzard Beasts to live in.


    These were essentially the main auxiliary buildings of the castle.


    ¡°By the end of this year, I should be able to move into this castle, right?¡± Liszt asked the architect Jomaya Bangtu, who accompanied him to inspect the construction site.


    Jomaya replied, ¡°Lord Landlord, if all goes well, we¡¯ll definitely be able to finish the construction before the snow falls. We do, however, need the cooperation of your Blizzard Beast Squad to provide stone materials and columns for the construction team.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    After all, Douson and the Eight Tiny Ones would randomly cast magic, creating a lot of Rock Spikes. With this group of Intermediate Magical Beasts producing rocks every day, the territory would never lack stone materials. Sometimes, seeing the piles of rock growing larger, Liszt even planned to reclaim land from the sea.


    He mainly wanted to reclaim land around Black Horse Port and turn it into a large sheltered harbor.


    Black Horse Island was his independent fief.


    And it was where his career had started.


    One day he might leave the Sapphire Founding Nation, he might leave Black Horse Island, but the construction on the island would not be in vain. Firstly, all infrastructure could be sold at a discount to the new landlord, if not he had the right to destroy it; secondly, the talent cultivated during early construction was the foundation for the future.


    Just like this Thorn Castle, its construction would train a group of outstanding construction workers, laying the groundwork for more future buildings.


    And if one day the castle had to be sold.


    If the new landlord couldn¡¯t afford the sky-high price in Dragon coins, Liszt would rather tear it down himself.


    ¡­


    The night.


    The banquet was held in the port town, where officials from the small town, newly arrived knights, and mages were all invited to attend. They commemorated the knights who had bravely sacrificed themselves and drank gloriously in honor. The flowing delicacies and the continuous laughter created a banquet filled with the joyous smiles of victors.


    ¡°This time, the Pioneer Mandate has reaped huge benefits, and the brave warriors who accompanied me on this campaign, your contributions are being tallied. Gold Coin, titles, fiefs, as long as you¡¯ve achieved battle merit, they are yours!¡± Liszt, holding a wine cup, spoke seriously, ¡°The families of our fallen comrades will also receive the rewards and compensation they deserve, I guarantee it in my name!¡±


    ¡°Praise the Lord!¡±


    ¡°Praise the Lord!¡±


    ¡°Praise the Lord!¡±


    The tidal wave of praise was unending. Liszt looked at the excited faces around him and the corners of his mouth lifted into an arc, and he took a long time to compose himself.


    What was the desperate participation in the Pioneer Mandate for?


    It was for the very scene he was witnessing now.


    The increasingly fragrant and refreshing Fresh Flower Brew lingered on his lips and teeth, and Liszt quickly became drunk. Without using his Dragon Dou Qi to recover, he went to sleep with the attendants caring for him.


    However, even so.


    The next morning, Liszt woke up early, feeling not a trace of a hangover. No matter how drunk he got, his powerful Dragon Dou Qi would still spontaneously and swiftly restore his body to optimal condition.


    After washing up.


    Having enjoyed a sumptuous dinner and replenished the living supplies in his Gemstone Space, he took his Little Minor Elves, including Yevich¡¯s elf, and boarded the Fresh Flower Vessel. They rapidly made their way to Fresh Flower Town, arriving in the afternoon to find the small town as bustling as ever.


    Administrative Officer Isaiah welcomed him at the port, and even Butler Carter turned up to wait.


    ¡°Lord, welcome home!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, good afternoon.¡±


    After dismissing the officials to continue their work, Liszt, accompanied by Carter, returned to the Castle, which looked no different than when he had departed for war. From a distance, a psychic connection made him look up, only to see Thorn Minor Elf Jela, crying ¡°woo wah,¡± ¡°woo wah¡± as she flew over.


    She landed right on Liszt¡¯s head in an instant.


    ¡°Woo wah!¡±


    She was expressing her longing.


    Liszt took her in his hand and stroked the little leaf on her head, feeling missive, ¡°Little guy, have you been mischievous while I was gone?¡±


    ¡°Woo wah!¡± Jela quickly denied.


    But seeing the helpless look in Butler Carter¡¯s eyes, Liszt understood that Jela had caused quite some trouble during his absence. He didn¡¯t press the matter, instead signaling Jela to meet the new companions. The nine Little Minor Elves he called forth with his mind quickly stared at each other, wide-eyed.


    ¡°Chirp.¡±


    ¡°Grumble.¡±


    ¡°Ula.¡±


    ¡°Cack.¡±


    The various calls overlapped, and the atmosphere as the minor elves met was clearly not friendly. Jela, accustomed to being bossy, became even angrier, hands on hips, and scolded the other little elves, ¡°Woo wah! Woo wah! Woo wah!¡±


    The Minor Elves retorted right back.


    Instantly, chaos ensued.


    Until Liszt glared at them, ¡°All of you, behave!¡±


    Only then did they reluctantly close their mouths, as the power of the contract was undeniable.


    Carter wiped sweat from his brow in secret, ¡°Lord, one Jela is enough to almost overturn the Castle, and now, with such rich glory you¡¯ve won, you have so many Little Minor Elves¡­ I fear the Worm Room in the Castle won¡¯t be able to hold them all.¡±


    ¡°Turn the other vacant rooms into Worm Rooms, the well-behaved Little Minor Elves can stay together, the mischievous ones should be isolated¡­ Anyway, make do for a while, when Thorn Castle is finished, there will be brand-new Worm Rooms for each Little Minor Elf to move into their own space.¡±


    For now, everyone would have to squeeze in together, increase their education, and strictly forbid fighting.

 Chapter 641 - Chapter 641: Chapter 0638: Dazzling Noble (First Update)

    Chapter 641: Chapter 0638: Dazzling Noble (First Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°`


    Confined to the box, Jela let out a reluctant protest but ultimately couldn¡¯t resist Liszt¡¯s discipline and obediently settled down for a deep sleep.


    Only then did Liszt find time to mount the Landwalker bird Loki and head towards the seaside castle.


    Ach wasn¡¯t in the castle, and neither was the Rainbow Whale Rose. Only the Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike, along with three Giant Algae Minor Elves and eight Giant Algae Elf Bugs, were freely swimming in the pool.


    Upon seeing Liszt arrive, Pike opened his sharp-toothed mouth wide and laughed heartily, ¡°Whoa, Liszt, you¡¯re back! Ach said you were at war. Did you win? Pike has never lost a battle in the sea. Do you want me to teach you?¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Pike,¡± Liszt reached out and shook hands with Pike, ¡°but I fight on land, and so far, I haven¡¯t lost there either.¡±


    ¡°Haha, just like Pike, handsome Liszt is an expert in battle. We¡¯re both masters of war.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Liszt humored the irreverent Pike with a few random responses before asking, ¡°Where¡¯s Ach?¡±


    ¡°She went out with that stupid, ugly big rainbow fish to look for bugs. What a letdown. What¡¯s so great about those little bugs? Pike hates them the most. If any dare to come to Pike¡¯s territory, Pike will tear them in two!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Pike; you evolved from an Elf Bug yourself!¡±


    ¡°Haha, but I have evolved successfully and have risen above low-level tastes. They are still little bugs, foolish and ugly.¡±


    Making a good point, Liszt found himself at a loss for words for the moment.


    He couldn¡¯t quite figure out how this Giant Algae Greater Elf had grown to have such a sharp, conceited, and narcissistic personality. He felt he should interact less with Pike in the future, lest Pike influence his own character¡ªthe magical bond was quite mysterious and was a two-way contract.


    It seemed to rely on mental strength to determine who was the dominant party.


    When the elf was weak, the human was the dominant party in the contract. For example, Elf Bugs couldn¡¯t refuse their master¡¯s orders, and Little Minor Elves also had difficulty going against commands. As the elf grew stronger, the dominant party in the contract also changed. Liszt found it hard to directly order the Greater Elf Pike around.


    If it was a Dragon Elf stronger than the Greater Elf, the magical bond would probably be a completely equal contract.


    Liszt even speculated that if there were an Elf King, the Elf King might use the magical bond to take the dominant party¡¯s place and become the master of humans.


    Of course, having never seen a Dragon Elf, he had no way to confirm the situation with the Elf King.


    Choosing not to engage in idle chatter with Pike any further, he directly asked, ¡°Pike, do you know when Ach will be back?¡±


    ¡°Handsome Pike does not know.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you keep playing. I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, let¡¯s chat some more.¡±


    ¡­


    At night, Fresh Flower Town Nameless Castle was the scene of another grand banquet, celebrating Liszt¡¯s triumphant return. Phrases like ¡®the glory of knighthood shines upon us¡¯ could be heard every so often.


    At the same time,


    At Coral Island, in Tulip Castle,


    One of Li Weiliam¡¯s Retainer Knights was reporting to Levis, with Lady Marie, Loria, and Lidun listening on the side: ¡°¡­The campaign for the Pioneer Mandate unfolded like this: Lord Liszt stationed at Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine for five days and then, to avoid retaliatory strikes from Dragon Knights, returned by boat. He arrived back at Fresh Flower Town this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°`


    Having listened to all the details of the Pioneer Mandate,


    Lady Marie couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in surprise, ¡°Ah!¡±


    The Retainer Knight was not a good storyteller. The thrilling images of war were described in a dry manner, but the excitement was still palpable, making everyone in the room feel as if they were there.


    Levis shook his head in disbelief, ¡°A Domain Knight? A Domain Knight even more powerful than a Completion Level Sky Knight? Liszt actually defeated a Domain Knight all by himself and even seized a mine with a million tons of iron ore?¡±


    As he spoke, he seemed to think of something, his excitement mounting, ¡°A mine with a million tons, had you already transported half of it when you returned?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir Levis.¡±


    Lidun screamed from beside him, ¡°The Marquis Nuta, wielding the Dou Qi of the entire Knight Order, was actually unable to defeat Brother Liszt? And he even captured several Sky Knights, one of whom, a Sword Saint, became his follower?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    A moment of silence followed, accompanied by sounds of shocked gasps.


    Lady Marie recovered from her astonishment and, clutching her palms together, asked, ¡°So in this session of the Pioneer Mandate, has the Tulip Family accrued great military achievements?¡±


    ¡°I followed the Lord and overheard Lord Mesiro confirming in a conversation with Lord Liszt that the military achievements have reached the standard required for promotion to Marquis. If the subsequent half a million tons of iron ore can also be successfully transported back, the promotion of Lord to Marquis could be greatly advanced, possibly occurring as soon as the conclusion of the Pioneer Mandate.¡±


    ¡°Praise Liszt, Praise Father Lord!¡± Loria clasped her hands devoutly at her chest, ¡°May the glory of knighthood always favor the Tulip Family!¡±


    Subsequently, Loria asked, ¡°Father Lord who remains in the Eagle Kingdom, did he mention when he would return? Also, has my father mentioned when he would come back?¡±


    ¡°When the transportation of the iron ore finishes, the Pioneer Mandate will basically come to an end. The Lord, Marquis Roderick, and Lord Mesiro should all return together.¡±


    Levis, unable to contain his excitement, paced back and forth in the living room, incessantly inquiring about battlefield details, and sent someone to inform Lady Penelope and Li Vera. When the old lady and Li Vera arrived at Tulip Castle, there was another round of astonishment and praise.


    Lady Penelope stated on the spot, ¡°Tomorrow, let us go to Fresh Flower Town together. Our Tulip Family¡¯s most outstanding bloodline has returned from the battlefield, and we shall rightly celebrate his bountiful joy!¡±


    After more than an hour of commotion,


    Tulip Castle finally returned to tranquility.


    After completing their evening ablutions, Levis and Loria went back to their room and straight to the cradle cared for by the servants, looking at their sleeping infant with the tender expressions of parents.


    Levis reached out and touched the baby¡¯s soft cheeks, saying, ¡°We¡¯ll go to Fresh Flower Town tomorrow and take Richard along, to let Liszt see his nephew. He is now a top-ranking powerhouse, second only to the Dragon Knights, and this Pioneer Mandate with all its resources belongs to him¡ªhis harvest will surely be substantial.¡±


    Just half a month ago, a full-term pregnant Loria gave birth to a healthy baby boy, who became the Tulip Family¡¯s fourth-generation legitimate eldest son.


    Named ¡ª Richard Tulip ¡ª as per the name chosen by the Earl before he left.


    Loria expressed her concern, ¡°Isn¡¯t Richard too young, the journey might be too bumpy¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just ask the servants to be extra careful, and place more quilts inside the carriage. Liszt is his close uncle, we cannot neglect such a powerful figure; the Tulip Family¡¯s rise to Marquis on Iron Hoof Island will still depend on Liszt¡¯s support to secure a foothold.¡±


    Perhaps it was the direct experience of strength that changed his perception, or becoming a parent had altered his view, but Levis had fully realized Liszt¡¯s might.


    Loria agreed, ¡°You¡¯re right, Liszt is a strong backup for our family, we need to maintain a close relationship with him.¡±


    As she spoke, she bowed her head.


    Looking at Richard with maternal affection, ¡°My son, you are indeed a fortunate little fellow. Your maternal grandfather is the Marquis of Golden Island, your grandfather will be the Marquis of Iron Hoof Island, your uncle has limitless prospects, and you are destined to become the most dazzling noble of Sapphire.¡±

 Chapter 642 - Chapter 642: Chapter 0639: Grow Up Quickly (Second Update)

    Chapter 642: Chapter 0639: Grow Up Quickly (Second Update)


    Liszt didn¡¯t know that he already had a nephew; he was aware of Loria Gold Wheat Ear¡¯s due date, but didn¡¯t notice that it had come and gone.


    After the banquet had ended, he once again headed to the seaside villa, finally meeting with Ach.


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    Ach, having already learnt of Liszt¡¯s return from Pike, wasn¡¯t surprised but was very happy, however, she wasn¡¯t the type to act coy and girlish, so her smile was very reserved¡ªsince immersing herself in the world of magic and truth, she had become much quieter.


    The vast knowledge as boundless as the ocean always made her linger and forget to return. Perhaps the hustle and bustle of the world seemed lively and extraordinary to ordinary people, but in her eyes, it was just superficial frivolity.


    Except for Liszt.


    She would often picture Liszt¡¯s smiling face in her mind, ¡°Brother¡¯s smile is really nice.¡±


    At that moment, Liszt just so happened to open his arms, and Ach threw herself into his embrace, immediately smelling the strong scent of alcohol, but there was also a familiar, calming scent.


    ¡°Ach, how have you been this past month?¡±


    ¡°Everything is quite good¡­ It¡¯s just that the magic plants grow so slowly, Druid magic can¡¯t make them grow quickly, and I¡¯ve made no progress with transformation magic¡­ Leo has also become more temperamental, he doesn¡¯t like the fish I catch for him, he wants to eat beef, but I can¡¯t get any beef for him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, leave Leo to me to handle.¡± Liszt curled a strand of Ach¡¯s azure blue hair and took a sniff at the tip of his nose, noting a faint fragrance, ¡°I heard from Pike that you and Ros have been looking for Elf Bugs recently?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ach has made some new discoveries in her magic research and wants to thoroughly understand the birth of Elves, but I¡¯ve searched many seas and haven¡¯t found any Elf Bugs in gestation¡­ Oh, right, brother, I found a new Elf Bug on my way to Dodo Island a week ago.¡±


    ¡°Is that so, did you make a contract with it?¡±


    ¡°No, I was waiting for brother to make the contract.¡±


    ¡°It just so happens that I am going to Dodo Island tomorrow, so I¡¯ll contract this Elf Bug then.¡± After chatting with Ach for a while, Liszt took out two magic books and handed them over, ¡°This ¡®The Nature and Development of Blood Magic¡¯ records the research of my new Vampire follower, and this ¡®The Grand Magician¡¯s Theoretical Summary¡¯ is a collaborative work by three Grand Magicians, you can refer to them.¡±


    ¡°Ah, vampires?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand after you read this book.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t elaborate, as everything was in this Blood Magic Tome, and he took out a beautiful piece of amber, ¡°Aren¡¯t you researching the birth of Elves? Take this Elf Bug Amber, and you can study it at your leisure.¡±


    The Elf Bug Amber had been dug out from, the Rocky Beach of Fresh Flower Town and apart from providing some inspiration for Chris Truth¡¯s ascension to Grand Magician, it hadn¡¯t revealed many other uses.


    So, it was given to Ach for her research, to see if she could find any new discoveries.


    Once Ach accepted the Elf Bug Amber, Liszt handed her a hand-drawn map of ruins: ¡°This map was drawn by three Grand Magicians based on fragments of an old map, and it seems to point to an unknown race living in the sea, a civilization that has declined, leaving only some ruins.¡±


    ¡°A race in the sea?¡±


    ¡°I suspect it might be the Nixie race.¡±


    ¡°But Ach is also a Nixie, Ah, but Ach is a sea Elf, born in a shell from the start, living alone in the sea. Though I¡¯ve sensed the presence of other Nixies a few times, Ach doesn¡¯t really want to interact with them. Nixies shouldn¡¯t have a civilization, right?¡±


    ¡°You make sense, but I can¡¯t think of any other intelligent sea-dwelling race.¡± Liszt shook his head.


    As mentioned in the Knight¡¯s Novels and Magic Books he had read,


    The intelligent beings that exist in the sea, aside from Nixies, are Mermaids. Sometimes he wonders if Nixies and Mermaids are actually the same creature, just mistaken for two different ones. After all, humans seeing Nixies or Mermaids from atop the ocean would likely not be able to discern the details.


    But these speculations aren¡¯t important.


    Liszt smiled, ¡°The three Grand Magicians have already determined the basic area of the ruins, when we find time to explore together, we¡¯ll know what this unknown race is and what treasures they¡¯ve left behind.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    ¡°Then you should rest early.¡±


    ¡°Is brother going back now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going back.¡± Liszt stood up, looked at the petite Ach once more, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°I really wish you could grow up faster, Ach.¡±


    A glint of a blush seemed to pass across Ach¡¯s face, fleeting as she also murmured wistfully, ¡°Ach also hopes to grow up soon.¡±


    ¡­


    The next morning, Liszt took Ach directly to Dodo Island.


    On the way, they found an Elf Bug, a familiar one¡ªthe Laver Elf Bug. Ach had formed a contract with a Laver Elf Bug before. However, due to a shortage of manpower in the territory, just tending and harvesting the Giant Algae took up a large portion of the fishermen. Not even kelp was being cultivated, let alone laver.


    It had to be set aside for the time being.


    When the new batch of serfs arrived, a large number of fishermen would be trained to engage in cultivation work along the coastline.


    Coastline cultivation and shallow water fishing were projects vigorously developed by the territory, which would eventually transition to nearshore aquaculture and deep-sea fishing industries, fully exploiting the value of the sea.


    ¡°However, why do I feel so little excitement about forming contracts with Elf Bugs now?¡± Riding the Rainbow Whale Rose through the depths of the sea, Liszt noticed the calmness of his emotions.


    From hearing about Elf Bugs to contracting them.


    His emotions had never risen with excitement, as if since seizing nine Little Minor Elves from the Pioneer Mandate, the discovery of wild Elf Bugs was no longer a significant event¡ªwaves of war plunder could yield profits equivalent to the territory¡¯s several years of farming, and indeed it would have a significant impact.


    ¡°Every year, the Pioneer Mandate from the Duchy of Sapphire can attract a large number of knights to participate, there sure is reason behind it.¡±


    Even he, blessed with the Power of Destiny, always stumbling upon Elf Bugs, had a great longing to engage in the plunder of war. Not to mention the knights from infertile lands¡ªthe plunder of one battle could feed them for years. Why wouldn¡¯t they plunder? Perhaps by a stroke of a knight¡¯s fortune, while plundering they might even become nobles.


    ¡°Plainly put, I¡¯ve grown accustomed to feasting on sumptuous dishes and have lost interest in modest greens¡­¡±


    By the time they reached Dodo Island, it was already afternoon.


    Ach usually fed every five days, and during those fixed times, Leo would wait on the shore. Now was not the feeding time. Yet Liszt didn¡¯t care, he climbed straight to the Volcano Crater and bellowed several times towards the sulphur-rich volcano, ¡°Leo, it¡¯s time for beef!¡±


    After a few calls.


    The rolling lava within the volcano suddenly burst open, and a stream of flame shot into mid-air, condensing into a fire dragon with red and black scales¡ªit was the Little Fire Dragon Leo.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Leo circled in the sky before swooping down, landing in front of Liszt.


    It was noticeably larger than before, and as it landed, it immediately squinted and regarded Liszt, shooting hot flames from its nostrils.


    His expression and demeanor gave Liszt the feeling it was looking down on him.


    With a darkened expression, Liszt responded in a calm voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Leo? Don¡¯t recognize me anymore? Or, do you no longer wish to eat beef?¡±


    At the mention of beef, Leo briefly froze.


    Then, reluctantly, it lowered its head and let out a pleasing cry, ¡°Oh-ho.¡±

 Chapter 644 - Chapter 644: Chapter 0641: Bewildering Dragons Mind (First Update)

    Chapter 644: Chapter 0641: Bewildering Dragon¡¯s Mind (First Update)


    The baby looked quite adorable.


    Of course, Liszt knew that as an uncle, it was necessary to give a meeting gift, but he had not prepared anything. Although he had risen prominently over the years, his family wealth was not abundant¡ªgiving an elf as a gift was even more inappropriate, as nobles did not have the custom of gifting elves to each other.


    ¡°Perhaps I should give him a few books, my own published works?¡±


    This thought had just emerged when he dismissed it, for while it would be acceptable to palm off an adult with books, giving books to a baby would seem somewhat perfunctory.


    After a brief contemplation, he took out a sapphire and placed it in the sleeping Richard¡¯s hand.


    Looking at Richard, actually speaking to The Levis Couple, he said, ¡°This sapphire was embedded in my Sky-Cleaving Greatsword. During the grand battle with Marquis Nuta, the greatsword was severely damaged and is no longer usable, but this sapphire remains intact. Richard, I am giving it to you, hoping that you too can become a strong knight like me!¡±


    This was a wonderful wish, the significance of the gemstone profound.


    Nowadays, Liszt is considered the standard for knights, a fitting life goal for Richard, not a boast but simply a fact.


    The Levis Couple were obviously very pleased with Liszt¡¯s gift, ¡°Liszt, we thank you for your blessings for Richard, and we too hope that one day, he can become a strong knight like you!¡±


    If it were an ordinary person¡¯s blessing, they should wish for Richard to one day ride dragons, but that would be more of a polite gesture.


    The goal of dragon riding is far too incredible, becoming a top warrior like Liszt should be the lifelong pursuit of all knights.


    Of course.


    The Levis Couple did not yet know that Liszt was actually the ¡°Ghost Swordsman¡±.


    The news of the Ancient Warrior heritage was only circulated among a select few Nobles, such information was not necessarily meant to be shared with everyone¡ªIn the age where knights ruled the world, the Ancient Warriors were destined to decline. Even if the heritage could be passed on, the families that mastered it would keep the secrets to themselves.


    After delivering the meeting gift.


    Liszt also received a gift, unsurprisingly, a potted plant brought by Lady Penelope.


    Using the Eye of Magic to observe, this potted plant showed not the slightest trace of magic power, which both relieved him and caused a hint of disappointment¡ªhis appetite had long been spoiled by the elf bugs bred by the potted plants.


    ¡­


    Basically, the entire afternoon was spent with Liszt telling stories.


    Conquering the Snow Pear Castle guarded by Grand Magicians, swiftly seizing Little Riverheart Castle protected by four bridge arches, standing firm against Marquis Nuta, who possessed the Dou Qi Domain, attacking Egret Castle with lightning speed, opening up the Roaring River and the Three Dragons River Golden Waterway, and finally forcefully taking over the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine.


    Countless ships sailed against the current and with it, carrying away those heavy iron ores on board.


    Compared to the stumbling narrative of messenger knights, having the story¡¯s hero, Liszt himself, recount these tales was intoxicating in a completely different way.


    Especially the battle with Marquis Nuta, which could be considered a once-in-a-lifetime grand battle second only to slaying dragons¡ªfor the Duchy of Sapphire, such events might not occur even once in decades¡ªin fact, it had never happened before. Without the Ancient Warrior heritage or the Dou Qi Domain Manual, they could only scramble for materials haphazardly.


    Before the banquet, Liszt took the family to see his elves again.


    Now, he had one Greater Elf¡ªa Giant Algae Greater Elf.


    Fourteen Minor Elves¡ªThorn, Corn Grass, three Giant Algae, Wheat, Agave, Broad Bean Green, Sorghum, Coptis, Apple, Flipping Grass, Pine, and Tobacco Minor Elf.


    Ach¡¯s Minor Elf¡ªthe Mangrove Minor Elf.


    And Yevich¡¯s minor elves¡ªtwo Shui Huasheng minor elves.


    Forty-three Elf Bugs¡ªpeanut, alfalfa, two thorns, two tulips, corn, two wheats, tomato, coconut, two dragon hollyhocks, corn grass, three rubbers, four serpent blood fruits, apple, barley, fig, blackberry, pea, smoked grass, green tea tree, Venus flytrap, autumn eggplant, horned melon, green yuanbao, human skull, lithops, eight giant algae, and laver elf bug.


    Ach¡¯s Elf Bugs¡ªkelp, laver, mangrove, horsetail, and inkcap elf bug.


    And Yevich¡¯s Elf Bugs: erect centipeda, sweet potato, celery, needle grass, ryegrass, daisy, foxtail, wolf¡¯s-tail grass, loosestrife, forsythia, two broom seedlings, rock lotus, and pothos elf bug.


    Totaling.


    1 greater elf, 17 little minor elves, 62 elf bugs.


    Such numbers have already surpassed the Tulip Family in the aspect of little minor elves, equaled with greater elves, but still only half in terms of elf bugs.


    ¡°I can hardly believe it, you now already have richer assets than an ordinary earl¡¯s family. Although the family has more elf bugs, you have more little minor elves!¡± Levis exclaimed, The Tulip Family¡¯s elves were all contracted to him, but what the elders gave and what one earns themselves are two different kinds of achievements.


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Liszt modestly said, ¡°After all, I am the Son of Glory, the elves favor me more, and with a few more Pioneer Mandates, I¡¯m afraid the castle¡¯s Worm Room won¡¯t even be able to fit these beautiful elves.¡±


    Levis really wanted to retort¡ªelves aren¡¯t that easy to come by.


    But as the words reached his mouth, he swallowed them back down. For others, elves are indeed rare, but it seems to be the opposite for Liszt¡ªjust from Lady Penelope¡¯s potted plants alone, one could tell. He and Li Vera often brought back potted plants, yet not a single one had ever nurtured an elf bug.


    So all he could do was force a smile in agreement, ¡°I believe that day will come.¡±


    ¡­


    The feast was lively and festive.


    They enjoyed themselves until midnight before dispersing, and after arranging accommodations for his grandmother and others, Liszt, having bathed, lay back in his own bed, the excitement from being praised still not completely settled.


    He reflected on the past two and a half years since his crossing into this world. Although he had not created any earth-shattering changes, he had not remained obscure either.


    At least within the Duchy of Sapphire, this corner of the continent, he had repeatedly become the center of attention, becoming a household name. Once the battle over the iron mine was over, his name was destined to sweep through the various islands of the country, discussed by nobles and commoners alike.


    All the young knights would, no doubt, set him as their target, whether out of jealousy or admiration.


    ¡°I really want to succeed in dragon riding quickly¡­ My coolness won¡¯t allow me to stay low-key any longer,¡± he thought somewhat absentmindedly. In this world, without becoming a Dragon Knight, one was ultimately an ant. Only by becoming a Dragon Knight would he have the freedom to do as he wished.


    Gradually, a wisp of illusory smoke rose in front of him.


    Every time he was lost in thought or focused, the Smoke Mission would naturally appear.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    His attention quickly returned, focusing on the change in the Smoke Mission: ¡°Complete the mission, reward three Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits.¡±


    ¡°The mission is already completed, indicating that the Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s Pioneer Mandate has officially ended. Either Dragon Knight Alonso Xiankelai has hurried back, or the iron ore has been depleted¡­ But what is this reward, three unheard-of Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, could it be¡­¡±


    A bold idea quickly surfaced in his mind: ¡°Could it be similar to Bloodline Fruit, but of a bewitching type? Bewildering Dragon¡­ Mind¡­ Is this a magical fruit for beguiling dragons?¡±

 Chapter 645 - Chapter 645: Chapter 0642: Withered Trees Bear Fruit (Second Update)

    Chapter 645: Chapter 0642: Withered Trees Bear Fruit (Second Update)


    Liszt was not a person with long-term plans, always acting on his whims. However, his dedication to dragon riding could not be denied; he meticulously recorded any information related to dragons and listed it in his yet-to-be-published ¡°Liszt¡¯s Dragon Taming Manual.¡±


    Furthermore, when he gave magic books to Chris and Ach to read, he also insisted that they note down anything related to dragons and hand it over to him for compilation into the manual.


    He often organized literate servants to read through knight¡¯s novels, searching for information related to dragons, training, geography, magical beasts, elves, and more, then detailed those findings in written records.


    Just the books for recording information were enough to fill an entire bookshelf¡ªnaturally, because they were on thick paper, there wasn¡¯t actually much substantive content.


    The White Paper Workshop had been researching and developing white paper, and although they had produced some, the quality was worse than that of the paper used for funerary rites in the countryside, let alone suitable for smooth writing. The research and improvement of white paper still had a long way to go, so for the time being, thick paper remained the mainstay.


    According to his survey of all the knight¡¯s novels and magic books available for purchase, none mentioned anything about the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    Which meant.


    The fruit was either monopolized by dragon rearing families or so rare that it was unknown to the world.


    ¡°So, where should I look for these three Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits? Apart from launching a survey of the territory¡¯s farmlands, it seems I have few other methods to search¡­ Perhaps I actually don¡¯t need to do anything, and the three Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits will just come to me?¡±


    Regardless.


    He was now very excited.


    Thrilled by the bold idea that sprang to mind upon hearing about the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit; all exhaustion vanished, replaced by the boiling of his blood.


    ¡°Indeed, as long as my mental interference is strong enough, I could guide the Smoke Mission, or rather, stir the threads of fate! As I think daily of how to ride dragons, the Smoke Mission automatically alters my destiny, guiding me to this magical fruit that could possibly bewitch dragons!¡±


    After a moment of excitement, he forcefully suppressed his thoughts¡ªhe must consider that the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit might not have the conjectured effects, so it would be better to wait until the fruit was in hand before getting excited.


    At this moment.


    He called up the Smoke Mission again.


    ¡°Mission: The hand-drawn Ruins Map is inaccurate; you need to search carefully to find the lost unknown civilization. Perhaps lurking in a corner of these waters, a singing voice will guide you forward, please search for the sea chant. Reward: An aged Sea Serpent.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°An aged Sea Serpent?¡±


    Another surprise¡ªthe sea serpent, a fantastical creature, was known to Liszt as something beautiful ever since his infatuation with Ach.


    It was just a pity that this one was aged.


    The term ¡®aged¡¯ always evoked images of white hair, wrinkled faces, and hunched backs, clashing with the pure, beautiful, and innocent perception Liszt had of sea serpents from Ach¡¯s influence. However, birth, aging, sickness, and death were the natural course of life, and he was not so distressed by it.


    ¡°Encountering a sea serpent while searching for an unknown race suggests that this unknown race might indeed have been left by sea serpents,¡± he suppressed his previous excitement and seriously considered the new mission, ¡°An aged sea serpent should be over four hundred years old, its life must be full of vicissitudes and wisdom.¡±


    At that thought, his eyes lit up.


    ¡°This aged sea serpent is practically a living oceanic manual given to me by the Smoke Mission!¡±


    As the saying goes, ¡°Having an elder at home is like possessing a treasure.¡± Wisdom is often the accumulation of experience. With over four hundred years of life, the places this sea serpent had visited, the ships it had encountered, the stories it had witnessed¡­ It was clear that it was a thick book of knowledge in and of itself.


    The following day, after bidding Lady Penelope and the others farewell.


    He began to plan his search for the remains of a civilization.


    Ach¡¯s help would be needed for this.


    ¡°Ach, can you sense the existence of sea serpents within a certain range?¡±


    ¡°Yes, brother, although Ach have never seen other sea serpents, Ach have sensed the presence of sea serpents a few times, knowing they are not far away.¡±


    ¡°How far can you sense?¡±


    ¡°Not very clear, but it should be within a range of tens of kilometers.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Ach, you get yourself ready carefully, I¡¯m about to explore the ruins map, and we might encounter other sea serpents. That will require you to confirm their presence and make contact with them.¡±


    Under Liszt¡¯s urging, Ach didn¡¯t prepare too much, quickly packed her personal items, and instructed Nami to take good care of the little ducks on Mangrove Island.


    Liszt also took the time to write a letter, entrusting Butler Carter to keep it. If Liszt had not returned after the Earl and the others, the letter was to be handed to the Earl.


    The content of the letter was not much, mainly entrusting the Earl to purchase serfs and food with the resources obtained in exchange for iron ore¡ªif the Grand Duke sends someone to inquire whether he is willing to follow directly, please have the Earl definitely refuse, as he had not considered following the Grand Duke directly yet.


    At the same time, Liszt instructed the territory officers to conduct an agricultural survey, to ensure that if any new varieties of fruit were found, they were to be well preserved and strictly prohibited from arbitrary destruction.


    Everything else would wait until his return to be arranged.


    And so it was.


    In the morning, after exchanging resources in the Gemstone Space, Liszt, together with Ach, set off to sea riding the Rainbow Whale Rose.


    Ach understood sailing charts, so she could freely navigate the seas.


    Traveling from Coral Island to the Roaring River Estuary Waters by boat would take about ten days, but for riding a Rainbow Whale that could travel at eighty kilometers per hour, including rest, it would only take two and a half days to complete the journey. By day, they would travel, and at night, they would take out the sampan, using the Temperature Calming Pearl, Calming Water, and Calming Wind to rest peacefully.


    In the blink of an eye, they had entered the depths of the vast sea.


    Occasionally, while Rose rested, Liszt would stand on her back, leap up, soar into the sky, and then pull out a telescope for observation.


    About nine hundred kilometers from the shore of the Roaring River Mouth, he spotted a small island emerging from the sea, immediately guiding Ach and Rose towards the isle. Being soaked in the sea was not comfortable, and he longed to feel the solid ground beneath his feet again on the small island.


    The island was very small, even smaller than the subsidiary islands of Black Horse Island like Mangrove Island, Rocky Island, Sandy Beach Island, and Seagull Island, being just a tiny island of less than a hundred acres.


    It was one of those lonely reef islands, surrounded by rock cliffs on all sides, with only a small patch of forest on top.


    Upon approaching, Liszt leapt directly, landing in the small forest atop the island.


    Looking around, he saw the same type of trees throughout; these trees were fairly low, and their leaves were quite interesting, resembling fern plants¡ªlike those giant trees from the era of dinosaurs on Earth, where most ferns have shrunk into small plants, with only a few trees like alsophila spinulosa remaining tall.


    ¡°Could there be elves nurtured here?¡± Every time he came to a green environment, he habitually used the Eye of Magic to search for elves.


    It was merely supposed to be a routine sweep.


    But fiercely, three dazzling points of magic feedback appeared in his vision.


    His heart stirred, he ran straight towards the direction of the three feedback points, and in less than a minute, he arrived in front of them¡ªa circle of clearing appeared among the fern trees. In the center of the clearing, there was a withered small bush with no leaves left, and on the remaining branches hung three fruits shimmering with rainbow light.


    ¡°Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit!¡±


    Liszt instantly realized that this was the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit rewarded by the Smoke Mission!

 Chapter 649 - Chapter 649: Chapter 0646: Medusa (First Update)

    Chapter 649: Chapter 0646: Medusa (First Update)


    The tale of the sea monster Yisi isn¡¯t earth-shattering, and her experiences across the continent aren¡¯t particularly remarkable¡ªat least not enough to be included in ¡°Dragons Fight in the Wild¡±.


    Most crucially, she had never set foot in the noble circles of the Eagle Kingdom, so what she knew was quite limited.


    However, her experiences weren¡¯t completely without value.


    For instance, she had once studied piano with the master pianist Czerny Windmill¡ªCzerny was a renowned piano master from the Steel Ridge Kingdom, who had traveled through the Eagle Kingdom and met Yisi, telling her how he created his famous piece ¡°Yuri Ely by the River¡±.


    It was an autumn twilight when Czerny, globe-trotting to find inspiration, arrived at the border of the Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, stopping at a remote town¡¯s countryside. He unloaded his piano from the carriage, intending to tune it and practice a piece.


    Suddenly, an elk burst out of the woods,


    heading straight for him¡ªbut since this was by the river, the elk found itself cornered, about to leap into the water and swim across.


    A steel fork then flew from afar, swiftly smashing the elk¡¯s head and killing it. Afterward, Czerny saw a nymph with pale green hair dancing like snakes emerge from the forest. Droopy eyelids, a slender figure, pale skin, and vivid red lips.


    She swiftly made Czerny fall in love.


    However, as the nymph dragged away the dead elk, she just lifted her eyelids to glance at him, and at that moment, he became as stiff as stone, unable to move, not even his eyeballs. He could only watch the nymph disappear into the woods, oblivious to how much time had passed.


    When he awoke, he had been rescued by servants and locals, lying in a bed.


    Only after hearing from the locals did he learn that this nymph was named Eurie Ellie, and was said to be a snake-haired nymph living in the forest with her two sisters.


    The eldest sister was named Stheno, with dark green hair, having the strength to kill a mighty magical beast with one punch; Eurie Ellie was the second, with pale green hair, able to leap as though flying like a Sky Knight; the youngest was Modusa, with bright red hair, and she could command snakes.


    The eyes of the three sisters possessed potent power, turning anyone who looked into them to stone. If the stone were shattered, the person would die; if not, after a few days, they could revert to flesh and blood.


    Normally the snake-haired nymph sisters would not trouble the local residents.


    Nobles had attempted to enter that vast wilderness of a forest to capture the three stunning snake-haired nymphs, but they either disappeared within the forest or returned empty-handed, without ever catching sight of the sisters. Czerny, too, coveted the beauty of Eurie Ellie and settled down in this place.


    He longed to see Eurie Ellie again, but despite waiting many days, she did not appear, so he transformed his yearning into notes, composing the renowned piece ¡°Elly by the Water¡±.


    ¡°Do snake-haired nymphs really exist?¡± Liszt was skeptical.


    Indeed vampires and liches existed, but snake-haired nymphs that could petrify with a glance seemed somewhat unreal, their powers too formidable. And since they were so beautiful, even with somewhat eerie hair, he believed many curious knights would still eagerly seek them out.


    Yisi shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯ve also asked Master Czerny, and he told me that the world is far more vast than what we see, and no one can freely take everything as they wish.¡±


    ¡°So, no one has seen the snake-haired nymph sisters since then?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I haven¡¯t paid attention to them. Perhaps, like sea serpents, after experiencing the complexities of human life, they returned to the home that nurtured them and led simple lives.¡±


    In any case.


    Yisi has many other stories like that of the snake-haired nymph sisters.


    Such as the Minotaurs in the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom and the Rocky Plains, bellowing angrily with bull-like horns atop their heads, driving away invaders; in the primeval forests to the west of the Rose Duchy, there lived huge ogres wielding clubs, leading violent and bloody lives.


    Some have seen harpies with eagle wings flying like eagles in the mountains of the Eagle Kingdom; and a Duke¡¯s daughter of a certain duchy, having encountered a unicorn in the forest, fled her wedding with the unicorn¡¯s assistance, vanishing without a trace.


    During full moon nights at a certain Nameless Castle, wolf howls are often heard, and it¡¯s said that the lord of the castle is a werewolf, capable of transforming into a silver wolf.


    Iris had also seen a knight who appeared to be riding in midair, with nothing underneath his bottom. It was only after inquiring that she learned the knight was mounted on a Night Qi, which could only be seen by those who had died once.


    ¡­


    Elderly people always enjoy telling stories.


    The aged Sea Monster Yisi was no exception. Initially, it had been Li Si Te who asked her questions, but by the latter half of the night, it was mostly her incessantly telling stories.


    Some of the stories were interesting, others were boring, but Ach listened attentively.


    Li Si Te, however, had begun to lose focus.


    Smoke slowly materialized in front of his eyes, ¡°Complete the mission, reward Sea Monster Yisi.¡±


    The smoke then transformed, forming new Serpent Script, ¡°Mission: The Sea Monster can guide you in the direction to proceed, but she no longer has the energy to roam the seas extensively. The dangers hidden in the sea require you to overcome them yourself. Please defeat the remaining Necrofish Ugly, uncover the Fish Ugly Temple. Reward: Mysterious Jewel.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, a reward of mysterious gemstones?¡± Li Si Te thought to himself, ¡°Could it be pearls from some kind of oyster again?¡±


    In this world, gemstone, crystal, and jade are proper nouns, referring to three types of special stones.


    Gemstones and crystals are derived from dragons, whereas jade is formed by the earth condensing magic power.


    Jewelry, however, specifically refers to ornaments¡ªgemstones and crystals can be made into ornaments, intact jade can be turned into ornaments, and pearl, coral, amber, and the like can also be used to make ornaments. Gold, silver, mithril, and mountain copper can also be crafted into jewelry, and only these are called jewels.


    He had already obtained the Hei Chequ that produced Black Pearls, the Fen Hai Luo that produced Pink Pearls, and the Golden-Lipped Clam that produced Golden Pearls; he wondered what kind of shell and pearls he would receive this time.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s not the Pearl Oyster that produces White Pearls; the Grand Duke¡¯s Blue Dragon Lake farms many pearl oysters, and they¡¯re not very valuable.¡±


    With such thoughts,


    he soon fell asleep on the sampan amidst Yisi¡¯s endless narrations. When he woke up, it was already dawn the next day.


    He rubbed his eyes.


    He saw Yisi in the distance by the rocks, feeding fruit to Rainbow Whale Rose, a whale that was friendly to everyone. Sometimes, Li Si Te worried if someone might entice it away. On another side of the rocks, Ach was sitting on a shell, flipping through a book.


    Noticing Li Si Te awake, Ach immediately swam over, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re awake.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you sleep?¡± He vaguely remembered falling asleep while Yisi was still telling stories and Ach listening intently, only to wake up and find both sea monsters as lively as ever.


    ¡°Ach did sleep, brother. Sea monsters sleep for a very short time,¡± she replied.


    Li Si Te, of course, knew this; he was just a bit muddled from just waking up. Soon thereafter, he washed up by the rocks and had a hearty meal.


    Then he went to say farewell to Yisi, ¡°Yisi, your stories were fascinating. I hope after Ach and I explore the Fish Ugly Temple, we could have another delightful chat.¡±


    ¡°Falling asleep while chatting hardly counts as a delightful conversation.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    Li Si Te waved his hand awkwardly, realizing Yisi hadn¡¯t rejected the idea. Then he set off with Ach in the direction she had indicated to explore the Fish Ugly Temple, planning to complete the mission first and talk about the rewards later.

 Chapter 650 - Chapter 650: Chapter 0647: Gigantic Statue (Second Update)

    Chapter 650: Chapter 0647: Gigantic Statue (Second Update)


    Fifty kilometers to find a small island, forty kilometers to find a hundred-meter deep pit on the seabed¡ªit did not take much time for Liszt to locate the Fish Ugly Temple.


    This was an ancient ruin overgrown with seaweed and largely covered in silt.


    The site was vast, with hundreds of stone pillars supporting the palace¡¯s domed ceiling, sealing off the interior. No fish or shrimp swam around the palace, only seaweeds and corals swaying with the currents.


    ¡°Brother, leave dealing with the Necrofish Ugly to Ach.¡±


    Ach ¡°stood¡± on a seashell in front of Liszt, asking to fight. She had a natural ability to control water, and now that she was proficient in water magic, her combat power underwater far exceeded Liszt¡¯s¡ªmainly because once Liszt activated his Dou Qi, it would break through the magic of the Rainbow Whale Rose¡¯s Rainbow Breathing Membrane.


    If the Rainbow Breathing Membrane was broken, he¡¯d have to hold his breath and stop breathing, which would make it very difficult to circulate Dou Qi.


    Moreover, his Dou Qi was of the fire attribute, which had its power almost entirely diminished underwater, barely able to be released externally, at most clinging to the longsword for direct strikes against the opponent¡¯s body.


    ¡°Be careful, I¡¯ll provide support for you!¡± Liszt said gravely, holding the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword in his hand.


    He had yet to master the ¡°Ice Rotation¡± technique of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, and the ¡°Ice Seal¡± technique was not activated, which did not add much combat power underwater.


    His primary role was to provide moral support to Ach as she hunted the Necrofish Ugly.


    According to Iris¡¯s hints, as soon as one set foot within the boundary of the Fish Ugly Temple, the Necrofish Ugly would burst out from inside the temple to drive away and hunt down the intruders.


    So when Ach stepped into the range of a corner of the temple, she suddenly stirred up a powerful current.


    Then, like a puff of smoke, a specter-like creature spewed out from within the currents, just as Iris described. This creature, standing ten meters tall, resembled a large upright frog with the head and body of a fish for its upper half and fin-like legs arranged in a webbed manner.


    ¡°Squawk squaw!¡±


    As soon as the Necrofish Ugly made its entrance, it emitted a sharp, strange cry, then raised the steel fork in its hand high with a ring of magic radiance waving across the fork.


    Without any extra effort, it directly threw the magic at Ach.


    However, Ach was no stranger to hunting sea monsters in the deep sea; she readily raised a Water Wave Shield and instantly cast powerful magic like Whirlpool Convergence, tossing it recklessly at the Necrofish Ugly like the spells cost her nothing. Her combat style leaned towards brute force output, probably influenced by Liszt.


    Liszt would always share his combat experiences¡ªdon¡¯t waste words, strike first; if you can use a powerful spell, don¡¯t just stick to basic attacks; if you can overpower your enemy in one flow, don¡¯t hold back.


    Ach took these experiences to heart.


    So, she began with various advanced magics. After all, the Necrofish Ugly wouldn¡¯t chase out of the Fish Ugly Temple by far, and if she were to be drained of magic power, she¡¯d simply run without a hint of hesitation.


    However, contrary to expectations, as Ach unleashed a barrage of advanced magic, the seawater instantly turned murky with the seabed silt churning, as if a black tornado rose above the temple. The Necrofish Ugly¡¯s defensive magic was completely extinguished under Ach¡¯s onslaught of magic.


    It couldn¡¯t even counterattack.


    Ten minutes later, Ach was panting heavily, her magic power running out.


    She followed Liszt¡¯s instructions and began to swim away from the Fish Ugly Temple, wary of the Necrofish Ugly¡¯s possible counterattack. However, after she retreated, the Necrofish Ugly did not pursue, and as the magic release ended and the murky water cleared with the currents, the sea returned to its clarity.


    Liszt and Ach exchanged glances, finding it unbelievable.


    The Necrofish Ugly had vanished, and a corner of the Fish Ugly Temple crumbled, revealing a deep cavern. What was more surprising was that a steel fork was found diagonally stuck in the battlefield, half-buried in the mud.


    ¡°Brother, this is the Necrofish Ugly¡¯s steel fork.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Liszt looked at the silently collapsed corner of the Fish Ugly Temple and took a long while to react, ¡°Ach, could it be that you annihilated the Necrofish Ugly with a burst of magic? Logically speaking, even if it had retreated back into the temple, it would have taken its weapon back, instead of leaving it outside.¡±


    ¡°Ah, did Ach kill it?¡±


    ¡°Go and take a look!¡±


    As the two approached the vicinity of the Fish Ugly Temple, there was no movement; picking up the steel fork dropped by the Necrofish Ugly, there was still no movement; touching the collapsed gap, there was still no movement; and even as they entered the interior of the temple through the collapsed entrance, there was still no movement.


    Clearly, the Necrofish Ugly had indeed perished in the midst of Ach¡¯s seamless magic.


    The so-called Grand Magician level of Iris now seemed like a joke¡ª it was probably because Iris herself lacked combat ability, which led her to overestimate the strength of the Necrofish Ugly.


    After entering the Fish Ugly Temple and ensuring there was no danger,


    Liszt then began to inspect the interior of the temple, which was simple yet majestic and revealed luxury amidst its rusticity. Although half of it was covered by silt, one could still feel the vastness of the interior. Thick stone columns supported the simple dome, and guarding both sides of the walkway were enormous statues.


    Illuminated by crystal lamps, the details of the statues were vividly revealed.


    ¡°Brother, what kind of monster are these statues?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I guess they might be from a sea race stronger than the Fish Ugly. Ach, look. The first four statues closest to the entrance are clearly of the same race as the Necrofish Ugly. The statues further inside seem to be different from the Fish Ugly, resembling a more humanoid monster.¡±


    The humanoid monsters numbered four, all depicted with two arms.


    Further inside were another four humanoid monsters, but with four arms.


    Next were another four humanoid monsters, each with six arms.


    In appearance, these twelve humanoid monsters, except for the number of arms and the robustness of their bodies, were all very similar. They had fish scales and fins, and three thick fingers clutching different weapons. Their heads, resembling both a snake¡¯s and a fish¡¯s, bore a striking resemblance to that of the Fish Ugly.


    Further in,


    different statues appeared, still four in number, but now of strong female figures. However, these women had some similarities to the Sirens but were more rugged-looking and had patches of fish scales and fins. Interestingly, four more statues followed, this time of four-armed female figures, and then four six-armed female figures.


    Since half of the temple was buried in silt, only the upper bodies of these statues were visible.


    Riding on the back of Rainbow Whale Rose, Liszt felt each statue was immense, and they all seemed to be one-to-one replicas¡ªthe four Fish Ugly statues at the entrance were the same size as the Necrofish Ugly, and all the subsequent statues were even larger.


    As he was examining these statues, trying to deduce some information,


    Ach suddenly tugged on his sleeve and whispered, ¡°Brother, quick, look at the main seat of the temple, is that a mermaid? Such a huge mermaid!¡±


    Only then did Liszt notice that at the end of the palace, in a dim area, there was a huge stone throne, which was not covered by silt due to the high steps.


    Above the throne, there was a lifelike statue.


    The figure carved possessed a human upper body and a gigantic fish tail, perfectly fitting the classic mermaid image recorded in knight¡¯s novels, folktales, and magic books. Her fish tail curled upon the throne, her belly button downward densely covered with fish scales, while above the belly button, she was as clean as a human.


    Or rather,


    The greatest difference was that the mermaid statue was at least twenty meters long, truly gigantic.


    However, at that moment, Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic fell on the colossal chest of the mermaid statue, where there was a teardrop-shaped jewel flashing with azure brilliance, shining radiantly. Inside it seemed to flow magic power of the water attribute, more potent than any magic power he had seen.


    With a flash of inspiration, he knew the answer: ¡°Mysterious Jewel!¡±

 Chapter 652 - Chapter 652: Chapter 0649: Touching the Magic Web (First Update)

    Chapter 652: Chapter 0649: Touching the Magic Web (First Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°Magic Web?¡±


    Clutching Ach, Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up, his prior worries instantly dissipated, leaving only surprise, ¡°Touching the Magic Web, has Ach reached the Magic Web under the stimulation of the Mermaid¡¯s Tear? Previously, Jonas Glaux mentioned that for a Grand Magician to advance to an Archmage, one must touch the Magic Web!¡±


    It turned out that there was no hidden hand behind the Smoke Mission, just his own will projection.


    Perhaps it was his subconscious hope that Ach could advance to an Archmage that led to the task of the Ruins Map and then obtaining the Mermaid¡¯s Tear.


    Thinking of this.


    He couldn¡¯t help but reflect with emotion, ¡°I never expected Ach to advance to an Archmage before I succeeded in dragon riding. Strictly speaking, she is just an underage girl¡­ It must be said, Ach¡¯s talent is truly powerful. Iris is a Sea Serpent who has also learned magic, but she only knows a few common spells.¡±


    Brushing the scattered azure blue hair from Ach¡¯s face behind her ear, Liszt continued to deploy the Eye of Magic to observe the magic power within Ach¡¯s body.


    The phenomenon of exchanging magic power invisibly seemed as if a cloud had been lifted to reveal clarity¡ªnot exchanging with free-floating magic power, but connecting with that unknown Magic Web, continuously engaging in the exchange of magic power within it.


    ¡°Looking at it this way, the source of an Archmage¡¯s magic power is no longer derived from absorbing free-floating magic in the environment, but directly from the Magic Web. Does this mean that even on the battlefield, an Archmage can still rely on the Magic Web¡¯s power to unleash powerful spells?¡±


    If this is truly the case, the status of magicians would instantly elevate to a terrifying extent.


    And it is very likely true, as Archmages are reputed to be strong enough to duel dragons, a strength only second to that of Dragon Knights.


    Any warrior profession without a dragon would probably be no match for an Archmage.


    According to the cultivation system currently seen in the world by Liszt, knights have dominated everything, with the legacy of ancient warriors and ancient magicians in decline. Only magicians, though slightly weakened, have not declined too much and still form a mainstream cultivation system that is indispensable.


    Knights have Dragon Knights, magicians have Archmages, both are peak professions that suppress the era.


    ¡°Ach is already stepping toward Archmage, touching the Magic Web just once almost means she has connected with it, and I am also about to succeed in dragon riding¡­ I hope the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit will be effective, and manage to bewilder Little Fire Dragon Leo in one go!¡±


    ¡°Chirp.¡±


    The Rainbow Whale Rose was swimming around, providing Liszt with a spell¡ªthe Rainbow Breathing Membrane. Ach did not need this magical aid; even unconscious, she could naturally breathe underwater, a kind of instinct. Seeing that she had not awakened for a long time, Liszt first placed her in a shell.


    While waiting for her to wake up, he proceeded to continue the work he had not finished before.


    The Bone Spade easily dug through the soil.


    The mermaid statue nearest to the main seat, the six-armed woman statue, finally revealed its lower body within Liszt¡¯s view¡ªnot a human body, but a large, twisted form, somewhat similar to the mermaid¡¯s tail and yet also reminiscent of a giant serpent¡¯s body.


    He continued to excavate the next statue, that of a four-armed woman, and after uncovering its lower body, it was a similar combination of serpent and fishtail. The statues of two-armed women were the same.


    Next, he moved on to a six-armed monster statue, whose lower body was also the same but featured fierce fish fins. There was no need to dig out the remaining statues; they all shared the same form. He went straight to excavate a statue of Yu Chou, whose lower body resembled a frog¡¯s upright posture.


    Looking over these statues, Liszt contemplated for a moment.


    Muttering to himself, ¡°These statues somewhat resemble the Naga from games. Might as well call them Naga¡­ Female upper body Nagas will be called Upper Naga, including two-armed, four-armed, six-armed ranks; monster upper body Nagas will be called Lower Naga, also classified as two-armed, four-armed, six-armed ranks.¡±


    Thus.


    The race represented behind this Fish Ugly Temple became clear.


    ¡°`


    The rulers were Mermaids, the middle power consisted of the Upper Naga and the Lower Naga, and the lowest power was that of the Fish Ugly.


    ¡°It¡¯s just unclear whether Mermaids, Naga, and Fish Ugly should be considered the same species. Judging from their biological forms, they should have reproductive isolation. Perhaps this is a multi-racial mixed ocean civilization; the Mermaid race are the rulers, the Upper Naga race are the Nobles, the Lower Naga race are the civilians, and the Fish Ugly race are slaves?¡±


    Unfortunately, besides these statues and that shattered Mermaid¡¯s Tear, there was nothing else in this Fish Ugly Temple, making it impossible to restore its history and the era in which it was built.


    ¡°This civilization will still have to rely on me to complete its entry in ¡®Dragons Fight in the Wild,''¡± Liszt shook his head.


    The list of works he planned to write was already too long. ¡®Dragons Fight in the Wild¡¯ had been put on hold indefinitely. Perhaps when he became the Dragon Domain Landlord one day and his lifespan substantially increased, he might finish this historical epic in his boredom.


    Time flowed by, second by second.


    Liszt ate some dry food underwater.


    When it had become dark outside the Fish Ugly Temple, indicating the arrival of night, he was about to lose his patience. He was ready to take Ach and the shell with him and leave the place. It was at this moment that Ach, who had been sound asleep, suddenly had her Magic Power calm down, and she herself slowly woke up.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awake. How do you feel, is there anywhere that¡¯s uncomfortable?¡±


    Ach¡¯s bleary expression quickly returned to normal, her blue eyes becoming even brighter and clearer: ¡°Ach feels very good, brother, I couldn¡¯t feel better right now. Was I asleep all this while? It felt like I had a very long dream, where my thoughts became a beam of Light, frolicking in the sea of Magic Power.¡±


    Liszt asked anxiously, ¡°Was that when you touched the Magic Web?¡±


    Ach reflected carefully and nodded firmly: ¡°Yes, it was the sensation of touching the Magic Web. Brother, Ach now understands why the Magicians of the Moon Empire era declined¡­ With the help of the Magic Array from the Mermaid¡¯s Tear, Ach briefly touched the Magic Web and felt its vastness, but it¡¯s contracting, and only Archmages can reach it.¡±


    ¡°Tell me more about it!¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Ach began to describe earnestly her experience with the Magic Web.


    According to her feelings, the Magic Web was not just a net, indeed it was somewhat like the ¡®field¡¯ Liszt had described before, but it still possessed some of the properties of a ¡®net¡¯.


    This net or field enshrouded the whole world¡ªat least the parts that Ach could sense¡ªit covered every aspect and corner of the world.


    ¡°If the Magic Web hadn¡¯t contracted, then every Magician would be a node, able to cast Magic freely with the help of the Magic Web. But because of the contraction, ordinary Magicians have lost the ability of the nodes and can only draw on stray Magic Power; whereas Archmages can still cast Magic with the help of the Magic Web.


    ¡°No wonder!¡± Liszt realized.


    A Magician aided by the Magic Web obviously wouldn¡¯t fear a Knight¡¯s charge, but with the Magic Web contracting, ordinary Magicians immediately became useless, and a Knight¡¯s charge would create what is called a Magic-free zone.¡±


    Ach continued: ¡°In Ach¡¯s feelings just now, brother, you were like a mini Magic Web, possessing your own field and net, which is why Knights¡¯ cultivation and combat are not bound by the Magic Web. On the contrary, when a large number of Knights gather, their own Magic Webs resonate with each other, thereby expanding the influence of the Magic Web.¡±


    ¡°So, is the Magic Web still contracting?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that Archmages will eventually lose the assistance of the Magic Web?¡±


    ¡°Ach doesn¡¯t know, but given the current rate of contraction of the Magic Web, it will probably abandon the Archmages after several thousand or tens of thousands of years.¡±


    As Ach kept explaining, Liszt gradually developed an intuitive understanding¡ªperhaps the contraction of the Magic Web was like the arrival of an era of declining Magic.

 Chapter 653 - Chapter 653: Chapter 650: Yu Chous Protection (Second Update)

    Chapter 653: Chapter 650: Yu Chou¡¯s Protection (Second Update)


    Regarding the information about the Magic Web, Liszt needed to digest it thoroughly, hoping to draw some parallels for his own knight cultivation¡ªafter all, Ach had said that in his sensing, he was like an independent small Magic Web, which probably had some noteworthy differences and similarities with the true Magic Web.


    However, what he was most concerned about at the moment was Ach, ¡°Ach, can you still reach the Magic Web?¡±


    ¡°The reason Ach was able to touch the Magic Web just now was with the help of the Magic Array activated by the Mermaid¡¯s Tear. I can¡¯t enter the Magic Web at the moment. But Ach has remembered the ¡®entrance¡¯ information for the Magic Web, with some preparation, I should be able to reach the Magic Web freely quite soon.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to advance to Archmage soon?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Ach couldn¡¯t hold back his smile and laughed softly, ¡°Brother is a Dragon Knight, and Ach is an Archmage too!¡±


    Liszt, full of vigor, took Ach¡¯s hand, ¡°Haha, that¡¯s right!¡±


    A Dragon Knight paired with an Archmage, such a swollen strength had nothing to fear, whether it was the Sapphire Duke trying to snatch his ¡°Ghost Swordsman Inheritance¡± or the dragon-slaying battle that Alonso Xiankelai might initiate, none of it was a big deal to him anymore.


    Perhaps Leo was too young, and he was only a newly born Dragon Knight, unable to guarantee that his combat power would be able to resist experienced Dragon Knights. With Ach¡¯s assistance, under the Magic Baptism, Dragon Knights would have to carefully weigh whether they would be blasted away¡ªDragon Dou Qi indeed could destroy magic, but the caliber of Magic Web spellcasting would be different.


    ¡°Ach, you need to continue to work hard, advance to Archmage as soon as possible, and I also need to strive to gain Leo¡¯s approval as quickly as possible, to become a true Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll rest above the Fish Ugly Temple tonight and see if we can take Isla to settle in Black Horse Island tomorrow¡­ Right, Ach, I feel that although you and Iris are both Sea Serpents, there¡¯s no sense of kinship when you meet your own kind, why is that?¡± Liszt voiced his puzzlement.


    ¡°Ach is not sure either, although she is a Sea Serpent, Ach doesn¡¯t feel she is of the same kind.¡± Ach thought carefully, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s like elves, who also don¡¯t feel each other as their own kind; Sea Serpents are the elves of the sea, perhaps they have the same cognitive thinking.¡±


    With this explanation, Liszt expressed his understanding.


    Ach was conceived in a scallop shell, while Iris was from a conch shell, they truly were not of the same kind.


    The two quickly left the Fish Ugly Temple, and at that moment, Liszt saw the trident planted at the entrance of the temple, and it suddenly occurred to him that the reward for the Smoke Mission was the ¡°Necrofish Ugly Guard.¡±


    ¡°Could it be this trident?¡± He gestured for Ach to wait, then pulled out the very large trident, which was as big as a pillar, with five prongs at the front.


    It was about five meters in length.


    It wasn¡¯t made of metal, but was crafted from some kind of special bones, ground and pieced together.


    Under the observation of the Eye of Magic, there was a faint magic radiance glow inside it, a pale blue, which should be the aura of Water Attribute magic power.


    Within that pale blue glow, there was also a light, green radiance, somewhat resembling the Magical Radiance of liches like Curtis Truth.


    ¡°The Necrofish Ugly wouldn¡¯t be hiding inside this trident, would it?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t in a hurry to study it; he first dragged the trident to the surface of the water, released the sampan, and then he could slowly examine the trident and the Necrofish Ugly later.


    He also called up the Smoke Mission.


    Sure enough, it was completed: ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Necrofish Ugly Guard.¡±


    A new mission was quickly issued, and it invigorated him, ¡°Mission: Now that Ach has the ability to advance to Archmage, you, as a Half-Step Dragon Knight, must also work hard. Little Fire Dragon Leo is the first dragon you own, no matter what means, first conquer it before discussing other things. Reward: Perfection of Dou Qi.¡±


    ¡°To conquer Leo, it seems the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit is to be used as a mesmerizing drug!¡± Liszt suppressed the excitement in his heart, not letting himself get carried away any further.


    Everything else would wait until after conquering Leo.


    At that time, he would not only be a Dragon Knight, but also a Completion Level Sky Knight.


    Ach sat in the shell, lost in thought. Touching the Magic Web had brought her a huge shock, and she needed time to digest the experience and rediscover the way to touch the Magic Web again, so that she could truly advance to Archmage.


    Liszt indulged in a sumptuous meal and began to study the harpoon.


    This harpoon was definitely a weapon similar to Magic Equipment, and the Necrofish Ugly named Guardian seemed to be controllable.


    Usually, he would delegate such research tasks to Ach or Chris.


    However, since Ach was deep in thought, Liszt didn¡¯t disturb her and decided to investigate it himself. He moved a bit further away so as not to disturb Ach.


    He then infused the weapon with Dou Qi, attempting to activate the harpoon.


    Unfortunately, the Fire Attribute Dou Qi he possessed was clearly repelling the harpoon¡¯s attributes. The infusion not only failed to activate the harpoon but also caused a tumult of magic power within it, almost leading to a conflict that could have destroyed the weapon.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll study it slowly later.¡±


    He carefully shifted things around in his Gemstone Space and finally cleared out a five-meter-long space, then wrapped the harpoon with Dou Qi and stored it in the Gemstone Space.


    The night passed just like that.


    The next morning, the two of them continued on their way, returning to the place where they encountered Iris.


    Unfortunately, Iris was no longer there, and Ach couldn¡¯t sense Iris¡¯s location anymore: ¡°Brother, Iris has already left this reef.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡± Liszt felt it was a pity. Although Iris was old, she should have no problem living another few decades and could still be valuable.


    However, since Iris had already left, it meant that she had no intention of interacting with human life again.


    So Liszt didn¡¯t insist: ¡°Since she doesn¡¯t want to come back with us, let¡¯s go then, we don¡¯t need to worry about her.¡±


    ¡­


    Two evenings later.


    Liszt and Ach returned to Fresh Flower Town.


    However, to their surprise, the Earl had not yet come back. Calculating the time, his trip to excavate the Fish Ugly Temple had taken roughly a week. Considering the voyage from Roaring River Mouth to Coral Island required ten days, if the Earl and his party had not set out ahead of time, of course, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to return so quickly.


    Nothing significant had happened in the territory, with two main points of interest.


    Firstly, Marcus had organized the records of the knights¡¯ achievements from their involvement with the Pioneer Mandate, and once the Grand Duke had settled the achievements for the iron ore, the achievements could be distributed according to the proportion agreed upon.


    Secondly, after a territory-wide crop inspection, two unusual plants were found. One was an extremely vigorous and large peanut sprout located in the peanut plantation that had been developed in Black Horse Island New Port Town; the other was a noticeably taller and thicker sprout of oats, belonging to the few remaining oat fields in Fresh Flower Town.


    Since the territory had no Oat Bugs, and with the presence of the Wheat Sprite and two Little Wheat Bugs, the territory officers had already decided not to plant oats anymore. This was the last batch.


    To their surprise, this very batch had given birth to an Oat Bug¡ªLiszt personally visited to inspect and confirm the existence of the Oat Bug.


    He instructed the Administrative Officer of Fresh Flower Town, Isaiah, to protect the Cordyceps well. The next day he did not go to Black Horse Island to check whether a peanut bug had been born.


    Instead, he and Ach set off directly for Dodo Island. Right now, nothing was more important than Dragon Riding.

 Chapter 655 - Chapter 655: Chapter 0652: Dragon Knight (First Update)

    Chapter 655: Chapter 0652: Dragon Knight (First Update)


    Leo lay on the ground, fast asleep.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t bring himself to move his buttocks away from the Dragon Tooth Platform. With the connection from the platform, the sense of destiny fusion, blood flowing, and thought synchronization was just too amazing.


    This was what it meant to be a Dragon Knight.


    It wasn¡¯t just a person riding a dragon, but a person and a dragon sharing the same breath and destiny.


    It was as if he had opened his entire heart to Leo, and Leo had entrusted everything to him without reservations or suspicions, only the harmonious unity of spirits. They were said to be one man and one dragon, but in truth, they were merged into one entity, with Dragon Dou Qi as the cement and their souls as the steel reinforcement.


    A bridge flying across from south to north, what was once an impassable gulf now became a thoroughfare.


    The great divide between man and dragon completely dissipated in the state of dragon riding.


    ¡°Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°My life¡¯s greatest goal, finally achieved today!¡±


    Suddenly, he remembered ¡°All Men Are Brothers¡±he had once read, and the verse Lu Zhishen recited at the moment of his enlightenment came to him, and he couldn¡¯t help but chant, ¡°All my life I did not pile up good deeds, only delighting in killing and arson. Suddenly the golden ropes are untied, here the jade locks are snapped. Ah! The tide signal comes from the Qiantang River, only today do I realize that I am truly myself.¡±


    Of course.


    He hadn¡¯t come to an instant enlightenment and returned to the Pure Land like Lu Zhishen.


    It was just a spontaneous exclamation, for only today, riding the dragon, did he realize the sheer exhilaration of dragon riding. It was just too bad that Leo, because of the effects of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, had fainted, and he couldn¡¯t immediately take him to soar through the skies. He could only savor the thrill of dragon riding on his own. However, just at this moment, the Dou Qi in his body suddenly surged.


    His mind stirred.


    He quickly left Leo¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform, flipping off it.


    Immediately, a sense of emptiness swept over his entire body. The feeling of spiritual harmony when man and dragon were united faded away in an instant, but he could still feel Leo, a connection of heart and soul that couldn¡¯t be severed. Having ridden a dragon once, having connected once, nothing could ever be the same again.


    Just like a phone connecting to Wi-Fi and remembering the password, unless the password is changed, it would reconnect whenever near.


    Unless Liszt brutally mistreated Leo, the dragon wouldn¡¯t change the password, and he certainly wouldn¡¯t casually discard Leo, a Fire Dragon with boundless potential.


    Once a Dragon Rider, always a Dragon Rider!


    He shook his head.


    Suppressing the urge to ride again, Liszt then checked the sudden surge of Dou Qi in his body: ¡°It seems that due to the earlier Mind Battle, my Dou Qi has reacted¡­ Is this likely the Complete Advanced Level Dou Qi rewarded from the Smoke Mission?¡±


    He focused his mind and called out, and the Smoke Mission promptly manifested.


    ¡°Mission complete, reward Complete Advanced Level Dou Qi.¡±


    Indeed, it had been completed, the reward almost received at the same time as the dragon riding, or one could say that Complete Advanced Level Dou Qi was a prerequisite for dragon riding. Under the influence of the Smoke Mission, with the aid of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, he managed to rid Little Fire Dragon Leo of evil thoughts and successfully ride the dragon while his Dou Qi reached completion.


    Just as he was about to look at the new mission, his body¡¯s Dou Qi surged once more, shifting his attention, and the smoke quickly dissipated.


    He had no choice but to concentrate fully on the changes in his body. The Dou Qi continued to surge, stimulating and enhancing his body¡¯s strength, soon making him feel hungry and exhausted. Fortunately, on his return this time, Liszt had prepared plenty of Magic Potions. He grabbed a handful and started crunching them down immediately.


    Once the Magic Potion was consumed, it quickly transformed into surging magic power replenishing his dried-up cells and then refined into Dou Qi to continue improving his body.


    After that, he began to devour the meat of the Magical Beast in large gulps, adding nutrients to his body.


    So it was.


    Having consumed a total of fifty Magic Potions and, in combination, five Dragon Kui Auxiliary Medicines, as well as the equivalent in volume to an entire cow¡¯s worth of Magical Beast Meat, his body finally met its nutritional demands. His Dou Qi completely returned to a state of calm, but the explosive power hidden within his body seemed as if all his pathways had been thoroughly opened up.


    With the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword drawn, he proceeded to practice the moves from ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±, alternating between basic and charged techniques to feel the current state of his body.


    When he channelled his Dou Qi and executed his Combat Skills, no longer was there the slightest hint of stagnation.


    Every detail of his body was under his complete control.


    Sheathing his sword, he stood and gazed at his slender fingers, a fusion of beauty and power, and couldn¡¯t help but feel triumphant, ¡°Is this what it truly means to be a Completion Level Sky Knight?¡±


    Perhaps in terms of overall Dou Qi volume and explosive strength, a Completion Level Sky Knight isn¡¯t much stronger than a Sky Knight of the Sword Saint Level.


    But the control over bodily detail far surpasses the Sword Saint.


    One might say that if a Sword Saint can utilize eighty percent of their body¡¯s strength, a Completion Level could exert a hundred and twenty percent.


    ¡°Next, I must find a way to obtain the Dou Qi Domain Manual to fully complete the knight¡¯s cultivation system¡­ After all, the conditions for Dragon Riding as a Dragon Knight are exceedingly strict. I was able to forcefully succeed in Dragon Riding with the help of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, but my descendants might not be so lucky.¡±


    The Duchy of Sapphire didn¡¯t have the Dou Qi Domain Manual.


    He would have to seize it from one of the Continental Kingdoms, and Liszt particularly had his eye on Marquis Nuta. He had barely managed to rout him in their last encounter without managing to capture him. The next time a Pioneer Mandate was issued, it would be the perfect occasion to capture Marquis Nuta in one fell swoop and then force him to hand over the Dou Qi Domain Manual.


    Leo was still in a deep slumber.


    Liszt sat cross-legged beside him, once again concentrating to summon the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Clearly you have successfully ridden a dragon and become a true Dragon Knight, and the vast world is yours to roam. However, it can¡¯t be denied that Leo is still young and the next steps in your training remain unclear. Please curb your flaunting demeanor and humbly seek out the next method of cultivation. Reward: An Archmage.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    He was doubly surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected that right after he became a Dragon Knight, Ach would also be on the verge of becoming an Archmage. He had thought that Ach would need at least a year or a half to muster the attempt to advance to the Archmage level¡ªespecially since his previous touch with the Magic Web was assisted by the power of a Mermaid¡¯s Tear.


    However.


    After reading the mission details again, he tempered his excitement, ¡°What does it mean to humbly seek out the next method of cultivation? Does the mission consider itself completed only after I find it? If I can¡¯t find the next method of cultivation in a year or a half, wouldn¡¯t Ach be unable to advance to Archmage for a long time?¡±


    Regardless, he would wait for Leo to wake up and then try to seek out the method of cultivation¡ªwith the dragon already ridden, he felt no fear that he wouldn¡¯t be able to find a cultivation method.


    He rose to his feet, walked down the mountain, and made his way to the seashore.


    He discovered that no matter the distance between them, there was a powerful connection between his heart and Leo¡¯s. Although it wasn¡¯t as intense as the unity of mind and dragon while riding, it was still much stronger than the bond he had with an Elf. With just a thought, he could feel the beautiful dreams Leo had even while deep in slumber.


    In its dreams, the Little Fire Dragon envisioned itself as a mighty Fire Dragon, seizing riches of a city and bringing them back to its lair at the volcano¡¯s crater¡ªstill harboring evil thoughts.


    ¡°It seems I need to frequently cut at its heart to prevent bad thoughts from taking root. After all, I am a knight filled with a sense of justice, and my mount cannot be an Evil Dragon. Filled with love and peace, protecting justice and fairness, that is the true virtue of a knight!¡±


    Feeling euphoric, the scenery at dusk was extraordinarily beautiful.


    His steps were light and airy as though he didn¡¯t even need to expel Dou Qi to float up into the sky.

 Chapter 656 - Chapter 656: Chapter 0653: The Fruits Owner (Second Update)

    Chapter 656: Chapter 0653: The Fruit¡¯s Owner (Second Update)


    ¡°Brother, have you and Leo finished your training so soon?¡± Ach, deep in thought, noticed Liszt had returned earlier than expected and asked curiously.


    Liszt replied with a restrained smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t train, but I have successfully ridden a dragon and become a true Dragon Knight!¡± He had planned to express his excitement with loud laughter, but he held it back and shared the news with an air of nonchalance.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Ach exclaimed with surprise all over his face, ¡°Brother has succeeded in dragon riding, that¡¯s wonderful, Brother is a true Dragon Knight, at the top of the world!¡±


    ¡°Keep it down, keep it down. Leo is still young, and the training of a Dragon Knight requires exploration. We must continue to keep a low profile for now,¡± Liszt gestured with his hands.


    Then he asked earnestly, ¡°Ach, now that I have succeeded in riding a dragon and become a true Dragon Knight, it is time to separate from the Tulip Family. What do you think would be the best surname to take? Most dragon knight families take dragons as their surname, like the Sapphire Duke who uses Sapphire as his surname.¡±


    Ach tilted his head, pondering for a while, ¡°How about calling it Flame?¡±


    ¡°Flame is too vulgar and does not match the dignity of a Dragon Knight.¡±


    ¡°What about Blazing Flame?¡±


    ¡°Still doesn¡¯t feel prestigious enough, how about Flame Burning Sky, what do you think, Ach?¡± Liszt suggested his idea, but quickly dismissed it, ¡°Although Flame Burning Sky is sufficiently prestigious, it doesn¡¯t quite fit the image as it¡¯s a verb.¡±


    In this world, the rule for naming surnames primarily involves nouns.


    Sapphire, Tulip, Golden Wheat Sheaf, Immortal Arrival, Eagle Sword, Black Knight, and so on, are all nouns used as surnames or represent certain gemstones, plants, and objects.


    Considering Liszt had already given his Blood Servant the surname ¡°Dawnbreak,¡± it wouldn¡¯t be strange to come up with ¡°Flame Burning Sky.¡± However, he decided to stick to traditional rules and choose a noun for his surname, which would be passed down in the Dragon Knight family.


    ¡°Magma? Volcano? Burning? Scorching?¡±


    He tossed and turned over different options but failed to come up with something better, ultimately revisiting Ach¡¯s earlier suggestion of ¡°Blazing Flame¡±: ¡°Let¡¯s tentatively settle on Blazing Flame for now; the news of the Dragon Knight must be kept under wraps anyway. We can decide on the official surname when we formally separate from the family.¡±


    Liszt Blazing Flame thus made the decision.


    Afterward, he took out two servings of juice from the Gemstone Space, handed one to Ach, and sipped the other himself, ¡°Ach, join me in a little celebration.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Cheers, to my success in dragon riding, and to Ach¡¯s advance to Archmage!¡±


    After drinking the juice and briefly discussing his experience with dragon riding, he asked Ach to point out any oversights. It was pretty much certain that the Dragon Knight¡¯s dragon ¡°contract¡± required a Mind Battle. Only by achieving harmony and unity in the Mind Battle, could the knight share breath and fate with the dragon.


    The condition to trigger the Mind Battle with the dragon, apart from climbing onto the Dragon Tooth Platform, probably required Complete Advanced Level Dou Qi.


    The rest of the details needed to be savored slowly.


    So, putting aside their glasses, Ach continued to ponder the Magic Web, while Liszt sat on the rocks reflecting on the dragon riding venture: ¡°Without the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, I don¡¯t know how long it will take to resolve Leo¡¯s hostility, gain its recognition, mount the Dragon Tooth Platform, and engage in the Mind Battle.¡±


    The outcome of the Mind Battle was also an uncertainty.


    ¡°The difficulty of the Mind Battle is too high. I have two Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits left, which means I have two more opportunities to ride dragons. Should I keep one for the Formless Dragon and one for the Smoke Dragon?¡± Liszt thought for a while; the Formless Dragon, although an acquired taste, held tremendous strategic value.


    The value of the Space Gem far exceeded that of any other gemstone, it could be seen as both the Sacred Dragon and the Gemstone Dragon. And with his good relationship with Liszt, it could be considered as good as in his pocket.


    ¡°As for the Smoke Dragon¡­ Whether it exists or not, I¡¯m still not sure. Did it infect me with the Power of Destiny, or did its power cling to me after death in hopes of reviving through me? If it¡¯s the former, am I something like a Dragon Wraith similar to Paris?¡±


    Not quite.


    White Dragon Wraiths are in a state of specter, transforming only after the person¡¯s death; while Black Dragon Childe are constantly infected by Dragon Magic Power, their bodies at risk of being eroded at any time.


    Though he possessed the Power of Destiny, he showed no sign of being eroded. He could still practice Dou Qi, he could still smoothly ride dragons: ¡°Perhaps the Smoke Dragon wants to use my power to revive. Once it revives, having spent so much time together, I should be able to manage without the aid of Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.¡±


    Besides, the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit is drawn by the Power of Destiny, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for the Smoke Dragon to sabotage itself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put aside the Smoke Dragon for now. Whether or not it¡¯s trying to revive is still uncertain¡­ So, which dragon should receive this third Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit? Right, I need to contract a dragon to obtain the identity of Dragon Domain LandLord, it should be a young dragon¡­ If I could find the life-representing Immortal Dragon and directly contract it, wouldn¡¯t I have hope for eternal life?¡±


    The Immortal Dragon certainly exists.


    If the Formless Dragon and the Smoke Dragon exist, it¡¯s impossible that it does not. However, finding it would likely be extremely difficult. With the aid of the Power of Destiny, there might be a chance to locate it.


    ¡°Therefore, I will allocate this third Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit to the Immortal Dragon. If I encounter other dragons along the way, I will attempt to ride them using my own strength ¡ª it can¡¯t be that all dragons require the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit to be ridden, otherwise every kingdom would mass-cultivate Mind Fruit Trees and allow their offspring to ride dragons at will!¡±


    He thought of the Fire Dragon with its Evil Dragon Attribute, proud, brutal, and wicked, which is why the Mind Battle required one to overcome the Evil Dragon.


    If it were a Gemstone Dragon, a Metal Dragon, the nature of the Mind Battle would probably be quite different. Perhaps it would be merely an assessment and adjustment of each other¡¯s temperaments. The dragons would likely need to select their most suitable knights through the Mind Battle.


    ¡°Phew!¡±


    Having allocated the use of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit,


    Liszt let out a long breath and dived into the sea for a refreshing swim, washing away the stench of sweat ¡ª his body had gone through an intensification during the recent completion of Advanced Level Dou Qi, expelling a lot of waste. It left his body smelling foul, which was quite uncomfortable for his slight obsession with cleanliness.


    ¡°Cheerpi.¡±


    Rainbow Whale Rose swam over, ready to be ridden by Liszt.


    But Liszt patted its back, indicating it should go play. He planned to dive underwater himself to see just how strong his body had become.


    Complete Dou Qi, successful dragon riding.


    Although his strength had made a leap, his physique clearly couldn¡¯t match that of a dragon¡¯s¡ªperhaps one day he could switch between his flesh and Dragon¡¯s Intent just as dragons do. Only then would he be able to completely disregard physical strength and roam without constraints.


    Practicing swordsmanship in water, quite a struggle.


    He succeeded in testing the strength of his physique.


    The enhancement was over double. An ordinary Sky Knight¡¯s ultimate move would probably only inflict mild damage, and not affect internal organs. Nonetheless, an attack from a Sword Saint would still deal a severe injury. His physique was about equivalent to ordinary steel, and a casual punch without using Dou Qi should be able to kill a Low-Level Magical Beast.


    ¡°Rose, take me diving. Let¡¯s see how deep I can go now!¡±


    ¡°Cheerpi!¡±

 Chapter 659 - Chapter 659: Chapter 0656: Bull Tail and Iron Hoof (First Update)

    Chapter 659: Chapter 0656: Bull Tail and Iron Hoof (First Update)


    The Tulip Family¡¯s ¡°Son of Glory¡± was once just a polite exaggeration, but now it has become an indisputable fact. If even Liszt could not be called the ¡°Son of Glory,¡± then probably the Duchy of Sapphire has no such son.


    The youngest Sky Knight, inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman.


    Vanquishing Domain Knights, capturing a Sword Saint.


    Seizing iron mines, reaping the largest harvest of iron ore since the issuing of the Pioneer Mandate, spanning a century.


    Such dazzling exploits, akin to a trail of sparks followed by lightning, were extremely difficult to go unnoticed. Now that the Pioneer Mandate had ended, and the tales of war had essentially spread throughout the nation, every noble and commoner on any island likely began discussing Liszt.


    Even in the Eagle Kingdom, Liszt¡¯s name probably gained some renown.


    At least around the Roaring River Mouth, surely no noble was unaware of him.


    Having such a mighty figure for a son, Earl William Lee had no choice but to personally greet him at the door, as a gesture of respect and importance towards Liszt.


    And those relatives and servants who relied on the strength of the family, naturally had to show their respect as well.


    Gone were the days when that insignificant child of the family, the timid second son sent away to the remote Fresh Flower Town, was forgotten. Now, Liszt shone brightly in everyone¡¯s eyes, an unrivaled genius and hero. He was the Tulip Family¡¯s most distinguished scion, without any dispute.


    ¡°Father, you honor me with your personal reception.¡±


    ¡°This is the treatment you deserve. I¡¯m proud of you, my son!¡± Earl William Lee reached out and patted the shoulder of Liszt, who now stood a head taller than him.


    It always felt like all the glory of knighthood favored Liszt alone¡ªthe strength to overpower the elite, the handsome looks that bewitched myriad young women, and the luck to stumble upon an elf. Each aspect was enough to drive people to envy, let alone all three combined.


    He turned and said to Lady Marie, ¡°Give the order to the kitchens. We¡¯re preparing a feast tonight worthy of a celebration feast.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you father and son have a good talk. I¡¯ll go and personally oversee the kitchen¡¯s preparations,¡± Lady Marie said with a smile as she left.


    The Earl then spoke to Lidun, ¡°Inform grandmother and your sister that they are to join us for the banquet this evening.¡±


    Afterwards, he said to Loria, ¡°Prepare a pot of tea and bring it to the study later; we¡¯ll have a chat there first.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± Loria said, also leaving with a smile.


    Only Earl William Lee, Levis, and Liszt¡ªthe father and sons¡ªremained, making their way straight into the study. Concerning the major affairs of the Tulip Family, these three men needed to make decisions¡ªfor accuracy¡¯s sake, Earl William Lee and Liszt needed to consult with each other to settle matters properly, with Levis merely involved peripherally.


    ¡°Father, did the transport of the iron ore go smoothly?¡±


    ¡°So smoothly it was a bit surprising. Alonso Xiankelai didn¡¯t show up at all, but we didn¡¯t dare to linger around the Roaring River Mouth. The transport of the iron ore had just been completed when the First Prince announced the end of the Pioneer Mandate. We protected the spoils of iron ore, and at the same time, we tried to gather information about Alonso¡¯s movements from the Steel Ridge Kingdom.¡±


    The Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine belonged to the Bronze Dragon Knight¡ªAlonso Xiankelai. After receiving the message of the knights fleeing the mine, it was impossible for him to remain indifferent.


    Even if he couldn¡¯t come himself, he should have sent someone to contend for the mine.


    To make his presence felt, Levis hurriedly interjected, ¡°Father and I have discussed it. We think it¡¯s possible that border conflicts detained Alonso, and since none of the Domain Knights beneath the Dragon Knight could beat you, he strategically gave up the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine.¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°That¡¯s a possibility.¡±


    At the moment, this seemed the most logical. Hence, he didn¡¯t contemplate it further¡ªhaving succeeded in dragon riding, he could calmly face any threat.


    He was more concerned about the tallying of war merits: ¡°Then, how will the Grand Duke define our war merits? How many tons of iron ore will be allocated to us? Where has he promised to grant you the Marchioness¡¯ fief? And what are his thoughts concerning me and the Grand Duke?¡±


    ¡°We made the main war merits in seizing the iron mines, but a significant share of the merits for transporting the iron ore was distributed to others. I estimate the Grand Duke will allocate us a hundred thousand tons of iron ore,¡± the Earl said somewhat reluctantly. ¡°Naturally, this portion of the iron ore will be your war spoils.¡±


    Liszt smiled and said nothing.


    The military exploits belong to the Earl, and the spoils to him; it had been agreed upon long ago.


    The Earl continued, ¡°The Grand Duke stationed himself directly on Iron Hoof Island. Although everyone was squabbling at the war merit conference, the Grand Duke made it clear to me after the meeting that I could choose one of four titles: Marquis of Bull Horn, Marquis of Bull Tail, Marquis of Bull Hoof, and Marquis of Iron Hoof City.¡±


    ¡°How come there¡¯s an additional Marquis of Iron Hoof City? Father, what is your choice?¡±


    ¡°Iron Hoof City is the second largest city after the Court¡¯s Blue Dragon City. Inserting a Marquis from the Blue Blood Alliance is just right for overseeing Iron Hoof Island¡­ I chose the Marquis of Bull Tail. The Marquis of Bull Hoof needs to face the mainland directly, and the Marquis of Bull Horn has a complex mix of powers. The Marquis of Bull Tail is relatively calm in comparison.¡±


    Earl William Lee¡¯s thoughts leaned towards moderation.


    Bull Hoof City is the starting point of Sapphire¡¯s attacks on the mainland and naturally has to bear the responsibility of suppressing the sea; Bull Horn City was once a bustling city not inferior to Iron Hoof City, with various underground forces from Sapphire jumbled together in Bull Horn City; only Bull Tail City is less conspicuous, suitable for low-profile development.


    The Tulip Family is just an Earl¡¯s family, with far less heritage than the Long Taro Family, and needs time to develop.


    Choosing the Marquis of Bull Tail, to govern the large city of Bull Tail City, as well as two other large cities Bull Rump City and Bull Rib City, and the surrounding vast land, is enough for the family¡¯s development needs.


    ¡°That¡¯s a decent choice indeed,¡± Liszt nodded in understanding.


    With a complex look in his eyes, the Earl glanced at Liszt and said, ¡°There¡¯s another reason I chose the Marquis of Bull Tail; the Grand Duke hopes I¡¯d choose the Marquis of Bull Tail.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Because the Grand Duke told me, among the three Marquis titles of Iron Hoof Island, the Marquis of Bull Tail has the weakest development potential in his territory, but¡­ he hopes to leave the position of Marquis of Iron Hoof City for you. That way, with the combined forces of our father and son, we would surpass both the Marquis of Bull Hoof and the Marquis of Bull Horn.¡±


    Liszt was noncommittal, ¡°A balance of power, huh.¡±


    ¡°But I would rather stay on Black Horse Island and in Fresh Flower Town, where I have been working hard to develop my base, and I don¡¯t want to follow the Grand Duke and become a Marquis in the Blue Blood Alliance.¡±


    Nobles of the Blue Blood Alliance, aside from seizing power, depended on living at the whims of the Grand Duke.


    Liszt was unwilling to be even a Noble Landlord who followed the Grand Duke, let alone a hunting dog in the hands of the Grand Duke, even less impressed by the title of Marquis.


    After all, he was a Dragon Knight aiming to establish his own kingdom.


    ¡°You still have plenty of time to think about it. All your military exploits this time were passed to me, but they are too substantial. I believe as long as you choose to follow the Grand Duke, I could still partition some of the military exploits to meet the requirements for you to advance to a Feudal Earl. If you join the Blue Blood Alliance, you might even directly become the Marquis of Iron Hoof City.¡±


    Deep down.


    The Earl actually hoped that Liszt would choose the title of Marquis of Iron Hoof City, the largest city on Iron Hoof Island, with an attached territory not much smaller than the average Earl¡¯s domain.


    With Liszt¡¯s strength, it was unlikely he would be used by the Grand Duke like other nobles of the Blue Blood Alliance.


    Essentially equal to half a feudal lord, half a member of the Blue Blood nobility, joining hands with him, the soon-to-be Marquis of Bull Tail, they could leap to become the largest power on Iron Hoof Island.


    At that time, the Tulip Family would become the truly great Nobles second only to the Sapphire Family.


    However, to his disappointment, Liszt shook his head decisively, ¡°It¡¯s impossible for me to directly follow the Grand Duke¡­ Brother, please go out for a while, check if there are any people moving around, and send them further away.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Levis was stunned for a moment, then stood up, ¡°Oh, all right.¡±

 Chapter 660 - Chapter 660: Chapter 0657: The Earl is Baffled (Second Update)

    Chapter 660: Chapter 0657: The Earl is Baffled (Second Update)


    Levis walked out of the study, closing the door firmly behind him. He was no fool, and it was clear that Liszt wanted to send him away¡ªalthough reluctant, at this stage, he truly did not possess the capacity to partake in the family¡¯s top secret affairs.


    Inside the study.


    The Earl and Liszt were each seated in spacious chairs. Loria had just paid a visit, bringing several cups of freshly brewed tea. The Earl tasted his tea, waiting for what Liszt was about to say¡ªhe was indeed a bit curious, as his son seemed consistently reluctant to follow the Grand Duke.


    Normally, becoming a follower of an even more prominent noble was certainly a cause for excitement.


    To become a direct follower of the Grand Duke, one would definitely obtain more opportunities and benefits than becoming a follower of an Earl or a Marquis. Other nobles would fight tooth and nail for such fortune, yet when it came to his own son, he flatly refused.


    It was utterly incomprehensible.


    The last time, it was tolerable given Liszt was only a Viscount, and following the Grand Duke wouldn¡¯t have brought him significant importance, not as much as following the Earl and helping the family strive for glory.


    This time, a Marquisate was within reach, with such high status and glory, refusal was inconceivable.


    He did not understand.


    Yet, Liszt was well aware of what he was doing.


    He had clear reasons for not wishing to follow the Grand Duke. As a noble Dragon Knight, the Grand Duke might just be a Dragon Domain Landlord, and the Sapphire Dragon seemed to be in a crippled state¡ªhow could a Dragon Knight pledge loyalty to a disabled Dragon Domain Landlord. If Leo discovered that he would have to submit to an injured Gemstone Dragon, he would probably fly into a rage on the spot.


    ¡°Father, you must be wondering why I am unwilling to follow the Grand Duke and also unwilling to split from the family,¡± Liszt spoke calmly, ¡°My reason for not wanting to split from the family is simple: I dislike the ¡®Giant Algae¡¯ surname. It doesn¡¯t sound prestigious, and besides, I have a more noble surname to choose from.¡±


    Disliking the ¡°Giant Algae¡± surname?


    What an absurd reason. The Earl found he was increasingly unable to understand his son: ¡°What nobler surname can you choose?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided on that surname yet.¡±


    The Earl was taken aback: ¡°What?¡±


    Liszt spoke deliberately: ¡°Based on my deduction, the Grand Duke hasn¡¯t actually succeeded in Dragon Riding; he is only a Dragon Domain Landlord. Furthermore, the Sapphire Dragon has been severely injured and is not only unhealed but also likely to have its lifespan shortened. Such a Landlord is not one I should be following.¡±


    He held a certain disdain for the Sapphire Duke¡ªthe Grand Duke who made his debut riding a Dragon was truly formidable, with a noble stance that made one believe he was a true Dragon Knight¡ªyet he was merely a Dragon Domain Landlord.


    At this moment, Liszt was organizing his thoughts, weighing the pros and cons, considering how to reveal his identity to the Earl. He no longer needed to be overly cautious; it was time to clear the air with the Earl, letting him weigh the future actions of the Tulip Family.


    Once a kingdom was formed, the Tulip Family would inevitably have to follow him.


    How the Tulip Family should then develop within the Duchy of Sapphire was a matter of another plan and strategy.


    The Earl was unaware of this.


    Hearing Liszt¡¯s argument, he frowned and spoke in a stern tone, ¡°Liszt, I know you are powerful, and as an inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman, you are capable of defeating Domain Knights. But do not underestimate the Grand Duke¡¯s strength; even if he is not a Dragon Knight but merely a Dragon Domain Landlord, he can still easily defeat any inheritor of the Ancient Warrior!¡±


    ¡°In fact, he can¡¯t kill me. Even in an honorable battle, the Grand Duke might no longer be able to best me.¡±


    ¡°You are too young and arrogant. Is it defeating a Domain Knight that has made you so blindly confident, or does the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance make you feel comparably strong as a Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Father, no one knows the power of a Dragon better than I do.¡±


    ¡°Then you should further recognize your current status, that you still need to respect the Grand Duke to continue developing within the Duchy of Sapphire!¡±


    ¡°Please take a sip of your tea and let me organize my words,¡± Liszt extended his hand, signaling the Earl to remain calm, his expression serene and in control.


    He was a Dragon Knight, and Ach was an Archmage.


    Although they had not yet reached their peak, their combined strength was absolutely capable of contending with the Sapphire Duke.


    Sooner or later, his identity had to be revealed; it couldn¡¯t be kept secret for a lifetime, nor did he wish to stay low and miserable without joy.


    The Earl was so far the most suitable person to be informed first. With the protection offered by the Earl, the secrecy of his Dragon Knight status could still be maintained. This also spared him the trouble of having to follow the Grand Duke¡ªhaving been given the option to follow the Grand Duke twice, it would be hard to keep refusing without a good explanation.


    Although he didn¡¯t want to bow to the Dragon Domain LandLord, if it was beneficial to his development, he could bear the humiliation and endure the burden for the time being.


    What he worried about more was that the Grand Duke, having spent decades with dragons and now having become the Dragon Domain LandLord, might detect his Dragon Knight identity during the oath of fealty. At that point, it would likely not just be a matter of swearing allegiance but could involve a battle to slay dragons.


    One must not harbor ill intentions but should never be without caution.


    Who knew whether the Sapphire Duke, upon discovering a Dragon Knight whose strength had yet to rise, would choose to nurture and provide an environment for growth, or resort to thunderous means to snatch the young dragon¡ªmost likely, there was a ninety-nine percent chance of the latter, securing longevity for his own family.


    Regardless of whether Liszt defeated the Grand Duke or the Grand Duke crushed Liszt, it would cause a huge stir.


    If foreign Dragon Knights took advantage of the void, the situation could become unmanageable by then.


    Therefore, the Earl¡¯s protection was crucial¡ªhis father preventing his son from swearing allegiance to others, to earn more military exploits for himself, might look greedy to outsiders, but truly it was an unarguable excuse.


    A moment later.


    Having thought through the details, he candidly confessed his identity: ¡°I have to be honest with you about one thing; there is no Ghost Swordsman Inheritance, that¡¯s just a ruse to mislead others. I have always been of the orthodox Knight cultivation system, merely a Sky Knight.¡±


    ¡°No Ghost Swordsman Inheritance?¡± The Earl¡¯s face changed, then he stared at Liszt, ¡°But your strength is greater than that of a Domain Knight, don¡¯t tell me this is just your natural talent?¡±


    ¡°Half of it is indeed my extraordinary talent, the other half is simple, I am a Dragon Knight,¡± he said calmly, revealing his identity.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Earl doubted he had heard correctly.


    Liszt seriously repeated himself: ¡°I am already a Dragon Knight.¡±


    ¡°Dragon Knight?¡± The Earl extended his hand, not knowing what he was gesturing, his expression turning quite stiff, ¡°You mean a Dragon Knight, one who rides a dragon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Fire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°A Fire Dragon? An Evil Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I will keep it from doing evil.¡±


    The Earl nodded faintly upon hearing this, seemingly coming to terms with the fact. He leaned back in his chair and casually picked up his tea, which he had already drunk halfway. However, Liszt still noticed that inside the transparent glass cup, the tea leaves were slightly trembling.


    Wanting to bring the cup to his lips, but the trembling grew worse, until his whole arm was shaking, and the tea was nearly spilling out, somehow unable to reach his mouth.


    Finally.


    The tea from the cup spilled, creating a large stain on his chest, yet he seemed oblivious, his gaze fixed on the void in front of him, ¡°A Dragon Knight, it is?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 661 - Chapter 661: Chapter 0658: Heh Heh (Third update, extra for Warlord)

    Chapter 661: Chapter 0658: Heh Heh (Third update, extra for Warlord)


    The Warlord changed his account every day to tip¡­


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The study was quiet, the weather in September not as hot as in August; all windows had already been replaced with glass, making the room particularly bright.


    The Earl seemed to hear Liszt talking about something, but his mind was no longer on that channel.


    Many fragments of time emerged in his mind.


    There were memories of his youth, when he first saw the Sapphire Dragon with his father¡¯s guidance, and of the shock that came with it; there were also moments of joy when Melissa gave birth to their second son, strengthening the line of the family he had been working all his life to glorify, to see the Tulip blossom on Sapphire.


    Indeed, thanks to his efforts, the Tulip Family¡¯s reputation gradually spread over Sapphire, and nobles great and small came to know of such a family, of such a Sea Wave Sword Saint.


    However, he didn¡¯t know since when,


    perhaps it started when Liszt came of age and decided to branch off.


    The accomplishments he had been so proud of seemed to become more and more laughable. He became a Sky Knight at twenty-three, and as the offspring of a minor noble, he was already considered a genius. However, his younger son, whom he had abandoned and never sponsored with any resources, became a Sky Knight at eighteen.


    He continued his family¡¯s legacy, raising one Greater Tulip Elf and twelve Little Minor Elves. Yet Liszt casually found a Greater Elf and a bunch of Minor Elves while swimming, and the number of elves produced by his modest estate almost matched the harvest Coral Island could achieve in ten years.


    He had longed for an Intermediate Magical Beast as his mount since his youth but never succeeded in acquiring one. Liszt, on the other hand, raised a bunch of Intermediate Magical Beast Blizzard Beasts, found a group of extraordinarily bred Black Blood Treasured Horses, and then there were the flying Landwalker Bird Loki and the diving Rainbow Whale Rose.


    Most importantly, he was now forty-six, and Liszt was only eighteen.


    In a live combat drill at the beginning of the year, he, a powerful Sword Saint, was pressed and beaten by Liszt, barely able to fight back. He convinced himself to accept this, to accept the reality that his son was stronger than himself. He also convinced himself to accept that his son was the Son of Glory, naturally blessed by the honor of knighthood.


    As a result,


    suddenly, Liszt became the inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance, with the power to directly defeat a formidable Domain Knight.


    Regardless, the Earl believed and tried hard to convince himself to be proud of his son, proud that his son could achieve such immense honors in battle¡ªespecially when the Grand Duke personally promised to let him pick from the three seats of Feudal Marquis of Iron Hoof Island, he truly felt the exceptionalness of the son he had brought into the world.


    The achievements that the Tulip Family would need generations to accomplish were so easily realized.


    This was already the perfect ending¡ªhe would rise to become the Marquis of Bull Tail, Liszt would rise to become the Marquis of Iron Hoof Island, and the Tulip Family would branch out, continuing as two separate marquis families.


    But,


    now he heard something else.


    ¡°Dragon Knight?¡± The Earl felt as if the foundation he had painstakingly convinced himself of, that shaped his worldview, outlook on life, and values, crashed down with a thunderous collapse.


    All that was left was confusion.


    He was confused that everything he had struggled for in life, in the face of the news that Liszt had become a Dragon Knight, had become laughable material.


    What did all those struggles, that persistence, that resilience add up to in front of a Dragon Knight!


    Tea from his cup spilled onto his clothes.


    He seemed not to notice, like an old man, lost in the memories of his life experiences¡ªthe joys and sorrows, the partings and reunions. It was as if only by hiding in these memories could he live like a real Sword Saint, strong and admired by countless others, bearing the fate of revitalizing his family.


    He didn¡¯t have to face the reality of this overwhelming, suffocating shock.


    Until a voice like a clap of thunder rang out by his ear: ¡°Father!¡±


    He suddenly snapped out of his reverie, and with a jolt, spilled the rest of the tea. Watching Liszt, who was waving his hand in front of him, his thoughts had not yet fully cleared, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your tea has spilled.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine, go on.¡± He put the teacup on the table, looked down at the water stains on his chest, took a deep breath, and his brain struggled to return to normal, ¡°Where were we? Ah yes, you said you are a Dragon Knight, right?¡±


    ¡°I had already explained once, Father, you must have been distracted,¡± Liszt said with a hint of helplessness. Who could have known that just the news of a Dragon Knight would startle the renowned Sea Wave Sword Saint like this?


    The Earl, pushing aside his muddled thoughts, said, ¡°Then let¡¯s hear it again.¡±


    ¡°I have gained the recognition of a Fire Dragon and have become a true Dragon Knight. My strength has become so formidable because I have been training with the Fire Dragon, and my Dou Qi has evolved into Dragon Dou Qi. Now my power is increasing at an incredible rate, and were I to face the Marquis Nuta again, I¡¯m afraid I could resolve him with a single move.¡±


    ¡°How would you compare to the Marquis of Bull?¡±


    ¡°Easily crushed.¡±


    ¡°The Grand Duke almost pulverized the Marquis of Bull in a single encounter. Do you think your strength is comparable to the Grand Duke¡¯s?¡± After a few deep breaths, the Earl¡¯s thinking had returned to normal, the bewildered look gone from his face.


    Picking up the fatherly authority once again.


    Only, the water stain on his chest was quite noticeable.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°When the Grand Duke crushed the Marquis of Bull, the Marquis of Bull had already been attacked by a hundred Sky Knights and was at the end of his rope. I dare not say I can absolutely defeat the Grand Duke but, to fight him to a draw should not be too big of a problem.¡±


    The Earl didn¡¯t respond immediately.


    Instead, he started idly tapping on the table with his hand, lost in thought.


    After a moment, he looked at Liszt seriously and said, ¡°Then, since you are already a Dragon Knight, where is your Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°I have hidden it away, but, I can let you, Father, feel the might of my Dragon Knight¡¯s Dragon Might!¡± Liszt smiled, mentally connecting with Leo, and instantaneously drew upon Leo¡¯s strength, unleashing waves of Dragon Might throughout his body¡ªnot exercising his full power, just within the confines of the study.


    But it was just this simple release of Dragon Might.


    The Earl suddenly felt goosebumps all over his body, as if his chest had been hit hard, air trapped in his stomach as if he might suffocate at any moment.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°This is the feeling, Dragon Might!¡±


    ¡°As intense as the Dragon Might of the Grand Duke and the Sapphire Dragon!¡±


    When the Dragon Might dissipated, the Earl swallowed, feeling bitter yet excited, forcibly suppressing the fluctuations in his emotions, and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Liszt, when can I see your Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Anytime you are free.¡±


    ¡°Huh? There¡¯s no need to communicate in advance?¡±


    ¡°Father.¡± Liszt spoke calmly, ¡°I am a Dragon Knight. The Fire Dragon is my battle companion, with mutual recognition. When I call it, it will appear. I do not need to negotiate for its cooperation like the Grand Duke used to do with the Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    The Earl suddenly banged on the table, ¡°I understand now¡­ However, I need some time to cool down and organize my thoughts. Let¡¯s talk in detail after dinner.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go have a chat with my brother. Take your time to think, Father,¡± Liszt said as he stood up and left the study, leaving the Earl to his silence.


    The door closed.


    The Earl¡¯s gaze remained on the door, but a sly smile suddenly formed on his lips, ¡°Heh, a Dragon Knight!¡±

 Chapter 664 - Chapter 664: Chapter 0661: Hundred Meter Wingspan (First Update)

    Chapter 664: Chapter 0661: Hundred Meter Wingspan (First Update)


    Seeing the Earl¡¯s envy and shock, Li Si Te felt extremely proud. At the current stage, his Dragon Knight identity couldn¡¯t be revealed; he could only show off in front of the Earl for the time being.


    However, just as he was about to ride Leo into the sky, he suddenly remembered that his Smoke Mission required discretion, and he had to restrain his urge to boast. To prevent mission failure, he had to suppress his desire to soar into the skies, dismount from Leo¡¯s back, and signal for Leo to return quickly.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Without much ado, Leo transformed into a huge blaze, engulfing Liszt. When the scorching flames dissipated, Liszt stood unharmed in the same spot, and Leo had reverted to the shape of a flaming dragon pattern on his chest. Using their mental connection, Leo communicated with Liszt.


    ¡°The appearance fee is at least ten magic potions!¡±


    ¡°No problem, perform well, and you won¡¯t miss out on your share of the magic potions,¡± he responded mentally.


    He then turned to the Earl and said with an air of nonchalance, ¡°Father, I¡¯ve summoned Leo back. It doesn¡¯t like to perform at random, despite being a young dragon, it still possesses a dragon¡¯s pride. Unless it gives its consent, no one can command it.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I understand.¡±


    With a touch of regret, the Earl nodded and then eagerly asked, ¡°So, has Leo been living inside you all this time?¡±


    ¡°This must be one of the dragon¡¯s magical abilities, an indestructible flesh and blood body that can also turn into a clump of magic power and attach to a knight,¡± Liszt did not elaborate. There were some secrets he did not want to disclose publicly or perhaps, like the other dragon-rearing families, he was beginning to consciously keep secrets for the sake of dragon rearing.


    After all, the secrets of dragons are safer when held by a select few.


    Otherwise, if all knights around the world were to seek dragons, wouldn¡¯t that create chaos and directly undermine the foundation of the dragon-rearing families?


    The Earl also understood this principle, so he didn¡¯t pry further but changed the subject, ¡°Leo looks much smaller than the Sapphire Dragon. Can its combat strength really compare to that of an adult Sapphire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°There is definitely a gap, but the cultivation methods of Dragon Knights and Dragon Domain Landlords are different. Dragon Domain Landlords focus more on seizing the dragon¡¯s lifespan rather than strength, whereas Dragon Knights and dragons cultivate and progress together¡­ Domain Landlords are like one plus one is less than two, but Dragon Knights are one plus one is greater than two.¡±


    ¡°As long as you know what you¡¯re doing, don¡¯t reveal it casually when it needs to be concealed. This is the foundation for our family¡¯s rise to power. Once we establish our nation, a single Fire Dragon might well protect our family for a millennium!¡±


    ¡°I understand. In fact, I¡¯ve never regarded the Grand Duke and Sapphire Dragon as my opposition. I believe that once we declare nationhood, a Dragon Slayer War is inevitable, as these kingdoms will not allow more forces to divide the resources. Among them, Summit Marquis Alonso Xiankelai is my most likely opponent in the Dragon Slayer War.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also investigated Alonso; he rides an adult Bronze Dragon, a Dragon Knight that the Eagle Kingdom has cultivated over the past decade. However, the Bronze Dragon is said to have experienced several generations of Dragon Knights and is in its dragon prime. Are you sure Leo can catch up to it within a few years?¡±


    ¡°Father, Elemental Dragons are different from Metal Dragons and Gemstone Dragons; they are naturally adept at combat. Moreover, Leo is just a juvenile and already has a wingspan of twenty meters, it won¡¯t take long before it surpasses the Bronze Dragon in size!¡±


    When Leo was born, it had a wingspan of about ten meters, which was not large compared to the fifteen-meter wingspan of the Formless Dragon; but a few months later, Leo¡¯s wingspan had reached twenty meters, significantly larger than the Formless Dragon. After devouring the Dragon¡¯s Intent left by the remains of the Fire Dragon, and then the Dragon¡¯s Intent accumulated by the Dodo Island Volcano, its growth rate was undeniably rapid.


    Based on the remains of the Fire Dragon Bones found on Black Horse Island, an adult Fire Dragon¡¯s wingspan might exceed 100 meters, making it one of the largest wingspan among all known dragons.


    Liszt didn¡¯t have much data at hand, but he still compiled a chart recording the size data of dragons.


    An adult Fire Dragon might have a wingspan of 100 meters, which is the largest known so far; an adult Light Dragon approximately 80 meters, based on estimates from Black Dragon Childe Paris; an adult White Maw Iron Dragon 60 meters, as encountered by Yevich Water Peanut; and an adult Sapphire Dragon 50 meters, as witnessed by Liszt himself.


    An adult Light Green Gemstone Dragon has a wingspan of 45 meters, also encountered by Yevich; while an adult Brass Dragon has a wingspan of 30 meters, again encountered by Yevich.


    Finally, the Bronze Dragon with a wingspan of about 30 meters, as heard by Blood Servants from purebloods in the Black Knight Family.


    The data might seem rudimentary, but it offers a glimpse into the dragons¡¯ sizes.


    Elemental Dragons are the largest in terms of size, Gemstone Dragons are moderate, and while there are Metal Dragons like the White Maw Iron Dragon with a 60-meter wingspan, most are 30-meter Bronze Dragons or Brass Dragons.


    Physical size may not represent combat power.


    However, it often takes two to three Dragon Knights to jointly slaughter an Evil Dragon, which indicates that Elemental Dragons, as represented by Evil Dragons, must be significantly stronger than Metal Dragons and Gemstone Dragons.


    ¡°Of course, these are just my personal speculations, unsupported by theoretical data, and can¡¯t be counted as reliable. I¡¯ll try to keep a low profile, and without making thorough preparations, I absolutely won¡¯t rashly provoke conflicts,¡± Liszt, though somewhat carried away, has not lost his reason.


    Dragon Knights can be cultivated!


    Other Dragon Knights may train for over a decade, and even if their dragon¡¯s combat power is a bit weak, the gap can be filled through training. Just as Sky Knights have the ordinary, Sword Saint, and Completion Level tiers, if Dragon Knights have similar rankings, Liszt, who just started Dragon Riding, would definitely be brutally beaten.


    Therefore, he still needed to follow the instructions of the Smoke Mission, to restrain his urge to show off and to discreetly explore ways of cultivation.


    ¡­


    On the way back, the Earl finally regained his usual composure.


    He had seen dragons before; every trip to Blue Dragon Island for meetings offered him a chance to see a Sapphire Dragon. Hence, the presence of a Fire Dragon couldn¡¯t shake him too much, the greater impact was that this Fire Dragon belonged to his son.


    Adjusting his mindset.


    He soon came to terms with it.


    His gaze towards Liszt now contained a few different shades, perhaps one day he would submit to Liszt and swear allegiance to him.


    Upon returning to Tulip Castle, Liszt did not linger and immediately requested to take his leave. A pile of matters awaited him in his domain, especially the allocation of military merits. He could exchange all of his military merits for supplies, but his followers needed these merits to advance in ranks.


    Becoming a Noble is every Knight¡¯s dream.


    ¡°You are busy with affairs; I won¡¯t hold you up if you need to return. However, you must come over to grandmother¡¯s place and pick a potted plant to take back with you!¡± Lady Penelope said.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you give me a potted plant a few days ago when you went to Fresh Flower Town?¡±


    ¡°That was a few days ago. Now, I¡¯ve decided that every time you come to Tulip Castle, you must take a potted plant from me,¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    There was no need to decline such an offer, and besides, he was also quite looking forward to Lady Penelope¡¯s potted plants. He ascended to the balcony, the Eye of Magic sweeping around, but unfortunately, he did not detect any glows of magic power and had to randomly choose a lush-looking potted plant to take away.


    Thus.


    The Landwalker bird Loki galloped away, and in less than half an hour, he was back in Fresh Flower Town¡ªthe Retainer Knights following behind him were still weaving through the roads, long used to Liszt¡¯s hurried comings and goings.


    Just as he returned to his Nameless Castle, he received a report from Butler Carter: ¡°Master, there was a riot in the Worm Room last night. Jela and several Little Minor Elves had a conflict that led to the room being filled with Thorns and other plants¡­ It finally subsided only after several Earth Knights intervened,¡±


    Liszt was immediately alarmed, ¡°Jela is all right, isn¡¯t she? My elves weren¡¯t injured, were they?¡±


    ¡°Jela and the elves only have some minor external injuries,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Liszt breathed a sigh of relief, then fixed a stern expression, ¡°These little brats are flipping the heavens while I¡¯m away. It seems they need a good tidying up!¡±

 Chapter 665 - Chapter 665: Chapter 662: Celebration Ceremony (Second Update)

    Chapter 665: Chapter 662: Celebration Ceremony (Second Update)


    Upon reaching the second floor of the castle, the walls were pockmarked and uneven, clearly the aftermath of last night¡¯s battle between the elves. Liszt¡¯s arrival was quickly sensed by these elves, and they began to crawl out of their boxes one after another, calling out to Liszt.


    Jela seemed to know she had done wrong, lying at the edge of her box, looking pitifully at Liszt and emitting a wronged cry, ¡°Wuwa.¡±


    Liszt ignored her and scolded sternly, ¡°Everyone come over here and line up on this table for me.¡±


    ¡°Gurulu.¡±


    ¡°Wuwa.¡±


    ¡°Jigu.¡±


    ¡°Ula!¡±


    The little elves flew out from their respective Worm Rooms and gathered at the table designated by Liszt, standing in line. They touched each other in a friendly manner but also glared and bared their teeth angrily. The elves varied in color and appearance, as well as in personality and temperament.


    ¡°Quiet, no one move!¡±


    After completely subduing the minor elves, Liszt then said to Butler Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, identify those who started the trouble last night, those who got into the fight, and assess the degree of each one¡¯s responsibility, big and small. Make sure not to cover for anyone.¡±


    ¡°Although the minor elves are very cute, they indeed need to be taught a lesson, my lord, I won¡¯t cover for any of them,¡± Carter said, his gaze fixed on Thorn Minor Elf Jela.


    And Jela was glaring back at him.


    But Carter was unfazed by the threat and directly accused, ¡°All the strife was provoked by Jela¡­¡±


    Jela cried out to stop Carter¡¯s snitching, ¡°Wuwa!¡±


    But Liszt quickly pressed her head down with his hand, signaling Carter to continue.


    ¡°Jela was the first to start the altercation, followed by the Coptis Minor Elf, who not only fought with Jela but also dragged the other minor elves into it.¡±


    ¡°Ula!¡± The Coptis Minor Elf yelled to express her grievance.


    Carter pointed out each minor elf¡¯s responsibility one by one; apart from a few mild-tempered minor elves like Corn Minor Elf Mickey, the rest had all been involved in the brawl. After understanding the situation, Liszt¡¯s gaze swept over the line of elves on the table and finally settled on Jela.


    ¡°Jela, for instigation, violence, and continued use of force, the greatest responsibility lies with you. Your punishment is to be grounded for a week, no, to be confined to your box for a week, it must be solitary confinement!¡±


    ¡°Wuwa!¡±


    ¡°Talk back again, and the confinement will be extended.¡±


    ¡°Wu¡­ wa¡­¡±


    ¡°Good, make it eight days of confinement!¡±


    Jela opened her mouth but finally dared not make any more noise.


    Liszt continued to announce, ¡°Coptis Minor Elf, for fighting, continued use of force, and escalating the situation, you bear the next greatest responsibility, five days of confinement for you!¡±


    The Coptis Minor Elf learned her lesson and didn¡¯t make a peep.


    The other brawling minor elves varied from one to three days of confinement. Thus, the minor elf brawl incident was neatly resolved, and Liszt¡¯s authority was further consolidated. The confinements would likely serve as a lesson for them, especially the hot-tempered Jela, who needed it the most.


    ¡­


    Having dealt with the affairs of Fresh Flower Town.


    Before retreating to explore the methods of Dragon Knight cultivation, Liszt headed to the port town to summon all his followers to assemble at the Knight Academy¡¯s Knight¡¯s Square.


    In the presence of the small town¡¯s residents, a grand celebration ceremony was held.


    Knight and Magician alike, as well as standout figures from other professions, were invited to attend and watch, packing the vast Knight¡¯s Square to the brim.


    In an office of the square¡¯s administrative building, Marcus was waiting for Liszt to check the list for this settlement of battle honors.


    Liszt trusted Marcus quite a lot; he didn¡¯t question the list but was ready to increase some of the rewards. Rich and willful, he didn¡¯t mind sharing more profits with his followers, as these followers would become the important foundation for his nation-building in the future.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve looked over the list. Is everything ready for the ceremony in the square?¡±


    Paris, responsible for maintaining order, answered him: ¡°My Lord, everything is properly prepared, we¡¯re just waiting for you to go and announce the start of the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    As he led everyone out of the administrative building, a thunderous applause erupted across the square, with many shouting slogans like ¡°Lord Landlord,¡± ¡°My Lord,¡± ¡°May the glory of the knights favor you,¡± and so on.


    He was already accustomed to such noise.


    Liszt, without any reaction, walked up to the podium, took his place in the very center, swept his gaze over the excited, frenzied crowd, and lowered his hand to signal them to quiet down.


    Suddenly.


    All sounds ceased, leaving only steady or rapid breathing in the space.


    This was the authority of the landlord: a word, a gesture, could control everything. Such a delightful sense of power made Liszt drunk with joy, unable to extricate himself.


    ¡°My subjects, welcome to the Pioneer Mandate victory ceremony.¡±


    Instantly, cheers erupted once again, rolling like a tide, roaring for a full minute, until they completely quieted down upon Liszt¡¯s second gesture for silence.


    Liszt spoke again, ¡°My followers, welcome to share with me the joy of victory. I hope the glory of knighthood will always favor me, my followers, my territory, and everything thriving within it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t give his followers time to cheer.


    He continued, ¡°During this Pioneer Mandate, thirty-one knights perished on Black Horse Island. They were dear comrades, close partners, loyal followers. They were the children of Black Horse Island, and its knights. We must not forget what they have sacrificed. Let us observe a minute of silence for them.¡±


    For one minute all was quiet, save for the distant barking of dogs.


    The minute of silence ended.


    The ceremony continued, and Liszt, foregoing any more polite but unnecessary words, pulled out the prepared list and read aloud, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before¡ªglory belongs to me, and I am with you. Now is the time to share that glory with you! The following names are being granted the title of Honored Knight for their battle achievements¡­¡±


    Whoosh!


    All the knights in Knight¡¯s Square began to breathe rapidly, even though most knew that they didn¡¯t have enough battle honors to be knighted, their hearts still raced.


    ¡°Marcus Wheel¡­¡±


    The first name on the list was Marcus. Liszt smiled as he watched his former family tutor, now the leader of the Knight Order, climb the podium with trembling, excited steps.


    He then kneeled on one knee, performing the knightly gesture of loyalty.


    Liszt nodded slightly and continued to read names: ¡°Charles Trap.¡±


    Leader of the security team, a knight once down on his luck who drifted to Coral Island and volunteered to give up his noble title to follow Liszt. His eyes filled with tears, he strode onto the podium and kneeled next to Marcus, also performing the knightly gesture of loyalty.


    Afterward, Liszt continued to read seven more names, and the podium was a sea of kneeling figures.


    Finally, he read the last name: ¡°Griffin Straw Stack.¡±


    One of the first knights to follow him, born an orphan and only a Common Earth Knight. Relying on the spirit of fearless charge during knightly assaults, and the luck favored by knightly glory, he achieved battle honors not inferior to those of an Elite Earth Knight.


    So it was.


    Ten Honored Knights were officially ennobled, and Black Horse Island saw the birth of its first nobles.

 Chapter 667 - Chapter 667: Chapter 0664: Local Area Network (First Update)

    Chapter 667: Chapter 0664: Local Area Network (First Update)


    Emily¡¯s talent was indeed powerful, and she possessed the determination to practice diligently. Liszt had no reason to stop her¡ªknights recover quickly as long as they are well-nourished, and don¡¯t face the risk of overtraining and crippling themselves like ordinary people do.


    If she could really make a breakthrough to become a Sky Knight.


    Then he would have the only female Sky Knight follower in the Duchy of Sapphire, which was a rather exhilarating honor. Moreover, her entire career was sponsored by Liszt, meaning she belonged wholly to Liszt. Even if she became ennobled in the future, she would still be a noble of the type found in the Blue Blood Alliance.


    The Blue Blood Alliance was a ¡°private military force¡± of knight order belonging to the Sapphire Family.


    Perhaps in the future, Liszt would also need to establish his own family¡¯s private military force¡ªthe Burning Legion. As for why such an ominous name, it was because he had a Little Fire Dragon Leo that could burn endlessly, so naturally, it would be called the Burning Legion.


    And such a name gave him an inexplicable thrill as if he had become the ultimate Boss.


    In any case, Emily was a huge potential stock worth investing in, just like the twin Magic Apprentice sisters, Lucy and Ruth, all of whom were targets indicated by the Smoke Mission. In Liszt¡¯s view, it probably meant that these three had ¡°Hero Templates,¡± and if nurtured properly, would become powerful ¡°heroes.¡±


    Liszt couldn¡¯t teach Lucy and Ruth, the magic knowledge, but he could guide Emily in knight training.


    While he was immersed in teaching, many Magic Plants and Magic Plants from the Child of the Sun civilization that had been transported from villas by the sea in Fresh Flower Town were now shipped to Black Horse Island and carried to the Magic Academy. Most of the research material translated by Ach also arrived by ship.


    Now these materials and Magic Plants would be handed over to Chris Truth, who would arrange for the magicians at the Magic Academy to work together to tackle Natural Magic.


    The three Grand Magicians confined to the Magic Academy could also participate in this research¡ªa study deemed by Liszt to be of little value.


    The growth rate of the Magic Plants was severely below expectations, taking years to mature and over a decade to become high-yielding. Even with high yields, they couldn¡¯t make up for the initial magic resource consumption. The conditions for casting Natural Magic were very stringent, especially for transformation Natural Magic, which required the bloodline of the Child of the Sun.


    So, while Ach focused on researching the Magic Web, Liszt decided to entrust these Magic Plants and Natural Magic to the Magic Academy for further study.


    It would enrich the knowledge of the magicians, diverting them from researching topics they shouldn¡¯t, and should there be a breakthrough in Natural Magic, all the better.


    In any case, the civilization of the Child of the Sun rapidly caught the attention of many magicians, led by Chris, and even vampires like Mary Dawnbreak became involved in studying Natural Magic¡ªmainly interested in researching Druid transformations, which shared a similar magic essence with their ability to transform into bats.


    ¡°Actually, for these magicians, I should issue more research topics to help them transform into scholars!¡± Liszt knew that the magicians at the Magic Academy were focused on studying Natural Magic, and he had some new ideas.


    Originally, he intended for Chris to make the Magic Academy a ¡°technical college¡± type, training workers who only knew how to refine Magic Potions and create Magic Equipment. But now it seemed that publishing some interesting topics for research might genuinely turn the Magic Academy into an integrated ¡°university¡± of education, research, and application.


    ¡°The magicians in this world are too enamored with magic power itself, unable to extricate themselves, while knights are solely fixated on charging into battle, all overlooking the technical value of magic power itself.¡±


    On the way back to Fresh Flower Town.


    He was still pondering this issue, ¡°Can I treat magic power as a kind of energy source? Since it is possible to create various combat and auxiliary Magic Equipment, why not apply Magic Equipment for civilian use, such as making a magic-powered electric fan¡­ However, magic storage is a problem.¡±


    Magic Power must be guided by magicians to form powerful magic.


    For things like Magic Equipment, knights and magicians also need to use Magic Power to activate the Magic Arrays within them.


    ¡°Regardless, this is an excellent idea. I¡¯ll have Chris pay more attention to this aspect¡­ It is said that during the height of the Moon Empire, they could build a Magic Teleportation Array that reached the moon. I wonder if I can get the magicians to research the Teleportation Array, and if they could make a successful breakthrough?¡±


    They could probably research until their hair turned white.


    ¡­


    The affairs of the territory were settled.


    It would probably take another month or two to prepare for the promotion to marquis, so there was no need for Liszt to worry.


    He had just received a letter from his cousin, Mei Oubo.


    In the letter, Mei Oubo congratulated him on becoming a powerful Ghost Swordsman and the second strongest person in the country, and thanked him for the often-sent invigorating and energizing foods and medicines. Lastly, it mentioned that Marquis Merlin¡¯s health had improved, and if conditions allowed, the marquis would like to come to Black Horse Island to celebrate the annual festival with him this year.


    Liszt instructed a servant to bring paper and pen and quickly wrote a reply¡ªthe content of the letter was rather simple, just expressing his intention to find time to visit Red Crab Island soon.


    After writing the letter, he had one of the Retainer Knights send it to Tulip Castle on his behalf.


    Then he announced that he would go into seclusion.


    Seclusion did not mean locking himself away completely; it simply meant declining social engagements and putting aside the administration of the territory to focus solely on eating, sleeping, and cultivation.


    The main place for his seclusion was the seaside villa.


    He planned to have Ach assist him in studying the next step in the Dragon Knight¡¯s training methods¡ªas one could probably deduce from the Smoke Mission, dragon-riding training and Ach¡¯s advancement as an Archmage were related, and there might be significant lessons to learn. Ach had mentioned before that a knight is like a mini Magic Web.


    If the real Magic Web is the internet, then a knight himself might be a local area network.


    ¡°Ach, do you think if a knight¡¯s Magic Web expanded indefinitely, would it eventually become a Magic Web similar to the real Magic Web?¡± he tried to provide Ach with some inspiration.


    On Earth, the existence of the GFW meant that China¡¯s internet was essentially a large local area network.


    But for most people, this large local area network was practically no different from the internet; aside from not being able to browse foreign websites, it was fully functional.


    The Magic Web properties of a weak knight were very faint, akin to a small local area network made up of a few connected computers. Now, as a Dragon Knight, Liszt¡¯s Magic Web properties should be very close to a real Magic Web, similar to this large local area network of China.


    Perhaps by thoroughly studying his operating principles as a Dragon Knight, Ach could truly touch the essence of the Magic Web.


    Therefore.


    In the following period.


    He was engrossed in intensive research on the secrets of dragon-riding with Ach.


    He often traveled to Dodo Island, released Little Fire Dragon Leo, and would ride Leo as he followed Ach¡¯s arrangements for various trials. Although he had not yet discovered new cultivation methods beyond Dragon Magic Refining Qi and Dragon Breath Tempering, his skills in dragon riding combat had become exceedingly proficient, especially since Leo¡¯s Magic Power was connected to his Dou Qi.


    The power of his attacks multiplied by several geometrical magnitudes.


    A single use of the Crimson Dawn Burn could redden half the sky, and a Scorching Sun Sting could directly create a meteorite crater on the ground. Three Arrows Released Together was even more powerful than missile launches.


    Every time he rode a dragon, a thought would automatically surface in his mind, ¡°I am very strong!¡±

 Chapter 668 - Chapter 668: Chapter 0655 Morse Code (Second Update)

    Chapter 668: Chapter 0655 Morse Code (Second Update)


    The autumn leaves turned yellow.


    In the blink of an eye, September had passed, and October arrived with ease.


    The cool weather swept through, bringing down rustling leaves, and Liszt, who had been in closed training for half a month, had made rapid progress. His Completion Advanced Level Fire Attribute Dou Qi was almost fully evolved into the higher-tier Dragon Dou Qi, and it was only a matter of time before it could evolve into the level of Dragon¡¯s Intent.


    By then, he felt that he might be able to switch between the Dragon¡¯s Intent form and his fleshly body at will, just like Leo could.


    Of course, whether this was possible was unknown.


    This was merely his guess, as he had never seen a real Dragon Knight and had not received any information on the training of Dragon Knights, so he had no way to judge.


    ¡°Ach, how should I classify the Dragon Dou Qi?¡± Liszt asked the Sea Serpent who was busying over books, sketching and writing.


    Ach lifted his head and pondered for a moment, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s not classify it for now. The evolutionary information of Dragon Dou Qi is not sufficient. We need to organize more data to better delineate its levels.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Liszt was somewhat disappointed, as he enjoyed setting standards for things.


    He remembered hearing on Earth that first-class enterprises set standards, second-class enterprises build brands, and third-class enterprises make products. He hoped to become a pioneer who sets standards, rather than an imitator who follows in the footsteps of predecessors¡­ At least in the Duchy of Sapphire, he could be a pioneer.


    He then asked, ¡°So in the research over this period, have you summarized any clues about the training of Dragon Knights and touching the Magic Web?¡±


    During this time, he had been cooperating with Ach and hadn¡¯t done much thinking on his own.


    He had been more focused on figuring out the combined attacks with Leo.


    Leo itself did not know magic.


    Its battles relied more on biting, ramming, breath attacks, and the most commonly used Magic Power Shock.


    These simple attack methods were enough to shatter any obstacle in their way. When its wings flapped to unleash the Magic Power Shock, the endless flames it conjured could incinerate everything within a hundred meters. Even when it released Dragon¡¯s Intent, the surroundings would instantly turn into a landscape of molten lava.


    However, Leo was reluctant to release Dragon¡¯s Intent at will; it was a key factor in its growth, and once a bit was used up, it took a long time to replenish.


    When it becomes an adult and its Dragon¡¯s Intent is abundant, it might easily cause volcanic eruptions just by revealing its power a little.


    But Leo¡¯s way of attacking was rough, barbaric, primitive, impulsive, consuming a tremendous amount of power, which might only achieve a small objective. What Liszt needed to do was to guide with his own Dou Qi, helping Leo improve its attack efficiency, and perfectly execute their combat power in tandem.


    Once Leo¡¯s attacking power was no longer wasted but highly concentrated, its strength naturally doubled.


    He conceptualized this as a new form of training and named it¡ªDragon Force Focus. However, this method of Dragon Force Focus did not receive acknowledgment from the Smoke Mission, and the mission remained incomplete.


    With Dragon Force Focus not being acknowledged, Liszt then worked hard to develop another new training method. By making use of the mental harmony when riding dragons and the long-distance mental connection when not, he continually refined his and Leo¡¯s Spiritual Power and established a set of methods related to thought shielding and message transmission.


    It was somewhat similar to Morse code, so he named this brand-new communication method¡ªDragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    Unfortunately, the Smoke Mission still did not acknowledge the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    Nonetheless, Liszt himself believed that, whether it was Dragon Force Focus or Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, both were worthy of being recorded in his ¡°Liszt¡¯s Dragon Knight Training Complete Manual¡± as a family heirloom to pass down through generations¡ªif nothing unexpected happened, this book would be his latest work following ¡°Liszt¡¯s Dragon Rearing Manual.¡±


    He just had not started writing it yet.


    These two training methods were the best answers Liszt could come up with recently, but unfortunately, the Smoke Mission just did not acknowledge them, so he could only seek help from Ach.


    I didn¡¯t hold out much hope; the research time was too short. It shouldn¡¯t have made much progress this fast.


    But Ach nodded and said, ¡°Brother, based on the resonance phenomenon you told me about, plus Ach¡¯s research on the magic array, there is already some clue. However, some experiments need to be designed to verify Ach¡¯s ideas. If they are correct, Brother¡¯s Dragon Knight training method can be determined.¡±


    ¡°Really!¡±


    Liszt was overjoyed and said, the rambling aside, his little sea monster was reliable: ¡°Quickly, what¡¯s the idea?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the resonance idea,¡± Ach explained. ¡°Brother and Leo can connect their Dou Qi and minds, but the connection frequency hasn¡¯t been overlaid. If it can overlap and resonate, a special effect might be achieved¡­ Brother and Leo might even assimilate with each other during the resonance.¡±


    Liszt understood the principle of resonance, but he was puzzled about another issue: ¡°Assimilate?¡±


    ¡°Assimilation of magic power, perhaps Brother will soon be able to switch between Dragon¡¯s Intent and flesh as easily as Leo does.¡±


    Liszt breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°I thought you meant Leo and I would merge into one, becoming half-human, half-dragon.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, no, Brother. Have you ever heard of a Dragon Knight and a dragon growing together?¡±


    ¡°Right, then focus on designing the experiment. Strive to obtain results soon. I have a feeling that if this training method is successful, you might also be promoted to Archmage because of it!¡±


    Ach pondered: ¡°Maybe so. If Brother can resonate with Leo, why can¡¯t Ach touch the Magic Web through resonance?¡±


    Then she fell into deep thought.


    Liszt didn¡¯t disturb her and quietly left the room to go to the adjacent pool worm room. The Giant Algae Greater Elf was floating comfortably on the water, sleeping soundly. When Pike didn¡¯t open his mouth, he really looked like a huge, yellow-brown gemstone. The little Minor Elves of Giant Algae next door were also sleeping, all very pretty.


    They were fortunate, as Minor Elves, to have their own names.


    The Minor Elves who followed had not even grasped a name. Especially the two Little Sea Monster Minor Elves left by Yevich Water Peanut, both called Water Peanut, indistinguishable from each other¡ªprovided some Jade Powder every day, the two Water Peanuts could sleep beautifully all day, pretty easy to care for.


    After watching the elves for a while, he stood up and left the seaside Castle to return to the Nameless Castle.


    Preparing to have lunch and take a nap, Butler Carter reported to him: ¡°Master, the White Paper Workshop has delivered the latest batch of paper. The boxes have been placed in Master¡¯s study.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look.¡±


    Entering the study.


    Opening the box, Butler Carter presented a stack of yellowish-gray paper sheets with trembling hands as if he was holding rare treasures.


    Compared to the stinky and thick hide paper, these new-style paper sheets indeed could be considered treasures.


    But Liszt casually took a few sheets, felt them with his hand; they were very rough. Shaking his head, he said, ¡°Not up to standard. Tell Lavaigne at the White Paper Workshop to continue improving the process. Don¡¯t think about fooling me with a bunch of subpar goods! Also, burn this batch of paper directly, leave none behind.¡±


    The paper was still in a secret stage, absolutely not to be leaked, and any subpar goods were directly burned.


    His standards for the paper mill¡¯s products needed to be such that they allowed for smooth writing and were not prone to decay; they didn¡¯t need to be as high quality as fine writing paper, but they couldn¡¯t be too poor either. Once the white paper was made, there would be further research on toilet paper¡ªalthough it was comfortable to wipe with cloth, it somehow lacked a certain feeling.


    Watching as Carter personally threw all the sheets into the fireplace to burn.


    Liszt suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Regarding the ransom for Garcia and Fox, haven¡¯t people from the Eagle Kingdom come to negotiate yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, Master.¡±


    He nodded and said no more, but he was very puzzled: ¡°Strange, wouldn¡¯t the two Sky Knights just give up like that? Could it be that Alonso as a Dragon Knight is so extravagant that he doesn¡¯t even care about his Sky Knight followers? Or is there some reason for the delay?¡±

 Chapter 671 - Chapter 671: Chapter 668: Yu Chous Protection (First Update)

    Chapter 671: Chapter 668: Yu Chou¡¯s Protection (First Update)


    Having thoroughly researched the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, Liszt could hang it on his waist every day, but the blade without a scabbard seemed somewhat awkward.


    Therefore, the next task for Alvin Eagle Sword was to craft a sheath for the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword.


    Playing with the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, Liszt suddenly remembered the huge harpoon he had brought back from the Fish Ugly Temple. He had not yet studied the Necrofish Ugly within it. He immediately left the Knight Academy and found an open area by the seaside, from where he took out the harpoon from the Gemstone Space.


    The more than five-meter-long harpoon was directly inserted into the sandy mud by the seaside.


    Next, Liszt took out the Soul Storage Vessel and tipped it upside down like a teapot, and instantly a stream of glowing smoke poured out, which then formed into the figure of a 36D young woman.


    It was Virginia Truth, Curtis Truth¡¯s sister.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m out again, Viscount Liszt, I feel like it has been a long time since we last met,¡± Virginia had grown accustomed to living as a soul.


    Liszt smiled and said, ¡°It has been quite a while.¡±


    As his strength continued to grow and more magicians joined his territory, his research capabilities steadily increased. However, the role that Virginia, a common magician, could play had become increasingly minor. He had grown reluctant to release her often and even planned to hand her and the Soul Storage Vessel over to Ach for research.


    Today, he summoned her with the goal of consulting her on how to summon the Necrofish Ugly from the harpoon and turn it into a weapon to guard him.


    He was not particularly interested in the meager combat power of the Necrofish Ugly, but after all, it could cast advanced magic and was considered Grand Magician level. If he could fix it to his flagship, the Sunset, it could provide a significant defense while sailing the open sea.


    If they encountered a sea monster or pirates, striking unexpectedly might prove to be exceptionally effective.


    ¡°Virginia, you have grown accustomed to being a soul, can you sense that there is also a powerful soul hidden within this harpoon?¡±


    Virginia floated toward the harpoon, and her soul passed through it, then exclaimed in surprise, ¡°I feel a cold breath of death, but the soul power wrapped within is very weak, Viscount Liszt, can you tell me the origin of this harpoon?¡±


    ¡°It comes from the ancient relic, the Fish Ugly Temple. There is a Necrofish Ugly hidden inside this harpoon; it guarded the Fish Ugly Temple but was killed by me. I feel it is hiding inside the harpoon, so I wanted to release it to see if I could subdue it and have it protect the safety of my ships.¡±


    ¡°A Necrofish Ugly? Perhaps I can activate it.¡±


    ¡°That would be appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you want to activate it here? It might still try to attack you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if I could annihilate it once, I could do it twice,¡± Liszt said with a slight smile. Although last time, it wasn¡¯t he who had acted, but killing the Necrofish Ugly on land was a piece of cake for him.


    Virginia spoke no further.


    Her soul directly touched the harpoon, and her body flickered with light. The next moment, the same light shone on the harpoon. Then, a twisted green light was projected from the harpoon, which transformed into the towering image of the Necrofish Ugly, ten meters tall. However, compared to its ferocity when first seen, this time the Necrofish Ugly appeared clearly dull.


    ¡°Is this¡­ due to not adapting to the land environment?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Virginia floated next to the Necrofish Ugly, looking like a tiny dot, ¡°Viscount Liszt, I think it¡¯s because you inflicted heavy damage on its soul when you first killed it, causing it now to be soul-damaged and thus devoid of basic consciousness.¡±


    ¡°So, this Necrofish Ugly is now useless?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What a pity for such a grand harpoon; now that the Necrofish Ugly has become dull, it seems nobody can use it anymore,¡± Liszt shook his head slightly and then said, ¡°Virginia, I¡¯m getting ready to attend a banquet now, please return to the Soul Storage Vessel for now, and we can chat again when I¡¯m free.¡±


    However, Virginia didn¡¯t move, but appeared somewhat hesitant and undecided.


    Liszt frowned at her.


    She finally seemed to make a decision, ¡°Viscount Liszt, if you wish to command the Necrofish Ugly and this spear, perhaps I can offer some assistance.¡±


    ¡°What kind of assistance?¡±


    ¡°I can replace the soul of the Necrofish Ugly with my own. In the mass of the Necrofish Ugly¡¯s soul-shadow, only the core is the soul, the periphery is some kind of power I am unfamiliar with. Once I take the place of the core soul, I will be able to control the entire Necrofish Ugly.¡±


    Liszt was somewhat surprised but then he said, ¡°If I am not mistaken, the undead are different from souls. The undead include the power from before death, which is transformed into the state of a soul, but the soul itself is not strong. As you have seen, the soul of the Necrofish Ugly has been destroyed, but its power from before death still exists.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± she said.


    ¡°So, are you truly willing to replace the soul of the Necrofish Ugly and become such an ugly undead monster?¡±


    Virginia nodded earnestly, ¡°Compared to staying in the Soul Storage Vessel, asleep and unaware of the passing of time, I prefer to have some measure of freedom. The Necrofish Ugly is indeed very ugly, but for someone in my state as a soul, ugly and beauty mean nothing. Viscount Liszt, please let me take the place of the Necrofish Ugly as its guardian!¡±


    A 36D young woman¡¯s soul was about to become the soul of a ten-meter-tall Necrofish Ugly.


    It might be a sudden shift in style, but Liszt had no reason to stop her. Rather than confine her to the Soul Storage Vessel, he preferred to grant her the limited freedom of the Necrofish Ugly¡¯s form, ¡°Then, I agree.¡±


    ¡°I am very grateful for Viscount Liszt¡¯s generosity!¡± Virginia bowed solemnly, and thence, her form determinedly flew towards the tall, foolish-looking Necrofish Ugly.


    She plunged into the green light and quickly found the shattered soul, merging with it swiftly.


    The next second.


    The shadowy body of the Necrofish Ugly shuddered.


    Afterward, the light seemed to slightly change. The originally ugly and fierce face of the Necrofish Ugly actually underwent some transformation, gaining an expression resembling that of Virginia¡¯s.


    A quarter-hour of silence passed.


    The Necrofish Ugly slowly began to speak, ¡°Li¡­szt¡­ intuition¡­¡±


    The words were muffled and Liszt couldn¡¯t make them out clearly, but after the Necrofish Ugly adjusted itself, its speech became more distinct, ¡°Viscount Liszt, I have replaced the soul of the Necrofish Ugly.¡±


    ¡°How does it feel?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tolerable. I can feel a sense of physical touch that I haven¡¯t felt for a long time,¡± she said, stretching out her hand to pick up the spear stuck in the ground, ¡°I¡¯ve merged with the fragmented memories of the Necrofish Ugly. Most of it seems blank, with just a few spells left to cast.¡±


    Liszt became interested upon hearing this, ¡°How is it different from a human¡¯s spellcasting?¡±


    ¡°It is somewhat different, but the basic principle remains the same, especially since these spells seem to be advanced magic. I¡¯ve never experienced such a manner of spellcasting before¡­ No, I need some time to adjust before I can cast these spells.¡± Virginia had only been a common magician in her life, never having experienced dynamic magic arrays, and thus incapable of casting advanced magic.


    ¡°You have ample time to adjust. Meanwhile, record the spellcasting procedures. However, can you exist in this state indefinitely?¡±


    ¡°Seems not, my soul is decaying. In another half-hour, I probably won¡¯t be able to sustain the body of the Necrofish Ugly. However, I can enter the spear to replenish my soul¡¯s energy. After gathering enough, I can come out again¡­ By the way, Viscount Liszt, the name of this spear is Tear Staff.¡±


    Even though it is a five-pronged spear, it¡¯s called the Tear Staff.

 Chapter 672 - Chapter 672: Chapter 0669: Solving the Difficult Problem (Second Update)

    Chapter 672: Chapter 0669: Solving the Difficult Problem (Second Update)


    Liszt stowed the Tear Staff into the Gemstone Space, and interestingly enough, Virginia was still able to restore her soul power within the Tear Staff as if unaffected by the stillness of the Gemstone Space.


    This led Liszt to feel that the stillness within the Gemstone Space was probably a suspension of all things on the material level.


    As for the non-material level, or rather, the spiritual dimension, it did not seem to be effective ¡ª living things upon entering the Gemstone Space would inevitably face the dissipation of their souls, probably due to the lack of a suitable vessel to contain them. But once there was a vessel like the Soul Storage Vessel or Tear Staff, they could survive.


    Perhaps when the day came for him to ride a Formless Dragon, he would be able to thoroughly comprehend the magical properties of the Formless Dragon¡¯s magic power.


    The banquet.


    Relishing the taste of roasted suckling pig, purebred Estuary Pigs were yet to be sampled and for now, it was only the mixed breed Estuary Pigs, but the flavor already surpassed that of ordinary pigs by several multiples. With a delicate texture and rich flavor, the simple seasoning concocted a savory taste that complemented the moderate fat content of the Estuary suckling pig¡¯s meat.


    Just the smell could make one¡¯s mouth water profusely, let alone the taste upon reaching one¡¯s mouth.


    Accompanied by fish soup from wellfish, stir-fried eggs from Green-headed Ducks and Flamingos, and a variety of other rich ingredients, the meal truly whetted Liszt¡¯s appetite.


    The value of the food consumed in one sitting was probably higher than the annual expenses of an average commoner.


    Such was the luxurious life of a noble, the stronger the Knight the richer the food required, as after all, Dou Qi originated from within the Knight himself and was not drawn from the ambient magic power or the Magic Web. However, compared to other Noble Landlords who relied on exploiting the commoners for survival, Liszt mainly depended on doing business and the Pioneer Mandate.


    The glass business was already booming across Sapphire and spreading to the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    Fresh Flower Brew and Fresh Flower Soap were gradually expanding their sales territory, raking in a fortune daily.


    Once the future paper was qualified, it was sure to set off a new sales frenzy, by which time he probably could amass wealth to rival nations with just glass and paper ¡ª as a Dragon Knight, he already had enough power to ensure a technological monopoly, which naturally brought exorbitant profits as a monopolistic business.


    ¡°Such a life is truly not a waste of a transmigration.¡±


    After the banquet, enjoying several pastries made from Banpo Cattle milk as dessert, Liszt felt undeniably proud of himself.


    People have different aspirations, some favor starting revolutions and striving for a world of great unity.


    However, he held no such lofty interests; to protect the happiness of the people in his domain and then enjoy life and explore the world was his greatest pleasure.


    ¡°The previous small goal of dragon riding has been achieved, now I shall set another small goal ¡ª to establish a kingdom within ten years, and become a truly independent and unrestrained grand Landlord!¡±


    Having a goal.


    Made him feel an unlimited drive, with a better life beckoning, ¡°As for long-term goals, that would be to contract with an Immortal Dragon, becoming a Dragon Domain Landlord and sharing its longevity. I don¡¯t ask for much, just to live a few hundred or a thousand years more, and I guess my life would be thoroughly satisfied.¡±


    In the past, he thought a hundred years was sufficient, why yearn for immortality?


    But now he believes otherwise, too little of such a beautiful life is enjoyed in just a hundred years. He wouldn¡¯t want to see Ach reach adulthood only to find himself with wrinkles on his forehead.


    ¡­


    The following day, Liszt continued his seclusion, delving into research and cultivation with Ach.


    As Ach was verifying the resonance principles of the Magic Web and encountered a few unsolvable problems requiring assistance, Liszt asked her to write them down, then hurriedly took the problems to the Mage Tower to find Chris Truth for solutions ¡ª with four Grand Magicians, eight Vampires, and several Common Magicians, their assembly was indeed luxurious.


    No matter how clever Ach was, her knowledge reservoir was still too limited, with almost no contact with humans. Everything she knew about the magical world came from the Magic Books Liszt found for her, naturally in many aspects, she couldn¡¯t compare to human Magicians who had traveled far and wide.


    Chris received the thick leather-bound notebook and said, ¡°Viscount, I¡¯ll arrange for the Grand Magicians to lead their teams to tackle these problems right away.¡±


    ¡°Very well, resolve these issues as soon as possible; I urgently need answers.¡±


    Liszt simply stayed in the Mage Tower, waiting for the magicians to solve the problems.


    However, what he did not expect was that when Chris sought out the three Grand Magicians with the problems, they all responded: ¡°Sorry, no time!¡±


    This was not the attitude of captives.


    Liszt immediately asked, ¡°Chris, what are they busy with?¡±


    ¡°They have recently been so engrossed in natural magic that they cannot extricate themselves, spending all their time with those magic plants, even discussing collaborative research into druid transformation magic with Mary and the others,¡± Chris said helplessly. Once magicians become obsessed with a certain research, their stubbornness is quite terrifying.


    Liszt went directly to the three Grand Magicians and said sternly, ¡°I don¡¯t care how much you like natural magic; now, solve these problems for me. If you do, you can continue your research into natural magic. If not, all magic plants and materials will be confiscated!¡±


    ¡°Viscount, our research will be epoch-making; you should not underestimate natural magic so lightly!¡±


    ¡°Yes, once we unlock the secrets of magic plant growth, the world will never lack for grain again! This research has great strategic value; you should fully support us!¡±


    ¡°Druid transformation magic is also a powerful force in combat, even capable of overcoming the disadvantage that magicians can¡¯t take to the battlefield!¡±


    Liszt¡¯s face was expressionless: ¡°First, resolve my problems, then you can study natural magic!¡±


    ¡°For truth, we refuse!¡±


    ¡°If truth can¡¯t be explained for even a moment, we won¡¯t work for you for even a moment!¡±


    ¡°You can detain our bodies, but you can¡¯t imprison the souls that yearn for truth!¡±


    The three Grand Magicians were stubborn as mules, unmoved by Liszt¡¯s threats, unless he used force.


    But he was not a man who advocated violence.


    He believed more in his own personal charm: ¡°What if I say, in my territory, there exists a descendant of the Child of the Sun; would you be willing to solve these difficulties for me then?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°A descendant of the Child of the Sun?¡±


    ¡°The true caster of druid transformation magic?¡±


    The three Grand Magicians immediately put away their shameless demeanor and said with lifted spirits, ¡°Viscount, please tell us where the descendant of the Child of the Sun is; you must understand his importance surpasses everything in the territory!¡±


    Liszt glanced at Chris, then turned to look at the three Grand Magicians: ¡°Solve the problems, and I will bring him to cooperate with your research¡­ Let¡¯s agree beforehand, everything is to be voluntary, no forcing the other party, and no inhumane treatment allowed.¡±


    After all, Old Phil was of an advanced age and could not withstand too much disturbance.


    Cooperating by drawing a little blood might be acceptable, but being treated as a guinea pig was clearly inappropriate. Although a landlord had the full authority of life and death over his subjects, Liszt¡¯s morals did not allow him to harm ordinary people who were just trying to live their lives.


    After saying these words,


    he turned and walked away.


    Seeing this, the three Grand Magicians looked at each other and immediately said in unison: ¡°Your Excellency Chris, we are tight on time; let¡¯s hurry and tackle these difficult questions!¡±

 Chapter 675 - Chapter 675: Chapter 0672: Mission Complete (First Update)

    Chapter 675: Chapter 0672: Mission Complete (First Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°My son Liszt, whom I am so proud of, your great efforts significantly contributed to the glory of my title,¡± said the Earl, no, the Marquis of Bull Tail, as he patted Liszt on the shoulder. There was none of the father¡¯s solemnity, only his tender love. In fact, the Marquisate was entirely earned by Liszt himself.


    Looking at his tall and handsome second son, the Earl was filled with emotions that swelled in his belly.


    From the moment Liszt was born, resembling Melissa, the Earl had high hopes for him, wishing he would surpass himself; to the disappointment and disenchantment that grew when Liszt became increasingly timid, aloof, and seemed like a lost cause in terms of talent.


    Now, every step that Liszt took shook the world, leaving the Earl not only shocked but also in a position to regard him as an equal, if not look up to him.


    The Earl¡¯s second son not only maintained his handsome features as always, but his talents had also undergone an earth-shaking transformation.


    Everyone returned to the sitting room of the castle.


    While the ladies had their own gatherings and chats, the sitting room was filled with the Marquis of Bull Tail¡¯s followers. Among these followers, four Viscounts were the leaders¡ªHereditary Viscount Levis, Viscount Shattered Stone City Jonas, Viscount Trick of Beer Island, and Viscount Black Horse Island Liszt.


    During his twenty-year career as an Earl, Li Weiliam had not attracted any Sky Knights, and none of his followers had ascended to become Sky Knights¡ªLiszt was the exception.


    However, now that he was ennobled as the Marquis of Bull Tail, perhaps Sky Knights would come to pledge their allegiance in the future.


    ¡°I was able to ascend to Marquis of Bull Tail thanks to everyone¡¯s united efforts to fight for this honor for me. Ten days from now, I will hold a banquet to celebrate my promotion, and the First Prince as well as some nobility from within the country will come to congratulate¡­ During this period, all of you will send your people to follow my officials to Bull Tail Domain to divide your individual fiefs.¡±


    Iron Hoof Island was divided into four parts.


    Clearly, the title of ¡°Marquis of Iron Hoof Island¡± could not be conferred, and no one would want the title of ¡°Marquis of the Bull.¡± Thus, the Grand Duke created and conferred four titles: ¡°Marquis of Bull Tail,¡± ¡°Marquis of Bull Horn,¡± ¡°Marquis of Bull Hoof,¡± and ¡°Marquis of Iron Hoof City.¡±


    The domain of Marquis of Bull Tail is called Bull Tail Domain, including three major cities: Bull Tail City, Bull Rump City, Bull Rib City, and ten smaller cities.


    Jonas and Trick, lacking substantial military accomplishments, could not ascend to Earldom, so they could only choose a small city.


    Liszt, on the other hand, did not even intend to choose a small city. He would eventually leave this place, so there was no need to spend effort building other cities¡ªa single Black Horse Island was enough for him to develop for many years.


    ¡°Once you¡¯ve selected your territories, we must start planning the relocation. The Grand Duke has granted me a five-year harvest period, which means we have five years to move out from Coral Island.¡±


    The Marquis of Bull Tail motioned for a retainer to bring out a map of Iron Hoof Island and leisurely said: ¡°Although Iron Hoof Island has been divided into four, Bull Tail Domain requires our new management. The advantages are clear: larger territories, more trade¡­ and the extensive construction previously done by the Marquis of the Bull will be sold to me by the Grand Duke at a low price.¡±


    Except for the absence of Elves to tend the farms and Master craftsmen having been taken by the Sapphire Family, nothing else changed in Bull Tail Domain; even the serfs remained to continue their farming in the same place.


    Jonas and Trick studied the map intently, getting ready to first pin down the city they wanted before going for a thorough inspection.


    Liszt, holding a teacup, leaned back in his chair, leisurely lost in thought.


    The Marquis of Bull Tail stood up and signaled Levis to continue entertaining Trick and the others. He then pulled Liszt aside to the window of the sitting room, ensuring their conversation would not be overheard.


    ¡°I have discussed with the Grand Duke. It¡¯s been ten years without an agreement, but the Grand Duke has promised that for seven years, you don¡¯t have to follow him; you can continue to follow me and help secure a foothold on Iron Hoof Island.¡±


    ¡°Seven years will be enough,¡± Liszt replied.


    ¡°`


    ¡°By the way, the Grand Duke scolded me for this, thinking I was too selfish. The relationship between father and son should not hold back your progress,¡± said the Marquis of Bull Tail, not upset by the Grand Duke¡¯s rebuke but rather relaxed. ¡°However, I¡¯ve gently suggested to the First Prince that, in seven years, you will directly follow him.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the First Prince¡¯s attitude?¡±


    ¡°The First Prince is very optimistic about you and naturally delighted. You must know that even now, despite your identity remaining concealed, you are still the second strongest in the Duchy of Sapphire, an inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman, a mighty being who has defeated a Domain Knight.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s lips curled into a smile, thinking how the nonsense of the Ghost Swordsman had indeed fooled a bunch of people, ¡°What do the Grand Duke and the First Prince think about my Ghost Swordsman inheritance?¡±


    ¡°The Grand Duke once mentioned that the Sapphire Family wished to purchase the Ghost Swordsman inheritance, but I expressed resistance, and he did not bring it up again. As for the First Prince, he is interested in a future marriage alliance with the Tulip Family.¡±


    ¡°How to form this marriage alliance? With Richard marrying the First Prince¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°The chosen partner for the marriage alliance is your son.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have a son.¡±


    ¡°Sooner or later you will, won¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something for the future.¡± Liszt had not yet considered marriage or having children. He was someone with aspirations of longevity. Perhaps after establishing his own nation, he would leave an heir to inherit the empire he had struggled to build due to political needs, but there was no such need at the moment.


    Enjoying life freely and boldly was the essence of living.


    ¡­


    The celebration ceremony for the Marquis of Bull Tail was set for ten days later, so Liszt simply attended a lunch banquet at Tulip Castle and had a brief chat before returning to his own domain.


    Four days later.


    Buried in writing ¡°The Sky Chronicle of Liszt¡± in his study at the seaside villa, a journal the Marquis of Bull Tail had been eagerly awaiting, Liszt had procrastinated and not found the time to finish it. He had overestimated himself; since his Advanced Dou Qi had been quickly developed through dragon riding, there were many details of training he could not understand, making it difficult to write.


    ¡°Perhaps after I visit Red Crab Island and talk with my grandfather, I can fully understand the training details of a Completion Level Sky Knight¡­ For now, let the Marquis of Bull Tail wait a bit longer. He has waited many years already, so a little more time won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Just then.


    Arch suddenly shouted, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve done it!¡±


    Liszt was jolted, discarded the goose quill in his hand, and rushed straight into Arch¡¯s laboratory.


    Arch held a thick piece of parchment with gleeful eyes that screamed ¡°come and praise me,¡± handing it over to Liszt, ¡°Brother, this is a Dragon Knight training method I designed based on the resonance principle. The training might be a bit complex; it will require you and Leotaur to cooperate closely, adjusting each other¡¯s ¡®frequencies¡¯ to achieve resonance.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I might be a bit behind you in theoretical research, but real combat practice is my forte!¡± Liszt took the parchment and vigorously ruffled Arch¡¯s hair.


    He began to study the Dragon Knight training program intently.


    Without realizing when it happened, the smoke in front of him gathered and formed a passage of Serpent Script: ¡°Task completed, reward: Archmage Acherloides Truth.¡±

 Chapter 676 - Chapter 676: Chapter 0673: Dragon Knight Resonance (Second Update)

    Chapter 676: Chapter 0673: Dragon Knight Resonance (Second Update)


    The Smoke Mission made Liszt look up slightly.


    Glancing at Ach who was deeply engrossed in thought in the distance, he understood that Ach must have gained some insights while researching Dragon Knight training methods, and would soon be reaching out to the Magic Web.


    As for how to reach out to the Magic Web, he had no good suggestions, so he decided not to disturb Ach.


    Soon after, the Smoke Mission issued a new task.


    ¡°Mission: Perhaps you have neglected Black Dragon Childe Paris for quite some time, but now that you have become a Dragon Knight, deeply understanding the dragon¡¯s power and having the ability to harness it for combat and training, why not help Paris remove the erosion of the Light Dragon¡¯s magic power and restore her normal body? Reward: Paris¡¯s path of cultivation.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Liszt suddenly felt embarrassed, ¡°I almost forgot I have to solve the problem of the Light Dragon¡¯s magic power erosion for Paris. Logically speaking, both the Light Dragon and Fire Dragon are Elemental Dragons, so if a Light Dragon can create a special existence like a Dragon Wraith, then a Fire Dragon should be able to as well. It¡¯s a good opportunity to confirm the method of transformation for a Dragon Wraith with Paris.¡±


    There had never been Dragonkin among humans.


    Because the power of the dragon would corrupt everything in a human, and magicians refer to this corrupting force as ¡°Changeling¡±. A human who was invaded by it would die, and through a certain ritual, they could be transformed into a ¡°White Dragon Wraith¡± ¡ª Liszt considered that White Dragon Wraiths should be similar to Necrofish Ugly, belonging to a kind of undead.


    Besides the White Dragon Wraiths.


    The power of Changeling could also be transformed into Black Dragon Changelings, which is the current state of Paris.


    The Court Grand Mage of the Maple Leaf Duchy originally intended to transform Paris and other rats into White Dragon Wraiths, but a thief stole the notes and came up with a reversal method. They voluntarily offered everything to become living White Dragon Wraiths, successfully doing so, and thus began calling themselves Black Dragon Changelings.


    Although they retained their human bodies, after being eroded by the Light Dragon¡¯s power for a long time, they would eventually become a part of the Light Dragon¡¯s magic power.


    What Liszt needed to do now was to extract the power of the Light Dragon and restore Paris¡¯s original body.


    ¡°However, let me first learn the new Dragon Knight training method before attempting to help Paris recover,¡± Liszt waved away the Smoke Mission and continued to read intently.


    After digesting all the content, he stood up and left the seaside villa.


    Riding on the Landwalker Bird Loki, he ran to a wilderness and called out Little Fire Dragon Leo, ¡°Leo, we¡¯re about to start a new way of training, are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Very good, let¡¯s begin!¡± He leaped onto Leo¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform, instantly completing a unity of mind, harmonious synchronization, and then both man and dragon began soaring through the skies.


    Guided by Liszt.


    They began to exhibit resonance between mind and magic power ¡ª resonance is just a metaphor; this training method is different from actual physical resonance. Liszt preferred to call it ¡°Dragon Knight Resonance,¡± and he recorded it in the ¡°Liszt¡¯s Complete Dragon Knight Training Manual¡±.


    Thus, it became a new training method, after Dragon Magic Refining Qi, Dragon Breath Tempering, Dragon Force Focus, Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, and Dragon Blood Infection.


    The progress was much faster than Liszt had anticipated.


    He had originally thought that this training method involving mind and magic power would be very difficult, because even a slight flaw in the mind could lead to a grave error in the flow of magic power. However, perhaps the powerful effect of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit had erased Leo¡¯s evil thoughts, leaving only pure thoughts.


    Guiding Leo was not difficult for Liszt at all, as Leo was like a blank canvas, ready for him to paint upon.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Leo, keep it up!¡±


    The mental frequencies of the man and the dragon rapidly merged, as if there was me in you, you in me, their thoughts in perfect sync. And with the melding of minds, Leo¡¯s magic power and Liszt¡¯s Dou Qi mixed together like milk blended with water.


    At this moment, he felt like a missing puzzle piece, fitting into the special spot on Dragon Tooth Platform, completing the Fire Dragon¡¯s entire magic power circuit. The instant the circuit was formed, Liszt suddenly felt as if he had become a dragon himself, his wings powerfully flapping, the wind whistling by his ears.


    His vision became that of the Fire Dragon, seeing a world through dragon eyes that was brighter and more vivid than what humans could see.


    If his original vision was HD, then Leo¡¯s vision was 4K Ultra HD.


    He could not only see this clearer, more colorful new world, but he could even faintly discern the magic power drifting in the air¡ªa pale blue-white glow above the ocean, a faint grey-yellow glow enveloping the mountains, and a light green glow when the wind flowed.


    Liszt was so absorbed that he quietly began to use the Dou Qi secret technique¡ªEye of Magic.


    The unexpected occurred; within the dragon¡¯s vision, he clearly activated the Eye of Magic, and the world suddenly revealed a different aspect. Everything was made up of magic power, and unlike the coarse magic world he could observe on his own, the world through his eyes now was composed only of magic power.


    Whether it was the physical material itself or the magic power, everything was outlined in forms of magic power.


    The ocean was Water-Attribute magic power flowing, the sensation of density was the seawater itself, while the glow was the magic power in the seawater.


    The glowing magic power, in a granular form, flowed slowly through the dense, solid-like seawater.


    The glowing magic power seemed to be subtly settling into the solid seawater, and likewise, the solid seawater was slowly releasing glowing magic power.


    ¡°So there¡¯s no strict boundary between free-floating magic power and physical matter, they are constantly transforming. Is the release of magic then an acceleration of this transformation process?¡±


    Whoosh!


    With a powerful flap of his wings, Liszt plunged into the clouds, surrounded by swirling mists.


    The clouds contained Wind Attribute magic power, Water Attribute magic power, and of course, more free-floating Chaotic Magic Power. Everything was dynamic, constantly transforming, even including the transformations between Wind Attribute magic power and Water Attribute magic power. Through the dragon¡¯s miraculous eyes and the potent effect of the Eye of Magic,


    he observed that when the Water-Attribute magic power rotated with the Fire Dragon¡¯s body, a small amount of it changed its glow directly into that of Wind Attribute magic power.


    ¡°What enables them to change their properties at will?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not the magic power itself, but the ¡®motion¡¯ in which it resides that changes its properties,¡± Liszt had a revelation as though an apple had hit his head. ¡°Then why do Knights¡¯ Dou Qi have different attributes? Maybe the initial Primary Dou Qi didn¡¯t have a clear ¡®motion¡¯; the more advanced the Dou Qi, the greater its ¡®motion¡¯?¡±


    So much so that the Advanced Dou Qi of Sky Knights, due to excessive motion, could even take to the skies and soar.


    He looked down.


    He saw Leo¡¯s claws, or should he say his ¡°own¡± claws, composed of red Fire Attribute magic power: ¡°Then, what sort of powerful ¡®motion¡¯ capability should the dragon¡¯s magic power, especially Dragon¡¯s Intent, possess?¡±


    Alas, before he could figure it out,


    an overwhelming sense of fatigue swept over his entire body, and the next moment, he was back to his own vision, out of Leo¡¯s eyesight. Just like that, about ten minutes of Dragon Knight Resonance had collapsed¡ªhis mental magic connection with Leo was still unstable, requiring continuous practice and refining.

 Chapter 680 - Chapter 680: Chapter 0677: Low Magic, High Magic, and Superior Magic (First Update)

    Chapter 680: Chapter 0677: Low Magic, High Magic, and Superior Magic (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Whether Ach can be considered an adult is a difficult question to answer.


    However, since her promotion to Archmage, her body has already been reshaped through elementalization with the help of the Magic Web, maintaining the independence of her body and spirit while becoming a part of the Magic Web.


    ¡°The Magic Web is a very peculiar existence. Ach can¡¯t sense its limits, but it envelopes every corner of the world. You can open a portal anywhere and release magic through the Magic Web, and you can cast powerful Water Magic even on land.¡±


    Ach elaborated on the Magic Web in detail.


    Although she had said that the Dragon Knight¡¯s Magic Web was like a mini version of the true Magic Web, the gap between them was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.


    Of course.


    Even with Ach¡¯s vivid description of the Magic Web, Liszt¡¯s understanding of it remained very vague. After all, the Magic Web is an extremely abstract existence; it¡¯s difficult to truly comprehend it without experiencing it firsthand. It¡¯s more like a set of rules than a tangible object.


    ¡°So the magic power you draw upon now belongs to the Magic Web. Do you think it could reach the level of Dragon¡¯s Intent?¡± Liszt asked.


    Although initially distracted and stirred by desire at the sight of Ach¡¯s fair little feet, his thirst for knowledge and reverence for power quickly cleared the frivolous thoughts from his mind, and he eagerly discussed the Magic Web with Ach, together chasing after the truth.


    ¡°It might be different from the Dragon¡¯s Intent you¡¯ve described, brother. But Ach would need to compare Bilio¡¯s Dragon¡¯s Intent with the magic power of the Magic Web to analyze it.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be hard; Bilio has as much Dragon¡¯s Intent as you¡¯d want.¡± Given the current relationship between Liszt and Bilio, Bilio would not refuse to share his Dragon¡¯s Intent. ¡°However, you know I¡¯ve been cultivating the Eye of Magic. Now, if you release some Magic Web magic power for me to check, I can see what¡¯s so magical about it.¡±


    Ach nodded.


    She then cast the basic Water Magic ¨C Water Arrow Technique.


    A water arrow formed in her hand, not shooting out but quietly hovering.


    His pupils swirling like a vortex of stars, Liszt had already employed the Eye of Magic, closely observing the water arrow. Blue and white Water-Attribute Magic Power continuously sustained its existence, which was very solid. Unfortunately, without entering Dragon Rider Mode, he could not observe the motion of the magic particles.


    But he could feel that the Magic Web¡¯s magic power was distinctly different from ordinary free-floating magic power, dissipating more slowly and being more solid.


    ¡°Ach, my initial feeling is that the Magic Web¡¯s magic power hasn¡¯t reached the extreme properties of Dragon¡¯s Intent. It¡¯s more like the normal magic power released by dragons¡­ or to make a more vivid comparison, it should be able to reach my current level of Dragon Dou Qi. I didn¡¯t expect the Magic Web¡¯s magic power to be so formidable.¡±


    Dou Qi is a special type of magic power refined by humans themselves.


    Primary Dou Qi, Intermediate Dou Qi, Advanced Dou Qi ¨C this is a complete progression of levels. Essentially, Complete Advanced Level Dou Qi is the ultimate form of Dou Qi.


    And Dragon Dou Qi, strictly speaking, no longer falls under the category of Dou Qi, as it is continuously merged and purified with the help of dragon magic power to reach a higher level of magic form.


    ¡°Just as you said, the Dragon Knight is like a mini Magic Web.¡± Liszt¡¯s imagination began to take flight. ¡°Does that mean, then, that the Dragon Dou Qi released by a Dragon Knight essentially shares a great deal of similarity with the magic power of the Magic Web? So are Dragon Dou Qi and Magic Web magic power of the same caliber in terms of magical properties?¡±


    To use the term ¡®level¡¯ might be inaccurate.


    Describing it as ¡®energy level¡¯ makes it clearer.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Brother makes a lot of sense,¡± Ach nodded in agreement. She greatly admired Li Si Te (Liszt) because he had imparted so much wondrous knowledge to her, such as the movement of celestial bodies, the Big Bang, gravitational waves, wormholes, the three laws of thermodynamics, as well as cellular structures and the four major tissues of the human body, and so on.


    In her eyes, the breadth of Liszt¡¯s knowledge far surpassed any other magician.


    Indeed, that was the case, as the knowledge Liszt brought with him was the culmination of thousands of years of summaries and explorations by Earth¡¯s scientists. Whereas the humans of this world were still indulging in Dou Qi and magic, spending their days either cultivating or at war, relying on elves for farming and dragons for mining minerals.


    They had no incentive to develop technology.


    The theory of the triangle of material, magic power, and spirit was too encompassing, causing humans not to focus on material technology but to follow the path of magic power expansion¡ªafter all, if cultivating alone made them stronger and enabled them to plunder everything, who would want to bother inventing and creating.


    Even Liszt, a transmigrator who had basked in the light of modern civilization, was still attracted to magic power and found himself unable to extricate himself from the desire to become stronger.


    There was no interest in driving the development of the industrial revolution.


    With the easy path of picking up elves and riding dragons to possess everything, why choose to promote the industrial revolution¡ªrather than spend hundreds of years pushing the industry forward and barely creating something like the atomic bomb that could grow mushrooms, it was better to ride more dragons.


    In summary, Liszt could indeed claim the title of a learned man in this world.


    After careful comparison between the dragon¡¯s magic power and the magic web¡¯s magic power with Ach, they concluded that these two types of magic power were essentially on the same level and belonged to the same energy level of magical properties.


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Intent is the ultimate nature of magic power, the dragon¡¯s ordinary magic power and the magic web¡¯s magic power are advanced in nature, other stray magic powers are low in nature¡­¡±


    The discussion went on until late at night.


    Ach summarized, ¡°Other forms of magic power, such as Dou Qi, Blood Magic, Druid Magic, as well as the magic passed down from ancient warriors and ancient magicians, are all branches of low nature magic power; in essence, they are still low nature magic power, while Dragon Dou Qi belongs to a branch of advanced nature magic power.¡±


    Liszt quickly noted in his thick leather-bound notebook, ¡°A Knight¡¯s Dou Qi is a cultivation system based on low nature magic power, which transforms into advanced nature magic power when they reach the level of a Dragon Knight; magicians are the same, all kinds of magic are evolutions of low nature magic power, and it is only Archmages that transform into advanced nature magic power.¡±


    From what is known so far, only Dragon Knights and Archmages are involved with advanced nature magic power; other ancient warriors and ancient magicians are still revolving around low nature magic power.


    Therefore, during the era of the Moon Empire when the magic web was powerful, magicians ruled the world.


    Currently, with the shrinking magic web and the Dragon Knights who have their own mini magic web radiating light and heat, the Knights have begun to rule the world. Compared with the magicians¡¯ worship of knowledge, the Knights were a bit more savage in their cultivation, resulting in the prosperity and civilization of the Moon Empire being almost entirely lost after a few thousand years.


    ¡°We should classify and define the properties of each level of magic power for easier publishing in the future,¡± Liszt said in the end. ¡°Low nature magic power will be called Low-energy Magic Power, advanced nature magic power will be called High-energy Magic Power, and ultimate nature magic power, which is Dragon¡¯s Intent, will be called Super-energy Magic Power.¡±


    They will be briefly called Low Magic, High Magic, and Superior Magic.


    Earth Knights, Sky Knights, Domain Knights, Magicians, Grand Magicians, Cloaked Bear-wearers, Vampires, these are all Low Magic professions.


    Dragon Knights and Archmages belong to High Magic professions.


    Moving further up, unless Liszt also cultivates Dragon¡¯s Intent, he can¡¯t advance to a Superior Magic profession. As for how Ach will upgrade the magic web¡¯s magic power to a higher energy level and reach the Superior Magic profession remains unknown.

 Chapter 681 - Chapter 681: Chapter 0678: Magic Cloak (Second Update)

    Chapter 681: Chapter 0678: Magic Cloak (Second Update)


    In the end, the difference among Low Magic, High Magic, and Superior Magic lies in the varying speeds at which the constituent magic particles move, a trait that is difficult to clearly understand at such a microscopic level.


    Liszt had only shared the concept of particle movement with Ach, and then he no longer studied this aspect.


    Ach, who had been promoted to Archmage, had already proven that her talents eclipsed those of most humans. Her intelligence on Earth would likely have won her a Nobel Prize. Therefore, entrusting Ach with the more challenging problems allowed Liszt to free himself to focus on Dragon Knight training.


    However, before preparing to leave, he had another task to complete¡ªtaking Ach¡¯s body measurements, including bust, waist, and hips, and then making her a batch of well-fitting clothes.


    Pajamas, loungewear, magic cloaks, and noble gowns were all needed.


    If one day Liszt were to establish a nation, Ach would be a top noble of that nation.


    Although a glance was almost enough to ascertain Ach¡¯s body measurements, Liszt personally took out the tape measure and meticulously measured her again, obtaining the most precise figures.


    Recording the numbers on thick parchment, Liszt smiled and stroked Ach¡¯s hair, ¡°Once the clothes are ready, you¡¯ll live in my castle. You can visit any part of the territory at your leisure, but try not to reveal your Sea Serpent identity to avoid attracting malice from others.¡±


    ¡°I understand, brother,¡± Ach nodded reservedly, having long yearned for life on dry land.


    ¡°If you like, I can arrange for you to go to the Mage Tower later on. There you¡¯ll find the likes of Chris, the Grand Magician you know. You can assign them some simpler topics so that they can help you with your research tasks. Of course, for now, keep your Archmage identity a secret.¡±


    Both he and Ach had just advanced to the profession of High Magic.


    They needed time to grow stronger; so for the time being, it was better to keep a low profile.


    Finally, kissing Ach on the forehead, Liszt stood up and left the seaside villa.


    After returning to the castle, he handed Ach¡¯s body measurements to the castle¡¯s female butler, Mrs. Morson, instructing her to arrange the immediate tailoring of the clothes: ¡°First make a magic cloak and an undershirt; they need to be ready to wear by tomorrow morning. Also, make a set of noble attire that must be completed within four days; the rest of the clothes can be delayed.¡±


    Even the most professional tailors can¡¯t immediately put together a set of clothes, and the more exquisite the clothes, the more time is needed for crafting¡ªespecially for noble attire.


    ¡°My Lord, how should I choose the fabric for the clothes?¡±


    ¡°The finest fabric, the same specifications as my clothes.¡±


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    The tailor Mrs. Morson had commissioned worked through the night to finish a set of a magic cloak and an undershirt. After finishing his morning exercises, Liszt presented them to Ach.


    ¡°Ach, put on these clothes; I will take you to get familiar with Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island right away,¡± he said.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Liszt left the room, closing the door behind him, without any thought of peeking at Ach changing. He hadn¡¯t even considered it, instead chatting awkwardly in the Worm Room with Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike.


    ¡°Ach suddenly has long legs now, becoming almost as handsome as you and me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s still a difference.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her hair. Yellow-brown is the most beautiful color, like the handsome Pike¡¯s color. I suggest you also switch to a yellow-brown outfit; it¡¯s more pleasant to look at. Otherwise, your handsomeness will struggle to keep up with Pike¡¯s pace.¡±


    Liszt smiled, ¡°I too think yellow-brown is a nice color, but as a noble, Flack¡¤Abbieye is the most suitable attire for my status.¡± Talking with Pike was mostly nonsensical self-admiration, as this Greater Elf¡¯s thought processes were a bit odd.


    Thankfully, Ach was not a dawdling young girl, and she quickly changed into her new attire.


    Black boots, a black mage robe, and a black hooded magic cloak completely concealed Ach¡¯s body, leaving only her pure and flawless face partially hidden under the hood. Her blue eyes were still deep and clear, making it hard to ignore their sparkle.


    Mage cloaks aren¡¯t about beauty or ugliness, they look more or less the same on anyone, so there isn¡¯t much to say about them.


    Liszt gave a slight nod to acknowledge.


    Pike, however, shook his head quickly, ¡°It¡¯s not good-looking, not good-looking at all, Ach, you wearing black clothes is just too ugly, the only advantage is that it covers your blue hair. You should wear tan clothes, like the handsome Pike¡¯s color, otherwise, you¡¯re way behind.¡±


    Ach¡¯s little face didn¡¯t have any smile, instead, there was a feeling of discomfort, ¡°Brother, Ach doesn¡¯t like wearing clothes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    ¡°These fabrics are so uncomfortable against the skin, brother, don¡¯t you feel uncomfortable wearing clothes like this every day?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m used to it, but indeed, these clothes really don¡¯t fit well, wearing them for a few more days will make it a lot more comfortable.¡±


    ¡°Wearing clothes is very inconvenient, they get wet when swimming, Ach once wore leather armor, and wearing it wet was even more uncomfortable.¡± She rarely complained, clearly, clothes were causing her a chain of discomfort, ¡°Brother, there is blood magic that can turn clothes into magic equipment, which can even be stored inside one¡¯s body, Ach wants to make such clothes for herself.¡±


    ¡°If you can improve upon that kind of magic technique from the vampires, it would certainly be good, and make me a set of Dou Qi clothes that can be put on and taken off at will.¡± Liszt understood Ach¡¯s thoughts, as swimming with Rainbow Whale Rose, he often had to endure the discomfort of wet clothes as well.


    Ach was confident, ¡°Mhm, there¡¯s nothing difficult about this magic, Ach will make it happen soon!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll take a walk around Fresh Flower Town, and then head to Black Horse Island. There¡¯s a Black Dragon Childe Paris there with a body problem waiting for me to solve, and you can help provide some reference.¡±


    ¡°I know, brother has told me about Black Dragon Childe Paris, she¡¯s the Patrol Leader of Black Horse Island, who once met a Light Dragon and was eroded by the Light Dragon¡¯s magic power. Ach has been thinking about how to save this Black Dragon Childe, and has many ideas that should be able to help my brother.¡±


    Ach, wearing boots, took several steps to get used to the heels behind the boots¡ªbecause there were too many muddy streets in the city, the boots all had an inch-long heel.


    Standing around the seaside villa were Liszt¡¯s Retainer Knights and personal manservants.


    Seeing Liszt go in alone but come out leading a female magician made everyone somewhat puzzled, but no one showed it.


    For Liszt, the Son of Glory, this was just standard procedure.


    The day Liszt rides out on a dragon, none of them would show the slightest bit of shock, as they had grown too accustomed to regular amazements.


    ¡°Bring the carriage over,¡± Liszt instructed.


    The Retainer Knight immediately brought the carriage over, and Liszt personally helped Ach into the carriage, then he himself also got on, riding with Ach around Fresh Flower Town.


    They enjoyed the labor of ordinary people in the town and admired the beautiful rural scenery.


    Eventually, the carriage stopped at the entrance of Nameless Castle.


    Liszt, playing the gentleman, helped Ach down, and with a smile said, ¡°Ach, you have lived in this castle for quite a few days, but this might be the first time you¡¯re seeing its full picture, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Ach lifted her head, looking at the two-story small castle, and showed a happy smile.


    It was a memory worth cherishing for a lifetime, meeting her closest brother, Liszt, and with his guidance, pushing open the gate to the world of magic. From that moment on, her destiny completely changed; she was no longer a dazed little sea monster in the ocean, but a magician in pursuit of truth.


    Then from the apple orchard, a huge black dog came over, rubbed against Liszt, and then looked up at Ach.


    Sniffing Ach¡¯s scent incessantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Douson.¡± Ach recognized the big black dog and wanted to touch Douson¡¯s fur.


    Suddenly, a familiar shout came from the castle.


    ¡°Wooah!¡±

 Chapter 683 - Chapter 683: Chapter 0680 Supreme Honor (First Update)

    Chapter 683: Chapter 0680 Supreme Honor (First Update)


    ¡°Her psychological toughness is still not strong enough,¡± Liszt thought regretfully as he watched Chris accidentally break the teacup.


    Archmages and Dragon Knights are indeed incredible beings, but as a Sky Knight or a Grand Magician, one should belong to the well-informed and high-status elite, and their psychological toughness should not be so fragile.


    However,


    he still said gently, ¡°Chris, stay calm, there¡¯s no need to be so surprised.¡±


    Chris looked down at the shattered teacup and the tea spilled everywhere, seemingly understanding that she had overreacted, ¡°Viscount, are you sure you didn¡¯t misspeak? Your sister is so young, are you sure she¡¯s not a Grand Magician, but a legendary Archmage?¡±


    ¡°You should know that I¡¯m not one to joke around, Ach has only recently touched the Magic Web and completed the Elemental Shaping to become a true Archmage. She is probably the only Archmage that the Duchy of Sapphire, as well as the Steel Ridge and Bear Eagle Kingdoms, have seen in over a century.¡±


    ¡°She really is an Archmage?¡±


    Chris covered her chest with one hand, still looking at Ach with disbelief.


    The accidental breaking of the teacup, although due to a shock that was too sudden, had invisibly dissipated her shock and allowed her to quickly regain her composure, making her suspect that Liszt might be joking. However, there was not a single trace of humor in Liszt¡¯s tone.


    And the petite-female magician with her clear eyes and flawless appearance did not seem to be joking at all.


    What was most important was the faint aura emanating from her, which made Chris feel palpitations. If she tried to focus on it, it seemed to disappear, as if it were just an illusion. But as a Grand Magician, keenly aware and particularly sensitive to magic power, Chris absolutely did not believe she was prone to illusions.


    So, all this was very likely to be true.


    The petite female magician before her really was an Archmage.


    Known as the incarnate Truth walking in the mortal world, Archmages had gradually become legends¡ªas for Grand Magicians like Chris, they had never heard of a living Archmage. They had only read more or less from the magic books passed down by Archmages, admiring the Archmage¡¯s elegance from those scant words.


    Odom Truth, Vasi Truth¡­


    These names of Archmages can be recited by many magicians, yet they were mostly Archmages from the era of the Moon Empire. Basking in the glory of a world ruled by magicians¡ªwho deemed other professions as heretical and only magicians as the orthodoxy¡ªtheir legends spanned the continent to the moon.


    Alas, with the change of eras, knights quickly replaced magicians as the orthodox rulers of the world. Although the Ancient Warriors and Ancient Magicians were not deemed heretical, they were also being continuously engulfed and faded away.


    Liszt, harboring a mischievous interest, was about to explain to Chris in detail why Ach was an Archmage, fully enjoying the transformation of her expression from disbelief to bewilderment, to shock, and finally acceptance.


    Suddenly, Ach raised her hand without a word.


    Immediately, a Water Arrow Spell took shape abruptly, and the next moment, it appeared from her hand and hovered just inches away from Chris¡¯s face.


    This unexpected change startled Chris once again.


    But looking at the hovering Water Arrow Spell, she was stunned, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°An Archmage¡¯s control over magic is completely different from that of a Grand Magician, Chris. You can truly feel this Water Arrow Spell, for it is condensed from the magic power of the Magic Web. It sustains its existence through the Magic Web, and if I wish, it can exist for a very, very long time,¡± he explained.


    For a stranger, it was almost the first time Ach had spoken such a long sentence.


    Which surprised Liszt.


    What made Chris shudder even more,


    was her belief that once magic is released, it cannot be stopped; it must continue to be released or collapse directly.


    Yet, a Water System Basic Magic ¨C the Water Arrow Spell ¨C simply hovered in front of her, the magic power maintaining the water arrow clearly felt. She couldn¡¯t help but extend her finger, touching the water arrow itself, the condensed water flowed through her finger without any sign of collapse.


    In a flash, she caught a glimpse of the power of high magic; she did not understand this power, but the pressure from the higher level of magic power was palpable.


    ¡°Such powerful magic power, unbelievable magic!¡± Chris pulled back her finger and looked at Ach with no longer surprise or doubt, but with eyes quickly filled with fervent admiration, ¡°Lord Acherloides Truth, grand Archmage, please allow Chris to offer you her utmost respect.¡±


    With these words, she knelt on one knee and performed a rare and solemn gesture.


    Even when facing Liszt, her lifesaver, she had never performed such a devout gesture ¨C after all, whether knights or magicians, they all worship the strong, and clearly, Archmage Archy far surpassed Liszt, the ¡°Sky Knight.¡±


    Liszt did not feel jealous.


    Had he arrived riding Leo, Chris surely would have shown the same devout respect.


    Yet there was no need for that, as he always relied on his personal charm to win the respect and loyalty of his subordinates, and not on unfathomable strength.


    Besides, at that moment, it was Ach¡¯s time to shine, and how could he steal the spotlight?


    Ach had few interactions with humans, but being intelligent and backed by great power, she did not need to understand too many social tactics; direct words sufficed: ¡°Chris, your brother has asked you to assist me in my magic research. I have many experimental ideas that I need your help with.¡±


    Chris immediately responded with delight, ¡°To serve a grand Archmage is my greatest honor!¡±


    Then, she quietly added, ¡°If I could receive one or two pointers from you, that would be even more thrilling.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible, you help me with my magic research, and I will find time to guide you in your practice,¡± Ach easily won Chris over. With her status, she only needed to snap her fingers, and Grand Magicians would scramble to work for her ¨C the position of an Archmage in the hearts of magicians was sacred and inviolable.


    Seeing this, Liszt reassured, ¡°Chris, Ach¡¯s identity must be kept secret, not to be mentioned to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Why, Viscount, isn¡¯t Lord Acherloides the embodiment of Truth walking among us? Should she not be spreading the glow of Truth to the world? If Lord Acherloides needs a laboratory, Chris is willing to give up the Mage Tower and follow and serve by Your Lordship¡¯s side,¡± she said.


    ¡°Wait a few years. Having just advanced to Archmage, she needs time to adapt and be free from worldly disturbances,¡± Liszt stated unequivocally, ¡°You will still run the Mage Tower, which was, after all, built for you. Ach will stay within my castle, and her laboratory will also be built inside the castle.¡±


    Ach remained silent, allowing Liszt to make arrangements.


    Chris immediately pleaded, ¡°Then, Viscount, may I have a room in the castle? I hope to be at Lord Acherloides¡¯s service at all times!¡±


    Ach indeed needed a Grand Magician to act as an assistant.


    According to many Magic Books, Ancient Magicians were always surrounded by a host of magicians, much like knights following a landlord.


    After thinking for a moment, Liszt said, ¡°I can leave a room in the castle for you, but your work will still be arranged at the Mage Tower, where the team of magicians needs your leadership.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Viscount!¡±

 Chapter 684 - Chapter 684: Chapter 0681: Black Dragon Childe (Second Update)

    Chapter 684: Chapter 0681: Black Dragon Childe (Second Update)


    Chris had countless questions she wanted to ask Acherloides.


    However, now was not a good time for discussion, as Liszt had already sent someone to summon Captain Paris to the Mage Tower, and the main task for today was to address the aftermath of Paris¡¯s affliction with the Black Dragon Childe.


    ¡°My lord, Dean Chris,¡± Paris still donned her striking mercenary attire, complete with leather armor, a greatsword, and a ponytail.


    Liszt introduced, ¡°This magician is Acherloides Truth, she is my sister.¡±


    Paris was slightly surprised but immediately greeted politely, ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Lord Acherloides.¡± Her intuition told her that the relationship between this magician and Liszt was not common, but she had already become a follower of Liszt, and the ambiguous feelings she initially had had long settled at the bottom of her heart.


    The hardships of her early years made her treasure her hard-earned life, so she was able to find her own place.


    Acherloides curiously observed Paris, not speaking. It was her first encounter with a Black Dragon Wraith, and she wanted to closely examine what state a human affected by a dragon¡¯s magic power was really in. However, just from appearances, Paris seemed no different from a normal person.


    The three women might have made for an interesting play, but Acherloides was not fond of talking, and the relationship between Chris and Paris was lukewarm, making the atmosphere somewhat heavy.


    Liszt didn¡¯t like this atmosphere and got straight to the point, ¡°Paris, you¡¯re here for us to address the hidden danger in your body. Today in Chris¡¯s lab, Acherloides and I will work together to free you from the Light Dragon¡¯s magic erosion. You need to cooperate closely.¡±


    ¡°Ah, my lord, this is¡­¡± Paris was astonished.


    Chris was also shocked, ¡°Magic erosion by the Light Dragon? Paris, is your Light System Magic Affinity the result of magic erosion by the Light Dragon?¡±


    Seeing their reactions, Liszt commanded, ¡°Captain Paris, tell your story so that Dean Chris can understand as well and assist from the sidelines.¡±


    Paris promptly told her story, from being a mere rat transforming into a Black Dragon Wraith, how she killed a Court Grand Mage in self-defense, escaped, then followed her sister¡¯s tracks to Fresh Flower Town, and how she was captivated by Liszt¡¯s personal charm and chose to stay and live here with her sister.


    ¡°So the White Dragon Wraith mentioned in the magic books truly exists. That thief had quite the audacity to actually reverse the transformation ceremony, turning you into living Black Dragon Wraiths¡­ It¡¯s a pity the thief has disappeared; otherwise, having another sample would significantly increase the chances of finding a cure.¡±


    Paris maintained her stance, ¡°Actually, being cured or not isn¡¯t important. My lord, I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me, and if it¡¯s too much trouble, I¡¯m quite content as I am now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all; no need to talk anymore about it. Why live fewer years when you can live more?¡± Liszt looked directly at Acherloides, ¡°What do you think we should do first?¡±


    ¡°Let her transform into the Black Dragon Wraith first.¡±


    Transforming into the Black Dragon Wraith would shorten her life. If an ordinary magician asked, Paris would not have listened, but upon Liszt¡¯s casual instruction, she immediately stirred the High Mana of the Light Dragon within her¡ªthe magic power having characteristics of an advanced nature.


    After taking off the cumbersome leather armor.


    Boom!


    In an instant, the clothes on Paris¡¯s body burst open, her previously fair arms bulged with veins, and one by one, gray-white scales began to grow from beneath the skin. Her arm thickened more than twice in size, and her fingers turned into sharp claws, with nails at least an inch long.


    Following her arms, her legs and body also began to change, breaking through her clothes.


    Muscles bulged everywhere, growing scales beneath the skin, doubling her form in size. Then, her head started to change as well, with dense gray-white scales emerging on her face and forehead, her hair gradually turning gray-white, and beyond her face, there was no longer any sign of Paris.


    She completely resembled a massive half-dragon, half-human, with her clothes torn to shreds hanging off her body.


    At first glance, she resembled Mystique from ¡°X-Men,¡± but she was gray-white and more ferocious-looking.


    Having just completed the transformation, Paris didn¡¯t need to actively employ Light and Shadow Tug, her body turned into a translucent existence, almost invisible: ¡°My lord, this is the final form of my Black Dragon Wraith, maintaining this form consumes a great deal of magic power; it feels as if my body is melting.¡±


    ¡°Maintain the Black Dragon Wraith form, Paris, don¡¯t worry. With Ach and my current strength, it is not difficult to solve your problem, just trust me.¡± Liszt quickly employed the Eye of Magic, observing Paris who was shrouded in black mist all over her body.


    The black mist was the power left inside her by the Light Dragon, but strangely, the magic power of the Light Dragon was not a ball of sunlight but a dark gray color similar to Dark Attribute Magic Power.


    ¡°I believe in you, my lord.¡±


    Paris¡¯s voice was rough, like two dry sticks rubbing together.


    Chris was spellbound by the sight, murmuring to herself, ¡°It really is the Black Dragon Wraith. Is this the wonder of the Light Dragon¡¯s magic power, distorting the light in the room and creating illusions?¡± Without touching the Magic Web, she couldn¡¯t understand the peculiarities of high magic.


    In front of Paris, Liszt and Ach were walking around the two-meter-tall Black Dragon Wraith, continually probing and discussing.


    ¡°Ach, do you have any clue?¡±


    ¡°Brother can try to extract the Light Dragon¡¯s High Mana; with your power, you should be able to do it.¡±


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t extract it forcefully. I see that the Light Dragon¡¯s High Mana has already fused with the cells of Paris¡¯s body. Once we extract it, her body will collapse.¡±


    ¡°Extract it using the resonance principle, separating the Light Dragon¡¯s High Mana from the cells.¡± Ach knew what cells were; Liszt had taught her middle school biology in detail.


    ¡°That is worth a try.¡±


    Liszt quickly took hold of Paris¡¯s ¡°claw¡±: ¡°Paris, relax your body and don¡¯t try to resist my Dou Qi.¡±


    ¡°Understood, my lord.¡±


    The next moment.


    Liszt stimulated his own Dragon Dou Qi, constantly adjusting the frequency, trying to merge with the Light Dragon¡¯s magic power inside Paris and then slowly peel it away. Such an attempt was almost impossible for ordinary knights and magicians, but Dragon Knights exist to break the impossible!


    Dragon Knight Resonance could make one person and one dragon resonate, and now it was just resonating with the Light Dragon¡¯s High Mana. After a few attempts, Liszt¡¯s mouth showed a subtle smile: ¡°It¡¯s no big issue.¡±


    Soon, the Dragon Dou Qi vibrated intensely.


    It drove the Light Dragon¡¯s High Mana inside Paris to vibrate in unison, quickly matching the frequency, starting to resonate and merge, boiling and extracting outwards¡ªsimilar in principle to Dragon Knight Resonance, but simpler in operation, barely a cut-down, low-tier version of Dragon Knight Resonance.


    ¡°My¡­ body¡­ so hot¡­¡± Paris managed to say.


    The Dragon Dou Qi was burning her body. Liszt¡¯s Dragon Dou Qi was, after all, Fire Attribute, inherently hot and combustible. Even contained, it still severely affected Paris¡¯s body.


    ¡°Hang in there!¡±


    Liszt, expressionless: ¡°Control your body, relax, don¡¯t struggle. The Light Dragon¡¯s High Mana is separating from the cells, this is the moment to solve your problem once and for all.¡±

 Chapter 685 - Chapter 685: Chapter 0682: Light Magic Swordsman (First Update)

    Chapter 685: Chapter 0682: Light Magic Swordsman (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Grasping Paris¡¯ hand and initiating a simple Dragon Knight Resonance, Liszt began extracting the High Mana of the Light Dragon. With his other hand, he pulled a Dragonfire Syringe from the Gemstone Space.


    The Dragonfire Syringe, crafted from volcanic glass, is a storage device capable of containing the Dragon¡¯s Intent of a Fire Dragon Overmagic.


    However, Liszt had never used the Dragonfire Syringe to store High Magic, and this time he planned to experiment. After extracting the High Mana of the Light Dragon from Paris, he wondered whether it could be infused into the Dragonfire Syringe for gradual study¡ªafter all, it was the High Mana of another Elemental Dragon, an immensely valuable research material for magicians like Ach.


    ¡°It¡¯s so hot¡­¡±


    Paris struggled to endure the unruly rampage of Dragon Dou Qi within her, knowing that to achieve the effect of Dragon Knight Resonance, the process would inevitably demand her body as the main stage for a precise yet ferocious manipulation.


    Fortunately, this did not last long.


    Familiar with true Dragon Knight Resonance, Liszt successfully fused his own Dragon Dou Qi with Paris¡¯ High Mana of the Light Dragon. He then began to draw it out slowly from her body using Dou Qi release techniques, guiding it through a sharp fingertip into the Dragonfire Syringe.


    Regrettably, the Dragonfire Syringe could block the Fire Dragon Overmagic but was unable to contain the High Mana of the Light Dragon.


    The ball of High Mana, merged with Dragon Dou Qi, passed directly through the syringe and dissipated into the air. Since it couldn¡¯t be stored, Liszt did not insist; he continued guiding and releasing it, and after about a quarter of an hour, all the High Mana of the Light Dragon inside Paris was extracted.


    Gradually, the transformation into Paris¡¯ Black Dragon Childe form also began to recede.


    The scales withered, her form shrank, and the once slightly plump and spirited female mercenary returned. However, her clothes were torn apart, and mere shreds of fabric could not hide her fair skin. The key parts of her chest were exposed clearly before Liszt.


    However, before Liszt could shift his focus from extracting the High Mana of the Light Dragon and take a good look at Paris¡¯ body, Chris, who stood guard nearby, had already removed her Magic Cloak and wrapped it around Paris.


    Seeing this, Liszt glanced lightly at Chris¡ªwhat a careless fellow!


    Regardless, the issue with Paris¡¯ Black Dragon Childe strength was completely resolved. As her strength was drawn out and she reverted to human form, she slowly collapsed into Chris¡¯ arms.


    ¡°Viscount, with Captain Paris¡¯ body strength depleted, could there be any problems?¡±


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any problems,¡± Liszt let go of her hand and calmed the Dragon Dou Qi within himself, ¡°However, her body has been eroded by the High Mana of the Light Dragon for too long, so there will be a period of weakness after the separation. She will need a generous supply of nutrients to replenish her body¡¯s needs.¡±


    At that moment, Ach, who had been observing for a while, gently grasped Paris¡¯ hand to sense her condition.


    After a moment, he said, ¡°Brother, although Paris¡¯ body is weak and I can¡¯t feel the High Mana of the Light Dragon, I can still sense that Light Attribute Magic Power is compatible with her body. Moreover, her body seems to be refining Light Attribute Magic Power on its own¡­ resembling both Dou Qi and Magic.¡±


    ¡°You mean to say she can now practice both Dou Qi and Magic?¡± Liszt was quite astonished.


    Ach nodded: ¡°Fundamentally, Magic and Dou Qi are conflicting; Magic requires outward spiritual release, while Dou Qi necessitates inward spiritual concentration¡ªthey are two different cultivation systems. But Paris¡¯ body has been specially transformed by the Light Dragon and become similar to a Magical Beast¡¯s body, naturally gifted in magic.¡±


    ¡°So it can be like that too, let me ponder for a moment.¡±


    Liszt sat down on a chair and, though claiming to reflect, in truth, he summoned the Smoke Mission: ¡°Complete the mission, reward Paris with the path of the Light Magic Swordsman.¡±


    ¡°The path of the Light Magic Swordsman?¡± He understood Ach¡¯s speculation was correct; the path of cultivation rewarded by the Smoke Mission for Paris was indeed a system that combined both Magic and Dou Qi.


    It seemed that only humans whose bodies were thoroughly transformed by Dragonkind¡¯s High Magic could, like Magical Beasts, draw upon the magic power in the air while refining their body¡¯s own magic power.


    Light Magic Swordsman, it sounded quite impressive.


    ¡°I wonder if I could have Leo mass-produce some Fire Paladins in the future? Or maybe I could just take up the job of a Fire Paladin myself¡­ When it doesn¡¯t interfere with my Dragon Knight training, picking up some Fire System Magic on the side would be quite an enjoyable experience, too.¡±


    ¡°`


    Fantasy between.


    The Smoke Serpent Script has changed, ¡°Mission: The formula for a potion to enhance the vitality of a person has been sent to Cousin Mei Oubo, it might be effective for the continuation of the Long Taro Family¡¯s lineage. However, as Marquis Merlin is an elder who commands your respect, perhaps you should seek an opportunity to listen to his teachings. Reward: Clues to the Sub-dragon Phoenix.¡±


    ¡°Sub-dragon Phoenix?¡±


    ¡°Do Super Dragonkin Magical Beasts truly exist?¡±


    ¡°It seems I need to make a trip to Red Crab Island as soon as possible to meet Marquis Merlin.¡± Liszt had long planned to meet Marquis Merlin, but he had been too busy to find the time.


    Now that the Smoke Mission had urged him, he needed to make time to go to Red Crab Island no matter what.


    He blinked, dispersing the smoke before his eyes, and Liszt returned to his senses. Looking at Ach and Chris, who were studying the unconscious Paris, he immediately said, ¡°Let Paris rest until she wakes up before asking for her cooperation. Now, Chris, you arrange for someone to take care of Paris and let her recover as soon as possible.¡±


    Chris replied, ¡°Yes, Viscount.¡±


    Ach then said, ¡°Brother, Ach wants to meet Mary Dawn Break and study the magic of storage with her.¡± She was always thinking about the matter of wearing clothes.


    Liszt naturally would not refuse.


    Shortly after, Mary arrived. Now a Pureblood Vampire, her strength had increased significantly. Freed from the shackles of the Black Knight Family, without too much work to do, her life was quite comfortable. She was now mainly focused on developing her subordinates.


    The population of Black Horse Island had already exceeded one hundred thousand, and there would surely be many talented youths tempted by blood, wishing to become Vampires.


    Mary and her Blood Servants were searching for suitable youths¡ªof course, Liszt had set rules that forbade forcibly developing Vampires; they must obtain his approval before transformation.


    Up until now,


    Mary had found three youths with the talent for Blood Magic, and Liszt had rejected them all¡ªtwo were new serfs whose loyalty was not sufficient; one was a Magic Apprentice valued by Chris, so development into a Vampire was not allowed either.


    ¡°Lord, do you have any orders?¡±


    ¡°Come to meet my sister, Acherloides Truth.¡±


    ¡°Your sister, Lord? Respected Lord Acherloides, Mary Dawn Break greets you.¡± Mary immediately performed the noble¡¯s courtesy.


    Acherloides nodded, no nonsense, ¡°I wish to study magic that can merge objects into the body; I need your help.¡±


    Mary responded, ¡°As you wish, Lord Acherloides.¡±


    ¡°Then let us begin the study at once.¡±


    Liszt interrupted, ¡°Enjoy a good tour of Black Horse Island today, Ach. It won¡¯t be too late to study tomorrow.¡±


    Acherloides was somewhat torn but found it hard to refuse Liszt¡¯s suggestion, ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t want Acherloides to become too immersed in the world of magic, as after all, she was still an underage Little Sea Monster who should have a happy ¡°childhood.¡±


    However, he was not so lenient with others, ¡°Mary, you will carefully organize this magic for storing objects today. Tomorrow, when Acherloides needs it, you must provide the most detailed data.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord.¡±

 Chapter 686 - Chapter 686: Chapter 0683: Space Ring (Part Two)

    Chapter 686: Chapter 0683: Space Ring (Part Two)


    From east to west, from south to north.


    Liszt, with Ach on the back of the landwalker bird Loki, swiftly toured Black Horse Island in its entirety, admiring all the thriving towns that were bustling with activity, as well as the increasingly orderly plantations and workshops.


    ¡°This is paper. Its quality has just reached the standards for writing, but the process still needs further improvement. Once the process is truly perfected, it will be the era of paper replacing parchment, and this technology will be a crucial pillar of industry after the founding of my nation,¡± he said.


    Ach rubbed the whitened sheets of paper, ¡°It¡¯s quite magical how just some tree bark and straw can be turned into paper that seems even better than parchment.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Liszt replied. ¡°Magic is indeed wondrous, but the power of technology is an equally formidable force not to be overlooked.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, my brother has said a lot, the power of steam, once harnessed, will change the entire world.¡±


    Liszt had mentioned the industrial revolution; Watt¡¯s invention of the steam engine sparked the eighteenth-century industrial revolution. Of course, he spoke of it in terms of conjecture and foresight, ¡°Leo is an Elemental Dragon and cannot produce gemstones and metals, so using its Superior Magic to develop industry is the quickest way to monetize its value.¡±


    In fact, it was not the quickest way¡ªthe quickest way would be to plunder, to issue a Pioneer Mandate, just like what the Sapphire Duke did.


    If the industrial vibe of paper production was still rather weak, seeming more like a cottage industry,


    Then the shock Ach felt was immense when they visited the glass workshop and saw how stones, under the fierce heat of the Fire Dragon Overmagic, became fiery liquid masses, which the workers would then retrieve, stretch, and shape into different glassware, slowly cooling down. It was his first encounter with the formidable potential of industry.


    ¡°This is called an assembly line. If it were just one person¡¯s efforts, the production of glass would be very limited. But when each worker masters a specific process, not only can production efficiency be accelerated, but the risk of technical leakage can also be effectively reduced¡­ I¡¯ve been promoting the use of assembly line magic operations at the Magic Academy, based on the same principle,¡± Liszt explained.


    ¡°Brother¡¯s ideas are really¡­ astonishing!¡± Ach said with awe.


    Liszt casually responded, ¡°Just basic operations.¡±


    Apart from the glass workshop that bore a slight hint of industrialization, the other workshops hadn¡¯t yet shed the appearance of primitive handcrafting; at most, Liszt had imposed stricter standards for hygiene and environment, making them look cleaner and more orderly, but essentially there wasn¡¯t much change¡ªthe greater changes were in infrastructure.


    The roads were paved with bricks mixed with rubber water, creating smooth and broad ¡°rubber roads.¡± Residential and workshop areas featured tall water towers accessible everywhere, which were used for firefighting and flushing effluents, regularly washing out the underground pipes¡ªevery house had sewage pipes connected to the city¡¯s underground network.


    There were toilets everywhere, strictly in accordance with Liszt¡¯s requirements to prohibit public urination and defecation, with violators not only facing fines but also correctional labor.


    Liszt was also preparing to promote the use of waterwheels and aqueducts¡ªthat is, using waterwheels to lift water from rivers and lakes and transport it through elevated pipes to the water towers in towns. However, as the construction of the town was currently busy, this planning stage had not been reached yet. As long as the castle¡¯s needs were met, he didn¡¯t mind the slower pace.


    Just as those Noble Landlords didn¡¯t care about urban sanitation because they lived in castles, which the stench couldn¡¯t reach.


    Liszt also lived in a castle where he could enjoy complete health and convenience services, so he didn¡¯t mind if the city was a bit behind. In fact, the towns under his rule were already considered exemplars of civilization in this world, and their livability was comparable to the castles of the Nobles.


    Many merchants chose to buy houses in Fresh Flower Town¡ªonly in Fresh Flower Town, as Black Horse Island had not yet opened for settlements.


    Living in such a clean and sanitary environment, it really becomes difficult to return to those filthy cities filled with excrement after one gets used to it. Even many small nobles from rural estates have bought houses in Fresh Flower Town to enjoy the convenient life of a ¡°modernized¡± town¡ªalong with delicious food and rich theater life.


    The port town, which was gradually developing into a city, was a highlight of the visit.


    Near Green Tea Town lay a desolate piece of land, also a highlight of the visit. Pointing at this barren land, Li Si Te said to Ach, ¡°It was right here that Leo and I encountered the Formless Dragon, a type of Sacred Dragon. It ate my beef and Smoked Grass and gifted me these Space Gems.¡±


    He took out a Space Gem and handed it to Ach, ¡°This Space Gem is for you, Ach, as a gift for your advancement to Archmage. Let me personally put it on for you.¡±


    The Space Gem was already set into a Mithril Ring crafted by the Iron Knight Alvin Eagle Sword, which could be called a Space Ring, dazzling and eye-catching.


    Li Si Te took Ach¡¯s delicate hand and, amidst her expressions of astonishment and joy, slipped the shimmering ring onto her left middle finger, ¡°You can study it well¡­ Perhaps one day I will ride the Formless Dragon myself, and then, if I want more Space Gems, I¡¯ll have as many as I desire.¡±


    There was a time when a single Space Gem was treasured as a priceless gem, carefully guarded by him, not daring to show it off in front of others.


    And he was reluctant to give it to anyone.


    However, after becoming a Dragon Knight, he no longer worried about the Space Gems being discovered. Moreover, he had two Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, and sooner or later, he was going to ride the Formless Dragon¡ªwith that time coming, Space Gems would become an important gemstone resource for his newly-founded nation to trade with other countries.


    Compared to Sapphires, Rubies, and Green Gems, the value of Space Gems was evidently greater.


    ¡°I have Leo and the Formless Dragon, two dragons whose combat power will protect my nation, and I believe that even if I don¡¯t have a Kingdom to rely on, no one would dare provoke me then!¡±


    A Kingdom with six or seven Dragon Knights is considered normal, but Dragon Knights often have entanglements with each other, and truly free Dragon Knights are very few. The fall of just one Dragon Knight could cause great turmoil for a nation, and naturally, they would not casually send out Dragon Knights to wage wars for slaying dragons.


    Before the Duchy of Sapphire was established, the Eagle Kingdom only sent out one Dragon Knight to initiate a dragon-slaying war, which speaks volumes.


    If two Dragon Knights had been dispatched, perhaps there would have been no matter of the Duchy of Sapphire at all.


    ¡°So this is a Space Gem, it requires magic power to activate it¡­ It¡¯s incredibly magical, having its own independent space, as if it doesn¡¯t exist in this world yet is connected to it! Truly incredible, big brother is not only a Fire Dragon¡¯s Dragon Knight but also has friendly interactions with the Formless Dragon.¡±


    Ach was extremely shocked, not just at the Gemstone Space but also at Li Si Te.


    Conquering a Fire Dragon was already an incredulous feat, and now Li Si Te was clearly beginning to conquer a second dragon, a Formless Dragon from among the Sacred Dragons.


    This nearly made her lose herself in admiration for Li Si Te.


    In the face of such worshipful eyes from the Little Sea Monster.


    Li Si Te still maintained an expression as light as the clouds and as gentle as the breeze, ¡°The Formless Dragon, although an old friend of mine, comes at most once a year. When it comes next time, I¡¯ll introduce you¡­ Now let¡¯s go to Thorn Castle to see the future new home and get familiar with the surroundings.¡±

 Chapter 688 - Chapter 688: Chapter 0685: Final Appearance (First Update)

    Chapter 688: Chapter 0685: Final Appearance (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Evening.


    Having declined Levis¡¯s invitation to attend some gathering in Coral City, Liszt and Meioubao, besides chatting, also discussed piano techniques in the piano room of Tulip Castle.


    Meioubao truly enjoyed playing the piano, with proficient skill and a fluid rhythm.


    Liszt¡¯s technique was far from reaching Meioubao¡¯s level, but he took a different approach, primarily playing his own ¡°original¡± piano compositions.


    During a sudden burst of enthusiasm, the Smoke Mission had also joined the excitement, reminding him of two familiar melodies¡ª¡±With You¡±and¡±The Swan of Saint-Saens¡±¡ªand along with the previously falsely claimed ¡°For Alice¡±, ¡°Liszt¡¯s Piano Collection¡±thus included these three classic piano pieces.


    However, perhaps due to his increased strength and spiritual power, he later remembered several piano melodies and ¡°composed¡± a few more classic piano pieces.


    So.


    It didn¡¯t matter whether he played the piano or not; once he did, it was bound to be a sensational scene that astounded the crowd and brought countless young girls to ecstasy ¡ª although he seldom played the piano in public anymore, having passed the stage where he wanted everyone¡¯s worship and obsession, preferring instead to quietly enjoy life.


    ¡°Liszt, you are a true genius, astonishing not only in cultivation but also terrifyingly adept at playing the piano. If you aspired to piano performance, you would likely become the first great pianist of the Duchy of Sapphire, and your talent for composing could stand shoulder to shoulder with masters like Czerny.¡±


    ¡°Playing the piano is just a minor skill for nurturing one¡¯s sentiments, Meioubao; there¡¯s no need to be so engrossed in it,¡± Liszt lightly tapped a few piano keys, then turned away and stopped playing, ¡°You should learn from me and spend more time on cultivation. Strength is the standard that determines a noble¡¯s status.¡±


    ¡°Alas, I¡¯m already twenty-five this year, and I¡¯ve only just barely managed to challenge the constraints of the Earth Knight. Breaking through, I fear, might have to wait until next year.¡±


    Meioubao¡¯s talent was not bad, certainly stronger than that of Mesiro, who had been forcibly piled up to the ordinary level of the Sky Knight.


    But he was just a qualified Marquis heir at best, with Sword Saint probably being the limit of his future.


    Compared to the genius Marquis Merlin, the descendants of the Long Taro Family all seemed a bit inept; not only were they mediocre in cultivation talent, but even their fertility seemed lacking. The Mesiro couple had toiled for years to only have Meioubao as a single son, and Meioubao himself had been trying for over a year to have a child but to no avail.


    Unlike the Tulip Family, where the Earl had three sons, and now the first son Levis also had a son of his own, no longer needing to worry about heirs.


    ¡°If talent is insufficient, then diligence must compensate. I fear your efforts are not on par with Levis¡¯s. Even though the Long Taro Family provides you with more resources, you might still fall behind Levis in advancing to be a Sky Knight,¡± Liszt said somewhat patronizingly; he had the right to offer advice.


    Meioubao was quite good at consoling himself: ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m already used to falling behind you, falling behind Levis doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°I have a very young follower who spends all her time on cultivation, except for eating, drinking, and sleeping. I highly doubt she will become a Sky Knight earlier than you.¡±


    ¡°Impressive¡­ You already have a Sword Saint follower, and now you¡¯re going to have another Sky Knight follower.¡±


    ¡°I also have two Sky Knight captives. If Alonso Xiankelai does not pay the ransom soon, I¡¯m afraid these two will also choose to pledge loyalty to me.¡±


    ¡°Sky Knight captives, and Alonso is actually not choosing to pay the ransom?¡±


    ¡°I find it quite strange too,¡± Liszt did not know what Alonso was up to¡ªwhether he was so luxurious as to not care about Sky Knight followers, or was delayed by something, or perhaps brewing some conspiracy.


    ¡°`


    Even if Alonso was brewing some plot, there was no need to worry¡ªwith the Grand Duke in front to shield him.


    ¡­


    After resting for a night in Tulip Castle, Liszt rode the Landwalker bird Loki back to Fresh Flower Town early the next morning. Today was the celebration banquet for the promotion of Coral Island¡¯s Count to Marquis of Bull Tail, which required dressing up in grand attire. He needed to bring his followers, Retainer Knights, and servants.


    From among his followers, he selected Clear Water Sword Saint Yevich¡¤Water Peanut, Iron Knight Alvin¡¤Eagle Sword, the advisor from Port Town, Gao Ertai¡¤Mast, and Marcus Wheel, the leader of the Black Horse Island Knights Order, to accompany him to Tulip Castle for the banquet.


    To bolster the Tulip Family¡¯s presence¡ªa Sword Saint and Iron Knight made excellent figureheads to ¡°dress up the shopfront.¡±


    He also brought along the youngest follower, Emily, allowing her to see the world as a Retainer Knight and to unwind¡ªconstantly being tense in training wasn¡¯t reasonable, and since Emily herself was unwilling to rest, he would have to take her out himself, considering it a form of relaxation.


    In addition, Liszt was accompanied by Ach, dressed in noble ladies¡¯ finery.


    Since he had already announced that Ach was his sister, it was also time to introduce her to the family and to give Marquis of Bull Tail a shock in the process. Somehow, Liszt had developed this mischievous pleasure, always keen on creating big news and taking delight in the Marquis¡¯s astonishment whenever there was an opportunity.


    That expression of utter disbelief, while trying to hide it, was quite amusing.


    Perhaps it was his way of getting back at the Marquis for always pestering for updates on ¡°The Sky Chronicle of Liszt,¡± robbing him of the joy in his writing.


    ¡°Brother, Ach doesn¡¯t want to go to the banquet. This dress is so uncomfortable to wear,¡± Ach complained, looking more charming in formal attire than any other noble young lady.


    Her innocent face, paired with the fancy gown, her smooth skin, plus her petite figure, and her youthful and unripe demeanor, would certainly make all the noble young ladies feel ashamed of themselves¡ªtaking Ach to the banquet would likely shield Liszt from the predatory gazes of the female nobility.


    Liszt could imagine just how many noble young ladies would set their sights on him like hunters at this banquet.


    After all, he was such an exceptional person.


    ¡°This is human life, Ach. Learn to bear it first, and then you¡¯ll understand how to enjoy it,¡± Liszt straightened his own ruffled Ruff collar, ¡°I used to dislike Flack¡¤Abbieye as well, thinking it was some fool¡¯s idea of a garment to torment oneself with, but after getting used to it¡­ it still feels very uncomfortable!¡±


    The Flack¡¤Abbieye style of noble attire was complicated, strange, and uncomfortable to wear.


    Perhaps it was precisely this oddity that made it a symbol of the nobility¡ªthe more intricate, the more it represented order, the stranger it was, the more it stood out from the crowd, symbolizing noble etiquette and aristocracy¡ªas opposed to the common clothing of the commoners, it was the distinction that marked its greatest feature.


    But Liszt didn¡¯t like it, not at all.


    ¡°When I establish my own kingdom, the first thing to reform will be the attire¡­ Clothing must be simple and convenient as a principle, and only then can it possibly reflect the dignity of the nobility.¡±


    He mounted the bird.


    At Liszt¡¯s command, the lengthy procession set off toward Tulip Castle. The journey was neither hurried nor slow, planning to arrive at Tulip Castle just before the start of the midday banquet to avoid the needless effort of social interaction¡ªbesides, important figures always made their entrance at the last moment, and he planned to make his appearance after the First Prince and others had arrived.

 Chapter 689 - Chapter 689: Chapter 0686: Spotlight of the Banquet (Second Update)

    Chapter 689: Chapter 0686: Spotlight of the Banquet (Second Update)


    The caravan arrived just in time, right before the start of the luncheon.


    ¡°Loria, this is my sister, Acherloides Truth; please take good care of her. She¡¯s not very fond of socializing, so there¡¯s no need for her to talk much with those noble ladies. Just make sure she doesn¡¯t feel too constrained. After I¡¯ve greeted everyone, I¡¯ll come over,¡± he said.


    The former sentence was directed at Loria Gold Wheat Ear, and the latter was addressed to Acherloides.


    Loria reached out amicably and took Acherloides by the arm, ¡°You must be Acherloides. I heard about you from Liszt yesterday, describing you as a great Grand Magician. You really do look very young. Let¡¯s go speak with grandmother and Li Vera.¡±


    Acherloides glanced at Liszt and, encouraged by his smile, followed Loria to the other side, where the ladies and misses of nobility gathered.


    Liszt had told his family the night before that he would be bringing over the sister he had acknowledged today.


    He only revealed that Acherloides was a young Grand Magician and they had met during a sea voyage, eventually becoming siblings by a twist of fate.


    The Marquis and others were surprised by the presence of Acherloides but did not say much; after all, Liszt had his fief, and he was only responsible for his own actions.


    Loria was very astute and would take good care of Acherloides, which is why Liszt was not worried. Accompanying Levis, he went to greet the nobility who had come for the day. With a standard smile, he exchanged the conventional pleasantries typical of nobility, accepting a few words of high praise, and thus completed his duty.


    The First Prince was ostensibly the most distinguished guest at Tulip Castle today.


    ¡°Thank you for coming, Your Highness the First Prince,¡± Liszt naturally went to greet him.


    This Ice Seal Saint could be described as a rightful heir to Sapphire, having shown bravery in several battles and having filled in for the Grand Princess in issuing Pioneer Mandates multiple times, with Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine also swiftly transporting its yield back to the nation under his supervision.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since I last saw you, yet you have reached such heights, which is truly astonishing. It¡¯s a pity I don¡¯t have a third sister; otherwise, I would definitely seek a marriage alliance with you,¡± said the First Prince with great enthusiasm. After all, Marquis Bull Tail had already hinted that once Liszt separated from his family, he would follow him.


    Such a powerful figure¡¯s allegiance was a matter of great prestige for the First Prince.


    Moreover, as a future heir to Sapphire, he needed strong followers to aid in establishing achievements and even preside over wars of expansion with the Pioneer Mandate.


    If he truly had another sister, he would have definitely facilitated that union.


    Liszt, however, remained indifferent.


    He was not clear about the Grand Princess¡¯s character, but considering the former behavior of the Little Princess, he kept a cautious distance from these ¡°princesses.¡± Even if it meant being a bachelor all his life, he was not willing to tolerate a string of ¡°green hats.¡±


    After a brief conversation, Marquis Bull Tail approached to invite the First Prince to the table.


    As the First Prince took his seat at the head of the long oval dining table, Marquis Deep Throat Wallace Pineapple Green followed closely, and Marquis of Leather Island Ramirez White Glutinous Rice, Marquis of Golden Island Roderick Gold Wheat sequentially were seated¡ªnobility of the Blue Blood Alliance rarely attended the feasts of feudal nobles, and Marquis Merlin could not make it due to poor health.


    So only three Marquises were present.


    However, Red Maple City Marquis Glendenton Red Maple Leaf and Quicksand City Marquis Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea sent their progeny to attend the banquet.


    Red Crab Island Marquis Merlin Taro naturally sent the Mesiro Couple and the Meioubao Couple as well.


    Add to these the numerous Earls and nobility who independently followed the Grand Duke, and the long table was filled with the upper echelon of Sapphire¡¯s nobility, among whom Liszt took his place.


    As for the lesser nobility and their families, Levis and Lady Marie were there to host them.


    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in a toast,¡± the First Prince said, raising his glass after the drinks were poured¡ªholding a Crystal Bottle of the finest Fresh Flower Brew to make a toast.


    Once everyone had raised their wine glasses,


    the First Prince continued, ¡°This year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate has concluded, and the results have been bountiful. They rank among the top five since the founding of the Sapphire Nation one hundred and fifty-three years ago. Naturally, Earl William Lee of Coral Island, who has rendered great service during this Pioneer Mandate¡­¡±


    He looked toward Marquis Bull Tail, his tone gentle yet tinged with a hint of excitement and stirring emotion, ¡°After being personally ennobled by my father, the Sapphire Duke, has been promoted to Marquis of Bull Tail, ruling all the lands of the Bull Tail Domain on Iron Hoof Island. Let us toast together to the seventh Marquis of the Sapphire Nation!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations to Marquis Bull Tail!¡± The crowd responded to the First Prince¡¯s call and raised their glasses once again.


    ¡°Thank you all for your congratulations!¡± Though it had been some days since his promotion to Marquis Bull Tail, Li Weiliam was still filled with pride and spirit, draining his glass of Fresh Flower Brew in one gulp.


    Thereupon, the First Prince and others also emptied their glasses of Fresh Flower Brew.


    Liszt, too, drained his Fresh Flower Brew in one go. The spirits burned down his throat, rich and full-bodied, greatly surpassing the first batch of Fresh Flower Brew that had gone on sale. Nowadays, the craft of making Fresh Flower Brew was increasingly complex, and both the quality and varieties were constantly improving, able to defeat any other white spirit on the market.


    However, Sapphire Family and two or three other major Nobles were also in the business of spirits, so apart from the sales in Golden Island and Red Crab Island, the volume sold on the other major islands was not high.


    It could only win over some of the true spirit-loving Nobles with its smooth and soft taste.


    After downing one glass,


    Liszt intended to blend into the background, unconcerned with the conversations of others while he ate and drank. However, he underestimated the influence of his reputation as the inheritor of the ¡°Ghost Swordsman¡± and the second-strongest person in the nation.


    The First Prince raised his glass again and said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in another toast¡­ This year, with the Pioneer Mandate, Li Weiliam¡¯s promotion to Marquis Bull Tail is a joyous occasion. Moreover, during the war, our nation has seen the emergence of a powerful knight who defeated a mighty Domain Knight single-handedly!¡±


    All eyes turned toward Liszt.


    Liszt, with his glass in hand, showed no change in expression, as if what was being said was of no relation to him.


    ¡°Liszt Tulip, second son of Marquis Bull Tail, Viscount of Black Horse Island, eighteen years old this year, personally led the Knight Order to capture the iron mines of Trapped Dragon Mountain. Such outstanding military achievements deserve a toast!¡±


    ¡°A mere trifle, hardly worth mentioning.¡± Liszt replied calmly, finishing the Fresh Flower Brew in his glass.


    The First Prince set down his empty glass and laughed heartily, ¡°Well said, Liszt! I look forward to you achieving even more for the Sapphire Nation!¡±


    The other major Nobles echoed in agreement, ¡°Truly worthy of being the second strongest person in the Sapphire Nation, possessing a composure far superior to ours.¡±


    ¡°Marquis Bull Tail has fathered an excellent son, the rise of the Tulip Family is imminent.¡±


    ¡°Liszt has a promising future!¡±


    ¡°I would love to witness firsthand how you fought against Marquis Nuta.¡±


    ¡°I have a grand-daughter, as beautiful as a flower, gentle and virtuous. I shall introduce her to you. I believe you young people will have much in common.¡±


    Liszt maintained his smile but engaged little in conversation, focusing more on eating and drinking.


    After responding to a round of flattery, these major Nobles finally stopped focusing on the ¡°aloof and distant¡± Liszt and turned their compliments to Marquis Bull Tail.


    Marquis Bull Tail, whose smile had been slightly stiff due to being upstaged by Liszt, finally showed a genuinely joyful expression.

 Chapter 691 - Chapter 691: Chapter 0688: Rings on Ten Fingers (Part One)

    Chapter 691: Chapter 0688: Rings on Ten Fingers (Part One)


    Setting down the tea cup that was already half-emptied, Marquis Li Weiliam Tulip did not immediately leave his study but took out a piece of thick paper and dipped his quill in ink.


    He first wrote down the words ¡°Dragon Knight,¡± followed by ¡°Archmage.¡±


    Staring at the two terms, he unwittingly fell into a reverie and it took him quite a while to snap back to reality. He then took out a flint and steel, lit the thick paper on fire, and watched as it turned to ash in the ashtray on his desk. It was only after a deep exhale that he finally stood up from his desk with a beaming smile.


    Descending the stairs, he mingled back into the lively conversation among the nobles.


    Yet his mindset was different from before. A lone Dragon Knight still had to be on edge to avoid becoming the target of a dragon-slaying war launched by the Continental Kingdoms. However, with just one more Archmage as an ally, unless the Continental Kingdom dispatched two Dragon Knights, there was no chance they could defeat the combination of a Dragon Knight and an Archmage.


    As Liszt¡¯s father, seeing the relationship between Liszt and Ach, he understood all too well that this corner was not one that just anyone could prise away.


    So, once his own son founded a kingdom, it would be home to both Dragon Knights and Archmages, the two pinnacle forces of power.


    It would undoubtedly be more stable from the outset than the initial founding of the Duchy of Sapphire, and the Tulip Family could take this opportunity to flourish and spread in this new nation, ensuring the continuity of their lineage.


    The glory of the family would reach its zenith.


    ¡°Now everything is ready; it¡¯s just a matter of when Liszt decides to found his kingdom.¡±


    With boundless pride in his heart, Li Weiliam felt while conversing with these nobles that he wasn¡¯t just a cut above the rest; he was two cuts above, and even the First Prince was nothing but a child in comparison. Of course, nobles are adept at disguising their true feelings, and he still played the part of the Marquis of Bull Tail very well.


    The guests laughed merrily, and Tulip Castle knew not a single moment of silence from the bustling atmosphere.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere.


    After returning Ach to Fresh Flower Town, Ach didn¡¯t linger and went directly to Black Horse Island to continue researching the magic of clothing storage with Mary and the other vampires. Now that she had grown legs, she never felt bored and always had endless things to do every day.


    Immersing herself in the ocean of knowledge and tirelessly pursuing truth, she was full of enthusiasm.


    As for Liszt, after dawdling over some administrative work in Fresh Flower Town and giving Butler Carter some instructions to take note of, he prepared to leave Fresh Flower Town to return to Tulip Castle¡ªhe planned to accompany Meioubao tomorrow to visit Marquis Merlin on Red Crab Island, whose days were numbered.


    ¡°Wuh wah!¡±


    Jela flew over and landed on Liszt¡¯s shoulder. The Thorn Minor Elf was a bit unhappy.


    Liszt picked her up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Wuh wah.¡±


    ¡°Did you have a disagreement with the Coptis Minor Elf?¡± Liszt, sensing Jela¡¯s emotions, understood she was annoyed with that particular Coptis Minor Elf.


    At the mention of the Coptis Minor Elf, Jela suddenly shouted, ¡°Wuh wah!¡± her emotions growing agitated.


    Liszt could clearly feel the story behind this surge of emotions¡ªit turned out that Jela was quite discontented with the Coptis Minor Elf. In the previous major fray, although it was Jela who had initiated the fight, the Coptis Minor Elf did not show weakness, rallying other minor elves to join the melee and successfully stealing the spotlight from Jela.


    Now the minor elves recognized both the Coptis Minor Elf and Jela as the bullies of Nameless Castle, ones not to be trifled with easily.


    What should have been the exclusive title of ¡°Bully of Nameless Castle¡± for Jela alone had been snatched away by the Coptis Minor Elf, so how could Jela be happy? Especially since the Coptis Minor Elf was not weak in combat and was pugnacious, Jela felt she might not be able to handle the rival on her own.


    Felt even more unhappy.


    So she complained to Li Si Te.


    However, he wouldn¡¯t bother with such listless behavior, so he simply comforted and admonished her as usual, telling Jela to sleep soundly and not to fight or cause trouble. Then he sent Jela back to her own room, took the opportunity to inspect the Worm Room, and warned every Little Minor Elf.


    Feeling that he had quelled the restless Little Minor Elves, he finally left the castle, riding the Landwalker bird Loki to Tulip Castle to continue the noble social interactions.


    Inside the Worm Room.


    Jela pushed open the lid of the box above her and lay on the edge of the box, a pair of shiny black eyes on that small head looking at the glass window of the Worm Room and the apple trees swaying outside, deep in thought. Autumn was approaching, and many of the apple tree leaves were turning yellow and falling.


    A fallen leaf drifted along the path of the wind, landing on the glass of the window.


    Jela darted over in a flash, pressing her face against the glass to watch the leaf, which curled slightly showing the faint outline of its veins amidst the yellowing.


    She made a sound that seemed curious and happy at the same time: ¡°Wuwa.¡±


    ¡­


    Riding Loki.


    Charging through the sky, every time she touched the ground lightly, Loki would soar again, running much faster in the air than flying.


    Following Loki¡¯s ups and downs, Liszt suddenly felt a surge of pride swell in his heart, ¡°I am the leaf in the wind, watch how I fly¡±. Although he was riding a Landwalker bird, which was barely considered an Intermediate Dragon Breed Magical Beast, in his heart, he was actually dragon riding.


    A Dragon Knight should ride a dragon!


    Moreover, he wasn¡¯t just any Dragon Knight. In the Gemstone Space, he still had two Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, indicating that he had two dragons¡ªat least one Formless Dragon was confirmed, and the other, an Immortal Dragon, still without a clue. If his Smoke Mission also implied a dragon, he would have four dragons.


    Besides the Fire Dragon being a formidable Elemental Dragon, the remaining Formless Dragon, Immortal Dragon, and Smoke Dragon were all Sacred Dragons.


    ¡°If I could find two more Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, maybe in the future I could be known as a Holy Dragon Knight with a collection of five Sacred Dragons,¡± he mused.


    The Smoke Dragon representing fate, the Immortal Dragon representing life, the Formless Dragon representing space, the Twilight Dragon representing time, and the Jade Dragon representing dreams¡ªeach Sacred Dragon represented a magical power, but he didn¡¯t know where to find them.


    Liszt hoped for the Power of Destiny to guide him.


    Just like the Smoke Mission led him to ride the Little Fire Dragon Leo and coaxed the Formless Dragon into becoming an old friend, perhaps one day the Smoke Mission would lead the other three Sacred Dragons into his path.


    Just as Elves are independent beings, dragons are also independent entities, capable of tricking each other.


    No problem there!


    Touching the three Space Gems hanging on his chest, his thoughts jumped erratically: ¡°There¡¯s no need to hide anymore. I¡¯ll have Alvin make three Mithril Rings, set the Space Gems into them and create Space Rings for easier use.¡±


    The Gemstone Space was positioned on the chest, requiring a reach every time he wanted to use it.


    If he simply wore them on his fingers, a thought would suffice to take or place items at will, quick and efficient.


    ¡°Once I ride the Formless Dragon, I must wear a Space Ring on each of my ten fingers, filling them with all the essentials of life. One day, riding with the dragons on adventures, I¡¯ll explore every secret of this world.¡±

 Chapter 692 - Chapter 692: Chapter 0689: Li Veras Spring (The Second Update)

    Chapter 692: Chapter 0689: Li Vera¡¯s Spring (The Second Update)


    ¡°`


    October 26th, the weather was clear and sunny.


    The gentle breeze swept the fallen leaves, and the trees around Tulip Castle created a pleasant atmosphere. Thanks to the Tulip Cordyceps, the castle¡¯s surrounding tulip gardens were still thriving, colorful and vibrant.


    Nobles who attended the celebration banquet embarked on their journeys home.


    When the First Prince left, all nobles naturally went to the port to see him off, with the Marquis of Bull Tail making customary farewell speeches with the prince and others.


    Liszt, however, rode a Landwalker Bird by himself, standing at a distance, with no interest in participating.


    Behind him stood Yevich Water Peanut and Alvin Eagle Sword, a Sword Saint and an Iron Knight, respectively. He planned to take these two followers with him to Red Crab Island¡ªa Sword Saint and Iron Knight as followers would certainly enhance the prestige of his travel entourage.


    Levis and The Loria Couple were instructing servants to load gifts onto the Chang Yu family¡¯s Court Fast Sailing Ship.


    They didn¡¯t plan to accompany Liszt, so they entrusted him with the task of presenting the gifts to Marquis Merlin.


    ¡°Please send my regards to Grandfather. There are many matters to handle in the Bull Tail Domain, and I truly can¡¯t spare the time to go to Red Crab Island. I hope Grandfather can understand our situation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain to Grandfather,¡± Liszt nodded, then asked, ¡°Is Li Vera certain she¡¯s not going?¡±


    ¡°Her?¡± Levis gestured to not far away where they saw Li Vera intimately conversing with a male noble, who even helped neaten her slightly disheveled hair, ¡°Li Vera stayed in Grape Manor last night with the son of the Earl of Longwhite Island, Hubert Rollo.¡±


    ¡°Grape Manor?¡±


    Liszt remembered the manor, full of different varieties of grapes, belonging to Tulip Castle, and there a Minor Elf Cordyceps grew. The Tulip Family¡¯s specialty, Crescent Moon Wine, came from this manor: ¡°What did they go to the Grape Manor for?¡±


    Levis laughed, ¡°You¡¯re pretending to ask.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t sure,¡± Liszt understood Levis¡¯s implication. It was simply about men and women hooking up, then taking advantage of the long night to roll in the sheets.


    For the nobility, such matters were common. He himself had done the same, so he wasn¡¯t surprised¡ªLi Vera had a strong personality, and over the years, Liszt had heard plenty of rumors about this sister, but none had come to fruition.


    This time it was probably just a one-night affair.


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s hope between Li Vera and Hubert?¡± he asked casually, not particularly interested in Li Vera¡¯s life. Although siblings by blood, his relationship with this sister was generally weak. He remembered Li Vera getting along well with Levis.


    In fact, of all the relatives, he admired Marquis Merlin the most and was closest to his cousin Mei Oubo.


    After them, likely Lady Penelope and Li Weiliam, and he even found looking at his uncle Mesiro more pleasing than his own brothers and sisters.


    However, despite their differences, Levis and Li Vera were still the closest siblings and trustworthy family members. If all went well, the family would eventually move to the nation he intended to establish, continuing to thrive as nobles.


    He probably should intervene in Li Vera¡¯s choice of spouse.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Li Vera has her own thoughts. Maybe she¡¯s taken a liking to Hubert, maybe not. However, Hubert is good-looking and comes from a good family. His approach to Li Vera must have ulterior motives¡­ But it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as Li Vera is happy, that¡¯s what counts.¡±


    True love among the nobility is rare; it¡¯s usually about combining interests, including Levis and The Loria Couple, whose marital life was good, but initially based more on interests than affection.


    ¡°I won¡¯t worry about my sister¡¯s affairs then. You and Loria take more notice, as it seems she¡¯ll continue to associate with Hubert. I¡¯ll go join Uncle and Aunt first.¡±


    The arrival of the uncle¡¯s family meant the aunt¡¯s family would naturally follow. Aunt Melinda Taro and her husband Roland Pinecone came along. Cousin Russell with his wife Cassie Broccoli and daughter Rossi, as well as cousin Rolie, all came to attend the celebration banquet.


    On the return trip, the whole family gathering together should be quite lively.


    ¡­


    After joining up.


    ¡°`


    The Long Taro Family¡¯s fleet sailed out of the harbor.


    Watching the Court Fast Sailing Ship cutting through the waves, Liszt thought about his previous idea, ¡°Uncle, I wonder if I could purchase a Court Fast Sailing Ship from the Long Taro Family? I hope to refer to some shipbuilding technology to help develop the shipyard in my domain.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re planning to study shipbuilding technology? This is not a simple technology. The Long Taro Family researched the Court Fast Sailing Ship for many years and still do not understand how it¡¯s constructed,¡± Mesiro said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not copying the technology, just referencing it. My shipyard has its own technology direction,¡± Liszt said with no small amount of pride.


    Firstly, the powerful effect of rubber water can well replace the mortise and tenon structure, reducing many technological barriers.


    Secondly, the rapid growth of the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns ensures a continuous supply of raw materials for shipbuilding. Apart from a small amount of primary Dragon Bone-like materials that require century-old rock wood or stone wood, other planks can be replaced with Thorn Ironwood.


    Thirdly, he possessed the complete Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique, lacking only the Dragon Beast bone material¡ªalthough Dragon Beast bone material is quite expensive, it¡¯s still possible to buy it.


    Last of all, he had shipbuilding technology from Earth¡ªthe ramming technique and the square sail technique.


    Once these technologies are integrated with the technology referenced from the Court Fast Sailing Ship, combined with the Water Calming Pearl and Calming Wind Pearl, it would be enough to create a top-tier sailing ship that would dominate the seas.


    By then, the curtain of the Age of Exploration would slowly open.


    Even crossing the Devil¡¯s Sea wouldn¡¯t be impossible.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, when you go back, take this Court Fast Sailing Ship with you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle. I¡¯ll pay the price of a new ship on the market.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an old ship. Half price will do.¡±


    Liszt did not bargain. The Long Taro Family was not short of money but short of people. In the future, he would just need to give more support to the Long Taro Family. With a Dragon Knight as their support, the Long Taro Family¡¯s status within the Sapphires should be quite stable. Even if it wasn¡¯t stable, if the Long Taro Family was willing to go to his country, they could still enjoy the treatment of an earl.


    The day and a half journey passed quickly.


    After another half a day¡¯s journey on land, the fluttering flags of Long Taro Castle came into view. Due to the shortage of people, there were no formalities, and he headed straight to the bedroom to visit the bedridden Marquis Merlin.


    ¡°Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, you¡¯ve arrived!¡± Marquis Merlin propped himself up in bed, his face already sallow and his spirit not very good, as he could leave this world at any moment, ¡°You wrote that you would come but never did. I thought I would never see you again and was prepared to curse you out in my will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Grandfather. I was delayed by some matters.¡±


    ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s good that you came. Where are Levis and Li Vera?¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t leave. Father has just been promoted to an earl and the family is busy taking over the Bull Tail Domain. As for Li Vera, she¡¯s probably preoccupied with her marriage.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. With your help, Li William has been promoted to an earl; he must be so proud he¡¯s wagging his tail! Levis doesn¡¯t need to struggle and will inherit the earldom, surely smiling every day¡­ Has Li Vera found a satisfactory partner yet? This old maid is going to be twenty-two soon.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be twenty-two after the holiday season.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-two, it¡¯s time to find a noble to marry, or else when she gets older, she¡¯ll only be able to settle for a good-for-nothing pretty boy.¡± Marquis Merlin prattled on, chatting with Liszt about family matters.


    After a while.


    The family chat was nearly finished, and Marquis Merlin regarded Liszt with the eyes of an elder, suddenly with a burst of emotions, ¡°You look so much like Melissa¡­ all the good traits of Melissa and that youngster Li William, all combined in you.¡±


    Liszt maintained a smile.

 Chapter 695 - Chapter 695: Chapter 0692: Complete Library in Four Sections (First Update)

    Chapter 695: Chapter 0692: Complete Library in Four Sections (First Update)


    Magic Armament and Dou Qi Armament have many restrictions, but it¡¯s undeniable that they represent a method of magic and Dou Qi cultivation with considerable potential for development.


    Vampires initially relied on Magic Armament to carry clothes, weapons, and other items with them while transformed into bats.


    Liszt immediately decided to make a batch of clothes compatible with Magic Armament and Dou Qi Armament. For himself, he prepared a set of undergarments, a set of leather armor, and a set of plate armor; for Ach, a set of undergarments, a Mage Robe and cloak, as well as a set of leather armor.


    As for weapons, neither Liszt nor Ach needed to use Dou Qi Armament to store their weapons since they had Space Rings.


    In fact, the use of Magic Armament and Dou Qi Armament was not significant, at least not for daily life on land where it wasn¡¯t needed at all. Nor was there any need to store clothes through magic when not transforming, especially on land. Only when going into the sea and coming ashore was the use of Dou Qi Armament necessary.


    The process basically involved¡ªwet clothes being stored as Dou Qi and dried off, then promptly released from within, effectively drying both the body and the garments.


    What seemed like a sophisticated approach, in the eyes of Liszt and Ach, served merely the purpose of a drying machine.


    But regardless, Liszt spent the past few days practicing the Dou Qi Armament, continuously fusing his clothes with Dou Qi. Similar to Dragon Knight Resonance, but more streamlined and easier than his initial treatment of Paris. Once a piece of leather armor was completely fused with Dou Qi, with a mere thought, the leather armor would be absorbed into Liszt¡¯s body.


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange feeling, like there¡¯s a special kind of Dou Qi in my meridians that¡¯s dramatically different from my surging Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi¡­ very inactive, like stagnant water, and even more rigid than Primary Dou Qi.¡±


    When he released this kind of Dou Qi, it instantly transformed into leather armor on his body.


    It was released through the skin, so the clothes appeared on the very inside layer. If multiple garments were layered, the armor should be released first, followed by the leather armor, and finally the undergarment.


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting, but keeping it inside my body feels awkward. It¡¯s better to just throw it into the Space Ring and put it on when I need to go to sea.¡±


    ¡­


    Besides being busy with the cultivation of Dou Qi Armament,


    Liszt also took the time to complete ¡°The Sky Chronicle of Liszt,¡± a cultivation journal. The White Paper Workshop had gone through several improvements and finally produced clean, neat white paper¡ªnot quite top-quality writing paper yet, but very close.


    He immediately commanded the paper craftsmen to use the ¡°Liszt Paper¡± to bind standard notebooks. Then he had his servants meticulously transcribe the notes he had recorded on thick parchment into these notebooks. After examining for any omissions, they were adorned with exquisite covers.


    Flipping through the neatly written black characters page by page, Liszt was very satisfied with the white paper.


    ¡°The papermaking industry can definitely support a significant portion of the financial revenue. With exclusive control over the technology, as long as I do not divulge it, I believe no one can steal it.¡±


    The technological content of papermaking isn¡¯t high, but as long as the ¡®Window¡¯ remains unbroken, others won¡¯t know how white paper is made. The same goes for glass¡ªwithout revealing the secrets, no one else would be able to produce it.


    His thoughts drifted for a moment, then returned to the journal.


    ¡°The handwritten text is still a bit of an eyesore. I should use printing to publish all my works, to be admired by future generations.¡±


    He flipped ¡°The Sky Chronicle of Liszt¡± to the first blank page.


    He had originally planned to write a preface on this page, but after pondering for a while, he still hadn¡¯t decided what to write. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he penned in bold font: ¡°I dedicate this book to¡ªMarquis Merlin Taro, in gratitude for the help my grandfather provided on my path of cultivation.¡±


    After writing, he put his pen down with satisfaction.


    His Serpent Script was becoming more and more attractive.


    ¡°I wonder if the Marquis of Bull Tail will have some thoughts when he sees this dedication. He too has provided me with much assistance on the path of a Sky Knight¡­ But it doesn¡¯t matter now; this book is written for him. He should be satisfied with it, for it¡¯s a genuine token of filial piety!¡±


    After closing the journal, he handed it to Butler Carter to be packed: ¡°Wrap it securely and arrange for a message Knight to deliver it to Tulip Castle, to my father.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    After delivering the manual, Liszt did not rest; he immediately set out to realize his idea¡ªhe wanted to build a printing workshop on his territory and explore the art of printing on his own.


    The development of heavy-duty paper had long since promoted the advancement of printing technology, so all he needed to do was to improve on the existing printing techniques to suit the white paper he produced. In doing so, he could package the papermaking, printing, and packaging business together, creating a complete industrial system.


    Beyond that, he also planned to organize a team to proofread and compile the collection of books, striving to create a work like the Yongle Encyclopedia, just as Emperor Zhu Di had.


    The format would be divided according to the Complete Library in Four Sections.


    He had even decided which four sections they would be¡ªDou, Magic, Records, and Stories.


    Dou would consist of Dou Qi cultivation manuscripts, Dou Qi secret techniques, notebooks, and so on; Magic would include specialized magic books, spell casting schemes, alchemy experiments, magic theory, and so on; Records would consist of various recorded articles, including geography, astronomy, ghosts, customs, legends, history, and so on; Stories referred to literary works, all sorts of interesting knight novels, folk poetry, piano scores.


    Compiling such a Complete Library in Four Sections was no easy task.


    But Liszt had a good attitude. He would collect materials when possible, and compile less if not. In any case, he was pioneering this work in the world¡ªthe most crucial point was that he was cultivating magicians to transition into scholars, who could eventually take over this work.


    All he needed to do was to hang his name like Emperor Yongle, and then await his fame to last through the ages.


    After all, he had more important tasks to do¡ªvisiting Dodo Island every half a month, harnessing the Tri-Phase Force every five days, and daily dragon riding and cultivation. Essentially, that was all of Liszt¡¯s work in November.


    His strength was steadily increasing.


    By the end of the month, he used the Tri-Phase Force for the seventh time, restoring the rubber trees in the rubber garden to good health. Although the triplet Rubber Bugs experienced high-intensity releases of the Tri-Phase Force that left them languid each time, they were quite content with no complaints.


    He summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the task, sap mutation variant of the rubber tree.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the task is already complete, but what is this sap mutation variant of the rubber tree? Sap mutation should refer to rubber mutation, could it produce a completely different kind of rubber?¡± Liszt looked at the lush rubber garden, dismissing his Eye of Magic.


    The rubber tree had a sap mutation, not a Magic Potion mutation, meaning no Magic Potion had been born.


    Currently, besides the ordinary rubber tree, two mutant varieties of rubber had emerged: fruit rubber and fan rubber. The fruit rubber¡¯s fruit was rich in rubber, making it easier to harvest than tapping rubber; the fan rubber could also be tapped, but its leaves were perfect planks.


    The soft green leaves of the fan rubber could be folded into any shape and, once dried, the rubber within would solidify quickly into sturdy planks.


    Pots, pans, ladles¡ªall could be made from fan rubber leaves, but the territory gathered them mostly to make knight armor plates. A fan rubber leaf folded multiple times would become laminated planks, light in weight yet strong in defense.


    Particularly, its resistance to magic could greatly reduce the damage from Dou Qi, making it an excellent material for knight¡¯s armor.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll not find the sap mutation variant of the rubber tree right now. I have to wait until this batch of rubber tree saplings grows before I can discover what sap mutation is.¡±


    No sooner had he thought this than one of the triplet Rubber Bugs became rapidly agitated. Without Liszt¡¯s guidance, the bug consumed its normal Cordyceps, shrinking it into a seed, which it then swallowed. Moments later, it spat the Cordyceps back out, planting it in its original spot.


    However, the Cordyceps had changed.


    Thicker and fuller¡ªLiszt seemed to understand something and made a small cut on the trunk of the Cordyceps.


    Whoosh!


    Immediately, a large amount of milky-white rubber sprayed out from the cut, like a fountain sprouting from the tree. As the fountain gushed forth, the thick and full trunk began to slowly shrink, as if a balloon were deflating. Startled, Liszt quickly reached out to cover the cut to stop the flowing fountain.


    ¡°Is this the sap mutation? Rubber production from the rubber tree is like water injection¡­ But the key is, can Cordyceps also mutate?¡± he wondered somewhat blankly.


    The triplet Rubber Bugs brought him too many questions about elves.

 Chapter 696 - Chapter 696: Chapter 0693: Territory Range (Second Update)

    Chapter 696: Chapter 0693: Territory Range (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    Although Liszt covered the cut on the rubber tree cordyceps, the rubber would burst forth again as soon as he let go. Wrapping the wound in cloth, the surging rubber was still able to stretch the fabric, continuing to gush out. He had no choice but to instruct the serfs to bring buckets to collect the rubber.


    Then he washed his hands with water.


    Rubber doesn¡¯t stick to your hands when it¡¯s not solidified, so a little water rinse is enough to clean it off.


    When the rubber stopped spurting from the cut, the serfs had collected three large buckets of high-quality rubber produced by the cordyceps. And yet, the rubber tree cordyceps didn¡¯t appear as wilted as expected¡ªthe leaves were still green, just not as thick and full, and the cut was slowly healing.


    From the restless rubber bug, there was no sense of the cordyceps being damaged.


    ¡°Could this be the harvesting method for the sap-variant rubber trees, poke a hole and directly extract all the rubber? Perhaps it really is like this¡­ As for what these rubber trees should be called now, ¡®sap,¡¯ ¡®fountain,¡¯ let¡¯s call it ¡®Fountain Rubber,''¡± Liszt swiftly completed the naming.


    Henceforth, under the rubber tree branch, there were three varieties: Fruit Rubber, Fan Rubber, and Fountain Rubber.


    Each one was quite magical. Fountain Rubber evidently had a rich yield; Fan Rubber belonged to directly produced finished products; while Fruit Rubber was easy to store and transport¡ªthe only pity was that the triplet rubber bugs were merely Elf Bugs, and could only affect a limited range of rubber trees.


    Otherwise, with continuous expansion of cultivation, the rubber tree industry would be absolutely lucrative. Currently, they could only rely on artificial planting of rubber trees through fertilization to expand the plantation area.


    He washed his hands and dried them.


    Liszt left the rubber plantation and went to the Mage Tower to find Ach and told him about the variations of the rubber tree cordyceps, ¡°This should be a very significant discovery, Ach. If you have the time, you could delve into this research and try to unravel the secrets of the Elves.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Ach will study it carefully,¡± Ach responded.


    In the month plus after being promoted to Archmage, Ach hadn¡¯t made many research breakthroughs apart from inventing Magic Armament and Dou Qi Armament.


    She was more focused on understanding all aspects of being an Archmage, as well as exploring the Magic Web.


    There were no Magic Books about Archmages in circulation, and no living Archmages in the vicinity, so everything had to be explored by Ach on her own. Liszt couldn¡¯t be of much help either, as his own Dragon Knight cultivation methods were resolved with Ach¡¯s assistance.


    Leaving the triplet rubber bugs for Ach to study, he hurried off to complete the next Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The territory is about to enter winter, and most plants will stop growing during winter. However, that doesn¡¯t mean winter is a silent time without hope. Perhaps at the turn of a corner, there lies throbbing life. Please personally inspect every plantation in your territory once. Reward: Unknown number of Elf Bugs.¡±


    After a long time, there finally was a new mission for the birth of Elf Bugs.


    ¡°It seems like recently I¡¯ve shifted my attention back to the Elves, so the Power of Destiny represented by the Smoke Mission has started to stir the Threads of Destiny for me again¡­ It¡¯s a pity that even though I hypnotize myself every night before sleeping, the Smoke Mission does not seem to respond, not giving me any tasks related to the Immortal Dragon¡­ Maybe my subconscious is not deep enough yet?¡±


    Riding the Landwalker bird Loki, Liszt followed the map of Black Horse Island, inspecting each plantation one by one.


    He used the Eye of Magic in every plantation to carefully observe the magic feedback light within sight. Now that his territory was large in both family and industry, this was indeed not an easy task. Fortunately, with Loki¡¯s quick pace and the strong observational power of the Eye of Magic, he managed to inspect a large number of plantations each day.


    The first day yielded nothing.


    But the second day brought good news. Within the influence area of the corn Minor Elf Mickey¡¯s cordyceps, at the corn plantation, a Stick Corn that belonged to the third growth found magic feedback light. After confirmation, this piece of Stick Corn was nurturing an Elf Bug. This invigorated his spirit, and he continued his inspections with mounting excitement.


    ¡°`


    The third day brought two pieces of good news. One was that a cutting of green tea in the plantation had already nurtured an Elf Bug in its seedling stage; the other was that during the inspection on Mangrove Island, a small arboreal sea helleborine was found to be nurturing an Elf Bug. Sea helleborines belong to mangrove plants and are quite common in the Mangrove Forest, although they are of little use.


    On the fourth day, all plantations on Black Horse Island and those in Fresh Flower Town were inspected, with no further Elf Bugs discovered.


    The excitement of the past two days dissipated, and Liszt began to mutter to himself, ¡°Could there be only two Elf Bugs?¡±


    He summoned the Smoke Mission and found that nothing had changed; the content of the Smoke Serpent Script remained the same. It showed that he had not yet completed the inspection of all the plantations in his territory.


    ¡°How could this be, I have clearly inspected all the plantations on land, even the several affiliated islands meticulously¡­ Oh right, there¡¯s one place I haven¡¯t checked!¡± Liszt suddenly realized that he had only inspected the plantations on land and had not yet inspected those in the sea.


    So, he mounted Rainbow Whale Rose and began to inspect the surrounding sea areas of his territory.


    Indeed, in the Giant Algae Forest, a new Giant Algae Elf Bug was discovered that had nurtured itself, and Liszt contracted it directly.


    Other than that, no further Elf Bugs or bugs in the process of nurturing were found.


    Still, the Smoke Mission remained incomplete.


    ¡°What could be the reason for this? Could it be that during the inspection of the Magic Potions, because there was too much Light from the magic feedback, something was overlooked?¡± Liszt analyzed seriously but could essentially rule out this possibility. His Eye of Magic had evolved through many Dragon Knight Resonances with Leo.


    His sensitivity to the Light from magic feedback had increased to a higher level, and the Light from Magic Potions and nurturing Elf Bugs were fundamentally different, something he would not overlook.


    Regardless, he still spent three days to re-examine everything carefully.


    But the Smoke Mission still remained incomplete.


    ¡°Impossible, the mission can¡¯t be incomplete; either I misunderstood it,¡± Liszt looked closely at the content of the Smoke Mission. The mission required him to inspect all the plantations in his territory personally, ¡°That¡¯s it! The focus of the mission is on inspection, not necessarily on finding Elf Bugs!¡±


    According to the consistent principle of missions, as long as Liszt completed the inspection of the territory, the Smoke Mission would directly inform him of all the varieties of Elf Bugs.


    There was no need for him to make an effort to search.


    ¡°So, I haven¡¯t completed the inspection?¡± He pondered deeply, still not understanding where he may have failed to inspect. The territory in total was so small that even a cursory glance should have been enough to finish inspecting.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    At that moment, Leo, who was asleep on his chest, woke up and notified Liszt through their mental connection that it was time to go to Dodo Island Volcano Crater to enjoy the Superior Magic (Dragon¡¯s Intent) condensed from the volcano.


    Liszt was suddenly struck by a realization, thinking of a possibility: ¡°I haven¡¯t inspected Dodo Island yet; the Smoke Mission must also include Dodo Island as part of my territory!¡± Essentially, the Smoke Mission projected according to his subconscious, and whether subconsciously or consciously, he considered Dodo Island part of his territory.


    After clearing things up,


    He laughed heartily: ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go to Dodo Island!¡±

 Chapter 697 - Chapter 697: Chapter 0694: Unique (Third Update, Celebrating 10,000 Coins Reward)

    Chapter 697: Chapter 0694: Unique (Third Update, Celebrating 10,000 Coins Reward)


    This chapter is a bonus update from ¡°Tang Xi Tian Yin¡± for clearing the reward tier.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Task completed, reward: one each of Hemp Rope Vine Elf Bug, Human Skull Elf Bug, Giant Algae Elf Bug, Sea Lotus Elf Bug, Green Tea Elf Bug, and Corn Elf Bug.¡±


    Having spent a day completing his training, Liszt also finished inspecting Dodo Island and found two pregnant Elf Bugs, one of which was a Hemp Rope Vine Elf Bug and the other a Human Skull Elf Bug, both close to hatching. He took out the packaged fertilizer from his Space Ring and carefully fertilized the two cordyceps.


    The task consequently concluded.


    It took two weeks in total; although it was a bit of a long time, the harvest was bountiful: six Elf Bugs. It was a cause for celebration to harvest six Elf Bugs at the end of autumn and the onset of winter. Moreover, the bountiful gains clearly hadn¡¯t ended yet, as the new Smoke Mission was again about Elves.


    ¡°Task: A fallen leaf gave Jela countless inspirations. She is a unique Little Minor Elf, struggling and breaking free from the shackles of fate. Though not quite perfect, she always manages to touch your heart. It¡¯s love and impatience that let her keep growing. Please let her understand her own uniqueness. Reward: Mutated Thorn Variety.¡±


    ¡°Easy points!¡±


    Liszt approached the task with ease. Through the heart-to-heart connection of the Elf contract, he could easily make Jela feel that way.


    And in his mind, Jela indeed was unique.


    This could be seen from the name of Thorn Castle: ¡°Just in time, Thorn Castle is almost finished, with only some room decorations remaining. I can already move into Thorn Castle¡­ Let Jela be the first to move into the new Worm Room of Thorn Castle, to enjoy a spacious and bright private room.¡±


    Returned to Black Horse Island.


    After confirming with Jomaya Bangtu that Thorn Castle was habitable and wouldn¡¯t be disturbed by the remaining construction, Liszt quickly began the relocation. As the landlord, he had no need to worry about the moving process; Goltai took charge of organizing manpower, bustling between Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island.


    Leaving some basic living supplies in the Nameless Castle of Fresh Flower Town, most of the materials were continuously transported to Thorn Castle.


    Liszt stood in front of the grand entrance of Thorn Castle with his hands behind his back, and to say he wasn¡¯t thrilled would be a lie, given that this would be his new home for the coming years.


    The main body of Thorn Castle could be divided into the main building, the left guard tower, and the right guard tower, all connected, but with intervals between each floor that could be blocked by heavy doors at any time. The castle rose five stories high, each floor six meters, topped by a ten-meter watchtower, totalling forty meters high.


    The guard towers on both wings were six stories and thirty meters tall, with a five-meter-tall water tower on the left guard tower and a five-meter-tall middle building on the right.


    Below ground level, there was a first basement floor, and under the main building¡¯s basement, there was a second basement.


    Thus,


    Thorn Castle could be considered nine stories tall, each floor with a specific use planned.


    Seventh Floor: Only the upper half of the main building¡¯s watchtower was dedicated to vigilance.


    Sixth Floor: The lower half of the main building¡¯s watchtower for storing guard materials; the left guard tower¡¯s water tower; the right guard tower¡¯s bell tower; as well as a small garden of Lithops on the rooftop and a simple observatory with long telescopes.


    Fifth Floor: The experiment lab for Ach on the main building and left guard tower; Liszt¡¯s indoor training room on the right guard tower.


    Fourth Floor: Bedrooms, bathrooms, study, and toilet, and other master living rooms for Liszt and Ach on the main building; Worm Rooms on both the left and right guard towers.


    Third Floor: Guest rooms, bathrooms, toilets, and other guest living quarters on the main building, left guard tower, and right guard tower.


    Second Floor: The main building houses a dining room and living room; the left guard tower contains an entertainment room; the right guard tower has meeting and duty rooms and other administrative spaces.


    First Floor: Lobby, exhibition room in the main building; kitchen, boiler room, and other servant workspaces in the left guard tower; servant quarters in the right guard tower.


    Basement Floor: Storage rooms in the main building, left guard tower, and right guard tower.


    Basement Level Two¡ªcomprising only the main building¡¯s underwater worm room, the Rose Swimming Pool, and the underwater passage, which directly connects to the Tonghai Canal in front of Thorn Castle.


    Jela stood on Liszt¡¯s shoulder, curiously observing the tall white castle in front of her.


    She let out a meaningless cry, ¡°Uwa.¡±


    ¡°Jela, this castle is our new home, and it¡¯s called Thorn Castle,¡± Liszt said, turning his head to speak to Jela on his shoulder, ¡°from today on, you and I will live here. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Uwa!¡± Jela expressed her excitement.


    ¡°You are the first Little Minor Elf to move into Thorn Castle. The entire castle is even named after you. Do you know that, Jela, you are a unique sprite in my eyes?¡±


    Jela was even more thrilled, ¡°Uwa!¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to the worm room to see your new home.¡±


    ¡°Uwa!¡±


    Although the castle claimed to have nine floors, it only had a main structure of five floors, and there wasn¡¯t any elevator. Climbing the broad staircase made it easy to reach the fourth floor. The left and right wing guard towers on the fourth floor were divided into very small compartments, each serving as a private worm room for a single Little Minor Elf.


    The room with Jela¡¯s nameplate was right by the passage of the main building, the very first one.


    ¡°Go and enjoy your new home,¡± said Liszt as he opened the door to the compartment, and Jela immediately rushed in, fluttering about the room haphazardly.


    The compartment, about twenty-five square meters, was quite spacious. Aside from a Jade Box, there were many small toys, mostly wooden carvings that could be thrown around or smashed, designed to relieve the Little Minor Elves¡¯ boredom. True to form, Jela brazenly grabbed a wooden carved Elf Bug and casually threw it to the floor.


    ¡°Uwa!¡±


    She excitedly darted around, showing satisfaction with her new home.


    When she grew tired of playing, Jela returned to Liszt¡¯s shoulder, and he once again declared affectionately, ¡°Jela, do you like your new home? I live right next door to you¡­ Remember this, my favorite Little Minor Elf is you because you are a unique sprite!¡±


    ¡°Uwa!¡±


    ¡°Good, make sure to remember that firmly.¡±


    ¡°Uwa!¡±


    After settling the overexcited Jela, Liszt called forth the Smoke Mission and discovered that the task had changed without notice, ¡°Complete the mission, reward Auxiliary Magic Medicine of a mutated Thorn variant.¡±


    ¡°Auxiliary Medicine quality?¡±


    Immediately, Liszt thought of the most important Magic Potion in his territory¡ªthe Dragon Kui Auxiliary Medicine. The Dragon Kui Auxiliary Medicine had almost no effect when taken alone, but when combined with other Magic Potions, it could multiply their effects significantly. Its value was immeasurable, even though the only drawback was its somewhat low production.


    Because there were only two Dragon Kui Bugs.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Thorn to mutate into an Auxiliary Medicine quality Magic Potion, good, very good!¡± Liszt understood the value of Auxiliary Medicine¡ªit was essentially doubling the effect of the territory¡¯s Magic Potions. With the Thorn output Jela could influence, planting most of it as Thorn Auxiliary Medicine would be enough for all the Magic Potions in the territory to be used in combination.


    When the time came,


    Liszt could be more generous with taking potions, and his training with Leo would progress even more swiftly¡ªthe digestive power of Leo was such that he could probably handle eating Magic Potions by the ton.


    ¡°Haha, truly worthy of being my unique sprite, Jela, this achievement is all thanks to you!¡±


    ¡°Uwa!¡±

 Chapter 698 - Chapter 698: Chapter 0695: Unknown Reward (First Update)

    Chapter 698: Chapter 0695: Unknown Reward (First Update)


    Following the precedent set by Dragon Kui Auxiliary Medicine and Auxiliary Medicine Dragon Mallow, the thorn mutation¡¯s auxiliary medicine shall be called Auxiliary Medicine Thorn, and the magic potion created from it shall be called Thorn Auxiliary Medicine. Liszt quickly decided that within the area affected by Thorn Cordyceps, more than ninety percent should be planted with Auxiliary Medicine Thorns.


    The remaining ten percent would be planted with Rapid Growth Magic Thorns and Rapid Growth Fire Thorns, two types of magic potions.


    Using Thorn Auxiliary Medicine in combination with Giant Algae Magic Potion would be the future go-to method for potion consumption in his domain.


    As of now, the domain¡¯s magic potion plants included Black Tulip, Rapid Growth Magic Thorn, Auxiliary Medicine Dragon Mallow, Magic Medicine Kelp, Rapid Growth Fire Thorn, Erect Centipeda, Coptis, and Auxiliary Medicine Thorn, totaling eight varieties; magic potions from Abandoned Cordyceps included Flame Mushroom, Ice Snow Flame Mushroom, Blue Pine Mushroom, Black Truffle, Golden Cordyceps, Monkey Head Mushroom, and Horse Bladder Fungus, seven varieties in total.


    One could say that the magic potion industry was booming, far exceeding the output of many earl nobles¡¯ domains, but magic potions were still not enough¡ªhis and the Little Fire Dragon Leo¡¯s daily consumption was a bottomless pit, lesser quantities could mean a lesser frequency of consumption, but more magic potions could be gone in a day.


    However, there was still a Knight Order to sustain, and although the Elite Earth Knights did not count on consuming potions to break through, they still needed to be regularly distributed some magic potions to ensure their Dou Qi did not wane.


    The talented Emily had become an Elite Earth Knight, and her daily potion consumption was not insubstantial in order to cultivate her talent.


    Yevich Water Peanut, as a Sword Saint without personal wealth to sustain himself, also required a regular provision of magic potions to ensure his Dou Qi did not deteriorate.


    Becoming a landlord did not solely mean enjoying power, it also came with the obligation to provide support¡ªthe knights following him were like the ¡°vibrant social organization¡± underboss¡¯s lackeys; to get the lackeys to follow orders, the underboss certainly had to offer benefits, and without benefits, how could he attract the loyalty of lackeys?


    Of course, Liszt had not yet encountered any demanding lackeys.


    His two Pioneer Mandates and one Iron Hoof Island suppression campaign all resulted in a great harvest, with his knights basking in the benefits, reaping rewards to their heart¡¯s content. Now, the majority of the rudderless knights in the Sapphire domain probably wished to follow Liszt, including those from the great nobles¡¯ younger sons.


    Because following Liszt meant gold coins and titles of nobility.


    With his strength, he would at least need the title of Marquis in the future to match his stature, and one could imagine how many military exploits it would take during the process of advancing ranks.


    In short, the birth of Auxiliary Medicine Thorn was great news, but the demand for magic potions was endless, and the domain needed continual development and accumulation to support Liszt in raising dragons and establishing a kingdom¡ªspeaking of which, he could not yet really be considered raising dragons, as Fire Dragons were Elemental Dragons and could grow by relying on volcanoes.


    For a Sacred Dragon like the Formless Dragon, he had no idea how to raise them, but certainly, they couldn¡¯t be thrown near a volcano and be expected to grow indefinitely.


    ¡°Only thing is, raising a Fire Dragon is good for me right now, since the Dodo Island Volcano can meet most of Leo¡¯s needs. Raising a Gemstone Dragon or Metal Dragon, apart from providing flesh and food, would likely require a vast amount of other resources¡­ A Formless Dragon could also be seen as a Gemstone Dragon.¡±


    His train of thought was somewhat erratic.


    For some reason, he had jumped from Auxiliary Medicine Thorn to dragon-raising, but Liszt timely brought his thoughts back, refocusing on the content of the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Winter¡¯s arrival is imminent, meaning that all things in the domain will enter two months of dormancy, affecting both production and daily life significantly; however, all these impacts are not as profound as the lurking crisis, which you may need to prepare for and decisively choose your stance. Reward: Unknown Rewards.¡±


    ¡°A lurking crisis? Choose a stance?¡±


    ¡°Unknown Rewards?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s gaze sharpened, contemplative. Disregarding this mission reward, he had already received five instances of Unknown Rewards, always after the New Year and wars.


    The first New Year¡¯s Unknown Reward was the sea sprite¡ªSea Sprite Ake.


    The Unknown Reward from the Iron Hoof Island campaign was the revival of dragon bones.


    The reward for the first Pioneer Mandate was the rebirth of Dou Qi¡ªpromotion to Sky Knight.


    The second New Year¡¯s Unknown Reward was the Little Fire Dragon in its form of fire.


    The reward for the second Pioneer Mandate was three Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits.


    From this, it can be seen that every unknown reward was quite substantial; however, this was neither a festival nor a war, just an ordinary daily task, yet it offered an unknown reward. This truly sparked Liszt¡¯s curiosity, ¡°Could it be because the task itself is somewhat horrifying?¡±


    The task was not very clear, but the lurking dangers and the choices of standpoints indicated that this would be a significant conflict.


    ¡°What could it mean?¡±


    He instinctively felt that it might have something to do with the Grand Duke, because the task involved taking a stand, ¡°Could it be that the Grand Duke has learned of my dragon, thus forcing me to choose between surrendering it willingly or waiting for him to come and plunder? But what exactly does the lurking danger represent, could it be the remnants of the Goat Assembly?¡±


    Aside from the very likely Grand Duke who could become the Dragon Domain Landlord, the only others who could threaten him were the few missing Grand Magicians of the Goat Assembly¡ªafter all, they had once severely wounded an adult Sapphire Dragon, and with the strength to slay a dragon, they were a threat.


    ¡°However, if I carefully analyze it, whether it¡¯s the Grand Duke or the Goat Assembly, could they withstand the combined strength of me and Ake?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that he was arrogant, but rather that it was a fact. A Dragon Knight and an Archmage working together were virtually unchallenged across these sea islands, and even if they were to gallop across the continent, there weren¡¯t many threats¡ªno nation would be foolish enough to casually attack a Dragon Knight and an Archmage, as it could easily result in mutual destruction.


    Having dismissed the Grand Duke and the Goat Assembly as the lurking threats, he immediately thought that the danger might not originate from within the country, ¡°It¡¯s also possible that it comes from abroad, with Eagle Kingdom being the most likely suspect. Perhaps the Smoke Mission¡¯s threat is the Dragon Slaying Battle¡­ but what does the choice of standpoint mean¡±


    He didn¡¯t believe that this choice of standpoint was about whether to surrender or resist in the Dragon Slaying Battle.


    ¡°Forget it, Ake and I will both be cautious. At the slightest signs of trouble, we¡¯ll jump into the sea to escape and reconvene. Then, we can plan our second move!¡±


    The identities of Dragon Knight and Archmage gave him tremendous confidence, and his ability to survive in the sea was an exceptional escape skill. Thus, no matter how ominous the Smoke Mission might sound, he was undaunted.


    He shook off the shadow of the Smoke Mission.


    And continued to dedicate himself to the development of his territory.


    The birth of Thorn Magic Potion had greatly increased his interest in magic potions, and he thought of another opportunity to expand the field, ¡°I had previously come across two kinds of Abandoned Cordyceps, Flame Mushrooms and Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms. Although both come from the same source, there are some differences in nature. I wonder if the limitations of the Magic Web will be shared.¡±


    Winter was coming, and the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms could be planted.


    He needed to test the planting results of the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms to see if they would affect the Flame Mushrooms, leading to a decline in the quality of both types of Abandoned Cordyceps.


    If the restrictions of the Magic Web were not shared, then the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms could be traded for new Abandoned Cordyceps.


    This work required him to merely give the order, and then it could be handed over to Chris Truth for research. Serving so many Magicians and Grand Magicians was not just about refining magic potions or creating a few Temperature Calming, Calming Wind, or Calming Water Pearls, or even making some ordinary magic equipment.


    Any magic-related work could be arranged by Chris.


    ¡°Viscount, please rest assured, I will send someone to follow up on the planting of the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms and strictly control the quality of both the Flame Mushrooms and Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m very confident in your work,¡± Liszt said indifferently.


    In the past, when dealing with his female subordinates, he used to habitually flash a charming smile to enhance his personal charm.


    However, ever since Ake appeared, Chris had been wholeheartedly following Ake to study magic, showing a perfunctory attitude towards him, their extremely handsome lord. Therefore, he had become too lazy to maintain any charming smile and would issue orders directly. After all, with Ake¡¯s powerful allure, the magicians would only regard Black Horse Island as a holy land.


    After Chris left, he called for Mary Dawn Break.


    ¡°My lord, what are your orders?¡±


    ¡°Lately, I have an uneasy feeling, as if someone is secretly spying on Black Horse Island, or other places. Dispatch the Blood Servants to investigate the islands of Sapphire, especially the information on Iron Hoof Island¡­ If there is news from abroad, that would be even better.¡±


    Mary bowed and saluted, ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡±

 Chapter 699 - Chapter 699: Chapter 0696: Underwater Castle (Second Update)

    Chapter 699: Chapter 0696: Underwater Castle (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    After dispatching Blood Servants to gather information, Liszt spent the following two days busy with the castle relocation. All the elves were transferred to Thorn Castle and moved into the new Worm Rooms.


    The Elf Bugs had nothing to say about the move; wherever they were placed, they¡¯d crawl about contentedly. With their low intelligence, they didn¡¯t exhibit any special behavior.


    However, the Minor Elves were a bit more troublesome.


    Calm Minor Elves like Mickey, the Corn Minor Elf, just needed a handful of corn kernels and they could spend half a day leisurely counting them in the room. Occasionally, Liszt would ask Mickey how many kernels there were, to which Mickey would show a blank expression.


    Sorry, but it couldn¡¯t count.


    Nami, the busy Mangrove Minor Elf who worked all day, also got a Worm Room, personally arranged by Ach, since it was a Minor Elf contracted with Ach. Nami felt indifferent about the new room, but the peanut nougat candies filling the small cabinet indicated great excitement.


    After gnawing on a peanut nougat candy, it let Ach take her back to Mangrove Island to continue looking after her little duck business and didn¡¯t stay overnight in the Worm Room.


    Liszt always felt that Nami¡¯s personality was greatly influenced by Ach¡ªthey both had independent character traits. While Nami did show some of the Mangrove Minor Elf¡¯s bossiness, it still preferred to wander alone outside and wasn¡¯t clingy.


    Minor Elves like Wheat, Sword Grass, Green Soybean, Sorghum, Apple, White Flip Grass, Pine, and Tobacco moved into their rooms without making any fuss.


    The two Coptis Minor Elves contracted with Yevich were even quiet. Without the care of their master, they seemed rather pitiful. Therefore, Liszt generously had Yevich come to the castle to comfort the two Minor Elves before sending Yevich off to the dock.


    The Adventure Fleet was being organized, and besides becoming familiar with water, Yevich had to learn about sailing, get to know the structure of ships so he could face dangers at sea.


    Settling these Minor Elves went quite smoothly.


    However, there was inevitably some commotion after the Coptis Minor Elf moved into the Worm Room, mainly because Jela was unhappy to see the Coptis Minor Elf also having its own fancy Worm Room. The two Minor Elves, one crying ¡°Wuuwa¡± and the other ¡°Ula¡±, quarreled across the hallway for half a day.


    Ultimately, Liszt settled them down with a flick of Finger-Flick Magic, and they went back into the Jade Box to sleep obediently.


    The placement of the terrestrial Minor Elves concluded, and soon the aquatic Minor Elves were settled as well, with the Elf Bugs dutifully staying in the ponds. The three Giant Algae Minor Elves also had their own ponds, blissfully enjoying the pond bottom sprinkled with Jade Powder. However, Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike threw a temper tantrum.


    ¡°The standards are too low, the lighting is insufficient here, this place is uncomfortable to live in. Even though there¡¯s water, it¡¯s not flowing smoothly¡ªno, no! The handsome Pike cannot endure such an environment, I demand a change of location!¡±


    ¡°This place is quite nice. If you feel oppressed, you can swim along the water channels to Tonghai Canal. The canal is managed by people, and there are gates at the sea entrance that close, so you won¡¯t encounter any danger.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, I thought you understood me. The handsome Pike needs light and freedom. Help me build a castle underwater in the sea; I like underwater castles.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    ¡°That attitude isn¡¯t good. A comfortable environment can stimulate an elf¡¯s desire to work. Build me an underwater castle, and I guarantee a 10% increase in the production of Magic Medicine Kelp from the Giant Algae Forest.¡±


    Although Pike¡¯s thinking was a bit off and its behavior unreliable, its words weren¡¯t entirely false. If the elves are willing to work on their own, the yield of the crops can indeed increase significantly, at least in terms of farming, reducing a great deal of labor costs.


    With just a casual sowing from Pike, it could probably plant several acres of Giant Algae¡ªalthough it couldn¡¯t guarantee whether the result would be Magic Medicine Kelp or just ordinary Giant Algae.


    Since Pike couldn¡¯t guarantee the variety of Magic Medicine, Liszt naturally wouldn¡¯t let Pike meddle with the planting of Giant Algae at will.


    However, feeling a kind of mental connection, he did sense Pike¡¯s dissatisfaction. Compared to the undemanding Giant Algae Minor Elves, Pike was a Greater Elf who understood refined pleasures.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I will arrange for Virginia the Necrofish Ugly to build you a simple underwater castle at the mouth of the Tonghai Canal. If you like it, you can live there. But don¡¯t run around recklessly; the sea is not safe, and if you encounter any danger, hide in Thorn Castle.¡±


    Pike grinned, showing his sharp teeth, ¡°Hurry up and find that Necrofish Ugly. The handsome Pike can hardly wait.¡±


    Virginia Truth had completely adapted to her identity as a Necrofish Ugly. She usually stayed within the Tear Staff, resting, and would come out to work once she had enough rest, dredging the depth and breadth of the harbor. Now, not only had Black Horse Port and New Harbor become deep-water harbors, but Fresh Flower Port had also completed the construction of its deep-water harbor.


    She then lingered around the mouth of the Tonghai Canal, preparing to widen it to match Liszt¡¯s future plans of developing the canal¡¯s mouth into a harbor.


    After getting accustomed to the power of the Necrofish Ugly and undergoing a period of training, she could now stay outside for a continuous hour.


    Working for one hour each day and sleeping for the rest of the time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lord. Building a small castle underwater is as easy as constructing a toy castle. As long as you prepare the materials and the design plans, I can start building underwater anytime.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Liszt responded courteously.


    He always treated his followers and other subordinates with gentlemanly manners; he did not like to put on airs or to act needlessly profound.


    Following the completion of Thorn Castle by Jomaya Bangtu¡¯s team of architects, there wasn¡¯t much work scheduled for them, so they could immediately start on the underwater castle¡ªfor what was called a castle might more accurately be described as a small underwater villa, just enough for Pike to live in without needing luxury.


    And so it was.


    Thorn Castle officially commenced operation, with Ach directing the magicians to move one experimental device after another to the fifth-floor laboratory. Butler Carter, on the other hand, directed the servants to decorate each room, seeking to reveal a sense of luxury amid simplicity, fitting with Liszt¡¯s personal taste.


    As for Liszt himself, there wasn¡¯t much for him to do, except suggesting some ideas for the arrangement of the study and the bedroom.


    After that, he went out t0 find a place to continue his Dou Qi Cultivation with Leo¡ªregardless of what hidden dangers the Smoke Mission hinted at, only by becoming stronger could he better face these crises. If he was strong enough, even a myriad of conspiracies would be futile; a single show of strength would solve everything!


    Not far from the castle¡¯s entrance, Patrol Leader Paris was leading a team of knights on patrol.


    Upon seeing her, Liszt signaled one of his Retainer Knights to call Paris over.


    ¡°My lord.¡±


    ¡°How is your recovery coming along?¡±


    ¡°I have fully recovered, and I feel better than at any time before,¡± Paris said with a beaming smile, having finally laid to rest the health issues caused by the Black Dragon Childe.


    She felt buoyant, radiating the joy of a young girl.


    Liszt nodded and asked, ¡°How about your cultivation?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Paris¡¯s smile grew even brighter, ¡°I can now cast Light System Magic again, although Light and Shadow Tug is still a bit of a struggle and might need more attempts. The cultivation of my Light Attribute Dou Qi is progressing quickly; I feel that I will soon complete my apprentice Dou Qi Cultivation and be ready to attempt to become an Earth Knight.¡±


    ¡°Good. If you¡¯re lacking any resources, just ask me. You are a very special Light Magic Swordsman, and your cultivation system represents a new direction,¡± Liszt said with concern¡ªhe was keen on mass-producing Fire Paladins, eager to discover the effects of cultivating both magic and Dou Qi.

 Chapter 702 - Chapter 702: Chapter 0699: Missing Legacy (Second Update)

    Chapter 702: Chapter 0699: Missing Legacy (Second Update)


    Boom!


    Liszt¡¯s attack struck the position where Ach was located, but Ach took advantage of the momentum to sink into the sea, disappearing from the view of the Dragon Eye Trajectory.


    The Dragon Dou Qi slowly dissipated above the sea, and everything returned to calm.


    Only Liszt remained, riding the Fire Dragon, patrolling the surface of the sea¡ªalthough the Dragon Eye Trajectory had strong observation capabilities, it did not have the ability to see through objects; therefore, once Ach sank into the sea, she successfully escaped his field of vision.


    ¡°What does Ach want to do, drag out the time because she knows my Dragon Rider Mode has a time limit? That¡¯s unlikely¡ªthe purpose of our combat exercise is to hone our fighting skills; there can be no improvement without engagement¡­ Moreover, I can end the Dragon Knight Resonance early and return to normal,¡± he pondered.


    Dragon Knight Resonance was now so adept for Liszt that he and Leo could enter Dragon Rider Mode anytime and anywhere without suffering from any time limit drawbacks.


    However, just as he considered whether to deactivate Dragon Rider Mode, the sea began to surge again.


    Numerous streams of water formed giant blades that rose from the sea, creating a net-like formation that slashed towards Leo with an unmatched momentum, fiercely and rapidly like a violent storm.


    High-Level Water System Magic ¨C Blade of Water!


    Riding on Leo, Liszt deftly maneuvered through the air among the massive water blades, searching for Ach¡¯s figure. His responsive and judgmental abilities greatly enhanced while in Dragon Rider Mode, the Dragon Eye Trajectory now offered a dynamic view, with a clear insight into the trajectory of magic power.


    Suddenly.


    Within the massive, ascending water blades, a thick, solid column of water shot up with lightning speed¡ªAdvanced Water System Magic ¨C Strong Water Column!


    This high-level magic, usually reserved for Grand Magicians, was cast by Ach as easily as the most basic Water Arrow Spell¡ªat will and without any concern for the consumption of magic power. And after touching the Magic Web, her deep understanding of Dynamic Magic Arrays elevated her mastery of magic to a higher plane.


    All aspects of the magic¡¯s power and properties underwent a qualitative leap and enhancement.


    Had a Sky Knight, even a Domain Knight, faced such formidable magic, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to break through it, and a single round of magic might have sent them off in pursuit of knightly glory.


    But the target of the magical attack was a Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Very strong, but still not enough to defeat me!¡± There wasn¡¯t a ripple in Liszt¡¯s heart as his gaze continually swept over the churning sea, using the trajectory of the released magic to lock on to Ach¡¯s figure. ¡°Ach moves very fast in the water, nearly reaching the degree of instant movement, which is a bit troublesome.¡±


    If it were a human Archmage, no matter how proficient in Water Magic, they wouldn¡¯t be able to swim through the sea so effortlessly.


    But water control was Ach¡¯s racial talent; the sea was her true home turf, where she was virtually invincible.


    And Ach made good use of her talent, hiding in the sea and not showing herself, relying on magic for sneak attacks on Liszt¡ªto be strict about it, Ach was not just a theoretical flower nurtured in a greenhouse; she had hunted many Sea Monsters in the sea. From a very young age, she was able to avoid the pursuit of intermediate-level Sea Monsters like the Six-Headed King Serpent, so it can¡¯t be said that she lacked combat experience.


    ¡°Still not good enough!¡±


    With keen observation through the Dragon Eye Trajectory, it didn¡¯t take long for Liszt to capture Ach¡¯s underwater route, analyze their respective positions and travel lines, and find the optimal attack position. Then, in perfect harmony of heart and mind, Leo folded his wings and plummeted like a weightless rocket, piercing through the layers of water blades.


    Just as he was about to crash into the sea, Leo suddenly rolled to the side, spreading his wings wide and fiercely flapping them, while Liszt raised his Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword high, sending a Dou Qi attack pouring into the sea.


    The Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi could still transform and burn underwater, accurately striking Ach, who was rapidly changing positions. When the Dragon Dou Qi came into contact with the Water Wave Shield, it exploded into a violent collision. The collision shattered the Water Wave Shield like glass and forcefully slammed Ach further into the depths of the sea.


    The moment the Water Wave Shield broke, Ach took advantage of the impact force and swiftly retreated.


    Even as she fell back, she did not forget to raise her hand and released one after another Advanced Water System Magic ¨C Whirlpool Convergence, causing the surrounding seawater to explode tumultuously. Countless streams of magic power erupted chaotically, tearing everything in the vicinity to shreds and successfully blocking Liszt, the Dragon Knight, who already surged back again.


    Their vision was obscured by the shattered spray, losing track of Ach.


    With a thought from Liszt, Leo spread his wings and flew high into the sky, just as a thick and solid water column burst through the waves, aiming at where Leo had just been.


    Just like that.


    Ach kept releasing magic, but either missed Leo or failed to inflict significant damage when hitting him. Liszt could find opportunities to attack Ach, but similarly, the seawater reduced the impact of his attacks, proving no major threat to Ach¡ªthey were at an impasse.


    About half an hour later.


    Liszt signaled that the live combat training was over and joined Ach on the beach.


    With a ¡°roar,¡± Leo flew towards the mouth of the Dodo Island Volcano to enjoy the fire attribute superior magic he had just condensed. Liszt and Ach stayed in the small cabin by the sea to carefully review the gains and losses of the live combat training.


    ¡°Big brother, the combat power of magicians is clearly weaker than that of a Dragon Knight, not by just a small margin,¡± Ach¡¯s magic caused too little damage to the Dragon Knight. ¡°If not for the help of the sea, Ach would not stand a chance against you, and in the upcoming dragon-slaying battle with Alonso Xianke, Ach will probably only be able to play a supporting role.¡±


    What she said was true.


    Through this live combat training, Liszt also realized that despite the magician¡¯s attacks appearing ferocious¡ªoften sweeping across a large area¡ªthey were not of much significance to the robust physique of the Dragon Knight. Even if Leo took a few spells head-on, he wouldn¡¯t be grievously wounded, at most breaking a couple of bones.


    The attack power of a Dragon Knight, however, could easily tear apart magic, reaching the magician himself directly.


    If this battle had not been at sea, but on land, Ach would likely have been overwhelmed and defeated by Liszt after just a few attacks.


    ¡°I also think there¡¯s a problem with the combat power of magicians. The magic books mention the ancient magicians who could fight dragons one-on-one. Their attack power shouldn¡¯t be so weak¡­ There must be a break in the succession of knowledge. Ach, you have only mastered advanced magic, which Grand Magicians should be able to wield.¡±


    Liszt made his own judgment: ¡°Magicians should possess higher-level magic, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have left such a resounding legacy.¡±


    ¡°Ach thinks so too, but there¡¯s no clue about higher-level magic.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps soul research is a good direction. The magicians of the Goat Assembly relied on soul research to severely wound the Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    Liszt sighed.


    After thinking for a moment.


    He made a decision he wasn¡¯t sure he should, pulling out several magic books about the soul from his space ring and handing them to Ach: ¡°All these books are collections I¡¯ve gradually made concerning the soul. Originally, I didn¡¯t want you to know about them because soul research is too wicked.¡±


    He hoped that Ach could always remain as pure and untainted as she was now, rather than become a crazed magician delving into souls and defiling life and death.


    According to legend.


    Many of the ancient magicians reportedly became wizards or even transformed themselves into liches after studying the soul. Liszt did not like wizards and liches, always feeling it was a desecration of life¡ªperhaps he was actually worried that magicians through soul research could harm himself.


    After all, the Sapphire Dragon was a lesson from the past¡ªjust a group of Grand Magicians had nearly succeeded in slaying a dragon, showing the lethal power of the soul.


    Seeing Liszt¡¯s concern, Ach solemnly took the books, giggled, and said, ¡°Big brother, Ach will always be your little sea monster.¡±


    Liszt looked distracted, Ach had never spoken in such a coquettish tone before, but then he laughed out loud: ¡°That¡¯s right, Ach will always be Ach, and I will always be Ach¡¯s big brother, Liszt!¡±

 Chapter 704 - Chapter 704: Chapter 0701: Eagle Spreads Its Wings (First Update)

    Chapter 704: Chapter 0701: Eagle Spreads Its Wings (First Update)


    Liszt was puzzled.


    He didn¡¯t know what Alonso Xiankelai was thinking, and was even more uncertain what the lurking crisis meant¡ªit was true that Alonso might have designs on the Duchy of Sapphire, but what could he rely on to lay hands on it? The Duchy of Sapphire had dominated the seas for over a hundred and fifty years and was certainly not a small nation that could be manipulated by just anyone.


    For the moment, no one could provide an answer.


    In Black Horse Island, Fresh Flower Town, only Ach knew about Liszt¡¯s identity as a Dragon Knight.


    However, Ach didn¡¯t really understand politics and couldn¡¯t provide Liszt with any reference opinions.


    There was another person on Coral Island who knew his identity, so the perplexed Liszt prepared to have a good talk with Marquis Li Weiliam of Bull Tail.


    But when he arrived at Tulip Castle, he found out that the Marquis had gone to the Bull Tail Domain of Iron Hoof Island to take over his newly awarded estate.


    ¡°Then let Ach take me to Iron Hoof Island,¡± Liszt decided without any hesitation, asking Ach to take him to Iron Hoof Island directly.


    It was a four-day voyage from Coral Island to Iron Hoof Island, but for Ach, it was only an hour¡¯s journey.


    The clam served as a submarine.


    Liszt and Ach lay down side by side inside it, chatting and resting for a while, and before long they had already reached Iron Hoof Island, hundreds of kilometers away. Bull Tail City was the main city of the Bull Tail Domain, a large coastal city that boasted a castle that had once belonged to the Bull Family¡ªBull Tail Fort.


    The Bull Family was quite brutish when it came to naming things.


    The island was called Iron Hoof Island, and due to a particular fondness for ¡°bulls,¡± all the cities were named after parts of the bull: Horn, Hoof, Tail, Sinew, Spine, Hair, Rump, Rib, and so on. Each city had its own castle, though of course, none could compare to the grandeur of Bull Castle in Iron Hoof City.


    The cities and castles not given to followers mainly served as vacation residences for the Bull Family, so Bull Tail Fort was even more spartan than Tulip Castle.


    Of course.


    Even though Bull Tail Fort was spartan, in addition to the main city of Bull Tail City, the Bull Tail Domain also included two other large cities, Bull Rump City and Bull Rib City, as well as ten smaller cities. Thus, the Tulip Family suddenly gained three large castles with names and ten smaller city castles of varying sizes.


    At this moment, the flag raised atop Bull Tail Fort was the red flag of the Tulip Family, signifying that the place now belonged to the Tulip Family.


    The guards of Bull Tail Fort were very lax. It wasn¡¯t until Liszt and Ach approached the main gate that a pair of patrolling knights noticed them. Seeing Liszt, the knights hurried over to salute and welcomed the two into the castle.


    Butler Xi Er Wa rushed over, anxious and apologetic, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Young Master Liszt, Miss Acherloides, I wasn¡¯t aware of your visit today. The castle is a mess and not yet properly arranged, and no servants have been assigned to guard the door. This is a severe oversight.¡±


    ¡°Where is my father?¡± Liszt did not care for these details.


    ¡°The Master and Lady have gone to Bull Tail City to inspect the transfer of workshops and shops. Please wait a moment, young master and miss; I will send a servant to Bull Tail City to find the Master immediately.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Liszt nodded, wandering around Bull Tail Fort with Ach to take a look at the castle. It was his first time coming to Bull Tail City, his first time seeing Bull Tail Fort. Speaking of which, it was somewhat cold; Ach had the technology for fast travel, and he hadn¡¯t thought to visit the Bull Tail Domain for a tour.


    Perhaps subconsciously, he didn¡¯t consider anything outside of Black Horse Island as his territory.


    To retreat for three to five years and then build a nation overseas, he wouldn¡¯t have much involvement here, so he didn¡¯t bother to invest emotionally. Just as he finished looking around Bull Tail Fort, the Marquis had already returned: ¡°Liszt, Ach, when did you come over? Why didn¡¯t you give a heads-up?¡±


    ¡°It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I came to discuss something with you, Father,¡± Liszt replied.


    Lady Marie smiled and said, ¡°You two go and talk in the study. I¡¯ll prepare lunch for you.¡± Generally, whenever it came to matters involving Liszt and his father, she was conscious not to be in the way and found an excuse to leave.


    The study was nicely furnished, and the Marquis somehow acquired a large batch of new books, filling the shelves.


    Liszt had not seen these new books before, and he suddenly felt an itch in his hands, wanting to take a knife to slice through the cover, to see if he could find any more Dou Qi Secret Techniques.


    Of course.


    He restrained himself, gesturing to Ach to flip through the books as he liked and directly began discussing with the Marquis, ¡°My Blood Servant has discovered a large number of vampires from the Black Knight Family sneaking into Iron Hoof Island, and it seems their arrival bodes ill.¡±


    ¡°Vampires sneaking in?¡± The Marquis frowned, ¡°What is their purpose?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not clear on that, but they didn¡¯t come for me; after I killed a Pureblood, they not only did not seek revenge, but Chieftain Rommel of the Black Knight Family even wished to make my acquaintance¡­ I suspect the Black Knight Family¡¯s action this time is on the instructions of Alonso.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible, Fomuir died because of the Pioneer Mandate, this is warfare between kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, I have already sent two letters requesting ransom for the Sky Knights, and there has been no response whatsoever from Alonso¡¯s side, which is not normal.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Garcia and Fox, although both just average Sky Knights, are still young and have the potential to advance to Sword Saint. It doesn¡¯t make sense to just abandon them.¡± After listening to Liszt¡¯s explanation, the Marquis fell into deep thought, ¡°For Alonso to be ready to recruit you does indeed fit the logic.¡±


    ¡°But what makes him confident that I would abandon my status with the Sapphire and follow him¡­ Even if he is a Dragon Knight, he¡¯s still only a Viscount.¡±


    If Alonso were a Duke and had founded his own kingdom, then he would have been worthy to recruit Liszt.


    But he was just a Dragon Knight fostered by the Eagle Kingdom; if he dies, the dragon must be returned, and he has no qualifications to recruit a powerful ¡°Ancient Warrior Inheritance¡± like Liszt¡ªhow could he possibly give Liszt a status comparable to that in the Sapphire? The Grand Duke was ready to attract him with the title of Marquis.


    Just a nod, and the title of Marquis of Iron Hoof Island would be his for the taking.


    Alonso Xiankelai, as a Bronze Dragon Knight, might sound mighty, yet his title was only that of Summit Marquis plus Lotus Hill Count.


    ¡°Since the Black Knight Family isn¡¯t targeting you, and Alonso is showing signs of wanting to recruit you, does this mean his target is the Sapphire itself?¡±


    ¡°I have had my suspicions too, but with what would he conquer the Sapphire?¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Slaying Battle?¡± the Marquis said, as ever since Liszt started dragon riding, the thought of the Dragon Slaying Battle had lingered for a long time, ¡°Could it be that Alonso is preparing to fight the Grand Duke?¡±


    ¡°Coming alone to a distant land, isn¡¯t he afraid of being trapped here? Even if a Dragon Knight is powerful, the Sapphire Family could easily flee and hide, making a comeback after avoiding the assault seems not difficult.¡±


    ¡°What if he¡¯s not coming alone, but with a plethora of Knight Orders?¡± the Marquis suddenly thought, ¡°Initially, you said the descendants of the Marquis of Bull had defected to the Continental Kingdom, and surmised that Alonso was their backer. With the Bull Family¡¯s legacy, they could certainly help the Eagle Kingdom build a fleet.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Liszt wanted to counter, for he¡¯d always felt quite secure being isolated overseas, but what the Marquis said made sense; since the escape of the Marquis of Bull, shipbuilding technology was no longer exclusive to the Sapphire.


    The Bull Family had been preparing to slay dragons for more than a day or two.


    Which meant they had defected to the Eagle Kingdom long ago, and over the years the Eagle Kingdom frantically built ships and trained sailors, amassing a large fleet of ships, in the thousands.


    ¡­


    As if to confirm the Marquis¡¯s conjecture.


    After the midday banquet.


    A Knight riding a Falcon Magical Beast descended from the sky, landing at Bull Tail Fort, a Knight from the directly subordinated Ashen Hawk Knights of the Grand Duke. This Knight came from Bull Hoof City and was currently affiliated with the Quicksand City Marquis Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea, stationed in Bull Hoof City; he brought explosive news.


    ¡°Marquis of Bull Tail, Viscount Liszt, we have received a report from Rat. The Eagle Kingdom has mobilized a large fleet to invade our Sapphire!¡±

 Chapter 705 - Chapter 705: Chapter 0702: Benefits of the Fisherman (Second Update)

    Chapter 705: Chapter 0702: Benefits of the Fisherman (Second Update)


    ¡°As expected, it just as I predicted.¡±


    When the Ashen Hawk Knight who delivered the message had left, the Marquis¡¯s face darkened as he looked up at the gloomy sky through the window at a 45-degree angle. It was now December, and the days until the winter snow were drawing near, with temperatures dropping day by day.


    He stood with his hands clasped behind his back.


    He was not shaken by the news; on the contrary, there was even a hint of satisfaction within him as he reclaimed the dignity of his forebears¡ªthe cunning of age outmatched the inexperience of youth. Li Si Te hadn¡¯t foreseen the outcome, but he had predicted it accurately. This was experience, this was the way of life, this was why he was able to establish the Tulip Family.


    The Marquis turned his head, looking at Liszt with eyes that seemed to sparkle with the confidence of ¡°your dad will always be your dad¡±: ¡°The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s ambition for Sapphire has been longstanding, and it¡¯s finally reached the point of eruption. The only question is whether the invaders who followed the fleet were led by Alonso.¡±


    ¡°Alonso is a certainty,¡± Liszt did not meet the Marquis¡¯s gaze, nor did he show any look of admiration, ¡°From the moment Marquis of Bull defected, he was involved in this plan. Without a doubt, he will be the leader of this war¡­ What does the Grand Duke plan to do?¡±


    To see a part and understand the whole.


    When the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s fleet began to reveal their whereabouts, many clues merged together in Liszt¡¯s mind, forming a picture that was much clearer than what Li Weiliam could see.


    ¡­


    Many years ago, the Royal Family of the Eagle Kingdom, harassed by Sapphire, decided to resolve this barbaric little country overseas once and for all.


    But Sapphire¡¯s geographical location is unique, with layered seas acting as a barrier, making it impossible to conquer.


    As for the dragon slaying battle, the initial battle before the founding of Sapphire failed and it was just as unlikely to succeed afterward. Especially at sea, and with the protection of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, the Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t dare to act recklessly¡ªDragon Knights don¡¯t guarantee victory over Dragons.


    Therefore.


    The Eagle Kingdom got in touch with the Bull Family and even earlier with the Magic Goat Family, who were also being maneuvered by the Eagle Kingdom in the background. In any case, the Bull Family was enticed by the Lich plan. By the time of Marquis Bull, it¡¯s very likely he was already heavily involved with the Eagle Kingdom, preparing for dragon slaying and transformation into a Lich, while also aiding the Eagle Kingdom in shipbuilding.


    Alonso was the executor of this plan.


    Only, the dragon slaying did not go smoothly, the Sapphire Dragon didn¡¯t perish, and the Grand Duke made a stylish entrance by capturing Marquis Bull, so Alonso did not dare to make a move.


    He sent Vampires to Iron Hoof Island to find the missing Goat Assembly¡¯s Grand Magician, to ascertain the Grand Duke¡¯s situation.


    Until today.


    It was probably because he knew about the Grand Duke¡¯s situation, or maybe because their Knight Order was strong enough to conquer Sapphire, or perhaps Dragon Knights of Steel Ridge were preoccupied with something else. In any case, Alonso began the invasion of Sapphire, and the problem brought by Liszt was just a minor nuisance.


    Garcia and Fox, as captives, needn¡¯t pay ransom. If they conquer Sapphire, there will be no more captive issues.


    As for the Black Knight Family, it might be because Alonso expressed appreciation for Liszt, which led Chieftain Rommel to abandon his desire for revenge, wanting to befriend Liszt instead.


    And so.


    The Smoke Mission issued had tasks of lurking crises and choosing allegiances.


    ¡­


    ¡°What do you think?¡± The Marquis was a bit displeased, not seeing the look of admiration in Liszt¡¯s eyes, but rather a nonchalant demeanor as if he were the one who had guessed the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s attack strategies.


    Liszt indeed thought this way.


    He disregarded the Marquis¡¯s previous conjectures outright, summing up all the clues to form a clear picture, everything under control: ¡°What I think is not important, what matters is how the Grand Duke is going to respond¡­ How does Marquis Nesta expect us to gather the Knight Order to defend Iron Hoof Island, I think we can play along.¡±


    ¡°Not take a more proactive stance?¡±


    ¡°How to take the initiative?¡±


    The Marquis said, ¡°Sooner or later you will need to establish a nation, but a grand duchy lacks the support of a kingdom and will find it difficult to develop stability. Should a more dangerous Dragon Slaying War arise, the situation would be unpredictable. As a Dragon Knight, and Ach being an Archmage, you could choose to seek refuge with the Eagle Kingdom, or with the Steel Ridge Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°What about the Grand Duke?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± the Marquis sighed, ¡°I served the Grand Princess, and the Grand Duke has not mistreated me, but the crisis of the Sapphire is not mine to decide. As a Marquis, I hope to fulfill the duties of a follower for the Sapphire Family as much as possible, but as of today, ordinary knights are no longer able to determine the outcome of wars.¡±


    The Marquis could not determine the outcome of wars.


    Once the Knight Order of the Eagle Kingdom swarmed into the Sapphire, then the Knight Order of the Sapphire would lose its advantage at sea. Moreover, the Marquis was well aware of why he was able to be promoted to Marquis¡ªit was because of his son¡¯s strong performance.


    But Liszt could.


    He gradually understood what choice meant: ¡°Honestly, Father, I do not like to rely on others, whether it¡¯s the Eagle Kingdom or the Steel Ridge Kingdom, neither is worth my allegiance! If I were to establish a nation, I even want to name it a kingdom right from the start and become the King myself.¡±


    The Marquis looked at Liszt in silence: ¡°Liszt, a kingdom needs to have at least two dragons.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s expression was unreadable: ¡°I know.¡±


    Seeing this, the Marquis did not dwell on whether it should be a kingdom or a grand duchy, but said, ¡°By your words, you would be willing to help the Grand Duke at a crucial moment?¡±


    ¡°I am not one who likes change. I quite like the current position of the Duchy of Sapphire; it is suitable for me to lie low and develop slowly¡­ However, it still depends on how the war progresses. Perhaps if the Grand Duke and Alonso inflicting mutual harm on one another, that would be the best opportunity for my entrance,¡±


    The Smoke Mission provided a stance to choose, but did not specify whether to aid the Grand Duke of Sapphire or to side with the Eagle Kingdom. Consequently, Liszt had a third option¡ªwhen the fisherman benefits from the fight between the snipe and the clam, he could take Sapphire for his own while the Grand Duke and Alonso are both weakened.


    To extract the maximum benefit.


    ¡°Do not be too confident, you are still young, you can afford to work steadily and securely.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Father. The Eagle Kingdom is invading, and soon Iron Hoof Island will become the battleground. Be careful here; I will return to my domain with Ach to organize the Knight Order and head to Bull Tail Domain for support. Then we¡¯ll see how the situation develops and how the Grand Duke responds.¡±


    ¡­


    There was no delay.


    Liszt immediately had Ach transport him back, made brief preparations, and notified the Tulip Family, organizing the Coral Island Knights and the Black Horse Island Knights Order to be ready to march.


    Then, along with Ach, he returned to the Bull Tail Domain to wait for the war¡¯s arrival.


    And they waited three days.


    When the First Prince leading the large troop of the Blueblood Knight Order arrived at Bull Hoof City, the fast sailing ships scattered at sea belonging to the Sapphire finally spotted the fleet of the Eagle Kingdom.


    A sight too massive to quantify, at least thousands of double-masted sailing ships, along with a few scattered triple-masted sailing ships.


    When the news reached Bull Hoof City.


    The First Prince immediately convened a meeting. More than thirty nobles, including Marquises and Earls, stood ready for battle, waiting for the First Prince¡¯s further instructions.


    The First Prince, with a grave expression, surveyed the audience and slowly began, ¡°My father, the Grand Duke of Sapphire, is already en route on the back of the Sapphire Dragon. This is a major crisis concerning the safety of Sapphire¡¯s territories, but do not panic, gentlemen. The sea is Sapphire¡¯s turf; the invaders of the Eagle Kingdom are destined to meet their end in the azure seawater!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°We shall mount an offensive and engage in naval battle, intercepting the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s fleet at sea, ensuring they cannot set foot on any Sapphire island!¡±

 Chapter 706 - Chapter 706: Chapter 0703: Old Rival (First Update)

    Chapter 706: Chapter 0703: Old Rival (First Update)


    As the ship set sail from Bull Hoof Island Port, Liszt understood that war had become inevitable.


    Moreover, naval battles are brutal. For knights, the cramped space on the ships hardly allows for charging. All they can do is exchange blows from a distance or leap about in boarding combat.


    Liszt, accompanied by Ach riding Tulip Family¡¯s flagship, the ¡°Tulip,¡± chose not to engage in the fight but to watch as the battle spread over the sea. Once he had decided in his heart to reap the spoils of the fisherman¡¯s benefit, war became like a movie to him, where all he had to do was buy a good ticket and find his seat.


    ¡°We have an advantage in naval battles. The Sapphire Knights have had no shortage of skirmishes with pirates, and their experience in water combat is something the knights of the Eagle Kingdom, trained in haste, simply cannot match¡­ After all, they haven¡¯t been through the baptism of the sea and don¡¯t know how to manipulate the surges,¡±


    Li Weiliam stood at the bow, holding a telescope and surveying the entire seascape of battle.


    The Dragon Knights had not yet appeared on the battlefield, so at the moment it was just a naval battle between ordinary knights. The Sapphire¡¯s Knight Order and fleet were still arriving in succession, and the current number of ships was not large; the Eagle Kingdom, however, had mobilized en masse, with countless sailboats covering the entire sea.


    However, their ships were noticeably slow and stiff in maneuvering, especially in front of the Sapphire¡¯s numerous fast sailboats, which made them appear clumsy.


    Two fast sailboats, working in tandem, approached from left and right. In an instant, a large group of knights leaped from their respective decks and commenced a boarding battle.


    Two against one, they easily annihilated a sailboat from the Eagle Kingdom, then the Sapphire fast sailboats quickly moved away and charged towards the next Eagle Kingdom sailboat.


    The fleets of the two kingdoms had only just encountered each other for a short time, and already dozens of sailboats had been wiped out, seventy percent of which belonged to the Eagle Kingdom.


    The huge disparity in naval battle strength was not only evident in the ships but also in the knights. The rocking decks had no effect on the Sapphire Knights but were extremely challenging for the knights of the Eagle Kingdom. With their combat skills deformed and their bodies unstable, their combat power was directly weakened by thirty to forty percent; how could they compete with the agile Sapphire Knights?


    Therefore,


    Even though the Sapphire¡¯s ships were fewer in number, they far exceeded the Eagle Kingdom in combat effectiveness.


    All of this was seen clearly by Liszt through his telescope: ¡°The demeanor of the Eagle Kingdom is magnificent, but their naval battle strength does not match up with their spirit. At this rate, they probably won¡¯t make it to shore before meeting their end in this sea area. But it probably won¡¯t be that simple, the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t invade so rashly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Magicians,¡± Ach, also holding a telescope, suddenly said.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Li Weiliam and Liszt both exclaimed in surprise.


    Ach put down the telescope and pointed towards the sea ahead: ¡°I feel Magic Power converging; there are many Magicians hidden on the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s ships.¡±


    No further hints were needed from Ach.


    The second wave of boarding combat unfolded quickly, and it was then that everyone realized the invaders from the Eagle Kingdom included not only knights but also a large number of magicians.


    In an instant, countless spells erupted over the sea surface, with huge water pillars shooting up, meteorites shooting from the sky, numerous ice lances weaving back and forth, lightning cleaving through the sea waves, and a mass of dark mist devouring everything in sight¡­ Water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, light, ice, and darkness, eight types of magic spells were released in a chaotic mix.


    The Sapphire¡¯s lead fast sailboats were quickly overwhelmed by the magic.


    However, on the Sapphire¡¯s fast sailboats, there were also a group of magicians. While the ships maneuvered to avoid magic attacks, these magicians counterattacked the opposing side¡ªespecially the ships of the Blue Blood Alliance, where nearly every fast sailboat had a few magicians casting spells in retaliation.


    ¡°I thought that starting with the Magic Goat Family, the Sapphire Family no longer put much effort into nurturing magicians, especially after the Goat Assembly and the Marquis of Bull¡¯s dragon-slaying incident,¡± Liszt said, somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°Magicians are indeed declining, but no matter what, our combat and daily life can¡¯t do without magicians. The Grand Duke wouldn¡¯t hold a bias against magicians because of one or two magic incidents¡­¡± As Li Weiliam spoke, he turned to Ach and instructed, ¡°Our fleet also needs to enter the combat zone. Ach, protect the fleet well.¡±


    He issued the order as an elder.


    However, Ach did not answer him, simply looking toward Liszt. Only when Liszt nodded did she reply, ¡°Ach will protect the fleet well.¡± As a Sea Monster Magician, perhaps due to her race or maybe because of Liszt¡¯s teachings, she had little enthusiasm for humans.


    Even though the man was Liszt¡¯s father, she only treated him with indifference.


    This brought a touch of faint sorrow to Li Weiliam¡¯s heart, but he quickly coughed to conceal it, ¡°Please continue to watch the battle. As a follower of the Grand Duke, I will personally join in this maritime warfare! It is the duty of a follower, and I will not choose to flee.¡±


    Having said this,


    he left the bow with long strides, ready to command the family fleet to fight.


    His heart was not flustered in the least, fully displaying the noble qualities of a Knight and establishing the towering image of a father, Landlord, and elder. After all, with a Dragon Knight and an Archmage standing behind him, what was there to fear!


    Magic ascended.


    Dou Qi surged forth.


    The sea battle quickly escalated to a fervent pitch, with innumerable ships sinking to the ocean¡¯s surface.


    Liszt¡¯s own Knight Order and fleet had not yet arrived at Iron Hoof Island; half of the Coral Island Knight Order had not reached either. According to normal message relay and support, it took seven days to travel to and from Coral Island, and only three days had passed, so he was only following half of the family fleet stationed at Bull Tail Domain.


    There was no need for his own Knights to wear themselves out in the naval battle.


    Even he himself had not made a move.


    However, the Marquis of Bull Tail showed valiant bravery, repeatedly soaring and capturing ships, defeating several sailboats with his own power. Whenever there was peril, there would always be a fiery arrow to free him from tight spots, or a Water Tornado to block deadly moves for him. This made him even more reckless, killing joyously in all directions.


    Now, with the ships on the sea incessantly releasing surging Dou Qi, the ambient Magic Power around the battlefield had become unstable, and Magic began to decay, turning into Sky Knights soaring through the air.


    These flying Sky Knights were undoubtedly the main force in the boarding combat.


    ¡°The Marquis¡¯s Dou Qi is nearing completion. I didn¡¯t expect that just a few days after I gave him the Sky Manual, he would be on the verge of perfecting his Advanced Dou Qi,¡± Liszt, employing the Eye of Magic, was tracking Li Weiliam¡¯s movements and could naturally see the gradual solidification of his Dou Qi¡¯s radiance.


    This was a sign of Complete Advanced Level Dou Qi.


    ¡°But it¡¯s also normal, the Marquis has been famous for his sword for more than a decade; his Dou Qi should have reached a certain point long ago. With the aid of the Sky Manual, breaking through the final barrier is just a matter of course.¡±


    He was observing Li Weiliam¡¯s combat,


    when Ach spoke up to remind him, ¡°Brother, there¡¯s a Sky Knight over there who looks very powerful; he can hover in mid-air. Is he what Brother described as a Domain Knight?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Taking up a Telescope, Liszt looked in the direction Ach pointed and saw a familiar figure of a Knight charging toward a Sapphire sailboat. His way of flying was radically different from that of a typical Sky Knight¡ªthe usual Sky Knight appeared more like jumping, diving, and gliding, but he was truly flying.


    The sort of flying synonymous with Sun Wukong riding on his Somersault Cloud.


    The Eye of Magic could see a cloud of Dou Qi beneath his feet.


    ¡°Hm!¡±


    Liszt suddenly laughed, ¡°If it isn¡¯t my old rival Marquis Nuta! I didn¡¯t expect him to be one of the invaders. How I have missed him these many days!¡±

 Chapter 707 - Chapter 707: Chapter 0704: Easy Capture (Second Update)

    Chapter 707: Chapter 0704: Easy Capture (Second Update)


    ¡°Signal the Tulip Fleet to sail to the right front!¡±


    When the Marquis decided to personally hunt monsters and level up, Li Si Te (Liszt) became the Tulip¡¯s highest commander, instantly ordering the fleet to change its direction of attack.


    ¡°I want to catch up with Dimaria Yuhua Stone!¡±


    The fleet swiftly turned the rudder toward Marquis Nuta¡¯s ships, and with the protection of Liszt and Ach, the Tulip Fleet hadn¡¯t lost a single ship so far and still maintained a full crew. Especially during boarding combat, Ach often released a few spells that easily destroyed the opponent¡¯s vessels.


    The sea was her territory; whoever she wanted to be subdued had to be thoroughly subdued.


    Dozens of Tulip sailboats continued to advance, rushing towards Marquis Nuta, who was brutally destroying ships, and the distance closed so rapidly that there was no need for telescopes to observe. At this time, the Marquis of Bull Tail, who was slaughtering in all directions, noticed the change in direction of his own fleet and immediately returned to the deck of the Tulip.


    ¡°Liszt, what¡¯s happening? Why has the sailing route changed?¡±


    ¡°Father, look over there.¡±


    Li Weiliam looked up and immediately spotted Marquis Nuta: ¡°That is¡­ Dimaria Yuhua Stone, the Domain Knight!¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡± Liszt took hold of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword¡¯s hilt with one hand, his expression slightly excited, ¡°As a powerful Domain Knight, not only does he possess the Dou Qi Domain Manual but also his family¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Technique. As long as I capture him, all of that will be mine!¡±


    The Marquis asked, ¡°Can you take him down without revealing the dragon?¡±


    Liszt raised his head proudly, ¡°Father, you know too little about Dragon Knights.¡± With his current strength, his physique was strong, his Dragon Dou Qi surged, and he could unleash the Dragon¡¯s Intent with the help of Fire Dragon Leo inside his body. His combat power was so formidable that it was beyond the imagination of ordinary knights.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go lure Dimaria.¡± The Marquis was eager to try; he had never crossed swords with a Domain Knight before.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    When the two fleets drew close enough to see the expression on Marquis Nuta¡¯s face, the Marquis of Bull Tail suddenly stood up and soared, charging towards the unmatched Marquis Nuta.


    The distance was closing in.


    Marquis Nuta naturally saw the Marquis of Bull Tail as well, recognizing him as the father of the one who had made him a laughingstock in the Eagle Kingdom. A Domain Knight, a Marquis with high status in the Kingdom, defeated by a youth from the insignificant Sapphire country, was for him a humiliation beyond measure.


    His gaze swept around but did not find Liszt.


    Marquis Nuta smirked coldly and flew towards the Marquis of Bull Tail. This time, he would rule the Duchy of Sapphire and wipe away his previous shame!


    The soaring Marquis of Bull Tail was also brimming with confidence.


    So, moments later, the two collided abruptly, their Water-Attribute Dou Qi clashing like two giant waves, scattering raindrops all over the sky.


    Then.


    A scream seemed to be heard.


    The Marquis of Bull Tail plummeted at a speed even faster than his charge.


    ¡°Ach, save the Marquis,¡± Liszt ordered, immediately stirring up his Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi, streaking toward Marquis Nuta like an arrow.


    Marquis Nuta, having just routed the Marquis of Bull Tail and ready to pursue Li Weiliam to capture him, suddenly noticed a ball of flames rushing towards him. The ball of flames rapidly merged with the figure in his memory, awakening the rage etched deeply in his mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s him!¡±


    ¡°Liszt!¡±


    ¡°The Ancient Warrior Inheritor!¡±


    ¡°You relied on archery to launch a sneak attack and were lucky to win once before; now you want to use the same old tricks? Do you really think I, the Surging Waves Sword Saint, am without merit!¡± Marquis Nuta gripped an ordinary-looking great sword tightly, his gaze fixed on the azure great sword in the hands of the figure of flames, ¡°And my Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, give it back to me!¡±


    In an instant, numerous thoughts flickered.


    Marquis Nuta commanded all his Dou Qi to gather on himself, preparing for a frontal assault to prove his strength.


    However, the fiery figure in his vision quickly began to dim, and soon the flames extinguished, instead, a cold icy aura started to gather around him.


    Boom!


    Furious Dou Qi clashed with the cold ice energy.


    But the earth-shattering collision that had been expected did not occur; instead, Liszt casually waved the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, releasing countless Water-Attribute Dou Qi in a special way, which upon touching the Dou Qi Domain, quickly crystallized the mixed Dou Qi into ice, segregating it.


    Through the vision of the Eye of Magic, the previously surging Dou Qi Domain of Marquis Nuta visibly collapsed at an observable rate.


    Clang!


    The mediocre greatsword clashed with the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, radiating even more bone-chilling cold, sending ripples outward in waves, sweeping away more of the Dou Qi Domain.


    ¡°How can this be!¡±


    Marquis Nuta sensed something was amiss, his power waning like the tide.


    Moreover, the most important thing was that Liszt, standing before him, was not pushed back by his power; instead, he displayed even more overbearing strength, hovering in mid-air, battling him.


    This left him utterly shocked, ¡°How can you also hover in mid-air? Without a Dou Qi Domain, you can¡¯t fly at all; you can only jump!¡±


    ¡°You guess.¡± Liszt revealed a smile, not immediately switching back to Fire Attribute Dou Qi but continuing to use the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword¡¯s innate Ice Rotation and Ice Seal skills to deal with Marquis Nuta.


    He did not want to immediately crush Marquis Nuta and reveal his tremendous strength, plus it was a good opportunity to familiarize himself with the Ice Seal skills of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword.


    ¡°Impossible! Why is my Dou Qi Domain collapsing!¡±


    ¡°Because I have the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, which inherently has the effect of an Ice Seal Dou Qi Domain.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ ¡±


    ¡°The innate attribute of the Greater Elf Warrior, beyond the comprehension of your intellect, naturally you don¡¯t know the Ice Seal skills,¡± Liszt said leisurely.


    The sky battle was like a walk in the park for him, chatting and fighting simultaneously without any hindrance to his performance.


    Countless Water-Attribute Dou Qi overflowed, continuously annihilating the Dou Qi Domain, and within a few exchanges of dialogue, the Dou Qi Domain of Marquis Nuta was on the verge of collapse, leaving him too frightened to speak and get distracted.


    Although humiliated,


    he began to contemplate retreat, ¡°Liszt! If it weren¡¯t for the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, you would never be able to face me head-on! Enjoy your arrogance for now, for it won¡¯t be long before the Duchy of Sapphire falls, and I will have you savor the taste of the Great Riverheart Fortress¡¯ prison food!¡±


    Having said this, he fiercely inflated his remaining Dou Qi Domain, propelling himself away at high speed in a desperate escape.


    His gaze sharpened.


    Liszt quickly abandoned the Ice Rotation skill, reactivating the Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi, rocketing after the fleeing Marquis Nuta like a jet: ¡°A distant visitor is a guest, Marquis Dimaria, why not first savor the prison food of the Thorn Castle, I assure you, the flavor is unforgettable.¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Marquis Nuta slashed with his sword, cutting through the waves as if cleaving a path of light.


    Liszt wielded the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword with one hand, his flames bursting forth to shatter all the light and waves, striking Marquis Nuta on the back.


    Splat.


    Marquis Nuta spurted blood instantaneously, plummeting down.


    But not faster than Liszt¡¯s speed.


    He grabbed hold of his armor, wrapping the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword around his neck with the hot flames swirling around, forcing the internally wounded Marquis Nuta not to make a move. Carrying him like this, Liszt flew towards the Tulip, while his followers could only watch their landlord get captured helplessly.


    The battle may sound complicated.


    But in reality, it took only a moment to determine the victor. With the capture of Marquis Nuta, the fight came to a swift conclusion.


    When a Dragon Knight takes the field, capture is assured ¡ª had it not been for a bit of pretense, a mere glance would have been enough to capture Marquis Nuta.


    The gap in strength was too wide.


    After tossing Marquis Nuta to the ground, leaving the knights to tie him up with thick iron chains, Liszt greeted them with a gentleman¡¯s smile: ¡°Welcome to be our guest aboard the Tulip.¡±

 Chapter 711 - Chapter 711: Chapter 708: You Can Roll Out Now (First Update)

    Chapter 711: Chapter 708: You Can Roll Out Now (First Update)


    The tearing bites of three dragons.


    The frenzied attacks of three Dragon Knights.


    The spectacle of dragon blood spraying and Dou Qi erupting mingled together, shocking the hearts of all who witnessed it. Regardless of whether they were ordinary Knights from the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s fleet or those from the Duchy of Sapphire, everyone stood at the railings, straining to see the dragon-slaying battle unfolding in the distance.


    Many saw a real dragon for the first time.


    That suffocatingly beautiful posture, that powerful and agile form, all declared the dragon as the noble and unattainable pinnacle of the food chain.


    But today,


    a dragon-slaying war had come early, so bloodily before the eyes of all.


    The Bronze Dragon Knight, Alonso Xiankelai, and the Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight, Carlo Violet, joined forces to slaughter the Sapphire Dragon Knight, Andrew Sapphire.


    Blood scattered across the sky!


    ¡°The Sapphire, it¡¯s time to take a bow,¡± many nobles from the flee of the Eagle Kingdom exclaimed at the bow of their ships.


    Some showed a frantic expression: ¡°It should have been this way a long time ago, the flies of Sapphire finally have their day!¡± The Duchy of Sapphire, with more than one hundred and fifty years since its founding, had issued the Pioneer Mandates for nearly half of that time, pestering the hinterlands of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s coastline like flies and locusts, looting and pillaging.


    One could say that because of the Duchy of Sapphire, vast fertile lands along the coastal areas of the Eagle Kingdom had become lands of wickedness.


    Mercenaries were seen everywhere burning, killing, and looting; serf trade was rampant.


    Many Landlords had suffered great losses or were forced to take part in these evil deeds, and they could only take blows without returning them. But now, at last, the time for revenge had come; after this dragon-slaying war, it would be the moment for the Knight Order of the Eagle Kingdom to blood-wash every single island of Sapphire.


    ¡°The Sapphire Dragon is about to fall; witnessing the death of a dragon, that is the grace of a knight¡¯s glory!¡±


    ¡°Andrew Sapphire, such a resounding name, claimed to be the lord of the boundless seas, he too has this day! Haha!¡±


    ¡°Blood-wash the Sapphire! My spear is already starving for blood!¡±


    The Knights of the Eagle Kingdom were ecstatic, mocking, waiting; everyone was fantasizing about the upcoming bloody banquet of Sapphire, determined to feast to their heart¡¯s content.


    In contrast, were the ships of Sapphire.


    The knights aboard the ships were pale-faced, with bitterness in their hearts, watching the ongoing dragon-slaying battle in the sky, the increasing wounds of the Sapphire Dragon, and the Grand Duke¡¯s angry roars.


    Their beliefs were crumbling bit by bit.


    The reason the knights of Sapphire had been able to develop steadily these years was first and foremost due to the advantage of their ships, and secondly, the protection of the Sapphire Dragon.


    But now the advantage of ships had been offset; the Eagle Kingdom had actually built such an enormous fleet.


    Even more so, the pillar of the Grand Duchy, the Sapphire Dragon, was about to be slain before their very eyes.


    Crown Prince Anthony Sapphire felt a chill in his hands and feet.


    He stood at the prow of the ship, looking towards the horizon, his voice beginning to tremble, ¡°How could this happen, how could this happen, how could Steel Ridge let the Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom break away from the standoff, what on earth are they doing!¡±


    He knew his father¡¯s plan.


    Ever since the Marquis of Bull defected and planned the dragon slaying, the Sapphire Family had anticipated that it was all a conspiracy of the Eagle Kingdom, so they had to make a plan. After paying a sufficient price, they finally made the Grand Duke a Dragon Knight who could once again protect the security of the Grand Duchy.


    But they had never imagined that the Eagle Kingdom would make such a bold move, two Dragon Knights!


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they afraid of turmoil at the border, Steel Ridge, Blast Furnace Fortress, as well as the two kingdoms to the south, they all border the Eagle Kingdom, and need Dragon Knights to defend the frontiers. How could they possibly dispatch two Dragon Knights to¡­ to a dragon-slaying battle! How dare they do this!¡±


    ¡°Alonso is stationed at the northern border of the Eagle Kingdom, confronting the Steel Ridge Kingdom; Carlo is stationed at the western border, confronting the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom. Anthony, I don¡¯t know how they managed to get these two Dragon Knights to withdraw from the front, but it¡¯s already a done deal, what we need to do now is to discuss what to do next,¡± said Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea, walking over and placing a hand on the Crown Prince¡¯s shoulder, patting it firmly.


    The Crown Prince took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, ¡°Uncle, my father will be alright.¡±


    Nesta remained silent for a moment before speaking determinedly, ¡°We are utterly unable to intervene in the Dragon Slaying Battle, no matter what, the outcome is already clear. As the heir to the Sapphire Family, you need to shoulder the responsibilities that belong to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°This is not the time to be weak. Once the Dragon Slaying Battle ends, the misfortune of the Sapphires will come upon us¡­ The glory of the knights no longer favors us.¡±


    Anthony struggled to say, ¡°Then what should I do?¡±


    ¡°You must be prepared to make a painful decision.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Make your decision, the fleet is about to dock. I believe that no matter what you decide, the Grand Duke will not blame you, because you now bear the life and death of the Sapphire Family!¡± Nesta looked at the Crown Prince with a stern gaze, the Grand Duke¡¯s downfall was a foregone conclusion.


    The Crown Prince tried to speak several times, but could not bring himself to voice his thoughts.


    However, under Nesta¡¯s intense gaze, he finally gave the difficult order, ¡°Send the message to all fleets, scatter and retreat, abandon Iron Hoof Island¡­¡±


    But before his words could take effect,


    Suddenly, a loud and majestic dragon roar interrupted him.


    The Crown Prince, Nesta, and the others all turned their heads towards the source of the sound and saw a burst of flames in the distance above a certain fleet, which then outlined the figure of a dragon. A knight whose form wasn¡¯t clear leapt onto the back of that red and black dragon.


    Suddenly it soared into the sky, heading towards the scene of the two-on-one Dragon Slaying Battle.


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    ¡°Another dragon!¡±


    ¡°My god, another Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°The fourth Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°It looks like a Fire Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Inconceivable, how did this dragon appear?¡±


    The knights on the ships shouted in surprise, some in astonishment, some in disbelief, some anxious, and some excited. The Crown Prince clenched his fist, his heart a swirl of emotions, ¡°Who is that, who is this Dragon Knight? Is he from the Eagle Kingdom or the Steel Ridge Kingdom, is he here to support us? Who can tell me!¡±


    Nesta¡¯s mouth was agape, rendered speechless.


    He could only, like the ordinary knights, crane his neck to watch the not-too-large Fire Dragon, carrying an unidentified knight, quickly rush into the battlefield.


    Suddenly,


    Someone said, ¡°That Dragon Knight seems to have emerged from the Tulip Family¡¯s fleet!¡± But this voice was quickly drowned out by the cries of the crowd.


    As the Dragon Knight joined the battle, the Bronze Dragon Knight and the Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight, who had been slaughtering the Sapphire Dragon Knight, were all taken aback¡ªthe Dragon Slaying Battle they had meticulously planned did not account for the appearance of a fourth Dragon Knight in such a short time at sea.


    Nor was it a Fire Dragon Knight who had never before appeared in any records.


    Andrew Sapphire, however, had no time to be stunned and urgently called out in a hoarse voice, ¡°Fire Dragon Knight, please save me!¡±


    Riding on the back of Fire Dragon Leo, activating the Dragon Knight Resonance, Liszt had calmed his agitated emotions, feeling both collected and triumphant.


    As a Dragon Knight,


    One needed to make an entry in such a grand scene under the watchful eyes of all!


    He gripped the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword tightly, surveyed the three Dragon Knights, and then slowly spoke, ¡°Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom, you can leave now!¡±

 Chapter 712 - Chapter 712: Chapter 0709: The Might of the Fire Dragon (Second Update)

    Chapter 712: Chapter 0709: The Might of the Fire Dragon (Second Update)


    A roar.


    It was dripping with overbearing power.


    This was not originally Liszt¡¯s style, but after his mind harmonized and became one, it incorporated some of Leo¡¯s nature. Being an Evil Dragon is the nature of an Elemental Dragon, and this ¡°evil¡± mainly manifests as malevolence, tyranny, and arrogance. Fortunately, Liszt¡¯s values as an adult were only slightly influenced by Leo¡¯s nature.


    ¡°Ohoh!¡±


    Leo also let out a domineering roar.


    It was directed at the Bronze Dragon and Light Green Gemstone Dragon, as well as at the Sapphire Dragon, which even as a young dragon had the boldness to challenge three dragons at once.


    Under its red-black scales burnt perpetual sparks, changing like breath in the light and darkness, adding to Leo¡¯s formidable presence. Although its wingspan was only twenty meters, making it the smallest among the four dragons, its fierce appearance was far more overbearing than the other three.


    Whether they were Metal Dragons or Gemstone Dragons, all were extremely beautiful dragons.


    Leo¡¯s beauty did not lie in being pretty, but in the explosive power of beauty etched out by its scales, lines, and sharp angles.


    ¡­


    Facing this unexpected Fire Dragon Knight, Andrew Sapphire breathed a sigh of relief; from the other party¡¯s words, he understood that this was a Dragon Knight here to support him.


    The expressions of Alonso Xiankelai and Carlo Violet, however, quickly darkened.


    The Sapphire Duke¡¯s transformation from Dragon Domain Landlord to Dragon Knight did not surprise them much, as it was all within their expectations. But the sudden appearance of the Fire Dragon Knight had the potential to play the role of a spoiler and change the tide of the war. Furthermore, from the moment the word ¡°scram¡± was uttered, there was no room for easing tensions.


    ¡°Marquis Alonso, engage Andrew and make sure the Sapphire Dragon dies!¡±


    Carlo gave up continuing to slaughter the Sapphire Dragon and immediately rode the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to confront Liszt head-on, saying, ¡°An adult Fire Dragon is indeed the most powerful among Evil Dragons and possesses great deterrence, but you are merely riding a young dragon. This is not about creating trouble, this is courting death!¡±


    ¡°Are you taking my warning as a joke?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes twinkled with a vortex-like vastness of the universe, profound and serene as if piercing through everything.


    Within the vision of Dragon Eye Trajectory, the states of the three dragons and three knights were particularly clear, the magic power and Dou Qi pathways of each one could not escape his detection.


    The Sapphire Dragon was too heavily injured to continue, and the Bronze Dragon was not faring much better.


    Only the preying mantis Light Green Gemstone Dragon still possessed abundant magic power, and its rider Carlo Violet, similarly, flowed with abundant purple Dou Qi ¡ª he was a Thunder Attribute Dragon Knight whose mount was an adult Light Green Gemstone Dragon, undeniably powerful.


    With a five-meter-long Silver Dragon Lance in hand, pointing obliquely at Liszt, he shouted coldly, ¡°Fire Dragon Knight, announce your name. If you are seeking death, I can only oblige you.¡±


    ¡°Ohoh!¡±


    Leo roared angrily, disliking others threatening it like this.


    Liszt wouldn¡¯t allow it either, but he ignored the verbal clashing; after all, Dragon Knights ultimately had to speak with strength, and this was the time for opening remarks, ¡°My name is Liszt Tulip! You still have time to choose to scram, or else stay in this ocean forever!¡±


    Liszt Tulip!


    The Dragon Riding Grand Duke gasped in disbelief, looking at the formidable, cape fluttering in the breeze like burning flame Fire Dragon Knight ¡ª Liszt Tulip, the second son of his follower Li Weiliam Tulip, that impressive, mere eighteen-year-old inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, he¡¯s not a Ghost Swordsman Inheritor, he is a Fire Dragon Knight!¡± With this realization, the Grand Duke truly relaxed; given the relationship with Li Weiliam, the hidden Dragon Knight surely stood on his side.


    No matter what the future holds.


    At this moment, he understood that as long as Liszt did not suffer a swift defeat, then the Sapphire would be preserved.


    Alonso on the opposite side was equally shocked.


    He glared, trying to etch into memory the half-covered handsome face beneath the Mithril helmet, ¡°So it¡¯s you who stole my Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine, captured my followers. I thought you were only an Ancient Warrior Inheritor, planning to recruit you as my follower after the dragon slaying battle, but you turned out to be a Fire Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Are you Liszt?¡±


    Carlo clearly had heard of the name before, ¡°Eighteen years old? Indeed young and inexperienced. A young man riding a juvenile Fire Dragon has a boundless future ahead. Although a bit hot-tempered, I find myself faintly moved by a love for talent¡­ Liszt, I give you a choice, pledge allegiance to the Eagle Kingdom, and you will enjoy the treatment of waging wars across the continent!¡±


    ¡°Carve out a piece of land for me to make a duchy?¡± Liszt snickered. As a Dragon Knight tasked with several dragons, a duchy was just a transition, and given the opportunity, he would directly establish his own kingdom.


    Such was his attitude.


    Seeing this, Carlo no longer spoke of allegiance, ¡°It seems that you¡¯re hell-bent on seeking death. An eighteen-year-old Dragon Rider is indeed a prodigy, but it¡¯s a pity you probably don¡¯t know what a Dragon Knight¡¯s war is like.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s make it quick, Marquis Carlo,¡± Alonso reminded him from the side.


    There was no answer.


    Just a nod.


    It seemed he understood the principle that villains often die from talking too much. With only a few words exchanged, the battle began without any hint of chit-chat. The next moment, Carlo¡¯s aura surged violently, and his mount, the Light Green Sapphire Dragon, let out an angry roar as it charged straight towards Liszt. The Silver Dragon Lance rippled with Thunder Attribute Dragon Dou Qi, thrusting fiercely.


    Boom! Thunder surged, charging straight towards Leo.


    Liszt¡¯s gaze turned icy as he maneuvered Leo to swiftly dodge, simultaneously countercharging with flapping wings. His Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword carried his surging Fire Attribute Dou Qi in a powered-up move ¨C Scorching Sun Sting, striking back swiftly. This was his first time participating in a Dragon Knight¡¯s war; there was no nervousness, only boiling blood.


    Just like Leo, his body also seemed to be burning.


    The thunder brushed past, and the Scorching Sun Sting also missed its mark. He and the Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight exchanged probing moves. Then, a new round of attacks unfolded. Even without mastering the Dragon Dou Qi Manual, Liszt was undaunted, relentlessly and violently assaulting the Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight with Leo.


    Pffcht!


    The Silver Spear suddenly shifted like lightning, striking Leo¡¯s side with pinpoint accuracy, creating a large, fiery hole.


    No blood flowed out, only flames ascended.


    ¡°Ooh!¡±


    Leo winced in pain.


    Liszt also felt a searing pain, and he quickly turned around, pouring Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi into the blue greatsword in his hand. With an Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, he fiercely executed another powered-up move ¨C Crimson Dawn Burn. ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡± was his most powerful attack at the moment.


    Boom!


    The flames spread out in a fan shape, barely grazing the Light Green Sapphire Dragon¡¯s skin. This forty-meter long dragon with a wingspan to match, agile in movement and well coordinated with Carlo, quickly figured out Liszt and Leo¡¯s routine after several probes and began to dominate forcefully.


    Bang thud!


    The massive body of the Light Green Sapphire Dragon swayed and struck Leo¡¯s abdomen with its hard back, knocking Leo into an aerial flip.


    Liszt also felt dazed.


    A juvenile dragon was still vastly outmatched by an adult dragon, even if Leo was a powerful Elemental Dragon. The difference in age could not be overcome ¡ª all its physical attributes had not yet reached their peak, like a wolf pup of a fierce breed struggling to walk without stumbling, let alone fight, allowing the adult dog to arrogantly lay claim to the sunlit days!


    ¡°I told you, you¡¯re here to die!¡± Carlo became more proud as he gained the upper hand.


    But his actions did not slow down in the slightest; he continued to bully Liszt and Leo by relying on the Dragon Dou Qi Manual and the adult physique of the Light Green Sapphire Dragon.


    Liszt remained silent, staunchly resisting the oppression of the Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight.


    In the midst of being overwhelmed, he familiarized himself with Dragon Knight combat. His gaze never showed panic, as if he had predicted the current situation from the start. As he fought and retreated, he gradually led the Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight towards the sea surface ¡ª despite the brutal side of Leo within him.


    But it was undeniable that a clear-headed mind was Liszt¡¯s greatest strength.


    No one knew that beneath the sea, there was an Archmage lying in wait, as formidable as a Dragon Knight ¡ª that was Acherloides Truth, ready to strike!

 Chapter 716 - Chapter 716: Chapter 0713: The Fainting Dragon (First Update)

    Chapter 716: Chapter 0713: The Fainting Dragon (First Update)


    His entire body felt uncomfortable.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s head swam dizzily, yet it dared not pause for even a moment; its body was already in tatters, and its bonded Dragon Knight had perished on the spot.


    For the dragon, who had lived more than four hundred years, it was the bleakest moment of its life, one even more difficult than when it had to hide in its youth.


    It did not like the sea.


    Yet, due to Carlo and the Eagle Kingdom, it had no choice but to fly over a thousand miles of ocean to fight a bloody battle here. Had it been victorious, it could have enjoyed the fruits of its victory. Unfortunately, it suffered a crushing defeat, nearly leaving its own life on the battlefield. The Archmage who rode on the shell, and that insane Fire Dragon Knight, both made its heart tremble with fear.


    ¡°Carlo is nothing but useless waste!¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Dragon Knight succession plan, how could I have willingly let such a hothouse flower ride me! Fighting alongside him, I was unable to exert my true power, it¡¯s infuriating, so infuriating!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon roared in anger, and as it opened its mouth, a deep roar erupted.


    But it tugged at the wound on its neck, and another spray of dragon blood gushed out, frightening it into clamping its maw shut, fearful that it might indeed bleed to death. Even dragons at the peak of their power feared death, and at least in its prime, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon didn¡¯t wish to die.


    ¡°I must leave!¡±


    ¡°Leave this place, return to the Eagle Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°I need time to recuperate now, and only the Eagle Kingdom can offer me the best sanctuary!¡±


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon continued to fly, but its wings grew heavier with each beat, and its eyelids felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds. It wished to fly among the clouds, but its body kept pulling it down, forcing it to fly low above the sea. With every flap of its wings, it felt a tearing pain throughout its body.


    Pain, though unbearable, was still not as powerful as the creeping drowsiness.


    ¡°I must not fall asleep, plunging into the ocean would mean certain death!¡±


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon kept reminding itself, trying to shake off the sleepiness and muster its spirit. But the more it struggled, the more powerless it felt to resist, much like in the previous battle of Magic Baptism when Carlo¡¯s frantic struggles led it to be trapped between the combined assault of the Archmage and the Dragon Knight, unable to break free.


    It didn¡¯t know how long it had flown.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon only knew that the sky had grown pitch-black, with stars winking above the clouds. Deprived of nourishment, its body failed to recover, and flying was a considerable drain on its strength. It could feel itself weakening, slowing down.


    Sleepiness, like a persistent maggot gnawing on bone, invaded when it was most vulnerable, nearly causing it to fall asleep midflight.


    Memories from its youth to adulthood flickered through its mind like a fast-forward scene ¨C its confusion and curiosity about the world when it was newly born, its life in the Wild Forest ducking and hiding during its youth, and the encounter with a knight from the Eagle Kingdom when it was nearing adulthood.


    It was not a pleasant encounter.


    The knight and his team came to capture it, and ultimately, it fell into the knight¡¯s trap. It held its head high, refusing to submit. But it could not overcome the sweet allure of the gifts offered: countless Magic Potions, delicacies, and Bone Burning Wine, which led it to lose itself and allow the knight upon the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    After the Mind Battle, it became the knight¡¯s mount.


    Thereafter, they fought together for sixty years until the knight passed away. The dragon then took up residence in the Dragon Nest built by the Eagle Kingdom, becoming the kingdom¡¯s guardian dragon. Whenever there came candidates of superior talent for the role of Dragon Knight, passing the tests it set out, it would easily engage in a Mind Battle with them.


    In the following three hundred years, it worked with four Dragon Knights. Carlo was the recently partnered sixth.


    ¡°These knights, each generation is lesser than the last; you cannot raise a qualified Dragon Knight in a greenhouse!¡± The Light Green Gemstone Dragon no longer cared for the bond between dragon and rider.


    Perhaps it still yearned for the first Dragon Knight who rode it, the one with whom it had achieved mind melding for the first time, an experience deeply etched in its memory for life. The subsequent Dragon Knights were merely fulfilling a duty, unable to open their hearts and achieve a deep connection.


    ¡°Was it Carlo¡¯s panic or my disdain for him that led to the collapse of our mind melding, beginning a cycle of mutual obstruction?¡± it wondered, somewhat perplexed.


    What followed was an even stronger sense of drowsiness.


    It shook its head vigorously, not caring if the wound on its neck worsened, just to regain a bit of alertness. At that moment, a distinctive scent drifted into its nostrils, causing its already unfocused eyes to glaze over, and its movements became stiff, gradually deviating from the intended direction.


    The moon was directly overhead.


    It was now the dead of night.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon, lost in its confusion, had unconsciously followed the scent and arrived at a small rocky island, surrounded by craggy rock walls, with only a small forest at the top. In the centre of the forest seemed to be a large pit, in the middle of which a small sapling with only two or three leaves stood.


    The scent was emanating from the sapling.


    At this moment, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was exhausted. It barely managed to land in the woods on the island and collapsed beside the small sapling.


    Warm dragon blood seeped from the wound on its neck, flowing through the crevices in the rock ground towards the little sapling. Under the dim starlight, the sapling seemed to suddenly flicker with iridescent hues.


    ¡­


    Time rewound to the afternoon sea bathed in sunset.


    With Carlo Violet¡¯s demise, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon fled, the battle scene changed in an instant, everything happening unexpectedly.


    ¡°Carlo!¡±


    Seeing Carlo plunge into the sea, Alonso Xiankelai was heartbroken. He had come with his head held high, never anticipating that a high and mighty Dragon Knight would perish over these seas.


    But now was not the time to question Carlo¡¯s death, but a moment of crisis concerning whether he himself could escape.


    He didn¡¯t dare linger in the battlefield marked by the Magic Baptism; the massive spells, unleashed after the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s escape, now swept towards him. This, together with the restraint from Sapphire Dragon Knight Andrew Sapphire, and the turnabout and charge from Fire Dragon Knight Liszt Tulip, made the scene even more dire.


    With such an imposing line-up, one misstep could lead to the same fate as Carlo, falling into the sea.


    The Bronze Dragon roared in defiance, quickly turning around with Alonso, braving several heavy blows, relying on its thick scales for protection, and forcibly broke free from the battlefield of Magic Baptism. Without looking back, it fled towards the direction it had come from, not daring to stay a moment longer.


    It didn¡¯t even offer a bitter retort.


    ¡°Ach, chase!¡± Liszt called out, riding on Little Fire Dragon Leo, who was panting with fatigue. They pursued for several kilometers, only to see the Bronze Dragon fading into the horizon, beyond reach.


    As for Ach.


    Being unable to fly, there was no use in catching up.


    And so, they had to let Alonso escape. Reluctantly gazing at the clouds in the sky, Liszt quickly grabbed handfuls of Magic Potion from his Space Ring and threw them over. Leo opened its mouth and swallowed all the Magic Potions along with their glass containers, the medicines slowly rejuvenating its exhausted body.


    Liszt himself quickly consumed a few Magic Potions to replenish his depleted Dou Qi.


    Only then did he call to Ach, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

 Chapter 717 - Chapter 717: Chapter 0714: Wrath of Thunder (Second Update)

    Chapter 717: Chapter 0714: Wrath of Thunder (Second Update)


    The battle to slay the dragon ended without the death of a dragon, which was a regret for Liszt, but being able to kill a Dragon Knight and rout two dragons with the strength of a young Dragon Knight and a newly promoted Archmage,


    was already a brilliant victory.


    ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you missing a Dragon Lance? Ake, go salvage that Dragon Knight¡¯s Silver Dragon Lance,¡± Liszt said as they flew back to the battlefield of the Magic Baptism, with Ake suddenly suggesting.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Also, bring up Carlo¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    The sea area wasn¡¯t very deep, only about two to three hundred meters, a depth that, for the Sea Sprite Ake, was no different from strolling through his own backyard. In the blink of an eye, a five-meter-long Silver Dragon Lance and a body, not yet stiff, were salvaged and handed over to Liszt for handling.


    He had Leo grab Carlo¡¯s body, while he himself took hold of the Dragon Lance.


    Five meters in length and as thick as a wrist, the silver shaft seemed to be forged from a mixture of Mountain Copper and Mithril, with intricate patterns along its length, with many Magical Beast Materials inlaid into it. Upon close inspection, these patterns and Magical Beast Materials were intricately intertwined, seemingly faintly forming four Wind Languages.


    ¡°Wrath of Thunder.¡±


    ¡°Nice name, I like its domineering aura,¡± Liszt commented fondly as he stroked the shaft, looking pleased before turning his attention to the tip of the lance.


    The tip appeared to be made from a mix of Mountain Copper and Fine Gold, shimmering with a cold light, but the very tip was bony.


    ¡°Is it like taking a dragon¡¯s tooth, refining it, and then casting it in Mithril, Mountain Copper, and Fine Gold on the outside? So would Wrath of Thunder be considered a Dragon Tooth Weapon?¡±


    Dragon Tooth Weapons are a class of weapons even higher than those of the Greater Elf Warriors.


    However, the classification of weapons is rather vague, with the properties of weapons forged from different materials varying greatly, blurring the lines between them, making precise distinctions difficult.


    But regardless,


    Liszt could feel that this was a powerful Dragon Lance.


    Because the moment he gripped Wrath of Thunder, he was instantly filled with a lofty sentiment and generous spirit, as if having the Dragon Lance in hand meant the world was his.


    In a moment,


    Liszt and Ake had returned to the original dragon slaying battlefield where, at this time, a great pursuit was unfolding.


    The ships of the Eagle Kingdom were scattering in all directions, with the Sapphire Fleet in hot pursuit¡ªfollowing the end of the battle to slay the dragon, the Sapphire Duke, having returned on his damaged Sapphire Dragon, had immediately ordered his fleet to attack. The knights of the Eagle Kingdom, who had lost the trace of their Dragon Knight, were panicked and disheartened, only concerned with escaping.


    Looking at the fleeing ships,


    Not having spotted any new Domain Knights, or inheritors of the Ancient Warriors or other valuable targets, Liszt didn¡¯t make a move. Instead, he flew over the top of the fleet.


    Now that his identity as a Dragon Knight had been revealed, there was no need to keep a low profile, and he naturally had to display the bearing of a Dragon Knight, not deigning to strike at ordinary knights.


    As he flew over,


    Ake stood on a white seashell, riding a Water Tornado that roared and raced ahead, closely following behind Liszt.


    Such a flashy appearance nearly caused the knights of the escaping Eagle Kingdom to abandon ship and jump into the sea. They didn¡¯t dare to breathe heavily, fearful of alarming the slowly flying Fire Dragon Knight and the unidentified Archmage¡ªwho must be the caster of the sea-turning Magic they had seen earlier.


    None dared to provoke an Archmage who had been a part of the dragon slaying battle.


    ¡°Terrifying!¡±


    ¡°A Dragon Knight and an Archmage, Sapphire is too powerful!¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness, the Dragon Knight and Archmage didn¡¯t even care about us.¡±


    ¡°Did you see? In the claws of the Fire Dragon, there¡¯s a person!¡±


    ¡°Ah, silver helm and armor, is that¡­ Prince Carlo?¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°Prince Carlo, how could you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s true. That Fire Dragon Knight was holding a silver dragon lance, which is Prince Carlo¡¯s weapon.¡±


    With just a fleeting glimpse, a multitude of bitter information was revealed. At least the Knights of the Eagle Kingdom, who had seen Liszt riding a dragon, had already guessed the outcome of the dragon-slaying battle.


    They knew one result¡ªthe Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight, Carlo Violet, had fallen.


    A Dragon Knight had fallen!


    Apart from natural deaths, it had been decades since the demise of a Dragon Knight had occurred. One can only imagine the upheaval that would ensue in the Eagle Kingdom once the news spread. The Knights dared not think about what kind of reception awaited them after such an invasion war turned out like this.


    How furious would the King be.


    Most crucially, the Kingdom raised nine dragons to shelter its borders securely and fostered six Dragon Knights to guard the frontier. Now with Carlo Violet gone, who would replace him to defend that frontier? Without the protection of a Dragon Knight, the borderlands were bound to signal for war.


    As a Dragon Knight, an existence that suppressed a nation.


    Once dead, it would cause a chain reaction, overly impacting the Eagle Kingdom, which would violently destabilize. Even the Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom would be shaken, and their vassal states would be dragged into this great whirlpool.


    What the future held.


    No one knew.


    But these Knights of the Eagle Kingdom knew one thing¡ªif the Fire Dragon Knight and the Archmage were present in the Sapphire, it was unlikely the Eagle Kingdom could conquer this vast sea anymore. Its coastal hinterland would still suffer the constant nipping and tearing of the Sapphire like flies, leeching nutrients from the vast Kingdom.


    However.


    They were more curious about the identities of the Fire Dragon Knight and the Archmage. Before long, these two peak powerhouses would surely become renowned across the world.


    ¡­


    Liszt didn¡¯t find the Tulip Fleet among the chasing fleets in the sea, so he directly steered Leo toward the Port of Bull Hoof City.


    In fact, the best approach now was to recall Leo, letting him slumber and rest within his body, recovering his energy.


    But Liszt needed a spectacle.


    Because next was counting the spoils of war and negotiating with the Sapphire Duke. He needed to convey to the momentarily breath-relieved Duke the current situation¡ªthat he could choose to not take over the Duchy of Sapphire and instead establish a new Kingdom overseas, but this sea must submit to its new master.


    For single-handedly saving the Duchy of Sapphire, he couldn¡¯t afford to miss out on even a little benefit!


    The port was in sight.


    The ships of the Tulip Family were visible as well, along with the Sapphire Dragon lying dormant not far from the port. Liszt flew slowly, wanting everyone to open their eyes and see clearly who the last Dragon Knight laughing in the dragon-slaying battle was¡ªit was him, Liszt Tulip.


    At the same time, he took this moment to call forth the Smoke Mission, wondering what kind of unknown reward would be granted for such a terrifying dragon-slaying battle.


    Wisps of smoke rose.


    He was the only one who could see them.


    ¡°Mission complete, reward: ¡®Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Liszt didn¡¯t show much surprise after reading the content. He had already envisaged that after the dragon-slaying battle ended, he would have to ask the Duke for the ¡®Dragon Knight Dou Qi Manual.¡¯ The Duke had no reason to refuse, so the manual was as good as his.


    To present it as a reward now felt somewhat perfunctory.


    However, the new smoke mission quickly dispelled Liszt¡¯s disappointment.


    ¡°Mission: After winning the dragon-slaying battle, your name will spread to every corner of the sea, and establishing a brand-new Kingdom will be effortless. However, considering the long-term development of a country, resources are of utmost importance. Perhaps the Light Green Gemstone Dragon can provide for you; it lies hidden on an island within your domain. Reward: One Light Green Sapphire Dragon.¡±

 Chapter 720 - Chapter 720: Chapter 0717: Mind Branding (First Update)

    Chapter 720: Chapter 0717: Mind Branding (First Update)


    The banquet ended in a harmonious atmosphere.


    Accompanied by Nesta, Li Weiliam proceeded to the living room to accept compliments from the nobles both great and small. Today was the moment Liszt¡¯s name thundered across the ocean, and it was also Li Weiliam¡¯s moment to stand proud before all the nobles of the Duchy of Sapphire. Having been recently advanced to Marquis of Bull Tail, he had already basked in countless compliments once before.


    Yet, the flattery from others could never be too much, and Li Weiliam wished he could hear such compliments every day.


    Moreover, the intensity of the flattery this time would be spectacularly unprecedented¡ªbeing the father of a Dragon Knight and, to the keen observer, probably the ¡°father¡± of an Archmage as well, his status was immeasurably elevated, no different than if he had become a Dragon Knight himself.


    ¡°Lord Marquis.¡±


    ¡°Lord Li Weiliam¡­¡±


    As soon as they reached the living room, the collective nobility rose, enthusiastically greeting them.


    Li Weiliam hung a faint smile on his face and gently waved his hand, ¡°Please, take your seats, there¡¯s no need for such courtesy. I am still me, the Marquis of Bull Tail, one of the Sapphire followers. Liszt¡¯s achievements are his own, whether as a Dragon Knight or Archmage, he will found a new family, and I will still represent the Tulip Family.¡±


    ¡°Lord Marquis, you are too modest. The crowns of Dragon Knight and Archmage are also your glory.¡±


    ¡°Lord Liszt has yet to marry or establish his own family; he still needs your support.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, you are a solid pillar of Sapphire and will also be a steadfast pillar for Lord Liszt.¡±


    A barrage of blatant flattery left Li Weiliam floating, but he did not lose his composure, responding modestly, ¡°My son is independent and has his own ideas. All I can do is smooth the path for his future as much as possible, so together, father and son, we can revitalize the glory and heritage of the Tulip Family.¡±


    Nesta twitched his mouth at the side.


    As the Sapphire ¡°in-law¡± and the Grand Duke¡¯s brother-in-law, he had seemingly become an accessory to Li Weiliam. Although he was accustomed to the ¡°spirit¡± of nobility¡¯s interest above all else, the sight of all those ingratiating smiles still left him feeling stuffy. He did not dare to show his displeasure openly.


    Even he himself had to occasionally chime in with flattery for Li Weiliam¡ªtoday¡¯s Duchy of Sapphire had to rely on the strength of Liszt and Ach to secure the right to continue existing.


    The overlord of the sea was no longer the Sapphire Duke who had narrowly escaped being slain by a dragon.


    Even the Duke himself had to accept this reality.


    In the study of Bull Hoof Fortress, the once undisputed lord of the ocean, the Sapphire Duke, watched the exceptionally young Liszt and Ach, feeling a mix of emotions¡ªloss, envy, jealousy, gratitude, concern, and more swirled together in his heart.


    His face still wore a gentle smile, ¡°In this small study, there sit two Dragon Knights and one Archmage, a veritable case of ¡®the humble room becomes brilliant.¡¯


    ¡®The humble room becomes brilliant¡¯ is a Chinese idiom; the Duke spoke in Serpent Script.


    However, the meaning the Duke wanted to convey was, in Liszt¡¯s eyes, indeed the idea of ¡®the humble room becomes brilliant.¡¯


    ¡°Had the dragon slaying battle not come so quickly, I did not intend to reveal my identity as a Dragon Knight so soon, and Ach¡¯s identity as an Archmage would not have been disclosed either,¡± Liszt said with a touch of regret. Although the battle against the dragon was thrilling, he preferred a more steady development, fitting his style, over the troubles that came after.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t concern yourself with these matters. Although you and your dragon are very young, and you have little experience as a Dragon Knight, there¡¯s no need to hurry with nation-building or carving out a domain from within the Kingdom¡¯s sphere of influence. The mobility and flexibility of a Dragon Knight are your greatest strengths.¡±


    ¡°It was fine to not hurry before, but now that my identity has been revealed, I think it is better to establish a nation soon. Moreover, Sapphire probably can¡¯t support two Dragon Knights and an Archmage, and there will be a clash in the order of rule,¡± Liszt stated plainly, candidly expressing his ambition.


    If he did not build a nation, then he would inevitably have to overthrow Sapphire¡¯s rule and declare himself king.


    The Grand Duke laughed.


    Not knowing what he was thinking, he could only nod and say, ¡°Do you have any ideas for the location of the new kingdom?¡±


    ¡°It will still be at sea. I plan to send people to find new island groups, without contending with the Duchy of Sapphire for the current sea area. However, founding a kingdom involves many intricate matters, and I will need your help, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will do my utmost to help,¡± the Grand Duke promised cheerfully.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t hold back,¡± said Liszt as he nodded his head, then pulled out a stack of lists from his bosom, which contained the resources he had imagined he would need when founding the kingdom.


    Seeing the thick stack of white paper, the Grand Duke was half curious what kind of paper it was and half unconsciously twitched the corner of his mouth.


    Liszt simply flipped through the list and said, ¡°I will entrust my father to discuss with you, Your Grace, to determine which resources we will need help with. Right now, what I¡¯m more concerned about is the issue of Dragon Knights. As a senior Dragon Knight, Your Grace, I hope you will not hesitate to impart your wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Please speak.¡±


    ¡°What kind of agreement did the kingdom sign with the dragons?¡± Liszt asked his first question¡ªhe was about to have a second dragon and needed a means to control it.


    In his plan, he would own multiple dragons, and he must have a way to control these creatures, so as not to have them stolen midway by others or turn against their owner¡ªhe himself was not afraid, but the key was how his descendants, if not sufficiently talented, could control the dragons.


    ¡°That agreement is actually a Branding from the First Dragon Knight,¡± the Grand Duke replied.


    ¡°Branding?¡±


    ¡°A dragon¡¯s life is very long and can have multiple Dragon Knights fight alongside it. Being a Dragon Knight yourself, you should understand the mystery of the Mind Battle.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but what does this have to do with Branding?¡±


    ¡°After a Dragon Knight and dragon¡¯s minds have united for a long time, the Dragon Knight can leave his own mental Brand on the dragon¡¯s mind, continuously influencing it until it becomes a part of the dragon¡¯s own psyche. In this way, even after the death of a Dragon Knight, the dragon will still protect the knight¡¯s descendants.¡±


    ¡°Is this method foolproof? Especially when handing the dragon over to the Dragon Knight you¡¯re raising to ride, wouldn¡¯t it be a loss of both person and dragon if they eloped?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you went through your Mind Battle. Dragons are proud and their minds are powerful, especially those dragons that have been with the First Dragon Knight, their minds can be said to be complete. Subsequent Dragon Knights simply cannot breakthrough the dragon¡¯s mind and replace the influence of the First Dragon Knight.¡±


    ¡°So even if I captured the Light Green Gem Dragon in this dragon-slaying battle, I wouldn¡¯t be able to ride it?¡±


    ¡°Correct, and this is the reason why the dragon-slaying battle is known as ¡®dragon-slaying.¡¯ Wars often end with the slaughter of the opposing side¡¯s dragons as the final outcome. Capturing them is pointless; no amount of ransom can match the value of a dragon. And a dragon that cannot be tamed is better off dead than kept resisting, extracting all its value.¡±


    Listening to the Grand Duke¡¯s explanation, a myriad of thoughts flickered through Liszt¡¯s mind.


    If what the Grand Duke said was true, it meant that even if he captured the battered Light Green Gem Dragon, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to ride it¡ªunless he was willing to use a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit to cut away the Light Green Gem Dragon¡¯s First Dragon Knight mental Branding. But setting aside the uncertain chances of success, whether it was worth using a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit was also hard to say.


    He only had three Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, with one already used on Leo.


    Of the two remaining, one was definitely for the Formless Dragon, and the last was to be used in the future for binding the Immortal Dragon, to become a Dragon Domain Land Lord and extend his own life.


    Even if he couldn¡¯t find an Immortal Dragon, it wasn¡¯t worth using on a few hundred years old Light Green Gem Dragon.


    Pondering this issue, he continued to inquire, ¡°Your Grace, could you tell me how you came to ride the Sapphire Dragon? I¡¯m very curious about all information regarding Dragon Knights.¡±

 Chapter 721 - Chapter 721: Chapter 0718: Friendly Exchange (Second Update)

    Chapter 721: Chapter 0718: Friendly Exchange (Second Update)


    The Sapphire Dragon originally lived within the primeval Wild Forest and had done so for nearly three hundred years until it met Anderson Sapphire, the ancestor of the current Grand Duke.


    Anderson was a very charming knight. As a Marquis of the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, he owned vast lands, including the habitat of the Sapphire Dragon. In order to ride the dragon, Anderson continuously used various resources to please the Sapphire Dragon and ultimately hit its G-spot.


    He gained the opportunity for a mind battle.


    In the mind battle, he succeeded at once and gained the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s recognition, becoming a Dragon Knight.


    When he applied to the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom to establish a duchy within his territory, he was rejected by the royal family at the time and had to search for new territory. Thus, he chose an uninhabited wasteland claimed by the Eagle Kingdom for his nation building. He had thought the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t turn hostile over a piece of wasteland.


    But a dragon slaying war really broke out.


    With no other choice, Anderson fled on the Sapphire Dragon for thousands of miles, until at Blue Blood Mountain, he was caught up with and fought a deadly battle with a White Maw Iron Dragon, his blood spilling onto the earth and turning it into Blue Blood Mountain.


    Afterward, the grievously injured Sapphire Dragon crossed the sea, established a country on an overseas archipelago, and pledged loyalty to the Steel Ridge Kingdom, becoming a vassal that paid tribute annually.


    ¡°To overcome the spirit of the Sapphire Dragon, one needs an immense force within the mind. This force, strong enough to move the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s soul, will earn its recognition. Unfortunately, over the past hundred years, no one in the family has been able to stir the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s soul, and neither can I.¡±


    The Sapphire Duke said, ¡°When the Marquis of Bull collaborated with the Goat Assembly in a dragon-slaying conspiracy, the soul of the Sapphire Dragon was wounded. Only then was I able to stir its soul and obtain its recognition¡­ But this opportunistic approach didn¡¯t earn me the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s complete approval. I was more like entering into a dragon riding partnership with it.¡±


    ¡°Would you mind sharing the details of the agreement?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, really. It knew its life hung by a thread, and I knew the Sapphire was in dire straits, so we were in agreement. When I lift the ¡®Wailing Dragonbone Sword¡¯ made from its forelimb, I can temporarily merge minds, becoming a true Dragon Knight. However, I¡¯m still unable to ride it under normal circumstances.¡±


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but marvel, ¡°There¡¯s such a manoeuvre?¡±


    ¡°If the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s soul hadn¡¯t been injured, there would be no chance for such opportunism. The heart of a dragon is more solid than any metal; unless recognized, there is absolutely no room for compromise,¡± the Duke said with a faint smile, but there seemed to be a hint of bitterness in that smile.


    Liszt could somewhat sense that the Duke wasn¡¯t revealing the full truth¡ªthe cost of riding the Sapphire Dragon was likely far more serious than the lightly touched upon description.


    The permanent scarring on the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s exterior was evidence of that.


    However, he didn¡¯t probe further. Since he decided not to overthrow the rule of the Sapphire Family but to search for land overseas to build his own nation, there was no need to worry about the Sapphire problem¡ªif the Sapphire Dragon died or something else happened, there would be time to claim the land later.


    ¡°I¡¯ve basically understood the situation with the mind battle. Now, I need the ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual¡±.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would need it. Give me one night, and I will transcribe it for you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it recorded in books?¡±


    ¡°From the beginning, there were no books. The ¡°Dragon Knight Dou Qi Manual¡± created by our ancestor has been continuously passed down through the minds of his heirs. I hope you will also adopt this method of transmission. As a new member of the Dragon Rearing Family, all information about dragons must be kept strictly confidential.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Of course, secrecy was essential.


    If the secret was known to the whole world, wouldn¡¯t just anyone have the opportunity to try dragon riding? The secrets of dragons were only passed down within the Dragon Rearing Family to maximize the preservation of their lofty status¡ªjust as the Nobles kept the Dou Qi Secret Techniques within their family, the Dragon Rearing Family circulated the secrets of dragons among themselves.


    ¡°By the way, I noticed the Sapphire Dragon seems unable to transform into a Magic Form and enter the body of the Dragon Knight?¡±


    ¡°I am also curious about your Fire Dragon, how it can fuse into your body. Truthfully, if I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I would find it hard to believe such a thing is possible¡­ You should avoid exposing this method, as it is part of the secret knowledge of dragons.¡±


    It really was a bit reckless¡ªmainly because the situation during the dragon slaying battle was so critical that Liszt directly released Leo from the ship, revealing the secret of Leo¡¯s ability to change form.


    So it was impossible to keep it a secret afterward.


    Fortunately, the exposure of this secret posed no significant connection to dragon riding.


    The Grand Duke was unaware of the reasons why Leo could switch between magic power and his fleshly form, and Liszt did not bring it up again¡ªit might have been a mutation during Leo¡¯s incubation or a unique survival method of the Elemental Dragons.


    Liszt then asked the Grand Duke many questions about Dragon Knights.


    Ach also inquired about some magic issues.


    Information was always the most sought-after content by ¡°newcomers¡± like Liszt and Ach; it was a pity that the Grand Duke could provide Liszt with the ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual¡± but could not offer Ach much assistance with magic questions¡ªArchmages had become a thing of legends, with their heritage long gone.


    No matter what.


    This cordial and friendly exchange left Liszt very satisfied. As he was about to leave, he shook hands warmly with the Grand Duke, ¡°Grand Duke, speaking with you has illuminated many principles for me. The price of knowledge is far richer than material wealth; I thank you for your generous gift, which I will benefit from for a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. We are all Dragon Knights who benefit from mutual exchange; in the future, it will be up to us to maintain the order of the seas and prevent encroachment by the continental Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°That is certain.¡± Liszt had no reason not to agree to a defensive and offensive alliance; after all, both he and Ach had not yet fully developed their strengths.


    Now he had not only killed a Dragon Knight of the Eagle Kingdom but was also prepared to capture the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    It was inevitable that he would incur a blood feud with the Royal Family of the Eagle Kingdom. If the Royals acted rashly and assembled the remaining five Dragon Knights for an attack, it would be a huge problem. It was just the right time to form an alliance with the Sapphire Duke, to secure a period for development and to weather the difficulties of the founding phase.


    As he was about to leave the room, he seemed to remember something, turned around, and said, ¡°Grand Duke, I will arrange for my father to discuss the matter of resource assistance with you as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± the Grand Duke replied with a slightly stiff smile.


    ¡°And the ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual¡±, can I see it tomorrow morning?¡±


    ¡°That should be possible.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Grand Duke.¡± Only then did Liszt leave, contentedly pulling Ach along with him.


    ¡­


    A nameless castle near Bull Hoof City had been arranged for the Tulip Family to rest.


    The night had already grown deep.


    Li Weiliam, beaming with joy, had returned to the castle. Meanwhile, Liszt, who had left the Bull Hoof Fortress early, was now drinking with Marquis Nuta, a Domain Knight who, at the moment, was silently downing his drink with his head bowed.


    As Li Weiliam approached.


    He abruptly looked up with bloodshot, red eyes, and gazed intently at Li Weiliam¡ªthis Sword Saint, whom he had defeated with a single move, now the father of a Dragon Knight!


    For a long time.


    He numbly turned back around to face Liszt, who was admiring the stars, and all his words turned into a deep sigh, ¡°Your Highness, Liszt, please rest assured, I will hand over the Dou Qi Domain Manual and the Dou Qi Secret Technique. I have a Greater Elf as well; I will deliver it all to you.¡±


    He knew which way the wind was blowing.


    Liszt had become a Dragon Knight whom one must address using ¡°Your Highness,¡± and there was nothing the Domain Knight could do other than agree to pay a ransom for his freedom.


    Liszt was not particularly concerned about these trophies of war.


    He simply said calmly, ¡°Write a letter. Once the Greater Elf arrives, you can safely return to the Eagle Kingdom and continue being Marquis Nuta.¡±

 Chapter 722 - Chapter 722: Chapter 0719: Improved Secret Manual (First Update)

    Chapter 722: Chapter 0719: Improved Secret Manual (First Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°¡±Dou Qi Domain Manual¡± and ¡°Spiral Rotation¡±, these are the secret manuals hastily written by Marquis Nuta, both exceptionally brief with just a few pages of content.¡±


    Li Si Te first perused the ¡°Dou Qi Domain Manual¡±, According to Marquis Nuta¡¯s introduction, there is no unified Dou Qi Domain Manual on the market, only the various families¡¯ internal secrets passed down orally, and discovered bit by bit through exploration and supplementation. His manual was the complete version after continuous discovery and supplementation.


    According to the cultivation method in the manual, the Dou Qi Domain also somewhat resembles the principle of Dragon Knight Resonance, utilizing the resonance and entanglement between Dou Qi, which then, with a bit of guidance, can be condensed into a mottled but powerful energy, at one¡¯s command.


    It¡¯s a bit like a choir.


    One person leads the singing, and the others follow.


    Of course, the details are more complex, especially when it comes to managing the different Dou Qi of a Knight Order, which requires very intricate operations. Additionally, the Domain Knight needs to be familiar with every Knight¡¯s Dou Qi in the Knight Order, so they can conveniently guide the resonation of the Dou Qi in the Order, entering the Dou Qi Domain.


    This ¡°Dou Qi Domain Manual¡±, for Li Si Te, has no necessity to practice.¡±


    It neither increases strength, for Dragon Dou Qi¡¯s power far exceeds that of the Dou Qi Domain; nor does it provide any reference, for it¡¯s just a replica, reduced, weakened, and even incomplete version of Dragon Knight Resonance. Compared to the profound integration of mind and body in Dragon Knight Resonance, controlling the Dou Qi Domain is like playing house.


    ¡°Although it does not supplement my strength, nor does it provide more insights, nevertheless, the Dou Qi Domain is a very precious cultivation manual for ordinary Knights¡­ Dimaria did not create false information, the cultivation content in this manual is correct.¡±


    With his current insight, he can deduce whether a manual is practicable simply with a bit of reasoning.


    He then opened ¡°Spiral Rotation¡±, a Dou Qi Secret Technique that lies between auxiliary and combat nature, allowing the internal Dou Qi to spiral in a special manner.


    It not only condenses the strength of Dou Qi but also accelerates the release speed and increases the penetrative power of Dou Qi.


    ¡°No wonder he could defeat the Marquis in one strike, with the aid of ¡°Spiral Rotation¡± combined with the power of the Dou Qi Domain, the force of Dimaria¡¯s casual blow should not be underestimated. If he hadn¡¯t met me, with his strength, he might have really achieved something considerable, but meeting me was his fated calamity.¡±


    ¡­


    He put down the two manuals and stored them in a designated book area within his Space Ring.


    By now, he had acquired a complete set of Dou Qi cultivation manuals, from the ¡°Basic Dou Qi¡± practiced by the Apprentice Knight, to the ¡°Flaming Wave¡±, ¡°Thousand Waves¡±, ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± that the Earth Knight practices¡­ And also the compulsory ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, and ¡°Guiding Arrow¡± for the Divine Archer, and so on.


    Then there are the Advanced Dou Qi Manuals practiced by the Sky Knights, such as ¡°Great Wave Crushing the Tide¡±, ¡°Meteor Fall Shockwave¡±, ¡°Thousand Thunderstrike Sky Flash¡±, ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±. As well as the Advanced Dou Qi Manuals practiced by Marquis Nuta, Clear Water Sword Saint Yevich, and Garcia, and Fox, which he acquired in passing.


    The variety is rich, including the five categories of water, fire, earth, wind, and lightning.


    Now he¡¯s completed the collection with the ¡°Dou Qi Domain Manual¡±.


    A Knight¡¯s full set of cultivation manuals from start to finish are all accounted for, and moreover, once daylight comes, the Grand Duke will trade the ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Manual¡± with him.


    By then, the entire Knight cultivation system will be completely within his grasp.


    As for Dou Qi Secret Techniques, he currently has only three, ¡°The Eye of Magic¡±, ¡°Breath Decay¡±, and ¡°Spiral Rotation¡±. In the future, Li Si Te will collect more, enriching his own collection and also using the Dou Qi Secret Techniques to broaden his horizons. Perhaps new Dou Qi Secret Techniques could be created by introducing innovation based on the old.


    ¡°If the natives of this world could create various Dou Qi Manuals and Secret Techniques, why can¡¯t I? After all, I possess the rich knowledge of another world!¡±


    There are many fundamental differences between the two worlds before and after the traversal, but most principles can be used as references for each other.


    ¡°`


    His thinking was far broader than that of the natives, but he had only crossed over for a short time, not exceeding three years. All his time had basically been spent on territory construction and knight training, leaving no time for extensive creative work¡ªor rather, his focus on creation had always been leaning in the wrong direction.


    As a Dragon Knight, he had even engaged in research on magic theory and fabrication of world history, which could be considered a representative of not sticking to one¡¯s proper occupation.


    He took out paper and a pen.


    The white paper could already be released. He had shown it to the Grand Duke before, and, once the subsequent national support began, his official business cooperation with the Sapphire would gradually unfold.


    Now the white paper lay flat on the table, and as Liszt dipped the goose feather pen into the ink, he contemplated improving the ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±.


    The day¡¯s dragon-slaying battle had revealed many shortcomings in the ¡°Rising Sun Blaze¡±¡ªafter all, it was only an Advanced Dou Qi manual, and many of its techniques were no longer suitable for a Dragon Knight.


    ¡°How should I modify it?¡±


    He had plenty of ideas swirling in his mind but couldn¡¯t quite articulate them at the moment. And he didn¡¯t know whether it was because the Crystal Lamp was a bit dim tonight, or if the day¡¯s battle had taken too much out of him, but he gradually felt sleepiness engulfing his brain, urging him to bathe and go to bed.


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s not too late to improve the manual tomorrow.¡±


    ¡­


    He lay down.


    Liszt called forth the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: After winning the battle against the dragon, your name will spread across every corner of the sea, making it easy to establish a provisional new country. However, considering the long-term development of the nation, resources are of the utmost importance. Perhaps the Light Green Gemstone Dragon can provide for you, and it¡¯s hiding on one of your territorial islands. Reward: One Light Green Gemstone Dragon.¡±


    Being still in an uncompleted state indicated that the Light Green Gemstone Dragon hadn¡¯t escaped, so he could fall asleep with peace of mind.


    However, although he indeed could sleep soundly until dawn, for many others, this night was an utterly sleepless one.


    The Sapphire Duke set down his goose feather pen and flicked through the white paper notebook in his hand, curious about this thin yet tough paper that did not blot the ink.


    ¡°If the raw materials are not expensive and the production process is not complicated, I fear this ¡®white paper¡¯ will soon replace vellum¡­ This young Dragon Knight named Liszt who suddenly appeared is truly mysterious¡­ A young Fire Dragon, a strange Archmage, and now glass and white paper¡­¡±


    The Duke rubbed his temples.


    Traces of gray were already showing at his temples. He was over fifty years old, which, according to a knight¡¯s physique, should be the last phase of his golden years, with several years of peak physical condition left. However, he already felt his body aging rapidly, like a leaky ship.


    Each sea voyage expanded the area of the leak until one day, the ship would completely sink into the sea.


    ¡°The Sapphire Dragon is grievously wounded and hard to heal; I¡¯m also close to not holding on¡­ I hope Anthony can quickly take up the responsibility and maintain the continued operation of Sapphire.¡±


    He closed the notebook.


    The Duke looked out the window at the stars that had already scattered away for the most part, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow, but his eyes filled with a deep sense of loss: ¡°Why wasn¡¯t the Fire Dragon discovered by me!¡±

 Chapter 723 - Chapter 723: Chapter 0720: Surpassing the Dragon Knight (Second Update)

    Chapter 723: Chapter 0720: Surpassing the Dragon Knight (Second Update)


    Once master of the seas, the Sapphire Duke boiled with unvented resentment. He had thought that the success of his dragon riding, bought with a steep price, would shield Sapphire through its crises.


    The emergence of the two Dragon Knights from the Eagle Kingdom made him realize the crisis of Sapphire was far more terrifying than imagined.


    Although ultimately, with the appearance of Liszt and Acherloides, he succeeded in resolving this wave of calamity, the collaboration of a Dragon Knight and an Archmage meant that the oceans were no longer under Sapphire¡¯s control¡ªor perhaps it could be said that from the time the Eagle Kingdom was able to manufacture schooners, the ocean had ceased to be Sapphire¡¯s exclusive dominion.


    ¡°Damn that Andy, an ungrateful wretch raised in vain!¡±


    ¡°If not for the Bull Family¡¯s betrayal, how could the Eagle Kingdom have developed its shipbuilding industry and even dared to initiate the Dragon Slaying War!¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes twinkled with hatred. ¡°I won¡¯t let you die easily, not just you, but also your grandson and your people, I will eventually send them to follow you!¡±


    He silently seethed for a moment.


    Only then did the Grand Duke regain his composure as dawn began to break quietly, and the First Prince had already led the fleet back to the Port of Bull Hoof City, fruitful from a night of pursuit.


    As the sun rose from the horizon, the port once again buzzed with activity.


    The Knights boasted incessantly about their own battle merits, how many fleeing ships they had crushed, how many Knights they had captured who had jumped into the water. Of course, they couldn¡¯t omit discussions about the Dragon Knights and Archmages born from the Tulip Family, the discussions about Carl¡¯s death, and Liszt¡¯s rise, the change of the ocean¡¯s overlord.


    However, as the focus of everyone¡¯s discussions, Liszt quietly remained in the study, flipping through the ¡°Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi Secret Manual¡± delivered by the Grand Duke.


    A notebook of blank pages, each page able to hold roughly two hundred words, the manual consisted of ten pages, amounting to no more than two thousand words. The content recorded was not voluminous, but every sentence gave Liszt an epiphany, greatly expanding his thinking.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, the stages of a Dragon Knight are no longer merely about cultivating Dou Qi or Combat Skills, but about the fusion between man and dragon, including the minds, Magic Power, and bodies. Seeking a perfect dynamic equilibrium between Knight and Dragon, compensating for each other¡¯s flaws to achieve completion,¡± he realized.


    In this process of complementary completion, Mind Branding was simply a matter of course.


    Because the manual was recorded by Anderson Sapphire, it was divided according to his cultivation experiences. He categorized Dragon Knights into four stages.


    The first stage, the Examining phase¡ªbefore riding a dragon, Knights and Dragons test and adapt to each other, Advanced Dou Qi gradually transforming into Dragon Dou Qi. However, at this stage, one is not yet a Dragon Knight. Many potential Dragon Knights fall at this stage, afterwards their Dou Qi declines, plummeting back to Complete Advanced Level Dou Qi.


    The second stage, the Mind phase¡ªwhen a Knight passes the Dragon¡¯s test and is recognized, he can engage in the Mind Battle. If one fails the Mind Battle, dragon riding fails. If repeated attempts also fail, it results in losing the Dragon¡¯s recognition, and one falls back to Complete Advanced Level Dou Qi.


    If one succeeds in the Mind Battle, it means successful dragon riding and becoming a true Dragon Knight. At this stage, Dragon Dou Qi gradually integrates with the Dragon¡¯s Magic Power, and the minds continue to merge, with battle methods converging as well.


    The third stage, the Completion phase¡ªwhen all merges are successful, the Dragon Knight finally brands his own mark in the mind of the dragon, achieving perfect harmony between man and Dragon. When riding a dragon at this time, neither Dragon nor man distinguishes their thoughts, they become one.


    Anderson Sapphire was a Completion-term stage Dragon Knight.


    Ten years after the founding Dragon Slaying War, he and the Sapphire Dragon stepped into the Completion stage together.


    Furthermore, there is a fourth stage, the Transcendence phase¡ªthis is a stage conjectured by Anderson, which he himself never entered, so he also did not know what wonders this stage held.


    Completion-term Dragon Knights are the mainstream of Dragon Knights, basically whether it¡¯s the Eagle Kingdom, the Steel Ridge Kingdom, or the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, Dragon Knights are considered at their peak in this stage. Even as Dragon Knights grow old and die, they can¡¯t surpass the Completion term to reach the Transcendence phase.


    But Anderson believed that the Transcendence phase definitely existed, as he had recorded in the manual: ¡°The Completion phase is not the endpoint; I deeply feel the constraints of that bottleneck, there must be a way to break through, for man and Dragon to transcend together, transcend each other, transcend the present, transcend everything we know!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, in the three great empires, there are Dragon Knights in the Transcendence phase!¡±


    ¡°Alas, I have no chance to witness it!¡±


    He finished flipping through the manual.


    Liszt handed the ¡°Dragon Knight Dou Qi Manual¡± to Ach standing beside him, hoping Ach could see something that could provide him with some insights.


    He leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.


    ¡°According to the cultivation system organized by Anderson, I should now be a Mind-term Dragon Knight,¡± he mused, ¡°As for Alonso, Carlo, and the Grand Duke, they should be Completion-term Dragon Knights¡­ Of course, their completion term was forcibly elevated by the dragons after bonding with their dragon souls, since all these dragons had previously bonded with Completion-term Dragon Knights.¡±


    When a dragon and a Dragon Knight¡¯s souls unite, their thoughts synchronize. Naturally, the dragon imparts its memory of being a Dragon Knight to the Dragon Knight.


    There¡¯s no need for the Dragon Knight to grope around; as long as they slowly adapt, they will inevitably reach the completion stage.


    ¡°So, to be precise, the Dragon Knight Dou Qi Manual appears more like the First Dragon Knight¡¯s riding experiences, a record of insights akin to an autobiography. The true Dragon Knight Dou Qi Manual is actually hidden within the dragon¡¯s memories¡­ The recorded detailed combat skills must have been added by the Grand Duke.¡±


    He distinctly felt that in the second half of Anderson¡¯s manual, the various applications of Dragon Dou Qi seemed disjoint from the earlier part of the record.


    It¡¯s likely that the Grand Duke, fearing Liszt would not believe that the inherited Dragon Knight Dou Qi Manual was merely a personal memoir, wrote the ¡®true¡¯ Dragon Knight Dou Qi Manual, which he derived from the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s thoughts, in the second half of the memoir and handed it over to Liszt.


    ¡°Fortunately, the Grand Duke was wise enough to include the Dragon Knight¡¯s Dou Qi movements; otherwise, I might have misunderstood. Now, with the Sapphire Dragon Knight¡¯s Dragon Combat Skills as a reference, I can easily develop combat skills unique to the Fire Dragon Knight¡­ Each Dragon Knight¡¯s combat skills are different and must be crafted individually.¡±


    Because dragons are different, their Dragon Combat Skills naturally vary, unless it¡¯s the inheritance of the same dragon.


    ¡°However, through this manual, I can see that the Fire Dragon, as an Elemental Dragon, is obviously quite different from the Gemstone Dragon and Metal Dragon, especially in its major feature of elementalization!¡±


    Gemstone Dragons and Metal Dragons, being resource-oriented dragons, don¡¯t shift between magical form and flesh and blood.


    So, only Liszt can use the technique of Dragon Magic Refining Qi.


    Moreover, since Leo is so powerful even in his youth, he deeply feels that Gemstone Dragons and Metal Dragons are just ordinary resource units, while Elemental Dragons are the true combat units. As a Fire Dragon Knight, an Elemental Dragon, once he enters the completion term, he will undoubtedly dominate over the other Dragon Knights.


    Soon after.


    He suddenly had some inspiration: ¡°It seems that the cultivation of a Dragon Knight is not much different from that of a Sky Knight or an Earth Knight.¡±


    Earth Knights are divided into regular and elite.


    The regular phase is Intermediate Dou Qi, and the elite is the Complete Intermediate Dou Qi.


    Sky Knights are divided into regular, Sword Saints, and completion, but the essence of their Dou Qi remains the standard Advanced Dou Qi and the Complete Advanced Dou Qi.


    A Domain Knight is just a special state of Complete Advanced Dou Qi.


    Dragon Knights are similar; starting with dragon riding success after a Mind Battle, the Mind-term equates to the standard Dragon Dou Qi, and the Completion-term is the Complete Dragon Dou Qi.


    ¡°So, the surpassing term is more like exceeding the stage of Dragon Knight? Elite Earth Knights can break through bottlenecks with drugs, Completion-term Sky Knights can break through bottlenecks by dragon riding, but what can Dragon Knights use to surpass the bottleneck of Complete Dragon Dou Qi?¡±


    No one could give him an answer.


    Neither did he dwell on it; first, he would diligently practice until reaching the completion stage.


    Standing up and stretching, he turned to Ach and asked, ¡°How are you feeling after resting for a night? If you¡¯re recovered, come with me to Mind Island. I have a strong feeling that the severely wounded Light Green Gemstone Dragon is hiding there to recuperate.¡±


    Ach didn¡¯t ask Liszt how he came to such a feeling.


    He just nodded seriously, ¡°Ach is fully recovered and ready to depart at any time.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. The port is too bustling for my taste. I don¡¯t like this feeling of being constantly flattered.¡± He had enjoyed it once yesterday, and to enjoy it again would be sickening.

 Chapter 725 - Chapter 725: Chapter 0722: Choice (First Update)

    Chapter 725: Chapter 0722: Choice (First Update)


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon lay dying, Liszt quickly discovered that those colorful roots were emanating from a small shrub.


    The shrub had grown out of a small pit located right beside the head of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, I left this small pit. There was once a Mind Fruit Tree growing here, and to prevent the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit from losing its magic power, I transplanted the whole withered Mind Fruit Tree away. I didn¡¯t expect another small tree to grow in the pit, and it¡¯s absorbing the magic power of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.¡±


    After confirming that there was no danger coming from either the Light Green Gemstone Dragon or the small shrub,


    Liszt then leaped off the back of Leo and jumped onto the body of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. This dragon was a skeleton of skin and bones and not yet dead, but its breath was severely weakened, and death was not far away. There was no blood flowing from its wounds, nor were they healing, just streaks of split white flesh.


    That was what muscles looked like after all the blood had been drained.


    ¡°No wonder the Smoke Mission indicated that I could obtain a dragon, this Light Green Gemstone Dragon is practically on its deathbed, and there¡¯s no difficulty in obtaining it,¡±


    Liszt muttered to himself.


    He knew that securing a dragon wouldn¡¯t be that easy; at least a series of Smoke Missions would need to be issued, gently tugging at the Threads of Destiny of a dragon, before it would completely fall into his hands¡ªLeo came to him in this way, and the Formless Dragon also completed several looped missions.


    He stepped down from the body of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon and slowly approached the small shrub. After making sure it truly was not dangerous, he abruptly gestured for Ach to come over.


    As for Leo,


    it seemed rather irate after seeing the dire state of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon and was very wary of the shrub in the pit on Mind Island.


    But Liszt didn¡¯t have time to console it at the moment.


    He squatted by the pit, carefully observing the small shrub within, and noticed that the whole tree was suffused with colorful magic power¡ªmagic power he had only seen once before.


    ¡°The Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit is charged with this color of magic power!¡±


    ¡°So could this be a new Mind Fruit Tree?¡±


    ¡°The location of growth is the same, the color of magic power is the same, and this tree is also absorbing the dragon¡¯s magic power to grow¡ªit¡¯s obviously gearing up to cultivate the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit!¡±


    With this realization, he noticed something different.


    On the branches of the small shrub, he found between four forks of the branches some buds, tiny and unopened, but seemingly expanding very slowly.


    Comparing it to the Mind Fruit Tree¡¯s withered wood within his Space Ring, he observed that both trees were very similar in shape, the twist of the branches and the structure were identical. The only difference was that the withered tree had already shed its bark and couldn¡¯t return to its true posture during growth.


    Ach had already leaped off the Water Tornado and joined the research contingent.


    Liszt softly called upon the Smoke Mission, ¡°Complete the mission, and be rewarded with a Light Green Gemstone Dragon.¡± As expected, the mission was accomplished.


    Immediately afterward, a new mission was presented.


    ¡°Mission: You have now gained temporary ownership of a Light Green Gemstone Dragon. However, its physical condition is poor, and life hangs by a thread. You possess the power to choose its fate: let the Light Green Gemstone Dragon be consumed by the Mind Fruit Tree to cultivate new Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, or remove the Mind Fruit Tree and thus save the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. Reward: a Light Green Gemstone Mine.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I choose both?¡±


    Liszt inwardly lamented. He wanted both the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit and the Light Green Gemstone Dragon! The Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit was the assurance for future Dragon Riding, almost ensuring victory in every Mind Battle; whereas the Light Green Gemstone Dragon could be considered an immediate combat force, a resource production unit that could be promptly put to use. Flesh on the palm or back of the hand, he was unwilling to let go of either.


    ¡°Frustrating!¡±


    ¡°Why, after you¡¯ve promised me a dragon as a reward, would you choose to take it away?¡±


    He turned around, entangled in his thoughts, and asked, ¡°Ach, the situation is quite clear now. One one hand, there¡¯s the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡ªjust by removing this Mind Fruit Tree, it could save the Light Green Gemstone Dragon; on the other hand, there are the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits¡ªif we let the Mind Fruit Tree consume the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, it would bear four Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits.¡±


    He paused, then asked, ¡°What do you think I should choose?¡±


    ¡°Brother, Ach thinks we should let the Light Green Gemstone Dragon be consumed to cultivate the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Liszt was surprised, as it seemed Ach¡¯s decision was a bit too decisive.


    Yet Ach said earnestly, ¡°The Light Green Gemstone Dragon bears the Mind Branding of the First Dragon Knight, and even if its injuries heal, it¡¯s not certain you could ride it, brother. Moreover, the Eagle Kingdom would not simply let its dragon be lost to the outside world; imprisoning it would come with great risk. The most profitable trade would be to exchange it for four Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits¡ªthen you could ride four more dragons in the future!¡±


    It made a lot of sense.


    Liszt didn¡¯t know how to refute at that moment.


    He wanted a dragon, and he wanted one now, especially with the dragon right before him, arousing his desire even more. But as Ach had said, it¡¯s not as if the Light Green Gemstone Dragon would willingly become his just because he wanted it. Mind Branding is hard to erase unless he was willing to pay the price of a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    Clearly, that was not an option; saving a four-hundred-year-old critically injured dragon and then losing out on a future dragon was not worth it.


    But to give up on it was also a difficult decision to make.


    After all, the dragon was right before him, the very creature countless knights went mad over, tantalizingly within reach¡ªeven though he already had Leo, he still couldn¡¯t make up his mind.


    Ach spoke again, ¡°Brother, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon looks like it won¡¯t last much longer; you¡¯d better make a decision quickly. If you give up the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, Ach would like to experiment on it before it dies, witnessing a dragon¡¯s death will definitely enrich Ach¡¯s understanding of the essence of magic power!¡±


    He looked at the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, barely clinging to life.


    He looked at the blooming Mind Fruit Tree.


    Then he looked at Ach¡¯s expectant expression, and Liszt finally made his decision, ¡°I give up the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, Ach, go ahead and experiment.¡± He kept reassuring himself that it was for Ach¡¯s sake, for her experiments, that he was painfully forgoing a dragon¡ªAch was more important than a dragon!


    ¡°Hehe, Ach will start the experiment then!¡± Ach was very happy. She liked dragons, but after becoming an Archmage, she was more interested in studying them, ¡°It¡¯s really such a big, beautiful dragon. Ach never thought that one day she would have a dragon as experimental material; it feels so fortunate!¡±


    Liszt looked skyward.


    He sighed softly at a 45-degree angle.


    In the corner of his eye, he saw Leo circling Mind Island, full of wariness towards the Mind Fruit Tree, sensing instinctively the immense threat the tree posed to dragons.


    Liszt suppressed the sorrow in his heart.


    He went straight to the cliff¡¯s edge and waved Leo into his body to sleep, to prevent Leo from being unable to resist and destroying the Mind Fruit Tree¡ªan Evil Dragon when confronted with something threatening its existence would not flee easily but would rather face it head-on to destroy it as the best response.


    He called Leo back.


    Then he returned and watched how Ach collected samples, manipulated her experimental apparatus, and provoked physiological responses from the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    The more he watched, the more uncomfortable he felt.


    So he sat down on the edge of a small pit, staring blankly at the four half-blossomed buds, falling into a daze¡ªthe dragon, a dragon, just giving up like that!


    ¡°No! ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for the future of an entire forest, giving up just one tree!¡±

 Chapter 726 - Chapter 726: Chapter 0723: The Glorious Path (Second Update)

    Chapter 726: Chapter 0723: The Glorious Path (Second Update)


    Mind Island, Light Green Gemstone Dragon, Mind Fruit Tree¡ªall are subjects worthy of research.


    Particularly, this newly grown Mind Fruit Tree, Liszt remembered very clearly that he had dug out every root of the previous Mind Fruit Tree and taken them away.


    So, in theory, the Mind Fruit Tree should not be able to breed anew.


    But it did breed anew.


    ¡°It seems that the origin of this island is extraordinary, and even the breeding of the Mind Fruit Tree has special conditions, rather than just simply rooting, sprouting, flowering, and bearing fruit in this inheritance,¡± he mused, looking at the Light Green Gemstone Dragon whose magic energy had been absorbed and whose breath had decayed to the point of being unable to condense.


    Ach was conducting research.


    She attempted to use a Magic Potion to sustain the life force of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, but the magic power transformed by the Magic Potion was too weak to maintain the loss of the dragon¡¯s magic power.


    She even planned to replace the Light Green Gemstone Dragon with her own power drawn from the Magic Web and accept the Mind Fruit Tree¡¯s absorption.


    Unfortunately, it seemed the magic power of the Magic Web was incompatible with the Mind Fruit Tree.


    ¡°Brother, the roots of the Mind Fruit Tree are quite strange; they don¡¯t come directly from underground, and it hasn¡¯t grown many roots at all. These roots are more like transmission channels in the Magic Web and do not exist in a material state, which shows that the Mind Fruit Tree has the nature of the Magic Web.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s a mini Magic Web?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat similar, but its magic network aspect is rather special, focused and domineering, only absorbing and not dispersing outward,¡± Ach described with effort.


    She didn¡¯t have the Eye of Magic but had a very keen sense of perception; she fully sensed how the Mind Fruit Tree was devouring the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°Right, since the magic power of the Magic Web is incompatible with the Mind Fruit Tree, but the magic power from the Magic Potion is compatible, perhaps my Dragon Dou Qi can also be compatible?¡± Liszt suddenly thought. ¡°If I use my Dragon Dou Qi to replace it, supplemented by the Magic Potion, perhaps I can save the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s life?¡±


    Although reason told him to choose the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, watching a dragon die was something he couldn¡¯t do without emotion.


    If there was a chance to rescue, he was still willing to make an attempt to save this Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°There¡¯s a possibility,¡± Ach pondered seriously.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s try it. Leo and I are unified, when necessary it can transfer magic power to me, and my Dragon Dou Qi should be able to last quite some time.¡±


    ¡°So, brother, use your Dragon Dou Qi to transfer into the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s body, and I will establish a channel between you and the Mind Fruit Tree for the transfer.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Despite many unanswered questions, the priority was to explore how to save the dragon.


    He immediately activated the surging Dragon Dou Qi within his body and poured out all the Magic Potions from his Space Ring for both himself and the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to consume, in order to maintain the Mind Fruit Tree¡¯s absorption.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Leo sensed that Liszt was continuously outputting Dou Qi and quickly opposed his method, but it was forcibly suppressed and had to yield to Liszt¡¯s dominance¡ªever since their minds had merged, it realized that, as a domineering Evil Dragon, it was actually not as domineering as Liszt in many respects.


    This human was a rash man who would recklessly use drugs!


    ¡°Oh¡­ ho¡­¡±


    It had no choice but to watch helplessly.


    Meanwhile, Liszt single-handedly transmitted the Dragon Dou Qi into the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s body; relying on the insight of the Eye of Magic, he rapidly channeled the Dou Qi to the magical channel established by Ach and then connected it with the Mind Fruit Tree¡¯s colorful roots. Soon, the Dragon Dou Qi was naturally absorbed by the Mind Fruit Tree.


    With his support as a Dragon Knight, the breath of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon finally stabilized.


    Ach continued to provide the Light Green Gemstone Dragon with Magic Potions, injecting them into its body to help restore its internal magic power, keeping it alive.


    They quickly achieved a dynamic balance.


    ¡°We¡¯re good now, I can keep the transfer stable. Ach, continue your experiments; research the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, the Mind Fruit Tree, everything on this island that can be researched! This is a rare opportunity, perhaps you can use it to unravel the deep mysteries of the Magic Web.¡±


    Li Si Te felt good about his condition, so there was no need for Ach to waste time saving dragons, and he would rather Ach decipher the secret.


    Ach needed knowledge accumulation to grow stronger, and he was curious about everything on Mind Island.


    Dragons nourish the Mind Fruit Tree.


    The Mind Fruit Tree bears fruit, aiding the Mind Battle.


    After a Mind Battle, one could ride many dragons and capture more dragons to nourish the Mind Fruit Tree, forming a perfect cycle that seemed to envelop him with countless dragons. By then, he would not just be a mere Dragon Knight, but a Dragon-rider Knight, a Dragon Shepherd.


    If the cultivation of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits continued, and he set out with a great number of dragons to find others, perhaps there was a chance to unify the Legendary Continent and have thousands of dragons at his beck and call.


    To establish the Master of Thousands Dragons Empire and be known as the Dragon Emperor, wouldn¡¯t that be splendid!


    ¡°Blissful!¡±


    ¡°Blissful!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that the Mind Fruit Tree seems to flower a bit slowly,¡± Li Si Te had been indulging in the fantasy of being the Dragon Emperor, but the four buds still hadn¡¯t fully bloomed.


    Meanwhile, he realized that his Dragon Dou Qi was nearly depleted, and his reserves of Magic Potion were also running low.


    Ach, who had been busy with his research, also recognized the gravity of the problem, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m afraid that the cultivation difficulty of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit is much greater than imagined. Merely with Brother¡¯s Dragon Dou Qi and the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s Magic Power, it might not be possible to sustain the formation of four fruits.¡±


    ¡°What should we do, will it be enough if we add Leo¡¯s Magic Power?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably still not enough. We still don¡¯t know the solidification rate of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, but judging from the Magic Power brewing speed during flowering, the consumption of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s Magic Power, as well as Brother¡¯s Magic Power transfer and Magic Potion reserves, it is likely we can only cultivate one fruit before exhausting all resources.¡±


    ¡°One fruit?¡± Li Si Te was at a loss for words.


    Ach nodded, ¡°That¡¯s if we ensure the life of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. If life preservation is not necessary, it might be possible to cultivate two fruits, maybe three if we¡¯re lucky.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying, no matter what, we have to give up on one?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How do we give up one of them, just pluck the blossom?¡±


    ¡°Ach can sever the Magic Power transmission channel.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s cut off one first and re-evaluate carefully, to see if we need to give up the other blossoms.¡± Li Si Te made a decisive call ¨C there was no room for hesitation.


    He did not want to fail because of greed.


    Ach quickly cast a spell and blocked the Magic Power channel of one of the blossoms, which then could no longer draw Magic Power, and its blooming was halted on the spot.


    Seeing this, Li Si Te suddenly had an idea, ¡°Ach, if we re-establish the Magic Power channel, can it start growing again?¡±


    Ach¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s give it a try!¡±


    When the channel was re-established, just as Li Si Te had suspected, the blossom bloomed once more. His disappointment vanished in an instant, ¡°Ach, sever the Magic Power channels of the other three blossoms. We¡¯ll cultivate them one by one! First, let¡¯s cultivate one fruit and then discuss the rest!¡±


    He even thought of another way to cultivate the Mind Fruit Tree¡ªby intermittently supplying Magic Power, thus, without harming the dragon¡¯s life, cultivating more fruit over a longer period.


    Thus, a splendid path to wealth spread before Li Si Te!

 Chapter 728 - Chapter 728: Chapter 725: Strike While the Iron Is Hot (First Update)

    Chapter 728: Chapter 725: Strike While the Iron Is Hot (First Update)


    The Mind Fruit Tree stored within the Space Ring continued to lose its magic power, and nothing could stop the dissipation.


    The current options were either to establish a new magic power channel for the Mind Fruit Tree and cultivate the last Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit with the aid of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, or to let it dissipate its magic power in vain, wasting the three unopened buds.


    ¡°Forget it!¡±


    After a moment of indecision, Liszt decisively put aside his dilemma, retrieved the Mind Fruit Tree from the Space Ring, and handed it to Ach, ¡°Take this for research; while it has not completely withered, carefully study the unique properties of the Mind Fruit Tree.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    If the secret of the Mind Fruit Tree could be uncovered, it would naturally be the best outcome, far more valuable than killing a Light Green Gemstone Dragon now for one Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    Ach began to study the Mind Fruit Tree, while Liszt didn¡¯t just stand by idly. He too used the Eye of Magic to continuously observe the magic power situation of the Mind Fruit Tree, providing real-time information to Ach. At the same time, he held a Bone Spade in hand as he continued to excavate the small pit from before.


    The small pit had once given rise to a fruit tree that bore three Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits.


    Now another Mind Fruit Tree had grown; there had to be a secret to this land¡ªLiszt did not cease his digging with the Bone Spade, and his Eye of Magic kept watch, nearly scrutinizing every shovelful of soil to ensure whether it contained some kind of ¡°seed¡± that could stimulate the growth of the Mind Fruit Tree.


    He no longer believed that the Mind Fruit Tree was merely some special plant.


    Given its ability to nullify the gemstone of the Formless Dragon, it was clear how extraordinary the nature of the Mind Fruit Tree was. Even in his mind, he held some bold speculations¡ªthat the Mind Fruit Tree might be related to Sacred Dragons. Thus far, he had encountered two types of Sacred Dragons: the Formless Dragon¡¯s Space Gem was wonderfully elusive, and the Smoke Dragon¡¯s Power of Destiny was even more terrifying.


    From the perspective of producing resources, Gemstone Dragons and Metal Dragons are undoubtedly very important.


    However, looking at the unique nature of power, Elemental Dragons freely switching between their Magic Form and their fleshly bodies are undeniably more magical than Gemstone Dragons and Metal Dragons, and the wonder of Sacred Dragons needs no further mention.


    In other words,


    The power tier of Sacred Dragons is clearly above that of Elemental Dragons, and the power tier of Elemental Dragons is in turn above that of Metal Dragons and Gemstone Dragons.


    ¡°If the Mind Fruit Tree can render the Space Gem¡¯s stasis effect ineffective, it shows that its power tier is at least on par with that of the Formless Dragon; it also feeds on dragons as nourishment to produce fruits that can bind the power of dragon¡¯s hearts¡­ It¡¯s evident that the Mind Fruit Tree is definitely related to dragons.¡±


    His thoughts continued to diverge.


    Legend says the Elf King can transform into a forest where dragons reside¡ªcould the Mind Fruit Tree be related to the Elf King?


    Or is it related to the dream powers of the Jade Dragon or the temporal powers of the Twilight Dragon? It probably has nothing to do with the life powers of the Immortal Dragon, or could it really just be a singularly magical plant?


    The Bone Spade continued to dig, shovelful by shovelful.


    The soil was now piled around the small pit, but Liszt found nothing related to seeds, nor anything magical. After digging about two meters deep, he reached the rocks beneath the soil¡ªa rock island by its very nature.


    As a Dragon Knight, Liszt had great strength, abundant stamina and worked at an incredibly efficient rate; within an hour, he had dug out a circular pit with a diameter of one meter.


    The bottom of the pit was flat rock, the same as the cliffs surrounding the island.


    ¡°The rock hasn¡¯t cracked; it¡¯s a whole, and I can¡¯t tell what kind of rock it is,¡± Liszt said. His geographical knowledge was limited and he could not deduce exactly how Mind Island had formed, but one thing was clear to him: this was not a volcanic island and had nothing to do with volcanic eruptions.


    ¡°So, the question arises.¡±


    ¡°Beneath is a layer of rock; it¡¯s impossible for a ¡®seed¡¯ to be hidden there. So how exactly did the Mind Fruit Tree grow? I was quite sure that I had dug out all the roots of the dead Mind Fruit Tree. It¡¯s highly unlikely that a piece of root was left behind to grow into a new Mind Fruit Tree.¡±


    He was baffled by many things, but without finding any seeds, he could only assume that he had not done a thorough job last time and a piece of root had been left behind.


    To prove this point was also easy: ¡°I now have two Mind Fruit Trees, with plenty of roots. Does this mean that I can keep artificially cultivating Mind Fruit Trees?¡± He filled a pot with soil, buried a piece of the dead root in it, and placed it inside the Space Ring.


    Then he broke apart the rock to confirm that there was still rock beneath, and refilled the spot with the surrounding soil.


    If his conjecture was correct and the root was the seed, then sprinkling some dragon¡¯s blood from the Light Green Gemstone Dragon onto it would eventually lead to a new Mind Fruit Tree sprouting from the soil in the pot. If the root was not the seed but related to the environment, the refilled spot might give rise to a new Mind Fruit Tree.


    In summary.


    For a considerable period into the future, Mind Island would remain a key object of study.


    ¡­


    His gaze shifted from the large pit back to the Mind Fruit Tree. The magic-depleted tree was wilting at a rate visible to the naked eye. Ach meticulously cut many small segments to experiment with in diverse ways.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t get involved at all.


    So he turned his attention to the still comatose Light Green Gemstone Dragon, skin and bones, with wounds that stubbornly refused to heal, exhibiting only faint breathing. But its magic power was stabilizing, weak though it was, slowly recovering.


    After all, he had fed it a fair amount of Magic Potions.


    ¡°I have no idea when the Light Green Gemstone Dragon will wake up, nor how long it will take to recover from its injuries. A dragon¡¯s High Magic recovers quickly, but this time, I¡¯m afraid its Superior Magic has been shaken, and that won¡¯t be easy to restore¡­ Leo managed to grow so big only with the help of volcanic Superior Magic and the lingering Superior Magic from the former Fire Dragon.¡±


    Superior Magic is Dragon¡¯s Intent. It¡¯s the extreme nature magical power that allows Leo to switch between his Magic Form and his flesh and blood body, originating from the magic left by the Former Fire Dragon.


    High Magic is magic that a dragon emits casually, and it¡¯s on the same level as the Magic Web¡¯s magic.


    High Magic is easy to replenish; a bit of medicine, some meat to help, and it can quickly be restored. However, Superior Magic needs to be slowly refined and condensed. For the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to regain its former strength, it might take more than just a year or two.


    ¡°However, this is also an opportune moment. While its powers are diminished, it¡¯s my chance to find a way to subdue it!¡± Liszt stroked the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s neck where there was still a touch of warmth in its scales, and a smile spread across his lips, ¡°The process might be complicated, but in the end, this dragon will be captured by me!¡±


    Narrowing his eyes at the exposed Dragon Tooth Platform: ¡°I definitely can¡¯t afford to use the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, but the brand of the First Dragon Knight has to be dealt with.¡±


    His mind raced with whether he should just mount it now and, while the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was unconscious and its mental power weakened, engage it in a fierce Mind Battle.


    If he could erase the Mind Branding, wouldn¡¯t the Light Green Gemstone Dragon be completely subjugated?


    Licking his lips, he felt his heartbeat accelerate, and after three seconds, he had decided to do just that!

 Chapter 729 - Chapter 729: Chapter 0726: The First Dragon Knight (Second Update)

    Chapter 729: Chapter 0726: The First Dragon Knight (Second Update)


    The location of Dragon Tooth Platform was quite wondrous.


    It sat at the juncture where the dragon¡¯s neck met its torso, right at the center of the shoulder blades of its wings. When the dragon flapped its wings to fly, the Dragon Tooth Platform was perfectly sheltered by the wings. This ensured the knight¡¯s safety; only when their back was exposed would the knight be vulnerable.


    The gap left between the wings and the neck was the Dragon Knight¡¯s area for attack.


    The length of the Dragon Lance didn¡¯t need to be longer than the dragon¡¯s body, as the Dragon Dou Qi could be projected outward. The lance only needed to ensure it could reach through the gaps created by the vibrating wings, aiming in all directions. Real close-quarter killing required the dragon to cooperate by rolling over so the knight could attack back to back.


    At other times, the dragon would act as the main force in close combat, and the knight would focus on outputting Dou Qi.


    Therefore, the dragon was the knight¡¯s perfect mount, and the Dragon Knight was the best example of unity between rider and steed. The dragon¡¯s strength, combined with the human¡¯s intelligence, made the Dragon Knight the pinnacle force ruling the world.


    The fallen Light Green Gemstone Dragon had lost the ability to protect its own Dragon Tooth Platform.


    Liszt didn¡¯t know whether any Dragon Knights had successfully mounted dragons in this manner, but with the opportunity before him, he was not about to miss it.


    ¡°Good, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon fell without any guard, leaving the Dragon Tooth Platform fully exposed and in a perfect position for riding.¡± With a leap, he jumped onto the neck of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, then walked a few steps to reach the Dragon Tooth Platform, planting his feet firmly in the hollows of the bone.


    He then sat down on it.


    In an instant, his mind wavered, feeling his inner Dou Qi begin to surge, as if wanting to merge seamlessly with the Magic Power of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. But after several surges, the connection broke at critical moments, as if the Magic Power of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was incapable of making the connection, unable to support the Mind Battle.


    This was entirely different from Liszt¡¯s first time riding Leo.


    Back then, when he first mounted Leo¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform, the connection between Dou Qi and Magic Power was made instantly, followed by his mind rushing into Leo¡¯s, initiating the Mind Battle.


    ¡°Is the Light Green Gemstone Dragon too weak, or is it resisting my Dragon Riding?¡± With this thought, Liszt decided to take the offensive, frantically circulating his Dou Qi, following the trajectory used when riding Leo, forcefully capturing the Magic Power of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to complete the connection.


    The approach was somewhat brutal, but it soon proved effective.


    When the Magic Power connected with the Dou Qi, capitalizing on the unique properties of Dou Qi and Magic Power, Liszt quickly felt an added pressure on top of him, as if he were trying to open his eyes while lying in a difficult state on a sickbed. The heaviness of his eyelids almost completely shut out his senses several times, urging him to fall into a deep sleep.


    Having experienced one Mind Battle before, Liszt endured this sensation, opening his eyes. In the next moment, the scenery before him changed.


    This was a world emanating a rich aroma of liquor.


    He was standing on a huge bone from an unknown animal, surrounded by countless other bones¡ªall soaked in water that reeked of alcohol. Undoubtedly, it was liquor.


    In the depths among the bones, there was a giant Light Green Gem, which was shattered, with each crack seeping out liquor.


    Above the gemstone, a Light Green Gemstone Dragon lay asleep.


    ¡°So this is the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s spiritual incarnation? If I defeat it, can I win the Mind Battle?¡± Liszt tried to take a few steps forward, puzzled as to why the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s inner world was such a mess, akin to a drunkard¡¯s fantasy world.


    Could it be that the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was actually a drunkard dragon?


    And these bones, what did they mean? Did they represent its fondness for gnawing on bones?


    But these were secondary concerns. The most important task at hand was to kill the slumbering Light Green Gemstone Dragon, just as he had slain the evil dragon bound by Rainbow Iron Chains in Leo¡¯s mind world.


    ¡°Come forth, my great sword!¡±


    With a gentle call, the smoke coiling around him, imbued with the power of the Smoke Dragon, instantly transformed into a Fire Attribute Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword¡ªhe was actually somewhat curious whether this sword was a projection of his mind, a manifestation of the Power of Destiny, or if the two were inherently one and the same.


    Perhaps the Power of Destiny had long since merged with his mind, inseparable from one another.


    He leaped forward.


    Jumping onto the fractured, gigantic Light Green Gem, he observed the sleeping Light Green Gemstone Dragon up close. The dragon showed no reaction. It seemed that, as in the real world where it was gravely injured and comatose, its mind world was similarly wounded and unconscious. Especially since its body was covered in cracks, as if it might shatter at any moment.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t even a challenge.¡± Liszt smiled lightly, raising his fiery red great sword, ready to completely annihilate the mind avatar of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    But just then, there was a sudden flash before his eyes.


    A fully armored knight appeared abruptly in front of him, and with a five-meter long Dragon Lance, he parried Liszt¡¯s fiery red great sword.


    Then he charged swiftly towards him, attempting to run Liszt through with his spear.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s reaction was nothing if not quick. He dodged and leapt aside, continuously evaluating the knight that had suddenly appeared. Just one look was all it took for him to seemingly understand the knight¡¯s identity¡ªAbraham Moonlight Silver, a member of the Royal Family of Dragon Knights from the Eagle Kingdom over three hundred years ago.


    He was also the First Dragon Knight of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, the one who left the Mind Branding.


    ¡°So you are the Mind Branding of the Dragon Knight. Does that mean that defeating you is the key to winning the Mind Battle?¡± Liszt wondered whether other Dragon Knights had to make an agreement with their Mind Branding or if they too had to kill the mind avatar of the Dragon Knight.


    But he knew what he had to do was fight.


    A longer reach gives a greater advantage!


    The Mind Branding of Abraham Moonlight Silver was merely a projection of will, but it possessed all the combat experience of a Dragon Knight. It was unknown how powerful he had been in life, but any Dragon Knight capable of leaving a Mind Branding was certainly a Completion-term Dragon Knight and would not be weak.


    After several bouts of fierce combat.


    Liszt found that he couldn¡¯t gain even the slightest upper hand and was utterly suppressed by the other¡¯s relentless Dragon Lance.


    However, he soon discovered something advantageous. Abraham Moonlight Silver, with his Dragon Lance in hand, did not fight smoothly. The five-meter long Dragon Lance was cumbersome to turn and swing, let alone perform intricate Dou Qi moves. It was mostly relying on the fact that Liszt was somewhat unaccustomed to this environment to forcefully dominate.


    ¡°He is the Mind Branding of a Dragon Knight, wielding a Dragon Lance instead of a great sword. Perhaps¡­ he should be riding the Light Green Gemstone Dragon?¡±


    The First Dragon Knight could ride dragons. Heirs to the Dragon Knight needed to confront the Dragon Riding Mind Branding of a Dragon Knight, and naturally, they couldn¡¯t erase the Mind Branding.


    But now, the Dragon Knight¡¯s Mind Branding had no dragon!


    With a grin, Liszt had already discovered the secret of the Dragon Knight¡¯s Mind Branding, and it was time to kill Abraham Moonlight Silver!

 Chapter 731 - Chapter 731: Chapter 0728: Astrologer (First Update)

    Chapter 731: Chapter 0728: Astrologer (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Securing a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, successfully riding the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, and calming Little Fire Dragon Leo, this journey to Mind Island was perfect.


    It was after Archmage Archy told Liszt that all the branches of the Mind Fruit Trees had withered.


    He summoned the Smoke Mission, and this time the mission was finally completed: ¡°Mission completed, reward: a Light Green Gemstone Mine.¡± Indeed, either the Light Green Gemstone Dragon or the Mind Fruit Tree had to perish for it to be considered a success.


    ¡°Now this Mind Island may have already started transforming into a Light Green Gemstone Mine. I wonder how many qualified gemstones can be mined, as well as how much associated crystal ore¡­¡±


    Gemstone Dragons produce gemstones not like the Formless Dragons, which spit out a few gems from their mouths, but through their breath continuously infecting the area, eventually invading the ley lines to create Crystal Mines. Within these Crystal Mines, there will be sporadic distributions of fully developed gemstones and a large amount of lesser ones.


    The associated ore of the Light Green Gemstone is the Light Green Crystal. Given the amount of blood shed by the Light Green Gemstone Dragon this time, it¡¯s likely that infecting the entire Mind Island is not out of the question.


    After all, Gemstone Dragons usually infect mines with just their breath, but this time the Light Green Gemstone Dragon used its life to infect the mine.


    Not easy indeed!


    ¡°Recover well, Light Green Gemstone Dragon,¡± Liszt felt for the still unconscious Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s spirit, very moved, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be someone with a mining operation in the family!¡±


    The resources for building a nation were thus obtained.


    It¡¯s just a pity that the location of Mind Island is not ideal, being too close to both the continent and the Duchy of Sapphire. Fortunately, it¡¯s not situated on a trade route, or else it would be highly susceptible to discovery. Now that the island has both a mine and a healing dragon, it absolutely must not be discovered by the outside world.


    He pondered for a moment, then turned his attention to the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The Light Green Gemstone Dragon has irrigated a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit and a Light Green Gemstone Mine with its life force but the leaked magic power has also changed Mind Island¡¯s environment. The trees on the island might have quietly undergone changes. Please pay close attention to these changes in the trees. Reward: A large area of mutated trees.¡±


    ¡°Are they referring to this grove that resembles Alsophila spinulosa?¡± Liszt looked up and surveyed the island¡¯s small forest, a quarter of which had collapsed due to the fainting of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    These trees did not have names yet.


    They were very much like the tall, straight-trunked, odd-leaved fern plants of Earth¡¯s dinosaur era. On Earth, fern plants have evolved from tall woody species to short herbaceous ones, and the only woody fern plant left in the textbooks is the nationally-protected Alsophila spinulosa.


    ¡°Why not call it Alsophila?¡±


    He liked to equate the plants of this world with those of Earth, using a name from Earth for any similar species.


    Thus, the plants in this small forest were quickly determined to be Alsophila.


    Utilizing the Eye of Magic and while Archmage Archy was still busy with experiments, he constantly surveyed the grove, keeping an eye out for any changes in the Alsophila. Before the mission prompt, he did not know the use of Alsophila¡ªit bore no fruit, wasn¡¯t part of any Magic Potion, and its wood wasn¡¯t particularly sturdy.


    However, now that it had been infected by the dragon¡¯s magic power, there could be miraculous changes to look forward to.


    Of course, Liszt did not invest all of his energy in the Alsophila grove. He continued to assist Archmage Archy in his experiments and ponder the subsequent plans for the Light Green Gemstone Dragon and Mind Island.


    Mind Island definitely needed to be protected, as they waited for the Light Green Gemstone Mine to develop and for the possible growth of the third Mind Fruit Tree; the Light Green Gemstone Dragon needed more protection. It was not safe for it to rest and recuperate here¡ªif the Eagle Kingdom initiated a search, it could be discovered.


    One could imagine how the Eagle Kingdom would go mad if a Dragon Knight died and a dragon went missing.


    For some time, the sea would not be calm and might even trigger a war among the three great Kingdoms in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent¡ªevery move of a Dragon Knight triggers a chain reaction, Carlo Violet¡¯s death, the birth of Dragon Knight Liszt and Archmage Archy, all were events significant enough to cause an earthquake.


    ¡°`


    Of course.


    Liszt was not afraid.


    He and Archy may not be able to defeat the enemy, but they could always run away. In this sea, Archy¡¯s speed was undoubtedly the fastest and she could also help him dive into the deep sea¡ªthe only thing he needed to worry about was his family, but, luckily, he had already granted them titles and lands. Although they had not separated their households, their contact was no longer close.


    Under normal circumstances, he would be considered an independent individual, and no one would take their anger out on his family.


    ¡°But in any case, we must protect the Light Green Gemstone Dragon well, we cannot let it stay unconscious here, otherwise, any bird-type Magical Beast could easily devour it alive¡­ Perhaps I should transport the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to Dodo Island and hide it there, instead of leaving it on Mind Island.¡±


    Dodo Island was far from the continent, and also far from the Duchy of Sapphire, the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t notice such a small island no matter how they searched.


    They would not easily detect the aura radiating from the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°That¡¯s decided, then.¡±


    ¡°Once Archy is done with the experiments, I¡¯ll have her help transport the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to Dodo Island.¡±


    Archy could control a Water Tornado to lift the Light Green Gemstone Dragon and then race it all the way to Dodo Island. Otherwise, Leo definitely couldn¡¯t manage to carry a hundred-ton dragon flying, nor was there a ship large enough to transport a 45-meter-long adult dragon¡ªjust the dispersion of Dragon Might alone could make all the sailors foam at the mouth.


    ¡­


    Night fell.


    The Alsophila spinulosa forest had not yet undergone noticeable changes, and Archy was still busy with her experiments, whether it was the dragons or the Mind Fruit Tree, there were still plenty of secrets waiting for her to unravel.


    However, after a big meal, Liszt directly interrupted Archy¡¯s experiments, ¡°Don¡¯t keep busy with experiments at night, balancing work and leisure is life.¡±


    ¡°But Archy still has many experiments that must be rushed to completion,¡± Archy was reluctant to rest.


    Yet she couldn¡¯t resist Liszt¡¯s insistence, ¡°The unfinished experimental materials can directly be thrown into the Space Ring. If yours can¡¯t fit them, put them in mine. In any case, experiments are not allowed at night, you should rest early.¡± He always had a wary respect for magicians and didn¡¯t want Archy to go mad pursuing the Truth.


    He had recently vaguely noticed that Archy was too immersed in Magic, which was not a good sign. As a minor, a Little Sea Monster, her values had to be properly shaped.


    Nevertheless, Archy coquettishly said, ¡°But brother, Archy can¡¯t sleep without doing experiments.¡±


    ¡°Then watch the stars. Come, let me teach you some new knowledge about how to observe the stars. In the era of the Moon Empire, it was said there were Astrologers, and the calendar we use was left by them. I have a plan to rebuild the astrological system. Maybe you can help me realize this idea.¡±


    Hearing this, Archy nodded, ¡°Mm.¡±


    Teaching began, and Liszt used the little knowledge he had gained from watching TV to try to establish the basics of astronomy.


    ¡°The stars in the sky are divided into two kinds, fixed stars and planets. Most of the stars we see with the naked eye are fixed stars, but that doesn¡¯t exclude the possibility of planets mixed in among them. Fixed stars are almost stationary in the sky, while planets are constantly changing. By observing their orbits and calculating with the law of universal gravitation, we can deduce whether we are in a massive star system.¡±


    But Archy suddenly asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s the use of knowing about these planets?¡±


    Liszt was immediately lost in thought.

 Chapter 732 - Chapter 732: Chapter 0729: Crystal Firmiana (Second Update)

    Chapter 732: Chapter 0729: Crystal Firmiana (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    What is the meaning of studying the stars and astronomy after all?


    He knew that time, direction, and the calendar relied on astronomical studies, meaning that astronomy facilitated historical records, and summarizing the solar terms through the calendar was beneficial to agricultural labor.


    But what else did it mean?


    Liszt stroked his chin, squinted his eyes, and thought rapidly, ¡°Do I have to transplant the whole zodiac system here, relying on the constellations to study personality, fortune, love matches?¡± Such ¡°knowledge¡± seemed rather pointless, except maybe for flirtation with young girls.


    However, he soon thought of a significant use.


    He spoke seriously to Ach, ¡°Don¡¯t think that there¡¯s no use in studying astronomy. In fact, astronomy could have a huge use. Do you remember the legend about the Moon Empire, the one that says there¡¯s a teleportation array to the moon? Do you think we could build such a teleportation array without studying astronomy?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Ach was indeed shocked, ¡°Brother makes a good point. Without astronomical guidance, humans couldn¡¯t possibly set foot on the moon. Although I don¡¯t know whether the teleportation array of the Moon Empire is real or not, if we live on a planet and the moon is also a planet, perhaps it harbors life as well.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Liszt nodded lightly, even he started to believe his own rhetoric.


    Many legends had been proven to be true, so the teleportation array of the Moon Empire might not be a fabrication. If there really was a teleportation array to the moon, he would definitely step through it one day in the future, to take a tour of the moon and see what the landscape was like there.


    In reality, the Mage Tower in his territory, under Chris¡¯ supervision, had always been researching the Message Transmission Magic Circle, using the Magic Web as a base for exchanging information.


    If the Message Transmission Magic Circle were successfully researched, it might be possible to further investigate a Teleportation Array that could transport objects.


    Of course, the best approach would be to uncover some relics and directly obtain the Moon Empire¡¯s teleportation array technology; by that time, distance might no longer be a limitation.


    Regardless, the instruction for observing the stars officially began.


    Pulling out the telescope, Liszt demonstrated to Ach how to observe celestial bodies¡ªhe had used the telescope to watch the sky frequently since he invented it, so he had the experience. However, due to the precision limitations of the telescope itself, astronomical observation was difficult, not to mention that calculating celestial trajectories involved complex computations.


    This area was completely foreign to him.


    After all, his math was terrible; he was okay with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, but that was it.


    ¡°Brother, since the telescope uses the principle of concave and convex lenses, could Ach directly manipulate water to make a telescope?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not impossible, but just stacking lenses isn¡¯t enough. You also need a tube to protect the light source.¡±


    ¡°What about this?¡± With a wave of her hand, Ach caused countless streams of water to converge in front of her. The water quickly formed a cylindrical shape and through a special arrangement turned into an opaque dark frosted surface, with another two streams shaped as concave and convex lenses set within the tube.


    Thus, a telescope was made on the spot.


    ¡°Brother, with Ach¡¯s crafted telescope you can see the stars in the sky!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Liszt was a bit envious of Ach¡¯s ability. Her control over water was indeed powerful, ¡°Nice, nice, you¡¯ve already mastered the basic principle. Now, keep trying to adjust the thickness of the lenses and the combination of positions between the tube and the objective lens to find the most suitable magnification for observation.¡±


    He quickly lost interest in instructing Ach how to watch the stars, allowing her to earnestly adjust her water-made telescope.


    He himself lay on the back of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, lost in thought.


    The Dragon Dou Qi Manual, Light Green Gemstone Mine, Mutated Firmiana Tree, surnames and Kingdom names, material assistance, title changes, the response of the Eagle Kingdom, and countless other thoughts flickered in his mind.


    ¡°`


    The night deepened, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.


    ¡­


    By the next day before dawn broke, Liszt had already woken up.


    He discovered that, at some point, Ach had crawled into his arms, sleeping against him intimately, her small body slightly cool. The early winter frost had gathered on both their armor and Ach¡¯s magic cloak¡ªthey had forgotten to set up the tent last night and had not taken out the Temperature Calming Pearl.


    Fortunately, both he and Ach had far superior constitutions than ordinary people, so this bit of cold was nothing to them.


    Ach was a light sleeper, and the minute movements from Liszt as he awoke had already startled her. She stretched and hopped off Liszt¡¯s body, greeting him before going off to fetch her toiletries to clean up. Liszt also rolled off the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    Wash his face, brush his teeth, a simple clean-up.


    Then, he used the Eye of Magic to observe the Alsophila spinulosa forest. Right away, he noticed something abnormal. The entire forest exuded a light green radiance resembling that of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. However, upon closer inspection, slight differences could be discerned.


    The Magic Radiance of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was more solid in color, while that of the Alsophila spinulosa forest was more faint.


    He broke off a leaf and sensed it, instantly realizing that the Magic Radiance of the Alsophila spinulosa was just Low Magic, which differed in nature from the High Magic emanating from the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°So these Alsophila spinulosa have become magic potions?¡±


    If that was the case, it could be considered a bountiful harvest¡ªDragon magic could indeed infect magic potions. Yet, his gaze landed on several Alsophila spinulosa that had an even richer glow, all of which were close to the body of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. The trunks, branches, and leaves of these trees seemed to be turning transparent.


    He plucked off a piece of bark and examined it, quickly noticing the changes: ¡°This seems like the Alsophila spinulosa trees are not gradually turning into magic potions, but into stone¡­ or rather, into crystal?¡± Especially one of the Alsophila spinulosa, whose many leaves had completely crystallized.


    Through the detection by the Eye of Magic, half of the leaves had turned into real crystal, while the remaining leaves were only partially crystallized, still gathering magic slowly.


    ¡°Ach, come take a look.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±


    After Ach took a look, she was equally surprised, ¡°Brother, these Alsophila spinulosa trees have actually grown into real crystals, look at this leaf, there¡¯s no difference from crystal.¡±


    Liszt said directly, ¡°You compare the crystal and the leaves carefully, see what the differences are.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    While he instructed Ach to make comparisons, Liszt continued to observe the entire Alsophila spinulosa forest, gradually noticing a pattern¡ªthe closer to the Light Green Gemstone Dragon the Alsophila spinulosa were, the higher their degree of crystallization, and the mature, thicker trees also showed a greater degree of crystallization, with the mature parts of leaves crystallizing first.


    ¡°It¡¯s like they start to crystallize after maturation, while the immature parts continue to grow¡­¡± He concluded within an hour that this patch of Alsophila spinulosa had mutated into ¡°Crystal Alsophila spinulosa¡±¡ªtrees that could grow into crystal and would directly crystallize upon maturation.


    On the back of the crystallized leaves were rings of red bands, resembling the ¡°seeds¡± of the Alsophila spinulosa. These seeds had not crystallized.


    On the contrary, with a swipe of his hand, he could see many tiny seeds scattering into the air.


    Each tiny seed carried a faint, almost invisible Magic Radiance, spreading everywhere.


    He couldn¡¯t help but summon the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: a large patch of Crystal Alsophila spinulosa.¡±

 Chapter 733 - Chapter 733: Chapter 0730: Luxury Cruise (First Update)

    Chapter 733: Chapter 0730: Luxury Cruise (First Update)


    ¡°`


    The Alsophila spinulosa that could grow into crystals were undoubtedly a very strange mutation, but it was hard to say whether this mutation was good or bad. The reason was simple: it mutated by relying on the magic power leaked by the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, which meant that the magic power that should have formed crystal mines underground directly grew out in the form of Alsophila spinulosa.


    Both being crystals, it wasn¡¯t necessarily clear which one was of higher quality, so you could say that the Crystal Alsophila spinulosa was completely superfluous.


    ¡°We still need experiments. Right now, collect a batch of Alsophila spinulosa seeds and wait until they are transplanted to my territory to see if we can grow Crystal Alsophila spinulosa¡­ If it can grow crystals without relying on a dragon¡¯s magic power, then the Crystal Alsophila spinulosa will be valuable. If it can¡¯t grow without a dragon, then it¡¯s worthless,¡±


    Liszt said as he collected seeds.


    Ach nodded and replied, ¡°Brother, the place where dragons reside probably emits magic power every day. The generation of mineral veins takes too long, perhaps the Crystal Alsophila spinulosa can quickly transform the dragon¡¯s magic power into crystals.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point. When I start building the Dragon Nest in the future, I¡¯ll plant plenty of Crystal Alsophila spinulosa.¡±


    Using a small knife, Liszt scraped gently along the back of the crystal leaves. The mature seeds of the Crystal Alsophila spinulosa easily fell off and were stored in a sealed leather pouch. Once inside the Space Ring, they could be preserved for a long time. After collecting seeds for a while and ensuring he had enough, Liszt stopped.


    For the moment, he didn¡¯t touch the partially crystallized Crystal Alsophila spinulosa.


    Instead, he called out to Little Fire Dragon Leo, ¡°Leo, grab the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s tail and hoist it up and throw it into the sea.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Leo was very excited and immediately dove down, accurately grabbing the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s thick tail with his hind claws. Then he flapped his wings and began to lift the slumbering body of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon little by little. He struggled quite a bit during the process but was spirited.


    Leo might have weighed less than a hundred tons, but the Light Green Gemstone Dragon weighed several hundred tons, so the effort was normal.


    But after hoisting up the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, Leo suddenly let out a resounding ¡°oh-ho¡± dragon cry, then twisted his body and, like throwing a discus, hurled the Light Green Gemstone Dragon towards the vast sea.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Being able to toy with another dragon like this, Leo¡¯s mood swelled with each wave, more excited than the last. If he put in a little more effort, he might be able to directly release his bloodline contagion power and could infect dragon-kind¡ªa perhaps this could be a good method to stimulate Leo¡¯s ability to infect dragon-kind in the future.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon thrown towards the sea did not sink into the depths, as Ach controlled countless water tornadoes that caught the huge body mid-flight.


    Liszt soared into the sky, then gently landed on the back of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    Ach followed and leapt onto the dragon¡¯s back as well.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, to Dodo Island. We¡¯ll settle the Light Green Gemstone Dragon there,¡± Liszt signaled, then called out to Leo, still circling in the sky, ¡°Come back!¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Leo crashed headfirst into Liszt¡¯s chest.


    With Ach controlling the water, even carrying a dragon didn¡¯t slow them down or seem too difficult. The sea was Ach¡¯s home field, and as an Archmage Sea Serpent, he possessed unfathomable abilities.


    ¡°Ach, since you have such capabilities, I think when we go out in the future, we should bring a large ship. You could stand at the bow and control the ship¡¯s travel. The vessel wouldn¡¯t need sails or sailors, just servants to clean, organize food, and manage the supplies,¡±


    This was the idea for a luxury cruise ship.


    With Ach¡¯s protection, it wasn¡¯t only that storms couldn¡¯t destroy the vessel, but even facing Sub-dragon Sea Monsters wouldn¡¯t necessarily bring any trouble.


    ¡°`


    The concept of the oil tanker quickly caught Ach¡¯s attention, ¡°Brother, can we build a magic laboratory on the ship and then pair it with a few magic apprentices to manage it?¡± She was still obsessed with the study of magic and the Truth, addicted to experimenting beyond help.


    ¡°Of course, you can.¡±


    ¡°Heehee, then Ach¡¯s research will be much more convenient in the future.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t always think about doing research, though. You¡¯re still young, and I¡¯m still young, too. We have plenty of time to share, and enjoying life is the real deal.¡± Liszt advised Ach while summoning the Smoke Mission to continue reviewing the new tasks he had just released.


    ¡°Mission: The splendid dragon-slaying battle and the hard choices of the Mind Fruit Tree have drained you of too much energy. Your body may remain robust, but your spirit is already fatigued. Why not relax and fully enjoy the cheers that an eighteen-year-old Dragon Knight should receive? Reward: An Elf Bug.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such a familiar reward. An Elf Bug¡­ As my strength has increased, the rewards from the Smoke Mission have become more and more generous, shifting from elves to dragons. I never expected a huge turnaround today, returning to the Elf Bug.¡±


    He vaguely felt that aside from being related to the surrounding environment, the reward content of the Smoke Mission was more linked to the Power of Destiny.


    As he progressed, the Power of Destiny seemed to be growing stronger, with more and more intense Threads of Destiny to leverage, resulting in the Fire Dragon and Light Green Gemstone Dragon falling under its calculation. Even the occasional Elf Bug rewards began to increase in number, rather than just a single one.


    ¡°Could it be that when I erased the Mind Branding of the First Dragon Knight, I overly depleted that wisp of smoke, causing a weakening of the Power of Destiny?¡±


    At that time, the Dragon Tooth Divine Weapon, formed from the smoke, showed signs of crumbling while relentlessly slaying the Mind Branding.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s not my spirit that¡¯s fatigued, but the Power of Destiny itself is in a state of decline?¡± Liszt suddenly became nervous.


    The Smoke Mission was his biggest reliance; it could be said that the Earth overtime male, who was originally rather mediocre in intellect, talent, and courage, became a prodigy of the Different World thanks to the Smoke Mission. Without the Smoke Mission, he might have still been just a Baron calmly developing Fresh Flower Town.


    It was the Smoke Mission that allowed him to rise step by step and become the new overlord of the Azure Sea.


    ¡°It seems that in the next Mind Battle, I must use the Power of Destiny cautiously. Considering how hard it was for the Smoke Mission to evolve to the point where it could trick dragons, I can¡¯t afford to fall back to the level of tricking Elf Bugs.¡± Liszt made a determined decision, but without dwelling on it too much.


    A man can change a lot in three days; now he is a Dragon Knight, a mighty one at the pinnacle of power.


    Without the Smoke Mission, he could still roam freely over the Legendary Continent.


    ¡­


    Liszt didn¡¯t return for the night. Bull Hoof City remained bustling as ever, and although the battle had concluded, the fleets of Nobles who were still unaware of the news kept converging on Bull Hoof City.


    Seeing the Sapphire Dragon sleeping soundly near Bull Hoof City, all the arriving Nobles and Knights heard about the dragon-slaying battle, akin to a legend, that took place among the four Dragon Knights and one Archmage. The fact that a genius Knight from the Tulip Family became a Dragon Knight overnight, and he also has an Archmage sister, was like something out of a storybook.


    ¡°Liszt¡­ Prince Liszt actually killed a Dragon Knight of the Eagle Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Glorious! It¡¯s a pity I couldn¡¯t witness it with my own eyes!¡±


    ¡°Are you pulling my leg? A dragon-slaying battle with five peak warriors?¡±


    ¡°Incredible!¡±


    Nobody was willing to believe such an epic dragon-slaying battle had occurred; however, the adamant accounts from the Knights stationed at Iron Hoof City compelled the new arrivals to accept its veracity. A legendary rise had indeed happened here¡ªthe Sapphire Family might still rule the Grand Duchy of Sapphire, but a new order of the sea was about to arrive.

 Chapter 734 - Chapter 734: Chapter 0731: The Right to Speak (Second Update)

    Chapter 734: Chapter 0731: The Right to Speak (Second Update)


    Levis stood on the deck, his expression solemn, as the family fleet, following Liszt¡¯s instructions, had ¡°assembled¡± at Coral Island for two days before barely setting sail.


    The Eagle Kingdom was waging an all-out invasion, and the Tulip Family¡¯s choice was to counteract by remaining still, waiting for the Grand Duke to clash with the Bear Eagle Kingdom before making subsequent plans. In any case, with Liszt¡¯s Ghost Swordsman Inheritance, even if they were to surrender to the Eagle Kingdom, he would likely be given due consideration.


    They were on the brink of reaching Bull Hoof City.


    Perhaps the battle between the two nations had already begun, and Bull Hoof City had fallen; the Tulip Family¡¯s critical decisions were already underway.


    ¡°I wonder what father and Liszt will choose, to stay with the Sapphires or to submit to the Eagle Kingdom?¡± he pondered, somewhat troubled.


    The vampire known as Mary Dawnbreak had already led the Blood Servants to scout Bull Hoof City, and they would soon bring news that would determine whether the fleet should continue towards Bull Hoof City. The wait was excruciating, especially as it concerned the future of his family as well as his own.


    Before departing, his wife Loria Gold Wheat Ear had exhorted him to adhere to his father¡¯s and brother¡¯s decisions and not act on his own accord.


    This irritated him.


    He was annoyed not only by Loria¡¯s attitude, which implied he had no mind of his own even though he was six years older than Liszt; was it simply because his brother was lucky enough to receive the Ancient Warrior Inheritance that he was considered to have a better understanding of the big picture? He was also displeased with the ambiguous stance Li Weiliam and Liszt had regarding the family position.


    From the beginning, he did not wish for the family to surrender to the Eagle Kingdom; he couldn¡¯t bear to lose the status of the Sapphires¡ªin the Sapphires, he was the heir to the Marquis of Bull Tail, the future Marquis!


    If they surrendered to the Eagle Kingdom, it was almost certain that the noble title could not be retained, especially since the other party valued his brother Liszt more.


    He was envious of Liszt.


    Among the four siblings, he had always been the prodigy.


    Even when the youngest, Lidun, displayed exceptional talent, he still belonged to the prodigy echelon. Wherever he went, people added the honorific ¡°prodigy of Coral Island¡± when addressing him. However, Liszt, who had seemed inconspicuous and good for nothing but his looks since childhood, had risen up swiftly after being granted his rank.


    He had become the most brilliant young noble of the Sapphires.


    Thereafter, the title of the prodigy of Coral Island could only be worn by Liszt; no one else could claim the title. On the contrary, others would often gossip behind his back as if Levis, who had yet to be promoted to a Sky Knight, was a disgrace to the Tulip Family.


    But.


    At this thought, a smug curve appeared on Levis¡¯s lips: ¡°When father and Liszt see me again, they will surely be astonished!¡±


    The reason was straightforward.


    No longer was he the Elite Earth Knight Levis, but an ordinary Sky Knight Levis!


    Just two days ago, while on the sea voyage, the Dou Qi within him matured and boiled over, transforming in an instant into Advanced Water-Attribute Dou Qi, enabling him to soar through the skies.


    Extending a hand while wielding surging Advanced Dou Qi, Levis¡¯s spirits rose again: ¡°Loria probably didn¡¯t expect that I would become a Sky Knight so quickly; she told me to speak less and listen more simply because I wasn¡¯t strong enough, but now that my power has surged, who would dare ignore my opinions!¡±


    Just then, a black bat flew in from the distance.


    Levis narrowed his eyes: ¡°Especially that Mary, who was so arrogant on the ship, outright ignoring my advances! Once I speak to Liszt, I¡¯ll immediately have Mary transferred to me; let¡¯s see if she can still act so haughty¡­ Although Liszt is strong, he surely wouldn¡¯t disrespect his Sky Knight brother!¡±


    When he was still an Earth Knight, it went without saying that he knew Liszt wouldn¡¯t respect him, as power was the foundation for a voice.


    But now, having become a Sky Knight, he stood on the same level as Liszt, his voice now backed by a burst of confidence!


    Fluttering.


    The bat arrived at the bow of the ship, instantly transforming into a tall female vampire¡ªit wasn¡¯t Mary but Peggy. Beneath the cloak was the face of an ordinary woman, one that Levis took no interest in, despite his persistent curiosity about the taste of a vampire.


    ¡°Sir Levis.¡± Peggy dodged into a shady spot near the sail, as vampires do not fancy sunlight.


    Levis squinted his eyes and said, ¡°What¡¯s the situation in Bull Hoof City?¡±


    ¡°The fleet can enter the city at any time, the Eagle Kingdom has retreated, and the Sapphire has achieved a grand victory.¡± Peggy¡¯s voice was filled with boundless excitement, she still felt a bit dizzy. How could her master turn into a Fire Dragon Knight, an Archmage, in the blink of an eye?


    She was about to compose her words to narrate the glorious deeds of Liszt.


    But she heard Levis reply with an excited tone, ¡°Haha, not bad at all, I knew the Eagle Kingdom was not to be feared. Who can compete with the Sapphire on the high seas!¡±


    ¡°Sir, you are quite right, now no one can challenge the Sapphires at sea,¡± Peggy echoed.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Levis was filled with a sense of pride. Earlier, his father and he had been hesitating and worrying for no good reason. It seemed he had the far-sightedness, ¡°It is a pity we are late. The family fleet should have set sail earlier to share in the glory!¡±


    ¡°It is not too late, not too late.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Just as Levis was about to scold her, ¡°What do you know,¡± Peggy quickly said, ¡°Under the glorious favor of Lord Liszt, the Sapphire could achieve such a splendid victory. It made no difference whether the Tulip Family¡¯s fleet arrived or not, with Lord Liszt and His Highness Acherloides, that was enough!¡±


    What a flattery!


    Levis felt nauseated to the core!


    These seemingly proud vampires were nothing more than a bunch of amusing clowns who groveled and flattered. To go so far as to change ¡°knightly favor¡± to ¡°Lord Liszt¡¯s glorious favor¡± as if the victory of the Sapphire was all thanks to Liszt¡¯s abilities.


    However, as Peggy spoke faster, her mood became more elated, ¡°Also, congratulations to Sir Levis, you share the same bloodline as Lord Liszt, which is truly enviable! From now on, you are no longer a mere Sky Knight, for you have Dragon Knight Liszt¡­ no, no, His Highness Liszt standing behind you!¡±


    Whoosh!


    It was like lightning striking on a clear day.


    Levis forcefully swallowed back the words he¡¯d prepared to scold with, his eyes widened. It took him a full five seconds to speak, ¡°What did you say, repeat that!¡±


    Peggy knew that Levis was shocked by the word ¡°Dragon Knight.¡±


    When she heard the news herself, she nearly wet her pants, and now she explained excitedly, ¡°The Eagle Kingdom dispatched two Dragon Knights to attack the Sapphire, the Sapphire Duke nearly got killed, but His Highness Liszt mounted his Fire Dragon and took to the sky, with Highness Acherloides assisting with Archmage magic.¡±


    Her face bore an expression of devout faith as she said, ¡°In the end, His Highness Liszt struck down the Dragon Knight Carlo Violet, scared off Dragon Knight Alonso Immortal Arrival, and rescued Dragon Knight Andrew Sapphire, becoming the new master of the sea!¡±


    Gulp.


    Levis swallowed hard and said with difficulty, ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying¡­ true?¡±


    Peggy nodded seriously, ¡°Absolutely true, the cheers for His Highness Liszt fill the whole of Bull Hoof City!¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    Levis started with two quick¡±heh¡± sounds, and after a moment, his expression twisted from rigidity to extreme joy, and he burst out laughing, ¡°Hahaha, Dragon Knight! My dearest brother is a Dragon Knight! I am the brother of a Dragon Knight!¡±


    He laughed heartily for a good while, until the entire ship was consumed by the fervor, and countless cheers for the ¡°Dragon Knight¡± echoed.


    Only then did he suddenly compose himself, raised his hand to point forward, and shouted, ¡°Order given, set sail for Bull Hoof City, full speed ahead!¡±

 Chapter 736 - Chapter 736: Chapter 0733: Noble Status (First Update)

    Chapter 736: Chapter 0733: Noble Status (First Update)


    ¡°`


    Talking to his elder brother Levis brought no joy to Liszt, even though the conversation was filled with compliments towards himself, Liszt still found it utterly dull.


    So, after briefly discussing the joy of Dragon Riding, he entered the study to busy himself with his own affairs.


    Marcus and Mary followed him into the study.


    ¡°Captain Marcus, I predict that before long, a large number of Knights from the Sapphire ranks will want to join the Black Horse Island Knights Order. I will leave this matter in your hands to control. Do not accept Knights of poor character, mediocrity, or those who are older. In short, when selecting Knights, consider both virtue and talent,¡±


    Liszt said.


    Since he had revealed his identity as a Dragon Knight and Acherloides as an Archmage, it seemed inevitable that a new Kingdom would be established. Nobles who are secondary sons unable to progress in the Sapphire ranks, and commoner Knights would certainly view Liszt as their greatest opportunity to become founding members of a new nation.


    But Liszt was not a landlord desperate for followers; he would not accept just any Knight: ¡°I¡¯d rather have none than have the wrong ones. After all, I¡¯m not planning to establish a Kingdom anytime soon. It¡¯s easier to cultivate loyalty by training the Knights ourselves,¡± he reasoned.


    Marcus replied solemnly, ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness, Marcus will guard the gateway for selecting Knights with care, choosing only those who meet the standards you have set!¡± His expression remained calm, but his eyes burned with excitement that had been kindled ever since they were aboard the ship.


    An immense feeling of unreality always enveloped him¡ªit was unimaginable that he once served as a family tutor to a Dragon Knight!


    And now, his status was even more significant as the confidant of a Dragon Knight and the Captain of the Black Horse Island Knights Order. Perhaps one day, when the Knight Order grew and the nation began to be built, he might not be able to keep up with the great steps of the Dragon Knight, but he believed that his relationship with Liszt would benefit him for a lifetime.


    For now, he only held the title of an Honored Knight, but undoubtedly, his future would not end there.


    ¡°There is another matter,¡± Liszt recalled something else, ¡°With an Archmage by my side, it¡¯s certain that a large number of Magicians will flock to the domain in the future. Chris is not adept at organization and management, so I hope you can work with Chris, Paris, Charles, and Mary to come up with a united management plan for the Magicians as soon as possible.¡±


    Just as a Dragon Knight can attract a large following of Knights, an Archmage would naturally become an inevitable faith of Magicians.


    Not only Magicians from the Sapphire would want to make a pilgrimage to Acherloides, but once the news spreads, the Steel Ridge Kingdom, Eagle Kingdom, and even more distant Kingdoms should have Magicians coming to pay their respects.


    Liszt did not appreciate the stubbornness of Magicians, but if he could make use of them, that would not be bad. Anyway, with his and Acherloides¡¯ strength in residence, if any Magician dared violate the domain¡¯s laws, they would simply be eradicated¡ªthe only thing to guard against was incidents like Dragon slaying orchestrated by groups like the Goat Assembly.


    Therefore, implementing systematic management and strengthening surveillance over Magicians was crucial.


    After discussing the Magicians,


    Liszt kept Mary behind to discuss the matter of the Vampires: ¡°Alonso has fled, and these Vampires might be hiding, but regardless, their presence in the Sapphire is a disaster. Mary, you must find them as soon as possible and notify me.¡±


    Mary nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. The Blood Servants will not let the Vampires of the Black Knight Family escape from the Sapphire at ease!¡±


    ¡­


    Night fell.


    The banquet was held at the Bull Hoof Fortress. After the arrival of the remote Coral Island Knights, almost all the great Nobles¡¯ Knight Orders of the Sapphire had arrived, and the scale of the banquet had reached unprecedented heights.


    At the Grand Duke¡¯s table, aside from Liszt and Acherloides, seven Marquises or their heirs were in attendance.


    ¡°`


    From Red Crab Island came Mesiro Taro; from Deep Throat Island came Warner Pineapple Green, the legitimate eldest son of Marquis Wallace; from Golden Island came Marquis Roderick Gold Wheat Sheaf; from Red Maple City came Marquis Glendenton Red Maple Leaf; from Leather Island came Marquis Ramirez White Glutinous Rice.


    Together with Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea of Quicksand City and Marquis Li Weiliam Tulip of Bull Tail, as well as Crown Prince Anthony, there were eleven men in total, all talking and laughing merrily.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Prince Liszt¡¯s assistance, the battle for Sapphire would have been disastrous. Please accept my respects,¡± Anthony toasted.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s demeanor was completely relaxed.


    Back at the Marquis of Bull Tail¡¯s celebration banquet, he carried himself with the air of a landlord, treating Liszt as if he were one of his followers. In no time at all, that changed to looking up to Liszt with admiration, no longer daring to put on any airs. The title ¡°Prince¡± had also shifted to Liszt.


    ¡°Your Highness is too polite. The sea is not a place for the Eagle Kingdom to intervene, and Sapphire is my homeland. It was only right for me to step in,¡± Liszt smiled lightly, raising his glass.


    Anthony immediately laughed, ¡°You may just call me Anthony, Prince Liszt.¡±


    Liszt went with the flow: ¡°Alright, Anthony.¡± He truly didn¡¯t want to address the other as Crown Prince¡ªto him, the man was merely the son of a duke. And yet, he insisted on using titles such as prince and princess in the rural archipelago nation of Sapphire, which seemed somewhat preposterous.


    Of course, nobles are thick-skinned, and other dukedoms basically did the same¡ªafter all, a dukedom is also a nation.


    The Grand Duke, sitting at the head of the table, watched his eldest son warmly socializing with the various marquises and Liszt, feeling somewhat relieved. No matter what, Sapphire now had a suitable heir. He quietly gave his brother-in-law Nesta a look, and Nesta understood.


    Raising his glass, Nesta said loudly, ¡°This toast celebrates the victory of Sapphire. May the glory of the Knight always grace Sapphire and everyone present.¡±


    All raised their glasses together.


    After drinking, Nesta raised his glass again, ¡°This toast celebrates Prince Liszt and Lord Acherloides for turning the tide and making a name across the sea.¡±


    Liszt picked up his glass again, accepting the salute from everyone.


    He was no longer a political novice and had a rough idea that the Grand Duke was simply signaling Nesta to sing his praises, putting him on a higher pedestal so that no one would think of attacking Sapphire too lightly¡ªat the current time, Sapphire was too weak to withstand a challenge from Liszt.


    Especially during the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s slumber, it was almost at the mercy of others¡ªof course, this did not exclude the possibility that the Grand Duke was bluffing, and the Sapphire Dragon might only be feigning sleep, as such events could happen a second or third time.


    The banquet ended in a harmonious and lively atmosphere.


    However, the guests did not disperse. Seizing the moment when everyone was gathered, the Grand Duke announced, ¡°Prince Liszt has become a Dragon Knight and has decided to establish a nation at an opportune time. I also have decided that Sapphire will fully support Prince Liszt in nation-building¡­ Therefore, during the preparatory phase, Prince Liszt requires a suitable title.¡±


    Liszt smiled without a word.


    The Grand Duke wanted to elevate his title, which Liszt was pleased to see, for indeed, before establishing his own kingdom, he needed a higher noble title¡ªMarquis.


    In the Eagle Kingdom, all Dragon Knights start as marquises.


    Moreover, Sapphire could only offer the title of Marquis.

 Chapter 737 - Chapter 737: Chapter 0734: Flame Territory (Second Update)

    Chapter 737: Chapter 0734: Flame Territory (Second Update)


    ¡°`


    While the meeting was ostensibly to discuss Liszt¡¯s new title, the Duke had, in fact, already prepared a plan¡ªIron Hoof City and Coral Island were to be merged into a new territory, which would serve as Liszt¡¯s Marquisate, a place for him to prepare for the nation-building period.


    Liszt accepted the Duke¡¯s kindness.


    The Duke, First Prince, and others all secretly breathed a sigh of relief; they were now worried that Liszt¡¯s ambitions would be too great to satisfy. Therefore, with a beaming smile, the Duke said, ¡°Lord Liszt, please give this territory a new name, and I will immediately arrange for the Court to prepare the ennoblement ceremony.¡±


    Even though it was a transitional territory, Liszt still took a moment to thoughtfully consider before replying, ¡°Let¡¯s call it Flame Territory.¡±


    He was a Fire Dragon Knight, and the Fire Dragon was an embodiment of flame. The territory would be symbolized by the Fire Dragon and thus called the Flame Territory, constantly reminding others that this was the domain of a Fire Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Good, I hereby confer upon you the title of Marquis of Flames, with absolute jurisdiction over the territory,¡± the Duke declared with a grand wave of his hand, making the decision.


    In name, the Marquis of Flames was a subordinate noble of the Sapphire, but in reality, Liszt would sign a mutual defense alliance contract with the Duke, making their relationship one of equals.


    With the title set, the Nobles came forward one by one to offer their congratulations.


    ¡°Two Marquises from the Tulip Family, congratulations!¡±


    ¡°Marquis of Flames, Marquis of Bull Tail, congratulations, congratulations!¡±


    ¡°The glory of knighthood favors you, the Tulip Family is destined to thrive and prosper endlessly.¡±


    Liszt smiled and thanked each one, not showing too much arrogance, for he was always a composed person. Perhaps nobles were divided into ranks and degrees, but in his eyes, nobles and commoners were equal¡ªno more than ants, so where was the distinction to be made.


    Beneath the Dragon Knight, all were but ants, and Liszt had indeed been rather inflated these past few days.


    Great power often could cloud one¡¯s mind, like when Levis became a Sky Knight and was very arrogant, very proud. If it hadn¡¯t been for Liszt¡¯s unexpected entry as a Dragon Knight that poured cold water on him, who knows how wild he would have become. But Liszt had no one to cool his head; he needed time to calm down himself.


    Fortunately, the worldview of a mature soul had enough self-control to overcome the inflated ego.


    Having no time to chat further with the nobles, upon returning to the Nameless Castle, Liszt said directly to Marquis of Bull Tail, ¡°Father, the elevation of the Flame Territory and the material support negotiations with the Duke need you to take a more active role.¡±


    Li Weiliam responded casually, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got everything under control here.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it in your capable hands, Father.¡±


    ¡°You are the pride of the Tulip Family, focus on your Dragon Knight training, increase your strength, and leave these other trivial matters to me. I will ensure the greatest benefits for you.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    It must be said, having the support of his family made things much easier for Liszt. An individual could hardly manage alone, and even as a Dragon Knight, he still needed trustworthy people to help him build his household¡ªcurrently, he had two dragons to provide for, especially the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, which needed time to recover and would likely require a vast amount of resources.


    The Light Green Gemstone Mine wasn¡¯t ready for development yet; mining would have to wait two years, and only after the repercussions of the current dragon slaying campaign had passed could they proceed.


    So he had to think of other ways.


    He had his brother, Levis, call over their uncle Mesiro for a brief family meeting.


    ¡°Father, Uncle, I need to raise dragons, and the resource gap is huge. We cannot rely on the nation¡¯s support to raise dragons, nor can dragons reciprocate with a large amount of resources, so at this stage, we must accumulate resources through business.¡±


    Regarding this.


    ¡°`


    Li Weiliam and Mesiro were well aware that Leo was an Elemental Dragon, not a Gemstone Dragon nor a Metal Dragon.


    On the spot, Mesiro expressed, ¡°Liszt, if needed, the Long Taro Family will be your solid backing. I can provide part of the resources to support you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the offer, uncle, but it¡¯s not necessary for now. I have several profitable industries, paper and glass, those are hugely profitable industries. I plan to expand the production scale and then use the channels of the Tulip Family and the Long Taro Family to sell to the continents.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no problem. The benefits of paper and glass, I believe the nobles of the continent simply can¡¯t resist.¡±


    ¡°Besides paper and glass, I am also exploring other profitable industries. Basically, I have come to understand a few, and they include perfume, porcelain, and sea salt.¡±


    ¡°Sea salt?¡± Mesiro raised an eyebrow and asked.


    ¡°Yes, seawater contains salt that requires special technology to refine. I have basically mastered it and can produce high-quality sea salt in large quantities, which is of higher quality than well salt and pond salt.¡± Liszt said proudly, even for an archipelago nation, the Duchy of Sapphire still lacked salt.


    Because the majority of salts currently available were mined salt, pond salt, and well salt, which all come from land sources, and people did not know yet to take salt from the sea.


    There was a salt mine on Coral Island, so they were not short on salt, which is why Liszt had not paid attention to this before. It was only after he started developing his domain that he started researching the production of salt from seawater ¨C in fact, the technology is very simple, and with magicians cooperating in the research, they quickly produced edible sea salt.


    The coasts of Black Horse Island are not very suitable for salt production, hence, it can¡¯t be popularized.


    However, the Bull Tail Domain of the Marquis of Bull Tail has many flat areas with plenty of sunlight by the seaside, ideal for developing into salterns. Naturally, Red Crab Island will also have suitable salterns.


    Once high-quality sea salt is produced, it will certainly quickly impact the salt market on the continent, bringing Liszt huge profits ¨C to know that in ancient China, the salt merchants were all prominent and wealthy traders, even warmly hosting the emperor on his southern tours.


    This shows how profitable the salt industry can be.


    Road robbery is by no means as profitable as doing business.


    According to Liszt¡¯s estimates, if sea salt were produced and sold on a large scale, the profit from just monopolizing the coastal salt market of the Steel Ridge Kingdom might be comparable to the annual revenue of the Duchy of Sapphire ¨C of course, it¡¯s not a given that the Steel Ridge Kingdom would open up its salt market to Liszt.


    Cooperating with the Kingdom¡¯s great nobles is a more likely possibility.


    Regardless, with multiple sources of income like paper, glass, porcelain, perfume, and sea salt, the money would never run out. Even if the technology were exposed in a few years, Liszt estimated that he would have developed by then. At that point, if anyone dared to block his path to making money, he¡¯d just ride three to five dragons straight to their door!


    He was very confident in his heart, ¡°With the techniques from the Smoke Mission, riding three to five dragons in a few years should not be difficult.¡±


    After all, he had already ridden two dragons and had three Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits in reserve.


    The production of sea salt made Li Weiliam and Mesiro see a golden path of money, hence their enthusiasm was high. Even Levis came forward with a cheeky ask, ¡°Liszt, if Loria and I can borrow the channel of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, can we also join your trade plan?¡±


    ¡°If the channel is firmly in your and your wife¡¯s hands, rather than being covertly controlled by the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, I don¡¯t mind you joining in the money-making,¡± replied Liszt.


    The market on the continent is vast, so there¡¯s no need to worry about having too many people sharing the pie.


    After all, no matter who participates in the trade plan, they would only be acting as agents, essentially helping Liszt make money, as he held all the technological ownership.


    Even if the Grand Duke wanted to get involved in the future, Liszt would welcome it.


    Of course, steps must be taken one at a time. At the current stage, Liszt still preferred to have the family maintain control of the channel, and would make further judgments based on the profit feedback from the market.

 Chapter 739 - Chapter 739: Chapter 0736: The Child Cries Loudly (First Update)

    Chapter 739: Chapter 0736: The Child Cries Loudly (First Update)


    Dragon Slash possessed immense power, greatly enhancing Liszt¡¯s strength, yet this was but one of the countless inspirations in his mind, with many more powerful offensive and defensive strategies brewing within.


    Unnoticeable, four days had already passed.


    Coral Island was in sight.


    As drizzle began to fall from the overcast sky, Liszt and Li Weiliam stood side by side at the bow, father and son chatting about everyday matters in the rain without umbrellas.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost home,¡± Li Weiliam suddenly said, filled with emotion, shaking his head and sighing, ¡°Initially, I believed becoming a Marquis was the pinnacle of my life, but you¡¯ve brought me so many surprises, propelling our family from nobles to a Dragon Rearing Family, what an honor.¡±


    Liszt took it for granted and replied, ¡°Being a Dragon Rearing Family is just the beginning, more glory lies ahead.¡±


    When Li Weiliam saw Liszt¡¯s attitude, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°You¡¯ve had such a smooth journey, that you can¡¯t appreciate the prestige of a Dragon Rearing Family. Moving from a serf household to a commoner family is a huge hurdle, and ascending from a commoner to the ranks of a minor noble is even more formidable.¡±


    And to climb from a minor noble to a major one, is yet another vast chasm.


    These hurdles are enough to block ninety-nine percent of the people in this world; only the one percent, or rather the one in ten thousand fortunate ones, can relish the glory and nobility of being a major noble. Yet all these pale in comparison to the gap between a major noble and a Dragon Rearing Family.


    The world is full of major nobles, however, Dragon Rearing Families won¡¯t exceed two hundred.


    Take for example the Grand Duchy of Sapphire, over more than one hundred and fifty years, major nobles have risen and fallen, but the Dragon Rearing Family has always only been the Sapphire Family.


    ¡°Had it not been for your unexpected rise, the old Sapphire Dragon might have led to the decline of the Sapphire Family, and we would not have witnessed the birth of a second Dragon Rearing Family,¡± Li Weiliam said, feeling more and more like it was surreal. He could not imagine how much a knight¡¯s glory must favor one for a Dragon Knight and an Archmage to emerge one after another in the Tulip Family.


    As a family of commoners at the beginning of the nation, our ancestors struggled through life and death on the battlefield to barely join the ranks of minor nobility. Over the next hundred years, the descendants barely squeezed into the ranks of the major nobility.


    And then, in the blink of an eye, it became a Dragon Rearing Family.


    ¡°Father, you must adapt quickly, as our family will be busier in the future.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Li Weiliam said, halfheartedly lamenting, filled with unspoken elation, ¡°We¡¯re about to reach the port. Do you want to summon Leo so the people of Coral Island can witness the Fire Dragon¡¯s incredible might?¡±


    Liszt shook his head, ¡°That would be too ostentatious and not very dignified. When we return to Tulip Castle, I¡¯ll summon Leo just to let the family have a look.¡±


    Li Weiliam coughed and found himself at a loss for words¡ªevery time Liszt returned to Bull Hoof Island Port, he would ride Leo with great display. Why didn¡¯t he consider it too ostentatious then? Why did he receive such a response when he suggested the plan himself? Outrageous!


    However, if Liszt did not wish to show off, he could not insist.


    The father-son conversation thus fell into an awkward silence.


    A moment later.


    Upon arrival at the port, the Coral City Port was bustling with people. Not only had knights stationed on the island come to welcome the ship, but also a large crowd of commoners, all craning their necks eagerly waiting for the return of the Dragon Knight¡ªalmost none of them had ever seen a Dragon and all longed to lay eyes on one.


    Afterward, they would have a story to tell their descendants.


    Moreover, they could also catch a glimpse of the Archmage¡ªfor commoners, the fame of an Archmage didn¡¯t quite compare with that of a Dragon Knight, because only knights were known as rulers.


    Unfortunately.


    Liszt had no interest in showing off today. He disembarked quietly with the Knight Order, then swiftly got into the family carriage, escorted by the knights towards Tulip Castle. When they reached the crossroads to Coral City and Tulip Castle, they saw Lady Penelope and others standing in the rain, looking forward expectantly.


    There was a faint sense of bewilderment.


    This was already his fourth triumphant return.


    One battle at Iron Hoof Island, two Pioneer Mandate campaigns, and now this Dragon Slaying battle, the welcoming procession grew more magnificent each time, corresponding to his identity during each return¡ªa promising Elite Earth Knight, the youngest Sky Knight, the second most powerful man in the Grand Duchy.


    And now, the Dragon Knight, the new overlord of the sea!


    While the family¡¯s differential treatment was a clear display of opportunism, Liszt reveled in such opportunism, as it solidly confirmed his continuous growth and progress over the years.


    Li Weiliam was the first to step out of the carriage, striding towards Lady Penelope: ¡°Mother, I have made you worry.¡±


    However, Lady Penelope simply nodded briefly before turning to greet Liszt, who had just stepped out of the carriage, and gave him a big hug: ¡°Son of Glory to the Tulip Family, our Dragon Knight, I have been longing for your return ever since I received the message!¡±


    Faced with such an enthusiastic embrace, Liszt was somewhat helpless but responded with a smile, ¡°Grandmother.¡±


    After the embrace, Lady Penelope turned to Ach, who was next to Liszt, and gave a reserved hug: ¡°Ach, good child!¡±


    Ach smiled calmly, devoid of familial warmth, as she remained indifferent to all humans except for Liszt¡ªeven to fellow Sea Serpents like Iris, she could not muster much enthusiasm, let alone humans who were mere acquaintances. If not for Liszt, she would have outright dodged the embrace.


    After embracing the Dragon Knight and the Archmage, Lady Penelope stared at Liszt: ¡°So my pride, my great Dragon Knight, your dragon resides within you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°I actually embraced a dragon just now?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Liszt replied with a faint smile, and then, calling Leo silently from the depths of his heart, unleashed him. Leo burst forth immediately, igniting into a blaze of Flame as he emerged.


    As the flames died down, a twenty-meter-long red and black Fire Dragon with a twenty-meter wingspan took off into the sky and flew towards the mountain that loomed over Tulip Castle. Landing on the mountaintop, the dragon looked down at the crowd below with a pair of eyes filled with malevolent splendor.


    A stir went through the crowd.


    The dramatic entrance of Leo awed everyone present; the sight of the Fire Dragon perched on the distant mountaintop turned many faces red with excitement.


    Liszt helped the startled Lady Penelope to her feet, saying, ¡°Grandmother, let¡¯s head to the castle first.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, yes, of course,¡± Lady Penelope stammered, still trembling. In her youth, she had practiced Dou Qi for a time but never mastered it, so she remained a commoner at heart. The brief exposure to Dragon Might had truly jolted her gradually aging body.


    In fact.


    It was out of concern for Lady Penelope¡¯s health that Liszt had Leo stay away from the crowd, for if Leo unleashed his Dragon Might in full, many of the weaker bystanders might have fainted right there and then.


    If they had been exposed to the Dragon Might a little longer, even the Earth Knights would have fallen in droves.


    Even so, Lady Penelope still felt somewhat distressed, and nearby, Loria, holding the infant Richard in her arms, saw him bursting into tears. The not yet one-year-old was overwhelmed by the oppressive Dragon Might¡ªbut in a way, he was fortunate to have experienced Dragon Might so young.


    Thus.


    While everyone gazed fixedly at the Fire Dragon atop the mountain, they made their way to Tulip Castle. Moments later, the news spread like wildfire throughout Coral City. Everyone knew that the Tulip Family¡¯s Dragon Knight had returned, making a dramatic entrance on the back of an unimaginably mighty Fire Dragon.


    Many people even swore with absolute certainty: ¡°That Fire Dragon is so powerful, a single glance from it could kill a whole swath of Knights!¡±

 Chapter 740 - Chapter 740: Chapter 0737: The Last Cheer (Second Update)

    Chapter 740: Chapter 0737: The Last Cheer (Second Update)


    Upon entering Tulip Castle, the family was suffused with joy.


    Liszt had become a Dragon Knight, and Acherloides an Archmage, both peak powers capable of shaking the great seas, members belonging to the Tulip Family.


    Even Levis had successfully advanced to Sky Knight, how could one not be happy.


    The conversation revolved around Liszt constantly. Ladies such as Lady Penelope, Lady Marie, Loria, and Li Vera were unabashed in their compliments to Liszt, which made Levis feel sidelined¡ª he¡¯d dreamt many times of becoming a Sky Knight and how his family would feel consoled.


    However, the reality was that his Sky Knight status was but a green leaf, set to highlight the extraordinary red flower that was Liszt.


    Fortunately, Liszt was not much of a talker. After simply recounting the dragon-riding process to satisfy everyone¡¯s curiosity, he spoke little, allowing Levis to successfully seize many opportunities to lead the conversation.


    Taking advantage of the moment when Levis was going into detail about how he became a Sky Knight, Liszt silently summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The spectacular dragon-slaying battle and the tough choices involving the Mind Fruit Tree have exhausted too much of your energy. Although your body remains robust, your spirit is already weary. Why not relax, fully enjoy the cheers that a Dragon Knight of eighteen should receive. Reward: One Elf Bug.¡±


    The mission remained unchanged.


    ¡°Does this mean my journey of enjoying cheers has not ended yet?¡± Liszt silently calculated, it probably still lacked the cheers from his territory.


    From the nation¡¯s nobility cheers on Bull Hoof Island, to the family¡¯s cheers on Coral Island, to the subjects¡¯ cheers on Black Horse Island, it was probably such a routine. Indeed, at first, the cheers were quite thrilling, but as time passed and especially with the repetition each day, it became tedious.


    He just wanted to end it as soon as possible and return to his usual low-key, harmonious life.


    Nevertheless, Marcus had already returned to Black Horse Island with the Black Horse Island Knights Order to prepare for Liszt¡¯s triumphant return, which meant he was destined to receive another grand round of cheering.


    For today, he would rest in Tulip Castle.


    After the luncheon, he finally found a peaceful moment to himself in the study, quietly reading until Acherloides returned in the afternoon¡ªAcherloides hadn¡¯t eaten at the castle at noon, as she was anxious to conduct experiments on Mind Island and also disliked human banquets with their insincere socializing, which made her uncomfortable.


    She took out a Crystal Alsophila spinulosa that had been cut into several sections from her Space Ring: ¡°Brother, Acherloides has brought back a fully crystalized Crystal Alsophila spinulosa.¡±


    Stroking the smooth, crystalline trunk of the Crystal Alsophila spinulosa, Liszt asked, ¡°Have you discovered any results from your research?¡±


    A Crystal Alsophila spinulosa that is fully crystalized isn¡¯t much different in nature from ordinary crystals, but it possesses a special attribute; it can continue replenishing magic power.¡± Acherloides explained earnestly, ¡°Meaning, the crystals produced by the Crystal Alsophila spinulosa can be re-enchanted repeatedly.¡±


    ¡°Re-enchanted repeatedly?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That is to say, using this kind of crystal to create magical items would allow for their repeated use.¡±


    ¡°In theory, yes, but it needs to be verified with precision.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s first create a batch of Magic Equipment to verify the properties of the Crystal Alsophila spinulosa.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Acherloides nodded obediently in agreement and then busied herself with her magical experiments once more. This made Liszt somewhat sentimental. Ever since having Acherloides, it seemed he had not done any research for a long time, focused solely on diligently practicing the Dragon Knight Dou Qi Manual, with nothing else needing to be done.


    Feeling that his brain had some leisure, he found it quite comfortable, not wanting to burden himself with too much effort.


    In fact, he even wanted to liberate himself further: ¡°Perhaps when magicians from various places come to venerate Acherloides, I could bind and assemble them. I might establish a Magic Guild, put Acherloides in charge using an academy structure, and focus on the study of magic power in this world.¡±


    That was a plan for the future. He took out his notebook and entered ¡°Magic Guild¡± into his to-do list.


    This notebook he carried with him contained densely packed various tasks, from ¡°Light Dragon Schemes¡± to ¡°Dragon Hollyhock Acquisitions,¡± all meticulously recorded.


    Sometimes he would flip through it to see if there were any overlooked items, reminding himself to attend to them.


    Having managed his territory for nearly three years, he had come to understand that he was not exactly a management talent skilled in planning the big picture; he usually went with whatever came to his mind, so he had to rely on his notebook to substitute for overall planning, doing his best to find and fix the oversights in his plans.


    Then, by leveraging the roles of his followers, he maintained the operation of the territory¡¯s governance.


    The results were thankfully good: the population of the territory had surpassed one hundred thousand, and they were able to live and work in peace and contentment without any incidents of serfs dying from hunger or cold.


    Putting down the Crystal Firmiana, Acherloides did not stay long before he hurried off to Dodo Island to record the physical condition of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. This dragon, which had been devoured by the Mind Fruit Tree, was still trapped in a deep slumber with no knowing when it would awaken.


    ¡­


    The next day dawned.


    Liszt, riding the Little Fire Dragon Leo, left Tulip Castle. As Leo continued to grow, his flying speed became faster and faster, now even surpassing that of the Landwalker bird Loki¡¯s running speed.


    After a brief stop at Fresh Flower Town, he met with Administrative Officer Isaiah to listen to the latter¡¯s excited description of the town¡¯s development in the past few days. Then, amidst cheers and flattery, he took off into the blue skies and white clouds, crossing the sea to fly directly towards Black Horse Island and descended near the clearing of Thorn Castle.


    ¡°Oh roar!¡±


    Leo let out an imposing dragon roar as his Dragon Might rapidly expanded, impacting all humans and animals within a few kilometers. The closer they were, the stronger the Dragon Might became, and in front of Thorn Castle, several of the crowd waiting to greet Liszt fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth.


    They were ordinary servants of Thorn Castle, their bodies unable to withstand the oppression of the Dragon Might.


    ¡°Leo, retract your Dragon Might!¡± Liszt shouted. He hadn¡¯t planned on letting Leo release his Dragon Might since everyone here was his subject; however, Leo had taken it upon himself to intimidate what he saw as ¡°ants¡± to show off his majesty as a Fire Dragon.


    ¡°Oh roar!¡±


    Without denying, Leo retracted his Dragon Might and lay down flat on the ground, seemingly asleep but not quite.


    In fact, he was communicating with Liszt through the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal: ¡°Twenty Magic Potions, thirty roasted bulls don¡¯t forget, I want to enjoy them today!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of bursting?¡±


    ¡°No matter how much, I can eat it all¡­ The environment here is too poor, I hate sleeping on the ground, hurry up and build me a mountain top, I like to sleep at the peak where the ants can only look up to me!¡±


    ¡°There are no mountains on Black Horse Island, wait until later and I¡¯ll build you a hundred-meter-tall Rock tower, then you can lie on it.¡±


    He conversed internally with Leo.


    On the surface, Liszt shook his red-faced, black-based, gold-edged tricolor cloak amidst the awe-struck gazes of the territory¡¯s knights, officials, and civilians as he slowly walked toward the Castle. In front of the Castle, there was a crowd packed tightly together¡ªGoltai, Marcus, Yevich, Paris, Charles, Chris, Blair, Emily¡­


    All of them watched their Lord Landlord with fervent eyes.


    The great Dragon Knight, Liszt Tulip!


    Of course.


    Acherloides Truth, who was following Liszt, was also a focal point of attention, as was the Fire Dragon lying sprawled asleep on the ground¡ªa focus within the focus.


    Though there was no cheering, the atmosphere was more genuine than any previous display of cheers, for everyone here was a follower and subject of Liszt. Everything within the territory was entrusted to Lord Liszt, and his glory was closely linked to their future.

 Chapter 742 - Chapter 742: Chapter 0739: Jelas Endeavor (First Release)

    Chapter 742: Chapter 0739: Jela¡¯s Endeavor (First Release)


    He dismissed the others.


    Leaving only Goltai and Blair behind, his reason was straightforward, ¡°You must quickly hand over the work of port town advisors and administrative officers. I will have you go to Iron Hoof City to take up positions there. Goltai, you will temporarily serve as the advisor of Iron Hoof City, and Blair, you as its administrative officer.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Goltai¡¯s voice trembled as he replied, ¡°Your Highness, Goltai swears loyalty to the death to Your Highness!¡±


    Blair spoke with a choke, ¡°Swear loyalty to the death to Your Highness, and will never fail Your Highness¡¯ expectations!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Iron Hoof City is an enormous city with a population of one hundred thousand, and this will be a challenge for you. If you do well, you will take on greater responsibilities in the future when the kingdom is established. If you do not do well¡­ I need not say more, right?¡± Liszt actually wasn¡¯t optimistic about either of them, in terms of methods or courage.


    They might be competent as advisors and administrative officers of a small city, but to be responsible for an enormous city with one hundred thousand people was indeed very questionable.


    But Liszt had no choice, as he had no one else to use, so he had to make do with this arrangement for the time being. After the Flame Territory had been properly assimilated, he would gradually make adjustments.


    Short of money, people, and elves, what to do?


    Rob!


    He would negotiate with the Sapphire Duke, issue more Pioneer Mandates, and crazily raid the Eagle Kingdom.


    Once Goltai and Blair left, he already started planning how to arrange the raiding plans¡ªthe Fire Dragon was inherently an Evil Dragon that did not engage in production. Its nature was to loot! As a Fire Dragon Knight, he naturally couldn¡¯t abandon this innate skill but had to skillfully carry it forward and enhance it.


    With the Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom dead and their dragons hijacked by Liszt midway, it was the weakest moment for them. As soon as they showed signs of fatigue, Liszt would decisively not let go¡ªafter all, the Eagle Kingdom had mastered navigation and could seize control of the sea¡¯s benefits at any moment; they must be struck down.


    He would make it clear to the nobles of the Eagle Kingdom that besides Sapphire, only he, Liszt, could dominate the sea!


    ¡°Speaking of which, the letter from the Marquis of Nuta should have already reached his family. Representatives of the Yu Huashi Family with the Greater Elf are probably preparing to come and redeem their people¡­ If only I knew this before the Dragon Slaying Battle began, I should¡¯ve captured a few more Nobles, and by now, perhaps my hands would be soft with the elves I¡¯d have received!¡±


    Regrettably, before the battle began, he had adopted a wait-and-see attitude and had not taken much action; and after the battle began, due to his pride as a Dragon Knight, he felt it beneath him to act.


    In contemplation.


    Smoke slowly emerged before his eyes.


    ¡°Complete the task and you will be rewarded with one Thorn Elf Bug.¡±


    After accepting the cheers of his people, the task was finally deemed complete.


    ¡°Hm, not bad, another Thorn Bug!¡± Liszt had initially thought the Smoke Mission was being lackluster, fooling him with just another Elf Bug, but it turned out to be a Thorn Bug.


    One Thorn Bug could plant about one hundred acres of Auxiliary Medicine Thorn, and this Auxiliary Medicine could be used in a three-to-one ratio with Magic Potions. Especially for Earth Knights and Sky Knights practicing Dou Qi Cultivation, the value of Auxiliary Medicine far exceeds Magic Potions. The value of one Thorn Bug is almost comparable to that of an ordinary Little Minor Elf.


    Currently, the two kinds of Auxiliary Medicine in the Territory, Auxiliary Medicine Dragon Mallow and Auxiliary Medicine Thorn, both lack Elven cultivation¡ªthis also shows the importance of Jela.


    Immediately afterwards.


    The smoke before his eyes transformed, and new Serpent Script content appeared.


    ¡°Mission: You have noticed that the Thorn Minor Elf Jela is extraordinary. As the number of Domain Elves continues to increase, it¡¯s inevitable that Jela¡¯s emotions will be neglected. Yet the temperamental Jela refuses to be sidelined and is striving hard. Please provide Jela with a new variety of Thorn. Reward: One Greater Elf.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Liszt shuddered, feeling happiness arrive so suddenly, ¡°The task is about Jela¡¯s striving, and the reward is a Greater Elf. Does this mean that Jela is about to evolve into a Greater Elf?¡±


    He had not witnessed the evolution of a Little Minor Elf into a Greater Elf, but he knew the process¡ªa Greater Elf Xiangxiang from the Tulip Family had evolved from a Tulip Lesser Spirit.


    The process of evolution was not complex.


    For Elf Bugs to evolve into Little Minor Elves, they needed to go through a Fat Pupa Stage to ferment before breaking out of their cocoon and emerging from the dead skin. Little Minor Elves evolving into a Greater Elf simply underwent a period of withering and decline, a failure to overcome which could result in severe damage to their vitality or even death; but once it was overcome, they could grow into a Greater Elf.


    Their bodies would gradually grow larger, expanding from the size of a palm to that of a baby.


    Their spiritual power and intelligence would greatly increase, and with fully developed vocal cords, they could learn to speak.


    ¡°Immediately!¡±


    ¡°Right away!¡±


    ¡°Go now!¡±


    Liszt dispersed the Smoke Mission and directly initiated a search for new Thorn species by the Territory Officers, while also contacting Tulip Castle to have Marquis of Bull Tail use his network on his behalf to seek new Thorn species. Even if it meant scouring the entire Sapphire, different varieties of Thorns had to be found, to provide Thorn Minor Elf Jela with the pheromones needed for evolution.


    He called Jela over.


    His mood was a mix of happiness and nervousness.


    There was risk involved in this task; although the protection of the Smoke Mission should prevent failure, who could guarantee that the results of the Tulip Bug wouldn¡¯t recur.


    ¡°Starting today, before going to sleep every night, chant Jela¡¯s name for a while to strengthen the subconscious control over the Power of Destiny!¡±


    No matter what, once Jela evolved into a Greater Elf, she could live for two hundred years. Two hundred years of companionship ought to be enough. Moreover, with Jela¡¯s evolution, the planting area for Auxillary Medicine Thorns could be significantly increased, and the production of magic potions in the territory could double as well.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    ¡°Jela, you must strive and press on!¡± Placing Jela on his shoulder, Liszt began inspecting his castle, paying attention to every Little Minor Elf and Elf Bug, and then went to the underwater Worm Room to play with Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike.


    Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike didn¡¯t reside in the underwater Worm Room but instead lived in the small underwater castle built for him at the mouth of the canal by Virginia Truth.


    He preferred solitude, disliking even his own kind, let alone other Elves.


    After calling for a long time, he lazily swam over, nibbling on the Jade Powder that Liszt spread out for him, this Greater Elf was as narcissistic and sharp-tongued as ever.


    ¡°Liszt, hurry up and throw away Jela, that clownish Little Minor Elf is so ugly.¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    ¡°A clown who can¡¯t speak is really so ugly.¡± Pike smirked with disdain, his sharp teeth quite an eyesore, ¡°Only Liszt and Pike are handsome.¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡± Jela responded with a beam of green light.


    Pike reacted very quickly, also raising his hand to release a yellow-brown light: ¡°Looking for a fight!¡±


    ¡°Both of you, stop right now!¡± Liszt slightly amplified his Dragon Dou Qi and shattered the two beams of light, ¡°Pike, you are indeed handsome, but you must remain low profile.¡±


    ¡°Pike is already being low profile.¡± Pike floated on the water, speaking contentedly, ¡°Originally, only Pike was handsome, but to spare your feelings, you are grudgingly included.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Liszt left the underwater Worm Room without looking back, as there was really no common language with Pike. As he was leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to instruct the Little Minor Elf on his shoulder: ¡°Jela, when you evolve into a Greater Elf, remember never to adopt Pike¡¯s mouth; otherwise, you will lose mine.¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡± It was unclear whether Jela understood or not.

 Chapter 743 - Chapter 743: Chapter 740: The Future of the Blizzard Beast (Second Update)

    Chapter 743: Chapter 740: The Future of the Blizzard Beast (Second Update)


    After lunch,


    Liszt began to inspect his estate.


    The first destination was the Thorn Plantation. After several looks, he easily spotted a Thorn bush that had already been impregnated with an Elf Bug, and it was a Rapid Growth Poison Thorn at that¨C¨Cwhatever the variety, Thorn Bugs were capable of planting Magic Potions.


    He instructed the Bug Guard Team to take good care of the Thorn Bugs that were in gestation.


    Liszt suddenly lost the desire to continue the inspection; the news of his becoming a Dragon Knight had spread around the island like rain, reaching every corner.


    Everywhere he went, there would be a crowd of serfs who were not focusing on their work, stealing glances at him.


    The officials all had noses like dogs, frantically seeking excuses to approach Liszt, even if just to catch a distant glimpse of the great Dragon Knight Lord.


    This situation was difficult to settle down in a short period, as the impression of a Dragon Knight was too shocking; everyone had grown up listening to stories about Dragon Knights. Even the lowliest of serfs dreamt about being a Dragon Knight in their childhood. In all knight novels, ninety-nine percent of the main characters would ride dragons.


    If not riding a dragon, at least slay an evil dragon.


    ¡°Annoying,¡±


    Liszt, riding on the Landwalker bird Loki, flew toward Thorn Castle and returned to the castle after a short while.


    Feeling that there wasn¡¯t anything urgent to attend to, he simply decided to train the Blizzard Beasts for a while.


    During peaceful times, Blizzard Beasts were basically moving Rock mines. Every day, Retainer Knights would lead them to a special Stone Square where they could unleash their Magic at will, exhausting the abundant energy that seemed about to overflow.


    ¡°Woof, woof!¡±


    Douson had grown up and no longer pounced over with the same enthusiasm as when he was younger, beginning to possess the dignity of an Intermediate Magical Beast. However, his wagging tail, which he couldn¡¯t resist shaking, betrayed his composure. The eight tiny ones lined up in a row, following behind Douson, maintaining the strict discipline of the battlefield.


    This squad of Blizzard Beasts, under Liszt¡¯s training, resembled a pack of wolves.


    ¡°Douson, Rock Spike!¡±


    With a casual point from Liszt, Douson quickly opened his mouth, and in an instant, a huge Rock Spike shot out at the designated spot in the distance. Their coordination was still skilled, but he sighed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that my battlefield is no longer the knightly charge or siege warfare; following me, you won¡¯t be able to shine.¡±


    Upon that thought,


    he instructed the Retainer Knights behind him, ¡°Go and fetch Emily.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    The twelve-year-old girl arrived quickly, in leather armor that was nearly worn out, her body full of abundant Dou Qi, and her skin tanned to a healthy wheat color from the sun. Although her body had not yet developed much, her tall stature still showed a valiant and heroic bearing. Her delicate face, with an exotic charm, was quite appealing.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°How has your cultivation been recently?¡±


    ¡°The advancement of Dou Qi has slowed down. Compared to the speed of cultivation on the battlefield, the efficiency of regular training is just too low,¡± Emily expressed with a sense of urgency.


    The Lord Landlord she admired and chased after had become a Dragon Knight, while she remained an Elite Earth Knight, feeling the gap growing wider and the pressure ever mounting¨C¨Ccompletely forgetting that she was just a twelve-year-old girl who had only been in training for a year and a half. With her current achievements, she could hold her head high throughout the whole of Sapphire, even in the Continental Kingdom.


    ¡°Don¡¯t always think about urgently improving your strength; the best path to cultivation is to balance work and rest.¡±


    ¡°Emily understands, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Liszt abruptly raised his hand to stop Emily from continuing, already surmising she was worried about how her period might impact her training.


    A young girl constantly talking about her period was somewhat uncomfortable to hear.


    However, seeing the girl¡¯s stubborn expression, he still greatly admired her. If he had been as diligent as this young girl, perhaps he would have created the ¡°Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Dou Qi Secret Manual¡± by now.


    Suddenly,


    he thought of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    One can only ride one dragon with a single backside, and can¡¯t ride two at the same time. Yet the Emily before him, whose loyalty was not in question, and whose talents were even favored by the Power of Destiny¡¯s smoke, might prove to be very useful¡ªthe Kingdom could develop a backup plan for Dragon Knights, and he suddenly also wished to create such a plan.


    Of course.


    Emily was a woman, and in this world, there had yet to be a Female Dragon Knight. Whether she was worth cultivating had to be weighed with the risks involved.


    And women would eventually marry¡­


    Liszt swiftly suppressed such a jumble of thoughts. After pondering for a moment, he took out a palm-sized, purple luminous turtle shell from the Space Ring: ¡°Take this turtle shell, I confiscated it from Dragon Knight Carlo Violet. Wearing it will help your Thunder Attribute Dou Qi grow.¡±


    She took the turtle shell.


    Even though she had always acted cool and mature, feeling the surging Thunder Attribute Magic Power within it, Emily still trembled with excitement, ¡°Your Highness, Emily, Emily¡­¡± She suddenly felt tears well up and choked up, unable to speak, this was a personal item of a Dragon Knight!


    Liszt calmly said, ¡°If you find it valuable, then make good use of it, grow quickly, and charge into battle for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, Emily is wholly yours, sworn to loyalty unto death, always ready to charge into battle for Your Highness!¡± Emily could only repeat her vows to express her gratitude.


    ¡°With the turtle shell, and ample supply of Magic Potions, your Dou Qi will not stagnate, so there is no need to train desperately every day. I am assigning you a new task, take two hours out of each day to help me train the Blizzard Beast Squad; they will be under your command in future battle charges.¡±


    Emily formally replied, ¡°As you wish, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°So, starting tomorrow, arrive at Thorn Castle by nine o¡¯clock in the morning, I will personally teach you how to train the Blizzard Beasts.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°You may leave.¡±


    Emily respectfully saluted and left the Thorn Castle.


    Liszt let out a sigh of relief. Douson had been an invaluable aide in his rise to power, without Douson¡¯s efforts in attacking and conquering, his rapid development would not have been possible. But now the Blizzard Beasts could no longer keep up, and keeping them as pets would be a waste of their abilities; they were Magical Beasts, not ordinary dogs.


    Handing their training over to Emily might be the best choice.


    ¡­


    Another incident occurred in the afternoon.


    The two Sky Knights, Garcia and Fox, who had been captives, asked to see Liszt.


    ¡°What do you need from me?¡± Liszt felt helpless towards these two; Prince Alonso was confident he could sweep through the Sapphire, so he didn¡¯t even discuss the issue of ransom.


    After the utter defeat, with no trace left behind, the issue of their ransom was, naturally, indefinitely postponed.


    ¡°Your Highness, Prince Alonso has long ceased to pay our ransom, and since Your Highness has won the dragon-slaying battle, it¡¯s unlikely our ransom will ever be realized¡­ we can¡¯t wait any longer. Without a supply of Magic Potions, our Dou Qi cultivation will completely regress,¡± Garcia said with a pained expression.


    Fox added, ¡°That is why we¡¯ve thought it over carefully and hope to follow Your Highness, ready to charge into battle for you!¡±


    Both were orphans and had not achieved much in the way of military accolades, hence they had neither nobility titles nor marriages, and had always hoped to earn acclaim for Prince Alonso.


    Yet, the battle at Trapped Dragon Mountain made them captives, not only failing to earn accolades but also cutting off their supplies for cultivation.


    The higher the rank of the knight, the more they relied on the support of Magic Potions. They had now been imprisoned on Black Horse Island for over two months, and Liszt, of course, did not supply them with Magic Potions. If this continued, their Dou Qi would regress, and they might even fall to the level of an Earth Knight¡ªmaking their subsequent assault on the status of Sky Knight difficult.


    Effectively, their careers could be ruined.


    Faced with the prospect of their cultivation collapsing and their future obliterated, and with the landlord not paying their ransom, it was impossible for them to maintain their loyalty to Prince Alonso¡ªeven if they speculated that he might have planned to save them after the dragon-slaying battle, thus avoiding the ransom payment.


    But still, it was hard to bear.


    At the very least, Prince Alonso should have written a letter showing concern for them, instead of being utterly indifferent.


    Now with Alonso¡¯s defeat in the dragon-slaying battle and Liszt¡¯s rise to power, their loyalties naturally shifted as they offered fealty to Liszt.


    After some consideration, Liszt agreed: ¡°Swear your loyalty.¡±

 Chapter 745 - Chapter 745: Chapter 0742: The Big Pea (First Update)

    Chapter 745: Chapter 0742: The Big Pea (First Update)


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon still lay in a slumber on Dodo Island, hardly a candidate for the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knights to ride!


    ¡°They¡¯re probably afraid of losing the dragon, causing instability in the kingdom, so they¡¯re intentionally spreading false news. And considering that the Eagle Kingdom sent out a large fleet to sea even though they knew they couldn¡¯t defeat the Sapphire fleet, it seems they weren¡¯t just harassing the trade routes, but secretly searching for the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, right?¡±


    Liszt quickly understood.


    Because the Eagle Kingdom released fake news in time, it didn¡¯t allow the situation to deteriorate. After all, the Dragon Knight had died, but the dragon was still there, meaning that the combat power had not diminished too much.


    A Dragon Knight is certainly much stronger than a dragon, but not to the point of complete domination; otherwise, Dragon Knights would be slaughtering dragons everywhere, and evil dragons could not possibly survive.


    Strictly speaking, the knight aspect of a Dragon Knight is more about leveraging the strength of the dragon to train.


    In the Dragon Knight system, the knight is the leader, but the dragon is the manifestation of combat power. Even the Dragon Dou Qi Manuscript relies on a dragon for its release. A dragon without a knight¡¯s assistance can probably exert only seventy percent of its full strength, but with a knight¡¯s support, it can exert a hundred and ten percent.


    ¡°Carlo was originally stationed on the frontier bordering the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom. Now, the Eagle Kingdom claims the Light Green Gemstone Dragon is still around, and coupled with intermarriage between the two royal families, it has indeed stabilized the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom¡­ The Steel Ridge Kingdom probably also has no chance to join forces with the Blast Furnace Fortress for an attack.¡±


    ¡°Should I reveal the information about the Light Green Gemstone Dragon?¡± Liszt pondered in secret, wondering if it was time to make a big move.


    The advantages of making a big move were clear: it would disrupt the calm of the Eagle Kingdom, forcing them to be preoccupied, naturally unable to spare attention for the sea.


    But he definitely couldn¡¯t say that he himself had obtained the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡ªthen the three great kingdoms might unite to wage a dragon-slaying war, to prevent him from becoming too powerful. Nor could he say that the Light Green Gemstone Dragon fell into the sea and died, as that would bring all the kingdoms to the sea to salvage the dragon¡¯s corpse, given its immense value.


    ¡°Forget it, continuing to provoke or disrupt the Eagle Kingdom might bring disaster upon the innocent; I am still too weak now. Slowly laying claim to the throne is the real strategy. Stable development and waiting for the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to recover its vitality, then gathering the power of two dragons and an Archmage before announcing dominance over the sea is not too late.¡±


    The combined power of a Dragon Knight and an Archmage could certainly threaten the Continental Kingdoms, but not to a great extent.


    It was exactly enough to make the Continental Kingdoms very wary, without being worth initiating another dragon-slaying war.


    Adding another dragon would break the balance, and the Continental Kingdoms would definitely not want to see another kingdom rising from the sea. A kingdom¡¯s rise would inevitably swallow up the Sapphire, and then gathering three dragons and an Archmage¡¯s power, the coastal kingdoms would be in constant fear, prompting an even larger dragon-slaying war.


    Maintaining the current balance of power was more beneficial.


    ¡°Anyway, I should by now have made a name for myself in the Continental Kingdoms.¡± Liszt felt a bit proud of himself; who would have thought that the country baron from the past would become such a sensational figure, ¡°The Steel Ridge Kingdom has sent an envoy group to visit me¡ªwhat could their purpose be, to win me over?¡±


    The Duchy of Sapphire is a vassal state to the Steel Ridge Kingdom, and perhaps Steel Ridge has the same idea this time, hoping that Liszt will form a kingdom that will become a vassal state to Steel Ridge.


    ¡°Should I accept if that¡¯s the case?¡±


    Vassal states need to pay tribute to their suzerain to receive protection. Sapphire was able to dominate as king over the sea before, largely because Steel Ridge continually restrained the Eagle Kingdom, preventing them from retaliating against the Sapphire. Otherwise, the Eagle Kingdom would have plotted against the Sapphire long ago.


    Even so, Sapphire almost perished, which shows the disadvantages a duchy has against a kingdom.


    ¡°Logically speaking, becoming a vassal state isn¡¯t a bad thing if the conditions are favorable. However, I must also consider where my kingdom¡¯s territorial waters will be located. If it¡¯s too far from Steel Ridge, becoming a vassal state is meaningless¡­ I¡¯ll wait until the envoy group arrives to discuss it in detail with Marquis Bull Tail.¡±


    ¡­


    Snowflakes fluttered down in the cold air as only half a month remained until the New Year¡¯s festival.


    Good news kept coming, the Thorn Bug was successfully bred, and Liszt had smoothly formed a contract with it. Over a hundred knights had come seeking allegiance, although they were all Common Earth Knights; magicians on pilgrimage followed one after another, signing up to join the Magic Guild, preparing to exchange their research achievements for the chance of being instructed by an Archmage.


    At the same time, a new species of Thorn from an outer island was quickly transported back to Black Horse Island, and Liszt immediately had Jela collect the pheromones of this Thorn species.


    But, as expected, completing the Smoke Mission was still beyond reach after the collection.


    Clearly, one new species of Thorn was not enough; more were needed.


    The trading plan for the Abandoned Cordyceps was also rapidly progressing, with three well-selected noble families already sending people with the Abandoned Cordyceps strains and serfs to Black Horse Island for trading. The three new kinds of Abandoned Cordyceps were the Earth Attribute Large Chicken Fir, the Water Attribute White Ghost Brush, and the Wind Attribute Green Agaric.


    The trade went very smoothly, as none of the three families wanted to miss out on the new Abandoned Cordyceps.


    However, the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms could only be planted in winter, and even though their quality was better than the Common Flame Mushroom, their value was still much lower.


    This time, not only did Liszt not earn any Gold Coins from the trade, but he also lost five hundred Gold Coins.


    At this point,


    the territory possessed ten varieties of Abandoned Cordyceps.


    Water Attribute Blue Pine Mushrooms and White Ghost Brushes, Earth Attribute Golden Cordyceps and Large Chicken Fir, Wind Attribute Green Agarics, Thunder Attribute Horse Bladder Fungus, Ice Attribute Monkey Head Mushroom, Dark Attribute Black Truffles, and Fire Attribute Flame Mushroom and Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms. With eight kinds of magic attributes, only one kind of Light Attribute Cordyceps was missing.


    Once all varieties of Abandoned Cordyceps reached a critical scale, the production of Magic Potions would definitely not be much lower than the output of a Greater Elf. However, the cultivation of Abandoned Cordyceps required far more labor than ordinary plants. Even though the number of serfs in the territory had exceeded one hundred thousand, there was still a gradual labor shortage.


    The White Paper Workshop and the Glass Workshop were expanding, and the production of salt from seawater was also being promoted.


    In an era without industrialization, these industries all required a massive amount of manpower, and one hundred thousand people were merely a drop in the bucket.


    ¡°Iron Hoof City still has one hundred thousand serfs that are not used for elf agriculture; perhaps I should transfer them all to Black Horse Island and develop it fully,¡± Liszt said, looking at the continuously growing serf labor demands reported by the Territory Officer, and eventually made a decision, ¡°Zavier, notify Isaiah to make arrangements for receiving the new serfs.¡±


    Isaiah had already been reassigned as the Administrative Officer of the port town, taking over Blair¡¯s vacancy.


    Goltai and the former Administrative Officer Blair had gone to Iron Hoof City to take up their new posts, and Liszt planned to write a letter to Goltai, asking him to make arrangements to gradually transfer fifty thousand serfs from Iron Hoof City.


    Iron Hoof City could focus on developing commerce and trade. As for those lands, he planned to lease them to the Tulip Family for farming.


    While the Flame Territory was bustling with activity, a group of knights bearing the flag of the Yu Huashi Family, following the fleet of the Tulip Family, arrived at Black Horse Port.


    The leader was Dean Rainstone, the eldest son of Marquis Nuta.


    Liszt received Dean at Thorn Castle, accompanied by Marquis Nuta, Dimaria Yuhua Stone, and a Great Elf who lay soundly asleep in a Jade Box.


    The Great Elf was plump and a vibrant green color, with a small pea shoot on its head bearing green pods.


    This was a Pea Great Elf.

 Chapter 746 - Chapter 746: Chapter 0743: Vacation Resort (Second Update)

    Chapter 746: Chapter 0743: Vacation Resort (Second Update)


    Marquis Nuta, as a Domain Knight and a longstanding marquis, had a total of four Greater Elves, specifically the Barley Greater Elf, the Pea Great Elf, the Five-leaf Gromwell Great Elf, and the Eucalyptus Great Elf.


    Among these, the most valuable was undoubtedly the Five-leaf Gromwell Great Elf because it could cultivate Magic Potions, and the next was the Barley Greater Elf, which could produce the staple food barley. However, after weighing his options, Liszt chose the youngest, the Pea Great Elf, which was only seventy-five years old.


    Peas are food commonly consumed by the ordinary people, and nobles typically don¡¯t eat beans, using them instead as fodder for horses.


    Yet Liszt was different; in his domain, peas were highly valuable and could be used in all sorts of bean products. The most important thing was a special product of the domain¡ªRhizobia peas. Rhizobia peas could proliferate rhizobia, aid in fixing nitrogen in the soil, and increase the yield of crops.


    All the wastelands, after being planted with peas for two seasons, quickly turned into fertile fields.


    During the fallow period of the farms, Liszt mainly had his domain plant Rhizobia peas to harvest rhizobia and inoculate other legumes with it, enhancing the production of leguminous plants. Soybeans, peas, cowpeas, mung beans, as well as soap pods and peanuts that had been inoculated with rhizobia could all benefit from rich nitrogen fixation by the rhizobia.


    However, rhizobia from Rhizobia peas worked best on peas and broad beans. Hence, Liszt had been secretly wishing to find mutated varieties of soybeans and peanuts that could produce rhizobia.


    In sum,


    Not even by killing the Marquis Nuta could one acquire the Five-leaf Gromwell Great Elf, and since the Barley Greater Elf was too old, Liszt comprehensively weighed his options and chose the Pea Great Elf.


    Relying on this mutant variety of Rhizobia peas, along with the continuous promotion of legumes, the Pea Great Elf¡¯s role was significant.


    Under Liszt¡¯s gaze, Dean reluctantly channeled his Dou Qi to dissolve the contract with the Pea Great Elf. The Pea Great Elf, which had just woken up, didn¡¯t react initially, and before it could, Liszt abruptly shoved his finger into its mouth, then pinched its mouth.


    The teeth unconsciously clenched shut.


    In a flash, a clear psychic connection was established between him and the Pea Great Elf.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Licking the blood that was still on the tip of its tongue, the Pea Great Elf seemed a bit confused. It looked at Dean and only felt that he was an acquaintance, yet the closeness they once had was gone. Instead, the handsome stranger before it gave it a very familiar sensation¡ªas if everything had changed suddenly upon waking up.


    ¡°Your Highness Liszt, I have delivered Dineo to you; may my father now be freed?¡± Dean asked, enduring the discomfort.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay for lunch with us?¡±


    Dean had no appetite, desiring only to leave right then, to go far away and never have to feel the pain of parting with a Great Elf again. But Marquis Nuta said, ¡°Thank you for the invitation, Your Highness. In that case, my son and I will trouble Your Highness. The delicacies of Thorn Castle are truly unforgettable.¡±


    As a Domain Knight, he had a comfortable prisoner¡¯s life on Black Horse Island, with plenty of good food and drinks provided.


    So, he quickly fell in love with the abundant cuisine here and the clean and tidy hygiene standards, which could make for an ideal vacation spot if not for the fact that they were enemies.


    Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, just a lunch; it won¡¯t take up much time.¡±


    He had a rather good impression of Marquis Nuta, having spent time discussing the cultivation of the Dou Qi Domain. Although Liszt didn¡¯t plan to delve deep into the Dou Qi Domain, he still needed to attempt the necessary cultivation, lest he have the secret manuals but no idea how to practice systematically.


    ¡°Sir Dean, when you set out from the Eagle Kingdom, did you manage to understand the Kingdom¡¯s reaction to the Dragon-Slaying Battle?¡± Liszt suddenly inquired.


    Dean glanced at his father.


    Marquis Nuta, holding his teacup, was tasting some fine green tea. On hearing the question, he couldn¡¯t help but chastise, ¡°There¡¯s no need to hide anything in front of His Highness!¡±


    Then Dean awkwardly revealed, ¡°Your Highness Liszt, I don¡¯t have comprehensive information; after receiving your letter, my family hurriedly prepared the ransom to go to Sapphire. I only heard some news along the way; the coastal regions were all talking about the Dragon-Slaying Battle and were shocked by Prince Carlo¡¯s death, but the reaction of the high-level officials of the Kingdom is still unclear.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Liszt could not deny it.


    In a world without the internet, the results of the Dragon War would take months to spread widely. Aside from some high-ranking nobles, the vast majority of lesser nobles and commoners in broad regions were clueless about the Dragon War, hardly concerning themselves with matters beyond their own territories.


    The vast majority of civilians had never left the towns or villages they lived in their entire lives.


    Even the lesser noble class rarely left their homes if not for war, as the cost of going out was considerable and it was better to stay on their land and assert their influence.


    In any case.


    If Liszt wanted to know more about the feedback from the Dragon War, he had no choice but to wait for the news that Mary and other Blood Servants continuously sent back from the Eagle Kingdom.


    ¡­


    The luncheon was quite grand, mainly in terms of the variety of dishes.


    Marquis Nuta was eating with great enjoyment, while his son Dean seemed a bit restrained, struggling to adapt to many of the novel dishes he was trying for the first time.


    After the luncheon.


    Marquis Nuta suddenly suggested, ¡°Your Highness, your territory possesses many novel and unique products, and if possible, I hope to initiate trade with your lands.¡±


    ¡°At this time, you don¡¯t mind the attitude of the Royal Family of the Eagle Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°The affairs of the Royal Family are naturally a concern for the Dragon Knights. I followed Prince Alonso into battle, losing soldiers and having been captured myself. If the Royal Family cannot compensate me, I must find my own ways to reduce the losses.¡± Dimaria wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about the Royal Family¡¯s attitude, as feudal landlords enjoyed significant autonomy and the Royal Family rarely interfered.


    ¡°What kind of materials are you interested in trading?¡±


    ¡°Green tea, glass, white paper, and porcelain.¡± These were all products Dimaria had enjoyed during his time there and saw great potential in.


    ¡°Trade for glass, white paper, and porcelain is possible; however, the green tea production is insufficient, barely enough to supply your castle¡¯s use. But there is one product I wonder if you have considered.¡±


    ¡°Please speak clearly, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Salt, a kind better than well salt or pond salt ¨C sea salt.¡±


    ¡°Salt?¡± Dimaria¡¯s eyebrows raised in contemplation, and after a moment, he made up his mind, ¡°I am very interested, but I wonder about the production of sea salt.¡±


    ¡°Let the servants discuss these matters, let¡¯s have some tea.¡±


    ¡­


    After reaching a verbal agreement on trade cooperation, Marquis Nuta and his party set off to leave Black Horse Island.


    It was only then that Liszt had the time to communicate in detail with the Pea Great Elf.


    The Greater Elf had a strong sense of independent thought, so even after forming a contract with Liszt, it remained sullen and unwilling to face him upon learning of its situation.


    ¡°Dineo, from now on you will live here,¡± Liszt walked into the Worm Room where the Pea Greater Elf Dineo was hiding.


    The Yu Huashi Family had given it the name Dineo.


    It looked up at Liszt, its beautiful little face full of dejection: ¡°I don¡¯t like this place; there is a Little Minor Elf across the corridor making a lot of noise, crying ¡®woo wa,¡¯ ¡®woo wa¡¯ all afternoon.¡±

 Chapter 747 - Chapter 747: Chapter 0744

    Chapter 747: Chapter 0744


    This chapter is a ¡°Chariot Past¡± reward update.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Liszt cleared his throat.


    What Dineo mentioned was Jela.


    Upon seeing the Pea Great Elf move into the Worm Room, Jela began to declare her sovereignty. In Thorn Castle, Jela considered herself the boss. The Coptis Minor Elf was a thorn in her side that she would eventually subdue, but she didn¡¯t expect another Greater Elf to emerge halfway, making her very nervous.


    Besides, there was another Greater Elf with sharp teeth living outside the Castle, constantly challenging her status, which wasn¡¯t a good sign.


    Thorn Castle does not allow for such awesome elves to exist!


    ¡°Jela is just a bit hot-tempered, just ignore her. Anyway, since you¡¯ve come here, you need to integrate into my family,¡± Liszt shook hands with the Pea Great Elf, ¡°How about we start with a name change, and slowly get used to the new life?¡±


    ¡°Change my name?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dineo is in the past. You should have a new name.¡±


    The Pea Great Elf, smart as it was, was still just a Greater Elf and was quickly guided by Liszt out of its despondency: ¡°Then what should my name be changed to?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Pea Great Elf, and I think ¡®Ash¡¯ is a fitting name for you. There was once a very powerful Knight named Ice Archer Ash. She had a Pea Great Elf that evolved into a Dragon Elf, and she was given a nickname¡ªPea Shooter.¡±


    Liszt made up a story on the spot.


    After several abandoned writing attempts, his storytelling had improved significantly: ¡°I hope that one day you can evolve into a Dragon Elf too, so let¡¯s consider Ash as a beautiful aspiration.¡±


    The Pea Great Elf tilted its head in thought for a moment before happily agreeing: ¡°Well, then my name is Ash!¡±


    And so it was.


    Liszt¡¯s second Greater Elf was officially named Ash. Although it was a second-hand Greater Elf, it still excited him for quite some time.


    It has to be said, compared to Pike, the Greater Elf whose mouth ruined the mood, the Pea Great Elf was really beautiful and deserved the lovely title ¡°Elf.¡± Its personality was also quite normal, perhaps a bit indifferent, but most elves tended to have an aloof demeanor.


    After finding out which flavor of Jade Powder Ash preferred, Liszt immediately had people bring a lot of it for it to snack on.


    He then closed the door and left the Worm Room.


    He just heard Jela making a ¡°wah¡± noise at the Window of the Worm Room. Liszt looked up at the chandelier in the corridor, feeling somewhat inexplicably sentimental: ¡°Why do the elves I obtain all have such personalities, while others get along so calmly? Is it because I respect the development of the elves¡¯ individuality more?¡±


    In his view, that was very likely the case.


    In this world, the Nobles treat elves as mere farming tools.


    Only he regarded the elves as independent entities, not restricting the development of their individual wills. Pike¡¯s poison tongue and vanity, Jela¡¯s domineering and hot temper, Nami¡¯s sociable and hardworking nature, as well as Mickey¡¯s obsession with counting corns, and the frequent infighting of Fizz, Tam, and Eddie.


    He didn¡¯t impose any restrictions on them, just set a basic rule¡ªnot to harm the elves, not to harm each other.


    ¡°Considering Jela¡¯s trigger for evolving into a Greater Elf, perhaps this reasonable indulgence is more helpful for elf evolution?¡± Liszt felt a vague sense of pride; maybe it was as he suspected, personality did play a role in elf evolution.


    Jela was originally a Thorn Bug unwilling to accept its fate and broke free from destiny¡¯s shackles to evolve into a Little Minor Elf.


    And Jela, threatened in her position, began to trigger an evolution into a Greater Elf because of her competitiveness.


    ¡°Perhaps I could focus on personality to cultivate the potential for elf evolution¡­ but no, to interfere with their nature seems like destruction. Now that I¡¯m a Dragon Knight, there¡¯s no need to trouble the elves¡­ I should provide them with comfort, and the rest is to let them live peacefully.¡±


    Liszt could never simply treat the elves as tools.


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    Jela¡¯s call interrupted his thoughts, and he stopped pondering over these matters, deciding to let things take their natural course. What¡¯s urgent now was to complete Jela¡¯s evolution and to welcome his third Greater Elf.


    ¡°I hope this heavy snow doesn¡¯t cover too large an area, otherwise the thorns won¡¯t be easy to find.¡± Thorns are evergreen plants, often mixed in shrubbery, and they are relatively easy to spot in the winter, provided that it doesn¡¯t snow. If they¡¯re buried by heavy snow, nothing will be found.


    ¡­


    Evening.


    Iron Knight Alvin with the Alvin Eagle Sword came to Thorn Castle, bringing with him the improved Thunder Roar Knight Suit, ¡°Your Highness, as per your request and with the assistance of the Magic Guild, I have successfully engraved flame patterns on Thunder Roar and added some Fire Attribute materials, which can effectively enhance Fire Attribute Dou Qi.¡±


    This set of knight¡¯s armor was originally worn by Carlo.


    However, Carlo was much shorter than Liszt, so the armor had to be reworked. The reworked Fury of Thunder was no longer just silver-white, but had fiery red patterns drawn on a silver-white base. From afar, the red patterns were striking, and the flame colors appeared three-dimensional.


    ¡°Not bad, the improvements are good,¡± Liszt said, putting on the Thunder Roar and feeling that it fitted perfectly.


    After dismissing Alvin, he went straight to the changing room to look in the mirror.


    In the mirror was reflected a knight both handsome and imperial in bearing. Putting on the helmet and looking left and right, Liszt spoke again, ¡°Bring me my tricolor cloak.¡± Usually, these items are kept in the Space Ring, but occasionally they are taken out for the servants to clean.


    Soon, Servant Thomas brought over the cloak and helped Liszt lay it across his shoulders.


    At this moment.


    Liszt was wearing the Thunder Roar, with the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword hanging at his waist, a red-faced, black-based, gold-edged tricolor cloak draped behind him, and three Space Rings on his hands.


    Handsome and dashing, powerful and imposing.


    ¡°I always feel that the sword¡¯s color doesn¡¯t quite match. The armor and cloak colors coordinate well, the red cloak and the red armor patterns complement each other¡­ but the blue greatsword is out of place. If I switch to a pure silver Thunder Fury without the red patterns, it seems just as mismatched,¡± he mused.


    ¡°Alvin is still too inexperienced to engrave flame patterns on the Thunder Fury,¡± he remarked.


    The materials of the Dragon Lance Fury of Thunder were far superior to those of the Armor Thunder Roar, and Alvin, being just a regular Iron Knight, lacked the ability to forge it a second time.


    He changed out of the armor.


    Back in his Flack Abaie attire, Liszt walked into the study to continue pondering the Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Dou Qi¡¯s Manual. Recently entangled in mundane affairs, the manual still contained only one move, ¡°Dragon Slash.¡± Numerous inspirations collided and flickered in his mind, but he had not settled down to contemplate them.


    And he was destined not to ponder for long, as trivial matters once again entangled him.


    Ach returned from the sea, and like Liszt, she had also been strengthening her powers, constantly thinking of creating powerful magic befitting the status of an Archmage.


    ¡°So have you now created magic more powerful than Advanced Magic?¡± Liszt walked out the door with Ach, asking as they went.


    The levels of magic had been officially registered and categorized by the Magic Guild as Basic Magic-Magic Array Embryo, Common Magic-Static Magic Circle, and Advanced Magic-Dynamic Magic Array.


    Ach nodded and said, ¡°Brother, Ach has contemplated the Magic Web and the Dragon Dou Qi Manual, and, with the knowledge you¡¯ve taught me before, I¡¯ve finally grasped the beginnings of an even higher level of magic. I¡¯ve researched the first magic that surpasses Advanced Magic, but it¡¯s still in a rudimentary form, not yet perfected.¡±


    They reached the sea.


    Taking advantage of the lingering daylight, Ach began to unleash her new magic.


    She took a deep breath, gathering energy for a full ten seconds before abruptly lifting her right hand. In the next moment, the Magic Web appeared, drawing vast amounts of high-energy magic power from it.


    A giant water curtain slowly rose above the calm sea.


    The water curtain seemed to form serrated edges like those of a saw blade; the water at its jagged edges whirled at high speeds, producing an explosive sound akin to a sonic boom.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    Ach waved her hand towards the rocky beach on the shore.


    The water saw blades seemed to be wielded with force as they thunderously sliced through, cleaving the rocky beach in two as if cutting through tofu.

 Chapter 754 - Chapter 754: Chapter 0751: Communication Encoding (Second Update)

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 Chapter 757 - Chapter 757: Chapter 0754: Double Kill (Fifth Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 2/56)

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 Chapter 758 - Chapter 758: Chapter 0755: Tail Feather Transformation (First Update)

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 Chapter 759 - Chapter 759: Chapter 0756: Phoenix Perch Parasol (Second Update)

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 Chapter 763 - Chapter 763: Chapter 0760: The Course of History (First Update)

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 Chapter 764 - Chapter 764: Chapter 0761: Likes and Dislikes (Second Update)

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 Chapter 765 - Chapter 765: Chapter 0762: Flame Number (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 5/56)

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 Chapter 767 - Chapter 767: Chapter 0764: Little Bird (Fifth Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 7/56)

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 Chapter 768 - Chapter 768: Chapter 0765: Learning Bird Language (First Update)

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 Chapter 769 - Chapter 769: Chapter 0766: Light Leaf Aristolochia (Second Update)

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 Chapter 773 - Chapter 773: Chapter 0770: Obsidian Stymphalian Bird (First Update)

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 Chapter 774 - Chapter 774: Chapter 0771: Degrees of Kinship (Second Update)

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 Chapter 778 - Chapter 778: Chapter 0775: The Root Red Tree (First Update)

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 Chapter 779 - Chapter 779: Chapter 0776: Volcanic Eruption (Second Update)

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 Chapter 780 - Chapter 780: Chapter 0777: Pop Pop Pop (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 14/56)

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 Chapter 782 - Chapter 782: Chapter 0779: Sea Monster (Fifth Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 16/66)

    Chapter 782: Chapter 0779: Sea Monster (Fifth Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 16/66)


    The arrival of Kenley Truth brought many new magical ideas to the Magic Guild, as well as a large collection of Magic Books. In particular, her experience studying with the Court Grand Mage helped her understand the mainstream development of the magical world in the Steel Ridge Kingdom, which was outside the scope of what magicians from remote island nations could access.


    However, there were Archmages here.


    Liszt had the intention to mythologize Ach, avoiding arranging too many interactions between Ach and the common magicians, and he did not disclose the methods of advancing to Archmage. In truth, even if he disclosed it, it wouldn¡¯t matter much; in the current state of the Magic Web¡¯s contraction, telling Grand Magicians how to touch the Magic Web wouldn¡¯t help them to actually reach it.


    Even a talent like Ach had barely touched the Magic Web with the help of Mermaid¡¯s Tear.


    How could the common folk fathom the unattainability of the Magic Web?


    He hoped more to wield Ach¡¯s influence to guide magicians to serve their territory and, when a magician made a contribution, to arrange for Ach to give them a bit of guidance. Only magicians who were wholeheartedly devoted to the Magic Guild and who were powerful Grand Magicians could earn the privilege to follow Ach.


    Currently, only Chris had the privilege to follow Ach, while the twins Lucy and Ruth were not included; they were magic seeds cultivated by Liszt himself.


    After reading the knowledge brought by Kenley and others and under the collision of new thinking combined with the Earth knowledge provided by Liszt, Ach quickly developed the third Super Magic¡ªa Centrifugal Water Molecular Shield.


    This magic involved a special Magic Array that caused magic particles to move in uniform circular motion, separating the Water-Attribute Magic Power from the Chaotic Magic Power and then generating a stable magic shield. The circular magic shield had an exceptionally strong defense, nearly able to withstand a casual hit from a Dragon Knight.


    Without a doubt, once this Super Magic could be instantly cast, Ach would play a significant role in aiding Liszt in battle.


    It was not only about shielding for Liszt but also about protecting herself.


    If a competent support couldn¡¯t even protect themselves, how could they protect the front-line damage dealer?


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    As Ach succeeded in developing three Super Magics, Liszt still hadn¡¯t managed to figure out the fourth move of ¡°Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Knight¡¯s Manual.¡±


    However, after experiencing the volcanic eruption, Liszt had made some progress¡ªhe could now use Leo¡¯s Dragon Might and stimulate it himself to intimidate the enemy. It was a very good offensive tactic, especially when unexpected and particularly against Magical Beasts.


    He had envied the Grand Duke for displaying Dragon Might while fishing and acting cool, and now he could finally exude Dragon Might himself.


    He was delighted.


    However, just then, the sisters Lucy and Ruth, who had started to master the operation of the Magic Platform, brought him explosive news.


    The news came from the Adventure Fleet: ¡°On the sailing chart at XX direction¡­ encountered a terrifying Sea Monster resembling a giant sea turtle. Initially thought to be a small reef, but realized it was a Sea Monster on approach. The Opportunity was too close, and when the sea turtle suddenly rose, it looked like a small island, lifting the Opportunity out of the water. The Sea Monster is now slowly moving southeast, requesting Lord Landlord¡¯s rescue.¡±


    ¡°A Sea Monster comparable to a small island?¡±


    Liszt immediately thought of the Thunder Attribute turtle shell worn by Emily, and this Sea Monster could be a type of Super Dragon Beast: ¡°It¡¯s even possible that the clue for the Super Dragon Beast from the Smoke Mission isn¡¯t the Unicorn mentioned by Kenley, but the sea turtle Sea Monster reported by the Adventure Fleet?¡±


    Whether it is or it isn¡¯t, the rescue must commence.


    Battling Sea Monsters wasn¡¯t Liszt¡¯s forte, so he could only send Ach, and with Ach¡¯s identity as a Water Mage, even daring to fight against a Water Dragon, let alone a Super Dragon Beast.


    ¡­


    They set out according to the directions on the sailing chart.


    ¡°`


    The Adventure Fleet was now searching for groups of islands south of the Three Islands, and it was pure luck to find the Three Islands in the vast sea. Therefore, when heading further south, luck was no longer on their side, and finding islands wasn¡¯t so easy; they hadn¡¯t seen even a shadow of an island for over ten days.


    That¡¯s why, when they saw that turtle Sea Monster, they mistook it for a reef, thinking that where there are reefs, there may also be islands nearby.


    Approaching in a hurry caused the Sea Monster to startle and move, forcing the Opportunity to run aground.


    ¡°We are now over thirteen hundred kilometers away from Black Horse Island. At the speed of Ach controlling the watercraft, it should take about two and a half hours. I hope that in this time, the turtle Sea Monster doesn¡¯t get restless and destroy my Opportunity,¡± Liszt mumbled to himself. The Grand Duke had only given him six Court Fast Sailing Ships.


    The dockyard had yet to fully grasp the manufacturing technology of three-masted sailing ships, and the destruction of each Court Fast Sailing Ship represented a huge loss.


    The Flame Number rapidly loaded up large quantities of supplies prepared for the Adventure Fleet and set sail an hour later under Ach¡¯s control, headed immediately towards the accident area.


    Two and a half hours later, they arrived precisely, but there was no sign of the Adventure Fleet. Liszt called out for Leo, mounted him, and began a slow aerial search.


    With constant communication with the Adventure Fleet through the Magic Platform, they finally pinpointed the fleet¡¯s location.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for coming to our rescue!¡± Yevich Water Peanut, with a face turned purplish-red by the sea wind, dispensed with formalities and went straight to the point: ¡°The Sea Monster is swimming one kilometer ahead. It isn¡¯t moving fast, but we dare not approach it for fear of provoking it again and causing unnecessary loss.¡±


    At that moment, the Trident-Styled Rending Staff trembled as Virginia Truth, transformed from the Necrofish Ugly, appeared, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve tried to approach the great Sea Monster, but it is extremely sensitive to me. I can sense its abhorrence of my undead identity.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Get ready to rescue the Opportunity. Leave the Sea Monster to me.¡±


    After inquiring, Liszt handed over the Flame Number to Yevich for managing and transporting supplies, while he himself mounted the Little Fire Dragon Leo, flew up to assist Ach. There was no doubt that Ach was the main force in this battle.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. Ach will definitely protect himself.¡±


    Having said this, the Nixie swiftly swam forward.


    Liszt, concealing his Dragon Might and using the Dragon Eye Trajectory, continually swept his gaze ahead. The Magic Radiance feedback from the turtle Sea Monster shone in a purplish-white color, clearly indicating that it was a Thunder-Attribute Sea Monster.


    Moreover, the intensity of the Magic Radiance indeed warranted the title of a Super Dragon Beast.


    Most importantly, the concentration of Magic Power in the turtle shell was the most vigorous, which compelled Liszt to associate it with that palm-sized turtle shell he got from the Fire Dragon Knight, Carlo.


    ¡°Judging by eye, the diameter of the turtle shell is close to a hundred meters, meaning this Sub-dragon Turtle is probably larger than an adult Fire Dragon¡­ Thankfully, even with its rich Magic Power, it can¡¯t compare to that of a dragon¡¯s, otherwise I¡¯d really start to wonder if dragons truly stand at the pinnacle of strength among all creatures.¡±


    In the midst of his observations, Ach had already approached the Sub-dragon Turtle.


    However, she didn¡¯t immediately attack, as if she was confronting the Sub-dragon Turtle. At this moment, the Sub-dragon Turtle also noticed Ach, stopped moving, and slowly turned around.


    On its turtle shell, indeed, there was a stranded fast sailing ship.


    This Sub-dragon Turtle had lived for who knows how many years, its shell covered in corals, making it truly resemble a reef in the middle of the sea at first glance.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 783 - Chapter 783: Chapter 780: Island on the Devils Sea (First Update)

    Chapter 783: Chapter 780: Island on the Devil¡¯s Sea (First Update)


    Ach faced off with the Sub-dragon Turtle, with each minute and second ticking by.


    This left Liszt baffled; he had always been short-tempered in battle, getting things done after a few words, and since this world hailed strength as king, displaying strength was the best way to communicate. Once strength was shown, everyone knew how to speak to each other.


    However, half an hour had passed, and Ach still hadn¡¯t made a move.


    It was at this point that the Sub-dragon Turtle made a move, slowly sinking, its carapace dipping into the water bit by bit, and thus the Opportunity, which had been stranded on its shell, returned to the sea.


    The next moment, a current of water carried the Opportunity away swiftly into the distance.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s the problem solved?¡± Liszt looked at the calm sea, feeling a bit uncomfortable. In fact, aside from rescuing the Opportunity, he had also wanted to hunt the Sub-dragon Turtle¡ªafter all, it was a Super Dragon Beast, and its shell¡¯s changing properties could be of immense help to his cultivation.


    The tail feathers of the Flame Dragon Bird had previously hinted at the changes between the soul and magic power, but he had not had the chance to witness more detailed aspects, which he greatly regretted.


    It seemed as though to dispel Liszt¡¯s thoughts.


    Once the Opportunity was safe, the same Sub-dragon Turtle soon resurfaced, and on its shell, to everyone¡¯s surprise, stood Ach in a Magic Cloak.


    Ach waved at Liszt in the sky, signaling for him to come down.


    Out of trust in Ach, and confidence in his own strength, Liszt leapt from the air, landing on the shell of the Sub-dragon Turtle. The large shell, almost one hundred meters in diameter and covered with many coral reefs, looked quite peculiar, making it hard to imagine how the Sub-dragon Turtle lived.


    If you said it was a shellfish that didn¡¯t move much and had coral growing on its shell, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible, but for a sea turtle to have coral, it suggests that it barely moved at all in its daily life.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.?¦Ï


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with this turtle?¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Turtle poses no threat. Ach felt its heart was very peaceful, so I communicated with it for a while, and it has agreed to come home with me,¡± Ach said, beaming with a smile, very pleased with having won over a Super Dragon Beast Dragon Turtle, ¡°Brother, please don¡¯t kill it, okay?¡±


    ¡°It can really understand you?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. When Ach used to live in the sea, I saw many sea turtles, and I know they communicate through the vibrations in the water currents. So just now, Ach tried out different vibrations in the water current to make this Dragon Turtle understand. Though, it seems a bit slow in its thinking.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s such a technique.¡± Liszt believed him, after all, Ach was an Elf of the sea, and should have no problem taming marine creatures, ¡°So what do you intend to do by taming it? To have it protect the territory, as a transport ship, or for research purposes? Does it really obey commands?¡±


    ¡°Brother, although the Dragon Turtle is slow, it has lived for a very long time. It says it knows many islands!¡±


    ¡°Islands?¡±


    Liszt immediately smiled, ¡°Good, good. If it can lead us to the islands, then its merit will be tremendous. When my country is established, perhaps I can keep it as a protector beast.¡± The value of a shell versus discovering islands suddenly seemed unimportant.


    After all, he had Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple to study at any time.


    ¡°The Dragon Turtle can definitely find islands. It says it returns to the island every year to reproduce.¡±


    ¡°How many little turtles has it bred?¡±


    Ach replied, ¡°The Dragon Turtle says there are many like it on the island where it was born. It doesn¡¯t know how many exactly, but there are a lot, though none are as big as it is. Ever since it grew too large, it has rarely returned to its birth island, drifting in the sea instead.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go take a look at its birth island first!¡± Liszt decided at once.


    ¡°`


    ¡­


    He signaled the Adventure Fleet to protect Flame Number as it rested in place and to repair the damage to Opportunity. Liszt and Ach promptly urged the Sub-dragon Turtle to swim towards its birth island.


    ¡°This giant sea turtle is a Thunder Attribute Sub-dragon, and currently, there is no information on what it should be called in legend,¡± Liszt remarked as they set off. ¡°So according to our naming convention, let¡¯s call it Lightning Dragon Turtle. Its speed doesn¡¯t seem very fast.¡±


    The swimming speed of the Lightning Dragon Turtle was roughly around thirty to forty kilometers per hour.


    Certainly faster than a sailboat¡¯s speed, but accustomed to the speed and excitement Ach brought, Liszt found this pace unbearable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother,¡± Ach said.


    Ach raised his hand, seemingly controlling the currents and communicating with the Lightning Dragon Turtle. After a moment, he said, ¡°The Lightning Dragon Turtle is sensing the direction; once it selects the birth island¡¯s direction, Ach will control the currents to help speed it up.¡±


    Ten minutes later.


    The Lightning Dragon Turtle finally determined its direction ¡ª slightly southeast of due east. Following this course seemed to indicate they were heading towards the Devil¡¯s Sea, beyond the Sea of Azure Waves.


    The sailing records of the Duchy of Sapphire showed that the Sapphire Archipelago was surrounded by the Sea of Azure Waves, and beyond that was the Devil¡¯s Sea, with no detailed delineation of other waters. Strictly speaking, the current location of the Adventure Fleet had already left the Sea of Azure Waves, where Sapphire ships were active, and were now sailing in a new area.


    But regardless, this new area was also considered part of the near seas of the Legendary Continent ¡ª Liszt hoped to establish a nation in the near seas.


    Sailing further east would bring them increasingly farther from the Legendary Continent.


    That unknown ocean was collectively called the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    Ach began controlling the currents, allowing the Lightning Dragon Turtle to ride the flow she created, suddenly accelerating to about two hundred kilometers per hour. This continued for five straight hours, covering a distance of over a thousand kilometers. As a crescent moon rose, the Lightning Dragon Turtle became visibly excited.


    It sensed the aura of its birth island, or rather, it felt a natural affinity for the seas surrounding its island.


    Continuing to swim for another half an hour under the moonlight, Liszt and Ach finally saw the outline of an island. The island was not big, possibly much smaller than Black Horse Island. However, in the view of Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic, it shimmered with specks of purple and white light.


    These were likely the Lightning Dragon Turtle¡¯s kind.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be rich!¡±


    This thought flashed quickly through his mind, but soon gave way to confusion as he drew closer. The Lightning Dragon Turtles in his view emitted a weaker magic glow than the one beneath him, and most importantly, their shells did not have a special brightness.


    Their size was also much smaller than the Lightning Dragon Turtle, with the largest one estimated to have a diameter of only about twenty meters: ¡°Are they juveniles, or not Lightning Dragon Turtles at all?¡± He suddenly remembered the unicorn information brought by Kenley Truth ¡ª it was said that unicorns lived among a herd of Pegasus.


    Clearly, Pegasus and unicorns had inherent differences, making it difficult to consider them the same species.


    Perhaps this Lightning Dragon Turtle differed essentially from the turtles on the island ¡ª it remained a mystery whether this difference was innate or caused by growth.


    Flame Dragon Birds and their fledglings, unicorns and Pegasus, Lightning Dragon Turtles and ordinary Lightning Turtles¡­ Information about these Super Dragon Beasts quickly flickered in his mind as he sought patterns and clues.


    At this time.


    The Lightning Dragon Turtle had already approached the shore and began to crawl towards the land.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 784 - Chapter 784: Chapter 0781: Heaven and Earth Strangulation (Second Update)

    Chapter 784: Chapter 0781: Heaven and Earth Strangulation (Second Update)


    Among the nightfall.


    Liszt pulled out two Hand Magic Tubes¡ªas the name suggests, Hand Magic Tubes are flashlights that use magic power to emit light. Unscrewing the cap of the flashlight, the light converged into a beam within the crystal-carved shade, its brightness comparable to a car¡¯s headlamp. Undoubtedly, this was a new product developed by the Magic Guild.


    He and Ach each held a Hand Magic Tube.


    Following the Lightning Dragon Turtle ashore, it seemed that the presence of the Lightning Dragon Turtle stirred the other Dragon Turtles of varying sizes in the vicinity. Within the view of the Eye of Magic, pulsating purplish-white lights could be seen, indicating that the Dragon Turtles were preparing to cast magic.


    However, with a roar from the Lightning Dragon Turtle that sounded like ¡°Angchi,¡± the other Dragon Turtles immediately ceased their unrest and slowly approached the Lightning Dragon Turtle.


    After several ¡°Angchi¡± roars from the Lightning Dragon Turtle, all the other Dragon Turtles returned to their spots and continued to settle down.


    Holding the Hand Magic Tube, Liszt jumped off the back of the Lightning Dragon Turtle and inspected the quiet Dragon Turtles. He noticed that they were eighty percent similar in appearance to the Lightning Dragon Turtle, but their shells were different. The shell of the Lightning Dragon Turtle had three raised ridges, while the other Dragon Turtles had shells that were very smooth.


    He really wanted to kill a few Dragon Turtles to study their internal structure, but with the Lightning Dragon Turtle nearby, he didn¡¯t have the nerve to kill¡ªafter all, who knew if these counted as its offspring or not.


    ¡°Actually, they probably don¡¯t.¡±


    After observing for a while, Liszt concluded, ¡°These Dragon Turtles fundamentally differ from the Lightning Dragon Turtle in terms of lineage. The hatchlings of the Flame Dragon Bird are High Magic from birth, with the seven feathers at the end of their tails being distinctive; whereas these Dragon Turtles are merely Low Magic, with no special qualities to their shells.¡±


    Reaching this conclusion, he actually felt quite disappointed; he had hoped to find a large group of Lightning Dragon Turtles, only to discover they were just a bunch of Magical Beasts.


    ¡°Ach, take note, judging from the size of this group of Dragon Turtles, the largest one approaches a diameter of twenty meters and should be classified as Advanced Magical Beasts¡­ They haven¡¯t reached the level of Super Magical Beasts, let alone Super Dragon Beasts.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Okay, brother.¡±


    After observing the Dragon Turtles, Liszt prepared to inspect the island, which he had named ¡°Dragon Turtle Island.¡± However, after sweeping back and forth with the Hand Magic Tube, he quickly realized that the island was simply a desolate one, devoid of trees and composed entirely of stones and sand.


    Without trees, it meant there were no Elves, Magic Potions, or other resources; in essence, it lacked value.


    Therefore, after a brief inspection, he did not continue, and returned to the Lightning Dragon Turtle¡¯s location, where Ach was sitting on the shell, sketching and writing. A Crystal Lamp illuminated the small table in front of her, the white paper notebook and quill pen continuously producing Serpent Script and drawings as she charted the nautical map.


    In fact, she was predominantly using the nautical map to compose books about celestial navigation.


    The ships of the Duchy of Sapphire had begun to use the stars to navigate, and after Liszt taught Ach astronomical knowledge, she combined the knowledge of her predecessors with that of Liszt to create a completely new form of astrology¡ªcurrently, the new astrology only served the purpose of determining location.


    ¡°Brother, according to Ach¡¯s measurement and calculation of the constellations, Dragon Turtle Island is about one thousand eight hundred and fifty kilometers away from Black Horse Island in a straight line.¡±


    She waved her hand casually.


    A Telescope formed from condensed water flow appeared before her eyes, scanning across the sky before dissipating just as quickly.


    In her hand, the quill rapidly produced a clear picture: ¡°Brother, look, this is the grid map of the Sea of Azure Waves that Ach drew based on the longitude and latitude you taught.¡±


    The difficulty of measuring longitude and latitude made them temporarily impossible to record, so a coordinate system was established for preliminary application instead.


    Within the grid of coordinate lines, there were several small dots, representing the discovered islands.


    Black Horse Island was at the northernmost end of the grid, the Three Islands were in the center, and Dragon Turtle Island was positioned to the southeast, forming a blunt-angled triangle with the other two points.


    ¡°Hmm, this is drawn quite well, very lifelike,¡± Liszt praised.


    Ach spoke again, ¡°Brother, I am prepared to dive into the depths of the sea now. I want to investigate the submarine part of Dragon Turtle Island to see whether it is still within the continental shelf or has approached the continental slope¡­ According to the boundary you use the continental slope to define, Liszt¡ªthe near sea, the Sea of Azure Waves and the deep sea, the Devil¡¯s Sea, it¡¯s very likely that Dragon Turtle Island lies at the juncture of both seas.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go tomorrow instead; it is night time now. Rest well for now and don¡¯t wear yourself out,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°Brother, you go ahead and rest. Ach isn¡¯t sleepy at all.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not sleepy, do something else. Don¡¯t go into the sea at night,¡± Liszt said. Although Ach was the ocean¡¯s ruler by night as much as by day and sea monsters posed no threat to her, Liszt just felt the sea at night was dangerous and unsuitable for random wanderings.


    Ach didn¡¯t insist. After chatting with Liszt for a while, she continued to look up at the starry sky at a 45-degree angle, probing the secrets emanating from the cosmos.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Ach dove into the vast sea early in the morning to proceed with the task she could not accomplish the night before, investigating the geographical position of Dragon Turtle Island. Liszt, on the other hand, continued to inspect the island. In the daylight, the view was wide, allowing an unobstructed view of the entire island¡ªa desolate one devoid of life.


    Only a group of dragon turtles inhabited this place.


    But as the sun rose higher, the dragon turtles also entered the sea, and soon there was only a Lightning Dragon Turtle left on the island. The Lightning Dragon Turtle nestled in its shell, deep in sleep and yet to wake. Since it had landed on the island the previous evening and let out a few ¡°Angchi¡± cries, it hadn¡¯t moved once.


    Perhaps for a Lightning Dragon Turtle of such colossal size, remaining still was the major part of its existence.


    In the afternoon.


    Liszt was eating lunch.


    Ach returned and brought the information she had gathered: ¡°To the west of Dragon Turtle Island is the continental shelf, and to the east, the continental slope. This is indeed the boundary between the near sea and the deep sea; further east lies the Devil¡¯s Sea.¡±


    Legend has it that the Devil¡¯s Sea is capricious, and storms are a constant occurrence.


    As if to underscore Ach¡¯s investigation, shortly after she finished speaking, a storm rolled in from afar, enveloping the clouds and furiously assaulting Dragon Turtle Island. The island shook in the ferocious wind and thunderous lightning, leaving it quivering in extreme weather. Far from being frightened, the Lightning Dragon Turtle awoke from its deep slumber.


    Purple-white lightning-attributed Magic Radiance continually rose from its shell, drawing lightning from the sky and using the power of the storm to strengthen its own aura.


    ¡°Ach, I¡¯m suddenly feeling that the so-called Super Dragon Beasts aren¡¯t infected by dragons, but by the Superior Magic that nature ferments¡­ Can you feel it? Every bolt of lightning is brewed with a vast amount of thunder-attribute Superior Magic, which the Lightning Dragon Turtle captures,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°Ach can only feel it vaguely,¡± she replied.


    ¡°The Lightning Superior Magic can¡¯t be stored within its body, but during the breakdown process, a great deal of High Magic borne from lightning becomes nourishment for its growth¡­ Perhaps this is why it evolved from an ordinary Dragon Turtle into a Lightning Dragon Turtle, its bloodline forged by postnatal factors,¡± Liszt mused.


    Liszt realized the essence of the Super Dragon Beasts: ¡°It has mutated!¡±


    Looking at the Lightning Dragon Turtle bathing in lightning.


    His eyes slowly sparkled with the luster of wisdom, and he was struck with a multitude of inspirations in an instant.


    He summoned Little Fire Dragon Leo directly: ¡°Leo, the elves depleted by the volcanic eruption should have recovered by now. Let¡¯s embrace the storm together to refine the fourth move of ¡°Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Qi¡¯s Manual¡±¡­ I have figured this one out, to strangle everything by leveraging the force of nature¡ªit shall be named¡ªSea-Boiling!¡±

 Chapter 785 - Chapter 785: Chapter 782: Discovering Archipelago (First Update)

    Chapter 785: Chapter 782: Discovering Archipelago (First Update)


    ¡°Let the storm rage fiercer!¡±


    As one with his Dragon, resonating in Dragon Knight harmony, Liszt grasped the five-meter-long Dragon Lance ¨C Wrath of Thunder, his spirit soaring to the skies with bold ambitions.


    Dragon Dou Qi burst forth from his body, evaporating the raindrops the size of soybeans before they could even draw near. Wherever the Dragon Knight passed, even the fiercest storms could only turn into steam and mist, tracing a path of haze in the air. It added a third color between heaven and earth, a tearing trail of water and fire.


    Leo was a Fire Dragon, and he did not like storms or ocean environments.


    However, his previous incarnation had perished at sea, and upon rebirth, he emerged from the ocean, forced to leave his rightful home and to endure the test of harsh environments.


    This made him angry: ¡°Oohoo!¡±


    Liszt and he were two of a kind, understanding each other¡¯s thoughts, and they dominated each other¡¯s thinking: ¡°Anger is the most useless emotion, Leo. You must learn to overcome anger! Destiny made your forebear die in the very sea you fear, so in this life, you should start learning young to conquer the ocean!¡±


    ¡°Oohoo!¡±


    ¡°Yes, mastering the storm is just the first step for you and me to conquer the ocean. Once we conquer the sea, what on the Legendary Continent could possibly stop our steps and wings!¡±


    ¡°Oohoo!¡±


    At this moment, man and dragon felt no fear or loathing for the storm, only a soaring fighting spirit to tear through the winds and rain, the flashes of lightning and thunder.


    Suddenly.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï


    Leo twisted his body, diving down in a spiral. Liszt tightened his grip on Wrath of Thunder, vibrating the Dragon Lance in his hands following Leo¡¯s twist, rhythmically releasing bursts of Dragon Dou Qi. Rings of flame expanded outward, continuously tearing apart the roaring wind and rain.


    Even the Superior Magic of lightning strikes were shattered upon colliding with the Dragon Knight¡¯s attacks.


    By the time Liszt and Leo had plummeted a kilometer from above Dragon Turtle Island, crashing to the other end of the island, the clouds that had darkened the sky were lit up by their persistent dive-attack trajectory, with countless flames hanging in the sky, boiling the wind and rain.


    ¡°Sea-Boiling!¡±


    ¡°This is the fourth move of my Dragon Dou Qi Manual, and currently the most powerful one!¡± Liszt finally channeled the Dragon Knight¡¯s attack towards the chaotic rocks by the sea, directly blasting out a meteorite-sized crater and melting the surrounding rocks with the high temperature, forming many glimmering pieces of glass.


    Many of the stones in this area were quartz.


    After a while.


    The flames in the sky slowly died down, and the giant pit on the ground was filled in by seawater, as the storm smoothed over the Dragon Knight¡¯s attack. Liszt, riding Leo, floated leisurely by the sea, gazing at the fearsome weather and thought quietly, ¡°What if I used Fire Dragon Overmagic to drive this attack, would it be eternally engraved above Dragon Turtle Island¡¯s skies?¡±


    This was just a thought, as the current Leo couldn¡¯t afford to use Fire Dragon Overmagic as a regular means of attack¡ªigniting the Dodo Island Volcano eruption had already consumed much of his Fire Dragon Overmagic.


    Flapping his wings.


    Returning to the Lightning Dragon Turtle¡¯s position, the sea monster bathed in thunder was quite frightened of Leo. Thankfully, Liszt suppressed Leo¡¯s Dragon Might. Ach kept soothing the Lightning Dragon Turtle, which prevented it from fleeing into the sea¡ªeven a Super Dragon Beast had no choice but to shiver in the presence of a Dragon.


    Even though the Lightning Dragon Turtle was a hundred meters in diameter, Leo compared to it was like a small bird.


    Bang! Thump!


    Liszt exited the Dragon Rider Mode, leapt down from Leo, and stood on the turtle shell. Leo then transformed into a ball of flame, returning to Liszt¡¯s body to rest and recover.


    ¡°Once the storm stops and the Lightning Dragon Turtle finishes its training, Ach, have it continue to look for new islands¡­ This Dragon Turtle Island isn¡¯t of much developmental value, but those ordinary dragon turtles might be worth trying to tame a few large ones to see if they can be used to pull ships.¡±


    He had some more lines that he didn¡¯t say¡ªnext time, they should hunt a group of dragon turtles to taste the meat. If it¡¯s good quality and nutritious, it could be a rich source of magical beast meat.


    ¡­


    Three days later, after the Lightning Dragon Turtle had finished its training.


    The Adventure Fleet had already set sail again, continuing to search the unknown seas.


    Liszt and Ach continued to make the Lightning Dragon Turtle search for the islands it had visited before. However, much to his frustration, the Lightning Dragon Turtle¡¯s choices of direction were always heading east towards the Devil¡¯s Sea. Its former habitats were mostly in the Devil¡¯s Sea, not near the coast.


    The Devil¡¯s Sea was not yet within Liszt¡¯s planned scope of exploration¡ªthe fact that the edge islands could be hit by a three-day and three-night storm implied the interior of the Devil¡¯s Sea would be terrifying, to say the least.


    So the current focus remained on searching the nearby seas.


    It wasn¡¯t until Ach repeatedly objected that the Lightning Dragon Turtle chose a new direction, heading towards the southwest. Relying on Ach¡¯s control of the currents, it took seven hours before a new island came into Liszt¡¯s view, a green island.


    Not very big.


    But there were several more island outlines around it.


    ¡°This is an archipelago!¡± Liszt¡¯s heart surged with anticipation. Finding an archipelago meant finding hope for nation-building.


    Ach handed over a piece of grid paper: ¡°Brother, here¡¯s the map of the archipelago.¡±


    On the map, using Black Horse Island as the starting point, and including Dragon Turtle Island and this New Archipelago, they could form an obtuse triangle¡ªthough Dragon Turtle Island¡¯s position became the obtuse angle. While connecting the islands, Ach also marked the distances, looking very professional.


    From Black Horse Island to Dragon Turtle Island is 1850 kilometers, and from Dragon Turtle Island to the archipelago is about 1300 kilometers; from Black Horse Island to Three Islands is 800 kilometers, and from Three Islands to the archipelago is about 2500 kilometers. This means the distance from Black Horse Island to the archipelago is nearly 3300 kilometers, sufficiently far from the Sapphire Archipelago.


    Such a distance, by sailing ship, with favorable winds, might take around twenty days.


    ¡°Ach, take the Lightning Dragon Turtle to land on the island and check it out. Leo and I will go up to observe and see just how many islands there are around this archipelago.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Dragon rising into the sky.


    The view suddenly expanded, and one by one, islands came into sight¡ªindeed, it was a vast archipelago. However, the more he flew, the more disappointed Liszt became. There were over a hundred islands observed near the archipelago, but not a single one was as large as Black Horse Island.


    The islands were arranged in an arc, sparsely scattered around the arc, stretching out over two to three hundred kilometers.


    ¡°Such an archipelago is impossible for nation-building. All of the islands combined might not even be as big as Red Crab Island.¡±


    Liszt returned to the Lightning Dragon Turtle¡¯s location, expressing disappointment in the results of this trip, and hoped the Lightning Dragon Turtle would continue to lead him to new islands.


    However, the Lightning Dragon Turtle indicated that this was the farthest it had been; its other habitats were all in the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    With this, Liszt could only regretfully accept it and make a new decision, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s direct the Adventure Fleet here and use this archipelago as a coordinate to continue the search in the surrounding area. Now that we¡¯ve found a new archipelago, perhaps there are even larger ones nearby.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, discovering such a series of archipelagos is still of great value. We should thoroughly search them and see how many elves, magic potions, and magical beasts we can find!¡±

 Chapter 786 - Chapter 786: Chapter 0783: Eye of Magic Power (Second Update)

    Chapter 786: Chapter 0783: Eye of Magic Power (Second Update)


    This arc-shaped archipelago was named by Liszt as ¡°First Chain Island.¡±


    Beyond the already named ¡°Flame Islands,¡± which was slated for future use, he intended to use designations such as First, Second, Third, and so on for similar archipelagos. As for other scattered islands, those worthy of individual names would be named after landmarks like Dragon Turtle Island; those not worthy would simply be named as Island One, Island Two, Island Three, and the like.


    Liszt and Leo were utterly exhausted from flying over First Chain Island for three whole days.


    Throughout these three days, he frequently executed the Dragon Eye Trajectory, searching for green vegetation on the islands, both large and small, in an attempt to find Elves, Magic Potions, and Magical Beasts.


    However, these islands were too small to support the living needs of Magical Beasts. Even if there were some animals, they were only small herbivores like groundhogs and rabbits. Or there were marine mammals like birds and seals, among which only a few birds and seals were Magical Beasts.


    Most of the islands did not even support the growth of trees, and the majority of the plants were various weeds.


    These weeds were very suitable for grazing and contained many high-quality pasture grass species. Yet, whether the islands were too barren or for some other reason, these weeds did not give birth to any Elves. In three days of search, he found only seven Elf Bugs, all of which were associated with weeds.


    On a few slightly larger islands, small woodlands were sporadically dispersed. But due to the poor soil, no Elves were nurtured.


    In short.


    First Chain Island appeared to consist of more than a hundred islands, stretching over two to three hundred kilometers of ocean, but the actual resources were incredibly scarce. It was only suitable as a trading hub for sailors, not for human habitation¡ªalthough it must be said the scenery here was beautiful, with beaches connecting one after the other.


    If it were on Earth, it would definitely become a famously luxurious vacation resort; unfortunately, Nobles here did not favor traveling far for holidays.


    They had their own territories where they could construct landscaped estates, with abundant pleasures in horse riding and hunting.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??


    Just as Liszt was preparing to journey back to the Flame Territory, an exciting surprise came from Ach; his eyes suddenly showed a profound vortex akin to the Milky Way in his blue pupils, almost identical to when Liszt used the Eye of Magic Power.


    ¡°Brother, Ach has already researched the Eye of Magic Power, and the effects are quite similar to the Eye of Magic that you described, brother. He can see the light of magic feedback!¡±


    ¡°Impressive!¡± Liszt did not skimp on his praise.


    Transforming Combat Skills into Magic, naturally, the difficulty was immense, and most crucial was that Ach was not solely dedicated to this single project; she was simultaneously working on many projects. Essentially, it was in her spare time that she improved The Eye of Magic, completing the Eye of Magic Power easily within half a month.


    Beyond calling it a work of genius, Liszt did not know how else to describe it.


    Perhaps, it could be described as ¡°favored by the Truth of Magic,¡± just as Liszt himself was always ¡°favored by the Glory of the Knight.¡± It must be said, among all the rewards from the Smoke Mission, Ach benefitted the most, and moreover, the benefits would continue to accrue endlessly.


    ¡°However, brother, the implementation of the Eye of Magic Power is quite difficult. It must be driven by the High Magic of the Magic Web, and only an Archmage can release it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not an issue; as long as it¡¯s convenient for you, that¡¯s what matters.¡±


    His original intention was just to provide convenience to Ach. The idea of popularizing ¡®The Eye of Magic¡¯ or the ¡®Eye of Magic Power¡¯ was out of the question.


    When the right moment came, he went to investigate Steve Vulture ¨C Steve Vulture, the knight of the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom.


    This Sky Knight was the author of ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± and ¡°Breath Decay.¡± Of course, it was hard to say if it was actually created by Steve Vulture himself, but it was certain that this was the Dou Qi Secret Technique inherited by the Vulture Family. Liszt wanted to know what caused it to end up in the Duchy of Sapphire.


    He had a hunch ¡ª perhaps the Vulture Family had some origins with the Sapphire Family, because the Sapphire Family originally came from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom as well.


    Moreover, it was certain that ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± recorded on a piece of golden parchment and ¡°Breath Decay¡± recorded on a silver parchment hadn¡¯t been circulating for hundreds of years; they must have begun circulating only in recent years, perhaps within the last decade or two. The reason was simple: the second-hand books that wrapped the papers weren¡¯t very old.


    Thick paper is not easy to preserve; in about a few decades, it would slowly decay ¡ª which is another reason why history gets lost in the sands of time. After the destruction of the Moon Empire, which ruled the world with magic, perhaps decades or even centuries of wars accelerated the extinction of all books that recorded civilization.


    Once he confirmed whether the Vulture Family still existed or whether the family had passed on their Dou Qi Secret Techniques to others, Liszt would then plan his next move.


    In any case, he intended to make these two Dou Qi Secret Techniques a family heirloom to pass on to his descendants, to establish a legacy for generations to come. Although he came from a good, young man within the community¡¯s egalitarian system, feudalism and the idea of the family ruling the world still lingered in Liszt¡¯s mind.


    One¡¯s own possessions should naturally be left to one¡¯s own descendants, not to be given away to others!


    Calling for Jack Ma day in and day out, but you don¡¯t see Jack Ma writing off your Ant CreditPay debts. Ultimately this society still operates on the principle of ¡°everyone should sweep the snow from their own doorsteps and not bother about the frost on their neighbor¡¯s roofs¡±; what¡¯s mine is not yours. Even if they are brothers and sisters, once they marry and settle down, if you¡¯re poor, you stay poor. It¡¯s not like you get money just because of blood relations.


    Liszt had already split off from the Tulip Family and founded the Flame Family. From now on, his wealth would only be passed down within the Flame Family.


    He could be as close to the Tulip Family as if they were one family, partner in business ventures, but their interests had to be separated. Even Marquis of Bull Tail, who was his father ¡ª all of the Marquis¡¯s wealth had nothing to do with Liszt; that was the wealth that his brother Levis could inherit.


    The money he borrowed from the Tulip Family had to be repaid, and the Tulip Family also had to repay the money they borrowed from him.


    Even from the perspective of someone from Earth, once families split apart, they live their own lives; all the more so in this society that prioritizes interests within the Noble and Knight system.


    It¡¯s not that just because Liszt had two dragons, he must give one to his father Li Weiliam; otherwise, he would be unfilial, selfish, without affection, and greedy for profits above all else. Anyone stepping out of the ivory tower should understand the meaning behind ¡°even blood brothers should settle accounts clearly.¡±


    There¡¯s wisdom in sayings that last through the ages.


    Many families have been riddled with conflicts over money, and even who a house is registered to can cause a full-blown fight; how much more so when two families have split ¡ª only by settling the property clearly, without causing conflicts, can they get along easier and live more harmoniously.


    For an instant, his thoughts drifted too far, but Liszt quickly gathered his thoughts back and smiled as he gently stroked Ach¡¯s deep blue hair.


    Then he called out the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: ¡®The Eye of Magic¡¯ improved version Super Magic ¨C Eye of Mana.¡±


    In a moment, new Smoke Serpent Script condensed.


    ¡°Mission: After diligent training, Light Magic Swordsman Paris has finally reached the bottleneck of intermediate Light Attribute Dou Qi, but she has no clue about how to make a breakthrough. Why not increase the research on Light Magic Swordsman to help Paris make a successful breakthrough and collect data on the practice of Light Magic Swordsman? Reward: clues on Fire Paladin.¡±

 Chapter 788 - Chapter 788: Chapter 0785: Anthonys Pressure (First Update)

    Chapter 788: Chapter 0785: Anthony¡¯s Pressure (First Update)


    ¡°Father¡¯s intention is for you to suppress the naval warfare, with the Knight Order of Sapphire serving as the main force in the war, and we will split the resulting taxes equally between our two families.¡±


    Anthony relayed the Sapphire Duke¡¯s proposition for their mutual benefit.


    In previous years, it had always been the Sapphire Duke who suppressed the situation, battling any potential Dragon Knights to ensure the battlefield remained at the level of ordinary knights. Consequently, all knight orders had to pay taxes on their earnings, especially on metals and other ores, which had to be distributed personally by the Duke after the war.


    This time, the Sapphire Duke planned to have Liszt suppress the conflict, and then split the taxes equally, which was still a rather fair proposal.


    After some thought, Liszt agreed, ¡°That¡¯s acceptable, but you need to present a more detailed plan. We need to know the exact number of ports, ships, and the distribution of shipbuilding technicians in the Eagle Kingdom. I hope to neutralize all their maritime forces in one battle, making them fear to tread the ocean for decades to come!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s ambition is admirable. As the overseer of this maritime campaign, I will certainly investigate all the details thoroughly,¡± Anthony replied solemnly.


    Looking at the still somewhat youthful face of Liszt, but hearing his shrewd tone, he couldn¡¯t help but be deeply moved.


    ¡­


    Regarding Liszt himself, the core members of the Sapphire Family hadn¡¯t ceased their discussions, particularly after the Dragon Slaying battle, when almost daily conversations about Liszt took place.


    An eighteen-year-old Dragon Knight and possibly an even younger Archmage, it was beyond imagination.


    The Sapphire Duke knew Earl William Lee of Coral Island very well, a man full of daring and not without talent, regarded as one of the most promising new nobles in the country. But his heir, Levis, was considered more of a conservative successor, and it was thought that it would take the Tulip Family several generations of hard work to ascend to the rank of Marquis.


    But then a huge variable emerged.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    Initially, Liszt did not attract much attention.


    It was during the First Prince¡¯s siege of Juniper Castle that he took a second look at Liszt, finding the young man promising and worth cultivating. Then before long, Liszt, as a part of the Pioneer Mandate, earned the title of Viscount and advanced to become a Sky Knight, claiming the title of the country¡¯s youngest.


    Only then did Liszt truly enter the eyes of the Sapphire Duke.


    As the ruler of a nation, the Duke certainly had to pay attention to the country¡¯s youth¡ªthese were the future noble candidates, as well as the recipients of his seeds of loyalty.


    However, before the Duke could take any action, Liszt had already become an Inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman, capable of defeating top-tier warriors like Domain Knights. When the news reached him, the Duke called his staff together for two meetings to discuss Liszt, which Anthony also attended.


    Ultimately, the Duke decided to personally recruit Liszt as a follower.


    But Earl William Lee interrupted, using the reason ¡°My son is planning to help me vie for a Marquisate before our family branches out,¡± a motivation the Duke couldn¡¯t fault¡ªhe obviously believed that it was the position of Marquis left vacant after the defection of the Marquis of Bull that had stimulated Earl William Lee to make an agreement with his son to attain the Marquisate.


    There was no fault in that, so the issue was temporarily set aside.


    ¡°At that time, Liszt was not even an Inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman but was probably already successful in Dragon Riding¡­ A Dragon Knight would naturally not wish to pledge loyalty to my father,¡± Anthony¡¯s thoughts flashed through his mind, ¡°and Earl William Lee¡¯s claim that Liszt was planning to pledge allegiance to me in a few years was just a ruse.¡±


    With this thought, he couldn¡¯t help feeling irked, played like a monkey.


    However, as a worthy successor to a Dragon Rearing Family, Anthony didn¡¯t let personal emotions affect him. After Liszt had succeeded in Dragon Riding and, together with an Archmage, killed a Dragon Knight, he had quickly adjusted his mindset, placing Liszt on an equal footing with his own father.


    He never underestimated Liszt due to his youth.


    He knew deep down that in the future, the seas would no longer fall under the dominion of the Sapphire.


    During internal family discussions, his father had struggled to say, ¡°The era of Sapphire¡¯s maritime supremacy has ended, Anthony. When this country falls into your hands, you must learn to be patient, to compromise¡­ Whether it¡¯s aligning with Steel Ridge to suppress Liszt or joining forces with Liszt to counter Steel Ridge, you need to grasp the balance.¡±


    And he himself asked with a furrowed brow, ¡°Father, what if Liszt becomes aggressive after his rise to power?¡±


    ¡°Then distract him. With the Eagle Kingdom sitting there like a slab of meat, why would he bother gnawing on the tough and meatless bone that is Sapphire? Once Liszt establishes his own nation, he¡¯ll realize that seafaring nations need to plunder continental resources to survive, relying solely on the sea is too difficult.¡±


    ¡°Only, Father, if I can¡¯t become a Dragon Knight, I have no confidence in contending with a Dragon Knight and an Archmage,¡± he said.


    The Grand Duke pondered for a long while before responding to his heir, ¡°Adapt as circumstances change.¡±


    ¡­


    Coming back to his senses from his thoughts, Anthony masked the sigh in his heart¡ªhe found Liszt¡¯s ambitions were greater than he had imagined.


    The goal of the Sapphire Duke was to annihilate the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s fleet, but Liszt aimed to destroy even the ports, completely severing the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s maritime force. This undoubtedly meant treating the sea as his personal garden, not allowing anyone else to tamper with it.


    Today he wouldn¡¯t let the Eagle Kingdom tamper with it.


    So would he prevent the Duchy of Sapphire from tampering tomorrow?


    With a melancholy deep in his heart, Anthony maintained an easygoing facade on the surface. After determining the general direction for the maritime battle, he engaged in jovial conversation with Liszt, discussing some fascinating noble gossip.


    The luncheon was even more lively, with attendees jovially drinking and chatting.


    Anxious to get back and draft the battle plans for the maritime campaign, Anthony took a ship back in the afternoon.


    After his departure, Liszt, who personally went to the dock to see him off, watched the Court Fast Sailing Ship sail into the distance and said with much sentimentality to his followers, ¡°Anthony is a fine man, a qualified successor to the Grand Duchy. Aside from being somewhat less gifted, he has no other flaws.¡±


    His followers smiled awkwardly.


    In this might-is-right knightly system, apparently being less gifted was the biggest flaw¡ªof course, Anthony¡¯s talents were not that mediocre. A Sword Saint in his thirties, he was sure to become a Completion Level Sky Knight in the future, fitting the stature of a monarch.


    As for Dragon Riding, many heirs to the Grand Duchy couldn¡¯t ride dragons, which was not a fault unique to Anthony.


    However, looking at the Lord¡¯s upright figure and commanding presence, the followers felt that what their Lord had said was not wrong¡ªby Liszt¡¯s standards, Anthony indeed had mediocre talent, or rather, 99.999% of the people in this world had mediocre talent.


    So no one responded.


    Following such a Lord was certainly a knight¡¯s glory, but it was also an immense pressure, for fear of displeasing their Lord.


    Unaware of the profound distress he had imposed on his followers, Liszt turned and gave a light command, ¡°Captain Marcus, Captain Fox, ready the Knight Order as quickly as possible and form a combat force. It won¡¯t be long before we welcome war once more!¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Grace!¡±

 Chapter 789 - Chapter 789: Chapter 0786: Flickering Light (Second Update)

    Chapter 789: Chapter 0786: Flickering Light (Second Update)


    Liszt was already preparing for a new war.


    After the news leaked in the Eagle Kingdom about the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, all nations believed that it had escaped the Mind Branding of the First Dragon Knight and become part of the wild Evil Dragon sequence.


    Perhaps many countries were secretly searching for the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    But for the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom and Steel Ridge Kingdom, it was the perfect opportunity to attack the Eagle Kingdom¡ªa kingdom that has lost a dragon needs to cough up a large territory.


    And many countries coveted this territory; the Duchy of Sapphire and Liszt temporarily had no interest in the land. They sought to monopolize sea power. With the Eagle Kingdom unable to attend to everything, such a good opportunity could not be missed. The entire Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s Knights were sharpening their weapons and preparing for war.


    ¡°This time, I can¡¯t just consider my status and let only my followers fight!¡± Liszt, regretting not capturing more Nobles last time, swore to himself fiercely, ¡°I¡¯ll capture as many as I can; all Nobles from Earls to Marquises will be taken. Once caught, they must exchange Elves, Magic Potions, and Dou Qi Secret Techniques for their freedom!¡±


    Marquis Nuta had netted him a Greater Elf. Other Marquises and Earls might not be as wealthy as Marquis Nuta, and while Greater Elves were out of reach, one could never have too many Minor Elves.


    There were also Dragon Kui Bugs and Thorn Bugs; he needed as many as he could get¡ªthe value of Auxiliary Medicine was several times that of Magic Potion.


    Of course, if he could obtain Magic Medicine Seeds for his existing Elf Bugs, that would be good as well. He needed the Elf Bugs of Dragon Hollyhock and Lycoris, for though he now had Magic Potions, he lacked Elves.


    ¡°And skilled laborers¡ªthe shipbuilders, navigators, as many as can be abducted should be. When attacking ports, I should personally oversee the round-up, not letting a single skilled person escape¡­ Capturing a few Sky Knights wouldn¡¯t be bad either; I have too few under my command.¡±


    Once the Sky Knights were captured, others might find it difficult to win them over, but he would certainly have no such difficulty.


    After all, he was a Dragon Knight who aspired to establish a new nation¡ªit¡¯s just that the Sky Knights, accustomed to the continent¡¯s prosperity, might not be willing to endure hardships at sea.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    While Liszt was gleefully planning how much he would gain from this maritime campaign,


    Ach made big news on Black Horse Island; she had brought the Lightning Dragon Turtle to the island from the Tonghai Canal estuary, crawling it onto the land all the way to an open area near Thorn Castle. She then commenced researching the Lightning Dragon Turtle with Chris, Kenley, and other Grand Magicians.


    Kenley was a Grand Magician from Steel Ridge Kingdom, and not long after her arrival, she had won Ach¡¯s approval¡ªbecause of her good attitude, genuinely focused on pursuing Truth without other ulterior motives, and possessing a solid foundation and vast knowledge, she was well qualified to be Ach¡¯s assistant.


    The turtle shell, a hundred meters in diameter, resembled a small hill.


    Shocking everyone who saw it.


    Even the Marquis of Bull Tail, preparing to attend a meeting on Blue Dragon Island, specially rode his treasured mount, the Black Albatross-Obsidian Stymphalian Bird, to visit Thorn Castle and take a look at the Lightning Dragon Turtle.


    ¡°Is this another Sub-dragon?¡±


    ¡°Father, according to the official terminology being compiled in the ¡®Magical Beast Encyclopedia,¡¯ it should not be referred to as a Sub-dragon, but a Super Dragon Beast¡­ This is a Thunder Attribute Super Dragon Beast, the Lightning Dragon Turtle,¡± Liszt explained.


    ¡°Have you already tamed it?¡± Li Weiliam marveled.


    ¡°It was Ach who tamed it; she can communicate with the Lightning Dragon Turtle through the vibrations of water currents. It just so happens she needed a suitable seafaring mount. The back of the Lightning Dragon Turtle is broad, and I am planning to build a villa on top of it, so sometimes Ach and I can work while moving on the turtle¡¯s shell.¡±


    Liszt sketched his vision. Now that he had acquired the Lightning Dragon Turtle, apart from studying it, he naturally wanted to make the most of it.


    Li Weiliam seemed to swallow, ¡°A moving villa on the sea¡­ sounds pretty nice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that great, actually. The Lightning Dragon Turtle is a Sea Monster and not that maneuverable, nowhere near as responsive as my Flame Number. If Ach hadn¡¯t insisted on keeping it, I would have slaughtered it by now to study its shell, and such a large turtle must be quite nutritious.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Li Weiliam laughed, ¡°You always find these incredible Dragon Beasts and Magical Beasts.¡±


    ¡°Bathed in the glory of knighthood, I am, after all, the Son of Glory.¡±


    ¡°I can already imagine the grand scale of the future Flame Family as a dragon-rearing family, with flames rising above the sea; you will become part of the legends on the Legendary Continent.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still not enough, I need to ride more dragons.¡±


    ¡­


    After dining at Thorn Castle, Marquis of Bull Tail immediately rode off on his Obsidian Stymphalian Bird; ever since he had this super magical beast mount, he rode it everywhere¡ªincluding to Blue Dragon Island, it is said that he would ride the Obsidian Stymphalian Bird there as well.


    As for the Marquis¡¯s show-off behavior, Liszt just shook his head.


    Without comment.


    The weather in March always came with a pitter-patter of drizzles; spring farming was already completed, and the plantations on Black Horse Island were thriving even more. This not-so-large island was home to many Elf Bugs¡¯ Cordyceps, including three from Greater Elves¡ªThorn, Phoenix Perch Parasol, and Pea.


    ¡°Spring has arrived, and it¡¯s time for the Elf Bugs to breed; I wonder if we can harvest another batch of Elf Bugs in spring and summer¡­ Logically, with Black Horse Island¡¯s scientific farming methods, the breeding of Elf Bugs should not be few. Moreover, the perennial plants should also accumulate enough energy for breeding¡­¡±


    After inspecting the spring farming results, he promoted a group of officials.


    Liszt pulled away from the territorial affairs to look forward to the progress of the Smoke Mission¡ªtoday, the breakthrough magic array that Ach had built for Paris was ready. This massive magic array had consumed over seven thousand Gold Coins worth of magic materials from the domain.


    To facilitate the promotion of a Light Magic Swordsman, the investment was indeed substantial.


    The magic array was somewhat akin to Stonehenge in England, with many magic materials embedded onto the stone pillars, and the ground was also carved with special patterns and filled with magic materials.


    Paris, clad in brand-new leather armor, stood in the center of the magic array, nervously preparing herself.


    As Ach activated the magic array, the entire Stonehenge immediately glowed with Magic Radiance, which finally shrank to a single type¡ªthe dazzling white light from Light Attribute Magic Power.


    Moments later, following instructions, Paris began to operate her Dou Qi.


    She synced with the magic array, adjusting her Dou Qi in rhythm with the array¡¯s patterns; this would require gradual fine-tuning.


    Liszt and Ach watched from the side.


    One used the Eye of Magic, the other the Eye of Magic Power, closely observing the connection between Paris and the magic array. The fine-tuning process was not earth-shaking; in fact, beyond the swell of light, there was not even a sound. However, through the observers¡¯ eyes, numerous secrets were in motion.


    After an hour of fine-tuning, Paris finally synchronized with the magic array.


    At this point, Ach suddenly guided the magic array into the second stage, starting to accelerate the Light Attribute magic particles¡¯ motion.


    Feeling the change in the magic array, Paris also made the necessary adjustments.


    The Intermediate Dou Qi inside her began to boil, attempting a breakthrough. Normally at this stage, the external Light Attribute Magic Power would disrupt the boiling progress; this time, however, it was different. Once the Light Attribute Magic Power entered her body, it was quickly stimulated by the magic array and also began to upgrade, in perfect sync.


    Five minutes later.


    The light of the magic array suddenly trembled, and the symbols lit up on the stone pillars extinguished one after another, leaving only Paris in the center, radiating blinding light. Gradually, the light around her began to subside, with only her eyes, ears, mouth, and nose still glowing; eventually, all of this light also disappeared.


    The moment the light went out, Paris¡¯s figure shook abruptly and then vanished into thin air.


    When she reappeared, she was already several dozen meters in the air.

 Chapter 790 - Chapter 790: Chapter 0787: Nami is Happy (First Update)

    Chapter 790: Chapter 0787: Nami is Happy (First Update)


    The signature of a Sky Knight¡ªsoaring; the advanced magic of a Grand Magician¡ªInvisibility Technique.


    At this moment, Paris broke through the shackles of both cultivation systems, becoming a Light Magic Swordsman who possessed the qualities of both a Sky Knight and a Grand Magician.


    No longer a mere Light Magic Swordsman, she could be called a Great Light Magic Swordsman.


    Maintaining her invisible state, she flew back to her original position and knelt on one knee before Liszt. Suppressing her own excitement, Paris said, ¡°Thank you for your cultivation, Your Highness. Paris wishes to be your spear in hand, ready to be driven and to charge into the fray!¡± She had completely integrated into the knighthood system.


    Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic was still in operation, closely observing the circulation of Dou Qi within Paris¡¯s body, and casually replied, ¡°Your successful breakthrough has not made our efforts in vain, Ach and I.¡±


    Paris immediately gave a bow to Ach, ¡°Thank you for your help, Lord Acherloides. Paris will forever remember it.¡±


    Ach always disliked beating around the bush, ¡°You¡¯ve just advanced to a brand-new cultivation system, and there are many details that need your cooperation for documentation and research.¡±


    Paris said solemnly, ¡°It would be a great honor.¡±


    She was genuinely grateful, as no one does not wish to become stronger, even a woman. Paris felt the same way, especially when she saw Liszt¡¯s youngest follower, Emily, training with the attitude of a madman. Becoming stronger was the only way to behold Lord Landlord¡¯s silhouette.


    To follow Lord Landlord and to create a new nation, becoming part of a legendary story.


    However, Liszt felt a bit saddened when he saw such a respectful Paris.


    The Paris who once dared to kill nobles and even recklessly enter castles, the Paris who would blush upon seeing him, had disappeared. In her place was just another qualified knight under the knighthood system. It wasn¡¯t that the change was bad; it just saddened him to see a vibrant personality erased.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    Liszt liked loyal followers, even if they were like puppets, as long as they were loyal to him.


    However, for those he was familiar with from the beginning, he wished they could retain their original personalities. Unfortunately, under the tide of the knighthood system, it was difficult for anyone to maintain their former self. This is why he would take Ach to play the piano and sing, not wanting Ach to become another ¡°magician.¡±


    The kind of madmen twisted by their pursuit of magic research and truth.


    ¡°Paris, you have just been promoted. Take a few days to familiarize yourself with the changes in your body. There¡¯s no rush to assist Ach with the research. Remember to come to Thorn Castle for the dinner banquet. Join me for the meal,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡­


    Paris couldn¡¯t wait to familiarize herself with her new strength.


    Then, Liszt called out to the Smoke Mission, ¡°Mission complete; reward the clue for the Fire Paladin.¡±


    The successful promotion of Paris completed the mission, signifying that there is indeed a viable path for Light Magic Swordsmen. Therefore, it was theoretically possible to cultivate Fire Paladins, and the clue should be easy to find.


    He directly asked the Archmage, ¡°Ach, what insights do you have from observing the Light Magic Swordsman, and do you have any complete thoughts on mass-producing Light Magic Swordsmen, or even Fire Paladins?¡±


    ¡°Further analysis and comparison are needed. However, Ach already has a complete idea, and with some time spent, should be able to decipher the cultivation methods for Light Magic Swordsmen, Fire Paladins, and other types of Dragon Magic Swordsmen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, but there¡¯s no need to rush. You have too many magic research projects, so take your time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Ach responded.


    Despite saying so, Ach immediately entered his laboratory at the first opportunity.


    Liszt straightforwardly returned to his study too, and began to ponder the content he had observed during the moment of Paris¡¯s promotion, trying to discover the secrets it contained. Perhaps because he had observed too much, his mind felt a bit cluttered, and even after summarizing for a long time, he couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint anything concrete.


    He felt a bit irritated.


    He couldn¡¯t help but take a few deep breaths, adjust his mood, and summon the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: With Ach¡¯s constant care and the increasingly vigorous Mangrove Forest, as well as the ducks and small flame birds growing batch by batch, Mangrove Minor Elf Nami maintains a good mood every day. Let¡¯s keep it that way. Reward: One Mangrove Greater Elf.¡±


    ¡°Nami is going to evolve too, huh.¡±


    Looking at the Smoke Serpent Script, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but feel reinvigorated.


    Although Nami was not an elf contracted by him personally, he felt no difference in his affection for her, and she was practicing her own value with her diligence and hard work.


    This made her status in Liszt¡¯s heart far surpass that of the other minor elves.


    ¡°Now that the Smoke Mission has been issued, it¡¯s perfect to have Ach spend half an hour every day to play with Nami. It will not only keep Nami in a good mood but also allow Ach to break free from the shackles of magic and relax his mind.¡± Liszt immediately made the decision that offered double benefits.


    Then he smiled.


    Searching the sea for the Giant Algae Forest to contract with the Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike, trading Marquis Nuta as a prisoner for the Pea Great Elf Ash, exploring the Flame Mountain Forest to discover the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf Ani, prompting Thorn Minor Elf Jela to evolve into a Thorn Greater Elf, and now focusing on caring for Mangrove Minor Elf Nami to evolve her into a Mangrove Greater Elf.


    The fifth Greater Elf was about to be in his grasp.


    This was indeed cause for celebration.


    Soon, another piece of good news arrived through the Magic Platform from the Adventure Fleet: they had discovered a large island about 400 kilometers south of the First Chain Island.


    Preliminary estimates suggested that this large island was no smaller than Coral Island¡ªby comparison, Black Horse Island is roughly the size of a normal county, Coral Island is about the size of a normal city, which is generally around 10,000 square kilometers, a truly large island indeed.


    ¡°The island is lush with greenery, and even by the seashore, there are dense mangrove forests, and a large number of seabirds circling. I am leading the Adventure Fleet to find a suitable place to land and prepare for an exploration of the island. We will also rest here for a while, waiting for the Flame Number to provide supplies for the fleet.¡±


    After listening to the message transmitted by the Magic Platform,


    Liszt immediately asked Lucy and Rose to reply, ¡°Tell Yevich that I will dispatch the Flame Number as soon as possible. Additionally, tell him not to delve too deep into the island¡¯s interior and to scout around the periphery. The priority is to search the surrounding seas as much as possible, there are surely more islands to be found!¡±


    War was about to come, and Liszt could no longer spare knights to take over exploration missions.


    Besides, the distance for exploring islands was becoming increasingly vast, and resupply was growing difficult¡ªhe and Ach couldn¡¯t possibly waste their time sailing the seas all day just for resupplying the Adventure Fleet.


    Three Islands, Dragon Turtle Island, First Chain Island, all were in an undeveloped state, and now there was another large island to contend with, making it impossible to explore.


    Even if he himself went to the new island, it would be difficult to explore it thoroughly in a short time.


    The Dragon Eye Trajectory was indeed powerful, but if the forest was too dense, it was hard to spot the plant life underneath and thereby overlook magical beasts, magic potions, and elves, among other resources. The first time in the Flame Mountain, it took five or six days of effort; if it weren¡¯t for seeing the cordyceps of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf, he might not have found the Flame Dragon Bird at all.


    ¡°I hope this island is just the beginning of a larger archipelago¡­ Black Horse Island is 3300 kilometers from the First Chain Island, and the First Chain Island is 400 kilometers from the new island. That¡¯s over 3700 kilometers in distance, a journey that takes nearly a month by regular sailboat.¡±


    Even with Ach piloting the Flame Number at high speed, it would take seven or eight hours to get there.


    The distance was indeed too great.

 Chapter 791 - Chapter 791: Chapter 0788: Gemstones and Crystals (Second Update)

    Chapter 791: Chapter 0788: Gemstones and Crystals (Second Update)


    A large island, nearly as big as Coral Island, hung solitary above the vast sea, with none of the surrounding islands Liszt had been anticipating.


    Not even the scattered islets were present, at most there were some coral reefs.


    Of course, Liszt was not disappointed with this island. The Adventure Fleet had only sailed a few laps around the nearby sea and had not explored farther waters. There may be no islands within a hundred kilometers, but that did not mean there weren¡¯t any beyond that distance.


    The island was not yet named.


    He was inclined to name it ¡°Flamelet Island,¡± symbolizing it as the first small flame in the establishment of Flame Country, but then he thought that it would be a joke if there truly were no suitable archipelago nearby. Hence, he simply refrained from naming it and referred to it as New Island.


    Accompanied by Ach aboard the Flame Number, they made a quick inspection of New Island and its surrounding waters and then hurriedly returned to Flame Territory.


    New Island was here to stay, and neither Elf, Magic Potion, nor Magical Beast could escape.


    However, there were many day-to-day affairs in the territory that needed his attention, leaving no time to waste on New Island, especially with the imminence of war. Liszt had much to prepare for.


    Once war began, trade within the territory was bound to be impacted.


    Plus, dealing with the post-war serf trade and similar matters had to be prepared for now to avoid being caught unprepared later.


    And so,


    time passed day by day, and before he knew it, it was the end of March.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    The Sapphire Duke had officially set a date for the great naval battle. The Knight Order would assemble on April 4th in Bull Hoof City on Iron Hoof Island to rest for a day before commencing their attack on the various fleets of Eagle Kingdom, as well as the major ports where ships were harbored.


    The fleets of Flame Territory organized quickly.


    The Knight Orders from Iron Hoof City, Black Horse Island, and Fresh Flower, three divisions, began shipboard training¡ªthis naval war differed from a land charge, requiring Knights to fight aboard ships, where boarding combat would become the main tactic.


    Marcus, who had previously served concurrently in the Thorn Knight Order, was appointed deputy leader of the Fresh Flower Knight Order, assisting Liszt with the training of the Knights.


    As for Liszt himself, he had already set out with Ach to Dodo Island, and there was only one reason for this visit¡ªthe Light Green Gemstone Dragon had awakened.


    Having a mind connection, Liszt knew of its awakening the moment it happened.


    Upon reaching Dodo Island, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon that had been asleep for half a year was struggling to pace along the shore of the island. Even with the life-sustaining Magic Potions Liszt provided, it could not stop the drain of its energy. It was incredibly weak, barely able to fly.


    With Flame Number anchored on the sandy beach, Liszt motioned for Ach to wait on the ship as he approached the Light Green Gemstone Dragon alone.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon turned its head to look at Liszt, its dragon eyes bearing a complex human-like expression¡ªdespite the Mind Battle wiping the imprint of the First Dragon Knight, some memories are indelible. After all, it was an adult dragon who had lived for more than four centuries, with its own behaviors and personality.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    As Liszt drew near, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon let out a slight call.


    This roar held no hostility. After all, they had ridden upon the Dragon Tooth Platform, and their minds merged as one. This was the first proper encounter between dragon and Dragon Knight. Many thoughts surfaced in the minds of both, some vaguely clashing, but in the end, all thoughts flickered out of consciousness.


    Liszt took a deep breath and leaped onto the back of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, then he comfortably seated himself on the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon did not resist.


    In an instant, the Dragon Knight Resonance was complete, and they entered Dragon Knight mode¡ªwith a total fusion of minds and limitless synchrony of thought. Liszt clearly felt the complex inner world of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, and the dragon likewise sensed Liszt¡¯s domineering inner self¡ªin strict terms, it was still Liszt who dominated the shared mental space.


    Dragons are no less intelligent than humans, and their mental strength is sufficiently powerful. Nonetheless, they tend to submit as mounts conquered by knights in the battle of minds.


    ¡°Light Green Gemstone Dragon, our minds are united as one. I can feel your weakness and understand your needs. No matter what has happened before, we are now one. I will feed you, accompany you, and explore this boundless and vast world together!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°You want Bone Burning Wine? You can have it!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°You want to eat Magic Potions and Jade, as well as Magical Beast Meat, you can have them!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°You desire an undisturbed Dragon Nest, you can have it!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°You refuse to unleash the power of bloodline infection because you¡¯re severely injured now, you can have it that way!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, big guy, I can provide everything you want. But you also need to satisfy my needs¡ªremember¡ªfight, that¡¯s what you need to do, battle side by side with me; produce, the Light Green Gemstone Mine, you are to infect them; train, we will train together to break the shackles of a Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s roar was full of excitement. A man and a dragon had thus reached an agreement, and Liszt quickly descended from the Dragon Tooth Platform. He then moved a large amount of supplies from the Flame Number, including a great deal of Magical Beast Meat, a small amount of Magic Potions and Auxiliary Medicine, as well as a batch of Bone Burning Wine brewed with Fresh Flower Brew.


    Bone Burning Wine was a specialty of the Royal Family of the Eagle Kingdom. Liszt couldn¡¯t get the recipe, but it was just about acceptable to concoct Bone Burning Wine from other spirits.


    As for Jade.


    He was temporarily unable to provide it because his territory didn¡¯t have a Jade Mine, and the small reserves of Jade he had were still needed for the Elves. Coral Island did have a Jade Mine, but the five-year harvesting period had not yet passed, so the Jade Mine did not belong to Liszt for the time being. Moreover, the yield from the Coral Island Jade Mine was too low to meet the needs of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    After the Dragon Slaying Battle, Liszt had asked the Sapphire Duke how the Sapphire Dragon produced gemstones.


    The answer he received was that whether it be Dragon Blood, Dragon Scales, Dragon Breath, or even Dragon Dung, they could all ferment over time to form Crystal Mines, which then would foster a small amount of gemstones. To get a large-scale Gemstone Mine, however, either Dragon Blood must be used to spill over the land to form it,


    or Jade must be used to prompt the Gemstone Dragon to form Jade Dragon Breath, thereby spouting this special Dragon Breath to combine with the earth, creating a Gemstone Mine. Coupled with the continuous emanation of Dragon Magic Power from the dragon¡¯s body, Crystals Mines would constantly congeal, with gemstones continuously forming within the Crystal Mines.


    Therefore, raising a Gemstone Dragon is not an easy task.


    But compared to the Gemstone Mines obtained, these expenses are not much to speak of.


    Moreover, the most important thing about dragons is their combat power; a single dragon can shelter a Dragon Rearing Family¡¯s everlasting prosperity. Just like a truck driver who has to spend a considerable price to take care of the truck¡ªfueling, maintenance, tolls, insurance, etc.¡ªbut a truck can also sustain a family¡¯s living necessities.


    Compared to raising Elves, the cost of rearing dragons was enormous, but so were the returns.


    ¡°Eat up, recover your body quickly, and then I will send you to the new island, where you will live for a while. When I establish my own nation, I will build you a satisfactory Dragon Nest.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±

 Chapter 792 - Chapter 792: Chapter 0789: Green Ethan (First Update)

    Chapter 792: Chapter 0789: Green Ethan (First Update)


    ¡°`


    The awakening of the Light Green Gem Dragon relieved Liszt from a burden that had been weighing on his heart. For the time being, he decided to let the Light Green Gem Dragon continue living on Dodo Island until it was strong enough to spread its wings and depart.


    However, before leaving,


    Liszt discussed a matter of some importance with the Light Green Gem Dragon, ¡°Did you have a name before?¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Light Green Gem Dragon let out a nostalgic roar. It indeed had a name in the past, but as the initial Dragon Knight who accompanied it passed away, its name dissipated with him. No one dared to call it by that name thereafter, and with the passage of time, even the dragon itself almost forgot it had a name.


    Seeing this, Liszt touched the scales of the Light Green Gem Dragon, ¡°I have a Fire Dragon Leo, which you have seen.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Light Green Gem Dragon clearly disliked the young dragon that had defeated it, expressing that it would absolutely not coexist peacefully with Fire Dragon Leo.


    Of course, this did not mean they would engage in combat upon meeting; they simply could not live together. If one rode on the Fire Dragon, they could not ride on it.


    Liszt certainly had no objections to this point¡ªhe didn¡¯t have two backsides to ride on two dragons at the same time. Besides, the Fire Dragon was a battle-oriented dragon, while the Light Green Gem Dragon belonged more to a production nature.


    ¡°I will keep you and Leo separate. Your life will not be much different here than in the Eagle Kingdom¡­ Nonetheless, you still need a name. Let¡¯s call you Ethan,¡± Liszt mused, recalling a green dragon in a game that had turned away from evil and was called, it seemed, Isendre.


    Since it was light green and not deep green, he decided to shorten the name to Ethan.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    His method of naming always depended on divergent thinking, or one might call it the association method.


    Just as with Little Fire Dragon Leo being called Leo because in a game, there was a male Fire Dragon called Leo Reus and a female Fire Dragon called Leo Rea, and since dragons in this world are unisex, the Fire Dragon was simply named Leo.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Light Green Gem Dragon, or Ethan, was not completely satisfied with its name.


    But it did not strongly resist the name ¡°Ethan¡± either. During thought synchronization, it could understand Liszt¡¯s reasoning, knowing that a name was merely a code, unimportant in other respects.


    A weak being with a beautiful name remains weak, while a powerful being remains noble regardless of a derogatory name.


    ¡°So, Ethan, take good care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡­


    After bidding farewell to the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, April 4th swiftly approached, and two-thirds of the Knight Order of the Duchy of Sapphire had already assembled at the port of Bull Hoof City on Iron Hoof Island.


    Liszt did not join the knights from the Flame Territory, but instead entrusted command authority to his father, the Marquis of Bull Tail.


    He and Ach would act to suppress the battlefield, ensuring that no Dragon Knight from the Eagle Kingdom would partake in this battle and attack ordinary knights. However, the task of suppressing the battlefield could be left to Ach alone. Liszt planned to enter the fray himself to warm up, capturing knights in exchange for ransoms.


    ¡°So father, uncle, feel free to engage in the offense. I will monitor the war at sea closely and capture all knights who resist. Once the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s naval fleet is wiped out, advance immediately to the coastal port cities and deliver a devastating blow to the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s maritime forces,¡± he said.


    Li Weiliam and Mesiro responded with smiles, reassured by Liszt¡¯s status as a Dragon Knight to support them, they could already envision this maritime battle being as simple as reaping wheat.


    Afterwards.


    ¡°`


    Crown Prince Anthony, who was serving as the overall commander, also came to pay his respects to Li Si Te (Liszt). After some casual conversation, they checked the naval battle plan for the last time.


    On April 5th, at the break of dawn, the Sapphire fleet filed out from the Port of Bull Hoof City.


    Setting sail toward the Azure Sea, they set out to prove that the Sea of Azure Waves still belonged to the Sapphire People, and not something that those of the Eagle Kingdom could lay their hands on.


    Flame Number followed the Sapphire fleet at a leisurely pace, with no sailors aboard, only a few maids responsible for cleaning, as well as several cooks carefully trained by Mrs. Abbie. For the knights, this was a battle fought with utmost readiness, but for Li Si Te (Liszt), it was merely a picnic.


    The Dragon Knights on the outskirts of the Eagle Kingdom were too busy with their own affairs to provide any support for the battle at sea, just as with every Pioneer Mandate issued each year, the Eagle Kingdom was always the one passively taking hits.


    Finally prepared to make a big move to completely wipe out the Sapphire, they encountered the unexpected appearance of Li Si Te (Liszt).


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    The voice of Ach brought Liszt, who had been admiring the blue sky and white clouds, back to reality¡ªnot that he had been idly watching the sky, but rather contemplating the fifth move of the ¡°Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Qi Secret Manual¡±. Now that Dragon Slash ¨C Chop, Sky Burning ¨C Sweep, Swallow Sun ¨C Stab, and Sea-Boiling ¨C Strangle had all been mastered, it was time to develop the next move.


    However, the next move was full of myriad possibilities, and he hadn¡¯t yet figured out where to begin.


    He turned his head toward Ach, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Ach handed over a notebook, ¡°After researching the cultivation path for the Light Magic Swordsman for Paris, Ach has summarized the basic training methods of the Dragon Magic Swordsman. However, it¡¯s only an outline; the specific details still need Brother to personally nurture the Fire Paladin and verify the content.¡±


    On the notebook¡¯s cover was written¡ªOutlines of the Dragon Magic Swordsman Cultivation System.


    Flipping through it, the graceful Serpent Script laid out the clues of cultivation clearly line by line. It also included many drawings, such as human meridian charts and magic array rune constructions¡ªafter years of magic studies, Ach had become an expert in drafting. Without using a ruler, the drawings she made were as clear and distinct as a photograph.


    Even after developing the Super Magic ¨C Eye of Mana, she was able to create 3D drawings based on the vision of the Eye of Mana, qualifying her as a printer.


    As Li Si Te (Liszt) looked through the Outlines of the Dragon Magic Swordsman Cultivation System, he pondered carefully for a moment before putting the book into his Space Ring, ¡°Once the battle at sea is over, I¡¯ll select a batch of qualified, young apprentice knights, and use this book to train them as Fire Paladins.¡±


    After giving the book to Liszt and receiving a pat on her hair, Ach went back to her research in the cabin.


    Now that the Magic Platform technology improvement has been handed over to Chris, the Eye of Mana project has been developed, and after helping to devise the training system for the Fire Paladin, she could finally set aside the tedious magic experiments and devote herself entirely to the elementalization and attribute switching.


    Liszt continued to lie on the rocking chair, watching the clouds in the sky, thinking about how the fifth move of the Dragon Qi Manuscript should demonstrate its offensive power.


    At the same time, he was constantly refining the first four moves.


    He aimed to make the ¡°Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Qi¡¯s Manual¡± a truly peerless divine technique, to control Little Fire Dragon Leo, invincible and unstoppable in battle.


    Moreover, deep down, he felt he was onto something.


    Perhaps only by cultivating to the Completion-term Dragon Knight solely on his own skills could he glimpse the path of cultivation beyond the Dragon Knight. Specifically, his studies of the Flame Dragon Bird and the Lightning Dragon Turtle made him aware that the fusion of soul with High Magic or even Superior Magic might be the cultivation method after the Dragon Knight phase.


    The triangle theory of Magic Power, material and spirit seemed to suggest that a triune approach was necessary to reach higher pinnacles.


    Legends spoke of an Elf King infinitely vast, incarnated as a forest in which even dragons lived; the Moon Empire purportedly had a magic array leading to the moon, and beyond Devil¡¯s Sea lay the ruined civilization of the Child of the Sun; there were tales of souls dwelling in the Exiled Lands, with Curtis Truth creating Phantom Ships in an attempt to traverse them¡­


    The world was far larger than imagined, so how could a Dragon Knight possibly stand at the apex.

 Chapter 793 - Chapter 793: Chapter 0790: Three Water Blades (Second Update)

    Chapter 793: Chapter 0790: Three Water Blades (Second Update)


    Flame Number was also carrying a big bird¡ªLandwalker bird Loki.


    In the battle at sea, Liszt did not intend to ride the Dragon to show off his might; doing so would be too ostentatious, like using a cleaver to kill a chicken.


    So he simply brought Loki along, ready to ride it around to capture Sky Knights.


    Loki was just an Intermediate Dragon Beast, with average flying speed, but it excelled in its powerful jumping ability, which allowed it to leap from one ship to another. This was especially useful in boarding battles, for capturing those Sky Knights trying to escape, with the only caution being to not get shot to death by arrows.


    After all, Loki was just a slightly stronger Dragon Beast; its defensive strength was not great.


    From the third day of departure, the Sapphire¡¯s fleet began encountering ships from the Eagle Kingdom, and without a doubt, these scattered fleets, even those sailing under the guise of trade, would be captured and taken prisoner. From the fourth day, they started encountering more ships, and on the fifth day, there were even more ship encounters.


    Liszt did not take action in the first five days, as he did not encounter many Sky Knights, so he couldn¡¯t be bothered to compete for merit with the Knight Order of the Sapphire.


    Until the sixth day.


    The fleet had now reached the coastal waters of the Eagle Kingdom, and the resistance became increasingly fierce.


    By this time, quite a few Sky Knights from the Eagle Kingdom were appearing on the ships, and upon seeing them, Liszt cheerfully rode Loki around. Whenever he saw an arrogant Knight, that is, one that was pressing down on the Sapphire Knights, he would steer Loki towards them.


    Capture, throw them to the fleet of Flame Territory.


    On the sixth, seventh, and eighth days, all near the coast, attacking ships, Liszt captured a total of five Sky Knights, but sadly the strongest was only a Sword Saint Earl¡ªin the ships of the Eagle Kingdom that went out to sea, it was rare to equip powerful Sky Knights, especially Noble Landlords would seldom go to sea.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï


    After all, the sea was still the battleground of the Sapphire people, and the Nobles would not easily put themselves in jeopardy.


    However, starting from the ninth day, the Sapphire fleet reached the first explored seaport of the Eagle Kingdom¡ªShattered Stone City Port.


    Shattered Stone City was a newly constructed town, built just over a decade ago, but it was a standard port city, surrounded by numerous shipyards. It was almost certain that it was built as a port city by the Eagle Kingdom after obtaining shipbuilding technology from the Bull Family.


    Moreover, the location of Shattered Stone City was deliberately chosen to avoid areas that the Duchy of Sapphire often targeted in their Pioneer Mandates like Sardine Bay, Yellow Mud Coast, Roaring River Mouth, and Dense Corridor.


    It was selected at a spot near a river known as Scalding River.


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡±


    Beacon fires rose, and horns blasted loudly.


    The Knights and Magicians of Shattered Stone City fought courageously, but the Knight Order dispatched by the Sapphire fleet poured in like a flood, bombarding the port city relentlessly.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    ¡°Crush the enemy!¡±


    A cacophony of charge slogans merged, shaking the heavens and earth.


    Liszt didn¡¯t target Shattered Stone City; he only said to Ach, ¡°Ach, splash a bit of water and put out the beacon fire of Shattered Stone City.¡±


    ¡°Okay, brother.¡±


    For an Archmage, this trivial matter was a piece of cake¡ªa Water Tornado suddenly surged towards Shattered Stone City, dousing the beacon fire that hadn¡¯t produced much smoke yet.


    Not even a wisp of smoke could rise.


    ¡°Glory of the Knight, be upon us!¡± The Knights of the Sapphire shouted in unison, their attacks growing fiercer. Everyone understood that this campaign had not only the protection of the Dragon Knight but also the protection of Archmages¡ªthis battle at sea was destined for victory and spoils, with no room for failure.


    Liszt glanced at Shattered Stone City but did not join in the attack.


    Instead, he focused his energy on the nearby shipyards of the port, no longer caring about his identity, personally leading the Knight Order from Flame Territory, Bull Tail Domain, and Red Crab Island, to plunder those shipyards that were building ships. Particularly, the craftsmen building the ships, he did not spare a single one, and bound them all as prisoners to the ships.


    A shipyard raid, on to the second.


    The Knight Order guarding the shipyard wilted at the sight of Li Weiliam riding a Super Magical Beast, let alone expecting a Dragon Knight to personally carry out the robbery.


    In just a moment.


    Liszt had already plundered all ten shipyards in the vicinity, even those being raided by the Sapphire Knight Order; he rushed in, forcefully taking the craftsmen¡ªthose who knew how to build ships, Liszt took them all without leaving any for the Sapphire Duke.


    To dominate the high seas, one cannot be without shipbuilders.


    By the time the shipyards had all fallen, Shattered Stone City had not yet been conquered; this port city, half city and half castle, boasted an exceptionally strong defense.


    ¡°A bunch of trash!¡± Liszt, seeing this, disdained the common Knight Orders for wasting time, but had no intention of personally assaulting the city¡ªafter all, he still wanted some face.


    What a pity.


    He had no followers of significant strength.


    Emily had not grown up yet, Paris had just made a breakthrough, Fox and Garcia were just common Sky Knights, and the vampires like Mary couldn¡¯t possibly siege.


    ¡°Ah, Ach, it¡¯s up to you to do it, just bring a few high-pressure water blades to Boulder City,¡± he sighed.


    ¡°Mm.¡± The innocence and purity of the Little Sea Monster had long been corrupted by Liszt, and except for him, she had little regard for other humans.


    She raised her hand, connecting to the Magic Web.


    Soon, a giant blade of water coalesced above the sea, and with a gentle swing, this Super Magic known as the ¡°Chainsaw-style Super High Pressure Water Knife¡± blasted towards Shattered Stone City.


    Boom!


    One slash cut through a thick wall of Shattered Stone City, two meters of solid wall that crumbled like tofu before the force of Super Magic.


    After one slash, Ach began to coalesce a second blade.


    Three slashes in a row, Shattered Stone City collapsed with a thunderous roar, and the battlefield suddenly went quiet. The knights and magicians in the castle were stunned, the besieging Knight Order was also stunned, all unsure of what to feel. They had been fighting with fervor and exhilaration.


    And then.


    It suddenly ended.


    However, aboard the nearby Flame Number, Ach simply asked calmly, ¡°Brother, is this alright now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± Liszt looked at the destroyed Shattered Stone City, and couldn¡¯t help but be internally shocked¡ªcommon magicians were already weak, unable to even participate in warfare. But from the Archmage, one could still see the vestiges of the era when magicians ruled the world during the Moon Empire.


    It must be said.


    If the Magic Web had not weakened, knights, even with Dragon Knights, would not be able to contend with Archmages. Taking a city just required two or three Super Magic attacks, it was like cutting through rotten wood. In the era when the Magic Web had not weakened, if magicians really could cast spells at will, there wouldn¡¯t be much left for knights to do.


    But this era had ultimately abandoned the magicians, the Magic Web had shrunk, and common magicians were almost rendered useless.


    What¡¯s more important is that for many years there had been no news of Archmages advancing in rank, and even if Ach had barely advanced relying on the Mermaid¡¯s Tear and the Nixie¡¯s talents, it still couldn¡¯t change the declining state of magicians. Of course, the transition of magicians to scholars, overseen by Liszt, was a good way forward.


    ¡°I am a knight, so¡­ magicians might as well transition sooner and focus on being scholars; leave the task of ruling the world to the knights,¡± he said.


    Liszt stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the knights clean up the battlefield, revealing a slight smile.


    The only Archmage was still Ach.


    How wonderful!

 Chapter 794 - Chapter 794: Chapter 0791: The Sea Battle Concludes (First Update)

    Chapter 794: Chapter 0791: The Sea Battle Concludes (First Update)


    Shattered Stone City didn¡¯t delay much time.


    With the Dragon Knight and the Archmage personally leading the looting, the speed was incredibly fast. Anthony dispatched a portion of the Knight Order to continue inland along the Scalding River, attempting to raid all the surrounding towns¡ªevery town around Shattered Stone City was essential to shipbuilding.


    Liszt didn¡¯t participate in the remaining purges. He had his family¡¯s fleet loaded with shipbuilding craftsmen and a small number of knight captives, then swiftly set sail for the next port.


    According to intelligence, the Eagle Kingdom had built three large port cities on the coast: Shattered Stone City, Zhenhai City, and Xiongfei City. The main shipyards were distributed around these three cities, but there were also many small port cities for mooring ships.


    The first day, Shattered Stone City was cleansed.


    The second day, they continued southward, cleansing the surrounding port cities.


    The third day, Zhenhai City was cleansed.


    The fourth day, they continued southward, cleansing the surrounding port cities.


    The fifth day, it was Xiongfei City¡¯s turn to be cleansed.


    Over the course of five days, the Sapphire fleet, under Liszt¡¯s protection, swept from the Scalding River all the way to the Savage Plains. Further south, although still within the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s sphere of influence, there was a vast expanse of uninhabited land, with no ports along the coast.


    ¡°So, father, how were our spoils from this maritime battle?¡± Liszt, mounted on the landwalker bird Loki, landed on the flagship of the Tulip Family.


    Marquis of Bull Tail poured two glasses of Crescent Moon Wine, handed them to Liszt and Mesiro, and said, ¡°We¡¯ve basically captured all the shipbuilding craftsmen, more than ten thousand shipbuilders, mostly strong youths¡ªwe didn¡¯t find any elderly craftsmen¡­ The Bull Family didn¡¯t show themselves, all the shipyards rose up in Alonso¡¯s name instead.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?


    The shipbuilding industry of the Eagle Kingdom began with the Bull Family; this was incontrovertible, as only the Bull Family could have introduced shipbuilding techniques to the Eagle Kingdom.


    Liszt had previously thought any elderly craftsmen would likely be from the Bull Family.


    Yet here, most of the craftsmen were young adults who spoke the Wind Language and couldn¡¯t understand a word of Serpent Script, so there was no proof they had any ties to the Bull Family.


    It seemed the Bull Family had vanished without a trace.


    ¡°Liszt, why are you so determined to search for the remnants of the Bull Family?¡± Mesiro, after taking a sip of the wine, asked. This ordinary Sky Knight had become increasingly bold of late.


    In past Pioneer Mandate wars, his position was quite awkward; during combat, he had to rely on several Sword Saints from his family, lacking the clout to speak assertively. But now, all he had to do was sit on the ship and enjoy his wine¡ªhis followers would fight fiercely without any instruction.


    This wasn¡¯t the prestige brought by Princess Angela, but that of his nephew, Liszt.


    Liszt swirled the fine wine in his glass, ¡°It¡¯s not so much about being determined. I just want to see if the grandson of Marquis of the Bull is indeed as talented as they say.¡±


    Andre Sapphire, the grandson of Marquis of the Bull, became an Iron Knight and crafted Mithril Armor at the age of twelve. Advancing to Sky Knight would be as easy as drinking water for him, and if he joined the Dragon Knight candidacy program, he would certainly stand out. By now, he should be seventeen.


    ¡°No matter how talented, he could never surpass you,¡± Mesiro laughed loudly.


    Marquis of Bull Tail joined in the laughter.


    Liszt was but eighteen when he became a Dragon Knight, only nineteen now, and already working on establishing his own kingdom. Even if that Andre was exceptionally gifted, how could he compare with Liszt¡ªand besides, the Bull Family had rebelled against their own Noble Landlord, a stain not easily wiped clean.


    It¡¯s likely the Royal Family of the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t want such a person meddling with dragons.


    Liszt also smiled.


    With the help of the Smoke Mission, the talent he demonstrated was truly invincible.


    ¡°Father, Uncle, these shipbuilders are very important, I hope to take their families with us too, so in the coming period, I will need you to take extra care¡­ You can tell these shipbuilders and their families that, once they get to my territory, they will be allotted houses and land, and after I establish my kingdom, they will all be made freemen.¡±


    ¡°You treat these serfs so well, I believe they will be very happy to follow you overseas.¡±


    ¡°Ensure that the ships transporting the serfs take good care of these shipbuilders and their families, it would be best if no one dies. Treat them as if they were captured knights, not serfs.¡± Liszt¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t very high, as he abducted the shipbuilders under the pretext of destroying the naval power of the Eagle Kingdom.


    But essentially, it was still kidnapping serfs, doing the same dirty business as those mercenary corps.


    For a noble Dragon Knight to be doing such things, he always felt a burning shame, so in the upcoming cleansing battles, he had no plans to show his face. Unless Nobles or Landlords participated in the battle, he would intervene to avoid excessive casualties and capture them¡ªunfortunately, whether the news had leaked or not, he saw very few Sky Knights along the way.


    Over the course of several days, he had only captured eleven Sky Knights, two of whom were Sword Saints, and among them, only four held the rank of Earl, the rest were Viscounts¡ªThey had hoped to achieve great deeds upon the high seas, while the local great landlords probably did not wish to risk danger.


    After the failure of the Dragon-slaying battle, the great Nobles of the Eagle Kingdom realized that the seas were not a place for them to gallop across.


    Only those small Nobles who had strength and ambition but lacked status were willing to take the risk of sailing in hopes of gaining illustrious military achievements.


    ¡­


    The war continued, and Liszt remained comfortably aboard the Flame Number every day.


    The arrangement for the shipbuilders¡¯ families was left to Li Weiliam and Mesiro. Among the few Sky Knights, seven had written letters ready to be given to their families at the end of the war to pay for their ransoms¡ªordinary Sky Knights needed one Little Minor Elf, and it had to be grains or Magic Potions; Sword Saints required two Little Minor Elves, also in grains or Magic Potions.


    There were also four Sky Knights who, unable to pay or unwilling to pay the ransom, simply requested to follow Liszt directly, to mix with this Dragon Knight.


    The behavior of these four Sky Knights was within expectations.


    ¡°You may follow me, but you need to prove your worth. Go and fight alongside my Knight Order, take the surrounding castles, and I will tally your military achievements,¡± Liszt said to these four Sky Knights, needing their sincerity.


    Derec Iron Armor, Joyce Dandelion, Spark, and Fernal Ink.


    Therefore, they personally participated in the sieges, confronting the Knight Order of the Eagle Kingdom as a gesture of defection, meaning from now on, they could no longer find footing in the Eagle Kingdom and had to follow Liszt to the bitter end.


    He accepted their surrender, gave them time to gather their belongings, take their families, and board the large ships of the fleet.


    Liszt continued to protect the Sapphire fleet, repeatedly cruising the coastal waters, sweeping the remaining ships of the Eagle Kingdom.


    After one and a half months of conquest.


    There were no signs of any Dragon Knights from the Eagle Kingdom participating in the war, leaving the Sapphire fleet free to completely sever the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s first foray into the seas.


    Wuuu wuuu wuuu wuu!


    The horn sounded, announcing the end of the battle at sea. The elated Sapphire Knights, having captured a large number of knight prisoners and craftsman serfs, began boarding the ships to leave the coast. Those ships of the Eagle Kingdom that could sail did so immediately; those that could not were scuttled at sea.


    The crushing war thus came to an end.

 Chapter 795 - Chapter 795: Chapter 0792: The Capricious Dragon (Second Update)

    Chapter 795: Chapter 0792: The Capricious Dragon (Second Update)


    On the return voyage.


    Liszt was full of confidence. The battle at sea had ended successfully, the naval forces of the Eagle Kingdom were almost entirely destroyed, and the Sea of Azure Waves had once again become an inland sea of the Duchy of Sapphire, free for him to traverse without any hindrance.


    Maritime trade would also be a lot safer.


    Now, with the trade of glass, white paper, and sea salt from the Flame Territory gradually picking up, the lack of Eagle Kingdom ships at sea made it very convenient for him to conduct smuggling trade with Marquis Nuta¡ªserfs were always the most anticipated trade goods for Liszt, and you could never have too many people.


    Moreover, in this naval battle, nearly all of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s shipbuilding craftsmen had been captured by him.


    Tens of thousands of shipbuilders were sure to boost the shipbuilding industry of the Flame Territory, providing more ships for the territory in the near future. Along with the captured sailors and captains, he would be able to form a huge naval fleet in a short time, preparing to relocate his territory and explore new islands.


    ¡°Population is always the biggest constraint. In the future, more battles like the naval wars and Pioneer Mandates must be initiated. While the Eagle Kingdom is weak, I must bite off a few chunks of their fat. Otherwise, even if I occupy islands larger than the Duchy of Sapphire, I still won¡¯t be able to develop.¡±


    However, if thought about carefully, establishing a kingdom was just a way for Liszt to fulfill his own sense of self-worth and it wasn¡¯t necessary for him to build his country to perfection.


    As long as he could sustain the dragons.


    After being excited for a moment, he summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: With Ach¡¯s constant care, the growing prosperity of the Mangrove Forest, and the generations of ducklings and flame birds, Mangrove Minor Elf Nami maintains a good mood every day. Let¡¯s keep it that way. Reward: A Mangrove Greater Elf.¡±


    The mission was still the same one from before and had not been completed.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.??


    Liszt was not too anxious about this, as it was about the evolution of a Greater Elf, and there was no rush. However, what concerned him was another matter.


    ¡°In the past, festivals and wars would produce missions with unknown rewards. Why hasn¡¯t an unknown reward appeared this time?¡±


    ¡°Is it because Nami¡¯s evolution mission hasn¡¯t been completed, delaying the mission for an unknown reward, or is it because I have become a Dragon Knight and can lead wars, so I do not need to wait for the war to end?¡±


    There was no way to know.


    He could only wait for the next war to start and see if missions with unknown rewards would continue to appear.


    ¡­


    He had thought that nothing would happen on the way back. Yet, Ach surprised him with a huge revelation. She controlled Water Tornados daily to propel the Flame Number, becoming extremely proficient in Water Magic, regularly practicing Super Magic to familiarize herself with its properties.


    At last.


    During the voyage today, inspiration struck her mind.


    It brought her a huge epiphany, ¡°Brother, Ach understands now. Ach knows how to change Water-Attribute Magic Power into Ice-Attribute Magic Power. It¡¯s the movement of Magic Particles that brings the different attributes to light¡­ And if Ach wants to switch the nature of Elemental Incarnation¡¯s magic power, she needs to fundamentally change the movement of the particles.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, isn¡¯t this the same as what I¡¯ve told you before about the relationship between particle movement and the properties of magic?¡± Liszt remembered talking to her about the topic of particle movement.


    And he had even directed Ach to start specific research to confirm the existence of Magic Particles.


    Ach nodded and said, ¡°Brother did mention it, but previously Ach thought that particle movement was just that¡ªsimple movement. This time, I considered the movement within the particles themselves. Hmm, to make a more vivid analogy, I used to think of particle movement like the revolution of planets, and now I see it as the rotation of planets.¡±


    Revolution, rotation.


    Upon hearing this, Liszt instantly realized, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Then, have you completed the switch to an ice-attribute elemental incarnation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost done. Brother, please observe with your Eye of Magic.¡±


    Ach stood at the bow, raising her left hand without any visible movement, but through the vision of the Eye of Magic, the pale blue water-attribute magic began to fade, turning paler and whiter until it was the color of snow. The switch in the nature of the magic power was evidently complete.


    Soon, the property switch of the ice attribute was completed along her left arm.


    The nature of the magic power underwent a transition at the elbow position, and the rest of her body still maintained water-attribute magic: ¡°Brother, Ach¡¯s elemental incarnation is still a bit strenuous, but I can already cast Ice System Magic!¡±


    The magic power circulated.


    The Magic Web unfolded.


    The next moment, a water tornado rose, and as it reached the bow, the water tornado suddenly made a cracking noise, rapidly freezing over.


    Crack!


    The frozen icicle fell onto the bow, breaking into several pieces.


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Liszt exclaimed loudly. ¡°You¡¯re indeed my good Ach. In terms of talent for magic, you¡¯re stronger than any magician. I can imagine just how powerful you¡¯ll be once you complete the nature change for all magical attributes.¡±


    Ach revealed a slightly mischievous smile, ¡°Hehe, can Ach defeat brother?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t get cocky, little girl. I am a Fire Dragon Knight. My power will grow stronger and stronger in the future¡­ However, I look forward to the day when both you and I break the constraints of Dragon Knights and Archmages and climb to a more powerful realm. The world is vast; we need to see more of it.¡±


    ¡°If brother wishes to see the world, Ach will go with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take you with me.¡±


    ¡­


    The naval fleet was still sailing on the sea, but Liszt had already taken the Flame Number ahead to return to his territory¡ªsince Ach became an Archmage, sailing for him was just like traveling everywhere on high-speed rail.


    Even during the great sea battle, he had Ach return to their territory multiple times to bring supplies to Dodo Island to take care of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. This Light Green Gemstone Dragon, which had been asleep for half a year, had recuperated over a month and was now able to fly for short periods, recovering quite well.


    However, another piece of news was not so cheerful.


    The exploration ships led by Yevich Water Peanut, after scouting around the new island for several days, still did not discover a second island. It was almost certain to be a solitary island. It was not part of an archipelago, just a solitary island, so the developmental value of this once-hopeful island significantly diminished.


    ¡°Regardless, we¡¯ll continue to search for archipelagos! I will dispatch several more Court Fast Sailing Ships to assist you in exploring the ocean, in hopes of finding suitable archipelagos soon,¡± he said.


    Having said this, if the sailing distance exceeded five thousand kilometers, Liszt was prepared to abandon exploring further south and turn back to explore the waters northwest of the Duchy of Sapphire. That area was also an endless expanse of sea, and perhaps it hid archipelagos, albeit in a less convenient location.


    By then, Liszt might not only have to contend with the Eagle Kingdom but also the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    ¡°But who cares, I already have two dragons, and with an Archmage, even if it¡¯s the Steel Ridge Kingdom, I¡¯ll still take what I want without hesitation!¡±


    Many dragons, much audacity!

 Chapter 796 - Chapter 796: Chapter 0793 - Followers Team (First Update)

    Chapter 796: Chapter 0793 ¨C Follower¡¯s Team (First Update)


    After the war came the tallying of profits and the assimilation of wartime gains. Tens of thousands of shipbuilders and their families, along with over a thousand knights and their families, were arranged to wait in Iron Hoof City.


    Only after careful screening were these shipbuilders and knights relocated to Black Horse Island.


    Liszt wasn¡¯t overly troubled by these tasks; he only needed to show up and receive the allegiance of the filtered knights.


    The construction in the Flame Territory was thriving, and the search for overseas islands was conducted with utmost diligence.


    May swiftly passed by a ten-day, and among the captured knights, two more swore their loyalty to Liszt, one of whom was Jian Sheng Bo Jue (Sword Saint Earl).


    ¡°Durt, do you truly intend to give up your earldom and titles in the Eagle Kingdom, and follow me?¡± Liszt asked the Sword Saint Earl¡ªDurt Red Apricot¡ªwith surprise. Someone who had become an earl in the Eagle Kingdom could not possibly be without a foundation.


    This willingness to abandon an earldom¡¯s lands required a courage not to be underestimated.


    Since making his decision, Durt had been very calm, ¡°Your Highness, indeed I have an earldom, and my family is very prosperous. However, my land is by the sea, originally awaiting success from Prince Alonso¡¯s plans to earn distinction at sea. But now the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s sea plans have failed, and my progress has been blocked.¡±


    Liszt could not deny this.


    Durt continued, ¡°But Your Highness plans to establish a new country, where opportunities to earn distinction are everywhere. Moreover, with the strength of Your Highness and Her Excellency Archmage Acherloides, dominating the Sea of Azure Waves is just within reach¡­ My defeat and capture may well be the guidance of a knight¡¯s glory!¡±


    Even in defeat and capture, he spoke of a knight¡¯s glory.


    Liszt wanted to laugh internally but didn¡¯t actually do so; ¡°Since you have made your decision, you may now pledge your loyalty to me¡­ However, the ransom must still be paid, but I will reserve your earl title. You can form your own Knight Order and fight alongside me, claiming a place in the new country.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. Durt Red Apricot is willing to ride at your command!¡±


    ¡­


    Originally, Liszt did not intend to retain the titles of noble landlords who surrendered to him. However, upon further thought, a new country once established would have countless deserted islands awaiting development.


    Instead of exhausting himself over this, it was better to hand these troubles off to these devoted followers. By preserving their titles, he could encourage them to zealously plunder from the mainland for the development of the islands. In this way, he could focus solely on developing a few large islands.


    The nobles who surrendered to him, for their own interests, would obviously have no more entanglements with the Eagle Kingdom.


    Just like the nobles of the Duchy of Sapphire, they were still willing to stay and develop in Sapphire despite not being wealthy because poverty could be remedied by plundering. Especially the thrill of being able to plunder others without being plundered was addictively irresistible.


    After several Pioneer Mandates and tasting the sweetness of success, Liszt now had one thing on his mind: plunder!


    If the Eagle Kingdom dared to engage in a dragon-slaying battle, he was determined to plunder the Eagle Kingdom to the fullest, cleaving off several significant chunks of fat.


    Thus, he publicized the news of Durt Red Apricot¡¯s surrender, causing three out of the remaining five hesitant Sky Knights to decide to surrender after some deliberation. Only two Sky Knights remained unwilling to surrender, preferring to pay a ransom and return to the Eagle Kingdom.


    ¡°`


    By now, their families should have delivered the ransom.


    Liszt¡¯s mood was greatly uplifted after recruiting nine Sky Knight followers, and he generously granted titles in his territory¡ªrewarding the elder followers with lands.


    Yevich, the captain of the Adventure Fleet, was promoted from commoner to Viscount, effectively restoring him to his former official status, though his fief was yet to be decided. Liszt also promised that once he found a suitable archipelago for nation-building, Yevich would be directly promoted to Earl.


    Garcia, the leader of the Iron Hoof City Knights, was promoted from commoner to Viscount, effectively restoring him to his former official status, but his fief was yet to be decided; Fox, the leader of the Black Horse Island Knights, was also promoted from commoner to Viscount, restored to his former official status, with his fief yet to be decided. These two former followers of Alonso Immortal Arrival had completely integrated into the Flame Territory.


    Marcus, the advisor of Giant Algae City and leader of the Giant Algae Knights, was promoted from Honored Knight to Baron, but his fief was yet to be decided; Goltai, the advisor of Iron Hoof City, was promoted from Honored Knight to Baron, but his fief was yet to be decided; Charles, the chief of Black Horse Island¡¯s security, was promoted from Honored Knight to Baron, but his fief was yet to be decided.


    In addition, Griffin Haystack and seven other former Honored Knights were all promoted to Baron, with their fiefs yet to be decided.


    Furthermore, Paris, the captain of Black Horse Island¡¯s patrol, Administrative Officer Blair of Iron Hoof City, Administrative Officer Isaiah of Giant Algae City, Diplomat Zambrotta of Black Horse Island, Marine Affairs Officer Kostor of Black Horse Island, and Iron Knight Alvin Eagle Sword, along with several other principal officials of the territory and mainstays of the Knight Order, were all directly promoted to Baron by Liszt.


    A large number of mid-level officials and Earth Knights were also granted the title of Honored Knight, completing their transformation from commoners to nobles.


    Although the promotions and ennoblements of many did not meet the requirements for military achievements, Liszt didn¡¯t care at all; these were all empty promises anyway. It was only when a suitable archipelago for nation-building was found that these promises would be fulfilled. If it wasn¡¯t found, they would hang onto a courtesy title for life.


    Should they actually find it, like the surrendered Sky Knights, they could pick any deserted island at will.


    Regardless of what the future might hold.


    For now, the entire Flame Territory was abuzz, with knights and officials who had been promoted and ennobled feeling greatly inspired, praising Liszt¡¯s greatness. Officials were full of enthusiasm, knights pledged their loyalty, and the previously unsettled foundations of the rapidly expanding Flame Territory quickly solidified.


    Everyone could feel the benefits of following the Dragon Knight¡ªwithout even founding a nation yet, simply by going out on a raid, glory was spread.


    In the future, when the nation is founded, how much more glory will there be to bestow!


    Especially, the nine newly pledged Sky Knights, who had brushed off their resentment from captivity, began to eagerly anticipate Liszt¡¯s nation-building endeavors.


    As a result,


    Liszt Flame, the Marquis of Flames, now had two Earl followers, Anvil City Earl Nickel Bellows (Iron Knight) and Durt Red Apricot; eleven Viscount followers, along with more than thirty Barons and hundreds of Honored Knights. He swiftly constructed a simple hierarchy of Marquis followers, which would also serve as the foundational team for future nation-building.


    Along with the team of followers from the Marquis of Bull Tail, the basic framework for nation-building was essentially completed.


    In high spirits, Liszt gathered most of his followers at his Thorn Castle and feasted for several days. In such a lavish noble atmosphere, Ach gradually completed her ice elemental incarnation, and thanks to her care, the joyous Nami finally began to languish.


    Languishing indicated that she was evolving.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: one Mangrove Greater Elf.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 797 - Chapter 797: Chapter 0794: Major Harvest for Elves (First Update)

    Chapter 797: Chapter 0794: Major Harvest for Elves (First Update)


    ¡°Mission: May is the season of vigorous plant growth, and the crops on Black Horse Island are continually growing. As the Landlord, you have not fulfilled your duty of inspecting the territory for quite some time. Why not take a tour of the territory¡¯s crops to check their growth? Reward: A large batch of Elf Bugs.¡±


    As soon as Nami¡¯s evolution mission had ended, a new mission brought Liszt a large number of Elves.


    After several years of cultivation and fertilization, the crops on Black Horse Island far surpassed those of other islands in their lush growth, which in turn started increasing the birth rate of Elf Bugs.


    This time, Liszt and Ach together activated the Eye of Magic and the Eye of Magic Power, meticulously surveying every part of the island¡¯s land and ocean.


    They found three Little Wheat Bugs, one Barley Bug, one Thorn Bug, one Pea Bug, one Rubber Bug, one Peanut Bug, one Mangrove Beetle, one Corn Bug, one Millet Bug, one Fragrant Coconut Bug, as well as two Giant Algae Bugs and two unknown Algae Elf Bugs.


    He named them the Black Algae Beetle and Brown Algae Beetle and let Ach contract them all, as he himself no longer wanted to sign contracts with Elf Bugs, finding it bothersome.


    A total of sixteen Elf Bugs represented the rewards for Black Horse Island¡¯s persistent three-plus years of scientific farming under Liszt¡¯s leadership¡ªbuilding lavatories, accumulating manure, constructing ditches, irrigating, cultivating quality breeds, meticulous farming, weeding, pruning, and ensuring adequate sunlight.


    The Magic Guild has a special research team studying the relationship between scientific farming and the breeding of Elf Bugs, and they¡¯ve reached preliminary conclusions with the help of big data.


    The breeding of Elf Bugs is a probabilistic event, meaning it¡¯s related to genetic mutations.


    It doesn¡¯t matter whether the plants grow well or poorly, but maintaining their vigor and health greatly protects the breeding of Elf Bugs. Perhaps a malnourished plant might miscarry an Elf Bug just after a mutation, but the healthy crops of Black Horse Island rarely suffer such a fate.


    Therefore, scientific farming can indeed significantly increase the number of Elf Bugs¡ªit¡¯s a powerful method.


    At present, without having deciphered the secrets of Elf Bugs, this is the only method to promote their growth.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Mission accomplished, reward: a large batch of Elf Bugs.¡±


    This batch of sixteen Elf Bugs, mostly in the breeding stage, was followed by another influx of Elves to Black Horse Island. Knights who had surrendered to Liszt brought their families to migrate here; two Sky Knights who did not wish to surrender paid a ransom and left Black Horse Island.


    The ransom amounted to three Minor Elves, one Oat Minor Elf, one Peanut Minor Elf, and one Sword Minor Elf.


    As for the eleven followers¡¯ Elves, they paid a total of twelve Minor Elves, of which Earl Durt Red Apricot contributed two¡ªaltogether there were two Millet Minor Elves, three Barley Minor Elves, one Orange Minor Elf, one Mango Minor Elf, one Magic Potion type Licorice Minor Elf, one Glutinous Rice Minor Elf, and one Apple Minor Elf.


    They also unexpectedly acquired one Dragon Hollyhock Minor Elf and one Thorn Minor Elf.


    Originally, two Sky Knights were to trade grain type Minor Elves, but Liszt¡¯s investigation revealed that they had contracted Dragon Hollyhock and Thorn Minor Elves. Without a doubt, he promptly obtained these two Minor Elves as ransom.


    These Sky Knights were pitifully poor, not owning even a single Greater Elf.


    Their remaining Minor Elves were put to work on Black Horse Island to help Liszt with farming, but Liszt would compensate them for their contributions according to the Elves¡¯ effort¡ªin any case, during the transition period, it was arranged as such. With the dream of founding a kingdom to uphold, nobody would raise significant objections.


    ¡­


    ¡°Now the number of elves in my territory has suddenly surged, it¡¯s war that makes it easiest to acquire wealth. My trade businesses, in comparison to war gains, still fall short by a large margin. The key difference is that trade profits trickle in steadily over time, whereas the benefits of war come all at once.¡±


    After tallying up his spoils from the Great Sea Battle, Liszt felt content and looked at the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: After the war, the Sky Knights have nothing to do. Instead of sitting idle and consuming resources in the territory, why not find them something to do? The arrival of a large number of shipbuilders has spurred the development of shipbuilding on Black Horse Island. Please produce a standard three-masted sailing ship. Reward: The anomaly on Mind Island.¡±


    Building three-masted sailing ships, giving the knights something to do¡ªthis is not difficult.


    Liszt had already planned to do this. He had ordered ten Court Fast Sailing Ships from the Sapphire Family and was ready to organize another six Court Fast Sailing Ships, forming two Adventure Fleets to join the search for islands in the southern seas. He wasn¡¯t very satisfied with the progress of Yevich¡¯s Adventure Fleet.


    He equipped the Adventure Fleets with the Calming Wind Pearl and the Water Calming Pearl, allowing them to roam the nearby seas at will, but the results of their explorations were quite limited.


    Indeed, it wasn¡¯t fair to blame Yevich for his lack of effort. Given the limited speed of the fleet and the vast expanse of the sea, discovering islands was indeed very difficult.


    ¡°By adding two more Adventure Fleets to make a total of three fleets with nine Court Fast Sailing Ships, we should be able to greatly expand the extent of our sea explorations¡­ If we can discover islands, we should do so quickly and start developing them as soon as possible. If we can¡¯t find anything, we must quickly move to a new region and explore the waters of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.¡±


    Having finished his thoughts,


    his gaze settled on the phrase ¡°the anomaly on Mind Island.¡±


    ¡°It seems there still is an issue with Mind Island. The Light Green Gemstone Mine appears to be ready for extraction. It¡¯s time to start mining and uncover the real secrets inside Mind Island.¡± Liszt was a man of action and immediately decided to take action to investigate, prompted by the Smoke Mission.


    The investigation team would be limited to just him and Ach.


    The Flame Number whooshed across the sea¡¯s surface, arriving at Mind Island within a few hours. The island, stripped of all its Crystal Firmiana and washed over by Ach with seawater, was barren, with nothing on it. There were also no new saplings where the Mind Fruit Trees once grew.


    ¡°Ach, check for any anomalies on Mind Island.¡± After landing on the island, Liszt began his investigation immediately, but he wasn¡¯t really expecting to find anything unusual¡ªthe Smoke Mission wasn¡¯t completed yet, and it was likely that the anomaly on Mind Island had not occurred, so this was just a precaution.


    Or perhaps they could detect an anomaly early, directly altering the mission and starting a new one.


    Unfortunately, after a thorough inspection, no anomalies were found on Mind Island. However, a faint green layer of crystal had formed beneath the soil. Liszt excavated a section of the Crystal Mine and found a couple of fist-sized Light Green Gems sparsely distributed.


    ¡°So these are the Light Green Gems produced by the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, huh? It doesn¡¯t seem to be very abundant; even if the entire island has become a Light Green Gemstone Mine, the gem reserves won¡¯t be much¡­ A pity for the essence blood leaked by the Light Green Gem Dragon at that time, but it¡¯s hard to say, perhaps it¡¯s because that Mind Fruit Tree absorbed too much.¡±


    But soon, he discovered that the Magic Power within the Crystal Mine was still slowly flowing, as if it were nurturing new Light Green Gems.


    ¡°Does this mean that this Light Green Gemstone Mine hasn¡¯t fully developed yet?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s wait. No rush!¡±

 Chapter 798 - Chapter 798: Chapter 0795 - The Young Lady of Our Family is Growing Up (Second Update)

    Chapter 798: Chapter 0795 ¨C The Young Lady of Our Family is Growing Up (Second Update)


    Returning from Mind Island with no success,


    Liszt couldn¡¯t wait to urge the construction of the shipyard on Black Horse Island. He was a man full of contradictions, sometimes leisurely dragging his feet, yet at other times, impatient for results.


    However, the development of the shipbuilding industry couldn¡¯t be accelerated by mere urgency. Even with the guidance of the shipbuilders from the Sapphire Family, and the original shipwrights from the territory conducting research and trials, mastering the technology of the three-masted sailing ship was still not well within reach. As time passed, they kept accumulating knowledge and continually experimenting.


    While silently waiting for the shipyard to build the three-masted sailing ships, Liszt immersed himself in refining the ¡°Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Dou Qi¡¯s Manual.¡±


    One day, when he was inspecting the smithy in the territory, he saw the blacksmiths rhythmically hammering the iron with both large and small hammers, shaping the red-hot iron. Suddenly, he was struck with a myriad of inspirations. Soon after, he created the fifth move based on the rhythm of the hammering¡ªEarthshake.


    From then on, the Dragon Dou Qi Manual consisted of five moves.


    Dragon Slash ¨C Chop, Sky Burning ¨C Sweep, Swallow Sun ¨C Stab, Sea-Boiling ¨C Strangle, and Earthshake ¨C Pound. When performed in conjunction with Little Fire Dragon Leo, the Fire Dragon Knight¡¯s strength surged tremendously.


    Although he still didn¡¯t know the next stage of a Dragon Knight¡¯s training, at this current stage, his strength could continue to skyrocket. Judging by his experience riding both dragons, his combat power was roughly half that of a Completion Level Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight. Once he became a Completion Level Fire Dragon Knight, his strength would surpass that of a Completion Level Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight.


    ¡°To put it simply, a Completion Level Dragon Knight is equivalent to an Elite Earth Knight adept in combat skills. Since the ¡®magic potion¡¯ route is unclear, I can only enhance my strength by continuously refining my combat skills¡­ After reaching mastery in soul, I fear I will only be able to bolster my strength by constantly honing the Dragon Dou Qi Manual,¡±


    Liszt reflected.


    But he soon came to terms with it, ¡°Other Dragon Knights may waste their time at the Dragon Knight stage, but I may have a clue about the next stage of training. With the help of the Smoke Mission and the effects of the Eye of Magic, finding the path to break through the limits of a Dragon Knight won¡¯t be difficult.¡±


    With the Smoke Mission, an ability that seemed to be a touch of the Power of Destiny, Liszt had such effortless confidence.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    ¡­


    June arrived in the blink of an eye.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon had recovered, ready to soar through the skies and display its majesty. Of course, its foundations were still weak, and it would take several years of nurturing to return to its peak condition.


    Regardless,


    Liszt left Little Fire Dragon Leo to sleep on Black Horse Island and headed for Dodo Island. He mounted Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan and began migrating southward¡ªhe planned to pull the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to an unexplored new island, which was the large island south of the First Chain Island.


    Not only was that island lush with vegetation, it also housed many Magical Beasts, which would suffice to allow Ethan to roam¡ªplus with Liszt¡¯s frequent support of Magic Potions and other resources, it was barely possible to sustain a dragon on a single island.


    This was only a temporary solution.


    Once he found an archipelago suitable for establishing a kingdom, Liszt would build a Dragon Nest for both Ethan and Leo, supporting these two dragons. Perhaps not just these two; it was also time for an old friend, the Formless Dragon, to arrive.


    ¡°The Formless Dragon visits once a year, and I¡¯ve been thinking about it for quite a while. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s been trapped by the Smoke Mission and is on its way¡­ This time when it arrives, I¡¯ll not only have some top-quality Smoked Grass and roasted beef ready for it but also a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.¡±


    The value of a Space Gem far exceeded that of any other gemstone.


    What was crucial was that he had three dragons by then, enough to establish a kingdom that spanned the sea. And once he annexed the Duchy of Sapphire, perfect!


    As he was indulging in a vision of a wonderful future, Lucy hurried down from upstairs, ¡°Your Highness, the Adventure Fleet has sent a message!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the message?¡±


    ¡°Captain Yevich sent a message; they have discovered new islands. They¡¯ve explored three of them, all closely situated and large in size. The biggest is as large as Coral Island and the smallest is as big as Black Horse Island, with many coral reefs around,¡±


    ¡°Really!¡±


    Liszt could no longer sit still, steadying his excited emotions, he went upstairs with Lucy.


    Rose was tinkering with the Magic Platform, the compass making ticking sounds of magic reaction, while she took notes with one hand. With some time spent training, the twins, who had a decent magical gift, had become qualified operators and telegraphists, handling the Magic Platform rhythmically like a nightclub DJ.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Upon seeing Liszt¡¯s arrival, Rose immediately put down her quill and bowed respectfully to Liszt.


    ¡°No need for formalities, focus on operating the Magic Platform. What is Yevich saying?¡± Lucille fetched a chair and Liszt sat down.


    ¡°Captain Yevich¡¯s fleet has already set forth again. They are following the terrain of the islands and searching other sea areas in an effort to determine the number and size of the new islands as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Good, put me in contact with Yevich.¡±


    The Magic Platform had entered its 3.0 era, with further improved functionality and significantly better communication quality.


    Although it still wasn¡¯t as convenient as natural conversation, it could now convey much more information like a chat. After half an hour of continuous communication, Liszt basically understood the location of the new archipelago: it was merely 400 kilometers away from the island where the Light Green Gem Dragon currently resided.


    The location was to the southwest.


    ¡°The First Chain Island is 500 kilometers from the new island, and the new island is 400 kilometers from the New Archipelago. It¡¯s quite exhilarating; this seems to be a true archipelago! The First Chain Island is just a remote corner of the continental shelf, but the New Archipelago is the true highlands of the shelf.¡±


    He immediately ordered that Yevich¡¯s fleet put all their effort into the search for the New Archipelago and that the other two Adventure Fleets set sail immediately toward the New Archipelago, to explore these potentially hope-filled New Islands together.


    The Magic Platform communication ended.


    Leaning back in his chair, Liszt leisurely savored a cup of green tea Mrs. Morson had brought him.


    Lucy and Rose, the curious twins, asked, ¡°Your Highness, if we have found the New Archipelago, does that mean we can establish our own country?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Does Your Highness want to be a king?¡±


    ¡°That depends on the situation. Perhaps I will just advance to a Grand Duke, and then our country would be called the Grand Duchy of Flame; if I have more dragons, I might directly become a king, and then our country would be called the Flame Kingdom,¡± Liszt said with a smile, fond of the clever and adorable twins.


    The two young girls were not only cute and talented but also had a very endearing personality.


    In Liszt¡¯s heart, he gradually felt like he was watching his own daughters grow up¡ªhe himself was over thirty in soul, and with the twins being not even ten, there was indeed a father-daughter age gap, as well as a brimming expectation to see them succeed.


    The other day.


    The twins had almost learned Common Magic and were about to become Magicians.

 Chapter 799 - Chapter 799: Chapter 0796: Great Whirlpool at Sea (First Update)

    Chapter 799: Chapter 0796: Great Whirlpool at Sea (First Update)


    ¡°Your Highness, can you take me and my sister with you when you and Teacher Ach go to explore the New Archipelago?¡± Ruth asked with her big, adorable eyes.


    Lucy immediately scolded, ¡°Ruth, do not make such impudent requests to His Highness!¡±


    Although Ruth was somewhat bold, she didn¡¯t dare to defy her sister and could only bow apologetically to Liszt, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness, Ruth has been too reckless. I ask for your forgiveness.¡±


    Liszt waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Lucy, Ruth, if your Teacher Ach doesn¡¯t object, I don¡¯t see any reason not to take you along.¡± Having two cute little lasses for company during the voyage could indeed be a delightful and interesting affair, especially since they could operate the Magic Platform.


    Therefore, Ach, who was researching on Dragon Turtle Island the project ¡°How Dragon Turtles Mutate into Lightning Dragon Turtles,¡± quickly agreed to the sisters¡¯ request.


    With Liszt¡¯s encouragement, he had already taken Lucy and Ruth on as his Magic Apprentices¡ªa move to which their previous teacher, Chris Truth, had no objections. In fact, she envied the twins for being able to receive instruction from an Archmage at any time.


    Of course.


    In truth, Chris was overthinking it. Ach was only nominally the twins¡¯ teacher and had no real intention of teaching privately. She preferred conducting her own magic research, or assigning tasks to Magicians, rather than interacting with others, let alone teaching.


    Having an Archmage teach Magic Apprentices was indeed overkill when just about any common Magician from the Magic Guild could handle the teaching.


    ¡°Thank you, Teacher, thank you, Your Highness,¡± the twins cheered excitedly.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Pack your bags, we could leave at any moment.¡± His and Ach¡¯s voyage was always ready to go without any delay.


    At this moment.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    From a Jade Box hanging from the roof, came a somewhat weak cry from Nami, ¡°Chirp.¡±


    It flew out of the box and landed on Ach¡¯s palm, looking pitifully at her. It hadn¡¯t been out for work lately but stayed in the laboratory waiting for Ach¡¯s return, seeking care from its master. Its expression was listless, still struggling with the forces inhibiting its evolution.


    Ach held Nami in her palm and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nami, Ach will take you with us. We are off to explore the new world in the archipelago my brother has discovered.¡±


    ¡°Chirp,¡± Nami nuzzled Ach¡¯s fingers with its head and fell asleep contentedly.


    One day later.


    Liszt got his affairs in order, and Ach handed over her busy magic experiments one by one. Only then did they set off for the New Archipelago.


    Boom!


    The sound of rushing water!


    ¡°To the sea, we set sail!¡± the twins shouted joyfully from the bow of the ship.


    Before coming to Black Horse Island, they were serf children from the countryside of the Eagle Kingdom and had never seen the sea in their lives.


    After settling on Black Horse Island, taking a sailboat had become a common occurrence. They had long overcome their fear of the sea, except for swimming in it.


    The Flame Number, loaded with supplies such as fruits, vegetables, and Magic Potions, cut through the waves along a structured sailing route, reaching speeds of up to five hundred kilometers per hour.


    The New Archipelago is approximately four thousand kilometers away from Black Horse Island¡ªif we calculate using Earth¡¯s measurements, that¡¯s roughly the distance from Bohai in the northernmost part of China to the South China Sea in the far south.


    The average sailing speed of the Court fast sailing ships is about 10 knots, which is approximately 18 kilometers per hour; with a tailwind, they can sail up to four hundred kilometers in a day. It was relying on these Court fast sailing ships that the Sapphire Family was able to dominate the Sea of Azure Waves; however, there are many instances of sailing against the wind or without any wind on the sea, so at most two hundred kilometers can be covered in a day.


    To go from Black Horse Island to the New Archipelago, even using a Court fast sailing ship, it would take twenty days to reach the destination, and if you were to use one of those merchant ships with a sailing speed of 3 knots, it probably would take two months, provided the sailing goes smoothly.


    However.


    For Flame Number, there is no distinction between sailing against the wind, with the wind, or with no wind at all. Ach controlled the Water Tornado to propel itself, essentially ¡°speeding¡± on the sea. Eight hours later, they had already arrived at the location recorded on the nautical chart, and then Liszt summoned Little Fire Dragon Leo, flying between the blue sky and white clouds, to search for the land.


    The search went smoothly, and it only took fifteen minutes to find the island¡ªthis was also due to the ever-increasing accuracy of nautical charts.


    Ach had been studying ¡°Astrology¡± for a long time and, combined with telescope technology, developed a set of devices capable of measuring the angles between the sun or other celestial bodies and the sea level or ground level. He also wrote a book, ¡°Methods of Measuring Celestial Positions with Light in Navigation,¡± to direct the application of the device.


    Upon seeing this device, Liszt immediately claimed the naming right: ¡°Let¡¯s call it a sextant!¡± In fact, the device was a sextant from another world.


    With a sextant, they could measure the ship¡¯s bearings more accurately while sailing.


    Essentially, it eliminated the possibility of getting lost at sea. The ships from the Flame Territory used the sextant during both day and night, and only on cloudy days would they rely on the nautical compass¡ªa device similar to the compass, fixed in pointing towards a specific direction, not the north-south direction, but rather west by fifteen degrees to the north.


    There was no theoretical explanation for why it pointed in that direction.


    ¡°Ach, head in the direction of 195 degrees, the island is right ahead!¡± After finding the island, Liszt immediately contacted Ach¡ªAs for the ¡°195 degrees,¡± that was Liszt¡¯s own invention. He divided the nautical compass coordinates into 360 degrees, clearly indicating every direction.


    195 degrees is slightly south-west.


    This invention stemmed from his experience playing the game ¡°PlayerUnknown¡¯s Battlegrounds¡± on Earth, which conveniently displayed directions in 360 degrees for notifying teammates of enemy locations.


    However, before Flame Number could get closer to the island.


    Lucy and Ruth started to shout loudly, ¡°Your Highness, Teacher, the Magic Platform reports that Discovery has encountered an unidentified Great Whirlpool and is being swallowed by it, calling for our help!¡±


    Ach immediately asked, ¡°Coordinates, direction!¡±


    As soon as the twins reported Discovery¡¯s location, Flame Number immediately turned and rushed towards the sea area where Discovery was located. They maintained communication via the Magic Platform all the way, with Discovery still struggling incessantly, while Explorer and Opportunity were too far away to render assistance, they could only wait for Flame Number.


    Unfortunately, when Ach continuously corrected the direction and finally arrived near that Great Whirlpool, the signal for Discovery had already disappeared from the Magic Platform.


    ¡°Your Highness, Teacher¡­¡± Lucy said sadly, ¡°The Magic Platform signal for Discovery can¡¯t be found.¡±


    Liszt walked to the bow of Flame Number, his mood somewhat gloomy, but still he consoled himself, ¡°Maritime adventures unavoidably face misfortunes. They are pioneers of nation-building, and the new nation will not forget their contributions.¡± His gaze lifted, looking toward the Great Whirlpool that seemed capable of swallowing both heaven and Earth.


    With Ach controlling the Water Tornado, Flame Number slowly approached the Great Whirlpool.


    This was a huge whirlpool without visible boundaries, so immense that not even the Water Calming Pearl could affect its operation. The surface of the whirlpool sloped towards a distant center point, dark and deep, making it nearly impossible to see how deep it went to the seabed.

 Chapter 800 - Chapter 800: Chapter 0797: Magic Power Lines (Second Update)

    Chapter 800: Chapter 0797: Magic Power Lines (Second Update)


    ¡°Brother, the magic power of this whirlpool is very special,¡± Ach said while employing the Eye of Magic Power to carefully observe the Great Whirlpool.


    Liszt also used the Eye of Magic to observe, and indeed, as Ach had said, this huge, mysterious, and almost stationary Great Whirlpool possessed a special magic structure.


    Ordinary seawater doesn¡¯t reveal much in terms of magic traces when viewed with the Eye of Magic, but the Great Whirlpool was filled with bluish-white light of the Water Attribute. Additionally, the closer one got to the center of the whirlpool, the brighter the Magic Radiance became; the blue light gradually being obscured by white light. What was most peculiar was that the light seemed to have layers of discontinuity.


    It was a special optical phenomenon, as if a large number of broken crystals had been placed at the center of the whirlpool, disrupting the path of the light and leaving it utterly incoherent.


    ¡°What is the reason for this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Then let me ride a dragon to employ the Dragon Eye Trajectory and have a peek!¡± Liszt said immediately.


    ¡°Be careful, brother. The magic power of this Great Whirlpool is extraordinary. Ach can feel it. It is even difficult to control the seawater at the edge, let alone the center,¡± Ach warned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will observe from the sky and will not go near the sea surface.¡±


    He called out for Leo.


    Being frequently disturbed from his rest by Liszt, Leo was somewhat displeased: ¡°Oh ho!¡± It had recently been frustrated due to the absence of the Dodo Island Volcano, limiting its strength growth, so naturally, it was in a bad mood.


    ¡°Cooperate well, and I¡¯ll reward you with a Magic Potion upon return!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?


    Mounting the Dragon Tooth Platform, Liszt quickly flew above the Great Whirlpool. As he employed the Dragon Eye Trajectory, the world took on a different kind of clear visual effect.


    Every flow of seawater was filled with a dynamic beauty.


    The lines of magic power were skillfully delineated back and forth, painting an extraordinary Great Whirlpool that resembled an intricately carved sculpture. Within the chaotic array of magical colors, a mysterious order faintly emerged. As he climbed higher, the Great Whirlpool shrank continuously, revealing its complete appearance to him.


    It was an irregular-shaped oval whirlpool with its edges somewhat reminiscent of the Milky Way Galaxy, with spiraling extensions. The magic radiance of the extensions was somewhat brighter, but the brightest was at the vortex center, almost like a huge silver-white mini-sun.


    However,


    within the mini-sun, there were clear fractures¡ªthose were the breaks in the magic power.


    ¡°Very strange, what exactly is this structure? It seems like the fractures are arranged in a huge Magic Array?¡± Having communicated with Ach for years, Liszt was not unfamiliar with Magic Arrays. The more he observed, the more he was convinced that this was a huge Magic Array, with the extensions and the center complementing each other, each fracture a component of the Magic Array.


    Without realizing it, he took out a notebook and quill pen from his Space Ring and began to sketch the scene he saw, detail by detail.


    A moment later,


    the sketch was complete, capturing the major lines of the Magic Array in proportion.


    Only then did he put away his pen and paper and descend toward the whirlpool¡¯s center to observe the central point up close. If he dispelled the Dragon Eye Trajectory and looked with the naked eye, it was a profound, pitch-black passageway, with the sea around the whirlpool sloping parabolically towards the center.


    By the time he reached the center, the parabola was nearly a straight line.


    Nonetheless, the water continued to spiral downwards forming a circular deep well with a diameter of about one kilometer, so deep the bottom couldn¡¯t be seen.


    Once again employing the Dragon Eye Trajectory, the Whirlpool Deep Well was immediately covered in dense Magic Power, with the fractures distributed at the well¡¯s location, stacking, intersecting, and paralleling each other, appearing both complex and orderly. Liszt took out his paper and pen once more and depicted this structure.


    The two drawings of magic power lines essentially captured the magical composition of the Great Whirlpool.


    Taking a deep breath, Liszt controlled Leo to leave the center of the whirlpool. Without having clarified the situation, he dared not venture carelessly into the Whirlpool Deep Well.


    Indeed, there was an urge to dive in and unravel the mystery, but the overpowering instinct to survive always governed Liszt, making him exercise caution in every respect.


    Thud!


    Jumping down from the bow of the Flame Number, Liszt handed two drawings to Ach, ¡°Take a look at the magic structure of the Great Whirlpool. I feel like it¡¯s a massive magic array¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a naturally formed magic array or one set up by some ancient archmage.¡±


    Ach took the drawings and quickly became engrossed in them.


    As time ticked by, she still didn¡¯t lift her head, not even to find a seat. She took out a notebook, continuously copied the drawings, and modified the lines. From time to time, she would set down her pen, step out to observe the Great Whirlpool using her Eye of Magic Power, then return to continue with her revisions.


    After a long while,


    Ach said again, ¡°Brother, Ach wants to look at the Great Whirlpool from the sky.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Liszt called out Leo, promised ten Magic Potions as a reward, and successfully rode Leo into the sky with Ach above the Great Whirlpool.


    ¡°Brother, you conjure the Dragon Eye Trajectory and help Ach examine the details.¡±


    ¡°You say it, I¡¯ll explain it for you.¡±


    ¡°What does the edge of the well at 65 degrees to the left look like, those two intersecting fracture lines?¡±


    ¡°Twisting and turning, with a notch in the middle, at the point where the light suddenly breaks. If you focus on this point and look up about a finger¡¯s length, do you see it? There¡¯s actually another notch hidden under the light.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Ach understands now. What about the trajectory of the two parallel fracture lines on the well wall at the 72-degree direction, a finger¡¯s length inward?¡±


    One query, one explanation.


    A full half hour was consumed, and the sun was setting in the west, with evening approaching.


    It wasn¡¯t until then that Ach, still not completely satisfied, asked Liszt to take her back to the Flame Number, now far away from the Great Whirlpool. After eating some fruit, while Liszt was feasting happily with Lucy and Ruth, the twins, she continued to delve into the study of the massive magic array, whose origin was still unknown.


    It had been confirmed to be a magic array, only the information encoded within the magic array had yet to be deciphered.


    When it was night, Ach had Liszt take her up into the sky again to observe the magic structure of the Great Whirlpool in the darkness. Her Eye of Magic Power was indeed Super Magic, but its effectiveness was only about on par with Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic and not very strong, certainly no match for the Dragon Eye Trajectory.


    However, Liszt described in great detail what he saw, allowing Ach to refine her depiction of the magic array bit by bit.


    By the middle of the night, as Liszt was teasing Nami, who wasn¡¯t very spirited, Ach finally lifted her head and said, ¡°Brother, Ach has deciphered the Great Whirlpool. It¡¯s a naturally formed magic array¡ªit¡¯s a Magic Teleportation Array!¡±


    ¡°A Magic Teleportation Array?¡±


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help exclaiming.


    The news was simply too explosive for him to remain indifferent, ¡°Are you saying that this Great Whirlpool is the Magic Teleportation Array I¡¯ve been searching for, or rather, that the Teleportation Array prevalent during the era of the Moon Empire truly exists?¡±


    Ach nodded earnestly, ¡°Mhmm!¡±


    ¡­


    Meanwhile,


    At an unknown location, several campfires were lit. Injured knights returned from the forest with a few game animals, handing them to the crippled individuals cooking porridge by the campfire.


    Near another campfire, two magicians adorned in Magic Cloaks were fiddling with a compass-like device that had already cracked open.


    The leading knight threw down his prey, walked over to the magicians, and spoke, ¡°Lord Granney, is the Magic Platform fixed yet? We must make contact with His Highness as soon as possible!¡±


    Granney responded loudly, ¡°Not yet, I need a Crystal, if not an actual Crystal then a substitute!¡±

 Chapter 804 - Chapter 804: Chapter 0801: A Thousand Miles Away (First Update)

    Chapter 804: Chapter 0801: A Thousand Miles Away (First Update)


    When Liszt had arranged his plans to build a town and the Mage Tower, and when the magicians like Ach had almost prepared all the necessary materials for the experiment,


    in the laboratory, the twins Lucy and Rose operating the Magic Platform, received a signal from the ¡°Discovery¡± through their Magic Platform.


    Initially, the signal from the Magic Platform was chaotic and indecipherable, revealing no clear message, but after half an hour, the signal became clear.


    The first message received was sent in the name of Captain Ganeel Treebark Roundshield.


    ¡°Report your Highness, the ¡®Discovery¡¯ has crashed, fifty-six perished, sixteen missing, twenty-eight survived¡­ We fell into the Great Whirlpool and were ejected from a cave in a mountain waterfall, surrounded by a primeval forest with Magical Beast activity, unable to venture out, we can only hold our position at the camp¡­ urgently hoping for rescue.¡±


    ¡°There are still people alive on the ¡®Discovery¡¯!¡±


    Liszt received this message, hardly believing his ears. The seemingly terrifying abyss of the Great Whirlpool was actually a safe passage through a magical array.


    The only issue was that one end of the Magic Array was a bit thrilling, being located inside a waterfall cave on a mountain peak, causing the ¡®Discovery¡¯ to fall from the sky, and a majority of the crew perished.


    ¡°Lucy, reply to Ganeel, reassure him that they should wait safely, I am cracking the Great Whirlpool passage and will come to rescue them at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Lucy quickly pressed the keys on the compass of the Magic Platform, sending the message.


    Ach reminded from the side, ¡°Brother, we should immediately determine the coordinates of the ¡®Discovery¡¯.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Yes, Lucy, ask Ganeel for their position.¡±


    Moments later, the Magic Platform received a response: ¡°Your Highness will not abandon us, Knight¡¯s glory shines upon us! The sextant is broken, we cannot determine the exact position, but according to the calculations of two esteemed magicians, we should be at¡­¡± A string of nautical coordinates came through.


    It was a rough position.


    Ach merely glanced at the data and had calculated, ¡°Brother, if the coordinates of the ¡®Discovery¡¯ are accurate, their location is about seven to eight thousand kilometers south of Black Horse Island. Using the Great Whirlpool as a reference, it is about ten degrees south by west, nearly four thousand kilometers in straight line distance.¡±


    A Teleportation Magic Array had directly transported the ¡®Discovery¡¯ four thousand kilometers away.


    Jay Chou and Fei Yuching would have to sing four songs of ¡°Far Away¡± to cover such a distance, and if one ¡°kilometer¡± equals two ¡°li,¡± they would need to sing eight songs!


    ¡°Lucy, ask them if anyone is experiencing any adverse health effects.¡±


    Moments later, the Magic Platform responded: ¡°No adverse health reactions, some of the injured are yet to recover fully, but the Knights¡¯ Dou Qi is functioning well, Magicians can freely cast Magic, sleep normal, spirit normal, consciousness normal.¡±


    ¡°Ask them if they saw the rocks, trees, and Magical Beasts we threw into the Great Whirlpool during the previous magic experiments.¡±


    ¡°They found them, but these items fell far from their location, and their path is blocked by Magical Beasts, making exploration impossible.¡±


    ¡°Have them describe in detail the process of passing through the Great Whirlpool and describe the specifics of the mountain waterfall.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After more than an hour of detailed questioning, Liszt and Ach had clarified the situation with the Great Whirlpool¡¯s Teleportation Magic Array, which indeed was a safe transport channel.


    The only two dangers lay in, first, the whirlpool flowed extremely fast, which risked the ship falling apart; second, the instant they burst out of the waterfall¡¯s cave, they would be thrown high into the air and then plummet.


    As long as these two dangers were avoided, the Great Whirlpool essentially served as a safe and efficient Teleportation Magic Array.


    ¡°Brother, we should send a batch of supplies and experimental materials to the survivors of the Discovery, including a sextant and other equipment, and then have them collaborate with us on the research.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure!¡± Liszt nodded, ¡°But, Ach, you might need to personally make a trip to the waters seven or eight thousand kilometers away to see if there¡¯s an island or perhaps a corner of a continent.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡­


    Establishing unexpected contact with the Discovery had revitalized the research on the Great Whirlpool.


    Though the experimental research still needed to be followed up on, it was no longer urgent, especially since Liszt¡¯s focus was now completely on the other end of the Great Whirlpool.


    According to Ganeel¡¯s description, it was a massive, expansive primeval forest, indicating his location was either on a large island or at a continent¡¯s corner. With the Teleportation Magic Array of the Great Whirlpool negating thousands of kilometers, the developmental value was substantially high.


    Communications continued, and Ganeel reported on their situation every hour.


    Ach had already rapidly started on his journey to the unknown waters, while Liszt began organizing supplies, ready to dispatch them to the Discovery through the Great Whirlpool.


    ¡°All supplies must be wrapped with fan-rubber leaves, padded with cotton hemp inside, and finally bound tightly with ropes woven from hemp rope vine!¡±


    When instructing Administrative Officer Isaiah from Giant Algae City to gather supplies, Liszt took extra care in his instructions: ¡°Also, continuously reinforce the ships. Do not fear wasting materials; it¡¯s best to apply several more layers of rubber solution to ensure the ships can withstand great impact forces, even from high falls.¡±


    Now a Baron, Isaiah grew increasingly steady and capable: ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured, Isaiah will strictly package the supplies and reinforce the ships, ensuring every step minimizes the possibility of damage.¡±


    Having arranged the tasks,


    the night had already fallen. Liszt stood on the balcony, gazing at the star-filled sky, inwardly hoping Ach would bring good news¡ªhe wasn¡¯t worried about Ach¡¯s safety. Ach had become an Archmage, mastering Water Magic and proficient in Ice System Magic, powerful enough to dominate the seas.


    Moreover, Ach¡¯s swimming speed in the sea could approach the speed of sound, that is, well over twelve hundred kilometers per hour.


    No creature in the sea could catch up to Ach, not even a Water Dragon¡ªin fact, whether Water Dragons lived in the ocean remained a speculation. Recorded Water Dragons had been found in a great marsh on the continent, far from any ocean.


    From Black Horse Island to the Discovery¡¯s position, covering seven or eight thousand kilometers, Ach¡¯s full-speed swimming round trip took less than half a day.


    However, Ach took along a Magic Platform,


    and before dawn the next day, Rose, working the night shift, led by a servant, knocked on Liszt¡¯s bedroom door: ¡°Your Highness, Acherloides Teacher has sent a message. She has reached the coordinates of the Discovery and found several huge islands, the biggest of which is several times larger than Iron Hoof Island!¡±


    ¡°Several times bigger than Iron Hoof Island?¡±


    Liszt immediately got out of bed and, still in his pajamas, went to the Magic Laboratory to communicate with Ach via the Magic Platform.


    Ach described her discoveries. Since she couldn¡¯t pinpoint the exact location of the Discovery, she intentionally toured the nearby waters and had identified over ten islands. The largest was several times the size of Iron Hoof Island and even bigger than Blue Dragon Island; additionally, there were several other large islands nearly as big as Iron Hoof Island.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled!¡±


    Hearing the narration, Liszt immediately declared, ¡°My Founding Archipelago is settled!¡±

 Chapter 805 - Chapter 805: Chapter 0802: Stars and Oceans (Second Update)

    Chapter 805: Chapter 0802: Stars and Oceans (Second Update)


    Ach returned with the discovery of a super archipelago to Black Horse Island.


    Liszt was excited for an entire day. An island several times larger than Iron Hoof Island and even much bigger than Blue Dragon Island could fully bear the weight of founding a nation.


    In addition, with the surrounding large islands, this was essentially the chosen site for the Flame Country.


    And according to Ach¡¯s account, the distances between the islands were very narrow, which would significantly reduce sailing time between them, making them even more suitable for living and development.


    The only flaw was that this archipelago was too far from the Duchy of Sapphire, precisely seven thousand kilometers away according to Ach¡¯s re-measurement. Even if the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix were created in the future for ship navigation, it would still only shorten the distance by a bit over three thousand kilometers.


    Moreover, the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix seemed to be one-way, only allowing passage one way and not the return.


    For trade between the two nations, the round trip would be at least eleven thousand kilometers, and with the Court¡¯s fast sailing ships at a speed of 10 knots, it would take more than fifty days; for ordinary sailing ships at 3 knots, at least half a year. Relocating the domain¡¯s industries would be truly troublesome.


    Liszt himself did not need to worry. He and Ach could take to the seas any time on Flame Number, reaching speeds of five hundred kilometers per hour, making ten thousand kilometers merely a 20-hour trek.


    With rest included, a round trip in two days would be easy.


    But it was not feasible to use Flame Number to help with the domain¡¯s relocation. To move all the industries, Flame Number would have to sail back and forth for months.


    ¡°Perhaps the Lightning Dragon Turtle could be employed as a mover?¡±


    Though not the fastest, the Lightning Dragon Turtle was much faster than the Court¡¯s fast sailing ships, and the ordinary dragon turtles on Dragon Turtle Island were not slow either. Once tamed, they would happily pull the ships¡ªsadly, taming dragon turtles to pull ships is likely as difficult as inventing steamships.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    Regardless, despite its remote location and sailing difficulties, the discovery of the New Archipelago was still tremendously good news.


    From now on, Liszt could start preparing to relocate his domain and develop the New Archipelago to prepare for nation-building.


    ¡°Should I start by establishing a Grand Duchy as a transition, or go straight to a kingdom? It¡¯s a bit troublesome. My old friend, the Formless Dragon hasn¡¯t come yet; I feel uncertain without it.¡±


    What a pleasant dilemma.


    Liszt pulled his thoughts back from wandering and finally set his sights on the Magic Teleportation Array, ¡°What I should most do is support Ach in deciphering the Magic Teleportation Array, striving to master the manufacturing method of the Teleportation Magic Array, so I can directly build one on Black Horse Island.¡±


    The Great Whirlpool at sea could directly send the Discovery four thousand kilometers away, the most efficient mode of transportation.


    Once he developed the Magic Teleportation Array, Liszt could fully realize his dream of ruling the seas around the Legendary Continent, then slowly hunt and farm the Legendary Continent as his own.


    The idea was good.


    But the study of the Magic Teleportation Array was no simple matter.


    Judging by the tempestuous aura of the Great Whirlpool, it was clear that the Magic Teleportation Array wouldn¡¯t just be a simple door to push open to teleport to another door or a metallic array to stand on and wait to be magically ¡®whooshed¡¯ thousands of miles away.


    However, no matter how difficult, Liszt had to study the Magic Teleportation Array; this magic was the cornerstone for ideals to soar.


    ¡°Give me the Magic Teleportation Array, and I have the confidence to change this world!¡±


    There was a time when his dream was very simple: to be well-fed, ride a dragon, and live carefree. After riding a dragon, his dream evolved into protecting a nation, preserving the bloodline, and then exploring the wonderful world. Now, his dream had ballooned once again: exploring was no longer a challenge; the real challenge was to change the world.


    ¡°Contract with the Immortal Dragon and become an eternal Dragon Domain Landlord!¡±


    ¡°Open up the Magic Teleportation Array, collect various dragons, rule the Legendary Continent!¡±


    ¡°Melding Magic with Dou Qi, I¡¯ll forge a brand-new era where technology and Magic Power are equally emphasized!¡±


    ¡°And then, to comprehend this planet and journey to the moon for a look, if possible, I could embark on an impromptu interstellar voyage!¡±


    The more he pondered, the more his spirits surged.


    After indulging in wild fantasies, he gradually reigned in his thoughts, discarding these exaggerated ideas and returning to reality. Despite the constant opportunities that came his way, he couldn¡¯t deny that his foundation was still quite shallow, and supporting two dragons was proving to be very strenuous.


    He still needed to keep working hard and striving towards the goal of building a nation.


    ¡­


    News of the discovery of the Founding Archipelago was temporarily sealed by Li Si Te (Liszt).


    He didn¡¯t want to expose his hand before the situation became clear, especially since he hadn¡¯t taken enough advantage of the Duchy of Sapphire¡ªhe risked being hunted by dragons to save the Sapphire Family, and not to skin the Sapphire down would be a huge loss.


    In short, it was about getting money, goods, and technology from the Sapphire Duke¡¯s hands.


    Under his persistent urging, the shipyard in his territory, supported by technology, finally launched a brand-new three-masted merchant ship, which passed navigational testing and met all the required standards.


    After the new ship¡¯s return from its maiden voyage, Li Si Te generously rewarded all the shipbuilders and personally named the merchant ship ¡°Expedition,¡± signifying that the trade of the Flame Territory would venture far across the seas. It also meant that he was about to lift the curtain on the great age of sailing.


    The Duchy of Sapphire may have started the age of sailing, but it was still confined to its own small world.


    Yet Li Si Te¡¯s ambition was unstoppable, even by the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    Only when he would traverse the four seas surrounding the Legendary Continent, and then set sail into the Devil¡¯s Sea, transitioning from green waters to the blue, could it be considered the true age of sailing!


    After concluding the commemoration ceremony of the ship¡¯s launch, Li Si Te rode on the back of the Landwalker bird Loki, leisurely calling out the Smoke Mission, ¡°Complete the mission, reward: the anomalies of Mind Island.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s finally time to complete the mission, time to investigate Mind Island once again.¡±


    He suddenly felt a weary sentiment, ¡°I have to go with Ach¡­ ever since Ach became an Archmage, it seems I can¡¯t do anything without her. It¡¯s not just that she might be more inclined to use her brain than I am, but more because her speed at sea is unmatched, saving time and improving efficiency.¡±


    Without Ach, Li Si Te didn¡¯t know how long it would take to embark on naval explorations; building a nation would be even further off.


    Fortunately, he had Ach.


    Although he had trained Ach to be not quite like the na?ve Little Sea Monster she once was, their intimacy continued to grow day by day.


    With the corners of his mouth curving up into a smile, Li Si Te adjusted the light golden locks of hair on his forehead, lifted by the wind. His nineteen-year-old face still retained some childishness, but his aura was unmistakably noble.


    A red cape, silver armor, a multicolored mount.


    He was the brightest light on Black Horse Island.


    As he passed by, whether it be officials, Knights, or the working commoners and Serfs, all showed sincere expressions of reverence, bowing their heads in respectful salutation.


    He was accustomed to such displays, untouched by them.


    He was only concerned with the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Last year, the blood of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon drenched Mind Island, turning the entire Mind Island green. Although much of the Magic Power was drawn by the Mind Fruit Trees and absorbed by the Crystal Alsophila spinulosa, it still nurtured vast Crystal and gemstone mines; please proceed with mining. Reward: Shattered Jade.¡±

 Chapter 806 - Chapter 806: Chapter 803: Jade Dream (3rd update, 10,000 coins reward celebration 2/4)

    Chapter 806: Chapter 803: Jade Dream (3rd update, 10,000 coins reward celebration 2/4)


    This chapter is a bonus update from ¡°Radish Geng 01¡±.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°The reward for mining the Light Green Gemstone Mine is a shattered jade?¡±


    In this world, there is jade, a type of gemstone, colored emerald green, which many Elves like to consume as jade powder. However, a piece of shattered jade clearly isn¡¯t sufficient as a reward for the Smoke Mission¡ªeven if sometimes the Smoke Mission uses readily available resources as rewards, they have never been this cheap.


    ¡°So the shattered jade isn¡¯t just any jade, it¡¯s very likely¡­¡±


    Liszt¡¯s heart suddenly raced uncontrollably, trying to suppress but unable to restrain the wild thoughts in his mind, ¡°It¡¯s very likely related to clues about the Jade Dragon!¡±


    The Jade Dragon, one of the five Sacred Dragons, represents the power of dreams, and it¡¯s said to be able to enter the dreams of any creature.


    All the Sacred Dragons truly exist, Liszt firmly believed in this, so the Jade Dragon must also truly exist. He had fantasized more than once about the different abilities of the Sacred Dragons¡ªthe Formless Dragon, resembling a special Gemstone Dragon, can produce Space Gems; the Smoke Dragon holds the power of fate, changing destiny at will.


    The Immortal Dragon probably possesses eternal life, whereas the Twilight Dragon has the ability to alter time. As for the powers of the Jade Dragon, Liszt had also thought a lot about it.


    There are generally two directions to speculate.


    One is the dream world, linking the dreams of all creatures, similar to the Emerald Dream protected by the Green Dragons in ¡°World of Warcraft¡±, which is a reflection of the real world.


    Another is mental power, manipulating creatures¡¯ thoughts through entering dreams, just like the legendary nightmares that trap people in endless torment.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï


    ¡°Shattered jade, Mind Island, Mind Fruit Tree, Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit!¡± Liszt, riding the Landwalker Bird Loki, calculated like a fortune teller, ¡°I should¡¯ve realized, the Mind Fruit Tree, such an incredible plant, even Space Gems can¡¯t stop it, it¡¯s definitely extraordinary!¡±


    Dragon magic has an extreme nature, belonging to a unique class of Superior Magic, Super-energy Magic Power.


    Thus, ordinary items definitely can¡¯t break the dominance of Superior Magic; only magic of the same level can counteract each other. The Mind Fruit Tree is clearly a product of Superior Magic, just like Space Gems.


    ¡°Could the shattered jade refer to the remains of the Jade Dragon? Upon its remains grows the Mind Fruit Tree, and the Mind Fruit Tree has produced Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit because it possesses the powerful mental powers of the Jade Dragon, thus the Mind Fruit can bind the minds of dragons!¡±


    From the current clues, this is the most reasonable speculation.


    Having thought everything through, Liszt had already returned to Thorn Castle and found Ach, who was drawing nautical charts, ¡°Ach, pause your work, come with me to Mind Island.¡±


    ¡°Brother, are you in a hurry to mine the gem mines on Mind Island?¡± Ach was a bit reluctant to leave; she was now captivated by the Magic Teleportation Array.


    ¡°Very much so because there might be clues about another dragon hidden on Mind Island!¡±


    Ach also likes dragons, and upon hearing the clues about a dragon, she immediately put down her work, ¡°Another new dragon? That¡¯s great, brother can ride a new dragon.¡±


    Magicians cannot ride dragons, yet the love for dragons is in everyone¡¯s heart.


    Moreover, for Ach, dragons are excellent research material. Initially, the nearly dead Light Green Gemstone Dragon Ethan had provided her with a wealth of information to explore the mysteries of magic. To this day, she would from time to time ask Liszt to let her study Leo.


    And so, they set off, and on the way, Ach asked, ¡°Brother, what kind of dragon¡¯s clues did you find?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Jade Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Sapphire Duke, you mentioned the Jade Dragon representing dreams?¡± Ach wasn¡¯t overly surprised, as she already knew about the Formless Dragon and was prepared for the Sacred Dragons.


    ¡°It might just be the remains of a Jade Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Remains?¡±


    ¡°Yes, even dragons die, but it¡¯s unclear why they didn¡¯t die in the legendary Valley of Dragons, but here, in the Sea of Azure Waves.¡± Liszt was really curious about what had happened to these powerful dragons, starting with the Smoke Dragon, which seemed to be dead, its power inhabiting his body.


    Then he encountered a dragon that seemed to be in its youth, the Formless Dragon, not knowing whether it had been resurrected after death; followed by finding the remains of a Fire Dragon, from which Little Fire Dragon Leo was born.


    Now, there appeared to be remains of a Jade Dragon.


    Counting it up, there were exactly four dragons intersecting in the Sea of Azure Waves, among them three Sacred Dragons, one Elemental Dragon. There were too many unknown secrets that baffled him, so much so that Liszt even wondered whether the Sea of Azure Waves was the legendary Valley of Dragons, but he felt it couldn¡¯t be possible.


    However, the Fire Dragon had died thousands of years ago, even the dragon bones, which almost never decay, had degraded to ordinary bones.


    In a trance.


    Mind Island had arrived; from afar, Liszt understood what ¡°the anomaly of Mind Island¡± meant¡ªthe island was enveloped in a layer of light green mist emitting light, clearly the power of the Light Green Gemstone Mine, mingling with the free magic power in the air to form a misty aura.


    Sapphire Duke had told Liszt that the gemstone mine sometimes formed a gemstone mist under special weather conditions.


    ¡°We must mine it as soon as possible to prevent Mind Island from being discovered by others!¡± Such an anomaly could be seen from a great distance, making it extremely exposed.


    Moments later, they landed on Mind Island.


    Liszt immediately took out a Bone Spade and began to dig where the Mind Fruit Tree had previously grown. After digging through a meter of soil, they gradually reached the rock layer. He forcefully chiseled the rock and discovered that inside the rock were visible Light Green Crystal raw stones, clusters of light green glimmers twinkling.


    Upon close inspection, one could even see Light Green Gems, as large as a fist, inside some of the crystals.


    These raw stones had to be handed over to the Crystal Craftsman to be carefully cut open, so that the gemstones growing inside could be extracted without damaging the overall structure of the crystals.


    Liszt simply stored the raw stones in his Space Ring and continued digging.


    After chiseling through a three-meter-thick layer of rock, he excavated dozens of Light Green Crystal raw stones, yet hadn¡¯t reached the shattered jade he had hypothesized about.


    However, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Although Mind Island was a small island, it had an elevation of at least several tens of meters. The broken jade might just be hidden within those thick layers of rock¡­ From digging during the day to nightfall, taking a brief sleep, then continuing to dig, from three meters deep to ten meters.


    Even for a Dragon Knight with a formidable physique, it was exhausting. The Bone Spades and Bone Chisels made from Fire Dragon Bones broke more than a dozen times.


    Finally, on the afternoon of the third day, they had dug through the distribution layer of the Light Green Gemstone Mine.


    Next, they pried open layer upon layer of a type of jade-like green shale, brushing off the rock powder, and finally exposed a vibrant and beautiful vivid green.


    Despite both being green, the green of the shale above was only jade-grade, yet this touch of green was indescribably verdant.


    ¡°It¡¯s like the tender sprouts of a freshly sprouted tree, vibrant life coursing through it! Ach, come see, I¡¯ve found the remains of the Jade Dragon!¡± Liszt gripping the Bone Spade, his fatigue swept away, ¡°Beneath Mind Island indeed lies the corpse of the Jade Dragon!¡±

 Chapter 808 - Chapter 808: Chapter 0805: Wormhole Space (Fifth Update, 10,000 Coins Reward for 4/4)

    Chapter 808: Chapter 0805: Wormhole Space (Fifth Update, 10,000 Coins Reward for 4/4)


    This chapter has been sponsored by ¡°book friend 160723102712661¡± for extra updates.


    ¡ª


    First, they sent the Earth Knights to mine on Mind Island, followed by dispatching Cross¡¤Thorn to the Great Whirlpool, accompanied by a meticulously reinforced two-masted sailing ship.


    The ship was equipped with highly-accurate sextants, Magic Platforms, and other devices for positioning.


    After reaching the Great Whirlpool, Ach directly pushed the two-masted sailing ship into it, while Cross clung to the main mast, anxiously keeping his eyes fixed on the Whirlpool Deep Well at the whirlpool¡¯s center. The ship was surrounded by a dense array of crystal spotlights designed to illuminate the environment.


    Liszt rode the Little Fire Dragon Leo circling above the Whirlpool Deep Well, his special telescope aimed at the inside, waiting for the sailing ship to enter and cast light into the depths, hoping to discover some new secrets.


    The two-masted ship kept circling within the whirlpool, rapidly approaching its center.


    Ach, standing on a seashell, was lifted by a Water Tornado at the edge of the Great Whirlpool¡ªthe Water Tornado could not continue deeper into the whirlpool; the rapid water currents and chaotic magic power could easily shred it.


    The Eye of Magic Power was deployed to observe changes in the Great Whirlpool.


    After about half an hour, the sailing ship finally plunged into the Whirlpool Deep Well at the whirlpool¡¯s center.


    Liszt carefully peered through his telescope at the deep well and saw the ship¡¯s crystal spotlights indeed illuminate its interior; however, the inner walls still seemed to be just fast-moving water. But then, in the next moment, the ship suddenly passed through a hazy mist, and its hull quickly disappeared into the fog, with the lights extinguishing too.


    The Great Whirlpool then returned to its previous calm.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0


    As if nothing had happened.


    Liszt retracted his telescope and, piloting Leo, returned to the deck of Flame Number, with Ach following swiftly back inside. Inside the cabin, Kenley and several Grand Magicians were eagerly manning the Magic Platform, maintaining continuous communication with Captain Ganeel Treebark Roundshield.


    ¡°Report the communication results,¡± Liszt commanded as he entered.


    Kenley, directly operating the Magic Platform, didn¡¯t look up as she responded, ¡°Feedback from Discover¡¯s Magic Platform shows everything is normal; no new ships have been detected.¡±


    Ten minutes later.


    The Magic Platform finally relayed new information: ¡°Your Highness, we report that a ship has flown out from the mountain waterfall cave and fallen into a forest nearby¡­ A Sky Knight is flying towards us, it must be Viscount Cross!¡±


    A few minutes after that.


    The Magic Device continued to report: ¡°It is indeed Viscount Cross; Viscount Cross is in good physical condition and states that the voyage through the Great Whirlpool was successful¡­ After entering the Whirlpool Deep Well, the crystal spotlights went out, but the surroundings lit up with myriad lightning-web or lightning-like light trajectories.¡±


    ¡°Explain in detail.¡±


    ¡°Viscount Cross, clinging to the mast and unable to move, felt the ship enveloped by a tremendous force and cast out directly. After being thrown about for five minutes, it finally passed through the dense web of lightning and emerged at the mouth of the waterfall cave, where the spotlight¡¯s light returned.¡±


    ¡°Describe the physical sensations while passing through the Great Whirlpool.¡±


    ¡°The body felt good, with no abnormalities, but Viscount Cross remembers not breathing during the transit, as if even his heart had not beaten; it was as though everything was paused, and only the ship was wrapped by some force, flying along a twisted course.¡±


    It¡¯s flying, not sailing, which means there¡¯s actually no water in the channel.


    The waterfall is normal, but the ship took flight, indicating that although the channel is within the waterfall cave, it has no connection to the waterfall.


    After all questions were asked, Liszt signaled Kenley to send a message: ¡°Prepare to welcome me; I will personally traverse the Great Whirlpool and come to your location.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, without more experimental data, it¡¯s very dangerous to traverse the Great Whirlpool rashly, and nobody can compare with your safety,¡± Kenley raised her head to advise, her magical research career in the Flame Territory had been wonderful, and she didn¡¯t want any turmoil because of an accident with Liszt.


    Ach didn¡¯t speak, but simply cast a worried glance; everything was said without a word.


    Liszt gave a slight smile, replying with a reassuring look, and said nonchalantly, ¡°My decision is made; there is no need for any delay in this trip, it¡¯s just a magic teleportation array, after all. As a Son of Glory, bathed in the knight¡¯s glory, what is there to fear?¡± It was actually the power of fate that gave him great confidence.


    The Smoke Mission led him through, suggesting that the power of fate had already shrouded the Magic Teleportation Array.


    In a word¡ªArranged!


    ¡°`


    ¡­


    Ach stood at the edge of the Great Whirlpool.


    Liszt soared in one leap, landing on Leo¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform, waving his hand towards Ach before quickly resonating in Dragon Knight Resonance, entering Dragon Rider Mode.


    Immediately, he activated the Dragon Eye Trajectory, allowing the world¡¯s magic structure to present itself clearly within his field of vision.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    Leo let out an excited roar, its spirit in perfect harmony with Liszt¡¯s, brimming with the courage and passion for adventure within their inner worlds.


    Wings flapping in flight, Dragon Dou Qi circulating as one, Dragon Might subtly inherent.


    Slicing through the air above the sea, they headed straight for the center of the distant whirlpool, and looking into the pitch-black Whirlpool Deep Well, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but shout for himself and Leo, ¡°Forward, Leo; let us conquer the Great Whirlpool together!¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    Leo folded its wings, diving headfirst into the depths of the Whirlpool Deep Well.


    At first, the deep section was nothing more than an ordinary whirlpool, with currents, roaring sounds, and the gravity of falling. Within the Dragon Eye Trajectory were countless chaotic but orderly magical lines, outlining every detail of the well¡¯s structure. But just one second into the fall, a sudden burst of light enveloped them.


    Then, he and Leo vanished into the misty vapor of the Whirlpool Deep Well.


    Or rather, they had left the sea¡¯s Great Whirlpool and entered another unknown space. A powerful stalling force enveloped them in an instant, making it difficult to move, but unlike Cross¡¤Thorn and the others who were completely immobilized, he and Leo managed to struggle and move.


    However, there was also a tremendous repulsive force ¡ª the tossing power that Cross had spoken of ¡ª propelling him and Leo forward, unable to stay in this space.


    After adapting to the intense light, the Dragon Eye Trajectory gradually revealed the magical structure inside the space.


    A dense network of threads sketched out a wormhole-like space, where the magic didn¡¯t belong to any known element like water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, light, ice, or dark.


    But it gave Liszt a familiar feeling.


    ¡°Is this¡­ the magic of spatial power?¡± His thoughts were clear, and the Dragon Dou Qi within flowed normally, ¡°The Space Gem left by the Formless Dragon, which I use every day, gives me this feel ¡ª both solid and ethereal, void yet tangibly real.¡±


    Suddenly.


    He discovered that behind these strands of space magic power, there was a faintly discernible huge net. This net revealed only the tip of the iceberg, with the rest hidden deep in the unknown space. However, Liszt quickly sensed that this net was the source of Ach¡¯s magic ¡ª the Magic Web!


    The Great Whirlpool had opened a Magic Teleportation Array, carving out a wormhole space as if it punctured the Magic Web and thrust a tube through it, straining to maintain the web¡¯s compression of the wormhole space.


    The Magic Web seemed to devour the wormhole space, whereas the space¡¯s magic power steadily maintained the wormhole¡¯s existence.


    One active, one still, achieving a balanced rhythm.


    Boom!


    Before Liszt could continue observing, his vision violently changed, and he had burst out of the wormhole space, arriving inside a mountain peak. A roaring waterfall above him, rock cliffs below ¡ª or rather, he had flown out of the wormhole space upside down.


    ¡°Maneuver and rotate, flap wings and fly!¡±


    Man and Dragon, minds connected, swiftly twisted their bodies to maintain balance, and as the repulsive force behind them disappeared, Leo suddenly flapped its wings, taking flight once more!


    Before their eyes.


    A brand new world lay before them, an endless expanse of Wild Forest, with damp air filled with a primitive essence, and behind them, a mountain peak towering thousands of meters high.


    Flame Islands!


    The future kingdom!


    The king had arrived!


    ¡°`

 Chapter 809 - Chapter 809: Chapter 0806: I Came, I Saw (First Update)

    Chapter 809: Chapter 0806: I Came, I Saw (First Update)


    The island was indeed boundlessly vast.


    Li Si Te rode Little Fire Dragon Leo to several thousand meters high in the sky, yet he still couldn¡¯t see the island¡¯s borders, as if the forests stretched endlessly and the land had no edges.


    ¡°The bigger the better!¡±


    Li Si Te felt exhilarated and couldn¡¯t help but want to burst into song.


    But in the end, he didn¡¯t sing, because he couldn¡¯t find a suitable tune. Instead, he dove downward towards the forest. He quickly located the crash sites of the Discovery and the new sailboat, two spots starkly evident amid the Wild Forest, toppling a large swath of trees and leaving behind substantial debris.


    As the Fire Dragon was about to hit the ground,


    Leo suddenly spread his wings, stirring up the air currents, halting his descent, and hovered steadily a few meters above the ground before slowly landing, releasing an impassioned roar, ¡°Oh hoo!¡±


    The crossing through the Great Whirlpool was also a sufficiently novel experience for him.


    After touching Leo¡¯s scales, Li Si Te dismounted, while Cross¡¤Thorn, Ganeel Treebark Roundshield, and others hurried over, all bowing to Li Si Te: ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Li Si Te nodded at Cross, ¡°Well done, Cross, you have shown me your courage, so from today, I will promote you to Earl¡­ As for the fief and noble title, we¡¯ll discuss them after founding the nation.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the honor bestowed, Your Highness. Cross is willing to charge into battle for you!¡± Cross knelt on one knee.


    Li Si Te drew the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, and gently tapped its tip on both of his shoulders, simply completing the ceremony. But for Cross, this was not just a simple ceremony; it was the crucial step from being a minor noble to a Great Noble, and from now on, his duty was to strengthen the Thorn family.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï


    Without paying attention to Cross¡¯s excitement,


    Li Si Te then turned toward Ganeel: ¡°Captain Ganeel, your performance has impressed me profoundly even though you plunged into the Great Whirlpool because of a lack of caution, leading to most of the crews¡¯ deaths. However, maritime exploration is inherently fraught with dangers, and the fact that you discovered the Great Whirlpool and made it to this island is a guiding light of knightly glory.¡±


    Ganeel, kneeling on the ground, was emotionally overwhelmed.


    Li Si Te smiled slightly and said directly, ¡°From today onward, I will promote you to Viscount, and we will discuss the fief and noble title after the founding of the nation!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the honor bestowed upon me, Your Highness. Ganeel swears his loyalty to you and is ready to charge into battle for you!¡±


    Li Si Te then looked at the remaining crew of the Discovery.


    Apart from Captain Ganeel and two magicians, Granney and another, there were twenty-five people.


    Of those, seven Earth Knights had been ennobled as Honored Knights after the previous sea battle, and thirteen remained unennobled Knights, along with five civilian sailors.


    ¡°My fellow Knights, for discovering the Great Whirlpool and the new island, you have all contributed. Honored Knights will be promoted to Baron, and those without titles, along with the civilian sailors, will all be ennobled as Honored Knights.¡±


    The knighting command was issued.


    Over twenty Knights and sailors knelt down, excitedly expressing their readiness to charge into battle for Lord Landlord.


    Then Li Si Te¡¯s gaze fell upon the two magicians, recognizing only one of them as Granney Truth. He was the first magician Li Si Te had dealt with. Though somewhat obstinate, his skill in creating Magic Equipment was significant. His contribution had been crucial in the repair process of the Magic Platform on the Discovery.


    ¡°As for the rewards for the two of you, they will be discussed and decided by the Magic Guild later.¡±


    The Magic Guild autonomously managed magicians, a right he had granted to Ach, Chris, and Kenley; thus, he was hesitant to bypass them and grant any rewards directly.


    ¡­


    Liszt let Granney and another magician continue to operate the Magic Platform, maintaining contact with the Flame Number near the Great Whirlpool.


    He didn¡¯t stay at the simple camp for long. After instructing everyone to quickly use the sextant to determine their position, he flew Little Fire Dragon Leo back towards the waterfall mountain.


    The mountain stood desolate and alone, enveloped by lush trees, but its outer appearance vaguely revealed that it was part of a fractured mountain range. The fractured side formed a cliff that was not too steep, with a large waterfall cascading down it.


    The source of the waterfall was near the mountaintop, a pitch-black cave.


    The entrance was wide, stretching hundreds of meters across.


    Liszt flew close to the cave entrance, constantly scrutinizing the cave with Dragon Eye Trajectory, but he saw no complex lines of magic power, as if it were just ordinary mountain water.


    He and Leo carefully flew into the cave, ready to rush into the Magic Teleportation Array again.


    However, after flying almost fifty meters deep, they still hadn¡¯t encountered any Magic Teleportation Array, ¡°Something isn¡¯t right. When I burst out of the Wormhole Space, I felt I was near the entrance. It couldn¡¯t possibly be fifty meters deep¡­ Could it be that the Wormhole Space is in another dimension, inaccessible from this cave?¡±


    Looking at the point where the cave became too narrow to enter, Liszt could only guess that.


    Then, he retraced his path.


    He had Leo land on a huge protruding rock by the waterfall and gazed at the immense flow of water, contemplating the entire Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix.


    Unconsciously, a segment of Smoke Serpent Script appeared before his eyes, ¡°Complete the mission, reward: profound understanding of the Magic Teleportation Array.¡±


    The task was complete.


    The smoke then transformed, forming a new segment of Smoke Serpent Script.


    ¡°Mission: Situated within the Flame Islands, a new nation will rise from here. As the future ruler you need a clear understanding of the Flame Islands. Why not map out the rough distribution of the islands and the area of the sea for comprehensive planning. Reward: Lost Old Friend.¡±


    Without a doubt,


    Liszt now had a deep understanding of the Magic Teleportation Array. However, he was still clueless about the theoretical basis and the principles of operation of the magic power. He could only wait for Ach to arrive, and share all his findings with her, relying on her to research.


    Coming back to his senses, he looked at the new Smoke Mission.


    Mapping the map of the Flame Islands was the implied task.


    However, the reward made him delighted, ¡°Indeed, as I¡¯ve been longing for my old friend, destiny naturally drives them closer to me¡­ However, this year¡¯s reward is no longer ¡®old friend¡¯s wandering¡¯ but ¡®lost old friend.¡¯ Could the Formless Dragon be lost?¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.


    Both encounters with the Formless Dragon were due to the scent of Smoked Grass. The second time, it lingered for a long time before reaching Black Horse Island. It knew Smoked Grass was here but forgot where Fresh Flower Town was, and eventually, it managed to make its delayed appearance thanks to Liszt arranging the dishes.


    Perhaps this fellow was directionally challenged.


    ¡°However, my old friend possesses the power that represents space; might there be a connection to the Magic Teleportation Array?¡±


    With too few clues, it was hard to judge.


    But there was no rush; mapping the Flame Islands, the old friend would inevitably be drawn by the power of destiny right to him.


    He stretched his body, feeling the surging power within, filled with anticipation for the future.


    As his power grew, the power of destiny represented by the Smoke Mission was also strengthening. Whether or not the Smoke Dragon is dead, he felt more like a human-shaped Smoke Dragon: ¡°Now, the power of destiny is within my grasp, ready to arrange at any time!¡±

 Chapter 810 - Chapter 810: Chapter 0807: Epic Battle (Second Update)

    Chapter 810: Chapter 0807: Epic Battle (Second Update)


    Leaving the waterfall cave.


    As Liszt rode on Leo, he had already thought of a name for the mountain¡ªthe Whirlpool Mountain, with the Whirlpool Cave within, and the Whirlpool Waterfall outside.


    Below the waterfall lay the Whirlpool Pool, whose waters flowed outward into Whirlpool Creek. The Whirlpool Creek grew steadily into Whirlpool River, and following it from the air, Liszt eventually found a flat valley and named it the Flame Origin. The Flame Origin was only one kilometer away from the crash site of the Discovery.


    ¡°Cross, Ganeel, start moving the camp immediately and establish a new base in the Flame Origin. From now on, use the Flame Origin base as a home ground to slowly explore these unknown lands. It won¡¯t be long before the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix becomes a major thoroughfare, and this place will quickly become a new city!¡±


    Liszt had already thought of a name for the city¡ªFlame City.


    This was the starting point for the Flame Country, where the first flames rose. The land was covered with kindling, and once ignited, the fire was destined to burn unabated.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness!¡±


    Cross Thorn immediately led the team to cut down trees and clear a road to the Flame Origin. With the Fire Dragon emanating its Dragon Might, all Magical Beasts were frightened off. Within a radius of ten or so kilometers, there should be nothing threatening for the time being, so they could work in peace.


    However, after only a short period of cutting down trees, Liszt found their efficiency too low.


    ¡°Everyone, step back!¡±


    Waving others away, he directly communicated with the sun-bathing Leo using Dragon Heart Electrical Signal: ¡°Come over and burn a path with fire.¡±


    ¡°Magic Potion.¡± Leo lifted his eyelids and shamelessly began to extort.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    It looked like he needed to cut down on some of that greed.


    Liszt grudgingly agreed to Leo¡¯s extortion, and the Little Fire Dragon promptly got up, following Liszt¡¯s instructions to exhale Dragon Breath.


    The Dragon Breath had a temperature of over three thousand degrees, instantly vaporizing trees. As it flew over the forest, breathing fire, a scorched path some seven or eight meters wide was laid bare. Then, it incinerated the entire Flame Origin with Dragon Breath, making it easier to construct the campsite.


    Of course, Liszt had previously scouted the area with Dragon Eye Trajectory and confirmed there were no Magic Potions or Elves in the vicinity.


    There was no regret in burning it down, nor fear of a forest fire. Wherever Leo¡¯s body passed, it absorbed all the flames into itself, preventing any fire from spreading under its control. The Fire Dragon, representing the power of flames, innately possessed the talent to manipulate fire.


    As he was busy constructing the camp, Ganeel, controlling the Magic Platform, reported, ¡°Your Highness, the great Lord Acherloides, is preparing to cross through the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix personally.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Tell her to cross with ease; I¡¯ll be waiting at the Whirlpool Entrance for her.¡±


    The Great Whirlpool posed a grave threat to ordinary people, but not so much to the powerful. Basically, as long as one wasn¡¯t torn apart by the whirlpool or killed in a high-altitude fall, they wouldn¡¯t die. Acherloides, just by erecting a Water Wave Shield, was practically invincible and surely wouldn¡¯t be killed.


    As for being shredded by the whirlpool, even less likely, as she was a Sea Serpent of the ocean, born with the ability to control water.


    Thus, after preparations were complete, the Magic Platform soon sent information that Acherloides had rushed towards the Great Whirlpool riding on a seashell.


    After waiting for a quarter of an hour, Liszt suddenly saw a cocoon-shaped ball of light emerge from the Whirlpool Entrance, and under Dragon Eye Trajectory¡¯s vision, traces of the Magic Web appeared out of thin air, along with the torn sections¡ªthose were the rends made by the Magic Teleportation Array on the Magic Web.


    Just as he was about to rush over and catch the cocoon-shaped ball of light, to embrace Acherloides.


    Suddenly, the waterfall¡¯s flow roared up into a Water Tornado, enveloping the cocoon-shaped ball of light. The water flow tightened, forcibly pulling the ball of light back from outside the cave entrance.


    Following that,


    The cocoon-like light sphere dissipated, and Ach stood steadily on the shell, which hovered securely above the Water Tornado. A joyful smile emerged on her delicate, elfin face: ¡°Brother, Ach has successfully traversed the Magic Teleportation Array.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, very good,¡± Liszt said as he steered Leo over to pluck Ach from atop the Water Tornado and into his embrace, before beating his wings to soar into the sky. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to have a good look at this beautiful new world first, and by the way, we can share our understanding of the Magic Teleportation Array.¡±


    Wrapped in the Magic Cloak, Ach¡¯s body was petite and light, which made Liszt easily think of the phrase ¡°delicate and fragile.¡±


    But who could have imagined that this body harbored a power capable of destruction¡ªthe Magic Power?


    The two of them rode on one dragon, circling Whirlpool Mountain, admiring the vast landscapes. They also continuously discussed the connections between the Magic Web and the Magic Teleportation Array. Though Ach¡¯s Eye of Magic Power did not see the void Magic Web that enveloped Wormhole Space, as an Archmage, she could clearly sense the existence of the Magic Web.


    Through Liszt¡¯s unceasing narration, her understanding of the Magic Teleportation Array improved significantly.


    ¡°Brother, if Ach hasn¡¯t miscalculated, then I¡¯ve mostly grasped the principle behind the formation of the Magic Teleportation Array. It seems essentially akin to the principle of the Space Ring in hand,¡± she lifted her slender finger, adorned with the Space Ring that Liszt had given her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also noticed the similarity in sensation between the two, but I didn¡¯t realize they were essentially the same. It feels like the Gemstone Space is an independent space, while the Magic Teleportation Array seems to be a presence that traverses the Magic Web.¡±


    ¡°Because the Gemstone Space is like an isolated ¡®node¡¯ that¡¯s enlarged and has melded into the Magic Web, it¡¯s treated as a part of the Magic Web itself. The Magic Teleportation Array, however, connects two nodes together, tearing the stability of the field of the Magic Web, constantly under pressure from the Magic Web.¡±


    Theoretically speaking, it gave Liszt a headache¡ªhe was more concerned with the outcomes: ¡°So, to realize the functioning of the Magic Teleportation Array, is it difficult in practical terms?¡±


    ¡°Very difficult.¡±


    ¡°Is it, how difficult?¡±


    ¡°First, you need to find a relatively fragile spot within the Magic Web that¡¯s ripe for tearing open to form connections between nodes; second, the Magic Array must be powerful enough to maintain the node connections; and last, stabilizing the node connections and expanding them into a passage is even more challenging.¡±


    As she spoke, Ach took a deep breath.


    Her chest, previously hidden beneath the Magic Cloak, puffed out: ¡°Although I haven¡¯t seen any man-made traces, Ach still believes that this Magic Array is the work of Ancient Magicians¡­ at the very least, they discovered it and expanded it into the current Magic Teleportation Array.¡±


    ¡°Created by Ancient Magicians, huh? Does that mean this isle might have once been visited by humans?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Magic translocators, Ancient Magicians, the withering of the Magic Web¡­ the Formless Dragon, Fire Dragon, Jade Dragon, Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit¡­ the Smoke Dragon, the Child of the Sun¡¯s Sky Sunken Ship¡­ and also that weapon or claw which severed the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg.


    Liszt connected these seemingly disparate clues, suddenly feeling that the only conceivable reason that these formidable elements could come together had appeared.


    War!


    Perhaps, in ancient times, possibly towards the end of the Moon Empire era, a world-shattering war had unfolded over the Sea of Azure Waves¡­ Giant Dragons roared as they fell to the ocean, the dazzling light of magic pierced the Magic Web to form a Teleportation Array, and even the Smoke Dragon¡ªwielder of the Power of Destiny¡ªcouldn¡¯t escape obliteration.


    Only a few seeds of destiny escaped, biding their time to sprout.


    Until one day, alongside a young boy¡¯s stumbling growth, they thrived, though never anticipating to be greatly harnessed by another transmigrator.


    Liszt stroked his chin: ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s like this, but anyway, the picture I¡¯ve conjured up in my mind sure feels tangible.¡±

 Chapter 811 - Chapter 811: Chapter 0808: Sky Canal (Third Update, Celebrating 10,000 Coins Reward)

    Chapter 811: Chapter 0808: Sky Canal (Third Update, Celebrating 10,000 Coins Reward)


    This chapter is a special update for the ¡°My Horse Feeding Sheep¡± 10,000 reward.


    After precise positioning with the sextant, Ach picked up his pen and easily drew a rough map of the Flame Islands on his notebook.


    The Flame Islands were not the kind where the islands were very scattered, covering a large area of the sea. They looked like the kind of fragmented oracle bone script preserved in museums, where a complete turtle shell had broken into many pieces and then pieced together¡ªof course, Liszt would prefer to call it a broken shell.


    The prestige of a turtle shell was too low, but calling it a shell immediately elevated its status.


    The shell also resembled an elliptical leaf, pointed at both ends and round in the middle, with the whole taking a northeast-southwest orientation. Three large islands at the northeast corner, each nearly the size of Iron Hoof Island according to Ach¡¯s depiction; the middle was the vast Flame Island, with Whirlpool Mountain located at the east-central part of Flame Island.


    The southwest corner was made up of four large islands, forming the edge of the shell and enclosing an inland sea together with Flame Island.


    Of course, this was just a rough map; many areas were Ach¡¯s estimations and had not been precisely located, nor had the island¡¯s area and the sea area been calculated. To complete the mapping task of the Smoke Mission and to find the lost Formless Dragon would require a busy and extended period.


    In any case.


    The islands were called the Flame Islands, and the surrounding sea could not continue to be called the Sea of Azure Waves. Liszt simply gave it the name of the Shell Sea.


    Every coastal sea area ruled by the Flame Country in the future would be called the Shell Sea.


    ¡°Brother, Whirlpool Mountain is located deep inland on Flame Island, whether heading north, south, or east, there¡¯s a distance of over five hundred kilometers,¡± Ach said. He was good at math, proficiently mastering the addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and squaring that Liszt taught him, along with other elementary knowledge.


    However, Liszt had long forgotten advanced mathematics; he might not even be able to solve a quadratic equation, let alone functions like cos, sin, and powers.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    But he did remember quite a few formulas for calculating area¡ªa rectangle was ¡°length¡± times ¡°width¡±, a parallelogram required ¡°drawing a height¡± before multiplying by the ¡°base¡±, a triangle was ¡°drawing a height¡± times the ¡°base¡± then halved, the area of a trapezoid was ¡°drawing a height¡± times the ¡°length of the top and bottom sides¡± then halved, and the area of a circle was ¦Ð times the square of the ¡°radius¡±.


    Besides.


    There were also areas of abstract shapes that required cutting and filling to make them approximate rectangles, triangles, etc.; or by drawing grid lines, calculating the area of the shape within the grid, and then adding them up.


    After he passed these formulas to Ach, Ach immediately expanded on them, becoming important tools for researching Magic Arrays and astronomical geography. Thus, Ach could easily calculate the distance from Whirlpool Mountain to the seashore, concluding that each route would be no less than five hundred kilometers.


    ¡°Five hundred kilometers is manageable. If Leo flies at full speed, it¡¯ll take about three or four hours to get to the seashore,¡± Liszt said, doing some quick mental calculations.


    But given the rare opportunity to come to the Flame Islands, Liszt did not plan to go back immediately; he wanted to first map out the island areas of the Flame Islands.


    Completing the Smoke Mission was more important.


    It concerned the whereabouts of an old friend, the Formless Dragon¡ªwith the Smoked Grass feast always carried with him, waiting for the Formless Dragon to come for dinner, and by the way, to consume the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    Leo landed, chewing contentedly on the Magic Potion and Auxiliary Medicine that Liszt had fed it.


    Liszt, on the other hand, discussed with Ach his plans for building Flame City: ¡°The city must be built, and the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix must be developed. The current problem is that there is considerable danger entering and exiting the Great Whirlpool, and many fragile items cannot be kept intact.¡±


    ¡°We can set up a water curtain magic array at the Whirlpool Entrance to slow down the ships crossing the Great Whirlpool,¡±


    ¡°But even if the ships slow down, they will still fall to the mountain base.¡±


    Ach paced seriously, ¡°I¡¯ve heard my brother tell the story of a canal being opened between two great seas. With differing sea levels, ships can pass through by adjusting different valves to control the water flow.¡± The canal story she referred to was actually the Panama Canal, casually mentioned by Liszt in his free time.


    However, Liszt was clearly mistaken; the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean are at the same level.


    It¡¯s due to geological constraints that prevent direct excavation. The Panama Canal relies on the height difference of the rivers, elevating before descending ships so that they can pass through. China¡¯s Three Gorges Dam follows a similar lock-based navigation method. In fact, the world¡¯s earliest lock-style canal was China¡¯s ancient Spirit Canal.


    Unaware of his own blunder, Liszt nodded and said, ¡°Correct, that canal operates by adjusting the sluice gates to manage water flow, facilitating step-by-step navigation. So you mean to build such a canal on top of Whirlpool Mountain? I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible; a three-thousand-meter height difference makes canal excavation unfeasible.¡±


    ¡°But magic can do it. Ach can design a magic array for water columns that can rise and fall. Starting from the Whirlpool Entrance and relying on the mountain¡¯s terrain, about thirty magic arrays with a vertical drop of a hundred meters each would make the navigation possible.¡±


    ¡°Even so, the number of resources consumed would probably be astronomical.¡±


    ¡°Once Ach masters the Ice Attribute, I¡¯ll delve into the property changes of the Earth Attribute. By then, using Earth System Magic to completely transform the mountain, we can reduce resource loss!¡± Ach said ambitiously.


    She had read the magic books that Kenley Truth had brought from the Steel Ridge Kingdom, which recorded a few scattered magic masterpieces from the time of the Moon Empire.


    It is said that there was a ¡°Sky Canal¡± stretching from the capital of the Moon Empire all the way to the western frontiers, supported entirely by magic arrays. However, the Sky Canal had long been obliterated in the river of history, and many magicians had attempted to verify the existence of the Sky Canal¡¯s remnants, but none had been found yet.


    Therefore, Ach hoped to design a low-grade imitation of the ¡°Sky Canal¡± for Whirlpool Mountain.


    Being an Archmage herself, if ancient Archmages could achieve it, why couldn¡¯t modern Archmages? The magic books she had read about the Ancient Moon Empire depicted whimsical tales that broke free from the mold. It made her realize that for magicians, the only limit was imagination.


    Unfortunately, the golden age of magic civilization no longer existed.


    Liszt was not as optimistic. With the Magic Web¡¯s decline, it was difficult for magic arrays to draw Magic Power from it, and they required all sorts of precious magic materials to be set up.


    This kind of resource expenditure was definitely astronomical. Right now, even maintaining his two dragons was burdensome, let alone wishing he could plunder a few Pioneer Mandates each year.


    To spend more resources on constructing a canal seemed quite unrealistic.


    However, he didn¡¯t want to dampen Ach¡¯s spirits, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait for you to complete the Elementalization of the Earth Attribute and switch to it soon. Then we can further develop the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Gate¡­ For now, think of a way to use the Great Whirlpool to transport resources and start developing this vast archipelago as soon as possible.¡±


    Ach wasn¡¯t one to aim too high, ¡°Brother, can we do this: build many ships like the Flame Number, carefully reinforce them, and then fill them with resources and people before sending them into the Great Whirlpool. Ach can go through first and use magic to catch the big ships at the Whirlpool Entrance, then set them aside to unload?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting using the Flame Number as a one-time transport vessel?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°It still seems a bit wasteful, but it indeed saves more trouble compared to shipping resources across the sea. However, it would often trouble you and me.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, as long as brother doesn¡¯t find it too tiring, Ach is really looking forward to crossing the Great Whirlpool again and studying the Magic Teleportation Array. It might not be long before Ach can set up a new array, laying out a Teleportation Array from Black Horse Island to Flame Island!¡±


    Liszt laughed. All this talk about ¡°Sky Canals¡± was unreliable; this was the best plan, ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

 Chapter 813 - Chapter 813: Chapter 0810: Pleasure of Solitude (First Update)

    Chapter 813: Chapter 0810: Pleasure of Solitude (First Update)


    The Formless Dragon was an old friend.


    It must have gotten lost, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have waited until the end of June to come to the feast. The smoked grass Liszt had prepared was nearly dried into hay: ¡°But where did the Formless Dragon get lost?¡±


    This was a tricky problem.


    After leaving the Flame Islands, Liszt almost daily used the Eye of Magic, hoping to encounter the Formless Dragon on the way back to Black Horse Island.


    Unfortunately, he did not come across the Formless Dragon all the way back to Black Horse Island.


    He then went to the Dragon¡¯s Dining Table near Green Tea Town and lit a pile of smoked grass, the stench sickened the nearby serfs to the point of nausea, but the Formless Dragon was nowhere to be found, indicating it was not lost near Black Horse Island. Therefore, Liszt hurriedly headed to Fresh Flower Town to continue lighting the smoked grass.


    Undoubtedly, besides nauseating people, it was utterly useless.


    ¡°Where exactly did the Formless Dragon get lost?¡± Liszt was completely perplexed and could only temporarily put aside this aimless search and return to his regular duties.


    According to the consistent nature of the Smoke Mission, most rewards did not need to be deliberately sought and would naturally be driven by the Power of Destiny, coming to him, ready at hand. Perhaps the Formless Dragon was waiting for him on the road he was about to take, waiting for Liszt to imprint its spirit.


    ¡°So, first focus on the construction of Flame Town,¡± Liszt calmed his anxious mood.


    Flame Town was the next phase of the Flame Origin Camp, which was the new mission content.


    ¡°Mission: Since the island distribution of the Flame Islands has been surveyed, the next step is to start the relocation of the territory, systematically transferring the industries and population of the Flame Territory, and carry out major development of the Flame Islands, please transform the Flame Origin Camp into Flame Town. Reward: New Longitudinal Sailboat.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    The new longitudinal sailboat seat reward was somewhat perfunctory, as Black Horse Island¡¯s earliest boatyard had been studying the longitudinal sail technology provided by Liszt¡ªhe proposed the concept, but the specific production and operation required the shipbuilders to realize it bit by bit. After more than a year of development, they were close to success.


    ¡°Your Highness, all the large frame ships have been properly prepared, cargoes have undergone multiple reinforcements and loaded into the holds, and the hemp rope vine woven safety ropes have been mass-produced to ensure that the migrating serfs and craftsmen are securely tied within the cabins, preventing them from being thrown out.¡±


    Isaiah came to report on his work.


    ¡°Go over the large frame ships again carefully; I don¡¯t want any oversights. Even a small oversight could lead to a catastrophe of shipwreck and loss of life.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± Isaiah bowed and retired, going to recheck again.


    This time crossing the Great Whirlpool, ten large frame ships had been arranged, the masterpiece of tens of thousands of shipbuilders on Black Horse Island who had labored day and night. Five of these ships were filled with various materials, including living and construction materials, with rubber occupying half a ship alone.


    It¡¯s undeniable that since the Rubber Bug triplets evolved into three Rubber Minor Elves, Big White, Two White, and Little White, under Liszt¡¯s guidance, they had learned to use the Tri-Phase Force themselves to repair the rubber trees. Thus, the rubber production of the territory had soared rapidly, and stocks were plentiful.


    This time, all were arranged by Liszt to be taken away, to carry out major construction on the Flame Origin.


    Besides materials, there was the population.


    Farming serfs were indispensable; one couldn¡¯t rely on hunting and fishing for sustenance all day¡ªrelying on the Great Whirlpool to transport food was too extravagant.


    The construction of Flame Town could not do without craftsmen, so large numbers of carpenters, stonemasons, and architects led by Jomaya Bangtu had to be taken.


    Knights were also essential personnel, constantly protecting the security of the Flame Origin area. Currently, the camp only had Cross¡¤Thorn, a Sword Saint without a title stationed there; once he went to explore the surroundings, the camp could only rely on a dozen Elite Earth Knights for protection.


    ¡°Philip, go call Earl Durt.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Philip Wool immediately rode away from Thorn Castle.


    He had followed Liszt for many years but still remained a Retainer Knight because his skills had stagnated at the level of an Apprentice Knight. The first batch of Retainer Knights selected by Liszt were all descendants of serfs from Fresh Flower Town, with modest talents, and advancing to Earth Knight required constant perseverance.


    However, there were exceptions.


    Among Philip¡¯s cohort, Zavier Dung did not necessarily have better talents than Philip, but because he was good at flattering, he had already been promoted to Diplomatic Assistant on Black Horse Island, aiding Zambrotta. With the resources poured in by Liszt, he had been promoted to Earth Knight.


    His secret task was to work with the Blood Servants to spy on information, controlling the rats infiltrating various forces¡ªserving as another eye for Liszt.


    Soon, Durt Red Apricot arrived, ¡°Your Highness, what do you need from me?¡±


    ¡°I want to develop the Flame Islands, and need to dispatch a Knight Order to ensure the safety of the construction personnel. Since you¡¯re free, I¡¯ve decided to give this task to you,¡± Liszt said.


    Durt¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement, ¡°I am willing to relieve Your Highness of your worries!¡±


    ¡°Very good, but I will not provide you with elite knights. You can go to Iron Hoof City and recruit those lower-ranking knights. However, maintain secrecy, as the affairs of the Flame Islands are not yet to be revealed.¡± Considering the vastness of the Flame Island, one can only imagine the dangers within the Wild Forest.


    Elite knights should not die in the forest, so may as well recruit those substandard knights to sacrifice.


    ¡°If they¡¯re lucky enough to live until the founding of the nation, why not reward them with wealth and honor.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°You have one month. Captain Garcia of Iron Hoof City and the knights of the Tulip Family will assist you.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As Durt hurried off, Liszt again called for Philip, ¡°Summon Emily.¡±


    Emily was still an elite Earth Knight; she had killed many knights in the sea battle but had not been promoted to Sky Knight¡ªcompared to the early overpowering Liszt who had been promoted from Earth Knight to Sky Knight in just half a year, even Emily¡¯s superior talent still fell short.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± the young woman entered the castle.


    ¡°How is your training?¡±


    ¡°Without war, progress is slow,¡± Emily honestly admitted.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll arrange for you to go to Flame Island, where the forest is teeming with magical beasts,¡± Liszt said, ¡°Take Douson and the Blizzard Beast Squad with you to help produce rock for Flame Town¡­ Douson doesn¡¯t need to produce the rocks, just protect you.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, Emily can protect herself!¡±


    Liszt observed the tall young woman, a meaningful smile playing at the corners of his mouth, ¡°It will protect you, and you must also protect it. Douson is one of my earliest close combat partners; I don¡¯t want anything to happen to it. Emily, I entrust Douson to you; you should understand my expectations of you.¡±


    A slight blush crossed Emily¡¯s face, then she soberly responded, ¡°Please rest assured, Your Highness, Emily will not disappoint you!¡±


    ¡°Very well, go, and make sure the Blizzard Beast Squad adapts to the cabin framework of the large ships, ensuring their discipline during the voyage.¡±


    Liszt watched as the young woman walked away, slowly closing his eyes.


    He immensely enjoyed this feeling of controlling others¡¯ destinies, a lonely thrill of a dictator. In the Flame Territory, on the Flame Islands, he was the sole¡­ King!

 Chapter 814 - Chapter 814: Chapter 0811: The Rope Experiment (Second Update)

    Chapter 814: Chapter 0811: The Rope Experiment (Second Update)


    Following the fleet to Flame Island was another Knight Order led by Fox, the Black Horse Island Knights Order. Their mission was not to explore the forest but to guard the Flame Origin and protect the magicians stationed there.


    The Magic Guild was preparing to establish a branch at Flame Origin. Henceforth, magicians would transfer to Flame Origin and explore the Broad Bao Forest alongside the Knight Order¡ªLiszt had gradually shifted these magicians toward becoming expert scholars, encouraging them to dedicate their lives to scientific research.


    As for the magicians heading to Flame Origin, those selected were magicians with questionable loyalty.


    Given the isolation of Flame Island, once these magicians arrived at Flame Origin, they would be cut off from the world. Even if they were part-time rats for other countries, they would have to work obediently for Liszt. After a few years, when the paths between Flame Island and the outside world were opened, they would likely already bear the mark of the Flame Country, unable to change.


    June 22.


    The weather on Black Horse Island was fair.


    Leading the way was the Flame Number, followed by ten large framed ships, setting out mightily.


    Liszt stood at the bow, looking at Ach, who was sitting up straight and no longer burying his head in a book, and asked with concern, ¡°How are you doing, Ach? Can you handle steering eleven large ships?¡±


    Ach nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a bit strenuous, but if we reduce the speed to three hundred kilometers per hour, I can save some effort.¡±


    The sailing distance from Black Horse Island to the Great Whirlpool was 4,200 kilometers. At a speed of three hundred kilometers per hour, it would take 14 hours. Adding rest times en route, they could arrive within one day.


    ¡°Then slow down, don¡¯t wear yourself out.¡±


    So the fleet progressed towards the Great Whirlpool at three hundred kilometers an hour.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï


    During the voyage, they made convenient stops at the Yidao Mangrove Town Camp on Three Islands, the Crescent Island Crescent Town Camp on the First Chain Island, and the Greenlight Town Camp on Midway Island. One reason was to allow knights and civilians to go ashore for rest to relieve seasickness; another was to deliver food, jade, and magic potions to Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan.


    Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan was living comfortably on Midway Island, where there were plenty of magical beasts for it to hunt at will. Liszt would provide whatever jade and magic potions it lacked.


    Its body had already mostly recovered.


    At a later time, Liszt planned to ride it himself, flying to the Great Whirlpool, passing through the magic teleportation array to settle on Flame Island. Then, he would find a suitable place to build a dragon nest, allowing Light Green Gemstone Dragon to slowly produce light green gemstones¡ªthe gem market was always in demand, never worrying about unsellable goods.


    Various magic equipment and divine weapons required gemstones as raw materials, keeping gem values consistently high.


    After a friendly exchange with Ethan, Liszt returned to the fleet.


    They set sail immediately, arriving at the Whirlpool Archipelago and a half-hour later, docking at Whirlpool Town on Whirlpool Island. Whirlpool Town was still in its infancy, and the magic laboratory was quite rudimentary. Liszt convened a collective meeting there, with the main topic being the plan for receiving supplies the next day.


    After Ach crossed the Great Whirlpool, the ten framed large ships needed to be manually steered, slowly making their way into the whirlpool.


    Timing was crucial, so that Ach could be ready in time to catch the ships with a water tornado, preventing them from crashing out of the whirlpool entrance.


    After everything was arranged.


    The following morning, the fleet set off again, docking near the Great Whirlpool. Before crossing, Ach had to conduct a new experiment¡ªa rope experiment.


    This experiment aimed to determine if the wormhole space connected by the Great Whirlpool was a reality or a non-reality.


    Furthermore, the distance of the wormhole space and how it linked to regions thousands of kilometers apart needed to be understood.


    Hemp Rope Vine ropes as thick as wrists, held by Leo,


    one end tied to a huge stone, meant to accelerate the downward force of the rope. Liszt and Ach rode a dragon together and slowly flew above the Great Whirlpool, right over the Whirlpool Deep Well, and suddenly threw the massive stone tied to the rope down into it. The stone plunged speedily, the rope jerking loop by loop.


    When the stone fell into the misty center of the whirlpool, a burst of light within the vision of Dragon Eye Trajectory quickly engulfed the stone, and immediately after, enormous pulling force came through the rope grasped by Leo.


    pulling his body directly into a spinning descent.


    And the ropes¡¯ end became impossible to hold on to, swiftly unraveling, plunging into the depths of the Whirlpool Deep Well. All of this happened in the blink of an eye, almost too fast for the naked eye to catch.


    ¡°Hold steady, Leo!¡±


    Liszt and Leo¡¯s minds united, frantically flapping wings, barely managing to stabilize their position at the mouth of the Whirlpool Deep Well, and flew back up.


    ¡°Brother,¡± Ach called out anxiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, the force of the rope was beyond what we imagined; Leo¡¯s strength couldn¡¯t hold on to the rope either,¡± said Liszt with some relief.


    The wrist-thick Hemp Rope Vine rope, after all, was a super cable that even Leo couldn¡¯t break. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t directly tied to Leo¡¯s leg, otherwise, it would¡¯ve been dragged into the Great Whirlpool without a doubt.


    ¡°Was it the repulsive force encountered in the Wormhole Space that caused this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Liszt shook his head; he truly did not know where this force had come from.


    Ach, thoughtful, took out the Magic Platform, waited a moment, and contacted the Flame Origin Camp¡¯s Magic Platform. A rapid response came from there, the experimental stone had already fallen, followed by a hundred meters of rope.


    Ach analyzed, ¡°There are two possibilities: one is that the Wormhole Space is a reality, and the repulsive force within it is what made the force on the rope too strong for Leo to hold; the other is that the Wormhole Space is not a reality, or that it represents a compressed space, thus causing the rope to move quickly, and Leo couldn¡¯t hold on.¡±


    Liszt looked into the distance, nodding, ¡°Makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Brother, let¡¯s travel through too,¡± Ach couldn¡¯t wait to verify her own theory, to re-observe the details of the Magic Teleportation Array.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    With a thought, Leo instantly closed his wings, diving like a shooting star into the Whirlpool Deep Well.


    Boom!


    Already within the Wormhole Space, the Dragon Eye Trajectory vision filled with densely packed spider web-like magic power lines, sketching out twisted space passages.


    The Magic Web faintly visible around the passage.


    Crossing through what must be the work of an Ancient Magician once more, Liszt was still deeply shocked by the infinite wrapping of the Magic Web, by that piercing drilling through the web, all of it a strong visual impact. However, unlike the first crossing, this time Ach traveled with him.


    Her Eye of Magic Power was not as high-level as the Dragon Eye Trajectory, and she needed to inquire about many details from Liszt.


    A few minutes of travel, passed in a session of questions and answers, the next moment, the vision suddenly cleared with brightness, having surged out of the rush channel, pushed out by a massive repulsive force from the Whirlpool Entrance. Leo flapped repeatedly to stabilize, the view steadied, and the scenery of Flame Island came into sight.

 Chapter 817 - Chapter 817: Chapter 0814: New Labyrinth (First Update)

    Chapter 817: Chapter 0814: New Labyrinth (First Update)


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Looking at the Formless Dragon soaring into the sky, Li Si Te was extremely upset.


    He had prepared for a long time to ride the Formless Dragon, offering it a carefully made Smoked Grass feast and the heart embroiled with Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, thinking this was an infallible tactic.


    Yet, the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit was spat out by the Formless Dragon.


    He had thought the plan failed, but then, unexpectedly, the Formless Dragon sought to be ridden voluntarily. However, the battlefield for the Mind Battle was a maze more complex than the ¡°Extra-Dimensional Killing Array,¡± impenetrable and unnavigable ¡ª the Formless Dragon was just dawdling in the maze.


    Riding the dragon became a drastically worsened experience, feeling like the Formless Dragon was deliberately making him give up in this manner!


    Stop eyeing it.


    The dense crystallic structure and the endlessly seeming shifting intersections were not for human breakthrough. Perhaps, the maze was never meant to be navigated by usual means, but traveling through space was not within Li Si Te¡¯s abilities.


    He had no other options but to accept defeat.


    Riding the dragon failed, and he acknowledged it! Maybe the force of fate could only guide and not control the Formless Dragon, considered a Sacred Dragon ¡ª perhaps the Formless Dragon had transcended anew, in control of its own destiny, whereas previously whether it was the Fire Dragon or the Jade Dragon, they had perished early.


    Letting the force of fate exploit the vulnerability.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon also was ravaged by fate¡¯s force after being critically injured.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï


    That said, after the failed dragon riding, the Formless Dragon turning hostile and not leaving behind even a few Space Gems was a bit too much. Just as Li Si Te thought it was about to fly away, it suddenly flew up to the summit of Whirlpool Mountain, charging towards the Sea Sprite Ake watching the dragon riding event. Li Si Te tensed up, just about to warn Ake to ¡°be careful,¡± yet felt that the Formless Dragon seemed to have no malicious intent.


    ¡°Could it really be that it got too excited from eating, became dizzy and, seeing my failed dragon riding, went to find Ake to try letting him ride?¡±


    This thought just briefly whirled around, and Li Si Te immediately dismissed it.


    A magician cannot succeed in dragon riding.


    Whether records from the era of the Moon Empire or modern records, only knights could ride dragons because Advanced Dou Qi and Dragon Magic Power are highly compatible.


    Even the knights¡¯ cultivation system, if traced to its origins, was likely established mirroring the operation of dragon magic power. Thus, when Advanced Dou Qi combines with a dragon, it can quickly transform into Dragon Dou Qi. This advantage is absent in other cultivation systems and is a decisive factor in knights ruling the world.


    It¡¯s unlikely that this principle would be broken just because of Ake.


    So, the Formless Dragon probably did not intend for Ake to ride it; it was more likely looking to harm him.


    Just as he was preparing to call forth Little Fire Dragon Leo and, together with Ake, suppress the Formless Dragon ¡ª since it intended to harm Ake, it was no friend of Li Si Te, and it might as well be killed off letting the Formless Dragon¡¯s corpse fall on Whirlpool Mountain and directly nurturing a Space Gem mine right here.


    However, the Formless Dragon had already hovered mid-air above the summit, facing the Sea Sprite Ake who stood shielding himself with a Water Wave Shield.


    The Formless Dragon didn¡¯t launch an attack, and Ake didn¡¯t retreat.


    Li Si Te¡¯s idea to call Leo rapidly extinguished, picking up his previous thought, ¡°Could the Formless Dragon truly want Ake to ride it?¡±


    Such a thought irresistibly arose.


    Accompanied by a slight sourness ¡ª not reluctance, just a bit of emotional imbalance.


    Whether he himself rode it or Ake did, either way, resources stayed within his circle, but the sensory experiences were starkly different. He had long prepared to ride the Formless Dragon, feeding it three Smoked Grass feasts, truly painstaking effort.


    Although the meat was enhanced with Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, that was just an episode.


    Now, the Formless Dragon bowed its head to a Sea Sprite whom it had never met before, provoking in him a fleeting feeling of ¡°the down-to-earth guy puts in all the effort but the girl goes off with a wealthy, handsome man she just met;¡± such distinct treatment, how to build a harmonious society¡­ His internal drama was perhaps overly rich, probably spurred by the failure in dragon riding.


    Always priding himself as superior and in control of everything, Li Si Te ultimately realized his own ordinary nature during the Mind Battle.


    Falling from the clouds to the dirt was uncomfortable.


    But he successfully suppressed his increasingly inflated ego, taking a deep breath¡­ and immediately tears streamed down his face ¡ª the remaining scent of Smoked Grass really stung his eyes.


    ¡°Ahem¡­¡±


    After coughing a few times and looking up at the summit again, he saw Ake had already dispersed the Water Wave Shield.


    The Formless Dragon hovering overhead called out to Ake, ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    Ake shook his head.


    The Formless Dragon called out again, ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    Ake shook his head once more.


    Then, in a rage, the Formless Dragon blew steam from its nostrils and swiftly turned around to dive down the mountain, heading straight toward Liszt. Its speed was so fast that it almost seemed to teleport, and in the blink of an eye, it had landed in front of Liszt, gazing deeply into his eyes.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Liszt, who had stopped crying, looked at the beautiful, crystalline Formless Dragon, puzzled once again and unable to understand what the dragon was doing.


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    The Formless Dragon exclaimed, its meaning unclear.


    However, the next moment, Liszt had already leaped up and jumped onto the Dragon Tooth Platform of the Formless Dragon¡ªregardless of its many poses, he thought it best to ride it first!


    Coming and going, being coy, it surely wanted him to ride it!


    As if to confirm Liszt¡¯s thoughts, the Formless Dragon seemed to want to twist its body to resist being ridden for the second time by Liszt, whose earlier attempts it had rejected. However, for some reason, it abruptly gave up the struggle, and its narrow dragon face showed a human-like expression of disdain and helplessness.


    In the end, it didn¡¯t dodge.


    It allowed its rear end to land on the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    With a thunderous sound, Liszt rode the Formless Dragon¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform for the second time, his spirit instantly connecting with the Formless Dragon, guiding it to flap its wings and fly into the sky.


    The world transformed into a crystalline structure.


    Soon the high mountain began to sink and the earth began to rise, as a new maze was about to emerge.


    Liszt drew his Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword quickly, shouting to the Formless Dragon below him, ¡°My old friend, the maze means nothing to me. Let¡¯s have a battle of the minds in another way!¡±


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    The Formless Dragon flapped its wings, and the maze continued to rise slowly.


    ¡°If you insist on creating a maze, then the sword in my hand will only be able to cut off your head, forcing you to reconsider your approach.¡± There was no way he was going to navigate a maze, not in this lifetime¡ªLiszt was resolute, determined not to engage in any more maze walking.


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡± the Formless Dragon cried out in anger.


    But Liszt had already aimed at its neck, lifting the smoke-enshrouded and swiftly transforming red, Fire Attribute Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword¡ªrather than fail through a maze, better to destroy the Formless Dragon¡¯s mind and let it gain new life, to see if this forceful method could bring victory in a battle of the minds.


    The rising of the maze stopped.


    The situation started to stalemated.


    Moments later, the Formless Dragon let out a reluctant cry, ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    At the same time, Liszt also received the Formless Dragon¡¯s intention from its mind¡ªmazes were a must, but the complexity could be reduced.


    The maze that had risen did not extend into more complexity, but formed into the simplest planar maze, made up of numerous parallel walls, unlike the ¡°Extra-Dimensional Killing Array¡± type of dizzying, position-shifting cubic maze.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Liszt sheathed his mighty sword, and cracked a slight smile, ¡°If it¡¯s a traditional maze, I¡¯ll reluctantly accept it.¡± Traditional mazes were easy to solve; one simply needed to choose one wall and keep touching it to find the exit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Formless Dragon!¡±


    ¡°You and I are destined today!¡±

 Chapter 818 - Chapter 818: Chapter 0815: Three Dragons in Hand (Second Update)

    Chapter 818: Chapter 0815: Three Dragons in Hand (Second Update)


    Whooosh!


    Under Liszt¡¯s urging, the Formless Dragon flew at breakneck speeds, hugging one of the labyrinth walls and quickly broke through the seemingly complex maze.


    Looking back, the crystal structure that made up the labyrinth swiftly collapsed to be replaced by a brand-new maze. This labyrinth encompassed the entire world, with no discernible patterns, just an array of crystal structures. And he, along with the Formless Dragon, stood atop the throne in the center of the maze.


    Speaking of the throne, it was actually just an elevated platform.


    ¡°Wuu-ee-yah!¡±


    With a sudden flap of its wings, the Formless Dragon took to the sky, and the layers of labyrinth walls receded rapidly behind it as it flew, facing no obstruction whatsoever.


    Within this maze, the Formless Dragon controlled everything.


    Suddenly.


    The view cleared, they had flown out of the maze, into the real world¡ªor you could say, returned victorious from the Mind Battle. Their thoughts began to sync, and their minds became one; from this moment on, he was genuinely a Holy Dragon Knight¡ªthe Formless Dragon Knight.


    The process had been somewhat circuitous, but the outcome was fairly satisfactory.


    Liszt¡¯s previous feelings of agitation, loss, indignation, and sourness brightened. He could sense the Formless Dragon¡¯s thoughts through their unity, and the dragon could feel his joy. They influenced and affected each other¡ªthough it was predominantly Liszt taking the lead.


    Now, his view was no longer that of crystal structures but his own human eyesight¡ªyet to achieve the method of the Dragon Eye Trajectory with the Formless Dragon. Much time and adaptation were needed before he could learn to steer the Formless Dragon and forge fighting power.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Ach!¡± Liszt discovered that he didn¡¯t need to use the Eye of Magic Power to see the Formless Dragon clearly; its true form was still as beautifully fluid as crystal.


    It was as if he sat upon crystal itself.


    ¡°Wuu-ee-yah!¡±


    The Formless Dragon gently landed on the Whirlpool Summit, retracting its Dragon Might, with its slender body sitting cross-legged on the ground, appearing full of grace.


    Among all the dragons Liszt had seen, Leo was undeniably the most fearsome, and the Formless Dragon, the most beautiful.


    He also sensed the Formless Dragon¡¯s age; indeed, it was another juvenile dragon, merely eighty years old, not having passed the hundred-year juvenile period. It lived a nomadic life, seemingly on an island north of the Sapphire Kingdom, but it had a wide range of activity.


    The previous encounter in Fresh Flower Town was merely a result of its passing curiosity until it remembered the place after smelling Smoked Grass, treating itself to a feast once a year. This year, it developed a new ability¡ªto break through the material layer and travel through another dimension of space, and then it got magnificently lost.


    Lost in a dimension beyond the material plane.


    Of course.


    The ¡°dimension beyond the material,¡± was a term Liszt devised based on partial memories from the Formless Dragon. Those thoughts were blurred and details hard to discern. He only knew that it was seeing a framed great ship passing through the Great Whirlpool¡¯s Magic Teleportation Gate that allowed it to find an exit.


    Thus, the scene they had witnessed earlier unfolded when the Formless Dragon burst out from the Whirlpool Entrance, leading to this series of accidental encounters.


    Thump.


    Jumping off the back of the Formless Dragon, Liszt walked over to Ach, ¡°Done.¡±


    Ach said with a smile, ¡°Congratulations, brother, another dragon ridden, and such a pretty Formless Dragon at that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an old friend, after all¡­¡± Liszt kept a calm tone, though feeling somewhat embarrassed on the inside. The Formless Dragon as an old friend? Not exactly, as their relationship beyond two meals had no friendship to speak of, clear and straightforward in terms of material exchange.


    He had arranged the Smoked Grass feast with a mindset for gain, and the Formless Dragon left behind some gemstones after eating.


    That was all there was to it.


    Dragons pride themselves, not readily forming friendships with humans.


    The term ¡°old friend¡± was just a jest from the book ¡°The Adventure of Ranger Griffe,¡± for the protagonist who, after meeting once and receiving a Space Gem from the Formless Dragon, called it an old friend. It suggested that the Formless Dragon indeed had a behavior of leaving behind gifts after enjoying Smoked Grass¡ªso much so that Liszt wondered if the Formless Dragon Griffe had met was the same one he tamed.


    Unfortunately, ¡°The Adventures of Ranger Griffe¡± did not record the author, and its origin was untraceable; it was unknown from which era the work was created.


    The Formless Dragon likewise didn¡¯t remember any Griffe, much less a¡­ Griffe.


    At this moment, Li Si Te was not embarrassed because he had co-opted Griffe¡¯s ¡°old friend¡± moniker but because of the Formless Dragon¡¯s previous behavior.


    ¡°Ach, why did you refuse when the Formless Dragon let you ride it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Brother, when did the Formless Dragon allow Ach to ride it? Moreover, Ach is a magician, with no Dou Qi to resonate with dragons,¡± said Ach, shaking his head, puzzled.


    ¡°Then why did you shake your head when it shouted at you?¡±


    ¡°Because Ach doesn¡¯t know what it was shouting ah, its cries all sound the same, Ach doesn¡¯t speak the language of the dragons.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Li Si Te nodded, his embarrassment eased considerably. He had previously thought that Ach refused the Formless Dragon out of consideration for his own reputation.


    It turned out that Ach simply didn¡¯t understand the Formless Dragon¡¯s intentions.


    He glanced at the other side of Whirlpool Mountain, where knights and serfs were still busily transporting supplies, many looking up curiously toward the summit. They heard the Formless Dragon¡¯s cries and felt its dragon might but could not see the Formless Dragon and were unaware of what was happening.


    However, with both Dragon Knights and archmages standing on the mountaintop, it seemed that there was no major issue.


    Withdrawal his gaze, Li Si Te pointed at the Formless Dragon sitting on the ground, eyes narrowed as it dozed, ¡°Ach, with your naked eye can you see the Formless Dragon?¡± It had overindulged in Smoked Grass, and the buzz it got from that had not completely faded, as it was still slowly savoring the wonderful taste of Smoked Grass.


    ¡°No, I cannot,¡± Ach responded after deactivating the Super Magic ¨C Eye of Mana, shaking his head.


    Yet, at this moment, Li Si Te could see the Formless Dragon with his naked eye.


    It seemed this was the wonderful thing about Dragon Riding; he and the Formless Dragon had become one in spirit, and naturally, he could see the dragon¡¯s true body at all times.


    The underlying principle of which remained unknown for the time being.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s put aside the information about the Formless Dragon for now. After I¡¯ve harmonized with it, I can study it slowly. I¡¯ll have Leo take you to Flame Origin first. There, you can guide the magicians in building the Mage Tower while I take the Formless Dragon out for a flight,¡± decided Li Si Te after some thought.


    He had just mounted the Formless Dragon and wanted to strike while the iron was hot, to fully experience the Formless Dragon¡¯s strength.


    He called out to Leo.


    The lingering scent of Smoked Grass in the air greatly displeased Leo.


    What displeased it even more was seeing Li Si Te subdue another dragon, threatening its position. It directed a fierce ¡°oh-oh!¡± at the half-closed-eyed Formless Dragon.


    The Formless Dragon had a good temper and paid no attention to Leo¡¯s roaring.


    Or perhaps it was still blissfully immersed in the euphoria of the Smoked Grass, unable to extricate itself.


    Li Si Te patted Leo¡¯s scales, conveying a good deal through Dragon Heart Electrical Signal that it remained his comrade in arms, regardless of the Formless Dragon and the Light Green Gemstone Dragon being more as resources for production.


    Having done this,


    Leo finally subdued its irritable mood.


    Awaiting Ach to climb on its back, it suddenly flapped its wings and flew towards the distant Flame Origin.


    ¡°In the future, when constructing the Dragon Nest, I will have to separate these three dragons. It¡¯s best if they don¡¯t see each other.¡±


    Li Si Te breathed a sigh of relief. Managing multiple dragons was indeed a challenging task, but a sense of pride and accomplishment surged through him. He wondered if any Dragon Knight on the Legendary Continent had ever done this¡ªhe already had three dragons at his command, not to mention clues about the Smoke Dragon and Jade Dragon.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m a precedent setter, with no forebears or successors, huh?¡±


    His thoughts were fleeting as he mounted the Formless Dragon again, their spirits instantly merging as their thoughts and Dou Qi resonated in sync, entering Dragon Rider Mode.


    ¡°Fly, Formless Dragon!¡±

 Chapter 820 - Chapter 821: Chapter 0818: Crystal White Trajectory (Second Update)

    Chapter 821: Chapter 0818: Crystal White Trajectory (Second Update)


    After pondering the issue of his appearance, Liszt immediately began to contemplate the integration training with the Formless Dragon.


    Unlike the Elemental Dragon, the Formless Dragon, though capable of invisibility by hiding within the boundaries of matter, cannot undergo elementalization to merge with Liszt¡¯s body, rendering many of the skills suitable for Leo ineffective for the Formless Dragon. Moreover, its Dragon Breath took the form of a white mist composed of Space Magic Power.


    Wherever the white mist passed, it could shatter any material, a powerful attack move.


    Clearly, one couldn¡¯t use this type of white mist Dragon Breath for the Dragon Breath Tempering.


    There wasn¡¯t much to say about Dragon Force Focus, a basic skill all Dragon Knights knew, which channeled the dragon¡¯s strength into a concentrated beam, no longer dispersed. The Formless Dragon was also capable of learning Dragon Heart Electrical Signals, but it needed to understand the patterns involved before it could communicate with Liszt across the void.


    Dragon Blood Infection was a given; Banpo Cattle and Estuary Pigs on Black Horse Island were all masterpieces of the Formless Dragon¡¯s infection.


    Dragon Knight Resonance was even more of a basic operation, without question.


    The current issue was with the combination of Liszt¡¯s practiced Dou Qi Secrets and the Formless Dragon, where some problems had arisen. Implementations like ¡°Spiral Rotation,¡± ¡°Breath Decay,¡± and ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± proved difficult to perform with the Formless Dragon. The auxiliary effects of Spiral Rotation and Breath Decay were weak and could be disregarded.


    But the Eye of Magic was Liszt¡¯s signature skill; he absolutely needed to achieve it with the Formless Dragon¡ªif the Formless Dragon could freely traverse space, once assisted by the Eye of Magic, Liszt might even grasp the essence of the world.


    At the very least, the Eye of Magic should help the Formless Dragon find its way and prevent it from getting lost in the world beyond material reality next time.


    ¡°Woo-yi-ya!¡±


    After chewing a stick of Smoked Grass, the Formless Dragon felt slightly excited, cooperating well with Liszt in their communication, continually discussing the training of the Eye of Magic.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    It sensed that this particular Dou Qi Secret was crucial for it.


    Dragons were no less intelligent than humans; naturally, the Formless Dragon was qualified to discuss skills with Liszt. The two of them stood on the vast marshes discussing into the night, mostly clarifying their thoughts.


    ¡°So, Bard, let¡¯s continue experimenting with the Eye of Magic!¡±


    ¡°Woo-yi-ya!¡±


    Boom, the Formless Dragon flapped its wings, and together, the two of them once again flew into the sky, flying along the Whirlpool River for the second time. They constantly attempted to deploy the Eye of Magic, and finally, as they reached the middle reaches of the Whirlpool River, Liszt suddenly connected his vision with that of the Formless Dragon through the Eye of Magic.


    The next moment, the world turned into a crystalline structure.


    Crystalline trees, crystalline rivers, crystalline distant stars. This was the same as what the Formless Dragon saw through its naked eyes, a world composed of crystalline structures. Yet the Eye of Magic still had an effect, causing a minor shift in the crystalline world, and this subtle change made the view profoundly different.


    Because there were colors other than crystal white in the view!


    Though these colors were not very bright, they made a stark contrast with the crystal white world, and in an instant, Liszt understood the effect of applying the Eye of Magic to the Formless Dragon: ¡°Before, the Formless Dragon¡¯s vision only included crystal white, Superior Magic, and High Magic as visible, but with the assistance of the Eye of Magic, even Low Magic becomes discernible!¡±


    The Formless Dragon¡¯s vision was quite extraordinary, with its Crystal White View¡¯s crystalline structure representing a special dimension¡¯s intuitive manifestation, only Superior Magic, and High Magic could present themselves in their true form.


    That made it easy for it to detect magical threats.


    Liszt had been discovered hiding in the tunnels, clearly with the assistance of the Crystal White View. Now with the help of the Eye of Magic, the Crystal White View became more fearsome, revealing even Low Magic levels.


    ¡°Awesome!¡±


    ¡°Bard, there are quite a few magical plants and animals around the Whirlpool River, and many of them might be Elves. It seems that the task of exploring new islands will have to be carried out by us in the future.¡± Liszt scanned the surroundings, not rushing to collect those magical crystalline structures.


    He had come today only to become more familiar with his skills.


    Unless he encountered a Little Minor Elf or a Greater Elf, it wasn¡¯t worth his effort to intervene; a Dragon Knight of his standing certainly shouldn¡¯t stoop for a few Elf Bugs.


    During the pioneering process, he¡¯d let the Knight Order search for Elf Bugs, find them if they can, let it be if they can¡¯t. After all, most elves found in the wild were of lesser value, and he preferred those he cultivated himself, such as Elf Bugs from high-value economic crops like Magic Potions and grains.


    ¡°Woo-eeya!¡±


    The Formless Dragon, sharing one mind with Liszt, understood his thoughts and flew close to the ground, constantly testing the new Crystal White View.


    The Eye of Magic, functioning in tandem with Leo, was called Dragon Eye Trajectory.


    After some thought, Liszt named the Eye of Magic functioning with the Formless Dragon the Crystal White Trajectory.


    The advantage of the Dragon Eye Trajectory lay in the detailed and clear insight into details, including the trajectories of magic power, all clearly displayed within the Fire Dragon¡¯s field of vision. The Crystal White Trajectory, on the other hand, boasted an advantage in the distinct levels of magic power; it had an effect of simplifying the complex, producing astounding results in a sweep of the whole area.


    Most crucially, the Crystal White View barely dimmed at night, avoiding complete darkness.


    This meant the Formless Dragon had night-vision capabilities¡ªthis was extremely important, as it allowed Liszt to move around freely at night. Plus, with the Formless Dragon able to traverse the boundaries of matter, it was essentially a Dragon Knight assassin made to order. Unpredictable and even more terrifying than a Light Dragon manipulating rays of light.


    ¡°Once I and the Formless Dragon perfect the ¡°Formless Dragon Knight-Dragon Dou Qi Manual¡±, all of the Dragon Knights of other kingdoms will probably have trouble sleeping at night!¡±


    He was not planning to hide the Formless Dragon for too long¡ªSpace Gems would be released and sold at exorbitant prices.


    Those kingdoms and even empires would definitely know of the existence of Sacred Dragons; there was no need to keep the Formless Dragon overly secretive.


    In fact, with three dragons in hand, and Archmage Archy as a powerful ally, once the relocation of his domain was complete, he would directly declare the establishment of his own Kingdom.


    Of course, there was no rush for this.


    The Flame Islands had only just begun to be explored. He had not even ascertained which continental nation he was facing across the sea; thus, there was no need to rush long-term planning. For now, he would first stabilize his position at Flame Origin, develop Flame Island from inside out, and, on the side, partake in the Pioneer Mandate a few times to snatch some resources from Eagle Kingdom for the development of the Flame Islands.


    ¡­


    After returning to Flame Origin, Liszt dined with a few of his titled followers on a modest meal without alcohol.


    After dinner, he returned to his residence to converse with Archy.


    They had an in-depth discussion on various space-related topics, such as the Crystal White View of the Formless Dragon and the world beyond material existence.


    When the discussion delved deeper, Liszt even summoned the Formless Dragon to act as a translator, facilitating direct communication between Archy and the Formless Dragon¡ªthe Formless Dragon had taken a liking to Archy, allowing Liszt to ride it so easily because it hoped for Archy¡¯s assistance.


    Lost in the world beyond matter, it had been frightened.


    They conversed until midnight.


    ¡°Brother, Archy has received a lot of important information from Bard, which is very relevant to the research of the Magic Teleportation Array. It will take a few days to carefully sort it out. Can we postpone our return?¡±


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Yes, the research of the Magic Array is most important.¡±

 Chapter 821 - Chapter 820: Chapter 0817: Whirlpool River (First Update)

    Chapter 820: Chapter 0817: Whirlpool River (First Update)


    After returning,


    Ach very much wanted to communicate with the Formless Dragon immediately to learn about the spatial secrets it possessed, but language barriers and Li Si Te¡¯s lack of time made translation impossible.


    She could only supervise the construction of the Flame Origin Mage Tower for now and communicate with the Mage Tower in Whirlpool Town, doing some research on the information about the edges of the Great Whirlpool. At the same time, she focused on cultivating Ice Element Magic, striving to master it perfectly and initiate the next phase of Elementalization shift¡ªthe Earth Attribute!


    With the Elemental Incarnation of the Earth Attribute, shaping terrain would be effortless¡ªshe was also constantly thinking about the concept of the Sky Canal.


    The Mage Tower was under construction.


    The construction of Flame Town was also rapidly unfolding with the arrival of craftsmen and serfs, with dense forests all around that could be cut down for timber to build houses at any time.


    With the strong adhesive effect of rubber water, the construction progressed swiftly.


    There was no lack of stone either.


    Li Si Te¡¯s young follower Emily was leading the Blizzard Beast Squad into the forest to hunt with the Knight Order, or commanding the Blizzard Beast Squad to produce rocks, contributing bricks and tiles to the town¡¯s construction. It must be said that the evolved Blizzard Beasts produced a high quantity of stone blocks, enough for the needs of the town.


    Regrettably, Bloodline Fruits were rare, and no new Blizzard Beasts could be bred, unable to change the problem of reproductive isolation.


    Since the Rock Spikes produced by the Blizzard Beasts could not maintain shape after being broken down, Jomaya Bangtu, the chief director of Flame Town construction, suggested to Li Si Te to build a brick factory on Flame Origin to produce brick blocks, boards, and culverts¡ªin the new construction on Black Horse Island, they followed a modernized construction plan with stone slabs on the surface and culverts buried underground.


    Li Si Te accepted Jomaya¡¯s suggestion, planning to establish a new Fire Dragon Brick Factory on Flame Origin, but when he asked Leo for Fire Dragon Overmagic, he was refused.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡± Leo had a valid reason for refusal¡ªit was originally Li Si Te who forcefully made it trigger the volcanic eruption, wasting half of the Fire Dragon Overmagic.


    Since then, no volcano had been found, and the Fire Dragon Overmagic had not recovered, seriously delaying its growth and development.


    Now that Li Si Te was riding both the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan and the Formless Dragon Bard, Leo felt his status was threatened and was not willing to weaken his own power in the slightest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stingy, Leo,¡± Li Si Te comforted his partner. ¡°The Flame Islands are being developed. The island and this archipelago are vast, and there definitely will be new volcanoes for you to cultivate¡­ Once I¡¯m done with the construction in Whirlpool Town, I¡¯ll explore the Flame Islands with you, how about that?¡±


    After a lot of thought, for the sake of the future,


    Leo ultimately nodded and agreed: ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    It spat out a bit of Fire Dragon Overmagic for Li Si Te, which was probably enough to build seven or eight high-temperature kilns, enough to sustain a large-scale Fire Dragon Brick Factory.


    Seeing Leo look dejected after spitting out the Fire Dragon Overmagic, Li Si Te still felt heartache.


    Even though Leo was undoubtedly an Evil Dragon, constantly having malicious thoughts brewing inside, it was after all nurtured by Li Si Te himself, and his feelings for it were utterly different from the Light Green Gemstone Dragon and the Formless Dragon, ¡°Besides, Leo is a combat-oriented dragon, still in its youth; it needs to develop.¡±


    Only a well-developed Fire Dragon could contribute more Fire Dragon Overmagic, laying the foundation for the industrialization of the territory.


    ¡°We need to find an active volcano as soon as possible!¡±


    ¡­


    Letting Leo return to his body to sleep and reduce further consumption, Li Si Te called over the Formless Dragon Bard. He planned to ride it more to familiarize himself with Bard and try to explore the cultivation methods of the Formless Dragon¡ªaiming to complete the creation of the ¡°Formless Dragon Knight-Dragon Qi Manual¡± as soon as possible.


    Whether it was the Fire Dragon or the Formless Dragon, there were no previous records of riding, requiring him to figure things out on his own.


    Fortunately, a Light Green Gem Dragon had passed through the hands of several Dragon Knights, leaving behind many valuable experiences for Li Si Te to refer to. Relying on this experience and constant exploration with Leo, he had already begun to compile two manuals on dragon riding, ¡°Liszt¡¯s Complete Dragon Knight Training Manual¡± and ¡°Fire Dragon Knight ¨C Dragon Qi¡¯s Manual.¡±


    Among the ¡°Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Qi Secret Manual¡± is a pure Dou Qi cultivation and combat manual, which currently stops at five moves¡ªDragon Slash ¨C Chop, Sky Burning ¨C Sweep, Swallow Sun ¨C Stab, Sea-Boiling ¨C Strangle, and Earth-Shaking ¨C Hammer.


    ¡°Liszt¡¯s Complete Dragon Knight Training Manual¡±, on the other hand, is a miscellany recording all the bits and pieces about dragon riding training. It covers how to prepare before riding a dragon, techniques for the battle of the minds, the development of abilities on a dragon¡¯s body, and many non-combatant skills.


    Skills such as Dragon Magic Refining Qi, Dragon Breath Tempering, Dragon Force Focus, Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, Dragon Blood Infection, Dragon Knight Resonance, Dragon Eye Trajectory, and so on are all detailed.


    Not limited to the cultivation of fire dragons, he hoped this book would become the standard introductory manual for all dragon knights.


    It served as a family heirloom for generations to read, increasing the likelihood of descendants becoming dragon knights and preserving the family¡¯s eternal foundation for a thousand generations.


    ¡°Bard, let¡¯s try running the Dragon Eye Trajectory!¡±


    ¡°Whii-yah!¡±


    The wind was howling. Liszt, along with the Formless Dragon, had entered invisibility and kept flying downstream along the Whirlpool River, which hugged Flame Origin. The small river had a large volume of water, after all, it was formed by the Whirlpool Waterfall rushing down from Whirlpool Mountain, winding its way down, gradually expanding the water¡¯s surface.


    The small river turned into a large river.


    Various tributaries flowed into Whirlpool River, expanding the river¡¯s width repeatedly. Where it was only two meters wide at Flame Origin, by three hundred kilometers downstream, it had reached fifty meters in width. Where another river, about thirty-something meters wide, converged, it began to flow from southeast to southwest.


    At this point, the water flow of the river increased dramatically, and two hundred kilometers further, the river had widened to over one hundred and thirty meters.


    ¡°It can be called the Whirlpool Great River now!¡± Liszt admired, and at that time, another eighty-meter-wide river merged into it, turning downstream to flow westward.


    About fifty kilometers later, the river took a steep turn, bending south again, and the width of the water surface reached an astonishing five hundred meters.


    By the time it reached the sea, the width was unknown, as there was a large delta formed by the impact of the Whirlpool Great River, with sparse trees growing, resembling a vast marshland.


    ¡°Taking Whirlpool Mountain as the main trunk of Whirlpool Great River, the total length is about one thousand kilometers, roughly the same as the Huai River on Earth. Also, the terrain of the Whirlpool Great River Basin is relatively flat, reminiscent of the fish and rice region between the Jianghuai rivers. I wonder if it¡¯s possible to develop this place as the fish and rice region of Whirlpool River.¡±


    On the Legendary Continent, human development mainly revolves around river basins.


    The area of Flame Island is enormous, and it¡¯s impossible to develop it all quickly, so Liszt plans to focus on the Whirlpool Great River Basin as the main development area in the future.


    But of course,


    It¡¯s not set in stone.


    Whirlpool Great River is just one corner in the southeast of Flame Island; perhaps other parts of the island have more extensive and fertile river basins that are more suitable for development.


    ¡°Bard, let¡¯s find a place to rest at the mouth of the Whirlpool River and take the opportunity to analyze why the Dragon Eye Trajectory is still not being deployed.¡±


    They landed on a small hill that rose at the river mouth. The Formless Dragon let out a sound: ¡°Whii-yah.¡±


    It was asking Liszt for some Smoked Grass.


    ¡°Here.¡± Liszt pulled out a stalk of Smoked Grass and stuffed it into the Formless Dragon¡¯s mouth. The Formless Dragon immediately began to chew joyfully, savoring the released flavors.


    This stuff shouldn¡¯t be eaten too much; too much can lead to overexcitement.


    Liszt, without sureptitiously, took out a mask and put it on his face.


    The Formless Dragon had many advantages; the only sad part was its peculiar taste in Smoked Grass. Fortunately, the digestive power of dragon saliva is strong. After eating the Smoked Grass, the smell would quickly dissipate with the wind, without leaving any residual odor in its mouth.


    ¡°In the future, eat grass in places where no one else is, or you¡¯ll lose all your image points.¡±

 Chapter 822 - Chapter 822: Chapter 0819: Heading to Red Crab Island (First Update)

    Chapter 822: Chapter 0819: Heading to Red Crab Island (First Update)


    Over the next few days, Liszt almost spent half of each day training with the Formless Dragon. Although he hadn¡¯t developed any Dou Qi Manuscript techniques yet, he had mastered the use of Crystal White View and even discovered several Elf Bugs in the nearby forest.


    He didn¡¯t find any Greater Elves or Little Minor Elves, just six ordinary plant Elf Bugs that were not very economically valuable.


    Now that he already possessed hundreds of Elf Bugs, his attention to individual Elf Bugs was very low, but an Elf Bug was still an elf, with potential for enormous value. Who knew if a weed-like Elf Bug might give birth to a variant Magic Potion weed and suddenly increase in value?


    So, every single Elf Bug needed to be carefully nurtured.


    For this reason, he was already planning to establish a department specifically dedicated to the research, discovery, protection, and nurturing of elves, which would be responsible for providing overall management of the elves in his domain. Magicians were undoubtedly the best suited to lead the research on elves. However, Liszt was continuously fighting against ¡°Magicianization¡± and did not want magicians to be too deeply involved in the management of the domain.


    ¡°Let¡¯s simply diminish the role of magicians and promote the Arcanist System. Not only can magicians join the Arcanist System, but knights can as well¡­ The Iron Knight can be considered a research entity, and it is easier to control using the Arcanist System.¡±


    Therefore,


    After careful consideration, he decided to take the opportunity of establishing a research and nurturing department for elves to reform the caster system of his territory and officially transition to the Arcanist System.


    ¡°The new research institution will be called the Elf Academy. The academy will serve as an integrated research and education institution for arcanists in the domain¡­ The Elf Academy will handle research related to elves, the Magic Academy will be responsible for the essence of Magic Power and studies related to magic, and the Knight Academy will handle the training of knights.¡±


    ¡°There will also be an Agriculture Academy responsible for farming research, a War Academy responsible for intelligence and strategy, and an Equipment Academy responsible for manufacturing Magic Equipment and weapons¡­ as well as the Royal Academy, which will coordinate and guide all academies, report directly to me, and handle research and breeding of dragons.¡±


    Liszt planned to personally serve as the president of the Royal Academy, with Ach as the vice-president and Chris as the secretary-general.


    Knight Academy would have him also as president, Elf Academy would have Ach also serve as president, and Chris would still serve as the president of the Magic Academy, with other academies¡¯ leadership to be determined later.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    As for the main roles within the academies, the Arcanist level would serve as the standard.


    The most junior researchers and teachers must at least hold the title of ¡°Arcanist.¡±


    Those responsible for individual research projects or leading a teaching subject must hold the title of ¡°Grand Arcanist.¡±


    To be in charge of an academy, one must hold the title of ¡°Chief Arcanist,¡± and only Chief Arcanists were qualified to hold positions in the Royal Academy.


    To engage in leadership roles at the Royal Academy and handle research concerning dragons, one must hold the title of ¡°Arcane Instructor.¡±


    Without a doubt, both Liszt and Ach held the qualifications for the title of Arcane Instructor, and for now, they were the only two.


    He wrote down ¡°Academy-Arcanist Plan¡± in his notebook.


    Liszt didn¡¯t immediately announce it but kept it as a concept for now, considering implementing the reforms after establishing his kingdom was officially founded. Currently, his old territories were still accumulating wealth, and the new territories urgently needed development, so haste was not advisable. After all, once reformed, the Magic Guild would inevitably leave.


    At this stage, the Magic Guild was still the best way to gather pilgrimage magicians and thus had its purpose.


    Only when magicians had adapted to the management of the Magic Guild and begun to transform into researchers would it be the right time for reform.


    ¡­


    However, as Liszt was ambitiously preparing to develop the Flame Islands.


    Disastrous news arrived from his domain, swiftly relayed to his desk through the Magic Platform¡ªit was reported that the nobles of the Grand Duchy of Sapphire, Marquis of Red Crab Island, former captain of the Court Fleet, Merlin Taro, had passed away on July 3rd of Sapphire Calendar Year 154, with the funeral scheduled for July 15th.


    Today was July 5th.


    Li Si Te put down the paper used for recording and sending messages, bracing his hands on the desk, he rubbed his forehead. The good mood of the past few days had receded, and he felt a slight constriction in his heart.


    Although he had been mentally prepared for a long time, the Marquis Merlin, in his twilight years, could pass away at any moment.


    Yet, when the moment arrived, he still found it hard to face it with calmness, as the person closest to him in this world, other than Ach, had departed.


    Indeed, the ties of interest among nobles often outweighed those of familial bonds, but the affection Marquis Merlin held for him, his grandson, still filled Li Si Te¡¯s heart with respect. As a transmigrator, his few interactions with the elderly man were perhaps his most direct experience of familial affection.


    This also made him feel closer to the Long Taro Family, far more than to the Tulip Family.


    ¡°Philip, inform Earl Cross and Viscount Fox to come to the camp for a meeting.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    A moment later, Cross¡¤Thorn and Fox arrived together.


    ¡°I¡¯ve called you here because I will soon be leaving Flame Island to return to my territory. I leave the development of this area in your hands, with Cross taking the lead and Fox assisting.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord!¡± Both men accepted the orders.


    ¡°You must quickly finalize the layout of Flame Town. I will be back soon with ten new ships, split half and half between supplies and personnel. Furthermore, Durt Red Apricot has already gathered seven hundred Earth Knights and thirteen hundred Apprentice Knights, along with a large number of serfs, and they are currently en route by ship. Their accommodations must also be arranged.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°However, the river passage along Whirlpool River doesn¡¯t need your attention for now; I will take charge of that myself when I return, as there are many powerful Magical Beasts along the way,¡± Li Si Te added.


    As one of Li Si Te¡¯s three earl followers, Durt Red Apricot had previously been sent to gather knights from Iron Hoof City for a major development on Flame Island. Their fleet had no external help and had to travel from Black Horse Island to Flame Island, taking a long time.


    But Li Si Te would send Ach to assist, helping the fleet reach Flame Island as quickly as possible.


    When the time came, this group of knights would travel up Whirlpool River to Flame Origin and start opening the river passage, laying the foundation for future settlement development.


    After giving these instructions.


    Li Si Te dismissed the two men and then went directly to the rudimentary laboratory to find Ach busy at work: ¡°Ach, I might need you to put your research experiments on hold.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, brother?¡±


    ¡°Marquis Merlin has passed away; I need to return immediately.¡±


    Ach, not much concerned with humans, understood and acknowledged Li Si Te¡¯s feelings for Marquis Merlin, so she nodded gently: ¡°Alright, Ach will organize the experimental data right away.¡±


    Having organized the data, they set off immediately.


    Instead of calling forth Little Fire Dragon Leo, he mounted the Formless Dragon Bard and headed towards the coast. Along the way, he allowed Ach to personally experience the feeling of being enveloped by space magic power at the material boundary, deepening her understanding of space magic power, thus better grasping the principle of the Magic Teleportation Array.


    They traveled throughout the night, and on the afternoon of July 6th, the two arrived at the shores of Red Crab Island.


    They then summoned Little Fire Dragon Leo and started flying towards Long Taro Castle at the center of Red Crab Island.

 Chapter 823 - Chapter 823: Chapter 0820: Li Si Tes Protection (Second Update)

    Chapter 823: Chapter 0820: Li Si Te¡¯s Protection (Second Update)


    At dusk, Little Fire Dragon Leo finally flew to the mountain range where Long Taro Castle was located.


    The grand and majestic Long Taro Castle, originally adorned with colorful flowers and flags, now had its flowers removed, and its outer walls were draped with black and white flags.


    Numerous carriages were parked in the square in front of Long Taro Castle, likely all followers of Marquis Merlin.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Little Fire Dragon Leo let out a loud, profound dragon¡¯s roar, signaling the arrival of both him and Liszt at Long Taro Castle. Although each dragon¡¯s voice is unique, the majesty contained in the tone always made people immediately recognize it as a dragon¡¯s voice. Following the dragon¡¯s roar, a large group of nobles quickly emerged from Long Taro Castle.


    ¡°Dragon!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Fire Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Prince Liszt has hurry!¡±


    ¡°Prince Dragon Knight has come to attend Marquis Merlin¡¯s funeral.¡±


    The Mesiro couple and the Meioubao couple, standing among the crowd and witnessing the Fire Dragon¡¯s presence, couldn¡¯t help but feel their sorrow lifted slightly: ¡°It¡¯s Liszt!¡±


    Roland Pinecone and the Melinda couple, following behind the Mesiro couple, revealed involuntary smiles: ¡°Liszt arrived so quickly!¡±


    ¡°Grandfather¡¯s death must have been conveyed, and Liszt must have already been on his way,¡± Meioubao clenched his fist, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders with the arrival of his cousin. Marquis Merlin was the solid pillar of the Long Taro Family, and his fall caused unease within the family.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    Now, the arrival of the Fire Dragon signified Liszt¡¯s stance¡ªhe would keep his promise and become the support for the Long Taro Family.


    That was enough!


    With Liszt¡¯s support, the position of the Long Taro Family within the Grand Duchy of Sapphire would remain stable despite the passing of Marquis Merlin. The Sapphire Family would not harbor inappropriate ambitions, and those originally loyal followers of Marquis Merlin would not dare to entertain any reckless thoughts.


    Instead, it was time to prepare to pledge loyalty to Mesiro.


    Indeed, that was the case.


    Nobles like Sharke Cauliflower and Durant Hyacinth, watching the slowly approaching Fire Dragon and the knight in silver armor barely visible on its back, swiftly extinguished any rising ambitions at this critical moment¡ªwho would dare refuse to follow Mesiro, as probably the next day¡¯s sun would be difficult to see.


    The people of Long Taro Castle were unsettled, but upon the arrival of Fire Dragon Knight Liszt, all was smoothed over.


    Meioubao invigorated spirits and commanded the family¡¯s knights to quickly clear a large open space in the square for the Fire Dragon to land. The nobles craned their necks, marveling at the formidable and unmatched Fire Dragon, and the noble ladies and young misses accompanying them flashed fiery gazes.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Leo unleashed another dragon¡¯s roar, wantonly projecting his dragon¡¯s might, instantly enveloping the entire Long Taro Castle. His heart always harbored an evil dragon¡¯s nature, considering all humans, except for Liszt, as mere ants to be easily crushed; the display of dragon¡¯s might was just an intimidation.


    ¡°Leo, restrain your dragon¡¯s might!¡± Liszt¡¯s clear voice rose over the trembling crowd oppressed by the dragon¡¯s might, quickly alleviating their embarrassment.


    The nobles all showed grateful expressions towards Liszt.


    However, they didn¡¯t know that Leo¡¯s release of dragon¡¯s might was permitted by Liszt. As a Dragon Knight, it was necessary for him to let everyone firmly remember the supreme majesty of a Dragon Knight. A baptism by dragon¡¯s might was far more impactful than any number of people he could kill, thus clearly demonstrating the status of a Dragon Knight.


    Boom!


    Leo landed, shattering the stone slabs of the plaza and causing the ground to tremble.


    Liszt, accompanied by Archmage Archy, jumped directly down from Dragon Leo¡¯s back, and it was only then that everyone noticed a delicate female magician beside Liszt¡ªinstantly recognizing her identity, realizing that not only had the Dragon Knight himself come, but he had also brought an Archmage.


    ¡°Leo, go rest on the mountain.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Leo flapped his wings and soared towards the direction where the sun was setting, leaving behind a ferocious silhouette that shone brilliantly under the last rays of the sunset. The western mountain was the one behind Long Taro Castle, its summit covered with dense forests that Leo could ravage.


    At this time, the Mesiro Couple had already brought many nobles towards Liszt, bowing in greeting, ¡°Liszt, my dear nephew, great Dragon Knight, and great Archmage Acherloides, we thank you for your arrival.¡±


    Liszt quickly stepped forward, lifting up the Mesiro Couple, ¡°My uncle and aunt, I immediately rushed back from overseas upon receiving the tragic news, but it¡¯s a pity you didn¡¯t inform me sooner so I could see my grandfather¡¯s face one last time¡­ I never imagined your birthday gathering would turn into a final farewell.¡±


    In May, soon after the Great Sea Battle ended, Liszt had visited Long Taro Castle for Mesiro¡¯s birthday.


    At that time, Marquis Merlin¡¯s health hadn¡¯t worsened since New Year¡¯s; in fact, due to Princess Angela¡¯s pregnancy, Meioubao¡¯s promotion to Sky Knight, and Long Taro Family¡¯s participation in Liszt¡¯s trade plans, his spirits were quite good, and his health showed signs of improvement.


    Yet, he still couldn¡¯t make it through the year.


    ¡°My father tried to harness Dou Qi when an accident occurred, leading his condition to rapidly deteriorate; he didn¡¯t survive long enough for me to inform you. Before he passed, he mentioned you several times, regretting he couldn¡¯t see the moment you would establish your own nation.¡±


    ¡°Alas,¡± Liszt sighed along.


    But Meioubao spoke, ¡°Father, Liszt, grandfather said before he left us not to feel sad for him. He was very at ease, all his affairs resolved, leaving for the Knight¡¯s glory with a smile.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Liszt,¡± said Angela, holding her swollen belly.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s go to the castle to talk more, uncle. First, I would like to pay respects to my grandfather¡¯s remains,¡± Liszt said, reining in his grief.


    Surrounded by a cluster of nobles, Liszt and Acherloides entered the castle¡¯s great hall.


    A lavish coffin was placed there.


    Several magicians were maintaining the operation of Ice System Magic on the side to prevent Marquis Merlin¡¯s body from deteriorating in the summer heat. His eyes were closed, his face pale but peaceful, dressed in the splendid Flack Abaie of a Marquis.


    A crystal Cultural Stick lay in his hands placed on his chest, underneath a flag embroidered with the Long Taro Family emblem.


    Liszt stood in front of the coffin, pulling out a diary from his bosom that Marquis Merlin had handwritten years ago and given to Liszt as a New Year¡¯s gift.


    It had greatly benefited his promotion to Sky Knight.


    He placed the diary at a corner of the coffin.


    He couldn¡¯t help but say in a heavy voice, ¡°Grandfather, your gift once spurred me on¡­ now, as a Dragon Knight, I promise you, I will protect the Long Taro Family. The bloodline of the Long Taro Family shall thrive on the seas along with the Flame Family and the Tulip Family.¡±


    After speaking, he bowed solemnly.


    ¡­


    Moments later.


    In a private study, Mesiro, Roland Pinecone, Meioubao, and Liszt sat in four chairs.


    Mesiro spoke directly, ¡°Liszt, thank you for your promise before father¡¯s coffin. Father always said you would be a reliable support for the Long Taro Family, and now, the Long Taro Family indeed needs your protection.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, and Uncle-in-law Roland, although our families are different, we are kin, bound together by grandfather¡¯s blood. As long as I live, your families can look to me for protection, and if you wish, you can also come to develop in my nation.¡±


    Mesiro clearly wouldn¡¯t give up Red Crab Island, which his family had managed for generations.


    But Roland Pinecone seemed tempted, ¡°Liszt, have you found the location to establish your nation?¡± As a mere Viscount, previously not highly regarded by Marquis Merlin, it didn¡¯t mean he had no aspirations. Now with Liszt becoming a Dragon Knight, his relation as Liszt¡¯s uncle-in-law might just be an opportunity.

 Chapter 824 - Chapter 824: Chapter 0821: Coastal Empty Households (First Update)

    Chapter 824: Chapter 0821: Coastal Empty Households (First Update)


    The Chang Yu Family was famous for their shrewdness, and the Marquis of Red Crab Island, Merlin Taro, also prided himself on his astuteness. He did not follow other marquis families in seeking marriages within the same social status.


    Instead, he valued the potential of the other party. His eldest son, Mesiro, married the daughter of an earl, whose family was backed by the Iron Knight Family, thus ensuring that the Chang Yu Family would not lack weapons and equipment. His eldest daughter, Melinda, was wed to Roland Pinecone, the son of Viscount Longtail City, who was known at the time as a ¡°genius.¡±


    His younger daughter, Melissa, was then married to Viscount William of Tahiti City.


    Within a few years after his marriage, William had distinguished himself through his military achievements, was granted the title of Coral Island¡¯s Count, and quickly rose to become a Sword Saint, proving the insightful judgment of Marquis Merlin.


    However, Roland did not rise on the battlefield as he had expected. Instead, after inheriting his title, Viscount Roland proved to be mediocre, at one point even too afraid to enter battle, and his strength stalled at the level of an Elite Earth Knight.


    As such, Roland became a stain on Marquis Merlin¡¯s life; for more than twenty years he received no promotion and remained just the Viscount of Longtail City. Although he was filled with resentment, Viscount Roland dared not prove himself on the battlefield, thus he spent over twenty years aimlessly.


    Upon the death of Marquis Merlin, Mesiro, who was set to inherit the marquisate, also disliked his useless brother-in-law.


    Thus, Roland had little loyalty towards the Chang Yu Family. Even though he resided on Red Crab Island, he would not visit Long Taro Castle more than a few times a year, possibly even less frequently than Liszt and his siblings.


    According to the knightly system of the Legendary Continent, a count must become a Sky Knight to be granted a fief.


    Roland had already lost hope for his own title, yet seeing the spirited Fire Dragon Knight Liszt before him, his despondent thoughts stirred once more. Perhaps due to lack of strength, he could not be promoted to an earl, and his two sons were also not particularly talented.


    Yet, it seemed easy to secure the status of a Founding Contributor by following Liszt.


    Then, with Liszt perhaps leaning a bit more resources his way, the growth of the Pinecone Family was imminent, much better than languishing in Longtail City on Red Crab Island.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    Still, he did not immediately make up his mind.


    He prepared to listen to what Liszt had to say.


    ¡°Uncle, uncle-in-law, cousin, please keep this a secret for me,¡± Liszt said, setting down his teacup calmly, ¡°I have already found the location for my country¡¯s foundation. It is a vast archipelago, far surpassing the Duchy of Sapphire in area, and I am already at work developing these Flame Islands.¡±


    Roland was immediately taken aback: ¡°An archipelago larger than the Sapphire?¡±


    A fire quickly ignited in his heart. The land area of the Sapphire Archipelago added up to roughly 2 million square kilometers, and to this day, many islands remain undeveloped. The Flame Islands, being twice as large as the Sapphire Archipelago, would have even more undeveloped islands, and one could imagine how many hands Liszt would need for the development.


    ¡°The Flame Islands are about twice the size of the Sapphire Archipelago and are very difficult to develop, especially given the shortage of population, which is a serious constraint on the establishment of a nation. Therefore, I plan to plunder population from the Eagle Kingdom over the next few years, only waiting for my naval fleet to take shape before launching war on my own!¡±


    ¡°Launching war on your own?¡±


    ¡°Yes, while the Eagle Kingdom is preoccupied, I myself will lead the raid, which might very well empty the coastal areas of the Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    Mesiro couldn¡¯t help but sigh: ¡°To empty the coastal areas of the Eagle Kingdom, Liszt, such a huge raid, can the Eagle Kingdom tolerate it?¡±


    ¡°Whether they tolerate it or not,¡± Liszt suddenly erupted with an uncontrollable passion, bluntly stating, ¡°Uncle, I never fight a battle without assurance¡ªunless the Eagle Kingdom sends all their Dragon Knights to engage me in a dragon slaughter, I have nothing to fear!¡±


    ¡°The Eagle Kingdom has five Dragon Knights!¡± Mesiro felt that his nephew was getting a bit arrogant.


    ¡°But I have more than one dragon,¡± Liszt said coolly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Mesiro, Roland, and Meioubao all widened their eyes, ¡°Liszt, this¡­ what do you mean by that?¡±


    Originally planning to keep it a secret, Liszt could not hold back for the moment and decided not to hide it any longer, ¡°Carlo Violet has fallen in battle, and I have acquired the Light Green Gemstone Dragon. I am currently training a Dragon Knight for the Light Green Gemstone Dragon; in addition, I have subdued another dragon on Flame Island, so now I have a total of three dragons.¡±


    Three dragons, plus an Archmage.


    The study fell silent at once, and the three Mesiros were completely stunned, for a good while not knowing what to say. Eventually, it was the young Meioubao who, shaking, managed to ask, ¡°Liszt, my dear cousin, I shouldn¡¯t doubt you as a Dragon Knight, but¡­ do you really have three dragons?¡±


    ¡°Deceiving you would be of no benefit, would it¡­ Wait here for a moment, I¡¯ll go get something.¡± Saying this, Liszt stood up and left the study, heading toward the bedroom set up for him at Long Taro Castle¡ªbut this was just for show. In fact, he had already taken out several pieces of light green gemstone from his Space Ring halfway there.


    The Formless Dragon needed to remain a secret for the time being.


    The revelation of the existence of the Sacred Dragon had to wait until it was strong enough to defend itself, otherwise it would attract too much enmity.


    Starting with revealing the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, it might not be long before the news reached the Sapphire Duke, then slowly spread to the Eagle Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom. But he was not afraid of the news leaking; the deterrent power of the three dragons was more than enough to allow Liszt to traverse the seas freely.


    Moreover, the light green gems were bound to be sold sooner or later to exchange for resources, and the Eagle Kingdom would naturally come to know of it¡ªthen it would be seen whether they dared to come and claim the Light Green Gemstone Dragon back.


    If a dragon-slaying battle really did happen, it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    After all, the Flame Islands were destitute and barren. With the Formless Dragon to conceal their presence and Archy to control the seawater, if they could not win the battle, they could simply flee. Once the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knights left, they could rebuild the Flame Islands. But by that time, enmity would be sown, and there would be no peace for the Eagle Kingdom, whose Dragon Knights would need to be wary of assassination.


    All in all, Liszt was not afraid!


    He was now leaving the study to give his uncle and uncle-in-law time to digest the news.


    ¡­


    Back in the study.


    Meioubao was already agitated, scratching his head, ¡°Father, uncle-in-law, Liszt has three dragons!¡±


    Roland swallowed and said, ¡°Mesiro, do you believe this could be true, three dragons, three dragons, it¡¯s almost unimaginable!¡±


    Mesiro forced himself to remain calm and pondered, ¡°Liszt is a person of steady character, he wouldn¡¯t lie, and the disappearance of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡­ On the open sea, the only one likely to find that dragon would be Archmage Acherloides¡­ As for the other dragon, with him and Lord Archmage Acherloides cooperating, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to conquer!¡±


    Acherloides¡¯s reputation exceeded Liszt¡¯s by far.


    After all, it had been hundreds of years since an Archmage had been born, and during the dragon-slaying battle, the spectacle of Acherloides¡¯s magic had a greater impact than that of the melee-focused Dragon Knights, leaving a deep impression on everyone. One could say that since that battle, when speaking of the true master of the Sea of Azure Waves, the first person everyone thought of was Acherloides.


    Dragon Knights could not control water, but an Archmage controlled the sea as though it were but clay in their hands.


    After such an analysis by Mesiro, both Roland and Meioubao were convinced that Liszt indeed had three dragons. With such a formidable force, comprising three dragons and an Archmage, they had more than enough power to establish a maritime kingdom.


    Roland clenched his fist on the spot.


    Breathing heavily, he said, ¡°Mesiro, I plan to follow Liszt and develop on the Flame Islands; do you have any objection?¡±


    Mesiro narrowed his eyes, ¡°I wish prosperity for the Pinecone Family on the Flame Islands!¡±


    Roland let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡ª


    Here are two new books from Old White, an old friend¡ªAntarctic Sun¡¯s¡±The Mightiest Main God¡±and Shi Wen¡¯s¡±Attention Seek Aggressively¡±. Everyone can go give them some support and add a bit of activity to the review section.

 Chapter 825 - Chapter 825: Chapter 0822: There Can Only Be One Overlord (Second Update)

    Chapter 825: Chapter 0822: There Can Only Be One Overlord (Second Update)


    A few light green gems were placed on the table by Liszt.


    ¡°This is the light green gem produced by the Light Green Gemstone Dragon for me. If the Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom dare to start another dragon-slaying war with me, they might just end up giving me another dragon.¡±


    Even if he didn¡¯t bring out the light green gems, Mesiro and the other two believed that he had three dragons. But obviously the gems brought a greater impact.


    ¡°Light Green Gemstone Dragon, huh? To think that Eagle Kingdom went through all that effort to wage a dragon-slaying war, only to gain nothing and even lost a dragon and a Dragon Knight!¡± Mesiro looked at Liszt, his estimation of his nephew soaring without limits, ¡°You alone really could stand against a whole country!¡±


    ¡°This is just the beginning. Maritime nations can never match the development potential of continental countries. I will sooner or later march towards the Legendary Continent and establish a vast kingdom that spans both sea and land!¡± Liszt was also recklessly boasting, since it cost nothing to dream big.


    ¡°The territory of the Legendary Continent should have been occupied by various kingdoms by now; I¡¯m afraid it will be very difficult for you to find new land to establish a country on.¡± Mesiro thought for a while, but still felt he should advise Liszt to keep a lower profile.


    However, Meioubao said excitedly, ¡°Liszt, if you can establish a kingdom that spans both sea and land, I will follow you when the time comes!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, cousin. Coming to my country, you¡¯ll surely not be worse off than in the Duchy of Sapphire. Even now, the Flame Islands have much more fertile islands than Red Crab Island.¡±


    It would be good news if the Long Taro Family were willing to give up Red Crab Island and defect to him.


    The Flame Islands were too large, and what he lacked most now was population. Even with his own followers and subjects, as well as the followers and subjects of the Tulip Family, he feared they might not even reach a population of eight hundred thousand. Eight hundred thousand people developing an archipelago of nearly five million square kilometers was simply frightening.


    The average land area per person in the Flame Islands reached more than 6.25 square kilometers, whereas in China, the average land area per person was only 0.0054 square kilometers.


    That¡¯s why he had been opening channels, welcoming any Knights who came to join him, as long as they could bring in population.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï


    But after all, the Long Taro Family had been rooted in Red Crab Island for many years, and it was not easy to operate and manage their industry, plus there was the relationship with Little Princess Angela; it would be hard to let go of Sapphire.


    Mesiro would not easily make a commitment.


    Only Roland Pinecone had decided to follow Liszt and head to Flame Island to seek fortune. Liszt immediately stated, ¡°Uncle Roland, if the Pinecone Family is willing to head to Flame Island for development, then I can promise an Earldom, and the title you hold now, cousin Rolie, can be inherited by you.¡±


    Viscount Roland and Aunt Melinda had two sons, Russell and Rolie.


    Russell could inherit his father¡¯s title, while Rolie would have to earn his own accomplishments. Now Liszt not only promised the Pinecone Family an Earldom but also added a Viscountship.


    The temptation was too great.


    Viscount Roland was thrilled, even feeling a tinge of fear, as the title of Earl was the dream he dared not entertain, ¡°Liszt, I¡­ am just an Elite Earth Knight, am I eligible for promotion to Earl?¡±


    ¡°Normally, only a Sky Knight is eligible for promotion to Earl, but in my country I make the rules. Uncle can be promoted to Earl. If, after three generations, the Pinecone Family still can¡¯t produce a new Sky Knight heir, then in accordance with knightly tradition, it will be demoted to Viscount.¡±


    Liszt appreciated this system of demoting those with insufficient strength ¡ª he had no intention of supporting a bunch of worthless followers who enjoyed the resources of their lands, yet were too mediocre to even win any military honors.


    Roland immediately replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Although I have no hope to become a Sky Knight in this lifetime, and Rolie is not talented in that regard, the Pinecone Family will spare no resources to train a third-generation Sky Knight successor!¡±


    ¡°In that case, once my grandfather¡¯s funeral is over, Uncle Roland, please start preparing to set off for Flame Island. The sooner you start participating in the development of Flame Island, the more justified I will be in bestowing the title of Earl upon you.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    After discussing this topic, Meioubao couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity and asked, ¡°Liszt, since you have three dragons already, what kind of dragon is the other one?¡±


    Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°Let¡¯s keep it a secret for now.¡±


    ¡­


    After staying a night at Long Taro Castle, Liszt set off to leave the next day. The funeral was scheduled for July 15, and it was now only the 7th, leaving eight days¡¯ time. He had merely come in advance to show his face, letting others know his stance on protecting the Long Taro Family. Thus, he took his leave from Mesiro and others, and with Ach, he returned to Black Horse Island. He had planned to have a chat with the Marquis of Bull Tail, but the Marquis had gone to the Bull Tail Domain, and the Levis Couple had gone with him. Therefore, he decided to rest and recuperate on Black Horse Island.


    ¡°Your Highness, as per your instructions, Black Horse Island has started organizing various industries. This is the list of industries scheduled for short, medium, and long-term relocation,¡± Administrative Officer Isaiah from Giant Algae City brought Liszt a list.


    It meticulously recorded all the industries of the Flame Territory.


    Each industry was marked with an approximate date for potential migration; as Flame Island was gradually developed, these industries could be steadily transferred. What would be left behind was a deserted territory to be returned to the Duchy of Sapphire¡ªbut the transfer of industries was not urgent.


    It would be good to take advantage of the Duchy of Sapphire for a few years first.


    As for Liszt, he had actually decided not to return Black Horse Island¡ª he wanted to wait and see if, with the help of the Formless Dragon, Ach could develop the Magic Teleportation Array soon.


    Once the Magic Teleportation Array was researched and established, a teleportation array between Black Horse Island and Flame Island could be created, thus integrating the Sapphire Archipelago with the Flame Islands. Liszt was planning to establish his kingdom, and could recruit the Sapphire Family as followers, swearing allegiance and paying tribute to him.


    ¡°There needs only to be one master of the seas, and that¡¯s me. Duke Andrew¡¯s life is drawing to a close, and Anthony will definitely not be able to ride the Sapphire Dragon. It¡¯s feasible to take him on as a little brother.¡±


    Originally, Anthony wanted to take Liszt as his little brother, but now that Liszt was Dragon Riding, he thought of taking Anthony as his little brother.


    He intended to embrace the four seas and dominate the blue waters; the Sapphire was a thorn that must be pulled out.


    He rested for the night.


    Liszt did not linger long in Thorn Castle. Alongside Ach, he led ten framed ships sailing toward the Whirlpool Archipelago. A day later, they arrived at the Great Whirlpool and continued as before, smoothly navigating the ten framed ships through to Flame Island¡¯s Whirlpool Mountain to support the construction of Flame Town.


    On July 11, he and Ach continued their journey across the sea. This time, the aim was to find Durt Red Apricot¡¯s fleet, which was navigating the vast seas. Ach controlled a Water Tornado to help increase the speed of the fleet. However, due to the large number of ships, she couldn¡¯t provide much speed. It took three full days to escort the fleet to the Whirlpool Archipelago. The fleet would leave behind a group of Knights and Serfs to build Whirlpool Town.


    Another part continued sailing, not through the Great Whirlpool, but along the nautical route towards the Flame Islands, eventually landing at the mouth of Whirlpool River.


    Settlements were to be established along Whirlpool River, culminating in their joining with Flame Town.


    After sending the fleet to the Whirlpool Archipelago, Liszt took Ach and left again, returning to Red Crab Island to attend Marquis Merlin¡¯s funeral.


    Just as they arrived at Red Crab Island, Ach took out the Magic Platform to contact the magicians at Flame Town, inquiring about the progress of several experiments. Unexpectedly, they received a Magic Platform message from Black Horse Island, revealing that the shipbuilders at the port town¡¯s dockyard had launched a trial sail of a new type of Longitudinal Sailboat.


    Kostor and his companions were busy figuring out the nautical data of the Longitudinal Sailboat.


    He couldn¡¯t help but summon the Smoke Mission to check on the progress and, indeed, found that the mission was complete.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: new Longitudinal Sailboat.¡±

 Chapter 826 - Chapter 826: Chapter 0823: Construction Outline (First Update)

    Chapter 826: Chapter 0823: Construction Outline (First Update)


    ¡°Task: Matters of varying urgency, construction with its particular order, as the future ruler of a nation, you should carefully consider the overall planning of the Flame Islands, Whirlpool Archipelago, and other territories, instead of hammering away impulsively. Please draft an outline for the construction of the Flame Kingdom. Reward: A creative magician.¡±


    Li Si Te shook his head to dissipate the Smoke Serpent Script.


    But the content was already memorized in his mind. As Leo was flying him and Ach to Long Taro Castle, Li Si Te took advantage of this rare moment of leisure to mull over the Smoke Mission.


    The reward for ¡°a creative magician¡± presented no immediate comment, not knowing which magician it referred to, nor the nature of the creativity; it would all become clear upon the task¡¯s completion.


    What made him emotionally ashamed was the content of the task.


    It was a request for him to draft a detailed construction outline for the Flame Kingdom and was a reprimand of his previous approach as ¡°impulsive¡± and ¡°eager for quick success¡±.


    ¡°Is this a reflection of my own subconscious, or is it a reflection after hearing others whisper behind my back?¡±


    It was most likely his own reflection, for ever since he became a Dragon Knight, no one dared to contradict anything he said. His followers had all become echoers; whatever he said was right. Even if someone felt uneasy, they dared not speak out loud.


    After all, the radiance of a Dragon Knight was too dazzling to look at directly.


    ¡°Though I have admittedly become a bit conceited recently, isn¡¯t this a bit too harsh on my leadership abilities? I believe my development of the Flame Islands has been quite prudent¡­ Forget it, I¡¯m open to advice; let¡¯s have the followers discuss the construction outline.¡±


    Two heads are better than one.


    Even with a modern world¡¯s perspective, Li Si Te was inevitably prone to oversight.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    Although he felt a sense of pride inside, he hadn¡¯t become so arrogant as to lose all sense. He immediately instructed Ach to use the Magic Platform to send a message to the officials in his territories: ¡°Have them discuss in private how to develop the Flame Islands, Whirlpool Archipelago, and other islands, and then have all the senior officials submit a construction outline.¡±


    His plan was to use these outlines to compile and refine his own, thus perfecting the construction outline and fulfilling the arrangement of the Smoke Mission.


    Moving past this matter.


    By evening, Long Taro Castle appeared within sight. The plaza in front of the castle was filled with numerous carriages, all belonging to nobles who had come to offer their condolences. Li Si Te also noticed Marquis of Bull Tail¡¯s mount, the huge Obsidian Stymphalian Bird ¨C the Black Albatross ¨C leisurely strolling halfway up the hillside.


    Upon seeing the ferocious Fire Dragon flying in the distance, the Obsidian Stymphalian Bird immediately recalled those difficult times, squeezed its legs, and lay motionless on the ground.


    The reason was none other than Li Si Te allowing Leo to unleash increasingly fierce intimations ¨C since igniting the eruption of Dodo Island Volcano, Leo¡¯s Dragon Breath temperature soared, and his Dragon Might significantly heightened, no longer inferior to that of mature dragons like the Sapphire Dragon or the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    Only after everyone sensed the Dragon Might of the Fire Dragon did Li Si Te purposefully admonish Leo to restrain his Dragon Might.


    Under the escort of a large group of nobles who had come out of Long Taro Castle, he stepped into the castle.


    First, he arranged for the reclusive Ach to settle in the fourth-floor study, before returning to the living room on the second floor where the nobles had gathered to receive their flattery and obsequiousness ¨C while Li Si Te would eventually leave the Duchy of Sapphire, everyone knew the importance of establishing a good relationship with a Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Prince Li Si Te.¡±


    Crown Prince Anthony, holding a cup of green tea, found a corner to chat with Li Si Te.


    Regarding Anthony as a future junior, Li Si Te was relatively cordial, ¡°How is the Grand Duke doing?¡±


    ¡°My father is in good health, and he also asked me to extend his regards to you.¡±


    ¡°Please thank the Grand Duke for his regards.¡±


    ¡°Father asked me to tell you that if Flame Territory has any needs, just speak up. The Sapphire Family will do their utmost to help you establish your kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I do have some needs that I hope the Grand Duke can assist with.¡±


    ¡°Please speak.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s set it aside for now, and I will communicate in detail with the Grand Duke once I am fully prepared.¡± What Liszt wanted to discuss was the sales channel for light green gems. He currently lacked the capability to establish a sales channel for gemstones and hoped to utilize the Sapphire Family¡¯s channels for selling them.


    However, the news of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon had not yet leaked, so there was no rush to bring it up.


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    ¡°However, regarding the trade of sea salt, white paper, and glass, I hope to change the profit-sharing method.¡±


    ¡°How would Your Highness like to change it?¡±


    ¡°I wish to purchase serfs from Steel Ridge, using the profits from trade to pay for the principal of the serf trade. Then, with the help of the Sapphire Family¡¯s channels, I would transport the serfs back to Iron Hoof City.¡±


    ¡°The price of serfs from the Steel Ridge Kingdom is far higher than those from Eagle Kingdom¡­¡±


    ¡°True, they are quite expensive, costing about two to three times more than those from Eagle Kingdom when brought into the Duchy of Sapphire. But that¡¯s okay, I will cover the cost. The Sapphire Family just needs to provide the channel,¡± Liszt said nonchalantly, exuding an aura of not being short of money.


    Anthony nodded, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s no problem. The Sapphire Family has always maintained a channel for serfs from the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡­ However, why doesn¡¯t Your Highness use the serfs from Eagle Kingdom?¡±


    In his view, the serfs of Eagle Kingdom were cheap, and since any serf would do, it made sense to use the cheaper ones.


    But Liszt didn¡¯t think so. The majority of serfs and knights in his territory came from Eagle Kingdom, which over time could lead to a certain leaning. Although he wasn¡¯t concerned about the loyalty of his followers, it would be easy for the Eagle Kingdom to interfere and cause internal strife.


    That¡¯s why he wanted to incorporate a group of serfs from the Steel Ridge Kingdom to dilute the influence of the Eagle Kingdom.


    However, when it came to speaking, he changed his reasoning: ¡°Of course, I will raid the Eagle Kingdom, but the population of the coastal hinterlands is far from meeting my needs, so I need to open up the serf market of Steel Ridge in advance.¡±


    ¡°The population of the coastal hinterlands in the Eagle Kingdom is above ten million, aren¡¯t they enough?¡±


    ¡°I might raid about one-tenth of that, but not everyone will wait there for me to raid at will. Once the Eagle Kingdom catches on, they will surely migrate the landlords and their subjects inland¡­ I don¡¯t want to just make small gains each year like the Pioneer Mandates.¡±


    The Pioneer Mandates of the Duchy of Sapphire were an opportunity to take advantage of the annual war between Steel Ridge and Bear Eagle, sipping a bit of the spoils.


    Liszt, on the other hand, intended to powerfully tear off chunks of flesh with his three dragons at hand. After a few such raids, the Eagle Kingdom would either launch a campaign to slay the dragons or abandon the coastal hinterlands.


    They certainly wouldn¡¯t allow him to tear off chunks of flesh each year at his leisure.


    It was a pity that Flame Island was destitute and couldn¡¯t sustain a massive influx of population; otherwise, Liszt might consider solving the problem once and for all and capture the entire population of the coastal hinterland¡ªafter all, the Flame Kingdom needed to thrive by drawing blood from the Legendary Continent.


    He was not the patient type.


    A thousand years is too long, seize the day.


    Upon hearing this, Anthony became clearly embarrassed, ¡°Prince Liszt, if you raid the Eagle Kingdom wildly, won¡¯t the Sapphire¡¯s annual Pioneer Mandates become unsustainable?¡±


    ¡°That is a problem.¡± Liszt frowned and pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°How about this, every year during the Pioneer Mandates, our two houses could coordinate and make a big move, delving deep into the inland of Eagle Kingdom for raiding¡­ After all, what can Eagle Kingdom do against the combined might of you and me!¡±

 Chapter 827 - Chapter 827: Chapter 0824: Copying Steel Ridge (Second Update)

    Chapter 827: Chapter 0824: Copying Steel Ridge (Second Update)


    ¡°I need to report back to my father,¡± Anthony said to Liszt¡¯s proposal without giving any answer. He needed to discuss it carefully with the Sapphire Duke before he could reply.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°It¡¯s just a suggestion. There¡¯s still some time before this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate period ends. The Grand Duke can take his time to think about it¡­ I personally am very willing to facilitate such cooperation. When the Eagle Kingdom is in decline, it¡¯s time to employ thunderous methods to hasten its fall.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, rest assured. Once Marquis Merlin¡¯s funeral is over, I will immediately return to Azure Sky Peak Palace and convey all of Your Highness¡¯s words to my father.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± Liszt picked up his teacup and took a sip of the somewhat bitter tea¡ªit was from the green tea trees exclusively owned by Black Horse Island, which after long-term cultivation, now had a very high yield.


    Because this Dragon Knight drank tea every day, he swiftly influenced the customs of the Sapphire Archipelago; the Nobles began buying batches of tea leaves from Black Horse Island to brew and taste. Even the Sapphire Family ordered a considerable amount of tea from Black Horse Island. It was said that the Grand Duke was quite fond of tea, which further intensified the tea drinking habits of the Sapphires.


    Of course, Liszt didn¡¯t care how many people genuinely liked drinking tea.


    He originally just wanted to drink tea himself. Even now, when a pound of tea leaves was fried up to a few Gold Coins, he wasn¡¯t interested in the slight profits from tea leaves.


    Salt, white paper, and glass remained the three pillars of the Flame Territory¡¯s trade.


    There was no drinking at the dinner, just a simple meal. This was suggested by Liszt, as he believed it was inappropriate to drink alcohol during the period of Marquis Merlin¡¯s funeral¡ªin fact, the Sapphires didn¡¯t have the rule forbidding alcohol during mourning, but Liszt personally felt that drinking created too lively an atmosphere, which was unsuitable.


    When the Dragon Knight made a request, the Nobles naturally didn¡¯t dare to raise the subject again.


    So after a quick dinner, everyone went back to rest, and it was then that Liszt found the opportunity to speak alone with the Marquis of Bull Tail: ¡°Father, let¡¯s talk in the study.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I have many questions for you as well.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã?


    ¡°Do I get to be part of it?¡± Levis asked eagerly, keen to be involved in the family¡¯s major affairs.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Of course, brother can join. But first, make sure the surroundings of the study are quiet enough so our conversation isn¡¯t overheard.¡±


    Inside the study, Ach remained absorbed in her reading and writing, merely greeting Li Weiliam before immersing herself back into her own world¡ªbusy with the research of the Magic Teleportation Array, leaving other experiments aside, striving to complete the Teleportation Array as soon as possible.


    Liszt took the red wine and glasses from the Servant¡¯s hands, signaling for them to come over.


    Once the servant had closed the door and Levis had gone out to make a round, instructing his Retainers to ensure no one disturbed them, he returned to the study.


    Taking the glass of red wine that Liszt handed to him, ¡°There¡¯s no one outside now, Liszt, so whatever it is, you can say now.¡±


    Liszt sat on a chair and started asking, ¡°Father, has uncle already mentioned it to you?¡±


    Li Weiliam nodded seriously, ¡°Mesiro told me¡­ about the three dragons. Because of this news, I haven¡¯t slept all night.¡± He had arrived at Long Taro Castle yesterday, and then Mesiro started talking about it; at first, he thought the other party was jesting.


    It took him a long time to reluctantly accept the reality, but he still harbored doubts.


    Levis felt the same way.


    ¡°I do indeed have three dragons. That¡¯s the confidence behind my plan to directly establish a Kingdom. The Flame Kingdom would rise upon the sea. I believe no Kingdom would dare to wage a war to slay the dragons against the Flame Kingdom¡­ As for the location of the Flame Kingdom, it has already been chosen¡ªthe Flame Islands.¡±


    Without waiting for Li Weiliam and Levis to react, Liszt took out a carefully drawn map from his chest.


    He unfolded it and said, ¡°This is the map of the Flame Islands, about seven thousand kilometers from the Sapphire Archipelago. It¡¯s a bit far, but not too big of an obstacle. Father, please look, the largest island here is Flame Island, which will be the direct territory of my Flame Family.¡±


    Ignoring his shock at the sight of the three dragons, Li Weiliam immediately followed Liszt¡¯s pointing finger towards the map and asked, ¡°How big is this island?¡±


    ¡°After surveying, it¡¯s about three million square kilometers.¡±


    ¡°Three million? Isn¡¯t that larger than the entire Sapphire Archipelago combined?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Liszt said with a proud smile. Finding the Flame Islands was indeed an achievement worth boasting about. ¡°Flame Island is the territory of the Flame Family, so the second-largest island in the Flame Islands, this one here, I have named it Tulip Island as the fief I will grant to the Tulip Family.¡±


    ¡°How big is it?¡± Levis inquired eagerly.


    ¡°About four hundred fifty thousand square kilometers, one and a half times the size of Iron Hoof Island.¡±


    ¡°Four hundred fifty thousand!¡± Levis¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement, his interest in the island, which seemed much smaller than Flame Island, ignited in an instant. ¡°Liszt, when do you plan to found a nation, when will you develop the Flame Islands?¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Father?¡± Liszt decided to first seek Li Weiliam¡¯s opinion.


    Stroking his chin and forcing himself to stay calm, the Marquis of Bull Tail scrutinized the map before slowly speaking, ¡°My idea is to develop first and found a nation afterward. The Flame Islands are still an unknown environment, and the resources on the islands have yet to be explored; it¡¯s not guaranteed they are suitable for habitation.¡±


    He paused, then continued, ¡°Besides, the Sapphire Archipelago is far from the Flame Islands. Without adequate preparation, the resources spent on travel could well be wasted¡­ Our family¡¯s holdings are still weak. Rashly venturing to the Flame Islands to cultivate the land could be more loss than gain.¡±


    ¡°Father¡¯s thoughts align with mine. However, we still need to proceed with the development by sending a batch of knights to pioneer the land. I am recruiting knights from Iron Hoof City, and you could recruit knights too, Father. Any knights that Sapphire has rejected can be recruited and sent to pioneer the Flame Islands.¡±


    As long as Earth Knights consume more meat, most people can be promoted. Apprentice Knights are even more abundant.


    Yet, very few knights truly make a name for themselves¡ªmost of them eventually have to put down their spears, sell their warhorses, and return to farming or menial labor. With Liszt¡¯s sudden rise, all knights could see the opportunities it presented, which would surely drive the ambitious to risk their lives for it.


    No one would be forced; they would be clearly informed of both the dangers and benefits of pioneering. The rest would depend on the knights¡¯ own volition.


    Li Weiliam nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s also feasible. Iron Hoof Island lacks everything but knights. With the downfall of the Bull Family, many knights have been forced to dismount and farm.¡±


    ¡°Right, Father, although I will focus on developing the deserted islands of the Flame Islands for the next few years and am in no rush to establish a nation, the Court¡¯s structure for the Flame Kingdom should still be determined sooner rather than later. I wonder if there is anything Father can teach me?¡± Liszt asked.


    The political system under the knight system is vastly different from the national systems on Earth.


    Firstly, as a feudal society, landlords are the supreme rulers of their own domains, dealing with all matters within their boundaries except for paying taxes to their superiors. Even the real Royal Court mainly manages the King¡¯s own domain and coordinates the subordinate landlords.


    Before conferring the title of Marquis of Bull Tail, Liszt held the position of Court Equerry.


    This position may seem like that of a servant, but in reality, the noble roles within the Court are mostly honorary positions¡ªSteward of the Pantry, Minister of the Inner Court, Cupbearer, Equerry¡­ There are no roles like Minister of Finance or Minister of Military Affairs.


    The main administrative roles within the King¡¯s domain are held by minor Nobles who act as vassals, with cities and towns having their own counselors and Administrative Officers for management.


    Wars are entrusted to the Knight Order¡ªexcept for specially trained elite knights, most knights are self-sufficient and require no concern from the Landlord.


    The Knight Commander is usually chosen from among the Nobles, responsible for organizing the Kingdom¡¯s disordered knights. Marquis Merlin, before he retired, had served as the captain of the Court Fleet, equivalent to the position of a land-based Knight Commander. The large Knight Orders in each Pioneer Mandate are typically led by a Marquis.


    Liszt, who participated in the previous two Pioneer Mandates as well as the Battle of Iron Hoof Island, fought under the name of Coral Island Knights but was still under the command of the larger Knight Order that directed the battle.


    After some contemplation, Li Weiliam quickly replied, ¡°Simply copy the system of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.¡±

 Chapter 828 - Chapter 828: Chapter 0825: Knight Riding By (First Update)

    Chapter 828: Chapter 0825: Knight Riding By (First Update)


    He couldn¡¯t obtain any useful advice from the Marquis of Bull Tail.


    Li Si Te¡¯s father had his vision confined by the knightly system, with his worldview formed and solidified, unable to see any need for improvement.


    It was still the same old thing common on the Legendary Continent¡ªthe King managed the King¡¯s domains, Nobles managed the Nobles¡¯ domains. They fought together when there was a war, divided the spoils when dirty work was done, afterward each returning to their own homes, to their own mothers. The King was not really a King but was essentially just the big brother in charge.


    This system was undoubtedly very outdated, yet somehow it suited the current productive forces.


    After the Marquis of Bull Tail and his son left, Liszt leaned back in his chair, still contemplating the issue. In the initial period after transmigrating, filled with ambition, he had thought about changing the social system¡ªfrom feudal decentralization to centralization, concentrating all power in the hands of the monarch.


    However, reforming the system wasn¡¯t something that could happen overnight.


    If China hadn¡¯t had the awe-inspiring vision and enterprise of ¡°stirring up the remaining vigor of the six generations and grasping the long staff to govern within the universe¡± by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who caused heads to roll, centralization would have been equally difficult. Moreover, in Liszt¡¯s current thinking, whether it be decentralization or centralization, both were outdated feudal systems.


    It really wasn¡¯t clear whether decentralization was more comfortable or centralization was¡ªthe Dragon Rearing Family at the top of the pyramid, or a family that reared several dragons, would live comfortably no matter what.


    ¡°A better system, one of people ruling together with me, is not something I can do; arbitrarily shaking my own power, I cannot yet achieve such fearless spirit,¡± he murmured, shaking his head. Having tasted the sweetness of power, how could one give up that flavor, to act with noble character.


    After a moment, he made a decision.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no drive for reform for the time being, then I¡¯ll just copy the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡¯s system and continue maintaining the feudal system¡­ Once the Flame Kingdom develops and grows strong, and my personal strength reaches its peak, then if I want to centralize power, I could freely lead a reform with an invincible momentum. I believe no one would dare to stop me.¡±


    However, as his gaze fell upon the map of the Flame Islands on the table, he suddenly laughed at himself, feeling that he had always been needlessly worrying.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï


    The Flame Islands spread over more than five million square kilometers, of which Flame Island itself accounted for more than three million square kilometers. This meant that even if he distributed all the remaining islands, his territory as King would still be vast, a third the size of China, enough for the family to thrive for generations.


    Whether decentralization or centralization, it was all the same in the end.


    Once Flame Island developed under his guidance and its productive forces flourished abundantly, even if Liszt didn¡¯t actively reform the system, the system would evolve on its own. Even if he continued with feudal grants, those Nobles who saw the wealth of Flame Island might even cry and beg to stay on Flame Island as officials.


    Furthermore,


    If one day he could contract with the Immortal Dragon and gain immortality¡­


    The next day.


    On July 15th, the funeral of Marquis Merlin took place amidst a soft drizzle. There was no overly grand ceremony, no loud gongs or drums, just many Nobles riding in carriages, following the procession of Knights who escorted the coffin, heading to the Long Taro Family¡¯s cemetery.


    The grave had already been dug, the epitaph too had been erected.


    It was a moderately sized rectangular tombstone, with ¡°Marquis of Red Crab Island ¨C Merlin Taro,¡± ¡°Born April 18th, in the year 71 of Glory,¡± ¡°Died July 3rd, in the year 154 of Honor¡± written in Serpent Script. Birth was referred to as Glory and death as Honor; the epitaph was simple, without even a mention of who erected the tombstone.


    However, there was a line of small text at the bottom.


    ¡°Regarding life, regarding death, bestow a cold glance; the Knight rides past.¡±


    This was the epitaph Marquis Merlin had thought of for himself long ago. Before he rested in peace, he had already ordered the tombstone to be carved and placed it above the soil that would soon cover his resting place.


    With a Tulip in hand, Liszt stood in front of the tombstone, allowing the rain to fall on his Flack Abaieye attire, soaking his clothes. Contemplating the past of Marquis Merlin, even though he had been dead for over ten days, his emotions remained bleak. If nothing unexpected happened, he too would see this day, becoming bones and dust alongside the earth.


    He once thought that he did not fear death, but at this moment, he craved even more to contract with the Immortal Dragon.


    Watching the casket of Marquis Merlin being buried into the earth, his desire only intensified¡ªhe absolutely did not wish to be buried into the ground one day.


    The entire cemetery was very quiet, all the nobles silent, merely quietly contemplating and praying silently. After the servants of the cemetery had packed the soil and placed pots upon pots of flowers, an elderly noble present gently coughed, he was Marquis Merlin¡¯s distant cousin, Memi Taro.


    Despite his mere barony, his age was sufficiently great, so he was invited by the Mesiro Couple to preside over the funeral.


    Once the elderly noble caught everyone¡¯s attention, he spoke slowly, ¡°Marquis of Red Crab Island, the pillar of the Long Taro Family, Merlin Taro lies here in eternal rest¡­ The funeral is now complete, I now ask the guests to proceed in turn around the grave, offer flowers, and bid a final farewell to Merlin Taro.¡±


    Flowers are a beautiful symbol, many nobles use it as their surname, and offering flowers to the deceased is one of the few significant parts of a funeral.


    As the highest-ranking Dragon Knights and Archmages, Liszt and Ach stepped forward together, gently placing the tulip flowers in front of the tombstone.


    The Mesiro Couple and the Meioubao Couple stood beside the grave, faces etched with grief, and bowed slightly to thank the two men. Liszt and Ach bowed in return, then walked around the grave before departing from the cemetery under the guidance of the servants.


    Following closely behind was a procession of noble guests, each offering flowers before leaving the cemetery.


    Thus, the funeral of Marquis Merlin was completed simply.


    The light rain continued to drizzle down.


    Liszt declined the offer of a Retainer Knight to hold an umbrella for him, instead taking the umbrella to hold himself, walking slowly toward Long Taro Castle alongside Ach, stepping on wet cobblestones. He didn¡¯t walk too fast, and the nobles following, including Anthony, could only proceed slowly.


    No one dared to interrupt, allowing Liszt and Ach ample space for a private conversation.


    The handsome Dragon Knight had a trace of melancholy on his face, ¡°If I can¡¯t obtain the covenant method from the Dragon Domain LandLord, I might end up lying in the dark soil like grandfather in a few decades.¡±


    Ach wrinkled her delicate nose, ¡°But Ach can live for many more years.¡±


    ¡°Then live life well, and protect my family.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do that, Ach wants to stay with brother, I don¡¯t want to be separated.¡±


    ¡°Life and death are predestined, wealth and honor are in heaven, people inevitably experience moments of joy and sorrow, parting and reunion, much like the moon in the sky that waxes and wanes, ceaselessly continuing,¡± Liszt said with emotion, even though he was determined to contract with an Immortal Dragon, even if he couldn¡¯t find an Immortal Dragon he would contract with another.


    But who could guarantee a successful contract, so many kings died without achieving a successful contract.


    So far on the Legendary Continent, there are rumors that the Emperor of the Neverfall Empire has been reigning for more than two hundred years, clearly he is a Dragon Domain LandLord.


    However, it¡¯s hard to discern the truth of such news, as the Neverfall Empire is so far from the Duchy of Sapphire, almost without any interaction.


    Of course, as long as there¡¯s a glimmer of hope, Liszt would strive for it.


    If it came to that, he would ride the Formless Dragon straight into the imperial palace of the Neverfall Empire to have a chat with that Emperor about the contract with a Dragon Domain LandLord.


    In the end, who, given the chance at eternal life, would want to die?


    Ach didn¡¯t know Liszt¡¯s thoughts, but she said seriously, ¡°Brother, rest assured, Ach will figure out the contract method of the Dragon Domain LandLord, so that brother can live for hundreds of years, until the point where we both no longer wish to continue.¡±


    Liszt smiled, ¡°Good, I look forward to it!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    I wonder what epitaph you would want for yourself. Old White, after his death, will probably have etched: ¡°This person can no longer spam messages¡­¡±

 Chapter 829 - Chapter 829: Chapter 0826: Five-Year Plan (Second Update)

    Chapter 829: Chapter 0826: Five-Year Plan (Second Update)


    Marquis Merlin¡¯s funeral ended, and Liszt did not stay long at Long Taro Castle. The next day, he returned to Black Horse Island with Ach.


    Compared to other nobles who needed to sail slowly, he traveled at the speed of sound aboard Ach¡¯s shell, crisscrossing the Sapphire Archipelago as if darting around the second ring road of a city. Upon returning to his territory, he first mounted the Landwalker bird Loki and patrolled the area. He then found the increasingly well-fed Rainbow Whale Rose and took a dip in the sea.


    Now, in the midst of the sweltering summer heat, swimming in the sea was incredibly refreshing.


    The Lightning Dragon Turtle, raised by Ach, had become the guardian beast of Black Horse Island and spent half of each day lying on the beach near Giant Algae Town.


    Then, enjoying the loads of delicious dried fish brought by the servants from Thorn Castle.


    It also wasn¡¯t completely idle; as a Thunder Attribute Super Dragon Beast, its body naturally condensed High Thunder Magic, creating a dense, natural cultivation arena rich in Thunder Magic Power. Many Thunder Attribute knights from the territory cultivated around it.


    These knights were all young, and they were the reservists of the ¡°Burning Knights Group¡± that Liszt cultivated for himself.


    The Sapphire Duke had the famous Blueblood Knight Order, and as his direct troop, Liszt naturally could not be without his own direct troop. Over time, as the Burning Knights Group continued to grow and expand, it would gradually develop into a noble merit group like the Blue Blood Alliance.


    Protecting the vast business empire of the Flame Family from generation to generation.


    ¡°The Black Blood Hybrid Horses are doing well in breeding. The mixed breeds can now initially equip the local Knight Order, and the number of Black Blood Purebred Horses has grown from a few dozen to over two hundred. Once these foals grow up and we continuously improve their breed, they¡¯ll certainly develop into Dragon Breed Horses just like the Blue Blood Treasure Horses.¡±


    The Black Blood Treasure Horses were slightly smaller than the Blue Blood Treasure Horses. Although both were Dragon Breed Horses, they were inferior in quality in all aspects.


    However, under Liszt¡¯s ¡°Eugenics and Scientific Horse Breeding¡± policy, it was only a matter of time before stronger Black Blood Treasure Horses were developed to equip the Burning Knights Group.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that we¡¯ve been unable to breed a new productive female Fierce Earth Dog, and there¡¯s no end in sight for the formation of the Blizzard Knights Group; Little Yellow, Little Red, Little Purple don¡¯t have mates, and the Flame Dragon Bird colony is difficult to develop¡ªforming the Royal Knight Squad seems like a luxury¡­ In fact, even the Cultivation System for Fire Paladins has not yet been ironed out.¡±


    The Burning Knights Group is a collective term, containing ordinary knights as well as elite knights.


    Just as there are elite Ashen Hawk Knights within the Blueblood Knight Order, the Burning Knights Group would also have the elite Blizzard Knights and even the elite amongst the elites, the Royal Knight Squad. The Blizzard Knights were planned to use Blizzard Beasts as mounts, while the Royal Knight Squad was intended to mount the Flame Dragon Birds.


    Regrettably, while the cultivation principles of the Fire Paladin are basically clear, the specific details still need to be refined, and coordination with Leo also requires exploration.


    Liszt himself felt he lacked the intellectual capacity to fully refine it, and Ach had no time to worry about this experiment either, so it had been shelved for now.


    ¡°It¡¯s still too shallow a foundation; achieving success all at once is very hard.¡± Liszt watched the Lightning Dragon Turtle sunbathing on the nearby beach and sighed softly.


    Just as the Smoke Mission had said, his personality was indeed filled with an exaggerated ¡°do big things quickly.¡±


    But some things just can¡¯t be rushed.


    ¡°The Blizzard Beasts cannot breed, it¡¯s difficult to form the Flame Dragon Birds, and it seems there¡¯s no hope for the Lightning Dragon Turtle to become a tool for pulling ships¡­ The only happy news is that the Super Dragon Beast is greatly beneficial to the knights¡¯ cultivation, with the progress of these Thunder Attribute knights training around the Lightning Dragon Turtle clearly visible.¡±


    Once Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple grew up, they could also provide cultivation sites for Fire Attribute knights.


    Of course, actually, cultivating near Fire Dragon Leo would yield even better results, but the dragon¡¯s nobility would never allow insignificant ants to clamor around it.


    Drawing back his gaze, Liszt stroked the Rainbow Whale Rose beneath him and gently remarked, ¡°Good mounts are really hard to find. Landwalker bird Loki and Rainbow Whale Rose don¡¯t have similar breeds; there¡¯s no way to breed¡­It¡¯s easier to find and train some Super Dragon Beasts to follow.¡±


    Thus, he remembered the clues about Super Dragon Beasts he had learned from Kenley Truth.


    The Earth Attribute Golden Mountain Goat is raised by the Steel Ridge Royal Family, so evidently, it is quite difficult to obtain; there is a type of Sub-dragon called Gallant Eagle, raised by a Duke¡¯s family in Steel Ridge that once birthed a Dragon Knight, but the actual creature has never been seen; the most likely to be obtained is the Unicorn.


    Within the Pegasus Great Forest, there are advanced Dragon Beasts known as Pegasus, and it is said that within the Pegasus herd, Unicorns have been spotted.


    ¡°Pegasus are Wind Attribute advanced Dragon Beasts. If the Unicorn is similar to the Thunder Attribute Dragon Turtle and Dragon Turtle in terms of species relationship, then it should be a Wind Attribute Super Dragon Beast¡­ According to the ¡®Magical Beast Encyclopedia¡¯ naming convention, it should be called Storm Pegasus, which more suitably matches its status.¡±


    Whether it is the Storm Pegasus or the Unicorn.


    Li Si Te had already decided that once he found the time, he would go to the Pegasus Great Forest with Ach to search for them.


    ¡­


    The results of patrolling the domain were not bad.


    He obtained three Elf Bugs, specifically the Little Wheat Bug, Hemp Rope Vine Bug, and Tomato Bug, in addition to the previously discovered Barley Bug and Corn Bug by the serfs. The domain had continually produced five high-economic-value Elf Bugs recently, which was quite gratifying.


    Big data proved.


    Scientific farming greatly promotes the cultivation of Elf Bugs!


    With this discovery, and the long-term farming methods explored by the domain, it is foreseeable that the Flame Kingdom will welcome a continuous explosion of elves, and the national power will skyrocket by geometric multiples.


    After inspecting the domain.


    After handling the accumulated official duties.


    Staying for a few days for good rest at Thorn Castle, Li Si Te soon gathered the construction outlines written by his senior officials and looked them over carefully.


    Discard the dross and select the essence, then integrate the strengths of various sources to write his own ¡°Flame Country¡¯s Zeroth Five-Year Construction Outline.¡±


    As to why it is the ¡°zeroth five years,¡± it is because he plans to complete the establishment of the country within these five years; since it is not yet established, it cannot be the ¡°first five years.¡± In short, it was just Li Si Te¡¯s personal quirk flaring, or perhaps a twitch in his brain.


    The ¡°Outline¡± in summary is a sixteen-character policy.


    ¡°Iron Hooves Black Horse, continue development, Flame Whirlwind, fully develop; Serf Trade, Knights pioneer, Infrastructure, Industry Shift.¡±


    Specifically, it was divided into several developmental steps¡­ This was a detailed and solid construction outline, considering needs from all aspects, which would guide the establishment of the Flame Kingdom from a high vantage. As long as it was strictly implemented, the country would inevitably be successfully established within five years.


    When the ¡°Outline¡± was transcribed, the Smoke Mission was also completed.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward awarded to the creative Magician Inuit Truth.¡±


    ¡°Inuit Truth? I have heard this name before; just two days ago, while inspecting the docks, a magician blended into the sailing team, apparently, a young magician aspiring to great voyages.¡± Li Si Te quickly found out which magician was the reward of the Smoke Mission.


    The day after he returned to his domain, Kostor and others returned from testing the new Longitudinal Sailboat. After the sailing test, detailed data on the Longitudinal Sailboat was obtained. In the aspect he most cared about, speed, its advantage was not as significant as Liszt had imagined, especially when sailing downwind, the Longitudinal Sailboat was actually quite difficult to control.


    However, when sailing upwind, the advantages of the Longitudinal Sailboat¡¯s speed were perfectly displayed; unless it was directly facing headwind, the Longitudinal Sailboat could sail by relying on the sea wind¡ªof course, in real operation, when the wind was too strong or the headwind too direct, it still was hard to sail.


    Li Si Te was not very satisfied with the performance of the Longitudinal Sailboat; he had originally thought it could replace the Transverse Sailboat, but now it seemed, it could not replace it at all.


    Just then, the young magician named Inuit boldly suggested, ¡°Your Highness, why not combine longitudinal and transverse sails¡­ Moreover, the sail is too flimsy; I suggest using hardwood to support the sail, allowing the wind to strike the sail better and fully utilize the pushing force.¡±

 Chapter 830 - Chapter 830: Chapter 0827: The Power of Steam (First Update)

    Chapter 830: Chapter 0827: The Power of Steam (First Update)


    Inuit¡¯s remarks reminded Liszt that both cross and longitudinal sails were types of sails, and a big ship could have two or three masts; so why not hang both cross and longitudinal sails at the same time?


    With a fair wind, raise the cross sails and it would surge forward; against the wind, raise the longitudinal sails for serpentine maneuvering.


    This would essentially allow the sailboat to move freely at sea at all times, greatly shortening the voyage time. Moreover, Liszt seemed to recall that during Earth¡¯s Age of Exploration, many sailboats had triangular longitudinal sails at the bow and stern, with cross sails in the middle.


    It was upon hearing Inuit¡¯s suggestion that Liszt immediately ordered the shipbuilders in the dockyard to diligently research mixed sailboats.


    However, regarding Inuit¡¯s suggestion to use wood to fix the sails, since it was dismissed by several veteran shipbuilders as impractical at the time, Liszt did not pay much attention to it.


    ¡°Now it seems, I need to have a good chat with this creative magician who has received approval from the Smoke Mission and is involved with the Power of Destiny. This person must be a talented individual.¡±


    The Power of Destiny represented by the Smoke Mission was highly mysterious and enigmatic, and so far Liszt had not figured out its origin.


    But it could not be denied that those chosen by the Smoke Mission always had some extraordinary and unique aspects. To put it plainly, these people were somewhat the ¡°children of destiny¡±, surrounded by a ¡°protagonist¡¯s halo¡±¡­ Of course, their halo, no matter how strong, could not compare to Liszt¡¯s ¡°cheat.¡±


    Emily had an exceptional talent for Dou Qi, Lucy and Ruth were outstanding in magical aptitude, Paris involved the Light Magic Swordsman¡­ Ach was an exceedingly rare Sea Serpent who had become an Archmage as a Sea Serpent.


    Inuit¡¯s talents were still unclear.


    Liszt needed to pay serious attention.


    Soon, Inuit¡¤Truth was brought over by the Retainer Knights; he was not a conventional magician¡ªthe Magic Cloak seemed to have been modified by him into a bodysuit: ¡°Your Highness, did you call for me?¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Inuit, do you like sailing very much?¡± Liszt gestured for him to take a seat, then casually asked.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I grew up by the sea and have always longed for the profound blue ocean.¡±


    Inuit¡¯s details, already laid out at Liszt¡¯s hand, had come directly from the Magic Guild¡ªeach magician provided comprehensive identification information upon joining, eventually receiving an identity card similar to an ID card, one for every citizen of Black Horse Island.


    Inuit was a Sapphire Person, but a magician from the outer islands who had come to Black Horse Island following his teacher.


    His teacher was merely a common magician, currently studying Natural Magic under Grand Magician Lars¡¤Truth, which included Druid farming and transformation. He himself had little interest in delving into deeply theoretical magical content, instead, he was passionate about the business of sailing.


    Liszt tapped the table, asking, ¡°Regarding the improvement of sailboats, do you have any other inspiration?¡±


    Excitedly, Inuit replied, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve been studying sailboats for a long time and have a whole bunch of designs I want to implement. I¡¯ve discussed them with the shipbuilders in the dockyard before, but they¡¯re too rigid, sticking to their outdated shipbuilding techniques and completely failing to understand my designs!¡±


    ¡°Then tell me about them now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    Once he started, Inuit couldn¡¯t stop, spilling out all his designs pertaining to sails, masts, rigging, and even the structure of the ship. Many of these ideas were indeed imaginative, to the point that even Liszt found some hard to grasp.


    Some designs, in Liszt¡¯s view, were simply absurd.


    For instance, Inuit thought the work of taking in the sails was very cumbersome and heavy, so he simply proposed designing foldable masts. This way, during a storm, the masts could fold down to either side and also serve as support poles for the ship¡¯s body, maintaining the ship¡¯s stability on the high seas, and making sure it never sank.


    This idea was quite interesting in strict terms, but the mast itself is one of the most important components of a sailboat, and like the dragon bone, high-quality ironwood is needed to make the mast tough and prevent it from breaking.


    A foldable mast could be the first to break if a storm hit. Plus, sails are heavy, and raising the masts again after folding would definitely be more exhausting than raising sails. Not to mention the challenge of ensuring the mast¡¯s stability when being raised or folded.


    Overall, it was unreliable.


    Most of Inuit¡¯s designs seemed unreliable.


    However, from his creative designs, Liszt discovered something intriguing¡ªInuit had surprisingly proposed the idea of using a huge rotating wheel to propel ships forward.


    That was essentially the design of a ¡°steamship¡±!


    On Earth, the era of sailing ships was replaced by steamships, gradually turning sailing into a competitive sport.


    ¡°Have you thought about how much power it would take to rotate such a huge wheel and that it couldn¡¯t possibly be turned by human strength alone?¡± Liszt asked with interest.


    Inuit seemed to have anticipated this discussion, ¡°Your Highness, although human power is insufficient to turn such a large wheel, magic power can. We can use a magic array to drive the wheel.¡±


    ¡°Using a magic array to drive it?¡± That seemed like a good solution, but Liszt was not satisfied. ¡°Magic arrays are indeed versatile and driving a wheel isn¡¯t impossible. However, manufacturing and operating costs of magic arrays are huge, making them unsuitable for ships.¡±


    He had considered ideas of combining magic and technology long ago. Yet, with the current constriction of the magic web, it was hard for magic arrays to draw magic power from the magic web; they would need to consume the magic power inherent to the materials of the magic array itself. Maintaining such a system was enormously expensive.


    And this world had no gemstones or similar items for storing magic power.


    Even a small magic platform required regular replacement of its magic runes to function. Communication was costly, let alone driving a huge wheel.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Inuit turned embarrassed immediately. As a magician, he was well aware of the value of magic materials. His ideas were indeed ingenious, and he took pride in them. But by his design, a single magic array could cost as much as several three-masted sailing ships.


    Including maintenance materials for the magic array, such a ship would likely operate at a loss for every trade mission.


    Only a fool would design such a thing.


    Seeing Inuit¡¯s embarrassed and flushed face, Liszt did not show disappointment. Instead, he valued Inuit not only because of his involvement in the Smoke Mission but also because he had ideas¡ªwanting to develop technology, it¡¯s not the impracticality of ideas that one should fear, but the lack of ideas.


    ¡°Inuit, magic power is difficult to apply in ordinary use, but that doesn¡¯t mean there is no alternative power to magic. There is a power I call steam that you could explore further¡­ Besides, some of your creative ideas on sailing ships¡ªI can¡¯t judge their value, but I can involve you in the design of new sailing ships. Would you like that?¡±


    Inuit responded immediately, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for your acknowledgment. I would love to participate in designing new sailing ships!¡±


    Personally designing a ship that could sail the great seas was Inuit¡¯s dream, but he still had his doubts, ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean by the power of steam?¡±


    ¡°Go back and boil a kettle of water, and you will understand the power of steam,¡± Liszt said mysteriously.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t know much about the steam engine, which triggered the Industrial Revolution, other than that it utilized coal, oil, and other raw materials to burn and drive pistons to power machinery.


    ¡°Boil water? I will go back and do it right away!¡±


    Inuit made his quick leave.


    Watching his retreating figure, Liszt shook his head, doubting that steam engines could spark an Industrial Revolution in this world. The explanation was simple¡ªup till now, there were no recorded uses of coal, petroleum, or other fossil fuels. Without these fuels, burning wood wouldn¡¯t provide much power.


    The scarcity of metals would also severely restrict the production of steam engines.


    Of course, steam engines weren¡¯t completely devoid of potential, for a simple reason¡ªLiszt had a Fire Dragon!


    Once the Little Fire Dragon matured, releasing Fire Dragon Overmagic at will, there would be a continuous supply of the Magic Little Fire Dragon to serve as fuel.


    Then, he could raid a few more iron mines on the Legendary Continent.


    Steamships might indeed become reality!

 Chapter 831 - Chapter 831: Chapter 0828: Trembling from the Bottom of My Heart (Second Update)

    Chapter 831: Chapter 0828: Trembling from the Bottom of My Heart (Second Update)


    Anthony Sapphire brought Liszt some bad news.


    Liszt¡¯s proposal to join forces with the Sapphire Family for a major undertaking had been gently rejected by the Sapphire Duke. The reason was the friction between the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom, which likely meant that this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate might not be issued as desired.


    ¡°The Eagle Kingdom must have promised Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom countless benefits, successfully stirring up confrontation between them and the Steel Ridge Kingdom. Six Dragon Knights have already gathered in the borderlands at the junction of the two kingdoms, leading to a sudden reduction in border pressure for the Eagle Kingdom, allowing them to free up forces to defend their coastal heartlands.¡±


    ¡°What a pity,¡± Liszt did not insist.


    The Grand Duchy of Sapphire was known as the sea overlord, but in reality, it was merely a grand duchy. Seeing no opportunity to exploit, it beat a tactical retreat.


    As for Liszt, in this unclear situation, he also wasn¡¯t foolish enough to raid the Eagle Kingdom alone.


    Both he and Little Fire Dragon Leo, along with Formless Dragon Bard, needed time to grow. Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan had suffered a grave injury and had not fully recovered. With such fighting power, they could bully ordinary knights, but they were somewhat lacking in confidence against Dragon Knights, so it was better to focus on developing Flame Island.


    He laid his cards on the table with Anthony, ¡°The Sapphire Family should put more effort into the serf trade. You should already know about the Flame Islands; I am in the process of developing them and could leave the Sapphire lands at any time.¡±


    Anthony nodded, ¡°Yes, we have already heard the news. Your knight mobilization with the Marquis of Bull Tail was not heavily concealed.¡±


    ¡°Regarding the development of the Flame Islands, I have yet to fully investigate, so the founding and migration of a new kingdom have to be postponed for a few years. I hope the Grand Duke will continue to support us in these years.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness, the Sapphire Family will fully support the establishment of the Flame Family¡¯s kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear. Since you have made the rare journey to Black Horse Island, stay for a few days and enjoy the island¡¯s cuisine.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?


    ¡­


    Once Anthony had left with his mouth greasy from eating,


    Liszt also set off from Black Horse Island with Ach, bringing the third batch of framed ships, heading towards the Whirlpool Archipelago. After transporting supplies to Flame Town, he summoned Formless Dragon Bard and spent all day with Ach researching the Magic Teleportation Array.


    The reason for his enthusiasm was the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix has gradually become clear under the research of Sea Sprite Ake and is ready to be experimented on. This is related to a major future scientific research project. Why not join forces with the Formless Dragon to help Ake and complete the first experiment? Reward: Deep knowledge of the Magic Web.¡±


    This mission implied that Ake¡¯s research had entered a new phase.


    And the reward was also very interesting¡ªsimilar to a previous reward for traversing the Great Whirlpool. That time it was deep knowledge of the Magic Teleportation Array, and this time it was deep knowledge of the Magic Web.


    Undoubtedly, this reward captured his firm attention.


    He had mulled over the Magic Web countless times and had inquired about it to Ake on more than one occasion. But aside from knowing that the Magic Web was a special existence that enveloped the entire world like a field and a net, floating between matter and magic power, possessing high-energy magic power and the ability to interfere with reality, he knew nothing else.


    Yet without a doubt, the Magic Web was an important construct of the world. If he wanted to surpass the Dragon Knight Cultivation System, he definitely had to target the Magic Web.


    Thus, this reward could not be missed.


    ¡°Ake, is the experiment ready to start, and are there any oversights?¡± At the entrance to the Whirlpool Mountain Whirlpool Cave, Liszt watched Ake continuously directing knights and magicians to set up the experimental apparatus and couldn¡¯t help but nervously inquire.


    ¡°Brother, Ake has repeatedly validated the steps of the ¡®Material-Magic Node Observation Experiment,¡¯ and with Bard¡¯s assistance, there should be no accidents,¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Time slipped into the oppressively hot month of August.


    For an entire week, countless magic arrays set up personally by Sea Sprite Ake around the Whirlpool Cave Entrance were finally completed, wrapping the entrance entirely within their scope. After all the knights and magicians had evacuated from the Whirlpool Cave Entrance, only Ake, Liszt, and the Formless Dragon Bard remained.


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    Bard could hardly wait. It was constantly providing information for the experiment with its abilities and also understanding the content and purpose of the ¡°Material-Magic Power Node Observation Experiment¡± through Liszt¡¯s communication¡ªthe purpose was to create an opportunity for it to observe the ¡°boundary¡± of the material world.


    Only by observing the boundary of the material world could one tear the boundary apart, search for the left side, and establish a connection through the Magic Teleportation Array.


    ¡°Brother, let¡¯s start!¡±


    Ake nodded.


    Liszt cast all his mixed emotions aside, leaped onto the Dragon Tooth Platform on Formless Dragon Bard¡¯s back, and quickly resonated with the dragon to enter Dragon Rider Mode. Meanwhile, Ake continuously activated the complex magic arrays at the entrance, which started to flicker with intricate magic radiance. Countless magic powers began converging towards the entrance.


    Suddenly,


    Liszt felt his body start to swell, or to be exact, Bard¡¯s body began to expand as the magic power from the arrays was channelled into its body, helping it to dramatically enhance its strength in a short amount of time.


    But the magic power was too diverse, it needed to be refined and concentrated.


    Bard itself lacked this ability, but Liszt had already blended the Formless Dragon¡¯s space magic power with his Dragon Dou Qi and was quickly unifying these powers through high-speed motion. Acting as a ¡°switchboard¡± for the magic power, the Formless Dragon could comfortably accept the stimulation of the magic power, its strength surging wildly.


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    Its body size began to grow, from an original 15 meters in body length and wingspan, it directly expanded to 20 meters in both, approximately the size it would be when it reached adulthood.


    An adult Formless Dragon!


    The Crystal White View was also constantly changing, from the rough crystal structure of the world to a fine crystal structure, and with Liszt running the Crystal White Trajectory, the world he saw became even more extraordinary, as if it broke down every thread of matter, every thread of magic power into the finest crystal structure.


    The magic arrays were still being activated, and more magic powers were filling the Whirlpool Cave Entrance. Liszt, immersed in the Formless Dragon¡¯s surging strength and novel view, suddenly heard Ake¡¯s clear shout, ¡°Brother, start guiding the magic power for high-frequency resonance, strip away the matter, and find the node of the material boundary!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Liszt abruptly snapped out of his focus on strength. The Dragon Dou Qi operated, and the Formless Dragon¡¯s space magic power quickly merged into the surrounding environment, beginning to exhibit its power to dominate space.


    Wings flapped, magic power surged.


    The inner space of the Whirlpool Cave seemed to shake like ripples of water, and as the Formless Dragon¡¯s power kept surging, the invisible material boundary was gradually peeled back, revealing the scenery beyond the boundary. At the same time, a wormhole space, faint and elusive, also began to take shape.


    ¡°Push harder, Bard!¡±


    Liszt shouted loudly, and together with the Formless Dragon, they furiously circulated the Dragon Dou Qi. The force of space power continuously tore at the material boundary until, with a thunderous noise, the material boundary was forcefully ripped apart.


    The Wormhole Space lay bare within the Crystal White Trajectory.


    The next moment,


    A man and dragon vibrated their wings and flew into the Wormhole Space. Behind them, the magic arrays at the Whirlpool Cave Entrance seemed unable to bear the tearing of the magic power tide and vanished in a flash. But by then, the magic arrays were no longer of any use. Liszt directly entered the Wormhole Space, in the guise of an adult Formless Dragon Knight.


    The Crystal White Trajectory continuously operated, and every detail of the Wormhole Space was displayed under his gaze.


    A vast and profound Magic Web enveloped the tube-like Wormhole Space, but as Liszt¡¯s gaze searched deeper within the Magic Web, his pupils suddenly dilated.


    An uncontrollable shudder erupted from the bottom of his heart.


    ¡°Terrifying, to such an extent!¡±

 Chapter 834 - Chapter 834: Chapter 0831: Native Tribe (Second Update)

    Chapter 834: Chapter 0831: Native Tribe (Second Update)


    Having a beer at the tavern and encouraging the knights to strive for pioneering, Liszt hurried to the Mage Tower to check on Ach¡¯s progress in her magic experiments.


    The progress was very good.


    Even without sleep for a whole night, Ach was still vibrant¡ªmagicians are always full of spirit.


    She was designing a Magic Array that could tear apart the Magic Web, to break the nodes of physical space and expand into a Wormhole Space. Once the nodes were broken in another place, it could be connected to the nodes, completing a real Magic Teleportation Array.


    ¡°Just like opening a door, isn¡¯t it?¡± Liszt, simplifying Ach¡¯s description, said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s call this experiment the ¡®Magic Door Project¡¯. Continue with your research, and if you need any assistance, just say the word. Bard and I will fully support you.¡±


    ¡°Um, thank you, big brother.¡±


    ¡­


    After resting for a day, the next day Liszt rode on the Formless Dragon Bard to start patrolling the Whirlpool River.


    He planned to find the pioneering team led by Durt Red Apricot and identify the secretive glares observing them to see what unknown creatures dared covet the pioneering team. Whether wolves, tigers, monkeys, snakes, or something else, anything that dared obstruct the development of Flame Island would be eradicated.


    With Liszt riding Formless Dragon Bard, the Little Fire Dragon Leo¡¯s appearances clearly reduced.


    In the future, Liszt¡¯s dragons would have specialized roles; Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan would specifically stay in the Dragon Nest to produce minerals, Fire Dragon Leo would primarily handle combat, and Formless Dragon Bard would be utilized particularly for scouting. Crystal White Trajectory¡¯s magic detection was far superior to any other method.


    Its capability for invisibility while roaming the borders was also significant.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã?


    Thus, when both dragon and rider had already located the pioneering team along the Whirlpool River, none of them, including Durt, noticed Liszt¡¯s presence.


    Liszt did not reveal himself either.


    He continued to hover overhead, occasionally directing Bard to sweep over the forest, carefully inspecting the magic feedback from all around. However, having surveyed the vast forest surrounding the pioneering team, and not detecting any magic buildup, it seemed that the spying eyes were likely not magical beasts.


    ¡°So what are these numerous unknown species?¡± Dispersing the Crystal White Trajectory and restoring his own natural vision, Liszt surveyed again.


    Since there were unknown species spying on the pioneering team, they couldn¡¯t be far.


    After searching for an entire hour, Liszt finally discovered what was secretly watching; they were hiding in the dense forest, agile like monkeys, capable of climbing trees and observing the pioneering team from atop the branches. Had it not been for the disturbance in the upper tree canopy that alerted Liszt, they would have remained hidden.


    But once discovered, these creatures without magic were of no significant concern.


    ¡°It turns out to be humans, dressed in animal skins, wielding bows and arrows, apparently the inhabitants of a primitive tribe living in the Flame Islands!¡± Liszt narrowed his eyes.


    His feelings were mixed with surprise and joy.


    Surprise that there were humans surviving on the remote Flame Islands, perhaps descendants of humans from Legendary Continent who accidentally drifted here and reproduced. Joy that the humans of the primitive tribe, while appearing ugly and backward, would be an excellent addition to the serfs.


    Developing Flame Island required a mass number of serfs, and Liszt was worried about where to find so many; unexpectedly, someone brought the pillow as he was dozing¡ªthe Flame Island accounted for a primitive tribe.


    According to the Smoke Mission¡¯s hints, there were quite a few humans in the primitive tribe.


    He looked at the primitive tribe humans dressed in animal skins atop the trees, contemplating, ¡°It seems I need to change my strategy and fully capture these primitive tribe humans to serve me¡­ Capturing serfs is indeed an uncivilized act, but compared to the serf trade, using the natives might be less bloody.¡±


    It was said that when Europeans trafficked black slaves to America, due to navigation, hygiene, and overloading issues, basically ten black slaves died for every one that arrived in America.


    The serf trade in this world was much better, with at most two or three out of every ten serfs dying during transportation.


    The serf trade under Liszt¡¯s management, which always prioritized safety, saw at most one out of every hundred serfs dying. Protecting the lives of the serfs was protecting the Landlord¡¯s interests, and he knew serf trade contradicted humanitarian principles, but he couldn¡¯t abandon the profits and could only take the best care of the serfs.


    He sought peace of mind.


    All the serfs that came to the Flame Territory generally enjoyed a better living environment than before.


    But even feeling justified couldn¡¯t cover up the casualties in the serf trade process. He never expected Flame Island had natives. Thus, capturing these natives to act as serfs would eliminate the risks of naval trade while also improving the living conditions of the natives.


    Whether it was hypocrisy or benevolence, Liszt had rapidly made up his mind to capture all the natives on the island and then force them to undergo serf transformation.


    To embrace a better life and contribute to the modernization efforts of Flame Island.


    Just then, a native who had been spying on the pioneering team from the treetops climbed down and quickly ran toward the depths of the forest. Liszt rode Bard and closely followed, running ten kilometers out, and discovered a large lake with many wooden houses densely scattered around it.


    These wooden houses seemed to be built for water and moisture defense, all of them on stilts.


    On the clearing by the lake, there were elderly and children, the elderly dressed in rough hemp cloth and the children bare-bottomed. A few who seemed to be women natives were also wrapped in short animal skins covering their primary parts, cleaning animal skins by the lake.


    These people¡¯s skin was slightly dark but not as black as Africans, resembling more the black-yellow skin of the Indian People.


    ¡°From the structure of the wooden houses and the hemp cloth on the elderly, it can be deduced that this native tribe is slightly more advanced than those primitive tribes¡­ probably because their ancestors brought some life skills when they strayed onto Flame Island, which their descendants inherited.¡±


    Knowing how to weave and build stilt houses indicated that these natives were good candidates for serfs.


    With a little instruction, they could be sent to work in plantations and workshops.


    In the tallest stilt house of the tribe, the previously spying native was chattering with several elderly and robust men. Liszt could only look through the house¡¯s window, yet just a glimpse revealed an interesting phenomenon to him.


    The oldest man in the center was wearing black hemp cloth, and its style vaguely resembled a magician¡¯s magic cloak.


    ¡°Magic cloak?¡±


    Liszt rapidly deployed the Eye of Magic, and indeed, a faint earthy yellow magic power glow radiated from the old man.


    That is to say, he had cultivated!


    The few elderly around him also had faint glows, blue, red, and white, but the robust men had no magic power.


    Liszt found this surprising: ¡°It looks like a magician¡¯s cultivation system. Could these natives be descendants of magicians¡­ Interesting, these primitive tribe natives know how to cultivate; no wonder they can survive in this magical beast-infested forest.¡±


    With this thought, he summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward with a large number of native tribes.¡±

 Chapter 835 - Chapter 835: Chapter 0832: Priority (First Update)

    Chapter 835: Chapter 0832: Priority (First Update)


    ¡°A great number of native tribes!¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡±


    Liszt was very satisfied with the mission reward. If all the native tribes were at the level of this small one, then the more, the better¡ªthey were the most suitable source of serfs.


    In an instant, the smoke formed by the Serpent Script morphed into a new paragraph.


    ¡°Mission: the discovery of the native tribes is undoubtedly good news. Among them, natives with magic power exude mystery. Why not thoroughly investigate the native tribes to find the origin of their cultivation system and understand their current development status? Reward: treasures of the native tribes.¡±


    ¡°There are treasures in the native tribes, it seems these native tribes really do have some extraordinary origins.¡±


    He planned to charge over immediately, grab the natives that seemed to be the leaders of the tribe, and then slowly interrogate them about the situation of their tribe. But he soon dismissed this idea, for a simple reason¡ªthe natives¡¯ chattering was all unintelligible bird language.


    And he didn¡¯t have the patience to translate the native language, word for word.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to call up a knight order and summon a few magicians to study the current state of the native tribes together.¡± He suddenly commanded the Formless Dragon Bard and left the native tribe.


    Heading straight for the exploration team.


    Durt Red Apricot¡¯s exploration team not only had a large number of knights but also many magicians from the Magic Guild, which would conveniently facilitate the execution of this mission.


    Finding Durt¡¯s location.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    Liszt leapt directly from the back of the Formless Dragon, activating his Dragon Might as he fell. The overwhelming Dragon Might swept across the entire exploration team, and the knights close by clutched their throats as if an invisible hand was squeezing them, leaving them feeling heavy-chested and struggling to breathe.


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡± A knight resisted the discomfort and bellowed loudly.


    Others drew their Knight¡¯s Longswords, preparing to align and face the enemy.


    Thump!


    Amidst the chaos of the knight order, Liszt landed steadily on the ground, and when he stood up, he slowly withdrew his Dragon Might, stepping out from the dust.


    Maintaining high alert, Durt saw in the direction of the sound a familiar figure slowly emerging, a deep memory he could never erase.


    Fire Dragon Knight.


    Liszt Tulip!


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Durt could hardly believe it.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, let the knight order calm down.¡± Liszt always enjoyed such a dramatic and flashy arrival, regardless of the disturbance it caused.


    As a Dragon Knight, he must maintain the majesty of a Dragon Knight at all times.


    Durt recognized Liszt and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, then he quickly directed the nearby knights to settle the disturbance, before dismounting and bowing: ¡°I was not aware of your Highness¡¯s arrival, Durt failed to greet your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I just had a sudden matter and came over to say hello,¡± Liszt gestured for Durt to follow him to the tent.


    Entering the tent, he first inquired about the incidents that occurred during the pioneering team¡¯s voyage, but there was nothing major. Even when they encountered storms, the ships were still able to pass through safely, thanks to the Calming Wind Pearls and Water Calming Pearls provided by the territory, and they successfully arrived at the mouth of the Whirlpool River.


    However, after reaching the dense forests of the Whirlpool River, there were more problems. Firstly, the unfamiliar climate caused some serfs to fall ill and even die; then, there were many mosquitoes in the forest, and after being bitten, many of the serfs died directly; finally, the weather was extremely hot, and quite a few serfs suffered from heatstroke.


    The fleet had brought a total of two thousand serfs, and after all the back and forth hardships, a good five hundred or more serfs had fallen.


    As for the knights, those with Dou Qi had a strong adaptability. Apart from a few who died due to surprise attacks by magical beasts, the other knights still maintained their full fighting strength.


    ¡°It seems some of us are too hasty, knights can adapt to the environment of Flame Island, but it is very difficult for serfs,¡± Liszt shook his head.


    He felt somewhat distressed.


    The pioneering team¡¯s serfs lived outdoors, riddled with crises, faring worse than the serfs of Flame Town.


    ¡°Your Highness, death is inevitable in pioneering, they came for gold coins, and naturally, they must be prepared to die for gold coins,¡± Durt expressed without concern, ¡°The dead serfs can be slowly replenished. The most important thing is to develop Flame Island and to open up the Whirlpool River living area as soon as possible.¡±


    The quality of a knight in this world included compassion, yet knights who truly had pity for serfs were almost nonexistent.


    The vast class gap meant the nobility barely saw the commoners as human, their compassion only extended to knights of the same rank¡ªunless a knight died during a charge, they were generally not killed, and could still return to their noble status after paying ransom.


    Upon hearing this.


    Liszt said gravely, ¡°Durt, serfs are people too, you need to change your past attitude. The Flame Islands urgently need development, and every serf is a vital resource. Knights of the future Flame Country will be born from the descendants of these serfs.¡±


    Durt nodded, ¡°Your Highness, I understand. I will protect the serfs earnestly.¡± Despite his words, his expression still revealed his disdain for serfs.


    It was a deeply ingrained mindset, unlikely to change without a reform through blood and fire.


    Liszt understood Durt¡¯s mentality very well; in fact, he himself was a noble, and if he really pushed some idea of ¡°equality for all,¡± he likely wouldn¡¯t accept it himself: ¡°No, Durt, you still don¡¯t understand¡­ The serfs we are bringing from outside now will foster a sufficient number of knights in the future to protect Flame Country.¡±


    Durt did not respond.


    Liszt continued, ¡°All serfs who come to the Flame Islands to pioneer will be granted freeman status after the establishment of the nation, given lands to cultivate, so that in the not too distant future, they can strive to become knightly families, and become the backbone of Flame Country.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, are you being too generous to the serfs?¡± Durt cautiously asked.


    ¡°No, listen to the end and you will understand my plan,¡± Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°The reason for such thoughts is simple, it was not long ago that I discovered a large number of native tribes on Flame Island, with a much more backward civilization and darker skin than ours.¡±


    ¡°Native Tribes?¡± Durt¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°These native tribes could perfectly serve as serfs for the development of the Flame Islands, couldn¡¯t they?¡±


    Durt said excitedly, ¡°Since there are a large number of native tribes, then capturing them to serve as serfs is obviously more cost-effective. Although our serfs are of low status, they share the same bloodline with us, and should not continue to serve as serfs¡­ I now truly understand the foresight of Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Good that you understand.¡±


    Liszt spoke indifferently, ¡°Immediately organize a knight order, and bring along a few magicians, to investigate the nearby native tribes. I need to figure out the origin and development status of these tribes and preferably master their language¡­ However, before we have a clear understanding of the foundation of these native tribes, keep the operation secret.¡±


    ¡°Understood, I will organize the knight order right away!¡±

 Chapter 836 - Chapter 836: Chapter 0833: Moon Language (Second Update)

    Chapter 836: Chapter 0833: Moon Language (Second Update)


    The Knight Order¡¯s investigation methods into the Native Tribe were much more brutal than Liszt had imagined.


    They operated directly at night, surrounding the Native Tribe, and then captured every member of the tribe, both high and low. What followed was continuous, tedious interrogation. When language barriers arose, they resorted to hand gestures for communication, and after tireless attempts, they finally began to understand the general situation of the Native Tribe.


    This was a small tribe of one hundred eighty-six people.


    Most of the natives lacked magical talent and fought and hunted like savages. Those with the aptitude for magic were specially protected by the tribe, sent to larger tribes to learn magic¡ªthose elders who were like tribal shamans were all magicians who had returned after completing their studies.


    ¡°Your Highness, these Native Tribes probably inherit from ancient magicians. Their casting methods are very old and differ greatly from current magic casting methods,¡± a magician explained to Liszt, ¡°and their use of Magic Runes is also very archaic.¡±


    As times evolve, so does magic.


    Although the Magic Web has shrunk, magicians have refined many magic casting methods to an incredible extent, in hopes of reducing the consumption of Magic Power. Meanwhile, the Native Tribe¡¯s magicians still used magic that consumed a lot of Magic Power but had only little effect.


    Therefore, it was deduced by the pioneers¡¯ magicians to be an inheritance from the Ancient Mages, preserved generation after generation on Flame Island, an island isolated from the rest of the world.


    In the end, the magician boldly speculated, ¡°Your Highness, I have carefully recorded the language of these natives and found that their language is likely to be the Moon Language of the ancient times.¡±


    ¡°Moon Language?¡± Liszt raised his eyebrows, looking at the magician seriously.


    Feeling immense pressure, the magician hurriedly added, ¡°It¡¯s only a hypothesis, Your Highness.¡± He dared not guarantee that his findings were correct since the Moon Language had been lost.


    Due to the longing for the era of the Moon Empire.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã?


    Many magicians studied the Moon Language, believing that although it was lost, it had integrated into many languages across the Legendary Continent. Languages like the Wind Language and Serpent Script had many words associated with the ancient Moon Language, but no one could assert what the Moon Language actually looked like.


    ¡°Then continue the research and strive to fully understand the language of the Native Tribe. I will arrange for more magicians from the Magic Guild to come and assist.¡±


    Regardless, the language of the natives had to be studied, which would be convenient for later transforming them into qualified serfs.


    Of course, Liszt hoped that the Native Tribe¡¯s language was the legendary Moon Language. Maybe these descendants of the Moon Empire still retained information about the Moon Empire¡ªthe era that was legendary for its flourishing magic and where magicians ruled the world, concealing countless magnificent secrets.


    The Fish Ugly Temple in the ocean¡¯s depths, the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg on Mind Island, the Remains of the Fire Dragon on Black Horse Island, the descendants of the Moon Empire on Flame Island, and the lost Sky Ship and Child of the Sun.


    Many unusual clues mixed together.


    The Power of Destiny represented by the Smoke Dragon behind the Smoke Mission seemed to be trying its best to reveal an incredible past to Liszt.


    ¡°What exactly happened in this ocean during the ancient times?¡± He could not be certain, but he suspected that there must have been an epic war here.


    A war that might have been pivotal to the world¡¯s direction.


    Why the Child of the Sun fell, why the Moon Empire collapsed, why the Sacred Dragon vanished, all might be related to this great war.


    ¡­


    One must exert full strength even when hunting a rabbit, as if hunting a lion.


    Regarding the investigation of the Native Tribe, Liszt maintained a cautious attitude. Aside from capturing the small tribe known as ¡°Lake Corner,¡± he did not expand the scale of the captures. Instead, he had dispatched another Knight Order and ten Magicians from Flame Town to join in the research of the Native Tribe.


    After ten days of research, they finally understood everything about the Native Tribe.


    The Native Tribe called themselves ¡°Moon Slayers,¡± and Liszt thus referred to them as ¡°Moon Slayers.¡± As for why the Moon Slayers wanted to kill the Moon, it was impossible to verify. From the moment of their birth, they called themselves this and no one sought to question why they wanted to kill the Moon.


    The Moon Slayers were divided into large and small tribes, usually creating a small tribe due to insufficient food in a certain forest area, and moving to surrounding woods to survive.


    Lake Corner Tribe was a small tribe that had recently branched off, and their previous larger part was called ¡°Mountain Corner,¡± living in a corner of a mountain range. The composition of the Lake Corner Tribe mainly consisted of warriors and ¡°Magicians,¡± with magicians, as their language meant, being those who use magic.


    Warriors were the adult males, whose main responsibilities were hunting and gathering to provide food for the tribe.


    Magicians, on the other hand, were several elderly individuals who possessed magic and used it to defend against the attacks of Magical Beasts. To distinguish them, Liszt referred to them as ¡°Ancient Mages.¡±


    Curved, folded, hooked, then curved again¡­


    When the oldest of the Ancient Mages was requested by the researchers to write the word ¡°Magician¡± as it was represented in their language.


    Magicians who studied the Moon Language from the Magic Guild collectively shouted in amazement, ¡°This is the Moon Language! This is how ¡®Magician¡¯ is written in the Moon Language!¡± They also brought out several Magic Books, which recorded numerous ancient scripts of the Moon Language.


    Liszt took a look and, sure enough, the script for ¡®Magician¡¯ in the Magic Books was structurally the same as that written by the Ancient Mage of the Lake Corner Tribe. Especially the curved and intricate structure, which had very clear characteristics of the Moon Language, appeared as if different moons were piled upon one another.


    The Moon Language is a kind of complex pictographic writing system that expresses changes in things through different numbers and shapes of the moon. Because of its abstraction, it has been studied for thousands of years by modern Magicians without completely deciphering it.


    Now,


    The Lake Corner Tribe used the Moon Language for communication.


    Undoubtedly, they must be descendants of the Moon Empire who had been stranded on Flame Island to multiply and thrive. Unfortunately, the prosperous magical civilization of the Moon Empire was not inherited, and these Native Tribes lived almost no differently from primitive people, far behind the civilization of the Knights.


    ¡°Descendants of the Moon Empire!¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    He then intensified the research on the Moon Slayers, attempting to unveil the mysteries of the Moon Empire. However, the information provided by the Lake Corner Tribe was too limited; it was a very small Moon Slayer Tribe, with only one Ancient Mage among them who could write in the Moon Language, and that Mage could write only a small part of it.


    The part of the Moon Language that was known was all about magic and did not involve daily life.


    ¡°Your Highness, we need more Moon Slayer Tribes for research,¡± the Magicians clamored excitedly, calling out to capture more Moon Slayers.


    Even Ach, who was busy with magic experiments in Flame Town, had inquired several times with Liszt about the Moon Slayers.


    The feelings of Magicians towards the Moon Empire were very complex. They longed for that era when Magicians ruled the world, attributing all that was good to the Moon Empire. However, everyone was aware that the Moon Empire was just one of the ancient human realms, and as time went by, their understanding of the Moon Empire had likely changed completely.


    Liszt was also curious.


    Thus, he gave a grand gesture, ¡°Then, Durt Red Apricot, Cross Thorn, get ready. Without alarming more large tribes of the Moon Slayers, proceed to capture the superior Mountain Corner Tribe of the Lake Corner Tribe.¡±


    Both Earls bowed and paid their respects, ¡°As you wish, Your Highness!¡±

 Chapter 839 - Chapter 839: Chapter 0836: Flame King City (First Update)

    Chapter 839: Chapter 0836: Flame King City (First Update)


    Endless Volcano Cluster, this was the name Liszt gave to this chain of nine active volcanoes, the largest of which he named Doomsday Volcano.


    He always felt that if this volcano were to erupt, its power might be enough to shatter the heavens and earth.


    Therefore, when calling for Leo, he specifically instructed him to fiercely harness the Volcanic Super Magic, and strive to eliminate the possibility of an eruption.


    After much difficulty finding such a suitable island to establish a kingdom, he certainly didn¡¯t want it to be destroyed by a volcanic eruption.


    ¡°This Endless Volcano Cluster is the perfect Dragon Nest for Leo, the next step would be to find a suitable place to establish a Dragon Nest for Ethan,¡± Liszt mused while standing above the crater of Doomsday Volcano.


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon is a gemstone-producing dragon, needing a Dragon Nest built as soon as possible for gemstone mining.


    As for the Formless Dragon Bard, he doesn¡¯t require a fixed Dragon Nest, having more similar features like the Great Whirlpool¡¯s Magic Teleportation Array would probably make him comfortable.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bard, let¡¯s continue our patrol around Flame Island!¡± Calling Bard, the man and dragon resumed their journey.


    Northwest Flame Island, apart from the Endless Volcano Cluster, also had many undulating mountain ranges, predominantly high mountains, but also many suitable residential valleys and basins. Overall, the northwest part of Flame Island is uneven and mountainous, the central part is dry with lots of plains, and the southeast part is moist with many rivers.


    Judging purely by the terrain, the whole island of Flame Island is essentially suitable for cultivation, without too harsh or barren land.


    Thus spent the entire month of September, and the time directly jumped to October of Sapphire Calendar Year 154, with the terrain map of Flame Island finally completed.


    With the map for reference, he roughly had an overall plan for how to develop Flame Island.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã0


    And for the capital¡¯s location, he leaned towards two places.


    One was the central plains, geographically located at the very heart of Flame Island, accessible in all directions, and adjacent to a vast lake, thus ensuring no shortage of water. However, the open plains had no geographical barriers, making it easy to attack but difficult to defend, leaving the capital at risk of threat at all times.


    Another was a mountain chain right next to Whirlpool Mountain in the southeastern part, where the capital could be built in a valley at the foot of the mountain. Hydrography and geography were superior, and simply blocking the exits on both sides of the valley could prevent any number of knights from charging in. The palace could also be built on the mountain, complementing the capital from its vantage point.


    ¡°Actually, having dragons makes it unnecessary to have rugged terrains for defense, the benefits of building the capital on the plains are obvious¡­ Alas, I temporarily lack the energy to develop the plains, I should first build the capital in this valley, not far from the Great Whirlpool, convenient for development.¡±


    After comparing in his mind, he decided on the location for the capital, and subsequently named this mountain range Flame Mountain, and the valley Flame Valley.


    The future capital was temporarily named Flame King City.


    The Flame Family takes pride in the Fire Dragon, so this naming was rather appropriate, though the name was provisional. Since Liszt already possessed three dragons, it was uncertain how many more dragons he might have in the future. Since he dared to establish a kingdom directly, he was not afraid of other dragons being revealed, by then which dragon would be chosen for naming.


    Hard to say.


    Rolling up the map, Liszt and Bard walked along the material boundary, quickly flying towards Whirlpool Mountain. In this continuous period of terrain surveying, his coordination with the Formless Dragon became more and more adept, not only achieving a complete harmony of minds.


    He also created three moves for the *Formless Dragon Knight ¨C Dragon Dou Qi Secret Manual*, which included Left-Right Drag ¨C ¡°Phantom¡±; Focus on Lifting the Dragon Lance Tip ¨C ¡°Shadow¡±; and Point-Leading Area ¨C ¡°Avalanche ¨C Snow Mountain¡±.


    Phantom-Drag, Shadow-Lift, Avalanche-Break, these three powerful Combat Skills all were primarily assassination techniques, fitting his positioning for the Formless Dragon.


    The Formless Dragon only had a wingspan of fifteen meters, and even as adults, their wingspan only reached twenty meters. In face-to-face combat, aside from their dragon breath which had the ability to disrupt material space, they had no advantages in other areas. Hence, Formless Dragon Knights should adopt the assassin model, suddenly striking from the material boundary to deliver a maximum blow.


    Only elemental dragons as tough-skinned and thick-fleshed as Little Fire Dragon Leo, who was larger in his youth than other dragons in their adulthood, were suitable for frontal combat.


    Unfortunately, his proficiency hadn¡¯t increased much recently. The ¡°Fire Dragon Knight-Dragon Qi Secret Manual¡± still only had Dragon Slash-Chop, Sky Burning-Sweep, Swallow Sun-Stab, Sea-Boiling-Strangle, and Earth-Shaking-Hammer ¡ª just these five moves.


    As for the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan and its coordinating¡±Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight ¨C Dragon Fighting Qi Manuscript¡±, studied by generations of Dragon Knights, it had Moonlight, Green Shadow, Thunder, Spiral, Rock Break, Forest, and Phantom ¡ª seven moves. Liszt had only practiced briefly with Ethan and hadn¡¯t made any improvements.


    Ethan wasn¡¯t even planned by Liszt to be a combat-type dragon.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame I only have one. How to allocate time to three dragons is a troublesome matter to handle,¡± he often complained when he had a few dragons, and now he also found it troublesome with many.


    Looking at the crystal white spatial structure in his view, he sighed silently, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as perfection!¡±


    In harmony with his thoughts, the Formless Dragon, sensing his true feelings, issued a sound that could be either agreement or mockery: ¡°Wuu yi ya!¡±


    ¡­


    Returning to Flame Origin once again, the area had undergone completely different changes from a month ago.


    The entire Flame Origin no longer had a single tree; all had been cut down and cleared to make flat ground. Mage Tower, windmill, irrigation waterwheel, and the city water tower stood out consecutively, and a gravel road paved from east to west through Flame Origin, leading directly to the forest in the distance that had not yet been cut down.


    Carriages raced on the road, transporting loads of timber, wild animals, and fruits back to Flame Town.


    And Flame Town itself had completely changed its appearance, with neat stone buildings lining both sides of the cross-shaped streets, and the smooth stone pavements bustling with activity. On the edges of the small town, stand-alone tall wooden houses had sprung up ¡ª these were temporary residences for the increasing number of Knights and serfs.


    The town was evolving into a small city.


    Further upstream on the Whirlpool River, architects were busy directing craftsmen to dig foundations. Here, a well-named castle was soon to be built as Liszt¡¯s palace. As the owner of the Flame Islands and the future king, his personal life and accommodations were more central than developing Flame Island.


    Countless timber and stones were piled up to one side.


    The timber was locally sourced and inexhaustible, while most of the stone came from the Blizzard Beast Squad, with a small part coming from the expansion of the Whirlpool River.


    With sufficient water upstream of Whirlpool Mountain, just widening the river channel would allow small sailboats to navigate directly through the Flame Town section of the river. Only by navigating sailboats could there be rapid connectivity with the residential areas in the middle and lower reaches of Whirlpool River. At this moment, numerous yellow-black-skinned serfs were hard at work digging the river channel.


    They were all natives of the Moon Slayer Tribe, captured by the Knight Order, and trained as serfs to work here.


    ¡°Your Highness, due to the resistance of the Moon Slayer Tribe, although there were few knight casualties in the capture operation, many natives were killed for resisting, wastefully losing labor,¡± reported Durt Red Apricot, the chief in charge of capturing slaves, who had immediately rushed to report, ¡°But after the natives adapted to serf life, they rarely escaped, so I wonder if we should change our method of capturing slaves.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear your thoughts,¡± Liszt said, reclining in his rocking chair, enjoying as maidens gently massaged his shoulders, leisurely drinking freshly brewed Banpo cattle milk.


    The last time he had shipped frame ships, he had specifically transferred a batch of male and female servants from Thorn Castle to Flame Town. Thomas, leading the male servants, was assigned by him to supervise and construct the castle, while this group of young female servants led by Little Lily stayed in the temporary villa in Flame Town to tend to Liszt¡¯s daily needs.


    Life indeed required struggle, but enjoyment must not be interrupted.

 Chapter 840 - Chapter 840: Chapter 0837: Value the Past Over the Present (Second Update)

    Chapter 840: Chapter 0837: Value the Past Over the Present (Second Update)


    ¡°I think for dealing with the Moon Slayer Tribe, we should primarily use enticement,¡± Durt said.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) couldn¡¯t deny it, ¡°Explain your thoughts in detail.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, our Knight Order has already swept through many Moon Slayer Tribes in the Whirlpool Great River Basin, capturing nearly thirty thousand Moon Slayer serfs. However, as the number of serfs keeps increasing, we need to allocate a large number of knights for supervision and guard duties, which severely weakens the combat strength of the Knight Order.¡±


    The Knight Order primarily uses Knight Squads to handle small tribes of one or two hundred people, and one squad can carry out the capture tasks proficiently.


    In small tribes, three or four half-baked Ancient Mages are not a match for our knights.


    But for tribes with over a thousand people, one Knight Squad is insufficient. It often requires four or five Knight Squads to work together to complete the capture operations. For even larger tribes with several thousand people, a fully staffed Knight Order must go to capture them while also guarding against any counterattacks by Ancient Mages.


    As the operation to capture Moon Slayer Tribes deepened, larger Moon Slayer Tribes began to emerge, a large tribe could have tens of thousands of people.


    In such tribes, many Ancient Mages have reached the level of a Grand Magician; even a magic barrage from them would force the Knight Order to strategically retreat. If all the Knight Order from Flame Territory were involved in the slave-capturing efforts, no matter how large, the Moon Slayer Native Tribe would not be a challenge, but alas, the number of available Knight Order on Flame Island is inadequate.


    Here, the number of Earth Knights is less than sixteen hundred, and the number of Apprentice Knights barely exceeds two thousand, having to maintain the safety of the camp and capture natives is indeed an overwhelming task.


    ¡°Thus, I am thinking of using the quality of life in our territory to attract the Moon Slayer Tribes to voluntarily pledge allegiance to us¡ªproviding them with certain protection and food should entice many Moon Slayers. Moreover, we can specifically target the Ancient Mages of the Moon Slayers for enticement.¡±


    ¡°Targeting the Ancient Mages for enticement?¡± Liszt raised an eyebrow, signaling Durt to continue.


    ¡°The magicians of the Magic Guild are currently analyzing the magic heritage of the Ancient Mages. Transferring magic first requires the transfer of knowledge, hence, the knowledge transmission of the Moon Slayers nearly all occurs among the Ancient Mages, who are a group of natives in high positions easily manipulated and corrupted by interests.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï


    The Moon Slayers have lost the prosperous civilization of the Moon Empire era, living in the forests subsisting on hunting and gathering, under very harsh conditions.


    Even for the Ancient Mage class, life is tough, especially during the autumn and winter seasons when they suffer from a lack of clothes and food.


    Durt expounded, ¡°It¡¯s already October, the weather is getting colder, and the forest output is decreasing, the Moon Slayer¡¯s days of hardship are approaching. It is an excellent opportunity for us to change our plan, replacing captures with enticement to acquire Moon Slayer serfs. Once the Ancient Mage class is corrupted, many Moon Slayers are destined to be serfs.¡±


    ¡°Your proposal sounds good. In that case, call a meeting with the leaders of each Knight Order and the administrators of Flame Town to discuss this enticement plan.¡±


    The meeting was scheduled for the evening.


    It was held in the newly completed administration hall of Flame Town.


    Before the meeting, he first invited Kenley Truth, the president of Flame Town Magic Sub-Council, to come over and asked about the information concerning the Ancient Mages and Holy Mountain. Kenley had originally presided over research in Whirlpool Town of Whirlpool Archipelago, but with the discovery of Moon Slayer Natives, she had been transferred to oversee the Moon Slayer research.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Kenley bowed slightly; she was a magician enthralled by magic, with almost no interests beyond magic; her life revolved entirely around it.


    ¡°You have already studied several Moon Slayer Ancient Mages, how is the summary of the Moon Language coming along?¡±


    ¡°The Moon Language is very complex; although the Moon Slayer Ancient Mages possess the Moon Language heritage, many texts have still gradually been lost, especially the records concerning the Ancient Moon Empire, which are almost a blank slate. Based on our research, we have basically mastered the Moon Language used in daily communication.¡±


    ¡°Magic inherited by the Moon Slayers, what¡¯s your view on that?¡±


    Kenley pondered for a moment, ¡°There is some instructional value, with several types of magic that belong to discontinued inheritances. With some improvements, they could shine somewhat¡­ However, the magic passed down from the Moon Empire by the Moon Slayers is mostly too backward, consuming too much magic for weak effects.¡±


    She then added, filled with emotion, ¡°I once so admired the era of magicians in the Moon Empire, thinking current magicians can¡¯t compare to those from that time. But looking purely at the casting methods, magicians from the Moon Empire¡¯s era can¡¯t hold a candle to those today.¡±


    ¡°Times are advancing, and although magicians have declined, they¡¯ve also become better adapted to the current era, so we shouldn¡¯t long for the past, but look forward to the future,¡± Liszt smiled, noting that everyone has this habit of overvaluing the past and undervaluing the present. The more ancient something is, the more blurry its details, yet the more impressive it seems.


    Partly it¡¯s sentimentality and partly it¡¯s the appeal of distance.


    The Moon Empire is a typical example of distance appeal and sentimental augmentation. Of course, one can¡¯t deny that the era of magician rule created a brilliant magical civilization. Energetic, curious magicians could research magic, souls, large-scale engineering, and even the essence of the world.


    These are what magicians aspire to; in today¡¯s world, knights rule everything, and interests are paramount.


    Essence of the world, who cares¡ªdoes researching the essence of the world bring profit? If not, then why engage in it? Better to spend that time drinking more wine, dancing more dances, and having a closer encounter!


    Liszt was a Knight as well.


    Although he more appreciated the researching spirit of magicians, in terms of class hierarchy, he still had to denigrate the beautiful legacy of the Moon Empire and be wary of a restoration by magicians.


    After a while, he turned the conversation to the main topic, ¡°Kenley, did the Ancient Mage disclose the exact location of the Holy Mountain?¡±


    ¡°No Ancient Mage who visited the Holy Mountain did so. The Holy Mountain is just a legend to the Moon Slayers; they don¡¯t roam far and usually just travel between a few major tribes.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Liszt frowned.


    He had assumed the Smoke Mission ¡°find the Holy Mountain, investigate the Ancient Mage¡± would be easy to complete, just needing to question an Ancient Mage to find the Holy Mountain, but it turned out nobody knew of the Holy Mountain.


    However, although the Holy Mountain wasn¡¯t found, a lead was attained from the previous Smoke Mission¡¯s reward, ¡°Native¡¯s Treasure¡±¡ªhaving figured out where the guarding Horn Tribe was located.


    ¡­


    After holding a meeting and deciding to primarily use persuasion to exchange and acquire Moon Slayer Natives as serfs,


    The next morning, Liszt tirelessly headed towards the Horn Tribe¡¯s location, and after some searching, successfully reached the tribe that now had a population over ten thousand. The Horn Tribe was not far from the Flame Mountain Range, where Liszt was about to build his capital¡ªa smaller mountain range that was a branch of the main one.


    Near the living area of the Horn Tribe, atop a low hill, he successfully found that ¡°Broken Tower¡± which housed the treasures.


    Unguarded, this tower¡ªwhich had collapsed by two-thirds¡ªwas simply surrounded by a circle of stones, with traces of a bonfire burned on the nearby platform.


    It seems the Moon Slayers held their bonfire gatherings there.

 Chapter 841 - Chapter 841: Chapter 0838: Time Diamond (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 6/150)

    Chapter 841: Chapter 0838: Time Diamond (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 6/150)


    Having descended from the back of the Formless Dragon, Liszt found no need to conceal his presence and began his investigation of the ruined stone tower immediately.


    The tower appeared to be an Ancient Magician¡¯s Mage Tower, with a style that could no longer be identified. It covered a large area, probably a few hundred square meters; the upper half had collapsed, while the bottom half still had two intact stories. The original wooden doors had likely rotted away, replaced with large rocks to block the entrance by the Moon Slayers.


    After prying open the rocks, Liszt took a brief look and then entered the interior of the stone tower.


    Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the walls, so it wasn¡¯t too dark inside. It was clear that the tower had once functioned akin to a ¡°library,¡± with rows of stone-carved bookshelves. Unfortunately, not a single book remained on the shelves, only thick layers of dust.


    The staircase was still there, carved from stone, and felt very sturdy underfoot.


    On the second floor was a vast, empty room; it was uncertain what its purpose had been. The floor nearby had collapsed, and the sunlight streaming in created a huge bright spot. A few weeds grew in the spot, seemingly often subjected to the wind and sun without much protection.


    ¡°The Native¡¯s Treasure should be here; it¡¯s very likely to be something left by an Ancient Magician. But what could it be?¡± Liszt activated his Eye of Magic and began to scan the decrepit stone tower.


    He found no trace of magic light feedback, nor any object that looked like a treasure.


    The first floor was empty; the second floor was just as bare. According to Qui, the Listener of the Mountain Corner Tribe, the ruined tower was a place of worship for the ancestors¡¯ leftover treasures. Qui had no idea what the treasure was, but now it seemed that even if there had been a treasure, it was likely moved after the tower¡¯s collapse.


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not right. Qui was talking about this very ruined stone tower, which means it should¡¯ve been collapsed back then¡­ What exactly is going on here? Let me go up and have a look.¡±


    He walked to the area where the floor had broken and leaped onto it.


    Half of the third floor had collapsed.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï


    Unexpectedly, the Eye of Magic detected a faint trace of magic light feedback, emanating from a pile of chaotic rubble. He quickly dug through the rubble and extracted the glowing object¡ªa broken stone scepter with a few stony fingers still attached to the handle.


    In other words, this stone scepter had originally been a part of a larger statue.


    The magic feedback was shining from the top of the stone scepter, a large round gemstone carved from an unknown type of rock, albeit its light seemed very obscure.


    ¡°Seems the rock is encasing something, preventing the light from shining through?¡± Liszt pondered for a moment, confirmed that the outer stone was indeed not a magic item, and began to gently tap at it. After applying force continually, the rock finally cracked open, and then shattered entirely, revealing the true item inside.


    The light exploded in an instant, like a lamp lit in the dark.


    Only when Liszt disabled his Eye of Magic did he clearly see that inside the stone scepter was enclosed a short metal scepter. The scepter, about as long as an adult¡¯s arm, had its top embedded with a sparkling gemstone that shone in iridescent colors. The rich Aura of Magic gave Liszt a heart-pounding sensation.


    This was certainly a rare gemstone, not one produced by any Gemstone Dragon.


    He slowly drew the metal scepter from inside the stone scepter and brought the gemstone at the top near his eyes to examine it closely. The gemstone had countless facets, each of them incredibly smooth, mirror-like enough to reflect his own face. However, as Liszt started to pay attention to the faces on it, his pupils dilated sharply.


    In the reflection, he saw the face of an old man.


    When he whipped around, expecting someone to have approached him, he found nothing but emptiness behind him, save for the Formless Dragon napping upon a distant mountaintop.


    No creature could evade the Formless Dragon¡¯s surveillance and approach him silently.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    With great puzzlement, he looked again at one of the gemstone¡¯s facets. This time, after the reflection of the face emerged, it changed into the face of a child.


    He turned around once more, and still, there was nothing behind him.


    No one was approaching, and those reflected faces could only possibly come from within the gemstone itself. Liszt felt slightly relieved and continued to observe. Indeed, countless cross-sectional surfaces flashed with countless faces of different ages, but he quickly began to breathe rapidly, for he realized something all these faces had in common.


    They looked incredibly similar to Liszt¡¯s own face¡ªsome of the youthful faces were unmistakably his own.


    He blinked, and the faces reflected in the gemstone blinked as well, whether they were those of children or of the elderly.


    After a moment¡¯s study, he had an epiphany, ¡°Interesting, the faces reflected by this gemstone are simply those of myself at different ages¡­ As expected, I¡¯ve been handsome from youth to old age, each year so charming¡­ Truly a peculiar gem, as if it possesses the magic power of time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°The magic power of time?¡±


    Liszt suddenly paused, ¡°Time, the magic of time, this¡­ could it be possible that this gemstone was produced by one of the Sacred Dragons, the Twilight Dragon?¡±


    The Twilight Dragon represents the power of time, unseen by anyone, and no one knows how it exists. However, now, holding this metal scepter and looking at the gemstone reflecting his face at various ages, he sharply connected the two, perhaps this gemstone was indeed the product of the Twilight Dragon.


    The Formless Dragon produces Space Gems, creating independent spaces.


    The gem produced by the Twilight Dragon would naturally carry the property of time.


    He tried to store the metal scepter in his Space Ring, but no matter how he wrapped it in magic power, the scepter couldn¡¯t be absorbed by the Space Ring. Particularly when his magic power enveloped the special gemstone, it felt as if time was passing by, and the magic power slowly dispersed.


    He couldn¡¯t retrieve it back.


    ¡°Truly magical, could this indeed be the power of the Twilight Dragon, a kind of magic power related to time?¡± Liszt still couldn¡¯t confirm the properties of this gemstone.


    But that didn¡¯t hinder him from temporarily naming it¡ªthe Time Diamond.


    The metal scepter is the Time Scepter.


    Holding the scepter and admiring the Time Diamond as it twinkled in the sunlight with its radiant multicolored light, Liszt felt exceedingly content, ¡°Time Scepter, what kind of incredible, unfathomable power do you have? How did those Ancient Magicians use you? Does finding you mean finding a clue to the Twilight Dragon?¡±


    The Formless Dragon was already in his possession, the power of the Smoke Dragon was wrapped around him, a piece of the Jade Dragon¡¯s corpse was found, and now the gemstone of the Twilight Dragon also fell into his hands.


    Only the Immortal Dragon, which represented life, had yet to intersect with Liszt.


    Perhaps one day he would gather all five Sacred Dragons and become the most powerful Holy Dragon Knight in the world. Of course, the Sacred Dragons might not be the most mystical dragons: ¡°The Dragon of the Magic Web must be the most terrifying dragon I¡¯ve ever seen, and the Moon Dragon must be a dragon powerful beyond measure.¡±


    These two dragons seemed to be even more powerful than the Sacred Dragons.


    ¡­


    One must eat rice one spoonful at a time. Picking up the Time Scepter, touching upon the clues of the Twilight Dragon, he was very pleased with today¡¯s gains. He placed the Time Scepter on his belt and focused his attention on the shattered Rock Scepter.


    ¡°To hide such magic equipment that looks like a Divine Artifact as the Time Scepter inside a sculpture, what was the purpose of the Ancient Magician? I remember the Mermaid¡¯s Tear found from the Fish Ugly Temple was also hanging on a statue of a mermaid. It seems these ancient powers all liked to create statues of themselves?¡±


    He continued to sift through the debris, trying to find other parts of the statue, but after searching through the piles of rubble, he was unable to find any remaining parts of the statue.


    Maybe they had already eroded with the passage of time, turning back into ordinary rocks.

 Chapter 842 - Chapter 842: Chapter 0839: Magic Dust (First Update)

    Chapter 842: Chapter 0839: Magic Dust (First Update)


    Grasping the Time Scepter and riding the Formless Dragon Bard, Liszt concealed himself at the boundary of matter, meanwhile fumbling with the scepter in his hands to figure out its use. The Time Diamond, sparkling with seven colors, was quite peculiar; it could not be activated with Dou Qi at all. Whenever magic power approached its surface, it would slowly dissipate.


    It was as if eternal magic of time had been condensed.


    But since it had been made into a piece of magic equipment, there must be a way to control it.


    ¡°I wonder how big the Twilight Dragon is. It must be much larger than the Formless Dragon, right? After all, the Time Diamond it produced is as big as a fist, while the space gemstone produced by the Formless Dragon is only as big as a fingernail,¡± Liszt thought, his mind wandering as he shook the scepter in his hand.


    Unfortunately, no matter how hard he pondered during the journey, he still hadn¡¯t figured out how to manipulate the Time Scepter, and it seemed he would need to trouble Ach.


    Given Ach¡¯s identity as an archmage, coupled with his ever-growing knowledge base and clever mind, solving the mystery of how to use the Time Scepter shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.


    Back in Flame Town.


    Before he even found Ach, he received a rather shocking piece of news from the Magic Guild, reported to him personally by Kenley Truth, ¡°Your Highness, we have deciphered how ancient magicians passed down magic. Many of the Ancient Magician of the Moon Slayers had talents far inferior to modern magicians, yet they managed to comprehend magic. The key lies in ¡®Magic Dust¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Magic Dust?¡± Liszt didn¡¯t understand.


    The next words from Kenley took him completely by surprise, ¡°Magic Dust can improve a magician¡¯s affinity with magic power, and the ingredient for making Magic Dust is¡­ Elf!¡±


    ¡°Elf?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0


    Liszt¡¯s expression darkened quickly as he suddenly realized why so many Moon Slayer Natives had been captured, yet not even a single Elf Bug had been found. He had originally thought the Moon Slayers simply didn¡¯t know how to utilize Elf Bugs, but it turned out that the Moon Slayers just used them differently.


    Following Kenley¡¯s further explanations, the magic traditions of the Moon Slayers were fully exposed.


    Small tribes would sell Elf Bugs as trade goods to larger tribes during hunting and gathering, in exchange for living materials. And the Listeners of the large tribes held the knowledge on how to use Elves to make Magic Dust. With this Magic Dust, the Listeners of the larger tribes could train more ancient magicians.


    These ancient magicians were all exemplary children selected and sent by various tribes, who traded materials to the tribes in exchange for the opportunity to learn magic.


    Elves, Magic Dust, ancient magicians¡­ It was by such means that the Moon Slayers ensured the continuity of their ancient magicians. With ancient magicians, the tribes could secure living resources from the jaws of magical beasts; perhaps it was another way of exploiting Elves in agriculture.


    Though cruel, it was hardly out of the ordinary for the Moon Slayers.


    However, the smaller tribes were not aware that the Elf Bugs were used to make Magic Dust, which was a monopolized technique exclusively held by the Listeners of the larger tribes.


    ¡°Unforgivable!¡± After understanding the cause and effect, Liszt¡¯s face was particularly grim. The number of wild Elves was already sparse, and the Moon Slayers hunted them extensively.


    It could be said that within the living areas of the Moon Slayers, it was nearly impossible for any Elves to exist.


    And the living areas of the Moon Slayers probably occupied most of the forests of Flame Island; generation after generation, innumerable Elf Bugs were killed.


    ¡°Your Highness, if the Listeners of the Moon Slayer Natives did not lie, the method of using Elf Bugs to produce Magic Dust was also passed down from the Moon Empire¡­¡± Kenley¡¯s voice was somewhat low; Elves had become synonymous with beautiful things in the current era.


    Although some Nobles still clandestinely used Elves to forge Elf Weapons, the act of killing Elves was commonly regarded as morally reprehensible.


    And that era of the Moon Empire so yearned for by magicians seemed to rely on killing Elves to cultivate magicians, which was a massive blow to Kenley¡¯s values. The earlier knowledge that the casting level of the Moon Empire era was backward had already been a great shock to her.


    Now to do it again, I fear her fondness for the Moon Empire would greatly wane.


    ¡°The value of elves lies in their influence over plants and their potential for evolution, human greed should not be built on the blood of elves.¡± Liszt made a decision on the spot, ¡°Kenley, as soon as you return, issue a ban immediately. All magicians are absolutely forbidden to kill any elf under the pretext of research!¡±


    Kenley acknowledged the order, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    After she left, Liszt let out a sigh of turbid air.


    Although he felt heartbroken about the tragic deaths of the Elf Bugs, his purpose in prohibiting the slaughter of elves was to prevent magicians from researching Magic Dust and thereby mass-producing more magicians¡ªthe era of knights had come, and it was time for magicians to quietly exit the stage of history.


    Leaning back in his chair, he suddenly thought of the Moon Empire under magician rule, ¡°What kind of nation would that be, and how would magicians rule the world?¡±


    ¡­


    The Time Scepter had been handed over to Ach for research.


    However, Ach only briefly observed the Time Diamond before setting the scepter aside, as her Magic Door Project was at a critical moment, she couldn¡¯t even spare time to cultivate, let alone be distracted by other research.


    So far, her Super Magic remained at four¡ªthe Chainsaw-style Super High Pressure Water Knife, Spiral Ultra-High Pressure Water Drill, Centrifugal Water Molecular Shield, and Eye of Magic Power.


    The Ice Elemental Incarnation was not yet perfectly mastered, and she was unable to switch to a new Elemental Incarnation.


    Although it would still take some time for the utilization of the Magic Gate to transition from theory to reality, Ach still gave Liszt a huge surprise.


    ¡°Brother, this is a piece of Magic Equipment that Ach specially created for Bard, who is prone to getting lost in a world beyond the material, to pinpoint the coordinate nodes of physical space. As long as you remember these coordinates, even if Bard gets lost, he can find his way back.¡±


    She handed over something that looked like a crystal pendant.


    One glance was all it took for Liszt to recognize what the Magic Equipment was made of¡ªscales of the Formless Dragon! He had no idea when Bard gave Ach many of his scales. For a dragon, scales are incredibly important, even more than the gemstones they produce.


    As close as he was to Bard, the dragon hadn¡¯t even voluntarily given Liszt any Space Gems, yet he had given the even more precious scales to Ach.


    Such treatment might have enraged Liszt had he not been an easygoing person.


    ¡°Never mind, what¡¯s given to Ach is no different from what¡¯s given to me, no hard feelings.¡± Calming his urge to beat up the Formless Dragon, he took the Magic Equipment.


    He then inquired, ¡°Ach, what is the name of this equipment?¡±


    ¡°Node Locator.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t say much more, feeling that Ach¡¯s naming ability did not inherit his own elegant flair, too blunt, ¡°Then how is Bard supposed to use it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for brother to use. After you and Bard achieve Unity of Man and Dragon, operating the Crystal White Trajectory will activate the Node Locator, leaving a pinpoint for the material boundary you¡¯ve crossed. If you can¡¯t find a node to return to the material world, you can activate it again to find the node from which you came.¡±


    This string of crystal pendants was clearly an equipment for human use.


    Liszt nodded slightly, ¡°I see¡­ So, you¡¯re saying that now Bard and I can freely tear through the material boundary and fly in the world beyond matter?¡±


    ¡°In theory, yes, but Ach worries about the sensing range of the Node Locator not being sufficient, so caution is still needed when crossing. Depending on the feedback during use, it may need several improvements.¡±

 Chapter 843 - Chapter 843: Chapter 0840: Magic Return Positioning (Second Update)

    Chapter 843: Chapter 0840: Magic Return Positioning (Second Update)


    Since the first time he had crossed the material boundary to reach the world beyond matter, barely escaping becoming lost within, the Formless Dragon dared not fly at high speeds again, fearing another accidental entry into the world outside of matter, where he could get lost and become trapped¡ªan unfathomable dimension for the current Formless Dragon.


    After all, it was still a young Formless Dragon, and its control over the power of space was like a child wielding a kitchen knife, sharp indeed, but very likely to harm itself.


    Now, with the Node Locator, the danger of becoming lost was undoubtedly removed.


    Once Liszt figured out how to use this piece of Magic Equipment, he communicated with the Formless Dragon Bard, a dragon with a slender, elegant form that glistened like flowing crystal. The dragon, thrilled, unexpectedly spat out two Space Gems that had just been condensed with Space Magic Power toward Liszt¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Whistled chirps!¡±


    The gemstones, lustrous and twinkling, the size of a fingernail, had a spherical space with a diameter of five meters.


    ¡°At least you know how to show gratitude, which makes you much better than that White-Eye Dragon, Bilio,¡± Liszt thought with satisfaction, as any minor grudge he felt because the Formless Dragon was closer to Ach vanished.


    He handed one of the Space Gems to Ach: ¡°You constantly need to prepare a large amount of experimental materials, it¡¯s inconvenient without a Space Gem to carry them, so keep this one.¡± He kept the other one for himself, making up a set of four Space Rings, nearly enough for his daily needs.


    Ach was fine with just two, being a Sea Serpent who needed little sustenance, and a Magician whose cultivation did not demand a lot of resources.


    Liszt, on the other hand, had too many items to carry for his daily needs, with just his personal cultivation resources occupying the space of two Space Gems, so having four was just barely sufficient.


    Of course.


    With the Formless Dragon present, there would be more Space Rings in the future than he could wear, no need to worry about not having enough to go around.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    ¡­


    It did not take long for Liszt to decide to try crossing the material boundary.


    The method of crossing was simple, an innate power of the Formless Dragon, achievable by flying at top speed. Therefore, when man and dragon united mentally, Magic Power and Dou Qi melded, rapidly forming a whole. The wings vibrated, swiftly entering the material boundary, continuing to speed through.


    ¡°Whistled chirps!¡±


    When the Formless Dragon reached its highest speed, it seemed to flicker in and out of sight, teleporting hundreds of meters with each flicker.


    ¡°Faster, Bard!¡±


    ¡°Whistled chirps!¡±


    They accelerated further, and the Crystal White Trajectory revealed a world vibrant with the colors of Magic Power, like frames of images moving in succession. The Node Locator on Liszt¡¯s chest emitted a buzzing roar; it was the scales of the Formless Dragon, engraved with Magic Runes, spinning and emitting a unique Magic Beacon.


    Boom!


    Suddenly.


    The view of the Crystal White Trajectory shook, the images changed abruptly, and the Node Locator felt vibrations but no more buzzing. He and the Formless Dragon had arrived in a space that seemed boundless and silent, blocking out any sensation, yet still one could feel that this place was entirely composed of crystalline structures.


    No matter how the man and dragon flew, there were no targets to pursue.


    ¡°Whistled chirps!¡± The Formless Dragon made an urgent cry, sensing it had become lost again.


    However, Liszt was well-prepared, immediately activating the Node Locator on his chest, and at once, a light flickered into existence to the left of the Formless Dragon.


    ¡°Bard, it¡¯s working! That¡¯s the material boundary we crossed to get here!¡±


    ¡°Whistled chirps!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, the sensation is very clear, no need to worry about getting lost,¡± Liszt reassured them. ¡°Let¡¯s search around here to see if we can find a node we can cross through!¡±


    With Liszt as their pillar of strength, Bard was no longer panicking, serenely flying in a world beyond material substance.


    The Crystal White Trajectory was still active. Though surrounded by pitch darkness without light, Liszt continued to patiently search for any abnormal traces. These scenes he had seen before in Bard¡¯s memories and had discussed in detail with Ach, knowing how to respond.


    ¡°Bard, search with your heart. Your spatial perception is an innate talent. Just concentrate on searching, and you will surely find the weakened material boundary.¡±


    ¡°Woo-eeyah!¡±


    Bard, sharing a connection with Liszt¡¯s thoughts, had a moment of enlightenment. Guided by Liszt, it started to respond with calm and collected movements. Then, with a gentle flap of its wings, special space magic power rippled outwards like water waves. A moment later, the surrounding space returned the undulations of the space magic power.


    Just like a bat¡¯s echolocation, the Formless Dragon could actually use its space magic power to locate positions.


    ¡°This ability should be written into the ¡®Liszt¡¯s Dragon Knight Training Complete Manual¡¯ as the eighth skill of the Formless Dragon¡ªMagic Return Positioning,¡± he mused, even in such a serious situation, finding the leisure to add new information to the Formless Dragon¡¯s profile.


    Previously, the Fire Dragon¡¯s skills included seven abilities¡ªDragon Magic Refining Qi, Dragon Breath Tempering, Dragon Force Focus, Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, Dragon Blood Infection, Dragon Knight Resonance, and Dragon Eye Trajectory.


    Now, the Formless Dragon¡¯s skills totaled eight¡ªWhite-Eye Trajectory, Material Boundary (Invisibility), Dragon Force Focus, Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, Dragon Blood Infection, Dragon Breath Shattering Space, Space Shuttle, and Magic Return Positioning.


    These were skills beyond the Dragon Dou Qi Manual, belonging to the exploration of a dragon¡¯s innate talents.


    Some abilities were unique to certain dragons, like the Fire Dragon¡¯s Dragon Magic Refining Qi and Dragon Breath Tempering, and Elementalization, as well as the Formless Dragon¡¯s Dragon Breath Shattering Space, Material Boundary, and Space Shuttle; while others were common to all dragons, such as Dragon Force Focus, Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, Dragon Blood Infection, and slightly different ones like White-Eye Trajectory and Dragon Eye Trajectory.


    This summary might not be comprehensive, mainly because Liszt had been exceptionally busy lately, and the ¡®Liszt¡¯s Dragon Knight Training Complete Manual¡¯ hadn¡¯t been updated in quite some time.


    His thoughts flashed by.


    He continued to guide Bard in this world beyond material substances, using Magic Return Positioning. In this unique space where the passage of time was imperceptible, spending too long there made one feel uneasy. Fortunately, the Node Locator at the entrance continued to emit responsive signals.


    Suddenly.


    A different signal came from the Magic Return Positioning, and both man and dragon were simultaneously jolted, quickly flying towards the source of the anomaly. In the blink of an eye, they arrived. Bard exerted its space magic power to its fullest, charging towards the unusual spot. In an instant, the field of vision within the Crystal White Trajectory changed again.


    They had arrived in a distorted, elongated tubular space, bridging two material boundaries within a massive Magic Web.


    It was the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix, something Liszt was already quite familiar with.


    ¡°This¡­ we¡¯ve ended up back here again!¡± He felt like laughing awkwardly but held it in, simply giving a deep look towards the Magic Web that stretched out into darkness¡ªwithout a mature Formless Dragon, they did not have enough strength to break through the critical point and could not yet see the true form of the Dragon of the Magic Web.


    Then they flew in reverse towards the other end of the Wormhole Space, back towards the giant sea vortex in the Whirlpool Archipelago.


    The Wormhole Space was originally designed for one-way teleportation, with a strong Repulsive force that would push all objects towards the Whirlpool Entrance on Whirlpool Mountain.


    But this didn¡¯t affect the Formless Dragon.


    Cheering with a few cries of ¡°Woo-eeyah,¡± it flapped its wings and quickly arrived at the entrance. With a strong struggle, it flew out of the Wormhole Space.


    The roaring sound of flowing water reached their ears, mist clouding their vision.


    The moist air caressed their faces, and in an instant, they shot out of the mist. Liszt and Bard were at the entrance to the Whirlpool Deep Well, having successfully completed a spatial crossing from a world beyond material substances.


    Looking at the swirling funnel-shaped sea surface and the azure sky.


    Liszt finally smiled, ¡°That was quite effortless, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 846 - Chapter 846: Chapter 0843: Designated Listener (First Update)

    Chapter 846: Chapter 0843: Designated Listener (First Update)


    ¡°Angchi, Angchi?¡±


    The Greater Elf seemed a bit stunned and could not figure out the situation. Its body color was a translucent grayish yellow, and on top of its head grew a small plant with little white blossoms, and at the base hung a small oval fruit¡ªresembling a potato.


    After Liszt used the soul connection contract to slightly confirm the Greater Elf¡¯s thoughts, he quickly understood what kind of Greater Elf this was.


    Indeed as he saw, it was a Greater Elf born from a plant that closely resembled a potato.


    If nothing unexpected had occurred, the plants it influenced and the potatoes on Earth were very similar in nature, both producing spherical tubers underground¡ªcommonly known as potatoes.


    It was a Potato Great Elf!


    If the potatoes it produced also had the advantages of those on Earth¡ªhigh yield, rich in nutrients, strong adaptability to different environments¡ªthen this was definitely an important source of food. Within the elves, the most important varieties were for Magic Potions and grains. The potential of the Potato Great Elf was immense.


    ¡°Little guy, you¡¯re safe now. From now on, follow me and enjoy the life of an elf,¡± Liszt communicated to it with a gentle thought.


    After the Potato Great Elf felt this, it couldn¡¯t help but nod its head.


    Once the ropes were cut, the Potato Great Elf swiftly flew onto Liszt¡¯s shoulder, freely laughing out, ¡°Haha, Angchi, Angchi, Kronchi!¡±


    Subsequently, Liszt began to make contracts with the Little Minor Elves and Elf Bugs.


    The number of elves wasn¡¯t large; there were eight Little Minor Elves and sixteen Elf Bugs. He contracted with each of them one by one and then gathered them around him. When these elves were caught by the Moon Slayers, they were forced to retract their Cordyceps but were not contracted.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?


    According to the research of the Magic Guild, the Moon Slayers believed that once Elf Bugs completed a contract, they would draw out their vital blood.


    Even some Ancient Mages called Little Minor Elves oddities, considering them to be an ill omen. As for Greater Elves, most Moon Slayers had probably never seen one in their lifetime.


    While he was contracting the elves.


    A group of Ancient Mages had already adapted to the Dragon Might of the Formless Dragon and started to rise from the ground. They raised their hands, intending to release magic and attack Liszt.


    ¡°Cassido¡­ Mosiros¡­¡±


    However, before the Ancient Mages could release their magic, Liszt had already swiftly turned around, the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword slashing through the air, sending forth a particularly large fiery red sword light. In the blink of an eye, the sword light covered a distance of ten meters, slicing an Ancient Mage who had begun to gather magic power in half.


    No blood was spilled; where the sword light passed, only the scent of barbecued meat remained.


    Twisting his body, he swung another fiery red sword light, and yet another Ancient Mage was cut in half by Liszt, their charred bodies emitting bursts of barbecued odor.


    After seven or eight sword strikes, seven or eight Ancient Mages turned into fourteen or sixteen half-bodied Ancient Mages, lying scattered on the ground.


    Dispatching these Ancient Mages was still such an effortless and leisurely task.


    Swiftly intimidating all the Ancient Mages, as well as some strong warriors who were desperately resisting the Dragon Might, the fiery red sword light forcefully destroyed their courage, which had already been shattered by the Dragon Might.


    Seeing this, Liszt took out a notebook from the Space Ring.


    Opening the notebook, inside were handwritten translations of Moon Language to Serpent Script. Each Moon Language term had a specific Serpent Script phonetic symbol, and some common Serpent Script symbols were translated into Moon Language with their pronunciation noted.


    He quickly found the content he was looking for, then, matching the Serpent Script phonetics, he read out loud, ¡°Seruan de o da ai!¡±


    This sentence meant¡ªsubmit or die.


    The Moon Slayer Native trembled under the Dragon Might, with no one responding to Liszt¡¯s threat.


    The Listener who had been stunned by the Dragon Might twice had now regained consciousness. He pointed at Liszt and shouted loudly, ¡°Cassido¡­ Mosiros¡­¡±


    Following him, two more Ancient Mages pointed at Liszt, ¡°Cassido¡­ Mosiros¡­¡± still secretly gathering Magic Power, intending to cast a Magic attack on Liszt.


    But Liszt was always operating the Eye of Magic, with a flick of his wrists, he sent two especially large fiery-red Sword rays, chopping those two Ancient Mages to death¡ªseeing Elves slaughtered by these natives, a great amount of resentment had accumulated in his heart, and he needed to vent by killing.


    The only one he didn¡¯t kill was the Listener; instead, he walked over to him and harshly whipped his face with the blade of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, knocking out several teeth and swelling half of the old man¡¯s face like a butt.


    Then he reopened his notebook, trying to translate what ¡°Cassido¡± and ¡°Mosiros¡± meant.


    Unfortunately, after a good while, he couldn¡¯t find the corresponding Moon Language.


    Out of frustration,


    he shouted again, ¡°Seruo de oh da ai!¡±


    After a moment of silence, finally, one Ancient Mage took the lead and knelt down, shouting loudly, ¡°Seruo de!¡± which meant submission. With this Ancient Mage taking the lead, the remaining seventy-odd Ancient Mages followed suit, each shouting ¡°Seruo de!¡±


    However, the Listener and the remaining seventeen Ancient Mages still ferociously shouted, ¡°Cassido¡­ Mosiros¡­¡±


    The consequence was that Liszt swung his sword and chopped three more Ancient Mages to death, then threw a length of rope to the Ancient Mage who led the submission, signaling him to tie up the Listener and the fourteen resisting Ancient Mages. They were bound together, tied with dead knots, with ropes woven from Hemp Rope Vine, unbreakable.


    With no resistors left, the entire Moon Slayer Tribe quickly submitted to Liszt under the loud commands of the Ancient Mage.


    All the natives knelt down, bowing to him, ¡°Seruo de!¡±


    Liszt looked at the dense crowd of Moon Slayers, a large tribe of about ten to twenty thousand people, with over a hundred Ancient Mages alone.


    Amidst the kneeling crowd, he walked up to the very first Ancient Mage who had submitted, pointed at him, and read from his notebook, ¡°Listener!¡±


    Hearing this, the Ancient Mage was overjoyed and crawled to Liszt¡¯s feet, incessantly kissing the tips of his silver-white metal boots.


    Liszt then pointed at the dense Moon Slayer Natives below, signaling the new Listener to forbid the capture of Elves. Anyone who dares to kill Elves was to be executed on the spot. Then he signaled the Listener to disperse the Moon Slayers, not to gather around here, and to continue with their work.


    He felt nothing for the subjugation of the Moon Slayers; he just wanted to capture these people as serfs.


    Thus, the Ancient Mages were killed, the Elves were contracted, and Liszt began to study the broken statues worshipped by the Moon Slayers. Of the six ruined statues, only one remained intact, while the remaining five were shattered to pieces, with one that was initially half intact now crushed by the Formless Dragon.


    Regarding the parts of the statues holding weapons, the five broken statues had already lost this part, while the one intact statue still had half of a stone Longsword.


    Liszt leaped vigorously, jumping onto the arm of the statue holding the sword, the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword infused with Dragon Dou Qi, and he viciously chopped at the wrist of the statue.


    Immediately, the wrist broke off.


    The stone-carved sword fell to the ground, breaking into several pieces, one of which suddenly burst into a brilliant Magic Power feedback Light. Liszt confirmed his hypothesis¡ªthe stone Scepter sealing the Time Scepter must be from one part of these statues.


    He crushed the stone and extracted a narrow, glittering Longsword from within.

 Chapter 847 - Chapter 847: Chapter 0844: Eight Dragons God Sword (Second Update)

    Chapter 847: Chapter 0844: Eight Dragons God Sword (Second Update)


    The sword¡¯s body was simple, and the craftsmanship did not seem particularly sophisticated, but the material was very special, resembling some kind of metal alloy that definitely included a mixture of different magical substances.


    The hilt was the most distinctive part and also the area with the densest concentration of magic power.


    Furthermore, Liszt saw with his Eye of Magic that it radiated eight different types of magic power¡ªwater, fire, earth, wind, lightning, light, ice, and darkness¡ªall of which were of Superior Magic caliber.


    One of these powers he was very familiar with¡ªFire Dragon Overmagic.


    All these Superior Magics had been engraved into the spiral patterns on the hilt, each pattern representing a color, blue, red, yellow, green, purple, white, light blue, and black.


    ¡°So this sword has eight attributes, and they are all Superior Magic attributes?¡± Liszt tried channeling his own Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi and clearly felt that this sword amplified his Dou Qi to an exaggerated extent, far surpassing his current mismatched weapon, the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword.


    He executed a Combat Skill in the air, unleashing the Crimson Dawn Burn, which nearly set half the sky ablaze.


    This frightened the group of Ancient Mages trembling incessantly. Even their most powerful magic spells were not as mighty as the casual strike from Liszt.


    ¡°It feels good, it¡¯s just a pity that it isn¡¯t a Knight¡¯s Sword, not suitable for slashing moves¡­ I guess this is essentially a sword-shaped scepter for enhancing the casting power of a magician¡­ The creativity of Ancient Magicians sure is full, to make this sword, they likely needed to extract Overmagic from eight Elemental Dragons.¡±


    From this, it was clear that Ancient Magicians made extensive use of dragons, at least they had already been able to freely collect various Evil Dragons.


    ¡°Although it is a magic sword, it can be used by me, albeit with some difficulty. I do not know what name it was given by its magician creator, but now that it follows me, it should have a more resonant name¡ªI hereby bestow upon you the name ¡®Eight Dragons God Sword¡¯!¡± With a thought from Liszt, the Eight Dragons God Sword was stored inside his Space Ring.


    Not a product of a Sacred Dragon, so the Eight Dragons God Sword could not resist being drawn into Gemstone Space.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?


    Having found the Eight Dragons God Sword, he naturally became even more eager to locate the weapons of the remaining five statues¡ªprecisely speaking, four statues, as one of the statue¡¯s weapons should be the Time Scepter.


    Despite searching several times, he had not located the broken weapon parts of these statues.


    He walked back to the Listener, flipped open his notebook but found no suitable translation. He then resorted to using sign language, gesturing about the statues and the Eight Dragons God Sword before miming the part of an arm, inquiring about the whereabouts of other arm pieces from the Listener.


    The Listener was not stupid.


    He quickly understood Liszt¡¯s meaning.


    With lively gestures, he responded¡ªLiszt grasped his meaning. After the statues shattered, many parts were taken by other splintered tribes for worship.


    This was reasonable. The artifact ¡°left by the ancestors¡± worshipped by the Horn Tribe likely referred not to the Time Scepter alone but included that part of the stone statue¡ªfor the Moon Slayers, these six statues were probably the ancestors they spoke of.


    As the statues shattered, coinciding with the Moon Slayer Tribe¡¯s continuous fragmentation, some larger tribes took pieces of the stone carvings back to their own settlements for worship.


    ¡°So to find these other parts of the statues, it seems I must conduct a comprehensive search of all the Moon Slayer Tribe¡­ Too cumbersome, I¡¯ll have the Knight Order carry out this task.¡±


    The distribution of the Moon Slayers was too extensive for Liszt to search one by one. It would be very time-consuming and labor-intensive.


    Better to let the Knight Order complete it. After all, everything on Flame Island belonged to him, and no one could hide these Ancient Artifacts from him. They would ultimately end up in his hands.


    ¡°So.¡±


    He looked at the man who claimed to be ¡°Sasumit,¡± briefly known as ¡°Su,¡± the new ¡°Holy Tribe¡± Listener. ¡°Su, with these ruins standing tall with six statues of the Moon Slayer ancestors, does that mean the mountain behind is the Holy Mountain?¡±


    ¡°Holy Mountain!¡±


    Su nodded excitedly, speaking in Moon Language while gesturing to convey its meaning, ¡°Our ancestors fought side by side with dragons, and the Holy Mountain is the Eternal Paradise established by our ancestors and dragons. The Moon Slayers guard the entrance to the Holy Mountain, and the entrance to the Eternal Paradise!¡± As he spoke, he pointed at Hourglass Valley, his eyes shining with boundless devotion.


    At that moment, an Ancient Mage suddenly pointed at the Formless Dragon that had appeared behind Li Si Te (Liszt) and cried out loudly, ¡°Biggleswade!¡±


    Li Si Te understood this phrase in Moon Language.


    ¡°Biggleswade¡± meant dragon.


    The Moon Slayers had never seen a dragon, but they had heard the legends of their ancestors fighting side by side with dragons. Feeling the formidable Dragon Might of the Formless Dragon Bard, finally, one of the Ancient Mages made the connection with dragons.


    The Listener too looked at Bard with excitement. Yet, cautiously, he asked Li Si Te, ¡°Biggleswade?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Li Si Te signaled for Bard to bring his head closer, resting it by his hand, somewhat maliciously curious to observe the Ancient Magicians¡¯ reactions, ¡°Biggleswade, my battle companion!¡±


    With affirmation,


    The many Ancient Mages, led by the Listener Su, suddenly fell to the ground, crying out loud, ¡°Seki! Biggleswade!¡± ¡°Seki¡± meant ¡°holy,¡± while ¡°Biggleswade¡± was ¡°dragon.¡±


    They had placed Li Si Te on the same level as their ancestors; their ancestors were their spoken ¡°Seki,¡± the holy ones, slumbering in the Holy Mountain, with the Holy Tribe guarding it. Li Si Te was now the living holy one, with a living dragon as a companion fighting by his side, making them submit from the depths of their hearts.


    Of course,


    This narrative was half-truth, half-fabrication, leaning perhaps more towards the Ancient Magicians flattering Li Si Te, while also embellishing their own quick betrayal of loyalty.


    Looking at one Ancient Mage after another earnestly performing loyalty and devotion,


    Li Si Te¡¯s lips curved in a faint smile, not out of enjoyment for such flattery, but understanding that he had accidentally accomplished the Smoke Mission¡ªfinding the Holy Mountain and uncovering a sliver of the Ancient Magicians¡¯ secrets.


    ¡°Mission complete, reward: Ruins Entrance.¡±


    The Ruins Entrance was now clear to him, being the air passage behind in Hourglass Valley. There were shattered spaces, one of which was the material boundary leading to this location, the other must be the entrance to what the Moon Slayers called the ¡°Eternal Paradise,¡± the so-called Ruins Entrance.


    However, countless fissures blocked the entrance to the ruins, preventing exploration for the time being.


    ¡°Mission: Swift and agile in the action on the Holy Mountain, you rescued many beautiful Elves. The Elves born on Flame Island have finally met their savior, and as the master of Flame Island, all Elves are yours. Please see to the proper rehoming of the Potato Great Elf and this batch of Elves. Reward: Discovery of the New Archipelago.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the discovery of a New Archipelago, eh¡­ Yevich and the three Adventure Fleets have been exploring towards the mainland, aiming to directly find the Legendary Continent neighboring the Flame Islands. Yet now there might be the possibility that they will discover a new archipelago¡­ Could it be another large archipelago?¡±


    Currently, the Adventure Fleet has not ceased its mission and is still constantly exploring new islands.


    So the mission reward would probably fall to the Adventure Fleet.


    He brought his thoughts back to the present; with matters here concluded, it was time to choose to leave.


    ¡°Guard these ruins of statues well, Su!¡± Leaving his final command, he mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, and packed the Elves into a box to take with him.


    Flipping open his notebook, he found the phrase he wanted to say.


    As Bard soared into the sky, the authoritative voice of Li Si Te, empowered by the magic of the Formless Dragon, rang in the ears of all the Ancient Magicians: ¡°Awai ou kong mu egan.¡±


    The meaning of this phrase in Moon Language was,


    I will come again!

 Chapter 850 - Chapter 850: Chapter 0847: Cousin Rolie (First Update)

    Chapter 850: Chapter 0847: Cousin Rolie (First Update)


    The future of the Sapphire Family rested solely in the minds of the Sapphire Duke and his heir, Anthony.


    Deep in thought, Liszt was over 7,000 kilometers away, busy to the point where he could hardly spare any attention to the situation beyond the Flame Islands.


    Of course, streams of intelligence were still continuously flowing towards him¡ªthe Rats from Zavier¡¯s Bull Dung Organization and the Blood Servants managed by Mary Dawnbreak were his hidden eyes in the shadows.


    The Rats mainly focused on gathering intelligence within the Duchy of Sapphire, mostly ensuring that the territory was not infiltrated by foreign forces; whereas the Blood Servants were stationed in the Eagle Kingdom and Steel Ridge Kingdom, mainly lying in wait, ready to send early warnings when significant developments emerged.


    Nevertheless, the current situation in Sapphire was stable. The Eagle Kingdom was busy consolidating, while the Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom were fiercely embroiled in conflict.


    No one had the time to pay attention to the Flame Islands.


    ¡°Has the Pinecone Family¡¯s fleet already arrived at the Whirlpool River Mouth? Perhaps I should go myself and simultaneously oversee the Pinecone Family¡¯s development projects.¡± Having received a message delivered by a knight, Liszt made some arrangements, ¡°Send Viscount Fernal with one Knight Order and five thousand serfs to Whirlpool River Mouth.¡±


    From Flame Town to the Whirlpool River Mouth, the Knight Order could board the newly launched single-masted sailing ship from the docks.


    The ship would sail downstream¡ªthough not particularly fast, it would save considerable effort. Estimating the time, Viscount Fernal should have already led the Knight Order to the Whirlpool River Mouth by the time Liszt mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, embarking on his journey to meet the Pinecone Family who followed him.


    Boom!


    Arriving above the campsite, Liszt directly leaped down from the Formless Dragon¡¯s back, his figure slowly materializing upon landing. This had become his signature dramatic entrance.


    He always enjoyed creating such a low-key lavish atmosphere.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± The knights at the encampment, upon seeing Liszt emerge from the dust, saluted one after another. They were no longer surprised by such spectacles.


    Liszt dusted the dirt off his cloak as Fernal and Roland Pinecone came forward to greet him.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Liszt!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, has your voyage been smooth?¡± Liszt gestured for them not to overdo the formalities and kindly inquired of Viscount Roland¡ªhe was already a follower of Liszt¡¯s, and as his lord by protocol, Liszt had become Roland¡¯s Landlord.


    ¡°Thanks to the pilots you sent and those Calming Wind and Water Calming Pearls, we encountered four storms on the journey, all of which we safely navigated without significant loss,¡± replied Viscount Roland, still shaken.


    Ever since deciding to dispatch an Adventure Fleet to search for new islands, Liszt had entrusted the Magic Guild to bulk-produce the Calming Wind Pearls and the Water Calming Pearls to shelter the Naval Fleet¡¯s safety. The sea is merciless, and even the largest Court Fast Sailing Ship couldn¡¯t contend with the waves.


    But the Calming Wind Pearls and Water Calming Pearls could smooth the threats brought by the waves. In a world powered by magic, there were always magical solutions to address problems.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you arrived safely,¡± Liszt consoled.


    It was then that he noticed a young, slightly overweight knight standing behind Viscount Roland¡ªLiszt¡¯s cousin, Rolie Pinecone. His other cousin, Russell, had remained on the family estate to handle some transition matters and had not come along.


    The women of the Pinecone Family had also not accompanied them.


    ¡°Liszt¡­¡± Rolie started to greet him but hesitated, somewhat intimidated.


    Back when Liszt held the title of Baron of Fresh Flower Town, he and Rolie could laugh and talk freely, and Rolie would even boast about the topaz pendant his grandfather had given him.


    By the time Liszt had become a Dragon Knight, he began to feel a sense of estrangement towards his cousin and slowly developed a sense of awe. Especially since he often heard his father and mother instructing him how to face a Dragon Knight.


    The distinction in status that stemmed from the hierarchical system of knighthood deepened Rolie¡¯s sense of inferiority and fear. The cousin he once mocked, who had only received a tattered notebook from his grandfather as a gift, had grown into one of the world¡¯s pinnacles of power, strength, and influence.


    No longer was he the ¡°little cousin disfavored by the family¡± in his memory.


    ¡°Cousin Rolie,¡± Liszt walked over, smiling as he patted Rolie¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve become an Earth Knight.¡±


    Although he wasn¡¯t particularly close to Aunt Melinda¡¯s branch of the family and had very little social contact with them, he still expressed sufficient warmth, given that they had pledged their allegiance to him.


    Rolie replied with an awkward smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t even reached the level of an elite; I still have a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°Keep honing yourself, and becoming an Elite Earth Knight won¡¯t be an issue,¡± seeing that Rolie was truly nervous, Liszt didn¡¯t force the conversation with his cousin any further but turned back to continue speaking with Viscount Roland, ¡°The Pinecone Family¡¯s plans have already been mapped out by me. Uncle will start developing here at the Whirlpool River Mouth, and in the future, he will handle the trade with Tulip Island.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of the trade with Tulip Island?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the main point is to share resources between the two islands. The Tulip Family will fully develop Tulip Island, but they will definitely have a shortage of labor, so I will support them with some serfs.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you also have a shortage of serfs?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I used to, but now I have too many serfs¡­ there¡¯s a large number of native tribes on Flame Island, all of which are an excellent source of high-quality serfs. Since the quantity is so vast, my current followers of knights might not be enough to absorb all these serfs.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really exciting news,¡± Viscount Roland hesitated briefly before speaking, ¡°Can the Pinecone Family also purchase a batch of serfs?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to buy, you can catch them yourselves. However, take care to capture serfs with the least cost, avoid causing unnecessary slaughter¡­ Flame Island is too big. To fully develop it, we need a large number of serfs. Even if we capture all the members of the native tribes, it still won¡¯t be enough.¡±


    At this stage, there are too many natives to assimilate, but as the Knight Class develops and grows, the number of natives will seem scarce.


    So, killing a native is a loss of resources.


    Fernal added from the side, ¡°With His Highness¡¯s permission, our Knight Order has already seldom resorted to capturing as a method to obtain serfs. Mainly, we entice ancient mages to recruit serfs. When most of the tribesmen are drawn to serfdom, even those ancient mages can¡¯t prevent being assimilated and will willingly work for us.¡±


    Centuries of forest living severely dulled the intelligence of these ancient mages, who couldn¡¯t clearly discern the blatant erosive tactics of the foreign knights.


    Selling themselves and still helping the knights count their money.


    Although these ancient mages aren¡¯t skilled in casting spells, their magic is still quite effective. After being systematically managed and continually indoctrinated, they can approximately serve as pioneers in developing the forests ¨C they are far superior to Africa¡¯s corn ¨C at least the Moon Slayers are not lazy and work diligently.


    Their ancestral bloodline originated from the Moon Empire, not from gorillas.


    ¡­


    For now, the Pinecone Family has settled at the Whirlpool River Mouth.


    The family, being an old-established Viscountcy and related to the Long Taro Family, had accumulated considerable wealth. Willing followers included over three hundred knights, as well as more than eight hundred Apprentice Knights, and the first batch of a thousand serfs who had migrated.


    For the development of Flame Island, this was a substantial boost.


    Combining Fernal¡¯s Knight Order with the Moon Slayer serfs, they fully embarked on building the future ¡°Estuary City¡± as well as Flame Island¡¯s first harbor ¨C Estuary Harbor.

 Chapter 851 - Chapter 851: Chapter 0848: Opening the Magic Gate (Second Update)

    Chapter 851: Chapter 0848: Opening the Magic Gate (Second Update)


    The time moved into mid-November.


    The potato plantation of the Potato Great Elf Kuchi had long been established. In addition to Liszt coaxing Kuchi to sprinkle many potato seedlings, the Knight Order also found many wild potatoes from the wilderness, all planted in the plantation. Over the following days, various Elf Cordyceps fell to the ground one by one as plantations were built successively.


    With the Knight Order¡¯s conquest of many large tribes, they had also rescued eight Elf Bugs and turned them over to Liszt for contracting. The planning for the plantations progressed quickly.


    All the plantations were large in scale, but in reality, the plants inside were quite sparse.


    Regardless, the Smoke Mission was successfully completed.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward for discovering new islands.¡±


    The reward had been issued, but Liszt had not yet received the Adventure Fleet¡¯s report. He could not be bothered by the Adventure Fleet¡¯s report because a new mission had already been released.


    ¡°Mission: Ach has perfected all the detailed steps of the Magic Gate experiment. The time has come to witness a miracle. Behind every miracle is a foundation of countless drops of sweat. Please assist Ach in completing the Magic Gate experiment. Reward: A new Elemental Incarnation for Ach.¡±


    ¡°The Magic Gate experiment is finally going to start¡­¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t surprised at all. Ach often discussed the progress of the Magic Gate experiment with him. He had a very clear grasp of it and was always ready to contribute his efforts alongside the Formless Dragon Bard.


    Liszt pondered the reward for the Smoke Mission for a moment: ¡°Ach¡¯s new Elemental Incarnation, what could it be? She already has mastery over the Water and Ice Elements; the target she has set for the third Elemental Incarnation is the Earth Element¡­ It should be the Earth Element, without any surprises.¡±


    Swiftly,


    He had already arrived at the Mage Tower and saw Ach, who was writing notes: ¡°Ach, when do we start the Magic Gate experiment?¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Ach is still writing out the details of the Magic Gate experiment. I will need your and Bard¡¯s substantial cooperation when the time comes. We should probably rehearse for about a week first, so let¡¯s tentatively schedule the official experiment to start a week from now.¡± There was plenty of fatigue on Ach¡¯s face, and her eyes, unusually, were rimmed with red.


    She had barely slept in recent days because of the Magic Gate experiment.


    Liszt felt deep concern: ¡°Since the theory has been completed, there is no need to hurry with the practical application. Once you¡¯ve finished writing the experimental details, you should rest properly for a while. No more high-intensity work like this¡­ Your health is more important than any magic, any experiment, understand?¡±


    Ach smiled sweetly: ¡°Yes, Ach understands.¡±


    He ruffled her azure hair and, for a moment, felt a surreal confusion, as if Ach were still that gentle, delicate Little Sea Monster, not the great Archmage revered by Magicians.


    ¡­


    ¡°Operation Details of Magic Gate Experiment¡± was ultimately completed by Ach overnight.


    After handing it to Liszt, Ach spent time carefully explaining every detail to him, only to be forced by Liszt to go and rest.


    Holding the notebook, Liszt leaned on the Formless Dragon Bard, reading meticulously.


    The experiment seemed far-fetched, but the details were quite thorough¡ªmainly about opening nodes between two material spaces and then connecting them by tearing through the Magic Web. The operation was complicated, but Bard¡¯s capability was more than enough to accomplish it, to open two connecting Magic Gates.


    As he familiarized himself with the operational details, the reward for the Smoke Mission finally arrived, though belatedly.


    He finally received good news from the Adventure Fleet¡¯s report; they had discovered an island some five hundred kilometers west of the Flame Islands.


    After the combined exploration of three Adventure Fleets, they found it to be a new archipelago. Although the islands were not large, possibly even smaller than the Whirlpool Archipelago, their strategic location was quite good. Positioned on the route from the Flame Islands toward the mainland, it would substantially shorten the sailing distance.


    ¡°I command Captain Yevich to continue leading the Adventure Fleet sailing towards the Legendary Continent to open a navigation route for the Flame Islands and to thoroughly investigate the information along the coast of the mainland¡­ Figure out the distance of the Flame Islands from the mainland, clarify which kingdom this part of the coastline belongs to.¡±


    After a pause, Liszt added, ¡°Pass the word to Yevich, when he reaches the coastline of the mainland, that will be the moment he is promoted to Earl.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The twins Lucy and Ruth responded.


    They performed excellently as operators, deserving the trust of Liszt. Shortly after learning from Ach, they each mastered common magic and advanced from being Magic Apprentices to become ordinary Magicians. They were becoming increasingly qualified as assistants to Ach.


    A week flew by in a flash.


    With plenty of rest, Ach began to oversee the Magic Gate experiment.


    Liszt and Bard had memorized the operating manual and knew every detail by heart. The setup was similar to the last node observation experiment, with Ach setting up a large Magic Array. Two were needed, placed at the north and south ends of Whirlpool Mountain.


    After the first Magic Array was activated, Liszt and Bard achieved the Unity of Man and Dragon and quickly used the Array¡¯s power to break through to the strength of a mature Dragon, then forcefully opened the node at the material boundary.


    Then they hurried to the second Magic Array and opened the node with the same aggressive stance.


    At this moment, the man and Dragon followed the predetermined steps of the experiment, entering the world beyond the material through the node. In the Crystal White View, two adjacent nodes were especially clear.


    ¡°Bard, time to work, construct a magic power channel between the nodes, complete the node traction, rip through the Magic Web, and create a real Space Passage!¡± Liszt thought clearly, without any delay, began directing Formless Dragon Bard to release Space Magic Power, using the Formless Dragon itself as a bridge to connect the two nodes.


    Once the magic was connected, they could feel the mutual attraction between the two nodes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start!¡±


    ¡°Woo-ya!¡±


    Bard spread its wings in a boiling passion, its claws reaching fiercely into the pitch-black void to grip the connected strands of space magic power, then flew forcefully outward. The strands of magic power were continuously pulled and drawn, bringing the two nodes together in the same direction, creating ripples in the world beyond the material.


    In the rippling area, the traces of the Magic Web could be faintly seen.


    ¡°Now is the time!¡±


    ¡°Burst forth!¡±


    Liszt keenly sensed the disturbance of the Magic Web, and man and Dragon erupted forcefully, pulling hard. The next moment, as if something broke in the void, the strands of space magic pulled open a tubular passage. This channel just so happened to pass through the Magic Web, piercing through its barrier.


    However, unlike the Wormhole Space of the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix, this passage was not stable. As the Magic Web compressed continually, there were signs that it would soon collapse.


    The two material nodes also began to become unstable.


    ¡°Go, Bard, let¡¯s test the fluidity of the passage!¡± Without wasting any time, man and Dragon quickly flew into the newly formed passage.


    To the left was the Magic Array at the south of Whirlpool Mountain, and to the right was the Magic Array at the north.


    He chose to go left first. The Space Passage was brief, and in a blink of an eye, they passed through the fluctuating exit to the real material world¡ªindeed, it was the entrance to the Magic Array at the south side of Whirlpool Mountain.


    At that moment, the entrance flickered with a pale blue light. From any direction, it collapsed inward, forming a vortex-like portal. Liszt did not delay and charged back into the entrance and into the Space Passage. The passage was already showing cracks from the continuous squeezing of the Magic Web.


    The man and Dragon did not dare to linger, passing through at top speed. They burst out from the other exit.


    And they came upon the Magic Array entrance at the north side of Whirlpool Mountain.


    Right after they emerged, the pale blue light at the entrance did not last long before it exploded violently, all light dissipated into invisibility, and the Magic Array also collapsed at that moment. Many precious magical materials dimmed at that instant, the magic power exhausted, turning into waste.


    But Liszt laughed, leaping down from the Formless Dragon¡¯s back and guffawing: ¡°Ach, the experiment was a success, we¡¯ve successfully opened the Magic Gate!¡±


    In front of the Magic Array.


    Ach¡¯s eyes spun like whirlpools, as if she had seen all of Liszt¡¯s two crossings through the Space Passage.


    A smile rose on her lips: ¡°Hmm!¡±

 Chapter 854 - Chapter 854: Chapter 0851: The Cost of a Single Touch (First Update)

    Chapter 854: Chapter 0851: The Cost of a Single Touch (First Update)


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Annie.¡±


    Liszt greeted the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf, Annie, and from the mess of elf emotions, he sensed its desire¡ªit wanted to be close to Leo.


    It was a matter Liszt needed to address, so he responded with a reassuring emotion and waved his hand. All the Little Minor Elves immediately followed him, chattering as they returned to Thorn Castle.


    ¡°Jela, take them back to the Worm Room, I¡¯ll come to visit you there in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Wow, whoever doesn¡¯t listen, Jela will beat them up!¡± Jela, upon receiving Liszt¡¯s instructions, immediately became aggressive again¡ªproving that Jela had become one of Liszt¡¯s favored subordinates; otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t Liszt instruct another Greater Elf and choose it instead.


    Liszt¡¯s actual intention was simply because Jela was more aggressive, and the intimidation of a bully always seemed stronger.


    All the Little Minor Elves were driven back to the Worm Room by Jela, down the path, leaving only Annie, who remained unmoved and still followed Liszt.


    It was already eager to be near Leo, to smell the sulfur-scented breath of flames.


    ¡°Master, now that you¡¯re back, are you planning to rest for a few days before leaving, or will you wait until after the New Year¡¯s festival?¡± Butler Carter waited for Liszt to settle the elves before asking.


    ¡°Rest for a few days and then leave. As for the New Year, it depends on the circumstances; I may not be able to make it back to Thorn Castle for the festivities.¡±


    ¡°If the master isn¡¯t at Thorn Castle for the festival, then this year¡¯s New Year will lack atmosphere. Last year, the atmosphere of the first New Year at Thorn Castle was memorable,¡± Carter regretfully said. Last year during the New Year at Thorn Castle, both the Long Taro Family and the Tulip Family had celebrated there.


    Liszt smiled, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t make it back, Thorn Castle will still celebrate as usual, and you, Carter, will be responsible for it. Let the menservants and maidservants have a joyous festival.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0


    ¡°Master is always so kind.¡± Mrs. Morson came over with a cup of steaming milk tea, ¡°Just freshly brewed Banpo Cattle milk, the steward of the cattle farm just brought over a batch of fresh milk, and this is from those few specifically marked cows.¡±


    Banpo Cattle were differentiated by grade, those few milk cows infected directly from the embryonic stage were purebred Dragon Breed Cows, not yet at milking age.


    The directly infected adult milk cows, though not of a pure breed, still produced high-quality milk and had always been Liszt¡¯s exclusive milk.


    Liszt took the cup, sipped lightly, and immediately the fragrance of the milk filled his mouth, ¡°Mm, it¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve had fresh Banpo Cattle milk, it takes me back to the leisurely days of old.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve really been too busy this year, master.¡±


    Gulping down the cup of milk without minding the heat, Liszt then spoke somewhat sentimentally, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a busy year.¡±


    Three dragons to raise, Flame Island to develop, countless responsibilities all hinging on his involvement.


    It seemed from the moment he began Dragon Riding on Fire Dragon Leo, life was like a horse spurred on by a whip, galloping nonstop. He never took a proper break, to enjoy days free of disturbance, void of trifling matters¡ªa peaceful life in Fresh Flower Town was what he yearned for most.


    Living with Dragon Riding dreams, patrolling his territory¡¯s crops daily, life was simple, without the need for too much thought.


    Such days were no longer possible to return to.


    Sighs were but fleeting moments, as a Dragon Knight carrying the ambition of nation-building, having chosen a more challenging path, he must walk it unwaveringly.


    ¡°Mrs. Morson, have the maids ready some hot water, I want to take a bath in a little while.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter, prepare for this evening¡¯s banquet at Thorn Castle, invite all officials from Black Horse Island to attend.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, master.¡±


    After giving his instructions, Liszt, accompanied by Annie, left the castle and headed towards Leo¡¯s resting place. Those three Flame Dragon Bird chicks were still circling around Leo, but they no longer dared to make noise. Leo wouldn¡¯t show any courtesy to them just because they were Liszt¡¯s pets.


    If it weren¡¯t for Liszt often suppressing Leo¡¯s malicious thoughts, those three little birds would have long been stuffed between Leo¡¯s teeth.


    ¡°Annie, go ahead, I¡¯ll have a good talk with Leo. After this, feel free to touch him whenever you want,¡± Liszt said with a smile, patting Annie on the head.


    ¡°Thank you, Liszt,¡± Annie chirped, flapping her transparent wings and eagerly flying next to Leo. She reached out to touch a scale, then quickly drew her hand back, savoring the smell of sulfur and the fiery essence on her hands, her expression one of total bliss.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Leo felt annoyed. Although Annie seemed no bigger than a flea to him, and he couldn¡¯t feel her touch, he still disliked having this tiny creature near him.


    Liszt then negotiated with Leo using Dragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    ¡°Leo, I plan to move Annie close to the volcano where you cultivate. Later on, when you come out to bask in the sun, let her touch you.¡±


    ¡°Why should I allow a flea to touch me at random!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s evolving and will become a Dragon Elf, which will be a great help to me. And helping me is the same as helping you, isn¡¯t it? Think about it carefully.¡±


    ¡°I need Magic Potions. Ten potions for one touch!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re robbing me!¡± Liszt glared, ¡°One potion for one touch, no bargaining!¡±


    Eventually, after a fierce argument between the two, with Leo making exorbitant demands and Liszt countering firmly, a man and a dragon reached an agreement: two Magic Potions for one complete enjoyment of touching, not just for touching a scale once. Otherwise, based on Annie¡¯s method of touching scales several times in a short period, she could bankrupt Liszt in two days.


    Once the price was set, Leo lay down on a pile of rocks to sleep, allowing Annie to continue touching and indulging non-stop.


    ¡­


    ¡°Mission complete: Reward one Jade Vein.¡±


    One drunken moment clears a thousand worries. As Annie reveled in the scent of Fire Dragon Leo, all her troubles vanished, and Liszt¡¯s Smoke Mission was completed accordingly¡ªa Jade Vein was secured.


    However, it was still unknown where the Jade Vein was, probably somewhere on Flame Island.


    Leaving Annie to continue her blissful indulgence in Leo¡¯s scent, Liszt walked back, keeping an eye on the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: After a long period of experimentation, the masters at the Fire Dragon Brick Factory have not figured out the firing of porcelain, but they have discovered that limestone can be fired into lime. However, this kind of lime lacks good adhesive properties, as if missing a crucial component. Why not help them solve this dilemma? Reward: The much-anticipated cement.¡±


    Cement had always been a product Liszt looked forward to.


    Although his territory possessed rubber, which was ten times stronger than cement, using rubber for road construction or building houses was a colossal waste. Rubber was now widely used in shipbuilding, equipment, containers, and other industries, as a strategic material, and he couldn¡¯t bear to misuse it in the construction industry.


    So, cement was the best alternative, allowing rubber to be used where it was truly valuable.


    ¡°Are we finally going to produce cement? The Fire Dragon Brick Factory has been built for several years, finally yielding returns.¡± The Fire Dragon Brick Factory was a large workshop with facilities for brick firing, pottery firing, charcoal production, and so on, and had been constantly trying to produce cement and porcelain according to Liszt¡¯s instructions.


    Alas, the porcelain wasn¡¯t successful, nor was the cement.


    The crucial moment still required Liszt¡¯s intervention: ¡°The lime isn¡¯t adhesive enough, lacking a critical component¡­ What necessary component is missing? I don¡¯t know much about cement myself; how can I help them solve this problem?¡±

 Chapter 855 - Chapter 855: Chapter 0852: Spiral Positioning (Second Update)

    Chapter 855: Chapter 0852: Spiral Positioning (Second Update)


    Limestone and cement, Liszt admitted that he didn¡¯t really understand them; he only knew that both were calcined and very common.


    But as for what the connection between them was or what their components were, that was not very clear to him.


    ¡°However, if I remember correctly, I once watched a documentary about China building the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Africa, where it mentioned the problem of cement production. Due to a lack of raw materials, the Chinese experts eventually chose to use local volcanic ash as one of the raw materials for cement?¡±


    When he watched this documentary, Liszt felt very proud. It was a great achievement of his homeland. What he remembered most clearly was that cement could actually be made from volcanic ash.


    So.


    Thinking of this, he immediately went to inspect the Fire Dragon Brick Factory and provided the craftsmen who were responsible for developing cement with a new direction¡ªasking them to mix limestone with volcanic ash to see if they could produce cement.


    As for the volcanic ash, Dodo Island had a lot of it, but the 800-kilometer journey was a bit far.


    Coral Island also had a weathered extinct volcano. Liszt had once searched for signs of magma there to excavate volcanic ash.


    These mundane affairs didn¡¯t require Liszt¡¯s attention; he just needed to provide a general direction.


    In the following days, while he teased the elves and inspected his territory, he waited for Ach to set up experiments for the magicians of the Magic Guild and prepare magical materials. Meanwhile, the officials had prepared ten large frame ships filled with supplies and personnel, ready to transport to Flame City.


    December 10th.


    The departure was set.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?


    ¡°Woo wah, woo wah!¡± Thorn Greater Elf Jela was very reluctant to see Liszt leave.


    ¡°Be good in the castle, and don¡¯t bully the Little Minor Elves. Once I¡¯ve built a new castle and plantation in our new home, I¡¯ll move you there.¡±


    ¡°Remember to come back soon.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Woo wah!¡±


    Jela let go of her hold, watching Liszt depart.


    Among all the Greater Elves and Little Minor Elves, she was the one with the most abundant emotions. It wasn¡¯t clear if it was because Liszt¡¯s thinking was so different from the people of this world, or if Jela was inherently unique. Nevertheless, among the many odd elves in Liszt¡¯s company, Jela remained the most special.


    The ten large frame ships set sail, not to forget the one that had always been docked below Thorn Castle¡ªthat ship¡¯s hold was sealing the hind legs of the Jade Dragon.


    Now that Flame City had already been established on Flame Island, he decided to take the Jade Dragon¡¯s hind legs to Flame City and hide them in the cellar of the soon-to-be-completed new castle. Concerning the precious treasures of the Mind Fruit Tree and Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, it was only safe when kept close to himself.


    ¡­


    Returning to Flame City, he found the already returned Formless Dragon Bard.


    Liszt didn¡¯t stop; he directly rode on Bard to take the Magic Form¡¯s Little Fire Dragon Leo, Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf Annie, along with three following Flame Dragon Birds, all to the Endless Volcano Cluster.


    Leo quickly transformed from Magic Form into flesh and blood, then plunged headfirst into the rolling magma of the Doomsday Volcano Crater.


    Liszt continued with Annie to look for the right place and finally found a dormant volcano halfway up the mountain. Annie happily planted her cordyceps.


    The towering Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree sprouted from the ground and was fitted with bird nests. Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple immediately circled around the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, chirping nonstop.


    ¡°Annie, I¡¯ll have Leo rest here often, so you can touch him freely.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, you¡¯re so kind.¡± Annie was sincerely grateful to Liszt; without his help, she couldn¡¯t get close to the dragon she loved the most.


    ¡°Take good care of these three little birds for me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liszt. Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple listen to me,¡± Annie confidently said, and this was no bragging.


    Back when there were two adult Flame Dragon Birds, they settled and nested securely in the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, without ever harming Annie, which demonstrated Annie¡¯s capabilities. Now, the three little birds depended heavily on Annie, and after Leo, they were closest to Annie.


    Perhaps it was fate, or maybe it was mutual attraction.


    ¡°Take care of yourself, my power hasn¡¯t extended here yet¡­ Although Leo¡¯s Dragon Might envelops the Endless Volcano Cluster, you still need to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple will help me fight!¡±


    Though they were but fledgling birds, the three Flame Dragon Birds had already learned the fire system magic carved within their bloodline¡ªFlame Slash. With a flap of their wings, they immediately condensed flames into a blade, the power of which was rather astonishing. Against common low-level magical beasts, they were a piece of cake; even when facing intermediate magical beasts, they were no pushovers.


    As for advanced magical beasts, within the range of Leo¡¯s Dragon Might, no advanced magical beast would casually intrude.


    So, the safety of Annie was basically not a problem.


    ¡­


    ¡°Bard, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Woo ee ya!¡±


    The Formless Dragon flapped its wings, rapidly entering the material boundary; then forcefully tore through the boundary, stepping into the world beyond matter. As the Crystal White Trajectory rotated, Magic Return Positioning was activated, searching for potential natural nodes while flying.


    It was at this moment.


    Liszt suddenly had a burst of inspiration, ¡°Can the effect of Magic Return Positioning be strengthened?¡±


    The effectiveness of the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± had, after fusion with the dragon, resulted in the intricately detailed Dragon Eye Trajectory and the distinctly tiered Crystal White Trajectory. He had just thought of something¡ªhe had two Dou Qi Secret Techniques other than ¡°The Eye of Magic¡±: ¡°Breath Decay¡± and ¡°Spiral Rotation.¡±


    ¡°Breath Decay¡± had little use at the Dragon Knight stage and had been abandoned.


    ¡°Spiral Rotation,¡± because it did not significantly aid a Dragon Knight in battle, had not been practiced for a long while.


    ¡°Spiral Rotation is a technique of Dou Qi circulation. What if I apply it to Bard¡¯s space magic power, and use the spiral-shaped magic radiation to search, could I then locate the feedback from the material boundary with finer precision?¡± Upon thinking of this, he immediately practiced Spiral Rotation with Bard.


    After all, it was just a trial; even if it failed, he would lose nothing, yet success would yield a great harvest.


    Very soon.


    Spiral Rotation merged with Magic Return Positioning, and the radiated space magic took on a spiral shape. However, the effect did not seem to be very pronounced. The world outside of matter remained quiet, with no response akin to the feedback from the previous Magic Return Positioning.


    ¡°Failed¡­?¡±


    Just as he was preparing to give up, suddenly, a unique fluctuation signal came from afar. Both man and dragon shook in unison¡ªthey had located a natural node!


    However, Liszt did not steer Bard closer but signaled Bard to stop the Spiral Rotation, locking onto the node using normal Magic Return Positioning.


    In comparison, it immediately became apparent that the unique fluctuation, which was previously detectable, could no longer be felt.


    ¡°Bard, try the Spiral Rotation again!¡±


    ¡°Woo ee ya!¡±


    Once the Spiral Rotation was executed, the special fluctuation was sensed once more by the Magic Return Positioning. While faint, the location was very clear.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Liszt was overjoyed, clearly a genius having developed a powerful new skill¡ªcalling this upgraded version of Magic Return Positioning the Spiral Positioning. The birth of Spiral Positioning meant that the value of Dou Qi Secret Techniques had returned to his focus.


    Initially, when ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± combined with dragon power to exert potent effects, he had an immense craving for Dou Qi Secret Techniques.


    Yet, the dispensable nature of ¡°Breath Decay¡± and ¡°Spiral Rotation¡± made him waver¡ªapart from the special ¡°The Eye of Magic,¡± other Dou Qi Secret Techniques seemed to serve little purpose for a Dragon Knight. Thus, his motivation to search for Dou Qi Secret Techniques gradually slackened.


    Now, Spiral Rotation had reignited the great value of Dou Qi Secret Techniques.


    ¡°From now on, I need to obtain more Dou Qi Secret Techniques, gradually integrate them with dragons, and perhaps develop new skills!¡± As he fantasized about Dou Qi Secret Techniques, he was already flying toward that natural node.

 Chapter 856 - Chapter 856: Chapter 0853: Whats mine is mine (First Update)

    Chapter 856: Chapter 0853: What¡¯s mine is mine (First Update)


    Hidden natural nodes were difficult to discern, but even under the formidable searching capabilities of spiral positioning, they still had nowhere to hide. The Formless Dragon swiftly approached the natural node and then began to rely on its innate abilities to break through the node¡¯s ¡°thin¡± material boundary.


    At the moment the boundary ripped apart, Liszt caught sight of the scenery outside.


    It was a secluded environment, brimming with lush trees. Only when he and the Formless Dragon completely flew out of the natural node did he have a clear view¡ªit was the interior of a dormant volcano crater. Once they soared out of the volcano, their vision commanded a top-down perspective, with Phoenix Perch Parasol¡¯s volcano not far to the left.


    The Endless Volcano Cluster had nine active volcanoes and many dormant ones, most of them unnamed.


    This particular dormant volcano was also unnamed.


    ¡°Having a natural node inside the volcano crater feels somewhat inconvenient for transportation, unless¡­ we break through the volcanic tunnels. Hmm, if Ach picks this as one of the Magic Gates, we¡¯ll mobilize a group of Ancient Mages to bombard and blast, striving to open the volcanic tunnels sooner rather than later.¡±


    With Thorn Ironwood, rubber water, and the impending development of cement, we already possessed the capability to construct tunnels.


    Although this world lacked large tunnel boring machines, it had magic. While Magicians¡¯ combat spells might not be impressive, their effects were clear when applied to civil uses. Even if the Ancient Mages couldn¡¯t penetrate the rock layers inside the mountain, there was still Ach, the Archmage. With Super Magic ¨C Spiral Ultra-High Pressure Water Drill, capable of crushing metal, let alone the mere mountain.


    Thus,


    Upon finding the first natural node, Liszt¡¯s heart surged with excitement, and together with Formless Dragon Bard, he redoubled his efforts, continuing to delve outside the material world, in search of new natural nodes.


    At this time, the powerful search ability of spiral positioning could be fully demonstrated.


    Before long, he discovered a second natural node. On penetrating the node, the other side revealed surging seawater, crashing against the material boundary, but unable to breach into the outside world.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Regrettably, the node is in the sea, seemingly in a deep-sea location; this node probably can¡¯t be developed,¡± he thought, not even daring to venture out.


    Bard couldn¡¯t swim; if he drowned in the sea, it would be no laughing matter.


    Hence, they left the natural node and continued to fly in the world outside material reality, searching for natural nodes. The material world was vast, but the concept of ¡®large¡¯ did not exist in the world beyond it, as if everything was squeezed together. To use a vivid analogy, the material world was like a vast sheet of white paper.


    Each point on this white paper could only move across its surface.


    But in the world outside materiality, it was like the white paper crumpled into a ball. Continuing to walk on the surface of the paper would not change the distance, yet moving outside the paper could easily connect two points that were originally out of reach. Natural nodes were like finding such points where one could move outside the paper.


    There were no boundaries or distances, and even the concept of time was hazy and unclear; for normal creatures, the world outside materiality was an inconceivable place.


    Only the Formless Dragon could navigate here with ease.


    ¡°Another natural node discovered, let¡¯s go!¡± Liszt urged, and the pair flew towards the third natural node. Moments later, they opened the natural node.


    On the other side was a forest.


    As Liszt flew out of the natural node, he immediately noticed an interesting problem¡ªhe had arrived near Flame Mountain, in one of the subsidiary mountain ranges of Flame Mountain. And Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, whom he had settled within Flame Mountain, seemed to have sensed something. Ethan flapped his wide wings and flew from the valley of Flame Mountain in the distance.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The dragon¡¯s roar was a greeting to Liszt.


    ¡°Ethan, the environment around Flame Mountain isn¡¯t bad, right?¡± Liszt appeared in form and looked at the Light Green Gemstone Dragon flying closer, communicating via Dragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    When Ethan flew to the mid-level of the adjacent slope, he didn¡¯t approach any closer. He didn¡¯t like the Formless Dragon, so naturally, he stopped there. However, the spot of the mountain he chose wasn¡¯t good; the rock on the slope couldn¡¯t bear his weight of over a hundred tons and was directly crushed, causing a landslide.


    Fortunately, Ethan reacted quickly and took flight again.


    However, Liszt noticed the slope crushed by Ethan, revealing a patch of milky-white mountain. At that moment, he and Bard were still using their Crystal White View. In the Crystal White View, the milky-white mountain flickered with a pale, chaotic light, the luminescence of magic power feedback.


    With a thought, the man and dragon had already flown there.


    Liszt jumped down directly from the dragon¡¯s back, climbed to the location of the landslide, and upon looking with the naked eye, his eyebrows raised: ¡°Jade!¡±


    In an instant, he understood ¨C this must be the Jade Vein that was the reward from the previous Smoke Mission.


    He took out a Bone Hammer, tapping and cracking the surrounding rock. After the rock shattered, a series of milky-white Jade Veins were indeed exposed.


    Bard showed no interest in the Jade Vein, dozing off to the side.


    But Ethan rushed over excitedly: ¡°Roar!¡± Upon seeing the trace of Jade exposed on the mountain, the whole dragon became exhilarated¨Cfeeling a delightful transformation from a chicken nest to a Phoenix Perch Parasol.


    He originally thought that Liszt had randomly placed him in desolate ridges, but unexpectedly, there was a Jade Mine buried here.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    He extended his forelimbs and claws, gently sliding beside the Jade Vein next to Liszt. Instantly, he sliced through a vein, with half-rock, half-jade raw stones rolling everywhere and revealing an even richer Jade Vein deep within the mountain¡ªwhat was seen before was just the outer layer of the vein.


    ¡°Alright, Ethan, don¡¯t waste it; I¡¯ll send people over to extract the Jade Mine. When the time comes, you¡¯ll get your share. Eat as much as you want!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°I have a task for you: go scratch around a few other mountains and see how extensive this Jade Mine is.¡±


    With Jade as motivation, Ethan was easy to talk to, immediately taking to the air. Flying to the mid-slope of a neighboring mountain, his claws casually scraped out new milky-white Jade Veins. He scratched ten peaks in succession, all harboring Jade Mines, with an entire subsidiary mountain range beneath them veined with Jade.


    The reserves were conservatively estimated to exceed a hundred thousand tons.


    On the market, Jade is sold by weight. Suddenly having a Jade Mine of a hundred thousand tons undoubtedly made Liszt feel like he was smacked by a bathtub full of large gold ingots.


    ¡°If this entire Jade Vein is excavated, it should be enough for my use for a hundred years!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ethan roared to express his thoughts. He wanted Liszt to help him establish a Dragon Nest here immediately, and from now on he would settle in this ¡°Jade Mountain.¡± As an adult dragon, he also smartly expressed that as long as the Jade supply was plentiful, producing Light Green Gemstone Mines wouldn¡¯t be an issue.


    ¡°Good, your Dragon Nest will be built here. I will immediately send people¡­ However, it¡¯ll have to wait until after the New Year since the routes to Whirlpool Mountain and Flame Mountain haven¡¯t been opened yet.¡±


    Ethan nodded to show he understood.


    Then he simply lay on the exposed Jade Vein, comfortably basking in the sun, with the thought in his mind¡ªmine, mine, all mine!

 Chapter 857 - Chapter 857: Chapter 0854: Group of Dragon Beasts (Second Update)

    Chapter 857: Chapter 0854: Group of Dragon Beasts (Second Update)


    Volcano Crater natural node, the sea¡¯s natural node, Jade Mountain natural node ¡ª on the return journey, Liszt discovered three natural nodes, among which the nodes at Volcano Crater and Jade Mountain were developable.


    When the Formless Dragon saw the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix, it immediately opened a passage back to the Whirlpool Cave Entrance, then returned to Flame City.


    It reported the discovery of the three natural nodes to Ach.


    However, Ach was still summarizing information about the Magic Door Project and had not yet devised a development plan. Additionally, she needed time to master the Space Elemental Incarnation; once she perfectly mastered it, the development of the Magic Door would greatly benefit ¡ª she would be able to shuttle through space at will along with Liszt and the Formless Dragon.


    By that time, the setup of the Magic Door by Ach herself would be much easier.


    ¡°Brother, the more natural nodes we control, the better, as only then can we select the most suitable natural nodes to establish a Magic Gate and complete the Teleportation Magic Array.¡±


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll handle this!¡±


    Just as Liszt was gearing up to explore worlds beyond the physical, the Smoke Mission brought good news.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: cement.¡±


    Clearly, Liszt¡¯s volcanic ash idea had helped the craftsmen at Fire Dragon Brick Factory successfully develop cement. With the cement development a success, a boom in the construction industry was imminent. Most importantly, Flame Island had the Endless Volcano Cluster, where the volcanic ash was virtually inexhaustible.


    For future construction on the islands, cement would not be lacking.


    ¡°It¡¯s a cause for celebration, but Black Horse Island will probably not need cement as I no longer plan to continue developing in the Flame Territory. I will maintain the current industry structure and focus all efforts on developing Flame Island,¡± Liszt thought clearly and planned to send instructions through the Magic Platform.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    He prepared for the Fire Dragon Brick Factory to be ready to relocate; the next time he returned to Black Horse Island, he would move all craftsmen of the Fire Dragon Brick Factory to Flame Island.


    He also planned to move the entire Magic Guild there, then stationed magicians at the Fire Dragon Brick Factory to continue developing new types of cement ¡ª volcanic ash could be used as a material for cement, and other kinds of ash might also be suitable.


    However, when he saw the new Smoke Mission, he suddenly felt that his idea might be superfluous.


    ¡°Mission: The transport between Black Horse Island and Flame Island is the biggest obstacle to developing the Flame Archipelago. However, with the preparations for the Magic Gate, you have another option beyond the great sailing. Why not find the natural node around Black Horse Island in anticipation of building the Magic Gate. Reward: Intermediate Dragon Beast Group.¡±


    This was in preparation for setting up a Magic Gate between Black Horse Island and Flame Island; once the Magic Gate was established, wouldn¡¯t Flame Island and Black Horse Island be connected.


    ¡°If the Magic Gate is really constructed, using Black Horse Island as a base could completely bring the Sapphire Family into my followers, making the Duchy of Sapphire a vassal state of the Flame Kingdom!¡±


    He stroked his chin.


    He temporarily suppressed this idea and looked at the reward for the mission: ¡°They¡¯re awarding an Intermediate Dragon Beast Group, not just one but a group; this is going to make a fortune!¡±


    So far, he had encountered many creatures of the dragon lineage.


    Dragon Breed Beasts included Blue Blood Treasure Horse, Black Blood Treasured Horse, Half-Slope Dairy Cow, and Estuary Pig.


    Low-Level Dragon Beasts included Rainbow Whale Rose and Landwalker Bird Loki, where Loki had evolved into an Intermediate Dragon Beast due to the Bloodline Fruit.


    He had not seen natural Intermediate Dragon Beasts.


    Nor had he seen any Advanced Dragon Beasts. However, he heard that in the Pegasus Great Forest within the Steel Ridge Kingdom, the Pegasus were Advanced Dragon Beasts, and even a Super Dragon Beast ¨C Unicorn was said to have been born. Liszt had always intended to find a Unicorn and witness this magical creature that, as the legend goes, could only be seen by a pure virgin.


    Super Dragon Beasts included Flame Dragon Bird and Lightning Dragon Turtle.


    ¡°I wonder what breed of Intermediate Dragon Beasts we¡¯ll run into this time; I hope it¡¯s a breed suitable for riding in combat so that I can establish the Dragon Beast Knight Order to contribute to the Burning Knights Group.¡±


    ¡­


    For several days, Liszt had been searching for new natural nodes and indeed, his efforts bore considerable fruit¡ªhe found three new nodes.


    However, two of them were in the middle of the ocean, and he dared not venture out, fearing he might drown.


    The other was situated above the sea, around which he used a sextant for positioning and discovered the node was located between the Flame Islands and Whirlpool Archipelago, surrounded by the vast ocean with very low developmental value. If the natural node had been near the shore, with Ach¡¯s incredible water control abilities, perhaps another great whirlpool could be established.


    Alas, amidst the vast ocean, the risks were too great.


    Time slowly passed, and Liszt did not discover any new natural nodes. The holidays were also approaching day by day.


    Another day of fruitless search passed until he reached the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix; he rode the Formless Dragon Bard through the portal and returned to Flame City.


    He then received good news. A squad from the Pioneer Knights had found a damaged statue worshipped within a large Moon Slayer tribe. Given that the tribe consisted of thirty thousand people, the Knight Squad opted to employ the corruption of an ancient mage to hire native Moon Slayers to work out of the forest.


    Without haste to act, the statue remained within the large tribe known as ¡°Xia.¡±


    ¡°Where is Xia Tribe located?¡± Liszt inquired.


    ¡°Here,¡± responded the Captain of the Knight Squad, pointing to a location on the map of Flame Island within the Whirlpool Great River Basin, though it was a tributary of another stream.


    The map¡¯s location records were clear, a testament to the efforts of the knights and magicians. Not only responsible for pioneering, but every destination explored had magicians accompanying to measure and record the terrain. By now, the entire terrain of Flame Island had been charted especially around the Whirlpool Great River Basin.


    The next step for the Pioneer Knights was ready to advance toward the Broad Bao Forest south of Whirlpool Mountain.


    ¡°You lead the way. Select a magician skilled in Moon Language to accompany me; we are heading to Xia Tribe!¡± Liszt instructed crisply and clearly.


    Since the Formless Dragon had essentially been exposed, as the knights and magician settled in the prepared baskets, Liszt directly maneuvered Bard, lifting the baskets, and flew toward Xia Tribe. He and the Formless Dragon remained invisible at the edge of physical matter, with only the baskets visible.


    It appeared as if the baskets were flying through the air on their own, creating quite the peculiar scene.


    Yet sitting in the basket, Earth Knight Dennis and Magician Harold possessed not a shred of embarrassment over this oddity, only an uncontrollable excitement.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Dragon!¡±


    ¡°An invisible Dragon!¡±


    ¡°His Highness is invisible too; it¡¯s unbelievable!¡±


    Dennis dreamed internally, ¡°His Highness truly has a second dragon; how great a Dragon Knight have I followed! Once the nation is established, I will surely become a noble of high standing!¡±


    Harold aspired, ¡°Terrifying Prince Dragon Knight, and Her Excellency Archmage¡­ I wonder if I can ever become a member of the Royal Magicians?¡±


    Not all magicians are indifferent to fame and devout to the Truth; many are drawn to worldly power, thus ending up serving among the nobles, and even taking positions within the Court, serving the noble class.


    In an instant.


    The valley home to Xia Tribe had arrived.

 Chapter 859 - Chapter 859: Chapter 0856: Tree of Golden Apples (First Update)

    Chapter 859: Chapter 0856: Tree of Golden Apples (First Update)


    To verify whether the Knowledge Ancient Book was indeed as magical as it was said to be, Liszt then tried to touch it with various objects to see the interaction.


    The Space Ring touched it.


    A flash of light, a simple phrase in Moon Language appeared¡ªFormless Dragon Gem, independent space.


    The Eight Dragons God Sword touched it.


    A flash of light, a simple phrase in Moon Language appeared¡ªElemental Dragon¡¯s power, amplification of Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Light, Ice, and Dark Attributes.


    The Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit touched it.


    A flash of light, a simple phrase in Moon Language appeared¡ªJade Fruit, power of the Jade Dragon, heart of the lost dragon.


    Liszt nodded slightly, ¡°So the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit was called Jade Fruit during the era of the Moon Empire, and the dragon leg I found was indeed from a Jade Dragon.¡±


    The Sapphire Pendant touched it.


    A flash of light, another simple phrase in Moon Language appeared¡ªSapphire, power amplification.


    He then touched it with an unpolished Golden Pearl.


    A flash of light, an even simpler phrase in Moon Language appeared¡ªWater Attribute material.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï


    ¡°Is it just Water Attribute material? Isn¡¯t there more to it?¡± Liszt was slightly dissatisfied with the appraisal of the Golden Pearl. He knew that the Golden Pearl was a Water Attribute material; any magician or knight could figure that out. The key was what the Golden Pearl was used for.


    Retrieving the Golden Pearl, he took out a Phoenix Feather.


    A flash of light, a simple phrase in Moon Language appeared¡ªPhoenix Feather, Fire Attribute amplification.


    ¡°This description is clear, especially the term ¡®Phoenix¡¯ in Moon Language¡­ It seems that during the era of the Moon Empire, the Flame Dragon Bird was already called Phoenix; perhaps the legend of the Phoenix also originated from the Moon Empire.¡±


    He then took out a Bloodthirsty Bat Fang, which he had confiscated from the vampires of the Black Knight Family, a powerful accessory that assisted vampires in their cultivation. He originally planned to reward Mary Dawn Break with it for her achievements.


    After the Magic Book made contact, a flash of light, a new phrase in Moon Language appeared¡ªAltered Dark Attribute material.


    ¡°Hmm, this description is interesting¡ªaltered, Dark Attribute. It appears that there had been research on Blood Magic during the era of the Moon Empire, but like the Bloodthirsty Bat Fang, there¡¯s not much more detail.¡±


    On the next part of his journey,


    Liszt continued to verify various objects. Items like telescopes and one-handed swords that lacked magic power changed the Knowledge Ancient Book¡¯s usual inability to appraise, showing no reaction. For ordinary magical equipment and magic materials, it only provided simple introductions like ¡°XX Attribute material.¡±


    But for materials from Super Dragon Beasts or equipment made from dragon materials, it could clearly identify the original materials and even provide a partial description of their function.


    ¡°How should I put this,¡± Liszt appraised the Knowledge Ancient Book, ¡°In terms of material identification, it indeed has great functionality and value beyond measure. But it¡¯s limited to high-end materials. Identifying low-end materials isn¡¯t very meaningful, and it¡¯s a big step from the Great Encyclopedia I imagined.¡±


    Of course, one couldn¡¯t expect a special Magic Book to encompass all knowledge in the entire world.


    As long as it could provide attribute identification for high-end materials, that alone was a precious rarity, not less valuable than a Divine Artifact like the Eight Dragons God Sword.


    ¡°Once I get back, I¡¯ll bring the Time Scepter from Ach to appraise; I wonder what the Knowledge Ancient Book will reveal.¡±


    Before long, Flame City was in sight. He signaled Dragon Bard to go rest and went straight to the Mage Tower to find Ach, who was busy.


    ¡°Ach, I¡¯ve found something great!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°First, bring me the Time Scepter.¡±


    Taking the Time Scepter from Ach, Liszt directly touched the Time Scepter to the surface of the Knowledge Ancient Book, and the next moment, light burst forth.


    A string of Moon Language appeared¡ªTwilight Dragon Gemstone and the Tree of Golden Apples, reflecting time.


    Ach, already adept in the Moon Language, immediately translated the meaning, ¡°Brother, is this text an introduction to the Time Scepter? The Time Diamond is the Twilight Dragon¡¯s gemstone, and the scepter itself is crafted from the Tree of Golden Apples¡­ Golden Apples are legendary treasures, do they truly exist?¡±


    ¡°Since the Knowledge Ancient Book has given a clear appraisal result, it means Golden Apples do exist!¡± Liszt now generally believed in the legends of this world¡ªthe difference lay not in whether the objects of legends existed, but whether the legends were exaggerated.


    ¡°Knowledge Ancient Book?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s this magical book here; it¡¯s a Divine Artifact I found at the hand of the third statue. It can appraise high-end materials like those of dragons and give a general introduction to their properties.¡± Liszt pointed to the Moon Language in the book, ¡°The material for this Time Scepter is the Twilight Dragon Gemstone and the wood from the Tree of Golden Apples, and its attribute is to reflect time.¡±


    ¡°What does ¡®reflect time¡¯ mean, brother?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ In fact, it seems that using Magic Power to activate it achieves nothing; it doesn¡¯t exhibit any function at all, which is why I handed it to you for research.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to research it for the time being.¡±


    ¡°When you have time, then talk about it, the Time Scepter isn¡¯t going anywhere anyway.¡±


    At that moment, Ach suddenly had a whimsical thought, ¡°Right, brother, can the Knowledge Ancient Book appraise Elves?¡±


    ¡°Appraise Elves?¡± Liszt was taken aback; actually, there was no need to appraise Elves at all, as their species could be identified once they expel Cordyceps. However, he had never appraised a living creature before¡ªhis own hand didn¡¯t count, as there was no response when placing it on the book.


    So, he took an Elf Bug and placed it on the Knowledge Ancient Book.


    Then, the magical book radiated light, but only displayed one phrase in Moon Language¡ªElf.


    ¡°Heh, what, you think I¡¯m blind, needing to remind me that this is an Elf?¡± Liszt chuckled at the ability of the Knowledge Ancient Book, ¡°Well then, this Knowledge Ancient Book serves no use in my hands, I¡¯ll give it to you to wield, Ach, especially since you often need to appraise magical materials.¡±


    Ach didn¡¯t refuse, ¡°Hm.¡±


    ¡­


    Having acquired the Knowledge Ancient Book, Liszt¡¯s heart began to grow eager about the Divine Artifacts sealed by the other three statues, curious about what unique artifacts were contained within.


    But there was no rush. Once all the tribes of the Moon Slayers were conquered, these artifacts would inevitably fall into his hands.


    Thus,


    He continued to seek Natural Nodes.


    Not just to fulfill the Smoke Mission, he also truly yearned to open the passage between Black Horse Island and Flame Island, so time passed day by day, busily searching.


    Soon, Sapphire Calendar Year 154 moved toward its end, heralding the slow arrival of the New Year in 155.


    Thorn Castle lacked the festive cheer of last year, and under Butler Carter¡¯s leadership, the servants had a simple New Year celebration. Flame City¡¯s recently constructed new castle, now named Flame Castle, teemed with toasting and festivities. Liszt and his followers celebrated the first New Year of Flame Island within its walls.


    ¡°Your Highness, I propose we declare this year as the inaugural year of the Flame Calendar and today as the first New Year¡¯s Day of the Flame Calendar,¡± Durt Red Apricot suggested with a raised glass.


    Liszt narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not, the Flame Kingdom has yet to be established, and we¡¯ll not consider the Flame Calendar for now. We¡¯ll continue using the Sapphire Calendar. However, I will ask the Magic Guild to compile a new calendar system based on Flame Island¡¯s seasons, incorporating the movements of the sun and moon. Once the kingdom is established, we will implement it immediately.¡±

 Chapter 860 - Chapter 860: Chapter 0857: Return to the Burial Ground (Second Update)

    Chapter 860: Chapter 0857: Return to the Burial Ground (Second Update)


    This year there was no unknown reward task during the festival, which Liszt found quite regrettable, as finding the natural node of Black Horse Island was somewhat difficult.


    The Formless Dragon wanted to set out from the Whirlpool Archipelago and cross over 3,500 kilometers of sea, which was extremely challenging. Unless Ach could transport the Formless Dragon to Black Horse Island. However, though the Formless Dragon was mild tempered, it was unwilling to enter the water and completely uncooperative with Liszt¡¯s arrangements.


    So, they had to enter the world beyond matter from the boundary of Flame Island, then find a natural node near Black Horse Island and cross over to start a thorough search of that area.


    ¡°I hope we can find a suitable natural node soon. We have already discovered eight new natural nodes and three old ones, but they are all within the area of Flame Island¡­ We still need to go to Black Horse Island to find the natural nodes around it,¡± thought Liszt.


    Three old natural nodes¡ªEntrance to the Great Whirlpool, Whirlpool Cave Exit, and Hourglass Valley Ruins Entrance.


    Eight new natural nodes¡ªVolcano Crater, Jade Mountain, and four natural nodes in the sea, plus one remote natural node on the sea surface. The last one, also discovered as the festival approached, was in a lake in the southeast corner of Flame Island.


    The lake¡¯s shores are covered with reed-like plants, hence it was named ¡°Reed Marsh.¡±


    That is to say, with three old and eight new natural nodes, eleven in total, six were usable, especially the Volcano Crater, Jade Mountain, Reed Marsh, and Ruins Entrance. If a Magic Gate could be opened, it would perfectly connect the northwest-central-southeast three major areas of Flame Island.


    Ach was still earnestly practicing the Space Elemental Incarnation. The preparations for the Magic Gate had been perfected, and as soon as the Elementalization was perfectly mastered, he could activate the Magic Gate at any time.


    Liszt and Formless Dragon Bard almost spent a huge amount of time in the world beyond matter every day.


    After several improvements, the Spiral Positioning could perceive any fine fluctuations of the natural nodes.


    ¡°Wi yi ya!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bard, the natural node is right there, just waiting for us to find it!¡± Liszt comforted the Formless Dragon half-heartedly and partly comforted himself.


    Last December at Flame Island, it didn¡¯t snow, and the temperature didn¡¯t drop below zero either. But the dry and cold climate was even more uncomfortable than snow, completely halting the growth in the fields, with elves already hibernating. The forest also lacked sufficient food; animals that should have been hibernating had long since vanished.


    Now it was January.


    The dry and cold temperatures became even more severe, showing Liszt the less gentle side of Flame Island.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite tough, your highness. The potato harvest wasn¡¯t as bountiful as anticipated. Employing Moon Slayer Natives as serfs consumes a lot of food; it¡¯s difficult to maintain the stability of Flame City. South at Estuary City, they too have sent us an urgent message for food. Perhaps we should delay the conscription of serfs.¡±


    Durt Red Apricot had earned Liszt¡¯s trust and was in charge of the development work on Flame Island.


    ¡°No need to delay. If we are struggling, the Moon Slayer Natives are struggling even more. At this time, using food as bait to tame the Moon Slayer Natives is very easy¡­ I will personally transport food from Black Horse Island to support the pioneering team,¡± Liszt said, relying on himself and Ach to continuously transport food, thus he did not agree to Durt¡¯s request.


    However, he felt very regretful.


    The Potato Great Spirit Kuchi was very effective, but the planting period was too short. Many potatoes hadn¡¯t even started to develop before winter arrived.


    Under the influence of the dry and cold climate, even the Great Spirit couldn¡¯t promote the growth of the potatoes anymore.


    Otherwise, this batch of potatoes could have supported half a month¡¯s consumption; now, they could only transport food from Black Horse Island.


    ¡°I hope we can find the natural node leading to Black Horse Island as soon as possible.¡±


    As if his wish came true, just as he worried endlessly about the food situation, Formless Dragon Bard suddenly sensed an anomaly from a natural node.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    They flew over, tearing through the material boundary of the node, and a set of practiced operations was completed. Man and dragon had already seen the world outside the natural node.


    ¡°Hmm, this place ¡­ it¡¯s Mind Island!¡± Liszt emerged from the natural node and found himself on Mind Island, which had been leveled.


    This island, once concealing the Jade Dragon¡¯s hind leg, was transformed as the Light Green Gemstone Mine was excavated; a great deal of soil and rock had been removed, cutting the height in half. Numerous stones were pushed off cliffs, accumulating around the island and doubling its size.


    ¡°Excellent!¡±


    ¡°This natural node is well-placed, only six hundred kilometers from Black Horse Island!¡±


    Liszt was overjoyed to have discovered a natural node within the Sapphire Archipelago¡ªthough not in the immediate vicinity of Black Horse Island, it could still serve as an alternative link between the Sapphire Archipelago and the Flame Islands. He immediately took to the skies on the Formless Dragon, ventured into the material boundary, and headed towards Black Horse Island.


    He also pondered the location of this node.


    ¡°Why is it on Mind Island?¡±


    Previous natural nodes located at sea or underwater were momentarily out of question, but those on land were always interesting. The Volcano Crater was once a massive volcano, Jade Mountain was filled with abundant jade, and the purpose of Reed Marsh remained unclear.


    The natural resource of Mind Island was clearly the jade dragon¡¯s hind leg from the earliest times.


    ¡°These natural nodes¡¯ formation¡ªcould they be related to the real material world? Is it possible that strong magic power disturbances at the material boundary create natural nodes?¡± he wondered, thinking about the Matter-Spirit-Magic Power triangle theory, where magic and matter constantly transform.


    ¡°It¡¯s highly possible that regions abundant in magic power or places where magic power events occurred could lead to the formation of natural nodes!¡±


    Of course, research on natural nodes was not yet profound, and their fundamental cause remained unclear. Liszt did not linger on this thought, flying swiftly and finally arriving at Black Horse Island as night fell.


    Back on the island.


    The Formless Dragon went straight to the Smoked Grass plantation to rest, while Liszt stayed in Thorn Castle, thoroughly enjoying the comfortable environment of the castle.


    The next day.


    After handling a backlog of official duties,


    He incessantly rode Bard around Black Horse Island in search of natural nodes. Almost immediately upon entering the world beyond the material, he discovered a natural node. Efficiently opening the node, its entrance appeared in a secluded lake, the bottom of which was a long-solidified magma channel.


    ¡°Where is this?¡±


    The Formless Dragon hesitated to enter the water, but following Liszt¡¯s urging and seeing the shallow water, it reluctantly flew out from the node.


    It then quickly emerged from the shallow lake.


    Outside, to his astonishment, was a field of harvested crops covered with a layer of snow, where a few serfs in hemp clothing were setting bird traps in the snow.


    This scene was all too familiar!


    ¡°Black Horse Island!¡±


    ¡°This is Bone Lake in Red River Town, originally the Burial Ground of the Former Fire Dragon!¡± Such a discovery overwhelmed Liszt with excitement. Could there be any more marvelous natural node than here on Black Horse Island, precisely at the most magically conflicted site¡ªthe Fire Dragon¡¯s Burial Ground?


    And the Burial Ground had also formed a natural node.


    Boom!


    Bard landed, and Liszt walked to the lake¡¯s edge, his spirits uplifted. A puff of smoke appeared, forming a passage in Serpent Script.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: Intermediate Dragon Beast Group.¡±

 Chapter 861 - Chapter 861: Chapter 0858: Chin with a Big Shovel (First Update)

    Chapter 861: Chapter 0858: Chin with a Big Shovel (First Update)


    Bone Lake was filled with water, and to establish a Magic Gate, these waters needed to be drained. Draining Bone Lake was simple, merely requiring a breach to be dug to connect it to the nearby Red River. Positioned higher than Red River, Bone Lake could not retain its water.


    Then, with some further excavation, Bone Lake was transformed into a plaza, where the Magic Gate would be activated.


    ¡°I wonder whether the Magic Gate arranged by Ach will cause too much turbulence and repulsive force. If it ejects users like the Whirlpool Cave Entrance does each time, commuting would still be a major hassle¡­ I hope to continuously reduce this repulsive force so entry and exit can be at a normal speed.¡±


    Although he thought this, he did not take immediate action. Everything still had to wait until Ach personally surveyed the site before making a decision.


    Expertise matters.


    Overall coordination and battling also were his strengths, whereas magic was Ach¡¯s forte.


    He shifted his focus to a new Smoke Mission, feeling a vague sense of annoyance upon checking the details.


    ¡°Mission: To get rich, build roads first. Developing Flame Island faces many challenges, one important constraint being the poor road conditions, particularly for knights who can¡¯t fully utilize their combat potential without sufficient open space for charging. Please construct a 500-kilometer raceway on Flame Island. Reward: Emily¡¯s Dou Qi rebirth.¡±


    The reward for the mission was significant.


    Dou Qi rebirth referred to the progression from Intermediate Dou Qi to Advanced Dou Qi, and Emily was about to become a Sky Knight, which was exciting news. As the only person in the territory eligible for potential Dragon Knight status and a prodigy, Liszt had high hopes for this fourteen-year-old girl.


    He had always been training her to be a Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight.


    However, Emily, without any cheats, was not as monstrously talented as Liszt, who ascended from Earth Knight to Sky Knight in half a year, and then to Dragon Knight a few months later. She had spent a full year at the Earth Knight stage, and it may take even longer to advance to Dragon Knight.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?


    It seemed unlikely she would become an immediate combat asset soon¡ª unless the Light Green Gemstone Dragon recognized her and agreed to assist in hastening her Dragon Dou Qi Cultivation.


    If so, Advanced Dou Qi mastery was imminent.


    ¡°Emily is fourteen this year, fifteen next year, sixteen the year after. If we give her a few more years, she might be able to ride a dragon before she turns twenty. Such talent might truly terrify people¡­ The only concern is that once she physically matures, being female might impose significant constraints.¡±


    Historically, female Sky Knights have existed, but there have definitely been no female Dragon Knights¡ªfemale powerhouses are generally concentrated among magicians.


    Among the six ancestral statues of the Moon Slayer people, though barely recognizable now, one can discern that one of them, the one holding the Knowledge Ancient Book, is a female statue.


    ¡°I hope Emily can break this norm and become the first female Dragon Knight.¡±


    No matter what, Liszt would fully dedicate himself to training Emily, even if she could not become a Dragon Knight in the future, she could still learn from the ¡°Dou Qi Domain Manual¡± and become a Domain Knight. Her displayed talent justified this investment, and Liszt couldn¡¯t deny a certain unspoken thought in his heart.


    Nurturing a young girl, perhaps¡­


    ¡°This Smoke Mission needs to be completed soon to assist Emily¡¯s Dou Qi rebirth, but the task is daunting¡ªconstructing a 500-kilometer raceway on Flame Island.¡±


    A raceway is not a mere path, but a thoroughfare designed for knights to charge freely. It does not necessarily need to be paved with stone; a dirt road can suffice. However, the standard for a raceway requires a very wide and flat surface, without excessive curves, typically constructed around major cities.


    Around Iron Hoof City, there is a raceway that leads to Bull Castle, thirty kilometers long.


    They need to construct a 500-kilometer expressway, and given the current capabilities of Flame City, it might take almost half a year. They¡¯d need to build bridges over rivers and dig tunnels through mountains, and if the terrain proved too complex, even half a year might not suffice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just take it one step at a time!¡±


    ¡­


    The discovery of natural nodes on Black Horse Island had made it possible for Liszt to shuttle freely between Black Horse Island and Flame Island.


    Flying in the physical world for half an hour, he easily located the wave fluctuations of the wormhole space within the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix. Then, riding the Formless Dragon Bard, he crossed the wormhole space directly and flew out from the Whirlpool Entrance.


    Looking at the cascading waterfall behind him.


    He suddenly thought of something, ¡°I have four Space Rings, and Ach has two. Together, that¡¯s about four hundred cubic meters, roughly equivalent to a large warehouse. Before the Magic Gate is established, I can act as a porter and transport materials with the Space Rings.¡±


    While he couldn¡¯t transport large bulk items, he could personally transport valuable items.


    He didn¡¯t find Ach in the Mage Tower laboratory.


    Only after asking the twin sisters, Lucy and Ruth, did he find out that Ach had gone out and wouldn¡¯t be back until evening. Liszt was considering taking this time to return to Black Horse Island and transport a batch of rubber water back. Suddenly, he received a report that the knights who had gone to conquer the Xia Tribe had encountered a large invasion of giant elephants.


    The Xia Tribe couldn¡¯t resist and had already evacuated to within the sphere of influence of Flame City.


    ¡°Giant elephants?¡±


    Liszt asked in detail before understanding that these were a very strong species of Earth Attribute Magical Beasts that moved in herds. They didn¡¯t harm people but had entirely raided the Xia Tribe¡¯s food storage warehouses and wantonly destroyed buildings and scavenged for food, flattening the ground wherever they passed.


    ¡°The ground was trampled flat?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. The group of giant elephants is too powerful. It¡¯s difficult for our knights to charge at them. When they stomp their feet, the ground shakes, and then our mounts can¡¯t stay upright. The magicians¡¯ magic can¡¯t hurt them either; they all know Magic¡ªFirmstone Armor.¡±


    The Firmstone Armor, an Earth System Advanced Magic, was a skill also known by Douson. It formed robust rock plates over the body, providing a defense not inferior to Mithril Armor.


    With a thought,


    Liszt directly rode the Formless Dragon Bard and headed for the Xia Tribe. After a few flashes, he arrived at the valley where the Xia Tribe was located. After a brief search, he spotted the group of giant elephants the knights had mentioned¡ªabout a hundred or so, large and small, forming a large familial group.


    The giant elephants looked very peculiar, different from ordinary elephants.


    The most unique feature was the huge lower jaw under their trunks, which appeared infinitely elongated, both long and wide, with a pair of large tusks in front.


    It looked like a large shovel attached to their chin.


    Their tusks, which should have been long, were not prominent, only about a meter in length. Given their height of at least six meters and a body weight of more than twenty tons, the tusks were very short, and even the trunk was not long enough. The limbs were stubby and thick, making their overall physique appear more bloated than ordinary elephants, and their heads were not large enough.


    Liszt observed from the air using Crystal White View and quickly noticed something unusual: ¡°Earth Attribute giant elephants with a faint Dragon Might on them¡ªso these are the Mid-Level Dragon Beast Group awarded by the Smoke Mission!¡±

 Chapter 862 - Chapter 862: Chapter 0859: Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephant (Second Update)

    Chapter 862: Chapter 0859: Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephant (Second Update)


    With their huge bodies and exaggeratedly large jaws, Liszt had already named this group of giant elephants in his heart¡ªthe Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants.


    Seeing their rich Earth-Attribute Magic Power and the strength to flatten the ground beneath their feet, he birthed an immense desire to tame this group of Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants.


    Then.


    To use them for road construction!


    ¡°With this group of Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants, the construction of the five-hundred-kilometer road should not be a problem. I knew the Smoke Mission wouldn¡¯t present an insurmountable challenge; it turns out everything was arranged by the Power of Destiny! Without this group of Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants, there wouldn¡¯t have been the task of building a five-hundred-kilometer road!¡±


    A sudden clarity shone in his heart as the Formless Dragon felt his thoughts, letting out a sharp ¡°Wu Yi Ya¡± as it flew out from the boundary of the material realm, revealing its body, as clear and sparkling as flowing water.


    The wild Dragon Might gushed out like a waterfall, striking against the ground where the Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants were foraging.


    ¡°Ang!¡±


    ¡°Ang!¡±


    ¡°Ang!¡±


    The Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants, searching for food, were suddenly bombarded by such fierce Dragon Might, immediately sending out continuous cries of alarm. Then, one after another, they prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to move.


    Magical Beasts of the dragon lineage feel a clearer sense of hierarchical pressure in the presence of a Dragon.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Bard, continue to maintain suppression over the Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants; I will personally take action to tame them!¡± Liszt communicated, then jumped off the dragon¡¯s back to land amidst this group of Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants.


    Elephant herds usually have a leader.


    Liszt noticed that among them, there was one Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephant whose body was particularly huge, followed by many others, so he understood that this one was the herd leader.


    ¡°Ang!¡±


    As Liszt stepped nearer, the herd leader, which was being oppressed by the Dragon Might, tried to move its body but failed to do so. The reason was simple: Liszt could also unleash Dragon Might, imposing a heavy pressure on the elephant herd¡¯s leader. It could only let out a terrified cry of despair.


    However, it wasn¡¯t long before the elephant herd leader became perplexed when Liszt dispersed his Dragon Might. On the contrary, he took out a large portion of fruits from the Gemstone Space¡ªfood he had prepared prior to setting out.


    He had anticipated this encounter with the elephant herd upon receiving the news about them, so he had prepared in advance for taming them.


    The carrot and stick approach¡ªthe food was the carrot, and the stick was the power.


    This was a very skilled technique for Liszt, as he had developed a set of methods for dealing with wild beasts when he first tamed Douson.


    After several attempts, under the intermittent envelopment of Liszt¡¯s Dragon Might and attracted by the tempting scent of fruits, the elephant herd leader finally understood its destiny¡ªto submit to the human before it. To submit meant food, to resist meant punishment; the logic was clear.


    ¡°Wu Yi Ya!¡±


    The Formless Dragon circled around the elephant herd, faithfully playing the role of a minion¡ªcompared to Fire Dragon Leo, Formless Dragon Bard¡¯s mental will was easier to blend with, and reaching the perfect state was just around the corner. In the order of reaching completeness, Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan would come first, Bard second, and Leo last.


    Fire Dragon¡¯s baleful thoughts were always suppressing Liszt¡¯s guidance, causing the blending to fluctuate.


    Turning around to mount the elephant herd leader, he sat cross-legged on its back, throwing down a piece of fruit every now and then. In this way, he led the elephant herd, with the other Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants following behind. The procession slowly left the valley of the Xia Tribe, heading towards Flame City. With the sunset and sunrise, after a day and night of travel, they finally crossed Whirlpool River.


    They encountered a patrolling Knight Squad.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± The knights on guard, spotting Liszt atop the elephant, hurriedly saluted in amazement after a moment of surprise.


    ¡°Have Durt and Emily come here immediately, and bring along a few carts of fruit as well. If there are stored wild bananas in the warehouse, that would be best,¡± Liszt instructed.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Moments later, Durt and Emily hurried to where the herd of elephants had stopped, bringing with them six carts of fruit¡ªin this season, fruits were scarce, so having six carts filled was quite good.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The herd occasionally made noises, but overall they were under the control of Liszt.


    ¡°Your Highness, what are your instructions?¡± Durt, watching the herd driven by Liszt, wasn¡¯t surprised¡ªthis incredible Dragon Knight Landlord always had unexpected achievements.


    ¡°These Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants are Intermediate Dragon Beasts I¡¯ve just tamed. I really like their Innate Magic; if they help with road construction, the work will surely be twice as effective with half the effort,¡± Liszt motioned for the knights to distribute the fruit to the elephants. ¡°However, I don¡¯t have time to tame them myself, so the detailed taming plan will be left to you.¡±


    Durt had a troubled look on his face: ¡°Your Highness, I haven¡¯t much knowledge about taming beasts¡­¡±


    Emily, however, replied loudly: ¡°Please rest assured and leave it to Emily!¡±


    ¡°In that case, Durt, you fully cooperate with Emily. The task of taming the Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants will be carried out by her,¡± Liszt was pleased with Emily¡¯s response. A qualified follower should accept the tasks set by their lord without hesitation, rather than complain.


    Durt also realized he had spoken out of turn and quickly remedied: ¡°Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will fully cooperate with Emily to tame the herd!¡±


    ¡°Whatever you need, people or goods, give priority to taming the Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants!¡± Liszt glanced at Durt.


    Then he said to Emily: ¡°These Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants have a gentle nature; they¡¯re actually quite easy to tame. However, it will take some effort to teach them how to cooperate in road construction. You have experience taming the Blizzard Beasts, and they should know how to work with you to tame the Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    ¡°Then follow me for these two days, and I will make the elephant herd leader obey your commands.¡± Without Liszt¡¯s power to suppress them, it would be difficult for a Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephant to submit to an Earth Knight.


    Emily¡¯s face lit up when she heard this: ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± She was eager for the opportunity to work with the lord she admired most. In the heart of her youth, Liszt occupied a massive space, a mix of various emotions and adoration.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t a girl to be overwhelmed by emotions. She had an iron will and a clear mind: ¡°Your Highness, food is the fundamental guarantee if we are to tame the herd. The Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants¡¯ consumption of food certainly will be astonishing. I fear the current food reserves in Flame City may not suffice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange that; you go ahead and bring the Blizzard Beast Squad over here. We¡¯ll meet up in an hour.¡±


    Liszt turned and communicated with the Formless Dragon Bard using the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, instructing Bard to maintain the calm of the herd and prevent them from disturbing the nearby plantations.


    Then he headed straight to the Flame City Mage Tower to find his brother Ach, who had returned.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°Ach, I¡¯ve located the natural node on Black Horse Island. Now, I can freely travel between Black Horse Island and Flame Island. If you can temporarily spare your Space Ring, hand it over to me for transporting supplies. Make a list of any materials you need, and I¡¯ll bring them over.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Ach moved all the items in the Space Ring to his laboratory, then handed it back to Liszt.


    Six Space Rings were on his fingers.


    Liszt returned to where the elephants were; Emily had already gathered the Blizzard Beast Squad nearby. Seeing Liszt, Douson and the Eight Tiny Ones wagged their tails; they had not forgotten their former master.


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    ¡°Douson, come here!¡± Liszt called with a smile, and Douson immediately rushed over, affectionately rubbing its head against Liszt¡¯s pants.


    It was huge in size, like a small elephant, yet it behaved as gently as a lap dog.


    After patting Douson¡¯s big head, Liszt then spoke seriously: ¡°Emily, the task of taming the Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephant herd starts now.¡±

 Chapter 864 - Chapter 864: Chapter 0861: Hippolyta (First Update)

    Chapter 864: Chapter 0861: Hippolyta (First Update)


    In the mind of Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, a faint silhouette of Liszt had formed, and the branding was gradually taking shape.


    However, in the mind of Formless Dragon Bard, no mind branding had yet appeared; likewise, Fire Dragon Leo, the one with whom bonding had taken the longest, also had no branding. Perhaps it would be the most difficult dragon to develop a mind brand with, as the breeding of malevolent thoughts would always destroy Liszt¡¯s influence over it.


    Basically, once a month Liszt would cleave through Leo¡¯s mind, filtering out malevolent thoughts and leaving behind only the pure, original intentions.


    ¡°If I wish to explore the world, taking Leo would be most suitable, its combat capability is the most powerful¡­ However, Formless Dragon Bard would also be quite fitting.¡±


    Sometimes, he would struggle with the decision of who to choose as his ultimate mount.


    Luckily, there was still plenty of time before he had to make that choice.


    He was now waiting for Ach¡¯s cultivation, repeating the Magic Gate experiment over and over, just waiting for Ach to perfectly master the Space Elemental Incarnation, then it could be implemented. At present, Ach had achieved full bodily elementalization, but her control over Space Magic Power was still lacking the final touch.


    But it was close, with her terrifying talent, perfect mastery was just around the corner.


    ¡°Once the Magic Gate is established, I won¡¯t have to work so hard, almost traveling three times a week to Black Horse Island to transport supplies, which is really troublesome.¡± Flame Island was in a dry and cold winter, with all things ceasing to grow, and food being in severe shortage, especially with the continuous recruitment of Moon Slayer Natives.


    And feeding a group of gluttonous Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants meant even greater consumption of food.


    Flame Territory had bulk trade in sea salt, glass, and white paper, and in addition to perfumes, soaps, and the porcelain that was being explored, it could barely maintain the current supply.


    Just as he was rubbing his hands in eager anticipation of the Magic Gate,


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã0


    Another piece of good news was brought back by the Knights who had been subjugating the Moon Slayer Natives, accompanied by a Moon Slayer girl only twelve or thirteen years old.


    ¡°Your Highness, this little girl is called ¡®Hippolyta¡¯, and her father is ¡®Pontelesi¡¯, the Listener of the small ¡®Luo Tribe¡¯. We found traces of Elves in the Luo Tribe and when our request for ransom was refused, we captured all the natives of the tribe.¡±


    The Knight Captain reported truthfully, ¡°Then we discovered in Hippolyta¡¯s stilt house, a group of Elves that had all made contracts with her, so we brought back the Elves and the Cordyceps.¡±


    Behind the Knight Captain, his men brought out a large wooden box, and upon opening it, inside were the Elves firmly tied up¡ªamong them one Greater Elf, and three Little Minor Elves, as well as two Elf Bugs.


    Liszt was surprised and delighted.


    He had thought that the Elves mentioned by the Knight Squad were just a few Elf Bugs, after all, the Luo Tribe was a small tribe with a population of no more than two hundred people. Unexpectedly, they had brought back one Greater Elf, three Minor Elves, and two Elf Bugs; the value of the harvest far exceeded capturing a large tribe.


    ¡°Very good, you have done well. Captain Celt, what is your title of nobility, and whom do you follow?¡± Liszt inquired.


    Captain Celt trembled with excitement upon hearing this, barely suppressing his elation, ¡°Your Highness, Celt is an Honored Knight, following your lead!¡±


    ¡°So you are a direct follower of mine. Then, from now on, I promote your title to Baron. Do any of your men hold noble status?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness¡­ No, they are all commoner Knights!¡±


    ¡°Then all shall be appointed Honored Knights.¡±


    ¡°Thank Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Thank Your Highness!¡±


    The members of the Knight Squad all took to one knee, paying their respects to Liszt with solemn loyalty oaths, their faces brimming with excitement and exhilaration¡ªindeed, such scenes were common on Flame Island, with Knights frequently being ennobled or promoted for their military achievements.


    He then rewarded the Knights.


    Liszt finally turned to look at the trembling Moon Slayer girl, Hippolyta.


    This lean native child hadn¡¯t fully developed yet, but she was already quite tall, just over 1.6 meters. Her skin was the color of wheat, and she wore animal skin clothing, barefoot without any shoes. Her hair was parted down the middle, hanging shoulder-length, glossy, and black.


    Between the strands of hair were inserted a row of feathers.


    This was a decorative method favored by Moon Slayer women¡ªolder Moon Slayer women liked to stick various colored feathers in their hair to form beautiful feather crowns.


    Hippolyta¡¯s feather crown was not yet fully formed.


    But perhaps because she was the Listener¡¯s daughter, she had better living conditions and was cleaner than ordinary Moon Slayer children, and was also rather pretty.


    Especially the middle part in her hair. It was quite interesting.


    Liszt really wanted to say, ¡°Call me ¡®big brother¡¯ from now on, and I¡¯ll teach you how to part your hair in the middle¡­¡±


    Of course, he was too embarrassed to utter such juvenile lines and just smiled at Hippolyta. The fact that the little girl had hidden an Elf and hadn¡¯t killed it made him feel very fond of her, ¡°Your name is Hippolyta?¡± he asked in the awkward Moon Language, having taken some time to learn it recently.


    The spoken Moon Language wasn¡¯t too difficult; the pronunciation methods were traceable. After all, most languages on the Legendary Continent, including Wind Language and Serpent Script, inherited vocabulary from Moon Language.


    ¡°Va ai tai ke¡­¡± the little girl plucked up the courage to utter a series of guttural questions.


    Liszt didn¡¯t understand.


    He turned to look at the Magician Translator beside him¡ªmost knights had studied Moon Language, but they weren¡¯t proficient, usually communicating according to a manual.


    Magicians who focused on Moon Language were more suitable for translators.


    ¡°Your Highness, she¡¯s asking why you took away her father, her friends, and her family.¡±


    ¡°This is a misunderstanding. I invited them to live in my territory, where life is far better than in the Luo Tribe. You will start a new life here too.¡± Liszt said, and the translator translated, the conversation went fairly smoothly, ¡°So there¡¯s no need to worry, no need to be afraid.¡±


    ¡°You really won¡¯t kill us?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t kill you. In fact, we have many Moon Slayers here who have come from various tribes to start new lives.¡±


    ¡°Then can you release my father and my brother?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but as a condition of the trade, could you release these Elves from their contracts?¡± Liszt revealed a grandmotherly smile, exhibiting great patience¡ªnot because the other party was a little Lolita, but he was willing to respect those who respected Elves.


    ¡°They are my friends, gifts my father gave to me, please don¡¯t kill them,¡± Hippolyta said anxiously.


    ¡°You like them very much?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, I really like Elves. They¡¯re very cute and shouldn¡¯t be killed. But my father only allows me to wish for an Elf on my birthday¡­ I¡¯ve been wishing since I was seven until I turned twelve, and I only managed to wish for six Elves. The rest were killed.¡±


    Obviously, the people of the Luo Tribe were still Moon Slayers.


    It¡¯s just that this little girl, Hippolyta, happened to have a fondness for Elves.


    ¡°Hand them over to me, and I will take good care of them. No Elf will be killed in my territory; they live happily. You¡¯ll often see them running around freely and unrestrained on the land¡­ As for you, you should go to school.¡±


    In this place, school for Moon Slayers was less about teaching skills and more about reshaping worldviews.

 Chapter 865 - Chapter 865: Chapter 0862: Kuchi and Poppy (Second Update)

    Chapter 865: Chapter 0862: Kuchi and Poppy (Second Update)


    ¡°Who is the principal of the School of Moon Slayer?¡± Liszt asked after Hippolyta had been taken away.


    ¡°Baron Rick Footprint.¡±


    ¡°Rick.¡± Liszt remembered that Rick had been his classmate at the Knight Academy, followed him since the Fresh Flower Town era, and had been seriously injured and nearly died on his first battlefield. After that, he had lingering physical issues and started on the administrative path, ¡°Tell Rick to educate Hippolyta well. He¡¯s someone I¡¯m particularly focused on.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness!¡±


    As the Moon Slayer Tribe continued to be integrated, the serf population from the tribe on his territories had exceeded two hundred thousand, including as many as four thousand ancient mages. The knights, magicians, and civilians who had migrated from the Flame Territory¡ªthat is, the ¡°Flame People¡±¡ªtotaled less than twenty thousand.


    Such a disproportionate ratio made the rule of the Flame People perilous.


    Although, in terms of high-end combat strength, he and Ach alone were sufficient to suppress any disturbances, they couldn¡¯t be everywhere, and stability still needed to rely on the Flame People. However, as the number of Moon Slayers increased, the control that the Flame People had over them was bound to diminish.


    Given the spread of the Moon Slayers on Flame Island, there were certainly millions of them, or even tens of millions, as they were scattered throughout most of the forests on the island.


    Even if they opened a Magic Gate and maximized immigration, it would be difficult for the number of Flame People to quickly rise to several hundred thousand.


    The abundance of Moon Slayers and scarcity of Flame People meant that Liszt felt he had to adopt more secure means to control Flame Island. His plan was to assimilate the Moon Slayers, to integrate them into the knight system and make them loyal citizens to him. At the same time, he wanted to divide the Moon Slayers, to break their collective unity.


    Standing on the castle balcony, looking at the still bright Sun that, however, provided little warmth.


    He was very clear in his mind, ¡°Equality for everyone is not realistic, the hierarchical disparities under the knight system must be maintained, but the contradictions between the various classes could be dissolved through channels of ascent¡­ Nobles, Flame People, Moon Slayers, these are three classes, but each class must have a route to nobility¡­¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    His gaze shifted toward the distant plantations where a Knight Squad was patrolling. In the fields, serfs from the Moon Slayer Tribe, under the supervision of Flame People stewards, were busily turning over the soil, preparing for the upcoming spring sowing: ¡°Especially young Moon Slayers like Hippolyta can be cultivated to join the Knight Class in appropriate numbers.¡±


    As for the ancient mage class of the Moon Slayers, they would be broken, prohibited from killing Elf Bugs to produce Magic Dust. Indeed, Moon Slayers had no better innate magic abilities than Flame People.


    Of course.


    The cultivation of a Moon Slayer Knight Class still had to prioritize talent; those without talent would continue to be serfs.


    ¡°Young people are the true future candidates for knights in the Burning Legion. They will embrace the new concepts I bring, rather than continuing to adhere to the rigid knight system.¡±


    ¡°Angchi, Angchi, Kuchi!¡±


    The calls of the Potato Great Spirit Kuchi interrupted Liszt¡¯s thoughts, bringing him swiftly back to reality. He saw Kuchi pulling another Great Elf of similar height, flying toward him.


    ¡°Liszt!¡± Kuchi arrived at the balcony, chuckling merrily.


    Kuchi, who had been captured by the Holy Tribe and had endured a miserable time until Liszt rescued him, was only then able to be completely happy. He was recently assigned by Liszt to help the newly arrived elves get accustomed to their new life at Flame Castle.


    Elf Bugs had been successively rescued from various Moon Slayer Tribes.


    But there were only Great Elves and Little Minor Elves, the one big and three small ones brought by Hippolyta. On the head of the Great Elf was a small tree sapling with large leaves, and hanging from it was a small bunch of bananas¡ªit was a Banana Greater Elf. Bananas are a fruit and are much loved by Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants.


    The arrival of the Banana Greater Elf provided a stable food source for the Shovel-Tusks.


    ¡°Poppy, say¡­ Liszt.¡± He teased the Great Elf, whose eyes were filled with curiosity and who was a bit shy due to the recent contract, and could not speak the Serpent Script.


    Its name was Poppy.


    That was the name Hippolyta had given it, and Liszt, thinking it was nice, had not changed it.


    ¡°Hippo, Poppy.¡± Poppy mumbled in its own language, then compelled by the contract, tried to say, ¡°Liszt, Hippo, Te?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Liszt.¡± Kuchi corrected from the side.


    ¡°Liszt, Liszt, Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, Liszt, Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Poppy is so dumb,¡± Kuchi mocked, then continued to correct, ¡°Liszt, Liszt Flame, Kuchi¡¯s Liszt!¡±


    Poppy seemed to understand that he was being mocked and shouted angrily, ¡°Hippolyta, Poppy.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go play off to the side.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t care about Poppy¡¯s learning progress, once the elves planted the cordyceps, they could do whatever they wanted; there was no real teaching purpose.


    On this occasion, besides the Banana Greater Elf Poppy, there were also three Minor Elves, which were the Rafflesia Minor Elf, Silver Fan Grass Minor Elf, and Big Fluff Ball Minor Elf.


    Among them, the Rafflesia is a parasitic plant that generally lives on the roots, stems, and branches of other plants, somewhat similar to mushrooms. But it¡¯s indeed a plant, with flowers as big as a washbasin and belonging to magic potions. In other words, the Rafflesia Minor Elf is a magic potion type of Minor Elf, highly valuable.


    The only downside is that it¡¯s difficult to cultivate, requiring it to parasitize a large tree.


    Silver Fan Grass is an ornamental plant, its mature fruit looks like silver coins or small silver fans. Big Fluff Ball is also an ornamental plant, related to onions but of a different family, with a plant stalk in the middle that grows a cylindrical, nearly man-high flower stalk topped with a purple onion flower ball, which is quite interesting.


    The value of these two Minor Elves has yet to be discovered.


    Furthermore, there¡¯s no need to mention the two Elf Bugs¡ªup to now, the Elf Bugs rescued from the Moon Slayer Tribe have exceeded forty, and most have not shown any value.


    ¡­


    In Coral Island, within a small tavern near the docks of Fresh Flower Town.


    Two guests dressed as merchants were sitting in the corner of the tavern, quietly speaking with each other.


    ¡°Did you find out everything?¡±


    ¡°Did you bring the Gold Coins?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be short on money, here you go!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, with Gold Coins, everything is easy to discuss¡­ It¡¯s all clear, that knight returns to Black Horse Island two to three times a week, the timing isn¡¯t fixed, but the pattern remains mostly the same. The other magician has never appeared, staying on Flame Island and not returning.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s his mount, and what does he do every time he returns?¡±


    ¡°The mount hasn¡¯t been spotted, but each time he transports a batch of goods, sometimes it¡¯s food, but that¡¯s hard to inquire about. Moreover, he always stays a night at Thorn Castle and leaves the next day. I didn¡¯t dare to ask too much; I¡¯m still unclear on the specifics of how the goods are transported.¡±


    ¡°Keep digging, I want to have a clearer grasp of that knight¡¯s whereabouts!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Black Horse Island has strict household registration management. I¡¯m risking being hanged to get this information for you. If you want me to continue investigating, you¡¯ll need to pay more!¡±


    ¡°As long as the information is valuable, remember, money is not an issue!¡±


    Moments later, the two merchants took their leave, each departing Fresh Flower Town after purchasing a batch of goods¡ªone heading towards Black Horse Island, the other towards Coral City.


    The merchant heading to Coral City arrived at the docks, then immediately penned a letter and handed it over to another merchant to take along, sailing all the way to the Eagle Kingdom. Eventually, the letter arrived at a majestic castle, near which, on a mountainside not far from the castle, a Bronze Dragon was deep in sleep.


    The castle¡¯s master opened the letter, expressionless as he read its contents, then burned the letter.


    Sitting in silence in a chair, it was a long while before he quietly murmured, ¡°Liszt Flame¡­ The humiliation you¡¯ve inflicted on me, I will return it tenfold, just wait¡­¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    I recommend to everyone an exciting new book ¡°My Spiritual Qi Is Leaking,¡± take a look, and don¡¯t blame Old White if you end up feeling flushed.

 Chapter 867 - Chapter 867: Chapter 0864: New Record (First Update)

    Chapter 867: Chapter 0864: New Record (First Update)


    Revealing the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was a choice made by Li Si Te (Liszt), as the news of the three dragons would sooner or later be exposed. At the moment when Flame Island was within grasp, revealing it wouldn¡¯t hurt. Besides, the Jade Mountain was the Dragon Nest of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, and mining there was unavoidable to encounter the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    Moreover,


    once the Mind Branding with the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was complete, Liszt planned to let Emily interact with the Light Green Gemstone Dragon to see if they could get along well, and perhaps in the future, she could become a new Dragon Rider¡ªhaving talent and loyalty, the girl deserved to be cultivated vigorously, sharing the burdens on Liszt¡¯s shoulders.


    Considering everything, he was only twenty years old, yet he had to shoulder the pressures of an entire kingdom; it was indeed no easy task.


    Of course, Emily was only fourteen this year, and the pressure of becoming a Dragon Rider was equally immense. Even Archmage Archy, at the age of forty-four, was still considered a juvenile Sea Serpent by Sea Serpent standards, a minor¡ªFlame Kingdom was a nation founded by the youth.


    ¡°Captain Emily, this¡­ is this truly His Highness¡¯s Dragon Mount?¡± Fernal Ink could hardly believe it.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Emily stood with her head held high, filled with an indescribable pride by association.


    Every time Liszt achieved something incredible, she felt an intense thrill. She remembered clearly that night when the great Lord Landlord stroked her hair and said to her¡ªgrow up quickly, Emily, you¡¯re my potential Dragon Rider!


    Ethan, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, was the Dragon chosen by Lord Landlord for her. All she had to do was grow, pass Ethan¡¯s test, gain approval, and ultimately succeed in Dragon Riding.


    ¡°I will surely become a Dragon Rider and follow His Highness!¡±


    Emily looked toward Ethan lying on the distant hill, her heart burning with an even fiercer desire, her Thunder Attribute Dou Qi overflowing in her meridians as if it were about to burst forth and rage wildly. Despite trying to regulate her breathing, she could not suppress the restlessness of the Dou Qi, which felt like boiling water that kept bubbling.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?


    ¡°Novad, I leave the Knight Brigade in your hands to continue flattening the earth!¡± She quickly instructed her deputy before leaping down from the leader of the elephant pack.


    She dashed a few moves and reached Jade Salary Avenue nearby.


    Standing in the vast open space, she drew the Crimson Blood Sword she carried¡ªthis sword was the side-arm of Liszt in the past, the Ruby¡¯s purpose being to amplify Dou Qi, later re-forged by the Iron Knight, making it more in sync with Emily¡¯s Thunder Attribute Dou Qi.


    Although merely a Gemstone Weapon, it was dear to Emily¡¯s heart.


    At this moment, holding the Crimson Blood Sword, she wildly executed the Dou Qi Manuscript to vent the tumultuous energy within her meridians. Gradually, a special transformation occurred within her meridians, as if all the Dou Qi ascended into another form, making her body feel lighter and lighter.


    Then, with a sudden leap.


    She soared to a height of over ten meters, hovering momentarily before landing with ease.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    A touch of unstoppable delight appeared on her youthful, delicate face, as she instantly realized her Dou Qi had rejuvenated, graduating from Intermediate Dou Qi to become Advanced Dou Qi, rising to the rank of a Sky Knight!


    Boom!


    The newly-born Advanced Thunder Attribute Dou Qi burst forth, and she turned into an arrow, flying towards the hundred-meter-high sky. Even with her newly upgraded Dou Qi, she could forcefully control it, allowing her body to fly short distances smoothly¡ªher relentless practice day and night had honed her control over Dou Qi to a terrifying extent.


    She streaked across the sky, then plummeted fiercely to the ground, landing amidst the Mammoth Knight Brigade, stamping two footprints into the compacted earth.


    With bent legs and sword blade thrust into the ground,


    a cloud of dust was kicked up.


    The knights of the Knight Order turned their heads one after another, disturbed by the commotion she had caused, and then saw Emily descending from the sky. Some knights were still in a daze, while others had already realized, ¡°Captain Emily¡­ has been promoted¡­ to a Sky Knight?¡±


    Fernal was the first to rush over, ¡°Captain Emily, have you really been promoted to a Sky Knight?¡± He found it unbelievable, even more so than encountering a dragon.


    The appearance of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was abrupt, but the Eagle Kingdom had lost it for over a year, so everyone had some guess in their hearts.


    However, how old was Emily, fourteen!


    A fourteen-year-old Elite Earth Knight was already sensational, and her appointment as the captain of the Knight Order was a figure no one could ignore. Everyone¡¯s view of Emily was that of a ¡°prodigy¡±, a promising ¡°rising star¡± and the future would belong to Emily.


    However, without waiting for the future, Emily had become a Sky Knight now.


    When Liszt was seventeen and became a Sky Knight, he broke the historical record of the Duchy of Sapphire and became the youngest Sky Knight, shocking countless people and causing envy and resentment. Who would have thought that today Emily would push Liszt¡¯s record forward by three years!


    ¡°Yes, I am now a Sky Knight!¡± Emily mounted the leader of the elephant herd.


    She really wanted to continue flying in the sky, feeling the exhilaration of just becoming a Sky Knight, but she managed to restrain her emotions well, as willpower had always been her greatest talent for progress.


    ¡°You are only fourteen this year, graced with knightly glory, Captain Emily, your talent is even more terrifying than His Highness¡¯s!¡± Fernal still spoke with a tone of shock.


    Emily raised an eyebrow, ¡°His Highness¡¯s talent is not something you or I can imagine, and I am just continuously chasing after His Highness¡¯s shadow. Captain Fernal, focus on your work.¡± After that, she maneuvered the herd leader and returned to the Mammoth Knight Brigade, immediately giving the order for silence.


    She was not Liszt; though she had been promoted, she could still control her impulse to show off well.


    If it were Liszt, he probably could have flown around the Mammoth Knight Brigade for an entire day.


    Watching the girl riding the elephant¡¯s retreating figure, Fernal slightly shook his head, finding it difficult to let go for a long time.


    He thought the young Dragon Knight Lord he followed was already a legend. Who would have thought the young female knight working with them would also become a legend soon. Becoming a Sky Knight at fourteen, something that is almost impossible even for Dragon Knight candidates in the Kingdoms of the continent.


    Not to mention a female Sky Knight.


    When the young girl¡¯s figure merged into the Knight Order, he looked again at the distant Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    Suddenly narrowing his eyes, he thought of a possibility, ¡°If Emily is a talented knight carefully trained by His Highness, could she be a candidate for the Dragon Knight of the Flame Kingdom¡­ Although she is female, becoming a Sky Knight at fourteen, who can guarantee she won¡¯t become a Dragon Knight?¡±


    Once this thought emerged, it couldn¡¯t be suppressed, Fernal knew it was a real possibility¡ª as long as Liszt was willing, Emily would have enough time to bond with the Light Green Gemstone Dragon!


    As he pondered,


    A slightly lewd smile appeared on his face, ¡°Lord Acherloides, Archmage¡­ Captain Emily, Dragon Knight¡­ Suddenly it feels like the Flame Kingdom need not worry about succession¡­ His Highness must enjoy nurturing talent¡­ tsk, tsk¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Unaware of his follower¡¯s disparaging thoughts, Liszt was looking at the Smoke Serpent Script materializing before him, ¡°Task completed, reward Sky Knight ¨C Emily.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡°Jade Salary Avenue has been completed, my little Emily is finally going to be promoted, a fourteen-year-old female Sky Knight, it¡¯s all worth my full cultivation of her!¡±


    Emily¡¯s growth was a pleasure to witness, but as the Smoke Serpent Script changed and revealed the content of the new task, his expression suddenly shifted.


    He began to darken.

 Chapter 868 03-25 - Chapter 868: Chapter 0865: Laying the Net in Wait (Second Update)

    Chapter 868: Chapter 0865: Laying the Net in Wait (Second Update)


    ¡°Mission: Your daily routine has been the target of prying eyes, and danger lurks in the shadows, inching ever closer. Even as a Dragon Knight, you cannot guarantee your safety against a beatdown, and fighting is the best way to resolve this threat. Please eliminate the looming danger from the shadows. Reward: Carnivorous Ogre Shadow Tracing.¡±


    Carnivorous Ogre Shadow Tracing as a reward did not alarm Liszt.


    It was the content of the mission that made him pale, ¡°Someone is investigating me, danger from the shadows is approaching¡­ The only force in the Sea of Azure Waves that could possibly threaten me is definitely the Eagle Kingdom. Having killed one of their Dragon Knights and lost a Dragon, the Eagle Royal Family will surely not let this go, and there¡¯s also Alonso Xiankelai!¡±


    He quickly regained his composure, his gaze filled with calm determination, ¡°They want to gang up on a Dragon Knight, these people are really looking for trouble.¡±


    Although the crisis had already begun to set its ambush, he wasn¡¯t overly worried. Back when the Steel Ridge Kingdom was at war with the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, he had already considered the possibility that the Eagle Kingdom was gathering strength to deal with him¡ªif the Dragon hadn¡¯t been lost, maybe the Eagle Kingdom would be the one at a disadvantage.


    But the Dragon was lost.


    That was a big issue; even the King couldn¡¯t just swallow his pride and let it be. Each Dragon represented a massive amount of resources.


    ¡°Investigating my routine to gang up on me, a new round of dragon-slaying wars is about to happen. The Power of Destiny has already sensed the opponent¡¯s eagerness to move. This great battle is inevitable!¡± Liszt, as a Dragon Knight determined to establish a kingdom, was on the cutting edge of momentum, and he would not back down at this moment.


    What¡¯s more, there was no reason to back down. With Archmage Archy in the sea, they stood on invincible ground. In the sky, there was the Formless Dragon Bard, who could enter the realm of matter. What could they do against a Dragon Knight?


    Even Little Fire Dragon Leo didn¡¯t need to come into play; he could still escape this dragon-slaying war.


    ¡°On the foundation of being invincible, I must expand the fruits of victory and make the Eagle Kingdom regret seeking vengeance on me!¡± He contemplated his plan of action.


    In fact, with the existence of Formless Dragon Bard, Liszt could take the enemy by surprise and kill a Dragon Knight.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    Based on the existing intelligence, even if the Eagle Kingdom could stabilize their situation with the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom and Steel Ridge Kingdom, and withdraw Dragon Knights and Dragons from the frontier, it would not be possible to withdraw all Dragon Knights and Dragons. It¡¯s likely that the Eagle Kingdom, at a certain cost, could manage to redeploy around three Dragon Knights and two Dragons.


    In total, the Eagle Kingdom had eight Dragons, among which were five Dragon Knights¡ªthe White Maw Iron Dragon Knight, the Bronze Dragon Knight, the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight, the Topaz Dragon Knight, the Lead Dragon Knight¡ªalong with the Silver Dragon, another White Maw Iron Dragon, and the Brass Dragon.


    Their five vassal states had five Dragons, with two Dragon Knights¡ªthe Purple Copper Dragon Knight, the Crimson Gem Dragon Knight¡ªand a Grey Iron Dragon, a Pink Gemstone Dragon, a Golden Green Gemstone Dragon.


    Of these, the White Maw Iron Dragon Knight named Alex White Iron was stationed on the outskirts of the Blast Furnace Fortress and could be deployed; the Bronze Dragon Knight named Alonso Xiankelai was stationed on the outskirts of the Steel Ridge, and could be deployed; from the vassal states, the Purple Copper Dragon Knight named Loyle Bronze had good relations with the Eagle Royal Family and could be deployed.


    In addition, the Royal Family¡¯s symbolic Silver Dragon and the vassal state¡¯s Grey Iron Dragon could also be deployed.


    A Dragon is an entity that fortifies a nation¡¯s fortune and is not easily mobilized. The cost of deploying even once is tremendous, and it might even spark the start of a border conflict. If the Eagle Kingdom truly gathered three Dragon Knights plus two Dragons for this luxurious lineup, it would be a mighty act that could shake the foundation of their nation.


    ¡°If they win, all is well; perhaps swallowing me could help the Eagle Kingdom swiftly recover its full strength. But if they lose, the Eagle Kingdom will at least lose a layer of skin¡­ If they dare come, they must be prepared to lose that layer!¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes were piercing, showing no fear whatsoever.


    Without much hesitation,


    He headed straight for the Doomsday Volcano Crater, summoning Leo from the volcanic magma, ¡°A great battle looms ahead, stay inside me for now, ready to fight at any moment!¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Leo did not decline; although he was fond of the warmth of the Volcano Crater, he also longed for the thrill of battle. How could an Evil Dragon fear the fight!


    Returning to the construction site at Reed Marsh, he spoke to Archy, ¡°Pause the construction of the Magic Gate for now. Archy, I need you to be in sync with me during this time. A dragon-slaying battle is waiting for me!¡±


    ¡°Ach understands, Ach will protect big brother!¡± Ach clenched his fist and declared.


    ¡°Mm, I believe you.¡±


    Right after.


    The two of them rode the Formless Dragon Bard together, entering the world beyond physical matter, and traveled from the natural node at Bone Lake to Black Horse Island. Liszt quickly summoned Mary Dawn Break and Zavier Bull Dung to Thorn Castle.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Mary, who appeared youthful, no longer flaunted her alluring figure. As the leader of the Blood Servants and one of Liszt¡¯s eyes, she held a position of high standing and influence. In the Flame Territory, she had chosen many talented youths, planning to increase the Vampire population.


    ¡°Mary, I need you to lead the Blood Servants and conduct an in-depth investigation into the movements of the Dragon Knights and Dragons of the Eagle Kingdom and its vassals, with special attention to Alex, Alonso, Loyle, the Silver Dragon, and the Grey Iron Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Mary will clarify the movements of these Dragon Knights and Dragons for Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Be quick, we just need a general idea of their movements, not the details.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±


    Liszt then ordered Zavier: ¡°Your task is to find out what the Sapphire Family is up to, especially the Grand Duke and his Sapphire Dragon!¡± Liszt had not considered joining forces with the Sapphire Duke for this dragon-slaying battle because the stance of the Sapphire Family was difficult to judge.


    He preferred to handle things on his own and did not like to collaborate with others, especially those he did not trust enough, as they could betray him at any moment.


    Zavier bowed and replied, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Are you prepared for the activities of the rats on your territory?¡±


    ¡°All suspicious rats are under our surveillance, and some of the intelligence is deliberately released by me; we can essentially ensure that everything is under control.¡±


    ¡°Good, then continue to leak my routine to these rats, remember, it should be regular and fixed over a period. Moreover, I want you to spread the word that I often travel to Dodo Island, where there is a volcano that serves as a training ground for Leo.¡±


    Liszt decided to actively set up the battlefield, employing a fishing-law enforcement strategy¡ªnobody knew he could rely on the Power of Destiny to avoid danger in advance, and this was exactly what he intended to exploit.


    Without asking for reasons, Zavier accepted the command: ¡°Understood!¡±


    Thus.


    Instructions were given to both the Vampire and Rat spies.


    Without any delay, Liszt crossed the natural node with Ach and arrived at Mind Island. Then they set out from Mind Island, heading stealthily to the Eagle Kingdom. He wanted to find natural nodes along the coastline of the Eagle Kingdom, especially those related to the Dragon Knights¡¯ flight paths.


    It was only right to respond to an action with a reaction.


    If the Eagle Kingdom dared to initiate a dragon-slaying war, then they must bear the painful consequences.


    Liszt knew he could not win against the enemy¡¯s group attack on the frontal battlefield; what he had to do was to use the Formless Dragon to contend with the opponents, making the dragon-slaying war a farce. Once the Eagle Kingdom realized they could not capture Liszt, they would surely retreat, and during their retreat, there would be opportunities for the Formless Dragon to strike.


    ¡°I wonder if killing another Dragon Knight and capturing a Dragon on the way would cause the Eagle Kingdom to collapse?¡±

 Chapter 871 - 0868: Darkness Before Dawn (Fifth Update, Alliance Hierarch Added Update 4/147)

    Chapter 871: Chapter 0868: Darkness Before Dawn (Fifth Update, Alliance Hierarch Added Update 4/147)


    Assassinating a Dragon Knight isn¡¯t difficult, the challenge is assassinating a Dragon.


    Because there is an indistinct connection among Dragons, especially when Dragon Magic Power is fully operational, the sensing between Dragons is particularly strong.


    Only when an Elemental Dragon becomes possessed can one evade this sort of sensing.


    And to assassinate a Dragon Knight, one only needs the Dragon Knight to temporarily leave the Dragon, unable to receive the Dragon¡¯s warning and timely support. After all, it¡¯s impossible for a Dragon Knight to always be with the Dragon, never leaving its side even to sleep or eat.


    ¡°If I infiltrate Hot Spring Island, the Formless Dragon might likely be sensed. By the time the Dragon Knights react, I might have to face two of them¡­ Facing two Dragon Knights head-on isn¡¯t very stable. Although I¡¯m not afraid, I might not be able to intercept them.¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) was now riding Formless Dragon Bard, with Little Fire Dragon Leo possessing his body, while Archmage Archy kept living with him.


    Only the Light Green Gemstone Dragon could not hide nor pursue for thousands of miles, so he left it at Jade Mountain continuing to guard the Jade Mine and sleep.


    With his current combat configuration, he could barely manage to assassinate a Dragon Knight through a stealth attack; for a frontal assault on two Dragon Knights, the difficulty was indeed a struggle. Especially since he temporarily didn¡¯t know who these two Dragon Knights were, whether they were dragons with strong combat capabilities like the White Maw Iron Dragon.


    Moreover, if a battle were in full swing and another Dragon Knight rushed over, it would be a case of trying to steal a chicken only to end up startling the snake.


    After careful deliberation, he dismissed the idea of an early stealth attack, ¡°Forget it. I will stick to the original plan, wait for their retreat and then find a way to stealthily intercept and assassinate them. For now, I just need to stay patient.¡± It all boiled down to the fact that his own strength was still developing. If the Fire Dragon and the Formless Dragon were adults¡­


    Why bother keeping a low profile!


    Bring a few, kill a few, charge up and slaughter away, regardless of how many Dragon Knights there are, they are all just delivering themselves to my doorstep. Unlike now, under the advance warning of the Smoke Mission, I still have to cautiously play my schemes.


    Calculating the food supply for Hot Spring Island.


    By the time April 2 arrived, the food requirement for the sealed-off area was equivalent to that of five Dragons, with no increase in the following days.


    Li Si Te waited on Dodo Island, knowing full well: ¡°Five Dragons, three Knights, such a scale is truly luxurious. They¡¯re really giving me face!¡±


    Prince Alex White Maw Iron, a White Maw Iron Dragon Knight of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Summit Marquis Alonso Xiankelai, a Bronze Dragon Knight of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Duke Loyle Purple Copper, a Purple Copper Dragon Knight of the Purple Copper Duchy.


    The Silver Dragon raised by the Royal Family of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Duke Pierrot Grey Iron of the Grey Iron Duchy, and his unmounted Grey Iron Dragon.


    ¡°And accounting for the Grand Duke Andrew Sapphire, the Sapphire Dragon Knight of the Duchy of Sapphire¡­ That makes six Dragons, four Knights. I must be careful and prudent.¡±


    ¡­


    Hot Spring Island.


    Alex sat in the central position of the tent, with Alonso, Loyle, and Piero to the left and right. There was also a middle-aged man, the confidant Butler of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King and the keeper of the Silver Dragon, temporarily in charge of communicating with the Silver Dragon. The area around the tent was empty, with only these five men discussing.


    ¡°Is the investigation clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Li Si Te frequently travels between Black Horse Island and Dodo Island. According to the schedule, he will be on Dodo Island tomorrow to cultivate the entire day.¡±


    ¡°Shall we wait a bit longer to gain a clearer picture?¡±


    ¡°The night has many dreams. Waiting further will only be a waste of time. Moreover, considering Andrew¡¯s cunning, he¡¯ll likely have a hard time continuing to ignore our movements. Perhaps he¡¯ll find an opportunity to send a message to Li Si Te, letting him create even more trouble for us.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°In my opinion, we should have wiped out Andrew first, and then turned our attention to finishing off Liszt and purging the Sea of Azure Waves!¡±


    ¡°Last time, we missed our chance, and if we move against Andrew now, Steel Ridge will definitely not sit idly by. This time it¡¯s just against Liszt, so Steel Ridge and our kingdom have an understanding, allowing me to withdraw from the frontline. If we were to touch Andrew, I¡¯m afraid a new dragon-slaying war would erupt,¡± Alonso said calmly.


    Of course, he wanted to annihilate the Duchy of Sapphire; his worst defeat had been at the hands of the Sapphire, after all. But there were some rules that even a Dragon Knight would not dare break lightly.


    If the balance among the three nations¨CSteel Ridge, Blast Furnace Fortress, and Eagle Kingdom¨Cwere to be disrupted, the situation would become very difficult.


    Ultimately, Alex made the decision: ¡°Don¡¯t think about attacking Andrew, at least not for the time being. Killing Liszt, capturing the Fire Dragon, and retaking the Light Green Gemstone Dragon are our top priorities! And that Archmage, we must capture him to make up for the losses of the Eagle Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°Prince Alex, the worth of an Archmage cannot be measured, I trust the Eagle Kingdom will not break its word, correct?¡± Loyle said softly.


    ¡°Of course, Duke Loyle, rest assured, the knowledge of magic will be shared with you all by the Royal Family.¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So when do we make our move?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow!¡±


    The next day dawned before break of day.


    Alonso had already woken up and was affectionately feeding the Bronze Dragon; he hadn¡¯t slept well the night before but had now adjusted his attitude. Gone was any excitement or nervousness, as well as the humiliation of the past, leaving only his determination for this dragon-slaying war: ¡°Old buddy, it¡¯s time for us to use Lightning Strike and prove that we are deservedly Dragon Knights!¡±


    Hmph!


    The Bronze Dragon didn¡¯t roar but merely snorted twice through its nostrils, signaling its eager thirst for battle¡ªit, too, remembered the disgrace of the previous dragon-slaying war.


    Being a noble and invincible creature, to have run away with its tail between its legs!


    Such a disgrace must be avenged by dragon law!


    Shortly afterward, Duke Piero arrived with his Grey Iron Dragon: ¡°Prince Alonso, I¡¯m placing the Grey Iron Dragon under your command temporarily, hoping it returns cloaked in glory.¡±


    ¡°Please be at ease, Prince Duke, this dragon-slaying battle will surely end with universal rejoicing!¡±


    On another front, Loyle was also feeding his Purple Copper Dragon.


    Prince Alex, meanwhile, was taking care of the White Maw Iron Dragon and the Silver Dragon. Since the Silver Dragon caregiver was only responsible for feeding and couldn¡¯t command the dragon in combat, it was left to him, a Dragon Knight, to give the orders. As a member of the Royal Family, Alex was no stranger to the Silver Dragon; they were old friends.


    Thus, the three Dragon Knights, along with their five dragons, having confirmed the attack plan and timing, swiftly disappeared into the darkness before dawn. Wings spread wide, clouds churned, and a grand dragon-slaying operation commenced in the early hours of April 7, Sapphire Year 155.


    However, these Dragon Knights were unaware.


    A rat was watching this place.


    When the carriage convoy transported food ahead of time in the middle of the night, the rats had already reported back to an inn in a nearby small town; hiding in the inn, the Magician immediately used the Magic Platform to send information to Dodo Island: ¡°Food delivered at dawn, exactly the amount for a full meal¡­ The rat didn¡¯t dare get close, no other movements noticed.¡±


    Archmage Archy, who slept lightly, quickly received the message from the Magic Platform and woke Liszt: ¡°Brother, there¡¯s a message, it might be today that Eagle Kingdom launches their surprise attack.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s coming. Sooner than I expected, but the sooner it comes, the sooner it¡¯s over!¡± Liszt rubbed his face, not a hint of nervousness, but rather a sense of relief¨Cthe tension had been relentless with the attack date uncertain, but once the time was set, it was as if a burden had been lifted.


    Pushing open the cabin window, there was pitch black outside. Yet the air was exceptionally fresh due to the new sprouts of Human Skull Trees struggling to germinate from the volcanic ash.


    Breathing in the fresh air, Liszt stretched lazily without a care about appearances.


    What¡¯s to come will come, let it come!


    ¡°`

 Chapter 872 - 0869: Earth-Shattering (First Update)

    Chapter 872: Chapter 0869: Earth-Shattering (First Update)


    From Hot Spring Island to Dudu Island of the Flying Islands, it was a considerable distance.


    Liszt had ample time to take a nap, get up, wash, have a hearty breakfast, and then don his equipment.


    The ¡°Dragon Lance Fury of Thunder¡± was kept in the Space Ring, the ¡°Armor Thunder Roar¡± was worn, and the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword hung at his waist. Coupled with various gemstones that enhanced strength, recovery speed, and Dou Qi, as well as a tricolor cape of red, black, and gold, his imposing manner was unmissable.


    Ach was still wearing the Magic Cloak, also adorned with various gemstone ornaments¡ªthese were crafted from gemstones provided by the Steel Ridge Royal Family.


    In her hand, she held a Longsword, the Divine Artifact Eight Dragons God Sword.


    Liszt ultimately didn¡¯t wear the sword but gave it to Ach to use. The reason was simple; the Eight Dragons God Sword was more a magic staff than a sword. Originally a weapon of Ancient Magicians, it greatly amplified the power of eight types of Magic Power.


    In Ach¡¯s hands, the Eight Dragons God Sword¡¯s effects could be maximized.


    He himself fought on dragonback, using the dragon lance as his means of attack, which made Unity of Man and Dragon easier.


    ¡°Ach, with the Magic Power boost from the Eight Dragons God Sword, your Water System and Ice System Magic will surely reach the level of Superior Magic, inflicting great damage on Dragon Knights,¡± said Ach, fully confident in the boost to her Elemental Incarnation provided by the Eight Dragons God Sword.


    The once timid Little Sea Monster who had been relentlessly pursued by the juvenile Six-Headed King Serpent¡ªDulu Miqita¡ªand had hidden by the rocks, weeping quietly, had now become a confident and great Archmage standing at the pinnacle of Magic.


    No trace of timidity remained.


    ¡°However, you should still focus on support, don¡¯t rashly engage in combat with Dragon Knights. Your magic development isn¡¯t deep enough yet, and you lack a variety of combat methods,¡± Liszt reminded.


    Ach¡¯s Water Elemental Embodiment developed three kinds including Super Magic ¨C Chainsaw-Style Super High-Pressure Water Knife, Spiral Ultra-High Pressure Water Drill, and Centrifugal Water Molecular Shield.


    The Ice Elemental Incarnate had only developed one kind, Super Magic ¨C Super Compressed Ice Shield. It involved compressing ice infinitely into a shield¡ªtechnically not complex, but the shield¡¯s defensive power was very strong, especially against physical attacks, superior to all other defensive magic.


    The Space Elemental Incarnate had just been perfectly mastered; however, she had also barely developed Super Magic ¨C Vectorial Cut, which was modeled after the Formless Dragon¡¯s ¡°Dragon Breath Shattering Space,¡± utilizing cutting through space as a means to inflict damage.


    Moreover, there was the basic Super Magic ¨C Eye of Mana.


    ¡°Ach knows how to protect herself, don¡¯t worry, brother. During the battle, Ach will cover you and Bard with water and ice shields to prevent the Dragon Knights from harming you. Then, using Advanced Magic to manipulate the battlefield, Ach will wait for an opportune moment to strike at the Dragon Knights.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Liszt smiled, pulling off a playful head pat, not worrying about rubbing Ach bald, ¡°Let¡¯s go, to battle!¡±


    ¡­


    The serfs working on Dudu Island didn¡¯t know that a legendary dragon-slaying battle was about to take place; they were busy constructing the town¡¯s foundation.


    Meanwhile, their Landlord had already mounted his dragon, soaring at the material boundary, continuously scouting the surrounding seas of Dudu Island, trying to detect any invading Dragon Knights in advance.


    It wasn¡¯t known by what sensing principle dragons detected each other, but even hidden at the material boundary, the Formless Dragon could still be sensed by other dragons at close range, albeit over shorter distances.


    This significantly reduced its ability to ambush.


    Otherwise, Liszt would have acted sooner.


    ¡°I anticipate that the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s attack tactics will involve encirclement, so I plan to find a way to maybe kill the enemies quickly!¡± he said to Ach.


    Before he could finish, his heart suddenly lurched¡ªthe Formless Dragon had sensed the Magic Power and aura of a dragon straight ahead in the sea, flying towards Dudu Island.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Liszt was not one to hesitate; spotting the enemy, he immediately communicated with Bard to head toward the opponent. Flying like a flicker of light, in an instant, the dragon¡¯s presence grew clearer, and likely the opponent had sensed the Formless Dragon too. Yet this did not hinder Liszt¡¯s aggressiveness at all.


    Suddenly,


    Within the view of the Crystal White Trajectory, a bright magical color suddenly appeared¡ª it was like the luster of metallic copper, also flickering with a faint purple light.


    ¡°Purple Copper Dragon Knight, Loyle Purple Copper!¡±


    He had recognized the identity of the other party, by now the Purple Copper Dragon Knight was not flying fast, adopting a defensive stance, and looking around nervously, anxious¨C it must be that he sensed the presence of a dragon, but could not catch sight of it, which baffled him.


    No other dragons or their aura were detected around him.


    That is to say, Loyle was acting alone.


    Such a godsent opportunity, how could Liszt let it slip: ¡°Charge, spiral maneuver charge!¡± Man and dragon harmoniously united, sharing one thought only¡ª to strike. They did not take the usual straight path but adopted a spiraling rush to blur their location sensed by the dragon.


    The distance was closing bit by bit, the connection between the dragons growing incredibly profound.


    In the Purple Copper Dragon Knight¡¯s Crystal White Trajectory, all the fine flows of magic were fully captured in Liszt¡¯s mind, undoubtedly revealing the Purple Copper Dragon Knight¡¯s next move to him.


    ¡°The magic flow is very strong, he is ready for a thunderous strike, it looks like Loyle is not as nervous as he appears¡­ No wonder he¡¯s a rare Dark Attribute Dragon Knight, his feigning techniques fit well with the Dou Qi attributes, but unfortunately, you¡¯re dealing with me!¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Information about Loyle flashed through his mind¡ªDark Attribute Dragon Knight, Dou Qi filled with corrosive, sticky properties, like venom that can¡¯t be shaken off. Once hit, the Dark Attribute Dou Qi would cling to the bones like maggots, causing continuous damage.


    But no matter how tricky, it was still a physical attack.


    Facing the Formless Dragon that could enter material boundaries at will, it wasn¡¯t much of a threat.


    Wrath of Thunder ready, man and dragon moved forward in a spiral, Dou Qi and magic power resonating continuously, amassing energy for the move ¡°Phantom,¡± ready to strike.


    Close now!


    Almost making contact.


    At this moment, Liszt could see the cold fierceness in Loyle¡¯s eyes, as if he had long anticipated this surprise attack. Before Liszt could thrust his Dragon Lance, Loyle swung his Dragon Lance, a jet-black spear from end to end.


    ¡°Die!¡± Loyle roared, his Dragon Lance piercing the air, silent as if even the sound was corroded by the Dark Attribute Dou Qi.


    Faced with this fiercely lethal thrust, Liszt simply glanced dismissively, man and dragon already flickering off the attack path, arriving at the back of the Purple Copper Dragon Knight.


    Wrath of Thunder thrust out.


    Phantom strike.


    A gentle swipe.


    Blood bloomed like roses.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Purple Copper Dragon let out a painful scream, its dragon spine harshly split open by the tip of the Wrath of Thunder, revealing the bone. Dragon blood spurted, scattering in the air above the sea.


    The thirty-five-meter-long Purple Copper Dragon with a wing-span of thirty-five meters was much larger than the fifteen-meter-long, fifteen-meter-span Formless Dragon, yet it was the Copper Dragon that got injured.


    Often, size is not the measure of combat capability!


    Back in severe pain, Loyle¡¯s face instantly turned purple-red with rage, his eyes flaming, he bellowed: ¡°Presumptuous!¡±


    The Obsidian Dragon Lance shifted position, harshly smashing toward the now visible Formless Dragon, Dark Attribute Magic Power bursting forth, layers of black waves flickering, hitting only an afterimage.


    After the strike, the Formless Dragon once again slipped into the material boundary, spiralingly accelerating, preparing for the second strike.

 Chapter 873 - 0870: One Shot, One Kid (Second Update)

    Chapter 873: Chapter 0870: One Shot, One Kid (Second Update)


    Recall!


    Retrieve!


    Liszt, riding the Formless Dragon Bard, flashed in front of the Purple Copper Dragon after Loyle¡¯s furious attack.


    Wrath of Thunder, carrying the magic power of the Formless Dragon and his own Dou Qi, furiously discharged at the spear tip and harshly executed a move called ¡°Sonic Boom.¡± Although the spear tip did not create an actual sonic boom, it burst a mass of blood on the neck of the Purple Copper Dragon, slightly off target, or else it could have pierced through the dragon¡¯s neck.


    At the same time.


    Bard suddenly turned his head, taking advantage of the brushing pass, and spewed a Dragon Breath Shattering Space onto the face of the Purple Copper Dragon. That white mist capable of shredding space hit the Purple Copper Dragon¡¯s finely scaled face like a knife, making a sound like the crackling of exploding beans.


    Ach also seized the opportunity to act, grabbing Liszt¡¯s armor with one hand while wielding the Eight Dragons God Sword with the other, lightly waving it.


    A Super Magic ¨C Vectorial Cut then struck towards the Purple Copper Dragon Knight, Loyle.


    Compared to the large-bodied Purple Copper Dragon, attacking the Dragon Knight was obviously more effective. However, their position on the Dragon Tooth Platform itself was very concealed, providing good protection for the knight. Just as Vectorial Cut was about to hit Loyle, a purple metallic luster flashed, and Loyle¡¯s whole body was coated with a layer of metallic copper.


    Bang, clang!


    The sound of metal cutting overshadowed the explosions of beans.


    At a crucial moment, the Purple Copper Dragon also stirred its magic power, encasing its body with a layer of metallic copper, timely suppressing the violent strike from the Formless Dragon Knight.


    The two dragons flashed past each other.


    Once again, the result was the Purple Copper Dragon getting injured, but it was strong and tough enough to don a layer of metallic copper for defense. After dodging, it endured the severe pain from the wounds and turned to fire a metallic stream of Dragon Breath toward where the Formless Dragon vanished into the material boundary.


    Dragon Breath is a special magic product.


    Each dragon¡¯s Dragon Breath is distinct; the Fire Dragon breathes high-temperature flames, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon emits crystal particles like hail, and the Formless Dragon exhales space-shattering mist. The Dragon Breath of the Purple Copper Dragon, however, is a metallic stream¡ªa special metallic liquid formed by magic that packs a strong impact force.


    Upon contact with air, it quickly turns into droplet-shaped copper and shoots faster than bullets.


    Whizzzzz!


    A dense swarm of bullet noises tearing through the air, buzzing like a swarm of hornets, numbing the ears. Yet the metallic stream turned into a shower of metal bullets that still failed to hit the Formless Dragon Knight, who had vanished into the material boundary. Loyle¡¯s retaliatory Dragon Spear assault also missed.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    His temper seemed ignited, his gaze even colder, not pondering why he was dealing with a mysteriously appearing and disappearing Dragon Knight instead of the Fire Dragon Knight he was supposed to face. He focused solely on finding traces of the Formless Dragon, seeking ways to counter, confident in his own strength.


    ¡°Just let me catch you, and I¡¯ll send you back to the Valley of Dragons!¡±


    However, before he could vent his feelings, the Formless Dragon reappeared behind and beneath the Purple Copper Dragon, using a spiral maneuver. Wrath of Thunder stabbed crazily, performing the move ¡°Poison Dragon¡± focused on a drilling force, launching a fierce assault on the belly of the Purple Copper Dragon, the softest part.


    The Formless Dragon took the opportunity to spit Dragon Breath Shattering Space onto the dragon¡¯s belly.


    Ach then adopted another method of attack, switching to Super Magic ¨C Chainsaw-Style Super High-Pressure Water Cutter. Suddenly, a huge crystalline water blade condensed in the vast sky, slashing down towards the Purple Copper Dragon.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Purple Copper Dragon was quick to react, but still caught off guard; it frenziedly plated itself with copper on its body surface as ¡°Poison Dragon¡± had already pierced its abdomen, erupting a mass of blood, and continued drilling inward until it encountered resistance and was withdrawn.


    In those moments of delay, Loyle sneered, ¡°Caught you!¡±


    He raised the Obsidian Dragon Spear high, and the Purple Copper Dragon skillfully spun around, placing the Formless Dragon above and itself below, then the Obsidian Dragon Spear thrust out from between the flapping wings.


    At that moment,


    An alarming surge of magic power suddenly emanated from behind Loyle.


    He could not afford to be distracted by what was happening behind him, but he continued thrusting the Obsidian Dragon Spear, determined to kill Liszt first!


    Just as the Obsidian Dragon Spear was about to strike, almost within reach of the still material-bound Formless Dragon, a bright white light suddenly emerged, rapidly freezing the air and condensing into a shimmering transparent ice shield.


    Boom!


    The ice shield only blocked for a second before shattering under the powerful force of the Obsidian Dragon Spear, but that second allowed the Formless Dragon to once again vanish into the material boundary.


    Perched on its back, Ach raised the Eight Dragons God Sword, its previously dull blade now flickering with blue-white bright light, an activation of amplified water and ice magic powers. Saying she would protect Liszt wasn¡¯t arrogance; her perfect mastery of Elemental Incarnation and instant Superior Magic were proof!


    Archmages in ancient times ruled the world, not just for fun. Their confidence stemmed from the powerful magic they drew from the Magic Web.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Loyle couldn¡¯t believe he was blocked by an ice shield, his attack once again futile, and the sense of danger at his back grew even more intense.


    The next moment. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was no time to react.


    A scorching airstream descended, as if he had bathed in magma for an instant, almost melting the scales of the Purple Copper Dragon.


    Then, a massive weight slammed hard onto the Purple Copper Dragon, sending its body tumbling uncontrollably, unable to stabilize flight, falling in a freefall trajectory.


    ¡°Well done, Leo!¡±


    Liszt laughed heartily.


    As soon as the Formless Dragon appeared, he had released Little Fire Dragon Leo to lead the attack, Leo taking the opportunity to ambush. At this moment, Leo¡¯s performance was flawless, and the results were very pleasing. Without stability, how could the Purple Copper Dragon evade the powerful ambush ability of the Formless Dragon Knight?


    Bard burst out of the material boundary, heading straight for the Purple Copper Dragon.


    Wrath of Thunder roared again, another fierce strike ¡°Snow Mountain¡±, as if causing mountains to crumble, exploded on the shoulder blades of the Purple Copper Dragon, damaging one of its wings and further disrupting its balance.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    ¡°Bard! Leo! Ach! Take it down!¡±


    Once Liszt entered combat mode, he transformed into a fierce offensive force, without any concept of flanking or holding back¡ªjust attack until it was over.


    Leo repeatedly collided with the Purple Copper Dragon, while Bard flickered about, stabbing with the Dragon Lance time after time!


    Ach occasionally cast water shields and ice shields for Leo and Bard to protect them from occasional counterattacks by the Purple Copper Dragon Knight, and found time to release vectorial cuts or high-pressure water blades, water drills.


    In the minutes that followed.


    Liszt, Bard, Leo, and Ach, two humans and two dragons, brutally pummeled the Purple Copper Dragon Knight. They beat him down from four thousand meters in the sky to just a few hundred, continuing to press him downward. Despite the ongoing copper plating applied by the Purple Copper Dragon for itself and Loyle, it could not withstand the damage inflicted.


    Blood spurted continuously along the way, alongside constant screams.


    The strong defensive power of the Metal Dragon ensured it wasn¡¯t grievously wounded, but couldn¡¯t guarantee an escape, especially when they descended to a hundred meters above ground.


    Originally calm seawater, under Ach¡¯s talented control, suddenly turned into awakening giant pythons. It whipped up countless water tornadoes, roaring as they spiraled toward the high skies, tightly ensnaring the Purple Copper Dragon, binding its final struggles, leaving it to rely only on its copper plating for protection.


    ¡°Now, Loyle, you¡¯re dead!¡± Liszt gripped the Dragon Lance ¨C Wrath of Thunder, executing the most explosive move ¡°Sonic Boom¡±.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    A thunderous roar rang from afar, but it was a new Dragon Knight rushing over, a huge gray dragon that seemed cast from steel, its wings obscuring the sun, reflecting the metallic brilliance of sunlight.


    White Maw Iron Dragon Knight, Alex White Iron had arrived.


    But his shout had no deterrent effect.


    Liszt¡¯s hand didn¡¯t tremble at all, Wrath of Thunder brutally pierced the copper-plated Loyle. The metallic copper¡¯s defense was strong, but the impact force of Wrath of Thunder was stronger. The tip of the spear continuously emitted mixed Fire Attribute and Space Attribute magic power, burning and tearing, forcibly breaking through the metallic copper.


    Pfft!


    Human blood splattered, Loyle, who had just relieved to see Alex¡¯s arrival, was now impaled through the chest by the Dragon Lance, the violent magic power instantly erupting inside his chest, rampaging uncontrollably.


    Under the watch of the Crystal White Trajectory, Loyle¡¯s Dark Attribute magic power could no longer maintain operation, dissipating and beginning to fade away.


    He was dead!


    After Carlo Violet, he became the second Dragon Knight to die at Liszt¡¯s hands, a mighty ruler of the nation, the Grand Duke of the Purple Copper Duchy, falling in an unobserved battle of slaying the dragon.


    After killing Loyle.


    Liszt didn¡¯t pause, quickly summoning Leo to transform into the Magic Form, attaching to his chest. Then, controlling Formless Dragon Bard, he released the continuously reinforced, yet no longer damage causing, Purple Copper Dragon. Quietly sliding into the material boundary, he retreated towards the distance¡ªthis burst of activity had drained him tremendously.


    It was temporarily unsuitable to battle the White Maw Iron Dragon Knight again, especially since behind the White Maw Iron Dragon, a shiny Silver Dragon had appeared.

 Chapter 874 - 0871: Peak Power (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Congratulations)

    Chapter 874: Chapter 0871: Peak Power (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Congratulations)


    This chapter¡¯s extra release was sponsored by ¡°Wu Ma Wei Yang¡± for ten thousand rewards.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Bang thud.


    The Purple Copper Dragon plunged into the sea, gulped down a few mouthfuls of salty water, and after retracting its copper-plated scales, it barely managed to struggle and fly up from the sea¡¯s surface¡ªBefore coming here to wage dragon warfare upon the sea, these dragons had all learned the basics of swimming, except for Fire Dragons like the fire elemental kind, all other dragons could roughly learn to swim.


    On its Dragon Tooth Platform, Duke Loyle had not been released from his copper-plated state, still enshrouded in a layer of purple-tinted metallic copper, clutching the Obsidian Dragon Spear, frozen in his final stance.


    He was dead.


    No signs of life.


    However, the Purple Copper Dragon had not given up on him, instead, with sorrowful eyes, it soared into the sky to reunite with the White Maw Iron Dragon Knight and let out a massive roar.


    ¡°Loyle!¡± Prince Alex approached the Purple Copper Dragon and shouted loudly.


    There was no response.


    Prince Alex was suddenly taken aback, contemplating a very dire situation. Moreover, he had witnessed with his own eyes that dragon, transparent as crystal, thrust a Dragon Lance through Loyle¡¯s chest and withdraw it in a flash, before disappearing without a trace.


    ¡°Loyle!¡±


    The second call still went unanswered.


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Purple Copper Dragon¡¯s roar was filled with desolation, making it even clearer to Prince Alex that Loyle was dead¡ªunbelievable but true nonetheless.


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    Prince Alex¡¯s face darkened with anger reaching its peak. He and Loyle had known each other since childhood, one a Prince of the Eagle Kingdom, the other a Duke of the Purple Copper Duchy. Both had been selected for the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knight candidacy program, although Loyle had inherited the dragon from the Purple Copper Family.


    There might have been bumps along the way, but their friendship was solid.


    Moreover, their countries maintained a good relationship, one the suzerain and the other a vassal, and this time they had united for the dragon-slaying campaign, having rejoiced in wine and conversation just the day before.


    Today they were parted by death.


    Suppressing his grief and rage, Prince Alex coldly commanded, ¡°Purple Copper Dragon, follow me, avenge Loyle! After I slay that despicable beast Liszt, I will personally return Loyle¡¯s body to the Purple Copper Duchy!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Purple Copper Dragon¡¯s body was covered with wounds, great and small. Its once beautiful purple-tinted metallic scales were badly damaged. Some were sliced by Dragon Breath shattering space, some scorched by high-temperature Dragon Breath, others torn by Dragon Lances, plus damage caused by magic water blades and water drills.


    The wounds had stopped bleeding, muscles beginning to heal, demonstrating its remarkable recovery ability.


    Yet its magic power was severely depleted, particularly from those special uses of Dragon¡¯s Super Magic during multiple plating processes, severely diminishing its combat effectiveness.


    Only its spirit was lifted, driven by vengeance for its Knight!


    Different from Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight Carlo Violet, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was one nurtured by the Eagle Royal Family, with Carlo merely selected as its knight, having no relation to the First Dragon Knight; Loyle, the Purple Copper Dragon¡¯s knight, was indeed a descendent of the First Dragon Knight, his bond with the dragon much deeper.


    Nevertheless.


    At this moment.


    Prince Alex and the three dragons searched far and wide, yet found no trace of Liszt. The three dragons could faintly sense the presence of the Formless Dragon, but its distance had grown too far to pinpoint a precise location. There was only a vague direction.


    ¡°He went that way, towards Dodo Island¡­ Alonso¡¯s direction, let¡¯s catch up!¡± Prince Alex¡¯s eyes flashed, realizing Liszt¡¯s intent.


    This was about hunting isolated Dragon Knights, now heading to intercept the Bronze Dragon Knight.


    However, Prince Alex wasn¡¯t just tense but also saw it as an opportunity handed by fate because Alonso wasn¡¯t acting alone but was accompanied by a Grey Iron Dragon.


    There were many types of Iron Dragons, classified into five kinds based on the iron ore they produced¡ªWhite Maw Iron Dragon, Malleable Cast Iron Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, White Heart Iron Dragon, Black Heart Iron Dragon. All formidable in battle, part of the mighty Metal Dragon lineage, especially notable for their large size, usually exceeding sixty meters.


    ¡­


    Dodo Island was within sight.


    Alonso Xiankelai, to say he wasn¡¯t feeling smug, would be impossible.


    In his scheme, Liszt had fallen into a trap, only awaiting the seasoned hunter himself to make the capture. But soon, he realized something was amiss; according to the plan, he should be the second to arrive at Dodo Island and join the battle. Yet, there was no dragon-slaying warfare happening on Dodo Island.


    Everything on the island was calm, with only a group of serfs busy at work when they suddenly pointed at the sky with trembling exclamations.


    They saw the Bronze Dragon and the Grey Iron Dragon approaching closer, and despite having seen the Lord Landlord¡¯s Fire Dragon, the serfs still shivered in fear of these two metal dragons.


    He couldn¡¯t help but want to kneel down.


    The Metal Dragons above paid them no mind.


    Alonso¡¯s gaze searched continuously, confirming that there were no traces of Dragons on Dodo Island, ¡°Liszt isn¡¯t here? Could it be that he fled upon seeing Prince Alex?¡± According to the plan, Prince Alex was to lead the White Maw Iron Dragon and the Silver Dragon in a sudden attack, with Alonso making his move only when the battle was at its height.


    When it was time for Liszt to escape, Duke Loyle would join in blocking him.


    Unexpectedly, it seemed something had gone awry with the plan.


    Just then, he suddenly received a surge of Dragon Magic Power. It was the White Maw Iron Dragon sending out a magic power fluctuation, a signal reminding him of ¡°danger¡± and demanding he immediately converge in the direction of the White Maw Iron Dragon. This was a simple remote communication method among Dragon Knights.


    As long as one was within the range of the Dragon¡¯s senses, they could communicate in this way.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Alonso frowned, unable to understand why Alex would warn him of ¡°danger,¡± ¡°What danger could there be in killing Liszt? Even if he has an immature Fire Dragon, an ordinary Light Green Gemstone Dragon, and a newly promoted Archmage with him, what could they possibly do!¡±


    He still felt somewhat relaxed.


    However, his actions were without any hesitation, as he quickly rode the Bronze Dragon toward the White Maw Iron Dragon, with the Grey Iron Dragon tightly following behind.


    The flight was brief.


    He then felt a new Dragon presence. While different from the Fire Dragon presence he had experienced in his last Dragon-slaying battle, it wasn¡¯t the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s either.


    But he knew, this was Liszt¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Good, you¡¯ve come!¡± Alonso¡¯s spirits lifted, and he quickly swooped over.


    Their distance closed rapidly, but when the Bronze Dragon sensed the other party right in front of them, there was no trace of any Dragon in sight, even as he descended from the high clouds. There was no Fire Dragon, nor a Light Green Gemstone Dragon. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even when the Bronze Dragon continuously alerted that the other party was within one kilometer, no trace was found.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, why can¡¯t I see them?¡± Alonso¡¯s eyebrows rose as he faintly understood the meaning behind Alex¡¯s warning of ¡°danger,¡± and then it struck him, ¡°Is it some invisibility magic concocted by the Archmage? Ridiculous, I¡¯ve already locked onto your position¡­ to the left, in front!¡±


    He shook the Dragon Lance, uniting man and Dragon, fiercely ready for combat, aiming a brutal charge at the position indicated by the Bronze Dragon¡¯s senses.


    The Dragon Lance, carrying the momentum of wind and lightning, emitted a piercing sonic boom as it lashed fiercely into the void. But just when he felt that he was about to strike his opponent, the Bronze Dragon suddenly sensed the presence behind him. Before he could react or prepare to dodge the sneak attack¡­


    A transparent figure, crystal-like in its appearance, suddenly became visible, charging swiftly with a lethal glow on the Dragon Lance, as if aiming to skewer the Bronze Dragon in one ferocious blow.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Wooh-ya!¡±


    Just as the two Dragons were about to cross paths, something unexpected happened!


    A violent aura rushed over from the side, forcing the Formless Dragon to change its course and abandon the chance to deal a severe blow to the Bronze Dragon.


    ¡°Roar, roar, roar!¡±


    The unbridled Dragon¡¯s roar resonated thunderously between heaven and earth. It was the Grey Iron Dragon that had been closely following the Bronze Dragon, now spreading its sixty-meter wingspan in the manner of a top predator, lunging at the Formless Dragon that had just revealed itself.


    The airflow stirred up by the wings seemed almost visible to the naked eye.


    Producing wisps of mist.


    Even the sunlight was obscured.


    The fifteen-meter-wide Formless Dragon was much smaller than the thirty-meter-wide Bronze Dragon, let alone when compared to the sixty-meter wingspan of the Grey Iron Dragon.


    ¡°Dammit!¡±


    Liszt, riding on the Formless Dragon Bard¡¯s back, frowned secretly under the immense pressure from the Grey Iron Dragon. Without any hesitation, he immediately chose to abandon his attempt to assassinate the Bronze Dragon Knight Alonso and darted into the boundary of matter, fleeing into the distance.


    Boom!


    Just as he entered the boundary of matter, the Grey Iron Dragon¡¯s tail, like a true Dragon Lance, stabbed at the place where the Formless Dragon had disappeared, leaving behind only air.


    Even such a strong attack missed its mark.


    But Liszt, hiding within the boundary of matter, felt a slight tingling on his scalp. He clearly sensed the tail tip of the Grey Iron Dragon lacking just a bit more force to pierce through the boundary of matter and strike both him and the Formless Dragon ¡ª that was a brute force attack that relied purely on physical strength, violently breaking through the material space.


    The Grey Iron Dragon, in its prime maturity, was likely as powerful as an Elemental Dragon in its adult stage.


    The Crystal White Trajectory opened.


    Looking back from afar at the Grey Iron Dragon whose magic was as solid as steel, Liszt unconsciously swallowed, ¡°Very strong¡­ Leo, perhaps only when you reach maturity can you fight it head-on!¡±

 Chapter 875 - 0872: I Came, I Left (Fourth Update, Alliance Hierarch Added Update 5/147)

    Chapter 875: Chapter 0872: I Came, I Left (Fourth Update, Alliance Hierarch Added Update 5/147)


    Bronze Dragon Knight Alonso Xiankelai narrowly escaped disaster.


    Before long, he had joined forces with Alex White Maw Iron, but what had originally been five dragons and three knights now amounted to five dragons and two knights, plus one corpse.


    ¡°Prince Alex, how could things have turned out like this?¡± Alonso was still in shock, ¡°Is that Liszt? His mount isn¡¯t a Fire Dragon, nor a Light Green Gemstone Dragon!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Formless Dragon.¡±


    Alex spoke expressionlessly, as if mentioning an irrelevant matter, ¡°The Holy Dragon Order, possessing the power that represents space, Liszt is far more than the Fire Dragon Knight we anticipated, and he has acquired the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡­ He has become a Formless Dragon Knight. Loyle died by his assassination.¡±


    ¡°Do Sacred Dragons really exist?¡± Alonso furrowed his brow.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t certain before either. It¡¯s been many years since I¡¯ve heard any news of the Sacred Dragons. When I traveled through the Kushan Imperial in my youth, I heard some tales about them. I believed the Sacred Dragons had vanished along with the fall of the Moon Empire era, but unexpectedly, they have been reborn in the Sea of Azure Waves.¡±


    ¡°There are also Archmages, who have not appeared for many years. Prince Alex, the situation has exceeded our expectations,¡± Alonso took a deep breath, seriously speculating, ¡°I suspect that Liszt has gained control of the Moon Empire¡¯s relics, otherwise there wouldn¡¯t be the continuous emergence of an Archmage and a Formless Dragon.¡±


    Alex glanced at the copper-coated corpse of Loyle and said dispassionately, ¡°This little creature has become a force to reckon with; killing him now, I fear, will be very difficult.¡±


    Alonso¡¯s face darkened, then he raised an eyebrow, ¡°Do you, Your Highness, intend to give up on this dragon slaying battle?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Pursue!¡±


    ¡°Pursue?¡±


    ¡°Now that it¡¯s come to this, there is no turning back from an arrow released from the bow. If we do not kill Liszt, he will remain a constant threat. We must keep pursuing him and completely strangle the threat, to ensure that the situation does not spiral out of control¡­ otherwise, it will be the gravest crisis for the Eagle Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°But how can we kill him if Liszt is a Formless Dragon Knight with the ability to traverse space?¡±


    ¡°Lure him out.¡± Alonso seemed resolute, ¡°I will act as the bait to draw him out. He likes to ambush lone Dragon Knights, doesn¡¯t he? We will split up in our search but keep in constant contact with each other. The moment he shows up, we will fight to the death to pin him down and leave him no way to escape!¡±


    Alex¡¯s eyes flickered momentarily, ¡°What do you think the chances of success are?¡±


    In terms of combat strength, he was undoubtedly the top of the Eagle Kingdom, but when it came to tactics and cunning, he was slightly inferior, which is why he relied on Alonso for strategy.


    ¡°Seeing the fate of Duke Loyle, to tell the truth, I don¡¯t have much confidence. Liszt always seems to have an ace up his sleeve that we¡¯re not aware of. For now, all we can do is give it our all. If we can kill him, that would be the best outcome. If we can¡¯t, we¡¯ll have to retreat first and find another way to resolve the crisis later.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s kill!¡± Alex burst out.


    As the invincible White Maw Iron Dragon Knight, he had his own pride.


    In the time that followed, Alonso took the initiative to leave, roaming alone around the sea near Dodo Island, searching for traces of the Formless Dragon.


    Alex, on the other hand, led the four dragons in another direction to search but maintained a magical aura of communication with Alonso.


    The Dragon Lance was gripped in his hand.


    Alonso suppressed his nervousness and observed his surroundings with a cold eye. He eagerly hoped that Liszt would appear to attack him. In doing so, he could utilize the desperate strategy they had prepared, to entangle the Formless Dragon and wait for Alex¡¯s reinforcement¡ªonly such a tactic could turn the tide of the battle.


    Otherwise, if they were to fail in this second dragon slaying battle, he would be utterly disgraced.


    In the life of a Dragon Knight, one does not know how many dragon slaying battles one may partake in. And he, having participated in two, would become a laughingstock an embarrassment among Dragon Knights if both were to end in failure.


    At that moment,


    he suddenly felt the presence of the Formless Dragon from afar.


    His heart leapt with joy, and he gripped the Dragon Lance even tighter, though the presence quickly vanished without a trace.


    It turned out that Liszt had merely flown out from the material boundary, scanned the surroundings with his telescope to determine the location of the Bronze Dragon, then left without looking back.


    ¡°Knowing that I killed Loyle and yet you still deliberately divide your forces, are you tempting me, or testing my intelligence?¡± Liszt did not consider himself to be of high intelligence, but he was certainly not a symbol of low intellect. Alonso¡¯s tactic was clearly mocking him.


    He walked away.


    In the time to come, it would be like walking a dog.


    He had already instructed Ach to notify Black Horse Island with the Magic Platform, to ensure that the Elves were safely relocated¡ªthough in reality, whether they moved or not did not make much difference. Dragon Knights generally do not attack lower-class knights and civilians, let alone kill Elves. The game naturally has its rules, and Dragon Knights vs. Dragon Knights is the main one.


    Otherwise, if today your Dragon Knight kills my citizens, and tomorrow mine kills yours, no one benefits.


    Moreover, compared to the Eagle Kingdom, Flame Territory is destitute with hardly any resources. Even if decimated by Dragon Knights, Liszt¡¯s losses would be limited; he could easily compensate from the Eagle Kingdom, or effortlessly slay enough to recoup his losses. As long as Alex and Alonso aren¡¯t foolish, they wouldn¡¯t choose to break the rules. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was mainly on guard against them becoming desperate and taking out their frustration on Black Horse Island.


    After all, they were all Dragon Knights.


    An occasional lapse of reason¡ªwho would dare to pursue it? Since he himself had once thrown dignity to the winds to take to the battlefield and capture ordinary Knights, he couldn¡¯t guarantee the other side wouldn¡¯t resort to the same tactics.


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t do such a thing; otherwise, if my territory suffers losses, the Eagle Kingdom will need to pay tenfold, a hundredfold in compensation!¡±


    Riding the Formless Dragon Bard, constantly shuttling through the material boundaries, he flew towards Alex. Upon sensing the dragon¡¯s aura, he shockingly discovered four dragons beside Alex¡ªthe White Maw Iron Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, Purple Copper Dragon, and Silver Dragon.


    Obviously, he couldn¡¯t just approach recklessly.


    ¡°What a pity, all these precious Metal Dragons, yet none belong to me,¡± Liszt sighed.


    Suddenly, Ach said, ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t we waiting for the Eagle Kingdom to retreat before intercepting the isolated Dragon Knights?¡±


    Liszt shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s true, but since I killed Loyle, it¡¯s unlikely that they would split their forces. And if they do, it would be a lure for me¡­ Even if they really do split up after retreating, it would be difficult for me to track them down given the lack of a positioning method and the ability to clearly discern the location of each dragon.¡±


    ¡°Maybe Ach has a way.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Liszt was startled for a moment, then overjoyed, ¡°Ach, tell me quickly, what is the method!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Magic Beacon that Ach just thought of. By utilising spatial magic to leave a mark on a dragon¡¯s body, we could then use the resonance between the material boundary and the beacon to determine position and distance¡­ However, the range of resonance shouldn¡¯t be too far, at most a hundred kilometers.¡±


    A hundred kilometers; this distance had already exceeded the extreme sensing range between dragons.


    After pondering a moment, Liszt knew this was an excellent opportunity, ¡°Ach, can you differentiate the beacons for different dragons?¡±


    ¡°It seems not.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s return to Black Horse Island first. We¡¯ll experiment on Little Fire Dragon Leo.¡± Liszt, having decided to proceed, did not hesitate at all. He moved at high speed, tearing through the material boundary, entering the world beyond matter. He found the natural node at Bone Lake, returned to his territory, then flew a distance outward.


    Once he was certain no one was around to disturb him, he called out to Leo and had Ach place the beacon on him.


    It was tiny magic. After being released, if it weren¡¯t for the Formless Dragon¡¯s sensitivity to space magic power, it would have been nearly undetectable.


    As for Leo, he was even less aware that he had been marked.


    ¡°Leo, fly straight ahead until we are a hundred kilometers apart.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Thus, Formless Dragon Bard flew south, and Little Fire Dragon Leo north, continuously flying and extending the distance. After a hundred kilometers, Ach had lost the sense of the Space Magic Beacon. To their surprise, though, the Formless Dragon could still sense this Space Magic Beacon.


    ¡°Bard is amazing,¡± Ach said happily.


    The farther the sensing distance, the higher the success rate of tracking. When Leo and Bard were three hundred kilometers apart, the beacon finally disappeared from Bard¡¯s senses.


    After flying back for a moment, they sensed it once again.


    ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed it, the beacon¡¯s limit is three hundred kilometers. The tracking plan can be perfectly executed!¡± Liszt was in a cheerful mood, ¡°Next, we¡¯ll tease Alex and Alonso while discreetly placing beacons on each of their dragons!¡±


    ¡­


    The plan unfolded perfectly according to Liszt¡¯s design.


    He located Alonso, made a feint attack, then entered the material boundary; dashed out again to give a scare, then back into the material boundary; after repeating this several times, Ach successfully managed to place a beacon on a Bronze Dragon before leaving without looking back.


    Next, he continued the task of placing beacons on Alex and the four dragons.


    The task was somewhat challenging, but after spending some time and energy, and risking the Formless Dragon getting slightly grazed by Alex¡¯s attacks, all the beacons were successfully in place.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    With a smile on his lips, Liszt lingered no longer.


    He left behind a trifled Alex, muttering through gritted teeth, ¡°Just give me a chance, Liszt, and I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead!¡±

 Chapter 876 - 0873: Caught You (Fifth Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Congratulations)

    Chapter 876: Chapter 0873: Caught You (Fifth Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Congratulations)


    This chapter is ¡°Encountering You in the Deepest Part of My Life¡± ¨C a paid extra release.


    ¡ª¨C


    Night had already fallen.


    From the sensing of the Space Magic Beacon, all five dragons were back on Hot Spring Island. Liszt sent a message via the Magic Platform to the Magician stationed on Hot Spring Island, instructing him to keep a close watch on the food transportations.


    Liszt no longer dallied and headed straight back to Black Horse Island to rest.


    After a whole day of laborious traveling on the sea, Bard was exhausted. He needed to conserve his energy to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s events.


    The next morning, Liszt continued to approach Hot Spring Island to monitor the five beacons. He also kept calling on the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Your daily routine is being probed, danger lurks in the shadows inching closer. Even as a Dragon Knight, you cannot guarantee safety from ambush, and fighting is the best solution. Resolve the crisis in the shadows. Reward: Carnivorous Ogre Shadow Tracing.¡±


    The mission had not changed; the crisis in the shadows was still unresolved.


    This meant that Alex and Alonso had not given up and wanted to attack again. Hence, Liszt couldn¡¯t relax yet, he needed to continue monitoring the five dragons.


    However,


    By midday, the Smoke Mission changed.


    ¡°Mission completed, Reward Carnivorous Ogre Shadow Tracing.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mission had been successfully completed; after some discussions, Alex, Alonso, Piero, and others decided not to continue and chose to give up the dragon slaying battle.


    ¡°But did you ask me before giving up?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyes flickered.


    The Smoke Mission also seemed to shift with his feelings, slowly transforming into another Serpent Script: ¡°Mission: A dragon slaying battle was averted with correct handling and you achieved the surprising result of killing a Dragon Knight. However, ¡®pursue the desperate enemy with your remaining courage, do not sell fame to learn from tyrants.¡¯ Why not continue to strive for more glorious results in this dragon slaying battle. Reward: Man-Eating Tree Cluster.¡±


    This was his resolve.


    When he noticed the beacons of the five dragons started to move, he quietly followed. Along the way these beacons didn¡¯t scatter; they continuously flew towards the interior of the Sapphire Archipelago. Liszt maintained a distance of two hundred kilometers, not too far yet not too close, quietly trailing behind, waiting for the team to disperse.


    From afternoon to evening, the five dragons finally stopped moving at one spot.


    Using the map of the Duchy of Sapphire and the sextant to determine their position, Liszt quickly identified their landing spot as an inhabited island.


    It wasn¡¯t big.


    It was merely the domain of a Viscount Lord¡ªSquare Island. The lord of the island was the Viscount of Square Island, and he was a follower of Marquis Deep Throat, Wallace Pineapple Green.


    ¡°Is this a traitor, or have the five dragons not alarmed the lord of the island?¡± Liszt also found an island and quietly landed to rest.


    Regardless, the Viscount of Square Island was highly suspect of betrayal.


    ¡­


    At the same time Liszt was quietly tracking the dragons of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Far away on Flame Island, Emily was leading the Mammoth Knight Brigade to build the second raceway¡ªCharcoal River Great Road, connecting Charcoal River Parkway between Flame City and Estuary City.


    Whirlpool River twisted and turned¡ªit wasn¡¯t straight.


    Therefore, Charcoal River Great Road needed to be built deep into the jungle. These days, the construction reached deep into a dense forest, yet numerous serfs transporting materials went missing along the way. Gradually, a legend about carnivorous ogres erupted among the serfs of Moon Slayer people, starting first with the serfs of the River Tribe.


    According to the serfs of the River Tribe, they were a large tribe ten years ago until they encountered a murderous, formless carnivorous ogre, which reduced them to a small tribe of less than five hundred people.


    Against their will, they moved to another forest that had been conquered by knights.


    Unexpectedly, after ten years of hiding, the carnivorous ogre appeared again, and the ancient mage of the River Tribe confirmed the serfs¡¯ accounts were true.


    Originally, investigating the carnivorous ogre was not under Emily¡¯s management, but when a knight disappeared while camping, it raised her alertness.


    After several days of close investigation, she finally discovered the reason for the Knight¡¯s disappearance; ¡°Is it this tree?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain, we saw with our own eyes how it bound the serf bait and then other similar tree creatures dismembered the serf. Unfortunately, these tree creatures run fast, and we only captured this one. It seemed to realize that it couldn¡¯t escape and just turned into what it looks like now, motionless.¡±


    This was a slender tree, over three meters tall, with sparse branches and leaves and an even thinner trunk and branches, without many other distinguishing features.


    However, the Knights earnestly assured that the tree could move like a vine and pull out its own root system to run on the ground.


    ¡°Set it on fire!¡± Emily said.


    Torches ignited the branches, crackling as they burned, but the tree showed no reaction at all, as if a regular, nonresponsive tree was being burnt.


    Watching as the tree¡¯s branches were being burned completely.


    With a youthful accent and a mature tone, she said, ¡°Interesting.¡±


    ¡­


    After leaving Square Island, Alex and Alonso¡¯s Dragon Knight Squad passed through two deserted islands and finally left the Sapphire Archipelago three days later. What followed was a nautical journey of over a thousand kilometers, but soon Liszt discovered there were still some deserted islands in the sea where they could make stops.


    It was these islands that allowed the Eagle Kingdom to let Dragon Knights tread freely across the Sapphire Archipelago.


    With insiders like Count Hot Spring Island and Viscount of Square Island, they initiated a dragon slaying battle involving five dragons, but, unfortunately, the outcome was still a failure.


    ¡°Have they not split up yet?¡± Liszt was sitting on a seashell, next to a huge block of ice. Bard lay on the ice block, grumpily chewing on some smoked grass.


    ¡°Woo ee ya!¡± Bard responded, indicating that it hadn¡¯t sensed the beacons splitting.


    Ach was swimming cheerily in the sea, she retracted her cloaks using Magic Armament and swam freely in the sea as before, with only a water strip covering the key areas. Liszt¡¯s gaze followed her figure, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth.


    Then, he took a cup of steaming semip tea from the Space Ring and savored it slowly.


    Chasing over the seas was not arduous for him, merely a relaxing journey.


    A moment later.


    Bard stood up; ¡°Woo ee ya!¡±


    It detected the beacon starting to move, so Liszt and Ach immediately set off, continuing to track the beacon. After tracking another hundred kilometers, the eyes of man and dragon suddenly lit up¡ªthey sensed that the consistently grouped five beacons had finally dispersed, with four continuing together.


    But there was one that left the group.


    ¡°Who could it be leaving?¡± Liszt immediately abandoned the four grouped beacons and steered the Formless Dragon Bard towards the lone beacon.


    However, he didn¡¯t approach rashly, wary of it being a counter-ambush.


    They quickly neared the coastline of the Eagle Kingdom, the other four beacons had long disappeared, presumably the four dragons had returned to the Eagle Kingdom from another direction.


    At this time.


    Liszt was pleasantly surprised.


    Because the lone dragon flew near the Siren Reef Cluster, close to a natural node there that allowed Liszt to directly shuttle through space.


    ¡°So what are we waiting for, Bard, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Woo ee ya!¡±


    Flying high-speed, tearing through the material boundary, entering a world outside of matter, Magic Return Positioning locked on the natural node at the Siren Reef Cluster.


    Open.


    Back to the real world.


    The beacon response was just twenty kilometers away, and he had already sensed the breath of that dragon: ¡°Grey Iron Dragon, so it¡¯s Duke Piero from Grey Iron Duchy, trying to take a straight line back to his own territory¡­ Iron Dragon¡­ Had it been Alex White Iron, I might not have dared to engage, but you¡¯re just a lone dragon without a rider!¡±


    He pulled out the Thunder Fury Dragon Lance.


    Liszt roared, ¡°Bard, charge!¡±

 Chapter 877 - 0874: The Collapse of the Ash King (First Update)

    Chapter 877: Chapter 0874: The Collapse of the Ash King (First Update)


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Grey Iron Dragon let out a solemn roar, flapping its wings to accelerate upward into the sky.


    Perched on its back, Duke Grey Iron Piero Grey Iron was instantly puzzled, ¡°Ash King, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Grey Iron Dragon couldn¡¯t speak or connect telepathically with Piero, relying solely on its body language and varying tones of dragon chants to communicate tentatively. Fortunately, although Piero was not a Dragon Knight, he had grown up with the Grey Iron Dragon and could somewhat understand its intentions.


    ¡°Are you saying we¡¯ve run into danger¡­ is it that Formless Dragon from before?¡± Piero quickly guessed the truth.


    ¡°Roar!¡± the Grey Iron Dragon confirmed.


    Piero¡¯s face instantly darkened, ¡°Formless Dragon Knight, Liszt Flame, has been tracking us all along, seeing me flying alone, he wants to assassinate me?¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Ash King, can you contend with the Formless Dragon Knight?¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Grey Iron Dragon let out a domineering response and then opened several scales on its back, signaling Piero to hide underneath them.


    It was about to face the battle alone!


    The sun-blocking wings continued to flap, passing through layers of clouds, climbing higher into the sky¡ªit was wary of the seawater stirred up by the Archmage, which could trap it. Being a highly intelligent creature, the dragon naturally understood that the sky was its battlefield, the higher it went, the better the chance of winning the battle.


    When it climbed to twenty thousand meters, the air had become extremely thin.


    Although the Grey Iron Dragon didn¡¯t feel discomfort, it didn¡¯t continue to climb any further; even with the dragon¡¯s prowess, it was difficult to ascend any higher.


    Slowly hovering in the high altitude, it closely sensed the increasingly near and clear aura of magic from the Formless Dragon.


    Its body appeared strong and powerful, its steel-gray scales reflecting the sunlight with a natural metallic chill. Its tail was relatively slender compared to its body, constantly swinging behind it. The tip of the tail had a few protrusions, resembling a bending Dragon Lance, always ready to strike.


    However, what made the Grey Iron Dragon uneasy was that it clearly felt the magic aura of the Formless Dragon but couldn¡¯t pinpoint its location.


    Left and right, front and back, up and down, it felt as if it wasn¡¯t facing a single dragon but countless dragons hidden around it.


    Of course.


    The Grey Iron Dragon knew that the opponent was not just the Formless Dragon Knight; there was also a Fire Dragon that could appear at any time and a very strong Archmage¡ªthat was why it climbed to twenty thousand meters, to evade the Archmage¡¯s attacks.


    ¡°Roar, roar, roar!¡±


    Time ticked away, and the Formless Dragon had still not appeared; the Grey Iron Dragon had grown restless and irritable.


    Even Duke Pierrot hiding under its scales was suffering immensely; the thin air made it hard for him to breathe. If this continued, he might become the first ruler to be suffocated to death.


    But the Formless Dragon just wouldn¡¯t show up.


    It kept changing positions, taunting the Grey Iron Dragon¡¯s will.


    Occasionally, it would disappear for a moment, and just as the Grey Iron Dragon thought to retreat, the magic aura would slowly approach again, the Formless Dragon taunting it once more.


    The entire process repeated over and over, lasting for two hours.


    It made Pierrot turn blue all over, unable to help but beg the Grey Iron Dragon, ¡°Ash King, I¡¯m about to suffocate. Let¡¯s quickly retreat to the coastline!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Grey Iron Dragon was reluctant and ignored Piero. Another hour passed, and with Pierrot having fainted from the lack of oxygen, the Grey Iron Dragon was still orchestrating its stance in the high sky. Although Pierrot no longer nagged, its own mental and physical endurance had reached its limits.


    Its state abruptly collapsed.


    ¡°Roar!¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With an irate dragon chant, the Grey Iron Dragon flapped its wings, not looking back as it headed towards the coastline.


    But just as it couldn¡¯t help but turn to flee, the Formless Dragon that had been toying with it in the shadows finally revealed itself. Liszt, who had been ready to strike, grasped the Wrath of Thunder and infused all his wild magic power and Dou Qi into the tip of the Dragon Lance, unleashing the move ¡°Snow Mountain¡± with ferocious speed.


    The reaction of Grey Iron Dragon was not slow, but having already suffered a breakdown once, its tail swung a beat too late.


    Brushing past the body of the Formless Dragon, a sharp pain then erupted above the thigh on its side where the ferocious attack of Wrath of Thunder struck solidly. Penetrating the incredibly hard steel-like scales, the scorching Dou Qi and cutting magic power exploded violently, shredding several crucial muscles at the root of the thigh.


    Not waiting for the Grey Iron Dragon to turn and counterattack, Liszt withdrew the Wrath of Thunder, allowing Ach to casually throw out an ice shield to block, while steering the Formless Dragon Bard back into the material boundary.


    The Grey Iron Dragon turned around to bite.


    And exhaled a metallic stream of Dragon Breath, turning into countless blades that shattered the ice shield, yet unable to harm the Formless Dragon in the slightest. The Grey Iron Dragon circulated its magic power, solidifying the wound at the root of its thigh and erecting its scales, arming itself like a steel porcupine.


    Iron Dragons cannot use the copper-plating state like Purple Copper Dragons.


    It could only erect its scales, forming a hedgehog formation to protect itself.


    But this was doomed to be a futile attempt; the scales impeded air flow, significantly slowing its flight speed. Thus, the Formless Dragon intermittently dashed out, struck with a lance, and slipped back into the material boundary. Each strike would inevitably erupt a burst of Dragon Blood on the Grey Iron Dragon.


    ¡°Roar roar roar!¡±


    The Grey Iron Dragon, immensely irritated, grew increasingly fearful as its condition weakened further, causing the urge to flee to dominate its mind increasingly.


    Sometimes, enduring a powerful strike from Liszt, it would desperately push forward in flight. It seemed that flying a bit further could bring it to land and then safety.


    However, Liszt, following closely behind, laughed proudly, ¡°Lost your cool, haven¡¯t you? At this point, in this state, if you turned to counterattack, you might still inflict heavy damage on me. Beyond that, you have no chance of escape!¡± When it came to speed, the Grey Iron Dragon simply couldn¡¯t match the Formless Dragon!


    The Dragon Lance danced, Dou Qi raging.


    All of Liszt¡¯s thoughts about the ¡°Formless Dragon Knight-Dragon Dou Qi Manual¡± were displayed and confirmed during the chase¡ªPhantom-Wipe, Shadow-Flick, Snow Mountain-Avalanche, Sonic Boom-Stab, Poison Dragon-Drill, along with some newly formed ideas not yet refined were all utilized.


    ¡°Woo-ee-yah!¡±


    Bard was equally thrilled; its slender body relentlessly pummeling the bulkier Grey Iron Dragon excited it beyond measure. It didn¡¯t even need to spray its Dragon Breath Shattering Space; it simply used its claws to leave marks on the Grey Iron Dragon. Dragon Breath, related to the origin of Dragon¡¯s superior magic, could harm the body if used excessively.


    Thus,


    Liszt¡¯s Dragon Lance and combat skills, Bard¡¯s Dragon claws and biting, and Ach¡¯s ice shield and high-pressure water blade continually inflicted damage on the Grey Iron Dragon, the whole process easier than the hurried slaying of Purple Copper Dragon Knight Loyle¡ªbecause the entire environment for output was very quiet.


    No Dragon Knight could come to support the Grey Iron Dragon within a short time.


    A pursuit and a flight,


    Blood spraying all the way.


    Rapidly covering dozens of kilometers, the Grey Iron Dragon finally sighted the coastline of Eagle Kingdom, gathering all its strength, enduring its agonizing injuries, determined to make it back to land at once.


    ¡°Roar roar roar!¡±


    Once it landed, there was still a hope of turning the tables.


    But reality would not accommodate its wishes, as Liszt reappeared, his Dragon Lance striking deeply into its body. Bard also spat out a reluctant burst of Dragon Breath Shattering Space, continuously slicing its scales. Ach¡¯s Vectorial Cut and High-Pressure Water Blade were released simultaneously, breaking open its damaged scales again.


    Then,


    What truly drove the Grey Iron Dragon to despair was the sight of flames blossoming ahead, forming a Fire Dragon with wings nearly thirty meters wide, covered in black-red scales. Under the fierce Dragon horns and twisted facial scales were a pair of crimson eyes filled with boundless malevolence.


    As if staring at death itself!


    Without any unnecessary movement, the Fire Dragon collided fiercely with the Grey Iron Dragon!


    For a moment, both dragons emitted sounds of breaking bones, both losing balance and plunging towards the ocean. Only Fire Dragon Leo had enough time to regain balance, while the Grey Iron Dragon faced a tempestuous assault from Liszt, Bard, and Ach.


    Strike them when they are down!


    This was Liszt¡¯s life motto; usually reserved, but during battle, he turned into a bold African warrior, unconcerned with life and death, ready to face any challenge.


    Moreover, how could he not seize the opportunity to finish off a weakened foe?


    ¡°Grey Iron Dragon, mine!¡±

 Chapter 878 - 875: The Tyrant Forces His Bow (Second Update)

    Chapter 878: Chapter 875: The Tyrant Forces His Bow (Second Update)


    Nothing went as planned.


    Another dragon battle unknown to the world slowly drew to a close.


    The severely injured Grey Iron Dragon could no longer control its body, and shook as it slid down towards the sea, its body covered with countless wounds.


    No one could provide it with supplies.


    Compared to Liszt constantly feeding the Formless Dragon magic potions, its treatment was miserable, and the outcome was also dreadful. When it crashed into the sea surface, the Grey Iron Dragon could no longer struggle; it was helplessly bound by the seawater that Ach controlled and emitted feeble, breathless sounds.


    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t easy,¡± Liszt casually tossed a few magic potions into the Formless Dragon¡¯s mouth, then let Bard grab the tail of the Grey Iron Dragon to pull it up.


    They flew towards a few nearby rocky islands.


    Thud!


    The massive body of the Grey Iron Dragon was thrown onto the rocks, shallowly soaking in the seawater, with a water tornado controlled by Ach still wrapped around it to prevent it from suddenly lashing out¡ªan injury to humans from a dragon was possible under any circumstances; a moment of weakness might just be accumulating power for the next surge.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Little Fire Dragon Leo landed on another rock with a magnificent presence, very proud of the final deadly blow he dealt to the Grey Iron Dragon.


    With a naturally combative nature, the Fire Dragon felt incredibly proud of defeating the adult Grey Iron Dragon, larger in size than itself.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    The Formless Dragon was the proudest of all, with the consecutive dragon battles won thanks to its innate abilities. However, it didn¡¯t show off like Leo, but quietly stayed by Liszt¡¯s side, watching as Liszt jumped onto the Grey Iron Dragon, plotting against this dragon of steel.


    Ach smiled slightly, also delighted to have retained the Grey Iron Dragon, as the nixie too loved dragons¡ªthe more dragons by Liszt¡¯s side, the happier she was.


    As for Liszt himself.


    He was following the iron scales, moving towards the position of the Dragon Tooth Platform on the Grey Iron Dragon. Now that the Grey Iron Dragon was completely defeated and bound, what followed was naturally to forcefully ride it, making the Grey Iron Dragon his fourth dragon, adding iron ore resources to his territory.


    The value of iron ore was not much less than gold or silver, especially important for the nation.


    Moreover, the combat power of an adult Iron Dragon was something Liszt urgently needed. Once he had the Iron Dragon, he could confront dragon battles head-on, rather than relying on the young Formless Dragon and Fire Dragon to sneak attacks bit by bit.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Just as he reached the back of the Grey Iron Dragon, he suddenly noticed several raised scales; from the gaps, he could see a person lying inside. He couldn¡¯t help but pry open those scales, only then clearly seeing the person inside, dressed in gorgeous armor, motionless.


    Their complexion was blue, lips purple, with only a slight breath remaining.


    ¡°This person must be Duke of Grey Iron Piero Grey Mouth Iron, right?¡± Liszt pulled the other up, checking his breath, as if seeing a pile of dragon coins beckoning to him.


    Capturing a Duke, that ransom¡ªunless someone brought a Dragon Elf, they couldn¡¯t think about redeeming him back!


    Seizing the unconscious Duke Piero, Liszt locked him up with Dou Qi restraining shackles, and threw him at Ach¡¯s feet, ¡°Ach, take care of him, this is a big shot who can be exchanged for a Dragon Elf.¡±


    ¡°Dragon Elf? Great!¡± Ach cheered. She had long wanted to study Dragon Elves.


    Piero was just an accident.


    Liszt continued to climb the body of the Grey Iron Dragon, finding the position of the Dragon Tooth Platform, but it was surrounded by iron scales, tightly sealed, and absolutely impossible to open.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but walk over to the head of the Grey Iron Dragon, looking down from a height at the unwilling eyes of the Grey Iron Dragon, ¡°Grey Iron Dragon, I speak Wind Language, you should understand, open the Dragon Tooth Platform, become my dragon!¡±


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    The Grey Iron Dragon puffed out a blast of hot air from his nostrils, responding with a disdainful expression.


    ¡°Do you want me to kill you?¡± Liszt glared and questioned fiercely, not expecting that the Grey Iron Dragon, even at this juncture, still wouldn¡¯t submit, instead showing nothing but disdain for him.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Grey Iron Dragon let out a roar as if it were declaring its refusal to submit to death.


    Liszt tried questioning and negotiating multiple times but couldn¡¯t change its stance; it absolutely wouldn¡¯t open up the Dragon Tooth Platform. Frustrated, he walked over to the platform and tried to forcibly cut the scales to mount it. However, the scales near the Dragon Tooth Platform were too hard; sparks flew as the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword scratched against them without creating even a notch.


    After struggling for a long while, the sky gradually darkened.


    He still couldn¡¯t open the scales of the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    He then called Bard and Leo to come and tear at it, the scales were torn bloody, but they still couldn¡¯t find the closed Dragon Tooth Platform. The Grey Iron Dragon¡¯s eyes were filled with a resolute will, a silent determination to die rather than submit. And with a deep hostility, it let the blood flow and death approach.


    Dragons are proud by nature; seldom do they submit to being conquered.


    The Grey Iron Dragon was no exception, and from its eyes, Liszt read the impossibility of the situation. To forcefully conquer it, unless it was knocked unconscious, but the willpower of the Grey Iron Dragon was astounding. Even if he really managed to mount it, the Mind Battle would be hard to win against a dragon resolved to die.


    Silently, a quarter of an hour passed.


    ¡°Grey Iron Dragon, I admire your perseverance, but do you really think I can¡¯t make you submit and become my dragon?¡± he stared directly into the cold eyes of the Grey Iron Dragon, ¡°I was only trying to save some resources, but now, I¡¯ve decided to spend resources on you!¡±


    As he spoke,


    he took out a rainbow-colored fruit from his Space Ring: ¡°You¡¯re worth a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit¡­ Leo, Bard, pry open the mouth of the Grey Iron Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Whirrya!¡± The Formless Dragon glanced at Liszt, its eyes full of profound meaning¡ªit had once witnessed Liszt wrap a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit in roasted beef and bring it to its mouth.


    Leo looked at the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit as if having a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. However, he didn¡¯t think deeply about it, excitedly joining Bard under the promise of a double dose of Magic Potion for three months, they forcibly pried open the clamped jaws of the Grey Iron Dragon.


    Liszt acted swiftly, and the fruit dropped.


    A Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit slipped down into the throat of the Grey Iron Dragon.


    Then he instructed Bard and Leo to close the Grey Iron Dragon¡¯s mouth, preventing it from spitting out the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit. After waiting for a moment, the eyelids of the Grey Iron Dragon began to droop, and then its gaze gradually became dazed¡ªit was a sign of falling asleep. Soon after, the once defiant Grey Iron Dragon shut its eyes and began to snore heavily.


    At its neck where it joined the body, a few bloody steel scales slowly relaxed, revealing the concealed Dragon Tooth Platform.


    In the pitch-black night, the stars blinked.


    Liszt¡¯s calm heart quickly heated up, he stepped into the deep crevices of the Dragon Tooth Platform and sat down.


    Boom!


    In that moment, the world changed.


    He entered the mental world of the Grey Iron Dragon, a very peculiar place. It resembled a smithy, but with a volcano as a forge and rocky mountains as an anvil. A young Iron Dragon wielded a massive iron hammer, pounding on a red-hot iron block; opposite the dragon, a tall knight, brandishing a small hammer to give direction.


    Clang!


    The small hammer hit the anvil.


    Boom!


    The large hammer struck the red-hot iron block.


    But this scene didn¡¯t last long; with Liszt¡¯s arrival, the young dragon collapsed to the ground, ensnared by a rainbow chain. The knight opposite suddenly turned around, a well-featured, middle-aged man now glaring coldly at Liszt.


    With a clang, he drew the Knight¡¯s Longsword he was carrying.


    Just as he was about to attack, he suddenly found himself entwined in rainbow chains, binding all his movements; he could only watch as Liszt, forming a smoky, fiery red Dragon Bone Longsword, leisurely walked towards him.


    ¡°The Mind Branding of the First Dragon Knight?¡± Liszt chuckled.


    He swung the Fire Attribute Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword without hesitation, slicing down; splash! The First Dragon Knight was cut into two from one stroke.

 Chapter 879 - 0876: Blacksmith in Furnace Village (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 6/147)

    Chapter 879: Chapter 0876: Blacksmith in Furnace Village (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 6/147)


    The corpse disappeared, and the figure of the First Dragon Knight appeared again in the smithy, still entwined with Rainbow Chains. Thus, Liszt repeatedly hewed at him, repeatedly splitting the Iron Knights in two, even though each time a new First Dragon Knight emerged, the figure kept fading more and more.


    After dozens of attempts, the figure of the First Dragon Knight ultimately vanished without a trace.


    At the same time, the mental world of the Grey Iron Dragon began to collapse, and in the blink of an eye, the smithy, naturally heated, was utterly destroyed; then a new mountain peak rose abruptly, with the now mature Grey Iron Dragon perched at its summit, nodding at Liszt.


    The next moment.


    Liszt saw a blur before his eyes, and he was already riding on the Grey Iron Dragon, whose massive wings stretched out, and strong hind limbs kicked, leaping high from the mountain peak.


    Soaring above the skies of the mental world, flying higher and higher, as if stepping on the sky itself.


    Suddenly.


    Liszt opened his eyes, and it was still that pitch-black night, and beneath him, the Grey Iron Dragon was still sound asleep. However, he had already understood that a connection had formed between him and the Grey Iron Dragon¡ª the effective influence of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit was vividly demonstrated in this Mind Battle.


    Even the stubborn Metal Dragon had to succumb to the power of the mind.


    ¡°So what exactly is the power of the Jade Dragon, and what exactly counts as the power of the mind, is it a dream or the soul?¡± Liszt realized a question was troubling him.


    The legendary Jade Dragon represents dreams, but are the powers of dreams and the soul indeed the same?


    Or if the Jade Dragon had to enter a dream, how would it enter the world of dreams? Turning into a wisp of smoke, or creating a new world?


    It was hard to fathom.


    Currently stored in the cellar of Flame Castle, he hadn¡¯t carefully researched the Jade Dragon¡¯s hind leg yet, and hadn¡¯t realized the fundamental nature of the Jade Dragon¡¯s power.


    ¡°Brother, did it work?¡± Ach came over and asked.


    ¡°Yes, withdraw the Water Tornado, the Grey Iron Dragon has become my dragon,¡± Liszt responded with a restrained smile, recalling the slightly dissatisfied Leo¡ªall because Leo was still young and easy to fool; once Leo matured, riding dragons arbitrarily might cause a commotion.


    Ach was delighted, circling the slumbering Grey Iron Dragon for a while, sizing it up; they were fighting to the death during the day, yet by evening, they had become a family.


    This feeling was indeed a bit strange.


    She then pointed to a nearby rock: ¡°Brother, that person has woken up.¡±


    Piero Grey Iron had awakened, watching with a complicated look the sleeping Grey Iron Dragon and the proud Liszt standing tall.


    Full of bitterness, hatred, sorrow, and heartbreak.


    Right before Liszt stepped onto the Dragon Tooth Platform, Piero had awakened. Although the night was dim, he could vaguely see everything happening nearby. As Liszt rose from the Dragon Tooth Platform with a smile, Piero¡¯s heart was in agony¡ªthe Grey Iron Dragon that had been the heirloom of Grey Iron Duchy for over three hundred years was lost!


    Thump!


    Liszt soared into the air, then plummeted down in front of Piero.


    A crystal lamp illuminated the surroundings and Piero¡¯s bloodless face.


    ¡°Liszt, what have you done to my Ash King?¡± Piero put away his myriad thoughts and asked with a fa?ade of friendliness, clinging to his last hope.


    But Liszt mercilessly shattered that hope, ¡°Ash King, you mean the Grey Iron Dragon? I am sorry, Duke Pierrot, but from now on, the Grey Iron Dragon belongs to me, Liszt Flame. It no longer has any connections with the Grey Iron Duchy or the Grey Iron Family. I hope you understand that.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Piero gritted his teeth, ¡°You can¡¯t just take the Ash King, the Eagle Kingdom will not stand by idly, you are blatantly challenging the kingdom¡¯s system!¡±


    ¡°Duke Pierrot, stop talking nonsense, you need to realize your current status. I am the victor of the Dragon-Slaying Battle, Loyle has been slain, and you are fortunate to have survived and become a captive. So, next, you need to think clearly about what ransom you will use to redeem yourself.¡±


    ¡°Captive?¡± Piero was stunned, realizing only then his status as a prisoner, yet he still did not give up, ¡°Fine, I will pay the ransom, but you must return the Grey Iron Dragon¡­ Liszt, you are a newly appointed Dragon Knight, and might not be aware of some traditional rules¡ªstealing dragons is taboo among the great kingdoms.¡±


    Liszt smiled, feeling that Piero was still delusional, ¡°Would it be more serious than the Dragon-Slaying Battle, or in other words, will the three great kingdoms convene Dragon Knights and then launch a third Dragon-Slaying War against me?¡±


    Piero¡¯s gaze flickered, persisting, ¡°Indeed, you were victorious in the Dragon-Slaying Battle, but your strong performance will disrupt the balance of the kingdoms, especially your Formless Dragon¡ªonce it grows, it will make all the Dragon Knights of all kingdoms uneasily¡­ They won¡¯t let you keep expanding!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, the deterrent power of the Formless Dragon is greater than that of a Fire Dragon.¡±


    Liszt echoed, but then his expression became serious, ¡°For this reason, I must gather more dragons and strengthen my forces, so that no one dares to contemplate against me! In the age where knights rule the world, Duke Pierrot, you should understand, weakness is the only sin!¡±


    ¡°Your ideas are insane!¡±


    ¡°No, they are very wise.¡± Liszt boasted, no longer arguing with Piero on this matter, always believing in ¡®having a gun in hand, having no fear in heart¡¯¡ªthe more dragons he had, the safer he was, rather than being harmless without dragons, ¡°Duke Pierrot, spare the nonsense, you now need to seriously consider how much ransom to pay.¡±


    ¡­


    Under the starlight, the Grey Iron Dragon still slumbered, weakened by the powerful effect of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, rendering this enormous creature vulnerable to manipulation.


    Fortunately, the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit in ancient times was called Jade Fruit, a product of the Jade Dragon.


    If Mind Fruit Trees could naturally grow and then bear Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, none of the Dragon Knights would feel secure¡ªwho knows when one¡¯s dragon might be stolen.


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    ¡°Ash King is the name given by the Grey Iron Duchy. In the Flame Kingdom, it should have a new name.¡± Liszt thought briefly, ¡°Let¡¯s call it Ornn¡­¡±


    Ornn is a demigod in Freljord, mastering smithing and craftsmanship. He carved out a majestic workshop in a lava cave under a volcano known as Furnace Village, working alone. He manipulated the boiling crucible of lava, refined ores, and forged incomparable fine objects.


    This character from ¡°League of Legends¡±, a blacksmith, quite fit the strange atmosphere of the Grey Iron Dragon self-identifying as a blacksmith in the world of mind.


    ¡°Ornn¡­¡± Ach pronounced, feeling it was quite fitting.


    Thus, this 370-year-old peak Grey Iron Dragon, during its slumber, was officially renamed Ornn and became the fourth dragon of Liszt.

 Chapter 880 - 0877: Choices After the Battle (Fourth Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 7/147)

    Chapter 880: Chapter 0877: Choices After the Battle (Fourth Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 7/147)


    ¡°Complete the task, reward: a Man-Eating Tree Cluster.¡±


    Tracking down the dragon, the Smoke Mission had undeniably been perfectly completed, and the reward was forthcoming. Liszt presently didn¡¯t understand what a Man-Eating Tree Cluster was, nor did he pay much attention to it.


    At this moment, his mood was still immersed in the joy of having slain the fourth dragon.


    The Smoke Mission quickly transformed into fresh Serpent Script.


    ¡°Mission: Perfectly complete the second Dragon-Hunting War, your name will shake the entire Legendary Continent, even the sea will tremor at the sound of your name. The battle is now over, but the matter is not yet finished; why not punish the traitor within the Sapphire yourself? Reward: Elf Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Punishing a traitor, that task is simple¡­ Elf Shadow, what kind of reward is this?¡±


    Liszt pondered for a moment with no clues, then decisively gave up. Oftentimes, the reward from a Smoke Mission supplements the content of the task, and one could deduce the nature of the mission from the clues provided by the reward. However, most of the time, there¡¯s little connection between the reward and the mission. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like this Smoke Mission and its reward that seemed unrelated, so there was no need for deep thought; upon completing the mission, he would naturally come to know what an Elf Shadow was.


    ¡°Time to sleep, tomorrow I¡¯ll head straight back to Black Horse Island, then deliver a message to the Sapphire Duke¡­ Although he didn¡¯t take part in the Dragon-Hunting War, I absolutely do not believe that he was oblivious to the war unfolding within Sapphire¡ªit¡¯s not so easy to sit back and reap the benefits!¡±


    And Liszt wasn¡¯t wrong in his expectations.


    In the Azure Sky Peak Palace, the Sapphire Duke was receiving a report from the Rat Leader about the situation on Hot Spring Island: ¡°The Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom have withdrawn, and the Count of Hot Spring Island has taken steps to erase any traces on the island. However, our rats have discovered another wave of rats active on Hot Spring Island.¡±


    ¡°Rats under the Marquis of Flames?¡±


    ¡°Highly likely. They¡¯ve been inquiring about the transportation of goods on Hot Spring Island right from the start and clearly knew full well about the Eagle Kingdom Dragon Knights stationed there.¡±


    ¡°So ends the Dragon-Hunting War, with the death of the Purple Copper Duke as its conclusion?¡± the Sapphire Duke mused from the head seat, his eyes deep and inscrutable.


    Crown Prince Anthony, sitting at a lower seat, wanted to interject, but did not dare interrupt the Duke¡¯s conversation with the Rat Leader.


    The Rat Leader replied, ¡°We have no deeper information as of yet. However, everything in the Flame Territory is running smoothly. But on the night of the Dragon-Hunting War, the Marquis of Flames returned to Thorn Castle to rest for the night¡­ If my deduction is not mistaken, the Dragon-Hunting War was a victory for the Marquis of Flames.¡±


    ¡°Fire Dragon, Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡­ How did he defeat Alex, Alonso, Loyle, and the other three Dragon Knights, as well as a formidable team of five dragons?¡± the Duke wondered, finding it incomprehensible.


    Anthony couldn¡¯t help but interrupt, ¡°Father, do you believe this result, that the Marquis of Flames, however strong, could withstand the might of five dragons?¡±


    ¡°I cannot see through it, nor can I comprehend it, but one thing is clear to me: since the rats of the Flame Territory were previously active on Hot Spring Island, it indicates that Liszt already knew the situation of the opponent. He could prepare at ease, whether to hide away or to stand out. The outcome of Loyle has also proven this point.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°There is no ¡®but¡¯.¡± The Duke cut off Anthony¡¯s words with a cough, his aged face revealing a profound exhaustion, ¡°The situation now is that Alex and the other Dragon Knights have been forced to leave, they failed in the Dragon-Hunting War; otherwise, it would have already been proclaimed far and wide.¡±


    He paused, allowing his breathing to become smoother, ¡°And what we are now facing is Liszt, the victorious Marquis of Flames from the Dragon-Hunting War, the future King of the Flame Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°King of the Kingdom, he really dares to adopt such a title for himself!¡± Anthony said indignantly.


    ¡°Having won the Dragon-Hunting War twice, he is entitled to become the new overlord of the seas and the new King of the Flame Kingdom. The sea is no longer calm; the Sapphire Family has reached a moment of decision again. Anthony, this state will ultimately be handed over to you; what do you think our choice should be?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Anthony had a lot to say, but when the words reached his lips, they wouldn¡¯t come out, ¡°How about we first annihilate Hot Spring Island to secure the Marquis of Flames and then send someone to contact the Steel Ridge Royal Family? Once the Flame Kingdom is established, Steel Ridge should feel unsettled.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not interfere with Hot Spring Island,¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) had already noticed Hot Spring Island, and it¡¯s best to leave it to him to handle personally, to test his thoughts¡­ We find ourselves in an awkward position, Anthony, external forces can never last long, the only one we can truly rely on is the Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    Moreover.


    The Sapphire Duke felt somewhat bitter inside, having signed a defensive and offensive alliance with Li Si Te (Liszt) yet he stayed out of the fray¡ªthe young Dragon Knight was not someone who could be dismissed easily.


    ¡­


    After returning to Black Horse Island.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) arranged accommodations for Duke Pierrot, a Completion Level Sky Knight with no small amount of strength, so despite being treated well, necessary shackles had to be placed.


    As for Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, it was not brought to Black Horse Island, but rather temporarily housed on Mind Island to recuperate. Ornn had already woken up, and while still somewhat resistant to the fact that it had been ridden, it kept silent. However, having accepted the Magic Potion that Li Si Te (Liszt) offered, it tacitly acknowledged their relationship.


    In the battle for the mind, victory, no matter how achieved, is accepted by dragons due to their prideful nature, and they would not deny a Dragon Knight.


    Subsequently.


    Without a moment¡¯s rest, Li Si Te (Liszt) proceeded to Tulip Castle on Coral Island to see the Marquis of Bull Tail, ¡°Father, there is a matter I need you to handle.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The day before yesterday, there was a dragon slaying battle at sea to the north.¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) explained the battle succinctly, not exaggerating the severity of the fight nor using a dramatic tone.


    But when he casually mentioned the death of Purple Copper Dragon Knight Loyle Purple Copper, the capture of Duke Grey Iron, and how Grey Iron Dragon Ornn became his mount, the Marquis of Bull Tail was so shocked that he was speechless for a long time.


    Until Li Si Te (Liszt) quietly finished a cup of tea.


    Only then did he manage to digest the news and regained his fatherly authority, ¡°Are you saying that you were ambushed by five dragons, killed one Dragon Knight, and captured one of the Iron Dragons? The Eagle Kingdom witnessed the collapse risk of two vassal states in the blink of an eye, while you came out unscathed?¡±


    ¡°As you can see, I am indeed in good health.¡±


    ¡°This is so sudden, Liszt, if I hadn¡¯t seen you standing here, I might have doubted you were my son. I always thought I had some talent, but I never imagined my son achieving such glorious feats, you are even more legendary than what¡¯s described in Knight¡¯s Novels.¡±


    In Knight¡¯s Novels, the protagonists ride just one dragon to a stylish end, but Liszt, at the rate of two dragons a year, just keeps on Dragon Riding.


    ¡°Perhaps these seas need a King to stand up, and it just so happens that I¡¯m that choice.¡± He acknowledged with rare humility, ¡°Father, the stance that the Sapphire Family took during this dragon slaying battle chills my heart. As allies supposed to aid each other, they watched idly as the Eagle Kingdom encroached and seriously infringed upon my interests.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought it through honestly, but I can¡¯t swallow this indignation. You know I already have four dragons, and I wouldn¡¯t mind acquiring another.¡±


    ¡°You need to give me a bottom line, so I can properly discuss this matter with the Grand Duke.¡±


    ¡°The resources needed to sustain four dragons are colossal, the Duchy of Sapphire must pay a part, but what matters most is their attitude. The Flame Kingdom is about to establish itself, and I still lack a vassal slot.¡±


    ¡°You want to make Sapphire your vassal?¡± Li Weiliam exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°A Grand Duchy by the sea submitting to a Kingdom by the sea, isn¡¯t that a very normal scenario? Oh, and Father, dispatch a group of Knights to help me eliminate Viscount of Square Island, I suspect he¡¯s a traitor planted by the Eagle Kingdom, and I shall personally head to Hot Spring Island!¡±

 Chapter 881 - 0878: Crystal Helen (First Update)

    Chapter 881: Chapter 0878: Crystal Helen (First Update)


    ¡°Captain Marcus, assemble all Knight Orders on the island and follow me to Hot Spring Island!¡± Liszt pointed with his longsword, and Black Horse Island immediately erupted.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness!¡± Marcus was inexplicably excited.


    He had now become a Baron. Four years ago, he was just an untitled commoner, following a lord who seemed to have no future, going to the declining, rundown Fresh Flower Town.


    Who would have thought that one day, he would walk on familiar land as a Baron.


    Looking at Liszt¡¯s shadow in the sunlight, his heart was filled with boundless loyalty and reverence, for he understood that all of this was bestowed by the young lord before him¡ªwho had long since shed his childish air to become a towering Dragon Knight.


    This young lord had also won the second Dragon Slayer battle and was now setting out to eliminate traitors, emanating the untouchable glory of a Dragon Knight.


    Marcus quickly conveyed Liszt¡¯s command, assembling various Knight Squads and issuing the call to war. His strength was not formidable, merely an Elite Earth Knight, but his position was significant, and everyone knew he spoke for Liszt, commanding the elite Fresh Flower Knight Order.


    It wasn¡¯t just the knights of the Fresh Flower Knight Order who were assembling; all Earth Knights staying on Black Horse Island were gathering towards the docks.


    In fact, Liszt alone could have taken care of the Count of Hot Spring Island, but he mobilized all knights of his territory anyway. Regardless of their condition¡ªold, weak, ill, disabled¡ªas long as they were Earth Knights, were mobilized, seeking weapons and equipment, boarding the fast sailboats¡ªthe dockyards were already capable of producing two-masted fast sailboats, and three-masted ones were still not fully mastered.


    ¡°Your Highness, should the patrol squad also proceed?¡± Paris, riding a Black Blood Treasured Horse, came to inquire.


    As a Great Light Magic Swordsman, on par with Sky Knights and Grand Magicians, her strength had grown rapidly and was now able to compete with Sword Saints without falling behind.


    She was one of Liszt¡¯s early confidants, currently holding only the title of Baron, which Liszt found somewhat dissatisfying. This voluptuous, beautiful follower, though not very bright, was highly appreciated and trusted by him. He hoped to promote her soon to a higher position to counterbalance the ¡°Captive Faction.¡±


    The Captive Faction was a concept in Liszt¡¯s mind referring to those Sky Knight followers captured from the Eagle Kingdom, numerous and strong, prone to forming cliques.


    ¡°Screen the patrol group, all Earth Knights must join the battle, Paris, not just your patrol group, Charles¡¯s security team must also deploy Earth Knights¡­ The campaign on Hot Spring Island is the best reward I could give to the elders following me.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, you are a lord who honors old loyalties, worthy of every knight¡¯s allegiance,¡± said Paris respectfully, yet her eyes could not fully hide a hint of irrepressible affection.


    No woman could resist being moved by a Dragon Knight, especially one so handsome and imposing.


    If the Duchy of Sapphire had a media outlet issuing a ¡°Most Attractive Male Knight in the Eyes of Women Nationwide,¡± Liszt would undoubtedly be chosen unanimously.


    ¡°Honor is mine, and I am with you,¡± Liszt said, patting Paris on the shoulder.


    Seeing this Great Light Magic Swordsman, he was reminded of the Light Dragon residing in Red Maple Mountain of the Maple Leaf Duchy¡ªa huge Evil Dragon, eighty meters in length, formidable and elusive. No Dragon Knight dared to easily slay this dragon and attain the title of Dragon Slayer.


    Liszt was indeed interested in joining the fray.


    But the time had not yet come; it was not suitable to venture out recklessly.


    However, that said, he was already a Dragon Knight who had achieved two kills. Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight Carlo Violet, Purple Copper Dragon Knight Loyle Bronze, both had fallen by his hand. This record was splendid among Dragon Knights, as most would die of old age; dying in battle was rare.


    ¡°Your Highness, Charles reports that the security team has assembled all Earth Knights and is ready to fight at any time!¡± Charles Trap quickly arrived.


    He was far more enthusiastic about military exploits than Paris.


    Paris, being a woman, was naturally a bit more laid-back and, with her strength comparable to a Sword Saint, would eventually ascend to a high noble rank. Unlike her, Charles, an Elite Earth Knight, had to seize every opportunity to achieve military honors.


    ¡°Captain Paris, Captain Charles, since the Knight Orders have assembled, then you both are to board immediately and follow Captain Marcus¡¯s command.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    In a moment, Black Horse Island had assembled five Knight Orders¡ªMarcus leading the Fresh Flower Knight Order, Sky Knight Derec Iron Armor, Joyce Dandelion each forming their own Knight Orders, and the unorthodox Knight Orders of Paris and Charles, leaving only Sky Knight Spark on the territory for security.


    The five Knight Orders boarded the ships, setting sail majestically towards Hot Spring Island.


    On the other side, Tulip Castle also gathered a large number of knights, rushing toward Square Island to eradicate the Viscount of Square Island. However, the Marquis of Bull Tail did not participate personally; he had already started his journey to Blue Dragon Island, preparing to discuss the details of the second Dragon Slaying Battle with the Sapphire Duke meticulously.


    Standing behind, with his son riding four dragons, he ignored those shocking strikes and felt better than ever.


    ¡­


    Hot Spring Island.


    The Count of Hot Spring Island was caressing batches of treasures in the cellar, all gifts from the Eagle Kingdom, for he had risked his life to act as a spy and naturally demanded high rewards.


    ¡°How beautiful, this ¡®Crystal Helen¡¯ statue, definitely the work of the top crystal craftsmen of the Eagle Kingdom, completely imbuing the statue with lifelike beauty¡­ Ah, great Crystal Helen, you once guided the Moon Empire forward, now would you guide me, a knight lost in his path, to your heart?¡±


    He closed his eyes, as if intoxicated in a fantastical love, with an extremely beautiful woman embracing and kissing him¡­


    Snap!


    Whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo!


    Suddenly, urgent bugle sounds filled the air above the castle, interrupting the Count of Hot Spring Island from his fantasy. Just as he was about to explode in anger, he remembered that this bugle sound was an alert sounded only when the territory was invaded.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡±


    He hurriedly wrapped the half-human-height Crystal Helen statue in soft cloth and, unable to contain his anger, rushed out of the cellar, shouting at the knights who were hastily lining up outside.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s the knights from Flame Territory who are invading!¡± A knight captain rode over hurriedly, urgently reporting, ¡°The knight order of the Flame Territory is launching a major invasion of our Hot Spring Island, having already overtaken the coastal city, Sand Grain City, and is now charging toward Hot Spring Castle! My lord, you need to prepare for battle immediately!¡±


    ¡°Flame Territory?¡±


    The Count of the Hot Springs felt a sudden squeeze in his heart, which contracted violently.


    Despite it being the warm spring of April, it felt as if he had plunged into an icy cellar, feeling a bone-chilling cold, ¡°Flame Territory¡­ Liszt Flame¡­ the Dragon Slaying Battle¡­ has it begun?¡±


    He didn¡¯t have time to think it through.


    In the distance, the lining-up knights suddenly started shouting, ¡°Dragon!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a dragon!¡±


    ¡°Fire Dragon, the Fire Dragon of the Marquis of Flame Territory!¡±


    ¡°Why is the Flame Territory attacking us at Hot Spring Island!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he afraid of the Grand Duke¡¯s punishment!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, the Dragon Knight himself is attacking!¡±


    Amid the shouts, a Fire Dragon appeared in the sky, its thirty-meter wingspan gently flapping, carrying boundless flames towards Hot Spring Castle. There were no breaths, no impacts, just the flames stirred by its wings, scorching Hot Spring Castle in a sweeping blaze.


    Horses neighed as all the lined-up knights scrambled, covering their heads and fleeing.


    The knight order of Hot Spring Castle dispersed without any resistance. The Fire Dragon swept past overhead, and Liszt, riding on the Fire Dragon, glimpsed at the towering castle with an indifferent look. Behind him, the charge of five knight orders from Black Horse Island was assembling.


    A surge of Dou Qi instantly submerged Hot Spring Castle.


    On one corner of the battlefield, Paris, Derec Iron Armor, and Joyce Dandelion, three formidable figures, soared up, charging towards the fleeing Count of Hot Spring Island, forcibly blasting him back.


    All settled.


    The dust settled. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 882 - 0879: Enormous Sin and Extreme Evil (Second Release)

    Chapter 882: Chapter 0879: Enormous Sin and Extreme Evil (Second Release)


    Betrayers must die, but before the trial, the Count of the Hot Springs had not been killed, only captured. Then, they began to appeal to his knight order ¡ª punishing the betrayer was just a ruse; what Liszt really needed were the resources of Hot Spring Island, both material and human.


    The Count of the Hot Spring Island¡¯s betrayal conveniently gave him a legitimate excuse to plunder those resources.


    At that moment, standing in the cellar surrounded by a dazzling array of treasures, Liszt, intrigued, questioned the Count of the Hot Springs, who was bound hand and foot.


    ¡°The Eagle Kingdom must really value your loyalty, giving you so many treasures. I often visit the Tulip Family¡¯s cellar, and it doesn¡¯t even compare to a tenth of what is here. Tell me, when did they turn you against us, making you a spy within the Duchy of Sapphire?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, I am willing to dedicate all my wealth to you, and my family and I are willing to follow you for life!¡± the Count of the Hot Springs hurriedly said.


    ¡°And then what, continue being a spy?¡±


    ¡°How could that be, Your Highness, I truly intend to reform, to start anew and faithfully follow you forever!¡±


    Such nonsense was truly uninteresting, but the Count of the Hot Springs had to say it even if there was just a slim chance of receiving forgiveness. However, Liszt cared nothing for his posturing; bargaining with a dead man seemed too undignified, especially for a true Dragon Knight like himself.


    ¡°When did you become an internal collaborator for the Eagle Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Ten years ago, when my son was taken prisoner by the Eagle Kingdom during the Pioneer Mandate War, I became the contact for Alonso¡­ Alonso¡¯s men. But Your Highness, I did not commit any acts of betrayal against the Grand Duchy of Sapphire, I and your father, the Marquis of Bull Tail, were old friends.¡±


    ¡°Receiving Dragon Knights from the Eagle Kingdom, launching a war of dragon slaying ¡ª you call that no betrayal?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡­ I didn¡¯t know their purpose for coming here; I just thought they were searching for something,¡± the Count of the Hot Springs, sweating from his forehead, knew his lies were full of holes but still had to continue.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Liszt suddenly noticed a half-human height crystal statue.


    The crystal statue seemed to be made of pink crystal, likely a type of Pink Gemstone ore. However, the statue was immaculate and flawlessly clear, obviously of very high-quality ore. The figure carved was a magician, dressed in a tight magic robe.


    Although the crystal was tinted with a pink transparency, the statue¡¯s features and figure could only be described as perfect.


    Even used to exquisite Nixies like Ach, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but be amazed by the magician in the statue, embodying sexiness, allure, and majesty all in one. Particularly, the clarity of the crystal, combined with the angle of carving, made it seem as if the figure inside the statue was a living person, watching him with a gentle smile.


    With the Eye of Magic activated, he could see every line on the statue¡¯s clothing was a magical line, bearing traces of a magic array; this was a piece of magic equipment.


    ¡°It is Crystal Helen,¡± the Count of the Hot Springs said, his tone filled with melancholy and confusion, but he quickly regained his composure, ¡°Your Highness, this is the most precious item in my collection, crafted by a top-tier crystal craftsman master along with a magician, turning it into a treasure combining beauty and magic!¡±


    ¡°Crystal Helen?¡± Liszt seemed to have heard this term before.


    The Count of the Hot Springs continued eagerly, ¡°It not only reaches the pinnacle of beauty but also has special effects. When placed within a castle, it smoothens the stray magic power, refreshing everyone. Ordinary people bathed in its aura live without ailments, while knights and magicians enjoy the convenience it brings to their training.¡±


    After a pause,


    The Count of the Hot Springs, as if parting with a beloved woman, said, ¡°I am willing to offer it to you, Your Highness, for such a treasure is only worthy of someone of your stature.¡±


    ¡°Who is Crystal Helen?¡± Liszt suddenly asked.


    ¡°Ah, she was a legendary empress of the Moon Empire,¡± he began, ¡°the supreme leader of magicians. Her beauty made the moon pale in comparison, and even dragons submitted to her charm, willing to be commanded by her.¡±


    ¡°I remember now.¡±


    Liszt nodded. He had read a magic book that mentioned the great emperors from the era of the Moon Empire. Although it was a world ruled by magicians, it was also an imperial and slave system, one of the emperors was called Helen Truth, and she had a fondness for crystals.


    Because of her beauty, the magicians who worshipped her had built her a palace made entirely of crystal.


    Columns, roofs, arches, steps, including thrones, tables, chairs, clothing, carriages, dinnerware, even toilet bowls¡ªall were made of crystal.


    Ridiculous.


    However, the lore from the era of the Moon Empire had become blurred, and no one knew whether that crystal palace truly existed, or even if Crystal Helen herself was real.


    The statue in front of him, however, made for a fine decoration. Naturally, Liszt was eager to accept it and have it moved to his own castle to enhance the artistic atmosphere there. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Pack it up, pack up everything and take it away!¡± he declared with a wave of his hand.


    As for the Count of the Hot Springs, once he had gone over the provenance and use of the collectibles, he could be taken to the execution ground to be prepared for hanging.


    Usually, noble knights could ransom their freedom, but this did not apply to traitors.


    Sapphire Duke had once initiated a bloody purge on Iron Hoof Island, and for Liszt, eliminating a count and landlord was equally effortless.


    Right in front of the plaza of Hot Spring Castle, he had many recruited knights come to witness.


    An official from Black Horse Island read out the charges in front of the gallows: ¡°The Count of Hot Spring Island¡­ despicable in character, murderer of knights, torturer of commoners, conspirator with the Eagle Kingdom, assassin of a marquis of the Grand Duchy and schemer against the Flame Territory, utterly depraved and unforgivable! Let the hanging be carried out immediately!¡±


    After the charges were read, amidst the dread of all knights, the Count of Hot Spring Island was hanged alive.


    His servants and confidants, charged with various offenses, were also hanged on the gallows. It is unknown whether there is a hell or some other place for the dead to go, where they might continue to follow the Count.


    Liszt stood on the balcony of Hot Spring Castle.


    He watched the hanging clearly.


    Marcus reported to him on the side about the spoils collected from the clearing of Hot Spring Castle. The Count of the Hot Springs, being an old noble and having conspired with the Eagle Kingdom, possessed astounding wealth. There were massive amounts of gemstones, jades, gold coins, and also elves¡ª one Greater Elf, sixteen Little Minor Elves, and one hundred thirty-six Elf Bugs.


    All were bound to his son.


    But they would soon be all transferred to Liszt.


    The knights and serfs on the island were also being inventoried. Those fit for migration to Flame Island would be relocated directly, while the remaining assets that could not be moved could be sold back to the Sapphire Family.


    ¡°The gains are truly rich; this kind of thing makes money fast!¡± he thought delightfully.


    Compared to the Grey Iron Dragon from the dragon-slaying battle, these resources might not seem much. But, after all, there was only one iron dragon, whereas the resources of Hot Spring Island were diverse and varied, offering a more stimulating sensation.


    ¡°I wish there were more traitors from the Grand Duchy of Sapphire!¡±

 Chapter 883 - 0880: Like a Thorn in the Back (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 8/147)

    Chapter 883: Chapter 0880: Like a Thorn in the Back (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 8/147)


    One Millet Greater Elf, a type of grain, valued highly.


    Five Millet Minor Elves, two Barley Minor Elves, and one Wheat Minor Elf, all grain types, and all highly valued.


    One Jasmine Minor Elf and one Half-Lotus Minor Elf, both are Magic Potion types, highly valued.


    One Tomato Minor Elf and one Apple Minor Elf, both fruit and vegetable types, decently valued.


    One Black Tea Tree Minor Elf, used as a common source of tea by Nobles, similarly valued decently. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One Sempervivum Minor Elf, one Lithops Minor Elf, and one Campion Minor Elf, all ornamental types, with average value.


    Also, there were one hundred thirty-six Elf Bugs, among which about ten were Magic Potion types, all fairly valued. In total, the resources scavenged from Hot Spring Island were enormous and could be said to have fattened Liszt in one gulp. All of these resources were readily usable.


    ¡°This Greater Elf shall be named Tick, the Harbinger of Doom, Fiddlesticks.¡±


    In ¡°League of Legends¡±, Fiddlesticks is a scarecrow.


    After seeing the farms around Hot Spring Castle filled with millet and many scarecrows, Liszt named the Millet Greater Elf this new name.


    The only regret was that the Millet Greater Elf Tick was already one hundred fifty years old, and according to the two-hundred-year lifespan of Greater Elves, it had only fifty years left. Moreover, its personality was somewhat rigid. The Count of Hot Springs regarded Elves merely as tools, so they were all quite wooden.


    Not lively enough.


    But now, having become Liszt¡¯s Elf, they would enjoy better living conditions and a happier and comfortable environment.


    The Count of the Hot Springs had four followers who were Viscounts.


    Liszt had planned on a thorough cleansing, but these four Viscounts reacted swiftly, kneeling before Liszt even before the Flame Territory¡¯s Knights could charge. Pleading ignorance, they sought Liszt¡¯s forgiveness and pledged their allegiance to the new landlord.


    They each proclaimed their willingness to migrate to Flame Island and develop the abundant lands for the Flame Family.


    Seeing their former landlord executed, they harbored no thoughts of retaliation; after all, they faced a Dragon Knight. The dealings between the Count of Hot Springs and the Eagle Kingdom were too clear for them to deny, and they had no loyalty to the Count of Hot Springs.


    Knights boast of loyalty, but how much truly remains when a ransom can redeem them?


    Interests are the only values tirelessly pursued by the Nobility.


    In any case.


    The banner atop the castle had changed.


    Besides the downfall of the former rulers of Hot Spring Island, not much else had changed. The Knights were reorganized but still stationed on Hot Spring Island, and the Serfs who were meant to farm still had to farm¡ªthe migration would have to wait until the Magic Teleportation Array was operational.


    Currently, there wasn¡¯t the transportation capacity to relocate the manpower and resources from Hot Spring Island to Flame Island, and with spring plowing already past, the crop growth could not be delayed.


    After cleaning the Hot Spring Castle, it had become Liszt¡¯s palace, the Elves still housed there but now guarded by specialized Servants and Knights.


    Liszt stayed there for two days, then set off.


    He had to transport new food supplies to Flame City, which although had just harvested a crop of potatoes, was facing a burgeoning population nearing three hundred thousand after the winter campaign against the Moon Slayers. The Knight Order, busy gathering food in the forests, still couldn¡¯t sustain the increasing food consumption.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Liszt was reveling in the spoils of his search.


    Prince Alex of the losing party in the battle against the dragon, along with Alonso and the dragons, headed straight back to the King¡¯s Castle of the Eagle Kingdom.


    The fate of the Grey Iron Dragon and Duke Pierrot remained unclear.


    The news of the Dragon Knight¡¯s return wasn¡¯t leaked; only a few in the Court were aware. The King had summoned Prince Alex and Marquis Alonso to the palace.


    When the corpse of Loyle Purple Copper, the Purple Copper Dragon Knight, was carried into the great hall, the King immediately furrowed his brow, a bad premonition rising in his heart.


    Afterwards,


    He heard from Alex the full details of the battle against the dragon.


    ¡°So, Duke Loyle has died in battle, and the enormous national effort invested in this battle against the dragon has failed again?¡± The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King, his thick beard masking his expression, his eyes devoid of much color, asked as though inquiring about something trivial.


    But Alex and Alonso, who were familiar with the king, both knew that he was extremely angry.


    Alonso immediately knelt on one knee, ¡°Your Majesty, Alonso has mishandled his duties, delaying the Kingdom¡¯s war efforts, and is willing to accept your punishment!¡±


    As a Prince, Alex did not need to kneel; he merely clasped his fists and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I am not shirking my responsibilities. The reason for our defeat in this battle lies more with the appearance of the Formless Dragon. Who could have expected that Liszt would possess a Formless Dragon as his mount?¡±


    ¡°Formless Dragon!¡± The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King slammed his scepter heavily onto the floor, ¡°Who can tell me why the Sacred Dragon was born in the Sea of Azure Waves, and why it has fallen into Liszt¡¯s hands!¡±


    At this moment, excuses like the favor of a knight¡¯s glory clearly wouldn¡¯t suffice.


    Alonso said gravely, ¡°If I am not mistaken, Liszt has already taken control of a relic from the era of the Ancient Moon Empire. The legend of the Sacred Dragon prevailed during the Moon Empire era and has not appeared for many years. The birth of Archmages must also be related to the relics of the Moon Empire!¡±


    Changes in the Magic Web shrinking were not unfamiliar news to Dragon Knights.


    The advancement of a new Archmage did not mean the recovery of the Magic Web, so Alonso believed that Ach¡¯s advancement as an Archmage was achieved through the relics of the Moon Empire era.


    Such a speculation couldn¡¯t be considered wrong; indeed, it was through the Divine Artifact, Mermaid¡¯s Tears, that Ach touched the Magic Web, laying the foundation for his advancement. The Fish Ugly Temple and the Moon Empire are more or less connected, saying that it pertains to relics from the Moon Empire era wasn¡¯t wrong either.


    However, they all overlooked the reasons behind Liszt as an individual¡ªhis entire strength originated from personal struggles, after all, the Smoke Mission was a part of his body, and the Power of Destiny had long merged with him.


    But strictly speaking,


    The death of the Smoke Dragon and the remnants of the Power of Destiny also seemed related to the Ancient Moon Empire.


    Alonso¡¯s speculation on the general direction had not been incorrect.


    ¡°The Moon Empire¡­ an ancient empire that has decayed who knows how many years ago, Alonso, do you think this reason can convince me?¡± The King of the Eagle Kingdom spoke in a stern tone, ¡°For this battle against the dragon, how many resources has the Kingdom consumed, how many relationships utilized! Now can you tell me how great the losses of the Kingdom are from the failure of the battle against the dragon!¡±


    ¡°Please punish me, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Would punishing you help the situation?¡± At this moment, the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King still did not know that the Grey Iron Dragon had encountered issues. ¡°The Purple Copper Duchy has always been the western barrier of the Kingdom, Duke Loyle was a strong supporter of mine, but now he is dead, how am I supposed to explain to my aunt and cousin!¡±


    The King of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s cousin was none other than the wife of Duke Loyle, the Duchess.


    Prince Alex sighed, ¡°This matter is because I did not support in time, Your Majesty, please allow me to personally escort Duke Loyle¡¯s body back to the Purple Copper Duchy. Regardless of what the Purple Copper Family requests, I will do my utmost to satisfy them!¡±


    The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King looked at Alex, without speaking.


    After a long while, he finally sighed deeply, ¡°Alonso, rise. Tomorrow, return to the frontier to continue your duties¡­ As for the sacrifice of Duke Loyle, I will personally contact my aunt¡­ Now I need you to immediately come up with a response plan, I want to know how we can curb Liszt¡¯s growth!¡±


    He paused.


    The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King murmured softly, his tone exceedingly somber, ¡°If he continues to grow, I feel a thorn in my back¡­¡±

 Chapter 884 - 0881: Master of the Seas (First Update)

    Chapter 884: Chapter 0881: Master of the Seas (First Update)


    The battle of dragon-slaying on Dodo Island did not take place in full view, so the nobility of the Sapphire Archipelago were still unaware of this unprecedented great war.


    However, the annihilation of Hot Spring Island by the Knights of the Flame Territory was by no means concealed. With the promotion of merchants and covert rats on the island, the news spread to the ears of all nobles, great and small, within the Sapphire Isles in almost a week.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Why would the Marquis of Flames destroy Hot Spring Island?¡±


    ¡°Even a Dragon Knight shouldn¡¯t be so reckless. Is the Grand Duke really indifferent?¡±


    ¡°The Count of Hot Spring Island is known for his integrity and sincerity, and although the Marquis of Flames is indeed powerful, he shouldn¡¯t bully the weak like this!¡±


    ¡°This is a trampling of a knight¡¯s dignity!¡±


    Many noble landlords dared not comment on this matter in public, but after social pleasantries, they would inevitably make pointed remarks over drinks, criticizing the actions of the Flame Territory for bullying the weak. Some even directly entreated the Sapphire Duke, hoping he would intervene to stop this.


    However, just as the news of the Flame Territory¡¯s eradication of Hot Spring Island began to spread, merchants and rats brought new explosive information¡ªthe Knights of Bull Tail Domain had annihilated Square Island in a single day, the attack was brazen and without any concealment, nor did it have the permission of Marquis Deep Throat.


    The Viscount of Square Island was a follower of Marquis Wallace Pineapple Green of Deep Throat Island, so his downfall would naturally require Wallace¡¯s consent, or else it would be a provocation.


    Here, Dragon Knight Liszt blatantly annihilated a fellow Dragon Knight¡¯s follower.


    There, Marquis Bull Tail openly destroyed another marquis¡¯s follower.


    It completely set the public opinion of Sapphire ablaze.


    ¡°What exactly are the Marquis of Bull Tail and the Marquis of Flames, this father and son duo, trying to do!¡±


    ¡°I have dealt with Li Weiliam. He is a knight of utmost loyalty and honor. How could he do such a thing?¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°If it¡¯s said that Marquis Wallace had offended Marquis Bull Tail, attacking the Viscount of Square Island as punishment could be understandable. But for the Marquis of Flames to annihilate the Count of Hot Spring Island, what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Could the Tulip Family be seeking to turn against the Grand Duke?¡±


    ¡°The Grand Duke must not ignore this, or else, with Dragon Knights and Archmages, the Tulip Family could overturn the rule of the Sapphire Archipelago!¡±


    ¡°We must advise the Grand Duke!¡±


    Yet before these public opinions even had the chance to ferment, an edict from the Sapphire Duke was delivered by the knights of the Ashen Hawk Knights to all the major landlords of the islands.


    A message that left everyone agape then erupted.


    ¡°The Lord of the Sea of Azure Waves, Landlord of the Sapphire Archipelago, the great Sapphire Duke, hereby announces to all followers and knights: the Count of Hot Spring Island and the Viscount of Square Island colluded with the Eagle Kingdom, provided help for the invasion by the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s five dragons and three knights, plotted against the Marquis of Flames, and instigated the war of dragon slaughtering!¡±


    ¡°The Marquis of Flames resisted staunchly¡­ and with the killing of the Purple Copper Dragon Knight Loyle Purple Copper as the conclusion, he thwarted the sinister plan of the Eagle Kingdom and swiftly took action to annihilate the two traitors, the Count of Hot Spring Island and the Viscount of Square Island¡­ The Marquis of Flames and Marquis Bull Tail are the embodiment of loyalty, justice, bravery, and fearlessness, exhibiting the noble qualities of knights in the finest manner!¡±


    Simultaneously.


    Detailed news released by merchants and rats from the Flame Territory and Bull Tail Domain rapidly spread¡ªevery battle of dragon slaughtering was the best headline news of the year, and without effort of promotion, it naturally caused an explosion.


    ¡°White Maw Iron Dragon Knight Alex White Iron, Bronze Dragon Knight Alonso Xiankelai, Purple Copper Dragon Knight Loyle Purple Copper, the Grey Iron Dragon, the Silver Dragon¡ªfive dragons and three knights joined forces to besiege the Marquis of Flames, but the great Fire Dragon Knight, Formless Dragon Knight, Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight Liszt Flame, powerfully killed Loyle and crushed the united front of the five dragons!¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable! Unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°The dragon-slaying battle of Dodo Island involved eight dragons, with Prince Liszt alone commanding three dragons, powerfully defeating five dragons and knights, his strength boundless and limitless!¡±


    ¡°The Formless Dragon is a Sacred Dragon, the legendary Sacred Dragon!¡±


    ¡°So powerful, the knight¡¯s glory shines upon him. The Marquis of Flames is not just the Son of Glory, he is glory itself!¡±


    ¡°The horror of it all!¡± exclaimed one onlooker.


    ¡°The Earl of Hot Spring Island and Viscount of Square Island colluded with the Eagle Kingdom, traitors must die,¡± another voice declared. ¡°The war the Marquis of Flames waged to annihilate them was a just one!¡±


    ¡°Marquis Wallace personally thanked the Marquis of Bull Tail for exterminating the traitorous Viscount of Square Island,¡± someone recounted.


    ¡°Can someone tell me if this is really true?¡± a bewildered voice asked. ¡°Why has his highness Liszt gained the recognition of three dragons? Is he the embodiment of knightly glory?¡±


    In an instant,


    noble landlords who had previously objected to Liszt¡¯s actions against the Earl of Hot Spring Island changed their tune, lavishing praise upon Liszt as if there were not enough hours in a day to do so.


    They feared their earlier complaints might reach Liszt¡¯s ears.


    If Liszt were merely a Dragon Knight with an Archmage as his assistant,


    they might have been backed by the Sapphire Duke, defending noble class interests and hoping to gain favor from the Duke for their outspokenness.


    But now the news was too terrifying: Liszt had single-handedly mounted three dragons, cleanly killed another Dragon Knight, and repelled three Dragon Knights and five dragons from the Eagle Kingdom with just his own might. Coupled with that spectacularly stylish Archmage, the team was overwhelmingly powerful and cool beyond measure.


    It was said that even if the Sapphire Family were to be destroyed, no one would dare utter an unnecessary word.


    In a world ruled by a knightly order, where strict order and rules apply, when someone¡¯s strength reaches a certain level, what are rules to them?


    ¡°The master of the sea has changed¡­¡± Marquis Wallace Pineapple Green stood at the prow of his ship, feeling a sense of weary resignation.


    Back when the tulip family was sweeping Square Island, he took his Knight Order to confront them and questioned their leader, Levis, ¡°What does the Tulip Family mean by this? What does your father mean, killing my followers for no reason!¡±


    Levis rarely took part in wars; he was mainly there to earn military merit.


    Still, as a newly made Sky Knight, he had cultivated a composed demeanor and casually replied, ¡°Marquis Wallace, the orders I follow are from Dragon Knight Liszt. Perhaps there are some things you are not aware of, but Liszt has killed another Dragon Knight!¡±


    He briefly mentioned the dragon-slaying battle.


    After that, Wallace¡¯s face went from pale to ashen, ending in a deep sigh. He turned and departed without another word, ceasing to care about the fate of Square Island.


    That same night, Wallace took a ship to Blue Dragon Island.


    When he arrived at Blue Dragon Island, he saw the Sapphire Duke having tea with the Marquis of Bull Tail at the Azure Sky Peak Palace. Accompanying them were Duchess Sarette Dahua Huilan, Crown Prince Anthony, Marquis Glendenton Red Maple Leaf of Red Maple City, and Marquis Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea of Quicksand City.


    Essentially, the entire high command of the Sapphire Family was there to join Li Weiliam for tea.


    Such high-level company was simply unbelievable.


    Seeing this gathering, Wallace knew then that the seas were no longer ruled by the Sapphire Family. After spending a night in Azure Sky Peak Palace and receiving a handwritten decree from the Duke, Wallace left Blue Dragon Island feeling dispirited, returning to his own territory.


    He felt old, ready to retire and enjoy his twilight years, no longer engaging in the noble power struggles.


    Marquis Merlin Taro of Red Crab Island had grown up with the Sapphire Duke, and Wallace Pineapple Green had been just as loyally dedicated since his youth.


    ¡°The master of the sea has changed¡­¡± Wallace repeated to himself as he looked at the address on the decree.


    The Sapphire Duke¡¯s formal correspondence used to open with ¡°Master of the Sea, Lord of All Islands, the Great Sapphire Duke.¡± Yet, this decree began with ¡°Master of the Sea of Azure Waves, Lord of the Sapphire Archipelago, the Great Sapphire Duke.¡±


    The shift from ¡°the Sea¡± to ¡°the Sea of Azure Waves,¡± from ¡°All Islands¡± to ¡°the Sapphire Archipelago.¡±


    The implication was clear.


    The real master of the sea had officially changed following the dragon-slaying battle on Dodo Island.

 Chapter 885 - 0882: High-Profile Actions (Second Update)

    Chapter 885: Chapter 0882: High-Profile Actions (Second Update)


    The landmass was too vast, making the dissemination of information inconvenient.


    Piero Grey Iron¡¯s capture and the Grey Iron Dragon becoming Liszt¡¯s mount had not yet spread. In fact, the results of the dragon-slaying battle had just begun to ferment among the high ranks of the Duchy of Sapphire and the Eagle Kingdom. Of course, the rats of various kingdoms and grand duchies were already carrying the news to their respective nations.


    It wouldn¡¯t be long before the entire northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent would be boiling over.


    Some felt like they had a sword hanging over their heads, some listened as if it were a story, others worshiped with a mad fervor, and some were enviously puzzled¡ªall typical reactions. However, Liszt was destined to add another log to the fire.


    The reason was simple.


    He himself was quite low-key, but the Smoke Mission, after completing the traitor¡¯s punishment, issued a rather high-profile new mission:


    ¡°Mission: The Duchy of Sapphire has begun to sing your name, and the high echelons of the Eagle Kingdom are plotting to contain your growth, but a true man fears no sordid machinations in the dark. It is time to mount the Grey Iron Dragon and visit Blue Dragon Island, to enable the Sapphire Family to make the right choice. Reward: The first vassal state to surrender.¡±


    It was evident, the Sapphire Duke was still hesitant.


    This was to be expected, as Liszt¡¯s ancestors had been followers of the Sapphire Family¡ªtheir roles reversed one day, with the Sapphire Family now to become followers of Liszt. Indeed, from the perspective of interests, having numerous dragons and archmages, Liszt possessed the qualifications of a king.


    It was only natural for a grand duchy to seek allegiance to a kingdom, especially those located on the great seas.


    However, on an emotional level, there were considerable difficulties. Moreover, the Sapphire Family still held hopes for the Steel Ridge Royal Family, wishing to draw benefits from both the Steel Ridge Kingdom and the prospective Flame Kingdom, unwilling to easily switch allegiances.


    ¡°The Sapphire Duke¡¯s thought process is not unreasonable¡­ Although he belongs to the treacherous party in the alliance of offense and defense, he has after all been the landlord whom the Tulip Family has followed for generations; being overly harsh wouldn¡¯t be good for the family¡¯s reputation.¡±


    In sentiment and reason,


    The Sapphire Family was the old master of the Tulip Family; their lord-vassal relationship was amicable. The Tulip Family hadn¡¯t betrayed, nor was the Sapphire Family ever harsh.


    This friendship needed to be considered.


    Otherwise, Liszt¡¯s reputation after his rise would suffer¡ªthe reputation mostly served as icing on the cake, but as part of the noble class and the top Dragon Rearing Family, they ultimately relied on the knight system for governance, and a good reputation was still required.


    ¡°Then mount the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn and pay a visit to Blue Dragon Island. Let the Sapphire Duke weigh the situation himself,¡± he decided, looking at the Smoke Mission.


    After completing the food transport, he directly traversed through space, arriving at Mind Island.


    Ornn, the Grey Iron Dragon nursing his wounds, had mostly healed. It hadn¡¯t suffered the grave injuries that the Light Green Gemstone Dragon did; these were mostly external wounds. Thus, with the dragon¡¯s powerful regenerative abilities, he quickly returned to his original state. Only the depleted Dragon¡¯s Superior Magic needed more time to replenish.


    Normal riding and fighting were no longer an issue.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ornn held no good feelings towards Liszt¡ªafter all, submission had been forced through a Mind Battle¡ªbut after erasing the Mind Branding of the First Dragon Knight, Ornn accepted Liszt as his Dragon Knight, united in soul.


    ¡°Bard, you carry Ach, while I will ride Ornn!¡± Liszt quickly arranged the mounts.


    ¡°Woo yee ya!¡± Bard did not refuse Ach¡¯s riding¡ªnaturally, the Dragon Tooth Platform was reserved for Liszt alone; even if Bard favored Ach, he would not allow Ach to sit there.


    Just as the Grey Iron Dragon had protected Piero, the Dragon Tooth Platform was not a place for him to sit.


    And so,


    One man and one dragon flew towards Blue Dragon Island, with the Magic Form of Little Fire Dragon Leo at Liszt¡¯s chest. Since he was going to demonstrate his authority on Blue Dragon Island this time, he might as well reveal his full hand; if it weren¡¯t for the Light Green Gemstone Dragon still being on Flame Island, he would have brought all four dragons with him.


    The situation was set, and he did not mind being exposed to the gaze of various kingdoms on the Legendary Continent.


    While the Formless Dragon¡¯s combat ability was not particularly remarkable, its capacity for Space Shuttle was incredibly strong, enough to ensure his escape from any dangerous situation.


    The Smoke Mission mentioned that the Eagle Kingdom was contemplating a plot to restrain Liszt. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Other kingdoms on the continent, upon learning of Liszt¡¯s rise and his possession of a Sacred Dragon like the Formless Dragon, would certainly weave their own schemes. However, these stratagems boil down to either dragon-slaying battles or economic sanctions¡ªno one can tackle a fleeing Formless Dragon in battle, and economic sanctions are even less effective.


    If Liszt couldn¡¯t do business, he could simply resort to robbery.


    Robbing Hot Spring Island once fattened him up, and if he were to rob a few Marquises from the Continental Kingdom, wouldn¡¯t he become a big, fat pig?


    He could even rob Dragon Knights.


    A lone Dragon Knight was no match for him, not with his luxurious lineup that included himself, Bard, Leo, and Ach ¨C slaughtering a solitary Dragon Knight was too easy¡ªif it weren¡¯t for the fear of pushing the Continental Kingdom too hard, leading these kingdoms to reach an agreement and deploy all their Dragon Knights to capture him, Liszt would have adopted this tactic long ago.


    ¡°Besides, I have the Smoke Mission for early warnings¡­¡±


    He had a clear understanding of the situation on the continent. With the Eagle Kingdom failing twice in dragon-slaying battles, the other kingdoms would likely try to court him instead.


    Perhaps a King would even offer his daughter¡¯s hand in marriage.


    Of course.


    The notion of marrying a princess from some kingdom did not particularly appeal to him. What he now coveted most was not the submission of the Grand Duchy of Sapphire but the reward from the previous Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: one Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite.¡±


    This was the prompt in Serpent Script when he completed the Punish the Traitor mission. While transporting food to Flame City, he directly sought out Emily, who was overseeing road construction, to inquire about his Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite.


    He had already heard about it through messages sent by the Magic Platform.


    Emily had been investigating the man-eating ogre incidents, the reward from the mission three Smoke Missions ago called ¡°Trace of the Man-Eating Ogre¡±; they ultimately found the true culprit behind the man-eating ogress, the reward from the second to last Smoke Mission ¡°Man-Eating Tree Cluster¡±; and finally, the third part of the man-eating ogre series of missions granted him the desired ¡°Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite¡± from the previous mission.


    Dragon Sprite!


    A Dragon Sprite!


    Although this reward fell short of that of a dragon, it was still staggeringly alluring to Liszt, who harbored an extraordinary desire for sprites.


    He had long yearned for a Dragon Sprite.


    After all, a Dragon Rearing Family without a Dragon Sprite would seem embarrassingly poor.


    He had assumed that Dragon Sprites would scarcely appear in the wild, given the harsh evolutionary conditions for sprites; a Greater Elf evolving into a Dragon Sprite would need to spend an extended time in the company of dragons. Dragons themselves were exceedingly rare, and those that fell into the wild were mostly evil dragons with malevolent temperaments¡ªunwilling to tolerate a Greater Elf¡¯s proximity.


    Hence, he had little hope for wild Dragon Sprites and deemed stealing one unrealistic; his only option was to cultivate one himself¡ªthe Greater Elf Annie, who loved to touch the Little Fire Dragon, was the Dragon Sprite he was eagerly anticipating.


    As time went by, Annie kept touching but did not evolve.


    Then, unexpectedly.


    A Chain Mission, which he didn¡¯t pay much attention to due to a dragon-slaying battle, suddenly rewarded him with a Dragon Sprite, much to his surprise and delight.


    Regrettably, Emily and the others had spent a long time tracking the Man-Eating Tree but had not found the Dragon Sprite. According to Emily¡¯s conjecture, the Man-Eating Tree could burrow into the ground¡ªthe Dragon Sprite might be hiding underground. After Liszt himself fruitlessly searched the forest three or four times, he instructed Emily to continue the search.


    He was determined to find this Dragon Sprite, even if it meant digging three feet into the ground.


    What was destined to come could not escape.


    He decided to relax a bit and made his way to Blue Dragon Island first¡ªeager for another encounter with the Sapphire Duke.

 Chapter 886 - 0883: Descent of the Emperor (First Update)

    Chapter 886: Chapter 0883: Descent of the Emperor (First Update)


    Traveling upstream along the river valley, after a month-long journey through dense jungles, the Knight Squad led by Yevich finally found a human settlement.


    It was a small village where there were neither Knights nor Elves, and they did not engage in farming crops. The men in the village hunted for a living, while the women gathered wild fruits from nearby mountains and bred a clumsy bird that resembled a chicken but was larger in size and had brighter feathers.


    Confrontation and communication.


    The language barrier made communication difficult, but, by combining gestures and drawings, they managed to get across some basic information.


    The villagers did not know which country they belonged to and none could write. They only knew that they were under the authority of the ¡°Lord of Huzha,¡± and every year they needed to submit a large number of furs and ¡°Fritillaries¡±¡ªthe colorful large chickens with delicate and smooth meat.


    After handing over a few colorful shells, hunters willingly led Yevich and others to the small town where the Lord of Huzha resided.


    In a dilapidated castle near the small town, Yevich met the Lord of Huzha.


    Another session of gestures combined with intimidation, and this barely an Earth Knight landlord disclosed his identity¡ªhe followed an Honored Knight who served a Viscount who followed an Earl in the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy; he was not a native of the Eagle Kingdom but belonged to a duchy that had never been heard of.


    ¡°Snowstorm Mountain Duchy?¡± Yevich sketched out his new question on the paper he was carrying, ¡°Which kingdom does this duchy belong to?¡±


    The Lord of Huzha was utterly amazed by the white paper in Yevich¡¯s hands, then took it and drew an abstract complex family crest on it, along with some unfamiliar writing. He tried his best to translate the meaning of the text, which roughly referred to a vast yellow stone plain.


    ¡°Yellowstone Kingdom?¡± Yevich immediately caught on.


    He had heard of this kingdom, to the southwest of the Eagle Kingdom, practically a neighboring country. However, the year-round snow-covered plateau between the Yellowstone Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom, which was also home to a host of Magical Beasts, created an extremely harsh environment that led to very little interaction between the two kingdoms.


    There were a few duchies arranged between the two kingdoms that traded with the Eagle Kingdom.


    However, Yevich had never heard of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy¡ªthe southern border of the Eagle Kingdom was still undeveloped and the environment harsh, so it was no surprise he was not aware of the duchy¡¯s existence here.


    He continued to communicate a lot of information with the Lord of Huzha, but in vain, as the lord, being a stay-at-home Honored Knight, had limited knowledge. He was unclear about their exact location, only knowing that his Viscount landlord lived even further to the west, a day¡¯s horse ride away.


    When he followed his Viscount to help the earl they served in a war, they had to ride for five days and cross several mountains.


    As one went westward the climate became colder, but the land grew more fertile, and to the far west lay the Marquisate¡¯s territories, and further beyond was the true highland heartland of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    ¡°This is a bit awkward. Sailing west from the Third Archipelago, other than discovering a large island, we went straight to the mainland coastline. His Highness wanted me to clarify the distribution of power here, but within hundreds of kilometers of the coastline, it¡¯s utterly desolate. How are we supposed to launch a war in the future?¡±


    He referred to the model of the Sapphire, which developed by looting the Eagle Kingdom.


    The Flame Kingdom would also have to follow a looting model in the future, but now it turned out that the mainland coastline directly opposite was undeveloped. Venturing deeper inland would only lead to the highlands where the climate was as cold as in the Flame Kingdom, which implied that robbing the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy would be very difficult.


    ¡°Let¡¯s contact His Highness first and inquire about his next instructions.¡± He occupied the Lord of Huzha¡¯s castle and indicated to the Magician who had come with him to send a message through the Magic Platform.


    ¡­


    While Yevich was blending into the Legendary Continent, gathering intelligence on the surrounding national forces,


    Liszt had already left Mind Island and quickly entered Blue Dragon Island and flew toward the city of ¡°Blue Dragon City,¡± flying high above without alarming the humans below. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he entered the vicinity of Blue Dragon City and sensed the Sapphire Dragon nesting in the valley¡¯s Dragon Nest, only then did he signal Grey Iron Dragon Ornn to lower the flight altitude.


    He also signaled Formless Dragon Bard to reveal itself and summoned Little Fire Dragon Leo, forming a three-dragon formation.


    During the low-altitude flight, they just happened to sweep over Blue Dragon City. The appearance of a grey-white Grey Iron Dragon, a red-and-black Fire Dragon, and a transparent crystal-like Formless Dragon in the sky above the city threw the first major city of the Sapphire, with a population of two hundred thousand people, into a frenzy of chaos.


    ¡°Dragon! Dragon! Dragon!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this, a dragon!¡±


    ¡°There are three dragons!¡±


    ¡°By the knight¡¯s honor, what am I seeing!¡±


    ¡°Is this a Dragon Knight invasion?¡±


    ¡°Too terrifying, three dragons¡­ Are these dragons here to destroy Blue Dragon City!¡±


    The peasants were terrified at the sight of the dragons, and many of them even crouched on the ground, holding their heads, afraid to look up at the dragons overhead. Many women quickly took their children and hid inside their homes, fearing that the evil dragons would come to plunder the city. Of course, there were also some brave civilians who shouted at the three dragons, their excitement uncontrollable.


    Even the residents of Blue Dragon City might not have seen a Sapphire Dragon, let alone three unfamiliar dragons all at once.


    The nobles in the city, however, immediately thought of the recent edict from the Sapphire Duke and quickly recognized the Fire Dragon that showed its might in the Dragon Slaying Battle near the waters of Iron Hoof Island.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Fire Dragon!¡±


    ¡°His Highness Liszt, His Highness Liszt himself has come to the Azure Sky Peak Palace!¡±


    ¡°By the knight¡¯s honor, what am I seeing? That¡¯s the Marquis of Flames¡¯ dragon in the middle, the Fire Dragon, over there is the holy Formless Dragon, and there¡¯s the Light Green¡­ Huh, isn¡¯t that a Light Green Gemstone Dragon? That¡¯s an Iron Dragon, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°When did His Highness Liszt get another Iron Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Great Dragon Knight!¡± Some knights worshipped fervently.


    The stories about Liszt that circulated in the market were so unbelievable and enviable that listening to them was more exciting than even the best Knight¡¯s Novel.


    ¡°Has the Marquis of Flames come to Blue Dragon Island for something, could it be¡­¡± Some knights instantly considered conspiracy theories, immediately growing anxious.


    ¡°My god, His Highness Liszt is on those three dragons, right? My god, is he watching me from the sky right now? My god, if I could ride the same dragon as His Highness Liszt, I would do anything he asked!¡± Countless noble young ladies watched the dragons in the sky, their cheeks flushed with excitement.


    The three dragons simply swept past Blue Dragon City and flew towards the peaks in the distance, heading for the Azure Sky Peak Palace.


    But the commotion they left in Blue Dragon City was long in subsiding; the nobles hustled to tell each other, speculating on the significance of Liszt¡¯s arrival; the peasants prayed silently, boasting about the Dragon Knight stories they had heard; the young ladies either gathered to talk about Liszt or secluded themselves in their rooms, lost in daydreams.


    It was as if a stone had been thrown into a lake, its ripples spreading outward endlessly.


    The Blueblood Knight Order stationed outside the city had already quickly assembled, ready to respond to the Sapphire Duke¡¯s call¡ªat once the glory and the fall of the Sapphire Family affected them, and they were ready to offer their loyalty, no matter how dire the situation.


    But this was bound to be a false alarm.


    As the Sapphire Dragon rose to meet them, Liszt had already landed with the three dragons in the square in front of the Azure Sky Peak Palace.


    He jumped down from the back of the Grey Iron Dragon, catching Ach as he leaped from the Formless Dragon.


    They walked leisurely toward the grand and majestic palace, which seemed like the focal point of the sky and the mountains.


    The knights guarding the palace had already been alerted and quickly formed a guard of honor, nervously approaching the three dragons and surrounding Liszt and Ach.


    At the palace gates, the Sapphire Duke himself came out to welcome them.

 Chapter 887 - 0884: Joyful Atmosphere (Second Update)

    Chapter 887: Chapter 0884: Joyful Atmosphere (Second Update)


    ¡°Prince Liszt, Lord Acherloides, welcome to the Azure Sky Peak Palace as guests,¡± the Sapphire Duke looked at the tall and spirited Liszt, his eyes calm yet unable to fully conceal a faint sense of loss.


    A nobody who used to grovel before him.


    Now, he had become a Dragon Knight on equal footing with him, no, more precisely, a high and mighty new overlord who required a slight bow from him upon meeting.


    Especially when he saw that grey-white Grey Iron Dragon, his heart clenched painfully¡ªclearly, it was the Grey Iron Dragon from the Grey Iron Duchy.


    Last time, he had slain Carlo Violet in the Dragon Slaying Battle and snatched away the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    This time, in the Dragon Slaying Battle, he killed Loyle Purple Copper and took the Grey Iron Dragon.


    The Sapphire Duke could hardly imagine how this young man, barely twenty years old and smiling, managed to achieve all this.


    But the Grey Iron Dragon was perched right there in the palace square, leaving him no choice but to believe.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the three dragons previously mentioned, but four¡­ With such a luxurious lineup, I¡¯m afraid the visitors have ill intentions. This time, the Sapphire Family probably has no choice at all,¡± the Sapphire Duke thought bitterly, feeling a continuous sense of weakness throughout his body, thankfully supported discreetly by the Duchess, Lady Sarette, by his arm.


    So as not to show it.


    ¡°Grand Duke, I hope my uninvited arrival hasn¡¯t disturbed you,¡± said Liszt, not arrogantly but still with the gentlemanly demeanor, greeting him properly.


    His gesture was a salute between equals, giving full respect to the Sapphire Duke.


    He then turned to the Marquis of Bull Tail and bowed, ¡°Father.¡±


    This made the recently overjoyed Li Weiliam even prouder, his smile barely concealable, ¡°Liszt, why isn¡¯t the Light Green Gemstone Dragon here? Instead, you¡¯ve brought the Grey Iron Dragon?¡± He did not know that the Grey Iron Dragon had already been ridden by Liszt, as it was the dragon¡¯s first public appearance.


    ¡°I have captured Duke Pierrot. The Grey Iron Dragon and I are compatible; it has become my dragon!¡±


    As if in response to Liszt,


    the Grey Iron Dragon let out a long ¡°roar,¡± casually glancing over the Sapphire Duke and his entourage, as well as the Sapphire Dragon perched on a hilltop not far away.


    ¡°Prince Liszt is indeed the most outstanding youth of this era, a veritable incarnation of knightly glory,¡± observed Lady Sarette, aware of the Grand Duke¡¯s frailty, and extended an invitation, ¡°After a long journey, perhaps Prince Liszt and Lord Acherloides would like to enter the palace for some tea and rest.¡±


    Acherloides, not fond of such social occasions, remained silent, staying close to Liszt and lost in his thoughts.


    Liszt readily agreed, ¡°Very well.¡±


    And thus, everyone returned inside the Azure Sky Peak Palace.


    The Azure Sky Peak Palace could be said to be less a single palace and more a conglomeration of castles, sprawled across a mountaintop and connecting from summit to base. Its grandeur was something the few castles on Earth could not match by even a hundredth.


    Furthermore, it had magical creations, such as a floating garden suspended over one of the castle rooftops.


    That was the private chamber of the Sapphire Duke.


    Standing on the castle corridor, one could see the distant Blue Dragon City and the vast blue lake that was Tranquil Lake, the largest lake on Blue Dragon Island. The pearl jewelry that was all the rage throughout the Grand Duchy was harvested from the low-level magical beasts, pearl oysters, farmed in the lake.


    However, the Black Pearl products from Black Horse Island were now renowned throughout the nation.


    Compared to the white pearls produced by pearl oysters, black pearls were bigger, more scarce, and thus more expensive.


    The top-grade black pearls were kept by Liszt for making Calming Wind Pearls and not sold to outsiders. Likewise, pink pearls and golden pearls were not sold to outsiders¡ªthe cultivation of the black tridacna, fen hai luo, and golden-lipped clams had yet to expand significantly, with production levels insufficient even for their own needs.


    Perhaps in a few years, or even a dozen or so years, with the maritime development of Flame Island, it would be possible to develop and expand the cultivation of these three kinds of shells. For the time being, there was no likelihood of expansion.


    ¡­


    In the luxuriously decorated palace hall. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt and the Sapphire Duke sat at opposite ends of a huge round table, surrounded by the Marquis of Bull Tail, the First Prince, the Quicksand City Marquis, and the Red Maple City Marquis¡ªand of course, Acherloides, who held a magic book and did not look up.


    ¡°Your Highness, Liszt, I warmly welcome your visit. If it¡¯s not a formal visit, shall I take it as a private exchange between the Sapphire and Flame Families?¡± the Sapphire Duke had recovered his health, the previous moment of weakness merely an emotional fluctuation.


    Liszt neither confirmed nor denied, ¡°Of course, this is a private exchange. However, concerning the Dragon War, I felt it was necessary for you, Duke, to have a more detailed understanding, so I came over.¡±


    The Sapphire Duke nodded, ¡°Then, what else do I need to be filled in on?¡±


    Neither of them had any intention of engaging in empty pleasantries.


    Liszt thought for a moment, ¡°The situation of the Dragon War is completely under my control. Whether it¡¯s the Eagle Kingdom, Steel Ridge Kingdom, or Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom that sets off a Dragon War, it is all but a laughable act to me. I need the Sapphire Family to understand that the seas should be controlled by the knights who sail them.¡±


    The Sapphire Duke likewise pondered for a moment, ¡°Concerning the invasion by the Eagle Kingdom, I apologize, and there will not be a next time when dragon knights from the continent brazenly cross the Sapphire Archipelago.¡±


    ¡°That is necessary,¡± Liszt said with clear determination. ¡°Whether it be the Tulip Family or the Flame Family, both were once followers of the Sapphire Family. Though the situation has changed, I hope that the two families can still cooperate closely without being impeded by outsiders.¡±


    ¡°Then, how should the position of the Sapphire Family be defined?¡± the Sapphire Duke asked in a serious tone.


    Liszt retorted, ¡°Duke, what do you think it should be?¡±


    The hall fell into a brief silence.


    Ultimately, it was the Sapphire Duke who broke it with a wry laugh: ¡°Formless Dragon, Fire Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, Light Green Gemstone Dragon, His Highness Liszt, Lord Acherloides¡­ facing the current situation, I fear that I don¡¯t have much room for choice.¡±


    ¡°That is not my intention.¡±


    Liszt spread his hands, indicating he had no desire to pressure others: ¡°But a stable maritime order is the prerequisite for the establishment and development of the Flame Kingdom. I am not afraid of the Dragon Wars, in fact, if every Dragon War could yield a dragon, I would look forward to it.¡±


    He made a rather cold joke.


    Continuing, he said: ¡°However, if peaceful development is an option, I would prefer to patiently build a home. The Flame Islands are far from the continent, vast in size, and deserving of many years of cultivation, rather than relying on war to seize resources¡­ Essentially, I very much prefer peace.¡±


    After saying this, he laughed.


    The Marquis of Bull Tail, the First Prince, the Red Maple City Marquis, and the Quicksand City Marquis joined in the laughter, and the Duke chuckled along, lightening the atmosphere as though it had instantly become more joyful.

 Chapter 888 - 0885: Glory All Over (First Update)

    Chapter 888: Chapter 0885: Glory All Over (First Update)


    The atmosphere of joy, though somewhat stiff, did not hinder the improvement of the previously tense situation; and after the Marquis of Bull Tail told a few jokes, the mood became even more cordial and friendly.


    Eventually, after some mediation, a new alliance treaty was signed.


    The treaty stipulated that the Grand Duchy of Sapphire must provide full support for the establishment of the Flame Kingdom. Once the Flame Kingdom was established, the Grand Duchy of Sapphire would formally become a vassal state to the Flame Kingdom, paying tribute to it. At the same time, the Flame Kingdom and Liszt¡¯s Flame Family must ensure the security of the Grand Duchy of Sapphire.


    Furthermore, the Sea of Azure Waves would be allocated to the Sapphire Family, and after the establishment of the Flame Kingdom, its influence would not extend there. However, Black Horse Island and Coral Island could be treated as leased territories of the Flame Kingdom within the Duchy of Sapphire, serving as a means of communication, with the lands belonging permanently to Liszt.


    After signing the treaty, the Grand Duke felt somewhat dispirited.


    It was not because he had followed Liszt, but because the lease of Coral Island and Black Horse Island within the treaty was a somewhat humiliating gesture of ¡°cession for peace.¡±


    Nevertheless.


    Liszt needed these two islands as leaseholds.


    Within the study, he spoke to the Sapphire Duke privately: ¡°Duke Andrew, the leasehold of Coral Island and Black Horse Island is not intended to humiliate the Sapphire Family. In fact, these two islands are of great importance to me. Let me share some news with you in advance.¡±


    ¡°Please speak, Your Highness.¡± Since the treaty had already been signed, the Sapphire Duke no longer dwelled on formalities and addressed Liszt directly as Your Highness in private. This was a term befitting of someone who took on the role of a follower¡ªotherwise, the title ¡°Your Highness¡± would be preceded by the name ¡°Liszt,¡± or be accompanied by a title like ¡°Marquis of Flames,¡± or the esteemed ¡°Dragon Knight.¡±


    After the establishment of the Flame Kingdom, ¡°Your Highness¡± would change to ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°The Flame Islands lie nearly seven thousand kilometers from the Sapphire Archipelago. How do you think I manage rapid transit between the two archipelagos and migrate a large number of knights and serfs for development?¡±


    ¡°Does this¡­ have something to do with the Formless Dragon?¡± The Sapphire Duke asked uncertainly.


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Liszt did not play coy. ¡°The Magic Teleportation Array from the ancient legends truly exist. I¡¯ve discovered an ancient Magic Teleportation Array connected to the Flame Islands, and together with Acherloides, we¡¯ve thoroughly researched and are able to construct new Magic Teleportation Arrays.¡±


    The Sapphire Duke exclaimed in amazement, ¡°Magic Teleportation Array!¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°I never imagined that ancient legends could be true, that such grand magic like the Magic Teleportation Array actually exists¡­ It makes sense that only Lord Acherloides could research the Magic Teleportation Array¡­ No wonder you rented Coral Island and Black Horse Island, is it to build the Magic Teleportation Array on the islands?¡±


    ¡°I plan to establish a Magic Teleportation Array on Black Horse Island to bridge the Flame Islands and the Sapphire Archipelago. Once the Magic Teleportation Array is successfully established, I can protect the Sapphire at any time. You will no longer have to worry about retaliation from the Steel Ridge Kingdom, nor the covetous gaze of the Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Now that I understand the essence of the matter, I am completely reassured.¡± The Sapphire Duke poured two glasses of wine, handing one to Liszt, ¡°Your Highness, I will fully support the establishment of the Flame Kingdom according to the treaty, hoping that the friendship between the Sapphire Family and the Flame Family will persist!¡±


    Liszt smiled, ¡°To friendship, cheers.¡±


    With this, Liszt had accomplished all the goals of his visit to Blue Dragon Island, riding on the Grey Iron Dragon. In the following day, accompanied by the Grand Duke and his wife, Liszt thoroughly explored the Azure Sky Peak Palace and envisioned the palace he would establish in the future¡ªconsidering how to construct and arrange it.


    It had to be many times larger, more splendid, and more magical than the Azure Sky Peak Palace.


    The most unique aspect of the Azure Sky Peak Palace was its floating gardens, an architectural feat wrought by magic. With Acherloides the Archmage at his side and the ever-expanding Magic Guild for support, producing the most extraordinary buildings imaginable was not beyond his means¡ªhe even contemplated building a floating castle.


    A castle on the ground was no longer befitting of his current identity, status, and power.


    ¡­


    The midday banquet was grandiose and sumptuous, with all the nobility above the rank of earl stationed on Blue Dragon Island invited to join in the festivities.


    The protagonist of the feast was not Liszt, but rather the Marquis of Bull Tail, who was lively and engaging in conversation with the Sapphire Duke and weaving through interactions with marquises, earls, and landlords with his toasting cup. After three rounds of drinks, he was brimming with achievement, feeling as if he had reached the pinnacle of life.


    Of course, he understood this was because Liszt was deliberately putting on airs.


    That¡¯s why the nobles were focusing on him.


    After all, Liszt was too aloof¡ªbarely sipping his drink was enough to account for a toast in response to a greeting from an earl or landlord.


    This Dragon Knight, not keen on socializing at the banquet, was somewhat distracted, pondering over the Smoke Mission, knowing that when the agreement was reached, the mission would be accomplished.


    ¡°Complete the mission, rewards granted: a vassal state¡ªthe Duchy of Sapphire.¡±


    And then the new Smoke Mission promptly followed.


    ¡°Mission: Due to delays from the Dragon Slaying War, the construction of the Magic Teleportation Array in Mind Island-Reed Marsh has yet to begin. Now that the battles have subsided, why not seize the opportunity to establish the Teleportation Array, providing significant assistance for the development of the Flame Islands? Reward: Dragon Pit Great Mine.¡±


    Establishing the Magic Teleportation Array was an imperative mission, but what he was concerned with was the reward of the Dragon Pit Great Mine.


    A great mine indicated a vast mineral resource, one whose yield might exceed imagination; Dragon Pit meant it was a certain pit related to dragons, perhaps even formed from the remains of dead dragons. The reward of the Dragon Pit Great Mine was definitely of extraordinary value, yet the type of mineral was unknown.


    Not sure if he had grown too accustomed to chain missions, he always felt there was a connection between some of the rewards and the content of the Smoke Missions.


    ¡°The Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite has not yet been found, and Emily is leading the Mammoth Knight Brigade, leaving no stone unturned in the search. Could they possibly stumble upon the Dragon Pit Great Mine? The birth of a Dragon Sprite cannot be without dragons. There shouldn¡¯t be any living dragons on Flame Island, perhaps the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite evolved from the carcass of a dead dragon?¡±


    No records suggested that Greater Elves could evolve Dragon Sprites through ¡°scavenging,¡± but since the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite¡¯s existence was confirmed by the Smoke Mission, its evolution indicated it must have come into contact with dragons.


    ¡°How exciting!¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s just dragon carcasses, it¡¯s all the same, it will at most add a new mineral resource, but if it¡¯s a living dragon, wouldn¡¯t it mean adding to my strength¡­ I still have two Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, and as long as they are not Formless Dragons that can see through the fruits and have an oddness about the Mind Battle, I can pretty much subdue any.¡±


    Now, whenever he saw a dragon, he thought of subduing it with a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit¡ªever since he unearthed the hind leg of a Jade Dragon, he had a premonition that there would be no shortage of Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, which he might be able to cultivate into a Mind Fruit Tree after some research.


    Since there was no shortage of fruits.


    Of course, he would use them freely, subduing any dragon that came his way without hesitation.


    At this time.


    The banquet had reached the point where the main course was to be served. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Sapphire Duke stood up with his drink and announced loudly, ¡°Today is a day of great significance, as His Highness Liszt has intimidated the Eagle Kingdom in the Dragon Slaying War and is sure to usher in a new golden age for our vast seas. Let us all wish His Highness Liszt glory in abundance and victory in every battle!¡±


    ¡°May His Highness Liszt be wrapped in glory and be undefeated in battle!¡± the nobility of the Blue Blood Alliance echoed as they stood and raised their glasses in agreement with the Sapphire Duke¡¯s toast.


    Liszt also stood up, lifted his cup, and drained it in one gulp, ¡°Thank you, Your Grace and all for your blessings, I wish to share this glory of the marine kingdom with you all!¡±

 Chapter 889 - 0886 Eternal Agony (Second Update)

    Chapter 889: Chapter 0886 Eternal Agony (Second Update)


    Liszt had left the Azure Sky Peak Palace, accompanied by Marquis Li Weiliam of Bull Tail, both of whom were riding upon the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn.


    Of course, Liszt was seated atop the Dragon Tooth Platform, while Li Weiliam stood on a patch of scales.


    ¡°Viewing the landscape from atop a dragon¡¯s back, versus from the back of a Black Albatross, truly provides a completely different experience,¡± the Marquis of Bull Tail said excitedly. His life was destined to be without the fortune of being a Dragon Knight, relegated to riding his own Obsidian Stymphalian Bird, so he treasured this rare dragon-riding opportunity all the more.


    A sixty-meter long, with a wingspan to match, Grey Iron Dragon ranked among the larger dragons, rendering the riding experience truly exceptional.


    ¡°Father, upon your return, quickly start searching according to the material list Ach had drafted. These materials are crucial for the construction of the Magic Teleportation Array.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I will arrange it immediately,¡± Li Weiliam replied, then asked, ¡°So, when is the latest the Magic Teleportation Array can be completed? If it can be done within half a year, I won¡¯t send a fleet to resupply the pioneer team, as the sea voyage is too perilous.¡±


    ¡°As long as we have all the materials, it should show results within one or two months.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Also, father, make sure the Knight Order is in good shape. I plan to have Duke Andrew issue the Pioneer Mandate as scheduled this year, and take the opportunity to put some order in the chaotic seas while the Eagle Kingdom is preoccupied.¡±


    Coming without reciprocating was not acceptable.


    Although both of the dragon-slaying wars had ended with his victory and seizing dragons, with the spoils of war richer than ever, the Eagle Kingdom had dared to instigate these wars, and they would have to suffer his retaliation.


    This time, without cutting a few pieces of flesh, he couldn¡¯t swallow this bitterness!


    ¡°The subordinate nation of the Eagle Kingdom has suffered significant damage, but the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s own strength hasn¡¯t been shaken. You must be very cautious. With the situation greatly in our favor, it¡¯s best not to take risks.¡±


    ¡°Father, please rest assured, I have it under control.¡±


    With the Smoke Mission in hand, no schemes could be hidden, Liszt had no fear in facing the ordinary Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom. Even Alex White Maw Iron, the most powerful White Maw Iron Dragon Knight, was just so-so. What was there to fear from other Dragon Knights, even in a besieging scenario, he could still escape by the skin of his teeth.


    ¡°You being careful is good, I¡¯m just reminding you,¡± said Li Weiliam with a hint of emotion. His second son¡¯s broad vision was now beyond what he, a minor marquis of a remote dukedom, could see clearly.


    After a slight reminder, he brought it up no more.


    ¡­


    After Liszt had left. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bustle of the Azure Sky Peak Palace also quickly dissipated.


    Blue blooded Nobles returned to their respective domains and castles, while the Sapphire Duke and Lady Sarette retired to their aerial Little Flower Garden. The energy spent over two days of hosting, especially the emotional control and ideological changes, had nearly drained the couple completely.


    Lady Sarette was alright, merely slightly weary, without showing much signs of haggardness.


    But the Sapphire Duke had aged seemingly another year in an instant, wrinkles covered his entire face¡ªhe was only in his fifties, but seemed near his end.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    A sigh made Lady Sarette, who was brewing tea, turn around: ¡°My dear, is there something you cannot let go of?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t let go, it¡¯s just that the weight on my mind far exceeds what I can handle. These past two years, too many disheartening things have happened, with Andy betraying me, someone from the high ranks of Steel Ridge betraying me, and the Eagle Kingdom considering me a thorn in their side. Now, Liszt has almost become the ruler of the seas.¡±


    The green tea was ready.


    Lady Sarette presented it to the Sapphire Duke, her heart aching as she spoke, ¡°None of these matters are as harmful as Andy¡¯s betrayal to you. If it weren¡¯t for his betrayal, which caused the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s soul to be injured and its lifespan reduced, why would you use your own soul to mend the Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Is this green tea new from Liszt?¡± the Sapphire Duke lowered his head to look at the cup, changing the topic.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s from space rings, picked and roasted the same day, then immediately preserved¡­ I really would like a space ring. No gemstone in the world can compare to the space gems he wears on his hands.¡±


    ¡°The space gems produced by the Formless Dragon, he¡¯s probably unwilling to sell them. But giving me the Light Green Gems to handle is somewhat of a consolation.¡±


    ¡°Actually, my impression of Liszt isn¡¯t bad at all. He doesn¡¯t have the arrogance of youth. Although he brought dragons to force us to make a decision, he largely maintained the dignity of the Sapphire Family.¡± Lady Sarette became somewhat chatty, ¡°It¡¯s a pity I don¡¯t have a younger daughter, otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, what? Do you plan to compete with the Archmage by his side?¡±


    ¡°There is always an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± the Sapphire Duke sighed softly as he blew on the tea leaves, ¡°If that Archmage were not by his side, Steel Ridge Royal Family would probably have chosen a suitable princess to propose a marriage alliance by now¡­ Eagle Kingdom might not have chosen to engage in that aggressive Dragon War to reclaim their pride.¡±


    Noble wars have always been fought with marriages being forged at the same time.


    Securing a Dragon Knight through marriage, especially a First Dragon Knight, was quite simply an exceedingly profitable deal.


    Suddenly, Lady Sarette¡¯s eyes lit up as she thought of something, ¡°My dear, I heard that Liszt¡¯s sister is still unmarried. If¡­¡±


    At this, the Sapphire Duke¡¯s face fell immediately, ¡°Stop thinking about these useless things!¡±


    He then stood up without finishing his tea and left¡ªhe had already lost his dignity in front of Liszt. To allow his son to seek favor through marriage would be losing his character.


    He did not care how Lady Sarette called out from behind him.


    He directly jumped from the airborne garden towards the gloomy interior of the castle and, after several complications, arrived at a dark, concealed chamber.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± There were not only Knights guarding the chamber but also Magicians.


    ¡°Open the door.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Click, creak.


    The door, made of an unknown metal, emitted a piercing screech as it was opened, and the Sapphire Duke walked right in, then gestured for the Knights to close the metal door.


    The light from several Crystal Lamp fixtures brightened the room.


    Beneath his feet lay a giant Magic Array emitting a faint Magic Radiance. At the center of the Magic Array was a large metal cage.


    In the cage, a large male figure was bent over a desk, writing something.


    Upon hearing the door open, the man did not stop writing until the Sapphire Duke approached the cage. He then turned his back to the Sapphire Duke and spoke in a raspy voice, ¡°Andrew, it has been a long time since you visited me. Has something distressing happened that made you think of me?¡±


    Duke Andrew dragged a stool over and sat down by the cage, coldly saying, ¡°I have something to tell you that you might not like.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°The Eagle Kingdom has launched another Dragon War, which, unfortunately, not only cost them another Dragon Knight but also another dragon.¡±


    ¡°Really, did the dragon end up in your hands?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why should I be unhappy?¡±


    ¡°Because the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s power is waning and will eventually collapse. When that happens, your offspring will lose their protection, and I will personally bring them back here to send your entire family to the Exiled Lands intact.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to scare me. The Eagle Kingdom won¡¯t fall so easily. My offspring will live safely. Perhaps in a few years, my grandson Andre will become a new Dragon Knight. By then, he will help me procure what I desire,¡± said the large figure as he turned around.


    The loose garment he wore bore a skull-like face.


    His eyes, emitting a pale blue flame, were not at all human¡ªthey clearly belonged to the once Marquis Andy Sapphire, now transformed into a Lich.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­finally, a decent joke after all this time,¡± mocked the Sapphire Duke. ¡°Andre helping you get what you desire, ha, you really dare to dream. Let me tell you straight, because of your betrayal, I now follow a new King¡¯s Domain Lord, who is a Holy Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°A Holy Dragon Knight?¡± the Lich Andy¡¯s blue flames flickered brightly and dimly.


    ¡°The Formless Dragon, which traverses time and space with ease and can kill a common Dragon Knight easily. Moreover, he owns not only a Formless Dragon but also a Fire Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, and Light Green Gemstone Dragon, and most importantly, he has an Archmage¡­rest assured, I will ask him to act, so your soul endures eternal agony!¡±

 Chapter 890 - 0887: Do You Like Bondage? (First Update)

    Chapter 890: Chapter 0887: Do You Like Bondage? (First Update)


    ¡°Increase the intensity of your research,¡± he demanded, ¡°I want you to unravel the secret of the Lich¡¯s existence as soon as possible. Otherwise, the Goat Assembly can forever leave this world and accompany the sinful souls in the Exiled Lands.¡±


    As he left the metal door,


    the Sapphire Duke coldly told the magician standing at the door,


    The magician from the Goat Assembly, head lowered, replied in a tone full of appeasement, ¡°Rest assured, Your Grace, the Goat Assembly has been immersed in souls for a long time. We will definitely master the secret of the Lich quickly, to atone for our past mistakes.¡±


    It was originally the Grand Magicians of the Goat Assembly who had conspired with the Marquis of Bull to assassinate the Sapphire Dragon. Eventually, the Marquis of Bull was captured, but the Grand Magicians vanished. The vampires, including Mary Dawn Break, were originally ordered to Iron Hoof Island to search for these Grand Magicians.


    It seems that the Grand Magicians were captured, one by one, by the Sapphire Duke,


    to reverse-engineer the Lich.


    ¡°Remember, I will not give you too much time. One year¡ªif you still can¡¯t provide a satisfactory answer within the year, prepare your respectible clothes and get ready to do your research in the Exiled Lands.¡±


    The magician trembled slightly.


    Most magicians supported a theory that the boundary between magic power, matter, and spirit is a place where time and space cannot describe. It¡¯s a place where eternity and brevity reflect each other, a realm that can only accommodate souls walking within¡ªthis place is the Exiled Lands.


    People guilty of heinous crimes would be subjected by the nobility to a certain ritual, allowing their souls to be condemned to the Exiled Lands. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Annute Lanbao, who originally targeted the Sapphire Dragon, was punished by the Sapphire Family, who condemned his soul to the Exiled Lands. Afterwards, in order to save his lover, Curtis Truth dared to become a Lich, crafted a ghost ship, and tried to smash open the gates of the Exiled Lands.


    He ended up encountering Li Si Te (Liszt).


    When he left the underground and walked onto the castle balcony,


    the Sapphire Duke suddenly sighed, murmuring to himself, ¡°I hope the Exiled Lands truly exist, to find the lost soul of the Sapphire Dragon quickly. Otherwise, once I die, the Sapphire Dragon will fall into unconsciousness again¡­ The Sapphire Family cannot let every successor fill the life of the Sapphire Dragon with their own souls.¡±


    ¡­


    Boom!


    The sound of the metal giant dragon flapping its wings resembled that of a massive airplane thundering overhead. This commotion, caused by the Grey Iron Dragon, drew fearful gazes from knights and civilians around Tulip Castle. Then, the Iron Dragon landed squarely in the front square.


    Following this, Marquis of Bull Tail leaped down from the dragon¡¯s back and turned around to calmly wave his hand.


    Suddenly, the Grey Iron Dragon crouched on its hind legs, its wings stirred a storm, and it soared into the sky again, quickly disappearing under Liszt¡¯s control.


    Only the Marquis of Bull Tail remained, standing with his hands behind his back.


    ¡°Sir, was that dragon just now?¡± Knight Captain Miki approached, cautiously inquiring.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just Liszt¡¯s new mount.¡±


    Captain Miki trembled in shock, ¡°Prince Liszt has a new dragon again!¡±


    This exclamation quickly spread among the surrounding knights. All tension dissolved, leaving only boundless admiration and envy, and threads of exhilaration¡ªthe Tulip Family¡¯s followers saw Liszt¡¯s strength as the best guarantee of their future prospects; one dragon could defend a nation, let alone four!


    Lady Marie, Levis, Loria, Lidun, and others had also come out, but they hadn¡¯t managed to greet Liszt on the dragon¡¯s back.


    This time, Liszt almost reached his home but did not enter.


    ¡°Father, what just happened? Why did another dragon appear, and you even jumped down from its back? I didn¡¯t see clearly, but was there someone else on the dragon¡¯s back ¡ª was it Liszt?¡± Levis asked urgently.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside,¡± replied Li Weiliam with an air of authority. ¡°It was merely Liszt acquiring another dragon. I didn¡¯t follow the fleet and had him send me back directly. He had urgent matters to attend to, so I did not keep him. Dragon Knights have many responsibilities, and I too have a pile of issues to address.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Ornn, you will stay here on Black Horse Island for now. Your Dragon Nest will be built on Flame Island in the future. However, the journey is long, so you will have to wait until I get the Magic Teleportation Array operational before you can head to Flame Island.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, very understanding, settled on a mountain top on Black Horse Island after Liszt explained the situation ¡ª the Superior Magic it had depleted during the great battle and its injuries had not yet fully recovered, and it indeed needed a quiet place to recuperate.


    He instructed his servants not to forget to provide Ornn with food and Magic Potions.


    Liszt then rode the Formless Dragon Bard with Ach, traveling through space, and directly appeared in the reed marshes of Flame Island to continue working on the Magic Gate.


    Just after he left,


    Pea Great Elf Ash, who had been studying the art of tying in the Worm Room, suddenly followed the scent of the Grey Iron Dragon and flew out of the castle, immediately followed by servants on horseback. Ash held a rope in her hand and, without stopping, flew directly to the mountain where Ornn was resting. The massive body of the iron dragon came clearly into her view.


    ¡°Ash, please stop. Up ahead is Lord Ornn. The master has ordered not to disturb him lightly,¡± the servant said. Though fearful of the Grey Iron Dragon, he was not too anxious ¡ª Thorn Castle often had visits from Little Fire Dragon Leo; it could be said that all residents of Black Horse Island were familiar with Dragons.


    ¡°You go back! I know what I am doing.¡±


    Ash, although not as irascible as Jela, was still a Great Elf with a distinct personality. She continued towards the sleeping Grey Iron Dragon. As she approached, Ornn suddenly opened its eyes, staring fiercely at what seemed to it no bigger than a sparrow, the Great Elf.


    Ash stopped.


    But then she slowly approached and gave a smiling face, trying to make her voice as loud as possible ¨C still thin as a mosquito¡¯s: ¡°Ornn, may I call you Ornn?¡±


    Hmph!


    The Grey Iron Dragon responded by snorting through its nostrils, a gesture of disdain.


    Unfazed by Ornn¡¯s attitude, Ash not only flew in front of its eyes but also waved the rope in her hand. ¡°Ornn, do you like being tied up? I can tie you up nice and pretty. I¡¯ve studied and delved deep into the art of tying. Would you like to give it a try?¡±


    Ornn turned its head and blew a breath directly at Ash.


    Whoosh!


    Like a little bee in a gale, Ash wobbled for a while before stabilizing herself, but stubbornly flew back over. ¡°Ornn, your breath blew away my rope, but I have another spare one.¡± She produced another red rope from somewhere.


    Exasperated, Ornn simply closed its eyes and went back to sleep, ignoring the Great Elf.


    So Ash circled around it, finally landing on a patch of steel-like scales, touched them, smiled, and wound the rope around the scales. Thus, she amused herself while Ornn treated her as if a fly had landed on it, chasing her away twice before losing interest.


    The castle¡¯s servants, helpless, could only relay the message to Chris Truth, then through the strictly guarded Magic Platform, send the message to Liszt, who had already reached the reed marshes.


    Upon receiving the message.


    Liszt¡¯s face broke into a smile: ¡°So it seems Ash is also ready to evolve?¡±

 Chapter 891 - 0888: An Official Letter (Second Update)

    Chapter 891: Chapter 0888: An Official Letter (Second Update)


    Whether it was the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf Annie or the Pea Great Elf Ash, both had already begun to attempt dragon evolution, and whether they would be successful was an unknown.


    There were just too few cases of successful Greater Elf evolution to draw from, but fortunately, failed evolution among them did not lead to death.


    ¡°I wonder if Annie and Ash can be successful under the guidance of the Power of Destiny. Speaking of which, I have two Greater Elves undergoing evolution, but with so many Minor Elves, it seems it¡¯s been a long while since any of them evolved into Greater Elves,¡± Liszt pondered.


    The most recent case was last year when Nami evolved into a Mangrove Greater Elf.


    Minor Elf Bugs evolving into Little Minor Elves also haven¡¯t made a move in a long time, the last time being last year when the Rubber Bug Triplets became three distinct Rubber Minor Elves.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m not paying enough attention, and the Power of Destiny hasn¡¯t poured into this area, so the elves are stuck in the normal efficiency of evolution¡­ Thinking this way, the Power of Destiny I can command doesn¡¯t seem to be that strong¡­ No, that¡¯s not right, even dragons have been tricked, so why not some Elf Bugs?¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unable to fathom the mysteries concerning Smoke Dragons and the Power of Destiny, these concepts were too ethereal to grasp.


    He didn¡¯t bother to think too deeply either.


    At the current stage, the construction of the Mind Island-Reed Marsh Magic Teleportation Array was his most pressing concern, and he also had to consider searching for Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprites.


    Emily was constantly sending him the latest updates on the search for the Man-Eating Tree.


    She had also sent a batch of Man-Eating Tree samples. These slender trees didn¡¯t differ much from common ones; their trunks and branches were vine-like and slender. They had the toughness of trees, and while they didn¡¯t reach the quality of ironwood, they were definitely excellent timber, just too thin for making large objects.


    ¡°The Man-Eating Trees aren¡¯t widely distributed in the forest and move very quickly; they can burrow into the ground!¡± Emily mentioned the special abilities of the Man-Eating Trees in her reports.


    They could burrow underground like snakes and move swiftly, leaving hardly any trace. It¡¯s less about physically burrowing and more akin to some kind of Earth System Magic. But no magic power fluctuations were detected in the Man-Eating Trees¡¯ samples, and no structures suggesting mobility were found upon chopping them up.


    The Man-Eating Trees that could be caught were all rooted in the ground, immobile.


    Those that couldn¡¯t be caught would burrow into the ground rapidly, disappearing without a trace.


    ¡°The ones captured don¡¯t move, and the ones we can¡¯t catch burrow into the ground. They are not animals, nor do they possess magic power,¡± Liszt¡¯s interest in the Man-Eating Trees grew stronger, ¡°This must be the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite causing trouble behind the scenes, but is this really an innate ability of the Dragon Sprites?¡±


    He had seen the Oat Dragon Elf of the Sapphire Family and the Juniper Dragon Spirit of the Original Bull Family in the Azure Sky Peak Palace.


    Both Dragon Sprites were about one meter tall, their shapes becoming more and more human-like, though their bodies still had a translucent, crystalline appearance, like a large gemstone. Their intelligence was no different from that of ordinary people, they knew how to dress, were multitalented, helped their owners manage elves, and also took care of Sapphire Dragons.


    They didn¡¯t know magic, but by relying on their innate instincts, they still possessed some magical methods, such as spreading seeds, hastening crop maturity, and improving species quality.


    But no matter what, they couldn¡¯t make their cultivated crops fly or burrow.


    ¡°Maybe this Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite is cheating?¡± Liszt suddenly recalled the three Rubber Minor Elves, ¡°The Rubber Triplets can unleash the Tri-Phase Force, instantly repairing Rubber Trees. Could the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite have a similar trick to make the Man-Eating Trees burrow and run?¡±


    If that were the case, catching this Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite would be a bit difficult.


    Usually, the reason for capturing elves is that Cordyceps can¡¯t move, and elves dare not stray from them, ensuring a certain capture. Now, if the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite enables the Cordyceps to move, they would run away at the sight of humans¡ªthe most crucial point being that Dragon Sprites hold a grudge against humans, hence its name, the Man-Eating Tree.


    Back in the day, the Moon Slayers lost many people to the Man-Eating Trees, which led to the naming of these trees.


    However, after carefully studying the samples of the Man-Eating Tree, Liszt did not think that this type of tree had the ¡°man-eating¡± function. Any man-eating, scavenging, or insectivorous plant must possess an organ for digesting bodies. The Man-Eating Tree clearly didn¡¯t have such an organ, unless it buried the bodies under its roots and slowly absorbed them.


    ¡°Compared to killing and burying corpses, I¡¯m more inclined to believe the so-called ¡®man-eating¡¯ of the Man-Eating Tree is the Dragon Elves¡¯ revenge against the Moon Slayers,¡± Li Si Te speculated.


    From antiquity to the present, the Moon Slayers have been using elves to make Magic Dust to learn magic; it¡¯s possible that the kin of the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elves were among those killed. That could have sparked the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elves to seek vengeance, demoting the River Tribe from a large tribe to a small one.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, maybe I¡¯ll have to take matters into my own hands and claim the reward that¡¯s rightfully mine!¡± A thought occurred to him.


    Once decided, he hesitated no longer.


    He tossed the Magic Gate construction tasks to Ach and rode the Formless Dragon Bard himself to join the chase for the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf.


    He slipped into the material boundary, closely following the Mammoth Knight Brigade that was digging three feet into the ground searching for the Man-Eating Tree.


    He was going to use the Crystal White Trajectory to verify whether there were any magical feedback glows when those Man-Eating Trees burrowed into the ground, then use the glow to pinpoint the location of the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf.


    ¡°Little darling, stop messing about, come over here now!¡±


    ¡­


    When the Grey Iron Dragon appeared on Blue Dragon Island.


    The news spread like wildfire, soaring across the ocean from the Duchy of Sapphire, flying to the three kingdoms of the Legendary Continent and the numerous Grand Duchies.


    In the grand hall of the palace of the King¡¯s Castle in the Eagle Kingdom, the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King forcefully smashed a crystal goblet against a column, shattering it into fragments: ¡°Who can tell me, who can tell me, why the Grey Iron Dragon has fallen into Liszt¡¯s hands, why Duke Pierrot has become a captive!¡±


    No ministers in the palace dared to respond, and the person involved, Alonso Xiankelai, had already gone to defend the borders. Alex White Iron was escorting Loyle Purple Copper¡¯s body to the Purple Copper Duchy.


    They were not present.


    So.


    The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King¡¯s question was doomed to remain unanswered; he didn¡¯t even know how Pierrot and the Grey Iron Dragon were captured, or how Liszt managed to mount the Grey Iron Dragon so quickly¡ªhe wasn¡¯t a Dragon Knight, but having grown up with dragons, he knew how extremely difficult dragon riding could be.


    However, among the Sapphire Flies that were like maggots clinging to bone, there was an oddity who successively mounted four dragons.


    Just the other day he had been discussing with Dragon Knights how to contain Liszt, and in the blink of an eye, the man went from having three dragons to four. So much for containment.


    ¡°Who can tell me!¡±


    The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King didn¡¯t bellow, but his tone was nearly identical to roaring, clearly furious to the extreme, his beard quivering uncontrollably. The Noble Landlords serving as ministers for the day kept silent, letting the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King breathe heavily in anger. An eerie silence filled the great hall where one could hear a pin drop.


    Taking a deep breath, the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King looked down at his ministers, who were as good as trash, and finally managed to rein in his anger.


    He knew well that asking these ministers, who had not taken part in the dragon-slaying battle, would yield no results. He could only quickly send letters of inquiry to Alonso and Alex.


    However, before he could dismiss the ministers, a Knight Guarding from outside the palace reported loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, there is an urgent missive from the Duchy of Sapphire!¡±


    ¡°Sapphire¡­ an urgent missive!¡± The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King¡¯s face darkened again. ¡°What now, the King of the Flies over the sea, Andrew, wants to show me his true colors as well? Knight, come in and read that urgent missive aloud. I want to hear what Andrew has to say!¡±


    The knight walked cautiously into the grand hall, opened the urgent missive, and read woodenly, ¡°To all masters of the sea territories, all lords of the islands, the great future King of the Flame Kingdom, the Fire Dragon Knight, the Formless Dragon Knight, the Grey Iron Dragon Knight, the Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight, Liszt Flame¡­¡±

 Chapter 892 - 0889: Ransom (First Update)

    Chapter 892: Chapter 0889: Ransom (First Update)


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King did not wait for the knight to finish reading the content of the official letter but brutally interrupted because the content of the letter was simple. It was a ransom negotiation letter sent by Li Sitte through the Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s official channels, asking the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King to forward it to the Grey Iron Family to arrange for someone to go negotiate the payment of the ransom.


    Since there was no diplomatic channel between the Duchy of Sapphire and Grey Iron Duchy, and because the location of the Grey Iron Duchy was remote, the negotiation letter could not be sent directly.


    Thus, Li Sitte had a bold idea and let the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King forward it.


    It was also a slight humiliation.


    Daring to initiate the war against dragons, Li Sitte would not easily let go of this hatred. First, he disgusted the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King, then it would be no late to cut their flesh when he issued the Pioneer Mandate.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this official letter¡­¡± a noble minister reminded.


    The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King stared with wide eyes, ground his teeth fiercely and finally said coldly, ¡°Seal the official letter and send it immediately to the Grey Iron Duchy¡­ Gentlemen, you are the ministers of the kingdom. The Grey Iron Duchy lost the Grey Iron Dragon because of the kingdom¡¯s initiation of the dragon war, how should we resolve this issue?¡±


    A moment later, a minister replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the loss of the Grey Iron Dragon is a huge loss for the Grey Iron Duchy, but Duke Pierrot cannot not redeem it. The kingdom ought to oversee this redemption transaction and even needs to greatly compensate the Grey Iron Family for their loss.¡±


    He meant that the ransom should be paid by the Eagle Kingdom.


    However, the minister changed his tone, ¡°The kingdom should help the Grey Iron Family reclaim the Grey Iron Dragon, but Duke Pierrot encountered an ambush after the dragon war ended, the ransom should still be raised by the Grey Iron Family themselves.¡±


    ¡°Duke Pierrot has been captured, and the ransom must be paid, but have you considered, with the loss of the dragon as their reliance, how will the Grey Iron Family cope?¡± another minister shook his head and said, ¡°I think the Grey Iron Family might take an extreme stance.¡±


    ¡°What extreme stance?¡± the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King asked, seemingly knowing the answer already.


    ¡°As far as I know Duke Pierrot¡¯s son is already thirty years old, in the prime of his life, and just right to inherit the foundation of the Grey Iron Family, perhaps he is not willing to redeem his own father¡­ Even if he is willing, the Grey Iron Family cannot afford the massive ransom of a duke.¡±


    Usually, captives as viscounts¡ªrequire a Little Minor Elf; earls¡ªtwo or three Little Minor Elves; marquises¡ªneed a Greater Elf; but for a duke, three to five Greater Elves are necessary.


    But Duke Pierro Grey Iron is different, he is a duke from the Dragon Rearing Family, and also raises Metal Dragons that produce iron ore¡ªthe Grey Iron Dragons. His family¡¯s wealth is much higher than a duke without a duchy; his status is equivalent to a grand duke¡ªat least a Dragon Sprite must be paid as ransom.


    Li Sitte also hinted in the letter that a Dragon Sprite must be the basis of the negotiation¡ªhe believed that the Grey Iron Duchy was richer than the Duchy of Sapphire, and that there certainly won¡¯t be only one or two Dragon Sprites. Taking out one as ransom wouldn¡¯t hurt their core strength, on the contrary, it would ¡°lighten the burden¡± for the family.


    Without a dragon, the family shouldn¡¯t occupy so many resources, otherwise, troubles would eventually arise.


    ¡°Are you saying that the Grey Iron Family might not pay the ransom, and instead push the redemption of Duke Pierrot onto the kingdom?¡± the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King frowned.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Duke Pierrot is not a Dragon Knight, and now that the Grey Iron Dragon has been lost, the Grey Iron Family will also hold Duke Pierrot accountable for the lost dragon, which is an irreparable mistake,¡± the minister replied¡ªnobles don¡¯t get up early without benefit, compared to interests, such minor kinship means nothing.


    Moreover, since Duke Pierrot lost the dragon, he also lost the family¡¯s future.


    His son might even wish for Duke Pierrot to die sooner.


    Another minister spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, if the Grey Iron Family is unwilling to pay the ransom, should we just give up on Duke Pierrot?¡±


    ¡°Not proper, not proper, Your Majesty,¡± said another, ¡°I believe no matter what, we must redeem Duke Pierrot. The dragon war was initiated by the kingdom; if we give up on Duke Pierrot, wouldn¡¯t all the subordinate countries feel disheartened? The Eagle Kingdom has developed over several hundred years and now has countless supporters; we mustn¡¯t abandon the knight¡¯s spirit!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke Piero must be ransomed at all costs.¡±


    ¡°If the Grey Iron Family is unwilling to pay the ransom, the kingdom should do it instead, so that Duke Piero will be more inclined towards the kingdom.¡±


    The ministers discussed vociferously, some advocating that the kingdom should not be responsible, as it was a private matter of the Grey Iron Duchy; others insisted that the kingdom must intervene, or else the followers would feel disheartened. Of course, most ministers believed that they should first send an official letter to the Grey Iron Duchy to see their reaction before making a decision. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King¡¯s temples throbbed with frustration.


    He was familiar with Duke Piero¡¯s son, a typical noble who always prioritized interests¡ªrefusing to pay the ransom and blaming the Eagle Kingdom would definitely be something he would do, and he would certainly do so.


    In that case,


    the ransom would have to be paid by the kingdom, or else the royal family would lose the loyalty of many more followers¡ªsome ministers urged him to shift the blame to the Grey Iron Duchy, but if he really did so, these ministers would surely be the first to contemplate betrayal.


    After a while,


    he coughed lightly, stopping the noisy quarrel in the hall, ¡°First send the official letter to understand the attitude of the Grey Iron Family. If Petterford indeed disregards Piero¡¯s safety, then the kingdom will negotiate and redeem Piero¡­ The royal family will not abandon any loyal follower!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty is kind!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty never abandons us, we are willing to charge into battle for the royal family!¡±


    ¡°Knightly glory favors us, Duke Piero will become Your Majesty¡¯s most loyal shield!¡±


    ¡°Ready to be Your Majesty¡¯s spear!¡±


    Seeing this, the ministers flattered him, expressing their loyalty to the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King.


    Thus, the official letter personally written by Liszt was immediately carried by a Falcon Knight, swiftly flying towards the Grey Iron Duchy. Meanwhile, the news that Liszt had ridden a Grey Iron Dragon was also passed to the frontier by the Falcon Knights, handed over to the Dragon Knights stationed there.


    Internal administrative affairs of the kingdom were generally managed by the king and his ministers, but matters involving diplomacy and dragons required the collective deliberation and implementation by all Dragon Knights.


    When the meeting ended, the ministers left in a line, but the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King remained seated on his ornate throne.


    He did not stand up for a long time.


    He only stared at the stone columns in the palace hall, carved with the Eagle Royal Family¡¯s badge, his heart tangled with emotions of sorrow, indignation, loss, and hatred.


    ¡°Alonso, you keep disappointing me¡­¡±


    ¡°Flame Kingdom¡­ If we don¡¯t curb Liszt¡¯s rise, the ruling configuration in the Legendary Continent Northeast Corner of Eagle, Steel Ridge, and Blast Furnace Fortress will undergo drastic changes¡­ Perhaps, Osborne, Helder will respond to my plan, and the appearance of the Sacred Dragon will stir their desires!¡±


    Osborne Platinum, King of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    Helder Golden Crown, King of the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom.


    The Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King¡¯s gaze flickered coldly as he plotted further schemes. Unaware of this, Liszt was still busy searching for the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite.

 Chapter 893 - 0890: To the Sanctuary (Second Update)

    Chapter 893: Chapter 0890: To the Sanctuary (Second Update)


    ¡°I¡¯m so pissed, the Man-Eating Tree got away again!¡±


    Emily swung the Crimson Blood Sword fiercely, her face filled with frustration. She had been tracking the Man-Eating Tree Cluster for a long time, delaying even the construction of Charcoal River Great Road, and yet she still hadn¡¯t completed the mission.


    Just a moment ago, they had found a group of Man-Eating Trees; however, they were startled by the horses¡¯ footsteps and burrowed away, leaving not a single one behind.


    ¡°Viscount, what should we do?¡± asked a Knight Captain assisting Emily in her search for the Man-Eating Trees.


    Taking a deep breath to soothe her irritation, Emily replied, ¡°Continue the tracking. This is an urgent mission assigned by His Highness, and we must capture these Man-Eating Trees at any cost. Next time, our movements must be lighter¡ªinform everyone to wrap their horse hooves with burlap.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Viscount.¡±


    The Knight Captain went down to make arrangements while Emily squatted where the Man-Eating Tree had disappeared into the ground. Her eyes were bright and twinkling as if contemplating something.


    This fourteen-year-old girl was already as mentally mature as an adult.


    Among the serfs, many girls of fourteen or fifteen were already married. However, as a Viscount, Emily had no need to worry about these troubles. Her heart belonged somewhere else; she devoted everything to Lord Landlord. In her eyes, there was no one else but the Prince Dragon Knight who soared through the skies.


    ¡°Fleeing underground, His Highness said that there is a Dragon Elf manipulating the Man-Eating Trees from behind. It seems now that the ability of the Dragon Elves is related to burrowing. So, could it also be possible to burrow into the water?¡±


    She recalled the previous tracking and realized that the Man-Eating Trees intentionally avoided rivers in their escape.


    It seemed that rivers hindered the movement of the Man-Eating Tree Cluster. Interestingly, the River Tribe used to live in a valley near a river. After being slaughtered by the Man-Eating Trees, they migrated across the river to another valley. Since then, there had been no further sightings of the Man-Eating Trees.


    ¡°So we should send the Knight Order to surround and drive the Man-Eating Trees into a closed area. It might be good to dig a river on the periphery¡­ Let the Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants dig up the earth. It should be quite fast, their two large tusks on their chins are much more effective than shovels.¡±


    Her mind was made up.


    Emily immediately enacted this plan.


    Meanwhile, Li Si Te (Liszt), who had slipped into the boundary of the material world, was closely observing Emily, his young follower. She brought him many surprises. Her talents were astounding; at fourteen, she had climbed to the ranks of Sky Knight. Though his insane resource investment played a part, without talent, not even soaking in Magic Potion would have elevated her rank.


    Now, Emily was not only impressively talented in her practice but also extremely intelligent. She directed the Knight Order methodically, with clear and precise thoughts. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The plan to capture the Man-Eating Tree Cluster, even if organized by him, could not be better.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bard. It looks like there is no need for me to worry here¡­ Besides, there is no way to be concerned. A flash of Magic Radiance from the Magic Feedback and after burrowing, even if we stare till our eyes are blind, we cannot find the movement of the Man-Eating Tree Cluster.¡± The vision from the Crystal White Trajectory was powerful, piercing through magic with acute clarity.


    However, once the magic was covered by the soil, the Crystal White Trajectory became as useless as blind eyes.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t x-ray vision.


    ¡­


    ¡°Woo-eeyah!¡±


    The Formless Dragon Bard called out.


    Flapping its wings, it found a natural node in the Reed Marsh and directly passed through.


    Here Ach had already prepared all the materials needed for the Magic Gates, just waiting for Bard¡¯s cooperation to expand the natural node, forming a gate to the world beyond the material.


    Kenley Truth and other Magicians from the Magic Guild had long been excitedly standing nearby, waiting to witness this great moment.


    ¡°Brother, everything is ready; we can start now,¡± Ach said solemnly.


    Although her face remained as tranquil as before, Liszt could clearly see the nervousness in her eyes¡ªthe preparation of theoretical work and validation tests had taken a long time. Still, whether the Magic Gate could be established was unknown; how could she keep calm?


    Now was no longer the time of the Moon Empire¡¯s Magic Web.


    Civilization had been lost, and she could not stand on the shoulders of giants. She had no choice but to independently explore on her own.


    Luckily, with the Formless Dragon¡¯s help and her own mastery over Space Elemental Incarnation, her understanding of space was unrivaled, unequaled by any predecessor or successor.


    ¡°Are we ready to start?¡±


    Liszt clenched his fist in excitement, his heart throbbing with anticipation for what was to come, ¡°Then let¡¯s begin. Bard and I are also ready!¡±


    ¡°Wuuu yaa!¡±


    Such was the scene.


    No grand ceremony took place, just a group of magicians witnessing as Acherloides activated the colossal Magic Array laid out in the Reed Marsh. This Magic Array, which had cost hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins, had nearly drained the finances of the Flame Territory for several months, and now, amidst unremarkable changes, it was finally initiated.


    Magic Radiance flickered, and the ambient magic power drifting in the air roared as it converged toward the Magic Array.


    Boom, rumble!


    The dense magical elements directly created thunder and lightning, along with sudden bursts of flame and wind. These changes were short-lived.


    Soon, a visible air vortex coalesced above the surface of the Reed Marsh lake. The vortex swallowed and grew, eventually stretching like a funnel to the lake surface of the Reed Marsh and stirring the water to swell outward, revealing a dark hole.


    ¡°Brother, the rift in material space has been torn open, and now you and Bard must cooperate to stabilize the opening in the world beyond matter. According to the plan set by Acherloides, we must inject space magic power between the Magic Web and the rift to achieve a stable dynamic equilibrium!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) patted the Formless Dragon Bard on the neck.


    Instantly, man and dragon charged toward the expanding pitch-black vortex; the vortex was not straight but slanted downward toward the lakebed of the Reed Marsh. However, as soon as he entered, Liszt found they had reached the world beyond matter. Within the vision of the Crystal White Trajectory, they could see the material boundary had a large hole torn through it.


    Around them, they could vaguely see the magic power threads of the Magic Web extending, attempting to repair this vortex rift.


    ¡°It¡¯s our turn to act, Bard. Operate the magic power, Dragon Breath Shattering Space!¡±


    ¡°Wuuu yaa!¡±


    Exhale.


    A white fog sprayed around the vortex rift, this space magic power acting like a lubricant and sealant, quickly coalescing around the rift. After a complex transformation, the space magic power successfully formed a buffer layer between the rift and the Magic Web, halting the Web¡¯s repairs.


    Moments later.


    Everything was smoothly accomplished; the vortex rift stopped expanding, and the Magic Web was unable to continue its repairs, achieving a state of dynamic equilibrium.


    Like the entrance to the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix.


    Boom!


    Liszt and Bard flew straight out of the hole, effortlessly without any obstruction. The Magic Array around the Reed Marsh had already collapsed during the earlier activation, all the magical materials lost their power and became utter waste. But the Magic Gate formed by the vortex rift was successfully stabilized.


    ¡°We did it, Acherloides!¡± Liszt laughed heartily.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to observe it for a while longer, brother. To prevent the Magic Gate from collapsing, Acherloides will need to personally monitor it.¡±


    ¡°On the dragon!¡±


    Liszt, maneuvering Bard to glide just above the ground, then reached out to grasp the little hand that Acherloides offered, pulling Acherloides up onto the dragon¡¯s back with a single motion.


    A quick turn and they were back through the Magic Gate.


    Leaving Ken Li (Kenley) and the other magicians standing around the vortex-shaped Magic Gate, which now rotated on its own without the need for a Magic Array to drive it, uttering amazed exclamations.


    The environment around the Reed Marsh was forcibly altered, the lake water inundating the shores and rotating with the vortex. There seemed to be creatures like fish and shrimp in the lake, all being flung onto the shore. This previously modest-sized lake, now set against the backdrop of the vortex-shaped Magic Gate, revealed an incomparable mystery.


    ¡°A miracle, truly a miracle!¡± Kenley marveled, wishing she could personally step through and experience the magic of the Magic Gate. But she knew that without having opened the Wormhole Space, ordinary people would be directly disintegrated into fine particles by the special space, dissolving into the world beyond matter.


    Another magician exclaimed, ¡°Joining the Magic Guild is the most important, most successful turn in the road I¡¯ve ever taken in my lifetime pursuit of Truth!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, the incarnation of Truth walking in the mortal world, Lord Acherloides has restored the glory of the Ancient Magician!¡±


    ¡°The place where miracles happen!¡±


    ¡°Great, majestic, unfathomable¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to describe it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed the mystery of Truth; my teacher led me into the world of magic, and here I¡¯ve found the destination of magic!¡±


    ¡°Praise be to Lord Acherloides, praise be to Prince Liszt; we have completed a Magic Gate!¡±


    Even a Grand Magician with white hair trembled, worshipping with the most devout tone, ¡°This door, it leads to the Sanctuary!¡±

 Chapter 894 - 0891: Red and White Roses (First Update)

    Chapter 894: Chapter 0891: Red and White Roses (First Update)


    The Magic Gate opened.


    The Magic Gate stabilized.


    The Magic Gate succeeded.


    On April 21 of Sapphire Calendar Year 155, this day was destined to be recorded in history books¡ªat least in the annals of the Flame Kingdom, even though the Flame Kingdom had not yet been established.


    ¡°Maintaining the Reed Marsh Magic Gate will be your responsibility, Kenley. Should there be any changes, send a message through the Magic Platform immediately,¡± Liszt solemnly instructed as he left the Reed Marsh Magic Gate.


    Kenley Truth responded seriously, ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness. We will keep a close watch on the Reed Marsh Magic Gate, and any disturbance will be reported to you and Lord Acherloides at once.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very good.¡±


    Next, Liszt and Acherloides filled their Space Rings with plentiful magic materials and rode straight into the Reed Marsh Magic Gate aboard the Formless Dragon Bard, rapidly entering the world beyond matter. Enveloped by Space Magic Power, they moved through the non-material world as effortlessly as fish in water, with ease and grace.


    Arriving at the natural node on Mind Island, they directly crossed through.


    A number of knights and magicians were on the island, directing serfs in basic labor. They set down Acherloides, then took out the materials from the Space Rings and had Acherloides set up a Magic Array there.


    Liszt continued to shuttle through space on Bard.


    There was still much to do, such as collecting magic materials from places like Black Horse Island and Bull Tail City¡ªmany of the magic materials had been exhausted by the Reed Marsh Magic Gate and needed to be gathered anew.


    By the time they had collected all the magic materials and Acherloides had set everything up, it was already May when they opened the Mind Island Magic Gate.


    As the weather grew increasingly hot, all life thrived in wild abundance.


    The elves of Black Horse Island were producing more than ever, and Flame Island was also welcoming good news.


    In the potato plantations of Flame City, thanks to the blessing of the Potato Great Spirit Kuchi, a bountiful harvest was had, and full warehouses of potatoes meant food was no longer in short supply. Banana Greater Elf Poppy was also a native elf of Flame Island, but since the banana plantations had only just started, it would take a year or two before they could be harvested.


    The number of Moon Slayer Tribes that had been incorporated was growing, with the population now reaching four hundred thousand. However, the size of the Flame People had not expanded, and was still just over twenty thousand.


    To prevent mismanagement, the Knight Order had put a temporary halt to their campaigns against the Moon Slayer Tribes, waiting for the establishment of the Magic Teleportation Arrays to resume. For now, the primary tasks were to train, reorganize, and integrate the Moon Slayer serfs, while also building cities, repairing roads, and opening up plantations.


    It could be said that everything in both Flame Island and the Flame Territory was blooming and prospering.


    Liszt was naturally in good spirits all the time, even though the search for materials to establish the Magic Teleportation Array had the finances of his territory overburdened, he did not feel any stress.


    At this moment,


    In the rooftop balcony garden of Thorn Castle.


    He was leisurely drinking Banpo Cattle milk, reading a knight¡¯s novel titled ¡°The Time Travel of Holy Dragon Knight Maduha of the Rose.¡±


    Ever since he had become famous in the Dragon Slaying Battle of April, a deluge of novelists had been struck with inspiration, each using the Sacred Dragon as material to produce the latest knight novels. The plots were hastily crafted, with many of them simply basing characters off Liszt and making slight changes to write their stories.


    For example¡ªthe Holy Dragon Knights in these stories all tended to have a beautiful Archmage at their side.


    In the knight¡¯s novel he was currently reading, the protagonist did not ride a Formless Dragon but instead mounted the Twilight Dragon that represented time, enabling the rider to travel freely through any period. However, the author was still limited, only describing how the Twilight Dragon Knight could cross days in time to rescue a princess captured by the enemy.


    ¡°Why not travel through the Moon Empire, through ancient times, through the future, through an endless expanse of time to triumph over all, huh? These novelists lack imagination; they don¡¯t know how to write an infinite series!¡±


    Liszt closed the knight¡¯s novel and casually tossed it aside.


    ¡°Waaah¡­¡±


    Below, it seemed that Jela¡¯s voice was audible, either scolding some Minor Elf or arguing with a Greater Elf¡ªafter the harvest, the elves from Hot Spring Island had begun to move to Thorn Castle in succession, and Jela needed to establish authority over these elves.


    Her temper was not good; she was like a bully.


    But Liszt cherished it and also felt that Jela might bring about a catfish effect¡ªthe stimulation might just increase the probability of elf evolution.


    If every elf were like the Corn Minor Elf Mickey, spending all day counting corn kernels in the Worm Room without ambition, it would be difficult to evolve. It was known that Jela had evolved from an Elf Bug to a Greater Elf in just a few years due to environmental stimulus.


    Fluttering¡­


    A black bat flittered its wings, flying to Thorn Castle and landing on the top-floor balcony. A moment later, it transformed into Mary Dawn Break.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Mary bowed in greeting, quietly slipping under the parasol¡ªvampires detested sunlight, it suppressed their strength and made them quite uncomfortable.


    ¡°Would you like some milk?¡± Liszt asked simply.


    Mary smiled in response, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, but I would prefer a glass of red wine if available. The sun is rather harsh today.¡±


    She was very fond of her current life.


    Within the Black Knight Family, vampires endured a strict hierarchy and oppressive interpersonal relationships, constantly making one long for escape. But here, the atmosphere was exceptionally peaceful, and the master they followed was not only mighty but also not overly oppressive, especially laid-back in private.


    This young Dragon Knight landlord did not need his followers and servants to be overly cautious or listen attentively.


    ¡°Bring a bottle of the cellar¡¯s Crescent Moon Wine,¡± Liszt told the male servant behind him.


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    The servant hurried downstairs to get the red wine, and Liszt then asked, ¡°What¡¯s the reaction from the three major kingdoms?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, the glory of your dragon-slaying battle has not spread among the commoners of the three great kingdoms but is circulated among a small portion of nobles. From what the Blood Servants have gathered, the Falcon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom have been frequently mobilized. It seems there¡¯s frequent interaction between the royal family, subordinate states, and Dragon Knights.¡±


    ¡°Have you sent anyone to investigate the Grey Iron Duchy?¡±


    ¡°No, we have insufficient Blood Servant personnel. However, we¡¯ve investigated ministers from the Eagle Kingdom and have a new piece of intelligence. The heir of the Grey Iron Family, Petterford, has refused to pay a ransom to redeem Duke Pierrot, accusing that the duke¡¯s capture was Eagle Kingdom¡¯s doing and urging the royal family to pay the ransom.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the idea over at Eagle Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°King Adonis Moonlight Silver of Eagle Kingdom has agreed to send a negotiating team from the royal family. They might arrive in Sapphire soon.¡±


    ¡°What about the situation in the Purple Copper Duchy?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been no unusual movement there; it seems that after Prince Alex¡¯s visit, he quickly settled the moods within the Purple Copper Duchy. The heir assumed the title after the Purple Copper Duke¡¯s funeral without any drop in rank.¡±


    Mary answered, noting that the Blood Servants had limited capabilities for gathering intelligence.


    ¡°No drop in rank, eh¡­¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t confirm or deny this.


    Dragon Knights ought to establish kingdoms, and the kingdoms they create are Grand Duchies, corresponding to the rank of Grand Duke inherent to the Dragon Knight himself. When no Dragon Knight progeny emerges, the title must drop to Duke, and the nation from a Grand Duchy to a Duchy. However, the rule wasn¡¯t strictly enforced.


    Regardless, whether a Grand Duchy or a Duchy, they were independent states, and the tributes paid were fixed and would not decrease with a drop in title.


    Thus, many heirs to Grand Duchies did not wish to change the country¡¯s name or reduce their rank.


    The Duchy of Sapphire is one such case. The three successors after the First Dragon Knight never managed dragon riding, and the Sapphire Duke only recently succeeded.


    After reporting on the Eagle Kingdom, Mary continued, ¡°The Blood Servants don¡¯t know much about Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom and Steel Ridge Kingdom. The official channels of the Sapphire Family should relay information¡­ However, the Blood Servants have still managed to hear some good news beforehand.¡±


    Liszt raised an eyebrow, ¡°What news?¡±


    ¡°The Steel Ridge Kingdom has already sent an envoy, led by Mathew of the Red and White Roses, on an official visit to the future Flame Kingdom to meet with you, Your Highness.¡±


    It was a recognition of the Flame Kingdom, a prelude to establishing diplomatic relations, indeed good news. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Liszt¡¯s focus was elsewhere, ¡°Mathew of the Red and White Roses? Isn¡¯t the surname of the Red and White Roses from the Rose Duchy¡¯s Dragon Rearing Family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Mathew of the Red and White Roses is the direct heir of the Rose Duchy. However, he¡¯s also the nephew of King Osborne of Steel Ridge Kingdom and a member of the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knight reserve plan. He now serves as the deputy commander of the Golden Fleece Knight Order, with the rank of Earl, and has very good relations with the Platinum Family.¡±


    Mary continued, solemnly adding, ¡°Earl Mathew has a sister, Marilyn Rose of Red and White, only fifteen but already hailed as the Steel Pearl, renowned as the Northland¡¯s most beautiful woman.¡±

 Chapter 895 - 0892: Mermaids Protection (Second Update)

    Chapter 895: Chapter 0892: Mermaid¡¯s Protection (Second Update)


    The Rose Duchy is the northernmost vassal state of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, and the Dragon Rearing Family¡ªthe Red and White Rose Family¡ªis renowned both far and wide, mainly because of the roses they cultivate.


    Like tulips, roses also have a sequence for magic potions.


    The Red and White Rose Family has been cultivating roses for hundreds of years, possessing not only the Dragon Elves of roses but also a large number of Greater Elves, Little Minor Elves, and Elf Bugs. The varieties of roses they have cultivated are highly differentiated, among which the most famous are the red roses and white roses, leading the family to adopt the surname of Red and White roses rather than a dragon-related surname.


    One variety of white roses has an extraordinarily potent effect when used in magic potions. The magic potions produced are coveted by Nobles both domestically and abroad, selling for more than gold and still in short supply¡ªthe great families are willing to spend unimaginable wealth to let their offspring use the best magic potions.


    The red roses are even more unique.


    Among them, there is a variety called ¡°Red Dragon Great Rose,¡± and the magic potion made from it is known as ¡°Red Dragon Water,¡± which does not significantly enhance a Knight¡¯s training.


    However, its primary use is to increase the magic power of dragons, and this value is so tremendous that upon the birth of the Red Dragon Great Rose, the Steel Ridge Royal Family planned to directly annex the Rose Duchy¡ªafter all, the Rose Duchy had only one Ruby Dragon, which was old and lacked powerful combat abilities.


    Nevertheless, at that time, the Duke of Rose made a quick and decisive move, courting the princess of the royal family at great cost.


    Thus, he became in-laws with the Platinum Family, and by promising to provide an ample supply of Red Dragon Water to the Steel Ridge Royal Family, the Rose Duchy was able to preserve its autonomy.


    The Red and White Rose Family still ascended the ranks of the Dragon Rearing Families.


    Since then, every few generations, a princess would marry into the family or the king would take a daughter from the Red and White Rose Family as his wife, essentially merging the two families into one.


    By this generation of King Osborne Platinum of the Steel Ridge Nation, his sister had married the current Duke of Rose.


    They had a son, Mathew, and a daughter, Marilyn.


    Because of the close relationship between the two families, Mathew was raised in the Steel Ridge Royal Family from a young age and, thanks to his talent, was selected for the Dragon Knight reserve plan, awaiting Dragon Riding. Marilyn was likewise educated in female arts at the royal women¡¯s academy¡ªAudis Academy¡ªestablished by the royal family.


    ¡°Steel Pearl, the first beauty of the Northland¡­ Why are you telling me this?¡± Liszt¡¯s face wore a naked expression of ¡°What do you take me for,¡± and his tone turned serious, ¡°Mary, you need to understand what the focal point is for a Blood Servant to gather intelligence, and not to collect some boring tabloid news.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡±


    Mary apologized first, then argued, ¡°But with Count Mathew leading the Envoy Group from the Steel Ridge Royal Family, it¡¯s full of unspeakable political intentions.¡±


    ¡°What political intentions?¡±


    ¡°The rose family and the Platinum Family are nearly one and the same; the Platinum Family wants to cultivate good relations with Your Highness, hence they dispatched Count Mathew here. That¡¯s the first layer of political intention; Count Mathew¡¯s sister is about to reach marrying age, and as the Steel Pearl, her marriage is destined to be an alliance. Count Mathew may well be scouting out options for his sister in advance.¡±


    Liszt was startled for a moment.


    Mary had made her point so bluntly that it caught him off guard.


    However, at his status and position, every action indeed carried political significance, even if his intention was merely to live freely, those around him would still painstakingly contemplate the implications. Especially since Liszt was very young and yet was destined to found a nation, for which he would need to designate an heir.


    His marriage would become a focal point closely watched by all factions.


    Regarding his own marriage, Liszt was still somewhat perplexed to date; he knew he certainly had to marry and have children. As a transmigrator with traditional Chinese values at his core, he deeply ingrained the proverb ¡°Of all the actions of a man, filial piety is the most important, and the failure to produce offspring is the greatest of all,¡± feeling life would be incomplete without descendants.


    And it would probably be difficult for his marriage partner to be Acherloides¡ªthe Sea Serpent and humans are reproductively isolated.


    ¡°Let it be; I¡¯ll take it one step at a time. If by chance, I manage to contract with the Immortal Dragon and gain immortality, having descendants might not matter so much.¡±


    After thinking for a while.


    He then spoke aloud, ¡°Don¡¯t make wild guesses about political intentions; when the envoy group from the Steel Ridge Kingdom arrives, we¡¯ll naturally understand their purpose.¡±


    The complexities of politics weren¡¯t to Liszt¡¯s liking.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Mary complied amiably, well aware that while her master seemed deeply strategic, he still maintained the personality of a reckless man.


    ¡­


    In the suburb of the City of Steel, Audis Academy residential villa.


    A handsome young man was animatedly explaining something; aside from the servants, there was also a young girl calculating bills in the living room.


    The girl was dressed in a light pink pleated long dress, her features bearing a resemblance to the handsome young man.


    It was clear that they were siblings.


    ¡°Marilyn, Father and Mother are very optimistic about Liszt, Uncle Osborne also hopes to establish friendly relations with the Flame Kingdom. My leading the Envoy Group this time is to see the elegance of the Dragon Knights of the four dragons, as well as the legendary Formless Dragon, who alone defeated five dragons and three knights¡ªsimply inconceivable!¡±


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re overlooking the Archmage.¡±


    ¡°The Archmage only plays a supportive role; even ¡°Truth¡± incarnate in the mundane world wouldn¡¯t be much use in the battle of Dragon Knights,¡± The handsome young man grew more excited as he spoke, ¡°Liszt is only two years younger than I am; to think he¡¯s only twenty this year, the glory that has befallen him is just crazy.¡±


    ¡°So, Father, Mother, and Uncle Osborne have chosen my future?¡± The girl continued with her accounts, her gold curly hair cascading down her shoulders, genteel with a hint of vivacity, ¡°Even though it¡¯s a fate I can¡¯t control, do you really think this could succeed?¡±


    ¡°I think the possibility is high; with a new sovereign ascending, the Flame Kingdom needs the support of Steel Ridge, and the Flame Family also needs a lady to bring knightly glory. None of the three great kingdoms have an eligible princess, and among all the duchies, no one has a more distinguished status than you, Marilyn, you¡¯re the most suitable.¡±


    Marilyn lifted her head, her face spotless and generally expressionless, ¡°Have you all forgotten about that Archmage named Acherloides?¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    The handsome young man was obviously Mathew of the Red and White Roses, who proudly dismissed the servants in the living room, then whispered, ¡°Before we can secure the secret, Father and Mother, even if they admire Liszt, would not rashly propose a marriage alliance; that would be harming you.¡±


    Marilyn waited curiously for what would come next.


    After some groundwork, Mathew continued, ¡°That Archmage is not human, but a remnant of an ancient race¡ªa Sea Serpent!¡±


    ¡°A Sea Serpent?¡± Marilyn was astounded, ¡°She¡¯s actually a Sea Serpent?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a Sea Serpent. It¡¯s impossible for humans and Sea Serpents to reproduce. Do you remember how the heir of the last generation of the Star Duchy was deposed? He fell in love with a Sea Serpent, eloped with a knight of lower standing, which ultimately enraged the Duke of Star. Not only was he demoted to commoner, but the Sea Serpent was also exiled to the Exiled Lands.¡±


    Sea Serpents belonged to legend for most humans, but the royal families of the major kingdoms did indeed come into contact with Sea Serpents, although some information was confined to Nobles only.


    Acherloides¡¯s Magic Cloak could hide the Sea Serpent features of her body, but it would inadvertently expose her identity, especially the transparent fins behind her ears and the fish-fin-like pinnae, which were features easily identified as non-human at a glance.


    For those with intent observations, exposing a Sea Serpent¡¯s identity was not too difficult.


    Of course, Liszt had no intention of rigorously protecting Acherloides¡¯s identity either. He was already a considerable force, with enough strength to protect Acherloides.


    ¡°A Sea Serpent, eh.¡±


    Marilyn looked down at the bill in her hand, speaking as if recounting a young girl¡¯s fantasy, ¡°Perhaps Liszt and Acherloides are like the heir of the Star Duchy, Dragon Knight and Archmage, human and Sea Serpent¡­ Brother, when you go to visit Liszt, please take a gift from me to them.¡±


    Speaking of which.


    Marilyn returned to her bedroom, opened the cupboard, and took out an exquisite small box. Lifting the lid, there lay a pair of delicate earrings.


    She silently looked at the light blue earrings, reminiscent of fish scales, then closed the lid and handed the box to Mathew, ¡°Please give them this ¡®Mermaid¡¯s Protection¡¯ from me.¡±

 Chapter 896 - 0893: Traffic Throat (First Update)

    Chapter 896: Chapter 0893: Traffic Throat (First Update)


    Adorned with the Mermaid¡¯s Protection, Mathew of the Red and White Roses quickly led the Envoy Group to set off, preparing to visit his self-proclaimed ¡°brother-in-law¡± in the Duchy of Sapphire.


    In his view, sea serpents could not bond with humans, and Liszt was indeed of typical noble origin¡ªalthough only an earl¡¯s heir, he could barely be considered among the major nobility. Such nobles have a common attitude towards love, which is that it must be based on interests.


    Apart from a very few nobles, the vast majority of nobles prioritize family and personal interests, which are the core of the knightly system.


    ¡°My sister Marilyn is the foremost beauty of the Northland and the Steel Pearl; there is no woman in the entire northeast corner of the Legendary Continent more suited to be the Queen of the Flame Kingdom¡­ To have a Dragon Knight with four dragons as my brother-in-law, and a King¡¯s brother-in-law, how glorious my status would be.¡±


    Ultimately, his eagerness to arrange a marital alliance for his sister was mainly to bolster the Red and White Rose Family.


    Since countless generations ago, the Red and White Rose Family had understood the importance of hitching to a powerful connection, and without that marriage of convenience, they would have vanished into the annals of history.


    ¡°Even if Liszt is powerful, he cannot ride four dragons at once. Perhaps, once Marilyn becomes the Queen, I too may have a chance to ride a dragon¡­ The Ruby Dragon of our family is really too old, yet the Steel Ridge Royal Family disagrees with me riding any other dragon¡­ Uncle Osborne, in utilizing the Red and White Rose Family¡¯s marriage alliance, isn¡¯t this also a form of self-protection for the Red and White Roses?¡±


    Mathew had already begun fantasizing. Once the marriage alliance was successful, how illustrious and honored the Red and White Rose Family would be, caught between two great Kingdoms.


    And all this was based on the premise that Liszt was, as he believed, a noble who put interests at the core.


    For this reason, in leading this Envoy Group, he not only carried a multitude of gifts from the Steel Ridge Royal Family but also brought an enormous number of gifts from the Red and White Rose Family¡ªRed Dragon Water made from red roses, potent magic potions made from white roses, and rubies produced by the Ruby Dragon.


    ¡°Even the most talented young strongman would succumb to the wealth of the Red and White Rose Family!¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt, unaware that someone was preparing to dazzle him with wealth, cast the issue of the Steel Ridge Royal Family¡¯s Envoy Group to the back of his mind after his Blood Servant Mary reported it. The idea of an arranged marriage happening to himself was, upon reflection, quite amusing.


    Before coming to this world, as a person so ordinary to the extreme, he often thought during his failures in love why the government didn¡¯t allocate wives to spare honest men the trouble of even catching a plate.


    But the thought of actually entering into an arranged marriage with a lady of noble repute whom he had never met was rather frightening¡ªafter all, the lifestyles of the nobility here were extremely open.


    Liszt was very particular about the honor of his own name.


    This was also one of the reasons he maintained a good impression of young girls like Emily, Lucy, Ruth, and Hippolyta. A young girl is always pure and uncorrupted by the murky world, like a lotus flower that rises out of the mud but remains clean, and with careful nurturing, can always grow into the form he desires.


    Of course, he welcomed the arrival of the Envoy Group and happily accepted the overture from the Steel Ridge Kingdom. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was great news as long as the three major Kingdoms did not band together.


    The Flame Kingdom needed time to develop, and he himself needed time to grow. Riding too many dragons in a short period meant training with each dragon was too brief, and up to this point, he hadn¡¯t left a single Mind Branding, not to mention how little he had developed the ¡°Dragon Dou Qi Manual¡±.


    The next day.


    With the last magic ingredient ready, Liszt decisively left the comfortable Thorn Castle and, riding the Formless Dragon Bard, traveled through to Mind Island.


    At this moment on Mind Island, a vortex-shaped Magic Gate was slowly rotating, with a pitch-black passage leading straight into the interior of the island.


    There was no water; this Magic Gate was completely built on land.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re back,¡± Ach said, standing at the edge of Mind Island, practicing the mastery of the Earth Elemental Incarnation¡ªif it weren¡¯t for the delay caused by the Space Elemental Incarnation, after mastering water and ice elements, she would have proceeded with practicing the Earth Elemental Incarnation according to the plan, which was cultivated for the construction of major projects.


    Ordinary Grand Magicians could only slightly alter the terrain with magic, but once an Archmage mastered the Earth Elemental Incarnation, changing the terrain would be at their discretion.


    The legendary Ancient Magicians were said to have the might to move mountains and fill seas, perhaps an exaggeration, but it gave a glimpse of an Archmage¡¯s power.


    ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m back,¡± Liszt walked over and touched Ach¡¯s azure blue hair, while Ach tilted her head submissively, enjoying the caress.


    A profound tacit understanding and intimacy had developed between the two.


    ¡°So brother, let¡¯s start connecting the two Magic Gates and expand the Wormhole Space!¡± excitedly said Ach after enjoying a head-patting session.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Both of them mounted the Formless Dragon Bard and headed straight for the Magic Gate. After entering the world beyond the physical realm, Ach took out the magic materials, created the required Magic Array, and continuously guided Bard to activate the Magic Array. Then, with the help of its innate abilities, she moved back and forth between the two Magic Gates, pulling strings.


    It was a complex magical behavior, roughly achieved by the attraction between magic forces to guide the Magic Gates.


    Finally, the ¡°beacons¡± of the two Magic Gates were connected, and then slowly, through Bard¡¯s Space Magic Power, they expanded upon the linked magic lines, carving out the Wormhole Space.


    The principle was very complex.


    Liszt did not understand much, but he only needed to do as Ach instructed. After intermittent work for three days, when the human, dragon, and Sea Serpent were all exhausted, the Wormhole Space between the two Magic Gates was finally expanded. After carefully reinforcing it one more time, the Magic Teleportation Array was officially complete.


    ¡°The two-way Repulsive Force of the passage is normal, the velocity of exiting the Magic Gate has decayed, and it is now equivalent to the velocity of entering the Magic Gate¡­ Brother, the Mind Island-Reed Swamp Magic Teleportation Array is declared complete!¡± After repeatedly passing through the two Magic Gates, Ach revealed a sweet smile.


    A sense of accomplishment filled her heart.


    This was her replication of the first radiance of an Ancient Magician.


    Standing in front of Mind Island¡¯s Magic Gate, Liszt was also excited, this great miracle that only existed in certain legends was just wrought by his hands, a sense of accomplishment no less than what Ach felt in her heart.


    He took a deep breath.


    He made a swift decision, ¡°Since this Magic Teleportation Array has been completed and the territory temporarily lacks the financial and material resources to establish a Black Horse Island-Jade Mountain Magic Teleportation Array, let¡¯s use this Magic Array as a regular transportation nexus to transport resources and start constructing the Flame Islands!¡±


    With the Magic Teleportation Array completed, Liszt soon notified the Marquis of Bull Tail, asking the Tulip Family to prepare materials to participate in the construction of Mind Island.


    To protect the Magic Teleportation Array well, it was best to build Mind Island into a castle fortress.


    The Mind Island controlling this transport nexus could completely become the trade center of the Sea of Azure Waves¡ªbefore the Black Horse Island-Jade Mountain Magic Teleportation Array was built.

 Chapter 897 - 0894: Dragon Pit Great Mine (Second Update)

    Chapter 897: Chapter 0894: Dragon Pit Great Mine (Second Update)


    ¡°The Magic Teleportation Array is already complete? So quickly?¡± Marquis Bull Tail exclaimed.


    Liszt sipped his tea with a composed manner, ¡°Father, are you still not aware of my work efficiency? It¡¯s just a Magic Teleportation Array which, handily finalized by Ach and me. Now, you can arrange for the family¡¯s knights and serfs to head to Tulip Island via the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. With the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation, I no longer need to keep cultivating deeply in the Bull Tail Domain. I am planning to relocate all knights and serfs, except a portion of them maintained for trade, to Tulip Island. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s feasible. Iron Hoof Island will eventually have to be returned to the Sapphire Family, which is not worth managing. Black Horse Island and Coral Island will be future leaseholds of the Flame Kingdom, so there¡¯s also no need for you to stay. It¡¯s more crucial to develop Tulip Island¡­ Without focusing on domestic development, the trade focus will always be toward the Sapphire direction.¡±


    Placing the trade focus on the Sapphires will only continuously enrich the Sapphire Family, which is not what Liszt desires. He hopes that the bustling Shell Sea will quickly surpass the Sea of Azure Waves, and similarly, that the Flame Family will also rapidly overtake the Sapphire Family, since the latter are merely his followers.


    The elder brother definitely has to be richer than the younger!


    ¡°Which mainland country is adjacent to the Flame Islands?¡± Marquis Bull Tail suddenly enquired.


    ¡°It borders between the Yellowstone Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom, though it¡¯s a complex terrain, sparsely populated, still a wilderness. Hundreds of kilometers inward, lies the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy, a very weak small country. I¡¯ve had Yevich investigating it, and once we have enough information, we can make plans.¡±


    Actually, he was harboring a thought ¡ª might as well head to the Legendary Continent to occupy a large swathe of land, founding a kingdom that spans both the continent and the ocean.


    Fortunately, the borderland area between the two countries is desolate and uninhabited, with plenty of lands available for occupation.


    As for war, he was not afraid!


    They were precisely lacking an excuse to snatch knight resources ¡ª in his eyes, knights are a resource. Once the Flame Kingdom annexes the Moon Slayers, there wouldn¡¯t be a shortage of serf population. But what about knights? Encouraging reproduction wouldn¡¯t yield skilled individuals till at least one or two generations later, so pillaging is the most logical and quick method.


    As for the loyalty of the knight class, well, they say you follow whoever feeds you, so it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.


    Marquis Bull Tail was unaware of Liszt¡¯s thoughts and was a bit worried, ¡°Is the coastline all barren? That wouldn¡¯t be good for trade.¡±


    ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll develop domestically first, and I¡¯ll handle the trade issues when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    After a discussion between father and son, a servant came to report that Lady Penelope had arrived, so Liszt spent some time with the elderly lady and later that afternoon, enjoyed a new play at the indoor theater built within Tulip Castle.


    After the play.


    They chatted for a while and then left Tulip Castle.


    When he returned to Black Horse Island, a large assembly of knights and serfs had gathered, preparing to board the ship heading to Mind Island. Crossing through the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation, they arrived at Flame Island to support the grand development of Flame Island. Both the workshop industries and agriculture were to be gradually transferred there within the coming year.


    Even though it was a leased territory, Liszt did not feel secure leaving his family¡¯s foundation here; moving it to Flame Island was safer.


    ¡°Captain Marcus, Captain P¨¤l¨¬s¨©, Captain Charles, the knights and serf teams are under your leadership. Be cautious when crossing the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation, and terminate the transition immediately if anything changes with the formation.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, go on.¡±


    After giving his instructions, Liszt didn¡¯t linger any longer but promptly mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, soared into the world beyond the physical, then found the exit of the Great Whirlpool Teleportation Formation and quickly crossed over to Flame Island. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He headed straight to the location of the Mammoth Knight Brigade.


    It seemed that Emily had discovered the reward for the Smoke Mission ¡ª ¡°Mission Accomplished, Reward: Dragon Pit Great Mine.¡±


    And the new Smoke Mission was already issued when the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation was completed.


    ¡°Mission: Negotiation teams from the Eagle Kingdom, Steel Ridge Kingdom Envoy Group, and Blast Furnace Fortress Envoy Group will arrive one after another. The order in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent needs to be re-established, and the ruler of the seas also needs to assert authority. Please force the three kingdoms to recognize the Flame Kingdom. Reward: Dragon¡¯s Might in Skeleton.¡±


    The reward for this new mission seemed to be related to the Dragon Pit Great Mine.


    ¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re here, Captain!¡± A Knight climbed up from the pit and reported to Emily.


    ¡°Prepare to have people encircle the pit. The Mammoth Knight Brigade should immediately dig a canal and fill the ditch with water. We must not let the Man-Eating Tree escape this time!¡± Emily ordered coldly.


    In front of her was a valley.


    In the distance ahead, a mountain range split into two branches, forming this rather large valley lush with vegetation. However, hidden amongst the vegetation were one pit after another. The smallest of the pits had a diameter of over eight hundred meters, and the largest even reached a diameter of ten kilometers.


    The Man-Eating Tree Cluster kept fleeing and was trapped by the Mammoth Knight Brigade in this valley full of pits, ultimately getting cornered in a pit one and a half kilometers in diameter.


    The Mammoth Knight Brigade dug trenches around the pit, and once filled with water, they would completely trap the Man-Eating Tree Cluster, capturing them as in a barrel.


    Boom, splash.


    A river in the valley quickly poured into the trench, filling it in no time.


    Watching the river water overflow from the trench, Emily clenched the Crimson Blood Sword in her hand and suddenly declared, ¡°Knight brigade, follow me in for a search!¡±


    The circular pit, one and a half kilometers in diameter, covered an area of approximately seven square kilometers, equivalent to over ten thousand acres¡ªa size matching that of several small villages combined. The Knight Brigade fanned out to search and soon found traces of the Man-Eating Tree Cluster. The trees unable to escape stood tall in the forest.


    However, though many Man-Eating Trees were found, the Dragon Elf remained elusive, yet Emily was able to deduce that the Dragon Elf was indeed here.


    ¡°Will you not come out then? Since that is the case, let¡¯s resort to the blunt method and cut down the forest in the pit.¡± She made the decision decisively. Liszt had instructed that under no circumstances should the Dragon Elf be harmed, which is why she chose to cut down the trees rather than burning them directly.


    Serfs accompanying the Mammoth Knight Brigade were quickly deployed, starting to cut from the edge towards the center of the pit, leaving only sparse Man-Eating Trees.


    With the felled trees being transported out, the pit was bustling with activity.


    Knights shuttled back and forth, searching for any possible traces of the exposed Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elves, with Emily also overseeing the operations.


    When Liszt arrived riding the Formless Dragon Bard, he saw a bustling scene. After he appeared, Emily rushed over immediately, ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Is this the valley full of pits?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have already trapped the Man-Eating Tree Cluster in this pit, but are unable to find traces of the Dragon Elf. I plan to cut the trees first. If the Dragon Elf still does not show itself, then we will start digging.¡± Emily spoke earnestly.


    Hearing her say this.


    Liszt¡¯s heart suddenly stirred, ¡°Emily¡¯s loyalty to me is beyond question, should I then teach her the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡®Eye of Magic¡¯?¡± The Eye of Magic was indeed a rare and precious Dou Qi Manuscript, but it wasn¡¯t as if others in the external world did not possess it.


    After all, Liszt also found it initially on the cover of a book; the previous owner seemed to be a Sky Knight named Steve Vulture from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it later.¡±


    He still hadn¡¯t made up his mind and planned to later send someone to investigate the Vulture Family before deciding. If the Vulture Family still existed and the Magic Eye Dou Qi Secret Technique hadn¡¯t spread, he would plunder the Vulture Family and make the Eye of Magic exclusively for the Flame Family.


    The Eye of Magic, being able to collaborate with dragons, had incredibly practical utility and was not suitable for exposure.

 Chapter 898 - 0895: Battle of the Five Dragons (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward to Celebrate 1/3)

    Chapter 898: Chapter 0895: Battle of the Five Dragons (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward to Celebrate 1/3)


    This chapter is a special reward update from ¡°Bu Deng Qing Ting.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Emily was still busy cutting down trees, while Li Si Te took a walk around the big pit but didn¡¯t spot any glint of magic power feedback; he had no idea just how well that Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite could hide.


    They had been playing this hide-and-seek for over a month, and it had never shown itself even once.


    Taking advantage of a break in the tree cutting,


    he had a group of serfs move to another large pit, and then he chose a central location to start digging, feeling that these big pits could be the Dragon Pit Great Mine rewarded by the Smoke Mission.


    The serfs exerted themselves digging and had only managed to go two meters deep when they hit a layer of rock, which was brought before Li Si Te after being smashed to pieces.


    The stone was very heavy and a dark red in colour.


    ¡°What kind of rock is this, does anyone recognize it?¡± Li Si Te tossed it, feeling that it was some sort of ore¡ªespecially with the hint from the Smoke Mission, he even more so believed that the stone in his hand was ore.


    Fernal Ink, who was following beside Li Si Te, replied, ¡°Your Highness, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this is iron ore.¡±


    ¡°Iron ore?¡± Li Si Te looked closely, and compared it with the iron ore he had snatched from the Trapped Dragon Mountain Iron Mine, noticing some differences, especially in color, ¡°What kind of iron ore is this, and why does it look different from the iron ore I¡¯ve seen? I remember that the iron ore from Trapped Dragon Mountain was very black.¡±


    ¡°It might be a poor ore with a low iron content, typically found in the upper layers of a vein,¡± Fernal Ink said with excitement, ¡°Your Highness, there could be an iron mine under this pit!¡±


    If this truly was iron ore.


    Then without a doubt, this was the Dragon Pit Great Mine, a super-sized iron mine. Looking at the valley¡¯s many large pits packed closely together, Li Si Te¡¯s eyes also turned red with excitement, ¡°Send people quickly, dig in every pit, dig three feet into the ground to find the ore below; I want to know how extensive this iron mine is!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fernal Ink was full of drive, understanding too well the importance of an iron mine to the nation; the equipment for knights, the everyday tools, none could be made without iron ore.


    Not only did the serfs dig fiercely, but many knights also took up spades, hoes, and pickaxes to energetically dig into the earth.


    Several pits around the iron mine were quickly excavated, revealing iron ores of different colors and qualities. In one pit, a mere half meter of digging unearthed pitch-black iron ore, a high-quality deposit likely to contain up to ninety percent iron, which could be directly forged into tools with just a few strikes.


    ¡°It seems we truly have struck a gigantic iron mine, excellent.¡± Li Si Te couldn¡¯t have been more pleased. With such an iron mine, plus the Grey Iron Dragon, the Flame Kingdom would never lack iron again.


    However, as the pits were dug farther afield.


    Soon, different types of ore were brought over.


    ¡°Your Highness, these ores don¡¯t seem like iron ore; they resemble copper ore,¡± Fernal Ink introduced to Li Si Te; as a seasoned knight who had long been involved in the routine affairs of the territory and had some dealings with ore refining, he recognized many types of ore, ¡°It¡¯s likely Bronze Ore. Those previous iron ores were probably Black Heart Iron Ore.¡±


    He then hypothesized, ¡°Perhaps a very long time ago, there was a battle here between a Black Heart Iron Dragon and a Bronze Dragon, creating this vast mineral-rich mountain.¡±


    The speculation was logical.


    Yet soon another knight brought new stones¡ªstones that looked like many cubic stones bonded together. Upon seeing the stone, Fernal Ink couldn¡¯t help exclaiming, ¡°This is galena!¡±


    ¡°Galena?¡±


    ¡°Ores produced by Lead Dragons. The Eagle Kingdom has a Lead Dragon, I have bought a batch of galena before to refine lead metal!¡±


    Then, more pits sent up galena. That is to say, in this valley, there wasn¡¯t only Black Heart Iron and Bronze ores, but also galena. According to Fernal¡¯s logic, maybe in the ancient times, it might have been a triangular battle between Bronze Dragons, Black Heart Iron Dragons, and Lead Dragons.


    However, Liszt and the others were still underestimating the richness of the Dragon Pit Great Mine.


    By nightfall, knights brought in a new type of ore, a kind of brittle, red ore that easily crumbled to sand. Fernal didn¡¯t recognize it, nor did Liszt, but they were sure it must be a new type of metal ore. They had already notified the Magic Guild to send a magician who researched metal ores to come, and then they would know what kind of metal ore it was.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s truly unbelievable. This valley actually contains four types of metal ores!¡± Fernal couldn¡¯t conceal his excitement.


    Beneath the light of the campfire, his face was flushed, as if he had been struck in the head by a gold ingot.


    Liszt, however, was much calmer. He knew about the existence of the Dragon Pit Great Mine from the beginning¡ªthe unexpected part was just how many types there were: ¡°Keep calm, Fernal. We have mapped out the ore distribution in the pits within the valley. There is also a large pit on the outskirts of the valley yet to be excavated, and there may be new ores there.¡±


    ¡°More new ores? That would mean there are five different ores!¡± Fernal was even more excited.


    Liszt¡¯s excitement about the ores was different from Fernal¡¯s.


    In his heart, Liszt was pondering another question: ¡°If five dragons battled here, could one have died and been buried deep underground? The new Smoke Mission reward is ¡®Dragon¡¯s Might in Skeleton,¡¯ could this mean there is a dragon waiting underground to be reborn?¡±


    Just like Leo, after a dragon dies, it nurtures an ember within its remains, waiting for the right opportunity to be reborn.


    A Metal Dragon or Gemstone Dragon was unlikely; they didn¡¯t have the potential for Elementalization, and Dragon¡¯s Super Magic couldn¡¯t exist for long. Only Elemental Dragons¡¯ Superior Magic could endure forever.


    He didn¡¯t bring this up to Fernal.


    He was just speculating to himself: ¡°Perhaps, it wasn¡¯t just four or five Metal Dragons battling. Elemental Dragons might have been involved as well¡­ It¡¯s just uncertain if any Gemstone Dragons were part of it.¡±


    Whether or not Elemental Dragons lay sleeping in the Dragon Pit Great Mine would soon be revealed as the mine unavoidably had to be developed.


    And tonight, he still had work to do.


    As the serfs kept felling trees, within a day and a night, all the trees covering the large pit above the Black Heart Iron were chopped down, leaving only a few scattered hundred Man-Eating Trees in the northwest corner of the pit.


    ¡°Your Highness, can we start digging now?¡± Emily inquired.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    The serfs, who had rotated shifts and rested well, began to dig again, following the spaces between the Man-Eating Tree Cluster. According to the distribution of the Black Heart Iron Ore, the soil layer was less than two meters deep. By turning over the soil here, transplanting each Man-Eating Tree to another place, they vowed to find the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite.


    Soon after.


    The moon set and the sun rose.


    The darkness before dawn was pierced by sunlight, and one by one, the Man-Eating Trees were dug up. Just as they were about to finish the last few dozen trees, those trees suddenly started to tremble. Then the branches softened, and the whole tree bent to the ground, preparing to burrow and flee.


    Having stayed awake all night, with bloodshot eyes, Emily saw this and shouted to the knights behind her, ¡°Wake up His Highness!¡± Then she rushed towards the last few dozen Man-Eating Trees.


    Searching for the shadow of the dragon sprite that was secretly controlling the Man-Eating Trees from the dark.

 Chapter 899 - 0896: Spear of Vengeance (Fourth Update, 10,000 Coins Reward to Celebrate 2/3)

    Chapter 899: Chapter 0896: Spear of Vengeance (Fourth Update, 10,000 Coins Reward to Celebrate 2/3)


    This chapter is ¡°A Hundred Thousand Years of Being a Salted Fish,¡± a reward for ten thousand likes.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Li Si Te, who was napping in the camp tent, woke up as soon as Emily shouted. He wasn¡¯t a heavy sleeper. Thus, when the Knight called out, he lifted the tent curtain and walked out. Without riding a dragon, he soared into the sky, then transformed into a shooting star.


    He landed among the last of the Man-Eating Tree Cluster, the Eye of Magic active, revealing that the Man-Eating Trees, which normally showed no magical luminescence, were all flickering with a pale yellow magic radiance.


    Originally, these Man-Eating Trees were burrowing underground, but Emily noticed them and directly used Thunder Attribute Dou Qi to bombard the ground, disrupting their movement, so they failed to burrow deeper. However, Emily and the others dared not harm these Man-Eating Trees carelessly, fearing they might injure the Dragon Elf.


    This caused the situation to be at a stalemate.


    When Li Si Te arrived, what he saw was the Man-Eating Tree Cluster desperately trying to burrow, yet unable to complete the task.


    He moved swiftly, already rushing to a Man-Eating Tree lying on the ground, and grabbed hold of its soft trunk with one hand, then released Dragon Might, swiftly subduing all the Man-Eating Trees. The pale yellow magic faded, and these Man-Eating Trees rapidly resumed their original growth state.


    ¡°Got you, little guy, stop struggling and show yourself,¡± Li Si Te said with a smile. In his hand, this unremarkable Man-Eating Tree, which radiated dense magical light, was evidently the hideout of the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite.


    Snap.


    Seemingly knowing it couldn¡¯t escape, a large, crystal-clear Elf with a human-like form jumped out from the Man-Eating Tree. It was translucent and at first glance, it was hard to tell whether it looked more like a boy or a girl, lacking any gender characteristics.


    It was about one meter tall with a slightly slim figure and a pale yellow body color.


    A pair of transparent wings fluttered, keeping its feet hovering above the ground. It had delicate facial features and lively, pitch-black eyes.


    Above its head was a leaf, and below the leaf, there were a few root-like tendrils.


    ¡°Jilili Gu Lava Di Sia!¡± the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf faced Liszt, who was radiating immense Dragon Might, and despite trembling slightly, it boldly shouted at him.


    This was an unheard language, somewhat similar to Moon Language, but not quite, as it lacked any discernible pattern.


    It was likely a meaningless shout.


    ¡°Stop yelling, I can¡¯t understand you. Come, let¡¯s make a contract and then communicate normally,¡± Liszt gestured with his hand, urging the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf not to waste any more time.


    ¡°Ula Shakalaka!¡± the Dragon Elf shouted.


    The Dragon Elf, now possessing a human-like form, wasn¡¯t as cute as the Minor Elves or the Greater Elves, but it was undeniably beautiful. However, this slightly fierce-looking Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf seemed a bit tough to deal with, still daring to retort even under the cover of Dragon Might.


    ¡°So, do you want Jade Powder, I have all sorts of flavors,¡± seeing this, Liszt pulled out a big bag of Jade Powder, holding it up.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    The Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf¡¯s eyes lit up but then glared at Liszt: ¡°Bilop Durawarishi!¡±


    ¡°After the contract, all of this will be yours, little fellow, rest assured. With me, you won¡¯t suffer any harm again. Moon Slayers can¡¯t hurt you, nor can the Flame People. Because I am the master here, everything on this land belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°Das Vediania!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making this difficult for me. You should know, I¡¯ve already picked out some names for you. How about Twisted Tree Sprite-Maokai if you don¡¯t like that, how about Void Sprint-Rek¡¯Sai? Not that either? Maybe you¡¯d prefer Verdant God-Ivern¡­judging by your expression, you don¡¯t seem to like it?¡±


    Liszt listed three names, then another one: ¡°Or maybe Spear of Vengeance-Kalista, how about simply Carly¡­no more rejections, I¡¯m calling you Carly. Carly, my patience is nearly gone, it seems I need to take matters into my own hands.¡±


    Seeing that Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf Carly didn¡¯t cooperate, he had no choice but to step forward and grab Carly.


    Under the powerful strength of a Dragon Knight, Carly couldn¡¯t struggle at all; even its efforts to unleash Innate Magic were scattered by Liszt¡¯s surging Dragon Dou Qi, unable to even channel its magic power.


    Beside.


    Emily quietly watched Liszt, highly coveting the formidable strength of a Dragon Knight. Although Liszt had promised her that she would be able to interact with the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan when the time was right, she was still just an ordinary Sky Knight, far from reaching the Completion Level.


    Of course, she was unaware of Liszt¡¯s plans.


    Liszt didn¡¯t care when Emily would reach completion; he just needed to first imprint his Mind Branding into Ethan¡¯s psyche, and then let Emily ride the dragon.


    Given his relationship with Emily, the Mind Branding wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for her.


    This would greatly reduce the difficulty of Emily¡¯s dragon riding.


    While she was slightly distracted, Liszt had already grabbed Carly and then forcefully placed his finger into Carly¡¯s mouth.


    He slightly propped Carly¡¯s jaw, and Carly¡¯s teeth bit into his finger.


    Blood made contact with teeth, and instantly a strange sensation lingered between him and Carly¡ªa familiar power of the Elf contract. However, compared to contracts with Elf Bug, Little Minor Elf, and Greater Elf, the contract power of a Dragon Elf seemed much weaker, not so pronounced.


    ¡°Ula Ghiyabrusta!¡± the Dragon Elf continued to shout loudly.


    At that moment, Liszt had already realized its emotions¡ªit was berating Liszt for being too rough, and furiously accusing all humans of being evil and worthy of death.


    ¡°A very aggressive Dragon Elf; the power of the contract has completely failed to twist its worldview, at most reducing its feelings towards me from hatred to unfamiliar¡­ Greater Elves and Little Minor Elves are better; after contracting, they immediately become closest to me. Taming a Dragon Elf is a bit troublesome.¡±


    For the following period, Liszt was appeasing Carly.


    Nothing more than communicating the previous conversations through emotions and enticing Carly with a large amount of Jade Powder, eventually diminishing Carly¡¯s unfamiliar attitude towards him. Coupled with the power of the contract subtly changing, by nearly noon, Carly finally accepted Liszt.


    Calling out Liszt¡¯s name: ¡°Liszt¡­¡±


    ¡°Very good, Carly, so from now on, take your Cordyceps and these Man-Eating Tree Clusters and go live in my newly developed plantation.¡± He had many questions about Dragon Elves, but now was not the time to study them. Carly still harbored a strong defensive instinct.


    It had indeed been harmed by the Moon Slayers.


    According to emotional communication, its Cordyceps had nearly been chopped down by the Moon Slayers.


    From that time on, it began retaliating against the Moon Slayers, slaughtering over a thousand Moon Slayers, capturing them and burying them at the roots of the Man-Eating Tree Cluster, then absorbing their nutrients¡ªthe Man-Eating Tree surprisingly possessed a scavenging ability, emitting a scent to attract dying animals.


    When animals fell under the tree, roots or even the trunk and leaves would grow root hairs, which would penetrate the animal carcasses to absorb nutrients.


    ¡°Quite an interesting plant. Once Carly¡¯s guard is down, I want to study the Dragon Elf and the Man-Eating Tree in detail,¡± Liszt thought as he watched Carly quietly sitting in the tent eating Jade Powder.


    No matter what kind of elf, their greatest value still lies in the crops they cultivate.


    After finishing a simple, ten-dish field lunch, he took a short rest; in the afternoon, he began summoning the Magician who had already come to identify the ores, working on the four types of ores already discovered and the fifth type discovered that morning.


    ¡°Your Highness, after my identification, if nothing unexpected happens, these five types of ore are¡ªBlack Heart Iron Ore, Bronze Ore, Galena, the outer layer of Mercury Ore, and Titanium Ore.¡±


    ¡°Mercury Ore and Titanium Ore?¡± Liszt was truly surprised at this point, ¡°So-called non-magic metals, Mercury and Titanium?¡±


    Mercury, the only metal that remains liquid at room temperature.


    It is an extremely precious Magic material, necessary for many Magic Array setups and Magic Equipment creations.


    Titanium metal, equally valuable, also known as ¡°Little Mithril¡±.


    Because it has properties similar to Mithril¡ªlightweight and hard material, adding titanium metal to normal steel armor could directly increase the armor¡¯s quality by two or three levels.


    Mercury Dragon, Titanium Dragon, not found in the three great kingdoms and their territories; small amounts of mercury and titanium are transported from other distant kingdoms of the Legendary Continent. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had not expected to find a Mercury mine and a Titanium mine on Flame Island.


    The reward value of the Dragon Pit Great Mine was indeed worthy of the term ¡°great.¡±

 Chapter 900 - 0897: Retainer Knights (First Update)

    Chapter 900: Chapter 0897: Retainer Knights (First Update)


    ¡°A city shall be built here, named Dragon Valley City, then a road from Flame City will be constructed, called Dragon Cinder Road. Another road from Dragon Valley City to Estuary City, it shall be known as Dragon River Road. Flame City must also build a road to Reed Marsh, to be called Reed Cinder Road, and a city needs to be established in Reed Marsh, named Reed City!¡±


    Liszt casually sketched on a map.


    The Flame Island is essentially square in shape, albeit slightly tilted. The Holy Mountain, where the Moon Slayer Holy Tribe resides, is about at the island¡¯s center. Slice the island diagonally and it can be divided into the northwest and southeast halves. The current range of activities for the Flame People is primarily concentrated in the southeast half.


    The geographic center of the southeast half is approximately Whirlpool Mountain, making the city at the base of Whirlpool Mountain, Flame City, the transportation hub and central city of the southeast half.


    Reed Cinder Road extends east from Flame City, crossing the two upper tributaries of Whirlpool River and stretching nearly to Reed City near Reed Marsh. As the guardian of Heart Reed Teleportation Formation, Reed City will inevitably become a trading city. Eastward from Reed City lies the East Coast, where a suitable port can be found to build a harbor city.


    Jade Salary Avenue goes from Flame City towards the northwest, reaching Jade Mountain, a spur of the Flame Mountain Range, and connecting the under-construction Jade City. In the future, a road could extend further northwest from Jade City, reaching the position of the Holy Mountain¡ªLiszt intends to establish a city at this central point of the island.


    Dragon Cinder Road is an extension southwest from Flame City, all the way to Dragon Pit Great Mine; Dragon Valley City will be the future mining center city.


    Dragon River Road is an extension due south from Dragon Valley City, reaching Estuary City at the estuary of Whirlpool River. This city will be Flame Island¡¯s sole port city at the current stage, responsible for communication between Tulip Island and Flame Island.


    Essentially,


    these four roads are the development veins of Flame Island at present, with all agricultural and industrial production revolving around these four roads.


    The Heart Reed Teleportation Formation has already been activated, with knights and serfs pouring into Flame Island continuously; once they arrive in large numbers, it will be time for the frenzied development of Flame Island.


    ¡°The construction of Dragon Cinder Road must be completed quickly, Emily. After it¡¯s done, you immediately lead the Mammoth Knight Brigade to build Reed Cinder Road, and finally, Dragon River Road.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness!¡±


    Having delegated the road construction and city building affairs, Liszt habitually took on the role of a detached director; he rode on the Formless Dragon Bard, circling above the Dragon Pit Great Mine a few times. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mining area located in this valley is unimaginably vast, about 20,000 square kilometers in size.


    To give a more vivid comparison, Liszt¡¯s original home, Coral Island, was about 10,000 square kilometers, roughly equivalent to the area of an ordinary prefecture-level city. And Dragon Pit Great Mine is about equivalent to two Coral Islands or two prefecture-level cities, with five types of minerals distributed within.


    Of course, averaging the mining area for each type of mineral, it didn¡¯t seem too large.


    At present, it has been confirmed that the galena is deep in the valley with a small area; mercury ore is on the right side of the valley, also small in area; Black Heart Iron is on the left side of the valley, the largest in area; copper ore is in the hinterland of the valley, also not small; and the extent of the titanium ore at the entrance to the valley is yet undecided.


    The exploration magicians from the Magic Association are working together with the knights to survey and strive to determine the accurate distribution of the miner areas, as well as to formulate a mining plan¡ªas for the reserves of the mining areas, that¡¯s difficult to calculate, but these are shallow layer minerals, making mining quite easy.


    Unlike Earth, where many minerals are deep underground, in this world, metals and gemstones originate from dragons and are buried relatively close to the surface.


    Perhaps there are deep layer minerals too¡ªafter all, no one has been able to explore and mine them.


    ¡°Once this mining area is exploited, it will support the resource consumption of the Flame Kingdom for decades. Add to that the Jade Mines of Jade Mountain, and there¡¯s no need to worry about resources¡­ Flame Island truly deserves the praise of being rich in land and resources,¡± Liszt rejoiced in his heart. ¡°But I wonder if there are Elemental Dragon bones buried under Dragon Pit Great Mine?¡±


    This is a question worth exploring.


    Mining isn¡¯t an easy task, and to completely excavate this valley would take a considerable length of time: ¡°Unfortunately, even though my Eye of Magic has merged with a dragon, it still can¡¯t peer into the underground to detect magic.¡± The Eye of Magic is already impressively effective, yet he still feels it¡¯s not good enough.


    ¡­


    Mind Island.


    Knights were supervising the serfs in their construction work, with the chief architect being Mbappe Brokenstone, who was also the teacher of Liszt¡¯s head architect Jomaya Bangtu¡ªJomaya once almost met his death for sleeping with Mbappe¡¯s daughter-in-law and was ultimately bailed out by Liszt.


    Mbappe had long served as an architect for the Tulip Family. With Mind Island in urgent need of development, Liszt hired him to oversee the construction of the island¡¯s castle.


    Perhaps Mbappe harbored a grudge against Liszt for protecting Jomaya,


    but he dared not show any signs of it and still worked diligently, especially with the knights from Black Horse Island supervising. No one dared to skimp on the work.


    ¡°The cement mixing is not up to standard, we must use ample amounts of cement here!¡± he shouted, commanding with a loud voice.


    The construction craftsmen immediately brought over another wheelbarrow of cement, pouring it onto the shallow tidal flats of Mind Island. The use of high-quality volcanic or artificial cement had become another major infrastructure tool in Liszt¡¯s hands. Once set, the cement was harder than rock.


    Woo-woo-woo!


    Suddenly, the sound of a horn resounded, and a fleet with the Red Tulip Flag slowly approached the hastily constructed dock of Mind Island.


    A huge, pitch-black bird circled above the fleet.


    The bird descended straight to the construction site where Mbappe and the others were working, and from the back of the bird, a knight clad in silver-white armor leaped down. The supervising knights immediately drew near to greet him, ¡°Lord Marquis!¡±


    ¡°Just carry on with your work, I have come to take a look,¡± the visitor was none other than Liszt¡¯s father, the Obsidian Albatross Knight, Marquis Li Weiliam of Bull Tail.


    ¡°Lord Landlord,¡± Mbappe hurried over to greet him as well.


    Li Weiliam smiled and said, ¡°Mbapp¨¦, it must be hard working on the island.¡±


    ¡°It is Mbappe¡¯s honor to serve Prince Dragon Knight; it¡¯s not hard at all,¡± Mbappe quickly responded. Despite being a renowned Master Architect, in the eyes of the nobility he was not much different from a commoner, and skill could not bridge the vast gulf of class status.


    ¡°Good, keep up the good work,¡± Li Weiliam said contentedly with a slight raise of his hand. Although Mind Island was not his territory but his son¡¯s, he shared the same sense of ownership, ¡°Build the Fortress of the Mind well and strictly protect this island and the door behind it, allowing no oversights.¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord, Mbappe¡¯s architectural quality has always been the best.¡±


    ¡°I believe that.¡±


    Seeing that Li Weiliam was preparing to inspect other places, Mbappe hesitated for a moment before blurting out, ¡°Lord Landlord, there is something Mbappe is unsure whether to ask of you.¡±


    Li Weiliam¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°What is it?¡± He did not like followers or subjects making requests of him.


    Mbappe quickly said, ¡°My grandson, Steve Brokenstone, is studying at the Knight Academy. He is only seventeen but already an Earth Knight. I heard that Prince Dragon Knight is recruiting a group of new Retainer Knights, and I was wondering if you could recommend Steve to the Prince.¡±


    He then bowed deeply.


    Li Weiliam did not want to agree, but considering Mbappe¡¯s many years of service to the Tulip Family, he reluctantly agreed, ¡°As long as the Fortress of the Mind is perfectly completed, I guarantee your grandson can become a Retainer Knight to Liszt.¡±


    It was only a Retainer Knight, after all.


    He believed that Liszt would definitely grant this favor for his father!

 Chapter 901 - 0898: Unique Aura (Second Update)

    Chapter 901: Chapter 0898: Unique Aura (Second Update)


    The fleets from the Tulip Family, Black Horse Island, and Iron Hoof Island arrived one after another, transporting knights and civilians in large numbers toward Mind Island.


    Paris stood before the dark and profound Magic Gate, shaken by an indescribable awe.


    Although she held little interest in history or novels, she knew that Magic Teleportation Arrays belonged to the realm of powerful magical creations from legends¡ªyet now, one was right before her eyes. Normally, when she interacted with the Magic Guild, those magicians struggled to cast even a small fireball.


    Even when Grand Magicians cast spells, the effect was minimal, far from comparable to the powerful moves she herself could perform with a flash of flight.


    Nor had she found Archmage Archy particularly amazing, as she rarely witnessed him in combat.


    However, in front of the Magic Gate, for the first time, she profoundly felt the incredibility of magic. She had heard from Chris Truth that in this era, the Magic Web had withered, magic had declined, and only if it returned to the level of the Moon Empire¡¯s Magic Web would the inconceivable nature of magical creations truly manifest.


    ¡°Captain Paris, what are you thinking about?¡± Speaking of the devil, Vice-Chairman Chris of the Magic Guild had arrived from the Magic Association¡¯s camp to her side before the Magic Gate.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about how terrifying magic can be.¡±


    ¡°Magic is the most direct manifestation of Truth, and Truth is the deepest mystery of this world, unfathomable. But as magicians, exploring Truth and taming magic are the ideals we pursue all our lives¡­ Although you are not a magician, you should still seek Truth more.¡±


    ¡°Heh, look at magic books and research notes? That¡¯s certainly not my hobby.¡± Paris felt a headache just thinking about books.


    So without further delay, she called the patrolling knights to escort the serf squads, either carrying goods or pushing wheelbarrows toward the Magic Gate.


    The knights, having received advance notice, constantly moved among the serf groups.


    They loudly explained the essentials of traversal: ¡°When entering, your body will be uncontrollable, but do not panic. Just hold tight to the goods in your hands or the handles of your carts, and in the blink of an eye, you¡¯ll be through! The first trip through the Teleportation Array might cause dizziness, but rest for a moment, and you will recover!¡±


    Despite such reassurances, many serfs still stood in front of the Magic Gate, hesitant and afraid to proceed.


    At that moment, the knights would unhesitatingly crack their whips on the ground to spur the serfs forward, and if the serfs still did not move, the next lash would strike them¡ªhitting people was inhumane, yet sometimes, without it, they couldn¡¯t force serfs, who¡¯ve never seen anything of the world, to move.


    ¡°Do not be afraid. The Teleportation Array won¡¯t eat you!¡± Paris, holding a newly invented magical device¡ªa megaphone¡ªjoined the ranks of the announcers.


    ¡°Once you step through this door, you will be Freemen. Lord Landlord will grant you land¡ªyour own land. All the harvests from your toil, the fruits of your labor, will belong to you! Just pay one-twentieth in taxes, and you will have knights¡¯ protection!¡±


    To avoid whippings, for the status and land of Freemen, even the most timid serfs steeled themselves and charged into the Magic Gate.


    As serfs entered the Magic Gate in rapid succession, the subsequent serf squads, driven by inertia, stepped through the Magic Gate without any further commotion.


    Quickly, the serf groups all entered the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation, smoothly and successfully.


    The knights followed suit. Paris planned to go last and, truth be told, she too was somewhat afraid. So she stealthily went to the Magic Association¡¯s work camp, watching Chris and the others busy collecting information about the Magic Gate¡ªthis was the task Archy had set.


    The Heart Reed Teleportation Formation was only an experimental product; more information needed to be gathered to perfect this great magical creation, the Magic Teleportation Array.


    ¡°Did any information come from Reed Marsh?¡± asked Paris.


    Chris nodded: ¡°Everyone safely crossed through the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation. Aside from some of the physically weaker serfs experiencing vomiting and dizziness, there were no other issues.¡±


    ¡°How much longer does the Magic Association need to work here?¡±


    ¡°It will take a considerable amount of time, the gathering of information on the Magic Gate is rather complex, but only a group of magicians need to be stationed here. I plan to head to Flame Island today as well; His Highness has sent word that there are more and more Ancient Magicians of the Moon Slayer, and they need me to assist in the management at the Magic Association.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good to hear, I¡¯ll be leaving first, see you on Flame Island.¡±


    ¡°See you on Flame Island.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She took a deep breath.


    Stepping through the Magic Gate.


    Immediately, she was engulfed in a sensation akin to weightlessness, and as she opened her eyes, she could see nothing around her but occasional, faint glimpses of light passing by. The feeling of confinement was rather unpleasant, but fortunately, it lasted only a brief moment.


    Then her body felt as if it were cast forward, and light returned to her sight.


    Regaining control of her body, she swiftly twisted her waist, like jumping down from a great height, and steadily landed on the wooden planks that covered half of the lake¡¯s surface.


    A thud.


    Her boots struck the ground, causing the planks to slightly tremble.


    Above, the sky was a pristine blue, the sunlight blistering and unrestrained, while around her bustled serfs who had just arrived, busily getting their teams in order. A somber Magic Gate towered behind her, rising from the lake, with simple wooden huts lined up around the lakefront like blocks in a child¡¯s game.


    Further away lay an endless, dense forest, its imposing ridges reaching toward the horizon.


    ¡°Captain P¨¤l¨¬s¨©, welcome to Reed Marsh on Flame Island,¡± greeted a Viscount Sky Knight responsible for reception, leading a Knight Squad to inspect the entirety of Reed Marsh, ¡°His Highness has ordered that the patrol knights will be stationed in Reed Marsh to maintain law and order and to construct Reed City.¡±


    Suppressing her curiosity about the surroundings, P¨¤l¨¬s¨© responded, ¡°Do I need to pay a visit to His Highness in Flame City?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need; His Highness will come to Reed Marsh tonight and hold a dinner for his followers. Then you will be able to hear His Highness¡¯s commands. If Captain P¨¤l¨¬s¨© isn¡¯t tired, you can take over the security maintenance here immediately. I still need to inspect the campsites in the Bull Tail Domain, and I¡¯m too busy to manage everything.¡±


    ¡°Then leave it to me,¡± P¨¤l¨¬s¨© promptly entered work mode.


    She convened the patrol knights for a meeting and started to assign duties to inspect the campsite of Flame Territory in Reed Marsh, organizing the serfs into teams for housing assignments, and established a strict protocol for entry and exit.


    After a moment of reorganization, order was swiftly restored in the campsite of Flame Territory.


    The campsite of the neighboring Bull Tail Domain also quieted down quickly.


    Unnoticed, the night had fallen.


    With a majestic and inviolable dragon¡¯s roar, Liszt, astride the Formless Dragon Bard, descended from the sky. After signaling to Bard to check with Achy if assistance was needed, he, surrounded by knights, arrived at the campsite of Flame Territory to inspect the first batch of immigrants who had come through the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation.


    He dispatched knights to the Bull Tail Domain campsite to invite the Marquis of Bull Tail and others to a banquet.


    Half an hour later.


    By the roaring bonfire, a barbecue dinner commenced, with all the nobles from the Bull Tail and Flame Territories gathering to grill their own meat. Only Liszt, Li Weiliam, P¨¤l¨¬s¨©, Chris, and other Viscount nobles and Grand Magicians, sat at a table, served grilled dishes by the servants.


    ¡°Father, how do you find Flame Island?¡± asked Liszt, raising his beer mug with a smile.


    Li Weiliam clinked his mug with Liszt¡¯s, drained his beer, and exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot, quite a bit hotter than the Sapphire Archipelago. But it feels more free, bustling with life here. All the land is untouched, yet it harbors unseen civilization and wealth.¡±

 Chapter 903 - 900 Pieros Revenge (First Update)

    Chapter 903: Chapter 900 Piero¡¯s Revenge (First Update)


    A day had passed without any results, which was normal, given it was a negotiation and naturally required some tugging on either side for a few days.


    However, in the evening, Duke Pierrot took the initiative to visit Li Si Te, who happened to be chatting over tea with Li Weiliam. Thus, Li Si Te invited him into his study.


    The study in Thorn Castle was enormous, filled with all kinds of books and radiated an antique charm, full of artistic taste.


    It is said that a man¡¯s study is a reflection of his cultivation; Li Si Te¡¯s study exemplified the portrait of a gentle and refined gentleman within his inner world.


    ¡°Duke Pierrot, in a few days you will gain your freedom,¡± Li Si Te said, motioning for the other to sit, ¡°what brings you here at this time?¡±


    Pierrot, unabashed, took a seat.


    He took the green tea handed to him by a servant and gulped down half the cup. ¡°You two must be laughing at me in your hearts. As a sinner who lost a dragon, even if I can return, my position as Duke is likely at its end.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was right.


    Li Si Te indeed mocked him internally, but those were thoughts best left unsaid. ¡°Wars always have winners and losers, Duke Pierrot. It is unfortunate you took part in an unwise dragon-slaying war. Originally, my targets were either Alex White Iron or Alonso Xiankelai.¡±


    ¡°I indeed chose the wrong opponent for the war,¡± Duke Pierrot nodded, speaking calmly, ¡°from a sovereign to a captive prisoner, this transition has made many things clear to me. Honestly, if it were not for saving the face of the Eagle Royal Family, I doubt anyone would come to ransom me.¡±


    Li Si Te exchanged a glance with Li Weiliam, and they remained silent.


    Just earlier in their casual father-son conversation, Li Weiliam was complaining about the difficulty of negotiations. The Eagle Kingdom and Grey Iron Duchy only wanted to save face with the least cost, indifferent to Duke Pierrot himself. Therefore, they firmly refused the high price demanded here.


    Duke Pierrot continued, ¡°Originally, I harbored intense hatred for Your Highness, burning day and night for the grievance of dragon theft. But today, I was betrayed by those closest to me, and that hatred towards Your Highness has dissipated. Defeat and capture naturally leave everything to the victors; what is most despicable is betrayal!¡±


    Li Weiliam offered insincere comfort, ¡°From a family interest perspective, perhaps they also faced their difficulties.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m talking about family betrayal?¡± Duke Pierrot shook his head, ¡°No, no, no, I do resent their betrayal, especially that of my son. But if I were him, I would make the same choice¡ªto preserve the family¡¯s power is more important than rescuing someone like me, a captive.¡±


    ¡°Then who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Adonis Moonlight Silver!¡±


    ¡°The King of the Eagle?¡± Li Si Te was still unclear about Pierrot¡¯s intentions.


    At first, he thought Pierrot was so angry he might switch allegiance willingly, but that was impossible since they needed him for a trade with the Dragon Elf.


    A mere Sky Knight waste could never compare to a Dragon Elf.


    Pierrot quickly explained, ¡°I once thought Adonis, Loyle, and I were an iron triangle. As the two most loyal vassal states to the Eagle Kingdom, both Loyle and I grew up in the Eagle Kingdom and were together selected for the Dragon Knight training program. Unfortunately, my lack of talent failed to win the Ash King¡¯s approval.¡±


    Despite being middle-aged, Pierrot still regarded the iron triangle as close as family.


    Thus, when the Eagle Royal Family waged the dragon-slaying war, he and Loyle Purple Copper promptly responded. Unfortunately, Loyle died in battle, and he was captured.


    ¡°I thought even if my family abandoned me, Adonis wouldn¡¯t abandon me. I fought for the dignity of the Eagle Royal Family and for Adonis¡¯s friendship¡­ Now, I have become an insignificant nobody, and Adonis didn¡¯t even send someone to console me with a single word!¡±


    His voice gradually grew louder.


    Duke Pierrot became more agitated as he spoke, ¡°This is an insult, this is betrayal! He betrayed my friendship, betrayed the interests of the Grey Iron Duchy. Traitors do not deserve forgiveness!¡±


    ¡°So, Duke Pierrot, what are you trying to say?¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t particularly interested in adolescent emotional worlds, which didn¡¯t even possess the ups and downs found in a Knight¡¯s Novel.


    ¡°I want to take revenge on Adonis and I need Your Highness¡¯s help!¡± Pierrot finally made his purpose clear.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°All the information I know about the Eagle Kingdom, including the grandson of the Marquis of the Bull, can be given to you, Your Highness, in exchange for your support in helping me return to the Grey Iron Duchy. Going forward, the Grey Iron Duchy will serve the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    Before Liszt could speak, Li Weiliam responded, ¡°Duke Pierrot, do you think that is even possible? The Grey Iron Duchy has already lost its dragons, which means in a few years, your country will cease to exist. Even if we support your return, what do you have to suppress your country and repay the Flame Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Of course, there are returns!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Marquis of the Bull¡¯s grandson, Andre, is taming a new dragon, and from what I know, he is close to succeeding. If I am willing to provide information on this dragon to your highness, would you be willing to protect the Grey Iron Duchy for twenty years? Twenty years, I believe within this time, your highness would obliterate the Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    Duke Pierrot said, his gaze unusually firm, ¡°By then, if the Grey Iron Family still hasn¡¯t found a new dragon, I am willing to exhaust all my wealth in hopes of becoming just another noble family within the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    After hearing Duke Pierrot¡¯s words,


    Liszt slowly narrowed his eyes, contemplating the truthfulness of the other¡¯s words.


    Originally, he wasn¡¯t too concerned about Andre, the enemy of the Sapphire Duke. Even if he was a genius, he would first seek revenge against the Sapphire Family. Moreover, even if he became a Dragon Knight, what could he do, dare to act violently in the presence of a Dragon Knight owning four dragons?


    But.


    The news of Andre taming a new dragon piqued his interest, ¡°What new dragon is he taming?¡±


    ¡°A miraculous dragon, though not as powerful as your Highness¡¯s Formless Dragon, yet more magical than the usual Metal Dragons and Gemstone Dragons. If not for this dragon, how would the Marquis of the Bull dare to betray the Sapphire Family?¡± Duke Pierrot leaned back in his chair, gaining the upper hand as long as Liszt showed interest.


    Li Weiliam suddenly asked, ¡°Duke Pierrot, do you think the Flame Kingdom can obliterate the Eagle Kingdom within twenty years?¡±


    ¡°With the momentum of His Highness Liszt, I believe there is a chance, of course, it¡¯s mostly a bet on the future¡­ Without dragons, the Grey Iron Family will eventually lose their country, so instead of becoming mere nobility, why not gamble¡­ It¡¯s been many years since a Holy Dragon Knight appeared, why can¡¯t the Eagle Kingdom fall?¡±


    His reasoning was cogent.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t want to refute, ¡°Tell me what dragon Andre is taming first. If I¡¯m interested, agreeing to your terms might be possible.¡±


    After some hesitation, Duke Pierrot nodded, ¡°I believe in your Highness¡¯s integrity. The dragon that Andre is taming is the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s biggest secret, which I incidentally learned during a banquet with Adonis, where he divulged it in a drunken spiel and I investigated secretly afterward.¡±


    He paused, then gritting his teeth, he said, ¡°It¡¯s a Mountain Copper Dragon!¡±

 Chapter 904 - 0901: Dragon Rearing Family’s Game (Second Update)

    Chapter 904: Chapter 0901: Dragon Rearing Family¡¯s Game (Second Update)


    Mithril is as light as air, Fine Gold is indestructible, and Mountain Copper is unbreakable.


    These are the three types of magic metals known on the Legendary Continent, currently the only ones known on the market. Of course, Liszt also had a batch of magic metals from the Child of the Sun, including Blue Steel and Cast Aluminum.


    These magic metals are very compatible with magic power, serving as excellent materials for magic conduction and possessing unique properties. Whether for crafting magic equipment or standard weapons, they are top-notch raw materials. Thus, their prices remain high, affordable only to a few nobles.


    The three major kingdoms and their subordinate states did not possess Magic Metal Dragons. It was said that only the empire of the Legendary Continent had control over Magic Metal Dragons¡ªthe Mithril Dragon, Fine Gold Dragon, and Mountain Copper Dragon.


    Unexpectedly, Eagle Kingdom managed to find a Mountain Copper Dragon and tasked Andre Sapphire, the grandson of the Marquis of Bull, with its conquest.


    Quickly,


    Duke Piero revealed what he knew, omitting only the location of the Mountain Copper Dragon, ¡°Andre¡¯s mother was the daughter of a Marquis from the Eagle Kingdom, who had met due to the war. So, Andre learned the skills of an Iron Knight in that Marquis¡¯s territory during his youth.¡±


    It was hard to tell if the union of Andre¡¯s parents was out of love or arranged by the Eagle Kingdom.


    Nevertheless, the Bull family had long been connected with the Eagle Kingdom.


    Thus, Andre was born.


    Reportedly, not only was Andre exceptionally talented, but he was also very lucky. Once, while hunting in the mountains with adults, he unexpectedly stumbled upon the Mountain Copper Dragon.


    Of course, although the Mountain Copper Dragon showed some affinity for Andre, its proud nature wouldn¡¯t allow it to pay attention to an unknown young man, let alone be ridden easily. Andre¡¯s discovery was quickly known by his family elders, and closely monitored by the Eagle Royal Family behind the scenes.


    ¡°Adonis initially planned to capture the Mountain Copper Dragon and then gradually subdue it, but found that the dragon¡¯s power was extremely strong. After all, Mountain Copper is unbreakable, and its combat power far exceeds that of the White Maw Iron Dragon. Even without a Dragon Knight, it could make the royal Dragon Knights flee in defeat.¡±


    Therefore, the Eagle Royal Family finally decided to support Andre in dragon riding.


    They spared no expense in helping Andre conquer the Mountain Copper Dragon, bringing the effort to a critical stage, and preparations were in full swing. It¡¯s said that if one can secure a chance for a Mind Battle, one will certainly earn the Mountain Copper Dragon¡¯s approval and become a powerful Magic Metal Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Your Highness, although Andre has reached the strength of a Sword Saint at eighteen, compared to your incredible talent, he falls short. Your Highness, it would be effortless for you to seize both the Grey Iron Dragon and the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, and so would riding the Mountain Copper Dragon. I hope this information represents my sincerity,¡±


    said Duke Piero.


    And he revealed Andre¡¯s talent: a Sword Saint at eighteen, which meant he must have advanced to a Sky Knight by sixteen years old, or even earlier.


    But Liszt had long stopped paying attention to the talent of others. In this world filled with countless geniuses, even his follower, Emily, had ascended to Sky Knight at fourteen.


    Not frightening at all.


    Because he was endowed with the power of destiny.


    However, the attraction of the Mountain Copper Dragon to Liszt was deadly; the value of magic metals was one aspect, and the combat power of the Mountain Copper Dragon itself was another.


    ¡°I still have two Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits. Keeping one in case of future contracts with an Immortal Dragon, I can spare one for dragon riding. So should I use this Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit to ride the Mountain Copper Dragon?¡± He pondered slowly in his heart, knowing that without the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, riding the dragon would be impossible.


    After all, he had already ridden no fewer than four dragons. With the dragons¡¯ proud nature, they wouldn¡¯t bow to Liszt without external interference.


    Little Fire Dragon Leo was too young to understand the wicked ways of men and ate the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit by mistake, losing both body and mind; Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan was severely injured and dying, also affected by the Mind Fruit Tree and lost his mind and body in a coma; Formless Dragon Bard was terrified by a world beyond material existence, high on Smoked Grass, clumsily establishing a dragon rider bond.


    The Grey Iron Dragon refused to submit until the very end and eventually ate the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit under external force, allowing Liszt to erase the Mind Branding.


    In any case.


    Following the normal path of dragon riding, he would not be able to mount even a single dragon, even if the dragon were severely wounded and on the brink of death, as long as its spirit remained undamaged, he could not mount it.


    To ride the Mountain Copper Dragon, one must present a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    ¡°Originally, I wanted to keep an additional fruit to contract with the Sacred Dragon, but it¡¯s a now-or-never opportunity, so it¡¯s decided¡ªit will be you, Mountain Copper Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Once Ach finds the time, and we study the hind legs of the Jade Dragon together, perhaps we could cultivate a new Mind Fruit Tree. Then, we can contract as many dragons as there are!¡±


    Having made up his mind inwardly, Liszt maintained a composed exterior and responded to Duke Pierrot, ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way, I need to thoroughly contemplate the pros and cons. You may go back and wait. Negotiation isn¡¯t a matter of one or two days, especially when it involves supporting your return to continue as a duke.¡±


    ¡°I believe that as long as His Highness is willing, the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t dare to obstruct, and Steel Ridge would certainly welcome a weakened Eagle. Likewise, Blast Furnace Fortress, only a weakened Eagle would bow their heads, allowing them to focus their strength on more distant threats from other kingdoms,¡± added Duke Pierrot.


    Liszt smiled, ¡°I hope so too, Duke Pierrot. Moving forward, my father will be in contact with you often as the diplomatic matters of the Flame Kingdom are his responsibility.¡±


    ¡­


    Having sent off Duke Pierrot, who was ready to mend his ways,


    Liszt and his father, Li Weiliam, deliberated carefully in the study for a long time before Liszt made a decision, ¡°Reach an agreement with Pierrot as soon as possible; have him disclose the whereabouts of the Mountain Copper Dragon and Andre. I will personally verify its authenticity. If it is true, then we must seize the Mountain Copper Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Will the Eagle Kingdom agree to our demands?¡± Li Weiliam was somewhat uncertain. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Leverage Duke Pierrot¡¯s ransom, a single Dragon Elf will suffice, but the Eagle Kingdom must sign a legally binding document ensuring Duke Pierrot continues as the duke of Grey Iron Duchy and allowing trade between the Grey Iron Duchy and the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I fear that the Eagle Royal Family will not let Pierrot live for long.¡±


    ¡°Once I mount the Mountain Copper Dragon, whether Pierrot lives or dies is of no consequence. Can we really expect him to hand over the wealth of Grey Iron Duchy?¡± Liszt was inclined to grasp the crux of matters, and in this issue, the crux was the Mountain Copper Dragon; obtaining it would mean a huge profit.


    Li Weiliam had grown accustomed to following Liszt¡¯s decisions, ¡°How should negotiations about the Dragon Slaying War with the Eagle Kingdom be defined?¡±


    ¡°The Eagle Kingdom must issue an apology and officially recognize the legitimate status of the Flame Kingdom. As for reparations, they must provide a batch of supplies. Even if we don¡¯t secure them, it hardly matters; eventually I will personally go and seize them¡­ Pierrot made a good point; within twenty years, I hope to annihilate the Eagle Kingdom!¡±


    Li Weiliam frowned, ¡°You are ambitious, and as your father, that pleases me, but isn¡¯t that shooting too high?¡±


    ¡°Shooting too high? I don¡¯t believe so. Although the Flame Kingdom is yet to be established, with its meager national strength and sparse population, we are not short of high-end combat capabilities. Twenty years is sufficient for me to train several Dragon Knights. By then, with my abilities, leading a large number of dragons and Dragon Knights to sweep across the northeast corner of the Legendary Continent won¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    He gently shook the teacup in his hand.


    His gaze seemed to peer into the river of fate, where countless lives slowly flowed.


    His voice turned ethereal, ¡°The world, as they say, is ruled by knights, but for dragon-rearing families, knights are merely servants who devote themselves to the families; dragons are the core of the world. Serfs, commoners, and knights working and fighting desperately, merely contribute labor and resources for the enjoyment of a few families.¡±


    So-called knight wars, so-called national peoples.


    They were merely playthings in the hands of a group at the pinnacle of the pyramid.


    ¡°Father, because of my emergence, the Tulip Family¡¯s future is bound to join forces with the Flame Family, becoming part of that small group controlling the game.¡±


    In Li Weiliam¡¯s contemplative gaze, Liszt, with a bewitching tone, said, ¡°Do work hard on nurturing Richard (the son of Levis). I hope the Tulip Family can also produce a Dragon Knight.¡±

 Chapter 905 - 902: Rupture Mountains (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Celebration 2/2)

    Chapter 905: Chapter 902: Rupture Mountains (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Celebration 2/2)


    This chapter is a sponsored update by ¡°babygo666¡±.


    ¡ª


    Dragons, there is no one who does not yearn for them.


    Just like how Liszt, even with so many dragons, was still captivated by the Mountain Copper Dragon and began to plan uncontrollably. When Li Weiliam heard that the Tulip Family also had the opportunity for Dragon Riding, his heartbeat surged, but he soon came to terms with it¡ªthe Kingdom would inevitably carry out a Dragon Knight reserve plan.


    As long as the Tulip Family produced progeny with exceptional talents, it was only natural for them to be selected for the plan. Indeed, the Marquis of Bull was a negative example, but the blood relation was there, and no matter what, it was closer than that of ordinary people.


    Moreover.


    As long as the Mind Branding belonged to the Flame Family, no matter how others rode dragons, they were just working stiffs, and could they possibly ride away with the dragons?


    Li Weiliam¡¯s recent thoughts had changed dramatically, no longer focusing solely on the Tulip Family. After all, Liszt was the only person in the Flame Family, and as long as Liszt held his position, the protection and grace afforded to the Tulip Family would not cease. Perhaps one day, the Tulip Family might become a true Dragon Rearing Family.


    And one more important point, whether it was the Tulip Family or the Flame Family, both were families he had sired¡ªLiszt was his son!


    For Li Weiliam, life was already perfect.


    All he hoped for now was that his eldest son Levis could also enjoy wealth and prestige and that his youngest son Lidun could bask in some reflected glory.


    ¡°Your brother has limited talent, and the future of the Tulip Family will be handed over to Richard eventually. I hope Richard can lift them up, and as his uncle, you¡¯ll need to guide him a lot.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as Richard has talent, I won¡¯t let him waste it.¡± Liszt quite liked this adorable little nephew.


    Because of his transmigration, his emotional connection to family was somewhat diluted, but Little Richard, whom he had watched grow up since he was two years old, had a special place in his heart.


    With two lifetimes combined, his mental age was not small, and although he had never been a parent, his affection for children gradually changed. Young people always find children annoying, but older people tend to adore them, and Liszt, who held his head high in the world, was no exception.


    ¡­


    Two contacts.


    After the interests were clear and the covenant was amicably signed, Duke Pierrot quickly provided information about Andre and the Mountain Copper Dragon.


    ¡°In this location, adjacent to the vassal state of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy of the Yellowstone Kingdom, this area is the undeveloped southern wilds of the Eagle Kingdom. The topography here is complex with high and low undulations, featuring many cliff-like mountain ranges. The Mountain Copper Dragon lives here, and it seems the Eagle Royal Family refers to this place as the Rupture Mountains.¡±


    ¡°Rupture Mountains?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyebrows raised, remembering that he was not unfamiliar with this name¡ªhe had read about it in a book from the Marquis of Bull¡¯s collection. That book was written by a magician named Sethwen Truth from the ¡°Silver Moon Gathering,¡± which was donated to Alonso Xiankelai, with no title and a dragon circling the cover.


    He didn¡¯t know how it ended up on the Marquis of Bull¡¯s desk but was taken away by Liszt when Juniper Castle was attacked.


    He called this book ¡°Dragon Raising Manual¡±, which held records of all the Silver Moon Assembly magician organization¡¯s research on dragons. The Silver Moon Assembly was a magical organization of the Eagle Kingdom, and Sethwen probably gave the book as a way to make an early investment while Alonso was yet to become a Dragon Knight.


    Alonso, as a member of the Dragon Knight reserve plan, was clearly a person the magicians saw as a valuable investment, and he did indeed successfully become a Dragon Rider.


    ¡°Dragon Raising Manual¡± mentioned ¡°The Evil Earth Dragon of the Rupture Mountains¡± researched by Sethwen Truth.


    With this in mind, Liszt¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, and he said calmly, ¡°Aren¡¯t there supposed to be an Evil Earth Dragon in the Rupture Mountains?¡±


    ¡°An Earth Dragon?¡± Duke Pierrot was taken aback for a moment, not panicked but rather surprised, ¡°Your Highness is aware of the Rupture Mountains?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there is an Earth Dragon in the Rupture Mountains, but when I sent Rats to investigate, they did find out that there once was an Earth Dragon in the Rupture Mountains, but its whereabouts later became unknown. Subsequently, the Rupture Mountains became the dwelling place of the Mountain Copper Dragon, having lived there for nearly three years.¡±


    Pierrot was curious about how Liszt knew about the Rupture Mountains, but it was clear that Liszt had no intention of explaining.


    He simply nodded, ¡°Please continue.¡±


    ¡°One of my Rats is disguised as a Servant beside Andre, who has done a lot of homework with the help of the Eagle Royal Family to ride a dragon. The key to riding the Mountain Copper Dragon lies in the quality of the Knight; they need to be steadfast, unyielding, and fearless in the face of death, understanding sacrifice. Only by being so can they touch the heart of the Mountain Copper Dragon.¡±


    With each quality valued by the Mountain Copper Dragon that Duke Pierrot listed, Liszt¡¯s face darkened slightly. Although he possessed these qualities, they were not perfect in him, and it was clear that there was almost no hope of riding the Mountain Copper Dragon by conventional means.


    Even though he had anticipated this outcome,


    it still wasn¡¯t easy to accept.


    ¡°So how far has Andre really gotten?¡± He was somewhat incredulous; with such high standards of quality, he had to wonder if truly anyone else was capable.


    Duke Pierrot responded with teasing laughter, ¡°Although this Andre is the descendant of a traitor, he indeed is an ¡®excellent¡¯ knight. To prepare a type of bird egg that the Mountain Copper Dragon fancies, he personally climbed cliffs and sheer rock faces, braving attacks from magical beasts and birds, entering caves to collect eggs, getting pecked all over his body.¡±


    There were many similar actions.


    He was a daredevil, truly willing to ¡°dedicate¡± himself to the Mountain Copper Dragon.


    ¡­


    After confirming the location of the Mountain Copper Dragon.


    Liszt began to prepare for the conquest, leaving the negotiation team in the hands of Li Weiliam.


    The Smoke Mission required all three major kingdoms to acknowledge the Flame Kingdom. With envoys from Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress yet to arrive, there was no rush to negotiate any terms.


    Duke Pierrot couldn¡¯t be sent back just yet either, lest he harbored ill intentions and the so-called Mountain Copper Dragon was just a trap to harm Liszt.


    ¡°The Mountain Copper Dragon is very strong; I need assistance.¡±


    The Grey Iron Dragon would stay temporarily on Black Horse Island, one reason being to intimidate the negotiation team and Duke Pierrot, and the other to hide its tracks.


    He decided to bring along Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, who would depart from Flame Island towards the Legendary Continent. Ethan¡¯s speed wasn¡¯t fast enough; following the Formless Dragon would slow the team down. While himself would follow closely behind with Little Fire Dragon Leo, Formless Dragon Bard, and Archmage Archy.


    ¡°The whole journey is expected to take a week, to tackle the Mountain Copper Dragon! By the way, we could reach out to Yevich to see how his investigation in the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy is going.¡±


    When Ethan set off.


    Liszt swiftly handled some estate matters, then, after fully stocking supplies and making a brief appearance on Black Horse Island, quietly left.


    The Flame Archipelago was about one thousand seven hundred kilometers from the Legendary Continent.


    But its geographical position was much more advantageous than that of the Sapphire Archipelago, with other islands in the middle of the direct sailing route to serve as supply points and forward bases.


    After flying out five hundred kilometers, Liszt and his party landed amidst a large group of unnamed islands, the Third Archipelago.


    Although the islands were numerous and fragmented, with none as large as Black Horse Island and with low development potential, they made for good supply points. In the future, the Flame Kingdom could perhaps build several port cities here¡ªnaturally, if the Magic Teleportation Array connecting directly to the Legendary Continent was constructed, the need for supply islands would be moot.


    After a brief stop, another five hundred kilometers flew by, and then a large island came into view.


    From the aerial perspective, the island seemed no smaller than Coral Island, also suitable for development as a supply point.


    Another seven hundred kilometers flown, and they arrived at the coastline of the Legendary Continent.


    Here, there were no signs of life; in fact, within a hundred kilometers, there were no people. One had to venture several hundred kilometers inland to reach the smallest village on the outskirts of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy¡ªthe very hunter¡¯s village Yevich had previously encountered. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taking out a map.


    Liszt and Archy studied it for a moment: ¡°Our current location is the border between the Eagle Kingdom and the Yellowstone Kingdom, to the west lies the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy, and northwest is the direction of the Rupture Mountains. However, we first need to locate the Rhine River; it originates from the Rupture Mountains, and following the river would prevent getting lost.¡±


    As they spoke, the sound of a dragon¡¯s roar echoed.


    Light Green Gemstone Dragon Ethan had already reached their rendezvous, following the heart-to-heart connection with Liszt, arriving at the Legendary Continent a day early to rest and gather strength in a nearby forest.


    ¡°Archy, you ride Bard. I¡¯ll ride Ethan. We¡¯ll go find the mouth of the Rhine River first!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Yee-haa!¡±


    The two men and three dragons continued on their dragon-seeking, dragon-riding journey.


    At this very moment, atop a cliff several thousand kilometers away, a Golden Giant Dragon suddenly awoke from its snoring slumber. An indescribable, unclear sensation had caused a sudden surge of anxiety in its heart. However, as it fully awakened, that feeling quickly vanished.


    It looked down the cliff with puzzlement, where a knight was practicing and flickering with Dou Qi beside a grey and white tent.


    The Golden Giant Dragon curved its mouth into an enigmatic smirk, as if silently mocking: ¡°Keep toiling away, ignorant little ant. Life is so comfortable when you don¡¯t need to hunt for your own food.¡±

 Chapter 906 - 0903: Time Cannot Be Blocked (First Update)

    Chapter 906: Chapter 0903: Time Cannot Be Blocked (First Update)


    Blue skies and white clouds, green mountains and blue waters.


    Flying upstream along the Rhine River, Liszt, who was riding on the back of Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, closed his eyes to rest and used Ethan¡¯s eyes to navigate.


    The Eye of Magic, this Dou Qi secret technique, didn¡¯t blend well with Ethan, or to say, its effect wasn¡¯t good¡ªit was just slightly clearer than when he used it alone. Not to mention Breath Decay, it essentially had no effect on reducing consumption for Dragon Knights, and Spiral Rotation also didn¡¯t have much of an effect.


    It must be said that aside from producing Light Green Gems, Ethan was quite mediocre in every other aspect.


    This Gemstone Dragon¡¯s combat power probably ranked at the very bottom among all dragons. Little Fire Dragon Leo was only three years old this year, but with the supply of Superior Magic from the Endless Volcano Cluster and the constant support of Magic Potions from Liszt to assist him, his growth was rapid, and he had already surpassed Ethan in head-to-head combat strength.


    The reason he brought Ethan here was more in the hopes of deepening the Mind Branding so that Ethan could quickly start cultivating with Emily.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Within the mind, the silhouette of the knight riding on Ethan¡¯s back became clearer and clearer.


    Every time Liszt entered its mind world, he was deepening the imprint of that shadow. This unique method of cultivation was unlike any system and was exclusive to dragons, exclusive to the First Dragon Knight. But to Liszt, no matter how many dragons he had, he was always the First Dragon Knight.


    ¡°To this day, my personal strength has barely improved, and I rely entirely on supporting dragons for battle¡­ What would be the cultivation system above a Dragon Knight, and what exactly should I do to become stronger?¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the Mind Branding of Ethan became clearer, he gradually felt the shackles of reaching a strength limitation.


    This shackle was shared by all Dragon Knights in the northeast corner of the Legendary Continent¡ªit was the culmination of Dragon Dou Qi Cultivation, and the dragons¡¯ strength also reached their peak. At this point, both man and dragon found themselves in an inescapable shackle, only to be poetically called Completion-term Dragon Knights.


    Liszt had ridden four dragons and still couldn¡¯t break free from such shackles.


    He was a Knight of Fire Attribute Dou Qi, and his synergy with Leo was the most fitting, flawless. The coordination with Ethan, Bard, and Ornn was a bit sluggish, but fortunately, Dragon Magic Power belonged to the Superior Magic level, which meant there was no obstacle when it combined with any Dragon Dou Qi.


    Even a Knight with Fire Attribute Dou Qi riding a Water Dragon could still cultivate and fight together.


    ¡°Although a Knight can ride any dragon, I have this indescribable feeling that to break through the level of a Dragon Knight, it¡¯s not just about practicing soul synergy but also about a closer integration between the Knight and the dragon¡­ Perhaps Leo is indeed my best partner for breakthroughs.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ethan, sensing Liszt¡¯s wavering commitment, let out a dissatisfied roar.


    Liszt smiled and soothed, ¡°I know you don¡¯t like Leo, nor do you like me, but soon I will choose a more suitable Knight for you. Ethan, she is a woman Knight with extraordinary talent, a fourteen-year-old Sky Knight who is truly a standout of her age.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± Ethan signaled for Liszt to bring the person over soon.


    Although the Mind Battle had wiped the imprint of the First Dragon Knight from its mind, Ethan¡¯s body and mind belonged to Liszt, but it hadn¡¯t lost its memory and still held a grudge against Liszt. Coupled with Liszt¡¯s lack of qualities it recognized, there had always been some awkwardness.


    Despite the mental connection and the power of the Mind Branding that forced it to maintain a close bond with Liszt until death from old age.


    But that didn¡¯t stop Ethan from wanting a different Knight.


    Grey Iron Dragon Ornn also had similar thoughts. That Iron Dragon had a considerable grievance against Liszt since it was ridden forcefully by Liszt while fully aware¡ªa nightmare-like memory that would likely be etched in its dragon life, never to be forgotten.


    ¡°Still, upbringing matters. Leo is an Evil Dragon, and even though he occasionally exhibits evil thoughts and reverts to his wild nature, his affection for me is absolutely unquestionable,¡± he murmured to himself with some emotion.


    This brought another scornful roar from Ethan: ¡°Roar!¡±


    Meanwhile.


    Formless Dragon Bard was quite happy. It carried Ach on its back, and even though Dragon Tooth Platform would not be opened to Ach and a Magician couldn¡¯t establish a power connection with a dragon, it liked Ach very much. This fondness was based more on Ach¡¯s understanding and knowledge of space.


    It knew deeply that compared to Liszt, Ach was the one who could truly guide its growth¡ªthe pity was that he wasn¡¯t a knight.


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡± Bard turned its head and glanced at Ach, who was holding a scepter and studying it.


    Ach looked up at Bard and responded with a perfunctory smile.


    Bard instantly felt pleased.


    But it didn¡¯t know that in Ach¡¯s heart, she was a bit annoyed by it, for a simple reason: Bard loved to chew Smoked Grass. Though a dragon¡¯s digestive abilities were powerful, even their saliva had a strong digestive power that left no trace of the climate. But while chewing, that peculiar stench would spread everywhere.


    Every time this happened, Ach would take out three of the masks designed by Liszt and cover her nose tightly.


    That was precisely the case now, as Bard, not knowing where Liszt hid the Smoked Grass prepared for it, felt happy and silently took out a piece to grind finely between its teeth.


    That stench immediately drifted with the wind, all towards the back.


    ¡°Brother must ride Ethan because he dislikes the smell of Smoked Grass.¡± Ach thought to herself and quickly put on three masks.


    Even with the masks on, the lingering stench still wafted into her nose.


    She could only silently endure and then focus her attention on the Time Scepter in her hands, which she had been researching all along the way, especially the Time Diamond at the top of the scepter.


    The Knowledge Ancient Book¡¯s assessment of the Time Scepter was¡ªTwilight Dragon Gemstone, Tree of Golden Apples, Reflections of Time.


    However, despite long research, she couldn¡¯t figure out how to activate the Time Diamond, what effects the Tree of Golden Apples had, and the meaning of the Reflections of Time.


    She looked at each reflection of herself on the faces of the Time Diamond.


    There were faces of her as a young Little Sea Monster and even as an old Sea Serpent, as if all the changes of a lifetime were engraved within the Time Diamond. Unlike the aging of humans, a Sea Serpent, even in old age, did not change much, merely gaining a few crow¡¯s feet at the corners of the eyes.


    ¡°Is this what I¡¯ll look like when I¡¯m old?¡±


    Ach¡¯s body had reached adulthood, but her mentality still retained that of a young Sea Serpent girl, na?ve about many adult matters: ¡°Time oh time, Ach wants to grow old with brother, but brother wants to form a contract with the Immortal Dragon, so what about Ach?¡±


    Her heart felt a moment of vagueness, and unconsciously, she started channeling magic power in her hand.


    At that moment, the magic power that should have decayed upon touching the Time Diamond was not erased by the power of time but instead slowly seeped into the diamond.


    Then.


    The Formless Dragon Bard in Ach¡¯s eyes suddenly grew larger, as if its fifteen-meter wingspan expanded to a full-grown twenty meters in an instant.


    And on its back, where the Dragon Tooth Platform was, a knight clad in armor forged by flames slowly turned his head.


    The figure seemed like an illusion yet also real, and that face was both familiar and strange to Ach¡ªit was clearly Liszt¡¯s face, yet it had a scruffy beard, as if he were middle-aged.


    Only his gaze was as clear as it had always been.


    The knight saw Ach and a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes, then he smiled with the demeanor of a mature man and spoke words that sounded ephemeral, as if right by the ear and yet also at the ends of the earth: ¡°Ach, time cannot hold us back, I will conquer the Exiled Lands¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother!¡± Ach exclaimed in surprise at the scene in front of her.


    However, before she could say anything, the eerie image that was both illusory and real suddenly vanished. The Formless Dragon was still fifteen meters in wingspan, with no knight on the Dragon Tooth Platform, and the stench of Smoked Grass slowly creeping into her nostrils.


    Only her Time Scepter in hand, where the Time Diamond that used to emanate a colorful light, had dimmed slightly.

 Chapter 907 - 0904: A Dream in Nanke (Second Update)

    Chapter 907: Chapter 0904: A Dream in Nanke (Second Update)


    ¡°Brother, come here for a moment.¡±


    After trying and failing to activate the Time Scepter again, Ach decisively called for Li Si Te (Liszt). S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jumping directly off Ethan¡¯s back, Bard quickly caught him, then sat on the Dragon Tooth Platform. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Just now, Ach accidentally activated the Time Scepter and then saw a very peculiar scene¡ªBard had grown up, and brother had reached middle age, wearing a set of armor solidified from flames, saying to Ach,¡± Ach mimicked the voice from the scene, ¡°¡­Ach, time cannot hinder me, I will conquer the Exiled Lands.¡±


    ¡°Time cannot hinder me, I will conquer the Exiled Lands?¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) stroked his chin, ¡°Conquering the Exiled Lands¡­ This authoritative tone does suit me, but what does ¡®time cannot hinder me¡¯ mean? Ach, describe the scene you saw in detail again.¡±


    When Ach depicted the scene she had witnessed in detail, including the adult Formless Dragon, the middle-aged appearance of Liszt, the surprised expressions, the tone of speech, and the armor, all were carefully described.


    Liszt then started to ponder deeply.


    Armor condensed from flames made him think of Leo, perhaps a new Dou Qi Secret Technique he had developed, which could be performed together with Leo.


    It might also be some kind of divine level Magic Equipment.


    ¡°Time cannot hinder¡­¡± Ach, how did you see this scene?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ach was just wondering what brother would look like in the future, and what Ach would look like in the future, and then she saw it. If it weren¡¯t for the severe consumption of magic power by the Time Diamond, Ach would have thought it was an illusion, but the vision was incredibly clear.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s possible that the Time Diamond presented a future scene to you. By the way, you mentioned I had a scruffy beard in the scene?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) immediately relaxed, ¡°It seems it¡¯s just one of the many possibilities of the future, and a very improbable one at that. Ach, you should understand why; the first thing I do each morning is shave. As a great Dragon Knight, a noble King, personal image is extremely important.¡±


    He disliked having a beard, he would shave it off the moment it showed even a little bit.


    ¡°And also, I am the embodiment of the Knight¡¯s glory, even fate must bow before me, how could the Time Diamond foresee the future when it¡¯s inherently uncertain.¡±


    Even the destiny-maneuvering Smoke Dragon would experience death, with remnants of the Power of Destiny clinging to him.


    As for the Twilight Dragon, representing time, it hadn¡¯t been born for many years, meaning it too had died. Such magically powerful dragons couldn¡¯t even grasp their own futures, let alone the futures of others.


    ¡°But brother, does ¡®time cannot hinder¡¯ mean Ach might die before brother since Sea Serpents only live four to five hundred years? If brother bonds with the Immortal Dragon, you could live forever. Maybe the Time Diamond saw something like that.¡± Ach said with a slight girlish sentimentality.


    Her eyes slightly misted, as if imagining some romantic notion¡ªtwo lovers who cannot be together, parting with tears.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) chuckled, ¡°If I can¡¯t enjoy life with Ach, what¡¯s the point of bonding with the Immortal Dragon? Ach, don¡¯t overthink it.¡± He vigorously ruffled Ach¡¯s bright blue hair, how could he ever let go of Ach, not even for a moment.


    He strongly concluded, ¡°The Time Diamond merely provides a possibility, perhaps reflecting the future scene formed by your desires. You think separation by death is romantic, so it presented you with such a scene.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After being counseled by Li Si Te (Liszt), Ach also felt the future was full of uncertainties and unpredictable fates.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) then added, ¡°However, conquering the Exiled Lands, such a grand undertaking, is indeed to my liking. If the Exiled Lands truly exist, I¡¯m bound to conquer them someday¡­ this world has too many wondrous and bizarre places, it would be a pity if we didn¡¯t explore them all in our lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Ach would like to see the Exiled Lands too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when the time comes, we¡¯ll conquer the Exiled Lands together.¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) took Ach¡¯s hand and pulled her into his embrace, then grabbed the Time Scepter, ¡°Come, teach me how to activate it. I want to see what the future looks like through my eyes.¡±


    ¡°If Ach is not mistaken, the power of the Time Diamond requires the combination with the Tree of Golden Apples. There is a legend that says the effect of the Golden Apples is to fulfill one¡¯s desires. Perhaps if brother imagines the future earnestly, it could stimulate the Time Diamond and show the future scene.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try it.¡±


    Liszt began to fantasize about the future with all his might. He had countless outlines for the future, but no matter how he imagined it, he couldn¡¯t activate the Time Scepter.


    Then he let Ach try to activate it, and Ach also tried many times, but to no avail.


    ¡°Could it be a lack of magic power? That¡¯s not right either. The Time Diamond has consumed some of its magic power, but there¡¯s still a lot left. It shouldn¡¯t be unable to activate. Otherwise, if the Ancient Magician made it, could it only be used once? It should be a regular magic wand,¡± Liszt speculated.


    Perhaps there was one possibility, ¡°As someone who holds the power of destiny, the Time Diamond simply cannot reflect my future.¡±


    All day long.


    He was too busy to train with Ethan, as he occupied himself with trying to activate the Time Scepter, but the Time Scepter didn¡¯t respond at all; instead, it exhausted him until he felt dizzy and had a headache.


    At night.


    The team camped by the Rhine River. He simply held the Time Scepter as he slept and subconsciously suggested to himself, ¡°Imagine the future, imagine the future!¡±


    Just like that, as he was about to drift off in a daze, suddenly, his vision blurred, and the tent lit by a crystal lamp seemingly transformed into an endless starry sky.


    A pristine shell hovered above the starry sky.


    A female magician dressed in a luxurious magic cloak, with magic seemingly overflowing, had azure hair. She held a dusty longsword, gazing into the endless starry sky. Seemingly sensing something, the female magician suddenly turned her head¡ªit was Ach¡¯s familiar beautiful face.


    But she appeared more mature, with a sweet smile on her lips, emitting a surreal voice, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve come.¡±


    Liszt felt a bit muddled, ¡°You¡­ something¡¯s not right. If I¡¯m seeing a vision of the future, how can you talk to me?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, brother, the Time Scepter has already reflected time. Ach and brother are in different times and different spaces. Among countless possibilities, we found one possibility to have a short conversation.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Liszt, stunned, didn¡¯t know what else to express for a moment.


    By now, Ach had completely turned around. Her luxurious magic cloak, composed of several colors, was like a magnificent dress, adorned with dense magical patterns, making her seem like a divine maiden from the heavens, noble and flawless.


    ¡°Brother looks so young, hmm, you must ride dragons more often, it¡¯s best to ride every dragon on the Legendary Continent and Mafa Continent!¡± Ach spoke and then suddenly looked behind at the starry sky, frowning, ¡°It¡¯s awakened, this creature is even more annoying than Dulu Miqita. Ach must hide, oh, I forgot to remind brother, the Immortal Dragon is in the Exiled Lands!¡±


    The next moment.


    Ach casually waved, and a magic gate appeared beside her. With a sweet smile towards Liszt, she stepped into the magic gate and disappeared without a trace.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Liszt still hadn¡¯t grasped the situation.


    Within the backdrop of the endless starry sky, suddenly a pair of eyes opened, filled with a bone-chilling gaze, indescribable, unbearable to directly face.


    Just a fleeting glance at Liszt.


    The next moment.


    The ethereal vision shattered, and the scene returned to the tent lit by the crystal lamp, but Liszt couldn¡¯t break free from the gaze of those eyes for a long time. He shivered all over as if encased in millennia-old ice, unable to move, even his breathing and thoughts halted.


    Clatter!


    A glass breaking sound, like a sudden hammer strike, pulled Liszt from his frozen state. He gasped heavily, his heart contracting fiercely, still out of breath.


    After a long while.


    He suddenly realized that the Time Diamond at the top of the Time Scepter had shattered into fragments, just like a common gemstone drained of magic power.


    And the scepter crafted from the Tree of Golden Apples had also decayed into ordinary rotten wood.


    ¡°Was it all just a dream?¡± His heart felt a sense of loss, but his mind was very clear; a dream couldn¡¯t simply destroy a divine artifact like that.

 Chapter 908 - 905: Time Paradox (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Celebration)

    Chapter 908: Chapter 905: Time Paradox (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Celebration)


    This chapter is a special reward for ¡°Dreamwalking Immortal.¡±


    ¡ª


    Liszt didn¡¯t rush to wake Ach up for consultation; instead, he quietly reflected alone.


    The momentary impact just now had made him feel uncomfortable. He endured it for a while before he slowly calmed his emotions. Discarding the decayed stick in his hand, those eyes surfaced in his mind again: ¡°Such terrifying eyes, more sinister than Bilio¡¯s. No, not sinister; they should be described as¡­¡± He struggled to find the right words.


    Ultimately, he settled on ¡°merciless¡±¡ªthe kind of mercilessness that speaks to the idiom ¡®If the heavens had feelings, they too would age,¡¯ suggesting an order of the universe that no one can escape.


    ¡°Whose eyes are these? Could it be the Dragon of the Magic Web?¡±


    When he tore through the Magic Web and peered at its nodes, Liszt had once caught a glimpse of the Dragon of the Magic Web, sleeping in an indescribable space, fearsome and fierce, yet the Magic Web emanated from it. The flourishing civilization of magic during the era of the Moon Empire had perhaps risen because of it.


    ¡°If it is indeed the Dragon of the Magic Web and it has awakened, does that mean that at some point in the future, magic will be fully revived¡­ It seems I¡¯ve been focusing on the wrong details. I should consider the impact of the Magic Dragon¡¯s awakening. It seems to be hunting Ach?¡±


    Before Ach left, he said, ¡°It has awakened; this fellow is more annoying than Dulu Miqita,¡± indicating that the Magic Dragon is no ordinary dragon¡ªinitially, Ach was pursued over great distances by Dulu Miqita, and only then did he meet Liszt.


    ¡°Dare to hunt Ach? Even if you are the Dragon of the Magic Web, I will ride you!¡±


    Liszt clenched his fists.


    This glimpse of the future did not put too much pressure on him. When he met ¡°future¡± Ach, Ach explained the Time Scepter¡¯s ability to reflect time, connecting through one of countless possible outcomes¡ªwhich bears the notion of parallel universes.


    Though he did not quite understand it, he was clear that the so-called ¡°future¡± is only a possibility, not necessarily what will transpire.


    The time power represented by the Twilight Dragon seemed more like a prophecy.


    If the future were set in stone, then the power of the Twilight Dragon would be a complete paradox; its interaction with the future would inevitably affect reality, and changing reality would alter the future. Just like Liszt seeing the future Ach, and, upon Ach¡¯s advice, riding many dragons, which then changed the future.


    The new future, compared to the previous one seen, clearly isn¡¯t the same future; so at this time, did Liszt truly see the future?


    He picked up a gemstone shard from the ground, which had lost its color but vaguely reflected a normal human figure.


    ¡°Thus, only the present is real, everything about the future and the past is false¡­ Or rather, nonexistent, for the past has already passed and cannot be touched or changed; the future has not yet arrived, and every change affects countless branches.¡±


    While living on Earth, Liszt enjoyed watching sci-fi movies and had studied parallel universes and time travel.


    He had quite an understanding of time paradoxes.


    Especially after studying a movie ¡°Predestination,¡± which he found very intriguing. Simply put, the main character has a child with himself, then the protagonist, who becomes an agent, fights with his other self who turns into the antagonist. Time is like an ouroboros, a closed loop from beginning to end.


    Suddenly.


    He envisioned another possibility: ¡°What if the existence of the Twilight Dragon is meant to create an ouroboros loop like in ¡®Predestination¡¯?¡±


    The future Liszt seen by Ach, the future Ach seen by Liszt, might very well be parts of an ouroboros loop.


    However, this terrifying speculation had just arisen when he denied it, ¡°The Twilight Dragon may be able to foresee the future, but the Smoke Dragon can change fate. Both being Sacred Dragons, the Jade Dragon cannot trick the Formless Dragon, so on what basis should the Twilight Dragon be more powerful than the Smoke Dragon?¡±


    Most importantly, this was only a future foreseen by the Time Diamond, but Li Si Te (Liszt) had a life boosted by the possession of the Smoke Dragon.


    ¡°The future seen by the Time Scepter is not truly the future.¡±


    ¡°But the information revealed may not necessarily be false, the Dragon of the Magic Web will eventually awaken, not staying asleep forever; the Immortal Dragon is located in the Exiled Lands, and I must go to the Exiled Lands if I wish for eternal life; and Ach will become very powerful, casually using the Magic Gate, even the Dragon of the Magic Web will be unable to do anything about him.¡±


    ¡°So.¡±


    He casually gathered the Time Diamond away, muttering to himself, ¡°Now I am in control of clues about the Smoke Dragon, Jade Dragon, Twilight Dragon, and Immortal Dragon, and I have already ridden the Formless Dragon. Are the Sacred Dragons destined to be captured by me in one fell swoop? Even the Dragon of the Magic Web now has a clue¡­ if that counts as a clue.¡±


    No matter what.


    Whether this future is prophecy or fate, Li Si Te (Liszt) did not need to be anxious. In both sequences of the future, both he and Ach were doing quite well, free of sickness and disasters, and had grown very powerful.


    What he needed to do now was to keep riding dragons, continually riding dragons, until he rode all the Sacred Dragons. Even if the Dragon of the Magic Web was the antagonist boss, so what? He would ride it too¡ªif he even knew how, wondering if such a huge dragon, the Dragon Tooth Platform, would fit its butt.


    His decision was made.


    He went to the neighboring tent, woke up Ach from her light sleep, and recounted to her in detail the scenes of the future he had seen. They then talked until the middle of the night inside the tent, although they did not manage to deduce much from their discussion; in any case, they came to one conclusion¡ªmore dragons needed to be ridden.


    ¡°The next dragon will definitely be the Mountain Copper Dragon!¡±


    ¡­


    Late into the night.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) had another dream, still the same transparent river, a fierce Giant Dragon with indistinct details was battling another with fuzzy details, a Fluorescent Giant Dragon. He did not know where he was, only seeing that the slaughter was nearing its end, the Fluorescent Giant Dragon brutally slain.


    Then, with a silent explosion, the Fluorescent Giant Dragon chose to self-destruct, its body transforming into countless beams of fluorescence, cascading towards the pitch-black world.


    In that pitch-black world, it seemed countless plants were growing, some nurturing Elf Bugs.


    The fluorescence quickly merged into the plants and the Elf Bugs. The next moment, the Elf Bugs began to swell and enlarge, and then a tiny hand tore through the shell, emerging from within the Elf Bug.


    Spreading wings, joyously flying. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly evolving into a Little Minor Elf.


    Then, one by one, Little Minor Elves flew up, playing over the transparent river; however, their reflections did not appear on the transparent river.


    Instead, as numerous Little Minor Elves gathered, a faint shadow of a dragon faintly arose on the transparent river.


    This dragon¡¯s shadow, resembling the self-destructed Fluorescent Giant Dragon, suddenly, a crack tore through the pitch-black world, and a bizarre dragon claw tore through the darkness, as if searching for something. But gradually, smoke appeared over the transparent river, concealing the shadow of the Fluorescent Giant Dragon.


    The bizarre claw paused momentarily, then slowly retracted back into the darkness.


    The smoke over the transparent river dissipated, the Little Minor Elves had long since left, only a group of transparent and numb people, walking dazedly along with the river.

 Chapter 909 - 906: Fearless Charge (First Update)

    Chapter 909: Chapter 906: Fearless Charge (First Update)


    Waking up with a clear mind and refreshed spirit,


    Liszt could no longer remember what dream he had had last night, but his life goal was set¡ªto ride all the dragons on the Legendary Continent and another called the ¡°Mafa Continent.¡±


    The Mafa Continent was a future event revealed by Ach, but Liszt did not have a clear understanding of which place it specifically referred to.


    When he was discussing with Ach the night before, he thought that the Mafa Continent might just be the continent where the Children of the Sun lived.


    In ancient times, the Moon Empire unified the Legendary Continent, whereas the Children of the Sun unified the Mafa Continent. The two ancient civilizations, separated by the Devil¡¯s Sea, exchanged visits using Sky Ships. Of course, it was also possible to directly establish a Magic Teleportation Array for communication, but it was unknown why the civilization of the Children of the Sun also declined.


    Liszt still remembered the note in the Cast Aluminum Drift Bottle¡ªthe tower collapsed, Tree City burned, XX perished, the Children of the Sun shall rise with the flames, leaving the homeless children, you are free now.


    Maybe this pointed out that the Mafa Continent once suffered a huge catastrophe.


    But some timelines did not match up. According to the narration of Old Tanner Fi¡¯el (Phil) and the diary of Philip, Descendant of the Sun, their ancestors were only exiled hundreds of years ago. That note should also be a record of the civilization of the Children of the Sun from hundreds of years ago, not an ancient civilization from a distant past.


    Moreover, Liszt had salvaged a wreck of a Sky Ship, which, judging by its decay, had at most a thousand years of history.


    Whereas the downfall of the Moon Empire was lost to time, at least several thousand, if not tens of thousands of years. It seemed that the civilization of the Children of the Sun was not contemporaneous with that ancient civilization.


    ¡°There might be another possibility, after the fall of the Moon Empire, the states established by knights all claimed to inherit the glory of the Moon Empire; the civilization of the Children of the Sun might also have had a successor, only to experience another downfall?¡±


    He frowned.


    He soon felt that he might have misunderstood something, ¡°Perhaps the civilization of the Children of the Sun was not an ancient civilization from the era of the Moon Empire at all; otherwise, the bits and pieces passed down from the Moon Empire wouldn¡¯t lack records about the Children of the Sun¡­ Maybe this Children of the Sun was a new type of civilization on the Mafa Continent?¡±


    He even felt that the Children of the Sun could be descendants of the Moon Empire.


    Just like the Moon Slayers living on Flame Island, perhaps a group of descendants of the Moon Empire crossed the Devil¡¯s Sea and settled on the Mafa Continent.


    ¡°A Moon Slayer, a Child of the Sun, the names do seem quite symmetrical.¡±


    Thinking too much about some issues could cause headaches. Liszt, after washing up, pushed these issues aside for now and had a simple breakfast with Ach.


    Then they continued on their journey.


    His great endeavor to ride the Mountain Copper Dragon was currently the most important thing.


    There were many tributaries in the upper reaches of the Rhine River, but luckily the main channel was quite broad. Soaring along the river, by the end of May, they finally arrived at a vast and endless mountain range. This mountain range had many branches, but the mountains themselves appeared fractured¡ªa characteristic of the Rupture Mountains.


    ¡°Ach, we have arrived, this is the Rupture Mountains,¡± Liszt said, taking out a map from his Space Ring, ¡°According to the map given to me by Duke Pierrot, within the Rupture Mountains, there is a particular range of ridges that are arranged like knife blades, easy to tell apart.¡±


    The Rupture Mountains were vast, perhaps as large as a province on Earth.


    Even searching on dragon-back was not an easy task, but time was something Liszt had enough of. From high in the sky, he conducted a slow reconnaissance, needing only to locate the strip-like mountain range.


    Not letting Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan follow, he and Ach rode Formless Dragon Bard, slipping into the material boundary.


    Bard was exceedingly fast, had incredibly broad vision, could become invisible, and reduced its scent to avoid alarming the Mountain Copper Dragons.


    The following noon,


    Suddenly, a mountain range with a distinctive shape appeared in their view.


    ¡°Brother, isn¡¯t that the strip-like mountain range over there? It looks a lot like a row of knife blades,¡± Ach pointed out.


    The Formless Dragon turned its head, and within the Crystal White Trajectory of its vision, it caught sight of bright golden light shining amidst the mountains.


    Because the distance was quite far, over a hundred kilometers, the shape of the golden yellow light couldn¡¯t be discerned clearly.


    However, Liszt could confirm that this was where the Mountain Copper Dragon resided. Only Superior Magic could present such a gorgeous aura within the Crystal White Trajectory, ¡°Found it!¡± As the Formless Dragon drew nearer, Liszt also caught the unique scent of the Mountain Copper Dragon.


    He was certain that it was a dragon.


    ¡°Big brother, what do we do next?¡± Ach asked. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Wait until I call Ethan over. Have Leo and Ethan distract the Mountain Copper Dragon first; then, I¡¯ll capture that traitor Andre!¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes flashed with a plan he thought brilliant, though it was indeed quite reckless.


    In any case, it was about going forth and doing it.


    Three dragons, one Archmage, one Dragon Knight. Even though the Mountain Copper Dragon was mighty, having routed the White Maw Iron Dragon Knight, it still couldn¡¯t possibly withstand such a luxurious lineup. Especially since after over a month of training, Leo¡¯s growth had been meteoric, strong and robust, much more so than when it sneak-attacked the Grey Iron Dragon.


    Dragon Heart Electrical Signal contact.


    Ethan, who was far away making repairs, suddenly rose and soared. It couldn¡¯t hide its own aura, so when it approached within a hundred kilometers of the Mountain Copper Dragon, the golden yellow light quickly made a move but did not flee from the bar-shaped mountains¡ªthe concept of territory is not strong among dragons, but a fight was inevitable with the approach of a strange dragon.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ethan, too, sensed the presence of the Mountain Copper Dragon and let out a dragon¡¯s chant, rushing directly towards the Mountain Copper Dragon. Beside it, with Liszt riding the Formless Dragon Bard, the hundred kilometers were crossed in a moment, and by now the Formless Dragon¡¯s presence clearly could not be concealed.


    Yet the Mountain Copper Dragon still did not flee.


    Within the Crystal White View, the Mountain Copper Dragon hadn¡¯t even unfolded its flight posture.


    Clearly, it was highly confident in its own strength, not believing that two dragons could overcome its impregnable scales.


    ¡°Hoo-roar!¡±


    A domineering roar sounded from within the bar-shaped mountain range, the Mountain Copper Dragon warning Ethan and Bard, the two intruders¡ªno need to learn the dragon language to clearly understand the warning implicit in it.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Woo-rii-ah!¡±


    Ethan and Bard refused to show weakness, continuing to fly at high speed and closing in on the other dragon.


    When the distance had shrunken to just ten kilometers, the Mountain Copper Dragon finally stood up, wings unfolding. With a gentle flap of the massive dragon wings and powerful striding of sturdy hind legs, the dragon¡¯s body was already soaring into the air, coming to meet Ethan and Bard. Within the Crystal White View, it was an overwhelming stance.


    ¡°Such a big dragon!¡± Liszt was shocked inwardly; even having heard Duke Pierrot mention that the Mountain Copper Dragon was incredibly large, far bigger than Iron Dragons.


    Seeing it with his own eyes was shocking nonetheless.


    The wingspan of this Mountain Copper Dragon was definitely over seventy meters, perhaps even reaching eighty meters. It was likely that no dragon¡¯s wingspan was larger than this below the Elemental Dragons.


    ¡°Oh-roar!¡±


    Suddenly, another domineering roar forcefully intervened in the standoff between the three dragons. Little Fire Dragon Leo had entered the fray. It felt the Mountain Copper Dragon¡¯s dominance, filled with anger inside¡ªno dragon can be arrogant in front of a grown Fire Dragon with a hundred-meter wingspan, even if it was still a juvenile Fire Dragon.


    Boom!


    The flames dissipated, revealing Leo¡¯s fleshly form, which had reached a wingspan and length of thirty-five meters, just a size smaller than the Light Green Gem Dragon with a wingspan of forty-five meters.


    The black-red scales shimmered in the play of light and shadow.


    Without any fear, it charged at the Mountain Copper Dragon, shrouded in glittering golden scales, even more eye-catching than those of a Golden Dragon, ignoring the sizable disparity between their forms, charging forth like this.

 Chapter 910 - 0907: Oh, the Young Boy (Second Update)

    Chapter 910: Chapter 0907: Oh, the Young Boy (Second Update)


    ¡°Leo, don¡¯t be reckless, hold the Mountain Copper Dragon with Ethan, I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Liszt instructed Ethan and Leo using the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    Immediately, he maneuvered Bard to shift form and flew towards the peak where the Mountain Copper Dragon had previously rested¡ªaccording to clues provided by the mouse of Duke Pierrot, Andre was always closely following the Mountain Copper Dragon, only returning to the supply team when needing supplies.


    Liszt had to eliminate both Andre and the supply team.


    To prevent any leaks,


    While he didn¡¯t fear a fallout with the Eagle Kingdom, delaying the news of the Copper Dragon being seized made carrying out the Smoke Mission more convenient¡ªthe Smoke Mission required the three great kingdoms to recognize the Flame Kingdom, and once the Eagle Kingdom was dealt with, Blast Furnace Fortress and Steel Ridge shouldn¡¯t pose any trouble.


    Once the Eagle Kingdom recognized it, Liszt wouldn¡¯t care about any subsequent fallout.


    ¡°Ach, help me look carefully, Andre shouldn¡¯t be hunting at this time. Hearing the dragon¡¯s roar, he must be hiding nearby.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Both the Crystal White Trajectory and Eye of Magic Power searched the vicinity of the Mountain Copper Dragon¡¯s Nest, not overlooking a single inch of territory.


    Although Liszt, as a man with a cheat, didn¡¯t care about those with extraordinary talent, deep down he felt some resentment towards geniuses. Why should he rely on the Smoke Mission to advance rapidly, while these geniuses could progress just as quickly by merely eating and drinking!


    Soon.


    Liszt and Ach found a tent at the foot of the cliff of the Mountain Copper Dragon¡¯s nest.


    Undoubtedly this was where Andre resided, the genius knight plotting to conquer the Mountain Copper Dragon, who had always stayed by its side, hoping to move it with his relentless spirit, seeking a chance for a Mind Battle.


    ¡°He¡¯s not in the tent, but the campfire hasn¡¯t gone out; he¡¯s hiding nearby!¡± With a brief scan, Liszt was certain and looked up slowly, casting his gaze up the towering cliff.


    Sure enough.


    Near the top of the cliff, a figure made of magic appeared within the vision of the Crystal White Trajectory: ¡°This guy must have been drawn by the roar of the dragon, wanting to see clearly which dragon it was. He might even be hoping to benefit from the fisherman¡¯s luck by riding two dragons at once.¡±


    He chuckled.


    United with the dragon, he directly charged towards the cave entrance on the cliff.


    Meanwhile, Andre Sapphire, standing at the cave entrance and gazing into the distance at the sky where three enormous creatures were battling tens of kilometers away, had, just as Liszt predicted, an irresistible thought of a fisherman¡¯s windfall: ¡°Fight, let them fight, preferably both the Mountain Copper Dragon and those two smaller dragons get heavily injured!¡±


    A gravely injured dragon would be his opportunity.


    ¡°But that dragon seems to be a Fire Dragon, and that light green one, could it be the Light Green Gemstone Dragon lost by the Eagle Kingdom?¡± Andre had been focused on conquering the Mountain Copper Dragon and was unaware of the current external situation. He had only heard during a previous resupply that there was a rising Fire Dragon Knight in the Sea of Azure Waves.


    However, that Fire Dragon was said to have just a twenty-meter wingspan, much smaller than the one before his eyes. In just a year and a half, the Little Fire Dragon could not have grown this big.


    So this one was not the same one.


    ¡°A Fire Dragon, exceptionally powerful. If the Sapphire Family hadn¡¯t had the participation of a Fire Dragon Knight in the past, it would have perished long ago, and the grudges of my grandfather and father could have been avenged immediately. But no need to rush, once I mount the Mountain Copper Dragon, I will personally destroy the Duchy of Sapphire and fulfill my grandfather¡¯s wish!¡±


    He still remembered helping his grandfather pluck a white hair from his head as a child, and his grandfather had said, ¡°Everyone has to die.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want grandfather to die,¡± young Andre had boldly stated.


    ¡°No one lives forever, except for the Dragon Domain LandLord.¡±


    ¡°The Grand Duke will become the Dragon Domain Landlord.¡±


    ¡°He cannot. Only members of the Sapphire Family have the chance.¡±


    ¡°Andre will help Grandfather become the Dragon Domain Landlord!¡±


    Grandfather then lifted him onto his lap, saying affectionately, ¡°You need a dragon to become the Dragon Domain Landlord. Grandfather does not dare to hope to become the Dragon Domain Landlord. But it would still be good to obtain a strand of a dragon¡¯s soul and become an undying Lich¡­ Andre, when you become a Dragon Knight, give Grandfather a strand of Dragon Soul as a birthday gift, will you?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, Andre will not only give Grandfather a strand of Dragon Soul but also a dragon!¡±


    As a filial grandson, Andre still remembered the promise he made to his grandfather, the Marquis of Bull, when he was a child.


    He watched the two unfamiliar dragons, steadily forced back by the Mountain Copper Dragon and falling at a disadvantage, his heart surging with eagerness, wishing he could immediately mount the Mountain Copper Dragon and keep these two dragons: ¡°Since Grandfather has fallen victim, then I will shoulder Grandfather¡¯s wishes. I will become both a Dragon Knight and a Dragon Domain Landlord!¡±


    However, before the heat in his heart could reach its climax, a clear greeting suddenly came to his ear, ¡°Young man, is this Mountain Copper Dragon yours, or is this Little Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    Andre suddenly awoke, immediately drew the Knight¡¯s Sword he carried with him, and turned to press himself against a corner of the cave wall, his reaction swift as lightning.


    But when he looked up, following the direction of the voice.


    He nearly lost his soul in fright, for a dragon, glittering like flowing crystal, hovered at the cave entrance.


    On the dragon¡¯s back was a knight wearing silver-white armor and holding an azure greatsword, his strikingly handsome face looking at him with a smile that was not quite a smile. Beside the knight, there was a beautiful young girl wrapped in a Magic Cloak, not looking at him, but rather watching the distant dragon battle.


    ¡°Who are you!¡± Andre forced down the panic in his heart, trembling as he inquired. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had allied with the Eagle Kingdom for many years, always being a candidate in the Dragon Knight Program, yet had neither seen nor heard of such a dragon. Although it did not look very big, just about ten meters across in wingspan, its beauty was breathtaking, like a Mandala flower touched with dew.


    Danger radiated from its entire being.


    ¡°It seems neither dragon is yours; since the dragons aren¡¯t yours, your lurking here obviously has no good intention, very likely aiming at my dragon!¡±


    Having said that.


    Bard, unified in mind and spirit with Liszt, suddenly unleashed a fearsome Dragon Might that pressed the already trembling Andre, choking him like a tightening grip around his neck.


    Liszt leaped into the cave, grabbed Andre, trying to struggle, retrieved specially-made handcuffs and shackles that could lock up Dou Qi, and promptly shackled Andre. Without encountering strong resistance, a mere Sword Saint could offer no retort to the overwhelming suppression of a Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Who are you, what are you going to do!¡± Andre shouted, thrown on the ground.


    ¡°Tell me where the logistical supply troops of the Eagle Kingdom are.¡± Liszt had no intention of wasting time with a villain¡¯s rhetoric.


    ¡°Who are you, do you realize what you¡¯re doing, I am a Dragon Knight candidate of the Eagle Kingdom, with the Eagle Royal Family standing behind me, even if you are a Dragon Knight, you should think carefully!¡±


    ¡°Interrogation is not my forte; I knew I should have brought a Blood Servant with me.¡± Liszt shook his head, suddenly raising the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword in his hand, ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling to talk, I will kill you first, then take my time searching for the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s logistical supply troops.¡±


    Clang!


    With a flash of the sword.


    Andre was scared witless, wetting himself, facing a Dragon Knight who would draw blood without a word; he no longer dared to delay, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me; I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk!¡±

 Chapter 911 - 0908: Isnt It Wonderful? (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch additional update 9/147)

    Chapter 911: Chapter 0908: Isn¡¯t It Wonderful? (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch additional update 9/147)


    ¡°Ach, you and Bard wait outside. The scene might get a bit bloody, so you¡¯d better not follow,¡± he gestured for Bard and Ach to move away.


    Liszt personally wielded the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword as he charged into the logistical support team of the Eagle Kingdom.


    With his Dragon Dou Qi and Dragon Might unleashed, he embarked on a killing spree. Knights and servants in the support team, all were buried under his sword; not one escaped.


    There were no scenes of blood splattering; the Fire Attribute Dou Qi cauterized and scorched the flesh as it cut through. Igniting a fire, the support team¡¯s camp was completely torn apart by flames that buried everything.


    Watching the flames ascend.


    A trace of inexplicable emotion arose in Liszt¡¯s heart. There was a time, not long ago on Earth, when he considered the slaughter of a chicken as cruel. Now, a mere momentary decision led him to massacre a group of people. Fortunately, they were the enemy, the competitors for dragons, and no innocents were involved, saving him from self-reproach.


    In a world ruled by knights, being weak was a sin.


    Especially when it involved dragons.


    ¡°It was the Eagle Kingdom who made the first move. I¡¯m merely retaliating. Besides, you colluded with the traitor Andre from the Sapphire camp, a crime unforgivable,¡± he casually fabricated an excuse for his own psychological comfort. Shaking his head, Liszt turned and left the blazing camp.


    Ever since his first battle, killing no longer posed a psychological barrier for him.


    As long as he wasn¡¯t slaughtering civilians, wars between knights, in his view, were nothing more than a game.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ach.¡± Liszt returned to the Formless Dragon¡¯s side and glanced at Andre. Originally intending to kill him, upon consideration, he felt it better to keep Andre to hand over to the Sapphire Duke.


    He could exchange him for some Dou Qi Secret Techniques, or information about the Dragon Domain LandLord or the Lich.


    However.


    He soon thought again, ¡°If I ride dragons too often in the short term, I might arouse a strong sense of crisis in the three major kingdoms. Perhaps I could disguise it as Andre successfully Dragon Riding and counter-killing the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s support team, betraying the Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    As for the Eagle Kingdom daring to let Andre ride a dragon, they must have had some checks in place; but who could guarantee Andre wouldn¡¯t undo these measures.


    ¡°Such checks are unlikely to involve threatening family members; emotional bonds have little power over Nobles, it¡¯s probably some kind of Magic contract or curse. With Ach the Archmage and the extensive group of Magicians in the Magic Guild, breaking a contract shouldn¡¯t be hard.¡±


    ¡°Even if Andre is killed by the contract or curse, what loss would it be to me¡­¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s decided.¡±


    He gestured to Bard to capture Andre. Then Liszt quickly hurried to where Ethan, Leo, and the Mountain Copper Dragon were fighting, finding a corner to drop Andre.


    He then drove Bard directly into the battlefield.


    ¡°Woooooah!¡±


    The Formless Dragon didn¡¯t attack the Mountain Copper Dragon. Ethan and Leo also ceased their attacks; the previous dragon fight had not been fierce, focusing mainly on restraint.


    ¡°Hoo-hoo!¡± The Mountain Copper Dragon watched the suddenly emerging Formless Dragon, unruffled.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡± Leo responded defiantly.


    ¡°Mountain Copper Dragon, I know you understand the Wind Language. Why don¡¯t we put aside our disputes and talk peacefully? I think there¡¯s been some misunderstanding between us,¡± Liszt broke the tense atmosphere, speaking loudly.


    From Andre, he had already extracted information about the Mountain Copper Dragon. Over its long period of being fought by knights, it had clearly learned Wind Language ¡ª dragons are very intelligent; after hearing a few sentences, they can easily grasp the meaning. There would be no problem communicating.


    The Mountain Copper Dragon glanced at Liszt with a look one might give an ant, deeming him unworthy of communication.


    ¡°To show my sincerity, I have brought your favorite Wind-Thunder Bird Eggs, specially grilled tender steak, and some of the fruits you love,¡± Liszt calmly took out a batch of food from his Space Ring, placed it on the ground, and displayed his attitude.


    In truth, he had only brought tender steak, intended as a reward for Leo, Bard, and Ethan; dragons generally love beef.


    The Wind-Thunder Bird Eggs and a large batch of fruits, however, were collected from the support team¡¯s camp, intended for Andre¡¯s attempt to tame the Mountain Copper Dragon.


    Now he utilized them ¨C he had slipped a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit into the specially grilled tender steak.


    This was a spur-of-the-moment idea. His original plan was to subdue the Mountain Copper Dragon first and then forcibly feed it the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit. However, the lingering grievances of the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn made him think that perhaps his methods could be somewhat gentler. The effects of coercing a dragon in a daze versus forcible taming would certainly differ.


    ¡°Hoo-hoo!¡± The Mountain Copper Dragon squinted its eyes, its golden scales glittering in the sunlight. Its pupils shifted slightly as it glanced at the food on the ground.


    He let out a warning roar.


    This indicated that it was not moved by Liszt¡¯s friendly gesture and did not want to engage in further communication with Liszt. Even the scales on its body expanded, signaling a readiness to attack.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling to accept my good intentions, then let¡¯s part ways here,¡± Liszt didn¡¯t waste any breath.


    He called the three dragons and flew straight away.


    Leo and Ethan indeed flew out of the Mountain Copper Dragon¡¯s sensory range, but Bard sneaked into the material boundary, quietly hiding at the edge of the distance the Mountain Copper Dragon could sense. Liszt took out a telescope and carefully observed the clearing where he had dropped the food, watching the steaks he had arranged.


    Due to the presence of Dragon Might, no wild beasts or magical beasts came to eat, and the food lay quietly on the ground.


    The Mountain Copper Dragon stayed away from the food, lying atop another mountain. It neither went to eat nor showed interest in the food. It was unclear if it was out of caution, lack of hunger, or disdain for Liszt¡¯s offerings. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Brother, are we going to keep waiting like this?¡± Ach curiously asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer, wait till nightfall. If it still doesn¡¯t eat, then I¡¯ll take the steaks back,¡± Liszt was very patient. To seduce a dragon with intelligence comparable to a human, one must be patient.


    Dragons have a special constitution; no poison could kill a dragon.


    Thus, a free meal presented in front of them, if it were Liszt, he certainly wouldn¡¯t want to waste it, nor would he be suspicious.


    ¡­


    Night fell quickly.


    The Mountain Copper Dragon, having lain there half a day, did not receive the familiar little ants to bring it food and was somewhat puzzled. However, it soon thought that the little ants might have already been killed.


    ¡°It was that damned human, and the three pieces of trash willing to be ridden by ants.¡± The Mountain Copper Dragon, being an adult, had experienced hundreds of years of life and encountered quite a few humans; it knew very well how fierce the human struggle for dragons was. The previous Dragon Knight had definitely come to seize dragons.


    Therefore, it had to kill the competitor first.


    ¡°What a hassle!¡±


    It lifted its head, feeling that it could no longer rest well in this place. That Dragon Knight would certainly come again, followed by another tiresome struggle. Deep down, it disliked that Dragon Knight, feeling that his character clashed with its own, seeing no glint of sacrifice or devotion.


    However.


    The Mountain Copper Dragon suddenly remembered that the Dragon Knight seemed to leave behind some food when leaving, attempting to tempt it with the food.


    ¡°Na?ve, childish, laughable!¡±


    Was it a dragon that would bow down for such a small amount of food? There was no ant in the world worth lowering its proud head for.


    ¡°I need to find a new place to live, and on the way, see if there are any ants pleasing enough to provide me with food,¡± the Mountain Copper Dragon moved its wings and stood up, slowly moving towards the clearing where the food had been placed, ¡°However, before leaving, why not eat the food the Dragon Knight left behind? Wouldn¡¯t that be delightful?¡±


    It disliked Liszt but did not despise the food.


    Walking over, the food was still lying there quietly, with only a few real ants crawling on it. These small insects did not react to the Dragon Might. However, with just a slight breath, the ants died instantly¡ªan elementary application of Dragon Magic Power. Then it swallowed a whole basket of Wind-Thunder Bird Eggs in one gulp.


    The Wind-Thunder Bird is an intermediate magical beast. Interestingly, the male has a Wind Attribute, and the female has a Thunder Attribute. Still, the eggs contain both wind and thunder attributes.


    As the gender develops, the attributes eventually leave only one behind.


    During its long dragon life, the Mountain Copper Dragon had a particular fondness for Wind-Thunder Bird Eggs. However, Wind-Thunder Birds like to nest in narrow caves, and they are very clever. As soon as the dragons¡¯ huge bodies appear and their might is revealed, the birds quickly flee, making their eggs difficult to find.


    After eating the eggs, the Mountain Copper Dragon ate some fruit, and finally looked at the tender steaks.


    The steak had gone cold, and the flavor was not as rich as when it was fresh from the oven, but the Mountain Copper Dragon sniffed them and still swallowed all the steaks down its belly.


    ¡°Mediocre, passable,¡± it finished eating all the food and prepared to find a mountaintop to spend the night, planning to leave early the next morning.


    But as its wings flapped, suddenly, a wave of sleepiness overcame it, it shook its head vigorously but couldn¡¯t resist the strong urge to sleep, its eyelids heavy as lead. Moments later, unable to fend off the sleepiness, the Mountain Copper Dragon thudded to the ground, crushing a large swathe of forest.


    ¡°Hurrrr¡­¡±


    The loud snoring echoed through the sky.


    From a distance, within the material boundary, Liszt, holding the telescope, couldn¡¯t help but snap his fingers: ¡°Done!¡±

 Chapter 912 - 0909: Eighty (First Update)

    Chapter 912: Chapter 0909: Eighty (First Update)


    In the midst of mighty snores, Liszt descended from the sky to the side of the golden Mountain Copper Dragon. The sky was growing dark, but that didn¡¯t hinder him from taking out his Crystal Lamp¡ªa Hand Magic Tube¡ªto meticulously observe the enormous creature.


    The classification of Metal Dragons was quite interesting.


    Gold, silver, copper, iron, tin¡ªall these metals had corresponding dragons, and so did lead, mercury, titanium, platinum, etc. Moreover, often a single metal didn¡¯t correspond to just one dragon.


    Iron Dragons could be classified into at least five known types: Black Heart Iron Dragons, White Heart Iron Dragons, Malleable Cast Iron Dragons, White Maw Iron Dragons, and Grey Iron Dragons; Copper Dragons had at least four, including Bronze Dragons, Purple Copper Dragons, Brass Dragons, and White Copper Dragons. However, the Mountain Copper Dragon didn¡¯t fall under the category of Copper Dragons but belonged to the Magic Metal Dragons.


    Mountain copper, an indestructible metal, seemed a bit like gold but with a brighter color, and couldn¡¯t be forged by ordinary casting methods.


    Only an Iron Knight could forge it relying on Dou Qi.


    The Long Taro Family from Red Crab Island had a Knight Order that wore armor made from a Mountain Copper alloy, looking shiny and quite dashing.


    ¡°Ding-ding.¡±


    With the pommel of his sword, Liszt tapped on the scales of the Mountain Copper Dragon, eliciting a crisp metallic sound. ¡°Ach, do you think if I were to infuse Dragon Dou Qi and thrust down hard, I could pierce through this scale?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, big bro, why would you want to stab it?¡± Ach giggled.


    ¡°I¡¯m irritated with this guy; it scorned me before.¡±


    It was just a joke, having confirmed that the Mountain Copper Dragon had been thoroughly stupefied by the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, he quickly found the Dragon Tooth Platform where the dragon¡¯s neck met its body. ¡°Guard me, I¡¯m going to start the Mind Battle.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    With Ach guarding him, Liszt felt secure.


    He positioned himself on the Dragon Tooth Platform, and with a plop, sat down. Boom¡ªa peculiar, marvelous feeling rushed to his forehead, and in the next moment, he had entered a world sparkling with gold. In this world, everything was golden: the soil, the giant trees, and in the golden sky hung a golden sun.


    In the center of the world stood a massive transparent, golden-yellow rock, from which deep snores emanated.


    The Mountain Copper Dragon was deep in slumber inside the rock, its body flickering with the seven colors of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit¡¯s power that enveloped it.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve used the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, every time I see a dragon stupefied in the world of the mind, I am reminded of the strong power of the Jade Dragon. I fear that any dragon that consumes the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit would be bound by this power, leaving it at the mercy of others.¡±


    Leo was tamed after consuming it, Ornn was tamed after consuming it, and now it¡¯s the Mountain Copper Dragon¡¯s turn.


    Only the Formless Dragon hadn¡¯t been stupefied by the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, but that was not because the fruit lacked power; it was because Bard had seen through the fruit and refused to eat it. Had it not noticed and simply eaten it, the outcome likely would have been the same¡ªtotal stupefaction.


    Even if the Formless Dragon had been stupefied, overcoming it in a Mind Battle would still be quite a challenge¡ªthe complexity of its maze was no easy task for any knight.


    Without it consciously lowering the difficulty of the maze, Liszt couldn¡¯t hope to win.


    ¡°Now, do I need to just smash this rock?¡± Standing before the hundred-meter-tall rock, Liszt already knew how to proceed with the Mind Battle.


    To emerge victorious, one must shatter this rock that symbolizes the Mountain Copper Dragon¡¯s indomitable nature.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine how Andre might break the rock if he were to mount the Mountain Copper Dragon¡ªeven licking the dragon to ecstasy in reality wouldn¡¯t make the Mind Battle any easier when facing this nearly unbreakable rock. Perhaps with years of endless pounding, it might finally shatter.


    But time in the Mind Battle is limited.


    All the so-called preparations made by Andre and the Eagle Kingdom, in their hubris, were utterly in vain.


    ¡°The brown-noser licks but ends up with nothing in the end, heh,¡± Liszt shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s why I still prefer to use force and get it done!¡±


    He glanced at the Blue Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword in his hand, and as the thought flickered through his mind, smoke rapidly converged upon the sword, transforming it into a large hammer.


    He took a deep breath.


    Liszt suddenly swung the hammer and struck down hard on the golden yellow transparent rock, ¡°Eighty!¡±


    ¡°Eighty!¡±


    ¡°Eighty!¡±


    Three blows landed, but the golden-yellow rock merely trembled twice and was left without a single mark. Clearly, he couldn¡¯t smash the rock with a hammer and had to think of another way. If it had been a native Knight, he would have probably been at his wits¡¯ end, but Liszt still had many ideas.


    The smoke twined again, and the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword this time transformed directly from a hammer into the shape of a drill bit.


    He took another deep breath; inside his body, the Dragon Dou Qi traversed, employing the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¨C Spiral Rotation, then drove the drill in his hand to spin wildly.


    Ang ang ang!


    Between the drill bit and the rock, a screeching, grating noise rang out, and the next moment, powder sprinkled everywhere, with the drill bit having already penetrated the rock¡¯s outer layer.


    ¡°It worked!¡±


    Liszt reassured himself, focusing his thoughts, the smoke grew denser. The drill in his hand sped up further, drilling through the rock¡¯s outer skin bit by bit with an incessant ang ang ang ang ang. The moment the outer skin was perforated, the entire rock surface cracked from the drill bit¡¯s position.


    Crack crack, like a spider web, the cracks extended everywhere, quickly covering the entire rock surface.


    Seemingly reacting to this, the Mountain Copper Dragon inside the rock trembled its eyelids slightly but was soon suppressed by the flickering rainbow light, unable to affect the rock.


    He pulled out the drill bit. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt once again relied on the power of the smoke to transform the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword into a large hammer, and struck hard at the drill hole, ¡°Eighty!¡±


    ¡°Eighty!¡±


    ¡°Eighty!¡±


    Each blow expanded the cracks a bit more and produced even finer fractures.


    ¡°Eighty!¡±


    ¡°Eighty!¡±


    ¡°Eighty!¡±


    On the tenth swing, finally, the dense cracks covered every inch of the rock and upon Liszt¡¯s eleventh forceful swing, the rock collapsed with a mighty crash. Once the dust settled, the Mountain Copper Dragon, unbeknownst to him, had already awakened, watching Liszt with a complex gaze.


    It was a tangle of emotions mixed with confusion, reluctance, surprise, relief, and loss.


    But in the end, it let out a call towards Liszt, ¡°Rooooar!¡±


    With a mighty leap, Liszt was already mounted on its Dragon Tooth Platform, and at that moment, the minds of man and dragon united, inseparable. The Mountain Copper Dragon flapped its wings, its massive body lifting into the sky toward the golden yellow sun, the sunlight dazzling, its radiance bathing the world.


    When the blinding light in front of him dissipated, Liszt suddenly realized that he had left the spirit world and returned to reality.


    Beneath him, the Mountain Copper Dragon was still emitting deafening snores, but there was now a strong mind connection between it and Liszt.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    Liszt stood up, gave a slight smile to Ach, ¡°Once the Mountain Copper Dragon awakens, we¡¯ll set off and leave the Rupture Mountains.¡±

 Chapter 913 - 0910: The End of Dragon Breath (Second Update)

    Chapter 913: Chapter 0910: The End of Dragon Breath (Second Update)


    Nobody knew that at this time, the Rupture Mountains were home to four dragons: Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, Fire Dragon Leo, Formless Dragon Bard, and Mountain Copper Dragon Mata.


    Mata, this was the name Liszt had prepared for the Mountain Copper Dragon.


    It originated from a game he had played before, ¡°Monster Hunter¡±, which featured a monster nicknamed ¡°Mamu Tarot,¡± the discarded glow dragon that resided in the land of veins called The Golden Homeland, revered as the earth goddess of gold. The Mountain Copper Dragon didn¡¯t look anything like Mamu Tarot, nor did it have any relation to gold.


    Perhaps the only similarity was their color.


    But Liszt¡¯s logic, which was beyond ordinary, still linked them together.


    As dawn broke the next day, Mountain Copper Dragon Mata finally awoke, its massive body coiled on the ground, its mind still in disarray. To it, the previous night had been like a terrible nightmare, yet the more terrifying fact was that the nightmare was real¡­ It stared at Liszt, its black, narrow pupils flickering.


    ¡°Mata, this is the new name I¡¯ve given you. How about it, do you accept it?¡± Liszt looked into the dragon¡¯s eyes and said with a gentle and refined smile.


    After a long while, Mountain Copper Dragon Mata slowly turned its head away and let out a snort from its nostrils, tacitly accepting it all. Regardless of how complex the process had been, in the end, Liszt overcame it in the Mind Battle, which was enough to subdue the dragon¡¯s pride and dignity, and to earn its recognition.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Ach, use the Magic Platform to contact Yevich and have him determine the coordinates with the Sextant. On our way back, let¡¯s take in the views of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.¡±


    Liszt leaped nimbly onto Mountain Copper Dragon Mata¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform and instantly completed the mental bond with the dragon before guiding Mata into Dragon Knight Resonance and swiftly entering Dragon Rider Mode. For an experienced Dragon Knight, this whole procedure was a breeze.


    Ach, riding on the back of Formless Dragon Bard, took out the Magic Platform and contacted Yevich.


    While waiting for the reply, Liszt and Mata flew to the logistics supply team camp that had been burned the day before, leaving behind a few footprints from the Mountain Copper Dragon and simply staged the scene. They made it appear as if Andre had ridden the Mountain Copper Dragon, forcefully destroyed the camp, and defected from the Eagle Kingdom.


    After completing these tasks, by the time they returned, the Magic Platform had already received a response.


    Ach received the precise coordinates and determined their specific location: ¡°Brother, from here, if we head fifteen degrees west-southwest and fly about three thousand kilometers, we¡¯ll reach Yevich¡¯s location.¡±


    ¡°Three thousand kilometers, that¡¯s a day and night¡¯s flight, then let¡¯s set off!¡± With that thought in his mind, Mata flapped its wings and soared into the sky with a roaring ¡°whoosh.¡±


    Bard followed closely with Ach.


    Then came Leo and Ethan, with Ethan¡¯s claws still clutching Andre, who was bound tightly, blindfolded, and gagged¡ªa young knight despised by the Sapphire Duke. Though not of great value, if he could be exchanged for some information regarding Domain Knights or Liches, it would be a gain.


    Even the smallest mosquito leg is still meat.


    Even Liszt, who kept five dragons, had to live frugally.


    The team traveled intermittently, and their mood upon departure was entirely different from when they had arrived; the sun seemed so bright, and the moonlight so pure. Meanwhile, Liszt used the riding time to communicate closely with Mata, fully understanding its capabilities to devise a training plan, and started creating the ¡°Mountain Copper Dragon Knight ¨C Dragon Dou Qi Manual¡±.


    ¡°Mata, do you have a copper plating state?¡±


    The copper plating state was a kind of innate talent of Metal Dragons. Some dragons had it, and others didn¡¯t. The Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, for instance, didn¡¯t have this instinct.


    Strictly speaking, it should be called the ¡°gold plating state.¡± It¡¯s a protective measure extended by the dragon¡¯s innate Superior Magic¡ªusing its source to generate an outer shell of the same kind of metal, enhancing the defense of its body surface. The gold plating state of the Mountain Copper Dragon could, roughly, perhaps, maybe, also be called the copper plating state.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Mata answered arrogantly¡ªit couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t need to, due to its already formidable natural defenses; it had no use for such fanciful instincts.


    ¡°What a pity. Although you don¡¯t need protection, your knight does. In critical moments, if you had the copper plating state, the Mountain Copper Dragon Knight¡¯s fighting power would be off the charts.¡± Liszt flicked the golden scales on Mata¡¯s neck, finding it hard to imagine the level of force needed to penetrate them.


    Maybe only a full-powered blow using the Dragon Dou Qi Manual might scratch the surface.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Mata was proud of its strong defensive scales and believed that its golden color was the most beautiful and the most aesthetically superb among dragons.


    Beauty aside, compared to the flowing crystal-like Bard, it was akin to a nouveau riche adorned with a thick gold chain.


    Regarding this matter, Liszt didn¡¯t respond; he bluntly changed the subject: ¡°What is the status of your Dragon Breath? Is it a metallic torrent?¡±


    The Purple Copper Dragon¡¯s metallic torrent Dragon Breath could transform into innumerable bullet-like metal spheres; the Grey Iron Dragon¡¯s metallic torrent Dragon Breath could turn into countless blade-like iron shards.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Mata responded with a negative; its Dragon Breath was a special Magic Power with extremely strong plasticity. It could form a shield to ward off attacks, transform into a long spear to pierce through enemies, and also wrap objects in a thin film. Moreover, it could recycle the Mountain Copper produced by the Dragon Breath back into a Magic Form.


    Under Liszt¡¯s strong insistence, Mata decided to demonstrate its Dragon Breath.


    The dragon¡¯s mouth opened, and a golden-yellow stream of air sprayed out, swiftly turning into a huge javelin against the wind and shooting towards a mountain peak.


    Pfft!


    The Mountain Copper javelin plunged directly into the mountain, its powerful Impact Force almost shattering the entire peak¡ªits might was formidable. Then it flew low over the ground, and as it passed the mountain peak, its mouth opened, sucking back a golden-yellow stream of air through the original hole of the javelin, swallowing it back into its belly.


    Even though it could be recycled, a bit of Superior Magic was still lost between releasing and retrieving it.


    Of course, this bit of Superior Magic was nothing to mature Mountain Copper Dragons, which had lived two hundred years and had accumulated enough Superior Magic within them to flaunt for a considerable time.


    ¡°It¡¯s a powerful move; I¡¯ve decided, this move will be called ¡®Dragon Breath Terminator¡¯!¡± The T-1000 from ¡°Terminator,¡± made of thought-controlled liquid metal, came to Liszt¡¯s mind at that moment, capable of free transformation.


    His thoughts then diverged: ¡°So, Mata, can you freely retrieve all the Mountain Copper? I¡¯m referring to the Mountain Copper that might not have been produced by you.¡±


    Mata responded that it could not. For a short time after being released, the Mountain Copper created by the Dragon Breath Terminator maintained the properties of Superior Magic. But as time passed, if more than an hour elapsed, that Superior Magic would dissipate into intangibility. Without the Superior Magic, the Mountain Copper was virtually indistinguishable from ordinary Mountain Copper and could not be recycled.


    ¡°In that case, how about we exchange a resource? Mata, I will spare no resources in providing for you from now on¡ªdelicacies, Magic Potions, you name it. In return, could you now exhale for me a ten-meter-long Mountain Copper Dragon Lance?¡±


    He had an Alloy Dragon Spear that was five meters long¡ªWrath of Thunder.


    While coordinating with Bard and Ethan, the five-meter-long Dragon Lance was sufficient. But with Mata¡¯s body length of eighty meters and a wingspan of seventy-five meters, a five-meter-long Dragon Lance was severely inadequate. It had to be ten meters long to facilitate cooperation and execute the Dragon Dou Qi Manual. Since Mata was capable of such a feat, it was a perfect opportunity to create a ten-meter-long Dragon Lance.


    A pure Mountain Copper Dragon Lance didn¡¯t need the forging skills of an Iron Knight; it was already a powerful weapon on its own.


    Feeling enticed by Liszt, Mata turned its head to look at him.


    Liszt smiled back at it.


    For a full fifty kilometers, the pair kept this eye contact while flying, their minds locked in a Mind Battle. In the end, Mata succumbed¡ªperseverance was victory in the contest between dragon and Knight, and steadfastness was one of Liszt¡¯s admirable qualities.


    Reluctantly, it opened its mouth and aimed at Liszt, gently exhaling a golden-yellow Magic Power stream that immediately transformed into a ten-meter-long, arm-thick Dragon Lance in the wind. The lance had a sharp conical head, a spiraling twisted pattern along the shaft, and the tail tapered off to a point as well.


    The ten-meter-long Mountain Copper Dragon Lance was crafted completely according to Liszt¡¯s wishes.


    He grabbed it with his hand and felt as though it weighed ten thousand jin¡ªit was so heavy that he wouldn¡¯t have been able to lift it without his strong physique and the support of his Dou Qi.


    Trying to swing it around, it felt heavy and stable. Although he wasn¡¯t quite proficient yet, the feel was excellent.


    ¡°This is the Dragon Lance I wanted!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly infusing it with Dragon Dou Qi, the Mountain Copper Dragon Lance erupted into blazing red flames, its conductivity for Dou Qi virtually like a ¡°superconductor¡±, without any sluggishness.


    ¡°Mata, charge with me!¡±


    Guided by willpower, man and dragon began their somewhat clunky first charge, plunging towards a steep mountain peak not far away. The golden-yellow wings tucked in, skimming past the mountain. At the same time, Liszt brandished the Mountain Copper Dragon Lance, unleashing a Flame Slash mixed with Dragon Magic Power and Dragon Dou Qi.


    It struck the mountain peak, shearing off a large portion of it¡ªas the thunderous sound of countless boulders tumbling into the valley broke who knows how many trees.


    ¡°Thrilling!¡±

 Chapter 914 - 0911: A Single Word (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch additional update 10/147)

    Chapter 914: Chapter 0911: A Single Word (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch additional update 10/147)


    Enjoyable it was.


    But not far away, Little Fire Dragon Leo let out a dissatisfied roar, objecting to Liszt¡¯s ever-growing number of dragons. This put Liszt in a difficult position, and he gradually felt drained of energy.


    A common Dragon Knight needs a lifetime to manage a single dragon, yet he had to develop so many in such a short time, which was indeed challenging.


    Now he could only hope to quickly imprint his presence in the minds of some resource dragons, and then find suitable knights for them¡ªor as they might cheekily be called, poop scoopers.


    For now, Emily was tentatively assigned as Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan¡¯s Dragon Knight, and Ethan was also close to forming a Mind Brand.


    ¡°Still not enough, having only Emily does nothing to alleviate the burden of caring for the dragons on me. It seems I must select a group of exceptionally talented orphans to train upon my return, hoping that in a few years, or a decade or so, some from this group could become qualified Dragon Knights.¡±


    The qualifications for becoming a Dragon Knight were exceedingly difficult, and all the major kingdoms had contingency plans for Dragon Knights. However, not every dragon could find a suitable knight.


    Many dragons had even been neglected for decades, if not a century.


    Without Dragon Knights for cooperation, just relying on the Mind Brands left by the First Dragon Knights posed a serious issue¡ªthe kingdoms couldn¡¯t command these dragons at will. Some dragons, when they got into a temper, wouldn¡¯t even give the King face, and a significant amount of resources had to be provided for the dragons¡¯ daily consumption.


    ¡°It would be best to issue a few Smoke Missions regarding talent, so as not to let the good seeds go to waste.¡±


    In any case.


    The more dragons he had to ride, the more Liszt suffered in his pleasure.


    Day and night went by, and in early June, Liszt left Mountain Copper Dragon Mata and Light Green Gemstone Dragon Ethan to rest in a forest, recalled Little Fire Dragon Leo, and rode the Formless Dragon Bard with Ach directly to a designated coordinate.


    It was a small city in the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    The domain of a viscount.


    Pretending to be part of an Eagle Kingdom Adventure Fleet, Yevich Water Peanut had struck up a deal with this viscount to discuss border smuggling matters, and thus he had taken temporary residence in this small city, known as ¡°Bulb City¡±¡ªnamed after a large, colorful bird resembling a chicken, famous for its abundance in Bulb City.


    The Viscount of Bulb City, Kansas Qingke, was the landlord here, and he owned a Qingke Sprite¡ªwhere Qingke was quite similar to barley, although whether they were the same species was uncertain.


    At a manor outside the city bought by Yevich, Liszt and Ach, having crossed the material boundary, met Clear Water Sword Saint Yevich Water Peanut, whom they hadn¡¯t seen in over half a year, along with two other Sky Knights, and a large number of Adventure Fleet members.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Seeing their Lord Landlord in a foreign land thousands of miles away, Yevich and his Adventure Fleet members were thrilled.


    ¡°Yevich, you have been diligent and responsible during your voyage, to my satisfaction, and you have also made great contributions to the establishment of new territories for the Flame Kingdom. I now formally confer upon you the title of Earl and, once the Flame Kingdom is founded, will grant you land and nobility immediately,¡± said Liszt without any pleasantries, offering the carrot first to reward his knights.


    Overwhelmed with emotion, Yevich almost burst into tears, ¡°Thank you for your favor, Your Highness, Yevich is willing to charge into battle for you!¡±


    He had become famous in his youth through the Dragon Knight selection program but went through twists and turns, nobility problems, and poor relations with several landlords. He thought his life might never amount to anything and yet, unexpectedly, was granted the title of Earl in the yet-to-be-established Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°This is the title and land you deserve. The future Flame Kingdom will still need your enthusiastic contribution.¡±


    Liszt consoled Yevich, then turned to the other two Sky Knights, who had surrendered to him during the battle at sea, and then later joined the Adventure Fleet. They had contributed to the discovery of the Third Archipelago, supplied the Great Island, and conducted investigations in the Yellowstone Kingdom, and were therefore also bestowed the title of Viscount.


    Essentially, their titles from before their surrender were restored.


    The distribution of land would also wait until the founding of the kingdom.


    The other knights of the Adventure Fleet were variously bestowed the titles of Honored Knights or Barons, and the serfs who came from sailor backgrounds were also promised by Liszt the restoration of their Freeman status and granted land¡ªin fact, anyone of Flame People origin would gradually be arranged by him to become Freemen, paving the way for the future Knight Class.


    The indigenes known as Moon Slayers would form the primary serf class.


    However, he would also cultivate a group of Knight Class from among the Moon Slayers to differentiate them. Even if there were exceptionally talented individuals among the Moon Slayers, it was not impossible for them to be promoted to Dragon Knights¡ªlike the young girl named Hippolyta, who was among the first batch of Moon Slayers trained by Liszt.


    Because he sheltered a few elves, he had a good impression of Hippolyta and had already decided to set her up as a future noble.


    The little girl¡¯s magical talent was very poor, and she had already switched to learning Dou Qi. It was uncertain whether she could achieve anything.


    ¡°Your efforts need not worry about no gains, as your Lord Landlord, I will not forget any knight who has fought for me¡ªland, wealth, women, elves¡ªas long as you follow and dedicate yourselves to me, I can grant you everything you desire!¡±


    ¡°Willing to charge for Your Highness!¡±


    The knights, who had just been promoted to nobility or had their titles elevated, shouted enthusiastically, eager to immediately mount their horses and charge into battle to repay Lord Landlord with their lives.


    After the commotion had subsided.


    The knights were dismissed to continue doing what they should be doing¡ªgathering information.


    Liszt kept Yevich and the other two Sky Knights with him to inquire about the detailed information they had gathered during this time.


    Yevich narrated, ¡°As per Your Highness¡¯s instructions, we have conducted detailed investigations on the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and the Yellowstone Kingdom. However, due to constraints of time and manpower, most information is garnered through local noble channels, which may not be very accurate.¡±


    In an era where knights primarily relied on foot travel, the sparsity of population greatly restricted the circulation of information.


    The knights of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy probably didn¡¯t even know about the existence of the Duchy of Sapphire in the open sea, let alone that a battle of dragon slaying had occurred there. There were no official diplomatic or trade channels between the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and the Eagle Kingdom.


    ¡°Give a general description.¡±


    ¡°The Yellowstone Kingdom has six vassal states; the situation with dragons and Dragon Knights is unknown. Among them, the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy is within the northern border of the Yellowstone Plains, but due to the Ice Field acting as a barrier and the fact that the Eagle Kingdom has never cultivated its south side, there is little communication between the two countries. The main communication channel between Yellowstone and the Eagle Kingdom is through its other vassal¡ªthe Dragon Spring Lake Grand Duchy.¡±


    The Dragon Spring Lake Grand Duchy allegedly has two dragons. It borders both the Eagle Kingdom and the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, serving as the sole official channel between Yellowstone and the Eagle.


    Because of the distance, it¡¯s difficult to gather information about that area, and Yevich doesn¡¯t know much.


    His main understanding is of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy, which is mostly situated on the highlands. The country¡¯s name originates from the perpetual snow and mountains.


    The surname of the Dragon Rearing Family is Cicada, with the current duke being Scora Cicada. The cornflower is a common blue flower found throughout the Legendary Continent. The Cicada family is not named after this little blue flower but because they rear a Cornflower Gem Dragon.


    Cicada blue refers to a shade deeper than ordinary blue.


    The Snowstorm Mountain Duchy is poor, the Knight Class is poor, the duke is poor because their only trading partner is the Yellowstone Kingdom. As a result, the country¡¯s products, including the cornflower sapphires, are undervalued by the Yellowstone Kingdom, leading to a very difficult and backward life. If one wished to conquer it, they would simply need to employ a strategy backed by gold to definitely win over half of the knights.


    Even to the point where giving enough money could embolden the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy to rebel against the Yellowstone Kingdom¡ªDuke Scora once initiated a war against the Yellowstone Kingdom.


    Although he ultimately lost and was forced to compensate with a large amount of goods.


    Combining this information, Liszt felt that he could completely absorb the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy in the dark, just like how he initially took over the Grey Iron Duchy in secrecy.


    Then, using the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy as a cover, he could rapidly establish a foothold on the Legendary Continent.


    ¡°Yevich, do you plan to return to work on Flame Island or are you willing to continue working here¡­ I plan to snatch the vast barren land by the sea at the junction between the Eagle Kingdom, the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy, and the Yellowstone Kingdom, incorporating it as part of the Flame Kingdom. From there as a foundation, we shall commence trade with the two great kingdoms or, perhaps¡­ war!¡±


    On the rudimentary map just sketched by Ach, he casually drew a circle, encircling an area of millions of square kilometers. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then he conveyed one intention¡ªseize!


    The sea no longer satisfied his ambition; it was time to start claiming land. Of course, it wasn¡¯t yet wise to brazenly rob land, risking getting sandwiched by two great kingdoms.


    After stabilizing his base on Flame Island over the next few years, it would be convenient to implement this plan.


    ¡°On the side of the Yellowstone Kingdom, we can start by establishing contact with the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and claim land in the name of the duchy. As for the Eagle Kingdom, a battle seems inevitable sooner or later. When that time comes, forget the consequences; at the worst, we¡¯ll just have a few more dragon-slaying wars!¡± Liszt pointed out territories on the map.


    With eyes full of ambition and an undeniable presence of authority, he proclaimed, ¡°I have the Formless Dragon, I have several dragons, and nothing can stop me from getting what I want!¡±


    Yevich and the two Viscount Sky Knights were inevitably left breathless¡ªLord Landlord¡¯s formidable power and boundless ambitions were precisely what knights desired in a leader to chase glory because only through war could knights gain all the riches and status they sought.

 Chapter 915 - 0912: Seki Returns (First Update)

    Chapter 915: Chapter 0912: Seki Returns (First Update)


    Yevich had prepared a batch of fertile Bulb eggs, and Liszt didn¡¯t stay in Bulb City for too long, as there wasn¡¯t much of interest in the poor and remote Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    He led his own giant dragon army directly toward the sea.


    Of course, considering that Ach was eager to return and summarize the information collected about the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation and the improvements to the magic array, he had Bard take Ach through space to return to Reed City first.


    He rode Mata, with Leo and Ethan, flying slowly behind. Mountain Copper Dragon Mata was visiting the Flame Islands for the first time and didn¡¯t know the way, so she needed to be guided. Besides, he wanted to use this opportunity to get to know Mata better and lay the groundwork for establishing the Mind Branding of the First Dragon Knight.


    By the time they reached the Endless Volcano Cluster, it was June 6th.


    Leo returned to its Dragon Nest¡ªDoomsday Volcano Crater and focused on cultivating. The Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf Annie took the chance to indulge herself in a bit of handiwork, while Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple, the three Flame Dragon Birds, excitedly circled around Leo. The three little birds had grown a lot and were very obedient under Annie¡¯s training.


    Even with Annie¡¯s soothing, Liszt managed to ride each of the three little birds for a while, which showed that the creatures known as ¡°Phoenixes,¡± these super dragon beasts, could potentially be tamed as mounts.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I have the mounts, but not the qualified knights. At least young and promising Elite Earth Knights of Fire Attribute are required to ride these Flame Dragon Birds and to form a branch of the Burning Legion¡ªthe Royal Knight Squad¡­ Of course, three Flame Dragon Birds are too few; next time I hear news about Phoenixes, I should capture a bunch to breed.¡±


    Super dragon beasts were treasures all over, and part of their bodies harbored souls, like the teeth of dragons, involving some special kind of property transformation.


    This inspired Liszt for the next stage of the dragon knights¡¯ training¡ªhe and Ach had deduced that to break their shackles, dragon knights must study souls.


    That is, Spiritual Power.


    Matter, Magic Power, and Spirit are the three fundamental rules that make up this world, and dragon knights, being at the pinnacle of power, must start with these rules to break through.


    ¡°There¡¯s also a Lightning Dragon Turtle on Black Horse Island, its shell, like the Flame Dragon Bird¡¯s tail feathers, with properties that pertain to the soul. But there aren¡¯t enough super dragon beasts; when I have the time, I should go to Pegasus Great Forest in search of the Wind Attribute Unicorn.¡±


    He had received the lead about the Unicorn, a super dragon beast, a long time ago, but he never found the time to search, unsure about the existence of Unicorns or whether any had been captured by the knights of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    He shook his head.


    After dismounting from the Flame Dragon Bird, he waved at Annie, ¡°Annie, I¡¯m leaving, I will see you in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Liszt, bring me some blue soft Jade Powder, I want to change up my flavor,¡± said Annie.


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡­


    Leaving Doomsday Volcano Crater, Liszt had an idea.


    He flew directly with Mountain Copper Dragon Mata and Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan to Hourglass Valley, which was the Moon Slayers¡¯ Holy Mountain and had a Holy Tribe at the foothills, along with six broken statues of Ancient Magicians. Hourglass Valley had excellent terrain, plus it was the absolute center point of Flame Island.


    There was also the entrance to a ruin, waiting to be excavated.


    ¡°Perhaps I could establish my King¡¯s Castle here, the Ancient Magicians chose to construct some ruins here, obviously after careful selection¡­ Moreover, once the entrance to the ruins and its natural node are well managed, we could build a Magic Teleportation Array, allowing the King¡¯s Castle to communicate quickly with other places¡­ Best if it can directly connect to the Legendary Continent.¡±


    In thought.


    The Hourglass Valley was already within sight.


    ¡°Hoo-hoo!¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡±


    Mata and Ethan simultaneously let out earth-shaking dragon roars, signaling to the tribe within the valley that a dragon knight had arrived¡ªtheir great ¡°Seki¡± had returned.


    In the Moon Language, Seki means sacred. Originally, when Liszt rode atop the Formless Dragon and successfully subdued the Holy Tribe, the Moon Slayers shouted ¡°Seki¡± in awe, bowing down in worship.


    At this moment.


    Sasumit, who enjoyed the gentle kneading of his shoulders by the Moon Slayer women inside the tribe, was feeling very content. He was just one of many Ancient Mages in the Holy Tribe. However, an unexpected disaster left the original Listener and the Ancient Mages loyal to the Listener slaughtered. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That unknown ¡°Seki¡± from afar, along with the terrifying ¡°Biggleswade,¡± exerted their inviolable majestic might and directly appointed him the new Listener of the Holy Tribe.


    From then on,


    Sasumit became the most authoritative person in the Holy Tribe, and wherever he went, everyone respectfully addressed him as ¡°Su.¡±


    While enjoying himself, Su suddenly heard two distant, imperious roars that could not be violated. The sound was very special. Because of the distance, it wasn¡¯t very loud. However, the sense of power it conveyed made his scalp tingle, as if it came from some indescribable noble presence.


    ¡°What¡¯s that calling!¡± He immediately stood up from between the legs of the Moon Slayer woman and quickly walked to the window of the wooden hut, looking in the direction from which the sound originated.


    ¡°Su, is it a wild beast calling?¡± one of the Moon Slayer women responded.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not right, the cry is wrong. I¡¯ve never heard this cry before, but it¡¯s very familiar, eternally unforgettable familiar!¡± In Su¡¯s mind, another peculiar cry ¡°Wuuuiyaaa¡± emerged, the call of Biggleswade by Seki¡¯s side.


    Legend had it that the ancestors fought alongside Biggleswade and killed the moon.


    The ¡°Wuuuiyaaa¡± was different from the ¡°roar¡± and ¡°howl,¡± but the nobility and authority they contained were the same, stirring in him a feeling from the depths of his soul that made him want to submit.


    He looked at the azure blue sky, nervously anticipating something.


    Suddenly, two small black dots appeared in the sky, growing larger and larger, eventually turning into two black silhouettes.


    Seeing those two silhouettes, Su¡¯s heart violently trembled, breathing quickened, almost suffocating: ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s Biggleswade!¡±


    ¡°Biggleswade?¡± The women in the wooden hut turned pale with fright.


    They had never seen that Seth alongside his companion Biggleswade, because when the Dragon Might was released, they fainted on the spot. It was only afterward that they learned Seth had killed the former Listener and a host of Ancient Mages, and then supported Su, and laid down the strict rule of prohibiting harm to Elves.


    The ban on harming Elf Bugs meant that Magic Dust could not be produced, this caused many young people who aspired to become Ancient Mages to grumble and complain.


    However, Su executed this regulation strictly; previously, tribe members who secretly killed Elf Bugs were discovered by Su and immediately skinned and flayed. Since then, no one dared to oppose it.


    Su also said that Ancient Mages could not protect the tribe, and Seth would bring new methods of cultivation¡ªKnights. Because Seth himself was a great Knight, a Knight riding Biggleswade!


    Half a year passed, and Seth had not returned. The methods of Knight cultivation had not been received either.


    Many young men doubted Su behind his back.


    But Su was full of confidence.


    He had felt the greatness of Seki, knew what Seki meant to the Holy Tribe, and was willing to believe that Seki would return¡ªthat would be the moment when the Holy Tribe would leave the forest and return to the glorious civilization of the ancestral period.


    ¡°Biggleswade, two Biggleswades!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Seki!¡±


    ¡°Seki has returned!¡± Su shouted loudly, running out of the house to quickly gather all the Ancient Mages of the tribe and rush to the altar of the six statues.


    By the time they reached the altar, the two Biggleswades had also landed with immense and boundless Dragon Might. Unlike the flowing Crystal Biggleswade in Su¡¯s memory, the Biggleswades this time were one light green like a gemstone and the other brilliant like gold.


    Their color, size, and posture were all different, but the overwhelming Dragon Might that made one feel breathless remained unchanged.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Rawr!¡±


    The two Biggleswades roared again, asserting their authority before slowly retracting their Dragon Might, and then a Knight jumped down from the back of the golden Biggleswade.


    Tall, straight, handsome, valiant, noble, too dazzling to look at directly.


    It was indeed the Seki of Su¡¯s memory.


    He immediately knelt down excitedly, exclaiming: ¡°Seki! Biggleswade!¡±


    The other Ancient Mages did not dare to delay and fell to their knees, following Su¡¯s cries: ¡°Seki! Biggleswade!¡±

 Chapter 916 - 0913: Envoy Group Arrives (Second Update)

    Chapter 916: Chapter 0913: Envoy Group Arrives (Second Update)


    After a systematic study, Liszt had mastered the basic conversational ability in Moon Language. After deterring the Moon Slayer people of the Holy Tribe, he let Listener Su and the Ancient Mage stay behind.


    ¡°Su, my visit this time is to fulfill my promise to the Holy Tribe. Since you sincerely follow me, naturally I won¡¯t let the Holy Tribe decline. I will send the Knight Order to the Holy Tribe to teach you a brand new knight cultivation system to replace the obsolete magic system.¡±


    Su was still somewhat incredulous, ¡°Seki, is magic really in decline?¡±


    ¡°The Magic Web is waning. How do you think a magician like you could ever achieve the level of power that I have reached now?¡± Liszt snorted coldly, very dissatisfied with Su¡¯s doubt¡ªwhen had his followers ever questioned his words in his own territory, only these natives were dull-witted.


    ¡°Su dares not compare himself to Seki, but Seki, can Su also become trained as a knight?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t. You Ancient Mages are doomed to be eliminated by the times. Starting now, select excellent youngsters who are the seeds for receiving knight training. In the future, under my rule, the Holy Tribe will have a wonderful future, not one where they¡¯re chased by wild beasts in the forest.¡±


    When the knights began to teach, the talented young Moon Slayer children would learn Wind Language and Serpent Script, and they would be instilled with the concept of loyalty and patriotism.


    When this group of Moon Slayer knights grew up, assimilation would also be complete.


    By then, the superior-feeling Moon Slayer knights would surely exploit the ordinary Moon Slayer people even more ruthlessly¡ªhistory has proven that the Banana People often treated their own kinsmen more harshly; ethnic Germans who joined the American forces in World War II fought the German army to the death, ethnic Japanese who joined the Americans fought fiercely as well, not to mention the Chinese who joined the Japanese or American forces.


    Human nature is just like this.


    You might not envy a stranger who has more money, but if Wang Gou Dan, who you grew up playing with, gets rich, you¡¯d certainly be driven mad with jealousy. And how else to prove that kowtowing to foreigners was the right thing to do, if not by demeaning and crushing one¡¯s own people¡ªnot that everyone is like this, but most people certainly are.


    Su felt very aggrieved by Liszt¡¯s blunt words as he didn¡¯t want to be eliminated, and he still wanted to serve as a Listener until death.


    However, having held high positions for many years, Liszt had developed a piercing insight into the hearts of people, ¡°Su, how many children do you have?¡±


    ¡°Su has one boy and one girl. The boy is fifteen and is learning magic, and the girl is twelve, learning to work with the women.¡±


    ¡°The boy is fifteen, it¡¯s not too late for knight training. I will ensure that he receives special attention. In the future, he will become a noble of the Flame Kingdom, with his own lands and servants. The girl, at twelve, let her go to Flame City¡¯s girls¡¯ school to learn, so that she may marry a noble in the future.¡±


    As Liszt spoke, he turned to look at the other Ancient Mages whose eyes were filled with expectation, ¡°It¡¯s the same for you. Your children will all become part of the Flame Kingdom¡¯s Knight Class. Remember, as long as you¡¯re loyal to me, you will all have a beautiful future.¡±


    Su and the Ancient Mages immediately began to trip over themselves expressing their loyalty.


    After a session of flattery.


    Liszt gestured with his hand for everyone to stop, no more brown-nosing, as these natives with limited vocabulary only repeated some common words like ¡°great,¡± ¡°Seki,¡± ¡°handsome,¡± with no novel or imaginative phrases, ¡°I grant you a beautiful future, and I also entrust you with two tasks.¡±


    ¡°Please speak, Seki.¡±


    ¡°Biggleswade-Mountain Copper Dragon Mata will stay in the Holy Tribe, and its diet will be your responsibility. It represents my authority; its vision is my vision. Everything in the Holy Tribe will be in my sight. Do you understand?¡±


    Mata had simple requirements for its Dragon Nest.


    It was simply too lazy to move and liked to have someone bring food to it.


    Staying in the Holy Tribe was a good choice, firstly to keep the news of the Mountain Copper Dragon under wraps, and secondly to suppress the Holy Tribe and facilitate the extension of its own authority.


    ¡°Understood, Lord Seki!¡± Su and the other Ancient Mages not only had no complaints, but felt an excitement that was almost suffocating¡ªthey would have the chance to assist the ancestor, Biggleswade, in battle and provide him with food, which felt awesome.


    With a light smile, Liszt continued, ¡°Your second task is to cooperate with the Knight Order I will dispatch here, subjugating the nearby Moon Slayer Tribes. Also, extend the reach of the Elf Ban, and make sure to strictly protect every Elf you find!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Lord Seki, the surrounding tribes may not heed the orders of the Holy Tribe.¡±


    ¡°If they don¡¯t comply, invite their Listeners and Ancient Mages to visit the Holy Tribe and let them see Biggleswade¡­you needn¡¯t worry about this detail; my knights will faithfully execute my command, and you are to follow the arrangements of the knights.¡±


    After giving his orders, Liszt enjoyed various delicious fruits offered as tribute by the Holy Tribe.


    Then Su brought over seven Elf Bugs that the Holy Tribe had found during the past half year, all of rare variety yet of little value.


    Still, Liszt contracted the seven Elf Bugs.


    After securing the Elf Bugs, he communicated his farewells to Mata, ¡°You¡¯ll stay here. I will send people to take care of you. There will be Magic Potions, Jade, and delicious delicacies in abundance. What you need to do is to select a location nearby to produce Mountain Copper ore. When I find the time, I will build you a new Dragon Nest.¡±


    ¡°Huh! Roar!¡± Mountain Copper Dragon Mata nodded happily, feeling rather pleased not to see Liszt.


    This was likely a downside of using Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit for Dragon Riding; the Dragon harbored grievances towards Liszt, the Knight. Over time, they would interact more closely, share their hearts, and ultimately leave behind a Mind Brand.


    Waving his hand,


    Amid the farewells of the Moon Slayers, Liszt mounted the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan and continued eastward. When he passed near Jade City, close to the Flame Mountain Range, he stopped to inspect the city¡¯s development. He noticed rapid progress, with construction accelerating across several cities as more Flame People arrived.


    Trade and commerce were also picking up as many specialties from Flame Island began to be transported outwards, transforming into economic value.


    After a simple rest at Jade City for one night, Liszt set off the next day, first visiting Dragon Valley City to inspect the metal mining operations, as well as the excavation work on those large pits¡­ Leaving Jade City, he then traveled to Flame City¡ªits status had abruptly fallen with the opening of the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation.


    It was now being repositioned and replanned as an agricultural city, with numerous plantations opening up here.


    After inspecting Flame City, Liszt finally returned to Reed City for a brief rest before switching to ride the Formless Dragon Bard, traveling through space directly back to Black Horse Island. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because at this point in time, the Envoy Group from the Steel Ridge Kingdom had finally arrived, and accompanying them was the Envoy Group from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom¡ªThe Blast Furnace Fortress Envoy Group traveled on three huge Intermediate Dragon Beasts, Floating Colossal Kites, which were Wind Attribute creatures that resembled large, tailed flying saucers.


    They looked somewhat like stingrays from Earth, possessing flat, round bodies more than ten meters in diameter, and solely relied on Wind System Magic for flight. They were swift flyers with impressive stamina.


    These were Intermediate Dragon Beasts bred by the Blast Furnace Fortress Royal Family, weak in combat but surpassing airplanes as a mode of transport.


    That¡¯s why the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom Envoy Group was able to rapidly cross tens of thousands of kilometers, arriving at Black Horse Island simultaneously with the Steel Ridge Kingdom Envoy Group.


    Liszt returned to Black Horse Island this time to receive these two Envoy Groups.

 Chapter 918 - 0915: I Have a Dragon (First Update)

    Chapter 918: Chapter 0915: I Have a Dragon (First Update)


    The gift from the Red and White Rose Family was satisfactory or not?


    Regarding this question,


    Liszt didn¡¯t beat around the bush, responding enthusiastically, ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied. I gratefully accept the friendship of the Red and White Rose Family.¡± Such a wealthy and generous friend, he was naturally willing to make their acquaintance.


    Receiving occasional gifts was enough to prosper.


    The value of the gift from the Red and White Rose Family alone exceeded the entire annual output of the Flame Territory. One couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how many sheets of white paper, sea salt, and glass it would take to amass a fortune nearly five million Gold Coins. An ordinary Marquis Family would have to sell everything they owned, and still, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    Therefore, the two of them eagerly chatted for a full hour. In the end, Liszt personally escorted Mathew to the castle gates, acting as if he were seeing off an old friend he hadn¡¯t seen in years.


    ¡°Please stop here, Your Highness. Mathew will return to the embassy to rest a bit and we shall meet again in the afternoon.¡±


    Liszt grabbed Mathew¡¯s hand and gave it a firm shake, ¡°Alright, Mathew, go and rest. We¡¯ll deal with the handover of the envoy¡¯s documents this afternoon, and in the evening, I¡¯ll join you for a drink. We won¡¯t return until we¡¯re completely drunk!¡±


    ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t return until we¡¯re completely drunk!¡±


    As Mathew left, he walked with a bit of a swaying gait. He glanced at the Grey Iron Dragon not far from Thorn Castle.


    His heart swelled with pride, coupled with a sense of superiority that he couldn¡¯t suppress: ¡°Although knightly glory has looked favorably upon me, and my talents surpass all the youth in the three kingdoms, it¡¯s incredible to have ridden four dragons. But in the end, he¡¯s just a poor country boy, displaying a shabby appearance, dazzled by such wealth.¡±


    Scratching a stray lock of hair at the corner of his brow, he thought contentedly: ¡°But this feeling is quite pleasant. Our ancestors used money to win over the Steel Ridge Kingdom, and now I use money to win over the future Flame Kingdom. Isn¡¯t this equal to the Red and White Rose Family secretly controlling two great kingdoms?¡±


    The more he thought about it, the happier he became. His mood felt like dancing in a club.


    So exciting.


    It felt like he had reached a climax in life.


    It felt like he had reached the pinnacle.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the study of Thorn Castle, Liszt and his father Li Weiliam were marveling at the priceless trove of gifts, clicking their tongues in amazement.


    ¡°Liszt said, ¡°Worthy of the Red and White Rose Family, such financial capacity, such boldness, almost made me lose my composure.¡± He picked up his teacup and gulp down a big swallow, calming his excited emotions. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gemstones, Magic Metal, Low-Level Dragon Beasts, and Abandoned Cordyceps ¨C each one of these gifts was lavish.


    Yet the most extravagant were the two chests containing Magic Potions. One thousand vials of Platinum Magic Potion and two hundred vials of Red Dragon Water, two types of Magic Potions famous worldwide from the Red and White Rose Family, given in a quantity worth millions. Such valuable gifts, if it were Liszt, he would never part with, even if it killed him.


    Too extravagant!


    Li Weiliam also took deep breaths, trying to calm his emotions: ¡°The Red and White Rose Family truly knows how to make a grand gesture. I¡¯ve weathered many storms over the decades, but I¡¯ve never seen such a generous gift-giving. It seems like several generations of a medium Noble Family would struggle to compare to a single gift casually given by one of these Dragon Rearing Families.¡±


    ¡°The Tulip Family wouldn¡¯t be able to come up with this much wealth, not even one-tenth, without having to sell off their estates.¡±


    ¡°Father, there is also a vast chasm between Dragon Rearing Families. Not every Dragon Rearing Family has access to Platinum Magic Potion and Red Dragon Water. Moreover, the gifts from King Osborne and King Helder were quite ordinary. The gift from the Red and White Rose Family is different.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Free food tastes more expensive than rare delicacies. The Rose Duchy is far to the north of Steel Ridge, and it is challenging to establish relations. Why would Mathew send such valuable gifts?¡±


    Li Weiliam wasn¡¯t very familiar with the Red and White Rose Family, only having heard that the family was famous for its wealth.


    Liszt took out a vial of Platinum Magic Potion and, using his Eye of Magic, closely inspected the dense Chaotic Magic Power within, saying, ¡°Father, have you ever heard of the Steel Pearl or the most beautiful woman of the Northland?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Marilyn Rose of Red and White, sister of Mathew, daughter of the Duke of Rose, niece of King Osborne, fifteen years old this year, and yet unmarried. Although Mathew didn¡¯t say it outright, he hinted everywhere that he has a beautiful sister, and that an alliance through marriage could secure the wealth of the Red and White Rose Family.¡±


    ¡°The Red and White Rose Family wants a marriage alliance with you?¡± Li Weiliam gasped for breath, ¡°So, what do you think about that? Do you have any plans for such an alliance?¡±


    Liszt set down the Platinum Magic Potion he was holding and regained his usual calm demeanor, ¡°Does Father think I should enter into a marriage alliance?¡±


    Li Weiliam wanted to say ¡°Stop hesitating, marry into wealth as quickly as possible,¡± but then he remembered his daughter, the Archmage Acherloides Truth.


    On one hand lay boundless wealth, on the other, vast magic.


    It was indeed a difficult choice.


    ¡°This¡­ marrying the daughter of the Red and White Rose Family would be an excellent choice, of course. Acherloides is a wonderful girl not to let go of either. As the head of the Flame Family and King of the Flame Kingdom, the decision of marriage is yours to make, and I won¡¯t interfere.¡±


    Acherloides represented strength, Marilyn represented wealth, and Li Weiliam did not want to put himself in a difficult position making choices for Liszt¡ªbesides, he knew he couldn¡¯t make decisions for him.


    Not to mention that as a second son who had branched out from the family, even if he hadn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sway Liszt¡¯s convictions.


    However, he still spoke with a trace of concern, ¡°Liszt, there¡¯s one thing I hope you¡¯ll think about carefully. Once you become King, you must be responsible for all the citizens of the Kingdom, and the most important responsibility of a King is to produce an heir to ensure the smooth succession of the throne.¡±


    He often saw Acherloides and was all too aware of her Sea Serpent identity.


    So, in his heart, he hoped to counsel Liszt¡ªindicating that between Acherloides and Marilyn, he preferred Liszt to choose Marilyn.


    Though he had never met Marilyn in person, the wealth of the Red and White Rose Family had already successfully dazed him.


    Liszt did not respond immediately; he closed two cases containing Magic Potions and directly stored them in his Space Ring, then gathered the gemstones and Magic Metals as well.


    The Abandoned Cordyceps Bloody Pen Ghost and Black Tiger¡¯s Paw would be planted by the serfs as arranged by the officials, and the Falcon Dogs would be handed over to specialized breeders for care.


    After attending to these matters.


    He asked indifferently, ¡°Father, what do you think is the greatest power in this world?¡±


    Li Weiliam asked curiously, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Dragons!¡±


    Without beating around the bush, Liszt said directly, ¡°With dragons, one has everything, because dragons signify power, and wealth cannot represent power. The Red and White Rose Family may seem to dwarf the Steel Ridge Royal Family in wealth, but they are nothing but rootless trees, or to put it plainly, merely puppets manipulated by the Steel Ridge Royal Family.¡±


    Mathew, heir of the Duke of Rose, was majestic and glimmered with gold, yet Liszt had already seen through the flaw of the Red and White Rose Family: their strength did not match their wealth.


    If he were just a poor boy, he would be easily stunned by money, but as penniless as he was, being a Dragon Knight with five dragons, acquiring wealth was all too easy.


    Just like this time, the Red and White Rose Family had come from afar to bring money.


    ¡°The Red and White Rose Family¡¯s reason for wanting a marriage alliance is simple; they have money but no dragons to protect it, so they¡¯re hoping for a new support, which is me. However, the question worth pondering is, does the Steel Ridge Royal Family truly wish to share the wealth of the Red and White Rose Family with me?¡±


    Li Weiliam pondered with furrowed brows.


    Liszt offered an answer straight away, ¡°You see, Mathew is the heir to the Red and White Rose Family, not Marilyn. The Steel Ridge Royal Family just needs to hold on to Mathew, and they¡¯ve got the purse strings of the Red and White Rose Family, as well as control over the extent of wealth I can acquire.¡±


    ¡°So, Mathew serving as the leader of the Envoy Group, and the Red and White Rose Family¡¯s intent to marry us off¡ªis it all being manipulated by the Steel Ridge Royal Family behind the scenes?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Maybe Osborne wants to ensnare me using Marilyn, or perhaps the Duke of Rose is eager to break free from the Platinum Family¡¯s constraints¡­ But these don¡¯t matter. What matters is that I have dragons. Father, you might not yet know, but I¡¯ve recently ridden another dragon.¡±


    Li Weiliam widened his eyes: ¡°Ridden another dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have five dragons, I am a Dragon Knight, Acherloides is an Archmage.¡± Liszt said this with a release of the frustration he had felt from being almost swindled by Mathew¡¯s wealth, ¡°Though I might not have money, I have dragons, and as long as I ride out on dragons, their money will ultimately be my money!¡±

 Chapter 919 - 0916: His Majesty the King (Second Update)

    Chapter 919: Chapter 0916: His Majesty the King (Second Update)


    Li Weiliam returned to his room to rest, his mind still buzzing with the words Liszt had said in the last moments.


    ¡°I¡¯ve ridden another dragon recently.¡±


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t have money, I do have dragons, five of them.¡±


    ¡°Their money will ultimately be my money.¡±


    These words circled relentlessly in his mind, leading him to express an inexplicable sentiment, ¡°It makes so much sense that I find myself at a loss for words.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Against the wealth of the Red and White Rose Family, he didn¡¯t have much power to resist, yet he knew Liszt was right. Control over dragons was the true foundation of wealth, the reason why the Dragon Rearing Family were among the top nobility lay in the dragons they raised, capable of suppressing a kingdom.


    Despite understanding this, an inevitable thought still emerged: ¡°What a pity.¡±


    Liszt himself had the same thought.


    He saw through everything, clarifying the essence of strength and wealth, but while anyone can understand the principle, truly letting go is much harder. The Flame Kingdom had five dragons, and the wealth required to sustain them was immense; the fortune of the Red and White Rose Family could easily fill the void of their growth period.


    ¡°What a pity.¡±


    ¡°The knight system adheres to monogamy, and while a noble can have countless lovers, they cannot have two wives. Otherwise, I could totally follow the ancient Chinese emperors and take Marilyn as a concubine. It wouldn¡¯t matter if she had been open before; just gathering the money would be fine.¡±


    His biggest concern with noble misses was the libertine culture among the nobility, with women¡¯s pre-marital experiences involving who knows how many revelries.


    While other nobles might not care, Liszt certainly did.


    However, life is about growing amidst compromises.


    Cousin Mei Oubo married the fallen Angela Sapphire and still lived a happy life; their son was already born¡ªaccording to the secret magical methods used by the Long Taro Family, they affirmed the child¡¯s lineage as truly inherited from the Long Taro Family, with no possibility of a switch at birth.


    ¡°But I could never betray Ach in this lifetime. It seems that if I want to attain the wealth of the Red and White Rose Family, I¡¯ll have to find other means.¡±


    Money can be tempting.


    Mathew of the Red and White Roses, basking in the apex of life, had no clue that his confident display of wealth did, indeed, stun people, but the stunned reactions varied greatly.


    He rested for a while at the embassy.


    Then he cheerfully went to participate in the exchange of diplomatic documents in the afternoon and fraternized with Liszt over drinks at the evening banquet, radiating enthusiasm. Liszt treated him with a warmth that exceeded that towards other envoys, they were all but sworn brothers. This made the emissaries from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom and the negotiators from the Eagle Kingdom very envious.


    To them, this signified that Liszt would soon lean towards the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    Once Liszt sided with the Steel Ridge Kingdom, it would inevitably disrupt the balance of power in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent. The Eagle Kingdom, having lost several dragons, was declining in power and could only ally with the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom to counter the Steel Ridge Kingdom, but with the addition of the Flame Kingdom, the power of the Steel Ridge Kingdom was bound to inflate.


    So, following that, the emissary from the Blast Furnace Fortress began to vigorously court Liszt, and the negotiating team from the Eagle ceased nitpicking.


    After accompanying Mathew around Black Horse Island, Liszt excused himself on the pretext of having matters to attend to and left Black Horse Island, entrusting the negotiations to his father, Li Weiliam.


    Li Weiliam seized the opportunity to make a request, ¡°The Flame Kingdom is about to be established, and we hope that the three great kingdoms will immediately recognize the status of the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    Mathew responded promptly, ¡°Please rest assured, Marquis of Bull Tail, the Steel Ridge Royal Family has already acknowledged the establishment of the Flame Kingdom by the Flame Family. As soon as the Flame Kingdom is founded, we will establish official diplomatic relations.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for His Majesty Osborne¡¯s recognition, and we also hope to enhance our friendship with the Red and White Rose Family.¡±


    ¡°I feel a close affinity with Prince Liszt and believe that this friendship will surely blossom into dazzling light.¡±


    Li Weiliam beamed with a smile, ¡°Liszt also said he felt an immediate kinship with Prince Mathew.¡± Since Mathew is the heir of the Grand Duchy, he may be addressed as ¡®Prince¡¯.


    Facing the aggressive courting posture of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    Bruce Silverhand gave it some thought before swiftly responding, ¡°I carry the attitude of Helder Your Highness, the Blast Furnace Fortress Royal Family will not oppose the establishment of the Flame Kingdom, and is willing to establish formal diplomatic relations. We hope the two kingdoms can trade with each other and communicate openly.¡±


    ¡°This is natural, as the Flame Kingdom has powerful maritime trading forces. Even though Blast Furnace Fortress is distant, we can still exchange trade.¡±


    Thus, the positions of Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress were already clear.


    Only the negotiation team from the Eagle Kingdom had yet to articulate a clear stance. Seeing this, Li Weiliam, after exchanging covert communications with Liszt, gradually adopted a more forceful tone, ¡°Team Leader Alexander, if you cannot represent the attitude of the Eagle Royal Family, then please go back.¡±


    ¡°Marquis of Bull Tail, what do you mean by this?¡± Alexander White Iron¡¯s face became somewhat unsightly, ¡°As the special envoy of the king, I naturally have the right to represent the attitude of the Eagle Royal Family.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll speak plainly, Prince Dragon Knight is very angry at the Eagle Kingdom for its prolonged inability to reach a ransom agreement, and its reluctance to state its position on the Flame Kingdom. If the Eagle Kingdom continues with this attitude, then there¡¯s no need to talk further¡ªwe can just wait for the next dragon-slaying war.¡±


    ¡°Prince Liszt is going to start a new dragon-slaying war, thinking the Eagle Kingdom is easy to bully!¡±


    ¡°You can try if you wish. After all, the Flame Kingdom is lame and poor, with nothing to lose. If the Eagle Kingdom wishes to be an enemy, then we can only choose retaliatory measures to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°This is a threat!¡±


    Li Weiliam said with surprise, ¡°It is indeed a threat. Have you been staying here all these days and not understood that?¡±


    Alexander¡¯s face flushed red, but he struggled to come up with any strong words to say.


    Who could blame him? The Eagle Kingdom had already been defeated twice in dragon-slaying wars, losing Dragon Knights and dragons; it was hard to take a hard line. Now that both Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress had recognized the Flame Kingdom, if the Eagle Kingdom did not compromise, it probably would have to face a third dragon-slaying war.


    Once Steel Ridge helped the Flame Kingdom restrain Blast Furnace Fortress¡­


    The Eagle Kingdom might very well suffer Liszt¡¯s retaliation.


    Although the Kingdom still had several Dragon Knights and dragons, they were needed to suppress the restless borders. Otherwise, the surrounding duchies and even the families of great kingdoms wouldn¡¯t mind taking the opportunity to plunder wildly. Even if another Dragon Knight were to fall, it¡¯s possible that the Kingdom would have to beg for peace by ceding territory.


    So, left with no other choice, Alexander had to back down.


    He exposed the bottom line of the Eagle Kingdom, ¡°The Eagle Kingdom can recognize the Flame Kingdom and is willing to pay the ransom with a Grain-type Dragon Elf under two hundred years old to redeem Duke Pierrot. At the same time, we will not interfere with the title succession in the Grey Iron Duchy¡­ but the two countries must sign a treaty of friendship and cease warfare at the dragon level.¡±


    ¡°If you had made this decision earlier, there would have been no need for such an extensive discussion. Team Leader Alexander, Prince Dragon Knight is a peace-loving and just Knight. We only wish to develop calmly on the seas. The sea belongs to the Flame Kingdom, and we hope the Eagle Kingdom will not encroach again next time.¡±


    Finally, the results of the negotiations were formally agreed upon.


    At the same time, declarations from the three kingdoms were also successively published. The content of the declarations was simple; the three kingdoms all recognized the establishment of the Flame Kingdom and began formal diplomatic relations with it.


    There were no details, no legal bindings, and no demarcation of power.


    The declarations merely indicated that another kingdom-level player had joined the game of knights. As for the rules, content, and outcome of the game, it was all left for the Flame Kingdom to fight for.


    After the declarations were published.


    Liszt returned to Thorn Castle, receiving the envoys of the three great kingdoms as king, sitting high in the main seat, watching calmly as the messengers paid their respects anew.


    ¡°Leader of the Steel Ridge Kingdom envoy team, Mathew of the Red and White Roses, pays respects to His Majesty the Flame King.¡±


    ¡°Leader of the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom envoy team, Bruce Silverhand, pays respects to His Majesty the Flame King.¡±


    ¡°Leader of the Eagle Kingdom envoy team, Alexander White Iron, pays respects to His Majesty the Flame King.¡±


    Liszt responded indifferently, ¡°You may rise.¡±

 Chapter 920 - 0917: Skeleton Dragon Might (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch additional update 12/147)

    Chapter 920: Chapter 0917: Skeleton Dragon Might (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch additional update 12/147)


    ¡°An announcement was issued, and the Flame Kingdom confirmed its decision, and the three envoy groups began to bid their farewells one after another, with Mathew of the Red and White Roses not lingering any longer although he very much wanted to deepen his relationship with Liszt.¡±


    ¡°However, as part of the envoy group, he had to quickly relay the signed agreement to the king of Steel Ridge.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he did delay for a day, only choosing to leave after the Blast Furnace Fortress Envoy Group and the Eagle Negotiation Group had departed. Before leaving, he once again engaged in a private conversation with Liszt in the study and, at the end, took a small box out of his pocket and handed it to Liszt.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± Liszt was a bit puzzled as the gift giving seemed to come out of the blue.


    Mathew explained with a smile, ¡°My sister, Marilyn, greatly admires your grace, and she also holds a deep respect for Lord Acherloides, your Archmage. Therefore, she asked me to deliver a gift to both you and Lord Acherloides, which is said to be an offering from the sea.¡±


    When the box opened, two fish scale-like earrings shimmered with a deep blue radiance.


    Without the need to utilize the Eye of Magic, Liszt could feel the abundant Water-Attribute Magic Power contained within them; these were undoubtedly very rare and precious magical items.¡±


    Liszt took the box and examined it carefully, growing more and more convinced of the gift¡¯s preciousness, ¡°Is this an offering from the sea?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is called Mermaid¡¯s Protection, and it was a gift given to her by a Court Grand Mage of the Steel Ridge Royal Family when my sister was born. Though the Grand Mage has passed away, he left behind a story about these earrings¡ªthat they were unearthed from a marine relic.¡±


    ¡°A marine relic, what kind of marine relic?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It was a peculiar palace, possibly constructed by some ancient marine intelligence. However, of the many intelligent races from ancient times, only humans have continued to thrive; those non-human races seldom make appearances before the world anymore,¡± Mathew explained with a meaningful smile.¡±


    He was reminding Liszt, already aware of Acherloides¡¯ identity as a Sea Serpent.


    But Liszt didn¡¯t notice his phrasing, and instead, his thoughts turned to the Fish Ugly Temple. In that temple, the statues of Yu Chou, Naga, and Mermaids were worshipped. From a Mermaid statue¡¯s neck, the wondrous magical item, Mermaid¡¯s Tear, was found.


    Ultimately, relying on the mystical power of the Mermaid¡¯s Tear, Acherloides successfully made contact with the Magic Web, laying the foundation to become an Archmage.¡±


    If these Mermaid¡¯s Protection Earrings also possessed mystical power similar to the Mermaid¡¯s Tear, wouldn¡¯t it imply that they could also help a Grand Mage make brief contact with the Magic Web and eventually advance to an Archmage? Moreover, there were two earrings, which seemed not to be a single entity; perhaps they could assist two Grand Mages in advancing.¡±


    Thinking this, he naturally put away the box, ¡°Since Miss Marilyn has gifted it, I gladly accept, and I think my sister Acherloides will like them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that Lord Acherloides will appreciate them.¡±


    Mathew¡¯s smile was radiant.¡±


    Seeing Liszt accept the gift without hesitation, he felt that the other had clearly understood his intention; otherwise, there would usually be some hesitation or second thoughts.¡±


    With this,


    Mathew left Black Horse Island satisfied with his envoy group.¡±


    It was almost as soon as Mathew had departed that Liszt followed, directly commanding the Formless Dragon Bard to fly to Reed City to deliver the Mermaid¡¯s Protection to Acherloides.¡±


    ¡°Acherloides, take a look at these earrings.¡±


    ¡°Oh, brother, these earrings look so familiar to Acherloides.¡± She was surprised as she took the earrings, ¡°Acherloides remembers now, they emit an aura of magic power exactly like the Mermaid¡¯s Tear used before, it¡¯s a special type of high Water-Attribute Magic, likely made of the same material.¡±


    ¡°The same material, do you think it could be material from a Mermaid?¡± Liszt ventured a guess.¡±


    Mermaid¡¯s Tear could likely be a Mermaid¡¯s tears.


    Mermaid¡¯s Protection, by its shape, might be a Mermaid¡¯s scales.¡±


    As for whether Mermaids are real creatures, he thought it very likely, since so many mythic tales have been verified over time¡ªeven the existence of a creature like the Dragon of the Magic Web¡ªwhy couldn¡¯t Mermaids exist.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but materials with such magical power must be very special. Acherloides also hopes it¡¯s truly from a Mermaid.¡±


    ¡°Regrettably, no matter how powerful the Mermaids are, they have already declined, with only the Sea Serpents being the most cherished sprites of the sea.¡±


    ¡°Heehee, the sea loves Acherloides the most.¡± Acherloides chuckled in agreement, then continued, ¡°Although the ¡®Mermaid¡¯s Protection¡¯ is magical, it¡¯s not much help to me; I can only study its properties. Brother, you can use them to train new Archmages.¡±


    Acherloides also felt that the ¡®Mermaid¡¯s Protection¡¯ could help magicians touch the Magic Web, just like the ¡®Mermaid¡¯s Tear¡¯ did.


    ¡°No need.¡± Liszt picked up the earrings and put the sapphire blue, fish-scale-shaped earrings on Acherloides¡¯s ears, one by one, ¡°This is a gift from a Dragon Rearing Family of a small kingdom trying to please me. They look really beautiful, so I accepted them. They suit you well.¡±


    Acherloides waved his hand to conjure a mirror made of water: ¡°Do they look good, brother?¡±


    ¡°Very beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Heehee.¡±


    ¡­


    Giving the ¡®Mermaid¡¯s Protection¡¯ to Acherloides, Liszt didn¡¯t do anything in the romantic atmosphere; he soon left Reed City and flew towards Dragon Valley City.


    There, incredibly magical things awaited his testimony¡ªthe rewards of the Smoke Mission.


    After the three big kingdoms acknowledged the Flame Kingdom, the Smoke Mission was completed, and the original reward was ¡®Dragon¡¯s Might in Skeleton.¡¯ However, after completing the mission, the reward clarified what ¡®Dragon¡¯s Might in Skeleton¡¯ was.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: one Bone Dragon.¡±


    Bone Dragon!


    The ¡®Dragon¡¯s Might in Skeleton¡¯ was the aura emitted by the Bone Dragon.


    And it just so happened that the official in charge of mining in Dragon Valley City sent a message through the Magic Platform¡ªthey had discovered many large bones in the mine, likely Dragon Bones.


    ¡°Dragon Bones!¡±


    ¡°Bone Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Dragon Pit Great Mine!¡±


    ¡°Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite!¡±


    A series of clues connected in his mind, leading him to a clear logic: ¡°In ancient times, five Metal Dragons fought here, their blood formed the five types of metal ore we see today; dragons died here, so there are Dragon Bones in these metal ores¡­¡±


    Metal Dragons cannot resurrect like Elemental Dragons, but they are still dragons, mystical and unimaginable. Thus, these bones combined, underwent some unknown changes, and revived into a Bone Dragon.


    And the ¡®Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite Kali,¡¯ initially sensed the aura of the Bone Dragon, and gradually evolved into a Dragon Sprite.


    ¡°What exactly is a Bone Dragon, why have I never heard of this type of dragon, Kali also never mentioned Bone Dragons?¡±


    Kali¡¯s relationship with Liszt had improved, and their feelings gradually grew closer as they communicated about its growth process. It is hard to describe specifically; the memories of the Little Minor Elf were confused, and as a Greater Elf, the memories were also quite vague, mostly the monotonous life memories in the Dragon Pit Valley.


    It was originally just an ordinary Man-Eating Tree.


    It grew up in confusion, then became enemies with the Moon Slayer, and began plotting revenge against the Moon Slayer. It had never seen a Bone Dragon, never touched any Dragon Bones, it only knew about the aura it liked from the Dragon Pit Valley side.


    Once it evolved into a Dragon Sprite, it no longer felt a special preference for that aura.


    ¡°Your Highness, these are the bones unearthed from the mine, possessing Dragon Might, likely remnants of Metal Dragons that died. We are still excavating; the deeper we go, the more Dragon Bones we find.¡± The official in charge of mining was Iron Knight Nicholas Bellows Count, who had abundant experience in mining.


    Liszt looked at each piece of the decayed, broken Dragon Bones, felt the faint Dragon Might emanating from them, his gaze flickering¡ªhe could confirm that if they continued digging deeper into the mine, they would soon unearth the Bone Dragon rewarded from the Smoke Mission.


    He just didn¡¯t know what form the Bone Dragon actually existed in.


    A living creature? A dead object?


    Belonging to Dragons? Or some kind of Specter? Or perhaps something similar to a Lich?

 Chapter 921 - 0918 Missing Dragon Bone (First Update)

    Chapter 921: Chapter 0918 Missing Dragon Bone (First Update)


    ¡°Nickel, have everyone on alert; the dragon bones are not as simple as they seem,¡± Liszt, though unclear about what a Bone Dragon actually was.


    However, this did not prevent him from excavating the Bone Dragon; in time, he would know whether the Bone Dragon was dead or alive. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, a certain level of caution was necessary, since it was still not easy to determine if the Bone Dragon was alive, and how strong it might be in combat. But no matter how strong, it was just a dragon, and behind Liszt stood the Formless Dragon Bard, a Sacred Dragon mastering the power of space.


    ¡°Keep digging down from where the dragon bones were found!¡±


    After issuing the orders, Liszt began to carefully examine the dragon bones that had been excavated, with his Eye of Magic activated, he could see the magic feedback light attached to the dragon bones.


    It had turned into a chaotic color; it was unclear which dragon¡¯s remnants these bones belonged to.


    He mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, circled around the mine pit where the dragon bones had been unearthed, and noticed a very strange phenomenon. It wasn¡¯t just the original pit that had metal ores, but the entire area of the Dragon Pit Great Mine underground contained metal ores. And the dragon bones were continuously found at the borders of several metal ores.


    ¡°Black Heart Iron to the east, Bronze Mine to the south, Mercury Mine to the west, and Lead Mine to the north; the dragon bones were found exactly at the junction of these four metal ores, how odd.¡±


    Outside the valley, there was also a large Titanium Mine.


    He had some vague guesses in his mind but hadn¡¯t formed a solid idea; he had to let it go for now and then summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Talent is like gold sand in water, requiring constant dredging and washing to find the precious gold from the mud; therefore, those with talent need continual refinement to ultimately determine their future. Please organize a Dragon Knight backup plan. Reward: One Greater Elf.¡±


    The reward for the new mission was a Greater Elf, and Liszt couldn¡¯t guess how the Greater Elf would appear.


    Currently, none of the Little Minor Elves in the castle showed any abnormal conditions, and the possibility of evolution was slim; as for the wild elves, as the territory continued to expand and the Moon Slayers continued to be enlisted, elves were also increasing. However, Little Minor Elves were rare, and Greater Elves even more so.


    Fortunately, he was not so concerned about one or two elves now.


    Just focus on the mission itself.


    ¡°Because I recently lamented the lack of talent, the Smoke Mission began to stir the Threads of Destiny of the little geniuses according to my thoughts,¡± Liszt realized, a revelation sparked by his constant self-suggestions.


    It seemed to be a task that would take a long time to show results. The power of destiny probably could not find a qualified genius among so many children in the Flame Kingdom. Thus, a Dragon Knight backup plan was needed as a foundation to more easily manipulate the Threads of Destiny of the little geniuses.


    ¡°So, how should the Dragon Knight backup plan be implemented? If taking a shortcut, just directly adopt the Dragon Knight backup plans of the three great kingdoms.¡±


    The Dragon Knight backup plans of the three great kingdoms were similar¡ªselecting talented youths from the Knight Class¡ªthose who advance to Sky Knights at sixteen, or upon becoming adults, can be selected for Dragon Knight backup. And these sixteen-year-old Sky Knights could be the offspring of Nobles or orphans nurtured by Nobles.


    Nobles who supply Dragon Knight candidates to the Royal Family receive substantial rewards. Once the Dragon Knight candidates become Dragon Knights, they will also provide feedback to the Nobles.


    Therefore, nurturing Dragon Knight candidates is a very profitable business. Many Nobles, whose own descendants lack talent, would choose to nurture orphans, seeking knights with talent. Some smaller Nobles, once they find good prospects, also do not hesitate to nurture them in exchange for Royal rewards.


    This selection method is quite good, ensuring the interests of the Nobles while also providing fresh noble blood for the Kingdom.


    However, the core Nobles class is fixed.


    Nobles are always Nobles; commoners and smaller Nobles have difficulty truly rising to big Nobles through the Dragon Knight backup plan.


    ¡°The key issue is, I don¡¯t even have many in the Knight Class,¡± he felt a bit embarrassed, without knights, how could he rely on the Knight Class to supply Dragon Knight candidates, ¡°so we need to establish a schooling system, popularize knight training courses to increase class mobility through a wide net.¡±


    This approach would not be feasible in an established kingdom, Nobles would definitely resist, but in the Flame Kingdom there would be no obstacles.


    Liszt was an autocratic king whose commands were unchallengeable, and the kingdom had a vast vacancy in its Noble class that urgently needed to be filled.


    ¡°Let Goltai draft an outline and then I¡¯ll revise it, finalize it, and start organizing the Dragon Knight recruitment plan!¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt had not stayed long in Dragon Valley City when the metal mine began exhibiting abnormalities.


    The Moon Slayer serfs mining the pits did not know what lay beneath them; as they dug, they suddenly felt intermittent tremors coming from below.


    ¡°Continue digging, I will personally oversee this and there is no need to be afraid,¡± commanded Liszt, riding his Formless Dragon and keeping a close eye on the pit.


    He too felt the thudding vibrations, like steam trying to lift the lid of a pot. Under the Knight¡¯s supervision, the serfs, although concerned about the tremors beneath their feet, still wielded their picks and Iron Hammers to strike down high-quality metal ore.


    Three days passed, and the excavated metal ore was quickly transported and stacked in a nearby warehouse.


    The Dragon Bones were picked out and piled nearby; Liszt distinctly felt that these bones, with their Chaotic Magic Power, were much more intense than those from shallower depths, and were much less decayed.


    ¡°These aren¡¯t the bones of a single dragon; both of these seem to be forelimb bones, with a size difference of more than double.¡±


    He was not a biologist, but having dealt extensively with dragons, he had a clear understanding of dragon body proportions and thus an insightful view on the sizes of their bones.


    ¡°The size of the Lead Dragon and Mercury Dragon is unknown, but these two forelimb bones could well match the size of the Bronze Dragon and Black Heart Iron Dragon.¡±


    The fourth day.


    Ach had also rushed over.


    As an Archmage, Ach had more professional knowledge about dragons than Liszt, and could clearly identify many types of Dragon Bones, unfortunately without information on the Titanium Dragon, Lead Dragon, and Mercury Dragon, it was impossible to completely identify all the Dragon Bones.


    At that moment, Liszt proposed, ¡°Ach, could you try to assemble these Dragon Bones back into their original form?¡±


    ¡°I can try.¡±


    Two more days of digging followed, unearthing even more Dragon Bones, which Ach sorted and began to assemble based on the proportions of the Dragon Bones.


    But soon, she discovered a strange phenomenon.


    ¡°Brother, look at these Dragon Bones; each dragon¡¯s set has very apparent missing parts. This one that seems to be a Bronze Dragon is missing a sternum and half its spine, this one that seems to be a Black Heart Iron Dragon is missing wing bones and a tail bone, and these three dragons are each missing forelimb bones, hindlimb bones, skull, neck bone, half a spine, and plate bones.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that these parts have not yet been excavated?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem likely, because other parts of the Dragon Bones are also missing fragments, but these missing parts have no shattered bones at all.¡±


    Liszt nodded, voicing his speculation, ¡°The vibrations in the metal pit are growing stronger, and the missing parts of the Dragon Bones could very well assemble into a new dragon¡­ Ach, there might be a Bone Dragon formed from the remnants of a Metal Dragon in the depths of the Great Mine, What kind of existence do you think this Bone Dragon could be?¡±


    ¡°Brother, could there really be a Bone Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve already felt the Bone Dragon¡¯s Dragon Might and its vigorous vitality, right below the great pit, waiting to be ridden,¡± Liszt boasted, in fact if not for the Smoke Mission, he would never have thought of such a thing.


    But with the Smoke Mission, he was the erudite Liszt!

 Chapter 922 - 0919: Visible Specter (Second Update)

    Chapter 922: Chapter 0919: Visible Specter (Second Update)


    As the excavation deepened, the underground tremors became more localized, and the serfs continued to dig in response to the vibrations. Despite their terror of the underground tremors, the serfs felt relatively at ease with Liszt and Ach standing guard at the edge of the great pit. After all, these two were renowned ¡°Seki¡± protectors.


    Beside them stood the illustrious ¡°Biggleswade.¡±


    ¡°Magic power is starting to seep up from the ground. This Bone Dragon is struggling non-stop. Its magic power is very strange, like some kind of eerie blue magic, yet wholly different from water attribute and ice attribute magic powers,¡± Liszt said, mounted upon the back of the Formless Dragon Bard. His crystal white trajectory inspected the characteristics of the magic power beneath the surface.


    By this time, the pit¡¯s metallic ore layer became unstable, and the serfs started to evacuate.


    A group of ancient magicians was gathered to bombard the pit with spells, constantly in sync with the underground tremors to blast myriad cracks into the ore layer.


    The steaming magic power grew denser, and Liszt finally recognized what it was, ¡°Ach, this is a kind of magic power similar to that of a Lich; it relates to the soul. I¡¯ve seen it on the Marquis of the Bull before. However, the blue magic power emitted by this Bone Dragon is of a higher echelon.¡±


    After the Marquis of Bull was transformed into a Lich, the blue magic power enveloping his armor still belonged to a lower tier of magic.


    But the blue magic power seeping from the Bone Dragon was indeed high-level magic.


    ¡°Perhaps the Bone Dragon is also a special kind of creature related to the soul. Brother, Ach has discovered that all the dragon bones lack dragon teeth. According to the records, the dragon¡¯s soul is hidden within its teeth. Maybe the soul of this Bone Dragon was formed from the intertwining souls within all the dragon¡¯s teeth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible!¡±


    Liszt immediately ordered the ancient magicians, ¡°Continue the bombardment, don¡¯t stop!¡±


    The ancient magicians were greatly drained with each spell they cast. However, to defy a command from the Seki was unthinkable, so they had to continue exerting themselves to channel magic power and unleash the most powerful magic within their abilities.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Metallic ore from the pit was blasted in all directions.


    The underground tremors became increasingly ferocious, and finally, amidst another concentrated magical onslaught, a massive crack abruptly exploded within the subterranean ore layer.


    After the magic radiance dissipated, a ferocious dragon might surged out from the pit, knocking the ancient magicians into a state of disarray. Within his crystal white trajectory, Liszt clearly saw a blue magic-powered bone claw stretching out from the crack.


    ¡°Begin the retreat, ancient magicians!¡± He ordered them to withdraw, exchanging a glance with Ach as they both prepared for full alertness.


    Creak! Creak!


    The bony claw forcefully lifted, grasping the protrusions of the pit and pulling its still-buried body upwards. The screeching friction noise expanded the crack even further. Throughout this process, Liszt didn¡¯t intervene, allowing the Bone Dragon to struggle and claw its way out.


    Momentarily, the dragon¡¯s head and wings emerged.


    The wings, aside from the long bones, also had cartilage between them, tattered and full of holes, like rotting cloth. No physical substance connected these bones; only dense blue magic power supported their movement, sketching a fierce and mystic appearance.


    The dragon¡¯s head pulsed with vigorous magic power, sporting four horns¡ªtwo thick ones, similar to bull¡¯s horns, and two smaller ones, akin to ram¡¯s horns.


    The slender dragon¡¯s maw was lined with dragon teeth of various sizes.


    The magic radiance emitted from each dragon tooth was like a mini-sun; together, they formed an intensely bright magic light sphere.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    A peculiar dragon roar bellowed from the ancient dragon¡¯s mouth. Not only was there a rasp in the ears, like grating friction, but also a rhythm that seemed to rise within everyone¡¯s soul.


    The ancient dragon had no eyes, only two blue flames burning slowly.


    It roared and struggled, dragging more and more of itself out of the fissure. After a full half hour, the bone dragon finally crawled out completely and stood in the crater. It hung its head silently as if restoring the energy expended during its struggle, with blue magic radiance flickering on and off.


    ¡°Ach said, holding the Eight Dragons God Sword in his hands, ready to unleash magic at any moment, ¡°With a wingspan close to sixty meters and a body length near sixty-five meters, this must be a special giant dragon formed from the skeleton of a Black Heart Iron Dragon.¡±


    Liszt, meanwhile, fixed his gaze on the bone dragon¡¯s neck where it connected to its body, where the Dragon Tooth Platform should be, ¡°The magic power at the Dragon Tooth Platform is very bright, and there are streaks of magic radiance connected to the dragon teeth. This must be the secret between the dragon teeth and the Dragon Tooth Platform¡ªsouls connected.¡±


    ¡°Brother, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment, let¡¯s see what it does next. I wonder if we can communicate, I¡¯ll try talking to it first,¡± Liszt eyed the motionless bone dragon, eager to act.


    Regardless of the type of dragon, mount it first, and ask questions later!


    However, what was strange was that Liszt threw a cow at it, but the bone dragon did not react; he threw a bag of jade at it, but the bone dragon did not react; he threw a large piece of Magical Beast Meat at it, but still, the bone dragon did not react. He even had Bard roar at the bone dragon ¡°woooiyya,¡± yet the bone dragon remained unresponsive.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    For a whole half hour, the bone dragon simply stood silently in the metal ore pit, making no movement at all.


    It seemed to disregard Liszt, Ach, and Bard, as well as the knights and serfs who were gesturing and pointing around it. The blue flames in the dragon¡¯s eye sockets burned slowly, but they did not convey that sense of a ¡°Lich¡¯s¡± gaze¡ªthe blue fire of the Marquis of the Bull used to give a strong impression of being watched.


    ¡°Ach,¡± Liszt decided not to wait any longer, ¡°support me, I¡¯m going to try riding it!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother, Ach is ready at all times.¡±


    The next moment.


    Liszt leaped from Bard¡¯s back and hopped directly onto the flat bones where the Dragon Tooth Platform should be on the bone dragon¡¯s neck. The bone dragon gave no response, letting Liszt find a comfortable position and settle down on the flat bone.


    In an instant.


    Liszt felt a connection form with the bone dragon¡¯s soul, but he did not enter a Mind Battle. Instead, he took over the consciousness of the terrifying, fierce, mysterious, and eerie giant dragon made of bones.


    ¡°This bone dragon¡­ It actually has no thoughts or consciousness, nor does it possess a dragon¡¯s unique world of the mind. It¡¯s like an empty vessel, a blank canvas for the soul¡­ and I can easily control everything, manipulate it to perform any action!¡±


    With a thought in his heart.


    He then controlled the bone dragon to start moving, first shaking its front leg bones, then its hind leg bones, and finally shaking its wing bones. Then, turning its bone neck, he tried to see the world through the eyes of the bone dragon. The perspective shift resulted in a very special vision¡ªa pitch-black world.


    There was no sun, just a dim outline of the sun. The light shone upon him, giving Liszt a slight burning sensation.


    The land and trees also appeared only as faint outlines, even their shapes slightly distorted. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only the humans around the crater radiated the brightest light, albeit in a transparent white outline. He saw Ach¡¯s outline, as bright as a hundred-watt incandescent bulb; he also saw Bard¡¯s outline, nearly as bright as Ach¡¯s, but seeming brighter due to the size.


    The other knights emitted a somewhat dimmer light, and the serfs¡¯ light was even dimmer.


    He turned his head again, trying to see his own aura. He found that his own light was roughly similar to Ach¡¯s, not significantly different from an ordinary person.


    ¡°What does this transparency and variation in color depths signify?¡±


    ¡°They look like specters. Could it be that the bone dragon¡¯s vision can actually see directly into the soul of living beings?¡±

 Chapter 923 - 0920: Work Point System (First Update)

    Chapter 923: Chapter 0920: Work Point System (First Update)


    Mounted atop the Bone Dragon, it crawled up slowly from the metallic mine pit. The surrounding knights and serfs quickly retreated outward. Liszt issued new orders, ¡°Count Nicholas, continue to organize the miners to dig. Strive to unearth every buried dragon bone, leaving not a single fragment behind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Nickel Bellows responded with admiration.


    He found the spectacle of Bone Dragons to be inconceivable, yet even more unbelievable was his Lord Landlord whom he followed.


    When the Fengxiang Family, who had crafted equipment for generations for the Sapphire Family, was given to Liszt, Nickel had harbored complaints. The family was discarded without as much as a warning and transferred like a commodity to another. But now, Nickel was immensely grateful to the Sapphire Duke. Had the Duke not sent the Fengxiang Family to Liszt, how could he have witnessed all these wonders and obtained such a bright future?


    ¡°His Highness truly is the Son of Glory, no, the worldly embodiment of the knight¡¯s honor!¡± he mused inwardly.


    Dragons were gathering under the command of his own Lord Landlord one after another in a short amount of time, even faster than Nobles acquiring Greater Elves. Today, even in mining, a Bone Dragon was casually unearthed, and the Dragon did not resist at all, allowing the Lord easily to mount it.


    It was as if it had been waiting for its Lord all along.


    Watching the Bone Dragon move slowly out of the mining pit, Nickel withdrew his gaze from that majestic figure, invigorated, he shouted, ¡°All knights, muster your spirits! Carry out the task assigned by His Highness immediately, organize the miners to continue mining and to excavate the fragments of dragon bones!¡±


    The chaotic excavation site, under the organization of the knights, once again became orderly and well-managed.


    Such organizational strength was all thanks to Liszt.


    Before crossing over, as an ordinary person, Liszt could not be considered a qualified Noble Landlord, but the most significant change he brought to the management of his territory was the ¡°Grand Battle¡± strategy.


    Starting from Fresh Flower Town, under his whimsical command, all officials and civilians repeatedly took part in various grand battles, whether it was for logging, cleaning, road building, or spring ploughing.


    After many such Grand Battles, territory officers quickly grew and developed considerable organizational abilities.


    It was the intense development of Black Horse Island that led to frequent Grand Battles, rapidly enhancing the organizational skills of knights, officers, and civilians. This in turn created the combat power now used in the development of the Flame Islands, with many former base-level officers starting to manage significant projects.


    The Flame People, relying on their organizational capabilities, were taming the Moon Slayers bit by bit and achieving complete control over Flame Island.


    Snap!


    A vine whip rose and fell on a lazy Moon Slayer serf.


    A clerk holding paper and pen shouted, ¡°Number 699-516-999, Aladuyang, on the afternoon of June 14th, at 3 PM, caught slacking off at the Dragon Pit Great Mine, one work point docked!¡± After speaking, he found Aladuyang¡¯s name in the notebook and diligently noted down the time, place, and incident.


    The work point system was a method devised by Liszt. Each serf had ten guaranteed work points daily; mistakes would lead to points being deducted, hard work would bring rewards.


    After the end of the month, supplies were distributed based on the number of work points accumulated by the serfs.


    Generally, a Moon Slayer serf working diligently without absence, laziness, or brawling could earn fifteen work points each day, summing up to four hundred fifty points per month. This was enough to feed two children. If both husband and wife worked diligently, raising four children was not an issue.


    The Moon Slayers loved to have children, but in the forest, the child mortality rate was too high. Since migrating out of the forest, the mortality rate had been controlled to less than twenty percent.


    It has to be said.


    Liszt certainly adopted unequal policies in treating the Moon Slayer serfs, but at least he did a decent job in ensuring their livelihood. Compared to the genocidal acts of European and American colonizers toward African slaves and Native Americans on Earth, his approach was more humane.


    This Moon Slayer serf named Aladuyang, after being whipped by a vine, felt a burning pain on his back and had one work point deducted. His bonus work points for today were inevitably out of reach.


    He cursed under his breath but didn¡¯t dare to resist the clerk.


    Under the resentful gazes of the entire production group, he had no choice but to lower his head and keep working, not daring to slack off again¡ªthe work point system came with matching production groups. If a production group had several ¡°troublemakers¡± who were repeat offenders, it could affect the entire group, with all the serfs having points deducted. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, the serfs monitored each other. Anyone who affected the group¡¯s earning of work points would inevitably face ostracism and even be beaten by the group in private.


    ¡­


    Riding the Bone Dragon to a quiet area, Liszt was ready to take his time studying this unique dragon.


    He wanted to try flying, but the flapping of the Bone Dragon¡¯s wings barely stirred any wind, and it could only stumble and run along the ground.


    ¡°It seems a bit useless, not even having the breath function,¡± he said, shaking his head as he jumped off the back of the Bone Dragon. ¡°Ach, try and see if you can ride the Bone Dragon. This Bone Dragon is clearly just a shell without consciousness, maybe you can control it.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ach nodded, indeed wanting to experience dragon riding.


    Magicians, as they did not cultivate magic power themselves and mainly drew free magic power from the air or the Magic Web, could not unify their minds with a dragon and thus were destined to be unable to ride dragons.


    But this special Bone Dragon might offer a different experience.


    Unfortunately, both Ach and Liszt were disappointed that even when Ach mounted the Dragon Tooth Platform, she couldn¡¯t infuse her consciousness into the body.


    She was unable to control the Bone Dragon: ¡°Brother, Ach is so sad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, it¡¯s just a bone dragon, after all. Dragons belong to the Knight¡¯s cultivation system, and you¡¯re in the Magician¡¯s cultivation system,¡± Liszt consoled, rubbing Ach¡¯s hair to comfort the Little Sea Monster. ¡°Besides, although you can¡¯t ride it, you can study it.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡± Ach perked up. ¡°Ach likes to study dragons, and can help brother master it quickly.¡±


    The nature of the Bone Dragon¡¯s existence required Ach to study it. Liszt didn¡¯t have the energy or brainpower for that; he preferred to consider the Bone Dragon¡¯s value.


    First, the Bone Dragon seemed capable of seeing a creature¡¯s soul and could readily determine soul strength, which should be quite useful. Even because it belonged to a race associated with death, involving souls, it might be similar to the Ghost Ship that Curtis Truth had once created.


    Curtis hoped to rely on the Ghost Ship to travel to the Exiled Lands, to find the soul of her beloved, Annute Sapphire.


    Liszt felt he might also rely on the Bone Dragon to go to the Exiled Lands, find the Immortal Dragon, and contract it for eternal life.


    Secondly.


    Since the Bone Dragon was so easy to control, it might become a teaching tool for dragon riding¡ªallowing Dragon Knight candidates to mount Bone Dragons, to get used to the feeling of Mind Battles in advance.


    Thinking this.


    He immediately sent a message via the Magic Platform, instructing Emily, who was commanding the Mammoth Knight Brigade to build roads, to hurry to Dragon Valley City. Currently, the Dragon Knight candidate program was not yet established, and only Emily barely met the standards for Dragon Riding.

 Chapter 924 - 0921: The Girl Dragon Riding (Second Update)

    Chapter 924: Chapter 0921: The Girl Dragon Riding (Second Update)


    Emily arrived swiftly, as she had recently changed mounts; Liszt had given her the mount he rode in his youth, the Wind Attribute Intermediate Dragon Beast ¨C Landwalker bird Loki, for her to ride.


    The expanse of the project developing Flame Island kept growing, with simultaneous construction of five cities: Flame City, Jade City, Dragon Valley City, Reed City, and Estuary City. Yet, the distances between these cities were considerable, with the closest, Flame City to Dragon Valley City, being over three hundred kilometers apart¡ªequivalent to the distance from Shanghai to Nanjing.


    Relying on horseback for communication was indeed a waste of time, especially for followers like Emily, who were highly valued by Liszt and often needed to multitask by traveling between cities.


    Changing to a better mount was essential¡ªof course, only Emily was currently enjoying this privilege.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Here you are, Emily.¡± Liszt looked over the girl who now stood at one meter seventy and no longer had a flat figure; her chest and buttocks had begun to turn slightly upwards, ¡°I¡¯ve recently acquired a special dragon, a Bone Dragon. It¡¯s quite intriguing¡ªlacking its own consciousness, you could try riding it.¡±


    He pointed to the enormous creature standing still, its head lowered as if deep in thought.


    A Bone Dragon with a sixty-meter wingspan and sixty-five-meter body length shimmered in ghostly blue light; its dragon teeth glowed like the sun, while its dragon eyes burned with blue flames.


    Direct sunlight hit the Bone Dragon, causing Liszt to feel a burning sensation while riding, but it was only a sensation. The sunlight had no special effect on the Bone Dragon. Unlike a vampire significantly weakened when exposed to sunlight, the Bone Dragon¡¯s magic power belonged to both Super Magic and High Magic.


    The ghostly blue magic power at its joints was Chaotic Super Magic, while the magic power leaking out was Chaotic High Magic.


    ¡°Your Highness, is it appropriate for me to ride this Bone Dragon?¡± Emily asked puzzled. Liszt had always told her to prepare to ride the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Bone Dragon is different from normal dragons. It¡¯s more like a piece of equipment, meant for you to increase your dragon riding proficiency and success rate. I hope you can become Ethan¡¯s knight, but the risks of failure in dragon riding are significant, and you need to be better prepared.¡±


    ¡°Emily understands!¡±


    Nodding, Emily didn¡¯t hesitate any longer. She leaped into the air and landed on the backbone of the Bone Dragon, finding the Dragon Tooth Platform under Liszt¡¯s guidance.


    Taking a deep breath, the girl suppressed her excitement, glanced at Liszt, and slowly sat on the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    Suddenly. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A mysterious and profound sensation surged into her heart, giving her an extraordinary and surreal feeling. At that moment, she felt she was still Emily, yet also possessed a skeleton-built body, as if she became one with the Bone Dragon beneath her, two bodies sharing one mind.


    ¡°Pay close attention to this feeling. Although it can¡¯t match the intensity of riding a dragon, it will help you get accustomed to this wonderful yet awkward sensation.¡±


    Hearing Liszt¡¯s voice.


    Emily quickly calmed down and began to control the Bone Dragon with her mind. At first, even the smallest motion was clumsy, but as she grew more familiar with the sensation, the Bone Dragon¡¯s movements became more fluid. Half an hour later, she could already control the Bone Dragon to run and even attempted flight, but didn¡¯t manage to take off.


    ¡°Woo eee yah!¡±


    In the distance, the Formless Dragon flew in, carrying Liszt, who activated the Crystal White Trajectory, carefully inspecting the Bone Dragon under Emily¡¯s control. Ach, too, cast the Super Magic ¨C Eye of Mana, closely observing the information revealed by the Bone Dragon.


    ¡­


    Emily, who had ridden a Bone Dragon, did not unlock the secret of Dragon Dou Qi.


    Since a Bone Dragon is not a dragon in the usual sense, it cannot cultivate together with knights, so Emily still had to gradually consume Magic Potions to train in Advanced Dou Qi.


    However, her talent was indeed extraordinary. Having only recently been promoted to a Sky Knight, she had already surpassed the strength of an average Sky Knight and was on the verge of reaching the power level of a Sword Saint. She had a natural sharpness for battle, and her body adapted exceptionally well to Dou Qi, with one Magic Potion going as far as several would for other Sky Knights.


    In addition, Liszt had secretly taught her the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡°Breath Decay,¡± making her use of Magic Potions even more economical.


    So far, aside from ¡°The Eye of Magic,¡± which had to be kept a secret for his exclusive use, Liszt no longer cared about other Dou Qi Secret Techniques. They were precious at the Sky Knight stage, but of little use to a Dragon Knight. He would teach them freely to those close to him.


    He had also planned to give the Dou Qi Domain Manual as a birthday gift to his father, Li Weiliam, this year, helping him advance to a Domain Knight.


    Perhaps the father-son relationship was somewhat contrived, but ultimately they shared the same bloodline.


    During the founding of the Flame Kingdom, Li Weiliam played a very important role, with nearly all diplomatic affairs handled by the Marquis of Bull Tail.


    ¡°This year, for his birthday, I¡¯ll give the Marquis the Dou Qi Domain Manual; after the founding of the kingdom, I¡¯ll make him a Duke and give him the second-largest island of the Flame Islands¡ªTulip Island¡ªas his fief. This should repay the lifetime of familial relations and settle the karma inherited from my predecessor.¡±


    Different times bring different thoughts. Initially, upon his arrival through transmigration, he wanted to sever ties with the Tulip Family, but it was not easy. After all, he still inherited these family ties.


    Now, as one of the Five Dragon Knights and King of the Flame Kingdom, he didn¡¯t mind lifting his entire family to heaven.


    Not only would he allow the Tulip Family to enjoy wealth and status, but he would also take great care of the Long Taro Family on the other side. He would do his best to support the Pinecone Family of his aunt Melinda and the Basil Family into which his sister Li Vera had married. Even those veterans who had followed him would enjoy wealth and honor.


    The practice of ¡°when the rabbit dies, the hound is cooked; when the birds are all shot, the bows are hidden¡± would not happen.


    With the legacy of five dragons continually passed down, the Flame Family would stand at the pinnacle of the knight system for at least several hundred to a thousand years, reveling in the game¡¯s fun.


    Much like the Platinum Family of Steel Ridge, the Golden Crown Family of Blast Furnace Fortress, and the families of Moonlight Silver and White Maw Iron of the Eagles,


    After hundreds to thousands of years of heritage, generation after generation enjoyed the utmost authority and power.


    As long as dragons did not go extinct, the family would not fall from the throne¡ªeven if old dragons died, as new ones were timely added, the family would continue the game.


    It is said that on the other side of the continent, the Neverfall Empire has continued for more than two thousand years. The Dragon Rearing Family that rules this empire is still passing down its legacy, never in decline. After all, in this world, unlike ancient China on Earth, dragons guarantee status, not the hearts of the people.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve become accustomed to dragon riding. Reed Cinder Road is still under construction, and the Mammoth Knight Brigade cannot be without my command. Please, allow me to return to my duties there.¡±


    After one day of adapting to dragon riding, Emily resolutely said her farewells; she could see that Liszt and Ach had a lot of research work to do.


    ¡°Very well, you may go,¡± Liszt did not retain Emily; however, he thought for a moment and added, ¡°The Flame Kingdom is about to be established. I have too many dragons to ride by myself; you must grow quickly to lessen my burden by taking on one of the dragons¡­ Here are one hundred Platinum Magic Potions for you to use.¡±


    A Platinum Magic Potion, five hundred Gold Coins apiece, and that was the price within the Steel Ridge Kingdom. Out in the market of Sapphire, they would sell for at least seven to eight hundred Gold Coins each.


    Emily took the Platinum Magic Potions without any objections, merely nodding heavily: ¡°Understood!¡±


    All was understood without words.

 Chapter 926 - 0923: Im Willing (4th update, Alliance Hierarch bonus 14/147)

    Chapter 926: Chapter 0923: I¡¯m Willing (4th update, Alliance Hierarch bonus 14/147)


    Contracted with Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf Carly for quite some time now, the plantation for man-eating trees had been established in Flame City, but the uses of the man-eating tree remained elusive.


    These trees neither produced food nor were they attractive; at most, their wood quality was decent, but their trunks were too thin.


    Thus, Carly¡¯s identity as a dragon elf had truly seemed rather superfluous before¡ªseemingly magical, something only a dragon-rearing family could cultivate. However, its value seemed to be limited to providing company for chatter with Liszt¡ªdespite being of the man-eating tree species, it could only snatch up and consume some commoners.


    It was unreliable against knights or ancient mages, and moreover, the man-eating trees could only move under Carly¡¯s control.


    Although it was unspoken, Carly could feel its awkward status and sense the slight regret in Liszt¡¯s heart toward it.


    So, it held its breath and, after several outings with a group of man-eating trees, finally discovered a mutated variety¡ªthe Carnivorous Ogre Magic Tree.


    This was the name Liszt came up with after examining the magic potion variant of the man-eating tree.


    Its magic potion of chaotic quality wasn¡¯t very potent, but considering the entire plant could be refined into a magic potion, the yield shouldn¡¯t be too bad.


    ¡°Carly, I¡¯ve never thought of you as unimportant. You are my first dragon elf, and you hold a very important place in my heart,¡± Liszt said persuasively.


    Upon hearing this, Carly puffed out its chest with pride, ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Seemingly indifferent, it actually cared a lot about Liszt¡¯s opinion. After all, the power of the contract subtly engendered a fondness for Liszt.


    ¡°So next, please help the serfs in the plantation to grow more Carnivorous Ogre Magic Trees.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Carly nodded proudly and said, ¡°And I will continue to search for more varieties of Carnivorous Ogre Magic Trees, including those with auxiliary medicine properties. Man-eating trees are very common in forests, there must be countless mutated varieties, and I will find them all for you.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That is indeed excellent, but you must also be careful. The outside world is fraught with danger.¡±


    ¡°I am not scared; I can burrow, I¡¯m not afraid of whatever magical beasts I encounter. Those Moon Slayers will only be killed by me!¡± Carly spoke fiercely, befitting of a dragon elf who had once slaughtered an entire large Moon Slayer Tribe, possessing a mighty air.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re very powerful. Hmm, if you do encounter Moon Slayers outside, try not to kill them if possible. After all, they will be my serfs in the future, tilling the land and crafting items for me.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Carly folded its arms and turned away, clearly resistant to Liszt¡¯s words¡ªshould any troublesome Moon Slayers appear, it wouldn¡¯t be polite; it would kill if necessary.


    Seeing this, Liszt could only express his helplessness, intending to gradually train Carly.


    Moreover, a thought occurred to him, ¡°Jela cannot be relocated to Flame Castle for now. Its explosive temper meeting Carly¡¯s ferocity might lead to a fight on the spot. However¡­¡±


    Suddenly, an inspiration bloomed within Liszt.


    As they say, misfortune is where fortune resides, and fortune is where misfortune lies. Jela was no ordinary elf; every evolution it underwent was driven by the pressure of fate, ultimately breaking free of its shackles. So, could letting Carly stimulate Jela perhaps hasten Jela¡¯s development?


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    ¡­


    At this moment,


    Far away at Thorn Castle, while Jela was inspecting its territory, it shivered unexpectedly, ¡°Wuwa?¡± It was a little puzzled, feeling as though it had sensed something unpleasant.


    However, the feeling was fleeting, and it didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    With hands behind its back, it lazily flew a loop around Thorn Castle before returning to the Worm Room, shouting at the chattering little minor elves, ¡°All of you quiet down and sleep properly!¡±


    Instantly,


    The Worm Room area of Thorn Castle fell silent.


    This gave Jela a great sense of achievement, but soon it fell into a slump, ¡°So many little elves have been sent away, and Liszt hasn¡¯t come back for days now. Wuwa, Jela doesn¡¯t like it here anymore.¡±


    ¡­


    Mickey¡¯s evolution facilitated a rapid expansion of the corn plantation¡¯s scale.


    Kali found the Magic Potion and ordered an unprecedented increase in the planting of the Man-Eating Trees.


    Liszt gradually mastered the Magic Form of the Bone Dragon, and he could ride the Bone Dragon and merge with Superior Magic to change its form.


    However, the difficulty of changing form was high, and the completion was not sufficient.


    ¡°Bone Dragon! Transform!¡±


    At this moment, he was attempting it again. The Bone Dragon let out a roar, its body enveloped in a ghostly blue light that quickly covered every Dragon Bone. Following that, the entire Bone Dragon visibly shrank at a rapid pace until it became a three-meter-tall skeleton, encasing Liszt within.


    The skeleton roughly took the shape of a human, like an oversized set of armor, the bones interlocking jaggedly, yet it was extremely cumbersome to move.


    ¡°It¡¯s still unable to shrink to a normal armor¡¯s size. The mental force required for the Bone Dragon¡¯s Magic Form is too strong, and I really can¡¯t manage it alone¡­ It seems I truly need to find someone to share my mental exertion, as the Smoke Mission also suggested I find someone to share the mental burden.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that he was unwilling to share the Bone Dragon with someone else; he just didn¡¯t know how to go about sharing it.


    He could always call on Emily to cooperate, but the Bone Dragon could only accommodate one rider at a time and couldn¡¯t connect the minds of two Knights simultaneously.


    So he strove to explore, attempting to control it alone.


    After several failed attempts, he decided to follow the hint from the Smoke Mission and seek someone to share the burden. He first sought advice from Ach, after all, sharing mental power wasn¡¯t a straightforward operation.


    After listening to Liszt¡¯s query, Ach pondered briefly, then said, ¡°Brother, do you still remember Virginia Truth?¡±


    ¡°Virginia?¡± Liszt was taken aback and then said, ¡°Of course I remember. She joined the Adventure Fleet to sea and is currently moored on the shores of the Legendary Continent.¡±


    ¡°Virginia has become a Necrofish Ugly, but Ach feels that her Soul hasn¡¯t completely merged with the Necrofish Ugly and can be separated with some manipulation. The Soul Storage Vessel you have is a good material for performing Soul Separation Magic. Why not have her take on some of your mental exertion?¡±


    ¡°Are you certain Virginia can help me share the mental burden?¡±


    ¡°Mm, we can place Virginia¡¯s Soul into the Bone Dragon¡¯s body. This way, the Bone Dragon will have semi-autonomous action capabilities. When you ride the Bone Dragon, together with Virginia, you should be able to fully control it.¡±


    Upon hearing Ach¡¯s explanation, Liszt immediately nodded, ¡°Alright, I will bring Virginia here. I¡¯ll give you the Soul Storage Vessel, and you can prepare everything. When the time comes, we¡¯ll separate her soul and infuse it into the Bone Dragon.¡±


    No sooner said than done.


    Riding the Formless Dragon Bard, the lone pair rushed towards the coast of the Legendary Continent.


    With Bard¡¯s speed, they quickly arrived at the Adventure Fleet¡¯s anchorage, which had now been developed into a makeshift harbor town. Due to resupply needs, the fleet only recently returned to Flame Island to stock up on ample food and wealth, which was handed to Yevich for the conquest of Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    Virginia resided in this small harbor town, protecting the safety of the fleet.


    The Trident-Styled Rending Staff vibrated, and she was awakened from her sleep by Liszt, ¡°Your Highness, when did you arrive?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll leave this place for a while; I have a task that requires your assistance. Perhaps after the task is completed, you can get a more comfortable body.¡±


    ¡°A more comfortable body?¡± Virginia was puzzled.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s not talk about that now. First, I¡¯ll put you in the Space Ring, and we can discuss more once we get there.¡± After putting away the Rending Staff, the Formless Dragon quickly shuttled through space.


    Moments later, they burst from the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation¡¯s exit and returned to Reed City.


    Once there, before the Bone Dragon, Liszt briefly explained the situation, ¡°¡­That¡¯s pretty much it. I still lack some mental power to control the Bone Dragon. Ach has a way to infuse you into the Bone Dragon¡¯s body, to take over the control of this body, and then work with me to complete the transformation of the Magic Form.¡±


    ¡°The Bone Dragon¡­¡± Virginia, in her Necrofish Ugly state, appeared somewhat disoriented, ¡°It looks huge; can I really control it?¡±


    ¡°The basic maneuvers are no problem, but with your mental strength alone, you can at best control the Bone Dragon like a wild beast, unable to release many of the Dragon¡¯s abilities. However, when I ride it, joining forces with you, we can undoubtedly bring out all of the Bone Dragon¡¯s strength¡­ Of course, the choice is yours; I won¡¯t force you.¡±


    Liszt truly wasn¡¯t forcing her, as he believed that even if she was a female in her previous life, she still couldn¡¯t resist the allure of a Dragon¡ªeven if it was becoming a Bone Dragon.


    Besides, the Bone Dragon was much stronger and more domineering than a Necrofish Ugly.


    Sure enough.


    After snapping out of her reverie, Virginia immediately nodded in agreement, ¡°Your Highness, I am willing to become the Bone Dragon.¡±

 Chapter 927 - 0924 First Divine Connection (First Update)

    Chapter 927: Chapter 0924 First Divine Connection (First Update)


    Relying on the Soul Storage Vessel, a divine artifact that wasn¡¯t truly a divine artifact, Ach successfully extracted Virginia Truth¡¯s soul from the Tear Staff.


    At this moment, Virginia reverted to a young girl¡¯s appearance. Her soul¡¯s outline was formed by a glowing white light, and she also had an unmistakable 36D figure. The Tear Staff, from which the soul had been extracted, had endured the erosion of magic stripping due to the annihilation of Necrofish Ugly until it was completely ruined and turned into a broken fish spear.


    ¡°Your Highness, Her Excellency Archmage, what should I do next?¡± Virginia, back to her original form, looked into the mirror, somewhat bewildered.


    During the time she had become Necrofish Ugly, she only remembered the unusual stares of the surrounding knights each time she appeared and almost forgot that she had once been a young girl in her prime.


    Now there was joy in regaining her true self but also fear of the unknown from becoming a Bone Dragon.


    ¡°Relax. Since you were able to merge with Necrofish Ugly, you can now merge with the Bone Dragon. With me and Ach safeguarding you, there¡¯s absolutely no risk to worry about,¡± Liszt consoled her.


    Virginia nodded, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Indeed, having the great Dragon Knight and Archmage as her guardians was the safest protection measure possible.


    Ach carried the Soul Storage Vessel as Liszt lifted her onto the back of the Bone Dragon¡ªAch couldn¡¯t yet fly, busy mastering the Earth Elemental Avatar. He would have to wait until he perfectly mastered the Earth Elemental Avatar before attempting to master the Wind Elemental Avatar, and finally learn to fly relying on the Wind Elemental Avatar.


    ¡°The sealing of Dragon Tooth is too strong; we can¡¯t infuse Virginia¡¯s soul through the Dragon Tooth. But Dragon Tooth Platform is an open soul entrance. This is Virginia¡¯s only opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Her Excellency Archmage, please give your instructions. Virginia will listen to you and Your Highness,¡± the 36D girl hastily said with respectful tones. Almost all magicians, upon encountering an Archmage, turn into beings even lower than servants, almost as if they wish they could kneel on the ground and lick the Archmage¡¯s shoes.


    This was a pathological pursuit of Truth¡ªin their eyes, the Archmage was the incarnation of Truth walking in the mundane world.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need complicated operations. Ach will construct a simple Soul Stabilization Magic Array here, and from that, you will receive a magic supplement. Then, it¡¯s time for you to enter the Dragon¡¯s soul through the Dragon Tooth Platform and take over¡ªit¡¯s a task you must accomplish on your own.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    After the Magic Array for soul stabilization was set up, Virginia was poured out of the Soul Storage Vessel and onto the Magic Array.


    After a brief brewing, Virginia¡¯s figure had solidified considerably. Under Liszt¡¯s guidance, she slowly sat on the Dragon Tooth Platform. In an instant, a ghostly blue light rose from the Dragon Tooth Platform, swiftly entangled with the soul-state Virginia, and then as the light faded, Virginia also disappeared.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone in,¡± Ach stated calmly.


    Liszt nodded, embraced Ach, jumped off the spine of the Bone Dragon, and then mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, activating Crystal White Trajectory to quietly await changes in the Bone Dragon.


    After a full quarter of an hour of calm,


    The blue Magic Radiance on the Bone Dragon suddenly began to tremble, followed by its head twisting slightly, and its wings, limbs, and tail also began to move in succession. These movements weren¡¯t grand, but they delighted Liszt, as this signified that Virginia was taking control of the Bone Dragon.


    But the Bone Dragon merely moved slightly and then relapsed into a long period of calm.


    ¡°Ach, what¡¯s happening? Could there be a problem with Virginia¡¯s soul? Should I mount and feel for myself?¡±


    ¡°Brother, be patient,¡± Ach¡¯s pupils swirled like vortexes of stars, ¡°Although the Bone Dragon lacks consciousness, its soul exists, pure. For Virginia, to replace the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul with her own is no easy task.¡±


    ¡°So we just wait like this?¡±


    ¡°The struggle for the soul is dangerous. Brother riding the dragon won¡¯t help Virginia at all; it would only disturb her. When the soul is infused, only one soul, whether Virginia¡¯s or the Bone Dragon¡¯s, will remain.¡± Ach pulled the somewhat restless Liszt, ¡°Brother, you better use Crystal White Trajectory to carefully observe the Bone Dragon. Don¡¯t miss any details.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) nodded solemnly.


    He was well aware that the study of the soul could very well provide the crucial clue for Dragon Knights to break through to the next stage of their training; thus, any materials related to soul research must be diligently collected¡ªnow the struggle for the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul presented an excellent opportunity for close observation.


    Half an hour later, the Bone Dragon moved again.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a physical movement but the eerie blue flame in its dragon eyes that flickered, trembling as if blown by the wind¡ªyet in reality, the magic-made eerie blue flame did not fear the wind; it was not a flame on the physical plane, but rather involved the Chaotic Magic Power of the soul.


    Sunset followed by moonrise, moonset followed by stars, the pitch-black sky turned to the white of dawn, and the night slowly passed with the Bone Dragon moving intermittently.


    Li Si Te and Ach had stayed awake all night, keeping a record of the Bone Dragon¡¯s state.


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    When the first ray of dawn light from the east showered down on the Reed Marsh Magic Gate, the Bone Dragon, located in a secluded corner of the forest, stirred once more. This time it seemed to have freed itself from a dusty encasement and emanated a ¡°vital¡± aura, as the eerie blue light breathed in and out.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Bone Dragon let out a peculiar roar, manifesting simultaneously near one¡¯s ears and deep within the heart, as it slowly turned its head to look in the direction of Li Si Te and Ach.


    The dragon gently nodded its head.


    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s Virginia!¡± Ach exclaimed.


    Li Si Te¡¯s weary eyes suddenly sparked, invigorated, ¡°Yes, Virginia has succeeded. So Ach, can I try to ride the Bone Dragon and communicate with Virginia now?¡±


    ¡°You can.¡±


    Thus.


    Li Si Te quickly leaped from the back of the Formless Dragon onto the Bone Dragon, finding his place on the Dragon Tooth Platform, where he was about to sit down. However, at that moment, a twisted thought popped into his mind, ¡°Virginia¡¯s soul has replaced the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul, so what does it mean for me to sit down like this?¡±


    The Dragon Tooth Platform symbolized the union of hearts; he had no qualms about such a union with a dragon.


    However, if the soul of the dragon were human, and specifically a human girl, wouldn¡¯t such a union of hearts be even more profound than physical unity?


    ¡°Spiritual communion?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit wicked, stop there!¡± He took a deep breath, dispelled the distractions, and smoothly sat down.


    Instantly, he regained the familiar sensation of riding the Bone Dragon, the cold, piercing quality unique to the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul. Only this time, within the cold feel, there was an added trace of warmth¡ªsubtle, yet it provided a profoundly different experience.


    It was like igniting a small bonfire in the midst of the night, making him sincerely feel warm and comfortable, wanting to draw near to this warmth, to be enveloped by it.


    At the same time.


    A voice seemed faintly calling him, ethereal, hazy, as if the wind was whispering softly, ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±

 Chapter 928 - 0925: The Skull Mask (Second Update)

    Chapter 928: Chapter 0925: The Skull Mask (Second Update)


    The voice was very faint, and it was unclear where it originated from.


    When he listened carefully, following the trace of warmth to find its source, he finally identified it, ¡°Virginia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Your Highness, I just fused with the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul, and I am not very adept yet. And Your Highness, your soul is too strong, along with a massive repulsive force that makes me feel quite uncomfortable, preventing me from establishing a deeper connection with you,¡± Virginia¡¯s voice seemed ethereal.


    ¡°Hmm, it looks like we need to adapt. Virginia, perhaps I should first teach you how to resonate at the soul level¡­ Resonance is the best way to unite minds.¡±


    ¡°Can you sense me, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    It was like a deep self-inquiry; when Liszt focused, he quickly latched onto Virginia¡¯s consciousness. It was like recalling a memory fragment from his own mind or retrieving a previously forgotten thought, and once he found it, he naturally connected with Virginia¡¯s consciousness.


    The next moment, he ¡°saw¡± the girl¡¯s past, which were fragments of broken scenes.


    Compared to Liszt¡¯s formidable soul and the protection of the Smoke Mission, Virginia¡¯s soul was very fragile, like a leaky house at the mercy of Liszt¡¯s prying into any part of it.


    The memories of learning magic as a child, her father¡¯s scolding, her sister¡¯s oppression, exchanges at the Goat Assembly, engraving the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique, and solitary walks through the fields¡ªall made Virginia¡¯s life experiences monotonous and dull, without too many hardships. She even lacked the memory of her own death.


    It was unclear whether she had forgotten or buried it deep within her heart, unwilling to release it.


    ¡°Virginia, accept me.¡± Liszt had already sensed Virginia¡¯s soul entity and attempted to merge with her, just like mind-merging during dragon riding.


    Virginia panicked, ¡°What should I do, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Relax, try to breathe deeply, and do not resist; otherwise, it will stir up a Mind Battle, you don¡¯t have the strong spirit of a dragon, and a Mind Battle would shatter you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Virginia¡¯s soul entity initially resembled a hedgehog, but under Liszt¡¯s gentle guidance, transformed into a sponge. Liszt¡¯s consciousness took advantage of this moment, seeping in, completing the simplest form of mind-merging. It felt as though he became Virginia, experiencing everything about her.


    Every detail of her soul couldn¡¯t escape Liszt¡¯s feeling; he had already managed to fill every bubble of Virginia, the sponge, with his own consciousness.


    That complete fusion felt like a fish entering water.


    It could only be described as water blending seamlessly with milk.


    Very comfortable.


    Nevertheless, it was far weaker compared to the sensation of dragon riding, since it was a merging of three souls at this moment¡ªthe Bone Dragon¡¯s soul, Virginia¡¯s soul, and Liszt¡¯s soul. The Bone Dragon¡¯s soul was like a cold bed, with Virginia and Liszt huddling for warmth.


    They heated the bed by resonating together.


    ¡°Virginia, follow my rhythm for the pulsation,¡± Liszt, well-accustomed to the sensation of mind-merging, promptly reminded Virginia, who was nearly lost in its comfort.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Virginia snapped out of it; the comfort of mind-merging was something she had never experienced in her whole life before, ¡°I understand, Your Highness.¡±


    Soul Vibration.


    Liszt, proficient in the act, led Virginia in vibrating together, and then they managed to stir the pure soul of the Bone Dragon into motion. After several repeats, they finally reached the identical frequency, completing the mind-merging connection thoroughly.


    Within this resonance frequency of the Dragon Knight, Virginia¡¯s soul swiftly merged with the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul, integrating into and taking command of the Bone Dragon¡¯s main consciousness.


    In the end.


    In the triad of souls, the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul had completely fused with Virginia¡¯s, with no distinction between them.


    And Liszt continued to maintain the Dragon Knight Resonance with this new soul, unifying their minds and reaching a consensus in their thoughts¡ªyou are in me, and I am in you. Of course, protected by the power of destiny represented by the Smoke Mission, not even the Dragon Knight Resonance could pry into the deepest secrets of Liszt¡¯s soul.


    He could peer into the very core of all Dragon hearts, but Dragons could only see what he chose to reveal. The new soul born from the fusion of Virginia and the Bone Dragon was no different.


    ¡°It¡¯s done, your Highness, I am the Bone Dragon, and the Bone Dragon is Virginia.¡±


    ¡°I can clearly feel that, Virginia, although the new soul you have transformed into still seems weaker than a normal Dragon¡¯s soul. But with our fusion, we can perfectly control this Bone Dragon, or rather, perfectly control your new body¡­ You have indeed been reborn.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have indeed been reborn,¡± Virginia smiled¡ªit was a telepathic exchange as if she were in her own train of thought, ¡°Since I have been reborn, the name Virginia Truth belongs to the past. Your Highness, why not give me a new name?¡±


    She sensed Liszt¡¯s affection and extended the invitation.


    Ever agreeable, Liszt replied, ¡°It should be so, as for a new name¡­ let¡¯s take a part of your name and call you Vinnie.¡±


    ¡°Vinnie¡­¡±


    Virginia gladly accepted.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Bone Dragon let out a shockingly unprecedented roar, signaling a soul shockwave released by Vinnie that pulsed magic power in all directions.


    Even an Archmage like Ach could feel the chilling strike on the soul as it passed, momentarily losing her composure.


    This was certainly a very powerful attack method.


    But Liszt temporarily paid no attention to the Bone Dragon¡¯s roar; he and Vinnie quickly controlled the Bone Dragon¡¯s shift to a Magic Form. The ghastly blue light of the Dragon¡¯s Superior Magic rapidly enveloped the entire Dragonbone, melting the bone and coalescing it into a special Super Magic that merged into Liszt¡¯s body.


    Just like how Leo turned into a Fire Dragon Pattern on the chest.


    The pattern formed by the Bone Dragon concentrated on his head, covering only the left half of his face, with intricate ghastly blue markings swiftly etched from the scalp to his visage.


    Though the scalp¡¯s pattern was concealed by hair and invisible, the facial pattern was crystal clear¡ªa mask akin to a skull¡ªnot of a human face but crafted in the likeness of a Dragon¡¯s skull. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The previously extremely handsome Liszt, due to the half-faced skull mask, instantly became cold, eerie, with a touch of demonic allure. His character leaped from a refined gentleman of a troubled world to a psychologically twisted and evil villain, though his eyes remained clear and bright.


    Of course, even as a twisted, villainous character, he was still a handsomely cool antagonist.


    ¡°Ach, what do you think of this look?¡± Liszt said, stepping down and approaching Ach.


    ¡°So scary, brother.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    Liszt was exceedingly pleased with himself.


    Ach casually created a mirror made from condensed water, allowing him to see his reflection.


    Admiring his own eerie image in the mirror, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but touch the skull pattern on the left side, ¡°Indeed, no matter what shape I take, my charm remains.¡±


    ¡°Giggle.¡±


    Vinnie¡¯s laughter echoed in his mind. Due to the Magic Form, he and Vinnie¡¯s mind-connection was interrupted, but just like the norm for Dragon Riding, there was still a strong sense of mental resonance¡ªVinnie¡¯s soul had filled the void of the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul, making it whole.


    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, Vinnie, let¡¯s make a change from Magic Form to armor evolution!¡± Liszt raised an eyebrow.


    The skull pattern on the left side of his face lit up with even brighter ghastly blue light, and one by one, bones flickering with blue light began extending from the mask pattern, reaching across Liszt¡¯s body.

 Chapter 929 - 0926: Lich King (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch bonus 15/147)

    Chapter 929: Chapter 0926: Lich King (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch bonus 15/147)


    The chaotic super magic of the Bone Dragon constantly flowed out from the pale blue skeleton mask, rapidly enveloping Liszt in a pale blue framework of bones.


    In a moment, Liszt, who had previously worn Flack Abaie¡¯s clothes, had transformed into an armored warrior wrapped in layered pale blue bones.


    Unlike the massive skeleton of the Bone Dragon form, these bones were very fine, allowing them to closely form a body-fitting bone armor. The gaps radiated pale blue lights, staining the white bones with a blue hue, not only compensating for the pale and feeble appearance of the bones but also adding much mystique.


    The armor as a whole mimicked the form of a knight¡¯s armor, but still bore fierce-looking bone spikes at various spots.


    A powerful force enveloped Liszt. This was a special state of entanglement between the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic and the Dragon Dou Qi within him, which meant that although he primarily retained his human form, he could partially maintain the Bone Dragon¡¯s formidable power¡ªhe would define this state as a ¡°Semi-Dragon Rider.¡±


    Thus, what he wore was not merely armor, but a powered exoskeleton.


    ¡°Powerful, abundant, this is the armor I have longed for!¡± Liszt stretched out a hand, observing his palm wrapped in dense bone fragments, as a pale blue flame freely ignited within his palm.


    This involved the soul power of chaotic super magic, constantly operating in the form of flames.


    ¡°Your Highness, I can extend further. Do you need a Dragon Lance or a Longsword?¡± Vinnie¡¯s thoughts flashed in his mind.


    In this Semi-Dragon Rider state, he and Vinnie could still connect mentally, albeit not as profoundly as during Dragon Riding¡ªroughly at a level between riding and separation, somewhat detached.


    ¡°Dragon Lance, Longsword?¡± Liszt pondered, ¡°No need for now, I still want to make some modifications to the armor transformed from the Bone Dragon, Vinnie, maintain this state.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. I¡¯ve never felt this powerful before. Ever since I became a Specter, I¡¯ve had no sensation of hot and cold or pain. Today is the only day I¡¯ve felt exceptionally fulfilled. My fusion with the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul is perfect, showing no signs of disintegration.¡±


    ¡°Then, I am relieved.¡±


    Liszt communicated briefly with Vinnie in his mind, then turned to Ach who was watching the spectacle and said, ¡°Help me form a larger mirror and then give me some feedback on what parts of this Dragon Bone Armor need improvement.¡±


    ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡±


    With a casual wave of his hand, Ach conjured a huge water mirror out of thin air, three sides in total, surrounding Liszt at the front, back, and right¡ªthe left side was where Ach was standing, so no mirror was placed there.


    The reflections in the mirror fully displayed Liszt¡¯s Dragon Bone Armor, every detail exposed to view.


    ¡°The dragon bone at the neck position is too thick, it feels a bit short and stubby, needs to be trimmed down a bit.¡±


    ¡°The waist part, too, needs to retain its lines, and the joint section shouldn¡¯t be too tight to avoid restricting movement.¡±


    ¡°The entire set of armor is too tightly protective. As a powerful Dragon Knight, I do not need such suffocating coverage. Key parts just need dragon bones; make the gaps bigger to let the blue light fill them, making it look more mystical.¡±


    ¡°Replace the helmet¡¯s cock¡¯s comb decoration with bull horns; just use the original pair of bull horns from the Bone Dragon.¡±


    ¡°The face mask should cover only one eye, using the Bone Dragon¡¯s perspective. Let the other eye remain uncovered for normal vision¡­ It¡¯s a pity that the Eye of Magic doesn¡¯t coordinate with the Bone Dragon¡¯s vision, otherwise, I might be able to see some special vistas, maybe even glimpses of the Exiled Lands.¡±


    ¡°Add a few more bone spikes to the shoulders.¡±


    The complete set of armor, taking into account the advice from Ach and Vinnie along with Liszt¡¯s own aesthetic preferences, was finally shaped. From the earlier full-cover type knight armor, it transformed into the current half-cover type simplified armor, reducing the bulkiness of the armor and increasing its glamour.


    ¡°Does it feel like something is still missing?¡± Liszt looked at himself in the mirror, looking from left to right, always feeling somewhat incomplete.


    Ach scrutinized for a moment and seriously said, ¡°Brother, the armor has dragon horns on the head but lacks matching dragon wings, and you¡¯re also not holding a Knight¡¯s Sword.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    Stirred by this realization, Liszt quickly connected with Vinnie, controlling the super magic to extend, then at the shoulder blades on the back of the armor, a pair of small-sized Bone Dragon wings extended.


    These wings were virtually identical to the original dragon wings of the Bone Dragon, even the ragged cartilage was preserved.


    Yet, it was precisely such tattered wings that further enhanced the visual impact of the entire set of armor, making it seem like a demon that had crawled up from hell.


    Like a Lich King disrespecting a dead.


    Moreover, Liszt really felt that after wearing this suit of armor, his style was akin to the transformation of Marquis of the Bull into a Lich, although the blue light of Marquis of the Bull emanated from his own body while his came from the armor itself.


    ¡°Your Highness, would you like me to condense a Dragon Lance or a Longsword using the superior magic at the tail end of the Bone Dragon?¡± Vinnie inquired.


    ¡°For now, since there is no Dragon Riding, just transform it into a Longsword.¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having said that, he lifted his right hand, and a pale blue flame rose in his palm, quickly transforming into a familiar longsword¡ªthe bone sword form of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword.


    The blade consisted of segments of dragon tail bone linked by blue light, with the hilt also connected to the hand armor via the blue light.


    Holding the hilt, Liszt felt the sharpness of the sword, ¡°Although it¡¯s not a piece of genuine magic equipment, because the armor incorporates some functions of the dragon form, when deploying Dou Qi, it can mix Dragon Magic Power with Dragon Dou Qi, making this bone sword even more powerful!¡±


    With the bone sword, the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword could be temporarily retired.


    Thus.


    Completing the entire set of armor and weaponry, Liszt spent half an hour trying to practice the Dou Qi Manuscript several times, making the final adjustments through actual combat.


    He kept tweaking until the evening before finally completing the refinement of all forms.


    ¡°The birth of this set of armor means that the new skills of the Elemental Dragon have been developed, and to differentiate, the forms of the Elemental Dragon and the Bone Dragon need to be redefined¡ªits original form is called the True Form, transformed into magic power is called Totem Form, and transformed into armor is called Armor Form.¡±


    ¡°The armor condensed by the dragon is called Dragon Armor, the longsword condensed by the dragon is called Dragon Sword, the lance condensed by the dragon¡­ well, still called Dragon Lance, but names like Bone Dragon Armor, Fire Dragon Sword, Ice Dragon Lance can be added to distinguish them.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    While summarizing the Totem Form, Liszt suddenly thought of an issue and clandestinely communicated with Vinnie, ¡°When I ride other dragons wearing the Bone Dragon Armor, remember to retract the section at the buttocks, not to hinder my spiritual connection with the dragon.¡±


    ¡°Giggle, understood, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Be serious! Remember to be clever, retract it when I sit down, and the moment I leave the Dragon Tooth Platform, replenish it immediately, understand?¡± Liszt gave a stern order.


    Vinnie dared not defy, ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡­


    During the banquet, the nobles and officials of Reed City had gotten used to Liszt¡¯s new figure¡ªa Bone Dragon transformed into a Totem Form, carving a skull dragon head in blue luminescent pattern on the left side of his face.


    His followers had long known that their great Lord Landlord had obtained another powerful Bone Dragon. Now it appeared that both the Bone Dragon and Fire Dragon Leo could merge into the body of a Dragon Knight.


    Only the Bone Dragon seemed to merge only on the face.


    ¡°How incredible!¡± Many followers admired Liszt¡¯s exceptionally bewitching demeanor as they dined, amazed.


    But perhaps too overwhelmed by too many stimulations, they quickly grew numb and continued busily drinking and eating.


    After all.


    The Lord Landlord is universally recognized as the ¡°knightly glory incarnate in the mortal world.¡±


    After the meal, Liszt did not immediately allow Vinnie to return to her true Dragon Form to rest but had her stay in the Armor Form as he sat spacing out.


    Spacing out was just a cover; actually, he was summoning the Smoke Mission and wanted to know if one in this ¡°half-Dragon Riding¡± state with Vinnie could see the smoke representing the Power of Destiny.


    As it turned out, Vinnie couldn¡¯t see it.


    The Serpent Script made up of smoke remained visible only to Liszt.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Gemstone Crown.¡±

 Chapter 930 - 0927: Missing Mathew (4th update, Alliance Hierarch bonus 16/147)

    Chapter 930: Chapter 0927: Missing Mathew (4th update, Alliance Hierarch bonus 16/147)


    Virginia Truth had mastered the Bone Dragon, enabling the Bone Dragon to be reborn as a special Soul Element Dragon¡ªBone Dragon Vinnie.


    The Smoke Mission was naturally completed along with this, rewarding him with a Gemstone Crown.


    However, Liszt was somewhat curious¡ªwhat exactly was this Gemstone Crown, and how would it come into his hands¡ªhe felt there was no need for theft, no need to rely on waging war to obtain it like he did with Crystal Helen.


    Crystal Helen was placed within the Flame Castle, instantly elevating the grade of Liszt¡¯s study.


    This half-human-tall, gorgeous crystal statue was a special piece of Magic Equipment, capable of organizing the castle¡¯s free-floating magic power, making one feel refreshed and at ease. Commoners basked in its aura without illness or disaster, while knights and magicians could enjoy the convenience it offered for their training.


    Liszt particularly liked to read books under Crystal Helen¡¯s aura, absorbing knowledge.


    Of course, Crystal Helen¡¯s aura was sufficient to envelop the entire Flame Castle, so all the servants in the castle benefited from this statue¡ªButler Carter had always presided over Thorn Castle, but after falling ill once, he was transferred by Liszt to Flame Castle to serve as the butler and to be conditioned by the statue.


    Thorn Castle was subsequently managed by his original personal servant, Servant Thomas.


    Chef Abbie, head maid Little Lily, head servant Tom, and other familiar servants were also transferred to Flame Castle.


    It could be said that the currently rather humble Flame Castle had become his main residence, while Thorn Castle was somewhere he only occasionally returned to stay for a day.


    ¡°I wonder where the Gemstone Crown will come from¡ªcould it be that the Sapphire Duke crafted such a crown to congratulate me on becoming the king, after the three great kingdoms recognized the declaration from Flame Kingdom?¡± Liszt thought, but he hoped that wasn¡¯t the case, because after all, a crown is a hat.


    It¡¯s not very nice to receive hats from others.


    ¡°If he dares to send me a Gemstone Crown, I¡¯ll definitely send him a Light Green Gem hat!¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn¡¯t dwell on the Gemstone Crown for too long, as his attention quickly shifted to the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Although Ach can control the Formless Dragon Bard, when the dragon is away, she lacks a suitable mount to ride across the land. It is rumored that the Steel Ridge Kingdom Pegasus Great Forest has traces of unicorns. The pure unicorn may be a match for Ach; why not explore the possibility? Reward: Pegasus Herd.¡±


    ¡°Unicorns, Pegasus Great Forest¡ªit¡¯s suggesting that I go find a unicorn.¡±


    Liszt frowned and pondered: ¡°But recently I don¡¯t seem to have cared much about the unicorn issue, so why would the Smoke Mission release such a task¡­ Or is it that deep down I actually want to capture a unicorn, to witness this creature that only pure maidens can see?¡±


    He had always thought of the unicorn as just one kind of Super Dragon Beast, like how the Flame Dragon Bird is called a Phoenix, a bit of an exaggeration.


    However, since the Smoke Mission had been issued, he had no choice but to make time for a trip to the Pegasus Great Forest, to find the Pegasus Herd, to find the unicorn.


    At that moment.


    From the skull dragon head pattern on his face, Vinnie¡¯s thoughts came through: ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s late at night, do you¡­ still need my company?¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡±


    Liszt almost choked on his breath.


    He could sense the unusual emotions in Vinnie¡¯s thoughts. Ever since he and Vinnie underwent Dragon Knight Resonance, that comfortable and blending feeling had intoxicated Vinnie.


    Just as Dragon Knights enjoyed a pleasant cooperation with their dragons, Vinnie too relished the joy of riding and being ridden.


    Unfortunately for Vinnie, even though she had taken the place of the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul, she was still originally a human female, and her excessive indulgence in this resonant pleasure always gave Liszt a strange sense of illusion.


    So indulgence was not an option, ¡°No need, transform back into your true form and rest outside. I will prepare a dragon nest for you as soon as possible so you can have a comfortable living environment. We will continue to cooperate when we go out to battle¡­ Of course, if I get busy, you can also practice with Emily.¡±


    ¡°Emily?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s one of my followers. She¡¯s only fourteen this year, but she¡¯s extraordinarily talented and is already a Sky Knight of the Sword Saint Level. Moreover, she will soon become the first female Dragon Knight on the Legendary Continent,¡± Liszt said seriously, ¡°I hope you can help her become more familiar with dragon riding combat.¡±


    ¡°A talented young lady like her? Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will cooperate earnestly with Emily¡­ However, I still prefer fighting alongside Your Highness, and incidentally experiencing this world¡¯s bizarre and varied landscapes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will have plenty of opportunities to fight side by side.¡±


    Soon, Vinnie turned into a huge Bone Dragon and lay down in a random spot outside. Back in his own room, Liszt could see the rhythmic, ghostly blue lights pulsing on the Bone Dragon¡¯s body through the window.


    His thoughts were soaring.


    ¡°With Vinnie in this state, having the Bone Dragon continue as a prototype and training Dragon Knight is inappropriate, unless it¡¯s for female Dragon Knights.¡± He directly ignored the fact that he was also male, ¡°Even having Emily practice with her feels strange, but perhaps I am overthinking it.¡±


    Riding a Bone Dragon is no different from riding other dragons; the only difference is that regular dragons don¡¯t have genders, whereas the Bone Dragon¡¯s soul is female.


    ¡°In the future, Bone Dragon Vinnie will exist as armor and weaponry for my battles!¡±


    The selfish possessiveness of being male led him to quickly decide the fate of Bone Dragon Vinnie. Of course, Virginia Truth was someone Liszt had saved, and the Bone Dragon was his private property; Bone Dragon Vinnie, being a combination of the two, belonged to Liszt personally and he had the right to decide how to treat her.


    ¡­


    Night fell.


    Liszt and Ach discussed at length, documenting all the information obtained about the Bone Dragon during the day, in preparation for future soul research.


    Busy until midnight, he finally went to sleep, but before sleeping, he confirmed the date for going to the Pegasus Great Forest with Ach¡ªthe 10th of July.


    The journey to the Steel Ridge Kingdom was long, and with the search for the Pegasus Great Forest, the trip could take ten days to half a month.


    Therefore, he must arrange the work of the territory¡¯s construction and also coordinate the training with the dragons.


    First, he went to the Doomsday Volcano Crater and negotiated with Little Fire Dragon Leo, exchanging twenty vials of Red Dragon Water for several large jars of Fire Dragon Overmagic. These Overmagic potions were intended for building glass workshops and brick factories¡ªhe planned to establish glass and brick factories in Flame City, Reed City, Jade City, Dragon Valley City, and Estuary City.


    These workshops would provide glass, bricks, and cement for city construction.


    They would also supply materials for road building in each city.


    Then, he gave ten vials of Red Dragon Water to Mountain Copper Dragon Mata to improve their relationship. He also contracted the most recently gathered elves from the Holy Tribe¡ªsurprisingly, there were two Minor Elves, one was a Coffee Minor Elf and the other a Quadwood Minor Elf, an unexpected joy.


    Next, he gave ten vials of Red Dragon Water to Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, practiced with Ethan for a while, and deepened his own branding as the First Dragon Knight in its mind¡ªthe branding was already quite clear, in two more months, it should be completely imprinted, and then he could introduce Ethan to Emily.


    Then, he gave another ten vials of Red Dragon Water to Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, who had been residing on Black Horse Island, helping Pea Great Elf Ash evolve, providing a deterrent force and ready support for the Fortress of the Mind and the Magic Gate of Mind Island.


    Back and forth.


    A quarter of the two hundred vials of Red Dragon Water was gone.


    ¡°This rate of consumption is a bit fast; Bard and Vinnie will also need Red Dragon Water¡­ It seems I¡¯ll have to find an opportunity to exchange affections with the Red and White Rose Family and get them to gift me some more Red Dragon water,¡± Liszt thought, fondly recalling Mathew of the Red and White Roses.


    This handsome young noble was his good friend.

 Chapter 931 - 0928: Earth Barbaric Bear (First Update)

    Chapter 931: Chapter 0928: Earth Barbaric Bear (First Update)


    Dragons are exhausting, as are elves, and Liszt had no choice but to spend an entire day bonding with the elves under his command.


    As of now,


    he had one Dragon Elf, nine Greater Elves, sixty-seven Little Minor Elves, and nearly four hundred Elf Bugs. The Elves were increasing at an explosive rate; those he personally bred were few, with most acquired externally. Some were from ransomed captives, some from Count Hot Spring Island, and some from the Moon Slayer Tribe.


    But with so many elves, they still fell short of the Sapphire Family.


    As a Dragon Rearing Family that had raised six dragons (including Bone Dragon Vinnie), his assets were modest. He would have to fully develop the Flame Islands and implement scientific farming before the elves could slowly increase in number, eventually reaching the standard of a royal dragon-rearing family.


    Furthermore,


    Liszt had also visited the dog kennel to see the Falcon Dogs gifted by the Red and White Rose Family.


    These low-level Dragon Beasts had a Wind Attribute, were not large in size, even slightly smaller than the typical Fierce Earth Dogs. But they were slender and good runners, capable of unleashing Wind System Magic ¡ª Multiple Wind Blades. Perhaps not suited for charging into battle, they were excellent hunting companions, belonging to the type of luxury enjoyed by nobles.


    Many nobles enjoyed hunting with dogs.


    Thus, owning a low-level Dragon Beast like the Falcon Dog would undoubtedly elevate a noble¡¯s status ¡ª Dragon Beasts were incredibly rare and not something that could be easily valued in Gold Coins.


    The Red and White Rose Family made a grand gesture by gifting Liszt three pairs of adult dogs and twenty pups. This population could keep breeding indefinitely, meaning that the Falcon Dogs had become an industry for the Flame Family. They were more valuable than the Landwalker Birds and Rainbow Whales that Liszt had obtained himself.


    The Landwalker Birds, having consumed Bloodline Fruit, had possibly become Intermediate Dragon Beasts, but unfortunately, he could not find a second one to breed.


    The Rainbow Whales were low-level Dragon Beasts and also lacked a mate for breeding.


    However, the Banpo Cattle, Estuary Pigs, and Black Blood Treasured Horses were gradually breeding on a larger scale. It wouldn¡¯t be many years before they became an important industry for the Flame Family ¡ª and now that the methods of how the Formless Dragon released bloodline infections of Magic Power were clear, new varieties of dragon-related creatures could continue to be infected.


    It was still unclear how the other dragons released bloodline infections of Magic Power.


    In short, as a Dragon Rearing Family, there would be no lack of Dragon Beasts in the future.


    ¡­


    Having managed his territories¡¯ affairs, the date just so happened to be July 10.


    Liszt, along with Ach, set off for the Steel Ridge Kingdom. Accompanying them, besides the Formless Dragon Bard, were two dragons ¡ª Little Fire Dragon Leo, transformed into a Fire Dragon Pattern at his chest; and Bone Dragon Vinnie, turned into a dragon skull pattern on his left face.


    The totem forms of Elemental Dragons were very unique.


    They could, in fact, change the location of attachment, but the Fire Dragons preferred the chest area, especially near the heart for a compatible affinity.


    Bone Dragons, on the other hand, greatly favored the head, seemingly because being closer to the brain also meant being closer to the soul, which also indicated a compatible affinity.


    ¡°Based on the ancient Chinese theory of the Five Elements, the liver corresponds to wood, the heart to fire, the spleen to earth, the lungs to metal, the kidneys to water¡­ Leo is a Fire Dragon, fond of my heart, so he attaches to my chest. If I were to ride a Water Dragon, would it like my kidneys and attach to my waist?¡±


    With that thought, the Earth Dragon, which favored the spleen, would probably have to compete with the Water Dragon for position.


    Of course, since the spleen is on the left side of the abdomen, the Earth Dragon could contend for the left waist position, and the Water Dragon the right waist position ¡ª one on each side, settled!


    There were no Wood Dragons or Gold Dragons among these elemental types. It was unclear how the Wind Dragon would match with human organs, and it was still unclear for Lightning Dragons, Light Dragons, Ice Dragons, and Dark Dragons. However, the Bone Dragon, dealing with the soul, was compatible with the brain.


    ¡°If one day I contract all Elemental Dragons, wouldn¡¯t my body be covered in tattoos?¡± Though not exactly tattoos, more like sticker tattoos that can be peeled off at any time.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the Magic Power state can¡¯t hide beneath the skin, and Bone Dragon¡¯s pattern is too bold.¡±


    Although the Bone Dragon¡¯s pattern gave it a sinister aesthetic, the faintly glowing blue skull design on its head was somewhat too eye-catching and posed an obstacle to his normal interactions with other nobles¡ªknightly etiquette did not appreciate such flashy tattoos.


    Anyway.


    The two riders and three dragons, fully stocked with supplies, set off from Black Horse Island and continuously galloped and flew.


    Formless Dragon Bard was the primary mode of transport. When it got tired, Liszt would call upon Little Fire Dragon Leo to continue flying, while Bard would rest on the sea surface, propelled quickly by Ach controlling the seawater. A journey of over a thousand kilometers, which might take several days by boat, only required a few hours by dragon.


    By noon, they had already reached an unknown coast of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    With a wave of her hand, Ach conjured a strange apparatus made of condensed water, peered through its telescope to observe the position of the sun, and then compared it to a rudimentary map in her hand, saying, ¡°Brother, we are now at the Red Tide Coast, and there¡¯s a major city nearby called Red Tide City.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Liszt nodded as he looked at the map.


    Ach continued, ¡°Pegasus Great Forest is still three thousand kilometers to the northwest, then past Black Bear City. Pegasus Great Forest is just east of Black Bear City.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat something, and continue on in the afternoon.¡±


    Walking and stopping intermittently, by the next evening, the two finally saw Black Bear City from high above. They found a small village where Liszt asked a serf working in the fields and confirmed that this city was indeed Black Bear City.


    They hadn¡¯t flown to the wrong place.


    After resting for the night, at dawn, they officially crossed the mountain range east of Black Bear City and entered the Pegasus Great Forest.


    Because the Pegasus Great Forest was immensely vast, finding unicorns quickly would definitely require help from the local knights. Therefore, Liszt and Ach first sought to find appropriate magical beasts as mounts, disguised themselves as adventuring knights, and purchased information from the local knights.


    Using the Crystal White Trajectory¡¯s view to scout continuously, they soon located two magical beasts rich in magic power.


    ¡°It¡¯s Earth Barbaric Bears; two of them seem to be vying for territory,¡± Liszt said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, already deciding to use these two Earth Barbaric Bears as mounts.


    The Earth Barbaric Bear, an advanced magical beast with Earth attributes, stands nearly five meters tall and can weigh up to ten tons. Capable of using various Earth System Magic, they are ferocious in battle and there were precedents for taming them as mounts. They were widely distributed, with traces found in many wild forests.


    Even on Coral Island, there once lived a Giant Barbarian Bear, said to be of Earth Barbaric Bear lineage¡ªlater, when Count Hot Spring Island failed to tame it as a mount, he turned the Giant Barbarian Bear¡¯s skin into a chair, achieving the ¡°seat¡± part of ¡°mount.¡±


    ¡°Bard, go down and put on a show!¡±


    ¡°Woo yii yah!¡±


    Formless Dragon quickly dived toward the ground, and as it neared the two Earth Barbaric Bears, its imposing Dragon Might swept over the area, startling the fiercely battling bears, causing them to panic and start to flee.


    But Bard¡¯s dragon claws were quicker, pressing one of the Earth Barbaric Bears down to the ground where it struggled wildly but couldn¡¯t escape.


    Ach also unleashed Ice System Magic to block the other Earth Barbaric Bear.


    Bang, thud!


    Liszt jumped from the back of the Formless Dragon onto one of the Earth Barbaric Bears, his presence overwhelmingly suppressing the bear. He stomped hard on the bear¡¯s head several times before jumping off and landing in front of it. He pulled out a steak and the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword from his Space Ring.


    First, the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword swiftly slashed, opening a gash in the Earth Barbaric Bear, causing blood to splatter and the bear to howl in pain.


    Then, he held the steak up to the bear¡¯s mouth.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if the bear could understand, but he made his intention clear, ¡°Submit to me, and you¡¯ll have steak to eat; defy me, and I¡¯ll chop you up! Which will you choose?¡±


    Steak in his left hand, sword in his right.


    The Earth Barbaric Bear¡¯s eyes almost human in their expression, turned towards the steak, and it made noises of ¡°ang ang ang¡±¡ªa bear that knows food is also a wise bear.

 Chapter 932 - 0929: Is the Price Reasonable? (Second Release)

    Chapter 932: Chapter 0929: Is the Price Reasonable? (Second Release)


    An Earth Barbaric Bear quickly submitted under the majesty of Liszt, and another Earth Barbaric Bear did not hold out much longer, soon both of them becoming the mounts of Liszt and Ach respectively.


    If at the time of their subjugation they had been somewhat reluctant, their attitudes changed significantly when Liszt took out two ordinary Magic Potions and fed them to the Earth Barbaric Bears. These two Advanced Magical Beasts with no low intelligence were much more content upon this treatment. Since resistance was futile, they might as well enjoy the benefits of the Magic Potions.


    Riding the Earth Barbaric Bears and becoming acquainted with their abilities along the way, they soon arrived at a mercenary camp.


    The Pegasus Great Forest was not only home to the Advanced Dragon Beasts, Pegasus, adored by the Knight Class of Nobles, but also teemed with common Magical Beasts, all of which were favorite hunting targets of mercenaries. Therefore, mercenary camps serving as trading markets and supply stations were abundant, and merchant convoys frequently passed through these camps.


    At this moment,


    The guards on duty at the mercenary camp quickly spotted the arrival of two massive Advanced Magical Beasts, the Earth Barbaric Bears.


    ¡°It¡¯s Earth Barbaric Bears, Advanced Magical Beasts, sound the alarm!¡± The guards quickly blew their horns and the mooing sound of the cow horns echoed throughout the camp,


    rousing the mercenaries and Knights, who had been enjoying a moment of leisure, from their tents and wooden huts.


    While donning their armor, they shouted loudly, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an advanced alert, an Advanced Magical Beast is approaching!¡±


    ¡°A damn Advanced Magical Beast, aren¡¯t there supposed to be no Advanced Magical Beasts around here?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s one that roamed over here.¡±


    ¡°Captain Flandre just left with his Mercenary Corps; otherwise, we could¡¯ve combined forces to capture the Advanced Magical Beast!¡±


    The mercenary camp was composed of Knights and Rangers (Rats), where Rangers were ordinary in strength and often did reconnaissance work, with Knights being the main force for hunting. But here, the strongest Knight was just an Elite Earth Knight, and there were not many Elite Earth Knights who popped Magic Potions, mostly those who specialized in Combat Skills.


    After all, those on the potion popping path often came from Noble families, capable of vying for the title of Sky Knight.


    Even if they fell short of becoming Sky Knights, they would stay in their domains to inherit family property, happily embracing lovers while drinking wine. Nobody fancied the idea of delving into undeveloped forests fraught with danger, which did not suit the Knight Order¡¯s charge, so it was quite common for Knights to be killed by stealthy attacks from Magical Beasts.


    If not for livelihood, very few Knights were willing to enter the forest for the hunt.


    These were mostly older Knights, retired from the Landlord¡¯s Knight Order without having earned enough military merits for a title, who then joined the Mercenary Corps to eke out a living.


    As the warning of the horn spread, Knights and Rangers swiftly raised various fences, ropes, and wooden spikes, fortifying the camp into something akin to a porcupine. Elite Earth Knights gripped their bows and arrows, taking position on the camp walls, watchfully eyeing the Earth Barbaric Bears slowly approaching from a distance and praying they were merely passing by.


    No one dared provoke Earth Barbaric Bears, these Advanced Magical Beasts could release a variety of Earth System Magic, causing massive harm, and their thick hides and flesh meant their defensive strength was astounding.


    Suddenly,


    A sharp-eyed Elite Earth Knight cried out in alarm, ¡°There¡¯s someone!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, someone?¡±


    ¡°On the backs of the Earth Barbaric Bears, there are people, two people riding them!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? Who could tame an Advanced Magical Beast as a mount!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, I see them too, it seems to be a Knight and a Magician!¡±


    ¡°Could it be a Sky Knight?¡±


    ¡°Phew, we¡¯re safe, since it¡¯s a Knight they must only be here for supplies.¡±


    The people of the mercenary camp all breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that as long as they were not wild beasts, there was nothing to fear¡ªany Knight capable of riding an Earth Barbaric Bear would certainly not covet the meager resources of their ramshackle camp.


    Many knights, rangers, and merchants staying at the camp began to entertain cautious thoughts.


    Perhaps they could do business with the two riding on Earth Barbaric Bears, knights and magicians, and even if they couldn¡¯t, getting on their good side could bring huge benefits. The combat ability of an Earth Barbaric Bear was comparable to that of a Sword Saint; only Nobles could tame such Magical Beasts as mounts. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nobles were naturally worth ingratiating oneself with.


    Soon.


    Under the welcome of the camp manager, the two Earth Barbaric Bears arrived at the entrance of the camp.


    At this time, the crowd standing at the edge of the camp finally saw clearly the knight and magician on the bears¡¯ backs. The magician was petite, wearing a hood, and only half of her beautiful, flawless face was visible; the knight was tall and straight, clad in gleaming silver armor, clearly not of ordinary quality.


    Most peculiar of all was the tattoo resembling a skull on half of the knight¡¯s face, which was still faintly flickering with a ghostly blue light. This made the knight¡¯s otherwise masculine, handsome air suddenly become eerily extraordinary.


    Such an appearance in knights was rare, but in the vast world, all kinds of people existed, and the mercenaries, having seen various oddities, weren¡¯t surprised.


    ¡°Two noble guests from afar, Rattlesnake Mercenary Camp welcomes you,¡± the camp manager bowed in salute.


    Riding on the bear¡¯s back, the knight was naturally Liszt. He didn¡¯t dismount but spoke from his elevated position in an authentic steel-like tone, ¡°Are you the camp manager? I need a favor from you. Summon the most well-informed mercenaries in the camp for me.¡±


    He spoke naturally, yet the pressure of long-term high status, as well as the ferocity emanating from his Advanced Magical Beast mount, caused the manager to tremble, ¡°As you wish, my lord. I¡¯ll find them right away¡­ Do you require rest inside the camp, my lord? I will arrange the best cabin for you immediately.¡±


    ¡°No need, just find those people for me,¡± Liszt waved away the air in front of his nose, not at all wanting to enter such a filthy, reeking mercenary camp.


    The camp manager dared not slack off and immediately turned to his assistant and shouted, ¡°Quickly, summon Old Jack, Three-Legged, Gold-Tooth Rat, Young John, Old Drunkard, and Sister Mendes here!¡±


    The assistant promptly ran into the camp to call them.


    The camp manager then pleasingly said to Liszt, ¡°My lord, would you care for some food and water?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any, but you can bring over some clean water for my Bear One and Bear Two to quench their thirst. If you have honey, bring it all here,¡± Liszt remembered that Earth Barbaric Bears loved stealing honey, even if it meant getting stung all over by the poisonous Black Ring Bees.


    ¡°My lord, I have honey!¡± A merchant among the onlookers, hearing Liszt¡¯s need for honey, immediately cried out.


    Another knight also spoke, ¡°My lord, I also have freshly collected honey here, from the Low-Level Magical Beast ¨C Black Ring Bee!¡±


    ¡°Bring it all over here,¡± Liszt glanced at the camp manager.


    The manager quickly got the message and had the knight and merchant come over, then made them present the honey. Both quantities were small, but they quickly attracted the Earth Barbaric Bears named Bear One and Bear Two, who happily devoured all the honey ¡ª just enough to sweeten their teeth.


    ¡°Name your price,¡± Liszt said.


    The merchant quoted three Gold Coins, while the knight asked for ten Gold Coins. Liszt was not familiar with the price of wild honey, so he looked at the manager, ¡°Is the price reasonable?¡±


    ¡°Ah, my lord, why don¡¯t we consider this honey as an offering from our mercenary camp? Our camp is established by the Rattlesnake Mercenary Group, and we are very willing to serve a noble person like yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you if the price is reasonable,¡± Liszt repeated flatly.


    The manager immediately felt a strong pressure and dared not make assumptions on his own, honestly responding, ¡°Basically reasonable.¡±


    So, Liszt took out a bag of Gold Coins, counting out fifteen and threw them to the manager, ¡°You pay these two honey-sellers for me, and the extra two coins are for the water and intermediary services of the camp.¡± Being an upright knight, he always believed in a fair exchange and did not condone freeloading.


    He especially would not use his status as a Noble to exploit the lower classes of knights and commoners ¡ª he could enjoy their deference but had no desire to take advantage of them.


    Of course.


    War times were a different matter.

 Chapter 934 - 0931: Not One Less (First Update)

    Chapter 934: Chapter 0931: Not One Less (First Update)


    Hoeing the fields at high noon, sweat drips down to the soil beneath.


    Who knows, for every meal we take, each grain is hard-won toil.


    One hundred and sixty Gold Coins would suffice for a lifetime for a Freeman¡¯s family, and even by Li Si Te¡¯s standards, it was enough for three to five breakfasts.


    So he quietly admonished himself that when it was time to be frugal, he must be frugal and not waste precious Gold Coins on pointless boasting. After all, since he hadn¡¯t revealed his real name, all the showing off would be fruitless as no one would know his true strength.


    ¡°Let me personally elevate the honor of the Red and White Rose Family as repayment for Mathew¡¯s gift,¡± he said.


    With a wave of his hand, he dismissed these trivial thoughts. Once Bear One and Bear Two entered deep into the forest, he signaled to Ach, ¡°Mark them with a couple of Space Magic Power beacons, then we¡¯ll switch to riding Bard. It¡¯ll be faster¡­ We don¡¯t have much time to waste here.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± With a casual wave of his hand, Ach imprinted two Magic Beacons onto the fur of the Earth Barbaric Bears.


    Li Si Te patted the head of Bear One and tossed a steak into its mouth, saying, ¡°You two live freely in the forest for now, I¡¯ll come back to find you when I need you.¡±


    The Earth Barbaric Bears were too slow and noisy; they weren¡¯t suitable for finding the Pegasus Herd.


    By the time Li Si Te and Ach left on the Formless Dragon, the two Earth Barbaric Bears were still dazed, unaware of what had happened. However, once the presence of the Formless Dragon was gone, the two bears glared at each other menacingly as if ready to fight, no longer suppressed by Li Si Te¡¯s presence.


    But soon, they gave up the glaring contest, each chose a direction, and bolted.


    Life is precious, love even more so.


    If it¡¯s for freedom¡¯s cause, both can be forgo.


    Now that the dawn of freedom had appeared, there was no better time to run; they did not wish to continue being ridden like tiny ants by humans.


    ¡­


    Riding the Formless Dragon, the search speed greatly increased.


    The two riders and three dragons, moving along the material boundary, searched every ten minutes for a green dot where the Pegasus Herd frequented, every half hour for a purple dot where a Pegasus was caught, and every three hours for a red dot where a Unicorn was sighted.


    The Crystal White Trajectory¡¯s analysis of Magic Power was akin to radar-level effectiveness.


    Finally, in the afternoon of the following day, they found a cluster of blue-gray Magic Radiance at one of the green dots, outlining winged steeds one by one. The Magic Power feedback from the Wind Attribute glowed in varying shades of blue, and with the wings on their backs, there was no doubt that the creatures gathered around the river were a Pegasus Herd.


    Li Si Te didn¡¯t have Bard appear immediately; instead, he closely identified the Magic Power feedback of each Pegasus in the herd. The blue-gray radiance varied in strength, but there was no discernible higher level of Magic Power.


    They were all Low Magic.


    This meant there were no Super Dragon Beasts, such as Storm Dragon Horses, among this Pegasus Herd.


    ¡°None, eh? It seems I haven¡¯t found the true Pegasus Herd. There are only one, two, three, four¡­ twenty-six pegasi here, possibly a small herd or just a fraction of a larger one,¡± Li Si Te quickly exited the Crystal White Trajectory and observed with the naked eye.


    Through the gaps hidden by the trees, he could barely make out the true form of the Pegasi.


    They looked slightly different from the pictures and descriptions provided by the Rangers, with a resemblance to normal horses. However, their shoulders, where the front legs met, were slightly stronger, and a pair of wings grew from that point. Since they were not flying, the wings were folded neatly by their sides.


    Their color was not the silver-white described but primarily silver-white with some light gray patterns. The wings had faint blue patterns on them.


    Their manes and tails appeared elegant and smooth, as if washed with a quality shampoo.


    Comparing with his eyesight, these Pegasi were not much larger than normal horses. Even the largest among them was not as big as Li Si Te¡¯s mount, the King of Black Blood Treasure Horses ¨C Lightning. Lightning was four meters tall, these Pegasi were at most three to five meters, yet they were considered Advanced Dragon Beasts.


    Emitting a faint dragon might.


    That rich bluish-gray wind attribute magic power, I¡¯m afraid just a casual swipe of a Wind Blade could shred Lightning into pieces.


    ¡°Big brother, we can follow this small Pegasus Herd, Ach found that there are no mares or foals among them. This probably isn¡¯t an independent herd, following them should lead us to a larger Pegasus Herd.¡± Ach reminded.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Li Si Te had the same thought.


    So he quietly hid at the edge of the material boundary, waiting for the small Pegasus Herd to move while simultaneously summoning the Smoke Mission to check on its progress.


    However, to his surprise, the mission had actually been completed.


    ¡°Mission complete, reward Pegasus Herd.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That was easy, but how am I supposed to take this herd of Pegasus with me?¡± A thought flashed through Li Si Te¡¯s mind, which was quickly drawn away by a new mission.


    ¡°Mission: The Pegasus Herd before you is captivating, yet the Unicorn¡¯s trace has never been revealed. However, for you who possess the Eye of Magic, it is quite simple to spy on creatures hiding in the dark. Please find a Pegasus with a horn. Reward: A Pegasus with a horn.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, still wants me to continue looking for the Unicorn, just as per the original plan, track this herd to find the larger colony.¡±


    The plan was good, but the process was not as pleasant. After tracking the small Pegasus Herd for an entire day and night, the Pegasus showed no intention of joining a larger herd.


    ¡°Could it be that these male Pegasus are all single dogs that have lost their spirit, and only return to the larger herd to compete for mates during the mating season?¡±


    With this thought, he quickly made a decision and said to Ach, ¡°These Pegasus probably won¡¯t return to the larger herd any time soon, Ach. Let¡¯s mark them with a Space Magic Beacon first, and then continue to search for other Pegasus Herds.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Ach took action, stealthily approached the Pegasus Herd from the edge of material boundary, and placed several Space Magic Beacons before leaving.


    They continued to search for other Pegasus Herds based on the spots marked on the map.


    After searching for most of the day, they found another small Pegasus Herd of seventeen adult males. Just as Li Si Te was preparing to have Ach mark them with a Space Magic Beacon and continue the search for a new herd, one of the Pegasus suddenly raised its head and neighed.


    Immediately after, the whole small herd of Pegasus raised their heads and neighed, quickly gathering together and staring at the dense forest ahead.


    A yellowish creature was stealthily approaching the small Pegasus Herd.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Li Si Te was temporarily captivated by the image of the intruder.


    It was a large cat with a unique body structure, as big as an elephant. Its face and mane were similar to a lion¡¯s, but its claws were like an eagle¡¯s, its body covered in hedgehog-like spikey fur, with bat-wing-like flaps on its ribs, and a scorpion-like stinger at the end of its tail.


    Ach quickly guessed the identity of the invading creature, ¡°It¡¯s a Scorpio-tailed Lion, big brother. A dark attribute Super Magical Beast with deadly venom in its tail, deadly on contact.¡±


    ¡°A Scorpio-tailed Lion,¡± Li Si Te nodded without intervening in the Scorpio-tailed Lion¡¯s hunting of the Pegasus.


    According to the classification of enthusiasts, Advanced Dragon Beasts are more precious than Super Magical Beasts, but from the nervousness and agitation of the Pegasus Herd in the face of the Scorpio-tailed Lion, it can be discerned that the Scorpio-tailed Lion seems to prey on Pegasus. It¡¯s clear that the ranking of Magical Beasts does not necessarily reflect actual combat strength.


    ¡°Big brother, shall we help the Pegasus? They are all big brother¡¯s private property,¡± Ach inquired.


    The little Sea Monster¡¯s growth had been deeply influenced by Li Si Te, and it was firmly convinced of one principle¡ªanything that big brother took a fancy to was big brother¡¯s private property.


    Now that Li Si Te had set his sights on the Pegasus Herd, the Pegasus naturally belonged exclusively to Li Si Te.


    ¡°Ha, ha¡­¡± Li Si Te laughed dryly and then said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve just thought of a plan. Maybe the Scorpio-tailed Lion¡¯s intrusion can help us drive these Pegasus back to the larger Pegasus Herd for protection¡­ In any case, we can¡¯t lose a single Pegasus or Scorpio-tailed Lion. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±

 Chapter 935 - 0932: Stay Further Away (Second Update)

    Chapter 935: Chapter 0932: Stay Further Away (Second Update)


    Facing the relentless approach of the Scorpio-tailed Lion, the seventeen Pegasi raised their heads and neighed, their Magic Power swelling as if they wanted to strike first. However, the Scorpio-tailed Lion was not eager to attack. Through its slow approach, it exerted a strong sense of oppression on the Pegasi, forcing them into chaos of their own making.


    The Scorpio-tailed Lion aimed to triumph within the turmoil, to capture the prey it desired.


    But the Pegasi were not fools; they did not scatter and always stayed closely together to face the Scorpio-tailed Lion.


    Such standoff lasted for a full two hours. Finally, in a test of will and patience, the Scorpio-tailed Lion came out on top. A small group of Pegasi could no longer endure; they changed direction and took off running.


    Once one Pegasus fled, all the others began to escape in an instant.


    With a whoosh, the entire Pegasus Herd flapped their wings, flying up above the forest.


    The eyes of the Scorpio-tailed Lion flashed with malevolent light, revealing a streak of electricity as it too spread its giant bat wings, swiftly giving chase, relentlessly pursuing one Pegasus in particular.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bard. We¡¯ll follow!¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°Woo yi ya!¡± the Formless Dragon Bard responded softly, its form shifting like a teleport, easily following behind the Pegasus and the Scorpio-tailed Lion. Liszt then said to Ach, ¡°When the Scorpio-tailed Lion pounces on the Pegasus, step in and interrupt it, don¡¯t let it catch the Pegasus too easily; otherwise, the Pegasus might not flee toward the larger herd.¡±


    Pegasi, being Advanced Dragon Beasts with high intelligence, were likely to seek help from their kind in danger.


    However, if the Pegasi could not hold out until reaching the larger herd, Liszt¡¯s plan would naturally fall through. So, maintaining a balance was key¡ªallowing the Pegasus a chance to escape for help and giving the Scorpio-tailed Lion the hope of catching its prey, merely interrupting the rhythm slightly at crucial moments.


    The posture of the Pegasi in flight was graceful, streams of air rising beneath their beautiful wings like noble swans, finding a direction and swiftly escaping.


    The flight posture of the Scorpio-tailed Lion was not so graceful. Its bat wings fluttered repeatedly, like a sparrow hopping on and off, but its speed was subtly faster than that of the Pegasi¡ªa confidence in itself to hunt the Pegasi.


    But whenever it was about to catch up with the Pegasus ahead,


    It always found that the Pegasus suddenly burst with speed, leaving it trailing at a distance.


    This enraged the Scorpio-tailed Lion; it had captured Pegasi several times during its growth and longed for the taste. It was well aware that these Pegasi were no match for itself when fleeing. Yet it did not anticipate that this particular Pegasus could always burst with speed, causing its attacks to miss.


    But,


    the Pegasus ultimately lacked explosive power. Having only slightly widened the gap, its speed soon slowed down again.


    Seeing this, the Scorpio-tailed Lion could not hold back any longer. It vigorously flapped its wings and rushed toward the Pegasus, not planning to give up the delicious prey within its reach!


    This chase continued for dozens of miles.


    Although the Pegasus Herd was escaping in panic, their formation did not scatter and they still flew urgently in one direction. The Scorpio-tailed Lion was panting heavily. Its large body was not well suited for long-distance flying, but with prey hovering just within reach, it couldn¡¯t bear to give up and kept sprinting.


    ¡°Just one more time, just one more and I¡¯ll definitely kill it!¡± this was probably the true portrayal of its inner thoughts.


    Regrettably, fate¡¯s hands, in this case, were held by Ach at the edge of the material boundary, or one might say by Liszt. They could always rely on the power of Magic at crucial moments to give the Pegasus a nudge. Not too much, just enough so the Pegasus could narrowly evade the Scorpio-tailed Lion¡¯s bite.


    But fate is fickle.


    Just when Liszt thought this strategy was brilliant and victory was within reach, the Scorpio-tailed Lion, having failed another pounce, chose to give up.


    With resentful eyes, it glared several times at the Pegasus Herd that was flying further and further away, then with heavy breaths began to descend toward the ground below.


    Finally accepting the harsh reality, it declared its hunting failure.


    ¡°You actually gave up, the fat prey right before your eyes and you chose to give up, you waste!¡± Liszt raged. First, he had Ach tag the small Pegasus Herd with a Space Magic Beacon, then he directly maneuvered the Formless Dragon to make a turnabout attack, finding the Scorpio-tailed Lion resting in the forest.


    He pulled out the Dragon Lance Fury of Thunder and directly executed a move from the Dragon Dou Qi Manual, ¡°Poison Dragon Drill.¡± The Dragon Lance, like a drill bit, extended from the material boundary, and with a speed faster than lightning, it pierced the weary Scorpio-tailed Lion, which saw stars before its eyes.


    The powerful force of the Dragon Knight infused.


    The Scorpio-tailed Lion had no time to react and was skewered dead.


    Looking at the Scorpio-tailed Lion killed by a single blow, Liszt quickly reorganized his Space Rings, freeing one of them to cram the large body of the Scorpio-tailed Lion into the Gemstone Space¡ªthe five-meter-diameter spherical space of the Space Ring barely fit the lion.


    Having done all this, without any hesitation,


    He rapidly pursued the Pegasus Herd, following the signal of the Space Magic Beacon.


    He wanted to see if, after being startled, the Pegasus Herd would continue to join the larger herd, and it was with this thought that he reaped a rich reward.


    The group of Pegasus kept flying, with good stamina they crossed a distance of several hundred kilometers, only then did they gracefully land in a valley surrounded by mountains. In the Crystal White Trajectory¡¯s view, there was a spot in the valley with sparse trees but lush wild grass, and it was scattered with more than a hundred peacefully grazing Pegasus.


    Greyish-green Magic reflections flickered on and off, among them, three special green lights stood out as if solid, a vibrant emerald hue.


    And atop the heads of the Pegasus, they formed a point, slightly longer than the head, like a sharp horn.


    ¡°Storm Dragon Horse!¡± Liszt¡¯s heart settled, effort pays off, his scheme of having the Scorpio-tailed Lion chase the Pegasus although momentarily thwarted, still achieved the desired result¡ªhe found the Pegasus with horns on their heads, the legendary Unicorns known as Storm Dragon Horses.


    And not just one, but three Storm Dragon Horses appeared at once!


    Suppressing his excitement, he did not go down to capture them but remained at the boundary of the material realm, observing this Pegasus Herd and the three Storm Dragon Horses among them.


    A vague suspicion arose in his heart, ¡°Storm Dragon Horses are indeed Unicorns, extraordinary in themselves, and the Magic power in their horns definitely reaches High Magic levels¡­ but, is this the mission just to help Ach find a mount, with Ach being an Archmage, would he just ride such Storm Dragon Horses?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that he looked down upon the Storm Dragon Horses, but they simply didn¡¯t befit Ach, knowing that once the Formless Dragon Bard had earnestly hoped Ach would ride it.


    But Ach had refused.


    What virtues did the Storm Dragon Horses have to qualify as Ach¡¯s mount?


    While he was deep in thought, a puff of smoke appeared out of nowhere and quickly condensed into ephemeral Serpent Script: ¡°Mission completed, reward Storm Dragon Horse.¡±


    The smoke swiftly dispersed and then reconvened into another segment of Serpent Script.


    ¡°Mission: Even Pegasus with horns are merely ordinary Pegasus and cannot match the status of Ach as an Archmage. However, while you¡¯re feeling disheartened, have you noticed that the true Unicorn is secretly observing you and Ach? Perhaps what you need to do is to distance yourself from Ach. Reward: One Unicorn.¡±


    Seeing the first part of the mission, Liszt was quite thrilled, indeed, the power of destiny is the projection of one¡¯s own will; Storm Dragon Horses are simply not suited for Ach¡¯s stature.


    But then.


    Upon reading the latter part of the mission, his expression quickly darkened: ¡°What does this mean!¡±


    S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 936 - 0933: Sanctity (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch bonus 18/147)

    Chapter 936: Chapter 0933: Sanctity (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch bonus 18/147)


    No matter how angry or wronged he felt, he couldn¡¯t change the content of the Smoke Mission; he was still to leave Ach a bit further away and not hinder the unicorn¡¯s approach.


    ¡°How preposterous!¡±


    After taking three deep breaths, he calmed his restlessness and regained composure. He reviewed the content of the Smoke Mission with a tranquil mindset again, but upon revisiting it, a nameless fury swiftly stirred within him¡ªit was simply intolerable, a blatant smear against him!


    ¡°Deep breaths!¡±


    ¡°Deep breaths!¡±


    He confronted his impatience in silence.


    Eventually, reason prevailed over impulse, and he carefully considered the mission: ¡°A Pegasus with a unicorn horn is just an ordinary Pegasus¡­ The real unicorn is observing in the dark¡­ Does this mean the unicorn I¡¯ve seen is not a true unicorn, or perhaps there is a more powerful unicorn out there?¡±


    The reward for the Smoke Mission was ¡°a unicorn.¡±


    However, there were three unicorns present at the scene. As long as Liszt was willing to capture them, these three unicorns couldn¡¯t escape, so this didn¡¯t match the reward mentioned in the Smoke Mission.


    Moreover, the previous mission had already awarded a ¡°Storm Dragon Horse.¡±


    ¡°So it means, among the Pegasus Herd, the common unhorned mounts are advanced Dragon Beasts, the Pegasus with the horn is a Super Dragon Beast, a Storm Dragon Horse, and hiding in the shadows there is an even more magical, true unicorn?¡±


    Liszt could not guess what the true unicorn was, but it didn¡¯t hinder him from setting aside his pride and saying to Ach, ¡°I have a strong hunch that the unicorns we¡¯ve discovered are not the true unicorns. The real unicorn is probably as wondrous as legends describe, very fond of maidens.¡±


    Ach voiced his doubt, ¡°Brother, are you saying that these three Storm Dragon Horses aren¡¯t unicorns, even though they clearly have horns?¡±


    ¡°The ones with horns are just Storm Dragon Horses, a level above Pegasus. However, the unicorn is recorded as a creature more magical than Sub-dragons, similar to a dragon in enchantment¡­ I didn¡¯t believe it at first either, but I feel a magical gaze watching over us.¡±


    ¡°The real unicorn is nearby?¡± Ach didn¡¯t quite grasp the concept but was impressed.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°I guess that¡¯s the case. So, I plan to sneak away with Bard to one side while you stay here to attract the unicorn. According to legend, unicorns are kind and like pure maidens very much¡ªyou fit the description perfectly, Ach¡­ If it dares to harm you, you defend yourself first, and Bard and I will rush up and kill it!¡±


    Ach nodded and clenched her fists with confidence, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother, Ach has mastered the Water Element, Ice Element, and Space Elemental Incarnation. Earth Elemental Incarnation is also in development. My strength is not less than that of a Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After stroking Ach¡¯s azure hair, he set her down on the ground and swiftly steered Bard high into the distance.


    He retreated nearly a kilometer away, took out his telescope, activated Crystal White View, and quietly observed the spot where Ach stood. He also scanned the surroundings occasionally, trying to spot the unicorn.


    In view.


    Ach first hid within the boundary of matter, and, as an Archmage who mastered the Space Elemental Incarnation, she moved in and out of the material boundary effortlessly.


    However, after a brief stillness, she found a rock to sit, pulled out a book of Magic Books to read, and her figure emerged from the material boundary.


    The nearby Pegasus and Storm Dragon Horses eating grass finally noticed Ach and got a little restless, the entire Pegasus Herd moving a short distance away. But as Ach quietly read her book, these Pegasus quickly relaxed and unconsciously returned to her side.


    Occasionally, a Pegasus would raise its head to look at Ach, then lower it again to continue grazing.


    Completely regarding Ach as a harmless being¡ªof course, Ach indeed had no intent to harm the Pegasus. The one who was really intent was Liszt, not the Sea Serpent Magician engrossed in the world of magic.


    ¡­


    An hour flashed by.


    The unicorn had not appeared, and the Smoke Mission was unresolved.


    Liszt frowned, ¡°Could it be that I¡¯m too close, perhaps I really need to move further away.¡± The thought aggravated him, but he still suppressed his emotions and steered Bard back again, retreating beyond five kilometers, setting up his telescope to carefully watch Ach and her surroundings.


    Another half hour passed, and still no sign of the unicorn.


    Liszt growled with boredom as he chatted through a mental link with the Formless Dragon, ¡°Bard, do you think I¡¯m a good person?¡±


    ¡°Whether you¡¯re a good person or not¡­ The taste of the recent batch of Smoked Grass has declined a bit. Liszt, do you think it¡¯s because my taste has become too sophisticated, or is the Smoked Grass Elf Bug not working hard enough?¡±


    ¡°You eat it every day without fear of cavities. Eat less usually, so that it¡¯ll taste better when you do have it.¡±


    ¡°I understand the reasoning, but I still think Smoked Grass needs improvement. Have the magicians of the Magic Guild evolve the Smoked Grass Bugs into Little Minor Elves; that will definitely improve the taste.¡±


    ¡°You think Elf Bugs can just evolve into Little Minor Elves willy-nilly? Why don¡¯t you just as casually throw me a few Space Gems, especially after I allocated Red Dragon Water to you?¡±


    ¡°Heh, the Red Dragon Water is shared by all, not my exclusive enjoyment.¡±


    ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll give one bottle of Red Dragon Water for one of your Space Gems.¡±


    ¡°One hundred bottles for one gem.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your tongue flap too much in the breeze, three bottles for one gem.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just rob me? Three bottles of Red Dragon Water can¡¯t even conjure the outer shell of a Space Gem, and it¡¯s my Superior Magic that¡¯s needed for the conjuration. Fifty bottles, I¡¯ll take the loss and make the exchange!¡±


    ¡°Ten bottles for one!¡±


    ¡°Impossible, forty bottles!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen bottles, and not a bottle more.¡±


    ¡°Forty bottles, and that¡¯s my final offer.¡±


    ¡°Twenty bottles, I¡¯m bleeding for this!¡±


    ¡°Forty bottles, that¡¯s the bottom line.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-five bottles, will you agree or not? If not, I¡¯m not trading.¡±


    ¡°Forty bottles.¡± Bard conveyed a resolute ¡°take it or leave it¡± intent, no longer wanting to haggle endlessly with Liszt.


    Liszt fell silent then.


    The market price for Red Dragon Water in the Steel Ridge Kingdom was such that one could easily sell one bottle for twenty thousand Gold Coins, and if other countries were buying, one might not find a seller even for thirty thousand.


    So, forty bottles of Red Dragon Water amounted to nearly one million two hundred thousand Gold Coins, trading it for a Space Gem wasn¡¯t a loss for the Dragon Rearing Family. But Liszt, who kept a Formless Dragon himself, found it hard to part with so much Red Dragon Water.


    Right now, he and Ach together had six Space Rings, which were barely sufficient. Therefore, the topic ended there. He wasn¡¯t willing to buy, and the Formless Dragon wasn¡¯t willing to sell.


    It was at this time.


    Through the telescope, he saw Ach suddenly put down his Magic Books, turn his head toward a certain place in the forest; it wasn¡¯t a casual glance, but he was sizing something up.


    But when Liszt turned the telescope there, he couldn¡¯t see what Ach was actually looking at. In the Crystal White View, there was no new magical feedback Light: ¡°Strange, Ach obviously has spotted a Unicorn. Why can¡¯t I see the magic feedback Light of the Unicorn¡­ Could it be that Unicorns, like Formless Dragons, can turn invisible?¡±


    The thought had barely arisen before he dismissed it.


    In legend, Unicorns could not become invisible, and moreover, many people could see a Unicorn when it appeared. It was just that only a pure virgin could approach a Unicorn, and its special ability was thought to be discerning the good and evil in a person¡¯s heart.


    The next moment. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A light bulb went off in his head: ¡°I¡¯d searched the Pegasus Herd carefully before and couldn¡¯t find a Unicorn, but the Smoke Mission hinted that a Unicorn was lurking nearby. Could it be that a Unicorn can hide its magical feedback light? If so, wouldn¡¯t I be able to see it with the naked eye?¡±


    With that thought in mind, he immediately dispelled the Crystal White Trajectory and opted for the naked eye view.


    Sure enough, in the lens of the telescope, there appeared a pristine white, nearly translucent special Pegasus, bathed in a faint rainbow glow, standing on air, gently approaching Ach.


    Its size was no larger than that of a Pegasus or a Storm Dragon Horse.


    The only difference was the spiral horn on top of its head, which was not the silver horn of a Storm Dragon Horse, but a shiny golden horn like pure gold.


    Even though the distance was great and he was looking through a telescope, Liszt still immediately thought of the word ¡°sacred¡± the first time he saw it.


    ¡°This is a true Unicorn!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A statement:


    I¡¯ve recently discovered a WeChat public account impersonating ¡°Author Bai Yihan,¡± please do not be fooled. My public account is ¡°Bai Yihan,¡± with a profile picture of a big truck. It¡¯s just for occasionally posting some writing materials; it doesn¡¯t have any other functions, and it certainly won¡¯t involve any money-related content.

 Chapter 937 - 0934: Creating a Rainbow (Fourth Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 19/147)

    Chapter 937: Chapter 0934: Creating a Rainbow (Fourth Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 19/147)


    The holy Unicorn, like a sculpture of white jade in the form of a majestic Pegasus, exuded a faintly discernible rainbow light around its body.


    Its golden spiraling horn undisputedly displayed its nobility.


    The soft mane and tail seemed to be woven from the clouds on the horizon, and its streamlined body combined strength with aesthetic appeal. A pair of broad and flawless wings didn¡¯t appear out of place but instead further highlighted the Unicorn¡¯s transcendent and refined nature. Its hooves trod on empty space, creating ripples like rings of mist.


    Aside from its golden horn, the only part not white on its body were those large black and bright eyes.


    Due to the distance, the details were unclear, but the eyes, resembling black gemstones, suddenly elevated the creature¡¯s aloof and pure stance, giving it a lively and interesting character.


    It slowly walked up to Ach, snorted like a horse, and then watched him intently.


    Showing affection.


    Ach was very short, and the Unicorn was about four meters tall, similar in stature to Liszt¡¯s King of Black Blood Treasure Horses, Lightning. She wished to reach out and touch the Unicorn¡¯s head, but couldn¡¯t, and yet the Unicorn quickly bowed its head, allowing Ach to laugh and stroke its spiral golden horn.


    ¡°Indeed, the legends are true,¡± Liszt murmured with a sense of wonder as he observed the harmonious interaction between man and nature through his telescope.


    He wasn¡¯t angry at all about the directive to ¡°keep his distance¡± for the Smoke Mission.


    He was actually very pleased that Ach had gained the favor of the Unicorn, as the purpose of the trip had been to find a suitable mount for Ach.


    The more noble and holy the Unicorn was, the more fitting it was for Ach¡¯s status.


    ¡°Now I¡¯m even more curious to know how many legendary creatures and treasures really exist. If Unicorns, which are even more majestic than Storm Dragon Horses, truly exist, then might there also be real Phoenixes beyond the Flame Dragon Birds? And what lies beyond the Lightning Dragon Turtles?¡±


    And there are many other creatures of legend that are just as magical as the Unicorn.


    The Hellhound Cerberus that reigned over the Exiled Lands, the colossal Leviathan that roamed the Devil¡¯s Sea, the chimera with the heads of a goat, lion, and serpent combined, the giant wolf Fenrir that raced across the icy lands, the world-encircling serpent Ouroboros, and the invincible giant lion Nemean.


    Not to mention the guardian of the Golden Apples, the Ladon Dragon that could not fly and only ran on the ground.


    Additionally, the legends also spoke of Sub-dragons as powerful as Dragons, ocean giants like Leviathan, land behemoths like Behemoth, and sky giants like Ziz.


    ¡°Do these creatures all exist, and are they as magical as the legends say?¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t willing to believe there were creatures stronger than Dragons, but he had seen the cuts on the hind legs of a Jade Dragon, obviously left by a creature more terrifying than a Sacred Dragon.


    He had also obtained the wood of the Tree of Golden Apples, and the handle of the Time Scepter was made from this wood¡ªwhere there were Trees of Golden Apples, naturally, there were Golden Apples.


    And why wouldn¡¯t the Ladon Dragon guarding the Golden Apples really exist?


    What¡¯s more, Liszt had once glimpsed an even greater existence¡ªthe Dragon of the Magic Web¡ªwhose magic power supported the entire civilization of magic.


    If such incredible creatures could exist, what was impossible?


    ¡°This magical world¡ªanything is possible,¡± he continued, observing the distant Unicorn through his telescope.


    Using the naked eye, the Unicorn¡¯s appearance was clearly visible, but as soon as he executed the Crystal White Trajectory, the Unicorn vanished from sight. Neither the glow of magic feedback nor the crystalline structure of the Unicorn was visible, as if such a creature had never existed.


    Quite miraculous, it made Liszt very eager to investigate.


    But he refrained from approaching, giving Ach time to tame the Unicorn.


    ¡­


    Unlike Liszt¡¯s taming of a Dragon, the Unicorn approached Ach on its own and quickly knelt down its forelegs, lowering its body to let Ach step onto its wings and climb aboard.


    Although it had gained an extra pair of wings, this did not impede riding.


    Ach¡¯s horsemanship had become skilled, so he was soon able to ride the Unicorn and leisurely stroll on the ground. The surrounding Storm Dragon Horses and Pegasus seeing the Unicorn approach, all lowered their heads in submission as vassals would to their Landlord.


    It wasn¡¯t clear what relationship the Unicorn had with the Pegasus, but within the Pegasus Herd, the Unicorn was king, the Storm Dragon Horse a level below, with Pegasus being the lowest tier.


    After running slowly for a moment, the Unicorn quickly flapped its wings and took to the air.


    Its wings seemed more for show, barely flapping at all. Yet its flying speed was not slow at all, like a shooting star that suddenly soared into the sky, then just as suddenly descended atop the treetops. Faster and more agile than the teleport-like flight of the Formless Dragon, the most unique feature was the rainbow it trailed behind when flying at high speed.


    Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet; the colors were not very distinct, and they quickly dissipated, but the effect they produced was absolutely dreamlike.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising that Ach quickly took a liking to this Unicorn.


    Even Liszt, watching from a distance, felt his girlish heart stir, yearning for a Unicorn that could create rainbows.


    After about half an hour of flying in the sky, the Unicorn began to fly towards Liszt¡¯s location with Ach on its back. As it neared the material boundary where the Formless Dragon was hiding, the Unicorn hesitated for a while, seeming to know that the Formless Dragon was concealed within the material boundary and feeling wary.


    It wasn¡¯t clear what Ach said to it, but the Unicorn relaxed again, slowly approaching the Formless Dragon.


    ¡°Big brother, let Bard out, Ach has already spoken with the Unicorn.¡±


    Upon hearing Ach¡¯s shout, Liszt appeared from the material boundary, quietly floating in the sky. Bard stared at the Unicorn with curiosity, and both it and Liszt took a liking to this Unicorn that could create rainbows.


    ¡°Wowarr!¡±


    Bard attempted a greeting.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± The Unicorn snorted from the other side, and it was unclear if it was responding to Bard. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ach, can the Unicorn understand what you¡¯re saying?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes twinkled, really wanting to ride the Unicorn to prove he was also pure of heart.


    ¡°The Unicorn is very impressive, big brother, it can not only understand what Ach is saying but also directly communicate with Ach telepathically. It also has many magical qualities, it¡¯s just that since it has never encountered humans before, many of its habits and abilities are waiting to be slowly explored by Ach.¡±


    ¡°It has never encountered humans before?¡± Liszt steered Bard down slightly to take a closer look under the Unicorn and saw it was bare, ¡°So is it male or female?¡±


    ¡°Big brother, Unicorns have no gender.¡±


    ¡°No gender?¡±


    ¡°Yes, like Dragons and Elves, they have no gender. But Ach does not know where it came from; even the Unicorn itself does not know. It has lived among the Pegasus Herd from the time it could remember, raised by a mother Pegasus. And now, all of the Pegasus in the Pegasus Great Forest listen to it.¡±


    ¡°So does it letting you ride mean that it recognizes you as its master?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it just really likes Ach, and Ach really likes the Unicorn, and then it¡¯s willing to follow Ach¡¯s commands.¡± Ach smiled proudly, like a child who had received a beloved toy, even though she had become a knowledgeable Archmage, she still retained the purity of a Sea Serpent.


    Perhaps it was this innocence that attracted the sacred Unicorn.


    ¡°There¡¯s no contract triggered, or a mind meld of sorts?¡±


    ¡°Nope, it¡¯s just telepathic communication.¡±


    Hearing that there was no contract between Ach and the Unicorn or a mind meld like Dragon Riding, Liszt was somewhat disappointed.


    He actually had more faith in the binding of contracts, but since there was no contract, the best thing might be to lure the Unicorn and the entire Pegasus Herd to Flame Island.


    So he said, ¡°Ach, ask the Unicorn if it is willing to lead the Pegasus Herd to live on Flame Island. I can allocate the best grasslands for them to live freely¡­ no, better not ask yet. Let¡¯s get to know the Unicorn better after spending a couple of days with it.¡±

 Chapter 938 - 0935 Unicorn Superior Magic (First Update)

    Chapter 938: Chapter 0935 Unicorn Superior Magic (First Update)


    Over the next two days, Liszt and Ach stayed in the valley, bonding with the unicorn.


    Bone Dragon Vinnie, Fire Dragon Leo, and Formless Dragon Bard aimlessly dispersed around the outer rim of the valley, each occupying a territory to settle in, so to avoid disturbing the Pegasus herd, Liszt did not let them approach the interior of the valley.


    Ach got along harmoniously with the unicorn, having familiarized himself with all its magical characteristics.


    However, when it was Liszt¡¯s turn, he could not even touch the unicorn, let alone ride it to see how it felt, even with Ach¡¯s help in speaking for Liszt. The unicorn still refused to let Liszt touch it.


    Liszt could only give a dry laugh and mask his awkwardness, saying, ¡°It has character, I like that.¡±


    Usually, he was the one riding dragons while others looked on enviously. Now it was Ach riding the unicorn and he was the envious one¡ªhow fortunes change over the years.


    Fortunately,


    while unicorns were not rideable, Pegasus and Storm Dragon Horses were available for anyone to ride¡ªAch could make the unicorns command these Pegasus not to resist. Over these two days, Liszt rode each of the three Storm Dragon Horses and even personally collected some of the Pegasus¡¯s favorite grass to feed them.


    With the unicorn¡¯s authority and the grass as an incentive, the three Storm Dragon Horses no longer resisted Liszt and could be ridden at will.


    Though the Storm Dragon Horses lacked the ethereal beauty of the unicorns, they were still supreme Dragon Beasts, capable of flying at speeds over 150 kilometers per hour, and they could fly for a day and a night without tiring. Even ordinary Pegasus could easily cover over 100 kilometers per hour and sustain flight for three to five hours.


    When running on land, both Pegasus and Storm Dragon Horses could reach speeds up to 100 kilometers per hour, but they possessed astonishing stamina, capable of running the whole day.


    After all, they were high-tier and super-tier Dragon Beasts, infinitely stronger than ordinary Dragon Breed Horses.


    If the Knight Order could be heavily equipped with Pegasus, their combat capabilities would be incredibly fearsome, as even an ordinary Pegasus possessed the strength of a Sword Saint.


    At that point, unless Dragon Knights intervened, Domain Knights and Ancient Warrior Inheritors would be no match.


    At that moment,


    a chorus of whinnies resounded from the sky, heralding the arrival of a small group of Pegasus, who settled in the valley, calling out to the three leading Storm Dragon Horses. After receiving a few responses, the new Pegasus joined the others in grazing peacefully all around the valley.


    This was the fourth group of Pegasus to arrive in these two days, though they did not come on their own accord¡ªit was Liszt¡¯s idea.


    He had Ach communicate with the unicorn to issue commands to the Pegasus herd, calling back all the scattered Pegasus.


    When they left, they intended to take every Pegasus from Pegasus Great Forest with them, leaving none for the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    On the third day,


    as the last two groups of Pegasus arrived, the unicorn informed Ach that except for those already captured by human knights, all Pegasus in Pegasus Great Forest had returned.


    Liszt personally counted¡ªthere were two hundred and eighty-three Pegasus and four Storm Dragon Horses, including one that had always been roaming outside whose horn had broken off.


    According to the unicorn, this Storm Dragon Horse had its horn broken by a human Knight in battle. At that time, a Noble Landlord led a Knight Order to capture it, but it killed them all, although its spiraled silver horn was broken and its soul was damaged, changing its temperament drastically.


    It had a strong hostility towards humans and seemed somewhat inferior in the presence of its own kind.


    If it weren¡¯t for the unicorn¡¯s forceful authority, it would have fought Liszt on sight¡ªboth Pegasus and Storm Dragon Horses were extremely fearful of the unicorn¡¯s authority and dared not question its commands.


    In terms of physique, unicorns did indeed resemble Pegasus.


    However, in terms of their essence of life, unicorns were entirely different from Pegasus and Storm Dragon Horses, especially since they lacked reproductive organs. Moreover, as Ach continued to explore, the unicorn¡¯s abilities became increasingly mysterious; each newly discovered ability widened the gap between it and the Pegasus.


    To the extent that without looking at the appearance, Pegasus and unicorns were entirely unrelated.


    ¡°Brother, Ach has discovered a new ability in Charlie, it is based on the essence of elements and has the ability to enhance the caster¡¯s level of magic power!¡± Ach happily said, descending from the sky on the unicorn, Charlie¡ªthis name was given by Liszt.


    No matter how proud the unicorn was, it couldn¡¯t escape the shadow cast by Liszt. As long as Ach was persuaded, the name Charlie was destined to accompany the unicorn for life.


    As for the name ¡°Charlie¡± itself.


    It was Liszt¡¯s intentionally wicked humor, derived from an American animated film ¡°Unicorn Charlie,¡± in which a unicorn named Charlie was tricked by red and blue unicorns, and even had his kidney stolen when entering Candy Mountain¡­ In fact, seeing the unicorn reminded Liszt of this animated film.


    Then in his mind suddenly echoed the coaxing tone of the red and blue unicorns: ¡°Charlie¡­ Charlie¡­¡±


    ¡°Enhance the caster¡¯s level of magic power?¡± Liszt raised an eyebrow, ¡°Ach, are you saying that if you cast magic, Charlie can elevate your high magic level to a superior magic level?¡±


    ¡°Brother, look.¡±


    Ach casually released an Ice System Magic spell, forming a huge shield of solid ice. The magic power attached to it was easily identified by Liszt as having reached the level of Ice System Superior Magic.


    He picked up the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, unleashed Dragon Dou Qi, and fiercely struck at the solid ice shield.


    Boom!


    A crack appeared in the solid ice shield, but it did not shatter, evidently able to withstand many more attacks from him. After discovering this fact, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the unicorn¡¯s tremendous power, which elevated Ach¡¯s magic drawn from the Magic Web from high magic all the way to superior magic.


    You see, there is a fundamental difference between superior magic and high magic.


    Superior magic exists scarce in nature; most superior magic is carried by dragons¡ªthe Dragon¡¯s Superior Magic can transform into metals, gemstones, can be perpetual flames, can create everlasting storms, can condense Gemstone Space, can bear Magic Form, and so on.


    ¡°Ach, you can rely on Charlie to master superior magic, so does your superior magic level also have eternal properties?¡±


    Whether it turns into perpetual flames, non-stop storms, or transforms into metals and gemstones, the essence is still the eternal property of magic power¡ªordinary metal is less obvious, but the magic power in gemstones can exist for a long time, and magic metals also have good magic power communication abilities.


    Unlike low magic or high magic, which dissipate quickly after release, even if they turn into stone or ice blocks, do not retain any magical properties.


    Ach, however, shook his head at this, ¡°Brother, look at this solid ice shield; it melts very slowly. If there is no outside interference, it may take three or five days to melt completely. But it will eventually melt, and once it leaves Charlie¡¯s enhancement, the superior magic will quickly fall back to high magic.¡±


    That is to say, this superior magic is essentially a manifestation of the unicorn¡¯s abilities, rather than it inherently being superior magic.


    ¡°Well, although it does not possess eternal properties, making your magic not reach its expected value, your combat capabilities will definitely not be inferior to any Dragon Knight when paired with Charlie¡­even if I, your brother, only ride an ordinary war dragon, I¡¯m probably no match for you.¡±


    Liszt felt somewhat melancholic.


    A Dragon Knight without a dragon definitely couldn¡¯t beat an Archmage. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Previously, Liszt could still boast as the strongest in the Flame Kingdom by riding dragons; now, he might have to be more cautious, only riding Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, which isn¡¯t particularly strong in combat, he really might not be able to beat Ach.


    Ach cheerfully consoled him, ¡°Now, Ach can protect brother.¡±

 Chapter 939 - 0936: Crossing the Sea (Second Update)

    Chapter 939: Chapter 0936: Crossing the Sea (Second Update)


    Ach hoped to protect Li Si Te (Liszt), a thought that had been engraved in the little sea monster¡¯s mind since the moment Liszt had protected him.


    Liszt did not refuse Ach¡¯s kindness, nor did he harbor any thoughts of being ¡°protected¡± by a ¡°woman¡± or ¡°living off a woman.¡±


    The relationship between him and Ach had reached a level where it didn¡¯t matter who protected whom; they were both already standing at the pinnacle of this world¡¯s power.


    He smiled.


    Liszt returned to the main topic, ¡°So, enhancing the levels of magic power is Charlie¡¯s new ability. With this, Charlie¡¯s abilities have become even more powerful. Perhaps its own combat power is not as strong as a dragon¡¯s, but the increase in strength it brings to its riders, especially magicians, is indeed something even dragons cannot match.¡±


    From the moment Ach mounted the unicorn Charlie, the Smoke Mission had already been completed.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: one unicorn.¡±


    This meant that the unicorn had become Ach¡¯s exclusive mount and also represented a strong supporting force owned by Liszt¡ªhelping Ach was equivalent to helping him; there was no difference.


    In the following three days, he collaborated with Ach to study Charlie¡¯s abilities.


    Charlie, who favored Ach very much, cooperated completely, continuously displaying its abilities. After summarizing, they identified approximately five incredible abilities.


    The first one, Void Sprint¡ªCharlie did not have the traditional ability to fly; its wings were just for show, and it did not release any Wind System Magic. Its so-called flight was more like running through the void; space and matter did not constrain it, and it could run just as well underwater.


    Moreover, its speed during the Void Sprint was extremely fast; when it sprinted, its figure was hard to discern with the naked eye. According to Ach¡¯s estimates, Charlie¡¯s top sprinting speed had surpassed the speed of sound, reaching one thousand four hundred kilometers per hour, which was faster than Ach swimming at the speed of sound in water.


    However, the extreme sprint was not sustainable; Charlie could maintain its peak sprinting speed for a maximum of two hours, with a normal running speed of about five hundred kilometers per hour.


    The second ability, Discerning Good and Evil¡ªCharlie could distinguish the attitudes of humans and any other creatures towards it, whether they were benevolent or malicious. It could also communicate mentally with many creatures, understanding most of the messages they wanted to convey; it was definitely a qualified interpreter.


    The third ability, Eye of Truth¡ªno hidden methods could be used in front of Charlie, it could see through Formless Dragons hiding at the edge of substances. Whether it was this type of spatial method of hiding, or any other disguise or transformation, none could escape its eyes.


    The fourth ability, Pure Element¡ªCharlie¡¯s body seemed to have no flow of magic power, yet, it could cooperate with Ach to exhibit various properties similar to Elemental Incarnations. Especially the Space Elemental Incarnation, allowing it to follow Ach into the boundary of matter and, with the help of Formless Dragon Bard, to shuttle through space.


    The fifth ability, Magic Power Enhancement¡ªthis was the ability Ach had just discovered, which could elevate the caster¡¯s magic power by one level, turning High Magic into Superior Magic.


    Five abilities, each one profoundly extraordinary, brought the value of the unicorn to a level of parity with dragons.


    Even to a certain extent, the value of the unicorn was greater than that of a dragon.


    Indeed, it could not produce resources or suppress a whole country with battle power. But if combined with an Archmage, it could allow the Archmage to exhibit combat power comparable to a Dragon Knight; the ability to Discern Good and Evil could let it act as a translator in front of various creatures, which would be extremely beneficial for the development of husbandry and breeding industries.


    For instance, it could control a herd of Pegasus, which presented great value, providing a boost for Liszt¡¯s new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Unicorn Charlie has now become Ach¡¯s profitable mount and assistant. Although the relationship between the Pegasus herd and the unicorn is unknown, this does not hinder you from migrating them to Flame Island, making them the exclusive herd of the Flame Family. Please complete this Pegasus migration. Reward: Sun Child Blood Code.¡±


    With unicorn Charlie, driving the Pegasus to Flame Island posed no difficulty.


    As for the mission¡¯s reward.


    Liszt was somewhat surprised yet felt it was not unexpected that the Magic Guild had a group of Grand Magicians who were engaged in the mysterious era of Druid Magic all day long.


    They studied Druid transformation, the cultivation of Magic Beans, and the growth of Transforming Trees.


    And the foundation of all Druid Magic research was the Sun Child bloodline.


    Descendants of Old Tanner Phil were being born in succession¡ªthe group of magicians arranged for a group of volunteer serfs to conceive with Old Phil and bribed Old Phil¡¯s legitimate widow to make the process unimpeded. They submitted the plan for review to the committee and handed it over to Liszt for decision-making. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Grand Magicians solemnly swore they would never mistreat the newborn Sun Child infants and would raise them as Magic Apprentices.


    After much hesitation, Liszt reluctantly approved the request¡ªhe also hoped that Druid Magic could truly flourish and contribute value to the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°Finally, we are about to crack the Sun Child Blood Code. Does this mean that in the future the magicians of the Flame Kingdom¡­ no, it should be the arcanists, will also be able to perform Druid Transformation Magic?¡± The identity of a magician was gradually being diluted in Liszt¡¯s view.


    From now on, all researchers related to magic power and casters would be uniformly called Arcanists.


    Regardless, he would not allow magicians to reenter the combat lineup; as a beneficiary and manipulator of the knight system, he needed to ensure the dominance of the knights, unshaken for a thousand years.


    ¡­


    ¡°Ach, you and Charlie have almost finished tuning. It¡¯s time to depart from Pegasus Great Forest,¡± Liszt decided to return on July 22nd.


    They set off on July 10th and had spent twelve days in their journey through Pegasus Great Forest.


    The journey back would likely take another two days, perfectly making a two-week trip, aligning with the expectations before departure. Any further delay, and a myriad of accumulated matters back in his domain would fray his nerves¡ªeven though he could delegate most of the work to his followers and his father, Marquis Bull Tail.


    The nascent stage of the kingdom could not be without his decision-making.


    A large part of the reason was due to his own actions, blindly pursuing quick and large-scale achievements while simultaneously starting countless projects, leaving his subordinate officials completely unable to coordinate and maintain such a mess.


    ¡°Brother, Ach has already spoken to Charlie. It will have the Pegasus Herd follow it as it leaves.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s plan a route first, avoiding human settlements, and then approach the coastline. Though these Pegasus might not have the ability to fly across the sea, they will need your help, Ach.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother. Ach can already release Superior Magic. Carrying the Pegasus Herd across the sea will not be a problem.¡±


    Indeed, that was the case.


    When the Pegasus reached the seaside, Ach directly conjured several huge Ice Shields that floated on the sea. As all the Pegasus mounted the ice blocks, she rode Unicorn Charlie, controlling the water flow to rapidly move the ice blocks across the sea. After a brief acceleration, they swiftly reached near sonic speeds.


    ¡°Ach, are you tired?¡± Liszt and Bard also stood on a huge Ice Shield.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite easy. With Charlie¡¯s help, the magic consumption is minimal, but the effect achieved is very strong,¡± responded Ach as she petted Charlie¡¯s satin-like mane, smiling. Having such a beautiful and powerful mount made her unusually happy these past few days.


    An hour and a half later, the Pegasus Herd successfully arrived at Mind Island.


    Having already received a notification from the Magic Platform, the stationed Knight Order temporarily drove out the merchants and serfs on the island, isolating a safe space, allowing the Pegasus to cross through the Magic Gate one by one without disturbance, stepping onto the lands of Flame Island.

 Chapter 942 - 0939 Chop and Feed to the Dog (First Update)

    Chapter 942: Chapter 0939 Chop and Feed to the Dog (First Update)


    After having a meal and a bath, Liszt chose not to stay at Flame Castle for the night. Instead, he put on the Gemstone Crown, mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, and shuttled through space to spend the night at Thorn Castle on Black Horse Island.


    He wanted to soothe his elves and the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn guarding Black Horse Island, riding them and trying to leave his Mind Branding. Many days had passed, and Ornn¡¯s negative feelings toward him had gradually faded, beginning to accept Liszt¡¯s care.


    Positive emotions were continually warming up.


    ¡°Roar!¡± For the first time, Ornn expressed happiness at Liszt¡¯s arrival.


    Thus, the man and dragon circled the night skies of Black Horse Island, not trying to develop too many skills but rather practicing the Dragon Dou Qi Manual created by previous generations of Grey Iron Dragon Knights. Wearing the Gemstone Crown, Liszt felt a significant enhancement in their coordination and strength.


    This divine artifact was immensely valuable, truly a creation of an Ancient Magician.


    Of course, perhaps the Gemstone Crown was more suitable for Archmages. He planned to let Ach try it on ¡ª after all, he and Ach did not stand on ceremony; whoever needed it could wear it.


    He strolled around a few more times. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Returning to Thorn Castle, Thorn Greater Elf Jela had already been waiting early in the castle¡¯s living room, along with Pea Great Elf Ash.


    ¡°Wah, Liszt, you came back and didn¡¯t visit me!¡± Jela started with a fierce complaint.


    ¡°I heard you were sleeping, so I didn¡¯t disturb you.¡± Liszt picked up Jela and placed her on the living room table, solemnly saying, ¡°Jela, you¡¯ve grown up now. It¡¯s time to take on more significant responsibilities. I¡¯m thinking of entrusting you with the stewardship of Thorn Castle. Do you feel confident?¡±


    Jela clenched her little fist, lifted her head proudly, and responded arrogantly, ¡°Hmph, let¡¯s see who dares not to listen to me. Wah, let them taste Jela¡¯s fist of justice!¡±


    ¡°No violence, be gentle.¡± Liszt chuckled sheepishly, probably some lines he had accidentally blurted out one day and Jela had learned them well.


    Jela hummed again, ¡°If Ash misbehaves, Jela will beat it up all the same!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Ash tugged at its rope, coldly snickering on the side. It had never been scared of Jela nor approved of Jela¡¯s temper tantrums.


    Perhaps other elves feared Jela¡¯s irascibility and helplessly accepted her dominance, but this approach didn¡¯t work with Ash.


    Liszt didn¡¯t bother intervening in how the elves ¡°strategized and schemed¡± against each other. As long as they didn¡¯t fight, he let them be¡ªperhaps having a fiery elf like Jela around could bring about the catfish effect, pushing the castle¡¯s elves to evolve faster, preventing them from lazing around all day.


    ¡°Ash, how is your progress with Ornn¡¯s evolutionary training?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to tell you, Liszt. I feel fantastic lately. But it¡¯s not enough; I want one of Ornn¡¯s scales. Can you get it for me?¡±


    ¡°You want one of Ornn¡¯s scales? I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Liszt took Ash¡¯s request very seriously and immediately approached Ornn: ¡°Give me one of your scales.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± As expected, Ornn strongly refused.


    With a swish.


    Liszt quickly pulled out a bottle of Red Dragon Water and placed it beside Ornn¡¯s mouth.


    Puffing out a snorting breath, Ornn¡¯s eyes blinked a couple of times, chose to consume the Red Dragon Water, and then shook his tail, dropping the smallest scale from it. Then, he lay down on the ground and started to sleep soundly¡ªperhaps fearing that he couldn¡¯t resist the temptation of Red Dragon Water and might betray his own scale again.


    Picking up the scale, Liszt did not insist on a better one¡ªthe scales of a Grey Iron Dragon were large, and even the smallest scale was the size of a washbasin for Ash, enough to sleep with.


    ¡°Thank you, Liszt.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Ash.¡±


    ¡°Wah, annoying Ash, getting something from Liszt, I want one too!¡± Jela was quite unhappy that Ash had received a scale from Ornn.


    Liszt raised an eyebrow: ¡°If you also find a dragon you like, I will definitely get you a dragon¡¯s scale.¡±


    ¡°I certainly do not want that; Jela dislikes dragons!¡±


    ¡°Then go to sleep!¡±


    ¡­


    While Liszt was busy appeasing the dragons and elves, the Blood Code Report from the Child of the Sun quickly appeared on his desk.


    In his free time, he skimmed through the report, which was filled with dense experimental data, and just glancing at it gave him a headache.


    He flipped directly to the end of the report to check the conclusion, and through the verbose and tedious records of the magicians, he barely understood the true meaning of the blood code.


    ¡°Micro-blood particle magic coating¡­¡±


    According to the report, blood consists of tiny particles (about the size of cells), and the Child of the Sun¡¯s tiny blood particles are enveloped in a layer of magic power. More precisely, it is a kind of minuscule magic array with the ability to replicate itself.


    This magic coating not only replicates itself, causing all of the Child of the Sun¡¯s blood to be coated with magic power, but it also serves as a ¡°key.¡±


    It is the key to unlocking Druid Transformation Magic.


    To gain a clearer understanding of the report, Liszt directly called Chris Truth over to explain it to him.


    Although Chris primarily handled administrative tasks, her deep understanding of the cutting-edge magical research at the Magic Guild was undeniable. ¡°Your Highness, to put it simply, the micro-blood particle magic coating should be an alchemist¡¯s method, based on the principle that magic power and matter can be exchanged, allowing human blood and animal blood to be interchanged.¡±


    ¡°Exchange human blood with animal blood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, when human blood is exchanged with animal blood, combined with Druid Magic, it allows a person to immediately transform into an animal constituted by animal blood. Perhaps because the research of the ancient Child of the Sun was limited, they only chose bears, leopards, eagles, dolphins, owl beasts, and trees as transformation subjects.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s animal blood, how does transforming into a tree fit into this?¡±


    ¡°Human blood can also become the liquid inside a tree, and then Druid Magic can be activated to transform into a big tree.¡± Chris further explained the principles of magic, which essentially summed up to¡ªthough it seemed fantastical, it was indeed fantastically magical.


    Such research was not something ordinary magicians could fully comprehend; it must have been the work of an Archmage from the Child of the Sun.


    ¡°I think I understand,¡± Liszt nodded¡ªthough he didn¡¯t actually understand, but as a scholar, it was inappropriate to keep asking.


    He would have Ach explain it to him later.


    Of course, this did not prevent him from continuing the conversation with Chris. ¡°So, since the Magic Guild has already cracked the blood code of the Child of the Sun, does this mean that all magicians can now learn Druid Magic?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡± Chris replied somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Although we¡¯ve understood the principles, how the Archmages of the Child of the Sun engraved magic into the blood is still a mystery¡­ so, for the time being, we cannot learn Druid Magic.¡±


    Liszt frowned. ¡°Am I to understand that the Magic Guild has spent a vast amount of my investment only to produce results that are of no use?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, as it stands, the research on Druid Magic indeed does not seem to yield any value.¡±


    ¡°Then reduce the budget. I recall having asked you to cut the budget for Druid Magic research before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but many magicians in the guild are deeply interested in Druid Magic.¡±


    ¡°Convey my order, cut the funding for Druid Magic research by two-thirds; common magicians, unless they advance to Grand Magician, are forbidden from using guild resources on this project; Grand Magicians must ensure two-thirds of their efforts are dedicated to researching the guild¡¯s assigned topics, violators will be expelled from the guild immediately.¡±


    Liszt was a pragmatist with no interest in reviving a declining civilization, and Druid Magic was not necessarily better than the existing system of magicians.


    Besides, he was planning to replace magicians with Arcanists, so there was no possibility of reviving Druids.


    The agricultural magic of the Druids could be studied, but transformation spells seemed interesting but of little practical significance, the project¡¯s budget, if not entirely scrapped, must be drastically cut.


    He thought for a moment.


    Then added to Chris, ¡°Officially notify all registered magicians¡ªI did not establish the Magic Guild as a charity. Those who cannot serve me may choose to leave¡­ and if there are magicians who neither wish to leave nor want to work for me, I wouldn¡¯t mind having them chopped up and fed to the dogs.¡±

 Chapter 943 - 0940: Relaxed on the Inside, Tense on the Outside (Second Update)

    Chapter 943: Chapter 0940: Relaxed on the Inside, Tense on the Outside (Second Update)


    On her journey leaving Flame Castle, Chris sighed helplessly. She was very clear about His Highness¡¯s attitude towards magicians, which was also the attitude of most knights toward magicians¡ªindispensable yet disliked, revered but also guarded.


    After all, in the legendary era of the Moon Empire, it was the magicians who were the rulers, with knights merely serving as their followers.


    ¡°This time His Highness was truly angry. If he really cuts the funding for the druid magic research project, I¡¯m afraid it will cause a great shock to the Magic Guild.¡± She raised her arm and looked at the two gemstone rings on her hand, her gaze suddenly turned piercing, ¡°The will of His Highness is the very reason for the Magic Guild¡¯s existence!¡±


    She had made contributions to managing the Magic Guild, and since magicians could not be granted nobility, Liszt rewarded her with two gemstones.


    She had made these two gemstones into magic rings and wore them on her hand.


    Lowering her arm and looking up at the star-filled sky, Chris softly murmured again, ¡°Herein lie His Highness¡¯s grand ambitions for magicians, no, for arcanists, illuminated by the brilliant light of truth from Lord Acherloides¡­ The times are advancing, and no one can stop it.¡±


    The Arcanist plan¡ªhow could Chris, as the executive vice president of the Magic Guild, not be aware of it?


    Although she was also a magician, her own life had been saved by Liszt, so Liszt¡¯s plan was her plan; there was only support.


    Moreover,


    She faintly felt: ¡°Magicians are doomed to decline, perhaps the brilliance of arcanists will shine in the hands of Prince Liszt and Lord Acherloides.¡±


    Soon, the journey from Flame Castle to the Mage Tower was complete.


    The brightly lit Mage Tower, the brightest building in Flame City at night.


    Hurried steps of magicians and magic apprentices coming and going, creating a noisy yet strict atmosphere, always made Chris feel uncomfortable yet comfortable. It was comfortable because truth was unveiled here; it was a meeting place for magicians every day, every day countless inspirations collided.


    The discomfort came from the fact that it was utterly different from the life of a magician she experienced in her youth.


    The inheritance of magicians was secretive, and many of the old magicians who spent years studying magic were somewhat psychologically distorted. They liked living in the remote wilderness, far from inhabited places, conducting magic experiments that couldn¡¯t see the light of day. Chris¡¯s mentor, although not a pervert, also preferred to live in the wilds and engaged in bizarre research.


    Then later on, after she was brought by her teacher to join the Goat Assembly, she began to study souls and even spent a long time performing pathological experiments on animals.


    If the Goat Assembly had not collapsed in a dragon slaying incident, and she had not been saved by Liszt, perhaps she would have become one of those reclusive and paranoid grand magicians.


    ¡°President, you¡¯re back,¡± greeted a magician politely to Chris, interrupting her memories.


    Chris nodded her head, putting on a serious expression, ¡°Is it Lord Maurice? Are you on duty tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, tonight it¡¯s my turn to be on duty for the research group.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Chris did not waste words with Maurice. The Magic Guild was now home to more than three hundred magicians from overseas.


    If she talked too much, she simply wouldn¡¯t be able to greet everyone.


    Quickly, amidst continuous greetings along the way, she returned to her office, where a magician assistant immediately brought her coffee¡ªshe never acquired the taste for the green tea popular among the nobility.


    ¡°Is Vice President Kenley in her office?¡±


    ¡°Vice President Kenley has gone to Dragon Valley City to survey the Dragon Pit Great Mine.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Send her a magic platform message, have her come to the headquarters of the Magic Guild tomorrow without fail. I have important matters to discuss with her.¡±


    ¡°Understood, President.¡±


    As the assistant went to send the message, Chris took a sip of her coffee and picked up a few documents on her desk to read. Seeing another request for druid magic research funding within them, she immediately tossed the report aside. After thinking for a moment, she took out a piece of paper and began to write.


    Graceful Serpent Script slowly unfolded: ¡°Regarding several issues raised by the request from the honorary president of the Magic Guild, observer of the Arcanist Assessment Committee, Prince Liszt Flame, for the research of druid magic¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Infuriated by the magicians studying Druid Magic, Liszt simply cast the issue aside; to him, it wasn¡¯t of great importance.


    He was a Dragon Knight with six dragons¡ªFire Dragon Leo, Formless Dragon Bard, Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, Light Green Gemstone Dragon Ethan, and Bone Dragon Vinnie.


    No matter how frenzied the magicians became, they couldn¡¯t stir up any significant trouble.


    His so-called ¡°if you don¡¯t want to work, then leave¡± was not merely about sending people away. The Flame Island harbored too many secrets, and these magicians were somewhat involved. To prevent these secrets from being exposed, magicians who were to leave naturally had to encounter some ¡°natural disasters¡± along the way.


    Moreover, there were strict management rules for the Magic Gate of the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation¡ªmagicians were allowed in but not out.


    Even for knights, commoners, and merchants, entering the Mind Island Magic Gate was easy, but leaving through the Reed Marsh Magic Gate required thorough vetting.


    In short.


    Liszt¡¯s management of Flame Island was lax on the inside but strict on the periphery.


    There were hardly any security or defense measures internally¡ªwhether a rat or a spy, keen to probe military secrets or to fish in troubled waters, as long as they could work, they were left to their own devices. All efforts were concentrated on guarding the gates; rats and spies had almost no chance of slipping out.


    Unless they left by sea¡­


    But the Flame Archipelago lay in the vast ocean, and without a professional fleet equipped with Sextant Positioning, Water Calming Pearls, Calming Wind Pearls, and other Magic Equipment, to avoid wind and waves, long-distance navigation was impossible.


    Even if rats or spies did manage to carry the secrets of Flame Island and spread them,


    Liszt wouldn¡¯t be too concerned; friends would be greeted with fine wine, and foes with dragons. Now that Acherloides¡¯s combat power had skyrocketed after mounting the Unicorn, both he and Acherloides could travel through space using the Formless Dragon, unafraid of any threat¡ªthere were only Flame Kingdom aspirations against other nations, no other nation dared to harbor thoughts against the Flame Kingdom.


    Anyway.


    The blood code of the Child of the Sun was simply an episode. He placated dragons and Elves, plus dealing with tedious official duties, which delayed him for two days.


    It wasn¡¯t until the fourth day after his return home that he had time to roam the world beyond matter with the Formless Dragon, searching for natural nodes.


    He executed the Magic Return Positioning, carefully seeking out every slight anomaly in the spatial trajectories.


    However, the easily found natural nodes had already been discovered, leaving only those exceptionally concealed ones that were difficult to confirm through their almost imperceptible fluctuations.


    So for three consecutive days. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He and Bard entered the world beyond matter from different locations of Flame Island but still came up empty-handed, unable to find new natural nodes.


    And during this time, it was the sweltering month of August.


    Acherloides had already taken Unicorn Charlie to find a suitable forest for the Pegasus Herd to settle, near the Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain, right in the center of Flame Island.


    ¡°Brother, there¡¯s a plain that¡¯s situated perfectly between the forest and the grasslands, with a large river flowing through the middle. Charlie really likes it there; he grew up with the Pegasus Herd and is very familiar with the environment that the Pegasi prefer.¡±


    ¡°Located near the Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain? Mountain Copper Dragon Mata is curled up on the mountain, and the Ruins Entrance, set up by the Ancient Magicians, is also there¡­ For now, let¡¯s get the Pegasus Ranch set up. When you have time, we can go through the natural node of the Ruins Entrance and see if we can enter the ruins.¡±


    Acherloides nodded, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The Ruins Entrance was a shattered spatial node with two gateways. One led to the Hourglass Valley of the Sacred Mountain, and the other led to the ¡°Eternal Paradise¡± spoken of by the Moon Slayers¡ªthe actual Ruins Entrance rewarded by the Smoke Mission¡ªwhere the relics of the Ancient Magicians were buried.


    Sadly, the gateway to Eternal Paradise was too dangerous. He had piloted the Formless Dragon Bard several times but never dared to traverse those fragmented spatial rifts, fearing they might erase him completely.


    The spatial rifts should be repairable, and Acherloides was researching this aspect. Sooner or later, they would venture into Eternal Paradise for exploration.

 Chapter 944 - 0941: Severing the Roots (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 22/147)

    Chapter 944: Chapter 0941: Severing the Roots (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 22/147)


    After searching for three more days, Liszt finally found a new natural node.


    However, when the natural node opened, it appeared on Phoenix Tree Island, the seventh largest island of the Flame Islands¡ªa vast expanse of swampland.


    The swampland, with reasonable planning and construction of lakes and ditches to divert water, could quickly be turned into fertile land.


    Yet this massive swampland was located on Phoenix Tree Island, and Liszt didn¡¯t even have the energy to extensively develop Flame Island, let alone Phoenix Tree Island in the short term.


    Besides, he planned to use the surrounding islands as fiefdoms, to be granted to his future followers for them to develop.


    ¡°This place shall be called Yunmeng Marsh.¡± Leaving behind something akin to a ¡°XXX was here¡± marker, Liszt mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, ready to leave Phoenix Tree Island.


    However, he suddenly noticed an area within Yunmeng Marsh that displayed several layers of faint but not weak colors within his Crystal White Trajectory vision. Following the principle of never leaving empty-handed, he and Bard charged straight towards the source of the light, which turned out to be a dry patch in the middle of the swamp.


    The area wasn¡¯t very large, at most the size of a soccer field.


    Sparse shrubs and many half-human tall weeds grew there.


    The luminous light came from six spots in total; he rushed to each one and found that they were six Bloodline Fruits, all nearing maturity. Several Magical Beasts were guarding nearby. With a display of Dragon Might, he easily scared away the Magical Beasts and casually placed the six Bloodline Fruits into his Space Ring.


    After busying himself with these tasks, he had time to ponder, ¡°Something¡¯s not right, obtaining six Bloodline Fruits at once is definitely odd. With a natural node nearby and many Bloodline Fruits here, could it mean this place is extraordinary, possibly concealing dragon-related clues?¡±


    According to the patterns he had established, any place with a natural node had definitely experienced a higher level of Magic Power conflict, and dragons were the prime culprits capable of causing Superior Magic-level conflicts.


    With that thought.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate to turn around and leave, mounting the Formless Dragon to rapidly cross space and return to Flame Castle. Near Flame Castle, the Dragon Nest for Bone Dragon Vinnie was under construction¡ªessentially digging a large pit in a shady spot, because after soul fusion with the Bone Dragon, Vinnie had also grown fond of the low-lying, moist, and chilly places.


    ¡°Your Highness, did you need me?¡± Vinnie greeted joyously. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°There might be something I need your help with.¡±


    ¡°Just give your commands.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, I found a swampland on Phoenix Tree Island with several Bloodline Fruits growing. I suspect there might be dragon-related clues buried underground, and I¡¯d like to excavate them. But without serfs, and my slow digging speed, other dragons are not willing to dig.¡±


    Dragons have their pride, deeming digging in the dirt as labor akin to a great insult.


    But Vinnie was different, effectively still being a human girl at heart, so she readily agreed, ¡°Your Highness, then leave the excavation to me. However, I do hope to cooperate with you, as my soul¡¯s power still does not fully synergize with the Bone Dragon¡¯s body.¡± As she spoke, the eerie blue flames of the Bone Dragon¡¯s eyes flickered.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Naturally.¡±


    And so, Bone Dragon Vinnie directly transformed into a Magic Form and clung to Liszt¡¯s face.


    Formless Dragon Bard tore through the material boundary, rapidly crossing space, and returned to the Yunmeng Marsh natural node. After landing, Bard went off to find a place to rest, while Liszt called out Bone Dragon Vinnie and mounted her.


    In an instant.


    He and Vinnie became one in heart and mind.


    A wonderful feeling lingered in his heart, a kind of refreshing delight. Gathering his thoughts, he quickly took control of the Bone Dragon and began to work.


    The Bone Dragon¡¯s front limbs were more powerful than an excavator; plunging into the soil, with a gentle effort, tons of earth were scooped out. Then, flattened on the nearby ground, he even rolled it around, checking if there was anything similar to a Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg within the dirt.


    After digging for several hours, the flat land where the Bloodline Fruits grew had turned into a huge pit, six or seven meters deep.


    At that moment.


    He finally discovered something out of the ordinary, it seemed like some hard object was buried underground. Continuing to dig, this hard object slowly revealed its true form. It was a wood-like object, similar to a tree root, buried beneath the deep pit. The surface had started to decay, but upon scraping off the rotted layer, the inside was still as hard as fresh wood.


    The diameter was about as large as three people could wrap their arms around, but it was only fourteen meters in length¡ªa section of the root with both the front and the end broken off.


    ¡°What kind of tree has left this root behind, and is it the force behind the growth of the Bloodline Fruits?¡± Liszt manipulated the Bone Dragon to grip the root and weighed it in his hands.


    The Bone Dragon¡¯s vision wasn¡¯t clear enough to see what this section of root was.


    He personally used the Eye of Magic but still couldn¡¯t identify what it was. There was no glow from any magic power, and only from the pattern of the break could one tell it was originally the root of a tree.


    ¡°Is there any other part below?¡± Filled with doubt, Liszt continued to excavate for another half an hour, enlarging the pit to the size of three soccer fields, even unearthing groundwater, but sadly no other cut roots were found.


    There was only this one section of root here.


    ¡°Anyway, with a thickness that three people could barely encompass, this tree must have blotted out the sky when it was alive¡­ If it had ever spawned elves, what kind of level would they be? Dragon Elves, or perhaps the legendary Elf King?¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t fathom the former glory of this tree.


    Vinnie had no idea about the root¡¯s origin, either.


    As the sky began to darken, he ordered Bone Dragon Vinnie back into his body and then maneuvered Bard, holding the root, to rapidly shuttle through space.


    The root was somewhat oversized, and Bard struggled to hold it, having to consume Space Magic Power to merge it with a world beyond material. It took so much energy that Liszt, feeling pained, pulled out a bottle of Red Dragon Water to replenish Bard¡ªthe Dragon had become his most reliable partner.


    Indeed, Bard was becoming more competent than Little Fire Dragon Leo¡ªprovided Bard wasn¡¯t constantly chewing on Smoked Grass as if it were gum, in which case it might already have surpassed him.


    Holding the root, he burst out of the Reed Marsh Magic Gate.


    He found Ach, who was still collecting information about the Magic Gate in this area, and Liszt directly said, ¡°Ach, look at what strange thing I found. This is a peculiar root, and I suspect it possesses mysterious power, potentially promoting the growth of Bloodline Fruits. See if you can identify it with the Knowledge Ancient Book.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ach took out the Knowledge Ancient Book and touched the section of the root.


    Shortly, the book emitted a glow, and a sequence of Moon Language appeared¡ªTree of Golden Apples.


    ¡°Tree of Golden Apples!¡± Liszt was taken aback, then overjoyed, ¡°This section of root actually belongs to the Tree of Golden Apples?¡±


    Golden Apples were legendary treasures whose exact magical properties were unknown, but the value of the Tree of Golden Apples could be glimpsed through the Time Scepter.


    As the support for the Time Diamond, it was no ordinary object.


    ¡°Brother, have you only found this piece of the Tree of Golden Apples? It doesn¡¯t seem very magical.¡± Ach was also surprised, but after examining the wood, she seemed a bit puzzled.


    This Tree of Golden Apples looked like ordinary wood¡ªapart from being huge, it had no magical characteristics.


    Liszt smiled and said, ¡°The Knowledge Ancient Book¡¯s identification result shouldn¡¯t be mistaken. Remember, it last identified all the gemstones of the Gemstone Crown, not missing a single one.¡±

 Chapter 946 - 0943: A Serving of Smoked Grass (First Update)

    Chapter 946: Chapter 0943: A Serving of Smoked Grass (First Update) Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fierce Earth Dogs evolved into Blizzard Beasts, but Li Si Te couldn¡¯t be certain whether this one male and two female trio of entirely new Little Fierce Earth Dogs would be able to evolve into a lineage interconnected with Douson and the other Blizzard Beasts.


    He could only give it a try for now.


    He hoped that Green Skin, White Skin, and Golden Skin could become the cornerstone of the Blizzard Beast Legion.


    After spending three days on this work, just when Li Si Te decided to search for natural nodes again, he unexpectedly welcomed the visit of the steward from White Paper Workshop reporting on their work.


    ¡°Your Highness, blessed by the Knight¡¯s Glory, and by your glorious favor, the White Paper Workshop has recently created a very valuable new product. After testing, the results are excellent, and as such, I have come to report to you,¡± the steward¡¯s face beamed with a smile he couldn¡¯t contain, his expression extremely proud.


    ¡°Is that so? What¡¯s the new product?¡± Li Si Te was rather surprised.


    He had found only one new nature node, unable to form a transportation network, so the Smoke Mission remained incomplete. He hadn¡¯t expected that the White Paper Workshop would have already discovered a new variety of white paper.


    The steward smiled and gestured for his assistant to bring over a box, then took out a tightly bundled stack of white paper: ¡°Your Highness, this is the paper towel you¡¯ve always requested. We completed its production about half a month ago, and after subsequent improvements in craftsmanship, it now meets Your Highness¡¯s standards.¡±


    The paper towels weren¡¯t cut into individual small pieces, but rather one large sheet.


    The surface was very soft, not yet reaching the quality of the Earth¡¯s Qingfeng brand paper towels, but as a hand-wiping paper towel, it was already a qualified product.


    ¡°So this is the new product from the White Paper Workshop?¡± Li Si Te wiped his hands with the paper towel, feeling it was just so-so, not as good as the feeling of wiping his hands with a silk handkerchief.


    ¡°This paper towel is something you requested, Your Highness, not the new product our workshop has developed. Our new product is right here.¡± The steward took out another piece of white paper from the box and presented it respectfully to Li Si Te, ¡°Your Highness, this white paper is made from Hemp Rope Vine.¡±


    Taking the white paper, Li Si Te saw no difference from ordinary white paper.


    The steward explained: ¡°Fire cannot burn this white paper; water cannot dampen it; insects can¡¯t infest it; even vigorously tearing it won¡¯t cause it to fray; and it¡¯s very troublesome to cut with a knife. When we need to trim the rough edges, we have to ask an Earth Knight to cut it one sheet at a time, otherwise it¡¯s impossible to cut through.¡±


    ¡°That magical?¡± Li Si Te was quite surprised, having never imagined such a white paper could exist.


    He tore at it with effort and found the paper, as the steward had said, to appear like a thin sheet of white paper, one that could be freely crumpled, but was very difficult to tear apart. Even with the robust physique he had acquired from the nourishment of Dragon Dou Qi, he had to expend thirty percent of his strength to barely manage to tear it.


    Without using Dou Qi, his thirty percent of strength was already greater than what an Apprentice Knight could muster with all their might.


    In other words, this type of white paper was practically indestructible by ordinary people without utilizing Dou Qi.


    In an instant, Li Si Te thought of many possible benefits¡ªif paper alone was this strong, if used to make armor, wouldn¡¯t it be defiant of the heavens? Moreover, its properties of being unfazed by fire, water, and insects made it scarcely inferior to metal armor when it came to preservation.


    It seemed that Hemp Rope Vine could not only be crafted into rope but also into paper and paper armor, all of great use.


    Li Si Te suddenly thought of something else and inquired: ¡°Since it cannot be soaked by water, how can one write on it with ink?¡±


    The steward replied: ¡°Your Highness, its inconvenience for writing is indeed a downside. However, by using a printing method to apply ink and then exposing it to the sun for several days, the ink can fully penetrate and become indelible, not even scrapeable with a knife. The Magician tasked with technical support, after testing, estimated that words written on this kind of white paper can be preserved for thousands of years without change.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°There¡¯s another disadvantage, the pulp extraction from Hemp Rope Vine consumes a lot, and only the upper layer of the original pulp can refine the material for making white paper. With the Hemp Rope Vine yield from our land, it¡¯s unlikely we can produce paper on a large scale¡­ The manual labor involved is also substantial, the production cycle complex and time-consuming, and the costs are high.¡±


    Nevertheless, the white paper made from Hemp Rope Vine still held valuable worth.


    Li Si Te promptly named this white paper ¡°Vine Paper¡± and designated it as tribute-grade paper for his exclusive use. He intended to use Vine Paper to transcribe books and compile a ¡°Flame Encyclopedia¡± to encompass all content from the myriad worlds, combining the format of the ¡°Yongle Encyclopedia¡± and ¡°Complete Library in Four Sections.¡±


    He also passed the task to the Iron Knights and Magicians to use the original Vine Paper pulp for armor research, attempting to create ¡°Vine Armor¡± that could rival Magic Metal armors.


    Meanwhile, he noticed there had been a change to the Smoke Mission, ¡°The mission has changed.¡± He hadn¡¯t completed the mission, yet the reward had already been obtained in advance, indicating that the quest to find natural nodes was no longer necessary.


    ¡°Now is just right since Bard and I are not yet strong enough, and we also don¡¯t have enough materials gathered in the territory to build more Magic Teleportation Arrays. There¡¯s no rush to search for new natural nodes; we can do so leisurely later on.¡±


    He turned to the new mission,


    ¡°Mission: The Greater Elf Annie of Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree is in an odd state, lacking the spirit for anything, not interested in further nurturing the Flame Dragon Birds, nor in touching the scales of Fire Dragon Leo. As the master of the Elf, you should help it out of its predicament. Reward: Breeding rights for the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    Li Si Te almost immediately thought that perhaps Annie was about to evolve, from a Greater Elf to a Dragon Elf.


    However, considering the mission reward, he felt that the evolution hadn¡¯t reached completion yet: ¡°It¡¯s very likely a part of the evolutionary process, and I need to rush over to help Annie immediately.¡±


    Mounting the Formless Dragon Bard, Liszt directly shuttled through space to arrive at the Volcano Crater.


    He quickly located Annie, who was sitting on a branch of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, staring blankly at the sky with its hands supporting its cheeks. Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple perched on different branches, appearing listless and disheartened, seemingly affected by Annie¡¯s lack of vigor.


    ¡°Annie.¡±


    ¡°Li Si Te.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Liszt empathized with Annie¡¯s inner feelings; the Greater Elf¡¯s emotions were like the blandness after a shiver, losing interest in everything and looking listless, ¡°How about trying a new flavor of Jade Powder? I¡¯ve recently mined some fresh Jade from Jade Mountain, and the Jade Powder grinded from it is well-received by many Elves.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t bring myself to eat.¡± Annie sighed.


    ¡°How about some Smoked Grass then?¡± Li Si Te put on a mask and took out a batch of fresh Smoked Grass from his Space Ring, specially grown for Formless Dragon Bard.


    As soon as the unique scent was released, Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple flitted away without a trace.


    The dispirited Annie, covering its nose, began to jump: ¡°Enough, enough, Li Si Te, I don¡¯t want Smoked Grass!¡±


    ¡°Then cheer up, Annie, I¡¯ve already called Leo over, and I asked it to give you a Fire Dragon Scale. You can hold onto the scale while you sleep.¡± Liszt used his own fiery enthusiasm to continually influence Annie, helping the Elf through the power of their bond.


    The effect was quite positive, and Annie slowly revealed a long-missed smile, ¡°Yes, I will buck up!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 947 - 0944: Planting the Phoenix Tree (Second Update)

    Chapter 947: Chapter 0944: Planting the Phoenix Tree (Second Update)


    Annie felt better, especially when, under Leo¡¯s malicious gaze, she received a Fire Dragon Scale.


    Everything was delightful.


    Therefore, under Liszt¡¯s astonished gaze, the cordyceps plant, the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, surprisingly bloomed one by one with flowers resembling flames. These flowers, thick with Fire Attribute Mana, transformed into clusters of flames under the sunlight.


    From afar, the entire Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree seemed to be burning.


    Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple, three Flame Dragon Birds whose bodies had grown and were now adorned with vivid, fiery red feathers, joyfully circled around the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree. Even Leo, who usually disliked Annie, approached and sniffed the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, taking a liking to the fiery giant tree.


    ¡°Liszt, look!¡± Annie carried the Fire Dragon Scale on her back, then plucked a flame flower from the cordyceps, which immediately wilted, extinguished its flame, and turned into a pile of ash.


    The ash dispersed with the breeze, leaving behind seven purple-red seeds.


    ¡°What are these?¡±


    ¡°These are the seeds of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, Liszt, I can bloom and produce seeds now!¡± she placed the seeds in Liszt¡¯s hand and giggled, ¡°Annie can cultivate more Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees, Annie wants to evolve, and the Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees will cover the entire volcano!¡±


    In the Eye of Magic¡¯s view, the seeds flickered with a fiery red magic radiance.


    ¡°Are these Magic Potions?¡± Liszt immediately had Annie try sowing some Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees.


    Annie complied and, with a wave of her hand, the flame flowers on the tree wilted and turned into seeds that flew into the soil. Soon, around her cordyceps, small Phoenix Perch Parasol saplings sprouted from the ground, growing swiftly in the wind to become little tree saplings.


    The saplings, not selectively bred, varied in quality, but each shone with a fiery red magic feedback, undoubtedly categorizing them as Magic Potions.


    ¡°Task completed, reward: breeding of Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees.¡±


    Fleeting Serpent Script flashed by unnoticed by Liszt, who was still studying the varieties of these Magic Potion Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees. Among all his elves, aside from the three Rubber Minor Elves born of the same origin, which was very magical, the Phoenix Perch Parasol Greater Elf was most unusual. It was the only cordyceps that didn¡¯t need sibling plants to provide nutrients and could grow freely.


    Unfortunately, when Liszt met Annie, she was already a Greater Elf, and he didn¡¯t know how she evolved from a Little Minor Elf to a Greater Elf.


    Now, Annie was evolving towards a Dragon Elf, yet unexpectedly started to flower and produce seeds, generating sibling plants, which was truly strange.


    Strange as it was, after failing to figure out the reasons, Liszt assigned Annie a task to plant a plethora of Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees within the influence range of the cordyceps. When these trees matured, it would be time to harvest and refine the Magic Potions, though the effects of the potions derived from the Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees were yet unknown.


    Now, the domain could produce an increasing variety of Magic Potions.


    Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite Karli alone, with her scale of Magic Potion cultivation, could match the output of all other elves combined; Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike, Thorn Greater Elf Jela, and the newest Phoenix Perch Parasol Greater Elf Annie, were all main producers of Magic Potions.


    Especially Jela, whose cultivation of Auxiliary Medicine Thorn was immensely valuable, producing several times more than the average Greater Elf cultivating Magic Potions.


    Without these Auxiliary Medicines, there simply wouldn¡¯t be enough Magic Potions in the territory.


    ¡­


    ¡°Task: As the saying goes, ¡®Plant the parasol tree to attract the golden phoenix.¡¯ The Flame Dragon Birds love the Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees and enjoy nesting in them. Why not plant a forest of these trees to attract Fire-attribute Birds? Reward: Unknown number of Fire-attribute Birds.¡±


    An unexpected surprise.


    The Smoke Mission and the task Liszt had assigned to Annie surprisingly aligned.


    ¡°Attract Fire Attribute Magical Beast birds, huh? On Black Horse Island, there are specially raised Flamingos, low-level Fire Attribute beasts¡­ I wonder what kind of Fire Attribute birds the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest could attract. I hope they aren¡¯t too shabby, ideally tamable as mounts or able to provide Magical Beast Meat.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Originally, he had planned to let Annie plant the trees herself.


    But since the Smoke Mission required it, Liszt thought it worthwhile to put effort into personally completing the tree planting task¡ªof course, ¡°personally¡± meant transporting a group of serfs and knights over to help Annie plant the trees and share the burden.


    ¡°Leo, lend a hand.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ho!¡±


    ¡°Unwilling?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes bulged, ¡°Then let¡¯s communicate properly!¡±


    He prepared to ride on Leo and execute a Mind Purification Plan to eliminate the vile thoughts that had emerged within Leo lately. It must be said, as the number of training sessions increased, although Leo still developed evil thoughts, they were no longer as frequent as before. The reason was simple: a faint knightly shadow had appeared in his mind.


    This was Liszt¡¯s Mind Branding, beginning to suppress Leo¡¯s evil thoughts.


    At this moment, Leo had grown to a wingspan and body length of forty meters. The various Volcanic Super Magic of the Endless Volcano had greatly propelled his training. Coupled with Liszt providing food, Magic Potions, and proper training guidance, he grew stronger every day.


    His combat power had exploded in growth, and in a one-on-one fight, the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan might no longer be a match for him, starting to directly threaten the battle rank position of the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn.


    He mounted the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    In the mental world, Liszt did not hesitate to cut off the sinister Dragon thoughts that had sprouted, letting Leo be reborn once more, and this time he agreed to help readily.


    On the way back, Liszt called on Ethan¡ªAs for the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, due to insufficient synergy, he was temporarily undirectable.


    Three dragons, Bard, Leo, and Ethan.


    Catching a hot-air-balloon-like basket, he pulled along no fewer than eight hundred knights and serfs, soaring through the sky of Flame Island, returning to the Endless Volcano Cluster.


    ¡°Your task is to follow Captain P¨¤l¨¬s¨©¡¯s commands, and in cooperation with Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf Annie, plant seeds in approximately 6000 acres of land centered around this volcano crater,¡± Liszt ordered while riding on Ethan¡¯s back, assigning the knights and serfs and arranging for Paris to lead this project.


    Paris was his trusted follower; assigning her here underlined his prioritization of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest.


    ¡°Your Highness, rest assured, I¡¯ll handle everything here,¡± Paris said solemnly.


    ¡°I¡¯m reassured by leaving this to you, but be aware that these Phoenix Perch Parasol trees are extraordinary, they are valuable Auxiliary Medicine, and we will need a group of plantation workers to stay here long-term. Take advantage of the times when Annie is tired and have the serfs build a camp nearby, preferably by digging into the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Dig into the mountain?¡± Paris asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I worry that these Phoenix Perch Parasol trees might attract Magical Beasts, and living inside a mountain cave would be safer,¡± Liszt did not know exactly what kind of Magical Beasts it might attract.


    But Magical Beasts are aggressive, and he didn¡¯t want his followers and serfs to suffer losses.


    Paris nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Life here might be somewhat monotonous; if there are any needs, you can ask me, I¡¯ll come over about once a week,¡± Liszt said.


    He would come each time to train with Leo.


    Though it seemed, for now, that the Dragon Knight¡¯s training had reached an impasse hard to break through, habitual training must not stop¡ªKnight Dou Qi Cultivation was such that if you stop, you regress, thus it is live till old, train till old, even Dragon Dou Qi is the same.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 948 - 0945: Youve Grown Up (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Celebration)

    Chapter 948: Chapter 0945: You¡¯ve Grown Up (Third Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Celebration)


    This chapter is a ¡°rewarded increase¡± for ¡°A Salted Fish for One Hundred Thousand Years.¡±


    ¡ª


    August passed leisurely by.


    The most noteworthy events were perhaps two matters.


    One was that Greenhide, Whitehide, and Goldhide, the three Little Fierce Earth Dogs, had all grown robustly and learned the most basic innate magic, Rock Spike, through the nourishment of the Bloodline Fruit.


    Without a doubt, as the residual power of the Bloodline Fruit continued to foster their growth, these three Little Fierce Earth Dogs would eventually evolve into higher-level Blizzard Beasts.


    The pleasant surprise was the failed evolution of Purplehide. It didn¡¯t experience the explosive growth in size like Greenhide, Whitehide, and Goldhide, but it learned two kinds of magic. One was the Earth Element Common Magic ¨C Rock Spike, which the Fierce Earth Dog inherently knew, and the other was a new kind of magic, not belonging to the Blizzard Beast.


    Earth System Advanced Magic ¨C Rock Cluster Burst.


    This magic rolled up the earth from the ground, crushing enemies like rocks. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Purplehide¡¯s magic power reserves were still insufficient, and it struggled to cast this magic, often collapsing halfway through, but there was no doubt that it was advanced magic.


    Only Intermediate Magical Beasts could learn advanced magic.


    Perhaps Purplehide was not a failed evolution; it simply manifested the power of the Bloodline Fruit in another way ¨C its magical talent.


    It might become a caster among the Fierce Earth Dogs.


    It was precisely because of this gift that it was treated no worse than Greenhide, Whitehide, and Goldhide, becoming momentarily unparalleled in the dog yard.


    This was one event in August that Liszt deemed worthy of inclusion in his autobiography.


    The other event was related to dragons.


    He finally imprinted the indelible mark of the First Dragon Knight in the mind of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon Ethan, which meant, barring extraordinary circumstances like the Smoke Mission, this mental bond could not be broken. Ethan would be forever branded with Liszt¡¯s mark.


    After the Mind Branding was complete.


    In the great hall of Flame Castle, Liszt formally summoned his talented female follower.


    ¡°Emily, you have now become a Sword Saint. Though the name Thunderous Sword Saint may be a bit unrefined, it proves that your abilities are recognized by everyone. Within the Dragon Knight candidacy plan, you are currently the only knight who meets the dragon riding requirements, and you are also my most trusted follower.¡±


    The girl already knew the fate that awaited her, so she knelt on one knee, solemnly performing the knight¡¯s loyalty ritual, ¡°Your Highness, Emily will always be the sharp sword in Your Highness¡¯s hand; where Your Highness points, there Emily shall go!¡±


    ¡°Lift your head.¡± Liszt rose from his seat and walked toward Emily.


    The girl immediately lifted her head.


    Her skin was still the healthy color of wheat, but coupled with her exotic features, there was a different kind of beauty. Unconsciously, the skinny little girl from before had taken on her own feminine charm.


    Her gaze toward Liszt held respect, determination, and a special kind of love.


    And this love was undisguised.


    From their first meeting several years ago, it had already begun to grow and blossom, and now it had grown into an unshakeable towering tree, ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Arriving by the girl¡¯s side, Liszt bowed his head to look at the soldierly Emily and said reflectively, ¡°You have grown up¡­ It¡¯s time to take on more important responsibilities. Rise and come with me, Ethan is waiting for you at the Dragon Nest in Jade Mountain. From now on, you will spend half of your time bonding with Ethan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Emily was so excited she could nearly tremble.


    She stood up and followed closely behind Li Si Te, walking towards the castle gates where the Formless Dragon Bard idly chewed Smoked Grass, bored.


    The smell was somewhat unpleasant, but luckily the wind was strong today and not so evident.


    Actually, even if the smell were stronger, Emily probably wouldn¡¯t notice; her heart had already flown to the distant Jade Mountain, towards that gracefully poised, robust Light Green Gemstone Dragon. Many times, in her dreams, she had seen herself riding Ethan, soaring through the skies.


    Her desire to succeed in riding Ethan was unparalleled.


    Although Your Highness had said that even if she couldn¡¯t ride Ethan, she could choose Ornn or Mata, she firmly believed that Ethan was the dragon meant for her, a strong gut feeling.


    Inside the castle.


    Butler Carter, leaning on a cane, came to the castle¡¯s entrance to see off the young master and Emily. Watching the little girl who used to dine at the small castle in Fresh Flower Town, about to become a Dragon Knight, Butler Carter felt truly happy: ¡°Praise the young master, Emily will be the young master¡¯s effective follower.¡±


    Then, he quietly added in his heart, ¡°Perhaps sooner or later, she will join the Flame Family.¡±


    ¡­


    Ethan¡¯s Dragon Nest was atop Jade Mountain.


    A city was already taking shape in the valley near this mountain, known as Jade City.


    About half of the city¡¯s inhabitants were Moon Slayer serfs, clad in the most common linen, doing the most physically demanding labor; a smaller portion consisted of Flame People civilians. Although they too wore linen clothes, their jobs were easier, and their clothes thus cleaner and more tidy, adorned with simple shell jewelry on their hands and necks.


    Additionally, some were Knights and even Nobles¡ªin the Flame Island, virtually anyone who was an Earth Knight was considered a Noble, and working for a certain period here might result in ennoblement.


    These Noble Knights often had several Apprentice Knights as retainers following them, enjoying a drink or two in the city¡¯s taverns, before hurrying off. Nearly every Knight held multiple roles, taking on various managerial tasks in city construction, or venturing out to cultivate new lands.


    Occasionally, one or two Magicians would appear on the streets to buy something, then quickly hop into a carriage and leave.


    The Magicians primarily worked in the Jade Mountain Mines, responsible for mapping the Jade Veins, instructing the serfs on how to mine Jade, and overseeing the sealing and transportation of it to other places.


    Tony was one such Magician, having worked for three months at the Jade Mountain Mines.


    He hailed from the Steel Ridge Kingdom, and had come along with his Grand Magician teacher who initially planned to complete his pilgrimage and return. However, he was so captivated by the Druid Magic research project that it kept getting delayed and he had no real desire to go back.


    ¡°Sigh, although the Magic Holy Land has an incarnation of Truth walking in the world, it isn¡¯t free soil. I don¡¯t know if my teacher can survive this funding crisis,¡± Tony worried about his teacher as he sketched with paper and pen, ¡°With my teacher¡¯s knowledge, that Highness shouldn¡¯t be too harsh, right?¡±


    Not long ago, Chris Truth, the executive vice president of the Magic Guild, suddenly called an Arcanist Council meeting. During the meeting, she announced that funding for druid research was being cut by two-thirds, and that Common Magicians were prohibited from participating in Druid research.


    Several Grand Magicians angrily slammed the table and walked out on the spot.


    And then¡­ actually, there was no real ¡°then.¡±


    As they stepped out of the meeting room, that incarnate being of Truth came riding on a Unicorn and cast a wide charm. A giant wall of water slashed down, killing two of the leading rebellious Grand Magicians on the spot. She left after giving a few instructions to Chris, essentially to report the names of all the troublemakers.


    All the Grand Magicians who had banged on tables obediently lowered their heads and admitted their fault.


    No Magician dared to question an Archmage, and besides, this one rode a Unicorn, a creature of legend said to only befriend the pure at heart. Unicorns were imbued with so much meaning, symbolizing righteousness and nobility; anyone opposing a Unicorn rider was instantly seen as the villain, incapable of garnering any public sympathy.


    Labeled as a villain, Tony was quite worried for his teacher.


    He was so distracted that he couldn¡¯t even focus on his job, and right then, a serf suddenly looked up into the sky, cheering loudly: ¡°Seki!¡±


    ¡°Biggleswade!¡±

 Chapter 950 - 0947: Atlantis (First Update)

    Chapter 950: Chapter 0947: Atlantis (First Update)


    Duke Pierrot had been living in luxury on Black Horse Island, he was no fool, and had early on guessed the outcome regarding the Mountain Copper Dragon from Liszt¡¯s composed expression.


    To be able to snatch away the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn so swiftly, was enough to prove how powerful this young Dragon Knight, who caused him such conflicting feelings, truly was. That¡¯s why he had originally used the information about the Mountain Copper Dragon in exchange for Liszt¡¯s help in stabilizing his ducal position, hoping to maintain his power and wealth.


    Once someone has tasted prosperity, how could they willingly let it go? At least Pierrot couldn¡¯t. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the envoy group from the Eagle Royal Family has already reached out to me, and after the Dragon Sprite exchange, I will be able to return to the Grey Iron Duchy,¡± Pierrot said frankly to Liszt after meeting him, ¡°Relying on Your Majesty¡¯s power, I remain the Duke of the Grey Iron Duchy, though I still have to pay tribute to the Eagle Kingdom and dare not sever the vassal relationship lightly.¡±


    Switching sides in secret was one thing, but publicly he had to consider the face of the Eagle Royal Family. After all, the Grey Iron Duchy was a distant 108,000 miles from the Flame Kingdom but lay on the border of the Eagle Kingdom.


    ¡°No matter, I will naturally protect you. Both the Eagle Royal Family and the Grey Iron Duchy wouldn¡¯t dare to openly turn against me, so your position as Duke is very secure for at least the next six months. However, after half a year, I cannot guarantee whether the Eagle Royal Family will act against you in private, nor can I assure you of the Grey Iron Family from within, which may join forces with the Eagle Royal Family.¡±


    Pierrot could use Liszt¡¯s name to return to his country and continue as Duke.


    However, this could not change his culpability for losing the dragon; he was still a criminal in the eyes of the Grey Iron Family and his own Duchy.


    Moreover, his secret defection and Liszt¡¯s verbal protection¡ªboth the Eagle Royal Family and the Grey Iron Family would surely guess how many favors Pierrot had promised Liszt. For such acts of betrayal against the Duchy and the suzerain state, even his own son might wish to devour his flesh and blood.


    Therefore, Liszt doubted whether Pierrot could survive the next six months.


    The previously mentioned twenty years of protection were simply a consolation, more so to retain an excuse to provoke war.


    Pierrot nevertheless smiled confidently: ¡°Your Highness, I lack your greatness and dominance; even my son hopes that I die in a foreign land. But I am not a lone individual; the Dragon Rearing Families within the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s vassal states who have good relations with me will help me get through the tough times.¡±


    ¡°Confidence is good.¡±


    ¡°Twenty years, I hope to live to see Your Highness conquer the three great Kingdoms, unifying the Northeastern Corner of the Legendary Continent¡­ Perhaps I won¡¯t live that long, but my grandson will surely witness it.¡±


    Grandson?


    Liszt¡¯s eyebrows raised but he said nothing else¡ªhe guessed that after Pierrot returned, he would kill his own son, as having grandchildren meant it didn¡¯t matter whether he had a son or not.


    After meeting with Duke Pierrot, he quickly announced the summoning of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s envoy group.


    The head of the envoy group was still a familiar face, Alexander White Iron, and after a series of courtesies, the ransom was directly transacted in the great hall of Thorn Castle.


    Liszt left the details to his father, Li Weiliam, focusing solely on the transaction involving the Dragon Sprite.


    The Dragon Sprite brought as ransom by the Eagle Royal Family, according to the rules, had to be of the grain or Magic Potion type, and could not be over two hundred years old. Dragon Sprites only have a lifespan of five hundred years; if the Eagle Royal Family brought a Dragon Sprite that was over four hundred years old, Liszt would definitely turn hostile.


    ¡°Its name is Atlantis, which evolved into a Dragon Sprite one hundred and twenty years ago, and has since diligently ploughed buckwheat for the Eagle Royal Family. His Majesty the King of the Eagle Kingdom, bearing great pain, allowed it to be cut away and sent to Your Majesty the Flame King,¡± said Alexander in a low tone, emanating a sense of enduring humiliation and reluctance.


    By his side stood a delicately dressed, slender little figure wearing the garb of a noble ¨C Little Flack Abieye.


    The tiny figure¡¯s head was crystal clear and white, crowned with a cluster of light pink blossoms, the Buckwheat Dragon Sprite itself.


    At this moment, the Buckwheat Dragon Sprite Atlantis gazed at Liszt with its sparkling large eyes, its expression filled with a humanlike sorrow and nervousness. It had already dissolved the spirit contract with the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King, but the memories from over a hundred years of life in the Eagle Kingdom were indelibly etched in its mind.


    It took several days of persuasion by the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King before it agreed to serve as a ransom, to depart for a new life in the Flame Kingdom.


    However, during the voyage, its spirits were consistently low, and even the light pink flowers atop its head seemed a bit wilted. It had no expectations for its new life, only a desire to return to the carefree days spent among the Eagle Royal Family, amidst familiar faces and houses.


    But.


    It had to muster some spirit to take stock of the human in front of it, who would soon become its new contract partner.


    By the aesthetic standards of the Elves, the human before it seemed rather easy on the eyes, certainly not an odd or disfigured looking one. His facial features were well-proportioned and symmetrical, with a straight stature, and a pair of bright eyes like the stars gave off a benevolent gaze.


    All in all, the first impression wasn¡¯t bad, but neither was it particularly good¡ªthe changes it faced were still met with considerable resistance in its heart.


    Simultaneously, Liszt was also taking measure of Atlantis. He had surmised that the Eagle Royal Family would send this Buckwheat Dragon Sprite. Piero, the ¡°traitor,¡± had submitted reports about the Eagle Royal Family to him long ago, including information about their Dragon Sprites, and the one most fitting was the Buckwheat Dragon Sprite.


    First of all, buckwheat was classified as a type of grain, which met the prerequisite of being a grain-related Dragon Sprite; secondly, the Buckwheat Dragon Sprite was less than two hundred years old, aligning with Liszt¡¯s age requirement; lastly, among all grains, buckwheat was of lesser value.


    The name buckwheat contains ¡°wheat,¡± but in fact, it has no relation to wheat.


    Wheat belongs to the Poaceae family, part of the monocots, whereas buckwheat is a dicot, related to the Chinese knotweed, producing triangular seeds. In this world, buckwheat¡¯s yield and nutritional value couldn¡¯t compete with barley and wheat.


    However, there was one good thing about buckwheat¡ªit was unpretentious and easy to care for, capable of growing once scattered in the field, and sometimes, even without the influence of Cordyceps, it could still produce a respectable harvest.


    ¡°Atlantis, welcome to the Flame Kingdom. I am Liszt Flame, the king of these lands, the master of the seas, and the Knight of many dragons. From now on, we will be partners. The Flame Family welcomes you, and I believe you will grow to love it here.¡±


    He extended his hand, not to stuff it into Atlantis¡¯s mouth, but to offer it a handshake.


    Dragon Sprites had the intelligence of a grown human, understanding many things and deserving to be treated as equals. Atlantis hesitated for a moment before it extended its little hand and shook hands simply with Liszt.


    ¡°So, shall we contract now?¡± Liszt then raised his hand, extending a single index finger.


    Atlantis was conflicted¡ªit could feel Liszt¡¯s friendliness and remembered the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King¡¯s request, but still, it did not want to change.


    At that moment, Liszt glanced over at Alexander.


    Alexander immediately felt an almost palpable weight of serious pressure upon him and promptly spoke up: ¡°Atlantis, please contract with His Majesty the Flame King, don¡¯t hesitate any longer. Hasn¡¯t His Majesty the King of the Eagle Kingdom already spoken to you? You need to accept this new life.¡±


    Atlantis hung its head low, silent for a moment. Then it grasped Liszt¡¯s outstretched hand with both hands, reluctantly opened its mouth, and bit down on Liszt¡¯s fingertip.


    Blood oozed from the fingertip, and in an instant, a wondrous reaction occurred with Atlantis¡¯s teeth, bringing forth a mysterious and profound feeling in the hearts of both Atlantis and Liszt.


    They were now of one mind and one spirit.

 Chapter 951 - 0948: Generations to Come (Second Update)

    Chapter 951: Chapter 0948: Generations to Come (Second Update)


    The Buckwheat Dragon Elf of Atlantis, now renamed Yadi, officially settled in Flame Island, located around Flame City in the buckwheat plantation¡ªThe plantation had been constructed before Yadi¡¯s arrival since Liszt had previously acquired a few Buckwheat Elf Bugs.


    However, after the contract, Yadi became somewhat silent.


    His mood was consistently gloomy.


    During his first meeting with the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf, Kali, at Flame Castle, he had been humiliated by Kali. It was all ¡°unwanted elf,¡± ¡°little one, behave,¡± ¡°can¡¯t even speak Serpent Script¡±, ¡°useless, trash, if you¡¯re capable, then grow Magic Potions.¡±


    Luckily, Yadi didn¡¯t understand the Serpent Script and didn¡¯t comprehend what Kali was saying.


    After being scolded by Liszt, Kali ceased to trouble Yadi. He didn¡¯t spend much time living at Flame Castle and frequently went out. Kali, who possessed soil magic, often led the Man-Eating Tree Cluster on adventures in search of new species of Man-Eating Trees, generating income for Liszt.


    His combat strength wasn¡¯t strong, yet his survival skills were top-notch, and after several ineffective attempts at dissuasion, Liszt simply let him be.


    ¡°Yadi, what activities do you usually enjoy?¡±


    ¡°Playing the piano.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is that so? I also enjoy playing the piano. If work wasn¡¯t so busy, I might have become a piano master.¡±


    ¡°What can you play?¡± Yadi asked, not very enthused.


    ¡°I can play many pieces, have you heard of ¡®For Alice¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I have heard it, I can play it.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt chuckled, ¡°That piano piece was one I listened to a not so famous pianist perform when I was young. After my own modifications and refinements, the final score was set. I never expected it to spread to the Eagle Kingdom in just a few years.¡±


    Yadi said in surprise, ¡°You really can play the piano.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a few new pieces when I have the time, all composed by me and yet to be released to the public,¡± Liszt said.


    After becoming a Dragon Knight, Liszt¡¯s memory had greatly improved; the melodies of many piano pieces he had heard in his past life emerged complete in his mind. With a bit of refinement, they became classic masterpieces, but he was ultimately too occupied with his official duties to compile his ¡°Liszt¡¯s Piano Collection.¡±


    The only manuscript he still held in hand to organize was ¡°Liszt¡¯s Complete Dragon Knight Training Manual,¡± covering all experiences in dragon training.


    As this was to be the great work passed down within the Flame Family, it had to be treated with the utmost seriousness.


    Using the topic of playing the piano, Liszt successfully eliminated the feeling of strangeness between himself and Yadi, but he didn¡¯t have the time to chat and bond with Yadi every day. After preparing a piano room specially for Yadi and a complete set of piano scores, he hastily left Flame Castle.


    First, he went to check on Emily¡¯s progress in dragon riding.


    The progress was minimal.


    But the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan didn¡¯t show any aversion to Emily, indicating that she still had a great chance of successfully riding the dragon.


    ¡°Now that you have to manage the Mammoth Knight Brigade, take care of the Blizzard Beasts, and persist in training with the dragon, do you feel tired?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, not at all tired; spending time with Ethan is relaxing for me.¡±


    ¡°Mm, dragon riding isn¡¯t something that can be achieved overnight. You must be prepared for a prolonged struggle,¡± Liszt said, patting Emily¡¯s shoulder, which immediately brought a faint blush to the girl¡¯s face.


    When she was just a little girl, Liszt was fond of patting her shoulder like that.


    As Emily grew up, adherence to noble etiquette became stricter, and Liszt had not made such an intimate gesture as patting her shoulder for a long time.


    She looked up, her bright eyes sparkling: ¡°Please rest assured, Your Highness!¡±


    The September sunlight had already started to weaken, and the climate of Flame Island was about to experience the dry season of autumn and winter when crops cease to grow, and food begins to become scarce.


    Even with the Flame Territory and Bull Tail Domain continuously transporting food here, it still couldn¡¯t keep up with the rapidly growing number of serfs.


    In the past few months, the knight orders under Liszt and those under Li Weiliam had been constantly subjugating the Moon Slayer Native Tribes. A third of the southeastern forests on Flame Island had been visited by the knight orders, with a total of one million two hundred thousand Moon Slayer serfs subjugated.


    Fortunately, the number of Flame People had reached three hundred thousand, a ratio sufficient to manage the Moon Slayer serfs.


    To show support for his son¡¯s nation-building, Marquis Li Weiliam did not undertake large-scale development in his fiefdom, Tulip Island. Instead, he placed most of the family¡¯s knight orders under Liszt¡¯s management to support the development of Flame Island¡ªhe was well aware that the better Flame Island was developed, the more beneficial it would be for the neighboring islands.


    A thriving large island market far outweighs a thriving small island market.


    Most importantly, he and Liszt now shared the same idea¡ªfarming wasn¡¯t as profitable as plundering.


    ¡°The Eagle Kingdom launched a campaign against me known as the Dragon Slaying War, intending to drive me to my death. This grudge cannot go unavenged. Moreover, the Eagle Kingdom has not apologized to me nor compensated me for my losses¡­ Buckwheat Dragon Sprite is a ransom, not compensation¡­ If they don¡¯t give it, I¡¯ll take it myself.¡±


    ¡°Liszt, the Flame Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom signed an agreement prohibiting dragon-level combat. Relying solely on knights, we may not accomplish much,¡± Marquis of Bull Tail, Li Weiliam spoke.


    He was still the Marquis of Bull Tail in the Duchy of Sapphire, and Liszt also still held the title of Marquis of Flames. These titles and honors were temporarily retained until Flame Kingdom formally declared nationhood.


    ¡°Although I have signed an agreement with the Eagle Kingdom, the Sapphire Family has not. This time, let the Sapphire Duke issue a Pioneer Mandate. All the knight orders under us will fly the Sapphire banner¡­ Additionally, let the Sapphire Dragon go out and plunder, while I secretly restrain the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knights.¡±


    Li Weiliam did not object: ¡°That would indeed be good.¡±


    Thus, the two of them quickly proceeded to the Azure Sky Peak Palace to discuss war matters with the Sapphire Duke. In just a few months¡¯ time, the Sapphire Duke had already aged greatly, appearing like a man in his seventies or eighties, with severely weakened vitality, especially mentally, where he seemed particularly listless.


    ¡°Grand Duke Andrew, how is your health?¡±


    ¡°It seems I can no longer hide it, Your Majesty. My time is short, and I fear I will soon have to pass the Sapphire on to Anthony,¡± the Duke said, sighing. ¡°I had hoped to endure for a few more years to pave the way for Anthony. Now I can only hope for your help, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Please say it, Grand Duke. I will help wherever I can.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty should still remember the dragon slaying incident of the past. Marquis of Bull launched a rebellion and assassinated the Sapphire Dragon. He used a vile form of soul magic that tore apart the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s soul. To preserve the life of the Sapphire Dragon, I had no choice but to overdraft my own soul to keep it alive.¡±


    But the human soul, compared to the dragon soul, is far too weak, and the Sapphire Duke was already at his wits¡¯ end.


    ¡°Two years have passed, and I still haven¡¯t found a way to repair the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s soul. Andy has been imprisoned in the dungeon, but all experiments to separate his fused dragon soul and give it back to the Sapphire Dragon have been unsuccessful¡­ After my death, the only choice is for Anthony to continue repairing the Sapphire Dragon in my stead.¡±


    ¡°This probably isn¡¯t a solution; what if Anthony can¡¯t manage it either?¡± Liszt asked, frowning.


    ¡°I have a second son, Angus. If Anthony dies, then Angus will take over. If Angus also fails, Anthony¡¯s children should be of age by then¡­¡±

 Chapter 953 - 0950: Semi-finished Product (First Update)

    Chapter 953: Chapter 0950: Semi-finished Product (First Update)


    Lich Andy was transported to the Tower of Reeds in Reed City.


    To study the Magic Teleportation Array, Ach used his Earth Elemental Incarnation, which he had not yet mastered perfectly, to conjure a tall Rock tower. Then he let the construction team simply decorate the interior, thus creating a Mage Tower that stood a hundred meters tall, and named it the Tower of Reeds.


    At this moment, in a secluded laboratory within the Tower of Reeds, Liszt was watching Ach set up a Magic Array. In the center of the Magic Array stood the tall figure of Lich Andy, firmly bound by Mountain Copper Lock Chains.


    He could now only be considered a humanoid creature, his shell covered in special metallic armor that had fully fused with his body and soul. According to information provided by the Sapphire Duke, it was with a set of mysterious armor known as ¡°Marks of Terror¡± that Andy had managed to fuse his own soul with that of a dragon¡¯s soul to transform into a Lich.


    The Marks of Terror had completely merged into Andy¡¯s body, profoundly altering its nature, making the original material indiscernible.


    However, Liszt speculated that the original material must be dragon-related, for in this world, the most supreme materials are dragon parts. Of the four pieces of equipment he found in the statues, three were made from dragon materials. Moreover, armor crafted from dragon material would obviously be most suitable for a perfect fusion with a Dragon Soul.


    ¡°Ach, do you think that peeling the Marks of Terror from his body first would make it easier to strip the soul?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still not very clear, but from Ach¡¯s observations, the Marks of Terror have already become the Lich¡¯s physical carrier. With time passing, his flesh is gradually merging into the Marks of Terror. I fear it won¡¯t be long before he becomes a true Lich.¡±


    ¡°A true Lich, so you mean to say he isn¡¯t a Lich right now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a half-finished product,¡± Ach succinctly assessed. ¡°The workmanship is very rough, and the transformation process must have flaws. Based on what Ach has read in the Magic Books about legends, the Liches of ancient times were also known as Lich Kings, developed by research conducted by Archmages, and could not possibly be this fragile.¡±


    She conjured a water ring that enclosed around Lich Andy¡¯s arm, gently constricting it and immediately causing the armor to deform: ¡°Brother, see, it really is very fragile.¡±


    Liszt nodded: ¡°Hmm, indeed quite fragile.¡±


    At this moment, Lich Andy, who lay in the Magic Array unable to move, had the blue flames in his eyes tremble violently. He could no longer bear it and let out a deep, hoarse voice, ¡°Are you the Dragon Knight and Archmage spoken of by Andrew?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who stole my grandson Andre¡¯s Mountain Copper Dragon?¡± Lich Andy stared at Liszt¡¯s face, his voice shaking as he inquired.


    Liszt smiled and responded with a hint of mockery, ¡°Dragons are proud creatures; they only acknowledge the most outstanding humans. Your grandson probably wasn¡¯t good enough. He spent years trying to conquer the Mountain Copper Dragon and got nothing, whereas I just spent one day there and the Mountain Copper Dragon voluntarily became my mount.¡±


    After hearing his words, Lich Andy seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he refrained and instead, abruptly changed the subject: ¡°This Archmage, she isn¡¯t human, is she?¡±


    ¡°A spirit of the sea.¡±


    ¡°A Sea Serpent, indeed a Sea Monster Magician¡­ Did Andrew invite Her Excellency the Archmage to study a cure for the Sapphire Dragon?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Curing the Sapphire Dragon is just a side task; we¡¯re more interested in researching soul-related information. So, Lich Andy, I hope you will cooperate with us. The sooner we obtain results, the less pain you¡¯ll endure, and perhaps when I send you to the Exiled Lands, you may even see your grandson.¡±


    ¡°I am an undying Lich!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as undying. If there were, where have all the ancient Liches gone? Besides, you¡¯re not even a finished product.¡± Liszt had nothing else to do today, so he had time to chat idly with Andy, to see if he could ease his mood and get him to cooperate voluntarily with the research.


    A little while later.


    Lich Andy again became inclined to have a conversation, ¡°If you wish to study Liches, why not let¡¯s also make a deal?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°I will cooperate with the research proactively, and by relying on the Dragon Soul in my body, I will make the Sapphire Dragon yours. I¡¯ll give you the destruction of the Sapphire Family and all their wealth, while all I ask is for your assurance that Andre can leave the Duchy of Sapphire freely.¡±


    ¡°I would very much like to agree to you cooperating with the research, but my integrity does not allow me to deceive others. The Sapphire Duke is a resolute man; he wouldn¡¯t spare Andre¡¯s life out of hatred just to torment him. In fact, he would send Andre to the Exiled Lands as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, I am very clear about Andrew¡¯s character¡­ Then, all I need from you is the assurance of the destruction of the Sapphire Family, how about that?¡±


    Liszt still wanted to talk to Lich Andy for a few more sentences.


    However, Ach, who was engrossed in his research, suddenly said, ¡°Brother, Ach has discovered the secret of the Lich. It seems that the Dragon Soul can be easily stripped, and his bodily structure is not very complicated to comprehend. Due to being incomplete, many of his design ideas are exposed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is it that easy?¡±


    ¡°Sapphire has provided quite a lot of data, and Ach has recently collected a batch of information about souls. It¡¯s not difficult to see the secrets of an incomplete Lich. If things go as expected, as long as we have the right materials, Ach could mass-produce these kinds of incomplete Liches.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Lich Andy exclaimed with a tremble.


    Ach¡¯s words ruthlessly shattered any last hope Andy had: ¡°He was transformed into a Lich from a Knight; his Spiritual Power is insufficient, and there are many barriers in his fusion with the Dragon Soul. To call him incomplete is not quite accurate; he should be considered a substandard incomplete¡­ Magicians are the best candidates for transformation into Liches.¡±


    ¡­


    Without any bargaining value, Lich Andy was doomed to be nothing more than a lab rat, and Liszt didn¡¯t let Ach strip the Dragon Soul right away.


    He wasn¡¯t ready to heal the Sapphire Dragon so quickly.


    Perhaps it was a bit hypocritical, but as the future King of the Flame Kingdom, from a political standpoint, a deceased Duke Andrew suited his interests better¡ªhis successor, Anthony, would be easier to control, and once Duke Andrew died, the identity of the Tulip Family followers would become a thing of the past.


    Without the moral constraint of the identity ¡°former follower,¡± he could then arrange for the Sapphire Family without any hindrance.


    ¡°I have ultimately become one of the politicians of this world, much like the majority of Nobles who only see interests¡­¡± Liszt reflected in a rare moment of self-examination under the languid afternoon sun.


    But this contemplation did not last long.


    He soon received a message from the Magic Platform at the Volcano Crater. In the message, Paris reported to him that the fully formed Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest had attracted a group of magical beasts with red feathers. They did not appear to be ordinary Low-Level Magical Beasts. They occupied the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest and had even had several conflicts with the Flame Dragon Birds.


    Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple, the three gradually maturing Flame Dragon Birds, surprisingly did not get the upper hand against this group of red-feathered magical beasts.


    There was even one instance where Little Purple fought one-on-one with a red bird only to end in a draw.


    ¡°The combat power of the three little birds is already at an Advanced Magical Beast level, does that not mean that this group of red-feathered magical beasts are all Advanced Magical Beasts?¡±


    Liszt could not sit still, he immediately stood up and left the Castle, mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, and rapidly traversed space to arrive at the Volcano Crater.

 Chapter 954 - 954 0951 Beneath the Magma (Second Update)

    ?Chapter 954: Chapter 0951: Beneath the Magma (Second Update) Chapter 954: Chapter 0951: Beneath the Magma (Second Update) The Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest was still just a collection of small saplings, not lush and leafy, but under the influence of the Cordyceps, each one was full of energy.


    And those red-feathered birds attracted to the place were as big as calves but had a wingspan of only about five meters, bulky and bloated, resembling some oversized sparrows.


    Liszt discovered through the Crystal White Trajectory of the Formless Dragon that their magic power was dense to the level of an Advanced Magical Beast, and there were over a hundred of these birds. They flew in groups through the saplings of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, fortunately not harming the saplings, only occasionally snapping a few during their play.


    In the ¡°Magical Beast Encyclopedia¡± revised under Ach, there were no records of bird Magical Beasts like these, so Liszt provisionally named them Red Sparrow Birds.


    ¡°Your Highness, these birds have been here for a while now, and our serfs are too scared to plant trees anymore. These birds attack the serfs on sight. Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple are no match for them,¡± Paris said.


    ¡°I will properly discipline these Red Sparrow Birds. In my territory, they are my private property, and I will not allow them to be so presumptuous!¡±


    However, Liszt did not immediately tame the flock of Red Sparrow Birds.


    The reason lay in the Smoke Mission, which had previously tasked him with planting the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest to attract the flock, but even with the arrival of the Red Sparrow Birds, the mission status remained incomplete. This meant that the number of birds was probably still not enough.


    More Fire Attribute birds were likely to come.


    Liszt had already figured out the pattern of the Smoke Mission. Therefore, he was not in a hurry and let Paris restrain the knights and serfs here while he himself went to meet Leo at the distant Doomsday Volcano Crater, taking the Greater Elf Annie of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree with him.


    Annie, who was always holding Fire Dragon Scale, was in good spirits lately, but still showed no signs of evolving into a Dragon Elf.


    Of course, there was no failure either. It was still full of affection for Leo.


    ¡°Ethan¡¯s training has graduated. Now, I must ensure Leo¡¯s training also graduates. Otherwise, this Fire Dragon will never be fully under my command,¡± he treated Fire Dragon Leo as a combat partner, hoping Leo would soon get branded with a Mind Branding and then work together to develop armor form.


    A handsome set of Flame Armor was a long-awaited dream for Liszt.


    Bone Dragon Armor, though domineering, had a temperament that was dark and eerie, somewhat clashing with his sunny ¡°big boy¡± personality.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    Leo demanded Red Dragon Water as soon as they met.


    Its body had grown larger, and it had vigorously extracted Volcanic Super Magic from about a dozen active volcanoes in the Endless Volcano Cluster. Several nearly extinguished, and the rest seemed about to go dormant. For this reason, Leo had to go deeper into the magma to find more Volcanic Super Magic.


    But through their mind-meld connection, Liszt found that the deeper the layer of magma, the less Volcanic Super Magic there was available.


    In Leo¡¯s memory, that magma lacked sufficient magic power, and with its current Magic Form, it couldn¡¯t delve any deeper.


    ¡°Eat, eat, eat. You always want Red Dragon Water when we meet. It¡¯s really hard to maintain you!¡± Liszt reluctantly took out a vial of Red Dragon Water and stuffed it into Leo¡¯s gaping mouth.


    Among all dragons, Leo was most dependent on and in need of Magic Potions.


    Although the other dragons couldn¡¯t do without Magic Potions either, they only required enough to maintain essential magic power supply. Their magic power was more like three meals a day, entering a dragon¡¯s body to be digested and ultimately transformed into a special Dragon Magic Power that enriched mineral resources.


    Formless Dragon Bard was even more unique. Its Space Gem production was scarce and had to be condensed through Superior Magic.


    Its ordinary Dragon Magic Power couldn¡¯t produce minerals, primarily used to travel through space, resonating with the material boundary and the realms beyond.


    Only Leo would eat as much Magic Potion as you gave it without producing anything, just continually growing in size.


    ¡°I need to socialize with the Red and White Rose Family again soon and have them send me a batch of Red Dragon Water. However, this is not a long-term solution, as the Steel Ridge Royal Family and the Platinum Family would not allow the Red Dragon Water to keep flowing to me¡­ It would be best to find a new cluster of volcanoes.¡±


    The Flame Islands no longer have any new volcano clusters, apart from a few other islands besides Flame Island, which have volcanoes but no exposed magma.


    Unless there is a volcanic eruption, even if an active volcano is found, magma might not be seen.


    ¡­ sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This practice lasted until it got dark.


    When Liszt returned to the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest, Paris quickly reported, ¡°Your Highness, after you left, another group of Red Sparrow Birds arrived, and among them, there were unexpectedly five Flame Dragon Birds, just like Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Liszt was shocked. The Flame Dragon Bird was a mount he had always wanted to capture and tame, but despite the myriad legends about Phoenixes everywhere, they were almost never actually found.


    He had never expected that planting the parasol tree would truly draw a golden Phoenix.


    He quickly used the Crystal White Trajectory, looked over the sleeping Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest, and soon noticed amongst the red magic powers, five strands of magic whose colors were more vivid, already advancing into High Magic¡ªindeed they were Flame Dragon Birds.


    ¡°Four large Flame Dragon Birds, in pairs of two, and one smaller Flame Dragon Bird is on its own,¡± his eyes gleaming, ¡°Capture them, we must capture them, let them breed with Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple, providing a constant supply of Flame Dragon Bird mounts for my Royal Knight Squad!¡±


    Of course, capturing them doesn¡¯t necessarily mean violence. With Annie, the Greater Elf who is close to Flame Dragon Birds and understands their language, perhaps there could be a shortcut.


    And moreover, there is a Fire Dragon here, representing the ultimate power of the Flame.


    Taming the Flame Dragon Birds would absolutely be more efficient.


    With this in mind, he summoned the Smoke Mission, and this time, the mission changed: ¡°Complete the mission, reward a group of Red Sparrow Birds.¡±


    In a moment, new Serpent Script condensed.


    ¡°Mission: The appearance of the Red Sparrow Birds indicates the attractiveness of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest to Fire Attribute birds, and yet, the group of birds unexpectedly includes Flame Dragon Birds, the relationship within the flock is worth investigating. However, it seems Leo has made some discovery, why not take a look? Reward: Mysterious Creature.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    After reading the mission content, Liszt unconsciously furrowed his brows¡ªthe mission¡¯s introduction and conclusion were clearly disjointed, two unrelated segments.


    The first half was still discussing the relationship between the Flame Dragon Birds and Red Sparrow Birds.


    The latter half jumps directly to Leo.


    He quickly contacted Leo using the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal and waited a while before receiving a response. A vague thought surfaced, as it seemed that it had discovered a strange place deep in the Volcano Crater, where there was a passage without magma, and something deeply alluring to it seemed to be calling from deep within the passage.


    Approximately the ¡°Unknown Creature¡± that the Smoke Mission intended to reward.


    Even though Leo struggled to enter the passage, the Magic Form couldn¡¯t leave the magma, and if it transformed into a body of flesh, the magma passage was too narrow.


    This left it in a dilemma.


    Liszt quickly realized this was a good opportunity to facilitate Leo in synchronizing with the practice of its Armor Form: ¡°You can¡¯t get in, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t, Leo. I have a way to infiltrate the passage, but I¡¯ll need your cooperation, understand?¡±

 Chapter 955 - 955 0952 Fire Dragon Lance (Third Update

    ?Chapter 955: Chapter 0952: Fire Dragon Lance (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 26/147) Chapter 955: Chapter 0952: Fire Dragon Lance (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 26/147) To attract the substance beneath the magma, Leo eventually agreed to train with Liszt in armored form, so by late September, Liszt was stationed long-term at the Endless Volcano Cluster.


    After harmonizing well with Bone Dragon Vinnie, he had gained profound insights into the training of the Elemental Dragon Armor form. As long as Leo was willing to cooperate, training should be very straightforward. Moreover, Leo¡¯s control over himself far exceeded Vinnie¡¯s over the Bone Dragon, which could make it easier.


    However, even with it being easier, it would still take time to train.


    Meanwhile, the Knight Order on Flame Island began to assemble; Earth Knights who passed political scrutiny were gathering at Iron Hoof Island through the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation.


    They were about to cooperate with the Sapphire Dragon to issue the Pioneer Mandate against the Eagle Kingdom.


    In the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest here, Greater Elf Annie was busy riding Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple, slowly approaching those five Flame Dragon Birds. Unlike their hostility toward the Red Sparrow Bird, upon seeing their own kind, the Flame Dragon Birds displayed many intimate behaviors and did not show any antagonistic stance.


    Annie also used this opportunity to establish a preliminary friendly relationship with the five new Flame Dragon Birds.


    The Flame Dragon Bird, being the king of the Red Sparrow Bird flock, about two to three hundred Red Sparrows needed to hunt wild beasts from various places to feed to the Flame Dragon Birds.


    This relationship was like the class disparity between Storm Dragon Horses and Pegasus.


    However, as precious and rare as the Flame Dragon Birds were, Liszt had no time to pay attention to them, for he and Leo encountered severe obstacles in their training. No matter how much Leo cooperated, the armor form it condensed always failed to meet Liszt¡¯s expectations, only encasing Liszt in a mass of flames.


    Gazing at himself engulfed in gluey flames that made moving inconvenient, he sighed silently.


    What he thought would be simple training had become a massive problem.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    Leo also appeared very impatient.


    It simply could not transform into a beautiful set of armor according to Liszt¡¯s idea. Moreover, it suspected that Liszt was deceiving it; this method was utterly unfeasible, merely a waste of its Dragon Magic Power.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s unfeasible; it¡¯s that you can¡¯t master your own Magic Form,¡± Liszt shook his head, ¡°I seriously suspect you¡¯ve rapidly grown in strength, yet you have yet to fully master your own body. You¡¯re only four years old at most, yet you¡¯ve grown as big as a forty-year-old.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡± Leo felt that its unique talents could not be measured by age.


    ¡°I think you should just transform into a Dragon Lance,¡± thought Liszt, guiding his actions accordingly, ¡°With your current control, you can probably only transform into a Lance.¡±


    Leo cooperated reluctantly.


    Yet to Liszt¡¯s surprise, under the Magic Form, Leo quickly condensed into a ten-meter-long Fire Dragon Lance.


    The lance, dark red and shiny like a red-hot iron bar, was slightly distorted, faintly adorning a pair of abstract dragon wings on top; the tip of the lance was formed by the tail of the Fire Dragon, covered in dragon scales; the end of the lance was designed as Leo¡¯s dragon head, with several sharp dragon horns.


    Grasping the lance, he felt like the Dragon Lance was an extension of his own body¡ªsize, length, weight¡ªeverything so naturally handy.


    ¡°Mmm!¡±


    ¡°This feeling, it¡¯s power!¡±


    ¡°Leo, although you failed to transform into armor, you succeeded brilliantly in transforming into a Dragon Lance. I can feel that the Dragon Lance you have become is definitely the most powerful in the world!¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    Leo¡¯s roar of desire for battle echoed in his mind.


    ¡°Very well, as you wish!¡± Liszt called out, an image of a skull dragon head spreading across his body, forming a set of Bone Dragon Armor.


    Vinnie¡¯s voice arose in his mind: ¡°Your Highness, do I no longer need to transform into the Bone Dragon Sword?¡±


    ¡°I already have the Fire Dragon Lance,¡± said Liszt, clutching the Fire Dragon Lance, clad in Bone Dragon Armor. He leaped, and the bone dragon wings on his back spread open. Although they couldn¡¯t flap to create airflow, they added to his momentum. When he rose high in the air, Formless Dragon Bard suddenly came flying, catching him just right.


    He landed on the Dragon Tooth Platform, entering Dragon Rider Mode.


    As his thoughts shifted, Bard folded its wings and dived towards the valley; with the Fire Dragon Lance, unleashing the Dragon Dou Qi Manual, a meteor-like stream of fire burst from the tip of the lance, instantly raging towards the valley floor.


    A loud boom resonated.


    The valley floor erupted in a massive explosion, shaking the entire valley and the surrounding mountains intensely. Amidst the flames and dust, Bard quickly twisted his body and flapped his wings to escape the area of the explosion. After circling in the air for a few rounds, when the smoke and dust had dispersed, Liszt could see the effect of his powerful strike.


    The ground was blasted open, forming a crater twenty meters in diameter.


    ¡°Strong!¡±


    ¡°This is power!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud, ¡°Ha ha!¡±


    Influenced by his mood, three voices simultaneously arose in his mind, ¡°Oh ho!¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Your Highness is truly powerful!¡±


    ¡°Woo yi ya!¡±


    ¡­


    Strong as it was, there were still problems to be solved.


    Leo had always been unable to properly complete the armor form; therefore, Liszt had to change his approach and no longer insisted on having it transform into armor.


    Instead, he let Leo wrap around him perfectly and then drove forward through the magma.


    After nearly ten days of repeated practice, they finally coordinated perfectly, and tried to dive into the magma in the state now called ¡°Flame Wrap.¡± To ensure safety, he cautiously tested bit by bit, making sure the magma didn¡¯t seep through the flame wrap and scorch him.


    Only then did he truly enter the Doomsday Volcano Crater.


    Guided by Leo, they plunged into the rolling magma, moving swiftly downward along the passage. Thanks to Leo¡¯s senses, he could feel the presence of fire attribute magic power all around him; navigating through it was as effortless as a fish swimming in water. However, as they dove deeper, the resistance grew stronger.


    Just when he felt he could hardly hold on, finally, Leo took a sharp turn, steering Liszt into a U-shaped fork in the magma passage and gradually spiraled upwards.


    Moments later.


    They had reached the end of the magma.


    Shoosh, the Flame Wrap burst out of the magma, jumping into a bright red, dried-up passageway. The wrap quickly receded, and Leo reverted to his Totem Form (Magic Form) and attached himself to Liszt¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Is this the place?¡± Liszt held his breath, examining the passage carefully.


    With glowing red magma serving as a light source, the passageway wasn¡¯t dark, but after several twists and turns, as it moved away from the magma, the light gradually dimmed. He pulled out the Hand Magic Tube and used the light from the Crystal Lamp to carefully move forward along the passageway, looking for something that attracted Leo.


    The hint from the Smoke Mission indicated the presence of an unknown creature.


    Creatures that could live here were definitely extraordinary, so Liszt had to be extremely cautious to avoid being attacked by an unknown creature.


    He walked for a solid five minutes.


    There was finally an end to the passageway, and ahead, flickering red lights twinkled, ¡°It looks like there¡¯s a cave there, probably the den of the unknown creature. Vinnie, Armor Mode!¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡±


    Bone Dragon Vinnie quickly transformed into a set of Bone Dragon Armor, and a Bone Dragon Sword extended in Liszt¡¯s hand. With the armor protecting him, he felt much safer and, after hesitating briefly, he finally reached the glowing entrance of the cave. Peering inside, he was instantly stunned.


    The cave was like a giant spherical space, its walls flickering with what looked like countless rubies embedded in them.


    The most astonishing was at the bottom of the cave¡ªa nest made of a burning pile of tinder, quietly housing a glowing reddish-golden bird egg.


    The light illuminating the cave came from this bird egg.


    In fact, rather than calling it a bird egg, it seemed more like a glowing semi-transparent gemstone, surrounded by a dense aura of fire attribute magic power, making the egg appear supremely noble.


    One could tell at a glance that this was the egg of an extraordinary creature.


    ¡°The energy level is very high, it¡¯s a fire attribute Superior Magic; what kind of creature could have left this egg?¡± Assured that there were no adult unknown creatures guarding it, he slid down the wall and approached the egg¡ªthough it still couldn¡¯t be confirmed as definitely a bird egg, it was certainly an egg with a life force.


    It was about the size of a soccer ball, oval-shaped, not only glowing and shining but also searing hot.

 Chapter 956 - 956 0953 Grand and Intense (First Update)

    ?Chapter 956: Chapter 0953: Grand and Intense (First Update) Chapter 956: Chapter 0953: Grand and Intense (First Update) ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    Leo communicated telepathically with Liszt, expressing its desire to eat the egg.


    However, Liszt ignored it, since the space was too small for Leo to come out; it was easy to disregard its opinion. He, instead, circled the egg meticulously, examining this magical and incredible egg.


    The egg radiated a bright golden light, twinkling steadily like breathing.


    Yet the light wasn¡¯t blinding at all; it was exceptionally soft, giving him a warm and comfortable experience, as if enveloped in spring. Below the egg, dry wood emitted blazing flames, although the wood itself did not burn but remained in its original, dried form. The flames were an illusion created by Fire Attribute Mana.


    Thus, it appeared as if the egg was being roasted by the fire, but despite the lengthy roasting, it wasn¡¯t cooked yet.


    ¡°Such intense Fire Attribute Mana, and the egg itself is also of Fire Attribute Superior Magic; its extraordinariness is evident. In this world, aside from Fire Dragons, the only thing that could possess such exceptional Fire Attribute Superior Magic is the legendary Phoenix,¡± thought Liszt, his eyes gleaming, his mind whirring.


    After the fall of the Moon Empire, knights ruled the world, and many civilizations created by past magicians had been lost, causing today¡¯s people to mistake Flame Dragon Birds for Phoenixes.


    However, the relationship between unicorns and Storm Dragon Horses made Liszt realize that the real Phoenix was probably an existence far beyond Flame Dragon Birds. Yet, he wasn¡¯t sure if phoenixes truly existed until now, seeing this egg-shaped magical giant egg¡ªhe recognized that he might have really discovered a Phoenix Egg.


    ¡°I need to take it with me!¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°The phoenix chose this place to nest for a reason, likely this very volcano is crucial for the egg¡¯s hatching!¡±


    If the phoenix was real, then it would definitely be on the same level as unicorns, as mystical and incredible as dragons, and its hatching conditions naturally stringent. According to legends, a phoenix could resurrect from its ashes and rekindle its life; perhaps this location was the rebirth site the phoenix had chosen for itself.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡± Leo clamored to eat.


    ¡°Stay calm, Leo, this egg cannot be eaten, understand? It¡¯s a Phoenix Egg! Phoenix, a creature as mystical as you!¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡± Whether it¡¯s a phoenix or a turkey, Leo just wanted to eat the egg.


    But how could Liszt allow a future phoenix to be eaten by Leo as food, when he couldn¡¯t even bear to let Leo eat a Flame Dragon Bird.


    Ignoring Leo¡¯s roar.


    He kept observing, etching into his memory all features of the Phoenix Egg and the fiery nest. He also chipped away a shiny red stone from the wall and stuffed it into his Space Ring as a sample for future analysis.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold my breath any longer; the limit is nearly reached, I must leave soon.¡± There was no breathable air inside the cave, and Liszt had been observing for an hour and a half, unable to hold his breath any longer.


    Yet, he felt a bit reluctant.


    ¡°Let me touch the Phoenix Egg one last time before I go!¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking this.


    He reached out slowly, touching the soccer ball-sized, golden, mysterious stone-like egg. When his fingertips met the egg, instead of the scalding or burning he had imagined, he unexpectedly felt an emotion similar to a newborn chick¡¯s desire for freedom.


    It was an exhilarating and uplifting sensation.


    As if an eagle should soar above the ninth heaven, and a whale should roam the vast ocean.


    It was a Phoenix, meant to live unbridled in the world, its life and death as intense as a blazing fire.


    ¡°Phoenix, we are destined,¡± Liszt instantly responded with his emotions, connecting his fingertips with the life within the egg for a special exchange, ¡°You desire an intense life, follow me then. My life, like my last name, Fire, is the burning flame destined to sweep across the world.¡±


    It was unclear if the life inside the egg understood, but no new emotions could be felt.


    There was only a vague concept, the egg needed an intense volcanic eruption to hatch. Perhaps the Phoenix chose to be reborn here in anticipation of a staggering eruption from the Doomsday Volcano Crater in the future to be reborn from the flames.


    Unfortunately, due to Leo¡¯s actions of constantly drawing Volcanic Super Magic, the Doomsday Volcano Crater was nearly dormant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will help you hatch!¡± declaring his promise, Liszt no longer hesitated, quickly left the cave, and returned to the magma through the passage.


    Leo transformed into a flaming wrap, quickly bringing him back to the outer side of the volcano crater.


    Breathing fresh air, Liszt sat on a scorching rock, recovering his strength, while also summoning the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Phoenix Egg.¡±


    ¡°It really is a Phoenix Egg.¡± He showed a knowing smile, after obtaining Unicorn Charlie from Ach, he was about to acquire another legendary creature¡ªPhoenix.


    Suddenly, a new mission was issued, ¡°Mission: A five-hundred-year cycle, await the opportunity to be reborn, such is the undying Phoenix, noble and indescribable in nature, a mysterious power beyond words. Since you have the destiny to witness the Phoenix awaiting rebirth, naturally, you must assist it. Please hatch the Phoenix Egg. Reward: A Phoenix.¡±


    Liszt would help the Phoenix hatch even without the prompt from the Smoke Mission.


    Now, what Liszt needed to do was to persuade Leo to initiate a volcanic eruption to meet the hatching requirements of the Phoenix Egg, but currently Leo, feeling disgruntled for being stopped from consuming the Phoenix Egg, was not likely to spend Super Magic to induce an eruption.


    ¡°Then wait for now.¡±


    ¡°The Pioneer Mandate is soon upon us, and I need to take the Dragons to the Eagle Kingdom to counter their Dragon Knights. I likely won¡¯t have time to tend to a newly hatched Phoenix¡­ After the Pioneer Mandate is over, I will come to hatch the Phoenix Egg.¡±


    The Phoenix Egg was not yet suitable for hatching, but that didn¡¯t stop him from studying the blood-red stones in the Phoenix nest.


    These stones, rich in Fire Attribute Mana, were rough on surface and impure, neither crystal clear like gemstones and crystals, nor as smooth and delicate as jade.


    ¡°The Magic Power is a bit difficult to extract and activate, and it feels troublesome to study. Forget it, just send it to the Magic Guild for research.¡±


    His time was too precious to spend on research.


    Back in Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest.


    Greater Elf Annie had done an excellent job, already blending in well with five new Flame Dragon Birds and had them constrain the short-tempered Red Sparrow Birds.


    ¡°Liszt, the Red Sparrow Birds won¡¯t dare attack humans again or else Annie will have the Flame Dragon Birds pluck their feathers!¡±


    ¡°Well done!¡± Liszt did not hesitate to praise.


    Paris then smiled and said, ¡°With Annie managing the birds here, the safety of the Knights and Serfs is assured. There is no longer any need for my intervention, Your Highness. Please transfer me back to Reed City to contribute to its construction.¡±


    ¡°You are now a Great Light Magic Swordsman, your strength belonging to the top tier of knights. Leading the Knight Order is what you are meant to do. However, don¡¯t get involved in estate construction for now. I am arranging the Knight Order to march to the Eagle Kingdom, you join the expedition as well, achieve more military merits and advance in nobility quickly.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± Paris was not interested in advancement in nobility, but that did not prevent her from following Liszt¡¯s will, heading towards the battlefield to charge.

 Chapter 957 - 957 0954 Laughing Like a 200-Pound Fatty

    ?Chapter 957: Chapter 0954: Laughing Like a 200-Pound Fatty (Second Update) Chapter 957: Chapter 0954: Laughing Like a 200-Pound Fatty (Second Update) The grand Pioneer Mandate war finally kicked off in early October. The vast majority of the Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s fleet had assembled, carrying a large number of knights from Iron Hoof City on Iron Hoof Island, charging towards the coastal hinterland of the Eagle Kingdom.


    There had been no deliberate selection of the timing or location for battle.


    Liszt simply felt that the coastal hinterland of the Eagle Kingdom was a well-populated and wealthy area, and so he directed his battles there.


    With the Sapphire Dragon leading the charge, there was simply no chance of resistance; any castles that dared to resist would be destroyed, and the knights of the Eagle Kingdom would still be captured. Many noble landlords seemed to have understood their fate, especially the smaller ones, choosing to open their gates and surrender without a fight.


    Li Weiliam was the general commander of the Knight Orders from the Flame Territory and Bull Tail Territory. At his birthday party last month, Liszt formally presented him with the ¡°Dou Qi Domain Manual¡± as a birthday gift.


    Although half a month¡¯s time was not enough to immediately make him a Domain Knight, his mount, the Super Magical Beast ¨C Pitch-Black Albatross, allowed his combat power to barely reach the level of a Domain Knight. Behind him were Great Light Magic Swordsman Paris, Sword Saint Durt Red Apricot, and Cross Thorn.


    Even Emily, who was still in a period of adjustment with Ethan, joined this war.


    She too was a Sword Saint and, having surpassed the likes of Durt and Cross, became the strongest member of the Knight Order in this war, second only to Li Weiliam.


    In addition, Liszt dispatched seven Sky Knights: Fox, Garcia, Derec Iron Armor, Joyce Dandelion, Spark, Fernal Ink, and Tevis Clover Alfalfa.


    These powerful beings of Sky Knight caliber formed a luxurious offensive line where no enemy could stand against them for even a single round.


    To prevent the Eagle Kingdom from being driven to desperation and deploying Dragon Knights to face what was a ¡°routine invasion¡± by the Duchy of Sapphire, Liszt personally led a lavish Dragon Corps to oversee the battle in secret. The Formless Dragon Bard, Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, Fire Dragon Leo, Bone Dragon Vinnie, and Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan.


    Only Mountain Copper Dragon Mata remained on Flame Island to suppress the territory and prevent the Moon Slayers from rebelling¡ªthough most Moon Slayers were serfs, their living conditions had greatly improved compared to those in the forests.


    Most importantly, Liszt employed a strategy of division. Although the ancient mage class had to serve in significant construction projects, their children were educated in schools and promised a future among the noble class, which quelled any desire for rebellion.


    Moreover,


    the territory also had Archmage Ach, whose strength was akin to that of a Dragon Knight when mounted on Unicorn Charlie; he alone was more than enough to suppress any dissent.


    In summary, this Pioneer Mandate war was destined from the start.


    After a full month, the Sapphire Dragon swept through over a thousand kilometers of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s hinterland, conquering numerous castles. Captured knights were sent en masse toward Sapphire, while throngs of serfs were driven off without even a piece of clothing to cover their shame, destined for Flame Island. Only a small portion remained as spoils for the Sapphire Family and other minor nobles as a mark of their military achievements.


    Liszt, with his six dragons, did not mind biting off more than he could chew.


    Having multiple dragons was sound logic. No matter how many captured knights came to the Flame Kingdom, they all had to earnestly toil here and become vassals of the Flame Family.


    ¡­


    ¡°This is outrageous!¡±


    In the Iron Dragon Chain Palace of Moonlight City¡¯s King¡¯s Castle, King Adonis Moonlight Silver of the Eagle Kingdom furiously threw his wine glass to the floor after receiving the latest reports from a dispatch rider, his beard-bristle standing on end with rage.


    ¡°How dare he do such a thing!¡±


    ¡°That little beast Liszt, a petty scion raised by a lowly family, how dare he repeatedly provoke the Eagle Kingdom!¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The Sapphire, a brood nurtured by flies, are all no better than disgusting, lowly maggots. Liszt has stolen the kingdom¡¯s Grey Iron Dragon, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, and that scoundrel Andre also betrayed me, fleeing on the back of Mountain Copper Dragon!¡± His anger escalating, he smashed the table with his fist.


    He gritted his teeth and cursed, ¡°Unforgivable, all of them unforgivable!¡±


    ¡°Adonis, you need to calm down, anger is of no use,¡± said the queen as she watched the broken pieces scattered on the floor, and anxiously helped Adonis to his feet.


    But Adonis pushed the queen away, ¡°Don¡¯t bother me, woman, what do you know!¡±


    The queen frowned but said nothing.


    Adonis continued to roar, ¡°Someone come, relay my order, immediately deploy the kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knights, and exterminate the whole pack of Sapphire flies, as well as that crippled Sapphire Dragon, kill it too!¡±


    The knights guarding the palace looked at each other, puzzled and unsure of what to do.


    It was the queen who stepped forward, ¡°Adonis, you must come to your senses!¡± Then she waved her hand, signaling the knights to leave, as she wanted to speak to the king alone.


    Once the knights had left, the queen finally spoke, ¡°Do you want to provoke another Dragon Slaying War?¡±


    ¡°Who could do anything to my Eagle Kingdom if we kill the Sapphire Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the intention behind the Sapphire Family¡¯s continued deployment of the Pioneer Mandate? It¡¯s Liszt supporting them in secret! Think of his Formless Dragon, as well as the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, and that Fire Dragon, which used to belong to us, not to mention the Bone Dragon and the Archmage riding a unicorn!¡±


    With each mention of a dragon¡¯s name, Adonis became weaker, and by the time she reached the part about the unicorn, he had collapsed weakly into his chair, ¡°Then¡­ Tiffany, my wife, tell me what should we do now?¡±


    ¡°The kingdom is at a precarious moment, what you need to do is maintain the current situation, cultivate new Dragon Knights, conquer new dragons, and get the kingdom through this tough time.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how difficult that is? First, Carlo died in battle, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon was lost, followed by Loyle¡¯s death in battle, and the loss of the Grey Iron Dragon¡­ Blast Furnace Fortress and Steel Ridge have long since lost their ambition, facing the aggressive Flame Kingdom, they only seek to please, hoping to coexist peacefully.¡±


    Adonis felt like laughing at himself, ¡°They¡¯re too naive. From Liszt¡¯s attitude towards my Eagle Kingdom, you can tell he¡¯s an ambitious man, a true schemer. He has the Formless Dragon and fears nothing. Now he¡¯s attacking the Eagle Kingdom and would certainly bite to death Blast Furnace Fortress and Steel Ridge when he gets the chance!¡±


    ¡°Then we shall make concessions, show them the gesture, and let them understand Liszt¡¯s ambition,¡± Queen Tiffany said calmly.


    ¡°Make concessions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can abandon the forces that are not core interests of the Moonlight Silver and White Maw Iron Families. Those nobles have always been under the protection of the royal family without contributing anything, better to let the Flame Kingdom take them. Lesser knights aren¡¯t important, what matters are the dragons!¡±


    ¡°Do you really think this is feasible?¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s feasible or not, we can try. Otherwise, what else can we do? Blast Furnace Fortress and Steel Ridge refuse to unite against the Flame Kingdom, and we can¡¯t hope to win a Dragon Slaying War alone, we can only protect ourselves¡­ Sooner or later, these two kingdoms will see through Liszt¡¯s ambitious facade.¡±


    Adonis was silent for a long time, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I will have the kingdom¡¯s ministers come to the palace to discuss this in more detail.¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt had no idea about the reaction of the Eagle Royal Family.


    Riding on the Formless Dragon Bard, he surveyed the war scenes, laughing like a 200-pound fat man as he watched knights, serfs, elves, food, minerals, and other resources being packed up and carried away continuously.


    ¡°I originally thought that trade smuggling was the most profitable.¡±


    ¡°Then I thought receiving gifts from friends was the most profitable.¡±


    ¡°But neither is as profitable as waging war!¡±

 Chapter 958 - 958 0955 Abundant War Booty (Alliance Hierarch

    ?Chapter 958: Chapter 0955: Abundant War Booty (Alliance Hierarch additional release 27/147) Chapter 958: Chapter 0955: Abundant War Booty (Alliance Hierarch additional release 27/147) After more than a month of war, it ended just as winter was about to arrive.


    Watching the Knight Order leave Eagle Kingdom with a rich bounty, Liszt could finally relax and take his Dragon Corps away.


    All spoils of war were distributed on Iron Hoof Island.


    According to distribution principles, mineral resources were directly handed over to the Sapphire Family for allocation, which Liszt did not concern himself with¡ªhe already owned the Dragon Pit Great Mine and Jade Mountain Vein and did not care about the resources seized.


    Meanwhile, the serfs and confiscated food were all exclusively enjoyed by the Flame Family, so each batch was swiftly sent through the Magic Gate on Mind Island, then transported to Flame Island. Local officials would quickly arrange housing and employment for the serfs, generally mixing them with the Flame People and Moon Slayer Tribe.


    The two groups did not understand each other¡¯s language, which avoided many unnecessary troubles; they simply focused on their work.


    As for the knights captured on the battlefield, they were distributed according to their own desires. Those who wanted to pay a ransom for their freedom were temporarily detained on Iron Hoof Island; those who did not wish to pay a ransom simply surrendered and were sent to Flame Island for resettlement, along with their families and elves.


    Liszt, through officials, promised these knights that they did not need to give up their wealth, but only needed to work for the Flame Kingdom.


    Before the kingdom was established, their elves had to serve Flame Island.


    Based on their service contributions, they could exchange military merits to obtain titles, and after the establishment of the kingdom, land would be allocated according to these merits.


    He informed all knights that the kingdom would inevitably be established within three years.


    The knights, who were reluctant to pay a ransom in the first place, were now not only able to keep their elves but could also continue to be noble knights, so why wouldn¡¯t they agree?


    ¡°Knights who refuse to surrender,¡± Liszt had already instructed, ¡°their ransoms are to be handed over to the Sapphire Family for recovery and distribution. Of course, this involves Nobles of the rank of Earl and above, which I must personally arrange.¡± Common knights and Honored Knights, Barons, and Viscounts could not provide much ransom.


    However, Nobles such as Earls and Marquises could be squeezed for Little Minor Elves and Greater Elves.


    Liszt no longer valued Elf Bugs, but he was still unable to part with the Little Minor Elves and Greater Elves. Notably, this time alone, he captured two Marquises and as many as eleven Earls; under the attack of the Sapphire Dragon, these major Nobles were no different from the common knights.


    ¡°Have the knight numbers been tallied yet?¡± After returning to Bull Hoof City via dragon riding, Liszt asked while enjoying a maid¡¯s massage in the castle¡¯s study.


    He inquired about the distribution of spoils from Goltai who came to report.


    ¡°Your Highness, blessed by the glory, this time, it¡¯s truly a great harvest, with as many as four thousand six hundred seventy-two Elite Earth Knights and over seven thousand six hundred Apprentice Knights,¡± Goltai said with a glowing face, his abilities were modest, and his title was low, but he was now one of the earliest members of the Flame Kingdom.


    He and Marcus lacked the qualifications to become grand Nobles, their highest possible title being Viscount, as the title of Earl required one to be a Sky Knight.


    But even currently wearing only a Baron¡¯s title, he still enjoyed tremendous power and often represented Liszt in managing his territory.


    ¡°Just over seven thousand six hundred Apprentice Knights?¡± Liszt frowned slightly.


    ¡°Uh, Your Highness, as you know, not many Earth Knights can afford to keep Apprentice Knights as retainers; most retainers are counted among the serfs,¡± Goltai explained.


    It was just like Liszt¡¯s own beginnings.


    He himself had been only an Apprentice Knight, although titled as a Baron, but his retainers were just four ordinary people.


    Indeed, many Elite Earth Knights did not even recruit retainers; after all, recruiting retainers meant providing them with food and drink, and many Earth Knights could hardly sustain themselves, let alone a retainer¡ªMarcus used to be a typical example, as an Elite Earth Knight without any retainer.


    They had to take care of their own horses, carry their own spears, and polish their own armor.


    Liszt gave a slight nod and then asked, ¡°Have all these Earth Knights and Apprentice Knights been sent to Flame Island?¡±


    ¡°Yes, after obtaining the knights¡¯ willingness to surrender with each batch, they were dispatched to Flame Island for restructuring. According to the messages from the Magic Platform, there were some difficulties, but since Lord Acherloides is personally stationed in Reed City, those knights wouldn¡¯t dare stir any trouble.¡±


    Although Acherloides was a little sea monster who could gain the favor of unicorns.


    However, her values differed greatly from those of humans and, influenced by Liszt¡¯s misguided teachings, she had little aversion to killing.


    Perhaps for her, killing was like residing in the sea and eliminating those sea monsters harmful to herself. Hence when Liszt entrusted her with guarding the Reed Marsh Magic Gate and instructed her to execute anyone who rebelled, she did so without hesitation, and kindness was not a trait she possessed.


    Purity had no connection with killing itself.


    But it was a reflection of inner desires¡ªkilling out of desire or for gain was definitely not pure, but killing chickens and slaughtering dogs for food was just a part of everyday life, and doing so didn¡¯t imply impurity.


    Thus, Acherloides could ride a unicorn and casually execute knights who caused disturbances.


    Under the powerful symbolic meaning of the unicorn, her killing naturally placed her on a moral high ground¡ªhumans favored by unicorns must surely be paragons of virtue!


    ¡°Prince Archmage riding a unicorn, the knights killed by her must indeed be villains!¡±


    Moreover.


    In a world under the knight system, power was respected; Dragon Knights and Archmages killing a person wasn¡¯t a big deal. Even annihilating a few Nobles, nobody dared to gossip behind their backs.


    Ultimately, playing major roles was left to the Dragon Rearing Families.


    After inquiring about the Earth Knights and Apprentice Knights, Liszt asked about new matters, ¡°Consultant Goltai, how many Sky Knights are there?¡±


    ¡°There are fifty-seven Viscounts who chose to surrender, of which two are at the Sword Saint Level, and twenty-one are regular Sky Knights, the rest being Elite Earth Knights. As for the forty-five Viscounts who refused the title and chose to pay the ransom, they have already been handed over to the Sapphire Family for allocation.¡±


    ¡°And what about the eleven Earls, how did they choose?¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Your Highness, without having had your summons yet, they haven¡¯t responded, and currently only three Earls have opted to pay the ransom.¡±


    ¡°So, there are eight Earls who might still surrender. What are their capabilities?¡±


    ¡°There are four regular Level Sky Knights, three Sword Saint Level Sky Knights, and one Completion Level Sky Knight.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, a Completion Level Sky Knight, now that¡¯s interesting.¡± Liszt was very interested in this Earl as there had been numerous battles in colonizing Flame Island.


    Fighting against the resistant Moon Slayer Tribe and the ferocious Magical Beasts required powerful knights for security¡ªit couldn¡¯t always be Liszt¡¯s responsibility to handle troubles since he was the future King and couldn¡¯t be expected to manage everything personally.


    Suppressing his immediate desire to summon this Earl, he continued, ¡°There are also two Marquises; what attitudes have they shown? Let¡¯s start with Marquis Nuta.¡±


    Marquis Dimaria Yuhua Stone, tragically captured by Liszt for a second time.


    His domain was strategically located in a wealthy inland area of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s coastline, with a major river facilitating the transportation of materials, making it a prime target for invasion. The formidable walls of Great Riverheart Fortress could not withstand a single dive from the Sapphire Dragon, collapsing half of the walls on impact.


    Subsequently, a white flag was raised atop the fortress, and Marquis Nuta wisely chose to surrender.


    Goltai chuckled, ¡°Your Highness, Marquis Nuta wasn¡¯t imprisoned, and he has begun acting in every way as a follower of yours. Among the captured nobles, he is spreading your glory, helping you to recruit these Viscounts and Earls¡­ The other Marquis initially refused to surrender, but in recent days even he has been persuaded by Marquis Nuta to loosen his stance.¡±

 Chapter 959 - 959 0956 Splitting the Family

    ?Chapter 959: Chapter 0956: Splitting the Family Chapter 959: Chapter 0956: Splitting the Family Apart from Marquis Nuta, another Marquis was captured¡ªMarquis of Chongshan, Elton Golden Chrysanthemum Medal.


    The Golden Chrysanthemum Medal Family belonged to the established Marquis Families. Their lands were adjacent to Marquis Nuta¡¯s fief, but compared to Marquis Nuta, who had the strength of a Domain Knight, the forty-year-old Marquis of Chongshan only possessed the power of a Sword Saint.


    The surname Golden Chrysanthemum Medal originated from a magic potion flower¡ªthe Chrysanthemum Medal; the family¡¯s badge was a circular badge in the shape of a chrysanthemum.


    Marquis Elton was not only captured himself; nearly the entire Knight Class of his territory was caught in the same net.


    At that time, he had summoned all his followers to his Golden Chrysanthemum Fortress, intending to hold the castle until the Pioneer Mandate ended. As a result, when Sapphire breached the castle, none of the noble knights escaped. From his domain alone, he contributed four Earls, twelve Viscounts, and a large number of Knights.


    ¡°Your Highness, Elton didn¡¯t have much choice. Most of his family¡¯s wealth has already been plundered by the Knight Order, and he simply can¡¯t pay the ransom for himself and his followers.¡±


    The speaker was Marquis Dimaria Yuhua Stone.


    In the study of Bull Hoof Fortress, Liszt had his first audience with Marquis Nuta. As an old acquaintance and someone who had already made it clear he considered himself a follower, the Marquis enjoyed the freedom to act as he pleased. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two were sitting across from each other at a desk, each savoring tea, in a very friendly atmosphere.


    Originally, Marquis Nuta had stayed on Black Horse Island for quite some time and had developed a fondness for green tea. Since then, he had secretly smuggled goods like sea salt, glass, and white paper with the Flame Territory. The Yu Huashi Family had long been disillusioned with the Eagle Kingdom, and it was completely normal for them to lean towards the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°Marquis Dimaria, if I successfully persuade you to surrender, what treatment do you think I should give to the Golden Chrysanthemum Medal Family?¡± Liszt asked casually.


    Dimaria laughed and said, ¡°Your Highness, actually there is a very good method to quickly subdue the Golden Chrysanthemum Medal Family.¡±


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Elton has a younger brother named Elroy who is only thirty years old and just a Viscount; however, he is already an old Sword Saint, not far from Completion. It is only because Elton has suppressed him that he has been unable to advance to Earl. Additionally, Elton acts recklessly while Elroy is steady in his conduct.¡±


    At this point, Dimaria¡¯s implication was clear.


    Both Elton and Elroy were Sword Saints, but Elroy obviously had more outstanding talents and a more stable character, making him more suitable to be the family head, inheriting the title of Marquis.


    Liszt could use the pretext of incorporating the family to elevate Elroy to the Marquis¡¯s position. Elroy would surely be grateful to Liszt and control the Golden Chrysanthemum Medal Family well.


    However, Liszt did not intend to do so.


    He smiled faintly, ¡°The Yu Huashi Family can be preserved, but the Golden Chrysanthemum Medal Family cannot. If Elton is willing to surrender, I can maintain his Marquis¡¯s position after the establishment of the Kingdom. But as for his followers, they will form new families on their own, and Elroy is no exception.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean?¡± Dimaria did not understand Liszt¡¯s intentions immediately.


    ¡°The Flame Kingdom is a new nation, and the old powers need to be broken, not to guard against the strengthening of a single family, but to create more families, to assist me in ruling the vast lands of the Flame Islands.¡±


    ¡°I understand now, Your Highness.¡±


    Dimaria caught on immediately, ¡°Indeed, a new Kingdom needs many Nobles and Knights¡­ Actually, coming to this land, even if Your Highness did not divide the families, those powerful Noble Knights would also take the initiative to leave. Your Highness, the Yu Huashi Family is also willing to divide.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I will disperse those followers who are Knights, including my nephew Deborah Yuhua Stone. Since we have come to a new Kingdom, I hope the Yu Huashi Family can also be reborn on this land and fully integrate into the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    Liszt smiled and nodded, ¡°You are a Noble who understands the situation. Be assured, as followers of mine, the Yu Huashi Family will only continue to grow and will not decline. The population in the territory is not large, but there will be endless wars in the future, capturing enough people to replenish the losses of the great families.¡±


    ¡­


    When Elton Golden Chrysanthemum Medal was summoned, the second of the marquises, Dimaria did not leave. He had already obtained Liszt¡¯s approval and became an assistant in the recruitment of knights.


    ¡°Elton, we have known each other for a long time,¡± Dimaria said. ¡°I have made His Highness¡¯s intentions clear to you, even without splitting your followers, you have no ransom to redeem them. Moreover, you have seen for yourself the growth of the Flame Kingdom and the decline of the Eagle Kingdom. I hope you will think carefully about your choice.¡±


    After listening to Dimaria.


    Elton glanced at Liszt, whose face was expressionless, merely allowing Dimaria to persuade surrender without offering any signs of friendship.


    With Liszt¡¯s status, it was unnecessary for him to show a smile to any noble.


    All prisoners of war were at his disposal¡ªeither pay a ransom to leave or surrender and pledge loyalty¡ªthere was no other path to choose. If it were not for their status as nobles, they might not even have had the chance to meet Liszt.


    ¡°But if my family¡¯s followers are split up, how is the Golden Chrysanthemum Medal Family supposed to develop?¡±


    ¡°Serve the kingdom for three years, cultivate the land for His Highness, and after three years, you will be granted a fief. The Golden Chrysanthemum Medal Family can naturally rise again with the land received.¡±


    ¡°Without knights, how can we rise?¡±


    ¡°After three years, there will definitely be a large number of knights who cannot be ennobled,¡± Dimaria explained. ¡°You can naturally recruit these knights to serve your family.¡±


    ¡°What about my elves?¡±


    ¡°The elves are still yours, they just need to serve for three years¡­ Otherwise, you could return to your territory in the Eagle Kingdom at the cost of a few Greater Elves, and continue to be free; of course, if your territory¡¯s wealth allows, you could also pay the ransom for those followers who wish to return. His Highness is always lenient with nobles and respects your wishes.¡±


    Elton may have been mediocre in talent and ludicrous in his actions, but he was born into a great noble family after all, and calculating benefits was instinctual for him.


    After pondering for a moment, he nodded and said, ¡°In that case, I am willing to follow behind His Highness. The Golden Chrysanthemum Medal Family was originally established to serve His Highness.¡±


    ¡­


    Following the two marquises, Liszt individually summoned two other nobles.


    One was Geoffrey Begonia, a Completion Level Sky Knight with the rank of earl, who was promised at least a viscountcy when the kingdom was established, promptly chose to follow; the other was Elroy Golden Chrysanthemum Medal, a thirty-year-old with promising Sword Saint talent nearly at Completion Level, who without needing Liszt to say much, immediately expressed his willingness to follow.


    Later, during the evening banquet.


    Liszt invited all seven earls who had not yet chosen to pay their ransoms to sit at the table, personally convincing and recruiting them. Among the hesitant, six earls finally announced their allegiance, leaving only one earl¡ªa Common Level Sky Knight¡ªwho after much thought, decided to pay the ransom.


    With that,


    Discounting their noble ranks,


    With this Pioneer Mandate, Liszt directly subjugated one Domain Knight, one Completion Level Sky Knight, six Sword Saint Level Sky Knights, and twenty-five Common Level Sky Knights. In addition, more than eight hundred Elite Earth Knights and over three thousand eight hundred Common Earth Knights, along with more than seven thousand six hundred Apprentice Knights.


    Liszt did not confiscate the knights¡¯ elves, only requiring three years of service.


    The number of elves he truly obtained came from the four earls who paid the ransom, totaling seven Little Minor Elves. As per requirement, at least three of them had to be of the Magic Potion or grain type.


    However, compared to the high-level human and material resources of knights and elves, his greatest gain was the lower-class serfs. Over five hundred thousand serfs, civilians, and craftsmen were frantically transported to Flame Island.


    The newly born Flame Kingdom needed population replenishment the most.


    Cultivating the land, everything would eventually be obtained in time.


    As night fell, and in his study reviewing the gains of this war spoils, Liszt said to himself with some regret, ¡°The only thing that is a bit discordant is that these knights and serfs all come from the Eagle Kingdom. It would be better if I could plunder the Steel Ridge Kingdom a few times to balance it out¡­¡±

 Chapter 960 - 960 0957 Celebration Banquet and New Noble

    ?Chapter 960: Chapter 0957: Celebration Banquet and New Noble Chapter 960: Chapter 0957: Celebration Banquet and New Noble After completing the knight incorporation in Bull Hoof City, Liszt didn¡¯t linger and quickly left Bull Hoof Fortress. First, he went to Black Horse Island and left Grey Iron Dragon Ornn there to continue suppressing the Flame Territory, and he allowed Pea Great Elf Ash to touch its scales to evolve.


    Then he returned to Flame Island.


    At this time, Reed City was extremely crowded and foul-smelling, with over half a million serfs and knights transferring through here. Even though the Reed Cinder Road was already repaired, it was still difficult to hastily transport all the serfs away.


    However, they just had to get through this period of chaos.


    Aside from Reed City, Flame City, Jade City, Dragon Valley City, and Estuary City, the five major cities on Flame Island, there were also hundreds of settlements developed along the Whirlpool Great River Basin and the vicinity of several major roads. Nearly one and a half million Moon Slayer serfs, aside from cutting down forests, were either turning over the soil or building log houses.


    A large number of settlements with log houses were standing empty, and they continued to be constructed.


    Cement and brick structures were still considered high-end buildings temporarily unaffordable for serfs to live in; log houses were the best choice and easy to build. Because Liszt¡¯s ambitions were great, no matter if there were people or not, he¡¯d build the houses first, resulting in a bunch of Ghost Cities.


    As there weren¡¯t enough seeds, many Moon Slayers couldn¡¯t farm anyway; they might as well focus solely on building houses, striving to cultivate construction workers and accumulate strength for the infrastructure projects of the Flame Kingdom in the future.


    However, amidst the chaos in Reed City,


    A lively open-air celebration banquet was about to be held, unrelated to the knights taken captive, but for the followers of Liszt who had bravely won honors in the massive conferring of nobility during the war.


    In this one issuance of the Pioneer Mandate alone, he knighted over three hundred Honored Knights, these newly advanced nobles left teary-eyed without even having a bite of the banquet¡¯s food. To this day, on Flame Island, every eight Earth Knights included one Honored Knight, a promotion ratio that could be described as cheap.


    In other noble¡¯s territories, it was extremely difficult for an Earth Knight to be promoted to Honored Knight. Here, simply by hunting magical beasts, one could be promoted.


    Moreover, more than fifty baron titles were conferred, and knights from Original Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island had mostly already been granted the title of baron.


    ¡°Baron Alvin of Eagle Sword, you¡¯ve forged magic equipment day and night for your territory. Although you¡¯ve not stepped onto the battlefield, your contributions are substantial; today, I decide to promote you to viscount,¡± Liszt solemnly announced, reading from a list he had prepared before the banquet.


    The Iron Knight who had once fallen into disgrace to the point that his family¡¯s heirloom weapon¡ªthe Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword¡ªwas stolen, and he himself was imprisoned, couldn¡¯t help but shed tears, ¡°Your Highness¡¯s grace shines upon me; Alvin pledges his loyalty to Your Highness for generations!¡±


    Liszt held the Knight¡¯s Longsword and tapped Alvin¡¯s shoulders once on each side. Afterward, a servant brought forward noble garments, badges, cultural sticks, and other symbolic items.


    After the ceremony, Alvin stepped down.


    Liszt continued, reading from the list: ¡°Marcus Wheel, step forward.¡±


    Marcus immediately trembled and walked in front of Liszt, kneeling on one knee, ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Baron Marcus Wheel, since the era of Fresh Flower Town, you have overseen the training of the territory¡¯s Knight Order. Working tirelessly, critically, and without laxity, and with a heavy contribution. In the Pioneer Mandate, you charged ahead and beheaded multiple enemy knights, establishing illustrious military achievements; today, I decide to promote you to viscount.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s grace shines upon me; Marcus pledges to charge into battle and serve the Flame Family for generations!¡± said Marcus as he took a deep breath, swearing with the fervor of a zealot.


    This early follower of Liszt, who was an Elite Earth Knight, was living his dream, and every step forward now was a massive, dream-like development for him.


    Although he understood that the viscount title basically marked the peak of his rank¡ªhe couldn¡¯t be granted the title of earl without becoming a Sky Knight, as per the rules of the knight system¡ª


    He had a son, whom he¡¯d train with all his might. As long as he steadfastly followed His Highness, the earl title wasn¡¯t an unpassable chasm!


    Handing over the garments, badges, and cultural stick to Marcus, Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°Teacher Marcus, it¡¯s time for your family to choose a new surname.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    Marcus bowed and took his leave.


    At that moment, Liszt continued to announce, ¡°Baron Goltai¡¤Wang Gan¡­¡±


    Following this, Goltai, Charles, and several officials, along with several elder Elite Earth Knights, were successively ennobled as viscounts, each expressing copious gratitude in their declarations after the ennoblement.


    Yet all this was not the end. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the climax of the ennoblement ceremony, Liszt was still proclaiming, ¡°Paris, step forward.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± The Great Light Magic Swordsman, Paris, knelt on one knee.


    ¡°Baroness Paris, who has been my guard since the days of Fresh Flower Town, served as the leader of the patrol team during the Black Horse Island era, and participated in the development of the Flame Island territory. In this war of the Pioneer Mandate, you charged fearlessly into battle, reaped rich rewards, and personally captured a Sky Knight. Your military achievements are illustrious, and today I have decided to confer upon you the title of earl.¡±


    She was an elder from the Fresh Flower Town era, the first to be conferred the title of earl, her prowess as a Great Light Magic Swordsman comparable to that of a Sword Saint, fully capable of bearing the title of earl.


    Paris solemnly responded, ¡°Your Highness¡¯s grace shines upon me, Paris is willing to charge into battle for Your Highness and serve the Flame Family for generations to come!¡±


    The Knight¡¯s Longsword touched Paris¡¯s shoulders, Liszt nodded and said, ¡°You are the first female earl of the territory, and should serve as a model for all female knights of the land. I hope you can take on even greater responsibilities in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    After Paris took her leave, the ennoblement ceremony still had not ended.


    At this time, all the nobles¡¯ gazes turned toward another feminine figure slowly walking forward¡ªEmily. This incredibly young-looking girl possessed strength that made everyone envious, astonished, and in awe, gaining the ultimate dream opportunity for the knights.


    Dragon Riding!


    Many nobles in the territory already knew that Emily, the most terrifyingly talented individual close to His Highness, had already started interacting with a Light Green Gemstone Dragon, preparing to become a dragon rider.


    The Flame Kingdom could at any moment produce its second Dragon Knight, and once successful, she would be the sole female Dragon Knight in the entire history of the Legendary Continent.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Emily knelt on one knee.


    ¡°I am gratified, Emily. I have seen every bit of your growth, from the days when a frail little girl with a childish voice pledged allegiance to me¡ªwho could have imagined that one day you would reach such heights, and all of this within just three or four years.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t speak the official words as before.


    He expressed his admiration for Emily unreservedly, the young girl who had never failed his expectations: ¡°Baroness Emily, during your management of the Mammoth Knight Brigade, your efforts were tremendously valuable, and in the war of the Pioneer Mandate, your military achievements continued to grow. Today, I have decided to confer upon you the title of earl.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s grace shines upon me, Emily is willing to be Your Highness¡¯s spear and sword!¡±


    After the procedure was completed, Liszt spoke once more, ¡°You are still young, earl is not your endpoint, continue to strive.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness!¡±


    Looking at his followers, both ennobled and not, Liszt cheerfully said, ¡°Those who haven¡¯t been ennobled, continue to strive; those who have, strive even more. Within three years, the Flame Kingdom must be established. When the kingdom is founded, lands will be distributed according to your titles, and I hope by then, numerous great nobles will emerge from among you!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s grace shines upon us!¡±


    Thus, the ennoblement ceremony concluded, and the banquet immediately commenced.

 Chapter 961 - 961 0958 Blow it Right

    ?Chapter 961: Chapter 0958: Blow it Right Chapter 961: Chapter 0958: Blow it Right The following morning, after completing his morning practice, Liszt convened another high-level noble meeting.


    Attendees not only included the veteran knights from the Flame Territory, but also noble knights recently captured from the Eagle Kingdom, as well as two magicians.


    Once the knights and magicians were all seated at the conference table,


    Butler Carter, accompanied by several servants, brought in long-spouted iron teapots and poured a cup of fragrant milk for each knight and magician present.


    Liszt elegantly picked up his cup and took a sip, saying, ¡°This milk tea is quite unique. Dimaria, since you have just arrived, you may not be aware that this is milk from the Dragon Breed Cows¡ªBanpo Cattle. Consuming it regularly has great benefits for training¡­ the ranch is currently expanding its scale so that all knights of the kingdom, especially the young knights, will have access to Banpo Cattle milk.¡±


    Dimaria picked up the cup, savored a deep sip, and couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Indeed, it is worthy of being milk from breed cows. The effects are yet to be felt, but the flavor is rich and aromatic, better than all other varieties of milk I have tried!¡±


    ¡°Truly delicious.¡±


    ¡°The texture is silky smooth, and it¡¯s so mellow going down the throat. If we could drink Banpo Cattle milk every day, it would be more than enough.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°A touch of the glory of Your Highness; never thought I¡¯d get to drink milk from the Dragon Breed Cows.¡± The newly arrived nobles all praised, whether they liked it or not, it was right to do so.


    And in fact, Banpo Cattle milk was indeed worth the praise.


    Among dragon-related creatures, Dragon Breed Beasts are the lowest level but also the rarest. According to the research conducted by Liszt and Ach, the conditions for a creature to become infected with dragon lineage are quite strict; it must be a young dragon that can infect beasts without the bloodline infection power bursting the beast.


    There is virtually no possibility of adult dragons infecting Dragon Breed Beasts, for the bloodline infection power is very fierce and no creature other than a magical beast could withstand it.


    Therefore, Dragon Breed Beasts have always been rare.


    The Sapphire Family has been nurturing Sapphire Dragons for a couple of hundred years, and they only have a group of Blue Blood Treasure Horses, which have yet to be confirmed as being infected by Sapphire Dragons. The royal families of the three major kingdoms all have Dragon Beasts in captivity, which are those infected by adult dragons. Young dragons and Dragon Breed Beasts have rarely been heard of.


    Liszt had control over three types of Dragon Breed Beasts¡ªthe Black Blood Treasured Horse, Banpo Cattle, and Estuary Pig.


    He also has two young dragons, Fire Dragon Leo and Formless Dragon Bard. In the future, he intended to continue to explore their bloodline infection power and infect more Dragon Breed Beasts.


    After finishing the milk tea,


    The meeting moved on to the central topic.


    Liszt disliked drawn-out wrangling and always went straight to the point at meetings, ¡°The influx of a large number of knights and civilians injects fresh blood into the development of Flame Island; the population is always the driving force behind a nation¡¯s development. However, we must also recognize the current chaos in our territory.¡±


    He paused before continuing, ¡°Managing work is full of difficulties, but I trust you can handle it well. Within a month, I need to see that all newcomers and veterans are living and working happily. Also, I expect the new knights to adapt to their new status within this month and coordinate their work duties.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness!¡± his followers responded in unison.


    Liszt nodded, then said, ¡°I do not often stay at Flame Castle. My father, Marquis of Bull Tail, will reside in Flame Castle. He can fully coordinate the construction of the territory when I am away.¡±


    Li Weiliam continued the topic, ¡°My colleagues, let us strive for the establishment of the Flame Kingdom.¡± As the father of a Dragon Knight and future king¡¯s father, he fully coordinated the territory¡¯s construction, and the Knight Class would have no objections.


    All nodded in acknowledgement.


    Liszt announced the second personnel decision, ¡°The kingdom¡¯s development area is vast, and transport is inconvenient, for better assistance in Marquis Bull Tail¡¯s management work, I will directly establish a Development Committee, to serve as the Flame Kingdom¡¯s temporary Inner Cabinet before its founding.¡±


    The royal families of various countries would establish an Inner Cabinet, with Nobles entering the palace to serve as ministers, overseeing the affairs of the kingdom.


    Although the Flame Kingdom had not yet been established, this was only a matter of time, and so it was necessary to set up a temporary cabinet. With no fiefs available to enjoy at the moment, the Nobles and Knights participating in the meeting all looked at Liszt with eyes full of anticipation, hoping to be selected for the Development Committee.


    His gaze swept over many Nobles and Knights eager to try.


    He directly declared, ¡°Marquis Bull Tail will serve as the Committee Chair, Dimaria Yuhua Stone as the Vice Chair, and Goltai, Marcus, Elton Golden Chrysanthemum Medal, Geoffrey Begonia, Durt Red Apricot, Emily, Paris as members; Chris and Kenley will act as Special Members to coordinate with the Magic Guild in participating in the development of the territory.¡±


    When the results were announced, some were surprised, others were disappointed, but no one raised an objection.


    It was expected that Marquis Bull Tail would serve as the head of the committee.


    Dimaria had just surrendered and was immediately appointed as the vice-chair, which was entirely Liszt¡¯s way of returning the favor for his performance in the persuasion work. Besides, Dimaria was a Domain Knight and a long-time Marquis, with his original fief being very prosperous, making his management work trustworthy.


    Goltai and Marcus had lower titles and strength, but they were Liszt¡¯s confidants, having been his tutors during the times in Fresh Flower Town, which meant their relationship was no ordinary one.


    Geoffrey had also just surrendered; he was a Domain Knight of the Completion Level, in his prime with an ambitious spirit, and Liszt looked forward to his performance.


    Durt was an Earl who had surrendered during the era of Black Horse Island, and receiving favor was only to be expected.


    As for Emily, it goes without saying that she was the sole candidate for the reserve Dragon Knight plan; the same goes for Paris, around whom there were many rumors claiming she was the Lord Landlord¡¯s secret lover.


    Only Elton was an exception, having been strongly supported by Liszt, Li Weiliam, and Dimaria during their discussion the previous night.


    Liszt did not think highly of such an inept person who liked to oppress his own brothers, for no other reason than that he was a second son himself, always feeling that Noble families were too harsh on second sons. Chinese tradition held the belief in the blessing of many sons, but here Nobles were content with just one.


    Having more sons meant there weren¡¯t enough resources to raise them all, which often led to second sons being driven out to struggle for themselves.


    Of course, the bigger the Nobles, the less severe this concept of mistreating second sons was, since they had substantial wealth and didn¡¯t mind raising several heirs.


    Elton was born into a large Noble family but was harsh on his more talented younger brother, which reflected poorly on his character.


    However, both Li Weiliam and Dimaria believed it was crucial to stabilize the Knight Class amid the current chaos in the territory. Naturally, having a high-ranking Noble used prominently would comfort the Knight Class quickly. Liszt wasn¡¯t too concerned about these issues and went along with the idea, so Elton thus entered the Development Committee.


    As for Chris and Kenley, the two Grand Magicians serving as Special Members was solely for coordinating with the Magic Guild.


    They were not personally involved in the development of the territory, focusing instead on letting the Magic Guild engage in research, functioning similarly to an academy of sciences.


    ¡°My lords, the important task of developing Flame Island is now in your hands.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡­


    After the meeting ended and the Development Committee was announced to the public, the temporary Inner Cabinet¡¯s significance quickly became apparent, as all official duties no longer crowded upon Liszt¡¯s desk.


    Therefore, he made time to take Ach and quickly headed towards the Doomsday Volcano Crater¡ªhaving already gotten Leo¡¯s agreement to guide a volcanic eruption at the Doomsday Volcano Crater through a trade involving twenty bottles of Red Dragon Water.

 Chapter 962 - 962 0959 Volcanic Eruption

    ?Chapter 962: Chapter 0959: Volcanic Eruption Chapter 962: Chapter 0959: Volcanic Eruption Ach couldn¡¯t penetrate the bottom of the volcano, so she could only wait for the birth of the phoenix before conducting her research, or study the coarse blood-red stones named ¡°Phoenix Bloodstones.¡±


    The stones possessed a rich Fire Attribute Mana, and through Ach¡¯s preliminary studies, she found that their function was to condense Fire Attribute Mana. They could, by some special property, gather the free-floating Fire Attribute Mana in the surrounding air to form an abundant Fire Attribute environment.


    A large accumulation of Phoenix Bloodstones was roughly equivalent to constructing a Magic Array, providing a hatching environment for the Phoenix Egg.


    ¡°After the phoenix is born, these Phoenix Bloodstones can be mined and used at the Knight Academy to create a Fire Attribute training ground for knights with Fire Attribute Dou Qi,¡± Liszt thought. ¡°Moreover, placing Phoenix Bloodstones together with the Phoenix Perch Parasol can attract more Red Sparrow Birds and Flame Dragon Birds.¡±


    Once these fire birds were tamed as mounts, they would definitely be a formidable force in battle.


    The Elite Guards Knights from the Burning Legion could then rely on the Red Sparrow Birds and the Flame Dragon Birds as mounts, with the Sky Knights riding Flame Dragon Birds and the Elite Earth Knights riding Red Sparrow Birds.


    ¡°Ach, I¡¯ll go down with Leo to check if there¡¯s any problem with the eggs. If there¡¯s no problem, we¡¯ll induce the volcano to erupt today to help the phoenix be born!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Before long, Liszt, wrapped in Leo¡¯s flames, effortlessly made his way to the dry passageway and ran along the corridor into the cave.


    The Phoenix Egg showed no changes, and the dried branches beneath it were still burning.


    Touching the egg with his finger, he again felt that yearning for freedom, a primal emotion, not a conscious soul. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t help but communicate with the Phoenix Egg through this unreliable emotional exchange, continuing until he could barely breathe.


    Back to the surface.


    ¡°We can start now!¡±


    Liszt mounted Leo, took a deep breath, and began to circle around the Doomsday Volcano Crater. Leo¡¯s Dragon Magic Power quickly resonated with the magic power swirling around the volcano, a talent innate to their bloodline. When the resonance reached the magnitude similar to a resonation,


    The once-still Doomsday Volcano Crater, which only emitted hot air, began to tremble lightly from deep beneath, and the tremors grew with Leo¡¯s continual circling.


    No longer just hot air was rising from the volcano crater, but also thick, rolling black smoke.


    The mountain began to collapse, and rocks cracked open, rolling down the slopes. The ground within dozens of kilometers vibrated, and the clouds in the sky were stirred, rapidly gathering into ring-shaped dark clouds, connected with the volcanic smoke to form a black canopy.


    Suddenly,


    A stream of dark red magma spurted out from the volcano crater, quickly coming to a halt.


    But in less than a minute, another stream of dark red magma burst forth, and the magma began to erupt intermittently. From a distance, the Doomsday Volcano Crater looked like it was breathing hurriedly, expanding and contracting, building up strength for the true moment of eruption.


    Time slowly passed, and before you knew it, Liszt and Leo had been resonating with the volcano for a full twenty minutes.


    At this moment, the Doomsday Volcano, having accumulated power, finally arrived at that earth-shattering moment. A column of fiery red magma suddenly burst through the rolling smoke between heaven and earth, like a spear piercing the sun, shooting up into the sky three hundred meters high.


    The spattered magma, like exploded fireworks, flung red lava liquid in all directions, quickly inundating the entire Doomsday Volcano.


    In that moment, it seemed as if the magma column was the entire world.


    Destructive and catastrophic!


    ¡­


    Ach, riding Unicorn Charlie, had already hidden far, far away, but could still feel the intense heat from the volcanic eruption, ¡°Charlie, this masterpiece was created by my brother and Leo, isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±


    Huff puff.


    Charlie snorted in an incomprehensible manner.


    Although it was a magical unicorn, many of its habits were not much different from those of a horse.


    ¡°The phoenix is about to emerge. In legend, the phoenix is a creature as magical as you, Charlie,¡± Ach said as he stroked Charlie¡¯s mane.


    Charlie shook his head, seemingly expressing his disdain with an air of arrogance.


    ¡­


    Around the column of magma.


    Leo gasped for air as he dodged the falling magma; he was not afraid of being scorched by it, but he had to be careful of Liszt on his back. It would be a huge joke if he triggered a volcanic eruption and burned his own knight to death.


    Fortunately,


    when the magma column had gradually weakened and only thick smoke continued to billow out, both he and Liszt were still unharmed, though the consumption of superior magic was a bit excessive. However, with Red Dragon Water for replenishment, Leo didn¡¯t consider it a loss. Moreover, after triggering the volcanic eruption, he felt many volcanic super magics coming to life.


    He breathed deeply, drawing in these volcanic super magics.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Leo. Wrap us in flames; we¡¯re going to check out the phoenix egg!¡± Liszt took a deep breath from the air outside and, controlling Leo, plunged into the fiery mouth amid the dense smoke. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The magma was still slowly overflowing. Diving deeper into the magma, one could feel that many of the channels had fractures, but thankfully, the main channels were intact, and the dried-up branches had not collapsed due to the volcanic tremors. They ran swiftly and dashed into the cave.


    The round cave walls were riddled with cracks, a rich concentration of volcanic super magic gathered here.


    Golden light flickered intensely; that was the phoenix egg struggling to hatch, but to Liszt¡¯s surprise, the egg just couldn¡¯t break open. The phoenix inside seemed to be unable to emerge, and upon closer inspection, one could feel the phoenix¡¯s primal emotions of unwillingness and frustration.


    An intense barrage to his senses.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°According to the information obtained from the phoenix egg, it needs a volcanic eruption to hatch. Why can¡¯t it do it?¡± Liszt frowned.


    He concentrated and summoned the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Once every five hundred years, await the right moment for rebirth; this is the undying bird, the phoenix, of noble character beyond description, and mysterious power beyond expression. Since fate has led you to witness the phoenix in its moment of rebirth, naturally, you must lend it a helping hand. Please incubate the phoenix egg. Reward: A phoenix.¡±


    No change, and not too much information to lean on.


    ¡°The power of fate calls upon me to assist, and I¡¯ve already spent twenty vials of Red Dragon Water, exchanging them for Leo¡¯s intervention. Why is it still not successful?¡±


    Watching the phoenix egg¡¯s struggles grow weaker, Liszt started to grow anxious: ¡°Do I need to help break the eggshell?¡±


    It was clearly just a thought.


    He reached out to touch the flickering phoenix egg, trying to get new information from the phoenix egg, but in the exchange of emotions, he could only feel the phoenix¡¯s desperation, without obtaining any useful information¡ªthe phoenix egg, not yet hatched, seemed to have an unformed soul, hence unable to convey clear information.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Leo, through Liszt¡¯s senses, felt the phoenix¡¯s plight and directly sent the idea that it wanted to eat the egg for nourishment before it died.


    ¡°Eat?¡±


    An idea suddenly struck Liszt, who quickly took out three Phoenix Feathers from his Space Ring¡ªthese were not actual phoenix feathers, but the tail feathers of a Flame Dragon Bird, from which Leo had absorbed most of the magic, leaving only three feathers for emergencies.


    He swiftly placed the Phoenix Feathers on the phoenix egg.


    The next moment, as if sensing something, the egg¡¯s surface flared with light, and the three Phoenix Feathers turned to ash, all their magic absorbed by the egg.


    But this amount of magic was clearly insufficient for the phoenix¡¯s hatching needs.


    Liszt had no choice but to turn his gaze to Leo again: ¡°Leo, it¡¯s time for you to perform again.¡±

 Chapter 963 - 963 0960 Phoenix Body (Third Update Alliance

    ?Chapter 963: Chapter 0960: Phoenix Body (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 28/147) Chapter 963: Chapter 0960: Phoenix Body (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 28/147) ¡°Oh!¡±


    Unexpectedly, Leo firmly refused!


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk logic. If it weren¡¯t for you absorbing all the Volcanic Super Magic at the Doomsday Volcano Crater, the Phoenix wouldn¡¯t have possibly failed to receive enough magic power to hatch¡­ Of course, I don¡¯t blame you. Unclaimed resources go to whoever seizes them first, and besides, Flame Island is my turf.¡±


    He was rapidly engaging in a mental exchange and negotiation with Leo.


    Talking logic was futile, and in the end, he had to use Red Dragon Water for the trade. As his stocks continued to dwindle, Liszt was left with just over fifty vials of Red Dragon Water. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leo quickly laid out his final price¡ªfifty vials.


    He intended to squeeze Liszt of all his stock in one go.


    ¡°Fine!¡± During this critical moment, Liszt couldn¡¯t afford to haggle. After all, both hands were his own dragons; giving the Red Dragon Water to Leo wasn¡¯t a loss.


    Quickly,


    he placed his hand on the Phoenix Egg, and Leo¡¯s Dragon Super Magic passed through his hand and flowed into the egg along the Dou Qi meridians. It was like parched earth receiving sweet rain; the Phoenix Egg felt the essence of Dragon Super Magic and began to absorb it frantically. A continuous influx of Dragon Super Magic entered the Phoenix Egg, making the golden light on the egg shine brightly again.


    The Phoenix could hatch at any moment.


    However, trouble struck suddenly.


    Right at that instant, Leo, who was attached to Liszt¡¯s chest, used lightning speed to rally his magic power. He not only withdrew all the leaked Dragon Super Magic but also quickly absorbed all the magic power within the egg into Liszt¡¯s body.


    Then, the essence of the Phoenix Egg began to flow towards its attached location¡ªLeo was reneging on the deal, intending to directly devour the Phoenix Egg.


    ¡°Stop, Leo!¡±


    Liszt had no time to express his anger at Leo¡¯s actions. He had overestimated the good nature of the wicked dragon, thinking that appealing to its emotions, reasoning with it, and luring it with benefits would lead to compromise.


    He never expected that at such a moment, Leo, driven by desire, would go back on his word.


    The Phoenix Egg lost its luster at a visible rate, turning into a dull red stone the size of a soccer ball in the blink of an eye, and all its essence, along with the magic power extracted by Leo, entered Liszt¡¯s body. Even that faint primal consciousness also entered Liszt¡¯s body, quickly linking with his own thoughts.


    He could feel that pure, untainted soul, which had yet to form a complete ¡°Phoenix personality,¡± now faced with the brink of collapse.


    Leo¡¯s thoughts were brimming with greed, wanting to consume all that was the Phoenix.


    Yet, in that moment, Liszt acted decisively, quickly mobilizing his Dragon Dou Qi, forcibly cutting off Leo¡¯s magic power and quelling its avarice for the Phoenix essence.


    He then attempted to reverse the flow of Dou Qi, trying to send the Phoenix essence back into the egg¡ªbeing unable to incubate it for now didn¡¯t matter; he could always try again when the opportunity arose.


    Alas.


    With the extraction of the Phoenix essence, the nature of the Phoenix Egg had changed and could no longer receive any magic power. The Phoenix essence, in just the snap of a finger, merged into Liszt¡¯s own body, thoroughly integrating into every limb, every bone, permeating to the depths of his cells.


    Moreover, the Phoenix¡¯s primal soul was pulled by the power in his mind into his own soul.


    His spiritual power, already empowered by the Power of Destiny, swelled even further at this moment, filling his mind with countless pieces of information.


    The most tangible manifestation was in his eyes, where flames flickered and danced.


    ¡°Inheritance¡­ Phoenix¡­ Have I actually merged with the Phoenix, or has my body become the vessel for the rebirth of the Phoenix?¡±


    The stream of information was too overwhelming, all imprinted with the natural instincts from the Phoenix Bloodline.


    This made Liszt instantly understand what had just happened¡ªthe Phoenix, possessing the divine ability of rebirth from flames, had been outmaneuvered by Leo and, at the brink of life¡¯s extinction, driven by instinct, it merged its divine power with Liszt¡¯s body, hoping to be reborn through him.


    What would happen after the rebirth was unknown.


    Would Liszt acquire everything the Phoenix had, or would the Phoenix replace Liszt, or perhaps coexist within the same body?


    However, none of this happened. The Power of Destiny intervened, the power of the Smoke Dragon that clung to Liszt¡¯s body directly pulled the original Phoenix soul to nurture Liszt¡¯s own soul. Thus, the Phoenix¡¯s rebirth power went dormant and sank deep into Liszt¡¯s body.


    ¡°What a pity, the world has lost the Phoenix¡­¡±


    He sighed.


    But the next moment, his eyes flared with a dazzling light, ¡°But now, I am the Phoenix!¡± Immediately after, flames rose from his body.


    The next second.


    Liszt¡¯s hands as if rapidly melting into flames, out of the flames emerged a pair of wings adorned with golden-yellow feathers. He beat his wings fiercely and leaped with his legs, elevating swiftly into the air, circling the spherical cavern in flight, the flames on his body becoming more intense, completely merging him with the fire.


    The flames did not extinguish, but what they enveloped was no longer a human, but a golden-red Phoenix bathed in flames.


    A magnificent, slender body, golden and red feathers gleaming like gemstones, overall similar to a Flame Dragon Bird, yet flames accompanied every part of the body at all times.


    At its tail were not seven, but nine tail feathers made of flames.


    Gold and red cast reflections off each other, flames and feathers merged into one, at this moment, the Phoenix that Liszt had transformed into was the flame, and the flame was the Phoenix.


    ¡°A marvelous sensation, a magical experience. Leo¡¯s miscalculated scheme, although failing to hatch a Phoenix, gave me a power similar to Druid Shapeshifting!¡±


    The essence of the Phoenix had merged into every limb and cell, much like the genetic codex of the Child of the Sun; it was likely a shift magic built at the genetic level. And his soul had conveniently devoured the Phoenix¡¯s original soul, effortlessly wielding this power born of the Phoenix.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Leo, still attached to Liszt, now in the form of the Phoenix, lusted after the Phoenix¡¯s power but could no longer seize it.


    A thought crossed his mind.


    Liszt retracted the power of the Phoenix, reverting to his human form. A Dou Qi Armament redressed him in clothes, to avoid any indecent exposure¡ªeven in a place devoid of people, one mustn¡¯t carelessly reveal oneself.


    He swiftly placed the now dim and lightless Phoenix Egg and the extinguished Tinderpile into his Space Ring.


    Looking at the Phoenix Bloodstone on the cavern walls, he fell into contemplation.


    Before long, Serpent Script formed from smoke fluttered before his eyes: ¡°Mission failed, you have devoured the Phoenix.¡±


    This was his second time failing a Smoke Mission, the first being the failed evolution of the Tulip Spirit Bug, and now the failed hatching of the Phoenix.


    Regrettable indeed, but he had also gained a blessing in disguise, the ability to transform into a Phoenix.


    ¡°After returning, I must hasten the restrictions on Leo, completing the Mind Branding as soon as possible to avoid such situations in the future.¡± He couldn¡¯t hold a grudge against Leo; an Evil Dragon was its nature, everything stemmed from its instincts¡ªhe could only blame himself for insufficient preparation, for not having complete control over Leo.


    At that moment.


    A new Smoke Mission was issued.


    ¡°Mission: The demise of extraordinary phenomena often heralds the transition of eras, and even destiny is subject to ceaseless change. You must learn to make the right choices amongst various changes, to grasp the laws governing the workings of the world, and ensure the legacy of the Phoenix endures. Reward: Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix.¡±

 Chapter 964 - 964 0961 We Are Different

    ?Chapter 964: Chapter 0961: We Are Different Chapter 964: Chapter 0961: We Are Different Do we need to preserve the fire seed for the Phoenix?


    Li Si Te gazed at the content of the Smoke Mission, and suddenly, a light shone before his eyes. This indicated that the Phoenix might not truly be extinct and there was still hope for its rebirth.


    ¡°But what should I do?¡±


    He inexplicably thought of the Phoenix Egg he had stored in the Space Ring which, although it had lost its essence and become a lifeless stone, had not been thoroughly verified whether it still contained any Phoenix aura. Perhaps such a miraculous creature had other methods to preserve its fire seed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back and analyze the situation with Ach, letting her research how exactly to preserve the Phoenix fire seed. I can¡¯t figure it out just by banging my head against the wall here.¡±


    He glanced at the Phoenix Bloodstones on the cave walls, wanting to dig them all out. However, the cave was neither too large nor too small, and the Phoenix Bloodstone could yield at least a hundred tons; it wasn¡¯t something he could exhaustively mine in a short time.


    Moreover, since no serfs could come down, only he could excavate the Phoenix Bloodstones, which was very troublesome: ¡°I¡¯ll leave them for now. If the Phoenix Egg really still preserves the fire seed, perhaps this place will still be the best spot for nurturing the Phoenix. As long as the Doomsday Volcano does not extinguish, one day a true Phoenix will be reborn from fire here.¡±


    He shook his head.


    He spoke mentally with Fire Dragon Leo: ¡°Leo, don¡¯t come to practice at the Doomsday Volcano Crater anymore. This place will be sealed by me to nurture the Phoenix.¡±


    ¡°Oho!¡± Leo was reluctant but had already understood the suppressed indignation in Liszt¡¯s heart and dared not act rashly anymore.


    Liszt had gained the ability to transform into a Phoenix from misfortune, but his heart still desired to obtain a separate, real Phoenix. After all, having acquired the ability to transform into a Phoenix, his body had undergone unknown changes, changes that he could not predict to be good or bad.


    However, just as described by the Smoke Mission, even fate was constantly changing unpredictably.


    A blessing in disguise.


    Since a choice had been made, a poor choice should be quickly remedied to get back on the right track; a good choice should be progressed, accumulating greater benefits.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Liszt did not call for Leo to transform and envelop him in flames.


    Instead, he leaped forward and instantly transformed into a noble, beautiful, and imposing Phoenix with a wingspan and body length of three meters each. Although it was small in size, it had the majesty of a monarch among flames, its authority profound and unfathomable.


    His wings flapped.


    Like a fiery red arrow, he sped through the corridor. This was not flight relying on air currents, but the Phoenix¡¯s innate fire control ability, which allowed him to fly as light as a flame.


    In the blink of an eye, he reached the area with magma and without the slightest hesitation, dived straight into it.


    Like a fireball, he merged swiftly into the magma. At this moment, Liszt possessed the same ability as Fire Dragon Leo. Because the Phoenix he transformed into was also composed of Fire Attribute Superior Magic, only the nature of the Fire Attribute was slightly different, adding a hint of endless vitality.


    Leo¡¯s Fire Attribute Superior Magic had the quality of ¡°eternal¡± ¡ª the ultimate manifestation of Fire Attribute Mana.


    The Phoenix¡¯s Fire Attribute Superior Magic, on the other hand, possessed the quality of ¡°reigniting after death¡± ¡ª the ultimate manifestation of Fire Attribute Mana.


    Both types of Fire Attribute Superior Magic represented the ultimate demonstration of Fire Attribute Mana, just in different ways. Just like every type of dragon has different Superior Magic, it seemed that once a creature reached the level of Superior Magic, it inherently gained a unique, ultimate characteristic.


    Flying continuously in the magma, a multitude of information still ceaselessly impacted Liszt¡¯s soul¡ªthese were all imprinted within the Phoenix Bloodline.


    Splash!


    He soon shot out from the magma, soaring into the somewhat dim sky¡ª at this moment, the sky was covered with thick volcanic clouds, conveniently obscuring the direction from which the sun shone.


    He swiftly surged towards the sky, rocketing straight up for ninety thousand miles until he broke through the dark ash-gray volcanic clouds and reached the higher heavens above, where he could overview the entire landscape of mountains and lands, then he steady hovered in the air.


    Golden and red feathers intertwined with flame, making his Phoenix incarnation look like a new red sun.


    Riding a dragon and flying by oneself were two entirely different experiences, at that moment, he wanted to shout loudly in excitement. However, what emitted from the beak of the phoenix was a sharp, clear, majestic, and lively mixed sound full of rhythmic sense, it went ¡°Screech!¡±


    Similar to the call of the Flame Dragon Bird, the nobility revealed was something the Flame Dragon Bird could not possess. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The vision of the Phoenix.


    Almost like that of a normal human, yet he could see many red lights scattered across the land, he could instinctively distinguish the nature of those flames¡ª the magic power of volcanoes, magical beasts, plants, natural flames, and the Fire Attribute Mana drifting in the air.


    However, beyond the magic of fire, the Phoenix could not see clearly.


    He hovered in the high skies for a moment, familiarizing himself with the flying capabilities of the Phoenix before quickly locating the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest and heading straight there.


    ¡°Speed is very fast, I feel that it might be supersonic, not slower than Ach¡¯s Unicorn Charlie, possibly even faster¡­ but my Phoenix incarnation is still in its ¡®juvenile¡¯ phase, it hasn¡¯t been fully developed.¡±


    Within a few breaths.


    He arrived at the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest, where the Flame Dragon Birds and Red Sparrow Birds seemingly sensed the aura of the Phoenix. Originally happy flocks all hid trembling within the forest.


    The Phoenix did not have Dragon Might.


    Yet, its very presence was something all Fire Attribute magical beasts inherently feared, even more so than how average magical beasts feared Dragon Might.


    ¡°Screech!¡±


    Liszt saw Ach riding her Unicorn Charlie, curiously gazing at the Phoenix. He wanted to greet them but found that he still spoke in bird language.


    Of course.


    Realizing this, he transformed back into his human form, put his clothes on, and summoned Fire Dragon. Riding Leo, he approached by her side with Ach¡¯s surprised gaze on him, ¡°What, don¡¯t recognize your brother anymore?¡±


    Ach¡¯s mouth dropped in surprise, ¡°Brother, how did you turn into a Phoenix?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a long story.¡±


    At this moment, having lost the oppressive aura of the Phoenix, the Flame Dragon Birds and Red Sparrow Birds in the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest hadn¡¯t recovered yet and were again shocked by the Dragon Might of the Fire Dragon, scattering clumsily and trying to escape. Only the Greater Elf Annie, riding Little Yellow, came over, curiously looking at Liszt.


    It seemed not to recognize Liszt, until Leo disdainfully glanced at it and Little Yellow, and then it confirmed it hadn¡¯t mistaken the person, ¡°Liszt, you¡¯ve turned into a Flame Dragon Bird!¡±


    ¡°Annie, I became a Phoenix, not a Flame Dragon Bird.¡±


    ¡°Screech screech, they look so alike though.¡±


    ¡°Not the slightest bit, how can the sparrow-like Flame Dragon Bird be compared to my noble and majestic Phoenix incarnation!¡±


    ¡°It really looks similar though, screech screech, but more beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡± He held Annie in his arms, then continued conversing with Ach, ¡°Because of Leo¡¯s interruption, the Phoenix couldn¡¯t hatch, instead merging with me, giving me abilities similar to Druid Shapeshifting¡­ Ach, you need to help me research this Phoenix incarnation thoroughly these next few days.¡±


    Ach nodded, ¡°Of course! Ach will definitely help brother dig out all the pros and cons of the Phoenix incarnation!¡±

 Chapter 965 - 965 0962 The Immortal Body

    ?Chapter 965: Chapter 0962: The Immortal Body Chapter 965: Chapter 0962: The Immortal Body Ach¡¯s research assignment was heavy.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) felt sympathetic, yet there was no way to pull her away from her research. The Phoenix Egg, Tinderpile, and Phoenix Bloodstone had already been entrusted to Ach, who was researching how to preserve the Phoenix¡¯s fire seed.


    Of course, the main focus was still on researching the Phoenix Incarnation in conjunction with the Phoenix Egg to retain the fire seed of the Phoenix.


    ¡°Brother, the abilities of the Phoenix Incarnation are just these for now. There might be some hidden abilities, like rebirth from flames or something, but they are difficult to study. For the sake of brother¡¯s safety, it¡¯s best not to try them lightly.¡± Ach handed the research materials to Liszt, ¡°As for magic, Ach will try her best to help brother improve it.¡±


    Based on Ach¡¯s research and the imprinted information from the Phoenix Bloodline that Liszt organized, they basically hammered out the abilities of the Phoenix Incarnation.


    There were approximately six incredible, unbelievable abilities.


    The first, Flame Ascension¡ªThe Phoenix has the ability to fly with fire attributes, and it can slip through any crevice. Its speed could surpass the speed of sound, and even if there was a wall ahead, as long as there was a slightly larger gap in the wall, it could directly charge through it.


    The second, Physical Immunity¡ªThe Phoenix Incarnation is a form condensed from Superior Magic, and any physical attack would be unable to harm the Phoenix Incarnation, equating to an immortal body.


    The third, Magic Overwhelming¡ªMany Fire System magics are imprinted in the Phoenix Incarnation¡¯s bloodline instincts. However, Liszt, for now, could only perform magic similar to Flame Slash. After all, his Phoenix Incarnation was still in its juvenile stages, but his Flame Slash was based on High Magic to cast, with power equal to an ordinary Archmage.


    It fell short of the combat power of a Dragon, clearly not reaching the magical level of Ach riding a Unicorn.


    Liszt hoped that Ach could help him design a few simple magics that fit the Phoenix Incarnation; utilizing Innate Magic would be too costly.


    The fourth, Semi-Elementalization¡ªThis meant he could partially transform his body into the Phoenix Incarnation, and his body was gradually moving towards an Archmage¡¯s Elemental Incarnation due to the subtle changes in the Phoenix Incarnation, although he hadn¡¯t touched the Magic Web, ultimately only capable of semi-elementalization.


    The fifth, Dou Qi Sublimation¡ªHis Dragon Dou Qi, through long-term cultivation with the Dragon, reached the level of High Magic. However, at this moment, after devouring the essence of the Phoenix and further cultivating with the Dragon, what was extracted from the cells was not High Magic level Dragon Dou Qi, but Superior Magic level Dragon Dou Qi.


    When he and Leo entered Dragon Rider Mode, the combat power they exerted would skyrocket by several times. Once the Dragon Dou Qi fully transformed into Superior Magic Dou Qi, his strength would probably surpass all other Dragon Knights.


    Last.


    There was also the sixth ability, Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡ªThis was the reward from the Smoke Mission, and as Ach speculated, once Liszt completely merged with the Phoenix Incarnation, he would possess the ability to command birds.


    The reason was simple.


    Liszt gradually discovered that he seemed to understand the calls of birds. When he flew in the form of the Phoenix Incarnation, those Flame Dragon Birds and Red Sparrow Birds would quiver with fear upon seeing him, and the occasional chirp seemed to express submission and reverence towards him.


    Even birds that weren¡¯t of the Fire Attribute seemed to vaguely convey the meaning behind their calls.


    ¡°Charley can sense a special malice coming from brother, this is probably due to the Phoenix¡¯s resentment from being devoured. This malice is obstructing brother¡¯s communication with birds. Perhaps, if we guide this malice out, we can preserve the fire seed of the Phoenix and let it be reborn.¡±


    ¡°Why would I want to communicate with birds!¡±


    Liszt always felt that the ability of Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix was awkward; he wasn¡¯t a birdman and didn¡¯t need to communicate with beasts!


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Ach said, giggling, ¡°If brother really can develop the ability of Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix, couldn¡¯t he establish a flying Knight Order? The Royal Knight Squad of the Burning Legion could be quickly dealt with too. Those Flame Dragon Birds and Red Sparrow Birds would all make excellent mounts.¡±


    Liszt promptly changed the subject: ¡°What do I need to do to guide out the residual malice of the Phoenix?¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°This involves the stripping of the soul. Ach has recently made great advances in the research of Lich Andy, and he is fully prepared and can initiate the separation of him from the Marks of Terror and the Dragon Soul at any time. Once Ach completes the separation experiment, he will be able to strip away the malice of the Phoenix from my brother and inject it into the Phoenix Egg.¡±


    ¡°Please do it as soon as possible. I can also feel a barrier between myself and the Phoenix Incarnation, we are never completely in harmony, perhaps due to the repulsion of this malign influence.¡±


    ¡­


    December arrived suddenly.


    Liszt hadn¡¯t returned to Flame Castle in the past half month, staying in the Endless Volcano Cluster instead, studying the Phoenix Incarnation. At the same time, he also intensified his training with Leo, repeatedly slashing away Leo¡¯s malicious thoughts, polishing his own Mind Branding to become clearer and clearer, and his suppressive influence over Leo grew stronger.


    ¡°Following this pace, in another two or three months, I should be able to complete the Mind Branding, allowing the training between me and Leo to reach a perfect Dragon Knight stage.¡±


    By that time, even without his personal suppression, the Mind Branding would automatically twist Leo¡¯s evil thoughts.


    Thus, he and Ach returned to Reed City together, where Ach began to set up the experiment for the soul separation of Lich Andy, while he went to Flame Castle to inspect the progress of the estate¡¯s construction¡ªproving that the Development Committee had done well, and the estate didn¡¯t falter without him.


    As long as he could ensure the high-end combat power at the Dragon tier, enough to suppress the Flame Kingdom, the Knight Class would naturally maintain the internal operations of the Kingdom.


    After all, he neither revolutionized new systems nor advanced technological trees.


    Except for creating some paper, glass products; strengthening hygiene and civilization concepts; developing some infrastructure, magic engineering; formulating some reliable and unreliable strategies.


    He didn¡¯t bring about too many changes, everything was built upon the foundation of the knight system, nothing out of place.


    In this magical fantasy world, even some extraordinary improvements aren¡¯t surprising. After all, people here grow up seeing dragons, elves, unicorns, archmages, and listening to all kinds of incredible mysterious legends every day, each person has a strong capacity for acceptance.


    However, faced with this scene, Liszt unexpectedly felt a bit of loss, as if he had become an unimportant person.


    In the past, he often complained about being plagued with official duties, busy with no time to breathe; but when there was no official business at all, he felt even more empty and lost instead.


    But he quickly adjusted his mentality: ¡°This is quite good, my ideal has never been to become a king. Traveling around the world, experiencing countless mysterious sceneries, exploring the origins of mysteries, this is what I should do. Once the nation is on the right track, I will set out on an adventure!¡±


    Many people were residing in Flame Castle.


    All members of the Tulip Family had already moved here¡ªLi Weiliam, Lady Penelope, Lady Marie, Loria, and Little Richard.


    His elder brother Levis was presiding over the development in Dragon Valley City, and his half-brother Lidun from another mother had entered Knight Order training and did not reside in Flame Castle. His sister Li Vera, who married into the Basil Family, had also moved to Flame Island, settling in Jade City and getting involved in construction.


    As the center of the territory had shifted to Reed City, for the convenience of work, the new Tulip Castle was being built there. Once completed, Marquis Li Weiliam would move the Tulip Family members into the new Castle.


    There were many castles also being built, all by Nobles for themselves, to facilitate living¡ªthey couldn¡¯t possibly squeeze into wooden houses like ordinary knights.


    In fact, Liszt¡¯s King¡¯s Castle had already found its site. Flame City, Jade City, Reed City, Dragon Valley City, Estuary City were all rejected, and he had officially decided to establish the King¡¯s Castle near Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain¡ªEmily, while practicing, was always directing the Mammoth Knight Brigade, paving roads toward the location of the Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain.


    ¡°Within three years, the King¡¯s Castle must be built, and most crucially, my Royal Palace!¡±

 Chapter 966 - 966 0963 Dedicate Body and Soul

    ?Chapter 966: Chapter 0963 Dedicate Body and Soul Chapter 966: Chapter 0963 Dedicate Body and Soul ¡°Emily, after the Mammoth Knight Brigade paves the road to the Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain, immediately collaborate with the local Knights and Magicians. They are the ones I sent to manage the Holy Tribe, let the Moon Slayer Natives assist the Mammoth Knight Brigade in building the King¡¯s Castle,¡± Liszt received the early-returning Emily Earl in the Flame Castle to report on her duties. ¡°I have already appointed Jomaya Bangtu as the overall commander of the construction of the King¡¯s Castle. He will lead the construction team to select suitable sites near the Sacred Mountain for the Castle and Royal Palace and get the preliminary work done.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°How has your recent coordination with Ethan been?¡±


    ¡°There has been significant progress; Ethan really likes Flame Wine, so I started from there, exchanging drinks to win his favor. Moreover, I found a type of fruit wine brewed by the Moon Slayer Natives, which after blending improved the flavor of the Flame Wine, successfully replacing the original.¡±


    ¡°So, Ethan no longer resists you, then when do you think you will have the opportunity for a Mind Battle?¡± Liszt asked.


    Emily shook her head, ¡°Not yet, but Ethan has loosened up, I believe the Mind Battle will come soon.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing special about Ethan¡¯s Mind Battle, just face it and conquer its heart. I have nothing to teach you in this matter because I took the opportunity of Ethan¡¯s deep unconsciousness to extinguish its original First Dragon Knight¡¯s Mind Branding and vanquished it,¡± Liszt said.


    The girl, full of confidence, responded, ¡°Please rest assured, Your Highness, Emily will definitely overcome Ethan¡¯s mind!¡±


    ¡°I look forward to that moment.¡±


    Liszt said with a smile, his handsome face paired with a charming smile, instantly striking Emily¡¯s heart, causing waves of emotion, and involuntarily a blush appeared on her face, ¡°Your Highness, you seem different since your return.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Emily tried to find the right adjective, ¡°You seem more dominating, more aggressive, your gaze daring not to be met directly, as if you could see through one¡¯s secrets.¡±


    This was the change brought about by the Phoenix Incarnation. A Phoenix, not a gentle and pure creature like a Unicorn, born from bathing in fire, is naturally synonymous with dominance and imperiousness. This is a stark contrast to the Phoenix that symbolizes good fortune on Earth.


    Calling the Phoenix a ¡®Phoenix¡¯ seems more appropriate.


    Liszt approached the girl, his eyes bright and meaningful as he gazed into her eyes, a hint of a smile on his lips: ¡°Then what secrets do you think I¡¯ve seen through about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Emily wanted to avoid the intense gaze but quickly overcame her shyness and looked directly into Liszt¡¯s eyes. ¡°Emily has no secrets, only a willingness to dedicate her entire being to you, Your Highness.¡±


    Said very frankly.


    But here, the customs are quite liberal; Knights can boldly pursue girls, and girls can also boldly pursue Knights. Even married Knights and noble ladies can¡¯t avoid having affairs outside, even publicly, as long as both parties accept it, it¡¯s commonplace.


    Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that having affairs is moral, but human nature is complex, and there are always people who adhere to morals and those who break them.


    Emily¡¯s frankness somewhat robbed Liszt of the pleasure of ¡®teasing¡¯ the girl, and he smiled awkwardly, ¡°You are still too young, Emily.¡±


    The girl puffed out her already slightly curved chest, speaking a bit hurriedly, ¡°Your Highness, I am already fourteen, and I¡¯ll be fifteen after the New Year¡¯s festival.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until you¡¯re an adult. For now, focus on riding dragons. I hope that when the Flame Kingdom is established, this kingdom will have more than just one Dragon Knight.¡± Feeling Emily¡¯s breath, he awkwardly changed the subject.


    This year is Sapphire Calendar Year 155, and three years later, in Sapphire Calendar Year 158, the Flame Kingdom will inevitably be founded. By then he will be twenty-three, Emily seventeen and of age, and Ach forty-seven, calculating the age of maturity for a Sea Serpent¡­ was challenging.


    Once, he met an old Sea Serpent named Iris, over four hundred years old, born from a seashell, she reached adulthood at fifty-five when she grew legs.


    While Ach was bred from a scallop shell, whether he would reach adulthood at fifty-five like Iris was uncertain. Moreover, since becoming an Archmage and acquiring an Elemental Incarnation, Ach had already grown legs ¨C it wasn¡¯t incorrect to say he had already come of age. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing Liszt¡¯s change of topic, a hint of disappointment surfaced in the young Emily¡¯s eyes, but she quickly adjusted, ¡°I will grow up soon, Your Highness!¡±


    That hint of disappointment was still captured by Liszt.


    Suddenly, he extended his hand and lifted Emily¡¯s chin, speaking gently, ¡°Grow up quickly.¡±


    In an instant.


    Emily felt a current strike her body, generating tremendous excitement. Her chin involuntarily rubbed against Liszt¡¯s fingertips as she nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡­


    The Phoenix Incarnation was Liszt¡¯s trump card, never revealed to anyone other than Ach.


    He still chose to ride the Formless Dragon Bard everywhere, and after sending away the emotionally stirred Emily, he went to the Tower of Reeds in Reed City to check on Ach¡¯s experimental progress.


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Lucy and Ruth, the twin sisters, effectively acted as the little housekeepers of the Tower of Reeds, learning by the side of the Archmage. They made rapid progress.


    No longer Magic Apprentices.


    Just two months ago, Ruth released a common Water Magic ¨C Water Arrow Barrage, becoming a true Magician; a month before, Lucy successfully released a common Fire System Magic ¨C Great Fireball, becoming a qualified Magician. They were only thirteen years old.


    Three years ago, around the same time as Emily, they were sent by Liszt to the Magic Academy and recommended to Chris as apprentices.


    Three years later, both had become Magicians, worthy of the title of prodigious Magicians¡ªaccording to the Magician¡¯s cultivation system, normally Magic Apprentices start from the age of ten to fifteen, and the twin sisters were chosen by Liszt when they were ten.


    Magic Apprentices, after five or even more years of learning, become Magicians before the age of twenty, are all geniuses, with a chance to make their way to the realm of Grand Magicians.


    For the twin sisters to advance to Magicians in just three years, becoming Grand Magicians was almost certain.


    ¡°Hello, Lucy, Ruth.¡± Liszt greeted the twins amiably, yet he thought to himself, wondering if many years later, these twins would have a chance to challenge for an Archmage¡ªafter all, they are magic prodigies named in the Smoke Mission, perhaps there really was a chance.


    Liszt watched as he entered the laboratory.


    Ruth suddenly made a silly smitten face, ¡°His Highness is so handsome, like a blazing flame; standing before him makes me so nervous I can hardly breathe.¡±


    Lucy looked helplessly at her sister, ¡°His Highness is the future King, you shouldn¡¯t always indulge in fanciful thoughts.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with fanciful thoughts? You don¡¯t control what I think, hmph!¡±


    ¡°Devoting oneself to the Truth is what a Magician ought to do.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so naive. His Highness doesn¡¯t like Magicians; His Highness likes Arcanists, and we will become Arcanists one day¡ªno, I will become an Arcane Instructor, as powerful as Teacher Ach!¡± Ruth held her head high, with a few proud freckles matching her expression.


    Lucy said nothing and picked up a book of Magic Books to read seriously. The cover displayed ¡ª¡±The Great Arcanist¡±, Issue Thirteen, published by the Arcanist Assessment Committee.


    The cover showed an old Grand Magician wearing a Magic Cloak, drawn but almost resembling a real photograph.


    Beside it was a line in bold Serpent Script: ¡°Inventor of the Magic Two-Wheeled Bicycle¡ªLeader of the Dynamism Research Group, Gandalf Truth.¡±

 Chapter 967 - 967 0964 Exiled Mist

    ?Chapter 967: Chapter 0964: Exiled Mist Chapter 967: Chapter 0964: Exiled Mist ¡°The Great Arcanist¡± was undoubtedly the brainchild of Li Si Te (Liszt). He felt that the lack of magazines and newspapers in the world was indeed a bit dull for entertainment.


    However, he found the idea of running a newspaper uninteresting, because he didn¡¯t need to read them to know everything that was happening in his domain. With the Magic Guild¡¯s multiple improvements to the Magic Platform, they had now entered the era of Magic Platform 5.0¡ªminiaturized, standardized, confidential, and simplified.


    He could receive messages from throughout his domain at any time and any place. Then, dedicated retainers sorted these messages and delivered them to his desk.


    Therefore, while there were no newspapers, there were internal briefings, primarily circulated within the officials and noble class.


    As white paper became more commonly available, the publishing industry in the territory began to thrive. By consciously revolutionizing the magician system, he indicated to the Magic Guild to publish ¡°The Great Arcanist,¡± a journal focusing on academia, encouraging local magicians to strive toward honor and engage in inventions and creations.


    Lucy never missed an issue of ¡°The Great Arcanist.¡± She hoped that one day she could be featured in the journal and become its cover figure.


    She was reading an article about Gandalf Truth.


    This grand magician, Gandalf, hailed from the Emerald Duchy, a vassal state of the Kingdom of Eagle. He had not come alone but brought along eleven magician apprentices and a large group of magic apprentices. Unlike the typical reclusive magicians who treasured their ¡°broomsticks,¡± Gandalf loved to teach magic.


    Upon learning that an archmage had emerged in the Duchy of Sapphire, Gandalf traveled thousands of miles with his disciples to make a pilgrimage to the Sapphire.


    After visiting the Magic Guild, he immediately decided to join and stay here.


    He was now a member of the Arcanist Assessment Committee. With the invention of the magic two-wheeled bicycle, he advanced from a regular arcanist to a grand arcanist, becoming the sixth grand arcanist in the Magic Guild.


    ¡°I have a profound interest in dynamics,¡± Gandalf said during an interview with ¡°The Great Arcanist¡± editor, ¡°I have been engaged in this field of research for many years. Upon arriving at Your Highness¡¯s domain, I discovered the unicycle and was astounded by this invention. Compared to horse-drawn carriages, the unicycle can truly benefit the nation and the people¡­¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since then, he had a particular fondness for the unicycle and decided to improve it into a more convenient vehicle.


    One day, while sketching in a plantation, he saw a serf speeding by with a decrepit unicycle, which had practically only one wheel left.


    Thus, the serf could lift the vehicle and place his body on the handle, letting the unicycle run by itself.


    This quickly inspired Gandalf, and he thought, ¡°Since a unicycle can be pushed by hand, why not make one that can be pushed by foot?¡±


    However, it wasn¡¯t easy to propel a unicycle with feet.


    But, Liszt¡¯s glory shone upon every arcanist willing to contemplate. Gandalf then witnessed a serf drawing water from a well, which sparked a burst of inspiration. He invented a foot-propelled unicycle, but quickly found that the unicycle was hard to balance.


    So, he added another wheel.


    It became a two-wheeled vehicle, also known as a bicycle¡ªunlike Earth¡¯s bicycles, this type had a large front wheel directly connected to the pedals, with a small rear wheel that only served to stabilize.


    Gandalf then continued his efforts and equipped the bicycle with a magic array, allowing the bicycle to activate the magic array and propel itself.


    Thus, the magic two-wheeled bicycle was born.


    ¡°What a great invention. I hope I can also invent something like the magic two-wheeled bicycle,¡± Lucy said admiringly after finishing the article.


    Rose, who was mopping the floor, didn¡¯t even look up as she said scornfully, ¡°What¡¯s so great about that? Wait until the day I invent a bicycle that can fly in the sky, now that would be great!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Ach has just completed an experiment on extracting the soul from Lich Andy, and several Grand Magicians are dealing with Lich Andy¡¯s affairs,¡± Ach pointed towards a few Grand Magicians gathered inside the laboratory¡¯s glass compartment, busily collecting data, including the vice president of the Magic Guild, Kenley.


    Unlike Chris, who focused on administrative duties, Kenley was deeply fascinated by magic experiments, often visiting Ach¡¯s lab to help and gain experience.


    The affairs were settled quickly, and Lich Andy was wheeled out of the glass compartment, the Grand Magicians also paid their respects to Liszt, ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°No need for formalities,¡± Liszt walked up to the stretcher, looked at the withered, dried-up figure lying there, which resembled Gollum from ¡°The Lord of the Rings,¡± and asked, ¡°Is this Lich Andy?¡±


    ¡°Having been stripped of the Marks of Terror and the Dragon Soul, Lich Andy has reverted to human form. However, his body, eroded by the power of the soul, is nearing collapse and won¡¯t last more than a few days,¡± Ach explained, then pointed to another Grand Magician holding a transparent container, ¡°The Dragon Soul of the Sapphire Dragon is severely contaminated and will need some time to be purified.¡±


    The container, crafted by Ach, was a type of soul vessel filled with a special liquid, within which a dim, translucent blue figure in the shape of a Sapphire Dragon swam.


    ¡°Is this the Dragon Soul?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and over there are the Marks of Terror.¡±


    The Marks of Terror were a set of armor, remarkable for its uniqueness compared to ordinary armor, being silver-white on the outside but ink-black inside, its material similar to that of the Sapphire Dragon Ship Figurehead initially dismantled from the Ghost Ship.


    A Grand Magician recognized the material, ¡°Obsidian, a gemstone-associated mineral formed by ancient dragons, is quite rare, but its purpose is unknown.¡±


    Dragons over eight hundred years old are considered ancient. At this stage, they leave their dwelling places and fly towards the mythical Valley of Dragons. No one can track these ancient dragons to locate the Valley of Dragons, leading some to speculate it doesn¡¯t exist, suggesting ancient dragons simply prefer not to die in front of humans.


    ¡°Obsidian¡­¡± Liszt picked up the Marks of Terror, the touch was chilling, not physically but in a way that penetrated the soul, ¡°It seems not to be just any stone, but rather like metal?¡±


    ¡°Obsidian is like metal and like crystal, quite peculiar.¡±


    ¡°So, other than transforming a lich, what use does this set of armor have?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s identify it with the Knowledge Ancient Book,¡± Ach hadn¡¯t had the chance to study the Marks of Terror after removing them. She took out the Knowledge Ancient Book, and soon, along with a flash of light, several words in the Moon Language appeared¡ªObsidian, Mithril, Elf Blood, Exiled Mist.


    The materials were clear, but the last functionality described as ¡°Exiled Mist¡± was somewhat vague.


    Ach quickly guessed, ¡°Could it be a sort of mist used by the lich to isolate the Exiled Lands? Based on the available data about the Exiled Lands, where reality blends with fantasy, once a soul enters, it could be lost, and likely the Marks of Terror could keep the soul lucid by repelling the Exiled Mist.¡±


    ¡°Possibly, it¡¯s a remarkable artifact. We should keep it safe.¡±


    Thus, Lich Andy¡¯s soul extraction experiment was concluded, and Andy, resembling Gollum, was taken by the Grand Magicians for further soul studies. Meanwhile, the contaminated Dragon Soul of the Sapphire Dragon, also an exceptional research material, remained in Ach¡¯s lab¡ªthey weren¡¯t in a hurry to heal the Sapphire Dragon since Duke Andrew was still alive.


    At that moment, Ach had accumulated enough experience to potentially extract any residual malice from the Phoenix for Liszt.

 Chapter 968 - 968 0965 Spark Ignition (Alliance Hierarch

    ?Chapter 968: Chapter 0965: Spark Ignition (Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 29/147) Chapter 968: Chapter 0965: Spark Ignition (Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 29/147) With a tremble of his soul, Liszt, with the help of Ach, had already successfully stripped away the residual malice of the Phoenix from his soul and infused it into the petrified Phoenix Egg through a Magic Array. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, a sliver of Liszt¡¯s consciousness, similar to a Mind Branding, was mixed into the Phoenix Egg, serving as a guiding force for the future evolution of the Phoenix¡ªthe intention of this Mind Branding was simple, to continually hint at the Flame Family.


    To lay the groundwork for his descendants to tame the Phoenix¡ªhe felt it unlikely that he would witness the hatching of a new Phoenix.


    ¡°Brother, the Phoenix Egg already pulses with life. If returned to its original place to re-hatch, perhaps many years from now a new Phoenix will be reborn from flames.¡±


    Ach said, ¡°Also, based on brother¡¯s description, Ach has designed a simple Magic Array for the nesting of the hatching Phoenix, which can help the Phoenix Bloodstone gather Fire Attribute Mana more effectively; this may assist the nurturing of the Phoenix.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s excellent.¡±


    Stripping away a piece of soul containing consciousness did not cause much adverse reaction to Liszt, nor did it leave him feeling excessively fatigued.


    Here, the soul is the aggregation of Spiritual Power, but it seems that the soul is a nonrenewable resource unless it comes from the birth of new life.


    For example, a bird egg goes from a lifeless liquid to eventually developing a soul and becoming a living being.


    Human pregnancy is similar, two cells merge, and then a clump of flesh slowly fosters a soul.


    The so-called rebirth of the Phoenix from its ashes doesn¡¯t seem to be true immortality, but rather a revival of the body after the soul has withered¡ªit feels like asexual reproduction. From Liszt¡¯s perspective, a soul carrying memories is the true personality of a person; the body is just a shell.


    Of course.


    It¡¯s hard to tell if the Phoenix, once truly hatched, would be able to recall its past life, since this Phoenix hadn¡¯t had the chance to be reborn before being consumed by Liszt.


    After a day of recovery, assuring there were no negative reactions, he swiftly rode the Formless Dragon Bard, crossing two natural nodes, to arrive at the Doomsday Volcano Crater. Transforming into a Phoenix, he plunged into the volcano, which was half-dormant with its magma fallen but still red and churning, allowing him to maneuver in Magic Form.


    Thus, he quickly entered the original cave, placed both the Tinderpile and the Phoenix Egg back in their original spot, and began to repair the cracks in the cave, setting up the Magic Array prepared by Ach.


    ¡°I wonder if doing this will allow the Phoenix¡¯s fire seed to remain.¡± Concentrating, he summoned the Smoke Mission and found that the task remained unchanged, still in an uncompleted state.


    ¡°This?¡±


    Dispersing the smoke, he began to frown, having done everything he could and having discussed many plans with Ach, with only this soul-stripping method holding a glimmer of hope. Despite this effort, the task remained uncompleted, and the Phoenix seemed permanently deceased.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right!¡±


    ¡°If the Phoenix truly died, the Smoke Mission would definitely fail, but now it¡¯s merely uncompleted, so there must be a way!¡± With this in mind, he again scrutinized the entire cave and the Phoenix Egg, ¡°So what else can be done to preserve the fire seed of the Phoenix?¡±


    Fire seed¡­


    Fire seed¡­


    He turned his gaze to the Tinderpile beneath the Phoenix Egg, which, through the identification of the Knowledge Ancient Book, were branches of the Parasol Tree. While its appearance slightly differed from that of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, the characteristics were almost the same, both fire-resistant and of the Fire Attribute.


    ¡°Previously, the Parasol branches were in a burning state, even though it was just an illusion of Fire Attribute Mana¡­ Could it mean that there weren¡¯t enough Parasol branches?¡±


    Legends say that the phoenix only perches on parasol trees and would not land on anything else.


    Thinking of this, he didn¡¯t hesitate and left the Doomsday Volcano Crater to head to the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest, where he chopped down a batch of robust Phoenix Perch Parasol trees. Then, dragging the branches rapidly back to the cave, he piled them all beneath the Phoenix Egg, feeling the fire attribute presence in the cave becoming significantly stronger.


    Transforming into a phoenix, he fanned the flames fiercely a few times, raising the level of fire attribute mana in the cave to an extremely high concentration.


    At that moment,


    the tinderpile, which had shown no change, finally ignited, beginning to ¡°roast¡± the Phoenix Egg.


    ¡°Did it work?¡± Liszt thought to himself, summoning the Smoke Mission. This time, the illusory smoke finally changed, showing the positive change he hoped to see.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix.¡±


    ¡°Not bad, the phoenix¡¯s flame has finally been preserved,¡± he breathed a sigh of relief, and at that moment, a new Smoke Mission was issued.


    ¡°Mission: A huge number of schools have been quickly constructed across the territory, most in a state of chaos, but the foundations of education are gradually unfolding. With snowflakes soon to arrive on Black Horse Island, it is time to recap the schools¡¯ efforts and why not select the first batch of excellent students for better education. Reward: Obsidian Ring.¡±


    ¡°Selecting excellent students, that¡¯s easy, just hold exams. The students focusing on civil roles take written exams, those training as knights participate in contests¡­ It would be best to establish a standard examination system, I¡¯ll have the Development Committee prepare it once I return¡­ Indeed, it¡¯s essential to cultivate exceptional talent to lay the foundation for my future Burning Legion.¡±


    He didn¡¯t pay attention to the reward of the Obsidian Ring.


    The reward didn¡¯t seem to offer any useful clues.


    Glancing around the Phoenix Nest, which was now on the right track, he didn¡¯t delay any further and transformed into a phoenix, leaving the Doomsday Volcano Crater. Standing on the solidified lava rocks of the volcano crater, he drew the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, and with Dragon Dou Qi that had gradually become Superior Magic, he struck a few times.


    Cracks appeared immediately on the surface of the volcano crater.


    Without pausing, Liszt continued to hack away randomly, and these cracks gradually formed a few rough Serpent Script characters: ¡°This mountain is sealed, strangers keep out¡ªLiszt Flame.¡±


    The Doomsday Volcano Crater was officially sealed.


    Admiring his calligraphy masterpiece, he felt that these Serpent Script characters were strong and vigorous, emanating a majestic aura, indeed quite remarkable.


    He thought to himself, ¡°Another day, I¡¯ll have Ach come here and set up a Magic Array to completely seal the volcano crater, preventing anything from accidentally entering and disturbing the incubation of the Phoenix Egg.¡±


    In reality, there was no need for such flamboyant actions.


    Aside from himself and Leo, almost no person or animal could penetrate thousands of kilometers into the magma to find the Phoenix Nest¡ªthis was merely an insignificant self-comfort.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Without causing any further trouble, he transformed into a phoenix ablaze with flames and soared towards the heavens. Never before had he felt so unburdened since he had stripped away the residual malice of the phoenix and resolved the incubation of the phoenix¡¯s flame. He thoroughly relaxed.


    A surge of information from the Phoenix Bloodline swiftly merged into his soul; it was about the phoenix¡¯s command over all birds.


    ¡°Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡­¡±


    Receiving this information, he turned his gaze towards the nearby Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest, where Flame Dragon Birds and Red Sparrow Birds lived.

 Chapter 969 - 969 0966 Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix

    ?Chapter 969: Chapter 0966: Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix Chapter 969: Chapter 0966: Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix ¡°Screech!¡±


    The Phoenix Incarnation let out a cry, and the Flame Dragon Birds and Red Sparrows living in the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest all gathered around Liszt, surrounding him as if guarding their king.


    Compared to the size of the flock before, it had grown even more, as another group of Fire Attribute birds were attracted by the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree and came to settle here.


    Among them were fifteen new species of birds, also with fiery red feathers, but with a huge build, sturdier than the Flame Dragon Birds, and more slender than the Red Sparrows. And with a strong aura of Fire Attribute, they had reached the standard of Super Magical Beasts, it¡¯s just they didn¡¯t have Dragon Might and did not belong to Dragon Beasts.


    ¡°Quack!¡±


    ¡°Quack!¡±


    These new species of Super Magical Beasts sounded somewhat like crows and also resembled crows in form, so Liszt directly named them ¡°Fire Crows.¡±


    Whether it was the Super Dragon Beast Flame Dragon Birds, the Super Magical Beasts Fire Crows, or the Advanced Magical Beast Red Sparrows, their calls all had specific meanings, which before Liszt could not understand, but now he gradually comprehended them through the Phoenix Bloodline.


    They were worshiping Liszt¡¯s Phoenix Incarnation.


    ¡°Screech!¡±


    Liszt let out another strange, domineering cry. The Phoenix seemed to have no language, and he didn¡¯t know what he was calling out. Nevertheless, as the flock of birds continued to swirl around him, he gradually felt a strange connection forming between him and the birds.


    It was like a simplified version of an Elf Contract, where a mere thought could convey his wishes to the birds worshipping him¡ªthis was the true meaning of the Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix Ability.


    After familiarizing himself with this ability, he quickly organized the chaotic flock according to his own thoughts.


    Five Flame Dragon Birds took the lead, followed closely by fifteen Fire Crows, and three hundred forty-one Red Sparrows lined up in a row, following behind the Phoenix Incarnation, circling the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest. Soon, Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple¡ªthe three Flame Dragon Birds¡ªalso joined the formation.


    Among them, Little Yellow was even carrying Greater Elf Ani.


    ¡°Liszt, Phoenix!¡± Ani sat on Little Yellow¡¯s back, pointing at Liszt¡¯s Phoenix Incarnation and laughed heartily, finding it very amusing.


    ¡°Screech!¡±


    ¡°Screech, screech!¡±


    Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple continuously worshipped the Phoenix Incarnation, and Liszt also obtained the simple Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix contract that allowed him to command them. In other words, Liszt had directly tamed so many Super Dragon Beasts, Super Magical Beasts, and Advanced Magical Beasts without any effort.


    His mind stirred, and he quickly reverted to his human form, the Superior Magic that belonged to the Phoenix Incarnation swiftly receding deep into his cells.


    However, a part of the Phoenix Superior Magic still lingered in his meridians, continually refining his Dragon Dou Qi, enabling him to achieve the strength of an Archmage on his own without Dragon Riding¡ªArchmages tap into the Magic Web to unleash great power, but his strength came directly from within.


    Of course, the consumption was immense; the amount of Magic Potion he needed daily was five times more than before, and once his Dragon Dou Qi was fully refined into Superior Magic, he would probably need ten times more.


    There¡¯s no gain without loss; Superior Magic couldn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere.


    Just after he had returned to his human form, the neatly arranged flock of birds quickly came to a stop, their eyes filled with countless queries as they looked at Liszt¡ªbecause once Liszt had reverted to his human body, the ¡°Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡± contract dissipated swiftly, losing the ability to control the flock.


    Very soon,


    the flock disbursed with a flutter, each finding a spot to wander off to, no longer paying attention to Liszt. Yet, they showed no hostility towards him, even when Liszt approached a Red Sparrow that was foraging on the ground. This Red Sparrow, larger than a calf, showed no reaction whatsoever.


    Even when Liszt reached out to touch its feathers, it merely sidestepped twice.


    Then, as Liszt continued to pet it, after dodging twice, it stopped trying to evade him altogether. It was only when Liszt climbed onto its back that it showed a bit of temper, trying to shake Liszt off. After several unsuccessful attempts, it resigned itself, and as Liszt continued to ride it, it seemed to understand the intention and took flight into the sky.


    After a lap around, under Liszt¡¯s guidance, the Red Sparrow bird landed again.


    ¡°Not bad, although the ¡®Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡¯ ability was severed due to the retraction of the Phoenix Incarnation, I¡¯ve gained the ability to merge with the flock of birds¡­ Feels strange, but the practicality of the ability is strong, the conditions for establishing a Flying Knight Squad have been fulfilled. I recall there are a few Fire Attribute Sky Knights in my domain who could be rewarded with Red Sparrow Birds.¡±


    The Flame Dragon Bird and Fire Crow belonged to the future Royal Knight Squad and couldn¡¯t be distributed at will, but the Red Sparrow Birds didn¡¯t matter much¡ªthere were a full three hundred and forty-one of them.


    ¡°Moreover, my ¡®Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡¯ ability from my Phoenix Incarnation might not only be for Fire Attribute bird species. Let me also find some non-Fire Attribute bird Magical Beasts and conduct some experiments!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking thus, he acted.


    Liszt bid Annie farewell, signaling to Formless Dragon Bard to roam about on his own, then he transformed into a Phoenix and flew into the distance. Soon, in a forest, he discovered several bird Magical Beasts¡ªall of them Low-Level. The Low-Level bird Magical Beasts shuddered with fear at the sight of the Phoenix.


    It took them a good while to adapt and then they started to circle around the Phoenix, establishing a ¡°Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡± contract.


    ¡°Wind Attribute White-necked Geese, Earth Attribute Rock Sparrows, Thunder Attribute Purple Lightning Birds, hmm, just as I suspected, ¡®Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡¯ is not limited to Fire Attribute birds, I can form the ¡®Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡¯ contract with all bird Magical Beasts and Dragon Beasts, I am now the king of all birds!¡±


    The king of a hundred birds¡ªBird King.


    In terms of Earth¡¯s aesthetic judgment, this title didn¡¯t sound very refined. But in this world ruled by a Knight system, the ability to dominate all bird Magical Beasts was an absolute symbol of enviable and respected power. After all, many Noble surnames were named after bird Magical Beasts.


    Precious Dou Qi Secret Techniques like ¡°Eye of Magic Power¡± and ¡°Breath Decay¡± were originally possessed by Steve Vulture, his surname being that of a bird.


    Only Nobles could use Magical Beasts, flora, gemstones, metals, and other such words as surnames because these words represented strength, represented resources, and represented nobility.


    Commoners either had no surnames or had to pick one from amongst the trash.


    ¡°Most bird species are not suitable for riding and cannot be developed into mounts, but there are still quite a few bird species that can be ridden, and there might even be some bird Magical Beasts used for transporting goods, letters, and such.¡± Liszt returned to his human body, standing on a branch of a towering tree.


    Next to him was a Purple Lightning Bird that allowed him to touch its feathers. This Thunder Attribute Low-Level Magical Beast was only as big as a piglet, but it was incredibly fast.


    ¡°I wonder if Ach can discover some information from the ¡®Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix¡¯ contract and develop a contract that allows knights to sign with bird species?¡±


    In his mind, he thought of the owls from ¡°Harry Potter,¡± where wizards used owls to send letters.


    In this wondrous fantasy world, why couldn¡¯t he develop similar Magical Beasts to serve as the Knight Class¡¯s pets, for sending letters or delivering goods?

 Chapter 970 - 970 0967 Giant Demon Tuber

    ?Chapter 970: Chapter 0967: Giant Demon Tuber Chapter 970: Chapter 0967: Giant Demon Tuber Snow had fallen on Black Horse Island, and winter arrived. Unlike the competitive atmosphere of previous winters, the island was gradually becoming deserted.


    Many plantations were abandoned, and a few small towns were almost uninhabited.


    Many workshops had disappeared as well, with only a few places still bustling. One such place was Giant Algae Town near the coast, a significant spot for Magic Potion production, where many Knights and Serfs lived by the Giant Algae Forest. Another was Giant Algae City, the island¡¯s seaport open to international trade.


    Near Giant Algae City was Thorn Castle. Thomas, as usual, held keys to all the rooms and inspected every room in the castle from top to bottom.


    He continued his rounds to the castle¡¯s study.


    Several young Servants were cleaning the study; upon seeing Thomas, they greeted him, ¡°Mr. Thomas.¡±


    Thomas, with his meticulous hair and a stern expression to match, just nodded slightly, then joined in arranging the books himself, ¡°The master values the books on the ancient shelf the most. Be careful when cleaning¡ªknowledge is the most precious wealth,¡± the master had said.


    After instructing the young Servants, he finished arranging the books on the ancient shelf.


    Then he pushed open the study¡¯s balcony doors and stepped onto the snow-covered balcony, which overlooked the Needle Grass Hill behind the castle.


    His gaze turned towards the hillside, missing the familiar massive figure that had disappeared which made him feel a deep loss, ¡°The Grey Iron Dragon Ornn had been ridden to Flame Island by the master, and the Elves had all been sent to Flame Castle. Now Black Horse Island and Thorn Castle have become very quiet.¡±


    What he had once most hoped for was to become the Butler of Thorn Castle, and now that he had achieved this, it did not feel as glorious as he had imagined.


    Being the Butler of Thorn Castle, he now just governed a few Servants.


    The servants he knew, Butler Carter, Mrs. Morson, Mrs. Abbie, the attractive Little Lily, kitchen-loving Eileen, and fools like Tom and Jessie, had all gone to Flame Castle to continue serving the master. He, once the master¡¯s personal manservant, remained at Thorn Castle.


    However, Thomas no longer harbored much envy, for from the start, he was not favored by Liszt; the young master did not like having manservants closely attend to him.


    Moreover, as Liszt¡¯s time spent away from the castle significantly exceeded his time living there, the position of personal manservant was practically in name only.


    Now that he had become the Butler of Thorn Castle, he was fully content ¡ª for a manservant, the greatest goal in life was to rise to the position of Butler.


    As long as Old Carter lived, he would not glimpse the opportunity to become the Chief Butler of Flame Castle or even the future Royal Palace.


    ¡°It¡¯s winter again, snow is falling, and the holiday season is nearly here. I wonder how the master will celebrate the festive season at Flame Castle.¡± He shook his head, returned to the study, carefully closed the door, and, holding the keys, continued on to inspect the next room.


    ¡­


    In contrast to the tranquility of Thorn Castle, Flame Castle was bustling with activity.


    Servants were busily at work, and Elves were frolicking and arguing all over the castle, their quarrels reaching a peak these days ¡ª because the Thorn Plantation had been established near Flame City, Jela and its Cordyceps had been relocated here, settling in Flame Castle.


    At this moment, Jela, hands on hips, was scolding a naughty minor elf, ¡°Ooh, you damned little elf, still daring to throw Jade Powder around, you¡¯re asking for it!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of it, Gourd Minor Elf; if it dares to hit you, I¡¯ll hit it!¡± said the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Elf Kali, dressed as Flack Abbie and tasting a fruit salad with a fork and knife.


    ¡°Go ahead and discipline the Gourd Minor Elf, Jela; I support you,¡± said the Buckwheat Dragon Elf Yati, sitting at the same table, seemingly inciting more strife between Jela and Kali.


    Due to Jela¡¯s nasty temper, it disliked the Greater Elf, and as for Kali, the Dragon Elf who disregarded other elves, it liked even less.


    Jela, however, turned its guns on the two Dragon Elves and burst out, ¡°Shut up! It¡¯s none of your business how I discipline the minor elf. Ooh!¡±


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Kali chuckled coldly.


    ¡°Heh heh,¡± Yati smiled gently.


    ¡°Liszt, they¡¯re arguing again.¡± A Greater Elf with a peculiar flower on its head quietly climbed onto Liszt¡¯s shoulder as he was reading, to report to him.


    Liszt put down the book he was holding and smiled at the Greater Elf, ¡°I know, Karl.¡±


    Karl, the Troll Taro Greater Elf, was one of the elves presented to Liszt by Su, the Listener of the Holy Tribe, when Liszt was passing by the Holy Tribe after becoming familiar with the King of Birds¡¯ abilities. With the help of knights and magicians sent by Liszt, Su had subdued many Moon Slayer Tribes and gathered quite a few elves.


    This only Greater Elf was the one he named ¡°Karl,¡± the Troll Taro Greater Elf.


    Troll Taro is a plant unique to Flame Island, called ¡°Corpse Flower¡± by the native Moon Slayers. Liszt disliked the name Corpse Flower, forcibly changed it to Troll Taro¡ªhe even wanted to change the name of the Man-Eating Tree, but Kali, liking the name, didn¡¯t want to change it.


    There are Magic Potion varieties in Troll Taro, so Karl¡¯s value is significant, and its personality is quite amusing; it enjoys tattling a lot.


    Of course, from another perspective, this is called loyalty.


    Thus, Liszt liked Karl very much, always feeling that Karl was an extraordinarily unusual elf¡ªessentially, he liked elves with quirky personalities, finding them full of vitality, those with duller personalities, he always felt lacked vigor¡ªbut in the research at the Magic Guild, there was no clear correlation between personality and elf evolution. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop them?¡± Karl asked, curious.


    ¡°No worries, they¡¯re still in the adjustment phase, I believe they¡¯ll soon grow to like each other.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    While they were chatting, Butler Carter knocked and came in, ¡°Master, the Marquis is back.¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡¯ll go talk to Father,¡± Liszt signaled Karl to go play, then walked over and knocked on Kali and Yati¡¯s table, ¡°You two, don¡¯t stir up trouble, remember to stay united!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liszt, with me here, there won¡¯t be chaos!¡± Kali said, lifting her head.


    Yati pursed her lips and said nothing.


    When he arrived in the living room, the Marquis of Bull Tail had just changed into his home clothes.


    Father and son then began discussing politics in the living room; Liszt was particularly concerned about a recently concluded advanced-level exam in their domain. The Marquis of Bull Tail pulled out a document, ¡°The data has just been compiled, each town¡¯s school has completed their assessments, and here is the list of outstanding students nominated by the schools.¡±


    Liszt took it and casually flipped through a few pages, not seeing too many impressive young students.


    He had asked each school to specify students¡¯ ages and training duration, considering any student who could become an Earth Knight within three years a genius worth cultivating.


    ¡°Not a single talented student in sight.¡±


    ¡°There are quite a few, look at the schools in Flame City, they already have a fourteen-year-old Earth Knight, and not just one, these two students are definitely geniuses.¡± Li Weiliam pulled out a list, pointing to two students, one named Dulontan Red Apricot and the other named Curster Windmill.


    ¡°Still not genius enough. I remember these two students, Dulontan is the son of Count Durt, and Curster is the son of Viscount Rayleigh.¡±


    Durt Red Apricot, a seasoned Sword Saint, Count; Rayleigh Windmill, a Sky Knight, Viscount.


    Their sons had been trained from a young age; advancing to Earth Knight at fourteen, their talent is about the same as Liszt¡¯s brothers, Levis and Lidun.


    Sky Knight has potential, but Dragon Knight is almost impossible.


    ¡°They are already excellent, Liszt, you can¡¯t expect everyone to have talents like you and Emily,¡± Li Weiliam said speechlessly, ¡°Even Yevich, who was once selected for the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knight backup program, was only an Earth Knight at thirteen.¡±


    ¡°Then let Father manage their arrangements, expedite the establishment of the Royal Academy to train them¡­ when there¡¯s a candidate suitable for the Dragon Knight backup program, I¡¯ll pay attention then.¡±


    For Liszt, only Dragon Knights could catch his eye, capable of being the cornerstone for the Flame Kingdom; Sky Knights at that level were merely a bunch of slightly more advanced productive materials.


    However, with the arrival of this list, the Smoke Mission was completed: ¡°Mission accomplished, reward: Obsidian Ring.¡±

 Chapter 971 - 971 0968 Daily Patrol of the Territory

    ?Chapter 971: Chapter 0968: Daily Patrol of the Territory Chapter 971: Chapter 0968: Daily Patrol of the Territory Obsidian Ring, Liszt soon learned the origin of this reward¡ªit was found on a statue of an Ancient Mage from the ancestors of the Moon Slayer people. The Obsidian Ring was discovered in a Native Tribe that had been conquered by the Holy Tribe, worn on the hand of the Listener, a symbol of tribal authority.


    Commander Emily, who was then directing the Mammoth Knight Brigade in flattening the terrain, brought the Obsidian Ring back to Flame Castle.


    Taking over the deep black ring that resembled a thumb ring, Liszt didn¡¯t immediately check its attributes. Instead, he said to Emily, ¡°Let your deputy take charge of the Mammoth Knight Brigade for now. After you¡¯re done training with Ethan, come spend this year¡¯s festival at Flame Castle.¡±


    Emily¡¯s eyes lit up, and she nodded hastily, ¡°Yes, Emily thanks Your Highness for the invitation!¡± Spending the festival at Flame Castle with His Highness was a significantly meaningful symbol for her.


    After Emily left Flame Castle with a delighted mood, riding on the Landwalker Bird Loki to head to Jade City for training,


    Liszt called out the Smoke Mission and looked at the new mission.


    ¡°Mission: In the blink of an eye, you¡¯re about to welcome your fifth festival in this world. The increase in age, improvement in strength, and change in status prompt a shift in your mindset. You¡¯re no longer the poor young Baron who hid in the countryside, amusing himself. Life still needs to move forward, please await the end of the festival. Reward: Unknown reward.¡±


    The long-interrupted unknown reward mission had once again appeared.


    For Liszt, this was like a relaxation. He didn¡¯t have to worry about the Smoke Mission. He just needed to wait for the festival to end, and the reward would come automatically.


    The climate of Flame Island in December is dry and cold. Although it never drops below freezing, all life stops growing.


    In past years, just like the Magical Beasts, the Moon Slayer people would hide in their nests await the revival of the next spring. However, with the arrival of the Flame People in recent years, Flame Island has completely changed. The long and dry winter season is an ideal time for construction, and countless serfs toil the land.


    Felling trees, leveling land, reclaiming wasteland, constructing channels, building workshops, piling up wooden houses¡­


    After practicing Dragon Dou Qi, Liszt mounted the Formless Dragon Bard and slipped into the material border, preparing to survey his territory in the last few days of Sapphire Calendar Year 155.


    First was Flame City.


    As the first city of Flame Island designated as a major agricultural city, its development speed had admittedly fallen behind the other cities, but it had the largest population. Around the city, forests were no longer visible. Nearly all the trees had been felled, and the rest were transformed into plantations.


    Because the outflow from Whirlpool Cave was substantial, leading to an abundance of water in Whirlpool River, the magicians from the Magic Guild who researched water conservancy had guided the serfs to build an irrigation network near Flame City.


    The sprawling network of channels irrigated nearly five million acres of land. At a glance, all one could see were white water bands, enveloping green oases. To this day, this irrigation network, dubbed the ¡°Flame Whirlpool Irrigation District,¡± is still being excavated.


    Perhaps due to the nourishment from magic power, the physical constitution of humans in this world is much better than those of Earth¡ªstronger, less prone to sickness, and less likely to die.


    And the serfs who have lived in the forests for a long time have even better physical conditioning than the common Flame People.


    Additionally, there are Apprentice Knights forming assault teams responsible for cutting through mountains and stones, as well as teams of Ancient Magicians who specialize in transforming the toughest terrains.


    This has made infrastructure construction very smooth. Even without machinery like excavators or bulldozers, the efficiency is not at all weaker than the infrastructure construction speed in China on Earth¡ªwhich pleases Liszt greatly. Now, under his influence, the Flame Kingdom truly has the temperament of a construction fanatic.


    ¡°There needs to be an upgrade. The roads in the Flame Whirlpool Irrigation District are not good enough, mostly just dirt roads. Dry weather in winter isn¡¯t too much of an issue, but once the rainy season comes in summer, it will be disastrous. This isn¡¯t good,¡± Liszt took out a notebook and simply recorded his thoughts, ¡°Must quickly upgrade all these roads to concrete¡­ It¡¯s a pity there¡¯s no asphalt.¡±


    Compared to the hard concrete roads, Liszt actually preferred the kind of asphalt roads, but unfortunately, in this world, there¡¯s no mention of resources like coal or oil, so naturally, there are no by-products like asphalt.


    ¡°However, it will be difficult to build concrete roads in a short period. The renovation of a few main roads with concrete might deplete most of the current output of the concrete workshops¡­ A crushed stone road, on the other hand, isn¡¯t bad. With a Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephant, several kilometers of country lane can be trampled out in a day. Put down some crushed stones, and it¡¯s good enough.¡±


    Having recorded the issues with the roads, he then noted the problems with the plantations.


    Plantation issues were plentiful, mainly because some plants were not suited to the climate of Flame Island, and without the influence of cordyceps, they couldn¡¯t even survive. However, overall, the soil of Flame Island was much more fertile than Black Horse Island, and with the Magic Guild developing various fertilizers, the yield per acre of crops had increased year by year.


    ¡°Rubber trees need to be planted in large quantities, potatoes need to be planted in large quantities, corn needs to be planted in large quantities¡­¡±


    After inspecting Flame City, he immediately took to the skies along Dragon Cinder Road, flying towards Dragon Valley City.


    Dragon Valley City was positioned as a major mining city, with five mining districts¡ªBlack Heart Iron, Bronze, Mercury, Galena, and Titanium¡ªall offering quality, high-yielding mineral resources.


    The typical mining city is seriously polluted, yet Dragon Valley City was much cleaner.


    The reason is simple: all the iron smelting workshops, copper smelting workshops, mercury workshops, lead smelting workshops, and titanium smelting workshops here used the Fire Dragon Converter¡ªpowered by Leotaur¡¯s Fire Dragon Overmagic, it required no chemical dyes, providing stable furnace temperatures and high efficiency.


    However, the capital required to build a Fire Dragon Converter wasn¡¯t cheap, and in order to secure this Fire Dragon Overmagic, Liszt had no idea how many magic potions he had stuffed into Leotaur¡¯s hands.


    ¡°The workshops are still too crude, not refined enough¡­ Next time, I must remind the Development Committee to promptly set up specialized factories such as rebar and wire factories. Plus, now that we¡¯re not short on metal, the Magic Guild also needs to accelerate the development of the steam engine; I want to build aircraft carriers in the future!¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right.¡±


    Liszt fantasized in his notebook, ¡°It should be called the Flying Dragon Mothership, serving as a landing place for my dragons when crossing Devil¡¯s Sea¡­ However, it seems Ach can create a large amount of packed ice, and with Ach, I can take as many dragons as I want.¡±


    Leaving Dragon Valley City.


    He continued his inspections at the next destination, Jade City, which had yet to have a clear purpose. Currently backdropped by Jade Mountain, the city was being used to exploit the Jade Vein. Plans were also in place to construct an irrigation district here and later develop new plantations¡ªcities under the knight system primarily focused on agriculture.


    With the construction of Jade City progressing slowly, Liszt wasn¡¯t in much of a hurry. He rode the Formless Dragon Bard and headed south, eventually arriving at Estuary City.


    Estuary City was intended to be a major port city, responsible for trade and exchange with Tulip Island.


    However, as the development of Tulip Island had been postponed, Estuary City couldn¡¯t immediately showcase its intended purpose. The city¡¯s focus had now shifted to offshore development¡ªsearching for suitable shallow marine aquaculture waters, preparing for future breeding endeavors such as Hei Chequ, Fen Hai Luo, Golden-Lipped Clam, as well as Giant Algae and kelp.


    They also had to cultivate mangrove forests in the wetlands at the river mouth, planning to further expand the breeding of Green Caterpillars, Green-headed Ducks, and Flamingos.


    With the Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix ability, Liszt could be called the king of birds. He would seek out more avian magical beasts suitable for domestication in the future¡ªcompared to hunting magical beasts to provide magical beast meat, breeding them was more cost-efficient and eco-friendly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve gone to the sea to search for elves and resourceful sea monsters¡­ I¡¯m now about the same as most of the native nobles, focusing all my attention on the endless resources of the continent, preferring to wage wars for them rather than searching the sea for food.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t changed the world, yet the world had long since changed him.


    Fortunately, Liszt had always possessed the vision to transcend his era and this world: ¡°Conquering the sea is also part of my plan; Devil¡¯s Sea won¡¯t stop my strides!¡±


    Having inspected Estuary City, he directly used a Space Shuttle to arrive at Reed City.


    Reed City¡¯s role was to be a major trading city. As long as the new Teleportation Array had not been activated, Reed City was to be Flame Island¡¯s sole channel of communication with the outside world. Thus, the development of Reed City was rapid, constructing several large buildings almost overnight.


    The city was very populous, and to avoid crowding, Liszt¡¯s directive was to build high-rises directly, six-story buildings¡ªthanks to the emergence of concrete, the use of rebar, and the production of bricks, cheap multi-story buildings could be realized.


    Just as he was about to identify some pitfalls in the development of Reed City, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the distant earth, like an earthquake. Turning his gaze, he saw a low mountain that blocked traffic being slowly pushed back into the ground by a tremendous force, quickly flattening the land. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s Ach; she¡¯s mastered the Earth Attribute incarnation to perfection!¡±

 Chapter 972 - 972 0969 How Many Types of Metals Are There

    ?Chapter 972: Chapter 0969: How Many Types of Metals Are There Chapter 972: Chapter 0969: How Many Types of Metals Are There Dragon riding, they flew over.


    Indeed, they saw Ach riding Unicorn Charlie, holding the Eight Dragons God Sword in one hand, casting spells. With Charlie¡¯s amplification of her high magic to the level of superior magic, she could now cast various spells at will, without needing to follow specific doctrines.


    ¡°Brother, Ach has already mastered the Earth Elemental Incarnation and can easily reshape mountains and land. If there¡¯s any terrain on Flame Island that needs remodeling, leave it to Ach.¡±


    Ach, smiling, said this upon seeing Liszt.


    She had been researching magic experiments recently, especially soul studies, which had tired her a bit, and she wanted to relax in a different way.


    ¡°Oh, is that so? I¡¯ll have the Magic Guild study the terrain of Flame Island to see how it could be remodeled. But there are two places we can start with. Flame City and Jade City are mainly plantations, so I¡¯ll leave the land leveling to you¡­ Right, are you sure the terrain altered by magic is suitable for planting?¡±


    Liszt pondered a problem.


    Ach paused for a moment, then rode Charlie down to the low mountain she had pushed into the ground. After several spells were cast to test it, she said with some annoyance, ¡°Brother, it seems not to be working. Earth System magic has a side effect of compacting soil, making the ground I¡¯ve modified too hard.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just hard; it was almost petrified, basically unfarmable.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s not rush into remodeling the farmland. Your Earth Elemental Incarnation is best suited for road construction, canal building, and city construction.¡±


    ¡°Brother, do you want Ach to build a Sky Canal from the Whirlpool Entrance that leads all the way to the Whirlpool River?¡± Ach hadn¡¯t forgotten her own idea. She had always wanted to restore the wonder built by the Ancient Magicians¡ªthe Sky Canal.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not do that for now. The Great Whirlpool Teleportation Formation is pretty much abandoned; there¡¯s no point in developing Whirlpool Archipelago. If you have time, I think we could close the Great Whirlpool Teleportation Formation and utilize the natural node at the Whirlpool Entrance¡­ It¡¯s also time to open up a second teleportation array.¡±


    ¡°Where does Brother plan to establish the second teleportation array?¡±


    ¡°To the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.¡± Liszt narrowed his eyes, remembering a new natural node he had discovered a few days ago.


    He had planned to send some supplies to Yevich Water Peanut to continue his conquest of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy. However, he stumbled upon a natural node located at the border of the Yellowstone Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom on the Legendary Continent, less than a hundred kilometers from the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    It was a dense forest that looked ordinary, but Liszt suspected there were mines underneath¡ªnatural nodes were generally related to superior magic, which meant they were usually related to dragons.


    ¡°I intend to connect this new teleportation array between Jade City and the Legendary Continent and establish a city on the continent as a trade hub with the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.¡±


    ¡°Then we can set it up after the holiday season is over.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡­


    After learning about Ach¡¯s Earth Elemental Incarnation, Liszt handed the obsidian ring he had just acquired to Ach for identification.


    He had fiddled with the ring, having the appearance of a black metal alloy, but it showed no magic reaction, and Dou Qi could not activate it.


    When the Knowledge Ancient Book touched the Obsidian Ring, it quickly radiated light, revealing a passage in Moon Language¡ªmetal alloy, equivalent alchemy.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Liszt, not wanting to think too much, asked directly.


    Ach carefully examined the Moon Language, saying, ¡°Brother, if Ach isn¡¯t guessing wrong, this obsidian ring is made from the metal of all the metal dragons condensed together.¡±


    ¡°All the metal dragons¡¯ metal?¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like before he had obtained the gemstone crown, he didn¡¯t know about the thirty-six types of gemstone dragons, so naturally, he also didn¡¯t know how many types of metal dragons there were. He didn¡¯t even understand how many metals there were on Earth since he had never memorized the periodic table.


    He only knew about such things as Tibetan yak leather tents and the saying, ¡°Let the beauty go to you,¡± and then some common metals like gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminum, tin, lead, titanium, manganese, sodium, potassium, calcium, cobalt, nickel, and mercury.


    But the types of metal dragons in this world should be more than the kinds of metals on Earth.


    After all, iron dragons are divided into five varieties: black heart iron dragons, white heart iron dragons, white maw iron dragons, malleable cast iron dragons, and grey iron dragons; and copper dragons are divided into four kinds: bronze dragons, brass dragons, purple copper dragons, and white copper dragons. No one knows whether silver dragons are divided into categories like white silver dragons, black silver dragons, and the like.


    Or whether the gold dragons are divided into categories like krypton gold dragons, 24K gold dragons, and the like.


    He was somewhat surprised, ¡°How much effort must the ancient magicians have expended to collect all these metal dragons?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, Knowledge Ancient Book also can¡¯t identify how many types of metals are in the obsidian ring, they only have a general concept of metal alloy.¡± Ach shook his head, ¡°However, I have some idea about its function; it should be related to the legendary alchemy.¡±


    ¡°Does alchemy really exist?¡± Liszt wanted to retort that turning stones into gold was unscientific, but this was a fantasy world, where the impossible became possible.


    ¡°It requires in-depth research.¡±


    ¡°You take it and study it when you have time. Basically, the six sealed divine artifacts of the ancient magicians are all equipment suitable for archmages and have nothing to do with me.¡± Liszt felt a bit regretful; he also wanted to unearth divine artifacts passed down from ancient times, but unfortunately, the ancient era was a time of magical civilization.


    Divine artifacts like the Time Scepter, Eight Dragons God Sword, Knowledge Ancient Book, Gemstone Crown, and Obsidian Ring, along with the Marks of Terror, were basically all prepared for casters.


    Back then, knights were just retainers for magicians and probably couldn¡¯t afford any good equipment, which is why nowadays Liszt¡¯s daily sword was only a Greater Elf Weapon ¨C Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword. He hadn¡¯t obtained Dragon Tooth Soldier, let alone Dragon Elf Weapon or Dragon Soul Soldier.


    These, comparable to the divine artifacts of ancient magicians, Dragon Tooth, Dragon Soul, and Dragon Elf Weapons, are mostly collected in the hands of dragon rearing families and seldom circulated to the outside world.


    Like the Sapphire Duke, he only wielded a Greater Elf Weapon ¨C Wailing Cage Sword.


    ¡°Brother, you could use the Gemstone Crown and Eight Dragons God Sword too,¡± Ach said.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t maximize their power, they are after all equipment for archmages. However, you don¡¯t need to worry about me, I have the Bone Dragon Sword and Fire Dragon Lance, which are superior to any divine weapon. Furthermore, the Mountain Copper Dragon Lance that Mountain Copper Dragon Mata condensed for me and Wrath of Thunder are also very good.¡±


    Wrath of Thunder was the dragon lance of the Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight, Carlo Violet; its materials were likely a mixture of alloys with magic metal.


    It was somewhat inferior to the Mountain Copper Dragon Lance.


    Both dragon lances didn¡¯t have any additional properties, but their good magic conductivity was enough to unleash the powerful attack of a dragon knight, which was sufficient for Liszt. In daily dragon riding combat, he used Wrath of Thunder and Mountain Copper Dragon Lance, and in real battles, Bone Dragon Vinnie would condense armor and weapons for him.


    Fire Dragon Leo could also transform into a Fire Dragon Lance to aid in battle, but Leo had a stronger fighting power in his true dragon form ¨C Bone Dragon Vinnie purely fought in armored form due to her inability to fly.


    ¡­


    In the following two days, Ach followed Liszt around, transforming the terrain of Flame Island. Her Earth Elemental Incarnation was like a map editor, immersing Liszt in the joy of editing the geography of Flame Island according to his own imagination.


    In a flash, the festival had arrived, the year of Sapphire Calendar 155 ended, and the year 156 began.

 Chapter 973 - 973 0970 Doing As One Pleases (Third Update

    ?Chapter 973: Chapter 0970: Doing As One Pleases (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 30/147) Chapter 973: Chapter 0970: Doing As One Pleases (Third Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 30/147) A large sand table was constructed in the hall of Flame Castle, created by Acherloides in half a day. It was a detailed topographical map of Flame Island, representing even the smallest rivers and towns on the sand table.


    However, there were some discrepancies between the sand table and the actual terrain¡ªit contained an additional fifteen crisscross rock pathways. These were the future main traffic routes of Flame Island that Liszt envisioned while studying the sand table, alongside some reservoirs and canals connecting rivers, and so on.


    On the day of the festival, knights from all over Flame Island, nobles with ranks of viscount and above, including Yevich who had returned from a voyage, as well as the chief listener from the Moon Slayer Tribe, had all gathered at Flame Castle to attend the banquet held there.


    Due to the turnout, the dining hall couldn¡¯t accommodate more than a hundred people,


    so it was changed to an outdoor buffet.


    At this moment, everyone was gathered in the hall, marveling at the sand model of Flame Island. They had all seen the maps of the Flame Archipelago released by the Magic Guild, but the maps were far less clear than the sand table.


    ¡°So we live here.¡±


    ¡°Here is Flame Mountain, and Jade Mountain is here, where I work in Jade City!¡±


    ¡°Dragon Valley City is here, haha, and you can even see the lead mines, which I¡¯m in charge of.¡±


    ¡°So, we from Xia Tribe live here, but I¡¯ve already led a team of experts to work in King¡¯s Castle. Why did it feel like so many days¡¯ travel, yet seem so close?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sand table, just like a map, it looks close but is actually far.¡±


    ¡°This sand table is truly miraculous, only Lord Acherloides could create such a masterful treasure.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if Lord Acherloides could one day create a sand table of the Legendary Continent. I can¡¯t wait to find out how far Flame Island is from the Legendary Continent.¡±


    ¡°It should be as far as from here to the castle gate.¡±


    ¡°Are these supposed to be roads?¡±


    ¡°They must be roads, your highness. Are we building more roads? Don¡¯t we already have several main roads?¡±


    Marquis of Bull Tail quickly joined the group, greeting everyone, then on behalf of Liszt explained to the nobles: ¡°Though the developed area of Flame Island is not extensive, His Lordship already has plans for the overall development. These fifteen crisscrossing roads will be the main traffic arteries of Flame Island in the future¡­¡±


    While his father handled the nobles who came for the castle¡¯s banquet, Liszt hid in his study, chatting with Acherloides, Chris, Emily, Dimaria, and Sasumit (Holy Tribe Listener).


    ¡°At today¡¯s banquet, I plan to announce a plan regarding the issue of title imbalances among the ancient mages. Magicians must be strictly prohibited from obtaining noble titles, but some concessions can be made for ancient mages,¡± he said leisurely while savoring top-quality green tea.


    The Development Committee faced a dilemma¡ªthe ancient mages were dissatisfied with the current system of nobility; they wanted to integrate into the knightly title system.


    However, the knight system had excluded magicians from the start, with no country bestowing nobility on magicians.


    Nobles could support magicians, granting them a good social status, but they strictly forbade magicians from touching the underlying element of governances¡ªthe nobility system.


    The ancient mages among the Moon Slayers did not understand the knight system well and were unaware of the adversarial relationship between magicians and knights.


    During several battles for titles, the ancient mages received only physical rewards and rewards for their children, but nothing concerning titles. This caused the group of ancient mages trying to integrate into the Flame Kingdom to harbor deep resentment, often leading to passive resistance.


    It is better to channel than to block.


    Liszt decided to differentiate magicians from ancient mages: ¡°Ancient mages can also be granted noble titles, but their offspring must cultivate Dou Qi and become knights before they can inherit the titles. Furthermore, once ancient mages start a family, they must change their lifestyle and fully integrate into the knight system.¡±


    Sasumit, also known as Sasumit (Holy Tribe Listener), upon hearing this, inquired, ¡°Seki¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Seki anymore; just address me as ¡®Your Highness¡¯ like the other nobles do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Su quickly changed his form of address. ¡°I don¡¯t know what changing my lifestyle means? Most of the Ancient Mages have adapted to castle life, but the cultivation system cannot be changed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about cultivation, nor simply adapting to castle life, but a full integration. For example, taking a suitable surname, embracing the glory of knighthood, abandoning tribal concepts, participating in noble social interactions, etc. Su, you must understand that the lives of the Moon Slayers in the forests are very backward; the knighthood system is the bright future.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness. I will try to change my lifestyle, fully integrate into the kingdom, and become a loyal follower of yours.¡±


    Su was a qualified bootlicker. Having witnessed Seki¡¯s and Biggleswade¡¯s power, he obeyed Liszt unquestioningly.


    Seeing this, Liszt smiled, ¡°Three generations from now, I hope there will be no more calls for Moon Slayers, Flame People, Eagle People, or Iron People. All who live under the protection of the Flame Family will be known by one common title¡ªthe citizens of the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    This was pure nonsense.


    Skin color was an undeniable factor; the Moon Slayers were doomed to be discriminated against and relegated to the bottom stratum.


    Hearing this, Dimaria chimed in with agreement, ¡°Your Highness is ambitious. The Flame Kingdom will surely gather strong centripetal force, and everyone will dedicate their loyalty to the kingdom, to the Flame Family.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    The noon banquet concluded amidst the cheers of the Listeners from the original tribes of the Moon Slayers.


    The first batch of noble Moon Slayers was about to emerge, enjoying the same treatment as the knight nobles, except their children needed to master Dou Qi to inherit the titles.


    After these knights and Ancient Mages left the Flame Castle and returned to their respective castles.


    Only Liszt¡¯s family, along with Acherloides, Emily, Chris, Paris, and the twins, Lucy and Ruth, remained in the Flame Castle.


    This slightly saddened Emily; she had thought Lord had invited her alone, not expecting Paris to be there¡ªshe cared little for Chris, the president of the Magic Guild, nor dared to care about Acherloides, the Archmage. However, Paris, once rumored to be the Lord¡¯s lover, she cared about deeply.


    Emily¡¯s look towards Paris carried a hint of hostility.


    However, Paris treated Emily with her usual demeanor. She had spent multiple holidays by Liszt¡¯s side and, as his power and status grew, had long buried her romantic feelings, seeing herself as a loyal follower¡ªof course, ready to sacrifice herself if the Lord Landlord needed.


    As for Chris, she might also harbor some affection for Liszt, but her thoughts were mostly immersed in Truth.


    Lucy and Ruth were brought by Acherloides. He admired the twins and considered taking them as disciples to teach seriously. Of course, for now, the twins more resembled Acherloides¡¯s two servants, handling some mundane tasks he disliked.


    Originally, Liszt had also invited Kenley, the vice president of the Magic Guild, but Kenley was unavailable. Most magicians in the Magic Guild were single and hence lacked a concept of family or holiday spirit, continuing experiments even on holidays, hence she and Chris had to remain for management.


    Since Chris had gone to the Flame Castle, she stayed to cover for her.


    ¡°How enviable,¡± Levis, closely supervised by Loria, couldn¡¯t help but admire as he watched the women in the living room chatting with Liszt.


    Each of the women here, without exception, held a prestigious position in the Flame Kingdom, admired by countless knights for both their looks and capabilities, yet they were all spending New Year¡¯s Eve in Flame Castle.


    They laughed heartily at Liszt¡¯s few cold jokes, savoring them as sweet.


    As for him.


    Outside, he had to sneak around to keep a lover, for fear Loria would discover.


    Feeling embarrassed to enter the living room, he quietly left, muttering to himself as he turned around, ¡°Does having a dragon mean you can do whatever you want?¡±

 Chapter 974 - 974 0971 Elf Knight

    ?Chapter 974: Chapter 0971: Elf Knight Chapter 974: Chapter 0971: Elf Knight The bells of the New Year chimed nine times.


    It marked the passing of one year and the commencement of another. Flame Island didn¡¯t have snow, so the festive atmosphere wasn¡¯t quite like it was on Black Horse Island, but the lively ambiance nevertheless increased.


    The number of elves continued to grow, causing the not-so-large Flame Castle to buzz with noise from morning till night.


    Chris and Paris had already returned; the still-young Lucy and Ruth had gone to sleep in their guest rooms, and Emily was also arranged to rest in a guest room.


    Liszt and Ach hid on the study¡¯s balcony, gazing at the gradually increasing number of stars in the sky.


    He held Ach close, inhaling the fragrant scent from her azure hair, and the mist in front of his eyes slowly formed into Serpent Script.


    ¡°Complete the task, reward: One Dragon Elf.¡±


    With an arched brow and a quick thrill in his heart, he soon regained his composure. The Dragon Elf would eventually be his; there was no need to rush.


    He then looked at the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Task: The time for establishing the kingdom within three years is drawing near, yet the site for the King¡¯s Castle has just finished selection. It will take a long time before the Royal Palace is completed. Perhaps it would be wise to hasten the construction pace. Please lay a suitable foundation for the Royal Palace and the King¡¯s Castle. Reward: New Species of Red Tree.¡±


    The content and reward of the new task seemed not too extraordinary.


    ¡°Ach, do you think the Power of Destiny can be grasped?¡± he suddenly felt inspired to ask Ach, the Power of Destiny represented by the smoke, visible only to him.


    Ach looked a bit puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you always say that man can conquer heaven?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, one¡¯s destiny certainly relies on personal effort, but it also must consider the historical process. My achievements have already become a legend, creating a kingdom from nothing, something that hasn¡¯t appeared in many years of the knight era on the Legendary Continent.¡±


    Duchies merged and separated frequently, with families founding kingdoms because of dragon riding, and others perishing when their dragons died.


    However, fluctuations seldom occurred in kingdoms, for instance, the northeast corner of the Legendary Continent had been dominated for over a thousand years by Eagle Kingdom, Steel Ridge Kingdom, and Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom.


    The birth of Flame Kingdom was certainly a significant event worth recording in detail in the history of the Legendary Continent over the past thousand years. It will gradually spread from the northeast corner to the far reaches of the continent through the songs of minstrels, and no one knows what tales will eventually be woven around Liszt.


    But, it would undoubtedly make great material for many knight novels.


    Perhaps Ach, too, as an Archmage rising in an era of the shrinking Magic Web, carried a profound legendary color.


    ¡°We both have already become part of a legend, Ach, what follows is merely making the legend more splendid¡­ Once Flame Kingdom stabilizes, I¡¯ll take you to explore the entire Legendary Continent, and then cross the Devil¡¯s Sea to seek the vanished civilization of the Child of the Sun, how about that?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Ach nodded.


    But she quickly asked again, ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention before about conquering the Legendary Continent?¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha, I¡¯ve said many things, but then was then, and now is now. If there¡¯s a chance, we¡¯ll conquer; if not, I¡¯ll just be an adventurer. Maybe many years from now, there will be a legend of the Adventure King left by us¡­ Anyway, the world is vast, and I want to see it.¡±


    ¡°Ach wants to see it too.¡±


    As they were chatting, suddenly a Greater Elf quietly climbed up behind Liszt: ¡°Liszt.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Karl?¡±


    It was the Giant Demon Tuber Greater Elf Karl speaking softly, ¡°Jela and Ash just had a fight, instigated behind the scenes by Carly and Yadi.¡±


    Jela was a Thorn Greater Elf, Ash was a Pea Great Elf.


    ¡°Hmm, how did the fight turn out?¡±


    ¡°Karl seriously said, ¡®Ash took out a rope to tie up Jela, and Jela raised her palm to slap Ash, but the old butler came over and separated them, otherwise they would have definitely wrecked the house.''¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well done Karl, keep watching them and report directly to me if there are any disturbances.¡±


    ¡°Um!¡± Karl, assigned with the task, flew back excitedly, wanting to supervise these unruly elves and maintain harmony in Flame Castle.¡±


    ¡°Karl is quite funny,¡± Ach said with a laugh.


    Liszt nodded. ¡°Indeed, he¡¯s a very interesting Greater Elf. If I were to start an elf school, I would definitely recommend Karl as the class leader; he has the potential to be a prefect.¡±


    ¡°But Carly, Yadi, and Jela would definitely not accept Karl¡¯s management.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, prefects don¡¯t necessarily need their classmates to obey them; as long as the teachers obey, that¡¯s enough.¡± His two Dragon Elves lacked the potential to be Elf Butlers¡ªCarly liked to run around, Yadi incited trouble, and among the active Greater Elves, although Jela always considered herself a butler.


    But its role is like a catfish effect, the bully among the elves, a major antagonist.


    At this point, he couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°The Dragon Elf reward from the Smoke Mission¡ªwill it be a wild Dragon Elf or an evolved Dragon Elf?¡±


    ¡­


    Liszt didn¡¯t have to wait long.


    The reward for the Dragon Elf was soon clear¡ªPhoenix Perch Parasol Greater Elf Annie had finally evolved into a Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Elf.


    ¡°Liszt, thank you for your help, I feel amazing now,¡± said Annie, who had grown to one meter tall and had become more graceful.


    Looking at the sleek Annie, he asked, ¡°Um, do you need me to prepare a few sets of clothes for you?¡±


    ¡°Clothes? I am not very fond of wearing them, but now that I am a Knight, Liszt, please prepare a few sets of armor for me instead,¡± Annie considered for a moment and responded. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, Annie no longer liked flying on her own; she rode Little Yellow, Little Red, and Little Purple all over the place, overseeing the bird flocks in the current Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest on behalf of Liszt.


    ¡°So, are you going to continue living here, or would you like to come and live with me in Flame Castle?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like living in a castle; I am a Sky Knight, and soaring in the sky is my way of life. You go back, Liszt, and don¡¯t forget to bring me the latest flavor of Jade Powder next time you visit. Oh right, I also don¡¯t need this Fire Dragon Scale anymore, please return it to Leo for me.¡±


    Annie pulled out the scale from Leo¡¯s tail.


    After successfully evolving, the Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Elf no longer had feelings for Fire Dragon Leo.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll leave the bird groups in your care, Annie.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Annie has also become a Dragon Elf. Now I have three Dragon Elves, nine Greater Elves, more than a hundred Minor Elves and lots of Elf Bugs. Still, it¡¯s not enough, it doesn¡¯t fit the status of a king¡­ However, I have six dragons, hehe,¡± Liszt thought to himself, feeling pleased.


    In a flash, he had already arrived at Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain; Ach was riding Unicorn Charlie, observing the terrain near the mountain, helping Liszt complete the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°How is it, have you finished surveying the terrain?¡± Liszt asked.


    ¡°Yes, I have a general idea. Brother, how do you want to transform the Sacred Mountain?¡±


    The Smoke Mission tasked Liszt with laying the groundwork for the King¡¯s Castle and Royal Palace, and by groundwork, Liszt meant the foundation. After several days of thought, he had an initial idea: ¡°I plan to choose a ten-kilometer square area at the valley location at the foot of the Sacred Mountain and raise it, making it at least ten meters higher than the surroundings.¡±


    A ten-kilometer side length, the area would be one hundred square kilometers, more than enough for building the King¡¯s Castle.


    He continued, ¡°And the Royal Palace will be built atop the Sacred Mountain. Sacred Mountain consists of two mountain ranges forming an Hourglass Valley, and I hope you can help build a rock platform between the two mountains; I want to have the Royal Palace span across the peaks of the two mountains!¡±

 Chapter 975 - 975 0972 Building a Homestead

    ?Chapter 975: Chapter 0972: Building a Homestead Chapter 975: Chapter 0972: Building a Homestead Originally, Li Si Te wanted to create a royal capital like Minas Tirith from ¡°The Lord of the Rings¡±, a castle integrated with the mountain.


    It was that city integrated with the peak.


    However, the Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain was not that unique mountain range; instead, it was two parallel ranges twisting through each other, forming a valley similar to an hourglass.


    Right in the center of the valley was the entrance to the ruins.


    If he pursued integration with the mountain city, it would be difficult to achieve symmetry, so he planned to construct a bridge-like support between the two peaks, incidentally enveloping the entrance to the ruins within the future royal palace. The royal palace could be a complex of buildings, founded on the summits of the two mountain ranges.


    Ach wielded magic to reinforce the solidity of the mountains and arrange magic, ensuring the future royal palace was absolutely invulnerable.


    Moreover, he had an Iron Dragon and a Mountain Copper Dragon and could spend a bit of the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic to infuse the mountains with metal, thereby reinforcing them to become a castle that would never collapse.


    The design plan had already been selected.


    Li Si Te, riding the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata in mid-air, looked down while Ach, riding Unicorn Charlie, holding the Eight Dragons God Sword, and wearing the Gemstone Crown, began to touch the Magic Web and perform powerful Earth System Magic.


    Boom!


    As she cast her spell, the earth began to roar. The ground where the Holy Tribe had resided was rising bit by bit. Under the stimulation of the Earth Element magic power, the soil rapidly condensed into rock, forming a continuous, flat, and solid foundation, with only small areas still retaining soil.


    These spots were to dig wells and set up parks, and even to excavate sewers.


    All day long, Ach continuously replenished magic, constantly raising the base until in the evening, finally, the foundation of the King¡¯s Castle was completely lifted, forming a massive plateau ten meters higher than the surrounding grounds. The future city would be built upon this. The sturdy rock foundation ensured that even a major earthquake couldn¡¯t destroy the city.


    ¡°Seki!¡±


    ¡°Seki!¡±


    ¡°Seki!¡±


    Seeing the transformation of the earth and Ach in the sky, filled with sacred aura, the distant Moon Slayers could not help but fall to the ground, loudly proclaiming the title of the ancient magician ancestor ¨C Seki, meaning sacred.


    ¡°With Ach¡¯s current power, she could almost defeat the ancient magicians, couldn¡¯t she?¡± Li Si Te internally admired. The combination of unicorn and archmage directly elevated the magical abilities of the archmage to a level comparable with a Dragon Knight. Superior Magic and High Magic, in essence, are worlds apart. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    High Magic is merely magic power, but Superior Magic possesses various incredible properties.


    ¡°Hoo!¡± Mata, seeing such changes, was also tremendously shocked.


    It had always thought of itself as the most powerful dragon, the representative of paramount strength, even disregarding the Formless Dragon that could shuttle through space. However, seeing the magical power displayed by Ach had a huge impact¡ªit learned that peak power was not solely in its possession.


    ¡°Flame King City, from today, breaks ground!¡±


    ¡°Brother, Ach feels more powerful than ever. Water Elemental Embodiment, Ice Elemental Embodiment, Space Elemental Embodiment, and Earth Elemental Embodiment are all perfectly controlled; next, Ach wants to learn the Wind Elemental Avatar to truly master the ability to fly.¡± Ach was physically tired, but her spirits were exhilarated.


    Personally achieving the transformation of the land and mountains, this sense of accomplishment was no less significant than that of Liszt riding dragons.


    ¡°My Ach is getting more powerful,¡± Li Si Te couldn¡¯t help but stroke Ach¡¯s azure-blue hair, finding it hard to imagine that the little sea monster he had saved had grown into such a peerless figure.


    ¡°Brother is not bad either, the Phoenix Incarnation is very powerful. If brother were to ride a dragon, he would be even more formidable.¡±


    ¡°Haha, let¡¯s not flatter each other. You are very tired now; you need to rest well and regain your energy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, once Ach wakes up, I¡¯ll help brother remodel the Sacred Mountain.¡± Ach yawned; too much spiritual power had been drained during the day, nearly overwhelming the usually energetic archmage.


    By the time morning arrived the next day, Ach still had some redness in her eyes when she woke up.


    Seeing this, Li Si Te immediately stopped her from casting more spells, ¡°No, Ach, you need to continue resting. I didn¡¯t realize that fully employing an Elemental Incarnation would put such a severe strain on your spirit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, brother. Remodeling the Sacred Mountain doesn¡¯t require too much effort.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not acceptable. Let¡¯s first focus on getting your spirit well-rested.¡±


    After two days of rest, Ach returned to her peak condition and easily connected the peak of the Sacred Mountain with a long rock bridge, according to the original design. Now, the once Hourglass Valley truly became an hourglass, with just a narrow gap between the two mountains.


    ¡°This place is nice, the valley is very shaded, ideal for my dwelling,¡± Bone Dragon Vinnie also followed Li Si Te there. Seeing the remodeled Hourglass Valley, it wanted to relocate its dragon nest to this spot.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not rush. The King¡¯s Castle and Royal Palace both need time for repairs; your dragon nest can be moved after those are fixed.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness,¡± giggled Bone Dragon Vinnie. Virginia, having become a bone dragon, seemed much more open and began to enjoy her life as a dragon, her spirits always high.


    ¡­


    Standing on the rock bridge and looking down from a height of nearly five hundred meters, Li Si Te couldn¡¯t help feeling exhilarated, ¡°Building the Royal Palace here is like building it in the sky, befitting my stature and highlighting my majesty! I should visit the Royal Palaces of the three great kingdoms for some inspiration when I have time.¡±


    As the legendary Flame King, Li Si Te had very high demands for his Royal Palace. It had to be more magnificent and imposing than those of the three great kingdoms.


    ¡°Brother, if you want to hollow out the mountain to build the castle, Ach can help too.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that interfere with your magic studies?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, the future Royal Palace is also Ach¡¯s home. Ach likes building her own home.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, this is our home,¡± Li Si Te smiled slightly; in this part of his life, Ach was the most important family member, ¡°When the time comes, we will personally arrange the ins and outs of the Royal Palace, making it the most luxurious palace in the world, a beacon of civilization!¡±


    In a moment of reverie.


    A wispy smoke appeared before him.


    ¡°Complete the Smoke Mission, reward: New Species of Red Tree.¡±


    What a New Species of Red Tree is, remains unknown for now, but one could inquire about it with Mangrove Greater Elf Nami. She is the hardest working Greater Elf in the castle, currently pioneering a new mangrove forest in Estuary City¡ªit¡¯s possible that this reward is hidden somewhere within the Estuary Swamp, waiting to be discovered by Nami.


    With Nami¡¯s intelligence, if she finds a valuable mangrove species, she will surely report it to Ach.


    At this moment, a new Smoke Mission slowly took shape: ¡°Mission: Perhaps it has been a long time since you paid attention to the islands outside Flame Island. At this moment, Anchor Island is undergoing an invasion by a strange creature. As the lord of the vast sea, you should go see and investigate the situation of the biological invasion. Reward: Evil Sea Spirit.¡±

 Chapter 976 - 976 973 Yu Chou Appears (Alliance Hierarch

    ?Chapter 976: Chapter 973: Yu Chou Appears (Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 31/147) Chapter 976: Chapter 973: Yu Chou Appears (Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 31/147) Anchor Island.


    Tulip Archipelago¡¯s ninth largest island group, located southeast of Flame Island in the external seas.


    At this moment, Liszt and Ach were standing on the shore of Anchor Island, furrowing their brows as they looked out at the azure sea, where makeshift, ugly shacks had been erected over the surface.


    A creature resembling the ancient Fish Ugly race that they had seen before dwelled within these shallow water shacks. Their upper bodies resembled grotesque fish, while their lower bodies boasted frog-like legs with webbed, split toes, and their hands¡ªsimilar to a frog¡¯s¡ªclutched bone-like weapons.


    ¡°Gu-gua!¡±


    ¡°Gu-gua!¡±


    These hideous creatures, possessing yellow-green skin, uttered monotonous yet rhythmic words, suggesting some primitive language.


    ¡°Brother, these monsters are so ugly,¡± Ach complained.


    She felt somewhat disappointed. Liszt had said he was taking her to see the sea, only for them to encounter a horde of such hideous monsters.


    ¡°They are indeed ugly, but what exactly are these creatures?¡±


    ¡°They somewhat resemble the Fish Ugly from the Fish Ugly Temple, possibly descendants of the Fish Ugly race.¡±


    ¡°However, the undead Fish Ugly Virginia transformed into were several meters tall, but these creatures here are less than one meter high, the difference is too big,¡± Liszt shook his head, saying he had come to Anchor Island to investigate these strange creatures¡¯ invasion, following the hints from the Smoke Mission.


    The Smoke Mission¡¯s reward was an Evil Sea Spirit, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure what an Evil Sea Spirit was¡ªit was possibly these hideous creatures.


    However, seeing these ugly beings, he really didn¡¯t know how this thing counted as a reward.


    These Fish Ugly-like creatures not only lived in shallow seas but also continually migrated onto land. Though they lacked magic power and were slow, their Kirin Arm-strong limbs easily hurled sharp fishbone weapons, making it easy to hunt magical beasts on the shores.


    ¡°Brother, look over there, there¡¯s a Fish Ugly magician,¡± Ach pointed towards the distant shoreline.


    Liszt quickly steered the Formless Dragon Bard to fly over, observing from the material boundary the ugly creature magician Ach referred to. It was a rather large ugly creature and seeing this creature, Liszt had to admit, they might truly be offspring bred from Fish Ugly.


    It looked almost identical to the undead Fish Ugly seen in the Fish Ugly Temple, only much smaller, standing at a height of 1.5 meters.


    Its body emitted a faint light blue magic aura, and the fishbone it held in its hand also rippled with a blue magic light.


    It was leading a group of Fish Ugly in hunting a low-level water attribute magical beast ¨C Shallow Water Leopard.


    Whenever the Shallow Water Leopard tried to flee, the Fish Ugly magician would release a magic spell, seemingly a Water Magic spell ¨C Ring of Water, binding the leopard. Whenever the Leopard retaliated with magic, it managed to kill one or two Fish Ugly, but even more Fish Ugly furiously pounced on it.


    Ultimately, after several dozen Fish Ugly had died, the Shallow Water Leopard was also worn down and killed, then the Fish Ugly magician triumphantly directed the ordinary Fish Ugly to carry the dead leopard to its simple shack.


    Similar scenes were playing out along the entire East Coast of Anchor Island.


    It was teeming with Fish Ugly.


    It seemed that they also organized themselves into tribes, ranging in size from twenty to thirty thousand to as small as four to five thousand, with one or more Fish Ugly Magicians as leaders, rooted along the coastlines and continually hunting Magical Beasts in the forests inland. Liszt roughly counted, there were at least several hundred thousand Fish Ugly.


    ¡°Have these Fish Ugly always lived here?¡± He felt it unlikely, having previously surveyed the terrain here without encountering any Fish Ugly.


    The Smoke Mission also suggested it was a biological invasion.


    Regardless, these Fish Ugly needed to be carefully investigated. It seemed that the Fish Ugly had lived in the sea before and had only recently invaded the land, judging from the gills at the sides of their mouths, indicating they were originally aquatic creatures. Many nests in the shallow sea were submerged, only emerging during low tide.


    ¡°They must have been forced to invade the land from the sea, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t dwell in the shallow sea without coming ashore.¡± Thus, the cause still had to be sought in the seabed.


    With Ach present, diving was no different from strolling.


    Both swiftly dived underwater, and indeed, beneath the surface, there were Fish Ugly nests stretching as far as the eye could see. Following these nests, Liszt soon found even larger Fish Ugly nests. These nests housed Fish Ugly that were two meters tall, with more intense Magic Power.


    As they went deeper, they found even more enormous nests, inhabited by even taller Fish Ugly, those reaching three meters.


    Of course, these three-meter tall Fish Ugly were very rare, with only one or two within a vast area, but it was these different types of Fish Ugly with varying heights that made Liszt realize, ¡°It seems that these Fish Ugly truly descend from an ancient race¡­ indeed, if Ancient Warrior Inheritors can exist, why can¡¯t the Fish Ugly Race reproduce.¡±


    He just didn¡¯t know whether, apart from Fish Ugly, there were also Naga or Mermaids.


    The original Fish Ugly Temple, apart from enshrining statues of Fish Ugly, had many Naga statues and a massive Mermaid statue.


    While he was lost in thought, Ach suddenly alerted, ¡°Brother, there¡¯s a high Magic reaction ahead.¡±


    Using the Eye of Magic, Liszt also noticed the magic feedback light deep in the sea ahead, the thick glow of Dark Magic Power, a response of Dark Attribute Magic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s check it out!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As they approached, he suddenly realized it was a massive creature over ten meters long¡ªwith an upper body similar to a human and a lower body similar to a fish tail.


    At first glance, it looked like a Mermaid, but its entire body was covered in tumorous growths, with skin drier and more wrinkled than a Fish Ugly¡¯s, making it several times more repellent. The creature also noticed Liszt and Ach, one of its eyes shining with crimson light, the other eye cloudy white, evidently blind.


    It opened its huge mouth and spewed a ring of black light at Liszt and Ach.


    Ach casually conjured a Water Magic Water Wheel Barrier, blocking the black light, as the Unicorn also galloped in the water, still amplifying Ach¡¯s Magic Power.


    Thus, even though it was just an ordinary Water Magic Water Wheel Barrier, it still exhibited the effect of Superior Magic, easily repelling the monster¡¯s attack.


    ¡°It¡¯s Dark Magic, highly corrosive, and belongs to the High Magic level, but this creature¡¯s strength is much weaker than its appearance suggests,¡± Ach analyzed.


    Liszt noticed more Fish Ugly and leftover animal bones around, tentatively guessing that the reason for the Fish Ugly¡¯s land invasion might be due to this creature.


    So he directly said, ¡°Ach, help me capture it alive, I want to study it.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm.¡± With a casual wave of his hand, Ach formed several Water System Superior Magic Rings of Water, quickly binding the creature, which struggled in vain to escape the magical bonds.


    It could only obediently be dragged by the magic of the Ring of Water to the shore.


    The Fish Ugly trailed behind the creature, apparently wanting to rescue it, but they dared not approach Liszt and Ach, only making ¡°gu-gua, gu-gua¡± noises in distress.

 Chapter 977 - 977 0974 Devils Traces

    ?Chapter 977: Chapter 0974: Devil¡¯s Traces Chapter 977: Chapter 0974: Devil¡¯s Traces ¡°Do you think this is a mutated mermaid?¡± Liszt asked bizarrely as he gazed at the hideously ugly monster because he noticed the creature¡¯s outline, though marred by an ugly, disgusting body covered in tumors, had breasts and long hair typical of mermaids.


    Legends say mermaids are female, possessing perfect breasts and waterfall-like long hair.


    Moreover, the Fish Ugly and Naga statues guarding the mermaid statue within the Fish Ugly Temple indicate that mermaids hold a regal status among the oceanic races.


    The ugly creature before them evidently controlled this group of Fish Uglies, suggesting a hierarchical relationship with the Fish Ugly race. This implies it was a mermaid, possibly mutated into its current form, with its magic power also transitioning to a dark attribute.


    Ach, too, examined the ten-meter-long monster, ¡°Brother, since you mention it, Ach also thinks it might be a mutated mermaid. Dark attribute high magic, tumors, decaying appearance, and the aura of death enveloping it ¡ª it is highly likely to be a soul mutation.¡±


    ¡°Soul mutation?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is a new topic Ach discovered while researching Lich Andy. There is a strong connection between the soul and the shell. A mutation in the soul will likely cause a mutation in the body, but bodily mutations hardly ever lead to soul mutations.¡±


    ¡°So, how should we deal with this mutated mermaid?¡±


    ¡°We should seal it, confine it by the seaside, and then Ach will build a laboratory here to research the mutated mermaid and investigate its origins¡­ As for these Fish Uglies, as long as we control the mutated mermaid, we should be able to command them. Brother, what do you think of using them as slaves?¡±


    ¡°As slaves.¡±


    Liszt carefully observed the Fish Uglies, who were not adept at moving on land and possessed limited intelligence, but they were strong and had a good organizational structure. Once controlled, they could serve as inexpensive labor for coarse work.


    Thus, he said, ¡°I think it¡¯s feasible, and once tamed, we could use them for marine farming, which would be much more efficient than traditional fishermen.¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus.


    The mission to Anchor Island was virtually complete, with the mutated mermaid sealed for future study and the Fish Ugly race added to the taming sequence. Most crucially, the emergence of the Fish Uglies and the mutated mermaid revealed much information that Liszt anticipated ¡ª ancient races had not perished.


    Thus, the splendid magical civilization of the Moon Empire era might still be lingering in the corners of the world¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: Evil Sea Spirit.¡±


    After capturing the mutated mermaid, the Smoke Mission was deemed complete, as it was evident that the Fish Uglies¡¯ invasion of the land was orchestrated by this mutated mermaid.


    And this mutated mermaid was the so-called Evil Sea Spirit.


    Mermaids, much higher in status than sea serpents in legends, rightfully earned the title ¡°Sea Spirit.¡± A dark attribute mutated mermaid naturally became the Evil Sea Spirit.


    Liszt was very curious about mermaids, but he was not a research scholar. The research on the mutated mermaid would be conducted by Ach, leading the magicians of the Magic Guild.


    Fortunately, the news of an Archmage born over the sea had spread far and wide through the songs of minstrels, so many magicians from unknown countries were slowly making their pilgrimage to Flame Island. They would stay on Black Horse Island for a while, perusing less critical documents and regulations of the Magic Guild.


    If they were keen and willing to serve the Magic Guild, they might be granted passage to Flame Island.


    Those unwilling to comply with the management and serve the guild would be sent back, never getting the chance to cross the Mind Island Magic Gate.


    And they would certainly not have the chance to meet Ach for a pilgrimage.


    Even under such stringent conditions, large numbers of magicians continued to join.


    According to Chris¡¯s report from years ago, the registered members of the Magic Guild had exceeded 3,600 people, most of whom were Magic Apprentices, with a significant portion being trained by the Flame Kingdom itself. There were about 1,000 magicians and over fifty Grand Magicians.


    If the Ancient Mages, whose research capability was almost zero, were also accounted for, there were more than 10,000 of them, among which nearly 300 were at the level of Grand Magicians.


    Although Ancient Mages were far behind modern magicians in terms of spell-casting methods and efficiency, their strength steadily increased as they integrated into the modern magic system. Undeniably, the Magic Dust made from Elves had a powerful auxiliary effect on magic practice.


    Therefore, despite Liszt¡¯s harsh laws prohibiting the harming of Elves to produce Magic Dust, some magicians still took risks and bought Elf Bugs from some unincorporated Moon Slayer tribes to make Magic Dust to aid their magic practice.


    Such magicians, once caught, were executed directly, and their bodies were used for research without any chance of reprieve.


    In any case, the discovery of the Mutated Mermaids and the Fish Ugly Race would inevitably attract a large number of magicians to actively go to Anchor Island to conduct research, which Ach would manage the distribution of research tasks, sparing Liszt the concern.


    He was now worried about the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The discovery of the Mutated Mermaid is disturbing, especially the terrible outcome caused by the mutation of the soul, which seems to hint at some evil source of power in the sea, corrupting the once noble Mermaid species. As the master of the sea, it is necessary to investigate the evil source. Reward: Devil¡¯s Traces.¡±


    ¡°Evil source, Devil¡¯s Traces, sounds a bit frightening.¡± Liszt thought as Ach prepared to establish an Overmarine Laboratory, while he tamed Fish Ugly and waited for a chance to dive.


    He himself definitely could not dive into the sea to investigate the evil source and had to rely on Ach¡¯s capability.


    ¡°What does the mission reward, Devil¡¯s Traces, mean? Or what does the devil represent¡ªis it referring to the Devil¡¯s Sea, or some unknown creature?¡±


    Whether it was the Sea of Azure Waves or the Shell Sea, they were just off the continental shelf, but the real deep sea was on the other side of the continental slope in the Devil¡¯s Sea. In the past, when trying to locate Dragon Turtle Island, Liszt and Ach had approached the Devil¡¯s Sea, where the weather was capricious and the winds and waves were violently frightening, making it difficult to navigate.


    After that, he focused all his energy on developing Flame Island and plundering the Continental Kingdom and had not surveyed the Devil¡¯s Sea again, nor tried to cross it in search of the Child of the Sun civilization.


    While he pondered, the Fish Ugly being tamed seemed to sense an opportunity and lunged directly at Liszt.


    Smack!


    Liszt casually unleashed a Dragon Dou Qi, shattering the attacking Fish Ugly and deterring the other restless Fish Ugly. These ugly, useless Fish Ugly, not very intelligent¡ªprobably slightly more than a chimpanzee¡ªbarely qualified as a wise species but unfortunately were not obedient.


    Perhaps the magicians among them, referred to by Liszt as ¡°Fish Ugly Priests,¡± had strong control over them, making them care not even for their own lives.


    But when Liszt subdued them with Dragon Might, they were still reluctant to obey.


    Over the past few days of taming, he had killed about a hundred Fish Ugly, yet they still resisted with bloodshot eyes, showing no sign of the submissiveness typical of a slave species. The Fish Ugly Priests were the same, single-minded with no awareness of their inferiority.


    Even faced with a Dragon Knight, they dared to swing their bone clubs.


    Smack, Liszt feared for his life as another Fish Ugly attacked him, sighing, ¡°To tame the Fish Ugly race, it seems strength alone isn¡¯t enough; we¡¯ll have to find a way from the Mutated Mermaids.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Typing while sick, Old White is suffering.


    Please give some votes for comfort.

 Chapter 978 - 978 0975 Scales

    ?Chapter 978: Chapter 0975: Scales Chapter 978: Chapter 0975: Scales Unicorns couldn¡¯t space shuttle, but their speed combined with Ach¡¯s water control ability allowed them to surpass the speed of sound, whether crossing the sea or the land.


    Although the Flame Islands were vast, they seemed quite small when one sped across them at the speed of sound.


    Estuary City, Mangrove Forest.


    As Ach passed by with six Space Rings filled with materials to construct the Overmarine Laboratory, he took the opportunity to visit Nami. The industrious Mangrove Greater Elf Nami was cooperating with a group of serfs to cultivate the mangrove forest in the Whirlpool River Mouth Swamp. After more than half a year of tilling, the area had become lush with greenery.


    ¡°Ach, Ach, you¡¯ve arrived,¡± Nami waved her little hands.


    ¡°Nami, look what Ach has brought you, peanut nougat candy from the old workshop,¡± Ach handed over a small paper-wrapped package of candy.


    ¡°Thank you, Ach. It¡¯s so nice, I like this kind of packaged peanut nougat candy.¡±


    ¡°Are you doing well here?¡± Ach asked with concern, though Nami was his contracted Greater Elf; due to his busyness, he seldom paid her attention.


    Nami replied with a beaming smile, ¡°I love it here. I¡¯m building a huge mangrove forest. We already have Green-headed Ducks and Flamingos breeding here¡­ Oh, right, Ach, I¡¯ve found some good things that Liszt will definitely like.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Nami led the way with Unicorn Charlie following behind and soon arrived at a new patch of mangrove forest. Nami pointed directly at some slightly different-looking mangroves and said, ¡°Look Ach, these mangroves are a new species, they are native to the swamp and grow fast and possess magic power!¡±


    ¡°Magic power?¡± Ach immediately used Super Magic ¨C Eye of Mana, and quickly discovered that this small patch of mangroves emitted a chaotic light, belonging to a new species of Magic Potion trees, ¡°Nami, you¡¯ve found Magic Medicine Mangroves, that¡¯s great! Now the mangrove forest can also produce Magic Potions.¡±


    Magic Potions weren¡¯t of obvious value to magicians but were a symbol of wealth and strength to Knights, especially when cultivated by Elves.


    The birth of Magic Potion-producing plants by a Greater Elf species was definitely an event worth celebrating.


    Ach could imagine how delighted Liszt would be upon hearing this news, so he immediately transmitted a message through the Magic Platform to the Reed City Office to inform the Development Committee¡ªAt the Whirlpool River Mouth Swamp¡¯s mangrove forest, Mangrove Greater Elf Nami discovered Magic Medicine Mangroves, send people to promote cultivation as soon as possible.


    The Reed City Office was the Development Committee¡¯s workplace.


    Without needing Liszt¡¯s personal command, once the Development Committee received the news, they contacted the officials in Estuary City to manage the cultivation of the Magic Potion mangroves.


    Meanwhile, Ach also bade farewell to Nami and headed to the port of Estuary City.


    Several three-masted ships were already loaded with goods; seeing Ach arrive riding the sacred Unicorn, all the sailors prostrated themselves and respectfully saluted.


    ¡°President Ach, the cargo ships are all ready,¡± Kenley Truth walked over after saluting, one of those sent to assist in establishing the Overmarine Laboratory.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ach rode Unicorn Charlie to the front of the fleet and casually waved his hand, immediately creating a massive water current that propelled the three-masted ships out like rockets. The speed kept increasing, eventually reaching a super-high speed of 800 kilometers per hour, sailing towards Anchor Island.


    Before long, Anchor Island was reached.


    The location chosen for the construction of the Overmarine Laboratory was devoid of Fish Ugly Race members; they had been completely eradicated by Liszt, who, having idle time, tried to tame the stubborn creatures. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But after multiple failures.


    He could only pin his hopes on the Overmarine Laboratory¡¯s research on Mutated Mermaids.


    Ach commanded the magicians as they essentially finished constructing the Overmarine Laboratory. Only then did he pull Ach back into the depths of the sea to investigate the source of evil and to find the real reason behind the appearance of the Mutated Mermaids.


    ¡­


    The underwater world was vibrant and colorful.


    All around, Fish Uglies of various sizes could be seen in groups, hunting fish and occasionally chasing Sea Monsters around. Descendants of these ancient beings, they were full of vitality and showed no sign of decline¡ªit was a mystery why humans had not discovered them over the years.


    Or rather, why the Fish Ugly Race that once spread along the coastlines of the Legendary Continent had migrated to the Flame Islands.


    Of course, now was not the right time to ponder this question, as Liszt followed Ach and the Unicorn¡ªhe couldn¡¯t gain the Unicorn¡¯s approval, and thus, could not ride with Ach.


    ¡°Brother, this is where Ach captured the Mutated Mermaid.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    It was a lair on the ocean floor, littered with a mess of various bones, many of which were clearly the skeletons of land animals. This meant that the Fish Uglies captured Magical Beasts from the shore to feed to the Mutated Mermaids here.


    ¡°Ach, can you sense the origin of the Mutated Mermaids¡¯ aura?¡±


    ¡°No, the water currents are too strong, many of the scents have already been dispersed, and the Mutated Mermaid has likely lived here for some time, so any trace of its migration would no longer exist,¡± Ach shook her head.


    This made Liszt quite regretful.


    He wanted to search further into the deep sea, but the underwater world was too vast, and finding any valuable clues here seemed incredibly difficult.


    Just as Liszt was about to give up, Ach suddenly summoned a current, which unearthed a scale from the pile of bones.


    After sensing it briefly, she handed the scale to Liszt: ¡°Brother, look, this is a scale from a Mutated Mermaid; it¡¯s imbued with a rich Dark Attribute Magic Power. Remember the Mermaid¡¯s Protection Earrings, brother? They were made from this kind of scale, only the aura of magic and its grade were much stronger.¡±


    She then pulled out a pair of azure earrings from her Space Ring.


    The Mermaid¡¯s Protection was a gift from Marilyn Rose of Red and White, which Liszt passed on to Ach, but Ach didn¡¯t favor jewelry and had kept them in her Space Ring the whole time.


    The gray-black Mutated Mermaid scale was the size of a palm, heart-shaped.


    The azure scales of the Mermaid¡¯s Protection were only as large as a fingernail, and also heart-shaped.


    ¡°The Mermaid¡¯s Protection is a condensed version of a mermaid¡¯s scale, harboring Superior Magic of the Water Attribute; this gray-black one is a polluted mermaid scale, only having High Magic of the Dark Attribute¡­ Ach plans to sense the Mutated Mermaid scale to see if it¡¯s possible to find its migration route.¡±


    Ach had this notion because most of the scales on the lower fish tail of the Mutated Mermaid were nearly all gone.


    She applied a simple technique, and the gray-black scale immediately emitted a dim black Light, which then pointed in a direction: ¡°There, there are similar scales over there.¡±


    Without hesitation, Liszt decided, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    A few minutes later, they indeed found another palm-sized, gray-black, heart-shaped mermaid scale buried in a patch of seabed silt. Ach cast her magic again, receiving another hint, leading Liszt toward a new location. After several repetitions, they had found five scales in total.


    ¡°Brother, have you noticed that the color of these scales is becoming duller?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the previous scales were gray-black, but now they¡¯ve turned gray¡­ Let¡¯s continue to the next location, and see what exactly has happened!¡±

 Chapter 979 - 979 0976 Mermaid Statue

    ?Chapter 979: Chapter 0976: Mermaid Statue Chapter 979: Chapter 0976: Mermaid Statue They found a total of thirty-two shed scales.


    The color of the scales shifted from gray-black, and by the time they picked up the thirty-second scale, its color had become light blue. The location where the scales had fallen extended to a sea trench, whose edge was at least five thousand meters deep, with immense pressure.


    Luckily, Ach¡¯s control over water, enhanced by the Unicorn, was near perfect, and he hardly felt the deep sea¡¯s crushing pressure.


    However, Li Si Te was a bit scared. The ocean here was devoid of any sunlight, forcing them to rely on the light from the Hand Magic Tube to explore the seabed. In the pitch-black depths, strange Sea Monsters would occasionally flash by and launch stealth attacks. Although their offensive power was negligible in front of Ach, they were still frightening.


    ¡°Mutated Mermaids must have crawled up from this trench, clearly corrupted by some evil force that transformed them into what they are now. Yu Chou should live in shallower waters; it¡¯s controlled by the Mutated Mermaid to invade the land, indicating that the Mutated Mermaids haven¡¯t been around for that long.¡±


    He said.


    Ach nodded, ¡°Then, brother, let¡¯s dive into the trench to search.¡±


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    The trench was shallower than they had imagined. About a kilometer down into the trench¡ªaround six thousand meters from the surface¡ªthey already reached the bottom. The light from the Hand Magic Tube illuminated the seabed, revealing towering cliffs and crevasses, with bizarre little creatures swimming around.


    The atmosphere was eerie, with unsettling sounds coming from the distance.


    ¡°Huff!¡±


    Unicorn Charlie didn¡¯t like this place, and snorted impatiently.


    Li Si Te held a bunch of Hand Magic Tubes to cast light further and get a clear view of the trench¡¯s bottom. Ach, holding a Mermaid scale, released magic to search for the direction of the magic on the scale. Soon, the light from the scale indicated a direction, leading to a fissure on a cliffside.


    ¡°Brother, this way.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Entering the crevice in the cliff and swimming a short distance, Li Si Te was astounded by the sight before him. At the end of the fissure was an underwater cavern filled with statues¡ªYu Chou statues five to six meters tall and Naga statues ten meters tall.


    Two-armed Naga, four-armed Naga, fierce-looking Naga, humanoid Naga.


    Some of these statues were half-buried in the seabed¡¯s silt, others had already shattered and broken, and yet others were almost ground into powder. However, Li Si Te quickly looked beyond these statues, his gaze settling on the center of the cave where something like an altar stood, topped with six statues.


    All of them were Mermaid statues, each nearly ten to twenty meters tall¡ªroughly the same size as the Mermaid statues in the Fish Ugly Temple.


    ¡°Brother, do you notice that there aren¡¯t six statues, but there should be seven!¡± Ach scanned the scene and immediately noticed something was amiss.


    The altar was designed to accommodate seven Mermaid statues, yet there were only six here.


    As the two approached, they saw the spot meant for the seventh statue. Although the statue was absent, many palm-sized deep blue scales had fallen there.


    ¡°These are Mermaid scales, the color is deep, the magic is abundant, and it¡¯s Superior Magic level magic power¡­ Ach, do you think the Mutated Mermaid could have escaped from here?¡±


    ¡°Very likely.¡±


    Activating the Eye of Magic Power, Ach continuously scanned the surroundings, suddenly discovering at the center of the altar surrounded by statues, a spring with slowly flowing water, and this water was emitting a faint Dark Attribute Magic Power.


    After Li Si Te used the Eye of Magic, he also noticed the spring water.


    Seeing the dark attribute magic power, he had an epiphany and understood what the Smoke Mission was seeking to investigate as the evil source, ¡°The power polluting the mutated mermaids must originate from this spring. Moreover, Ach, I have a bold idea.¡±


    ¡°What kind of bold idea?¡± Ach inquired.


    ¡°The seven mermaid statues, missing one must be caused by the malicious force emanating from this spring. And the original mutated mermaid probably also represented a statue¡­ Even these remaining six statues could very well be real mermaids sealed into form!¡±


    ¡°Real mermaids sealed into form?¡± Ach was surprised, then had a realization, ¡°That¡¯s indeed possible. The legendary Medusa, with her serpent hair, possessed the magic to turn people into stone. Maybe these mermaid statues really are mermaids that have been sealed.¡±


    Suddenly, the mermaid statues, originally thought to be quite ordinary, became treasures in their eyes.


    In legend, mermaids are far more magical than any sea serpent or nixie, which are merely sailor¡¯s tales with little circulation on land. But mermaids have been a great species renowned since the era of the Moon Empire, sovereigns of the ocean.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about the mermaid statues for now. Ach, can you determine the source of the spring¡¯s power?¡± Li Si Te suppressed his excitement for the mermaids and focused his attention on the spring.


    Before his eyes, smoke began to appear.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Devil¡¯s Traces.¡±


    While Ach was pondering. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The smoke twisted and transformed, forming new Serpent Script, ¡°Mission: Now that you have discovered the mystery of the mermaid statues, why not reverse the stone seal magic and restore the mermaids from their statues back to their true forms? Maybe they hold the secrets to lost history. Reward: Heart of the Mermaid.¡±


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    Seeing this new mission, Li Si Te could not remain calm.


    Even the Smoke Mission confirmed that these mermaid statues definitely were real mermaids sealed in stone, once the seal is broken, there would be six magical mermaids!


    No, seven, there was also one polluted, mutated mermaid.


    As he shifted his attention back to the mermaid statues, imagining himself with seven mermaid followers, conquering the vast oceans.


    Ach suddenly raised her hand, cast a spell, and turned the water in the spring into ice.


    The ice still had streaks of gray mist flowing through it.


    She did not stop there; one arm shifted into an Earth Elemental Incarnation and promptly unleashed Earth System Magic to split the altar into four pieces, slowly moving them outward. After moving, the altar slowly revealed the dark abyss connected to the spring below. It seemed that the altar was originally built to suppress this black abyss and seal the seven mermaids.


    ¡°Be careful, touching something evil wouldn¡¯t be good.¡±


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry, Charlie can sense the power inside this abyss. It¡¯s just a pure special force, with no evil creatures present.¡±


    ¡°Charlie has that ability?¡± Li Si Te turned to look at the Unicorn Charlie, whose horn was gleaming.


    ¡°Of course! Charlie is amazingly powerful,¡± Ach said proudly. Unicorn Charlie truly was a magical creature that could make others envious.


    She smiled.


    Li Si Te didn¡¯t respond. He was still dissatisfied with Charlie, who forbade him to ride, so he simply picked up the Magic Tube and shone it into the pitch-black abyss.

 Chapter 980 - 980 0977 Gulvig

    ?Chapter 980: Chapter 0977 Gulvig Chapter 980: Chapter 0977 Gulvig The light from the Hand Magic Tube illuminated the depths of the black hole, revealing a small altar. In the center of the altar, there were chains composed of Dark Attribute Magic Power, binding a strange and nauseating mass that resembled a heap of rotting flesh, which continued to wriggle incessantly.


    ¡°What is this disgusting thing?¡±


    ¡°The Dark Attribute Magic Power is so dense, and it clearly carries the scent of death, similar to the aura on the Mutated Mermaids, brother.¡±


    ¡°I sense it too, it must be this thing that has contaminated the mermaids. There¡¯s a sealing type Magic Array around it, perhaps the mermaid race had sealed this rotten flesh here. But then the rotten flesh broke through the seal and infected a mermaid, turning it into a Mutated Mermaid.¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) analyzed.


    He looked at the wriggling flesh, and although he felt disgusted, he still wanted to go down and investigate. However, before he could do so, the rotting flesh within the seal quickly coalesced into the shape of a beast¡¯s paw and suddenly grasped towards the hole¡¯s entrance, emitting strong Dragon Might from the paw in an attempt to lock onto Liszt.


    ¡°Dragon Might?¡±


    Liszt¡¯s reaction was swift as he promptly summoned his Dragon Dou Qi, placing it at the entrance of the black hole, trying to block the sudden burst of Dragon Might and the rotting flesh that had taken the shape of a dragon claw.


    But as soon as the rotting dragon claw made contact with the Dragon Dou Qi, it quickly corroded the high-level Dragon Dou Qi to nothingness and then continued its relentless grasp towards Liszt.


    ¡°Brother, be careful!¡± Ach hurriedly condensed magic.


    Yet, the quickest to react was Unicorn Charlie, whose golden spiral horn on its forehead shone brilliantly, instantly striking the rotting dragon claw.


    Crack!


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    A distant dragon¡¯s roar resounded, and the rotting dragon claw was shattered by the light from Charlie¡¯s horn. As it attempted to coalesce again, it was dragged back to the center of the altar by chains of sealing Magic Array, transformed into the Dark Attribute, and turned into a mass of rotting flesh, slowly wriggling.


    It was a close call.


    Liszt exhaled turbid breath, feeling a lingering fear, and began to reassess the interior of the black hole, ¡°What is this thing that has Dragon Might, and even the sound of a dragon¡¯s roar?¡±


    ¡°This must be part of a dragon, brother,¡± Ach said, forming a transparent water shield to block the entrance, preventing the rotting flesh from lashing out and injuring someone. ¡°The Dark Attribute Superior Magic is very evident, and it¡¯s accompanied by the aura of death, making it hard to determine its type, but it might be a Dark Dragon.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. I have read records related to the Dark Dragon. Although the Dark Dragon is a Dark Attribute Elemental Dragon, its nature is corrosion and should not carry the scent of death. Ach, you often use the Eight Dragons God Sword and should have a profound understanding of the Superior Magic with Dark Attribute on it,¡± Liszt analyzed.


    In fact, the reason he could deduce such a conclusion was that the prize from the Smoke Mission, ¡°Devil¡¯s Traces,¡± made him feel that the Dark Dragon, being an Elemental Dragon, had no connection to the devil.


    However, the rotten flesh beneath was somewhat reminiscent of the Devil¡¯s Traces.


    Upon hearing this, Ach nodded and agreed, ¡°Brother makes sense. It seems that this is indeed not part of a Dark Dragon. Then what dragon could it be part of?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and it¡¯s even hard to say whether it¡¯s part of a dragon at all.¡±


    But regardless, the rotting flesh, sealed in the black hole altar, was undoubtedly the source of the evil force, and its danger level was very high. He then asked Ach to add an extra layer of sealing at the entrance, hoping it would block for a while, allowing them to find a way to dispel the evil force and thoroughly investigate the true secrets of the rotting flesh.


    ¡°Brother, Ach¡¯s sealing magic is somewhat rudimentary and can only block for half a month. And the sealing Magic Array down there also looks like it¡¯s about to be corroded by the rotting flesh, and this substance could break free at any moment.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take it one step at a time,¡± Liszt¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, ¡°Perhaps we should first bring the mermaids back to life, and then from their accounts, inquire about the origins of the rotting flesh.¡±


    ¡°The petrified mermaid statues, Ach has no clue how to revive them yet,¡± said Liszt. ¡°However, the mutated mermaid might be purified of its evil force by stripping its soul, to see if it can be restored to its mermaid identity.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s restore this place to its original state and head back the way we came.¡±


    ¡­


    The soul-stripping experiment progressed smoothly, extracting a twisted black-gray magic power from the ten-meter-long mutated mermaid and sealing it into a glass bottle designed to contain souls.


    This superior magic would sometimes morph into the shape of an ugly dragon, and at other times, into the shape of an ugly mutated mermaid, which was quite peculiar.


    ¡°The mutated mermaid shape must be due to the deprivation of the original superior magic from the mermaid, infected by some strange, malignant force; as for the dragon shape, that must be the biological form of the power itself, a special kind of dragon,¡± Liszt, the research worker who couldn¡¯t get hands-on, had a strong analytical ability.


    ¡°What kind of dragon might it be?¡±


    ¡°We may get some information once the mermaid wakes up.¡±


    As the evil power was stripped from the mutated mermaid, the tumors on its body quickly vanished, the gray-black of its scales began to fade, and spots of blue started to appear. However, it remained unconscious for several days, its condition gradually improving, slowly regaining a hint of the mermaid¡¯s grace.


    The upper half of its body had a human form with scaly blue patterns; the lower half was that of a fish tail, growing new palm-sized scales.


    Perhaps because of the extended period of corruption by the evil force, the mermaid¡¯s body was extremely weak, overall not fitting the descriptions of mermaids from legends.


    There was none of that imperious nobility.


    ¡°Its current state is probably similar to Lich Andy¡¯s after the Dragon Soul was stripped away; its body has been hollowed out by the evil force.¡±


    Lich Andy was dead, having been used as a lab rat for a while, he eventually expired due to organ failure.


    The Sapphire Dragon¡¯s Dragon Soul had also been fully purified. It¡¯s still declared to be undergoing treatment because the Sapphire Duke is still struggling not to die. Liszt had no intention of returning the Dragon Soul until the Duke was dead¡ªthe Sapphire Family didn¡¯t dare to demand it either.


    ¡°So might the mermaid also follow in Lich Andy¡¯s footsteps?¡± Liszt inquired.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t, the physical constitution of mermaids is much more robust than humans¡¯, and their healing powers are strong; it may wake up soon.¡±


    ¡°I have too much to do, I¡¯ll be back in a few days. As soon as the mermaid wakes up, notify me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    Liszt didn¡¯t have to wait long; three days later, the mermaid finally awoke.


    When Liszt rushed to the Overmarine Laboratory, he found the mermaid lying bare-breasted on the shore soaking up the sun, while Ach communicated with her riding a unicorn.


    The mermaid was female; in the statues, the upper half was always clothed.


    This mermaid¡¯s clothes had long since vanished, but even though she was naked, there was nothing ¡°indecent¡± about it¡ªthe tumors were gone, but her body was left pitted and without any aesthetic appeal, her face disfigured, and her hair so sparse it was nearly bald.


    ¡°Brother, let me introduce you,¡± Ach began, ¡°this lady is a descendant of the mermaid lineage, her name is He Zhunstost Bragi Grett Valkyria¡­ Gulvig.¡±


    Her name, roughly three hundred characters long, was over a hundred characters longer than the two hundred or so characters in a Sea Serpent¡¯s name.

 Chapter 981 - 981 0978 Seas Change Into Mulberry Fields

    ?Chapter 981: Chapter 0978: Seas Change Into Mulberry Fields Chapter 981: Chapter 0978: Seas Change Into Mulberry Fields ¡°Gulvig, I shall call you Gulvig,¡± Liszt stammered in Moon Language, his proficiency sorely lacking.


    He could barely understand and be understood, yet speaking fluently was another matter, given how seldom he had the chance to use Moon Language.


    Unexpectedly, the Mermaids, an ancient remnant race, also spoke Moon Language, albeit with some differences from the Moon Slayers. Even Ach, adept in many languages, had to guess and infer in conversations with Gulvig.


    ¡°You may call me Gulvig, human King,¡± Gulvig¡¯s voice was raspy, reverberating due to his enormous size, ¡°Thank you and Sir Ach for saving my life, for liberating me from the wicked curse, preventing me from sinking further into evil.¡±


    ¡°Could you introduce yourself?¡±


    ¡°I am a Mermaid. Before I sealed myself, I was the ruler of Fisher Ocean, governing all its seawater and islands, all its fish and sea birds.¡±


    ¡°So you are a respected sovereign. Could you tell me how you came to self-seal, and what the oceans and lands were like during your era?¡±


    Faced with Liszt¡¯s inquiry.


    Gulvig paused briefly, seemingly recalling past events, then slowly responded, ¡°Fisher Ocean, Great West Nation, Salty Sea Tribe, Aquamarch Deep Domain, Sea Trench Tribe, Country of Fugitives, Lost Sea¡ªthese were the last seven kingdoms of the Mermaids, and we, who self-sealed, were the last generation of Mermaids¡­¡±


    Mermaid Gulvig began narrating an ancient tale.


    Since the era of Moon Empire, Mermaids and Magicians had ruled over the seas and lands respectively; human magicians established a unified empire on land, while Mermaids had scattered kingdoms throughout the seas.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that in ancient times, there were two great empires, Moon Empire and Sun Empire, ruling over the Legendary Continent and Mafa Continent. By the time I was born, however, Mermaids were already shrouded by a cursed shadow, cut off from the outside world. My mother sank eternally into the Exiled Lands shortly after my birth, and I also lost the ability to bear offspring.¡±


    Mermaids reproduce asexually, giving birth in their most vibrant years.


    Usually, Mermaid lineage is passed directly from one to another, ensuring the kingdom¡¯s succession. Twins might occasionally be born, causing the Sea Kingdom to split into two. As Mermaids also face risks of early death, their numbers have never been robust, with some kingdoms perishing completely.


    They ruled over the seas, with subordinates like Naga, Yu Chou, and other intelligent races.


    Yet, when Gulvig was born, not only did his mother die early, failing to teach him much, but the Fisher Ocean Kingdom was also on the brink of extinction.


    ¡°We were engulfed by the power of the Cursed Dragon, and the seven kingdoms connected to seek help from humans. However, the land was a ruin without Moon Empire, nor was Sun Empire visible, and those great Archmages I had heard of as a child had all vanished.¡±


    The continents turned to ruins, and the oceans were shrouded by the power of the Cursed Dragon; Mermaid kingdoms faced despair and destruction.


    The Naga were the first to suffer.


    ¡°Though the Cursed Dragon is now dead, its power remains formidable, continuously infiltrating the sea. The Naga were the first to be tainted, becoming phantoms in the sea and residing within the Aquamarch Deep Domain to the east. Even we Mermaids cannot traverse this perilous sea; hence, we named it Devil¡¯s Sea.¡±


    Such was the origin of Devil¡¯s Sea.


    Liszt finally understood, but he was even more puzzled, ¡°What exactly is the Cursed Dragon? I¡¯ve never heard of it before.¡±


    ¡°Besides the Metal Dragon, Gemstone Dragon, Elemental Dragon, and Sacred Dragon, there are three types of Evil Dragons: the Cursed Dragon, the Shadow Dragon, and the Silent Dragon¡­ However, in the era I lived in, Evil Dragons no longer existed, only the Cursed Dragon remained, since it died over the ocean, its curse perpetually enveloping the sea, causing the intelligent races therein to wither away.¡±


    ¡°Evil Dragon!¡±


    Liszt heard of an entirely new category of dragons: the Cursed Dragon, the Shadow Dragon, and the Silent Dragon.


    Gulvig continued her somewhat chaotic narrative, unaware of which era she lived in, likely some time after the destruction of the Moon Empire and the Sun Empire. Because she lived in the ocean and had never communicated with land-dwelling humans, the information she knew was limited.


    She only heard about the splendid civilization established by magicians from her mother and other six mermaids when she was young.


    In her era, the Sea Kingdom faced the curse of the Cursed Dragon, fighting daily against demons that were once fallen Naga.


    ¡°Seeing the Naga tribe has been completely annihilated, and most of the Yu Chou tribe as well, to leave a glimmer of hope for the ocean, we seven mermaids ultimately decided to use our lives as a seal to purify the sea. Unfortunately, we could only clear away a part of the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power.¡±


    With Devil¡¯s Sea as the boundary, the coast nearby was purified by the mermaids, while this side of Devil¡¯s Sea was still contaminated by the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The oceans on the Mafa Continent side must have completely sunk, at its peak, there were over a hundred in the Sea Kingdom, unfortunately, many mermaids have fallen into demons, alas¡­¡± Gulvig sighed, her face wrinkled and uneven, a sad emotion emerging, ¡°I don¡¯t know if my revival is good or bad, is the power of the Cursed Dragon about to descend upon this sea area again?¡±


    Seeing Gulvig¡¯s worried face.


    Ach comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve investigated the flesh of the Cursed Dragon and I feel it no longer has the capacity to continue contaminating. After all these years, the ocean has enough power to purify itself. And look, this is the Superior Magic of the Cursed Dragon that I separated from you.¡±


    She took out the glass bottle containing the Superior Magic of the Cursed Dragon, shook it, and the magic power inside, condensed into the form of a Mutated Mermaid, immediately turned into a mist.


    Gulvig¡¯s eyes were fixed on the glass bottle: ¡°It really does seem much weaker. In my era, the power of the Cursed Dragon was unimaginably strong. Any contaminated creature would irreversibly turn into a demon¡­ Archmage Ach, you truly are a great magician.¡±


    Liszt suddenly asked, ¡°Gulvig, since the power of the Cursed Dragon has depleted, is it then possible to rescue the remaining six mermaid queens?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°We used our own lives to purify the power of the Cursed Dragon, never considering the possibility of coming back to life, so I don¡¯t know if they can be saved.¡± Gulvig shook her head. She still felt a bit dizzy, as if waking from a thousand-year dream, opening her eyes to a different world.


    Magicians have actually lost their ruling status, Dragon Riding Dragon Knights have established many human nations, governing the continent, now beginning to expand towards the ocean.


    Even the ¡°Moon Language¡± has become history.


    Such transformation is unprecedented.

 Chapter 982 - 982 0979 Bugs Do Not Evolve

    ?Chapter 982: Chapter 0979: Bugs Do Not Evolve Chapter 982: Chapter 0979: Bugs Do Not Evolve Gulvig had just been liberated from a curse and was extremely weak, needing a long time to recuperate.


    Liszt talked with her for a long time, and although the information Gulvig knew was primarily limited because the Sea Kingdom established by mermaids was collapsing and secluded from the world, some historical truths were still recovered.


    Firstly,


    during the era of the Moon Empire on the Legendary Continent, the influence of the Archmages was recognized even by the ocean itself; secondly, on the other side of the Devil¡¯s Sea was the Mafa Continent, which once housed a Sun Empire similar to the Moon Empire, another magic civilization established by humans; the Moon and Sun Empires collapsed around the same time.


    According to the analysis of available information, a legendary war had occurred between humans and dragons on the open sea.


    Taking into account the severed hind legs of the Jade Dragon, legends handed down by the Moon Slayers about killing the Moon Dragon, remains of dragons found in the Dragon Pit Great Mine on Flame Island, and the origins of the Fire Dragon and Smoke Dragon. Moreover, with the Cursed Dragon dying at sea and polluting it, it was clear that this legendary war marked the turning point of the collapse of the magic civilization.


    Afterwards, the inconspicuous Knight Class rose on the Legendary Continent, while Druid Magic, designated as the Child of the Sun, propagated in the Mafa Continent.


    Due to the pollution from the Cursed Dragon, mermaids, Naga, and Yu Chou were on the brink of extinction, while fallen monsters converged in the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    ¡°The mightiest kings among the mermaids, capable of fighting alongside Archmages, are naturally what you call creatures of the Superior Magic level. We, like your human Magicians, mostly draw our Magic Power from the Magic Web. Over extensive periods, the Magic Web has provided us with less and less Magic Power.¡±


    Gulvig was deeply touched, ¡°The last seven of us mermaids thought it was the pollution from the Cursed Dragon that severed our link to the Magic Web, only to realize that it¡¯s the Magic Web itself that is shrinking, making us unable to counteract the pollution from the Cursed Dragon.¡±


    ¡°So, Gulvig, how strong were you at your peak?¡±


    ¡°Far from an Archmage, but those Super Sea Monsters you described? I could easily slay them.¡±


    ¡°In that case, your strength is roughly equivalent to that of a Domain Knight, perhaps even stronger, but there¡¯s still a significant gap between you and an Archmage or Dragon Knight.¡± Liszt struggled to properly describe Gulvig¡¯s power; she had Superior Magic, but it originated from the Magic Web.


    Mermaids were not inherently composed of Superior Magic entities.


    In other words, mermaids, as a species, ranked lower than dragons, phoenixes, and unicorns. However, as an intelligent race, mermaids could also cultivate, and a highly trained mermaid was comparable to a human Archmage.


    ¡°King Liszt, I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t help you much with the pollution from the Cursed Dragon and my six sisters, I leave that in His Majesty¡¯s care.¡±


    ¡°King Gulvig, there¡¯s no need for formality, this is my duty.¡±


    ¡°Please stop calling me a king, there is no longer a kingdom in the sea. If you, King Liszt, can cleanse the crisis in the sea, Gulvig is willing to follow you and offer the Heart of the Mermaid to restore order to the sea.¡± Gulvig struggled to stand up and deeply bowed to Liszt.


    ¡°The Heart of the Mermaid?¡± Liszt raised an eyebrow and inquired, ¡°What is that?¡±


    The reward for the Smoke Mission was the Heart of the Mermaid.


    ¡°The contract of the mermaid race. During the era of the Moon Empire, many mermaids had given their hearts to human Archmages, following them and seeking the Truth.¡±


    Ach curiously asked, ¡°Is it like an Elf contract?¡±


    But Gulvig was confused, ¡°Elf contract? What is an Elf contract, do those creatures also have contracts?¡±


    It was now Liszt and Ach¡¯s turn to be puzzled. As the monarch of the sea, it was unbelievable that Gulvig had never heard of Elves having contracts.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about the Elf contracts? Although humans exploit Elves quite often, there are many Elves in the sea that enhance the growth of plants; haven¡¯t you mermaids ever utilized Elves, or do you also turn Elves into Magic Dust?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need Magic Dust to aid in our cultivation; we mermaids are naturally able to communicate with the Magic Web, and I¡¯ve heard that humans like to turn Elves into Magic Dust.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it cruel to make magic dust from elves?¡±


    ¡°Cruel? They¡¯re just some bugs,¡± Gulvig said, not understanding.


    ¡°How can you describe elves as bugs¡­ Elves are beautiful creatures, evolving from Elf Bugs to Little Minor Elves gaining intelligence, and further evolving into Greater Elves and Dragon Elves, nearly indistinguishable from intelligent species like humans and mermaids,¡± Liszt was speechless.


    It felt like the ancients in the era of magic civilization had distorted aesthetics; they all looked down on elves.


    Gulvig became even more confused now, ¡°King Liszt, what are you talking about? What do you mean elves evolve from Elf Bugs into Little Minor Elves and Dragon Elves? I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know that Elf Bugs can evolve?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that elves can evolve; they¡¯re just small bugs to me, the most common practice material for magicians. Moreover, King Liszt, I¡¯ve never seen any evolving elves, though I¡¯ve only lived for 142 years, I have never seen any evolved elves in the sea.¡±


    Hearing this,


    Liszt and Ach exchanged glances, both feeling that Gulvig was lying. They had encountered Pike, the Giant Algae Greater Elf, around Black Horse Island, it was a joke that Gulvig living in the sea had never seen any Little Minor Elves or Greater Elves.


    ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯ll bring over a Greater Elf,¡± Liszt decided to expose Gulvig¡¯s lies with facts.


    Ach promptly said, ¡°Brother, let Ach bring Nami over, she has just harvested some Magic Medicine Mangroves.¡±


    ¡°Um, good, bring Nami over.¡±


    He was not surprised about Nami harvesting Magic Medicine Mangroves because there was a Smoke Mission earlier that rewarded the new species of red trees.


    With Ach riding Unicorn Charlie, the round trip would take just over two hours. When Mangrove Greater Elf Nami sat on Ach¡¯s shoulder, curiously examining the mermaid Gulvig,


    Gulvig was also curiously looking at Nami, ¡°Is this what you call a Greater Elf? A Greater Elf evolved from an Elf Bug?¡±


    Her tone of surprise seemed genuine,


    as if it was truly her first time seeing a Greater Elf.


    Nami hid behind Ach¡¯s hair, expressing fear of this ugly-looking mermaid, ¡°Ach, what is that?¡±


    ¡°She is the mermaid Gulvig; He Zhunstost, Bragi, Grett, Valkyria¡­ Gulvig.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Gulvig, have you really never seen Greater Elves or Little Minor Elves? I find it hard to believe. Among us humans, although the evolution of elves is a rare event, Little Minor Elves and Greater Elves are not uncommon and are very ordinary creatures. There are also many elves of varying sizes in the sea.¡±


    ¡°I truly have never seen them, in my time, the Fisher Ocean was full of Elf Bugs, yet besides serving as food for some sea monsters, they had no other uses. In my time, the Fisher Ocean even traded Elf Bugs with humans, but that trade has been nonexistent for many years since the ocean was cursed,¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    said Gulvig, shaking his head.


    And after thorough communication,


    soon, Liszt derived a shocking fact¡ªthe Elf Bugs did not evolve during the Moon Empire era; the evolution probably happened after that great war!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Recommend my friend¡¯s latest masterpiece ¡°My Otherworldly Backyard,¡± a very powerful book!

 Chapter 983 - 983 0980 Impact Force

    ?Chapter 983: Chapter 0980: Impact Force Chapter 983: Chapter 0980: Impact Force Elves evolved for reasons yet to be unearthed, the historical truth behind this was a matter for exploration. Regardless, the epic war that took place across the vastness of the ocean definitely altered the course of civilization in the entire world.


    But anyhow.


    Li Si Te wasn¡¯t an archaeologist after all; he just wanted to speed up the development of the Flame Islands, so he set aside many of his questions for the time being.


    ¡°I will help His Majesty Li Si Te discipline these Fish Uglies; compared to the time I lived, their intelligence has deteriorated a lot, but the oppressive power inherent in their bloodlines is still effective.¡± With the command of Gulvig, the Fish Ugly Race, numbering in the millions, formally became slaves.


    In the Mermaid Kingdom, the Fish Ugly Race was already a slave race.


    Stripping away the beautiful veneer of mermaid legends, in fact, mermaids are dragon rearing families of the sea; the Naga belong to the Knight Class of the Mermaid Kingdom, while the Fish Uglies are the commoners.


    Class rigidity was much more extreme than among humans.


    However, to truly gain Gulvig¡¯s loyalty, Li Si Te needed to purify the power of the Cursed Dragon to prevent recurrence of sea pollution due to leakage from the seal. Now that the sea was Li Si Te¡¯s territory, both morally and logically, he had to purify the power of the Cursed Dragon.


    Ach stayed in the Overmarine Laboratory, planning the purification.


    With the Fish Ugly Race as the labor force, not to mention an Overmarine Laboratory, even an Overmarine City could be easily constructed¡ªthe Fish Ugly Temple, a typical structure of the Mermaid Kingdom, was a masterpiece of the Fish Uglies. Of course, in the Mermaid Kingdom, such temples were officially called Sea Sacrificial Halls.


    The Sea Sacrificial Hall was a symbol of mermaid authority; at the height of the Mermaid Kingdom¡¯s power, Sea Sacrificial Halls were scattered throughout every part of the ocean.


    All built by enslaving the Fish Uglies.


    ¡°Ach, do your research here, I¡¯m heading back to Flame Island. Let me know if there¡¯s any progress.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother, Ach will solve this curse pollution problem.¡±


    ¡°First clear the cursed dragon power in the trench; don¡¯t meddle with Devil¡¯s Sea just yet. Wait until we can discuss and decide together.¡± He was worried that Gulvig might coax Ach into dealing with the fallen mermaids, fallen Naga, and transformed devils that were previously Fish Uglies from Devil¡¯s Sea.


    Even though he didn¡¯t know if there were any devils left in Devil¡¯s Sea, it was always better to be safe than sorry.


    ¡°Ach understands.¡±


    So.


    Li Si Te, along with Nami, returned to the Estuary Swamp. Nami had to continue her diligent cultivation of the Mangrove Forest, while he planned to inspect the spring plowing.


    After each spring plowing, it was a time of explosive outbreak for the Elf Bugs, and he would often take time out to harvest a batch. The elves in the wild were mostly of lower value; only those Elf Bugs nurtured by cultivated crops possessed high value. Even as a member of the nobility, the dragon rearing family could not do without elf farming.


    He had barely returned to Flame Castle and rested for a few days when Li Si Te received a message via the Magic Platform from Yevich Water Peanut, sent from the faraway Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve made contact with the Second Prince of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy. This Second Prince is currently contending with the First Prince for the title of heir, and perhaps we could exploit his ambition to secretly control Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.¡±


    ¡°Go into detail.¡±


    ¡°Duke Scora Cicada of Snowstorm Mountain has two sons. His eldest son, Spot Cornflower, has the right of first succession, but his mother¡¯s status is somewhat embarrassing¡ªshe was once a noble widow who had already given birth to a son, yet was desired by Duke Scora, who married her despite opposition from the duchy¡¯s ministers.¡±


    After Spot was born, the noble widow passed away soon, and so the duke took another noble-born lady as his wife and fathered a younger son, Scart Cicada.


    The Second Prince, Scart, is only four years younger than the First Prince, Spot.


    Legally, the First Prince Spot had the right to succession, but due to the issue with his mother¡¯s status, many ministers were quite dissatisfied and turned to support the Second Prince, Scart.


    Duke Scora was indecisive regarding his two sons.


    Unwilling to lose his status as the heir, the First Prince was embattled, while the Second Prince was ambitiously seeking to replace him ¨C thus the duchy split into two factions in ongoing strife. This year, as Duke Scora¡¯s health deteriorated, the princes¡¯ struggle intensified. To gain support, the Second Prince Scart did not hesitate to hook up with Yevich.


    He sought the backing of the ¡°Eagle Kingdom forces¡±¡ªto this day, Yevich was still under the banner of the Eagle Kingdom.


    ¡°Hmm, a clich¨¦ drama of brothers fighting over inheritance?¡± Li Si Te wasn¡¯t really scheming; he preferred open confrontation, ¡°What¡¯s the position of the Yellowstone Kingdom on this struggle between the two?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re watching the tigers fight from the mountain. It seems that the King of Yellowstone Plains doesn¡¯t really care for Snowstorm Mountain Duchy; Snowstorm Mountain is located on the plateau, and it is indeed too barren.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see, and support the weaker side in the conflict. Ideally, we could have those two brothers fight for ten or eight years. Then take advantage of the chaos to infiltrate the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and ultimately, I want to control this country as a foothold and a buffer for the Flame Kingdom on the Legendary Continent,¡± Liszt said offhandedly.


    It wasn¡¯t a particularly clever plan.


    It was basically a general guideline, the details of which would naturally be discussed by the Development Committee. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yevich replied, ¡°Your Highness, but currently I do not have enough power to interfere with the infighting. The Second Prince is slightly weaker, and he hopes to borrow some high-end combatants from the Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I will consider that, and soon I¡¯ll be opening a teleportation array between Flame Island and the Legendary Continent. Then, supplies and knights will be continuously transported there. Tell Scart to rest assured in his struggle with Sakyth, I can even send Dragon Knights to help him!¡±


    That¡¯s how the bigwigs on Earth did it, supporting some in small countries and suppressing others, in any case, just making sure those countries were in turmoil.


    It just so happened that Emily¡¯s training had progressed rapidly, her Advanced Dou Qi was nearly complete, and she was close to a successful partnership with the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan.


    She could take charge of the plan for the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy when the time came.


    ¡­


    The Duke of Snowstorm Mountain wasn¡¯t dead yet, so Yevich was told to keep a low profile, and Liszt quickly handed the matter of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy over to the Development Committee to follow up.


    He leisurely toured the farmlands opened by various cities, searching for Elf Bugs that were in the process of being nurtured.


    His training certainly didn¡¯t lag behind, and he frequently visited the Endless Volcano Cluster to complete Leo¡¯s Mind Branding as soon as possible. Naturally, the supply of Magic Potions during this period was indispensable, and he was most concerned about the Magic Potions made from the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree.


    ¡°Your Highness, this batch here is the Phoenix Fire Potion,¡± Chris personally delivered the Magic Potions extracted from the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree to Flame Castle.


    ¡°How¡¯s the effect?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not ideal. Your Highness can personally experience it.¡±


    After drinking a vial of Phoenix Fire Potion and feeling the impact of the Magic Power, Liszt indeed frowned, ¡°I thought the Fire Attribute Mana would be very powerful, but I didn¡¯t expect the effect to be so weak, even weaker than chaos attribute magic potions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Fire Attribute Mana of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree is very strong, but the Magic Potions extracted always fail to meet the standard.¡±


    ¡°What about the production?¡±


    ¡°The production isn¡¯t very high either.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that useless?¡± Liszt rubbed his temples.


    The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. He had thought that after the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf ¨C Ani became a Dragon Elf, the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree would achieve much. Unexpectedly, it was so subpar concerning Magic Potions. Now, the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest¡¯s significance seemed to be limited to attracting Fire-attribute Birds.


    ¡°How much was produced?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all here, eight hundred vials for the first batch.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, just leave it here.¡± Although the Phoenix Fire Potion was inferior, it was still needed for training. At worst, he¡¯d just drink more of the Phoenix Fire Potion to compensate.


    He took the first batch of eight hundred Phoenix Fire Potions and soon went to the Endless Volcano Cluster to continue his training with Leo.


    ¡°Ohoo!¡± Leo looked at the new variety of Magic Potion that Liszt had brought, and it wasn¡¯t very pleased. It wanted Red Dragon Water.


    Liszt raised his hand, ¡°Make do with it. Although the Phoenix Fire Potion is average, if the quality isn¡¯t there, quantity will make up for it. Just go ahead and take your medicine.¡±


    Leo then reluctantly swallowed the Phoenix Fire Potion.


    However, once the potion was consumed, Leo¡¯s narrow pupils suddenly dilated, and the evil glint in its eyes was quickly replaced by surprise. It clearly felt that the power of the Phoenix Fire Potion was far from the ¡°subpar magic potion¡± it had been described as by Liszt.


    Liszt, through their mental connection, also quickly felt the effect of the Phoenix Fire Potion on Leo.


    The surging impact of the Magic Power was an intensity he had never experienced before, not even slightly inferior to the Red Dragon Water produced by the Red and White Rose Family.


    It was more than a match!

 Chapter 984 - 984 981 Gorgeous Royal Palace

    ?Chapter 984: Chapter 981: Gorgeous Royal Palace Chapter 984: Chapter 981: Gorgeous Royal Palace ¡°Formidable!¡±


    Liszt, holding the Phoenix Fire Potion, felt a huge surge of excitement. He hadn¡¯t expected the seemingly low-grade magic potion to have such a tremendous effect on dragons.


    Of course, this was limited to Fire Dragons.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t a Chaos-type magic potion, and its effects would be significantly reduced for other dragons. However, even so, the Phoenix Fire Potion was of immense value to Liszt, no less so than the Red Dragon Water, especially since among his dragons, Fire Dragon Leo was a major consumer of potions.


    ¡°Leo, you no longer have to worry about running out of magic potions. The Phoenix Fire Potion, refined from the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree, will be exclusively for your use!¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡± Leo was overjoyed, eager to indulge heavily.


    Liszt was generous, stuffing handfuls of the Phoenix Fire Potion into Leo¡¯s mouth, knowing that these potions could only have a strong effect on him: ¡°The volcanic supermagic of the Endless Volcano Cluster was almost depleted by you, but now with the supplement of the Phoenix Fire Potion, you can cultivate in peace, without always targeting the Phoenix Eggs.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    Leo indicated that as long as there was no shortage of the Phoenix Fire Potion, he would no longer consider the sealed-off Doomsday Volcano Crater.


    ¡°The name Phoenix Fire Potion doesn¡¯t sound very classy. Since the Red and White Rose Family has Red Dragon Water exclusively for dragons, let¡¯s rename the Phoenix Fire Potion to Fire Dragon Elixir, specifically for Fire Dragons.¡± He habitually renamed the potion and looked toward the sprawling Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest in the distance.


    Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Greater Elf Ani, dressed in exquisite knight¡¯s leather armor, rode over on Little Yellow.


    Behind her followed a large flock of birds, including the Super Dragon Beast Flame Bird, the Super Magical Beast Fire Crow, and the Advanced Magical Beast Red Sparrow, coexisting peacefully and harmoniously. These three types of fire attribute avian magical beasts didn¡¯t appear to have any food chain issues, possibly due to some bloodline connections.


    Other bird species, even those of fire attribute, would face fierce attacks if they dared to approach the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest.


    ¡°Liszt, did you bring me new varieties of Jade Powder?¡± Ani called out loudly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find any new varieties of Jade Powder, but I brought a lot of your favorite Soft Purple Jade Powder, take it,¡± Liszt said as he pulled out a bag of finely ground Jade Powder to reward Ani. The more he looked at Ani, the more pleasing she became, capable of both cultivating the magic potion Fire Dragon Elixir and managing the flock of birds.


    She was indeed very capable.


    It was just a pity that Ani didn¡¯t enjoy castle life, otherwise, he could have brought her back to the castle to serve as the chief butler.


    Currently, at Flame Castle, the Thorn Greater Elf Jela had always considered herself the chief elf butler, yet she couldn¡¯t win everyone¡¯s approval; the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite Kali was always running around outside all year round, rarely returning to Flame Castle; the Buckwheat Dragon Sprite Yati, being a foreign elf, had an unstable foundation and had not yet integrated into the new environment.


    In short, there was a lack of a chief elf butler.


    ¡°So much Soft Purple Jade Powder, I love it!¡± Ani took the bag and chuckled heartily.


    Her influence with cordyceps extended over more than 58,000 acres, making the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest lush and verdant. The fiery red leaves blended together, forming a sea of fire when viewed from afar.


    Coupled with the surrounding volcanoes, the scenery possessed a unique charm. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To cultivate these Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees, Liszt had relocated nearly three thousand people here, establishing a small town on the mountainside¡ªPhoenix Tree Town.


    ¡°I hope that in a few years, the Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees will have nurtured more elves to help me expand the planting scale. By then, just this forest alone will be sufficient to supply Leo¡¯s consumption, allowing Leo to continuously produce Fire Dragon Overmagic, bringing benefits to the territory and providing an infinite source of energy.¡±


    Liszt envisioned.


    Brick firing, wine brewing, cement manufacturing, glass making, ore refining, and equipment casting¡ªthe energy required for all these would gradually be replaced by Fire Dragon Overmagic. Once the steam boilers are successfully improved, it might even be possible to construct trains and ships; by then, trains whistling across Flame Island and ships honking from the docks would certainly present a remarkable sight.


    ¡­


    With an ample supply of Fire Dragon Elixir, Leo practiced very cooperatively, and the progress of Mind Branding greatly accelerated.


    After a vigorous training session, Liszt went to inspect the progress of the construction of his King¡¯s Castle. A large number of Moon Slayer serfs, driven by knights, bustled about on high platforms, digging trenches, building roads, and excavating underground passages. The entire construction site was bustling with activity.


    ¡°Your Highness, you have arrived.¡± Coming to report was Jomaya Bangtu, who was not in charge of the King¡¯s Castle construction, but of the Royal Palace construction.


    However, the Royal Palace had not yet begun construction.


    ¡°Have my Royal Palace blueprints been designed yet?¡± Liszt asked.


    Jomaya respectfully presented a large blueprint, spread out by several knights on a table, ¡°Your Highness, the initial draft of the Royal Palace blueprint has been discussed by the master architects and has been tentatively created. We were just planning to report to you and seek your opinion.¡±


    The data on the blueprint was rather abstract, and Liszt was not much interested; he was primarily looking at the renderings.


    The castle rendering was majestic but lacked personality, conforming to the conventional style of castles. It featured pointed towers, grand buildings, tidy battlements, and continuous stairs. Built according to the terrain, it was large-scale and clear-cut, fitting the stature of a typical royal palace.


    However, Liszt was not satisfied.


    He directly stated, ¡°Too mediocre. Here, build a Mage Tower at least five hundred meters tall; here, construct a sky garden, and also a river and waterfall by taking advantage of the terrain; here, hollow it all out, connect it with bridges, perfect for enjoying the view of the waterfall¡­¡±


    There was also a high-altitude plaza for docking dragons, a statue covering half a mountainside, an arena that could accommodate tens of thousands of spectators, a bell visible from hundreds of kilometers away, and a fire atop the mountain that never dies.


    He listed a multitude of requirements all at once, each one of high difficulty, causing Jomaya¡¯s expression to show difficulty, ¡°Your Highness, constructing such a royal palace, we simply do not have the capability.¡±


    ¡°Involve the Magic Guild, when necessary, Lord Acherloides and I will personally participate in the construction. In any case, I do not need a mediocre palace; build it as splendid as possible. It would be best to let the design team refer to the legends of ancient times, considering the grand architectures from those tales.¡±


    Despite the challenging requirements set by Liszt, Jomaya still respectfully took the order, ¡°I will contact the Magic Guild right away and find all the legendary grand architectures for comparison before redesigning the Royal Palace blueprint.¡±


    ¡°Go then.¡±


    He dismissed Jomaya.


    Liszt stood on the mid-slope of Holy Mountain, gazing at the interconnected Holy Mountain, his mind still continuously sketching out what the Royal Palace would look like once completed.


    After a while.


    A knight galloped to the mid-slope, dismounting from afar and swiftly running to Liszt, kneeling on one knee to report, ¡°Your Highness, a message was received from the Mage Platform at Thorn Fort, the envoy from the Duchy of Sapphire has delivered a message at the castle¡ªSapphire Duke passed away on January 18 at Azure Sky Peak Palace.¡±

 Chapter 985 - 985 0982 Madam Please Restrain Your Grief

    ?Chapter 985: Chapter 0982: Madam, Please Restrain Your Grief Chapter 985: Chapter 0982: Madam, Please Restrain Your Grief Grand Duke Andrew Sapphire, the fifth-generation grand duke of the Duchy of Sapphire and a Sapphire Dragon Knight, had left this world in January, during the winter of the year 156 according to the Sapphire Calendar.


    Having ruled for nearly thirty years, although he didn¡¯t have many legendary tales to his name, he was nevertheless a capable and enlightened ruler.


    In the last five years of his life, too many events had occurred¡ªthe Marquis of Bull Tail¡¯s rebellion, the heavy damage inflicted upon the Sapphire Dragon; the invasion by the Eagle Kingdom, leading to the draconic slaughter at sea where he almost met a tragic end; and the eruption of the Dragon War between the Eagle Kingdom and the Flame Kingdom, forcing the Sapphire Family to change leadership¡­


    Despite these tumultuous five years, Grand Duke Andrew had endeavored to maintain the Sapphire Family¡¯s position within the prestigious Dragon Rearing Families.


    ¡°A formidable ruler has finally departed,¡± sighed Marquis Li Weiliam Tulip upon receiving the news.


    The bond formed over nearly two decades of loyalty was not something easily forgotten. Hearing of Grand Duke Andrew¡¯s demise brought a flood of emotions to him. In his youth, his father had died in a battle during a Pioneer Mandate, and he had subsequently inherited the title and followed Grand Duke Andrew, annually driving his chariot to the Azure Sky Peak Palace.


    Although with the rise of his second son, Liszt, the Tulip Family had broken away from followers of the Sapphire Family and moved to develop in the Flame Islands,


    he and Grand Duke Andrew had still maintained a close relationship.


    Unlike his current heavy heart, Liszt spoke lightly, ¡°Father, hand over the affairs to Dimaria, and let¡¯s go together to mourn Grand Duke Andrew.¡±


    Although Liszt had once shared joyful moments with Grand Duke Andrew, he had never felt the bond of a follower and naturally did not grieve his death. Moreover, he had withheld a strand of the Dragon Soul of Sapphire with the intent to wear down Grand Duke Andrew, aiming for perfect control over the Duchy of Sapphire.


    Compared to Grand Duke Andrew, Crown Prince Anthony¡¯s talents were not outstanding, and he could not escape his control.


    ¡°Are you going to take the Dragon Soul with you?¡± Marquis Li Weiliam suddenly asked.


    ¡°Why do you ask that, Father?¡±


    ¡°With Grand Duke Andrew deceased, the Sapphire Family will no longer possess sufficient means to navigate between the Flame Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom. I think there¡¯s no need to let Anthony continue to endure the torment of soul splitting.¡±


    Liszt intended to avoid wearing Anthony down as well, so he immediately nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the Dragon Soul and ensure the Sapphire is fully healed. However, Father, you might talk more with Anthony, have him willingly step down to a duke, and ensure he cooperates earnestly with the military actions of the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Are you still going to issue a Pioneer Mandate under the name of the Duchy of Sapphire?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as you know, agriculture takes too long. War is a quicker way to plunder. Moreover, with the deep-seated hatred between the Flame Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom, I do not want to give the Eagle Kingdom a chance to recover.¡±


    ¡°By exerting such pressure on the Eagle Kingdom, I¡¯m concerned it might provoke a desperate counterstrike from them, risking an all-out war with us.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever heard the story of boiling the frog in warm water, Father? I launch a Pioneer Mandate each year, yet never let the Eagle Kingdom suffer a crippling blow all at once. As long as I keep balancing it properly, the ups and downs will eventually cause the Eagle Kingdom to be slowly stripped of all its flesh,¡± Liszt said with a smile.


    The Eagle Royal Family wanted to pretend weakness in the face of their enemies, sparking a unified hatred among the three great kingdoms.


    It perfectly matched his strategy of boiling a frog in warm water; as long as the opposition did not resist, he would continue cutting their flesh, perhaps by the time the three great kingdoms realized what was happening, the Flame Kingdom would have already grandly transformed¡ªmaybe even the Flame Family would achieve an unshakeable top-ranking status among the three great kingdoms. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, Liszt was now maintaining a pace of two to three dragons a year in dragon riding¡ªneither the Dragon Elf nor the Greater Elf could keep up with the growth rate of the dragons.


    Li Weiliam looked at his spirited second son and could only lament in his heart that he was ¡°falling behind,¡± his thoughts had not been so radical for a long time, ¡°If we are to fully confront the Eagle Kingdom, should we prioritize fostering relations with the Yellowstone Kingdom, and avoid offending the royal family at all costs?¡±


    ¡°Father, I have no plans to engage with the Yellowstone Kingdom at the moment; I just want to remotely control the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy as a foothold on the Legendary Continent¡­ The Grey Iron Duchy is too far away to rely on; the Duchy of Sapphire is isolated overseas and likewise can¡¯t serve as a proxy; the best option is the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.¡±


    Li Weiliam said no more.


    Although he was a father, the power of decision-making was entirely in Liszt¡¯s own hands, and he did not believe his vision could surpass that of a Dragon Knight.


    After chatting casually, the father and son walked out of the study and immediately saw Lady Penelope approaching.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Li Weiliam, Liszt, is it true that Grand Duke Andrew has died?¡± Lady Penelope asked anxiously.


    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡±


    ¡°Alas.¡± Upon confirmation, Lady Penelope sighed deeply, ¡°How could Grand Duke Andrew die so young, he was the pillar of the Duchy of Sapphire, and here I am, an old woman, still not yet buried, while he, a leader of a nation and a mighty Dragon Knight, has already entered the grave.¡±


    Li Weiliam offered comfort, ¡°After all, birth, aging, sickness, and death are inevitable, even Dragon Knights cannot reverse them.¡±


    ¡°When you and Liszt go to offer condolences, don¡¯t forget to comfort Lady Sarette for me; although life is hard alone, she still has the First Prince and the Second Prince to look after her¡­ Many years ago, I entered the palace to accompany Lady Sarette, she was such a beautiful woman then, and in the blink of an eye, we are all nearly half in the grave.¡±


    Old age brings a fondness for reminiscing and reflecting; the death of Grand Duke Andrew had a profound impact on Lady Penelope, and she went on at length.


    However, for many others, the death of Grand Duke Andrew did not stir much distress.


    In the Flame Kingdom, except for a few knights who would mention the Duke during drinks at the tavern, most nobles remained indifferent¡ªthey were mostly knights who had sought refuge from the Eagle Kingdom, feeling only disdain and no affection for the Duke of Sapphire; the common folk were similarly indifferent, many might not recognize the Duke beyond their own landlord.


    As for the Moon Slayers, they had only found out that there were humans outside their forests a few years ago.


    In essence, the news of Grand Duke Andrew Sapphire¡¯s passing did not stir much in the Flame Kingdom; the nation¡¯s construction continued robustly and without pause.


    In such circumstances, Liszt brought Ach back from the Overmarine Laboratory. He gathered the ¡®Dragon Soul¡¯ of the Sapphire Dragon, united with his father Li Weiliam, rode the Formless Dragon Bard, the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, and accompanied by the Fire Dragon Leo and Bone Dragon Vinnie, they headed directly to the Azure Sky Peak Palace.


    Upon receiving the news, all members of the Sapphire Family, led by Lady Sarette, solemnly welcomed Liszt¡¯s entourage of mourners.


    ¡°Thank you for coming, Your Highness Liszt; it¡¯s unfortunate that Andrew can no longer personally receive Your Highness,¡± Lady Sarette bowed deeply, followed by the First Prince and Second Prince¡ªwithout ceremonial confirmation from the sovereign state, the Steel Ridge Kingdom, the First Prince was yet unable to inherit the dukedom of Sapphire.


    Liszt helped Lady Sarette up and said solemnly, ¡°My lady, please take comfort¡­¡±

 Chapter 986 - 986 983 Two Happy Events

    ?Chapter 986: Chapter 983 Two Happy Events Chapter 986: Chapter 983 Two Happy Events ¡°Cousin, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    In the Azure Sky Peak Palace, Liszt met his cousin Meioubao Taro. As the son-in-law of Duke Andrew, he had certainly come to help at the funeral.


    Meioubao bowed respectfully, ¡°Your Majesty the King.¡±


    ¡°Do we still need to be formal? Just call me Liszt in private.¡± Liszt had a great fondness for Taro¡¯s family, and his brotherly relationship with Meioubao was far stronger than with Levis. ¡°And Angela, didn¡¯t you have a daughter? Her name is Melens, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Melens Taro.¡± Meioubao called a servant, instructing him to summon Angela and bring over their daughter. ¡°It¡¯s a pity she wasn¡¯t a boy¡­ But thanks to the tiny humanoid potion you sent us back then, Angela and I have been trying hard, and she¡¯s pregnant again.¡±


    Noble families naturally needed a male heir; otherwise, the family line would eventually end¡ªthere were female heirs, but they were rare.


    Before long, Angela arrived, holding their daughter, not yet a year old.


    Little Melens looked chubby in her mother¡¯s arms, and it was still too early to tell which parent¡¯s features she might inherit. Her birth had quickly matured her parents; Meioubao had shed his immaturity, while Angela had become solemn.


    Liszt could see the love in their eyes when they looked at each other.


    That was good¡ªhe had always worried his cousin might end up wearing a cuckold¡¯s cap, but now he could rest easy.


    ¡°Liszt, during this visit to offer condolences, how many days will you stay in the Azure Sky Peak Palace?¡± Angela took a teapot handed over by a Royal Palace servant and personally brewed a cup of green tea for Liszt.


    ¡°I need to discuss some matters with Anthony and then I must hurry back; there are too many issues waiting for me in the Flame Islands. However, my father will stay in the Azure Sky Peak Palace until the envoys from the three great kingdoms have all arrived, then I will return to attend Duke Andrew¡¯s funeral.¡±


    Meioubao asked, ¡°When are the Flame Islands planning to open to outsiders?¡± Currently, the Flame Islands were in a state of lockdown, with stringent processes for entry and exit.


    ¡°As soon as the kingdom is established, we will open the teleportation arrays, allowing merchants and envoys from various countries to freely enter and leave the Flame Islands. Cousin, if you wish to visit, I can arrange for Levis to accompany you¡­ Actually, there¡¯s nothing particularly secretive in the Flame Islands, but to minimize infiltration from the three great kingdoms, external connections have been closed.¡±


    ¡°I understand. The Kingdom of Flames is still in its infancy, indeed we must guard against infiltration from the three great kingdoms. I¡¯m particularly curious to see the magic teleportation array, a legendary and magnificent magic that can only be revitalized by an Archmage¡¯s hands,¡± Meioubao said admiringly.


    In fact, he was not alone.


    Anyone aware of the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation¡¯s existence wanted to witness it.


    Many knights and magicians, for the sake of traveling through the teleportation array just once, had unhesitatingly chosen to defect to the Kingdom of Flames.


    Liszt casually said, ¡°After Duke Andrew¡¯s funeral, you and Angela can bring little Melens and visit Flame Castle for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Just traveling through the teleportation array once will be enough; we shouldn¡¯t break the Kingdom of Flames¡¯ rules just because we¡¯re relatives,¡± Meioubao didn¡¯t want Liszt to make an exception. ¡°After the Kingdom of Flames is established, Angela and I will come and properly explore the Flame Islands.¡±


    ¡­


    After the luncheon, Anthony finally found an opportunity to invite Liszt into a private study to discuss matters: ¡°Your Majesty, my father left a letter before he passed away, instructing me to personally hand it to you.¡±


    Liszt quickly read through the letter, which wasn¡¯t long.


    Duke Andrew mainly addressed two matters in his letter: one was that Anthony would inherit the title of Grand Duke and continue to uphold the agreements between the Sapphire Family and the followers of the Flame Family, immediately announcing this externally upon the establishment of the Kingdom of Flames; the other was concerning the Sapphire Dragon.


    Following Duke Andrew¡¯s passing, the soul of the Sapphire Dragon would be missing again, soon deteriorating, and he hoped Liszt would act quickly to save the Sapphire Dragon. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For this, the Sapphire Family was willing to demonstrate utmost sincerity to help the development of the Flame Kingdom.


    After reading the letter, Liszt feigned deep thought for a moment and then slowly spoke, ¡°Anthony, the Sapphire Family follows me, and I will not let them decline. The Sapphire Dragon will certainly be saved¡­ This time I came here with Acherloides to stabilize the Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s help, Anthony will follow Your Majesty without wavering!¡± Anthony knelt on one knee, showing his determination.


    ¡°Please rise.¡± Helping Anthony up, he continued, ¡°In fact, we have already extracted the Dragon Soul that was stolen from the Sapphire Dragon. However, the soul needs some time to purify as it has been fused with Lich Andy for too long. It should be purified in half a month and just stabilize the Sapphire Dragon for a month.¡±


    Anthony was overjoyed at his words, then eagerly asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you think I could become a Sapphire Dragon Knight while the Soul of the Sapphire Dragon is impaired and then heal the Sapphire Dragon afterward?¡±


    He played a good game.


    Wanting to become a Dragon Knight.


    Liszt just smiled, ¡°Duke Andrew sacrificed his own soul to barely become a Dragon Knight, and you will certainly have to sacrifice your own soul as well. Once I heal the Sapphire Dragon, you won¡¯t be able to retrieve your soul back. Without a dragon to sustain it, you might just die soon due to the loss of your soul.¡±


    Anthony awkwardly smiled, no longer bringing up Dragon Knights.


    He himself deemed it a folly and a vain hope, and if becoming a Dragon Knight were so easy, the three great kingdoms would not have so few.


    Perhaps seeing Liszt riding dragons so casually in front of him also inflated his expectations, making him think that riding dragons is an easily achievable task.


    ¡­


    Acherloides made his move.


    With a few simple magic arrays involving the soul, he halted the deterioration of the Sapphire Dragon¡¯s injuries. In fact, the Dragon Soul was on him, ready for healing the Sapphire Dragon at any time.


    But Liszt did not want to seem too eager¡ªwhich might make people think he waited for Duke Andrew¡¯s death before taking action¡ªso he decided to delay. He also wanted to assess the loyalty of the Sapphire family, whether they devotedly follow him or wavered between the Steel Ridge Kingdom and Flame Kingdom, trying to play both sides.


    From what he could see, Anthony corrected his stance without harboring other intentions.


    Shortly thereafter.


    Leaving the Marquis of Bull Tail to represent him, Liszt and Acherloides left Azure Sky Peak Palace and quickly returned to the Flame Islands. Acherloides continued to work on the purification methods for the Cursed Dragon in the Overmarine Laboratory and attempted to reverse the remaining six mermaids¡¯ self-imposed seals.


    Liszt, taking advantage of the momentum, trained intensely with Leo with the aid of Fire Dragon Elixir, hoping to complete the Mind Branding soon.


    Time flashed by.


    The page of Sapphire Calendar Year 156 turned; February arrived, and two joyful events occurred in succession.


    Leo¡¯s Mind Branding was completed amidst Liszt¡¯s intensive training, becoming a fully-developed Flame Dragon Knight, only waiting for his adulthood to reach peak fighting capabilities.


    At the same time, Emily¡¯s Advanced Dou Qi finally perfected, officially gaining recognition from the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, initiating and winning a Mind Battle.


    She became the second Dragon Knight of the Flame Kingdom and the first female Dragon Knight in the history of the Legendary Continent!


    Moreover, she was a Dragon Knight at the rare age of fifteen!

 Chapter 987 - 987 0984 Female Dragon Knight

    ?Chapter 987: Chapter 0984: Female Dragon Knight Chapter 987: Chapter 0984: Female Dragon Knight The sky was vast and the clouds stretched far and wide.


    Emily stood on the huge light green gemstone, gazing admiringly and lovingly at Liszt in his silver-white knight armor, holding a sword in one hand.


    However, Liszt¡¯s eyes seemed to gaze into the void, his indifference revealing boundless penetrating power, as if he could see right through to one¡¯s heart. He uttered no word, only lifted the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword with both hands and slowly handed it to Emily, then nodded slightly.


    His figure then started to coalesce into light green gemstone, growing larger and quickly turning into a towering statue, erect in the center of this world.


    The Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan glanced at the statue that Liszt had become, flapped its wings, and approached Emily.


    Taking a deep breath, Emily leaped onto Ethan¡¯s back, at the Dragon Tooth Platform, and together, they thunderously soared into the sky, disappearing into the brightest part of the heavens under the indifferent gaze of the statue.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    In the midst of earthshaking dragon¡¯s roar, Emily suddenly opened her eyes to find the entire world had changed colors, and she could now experience the dragon¡¯s vision, observing this familiar yet unfamiliar world. Dou Qi mixed with Dragon Magic Power, refining and exponentially increasing her strength, allowing her to feel the power of being a Dragon Knight.


    ¡°I¡¯ve succeeded!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve become the Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight!¡±


    ¡°I have not let down Your Highness¡¯s expectations; now I am a Dragon Knight, the first female Dragon Knight of the Legendary Continent!¡± Emily wanted to burst into song, but years of habit suppressed her from making a sound, her emotions soaring as she rode the dragon through the skies.


    She would be the one to ascend the highest peak and look down upon all other mountains.


    As a Dragon Knight, Emily finally saw Liszt¡¯s silhouette, not left behind on the path she silently followed.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Back at Flame Castle, she reported in detail to Liszt about her dragon riding experience and feelings. ¡°Bone Burning Wine suppressed Ethan¡¯s strength, Your Highness¡¯s Mind Branding guided me in battle, and I was able to excel in the Mind Battle, shattering Ethan¡¯s mental projection.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done very well, Emily. Ever since I started training you, I¡¯ve been anticipating this day,¡± Liszt praised generously. ¡°You¡¯ve now also become a part of the Legendary Continent¡¯s legend. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re the youngest record holder at fifteen, but as a Female Dragon Knight, you¡¯re certainly unique.¡±


    Emily replied with a demure smile, and for the first time today, she felt confident enough to look directly into Liszt¡¯s eyes, expressing herself without restraint: ¡°All of Emily belongs to Your Highness!¡±


    Her bold and passionate gaze even took Liszt by surprise, but he had faced many challenges and calmly handled the girl¡¯s fervor, continuing to say, ¡°You are not yet of age¡­ As the Flame Kingdom¡¯s second Dragon Knight, you need to take on more important responsibilities but also enjoy better treatment.¡±


    ¡°I am at Your Highness¡¯s command.¡±


    ¡°Then today, I bestow upon you the title of Marquis, and you and Ethan will still be stationed in Jade City. A Magic Teleportation Array to the Legendary Continent will be constructed there, and it will be your duty to guard it. Of course, the Flame Kingdom has not yet been established, so your current task is to assist in the construction of the territory.¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡± Emily¡¯s gaze was fiery, but having become a Dragon Knight didn¡¯t make her haughty¡ªthe more she understood the Dragon Knight¡¯s power, the more she realized Liszt¡¯s unfathomable depth.


    A knight who rode six dragons was undoubtedly an incredible existence unparalleled throughout history.


    ¡­


    In Flame Castle, Liszt gathered a large number of nobles to celebrate Emily¡¯s successful dragon riding.


    At the banquet, flattery washed over the attendees like a tide; everyone knew that a new great Noble had risen, one whose brilliance in the Flame Kingdom was second only to Liszt and Ach.


    Dragon Knights were humans at the pinnacle of power, and though Emily stood solitary, she was far too young and had ample time to establish a new great Noble family¡ªa Dragon Rearing Family was not enough, after all, the dragons were owned by Liszt, and she was merely a Dragon Rider, not the owner of the dragons.


    Of course.


    Most Nobles didn¡¯t think Emily would establish a family; they all already considered Emily to be a part of the Flame Family. No one dared to speculate about the selection of the Queen, nor did anyone dare to pursue Emily. This world practiced monogamy, but the strong were inherently above the rules.


    In the Flame Kingdom, no rules could restrain Liszt; he was not a king by heritage but a founder of a kingdom, a Dragon Knight of six dragons.


    He was one who alone had challenged five Dragon Knights and emerged triumphant.


    ¡°Marquis Emily¡¯s Dragon Knight glory is inseparable from her diligent struggle. And the esteemed individuals here are the foundation of the Flame Kingdom, and you must devote yourselves to nurturing your offspring, discovering talents, actively participating, and supporting the Dragon Knight training program,¡± Liszt raised his goblet, ¡°I hope that one day in the future, our Kingdom will see the birth of more Dragon Knights! My Lords, I invite you to drink with me!¡±


    The Nobles all raised their goblets: ¡°May Your Majesty¡¯s glory be upon us, we shall wholeheartedly support the Dragon Knight training program!¡±


    ¡°Come, let us raise our glasses together once more to celebrate Marquis Emily¡¯s successful Dragon Riding!¡±


    ¡°To Princess Emily, congratulations!¡±


    ¡°To Princess Emily, congratulations!¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pontelesi joined all the Nobles in raising his goblet, loudly congratulating the young, beautiful Flame Person and Dragon Rider, with eyes full of envy.


    He was a Moon Slayer Native, once the Listener of the Luo Tribe, and had been suppressed for leading his tribe in resistance against the Knight¡¯s conquest. However, his daughter Hippolyta had earned His Majesty the King¡¯s favor by protecting several Elves, which allowed him to be released without charges and join the ranks of the Nobility.


    Now having distinguished himself and been knighted as a Viscount, he was fortunate to be invited to the celebration feast.


    ¡°West, to be a Dragon Knight, it¡¯s so majestic!¡± his Noble friend excitedly whispered in his ear, ¡°Magicians, no, no, it¡¯s the Dragon Knights who are truly majestic!¡±


    Pontelesi replied, ¡°Larmote, you could train your son to become a powerful Knight and join the Dragon Knight training program; perhaps one day he, too, could become a Dragon Knight esteemed above all.¡± The other man was also a Moon Slayer Native, a Listener of a medium-sized tribe, and now also a Viscount.


    Larmote shook his head with a sigh: ¡°My son won¡¯t do, his talent isn¡¯t excellent enough, and he¡¯s still far from becoming an Earth Knight after a year at school.¡±


    But he then spoke with renewed excitement: ¡°However, your daughter, Hippolyta, she¡¯s very talented. Nurture her well, and she might become a Dragon Knight, bringing pride to the Moon Slayers!¡±


    ¡°Larmote, her name is Hippolyta, don¡¯t use the nickname ¡®T¡¯ anymore. His Majesty wishes for us to integrate into the Flame Kingdom as quickly as possible. Although we haven¡¯t chosen a suitable surname yet, we must gradually get used to the names; only in this way can we become Nobles who continue to pass down their lineage.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it just slipped out, I will correct it,¡± Larmote took a sip of Fresh Flower Brew, ¡°Pontelesi, raise Hippolyta well!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a girl.¡±


    ¡°Dragon Rider, is a girl too, I have high hopes for Hippolyta, she¡¯s outstanding!¡±


    Talking about his daughter, pride involuntarily surfaced on Pontelesi¡¯s face; after only a year of training in Dou Qi at the Knight School, she had already become an Earth Knight. He didn¡¯t dare to hope that Hippolyta would become the next Dragon Knight¡ªthat was too miraculous¡ªbut as long as his daughter became a Sky Knight, he would be completely satisfied.


    After all.


    He only had Hippolyta as a daughter¡ªthe Moon Slayers did not favor sons over daughters, as women were just as likely, if not more so, to become Magicians.

 Chapter 988 - 988 0985 Idol (3rd Update Alliance Hierarch

    ?Chapter 988: Chapter 0985: Idol (3rd Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 32/147) Chapter 988: Chapter 0985: Idol (3rd Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 32/147) ¡°Hi, Hippolyta, did you know? The genius girl, Princess Emily, has already been promoted to Dragon Knight!¡±


    Just after the knight training class ended, Hippolyta received astonishing news from her little friend: the second most popular female idol among all women in the Flame Islands, who was also the Thunderous Sword Saint, had become the second Dragon Knight in the Flame Kingdom, and the world¡¯s first female Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Really?¡± Hippolyta, with her wheat-colored skin, widened her eyes.


    She had two idols; the first was the great Archmage who rode the Holy Unicorn, Seki, unmatched in the hearts of the Moon Slayers!


    The second was naturally Emily, the genius girl, only two years older than herself, yet already a renowned Sword Saint.


    Who could have thought that just after the New Year had passed, this incredibly young Thunderous Sword Saint had already become a great Dragon Knight, and could also be addressed as a Seki.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. I learned it from the substitute teacher. Originally, the vice-principal was supposed to give us a lesson on ideology, but he took a leave of absence. The teacher told us that the vice-principal went to attend a banquet held by His Majesty at the Flame Castle, celebrating Lady Emily becoming a Dragon Knight.¡±


    As if just remembering something, the little friend hurriedly added: ¡°Now, we cannot just say Lady Emily, we should say Princess Emily.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, I really wish I could be as outstanding as Princess Emily!¡± Hippolyta said enviously.


    ¡°You are quite remarkable yourself, among all the Earth Knights in our school, you are the youngest. It took you only one year to become an Earth Knight, and many people are envious of you. Oh, right, I heard that Princess Emily also became an Earth Knight in one year.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not the same as Princess Emily, since I had practiced Magic from a young age and my body was responsive to Magic Power. After switching to practicing Dou Qi, I started as an Apprentice Knight. Princess Emily, however, was originally a common serf and had nothing, yet she became an Earth Knight within a year!¡±


    Emily¡¯s story was legendary and suitable for spreading.


    Of course, much of it was promoted by Liszt to establish a role model to attract young people to train vigorously. The effect was very good, as almost all the girls idolized Emily, second only to their admiration for Archmage Archy.


    Hippolyta was very humble in her speech, not daring to compare herself with Emily. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But in her heart, she deeply aspired to become the next Emily.


    After the afternoon¡¯s cultural classes were over, she packed up and hurriedly left the Royal Academy¡ªthis was a new school formed after the New Year, training talented students sent from various places. Most were of noble birth, but there were also a few from common backgrounds, and Liszt had stipulated that students of common birth should not be less than 30% of the total.


    She returned home.


    Her father, Viscount Pontelesi, had already come back. As a Grand Magician among the Ancient Mages, specializing in Earth System Magic, his job involved water conservation projects.


    ¡°Hippolyta, you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Father, has Princess Emily really become a Dragon Knight?¡± Hippolyta couldn¡¯t help but ask again, still feeling slightly skeptical about the news¡ªa fifteen-year-old Dragon Knight, three years younger than the great King when he was promoted to Dragon Knight.


    How could it be possible!


    ¡°You already knew? Yes, Princess Emily has indeed become a Dragon Knight. I just returned from attending the Dragon Knight¡¯s celebration banquet at the Flame Castle.¡±


    Assured, Hippolyta had no more doubts, leaving only astonishment: ¡°That¡¯s incredible, a Dragon Knight, father, what does Princess Emily look like? Is she very tall and strong?¡±


    ¡°Princess Emily looks like an ordinary person, but she is very tall and beautiful, and her radiance is only slightly less than that of His Majesty the King,¡± Pontelesi tried his best to describe¡ªin the eyes of ordinary people, Dragon Knights are all radiant, with a demeanor and aura that is sacred and inviolable.


    Listening to the greatness of Dragon Knights, Hippolyta felt an infinite desire. ¡°Father, do you think I could become a Dragon Knight?¡±


    ¡°You?¡­¡± Pontelesi couldn¡¯t help but recall the words of his good friend Larmote as he looked at his daughter who had grown up. He replied with relief, ¡°As long as you try hard, father believes you also have a chance to become a Dragon Knight, the glory of the Moon Slayers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I must try hard!¡± Hippolyta clenched her fist to motivate herself, but soon added, ¡°Father, my teacher said that we are all citizens of the Flame Kingdom, there is no distinction between Moon Slayers and Flame People, we are all children of His Majesty the King.¡±


    Pontelesi smiled and said, ¡°Ha ha, father misspoke.¡±


    Yet in his heart, he sighed silently. Although the Moon Slayers had long resided in the primeval forest and were far behind in civilization, it didn¡¯t mean they lacked intelligent people. He was well aware of the Flame Kingdom¡¯s policy to completely erase the Moon Slayer¡¯s culture and integrate them into the Knight system, so that in a few generations, no one would likely remember the Moon Slayers anymore.


    Nevertheless,


    he didn¡¯t oppose this policy, as he had become a noble within the Knight system. As long as his own family prospered, who cared whether those serf Moon Slayers lived or died.


    ¡­


    When Emily became a Dragon Knight, Liszt felt his burdens lighten considerably.


    The young girl could represent him in suppressing the Flame Islands, and she could also handle some diplomatic occasions on his behalf. This allowed Liszt more free time, to go wherever he wanted.


    ¡°Internal affairs will be managed by the Development Committee, and external affairs by Emily, how delightful!¡±


    He rode on Fire Dragon Leo and the Formless Dragon Bard, and hurriedly headed to the Overmarine Laboratory on Anchor Island to meet with Archy.


    Since Leo had taken the Fire Dragon Elixir, it no longer needed to stay at the Endless Volcano Cluster and train all the time, just occasionally returning to harvest some Volcanic Super Magic. Now its main responsibility was combat, and developing various battle techniques with Liszt to enhance their strength.


    ¡°With Leo¡¯s wingspan reaching fifty meters, his strength was almost on par with the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata. It¡¯s hard to imagine how potent his strength will become once he reaches a hundred-meter wingspan upon adulthood.¡±


    Liszt often marveled at Leo¡¯s growth.


    Elemental Dragons, usually evil dragons, were hard to slaughter due to their great strength. But so far, aside from Leo, the three major kingdoms¡¯ regions had not spawned another Fire Dragon. However, Light Dragons, Earth Dragons, Water Dragons, and other evil dragons had clear distribution records, mostly within the Wild Forest.


    As long as evil dragons didn¡¯t attack humans, the three major kingdoms were too lazy to form dragon-slaying squads to kill these dragons¡ªsimply because evil dragons were not of great value.


    Firstly, they were untamable; second, they produced no resources; and third, the dissipation of their Super Magic could cause vast geographical disasters.


    For example, a Magician who once fought a Wind Dragon left behind Windhowl Valley, where the winds shrieked endlessly. Except for magicians who went there to admire the Magician¡¯s historical trace, no one could live nearby.


    Riding on the Fire Dragon, Liszt made countless people across the three major kingdoms envious¡ªthey wondered how someone could conquer an Elemental Dragon from a young age. Although Elemental Dragons produced no resources, their formidable combat power was enough to make people envious. Unfortunately, their envy was useless, as Liszt continued to ride dragons, deterring everyone.


    The wind howled.


    He soon reached Anchor Island, and from afar saw the Overmarine Laboratory erected above the ocean¡ªconstructed day and night by the Fish Ugly Race, this laboratory was like a palace on the sea.


    The palace¡¯s base was a rock platform condensed by Archy using Earth Elemental Incarnation, while the Fish Uglys were responsible for carving and decorating. Using bone tools, their arms were as strong as Kirin arms, and they carved rocks much faster than human serfs. It had to be admitted, these ugly and slovenly low-intelligence creatures possessed incredible architectural talent.


    ¡°I must acquire the Heart of the Mermaid; these Fish Uglys are naturally the most suitable laborers, millions of free laborers must be controlled!¡±

 Chapter 989 - 989 0986 Heart of the Mermaid

    ?Chapter 989: Chapter 0986: Heart of the Mermaid Chapter 989: Chapter 0986: Heart of the Mermaid ¡°Your Majesty Liszt.¡±


    ¡°Gulvig, how has your recovery been?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I cannot fight yet, but deep-sea swimming is no problem now.¡± The immense mermaid, Gulvig, whose body¡¯s pits and indentations were healing at a visible rate, looked much more pleasant to the eye and slightly resembled the true elegance of a mermaid.


    Liszt smiled and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, having a healthy body is essential to enjoying this beautiful life.¡±


    ¡°A beautiful life¡­ I just hope to purify the ocean soon, so that countless souls, fallen under the pollution of the Cursed Dragon, can be freed from their agony.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will get better.¡±


    After chatting briefly with Gulvig, Liszt entered the palace-like Overmarine Laboratory. This magnificently grand building looked rougher on the inside. Yu Chou¡¯s artistic sense wasn¡¯t rich enough; the traces of chiseling were too pronounced, and it lacked symmetrical beauty.


    This made Liszt instantly think that in future constructions, Yu Chou would handle the construction and serfs the decoration.


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve arrived,¡± greeted Kenley, the vice president of the Magic Guild¡ªThe Flame Kingdom had not yet been established, so the way people addressed Liszt was somewhat chaotic; most people still addressed him as ¡°Your Highness,¡± while a few had started calling him ¡°Your Majesty,¡± without any uniform standard.


    He didn¡¯t mind, though; whether ¡°Your Highness¡± or ¡°Your Majesty¡± was all the same to him.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ach?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Lord Acherloides is in the lab conducting experiments, please follow me,¡± said Kenley as she led the way and reported on their experimental progress. ¡°During the days you were gone, Your Highness, the laboratory has preliminarily completed the purification experiment of the curse¡¯s power. Lord Acherloides is now refining the processes.¡±


    ¡°So, the complete purification of the curse¡¯s power will be achieved soon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it isn¡¯t very difficult.¡±


    ¡°Is it not? The ancient mermaids tried all they could but failed to achieve this.¡±


    ¡°Their technological concepts were too outdated. Though the Magic Web is declining, magic technology continues to innovate, and our era¡¯s understanding of Truth far exceeds that of the ancient times. Moreover, Lord Acherloides always brings continuous streams of ideas that help expand our horizons.¡±


    Ach was indeed great, significantly advancing magic technology.


    However, Liszt was also proud because many of these new ideas had come from him. Without the knowledge he taught Ach, the magicians here might still be stuck in an outdated understanding, unaware of what the universe, planets, or gravity were.


    He inquired, ¡°So, has the experiment to reverse the sealing been completed?¡±


    ¡°The experimental plan has been designed by Lord Acherloides. It mainly draws on the method that used the curse¡¯s power to contaminate Gulvig, forming a concept of reverse petrification. However, some steps in the experiment still need practical verification; it might take a few more days.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Upon reaching the largest laboratory, Liszt saw Ach leading a group of magicians, tinkering with a huge Magic Array. In the center of the Magic Array, a mass of black mist continuously changed shape, the power of the Cursed Dragon stripped from Gulvig.


    When the experiment concluded, Ach personally briefed Liszt on the theoretical aspects of the experiment¡ªa complex string of ideas which, in the end, Liszt admitted he hadn¡¯t grasped fully.


    However, that didn¡¯t prevent him from nodding seriously, ¡°If the solution works, then let¡¯s use your design to purify the cursed power.¡±


    ¡­


    Three days later.


    Everything was ready.


    Ach rode Unicorn Charlie, and Gulvig carried Liszt, diving toward the altar discovered in the sea trench. Although Gulvig had not yet recovered her combat abilities, as a ruler of the seas, the mermaid¡¯s ability to control water was no weaker than that of a Sea Serpent, allowing Liszt to breathe steadily underwater. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And fearlessly withstand the deep sea¡¯s pressure.


    The trio quickly dived into the trench and found an opening to enter the sealed altar. Six mermaid statues still towered around the altar, each twenty meters tall. Upon a close look, these statues bore significant differences from real stone statues¡ªthey possessed a certain ¡°liveliness,¡± vividly lifelike.


    Gulvig swam up to one statue, gently caressing its face, her eyes expressing complex emotions. It was as if she was reminiscing about her past life and lamenting the changes that had occurred.


    She murmured the other¡¯s name, ¡°Krasteka Tedyo Yufuski Winnika¡­ Eternia, we shall truly be reunited soon.¡±


    More than three hundred Moon Language words formed her name, which she painstakingly recited for quite a while.


    Then she moved to the second statue, muttering similarly, ¡°Komminis Podolski Aktaiwon Dieyoni¡­ Bluposi.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Tibidais.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Sharivara.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Viswinti.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Cocolix.¡±


    Each of the six mermaids¡¯ names comprised over three hundred words from the Moon Language, and it was impressive that the orphan Wendy could still remember them without forgetting.


    However, Liszt only remembered the last name of each mermaid¡ªEternia, Bluposi, Tibidais, Sharivara, Viswinti, Cocolix. He planned to force these mermaids to change their names after obtaining the Heart of the Mermaid, forbidding the use of their original lengthy names.


    At that moment.


    Acherloides had already split open the altar, revealing a pitch-black abyss below, then set up a Magic Array to channel the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power and bind it with the Magic Array.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The dragon¡¯s roar echoed in Liszt¡¯s mind and around his ears, the rotting flesh-like power of the Cursed Dragon burst out and collided within the confines of the Magic Array. It then transformed into dragon claws, wildly clawing at its surroundings, but under the strong restraint of the Magic Array, it was continuously dispersed and purified, the accompanying black mist becoming thinner and thinner.


    Ultimately.


    The mass of rotting flesh was purified of all its mist and could no longer coalesce into rampaging dragon claws. It slowly formed into the image of a dragon, moving slowly within the Magic Array.


    The dragon was grayish-brown in color, its slender body resembling a snake, and its wings like a skeletal frame. The entire body was just scales covering bones, virtually devoid of any flesh, somewhat similar to the Nergigante from ¡°Monster Hunter,¡± most notably at the connection of its neck and body, which also featured a Dragon Tooth Platform.


    ¡°This dragon can also be ridden!¡± Liszt¡¯s pupils dilated slightly, his thoughts unknown, but his heart filled with desire¡ªhe still craved dragons despite already having six.


    ¡°Your Majesty Liszt, Lord Acherloides is about to reverse the petrification of the mermaid statues. We should move further back to avoid affecting Lord Acherloides¡¯s spellcasting.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He rode on Gulvig¡¯s shoulder, moving farther away. Mermaids lacked something like a Dragon Tooth Platform, so he could only grab onto her hair to stabilize himself. Fortunately, as Gulvig was trying to integrate into human life, she had made a skin-tight suit of fish scales with the scales returned to her to avoid exposure.


    With the Eye of Magic employed, Liszt closely observed how Acherloides reversed the petrification of the statues.


    The Magic Array divided the small dragon, transformed from the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power, into six parts, then swiftly channeled these six parts into the mermaid statues. Moments later, these forces seeped out from the statues and recombined into an even smaller Cursed Dragon¡ªclearly a lot of power was consumed in the reversal process.


    Acherloides then took out a carefully crafted glass bottle, collected the Cursed Dragon into the bottle, and then dismantled the Magic Array, retrieving some of the still usable materials.


    ¡°Is it done, Acherloides?¡± Liszt asked as he moved back near the statues with Gulvig.


    Acherloides nodded with a smile, ¡°All done, brother. Now we just wait for the stone seals of the statues to be melted by the power of the Cursed Dragon, and they will regain their flesh.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take?¡±


    ¡°It might take a few days.¡±


    Immediately, Gulvig spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty Liszt, Lord Acherloides, I will stay to protect them. Once they are restored, I will bring them back to Anchor Island and offer you the Heart of the Mermaid¡­ As for now, please accept Gulvig¡¯s Heart of the Mermaid.¡±


    Saying this.


    She held her chest with both hands, and soon, a pulsing, translucent crystal-blue heart leaped out, landing in her hands before she presented it to Liszt.


    Liszt, looking at the Heart of the Mermaid, which was much larger than his own, was somewhat at a loss, ¡°So, Gulvig, what should I do next?¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Asking for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and support with a golden keyboard!

 Chapter 990 - 990 0987 Commanding the Seas

    ?Chapter 990: Chapter 0987: Commanding the Seas Chapter 990: Chapter 0987: Commanding the Seas ¡°Your Majesty just needs to touch it,¡± Gulvig said with a smile.


    ¡°Ah, like this?¡± Liszt reached out and gently touched the Heart of the Mermaid. Instantly, the Heart of the Mermaid popped like a bubble with a cracking sound, and then burst into nothingness.


    A feeling of kinship rose in his heart, as if an intangible connection had been established between him and the mermaid Gulvig. At the same time, he immediately understood the significance of the Heart of the Mermaid. It was a follower¡¯s pact, not very binding, and could be severed at any time.


    Its primary function was communication, allowing the contracting parties to contact each other from great distances.


    Moreover, the leading party of the Heart of the Mermaid¡¯s contract, which was Liszt¡¯s side, could use the power of the contract to command the Naga Species and the Fish Ugly Race.


    It also allowed him to receive the protection of the sea, to breathe freely and move freely in the water without the pressure of the seawater affecting him. In other words, he no longer needed Ach or the mermaids¡¯ assistance to live underwater.


    ¡°A very practical contract.¡± After understanding the capabilities of the contract, Liszt smiled, ¡°But it seems there isn¡¯t much point in accepting so many Hearts of the Mermaid. It appears that just one Heart of the Mermaid is enough to gain the sea¡¯s protection and command the Naga and the Fish Ugly.¡±


    Gulvig explained softly, ¡°Your Majesty, the power of a single contract is weak; the more contracts you have, the greater the benefits you¡¯ll receive. In the era of the Moon Empire, a great Archmage once had the following of a hundred mermaids, and with the power he gained from the contracts, he could part the sea to reveal the dry seabed.¡±


    ¡°That powerful?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just a pity that in this era there are only about seven of us mermaids left, and we cannot provide you with much power from the contracts.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± Liszt looked at Ach and made a decision, ¡°I will contract only with you, Gulvig, and let Ach contract the remaining six mermaids to enhance her abilities.¡±


    Seven contracts would not create a qualitative change, and the simple protection of the sea and command over the Fish Ugly were already his, so there was no need to contract so many Hearts of the Mermaid. After all, he was human and preferred living on land; he did not enjoy soaking in the great seas, as riding dragons and soaring through the skies was his true path.


    Ach shook her head, ¡°Brother, Ach does not need the assistance of the Heart of the Mermaid either. Contracting with a single mermaid to command the Fish Ugly and incidentally study the secrets of contract magic will suffice. Brother, you are the King of the Flame Kingdom; let the mermaids follow you instead.¡±


    Seeing the two of them pushing the responsibility back and forth, Gulvig suddenly felt very disheartened.


    ¡°Has the era really changed¡­¡± Mermaids were the sovereigns of the sea, and when she was young, she heard that human Archmages would go to great lengths just to contract with a single mermaid. Yet now that the contract was before them, there were those who were pushing it away as if reluctant.


    She deeply felt that the times had indeed changed.


    ¡­


    Four days of waiting.


    The six mermaid statues gradually melted from their petrified state into flesh and blood.


    On the fourth day, Viswinti was the first to awaken, her gaze bewildered as she looked around her. Informed by Gulvig of the events of the past few days, Viswinti, recognizing the purified altar, solemnly presented her Heart of the Mermaid to Ach.


    Afterward, Eternia, Bluposi, Tibidais, Sharivara, and Cocolix all awakened one after another and offered their Hearts of the Mermaid to Liszt.


    The power from the six contracts made Liszt feel even closer to the sea, allowing him to move freely without any pressure from the seawater. He breathed easily and even had a keen sense of the currents, enabling him to detect disturbances far away while underwater. His Dou Qi operated smoothly without hindrance.


    Regrettably, his Dou Qi was of the Fire Attribute, and even after becoming Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi, it was still suppressed by seawater, rendering his strength far inferior on land.


    He had also tried manifesting as a Phoenix Incarnation in the sea.


    The flames on his body did not extinguish, and he breathed quite normally, but the magic of the Phoenix Incarnation was also severely oppressed, making his flight speed slow as a dog. It was even worse than his swimming speed when he returned to human form.


    ¡°Respected human ruler, Your Majesty Liszt, thank you for purifying the ocean and reviving us. We, the last seven mermaids, are willing to follow you and fight and build for your nation,¡± the seven mermaids, after consultation, formally joined the ranks of the Flame Kingdom.


    Unlike sea serpents, the carefree sprites of the ocean, mermaids behaved more like humans. During the era of the Moon Empire, the Sea Kingdom that mermaids established also waged wars against one another.


    ¡°I am delighted with your joining. Humans have already entered an era of nobility with the knight¡¯s feudal system. I will first ennoble you as Marquis, and when the time is right, you can re-establish duchies on the seas, becoming vassal states to the Flame Kingdom.¡± The strength of the mermaids was slightly greater than that of Domain Knights, making them worthy of being ennobled as Marquises.


    In the future, Liszt planned to promote them to Dukes, allowing them to establish duchies in the seas surrounding the Legendary Continent to help the Flame Family cultivate the oceans.


    ¡­


    ¡°Your Majesty, we wish to take a look at the Devil¡¯s Sea and see if the devils that fell from grace still exist,¡± the mermaids requested, after clarifying the current state of affairs.


    Liszt also wanted to witness it and thus agreed, ¡°Then let¡¯s go together.¡±


    So, a group of people moved majestically toward the Devil¡¯s Sea. Since he had no chance to ride a Unicorn, he had to stand on the back of the most powerful mermaid, Eternia¡ªEternia was once the ruler of the Great West Nation, which had long since perished in the ocean, becoming part of the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    ¡°Ach, Super Magic ¨C Eye of Mana requires High Magic to cast. You can teach it to the seven mermaids to allow them to search for Elves under the sea and learn to develop the ocean¡¯s sprites,¡± Liszt suddenly thought of this during the sea voyage.


    He considered the Eye of Magic a prized treasure and was reluctant to let its secrets spread.


    But teaching the Eye of Mana to the mermaids was no issue, after all, the age of the mermaids had passed, and they wouldn¡¯t come ashore to compete for resources. They could only honestly develop sprites in the sea for him. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Ach was more than willing to teach magic to the mermaids. In her view, mermaids with Superior Magic were exceptionally good magic experiment assistants, far more reliable than human magicians who could only perform Low Magic.


    They taught as they traveled.


    Although the seven mermaids had all experienced varying degrees of power degradation, their swimming speed could still reach eight hundred kilometers per hour in the sea.


    When the mermaids barely understood the casting principles of the Eye of Mana, they had already arrived at the continental slope.


    The seabed of shallow waters is called the continental shelf, and the seabed of the deep sea is known as the abyssal plain. The steep slope that transitions between the continental shelf and the abyssal plain is called the continental slope. The continental slope is named steep, but it¡¯s hard to discern the slope with the naked eye; one can only faintly sense that the seabed gradually deepens this stretch.


    When passing over a sea trench on the continental slope, Gulvig, the ruler of the Sea Trench Tribe, said in a somber tone, ¡°I remember this place now. This is the ¡®Eyelid Pattern¡¯ trench. My mother fell here, becoming a devil, and went toward the Devil¡¯s Sea, never to return.¡±


    Standing on the edge of the sea trench cliff, she looked down into the abyss of the dark sea, sighed deeply, and said, ¡°So many years have gone by, the Eyelid Pattern hasn¡¯t changed much, only the seawater is much cleaner, without the pollution of the Cursed Dragon.¡±

 Chapter 991 - 991 0988 Whale Fall of Leviathan (3rd Update

    ?Chapter 991: Chapter 0988: Whale Fall of Leviathan (3rd Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 33/147) Chapter 991: Chapter 0988: Whale Fall of Leviathan (3rd Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 33/147) ¡°Complete the mission, and receive the Heart of the Mermaid as a reward.¡±


    Sharivara reflected on the past while Liszt absentmindedly summoned the Smoke Mission. Once the mermaids were revived, the mission was naturally completed.


    ¡°Mission: The mermaids have offered you the Heart of the Mermaid and have become your followers. However, each mermaid has a thorn in her heart that has not been removed. Perhaps exploring the Devil¡¯s Sea will help them regain confidence in life. Reward: One Greater Elf.¡±


    Exploring the Devil¡¯s Sea was part of the set course, incidentally helping the mermaids remove their thorns.


    After he dispersed the smoke, Sharivara had finished her reflection; thus, everyone continued their journey, heading towards the deep sea along the continental slope. On this route, they increasingly felt the ocean currents grow stronger and even chaotic whirlpools roamed freely in the sea. Sometimes when they surfaced, they could see the ocean covered with dark clouds as the storm raged relentlessly.


    ¡°When not tainted by the Cursed Dragon, the Devil¡¯s Sea was known as the Stormy Sea. It once birthed a mermaid named Olakhir who tried to harness the power of the Heart of the Mermaid to calm the never-ending storms in the Stormy Sea, but unfortunately, she was not successful.¡±


    King Eternia of the Great West Nation looked at the storm and said to Liszt.


    ¡°And here I thought it was the pollution from the Cursed Dragon that turned the sea this way.¡±


    ¡°The Cursed Dragon only polluted the seas, not the sky or land. During the era of the Moon Empire and Sun Empire, these two great human nations relied on Sky Ships for communication, which were the grand creations of Archmages. Unfortunately, in my time, both empires had long since vanished,¡± Eternia explained to Liszt.


    Among the seven mermaids, she was the strongest and also the oldest; not counting the time she was sealed, she was three hundred and seventy-nine years old and knew a great deal.


    Mermaids have a lifespan of five hundred years, which placed her in late middle age.


    Furthermore, she had once given birth to a mermaid, but unfortunately, her daughter was also corrupted, turning into a devil.


    ¡°What else do you know about the Moon Empire and the Sun Empire?¡± Liszt asked, hoping to gather more information from Eternia, ¡°In ancient times, a great war occurred where human Archmages and dragons teamed up and killed a Moon Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Moon Dragon?¡± Eternia was puzzled, ¡°Is there such a dragon? I thought there were only Evil Dragons, Sacred Dragons, Elemental Dragons, Metal Dragons, and Gemstone Dragons.¡±


    Obviously, she was also unaware of the Dragon of the Magic Web.


    ¡°It seems you do not know about the great ancient war.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of it, but it must have existed. Otherwise, how could the Moon Empire and Sun Empire have declined, and how could the Cursed Dragon have been slain¡­ Unfortunately, I cannot provide Your Majesty with more information. When I was born, the ocean was already shrouded in the shadow of the Cursed Dragon.¡±


    ¡­


    As the ocean currents grew increasingly violent, navigating became difficult. Liszt felt this most acutely; despite having obtained six Hearts of the Mermaid, he still struggled to move freely in the tumultuous seawater.


    Even the mermaids were somewhat affected, slowing down.


    Only Ach, riding a unicorn, was completely unaffected and blissfully at ease¡ªthis was due to the unicorn¡¯s special ability, Void Sprint, which ignored the constraints of space and matter, making even the wildest currents unable to shake its form.


    Envy.


    Alas, unable to ride it, Liszt could only cling tightly to Eternia¡¯s hair, pressing close to her garment transformed from fish scales to reduce the drag.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to arrive at the Devil¡¯s Sea!¡±


    The leader of the Lost Sea, Cocolix, called out ahead. Her former realm, the Lost Sea, was located on the edge of the Devil¡¯s Sea, making her very familiar with these waters¡ªwhile the land had undergone drastic changes over thousands of years, the sea had changed very little.


    Half an hour later.


    Cocolix again reminded everyone, ¡°This is the Hermit Crab Trench, the boundary of the Devil¡¯s Sea and also the boundary of the Lost Sea. Your Majesty, honored guests, we have entered the Devil¡¯s Sea!¡±


    ¡°Is this the Devil¡¯s Sea? It doesn¡¯t look very devilish.¡± Liszt said as he illuminated the surroundings with a bundle of Hand Magic Tubes. Since they were at the deep sea bed where no natural light reached, the atmosphere seemed gloomy. With the Eye of Magic Power, he could see sea monsters lurking around.


    There was no sign of any devils.


    ¡°Perhaps the power of the Cursed Dragon truly has been purified by the sea itself?¡± Gulvig speculated uncertainly.


    Eternia said sternly, ¡°Be cautious.¡±


    As they were talking, Ach, who was using the Eye of Magic Power, suddenly spoke up, ¡°There¡¯s a huge monster¡¯s carcass ahead, with numerous small sea monsters parasitizing it!¡±


    Following her direction, Liszt quickly spotted the carcass, which still faintly radiated chaotic magic power. The giant carcass was almost larger than an aircraft carrier, with dragons appearing tiny in front of it; inside the carcass, numerous bizarre sea monsters were parasitic.


    ¡°This is the Whale Fall of Leviathan!¡± Eternia explained.


    ¡°Leviathan? Whale fall?¡±


    ¡°A whale is the largest creature in the ocean. When they die, their bodies slowly sink to the ocean floor, a process that can last hundreds to thousands of years. Small creatures then parasitize the whale¡¯s carcass for survival. When the whale remains sink to the ocean floor, they quickly form a seabed of jade, with stronger whales forming higher-quality jade.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So, what is a Leviathan?¡± Liszt asked, thinking of the legendary sea behemoth Leviathan, said to be as powerful as a dragon.


    Before Eternia could respond, the youngest mermaid next to her, Bluposi, leader of the Salty Sea Tribe and only sixty-six years old, eagerly replied, ¡°I know! The sea behemoth Leviathan is the most powerful creature in the ocean, as mighty as a dragon. It is said that when mermaids become archmages, they are accompanied by a Leviathan.¡±


    ¡°So, is Leviathan also a type of whale?¡± Liszt was now near the carcass of the Leviathan, his Hand Magic Tube illuminating the remains, which were too damaged to discern the original appearance of the Leviathan.


    ¡°Leviathan should be the largest whale, born with Superior Magic. It¡¯s extinct in our time, yet here we find its Whale Fall,¡± Eternia casually crushed a jellyfish-like sea monster that overconfidently tried to attack, ¡°Your Majesty, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this Leviathan Whale Fall must have been sinking for over eight hundred years.¡±


    ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    ¡°The Whale Fall of Leviathan sinks ten meters a year; our current depth is about eight thousand meters, just right for over eight hundred years.¡±


    ¡°What do you usually do when you encounter a whale fall?¡± Liszt surveyed the largely skeletal remains of the Leviathan, wondering if they could be fashioned into weapons.


    He no longer doubted any legend, as creatures from the legends had all appeared.


    Three types of sub-dragons, claimed to be as powerful as dragons¡ªthe Sky Behemoth Qizhi, the land behemoth Behemoth, and the sea behemoth Leviathan¡ªjust by observing Leviathan¡¯s size, one could guess they might indeed be as mighty as dragons. In fact, unicorns and phoenixes were not much weaker than dragons.


    Eternia smiled, ¡°We would feel fortunate¡­ In mermaid customs, encountering a whale fall signifies good fortune accompanying us.¡±


    She further explained, ¡°A whale fall is part of the oceanic life cycle. For us mermaids, it holds little value; we wait for it to sink and form jade. Of course, if the Naga Species or Fish Ugly Race come across a whale fall, they might take some of the bones as weapons.¡±

 Chapter 992 - 992 0989 Tower of the Devil

    ?Chapter 992: Chapter 0989: Tower of the Devil Chapter 992: Chapter 0989: Tower of the Devil Liszt had wanted to take some bones back to forge weapons but, on hearing that Yu Chou also used Leviathan bones for weapons, he dismissed the idea.


    He needed to maintain a certain level of prestige.


    Still, he dismantled two smaller Leviathan bones to take back for research. If they proved valuable, he would remember this location and return to harvest them. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leaving the Whale Fall of Leviathan, the team continued their exploration, finding the deep-sea world even more desolate than Liszt had imagined. There were no colorful, vibrant creatures; it was an eternal darkness, devoid of light, accompanied by all sorts of eerie and bizarre sounds. Prolonged exposure would definitely lead to oppressive madness.


    Occasionally, when they encountered roaming Sea Monsters sensing the Mermaids¡¯ presence, they would turn tail and flee.


    Thus, while sailing for a while, Cocolix suddenly shouted, ¡°Your Majesty, My Lords, everyone, ahead is an underwater tower, likely an edifice from the ancient Sea Kingdom!¡±


    Everyone sped up.


    However, as they neared the tower, they slowly sensed a familiar presence: ¡°It¡¯s the aura of the Cursed Dragon, this tower contains remnants of the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power!¡± Gulvig, having been tainted by the Cursed Dragon, was particularly sensitive to it.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± Liszt warned.


    ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with this tower,¡± Ach said, frowning. ¡°Charlie senses a very malevolent force within; it is awakening¡­ the power of the Cursed Dragon is awakening!¡±


    ¡°Snort!¡± The Unicorn replied with an uneasy snort.


    In fact, they did not need Ach¡¯s warning. It quickly became clear to everyone that something was off with the tower.


    When the Hand Magic Tube¡¯s light shone on the tower, instead of seeing ancient rock constructions, they saw piles of skeletal remains, stacked upon one another through the ages, many fused together.


    It was, in fact, a tower of corpses.


    As if provoked,


    the bones began to crumble, and through the Eye of Magic, they could see that the tower, which had previously shown no magical feedback, was suddenly radiating a dark, shimmering Magic Brilliance¡ªthe light of the Dark Attribute, a black with undertones of purple.


    ¡°This is not an ancient edifice left by the Sea Kingdom, it¡¯s a tomb built from Devil corpses!¡± Eternia screamed loudly, ¡°These Devils are about to crawl out from their graves; they have not been cleansed by the sea!¡±


    As she screamed, the bones that made up the tower burst apart, and swarms of agile monsters sprang out, charging towards Liszt and his companions. These creatures, like hounds unleashed from their cages, one after another, formed an underwater Storm.


    The seven Mermaids became panicked, wanting to turn and flee.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scatter, unleash Magic!¡±


    Liszt grabbed Eternia¡¯s hair, rapidly issuing commands: ¡°They¡¯re just Low-Level Devils, don¡¯t panic, hold them off!¡± He could tell that although there were many Devils, their Magic Power level was Low Magic, and their concentration was weak, akin to that of Low-Level Sea Monsters.


    He could take on an entire legion of such Sea Monsters.


    Under the influence of the Heart of the Mermaid¡¯s pact, the Mermaids quickly stabilized and began releasing their own Magic, hurling countless Water Whirlpools, Rings of Water, and other spells into the crowd of Devils.


    Ach, who had the quickest and calmest reaction, rode atop Unicorn Charlie, swiftly donning the Gemstone Crown and wielding the Eight Dragons God Sword, casting furiously. She commanded the Seawater to condense into water bolts, which shot forth like lasers, rampantly striking the swarm of Devils.


    Almost instantly, the viciously charging Devils, like dumplings, all sank to the seabed.


    ¡°Brother, we¡¯ll fight as we retreat. These are just the outer Devils of the tower,¡± Ach saw in the tower, even more powerful Devils awakening¡ªpossibly fallen Naga Devils, and maybe even fallen Mermaids Devils.


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Liszt turned and gave the orders: ¡°Fight while retreating, Gulvig, Eternia, and Bluposi cast Magic to hold back the Devils, Tibidais, Sharivara, and Cocolix take charge of controlling the Seawater, assist them in retreating!¡±


    Three Mermaids retreated while three fought.


    Under Liszt¡¯s command, they cooperated orderly.


    On the other side, Ach was commanding Viswinti while fighting and retreating. With her individual combat strength surpassing that of all the mermaids combined, she could act with ease¡ªUnicorn Charlie knew how to coordinate with her.


    There were no brilliant fireworks, only Magic Power boiling at the bottom of the sea as the battle rapidly escalated.


    Layers upon layers of devil-like dumplings were killed, but more and more devils rushed over. The distant towers collapsed at a rate visible to the naked eye, transforming entirely into more devils. Except for the outer devils, which were purified into corpses, the inner devils were still very much alive.


    Liszt did not join the fight. He was using the Eye of Magic to carefully observe the battlefield, with a black and purple sheen outlining the forms of the devils.


    Some resembled Yu Chou, with half their bodies fish and the other half frog, also possessing humanoid arms. Some devils were unarmed, while others wielded bones. It was clear that in life, they were Yu Chou tainted by the power of the Cursed Dragon, their severely shrunken bodies belied an increased fighting strength.


    Among them were also devils not fallen from Yu Chou, likely fallen from fish, jellyfish, octopi, turtles, and similar sea monsters.


    ¡°The numbers are growing!¡± Eternia said, panting.


    ¡°The devils fallen from Naga have already burst out of the tower.¡± Ach¡¯s voice was very calm, ¡°There are too many devils. I¡¯ll cover the rear, you all should leave quickly¡­ Eternal Sturdy Ice!¡±


    As she spoke, the Eight Dragons God Sword glowed, condensing a huge frozen city wall in the surrounding sea area and blocking countless devils on the outside.


    Snap!


    Snap!


    Snap!


    Countless devils crashed against the frozen city wall, and soon, massive fractures appeared, followed by thunderous shattering.


    Seizing this opportunity, the mermaids had retreated some distance, finally avoiding being surrounded by devils.


    Seeing this, Liszt shouted, ¡°Mermaids, unleash your magic with all your might, bombarding the devils swarming around Ach!¡±


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Sound could be transmitted through the sea, and the massive booming of magic attacks, strong enough to shatter currents, whipped up countless bubbles, blasting batch after batch of Yu Chou devils into debris. But more Yu Chou devils kept filling in, moving like zombies without any concept of fear or retreat.


    Thus, a magical team composed of sea serpents and mermaids struggled against a devil legion made up of Yu Chou and other fallen sea creatures at the seafloor, eight thousand meters deep.


    The mermaids, having fought for just a moment, began to wheeze for breath¡ªtheir bodies had not yet recovered to their best condition.


    Gradually, Ach became the main fighting force, but even she alone held off the charges of the devil¡¯s army. With half her body as a Water Elemental Embodiment and the other half an Ice Elemental Incarnation, she alternately deployed Water System Super Magic and Ice System Super Magic, staunchly holding off the devils¡¯ frenzied onslaught.


    ¡°Hiss!¡±


    After a considerable number of casualties, some Yu Chou devils began to cast magic, as dark rings of magic power rippled from their bodies, rapidly enveloping the battlefield.


    Ach¡¯s Super Magic, upon encountering these dark magic rings, seemed to dissolve, its power growing weaker and weaker.


    By then, the second wave of devils revived by the tower had also charged over. Their bodies were even larger, bearing various weapons, resembling upright serpents. Their forms varied from two hands to six, clearly Naga that had fallen into devildom, saturated with too much Dark Attribute Magic Power.


    The magic they released was also stronger, corroding Ach¡¯s Super Magic at an increasing rate.


    ¡°Ach, if you can¡¯t hold them, don¡¯t get bogged down in the fight, let¡¯s retreat!¡± Liszt shouted¡ªThe mermaids had already withdrawn from the battlefield¡¯s reach, and Ach could return at any time.


    However, the usually tranquil Ach seemed overcome by a rush of blood, leaving behind just one remark, ¡°Brother, you and the mermaids wait a moment. Ach hasn¡¯t used her magical powers to their fullest in a long time. It¡¯s a perfect opportunity to let loose and familiarize myself with the true combat style of an Archmage.¡±


    Having said that, the half of her that was an Ice Elemental Incarnation swiftly switched to a Space Elemental Incarnation. With a flick of her hand, she conjured a spatial rift that devoured countless devils without leaving a trace of bone behind.


    Her demeanor was relaxed and carefree, with no hint of the tension one would expect in the face of devils.

 Chapter 993 - 993 0990 Achs Divine Display

    ?Chapter 993: Chapter 0990: Ach¡¯s Divine Display Chapter 993: Chapter 0990: Ach¡¯s Divine Display Boom!


    A black fissure spread through the sea, splitting the body of any devil it touched in two, regardless of whether it was a low-level sea monster like Yu Chou Devil or a high-level one like Naga Devil, or any other fallen sea creatures.


    This was the power of space magic, which was unresistible to any creature that couldn¡¯t exempt from material damage.


    Initially, Ach used water and ice system magic merely to test her abilities; it was only after she switched to a space elemental incarnation that she truly exhibited her extraordinary strength. Amplified by Unicorn Charlie, each of her spells became a construction of superior magic, increasing in power tenfold.


    ¡°So powerful!¡± Eternia exclaimed.


    ¡°Lord Ach is more powerful than any archmage of ancient times. I have never heard of anyone who could use superior magic constructions with such ease,¡± Viswinti equally marveled, secretly pleased to follow such a powerful archmage and sharing in the glory.


    ¡°Your Majesty, has magic developed to such an extent in this age?¡± Gulvig asked in surprise.


    Liszt, watching Ach¡¯s formidable figure, was delighted. The initially fragile nixie had finally become one of the most powerful individuals in the world, ¡°Ach¡¯s talent is exceptional. There have likely been few archmages throughout history who could master space magic, and she has also been favored by a unicorn.¡±


    ¡°Unicorns only favor the pure-hearted. Were Ach in the era of the Moon Empire, she could undoubtedly contend for the position of the Great Emperor.¡±


    The Moon Empire was a magocracy and slave-holding state ruled by magicians, where the Great Emperor was the leader of the empire. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unlike the Knight Era where nations generally had male successors, the Moon Empire had many female emperors since magic training bore no relation to gender, and the probability of women becoming archmages was no less than men.


    ¡°Ach would definitely be able to contend for the position of the Great Emperor,¡± Liszt nodded in agreement, knowing well what others might merely regard as miraculous. He understood very clearly ¡ª all of Ach¡¯s powerful spells sourced from Unicorn Charlie¡¯s enhancement; this miraculous creature was no different from a dragon in that regard.


    ¡°Now that Lord Ach is eliminating the devils, it seems we have nothing left to do,¡± Bluposi said.


    After a moment of thought, Liszt instructed, ¡°You should capture a few solitary devils. It¡¯s best to get a few of each type, and they must be alive. Bring them back for experiments, so we can find a way to completely purify the seas as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty is quite right.¡±


    The mermaids, eager to purify the seas, swiftly captured a variety of devils in the gaps between Ach¡¯s spells, one of each type.


    Liszt shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not enough, we need at least three of each type.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, we do not have the necessary restraints. Capturing too many will be hard to manage.¡±


    ¡°I have them here. Here, Mountain Copper manacles and chains. Take as many as you want.¡± He pulled out chains and manacles one after another from the space ring.


    With the presence of Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, there was no shortage of magic metal Mountain Copper. As he often needed to capture magical beasts while traveling, he carried a large number of Mountain Copper manacles and chains with him. Naturally, these weren¡¯t purely made of Mountain Copper; they were special equipment mixed with Mountain Copper, designed to lock magic power.


    The only equipment truly forged from pure Mountain Copper was a ten-meter-long Mountain Copper Dragon Lance, which he did not bring from the castle since the diameter of the space ring was only five meters, and thus couldn¡¯t contain the lance.


    With the Mountain Copper equipment, the mermaids quickly captured a total of twenty various kinds of devils.


    These devils retained the biological forms from before their corruption, yet all their magic had transformed into dark attribute magic. Their bodies became shriveled, covered in tumors and pustules, their nature savage, mindless, and their combat abilities might surpass what they had been before their corruption ¨C many Yu Chou lacked magic before their fall, but almost all possessed dark attribute magic power afterward.


    ¡°It is hard to imagine that a dragon¡¯s power could contaminate so many creatures.¡±


    ¡°The Evil Dragon is a legendary creature that was born with this world, neither alive nor dead, unbound by a thousand-year lifespan, something even the Sacred Dragon cannot achieve,¡± Eternia clarified for Liszt, ¡°That¡¯s why the death of the Cursed Dragon could contaminate an entire sea, making it impossible to purify completely for a million years.¡±


    It¡¯s not that the Sacred Dragon is less powerful than the Evil Dragon, but the powers of the Sacred Dragon are quite special.


    The Formless Dragon¡¯s spatial power, the Smoke Dragon¡¯s power of destiny, the Twilight Dragon¡¯s temporal power, the Jade Dragon¡¯s mental power, and the Immortal Dragon¡¯s life force are perhaps not suited for battle, but their magical nature is irreplaceable.


    As for the Evil Dragon.


    The power of the Silent Dragon is unknown, as is that of the Shadow Dragon, but it is only known that the Cursed Dragon can contaminate creatures, from their bodies to their souls, a power more akin to that of the Light Dragon infected by the Black Dragon Wraith and White Dragon Wraith, rather than the Cursed Dragon¡¯s own power.


    The difference between a Devil and a Dragon Wraith seems negligible.


    After observing the Devil for a moment, Liszt withdrew his gaze and addressed Eternia and the mermaids, ¡°Perhaps the sea is still under the influence of the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power, but worry not, for now that Ach and I are aware of this, we will purify the sea completely.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s merciful action.¡±


    ¡°It is my duty, I am the king of the Flame Kingdom, recognized by all kingdoms of the Legendary Continent as the lord of the seas, and all seas are my territory,¡± Liszt proudly proclaimed, feeling it to be a matter of course, ¡°Cleansing the sea will also require your help, let us work together to strengthen the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Majesty, we owe our lives to Your Majesty and Lord Ach, and will follow behind you for the rest of our lives.¡±


    Seven mermaids expressed their loyalty solemnly.


    Liszt maintained a gentlemanly smile, eyes fixed on the scene ahead where Ach continued combating the Devil.


    The dense swarm of Devils, like a plague of locusts, rushed forward but were sliced to death by the dense spatial rifts near Ach. Layer upon layer of devils charged fearlessly only to become corpses, creating a thick carpet of devil carcasses on the ocean floor.


    The Eight Dragons God Sword offered no enhancement to spatial magic; Ach retracted it into the Space Ring.


    The Gemstone Crown she wore, however, sparkled brilliantly, reflecting against Unicorn Charlie¡¯s golden spiral horn, the copious magical light flickering, continuously drawing magic power from the void, even forming a spiderweb visible only through the Eye of Magic behind her¡ªthat was the Magic Web.


    A massive amount of magic power was drawn from the Magic Web, leaving Liszt astounded and uneasy, feeling that the Magic Web might collapse at any moment.


    He couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°If such battles continue, I wonder if the Dragon of the Magic Web will be drained dry?¡±


    It seemed unlikely.


    After all, the Dragon of the Magic Web once supplied magic power to the flourishing magical civilizations of both the Moon Empire and the Sun Empire. At that time, there was no shortage of Archmages, all drawing from the Dragon of the Magic Web¡¯s magic power without draining it entirely. Now, although the Dragon of the Magic Web slumbers and the Magic Web has shrunk, Ach, a single Archmage, could not consume all the magic power alone.


    Amidst his rising emotions, a puff of smoke slowly floated before him, condensing into a segment of Serpent Script.


    ¡°Mission accomplished, reward: one Greater Elf.¡±


    Meanwhile.


    At the distant Flame Castle, one of Liszt¡¯s many Little Minor Elves suddenly became listless, oppressed by their spirits. It had been scolded by the bully Jela again today, and had it talked back, it would have been beaten¡ªwhen would such days ever end?

 Chapter 994 - 994 0991 Harmonious Coexistence (Alliance

    ?Chapter 994: Chapter 0991: Harmonious Coexistence (Alliance Hierarch Extra Update, 34/147) Chapter 994: Chapter 0991: Harmonious Coexistence (Alliance Hierarch Extra Update, 34/147) The Gourd Minor Elf, once living a muddled existence in the forest, was suddenly discovered one day by a group of Moon Slayers who seized it and bound it to an altar.


    Just at that moment, the great Dragon Knight descended from the sky and rescued it.


    The Elf thus became one of the contracted Minor Elves of the Dragon Knight. However, because there were so many Elves in the castle, the Gourd Minor Elf didn¡¯t receive much attention, not even a name. Of course, the Gourd Minor Elf didn¡¯t mind; it was just a mischievous little Elf, amusing itself every day.


    It enjoyed filling its gourd with water to sprinkle around the castle carelessly, even soaking several masterpieces on the castle owner¡¯s walls.


    Normally, even if it did such naughty things, no one would scold it. At most, servants would stand by, preventing it from continuing to ruin paintings and other items. However, until one day, a batch of new Elves arrived at the castle, among them a Thorn Greater Elf who immediately declared that it had taken over the castle.


    ¡°Wu wa!¡±


    The Gourd Minor Elf remembered vividly; every time it sprinkled water from its gourd, a vague roar of anger would resound from behind it.


    Then that hot-tempered Greater Elf would curse at it loudly.


    This annoyed it greatly, making it anxious each time it sprinkled water, for fear that the Greater Elf would jump out and scold it with a ¡°Wu wa.¡± And today, taking advantage of when the bully Greater Elf was arguing with the Dragon Elf Kali, it took out its precious gourd from atop its head and wildly sprayed around.


    Then it was caught by the bully, fresh from the argument, and cussed out to no end.


    ¡°Bubbling sounds!¡± Fed up with being scolded, the Gourd Minor Elf raised its head and roared back at the Thorn Greater Elf, as it was not one to just take things lying down.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The Thorn Greater Elf was stunned for a moment, then let out an even louder roar, ¡°Wu wa!¡± It raised its hand to strike, but for some reason, the hand never fell.


    The Gourd Minor Elf took the opportunity to make a quick getaway.


    Although it escaped a beating, the Gourd Minor Elf became more and more angered the more it thought about it, feeling as if a shadow loomed over Flame Castle, and it was powerless to resist this shadow; life would continue to be a tragedy. However, it did not notice that its body was undergoing changes while it felt sad about the bullying.


    It began to grow taller and bigger, its need for Jade Powder increased, its thinking became more agile, and its emotions also grew richer.


    The light had already arrived unawares.


    ¡°Mission: The Fish Ugly Race is highly suited to be used as labor; however, as the legacy of an ancient wise race, the constraint on their development is the difficulty of breeding. As the King of the Flame Kingdom, why not solve this problem and expand the scale of the Fish Ugly Race? Reward: Magic Cloak.¡±


    At the bottom of the Devil¡¯s Sea, Liszt looked at the new Smoke Mission, lost in thought.


    He had a hunch about the reward of the Magic Cloak; it was likely to originate from those six statues of Ancient Magicians¡ªwhere all the equipment he had acquired so far was sealed.


    As for the mission content, it was nothing more than helping the Fish Ugly Race solve their breeding problem.


    The first solution that came to mind was the Magic Registry¡¯s improved potion for the vitality of the little ones, named ¡°Source of Vitality.¡± This potion had benefited many families with fertility issues; even his Cousin Mei Oubo had offspring thanks to the Source of Vitality.


    He could delegate this mission to the Magic Guild, allowing magicians to adjust the potion formula according to the physique of the Fish Ugly Race, enhancing their fertility.


    In a daze, S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the battle between Ach and the Devils had become one-sided; many Devils surged out from the high towers, but they couldn¡¯t withstand Ach¡¯s frenzied slaughter. Spatial magic was much more powerful in practical use than elemental magic, such as earth, water, fire, wind, especially when cast by an Archmage of Superior Magic.


    ¡°The Devils have lessened, the Fish Ugly Devils have been almost entirely wiped out; only Naga Devils remain¡­ no, wait, that is¡­ that is a Mermaid Devil!¡± Eternia pointed ahead and exclaimed.


    Following the direction of Eternia¡¯s finger, Liszt saw a giant devil. Its original mermaid form was no longer discernible, only a massive fish tail for its lower half, while its upper body was pitch black like ink, with eyes flickering green flames, holding a staff in its hand.


    The top of the staff was mounted with a huge monster skull, which looked incredibly evil.


    As soon as this mermaid made its appearance, it raised the skull-topped staff high and let out a hoarse roar. Immediately after, a shiny black luster emerged from the top of the staff, booming straight towards Ach.


    ¡°Ach, be careful!¡±


    ¡°Watch out, Lord Ach!¡±


    Liszt and the mermaids¡¯ warnings were unnecessary, for Ach had already noticed the mermaid devil. With a casual wave of his hand, several cracks appeared to block the path of the dark magic arrow. The next moment, the spatial magic cracks were seen being forcibly corroded away by the dark magic arrow, several of them.


    Only at the last moment were they blocked by the rifts.


    But Ach simply waved his hand again, retaliating with a spatial magic arrow¡ªan accurate shot straight towards the mermaid devil.


    Crack!


    The rift opened up, and a large hole appeared in the chest of the mermaid devil. No blood flowed out, just green flames burning at the wound. This mermaid devil¡¯s form was already ghost-like, and the magic power on general phantoms, being related to the soul, is either blue or green.


    ¡°Roar!¡± the mermaid devil did not mind the large hole in its chest, still raising the skull-topped staff high and continuing to release dark magic arrows.


    This was high magic with the dark attribute, extremely corrosive.


    Unfortunately, it encountered a Sea Monster Magician using superior magic, and if one spatial magic arrow wasn¡¯t powerful enough, Ach would unleash several more.


    Zap, zap, zap, zap!


    Four rift arrows shot out, hitting the mermaid devil with swift cracks, creating four large holes in its body, and most importantly, a large hole in its head as well.


    This time, the mermaid devil could no longer survive, turning into a corpse and sinking to the seabed. And the skull-topped staff it originally held in its hands was taken by Ach, controlling the water flow¡ªlooting equipment was something Ach naturally learned without instruction, having followed Liszt for so long.


    ¡­


    Watching the mermaid devil¡¯s corpse sink to the seabed, the mermaids, who were hunting isolated devils, opened their mouths wide again: ¡°Lord Ach is really incredible!¡±


    ¡°Truly a great Archmage!¡±


    ¡°If Lord Ach had existed in our era, the seas might have been purified long ago.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too late now, with the help of Lord Ach, the ocean will eventually return to its original tranquility¡­it¡¯s only a pity there are only seven of us mermaids left, and after three or four hundred years, there might indeed be no more mermaids in the world, becoming just a legend in human books.¡±


    ¡°If you think about it, Tibidais, we have already become legend. Now revived by His Majesty and the Lord, it is to fulfill our wish to purify the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we once lived bathed in the glory of the ocean, and now is the time to sacrifice for the ocean¡¯s glory.¡±


    ¡°Lord Ach is our hope, the hope of restoring the ocean¡¯s glory!¡±


    At this moment, the seven mermaids sincerely kindled their confidence in life and set purifying the ocean as their life¡¯s striving goal¡ªthe ocean gifted the mermaids their noble status, and they in turn took it as their duty to protect the marine ecology and maintain order in the sea.


    Humans and nature must live in harmony.


    Mermaids and the ocean must also live in harmony.

 Chapter 995 - 995 0992 The Furious Knight

    ?Chapter 995: Chapter 0992: The Furious Knight Chapter 995: Chapter 0992: The Furious Knight Three Mermaid Devils were hunted down by Ach, who then, with the help of seven mermaids, eradicated the remaining Naga Devils.


    A Devil-constructed tower thereby vanished.


    All that was left was a thick layer of Devil corpses on the seabed and that dense, lingering aura of the Cursed Dragon.


    ¡°These corpses must be purified, or else, after some time, the power of the Cursed Dragon will infect new Devils,¡± Eternia said.


    ¡°We¡¯ve run out of materials to set up a purification Magic Array, so we can only let the Devil corpses lie here and see how the sea¡¯s own purification abilities handle it.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we can start with the tower; there must be a reason for so many Devils to have built it.¡±


    ¡°Take the three Mermaid Devil corpses with us; they¡¯re important research materials.¡±


    The mermaids cleaned the battlefield while Liszt swam to Ach¡¯s side and said with concern, ¡°Your combat performance was brilliant, with magical barrages that were both powerful and exhilarating. If Dragon Knights could also fight underwater, I fear they wouldn¡¯t match your speed at hunting Devils.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Ach also had a great time; it was finally a chance to test my combat skills.¡±


    ¡°How was the magic consumption for this battle?¡±


    ¡°Magic consumption wasn¡¯t much of an issue; the Magic Web supported Ach in continuously drawing power. However, it¡¯s mentally exhausting, and now Ach feels a bit fatigued.¡±


    ¡°Then you should rest well, and I will go with the mermaids to investigate the tower.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, brother; Ach is just a bit tired, it doesn¡¯t affect the research.¡± She still insisted on joining the investigation of what caused the tower to disappear and obtain firsthand observations for the study of Devils.


    The tower had already disappeared, but amid the carcass rubble, the intense aura of the Cursed Dragon could still be felt.


    The mermaids cleared the debris, and soon Liszt saw the source of the Cursed Dragon¡¯s aura; it was a piece of rotting flesh emitting an aura of Superior Magic. Just like the piece of decaying flesh that had condensed to form a dragon claw during the purification ritual, it was a special power structure.


    ¡°It¡¯s the dispersed Dragon¡¯s Super Magic; energy like this is surely scattered in every nook and cranny of the Devil¡¯s Sea. Only by cleaning all of it can we completely purify the sea. The Devils gathered here by the Cursed Dragon¡¯s Super Magic, seeking its protection to continue surviving.¡±


    ¡°No rush, we¡¯ll take our time; there will come a day when it¡¯s all purified.¡±


    After packing the rotting flesh, the group began their return.


    Without venturing further, encountering a Devil Tower had already been dangerous enough; they didn¡¯t want to come across another.


    Now everyone was in poor condition; the mermaids had not recovered, Ach was mentally drained¡­ As for Liszt, underwater, he could only shout ¡°666¡± to cheer them on.


    ¡­


    Back at the Overmarine Laboratory.


    Ach and the mermaids immediately immersed themselves in the study of Devils, while Liszt, along with the youngest mermaid Bluposi, headed to Estuary City.


    His plan was to construct a large sea city in the shallow waters near Estuary City, to be the residence for the Fish Ugly Race.


    Then, through the management of the mermaids, he hoped to enlist the Fish Uglies into the labor force, engaging in construction, marine aquaculture, and the like.


    Of course, the specific arrangements would be handled by the Development Committee; he personally lacked the patience for such detailed mundane matters.


    ¡°Dimaria, the arrangements for the mermaids and Fish Uglies will be left to you. My father is currently at Azure Sky Peak Palace helping the Sapphire Family with funeral preparations, and I need to rush there in a few days too. You should consult with Emily more about the work of the Development Committee. From now on, I¡¯ll entrust the management of marine tasks to Emily,¡±


    Liszt instructed Dimaria Yuhua Stone at the administrative office in Reed City.


    Among his most trusted followers, Emily undoubtedly was going to shoulder more important tasks in the future, and dealing with the Mermaids¡¯ affairs would eventually be given to her.


    However, Emily now needed to learn how to manage a vast territory, and Dimaria would make a qualified teacher.


    Additionally, he planned to have Bluposi get along well with Emily for a while before finally handing over Bluposi¡¯s Heart of the Mermaid contract to Emily¡ªhe didn¡¯t need so many Hearts of the Mermaid himself, after all, when he went underwater, he could only sit on the Mermaids¡¯ shoulders and shout ¡°666¡±.


    ¡°I understand, Your Majesty,¡± Dimaria was still in a state of shock.


    Since he had arrived in the Flame Kingdom, one startling event after another had occurred: he had seen the Sacred Dragon, the Unicorn, the Phoenix (mistakenly thought to be a Flame Dragon Bird), passed through the magical Magic Teleportation Array, each event being shockingly overwhelming. Now, he was additionally astonished by the Mermaids.


    ¡°Moreover, don¡¯t forget to hire a few Serpent Script teachers for the Mermaids; they don¡¯t speak the official language.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Seeing Liszt rise, Dimaria quickly stood up to see him off and asked somewhat incredulously, ¡°Your Majesty, did Mermaids truly rule over the ocean?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Anyway, I am now the master of the sea. You must remember this. Don¡¯t be overly humble when dealing with Mermaids.¡±


    ¡°I will pay attention to my attitude.¡±


    Leaving the office.


    Liszt then went to the Magic Guild and met the executive vice president: ¡°Chris, I have a task I need to entrust to the Magic Guild.¡±


    ¡°Just give your commands, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Kenley should have already sent you a message. I¡¯ve recruited a new batch of Mermaid followers and have obtained several million Fish Ugly race laborers.¡±


    ¡°I have heard, Your Highness. I would very much like to visit the Overmarine Laboratory to see the Mermaids myself¡­ Being able to follow Your Highness and witness so many wonderful things that exist only in legends¡­ Dragons, Unicorns, Mermaids¡­¡±


    ¡°You will have plenty of time to meet Mermaids later. Right now, I need you to gather a group of Magicians who are relatively knowledgeable about the Source of Vitality Potion and arrange for them to go to Estuary City to collect samples. I want the Magicians to research a Source of Vitality Potion suitable for the constitution of the Fish Uglies.¡±


    ¡°Are the Fish Uglies facing reproductive issues?¡± Chris asked curiously. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, it is precisely because of the reproductive difficulties of the Fish Uglies that the once densely populated seas are gradually becoming silent and disappearing. If I don¡¯t intervene, in a few hundred years, the Fish Uglies could truly go extinct.¡±


    ¡°I will arrange for Magicians to go to Estuary City to collect samples and research the Fish Uglies¡¯ Source of Vitality.¡±


    After giving the task and reviewing a batch of the latest Magic Guild research topics, Liszt finally returned to Flame Castle. He then saw the Gourd Minor Elf in the midst of a temper tantrum.


    ¡°Master, the Marquis has already come to confirm that this Gourd Minor Elf is evolving. Its physical development is very good, and the probability of a successful evolution is very high,¡± said Butler Carter joyfully. Liszt hadn¡¯t lived in the Castle for a long time; these Elves were like children he looked after.


    He was filled with affection for each and every one.


    He rejoiced sincerely for the Gourd Minor Elf¡¯s evolution.


    ¡°Bupiji bupiji!¡± The Gourd Minor Elf stood on Liszt¡¯s arm, expressing its recent troubles; it absolutely despised the Greater Elf bully in the Castle.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help patting its head: ¡°Remember this feeling, once you¡¯ve successfully evolved, you¡¯ll be able to resist Jela¡¯s oppression.¡±


    He actually felt like laughing; he hadn¡¯t expected Jela to really trigger the Tuna Effect.


    The Gourd Minor Elf was the first Elf stimulated to evolve by the Tuna Effect.


    ¡°Bupiji bupiji!¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re about to become a Gourd Greater Elf, you should have your own name¡­ You¡¯re quite angry now, so why not call you Furious Knight-Klay!¡±

 Chapter 996 - 996 0993 Generous Friend

    ?Chapter 996: Chapter 0993: Generous Friend Chapter 996: Chapter 0993: Generous Friend The evolution of the Gourd Greater Elf Klay was a cause for celebration.


    However, Liszt couldn¡¯t help feeling a tinge of regret because the one evolving was not a Magic Potion or Grain class Minor Elf, but a Gourd Minor Elf.


    In this world, gourds are similar to those on Earth; they also bear small gourds.


    Currently, the uses of small gourds are twofold: one is to stir-fry them while tender as a type of vegetable; the other is to use them as containers for wine once they mature. But both uses lack significant potential for development¡ªas vegetables, gourds have low yields, and as water containers, they have small volumes.


    ¡°Forget it, the fact that it evolved into a Greater Elf is enough; everything else is trivial.¡± Liszt hugged Klay with great affection.


    At that moment, a cry of ¡°Wah¡± rang out.


    Klay immediately leapt from Liszt¡¯s arms, staring wide-eyed at Thorn Greater Elf Jela, who floated at the door, and kept calling out to Liszt, ¡°Bubbling bubbling!¡±


    That was a plea for help.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Liszt signaled Klay not to panic, then waved his hand to beckon Jela over.


    Jela flew over with her hands clasped behind her back, full of pomp: ¡°Liszt, this little elf has been disobedient, causing havoc all over the castle; you must educate it properly!¡±


    ¡°Education is fine, but you can¡¯t physically hit the elves. It just told me that you hit it a few days ago.¡± Liszt looked forward to the effect Jela had, like a catfish effect, but hitting was not allowed¡ªscolded Minor Elves might evolve in anger, but beaten Minor Elves could end up useless.


    ¡°I did not hit it, wah!¡± Jela glared at Klay before saying to Liszt, ¡°I just scared it. Now that I¡¯m a Greater Elf, I must maintain my authority while managing so many elves.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Liszt was at a loss for words, unsure where Jela came up with so many ridiculous ideas.


    And Jela¡¯s ideas didn¡¯t stop there: ¡°Liszt, help me prepare a set of Flack¡¤Abaie; I¡¯m going to start wearing clothes.¡±


    ¡°Why suddenly decide to wear clothes?¡±


    ¡°Carly and Yadi both wear clothes, and as the Elf Butler, I naturally should too!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have the Tailor tailor a set of Flack¡¤Abaie according to your size. But if you want to be the Elf Butler, you must pay close attention to your behavior in the future, because everything you do will set an example for the other elves.¡±


    Jela snorted, ¡°I understand!¡±


    ¡­


    Days at the castle didn¡¯t last long.


    When March began, the young shoots in the fields gradually turned lush and green. After meeting with Ach, Liszt, carrying the Dragon Soul of the Sapphire Dragon, set out for the Azure Sky Peak Palace.


    The funeral would be held in the coming days.


    Envoy Groups from Blast Furnace Fortress, Steel Ridge, Eagle, and other countries had already arrived to mourn Duke Andrew.


    Among them, the Envoy Group from Steel Ridge Kingdom was led by Liszt¡¯s old friend, Mathew of the Red and White Roses.


    After the banquet ended, he found Liszt to privately share his thoughts: ¡°Your Majesty Liszt, you¡¯re already twenty-one years old, and the Flame Kingdom¡¯s development is fierce, with everything on the right track. Have you started to consider personal matters?¡±


    ¡°Mathew, my friend, I appreciate your and the Red and White Rose Family¡¯s concern for me. I very much wish to establish a closer friendship with the Red and White Rose Family. However, with the countless affairs of the realm¡¯s development, I hope to consider my personal matters after the founding of Flame Kingdom three years from now.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Another three years?¡±


    ¡°Two and a half years. My followers and I have a covenant to found the kingdom within three years, and now two and a half years remain.¡±


    Mathew thought for a moment. His sister, Marilyn, was just sixteen years old and not yet of age. In another two and a half years, she would only be eighteen or nineteen: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t ask further. However, my sister Marilyn is having her coming-of-age ceremony in two months, and she hopes to have your blessing.¡±


    ¡°Marilyn¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony? I will certainly send my blessings.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, I¡¯ve also brought some gifts for you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, how can I possibly accept this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a little token of appreciation from the Red and White Rose Family.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Liszt smiled as he accepted the gift Mathew had brought, undoubtedly another batch of Platinum Magic Potion and Red Dragon Water¡ªthe Red and White Rose Family was always so generous!


    And he had prepared some gifts in return¡ªContribution paper among white paper and glass crafts.


    They were of little value, yet quite precious abroad.


    Mathew was very satisfied with Liszt¡¯s gifts, just as Liszt didn¡¯t care for a bit of Contribution paper or glassware, Mathew didn¡¯t really care for Platinum Magic Potion or Red Dragon Water either, because the Red and White Rose Family couldn¡¯t possibly consume so much Magic Potion, but they valued the Contribution paper and glass crafts more.


    In any case.


    Both felt they had gained a great deal and thought the other to be truly generous, and their friendship deepened as they chatted about everything under the sun until midnight.


    ¡­


    ¡°Mathew brought you another batch of precious gifts?¡±


    ¡°Father, did you also receive gifts from Mathew?¡± In a guest room in the Azure Sky Peak Palace, Liszt and the Marquis of Bull Tail found time for a rare catch-up.


    Li Weiliam nodded, ¡°Mathew is very generous and gave me a batch of Platinum Magic Potion.¡±


    ¡°He is indeed generous.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told Mathew that I¡¯m not considering personal matters before the founding of the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°In fact, I think Marilyn would be a great choice, but of course, you are the King, and it¡¯s up to you to decide on your matters. I won¡¯t interfere.¡±


    With that, the topic ceased and soon shifted to a new one.


    Li Weiliam asked, ¡°I¡¯ve received the Magic Guild¡¯s transmission from Dimaria and learned about the Mermaid matter. Liszt, you¡¯ve brought Knight¡¯s glory once again.¡±


    He held his teacup and felt very amazed inside.


    He should have been incredibly surprised at the appearance of Mermaids, yet when he received the transmission from Dimaria¡¯s Magic Platform, he was unexpectedly calm, without a ripple in his heart. It was like hearing a Little Minor Elf had evolved into a Greater Elf¡ªthere was surprise, but everything seemed so natural.


    ¡°Stumbling upon the Mermaids was an accident, and I didn¡¯t expect that the sea still harbored seven Mermaids and millions of the Fish Ugly Race.¡±


    ¡°So, the legends about Mermaids are all true?¡±


    ¡°If Father is referring to those very beautiful descriptions, I can only say they are exaggerated. Actually, Mermaids are equivalent to Magicians and Nobles in the sea. They also wage war against each other due to desires and enslave a large number of Naga and Fish Ugly to work for them.¡±


    Li Weiliam nodded, ¡°Now that the seven Mermaids have offered you their Heart of the Mermaid, does it mean their loyalty is assured?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much, the Mermaid¡¯s kingdom has long perished, and due to certain pollution issues, they have lost their ability to breed, unable to continue propagating the next generation of Mermaids. So, I don¡¯t think they harbor any ambition to reign over the seas again.¡± Liszt said somewhat sentimentally.


    He actually hoped that the Mermaids would regain their fertility, continuing to thrive in the ocean, as they were a magical species.


    Besides, without the Mermaids, commanding the Fish Ugly wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Once the Magic Guild had developed the Source of Vitality Potion for the Fish Ugly, it might be possible to help the Mermaids research the Source of Vitality Potion as well.


    As his thoughts wandered.


    Li Weiliam let out a long sigh, expressing his feelings, ¡°Since leaving Coral Island, I¡¯ve come to realize that this world hides so many magical wonders. If there is such a thing as Knight¡¯s glory, I believe it all resides with you, my son, Liszt Flame.¡±


    Liszt came back to his senses and smiled slightly, ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    If the Power of Destiny represented by the Smoke Dragon is a form of Knight¡¯s glory, then Knight¡¯s glory truly favors him.

 Chapter 997 - 997 0994 Vulture Family (3rd Update Alliance

    ?Chapter 997: Chapter 0994: Vulture Family (3rd Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 35/147) Chapter 997: Chapter 0994: Vulture Family (3rd Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 35/147) Duke Andrew¡¯s funeral took place on March 6th, with a fine drizzle falling from the sky.


    The local customs did not honor a funeral culture; when people died, they were simply buried in the ground, and there were no annual rites of remembrance.


    In accordance with Duke Andrew¡¯s last will, he was buried around the Dragon Nest of the Sapphire Dragon¡ªhis most cherished charge.


    At this moment, thanks to Ach¡¯s healing intervention, the Sapphire Dragon had merged with the part of the Dragon Soul that was taken from it. It lay in the Dragon Nest, watching the ant-like humans file past Duke Andrew¡¯s grave. A fleeting trace of sorrow flashed through its dragon eyes.


    Dragons, by their nature, are proud and look down on humans; however, it had directly communicated with Duke Andrew¡¯s soul and shared life and death with him.


    Some memories are destined to be unforgettable.


    So, it turned its head away from the funeral, closed its eyes, and quietly went to sleep.


    ¡­


    After the funeral was over, everyone dispersed.


    After exchanging farewells with his good friend, Mathew of the Red and White Roses, Liszt also returned to Flame Island. In Flame Castle, he saw Jela, already dressed as Little Flack Abiye¡ªwalking around with her chest puffed up, her transparent wings fluttering as she slowly inspected the entire castle.


    The Greater Elves could ignore Jela, but the Little Minor Elves were quite fearful of Jela¡¯s tyranny and hid in their Worm Rooms upon seeing her. The Elf Bugs still didn¡¯t understand fear, and Yati, the Buckwheat Dragon Sprite who stayed in the castle, also disregarded Jela.


    Jela likewise ignored Yati.


    After all, it was not on the same level and could not defeat Yati.


    ¡°Wow, Liszt, the Little Minor Elves are performing well,¡± Jela exclaimed as it quickly flew to Liszt and reported its work with great pride.


    Liszt did not skimp on praise: ¡°Hm, well done, Jela.¡±


    Jela immediately puffed up her chest: ¡°Of course!¡±


    A display of youthful arrogance.


    After teasing the elf for a while, Butler Carter came to report: ¡°Sir, Lady Mary has returned from abroad and is resting in Flame City. She hopes to meet with you at the earliest opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Hm, send someone to notify her to come over.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After the invitation, Mary Dawn Break arrived soon at Flame Castle and entered Liszt¡¯s study.


    ¡°Sit,¡± said Liszt nonchalantly as he flipped through a newly published Knight¡¯s Novel.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°The Blood Servants have worked hard during this time, traveling across the three great kingdoms to gather a lot of valuable information for me,¡± said Liszt as he personally poured a glass of red wine for Mary. He didn¡¯t like drinking wine, but pouring wine for his followers was one way of showing closeness as a landlord.


    Mary accepted the wine glass, deeply moved: ¡°Working for Your Highness, the Blood Servants are full of enthusiasm, and to participate in the founding of the Flame Kingdom from nothing is indeed an unparalleled honor.¡±


    They exchanged a few courteous remarks.


    Liszt got straight to the point, ¡°Mary, how is the investigation about the Vulture Family going?¡± He had previously dispatched Mary to personally go to the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom to investigate the Vulture Family, which was the original holder of the Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡°The Eye of Magic¡±, the family of Steve Vulture. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mary took a sip of red wine and replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the Vulture Family had perished over a hundred years ago. According to the information I gathered from my inquiries, the last patriarch of the Vulture Family was closely associated with the Sapphire Family. Because the Sapphire Family left the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, the Vulture Family planned to follow but ended up not going and soon perished. No one knows why.¡±


    ¡°Perished, you say?¡± Liszt frowned, ¡°Did you find out any information about this person, Steve Vulture?¡±


    ¡°I did. He was the last patriarch of the Vulture Family, and his title was Earl of Wind-Thunder City. However, the deeds of Earl Steve are no longer remembered by anyone. I¡¯ve been to the original castle of the Vulture Family, and another earl¡¯s family has occupied the castle for over a century now.¡±


    ¡°Is there any other related news worth mentioning?¡±


    ¡°I heard from an elderly noble that the heir of the Vulture Family did not die in the disaster that wiped out their family, but became a destitute novelist and wrote a book about the Vulture Family. He then vanished without a trace,¡± Mary said as she took out a book from her bosom, ¡°but there¡¯s a remnant of that book that has been passed down.¡±


    This was a torn and moldy book with a thick leather cover; half of it was already rotten. Liszt flipped through a page, and it was in the script of the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom¡ªSerpent Script.


    Unreadable.


    Mary seemed to have expected this and explained, ¡°I asked the elderly nobleman, and he said that the novel¡¯s title is ¡°The Vulture Knight Stephan¡¯s Expedition¡±. It primarily describes Steve Vulture¡¯s campaigns to the south and north, quite dull and without any noteworthy plot.¡±


    ¡°The Vulture Knight Stephan¡¯s Expedition¡­¡± Liszt looked at the damaged Serpent Script book and pondered with a frown.


    The book from which he had obtained the Magic Eye Dou Qi Secret Technique was ¡°The Vulture Knight Stephan¡¯s Expedition¡±, but it was published in Serpent Script.


    A gold leaf that recorded the Dou Qi Secret Technique was hidden in its cover.


    The volume in Serpent Script at hand had a rotten cover, and clearly, it couldn¡¯t hold a gold leaf that bore the Dou Qi Secret Technique. He was greatly puzzled¡ªwhy didn¡¯t the Serpent Script edition contain the Dou Qi Secret Technique, whereas a book with the same title published thousands of miles away in the Duchy of Sapphire had a cover concealing the Dou Qi Secret Technique?


    Unfortunately.


    Too much time has passed, and the Vulture Family had already turned to dust in history, with no more understanding of what happened to them.


    Liszt could only guess¡ªat a stretch, he presumed that Steve Vulture, due to his close association with the Sapphire Family, got implicated when they defected from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, leading to the family¡¯s demise, and Steve¡¯s son happened to be a novelist, thus published a knight¡¯s novel documenting his father.


    Due to poor sales and financial pressures, the son crossed the Steel Ridge Kingdom and sought refuge with the Sapphire Family.


    When he arrived in the Duchy of Sapphire after much hardship, he might have been rejected by the Sapphire Family or for some other reason did not prosper. So, when penniless, he hid the two pieces of Dou Qi Secret Technique in two books, one being ¡°The Vulture Knight Stephan¡¯s Expedition¡±, and the other ¡°Searching for the Magical Beast Beetle King among the Pincered Beetles¡±.


    Hoping that someone destined could obtain the Dou Qi Secret Technique and restore the glory of the Vulture Family, and driven by the power of fate, both books ended up in Liszt¡¯s hands.


    As a person obsessed with scraping book covers, Liszt, of course, happily accepted them.


    Regardless, he was fairly certain: ¡°The Eye of Magic and Breath Decay, these two Dou Qi Secret Techniques, should only be possessed by me and could serve as the Flame Family¡¯s hereditary Dou Qi Secret Techniques.¡±


    Of course.


    The Eye of Magic already had a version for magicians, the Super Magic ¨C Eye of Mana, which Ach had taught to seven mermaids who would search in the sea for Elf Bugs.


    ¡°So, should I also pass on the Eye of Magic to my dedicated followers, letting them help me collect elves?¡±


    Mary¡¯s news of the Vulture Family¡¯s extinction made him understand all at once that the Dou Qi Secret Technique was merely a minor skill, and even if nobles acquired it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to join the Dragon Rearing Family. The true foundation of the Dragon Rearing Family is dragons, and the Flame Family has six dragons!


    It¡¯s only in the hands of the Dragon Rearing Family, and specifically practiced by Dragon Knights, that the Eye of Magic can realize its full potential.

 Chapter 998 - 998 0995 Shadow Incarnation

    ?Chapter 998: Chapter 0995: Shadow Incarnation Chapter 998: Chapter 0995: Shadow Incarnation The Source of Vitality Potion, specifically designed for the Fish Ugly Constitution and after repeated research by the Magic Guild, was finally completed at the end of April.


    After taking the Source of Vitality Potion, the fertility rate of the Fish Ugly Race surged by a dramatic 300%, causing a large number of female Fish Uglies to enter a state of pregnancy. This meant that the Fish Ugly Race would soon witness the hope of a resurgence, and at the same time, Li Si Te (Liszt) had the Magic Guild begin research into the fertility issues of Mermaids.


    For the Mermaid physique, to see if it was possible to completely eradicate their inability to reproduce due to the curse.


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward: Magic Cloak.¡±


    The challenge of Fish Ugly fertility was solved, and the Smoke Mission naturally concluded, with the reward immediately reaching Li Si Te (Liszt)¡¯s hands. Unsurprisingly, this item was obtained from the newly conquered Moon Slayer Native Tribe and was a part that had been sealed within the statue of an ancestor of the Moon Slayers.


    According to the Knowledge Ancient Book¡¯s appraisal of the Magic Cloak: ¡°Zhuoer Spider Silk, Mushroom Mycelium, Infinite Magic Power, Magic Guard.¡±


    After Ach¡¯s analysis, the Zhuoer Spider Silk and Mushroom Mycelium were respectively, the silk produced by a strange race, the Zhuoer Spiders, from ancient legends, and the mycelium made from a mass of Abandoned Cordyceps. This Magic Cloak could provide the wearer with infinite magic power and form a protective circle of magic guard.


    Without a doubt, this was another piece of equipment for Magicians, and it suited Ach the best.


    The Knights, a newly emerged Cultivation System, had no ancient relics waiting to be discovered; if they wanted good equipment, they would have to craft it themselves.


    Wearing the Magic Cloak, Ach could gather a foggy, light-emitting shield around her body, and even when Li Si Te (Liszt) unleashed his Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi, it would take three strikes to break through. This undoubtedly greatly strengthened Ach¡¯s defense, on top of her own magic might.


    In battle, she was almost invincible.


    In the future, Ach would be the main force in purifying the undersea demons, and with this Magic Cloak, Li Si Te (Liszt) could finally shout ¡°666¡± to cheer her on without worry.


    For the next few days, he was immersed in studying the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The assassin walks in the shadows, malice from a distant country has already reached Flame Island, lurking and spying on all your achievements. To prevent malice from bearing bitter fruit, you should take the initiative to strike and find the malice from within the shadows. Reward: Undersea Sanctuary.¡±


    The reward could be ignored for now; what made him frown was the malice from a distant country.


    Clearly, some country had sent an assassin to Flame Island, hidden in the dark watching everything. However, Flame Island was simply too big, with a population that had already reached two million. Plus, there was a continuous flow of Moon Slayer Tribes being subsumed and integrated into the Kingdom by the Knights.


    To find an assassin among so many people was extremely difficult.


    Back in Fresh Flower Town, the town was so small, so it was very easy to discover Paris lurking invisibly. Now, even if Li Si Te (Liszt) rode the Formless Dragon and switched on the Crystal White Trajectory vision, he still could not find the assassin¡ªthe magic was too diffuse and overwhelming to the eye.


    ¡°The best plan for now is to draw the snake out of the hole. Should I have the Magic Guild announce a major scientific breakthrough, or should the Development Committee announce an important meeting?¡±


    Suddenly, a new idea to lure out the snake struck him: ¡°The Mermaids have already joined the territory, yet only a few have seen them. Why don¡¯t I hold a knighting ceremony in Estuary City to officially confer titles upon the Mermaids, and then lure out the assassin?¡±


    Mermaids, being such magical creatures, were something everyone would want to see. By keeping the knighting ceremony limited to the high-ranking officials of the territory, it would be easy to root out any assassin who wanted to gather information on the Mermaids.


    ¡°Perfect!¡±


    Having thought through his plan, he quickly issued instructions to the Development Committee to hold the knighting ceremony in Estuary City. He also contacted the seven Mermaids, each with their roles, to rush to Estuary City for the ceremony.


    May 3rd.


    The weather was clear and sunny.


    The news of the ennoblement ceremony had spread throughout the territory, and many commoners and minor nobles were discussing mermaids, but they were not allowed to attend the ennoblement ceremony in Estuary City. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only a select few from the upper echelons would show up in Estuary City.


    At noon on the day, in the mangrove forest of Estuary Swamp, where the Fish Uglies had built a temporary ennoblement site, a group of nobles gathered, enthusiastically speculating about the mermaids¡¯ situation.


    Liszt rode the Formless Dragon Bard, invisible above the site, with the Crystal White Trajectory activated, he carefully distinguished the magic power situations around the site¡ªsince the target was an assassin, they must have magic power or Dou Qi. Identifying an unfamiliar one would allow him to pinpoint the assassin.


    The time swiftly approached, the mermaids had already arrived at the Estuary Swamp and began to reveal themselves. Their huge bodies and beautiful forms captivated all of the nobles¡¯ attention as soon as they appeared.


    And at that moment,


    Liszt detected a special magic power emerging within the crowd, a black dark attribute magic power that hadn¡¯t taken human form but was hiding in the shadow of a noble.


    He suddenly remembered the introduction from Smoke Mission¡ªassassins walk in the shadows.


    ¡°So one can merge into the shadows, this strange ability¡­ must be the Shadow Incarnation from the Ancient Warrior Inheritors!¡± Having never ceased his search for information about the Ancient Warrior Inheritors, Liszt was also familiar with the profession of ¡°Shadow Incarnation.¡±


    Thereupon,


    he locked onto the magic power within the shadow.


    He directed the Formless Dragon in a nosedive, then unleashed the reckless Dragon Might, furiously assaulting the Shadow Incarnation. Liszt leaped from the dragon¡¯s back, stepping out of the material boundary, and reached out to the targeted shadow. With a tug and a pull, he had extracted a blurry humanoid creature from the shadow of a Moon Slayer Viscount.


    Struck by the Dragon Dou Qi, the blurred humanoid was forced to reveal his true form, a short, naked man.


    Snap!


    Before the nobles could even react, Liszt had already taken out the Mountain Copper Manacles and shackled the naked man, immobilizing the magic power within him.


    He then tossed him over to a nearby knight, ¡°Take him into custody!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    The nobles then realized what had happened and exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°There is no need for alarm, we have merely found an assassin. Earl Geoffrey, take him away, and let us continue with the ennoblement ceremony,¡± Liszt waved his hand, indicating the ceremony should proceed as usual.


    Though filled with curiosity, the nobles continued to engage in the ennoblement ceremony following Liszt¡¯s orders.


    During the ceremony, Liszt personally conferred titles and ranks upon the mermaids one by one: ¡°Marquis Fisherman ¨C Gulvig¡­ Marquis Great West ¨C Eternia¡­ Salty Sea Marquis Blue Posey¡­ Marquis Aquamarch ¨C Tibidais¡­ Marquis Sea Trench ¨C Sharivara¡­ Marquis Fugitive ¨C Viswinti¡­ Marquis Lost ¨C Coquelix.¡±


    The titles and ranks of the other mermaids were uncontentious, except for those of Viswinti and Coquelix, which were indeed indelicate.


    However, considering their original kingdom, one named Country of Fugitives and the other Lost Sea, if they themselves did not mind, then Liszt cared even less.


    Among the mermaids¡¯ oath of allegiance, the ennoblement ceremony hastily concluded.


    Liszt signaled for the nobles to mingle and make connections with the mermaids on their own, while he hastened away, eager to interrogate the origin of this Shadow Incarnation.

 Chapter 999 - 999 996 Kushan Empire

    ?Chapter 999: Chapter 996 Kushan Empire Chapter 999: Chapter 996 Kushan Empire The methods of interrogation required no reminder from Li Si Te, as they had already been applied to the Shadow Incarnation. After enduring physical pain, the short assassin finally spilled everything.


    He was named Xisile Ying, an Ancient Warrior Inheritor-Shadow Incarnation, from the distant great empire in the west ¨C the Kushan Imperial. He was dispatched by the emperor of the Kushan Imperial, Emperor Jupiter, to the Flame Kingdom to investigate the news of the Sacred Dragon-Invisible Dragon.


    ¡°We were a group of five Shadow Incarnations, all lurking in various places within the Flame Kingdom. However, one week ago, one of the Shadow Incarnations left with news about the Formless Dragon, and the remaining three¡­ I have no idea where they are lurking. It is my job to scout for information in Estuary City.¡±


    ¡°How do you contact them?¡±


    ¡°We meet weekly in a tavern in Dragon Valley City to share news. According to the schedule, there are three days left until the next meeting.¡±


    Li Si Te narrowed his eyes, finally understanding why, even after capturing this Shadow Incarnation, the Smoke Mission had still not been completed. There were still three Shadow Incarnations lurking in the shadows. Moreover, one had already left Flame Island, and it was impossible to capture them again.


    ¡°The Kushan Imperial¡­¡± A serious thought flickered in his mind, but he suppressed it immediately.


    He continued to interrogate Xisile Ying.


    First was the professional information about Xisile himself: a Shadow Incarnation was one of the Ancient Warriors, did not cultivate Dou Qi, but did cultivate Magic Power, all practitioners possessing Dark Attribute Magic Power. Unlike magicians, they infused Dark Attribute Magic Power into their bodies and underwent transformation.


    This enabled their bodies to blend into any shadow-filled environment through special methods.


    ¡°We were originally Earth Knights. After showing signs of Dark Attribute Dou Qi, we were selected by the royal family to be cultivated into Shadow Incarnations through special means, undertaking tasks such as assassination and reconnaissance¡­ I can tell you the specific cultivation methods, but the process of transforming Dou Qi into Magic Power involves several medicinal baths, the formulas for which I don¡¯t know,¡± Xisile said.


    This essentially dashed Li Si Te¡¯s thoughts of cultivating his own Shadow Incarnations.


    However, it was also very normal; since the royal family of the Kushan Imperial had mastered the method of cultivating Shadow Incarnations, they certainly held the formula for the medicines closely and would not leak them at will.


    After all, they could not ensure that a Shadow Incarnation wouldn¡¯t be captured and reveal the cultivation methods.


    ¡°My strength is not strong; I belong to the Deep Shadows among the Shadow Incarnations¡­ Shallow Shadow, Deep Shadow, and Shadows correspond to Earth Knights, average Sky Knights, and Completion Level Sky Knights, respectively.¡± Xisile was a Deep Shadow, equivalent to an average Sky Knight.


    His most powerful assassination tactic was to leap from the shadow and perform the assassination¡ªwhile he might not win against a Sky Knight in direct combat, a surprise attack could even kill a Sword Saint.


    However, the Shadow Incarnations also had limitations¡ªtheir clothes could not merge into the shadows.


    So before spying, they would hide in a corner shadow and, unsuspecting, jump naked into the target¡¯s shadow to follow along. After completing the assassination, they would leave the scene naked, retrieve their clothes, and fade away into the crowd as ordinary people.


    ¡°Then at night, couldn¡¯t you go anywhere?¡± liszt asked, voicing a doubt.


    Xisile Ying gave a bitter smile, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s harder to assassinate at night, because shadows can get lost in the darkness, and we might not even find our target¡­ When merging with a shadow, I can only move along the edge of the shadow and sense the outside light.¡±


    Without light, a shadow has no edge, making it unclear how to move, and thus he would get¡­ lost.


    With this explanation, it made sense; otherwise, Shadow Incarnations would be unstoppable at night, killing anyone they wished without limits.


    After understanding the professional information about the Shadow Incarnations,


    Li Si Te began to inquire about the Kushan Imperial.


    Xisile, having learned his lesson, answered promptly to all questions: ¡°I don¡¯t know how Emperor Jupiter came to know of the Formless Dragon. I am just a Shadow Incarnation, I¡¯ve only seen Emperor Jupiter a few times, the orders were given by the leader of the Shadow Incarnations¡­ Once you become emperor, you are a person without a surname.¡±


    ¡°A person without a surname?¡±


    ¡°The emperor has no surname, for a surname can no longer carry the emperor¡¯s glory.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Li Si Te chuckled and continued to interrogate, ¡°Then what was the surname of the family Emperor Jupiter was born into?¡±


    ¡°The Light of Tranquility.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The Light of Tranquility, what does that imply?¡±


    ¡°I do not know.¡±


    ¡°How old is Emperor Jupiter?¡± he suddenly asked very interestedly, wanting to know the age of the Imperial Emperor to judge whether the emperor was a Dragon Domain Landlord.


    ¡°I do not know, but I guess Emperor Jupiter is about forty years old.¡±


    Through the conversation with Xisile, Li Si Te quickly sketched out an image of Emperor Jupiter: forty years old in his prime, a Dragon Knight riding an Elemental Dragon-Dark Dragon. The dragon was ink-black, with a body length and wingspan over seventy meters. Emperor Jupiter had once personally led a Knight Order to annihilate a vassal state and slay their dragon.


    He was a capable ruler.


    The Kushan Imperial spoke Chai Script.


    Xisile spoke a few sentences in Chai Script, which sounded a bit like Moon Language, and its writing resembled stacked logs, giving the feeling of cuneiform script. However, Xisile also spoke Serpent Script¡ªthey, as Shadow Incarnations, were trained in multiple languages from young to be sent to different countries for missions.


    The empire was vast with frequent border wars, especially with the Neverfall Empire, erupting in a major war every few years. Dragon Knights often waged dragon-slaying wars.


    ¡°I do not know how many dragons the empire has; I have been in the Mercenary City-State performing assassinations¡­ The Mercenary City-State is a power formed by many exiled small countries, located between the empire and the Fallen Leaves Kingdom and the White Deer Kingdom, highly chaotic, a sanctuary for mercenaries and Rats.¡±


    Xisile couldn¡¯t explain the geography of the Legendary Continent well, he only knew that the Mercenary City-State bordered the Kushan Imperial, the Fallen Leaves Kingdom, and the White Deer Kingdom.


    After receiving the order from the leader of the Shadow Incarnations, he and the other four Shadow Incarnations set out from the Mercenary City-State, headed east.


    Passing through the Fallen Leaf Kingdom and the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, they reached the Eagle Kingdom, then took to the sea towards the Duchy of Sapphire, eventually finding out the route to the Flame Kingdom. They mixed into a merchant caravan to enter the Flame Island and began to disperse and gather intelligence on the situation in the Flame Kingdom with a focus on investigating the Invisible Dragon.


    ¡°The empire has many vassal states, all Grand Duchies and Duchies. The imperial city is built on a mountain, the whole mountain is the city, and there are springs flowing over the entire imperial city¡­¡±


    After listening to Xisile¡¯s description of the Kushan Imperial, Li Si Te suddenly asked, ¡°Does the Kushan Imperial have Archmages?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

 Chapter 1000 - 1000 0997 Water Comes Soil Covers

    ?Chapter 1000: Chapter 0997: Water Comes, Soil Covers Chapter 1000: Chapter 0997: Water Comes, Soil Covers Thank you to the Warlord for the 150,000 starting coins reward, Old White had turned into such a salted fish yet the Warlord is still willing to support, I am deeply grateful!


    I also thank the readers who are still following the genuine version and those who are still voting for Old White!


    I feel that the amount of updates now does not live up to everyone¡¯s expectations!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The presence of an Archmage in the Kushan Empire did not surprise Liszt. Although the three great kingdoms had not seen any Archmages for many years, given the vastness of the Legendary Continent and the millions of Magicians, there would always be powerful Magicians who could access the Magic Web and thus advance to becoming Archmages.


    Xisile Ying had never seen an Archmage from the Kushan Empire; he only knew that this Archmage had been appointed as the imperial chief magic advisor by the empire, but he did not know the Archmage¡¯s name.


    ¡°Even the Kushan Empire has an Archmage, the other two empires must also have Archmages¡­ and Elemental Dragon Knights. It¡¯s not just me who can ride Fire Dragon Leo. Emperor Jupiter of the Kushan Empire rode a Dark Dragon¡­ The strength of the nations on the Legendary Continent should not be underestimated.¡±


    Liszt felt quite emotional about this.


    In the living room, listening to his sentiments, the Marquis of Bull Tail said, ¡°Liszt, the focus now should not be on whether the Legendary Continent has Archmages, but on the intentions of the Kushan Empire. Emperor Jupiter sending a Shadow Incarnation to investigate the Formless Dragon clearly intends to target the Sacred Dragon; we must be cautious.¡±


    ¡°Father, rest assured, I will not take this lightly. The Flame Kingdom is secluded and far from the Kushan Empire. Even if Emperor Jupiter truly intends to target Bard, I will make him understand the principle that ¡®even a mighty dragon can¡¯t suppress local snakes.''¡± Liszt had confidence in this.


    The Smoke Mission was always ready to provide him with a warning, and the power of fate always favored him.


    The Kushan Empire had just shown its malice, and the Smoke Mission had already helped him root out this malice¡ªhe had already planned the next steps. With the help of Xisile and other Shadow Incarnations¡¯ weekly gatherings, he planned to capture the remaining three Shadow Incarnations in one fell swoop. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for the Shadow Incarnation that had left, he could only watch as the entity left.


    However, if another Shadow Incarnation came again, he would ask Ach to take action, leading the magicians of the Magic Guild to set up surveillance-type magic arrays at the entrances and exits of the teleportation array to quickly identify the unknown intruders.


    Of course, as the Flame Kingdom develops, there will be fewer secrets that need to be strictly guarded.


    Mermaids, Unicorns, Mountain Copper Dragons,¡ªwhat¡¯s the harm in exposing them? The Formless Dragon had already been exposed, so exposing a few more magical creatures would not be surprising.


    Moreover.


    He had the means of the Magic Platform to communicate information at long distances, which did not mean other countries didn¡¯t have it. The information of the Flame Kingdom had probably been leaked by rats long ago, and the reason why there¡¯s still peace is probably because other countries have not yet figured out how to deal with the Flame Kingdom.


    The Eagle Kingdom is preparing to show weakness¡ªthey are indeed weak now.


    The Steel Ridge Kingdom is planning to form alliances through marriages, with the Platinum Family clearly being the driving force behind the Red and White Rose Family. King Osborn could not allow the Red and White Rose Family to socialize recklessly.


    The Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom is currently just showing goodwill without any clear actions; the two countries are too far apart for the Flame Kingdom to affect the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom in the short term.


    Once the development of the Flame Kingdom affects the core interests of the three great kingdoms, a dragon slaying battle is likely to occur.


    It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t expect the Kushan Empire to interfere now, which brought certain pressure and urgency to Liszt. After all, the Kushan Empire had Elemental Dragon Knights and Archmages, and their combat power should not be underestimated. He did not fear any kingdom, but he might not be able to withstand an empire.


    It¡¯s known that a kingdom could have several Dragon Knights, but an empire would have at least ten, and it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to have twenty or more.


    With such a number of Dragon Knights, they could completely overwhelm Liszt with a sea of dragons tactic.


    The only consolation was that the Kushan Imperial did not maintain friendly relations with the surrounding nations and had to wage war with the Neverfall Empire every few years. It was impossible for them to send Dragon Knights across tens, if not hundreds of thousands of kilometers to trouble the Flame Kingdom¡ªthey could only secretly plot some conspiracies.


    From the investigations of the Shadow Incarnations primarily focused on the Formless Dragon, it was known that Emperor Jupiter was interested in the Sacred Dragon, and it was very likely that he would target Formless Dragon Bard, planning some devious plots.


    ¡°Fortunately, Bard is about to come of age, and with the help of me and Ach, he has prematurely perfected control over spatial travel. He might not be strong enough in direct combat, but no dragon or Dragon Knight could stop him from escaping,¡± Liszt always cared deeply about Bard¡¯s growth.


    The newly acquired gifts of Red Dragon Water were biasedly distributed, with most going to Bard.


    ¡­


    Three days later.


    In a small tavern in Dragon Valley City, three Shadow Incarnations, unaware of their own identities being exposed, walked into the tavern like ordinary people and met with Xisile Ying.


    Just as they were about to exchange the information they had gathered,


    Liszt took action personally, his Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi surged powerfully, and in a single encounter, he captured the three Shadow Incarnations and then locked them up with Mountain Copper Manacles.


    After more questioning, he got more information about the Kushan Imperial from these three Shadow Incarnations, Rudolf Ying, Cassio Ying, and Barritt Ying.


    Although not comprehensive, he at least had a preliminary impression of this distant empire, a warlike empire, and a warlike emperor. The empire¡¯s national strength could not match that of the Neverfall Empire and Blue Dragon Empire, but its combat prowess was no less formidable, exerting strong pressure on the neighboring kingdoms.


    ¡°Being targeted by such an empire is not a good thing,¡± Marquis of Bull Tail was still very worried.


    Liszt did not say much; soldiers will block the water and cover the earth with soil, that was all. He completed the Smoke Mission immediately after interrogating the Shadow Incarnations.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: Undersea Sanctuary.¡±


    Simultaneously, a new mission was issued: ¡°Mission: The malice brought by the Shadow Incarnation is just the beginning, no one can guarantee whether this is a probe or a start. However, to forge iron, one must be strong oneself, developing the Flame Kingdom is the priority. Please build a second Magic Teleportation Array. Reward: one Greater Elf.¡±


    Yet another Greater Elf as a reward.


    As his power developed rapidly, the reward level for the Smoke Mission had risen significantly. Ordinary Little Minor Elves could no longer be used as rewards, and Greater Elves were equivalent to past Elf Bug rewards¡ªSmoke Missions had already rewarded several dragons and dragon-related clues.


    The new mission was to build a second Magic Teleportation Array, already designated from Jade Mountain to the Legendary Continent, to extend to the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and broaden the trade channels of the Flame Kingdom.


    However, Ach was currently unavailable, so the Magic Teleportation Array would have to wait a while.


    He took this opportunity to rest. He didn¡¯t have to be busy with Smoke Missions all the time; he was a man in control of his destiny, not one to be pushed around by it¡ªthough he often found himself being pushed by fate.


    At this time.


    Regarding the reward from the last mission, the Undersea Sanctuary was soon secured.


    Marquis Great West-Etenia, a mermaid, while searching for Elf Bugs in the deep sea, accidentally discovered a sanctuary. This sanctuary was not a relic of the ancient Sea Kingdom but a naturally formed underwater marvel.


    ¡°Your Majesty, that sanctuary is truly magical. An area devoid of seawater has been maintained at the bottom of the sea, containing flora, and land animals live there.¡±


    ¡°How magical, come, take me to see it!¡±

 Chapter 1001 - 1001 998 Undersea Sanctuary

    ?Chapter 1001: Chapter 998: Undersea Sanctuary Chapter 1001: Chapter 998: Undersea Sanctuary In addition to Marquis Fugitive ¨C Viswinti, who worked at the Overmarine Laboratory, and Salty Sea Marquis ¨C Bluposi, who was constructing an overmarine city at the mouth of the Whirlpool River, the remaining five mermaids all dived into the ocean with Liszt, heading for the Undersea Sanctuary ¨C Ach was focusing on researching the devil, so he did not join them.


    The location of the Undersea Sanctuary was in the Shell Sea, situated between the Flame Islands and the Third Archipelago.


    The mermaids¡¯ swimming speed was not slow, and a few hours later, they successfully reached the Undersea Sanctuary. The water depth was approximately eight hundred meters, and the light was somewhat dim, but the sanctuary resembled a massive crystal dome, enveloping an underwater region and shimmering with a faint rainbow glow.


    Eternia stopped in front of the dome, ¡°It¡¯s right here, Your Majesty, this dome is nothing special, just an ordinary bubble. But there is a weird power that keeps the seawater out. I tried to squeeze the seawater in, but I couldn¡¯t get it into the dome.¡±


    ¡°Have you been into the Undersea Sanctuary, Eternia?¡± asked Marquis Fisherman ¨C Gulvig.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t gone deep; I only walked a short distance along the edge of the sanctuary near the seabed¡­ Walking with a fish tail is really troublesome.¡±


    Mermaids have noses and gills behind their ears, allowing them to breathe underwater or in the air.


    However, mermaids do not have legs and can only bounce along on their tails, which is not only slow but also causes severe wear, so mermaids almost never go ashore. In this respect, the sea serpents have a great advantage; they and the mermaids are both darlings of the ocean, the mermaids are powerful, but sea serpents can go ashore.


    ¡°You wait outside; I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± Liszt said, with a blue bone dragon totem on his face and a fire dragon totem on his chest.


    After leaving the vast sea, his strength was bound to return to its peak, and he himself could transform into a phoenix, unafraid whether the sanctuary harbored danger or not.


    He stepped forward, squeezing into the sanctuary through the water.


    Instantly, he was greeted by a slightly moist, fragrant air, somewhat like the smell of a primeval forest, yet the environment here was completely different from a primeval forest or, indeed, from land. There were no green plants, only various glowing strange plants.


    There were green ones, yellow ones, blue ones, red ones, multicolored.


    Only a very few plants were non-luminous.


    ¡°These are some primeval ferns, fungi, lichens, and the like, and occasionally there are a few somewhat larger plants that look like little trees,¡± Liszt wandered through the sanctuary. The ground was very moist, consisting of waterlogged soil, possibly with decaying leaves.


    The sanctuary was vast; it had felt at least as large as Fresh Flower Town when seen from the sea, perhaps even larger.


    At least from within the sanctuary, one could not see the end.


    However, looking up, one could see the underwater world, with fish swimming just above the rainbow light shield. This made Liszt worry whether the fish might fall from the sea bottom, but clearly, he was overthinking it; after watching for a while, not a single fish fell down.


    If they had, the sanctuary would have been filled with fish carcasses long ago.


    Drawing a Knight¡¯s Longsword, Liszt began to clear the chaotic plants in the sanctuary, carving a path deeper into it.


    Using Eye of Magic, he did not see any magical feedback glow, meaning these were ordinary plants.


    However, it was not certain, as the plants¡¯ natural glow could interfere with the judgment standards of Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic. He looked up at the ¡°sky,¡± and feeling the space was large enough, he called out Little Fire Dragon Leo ¨C at this time Leo had a wingspan and body length of fifty meters each and was a massive creature.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    With a commanding roar, Leo swooped down, and Liszt instantly entered Dragon Knight mode.


    Using Dragon Eye Trajectory, the world immediately became exceptionally clear and colorful, and distinguishing colors quickly saturated, making it easy to differentiate between magical feedback glow and the natural glow emitted by plants.


    Just then,


    the Dragon Eye Trajectory swept over the ground and immediately spotted glimmers of magic feedback from four locations, three of which were ordinary chaotic light, but there was one spot where the blue-white light shone brilliantly¡ªthis could potentially be the reflection of Water Attribute Superior Magic, though it seemed slightly different from the Superior Magic found in Ach and the Mermaids.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, let¡¯s check out the three ordinary lights first,¡± he commanded Little Fire Dragon Leo to head straight for the nearest source of chaotic light.


    He leapt down.


    He soon found a plant nurturing an Elf Bug, which was sleeping on the underside of a leaf. The Cordyceps looked somewhat like a clump formed from banana tree leaves, devoid of flowers, with only a thick short stem and five large leaves. There were several similar plants nearby. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, they possessed no magic power and were not Magic Potions.


    Liszt quickly contracted this Elf Bug, then left it to continue sleeping on the leaf¡ªthis secret miniature world had no animals, so the Elf Bug was safe.


    He then rushed to the second and third locations.


    Both places held Elf Bugs, with the Cordyceps being a strange large flower and a small tree that seemed bare but actually had leaves and bark of the same texture.


    They were not Magic Potions, and after contracting them, Liszt let the Elf Bugs live on their own.


    Since the Elf Bugs couldn¡¯t move far from their Cordyceps, he planned to see if he could transplant these three kinds of plants to land. If not, it seemed like the Elf Bugs had no value to be developed.


    After dealing with the ordinary chaotic lights,


    he quickly reached the center of the sanctuary, approaching the spot emitting the blue-white Superior Magic glow. To his astonishment, there was a segment of grey-white bone exposed on the ground. The blue-white light was emanating from the bone, which was in sections, large and seemingly the tail bone of some creature.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ dragon tail bones?¡±


    A sudden jolt hit Liszt¡¯s heart, and he glanced at Leo¡¯s tail, comparing it to this segment of bone, guessing that the dragon¡¯s body might be slightly larger than Leo¡¯s: ¡°Have I discovered another dragon¡¯s remains? Let me excavate and see if I can find any mines!¡±


    With excitement swirling, even a deceased dragon represented a treasure trove of great value.


    And a thought flashed through his mind: ¡°The great war of old must have centered around the Flame Islands, hence so many dragon remains are here on these islands and in the surrounding ocean!¡±


    On Black Horse Island were the remains of the Fire Dragon.


    On Mind Island was the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg.


    Flame Island Dragon Pit Megamine held the remains and mines of the Titanium Dragon, Black Heart Iron Dragon, Lead Dragon, Bronze Dragon, and Mercury Dragon.


    The entire sea was still tainted by the pollution of the Cursed Dragon.


    Now, in the Shell Sea, another new set of dragon remains had been discovered, with Superior Magic not even faded¡ªclearly, the sea¡¯s isolation of air slowed the decay of Superior Magic on the dragon remains.


    ¡°Vinnie, come and help me excavate the mine.¡± He called out Bone Dragon Vinnie, then entered the Unity of Man and Dragon with her, both of them shuddering simultaneously.


    Driven by a strange, refreshing feeling, Bone Dragon Vinnie swiftly dug along the tail bone with its dragon claws.


    As the excavation progressed, the dragon bone was slowly revealed, yet no mine was discovered. Liszt couldn¡¯t help but ponder: ¡°What kind of dragon¡¯s remains are these? Could it be another Elemental Dragon? Which element would it be¡ªWater, Fire, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Light, Ice, Darkness?¡±

 Chapter 1002 - 1002 0999 Yoohoo

    ?Chapter 1002: Chapter 0999: Yoohoo Chapter 1002: Chapter 0999: Yoohoo If this is the remnant of an Elemental Dragon, then the type of Elemental Dragon it represents has become clear, the blue and white Superior Magic on the remnants is unmistakably Water Attribute Super Magic.


    So it seems,


    The remains of this dragon are most likely left by a Water Dragon.


    ¡°Wow, with no minerals this deep, it proves it¡¯s not a Metal Dragon nor a Gemstone Dragon, and it¡¯s definitely not a Sacred Dragon, even less likely an Evil Dragon¡­ So it must be the remains of a Water Dragon!¡± Liszt concluded. As for why the remains of a Water Dragon would support a secret realm devoid of water, he still couldn¡¯t figure out the reason.


    The soil in the secret realm was very loose, making it easy and pleasant to excavate with the Bone Dragon. After several hours of work, he had dug a huge pit over a hundred meters deep and unearthed the entire skeleton of the Water Dragon.


    All the bones had already scattered, but with his knowledge of dragons, he was still able to piece together all the bone fragments. From the reconstructed skeleton, it could be determined that this Water Dragon had a rather slender build, with the longest neck of all known dragons. Its total body length was eighty-five meters, with a wingspan of ninety meters.


    Larger than a Light Dragon with an eighty-meter wingspan, but smaller than a Fire Dragon with a one hundred meter wingspan.


    The size of a dragon is not the standard by which its combat power is judged; however, usually, the larger the size, the stronger the combat power is likely to be, and the Water Dragon¡¯s combat power obviously appears very formidable.


    ¡°The Superior Magic is still within the dragon bones; the degree of decay of these remains is much less than that of the Remains of the Fire Dragon on Black Horse Island.¡± Looking at the bone skeleton brimming with magical energy, Liszt¡¯s heartbeat quickened again, and he couldn¡¯t help but breathe more rapidly, ¡°If a Fire Dragon can be reborn from its remains, why not a Water Dragon?¡±


    His eyes sparkled brilliantly as he took several deep breaths while looking at the skeleton.


    He slowly calmed his restless emotions, ¡°Now, I just need to find a way to resurrect the Water Dragon¡­ I have the experience of successfully reviving the Fire Dragon, so I can do it again¡­ Or, I could leave it to Ach!¡±


    After all, this concerned an Elemental Dragon whose value was immeasurable. Liszt preferred to trust Ach¡¯s expertise rather than probe uncertainly on his own.


    To be honest, Liszt still had no clear idea why Little Fire Dragon Leo was able to be born.


    Since he had taught Ach all he knew, he had become too lazy to think and left the research to the professionals, just waiting to reap the results.


    He tapped on the dragon bones.


    The Dragon¡¯s Super Magic within the bones shivered, as if, like the few large bones remaining from the Fire Dragon, there was life being nurtured amongst the magic.


    ¡­


    Leaving the secret realm.


    Liszt quickly followed the Mermaids back to the Overmarine Laboratory, then he told Ach about the Water Dragon remains in the secret realm, and Ach quickly halted her current Devil research work¡ªor rather, the research of the Cursed Dragon, as she had recently been analyzing the power of the Cursed Dragon.


    She was close to concluding a new categorization of magical elements¡ªSoul.


    Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Light, Ice, Darkness, those are the eight basic magical elements recognized; Metal, some Magicians believe that the magic of the Metal Dragon, even that of the Gemstone Dragon, is the Metal element; Wood, some Magicians believe that the magic of the Elfs represents the Wood element, or the Nature element, Druid Magic is roughly similar to this.


    Additionally, the Space element is the magic of the Formless Dragon, and the Time element should be the magic of the Twilight Dragon.


    The fate represented by the Smoke Dragon, the mind or dreams represented by the Jade Dragon, the life represented by the Immortal Dragon, whether these are considered as concepts of magical elements, is uncertain.


    Now.


    Ach¡¯s research into the power of the Cursed Dragon has gradually unified her perception of the Soul, believing it to be a special kind of magical element, the Soul Element. And curses are but one application of the Soul Element; other things like Lich, Ghost Ship, and so on, are all branched applications of the Soul Element.


    ¡°Brother, Soul Element is different from the ordinary magic elements; after all, the soul involves the spirit, it¡¯s the third basic foundation of the world beyond matter and magic power,¡± Ach shared her speculation with Liszt while swimming in the ocean, ¡°Reviving the Fire Dragon must have been where you inadvertently touched the Soul Element.¡±


    ¡°Having heard what you said, I suddenly recall how tapping on the Fire Dragon¡¯s remains had no effect. However, when I used materials from the Ghost Ship as fuel, Leo was quickly born¡­ It seems that for reviving an Elemental Dragon, the most crucial factor is the involvement of the Soul Element!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°So now that we are out of Ghost Ship materials, Ach, how are we going to resolve the Soul Element?¡±


    Ach smiled cheekily, ¡°Has brother forgotten? Ach has been researching the power of the Cursed Dragon recently and has collected a lot of pure Soul Elements. If the Water Dragon¡¯s resurrection principle is the same as the Fire Dragon¡¯s, surely these Soul Elements can be used to resurrect a Little Water Dragon for brother.¡±


    Seeing Ach¡¯s confidence, Liszt was elated, ¡°Haha, once you resurrect the Little Water Dragon, I will have my seventh dragon.¡±


    And as an Elemental Dragon, the Water Dragon would have no problem traversing the great seas.


    It meant that once he rode the Water Dragon, he could roam the seas too, and as a Water Dragon Knight, he would no longer be confined to the skies.


    They arrived at the center of the secret realm.


    Ach quickly started examining the Water Dragon skeleton on the ground.


    This study took a whole day and night, and finally, Ach concluded, ¡°The Remains of the Water Dragon are full of Superior Magic, but like what I told brother about the Remains of the Fire Dragon, the Soul Element has been exhausted. Now, with the injection of the Soul Element and subsequent resonance, the remaining life force of the Fire Dragon can be awakened.¡±


    In fact, the theory was very complicated, and Ach¡¯s short explanation was just for Liszt¡¯s easy understanding, ¡°Now, how can I assist?¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Brother just needs to initiate the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic resonance, and Ach will inject the Soul Elements collected during this time, then, using a Magic Array to amplify the effect, I believe the Water Dragon can be resurrected quickly¡­ In fact, Elemental Dragons are quite miraculous, they must have considered the issue of resurrection when they died, having long stored their life force deep within their bones.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    So, Ach started to collect and arrange the materials for the Magic Array.


    Although Liszt had nothing to do, he wasn¡¯t idle either, trying to transplant three secret realm plants respectively named ¡°Earth Banana,¡± ¡°Nameless Flower,¡± and ¡°Bare Tree¡± to the ground. The transplantation was naturally taken over by the Magicians from the Magic Guild, who found suitable planting environments.


    In this way, by mid-May, when the weather turned hot,


    Liszt stood in the center of the already prepared Magic Array, keeping company with the Water Dragon remains, while Ach stood beside, holding a large glass bottle with a faint wisp of smoke swirling inside¡ªit was the pure Soul Element collected from the Cursed Dragon and other sources.


    ¡°Ach, are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± Liszt took a deep breath, his Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi began to circulate, and he started drumming on the Water Dragon remains to provoke the vibration of the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic.


    The vibration got more and more intense, quickly reaching the degree of resonance.


    At that moment, Ach pulled the stopper from the bottle and poured out the Soul Element. The next instant, the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic began resonating. That miraculous reaction happened swiftly ¨C the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic permeated out of the dragon bones and merged with the spreading Soul Element smoke, forming a blue and white Magic Form of a little dragon.


    The little dragon let out a ¡°yoho¡± cry of infancy, before plunging into Liszt¡¯s body.


    Boom!


    A wondrous Mind Connection rippled through Liszt¡¯s mind, and he quickly felt an affectionate little creature burrowing into his abdomen, hiding in his left kidney. However, the creature seemed uncomfortable, so it swiftly switched to the right kidney, but still didn¡¯t feel right.


    Then,


    It split in two, half taking residence in the left kidney, half in the right, linking the two parts together with Magic Power.


    ¡°Yoho!¡±


    This time, it let out a joyous cry.

 Chapter 1003 - 1003 1000 Devouring Magic Power

    ?Chapter 1003: Chapter 1000 Devouring Magic Power Chapter 1003: Chapter 1000 Devouring Magic Power He felt incredibly surreal.


    Liszt could hardly believe it after the Magic Form Little Water Dragon entered his body and made itself at home. For the countless knights of the Legendary Continent, a dragon was a rare legendary creature. Yet, from a reward for a Smoke Mission, he had revived an Elemental Dragon from the Undersea Sanctuary.


    Although the process was somewhat complicated and consumed a fair amount of resources, it was still easier than acquiring a Greater Elf.


    It was so easy that it almost didn¡¯t seem real.


    ¡°Of course, I shouldn¡¯t think that way, I¡¯m now the invincible Six-Headed Dragon Knight, with seven mermaids to assist me, and Ach, the invincible Archmage lending his hand, reviving a Water Dragon is naturally a breeze¡­ If it were any other noble, even dragon-rearing families or the Imperial Emperor himself, it¡¯s likely they would struggle to revive a Water Dragon.¡±


    He felt quite emotional about this; it seemed to mirror the principle of the rich getting richer¡ªonly with money can one make more money.


    A common person might have a thousand and barely make an extra few tens or hundreds despite being adept at investments. A wealthy person with ten million could simply earn tens or hundreds of thousands in interest from the bank.


    In terms of opulence, within the domain of the ocean, Liszt was confident he outshone the Imperial Emperor.


    However, his thoughts did not linger for long.


    At that moment, commotion had already started brewing inside his body. Bone Dragon Vinnie took over the head and was unconcerned about the troubles of others. Leo, who had settled in the heart, now roared threateningly at the Little Water Dragon nestled in the kidneys. The Little Water Dragon, feeling wronged, croaked to Liszt, ¡°Yo-ho,¡± in complaint.


    ¡°Leo, be calm, you¡¯ve grown up, you need to show some grace,¡± Liszt had to intervene and soothe.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡± Leo couldn¡¯t calm down. If it weren¡¯t for its hatred for Water-Attribute Superior Magic, it would be ready to devour the Little Water Dragon¡ªjust like it once tried to consume the Phoenix.


    In the minds of evil dragons, creatures of Superior Magic that were on the same level were either enemies or food.


    The only reason for peaceful coexistence was¡ªbeing unable to beat them.


    Luckily, Leo was ultimately suppressed by the Mind Branding of Liszt, and after Liszt comforted it by promising to provide plenty of Fire Dragon Elixir, it then calmed down its malice towards the Little Water Dragon. Nevertheless, its magic power remained mixed within Liszt¡¯s Dragon Dou Qi, strongly suppressing the Little Water Dragon¡¯s magic power.


    Causing the Little Water Dragon to shrink back within the kidneys, too frightened to make a move.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡±


    It conveyed to Liszt the emotion of ¡°I am very scared,¡± suggesting that despite both being classified as Evil Dragons, the Water Dragon seemed much friendlier and more approachable than Leo, which harbored far more negative and malevolent thoughts.


    ¡­


    ¡°Brother, has the Little Water Dragon been revived?¡± Ach asked, looking at the dazed Liszt.


    Only then did Liszt snap out of soothing the Fire Dragon and Water Dragon, a brilliant smile on his face, ¡°Everything is settled now, the Little Water Dragon is still in Magic Form for the moment, it might need to be nurtured for a while longer to draw enough Water-Attribute Superior Magic to evolve into a flesh and blood body.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I, Ach, can provide the Water-Attribute Superior Magic for it, I believe it will grow up quickly.¡±


    ¡°From now on, it will be a bother, but I¡¯ll need you, Ach, to take care of the Little Water Dragon frequently.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Ach is very willing to take care of the Little Water Dragon.¡±


    In the midst of their conversation,


    The Rainbow Light Shield overhead suddenly began to tremble and started to contract inward, with seawater surging in, creating explosive popping sounds.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good, without the support of the Water Dragon¡¯s Superior Magic, this sanctuary is going to collapse,¡± Liszt suddenly realized with alarm.


    Although he couldn¡¯t comprehend how the Water Dragon¡¯s Superior Magic was able to hold up a bubble devoid of water, clearly this wasn¡¯t the time to ponder such questions.


    He quickly said to Ach, ¡°Ach, please gather the bones of the Water Dragon¡¯s remnants, I¡¯ll collect the Elf Cordyceps. And while at it, I¡¯ll harvest a batch of related plants to cultivate them on land¡­ otherwise, these three Elf Bugs will certainly die with the disappearance of the sanctuary.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Swiftly, Ach gathered all the Dragon Bones together and froze them with Eternal Sturdy Ice to prevent them from being scattered by the collapsing seawater. Meanwhile, Liszt quickly collected the three Elf Bugs and Elf Cordyceps, then pulled up lots of related plants and bound them together.


    Once everything was finished,


    The rainbow light shield above had already collapsed by more than half, its radiance having dimmed to almost invisible. Finally, under Liszt and Ach¡¯s watch, the rainbow light shield burst like a soap bubble with a pop.


    Boom!


    The seawater, under tremendous pressure, as if a great mountain was pressing down, instantly flattened the secret realm. Those bizarre glowing plants were pulverized in an instant, and aside from the batch that Liszt had previously collected, nothing remained.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ach,¡± said Liszt as he and Ach stood atop the sturdy ice formed by dragon bones and merged into the seawater, then drove the sturdy ice away from the now vanished secret realm.


    Looking back, even the large pit that had been dug was gone, with no clue left to prove that a water dragon once perished here.


    ¡­


    Without the Superior Magic, the remains of the water dragon were still materials of immense value.


    The research on the glowing plants, Liszt left to the magicians of the Magic Guild, no longer taking interest himself. He returned the earth bananas, nameless flowers, and bare trees¡¯ Elf Bugs to the Flame Castle to care for them¡ªwhether the fate of the three Elf Bugs was life or death depended on whether their plant cultivation environment could be simulated.


    Ach returned to the Overmarine Laboratory to study the power of the Cursed Dragon, and once she summarized and perfected the Soul Element, she would set out to build the second Teleportation Magic Array.


    Leo also returned to the Endless Volcano Crater to continue sleeping in the magma.


    Without Leo¡¯s suppression, the once meek Little Water Dragon no longer had to be constantly fearful. Unlike Leo, which ¡°sprouted¡± from a Magic Fire Seed, it, due to the many Superior Magic remnants in the remains, bypassed the Magic Fire Seed stage entirely and possessed both a Magic Form and intelligence.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡±


    It cried out in hunger.


    Liszt swallowed many Magic Potions, yet because he himself possessed Fire Attribute Dou Qi, which differed from the Little Water Dragon¡¯s Water-Attribute Magic Power, the magic he could provide was scarce: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if I can¡¯t sustain you, there won¡¯t be a shortage of Water Attribute Superior Magic.¡±


    Wind, fire, water, earth, lightning, light, ice, darkness¡ªthese magic elements have no concept of generation or inhibition¡ªin this world, fire and water are not opposed.


    To put it simply.


    All these magic elements are composed of basic Magic Particles, the different motion properties of the particles result in different physical properties. To a certain extent, magic, matter, and spirit can all convert into one another, let alone different kinds of magic elements.


    Many Dragon Knights do not match the magic properties of their dragons, yet it does not prevent the fusion of Dragon Magic Power and Dragon Dou Qi.


    Therefore, Liszt¡¯s Fire Attribute Dou Qi could still provide sustenance for the Little Water Dragon.


    It was just inefficient and uneconomical.


    He then sought the merfolk to borrow Water Attribute Superior Magic, not wishing to burden Ach alone. The first he approached was Marquis Great West-Eternia: ¡°Eternia, as you know, I have a Little Water Dragon to raise, so could I perhaps borrow some Water Attribute Superior Magic from you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, there is no problem, Your Majesty. I am very eager to provide the magic power necessary for the growth of the water dragon,¡± Eternia agreed promptly, even with great joy¡ªmermaids abhorred the Cursed Dragon deeply, but still held a great fondness for other kinds of dragons.


    Thus, he took hold of Eternia¡¯s fingers¡ªbeing a twenty-meter-long mermaid was too large, even a single finger was thicker than Liszt¡¯s thigh.


    The Little Water Dragon, sensing the Water Attribute Superior Magic from Eternia, immediately cheered ¡°Yo-ho¡± and greedily devoured Eternia¡¯s Superior Magic.


    Gulp gulp.


    It was as if the sound of drinking water could be heard, the Little Water Dragon greedily devouring every strand of Water Attribute Superior Magic.


    Seeing this, Liszt said to Eternia, ¡°There¡¯s no need to provide too much. When you feel enough has been drawn or if you feel uncomfortable, let me know, and I¡¯ll have the Little Water Dragon stop.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Your Majesty. I don¡¯t lack that bit of Superior Magic. Mermaids can draw from the Magic Web¡­Oh, no more, Your Majesty. I can¡¯t sustain the Superior Magic, the Little Water Dragon¡¯s devouring power is too strong!¡± Eternia¡¯s face turned pale in the midst of speaking.


    Liszt hastily cut off the Little Water Dragon¡¯s magic absorption, not allowing it to continue devouring.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡±


    The Little Water Dragon expressed its anger, a malevolent thought akin to Leo¡¯s was continuously taking root.

 Chapter 1004 - 1004 1001 Barriers

    ?Chapter 1004: Chapter 1001 Barriers Chapter 1004: Chapter 1001 Barriers ¡°Control your anger, Little Water Dragon, or I¡¯ll have to call Leo back,¡± Liszt disliked this dark thought greatly; he never imagined that the previously wronged Little Water Dragon could also harbor such malevolence, equating in intensity to the dark thoughts Leo once held.


    It must be said, classifying Elemental Dragons as Evil Dragons was an astute generalization.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡± Mention of Leo¡¯s name made the Little Water Dragon visibly shudder, and it immediately restrained its furious emotions, daring not to display any more evil.


    Only then did Liszt turn to Eternia, whose lips had turned white, ¡°How do you feel now? Has the Superior Magic collapsed?¡±


    Eternia exhaled deeply and rallied her spirits, ¡°Thank goodness Your Majesty intervened in time, otherwise the Little Water Dragon¡¯s absorption would have seriously drained my vitality¡­ I thought, given a mermaid¡¯s strong physique, I could sustain the Little Water Dragon¡¯s draw on the Superior Magic, but who would have expected it to be so powerful right from birth.¡±


    The enormous swallowing capacity that fired up all of a sudden frightened Eternia so much that she still felt residual fear; hence, one can see the gap in strength between mermaids and dragons, both Superior Magic beings.


    ¡°I am truly sorry, I didn¡¯t expect the Little Water Dragon¡¯s swallowing power to be this strong, though, of course, this might also be related to you not yet returning to your peak condition,¡± said Liszt gently, ¡°Go back and rest well, health is more important than anything else, recuperate fully before you do more work.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty,¡± Eternia responded with a wry smile, ¡°But I¡¯m afraid we mermaids won¡¯t be able to help the young master cultivate the Little Water Dragon anymore, its absorptive capacity is beyond what any mermaid can satisfy.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, I will slowly cultivate it. There¡¯s no rush.¡±


    ¡­


    Since mermaids couldn¡¯t withstand the Little Water Dragon¡¯s absorption, Liszt didn¡¯t dare to casually call on Ach to provide Water Attribute Super Magic either, just in case it caused Ach any harm. That was not something he wanted to see.


    However, upon learning the situation, Ach said, ¡°Brother, if the mermaids can¡¯t provide magic power, that¡¯s because the Little Water Dragon doesn¡¯t just draw on Superior Magic but also their bodies¡¯ unique Superior Magic. Just as with the tail feathers of the Flame Dragon Bird, they are a special form where soul and magic power fuse together.¡±


    ¡°That must be the case, it¡¯s just a pity there¡¯s no treasure like Phoenix Feather of Water Attribute that could speed up the Little Water Dragon¡¯s growth.¡±


    ¡°Ach can do it,¡± the Sea Monster Magician said with a smile, ¡°Brother mustn¡¯t forget what Ach has recently been researching, precisely Soul Elements. Ach can entirely mix the Soul Elements refined from the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power with Water Attribute Super Magic to encourage the Little Water Dragon¡¯s growth.¡±


    ¡°Is that really possible?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Ach nodded seriously, ¡°And Ach has also discovered a secret, a piece of information about something beyond Completion-term Dragon Knights.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s brows instantly raised, ¡°Oh? Please, do share.¡±


    He long surmised that once Dragon Knights reached completion, their further advancement must surely involve soul-level cultivation, yet he had never found any clues or leads. Unexpectedly, Ach¡¯s recent research into the Cursed Dragon had uncovered such clues.


    ¡°Dragon Knights, or to say, dragons, are beings at the pinnacle of strength. But this pinnacle still has its limits, to put it precisely, a kind of shackle¡­ Ach calls it a bastion, and Completion-term Dragon Knights will face the shackles of this bastion, unable to proceed any further.¡±


    ¡°Bastion?¡± Liszt didn¡¯t understand.


    Ach continued to explain, ¡°Brother has seen the Dragon of the Magic Web and should know of its existence, not bound by our current fixed space-time. Ach believes it¡¯s a dragon that has transcended the bastion, which perhaps is the dividing line between matter, spirit, and magic power.¡±


    The Dragon of the Magic Web does not belong to the material world, nor to the material boundary, nor to the world beyond the material.


    Yet, it traverses all of these worlds, its presence felt from the material world to the material boundary, and even the world beyond material.


    Ach referred to the barrier as the boundary between material things, or between magic powers, or even between spirits¡ªthe barrier that the Dragon of the Magic Web had broken was clearly one between material things.


    ¡°Material, spirit, and magic power are all cornerstones of the world, and once the barriers between these basics are broken, one will transcend the peak of strength. Therefore, Ach believes that the next step in the cultivation system for an Elemental Dragon Knight should be the magic power barrier; for Metal Dragon Knights and Gemstone Dragon Knights, it should be the material barrier.¡±


    ¡°What about the Sacred Dragon?¡± Liszt inquired.


    ¡°For the Formless Dragon, it is obviously the material barrier; for the Twilight Dragon, it¡¯s unclear, as the significance of time is something Ach still can¡¯t explain; the Jade Dragon represents dreams and the mind, and should be about breaking the spiritual barrier; the Smoke Dragon signifies fate, what fate is, Ach is also unclear; the Immortal Dragon represents life, which is also hard to say.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean if the Cursed Dragon progressed further, it would also be breaking the spiritual barrier?¡±


    ¡°It could be so¡­ Of course, the above barrier information is just Ach¡¯s speculation, and whether such a barrier exists still needs to be verified.¡±


    When it comes to barriers, Ach can only speculate at present.


    Therefore, for Liszt¡¯s subsequent questions,


    About whether ¡°a Fire Dragon Knight breaking the magic power barrier could become a Water Dragon Knight,¡± ¡°if a Formless Dragon Knight broke a barrier, could it become the next Dragon of the Magic Web,¡± ¡°whether the Cursed Dragon has already broken the spiritual barrier to contaminate the ocean,¡± ¡°what kind of dragon evolved into the Dragon of the Magic Web by breaking a barrier,¡± and so on, all were unanswerable.


    In any case.


    The barrier is, for the time being, just a concept. Even though Liszt is deeply fascinated by it and has already named the next phase of the Dragon Knights¡¯ cultivation system ¡°Bastion Knight,¡± it still doesn¡¯t mean that barriers actually exist or that Bastion Knights are a feasible cultivation prospect.


    The topic returned to the supply of Superior Magic. Ach quickly designed a Magic Array that integrated Superior Magic with Soul Elements, and then personally provided the Superior Magic.


    Allowing the Little Water Dragon to fully absorb it.


    Once the Magic Array was properly arranged and activated, Ach, in the form of the Water Elemental Embodiment, continually drew magic power from the Magic Web, then, with the help of Unicorn Charlie, amplified it to Superior Magic. Liszt then lifted the restrictions on the Little Water Dragon, which cried out ¡°Yo-ho¡± and wildly absorbed the magic.


    With no restrictions and a consistent supply of magic, Ach remained relaxed from start to finish, without experiencing the overexertion that Mermaids did. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After ten full minutes of absorption,


    The Magic Power Little Water Dragon suddenly let out a ¡°Yo-ho,¡± exhibiting a bout of ¡°hiccup¡±-like emotions, no longer able to absorb more Superior Magic. It grew lethargic in spirit, its magic power retracted into Liszt¡¯s kidneys, and it began to sleep soundly, digesting this sumptuous feast.


    ¡°This approach is good; after two or three more sessions of devouring like this, the Little Water Dragon should be well on its way to development¡­ By the way, Ach, is there enough Soul Element left refined from the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s enough for two or three times, but no worries, if it runs out, we can just catch a bunch of Devils with the Mermaids at the bottom of the sea.¡± Ach, capable of obliterating a Devil Tower on her own, spoke very lightly¡ªas far as she was concerned, the Devils that once loomed over the sea like phantoms were merely magical ingredients.


    ¡°Hmm, better not to venture into Devil¡¯s Sea without thorough preparation. This time it was just a Devil Tower we encountered; if there are more Devils, it will still be dangerous.¡±


    Ach nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Liszt caressed Ach¡¯s azure hair. ¡°Remember, this is just a Little Water Dragon, its growth is not even one ten-thousandth as important as your safety.¡±


    Ach suddenly squinted her eyes in enjoyment, like a little cat, ¡°Hehe, brother, Ach is now even more powerful in the sea than a Dragon Knight!¡±

 Chapter 1005 - 1005 1002 Equivalent Alchemy

    ?Chapter 1005: Chapter 1002: Equivalent Alchemy Chapter 1005: Chapter 1002: Equivalent Alchemy ¡°Do you still remember this obsidian ring, brother?¡± After feeding the little water dragon, Ach continued chatting with Liszt, she wore a black ring on her hand.


    ¡°I do remember it, the divine artifact equipment of a Moon Slayer Archmage from ancient times¡ªhave you already cracked its usage method?¡± Liszt exclaimed in surprise.


    According to the appraisal in the Knowledge Ancient Book, this obsidian ring is made of metal alloy, most likely an alloy of a large amount of unknown metals, its function being equivalent alchemy.


    ¡°Not yet, but I have some clues.¡± Ach said, ¡°Records about alchemy are scarce, but considering the transformation between substances, Ach believes that equivalent alchemy is achievable, and this obsidian ring is a tool that assists in alchemy.¡±


    ¡°So how do you perform alchemy?¡±


    ¡°Brother, you mentioned before that substances are made up of very small particles called atoms, which consist of a nucleus and electrons; and the nucleus is made up of different protons and neutrons, very tightly packed and difficult to change; the change in a substance¡¯s properties is due to the atom losing or gaining electrons.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did say that, can¡¯t remember which incomplete alchemist tome I read it from.¡± Liszt was embarrassed. He had indeed taught Ach a lot of physical and chemical knowledge, but having not been in contact with this area of knowledge for several years, he had forgotten it all.


    Now, he could no longer understand what chemical reactions are in theory, only remembered something about electrons being gained and lost.


    So, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ach, have you discovered something in this respect?¡±


    ¡°Mm, the losing and gaining of an atom¡¯s electrons, changes only the temporary state of the material, not its essence. Brother, you said that changes to the atomic nucleus are real alchemy, which can turn iron into gold.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, did I say that? Probably.¡±


    ¡°Ach has discovered that the function of the obsidian ring is to stimulate the metamorphosis of metals; it can accelerate the nuclear activity of metal atoms, allowing the nuclei of metal atoms to easily break down and recombine. Once Ach fully grasps the methods and theories, the ancient art of alchemy can be replicated!¡±


    Although Liszt could no longer remember anything about atomic nuclei.


    He only knew that nuclear fission and fusion can change chemical elements.


    Nuclear fission is the principle behind the atomic bomb, and nuclear fusion is the principle behind the hydrogen bomb¡ªan atomic bomb seems to use something like uranium to fission, creating barium elements and releasing a large amount of energy; a hydrogen bomb, on the other hand, fuses hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, into helium, also releasing a tremendous amount of energy.


    But this doesn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t understand the significance of alchemy: ¡°Ach, does that mean, once you develop alchemy, you can really turn stones into gold?¡±


    ¡°Not stones, brother, according to the obsidian ring¡¯s capability for equivalent alchemy, it is between metals that properties can be changed through alchemy. It¡¯s possible to turn iron into gold, or even into magical metal, although the meaning of equivalent alchemy might also include some loss.¡±


    ¡°Loss?¡±


    ¡°For instance, maybe ten portions of iron could only be alchemized into one portion of mountain copper, the ¡®value¡¯ of mountain copper in material terms would definitely be far greater than the ¡®value¡¯ of iron.¡±


    He caught on quickly: ¡°Does that mean that all metals have a different ¡®value¡¯ between them?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s likely, but we need to explore the respective alchemy ¡®value¡¯ of each metal. Right now, it¡¯s not clear which metal has a higher value and which one has a lower value.¡±


    ¡°Being able to figure out the value of metals would definitely allow one to earn a massive fortune through alchemy.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyes gleamed, the prospect clear to him: ¡°From the current market prices, the price of a ton of iron doesn¡¯t compare to the price of a pound of mountain copper. If you can alchemize a ton of iron into a pound of mountain copper, you¡¯d make money; if it becomes ten pounds, it¡¯s a windfall; and if it turns into a hundred pounds, that would be an incredibly lucrative business!¡±


    ¡°Ach will deduce the art of alchemy as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too anxious,¡± Li Si Te said, having obtained the Phoenix Incarnation, although he was uncertain of his exact lifespan.


    But he felt that his aging process had greatly slowed down.


    According to the legend of the Phoenix¡¯s five hundred-year cycle, he could definitely live for two to three hundred years, and perhaps even reach the five hundred-year lifespan of a Dragon Domain LandLord. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, contracting an Immortal Dragon was still one of his dreams.


    ¡­


    The Little Water Dragon was slumbering, digesting the Water Attribute Super Magic acquired from its gluttony.


    Ach continued to research the power of the Cursed Dragon, preparing to summarize the Soul Element in the near future. Meanwhile, materials for setting up the Magic Teleportation Array were being collected; this time, the modified Magic Array would be far more stable, comfortable, and safe than the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation.


    Li Si Te then inspected his dominion.


    Now, with the large influx of the Knight Class, he had an increasing number of Moon Slayer Natives at his disposal, essentially completing the incorporation of the southeastern half of Flame Island. Apart from some small tribes hiding in the corners of the primeval forests, all other Moon Slayer Native Tribes had emerged from the woods to become subjects of the Flame Kingdom.


    Moon Slayers were different from Africans. Although they too lived primitive societal lives, they generally had an upright attitude towards work and were willing to labor hard.


    This was probably because the forests on Flame Island were not as rich in resources as anticipated.


    In Africa, the abundance of food led the locals to develop a lazy and gluttonous temperament. In the forests of Flame Island, the Moon Slayers had to fight Magical Beasts and endure hunger in the winter, and as tribes grew, they had to split and migrate to farther lands for better survival.


    Out of necessity, the Moon Slayer Natives developed a resilient and hardworking nature.


    With the construction of Flame King City at its center, Flame Island was divided into a southeastern and a northwestern half, and the Knights of the Flame Kingdom were now expanding into the northwest.


    There weren¡¯t many Moon Slayer Natives in the northwestern half, but there were also about a million Serfs that could be incorporated.


    Li Si Te paused his inspection at Flame King City, where more and more trained and experienced Moon Slayer Serfs had been arranged to work. A huge city designed to accommodate a population of five hundred thousand was rising from the ground. The construction of the Royal Palace on the nearby Holy Mountain had also commenced.


    Standing on the peak and merging with the mountain itself.


    From afar, it complemented Flame King City, and the blueprint underwent several revisions before it was finally determined. The valley of the Holy Mountain was the home of Bone Dragon Vinnie¡¯s Dragon Nest; the forest behind the Holy Mountain housed the Dragon Nest of Mountain Copper Dragon Mata¡ªMata wasn¡¯t demanding about its environment but needed to be well-fed and taken care of.


    Jade Mountain was home to Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan¡¯s Dragon Nest, while the Endless Volcano Cluster was Fire Dragon Leo¡¯s lair.


    The Dragon Nest for Grey Iron Dragon Ornn was yet to be determined; it was flying aimlessly over Flame Island, ready to find its own favorite habitat to establish a nest.


    Formless Dragon Bard needed no fixed abode, its home being the world beyond the physical realm.


    As for the Little Water Dragon, it hadn¡¯t even gotten a name, let alone a Dragon Nest¡ªworst case scenario, it could simply be tossed into the Vast Ocean, making the sea its Dragon Nest.


    ¡°By the way,¡±


    He rode on Formless Dragon Bard, examining his Royal Palace from the boundary of the physical world: ¡°The King¡¯s Castle could be directly called Flame King City, but what should the Royal Palace be named¡­ The Royal Palace in Sapphire is called Azure Sky Peak Palace, in Steel Ridge it¡¯s called White Gold Tooth Palace, and the one in Eagle is named Iron Dragon Chain Palace¡­¡±

 Chapter 1006 - 1006 1003 The Second Teleportation Array

    ?Chapter 1006: Chapter 1003: The Second Teleportation Array Chapter 1006: Chapter 1003: The Second Teleportation Array ¡°For now, let¡¯s not name it yet; after we establish the kingdom, we¡¯ll surely have to come up with a batch of new titles, including re-naming the Holy Mountain, the King¡¯s Castle, and the surrounding locations.¡±


    Liszt didn¡¯t have an appropriate name for the Royal Palace in mind, so he stopped fussing over it.


    After touring around the vicinity of the King¡¯s Castle and having a chat with Mata, he left to continue inspecting the construction progress of other projects in his territory.


    The evolution of the Fierce Earth Dogs into greenhide, whitehide, and goldhide had all been successful¡ªtransforming into Intermediate Magical Beast Blizzard Beasts. Although not yet mature, they were ready to breed under the stimulation of the Bloodline Fruit.


    What was most unexpected was the failed evolution of the purplehide. Although its physical development had always been slow, its performance in magic was outstanding, having already mastered the Advanced Earth System Magic ¨C Rock Thorn Rampart. It was overshadowed by the greenhide, whitehide, and goldhide in brute combat strength, but it totally dominated them in magic.


    Unfortunately,


    it seemed that purplehide had evolved into a different species, which could not breed with the Blizzard Beasts, making reproduction even more difficult.


    With the current pregnancy of this batch of Blizzard Beasts, the hope of forming a Blizzard Knights Order was no longer a luxury. Following the Mammoth Knight Brigade, the formation of the Blizzard Knights would also happen soon.


    The mount problem for the Royal Knight Squad was already solved¡ªFlame Dragon Birds, Fire Ravens, and Red Sparrow Birds all qualified as mounts.


    However, finding knights was not easy; there weren¡¯t many young Elite Earth Knights of Fire Attribute and Sky Knights willing to join¡ªLiszt simply could not consider those of advanced age.


    But training young knights took time.


    As of now, no one had been selected for the Dragon Knight reserve plan. There were only a list of potential candidates, such as Dulontan Red Apricot, Curster Windmill, Hippolyta, and other little geniuses attending the Royal Academy. But these geniuses were still a distance away from becoming reserve Dragon Knights.


    Moreover, the Fire Paladin initiative had not yet begun.


    Little Fire Dragon Leo hadn¡¯t matured, and it had no interest in wasting magic power to infect a few ¡°Dragon Wraiths¡±¡ªunlike the traditional Dragon Magic Power infecting White Dragon Wraiths and Black Dragon Childe, which eventually returned the magic power to the dragon, once a Fire Paladin was complete, the magic power would not return to the dragon.


    This was a loss-making deal, and Leo was quite shrewd; Liszt couldn¡¯t easily fool it.


    Unless the monthly Magic Potion yield from the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest entered a period of abundant harvest and Fire Dragon Elixir could be supplied without limit, Leo would find it difficult to cooperate.


    There was no relationship of enslavement between dragons and Dragon Knights, it was simply cooperation.


    Even with the Mind Branding suppressant, it was akin to having an additional layer of a ¡°marriage¡± ceremony¡ªwhile the wife could do chores at home and take care of children, if she truly decided to go out and enjoy freedom, there wasn¡¯t much one could do. If Leo did not cooperate, there was not much Liszt could do either, except to offer incentives.


    ¡°I hope the Little Water Dragon isn¡¯t as cunning as Leo in the future¡­ Although my first dragon is Leo, I still believe that Formless Dragon Bard is the best.¡±


    Bard was truly very easy to command; only needing a bit of Smoked Grass and putting up with its occasional habit of chewing Smoked Grass, it would cooperate perfectly with any of Liszt¡¯s requests. Traveling through space without any complaints, and its demand for magic power wasn¡¯t great, a bit of Red Dragon Water was enough.


    At most, provide it a tender roast cow every few days.


    It indeed deserved good treatment.


    As for the other dragons, Bone Dragon Vinnie required no eating or drinking, and human souls made her more peaceful; Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan was a drunkard, but now with Emily taking care of him, Liszt didn¡¯t need to worry; Grey Iron Dragon Ornn had needs for food and often needed to replenish magic power.


    But once it found a suitable Dragon Nest, it would start producing iron ore.


    Mountain Copper Dragon Mata was somewhat unreliable; it freeloading and had a picky taste yet stubbornly refused to produce mountain copper ore¡ªwithout a mind branding to suppress it, it didn¡¯t have a good sense of Li Si Te and wouldn¡¯t infect the mountain copper ore¡ªpossibly also because the magic potion incentive wasn¡¯t sufficient, making it feel that infecting the ore wasn¡¯t worth the effort.


    In the end, minerals couldn¡¯t just emerge out of thin air; it still came down to consuming dragon magic power.


    Maintaining a dragon to produce minerals would consume countless magic potions, let alone maintaining six dragons¡­ which was now seven dragons.


    After several days of inspection, construction in various places was underway vigorously, and there was nothing that needed Liszt¡¯s intervention; the Development Committee was managing Flame Island very well.


    Liszt was even too lazy to contract with the Elf Bugs in various places.


    One could simply raise the wild Elf Bugs¡ªthat was because the Moon Slayers had a method that could stimulate the Elf Bugs to collect and release Cordyceps, so whether they were contracted or not made no difference.


    Quickly.


    The Magic Guild had made the latest advancements in Elf Bug research; in a growth environment simulation for three types of plants¡ªEarth Bananas, Nameless Flowers, and Bare Trees¡ªthey had successfully nurtured the first batch of plants¡ªthese plants reproduced asexually and needed to be cultivated in dark, warm greenhouses.


    The cultivation was difficult, and the value of the plants was still being explored, but nonetheless, the three Elf Bugs finally had a chance at survival.


    At the same time, the Little Water Dragon was still asleep, and Ach had concluded the research work on the soul element.


    ¡°Do you need a few days to rest?¡±


    ¡°No need, brother, setting up the Magic Teleportation Array isn¡¯t tiring at all, and for Ach, this is relaxation.¡± So, under the urging of the Little Sea Monster, the work of setting up a new Magic Teleportation Array officially started.


    The starting point was located at the foot of Jade Mountain, only a kilometer away from Jade City.


    The endpoint was in the Endless Primeval Jungle within the Legendary Continent, less than a hundred miles from Snowstorm Mountain Duchy¡ªan area with flat jungle terrains, where Liszt had burned down all the trees leaving only charred soil along with uneven muddy ground.


    ¡°Heroic Yellow City, Heroic Yellow Plains¡­ One day, this place will become the bridgehead for the Flame Kingdom¡¯s venture into the Legendary Continent, causing empires and kingdoms on the continent to shudder in fear!¡±


    Looking at the barren expanse of charred soil, Liszt felt a rush of enthusiasm.


    He called this place Heroic Yellow Plains, taking one character each from the Eagle Kingdom and Yellowstone Kingdom, also implying a deeper meaning of wanting to annex the two great kingdoms.


    During the day, he would set up the magic arrays; at night, he would ride the Formless Dragon Bard back to Flame Castle to rest.


    In this way, three days flew by, and with a spirited ¡°yoho¡± in his heart, the Little Water Dragon woke from its slumber, its magic power more robust than ever. Upon waking, it clamored to eat and drink, leaving no choice but to have Ach set up another array to supply it with Superior Magic.


    After eating the Superior Magic, the Little Water Dragon let out a satisfied belch and fell into a deep sleep again: ¡°Actually, raising a dragon is quite simple; you just have to keep it well-fed¡­ the worry is that when the Little Water Dragon grows up, it will be difficult to keep it fed.¡± Like Leo, who often wasn¡¯t satisfied and couldn¡¯t casually indulge in Fire Dragon Elixir.


    Once the Magic Array was properly arranged, it was Liszt¡¯s turn to ride the Formless Dragon Bard and, under Ach¡¯s direction, tear through natural nodes to connect the Magic Teleportation Array.


    Thus.


    By early June, the newly established Heroic Yellow City-Jade Mountain Magic Teleportation Array was officially operational. There was no grand celebration ceremony, only the first group of knights led by Yevich Water Peanut who crossed the array and stood at the foot of Jade Mountain, full of emotion as they gazed at the towering Jade City in the distance. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After two years, they finally set foot on the soil of Flame Island for the first time, returning to the land that would be their country from now on.

 Chapter 1007 - 1007 1004 Pieros Call for Help

    ?Chapter 1007: Chapter 1004: Piero¡¯s Call for Help Chapter 1007: Chapter 1004: Piero¡¯s Call for Help ¡°Your Majesty, is this Jade City, and are these the Moon Slayers?¡± Yevich Water Peanut sighed. ¡°I had originally thought Flame Island was still a desolate wilderness, and that no amount of development over two years could change the savage environment. Yet, I never expected Jade City to have grown so immense.¡±


    Despite being captured early and following Liszt, he had not experienced many great battles and was unaware of Liszt¡¯s powerful organizational abilities as a socialist successor.


    For any landlord, opening up a piece of farmland could take years, yet he always emphasized the need to work hard and fast¡ªpaying well gave the serfs the strength to grind stones into sand. Not to mention the simple tasks of burning forests, cultivating farmland, constructing wooden houses, all overseen by an Ancient Mage.


    Jade City¡¯s current size far exceeds that of a typical metropolis of one hundred thousand people¡ªit just lacks the luxury, but in terms of sanitation and civilization, it surpasses any large city.


    Toilets, sewage systems.


    These were the standard constructions that Liszt specifically demanded.


    A city can lack grand architecture, can be filled with small wooden houses, but it absolutely cannot be without toilets or have sewage running in the streets.


    ¡°The Male Jade Transmission Array is now complete, and Heroic Yellow City has also begun construction. The Snowstorm Mountain Duchy is now in constant internal strife, with the battle between the First Prince and the Second Prince reaching a fever pitch. There will definitely be knights ruined by this conflict, and you need to make more connections, to try to recruit them.¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Majesty, I have always been planning this matter, but I¡¯ve only been in contact with some minor nobles. Though the Duke of Snowstorm Mountain may be senile, he remains vigilant against outsiders meddling in the struggle between his sons. If I overstep, it could easily provoke the old duke into action.¡±


    ¡°Do not be afraid, the Flame Kingdom is your support. If the old duke dares to make a move, tell him that if something happens to you, I will send Dragon Knights to intervene in the internal affairs of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.¡±


    ¡°Still in the name of the Eagle Kingdom?¡±


    Liszt thought for a moment, ¡°You could pose as a middleman between the Eagle Kingdom and the Flame Kingdom, dealing in serf trade or other trades. When the crucial time comes, you can reveal your true intentions. In any case, an alliance with the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy is mutually beneficial; without it, they are the ones who will be harmed.¡±


    Even the Kushan Imperial had designs on the Flame Kingdom, so Liszt was not concerned about the hostility of a minor duchy.


    His power was enough for him to move unimpeded in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent.


    ¡­


    ¡°Complete the mission, reward a Greater Elf.¡±


    With the Male Jade Transmission Array completed, the Smoke Mission was naturally concluded, rewarding a Greater Elf, though its origins were still unknown.


    Liszt did not pay too much attention to it, as all his focus was now on the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: The Duke of Grey Iron returns to the Grey Iron Duchy. Despite losing the Grey Iron Dragon, he still firmly controls state power. However, his envoy group has secretly gone to the Flame Kingdom, carrying a request for your help once more¡ªsurely, this is an opportunity. Please assist the Duke of Grey Iron. Reward: Aluminum Dragon leads.¡±


    ¡°Aluminum Dragon leads!¡±


    He immediately understood Duke Grey Iron Piero Grey Mouth Iron¡¯s intention for trading the Mountain Copper Dragon leads in exchange for twenty years of protection. It seems that Duke Grey Iron still holds the leads to the Aluminum Dragon. He must be secretly strategizing on the Aluminum Dragon, planning to rely on it to stabilize the nation.


    ¡°But him seeking my help¡ªwhat does that mean? Does he really expect me to aid him in conquering the Aluminum Dragon? Is he not afraid that I might snatch it away from him? When it comes to Dragon Riding, there are no friendships involved¡ªit¡¯s finders keepers!¡±


    No matter what, as long as the Aluminum Dragon remained without a master, it was internally decided that this Aluminum Dragon, Liszt.


    In the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, an Aluminum Dragon had never been heard of. Aluminum is a common metal, but like titanium, known as ¡°lesser Mithril,¡± aluminum is called ¡°lesser Crystal¡± and is a material for making high-grade magical devices. It has great effects in conducting magic power and solidifying Magic Runes.


    The value of the Aluminum Dragon may not match that of a Magic Metal Dragon, but it is still highly valuable among Metal Dragons. If Duke Grey Iron were to acquire the Aluminum Dragon, he would undoubtedly become the most enlightened ruler of the Grey Iron Duchy.


    ¡°What a pity you came to me¡­¡±


    Liszt did not have to wait anxiously; almost two hours after the mission was posted, he received a message from the Fortress of the Mind via the magic platform.


    Someone claiming to be an envoy from the Grey Iron Duchy wanted to meet with him.


    ¡°Let him come over. I will meet with him at the Reed City Office,¡± Liszt was interested to know what Duke Grey Iron might need his help with.


    Soon, at the Reed City Office, Liszt met with the envoy of Duke Grey Iron.


    He was a young Sword Saint with blond hair and green eyes, quite handsome: ¡°The envoy of Duke Grey Iron, Lawrence Green Luo, pays respects to His Majesty the Flame King.¡±


    ¡°Dispense with the formalities; has Duke Grey Iron sent you here secretly for something important?¡± Liszt always preferred to get straight to the point and did not care for insincere pleasantries.


    Lawrence adapted to Liszt¡¯s direct style before revealing the purpose Duke Grey Iron had sent him for: ¡°A knight raised by Duke Grey Iron has been abducted by the Eagle Kingdom¡­ He may be a bastard son of Duke Grey Iron, hence His Grace hopes to request Your Majesty¡¯s help.¡±


    ¡°A bastard son¡­ for a bastard son, you seek my assistance?¡± Liszt spoke with a hint of mockery, ¡°What does Duke Grey Iron think would be an adequate price to move me to action?¡±


    ¡°His Grace is willing to offer five Greater Elves.¡±


    ¡°Five Greater Elves, yet you have me risk delving into the heart of the Eagle Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Not so, Your Majesty. The one who kidnapped the knight is not of the Eagle Royal Family but a Feudal Marquis. However, this Feudal Marquis is an inheritor of the Ancient Warrior and very powerful. Knowing that the Grey Iron Duchy has no dragon¡¯s protection, he holds no regard for His Grace.¡±


    It was clear that Lawrence was not telling the truth, painting Liszt as naively trusting.


    A bastard son, no matter how exceptional, couldn¡¯t possibly be worth the cost of five Greater Elves to rescue. If there really were five Greater Elves, a direct exchange with that Feudal Marquis would suffice.


    Besides,


    Even if there were discrepancies with the Eagle Royal Family, if it really came to asking the Royal Family for help, they might ignore the affair out of indifference to their vassal¡¯s dignity. To take ten thousand steps back, it was not as if the Grey Iron Duchy couldn¡¯t find other duchies willing to help, doubtless eager to earn five Greater Elves.


    There¡¯s no way they would have come directly to Liszt to rescue this bastard son.


    Moreover, now that the Smoke Mission had already hinted at the Aluminum Dragon clue, even if Liszt were foolish, he wouldn¡¯t believe such an excuse.


    It must be that this knight had information about the Aluminum Dragon.


    ¡°Lawrence, stop with these pointless words. What exactly does Duke Pierrot mean? Speak plainly. Otherwise, you might as well return now, I won¡¯t keep you for dinner.¡±

 Chapter 1008 - 1008 1005 Giving You One Chance

    ?Chapter 1008: Chapter 1005: Giving You One Chance Chapter 1008: Chapter 1005: Giving You One Chance Lawrence hesitated for a moment before clenching his teeth and saying, ¡°Your Majesty, to be frank, that knight is indeed Prince Duke¡¯s illegitimate child, named Florenza Pursuit Arrow. He is in the process of subjugating a dragon, an Aluminum Dragon, and has nearly reached the stage of the Mind Battle¡­¡±


    Liszt raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes, ¡°Aluminum Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, at the critical moment of subjugating the Aluminum Dragon, he was discovered by the Marquis of Boulder. As a result, the Marquis captured Florenza, with the intention of obtaining the Aluminum Dragon through him¡­ The Prince Duke did not dare to mention this to anyone, but he trusts in Your Majesty¡¯s character, so he wishes to seek your assistance.¡±


    If he truly trusted him, Lawrence wouldn¡¯t have blabbed nonsense earlier, treating Liszt like a fool to be deceived.


    It was just that now, he had no choice but to reveal the truth.


    Liszt did not immediately respond to the request to rescue Florenza but diverted the subject, ¡°The Marquis of Boulder, is he the Cloaked Bear-wearer?¡± He remembered the landlord that Yevich Water Peanut used to follow, was the Marquis of Boulder, an Ancient Warrior Inheritor whose strength wasn¡¯t far from that of a Domain Knight.


    ¡°Yes, that is Marquis Pilof the Earth Frenzy.¡±


    ¡°He, an Ancient Warrior Inheritor, also wants to ride a dragon, are you sure he can handle Dragon Riding?¡±


    ¡°His progeny are many, among whom two possess exceptional talents and have trained in the Knight Dou Qi. They have participated in the Dragon Knight selection program but were unsuccessful.¡±


    As they went back and forth, the whole story became clear.


    Duke Pierrot¡¯s illegitimate son, Florenza Chase Wind Arrow, had notable talent and was close to successfully subjugating the Aluminum Dragon. However, he was intercepted by Marquis Pilof of Boulder, the Earth Frenzy. The funny thing was, neither Pierrot nor Pilof, both Nobles with the surname ¡°Pi,¡± dared to make a fuss about it.


    Because once they did, the fight over the Aluminum Dragon wouldn¡¯t be just between their two families. Any Noble capable of Dragon Riding wouldn¡¯t miss out on this opportunity.


    However, the Grey Iron Family had lost their Grey Iron Dragon, which tremendously weakened their combat power, and they were simply unable to overpower Pilof and thus couldn¡¯t reclaim Florenza.


    That¡¯s why Pierrot gave it a lot of thought and finally turned to Liszt.


    He considered himself a follower of Liszt, and since the Aluminum Dragon was located within the borders of the Eagle Kingdom, Liszt would find it hard to subjugate the Aluminum Dragon for an extended period in the Eagle Kingdom¡ªhe didn¡¯t know that when Liszt had first sought to subdue Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, it had taken just one night. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t dare to ask for Liszt¡¯s help.


    After all, dragons were creatures that stood at the apex of power and have always been the domains of those ¡°with virtue.¡±


    Moreover, since Florenza Chase Wind Arrow hadn¡¯t even completed the Mind Battle, he couldn¡¯t really claim to have any connection to the Aluminum Dragon. Many knights failed at the Mind Battle stage during their campaigns, ending up fruitless. Thus, if Liszt were to attempt to seize the Aluminum Dragon, there wouldn¡¯t be any ethical concerns.


    For anyone, it would be considered natural to vie for a dragon, even between blood brothers.


    ¡°His Highness believes that since you are willing to protect the Grey Iron Duchy for twenty years, you would certainly want to achieve justice for your devoted follower. As long as Florenza can escape from the castle of the Marquis of Boulder safely, the Prince Duke will immediately offer up five Greater Elves, all of the grain and Magic Potion varieties.¡±


    ¡°Aluminum Dragon¡­ what is Duke Pierrot thinking, why does he believe I would not be interested in the Aluminum Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Although the Aluminum Dragon is incomparably precious, and everyone would want to ride it, Your Majesty already has several dragons. Moreover, the Aluminum Dragon lives in the Eagle Kingdom, making it difficult for continuous subjugation. Furthermore, once the Prince Duke obtains the Aluminum Dragon, he will immediately declare allegiance to the Flame Family as a follower, and will not break his promise!¡±


    Nonsense.


    All nonsense, only a fool would believe it.


    The relationship between Liszt and Pierrot was nothing more than a trade of interests, with no element of friendship. Liszt would certainly not believe that Pierrot, after obtaining the Aluminum Dragon, would become his follower¡ªthe two countries were thousands of miles apart, and even if Pierrot were sincere, he wouldn¡¯t dare to follow.


    The Eagle Kingdom would be the first to not let the Grey Iron Duchy off the hook.


    Therefore, all this was just a front, and the subtext was that Pierrot intended to use five Greater Elves in exchange for Liszt¡¯s efforts to rescue Florenza. And banking on Liszt being a foreigner who wouldn¡¯t dare to linger long in the Eagle Kingdom, thereby posing no threat to the Aluminum Dragon, he dared to openly orchestrate this trade.


    After finishing his persuasive words, Lawrence calmly waited for Liszt to quietly contemplate. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt was indeed contemplating. His ambition for the Aluminum Dragon went without saying¡ªanyone who wasn¡¯t attracted to a dragon probably had an issue with their intelligence.


    ¡°The Smoke Mission requires me to help Piero, clearly, Florenza must be rescued, and the five Greater Elves also warrant my intervention¡­ Now the question is, how to conquer the Aluminum Dragon. Obviously, the clues to the Aluminum Dragon are in Florenza¡¯s hands, and Piero will definitely have a backup plan.¡±


    When planning with me, he would also be making plans with others, not putting all his eggs in one basket.


    After careful consideration,


    He slowly began, ¡°I will intervene, but five Greater Elves are not enough, I need seven.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t haggle over the price, I don¡¯t like haggling.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I, on behalf of Prince Duke, agree to Your Majesty¡¯s terms, as long as Florenza Chase Wind Arrow can be rescued,¡± Lawrence agreed through clenched teeth, looking like he was putting on a performance. Perhaps this did not even reach Duke Pierrot¡¯s bottom line.


    Of course, Liszt didn¡¯t care anymore, ¡°I know that Duke Pierrot is full of confidence, thinking that Florenza can ride the Aluminum Dragon. How about this. Let¡¯s make a Mind Battle our agreement. If Florenza succeeds in Dragon Riding, I congratulate the Grey Iron Duchy; if she fails, then give me a chance to conquer.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t promise on behalf of the Prince Duke.¡±


    ¡°I will talk to Piero personally.¡±


    ¡­


    It was unclear whether the matter with the Aluminum Dragon was real or a conspiracy targeting him, so a trip to the Grey Iron Duchy required some preparation.


    At the very least, safety had to be absolutely assured.


    He sent Lawrence Green Luo back first, as Lawrence had a flying mount. It would take about ten days to return to the Grey Iron Duchy from Flame Island.


    Fortunately, although Florenza was captive, she refused to speak, and Marquis Pilof of Boulder couldn¡¯t get the information about the Aluminum Dragon for a while. It would inevitably take several discussions with Duke Pierrot to reach an agreement. This gave Liszt ample time to prepare and plan methodically.


    Ach was now a powerful combat force. With her by his side, Liszt felt completely secure.


    Fire Dragon Leo and Bone Dragon Vinnie were readily deployable combat forces.


    Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight Emily stayed behind to guard Flame Island, the Grey Iron Dragon and Mountain Copper Dragon were left behind as well, only Formless Dragon Bard had to be ridden.


    Without Bard¡¯s formidable space-travel capability, Liszt wouldn¡¯t dare to be so arrogant.


    As for the Little Water Dragon, that would be a matter for when it was finally born.


    ¡°This trip to the Grey Iron Duchy is primarily for rescuing Florenza, but I must avoid falling into a targeted conspiracy,¡± Liszt told Ach. ¡°It¡¯s hard to guarantee that this isn¡¯t a ploy of the Eagle Kingdom, or even the Kushan Imperial, so Ach, you must be extra vigilant.¡±


    ¡°Ach will be careful to ensure Brother¡¯s safety,¡± Ach said, clenching her fists. ¡°But Brother, are we giving up on the Aluminum Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Liszt smiled faintly: ¡°To be honest, only one Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit is left, and while the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg still remains, I have no idea how long it will take to cultivate another one. So it¡¯s difficult to decide whether or not to use it. Let¡¯s give Florenza a chance at a Mind Battle.¡±


    Then, he spread his hands: ¡°Eight out of ten Knights fall at the stage of the Mind Battle. Maybe with Florenza¡¯s failure as a learning experience, I won¡¯t need the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit to succeed.¡±

 Chapter 1009 - 1009 1006 Bargaining

    ?Chapter 1009: Chapter 1006 Bargaining Chapter 1009: Chapter 1006 Bargaining Liszt was well-grounded.


    Not only did the Smoke Mission act as a golden crutch, allowing him to harness the power of fate even in a Mind Battle, but he also now possessed a Phoenix Incarnation. He had tried it; within the spirit of a dragon, the Phoenix Incarnation could still be used, and its power was formidable.


    With the help of the Phoenix Incarnation, he was absolutely going to call the shots in the Mind Battle.


    As long as the requirements of the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s Mind Battle weren¡¯t as quirky as those of the Formless Dragon, he wasn¡¯t afraid of not being able to win¡ªmost dragon Mind Battles were primarily about brute force, with other requirements playing a supporting role; only the Formless Dragon¡¯s was mostly about navigating a maze, which had caught Liszt off guard.


    That¡¯s why he agreed to give Florenza Chase Wind Arrow a chance at a Mind Battle, letting Florenza get a taste of the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s Mind Battle requirements first.


    Then, starting from those requirements, he could easily solve the Mind Battle.


    Just as he was preparing to head to the Grey Iron Duchy,


    the Greater Elf rewarded by the Smoke Mission finally surfaced. It wasn¡¯t evolved from a Little Minor Elf but was a wild Greater Elf discovered by the Pioneer Knights.


    It was a Coffee Greater Elf, and there were many coffee trees in the primeval forests of Flame Island.


    Coffee was a very common beverage among the nobility, and even though the nobles of the Flame Kingdom took pride in drinking tea due to Liszt¡¯s promotion of it, they still consumed a large amount of coffee. Therefore, even though the Coffee Greater Elf didn¡¯t produce Magic Potions, it was equivalent in value to grains. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call you Mundo,¡± he declared.


    There was no particular reason; Liszt just felt like naming the Coffee Greater Elf ¡°Mundo.¡±


    ¡°J¨¥ l¨« w¨¡l¨¡!¡± Mundo obviously didn¡¯t appreciate its name and didn¡¯t seem too pleased with the new environment, as it was accustomed to living in the wild.


    However, this was a fact that couldn¡¯t be changed. Moreover, as a Greater Elf, it might be highly valued elsewhere, but it couldn¡¯t feel the same wholehearted love in Liszt¡¯s care¡ªno other reason, but the number of Greater Elves that Liszt had was increasing, and this trip out might very likely add another seven Greater Elves to his collection.


    Up to this point, not counting those Elves that were forcibly enlisted by the hands of Noble Landlords,


    he already possessed three Dragon Elves:


    Man-Eating Tree Dragon Spirit ¨C Kali, Buckwheat Dragon Spirit ¨C Yadi, Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Greater Elf ¨C Ani.


    Eleven Greater Elves:


    Giant Algae Greater Elf ¨C Pike, Pea Great Elf ¨C Ash, Thorn Greater Elf ¨C Jela, Mangrove Greater Elf ¨C Nami, Potato Great Elf ¨C Kuchi, Banana Greater Elf ¨C Poppy, Millet Greater Elf ¨C Tic, Corn Greater Elf ¨C Mickey, Troll Taro Greater Elf ¨C Karl, Gourd Greater Elf ¨C Klay, Coffee Greater Elf ¨C Mundo.


    Further, he had over one hundred Little Minor Elves and more than five hundred Elf Bugs, and these spirits were still increasing continuously.


    The sources mainly came from three aspects.


    On one hand, the plantation nurtured spirits that emerged from the crops; on another, they were won from the Moon Slayer Natives as they expanded through the primeval forests; and the last was the mermaids who frequently swam in the sea, searching for spirits in the ocean.


    Of course, whenever the horn of war sounded, there was a fourth, and largest, source of spirits¡ªcapturing them from the enemy.


    ¡°Now that there are more and more Greater Elves, naming them is getting more and more difficult,¡± Liszt sighed as he rubbed Mundo¡¯s head.


    Mundo swatted Liszt¡¯s hand away with a palm and cried ¡°J¨¥ l¨« w¨¡l¨¡,¡± annoyed when the red coffee cherries on its head tumbled down at a touch. These fallen coffee cherries were excellent seeds; if dried, they would be high-quality coffee beans, and the ground coffee tasted superb.


    However, Mundo was very protective of these little fruits atop its head and rarely gave anyone the opportunity to pick them.


    ¡­


    In June, Flame Island was in the rainy season and heavy rains were frequent.


    To the former Moon Slayers, the greatest fear in the primeval forest during torrential rains was flooding. But now in Flame Island, every inhabited area had extensive ditches constructed, ensuring smooth drainage and irrigation.


    Moreover, driven by the Mermaid Saltwater Marquis Bluposi, the Fish Ugly Race thoroughly reorganized several rivers, including Whirlpool River. They widened and deepened them, virtually eliminating the possibility of flooding and also created numerous large water storage lakes.


    These man-made lakes could store water in the summer rainy season and in the winter dry season, water could be channeled for irrigation, allowing crops to grow even in winter.


    With such efforts sustained,


    in a few decades, Flame Island would become a land of abundance, providing ample food and clothing all year round.


    On such a rainy morning, Liszt set off with Ach. Accompanied by Little Fire Dragon Leo, Bone Dragon Vinnie, Unicorn Charlie, and the sleeping Little Water Dragon, they mounted Formless Dragon Bard and tore through the material boundary to enter the world beyond matter.


    They found a natural node located in the Eagle Kingdom and crossed through it.


    Following the map provided by Lawrence Green Luo, they flew towards Grey Iron Duchy. When Formless Dragon Bard grew tired, they switched to Little Fire Dragon Leo for high-altitude flight.


    Without stopping, they arrived at the Grey Iron Duchy just as it had been eleven days since Lawrence left Flame Island.


    In other words, Lawrence should have returned to the Grey Iron Duchy yesterday and reported the preliminary results of the negotiation to Duke of Grey Iron Piero Grey Mouth Iron.


    Thus Liszt flew directly to the Royal Palace of the Grey Iron Duchy ¨C Iron Shell Fort.


    Sure enough.


    As soon as Liszt emerged near Iron Shell Fort, knights came forth to pay respects and quickly galloped to the fort to notify Duke Pierrot. Shortly afterwards, Duke Pierrot arrived on horseback and, after dismounting, performed a follower¡¯s courtesy to Liszt.


    ¡°Liszt Your Majesty, thank you for your arrival. Please allow me to show you around Iron Shell Fort; I have already arranged a banquet,¡± said Duke Pierrot.


    ¡°Duke Pierrot, let¡¯s dispense with meals and touring. It¡¯s the matter at hand that¡¯s urgent. What do you think of the cooperation proposal I had Lawrence bring back?¡± Liszt asked.


    ¡°I can agree to the seven Greater Elves, but for the chance to participate in Mind Battles, I hope to add two more opportunities,¡± Pierrot, familiar with Liszt¡¯s character, did not beat around the bush.


    ¡°Why two times?¡± Liszt inquired.


    ¡°Besides Florenza, I have another illegitimate child who also has the talent to be a contender for Dragon Knight,¡± Pierrot mentioned proudly.


    His own talent was mediocre, but the talents of his two bastards were unexpectedly excellent.


    This was why he was determined to return home and take charge of the Grey Iron Duchy.


    The legal heir, his eldest son Petterford of Grey Mouth Iron, did not possess outstanding talent and was merely capable of maintaining the status quo. If the Grey Iron Dragon hadn¡¯t been lost, Petterford¡¯s succession as duke would have been harmless, but with the loss of the Grey Iron Dragon, the family was sure to decline under Petterford¡¯s leadership.


    Therefore, he wanted to leverage the talents of his two bastards to help the Grey Mouth Iron Family return to the ranks of the Dragon Rearing Families.


    ¡°Two chances for Mind Battles?¡± Liszt squinted his eyes, feeling that he could agree; after all, becoming a Dragon Knight was not so simple. Every year there were so many contenders for Dragon Knight, yet only one in a hundred would succeed, ¡°I can agree, but in return, I want ten Greater Elves.¡±


    He then added, ¡°If you cannot provide them, then give me a Dragon Sprite.¡±


    Duke Pierrot smiled bitterly, ¡°Your Majesty, your demands are too harsh. I can only offer eight Greater Elves¡­ The opportunity of the Aluminum Dragon is more valuable to you than any Dragon Sprite.¡±


    ¡°The opportunity of the Aluminum Dragon is indeed invaluable, but without my help, you would lose that opportunity, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How about this? I provide eight Greater Elves and ten Minor Elves, and in addition to that, if you help me eliminate Marquis Pilof of Boulder, I will provide you with an extra lead on a Sub-dragon.¡±

 Chapter 1010 - 1010 1007 Stopping the Childs Crying

    ?Chapter 1010: Chapter 1007: Stopping the Child¡¯s Crying Chapter 1010: Chapter 1007: Stopping the Child¡¯s Crying ¡°I¡¯m not an assassin, Piero,¡± Liszt said with a cold undertone in his voice. It was preposterous to him that Piero saw him as a hitman for hire.


    If it weren¡¯t for the Aluminum Dragon, he wouldn¡¯t want to get involved in Piero¡¯s trivial matters at all.


    Indeed.


    In his eyes, Pilaf the Earth Frenzy was just an ant he could crush at will, yet as a Dragon Knight, he had his own pride. To plan wars and personally plunder resources had already made him, the Flame King, lose quite a bit of dignity, and now, if he were to assassinate a noble, his reputation would be completely ruined.


    A tree lives on its bark, a man lives on his face.


    He could engage in life-and-death battles with other Dragon Knights but was not willing to kill ordinary knights lightly. It was a matter of principle.


    Seeing Liszt¡¯s attitude, Piero couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly, ¡°You¡¯re not an assassin, but you are a vampire!¡±


    Of course, on the surface, he quickly assumed a frightened and apprehensive demeanor: ¡°Ah, please forgive Piero¡¯s indiscretion, Your Majesty. It¡¯s just that Pilaf is too greedy, having forcibly abducted my son Florenza, wanting to claim the Aluminum Dragon for himself, leaving me powerless.¡±


    ¡°Pilaf is certainly greedy, and it is necessary to give him some punishment,¡± Liszt said with a smirk. ¡°As much ability as one has, so should one enjoy resources. As an inheritor of the Ancient Warrior, he is destined to be eliminated by this era, yet he still acts so recklessly. It¡¯s unwise.¡±


    While he seemed to be scolding Pilaf for not understanding the rules, he was actually warning Piero. To request the involvement of a nation¡¯s king in one¡¯s game requires an equivalent stake to be paid.


    ¡°According to what you¡¯re suggesting, Your Majesty, if I¡¯m willing to pay with eight Greater Elves and ten Little Minor Elves, and provide a Sub-dragon lead, what kind of reward can I expect?¡± Piero was no fool. He quickly guessed Liszt¡¯s intentions and asked.


    ¡°You could invite Pilaf to come out for a talk; one Aluminum Dragon is here, the three of us could all try our luck.¡±


    ¡°How to try?¡±


    ¡°Start with a Mind Battle on your side; after a failure, let it be Pilaf¡¯s side¡¯s turn for a Mind Battle, then it¡¯s my turn. If we all fail, we¡¯ll start a new round. As long as you and Pilaf both pay a certain number of elves for the toll, I¡¯ll oversee your Dragon Riding affair.¡±


    After considering for a moment, Duke Piero replied, ¡°I can try to invite Pilaf out, but the price must be lowered.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡­


    The territory of the Grey Iron Duchy was directly adjacent to that of the Marquis of Boulder, and the distance between the King¡¯s Castle and the central city of the Marquis was equally short. Previously, when the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn was still part of the Grey Iron Duchy, Piero never missed an opportunity to bully others using his status. Now it was the Marquis of Boulder¡¯s turn to suppress Piero.


    Considering himself to have the upper hand, Marquis Pilaf of Boulder eventually consented to Duke Grey Iron Piero¡¯s request to meet in a border town.


    ¡°Duke Piero, I will not return Florenza to you. My son will undergo the Mind Battle first; that¡¯s the only option!¡± As soon as Pilaf entered the castle and sat down, he laid out his attitude, ¡°After my sons Picart and Pilet fail in the Mind Battle, then it¡¯s Florenza¡¯s turn.¡±


    ¡°Pilaf, are you taking me for granted?¡± Duke Piero looked coldly at the man before him, with his disheveled beard and broad, bear-like figure. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Marquis of Boulder was true to his name, like a massive rock.


    Such was the figure unique to the Cloaked Bear-wearer, whose sheer bulk, even without the aid of magic power, could unleash the brute force to tear apart tigers and leopards with his bare hands.


    After consuming Dog¡¯s Mantle Mushrooms, a toxic kind of little mushroom, his magic power went unrestrained, and his aura surged fiercely.


    Pilaf laughed heartily: ¡°The glory of knighthood doesn¡¯t just favor your knightly families. My sons are also knights and are likewise graced with the glory of knighthood. Duke, the Aluminum Dragon belongs to the glory of the Earth Fury Family. You should just get used to it.¡±


    ¡°If I ask for assistance from the Eagle Royal Family, you won¡¯t stand a chance!¡±


    ¡°The Grey Iron Family won¡¯t stand a chance either. We¡¯re the same, and who would dare to risk a leak. Moreover, losing the glory of the Aluminum Dragon, my family might be reprimanded by the Royal Family at most, but we wouldn¡¯t suffer any loss. However, the Grey Iron Family would risk the danger of decline, hehe.¡±


    Pilaf might have looked like a simple brute, but in reality, he was quite perceptive and had a deep understanding of the pros and cons involved.


    Unfortunately, he miscalculated one thing: Duke Pierrot, having had a taste, chose to collaborate with Liszt again¡ªDuke Pierrot thought he was pulling a tiger¡¯s skin to make a big banner, unaware it was a case of waving the tiger only to usher in the wolf.


    Be that as it may.


    At a time when Pilaf was feeling extremely satisfied with himself, Liszt, having already surveyed the surrounding area for hundreds of kilometers and confirmed there were no Dragon Knights lying in wait, descended from the sky and walked into the small, unnamed castle. Flack Abbaie enhanced his imposing figure, making it impeccably erect.


    The handsome face no longer bore the naivety of his early years, just wisdom and maturity, steadiness and dominance.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Pilaf¡¯s gaze was inextricably drawn towards Liszt as he entered, his pores constricting and goosebumps covering his body, already feeling a massive pressure.


    ¡°Allow me to introduce him,¡± Duke Pierrot chuckled, ¡°This is the most outstanding legendary figure from the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, the king of Flame Kingdom, His Majesty Liszt Flame, the Sacred Dragon-Invisible Dragon Knight. He will preside over the Aluminum Dragon distribution matter for us.¡±


    Liszt casually sat down, his gaze briefly assessing Pilaf. His Eye of Magic revealed the thick Chaotic Magic Power within Pilaf¡¯s body.


    This power needed only a spark to trigger a violent explosion.


    It must be said that the Cloaked Bear-wearer¡¯s Ancient Warrior Inheritance was a very interesting and unique Cultivation System, worthy of deeper study.


    ¡°The Formless Dragon Knight!¡± Pilaf stood up in shock on the spot.


    His retinue of knights, too, clustered around Pilaf in a panic, pulling out their Knight¡¯s Longswords and looking fearfully at Liszt with the atmosphere tense enough to ignite at any moment.


    Liszt suddenly unleashed his Dragon Might at the crowd and commanded authoritatively, ¡°Sit down!¡±


    Crack!


    Marquis Pilaf of Boulder couldn¡¯t help but sit down again, took a deep breath to quickly adjust his mentality, and gestured his retainers to disperse, ¡°Without receiving news from His Majesty Liszt, Pilaf failed to personally welcome Your Majesty. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°These trivial matters are of no concern.¡±


    Liszt offered a slight smile, ¡°I am here to reiterate my facilitation plan: it will be a trilateral agreement signed by the Grey Iron Family, Earth Fury Family, and myself. Duke Pierrot will pay me seven Greater Elves along with a clue about a Sub-dragon, and I ensure that Florenza Chase Wind Arrow gets the first chance to engage in the Mind Battle with the Aluminum Dragon.¡±


    ¡°He has no right to be first!¡± Pilaf was about to slam his hand on the table upon hearing this, but then he glanced at Liszt and lowered his hand, ¡°Your Majesty Liszt, that doesn¡¯t seem fair, does it?¡±


    ¡°First come, first served¡ªFlorenza is entitled to the first opportunity. You, Marquis Pilaf, also have a chance to participate. If you pay me five Greater Elves, I will allow your son Picart to have the second opportunity, and I would graciously settle for third.¡±


    Pilaf¡¯s hand rose again as if to hit the table, but he restrained himself, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with this order; Florenza has no right to precede my son!¡±


    Liszt¡¯s eyebrows rose, ¡°Pilaf, are you questioning my authority?¡±


    ¡°This is the Eagle Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°Even if we were in the Neverfall Empire, I can exhibit my authority all the same. Pilaf, you don¡¯t seem to see it that way?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I can¡¯t stop Your Majesty Liszt¡¯s formidable strength, but I have a backup. The Eagle Royal Family could hear about everything happening here at any moment, and once the Royal Family intervenes, nobody gets the Aluminum Dragon!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I propose a tripartite cooperation. You can attempt the first and second Mind Battles, and I only ask for the third. In reality, this is merely to avoid distractions. Even if King Adonis Moonlight Silver of the Eagle Kingdom himself were to come, if I fail to secure the bond with the dragon, I could simply kill the Aluminum Dragon, annihilate the Earth Fury Family, and then leave.¡±


    To kill a dragon as though it were no different from a chicken¡ª


    Such words from another, Pilaf could spit in his face, but with Liszt speaking, Pilaf could only accept¡ªafter all, this Dragon Knight once forcefully killed two Dragon Knights and alone challenged five dragons. Such a ferocious reputation that could quiet a three-year-old child¡¯s crying.


    If Pilaf dared to arrange things carelessly, the Earth Fury Family truly faced the risk of extermination.

 Chapter 1011 - 1011 1008 Reminder of Fate

    ?Chapter 1011: Chapter 1008: Reminder of Fate Chapter 1011: Chapter 1008: Reminder of Fate Facing the threat from Liszt, Marquis Pilof of Boulder, Pilaf the Earth Frenzy, ultimately backed down. He couldn¡¯t guarantee that Liszt wouldn¡¯t utterly annihilate the Earth Fury Family in an instant.


    With Liszt¡¯s formidable military achievements, even the Eagle Royal Family felt helpless, let alone his mere Ancient Warrior Family.


    To dare question Liszt¡¯s arrangements and make sneaky moves would likely result in the loss of heritage among the Ancient Warriors cloaked in bear skins the very next day.


    Rules, as a Noble, one must follow rules, especially those set by the Dragon Rearing Family.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Earth Fury Family is willing to offer five Greater Elves in exchange for a second chance at the Mind Battle, and thereafter we will follow this sequence to strategize,¡±


    ¡°A wise choice, that simplifies matters. Now, let everyone hand over the Greater Elves, and then we can formulate a plan to conquer the Aluminum Dragon. Even though this is a juvenile Aluminum Dragon, it¡¯s not something that can be easily achieved.¡± Liszt clapped his hands and decided on a cooperative plan among the three Dragon Riding families.


    Soon after, the Earth Fury Family released Florenza Chase Wind Arrows, and Florenza shared the secrets of conquering the Aluminum Dragon.


    ¡°The uninhabited wilderness south of Firm Earth is where the Aluminum Dragon roams. I once honed my Dou Qi in that wilderness and accidentally discovered this young Aluminum Dragon. According to my estimation, the Aluminum Dragon is about fifty years old and not very hostile towards humans, so I deliberately approached it.¡±


    Firm Earth is the fiefdom of Marquis Pilof of Boulder, and the uninhabited wilderness to the south is where the Aluminum Dragon moves about.


    ¡°Have you figured out the preferences of the Aluminum Dragon in your efforts to conquer it?¡± Liszt inquired, knowing the preferences of a dragon could ease the conquest.


    Florenza, though young, was already a seasoned Sword Saint and on the verge of becoming a Completion Level Sky Knight.


    His time conquering the Aluminum Dragon would not be too long, as he was already close to the Mind Battle, clearly having figured out the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s preferences. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After looking at Liszt, Pilof, and Piero, Florenza hesitated for a moment and sighed, ¡°The Aluminum Dragon¡¯s preference is for the metal silver. With enough silver coins, one can please the Aluminum Dragon. I¡¯ve already built a nest for it deep in the wilderness out of silver coins, so it no longer resists letting me ride on its back.¡±


    A metal-loving Aluminum Dragon that oddly favors another metal, silver.


    If one were to bring the Silver Dragon from the Eagle Royal Family, who knows if the Aluminum Dragon would just fall under their spell, truly a bizarre occurrence.


    ¡­


    ¡°Complete the task, reward Aluminum Dragon clues.¡±


    After discussing the specifics of the Mind Battle, Liszt finally took the time to review the completed Smoke Mission and pondered new tasks.


    ¡°Task: Interests can easily blind people; sometimes, one must not only observe the surface but also look beyond it to see the hidden conspiracies. A juvenile Aluminum Dragon active in the wilderness¡ªwho can ensure that it is an isolated entity and not a tool being used? Please be cautious in the first two Mind Battles. Reward: Unknown.¡±


    After reading the new task description, Liszt furrowed his brow. Clearly, a task with an unknown reward is a warning from the Power of Destiny.


    ¡°Conspiracy¡­ It seems that this appearance of the Aluminum Dragon is not a mere pleasant surprise but a schemed plot. But which faction could be plotting from the shadows? The Eagle Kingdom or¡­ the Kushan Imperial?¡± The conspiracy occurring in the Eagle Kingdom also involves a dragon.


    Evidently, one can¡¯t exclude the Eagle Royal Family.


    But judging from the waning situation of the Eagle Kingdom as Liszt saw it, the Eagle Royal Family is unlikely to initiate another powerful dragon-slaying war.


    It¡¯s not a lack of strength, but rather, should they fail, the risk could lead to the downfall of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Despite not perishing, it was at least torn asunder in four or five places.


    Thus, he quickly thought of the Shadow Incarnations he had discovered based on the Smoke Mission. Four Shadow Incarnations were still imprisoned in the dungeons of Flame Island. Behind these Shadow Incarnations was the malice from the Kushan Imperial.


    It appeared that one of the Shadow Incarnations had already left, likely to convey information back to the Kushan Imperial.


    Perhaps Emperor Jupiter had already passed on new instructions, and it was very likely that he was plotting this conspiracy.


    ¡°The Smoke Mission made me cautious about the first two Mind Battles, which means, the conspiracy is likely to be launched during these two Mind Battles.¡±


    He slowly pondered.


    He wasn¡¯t overly anxious, as the malice from the Kushan Imperial was anticipated, and now with the reminder of the Smoke Mission, he could completely avoid or even use their own plans against them.


    ¡°The Blood Servants have already cultivated quite a few new seeds. and infiltrated expertly near the three major kingdoms and dependent territories. It¡¯s easy to pinpoint the movements of those dragons and Dragon Knights. Hence, the peril I¡¯m facing must involve tactics similar to those Marquis of Bull once used in the assassination attempt on the Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    So, he asked Ach, ¡°Ach, if someone were to plot against me using the Aluminum Dragon, what tactics would they use?¡±


    Ach tilted his head and asked in return, ¡°What is brother¡¯s most powerful tactic?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the space teleportation in coordination with Bard¡­ Do you mean, if they target me, they would tamper with space?¡±


    ¡°Bard is not yet of age, his spatial abilities have not fully developed. It¡¯s entirely possible to use the magic power to seal the space, making it impossible for Bard to freely teleport beyond physical realms, and even unable to enter the physical boundaries. At that time, brother and Bard would be forced to confront the enemy.¡±


    This was indeed likely and was also the best method to target Liszt. Once they launch a conspiracy where he is strongest, it is almost certain they could truly kill him.


    Concerning his own safety, he couldn¡¯t help but pay utmost attention, ¡°Then, is there any way to break the seal?¡±


    ¡°Just purify the magic lock.¡±


    ¡°How to purify?¡±


    ¡°This requires coordination from Bard, and also Charley¡¯s help; and starting now, Ach will start making Magic Equipment. When someone locks the space, immediately perform a purification spell to unlock the space again.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then start making it quickly. Also, don¡¯t just make it capable of a single purification. It¡¯s better to purify several times.¡± Liszt never fought unprepared. With Magic Equipment to purify the magic lock, he had to prepare three or four times the amount to feel secure intervening in the disputes over the Aluminum Dragon.


    Thus.


    Florenza Chase Wind Arrow began his final preparations to strategize over the Aluminum Dragon, supported by Duke Pierrot. Pilaf closely watched, ensuring Duke Pierrot did not betray the agreement between the three parties this time; while Liszt returned to the Flame Kingdom earlier with the Greater Elves donated by the Grey Iron Family and the Earth Fury Family.


    Duke Pierrot contributed seven Greater Elves. For the Grey Iron Family, such a number of Greater Elves was enough to greatly weaken them ¡ª but for the chance to ride dragons, they had to pay.


    Pilaf contributed five Greater Elves. For the Earth Fury Family, it was an act akin to self-harm.


    In fact, both families could have negotiated amicably, each having a turn at dragon riding, entirely avoiding the involvement of Liszt ¡ª of course, without Liszt stepping in, they might not have been able to sit down and negotiate peacefully.


    Moreover, this time, it might just be that those plotting the conspiracy were motivating from behind, using Greater Elves as bait to attract Liszt.


    ¡°Anyway, as the saying goes, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. I, Liszt, am destined to be the oriole!¡± Holding a large pile of reluctant Greater Elves, Liszt rode the dragon gallantly, soaring among the blue sky and white clouds.

 Chapter 1012 - 1012 1009 Everything is Ready

    ?Chapter 1012: Chapter 1009: Everything is Ready Chapter 1012: Chapter 1009: Everything is Ready Oats, barley, apples, tomatoes, peas, White Crystal Chrysanthemum, ice grass¡ªPiero Grey Iron paid with seven Greater Elves, of which only the White Crystal Chrysanthemum Greater Elf could plant Magic Potions.


    Rockwood, tobacco, tea trees, barley, millet¡ªPilaf the Earth Frenzy paid with five Greater Elves, none were of the Magic Potion variety, but they all just barely counted as grain types.


    Suddenly, with twelve more Greater Elves, the number under Liszt¡¯s command had doubled. It had to be said that only as of today did he barely manage to build a bit of the foundation befitting a Dragon Rearing Family¡ªat least in terms of the number of Greater Elves, not much behind an average Grand Duchy¡¯s Dragon Rearing Family.


    In this world of knightly systems, the Nobles might rule, but they were strictly divided into hierarchies.


    The common Honored Knights lived comfortably just by looking after an Elf Bug; a Baron may have a few Elf Bugs, cultivating a small town; a Viscount owned a Minor Elf, managing a small city; an Earl had a Greater Elf, operating a large city and several smaller ones; the number of Greater Elves a Marquis had varied.


    For Marquis Pilof of Boulder from an Ancient Warrior Family or Marquis Nuta with Dimaria Yuhua Stone who were Domain Knights, both had a dozen or more Greater Elves.


    Even the former Marquis of Bull had a Dragon Elf.


    And for Grand Ducal families like Piero Grey Iron, having over twenty Greater Elves was standard, and there should be two or three Dragon Elves as well. If it was a Grand Ducal family like the Red and White Rose Family, the number of Greater Elves might reach forty or fifty.


    Then moving higher up, each major Kingdom¡¯s Royal Family might have Greater Elves numbering over a hundred, and they could also breed many Dragon Elves.


    ¡°The journey is long, and I need more accumulation,¡± Liszt sighed, already embracing the Greater Elves as they entered the world beyond material with Formless Dragon Bard.


    Upon seeing the world beyond material for the first time, all the Greater Elves trembled.


    Feeling sulky, aggrieved, excited, they all held back their little tempers and hid in Liszt¡¯s embrace.


    These small beings who couldn¡¯t be infused with Space Magic Power would usually not be brought along. However, Formless Dragon Bard was growing; its Dragon Magic Power spread out, moving the surrounding space into the world beyond material.


    ¡°Ach, do you think if Bard keeps growing, it could expand the range of its Dragon Magic Power and then carry a flock of dragons through space?¡± Liszt calmed the Greater Elves while conversing with Ach, who was leisurely strolling around Bard on Unicorn Charlie.


    Ach pondered for a moment, ¡°Ach isn¡¯t sure, but judging from Bard¡¯s growth trajectory, it¡¯s quite likely. The full power of an adult Formless Dragon is unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°If that were truly possible, it¡¯d be marvelous.¡±


    He had beautiful thoughts; if it were truly possible, Bard would equal the Master Spell in ¡®Warcraft,¡¯ an outstanding group teleportation. It was conceivable that a Dragon Knight in flight would suddenly face a group of dragons appearing before them, be overpowered and killed, and then the dragons retreat in a puff of smoke.


    Coming without Shadows, gone without a trace, it would be the nightmare of any ordinary Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Wuu ya!¡± Feeling the scene Liszt imagined, Bard also got excited, expressing its certainty that it could achieve all this¡ªas long as it had a sufficient supply of Red Dragon Water Magic Potion to grow quickly, helping Liszt conquer far and wide across the Legendary Continent sooner.


    ¡°Red Dragon Water isn¡¯t easy to come by; the Red and White Rose Family aren¡¯t fools. This friendship won¡¯t last too long.¡±


    ¡°Wuu ya!¡± Bard indicated that while the friendship was still strong, they should exchange more gifts for Red Dragon Water; with Red Dragon Water, everything else would be negotiable.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, I¡¯ll be sending an Envoy Group to the Rose Duchy for exchanges soon.¡±


    ¡­


    For Liszt, retuning from an outing with twelve Greater Elves hardly caused much of a stir in the estate. Even the servants at Flame Castle were just momentarily pleased.


    They had experienced too many wonders at Liszt¡¯s side over the years.


    Dragons were brought home as though they were wholesale items, let alone Greater Elves. For the Son of Glory, who was believed to be favored by the glory of knighthood, all this was just part of the routine¨Ca fact that somewhat irked Liszt, who now felt unable to attract attention without making a big move.


    ¡°Father, I¡¯ll leave these Greater Elves to the Development Committee to handle. They should build plantations for them as quickly as possible. If we sow now, we can still reap one or two harvests after autumn.¡±


    ¡°Have you named them?¡±


    ¡°There are too many, impossible to name them all at once. We¡¯ll decide on that later. I¡¯ve been quite busy lately and might have to be away for a while. If there are no particularly difficult decisions to make, I¡¯d like you to oversee everything.¡±


    ¡°I will take good care of everything on Flame Island for you.¡±


    After sorting out the estate development matters, Liszt immediately immersed himself in Ach¡¯s laboratory, working with Ach to set up a purification magic. This magic was based on a Magic Array and, with the help of Bard¡¯s abilities, could reverse the sealed space, breaking down the barriers of space.


    Conspiracies were brewing in secret, necessitating meticulous preparations.


    While creating the purification magic, Liszt was also developing his Phoenix Incarnation abilities, practicing several powerful magics that Ach had developed for him.


    Even with a strong set of trump cards, Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    he was still genuinely arranging fallback plans and various escape schemes, fearing not for the ten thousand possibilities but for the one that might actually occur. Dragon Knights seemed to stand at the pinnacle of power, yet dragons were diverse in kind, including Sacred and Evil Dragons, and the enigmatic Dragon of the Magic Web. Who knew whether forces existed that could threaten him.


    Fortunately, the destiny power represented by the Smoke Mission was truly formidable, revealing the conspiracies in advance and facilitating Liszt¡¯s strategic planning.


    He and Ach labored in the laboratory for a whole week, arranging numerous fallbacks. Feeling that the preparations were about right, he then prepared to set off for Firm Earth to oversee Florenza Chase Wind Arrows¡¯ first Mind Battle.


    Accompanying them were four Blood Servants adept in Wind Language, equipped with the latest model of the Simple Magic Platform. The task of these four Blood Servants was to monitor Florenza and Picart Earthrage, to be informed of their progress in subduing the Aluminum Dragon at all times.


    They brought magic equipment personally designed by Ach, extremely capable of hiding their presence, especially at night when even Domain Knights could not detect them.


    After arriving at Firm Earth, the four Blood Servants immediately went undercover.


    Ach continued to ride Unicorn Charley, hiding at the edges of the material world. Liszt did not show himself immediately either, riding the Formless Dragon Bard as he searched the vicinity for a natural node. He carefully scoured the wilderness to the south of Firm Earth and indeed discovered a natural node.


    The exit was within the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s territory, on a somewhat bald hillock. He tried scraping at the hillock, only to find that it was actually a mine¨Ca Brass Ore mine.


    The value of Brass Ore was average, mainly used for equipment and making copper coins; a pity that the mine was far within the boundaries of the Eagle Kingdom, and Liszt could not mine it. So he simply noted down the location, perhaps for the time when the Flame Kingdom could annex this territory after the fall of the Eagle Kingdom.


    ¡°The natural node has been found. This way, the journey to and fro can be greatly shortened. No amount of Kushan Imperial¡¯s conspiracies will be able to truly get at me!¡±


    A few days after discovering this natural node of Brass Ore, Florenza, under the influence of silver coin persuasion, finally got the chance for a Mind Battle with the juvenile Aluminum Dragon.


    And with this, Liszt¡¯s vigilance was heightened to an extremely cautious level.

 Chapter 1013 - 1013 1010 Failure

    ?Chapter 1013: Chapter 1010: Failure Chapter 1013: Chapter 1010: Failure The appearance of the Aluminum Dragon was not one of shining silver; instead, it had a greyish-white texture, and seemed delicate and soft at first glance.


    But though the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s face was slender, its features were rough and rugged, which somewhat disrupted the animal¡¯s overall softness, adding instead a strange sense of power. At the moment, the creature was only about thirty meters long, with a wingspan of roughly the same, not particularly large, but for its age of just fifty years, it wasn¡¯t small either.


    The details of Florenza Chase Wind Arrow¡¯s Mind Battle were known only to Liszt, hidden at the edge of the material realm, witnessing the entire process.


    There was nothing too complex about it, simply mounting up and then, in a flash, the Aluminum Dragon paused, jerked its neck in the next moment, flinging Florenza away, then let out a roar before turning away and soaring towards the blue sky and white clouds.


    Obviously,


    Florenza had failed.


    Witnessing it all, Liszt¡¯s lips curled into a smile; none of this had been outside his expectations. To ride a dragon, with Florenza¡¯s talents and skills, there was still some ripening needed.


    Ach curiously asked, ¡°Brother, if these people truly succeeded in dragon riding, would you let the Aluminum Dragon go? Aren¡¯t dragons extremely precious creatures that we should never let go of no matter what?¡±


    Liszt ruffled her hair, ¡°If they really succeed in dragon riding¡­ Hehe, it¡¯s okay. Destiny, you see, if it belongs to you, it will come to you even if you don¡¯t strive for it; if it¡¯s not yours, even if you seize it, you won¡¯t be able to hold on to it. We just need to do what we must, and leave the rest to destiny.¡±


    Whose side was destiny on?


    Clearly, it was on Liszt¡¯s side.


    Florenza had already failed at dragon riding. The young knight, thrown to the ground, watched the receding figure of the Aluminum Dragon, lying lost and dispirited on the muddy ground for a long time without getting up. He had been so confident of succeeding in dragon riding, especially since the Aluminum Dragon had shown him some affection, he hadn¡¯t expected such an ending.


    However, Florenza¡¯s ordeal was far from over.


    When the news of his failure got back, what awaited him was the look of cold indifference in the eyes of Duke Piero Grey Iron, and the ill-concealed schadenfreude of Marquis Pilaf Earth Frenzy.


    There was also Picart Earthrage, incessantly querying him for details of the Mind Battle¡ªaccording to the agreement among the three houses, those who failed at dragon riding were obligated to reveal the process of their failure.


    In the small castle, Liszt held a teacup, sipping his tea while listening to Florenza¡¯s narrative.


    Stumbling and hesitating.


    Florenza reluctantly disclosed the reason for his failure in the Mind Battle¡ªit turned out that during the battle, the Aluminum Dragon had been an adult and was able to turn into a stream of water. It didn¡¯t resort to violence; instead, it required Florenza to break through its liquid transformation and successfully locate the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    ¡°So you couldn¡¯t even find the Dragon Tooth Platform within a mass of liquid?¡± Piero bit his lip in frustration, ¡°Have you remembered nothing of what I¡¯ve told you about dragons?¡±


    ¡°Father, you cannot fathom the strength of the Aluminum Dragon during the Mind Battle!¡± Florenza retorted forcefully, filled with suppressed rage.


    Seeing no more information forthcoming, Pilaf swiftly left with his son Picart, preparing to woo the Aluminum Dragon with the ready silver coins to earn a chance at the Mind Battle. Young dragons are easily swayed, especially when one caters to their preferences, but even a simple task demanded swift action.


    Delays can lead to unexpected changes.


    Liszt too prepared to depart, as no schemes had surfaced and it seemed none would unfold now.


    But just as he was about to leave the castle, Florenza Chase Wind Arrow suddenly caught up to him: ¡°Your Majesty, Florenza apologizes for taking up a moment of your time.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Liszt looked at Florenza curiously, wondering what the other man wanted.


    Florenza knelt on one knee, ¡°Florenza, having failed at dragon riding, no longer sees a purpose in staying in the Grey Iron Duchy. As a bastard son, I have not contributed to the duchy, and have no place within the Grey Iron Family. I wish to follow Your Majesty!¡±


    He was actually planning to pledge allegiance to Liszt; this took Liszt by surprise, ¡°Why do you wish to follow me?¡±


    ¡°The Grey Iron Duchy has no place for me, and the Eagle Kingdom will treat me no differently. Only the Flame Kingdom is the most suitable choice for me. And Your Majesty, your past great achievements are all things I admire. Following behind you is the best path for Florenza.¡±


    These words were very candid, and whether judging from relationships or prospects, Liszt was an eminently suitable Landlord to follow.


    Though Florenza had not succeeded in Dragon Riding, he had obtained the preliminary recognition from an Aluminum Dragon, and was on the verge of completing his Dou Qi at a young age, clearly showing exceptional talent, and could be recruited as a follower.


    ¡°You may rise. As for your allegiance, I need Duke Piero¡¯s consent,¡± Liszt stated.


    ¡°In fact, this is exactly what my father hoped I would do.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why is that?¡±


    ¡°He probably no longer has faith in the future of the Grey Iron Duchy. With the Aluminum Dragon Riding attempt failing, this nation is almost out of options. Having lost the Dragon and at odds with the Eagle Royal Family, my father needs someone to make sensible choices for the family¡­ He also has an illegitimate son who may have a chance to attempt Dragon Riding in the next opportunity, while I wish to continue our family¡¯s presence in the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Very well, I can accept your allegiance. However, you will have to make your own way to the Flame Kingdom. You will have plenty of time on the journey to think it over, and if you regret this decision, you may leave midway.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t regret it!¡± Florenza stood up, bowed deeply to Liszt, and determined that he would head to the Flame Kingdom.


    To leave this place that brought him shame and disappointment.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that as he was packing his belongings, saying farewell to Duke Piero, and setting off on his own, Liszt was secretly observing him the whole time. Only after he left the Grey Iron Duchy and traveled far beyond the southern wilderness of Firm Earth did Liszt confirm that the conspiracy had nothing to do with him.


    ¡°With Florenza not involved, Duke Piero is unlikely to be a major factor either, or the conspiracy would have acted by now¡­ That means the conspirer, the schemer from the Kushan Imperial, must stand behind the Earth Fury Family¡­ Next, I¡¯ll send more Blood Servants over, to monitor the Earth Fury Family!¡±


    ¡­


    Having not encountered the expected conspiracy, Liszt was quite disappointed; he disliked being the target of someone else¡¯s attentions.


    Picart Earthrage¡¯s ambition to conquer the Aluminum Dragon might still take months, meaning that he had to guard against a conspiracy for a few more months. Fortunately, with Blood Servants monitoring the Earth Fury Family, he didn¡¯t need to stay in Firm Earth at all times, and could thus avoid danger.


    He could develop his territory with peace of mind.


    It was just a pity that the Smoke Mission had to be delayed further. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shortly after Liszt departed, several Blood Servants quietly infiltrated the Earth Fury Family¡¯s Castle, working cautiously as servants by day and stealthily transforming into bats at night to gather information.


    That night.


    A Blood Servant, in the guise of a bat, carefully avoided the Magic Array set up in the Castle, hanging upside down in a corner of a secret meeting room.


    The servant listened to the entire meeting clearly from beginning to end, which started with Marquis Pilof of Boulder and his two sons, Picart and Pilet, discussing how to conquer the Aluminum Dragon.


    Soon a guest was ushered in.


    As the guest entered, Marquis Pilof of Boulder immediately questioned, ¡°You said you would act when Florenza attempted Dragon Riding, so why the delay? Now, Liszt has left, and there¡¯s no chance to take action!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Marquis Pilof. There¡¯s a reason we didn¡¯t strike. Although my master is powerful, the target is a Formless Dragon, and we must be extremely cautious since there is only one opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t this time a perfect opportunity? With Florenza attempting Dragon Riding, Liszt would¡¯ve certainly been watching!¡±


    ¡°Do you think a Dragon Knight who could establish a new Kingdom would lose his sense over an Aluminum Dragon and be completely unguarded? Be patient. Let him think the conquest of the Aluminum Dragon is truly pleasant cooperation. Only this way, during the next Mind Battle, he will become complacent, and then¡­¡±


    At this, the Blood Servant held its breath, listening intently as the guest ominously said, ¡°Then will come the moment to deal Liszt a fatal blow!¡±


    The atmosphere in the meeting room seemed to pause.


    After a moment.


    The guest continued, ¡°When that time arrives, the Sacred Dragon-Formless Dragon shall belong to my master. And the Earth Fury Family, Picart and Pilet can continue their attempt on the Aluminum Dragon; if successful, they will establish a new Grand Duchy under the support of my master and join the ranks of the Dragon Rearing Families!¡±

 Chapter 1014 - 1014 1011 It Belongs to Me Now

    ?Chapter 1014: Chapter 1011: It Belongs to Me Now Chapter 1014: Chapter 1011: It Belongs to Me Now ¡°There¡¯s only one chance, one strike for a sure kill, hmm, indeed a perfect plan, which relieves me quite a bit. So it¡¯s the Marquis of Boulder in cahoot with the Kushan Imperial, plotting against me¡­ The Cloaked Bear-wearer should have been swept into the dustbin of history by now!¡±


    It was hard for the Kushan Imperial and the Marquis of Boulder to imagine that their conspiracy had long been thoroughly seen through by Liszt.


    And after seeing through the conspiracy, Liszt had actually relaxed, as all necessary preparations had been completed early on; now he just awaited the arrival of the second Mind Battle. At that time, he could counter their plans and ensnare the schemers from the Kushan Imperial in one go, and take the opportunity to snatch away the underaged Aluminum Dragon.


    ¡°Now for the next few months, just carry on as usual.¡±


    Liszt intended to go about his activities as usual over these months, waiting for Picart Earthrage from the Marquis of Boulder to initiate the Mind Battle, before he would move to confront the conspiracy. However, just a month had passed when new information was delivered by a Blood Servant: Picart had bonded well with the Aluminum Dragon.


    It only took a month, and not many silver coins had been spent to already gain the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s favor, preparing Picart for the Mind Battle.


    This was an unexpected contingency; no one had thought that Picart and the Aluminum Dragon would bond so well.


    There were almost signs of a prearrangement.


    Because of this, Liszt could not wait any longer, ¡°Ach, get ready. Let¡¯s set off for Firm Earth right now, witness this Mind Battle, and brace for the ensuing conspiracy.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, brother, don¡¯t worry ¡ª Ach is fully prepared.¡±


    Subsequently, the two headed for Firm Earth and stealthily hid at the edge of the material boundary, watching from afar the Aluminum Dragon and the circling Picart. They even checked the camp of the Earth Fury Family, finding no unusual presence there, just some ordinary Knights.


    If it weren¡¯t for the reminder from the Smoke Mission and the reports from the Blood Servants, Liszt might actually believe this was a friendly collaboration.


    But now, he remained extremely vigilant and had Ach follow closely behind, secretly protecting himself within the material boundary.


    With Ach¡¯s capability for instantaneous Super Magic, he could block any assassination attempt at once.


    ¡°It seems everything is normal; however, it is precisely this state of normality that hints at something abnormal. Be careful, Ach.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother ¡ª Ach will protect you!¡±


    ¡°Not just me, you must also take good care of yourself.¡±


    Liszt smiled and then, riding the Formless Dragon, appeared openly to greet Marquis Pilof as a way to lure the snake out of its hole, ¡°Marquis Pilof, your son is quite remarkable, to have won over the Aluminum Dragon in such a short time.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, thank Your Majesty for the praise. It¡¯s all due to Picart¡¯s own efforts, but he cannot compare to Your Majesty. To tame an Aluminum Dragon is to have the glory of a Knight shine upon the Earth Fury Family,¡± Pilof couldn¡¯t contain his excitement, trying to remain composed but unable to calm down.


    Dragon!


    The Dragons at the pinnacle of power in this world!


    And the Dragon Knights who harness them will establish a state belonging to their family and ascend into the ranks of the Dragon Rearing Families! For this opportunity, the Earth Fury Family was willing to risk everything.


    Soon after, Liszt, Pilof, and Piero of Duke Grey Iron were sitting together in the same tent.


    Duke Grey Iron Piero¡¯s entire face was green as if his wife had been tormented by someone else for three days and three nights. The Aluminum Dragon was discovered by his illegitimate son and took the family¡¯s vast resources to attempt taming it. Now, just one step short, he stands to lose both the dragon and wealth; how could he be calm and collected.


    Behind him was another bastard, a very young Knight who, given the chance, would be the next to attempt Dragon Riding.


    Currently, this young Knight¡¯s eyes were also green with envy, wishing he could instantly devour Picart to prevent him from Dragon Riding.


    Marquis Pilof of Boulder wore a full-faced smile, not minding Piero¡¯s rage at all. It was a glorious moment for the Earth Fury Family, why not smile.


    As for Liszt, he appeared serene, seemingly unconcerned whether Picart would successfully ride the Dragon or not.


    In reality, he was exceptionally focused and ready to transform into a Phoenix at any moment to escape Kushan Imperial¡¯s deadly plot.


    The Bone Dragon Vinnie formed a faint skull pattern on his face, which would immediately transform into armor to protect Liszt and provide him with a Divine weapon ¨C the Bone Dragon Sword ¨C should any battle break out.


    Little Fire Dragon Leo remained vigilant as well, ready to burst out and transform into a majestic Fire Dragon for a head-on battle.


    Formless Dragon Bard had slipped into the material boundary, constantly alert to prevent other Dragon Knights from stealthily approaching. Ach and Unicorn Charlie stood on the back of the Formless Dragon, also preparing to take action.


    Now everything was ready, all that was missing was the east wind.


    And this east wind was actually hidden within the camp, in a tent where two individuals dressed as Knights were observing something through a mirror-like device. There was no reflective surface on the mirror, only magical runes forming strange patterns that flickered on and off. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Counselor, the mage called Acherloides is right above the camp, while the target is inside the tent. Should we make our move now?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a guaranteed kill if we move now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m confident I can take out Liszt directly, then use the Jade Fruit to incapacitate the Formless Dragon. But are you sure you can hold off that Sea Monster Magician?¡±


    ¡°The young Archmage, who has reportedly mastered both the Water and Ice Elements, is still not enough in my presence.¡±


    ¡°Dominance. I admire that dominance of yours Counselor. So let¡¯s begin the assassination!¡±


    ¡°Shall we not wait? Should we start the assassination when Picart engages in the Mind Battle? Starting now, our preparation isn¡¯t sufficient and Liszt¡¯s attention won¡¯t be easily diverted.¡±


    ¡°You might be good at plotting conspiracies Counselor, but assassinations are my forte. An assassin who truly walks in the shadows never needs to be fully prepared, only to catch the victim by surprise!¡± the Knight-clad assassin declared, as he took off his armor and stripped off his clothes.


    Naked, his body was covered in black patterns, dense and intricate like a layer of silk-tight clothing.


    Next moment.


    The assassin, as if diving into a river, jumped directly into the corner shadows of the tent. His body seemed to melt and merge into the shadows.


    Watching the assassin disappear, the other Knight, known as the Counselor, also removed his armor, and from a box beside him, he donned a luxurious golden Magic Cloak. He took out a magic staff adorned with a dozen gemstones and held it in his hand, activating each gemstone in turn.


    Then he glanced again at the mirror device in his hands. When the magical runes on it formed the correct pattern,


    He, with a face showing signs of age, put on a stern expression, sharply stabbing the magic staff into the ground and activating all the gemstones at once.


    Next moment.


    A golden Light burst from the top of the magic staff, radiating like sunlight in all directions, lighting up all the space instantly. In the blink of an eye, the golden light covered a radius of over a hundred kilometers. Above and below, everywhere was bathed in magic light as brilliant as the sun¡¯s rays.


    ¡°Sunlight illuminates everything; there¡¯s nowhere to hide!¡± whispered the elderly magician.


    At the same time.


    The tent where Liszt was located, too, was penetrated by this dazzling light, casting faint human shadows on the ground. Just then, Liszt felt a sudden jolt in his heart; his pupils dilated rapidly as he saw a distorted human figure leaping out from his own shadow.


    The twisted figure held a gruesome greatsword composed of countless shattered crystals, which pierced straight through Liszt¡¯s chest. The Thunder Roar Armor, acquired from the previous Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight Carlo Violet, offered no protection whatsoever.


    Without even a chance to react, he was skewered through the heart by the shattered crystal greatsword.


    ¡°Death is like the wind, always at my side!¡±


    The twisted figure let out a grating laugh, a taunt as well as a declaration of death.


    The very next second, the twisted figure unhesitatingly leapt out of Liszt¡¯s shadow, its gloomy body bending down, legs coiled, ready to spring toward the diving, rescue-bound Formless Dragon.


    But before he could leap,


    A giant Ice Block had already crashed down from above. He was ready to dodge, but suddenly felt his back seared as if by a red-hot iron.


    A Flame had mysteriously wrapped around his body, and a detached voice reached his ears: ¡°Death is like the wind, always at my side? I quite like that line of yours, but it belongs to me now.¡±

 Chapter 1015 - 1015 1012 Why Is It So

    ?Chapter 1015: Chapter 1012: Why Is It So Chapter 1015: Chapter 1012: Why Is It So The twisted figure glanced back only once and saw Liszt Flame, whom he had just stabbed through the chest with his sword, truly transform into a blaze of fire. The massive hand of flame already gripped him,


    binding him, preventing any chance of escape.


    The flames seemed about to morph into a giant bird, yet maintained a human shape without alteration. Through them, one could vaguely see Liszt¡¯s blurred face, with a pair of clear eyes upon it. His gaze was as cold and indifferent as his tone, as if looking at a dead man.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Before the twisted figure could register shock, a huge block of ice smashed down upon his head.


    With a thunderous crash, the twisted figure was slammed into the ground by the sturdy ice, though it was uncertain if he was flattened. However, Liszt wouldn¡¯t easily assume that an assassin who could leap out of the shadows could be so simply crushed to death. He swiftly cancelled the Phoenix Incarnation that had kicked in at the critical moment,


    and reconnected with Bone Dragon Vinnie.


    In the blink of an eye, a set of Bone Dragon Armor forcibly shattered the damaged Thunder Roar, rearming Liszt, with the Bone Dragon Sword taking the place of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword as his weapon.


    His eyes coldly swept over the tent still enveloped in golden light.


    Piero was dumbstruck, bewildered by the sudden turn of events. Pilaf watched Liszt in horror, as if shocked by the assassination attempt, but, in fact, terrified that Liszt remained completely unscathed. As for the others, there was panic and chaos all around, with each reacting differently.


    Liszt paid no attention to these people, for to him, they were merely ants. What he needed now was to find the assassin who could pose a threat to his safety.


    The assassin¡¯s ability to leap from the shadows left no doubt that he was a Shadow Incarnation from the Kushan Imperial, and his power far exceeded the levels of Shallow Shadow, Deep Shadow, and Shadows. The sudden and powerful assassination attempt was beyond imagination in both strength and method¡ªwithout the assassin¡¯s death, Liszt would find no peace.


    ¡°Do you really think you can escape my sight!¡± Liszt¡¯s sword blasted the huge ice block to pieces, but beneath it, he found only a humanoid depression and no sign of the assassin¡¯s corpse.


    Clearly, the assassin had once again merged into the shadows.


    But beneath the skull-like helmet, Liszt was using the Eye of Magic, carefully observing every inch of shadow and meticulously sensing every change in magic power.


    ¡­


    Above in the sky,


    ¡°Woooo!¡±


    The Formless Dragon¡¯s cry was filled with rage; someone dared to lay an assassination attempt in front of it, against its Knight. This was a relentless slap in the face of its proud dragon life.


    It, too, was deeply concerned for Liszt¡¯s safety¡ªin its mind, Liszt¡¯s shadow had become increasingly clear, and it was not far from a successful Mind Branding.


    The golden light locked down the space, and it couldn¡¯t reach Liszt¡¯s side immediately. It could only breathe out Dragon Breath Shattering Space to utterly break the space around the tent. In cooperation with Liszt, it blocked the assassin¡¯s escape route¡ªthe enemy could lock down Liszt, but Liszt could do the same to the enemy.


    With the attempt at a one-strike kill foiled, the moment to be led by Liszt had come.


    ¡­


    Riding on a Unicorn, Ach dove down following the Formless Dragon. Her delicate, pretty face was very stern, while her heart brimmed with self-reproach. She blamed herself for not being able to cast magic immediately to block the assassin¡¯s strike, even though Liszt had managed to dodge the crisis with Phoenix Incarnation, she couldn¡¯t let it go.


    She had promised to protect her brother, and now she had failed.


    The anger in her heart needed release!


    After instantly casting the Advanced Ice System Magic¡ªEternal Sturdy Ice, she quickly began setting up a Purification Magic Array to dispel the golden light covering a hundred-kilometer radius. Magic exploded from her hands, and with Unicorn Charlie¡¯s amplified blessing, countless invisible ripples spread out.


    They collided rapidly with the golden light, as if in silence yet seemingly producing the screeching sound of glass shattering. The golden light managed to hold for barely ten seconds before it broke down progressively.


    The space that had been sealed by the golden light also reverted to its original state at once, and the Formless Dragon could once again traverse the boundaries of matter.


    At the same time, a sizable disturbance came from a tent¡ªit was the Magician clad in a golden Magic Cloak, whose wand embedded with a dozen gemstones exploded thunderously, with each gem shattering to dust.


    ¡°This!¡±


    The middle-aged Magician was greatly shocked.


    However, the gaze of Ach glittered in mid-air. ¡°Found it, the source of the space blockade! Charley, let¡¯s go down. Whoever dares to assassinate my brother is not a good person; they must all be killed!¡± Although she was a pure Sea Serpent, she was never a mere vase in a greenhouse, having lived in the ocean since childhood.


    Always fighting against Sea Monsters, how could she possibly be tender-hearted?


    ¡°Humph.¡±


    Unicorn Charley¡¯s golden spiral horn flickered, and with a leap, he was already at the entrance of the tent. Ach casually sent a gust of wind to blow away the tent¡ªafter mastering the Earth Elemental Incarnation perfectly, she had been practicing the Wind Elemental Avatar and had already achieved minor success.


    As the tent was blown away, a burst of golden light shone from where the tent had been, the middle-aged Magician in the golden Magic Cloak reacting quite promptly. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This burst of golden light was his cast Magic.


    Yet Ach, with the Eight Dragons God Sword in hand, the Gemstone Crown on her head, and the Magic Cloak draped over her, merely waved the Divine Artifact in her hand, and Ice Blocks quickly formed in front of her.


    Boom!


    Even though the Ice Blocks were shattered instantly, the golden light dissipated as a result.


    Upon seeing this, the middle-aged Magician snorted coldly and casually unleashed a seemingly powerful Thunder Magic spell, coldly saying, ¡°Young Sea Serpent, the vastness of Truth is beyond your current comprehension¡­ Lightning Storm!¡±


    As his words fell,


    Boom!


    A massive storm suddenly rose from his hands, mixed with countless flashes of Lightning, striking towards Ach.


    Ach, who never deigned to communicate with strangers, merely waved the Eight Dragons God Sword again. Numerous rocks and clumps of soil rose from the ground, as if underground monsters opened their gaping mouths, quickly swallowing the tornado laced with Lightning. Soon after, a few crisp sounds were heard from within the earthen envelope, which failed to tear it apart, and then everything fell silent.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The middle-aged Magician was taken aback once again and, without time to ponder why, he prepared to unleash another spell.


    Ach seized the initiative, as numerous streams of water condensed from the air, wrapping directly around the middle-aged Magician like chains binding him. With a gentle tug outward, his limbs were immediately dislocated¡ªof course, whether they were merely dislocated or actually broken bones was temporarily unknown.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The middle-aged Magician screamed, then, enduring the sharp pain, asked, ¡°Why is your Magic so powerful!¡±


    Ach had no intention of communicating and was about to cast Eternal Sturdy Ice instantly to freeze the Magician solid, then leave him for Liszt to deal with.


    The middle-aged Magician, unwilling to be restrained, opened his mouth and re-cast a new spell. It was a Wind System Magic that could form a Wind Blade capable of tearing everything apart with a mere breath. However, contrary to the Magician¡¯s expectations, as soon as the Wind Blade took shape, the Eternal Sturdy Ice also condensed.


    Encasing both him and the Wind Blade he had just produced within the Eternal Sturdy Ice, both frozen as lifelike statues.


    With his body frozen, his mind could still operate, and through the transparent ice, the middle-aged Magician watched Ach¡¯s departing figure, with only one thought echoing in his mind: ¡°Why did it turn out like this?¡±

 Chapter 1016 - 1016 1013 Courage

    ?Chapter 1016: Chapter 1013: Courage Chapter 1016: Chapter 1013: Courage ¡°Thank you ¡®Ban Meng¡¯ and ¡®Traveler Lost in the Stars¡¯ for your generous rewards of ten thousand coins!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª


    Without any hesitation, Ach had frozen an Archmage with loose strength and was already riding Unicorn Charlie, rushing towards the central tent where Liszt was.


    Formless Dragon Bard had already sealed the space around the tent, making it impossible for Ach to approach. He could only reinforce a Water Wave Shield on the periphery to prevent the assassin from escaping, ¡°My brother will be fine, the Phoenix Incarnation ignores physical attacks, and even severe wounds can heal instantly.¡±


    However, she still kept her attention ready to release magic, quietly waiting for news.


    At this moment, Liszt inside the tent had not seen the location of the assassin through the Eye of Magic, which puzzled him. He could clearly feel the assassin hiding in someone¡¯s shadow but could not pinpoint the exact position, which was quite mystifying.


    ¡°Vinnie, switch the view, I need to use the Bone Dragon¡¯s vision!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    In an instant, Liszt¡¯s eyes under the helmet had turned into eerie blue ghostly fires, and his vision suddenly changed into a peculiar gray-white world. In this vision, the real materials of reality only had vague outlines, while souls were vividly displayed.


    They floated around like glowing light bulbs.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ this matter has nothing to do with me,¡± Duke Pierrot said from the corner, trembling, as Liszt¡¯s presence inflicted immense pressure on him.


    Pilaf also hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, I also have no idea why there is an assassin here.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Liszt swept his gaze over them with an intense killing intent that was utterly undisguised. He had already spotted a strange light by Pilaf¡¯s feet. This vague, bright light was very distorted but faintly showed a human figure bound within a shadow, clearly the assassin.


    The assassin¡¯s special magic concealment technique could deceive even the Eye of Magic, but it couldn¡¯t hide his soul.


    The next moment.


    In Pilaf¡¯s widened pupils, Liszt lifted the Bone Dragon Sword and suddenly stabbed at his feet. In that moment, Pilaf thought Liszt was about to kill him on the spot, giving him no chance to defend himself for being involved in the conspiracy, so he immediately chewed the Dog¡¯s Mantle Mushroom hidden in his mouth.


    With a fierce aura, he bellowed, ¡°You devil, for the honor of the Earth Fury Family, you must die!¡±


    Boom!


    His body swelled up like a balloon.


    But all of this happened very quickly to others, yet very slowly to Liszt, who was utterly indifferent about what Pilaf thought. The Bone Dragon Sword pierced straight into Pilaf¡¯s shadow, and through the Bone Dragon vision, Liszt could see the Bone Dragon Sword accurately striking the assassin¡¯s twisted soul.


    It was only a moment¡¯s pause before the twisted soul flowed like water towards another side, clearly not locked down by the Bone Dragon Sword.


    The assassin¡¯s methods also ignored physical attacks.


    ¡°Leo, assist me!¡± Liszt decided instantly, abandoning the Bone Dragon Sword, reaching down with both hands to grab the twisted soul, mentally communicating with Leo who was ready to strike.


    The raging Fire Dragon Magic Power mixed with his Superior Dou Qi was entirely concentrated at his fingertips as he lunged forward, directly seizing the fleeing twisted soul.


    Flames transformed in his hands, and Dragon Might surged wildly.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The twisted soul suddenly revealed itself, a strange blurred body, bound by flames, unable to escape, only able to emit a piercing scream.


    Countless fire attribute magic powers surged into his body, almost instantly dispersing the magic power within him, no longer able to maintain operational balance. The special techniques he employed also collapsed as a result, fully revealing a human body¡ªcompletely covered in tattoos.


    Liszt had just grabbed him by the neck.


    He asked coldly, ¡°Who gave you the guts to assassinate me?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The tattoo-covered assassin couldn¡¯t utter a word, his body trembling like it was electrified, the result of the fire attribute magic power burning his organs.


    Crack!


    A great sword, made of broken crystals, fell down; it was the very one he had used to assassinate Liszt.


    At that moment, Pilaf the Earth Frenzy, who had been busy transforming, finally swung his basin-sized fist at Liszt, ¡°Die!¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt slowly turned his head. From the shoulder of his Bone Dragon armor, a small bone dragon claw extended automatically, striking at Pilaf¡¯s fist. However, in a hair¡¯s breadth moment, Pilaf dodged Liszt¡¯s unexpected bone dragon claw and smashed his fist towards the assassin in Liszt¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Killing to silence him?¡±


    The unexpected occurred, but it didn¡¯t affect Liszt¡¯s movements.


    He simply used the bone dragon wings on the back of his Bone Dragon armor to cover the assassin, blocking Pilaf¡¯s fist. The seemingly ferocious punch hit the bone dragon wing without causing any pain or itch. The Bone Dragon Sword, which had already recovered its tail, swept sideways, harshly dragging Pilaf into the ground.


    Deeply embedded underground, a perfect human outline was imprinted.


    Liszt then lifted his foot and lightly stepped on him, making it impossible for Pilaf to struggle, even producing the sound of bones cracking.


    Even the most ferocious Cloaked Bear-wearer, when facing a knight merged with a dragon, was merely a slightly larger ant. Even though at this moment Liszt was merged with an incomplete bone dragon, he could still easily crush Marquis Pilof: ¡°And who gave you the courage, Liang Jingru?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: submission from the Grey Iron Family.¡±


    The crippled assassin was thrown onto the ground by Liszt, his magic power completely bound by the Mountain Copper manacles¡ªhe possessed High Magic of the dark attribute, which surprised Liszt, a Shadow Incarnation actually cultivated high-energy magic power.


    Marquis Pilof was also shackled with Mountain Copper manacles, guarded by Duke Pierro.


    His son, Picart, was the same.


    In fact, even without the shackles, they couldn¡¯t make any waves, having been turned into half-dead cripples by Liszt¡¯s punches. Moreover, Ach was already riding a unicorn, ready to release Advanced Magic¡ªthe Eternal Sturdy Ice to freeze them one by one.


    At this moment, as he observed the nervous expressions of the people in the camp, he was slightly absent-minded, already summoning the Smoke Mission. The mission about being vigilant of two mind battles was smoothly completed, rewarded with the submission of the Grey Iron Family¡ªthis intrigued him.


    But he did not continue to dwell on this.


    He checked the new Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: As the king of the Flame Kingdom, the conspiracy against you by the Kushan Imperial undoubtedly is an enormous provocation, intolerable to endure. Since the Kushan Imperial is beyond reach, why not vent your anger on the conspirators first? Reward: Cloaked Bear-wearer Cultivator¡¯s Manual.¡±


    ¡°Venting on the conspirators, does that refer to these few?¡± Liszt looked at the assassin covered with a piece of rag, the father and son of Earth Fury lying unconscious on the ground, and the archmage frozen within a chunk of hard ice outside, ¡°Next, indeed, it¡¯s time to properly settle the account for this assassination.¡±

 Chapter 1017 - 1017 1014 Coercion and Bribery

    ?Chapter 1017: Chapter 1014: Coercion and Bribery Chapter 1017: Chapter 1014: Coercion and Bribery The wilderness camp had already been taken over by Li Si Te (Liszt) with a firm hand.


    At this moment, he was staring at Piero as he interrogated, ¡°Duke Pierrot, I believe you owe me an explanation. I came here at your invitation to oversee the distribution of the Aluminum Dragon, only to find myself the target of a long-planned assassination. If I weren¡¯t well-prepared, I might not have been able to leave here alive today.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, I beg you to believe me, the assassination has nothing to do with me, the Grey Iron Family, or the Grey Iron Duchy. I truly wanted to invite Your Majesty to oversee the Dragon Riding distribution¡­ All of this must be the work of Pilaf colluding with assassins, it must be, and the Eagle Royal Family is certainly fanning the flames behind the scenes!¡±


    The more Piero spoke, the more nervous he became, ¡°It must be so, the Eagle Royal Family is behind Pilaf, and all of this, including the Aluminum Dragon, is a conspiracy of the Eagle Royal Family. Adonis Moonlight Silver is indeed cunning, taking advantage of my eagerness to revive the Grey Iron Family and thus luring Your Majesty here!¡±


    Piero knew nothing about the Kushan Imperial, so he was unaware that the assassins were from the Kushan Imperial¡ªthe Archmage and the assassin were now unable to speak, and both Pilaf father and son were unconscious, leaving no one to tell Piero the truth.


    Therefore, after Piero had filled in the blanks with his imagination, he was increasingly convinced that all this was backed by the Eagle Royal Family: ¡°Your Majesty, Adonis must have used me, please believe me, I, Piero, have never thought of betraying Your Majesty!¡±


    Liszt was noncommittal.


    With a clench of his teeth, Piero said, ¡°The assassination attempt has failed, and the Eagle Royal Family will surely react soon. When that time comes, not only will the Aluminum Dragon be out of reach, but the Grey Iron Duchy will also have reached its end¡­ Your Majesty, please take in the Grey Iron Family, the Grey Iron Family is willing to follow you to develop in the Flame Kingdom!¡±


    This was clearly the so-called reward of the Smoke Mission, after being scared by the facts concocted in his own mind, Piero decisively decided to amputate a limb to survive.


    Giving up the Grey Iron Duchy and fleeing to the Flame Kingdom for refuge.


    ¡°I will not leave the Aluminum Dragon for the Eagle Kingdom,¡± Liszt followed Piero¡¯s self-created narrative, announcing his sovereignty over the Aluminum Dragon, ¡°I will ride away the Aluminum Dragon, making the Eagle Kingdom lose both its lady and its soldiers¡­ As for the Grey Iron Family, I am willing to believe you, Piero, did not play a role in the conspiracy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty,¡± Piero breathed a sigh of relief.


    Liszt added, ¡°But are you sure the Grey Iron Family will unite with you to give up the Grey Iron Duchy and go to the Flame Kingdom?¡±


    Piero was taken aback for a moment, then gave a bitter smile, ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s concern is indeed valid, my credibility within the family has greatly diminished, and traveling such a long distance to develop in a new kingdom would frighten many knights.¡±


    However, his tone changed and Piero¡¯s expression gradually became serious, ¡°But staying would mean being swallowed up by Adonis sooner or later, I understand this King of the Eagle Kingdom. The future of the Grey Iron Family is already cut off in the Eagle Kingdom, only by following Your Majesty will the Grey Iron Family be able to revive in the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°If you really intend to develop in the Flame Kingdom, I welcome the Grey Iron Family to prosper there, as long as you can take away a large number of the Knight Class and join the Flame Kingdom, even your title of Duke can be hereditary.¡±


    ¡°The title of Duke can be retained?¡±


    ¡°A Duke without a duchy.¡±


    Normally, the title of a duke without a duchy is usually granted to the offspring of the royal family of a kingdom, or marquises with outstanding military achievements. Only Dragon Knights can found a nation and receive the title of Grand Duke, and if offspring fail at Dragon Riding, they can inherit the title of Duke and continue to manage the duchy.


    Although the status of a duke without a duchy is somewhat lower, it is still much wider in territory than that of a marquis, and they can enjoy more resources.


    Together with the original foundation of the Grey Iron Family, even though they are no longer in the Dragon Rearing Family sequence, they can still enjoy the treatment of top-tier Nobles.


    This was a better damage control plan than any, and Piero was thrilled, ¡°I will try to persuade more of the Knight Class to go to the Flame Kingdom¡­ But as Your Majesty is concerned, the Grey Iron Duchy is too far away from the Flame Kingdom; the long journey there would scare off most knights. And if the Eagle Royal Family discovers this, they might chase us along the way.¡±


    ¡°I can draw a map for you, setting you on another safer route, to the coastal border south of the Eagle Kingdom and the Yellowstone Kingdom. There, I have established a new Teleportation Array, directly connected to the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡­


    Recruiting the Grey Iron Family and the knights of the Grey Iron Duchy was just a side story.


    Liszt restrained the assassin, the Archmage, Pilaf, and his son. His next step was to conquer the Aluminum Dragon. If time permitted, he could peacefully use silver coins to conquer the Aluminum Dragon. However, it was hard to say that the Eagle Kingdom hadn¡¯t been involved in this assassination plot.


    To avoid prolonged complications, he decided to take violent measures.


    He signaled Duke Pierrot to return to the Grey Iron Duchy, preparing for the family¡¯s relocation, and then he began searching for the Aluminum Dragon in the wilderness. He quickly found the dragon, which was drinking water in a valley, a juvenile Metal Dragon with a thirty-meter body length and wingspan that had also noticed the arrival of Liszt and his companions.


    Leo and Bard firmly locked onto the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s position.


    From left and right, they flew calmly towards the valley, pressuring the dragon but not so much that it was driven to flee in panic.


    ¡°Leo, Bard, it¡¯s up to you now¡­ and Ach, please ask Charlie to help with the translation, so the Aluminum Dragon understands the choices it faces,¡± Liszt, sitting on Bard¡¯s back, said to Ach, who rode on Unicorn Charlie¡ªCharlie could discern good from evil and communicate with many creatures¡¯ minds.


    It could also engage in vague communication with dragons, proving to be a very capable diplomat.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Aluminum Dragon¡¯s scales bristled as it let out a sharp, wary cry, its body tensing, ready to take flight at any moment.


    ¡°Oh roar!¡±


    ¡°Woo yeeya!¡±


    Leo and Bard each emitted a majestic dragon¡¯s roar, responding to the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s alarm.


    With a snort, Unicorn Charlie¡¯s golden horn flickered, already initiating a mental conversation with the Aluminum Dragon.


    After a moment of conversation,


    Faced with two formidable dragons and the promise from Liszt that it could lay on a mountain of silver coins to sleep, the juvenile Aluminum Dragon was indecisive. But rationality prevailed, and through Charlie¡¯s translation, it expressed its willingness to undergo a Mind Battle with Liszt.


    However, should the Mind Battle fail, Liszt must let it go free.


    ¡°Agreed!¡± Liszt didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment. He was confident in himself and had extensive experience with Mind Battles. He was also well-aware of the mental battle tactics of Aluminum Dragons and didn¡¯t expect to fail¡ªif he did, he would let it go as promised.


    If it were to flee, he could always capture it later and try a second Mind Battle using a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    In any case,


    After persuading the dragon with good words and without a dragon-slaying battle breaking out, Liszt successfully gained the opportunity for a Mind Battle. Taking a deep breath and under the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s slightly resentful gaze, he leapt onto its back and steadily walked toward the exquisite Dragon Tooth Platform.


    He found his footing on the uneven spots and settled down.


    In an instant,


    An extraordinary feeling swept over him, and he entered a world shimmering with silver light.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 1018 - 1018 1015 Ever-changing

    ?Chapter 1018: Chapter 1015: Ever-changing Chapter 1018: Chapter 1015: Ever-changing Li Si Te didn¡¯t know why an Aluminum Dragon was so fond of the metal silver, so much that even its mind world was a shimmering world of metallic silver.


    There were no flowers, plants, or trees, only mountains of silver and rivers flowing like silver from the horizon to Li Si Te¡¯s feet.


    On the opposite bank, an adult Aluminum Dragon with cold, gleaming eyes was giving Li Si Te a malevolent stare.


    In the real world, it couldn¡¯t resist Li Si Te¡¯s oppression, but in the mind world, it was completely in control. With a roar that undeniably declared it was about to use cruel methods to deal with Li Si Te¡ªan approach different from Florenza Chase Wind Arrow¡¯s mind battle.


    Florenza didn¡¯t encounter a battle, merely needing to break through the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s liquid transformation and find the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    Clearly, such different treatments in the mind battle were entirely determined by the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s likes and dislikes; it admired Florenza, so the mind battle hovered near the baseline; it loathed Li Si Te, so the mind battle reached the highest difficulty.


    ¡°But, you think this can scare me off, Aluminum Dragon?¡± Li Si Te held the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword in his hand, his body shrouded by a faint mist.


    The mist, representing destiny, slightly flowed and turned the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword a fiery red.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Aluminum Dragon moved its nearly sixty-meter-long body slightly; its grayish-white scales looked like candles about to melt, and it spat out a silver-white metallic torrent in response to Li Si Te¡¯s challenge.


    ¡°Break!¡±


    Li Si Te, holding the sword in both hands, released a surge of Dragon Dou Qi and abruptly cleaved the metallic torrent. The Aluminum Dragon¡¯s metallic stream, unlike the Iron Dragon and Copper Dragon¡¯s, resembled a dense liquid that, even when split, could still extend and wrap around to completely swallow Li Si Te and turn him into a statue.


    However, such a minor technique couldn¡¯t trouble Li Si Te; he stimulated his Dragon Dou Qi into flames that exploded around his body, shattering and spurting the metallic torrent in all directions.


    ¡°Aluminum Dragon, unleash whatever techniques you have. I¡¯ll make you fully understand that whether it¡¯s the real world or the mind world, I am the nightmare you cannot escape!¡± Li Si Te said, as a pair of wings suddenly sprouted from his back, belonging to a Phoenix Incarnation.


    With his development of the Phoenix Incarnation, he had long mastered the ability to partially transform.


    Flapping the wings of fire, he rose into the air, looking down at the Aluminum Dragon that had yet to take flight.


    It was unclear whether it was his ability to fly that enraged the Aluminum Dragon, or his boastfulness, but the Aluminum Dragon suddenly unfolded its sixty-meter wingspan. As it flapped its wings progressively larger, its body also melted more and more. In a blink, it liquified and continuously extended into a pair of wings that could blot out the sun.


    These wings ascended continuously, reaching the high skies of the mind world and then swooped down towards Li Si Te.


    Enveloped by the force of wind and thunder, it seemed poised to obliterate Li Si Te in one strike.


    ¡°Fancy tricks, useless!¡± Li Si Te¡¯s eyes widened as wisps of mist merged into his body, making the already fiery Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword burn even fiercer, as though it were a weapon belonging to a fire god, ¡°A blaze that sets the prairies afire, this sword exists only in dreams!¡±


    Buzz!


    Boom!


    The flaming longsword, facing the Aluminum Dragon turned into wings of wind and thunder, struck heavily¡ªthe flames surged and extended for miles, as if slicing through the world itself, viciously striking the wings of wind and thunder.


    Clang, crack, snap!


    The wings of wind and thunder were instantly split in two, where the liquid metal aluminum was intensely burned by the red flames, sending out dazzling white flames.


    Accompanied by horrible cries from the Aluminum Dragon, it was unclear where they originated: ¡°Roar¡­¡±


    The two halves of the wings fell directly onto the metallic silver ground. As the white flames died down, the two halves melted and recombined into an Aluminum Dragon.


    Throughout this process, Li Si Te didn¡¯t intervene, simply speaking coldly, ¡°The mind world is but a dream. You can do as you please in your dream, but I can, too. Because the dream worlds I have visited are beyond your imagination, my understanding of the dream world also surpasses your imagination, Aluminum Dragon.¡±


    This was the absolute truth.


    He indeed had participated in the dreamscapes of the Fire Dragon, Formless Dragon, Light Green Gemstone Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, Mountain Copper Dragon, among others¡ªrich in experience. Moreover, he owned the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, a fruit originating from Jade Dragon representing the power of dreams¡ªmore terrifyingly, he also had a leg of the Jade Dragon in his collection. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg was difficult to research, Liszt, or rather, Ach managed to glean some information and tap into a corner of the power of dreams.


    To describe it precisely, it was like Neo in ¡°The Matrix¡± gaining superpowers within the simulation because he understood it was a fictitious networked world, enabling him to manually remove bullets from the heroine and even fly within the matrix.


    Liszt experienced something similar, after tapping into a hint of dream power, he too could harness the surrounding mist to augment his own strength.


    This was his greatest confidence in dragon riding.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Aluminum Dragon, unconvinced, attacked again.


    With the Phoenix wings flapping on his back, Liszt gently shook his head, ¡°Foolish Aluminum Dragon, becoming my dragon is an inescapable fate for you. Better realize it sooner!¡±


    Pfft!


    The Flame Sword swung again, its giant blade slicing the Aluminum Dragon into two halves, the cut fiercely burning. Not waiting for the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s screams of agony, he swung the Flame Sword once more, making a horizontal chop that quartered the bifurcated Aluminum Dragon.


    The four pieces of Aluminum Dragon fell to the ground and quickly reformed into one in agonizing screams, panting heavily and staring intently at Liszt.


    ¡°Still not convinced?¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Of course, the Aluminum Dragon was not convinced, its intention clearly communicated to Liszt¡ªdefeating it did not mean winning the battle of minds, he had to shatter its liquid transformation, find the Dragon Tooth Platform, and mount it.


    At once.


    It transformed into a pool of metallic liquid and merged indistinguishably into the silvery river.


    ¡°This is indeed challenging, but not enough to stop me!¡± Liszt felt like he was Erlang Shen fighting Sun Wukong in their transformation duel, his three eyes atop his head seeing everything. No matter how many times Sun Wukong transformed, he could not escape his ¡®divine sight,¡¯ always being discovered, ¡°If you hide, don¡¯t blame me for unleashing my powerful moves!¡±


    Whistle!


    A Phoenix cry, and Liszt had transformed into a majestic, flame-composed Phoenix, hovering over the metallic silver river, his wings beating and shaking off clusters of flames.


    Soon the entire metallic silver river was engulfed in flames, continuously searing.


    When the temperature surpassed 660 degrees Celsius, part of the metallic silver abruptly melted into liquid¡ªthat was not silver, but aluminum. Silver melts at 962 degrees Celsius, while aluminum melts at 660 degrees Celsius; a single transformation distinguishes silver from aluminum.


    In the interplay of the five elements, fire overcomes metal, and Liszt firmly suppressed the Aluminum Dragon.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Unable to hide any longer, the Aluminum Dragon resentfully regrouped into its dragon form. At that moment, Liszt returned to his human form, diving directly onto the back of the Aluminum Dragon. Amidst the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s reluctant twists, he accurately found the position of the Dragon Tooth Platform and settled down onto it.


    This time,


    Between man and dragon, a true spiritual union and mental connection were established.


    Liszt could empathize with the Aluminum Dragon¡¯s frustration and helplessness, while the dragon could sense Liszt¡¯s spirited mood. Their emotions intertwined and finally transformed into a loud ¡°Roar,¡± soaring into the shiny silver sky, crossing the dazzling brightness in a blink.


    The view shifted, returning to the real world.


    Smelling the familiar wild scents, sitting no longer on a sixty-meter-long, adult-winged dragon, but on a thirty-meter-long, winged young Aluminum Dragon.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    On the last day, Old White earnestly asks for monthly votes, deeply thankful!

 Chapter 1019 - 1019 1016 Collecting Some Interest

    ?Chapter 1019: Chapter 1016: Collecting Some Interest Chapter 1019: Chapter 1016: Collecting Some Interest When Liszt rode the newly conquered Aluminum Dragon and descended upon Iron Shell Fort, Duke Piero¡¯s gaze was fixed on the Aluminum Dragon with a mix of emotions before he finally let out a long sigh.


    It was only two days, yet the Aluminum Dragon had become something in Liszt¡¯s pocket, a feat of dragon-taming so terrifying it overwhelmed him with emotion. The last hope of the Grey Iron Duchy had vanished, and for the Grey Iron Family to carry on its glory, he was left with no choice but to choose this uncertain path as a follower.


    ¡°Your Majesty, of the twelve marquises of the Grey Iron Duchy, I have been in contact with five. Two have decided to follow my heir, Pifort, and stay in the Grey Iron Duchy. Three marquises, all direct followers of mine, have decided to relocate their families and accompany me to the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    Duke Piero added, ¡°However, they wish to meet you and hear your promise.¡±


    ¡°Only three are willing to go? What about the other seven marquises?¡± Liszt was somewhat disappointed, as not many nobles were willing to go.


    ¡°The seven are marquises with large fiefs. I have sent messengers to them, and if they are willing, they will follow later. If they are not, they will stay. In addition, there are a bunch of earls and viscounts whom I have also contacted. Only about ten to twenty percent are urgently ready to leave with me.¡±


    Given time, Piero was confident he could persuade a third of the nobles to follow him to the Flame Kingdom.


    However, since time was of the essence and to avoid being intercepted by the Eagle Kingdom in a protracted endeavor, Piero would only stay here for a few days before departing. With such haste, many nobles simply could not take their family resources with them, hence their reluctance to leave.


    ¡°If the Eagle Royal Family does not come to stop them, these nobles can take their time to decide. After all, the Grey Iron Duchy has its sovereignty, and if the nobles wish to leave, the Eagle Royal Family wouldn¡¯t dare to intercept too aggressively. Should they attempt to, I shall intervene, and I believe the Eagle Royal Family would not dare to rekindle the Dragon-slaying War.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and rally them again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, feel free to rally them. For now, I will hold off the Eagle Kingdom. After all, I promised to protect the Grey Iron Duchy for twenty years.¡± This was an excuse, a reason for Liszt to remain there without being pushed to leave; as long as he did not force the Grey Iron Duchy¡¯s nobles to leave, the Eagle Royal Family was unlikely to turn against him outright.


    At most, there was an unspoken agreement for Liszt to partition the Grey Iron Duchy with Piero acting as his spokesperson, while Pifort would presumably represent the Eagle Kingdom.


    The nobles had just divided the dragons among three households, and now two were dividing up the country, such were the exchanges of noble interests.


    However, before that, Liszt had one more issue to attend to: ¡°Duke Piero, there are two marquises, direct followers of yours, who are not willing to go, tell them to promptly assemble their knight orders and follow me to conquer Firm Earth, for I must exterminate the Earth Fury Family.¡±


    The Earth Fury Family had dared to participate in an assassination conspiracy, a challenge to a sovereign king and a Holy Dragon Knight. Eradicating them was the only way to quell Liszt¡¯s wrath.


    The Smoke Mission had also said that he should vent his anger on the conspirators¡ªsince it was impractical to seek revenge against the mastermind behind Gaius, Emperor Jupiter of the Kushan Empire. He would simply take some interest now and wait until a later date, when he was more powerful, to settle the full account with the Kushan Empire.


    ¡­


    ¡°Father, why must my people wage war and plunder the Earth Fury Family for him? This will leave me at a great disadvantage in the future, how are we to handle our relationship with the Eagle Royal Family!¡±


    Inside Iron Shell Fort, Pifort argued with Duke Piero.


    Duke Piero looked at his eldest legitimate son and legal heir as if he were a stranger: ¡°Because he is the great Holy Dragon Knight, and no one can defy his orders, not even our Grey Iron Family.¡±


    ¡°Grey Iron Dragon, Aluminum Dragon; father, you have made too many mistakes in this matter, leading to the decline of the Grey Iron Family¡¯s honor.¡±


    ¡°The loss of the Grey Iron Dragon was indeed from my hands, but the fault lies ultimately with Adonis, not me. I never intended to lead our family to ruin, but Adonis had already set his sights on the Grey Iron Family¡­ The Aluminum Dragon is a conspiracy, Pifort, you shouldn¡¯t be so trusting of Adonis.¡±


    ¡°At least King Adonis is more trustworthy than you, Father, who believes the man who took our family¡¯s dragon!¡±


    ¡°The fault of the war lies neither with Liszt, Adonis, nor myself. I find no hatred for Liszt, for he had ample reason to seek revenge on the Grey Iron Family involved in the Dragon Slaughter War. Instead, Adonis should have compensated the Grey Iron Family for our losses, but he did not; that is a betrayal of the alliance.¡±


    ¡°I do not agree with your words, Father!¡±


    ¡°Forget it, we need not speak so self-righteously; I will not abandon the Grey Iron Family, and neither will you. From this day forth, you and I, father and son, will part ways. I shall take the surname ¡®Grey Iron¡¯ and head to the Flame Kingdom to forge my path, and you, do as you please.¡±


    After a moment of silence.


    Pifort said coldly, ¡°The Grey Iron Family dissipated in the hands of my father, not me¡­ From now on, ¡®Fallen Iron¡¯ shall be my surname, a constant reminder of this shameful period.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Piero Grey Iron flung his hand in dismissal, ¡°Do as you wish!¡±


    ¡­ sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°As of today, the Earth Fury Family will vanish into smoke, and this castle will also be destroyed by me, to serve as a warning to any noble who dares to act against a Dragon Knight¡ªprepare to face the rightful fury!¡±


    Pilaf and his son, Pilaf the Earth Frenzy, were sentenced to death by Liszt¡ªall that awaited was the interrogation to extract all information about the conspiracy and the martial heritage of the Cloaked Bear-wearer, and then they would be exiled to the Exiled Lands¡ªa death sentence for a noble, euphemistically called exile.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    On the ground, a large number of knights surged toward the castle, while knights from the Earth Fury Family guarded it fiercely.


    Seeing this, Liszt immediately brandished his Shattered Crystal Greatsword, and with a fierce burst of Dou Qi, he split a crack in the castle, killing countless knights with the blast of Dou Qi.


    Following the breach in the castle walls, the charging knights swarmed in and quickly overwhelmed the castle.


    ¡°This sword is indeed fine, with a very unique and imposing design, perfectly suited for my use.¡± Not paying attention to the battle below, Liszt took pleasure in appreciating the greatsword in his hand.


    The sword had been seized from an assassin, and the seizure also yielded a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, which surprised yet didn¡¯t surprise him¡ªsince a Mind Fruit Tree could grow on Mind Island and bear Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, other places must surely do so as well.


    And this also meant that the Royal Family of the Kushan Imperial certainly had possession of parts of the Jade Dragon¡¯s remains.


    ¡°I wonder if assembling the Jade Dragon¡¯s body could resurrect this Sacred Dragon, a creature of incredible power.¡±


    Regrettably, the assassin was still unconscious, the Archmage who broke the ice was also out cold, and the Pilaf father and son were wailing that they knew nothing, leaving too little information to be interrogated. Regarding the Kushan Imperial and this conspiracy, they would have to wait for the assassin and the Archmage Su to awaken.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll collect some interest from the Earth Fury Family, and later, I¡¯ll deal with this Archmage and this assassin.¡±

 Chapter 1020 - 1020 1017 Death by Arrogance

    ?Chapter 1020: Chapter 1017: Death by Arrogance Chapter 1020: Chapter 1017: Death by Arrogance The Earth Fury Family had already been overrun by the raging charge of the Knight Order, and with Pilaf the Earth Frenzy no longer presiding over it, the castle relied solely on his legitimate eldest son, Pifonte Earth Fury, to maintain its operations.


    Compared to Pilaf, whose strength was on par with top Domain Knights, Pifonte¡¯s current power was, at best, that of a Completion Level Sky Knight.


    And the two Marquises from Grey Iron Duchy advancing on them were both Completion Level Sky Knights. Outnumbered two to one, Pifonte was directly and disastrously defeated. His defeat, just like the war orchestrated by Liszt, had a predetermined outcome. Every person, young and old, was captured and became prisoners at the victor¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Hand over all the contracts of the Elves, offer up the wealth of the Earth Fury Family, confess your guilt, and you and your remaining three brothers commit suicide, and I will spare the Earth Fury Family the sin of attempting my assassination.¡± Liszt stood in front of Pifonte, who was bound by Mountain Copper Manacles, looking imposing in his Bone Dragon Armor.


    Pifonte did not look at his brothers; he simply turned his head and glanced at his wife, teary-eyed, and his three sons, aged ten, eight, and four.


    Then, with a mixture of sorrow and anger, he looked at Liszt: ¡°I am a noble of the Eagle Kingdom. My father and brothers attempted to assassinate you, but that did not betray the knightly code of ethics!¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to play on the literal meaning of the words, ¡®victory for those in power, defeat for those who are vanquished¡¯?¡±


    Hearing this, Pifonte ultimately succumbed and said, ¡°I understand. On behalf of the Earth Fury Family, I am willing to acknowledge my sins to His Majesty King Liszt, and am also willing to hand over the family¡¯s Elves and wealth¡­ May I meet my father before I take my own life?¡±


    Liszt casually said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Pifonte nodded his head, asked for nothing more, and honestly severed all contracts with the Elves, then handed then one by one to Liszt.


    To Liszt¡¯s disappointment, he had thought that, as an old Marquis and an inheritor of Ancient Warriors, the Earth Fury Family would have at least a dozen Greater Elves. But aside from the five Greater Elves previously surrendered, the Earth Fury Family now only had six Greater Elves left.


    Two Little Wheat Greater Elves, one Magic Potion-class Iris Greater Elf, one Sticky Rice Greater Elf, one Ginger Greater Elf, and one Beet Greater Elf.


    In other words, over the years, the entire Earth Fury Family had only accumulated eleven Greater Elves¡ªthough considering Marquis Nuta Dimaria Yuhua Stone of Kushan Imperial, there weren¡¯t many Greater Elves either. These eleven Greater Elves were already considerable, just not in line with Liszt¡¯s expectations.


    In addition, the Earth Fury Family had one hundred seventy-two Little Minor Elves and more than eight hundred Elf Bugs.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit less than expected, but it¡¯s still a huge replenishment for me, further closing the gap with the dragon rearing families¡¯ heritage¡­ Flame Island is simply too large; one can never have too many Elves.¡± Liszt happily packaged up the Elves and secured them on the back of the Formless Dragon.


    Next, he took possession of the Earth Fury Family¡¯s wealth. Assets such as gemstones, Magic Metals, Crystals, Gold Coins, and other materials that could be taken away were all chosen by him.


    The remaining assets like immovable property and resources like food, copper coins, and metals were distributed among the knights who had come charging.


    ¡­


    The Earth Fury Family was annihilated, gone like smoke and clouds. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt had already returned to his domain with a wealth of materials, tearing through space. So many Elves and such treasure, upon reaching the ears of the astonished nobles of Flame Island¡ªthey understood that their Son of Glory, who had become their king, had once again made a grand transaction out in the world.


    ¡°The Earth Fury Family has just been destroyed like that?¡± Marquis of Bull Tail, Li Weiliam, asked in surprise upon hearing the news.


    ¡°Yes, Father, assassins and archmages need strict supervision; not a single oversight can be allowed. As for Father Pilaf and his three sons, you will personally oversee their interrogation to ensure they spill everything. I need to know how the Kushan Imperial is conspiring with these people, plotting against me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will take good care of these three¡­ But you also need to be cautious. The news of the Earth Fury Family¡¯s downfall could very well enrage the Eagle Royal Family.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I must go to protect Duke Piero and these knights who have fled to me. If the Flame Kingdom wants to develop, population is its biggest constraint. Moreover, in this matter, I am the real victim, having been assassinated for the second time, I believe the Eagle Royal Family will not dare to turn their face.¡±


    Two assassination attempts, the first with five dragons and two Dragon Knights, were forcefully counterkilled by Liszt.


    The second was the formidable assassin and Archmage from the Kushan Imperial, who joined forces to set a deadly trap, yet Liszt still managed to evade and counterkill.


    Without preparation for a sure-kill, the Eagle Royal Family would absolutely not dare to act recklessly.


    Therefore, Liszt returned once again to the Grey Iron Duchy, carrying the prestige of having decimated the Earth Fury Family, and more Noble Knights from the Grey Iron Duchy joined the migration caravan, following the map personally drawn by Ach, heading in the direction of Heroic Yellow City.


    One could imagine.


    As the Eagle Kingdom could not come up with any countermeasures, more Nobles from the Grey Iron Duchy would choose to flee and seek development in the Flame Kingdom.


    Anyone could see that after losing the dragons, the fate of the Grey Iron Duchy was hanging by a thread.


    Now it was a multiple-choice question, whether to join the Eagle Kingdom or the Flame Kingdom. The advantage of joining the Eagle Kingdom was that there was no need to migrate, and the family could preserve its wealth to the greatest extent; the downside was that as a vassal to a ruined country, it would not be easy to vie for glory.


    The disadvantage of joining the Flame Kingdom was the need to migrate and the surrender of a great deal of wealth and serfs; the benefit was that in the new kingdom, opportunities abounded, and with ambition, one could eventually grow and strengthen the family.


    ¡°Your Majesty, from this moment on, the Grey Iron Family will charge into battle for Your Majesty!¡±


    After departing from Iron Shell Fort, Piero realized he had taken with him only a group of followers, along with several mistresses and illegitimate children, and had not brought any family members. His lawful wife decided to stay and live with his son Pifort, continuing to defend what was ultimately indefensible in the Grey Iron Duchy.


    ¡°Look forward, Duke Piero.¡±


    ¡­


    When Piero left the Grey Iron Duchy with his knights, thousands of kilometers away in the Royal Palace of the Eagle Kingdom ¨C the Iron Dragon Chain Palace.


    King Adonis Moonlight Silver, looking at the intelligence in his hands, showed no emotion.


    He simply narrated calmly to the Queen, ¡°Emperor Jupiter has indeed set his sights on the Sacred Dragon ¨C Invisible Dragon, but in his cleverness, he refused to collaborate with me and instead chose the brute Pilaf. Now, he has gained nothing, having lost his most important assassins and Archmages.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good thing, Adonis. Liszt has grown stronger, and he has taken the Aluminum Dragon!¡± the Queen sighed.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good thing. I understand Emperor Jupiter; the man is stubborn and vindictive. Just wait, he will not be content with this failure. When he comes again, it¡¯s destined to be a wild battle with Liszt, and that¡¯s when my chance to profit will come!¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± the Queen shook her head, then asked, ¡°What do you think should be done about the Earth Fury Family?¡±


    ¡°Pilaf the Earth Frenzy, if he hadn¡¯t been greedy for the Aluminum Dragon and had reported to me, I would naturally have protected the Earth Fury Family. But since he chose to betray me, this is all self-inflicted. Now, with Piero busy escaping, I can use the pretext of dealing with the Earth Fury Family to swallow up the Grey Iron Duchy and compensate for the Kingdom¡¯s losses.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t really compensate for much.¡±


    ¡°Storing strength and waiting for the right opportunity, haven¡¯t we been anticipating this situation for a long time?¡± Adonis took the Queen¡¯s hand and spoke with forced cheer, ¡°I¡¯ve seen how many young heroes rise and fall. With Liszt¡¯s unbridled nature, venturing thousands of miles just to snatch dragons, he will eventually die from his own arrogance.¡±


    As he spoke, he stood up, pointing across the land with a laugh, ¡°At that time, it will be my moment to sweep away the despondency and restore the glory of the Eagle!¡±

 Chapter 1021 - 1021 1018 King of Shadows

    ?Chapter 1021: Chapter 1018: King of Shadows Chapter 1021: Chapter 1018: King of Shadows The assassin and the archmage had not yet woken up when Pilaf and his son were already confessing under torture. According to Pilaf, his family had long been in contact with the Kushan Imperial.


    Because they operated a trade route together, the Kushan Imperial quickly used the news of the Aluminum Dragon to win over the Earth Fury Family.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how they learned about the Aluminum Dragon, but Shadow Incarnation is a massive organization, probably explaining how they accidentally discovered the Aluminum Dragon while investigating Piero. It is well-known that Piero is involved with Liszt, so isn¡¯t it expected for Shadow Incarnation to investigate?¡±


    Thus, having received the news of the Aluminum Dragon, people from the Kushan Imperial began to plot their conspiracy.


    ¡°The assassin is named Louis Shadow, he is the most powerful agent within the Shadow Incarnation, surpassing the levels of Shallow Shadow, Deep Shadow, and Shadowless, reaching a pinnacle that rivals Dragon Knights and archmages. I¡¯m not very familiar with this level, only knowing Louis calls himself the King of Shadows.¡±


    Apart from the King of Shadows Louis Shadow, there was also an archmage, the chief magical advisor to the Kushan Imperial royal family, Lerald Truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m not very familiar with Lerald Truth either, only knowing that he is a veteran archmage, his power unfathomable. Moreover, he carries the Kushan Imperial royal family¡¯s Divine Artifact, the Light of Confinement Magic Staff, which can lock the void and prevent any being from escaping the confinement light.¡±


    Pilaf, a tough man, had to undergo various tortures before he could intermittently reveal the entire conspiracy process.


    He was not familiar with the King of Shadows, Louis Shadow, nor archmage Lerald Truth, but had been in contact through an intermediary. This intermediary was a trusted knight of Emperor Jupiter, who was executing the entire Eagle Kingdom¡¯s strategy and the collusion with Nobles.


    ¡°Where is this intermediary now? Do you really believe he is Emperor Jupiter¡¯s confidant?¡± inquired the Marquis of Bull Tail, who was responsible for the interrogation.


    Pilaf scoffed in response, ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is; he always comes to us, not the other way around¡­ Why would I believe him, don¡¯t you find this question laughable? With the King of Shadows and the archmage standing before me, you ask me whether I believe his identity, do you think I should?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re confident in plotting with them to act against the Flame King? Haven¡¯t you heard of the Flame King¡¯s glorious battle achievements?¡±


    ¡°The temptation of the Aluminum Dragon, for a major family like us, is something you wouldn¡¯t understand. Besides, the assassination was carried out by them, not by me personally. If successful, I could enter the Dragon Rearing Family; if not, I could still continue to enjoy¡­ I just didn¡¯t expect Liszt to kill Louis Shadow, and I jumped out!¡±


    Pilaf still regretted his recklessness then¡ªLiszt was clearly targeting his shadow, not himself.


    Compelled to act, he exposed his own identity.


    He still didn¡¯t know that Liszt had long been aware of his conspiratorial identity.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said all I could say, even the Cloaked Bear-wearer Cultivator¡¯s Manual I¡¯ve handed over. As a captive, I request to pay a ransom for the freedom of myself and my two sons,¡± Pilaf said.


    ¡°Unfortunately, Marquis Pilaf, the Earth Fury Family has been destroyed; no one will pay your ransom anymore.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the truth. You¡¯ve drawn the Flame King¡¯s wrath by attempting to assassinate him, leading to the destruction of the Earth Fury Family. Additionally, we¡¯ve just received news that the Eagle Royal Family has acted, declaring that the Earth Fury Family colluded with Duke Piero of the Grey Iron Duchy in a plot to rebel against the Eagle Kingdom, and their lands have been reclaimed by the royal family.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Pilaf exclaimed, his eyes wide with rage, ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°I also find it hard to believe, but the decisiveness of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King is extraordinary. Knowing that the Aluminum Dragon was lost, he immediately allied with the Flame King to partition the Grey Iron Duchy and the Earth Fury Family, compensating for the losses caused by this incident,¡± Li Weiliam reflected with emotion. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nobles exist around interest, yet such barefaced exchange of benefits swiftly shattered the slight sense of justice and morality in his mind.


    He shook his head.


    He walked out of the sturdy prison built underground and returned to the office in Reed City, when soon an assistant came to report, ¡°Sir, a Sky Knight who claims to be a follower of His Majesty the King, Florenza Chase Wind Arrow, wishes to enter the Flame Kingdom and hopes to be granted permission.¡±


    ¡°Florenza Chase Wind Arrow?¡± Li Weiliam quickly recalled that Liszt had mentioned someone named Florenza who, having failed at Dragon Riding, was prepared to follow him, but it was uncertain if he would come.


    To be recognized by an Aluminum Dragon clearly marked him as a talent with potential qualifications for a Dragon Knight.


    Therefore, Li Weiliam nodded, ¡°Allow his passage and bring him to the office. I want to arrange him personally.¡± Liszt habitually acted as a hands-off supervisor, leaving all matters, big and small, for him to handle.


    He was extremely busy and had almost no time to rest.


    Yet sitting in his spacious and bright office, Li Weiliam felt an indescribable comfort; power, this intoxicating brew, always had a way of making one revel in its essence.


    ¡°At last, even I, Li Weiliam, have a day where all the high Nobles bow before me.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°The Eagle Royal Family moves swiftly; the Grey Iron Duchy has already become a thing of the past,¡± riding on the back of an Aluminum Dragon, Liszt thought of the news he had just received with some regret.


    Only one-fifth of the nobles of Grey Iron Duchy had been rallied by Piero¡¤Grey Iron to travel to Heroic Yellow City. The Eagle Kingdom immediately acted, branding Piero a traitor and abolishing the Grey Iron Duchy. They also announced that all nobles from Grey Iron Duchy would be treated equally, allowing outstanding knights¡¯ progeny to participate in the Dragon Knight candidacy program and other benefits.


    With this, the nobles who were originally reluctant to migrate naturally leaned toward the Eagle Kingdom.


    The ones who truly followed Piero consisted of only four marquises, seventeen earls, and thirty-eight viscounts. However, there were more lower-ranking nobles; these lesser nobles, willing to give up their modest family inheritances, prepared to move to the Flame Kingdom in search of opportunities.


    To see if they could rise among the ranks of the great nobles.


    Wald¡¤Bumblebee was one such aspiring baron, who came from a family that had been in beekeeping for generations, taking their surname from the bear bees they bred. Unfortunately, wars were rare in the Grey Iron Duchy, so their noble title had always remained a modest baron, following a Viscount Lord.


    This Viscount Lord was not outstanding but rather timid and afraid of action. He had refused to participate in several battles he could have joined, so Wald naturally had no opportunity to go to the battlefield.


    He had long wanted to break away from this viscount, and now was the perfect opportunity, as the duke personally called for development in the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°The Flame Kingdom!¡± Wald rode on his horse, his heart brimming with dreams of the future. A powerful Dragon Knight, legendary and risen in just a few years, only by following such a king to establish a new nation did the knight¡¯s rigorous training and charges into battle hold meaning.


    Yet, his family members were anxious.


    Inside the carriage sat his wife and his sister, who was yet unmarried; they felt the bumps of the carriage, much like their current emotional state.


    ¡°How much longer until we reach Heroic Yellow City?¡± Wald¡¯s sister lifted the curtain of the window, looking out at the endless primeval forest, feeling perturbed.


    Wald¡¯s wife shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know. We have been walking in this forest for a week and have yet to complete this journey. I¡¯m starting to question whether leaving the Grey Iron Duchy was a mistake. The original castle was small, but it was nice living there.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we can still go back?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely not possible now. Wald is set on following that Holy Dragon Knight to the Flame Kingdom, pinning all hopes of reviving the Bumblebee family on the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    The sister said with skepticism, ¡°Such a great figure should be worth following, right?¡±


    The wife sighed, ¡°I know that His Majesty the King is indeed great, but such a great figure is too far from us. The Bumblebee family is just a minor nobility; I fear that even if we follow behind His Majesty the King, His Majesty won¡¯t even recognize the name Wald¡¤Bumblebee.¡±

 Chapter 1022 - 1022 1019 Double Fury

    ?Chapter 1022: Chapter 1019: Double Fury Chapter 1022: Chapter 1019: Double Fury It was inevitable, really, that Liszt would be unaware of the name Wald¡¤Bumblebee. As more knights followed him, it became increasingly difficult to pay attention to a single baron.


    Every mountain was to be tunneled through, and every waterway was to be bridged; these tasks were all supervised by Piero.


    His duties, aside from riding dragons to patrol and drive away any Magical Beasts that might invade the migrating caravan, were to ponder the Sub-dragon clues provided by Piero¡¤Grey Iron. This was part of the deal struck during the previous Mind Battle¡ªthe Sub-dragon clues Piero had offered concerned Nimia the Giant Lion.


    According to legend, there wasn¡¯t much information available about Nimia the Giant Lion. What Liszt knew was that it was said to be impervious to weapons and indestructible.


    Piero¡¯s information corroborated this.


    Ten years ago, when the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn was known as the Ash King and was the Grey Iron Family¡¯s dragon that repressed the Grey Iron Duchy, it happened upon a robust lion while roaming the endless wilderness to the south of the duchy. The Ash King decided to hunt the lion for food.


    However, after a fierce battle, the lion wasn¡¯t killed.


    Naturally, the Ash King wasn¡¯t willing to let it go. Upon returning to the Grey Iron Duchy, he had Piero summon magicians to set up a Magic Array to hunt down Nimia the Giant Lion.


    Still, they didn¡¯t manage to kill it, and instead, Nimia the Giant Lion turned the tables and escaped unscathed.


    ¡°I sent people to the Fertile Lands three times, and all three hunting expeditions failed, resulting in a significant loss of resources, which ultimately led to nothing. I even went to the Fertile Lands myself two years ago and saw from a distance that Nimia the Giant Lion was still alive and well, without a sight of its kin.¡±


    Piero could neither capture nor kill Nimia the Giant Lion, but he couldn¡¯t bear to give up on it either, so he kept the secret hidden.


    He continued to investigate Nimia the Giant Lion in secret, ¡°I found a record stating that in the era of the Moon Empire, Nimia the Giant Lion was a social animal. After a Native Tribe killed one, they made armor from its hide that could rival an Archmage.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Nimia the Giant Lion supposed to be indestructible?¡±


    ¡°Well, there might be some special method to kill Nimia the Giant Lion, otherwise, they¡¯d be overwhelming in number, yet now there are almost no traces of them to be found.¡±


    Since Piero had informed him that Nimia the Giant Lion actually resided in the southern wilderness, known as the Fertile Lands, Liszt naturally planned to see this creature for himself. However, finding Nimia the Giant Lion was not easy. Even Piero, from the back of the Grey Iron Dragon, had to search for a whole half-month before locating it.


    Such a creature, Nimia the Giant Lion, would actually hide in mountain caves to dwell, invisible even to the Eye of Magic.


    Clearing his thoughts, Liszt no longer contemplated the matter of Nimia the Giant Lion; he would have to wait until he had escorted the knights to Heroic Yellow City before he could spare the time.


    ¡­


    The direct line distance from Grey Iron Duchy to Heroic Yellow City was about seven thousand kilometers. The journey was treacherous, and even with knights as escorts, it would take at least two months to safely arrive at Heroic Yellow City.


    Liszt¡¯s time, however, was incredibly precious. He only escorted the migrating knights halfway before turning back.


    To return to Flame Island.


    The reason was simple, Archmage Lerald¡¤Truth had awoken and was ready for interrogation. At that moment, the Archmage Lerald was dressed in a specially tailored prison uniform designed to prevent connectivity with the Magic Web and preclude the casting of powerful magic spells that might facilitate an escape. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for his original golden Magic Cloak, it was but a gloriously decorated garment that slightly boosted the strength of spells cast.


    ¡°Lerald¡¤Truth¡­¡±


    Liszt had not even begun to interrogate when Lerald suddenly looked at him and enunciated, ¡°The Archmage who defeated me that day, was it Lord Acherloides Truth?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but now let¡¯s discuss something else first, who was behind the attempt on my life this time?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it clear enough who orchestrated it from behind? No one other than Emperor Jupiter could command an Archmage and the King of Shadows.¡±


    Lerald¡¯s complexion was still somewhat pale, but his spirit showed no signs of fatigue, ¡°King Liszt, we don¡¯t need to beat around the bush. I can disclose everything that I know, but I have one condition.¡±


    ¡°What is the condition?¡±


    ¡°I want to pass on all the knowledge I have acquired over the years to Lord Acherloides. I hope she can inherit my research and delve into more profound truths!¡±


    ¡°What kind of condition is that? You still want to play the role of Acherloides¡¯ teacher?¡±


    ¡°No, after so many years pursuing the truth, my mastery and understanding of magic pale in comparison to the young Sea Monster Magician; clearly, I am not qualified to be her teacher. King Liszt, you do not need to doubt my intentions; the assassination attempt on you was merely a transaction, I bear no malice towards you personally.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯ll believe that?¡±


    ¡°Why not? I am an Archmage. Seeking the truth is my life¡¯s mission. Emperor Jupiter and I simply collaborated with each other. He needed me to oversee magical services for him, while I needed him to provide me with research resources. Then he exchanged the Light of Confinement for my attempt on your life.¡±


    The Light of Confinement was that already destroyed magic wand.


    With an air of inevitability, Lerald stated, ¡°To me, Emperor Jupiter is utterly oblivious to the allure of the truth. Unfortunately, the Archmages of the Legendary Continent have long since withered away, and I had no choice but to collaborate with the Kushan Empire. However, things are different now. Lord Acherloides is a Magician of rare talent, she has proven she can surpass all other Archmages!¡±


    Confronted with this spiel from Lerald, Liszt found himself at a loss for words.


    He had been ready to give this Archmage a piece of his mind, to make it clear how foolish it was to attempt his assassination, and to extract information about the Kushan Empire. Unexpectedly, the Archmage didn¡¯t play by the rules, seemingly dismissive of the assassination and even desiring to cooperate with Acherloides.


    ¡°So you think you can stab at me and just smooth it over with a few words?¡±


    ¡°You require compensation, is that it? I can¡¯t provide resources of that kind; my Mage Tower is in the Kushan Empire, clearly I must forsake it. However, I can exchange the information I hold, along with all of my knowledge, for your forgiveness,¡± Lerald offered. ¡°Additionally, I can stay in the Flame Kingdom and provide magical services for the Kingdom as long as my daily research needs are met.¡±


    ¡­


    The interrogation wasn¡¯t going smoothly.


    Or rather, it was going too smoothly, Lerald showed no intention of resisting, assuming a stance of being ready to ¡°sell himself to settle his debt,¡± pressing for the cooperation to start immediately.


    This left Liszt with no outlet for the rage boiling inside him; after all, he couldn¡¯t simply kill the man outright. And indeed, the knowledge held by an Archmage was too tantalizing a lure for Liszt to cast aside. So, he had no choice but to approach Acherloides to see if she was willing to cooperate with Lerald.


    Acherloides flatly said, ¡°An Archmage certainly has value for cooperation, but he did attempt to assassinate my brother. Such a person is not to Acherloides¡¯ liking!¡±


    Without a doubt, Acherloides supported the idea of simply executing the Archmage.


    ¡°Brother is not fond of him either, but after all, he is an Archmage. It would be too wasteful to discard his knowledge. Besides, his ability to conduct research could greatly aid your own experiments¡­ Let¡¯s keep him. Have Charley keep a constant eye on him, and if he shows any malice, wipe him out.¡±


    That decided it.


    Archmage Lerald Truth formally joined the Flame Kingdom. Liszt¡¯s anger, however, remained unvented, so he turned his gaze to Louis¡¤Shadowbody, the King of Shadows, who was recovering from his injuries and on the verge of awakening.


    ¡°Attempting on my life, you shall bear twice the fury I hold!¡±

 Chapter 1023 - 1023 1020 You Know Too

    ?Chapter 1023: Chapter 1020: You Know Too Chapter 1023: Chapter 1020: You Know Too Lerald¡¤Truth received amnesty, the price of which was that he would serve the Flame Kingdom for life and devote all his acquired knowledge and held information.


    Liszt had no interest in understanding his magic knowledge, but the information he held, especially that related to the Kushan Imperial, was very worth exploring.


    The founding time of the Kushan Imperial was no longer reliable. It was said to have originated from a kingdom two thousand years ago, which, after merging with the surrounding three kingdoms through marriage and other means, formed the Kushan Federal Empire. In the two thousand years since, the royal families of the four kingdoms merged with each other, eventually leaving only one imperial household.


    There were some differences between the imperial household of the Empire and those of the Kingdoms and Duchies.


    The main difference was that the Emperor¡¯s offspring needed to be enfeoffed. Apart from the eldest legitimate son who would inherit the Emperor¡¯s position, the other offspring would be given titles and start their own families with different surnames. If the eldest legitimate son died young, these offspring would have the chance to move into the palace and become the new Emperor, though the opportunity was slim.


    Every Emperor received the best resources for cultivation and held office for a long time. They often practiced the method of skipping a generation for succession, passing the throne to a grandson.


    If the grandson died young, the son could step forward and continue to cultivate a new grandson.


    This generation¡¯s Emperor had inherited the Emperor¡¯s position directly from his grandfather and already had a grandson; the imperial bloodline would not be interrupted. Emperor Jupiter himself was a Dark Dragon Knight, his son was a Dragon Knight, and his grandson was also being nurtured to become a Dragon Knight.


    ¡°The royal family has a secret treasure, a tree related to the Jade Dragon that bears Jade Fruit. You should have seized a Jade Fruit from Louis¡¤Shadowbody; it¡¯s the appearance of the Jade Fruit that ensures every generation of the imperial lineage¡ªprovided the talent is not too poor¡ªcan almost certainly ride dragons.¡±


    ¡°Does the Kushan royal family have many such Jade Fruits?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; even I cannot pry into such secrets. By the way, there¡¯s a mystery I¡¯ve always wanted to unravel. Are you able to ride so many dragons because you also possess a Jade Fruit?¡± Lerald¡¤Truth gazed intensely at Liszt.


    He was curious about all information related to the legendary Jade Dragon.


    Liszt asked noncommitally, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°When Emperor Jupiter made a deal with me to request your assassination, he told me that without external aid, a Knight could not possibly ride a second dragon. And all three great empires hold Jade Fruits, which have also given rise to Dragon Knights who ride two dragons.¡±


    This was an important piece of information; clearly, the Jade Dragon had indeed been dismembered and its remains scattered across the entire Legendary Continent, including the Mafa Continent.


    Families that possessed the corpse of the Jade Dragon were obviously able to become enduring Dragon Rearing Families that wouldn¡¯t lack dragons to make up numbers, and thus could grow into empires. For example, the Flame Family that Liszt had founded, normally developing for a few hundred years, fit the pattern of an empire¡¯s rise perfectly.


    Lerald added, ¡°Sadly, the Sacred Dragon has been missing for thousands of years, and the three great empires could not obtain a Sacred Dragon. Only you have ridden a Formless Dragon. After getting the news of the Formless Dragon, when Emperor Jupiter summoned me, he said he was determined to have the Formless Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Big talker.¡± Liszt was alert in his heart but showed disdain on his face.


    Lerald shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the secret forces of the Kushan Imperial, but I know Emperor Jupiter well. Once he wants something, he will pay any price¡­ With the Formless Dragon in your hands, he will not give up but will continue to look for an opportunity to snatch it away.¡±


    ¡°Then let him come. Even the Archmage and the King of Shadows couldn¡¯t harm me when they teamed up to assassinate me. I don¡¯t believe he has any tricks left!¡± Liszt¡¯s confidence was well-founded; this assassination attempt had proven again that the power of destiny favored him, and all conspiracies and tricks could not hide from him.


    Lerald then narrated the overt strength of the Kushan Imperial.


    The Imperial Dragon Lair supported thirty-one dragons, among which were twenty-two Dragon Knights, much more powerful than the strength of a typical kingdom. Fortunately, most of the Kushan Empire¡¯s Dragon Knights were used to combat the Neverfall Empire, or else it would have been too easy to annex the surrounding small countries, and they would have already expanded eastward.


    Afterward, Lerald spoke of the political landscape of the Legendary Continent.


    The Neverfall Empire was recognized as the strongest nation, followed closely by the Blue Dragon Empire, and finally, the Kushan Empire. These three empires were often at war, in a situation similar to a tripartite standoff. Next came eleven kingdoms and countless duchies, along with three major city-states.


    Freedom City-State, Lost City-State, Mercenary City-State.


    City-States were small alliances of Dragon Rearing Families, existing in the form of Mercenary Corps, mainly to oppose the Kushan Empire ¨C which was the only empire that liked to plunder smaller countries.


    Because of the great distance and the unexpected decline of magic civilization, the difficulty of imperial expansion increased, otherwise, in these thousands of years, there would have been some talented and ambitious Dragon Knights capable of unifying the Legendary Continent.


    ¡°So, how do you view the downfall of the Ancient Moon Empire?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but based on my years of persistent excavation of ancient ruins, I¡¯ve deduced that during the heyday of the Moon Empire, a huge catastrophe of destruction suddenly erupted. After that, the entire magic civilization collapsed overnight, and only then did knights develop in these ruins of civilization.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the Mafa Continent?¡±


    ¡°You know about the Mafa Continent too?¡± Lerald looked at Li Si Te with renewed esteem, ¡°Indeed, there is a Mafa Continent similar to the Legendary Continent, where there were close interactions between the two continents in ancient times. The magicians of the Mafa Continent also achieved unification, called the Sun Empire.¡±


    ¡°What happened to the Sun Empire in the end?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say clearly, but I personally deduce that at the same time as the Moon Empire, the Sun Empire also collapsed thunderingly. And in the ancient seas there was also a civilization, ruled by mermaids. Some of the ruins I¡¯ve excavated contain items from the sea and Sky Ships.¡±


    ¡°Sky Ships?¡± Li Si Te raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°The flying vessels that traverse the Devil¡¯s Sea, humans from the time of the Moon Empire and Sun Empire didn¡¯t like to travel on ordinary ships, they always flew in the sky, side by side with dragons.¡± Lerald said with some emotion, as to every magician, the magic civilization of ancient times was an ideal state.


    ¡°How much do you know about dragons?¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ve certainly studied a lot about these magical creatures; they are the embodiment of the limits of Magic Power, representing the manifestation of some kind of Truth. As far as I know, there should be thirty-six types of Gemstone Dragons, seventy-two types of Metal Dragons, eight types of Elemental Dragons, five types of Sacred Dragons, and three types of Evil Dragons¡­ But I¡¯m not very familiar with the specific kinds.¡±


    ¡°You also know about the Evil Dragons?¡± Li Si Te became quite interested, ¡°What do you know about them?¡±


    Lerald was taken aback, ¡°So Your Majesty you know about Evil Dragons too¡­ That shouldn¡¯t be right, this place is the wild countryside, small kingdoms like Eagle, Steel Ridge, and Blast Furnace Fortress shouldn¡¯t be able to get any news about Evil Dragons¡­ Ah, it must have been Lord Acherloides who taught you, I didn¡¯t expect her to be so young, yet so knowledgeable.¡±


    To Li Si Te, this didn¡¯t sound quite right¡ªit was he who had taught Acherloides, not the other way around!


    He was the renowned scholar acknowledged by the Magic Guild of the Flame Kingdom!

 Chapter 1024 - 1024 1021 Torture

    ?Chapter 1024: Chapter 1021: Torture Chapter 1024: Chapter 1021: Torture It was just a muttered complaint.


    Liszt was well aware of his limitations; his so-called vast knowledge was mostly courtesy titles given to him out of politeness by others.


    Now, it was Acherloides who was truly the most learned in the Flame Kingdom, especially when it came to knowledge of magic. Some basic principles were beyond Liszt¡¯s comprehension, so profound were they. That was also why he had spared Archmage Lerald Truth¡¯s life¡ªsome cutting-edge knowledge could only be vaguely understood by Lerald.


    Kenley Truth and Chris Truth, the two vice presidents of the Magic Guild, were constrained by their own levels of cultivation and often couldn¡¯t keep up with Acherloides¡¯s pace.


    As for the seven mermaids, they were Superior Magic creatures; however, their knowledge of magic wasn¡¯t even on par with that of human Grand Magicians.


    ¡°During this period, Acherloides has developed a strong distaste for you because you participated in an attempt on my life. Therefore, your assignment for the time being will be the compilation of ¡®Great Encyclopedia¡¯. Once you¡¯ve become accustomed to life in the Flame Kingdom, I¡¯ll involve you in Acherloides¡¯s experimental research,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but when do you plan to build a Mage Tower for me, Your Majesty?¡±


    He had not yet started his work and was already asking for his perks.


    Liszt waved his hand dismissively, ¡°No rush for the Mage Tower. With the architectural art I now possess, constructing wondrous buildings is a matter of minutes. Once my King¡¯s Castle and Royal Palace are complete, it will be your Mage Tower¡¯s turn.¡± He still needed more time to assess Lerald¡¯s character.


    It simply wasn¡¯t possible to fully trust someone after just a few conversations.


    Lerald Truth could not disagree, ¡°Compiling ¡®Great Encyclopedia¡¯ is indeed a good idea, but I have no patience for the task myself. You¡¯ll need to help me find a group of Grand Magicians to assist me; I am only willing to provide dictation. In addition, you¡¯ll need to prepare a laboratory for me. I want to develop a magic curriculum to teach to Lord Acherloides eventually.¡±


    ¡°That can be easily arranged, but there is another issue we need to discuss¡ªwhat information do you have about Louis Shadow, the King of Shadows?¡±


    ¡°Louis Shadow is the leader of Shadow Incarnation, an ace up the sleeve of Emperor Jupiter. I don¡¯t know much about his background, only that he has twice successfully assassinated Dragon Knights from smaller kingdoms. He exists on a higher level within Shadow Incarnation, above the rank of Shadows.¡±


    Shallow Shadow corresponds to Elite Earth Knight.


    Deep Shadow corresponds to the average level Sky Knight.


    Shadows corresponds to Completion Level Sky Knight.


    Louis Shadow is the King of Shadows, at the level of a Dragon Knight or Archmage.


    Suddenly remembering something additional, Lerald continued, ¡°The reason Louis became the King of Shadows is probably related to Emperor Jupiter¡¯s Dark Dragon, a creature inherited from the previous emperor. Jupiter himself is also grooming his grandson, hoping he can inherit the Dark Dragon.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°The Dark Dragon is related to the King of Shadows¡­ Could it be that Shadow Incarnation is a system of cultivation similar to Light Magic Swordsman or Fire Paladin?¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With doubts in mind, Liszt stood up to leave.


    He urgently needed to deal with some necessary tasks, such as practicing and harmonizing with the dragons¡ªwithout which even dragons bound with Mind Branding would become estranged.


    Moreover, he needed to properly soothe the elves, especially those recently obtained from the Earth Fury Family and the Grey Iron Family. With the sudden increase of Greater Elves, Liszt didn¡¯t know what to name them; he considered following the Dragon Rearing Family¡¯s tradition of not naming even the Greater Elves.


    As of today, he could hardly look after the elves anymore.


    He didn¡¯t even have time to properly bond with the three Dragon Elves at home, including Jela, the uniquely different Thorn Greater Elf, who was virtually left to fend for herself.


    Fortunately, Jela was currently learning how to manage and striving to be a good Elves Butler of the Flame Castle.


    ¡°Back then, when a single Tulip Bug failed to evolve, I was heartbroken for days. Now, almost every month, a few Elf Bugs die, yet it has become hard for even the thought of sighing to last long,¡± Liszt said, looking at Jela as she proudly educated the new Little Minor Elves, a wistful sentiment playing across his lips.


    The main issue was that his rise to power was too wild, and there had never been a perfect harmony between his mentality and his strength.


    ¡°Waaah, did you all get that?¡± Jela, with hands on hips, finished scolding the Little Minor Elves. Wearing a set of extra-small Flack Abbieye, she looked somewhat¡­ absurd.


    The Minor Elves looked at each other, then dispersed without any of them responding to Jela.


    Jela was so annoyed that she cried out, ¡°Waaah¡±!


    Elves have never been gregarious creatures; they have relatively independent personalities, which is why they often lack obedience and are easily immersed in their own worlds.


    For example, the Corn Greater Elf, Mickey, counted corn kernels every day when he was a Minor Elf and continued to do so as a Greater Elf, striving to count from one to one hundred.


    Once he counted to one hundred, he might be able to evolve into a Dragon Elf.


    ¡­


    Before Liszt could complete his round of training with the dragons, the King of Shadows, Louis Shadow, whom he had targeted with double fury, had already woken up from his stupor. Unlike Archmage Lerald Truth, he was assaulted by Liszt¡¯s frenzied flames in his internal organs and nearly died.


    So, even after waking up, he was still gasping for breath, ready to faint at any moment.


    ¡°Louis Shadow, do you understand your current situation?¡± Liszt personally interrogated the King of Shadows, his curiosity about the Shadow Incarnation undiminished.


    ¡°How did you, avoid, my assassination?¡± Louis, instead of answering, retorted with a question and was panting after uttering just a few words.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re still not quite awake, not realizing the situation you¡¯re in.¡±


    ¡°No, you, you¡¯re not human, definitely not, I clearly stabbed, your heart, felt the heart, bursting, such a euphonic sound!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    Right from the start, Louis presented an uncooperative stance. No matter how Liszt interrogated him, he just kept repeating phrases like ¡°Liszt is not human,¡± ¡°you¡¯re already dead,¡± and ¡°I wouldn¡¯t fail an assassination,¡± stubbornly unyielding.


    This angered Liszt immensely, not just double fury, but triple.


    But the current Louis couldn¡¯t be beaten; his body was too weak and could die from any blow. Therefore, Liszt forced himself to calm down, and a spark of insight crossed his mind: ¡°If Louis is so uncooperative, it¡¯s either because of his loyal-to-a-fault nature, or it¡¯s because he dares not speak carelessly.¡±


    Combining this with what Lerald Truth had said before, that the King of Shadows might be related to the Dark Dragon, Liszt grew more suspicious that Louis was a type of Dragon Wraith under the Dark Dragon¡¯s influence.


    Unlike Paris, who could train independently as a Light Magic Swordsman, Louis might be unable to escape the Dark Dragon¡¯s control.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wish to speak, huh? If you want to play the waiting game with me, then I¡¯ll allow you to wait!¡± Liszt got up and left the underground dungeon immediately.


    He ordered a magician with healing abilities: ¡°Heal his body as soon as possible.¡±


    He also handed over the interrogation duties to the dungeon warden: ¡°When his body can withstand it, torture him daily with severe punishment. He doesn¡¯t need to speak, just keep him from dying!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, you can rest assured. I might not be good at interrogation, but I excel at torturing prisoners!¡± The dungeon warden, a Sky Knight with the rank of Earl, volunteered to manage the dungeon specifically to torture mortals¡ªit could be said he was a sadist.


    After seeing Liszt off, the warden went to the cell with a smile at the corner of his mouth and, with an unspeakable gaze, watched Louis Shadow, making his hair stand on end.


    Then he cackled: ¡°You¡¯d better get better quickly.¡±

 Chapter 1025 - 1025 1022 Favor of Destiny

    ?Chapter 1025: Chapter 1022: Favor of Destiny Chapter 1025: Chapter 1022: Favor of Destiny In the end, they couldn¡¯t prise open the mouth of Louis Shadow, the King of Shadows, who, tortured and battered, never revealed any information about the Kushan Imperial or the Shadow Incarnation.


    This was the strongest-willed person Liszt had ever seen, so he could only let the prison staff torture Louis Shadow half to death before trying to invite Lerald¡¤Truth to see if he could search the other¡¯s memories through soul magic.


    Unfortunately, no such magic existed, even for an Archmage who had lived for many years. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the end, Louis Shadow¡¯s soul collapsed, and his physical body disintegrated, returning to the fundamental material elements between heaven and earth; simultaneously, the Smoke Mission was finally completed.


    ¡°Mission completed, reward: Cloaked Bear-wearer Cultivator¡¯s Manual.¡±


    To be honest, this mission deeply puzzled Liszt. According to the mission¡¯s reward, he should have received the Cloaked Bear-wearer Cultivator¡¯s Manual a month ago when Pilaf and his son confessed. Even if the mission had not been completed, it should have changed, but it was forcedly delayed until now.


    Only after dealing with Pilaf and his son, Archmage Lerald¡¤Truth, and the King of Shadows, Louis Shadow, was the mission reward finally issued.


    ¡°Why is it like this? Could it be that there was some change in the Smoke Mission, or perhaps the Power of Destiny, due to excessive consumption, experienced some deviation?¡±


    This question did not puzzle him for long because the new mission content had vaguely explained what had happened to the Smoke Mission.


    ¡°Mission: Two hundred and second choice of destiny, guiding and predicting time and again, you have grown from a small landlord to a monarch of a nation, and as the Flame Kingdom is about to be established, perhaps it is time to ponder some deeper issues, please touch the Bastion. Reward: Favor of Destiny.¡±


    ¡°Favor of Destiny, it seems like the Smoke Mission is undergoing changes.¡±


    Liszt frowned and mused, ¡°Is this change good or bad? Judging by the content of the reward, it should be a good change¡­ So what was I before, and what is my relationship with destiny¡­ Or was the Power of Destiny I received before just a trial version, and now they are giving me the official version?¡±


    Clearly, the Favor of Destiny was not just a title; it was like having a higher level of control over the Power of Destiny. According to his understanding, it was due to his years of making decisions and changing destiny that the Power of Destiny had grown stronger and gradually formed the Favor of Destiny.


    If one were to say that after the death of the Smoke Dragon, its residual power lingered in him.


    Then this power had now taken root and was even ready to start nurturing a new Smoke Dragon.


    ¡°Is it really so?¡± For now, Liszt could not be certain; he could only wait for the mission to be completed and experience the Favor of Destiny afterward, ¡°So what I need to do now is keep training hard and then touch the Bastion¡­ The Bastion is the realm beyond Dragon Knights as Ach mentioned.¡±


    Beyond Dragon Knights is to break the Bastion, to become a Bastion Knight.


    Currently, the only existing clue about breaking the Bastion involves the slumbering Dragon of the Magic Web; speaking of which, Liszt had already seen it twice.


    The first time was during an experiment to rip apart a natural node, allowing the Formless Dragon Bard a brief entry into adulthood strength, thereby glimpsing the terrifying figure of the Dragon of the Magic Web.


    The second time was when the Time Scepter triggered the ability to reflect time, allowing him to see a potential future vision featuring a pair of terrifying eyes¡ªsomehow, he was certain those were the eyes of the Dragon of the Magic Web, probably because in his knowledge, only the Dragon of the Magic Web could have such eyes.


    ¡°The Bastion is just a concept for now, even Ach hasn¡¯t figured it out yet; how am I to touch the Bastion? Could it be that I need Ach¡¯s help again to allow the Formless Dragon Bard to enter its adult strength and then secretly spy on the Dragon of the Magic Web to discover information about the Bastion?¡±


    Indeed, the Dragon of the Magic Web provided excellent observational material.


    However, with the formidable power of the Dragon of the Magic Web, transcending material, material boundaries, and worlds beyond material, what terrible things might happen if Liszt¡¯s spying alarmed it?


    ¡°With the strength of the Dragon of the Magic Web, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to crush me, right?¡± Liszt rarely felt vulnerable.


    Recently, he had become so arrogant that he looked down on even the empire, but he still harbored a deep fear of the Dragon of the Magic Web. It was this fear that kept his mentality from becoming recklessly inflated. He knew all too well that even as a Holy Dragon Knight, he was not invincible, and there were still many beings that could harm him.


    Not to mention the Dragon of the Magic Web, there was also the Cursed Dragon, whose incredible contaminating power was clearly beyond his resistance.


    Ranked among the Evil Dragons alongside the Cursed Dragon were the Silent Dragon and the Shadow Dragon¡ªunknown entities of formidable strength, definitely not weaker than the Sacred Dragon.


    Even if these dragons wouldn¡¯t trouble him without reason, he couldn¡¯t afford to be too complacent. Although the assassinations by the Kushan Empire had been thwarted, the elusive assassination methods of the King of Shadows still significantly heightened his vigilance¡ªin this magical world, even Dragon Knights were not safe.


    ¡°Better keep a low profile for now,, focus on developing the Flame Kingdom, and ride a few more dragons¡­ I wonder if I can ride the Light Dragon from Red Maple Mountain of the Maple Leaf Duchy. I have a feeling that once I develop Light Attribute Magic Power, it could effectively counter assassins like a Shadow Incarnation.¡±


    What left a deep impression on him was how Lerald¡¤Truth, using the Light of Confinement Magic Staff, displayed a space-locking skill, a sophisticated utilization of Light Attribute Magic Power which could penetrate all spaces and discern all truths and illusions.


    If he had a Light Dragon by his side.


    The King of Shadows would stand no chance of getting close.


    ¡°I now have two Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits. Once the research on the Jade Dragon¡¯s hind leg is thorough, I should be able to continue cultivating Mind Fruit trees, providing a continuous supply of Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits¡­ I can use one on the Light Dragon.¡±


    In fact, he also had information on several Elemental Dragons, their general activity areas already known, but they didn¡¯t have much value for development at the moment. For instance, the Wind Dragon, Ice Dragon, Earth Dragon¡ªtheir development wasn¡¯t very significant, and even the Little Water Dragon inside his body wasn¡¯t of much value.


    These kinds of Elemental Dragons belonged to the Evil Dragon sequence, they were not productive and consumed vast resources, so Liszt couldn¡¯t afford to keep too many.


    Developing the Light Dragon was also for the sake of protecting himself.


    ¡­


    It seemed that as soon as Liszt thought about the Little Water Dragon staying inside him without coming out, on the first day of August, unexpectedly, he felt the Little Water Dragon calling him from within.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡±


    It had had enough of staying inside Liszt¡¯s kidneys and now wanted to really come out and experience the outside world.


    In an open area, Liszt waited for the Little Water Dragon to emerge. Moments later, the Light Attribute Dragon¡¯s Super Magic erupted from his body, transforming into a wave suspended in mid-air. The wave quickly exploded into a torrential downpour, and as the raindrops hit the ground,


    A light blue small dragon was flapping its wings, looking at Liszt.


    It was ten meters long with a ten-meter wingspan, slender in form with beautiful scales, everything about it radiated beauty, including an exceptionally pretty head.


    Yet the evil tint in its eyes could match that of Leo.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡± It looked at Liszt once, flapped its wings, and charged into the high sky, plunging down rapidly just as Liszt was about to lose sight of it.


    It frolicked back and forth, thoroughly enjoying itself.


    Until it grew tired, then it landed in front of Liszt again, opened its mouth wide, and cried ¡°Yo-ho,¡± ¡°Yo-ho,¡± asking Liszt for food.

 Chapter 1026 - 1026 1023 Battle of the Water World

    ?Chapter 1026: Chapter 1023: Battle of the Water World Chapter 1026: Chapter 1023: Battle of the Water World ¡°Walter, will you let me ride?¡±


    Liszt tried to mount Little Water Dragon Walter, but the little dragon glared at him fiercely, refusing Liszt¡¯s ride even after enjoying such a feast of Superior Magic within him.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡±


    With a somewhat milky call, he expressed his firm stance.


    ¡°It¡¯s really a inherited temper of the Evil Dragon, Walter, you resist just like Leo did initially. Unfortunately, when Leo met me, I was but a Sky Knight. Now that you¡¯ve met me, I am a powerful Dragon Knight and possess the Phoenix Incarnation.¡±


    Liszt looked at Little Water Dragon Walter, shaking his head in regret.


    Walter was the name he gave to the Little Water Dragon¡ªsince water is called ¡°Walter¡± in English¡ªso, without wanting to exert more brainpower, Liszt announced its name the moment it was born¡ªwhether it accepted it or not, Walter would accompany it for life.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡± Hearing the name Leo, Walter shrank his neck a bit but soon raised his head and puffed out his chest, continuing to express his firm stance.


    Such is the nature of Elemental Dragons, all of whom are classified as Evil Dragons, precisely because of their personalities.


    Gemstone Dragons and Metal Dragons may also look down on humans, but their temperaments are relatively mild. Any human recognized by them gets a chance to engage in the Mind Battle. However, Elemental Dragons are different¡ªtheir inner negative emotions continually flourish, and there¡¯s no hope of mollifying them or gaining their approval.


    ¡°So, after all the fuss, it still comes down to strength, Walter, and your strength is nothing in my eyes,¡± Liszt said as he pulled out a Magic Potion and handed it to Little Water Dragon Walter.


    After Little Water Dragon happily finished the potion,


    he was met by Liszt, who had already surged with Dragon Dou Qi and quickly entered a battle stance. Having overpowered others in the Aluminum Dragon Mind Battle without relying on the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, he was now fearless in any Mind Battle and did not need to use Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    After all, he was always shrouded in the power of destiny, originating from the Smoke Dragon¡ªa Sacred Dragon like the Jade Dragon, which is the source of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Squatting and then soaring into the sky, he activated half of his Phoenix Incarnation, conjuring a pair of wings on his back that flapped ferociously. He sped straight towards Little Water Dragon Walter, with exceedingly rapid speed.


    No match for the newly born Little Water Dragon.


    Just as he was about to reach its back,


    the Little Water Dragon suddenly twisted its body, its dragon eyes filled with a sinister gleam, and opened its dragon mouth to spew a light blue stream of water-like Dragon Breath, not sparing any Superior Magic.


    Compared to Leo¡¯s high-temperature Flame Dragon Breath, its Dragon Breath seemed more like a water gun.


    However, in the next moment Liszt discovered the marvelous use of the Water Dragon Dragon Breath¡ªit did not disperse but instead condensed into multiple water snakes striking towards Liszt.


    ¡°Child¡¯s play!¡± Liszt casually drew out the Shattered Crystal Blade, and immediately myriad flames burst forth from the great sword, mercilessly shattering each water snake.


    The Shattered Crystal Blade was a weapon seized from the King of Shadows.


    The Knowledge Ancient Book identified it as¡ªElf Blood, Chromium Dragon Bone, Crystal, Magic Piercing.


    Based on this description, along with his and Ach¡¯s research,


    the main body of this Shattered Crystal Blade is a segment of the Metal Dragon ¨C Chromium Dragon¡¯s bone, soaked in likely a Greater Elf¡¯s blood. Additionally, it¡¯s adorned with abundant crystals, melded with the Chromium Dragon Bone using special Iron Knight techniques to create an indestructible union,


    resulting in this great sword that appears to be pieced together from numerous shattered crystals.


    And its nature was Magic Piercing, which had a very powerful piercing effect on Magic Power, especially defensive types of Magic Power¡ªsuch as the Magician¡¯s Water Wave Shield and the Knight¡¯s Magic Equipment, all within the scope of Magic Piercing.


    The King of Shadows must have relied on this weapon to successfully assassinate two Dragon Knights, as even Liszt couldn¡¯t defend against the powerful effect of Magic Piercing.


    Had he not been able to transform into a Phoenix, he would have been pierced through the heart and died.


    Now it had become Liszt¡¯s weapon and had been named ¡°Shattered Crystal Blade,¡± showing its powerful effect as soon as it was used.


    The water serpent formed from Little Water Dragon Walter¡¯s Dragon Breath couldn¡¯t withstand the sweep of Shattered Crystal Blade at all.


    With one strike that crushed Walter¡¯s attack, Liszt had already rushed to Walter¡¯s back and was about to take a seat on the Dragon Tooth Platform. Naturally, Walter was reluctant, desperately twisting its body, its wings flailing wildly, and its tail whipping viciously toward Liszt like a whip.


    The sound of the wind howled.


    Liszt had no choice but to dodge the tail whip.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡±


    Once Little Water Dragon Walter¡¯s attack succeeded, it immediately flapped its wings to escape into the distance, but it had just been born and was too weak. Liszt effortlessly flapped his Phoenix wings and caught up with it in a flash. After defeating its Dragon Breath again, he finally managed to sit on the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    ¡°Now, I am so powerful¡­ Juvenile dragons are almost no different from ordinary Magical Beasts before me,¡± he thought as he took his seat.


    Then.


    His vision was submerged by an endless ocean, and he had undoubtedly arrived in the all-water world of Little Water Dragon Walter¡¯s psychological realm.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡±


    A thunder-like roar jolted Liszt from his thoughts, revealing that Little Water Dragon Walter had transformed into a massive and ferocious adult Water Dragon. Gone was its beautiful and delicate appearance from its childhood, replaced by a bloated, wrinkled, and spiky form that greatly enhanced the sense of power after losing its aesthetic appeal.


    It stared at Liszt willfully, opening its dragon mouth and issuing a silent laugh.


    Through a faint mind connection, Liszt could understand what Walter was saying¡ªit was telling Liszt that the wheel of fortune turns, and now it was its turn to be in charge.


    ¡°Hmm, the last dragon that thought this was a fifty-year-old Aluminum Dragon. Do you know what it¡¯s doing now? It¡¯s working for me, escorting a group of Knights who are migrating to the Flame Kingdom,¡± Liszt said, standing in the water without showing any discomfort.


    The psychological realm was very peculiar.


    It was a world of both reality and illusion.


    It thought of itself as a psychological space, and dragons in the psychological realm were the most powerful beings, while their human opponents in the Mind Battle were at an absolute disadvantage. But Liszt was an exception; the trump cards he held in the real world were directly reflected in the psychological realm. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The fate smoke that enveloped his entire body, the Phoenix Incarnation ready to be displayed at any moment, and the weapon in his hand could all be materialized in the psychological realm.


    Now, in this all-water world, he had another materialized trump card¡ªthe Heart of the Mermaid contract, which allowed him to swim freely in the water.


    Thus.


    He held the smoke-enhanced Shattered Crystal Blade in both hands, fearlessly looking at the approaching Water Dragon Walter, ¡°In the psychological realm, there is no Dragon Knight more powerful than me!¡±


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡± Seeing Liszt¡¯s smooth and graceful stance, Walter became puzzled¡ªits understanding was that humans could not survive underwater.


    So in its own psychological realm, it thought itself invincible, but unexpectedly it encountered a human who could breathe freely underwater.


    The confusion was fleeting, and it soon discarded that thought, its eyes gleaming with wickedness as it viciously pounced toward Liszt¡ªalthough it had been nurtured from his body, this did not prevent it from wanting to crush him, because how could an ant ride on the noble Water Dragon!

 Chapter 1027 - 1027 1024 Pike and Water

    ?Chapter 1027: Chapter 1024 Pike and Water Chapter 1027: Chapter 1024 Pike and Water Clang!


    The sound of the sword moving through the water was very pleasant to the ear, despite the Shattered Crystal Blade¡¯s unusual design which possessed a rhythmic arrangement and structure.


    When swung in the air, it could stir up the air currents silently, while in water, it produced a pleasant friction sound.


    With one slash, the Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi, even underwater, emitted a brilliant light, like a giant Flame Blade fiercely striking Water Dragon Walter.


    Plop!


    Walter¡¯s scales were instantly cleaved by the Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi, leaving a charred wound.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Walter was both angry and terrified, never expecting that Liszt could harm him in such an environment, and it seemed that Liszt¡¯s strength had not only not declined but had surged, becoming even more powerful and formidable than in reality.


    ¡°I told you, with your youthful intelligence you wouldn¡¯t comprehend my strength, Walter. Stop the futile struggle,¡± Liszt calmly said, holding the Shattered Crystal Blade, with smoke forming a cape fluttering behind him in the waves, ¡°I nurtured you from wreckage, this is our unbreakable bond.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Walter¡¯s dragon eyes erupted in a faint blue light, charging at Liszt again with a powerful Dragon Breath, which instantly transformed into countless giant sea snakes swirling towards Liszt.


    Compared to the Dragon Breath in reality, its current one was truly formidable, the myriad water snakes swirling around was enough to make one¡¯s scalp tingle.


    However, under the smoke-enhanced Shattered Crystal Blade, no matter how strong or numerous the giant snakes were, they were merely fodder.


    Flames transformed into a sea of fire, swiftly burning and evaporating every Dragon Breath giant snake, spinning and jumping in the sea, creating a fire tornado rushing towards Water Dragon Walter.


    The battle was exhilarating.


    In the end, with his strong abilities, Liszt forcefully slew Water Dragon Walter, the Shattered Crystal Blade stained with dragon blood containing Superior Magic, proclaiming the victory of this Mind Battle¡ªwithout relying on Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit and taking the Mind Battle seriously.


    It was his second rightful victory, facing an Elemental Dragon, an Evil Dragon¡¯s mental world.


    The seawater churned up bubbles, and the next moment, the bubbles dissipated, a new Water Dragon was floating in front of him, lowering its head to nudge Liszt, indicating for him to mount its Dragon Tooth Platform¡ªas defeating a dragon in the Mind Battle was akin to signing a marital record.


    Liszt sheathed the Shattered Crystal Blade and smiled faintly, leaping onto the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    Then, in an instant, he completed the Mind Sync Connection, controlling the Water Dragon as it continuously surfaced from the water, flying towards the surface of the water, not knowing how long they flew before finally leaping out of the water, splashing countless droplets of water, soaring straight upwards.


    The next moment.


    The view transformed.


    He was riding the young Little Water Dragon Walter, flying clumsily in the sky, the view wasn¡¯t fresh, much like the human perspective.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Walter let out an angry roar; though it accepted the outcome, it wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    ¡°Calm down, after more adjustments, you¡¯ll understand how fortunate it is to follow me,¡± Liszt patted the scales on its neck.


    Everything thus concluded.


    ¡­


    Little Water Dragon Walter¡¯s Dragon Nest was temporarily arranged in the only sea city of Flame Kingdom¡ªMermaid City. It was near the estuary of the Whirlpool River, close to Estuary City, a gathering place for the Fish Ugly Race, and a resting spot for mermaids, soon to be developed into an underwater breeding garden.


    Most Elves found by the mermaids were arranged to stay near Mermaid City.


    The aquaculture industry originally surrounding Black Horse Island was gradually shifting here. For instance, the artificial cultivation of Hei Chequ, Fen Hai Luo, and Golden-Lipped Clam had been completely handed over to the Fish Ugly Race. Seaweed and Giant Algae were also being cultivated on a large scale here.


    Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike had moved from the Giant Algae Forest of Black Horse Island and now owned a luxurious Worm Room in Mermaid City.


    ¡°The handsome Pike likes life here; if only those ugly toadfish would stay further away from me,¡± mused Pike as he lay on a Giant Algae leaf, watching the Fish Ugly harvest the Giant Algae around him, feeling pleased with himself and occasionally pulling some Jade Powder from his body to nibble on.


    Suddenly.


    A thought crossed his mind, and he looked towards the distant sea surface, ¡°Hmm, the equally handsome Liszt has arrived; it¡¯s been a long time since he last visited me, I wonder which little elf has bewitched him¡­ Only the handsome Pike truly loves himself; no one in this world will treat you well, except for yourself.¡±


    Amidst his soliloquy, Liszt, riding Little Water Dragon Walter, had already arrived.


    The existence of Water Dragons in the water was very special; their bodies seemed to be coated with a layer of air, completely isolated from the seawater. This reminded him of Rainbow Whale Rose he left on Black Horse Island who could use a magic called the Rainbow Breathing Membrane, which was equally miraculous.


    Liszt, riding Walter, was also enveloped in a layer of air, breathing freely.


    Moreover, Walter moved smoothly in the water, even more agile and faster than flying in the sky, and the deep sea pressure had no effect on him¡ªthis was expected, after all, if mermaids could swim freely in the deep sea, how could the more magical Water Dragon not manage?


    And one thing about Water Dragons was that, even in the dark depths of the sea, their vision remained unaffected; they could see a special kind of light to discern the underwater world.


    This was something mermaids could not do.


    Once merged with the Eye of Magic, who knew what kind of miraculous changes would occur.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡± Stopping near the edge of a newly sprouting Giant Algae Forest, Walter yawned out of boredom. By that time, the slowly approaching Pike, who had been summoned by Liszt, had arrived.


    He saw Walter.


    Such a sight of a Water Dragon gave him an extremely unusual shock; indeed, he had seen dragons before, as Liszt had let him experience several dragons. However, Pike didn¡¯t feel anything towards these dragons; he even slightly despised the haughty demeanor they possessed.


    ¡°Only I, Pike, am the most handsome; dragons are nothing in comparison!¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But at that moment, upon seeing Little Water Dragon Walter for the first time, Pike felt as if he had fallen in love with this dragon.


    ¡°Oh, heavens, Liszt, what have you brought? It¡¯s so perfect, handsome Pike likes it!¡± Pike couldn¡¯t help but fly over and circle around Little Water Dragon Walter incessantly.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡± Walter blew a bubble at Pike, trying to shoo away this sharp-toothed little thing like chasing away a fly.


    Pike was knocked over several times, but quickly swam back, flipping over and under, ¡°Liszt, I like it, handsome Pike likes it!¡±


    ¡°I feel your affection, Pike, in fact, I brought Little Water Dragon Walter over to see if you would like him,¡± Liszt laughed heartily, relishing in such moments. Pike growing fond of Walter indicated that Pike had finally reached the edge of evolution.


    Greater Elves only liked dragons that were compatible with them, only then could they evolve.


    Fortunately, Pike had now encountered Walter.


    ¡°From now on, Mermaid City shall be Walter¡¯s Dragon Nest, and Pike, you and Walter must get along well; no one must bully anyone.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha, handsome Pike will take good care of this little cutie, off you go, Liszt!¡± exclaimed Pike, patting his little chest.


    But the words made Liszt¡¯s face darken¡ªwhat did he mean by ¡®off you go¡¯?


    Little Water Dragon Walter, with a volatile temper, let out a ¡°yo-ho¡± dragon roar, greatly detesting this little flea-like creature.


    ¡°I am a noble dragon, you damn flea!¡±

 Chapter 1028 - 1028 1025 Beast Taming Contract

    ?Chapter 1028: Chapter 1025: Beast Taming Contract Chapter 1028: Chapter 1025: Beast Taming Contract Walter was dissatisfied, but since Liszt had already decided and had given it a batch of magic potions as a reward, it had no choice but to accept the fact that it had to keep company with the little flea Pike.


    ¡°My cutie, I¡¯ll take good care of you, and the handsome Pike will like you just as much as he likes himself,¡± grinned the Giant Algae Greater Elf, his smile unsettling.


    ¡°Yoho!¡± Walter glared, trying to frighten Pike.


    Without the elf pact, Pike wouldn¡¯t even have taken a second glance at Liszt, let alone be intimidated by Walter¡¯s glare. Cheerfully flying onto Walter, Pike touched Walter¡¯s scales, wantonly feeling the essence of the Water Dragon.


    ¡°What a lovely Water Dragon you are, Walter. The handsome Pike likes you!¡±


    ¡°Yoho!¡± The Little Water Dragon threw its head back in an angry yet desolate posture, but in truth, it couldn¡¯t even sense Pike¡¯s existence¡ªthe Greater Elf was simply too small for it.


    However, when it closed its eyes, Pike¡¯s face flooded its mind, sending it into a frenzy.


    Therefore, it could only choose to divert its attention by cramming magic potions: ¡°Yoho!¡± It told Liszt, busy with his own amusement, that the supply of magic potions had to be doubled, otherwise there would be a rebellion.


    Liszt maintained his smile, paying no mind to the Little Water Dragon.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you truly are a great human king blessed with favor. Is this a Water Dragon? Such a marvelous creature. Its powerful and oppressive superior magic can be felt emanating from it.¡± Mermaid Salty Sea Marquis Blue Posey hurried over and spoke in admiration.


    ¡°Dragons, after all, represent the pinnacle of power. The Little Water Dragon Walter will make Mermaid City its Dragon Nest from now on. Blue Posey, the design of the Dragon Nest will be your responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Inviting a dragon to reside in Mermaid City is a fortune for all mermaids.¡±


    ¡°When providing for Little Water Dragon Walter, you must keep Yu Chou in check. Walter isn¡¯t like Mountain Copper Dragon Mata; it belongs to the Evil Dragon series and has a very unfriendly temper.¡±


    ¡°I will control Yu Chou. Even if Yu Chou gets eaten by Walter, it won¡¯t be a big deal. With the Source of Vitality Potion, these Yu Chou are reproducing new little Yu Chou every day. Their fertility is so strong, it¡¯s as if we¡¯re back to the ocean before it was polluted by the Cursed Dragon. Back then, it¡¯s said that every year there had to be organized mass combats among Yu Chou to control their numbers.¡±


    Yu Chou belonged to an intelligent species, but in the eyes of merfolk, these Yu Chou were just a group of reproductive, lowly slaves, devoid of any dignity an intelligent race should have.


    In fact, the Naga were treated the same. In the eyes of merfolk, the Naga were also an inferior race.


    Merfolk were only friendly towards humans, as they believed the human form represented a higher civilization. Judging by appearance has always been a pastime for higher intelligent species. Now seeing Little Water Dragon Walter, Blue Posey too had a dazzled fascination in his eyes, almost yearning to rush over for a touch.


    This prompted Walter to let out a continuous ¡°Yoho!¡± It really wanted to eat this mermaid, considering it a great nourishment.


    ¡­


    Leaving Little Water Dragon Walter behind. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt left the exploring to Ach, as he himself currently had no clues and could only hope that Ach might discover something.


    Then.


    He mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, tearing directly through the material boundary, and reached the wilderness south of Firm Earth¡ªthe former habitat of the Aluminum Dragon. There was a brass ore deposit here that couldn¡¯t be mined at the moment, but he wasn¡¯t here to mine, nor was he planning to meet up with the migration team.


    Instead, he was preparing to head towards Fertile Lands, attempting to find Nimia the Giant Lion.


    As for the Light Dragon that was part of the original plan, there was no intention to ride it for now¡ªa mature Light Dragon wasn¡¯t an easy adversary to deal with. Besides, Maple Leaf Duchy was located between Eagle Kingdom and Steel Ridge Kingdom, and snatching the Light Dragon would be too revealing without proper preparation, so it wasn¡¯t wise to move on it.


    The Light Dragon was right there, unclaimed and ready to ride at any time.


    He reserved the Light Dragon as a precaution against assassination.


    Yet, after the failed assassination, Emperor Jupiter surely, as Lerald¡¤Truth said, would not let it go and was bound to seek revenge. However, the King of Shadows was already dead, the Archmage had defected to the Flame Kingdom, and the Shattered Crystal Blade became Liszt¡¯s personal sword.


    That mirror-like equipment, capable of detecting Superior Magic¡ªtitled ¡°Magic Weaving Compass¡±¡ªhad also fallen into Liszt¡¯s hands. It could weave the trails of Superior Magic in its vicinity onto the compass, a very powerful detection divine artifact, especially effective against dragons.


    And another piece of equipment, the Light of Confinement Magic Staff, meant to lock down space, was damaged.


    One could say Emperor Jupiter was initially confident in his assassination attempt on Liszt, but now he had lost his wife and his troops, his bottom line completely stripped away. He definitely wouldn¡¯t send another assassin after Liszt any time soon¡ªgathering such a luxurious assassination team wasn¡¯t easy.


    In short.


    Liszt enjoyed safety during this period. In the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, he was invincible as long as he kept a low profile; no one could harm him.


    ¡°The Fertile Lands are still a thousand kilometers further south. I hope Nimia the Giant Lion hasn¡¯t spent this time sleeping in the mud¡­ Otherwise, it won¡¯t be easy to find.¡±


    Yet, his words turned out to be prophetic.


    Fate did not favor him over these few days; after three days and nights searching within the Fertile Lands, he found no traces of Superior Magic.


    There were no traces of High Magic either.


    If Nimia had not left the Fertile Lands, then it was certainly sleeping underground¡ªhigh-level dragon beasts, magical beasts, and such creatures did not hunt every day. Sometimes, they slept for ten days to half a month.


    Liszt could not afford to wait here.


    After searching for three days without success, he directly tore through the material boundary and traveled back to his domain. As soon as he returned, good news reached him. Ach, while preparing to initiate research on the Bastion, had accidentally developed another special kind of magical result¡ªa magical contract designed after Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix.


    This contract was originally suggested by Liszt in the hope of creating a bridge for communication between knights and their magical beast mounts.


    Ach gathered a group of Grand Magicians to study this, not expecting much, but they met with unexpected success.


    ¡°Brother, this contract has been tested by knights and has proven to indeed establish mental communication between the knight and magical beast. Their souls can connect through a special frequency,¡± he said. ¡°Although mental communication at close range is rather vague, the knight and magical beast can still influence each other.¡±


    ¡°Similar to knights and elves?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat, though the contract¡¯s power is weaker since it lacks compulsion. The magical beast must be familiar with the knight to establish the contract, and if the magical beast resists, the contract may even break¡­ Additionally, magicians can also use the contract to communicate with magical beasts.¡±


    ¡°Magicians too? So, is it suitable for all magical beasts?¡±


    ¡°It has to be a magical beast of a certain intelligence level. It¡¯s difficult to successfully contract insect-like magical beasts with minimal intelligence. Knights can¡¯t build rapport with such beasts; no matter how well you treat an insect magical beast, it won¡¯t return feelings, making a contract impossible.¡±


    Although it wasn¡¯t universally applicable to all magical beasts.


    Liszt stroked his chin, still approving of this research breakthrough: ¡°Its application range will be broad. So, let¡¯s call this contract the ¡®Beast Taming Contract¡¯. With this contract, it will no longer be difficult for knights to tame a magical beast to become their mount.¡±


    A fitting name, expressive and elegant.

 Chapter 1029 - 1029 1026 The New Era of the Kingdom

    ?Chapter 1029: Chapter 1026: The New Era of the Kingdom Chapter 1029: Chapter 1026: The New Era of the Kingdom In the blink of an eye, September had arrived, and Dimaria Yuhua Stone arrived at the Fortress of the Mind through the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation.


    The island where the Fortress of the Mind was located had become a bustling port, with a large number of ships docked and countless serfs loading and unloading goods. Outputs from Flame Island were sent from here to Steel Ridge, Eagle and other countries, and foreign goods also converged here to Flame Island.


    However, there were strict quarantine standards for goods in transit, to prevent the likes of rats and other spies from sneaking in.


    ¡°It is a great miracle, no matter how many times I go through it,¡± Dimaria silently marveled as he looked at the dark Magic Gate behind him.


    Thinking about this departure from Flame Island, he felt somewhat conflicted.


    As the former Marquis Nuta, born in Eagle Kingdom, he had once clinked glasses with King Adonis Moonlight Silver of Eagle Kingdom. Now captured and defecting to Flame Kingdom, and serving as the vice-chairman of the Development Committee, he virtually held the entire kingdom¡¯s authority.


    This taste of power far surpassed his former glory.


    Yet now, he was to visit Sapphire Duchy under the title of emissary of Flame Kingdom to discuss this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate with Duke Anthony Sapphire.


    Following the same routine as last year, the Sapphire Dragon would take the lead, invading Eagle Kingdom to plunder its population.


    Despite the demotion, the Sapphire Duchy still belonged to Steel Ridge Kingdom, holding such a title made the Pioneer Mandate happen as naturally as in previous years. Moreover, deploying the Sapphire Dragon provided a valid excuse¡ªhad not Eagle Kingdom once waged a dragon-slaying war against the Sapphire Dragon, so couldn¡¯t the Sapphire Duchy seek retribution?


    But anyone with clear sight knew that behind it all, Flame Kingdom was supporting the Pioneer Mandate. This was Liszt¡¯s revenge.


    ¡°King Adonis, all I can say is I¡¯m sorry. The Yu Huashi Family couldn¡¯t gain protection from Eagle Kingdom; for the benefit of my family, I had no choice but to lean towards Flame Kingdom¡­ His Majesty Liszt, with his extraordinary talents and shocking power, will only bring greater prosperity to the Yu Huashi Family.¡±


    Casting aside that slight guilt in his heart, Dimaria adjusted his mindset by the time he arrived at Blue Dragon Island by ship.


    Now, he was a knight of Flame Kingdom, serving only his family and Flame Kingdom!


    ¡­


    Florence Pursuit Arrow stood in front of the Magic Gate at the Male Jade Transmission Array, waiting among the crowd.


    Today, the migrating knights from Grey Iron Duchy, having journeyed from the endless wilderness, were resting in Heroic Yellow City. Duke Piero Grey Iron and other nobles would today cross through the Teleportation Array to reach Jade City, officially joining Flame Kingdom and becoming followers of Liszt Flame, the Flame King.


    The welcoming team was led by Li Weiliam Tulip, a middle-aged noble currently holding only the title of Marquis, yet one of the few top elites in Flame Kingdom¡ªhe was the father of the king!


    He himself had advanced to become a Domain Knight, ranked just below Dragon Knights.


    There were those who envied Li Weiliam, those who resented him, and also those who scorned him. Many believed that Li Weiliam owed all his current glory to his son; otherwise, he would merely be a mere Sword Saint with an Earl¡¯s title, hardly qualified for such glorious moments.


    However, Li Weiliam paid no heed to these envious words; if others were capable, let them also have such a powerful son.


    Florence spared a glance at Li Weiliam, harboring neither envy nor admiration; he was about to become a Completion Level Sky Knight, and he also possessed a ¡ªgiven the Grey Iron Duchy¡¯s former inextricable relationship with the Eagle Royal Family, it naturally secured the training manual for Domain Knights.


    While Duke Piero might lack the talent and fail in the training, Florence was brimming with confidence.


    He was destined to become a Domain Knight, rising with the ascent of the Flame Kingdom, achieving brilliant battle honors, and becoming a Duke was not out of reach.


    ¡°A new kingdom rising invariably means competing with the original three kingdoms for resources; there ample opportunities for me to achieve battle honors¡­ Even if I fail to seize these opportunities, I can still inherit my father¡¯s noble title and become a Duke¡­ But I prefer to earn the Duke title myself!¡±


    He arrived at Flame Island, where his workload was minimal, allowing him plenty of opportunities to travel and explore.


    The most discussed topics here were not noble gossip and secrets, but conversations about battle honors and admiration for Liszt.


    At sixteen, he was still an Apprentice Knight, known as useless, and was marginalized to the most remote rural town.


    However, by eighteen, Liszt had become a Sky Knight and soon after, a Dragon Knight. He surged to prominence after a dragon-slaying battle on the high seas. Then, during the second dragon-slaying campaign, as a Holy Dragon Knight, he solo fought against five dragons and two Dragon Knights from Eagle Kingdom.


    He killed a Dragon Knight and seized the Grey Iron Dragon,


    stunning the three great kingdoms.


    Now, at only twenty-one, Liszt owned seven dragons¡ªFormless Dragon, Fire Dragon, Light Green Gemstone Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, Mountain Copper Dragon, Aluminum Dragon, and Bone Dragon¡ªhe didn¡¯t know Liszt had acquired a Water Dragon, reaching eight dragons in total.


    In this era, the most legendary and brilliant figure was Liszt; everyone knew his rise was unstoppable.


    Thus, being able to follow Liszt meant imminent success and signalled that great nobles would spring up like bamboo after rain.


    ¡°My starting point is far higher than King Liszt¡¯s, although I haven¡¯t been touched by the knight¡¯s glory as the Son of Glory, I too must strive to create my own legacy rather than inherit my father¡¯s noble title¡­¡±


    As he was lost in thought,


    suddenly, someone yelled, ¡°He¡¯s coming!¡±


    Florence snapped back to reality, looking up at the dark magic gate, where a deep blue vortex emerged followed by a loud dragon roar. The next moment, a long silver figure burst out of the magic gate under the sunlight, glistening with silver light.


    It was the Aluminum Dragon he had once failed to win in the Mind Battle!


    Now it had become one of Liszt¡¯s mounts, escorting the knight migration team to Flame Island. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the Aluminum Dragon emerged from the Male Jade Transmission Array, it didn¡¯t look back, ascending into the sky and disappeared¡ªit headed to the Dragon Nest Liszt was preparing for it.


    The Aluminum Dragon¡¯s appearance caused a stir among the knights, but it soon calmed down¡ªthis group of welcoming knights had seen plenty of dragons, particularly on Flame Island, where dragons, especially the Formless ones, made frequent appearances, their beautiful forms already winning everyone¡¯s hearts.


    Thus, the sight of a new Aluminum Dragon didn¡¯t excite them much.


    A moment later, the teleportation array whirled again, and a group of knights emerged. Seeing the familiar flags behind the knights, Florence wanted to step forward to greet them but then halted, following the actions of the other knights¡ªhe did not want people to know of his relationship with Duke Pierrot.


    After all, he was determined to strive on his own and start a new family legacy.


    His reservations did not affect the entire welcoming ceremony; Li Weiliam had already ridden forward on his Black Blood Treasured Horse, exchanging knightly courtesies with Duke Pierrot.


    ¡°Duke Pierrot, knights, welcome to Flame Island. I am honored to represent Liszt Flame, the Flame King, and offer you our heartfelt welcome. His Majesty eagerly anticipates your arrival, as the Flame Kingdom now needs your contribution to inaugurate a new era for our kingdom.¡±

 Chapter 1030 - 1030 1027 Here Comes the Brother

    ?Chapter 1030: Chapter 1027: Here Comes the Brother Chapter 1030: Chapter 1027: Here Comes the Brother ¡°Thank you, Marquis Li Weiliam for the grand welcome and His Majesty Liszt for your concern,¡± Piero Grey Iron¡¯s heart has longed for the Flame Kingdom, and now, at last, I have set foot upon the soil of Flame Island. In the days to come, I will dedicate all the loyalty of myself and the Grey Iron Family to this land.¡±


    ¡°Now, please allow me to introduce the gentlemen behind me. They are knights who once charged bravely for the Grey Iron Duchy and they are not lacking in loyalty and integrity!¡±


    ¡°Marquis Mendes Cabbage, a Completion Level Sky Knight¡­¡±


    Ahead, the nobles, under the mutual introductions of Duke Pierro and Marquis Li Weiliam, bore the still scorching September sun with fiery enthusiasm as they socialized.


    Wald Bumblebee was full of envy; he too wished to be part of the nobles, but at present, he was just a little lackey behind them. However, that was of no consequence, for after coming to the Flame Kingdom, all nobles would no longer be followers of Duke Pierro Grey Iron.


    They would all follow Liszt Flame.


    ¡°I am not strong enough yet, but I am young enough, and I persist every day in taking the royal jelly produced by my family, which rivals magic potions, and I already vaguely sense an imminent breakthrough beyond the Earth Knight limits¡­ My future is above the skies, and the Bear Bee Clan will also become true nobles!¡±


    There were actually many nobles with a mindset similar to Wald¡¯s. Every knight who had migrated thousands of miles to the Flame Kingdom hoped to make their fortune here.


    Liszt¡¯s legendary stance was like a flag, attracting ambitious knights to gather around.


    Many countries at the start of their creation would attract talent in this way, with the personal charm of the monarch leading his followers to brave the thorns and till a brilliant career.


    ¡­


    Because they were not captives but knights who had migrated.


    Therefore, this migrating party of one duke, four marquises, seventeen earls, thirty-eight viscounts, and a large number of barons and honored knights were able to be quickly put to important use upon their arrival in the Flame Kingdom. Aside from lands that had to be allocated after the establishment of the kingdom, all other treatments were the same as before.


    Liszt did not meet with these individuals straight away, as he was busy building a Dragon Nest for the Aluminum Dragon.


    The Aluminum Dragon was not demanding about living conditions, but it did have a fondness for things that shone with silver light, and it had to be the unique luster of metallic silver, not counterfeit. Therefore, Liszt directly constructed a huge Dragon Nest clad in metallic silver near the Flame King City.


    Right in a cave hollowed out of the mountain¡ªthe Aluminum Dragon liked to live in caves.


    At the entrance of the cave, there was also a lake, filled not with water but with mercury. The abundant mercury mined from the mercury mines of Dragon Valley City didn¡¯t have much use yet. In fact, most resources were transported to be stored at Flame King City, the private property of the Flame Family.


    During the construction of the King¡¯s Castle, a pile of warehouses would be built around the Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain, used to store materials.


    Once the land around the Flame King City was developed, even the elves would move here¡ªapart from the King¡¯s Castle and several major cities, other cities would be allocated to nobles of the Burning Legion, as the direct Knight Order of the Flame Family, who normally had to sustain themselves on their own fiefdoms. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many of the national systems designed by Liszt borrowed from the form of the Sapphire Duchy; the Sapphire Family created the Blue Blood Alliance, and he intended to create a Burning Legion.


    Of course.


    Most kingdoms were like that.


    The knight system itself was a societal system that was difficult to define in terms of national structures. Essentially, a king was not much different from a great noble, apart from having a larger territory, more followers, more resources, a relatively better-structured management system, and more centralized family power.


    ¡°How do you like this place? For this silver lair, I have melted down entire ten million silver coins to create such a large space.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Aluminum Dragon stood at the entrance to the Dragon Nest, first lowering its head to look at the mercury lake at the mouth of the cave, then surveying the Dragon Nest, issuing its opinion¡ªit was mediocre at best. While it looked quite pretty, the lack of a full silver interior was disappointing; merely silver-plated, it didn¡¯t meet its taste standards.


    ¡°Be content, you know I¡¯ve melted down all the scavenged silver coins. Fortunately, the Flame Kingdom hasn¡¯t begun to bestow fiefs yet; we can barter goods for goods. Otherwise, the shortage of silver coins would directly lead to the collapse of the monetary system. I¡¯ll buy more silver coins later and recast the Dragon Nest for you.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Aluminum Dragon grudgingly agreed.


    At this moment, Liszt, stroking its scales, said, ¡°Now that you have moved into the new Dragon Nest, you should have a new name¡ªI¡¯ve got it all prepared for you¡­ let¡¯s call you Connor.¡±


    Connor, a rather common name.


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Aluminum Dragon showed little interest in the name, reluctantly accepting it without inquiring about its meaning. Even if it asked, Liszt wouldn¡¯t say, because that name came from memories of another world.


    There was a movie called ¡°Terminator¡±, where the protagonist, human leader John Connor, battled Terminator robots. And the major villain in the sequel, T-1000, was a type of infiltrator Terminator, also known as a liquid metal robot. Conveniently, once the Aluminum Dragon fully matured, it would also be able to liquefy.


    It wouldn¡¯t work to call the Aluminum Dragon T-1000, so Liszt simply named it Connor.


    Before the Aluminum Dragon had time to get used to its new Dragon Nest, suddenly a loud dragon cry ¡°ho-ho¡± sounded. It was the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata flying over, its Dragon Nest situated not far from that of Connor.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Aluminum Dragon Connor sensed the presence of the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata and instantly raised its scales on end, standing at the entrance of the Dragon Nest, glowering fiercely at the sky.


    Approaching from the direction of the sun, the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, radiating a golden glow, arrived at the territory of the Aluminum Dragon with a domineering presence.


    Its form was robust, shining so gold it was dazzling.


    Connor was slender, with scales that were gray-white and lacked any luster.


    Compared like this, the Aluminum Dragon seemed just like an ordinary beast, lacking the nobility and splendor of the Mountain Copper Dragon.


    ¡°Ho-ho!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The two dragons glared at each other, neither backing down, both ready to attack. Seeing this, Liszt sighed; having many dragons introduced competition, which was troublesome. It would be somewhat better if they were dragons of different Knights, but the key was that they were all Liszt¡¯s dragons.


    None liked it when their rider formed a close relationship with other dragons.


    ¡°Mata, return to your Dragon Nest!¡± Liszt was someone who desired strong control and did not like his dragons crossing boundaries, ¡°If you don¡¯t go back, your treatment will be downgraded. You are a smart dragon and should know which choice is most beneficial for you.¡±


    The Mountain Copper Dragon squinted at Liszt.


    Then turned its head.


    ¡°Ho-ho!¡±


    It let out a roar at Connor and then leisurely took flight, returning to its own Dragon Nest. In fact, it had come here just to assert its status. As an overpowering Magic Metal Dragon, the area around Flame King City was its territory¡ªnewcomer, be smart!


    ¡°Such a headache!¡±


    After chasing away the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata and pacifying the Aluminum Dragon Connor, Liszt finally breathed a sigh of relief, ready to head to Jade City to host a banquet for newcomers like Duke Pierrot and the others.

 Chapter 1031 - 1031 1028 Father and Son

    ?Chapter 1031: Chapter 1028: Father and Son Chapter 1031: Chapter 1028: Father and Son The banquet was filled with toasts and merry laughter, creating a convivial atmosphere.


    Liszt sat with Duke Pierrot, surrounded by Li Weiliam Tulip, Dimaria Yuhua Stone, Emily, and other high-ranking officials of the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°I made a promise to my followers that we would establish our nation within three years, and now we¡¯re in the second year. The year 156 of the Sapphire Calendar is about to end, and by the beginning of year 158 of the Sapphire Calendar, the Flame Kingdom will officially declare its establishment. So, for this next year and a half, you need to cultivate on Flame Island.¡±


    ¡°I understand this, Your Majesty. Which city will the Grey Iron Family reside in to help build?¡± Pierrot asked.


    ¡°Go build a new city, located in the middle of Flame Island by the sea on fertile lands. That area of the sea has many shallows, making it an ideal place for the development of aquaculture.¡±


    ¡°Does Your Majesty intend to farm¡­ in the sea?¡± Pierrot was puzzled.


    Liszt smiled enigmatically, ¡°Duke Pierrot, it seems you are still not fully aware of the Flame Kingdom. It is a land blessed by the glory of knights, even the surrounding Shell Sea is under the knights¡¯ glory. I have seven mermaid followers and a large number of Yu Chou serfs.¡±


    ¡°Mermaids?¡± Pierrot was astounded.


    Seeing Pierrot¡¯s expression, Li Weiliam, who was beside them tasting wine, couldn¡¯t help but feel very pleased. He remembered having a similar expression when he first heard the news of Liszt becoming a Sky Knight, Dragon Riding, or an Archmage.


    However, upon further thought,


    he suddenly became indignant¡ªHe enjoyed seeing Pierrot¡¯s expression, but did Liszt at that time also take pleasure in his reaction?


    Glancing over at Liszt, who was boasting to Pierrot about how the mermaids followed him, Li Weiliam shook his head in denial, comforting himself that perhaps he was overthinking. After all, that was his own son; why would he entertain the thought of enjoying his father¡¯s blunders?


    After consoling himself, Li Weiliam quickly adjusted his mentality and began once again to take pleasure in observing Duke Pierrot¡¯s and the other nobles¡¯ surprised expressions at the banquet.


    ¡°Can there really be mermaids that exist, ones that once ruled the seas and lived amicably with humans? To think that they all accepted Your Majesty¡¯s ennoblement, becoming marquises of the sea, is simply astonishing!¡±


    ¡°I really want to go to the seaside right now to see the mermaids!¡±


    ¡°And there¡¯s even a Yu Chou race, what an economical labor force¡­ Your Majesty truly is the born ruler of the sky, land, and sea!¡±


    ¡°This land is indeed full of legends; Your Majesty is a legend destined to amaze the Legendary Continent, and Princess Emily is an inconceivable legend as well!¡±


    The flattery was unceasing.


    At this time, a noble from the former Grey Iron Duchy suddenly asked curiously, ¡°Does Princess Emily not have a surname?¡±


    Surnames.


    They are a symbol of civilization, and all nobles have their own surnames¡ªthe emperors of empires being the exception, as the surnames no longer match the splendor of an emperor.


    In many countries, even serfs have their surnames, like in the Sapphire Duchy.


    However, it was highly unreasonable for a noble, especially a Nobles, to lack a surname; hence, the Nobles was curious enough to inquire. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emily¡¯s face was still youthful and tender, for she was only fifteen years old, but long-term hardening had already matured her, and she replied lightly, ¡°Emily is a gun and a shield in His Majesty¡¯s hands, and she will follow behind Your Majesty for life; what does it matter whether she has a surname or not?¡±


    The topic should have ended there, but this Nobles was somewhat stubborn and asked again, ¡°Does Your Highness really not intend to establish a family?¡±


    ¡°Why should I establish a family? The glory and legacy of nobility, in Emily¡¯s view, are no match for the brilliance of Your Majesty¡¯s radiance,¡± Emily said earnestly. ¡°Loyalty to Your Majesty is Emily¡¯s greatest desire and she will strive for it all her life. You will understand later how fortunate it is to follow Your Majesty!¡±


    Emily¡¯s words sounded somewhat blatantly sycophantic, which made Liszt a little embarrassed.


    However, he understood that Emily truly thought so, and the more he understood, the more embarrassed he felt. Yet, beyond this embarrassment, he felt an indescribable exhilaration¡ªthis was exactly why he liked to cultivate young followers.


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    On the surface, he still had to play it down, showing modesty, ¡°Emily is my most outstanding follower and also my most gratifying student¡­ The Flame Kingdom has risen from nothing, and many knights climbed up from the lowest ranks, be they serfs or Nobles, there are channels for advancement here, seen everywhere.¡±


    He lifted his wine glass, toasting, ¡°Many people have been saying lately, it¡¯s my glory that has blessed the Flame Kingdom with vigorous vitality. And I hope, whether it¡¯s my glory or the knights¡¯ glory, that it will grace everyone standing on this land.¡±


    Everyone raised their glasses in unison, and Goltai, responsible for adjusting the mood, took the opportunity to shout, ¡°A toast to His Majesty¡¯s glory!¡±


    ¡°A toast to His Majesty¡¯s glory!¡±


    ¡°A toast to His Majesty¡¯s glory!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Whether willingly or out of necessity, everyone followed Goltai¡¯s lead and began chanting the slogan. Liszt wanted to squint and smile, growing ever more satisfied with Goltai. He drained the grape wine from his cup in one gulp, then put down the glass, signaling everyone to settle down.


    He made a gesture much beloved by triumphant leaders¡ªa pointed index finger raised and accompanied by a slight shake.


    ¡°It¡¯s destiny that has brought us together here; no one needs to be anxious. Sapphire Calendar Year 158 is the Flame Era First Year, and the Flame Kingdom stands with you. Lands, population, resources, Elves, status, power¡ªwhatever you desire, I can provide!¡±


    He paused, his voice growing more impassioned, ¡°And now, all you need to do is to offer me your loyalty, your courage, your integrity!¡±


    Again, Goltai.


    Always stepping up at just the right moment, ¡°Your Majesty, Goltai Mast pledges to you all my loyalty, courage, and integrity!¡±


    And thus the Nobles who were a beat too slow also stood up one by one, shouting their pledges to offer loyalty, courage, and integrity. The great Nobles like Emily, Pierrot, and Dimaria did the same. Only when Li Weiliam was about to stand up, Liszt pulled him back.


    ¡°Father, all you need to do is take pride in your son.¡±


    Li Weiliam was greatly touched, ¡°Of course, I take pride in you, Liszt Flame, my son. The day you were born, the forests of Coral Island were all calling your name¡­ I have watched with pride as you grew up day by day, becoming the embodiment of justice.¡±


    Liszt replied with a smile, ¡°I understand, Father. When I am crowned king, I will rule this nation with wisdom and strength, and I will use my own formidable power with caution. I will inspire the hearts of the people, lead the knights to a true victory.¡±

 Chapter 1032 - 1032 1029 Alchemy

    ?Chapter 1032: Chapter 1029: Alchemy Chapter 1032: Chapter 1029: Alchemy Father and son exchanged a knowing smile, everything understood without a word.


    The banquet concluded with all guests and the host thoroughly enjoying themselves.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Liszt had Duke Pierrot join the Development Committee as the third-ranking deputy chairperson and left the rest of the duties to his father. Previously, he had found it hard to let go of power, enjoying the authority that came with his role. However, after getting used to it for a while, the appeal of being entangled in mundane affairs waned.


    Fortunately, the identity he assumed upon arriving in this world came with a few blood relatives, especially his father, Li Weiliam, whom he could entrust with responsibilities.


    Handing off the reins was quite satisfying.


    After discerning the hope for immortality, Liszt¡¯s ambition to establish a family legacy had significantly diminished. Even without mastering the technology of the Dragon Domain LandLord, the acquisition of the Phoenix Incarnation had granted him a lifespan of at least several hundred years.


    A kingdom had been established within just a few years.


    It was unimaginable what realm it would reach after several hundred years.


    ¡°Now I need to apply myself a bit more, collaborate with Ach to understand the cultivation system of the Bastion Knight, and once I become a Bastion Knight, surpassing the realm of a Dragon Knight, I¡¯ll be free to roam the entire Legendary Continent¡­ At least from what Lerald¡¤Truth has told me, the Kushan Imperial doesn¡¯t have forces stronger than a Dragon Knight.¡±


    If the Kushan Imperial lacked Bastion Knights, then it seemed quite unlikely that the Neverfall Empire and the Blue Dragon Empire, both rivals of the Kushan Imperial, would have them either.


    Otherwise, their threefold balance of power would have been broken long ago.


    However, unraveling the cultivation system of the Bastion Knight was indeed not an easy task. Ach had been working in the Mage Tower for a long time and was still unable to analyze the nature of the ¡°Barrier.¡±


    ¡°Ach,¡± Liszt consoled, ¡°don¡¯t worry. Observing the Dragon of the Magic Web is a last resort. If we startle the Dragon of the Magic Web, the consequences are hard to imagine. We should only decide to do that if we¡¯re left with no other options¡­ Why not put aside the research on the Barrier for now and go out and enjoy the scenery?¡±


    ¡°Ach isn¡¯t tired at all, I go riding on the beach with Charley every evening.¡±


    ¡°Then consider switching research work to find some inspiration.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm, Ach has a lot of research projects on hand, Jade Dragon Leg-Misty Dragon Spirit Fruit, Golden Apple Tree-Bloodline Fruit, Obsidian Ring-Equivalent Alchemy¡­ Recently, Ach has been wanting to study alchemy, and the related data on Equivalent Alchemy has been assigned to Lerald¡¤Truth so he can examine the exchange values among all metals.¡±


    This particular Archmage, who was buried in compiling the ¡°Great Encyclopedia¡± and summarizing his life¡¯s research into ¡°Lerald¡¤Truth¡¯s Lifetime Research Topics¡± had his expertise acknowledged by Ach after contributing ¡°Lerald¡¯s Topics¡± to her. Therefore, she allowed him to participate in some experiments. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For some detailed and tedious data-intensive research that did not require high levels of secrecy, she delegated it to Lerald, allowing him to lead other Magicians in their studies.


    Ach now acted as the head of a laboratory, with the likes of Lerald serving as middle managers, regular Magicians as research dogs, and the Grand Magicians as the lead dogs among them. Clearly delineated levels and explicit division of labor provided for both intellectual and manual contributions.


    ¡­


    By October, the research into alchemy had made rapid breakthroughs.


    Referencing the abilities of the Obsidian Ring, under Ach¡¯s supervision, the laboratory set up a brand-new Alchemy Magic Circle and successfully transmuted one ton of iron into nearly one jin of Mithril, at a ratio of about 2350 to 1.


    ¡°In terms of equivalent exchange, the ratio is 2350 to 1. If we set up a Magic Array to replace the effects of the Obsidian Ring and take into account the labor consumption of magicians, the equivalent ratio might need to be increased to around 2470 to 1,¡± Lerald calculated in his notebook, while drafting out the equivalence chart.


    Liszt¡¯s eyebrows twitched, ¡°Even if the equivalent value is 2500 to 1, it still belongs to a highly profitable industry. Now that our territory no longer lacks iron, we can definitely transmute part of the iron into Mithril!¡±


    Mithril plays a very important role in knight equipment, especially in predatory wars like the Pioneer Mandate, where lightweight Mithril Armor can make knights swift as the wind.


    To rob and then flee has always been the most adept skill of the knights at sea.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the equivalent ratio of iron to Mithril is not the most economical. The most economical is from copper to Fine Gold, and after calculating the consumption, the equivalent ratio can reach 2310 to 1.¡±


    The smaller the ratio, the larger the amount of common metal that can be transmuted into Magic Metal.


    ¡°This also has potential. The importance of Fine Gold is self-evident, and we¡¯re not short of bronze ore; we must vigorously develop this alchemy!¡± Liszt immediately decided. Both Mithril and Fine Gold are to be dealt with¡ªas for Mountain Copper, there¡¯s no need. Mountain Copper Dragon Mata lies in the Flame King City and can produce Mountain Copper at any moment.


    He then asked, ¡°What are the equivalent ratios of common metals to gold and silver?¡±


    Gold and silver are the common currencies of the Legendary Continent. If the equivalent ratios are favorable, a large amount of gold and silver can be transmuted, ensuring that the Flame Kingdom will never be short on money again.


    ¡°The equivalent ratio of iron to gold is 1850 to 1, iron to silver is 1430 to 1, copper to gold is 1260 to 1, copper to silver is 870 to 1¡­¡±


    ¡°The equivalent ratio of silver to that of gold isn¡¯t much different, but gold is far more valuable than silver. It¡¯s not worthwhile to exchange iron and copper for silver. The exchange for gold, however, is decent, but the transmutation process is tedious, and there¡¯s not much profit to be had. It¡¯s more economical to exchange iron and copper for Magic Metals.¡±


    Liszt briefly did the math and figured out the profit.


    One Gold Coin is equal to 100 silver coins, which is equal to 10,000 copper coins.


    Considering the gold content and other factors, the value of gold to copper is roughly at a ratio of 1 to 2500, while the transmutation effect is at 1 to 1260. The effect of alchemy is approximately turning one Gold Coin into two Gold Coins, which is not as quick as doing business and thus not worth it.


    In terms of silver, the exchange ratio is even more exaggerated. Not only would you not profit, but you would also incur a serious loss.


    So, in conclusion, it¡¯s still most profitable to transmute iron, copper, and other metals into Magic Metals¡ªa sure way to earn a hefty sum. No wonder alchemy is the favorite subject of all magicians. Almost every magician who achieves some success will choose to master alchemy.


    With alchemy, they would never be short on money, allowing them to perform more experiments and explore more truths.


    ¡°Alchemy shall be the top secret of the Flame Kingdom. Apart from Ach, the technology of the Alchemy Magic Circle shall only be held by magicians Lerald, Chris, and Kenley. If anyone leaks it, I will hold you responsible,¡± Liszt solemnly announced after viewing the alchemy results.


    Setting the Alchemy Magic Circle as an official technology and prohibiting private use undoubtedly discouraged the three magicians¡¯ enthusiasm.


    Therefore, to motivate them to oversee the operation of the Alchemy Magic Circle, he announced, ¡°The work on the Alchemy Magic Circle needs to begin immediately. Whoever among you runs the operation of the Alchemy Magic Circle can take a tenth of the net profits for their private magic experimentation and research.¡±


    With that said.


    Chris was fine¡ªshe rarely engaged in magic research, preferring administration, and had no use for the money. Lerald and Kenley, on the other hand, lit up; they were true believers in the Truth. With money, they could carry out the experiments they desired without applying for funds from the Magic Guild.


    ¡°Your Majesty, rest assured, I would be quite willing to oversee the Alchemy Magic Circle whenever I have the time.¡±

 Chapter 1033 - 1033 1030 Novel Template

    ?Chapter 1033: Chapter 1030: Novel Template Chapter 1033: Chapter 1030: Novel Template ¡°The reliance on magic has increased more and more, and I can¡¯t tell if this situation is good or bad, with the Magic Web shrinking and the Dragon of the Magic Web sleeping, I always feel that things are not so simple¡­ The reform of magicians needs to be expedited, and the profession of magician should be downplayed as much as possible.¡±


    In the matter of preventing the restoration of magicians, Li Si Te and all the nobles shared the same mentality¡ªthey could rely on magicians to create equipment but would never allow them to influence the knight system.


    Perhaps in the heart of knights, the ancient Moon Empire really represented the pinnacle of civilization, and people tried to attribute every achievement to it. However, when it concerned themselves, they would never allow a second Moon Empire to emerge. That was a taboo.


    The great ones could be enshrined in temples.


    Yet they must not truly exist in reality. The slightest hint of emergence had to be quashed!


    The introduction of the Alchemy Magic Circle, following the Teleportation Magic Array, was the second piece of magic high technology mastered by the Flame Kingdom. Li Si Te both loved and was wary of this, classifying it as a top-secret national issue, and not allowing even the slightest leak¡ªwithout an Archmage to guide them, the outside world could not replicate this technology.


    ¡°Brother, when Ach studies the alchemy techniques thoroughly, he always gets new inspiration for barriers. He¡¯s going back to ponder this issue now.¡±


    Having thrown the research topic of alchemy out of his hands, Ach was busy pondering barriers again.


    ¡°Alas, it¡¯s clearly my cultivation system, and yet it all depends on Ach¡¯s research¡­ It¡¯s hard to imagine how many detours I would have had to take along the way to develop to today¡¯s heights if I hadn¡¯t met Ach,¡± Li Si Te silently lamented, but there was nothing he could do.


    Research was not his forte, and without the favor of the Power of Destiny, he was really just an ordinary person.


    If he truly had outstanding talent and remarkable aptitude, he would have been thriving on Earth, and would not have died an overworked death only to transmigrate. Thus, he was very self-aware; he could brag and pretend normally, but at crucial times, he had to be clear about his own strengths and weaknesses.


    Play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses.


    Ach was a research-oriented talent, responsible for solving technical problems; he was combat-oriented, in charge of charging into battle and earning merits; they complemented each other.


    ¡°My lord, Marquis Dimaria is requesting to report on his duties,¡± Butler Carter said softly, interrupting Li Si Te who was in deep thought in front of the piano.


    ¡°Tell him to wait in the study.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and Mr. Carter, tell Mrs. Morson that she can stop the modifications to the Half Slope milk tea, after tasting so many new flavors, I still prefer the original taste from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± Carter bowed slightly and left the piano room.


    Li Si Te¡¯s fingers gently brushed the piano, but he had no interest in playing. It had been a long time since he had touched the piano; there were too many dragons and elves at home, leaving him stretched too thin. Specialization comes from diligence and idleness from playfulness; his piano-playing skills had now become quite rusty, no longer retaining the grace of the Piano King.


    But the few piano pieces he had created were becoming increasingly widespread. Not only the noble young ladies of the Flame Kingdom often played pieces such as ¡°For Alice,¡± ¡°Castle in the Sky,¡± and ¡°The Swan of Saint-Saens,¡± fantasizing about Li Si Te like lovelorn young girls.


    In the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, the noble ladies and young misses of the three great kingdoms also imagined different images of Li Si Te.


    Some noble young ladies thought Li Si Te was a romantic and passionate man; otherwise, how could he create such delicate and tender pieces of music?


    Some matrons thought Li Si Te was a mighty and powerful man, with impressive stamina, since only such a figure deserved to be a Dragon Knight who had founded the great legacy of the Flame Kingdom.


    Others imagined Li Si Te as a beast of slaughter, having killed two Dragon Knights, to say nothing of how many ordinary knights had died at his hands; how could such a person not be a beast¡­ And yet, in the still of the night, the young ladies would often indulge in fanciful dreams of a beauty and the beast.


    In the minds of most knights, Li Si Te represented a legend; a knight of an era who could become an idol to all.


    Now, almost every Knight¡¯s Novel in the three great kingdoms would use Li Si Te as a model for the protagonist, and if a novel¡¯s hero rode only one dragon, they would be criticized to the point of doubting their life choices. In the past, encountering an elf was a thrilling point in a novel, but now, meeting a dragon had become the exhilarating moment.


    Even clever novelists, relying on pure fabrication, had written many books like ¡°The Legendary Adventures of Liszt Flame,¡± ¡°A Detailed Explanation of Liszt Flame¡¯s Dragon Riding,¡± ¡°The Unspeakable Stories of Liszt Flame and Acherloides Truth,¡± and ¡°The Early Life of Liszt Flame.¡±


    These books all sold out, with one edition being reprinted after another.


    Almost every young knight carried a book about Liszt, constantly inspiring themselves to become the next Liszt Flame.


    Liszt¡¯s glory had transcended national borders, and the young knights of the Eagle Kingdom worshipped him just the same.


    This was indeed touching.


    So when he received Dimaria Yuhua Stone in his study, one could see on the bookshelves behind him, a series of knight novels with the words ¡°Liszt Flame¡±¡ªwhich were quite entertaining to read during dull moments, especially some of the more risqu¨¦ scenes.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate has been fully prepared. The Knight Order of the Sapphire Duchy is assembled, presided over by the Marquis of Golden Island, Roderick Gold Wheat Sheaf, with the Duke Sapphire himself leading the Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°And domestically?¡±


    ¡°It has been determined that I will serve as the supreme commander, with Count Geoffrey Begonia and Count Paris as deputy commanders, assembling ten thousand Earth Knights. This includes one Sky Knight of the Completion Level, eight Sky Knights of the Sword Saint Level, and twenty-one Sky Knights of the common level.¡±


    ¡°Have the specific departure time and location of the attack been decided?¡±


    ¡°The departure is set for October 3rd. There are two options for the attack location: Sardine Bay along the northern coastline of the Eagle Kingdom or Dense Corridor along the southern coastline. The final decision will be made when we set sail from Bull Hoof City on Iron Hoof Island.¡± This was to prevent intelligence leaks and preemptive defenses by the Eagle Kingdom.


    The Sapphire Duchy always decided the precise attack location after setting sail for the Pioneer Mandate. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Proceed as planned, I will secretly protect the Knight Order from Dragon Knight attacks with Marquis Emily.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall go and oversee the Pioneer Mandate.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡­


    As the Flame Kingdom was assembling its Knight Order, the vast coastlines of the Eagle Kingdom were swept by autumn winds and falling leaves, with all the nobles starting to feel the tension.


    ¡°It¡¯s the season for the Sapphire Fly¡¯s Pioneer Mandate again,¡± a noble sighed suddenly at a banquet, ¡°One wonders which egg the Sapphire Fly will bite this year.¡±


    ¡°Given the appetite of last year¡¯s Sapphire Fly, if it really comes here, I¡¯m afraid all of us present will suffer.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? If the Sapphire Fly comes, we just leave the castle and hide in the countryside¡­ Let them plunder the castle if they want, I don¡¯t make my living from farming anyway.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, as if we didn¡¯t know that the Wild Dog Mercenary Group is your business. They plundered a town in my territory last time without following rules, capturing serfs¡ªat which we haven¡¯t settled the score!¡±


    ¡°Do you have evidence that it was the Wild Dog Mercenary Group who looted?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have rats infiltrating the Wild Dog Mercenary Group!¡±


    ¡°Then you should interrogate this rat to see if they are worthy.¡±


    ¡°Enough, stop arguing. We should think about how to get through this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate. Unlike before, that Legendary Dragon Knight is now the true master behind the Mandate.¡±


    Mention of the Legendary Dragon Knight suddenly quieted the nobles present.


    After a long silence, a slightly drunk noble broke the quiet atmosphere: ¡°If the Pioneer Mandate comes to us this year, we might as well not resist and just submit to the Flame Kingdom! Those smugglers always preach about the welfare and treatment in the Flame Kingdom, right? If we go there, we might even earn a share of glory!¡±

 Chapter 1034 - 1034 1031 Warmth Under Cruelty (Third Update)

    ?Chapter 1034: Chapter 1031: Warmth Under Cruelty (Third Update) Chapter 1034: Chapter 1031: Warmth Under Cruelty (Third Update) War is cruel, yet this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate War seemed unnaturally smooth.


    When the Knight Order attacked the Dense Corridor, most of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s landlords either preemptively shut their castle gates and hid in the countryside or opened their gates to welcome the royal troops, switching sides to join the invaders.


    Some landlords had even packed up all the resources in their castles, just waiting for the Knight Order to arrive before boarding ships bound for the Flame Kingdom. Some landlords, unwilling to abandon too much property, had even arranged for their serfs to be taken away by the Knight Squad.


    There weren¡¯t many true battles requiring a charge.


    Li Si Te hid at the material border, witnessing such scenes, he couldn¡¯t help but reflect, ¡°Looking at the Eagle Kingdom like this, they¡¯ve basically given up on the coastal hinterlands; these landlords have given up on themselves¡­ Since the Eagle Kingdom is so generous, I¡¯ll have the knights step it up a bit, plunder through the Dense Corridor, then make a trip to Aden Bay.¡±


    Adonis Moonlight Silver and his knights were unable to defend this land or protect their own subjects, resulting in Mercenary Corps rampaging and serfs being sold at will, with civilians living lives of constant uncertainty.


    Li Si Te would replace him, moving all the civilians here to Flame Island.


    There on Flame Island, they could start anew, no longer fearing mercenaries nor worrying about their livelihoods being insecure¡ªas a landlord, Li Si Te might not uphold noble ideals such as universal equality or self-governance, but he always adhered to one principle.


    That was to ensure his subjects were well-fed, clothed, and not arbitrarily slain.


    Even the subjects of his followers were under his protection, ensuring their basic safety.


    This was one of his bottom lines, the goodness he steadfastly honored in his heart.


    ¡°Emily, what do you think of this Pioneer Mandate?¡± He found Emily, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight, resting on a hilltop. Li Si Te rode Bard down to her and asked.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    Emily saluted and then responded, ¡°There¡¯s almost no resistance, it¡¯s light shining by Your Majesty¡¯s glory. All the landlords of the Dense Corridor could be plundered and taken away. There is no need to be gentle like it was initially with the Duchy of Sapphire for the sake of Flame Kingdom¡¯s development.¡±


    ¡°If we plunder too harshly, this fertile land may lack nobles to cultivate it.¡±


    ¡°The Eagle Kingdom has four prosperous coastlines: Sardine Bay, Yellow Mud Coast, Roaring River Mouth, Dense Corridor; plundering each once a year means we could plunder for four years. After four years, the Flame Kingdom will be strong enough, having cultivated its land, and completely self-sufficient.¡±


    ¡°You make a valid point, but this year I plan to thoroughly plunder both the Dense Corridor and Sardine Bay,¡± Li Si Te always hated slow construction, always wanting to bite off more than he could chew.


    ¡°Plundering two locations in one year could support two years, and together with other coastal landlord territories, sustaining three Pioneer Mandates shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Even if the coastal areas of the Eagle Kingdom are unassailable by then, with Lord Acherloides in control of the Teleportation Magic Array, we could plunder from the heartland of the Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    Directly opening a teleportation array deep into the Eagle Kingdom was an idea Li Si Te hadn¡¯t considered before: ¡°The construction cost of a teleportation array is too great.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Lord Acherloides is improving the teleportation array. With his great genius and magical prowess, it should take three years to build a standard array, he might even design a magic gate that can be temporarily opened,¡± Emily held Acherloides in high respect.


    And believed he was nearly omnipotent.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    Li Si Te clasped his hands behind his back, and watched the migration of the knight squad from afar, his voice calm yet firm: ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy war, even though I am always its victor.¡±


    Emily looked at his silhouette, her eyes sparkling.


    Formless Dragon Bard appeared out of nowhere with a bundle of smoked grass, chewing leisurely; Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan disdainfully twisted its dragon head.


    ¡°Mama, where are we going?¡± On a simple wooden cart, a young boy of only a few years old huddled tightly against his mother and asked softly.


    His mother, sitting at the edge of the cart, gripped the handrail tightly, guarding herself and her son, ¡°We are going to a faraway place, Lord Landlord will lead us to a better place to live.¡±


    The little boy did not understand what a better place meant, but he did not continue to ask questions. Instead, he peeked out through a small gap beneath his mother¡¯s arm, looking outside the cart.


    It was a miles-long caravan of carts.


    Traveling on the dirt road, one could see groups of knights patrolling around the caravan, preventing it from being attacked by mercenary groups along the way.


    Several brash mercenary groups had already attempted to raid the caravan and kidnap the serfs during the journey.


    Especially when the caravan stopped to light fires and cook meals, one could always see the knight squad nervously searching every patch of the forest for possibly lurking mercenaries.


    The little boy secretly watched the knights riding on their tall horses; whenever a knight¡¯s gaze swept toward the cart, he immediately buried his head into his mother¡¯s bosom. After waiting a while, he would cautiously raise his head again and steal glances at the knights from the gap. Their silver-white armors and the gleaming knight¡¯s spears were deeply imprinted in his young mind.


    And left him with a rudimentary impression¡ªknights, protect him and his mother.


    After a month-long trek, the caravan finally reached the seaside, where the little boy and his mother saw a multitude of ships docked at the harbor.


    These were ships like they had never seen before, each one looking like a floating castle on the sea.


    Flying high on the ship¡¯s masts were black flags, embroidered with a burning flame forming a giant Fire Dragon pattern¡ªFire Dragon merchant ships, Flame Kingdom¡¯s brand-new cargo ships with a blend of square and fore-and-aft sails, characterized by one word, big!


    To transport these knights and serfs, Liszt had no choice but to expose the fleet of huge ships that Flame Kingdom had feverishly built over the years.


    In addition to the Fire Dragon merchant ships.


    There were also slightly slender ships, with masts that also carried black flags. However, the embroidery on these flags was no longer a burning flame but white metal shards forming a giant Iron Dragon pattern¡ªIron Dragon warships, three-masted ships paralleling the Fire Dragon cargo ships, primarily for transporting knights on expeditions, with exceptional maneuverability.


    By the seaside.


    Under the organization of the knights, the serfs lined up to board one Fire Dragon merchant ship after another. Upon boarding, sailors distributed a small pill to each serf¡ªseasickness pills.


    This was a new medicine developed by the Magic Guild.


    Not just seasickness pills, but other medicines as well, which Liszt generously funded the research for. These were drugs the knight class hardly needed, but which the civilian class heavily depended on. Another landlord would never invest in medicine for treating serfs¡¯ illnesses, but Liszt persisted.


    ¡°Mama, where are we going?¡± The little boy asked his mother again quietly, arriving at the seaside and boarding the big ship, everything piqued his curiosity yet frightened him.


    Before his mother could answer, a young man who looked like a magician or a noble walked by.


    Smiling, the young man spoke in Wind Language, ¡°Little guy, the place we are heading to is called the Flame Kingdom. Starting today, you and your mother will become the subjects of the great King Liszt Flame¡­ In that place, there are no wars, no harm, and as long as you work hard, you will have enough to eat.¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After saying that,


    The young man loudly addressed the curious serfs around him, ¡°I am Donnie Truth, the healing arcanist on this ship. If you feel unwell, I will help you heal to ensure everyone arrives healthy in the Flame Kingdom.¡±

 Chapter 1035 - 1035 1032 A Letter from His Majesty the King

    ?Chapter 1035: Chapter 1032: A Letter from His Majesty the King Chapter 1035: Chapter 1032: A Letter from His Majesty the King The current maritime technology was no longer the same as when Liszt first arrived in this world. With his rise to wealth, he substantially developed shipbuilding technology, and under the guidance of the creative magician Inuit Truth, hybrid sailboats had successfully replaced square-rigged sailboats.


    Therefore, what originally required a seven to eight-day voyage to reach Mind Island, now only took five days to safely arrive.


    With specially developed seasickness pills and accompanying Healing Arcanists¡ªwho were magicians specializing in medical care¡ªhardly any of the migrating serfs lost their lives due to the voyage.


    They had experienced a novel sea journey.


    From afar, they could see the Fortress of the Mind towering on Mind Island, a tall castle dominated by white colors, with the Flame Banner fluttering in the wind.


    The castle had not many distinguishing features; because Mind Island was very small, the castle appeared even taller and slender, resembling a Mage Tower. Of course, it indeed also served the purpose of a tower¡ªthis Fortress of the Mind was also the sole lighthouse of Mind Island, with its crystal lamps atop the tower brightly shining day and night.


    It guided all ships.


    ¡°All hands, line up! Women and children debark first, follow the lead knight, and don¡¯t get separated! Mind Island is strictly guarded; anyone wandering will be shot on sight by patrol members!¡± A knight aboard shouted loudly, directing a slowly and orderly disembarkation of thousands aboard the ship.


    ¡°You snagged my bag!¡±


    ¡°My shoe fell off.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push me.¡±


    ¡°What a bustling place.¡±


    ¡°Is this where we¡¯re going to live?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Magic Gate, over there is the Magic Gate, I heard the captain say, Mind Island Magic Gate!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also heard, through the Magic Gate is the Flame Kingdom, a great kingdom with no hunger or mercenaries.¡±


    The little boy clutched his mother¡¯s hand tightly, squeezed in a nearly body-to-body queue, amid the noisy chatter of serfs and the knights¡¯ loud reprimands. After navigating through the long line, they arrived in front of the Magic Gate of Mind Island, where the black silhouette slowly rotated with a dark blue vortex.


    It resembled a giant beast choosing its prey.


    Many groups could be seen lining up to enter the maw of the beast, then disappearing.


    ¡°I will not go in, I will not go in¡­¡± Even the cries of serfs, too terrified to enter the Magic Gate but still being dragged in by knights, could be heard. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt had hoped the knights would treat the serfs kindly, but it was impossible for the knights to be gentle with them; rudeness was the norm.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m scared.¡± The little boy shook his mother¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, that¡¯s the Magic Gate.¡±


    ¡°What is the Magic Gate?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the Magic Gate, magical magic. Hold on to my hand tightly and don¡¯t let go, when we walk through, we will be at our new home.¡± The mother didn¡¯t know what the Magic Gate was either, although the knights had briefed them on the ship, but the serfs¡¯ limited understanding couldn¡¯t grasp what crossing space meant.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t need to know the specific principles; knowing it was magic was sufficient¡ªordinary people always held magic in awe, believing it to be all-powerful.


    As the line reached the Magic Gate, they could hear a knight continuously reading out notices.


    This included instructions on crossing the Magic Gate, prohibitions in the Flame Kingdom, and more. However, facing the mysterious and terrifying Magic Gate, very few serfs listened attentively, some eager, some trepidatious, either stepping forward or being shoved into the giant beast-like dark blue vortex.


    Boom!


    ¡°Jim, close your eyes, hold tight to mom¡¯s hand.¡±


    ¡°Um!¡± the little boy Jim closed his eyes, grasping his mother¡¯s hands as the crowd pushed him into the Magic Gate. The next moment, a strange sensation of weightlessness came over him, almost making him cry out in fear.


    Fortunately, his mother¡¯s hand was always there, giving him a bit of security.


    At that time, his thoughts grew active, recalling the boastful Magician named Donnie Truth, who always touted how magical and magnificent the Magic Gate was, built jointly by the great His Majesty the King, Liszt Flame, and Her Excellency Archmage Acherloides Truth.


    It was the most miraculous manifestation of magic in the mundane world, a symbol of Truth conquered by humanity.


    Of course, the little boy Jim didn¡¯t understand the meaning of those boasts; he simply remembered that the Magic Gate was magnificent and wanted to sneak a peek.


    So, he cautiously opened his eyes, only to see pitch blackness, with flashes of lightning-like light sporadically streaking past.


    Before he could see more clearly, his body swayed, and he had already walked out of the Magic Teleportation Array and fell to the ground, tumbling into a heap with his mother and the other serfs.


    When his mother helped him up, his view suddenly cleared.


    He saw a city, its sprawling architecture stretching endlessly with tall castles surrounding it and beautiful interconnected roads. There was also a Mage Tower towering into the clouds, as if bridging heaven and earth. And there were enormous birds taking flight in the sky, with knights faintly visible on their backs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t space out, everyone, move along with the group, don¡¯t block the entrance of the Magic Gate!¡±


    ¡°Hurry and catch up, come this way!¡±


    ¡°Keep up, keep up, don¡¯t go back to pick up your shoes, you¡¯ll get new supplies later!¡±


    ¡°Gather around, quiet down, gather!¡±


    ¡°Stand close together, don¡¯t block the road, gather on this open space over here!¡±


    Before the serfs had time to marvel at the bustling world they saw, they were herded by Apprentice Knights on horseback to assemble on a space near the road. Almost all gathered into small groups of three to five hundred, then were strictly restricted from moving freely or speaking privately, only waiting anxiously.


    A moment later.


    A middle-aged man dressed like an official, riding a horse with an assistant, hurried over.


    He had an impatient smile on his face and spoke in broken Wind Language, ¡°Hello, people who have come from afar, I am Omba, an officer of the Reed City Serf Reception Committee. You can call me Sir Omba, and I will be arranging your necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter for the next few days.¡±


    Sir Omba paused, then continued, ¡°Now, I will read to you a letter written by the master of the seas, the landlord of all islands, the great Sacred Dragon-Invisible Dragon Knight, Fire Dragon Knight, Mountain Copper Dragon Knight, Grey Iron Dragon Knight, Bone Dragon Knight, Aluminum Dragon Knight, and His Majesty the King of the Flame Kingdom, Liszt Flame.¡±


    ¡°The King wrote us a letter?¡±


    ¡°Wow, so many Dragon Knights!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one Dragon Knight; His Majesty the King rides many dragons!¡±


    ¡°Really? A letter written by the King?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s magnificent!¡±


    Hearing that string of grand titles, the serfs were so astonished that their jaws dropped.


    ¡°Silence, shut your mouths!¡± Sir Omba¡¯s assistant immediately lashed out with a whip in hand, cracking it against the ground, producing a sharp snap.


    The crowd quickly fell silent.


    Then Sir Omba pretended to pull out a letter, and began to read word by word.


    ¡°To my subjects who have come from afar: You are unfortunate, for you have lost your lands, homes, and even family members. Yet, you are also fortunate, for in the Flame Kingdom you will start a new life. I, by the name of the King, promise you¡ªeveryone will have a job, everyone will have enough food, everyone will marry and have children without the disturbance of war. Your children shall cultivate Dou Qi, acquire knowledge, and enjoy the care of knightly honor and the King¡¯s protection.¡±

 Chapter 1036 - 1036 1033 Too Great

    ?Chapter 1036: Chapter 1033 Too Great Chapter 1036: Chapter 1033 Too Great In China, there exists a type of city known as ghost cities, where towering buildings abound, yet they remain eerily uninhabited. Consequently, many foreign journalists have reported on the supposed collapse of China¡¯s economy.


    However, once shops start to move in and facilities begin to operate, these places quickly become populated by Chinese people and turn into new bustling districts.


    Liszt greatly admired this model.


    He requested to construct many such ghost cities within his own territory¡ªhouses empty, streets empty, roads empty, even the farmlands outside the city bare without crops. Essentially, along major transportation routes and flat arable lands, ghost cities were everywhere.


    These were not just small-town-level ghost cities but also included small-city-level ghost cities.


    Even more so, Liszt planned to build several large-city-level ghost cities in the key areas of Flame Island.


    He was not at all worried about the cities being empty. As long as he kept waging wars and pillaging, the captured population would automatically fill these ghost cities, which would then swiftly become operational.


    Now in Reed City, new batches of serfs, continuously arriving, were being assigned to various ghost cities¡ªmany nobles who had surrendered voluntarily had their serfs taken in by Liszt, and these serfed classes would gradually be freed and fill the freeman class.


    Serving as the breeding ground for the future knight class.


    In fact, as the Flame Kingdom continued to develop technology, integrating magic with farming and industry, the serfdom system was increasingly falling behind the times. The power brought by Fire Dragon Overmagic directly propelled traditional workshops toward factory phases.


    Brick factories, glass factories, paper mills, cement factories, textile factories, and many other factories emerged, freeing countless serfs from the fields to become professional workers.


    Of course,


    Transitioning from a serfdom system to an industrial society still had a long way to go. But with the thriving development of the Magic Guild and the continuous improvement of magic technology, one day the Flame Kingdom would fully realize a new civilization¡ªLiszt was not opposed to this progress for a simple reason.


    If similar industrial revolution changes occurred on Earth, society would be unstable, and the rulers might end up prisoners.


    However, in this world, power ultimately reigned supreme, and holding dragons was the foundation of rule. The status of the Dragon Rearing Family would essentially remain unchanged with social transformations, holding dragons through generations, and always representing the noblest of nobility.


    What he needed to guard against was merely a restoration by magicians.


    Having experienced the power of magic, this wariness not only persisted but grew even stronger¡ªonly magic could rival dragons.


    In any case,


    The serfs who had migrated to Flame Island had all listened to a letter read by a receptionist.


    In this era, the credibility of kings was still very strong. Even a mere public letter managed to soothe all the anxious serfs, who followed the officials to their arranged residences in the ghost cities.


    Little boy Jim and his mother also settled in a small city under the jurisdiction of Flame City. While his mother¡¯s job was not yet finalized, Jim, having registered his personal household, was sent to school where he joined many other children of his age from the Moon Slayer and Flame People communities in knight classes.


    The first lesson at school was called Loyalty Class.


    Three teachers elaborately used Serpent Script, Wind Language, and Moon Language to narrate the origins of the Flame Kingdom, speaking of the great King, the ruler of all.


    ¡°Liszt Flame¡­¡± Young Jim, in just over a month, had heard this name countless times and deeply engraved it in his mind.


    And it brought about some reflexive associations.


    Liszt Flame was greatness, glory, a Dragon Knight, a king, a ruler, the most prestigious person in this world. Such beliefs were like seeds buried in every child¡¯s heart, growing with them.


    Meanwhile,


    The master served by all measures of brainwashing, Liszt had ridden the Formless Dragon Bard to Aden Bay, continuing to covertly protect the Knight Order as they plundered the coastline.


    Many Noble Landlords were defeated, prisoners captured, and those who surrendered, surrendered. From top to bottom, everything plunderable was plundered. Unaware, the Knight Order under the banner of the Pioneer Mandate might make a sudden counterattack from the Dense Corridor to Aden Bay.


    Many Noble Landlords had no time to hide and were overwhelmed by the Knight Order.


    ¡°The gains are substantial, with a large influx of knights and civilians again, and the population of the Flame Kingdom has surged,¡± he was very satisfied with these gains.


    Yet, amidst his satisfaction, there was a hint of regret, ¡°It¡¯s a pity the Eagle Royal Family has adopted a defensive stance, ignoring the warfare here under the Pioneer Mandate¡­ Otherwise, I¡¯d truly love to have another dragon-slaying battle. As of today, I am even stronger than before, and my dragons are more numerous and powerful!¡±


    ¡°I would also love to participate in a dragon-slaying battle, fighting alongside Your Majesty,¡± Emily responded.


    ¡°There will be opportunities. The Eagle Kingdom might be waiting for the right moment. According to my investigations, the Eagle Royal Family has sent envoys to Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress several times, trying to form an alliance against us. Although currently, Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress have no intentions of allying, it might happen sooner or later.¡±


    Liszt¡¯s infiltration of the three great kingdoms had never ceased.


    His Blood Servants had grown strong, and with his permission, Mary Dawnbreak transformed a large number of new vampires¡ª he even had Chris manipulate the Magic Guild behind the scenes to foster the vampires¡¯ development and transition into scouts.


    The new vampires¡¯ combat capabilities were negligible, but their magic to transform into bats had greatly improved, making it easier to hide their presence, undetectable even to Sky Knights.


    With these new vampires, most of the news from the three great kingdoms could be gleaned, and with the Magic Platform¡¯s long-distance communication, the vampires could relay information back to the nation at any moment. The efficiency was beyond what the three great kingdoms could imagine¡ªafter all, the Flame Kingdom had entered the information age ahead of time.


    In terms of intelligence gathering, the Flame Kingdom was far ahead.


    Moreover, the Magic Guild was also studying the Shadow Incarnation system of Xisile Ying and four others, aiming to decode this cultivation system. Once successful, it would enrich the means of reconnaissance. Regrettably, the King of Shadows, Louis Shadow, would rather die than yield, revealing no information about the Shadow Incarnation, thus increasing the difficulty of decoding.


    ¡°Now is the best time to stifle the nascent Flame Kingdom through an alliance; the longer it is delayed, the less chance they will have,¡± Emily pondered aloud.


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because, with His Majesty¡¯s speed of acquiring dragons, it won¡¯t take long to exceed the eight dragons of the Eagle Kingdom, and even adding its vassals, there are only twelve dragons in total.¡±


    Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°Actually, I have already caught up with the Eagle Kingdom in terms of the number of dragons, as I have a Little Water Dragon being nurtured in the ocean.¡±


    Fire Dragon Leo, Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, Formless Dragon Bard, Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, Bone Dragon Vinnie, Aluminum Dragon Connor, and Water Dragon Walter. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Exactly eight dragons, matching the number held by the Eagle Royal Family.


    Emily opened her mouth, perfectly surprised, ¡°Your Majesty, have you acquired a new dragon? That¡¯s truly great!¡±

 Chapter 1037 - 1037 1034 New Expectations

    ?Chapter 1037: Chapter 1034: New Expectations Chapter 1037: Chapter 1034: New Expectations Emily¡¯s praise was sincere, and even Liszt himself felt a sense of greatness.


    He had already ridden eight dragons, and besides, he had Ach, the Archmage mounted on a Unicorn, and Lerald¡¤Truth, the new Archmage who had pledged allegiance to him.


    Effectively, ten beings at the pinnacle of power had gathered, representing immense combat strength.


    From the perspective of the dragon slaying battle, it was enough to overturn the rule of the Eagle Kingdom with a single fight. However, from a foundational standpoint, the Knight Class of the Flame Kingdom was still too scant to replace the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s rule over such an expansive territory. Moreover, the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t want to face the dragon slaying battle themselves.


    Adonis Moonlight Silver¡¯s strategy was straightforward: avoid fighting, accumulate strength, then desperately seek allies and contain Liszt¡¯s expansion.


    He had already revealed news of the Sacred Dragon to the Kushan Imperial, and it was evident that both the Neverfall Empire and the Blue Dragon Empire had likely received the message as well. It was just that these two empires were too remote to easily vie for the Formless Dragon, unless they were plotting something sinister from the shadows.


    This was precisely what Liszt was most cautious of. He dared not recklessly initiate the dragon slaying battle, fearing that the two great empires might take advantage of the situation to strike at him from the darkness.


    It was hard to say whether the trump card of the Phoenix Incarnation had been exposed.


    Who knew what unimaginable means an empire with thousands of years of heritage might possess.


    ¡°Moreover, even winning the dragon slaying battle against the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t allow us to seize so many dragons; Mind Branding is a massive complication,¡± he sighed inwardly.


    The Mind Branding offered great reinforcement to a dragon¡¯s mental world; the challenge was not just the dragons, but facing a Completion-term Dragon Knight as well.


    One would have to use the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit to lock down the dragon itself, then wear it down over time, eventually erasing the Mind Branding.


    He now possessed only two Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, and it was not cost-effective to use them on the dragons of the Eagle Kingdom¡ªeven with the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg, cultivating a Mind Fruit Tree and bearing new Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits would undoubtedly require a significant sacrifice, possibly even relying on a dragon¡¯s carcass to nourish the tree.


    Originally, the Mind Fruit Tree on Mind Island was able to bear fruit only with the nourishment from Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan.


    This meant that one dragon as nourishment might yield two to three Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits. It sounded profitable, but the execution of slaying dragons for fruit was exceedingly difficult. After all, the resources spent on raising an adult dragon were astronomical.


    While the Kushan Imperial had remnants of the Jade Dragon to cultivate the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits, their number of dragons hadn¡¯t increased wildly, indicating the complexities involved in using them.


    ¡°However, I wonder if it would be feasible to try and form an alliance with the Steel Ridge Kingdom or even unite with the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom to divide the Eagle Kingdom?¡± he pondered another approach, ¡°The Flame Kingdom is destined to rise. With the Formless Dragon on my side, not even the Kushan Imperial could assassinate me, and neither Steel Ridge nor Blast Furnace Fortress have the means to destroy me.¡±


    Since the Flame Kingdom couldn¡¯t be overthrown, the choice facing both Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress was either passive resistance or active cooperation.


    Passive resistance was no different than a slow death, which the two royal families should recognise through their years of political maneuvering.


    Thus, active cooperation seemed like the better option: join forces to carve up the Eagle Kingdom and then grow together. With increased strength, they would be more confident in facing the rise of the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°Actually, no matter the choice, it seems impossible to halt my rise. With the speed of my strength¡¯s growth, I¡¯ll soon become an overwhelming force¡­ However, I could try to convince Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress to believe that I¡¯m only coveting the mainland territory of the Eagle Kingdom, and after swallowing part of it, I¡¯d be satisfied and remain their equal.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to bother with this headache-inducing diplomatic strategy. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Better to return and toss the matter to the Development Committee to worry about.


    ¡­


    Sapphire Calendar Year 156, the autumnal Pioneer Mandate war began in October, ravaging the rich coastlines of the Dense Corridor and Aden Bay and ended by the end of December.


    The charging knights returned to their domains, embracing their wives and children while also bringing back countless spoils of war.


    This time, tens of thousands of Earth Knights, hundreds of thousands of Apprentice Knights, as well as several hundred thousand serfs, were forced to migrate to the Flame Kingdom. Among them, numerous Noble Landlords were included; however, a significant portion of these Noble Landlords surrendered immediately and were not treated as captives.


    Liszt didn¡¯t have the heart to forcefully take away their wealth.


    Very few actual captives were taken, and even fewer were willing to pay a ransom for their freedom¡ªbecause there was no point in returning, as the entire Dense Corridor and Aden Bay had been picked clean of people, resources, Elves, and more.


    Fire Dragon cargo ships and Iron Dragon warships shuttled back and forth between Mind Island and the coastline like public buses.


    The Eagle Royal Family received reports passed on by rats, and although Liszt didn¡¯t know what Adonis Moonlight Silver thought about it, he himself was undoubtedly very comfortable. With the departure of the last fleet from the continental coastline, he also left immediately, returning to Flame Island to quietly tally the gains of this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate war.


    Compared to last year¡¯s rushed Pioneer Mandate, this year¡¯s was thoroughly prepared and on a larger scale, thus the population and resource gains were well over four times that of the previous year.


    Unfortunately, too many Nobles surrendered, resulting in Liszt not receiving much in terms of Elf reinforcements.


    Only a few Little Minor Elves and a batch of Elf Bugs were added to the mix, which was insignificant compared to the Elves bred on Flame Island.


    ¡°Father, the knights who joined the Pioneer Mandate this time must be carefully arranged and strictly supervised. Many of them have covertly operated Mercenary Corps in the past, engaging in shady deals. I do not wish for them to bring such practices to the Flame Kingdom,¡± Liszt remarked.


    ¡°Rest assured, I will manage these knights meticulously,¡± replied Li Weiliam.


    ¡°Any noble who violates the laws, no matter how high their rank, must be dealt with seriously¡­ It seems somewhat unkind to punish without teaching first, Father, so why don¡¯t you draft a ¡®Flame Kingdom Knight Management Code¡¯ in my name, specifying which behaviors should be encouraged and which must be strictly prohibited?¡±


    ¡°The Development Committee has been compiling the future Flame Kingdom¡¯s laws recently, and the main body is already complete. Plucking a few provisions from there will be enough to compile the ¡®Flame Kingdom Knight Management Code¡¯,¡± Li Weiliam explained, his primary task as the leader of the Development Committee was to prepare for the formation of the Kingdom.


    A country, especially a Kingdom.


    Once established, all aspects such as laws and regulations, social systems, production and construction, foreign strategies, internal framework, and feudal knight assignments had to be perfected as soon as possible, or the country would sooner or later fall into chaos. In fact, if not for Liszt¡¯s overwhelming deterrent power, the Flame Kingdom would already be in disarray.


    The personnel makeup is far too imbalanced.


    The Moon Slayers are currently the largest group, but most belong to the lowest stratum. Initially, they might have rejoiced over leaving the forest and having full bellies, but as time goes by, envy is inevitable when they see others living better lives. Fortunately, the Ancient Mages among the Moon Slayers have been properly settled, so the grievances of the lower-class serfs are not a significant issue.


    The next largest group is the Eagle People, who have migrated in batches, some as captives who surrendered, and others traded as serfs. Language, culture, and customs cause the Eagle People to inevitably stick together, creating a significant barrier. Even if they are forcefully dispersed and settled in different cities, there will still be cliques forming.


    Then there are those called Flame People, the veterans most loyal to Liszt, but their numbers are far too few.


    In short.


    The Flame Kingdom is like a pile of sand forcibly held together by Liszt, governed by his powerful hand and sustained by the strict social hierarchy of nobles, commoners, and serfs under the knightly system.


    It will take a great deal of time to solidify fully and convert everyone to citizens of the Flame Kingdom.


    Liszt isn¡¯t worried about this¡ªat as long as he exists, the Flame Kingdom will not fall into chaos.


    He now has a new anticipation, ¡°The year-end festival is approaching, and the Red and White Rose Family¡¯s Envoy Group should be arriving soon. I wonder what kind of gifts my old friend will bring this year.¡±

 Chapter 1038 - 1038 1035 A Marvel Misleads the Nation

    ?Chapter 1038: Chapter 1035: A Marvel Misleads the Nation Chapter 1038: Chapter 1035: A Marvel Misleads the Nation The gift from the Red and White Rose Family was the same as always, Platinum Magic Potion and Red Dragon Water, apparently sending other gifts would not showcase the depth of the Red and White Rose Family¡¯s heritage.


    However, this year Mathew of the Red and White Roses did not come himself, only sending a letter personally penned by his sister, Marilyn Rose of Red and White.


    The letter primarily contained greetings to Li Si Te and to Ach, casually revealing her admiration for Li Si Te, her coming of age, her graduation from the noble girls¡¯ school of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, her return to the life in the Rose Duchy, and her hope to still receive Li Si Te¡¯s blessings for her birthday next year.


    In short.


    This was a signal for a marriage alliance, as long as Li Si Te agreed, the Red and White Rose Family would immediately send Marilyn over to become the Queen of the Flame Kingdom. However, having absorbed the Phoenix Incarnation to extend his life span to hundreds of years, his desire for taking a wife and having children had greatly diminished.


    In fact, even if he had a strong desire, he would not marry a woman he had never met.


    ¡°Paper, glass products in exchange for Platinum Magic Potion and Red Dragon Water, this friendship can continue, but next year when the Flame Kingdom is established, I¡¯m afraid the friendship will have to break¡­ I really am a terrifying person, sacrificing my own hues for the sake of my dragon.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡±


    With such self-reflection in his mind, he penned a formulaic reply, revealing no warmth¡ªperhaps out of a guilty conscience, he even hoped the Red and White Rose Family would sense his indifference and abandon the thought of this marriage alliance. In any case, he did not wish to see an innocent girl entangled in adults¡¯ politics.


    After writing the reply, he dispatched a messenger to send it.


    The time had come to the last day of December, the day before the festival, and for several days, he had been holding banquets with his followers and conferring new noble titles. In this relaxed environment for advancement, a large number of knights had become nobles, and minor nobles had easily become major nobles.


    Only at the stage of Earl and above, where the nobles held large titles, did the promotions become very strict.


    To date, aside from the nobles who already had the title of Duke or Marquis, which they reclaimed through their battle achievements with relative ease, only Emily had been granted the title of Marquis for her success in dragon riding. As for Dukes, there was still only Piero¡¤Grey Iron, the noble who brought his own title¡ªalthough Li Si Te intended for his own father to be promoted to Duke.


    But the promotion ceremony would take place after the founding of the nation, and for now, Li Weiliam remained a Marquis.


    There were also seven powerful mermaids who had helped him govern the seas; in the future, they too would gradually be granted the title of Duke.


    They were originally kings of the great seas, and on land, their status was at least equivalent to that of a Grand Duke. However, the kingdoms in the sea had long crumbled, and the task of purifying the Devil¡¯s Sea fell solely to Ach. Therefore, the title of Duke was the highest Li Si Te was willing to give to the mermaids.


    ¡°In the future, I can set a precedent in the Flame Kingdom, the limit for Sky Knights is Marquis, but as soon as they break through the ultimate shackles and become Domain Knights, they can continue to be promoted to Duke¡­ That way, followers like Dimaria Yuhua Stone will have even more incentive to work hard.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For most nobles, becoming a Marquis is the greatest goal in life, as very few non-Dragon Rearing Families can be promoted to Duke. Once they become Marquises, these major nobles lose their drive.


    ¡°As for Dragon Knights, it would be difficult for new Dragon Rearing Families to emerge under my rule,¡± Li Si Te, riding the Formless Dragon Bard, flew slowly through the sky, ¡°because all dragons that can be discovered will ultimately become my dragons, refusing anyone else¡¯s touch.¡±


    He still remembered the scenes he witnessed when he activated the Time Scepter, although that was only a possible future. However, what the future Ach had said, he remembered deeply¡ªAch told him it was best to ride all dragons, and also told him about the Immortal Dragon in the Exiled Lands.


    ¡°Elves are shared among all, but dragons must belong to me.¡±


    ¡­


    At this moment,


    Liszt stood atop the peak of Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain, gazing at the ongoing vigorous construction of what would become the future Royal Palace, his heart swelled with pride¡ªthis was the realm he had fought to establish.


    ¡°After consulting Ach, Emily, my father, and others, the once sacred mountain of the Moon Slayers finally had a new name. The range of mountains on the left was called Moon Mountain, the range on the right Sun Mountain, and the valley between them was named Sun Moon Valley. As for the palace that stood between Moon Mountain and Sun Mountain, it was named the Sun Moon Star Palace.¡±


    Heaven and earth vast and vague, the universe so ancient and primeval.


    Sun and moon full and bright, stars and constellations all arrayed.


    The name of the Sun Moon Star Palace meant to encompass the universe, while Sun Mountain and Moon Mountain were meant to ¡°inherit¡± the glory of the ancient Moon Empire and Sun Empire¡ªevery nation liked to claim they were the direct successors, flaunting their inheritance from ancient civilizations.


    Liszt simply swept them all into the net, inheriting not only the Moon Empire but also the Sun Empire!


    Furthermore, many nations enjoyed naming their king¡¯s castles, palaces, and surnames after dragons¡ªSteel Ridge Kingdom¡¯s palace was called the White Gold Tooth Palace, inspired by the Platinum Dragon; Eagle Kingdom¡¯s palace was named Iron Dragon Chain Palace, from the White Maw Iron Dragon; Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom¡¯s palace was called the Golden Supreme Palace, after the Golden Dragon.


    The founders of these royal families were likely the Platinum Dragon Knights, White Maw Iron Dragon Knights, Golden Dragon Knights; thus, the palaces commemorated this.


    But Liszt had too many dragons, and he was a Dragon Knight to each one; using any single dragon as a namesake felt too narrow, incapable of being evenly distributed.


    He had adopted Flame as his surname, nation¡¯s name, and king¡¯s castle, vowing the status of Fire Dragon Leo¡ªthis could still be explained by the first Dragon Riding experience. If he continued to name anything after any other dragon, it would cause dissatisfaction among the rest¡ªbeing a Dragon Knight to many dragons, he had to balance it well.


    His heart was weary, almost longing to quickly train a group of Dragon Knights to share the burden.


    ¡°The construction of the Sun Moon Star Palace is one-third complete, and in another half year, the main structure should be finished, and then it will be ready to inhabit. After the main body is done, what remains will be composed of wonders, which will require the cooperation of Archmages, and there¡¯s no rush for now; it¡¯s best left to Ach to handle.¡±


    Women, they all like to design their own house¡¯s decorating style¡ªLiszt decisively left the palace¡¯s wonder style for Ach to play with.


    Not to mention, Ach truly had a keen interest in this area and had already been taking the time to design various styles of wonders.


    Some ideas even astonished Liszt, such as the Flying Moat, Vertical Lift, Miniature Magic Gate, Aerial Floating Park, Man-made Sun, Moon and Stars, Crystal Rainbow Canopy, Proportional Dragon Sculpture, Eternal Torch, Endless Rain Cloud¡­ She intended to turn the Sun Moon Star Palace into a dwelling fit for gods.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make things too luxurious, Ach, we should save where we can, after all, we have a large family business and many dragons to feed.¡±


    Ach playfully stuck out her little tongue, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother, Ach is just using the Sun Moon Star Palace as a laboratory to test some of the more challenging magic technology problems, heehee.¡±


    Liszt was left with only a smile.


    Then, he vigorously tousled Ach¡¯s blue tresses¡ªwhatever it was, he had it wrapped around his finger!

 Chapter 1039 - 1039 1036 Moth to a Flame

    ?Chapter 1039: Chapter 1036: Moth to a Flame Chapter 1039: Chapter 1036: Moth to a Flame Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong!


    When the clock atop Flame City¡¯s administrative building struck six times, it signaled the arrival of the New Year festival, and thus the year 156 of the Sapphire Calendar became the past as 157 officially commenced.


    Having returned from an inspection of the Sun Moon Star Palace, Li Si Te stood on the balcony of Flame Castle, gazing at the starry night sky. Soon after, countless magical fireworks shot into the sky from Flame City, from surrounding towns, and even from the castle itself, the magic power transforming into fireworks gleaming in myriad hues.


    Blossoms of light unfurled in the night sky, bringing the atmosphere of the festival to a crescendo.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that this year there are no unknown rewards provided by the Smoke Mission. I always feel like something is missing and it¡¯s quite unsettling,¡± he shook his head. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He called forth the Smoke Mission.


    The content of the mission remained the same: ¡°Mission: The two hundred and second time of destiny¡¯s choice, guiding and predicting over and over, you have grown from a minor rural landlord to a sovereign of a nation. As the Flame Kingdom is on the brink of establishment, perhaps it¡¯s time to consider some deeper questions. Please touch the barrier. Reward: The favor of destiny.¡±


    Touching the barrier.


    That was a formidable dilemma.


    He had been pondering this matter for nearly half a year, continuously refining his cultivation methods with the Fire Dragon Leo, who had already received the Mind Branding, trying out various beneficial Dou Qi and magic power circulation systems. He was still unable to touch the barrier, not even grasping the slightest clue.


    Among the other dragons, the Mind Branding within the Formless Dragon Bard¡¯s consciousness was already becoming clearer and would soon be fully branded.


    The Grey Iron Dragon Ornn and the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata had also begun to show a vague shadow of the brand, but these two dragons offered him only a mediocre sensation, and their cultivation speed was considerably slow.


    The Aluminum Dragon Connor and Water Dragon Walter had yet to show signs of branding.


    As for the Bone Dragon Vinnie, it was not a complete dragon and thus did not possess a Mind Branding.


    As for the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, which had been previously branded with the Mind Branding, it had become Emily¡¯s mount, and Li Si Te had not continued to cultivate with it. His relationship with Ethan was strange; essentially, Ethan was his dragon, yet the knight was Emily, equivalent to a dragon with feet in two boats.


    As long as Li Si Te wished, he could take over Ethan at any time by relying on the Mind Branding, but normally he actively blocked the Mind Connection with Ethan.


    Just like the First Dragon Knight had died long ago, merely relying on the Mind Branding to suppress the dragon¡¯s will, leaving everything else to be handled by Emily.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been cultivating with Leo for a long time without any clue about the barrier, and I suppose this isn¡¯t something that can be discovered by just biding time¡­ Otherwise, since the establishment of the knight system, many astonishing Dragon Knights would surely have broken the barrier and achieved greatness.¡±


    In fact, Completion-term Dragon Knights represented the peak; there was no existence beyond Dragon Knights.


    The situation in the Neverfall Empire and Blue Dragon Empire was unknown, but for the Dragon Knights of the Kushan Empire, Li Si Te had already learned through Lerald¡¤Truth that there was nobody stronger than a Dragon Knight. Even Emperor Jupiter, as a Dark Dragon Knight, was the strongest Dragon Knight of the Kushan Empire.


    ¡°Now all that¡¯s left is to wait for Ach to catch an inspiration, to decipher the information of the barrier.¡±


    ¡°If Ach also fails to decipher it, the only thing I could look forward to is Bard, to take another look at that Dragon of the Magic Web which has broken through the barrier.¡±


    As his thoughts drifted, he heard someone calling him, ¡°Your Majesty, what are you contemplating?¡±


    Li Si Te came back to his senses and saw that it was Paris who had followed him to the balcony. During the festival season, he had become accustomed to inviting some close followers who were single and without families to join him at Flame Castle to celebrate. It wasn¡¯t restricted to men or women, but the closer male followers all had their own families.


    Paris, Emily, Chris Truth, Kenley Truth, Mary Dawnbreak, and a few other women were still single and without relatives¡ªParis had a sister named Maggie, who had been adopted back in Fresh Flower Town.


    So Paris was still spending the New Year at Flame Castle.


    The former Black Dragon Childe had now become a Great Light Magic Swordsman with the title of Earl.


    Her cultivation system was quite interesting, most of it brand new, derived by the ¡°Light Magic Swordsman¡± project team specially established by the Magic Guild. The Light Magic Swordsman project team was part of the ¡°Dragon Magic Warrior Laboratory,¡± which spearheaded the development of cultivation systems such as Light Magic Swordsman, Fire Paladin, and Shadow Incarnation.


    The development for Shadow Incarnation only began after the capture of the King of Shadows, Louis Shadow, with the intention of using Louis as a breakthrough, though it all ended up for naught.


    Therefore, the Dragon Magic Warrior Laboratory still had to refer to the path Paris had taken in her cultivation in order to establish subsequent training systems.


    ¡°Thinking about the future,¡± Liszt said with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky.


    The magic fireworks in the sky had thinned out now, only the magicians from the Mage Tower in the distance were still tirelessly playing with their magic fireworks.


    ¡°The future, huh¡­¡± Paris gathered a stray lock of hair that had fallen by her ear and sighed deeply.


    Today, she had not worn her favorite leather armor or the Flack¡¤Abbieye that represented her noble title. Instead, she put on a lady¡¯s dress that noble ladies favored, with a loose skirt, slender waist, and pleated neckline that perfectly exposed her beautiful collarbone.


    Her originally valiant and heroic style was replaced by the delicacy and sensuality of a woman, every move filled with alluring temptation.


    ¡°Why the sigh?¡± Liszt asked.


    Paris smiled faintly, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m getting older. The festival has just passed, and I¡¯m already twenty-four years old. I¡¯ve been following Your Majesty for five years now.¡±


    ¡°Five years, huh, well, I turned twenty-two this year.¡±


    He had come to this world at the age of sixteen after his coming-of-age ceremony which happened in March of the Sapphire Calendar Year 151. Then in December, he met Paris. Indeed, it had been five full years since he got to know Paris, and in three more months, it would be six years since his arrival. Indeed, so much had changed in these six years.


    ¡°Many twenty-two-year-old Knights might be just an Earth Knight, yet Your Majesty has become the king of a nation, a great Dragon Knight from scratch. The greatest fortune in Paris¡¯s life is to have followed Your Majesty,¡± she did not hide the admiration and love in her eyes.


    Such a heroic figure, it would be hard for any woman to conceal such feelings.


    Liszt enjoyed the admiration in those eyes and warmly responded, ¡°Meeting you was my fortune as well, Paris. The memories of Fresh Flower Town often resurface in my mind.¡±


    ¡°Do you really feel fortunate to have met Paris?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Paris¡¯s breathing became somewhat labored, and her eyes, brimming with intense emotions, seemed as though they might start dripping water. It took her a while to calm down slightly, ¡°I truly wish you did not feel fortunate, for your fortune makes it hard for me to restrain myself.¡±


    Liszt raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    Paris looked up and met Liszt¡¯s gaze, ¡°I once hid my affection for Your Majesty deep in my heart, but it still jumps out from time to time. My reason tells me I shouldn¡¯t have any hopes, but my emotions are like a moth that, even knowing the flame, still desperately throws itself into it.¡±


    This was a daring confession, and the first time she had voiced her feelings.


    Liszt was somewhat taken aback, but after all his years in high society, he simply extended his hand to lift Paris¡¯s chin. Her height of 175 centimeters was rather outstanding among women, but it was nothing in front of his 190 centimeters, ¡°Are you ready to be the moth to a flame?¡±

 Chapter 1040 - 1040 1037 Reef City

    ?Chapter 1040: Chapter 1037 Reef City Chapter 1040: Chapter 1037 Reef City Moths to the flame, an indescribable delight.


    Good news came just after the New Year, this time from Formless Dragon Bard. While Liszt had been busy with social engagements over the New Year, Bard aimlessly wandered the world beyond matter¡ªever since the Magic Teleportation Array was established, it no longer feared getting lost.


    Unexpectedly, it discovered a natural node, and upon opening it, found itself on the west coast of Flame Island, an area filled with reefs.


    It remembered that Liszt had always wanted to open more teleportation arrays on Flame Island to turn it into a widely accessible transportation network. Without a doubt, this was a natural node of great developmental value; it could connect the west coast of Flame Island to the transportation network.


    Therefore, Liszt rushed over with Bard to survey the environment.


    The waves of the sea continuously beat against the reefs, and the scene of the azure sea and blue sky inspired a surge of high spirits in him, ¡°Such a scene, I feel compelled to compose a poem¡­ Facing the stone tablet in the east to view the vast sea. How tranquil is the water, how towering are the mountainous islands. The trees thrive, the herbs flourish¡­¡±


    This poem did not match the scenery here.


    There were no trees in the reef area, and it was not on the East Coast but the West, about a hundred meters offshore. Standing on the reefs, one could gaze far at the coastline, where there was a seemingly endless stretch of white, clean sand with just the occasional tree resembling a Fragrant Coconut Tree.


    Further in the distance, there were sparse shrubs, and the land was mostly sandstone, unsuitable for farming.


    The water and soil on the northwest half of Flame Island were not as good as on the southeast half, bearing less of the dense primeval forests and more resembling grasslands and deserts. The magicians from the Magic Guild had conducted long-term research here, finding that the rainfall was significantly less than in the southeast, especially dry in winter.


    ¡°Although the northwest half is not generally suitable for living, it doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no land suitable for farming. There are several river basins that could develop into rich agricultural lands. Moreover, the terrain here is relatively flat, suitable for grazing, and could become a large ranch for the Flame Kingdom in the future.¡±


    Therefore, building a large city on the East Coast was very necessary.


    In the future, constructing a Magic Teleportation Array to connect with other areas of Flame Island was undoubtedly most suitable here.


    ¡°Bard, fly freely around here for a while. I¡¯m going down to the sea to inspect the underwater environment of the reef area and see what special features are here that could create a natural node,¡± Liszt said as he summoned Little Water Dragon Walter, who had long been attached to his kidneys.


    Walter did not have an appropriate Dragon Nest and thus could not absorb Water Attribute Super Magic daily, resulting in his very slow physical development with no visible growth.


    Unlike Leo, who had grown rapidly each day by leveraging the Super Magic fermented by a volcano.


    ¡°Yo ho!¡± As soon as Walter flew out, he landed on the water surface, curiously looking around.


    Then, ridden by Liszt who connected mentally with him, they plunged beneath the sea surface, searching for any trace of specialness that might indicate the presence of a natural node.


    Natural nodes might be related to Super Magic.


    Or more directly related to dragons¡ªDragons are the source of most Super Magic.


    Eye of Magic cast.


    Synchronizing with Walter, Liszt¡¯s perspective soon shifted to that of the Water Dragon, and each current in the vast sea was clearly visible, enhancing the simple Eye of Magic several times over. This shared the same principle as Fire Dragon Leo¡¯s Dragon Eye Trajectory, and Liszt, not wanting to rename it, still called it Dragon Eye Trajectory.


    Elemental Dragons could mostly synchronize with the Eye of Magic, as could the Formless Dragon, but the Metal Dragon, Gemstone Dragon, and Bone Dragon could not be compatible with the Eye of Magic.


    Dragon Eye Trajectory continually scanned.


    It swept over every underwater reef without detecting any signs of magic power, not even a single Sea Monster was found. ¡°The natural node is between the reef areas, not beneath the sea surface, making it difficult to judge what exactly happened when the Superior Magic formed the natural node in the past.¡±


    He searched back and forth carefully but still could not find any clues related to magic power, and he ultimately had to declare the search a failure¡ªthis natural node contained no Dragon relics.


    Perhaps it was just an ancient period when Dragons fought fiercely, causing the Superior Magic fluctuation that triggered the natural node.


    Previously, several natural nodes also yielded nothing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it the Reef Natural Node, and plan to build Reef City here¡­¡± Liszt decided on the name of Reef City and then withdrew Little Water Dragon Walter.


    He mounted Formless Dragon Bard and left this place, heading straight for Mermaid City.


    He wanted to instruct the Mermaids to mobilize a group of Fish Ugly Race to build Reef City. The seawater aquaculture was not yet flourishing, and many from the Fish Ugly Race had nothing to do, so he decided to let them participate in city building to use their unchanneled energy, rather than letting it go to waste.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the water quality here is very good, and the fish are abundant, making it a natural fishing ground,¡± said Marquis Lost ¨C Coquelix.


    ¡°Have you discovered fish?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have sensed a huge school of fish hovering around, near this marine area.¡±


    ¡°That is good news. It is even more suitable to build Reef City here. Now that Salty Sea Marquis ¨C Blue Posey is in charge of Mermaid City, you will manage Reef City here; build the city half in the water, half on land. In the future, this will be the central city of the East Coast.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty,¡± Coquelix nodded in agreement.


    Although the age of Mermaids had passed, their greatest desire as the seven remaining ones was to purify the ocean. However, this did not mean they had no desires, especially as the Magic Guild was helping them develop the Source of Vitality Potion that could stimulate reproduction.


    This gave them the possibility to reproduce, and with it, desires for power and status emerged, and there was even quiet competition among the Mermaids.


    Currently, Marquis Fugitive ¨C Viswinti had already made a Heart of the Mermaid contract with Ach, becoming the chief steward of Overmarine Laboratory on Anchor Island, taking charge of marine experimental content and starting to pursue a route in magic research. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Marquis Great West ¨C Eternia, being the oldest among the Mermaids, primarily served as Liszt¡¯s underwater assistant, responsible for protecting him during his sea travels.


    Salty Sea Marquis ¨C Blue Posey now managed Mermaid City. Liszt had already consulted with her to transfer the Heart of the Mermaid to Emily¡ªbeing a Dragon Knight of the seas, it was a pity not to be able to swim, hence Liszt made Emily contract the Heart of the Mermaid for an additional life-saving skill.


    Marquis Fisher ¨C Gulvig was an external agent with a temporary duty. Liszt specifically ordered her to travel by sea, migrating the Dragon Turtles from Dragon Turtle Island and the Lightning Dragon Turtles from Black Horse Island to the Flame Islands. The Lightning Dragon Turtle was a Super Dragon Beast, and ordinary Dragon Turtles were also Advanced Magical Beasts, holding great value.


    Marquis Lost ¨C Coquelix was about to oversee Reef City.


    The remaining Marquis Aquamarch ¨C Tibidais and Marquis Sea Trench ¨C Sharivara, Liszt planned to dispatch to Mind Island to ensure its security. As one of the only two gateways connecting Flame Kingdom with the outside world, the importance of Mind Island was self-evident.


    ¡°By the way, Coquelix, about your planned circumnavigation of the waters near Legendary Continent, when are you preparing to set out?¡± Liszt inquired.


    ¡°Marquis Eternia thinks this spring is a very suitable season, one year is enough for us to tour the entire coastal waters of Legendary Continent. To see if there are still Mermaids, Naga, or Fish Ugly and other subordinate races existing¡­ how bustling the old ocean was, and how lonely the ocean is now.¡±


    Coquelix spoke with a tone full of melancholy.

 Chapter 1041 - 1041 1038 Dont Take Me as an Example

    ?Chapter 1041: Chapter 1038: Don¡¯t Take Me as an Example Chapter 1041: Chapter 1038: Don¡¯t Take Me as an Example Li Si Te did not know how vast the Legendary Continent was. Based on some previous conjectures, and also on Acherloides¡¯ study of astronomy, it could generally be inferred that the world was a massive sphere.


    However, due to incomplete theories and lack of measuring devices, more accurate verification could not be completed, so the exact size of the Legendary Continent remained unknown. Over the past years, even though Li Si Te had become a Dragon Knight and Acherloides had become an Archmage, there was still no time to travel around the world.


    Their activities were generally limited to the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, including the Sea of Azure Waves and the Shell Sea, going no further than reaching the edge of the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    Their understanding of this planet was limited to knowing there were two continents on the endless ocean¡ªThe Legendary Continent and the Mafa Continent.


    But the geographical distribution of these two continents on the planet was difficult to determine. If land could not be assessed, naturally, the distribution of the oceans was also unclear. Sometimes Liszt wondered whether the Legendary Continent and the Mafa Continent might be positioned similarly to the continents of Eurasia and America.


    Respectively in two hemispheres of this planet. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without supporting data from practical surveys, speculation was the only option. It so happened that this time, upon reviving seven mermaids who lamented the decline of their kind, these seven mermaids decided to embark on a journey around the seas to search for other surviving mermaids.


    Li Si Te therefore entrusted the mermaids to take a sextant to map the distribution of the coastlines of the Legendary Continent and to measure the depth and distribution of the oceans.


    ¡°Now, Mermaid City can¡¯t do without Salty Sea Marquis Blue Posey commanding Yu Chou as forced labor. Once Reef City starts construction, it will definitely depend on you to command Yu Chou as forced labor. Only Eternia and her four companions can team up to travel around the sea.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, what if we delay the construction of Reef City? I too wish to travel around the sea. Lord Acherloides has studied the devil for a long time, but to actually begin planning the purification of the Devil¡¯s Sea, it will still take a long time. During this period, I would like to see the ocean¡­ In my time, I¡¯ve never really seen the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, then let it be decided.¡±


    He nodded in agreement.


    In fact, he did not wish for all the mermaids to travel around the seas instead of working. The Flame Kingdom was in full swing with construction, and a large number of Yu Chou perfectly filled the labor shortfall, making them indispensable for driving the mermaids. However, he did not want to exploit them too harshly and was still willing to grant the mermaids some freedom.


    Perhaps on this sea voyage, they might find more surviving mermaids and then bring them back to settle in the Flame Kingdom.


    So, he generously sent the mermaids on their journey, leaving only Salty Sea Marquis Blue Posey to stay reluctantly behind, continuing to oversee Mermaid City and command the Yu Chou as forced labor in the construction.


    ¡°I wonder what gains this trip will bring¡­ Whether or not they find surviving mermaids is not up for discussion, but the coastline distribution of the Legendary Continent will surely be mapped out; I just don¡¯t know if there will be other gains beyond the Legendary Continent.¡±


    The mermaid¡¯s trip around the seas was just an interlude.


    Li Si Te quickly pushed it to the back of his mind¡ªnot completely out of mind since he was connected by a contract with the mermaids, allowing him to communicate over vast distances and keep track of their movements at any time.


    But now his work was very busy.


    Spring plowing had already started, and schools in all cities had begun classes. As the king of the Flame Kingdom, he inevitably had to make appearances at some spring plowing events to show concern for the agricultural activities; or perhaps visit a school to give a speech, especially at the Royal Academy to harvest a wave of loyalty from the young knights.


    The Dragon Knight selection program finally commenced, and three individuals were chosen.


    These included the young girl Hippolyta from the Moon Slayer clan who initially sheltered the Elf, the grandson of Nicholas Bellows Count from the Iron Knight Family, Nikola Fengxiang, and another from the offspring of an Earth Knight, De Gaulle.


    Hippolyta, who had trained in Dou Qi for less than two years, had already successfully advanced to Elite Earth Knight, and her adaptability to Magic Potions was extremely strong. There was hope that she would become a Sky Knight before the age of sixteen. Thus, barely meeting the qualifications for Dragon Knight selection, she was pushed forward into the program by the Royal Academy.


    Nikola Fengxiang hadn¡¯t yet reached sixteen years old, but had already become a Sky Knight, a genius of the Fengxiang Family. Though he aspired to be an Iron Knight, he equally coveted the title of Dragon Knight.


    As for De Gaulle, he was merely a common, title-less offspring of an Earth Knight, whose mother had brought him up on Hot Spring Island. Following Liszt¡¯s campaign against Count Hot Spring Island, they were relocated to live in the Flame Kingdom. He was only twelve this year, but had also already become an Elite Earth Knight, similarly pushed forward by the Royal Academy.


    ¡°Hippolyta, Nikola, De Gaulle, you should already know the significance of the Dragon Knight selection program. Besides you, only one person has been selected for the Flame Kingdom Dragon Knight selection program, and she has likely taught you knightly courses at the Royal Academy, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight, Emily.¡±


    Liszt looked at the three individuals before him, filled with expectation and said, ¡°Each of you selected for the Dragon Knight selection program represents the future hope of the Flame Kingdom. You will enjoy the utmost treatment, and your goal will be Dragon Riding. However, the difficulty of riding a dragon is immense; your talents alone are not enough to dazzle the Legendary Continent, and you can only rely on effort.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, could you tell us what preparations are needed for Dragon Riding?¡± asked Nikola, the oldest among them, and as a noble progeny, relatively more mature.


    He eagerly anticipated learning more about Dragon Riding as he gazed intently at Liszt.


    He was acutely aware that Liszt before him was a formidable being who single-handedly rode six or seven dragons; all the youth of the Flame Kingdom, especially the young knights, saw Liszt as a striving goal¡ªalthough it seemed a distant goal, youth are often fearless.


    Believing what others can do, they can do as well.


    Liszt¡¯s gaze swept over the three individuals, carefully scrutinizing them.


    Nikola, a young man with a natural noble pride in his demeanor, was average in appearance and nothing special physically; De Gaulle, though younger and taller than Nikola, tended to be shy and uneasy, reputedly very hardworking in private, somewhat reminiscent of Emily.


    Hippolyta, elegant and graceful.


    As a girl, aside from her slightly darker complexion being somewhat off-putting, she had all the makings of a beauty.


    It was said that at the Royal Academy, the boys who admired Hippolyta could form a knight order. It was only because the Royal Academy prohibited romances during the underage period that these restless young men didn¡¯t openly compete and become jealous.


    ¡°To ride a dragon is both very difficult and very simple,¡± Liszt said, his gaze briefly pausing on the slightly protruding chest of Hippolyta before shifting away, speaking earnestly, ¡°Being a sixteen-year-old Sky Knight is merely a threshold, indicating you could master Dou Qi at a young age.¡±


    He paused, then continued, ¡°Dou Qi mastery is the basic standard to attract dragons, and being young is another criterion, but the most important is character. Dragons are proud and regard humans as no different from ants; without invincible courage, relentless perseverance, and upright morals, it¡¯s impossible to move a dragon.¡±


    ¡°Can courage, perseverance, and morals truly move a dragon?¡± Nikola asked again.


    ¡°No, these qualities only mean you have the potential to approach a dragon. However, each dragon has its own requirements when selecting its rider, and you must discover and approach these on your own.¡±


    Still, Nikola inquired, ¡°But, Your Majesty, you¡¯ve ridden so many dragons, do they all have the same demands for you?¡±


    Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°I am different, and you need not use me as a model. To me, it¡¯s the dragons that beg to be ridden by me, not me seeking their approval.¡±


    Nikola, De Gaulle, and Hippolyta all widened their eyes in surprise: ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 1042 - 1042 1039 Royal Knight Squad

    ?Chapter 1042: Chapter 1039: Royal Knight Squad Chapter 1042: Chapter 1039: Royal Knight Squad Checking on the young people selected for the Dragon Knight reserve program, Li Si Te (Liszt) did not linger at the Royal Academy, for there was no need for him to constantly affirm his presence.


    After all,


    The school¡¯s Loyalty Course was a mandatory subject, and knights had been receiving brainwashing education from a young age to understand that in the Flame Kingdom, the person they truly needed to follow was their rightful lord. In reality, Liszt did not place much importance on knightly loyalty, as most of his followers were now captives who had surrendered. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were few who were truly loyal, and he preferred to attract knights with interests, to consolidate the kingdom¡¯s system.


    Besides developing the noble class of feudal lands, he also aimed to build the Burning Legion as the direct knights for the Flame Family, which was a part he took very seriously.


    Recently, he had selected a large number of knights with battle merits and singled out some Elite Earth Knights of Fire Attribute with weak backgrounds. He led them to the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest in the Endless Volcano Cluster.


    ¡°Red Sparrow Birds, these kinds of big red birds, slightly irritable in temperament but can be tamed as mounts.¡± Standing atop a Phoenix Perch Parasol tree of considerable girth, Liszt directly summoned a noble Advanced Magical Beast Red Sparrow Bird using his Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix Ability.


    Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix was one of the Phoenix Incarnation¡¯s abilities, and with continuous development, he had now managed to release it through his human body.


    Though not as powerful as when released in Phoenix Incarnation, if used on a single bird, the effect could nearly reach the same level as that of the Phoenix Incarnation.


    ¡°Gurulu!¡±


    The Red Sparrow Bird stood by Liszt¡¯s side, affectionately rubbing its neck against his shoulder.


    In the distance, a large flock of Red Sparrow Birds chirped noisily, but under the subtle influence of the Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix pact, they did not approach where Liszt stood.


    There were about twenty-six Elite Earth Knights of Fire Attribute, all young knights, none older than twenty. At the moment, these knights were watching the Red Sparrow Bird with fervent gazes, clearly understanding the significance of the great His Majesty the King leading them here.


    ¡°Fire-Attribute High-Level Magical Beast Red Sparrow Birds, originally my plan was to reward Sky Knights of Fire Attribute to come tame and ride them. However, as the Flame Kingdom is not yet established and the number of Sky Knights is limited, the privilege has been extended to Elite Earth Knights. And you are fortunate to have the opportunity to ride them,¡± Liszt declared loudly.


    This was true; high-level magical beasts, especially flying high-level magical beasts, were very rare, and those that could be tamed and ridden were even more scarce.


    Each one was incredibly valuable; it was almost a waste to give them to Earth Knights.


    His original hope was to establish the most elite Royal Knight Squad of the Burning Legion using Red Sparrow Birds, Fire Crows, and Flame Dragon Birds as mounts. Each member of the Knight Squad needed to possess strong talent and loyalty nurtured from a young age, as only those were afforded the right to guard the Royal Palace and the King.


    However, such stringent requirements were unlikely to be met within a decade or so, as talents are rare to come by, especially those willing to give up their status as feudal nobles.


    Therefore, he had repeatedly lowered the standards to even allow Elite Earth Knights of Fire Attribute under twenty years of age, without a record of misconduct, and not of noble birth. However, if these knights could not become Sky Knights within a few years, their mounts would remain Red Sparrow Birds.


    They would have no chance to touch the more powerful Super Magical Beast Fire Crows.


    ¡°After the Elite Earth Knights mount the Red Sparrow Birds, they will become part of the Burning Legion ¨C Red Sparrow Squad under the Royal Knight Squad, responsible for guarding the King¡¯s Castle; at the age of twenty-five, if you successfully advance to become Sky Knights, then you will be eligible to change your mounts to Fire Crows,¡±


    ¡°Fire Crows will be upgraded to the Burning Legion ¨C Raven Squad under the Royal Knight Squad, later responsible for guarding the Royal Palace; if you achieve Dou Qi perfection before the age of thirty-five, then you will be eligible to change your mount to a Flame Dragon Bird, becoming a knight who rides a Super Dragon Beast, a true Royal Knight.¡±


    The Royal Knight Squad consists of the Royal Squad, Raven Squad, and Red Sparrow Squad three squads, which are not strictly organized like a Knight Order, but more like an honorary compilation.


    Because Liszt himself possessed Fire Attribute Dou Qi, he consequently favored knights of Fire Attribute to serve as his guard.


    But in the future, it will definitely open up to knights of all Dou Qi attributes, building more squads, among which the Royal Squad is generally the highest level of honor. Only knights who ride Super Dragon Beasts can become true Royal Knights, earning the privilege to guard the King during his travels.


    At present, in the Flame Kingdom, the only Super Dragon Beasts available to be ridden are the Flame Dragon Birds and Storm Dragon Horse ¡ª as for the Lightning Dragon Turtle that took up residence in Mermaid City, with its mountain-like build, it seemingly wasn¡¯t suitable for riding.


    There are three Storm Dragon Horses.


    One of them, a Storm Dragon Horse with a broken horn, had become Li Weiliam¡¯s new mount. As a father who was a Dragon Knight and a Domain Knight, and who wielded the administrative power of the Flame Yama Kingdom, he indeed required a mount fitting for his status, one that could underscore his dignity.


    Liszt then allowed Li Weiliam to choose between the Flame Dragon Bird and the Storm Dragon Horse.


    Li Weiliam wasn¡¯t interested in the Flame Dragon Bird, as he possessed Water-Attribute Dou Qi, which was incompatible with the Fire-Attribute Super Dragon Beast. Therefore, he chose the Wind-Attribute Storm Dragon Horse, hoping to pick one of the two without broken horns, but those two had prideful natures and looked down on Li Weiliam.


    Even the Broken Horn Storm Dragon Horse initially scorned him.


    Ultimately, it was Liszt who found Ach, requesting Unicorn Charlie, through Ach, to issue an order, forcing the most tempered Broken Horn Storm Dragon Horse to agree to become Li Weiliam¡¯s mount.


    After Li Weiliam mounted the Storm Dragon Horse, the first thing he did was to fashion a horn from a Magic Metal Alloy for the Storm Dragon Horse, fitting it onto the broken horn, allowing the Storm Dragon Horse to regain the confidence of a Super Dragon Beast¡ªthe broken horn was a source of humiliation and an inferiority complex for it.


    From that moment, the Broken Horn Storm Dragon Horse truly accepted Li Weiliam.


    For a while, Li Weiliam rode the Storm Dragon Horse daily, patrolling his domain with great pride.


    The Storm Dragon Horse was not a Unicorn, and few ordinary people knew the difference, nor did they know how Li Weiliam managed to mount it.


    Thus, many commoners mistook his riding ability as an indication that he was an upright, just, and noble Knight¡ªalthough one couldn¡¯t exactly call Li Weiliam a pure virgin Knight, given that his grandchildren could already run around.


    Because of this, Li Weiliam¡¯s prestige greatly increased.


    ¡­


    Shriek!


    In the distance, a clear call from the Flame Dragon Bird arose, but it was Ani, the Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Greater Elf, riding Little Red, coming in for a landing next to Liszt. Adorned in small armor, Ani dismounted, standing on a tree branch close to Liszt: ¡°Liszt, are you here to inspect the Firebird flock?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ani, and also to select a few Red Sparrow Birds as mounts for my knights.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, they look weak,¡± Ani turned his head to glance at the twenty-six human knights standing on the ground. ¡°Little Red says it could take on a hundred of them.¡±


    Little Red echoed with a call: ¡°Shriek!¡±


    Liszt patted Ani¡¯s head: ¡°They are still young; they have room for improvement.¡±


    ¡°Boring. I¡¯m off to train. I will be a mighty Knight, Liszt, you can deploy me in wars.¡±


    ¡°Off you go to train well.¡±


    After sending Ani away, Liszt beckoned the twenty-six knights to come tame the Red Sparrow Birds.


    ¡°Your Majesty, can we really tame Advanced Magical Beasts?¡± one of the knights asked, somewhat unconfidently, as the Advanced Magical Beasts overwhelmed them.


    Normally, only Elite Earth Knights could wrestle Low-Level Magical Beasts.


    ¡°Now, most knights in the Kingdom still capture Low-Level Magical Beasts for mounts, and suddenly taming Advanced Magical Beasts certainly poses a great challenge. But I believe in your future and allow you to seek shelter under my glory. Go forth, these Red Sparrow Birds will bow before you.¡±


    With the power of Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix, Liszt naturally had ways to hasten their progress, enabling Red Sparrow Birds to sign Beast Taming Contracts with the knights.


    However, a Beast Taming Contract was not a strongly binding agreement, and he seriously added, ¡°I can have you contract with the Red Sparrow Birds, but gaining their approval requires your own efforts¡­ If a Red Sparrow breaks the contract, you will lose your qualifications as members of the Royal Knight Squad.¡±


    The knights suddenly became solemn.


    To lose their place in the Royal Knight Squad meant losing Liszt¡¯s trust¡ªa prospect far more nerve-wracking than losing an Advanced Magical Beast as a mount.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Lately, I really haven¡¯t been feeling well, sorry everyone!

 Chapter 1043 - 1043 1040 Magic Lamp Bulb

    ?Chapter 1043: Chapter 1040 Magic Lamp Bulb Chapter 1043: Chapter 1040 Magic Lamp Bulb The Crimson Sparrow Team of the Royal Knight Squad had been formed, comprising twenty-six Elite Earth Knights of Fire Attribute, all of whom had signed Beast Taming Contracts with the Red Sparrow Bird with the help of Liszt.


    The Crimson Sparrow Team will serve as the first batch of knights guarding the Flame King City.


    Of course, they are still reserves and must wait until the Red Sparrow Bird truly bonds with them and will not rebel, to finalize the Crimson Sparrow Team roster. In any case, this batch of knights will be the backbone of the future Burning Legion and will also be knights directly under the Flame Family.


    The Flame King City they are to guard has not been completely built yet, but the main framework has already taken shape.


    In such a magical world filled with magic power, although the construction industry is not very developed, as long as one is willing to spend resources and mobilize magicians for the construction. The speed, quality, and difficulty of building construction are definitely more efficient than high-tech construction methods on Earth.


    Coincidentally, on Flame Island, the Moon Slayer Natives have cultivated a large number of Ancient Mages using magic dust.


    They participate in construction, undertaking the most difficult parts, which greatly accelerates city construction. Moreover, the Magic Guild is coordinating behind the scenes and developing more construction techniques. The Flame King City is the highest test platform for the construction level of the Flame Kingdom and is a comprehensive plan.


    Most cities under the knight system are spontaneously accrued without any complete urban planning.


    The Flame King City, however, was planned from the beginning as a large city with a population scale of five hundred thousand, with radiating streets and blocks. At the very center is the city¡¯s landmark building, a giant stone gate¡ªTriumphal Arch, which is Liszt¡¯s wicked sense of humor, imitating Paris, France.


    A grand boulevard runs straight through the Triumphal Arch from the south to the north. This boulevard is called the Gilded Boulevard, which can accommodate ten carriages side by side, that is, the gap for twenty warhorses.


    Apart from the Gilded Boulevard, five other boulevards traverse the Triumphal Arch¡ªof course, due to the orientation of the Triumphal Arch, these roads can only go around the arch, forming a large roundabout. Only the Gilded Boulevard can pass through the Triumphal Arch unimpeded.


    These five boulevards, along with the Gilded Boulevard, divide the Flame King City into twelve radiating fan-shaped areas.


    Going clockwise.


    The area from 12 to 1 o¡¯clock is the administrative district, 1 to 2 o¡¯clock is the education district, 2 to 3 o¡¯clock is the green district;


    3 to 4 o¡¯clock is the commercial district, 4 to 5 o¡¯clock is the civilian residential district, 5 to 6 o¡¯clock is the commercial district;


    6 to 7 o¡¯clock is the civilian residential district; 7 to 8 o¡¯clock is the storage district; 8 to 9 o¡¯clock is the magic district;


    9 to 10 o¡¯clock is the green district; 10 to 11 o¡¯clock is the noble residential district; 11 to 12 o¡¯clock is the military district.


    Of course, this is just a rough distribution, and each fan-shaped area is divided by countless streets into many small areas. For Liszt, who has a great pursuit of greening, each small area should have a park, and every little street should have a conspicuous public toilet.


    In summary, the future Flame King City will be a city shaded by green trees, clean and tidy.


    The cities of other countries are always accompanied by a lot of excrement, sewage, and other dirty substances, but in any city of the Flame Kingdom, he does not allow such uncivilized phenomena to exist¡ªin fact, even without official coordination to clean up the excrement, the commoners would scramble to clear it away.


    Feces can help crops grow, which has become common knowledge to the people of the Flame Kingdom.


    Compared to the luxuries that only the nobles are qualified to master, such as elves, feces are something that both humans and livestock can produce, and it can help all crops. Many small traders specialize in selling feces, transporting it from the cities to the various plantations, eliminating the phenomenon of open defecation¡ªeveryone keeps their feces to sell for money.


    Noble landlords would buy feces at a high price for farming.


    However, there was one problem: transporting feces from the city was bound to pollute the air. Liszt then requested the construction of a sprawling underground network at Flame King City. These tunnels were spacious enough to allow carriages to pass through. Feces would be transported out of the city through these tunnels.


    At this moment,


    Having returned from the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest with the Red Sparrow Squad, Liszt stayed in Flame King City for inspection. Today, he was inspecting the sewer system.


    At the moment, Flame King City was not yet inhabited, so the sewers had not started transporting feces or wastewater.


    ¡°Lighting is a big issue. The tunnels are built deep underground where light cannot reach, making it easy for evil to breed here,¡± Liszt said to Goltai and the accompanying others. Goltai had been appointed to specifically oversee the construction of Flame King City.


    The former down-and-out Honored Knight had now become a Viscount and was one of the members of the Development Committee.


    ¡°Your Majesty, once Flame King City is operational, I will order the establishment of a special inspection Knight Order to protect the safety of the tunnels, ensuring that no filth survives here!¡± Goltai declared emphatically, having already adapted well to his rising status alongside Liszt.


    Although he was still just an Apprentice Knight in terms of strength, as Liszt¡¯s spokesperson, he wouldn¡¯t sell himself short.


    ¡°Inspection is certainly necessary. After all, the tunnels are not just for transporting feces, wastewater, and trash, but also part of the emergency and supply routes¡­ However, if the lighting problem is not resolved, it will always be a hidden danger. Has the Magic Guild not developed any outcomes yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that; the management of the Magic Guild is not part of my duties. Chris and Kenley, the two presidents, should be aware. Your Majesty, would you like me to contact them?¡±


    Members of the Development Committee had their own distinct responsibilities and rarely overstepped.


    Committee Chairman Li Weiliam Tulip was responsible for overall coordination, Vice-Chairman Dimaria Yuhua Stone for diplomacy, Emily for military affairs, Piero Grey Iron for trade, Elton Golden Chrysanthemum Medal for agriculture, Geoffrey Begonia for justice, Durt Red Apricot for communications, and Paris for finance.


    Goltai Mast was in charge of urban construction, Marcus Wheel of education¡­ The two special committees, Chris Truth was responsible for external liaisons between the Magic Guild and various departments of the Flame Kingdom, and Kenley Truth for scientific research work of the Magic Guild.


    ¡°Contact them,¡±


    Liszt said.


    Soon Goltai commanded his assistant to send a message using the Magic Platform and connected with Chris and Kenley. Liszt directly asked, ¡°How is the progress on the magic lamp bulbs I tasked the Magic Guild with developing?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, we have achieved preliminary results. The issue of magic power illumination has been resolved, but glass cannot replace crystal to stably harness the magic. We still haven¡¯t found a material that can replace crystal, and we have yet to develop the magic lamp bulbs you desire.¡±


    Magic lamp bulbs, as the name suggests, are lamp bulbs powered by magic.


    This world should have the physical phenomenon of magnetism generating electricity, but Liszt did not understand this area and was unable to delve deeper into development. After all, even the steam engine had not yet been properly refined. Thus, he decided to bypass electrical energy and directly use magic to achieve some high-tech advancements.


    Magic lamp bulbs were one such concept. Crystal lamp equipment already existed as a form of magic equipment. The only thing needed now was to mass-produce these crystal lamps at a low cost.


    Once magic lamp bulbs were developed, the city¡¯s nights would also be thoroughly illuminated, which would greatly extend working hours.


    Previously, most people would obediently go to bed at night, but with magic lamp bulbs, they could at least work until midnight with the lights on, which would undoubtedly greatly enhance labor efficiency.


    Liszt couldn¡¯t help but urge Chris and Kenley, ¡°Hurry and focus, breakthrough the shackles of thought, explore more materials. If even the magic light emission has been solved, how hard can it be to find a suitable medium! Tell those arcanists that whoever finds the right material, I will fund them to establish their own magic laboratory!¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1044 - 1044 1041 Gourd Brand

    ?Chapter 1044: Chapter 1041: Gourd Brand Chapter 1044: Chapter 1041: Gourd Brand The structure of the Magic Association had become increasingly massive, but Liszt, who remained ever vigilant against a resurgence of magicians, had gradually transformed the concept of ¡°magic.¡±


    Now, the Magic Association resembled the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where magicians were gradually adapting to the identity of arcanists and engaging in specialized magic development work. Moreover, under the influence of Liszt¡¯s will, arcanists began to specialize in specific fields according to their different interests and skills.


    Such as Healing Arcanists, Magic Equipment Arcanists, Magic Array Arcanists, Potion Arcanists, Mechanical Arcanists, and so on.


    However, the Chinese Academy of Sciences is an elite organization of scientists, while the Magic Association is an organization that recruits all magicians, roughly considered a combination of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Technology, and also encompasses the functions of health commissions.


    Integration of production, education, and research.


    Research and development of magic technology, education, and training of arcanists, ultimately utilizing arcanists and magic technology in the construction of the kingdom.


    At the same time, the Magic Association adopted the ¡°Chief Arcanist System.¡± This was a magic management system that mainly established the position of Chief Arcanist in magic research projects and national institutions, with the Chief Arcanist taking overall responsibility for the project and managing project funds, resources, and so forth.


    Because of the demand for Magic Lamp Bulbs.


    Liszt directly decided to offer a substantial reward to fund an arcanist to establish a separate magic laboratory, effectively promoting this arcanist to the rank of Chief Arcanist.


    In the field of magic, this was definitely a meteoric rise to becoming an industry Boss-level figure.


    Keep in mind that although there are so many registered magicians in the Magic Association, fewer than twenty magicians have attained the position of Chief Arcanist and own a separate laboratory. Most magicians are merely assigned to miscellaneous tasks in the laboratories or participate in construction in various city administrations.


    The Magic Association had already formed over fifty magic laboratories, undertaking various subjects, but most of these laboratories were under the names of Ach and Lerald ¡ª only archmages had the qualifications to continuously open new magic laboratories and initiate various brand-new subjects.


    ¡°Your Majesty, with such an enticing reward that you offer, I¡¯m afraid that for the coming period, most arcanists in the Magic Association will be too distracted from their work, focusing solely on finding a carrier for the Magic Lamp Bulb,¡± Chris replied with a hint of helplessness, not without a bit of sarcasm.


    She was all too familiar with the young Dragon Knight, His Majesty the King of the Flame Kingdom ¡ª sometimes she could sense his far-sighted strategic planning, which led to the establishment of the Magic Association; other times, his ideas seemed fanciful and unpredictable, or, in other words, he made it up as he went along.


    Regardless, Chris would faithfully execute his commands, having long decided to dedicate her life to serving Liszt.


    It was both to repay the debt for saving her life and a dedication to the Truth.


    Liszt smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s for the best, it¡¯s the only way the importance of the Magic Lamp Bulb can truly be showcased.¡±


    ¡°But I am curious, Your Majesty, is the Magic Lamp Bulb really that important? We have Crystal Lamps, although expensive to produce, the Crystal Alsophila Tree Forest can provide us with plenty of crystals, and the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan can also produce a large amount of crystal,¡± Chris asked, puzzled.


    The cultivation of the Crystal Arsophila Tree Forest meant that crystals were no longer a scarce resource, allowing for mass production of Crystal Lamps.


    ¡°You do not understand, Crystal Lamps are too limited to the use of nobles and magicians, they cannot conquer the darkness. Only by developing an affordable Magic Lamp Bulb can we conquer darkness to the greatest extent¡­¡± Liszt casually explained, but upon further thought, it didn¡¯t really seem all that significant.


    Edison invented the light bulb as an application of electrical energy, announcing the advent of the electrical age and the beginning of the second industrial revolution.


    However, the Magic Lamp Bulb of the present, other than improving labor efficiency and enriching the nightlife, seemed to have no connection with the industrial revolution.


    Of course.


    Regardless of whether it was meaningful or not, Liszt just had to make the Magic Lamp Bulb happen!


    ¡­


    I had assumed that finding a suitable carrier for the Magic Lamp Bulb would be like Edison inventing the light bulb, requiring over a thousand attempts and failures before succeeding. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Liszt never imagined that less than three days after issuing the reward, a magician would announce they had found the perfect carrier material for the Magic Lamp Bulb.


    Therefore,


    In the Mage Tower of Flame City, Liszt met with this magician.


    The young magician named Oves Truth, who had not long been promoted from Magic Apprentice to Magician, had his identity as an Arcanist specializing in the production of Magic Equipment.


    ¡°Your Majesty the King, this is the most suitable carrier I have found for the Magic Lamp Bulb,¡± the young Oves excitedly presented a brightly shining light bulb.


    The bulb was round, following Liszt¡¯s original design, but at the end of the bulb, there was an extra gourd.


    It was just an ordinary gourd, a fruit produced by climbing plants commonly found in the primitive jungles of the Flame Kingdom, very similar to those on Earth.


    The bulb was mounted on the mouth of the gourd, flashing an unstable blue-white light.


    ¡°A gourd?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the common gourds you find in gourd plantations. I previously used gourds to hold some special magical potions. Then it occurred to me, why not infuse gourds with magic power, allowing the Magic Lamp Bulb to maintain the necessary magic power continuously.¡±


    Thinking this, he began to experiment, not expecting much at first since gourds were ordinary plants without any magic power.


    However, to his surprise, when he infused the gourd with magic power, he found that the magic power did not dissipate.


    Thus, the Gourd Brand Magic Lamp Bulb was born.


    With the Eye of Magic activated, Liszt could see through the magic power within this gourd light bulb, filled with Water Attribute magic power. It flowed slowly inside the gourd, providing magic power for the luminous magic array within the glass bulb at the top. The consumption was minimal, and with the magic power in this gourd, it could be lit for at least a year.


    ¡°Very good!¡±


    Liszt patted Oves on the shoulder, generously praising, ¡°You are a lucky Arcanist, and of course, luck is also a part of strength. I have high hopes for you, Oves. From today, I will fund you to establish a private Magic Laboratory of your own.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you so much!¡± Oves trembled with excitement, bowing deeply to Liszt.


    ¡°It is the reward you deserve.¡± Liszt turned around and said to Chris, Kenley, and the others who accompanied him, ¡°In the next issue of ¡°The Great Arcanist¡±, I think we can feature Oves on the cover. The Magic Association should strongly support exceptional young Arcanists.¡±


    ¡°The Great Arcanist¡±, the most authoritative periodical of the Magic Association, was a publication countless magicians were honored to be featured on.


    Chris readily agreed, ¡°That¡¯s certainly excellent material, as long as Oves is willing to be interviewed, he will be the cover figure of the next issue of ¡°The Great Arcanist¡±.¡±


    How could Oves not be willing? He nodded eagerly, ¡°I am willing, I am very willing, President, I would be very happy to accept the interview!¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡±


    After dismissing an elated Oves, Liszt called Chris and Kenley to his office, holding two small gourds in his hand, solemnly saying, ¡°Do you realize the value of these gourds?¡±

 Chapter 1045 - 1045 1042 The Gourds Confusion

    ?Chapter 1045: Chapter 1042: The Gourd¡¯s Confusion Chapter 1045: Chapter 1042: The Gourd¡¯s Confusion ¡°Magic storage?¡± Chris responded.


    ¡°It can be used as a container for magic power,¡± Kenley answered.


    Neither of them understood the value that Liszt was considering; eventually, Liszt himself had to reveal his thoughts, ¡°Could the gourd be considered a ¡®Caster¡¯? Could we use it to create some magic that could be released at will?¡±


    ¡°Magic that can be released at will?¡± They still didn¡¯t grasp the idea.


    Liszt could only continue to explain resignedly, as he had a broader vision that the others did not: ¡°Could the gourd be used to create disposable magic, which even ordinary people could release?¡± This would be akin to a magic scroll, though such scrolls did not exist in this world.


    ¡°Do you mean to release magic through the gourd?¡± Chris was catching on now.


    Kenley also realized what he meant but soon objected, ¡°The gourd is too small and doesn¡¯t store much magic power. At most, it could be used to release common magic, and the effect wouldn¡¯t be very significant. Plus, the cost of materials to inscribe an automatic magic array would be huge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the largest gourd. In the gourd plantation, there should be bigger gourds that could store more magic power, enough to release advanced magic. Moreover, it doesn¡¯t necessarily have to release offensive magic; perhaps it could serve as an energy source for mechanical devices.¡±


    Liszt thought of a device and continued, ¡°If a magic two-wheeled bicycle were powered by the gourd, would it mean it could keep running, allowing even ordinary people to ride it at speed?¡±


    The magic two-wheeled bicycle and its inventor, Gandalf Truth, had previously been featured on the cover of ¡°The Great Arcanist.¡±


    ¡°That is indeed an ingenious idea, but a single gourd still stores too little magic power.¡±


    ¡°Then string together many gourds.¡±


    ¡°String together more gourds?¡± Kenley paused, then exclaimed with surprise, ¡°The more gourds are linked, the more magic power they could store, perhaps they really could replace the presence of a ¡®Caster¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Next step, you must focus on the gourd and expand your thoughts to develop its potential,¡± Liszt instructed them as they understood his idea. He felt that combining gourds with magic power could create something akin to ¡®electric energy.¡¯ Perhaps gourds could usher in an era of ¡®electric magic,¡¯ making life more convenient.


    Of course, compared to the omnipresent electric energy on Earth, magic power, even combined with gourds, was still a luxury only nobles could afford.


    The reason was simple: the source of magic power could only be provided by magicians.


    Apart from the Magic Guild funded by Liszt, which could provide magic power on a large scale, other nobles couldn¡¯t afford to support magicians, especially in this era of a dwindling magic web. In fact, if Ach hadn¡¯t become an Archmage, Liszt would never have considered developing magic. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rich magic development was no substitute for riding dragons.


    But since Ach had become an Archmage, Liszt needed to develop magic for Ach¡¯s sake, enabling Ach to reach new heights. He didn¡¯t aspire to an era of electric magic but merely wanted to develop some convenient magic items for everyday life¡ªlike magic elevators and magic water heaters.


    As a member of a dragon-rearing family and noble at the height of luxury, Liszt naturally wanted to enjoy such conveniences.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass the idea of the magic elevator to Chris later. Develop it quickly; ideally, by the time the Sun Moon Star Palace is completed, the magic elevator can go through the entire Royal Palace¡­ But Ach had mentioned earlier that she wanted to develop a small Magic Teleportation Array inside the Royal Palace, which seems to make the magic elevator somewhat unnecessary?¡±


    Dwelling on it was pointless.


    Even if not used by himself, it would be good for the servants.


    He returned to Flame Castle and called on Gourd Greater Elf Klay to inspect the gourd plantation. He had once thought gourds, as agricultural products, were only useful as containers; but now, their ability to store magic power had significantly increased their value.


    ¡°Liszt, Jela really is annoying. She¡¯s not an elf butler, yet she always likes to nag in your ear and is such an irritating elf!¡±


    Klay kept complaining on his way from leaving the Flame Castle, having had enough of Thorn Greater Elf Jela.


    Liszt chuckled, ¡°You can just ignore her.¡±


    He had Jela act as elf butler at this stage of a greater elf, not only because of Jela¡¯s strong desire but also because he hoped that Jela could bring about a ¡®catfish effect¡¯, stimulating the elves and promoting their development and evolution. It seemed to be effective; Klay had evolved to a greater elf due to Jela¡¯s provocation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to pay attention to her, but she¡¯s really annoying. She always interrupts me when I am playing, I don¡¯t like her! I want to leave Flame Castle, I want to live in my gourd garden, yes, and I¡¯ll take the gourd minor elves and elf bugs with me too, I like them.¡±


    It was rare for an elf to like its kind, and Klay was clearly an exception.


    In its private worm room, there lived two gourd minor elves and seven gourd elf bugs, all brought there at its own request. The two minor elves also enjoyed following Klay, playing pranks around the castle.


    Gourd elves were very mischievous.


    On the contrary, Jela, despite her fiery temper and domineering personality, rarely played pranks.


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t like living in Flame Castle, you shouldn¡¯t move into the plantation either, as it¡¯s still somewhat dangerous outside. Once my Royal Palace is built, there will be a large Elf Palace, and then you can have your own private garden where you can enjoy the peace.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bear it for now. When will the Royal Palace be ready?¡±


    ¡°In another half a year, definitely before this year¡¯s festival.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s acceptable.¡±


    Arriving at the gourd plantation, Liszt primarily came to inspect the growth of the gourds and the different varieties produced.


    In the primeval forest, there were many types of gourds: some long, some large, some thick, some hard, some soft, some with one chamber, some with three chambers, varying endlessly. No matter what type of gourd, they all grew within the influence of Klay¡¯s cordyceps.


    When he cast the Eye of Magic, aside from a few cordyceps, no other magic feedback glow was detected.


    He walked to the largest variety of gourds and picked a super-large gourd, nearly as big as a watermelon: ¡°I wonder if this type of gourd can store magic power. If possible, the amount stored might be enough to release advanced magic once?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, magic power isn¡¯t in states like gas, solid, or liquid, and it can¡¯t be liquefied. No matter how much you compress a gourd, it won¡¯t store much magic power.¡±


    Magic power is not a material.


    In the triangular theory of magicians, magic power, spirit, and material are equivalent existences. The special nature of magic power might be similar to ¡°light,¡± possessing wave-particle duality. Because magic power is inherently part of the magic web, whether it¡¯s the magic power of the Dragon of the Magic Web or that of dragons and other creatures, it exists in the form of webs and fields.


    Suddenly.


    An idea burst into his mind: ¡°Gourds can store magic power, which is quite unusual. According to the triangular theory, ordinary plants are just ordinary materials and shouldn¡¯t be able to block magic power at all. So what is the structure of this gourd that prevents magic power from penetrating?¡±

 Chapter 1046 - 1046 1043 Jela Resigns

    ?Chapter 1046: Chapter 1043 Jela Resigns Chapter 1046: Chapter 1043 Jela Resigns Many things in the world can block magic power, for instance, mochi juice is a very outstanding anti-magic material. Large castles are almost all constructed using mochi juice as a binder, such castles can very well withstand the impact of magic and Dou Qi, remaining strong.


    However, mochi juice merely resists magic, it cannot completely stop the infiltration of magic power.


    There are hardly any items that can prevent the seeping of magic power, not even gemstones or crystals, those products of dragons. Gemstones can maintain their magic power for an extended period, but the reason lies more in the fact that gemstones have a concentrating effect, allowing them to automatically absorb the free magic power in the air.


    Crystals have this effect too, though it is very weak, and once the Dragon Magic Power is exhausted, they lose this property.


    Therefore, the ability of gourds to store magic power startled Liszt, awakening him to explore the hidden secrets within, as to why they can block magic power, an existence as distinct from matter.


    ¡°It seems that while letting the Magic Guild develop the value of the gourds, I also need to contact Ach, to let Ach also look into the secrets¡­ I can try to fumble around myself, I always feel that this little gourd hides a big secret, it concerns my fortune!¡±


    Unfortunately, the gourd was truly just an ordinary gourd. After turning it over and examining it repeatedly, he found no additional clues.


    He could only set it aside for the time being and looked at the Gourd Greater Elf Klay, who was swinging on a vine, saying, ¡°Klay, you really are my little lucky star. The gourds you cultivate are very important¡­ Seeing you¡¯re not quite happy at Flame Castle, why don¡¯t I teach you a song instead?¡±


    ¡°Good, I like to sing!¡± Klay¡¯s eyes brightened.


    ¡°Come, learn from me¡­ ¡®Gourd kids, gourd kids, seven flowers on a single vine. Unafraid of wind and rain, la la la la¡­''¡± Liszt sang.


    Klay then followed learning, ¡°Gourd kids, gourd kids, seven flowers on a single vine¡­¡±


    But halfway through the song, it complained, ¡°This doesn¡¯t sound good at all, not good at all. Liszt, do you think I¡¯m silly? Singing has to rhyme, and your song doesn¡¯t rhyme at all. It¡¯s not as nice as ¡®Return to River Fort¡¯ that Old Carter taught me. Listen to me sing!¡±


    Klay showed utter disdain for the song Liszt taught, and indeed, the song ¡®Gourd Kids¡¯ sounds nice in Chinese, but translated into Serpent Script, the rhymes become jumbled, leading to a stutter.


    After all, they are two completely different language systems, with very different constructions of aesthetic design.


    Soon, Klay¡¯s singing voice began to rise.


    ¡°Look, how beautiful this ocean is! How thrilling it is! Look, this natural landscape, how it intoxicates us!¡±


    ¡°Look, by the hillside orchard, full of lipstick-like raspberries, fragrance wafting everywhere, warmth filling the air.¡±


    ¡°But you said ¡®goodbye¡¯ to me, forever abandoning your lover, forever leaving your hometown. How can you bear not to return? Please don¡¯t leave me, don¡¯t let me suffer again!¡±


    ¡°Return to River Fort, please come back!¡±


    This is a widely popular folk song from the Steel Ridge Kingdom and is equally widespread in the Sapphire Duchy. Basically, everyone born in Sapphire knows this song. Butler Carter is a Sapphire person, and he taught this song to Klay and other elves during his leisure.


    Klay had a milky voice, like a child singing, but sang ¡°Return to River Fort¡± quite pleasingly.


    Clap clap clap clap¡­


    Liszt was not stingy with his applause, ¡°Klay, you have a talent for singing, awesome. But you also have to work hard at farming. I hope one day you can grow gourds of the Magic Potion variety. Gourds are very important to me. You must take this seriously, understand?¡±


    Feeling Liszt¡¯s earnest expectations, Klay nodded, ¡°Of course, I will grow magic potions, I am definitely better than Jela!¡±


    His grudge against Jela was as strong as ever.


    Seeing this, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. Jela, this ¡°catfish,¡± indeed fulfilled her role well. There was no elf in the castle that did not ¡°detest¡± her, even the Thorn Minor Elves ¡°detested¡± Jela deeply¡ªJela certainly wouldn¡¯t treat someone kindly just because they were of the same breed.


    However, when Liszt returned to Flame Castle and inspected the Elf Bug Room, he found Jela standing on the window of her own room, staring blankly at the distant mountains.


    She seemed to have a faint sadness in her mood.


    ¡°Jela, what are you looking at?¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help but ask with concern¡ªalthough he now had so many dragons and so many elves to look after, reducing his attention to any single individual, Jela always had an indescribable importance in his heart.


    Jela turned her head and looked at Liszt, shook the creases on her Little Flack Abiye collar, and spoke seriously, ¡°I am contemplating the future.¡±


    Pfft!


    Liszt almost laughed out loud, but he managed to hold it back, ¡°Oh, what future are you contemplating?¡±


    ¡°Evolution.¡±


    ¡°Evolution?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, Liszt, I have matured. During my time as an elf butler, I have recognized my own shortcomings. Despite receiving affirmation from Old Carter, Morson, and others for my management skills, and Ach saying that I have a remarkable talent, being a rare kind of elf,¡±


    Jela started to boast seriously, then continued, ¡°But I also have to review my weaknesses. That is, I am not a Dragon Elf, and my authority does not come into full play. Especially Carly and Yadi, those enchanting bitches, who always hinder me from carrying out orders.¡±


    Carly was a Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite, and Yadi was a Buckwheat Dragon Sprite, who often looked down on Jela.


    ¡°So, what are you planning to do?¡± Liszt nodded, asking earnestly, being well aware that Jela¡¯s intelligence could not be judged by normal Greater Elf standards.


    Just like the Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike, Gourd Greater Elf Klay, and Pea Great Elf Ash¡ªthese Greater Elves indeed had the intelligence of a human child in their teens, but more as ¡°emotional beings.¡± They could learn knowledge but didn¡¯t understand the reasoning behind it.


    Only Dragon Elves would delve into deeper thoughts, showing intelligence and emotional intelligence akin to humans.


    However, Jela was already exhibiting such traits, and there was another Greater Elf showing aptitude in this area¡ªMangrove Greater Elf Nami.


    Nami liked to wander outside working, while Jela preferred to stay and manage the castle as a butler.


    At this moment, Jela said seriously, ¡°Liszt, you said that only by taking a liking to a dragon can a Greater Elf evolve into a Dragon Elf. So I¡¯ve decided that starting now, I¡¯m going to try to like one of the dragons. Even though I don¡¯t like any of your dragons, I must do this.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Liszt was somewhat speechless. Could liking dragons really be forced? ¡°Then how do you plan to make yourself like a dragon?¡±


    ¡°More contact,¡± Jela had clearly thought it through. ¡°I plan to resign from my position as Flame Castle¡¯s elf butler and focus on making contact with your dragons. Fire Dragon Leo, Formless Dragon Bard, Light Green Gemstone Dragon Ethan, Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, Water Dragon Walter, Aluminum Dragon Connor, and even Bone Dragon Vinnie, I will try to make contact with them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, if that¡¯s the case, why not start with Bard first!¡± Liszt didn¡¯t know if Jela¡¯s forced approach to liking would work, but it was worth a try.


    Jela nodded and then squinted her eyes, ¡°Oooh, I¡¯m going to announce my resignation to the elves right now!¡±

 Chapter 1047 - 1047 1044 Will Never Like This Dragon

    ?Chapter 1047: Chapter 1044: Will Never Like This Dragon Chapter 1047: Chapter 1044: Will Never Like This Dragon ¡°Everyone come out.¡±


    ¡°All elves come out, I have an important announcement!¡±


    ¡°Talking to you, dawdling around, come out quickly, or I¡¯ll knock your teeth out!¡±


    Jela loudly caused a commotion, turning the entire Worm Room area of the castle into complete chaos. Countless Little Minor Elves and Greater Elves were haphazardly flying and loudly clamoring in the corridors, creating a scene more tumultuous than a market square.


    ¡°Ula!¡±


    ¡°What is this fuss all about!¡±


    ¡°Jela is a bully!¡±


    ¡°Chirp chirp.¡±


    ¡°Bubble bubble bubble bubble bubble¡­¡±


    ¡°Huff puff.¡±


    ¡°Such an annoying Greater Elf.¡±


    ¡°Jela, are you trying to discuss the art of bondage with me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand this troublemaker of a Greater Elf, can¡¯t you just play quietly, always finding ways to disturb my peace.¡±


    Buckwheat Dragon Sprite Yati stretched lazily.


    It was reading a book in its own Worm Room and didn¡¯t want to pay any attention. As a Dragon Elf that had migrated from the Iron Dragon Chain Palace, Yati might have resolved its own issues. However, because of Jela¡¯s meddling, it was always difficult for it to fully integrate into the new environment.


    Thus, the role of the Elf Butler had not fallen to it¡ªof course, it wasn¡¯t particularly interested in being a butler either.


    But that didn¡¯t prevent it from looking down on Jela, how could a Greater Elf manage Dragon Elves!


    Despite its desire to ignore Jela, the annoying elf from the elves, it was unavoidable and it saw her every day. Flame Castle, with its many elves and small rooms, was already working at full capacity, housing over twenty Greater Elves, more than two hundred Little Minor Elves, and over thirteen hundred Elf Bugs.


    With so many elves, coupled with Jela¡¯s explosive temper, it was a recipe for constant turmoil over every trivial matter.


    Today was no different.


    Although Yati did not leave its room, it perked up its ears to carefully listen, trying to figure out what mischief Jela was up to.


    It planned to catch her in the act and thoroughly shame the pesky elf.


    ¡°Quiet!¡±


    ¡°Everyone be quiet!¡±


    ¡°Talking to you, what are you staring at, I¡¯ll gouge your eyeballs out if you keep staring!¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jela¡¯s voice was always so energetic; Yati disdainfully curled its lip. It thought to itself, merely because she was Liszt¡¯s first Little Minor Elf, she acted without any limits, she was bound to fall flat on her face soon!


    After a good while of scolding.


    The corridor finally quieted down a bit, it had to be said, Jela¡¯s deterrence was quite effective.


    Just then, Yati heard Jela loudly announce, ¡°I¡¯m telling you all something serious, starting today, I officially resign from my role as the Elf Butler to Liszt.¡±


    A moment of silence.


    Then, the corridor suddenly erupted into huge cheers.


    ¡°Shakalaka!¡±


    ¡°Ula!¡±


    ¡°Angchi Angchi Angchi¡­¡±


    ¡°You should have resigned earlier!¡±


    ¡°I see the light, dawn has arrived!¡±


    ¡°Chirp chirp.¡±


    Countless Greater Elves and Minor Elves clapped their hands in high spirits, as if serfs had risen to become masters, filled with excitement. Some elves even pulled out Jade Powder and scattered it around the aisle at random to celebrate this memorable moment of joy. Of course, there were also Minor Elves who sneaked up to gather the fallen Jade Powder, happily stashing it on themselves.


    Among them, one Little Minor Elf, caught up in its own delight,


    flew right in front of Jela, made a face at Jela, stuck out its tongue, and began to show off, making blubbering noises.


    However, the next moment, Jela, hands on hips, sent the Little Minor Elf plummeting from heaven to hell. Her fingers spread open, and her chubby little hands drew back and then fiercely slammed down.


    Snap!


    A crisp sound.


    The Little Minor Elf, like a bullet shot from a cannon, crashed to the ground, a tangled mess, and then burst into loud tears.


    The festive scene also cooled down with Jela¡¯s slap and the Little Minor Elf¡¯s crying.


    Jela, hands still on her waist, shouted at all the elves in front of her, ¡°Wah, don¡¯t think that just because I resigned as the Elf Butler you can do whatever you want. Remember, my resignation is only temporary, I will return¡­ Cherish the little free time you have now, because when I come back¡­¡±


    With a huff, Jela turned around, leaving behind a resounding word, ¡°Organize!¡±


    Her transparent wings fluttered; she had already left the Worm Room area, not looking back as she flew out of the castle. This departure was a broad sky, a place where fish leap and birds fly, a rush towards a broader level of life, a persistent reflection on the future, and a break from the shackles of fate.


    She left decisively.


    Leaving the elves in the hallway looking at each other in confusion.


    The scene that was supposed to be joyous was now dominated and overshadowed by fear. Many of them had not been at Flame Castle for long, yet Jela¡¯s tyrannical image deeply penetrated their minds. From day to night, from reality to dreams, like a phantom looming over the castle.


    ¡°Angchi, Angchi¡­¡± A carefree Little Minor Elf, after being dominated by fear for a few seconds, returned to its carefree self, grasping the Jade Powder it had collected and happily flying back to the Worm Room.


    As if in a chain reaction, the other elves gradually returned to normal, staring, arguing, and the atmosphere slowly returned to usual.


    However, for some reason, a few elves had a vague feeling that things were changing.


    ¡°What is Jela up to?¡± Pea Great Elf Ash, winding a rope around his wrist, pondered briefly. Unable to come to a conclusion, it quickly pushed thoughts of Jela out of its mind, returned to the Worm Room, picked up a scale from Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, and continued to sleep in bliss.


    Buckwheat Dragon Sprite also wondered briefly why Jela resigned, but it really couldn¡¯t be bothered with such an annoying ghostly elf and continued reading.


    ¡­


    ¡°Bard, hello, I am Jela, Liszt¡¯s favorite Greater Elf.¡±


    Jela flew next to the ear of Formless Dragon Bard, loudly introducing herself, trying to catch his attention. However, Bard merely raised an eyelid, then closed his eyes again, continuing to sunbathe on the top of Moon Mountain.


    Even though Liszt had notified him, asking him to get familiar with Jela.


    But dragons have their own character and hardly give a second glance to elves, beings even smaller than ants; showing itself was already giving face to Liszt.


    ¡°I want to like you, Bard, you should show some effort, only then can I like you,¡± Jela stated seriously, standing on Bard¡¯s eyelid.


    But the next moment,


    Bard somehow procured a stick of Smoked Grass, placed it between his teeth, and began to slowly grind and chew it, quickly spreading the distinct smell of Smoked Grass over the top of Moon Mountain.


    Jela¡¯s eyes widened.


    One second.


    Two seconds.


    Three seconds.


    On the fourth second, she suddenly covered her nose and yelled as she flew away, ¡°I will never love a dragon with such a smelly mouth! Never!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°So, Jela, are you giving up on Bard?¡± Liszt was inspecting the construction progress of Sun Moon Star Palace, listening to Jela¡¯s endless complaints, and asked helplessly.


    ¡°He¡¯s too smelly, Liszt, how can you stand him, aren¡¯t you afraid of the smell?¡±


    Liszt chuckled, ¡°You get used to it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t get used to it, I want to switch to a dragon I can love.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then switch to Mountain Copper Dragon Mata; he¡¯s just over there in the back mountain, I¡¯ll send you there.¡±

 Chapter 1048 - 1048 1045 Twenty-One Territories

    ?Chapter 1048: Chapter 1045: Twenty-One Territories Chapter 1048: Chapter 1045: Twenty-One Territories For now, it seemed that Mata, the Mountain Copper Dragon, was quite favored by Jela; at least one dragon and one elf were able to coexist harmoniously¡ªmainly because Jela was talking to herself, and Mata didn¡¯t even care to bother with Liszt, let alone a Greater Elf.


    Send someone to protect Jela.


    Liszt did not stay long in the Flame King City, as he had been immersed in the Magic Laboratory for several days, looking for possible clues with Ach, who squeezed in time to study the gourd.


    ¡°The gourd is very strange; from a microscopic level, its structure doesn¡¯t seem out of the ordinary, but on an even smaller scale, there must be a different structure that blocks the permeation of magic power. Brother, Ach can¡¯t sense that smaller level yet and needs some equipment to help.¡±


    ¡°Whatever equipment or resources you need, just give the order,¡± Liszt said decisively, feeling a sense of urgency within.


    The Smoke Mission had already been delayed for almost half a year by the barrier task.


    Every day he looked at the unchanging Smoke Serpent Script: ¡°Mission: The two hundred and second choice of destiny, guiding and predicting time after time, you have grown from a small rural landlord to the ruler of a kingdom. As the Flame Kingdom is about to be established, it is perhaps time to consider some deeper questions. Please touch the barrier. Reward: The Favor of Destiny.¡±


    His heart gradually became irritated.


    Previously, the Smoke Mission came every few days or weeks, which was truly refreshing. Feeling the benefits brought by the Power of Destiny often led to a serious dependency.


    Now, for more than half a year, he had not received any rewards from the Smoke Mission.


    It felt as if his heart had been scratched by a cat, always feeling uncomfortable. This was probably what they meant by the ease of transitioning from frugality to extravagance and the difficulty of the reverse. Without the Smoke Mission, life could still go on normally, and there would be no discomfort. But now, accustomed to the Smoke Mission, not receiving benefits felt quite unpleasant.


    However, he also understood that being too dependent on the Smoke Mission was not a good thing. This delay in the barrier task might be a good opportunity for him to break free from this dependence.


    He had a very clear understanding of this: ¡°The Smoke Mission is a manifestation of the Power of Destiny within me, and it is my talent; relying on it is not wrong. However, I need to develop myself comprehensively and should not rely too heavily on the Smoke Mission. Everything should be done in moderation.¡±


    All in all.


    The Smoke Mission was too frequent before, now it is too delayed; finding a moderate and appropriate balance is best.


    On Ach¡¯s experimental table were gourds of various sizes and shapes. She took out a document and said, ¡°Ach has started to conceive of a device that can observe the structure of matter at a more microscopic level. Brother, you once said that a combination of convex and concave lenses can form telescopes as well as microscopes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, I¡¯ve said it.¡±


    ¡°Ach has become proficient in the development of telescopes while studying astronomy and has made many pairs of astronomical telescopes in various specifications. However, there have been few attempts at developing microscopes, relying instead on my own subtle perception of magic power¡­ Now that I cannot sense it, it¡¯s an ideal time to develop a microscope.¡±


    Liszt was impressed by Ach¡¯s increasing skill, but also puzzled, ¡°With your perceptive abilities, you should be able to sense things down to the atomic level; in this case, the microscope you need to create has to achieve an even higher level of precision.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know much about microscopes, but he seemed to remember from junior high biology that optical microscopes could only magnify objects by a little more than a thousand times.


    Those atomic-level materials were all seen using electron microscopes.


    As for even smaller particles like electrons and atomic nuclei, Liszt was unclear what kind of microscope was used to view them. Nor could he understand whether scientists had really seen electrons or had detected them using scientific methods.


    ¡°If the precision of the microscope isn¡¯t sufficient, then Ach will develop a Magic Microscope.¡±


    ¡°A Magic Microscope?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Brother, didn¡¯t you say that magic power is similar to light, possessing the dual nature of waves and particles? Since optical microscopes can magnify and observe matter, a Magic Microscope should also be able to magnify and observe matter. Perhaps with the help of a Magic Microscope, Ach could extend my perception to an even more microscopic level.¡±


    Alright.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) had to admit that he truly couldn¡¯t keep pace with Ach¡¯s train of thought, nor could he really understand how magic power could be used to create a telescope.


    In fact, he merely understood the principle of an optical microscope; he had no idea of the principle of an electron microscope, let alone the magic microscope that Ach was now conceptualizing.


    So, he simply responded, ¡°It¡¯s good that you have an idea.¡±


    He waved his hand and left with a suave turn, striding away.


    ¡­


    The principle by which gourds isolated magic power was left to Ach to research, and Liszt immediately turned his attention to territory development. As April was approaching, the Development Committee, having completed the spring farming work, organized a Flame Island territory planning session in accordance with Liszt¡¯s wishes.


    Territory planning was Liszt¡¯s concept for land development, referring to administrative divisions on Earth.


    ¡°Li Si Te,¡± said Li Weiliam in the executive office, commanding a clerk to hang a meticulously drawn map on the wall.


    With sextants to measure latitude and longitudinal coordinates, and flying magical beasts to survey from high altitudes, drawing maps was a fairly easy task for the Flame Kingdom. This map of Flame Island detailed every mountain, river, road, and castle.


    Apart from such a map, there were also topographic maps with contour lines under Liszt¡¯s guidance.


    The committee was even preparing to construct a giant sand table in the Sun Moon Star Palace, to proportionally replicate the entire Flame Island, and eventually, the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent.


    This map on the wall divided the Flame Territory into twenty-one domains using straight lines¡ªa domain was equivalent to a provincial unit.


    Of course, most domains were simply delineated and the location of the central city within each domain was designated, without any actual development having taken place. The Flame Island had basically subjugated all the Moon Slayer natives by now, with only a few native tribes still hidden deep within the primal jungles.


    Liszt scanned the map.


    Currently, there were roughly nine developed and named domains.


    Reed Marsh Domain, central city Reed City; Whirlpool Mountain Domain, central city Flame City; Whirlpool Estuary Domain, central city Estuary City; Dragon Pit Great Mine Domain, central city Dragon Valley City; Jade Mountain Domain, central city Jade City; Mermaid Domain, central city Mermaid City; King¡¯s Domain, central city Flame King City; Pan-Sea Reef Domain, central city Reef City; Endless Volcano Domain, central city Phoenix City.


    Among them, the Mermaid Domain was almost entirely underwater, with Mermaid City also submerged with no land-based territory.


    The Endless Volcano Domain was near the Endless Volcano Cluster and Phoenix City was built on the edge of the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest, currently only a small town in scale.


    ¡°After the territory planning, road construction must follow suit. Although magic teleportation arrays will play a major role in the future, normal roads are still necessary. Excessively busy arrays put too much strain on the magic arrays, leading to collapses. So, this planning aspect still requires more of your attention, father,¡± he said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, although you have already established your Flame Family, you are still my son; my feelings for this kingdom are connected with yours.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Flame Family and the Tulip Family are just names; our blood ties us together.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, father and son exchanged a knowing smile, leaving everything unspoken.

 Chapter 1049 - 1049 1046 Magic Power Barrier

    ?Chapter 1049: Chapter 1046: Magic Power Barrier Chapter 1049: Chapter 1046: Magic Power Barrier Liszt still underestimated Acherloides¡¯ efficiency. While he was busy inspecting the construction of his territory, only a month had passed when Acherloides managed to create the theoretical magic microscope.


    ¡°Lord Acherloides provided the design, and I led a group of outstanding Grand Magicians day and night in a rush job, and after repeated polishing, we finally completed this magic microscope that can be operated by an Archmage,¡± Lerald¡¤Truth excitedly introduced on behalf of him.


    During this time settled in the Flame Kingdom, he had quickly integrated into the Magic Guild.


    The high-end magic research projects presided over by Acherloides were eye-opening for him. He felt that the truths he had encountered before were just scratching the surface; this place was the true holy land of Truth. Despite being an Archmage himself, his admiration for Acherloides had reached the point where he considered himself her disciple.


    It must be said that the Earth knowledge explained by Liszt to Acherloides may have deviated slightly in this world, but it greatly broadened Acherloides¡¯ perspective, allowing her to examine the meaning represented by magic from a greater height.


    It also often meant coming closer to the Truth.


    Therefore, the research topics she studied were so shocking and fascinating to Lerald.


    Lerald organized his own knowledge and also supplemented Acherloides with a wealth of basic magic. Now, Acherloides not only had profound foundational knowledge but also a forward-looking perspective. Her mastery of magic definitely surpassed those Magicians from the ancient Moon Empire and Sun Empire.


    The magic telescope, extremely cumbersome for Liszt, was simply conceptualized by Acherloides after a few days of thought and she already had a completed approach.


    Then it was operated by magicians like Lerald who had many years of experience in making magic equipment.


    Swiftly, the magic telescope appeared before Liszt¡¯s eyes.


    A massive device, standing three meters tall and shaped like a giant iron barrel, was etched with dense magic runes and had several complex magic arrays embedded within it.


    ¡°Low Magic, High Magic, and Superior Magic, though originating from the same source, have completely different particle movements at the microscopic level. Ordinary magicians can only access Low Magic and are unable to use the magic telescope; those Archmages with High Magic can barely use it; but when Lord Acherloides mounts the Unicorn, entering the realm of Superior Magic, she can perfectly control the magic telescope,¡± Lerald explained, inadvertently glancing at Unicorn Charlie.


    This unimaginably beautiful unicorn truly was an enviable being, especially in combination with a magician¡ªthey complemented each other perfectly.


    ¡°Brother, Acherloides has already used the magic telescope to observe the fine structure of the gourd¡­¡± Acherloides was about to give a detailed explanation when she suddenly realized Lerald and the others were still there and issued an unceremonious command, ¡°Lord Lerald, please leave the laboratory for the time being.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Lerald was not offended, gave a slight bow, and then led the other Grand Magicians out of the laboratory.


    Within the Magic Guild, Acherloides¡¯ position was truly unique.


    Once everyone had left and the laboratory door was closed, Acherloides finally said, ¡°The fine structure of the gourd is very interesting, brother. Guess what Acherloides thought of first when she saw this structure?¡± She had a faint smile on her lips, showing a girl¡¯s innocence only in Liszt¡¯s presence.


    ¡°The Magic Web?¡±


    ¡°Not that.¡±


    ¡°Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Not that either.¡±


    ¡°Then I have no idea.¡± Liszt expressed his helplessness.


    Acherloides laughed, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hint¡ªmermaid.¡±


    ¡°Mermaid?¡± Liszt racked his brain but couldn¡¯t make any connection with mermaids for a long time, and finally guessed at random, ¡°Could it be thinking of the devil?¡±


    ¡°No, brother, it¡¯s the ocean!¡±


    ¡°The ocean?¡±


    ¡°Mm, on the atomic level, Acherloides couldn¡¯t feel any difference in the gourd. But on a more subtle level, like the ocean, constantly churning, magic is pushed back by the ocean the moment it makes contact. The subtle level of ordinary materials, however, is not like the ocean; it¡¯s like a layer of stone, and magic easily penetrates through it.¡±


    Acherloides described what she saw through the magic telescope, explaining that the observed material could be assumed as a type of filter.


    Some filters are built with large rocks, and magic penetrates them effortlessly; others are built with pebbles, through which magic also passes without trouble; some filters are made of fine sand, where magic penetrates slightly slower; and there are filters made of even finer dust, where much of the magic is blocked.


    In contrast, the filter of the gourd is composed of seawater, with virtually no gaps for magic to penetrate.


    Understanding what Acherloides had explained, Liszt furrowed his brow, ¡°So Acherloides, do you think the gourd¡¯s seawater structure has any connection to the Barrier?¡±


    He didn¡¯t care what the gourd looked like.


    His concern was always the information about the Barrier.


    ¡°Brother, after synthesizing the research from the past six months, Acherloides has made a rough judgment about the Barrier,¡± Acherloides spoke earnestly, ¡°The Barrier is a boundary for matter, spirit, and magic. Take the Formless Dragon Bard, for example; its Barrier is clearly a material one.¡±


    Acherloides then went into a detailed analysis of Bard¡¯s situation.


    Bard can traverse material, the boundaries of material, and worlds beyond material, and while it appears to be an act of breaking through Barriers, it is not actually the case.


    ¡°Bard¡¯s ability has not transcended the limits of the material Barrier. The real material Barrier is not the tearing of material boundaries or alchemical changes like turning stones to gold but another dimension altogether. Like the Dragon of the Magic Web, it does not tear through boundaries like Bard, yet it¡¯s capable of permeating material, existing within material, its boundaries, and worlds beyond.¡±


    This analysis gave Liszt food for thought.


    Acherloides continued, ¡°Now, about the gourd¡¯s subtle level, its seawater-like structure that blocks magic from penetrating. In Acherloides¡¯s view, it doesn¡¯t reveal a material Barrier, but a magic Barrier. At least it¡¯s a magical Barrier when trying to penetrate this particular dimension. When magic can penetrate the gourd, it means the Barrier in this respect has been broken.¡±


    Liszt asked, ¡°If this is indeed a magic Barrier, does that mean that if I practice with Leo, we should follow this line of thought, shaping our magic to penetrate the Barrier that the gourd represents?¡±


    ¡°The idea is roughly like that, but Acherloides has not thoroughly considered the specific details of cultivation. Don¡¯t be anxious, brother, Acherloides needs to reference more clues to finally decode the true secret of the Barrier.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m impatient, I can endure it,¡± Liszt gave Acherloides a reassuring glance, ¡°I am already at the pinnacle of power in this world, and I¡¯m only twenty-two years old this year, so I still have a lot of time¡­ Acherloides, we both have long lives ahead of us, there¡¯s no need for either of us to rush.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Acherloides nodded vigorously.


    Liszt then played with her azure locks.


    Even though the Smoke Mission was like a fishbone stuck in his throat, he could only treat it as overcoming his dependency on the Smoke Mission, perhaps after overcoming it, he would be able to see more clearly what the Power of Destiny truly was.


    Suddenly.


    A flash of insight crossed his mind, ¡°Perhaps, the ¡®Favor of Destiny¡¯ rewarded by the Smoke Mission, is to let me recognize the Power of Destiny, to contemplate it?¡±


    The unknown lies ahead.


    But his mindset had quickly stabilized; countless Dragon Knights through the ages failed to break through the Barrier, and even if he didn¡¯t complete this Smoke Mission, he would not have lived in vain. Now it was an opportune time to focus all his energy on building the Kingdom, to lay a solid foundation.

 Chapter 1050 - 1050 1047 Time Flies Like a White Colt

    ?Chapter 1050: Chapter 1047: Time Flies Like a White Colt Chapter 1050: Chapter 1047: Time Flies Like a White Colt Touching the barrier required patience.


    And time, like a white steed flashing past a crevice, rushed by.


    In May of the Sapphire Calendar Year 157, Duke of Snowstorm Mountain, Scora Cornflower, died. Before his death, Duke Scora announced that his title would be inherited by Second Prince Scart Cornflower.


    First Prince Spot Cornflower immediately rebelled and proclaimed that Second Prince Scart Cornflower was a patricide, asserting that the ducal title rightfully belonged to him. The old duke¡¯s two sons each claimed to be the rightful Duke of Snowstorm Mountain and sought arbitration from the Cornflower Gem Dragon of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    The Cornflower Gem Dragon paid no heed to the brothers¡¯ strife.


    Then, the First Prince sought help from the Yellowstone Kingdom, while the Second Prince turned to Yevich Water Peanut, requesting assistance from the ¡°Eagle Kingdom¡± behind him.


    The Snowstorm Mountain Duchy plunged into civil war, and many civilians, to escape the turmoil, were covertly transported by the mercenary corps organized by Yevich to Heroic Yellow City, through the Male Jade Transmission Array, settling in the Flame Kingdom. The arrival of these Snowstorm Mountain civilians was a significant boost to the population structure balance in the Flame Kingdom.


    Thus, Liszt instructed Yevich, ¡°You must ensure that the civil war in Snowstorm Mountain Duchy lasts for three to five years, continuously relocating populations to supplement our Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, rest assured, everything is under control.¡± Yevich, already mounted on a high-level Dragon Beast¡ªPegasus, confidently stated.


    ¡°Once you complete this task, upon returning home, you will be the new Marquis of the Flame Kingdom!¡± Liszt promised benefits, for he liked to motivate his followers with interests.


    The abovementioned Pegasus was a reward for Yevich¡¯s years of operation in the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy. Granting a marquisate after completing the population relocation strategy was also a natural step. This once despondent candidate for the Dragon Knight Plan had become a Completion Level Sky Knight through hardships.


    Worth reemploying.


    ¡°I will never disappoint Your Majesty¡¯s expectations!¡± Yevich was spirited.


    He had already married the daughter of a local marquis in Snowstorm Mountain Duchy, reaping rewards in both career and love, feeling that he had reached the pinnacle of his life.


    It was with the help of this marquis that he thrived in the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    The marquis had long become a follower of Liszt and aligned with the Flame Kingdom under his introduction.


    All these schemes were conducted secretly by the Development Committee, with Liszt merely showing up for a lunch with the marquis.


    ¡­


    In June of the Sapphire Calendar Year 157, after spending two months with the Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, the Thorn Greater Elf Jela could no longer bear it and complained to Liszt, ¡°Mata is just a big stupid dragon that does nothing but eat, drink, and sleep. It¡¯s no better than a pig from a piggery, and it should be slaughtered for meat!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, don¡¯t you like Mata?¡± Liszt asked with a smile.


    Jela, hands on hips, cheeks puffed out with indignation, exclaimed, ¡°I will absolutely never like this big stupid dragon, wuah!¡±


    This phrase seemed familiar; she had described the Formless Dragon Bard similarly two months ago. It appeared that even if she gritted her teeth, Jela had no luck with either the Mountain Copper Dragon or the Formless Dragon.


    ¡°Then let me take you to meet Aluminum Dragon Connor. Mata¡¯s and Connor¡¯s Dragon Nests are not far apart, so you wouldn¡¯t need to move. While interacting with Connor, also take the time to clear the Thorn Plantation, then select a Worm Room in the Sun Moon Star Palace.¡±


    Flame City was a major agricultural city with many plantations cleared.


    However, as Liszt was about to move into the Sun Moon Star Palace, some plantations would also relocate, including the Thorn Plantation¡ªFlame King City¡¯s nearby soil was particularly suitable for thorn bushes, a shrub type plant.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve seen Connor, and he¡¯s a bit ugly.¡± Jela had disliked Aluminum Dragon Connor even before they started to interact, leaving Liszt without any expectation that she would take a liking to Connor¡ªJela didn¡¯t seem on the verge of evolving, her personality was just acting up.


    However, Liszt was willing to let her quirks run their course, just in case she evolved. After all, thorns did have the Auxiliary Medicine Thorn variety, which was far more valuable than ordinary magic potions.


    The Magic Guild had recently categorized magic potions by grades.


    The lowest grade was the ordinary chaotic type magic potion, referred to as mixed standard magic potion. This type was just ordinary magic potion, usable by all knights with average effects.


    The next level up was the ordinary single type magic potion, referred to as single standard magic potion. This type of potion is categorized based on magic power attributes, having good effects for knights with the same Dou Qi attributes, but not much effect on knights with different Dou Qi attributes.


    The next level up was the ordinary specific type magic potion, referred to as special standard magic potion. This type was actually just like the single standard magic potion, but limited to the Light and Dark attributes. These categories of potions were rare and hence relatively more valuable.


    Be it single standard or special standard, they can be named individually, such as water standard potion, fire standard potion, light standard potion¡­


    Above the special standard was the strong medicine, referred to simply as strong medicine. For example, the Platinum Magic Potion from the Red and White Rose Family was considered strong medicine, providing powerful effects to knights consuming it.


    Above strong medicine were auxiliary magic medicines, referred to as auxiliary medicine. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Above auxiliary medicines was the Dragon¡¯s Magic Potion, referred to as dragon medicine. Dragon medicine didn¡¯t have outstanding effects on human knights but provided immense benefits to dragons. For instance, the Red Dragon Water from the Red and White Rose Family and the Fire Dragon Elixir from the Flame Family both belonged to this category of dragon medicine.


    Mixed standard, single standard, special standard, strong medicine, auxiliary medicine, dragon medicine¡ªthese were the six classifications of magic potions.


    Further divisions were possible, with strong medicine being subcategorized into mixed strong, single strong, and special strong, and similar grading for dragon medicine. However, this was unnecessary as strong medicine and dragon medicine were already too rare.


    ¡­


    In the Sapphire Calendar Year 157, August, King¡¯s Castle of the Flame Kingdom fully installed magic lamp bulbs in the underground paths, indicating smooth city operations with the illumination of the pathways.


    Thus, the Development Committee organized the first batch of immigrants.


    These immigrants were well-behaving citizens from major cities who would become the honored residents of Flame King City. Besides the civilians, various knights from the Burning Legion also moved to reside in Flame King City.


    Temporarily, the Burning Legion comprised five orders: the Mammoth Knight Brigade (riding Shovel-Tusked Giant Elephants), the Royal Knight Squad ¨C Red Sparrow Team (riding Red Sparrow Birds), the Burning Knights Group (riding Black Blood Treasured Horses), the Blizzard Knights (riding Blizzard Beasts), and the Pegasus Knights (riding Pegasus).


    Of course, each order was still under development and had very few members.


    After the official operation of Flame King City, the surrounding facilities also began to operate gradually, and the most important, the Sun Moon Star Palace, soon completed its main construction. Mr. Carter personally led a large group of servants from Flame Castle to the Sun Moon Star Palace to oversee the interior decoration.


    As for the surrounding architectural wonders of the royal palace, they were already transferred to Ach, who personally designed and supervised their construction.


    The Flying Moat, Vertical Lift, Miniature Magic Gate, Aerial Floating Park, Man-made Sun, Moon and Stars, Crystal Rainbow Canopy, Proportional Dragon Sculpture, Eternal Torch, Endless Rain Cloud¡­ Ach had many ideas, and the resources required to build these wonders would be astronomical.


    Thus, Liszt made his own suggestion, ¡°Ach, why don¡¯t we start with the Proportional Dragon Sculpture and the Vertical Lift first? We can slowly build the other facilities as time permits.¡±


    Ach felt somewhat reluctant.


    But still, understandingly nodded, ¡°Ach will listen to brother.¡±


    Thus, Liszt quietly wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief¡ªhe realized a landlord¡¯s house isn¡¯t always stocked with surplus!

 Chapter 1051 - 1051 1048 Really Thick Skin

    ?Chapter 1051: Chapter 1048: Really Thick Skin Chapter 1051: Chapter 1048: Really Thick Skin In the year 157 of the Sapphire Calendar, September, the new season¡¯s Pioneer Mandate was being hosted by the Development Committee, while Li Si Te, bored of his stay on Flame Island, decided to visit the Fertile Lands.


    Nemean the Giant Lion resided in this place; in several previous visits, he had never caught sight of this legendary Sub-dragon and had always left with a sense of regret. Now returning to the old site, he was more about trying his luck to see if he might encounter Nemean. Even if he didn¡¯t encounter it, he could still pick up some elves to take back.


    During this season, the elves that were to be nurtured had mostly matured.


    Riding on Formless Dragon Bard, with Crystal White Trajectory initiated, the magic power of the entire Fertile Lands was neatly arranged and prominently displayed within a special vision. However, the magic power feedback light from the elves was weak and easily overshadowed by the light emitted from the Magical Beasts, which is what he mostly saw along the way.


    The meat of Magical Beasts, nourished by magic power, was highly nutritious, but it didn¡¯t necessarily taste better than the meat of poultry and livestock reared by humans.


    Especially the higher the level of the Magical Beast, the more wood-like the texture of the meat, making it less palatable.


    ¡°It seems like this trip is a bust as well, we didn¡¯t find anything, Bard, let¡¯s head back,¡± Li Si Te said after wandering twice around the Fertile Lands, ready to return with resignation.


    However, Bard suddenly cried out, ¡°woo yi ya!¡±


    It noticed something unusual about the ground in the distance and conveyed through their soul-bound connection to Li Si Te¡ªthere was a ripple in the space at that spot, surely hosting something special.


    It¡¯s undeniable that with age, thanks to the Red Dragon Water and the accumulation of numerous Magic Potions, Bard¡¯s development was rapid, and its abilities increasingly strong. Although it was only over eighty years old, it was not far from maturity. The formidable space talent of a Sacred Dragon enhanced its observational capabilities tremendously.


    ¡°Oh, then what are we waiting for, let¡¯s go check it out!¡±


    Flapping its wings.


    Like a flashing arrow.


    In the blink of an eye, both dragon and rider arrived at the unusual spot Bard had discovered, searching around. This was a lush forest with a thick, sedimentary, and decaying layer of fallen leaves. There was no magic power feedback light around, and it looked just like an ordinary hill in the forest.


    However, through the soul-bound connection with Bard, Li Si Te also noticed the anomaly and would not easily overlook it.


    ¡°It should be right here, stray magic power in the air causing ripples in space, something unusual buried beneath¡­ Could it be Nemean?¡± A smile appeared at the corners of his mouth, the blue skull design on his face flickering.


    With a soft call, the blue skull pattern burst forth from his body, transforming into a dragon constructed of bones.


    ¡°Vinnie, please.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, no need to be so formal, this is what I should do,¡± Bone Dragon Vinnie swayed her forelimbs and then suddenly plunged into the decayed layer of fallen leaves.


    Like an extra-large, super-fast excavator, Bone Dragon Vinnie¡¯s forelimbs continuously swung, digging through a large amount of sludge.


    Just then, the layer of decayed leaves suddenly exploded open, and a massive creature burst from the pit, emitting a ferocious roar. This figure, like a small mountain, swung its vast claws at Bone Dragon Vinnie as it roared.


    ¡°Come back, Vinnie!¡± Li Si Te called.


    In an instant, Bone Dragon Vinnie transformed into a Magic Form and projected onto Li Si Te. Their souls connected, turning into a set of Bone Dragon Armor and a Bone Dragon Sword.


    Bard flapped its wings and rose high into the air.


    Li Si Te, clad in Bone Dragon Armor, coldly watched the massive creature that had leaped out from above.


    It bore the shape of a lion, but its mountain-like size was incomparable to any normal lion-type Magical Beast, nearly matching a dragon in stature. It had no mane but dense fur, resembling a fluffy overcoat, with thick legs, a large head, and a short tail, giving it a somewhat bloated appearance.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    This massive lion, tilting its head, stared at the Formless Dragon in the sky, its twin green orbs glistening with a chilling, ruthless light.


    ¡°Indeed, it is Nimia the Giant Lion, just as Piero described. It must be a Super Dragon Beast of the Earth Attribute, given its preference for living underground¡­ But its size feels excessively large, even surpassing the size of the Lightning Dragon Turtle, and its magic power is also exceptionally concentrated.¡±


    Liszt even felt that Nimia¡¯s magic power might belong to the category of Superior Magic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s test the waters first!¡±


    No sooner said than done, as a Holy Dragon Knight, Liszt would not back down. He swapped his Bone Dragon Sword for the Thunder Fury Dragon Lance, and executed an ¡°Avalanche ¨C Snow Mountain¡± from the sky.


    Moving along the material boundary, the Formless Dragon darted straight towards Nimia the Giant Lion as if it had teleported. Thunder Fury, enveloping a massive wave of Dragon Dou Qi, thrust directly in front of Nimia. At that moment, Nimia leapt high, dodging the attack with agility disproportionate to its size.


    ¡°Sonic Boom!¡±


    Missing with the first strike, Liszt struck again, his offensive swelling like a tide.


    Rather than retreating, Nimia advanced, leaping and pouncing, clashing head-on with the Holy Dragon. Its movements were agile, but the Formless Dragon was even more so, twisting its body to evade the attack. Then, coordinating with Liszt, it thrust forward with the Dragon Lance. Though it missed the aimed eyes, it pierced the creature¡¯s backside.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Nimia let out a furious roar.


    With the Dragon Lance embedded in its back, it felt like piercing a cowhide with a wire, sensing a vast stagnation and resistance against the force of the lance. However, ultimately, Nimia¡¯s skin could not withstand the piercing of the Dragon Lance and begrudgingly bore a small hole.


    Dark red blood flowed heavily, further enraging it as its green eyes reddened.


    ¡°This is indeed tough; it definitely has the Superior Magic-level of Earth-Attribute Magic Power!¡± Liszt¡¯s gaze hovered over the small healing wound on Nimia, having gathered much data. ¡°Nimia has surpassed the level of a Super Dragon Beast, possibly on par with the Phoenix and Unicorn.¡±


    Being on par with the Phoenix and Unicorn meant that it had reached a level equal to that of a dragon. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The brief skirmish had proved this point; able to withstand a fierce assault from a Formless Dragon Knight without any significant damage, was enough to attest to its immense strength.


    ¡°Nimia being so powerful indicates that its skin is genuinely valuable. If crafted into Magic Equipment, it could probably withstand attacks even from a Dragon Knight¡­ Such a treasure cannot be missed. Leo, come out, let¡¯s hit big, and slay this boastful Nimia!¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    The Fire Dragon Pattern on his chest lit up, transforming into a flame that surged into the sky, scattering countless sparks as Leo¡¯s massive black-red figure slowly emerged.


    Almost instantly restored to a flesh-and-blood body, it charged headfirst at Nimia, clashing directly with the Giant Lion. Its forelimbs¡¯ sharp claws viciously tore into Nimia¡¯s skin, making blood spurt; Nimia, in turn, bit firmly into Leo¡¯s shoulder area.


    Several black-red scales burst apart, and what flowed from Leo was not blood but red flames.


    ¡°Shadow!¡± Liszt maneuvered the Formless Dragon Bard, diving into the material boundary and reappearing just as Nimia¡¯s unguarded belly was exposed.


    Thunder Fury ruthlessly pierced the supposedly soft belly.


    However, to Liszt¡¯s surprise, the skin on Nimia¡¯s abdomen also gave him the feeling of piercing a cowhide with wire, the resistance so immense it was unimaginable.


    ¡°No wonder it¡¯s called the Unkillable Nimia. With such thick skin, even a Dragon Knight would need to stab thirty or fifty lances!¡± Liszt remarked, but his desire to kill grew stronger, ¡°Regrettably, no matter how tough your skin is, you¡¯re just a target for beating. Tomorrow, I will be wearing your skin!¡±


    Mind and spirit connected, Formless Dragon Bard and Fire Dragon Leo responded simultaneously to Liszt¡¯s will.


    ¡°Wi-yee-ya!¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±

 Chapter 1052 - 1052 1049 Guardian Beast

    ?Chapter 1052: Chapter 1049: Guardian Beast Chapter 1052: Chapter 1049: Guardian Beast The battle was not as evenly matched as imagined, or perhaps Nimia the Giant Lion was not as strong as imagined. Its combat methods consisted of pouncing, biting, tearing, pulling, and occasionally using a bit of Earth System Magic like causing the ground to shake. Its skin was indeed extremely thick, and the razor-sharp teeth and claws of the dragon could only inflict minor injuries.


    Even though Li Si Te was controlling Formless Dragon Bard in Unity of Man and Dragon, and exerted the powerful Dragon Dou Qi Manual, he still couldn¡¯t inflict severe wounds on Nimia the Giant Lion.


    After a full ten minutes of battle, though Nimia the Giant Lion was covered in blood, it was still lively with no signs of exhaustion.


    ¡°Really resilient!¡±


    Li Si Te gritted his teeth, continuing to command Fire Dragon Leo to engage in close combat with Nimia the Giant Lion, while he maneuvered Formless Dragon Bard around the perimeter to launch sneak attacks, looking for any vulnerabilities to deliver a fatal blow. However, Nimia the Giant Lion appeared to have no vulnerabilities at all.


    Even its buttocks, which Li Si Te had reluctantly stabbed twice, only bled profusely without any unexpected result.


    When he stabbed its eyes, its eyelids dropped quickly, making it feel like stabbing steel, leaving only a slight white mark. As it roared with its mouth open, Li Si Te even tried to stab inside its mouth, but Nimia the Giant Lion quickly clenched its teeth, nearly breaking the Wrath of Thunder.


    ¡°It looks like it truly has no vulnerabilities¡­ Then, I have to grind it down to death!¡±


    The fight intensified for another twenty minutes. Though not a single attack seriously injured Nimia the Giant Lion, a series of small wounds, accumulated on top of each other, continuously weakened its vitality as it lost a significant amount of blood from Superior Magic.


    At this rate, a little more grinding would lead to Nimia the Giant Lion collapsing right before his eyes.


    Suddenly, this mountain-like massive beast heavily sank to the ground, melding into it at a visibly rapid pace.


    ¡°Merging with the earth? Trying to escape?¡± Although unsure what magic this was, it did not stop Li Si Te from interrupting Nimia the Giant Lion¡¯s escape.


    Through inner communication,


    Fire Dragon Leo stomped forcefully, a surge of Dragon Magic Power furiously rushed into the earth, rapidly disrupting the balance of the magic that Nimia the Giant Lion was trying to cast. In that moment, the massive beast, as if equipped with a spring, was sent bouncing back up from the ground.


    Splattered with mud in the process.


    It twisted its body and sunk into the ground again, but with another stomp from Leo, it was bounced back once more. After a few repetitions, Nimia the Giant Lion realized that escape was futile. Its speed on the ground was not fast, and now it could not perform its ¡°earth escape¡± magic.


    It could only wait for its demise.


    ¡°Bard, another go, this time for its life!¡± The Dragon Lance was grasped tightly, Dragon Dou Qi mixed with Dragon Magic Power was violently infused into the lance.


    However,


    In the next moment,


    Nimia the Giant Lion suddenly lowered its head, laying its body flat on the ground, allowing Leo to strike without showing any resistance.


    And making a low, ¡°woo woo¡± sound, Li Si Te did not understand why, but upon hearing it, he suddenly realized that this Earth Attribute Superior Magical Beast was submitting and pleading for mercy. It was a strange form of communication, not mental communication nor an illusion.


    It seemed to have a very strong emotional influence in its voice.


    ¡°Submit to me?¡±


    Li Si Te was stunned.


    He had never considered this option.


    Because his impression of Nimia the Giant Lion was that it was tough and unkillable, so from the beginning, he had thought about whether he could kill this legendary Sub-dragon. Furthermore, he coveted the skin of Nimia the Giant Lion, a kind of skin that could even block the attacks of dragons, definitely a superior material for armor.


    Given the size of Nimia the Giant Lion, the lion skin stripped off would be enough to outfit several Knight Orders easily, and a Knight Order clad in lion skin armor would certainly be invincible.


    After observing the submissive attitude of Nemean the Giant Lion, Liszt quickly changed his mind, ¡°No need to kill, just one lion¡¯s skin, how could that be more impressive than taming a Sub-dragon as a mount!¡± Nemean was not a Super Dragon Beast but a real Sub-dragon, on the same level as Phoenixes and Unicorns.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as magical as Phoenixes and Unicorns, with its only special trait being its resilience.


    ¡°Do you really want to submit to me?¡± Liszt asked cautiously, not sure if Nemean could understand him.


    However, Nemean quickly made a whimpering sound, conveying its intentions to Liszt¡ªit truly wished to submit, for Liszt possessed the capability to kill it.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you can understand me, but how can you assure me that you won¡¯t rebel after submitting?¡±


    ¡°Whimper.¡±


    Nemean indicated that it was the proud Undying Behemoth Nemean, which once subjugated, would not betray, and was willing to protect Liszt, only needing him to provide food.


    Liszt believed it.


    Powerful creatures like Magical Beasts and Dragons possessed an undeniable pride and rarely displayed deceitful traits¡ªeven Evil Dragons, once subdued by a Mind Battle, would obediently cooperate with Dragon Knights as long as efforts were made to eliminate any budding malevolent thoughts before they could flourish; such Evil Dragons would maintain their pride and not betray.


    ¡°Good, I accept your submission!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± Nemean stood up, glancing briefly at the menacing Fire Dragon Leo and the Formless Dragon Bard beneath Liszt, then began to lick its wounds. Moistened by its saliva, the still bleeding wounds quickly healed.


    It shook its fur, and the crusted blood easily flaked off, resuming its previous bright yellow-orange hue.


    Yet its overall vitality was visibly depleted, a battle, though not physically devastating, took a considerable mental toll.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve submitted to me, you may keep the name Nemean, but you need to leave the Fertile Lands and follow me back to my domain on Flame Island. I need you to guard my King¡¯s Castle, serving as its guardian beast.¡± Liszt provisionally assigned Nemean the role of a watchdog.


    Frankly speaking, Nemean wasn¡¯t very useful, perhaps in the prowess of Earth System Magic, it could level the grounds and such. However, it was more of a symbol; though a Sub-dragon did not have the same legendary status as a Dragon, it was still a mark of honor. It would be a gem adorning Liszt¡¯s crown.


    Nemean nodded almost humanly, following behind the Formless Dragon, racing towards Heroic Yellow City.


    Its speed wasn¡¯t fast, but that was only in comparison to Dragons; for ordinary Magical Beasts, its pace was exceedingly fast. Traveling by day and resting by night, taking a whole week, they finally reached Heroic Yellow City. Its mountainous stature, visible from afar, had the Knights of Heroic Yellow City incredibly tense.


    Fortunately, Liszt had notified his domains early on, preventing any misunderstandings.


    Standing on Nemean¡¯s head, Liszt¡¯s silver armor shone brightly, and his crimson cape blew vigorously, making a grand entrance.


    The Knights and civilians of Heroic Yellow City, pausing their work, looked up in awe at Nemean.


    ¡°What is that?¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Such a huge lion!¡±


    ¡°His Majesty the King is graced with glory!¡±


    ¡°Nemean the Giant Lion, the legendary Nemean, a Sub-dragon!¡±


    ¡°A Sub-dragon is nothing, His Majesty owns so many Dragons, lifting a giant lion is a breeze.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s His Majesty Liszt!¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    Amid the murmurs of amazement from his subjects, Liszt rode Nemean through the Magic Gate of Heroic Yellow City, leaving only the trembling ground in their wake. His monumental, unbelievable figure was destined to become a central topic among the residents of Heroic Yellow City for a long time, during casual conversations after meals.

 Chapter 1053 - 1053 1050 Founding Diplomatic Note

    ?Chapter 1053: Chapter 1050: Founding Diplomatic Note Chapter 1053: Chapter 1050: Founding Diplomatic Note Nimia the Giant Lion took up residence in Flame King City, causing a huge stir, yet the commotion subsided swiftly, after all, the residents of Flame King City were often able to see dragons flying in the sky.


    Compared to dragons.


    Nimia the Giant Lion was much less renowned, even though its size was comparable to dragons, and it belonged to the same level as unicorns and phoenixes¡ªa Sub-dragon. After abandoning the term ¡°Sub-dragon,¡± Liszt had picked it up again recently, making it a distinct category.


    Initially, it was thought that the term ¡°Sub-dragon¡± was a misnomer for Super Dragon Beast, but it turned out not to be the case; it was merely that people confused Sub-dragon with Super Dragon Beast.


    Sub-dragons were extremely rare, and so were Super Dragon Beasts, so the mix-up was somewhat understandable.


    ¡°Nimia, do you have any preferences for your nest?¡± Now that he had tamed him, Liszt was willing to respect Nimia the Giant Lion¡¯s wishes.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Nimia indicated that he preferred softer soil, which would facilitate his use of magic to move underground¡ªhe, as an Earth Attribute Superior Magic creature, could fully merge into the soil layer, just like a phoenix could merge into magma and flame, which was a special Magic Form.


    ¡°The soil around Flame King City isn¡¯t soft enough?¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± Clearly, it was not.


    ¡°Then you find a place nearby yourself.¡±


    In the end, Nimia chose a forest adjacent to the Pegasus Ranch, about forty kilometers away from Flame King City. As per Liszt¡¯s instruction, he would frequently go to Flame King City, circling around the King¡¯s Castle and both Sun Mountain and Moon Mountain, then settling down at the foot of Sun Mountain, where he would enjoy the delicious food prepared for him. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to raising dragons, raising Nimia the Giant Lion was much easier¡ªthere was only the need to provide a large quantity of meat, and there was no need to provide Magic Potions for his growth.


    Of course, his meal was roughly equivalent to a month¡¯s rations for an entire Knight Order.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you really captured Nimia the Giant Lion and tamed it as the Flame King City¡¯s Guardian Beast, it¡¯s truly unbelievable,¡± Duke Pierrot remarked with endless emotions when he came to select his duke mansion in Flame King City and saw the familiar Sub-dragon.


    Originally, he had assembled a huge amount of manpower and materials multiple times, coordinating with Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, just to capture Nimia the Giant Lion.


    Yet he had returned without success repeatedly, wasting resources in vain and eventually treating Nimia the Giant Lion as part of a deal, telling Liszt about it. He harbored a spiteful wish, hoping Liszt would also waste resources in the capture operation and end up with egg on his face.


    The result turned out to be that people can be astonishingly different.


    He couldn¡¯t even seriously injure Nimia the Giant Lion, while Liszt could tame it.


    ¡°Perhaps this is why I¡¯ve fallen to become a duke without a fief, while Liszt has become the rising new legend of the Legendary Continent, there¡¯s a vast chasm between us.¡± For the first time, Duke Pierrot¡¯s confidence in restoring the Grey Iron Duchy was significantly shaken.


    Liszt didn¡¯t know about Pierrot¡¯s inner conflict. At his current status, he no longer needed to concern himself with other people¡¯s thoughts.


    He said indifferently, ¡°Nimia the Giant Lion is just a Sub-dragon. Bowing down to me was a wise choice; otherwise, the so-called ¡®indestructible¡¯ legend would have been shattered¡­ which was quite a pity, actually. Originally, I intended to use lion pelts to craft a batch of standard leather armors for the Burning Legion.¡±


    Pierrot opened his mouth but found no words to say.


    ¡­


    Sapphire Calendar 157, October.


    Without donning the regulation lion-skin armor, the Burning Legion had also ¡°disguised¡± itself as a Sapphire Knight Order and participated in the annual Pioneer Mandate War.


    The Eagle Kingdom still adhered to a non-resistance strategy, letting the ¡°flies¡± from Sapphire loot everywhere unchecked.


    However, when the two-month war ended and it was time to tally the spoils, Li Si Te (Liszt) found himself quite dissatisfied¡ªthe lower-ranking knights and serfs had reaped a rich harvest, but there was a paucity of noble-class and elf resources.


    ¡°Adonis Moonlight Silver has grown wise, eh? He moved the great nobles and lesser nobles from the coastal hinterlands inland in advance, redrawing their fiefs. He intends to jettison the tail like a lizard, abandoning the fertile coastal lands¡­ To endure and decisively cut the losses when necessary, it seems I must regard him more highly.¡±


    Devising such a humiliating and onerous strategy required tremendous courage¡ªregardless of his strategic intentions, Adonis Moonlight Silver had already lost the ¡®fearlessness¡¯ that characterized a knight¡¯s noble quality.


    That also meant he had lost ¡®the hearts of his people.¡¯


    The low-ranking knights forced to migrate during this Pioneer Mandate had essentially come to understand their abandonment, so they quickly and gladly joined the Flame Kingdom, without the slightest resistance.


    They were even grateful to become a part of the Flame Kingdom at such a time.


    Indeed, this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate War was a good opportunity.


    This would likely be the last time the war was conducted under the banner of the Sapphire Duchy, and the last chance for captive knights to become elder statesmen in the kingdom.


    Because.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) had already notified the three great kingdoms and the numerous duchies in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent that the Flame Kingdom would officially be founded on the first day of the first month of Sapphire Calendar 158, and the Flame Calendar would be initiated, designating that day as the first day of the first month of the first year of the Flame Era. On this triple-first day, he would be formally crowned as king.


    The era of the Flame Kingdom was about to dawn.


    ¡­


    ¡°Is that day finally about to arrive?¡± Anthony Sapphire stood in the highest corridor of a room in the Azure Sky Peak Palace, gazing down at the entire Blue Dragon City beneath him.


    His mother, Sarette Dahua Weilan, stood by his side and smiled faintly, ¡°Anthony, do not harbor any resistance; this day was decided by your father while he still lived. Becoming a vassal of the Flame Kingdom isn¡¯t a bad thing, the Steel Ridge Royal Family will respect our decisions.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the attitude of the Steel Ridge Royal Family. Compared to the brilliant and resourceful Li Si Te (Liszt), Osborne wasted more than thirty years without even riding a Platinum Dragon, merely a man of great ambition but lesser talent.¡± Anthony shook his head, ¡°But it¡¯s easier to deal with someone of great ambition but lesser talent, while a resourceful person is far more dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to the Grey Iron Duchy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother, a duchy even more ancient than our Sapphire Duchy just vanished into thin air; one cannot help but be vigilant.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t prove the danger Li Si Te (Liszt) poses, it just shows the greed of the Eagle Royal Family. Adonis is a shortsighted and ineffective man. Li Si Te (Liszt) could have chosen not to save the Sapphire Dragon, but he did not do so. That generosity is not something Adonis can match.¡±


    Anthony nodded, ¡°Yes, any knight who can establish a kingdom¡¯s foundations is indeed great.¡±


    ¡°If you can think this way, the future of the Sapphire Duchy will be very smooth¡­ How we handle our relationship with the Flame Kingdom will be the most critical decision for our family¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I understand. What I¡¯m really curious about now is how the three great kingdoms will regard the Flame Kingdom. Although this world is vast and most of its resources remain unexploited, hidden in primeval forests with countless fertile lands, no one will willingly give up their interests.¡±


    Anthony looked up at the sky and continued, ¡°Li Si Te (Liszt) is gradually devouring the Eagle Kingdom, and with each bite, the Flame Kingdom grows stronger¡­ Perhaps one day, I shall witness the birth of an empire?¡±

 Chapter 1054 - 1054 1051 Not Self-Righteous

    ?Chapter 1054: Chapter 1051: Not Self-Righteous Chapter 1054: Chapter 1051: Not Self-Righteous White Gold Tooth Palace.


    Osborne Platinum had met with the envoy group from Flame Kingdom, and after their departure, he gathered several high-ranking ministers of his kingdom for further deliberation.


    ¡°What do you think should be our appropriate response to the formation of Flame Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, since our kingdom has good relations with Flame Kingdom, we should treat them with heightened norms to solidify the friendship between our two nations. After all, both our countries are currently discussing the partitioning of Eagle Kingdom, and it is only right that both sides present a higher level of sincerity for this matter,¡± one of the ministers said.


    ¡°I think there is no need to raise our standards excessively, as it might lead Liszt to think he has the upper hand. The division of Eagle Kingdom should be led by our kingdom, not the fledgling Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Although Flame Kingdom is young, Liszt is no ordinary man. Given the Dragon Slaying battle, there¡¯s much we might still depend on him for; thus, giving high standards is not unjustified.¡±


    ¡°Normal protocols would suffice. Maybe we could compensate by facilitating a marriage between the Red and White Rose Family and the Flame Family.¡±


    The ministers shared their diverse opinions, yet Osborne furrowed his brow, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss the marriage just yet.¡±


    ¡°Why is that, Your Majesty?¡±


    All present were Osborne¡¯s trusted ministers, so there wasn¡¯t much need for secrecy. He solemnly said, ¡°Perhaps the Red and White Rose Family is too confident. The marriage proposal might have some unpleasant developments¡­ It¡¯s possible that Liszt has no intention of marrying.¡±


    ¡°Not intending to marry? How could that be, when the Steel Pearl from the Red and White Rose Family is considered the utmost beauty of the Northland and the most suitable royal for marriage among the three great kingdoms? Liszt wants to enter the Dragon Rearing Family; how could he pass on such an advantageous marriage!¡±


    ¡°You might think it¡¯s advantageous, but perhaps he doesn¡¯t see it that way,¡± Osborne said with narrowed eyes. ¡°If you had a Sea Monster Magician and a Female Dragon Knight by your side, you might also reconsider your options¡­ This Liszt truly incites envy.¡±


    Being an Archmage, a Dragon Knight has already been a symbol impossible to reach. Now adding prefixes like Sea Monster and Female, it elevates them to an unthinkable level of nobility.


    Osborne casually joked about being ¡°envious,¡± but in reality, he was truly overwhelmed by jealousy.


    Having a Sea Monster Magician and a Female Dragon Knight were fatally appealing to him too, yet such noble women were all revolving around Liszt. Given the chance, he would immediately abandon his current queen to choose either of them as his new queen.


    After all, he already had a son, and the barriers of reproduction between Sea Monsters and humans were no longer an issue.


    The same applied to the Female Dragon Knight.


    However, he was doomed to only shout internally, ¡°Why!¡±


    ¡°Why is all glory concentrated in Liszt¡¯s hands, why am I, born of nobility and bathed in power, not the chosen Son of Glory!¡±


    ¡°Why is a little noble of minor significance from a remote countryside, whose lineage is a mere fraction as noble as mine, a Sapphire Fly, able to stand as an equal king to me!¡±


    ¡°Why is not the Fire Dragon mine, not the Formless Dragon, not the Mountain Copper Dragon, not the Bone Dragon, not the Unicorn¡­ Why are neither the Sea Monster Magician nor the Female Dragon Knight mine!¡±


    He cried out again and again.


    Sadly, back to reality, he must set aside these emotions.


    Diligently fulfilling his role as a king who operates strictly on interests, ¡°You all have expressed your opinions, so I will make the final decision. For the inaugural ceremony of the Flame Kingdom¡¯s establishment, prepare using the normal protocol, but have the Red and White Rose Family elevate their standards.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Osborne has sent his letter, let us continue to increase our efforts to win over Liszt. Mathew, Marilyn, how many gifts do you think we should bring on this mission to the Flame Kingdom?¡± the Duke of Rose sat at the head of the dining table, cutting into a delicate slice of goose liver, as he inquired.


    Mathew put down his knife and fork, revealing a handsome smile, ¡°The Red and White Rose Family is never short of presentable gifts, but since Uncle Osborne is reluctant to spend his own money, we should give gifts in the name of the Red and White Rose Family. We cannot let Osborne get away with benefits without contributing anything.¡±


    The Duchess spoke displeased, ¡°Between relatives, we shouldn¡¯t always be calculating these things, Mathew. You need to become more mature.¡±


    Mathew responded gently, ¡°Mother, although the Red and White Rose Family and the Platinum Family are like one family, we are not servants; we must show some stance. Otherwise, Liszt might think less of our family, which would be unfavorable for my sister.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is Liszt¡¯s attitude? Hasn¡¯t the matter of marriage alliance been put on the agenda yet?¡± the Duke of Rose lifted his head, looking at Mathew.


    Mathew pondered for a moment, ¡°The preparation work required to establish a kingdom is overwhelming. This time on my mission, I will propose an official alliance through marriage to Liszt.¡±


    At that moment, Marilyn, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, ¡°Brother, I think you don¡¯t need to mention it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why not?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Liszt has no intention of forming a marriage alliance, and it¡¯s just us wishfully thinking.¡± Marilyn picked up her napkin and wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth, ¡°Moreover, I do not want our family to be the one initiating the marriage proposal. He needs to show sincerity, and at the moment, I see none.¡±


    ¡°Marilyn, Liszt and I are good friends¡ªthat is sincerity.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s just what you think.¡±


    ¡°I am being presumptuous?¡± Mathew said with a confident and amused expression, ¡°Marilyn, my dear sister, when the people of the Red and White Rose Family bring out their wealth, there will be no room for presumption. You must understand that kinship, love, and friendship can indeed be bought with money.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps all this is just an illusion brought about by money.¡±


    ¡°No, this is the magic power that money brings!¡± Mathew refuted his sister. Seeing she had no reply, he spoke more confidently, ¡°Father, Mother, since Uncle Osborne has written to us, then we should give Liszt the batch of Red Dragon Water that was originally to be sold to the Platinum Family.¡±


    The Duke of Rose chewed slowly on a piece of goose liver, nodding at the words, ¡°If we are going to do it, we must do it splendidly. When your sister becomes the Queen of the Flame Kingdom, everything with interest will return to the Red and White Rose Family¡¯s hands¡­ remember, we have plenty of money, but we do not engage in unprofitable deals.¡±


    ¡­ S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How other countries arrange their envoy groups, Liszt did not attend to, as he was currently extremely busy.


    Even after several years of preparation, when it came time to actually establish the kingdom, he realized that many things were still not ready. After the feudal nobles settled in Flame Island, a huge shortage in population was inevitable. How to properly manage the labor void after the feudal nobles left was a tremendous headache.


    The problems were not limited to just this.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is the Development Committee¡¯s plan for feudal delineation for Earls and above, please see if anything needs to be modified or added.¡±


    Goltai hurriedly arrived at the Sun Moon Star Palace with a list in hand.


    This grand palace, standing between the Sun and Moon peaks, was now officially occupied by Liszt.


    The Development Committee had also moved from the Reed City Office to the Flame King City Office, turning this brand-new major city into the true heart of Flame Island.


    ¡°Take a seat first, let me have a look.¡± Liszt took the list and scrutinized it.

 Chapter 1055 - 1055 1052 Eighth-Rank Noble

    ?Chapter 1055: Chapter 1052: Eighth-Rank Noble Chapter 1055: Chapter 1052: Eighth-Rank Noble The list contained not only the information of every noble ennobled but also the detailed ¡°Ennoblement Regulations¡± that introduced the noble ranks of the kingdom, which Liszt read with great seriousness.


    The noble ranks of the Flame Kingdom were formally designated as eight grades.


    The highest rank was King, followed by Prince or Grand Duke as the second rank, and Duke as the third rank; these three ranks belonged to the senior nobility. The King followed a primogeniture system and was the only rank; all knights of the kingdom must follow the King, conditioned or unconditioned, and obey the King¡¯s dispatch.


    Princes and Grand Dukes were of the same rank; Princes needed to possess the royal bloodline, specifically the Flame Family bloodline, and become a Dragon Knight. Grand Dukes had no bloodline restriction but had to ride a dragon not owned by the kingdom¡ªthat is, a dragon knight trained by the royal family could not obtain the rank of Grand Duke.


    In other words, without a dragon of one¡¯s own, one could not aspire to become a Grand Duke and establish a new nation.


    The rank of Duke was somewhat more complicated, with three main sources.


    First, if a Grand Duke¡¯s offspring could not become a dragon rider, they would be demoted to the rank of Duke and continue to manage their nation; second, a dragon knight trained by the royal family could attain the rank of Duke after distinguished military service; third, Domain Knights who repeatedly earned military accolades could also be considered for promotion to Duke.


    However, aside from the offspring of Grand Dukes, as Dragon Rearing Families, any qualification could be inherited unchallenged for the Duke rank.


    For the other two types of Dukedoms, the offspring must become Domain Knights to smoothly succeed the title¡ªto prevent the situation where the Duke dies unexpectedly and the offspring are too young and not sufficiently trained, a relaxation is allowed for one generation. That means the son of a Duke remains a Duke, but if he fails to become a Domain Knight, the grandson will only be a Marquis.


    ¡­


    On the list,


    There were no Princes, no Grand Dukes.


    There were only three proposed candidates for Duke.


    Among them, Duke Anthony Sapphire was merely listed by name and was not included in this enfeoffment¡ªas an independent vassal state, the Sapphire Duchy required no enfeoffment.


    The other two,


    Duke Li Weiliam Tulip of Tulip Island, with the fief Tulip Island, the second-largest island of the Flame Islands, an area of 450,000 square kilometers; Duke Piero Grey Iron of Phoenix Tree Island, with the fief Phoenix Tree Island, the seventh-largest island of the Flame Islands, an area of 170,000 square kilometers.


    The Tulip Family and Grey Iron Family both had the ¡°Domain Knight Manual.¡± As long as the descendants weren¡¯t too incompetent, it wasn¡¯t difficult to train to become a Domain Knight, and the Duke rank could be inherited unchallenged.


    ¡°Father, promote Bruposy the Marquis of Salty Sea to Duke of Mermaid City, and let the fief be Mermaid City,¡± Liszt pondered and added a content.


    ¡°According to the Kingdom¡¯s ¡®Ennoblement Regulations,¡¯ city ennoblement only goes up to Marquis; Duke of Mermaid City does not comply with the ¡®Ennoblement Regulations,''¡± Li Weiliam said.


    The ¡°Ennoblement Regulations¡± had been previously reviewed and approved by Liszt. Although he was frequently fickle and acted on whims, it was not good to contradict himself too often. Therefore, after a moment of contemplation, he said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s enfeoff Bruposy as the Mermaid Territory Duke.¡±


    ¡°But the Mermaid Territory belongs to Flame Island, didn¡¯t you say that Flame Island would not enfeoff nobles outside of the Burning Legion?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Liszt hesitated for a moment, then continued, ¡°The enfeoffment of the mermaids can be added as an exception to the ¡®Ennoblement Regulations.¡¯ Since it¡¯s not yet officially printed, there¡¯s room for modification. In the future, the enfeoffment of mermaid territories will just nominally encompass the surrounding seas of the Flame Islands.¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°Bruposy¡¯s title will be the Salty Sea Duke, and as for the Salty Sea, there¡¯s no need to inquire where it is; his fief revenue can be chosen from Mermaid City.¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So after all this talk, he was still negating the previous ¡°Ennoblement Regulations.¡±


    Li Weiliam, the younger son, had probably grown accustomed to his brother¡¯s way of doing things and didn¡¯t mind the need to amend the ¡°Ennoblement Regulations¡± again.


    Instead, he asked, ¡°Bruposy is ennobled as a Duke, should the other six Mermaid Marquises be enfeoffed as well?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, Bruposy stays in the Flame Kingdom, managing Mermaid City diligently and contributing to the nation. The other six mermaids have gone to travel the world; how can such irresponsible people be enfeoffed with dukedoms¡­ Their mindset is still living in ancient times; they must understand that only by integrating into the Flame Kingdom can they obtain status and resources.¡±


    The mermaids were touring the seas, and once gone, they would be away for nearly a year.


    Although charged with the task of mapping the coastline of the Legendary Continent, it was obvious they enjoyed themselves outside, no longer longing for home, and the cartographic work was barely touched.


    Liszt was very dissatisfied with this and urged them several times, but he couldn¡¯t get them to focus.


    Therefore,


    with quite a bit of resentment, he only enfeoffed one mermaid to Bluposi.


    ¡­


    In the Flame Kingdom, the fourth rank of nobility was Marquis and the fifth was Earl, both of which were middle-ranked nobles.


    Originally, Liszt planned to divide the rank of Duke into upper and lower grades. The upper Dukes, who hold territories, were to be the upper nobility, while the lower Dukes, without territories, were to belong to the middle nobility. This would complete a system of nine ranks of nobility, with three ranks each for the upper, middle, and lower echelons.


    But in the end, he didn¡¯t do so, because instead of distinguishing upper and lower Dukes, it was more straightforward to create a new title.


    Moreover, he had another thought¡ªto intentionally downplay the status of vassal states, emphasizing the King¡¯s authority. After all, the rulers of Duchies were Dukes, and the landlords of many fiefs held the same title, reducing vassal states to nothing more than larger fiefs, even if they belonged to Dragon Rearing Families and were merely followers of the King.


    Thus, in the end, the middle nobility comprised only Marquises and Earls.


    To inherit these two titles, one had to reach the level of a Sky Knight, with a one-generation leniency period. However, if a Sky Knight was not born in the following generation, a demotion was compulsory.


    On the list,


    the first-ranked Marquis was the Jade City Marquis, Emily Flame¡ªas a Light Green Sapphire Dragon Knight, Liszt asked her if she wished to become a Feudal Noble, but Emily decided to join the Burning Legion and hoped to follow Liszt for life.


    So, Liszt granted her the surname ¡°Flame¡± and enfeoffed her Jade City, located near the Dragon Nest Jade Mountain where Ethan lived.


    The second-ranked Marquis was the Pea Island Marquis, Dimaria Jasper, whose territory was half of Pea Island. Pea Island was the eighth largest island in the Flame Islands, covering 150,000 square kilometers. Besides Dimaria, no other nobility were enfeoffed on Pea Island.


    As one of the earliest Marquises to pledge allegiance, Liszt had already promised Dimaria that once the Jasper Family accumulated enough military achievements, he would be promoted to the Duke of Pea Island.


    The entire Pea Island would become the Jasper Family¡¯s fiefdom.


    The third-ranked Marquis was the Gemstone Left Territory Marquis, Geoffrey Begonia, with his territory being half of Gemstone Island, or the Gemstone Left Territory. Gemstone Island was the sixth largest island in the Flame Islands, spanning 220,000 square kilometers, divided into two domains¡ªthe Gemstone Left Territory and the Gemstone Right Territory.


    Geoffrey was a Completion Level Sky Knight who had been captured as an Earl in the Eagle Kingdom and surrendered, performing excellently afterwards.


    The fourth-ranked Marquis was Heroic Yellow City Marquis, Yevich Shuihuasheng, whose fief was the Flame Kingdom¡¯s gateway to the Legendary Continent, Heroic Yellow City¡ªsurprisingly, Yevich chose not to become a Feudal Noble, but to join the Burning Legion, becoming a town-serving noble instead.


    He still disguised himself as a Noble from the Eagle Kingdom, stirring internal strife within the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    The fifth-ranked Marquis was Flame City Marquis, Paris Flame, whose fief was Flame City. Like Emily, Paris, a Great Light Magic Swordsman and one of Liszt¡¯s lovers, chose the town-serving nobility and also received the surname ¡°Flame¡± granted by Liszt.


    The sixth-ranked Marquis was Gemstone Right Territory Marquis, Durt Red Apricot, one of the earliest Eagle Kingdom captives who began the development of Flame Island. Initially an Earl, he earned his Marquis title through repeated military achievements over the years.


    The seventh-ranked Marquis was Thorn Upper Territory Marquis, Mendes Cabbage, whose territory was a third of Thorn Island, also known as Thorn Upper Territory. Mendes was previously a Marquis of the Grey Iron Duchy and a Completion Level Sky Knight, but after joining the Flame Kingdom, he didn¡¯t make much of an impression.


    Thorn Island was the fourth largest island in the Flame Islands, covering 270,000 square kilometers, and divided into three territories¡ªthe Thorn Upper Territory, Thorn Left Territory, and Thorn Right Territory.


    The eighth-ranked Marquis was Dragon Valley City Marquis, Nickel Bellows, whose fief was Dragon Valley City, located next to the Dragon Pit Great Mine. The Bellows Family belonged to the Iron Knight Family, and originally the Sapphire Duke supported Liszt¡¯s nation-building by transferring the Bellows Family to him; they served diligently over the years and thus deserved a Marquis title.


    The ninth-ranked Marquis was Thorn Left Territory Marquis, Amat Ice Shield, who was Yevich¡¯s father-in-law and a Marquis from Snowstorm Mountain Duchy who covertly pledged allegiance to Liszt. For the time being, Amat continued to serve as a Marquis in the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy, colluding with Yevich to incite conflict between the First Prince and the Second Prince.


    Ranked ten to fifteen were all mermaids.


    Marquis Great West-Etenia, Marquis Fisherman ¨C Gulvig, Marquis Aquamarch ¨C Tibidais, Marquis Sea Trench ¨C Sharivara, Marquis Fugitive ¨C Viswinti, and Marquis Lost ¨C Coquelix.

 Chapter 1056 - 1056 1053 Strength Does Not Allow

    ?Chapter 1056: Chapter 1053: Strength Does Not Allow Chapter 1056: Chapter 1053: Strength Does Not Allow The sixteenth-ranked Marquis is Earl Elton of the Thorn Right Territory, with the Golden Chrysanthemum Medal. Liszt did not like this follower with poor qualifications and character. Initially, he had been subjugated only because of the principle of buying a horse¡¯s bones for a thousand pieces of gold. Thus, Elton was a marquis before and remains a lower-ranked marquis now.


    The seventeenth-ranked Marquis is Marquis Mary of Reed City, with the Dawnbreak. As the leader of the Blood Servants and a Pureblood Vampire, Mary had always been deeply trusted by Liszt, serving as his eyes in the dark to pry into intelligence from various countries.


    The cultivation system of the Blood Servants, after being reformed by Ach and the Magic Association, discarded some elements of the magic system and shifted closer to the knight system. Their combat power declined further, but their ability to remain undercover significantly increased. Consequently, Liszt officially incorporated them into the Burning Legion, creating the Blood Knights.


    All vampires, therefore, are ennobled as city nobles.


    The eighteenth-ranked Marquis is Marquis Winston of the Upper Domain of the Giant Algae, with the Glowing Grass. His fief is one-quarter of Giant Algae Island, also known as the Upper Domain of the Giant Algae.


    He is one of the marquises who migrated from the Grey Iron Duchy and has shown average performance since joining the Flame Kingdom.


    Giant Algae Island is the third-largest island of the Flame Kingdom, with an area of 280,000 square kilometers, divided into four domains¡ªUpper, Lower, Left, and Right Giant Algae Domains.


    The nineteenth-ranked Marquis is Marquis Johnson of the Lower Domain of the Giant Algae, with the Vine-based Roses. He, too, is a marquis who migrated from the Grey Iron Duchy, with similarly average performance.


    The twentieth-ranked Marquis is Marquis Hilton of the Left Domain of the Giant Algae, with the Laurel. His son married Li Vera, Liszt¡¯s sister, so he migrated from the Sapphire Duchy to the Flame Kingdom quite early. Leveraging the familial relationship and respectable military achievements, he became the last of the twenty founding marquises of the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡­


    Having reviewed the list of marquises, Liszt mostly approved of the allocation and ranking.


    However, after contemplating, he promptly added, ¡°Father, twenty founding marquises are too few. We should add another one, making it twenty-one¡­ Let Sasumit the Saint join, and grant him the fief of the Marquis of the Right Domain of the Giant Algae. This is a special commendation for him.¡±


    Sasumit the Saint, was none other than Su, formerly the Listener of the Moon Slayer Holy Tribe.


    After Liszt descended from the sky, riding a dragon, and forcefully killed the old Listener, supporting his rise to power. He displayed exceptional qualities of a ¡°Moon Slayer traitor,¡± serving Liszt loyally by integrating the Moon Slayer Native Tribes and not hesitating to use all sorts of violent and bloody means.


    Even when Liszt demanded ancient mages to integrate into the knight system, he promptly changed his surname to ¡°Saint,¡± signifying that he is a follower of the holy man¡ªnamely, Liszt, the holy man.


    Such a sycophant naturally deserved commendation.


    Li Weiliam, however, frowned, ¡°Liszt, Sasumit is a life-long Earl. As a noble of a non-knight cultivation system, according to the Ennoblement Regulations, one can only be granted a lifelong title, and not an inheritable title. Moreover, life-long nobility can only ascend to the rank of an Earl.¡±


    ¡°I am aware of that, Father, but I want to make a special exception for Sasumit.¡± Liszt spoke without shame, rather with a trace of pride, ¡°I wish to use this method to remind the nobles of the kingdom that the Flame Kingdom is different from the three great kingdoms. Here, my authority supersedes any system.¡±


    Li Weiliam glanced at Liszt.


    He replied, ¡°I just fear that this may provoke the resentment of most nobles, potentially undermining your authority¡­ After all, the knight system has been in place for thousands of years.¡±


    Liszt smiled lightly, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry, Father. My life span has already exceeded the limit of ordinary people, and I am destined to rule the Flame Kingdom for a long time to come. Gradually, the nobles will adapt, learning to measure their lives by the new knight system I have established.¡±


    ¡°Have you found the cultivation method of the Dragon Domain Lord?¡± Li Weiliam couldn¡¯t help but speculate.


    ¡°Not the Dragon Domain Lord, but something similar.¡±


    Liszt preferred to keep it vague, and Li Weiliam did not inquire further. Even though they were father and son, they now belonged to different families, and some secrets should no longer be probed.


    He then said, ¡°Since you have considered it, I won¡¯t object to the ennoblement of Sasumit as a Marquis. I hope this action will not unsettle the boundaries between the feudal nobles, city nobles, and life-long nobles.¡±


    The kingdom¡¯s titles had three different forms beyond the eight ranks.


    The first was the feudal title, possessing one¡¯s own territory and enjoying absolute jurisdiction over it, as well as the ability to recruit one¡¯s own followers and grant them titles. The second was the city title, with the city as the territory, enjoying a stipend and jurisdiction, subordinate to the Burning Legion.


    Both these titles are inheritable and clearly stipulate a primogeniture system of inheritance. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The third was the lifelong title, which does not come with territory and cannot be inherited; once the holder dies, the title reverts to the state.


    Apart from honorary lifetime titles,


    Land and city titles have corresponding knight rank restrictions¡ªApprentice Knights could be ennobled as Honored Knights; Earth Knights could be ennobled as Barons; Elite Earth Knights could be ennobled as Viscounts; Sky Knights could be ennobled as Marquises; Domain Knights could be ennobled as Dukes.


    Furthermore,


    The Flame Kingdom renamed the lowest level of nobility¡ªthe Honored Knight, to simply Honored.


    Thus, the eight ranks of nobility were¡ªKing, Prince/Grand Duke, Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron, Honored.


    ¡­


    There were as many as sixty-four Earls on the list.


    In fact, there were even more noble Earls, but these nobles, due to their original affiliations, after seeking their opinions, continued to follow several Land Dukes and Marquises¡ªsuch as Deborah Yuhua Stone, who continued to follow her uncle Dimaria.


    Ranked first among the Earls who were direct followers of Liszt was Earl Marcus of Storm City, with the Wheel. The former family tutor had ultimately chosen to join the Burning Legion and took on the role of the commander of the Burning Knights Group. His strength was only that of an Elite Earth Knight, but he had been specially permitted by Liszt to be promoted to Earl.


    Storm City was located within the King¡¯s Domain, serving as a satellite city to the Flame King City.


    Second in ranking was Earl Roland of Longtail Island, with the Pinecone, who was Liszt¡¯s uncle by marriage, also an Elite Earth Knight, specifically promoted to Earl.


    Third in ranking was Earl Goltai of Fiery Liquor City, with the Mast. This former family tutor did not wish to join the Burning Legion. Of course, even if he wanted to, Liszt would not have agreed, as no high rank could conceal the fact he was just an Apprentice Knight¡ªmany whispered behind his back about his title.


    As for Fiery Liquor City, it was located not far from Heroic Yellow City and was part of the Heroic Yellow Plains Domain.


    The administrative division of the Flame Kingdom was Land¡ªCity¡ªCounty¡ªTown¡ªSettlement, a five-tier system that essentially copied China¡¯s province¡ªcity¡ªcounty¡ªtown¡ªvillage model.


    Cities were also divided according to administrative divisions into Land-level cities, City-level cities, and County-level cities. Lands or Land-level cities were used to enfeoff Marquises, Cities or City-level cities for Earls, and Counties or County-level cities for Viscounts. By the Town level, whether the title was a Land or a Town, all were designated by the town¡¯s name.


    Belows the Viscounts, the Honored only carry titles and lands without a designation.


    Marcus¡¯s enfeoffed city, Storm City, was a City-level city, while Goltai¡¯s enfeoffed land, Fiery Liquor City, was an independent city. In addition, some islands automatically replaced Lands, Cities, or Counties as the titles for enfeoffed noble lands depending on their size. Roland¡¯s enfeoffed land, Longtail Island, was an island in the Shell Sea about the size of a city-level island.


    ¡°Except for the fifth-largest island, Mangrove Island, and the ninth-largest, Anchor Island, all other islands, big and small, in the Flame Islands have been enfeoffed. In the future, any new noble enfeoffments can only expand out to the open sea and mainland,¡± Li Weiliam reflected.


    When they first discovered the Flame Islands, they thought it incredibly vast, even larger than the Sapphire Duchy.


    It would have been enough to establish a duchy here.


    But Liszt directly established a kingdom, and the Flame Islands suddenly seemed inadequate, with almost the entire archipelago being enfeoffed to nobles in the first batch of the kingdom¡¯s establishment.


    ¡°So using Heroic Yellow City as a gateway, we must continue to expand on the mainland, consuming the Eagle Kingdom is the best choice,¡± Liszt put down the list.


    He had not looked closely at the enfeoffment list for the lower-ranked Viscounts, Barons, and Honored; he had just glanced at the number of people in each rank¡ªabout three hundred sixty-six Viscounts, around one thousand two hundred forty Barons, and Honored reaching tens of thousands. Adding the three Dukes, twenty-one Marquises, and sixty-four Earls, these were all the nobles of the Flame Kingdom.


    They all shared a common honor¡ªinaugural nobility.


    ¡°Father, let¡¯s hold the inaugural enfeoffment ceremony according to this list.¡±


    Liszt stood up and walked out of the palace alongside Li Weiliam, ¡°Furthermore, the lands can be slightly adjusted¡ªthe young, capable, but low-titled nobles should be enfeoffed to the mainland as much as possible, so they have the opportunity to continue their ambitious territorial expansion. After the initial chaos of establishment passes, the new war will soon be upon us!¡±


    The war he spoke of would no longer be petty skirmishes like the Pioneer Mandate, but a formal declaration of war against the Eagle Kingdom in alliance with the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    ¡°I always feel it¡¯s too hasty, Liszt, perhaps we should slow down.¡±


    ¡°I, too, wish to slow down, but Father, our strength does not permit such sluggish development,¡± Liszt sighed with frustration.

 Chapter 1057 - 1057 1054 The First Flame Pavilion

    ?Chapter 1057: Chapter 1054: The First Flame Pavilion Chapter 1057: Chapter 1054: The First Flame Pavilion The issue of enfeoffment was the first major problem in the establishment of the Flame Kingdom, but with the Development Committee handling it, Liszt didn¡¯t have much to worry about.


    He only needed to recognize the ranks of Duke, Marquis, and Earl, while the Development Committee took care of the statistics for wars and appointed Viscounts, Barons, and Honored Lords.


    Now, another matter worthy of deep consideration lay before Liszt¡ªthe formation of the Inner and Outer Cabinets.


    The knight system in this world was a feudal serfdom system, where every Noble Landlord was a feudal slave owner. The Landlord¡¯s domain, aside from paying taxes to their superior Landlord, essentially held all other powers in their hands, including judiciary, finance, military, trade, agriculture, and so on.


    Of course, the judiciary of the domain was still overall subject to the laws of the Kingdom.


    Therefore, in governing the Flame Kingdom, Liszt primarily needed to consider the governance of Flame Island and other unenfeoffed lands, as well as effectively restraining the Landlords at all levels within the Kingdom. This involved the cabinet officer system for Flame Island and the outer cabinet officer system for the Flame Kingdom.


    In other Kingdoms, general state affairs are usually discussed by the King in conjunction with the major Landlords, while the Nobles needed to enter the palace to hold office, managing the Royal Family for the King.


    But it was different for Liszt.


    He planned to strengthen centralization, hence he divided the officers into the Inner and Outer Cabinets.


    The Outer Cabinet was easy to deal with; simply patching up the Development Committee was enough to put together an Outer Cabinet. So, as the year-end approached, he directly issued dozens of appointment documents in the name of the King of the Flame Kingdom, announcing to the entire country.


    He appointed Li Weiliam Tulip Duke as the Prime Minister of the Outer Cabinet.


    He appointed Emily Flame Marquis as the First Defense Minister, Marcus Wheel Earl as the Second Defense Minister, Sasumit Saint Marquis as the Third Defense Minister¡ªthe First Minister is the leader of the department, while the Second and Third Ministers are assistants.


    He appointed Dimaria Yu Huashi Marquis as the First Foreign Minister, Yevich Water Peanut Marquis as the Second Foreign Minister¡­


    He appointed Geoffrey Hibiscus Marquis as the First Minister of Internal Affairs, Durt Red Apricot Marquis as the Second Minister of Internal Affairs¡­ S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He appointed Paris Flame Marquis as the First Finance Minister, Goltai Mast Earl as the Second Finance Minister¡­


    He appointed Piero Grey Iron Duke as the First Justice Minister¡­


    He appointed Chris Truth as the First Arcane Minister, Kenley Truth as the Second Arcane Minister¡­


    He appointed Bluposi Marquis as the First Ocean Minister¡­


    He also appointed other Marquises and Earls as Ministers of Agriculture, Trade, Education, Craftsmanship, Health, Transportation, and so on.


    The appointment of the Outer Cabinet didn¡¯t cause much of a stir; in fact, many Nobles were unwilling to serve as ministers of the Outer Cabinet. Now that the nation had been established, the Nobles had all become Lords of their domains, preferring to build their own lands, at most awaiting the King¡¯s dispatch during wartime.


    But the Outer Cabinet was Liszt¡¯s command, and the Nobles who served as ministers must take time to exercise their responsibilities and powers.


    As opposed to the widespread announcement of the Outer Cabinet,


    The formation of the Inner Cabinet was much more low-key, for a simple reason: Liszt didn¡¯t want the Noble Landlords to participate in the management of his own Flame Island. He directly selected full-time managers from various academies and appropriate Knights from the Burning Legion to form an Inner Cabinet under his control.


    While forming the Outer and Inner Cabinets, he also established the Inner Court of the Sun Moon Star Palace¡ªput simply, the exclusive servants of the family.


    The aged Butler Carter took on the role of chief steward of the Inner Court.


    Mrs. Morson, exceptional at brewing tea, became the chief maid.


    The increasingly plump Mrs. Abbie took on the role of chief of food services.


    Thomas, who was originally a personal servant and later became the Butler of Thorn Castle, took charge as the chief male servant.


    In addition to these, there were also the Master of Wine, Master of Drama, Master of Horses, Master of Etiquette, and so on. Only a few of these officials were people from Fresh Flower Town who had followed Liszt from the beginning; the majority were servants captured from the Eagle Kingdom in recent years¡ªthose Noble Landlords¡¯ Castles had a great number of servants.


    Skilled servants were more expensive than craftsmen in the serf market.


    Currently, the Sun Moon Star Palace had over eighteen hundred servants, responsible for maintaining the operations of this immense palace.


    It was true that only Liszt was officially residing in the palace now, with Ach, Emily, Paris, and others not often living at the castle, and Lady Penelope also stayed with Li Weiliam. But even alone, Liszt was unwilling to treat himself poorly.


    His palace had to be as luxurious as those in other kingdoms, not only for his own enjoyment but also to reflect the glory of the Flame Family.


    How could a king destined to be legendary not have a grand palace and hordes of servants to accentuate his status?


    ¡­


    ¡°Is this the Sun Moon Star Palace? Truly majestic and beyond belief, it¡¯s unimaginably grand and vast,¡± remarked the leader of an envoy group from a certain principality, coming to participate in the founding celebration of the Flame Kingdom. He stood on the balcony of the Flame King City¡¯s diplomatic lodge and couldn¡¯t help but admire the far-off Sun Moon Star Palace.


    The envoy¡¯s deputy immediately continued, ¡°My lord, this is a palace built with the participation of archmages. Look at those two mountains¡ªthey were forcibly joined together by powerful magic to form what we see now.¡±


    Another deputy chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s said that many more miraculous construction projects have yet to begin. The Flame Kingdom now has two archmages; for them, no architectural feat is too great.¡±


    ¡°Yes, time changes so fast. Who had heard of Liszt a few years ago? Yet now, in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, he is an immense legend that no one dares ignore,¡± mused the envoy group leader with admiration.


    ¡°After all, the Flame Kingdom is acknowledged as the Son of Glory.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I would willingly give up ten years of my life to ride a dragon just once.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d trade ten years? I¡¯d give twenty.¡±


    ¡°Heh, then wouldn¡¯t you be dead the moment you got on the dragon?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Do I look old to you? I¡¯m only thirty!¡± The two deputies began to quarrel over the topic of dragon riding and life span.


    The envoy group leader waited until their faces turned red with argument before interrupting, ¡°Enough, both of you, don¡¯t make fools of ourselves in front of the Flame People¡­ The glory of knighthood isn¡¯t for you; you haven¡¯t even touched a dragon, let alone ride one. You should turn your attention to magical beasts. Look at the Flame Kingdom, how many knights you see riding birds.¡±


    Following the direction he pointed.


    One could see many knights flying on large birds above Flame King City. Some were part of the Royal Knight Squad ¨C Red Sparrow Team patrolling the city, while others were noble landlords who had arrived in the king city to take part in the feudal ceremony. The Flame Kingdom, with numerous beast taming contracts, had an increasing number of knights riding flying birds.


    However, not every knight could obtain a beast taming contract; one must contribute to the kingdom and sign a confidentiality agreement before getting one.


    Of course, no matter how strict the confidentiality measures were, they couldn¡¯t really be secret.


    The Flame Kingdom¡¯s huge advantage was Liszt¡¯s Hundred Birds Toward The Phoenix ability. He could drive away the birdlike magical beasts and quickly form beast taming contracts with knights. Otherwise, magical beasts with their wild nature were seldom patient enough to be trained by humans, let alone recognize a knight and form a contract.


    As the three members of the envoy group pointed and murmured about Flame King City.


    Suddenly, a huge silhouette leaped up from the distant horizon. The figure grew closer and closer, and in the shocked eyes of the trio, the massive figure slowly approached Flame King City¡ªit was a majestic giant lion with dense fur, sharp eyes, and a vibrant spirit surveying the entire Flame King City.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Nimia the Giant Lion, the receptionist from the Flame Kingdom mentioned that Flame King City has Nimia the Giant Lion as its protector beast!¡±


    ¡°My goodness, was Nimia the Giant Lion always this huge!¡±


    ¡°Unicorns, Nimia the Giant Lion, and then there are the Phoenix (Flame Dragon Birds), right, there¡¯s also that enormous Lightning Dragon Turtle. His Majesty the King of the Flame Kingdom is not only good at dragon riding but also has a great attraction to sub-dragons!¡± exclaimed the envoy group leader, his voice brimming with admiration.


    He paused,


    then added, ¡°To be favored by the glory of knighthood, to live in the same era as such a great knight, and to personally meet His Majesty Liszt, is a tremendous honor!¡±

 Chapter 1058 - 1058 1055 I Am a Good Person

    ?Chapter 1058: Chapter 1055: I Am a Good Person Chapter 1058: Chapter 1055: I Am a Good Person ¡°Although the Flame Kingdom is located in the vast ocean beyond the Legendary Continent, witnessing the development here with my own eyes, I can¡¯t help feeling deeply worried.¡±


    The envoy group from Eagle Kingdom was still led by Alexander White Iron.


    At this moment, he had already settled into the guild hall of the Flame King City. After following the reception staff to visit the Flame King City and the Sun Moon Star Palace and returning to the guild hall, a look of sorrow inevitably appeared on his face.


    ¡°Yes, my lord, the Flame King City is really too, too¡­¡± The deputy tried to express his feelings, but after opening his mouth for a long time, he couldn¡¯t find the right words to describe what he had seen.


    Realizing what the deputy was trying to convey, Alexander said, ¡°It¡¯s too much like the Moon Empire.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, my lord, that¡¯s the feeling. It¡¯s as if we are walking in the legendary Moon Empire. Tall stone buildings, wide and clean streets, neatly arranged shops and houses, the endlessly patrolling teams, and all those strange carriages sprinting around¡ªthe real Moon Empire must be just like this.¡±


    After finishing his praises, the deputy couldn¡¯t help adding a hint of jealousy: ¡°Having an archmage truly makes a difference. The light of civilization brought by magic allows the Flame Kingdom to enjoy such wonders.¡±


    Alexander sighed, ¡°Moon Mountain, Sun Mountain, King Liszt¡¯s ambition, I fear, is even greater than imagined. Just his vision alone is difficult to look up to.¡±


    ¡°What do those two mountains have to do with King Liszt¡¯s vision?¡±


    ¡°Moon Mountain represents the Moon Empire, and Sun Mountain represents the Sun Empire. His royal palace is the Sun Moon Star Palace, doesn¡¯t this mean that he is claiming to inherit all the glory of both the Moon Empire and the Sun Empire?¡±


    ¡°The Sun Empire?¡± The deputy was full of confusion.


    ¡°It is another ancient magical civilization as great as the Moon Empire, not located on the Legendary Continent but on the opposite side of the Devil¡¯s Sea. After the collapse of the magical civilization, it has been impossible to reach the other side of the Devil¡¯s Sea.¡± As a member of the Royal Family and a noble of high birth, Alexander knew a lot.


    In fact, the legend of the Sun Empire was no secret, but due to limited information transfer, most commoners and minor nobles had never heard of it. Thus, when Liszt first learned of the ¡®Child of the Sun¡¯, he thought he had discovered an extraordinary new world.


    History might not have been recorded, but in a fantasy world filled with magic power, the Dragon Rearing Family, with its long and storied history, naturally knew of many ancient secrets passed down.


    ¡°Then, my lord, has King Liszt truly inherited the Sun Empire?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Maybe he has, and maybe he hasn¡¯t¡­¡± Alexander didn¡¯t elaborate further. He naturally knew that this so-called ¡°inheritance¡± was pure nonsense. Between the ancient magical civilization and the knightly civilization, there was no real connection¡ªit was just the Dragon Rearing Family¡¯s own embellishment.


    However, to fool the commoners and minor nobles proved quite effective. It made commoners hold great reverence for the nobility and minor nobles feel awed by the greater nobility.


    In his view, Liszt was doing the same: giving himself unashamed accolades and claiming the glory of both the Moon Empire and the Sun Empire. But to Alexander, it seemed right for Liszt to do so because the Flame Kingdom had two archmages.


    Whoever has an archmage can rightfully claim to have inherited an ancient magical civilization.


    The era is now defined by the shrinking of the Magic Web, making it very difficult for archmages to advance. Without the favor of magic, without the attention of truth, it is impossible for an archmage to be born.


    So Alexander swiftly changed the topic: ¡°Many magicians from the three great kingdoms are now moving to the Flame Kingdom, which has become a sacred land for magic. And there he is, the ¡®Son of Glory,¡¯ the most favored by the knight¡¯s honor. Dragons and sub-dragons almost revolve around him¡­ This is not good for our Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, the ¡®Sapphire Fly¡¯ Pioneer Mandate is now secretly supported by King Liszt. It¡¯s just a shame that the victories of the two dragon-slaying wars have left our country unable to cope,¡± the deputy shook his head.


    Mentioning the Pioneer Mandate, Alexander fell into silence. It was a century-long shame of the Eagle Kingdom. He had thought that upon Adonis¡¯ accession to the throne and his heavy reliance on Alonso Immortal Arrival, they would be able to once for all deal with the hidden threat of the Sapphire Fly. Yet, he had not expected it to inadvertently highlight Liszt¡¯s rise to power.


    After a while, he managed to adjust his mood and expressed his emotion with a sigh,


    ¡°Dragons truly do whatever they wish!¡±


    ¡­


    The very Liszt, who was giving Alexander such a headache, was currently hosting the Steel Ridge Kingdom Envoy Group that had just arrived at the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Group leader Mathew of the Red and White Roses was his honored guest, whom he accompanied personally to the banquet.


    ¡°Mathew, thank you for taking on the role of envoy group leader in person to celebrate the founding ceremony of the Flame Kingdom. And also, thank you for the gift from the Red and White Rose Family. This batch of Red Dragon Water is of enormous help to me,¡± Liszt sincerely thanked Mathew; raising dragons consumed vast resources,


    with Red Dragon Water being the scarcest magic potion.


    ¡°Your Majesty Liszt, you are the most honored friend of the Red and White Rose Family. Were it not for my father¡¯s advanced age, he would have even wished to come in person to celebrate Your Majesty¡¯s occasion.¡±


    ¡°I fully appreciate the Duke of Rose¡¯s sentiment, Mathew. Tonight, we shall drink to our hearts¡¯ content.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I would like that.¡±


    After several rounds of drinking, the atmosphere at the banquet became more lively. That was when Mathew brought up the matter of a marriage alliance, subtly hinting that his sister had come of age and was eagerly hoping to meet Liszt.


    However, having no plans of marrying Marilyn Rose of Red and White to become Queen, Liszt deflected the issue with a laugh, indicating that he was simply too occupied at the moment to spare any thought for such matters. This was his non-offensive way of hinting that he would not be welcoming Marilyn.


    He did hold a fondness for the generous Red and White Rose Family, who liked to win people over with money. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It¡¯s just that Mathew seemed not to grasp this, or rather, he believed in the excuse Liszt gave¡ªthat the early stages of founding a kingdom were indeed overwhelmingly busy.


    He thought that once Liszt got past this busy period, he might then consider the matter of marriage.


    So the banquet continued in high spirits. The drunken Mathew was assisted away to rest by a servant, while Liszt, who had already used Dou Qi to sober up, took a bath.


    In the steam-filled bathroom, the crystal lamp fixtures emitted a soft glow.


    He couldn¡¯t help but rub his head and mused, ¡°Mathew, such an honest man¡­ I made my hints so clear, how come he hasn¡¯t caught on¡­ It seems after the founding ceremony is over, I will need to write a letter to clarify my stance explicitly. I can¡¯t delay Marilyn¡¯s life over a bit of Red Dragon Water.¡±


    Despite being a qualified noble, often considering things from a perspective of interests, deep down, he still retained a simple goodness.


    No matter the politics or interests at play, they should not affect an innocent young girl.


    He made up his mind.


    He couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly, ¡°I am indeed a good person.¡±

 Chapter 1059 - 1059 1056 Fashion Revolution

    ?Chapter 1059: Chapter 1056: Fashion Revolution Chapter 1059: Chapter 1056: Fashion Revolution ¡°Your Majesty, this attire is designed in reference to the royal garments of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s King, Steel Ridge Nation¡¯s King, and Blast Furnace Fortress¡¯s King, designed by Flack Abaie. Do you need any modifications?¡±


    The best tailor in the Flame Kingdom, Morris, the Inner Court¡¯s ceremonial clothing officer, led an assistant holding a set of extremely luxurious outfits, standing in front of Liszt, respectfully asking.


    ¡°The Ruff collar is too bulky; remove it and don¡¯t embroider such a conspicuous flame badge on the chest. Just integrate the flame in a patterned form into the fabric. Also, make these dragon designs more abstract; don¡¯t make them too ostentatious. I don¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°The dragon design can be easily handled, but Your Majesty, the large Ruff collar is a symbol of the king¡¯s authority¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t argue, learn to follow orders, Morris, go and make the changes.¡± Liszt waved his hand indifferently; he didn¡¯t need a Ruff collar to flaunt his authority.


    Long ago, he had been greatly dissatisfied with the local clothing, especially those Ruff collars, which could suffocate someone wearing them in summer. Now that he had become a king, it was time to put an end to the odd noble garments and innovate for simpler, form-fitting clothing to replace the bulky Flack Abaie.


    However, there was no need to make drastic changes all at once, as that would be too eccentric and inappropriate.


    He planned to take a year to gradually change the noble attire of the Flame Kingdom to Earth-style suits, tailcoats, and riding gear.


    Suits could be worn in daily life, tailcoats at formal occasions, and riding gear for horseback riding.


    Of course.


    The colors of the Earth-style suits, tailcoats, and riding gear were all quite monotonous, which was not to Liszt¡¯s liking. Although he advocated simplicity in clothing, he pursued color. He would stipulate that the king¡¯s wardrobe could include gold and red, while other nobles could use colors other than gold and red.


    A variety of colors would be truly majestic!


    Just after sending Morris, the clothing officer, away, a servant came to report that Goltai requested an audience.


    ¡°Let him in.¡±


    A moment later.


    Goltai entered the Sun Moon Star Palace, and upon seeing Liszt, he saluted exaggeratedly, ¡°Honored King Your Majesty, your most loyal follower, Goltai Mast, offers you his sincerest greetings.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Goltai, there¡¯s no need to spout a load of insincere flattery every time.¡±


    Goltai chuckled, ¡°Your Majesty, this isn¡¯t insincere flattery; this is my sincere reverence for you. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been too excited lately, with the Flame Kingdom about to be established¡ªa great kingdom indeed. Back in Fresh Flower Town, I followed you, only experiencing such incredible scenes in dreams.¡±


    ¡°This means that you didn¡¯t have much faith in me initially,¡± Liszt said, sipping his milk tea and glancing sideways at Goltai.


    Goltai immediately protested, ¡°How could that be? It¡¯s really that Your Majesty¡¯s glory was so dazzling, it blinded my eyes. And I, a destitute noble from the countryside, simply couldn¡¯t see beyond Coral Island; it was Your Majesty who led me from Fresh Flower Town to this vast world¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop there, that¡¯s enough flattery. What brings you here now?¡± Liszt cut straight to the chase; a little flattery was beneficial for mental health, but too much became sickening.


    Having followed Liszt from Fresh Flower Town for nearly seven years, Goltai was very familiar with Liszt¡¯s style and, therefore, restrained himself from continuing to flatter.


    He then seriously said, ¡°We have set up the procedure for the knights¡¯ parade, crossing from the Gilded Boulevard of Flame King City through the Triumphal Arch, right up to the square in front of the Sun Moon Star Palace to receive Your Majesty¡¯s review. Marquis Dimaria thinks the ennoblement ceremony should be held in the square, while Duke Pierrot believes it should be conducted inside the great hall.¡±


    In the process of the kingdom¡¯s founding ceremony, following the knights¡¯ parade, came the ennoblement ceremony, which now faced disagreement.


    Dimaria felt ennobling in the square, under the watchful eyes of thousands, brought more prestige; Pierrot felt conducting it in the great hall maintained the noble decorum.


    ¡°My father¡¯s opinion?¡± Liszt asked.


    ¡°Marquis has no objections, so the Outer Cabinet cannot make a decision and can only report to you,¡± Goltai replied, the nobility titles are still referred to by their old names as they have not yet been conferred.


    After a moment of thought, Liszt said, ¡°After the parade of knights, the Honored, Barons, and Vicounts will receive their titles at the square, while Earls and Marquises will receive theirs inside the grand hall. Dukes will have a separate conferring ceremony.¡± The upper, middle, and lower nobles each had different conferring ceremonies, fitting for their respective classes.


    ¡°That I shall prepare immediately,¡± Goltai responded.


    ¡°Lord Lerald, are you sure you don¡¯t want to be the First Grand Arcanist? Chris has already declined several times, believing you are closer to the truth, having served as the Chief Magic Consultant in the Kushan Imperial for many years. The position of First Grand Arcanist is more suitable for you.¡±


    In the morning, Liszt was preparing the nation-founding ceremony at the Sun Moon Star Palace, and by the afternoon, he had already arrived at the Mage Tower in Reed City to meet with Archmage Lerald Truth and persuade him to take the position of First Grand Arcanist.


    Lerald firmly declined, ¡°No, Your Majesty Liszt, such an official position is not what I pursue. I am here in the Flame Kingdom to seek the truth, not to get involved in mundane affairs. Moreover, in terms of approaching the truth, Acherloides is the one truly close to it. I am content to focus on research.¡±


    Acher was an impossible candidate for First Grand Arcanist. She wasn¡¯t human, had little regard for most humans, and only acknowledged Liszt.


    She loved conducting research and exploring the truth.


    Seeing Lerald¡¯s firm stance, Liszt ceased his persuasion. Deep down, he also did not wish for Lerald to take the position of First Grand Arcanist. He trusted Chris more, who had continually collaborated with him to innovate the system of magicians, allowing the Arcanist System to replace the Magician System.


    Entering the lab, he saw Acher operating the Magic Microscope.


    Liszt stood aside, gesturing to the now-grown sisters Lucy and Ruth not to come forward to salute but to focus on helping Acher with her experiment. After a while, Acher moved away from the eyepiece of the Magic Microscope, and upon seeing Liszt, immediately flashed a sweet, knowing smile.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh, what experiment are you conducting?¡±


    ¡°Observation of the Child of the Sun¡¯s bloodline. By using the Magic Microscope, we can obtain detailed information about the Druid¡¯s transformations,¡± Acher turned and said to the twins, ¡°Lucy, go fetch the experimental records from this period. Ruth, clean the Magic Microscope and prepare the new samples.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡±


    Although still minors, the twins had grown physically, beginning to exhibit feminine charms with increasing beauty.


    Of course, they still had a long way to go compared to Acher.


    However, this did not prevent Liszt from appreciating them with a look, as the unique charm of young girls blossoming was distinctly enticing.


    Now Lucy was proficient in fire magic and Ruth in water magic, both showing the potential highly esteemed by the Smoke Mission. According to Acher¡¯s observations, they could both advance to Grand Magician before reaching adulthood. If certain measures were taken to hasten their development, becoming an Archmage was also within reach.


    ¡°Teacher, here are the experimental records you asked for,¡± Lucy quickly returned with several notebooks.


    Acher took the notes, handing one to Liszt, ¡°Brother, look at this one first; it summarizes the barriers. After reading it, you should have a comprehensive understanding of how to interact with these barriers.¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1060 - 1060 1057 New Inspiration

    ?Chapter 1060: Chapter 1057: New Inspiration Chapter 1060: Chapter 1057: New Inspiration The laboratory was very quiet.


    After handing over the notes to Liszt, Ach pointed out a few things to pay attention to, then let Liszt quietly read while she continued to experiment with Lucy and Ruth.


    Seconds and minutes passed by, and for Liszt, this summary note personally written by Ach was the most obscure and hard-to-understand book he had read in recent years. Yet he read it more seriously than ever before, not only word by word but also occasionally flipping back through the pages.


    The content of the notes was not much, about 30,000 words in length, but it took him three whole hours to read. It wasn¡¯t until the sky outside the window had darkened that he suddenly closed the notebook and softly exhaled a breath of stale air.


    He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.


    He quietly pondered the contents of the notes.


    This content was Ach¡¯s summary of all the research related to barriers from the past couple of years, analyzing the basis of barriers¡¯ existence from three aspects: magic power, material, and spirit. She described the way barriers exist in abstract terms and proposed possibilities for touching the barriers through analysis and conjecture.


    ¡°Starting with magic power is currently the most likely way for me to touch the barriers. I devoured the Phoenix Incarnation and gained Fire Attribute Dou Qi with Superior Magic properties; Leo also possesses Fire Attribute Magic Power with Superior Magic properties. Training as a Dragon Knight with Leo is the easiest way to break through the magic barriers.¡±


    Barriers are a very abstract concept.


    However, they aren¡¯t difficult to understand, and Liszt summarized and deduced from Ach¡¯s notes that it¡¯s like ¡°a deeper understanding that breaks through conventional concepts.¡±


    For example, on Earth, ancient people might have thought that matter was made up of tiny particles. Then, modern scientists using tools like microscopes came up with the concept of ¡°molecules,¡± believing that molecules were the smallest units of matter. Later, scientists discovered the concept of ¡°atoms,¡± considering them as the smallest matter.


    Molecules and atoms were barriers for scientists of that era.


    Yet, modern scientists discovered another concept,¡±quarks,¡± and believed that quarks were the smallest units of matter. Therefore, they broke through the atomic barrier, making quarks the new barrier.


    After pondering for a moment in his mind, Liszt sighed lightly, ¡°So the barrier of magic power is the essence of its formation; Ach wants me to start from this and trace back to the process of magic formation¡­ But how do I do that, how can I trace back magic power? What training method for a Dragon Knight can trace back magic power?¡±


    He thought long and hard but couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    So he stood up, ¡°Ach, I¡¯m going out for a walk; I still need time to digest some of the content.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, brother, there¡¯s no need to rush; there is plenty of time,¡± Ach comforted Liszt not to hurry, whereas it was usually Liszt who told her not to be a workaholic.


    ¡­


    After leaving the Flame City Mage Tower, Liszt mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, tore through space, and arrived at the Endless Volcano Cluster, then immediately called Leo out from one of the volcanoes.


    Man and dragon soared leisurely across the sky.


    Liszt shared the information about the barriers he had obtained with Leo¡ª the dragon¡¯s intelligence was no less than a human¡¯s. Leo also wished to become a stronger dragon, so it was very cooperative with Liszt¡¯s decisions about barrier training.


    ¡°Liszt, most of my Dragon¡¯s Super Magic originates from the volcanoes, which get their magic power from the endless flames and magma. Could the barrier be within the volcanoes?¡±


    ¡°Barriers are not a fixed object; they are a state, a perception, an essence. However, your words remind me, where does the Volcanic Super Magic come from, this could perhaps be considered as an existence of a barrier¡­ No, according to the triangular theory, material and spirit can always become magic power at any time, and the Volcanic Super Magic might just be the transformation of materials such as magma, without involving the barriers.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps your thinking is too restricted. I am the flame, and the flame is me. You¡¯ve said that the Fire Dragon is born from volcanoes and after death becomes part of the volcano. So why wouldn¡¯t the barriers of Fire Attribute Magic Power exist within the same volcanoes that birth and nurture me?¡± Leo counter-asked.


    ¡°The barrier has nothing to do with your birth, there have been so many dragons throughout history, yet it seems only the Dragon of the Magic Web has broken through the barrier.¡±


    ¡°I will be the first Fire Dragon to break the barrier!¡±


    ¡°I hope so too.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the volcano!¡±


    A connection of hearts and minds, the questions they contemplate, are essentially what their own selves are pondering. Thus, the fleeting thoughts in their minds were directly translated into a man and a dragon flying out of the clouds, charging towards a smoking volcano crater.


    ¡°Liszt, if we bathe in the volcano for ten days and a half month, we might touch the barrier of Fire Attribute Magic Power!¡±


    ¡°Stop joking, we¡¯re about to have the founding ceremony of the Flame Kingdom, I need to hurry back.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so important about human kingdoms?¡±


    ¡°Without the Kingdom, where would you get the Fire Dragon Elixir to casually consume?¡±


    ¡°Leave those ants to work for us, you are the King and I am the Dragon, we only need to enjoy all of this, anyone who dares to refuse to sustain us will be annihilated!¡± Although Leo was suppressed by Liszt¡¯s Mind Branding, its nature still betrayed its true colors as an Evil Dragon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you down for a round, then I must set off back immediately, this is not up for discussion. But you can soak in the magma by yourself, slowly looking for the barrier of Fire Attribute Magic Power.¡±


    ¡°Of course I will.¡±


    In their Magic Form, the man and dragon merged with the magma of the volcano. This place was constantly producing Volcanic Super Magic, but at such a slow rate that it couldn¡¯t keep up with Leo¡¯s absorption rate.


    However, this time Leo didn¡¯t consume the scarce Volcanic Super Magic, but observed the birth of the Volcanic Super Magic intently.


    Liszt was also observing intently. Since he devoured the Phoenix and gained the Phoenix Incarnation that allowed him to swim freely through magma and flames, he hadn¡¯t really taken the time to experience the magma thoroughly¡ªhe always rushed in and out of the magma, not particularly enjoying the environment.


    This wasn¡¯t like soaking in a hot spring; the sensation of losing all five senses and relying solely on magic perception was, for humans, akin to confinement.


    Yet, upon observing closer, he found there was something quite interesting about the magma.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel a reduction in the magma materials, yet the Volcanic Super Magic just appears. Is it that the transformation from material to magic happens in too small a quantity, or does Volcanic Super Magic not actually derive from material transformation?¡± He concentrated, pondering the differences.


    With the Eye of Magic, his awareness of the transformation between material and magic was very clear.


    Especially when riding Leo and using the Dragon Eye Trajectory, he could clearly see that even a lump of mud could decompose into Earth-Attribute Magic Power under special circumstances. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And how Earth System Magic¡¯s magic power formed rocks and soil was just as clear in his sight.


    Flame, Fire Attribute Mana; seawater, Water-Attribute Magic Power; breeze, Wind Attribute Magic Power; ice block, Ice-Attribute Magic Power; lightning, Thunder Attribute Magic Power; they were all constantly transforming¡­ Only Light Attribute Magic Power and Dark Attribute Magic Power were seldom observed to transform with materials, seeming more like a special kind of inactive magic state.


    ¡°Magma, flames¡­¡±


    ¡°Volcanic Super Magic¡­¡±


    Faintly, Liszt felt he had grasped a crucial inspiration.

 Chapter 1061 - 1061 1058 Creating Something from Nothing

    ?Chapter 1061: Chapter 1058: Creating Something from Nothing Chapter 1061: Chapter 1058: Creating Something from Nothing ¡°Creation from nothing.¡±


    A complete sentence emerged in Li Si Te¡¯s (Liszt) mind.


    It was one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, originally meaning to create something from nothing, akin to fabricating out of thin air. It was also an inspiration that suddenly struck him; perhaps the barrier of magic power was essentially ¡°creation from nothing.¡± However, this ¡°creation from nothing¡± did not mean an unfounded ¡°creation,¡± but rather a creation from ¡°nothing.¡±


    According to the triangular theory, magic power could be transformed from both material and mental aspects, which all falls under ¡°creation from something.¡±


    Hence, ordinary flames and Fire Attribute Mana belonged to ¡°creation from something,¡± so it did not involve any barrier information. However, the relationship between Volcanic Super Magic and magma belonged to creation from nothing, which led him to believe that Volcanic Super Magic was a product of barrier creation.


    ¡°The origin of Volcanic Super Magic is ¡®nothing,¡¯ but forming this ¡®nothing¡¯ requires stringent conditions. In my view, the high-temperature environment of the magma and the rich Fire Attribute Mana provide a good hotbed for forming ¡®nothing.¡¯ And this ¡®nothing,¡¯ more or less, resembles an essence of the world.¡±


    It was difficult to articulate Liszt¡¯s inspiration at the moment, much like ¡°applause should be here.¡± The environment represented by ¡°nothing¡± was essentially ¡°as it should be.¡±


    In places where Super Magic should exist, Super Magic exists.


    Essentially, the magic power barrier is such an abstract concept.


    ¡°So to touch the barrier of Fire Attribute Mana, I must understand this ¡®nothing,¡¯ achieve ¡®as it should be¡¯¡­ Now, does this seem more like an idealist worldview?¡± He sent a ¡°follow me¡± message to Leo, then suddenly burst out of the magma.


    Transformed into a phoenix engulfed in flames, he hovered above the volcano crater.


    Quickly, Leo also burst from the magma, transformed into a sinister red and black Fire Dragon, allowing Liszt, who had returned to human form, to land on the Dragon Tooth Platform and swiftly complete the Dragon Knight Resonance, linking minds.


    ¡°Leo, I might have found the barrier!¡±


    Sharing his insight with Leo, their thoughts explored and fused continuously. Soon, Leo let out a deafening roar, ¡°Oh!¡±


    It was expressing the excitement shared with Liszt.


    ¡°Touch the barrier, find ¡®as it should be¡¯!¡± Man and dragon sensed the path ahead clear suddenly, as the dense fog enveloping the Dragon Knight Cultivation System¡¯s path rapidly dispersed.


    Dragon¡¯s Super Magic and Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi shone constantly in interaction. It was another attempt by man and dragon to apply the idealist worldview, ¡°as it should be,¡± to the materialist real world. Liszt predominantly led, with Leo assisting¡ªLiszt understood idealism and materialism better.


    He had been educated in materialism back on Earth, resulting in a deeply ingrained materialist worldview. Transported to this world unshrouded by religion and gods, even though magic introduced fantastical elements, the world fundamentally remained materialist.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean idealism is wrong¡ªIndeed, no one on Earth could prove that idealism is absolutely incorrect.


    Idealism and materialism are merely two different philosophical methods to comprehend the world.


    Liszt knew little about philosophy; at this moment, he was using the two terms to express his insight into exploring the barrier: ¡°The barrier is a door, Leo, it exists in this world, strictly guarding the triangular theory of magic power, material, and spirit, maintaining the world¡¯s operation, and what we need to do is to push open this door.¡±


    ¡°How do we push it open?¡±


    ¡°Push it open from within ourselves, because the barrier, this door, also exists within our hearts, as we are all part of the world. To become as powerful as the Dragon of the Magic Web, we must open this door, break through the triangular theory, step outside the world¡¯s operational system¡­ and touch it!¡±


    Leo landed on the summit of the volcano, and Liszt sat on its back, the afterglow of the sunset casting a golden glow on man and dragon, as though they were a motionless statue.


    Yet, their hearts were aflame, as magic power and Dou Qi boiled within.


    Materialism had long been ingrained in his worldview, and to assimilate an idealistic perspective was like negating himself; yet, it was the only path to transcendence.


    ¡°Difficult!¡±


    ¡°Truly difficult!¡±


    ¡°Even though I¡¯ve come to understand the real meaning of barriers, I still have no clue about how to break them,¡± he said as he slowly shook his head while the sun dipped completely below the horizon, his lips curling into a smile, ¡°but¡­ I have indeed successfully touched the barrier!¡±


    The long-unseen Smoke Serpent Script floated before his eyes.


    ¡°Complete the task, receive the favor of destiny.¡±


    The two hundred and third Smoke Mission, also the longest one, was finally successfully completed, earning him the long-anticipated reward of destiny¡¯s favor.


    At that moment,


    Liszt understood the favor of destiny he was rewarded.


    Because the Smoke Serpent Script before him didn¡¯t morph into new scripts but slowly dissipated. At the same time in his mind, a smoky fog formed an oval seed¡ªit didn¡¯t look like a seed at all, yet Liszt knew it was one.


    It could also be called a Smoke Dragon Seed.


    It represented a brand-new Holy Dragon-Smoke Dragon, being nurtured in his mind just like Fire Dragon Leo and Water Dragon Walter had been in his body. Except the Smoke Dragon, in this form, was slowly breathing in and out the power of destiny in his mind.


    ¡°No more Smoke Missions from now on¡­¡±


    ¡°However, the power of destiny is slowly reviving. I don¡¯t know how much time the Smoke Dragon needs to be nurtured, but clearly, I am the greatest beneficiary.¡±


    ¡°Because.¡±


    ¡°I am favored by destiny, the power of destiny centers around me, and everything will flow smoothly, extending blessings. In this moment, I am the Smoke Dragon!¡± He could feel the Smoke Dragon Seed in his mind, perhaps due to the long immersion, it had already been marked by him.


    Which meant, even if the Smoke Dragon was nurtured, he would no longer need to ride it.


    He even felt that the Smoke Dragon might not even develop an independent Dragon character.


    Because unlike Fire Dragon Leo and Water Dragon Walter, all the nutrients of the Smoke Dragon Seed came from Liszt. There wasn¡¯t the slightest power left from the previous generation of Smoke Dragon, even the power of destiny was gathered through Liszt. Task after task completed, destiny magnified over and over.


    Declaring himself as the Smoke Dragon wasn¡¯t mere boasting, but a fact.


    ¡°Moreover, I can also feel that the birth of this Smoke Dragon Seed has given me a newfound clear perspective on destiny. It¡¯s as if I can myself avoid disasters and fortunes, even manipulating the threads of destiny around me¡­ This power, for the first time, is truly under my control!¡±


    Riding on Leo, he sprinted towards the distant Phoenix City.


    While passing through the Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest, he immediately had a marvelous epiphany¡ªa sense that within the forest, with just a thought, he could manipulate the threads of destiny to allow the two Phoenix Perch Parasol trees to nurture elves¡ªand then he did exactly that. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Greater Elf Ani, riding the Flame Dragon Bird Little Red, appeared.


    Liszt then told Ani, ¡°Ani, keep an eye on these two trees, see if they nurture any Elf Bugs, and call me immediately if they do.¡±


    Wearing a small-sized Knight¡¯s Leather Armor, Ani slapped his chest confidently, ¡°Leave this small task to me!¡±

 Chapter 1062 - 1062 1059 My Kingdom

    ?Chapter 1062: Chapter 1059: My Kingdom Chapter 1062: Chapter 1059: My Kingdom Phoenix City is a dominion-level city yet to be developed; its main streets have been planned out, but construction hasn¡¯t begun yet. Currently, within the entire Endless Volcano Domain, there¡¯s only one small city¡ªPhoenix Tree City.


    Phoenix Tree City is the town originally situated on the edge of Phoenix Perch Parasol Forest.


    With the development of Fire Dragon Elixir, this small town seized an opportunity for growth; even the Magic Guild established a branch here, mainly responsible for locally gathering Magic Potions and refining Fire Dragon Elixir. The sole purpose of these elixirs is to continually supply Fire Dragon Leo.


    The influence of Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Greater Elf Ani¡¯s Cordyceps is massive, covering nearly 60,000 acres, all cultivated with Phoenix Perch Parasol Trees.


    Even the constantly produced Fire Dragon Elixir still couldn¡¯t satisfy Leo¡¯s urgent needs.


    Moreover, the Volcanic Super Magic produced by several active volcanoes also gradually became scarce. Hence, in these past two years, Leo¡¯s growth had stalled, with his body length and wingspan both maintained at sixty-five meters¡ªa considerable distance from the adult standard of a hundred-meter wingspan and body length.


    ¡°I have already become the master of my fate; the next step is to find more potions like Fire Dragon Elixir to help Leo continue growing.¡±


    Surveying the still desolate Phoenix City, Liszt calculated how to break through the barriers.


    He had now touched the barriers and understood what they truly were. Not only the barriers of Fire Attribute Mana but, broadly speaking, the barriers of other types of mana, and even material and spiritual barriers, were beginning to show signs of their nature. However, the most hopeful way to break through the barriers was still to cooperate with Leo.


    Alone, one simply couldn¡¯t achieve such inherently idealistic feats.


    Exploring the root of the barrier, this ¡°nothingness¡± itself was an extremely harsh condition, only barely met by Dragon Knights, to create ¡°nothingness¡± to touch and break through the barriers¡ªperhaps Archmages could also touch the barriers, but breaking them was indeed too difficult.


    After all, the magic system behind Archmages relies on the mana from the Dragon of the Magic Web, not their own power.


    ¡°Because Leo isn¡¯t mature, his power can¡¯t reach its limit; it¡¯s tough for me to create the ¡®nonexistent¡¯ environment required, making it even hard to break through this layer of barriers.¡±


    After encountering the barriers, Liszt gradually formed a complete cultivation plan: ¡°So my future focus in cultivation is to help Leo mature as soon as possible¡­ For the other dragons, there¡¯s still no clue on breaking the barriers.¡± Even Formless Dragon Bard was not the first choice.


    It¡¯s still hard to precisely describe the material barriers with idealistic thoughts.


    He wasn¡¯t one to aim too high and said, ¡°Since I¡¯ve chosen to conquer the barriers from the angle of Fire Attribute Mana, I¡¯ll throw all my efforts into it, side by side with Leo to break the barriers first. Once we have the experience of breaking through barriers, I¡¯ll then journey to new realms together with Bard and other dragons.


    ¡°But!¡±


    ¡°Regardless of everything.¡±


    ¡°Now, I am no longer merely a Dragon Knight, although I¡¯m not yet a Barrier Knight¡­ Maybe I could call my current state a Half-Step Barrier Knight?¡± Though the title Half-Step Barrier Knight is somewhat melodramatic, it aptly describes Liszt¡¯s current state.


    The power of a Completion-term Dragon Knight is subject to strict confines, belonging to the ¡°pinnacle of strength.¡±


    Yet Liszt had touched the barriers and understood the principle of creation from nothingness. His and Leo¡¯s power subtly transformed, presenting as a ¡°boiling¡± display of magic. The operation speed of Dragon¡¯s Super Magic and Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi was incredibly fierce, and their exerted power also became immense.


    This was just a change, not yet a transformation, but the increase in power was unmistakably clear.


    ¡°Now, even if I were to face a regular dragon alone, wouldn¡¯t it be no problem at all? If I and Leo achieve Unity of Man and Dragon, I fear there exists no Dragon Knight who could withstand our attack.¡± The boost in strength brought him boundless confidence; he seemed to foresee himself conquering every corner and uniting the Northeastern Corner of Legendary Continent in a grand scene.


    Thinking.


    His lips couldn¡¯t help but curve into a smile: ¡°It probably won¡¯t be long¡­ before Flame Kingdom turns into Flame Imperial!¡±


    Suddenly, he raised his eyebrows, and Leo let out a thunderous ¡°Oh!¡± transformed into a trail of flames, and disappeared over the skies of Phoenix City.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Leo, we will return and prepare to be crowned king!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Brother, you have changed.¡±


    Ach exclaimed upon seeing Liszt for the first time in the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Ach, tell me how I have changed?¡± Liszt was also surprised by Ach¡¯s sensitivity; he had just touched the barrier, and it had already been noticed. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Brother¡¯s temperament has changed. Ach cannot quite pinpoint it, but it feels rather strange compared to before.¡±


    ¡°So, do you think this change is good or bad?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a good change.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s very good then.¡± Liszt smiled proudly and then took Ach¡¯s hand, sharing his current joy, ¡°After reading your summary notes, I was inspired and went to the volcanic magma and then comprehended the essence of the barrier.¡±


    He then shared his understanding of the barrier with Ach without reservation, which made Ach immediately want to return to the laboratory to verify the information.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Ach. In these next few days, my kingdom¡¯s founding ceremony will take place. Put aside trivial matters and join me in sharing this supreme moment of glory.¡±


    Ach didn¡¯t like attending bustling events.


    But faced with Liszt¡¯s warm invitation, he couldn¡¯t refuse: ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t always think about work and research, come on, Ach, smile. From birth to death, our lives are filled with endless work and research, but when it¡¯s time to relax, we must decisively relax. Otherwise, when we get old, we¡¯ll only regret missing out on too much scenery.¡±


    He took Ach¡¯s hand and led him to the highest room in the Sun Moon Star Palace, then up the stairs to a small balcony at the top.


    From here, they could overlook all of Flame King City.


    ¡°Do you remember when you first came to Fresh Flower Town, living in the small castle, only able to look out the window each day, admiring that small patch of farmland?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ach remembers.¡±


    ¡°Back then, I was just a countryside baron, and you were just a little sea monster being chased by sea serpents. However, six or seven years have passed in a blink, and you have become an embodiment of truth in the world¡ªa magus¡ªand I have become a Dragon Knight of several dragons. Now, the Flame Kingdom we started together is about to be established¡­ Ach, do you feel accomplished?¡±


    Ach smiled, ¡°Does brother feel accomplished?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely full of accomplishment.¡± Liszt stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance, radiating heroic pride, ¡°This vast fertile land, all my domain; these bustling crowds, all my subjects; everything prospering and desolate before us, all my kingdom.¡±


    He turned around.


    He looked down at Ach¡¯s beautiful face, and then, amidst Ach¡¯s expectant and nervous gaze, kissed the soft lips of the little sea monster.


    Lands and beauty.


    Children make choices, Liszt wants it all.

 Chapter 1063 - 1063 1060 When to Enter the Stage

    ?Chapter 1063: Chapter 1060: When to Enter the Stage Chapter 1063: Chapter 1060: When to Enter the Stage The landscape was picturesque, a moment filled with many heroes.


    On January 1, 158 of the Sapphire Calendar, the festive atmosphere on Flame Island was subdued, as it was overshadowed by the Kingdom Foundation Ceremony of the Flame Kingdom.


    As the first rays of sunlight pierced the cold morning air, the brightly decorated Flame King City was already bustling, with all residents rising early and gathering along both sides of the Gilded Boulevard. The Gilded Boulevard, fenced off, was carpeted with gold and red, stretching from one end of the city to the other.


    Doo-doo-doo-doo¡­


    The sound of horns blended with the music, as the Royal Palace¡¯s band began to perform. The nobles here preferred the elegant piano played indoors, but that didn¡¯t mean other instruments weren¡¯t developed. The Royal Palace¡¯s band included several folk musicians who performed atop floats in formation.


    It was a joyful tune.


    Soon, accompanied by the tune, a male chorus resonated.


    ¡°How splendid that bright sunlight is, after the storm the sky is so clear, the fresh air is so enchanting, how splendid that bright sunlight is, ah, your eyes sparkle with light, like the radiant, splendid sun¡­ like the radiant, splendid sun, her eyes forever the most beautiful in my heart.¡±


    This was a folk song widely circulated in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent¡ª¡±My Sun.¡± The Serpent Script of Steel Ridge, the Wind Language of Eagle, and the Rock Script of Blast Furnace Fortress all had translations of this folk song.


    At the moment, the male chorus was singing ¡°My Sun¡± in Serpent Script, which had been designated the official language of the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°Like the radiant, splendid sun¡­¡±


    The ordinary citizens lining the Gilded Boulevard soon joined the choir in singing the folk song, a tune nearly everyone knew how to sing.


    When the song concluded, the band and choir¡¯s floats had already made their way onto the Gilded Boulevard.


    At this point behind the floats, a series of open-topped carriages followed one after another, each carrying nobles dressed in the splendid attire of Flack Abaie.


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s Viscount Blair, I know him, he¡¯s an administrative officer from our Flame King City!¡±


    ¡°Behind him is Viscount Isaiah, the administrative officer from Reed City; I¡¯ve seen Viscount Isaiah conducting inspections of goods when I was doing business there!¡±


    ¡°They are all viscounts, why don¡¯t I see any earls or marquises?¡±


    ¡°I heard that marquises and earls, these great nobles, aren¡¯t participating in the street parade; today, they are being enfeoffed at a ceremony in the Royal Palace!¡±


    ¡°When will I also be able to sit in a carriage and receive cheers?¡±


    ¡°You can stop dreaming about that.¡±


    Three hundred and sixty-six carriages, carrying three hundred and sixty-six viscounts, paraded ostentatiously. Following the viscounts¡¯ carriages was another group of nobles dressed in Flack Abaie attire. However, compared to the viscounts¡¯ glamorous appearance, they were dressed a bit more modestly¡ªthis was the baron formation.


    One thousand two hundred and forty barons, all mounted on steeds, showed clear distinctions in the types of horses. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some barons rode shiny, large, and robust black horses, which were members of the Burning Legion¡¯s purebred Black Blood Treasured Horses; others rode slightly shorter black horses, which were the feudal barons¡¯ mixed-breeds of Black Blood Treasured Horses.


    Some barons rode brown, yellow, or red horses, which were the mounts of lifetime barons, merely ordinary warhorses.


    Though the barons did not ride in carriages, their imposing presence on horseback was even more striking, earning them plenty of cheers from the crowds lining the Gilded Boulevard, especially from the daughters of merchants and craftsmen, who frequently cast flirtatious glances at the knights atop their horses¡ªthey didn¡¯t dare aspire to viscounts, but barons were still within their reach to contemplate.


    After the Barons, came the procession of the Honored Knights.


    Although tens of thousands of Honored Knights existed, not all had come since they still bore the responsibility of managing their domains; thus, only five hundred representatives were present.


    A procession of nearly two thousand people thus embarked upon the Gilded Boulevard, marching steadily forward.


    They soon reached the Triumphal Arch that stood at the center of Flame King City, where Magicians cast their spells upon the Arch. Multicolored magic soared into the sky, drawing exclamations from the citizens. It was like the fireworks on Earth, beautiful and smokeless, both environmentally friendly and natural.


    Passing through the Triumphal Arch, the procession continued north along the Gilded Boulevard and soon arrived at the Royal Palace Square of Sun Moon Star Palace.


    The square, adjacent to Flame King City, was usually off-limits to commoners.


    But on this universally celebrated day, the square was opened to the public, hence it had been filled early with a large influx of commoners and Noble families. In this strictly hierarchical society, there was a clear divide between Nobles and commoners, with the Nobles gathering in a separate area, maintaining a distance from the commoners.


    No commoner dared cross this line.


    Even mischievous children would be promptly pulled back by their parents.


    The procession arrived at the square and went through a procedure¡ªparking their carriages and horses and then regathering in the square.


    As the sun climbed high, around nine in the morning, a new round of orchestra and choir performances began. At this time, a large number of Nobles, Grand Magicians, and envoys from various countries emerged from the Royal Palace and entered the pre-arranged viewing stand. Three individuals made particularly stunning entrances.


    Leading the charge was Light Green Gem Dragon Knight, Emily Flame, who rode directly on Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan to the Royal Palace Square, circling the area before guiding Ethan to land in the center of the square.


    She dismounted the dragon.


    Ethan flapped his wings, issuing a high-pitched dragon¡¯s cry, and flew out of the square to land on the waist of Moon Mountain. Emily, amidst many admiring and envious gazes, walked to the viewing stand and sat in the seat marked with her name.


    Next to shock the audience was Duke Li Weiliam Tulip of Tulip Island, who did not ride his Broken Horn Storm Dragon Horse. Instead, he stepped on the head of the Giant Lion, Nimia, walked to the edge of the square, and then leapt into the square and walked to his seat.


    The Giant Lion, Nimia, also roared and crouched on a nearby open space by the square, putting immense pressure on the crowd.


    The third to make an appearance was Archmage Lerald Truth, who sat on a glittering carpet, cloaked in radiant gold as he flew into the square. For a moment, his Light System Magic nearly blinded everyone; by the time their eyes adjusted, he had already taken his seat.


    Clearly,


    These spectacular entries had been orchestrated by Liszt to enhance the atmosphere of the founding ceremony of Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ what a grand celebration.¡±


    The envoy of Eagle Kingdom, Alexander White Iron, watched the dragons of his former Kingdom, along with Giant Lion, Nimia, and the majestic entrance of the Archmage.


    Although he was full of grievances, he dared not voice his complaints, resorting to muttering under his breath.


    On the surface, he maintained a smile, engaging in lively conversation with the envoy from Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, ¡°I wonder when His Majesty the King will make his appearance.¡±


    The envoy from Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom was about to reply,


    when suddenly, a commanding, dominant dragon¡¯s cry rose from the direction of the Royal Palace, a sound that seemed capable of penetrating heaven and earth, instantly quieting the entire square.


    ¡°Oh!¡±

 Chapter 1064 - 1064 1061 Now Entering the Scene

    ?Chapter 1064: Chapter 1061: Now Entering the Scene Chapter 1064: Chapter 1061: Now Entering the Scene ¡°Fire Dragon!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the sound of a Fire Dragon!¡±


    ¡°His Majesty the King¡¯s first dragon, could this mean His Majesty is about to make an appearance?¡±


    The crowd in the square was filled with eager anticipation, but to their surprise, following that ¡°oh¡± roar, the Fire Dragon they expected did not appear. Instead, another resounding dragon¡¯s cry came from behind the Royal Palace.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the sound of a Mountain Copper Dragon!¡±


    No one needed reminding, as soon sharp-eyed individuals were already pointing at the sky above the palace: ¡°Dragon! Dragon! Dragon!¡± It was unmistakably a golden dragon flying over.


    ¡°Ah, sparkling with gold, is it a Golden Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize it? It¡¯s His Majesty the King¡¯s Mountain Copper Dragon, a Magic Metal Dragon, even more noble than the Golden Dragon!¡±


    ¡°All dragons are noble, each in their own right!¡±


    The sparkling Mountain Copper Dragon Mata quickly flew over the square and just like the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan before, circled around once and headed straight for Sun Mountain, alighting midway up its slope.


    The crowd¡¯s astonishment had not yet subsided.


    At this moment, another majestic dragon cry echoed: ¡°Roar¡±


    Following this, a silver-white dragon approached. Those who recognized dragons already cried out in astonishment¡ªit was the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn. Ornn circled once and also flew towards Moon Mountain, squatting on its slopes not far from Ethan, gazing back toward the direction of the square.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Once again, along with the dragon¡¯s roar, a slightly smaller grey and white dragon approached¡ªit was the Aluminum Dragon Connor. Circling the square once, it flew to the middle of Sun Mountain.


    ¡°Yo-ho!¡±


    Following the Aluminum Dragon, with a slightly youthful dragon cry, another beautiful young dragon with light blue scales flew into the square.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Many people were puzzled in their hearts, unable to recognize this dragon. Especially the envoys from other nations, who were shocked. The dragons that had appeared before all had profiles and were not abrupt revelations. However, this beautiful young dragon was exposing itself to everyone for the first time.


    So it was quite clear.


    This was yet another new dragon!


    ¡°How is this possible? Fire Dragon, Formless Dragon, Mountain Copper Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, Light Green Gemstone Dragon, Aluminum Dragon, Bone Dragon, and adding this one, Liszt already has eight dragons?¡± Alexander White Iron swallowed hard instinctively, his palms beginning to sweat.


    The present Eagle Kingdom, not counting its vassals, only had eight dragons in its Dragon Nest!


    The newly established Flame Kingdom had already caught up with the Eagle Kingdom in terms of the number of dragons, and what was most crucial was that the Flame Kingdom also possessed a Sacred Dragon!


    Truly terrifying!


    The envoy from Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, standing next to Alexander, also changed color. Though Blast Furnace Fortress was far from the Flame Kingdom, the rapidly developing Flame Kingdom was putting enormous pressure on the envoy¡ªsuch a speed in dragon taming would make the empire nervous.


    Only the envoy from Steel Ridge Kingdom, Mathew of the Red and White Roses, was overjoyed: ¡°Liszt is even stronger than I imagined. Once he becomes my brother-in-law, the Red and White Rose Family will have the backing of two royal families, our influence should be no different from that of the Royal Family!¡±


    Mathew, who was used to getting everything he wanted with money since childhood, naturally assumed that with wealth, the Red and White Rose Family could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Royal Family.


    ¡°My lord Duke, what kind of dragon is this?¡± Marquis of Pea Island Dimaria Jasper, looking at the newly arrived young dragon, was also caught in surprise. He had never seen this dragon before either, ¡°This must be His Majesty¡¯s eighth dragon, His Majesty¡¯s glory is too incredible.¡±


    Li Weiliam responded with a slight smile, restraining himself as he replied, ¡°It¡¯s quite normal that you haven¡¯t seen it before. It is an Elemental Dragon¡ªthe Water Dragon¡­ Water Dragon Walter. He¡¯s still quite young and temperamental, and has always been reared in the sea by Liszt.¡±


    Water Dragon Walter was originally meant to be Liszt¡¯s hidden trump card.


    But after touching the barrier, he started to breed the Smoke Dragon, realizing that he had become invincible in the world. The schemes of the three great empires were in vain, so there was no need to continue concealing his power. Consequently, he decided to display all his dragons during the Founding Ceremony, to enhance his prestige.


    And so,


    Walter¡¯s entrance quickly stirred up a huge commotion among the nobles, but they were not given much time to calm their emotions. Walter circled around the plaza and then landed directly on the peak of Moon Mountain¡ªhis stature was small enough that there was ample space for him to coil upon the mountaintop without being crowded on the mountainside.


    Soon, another familiar dragon chant¡ªsharp and high-pitched¡ª¡±Woo Yi Ya¡± abruptly exploded in the air above the plaza. It nearly scared the commoners into wetting their pants, and even the nobles observing from the stands almost lost their composure. The dragon chant was so sudden that it felt like it exploded right by everyone¡¯s ear.


    As everyone came back to their senses, the Formless Dragon Bard had just revealed his form, circling the sky before flying towards the summit of Sun Mountain, and coiling at its highest point.


    His body, like flowing crystal, was dazzling and mesmerizing.


    ¡°His Majesty the King actually chose not to make his entrance riding the Sacred Dragon, how strange,¡± someone murmured as they saw the Sacred Dragon take the stage alone while Liszt had yet to appear.


    ¡°Yes, and with only the Fire Dragon and the Bone Dragon yet to make an entrance, could His Majesty be planning to ride the Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°The Fire Dragon, noble as it may be, cannot compare to the Sacred Dragon. Besides, the Fire Dragon is known as an Evil Dragon.¡± In the eyes of many, dragons are the epitome of nobility, regardless of type, but the Sacred Dragon clearly ranks higher in nobility than the Elemental Dragons¡ªFormless Dragon Bard is known as the only Sacred Dragon to have appeared on the Legendary Continent.


    Before Bard¡¯s appearance, many people, including those from Dragon Rearing Families, did not believe in the existence of Sacred Dragons.


    ¡°Perhaps His Majesty is sentimental. His first dragon was the Fire Dragon, and both the Flame Kingdom and his surname were named after it.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. The Flame Kingdom¡­ If not for sentiment, His Majesty wouldn¡¯t have chosen such a name for his kingdom in the middle of the sea.¡±


    The discussions went on for quite some time because after Bard¡¯s appearance, there was a long wait for another dragon to show up¡ªcurrently, only Fire Dragon Leo and Bone Dragon Vinnie had yet to make their entrance.


    ¡­


    ¡°They should have already digested the ¡®Dragon Exhibit¡¯ ceremony I meticulously arranged. Archmage Acherloides, please join me in putting a perfect end to this Dragon Exhibit ceremony.¡±


    Behind the Sun Moon Star Palace, Fire Dragon Leo was squatting on the ground. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On its back, hand in hand, stood Acherloides and Liszt, with the Unicorn Charlie by Acherloides¡¯s side and Liszt dressed in Bone Dragon Armor.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Acherloides responded with a sweet smile. That innocent smile now had a touch of a girl¡¯s coyness, and her clear eyes also held a hint of sweet affection.


    She had grown up.


    After a kiss from Liszt, the Sea Serpent girl quickly revealed the fragrance of a budding blossom.


    Snort!


    Behind them, Unicorn Charlie snorted with disdain.


    It seemed that Charlie held a deep prejudice against Liszt for such vulgar human behavior, offending the purity it recognized. Yet it chose not to leave Acherloides¡¯s side¡ªperhaps its recognized purity was but a state of mind, a pure sense of being, or maybe it had grown accustomed to its current life.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Liszt, Acherloides, don¡¯t waste any more time!¡± An accusation tinged with a childish tone resounded, which was surprisingly Thorn Greater Elf Jela, wearing a gorgeous Flack Abbieye, who had flown over at some point.


    Liszt and Acherloides exchanged a smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Acherloides mounted Unicorn Charlie, Liszt climbed onto the Dragon Tooth Platform on Leo, and together they soared into the sky.


    In this moment, Dragon Knight Liszt Flame, the founder of the Flame Kingdom, and Archmage Acherloides Truth officially made their entrance.


    ¡°Wowah!¡±


    Jela shouted, flapping a pair of transparent wings in a hurry, scrambling to land on Liszt¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Wait for me!¡±

 Chapter 1065 - 1065 1062 Quietness

    ?Chapter 1065: Chapter 1062 Quietness Chapter 1065: Chapter 1062 Quietness The colossal black and red figure rose from behind the Sun Moon Star Palace, with illusory flames circling around the Fire Dragon as if it were a rising sun.


    Despite the golden sun already present in the sky, Li Si Te¡¯s (Liszt¡¯s) entrance plunged the Royal Palace Square, filled with whispers, into silence. All nobles and commoners turned their eyes toward the imposing Fire Dragon above Sun Moon Star Palace, which could rival the red sun.


    ¡°His Majesty has emerged!¡±


    Some sharp-eyed individuals had already spotted Liszt riding on the back of the Fire Dragon, clad in white armor that shimmered with a pale blue light.


    ¡°And Prince Archmage as well!¡± someone noticed the Unicorn beside the Fire Dragon and the figure nearly enveloped in a Magic Cloak on its back.


    Though the Unicorn¡¯s size was vastly different from that of the Fire Dragon, its brilliant glow was not the slightest bit dimmed.


    The Fire Dragon, akin to the red sun, drew closer and closer, and in a blink, it landed on the Palace Square. Its massive frame struck the ground rocks, causing the entire square to tremble¡ªthe building materials of the Palace were strengthened with magic and mixed with rubber water, which would not be damaged unless under a powerful attack.


    Bang!


    Liszt, wearing Bone Dragon Armor and wielding a Bone Dragon Sword, leapt from the dragon¡¯s back. He nodded at Li Ao (Leo), and the Fire Dragon soared back into the sky, heading directly for a landing midway up Moon Mountain. The show was not over yet, as the Bone Dragon Armor on Liszt suddenly transformed into a bluish light and cascaded toward the outskirts of the square.


    In the flickering light, a Bone Dragon towered on the ground, and the blue flames in its eye sockets shivered, giving an eerie sensation.


    The next moment, Bone Dragon Vinnie crouched down, mirroring Nimia the Giant Lion on the other side of the square.


    They staunchly guarded the safety of the Royal Palace Square. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All eight dragons took their positions, making Sun Mountain, Moon Mountain, and the Sun Moon Star Palace, though not very tall, seem like a sanctum for humans and a sacred land for dragons.


    They shone brightly and radiated magnificence.


    Ach dismounted from Unicorn Charlie.


    Charlie stepped gently into the void and without looking back, entered the Sun Moon Star Palace. It wasn¡¯t Liszt¡¯s mount, and it held in contempt such ostentatious displays by Liszt. Having delivered Ach had been more than enough; there was no need to maintain a facade for Liszt¡¯s sake.


    It wasn¡¯t until the powerful creatures had lined up or departed that the crowd turned their gaze back to a man and woman walking arm-in-arm¡ªa common nobility social etiquette for the opposite sexes¡ªtoward the podium. Ach, being petite and cloaked in a Magic Cloak, was not conspicuous.


    However, Liszt, towering at one meter ninety-three, was markedly proud and transcendent.


    Especially since he wore a Gemstone Crown on his head¡ªthe Gemstone Crown was usually in Ach¡¯s custody and served as the King¡¯s crown in crucial moments¡ªwith thirty-six gemstones of varying sizes and colors, lavishly adorning the crown and stealing all focus at a glance.


    Beneath the crown was densely packed light-gold hair, naturally curly, and an extraordinarily handsome face that could make most women green with envy.


    In his youth, Liszt had a softness on his face.


    But now, at the age of twenty-four, Liszt had shed all traces of youthfulness, and his face bore sheer determination and a noble demeanor. About half a year ago, he had started to grow a beard¡ªnot the thick kind, with clean cheeks and only a circle around the lips and chin.


    This circle of beard added mature masculine charm and heightened the majesty of a King.


    He wore a suit of evening dress in the form of tailcoats, not in the conventional black and white, but a striking mix of gold, red, and black. Common folk wouldn¡¯t be able to pull off such vibrant colors, yet with Liszt¡¯s fine physique and temperament, coupled with the tailor¡¯s clever design, he managed it flawlessly.


    This was not traditional noble attire, nor was it that of the flamboyant King Flack¡¤Abbaie, which made it seem somewhat peculiar to those in the square.


    But solely the authority and demeanor of Liszt swiftly made everyone overlook the novelty of the dress. Their eyes fervently followed their own King ascending the platform of power, step by step.


    Many also noticed the Thorn Greater Elf Jela strutting behind Liszt¡ªJela was quite famous, and everyone knew it was Liszt¡¯s first Minor Elf, frequently mentioned in the many fabricated biographies of Liszt.


    However.


    Nobody really cared about Jela. They thought that Jela accompanying Liszt in the procession was just a matter of Liszt honoring the past. Jela herself was not particularly special¡ªafter all, Liszt owned three Dragon Elves, and no matter how excellent Jela was, she was just a Greater Elf.


    Of course, Jela did not see it that way. She puffed out her chest and followed Liszt with pride, as if she were the protagonist about to receive the cheers of the crowd.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°I must maintain a noble image, Liszt. Move aside a bit. Don¡¯t block my flight path.¡±


    Liszt did not hear Jela¡¯s muttering. Even though he had prepared himself diligently for such an occasion, he still felt too excited to calm down. He maintained a calm and composed demeanor, delivered Ach to her place on the viewing platform, and then turned around to shove Jela into Ach¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Stop causing trouble, Jela.¡± He sent a reprimand to Jela in his mind before stepping onto his own platform of power.


    Facing the viewing platform and the entire Royal Palace Square, he took a deep breath.


    He lifted the King¡¯s Scepter that was embedded on the platform and held it in his hand¡ªthis was a scepter made from a Magic Metal Alloy, with no special abilities, merely a valuable decorative piece. But it symbolized the power of the King and was meant to be passed down through the generations.


    Taking another deep breath, Liszt raised the King¡¯s Scepter high in the air.


    Then, in an undeniable tone, he declared, ¡°My subjects, I am your King, Liszt Flame!¡±


    Boom!


    The entire square erupted at the start of Liszt¡¯s self-introduction. Everyone began to cheer wildly, both Nobles and commoners alike. The thunderous roar, like an explosion, quickly submerged everything else, as if it were a sudden tsunami, wave after wave crashing against the unwavering Liszt.


    He extended his right hand downward, signaling for the crowd to stop.


    But the waves of cheers continued, one after another, with no intention of stopping¡ªthe stunning display of the eight dragons earlier had already pushed the grand ceremony to a climax, and the excited populace needed an outlet for their emotions. Liszt¡¯s royal speech was just that outlet.


    If it were a different King, they might have calmly waited for the people¡¯s enthusiasm to run its course before delivering a long royal speech.


    But Liszt was not a ordinary King. He was the powerful Dragon Knight who had founded the Flame Kingdom by his own hand, a Half-Step Barrier Knight who touched the existence of barriers. He was not used to waiting. When he wanted his subjects to be quiet, that will would not be easily shaken.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Yo ho!¡±


    ¡°Hu ho!¡±


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The dragon¡¯s roars suddenly rose from Sun Mountain and Moon Mountain¡ªan awe-inspiring sound that penetrated the heavens and earth, swept through the Royal Palace Square in an instant, and effortlessly overshadowed the cheers of the people.


    When the dragon¡¯s roars faded,


    there wasn¡¯t a single person on the square who dared to cheer anymore.


    Only the clear voice of Liszt slowly rose.


    It clearly reached everyone¡¯s ears: ¡°As the sole master of the great seas, Lord of all islands, the Formless Dragon Knight, Fire Dragon Knight, Water Dragon Knight, Mountain Copper Dragon Knight, Grey Iron Dragon Knight, Bone Dragon Knight, Aluminum Dragon Knight, I declare to everyone in the Legendary Continent¡­¡±

 Chapter 1066 - 1066 1063 Dazzling

    ?Chapter 1066: Chapter 1063 Dazzling Chapter 1066: Chapter 1063 Dazzling ¡°I hereby declare to everyone on the Legendary Continent,¡± he announced with a majestic tone, ¡°that the Flame Kingdom rises above the Eastern Sea, succeeding the glorious civilizations of the Moon Empire and the Sun Empire. Today, on the First Day of the First Month of the First Year of the Flame Calendar, it officially becomes a new kingdom on the Legendary Continent, believing in the glory of knights, protecting the virtues of justice, inheriting the past and providing shelter for the people of the kingdom.¡±


    A pre-written oath was solemnly pronounced by Liszt, reaching the ears of everyone present at the Royal Palace Square.


    After he spoke,


    his mind connected with his dragon, which issued various dragon roars, ¡°Oh ho,¡± ¡°Roar,¡± ¡°Hoo ho,¡± ¡°Yo ho,¡± ¡°Wu yi ya,¡± incessantly resounding.


    The hushed crowd also erupted into cheers, and the Magician ¡°Fireworks Team¡± that had been prepared around the square began using Magic Equipment to continuously unleash various magics, instantly turning the sky into a spectacle of multicolored beauties, pleasing to both heart and sight.


    With a slight smile curving his lips, Liszt, holding the king¡¯s scepter, walked towards his throne on the stage¡ªa throne specially crafted from Magic Metal Alloy, symbolizing sheer luxury.


    During the interlude of ongoing cheers, servants of the Royal Palace and knight retainers hastily stepped into the square to clear the now unnecessary props and redecorate the Royal Palace Square, readying it for the next phase of the founding ceremony. Liszt took this opportunity to drink some water and glanced at the speech notes he carried with him.


    As the cheering gradually subsided, whispers quickly swelled, with the excited nobles and commoners passionately discussing the dragon display ceremony and the king¡¯s speech.


    ¡°The kingdom is finally established; from now on, we can truly call ourselves people of the Flame,¡± someone remarked.


    ¡°Indeed, no more Eagle People, Moon Slayers, or Sapphire People; we are all Flame People now, the subjects of our great King Liszt,¡± another added.


    ¡°The Majesty¡¯s speech was outstanding,¡± another said. ¡°Our Flame Kingdom even inherits the great civilizations of the Moon Empire and the Sun Empire.¡±


    ¡°I know about the Moon Empire, but what is the Sun Empire?¡± someone questioned.


    ¡°Never mind what it is, just hearing Moon and Sun, you know the Sun Empire was as great as the Moon Empire,¡± another person chimed in.


    ¡°The Light emanating from His Majesty was so bright, I couldn¡¯t even open my eyes,¡± another exclaimed.


    ¡°A kingdom, in my lifetime I have witnessed the birth of a great kingdom and had the honor to be a part in it, becoming a founding noble!¡± An Earl on the viewing platform was filled with emotion, having gone from a captive last year to a founding Earl this year.


    An envoy from a duchy also expressed deep emotions, ¡°King Liszt has truly become a legend of the Legendary Continent.¡±


    A noble lady, her eyes twinkling with stars, almost fainting from excitement, covered her chest, ¡°Although I might not agree with King¡¯s fashion taste, his noble demeanor is indeed intoxicating¡­ I truly hope I could have a chance to dance with His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I want to ride dragons too!¡± exclaimed a little commoner boy, clenching his fists. His name was Jim; he had migrated to Flame Island with his mother during last year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate War and was now attending Knight School. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Life on Flame Island is so blissful, all thanks to King Liszt, who will always protect us!¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is the greatest knight!¡±


    Countless praises were uttered by people of various standings, yet not everyone was moved by the king¡¯s speech.


    At least, Alexander White Iron, the envoy from Eagle Kingdom, had been anxious since the dragon display ceremony began: ¡°Eight dragons¡­ Although the founding ceremony is full of fanfare, Liszt¡¯s strength is undeniable. Adonis tasked me with assessing Flame Kingdom, how should I report back?¡±


    Liszt had indeed displayed unimaginable depth at the founding ceremony, any kingdom possessing eight dragons could dominate outright.


    Alexander knew of King Adonis¡¯s plans, which involved feigning weakness before striking a fatal blow. However, while it was easy to feign weakness, where would this fatal blow come from?


    To kill Liszt?


    A Dragon Knight who could conquer eight dragons, evade imperial assassinations¡ªa Dragon Knight of such unfathomable strength?


    With such Dragon Knights and eight dragons standing guard, it was clearly unrealistic to expect the Flame Kingdom to collapse easily.


    ¡°With the Flame Kingdom at the forefront is my Eagle Kingdom, Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress could perhaps make do, but where could my Eagle hide?¡±


    There were cheers all around, yet Alexander remained silent.


    However, he was not a solitary man, as the envoy from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom was also silent beside him. Unlike Alexander¡¯s deep concerns, although this envoy was also cautious, he was more thoughtful about how to maintain the balance of the four great kingdoms in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent.


    A triangle is the most stable structure¡ªpeople in this world who do not study geometry probably do not know this.


    However, those with some political sensitivity would guess that three kingdoms could coexist easily. If one was powerful, the other two could ally to prevent being swallowed. But with four kingdoms, many variables could arise, and the powerful Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom also had to consider more.


    ¡­


    Liszt was indifferent to what thoughts the Dragon Ceremony and king¡¯s speech might provoke among the envoys of various countries.


    He quickly signaled for the founding ceremony to proceed to the next part¡ªbestowing titles upon the nobles.


    Honored knights were the first to be ennobled, and due to the large number, Liszt did not need to perform the ennoblement ceremony personally. He only needed to recite a few lines written in the script, ¡°My followers, the war is over, but tomorrow still needs protection.¡±


    Watching the knights lined up, Liszt declared with spirit, ¡°I will repay courage with honor, loyalty with love, and betrayal with vengeance. Let the knight¡¯s glory be witnessed!¡±


    With a rustle,


    A group of knights knelt on both knees, stood up straight, and focused their gaze on Liszt.


    More than a dozen royal clerks held all the prepared materials and distributed them to each of the honored knights, including the badges, garments, cultural sticks, and fiefdom certificates.


    Once all the nobles had donned their badges on their chests, Liszt solemnly scanned the crowd and said, ¡°Considering your performance on the battlefield, your bold charges, your fearless acceptance of life and death, and the splendid glory you have brought to the Flame Kingdom¡­ now, as the King of the Flame Kingdom, I dub you as lords of the kingdom, in charge of fiefdoms, providing for knights, for my sake!¡±


    The knights all stood up and solemnly performed the oath of loyalty to the knight again, loudly responding, ¡°I will take charge of the fiefdom, provide for the knights, for my master¡¯s sake!¡±


    And so,


    The ennoblement ceremony was established, and the lords left in turn, returning to their original positions in the viewing stands. After the lords, it was the barons, the same lines and process, and soon these over a thousand barons also returned to their places. Then came the three hundred and sixty-six viscounts.


    Different from the ennoblement ceremonies of lords and barons was the ¡°king¡¯s callout¡± for the viscounts.


    The clerks took care of distributing the ennoblement materials to the nobles, while Liszt stood nearby and loudly declared to a viscount, ¡°Blair Steel-Nail, as the King of the Flame Kingdom, I dub you Viscount of Trifolium County.¡±


    Blair, who had followed Liszt from Fresh Flower Town, performed the knight¡¯s loyalty oath excitedly, his voice choked as he responded, ¡°I will take charge of Trifolium County, provide for knights, for my master¡¯s sake!¡±


    Nodding slightly,


    Liszt proceeded to the next viscount, loudly declaring, ¡°Isaiah Moss, as the King of the Flame Kingdom, I dub you Viscount of Drizzle County.¡±


    Every proclamation was met with a loud response of loyalty from a viscount. This lengthy yet solemn scene made the commoners and minor nobles watching the founding ceremony¡¯s blood boil, especially the younger children, who could hardly wait to rush home to train in Dou Qi and become glorious knights.


    They earned their achievements on the battlefield and accepted the king¡¯s land grant.


    Like the dazzling viscounts in the arena, receiving the attention of the entire crowd.

 Chapter 1067 - 1067 1064 Too High Profile

    ?Chapter 1067: Chapter 1064: Too High Profile Chapter 1067: Chapter 1064: Too High Profile Even reading each person¡¯s name along with a single sentence, the ceremony of assigning viscount titles still lasted a full two hours. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Together with the earlier knight parade, dragon display ceremony, and the king¡¯s speech, by the time it was ten in the morning, the coronation ceremony on the Royal Palace Square had been completed entirely, shifting to the Sun Moon Star Palace to commence the investiture of the earls and marquises.


    The process was not much different from the ceremonies for assigning viscount, baron, and honored titles.


    However, each earl and marquis elaborated considerably more, and thus, twenty-one marquises and sixty-four earls had managed to complete their investiture ceremonies before noon.


    ¡°The Flame Kingdom is newly established, and its founding nobility include not just honored titles, barons, viscounts, earls, and marquises, but also three dukes¡ªDuke Li Weiliam Tulip of Tulip Island, Duke Piero Grey Iron of Phoenix Tree Island, and Duke Bruce of Salty Sea, who was unable to attend the ceremony.¡±


    Liszt had presided over the entire morning¡¯s investitures, and was now parched and irritated, the initial excitement and agitation completely exhausted.


    Yet, he still mustered his energy to complete the final part of the ceremony, ¡°A separate investiture will be held for the three dukes on another day, but now it is time for the noon banquet, and I invite you all to join me.¡±


    The luncheon was held in the grand hall of the Royal Palace.


    All the nobles participated in the feast, with high-ranking nobles and envoys from various kingdoms gathering together, middle-ranking nobles sticking together, and the lower-ranking nobles as well. There was no talk of equality; the class system under the knight hierarchy was just so strict, yet no one complained.


    On the contrary, the lower-ranking nobles only envied and aspired to squeeze into the group of high-ranking nobles.


    The knight class has always been synonymous with ambition¡ªat least in the newly born Flame Kingdom, where knights had not yet become corrupt and still maintained zeal.


    ¡­


    The grand coronation, with the ending of the noon banquet, came to a perfect close, but the effects it brought about quickly rippled inwardly and outwardly.


    Feudal nobles had already departed Flame Island, taking with them the serfs and followers previously allocated to them, bound for their own fiefs.


    Particularly a batch of high-ranking nobles, who took a large number of serfs, reducing the population of Flame Island from five million to three million in an instant. Two million of those were direct subjects of Liszt, while the remaining million were subjects of the city nobles¡ªcity nobles who didn¡¯t have investiture rights but could support knights.


    The city nobles, also known as the knights of the Burning Legion, took over the administrative powers of several cities.


    However, many more cities remained under Liszt¡¯s name; after losing a large population, these cities needed a vast number of people to replenish all sectors of industry.


    In an era without automation or industrialization, the population was the most critical labor force.


    Liszt had only been excited for one day before being entangled in a multitude of kingdom affairs, even though he had formed an outer cabinet and inner cabinet, still, many decisions required his input.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Father, just call me Liszt, there¡¯s no need for royal titles between us,¡± Liszt, having a soul from Earth, couldn¡¯t adapt to the relationship where his father became his follower¡ªalthough he knew that in ancient China, such cases occurred too.


    He vaguely recalled it was during the Qing Dynasty or Ming Dynasty.


    There was an emperor who had no sons, hence he adopted a child from the royal family as his heir.


    After this child ascended the throne, he still struggled to manage relationships with his own father, engaging in a grand struggle with the ministers.


    Fortunately, the Flame Kingdom was created by Liszt himself; he could set the rules as he pleased.


    Li Weiliam Tulip showed a relieved smile, although he didn¡¯t mind bending the knee to his own son¡ªa trivial matter under the Knight system.


    However, Liszt¡¯s attitude pleased and gratified him, ¡°Liszt, now with the feudal nobles moving out, Flame Island is about to face the trouble of population shortage.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the Outer Cabinet¡¯s method of handling this?¡±


    ¡°The Outer Cabinet has discussed several times, undecided, but there are two plans. The first is to suspend the new city plans, stabilize the cities already developed, waiting for the population to gather and increase before considering new city construction. The second plan is to immediately launch a Pioneer Mandate war to plunder population.¡±


    Liszt thought briefly, didn¡¯t respond directly, but asked, ¡°How far has the joint plan with the Steel Ridge Kingdom progressed?¡±


    Li Weiliam Tulip shook his head, somewhat helplessly replying, ¡°Although the Steel Ridge Royal Family has decided to cooperate with our kingdom to divide up the Eagle Kingdom, the specific details and profit-sharing schemes are not something that can be finalized in a short time.¡±


    ¡°Direct contact with King Osborne, have him urge his nobles¡ªwar is better sooner than later, and we can¡¯t give the Eagle Kingdom a chance to react.¡±


    ¡°Osborne is all show, on the surface a bold and able king, but in reality, he¡¯s just a cautious custodian. According to the Magic Platform messages sent by the Blood Servant from the City of Steel, Osborne¡¯s multiple meetings end up with ministers arguing back and forth, still without any concrete results.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s useless, rotten wood cannot be carved¡­¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help but curse aloud, ¡°I lead the Dragon Slaying Battle, he leads the knight charge, we split the Eagle Kingdom equally¡ªsuch a simple arithmetic problem, and yet he needs so long to think about it¡­ Has it been over a year now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a year and a half, and it was I who personally went on a mission to the Steel Ridge Kingdom to finalize the plan,¡± said Li Weiliam Tulip.


    ¡°So dragging; if it weren¡¯t for my knights being insufficient, unable to swallow the whole Eagle Kingdom, I would have taken my dragons and attacked directly.¡± This wasn¡¯t merely bragging; on the level of a Dragon Knight, he was invincible, just let down by his subordinates¡¯ weakness.


    For the Flame Kingdom to swallow the Eagle Kingdom alone, the risk was too great.


    It might not just involve the Eagle Kingdom, but also include Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress, even possibly a few other nearby kingdoms¡ªit was hard to say the Eagle Kingdom wouldn¡¯t seek external help, especially since the Eagle Royal Family had once revealed Sacred Dragon news to the Kushan Imperial, and in desperation, anything could happen.


    Teaming up with the Steel Ridge Kingdom and distributing some interests to appease the surrounding kingdoms was the only way to smoothly swallow the Eagle Kingdom.


    Li Weiliam Tulip suddenly said, ¡°Liszt, there¡¯s a point worth debating¡ªthe appearance of eight dragons at the national founding ceremony¡­ I worry that with your increasing deterrence, the Steel Ridge Royal Family might abandon the cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Father, you mean Osborne could have been frightened by my speed of Dragon Riding?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve ridden the Sacred Dragon, the Fire Dragon, the Magic Metal Dragon, and now the Water Dragon, all within a few years¡­ Each dragon you add makes the three major kingdoms apprehensive about you. I¡¯m more worried that the three major kingdoms might have already started forming an alliance.¡±


    ¡°Any signs?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but I can¡¯t rule out the possibility.¡±


    Liszt frowned; such a possibility indeed wasn¡¯t out of the question. If he were king of the three major kingdoms, he would also be extremely wary of himself. The royal families of the three major kingdoms, after hundreds or thousands of years, had gathered only a few, a dozen dragons, yet he had done so in just a few years.


    Thinking of this, he sighed with some self-reproach, ¡°It seems I indeed have been too high-profile; next time I ride a Dragon, it should probably be kept on a deserted island, not to be overly exposed.¡±


    Beside him, the Duke of Tulip Island, pretending not to care, picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea.

 Chapter 1068 - 1068 1065 Video Conference

    ?Chapter 1068: Chapter 1065: Video Conference Chapter 1068: Chapter 1065: Video Conference No matter what, the plan to unite with the Steel Ridge Kingdom was still up in the air, success or failure uncertain.


    The persistent problem of population shortfall was a significant issue for the Flame Kingdom, and Liszt, eager for rapid achievements, was unwilling to slow down his development plans.


    Therefore, launching the Pioneer Mandate war was the best way forward.


    ¡°But the content of the Pioneer Mandate must be innovative,¡± Liszt said¡ª¡±Wool can¡¯t be sheared from the same place repeatedly; you have to switch locations to continue shearing,¡± which was a principle he clearly understood.


    ¡°If we do not plunder the Eagle Kingdom, we can only plunder the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy,¡± Li Weiliam said.


    ¡°Then notify Marquis Yevich Shuihuasheng of Heroic Yellow City and Marquis Amat Ice Shield of Thorn Left Territory, to speed up the conquest of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy. Before June arrives, I need at least five hundred thousand serfs transported back from there, and the more knights the better.¡±


    The Snowstorm Mountain Duchy was not a large duchy. Situated on the plateau and quite barren, its population barely totaled six to seven million.


    The internal war between the First Prince and the Second Prince had just begun, and already Yevich with the help of his father-in-law Amat had secretly transferred over five hundred thousand people to the Flame Kingdom. Now they wanted to extract another half million people; within a short year, the population would be reduced by a fifth.


    Further, the Yellowstone Kingdom was also covertly shearing wool, perhaps by the time the two princes decided the victor, the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy would be left with only half its population.


    Of course, this had nothing to do with Liszt. He was only concerned about the development of the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°Then I shall go and make the arrangements.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Father, I plan to hold your ducal investiture ceremony on January 15. I will have the Royal Inner Court prepare everything for the ceremony; just wait for the 15th to arrive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not fussy; any time would do.¡± Li Weiliam¡¯s usually unflappable face nevertheless revealed a smile he could not contain.


    There was a time when he was but an earl in the Sapphire Duchy, struggling to reach the status of marquis.


    He had assumed that achieving marquis status before his Dou Qi exhausted would be a knightly honor bestowed upon him, but with the rise of his second son, Liszt, his dreams had become easily achievable. Unknowingly, the marquisate was in hand, followed by the acquisition of the ¡°Domain Knight Manual.¡±


    He became an existence second only to a Dragon Knight.


    Power always complemented ambition, yet hardly had his ambition stirred when the prospect of ducal status was already within reach.


    Everything seemed like a dream.


    When he left the Sun Moon Star Palace, even walking felt as though he were about to float into the air¡ªas a Domain Knight could indeed fly in the air for prolonged periods.


    On the Royal Palace Square, his mount, the Broken Horn Storm Dragon Horse, was pacing about idly.


    The broken horn on top of this Super Dragon Beast¡¯s head had become even more magnificent. Not only was it forged from a Magic Metal Alloy core, but it was also embedded with tiny gemstones and inscribed with Magic Runes. This had been custom-ordered by Li Weiliam from the Magic Association, equivalent to a piece of powerful Magic Equipment.


    Mounting his steed, Li Weiliam called out, ¡°White Dragon Horse, let¡¯s set off.¡±


    Immediately, the Broken Horn Storm Dragon Horse flapped its wings, taking to the sky like a bolt of Lightning, and rapidly headed towards Flame King City. Moments later, it already landed in front of the towering and majestic offices of King¡¯s Castle.


    The whole King¡¯s Castle office was a six-story building reminiscent of the Victorian era, painted a conspicuous golden yellow, and faced the Triumphal Arch. The lengthy building was divided into three sections: one for the bureaucratic institutions of the King¡¯s Castle, one for the Inner Cabinet, and another for the Outer Cabinet.


    Li Weiliam¡¯s office was on the sixth floor, spacious and lavishly decorated. Allowing his personal attendant to take off his coat, he went straight to his petrified wood desk.


    He signaled his assistant, ¡°Convene the Outer Cabinet ministers for a meeting on the Magic Platform, set the time for two-thirty in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± the elegantly dressed female assistant, who could score an eighty in appearance, swayed her slender waist as she walked into the small conference room attached to the office.


    She began tapping away on a slightly large, intricately designed Magic Platform.


    Her fingers were slender, magic power flowing at her fingertips; she was indeed a magician¡ªalthough in Flame Kingdom, the term ¡°magician¡± was about to be obsolete. She was now a registered arcanist, specializing in communication arcanistry, specifically trained to operate the magic platform.


    The magic platform lit up, like a projector, casting a dozen screens on the walls of the meeting room.


    Before long, some screens turned from gray to colored, and then people dressed similarly to the female assistant appeared on the screens. Just as Earth had developed from text communication to video communication, the magic platform, after continuous development and improvement, had also entered the era of video communication.


    For Flame Kingdom, which had already conquered the magic teleportation array, developing video communication posed no technical difficulties. Ach used his spare time to come up with a video communication scheme, and then handed it over to the Magic Guild for development and design. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the cost of video magic platforms was extremely high, and the current production was only enough for the use of the inner and outer cabinet members and the training of professional communication arcanists.


    Others had yet to gain access to it.


    ¡°Posidoya Assistant, is the Prime Minister convening the magic platform meeting?¡± a woman asked from one of the screens.


    ¡°Yes, Oliya Assistant, please notify the First Minister of Internal Affairs to attend the magic platform meeting,¡± the female assistant replied.


    ¡°I will notify Lord Geoffrey right away, but since he is inspecting his domain, it may take some time.¡±


    ¡°The meeting is set for two-thirty in the afternoon; please make sure to inform the First Minister of Internal Affairs.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Thus, the female assistant went through the screens one by one, confirming the time of the magic platform meeting. Just as she finished the notifications and was about to shut down the magic platform, Li Weiliam had already walked in holding a glass of red wine.


    ¡°Posidoya, connect me to Tulip Castle,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Posidoya Assistant said as she manipulated the magic platform, soon projecting another screen. Until the magic platform connected, the screen remained gray¡ªTulip Castle did not have a video magic platform, and this Tulip Castle was a new duke¡¯s castle built on Tulip Island.


    Coral Island had been returned to Sapphire Duchy, and that former Tulip Castle had become a thing of the past. Only Black Horse Island remained a possession of Liszt in the form of an enclave. Black Horse Island had a natural node, and a magic teleportation array would be established there in the future to strengthen control over Sapphire Duchy.


    ¡°This is Tulip Castle,¡± a male voice came from the magic platform, and although it couldn¡¯t achieve video communication, ordinary magic platforms had long since been upgraded to voice communication.


    ¡°Levis?¡± Li Weiliam asked.


    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± came the reply.


    ¡°How is Loria¡¯s health?¡±


    ¡°Very well, she¡¯s constantly under the observation of a healing arcanist, and the twins in her belly are developing healthily,¡± Levis¡¯s voice revealed excitement. This was Loria¡¯s second pregnancy.


    ¡°Mm,¡± Li Weiliam was also pleased. Although his four-year-old grandson Richard had already shown excellent talent, he still held expectations for the unborn twins¡ªafter all, with Liszt as a shining example before them, who could guarantee that the second son might not turn out to be legendary.


    Indeed, since Liszt¡¯s rise, his legendary story had changed the awkward position of many noble second sons.


    Originally, most nobles ignored their second sons and let them fend for themselves, as the primogeniture system ensured that by fostering the first son, the family legacy could continue. But now, many nobles were willing to spread resources to cultivate their second sons in addition to the first, not necessarily hoping to produce another Liszt.


    As long as the second son could make a slight mark, the cultivation would not be in vain.


    And Liszt had become the irreplaceable idol in the hearts of many noble second sons. Every day, from the three great kingdoms and many duchies, a large number of noble second sons came from afar to seek allegiance. A good portion of the city¡¯s nobility were such second sons.


    Without the resources of a family, they relied entirely on Liszt for support and became vassals of the Flame Family.


    After a pause, Li Weiliam said indifferently, ¡°Levis, the 15th is my ennoblement ceremony. Calculate the time for yourself, bring your grandmother and the others, and hurry to Sun Moon Star Palace.¡±


    ¡°The ennoblement on the 15th, Father? Rest assured, I will arrange everything at home and rush to Sun Moon Star Palace immediately!¡± Levis laughed heartily.

 Chapter 1069 - 1069 1066 Continental Outline

    ?Chapter 1069: Chapter 1066: Continental Outline Chapter 1069: Chapter 1066: Continental Outline ¡°Dear, Father has set the date for his ennoblement, it will be on the 15th of this month, ha ha, our Tulip Family is about to become a Duke Family.¡±


    After ending the Magic Platform communication, Liszt hurried to his wife¡¯s room and said to Loria Gold Wheat Ear, who was heavily pregnant, ¡°This news is absolutely delightful. From Sapphire to Flame Island, the Tulip Family is finally about to enter a glorious moment!¡±


    Loria gently touched her belly and, although she smiled, she was not as excited as Liszt. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this already decided when Liszt promised to bequeath Tulip Island to Father? The Duke title was already secured then.¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Even so, not having it confirmed each day left me uneasy!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be uneasy about, Liszt. You shouldn¡¯t focus too much on titles, lands, or wealth here in the Flame Kingdom. You just need to stay close to Liszt. You are his brother, and the bond between you is stronger than any noble title could provide.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father is still here,¡± Liszt said nonchalantly.


    Loria frowned slightly but quickly relaxed, ¡°One day, the Tulip Family will be handed over to you, and you mustn¡¯t drift apart from Liszt.¡±


    Liszt responded sullenly, ¡°You always worry about unnecessary things.¡±


    However, Loria spoke seriously, ¡°Richard is already four years old, Liszt. I have made a decision.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Once the twins are born, I plan to ask Father to send Richard to the Sun Moon Star Palace. First, to accompany Father, since as Prime Minister of the Outer Cabinet, he spends more time residing at the Flame King City than at Tulip Castle. Second, it would also allow him to start training with the Burning Legion knights sooner.¡±


    ¡°Is that necessary, Loria? Richard is only four years old. When I was his age, I was still peeing and playing with mud in the castle garden.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Loria insisted, and even announced her decision during the castle¡¯s evening dinner.


    Lady Marie, not being Liszt¡¯s biological mother, did not comment.


    But Lady Penelope approved greatly, ¡°Loria¡¯s decision is very wise. Although I am sad to see Little Richard leave Tulip Castle, at the Sun Moon Star Palace, he will always be basking in Liszt¡¯s glory. Little Richard is incredibly fortunate to have a Dragon Knight uncle.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, it¡¯s just basic knight training. Do you think I can¡¯t teach him? I¡¯m a Sky Knight after all.¡±


    ¡°How can a Sky Knight compare to a Dragon Knight? Liszt, you¡¯re already thirty years old and still just a regular-level Sky Knight. Don¡¯t you see that?¡±


    Lady Penelope glanced at Liszt, who had once been her favorite grandson, but now her eyes mostly held Liszt.


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    Liszt coughed awkwardly.


    He wanted to say that being a thirty-year-old Sky Knight wasn¡¯t a poor achievement. However, given his grandmother¡¯s comparison with Liszt, a legendary Dragon Knight as radiant as the sun, he couldn¡¯t reply¡ªevery young prodigy in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent lived in Liszt¡¯s shadow.


    Essentially, Liszt was an existence that defied normal understanding.


    Seeing this, Loria smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s ask Father¡¯s opinion once we reach Flame King City. At four, Richard is already capable of living away from his parents.¡± While she mentioned consulting Li Weiliam, everyone knew Loria had already made up her mind.


    Levis shrugged his shoulders.


    He actually understood Loria¡¯s thoughts and knew that doing so would help Richard, but he felt that Richard, being only four years old, was too young.


    However, turning his head and glancing at his son, who sat like a little adult, he inexplicably thought that this might not be a bad thing¡ªLoria¡¯s strict discipline on Richard was severe, hardly allowing him to play like a normal child and starting to instill noble etiquettes and the Controlling Path from the age of two.


    Such a childhood, when pondering, was terrifying.


    So, speaking with the tone of the heir of the Tulip Family, he said assertively, ¡°The day after tomorrow, I will take Richard to inspect the construction of the estates across the lands. You all stay in the Castle to pack, and we will depart for Flame King City in three days.¡±


    ¡­


    The nation had not long been founded, and many tasks demanded attention.


    During a busy interval, Liszt received an unexpected new message via the Magic Platform from the six Mermaids who had circumnavigated the sea.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we have started our return journey from the westernmost point of the Legendary Continent, and we have packaged and sent back to the Magic Guild the coastline position data calculated by the Sextant¡­ I apologize for the delays over the scheduled year of circumnavigation however, although we haven¡¯t discovered more Mermaids, we have captured many Elves, including two Greater Elves.¡±


    The Magic Platform message was long and had been transcribed onto paper by a communication Arcanist.


    Liszt continued reading, ¡°We have discovered several relics of the Sea Kingdom. Unfortunately, these are from the far past, and the Naga and Yu Chou have long vanished¡­ In the westernmost sea of the Legendary Continent, we even encountered a legendary Sea Monster¡ªthe Hydra. It was too powerful for us to capture.¡±


    The Mermaids reported their experiences of circumnavigating the sea over the year in an informal style.


    Not many useful bits of information were relayed, just the discovery of the Sub-dragon¡ªHydra¡ªand the coastline Sextant Positioning, along with the Elves worth paying attention to.


    ¡°Reply to the Mermaids, instruct them to end their voyage as soon as possible, and bring the Elves back,¡± Liszt ordered after reading the message, ¡°Also, send the results of the estate division among Duke Bluposi and the six Marquises of the Kingdom.¡± He disliked having to urge the Mermaids to hasten their return to work, but it was necessary to admonish them of the appropriate attitude.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± replied the communication Arcanist, bowing before swiftly exiting.


    After dealing with urgent official duties, Liszt quickly made his way to the Mage Tower to inquire about the progress of mapping the Legendary Continent¡¯s coastline.


    ¡°Chris, have you received the Sextant Positioning data sent by the Mermaids, and have you finished creating the map?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, a rough sketch has already been drawn,¡± Chris indicated the Arcanist in charge of map drawing, who spread a large map across the table.


    The map was substantial, yet it featured only an incomplete outline, with a small portion containing detailed records.


    ¡°So this is the Legendary Continent¡­¡± Liszt observed the map, where the drawn coastline shaped the Legendary Continent into an irregular form, with a large segment of the northern part lacking a coastline as the Mermaids had not yet traveled there.


    With the main contours of the Legendary Continent sketched, it clearly compared the geographical position and area of the three great Kingdoms in the northeastern corner of the continent.


    ¡°The three great Kingdoms combined only equal one-twentieth of the entire area of the Legendary Continent. Indeed, it¡¯s merely an inconspicuous corner¡­ Flame Islands are here, Sapphire Archipelago is here¡­ and from this view, the Eagle Kingdom is completely surrounded by Steel Ridge, Blast Furnace Fortress, and Yellowstone Plains.¡±


    ¡°Once those three Kingdoms are managed, annexing them would be as easy as pie!¡±


    Staring at the extensively blank map, Liszt was already imagining how he would conquer it¡ªas his power would eventually not allow him to remain low-profile, the conquest of the Legendary Continent had gradually moved from fantasy to practical planning.

 Chapter 1070 - 1070 1067 Pulling the Strings

    ?Chapter 1070: Chapter 1067: Pulling the Strings Chapter 1070: Chapter 1067: Pulling the Strings The investiture ceremony of Duke Li Weiliam Tulip of Tulip Island was not too grand, especially considering the luxurious scenes that were front and center at the kingdom¡¯s founding ceremony.


    However, for the Tulip Family, this moment was their most glorious.


    In Liszt¡¯s name, a three-day banquet was held at Flame King City, inviting a large number of nobles who stayed in the Flame King City. Afterwards, people like Levis returned to Tulip Island, while Li Weiliam continued to serve as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom¡¯s Outer Cabinet, stationed within Flame King City.


    Levis¡¯s son Richard, which is Liszt¡¯s little nephew, remained directly at the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Liszt was quite fond of this little nephew and naturally would not refuse to cultivate him. However, he was busy with affairs and couldn¡¯t personally supervise him; specialized Inner Court servants would take care of him, and there would also be teachers from the Royal Knight Academy to give him lessons.


    ¡°Chris, has the agenda for the Magic Guild reform been determined?¡± Liszt came to the Flame City Mage Tower again and asked Chris Truth, the First Arcanist Minister.


    ¡°Your Majesty, after years of exploration, the registered magicians of the Magic Guild have fully adapted to the Arcanist System, so the reform resistance is not great. The plan to reorganize the Magic Guild into the Royal Arcane Academy has smoothly passed the Arcanist Assessment Committee.¡±


    The Magic Guild had been a transitional product from the beginning, and now with the establishment of Flame Kingdom, it was time to change according to Liszt¡¯s will.


    Referencing the university system in the United States on Earth, Liszt¡¯s ideal scientific system was industry-university-research integration.


    The Royal Knight Academy had already been established to cultivate elite knights and undertook roles similar to National Defense University and West Point Military Academy. Now, the establishment of the Royal Arcane Academy was to train various arcanists and undertake magical research and development tasks. This would form a dual education system of knights and arcanists.


    At the same time, it would integrate educational resources from various regions, establish common schools, and offer courses in knight and arcane systems to provide a continuous stream of talent for the kingdom.


    This move was undoubtedly ahead of its time, and the impact it might bring was uncertain.


    But Liszt didn¡¯t care. His power had broken through the sky, and he already had the capital to do as he wished¡ªsimply put, having a dragon was just that capricious.


    ¡°Since it has passed the assessment, then complete the reorganization as soon as possible. Mm, both Ach and Lord Lerald are not interested in managing worldly affairs. You are the First Arcanist Minister, and the first principal of the Royal Arcane Academy will be you.¡±


    Chris smiled and nodded: ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    After a pause, Chris inquired further: ¡°Then, Your Majesty, will the finances of the Royal Arcane Academy be undertaken by the kingdom, or provided by Your Majesty¡¯s Inner Court?¡±


    The kingdom undertaking it meant funding through taxation collected from landlords from various regions.


    The Inner Court providing it meant private funding by the Flame Family.


    Both financial systems involved Liszt¡¯s money, but the uses of the money were different. One was the national treasury, taxes collected for kingdom¡¯s construction; the other was private money, earnings from his own lands that he could spend freely. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The kingdom will undertake it,¡± Liszt said expressionlessly. ¡°I will gradually incorporate arcanists into the noble system, so the Royal Arcane Academy will no longer rely on my private support¡­ The talent cultivation of the Arcane Academy will be undertaken by the feudal nobles together. Of course, they can also enjoy the research achievements together.¡±


    Research was a bottomless pit, and magical research was no different. He was not willing to foot the bill alone.


    This was a good opportunity to collect hefty taxes from the feudal nobles under the guise of the Royal Arcane Academy, and then throw them some mediocre research results to stifle any complaints from the nobles.


    ¡°I understand. Then, will the location of the Royal Arcane Academy be directly placed in the magical district of the Flame King City?¡±


    ¡°That will be fine.¡±


    ¡­


    The reorganization of the Magic Guild into the Royal Arcane Academy was proceeding on a grand scale.


    Magicians passionate about magical research had to take time out from their schedules to deal with various formalities, transition to become teachers at the Royal Arcane Academy, or have their laboratories affiliated with the academy. Funding applications, personnel allocation, and all sorts of assorted messy matters came flooding in.


    Magicians had it hard, and knights fared no better. With the Feudal Nobles taking away a large number of knights and officials, every city and town had to dispatch new knights to succeed them.


    Amidst such national upheaval, various unexpected situations arose continually.


    Yet this did not affect the spring farming work of the Flame Era First Year. Although the serfs were short-staffed and the vast expanses of newly cleared fields could not be cultivated, there were still the elf-tended farms. Plenty of serfs scrambled to work these lands, and Liszt¡¯s own fields were allocated enough ¡°fertilizer¡± to spread.


    ¡°The reason why spring farming isn¡¯t affected also has a significant aspect¡ªthat elves are in severe short supply. Particularly since the Feudal Nobles took their own elves, many plantations have been abandoned¡­ not really abandoned, but the harvest depends on whether they¡¯re favored by knightly glory.¡±


    Duke Li Weiliam Tulip said this when reporting on this year¡¯s spring farming efforts.


    Liszt nodded. ¡°The breeding speed of elves indeed cannot keep up, so we must continue to issue Pioneer Mandates. We cannot overlook the rich prize that is the Eagle Kingdom. By the way, Father, did the envoy from the Steel Ridge Kingdom confirm that King Osborn has distinctly refused to join forces with me to partition the Eagle Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Sapphire Duchy turning to the Flame Kingdom has made a bigger impact than we imagined. King Osborn places great importance on the face of the nobles.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he is just going with the flow, seeing my power growing and not wishing to plan the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s fall with me, afraid that I will continue to grow stronger,¡± Liszt shook his head. ¡°Well, if he refuses, then he refuses. Lately, I¡¯ve had this vague feeling that there is a new dragon in this very sea, waiting for my ride.¡±


    ¡°A new one?¡± Li Weiliam¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Just a feeling, whether it¡¯s true is unclear, but my strength has been steadily increasing, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if there were one or two more dragons.¡± He was speaking sincerely; ever since the disappearance of the Smoke Mission and the inception of the Smoke Dragon, he could clearly manipulate the Threads of Destiny.


    Not long ago, Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Greater Elf Ani informed him that the two Phoenix Perch Parasol trees under close monitoring had successfully bred two Elf Bugs.


    This was strong proof.


    Proof that he could take initiative, arranging things around him with crystal clarity. And recently, feeling lucky and inspired, he sensed the existence of a new dragon in the sea surrounding the Flame Islands. If he were to manipulate the Threads of Destiny with his will once more, he could secure this dragon in his grasp.


    ¡°I am the Son of Glory, guided by knightly honor. Father, I leave the affairs of the Kingdom to you and the Outer Cabinet, as I will depart for a while to find my new dragon.¡±


    What could Li Weiliam say when dragons were the ultimate quest? ¡°Rest assured in your search for the dragon, I will take good care of the Kingdom for you.¡±


    And so, Liszt silently left the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    He was not in haste to seek out a new dragon but went to the Dragon Pit Great Mine to see the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, who had taken the great mine as its Dragon Nest.


    ¡°Ornn, let¡¯s work hard together for a while, to quickly form a Mind Branding and achieve perfection,¡± he said.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Ornn responded.


    After the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan and Fire Dragon Leo, Formless Bard had recently been perfected, and within their minds, a clear, indelible image of Liszt took shape. The other dragons, however, were different; the Bone Dragon Vinnie could not form Mind Branding, Little Water Dragon Walter and Aluminum Dragon Connor had no sign of it, and Mountain Copper Dragon Mata appeared as only a wraith.


    Only in Ornn¡¯s mind was the image of Liszt already blurry, not too far from perfection.


    Running his hand over Ornn¡¯s scales, he couldn¡¯t help but ponder, ¡°Manipulating the Threads of Destiny is a delicate matter. To influence something like the birth of an Elf Bug is straightforward, but involving a dragon requires following the trajectory of the threads and exerting the right force in the right way.¡±


    This was the mechanism behind the Smoke Mission.


    The original Smoke Mission required completing tasks to receive the reward, which was the most effortless way to manipulate the Threads of Destiny. Now that Liszt had transformed into the Smoke Dragon, it was simply about converting the passive Smoke Mission into proactive strikes.


    To lead with his will, to actively manipulate the Threads of Destiny, and to obtain what he desired, ¡°Once I perfect my practice with Ornn, I should be able to draw out this new dragon. However, I can sense that there are many more Threads of Destiny around me, waiting for me to manipulate each one.¡±


    Behind each Thread of Destiny lies bountiful harvest.


    ¡°But I am only one person, and spread too thin¡­ Truly, a happy dilemma!¡±

 Chapter 1071 - 1071 1068 Guiding

    ?Chapter 1071: Chapter 1068: Guiding Chapter 1071: Chapter 1068: Guiding Every time he trained with the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, Liszt could clearly feel that the force behind the threads of destiny was growing stronger.


    ¡°Destiny is indeed mysterious, but it is not elusive and can be captured; it also follows a trajectory that must be adhered to. While I may not yet understand what that trajectory is, by following this feeling and operating along the trajectory sensed by the Smoke Dragon, destiny becomes a sword in my hands!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ornn let out a dissatisfied roar, reminding Liszt that when training with him, he should not be thinking of any other dragon.


    Liszt did not argue, he just smiled slightly: ¡°Understood, Ornn, let¡¯s continue.¡±


    He concentrated on training with Ornn. A day¡¯s training brought him to an extremely proficient mastery of the world of the dragon¡¯s spirit. Borrowing the power of destiny, he could guide the dragon¡¯s spirit with ease and brand it much more quickly and effortlessly than any Dragon Knight.


    As of today, there was no need for frequent training with Fire Dragon Leo and Formless Dragon Bard¡ªafter all, these two dragons had already ¡°graduated¡± from the process of Mind Branding.


    There was still not much progress with Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, Aluminum Dragon Connor, and Water Dragon Walter.


    Therefore, he spent most of the time over an entire month with Ornn, while the rest was allocated to official duties. He presided over the Flame Kingdom¡¯s transformation from a makeshift organization to a true kingdom, defining various laws and systems such as tax, judicial, and ceremonial law.


    But this was only limited to Flame Island, where he was building a family-style fiefdom. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As one of the most powerful beings in the world, he did not have a great demand for central power. As a soul from Earth¡¯s modern civilization, he was well aware that no nation could prosper forever.


    However, a family could last for thousands of years; therefore, it sufficed for the Flame Family to continue uninterrupted.


    During his reign, whether it was centralized power or knightly feudalism didn¡¯t really matter¡ªwould his followers dare not obey his commands?


    ¡­


    This day was already in March.


    Liszt went for a visit to Ach¡¯s Mage Tower, which had just been completed, located in the valley behind the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Ach could have conducted her experiments directly in the Sun Moon Star Palace, but after an explosion accident that damaged many rooms of the palace and killed several servants, Ach decided to move the laboratory out of the Sun Moon Star Palace and build it behind the mountain. There, an explosion at most could kill Magicians.


    As for Ach herself, being the strongest Archmage in history, even a Dragon Knight couldn¡¯t kill her, let alone a mere explosion.


    ¡°Brother, the connection between the Tree of Golden Apples and Bloodline Fruits has been studied and concluded; by activating a Magic Array, we can release the power of the Tree of Golden Apples to infect the surrounding plants and condense Bloodline Fruits. If the power of this segment of the Tree of Golden Apples is fully stimulated, it could probably condense over a hundred Bloodline Fruits,¡± explained Ach about her latest experimental results.


    Initially, Liszt discovered a natural node on Phoenix Tree Island, with the natural node located in a large marsh, which he named Yunmeng Marsh. Six Bloodline Fruits grew from Yunmeng Marsh¡¯s land, eventually leading him to dig out a segment of the Tree of Golden Apples¡ªAch had only recently found the time to research this segment of the Tree of Golden Apples.


    ¡°Then hurry and hand it over to the Royal Arcane Academy, set up a development team, and start with cultivation,¡± Liszt instructed Chris, who was following behind him. ¡°Also, contact the Inner Cabinet and quickly select suitable livestock and Magical Beasts, ready to feed and evolve them once the Bloodline Fruits mature.¡±


    Meat from Magical Beasts, like Magic Potions, was always scarce.


    Reliant on the little amount of Magical Beast Meat from hunting, it was impossible to sustain so many Knights. Almost all the Nobles would collect Bloodline Fruits to attempt evolving their livestock into Magical Beasts. Those low-level Magical Beasts evolved through Bloodline Fruits might be significantly lacking in strength, but their nutritional value could be greatly increased.


    The key is that they are easy to raise.


    Li Si Te also needs a large amount of Magical Beast Meat to provide nutrition for his knights, but he has something even better than Magical Beast Meat¡ªthe meat of Dragon Breed Beasts.


    Black Blood Treasured Horse, Banpo Cattle, and Estuary Pig were the earliest three kinds of Dragon Breed Beasts.


    Today¡¯s Banpo Cattle are already being raised in large numbers on the grasslands of Flame Island, with their milk exclusively supplied to Nobles and talented young Knights.


    Estuary Pig meat has even become an indispensable exclusive food for the Burning Legion.


    In addition, with the annual ¡°climax¡± of the Formless Dragon Bard, it has already provided Li Si Te with a total of seventeen Space Gems, along with six new kinds of Dragon Breed Beasts¡ªthe Dragon Head Fish, Long-necked Goose, Woolly Sheep, Antlered Deer, Big-eared Elephant, and Alpaca.


    Dragon Head Fish, common grass carp that endured the infection of dragon bloodline and magic power to transform, have exceptionally strong reproductive abilities and highly nutritious meat, with the largest individuals growing up to three meters, truly freshwater behemoths.


    Long-necked Goose, ordinary geese that evolved after enduring bloodline infection and magic power, grew considerably in size to that of a small pony, with combat power comparable to ordinary Low-Level Magical Beasts. The entire body of a Long-necked Goose is nutritious, especially the eggs, which are large, numerous, and when pickled, are absolute delicacies.


    Woolly Sheep, evolved from ordinary goats, have not yet expanded their population, but the wool is extremely dense and grows abundantly, making for extremely comfortable woolen fabric.


    Antlered Deer, evolved from ordinary reindeer, have antlers like large trees and are considered highly nourishing substances.


    Big-eared Elephant, evolved from ordinary elephants, have only evolved recently, with their population not yet expanded, only showing an increase in strength.


    Alpaca, evolved from ordinary llama, have also only recently evolved, and their population has not yet expanded. Llamas are livestock for both meat and wool, so Alpacas should be able to realize even higher value for both purposes.


    Just one dragon like Bard has brought Li Si Te a large number of Dragon Breed Beasts, and there will definitely be more in the future. Unfortunately, how the other dragons achieve a ¡°climax¡± to release bloodline infection and magic power has not been figured out yet¡ªeven some dragons might never reach a ¡°climax¡± in their lifetime.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please rest assured, Chris will complete the cultivation of the Bloodline Fruit as soon as possible.¡± Chris Truth, the First Archmage and the Dean of the Royal Magic Academy, nodded in response.


    Li Si Te did not inquire further about this.


    Instead, he turned to ask Ach, ¡°What is your next research topic?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t big brother mention that he¡¯s going to subdue new dragons? So Ach plans to study the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg and try to explore the cultivation method of the Mind Fruit Tree, to stockpile more Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit for big brother.¡±


    ¡°Uh, then I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news.¡±


    ¡­


    Leaving the Mage Tower.


    Li Si Te once again went to the Dragon Pit Great Mine, planning to train intensively with Ornn and striving to conquer his personal ninth dragon. However, just as he arrived at the Dragon Pit Great Mine riding the Formless Dragon Bard, he suddenly felt a mysterious fluctuation.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Power of Destiny responding!¡±


    He raised his eyebrows, having captured the source of this fluctuation: ¡°It seems there¡¯s a Greater Elf nearby waiting for me to harvest?¡± Just like the reminder of each Smoke Mission before, he can now clearly grasp exactly what kind of thing the Power of Destiny is guiding.


    At this moment, it is a Greater Elf.

 Chapter 1072 - 1072 1069 King Lotus Great Spirit

    ?Chapter 1072: Chapter 1069: King Lotus Great Spirit Chapter 1072: Chapter 1069: King Lotus Great Spirit Following the sense, Li Si Te rode directly on Grey Iron Dragon Ornn towards the origin of the stirrings of the Threads of Destiny. This sense was profound and mysterious, yet exceedingly clear.


    ¡°Since receiving the reward of destiny¡¯s favor, this is the first time I¡¯ve felt such a strong touch with the Threads of Destiny¡­ could it be because the object of sensation is a Greater Elf, which is why it¡¯s so distinct? In contrast, the other Threads of Destiny around me, whether they be trivial matters or related to dragons, do not stir as intensely.¡±


    He was contemplating.


    The Threads of Destiny related to dragons generally have less intensity due to the potential for too many unforeseen events.


    As for the minor things, even though there¡¯s less randomness, because they are not of high concern to him, their stir is equally unremarkable.


    Anyway, the Power of Destiny surely requires step-by-step exploration¡ªhow long the breeding of the Smoke Dragon will take is unknown, during this time he can only manipulate the Power of Destiny by himself.


    Before realizing it, he and Ornn had flown from the Dragon Domain to the neighboring Amazon Territory by the seaside.


    The Amazon Territory is located to the west of the Dragon Domain and north of the King¡¯s Domain, adjacent to the Salty Sea territory of Duke Mermaid Brupoxy. Here there is a typical tropical rainforest climate, dense vegetation, and numerous rivers. However, this also makes development difficult; only the territory and main city have been planned.


    The Knight Order has incorporated the Moon Slayer Tribe here several times, but there are probably still many Moon Slayers hiding within, playing a game of hide and seek with the Knight Order.


    Relying on the concealment of towering trees, it¡¯s difficult to completely eradicate the Moon Slayers.


    Many knights have even fallen here, and to thoroughly incorporate the tribe, the jungle would have to be burnt down in a single blaze. But the humidity of this forest is high, and igniting a widespread fire is not easy.


    At this moment, Li Si Te was hovering over this area, which he dubbed the ¡°Amazon Rainforest.¡±


    The stirring of the Threads of Destiny was indeed intense, but they could not pinpoint the exact location of the Greater Elf; he had to search for it himself. It was also an opportunity to explore the use of the Power of Destiny through the quest for the Greater Elf¡ªevery action stirs the Threads of Destiny to varying degrees.


    When the appropriate action is chosen to stir the Threads of Destiny, the desired outcome can be achieved.


    ¡°Pity that Ornn and I cannot operate the Eye of Magic together; only Fire Dragons, Water Dragons, and Formless Dragons can utilize the Eye of Magic to form a special, powerful field of vision.¡± After uniting with Ornn, Li Si Te only had the pure vision of a dragon, which is clearer but simple.


    Unable to observe the light of magic feedback. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He must personally use the Eye of Magic, and then observe with his own eyes.


    Fortunately, he now possessed Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi, and the effect of the Eye of Magic was greatly enhanced, barely enough to glimpse the magic throughout the Amazon Rainforest.


    ¡°There are too many magic feedback lights, but obstructed by the trees, it¡¯s not clear enough to see. I can generally distinguish that most are the glow of Magical Beasts¡­ and observing the rainforest this way does not properly stir the Threads of Destiny, but rather shows signs of diverging from the ¡®destiny¡¯ of the Greater Elf.¡±


    So he adjusted his approach, no longer focusing on observing the rainforest, but instead primarily surveyed from high altitude.


    After several adjustments without feeling any closer to the ¡°destiny¡± of the Greater Elf,


    everything changed when he cast his gaze over the dense network of rivers and lakes in the Amazon Rainforest. At that moment, he clearly felt himself getting closer to the ¡°destiny¡± of the Greater Elf¡ªor you could say, the Threads of Destiny related to the Greater Elf were stirring more intensely.


    ¡°So it seems, could this be an aquatic Greater Elf?¡±


    His gaze fell upon a lake below, which was vast and connected to the main waterways of the rainforest. On its surface, a good portion was covered by green vegetation, especially the large circular leaves packed densely together.


    ¡°Ornn, let¡¯s go to the lakeside.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    A man and a dragon landed by the lake, with Liszt approaching the huge circular leaves close to the water, carefully observing this plant. In his perception, the Threads of Destiny were entwined with this plant: ¡°Such large leaves, each about as big as a room, like lotuses¡­¡±


    But soon he shook his head: ¡°No, it¡¯s not like a lotus, it should be more like a water lily, only the leaves of water lilies float on the surface of the water.¡±


    Liszt had seen lotuses and water lilies before in the parks on Earth.


    These two plants are very similar, and many people easily confuse them, but the leaves of water lilies float, whereas lotus leaves grow out of the water without resting on the surface.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not quite like a water lily either, the leaves of this plant are not only large, but they are not flat. The edges curl upwards, resembling a bathtub. A single plant may have about seventeen or eighteen leaves, the outer leaves having already fully expanded, while the inner ones are triangular and still small.¡±


    A mature leaf is as big as a room, and all the leaves of the plant added together are equivalent to a giant.


    Giant water lily-like plants, so dominant and imposing.


    Liszt immediately named this new plant: ¡°King Lotus, let¡¯s call it King Lotus. The Greater Elf I am seeking could very well be a King Lotus Greater Spirit¡­ It¡¯s a pity that King Lotus does not show any magic feedback light; it¡¯s not a Magic Potion, and it seems to have no economic value either.¡±


    He lightly leapt onto a King Lotus leaf, standing firm upon it, though there were faint signs the leaf might be crushed under his weight.


    Such leaves can¡¯t be used as boats to glide on water.


    Among the seventeen or eighteen leaves, a flower and several buds broke the surface, and right next to them lay a large, dull-looking thing, probably a fruit. Liszt walked over, plucked the fruit, about as large as a man¡¯s embrace, and then leapt to the shore.


    Ornn turned his head to look for a moment, then became indifferent.


    Liszt peeled the fruit, its sturdy skin easily cracking under his strong grip, revealing kernels inside that looked like corn but were as large as a child¡¯s fist.


    His body was long immune to all poisons, with Dou Qi to neutralize everything; he directly chose to peel off a ¡°kernel¡± and gently bit into it.


    His eyes lit up immediately: ¡°The flavor is rich, like tasting pineapple, leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips with a juicy fullness. The seeds of King Lotus can be eaten as fruit, and they are very delicious at that!¡±


    This was good news.


    However, such a large King Lotus yielding so little produce still isn¡¯t of much value.


    ¡°Regardless, let¡¯s find the King Lotus Great Spirit first.¡± He put the seeds into his Space Ring, mounted the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, and started scouring the rivers and lakes for more King Lotus.


    Finally.


    In a broad section of the river, he saw the magic feedback light he had been looking for¡ªit was a huge King Lotus floating on the water. With enormous and numerous leaves, just one King Lotus occupied half of the river, emitting chaotic-colored magic feedback light.


    On one of the King Lotus leaves lay a tiny Great Elf, blissfully basking in the Sun, snoring away.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ornn, who was mentally connected with Liszt, let out a playful roar, and rapidly unleashed his fierce Dragon Might. The overwhelming Dragon Might and deafening roar scared the sleeping King Lotus Great Spirit, who jumped with a start and fell right through the gaps between the leaves into the river.

 Chapter 1073 - 1073 1070 Archie Bar

    ?Chapter 1073: Chapter 1070: Archie Bar Chapter 1073: Chapter 1070: Archie Bar The King Lotus Greater Elf that fell into the river didn¡¯t manage to escape. Holding the Heart of the Mermaid contract, Li Si Te found it easy to enter the water and effortlessly capture it.


    Then he jumped back onto a leaf of the King Lotus Cordyceps.


    He carefully inspected the King Lotus Greater Elf he was holding in his hand. Although this Greater Elf lived on water, it wasn¡¯t an aquatic elf. Or rather, even though the King Lotus grows in lakes and rivers, it isn¡¯t a marine plant, hence the King Lotus Greater Elf is still a terrestrial elf.


    It had no gills but possessed a pair of transparent wings on its back.


    Two tiny King Lotus leaves drooped on either side of its head, looking like a split hairstyle, adorable yet slightly ridiculous. Its body was a translucent light white, which is the common color for most elves, nothing too special. Big black eyes and delicate features made it very beautiful.


    But at this moment, the expression on the King Lotus Greater Elf was fierce and ferocious, as it emitted an angry cry: ¡°Archi ba!¡± The meaning was unknown.


    ¡°Stop shouting, little one, we are fated,¡± Liszt touched the leaves on the head of the King Lotus Greater Elf, not in a hurry, to contract.


    He was feeling the power of destiny.


    As a Fate Guardian merged with the Smoke Dragon, he had been constantly adapting and trying to control the power of destiny during this time. But the power of destiny was intangible and elusive, invisible and untouchable, only fleetingly felt; mastering it was immensely difficult.


    After all, he wasn¡¯t really a Smoke Dragon; the Smoke Dragon was merely gestating in his mind.


    ¡°Starting near the Dragon Pit Great Mine, I began to feel the Threads of Destiny linking to the King Lotus Greater Elf, and then I searched all the way here. This whole process belongs to manipulating the Threads of Destiny, or controlling destiny. After I captured the King Lotus Greater Elf, this strand of destiny thread suddenly halted.¡±


    The halt didn¡¯t mean the thread snapped but rather that the thread disappeared, or the Power of Destiny that connected King Lotus Greater Elf and Liszt suddenly vanished.


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange phenomenon, still incomprehensible¡­¡± Liszt felt for a long time, still unable to grasp the essence of the power of destiny.


    The King Lotus Greater Elf in his hand kept crying ¡°Archi ba¡± for a quarter of an hour, its voice going hoarse. Seeing that shouting was ineffective, it lazily hung in Liszt¡¯s hand, squinting as if to continue sunbathing¡ªif it couldn¡¯t resist, it might as well enjoy.


    ¡°Such a cute Great Elf, come on, bite me.¡± Liszt snapped back from his contemplation of fate, stretched his index finger tightly, and stuffed it into the mouth of the King Lotus Greater Elf, not waiting for the King Lotus Greater Elf to react, he knocked the fingertip against the teeth.


    Instantly, the skin broke and a drop of blood oozed out, mixing with the teeth of the King Lotus Greater Elf.


    A miraculous connection was established in an instant, and he could communicate with the King Lotus Greater Elf on a spiritual level. The inner world of the King Lotus Greater Elf was very calm, it simply wanted to sunbathe lazily and take a nap¡ªmaybe after a nap, everything would return to how it was before.


    Without that voice sounding like a loud lizard, and without the evil villain gripping its neck.


    Suddenly with the heart contract with Liszt, it interrupted the pure heart of the King Lotus Greater Elf, causing it to open its eyes in confusion: ¡°Archi ba?¡±


    ¡°What name should I give you?¡± Liszt looked at the King Lotus Greater Elf, seriously pondering, ¡°You are an elf that lives in the river, actually, the name King of the River ¨C Tam would suit you best, but I had previously given the name Tam to a Giant Algae Minor Elf.¡±


    Giant Algae Greater Elf is Pike, and the Giant Algae Minor Elves are Fizz, Tam, and Eddie.


    Since Liszt had already given the name to the Giant Algae Minor Elf, he definitely couldn¡¯t make the despicable move of taking the name back. However, he soon had a bright idea: ¡°I remember that the full name of the River King is Tam Kench. Since Tam has already been given to the Giant Algae Minor Elf, I¡¯ll give Kench to you!¡±


    Thus.


    When the King Lotus Great Spirit was in a daze, not understanding what was happening, it already had a new name¡ªKench.


    Kench became Liszt¡¯s thirtieth Greater Elf, and also one of the few that Liszt personally named¡ªthe batch of Greater Elves he originally got from the Grey Iron Family and the Earth Tyrant Family, he didn¡¯t bother naming them, just using their previous names.


    The Greater Elves personally named by Liszt numbered only twelve.


    Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike, Pea Great Elf Ash, Thorn Greater Elf Jela, Mangrove Greater Elf Nami, Potato Great Spirit Kuchi, Banana Greater Elf Poppy, Millet Greater Elf Tick, Corn Greater Elf Mickey, Troll Taro Greater Elf Karl, Gourd Greater Elf Klay, Coffee Greater Elf Mundo, and King Lotus Greater Elf Kench. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The remaining eighteen, seven came from the Grey Iron Family¡ªOat, Barley, Apple, Tomato, Pea, White Crystal Chrysanthemum, Ice Grass Greater Elf.


    Eleven came from the Earth Tyrant Family¡ªRockwood, Tobacco, Tea Tree, Barley, Millet, Iris, Sticky Rice, Ginger, Beet Greater Elf, and two Little Wheat Greater Elves.


    ¡°Ackie, huh?¡± Kench came to his senses from the confusion, expressing an emotion of inquiry. He felt both hostility and affection towards Liszt, which was very conflicting.


    ¡°Remember, Kench, you are now my Greater Elf,¡± Liszt didn¡¯t rush to explain, instead he embraced Kench, flipped onto the back of the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn by the shore, ¡°Now we¡¯re going to inspect the growing area of the King Lotus, and also look to see if there are any Magic Potion species.¡±


    King Lotus is a unique plant in the Amazon Rainforest, and following along rivers and lakes, one could spot traces of King Lotus. However, after half an hour, he had scanned a large area, still not spotting a King Lotus with Magic Radiance, nor discovering new Cordyceps or Elves.


    ¡°It seems there really are none¡­ Ah, there¡¯s a lake below, the surface has Magic Radiance!¡± Liszt was delighted, commanding Ornn to dive downward.


    Upon reaching above the lake, he clearly saw a small patch of pale blue Magic Radiance on the King Lotus, among which there was also a King Lotus with chaos-colored Magic Radiance.


    ¡°Great!¡±


    ¡°A King Lotus Cordyceps, with several Magic Potion King Lotuses growing around it!¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long before he found King Lotus Elf Bugs hiding under the leaves, a plump pale green Elf Bug. Ordinary Elf Bugs no longer caught Liszt¡¯s eye, but this one, carrying its own Magic Potion, excited Liszt immensely. There was no other reason; having Magic Potion species on the King Lotus, Kench¡¯s value would immediately skyrocket.


    ¡°Ackie, huh?¡± Kench, feeling Liszt¡¯s excitement, became even more puzzled, feeling it bizarre.


    ¡°Kench, it¡¯s time for you to shine, from now on within the range of your influence, all will be planted with Magic Potion King Lotus¡­ King Lotus has high environmental demands, it seems like it can only be grown here. My serfs can hardly cultivate here for now, but that¡¯s alright, I still have Yu Chou.¡±


    He quickly contacted Duke Bruce of the Salty Sea, asking him to dispatch Yu Chou to reside in the Amazon Territory, specifically to cultivate Magic Potion King Lotus.


    At the same time, he dug out a Magic Potion King Lotus, sent it to the Mage Tower, handed it over to the Magic Medicine Arcanists to refine into Magic Potion, and analyzed the value of the King Lotus Magic Potion.


    Throughout the journey, Kench, always carried by Liszt, remained in a dazed state: ¡°Ackie, huh?¡±

 Chapter 1074 - 1074 1071 Dragon Medicine

    ?Chapter 1074: Chapter 1071 Dragon Medicine Chapter 1074: Chapter 1071 Dragon Medicine The King Lotus is a super huge plant with water-attribute magic power. The concentration of its magic power is not low; a single one should be able to be refined into about a dozen magic potions.


    This task, for an arcanist who specializes in refining magic potions, would only take half a day to complete. After completion, Magic Medicine Liszt personally tried it. Although he has fire attribute Dou Qi, it does not hinder him from evaluating the quality of other attribute magic potions. However, after drinking, the impact force of the magic potion is very minimal.


    He immediately frowned: ¡°Something¡¯s not right, the impact force of the magic power is even weaker than that of Mixed Standard.¡±


    Magic potions have been defined by the Royal Arcane Academy (Magic Guild) as six grades: Mixed Standard, Single Standard, Special Standard, Strong Medicine, Auxiliary Medicine, and Dragon Medicine. Mixed Standard is the most common type of magic potion with chaotic attributes. At worst, King Lotus magic potions should be Single Standard magic potions, but it turned out to be this low.


    Dean Chris also tried a King Lotus magic potion ¡ª whenever Liszt visits the Arcane Academy, Chris is always the one to receive him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the medicinal properties of the King Lotus magic potion are too weak. Among the Single Standard magic potions I¡¯ve seen, this is probably the weakest one.¡±


    ¡°Test it a few more times to see if it has the potential to be an Auxiliary Medicine.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Chris immediately arranged for a specialized knight to come and assist with the tests. Unfortunately, the results showed that the King Lotus magic potion did not have the properties of an Auxiliary Medicine. ¡°Now, only one possibility remains. We need to see if the King Lotus magic potion has the prospect of being a Dragon Medicine and only Your Majesty can measure that.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Liszt nodded, took two King Lotus magic potions, and directly called out to Formless Dragon Bard.


    ¡°Wuiyiya!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bard, we¡¯re heading to Mermaid City.¡±


    Upon arriving at Mermaid City, Liszt called over Little Water Dragon Walter, then tossed a King Lotus magic potion to it: ¡°Try this, see if it has any effect on you.¡±


    ¡°Yoohoo.¡± Walter directly crushed the potion bottle with his throat, swallowing the King Lotus magic potion. As soon as the magic power began to disperse, it suddenly widened its dragon eyes in excitement, let out a joyful cheer, and sent a message to Liszt via Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, ¡°This stuff is potent, Liszt, I want more!¡±


    Liszt, who had not been hopeful, was quite surprised.


    He casually threw the second King Lotus magic potion to Walter, then climbed onto Walter¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform. As their minds merged into one, he instantly understood the amplification effects of the King Lotus magic potion on the Water Dragon¡¯s magic power: ¡°It¡¯s not as good as the amplifying effect of Fire Dragon Elixir on Fire Dragons, but the difference isn¡¯t big, it can be called Dragon Medicine!¡±


    This was indeed a pleasant surprise.


    He had only hoped that the King Lotus magic potion could become a high-quality Single Standard Magic Potion, to make up for the Flame Kingdom¡¯s huge demand for magic potions.


    He had never expected the King Lotus magic potion to reach the level of Dragon Medicine.


    However, having experienced many major events, after a bit of excitement, he calmed down: ¡°The magic potion refined from the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree provides strong assistance to Fire Dragons, with general effects on other dragons, named Fire Dragon Water¡­ The magic potion refined from King Lotus provides strong assistance to Water Dragons, I wonder if it helps other dragons?¡±


    If it does help, it can be given a name like ¡°Blue Dragon Water¡±; if it doesn¡¯t, then it can only be called ¡°Water Dragon Water.¡±


    ¡°Yoohoo!¡± Walter was still clamoring for more of the potion.


    ¡°Patience, this is a newly discovered Magic Medicine King Lotus, not yet planted on a large scale. If you want it, you¡¯ll have to wait at least half a year.¡± He had already ordered Bluposi to get Yu Chou to plant the King Lotus; even with the influence of the Cordyceps from the Greater Elf, King Lotus still needed time to grow.


    ¡°Yoohoo!¡± Walter expressed understanding but demanded that once the King Lotus matured, it should all be supplied to him, not allowing any other person or dragon to get their hands on it.


    ¡°Rest assured.¡± Liszt casually reassured, and sent away Little Water Dragon, then quickly rode the Formless Dragon Bard to the Amazon Rainforest.


    In just two days, Yu Chou had been continuously arriving at the Amazon Rainforest.


    Bluposi personally followed the river and came to the Amazon Territory to plan the King Lotus cultivation garden ¡ª King Lotus must live in freshwater, so to plant as many as possible, it was necessary to plan a vast area of crisscrossing waterways within the Amazon Rainforest, tentatively set to a scale of ten thousand acres.


    The range of influence of a Greater Elf¡¯s cordyceps generally falls between 4,800 to 7,200 acres, with the excess being reserved for cultivating new King Lotus elves.


    Riding on the back of a Formless Dragon, one can see crowds of Yu Chou busily organizing river channels and digging lakes. These highly intelligent Yu Chou, with their fertility greatly improved by the Source of Vitality Potion, have seen a sharp population increase, and it is a common sight to see adult Yu Chous with little Yu Chous lying on their backs.


    Yu Chous do not live in family units, but female Yu Chous do care for their young until they can live independently.


    ¡°Your Majesty, are you here to personally supervise the construction? This is just a minor project for a ten-thousand-acre Magic Potion field,¡± Bluposi towered in the river, the water level only reaching her waist.


    Every mermaid is extremely beautiful, but alas, their size is far too massive, suitable only for distant admiration and not for play.


    Liszt hopped onto Bluposi¡¯s shoulder.


    Pointing at the bustling Yu Chou, he laughed, ¡°This is not just a ten-thousand-acre Magic Potion field. The Magic Potion refined from King Lotus has been confirmed to have the value of Dragon Medicine. These ten thousand acres of King Lotus will produce an endless supply of Dragon Medicine, to sustain my dragons¡­ Of course, for now, I still need to uproot a Magic Medicine King Lotus and test its effects on the other dragons.¡±


    Bluposi exclaimed in admiration: ¡°Your brilliance is too dazzling for me to face directly. The value of Dragon Medicine is immense. The three great human kingdoms only have one type of Red Dragon Water, and yet you already have the second kind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been lucky.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°By the way, how is the progress of the Royal Arcane Academy¡¯s research on the source of vitality for mermaids?¡± Liszt asked. After solving the fertility issues of Yu Chous, the arcanists have been researching the fertility issues of mermaids, which is more complex since mermaids reproduce asexually.


    Bluposi sighed: ¡°I have donated all my earnings to the Source of Vitality laboratory, but so far there have been no good news.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you have a long life ahead. If not ten years, then twenty years. If not twenty, then a hundred. I believe that someday, mermaids will regain the ability to reproduce.¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°With the glory of Your Majesty upon us, I hope to see such a day.¡±


    ¡°It will come¡­ Continue with your command, I¡¯m very busy and must return now.¡± After giving a few instructions, he hastily uprooted a King Lotus and left the Amazon Rainforest.


    The King Lotus Magic Potion was just an interlude for the time being. His most important task was to cultivate with Grey Iron Dragon Ornn and awaken the Threads of Destiny of that unknown new dragon as soon as possible. The new strain of Magic Medicine King Lotus was quickly refined into a Magic Potion, so he directly gave two vials of the potion to Bard and Ornn.


    Bard tried the potion, feeling nothing.


    Ornn tried the potion, equally without experiencing anything.


    ¡°What a pity, this Magic Potion only works on Water Dragons, alas, it¡¯s merely Water Dragon Water, not Blue Dragon Water.¡± Liszt shook his head, actually not very disappointed¡ªafter all, just the Water Dragon Water alone was enough to excite him beyond his expectations, as it was an unexpected joy.


    The King Lotus plantation was built vigorously, and Water Dragon Water was listed as a special Dragon Medicine for Little Water Dragon Walter.


    Having completed this interlude, Liszt carefully sensed the surrounding Threads of Destiny. Finding none worthy of action, he settled down and continued his intense training with Ornn.


    Time flew by.


    It was already the end of April.


    The knightly figure in Ornn¡¯s inner world became clearer and clearer, and he was not far from successfully branding it with a Mind Brand.


    At this moment, Liszt suddenly felt a movement in his heart, a mysterious and profound sensation came over him, the power of destiny. At the same time, a thread of destiny, which was originally dark and dull, was violently tugged, impossible for him to ignore.


    Concentrating slightly.


    He sensed the source of what was tugging this thread of destiny: ¡°Hmm¡­ has Marquis Great West Eternia returned?¡±

 Chapter 1075 - 1075 1072 High Speech

    ?Chapter 1075: Chapter 1072: High Speech Chapter 1075: Chapter 1072: High Speech Marquis Eternia of the Great West is the eldest among the mermaids. Before the mermaids had completed their circumnavigation, she had already returned to the Flame Kingdom along with the ocean elves they discovered.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I apologize for the long delay and for holding up your plans for the development of the Flame Kingdom¡¯s ocean.¡±


    Upon meeting Liszt in Mermaid City, she expressed her apologies immediately, clearly aware that Liszt was dissatisfied with the mermaids being away for such a lengthy period.


    One does not lash out at a smiling face, and besides, mermaids are not knights.


    Liszt did not choose to strictly reprimand these mermaids for their lack of adherence to the knight system, thus becoming his loyal followers. Instead, he nodded and said, ¡°You must have had a tough journey, Marquis Eternia. How are the other mermaids doing?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for your concern, Your Majesty. They are living well in the ocean which harbors countless treasures that attract them. However, they will soon finish mapping the coastlines of the Legendary Continent and then return to the Flame Kingdom to aid Your Majesty in developing the ocean¡­ We have never forgotten our duty to purify the Devil¡¯s Sea.¡±


    ¡°Purifying the Devil¡¯s Sea is certainly imperative. Once the right moment arrives, I shall preside over it myself,¡± Liszt commented, equally curious about the Mafa Continent beyond the other end of the Devil¡¯s Sea.


    However, one must eat one¡¯s meal one bite at a time.


    He inquired, ¡°Where are the ocean elves you brought back?¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°They are all here.¡±


    Following Eternia¡¯s call, a large group of elves arrived, mostly Elf Bugs, about a dozen Little Minor Elves, and two Greater Elves. These elves had already formed contracts with Eternia¡ªindeed, Liszt himself does not intend to contract aquatic elves; leaving it to the mermaids is more convenient.


    ¡°What types of elves are these?¡±


    ¡°This is a Greater Sea Kelp Elf, I named it Shakalaka; this is a Greater Sea Urchin Elf, I named it Aristotel; this Little Minor Elf is¡­¡± Eternia introduced the aquatic elves one by one. The Greater Sea Kelp Elf and the Greater Sea Urchin Elf had names, the others did not.


    From her tone during the introduction, it was discernible that she held no particular fondness for the elves, treating them merely as tools¡ªafter all, in the distant past, the Sea Kingdom used to capture Elf Bugs to trade with humans, regarding elves as mere marine products just like fish and shrimp.


    Of course.


    During the era when mermaids ruled the Sea Kingdom, there existed only Elf Bugs. Little Minor Elves, Greater Elves, and Dragon Elves hadn¡¯t yet emerged.


    Choice Bug Elves, indeed, differed little from fish and shrimp.


    ¡°Hmm, take good care of these elves, especially the Greater Sea Kelp Elf, as it can cultivate seaweed, a marine product of considerable value. Bluposi has been too busy lately; she has been developing the Salty Sea while also managing the Amazon Rainforest for me. With your return, you can take over the Amazon Rainforest.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Eternia easily agreed.


    ¡°Once you have accrued enough military achievements, I will appoint you as the Duke of the Great West and assign a section of the ocean as your fief,¡± Liszt said.


    ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty. I will manage the Amazon Rainforest well.¡±


    With official tasks handed over, Liszt began to inquire about Eternia¡¯s circumnavigational journey and any special experiences encountered. Though they had been in contact through the Magic Platform, many details could not be thoroughly conveyed through it.


    ¡°The ocean is lonelier than it was during the era of the Moon Empire, Your Majesty. The era I lived in is roughly the tail end of the Moon Empire or perhaps even after the Moon Empire had long vanished. Back then, the Cursed Dragon¡¯s pollution had already enveloped the ocean, yet it was still more bustling than the current ocean.¡±


    Eternia continued to lament, ¡°In our era, not only were there numerous intelligent maritime races such as mermaids, Naga, Yu Chou, and Sea Serpents, but there were countless Sea Monsters as well, including the enormous Leviathan which was not considered rare. However, in this voyage, what I saw was desolation.¡±


    Without the intelligent maritime races, mermaids, Naga, and Yu Chou had completely disappeared, and hardly any remnants of the once great Sea Kingdom¡¯s palaces were found.


    Sea Monsters, once prevalent across the oceans, were also rarely seen.


    The only magical creature we discovered was the Sub-dragon ¨C Hydra: ¡°We organized several collective hunting expeditions, but the Hydra always escaped¡­ The Hydra was located approximately in this part of the sea,¡± she pointed at a Legendary Continent map that was slowly becoming clearer, her fingertip landing on the northern waters of the continent.


    This maritime area is adjacent to the coastal region of the Kushan Imperial.


    ¡°I will join hands with Acherloides when I get a chance to capture this Hydra. Given that Sub-dragons typically possess considerable intelligence, perhaps it could be tamed like Nimia the Giant Lion, turning the Hydra into a guardian beast.¡± Li Si Te greatly coveted this Hydra.


    He coveted all magical things.


    ¡°Your Majesty, while in the waters of the Neverfall Empire, I encountered a Sea Serpent, who once lived on land. According to her, the language High Speech of the Neverfall Empire has a grammatical structure similar to Moon Language, much closer to it than Wind Language, Serpent Script, or Moon Language.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s close, it¡¯s not Moon Language. Only the Flame Kingdom continues the heritage of the Moon Empire and Sun Empire civilizations,¡± Li Si Te chuckled, ¡°What else did you talk about with that Sea Serpent?¡±


    ¡°I asked her if she would like to come to the Flame Kingdom, and she said she would not.¡±


    Although Sea Serpents were scarce in the great oceans, Acherloides wasn¡¯t the only one; Li Si Te had previously encountered the elderly Sea Serpent Yisi. However, Yisi¡¯s magical prowess was woefully poor, and historical records also have no mention of Sea Serpents possessing magical talents. From this point of view, Acherloides was truly unique.


    However,


    Sea Serpents truly were beautiful.


    ¡°Did you discuss any matters concerning the Neverfall Empire with the Sea Serpent?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in the Neverfall Empire, so we didn¡¯t touch upon that topic. Moreover, since our languages are ultimately different, our conversation was halting and not very pleasant. Compared to Lord Acherloides, that Sea Serpent seemed too ignorant, too naive.¡±


    ¡­


    The return of Eternia was undoubtedly a significant help for our oceanic endeavors, and the number of Yu Chous was increasing, who could no longer be solely managed by the mermaid Bluposi.


    Thus, Li Si Te returned to his frenzied training with the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn.


    Time thus galloped ceaselessly towards the future.


    Meanwhile, on Flame Island, the Royal Arcane Academy and various laboratories associated with the academy continually unveiled magic-technological products. Most of them were inventions related to public welfare, and the Arcanist System was steadily moving towards the ¡°scholar¡± route envisioned by Li Si Te.


    Magicians, no longer prioritizing learning powerful magic spells, had renamed themselves and were now primarily focused on researching various magic-technological inventions.


    Amid this broader backdrop, located in the Whirlpool Estuary Domain ¨C Estuary City, the Royal Shipyard as well as the ship research laboratory jointly financed by the Royal Shipyard and the Royal Arcane Academy announced a pivotal shift. The Chief Arcanist Inuit Truth proclaimed that the era of sailing ships was drawing to a close.


    The Magic Power Ship was officially unveiled!

 Chapter 1076 - 1076 1073 The Sublimation of Rope Arts

    ?Chapter 1076: Chapter 1073: The Sublimation of Rope Arts Chapter 1076: Chapter 1073: The Sublimation of Rope Arts Li Si Te had just arrived in this world when the Sapphire Duchy was at the forefront of naval technology, just entering the Age of Transverse Sail.


    Subsequently, Li Si Te introduced longitudinal sails, and hybrid power sailing ships became the main naval force of the Flame Kingdom. All internal maritime trade within the Flame Islands and every Pioneer Mandate war used hybrid power sailing ships. Even fishing boats out at sea used a combination of transverse and longitudinal sails.


    But even the advanced hybrid power sailing ships couldn¡¯t escape the limitations of sailboats, which must rely on wind power.


    Therefore, he had been having the arcanists of the Royal Arcane Academy research steam engines that could be powered by boiling water. However, steam engines involved many mechanical components and couldn¡¯t be completed overnight, especially since the arcanists here were not sensitive to purely mechanical creations.


    Thus, steam engines were long in coming, and even the few models that were produced looked more like toys.


    Even though Li Si Te told the arcanists that the power of boiling water had infinite potential, they still couldn¡¯t understand¡ªcould the power of boiling water be more formidable than Magic Power or a Dragon¡¯s power?


    Inuit Truth, an arcanist once specifically appointed by the Smoke Mission, was initially the one who combined transverse and longitudinal sails to develop a new generation of hybrid power sailing ships. His attitude towards steam engines was no different from that of the average arcanist, still trusting more in Magic.


    So, he did not pursue the development of steam ships but instead studied another type of ship¡ªa Magic Power Ship¡ªinspired by the ideas suggested by Li Si Te.


    Previously, Gandalf Truth had invented the Magic Two-Wheeled Bicycle and was featured on the cover of ¡°The Great Arcanist¡±.


    Inspired, Inuit began integrating Magic with ships and, through continuous experiments in the ship laboratory, eventually combined the Magic Array with the ¡°propeller¡± to complete the development of the first Magic Power Ship¡ªa point worth mentioning is that the propeller structure was taught by Liszt.


    ¡°All my research achievements have been realized under the unparalleled and wise guidance of His Majesty the King. It was His Majesty the King who initially entrusted me to design ships, telling me that ships should move away from oars and sails and instead use propellers to move forward, which enabled me to design the Magic Power Ship¡­¡±


    In his interview with ¡°The Great Arcanist¡± as a cover figure, Inuit spent an entire page of content lauding Emperor Liszt¡¯s help in the development of the Magic Power Ship.


    He also named the propeller ¡°Flame Propeller,¡± a blatant attempt to flatter.


    The so-called propeller is a common screw propeller powered by a Magic Array, relying on the propeller to move water to generate power. Additionally, there are some technologies to reduce the propeller¡¯s cavitation and reduce the ship¡¯s drag.


    Thus, the Magic Power Ship was born.


    ¡°The standard speed of the Magic Power Ship can reach 70 knots, which is several times faster than the current fastest Iron Dragon Warship at 20 knots. Theoretically, Magic Power Ships can indefinitely increase the speed of the propeller. 70 knots is just a speed that saves Magic Power consumption. If we don¡¯t care about the consumption of Magic Power and the ship is strong enough, we can even reach 700 knots!¡±


    Inuit boasted exuberantly about the Magic Power Ship.


    In the Age of Transverse Sail, the fastest Court Fast Sailing Ship of the Grand Duchy of Sapphire could only reach a speed of 10 knots, just over 18 kilometers per hour. In the hybrid power sailing ship era, the fastest Iron Dragon Warship of the Flame Kingdom reached 20 knots, which is just over 37 kilometers per hour.


    Now, the Magic Power Ship has reached a speed of 70 knots, allowing for navigation across the sea at a speed of 130 kilometers per hour.


    Moreover, this speed is not affected by the wind speed; even in strong headwind conditions, it can still travel over a hundred kilometers per hour.


    In the concluding words of the interview with ¡°The Great Arcanist¡±.


    They described Inuit and his invention of the Magic Power Ship as follows: ¡°With Chief Arcanist Inuit Truth¡¯s invention of the Magic Power Ship, the curtain on the Great Age of Maritime Exploration slowly begins to rise. One can imagine that in the future, humans driving Magic Power Ships across the seas will be as comfortable as knights galloping across the continents on horses.¡±


    There is a suspicion of excessive exaggeration.


    In fact, with the activation of the Magic Teleportation Array, the importance of the great sea voyages seems not so crucial, as the communication between the Flame Kingdom and the Legendary Continent can basically be achieved without going through the traditional routes.


    However, the invention of the Magic Power Ship still holds significant importance as it denotes an advancement in the exploitation of the sea.


    For this purpose, Li Si Te personally returned from the Dragon Pit Great Mine and met with Inuit and his team of Arcanists from the ship laboratory at the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    He amicably conversed with them, ¡°Inuit, the Magic Power Ship has broken free from the limitations of wind sails, perhaps it can be made bigger, a single ship might carry a whole Knight Order or even a Dragon. Your next research direction could focus on this area, as I need to transport knights and dragons across the sea.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty, I will seriously consider how to enhance the Magic Power Ship.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    Li Si Te was pleased, of course, he did not particularly need to use the Magic Power Ship to conquer the Legendary Continent as the efficiency coming from such a method wasn¡¯t high. Establishing Magic Teleportation Arrays to conquer the Legendary Continent quickly was the true way to victory. But what he had in mind was another continent¡ªMafa Continent.


    It was hard to find a natural node in the Magic Teleportation Array leading directly to Mafa Continent.


    Thus, if he wanted to explore the Mafa Continent, he still needed to cross the Devil¡¯s Sea. If it were just him, he could swim alongside Ach and the Mermaid. But if he intended to lead a huge army, then he must build some ¡°Dragon Carrier Warships¡± capable of transporting dragons.


    After all, not knowing the situation in Mafa Continent, he would have to approach it with a considerable force¡ªno dragon could cross the territory alone.


    ¡­ Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Magic Power Ship caused quite a stir within the Flame Kingdom, but it was just a few days of public enthusiasm. The Magic Teleportation Array between Jade City and Heroic Yellow City had long rendered the Flame Kingdom a land-based kingdom, and the great sea voyages were not a target for many nobles.


    For the nobles of the Kingdom, why bother developing the sea when looting the Legendary Continent was the true path to domination!


    After the heat died down, the Magic Power Ship was quickly forgotten.


    To this, Li Si Te could only describe it with ¡°Sparrows could never understand the aspirations of the phoenix.¡± Obviously, he didn¡¯t need short-sighted nobles, knowing his own grand objectives.


    He had already returned to the Dragon Pit Great Mine, continuing his training with Grey Iron Dragon Ornn.


    However, soon, a flickering Thread of Destiny attracted his attention. Following this thread, he sensed the source that was stirring these Threads of Destiny¡ªthe Pea Great Elf Ash.


    After a careful consideration, his eyes widened, and he couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, ¡°Haha, great joy, Ash has successfully evolved!¡±


    Two years after subduing Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, Ash quickly became fond of this dragon.


    For a Greater Elf to evolve into a Dragon Elf, it generally takes a long time, some Greater Elves might even cherish a dragon for more than a decade. Not every Greater Elf can evolve as quickly as the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf. Thus, after waiting for more than two years, Ash finally completed her evolution.


    He hurried back to the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Just as he entered the chamber of Ash, he saw a beautiful, majestic Dragon Elf, still unclothed, holding a piece of rope in her hands.


    Seeing Li Si Te, the newly grown Pea Dragon Elf Ash showed a sweet smile, ¡°Li Si Te, I¡¯ve evolved, and I feel that my rope skills have also been elevated. Would you like to see?¡±

 Chapter 1077 - 1077 1074 Urgently to be Picked

    ?Chapter 1077: Chapter 1074: Urgently to be Picked Chapter 1077: Chapter 1074: Urgently to be Picked Appreciating rope art is of course unnecessary.


    But Liszt circled around the Pea Great Elf, or to be precise, the Pea Dragon Elf Ash, for two full rotations: ¡°Very outstanding, Ash, you didn¡¯t let me down. Now you have become the fourth Dragon Elf of the Flame Family. The Pea Plantation can be fully cultivated now.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would be very fond of rope art,¡± Ash responded, off the topic.


    ¡°Cough cough, I do have an interest in the artistic side of rope art, but lack the time; however, I will arrange for the servants in the Royal Palace to cooperate with you so you can fully express your artistic talent.¡±


    Ash shook her head, disappointedly saying, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, many of those servants are too crude and do not understand what my rope art wants to express. Liszt, I thought you would understand, only rope art can completely display the curves of beautiful things.¡±


    ¡°You can take your time and find some among the servants. I believe there will be those who understand your perfect pursuit of curves¡­ and you can also promote it among the elves, maybe they will understand as well.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t understand, the Little Minor Elves are just a bunch of idiots; even if they are born as Pea Great Elves, they won¡¯t get it,¡± Ash said seriously. ¡°Most elves are idiots, Carly, Yadi, Ani are idiots too, and the trait of stupidity is most apparent in Jela.¡±


    Carly is the Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite, Yadi is the Buckwheat Dragon Sprite, and Ani is the Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Dragon Elf. Clearly, Ash doesn¡¯t think much of these three Dragon Sprites.


    As for Jela.


    Most elves seem to not hold Jela in high regard, luckily Jela is still pursuing dragons, trying to evolve. After announcing its failure to pursue the Aluminum Dragon Connor, it has been bitterly interacting with Bone Dragon Vinnie, trying to find their respective sparks in the hope of making itself fall in love with Mountain Bone Dragon Vinnie.


    This has allowed the Sun Moon Star Palace to enjoy a period of tranquility. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You know it in your heart, that¡¯s enough. Some things don¡¯t need to be said aloud.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Ash sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a pity I can understand you all, but very few of you can understand me¡­ Rope art is such a noble art. Liszt, as a king, the highest existence among nobles, you really should learn rope art to embellish yourself.¡±


    Having evolved into a Dragon Elf, Ash clearly had a significant improvement in intelligence and eloquence, but its sense of aesthetics remained as quirky as ever.


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Liszt decisively ended the conversation: ¡°Now that you¡¯ve become a Dragon Elf, should I prepare a few sets of clothes for you to change into?¡±


    Ash thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Exhibiting rope art in the nude is the essence of art, but after all, I still have to face the eyes of the mundane world, so have a few sets of clothes tailor-made for me.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Leaving Ash¡¯s chamber and stepping into the corridor, Liszt couldn¡¯t help wiping the nonexistent sweat from his forehead. The personalities of his elves were mostly quite unique, with the most peculiar ones being Jela and Ash, who was deeply indulged in rope art.


    Ash was once an elf of Di Maria Yuhua Stone, the marquis of Pea Island.


    ¡°Di Maria must be a pervert in private. Ash¡¯s enthusiasm for rope art must have been learned from him; it turns out that beneath nobility¡¯s dignified appearance often lurks a perverse side!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Your Majesty, will you be staying in the Royal Palace for dinner tonight?¡± the Inner Court Butler Carter inquired.


    Liszt shook his head: ¡°Mr. Carter, there¡¯s no need to prepare dinner for me, I¡¯ll be leaving the Royal Palace shortly.¡± The Threads of Destiny regarding the new dragon are becoming clearer and he needed to persist without resting; taking a break might mean missing out on this rare opportunity.


    For him, the Flame Kingdom was trivial; dragons were the real concern.


    Carter hesitated for a moment.


    Seeing this, Liszt said, ¡°Mr. Carter, is there something the matter?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, Your Majesty, you seldom stay at the Sun Moon Star Palace. Princess Emily seems listless each time she returns to the Royal Palace for meals¡­ The Princess must really hope to dine with you,¡± Carter, old and wise, naturally understood some of the subtleties.


    ¡°Hmm, I will make time to arrange a meal with Emily,¡± Liszt replied candidly.


    His feelings for Emily needed no concealment; after all, she was the Dragon Knight he had carefully nurtured from childhood. Emily, now sixteen, had come of age. She had transformed from a scrawny little girl into a strong woman with graceful curves, dazzling like a budding flower.


    Riding the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn away from the Royal Palace, he couldn¡¯t help but reflect inwardly, ¡°Emily has grown up; it¡¯s time for me to fulfill my promise.¡±


    ¡­


    May had just arrived.


    However, the knight¡¯s silhouette in the mind world of the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn didn¡¯t move forward as it neared completion, and it didn¡¯t take long for Liszt to understand why.


    ¡°Ornn, you have a knot in your heart.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± Ornn responded openly, acknowledging this knot, for once it was a dragon of the Grey Iron Duchy, seeing eye to eye with the First Duke of Iron Grey.


    The Mind Branding of the First Duke of Iron Grey had faded away, but those memories were still preserved in Ornn¡¯s heart.


    It was these very memories that became an obstacle preventing Liszt from completing the Mind Branding, and after some thought, he decided, ¡°Let¡¯s travel to the ruins of the Grey Iron Duchy. We should reminisce about your memories of the First Duke of Iron Grey, clear our minds, and perhaps the knot will be untied soon.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± Ornn nodded in agreement.


    So the two of them, man and dragon, flew high into the sky, heading straight for the Jade Mountain Magic Gate, crossing the Male Jade Transmission Array to arrive at the Heroic Yellow Plains. This land was the territory of Yevich Water Peanut, but with Yevich busy cultivating the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy, his sister¡¯s husband¡¯s brother was managing Heroic Yellow City.


    Liszt did not know Yevich¡¯s brother-in-law.


    He wasn¡¯t interested in meeting him either; after passing through the Magic Gate he flew away without a greeting.


    They flew northwest, weaving through the dense primeval forest, and when tired, landed on mountaintops to rest. With the Magic Platform keeping him in touch with the outside world, he could still manage the Flame Kingdom even when away, and there was no need to stay in the Royal Palace all the time.


    ¡°This expanse of primeval forest urgently needs development. The Eagle Kingdom has no plans for it, so it¡¯s natural for the Flame Kingdom to take over. It¡¯s a pity that population is a big issue; there aren¡¯t even enough hands to develop Flame Island, let alone here¡­ By the time I consume the Eagle Kingdom, it will still be difficult to develop this area.¡±


    Development requires population.


    Without the continuous increase of generations, the population will not rise.


    But even if the population does grow, the Elf output can¡¯t keep up, and will still constrain development.


    To break free from the restriction of the Elves, one must vigorously develop Magic farming, attempting to revive the era of the Ancient Moon Empire ¡ª at that time, humans were hostile to Elf Bugs, using them as raw materials for making Magic Dust, not for farming, which relied entirely on Magic.


    Liszt is actively developing the Arcane System, also hoping that the Arcanists can improve agricultural conditions.


    To allow agriculture to thrive independently of Elves.


    And this task may fall on the research of Druid Magic ¡ª he has always restricted the Arcanists¡¯ research into Druid transformation magic, but has encouraged research into Druid cultivation magic. The Magic Plant Seeds collected from the Sky Ship were all handed over to the Arcanists for research.


    So far, a small portion of the Magic Plants cultivated by the Arcanists have grown lush and verdant, but the issue of slow growth has yet to be solved.

 Chapter 1078 - 1078 1075 Royal Blue

    ?Chapter 1078: Chapter 1075: Royal Blue Chapter 1078: Chapter 1075: Royal Blue Under the Royal Arcane Academy, there is a Magic Laboratory named ¡°Nature¡¯s Source,¡± which does not employ a system of chief arcanists but rather resembles a scientific research institute.


    The Nature¡¯s Source Laboratory focuses on the development of Magic Plants, further divided into multiple research groups. Magic Beans, Magic Wheat, Magic Melons, Magic Eggplants, Magic Peppers, Magic Ginseng, Magic Lotus Root, Magic Tangerines, Magic Pears, Magic Sunflowers, Transforming Trees¡ªeach type of Magic Plant has a corresponding group dedicated to researching how to cultivate them.


    Depending on the environmental needs of different Magic Plants, the Nature¡¯s Source Laboratory has branch laboratories in many cities of Flame Island and has planned specialized plantations.


    Even on Black Horse Island in the Sapphire Duchy, there are branch laboratories of Nature¡¯s Source¡ªhousing several early-cultivated types of Magic Plants.


    However, since the cultivation of Magic Plants began four to five years ago, not a single fruit has been harvested.


    Magic Plants are cultivated from large trees through Natural Magic. Even Magic Beans, a leguminous Magic Plant, grow into trees similar to fruit trees. This process requires ten years to initially bear fruit; after another ten years, the yield of the Magic Bean tree gradually increases; it is not until forty years later that it enters a period of abundant fruiting.


    Theoretically, during the period of abundant fruiting, a single Magic Bean tree can produce fifty thousand pounds of Magic Beans endowed with Magic Power annually, and a Magic Bean tree can live for over a hundred years.


    It is unknown if the Moon Empire relied on such Magic Plants for food, but the Sun Empire of Mafa Continent certainly consumes Magic Plant food¡ªthe magicians of Mafa Continent have likely all evolved into Druids, which is a significant difference from those of Legendary Continent.


    Unfortunately, theory is just theory. The cultivation of Magic Beans in the Flame Kingdom grows even slower than expected, seemingly poorly adapted to the local environment. The Magic Beans on Black Horse Island, cultivated for four to five years, have barely grown into crooked saplings, let alone large trees. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The same goes for other Magic Plants.


    Originally, when Ach discovered the growth cycle of Magic Plants, Liszt felt disheartened¡ªdepending on Magic Plants for food, he would be over fifty or sixty years old.


    However, when the Flame Kingdom started preparing for nation-building, aiming to create a foundation for eternity, coupled with the magicians¡¯ enthusiasm for Natural Magic, he began to vigorously support Magic Plant research again. The Nature¡¯s Source Laboratory was established under these conditions, initially integrated and separated from the Magic Guild and recently placed under the Royal Arcane Academy.


    ¡°Magic Plant cultivation cannot do without arcanists. Ordinary arcanists are inefficient in planting, and it is most appropriate for specialized Druids to farm¡­ I wonder if after connecting with Mafa Continent, we could find some descendants of the Child of the Sun, and develop a specialized farming race.¡±


    The existing clues seem to indicate that the descendants of the Child of the Sun on Mafa Continent might have become extinct.


    Old Tanner Fi¡¯el from Tanners¡¯ Shop, although forced by arcanists to reproduce, resulting in numerous Sun Descendants being added to the territory, still, the growth and branching out of these Sun Descendants will take a long time.


    Leaning on the back of Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, Liszt remarks while looking around the dense forest, ¡°A thousand years is too long; seize every minute and second!¡±


    ¡­


    The journey with Ornn is not in a rush.


    According to the memories provided by Ornn, it was initially born on the western side of Eagle Kingdom, approximately at the border with Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom. Most memories from its youth are vague, not knowing where it came from. But before it came of age, it met the then Marquis, who was the First Duke of Iron Grey¡ªPiok Er Qiao Mulan.


    Er Qiao Mulan is a type of flower.


    It is worth mentioning that after the downfall of Grey Iron Duchy, Duke Pierrot changed his surname to Grey Iron. His son, Pifort, led the family back to Eagle Kingdom, initially claiming to change the surname to ¡°Fallen Iron,¡± but King Adonis of the Eagle Kingdom disagreed, thinking that neither Pierrot¡¯s family nor Pifort¡¯s should have any more connections with the Grey Iron Dragon.


    Therefore, Pifort restored the surname Er Qiao Mulan.


    The First Duke of Iron Grey was far more charismatic than his descendants.


    A young man who became a Completion Level Sky Knight, then encountering the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, which was stealthily hunting for food, experienced love at first sight just like between individuals, as did Ornn and Piok, and not long after, amidst a tug of war, completed the Mind Battle.


    The story did not have many hardships, no heroic dragon rescues, life-or-death separations, or sacrificing lives for justice kind of grand scenes.


    But Piok and Ornn lived freely, traveling everywhere, fighting, until their later years when they finally established Grey Iron Duchy.


    Shortly after Piok Er Qiao Mulan passed away, Ornn became the ¡°Ash King¡±, guarding the Grey Iron Duchy.


    ¡°This dragon values companionship; a spontaneous journey proves more effective than any deliberate effort.¡± Sensing that the knot in Ornn¡¯s heart was beginning to loosen, he couldn¡¯t help but observe and summarize¡ªhe had never given up on creating the ¡°Liszt¡¯s Dragon Knight Training Complete Manual¡±.


    Different dragons require different training methods.


    If one is an ordinary Dragon Knight, only by finding the most perfect training method can one achieve completion. He generally relies on external forces to achieve perfection, being so willful under the care of the Power of Destiny. However, for the sake of his descendants to be able to ride dragons smoothly, it is still necessary to summarize the experience.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Ornn let out a coquettish roar, indicating it wanted to take some drugs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any Red Dragon Water, only some ordinary Magic Potions; make do with these,¡± Liszt said, pulling out an ordinary Magic Potion and tossing it to Ornn.


    Ornn swallowed the Magic Potion, uttering a joyful roar, and didn¡¯t complain about it not being Red Dragon Water.


    For him, the Magic Potions and such were secondary; the ability to travel the world with his own Knight was already enough¡ªfocusing on spiritual rather than material experiences.


    So.


    Heading west.


    Upon reaching the former Grey Iron Duchy, which had been dissolved and reintegrated into the Eagle Kingdom, entering Ornn¡¯s familiar environment, Liszt¡¯s figure in its inner world had become fully clear, solidifying into tangible existence.


    Which means.


    The knot was untangled, the Mind Branding was successful, and at this moment Liszt officially became a Completion Level Grey Iron Dragon Knight.


    At the same time, feeling the Threads of Destiny swirling about him, one of them suddenly sparkled. Concentrating on this Thread of Destiny, he quickly managed to sense its source, leading to a dragon, a dragon that awaited him.


    ¡°This is the Power of Destiny, going with the flow, one can enjoy the fruits of success.¡±


    He stopped paying attention to the powers of Destiny and reconnected spiritually with Ornn: ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ornn, I feel that there is a dragon far away, waiting to join the Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ornn was a bit displeased; it didn¡¯t like Liszt thinking about other dragons at this moment.


    However, the Mind Branding was already successful; no matter how unhappy it was, it couldn¡¯t resist Liszt¡¯s decision. Flapping its wings, it soared into the sky, heading to the southwest, towards the Wild Forest under Liszt¡¯s direction.


    The terrain shifted from plains to mountains.


    The terrain grew increasingly rugged, with raging rivers and towering peaks, as if flying into vast mountains. Various Magical Beasts of birds circled in midair, and the dense forest emitted dense bursts of Magic Power feedback, illuminating this paradise of Magical Beasts, undisturbed by humans.


    ¡°Do you see it, Ornn!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s right there, just behind that Snow Mountain; over that, and you¡¯ll see it. I¡¯m feeling it more and more clearly¡ªit¡¯s a beautiful Gemstone Dragon¡­ robust magic power, strengthening its power, this sensation¡­ yes, it¡¯s the Royal Sapphire Dragon!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Promoting a masterpiece from a friend, ¡°Lord Tiger¡±: a story about a youth in sackcloth, a black dragon crushed under heavy snow, a world with wine, blades, and stories.

 Chapter 1079 - 1079 1076 The Aspect of Temperament

    ?Chapter 1079: Chapter 1076: The Aspect of Temperament Chapter 1079: Chapter 1076: The Aspect of Temperament The Royal Sapphire Dragon is a type of Gemstone Dragon.


    This Gemstone Dragon produces gemstones whose color is known as royal blue. The color saturation of royal blue is very high, rich and bright, and under the illumination of the sun, it casts a shimmering halo. Upon closer observation, one can see the deep blue also carries subtle hints of gorgeous purple.


    It is named ¡°royal¡± because this type of Gemstone Dragon is a symbol of the Blue Dragon Empire. It is said that the First Emperor was a Royal Sapphire Dragon Knight.


    After he founded the Blue Dragon Empire and declared himself Emperor, his mount was called the Royal Sapphire Dragon.


    ¡°The Royal Sapphire Dragon is not only noble in name, but the gemstones it produces are also worthy of such an aristocratic title¡­¡±


    Li Si Te searched for the Royal Sapphire Dragon while recalling information about this type of dragon: ¡°The sapphire possesses sturdy magic properties; it can greatly enhance magic and Dou Qi, amplifying the combat power of the user¡­ It may offer less of a boost to Sky Knights, but outfitting Earth Knights, it could undoubtedly double the combat power of the Knight Order.¡±


    If a comparison must be made, the Royal Sapphire Dragon is roughly equivalent to the Magic Metal Dragon among the Metal Dragons¡ªits combat prowess might not compare, but its actual value is similar.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Grey Iron Dragon Ornn did not sense the presence of the Royal Sapphire Dragon, but it expressed serious dissatisfaction with Li Si Te, who was currently obsessed with finding the Royal Sapphire Dragon.


    However, since Mind Branding had been successful, he didn¡¯t care too much about Ornn¡¯s bit of discontent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving, Ornn. There will be more and more of such matters in the future; you need to get used to it early on. I am the King of the Flame Kingdom, the future Emperor of the Flame Imperial, destined to unite the Legendary Continent and Mafa Continent, building a civilization spanning the entire planet¡­ All dragons are reserved by me!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ornn was powerless to complain about such thick-skinned thoughts. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mountains grew higher and the snow increased; they were nearly at the boundary between the Eagle Kingdom and the Yellowstone Kingdom. The geographic and climatic conditions were somewhat similar to the Earth¡¯s Sichuan-Tibet Line area, but below the snow line, there was still lush, dense vegetation.


    ¡°If we move forward, we¡¯ll be entering the highlands and crossing into the Yellowstone Kingdom.¡± He employed the Eye of Magic to carefully inspect the snow-capped mountains and dense forests below, ¡°The Threads of Destiny are clearly leading to the Royal Sapphire Dragon, but they cannot give me an exact location.¡±


    The Power of Destiny, represented by the Threads of Destiny, is not a precise tracker, but a mystical feeling.


    He needed to rely on Ornn¡¯s draconic senses to pinpoint the location: ¡°Let¡¯s wander around this snow mountain range. Pay careful attention and see if you can sense the location of the Royal Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush the search. With our speed flying carpet-like across the area, we will eventually sense it.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Do you mean to say if the Royal Sapphire Dragon is hiding in a cave, it would interfere with your sensing range¡­ Let¡¯s search first, in any case. We have plenty of time. For the Royal Sapphire Dragon, spending ten days to half a month is quite typical.¡± Li Si Te naturally would not be swayed in his commitment to a new dragon.


    Even if it takes a year and a half here, as long as he can obtain the Royal Sapphire Dragon, it would be worth it!


    This search lasted for five days.


    He felt that the Royal Sapphire Dragon was nearby, but no matter how many trips they made, Ornn just could not trigger the mutual sensing between dragons.


    ¡°We can roughly lock it down; within an 800-kilometer radius with this place as the center, the Royal Sapphire Dragon must exist. But, for some reason, our carpet-style search yields no feedback, the Eye of Magic sees no response light, and Ornn cannot sense the other party.¡±


    After a fruitless first search, Li Si Te decisively started the second round: ¡°Let¡¯s go again, Ornn. This time, let¡¯s conduct the carpet search using fifty kilometers as the minimum sensing range. Even if the Royal Sapphire Dragon can hide its aura, it can¡¯t possibly be less than fifty kilometers.¡±


    Normally, the sensing range between dragons is around one to two hundred kilometers, and it rarely ever drops below a hundred kilometers.


    At the moment, the only dragon Li Si Te knew of that could reduce its sensing range to fifteen kilometers by utilizing the boundaries of matter was the Formless Dragon Bard.


    No matter how noble the name of the Royal Sapphire Dragon, it is still a Gemstone Dragon and cannot compare to a Sacred Dragon.


    Two weeks later, the fifty-kilometer carpet search came to an end, still without locating the Royal Sapphire Dragon. Standing atop a snow mountain, Ornn lay languidly on the snow, yawning, then fell into a deep sleep¡ªit never showed much enthusiasm for searching for the Sapphire Dragon.


    Li Si Te jumped down from Dragon Tooth Platform, standing in knee-deep snow, gazed at the vast expanse of white snow-capped mountains and lush valleys, his brow deeply furrowed.


    ¡°The Threads of Destiny always point to this place, so why can¡¯t I find the Royal Sapphire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°According to the rules of the Smoke Mission from before, I¡¯ve completed the prerequisite task ¡®Mind Branding of Grey Iron Dragon Ornn to perfection¡¯; I should basically be at the stage of receiving rewards now, it shouldn¡¯t be delayed this long¡­ Could it be that the Royal Sapphire Dragon can really shield itself from dragon sensing?¡±


    Thinking.


    He pulled out an object resembling a mirror from his Space Ring, which was the Magical Weaving Compass brought by Lerald?Truth.


    This piece of Magic Equipment could detect surrounding Advanced Magic Power.


    However, the compass, once activated, only reflected the shimmering light from Li Si Te and Ornn¡ªone man and one dragon: ¡°No use, the Magical Weaving Compass hasn¡¯t been helpful after two carpet searches; its sensing range is far weaker than the dragons¡¯.¡±


    Packing away the Magical Weaving Compass, he then took out a Shattered Crystal Blade, unleashed a flow of Dou Qi, and blew away the surrounding snow, preparing to set up camp and rest. The strangely shaped greatsword, embedded with densely packed crystals, glimmered brilliantly under the sunlight.


    Against the backdrop of the Strange Greatsword, Li Si Te appeared full of heroic vigor.


    He was wearing a set of Magical Beast Leather Armor made from the hide of the Advanced Magical Beast ¨C Golden Leopard; its defense might not be particularly strong, but the shimmering golden patterns, embellished with Magic Metal, were definitely top-notch in appearance¡ªby now, Li Si Te had long since stopped pursuing external power.


    Any equipment¡¯s defense, even if made from Dragon Scales, could not match that of his Phoenix Incarnation.


    Any weapon¡¯s sharpness, even if forged from the teeth or souls of a dragon, could not surpass the sharpness of Bone Dragon Vinnie¡¯s mimetic Bone Dragon Sword, or the Fire Dragon Lance of Fire Dragon Leo.


    The Shattered Crystal Blade and Golden Leather Armor were merely eye-catching accessories, highlighting the majesty of a king.


    Looking up at the brilliant Sun overhead, Li Si Te dropped his worries of not finding the Royal Sapphire Dragon, wanting to recite a poem towards the expansive snowy mountains: ¡°The northern landscape, covered in ice, a thousand miles of freeze, ten thousand miles¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his words.


    On top of a distant snow mountain he was gazing at, suddenly an impressive deep blue color rose up, flying towards the sky in the sunlight. Even from a great distance, he could see clearly that it was a blue Dragon, dancing joyfully in the sky. It might have been an illusion, but as the Dragon danced, it seemed to leave behind a slowly dissipating trail of pale blue.


    ¡°Quick, wake up, Ornn!¡±


    Li Si Te hastily put away the Shattered Crystal Blade and jumped onto Ornn¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform: ¡°The Royal Sapphire Dragon has appeared, let¡¯s chase after it!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ornn flapped its wings, kicking off with its hind legs, shooting into the sky like a grey-white arrow.


    The wind howled past his ears, Li Si Te¡¯s smile hung at the corner of his mouth, his gaze firmly fixed on the distant blue figure, continuing to choose to recite poetry: ¡°Endless searching to no avail, yet it arrives without effort at all!¡±

 Chapter 1080 - 1080 1077 Magic Power Attack

    ?Chapter 1080: Chapter 1077: Magic Power Attack Chapter 1080: Chapter 1077: Magic Power Attack The actions of the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn did not conceal its aura, thus it was quickly sensed by the Royal Sapphire Dragon, which was flying joyfully ahead.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The dragon¡¯s roar from the Royal Sapphire Dragon had no special tune, but the tone made it very clear to Liszt that it was a warning to the Grey Iron Dragon to keep its distance.


    Dragons do not have hostile relations with one another.


    But there is also absolutely no friendly atmosphere among dragons, a situation somewhat similar to that among Elves; each dragon is an independent individual, seldom seen congregating. As the world¡¯s most noble creatures, dragons¡¯ proud nature does not allow them to live in groups.


    Some wild Evil Dragons even attempt to hunt young dragons¡ªthe nutrition of a young dragon far surpasses that of any Magical Beast or Magic Potion.


    Of course, wars among adult dragons are rare.


    Even though an adult Fire Dragon, the strongest among the Elemental Dragons, Gemstone Dragons, and Metal Dragons, can easily defeat some smaller adult dragons, killing an adult dragon outright requires a huge cost, and the chances are high that even with a great expense, the dragon may not be killed.


    It¡¯s a waste of Magic Power.


    Therefore,


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon merely issued a warning and then turned to fly far away.


    ¡°Ornn, tell it to stop; let¡¯s use courtesy before force!¡± Liszt was not about to let the Royal Sapphire Dragon get away just like that.


    No matter what, he was determined to claim this beautiful Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Ornn let out a roar.


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Royal Sapphire Dragon turned back and warned again.


    The warnings were futile.


    Liszt, riding the Grey Iron Dragon, charged recklessly towards the Royal Sapphire Dragon, closing the distance between them quickly. The Royal Sapphire Dragon was not afraid of the Grey Iron Dragon, so it did not think of fleeing. When the Grey Iron Dragon approached, it quickly turned around, issuing a final warning to the Grey Iron Dragon.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The two dragons, separated by a distance of eight hundred meters, hovered mid-air and faced off against each other.


    The sunlight poured down, casting a faint glow on the Grey Iron Dragon. On the Royal Sapphire Dragon, it sparked a magnificent blue-violet halo, as if it was clothed in a coat woven from rosy clouds¡ªLiszt had to admit, in terms of appearance, this Royal Sapphire Dragon was at the pinnacle among Gemstone Dragons.


    Second only to the Formless Dragon Bard.


    ¡°Body length approximately fifty-five meters, wingspan about sixty-five meters; the wingspan is longer than the body length, giving it a slender softness rather than bulk¡­ The blue-purple dragon scales, delicate and crystal-clear with texture, with body curves and proportions perfect, and full of both strength and nobility.¡±


    Liszt silently admired the Royal Sapphire Dragon with great detail.


    Until the Royal Sapphire Dragon issued an intolerable provocative roar: ¡°Roar!¡±


    Only then did he signal the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn to turn its body, exposing himself to the vision of the Royal Sapphire Dragon, and he spoke out loud, ¡°Royal Sapphire Dragon, I do not know if you understand the human language, and if you can understand what I am saying, please give me a response.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± The response was given.


    But this did not mean that the Royal Sapphire Dragon understood human speech; instead, it was expressing one thing¡ªif you do not leave, it would launch an attack.


    Liszt smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so rude, Royal Sapphire Dragon. I¡¯ve come with sincerity to meet you. It is fate that guided us to this encounter; you are a dragon, and I am a Dragon Knight. Our dragon-rider bond is inevitable.¡±


    Unfortunately, this speech went unappreciated¡ªthe Royal Sapphire Dragon seemed to have never been in contact with humans and did not understand human language.


    Seeing that Liszt and Ornn had not left, it became furiously enraged and beat its wings vigorously. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, Liszt saw one grey Wind Blade after another shooting out from between its wings, barraging towards himself and the dragon.


    ¡°Can it actually use magic?¡± Liszt was astonished, he had never seen a dragon release magic. For dragons, they did not need the power of magic; they themselves represented the pinnacle of power¡ªphysical strength and Dragon Breath were the most common forms of combat.


    Ornn twisted his body and flipped upwards, dodging the bombardment of Wind Blades.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) took the opportunity to pull out the five-meter-long Thunder Fury Dragon Lance, while using the Eye of Magic to carefully observe the magic released by the Royal Sapphire Dragon.


    In the special field of vision, the Wind Blades that constantly attacked beside them shone with the unique luster of High Magic.


    ¡°It¡¯s not magic, but High Magic that has condensed. It still falls within the realm of Dragon Magic Power,¡± he quickly determined that the Royal Sapphire Dragon did not possess the ability to cast magic.


    Magic is formed from magic power composing runes and then forming a powerful attack sequence.


    The magic power that condensed into Wind Blades before him was similar to the Fire Rain that appeared when Fire Dragon Leo made its entrance, lacking a sequence of rune combinations.


    ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s not magic, within an acceptable range!¡± Just as he was concentrating on his analysis.


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon saw that the Grey Iron Dragon evaded its attacks but continued to fly around it, glaring with a pair of draconic eyes. Its rage surged once more as its crystal-like wings beat fiercely, creating a gust that lifted it higher before the wings twisted and once again expelled Dragon Magic Power.


    At that moment.


    The sky suddenly changed color, as if oppressive clouds loomed overhead, and ice hail formed out of the air. Like bullets firing, they barraged towards the Grey Iron Dragon. Each piece of hailstone, as it tore through the air, emitted a sharp, piercing Sonic Boom, filling the heavens with hail and Sonic Booms.


    ¡°This¡­ It¡¯s not magic but might as well be; it¡¯s more terrifying than the High Magic-Super Magic released by Ach on her own, almost reaching the level of Superior Magic-Super Magic released when she rode a Unicorn!¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) was astounded.


    After the shock, he rapidly felt joy¡ªThe stronger the Royal Sapphire Dragon was, the happier he was because it was his dragon!


    ¡°Ornn, let¡¯s break through,¡± he said as the two of them, man and dragon, charged at the Royal Sapphire Dragon amidst the frenzied Magic Hailstone, with formless Dragon Magic Power mixed with Dragon Dou Qi, enveloping themselves in a protective membrane to withstand the more violent hail of Magic Power Attacks than magic.


    As a fully realized Grey Iron Dragon Knight.


    Li Si Te (Liszt)¡¯s current battle power was definitely among the top tier of Dragon Knights, with strength combined with skill; the combat power demonstrated by a Dragon Knight was not something a single dragon could achieve.


    Boom!


    The hail smashed against the protective membrane woven from Magic Power and Dou Qi, rapidly melting and vaporizing, with only a few pieces penetrating the membrane to hit the dragon scales.


    But the penetrating hail had weakened significantly, essentially tickling rather than hurting.


    Both man and dragon swiftly passed through the flashy but insubstantial hail of Magic Power Attacks.


    As they were about to collide with the Royal Sapphire Dragon, the stunning deep Sapphire Dragon, its beautiful dragon eyes did not show any sign of panic.


    It continued to flap its wings at a normal rhythm, then rolled up even more hail to launch an attack.


    But the next moment.


    Li Si Te (Liszt) suddenly realized that the hailstone, which should have been melted and vaporized by the protective membrane, seemed to solidify dozens of times more. Instead of dissolving, it tore through the protective membrane like real bullets, and carrying immense Impact Force, struck the Grey Iron Dragon.


    Leaving deep indentations upon the dragon scales.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Ornn felt pain.


    Li Si Te (Liszt), connected in heart and mind, felt the pain as well.


    But his mind was exceptionally clear, and within a quarter of a breath, he analyzed the sudden increase in attack strength, pinpointing the reason: ¡°It¡¯s the unique magic property of the Royal Sapphire Dragon. The gemstones it produces can enhance Magic Power, naturally, it could also enhance its own!¡±


    The enhanced Magic Power Attack made the condensed hail as hard as Rocks, maybe even rivaling the hardness of steel.


    When it struck the Grey Iron Dragon, it was like a machine gun baptism.


    ¡°It truly hurts¡­ indeed very powerful, worthy of the reputation of the Gemstone Dragon as the Magic Metal Dragon. However, a dragon without a Knight, no matter how gorgeous the attack moves, is but a flashy shell of techniques with no substance!¡±


    Enduring the continuous bombardment of painful hail, he loudly declared: ¡°Royal Sapphire Dragon, become my dragon, only together can we unleash your true innate combat abilities!¡±

 Chapter 1081 - 1081 1078 Woo Yi Ya

    ?Chapter 1081: Chapter 1078 Woo Yi Ya Chapter 1081: Chapter 1078 Woo Yi Ya The skies roared with hail, making it impossible for the Royal Sapphire Dragon to hear what Liszt was saying, and it deemed the words of humans insignificant like ants.


    Seeing that his Magic Hailstone attack barely did any notable damage, the dragon simply opened its mouth to emit a Dragon Breath. It was a brilliant blue-white light, almost like a laser beam, hitting the Grey Iron Dragon before it could react, right in the chest and abdomen area.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, in pain, let out an infuriated roar.


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon, successful in its first strike, opened its mouth again to prepare for another Dragon Breath attack.


    ¡°Dodge it, Ornn!¡± Liszt, enduring the severe pain from the mind-unity link, maneuvered the Grey Iron Dragon to evade it quickly. He glanced at the spot hit by the laser-like Dragon Breath; a large area of dragon scales was shattered, the wound looked like it was scorched by a fierce fire, emitting light smoke from the charred area.


    It almost smelled like roasted dragon meat.


    It was undeniable, that laser Dragon Breath was nearly powerful enough to heavily injure the Grey Iron Dragon.


    Seeing the Royal Sapphire Dragon preparing to unleash another laser Dragon Breath, Ornn¡¯s ferocity was fully provoked. It too opened its mouth to unleash its Dragon Breath, a torrent of metal transforming into sharp steel blades, projecting straight at the Royal Sapphire Dragon in a columnar path.


    However, its Dragon Breath was slightly slower, dodged by the Royal Sapphire Dragon twisting its body, the laser Dragon Breath from its opponent¡¯s mouth was still forthcoming.


    Boom!


    The beam of light grazed Ornn¡¯s wing and shot towards the distance.


    Ornn dodged the attack and lifted its dragon head once more, mouth open, about to emit its own Dragon Breath ¨C the metal torrent. But Liszt¡¯s thoughts took control: ¡°Stop using Dragon Breath, Ornn, such primitive and outdated combat methods shouldn¡¯t be used by a Dragon Knight!¡±


    Immediately.


    His mind shimmered with brilliant light: ¡°Charge with me!¡±


    The Dragon Dou Qi Manual was swiftly enacted, Thunderclasp Dragon Lance was slightly short, but enough to exert the studied Dragon Dou Qi of past Grey Iron Dragon Knights.


    Unity of Man and Dragon.


    Headed straight for the Royal Sapphire Dragon, then the Dragon Lance charged with copious Magic Power and Dou Qi, aimed at a cunning angle with a ferocious momentum, stabbing beneath the left wing of the Royal Sapphire Dragon¡ªif they couldn¡¯t persuade it through language, subduing the Royal Sapphire Dragon first was the only option.


    One lance strike after another.


    A well-trained Dragon Knight, once in battle stance, finally unleashed his true combat power. Each Dragon Lance strike combined speed, angle, and force perfectly, even causing ripples in the air, as if mere inches away from piercing the material boundary.


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon had strong combat power, be it robust Magic Power attacks or the electrically shot laser Dragon Breath, all were powerful offensive techniques.


    However, it lacked Dragon Knight training, its strength dispersed and not condensed, possessing brute ferocity yet missing an unstoppable explosive power.


    Round and round, several rounds of combat.


    Liszt had now managed to turn the tide while controlling the Grey Iron Dragon, from initially struggling to now dominantly suppressing the Royal Sapphire Dragon. The Thunderclasp Dragon Lance stabbed repeatedly into the beautiful dragon scales of the Royal Sapphire Dragon, piercing one bloody hole after another, with dragon blood splattering out.


    ¡°Royal Sapphire Dragon, I¡¯ve said it before, you have strength but can¡¯t utilize it effectively, don¡¯t you see? You lack a knight like me to guide you!¡±


    During the brief battle pause, Liszt still tried to communicate his sentiment.


    But the response he got was the Royal Sapphire Dragon suddenly turning around and swinging its long dragon tail like a thick whip.


    The distance between the two dragons surely exceeded the length of the tail.


    However, when the tail swung towards the Grey Iron Dragon, a blue-white lightning spread from the tip of its tail, instantly turning the tail into a handle, the front end extending into a tens of meters long arc of lightning.


    Crackle!


    Snap!


    The arc of lightning harshly struck the Grey Iron Dragon, then shattered into multiple small lightnings, streaking across the Grey Iron Dragon¡¯s body.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Ornn trembled throughout its body from the electric shock.


    Liszt, riding on the Dragon Tooth Platform, also flickered with electric sparks, but he quickly shifted his skin to a Phoenix Incarnation, thus avoiding the damage from the lightning. Despite still feeling the numbing sensation from the Grey Iron Dragon being shocked, it no longer hindered him from continuing the attack.


    Thunderclasp charge, striking the Royal Sapphire Dragon again, pulling out the lance tip after, blood spurted.


    Thus, the battle continued with merging and splitting.


    Whenever the Royal Sapphire Dragon unleashed a chain of lightning, Li Si Te would retaliate with a dragon lance thrust, and occasionally the Grey Iron Dragon would tear with its claws. More often, the two dragons of roughly equal size entwined their air currents, charging at each other, showcasing a brutal combat of flesh and blood.


    The fight rapidly escalated.


    Li Si Te¡¯s side, being a Dragon Knight, clearly suppressed the might of a single dragon.


    However, the Royal Sapphire Dragon, with its myriad tactics and unique fighting style unlike ordinary dragons, behaved like a magician among dragons, always countering the Grey Iron Dragon unexpectedly.


    As they fought and flew, their position had strayed far from the Snow Mountain range, and the sun at the horizon began to dip, gradually approaching the evening.


    ¡°Still not willing to submit, Royal Sapphire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Proud in nature, the heavily wounded Royal Sapphire Dragon remained spirited, not diminishing its proud demeanor at all.


    It gazed deeply at Li Si Te with its large dragon eyes, enduring a hit from the dragon spear, and quickly fled into the distance.


    Seeing this, Li Si Te slightly smiled, seemingly not too rushed, and simply communicated with Ornn: ¡°Pursue!¡± They followed closely behind the Royal Sapphire Dragon, not allowing it to escape the sensory lock of the Grey Iron Dragon.


    A chase ensued.


    As the last glimmer of evening light faded, the land entered night.


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon, seeing that the Grey Iron Dragon was not pursuing urgently, relaxed slightly to heal its body which had been punctured by dozens of spear holes.


    However, at this moment, a chilling sense of alertness surged in its heart, and the breath of another dragon, hidden under the guise of the Grey Iron Dragon¡¯s presence, suddenly became evident. The dragon¡¯s eyes searched in the night but could not locate the other dragon, only growing more anxious and accelerating its escape.


    Before it could speed away from the Grey Iron Dragon, a barely visible rift tore open in the void of the night.


    Then a sharp ¡°Wu Yi Ya¡± pierced the night sky.


    A sudden burst of gray-white mist appeared, enveloping the Royal Sapphire Dragon. This mist was sharper than the sharpest blade; upon contact, it shattered the mostly healed dragon scales of the Royal Sapphire Dragon and penetrated deeper into its flesh.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    In immense pain, the Royal Sapphire Dragon flapped its wings wildly, sparing no effort to use its Dragon¡¯s Super Magic, summoning endless Magic Hailstone to attack indiscriminately.


    Yet such attacks couldn¡¯t pinpoint the dragon that ambushed it.


    The elusive presence, like maggots boring into bone, continuously burrowed into the Royal Sapphire Dragon¡¯s heart, subjecting it to immense pressure.


    Moreover, the Grey Iron Dragon had already caught up from behind.


    With one in front and one behind, the combined presence of the two dragons firmly locked it in, as if ready to launch a fatal attack at any moment.


    Click.


    A bright light ascended from the back of the Grey Iron Dragon, the glow emitted by a row of Magic Lamp Bulbs, shining upon the Royal Sapphire Dragon. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Si Te¡¯s voice was unusually clear in the night: ¡°Royal Sapphire Dragon, as I said, the fate between us is destined. You should not flee¡­ Come now, make the right choice. Unite with me; I need your strength, and you shall receive tributes from the Flame Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± The roar of the Royal Sapphire Dragon was still filled with disdain, showing no change in its attitude even when facing two dragons, with nowhere to flee.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    Li Si Te shook his head.


    He knew that unless the Royal Sapphire Dragon was severely crippled, it would never bow.


    Li Si Te, an experienced Dragon Rider, understood the dragon¡¯s temperament well; if the compatibility between human and dragon was not harmonious, the dragon would rather die than submit. Therefore, the prior verbal communication and somewhat performative battle were merely meant to buy time for the Formless Dragon Bard to arrive.


    From the beginning, he had never planned to conquer a dragon single-handedly.


    ¡°I am, after all, a Dragon Knight with eight dragons!¡±

 Chapter 1082 - 1082 1079 The Overall Situation is Decided

    ?Chapter 1082: Chapter 1079: The Overall Situation is Decided Chapter 1082: Chapter 1079: The Overall Situation is Decided The Royal Sapphire Dragon is indeed very powerful compared to most Gemstone Dragons, with both Magic Power Attack and Laser Breath as powerful means of attack.


    Unfortunately, it faces Liszt, the favored one of destiny, as the Power of Destiny has already arranged everything clearly¡ªin between the pincer attack of Grey Iron Dragon Ornn and Formless Dragon Bard, the Royal Sapphire Dragon was fiercely battered and then heavily injured as it fell to the ground.


    Crash!


    The slightly injured Ornn stomped on the ragged body of the Royal Sapphire Dragon, trampling it fiercely to vent his anger: ¡°Roar!¡± It was particularly displeased with the Royal Sapphire Dragon because all along the way Liszt had been fixated on this Dragon, which made it hold a bellyful of rage.


    Bard landed to the side, his beautiful appearance undamaged.


    Although still underage, the combat power of the Sacred Dragon was already becoming more and more prominent, but it had always lived a peaceful life, rarely affected emotionally by other Dragons.


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Royal Sapphire Dragon lay on the ground, trying to struggle, but it had no strength left, with its magic power and energy all depleted in the great battle.


    But its eyes still flickered with an unconquered light, preferring death over bowing its proud head.


    ¡°Why must you be so stubborn, sigh.¡± Liszt signaled Bard to come over, prying open the mouth of the Royal Sapphire Dragon. Then, he took out a Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit, stuffed it into the Dragon¡¯s maw, and had Bard lift its neck to ensure the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit slid down its throat smoothly.


    Watching the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit being swallowed, he then revealed a satisfied smile: ¡°Royal Sapphire Dragon, the things destined by fate are unavoidable, why not accept them gracefully¡­ In fact, from the first second I saw you, I had already thought of your name.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon intended to spew breath to kill Liszt, but alas, its magic power was exhausted, unable to emit even a slight Dragon Breath.


    Liszt continued talking to himself: ¡°You have a body with a powerful magic-like Magic Power Attack, truly a Magician among Dragons, so you shall be called Ryze¡­ Rune Mage Ryze, I hope you can ennoble the name, let everyone know the charm of the Demon King.¡±


    The Rune Mage in the ¡°League of Legends¡± was nothing less than a demon-level hero of the middle lane.


    Ryze roared hoarsely: ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Sleep now, when you wake up tomorrow, the world will be different, the doors of the new world will officially open to you¡­ You¡¯ll understand that I am the most suitable Knight for you, chosen by destiny to merge as one.¡±


    ¡°Roar¡­¡±


    After several reluctant roars, the Royal Sapphire Dragon Ryze gradually felt overwhelmingly tired. The eyes that had flickered with an unyielding light also began to dilate and the eyelids grew heavy; without prolonged preparation, it rapidly fell into a deep slumber. The Dragon¡¯s eyes closed, and the scales guarding the Dragon Tooth Platform opened up slowly.


    Liszt glanced at the Grey Iron Dragon still standing on Ryze¡¯s back: ¡°Ornn, come down, don¡¯t step on Ryze.¡±


    Reluctantly, Ornn stepped down: ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the Magic Potion to replenish your consumed energy, heal your wounds quickly.¡± Liszt forced a handful of Magic Potions into Ornn¡¯s mouth and sent him away.


    Bard naturally also received a batch of Magic Potions.


    Unfortunately, Fire Dragon Elixir and Water Dragon Water were specific Dragon Medicines, and Red Dragon Water was even harder to obtain, so they had to make do with some Magic Potions that were less effective on Dragons.


    After comforting the two Dragons, he finally jumped onto Ryze¡¯s back, found the exposed Dragon Tooth Platform, took a deep breath, and slowly sat down.


    Boom!


    In an instant, he had established a mysterious connection with Ryze. His view changed immediately, one moment he was in the dense forest, and the next he was in a deep blue Crystal Staircase World. The experienced Liszt naturally understood that this Crystal Staircase was the Mind World of Ryze.


    Each Dragon has an imagined Mind World, which is both a figment and a real existence.


    And according to the personality of each Dragon, the structure of the Mind World is different.


    ¡°Such a grand Crystal Staircase, the material should be similar to the gemstones, crystals produced by Ryze, it looks like it¡¯s quite narcissistic about itself.¡±


    Standing at the very bottom on the edge of the stairs, Liszt looked up and found a deep blue Dragon lying at the top of the stairs, only part of its body visible. Without a doubt, this was the projection of Ryze himself in its Mind World, but its body was wrapped in Rainbow Chains.


    This was the power of the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit.


    As if sensing Liszt¡¯s intrusion, the dragon bound by the Rainbow Chains moved, struggling to turn its dragon head and looked down at Liszt from above.


    In its eyes was a complex expression ¡ª in reality, Reiz was already in a coma, but in the soul world, it was awake.


    They locked gazes for a few seconds.


    Liszt nodded slightly: ¡°Ascend the steps, and the Mind Battle will be completed. I understand, Reiz, I will reach the peak, whether you believe it or not.¡±


    The rules of battle in this part of the soul world are simple, to be victorious one must climb all the stairs. Each level of stairs will have a different Magic Power Attack, or rather, Reiz is in fact a dragon with a magician¡¯s mind, and the towering staircase it constructed is a display of various kinds of magic.


    Each level of stairs will present one type of magic ¡ª an attack move transformed by magic power.


    ¡°Whoosh!¡± Reiz, at the top of the stairs, let out a disdainful breath from its nostrils and then slowly prostrated itself. Awake as it might be, it could not resist the heavy Rainbow Chains that bound it.


    The contempt was self-evident.


    Liszt was not angered, but merely smiled slightly¡ª Reiz knew nothing of destiny!


    The next moment, the cape transformed by the Power of Destiny fluttered without wind, and he burst into flames, quickly transforming into a blazing red Phoenix.


    ¡°Screech!¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The loud call, like a clarion call, with its wings wrapped in grey smoke, fluttering gently, the body shot towards the stairs like a bolt of lightning.


    Reiz, the top of the stairs, let out a stream of disdain from its nostrils, then slowly crawled down, awake but unable to counter the heavy rainbow chains on its body.


    The meaning of its disdain was self-evident.


    Liszt was not angry, instead he just smiled faintly ¨C Reiz knows nothing about destiny!


    Liszt had reached the first step, and magic power quickly formed into countless Wind Blades.


    But before the Wind Blades could touch the Phoenix Incarnation, Liszt had already rushed to the second step like lightning; and when the second step started to transform into a dense hail, he quickly crossed it and rushed to the third step area, drawing countless Thunders.


    Yet, just like Wind Blades and hail, the Thunder had barely begun to condense when the Phoenix Incarnation, at speeds beyond the capture of the naked eye, rushed to the fourth step area.


    A single step was at least a thousand meters wide, and any knight would not be able to cross it quickly, only able to resist the violent Magic Power Attacks. However, for the supersonic Phoenix Incarnation, crossing the steps was easy as pie, and the magic attacks couldn¡¯t touch even a single feather of his.


    In the blink of an eye, the Phoenix Incarnation had burst through twenty steps and had passed the halfway point of the staircase.


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz could no longer lie still; it struggled to raise its head and glared at the Phoenix Incarnation that Liszt had become, wanting to roar in anger. But a chain of Rainbow Chains swiftly emerged on its dragon mouth, securely binding it shut, unable to open at all.


    But this soul world still changed following Reiz¡¯s struggle.


    The upper levels of the stairs that had not yet released magic, did not wait for Liszt to come over, and began to pre-emptively prepare Magic Power Attacks. Tornadoes, lava rain, tsunamis, collapsing rocks, Lightning Chains, burning sun, overlapping icebergs, bubbling pus and other magic transformations appeared swiftly.


    Reiz was willing to change the rules of the Mind Battle to stop Liszt, the cheater.


    ¡°Screech!¡±


    The Phoenix Incarnation let out a loud call again, turning into a sea swallow in the storm, diving headfirst into the raging magic attack area without fear.


    The grey smoke entwining his wings began to swirl around his body; whenever a magic attack was incoming, the grey smoke would shift there to counter it. Transformed into the grey smoke, the Power of Destiny had long been mastered by Liszt, a power on the same level as the Rainbow Chains.


    Rainbow Chains could bind the heart of the dragon, and naturally, the grey smoke could also resist attacks in the soul world.


    Passing through the tornadoes, through the lava rain, through tsunamis¡­ through bubbling pus. Finally, after crossing the forty-second step, taking only a few minutes, Liszt¡¯s Phoenix Incarnation reached the top of the deep blue crystal staircase, a neat platform.


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon, entwined in Rainbow Chains, was lying on top of it.


    As the magic below the steps dissipated, Liszt, on the platform, stood before Reiz¡¯s dragon head, having reverted to his human form: ¡°Reiz, do you understand now? You and I are destined to become one. Perhaps the process was a bit rough, but everything has been arranged.¡±


    Having said this, he leapt lightly, jumped onto the dragon¡¯s back, found the Dragon Tooth Platform, and sat down with a smile.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the real world.


    Liszt, riding on the back of the slumbering Royal Sapphire Dragon, suddenly opened his eyes: ¡°The game is set!¡±

 Chapter 1083 - 1083 1080 Melancholy Under the Starry Sky

    ?Chapter 1083: Chapter 1080: Melancholy Under the Starry Sky Chapter 1083: Chapter 1080: Melancholy Under the Starry Sky Victorious in the battle of minds, the Dragon Knight has already succeeded.


    Liszt carefully touched the gradually recovering beautiful blue scales of the Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz, feeling a hefty sense of harvest in his heart.


    The thread of destiny that was connected to Reiz had vanished without a trace.


    New threads of destiny started twinkling around him, but he didn¡¯t pay close attention to them. For the sake of Reiz, he had been running back and forth for nearly half a year, and now he needed a little rest to catch his breath.


    He flipped off the Dragon Tooth Platform.


    He began to circle the sleeping Royal Sapphire Dragon, appreciating every curve and every scale on the dragon¡¯s body.


    ¡°Reiz, oh Reiz, even though you are unconscious, our brief unity of minds has given me some understanding of you. You can not only produce the precious royal sapphires, but you¡¯re also a powerful combat aid. Only two hundred years old, you can protect the Flame Family for at least six hundred years!¡±


    It is said that dragons enter old age after eight hundred, leaving the nation that raised them to fly to the unknown Valley of Dragons, where they quietly await their life¡¯s end.


    Most of Liszt¡¯s dragons are still quite young.


    Bone Dragon, age unknown, after all, it is an anomaly among dragons, cannot be classified as Metal, Gemstone, or Elemental Dragons, nor as Sacred or Evil Dragons.


    Light Green Gemstone Dragon, over four hundred years old.


    Grey Iron Dragon, over three hundred years old.


    Mountain Copper Dragon, over two hundred years old.


    Royal Sapphire Dragon, over two hundred years old.


    Formless Dragon, over eighty years old.


    Aluminum Dragon, over fifty years old.


    Fire Dragon, five years old, but already as big as one in its fifties or sixties.


    Water Dragon, two years old.


    Elemental Dragons grow much faster than common Metal and Gemstone Dragons if they have an ample supply of Superior Magic. They can reach maturity early.


    The same is not true for other dragons, even Sacred Dragons.


    For example, Formless Dragon Bard, no matter how much Superior Magic it consumes, cannot shorten its maturity time.


    This probably relates to dragons¡¯ output; Elemental Dragons do not produce anything, so all their magic power is consumed by themselves; Metal and Gemstone Dragons¡¯ excess magic power generally gets converted into gems or metals, forming mineral deposits in the outside world; Formless Sacred Dragons also consume magic power to produce Space Gems.


    Perhaps Twilight Dragons do the same, producing Time Diamonds.


    Jade Dragons might use magic power to nurture Mind Fruit Trees.


    It¡¯s unclear for Immortal Dragons and Smoke Dragons; Liszt hasn¡¯t yet understood whether these two types of Sacred Dragons need magic supplements¡ª he finds it very difficult to equate the power of destiny with magic power, and even more so to believe that consuming magic potions could increase the Power of Destiny.


    The Power of Destiny is truly wondrous.


    ¡°There are also Evil Dragons, Dragons of the Magic Web, and the ¡®Moon Dragon¡¯ passed down through generations by the Moon Slayers. It¡¯s unknown what extraordinary aspects these dragons possess.¡±


    His thoughts drifted for a moment, but soon he brought his attention back to the Royal Sapphire Dragon. Reiz, with steady breathing, had its wounds crusted over and would soon heal¡ªdragons have formidable constitutions and amazing healing abilities; unless the soul is injured, recovery is typically swift and easy.


    ¡°Reiz¡¯s magic power can overflow and then form magic-like attack moves. Due to the utilization efficiency of magic power, the power is not very strong.¡±


    ¡°But now it¡¯s different. With my help, Reiz completing the process of forming runes and constructing magic with magic power, it will inevitably become a real Dragon Magician, no, an Archmage of Dragons, at the level of Superior Magic!¡± Liszt was eagerly conceptualizing.


    As a Royal Sapphire Dragon Knight, once his magic is fully developed, his combat power should be about the same as Ach when he rides a Unicorn.


    With the formidable physique of dragons and the power of their Dragon Breath, his combat strength would closely rival that of an adult Fire Dragon Knight.


    ¡°When that time comes, riding on Bard, I will be the Dragon¡¯s King of Shadows, instantly striking the heavens and the earth; riding on Leo, I will be the Dragon¡¯s Berserker, resisting all head-on; riding on Ryze, I will be the Dragon¡¯s Archmage, using magic to shatter heaven and earth.¡±


    The very thought of it is thrilling.


    Therefore, he indulged himself in fantasy for a full quarter of an hour before reluctantly gathering his thoughts. Watching the sky gradually darken, he started taking out the essentials for camping from his Space Ring.


    ¡°Let¡¯s camp here tonight, wait for Ryze to wake up tomorrow, give it a batch of Magic Potions to help it fully recover, and then embark on the return journey to Flame Island¡­ After bringing Ryze to meet with the Greater Elves and testing if any of them take a liking to it, the next step would be to establish a new Magic Teleportation Array.¡±


    The first Magic Teleportation Array in Flame Kingdom is the Mind Island-Reed Marsh Magic Teleportation Array; this is a trade route to Sapphire Duchy, Eagle Kingdom, and Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    The second Magic Teleportation Array is the Heroic Yellow City-Jade Mountain Magic Teleportation Array, which is an offensive route towards Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and Yellowstone Kingdom, currently only contacting the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy. At the same time, the Male Jade Transmission Array is also the golden passage for Flame Kingdom to step into the Legendary Continent.


    The yet undeveloped virgin land of the Heroic Yellow Plains surrounding Heroic Yellow City will gradually prosper as more and more Nobles are enfeoffed there.


    Consecutive establishment of two Magic Teleportation Arrays has depleted a large amount of magic materials reserved by the Kingdom, necessitating time to gather a new batch of magic materials. Moreover, due to the busyness of recent state founding, there hasn¡¯t been time to attend to the construction of Magic Teleportation Arrays, hence the delay of the third one until now.


    This third Magic Teleportation Array has already been decided to be the Brass Ore-Volcano Crater Magic Transmission Array, in short, the Yellow Fire Teleportation Array.


    The two ends of the Teleportation Array are the natural nodes of the volcano crater at the Endless Volcano Cluster on Flame Island and the natural node of brass ore on the Fertile Lands of Eagle Kingdom, the location where the Aluminum Dragon Connor originally resided. Once this Teleportation Array is built, it would provide rapid access to the southwest wilderness of Eagle Kingdom.


    With this development. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Male Jade Transmission Array connects to the southern frontier of Eagle Kingdom while the Yellow Fire Teleportation Array connects to the southwest frontier. The Heart Reed Teleportation Formation connects to the southeast coastline of Eagle Kingdom.


    These three Teleportation Arrays would semi-encircle Eagle Kingdom, and when the time is right, Flame Kingdom will swiftly complete the annexation of Eagle Kingdom¡ªcomparing the volumes of Flame Kingdom and Eagle Kingdom, this plan seems like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. But the essence of Kingdom warfare is the Dragon Slaying battle.


    As long as Liszt wins the Dragon Slaying battle, with the aid of the three swiftly traversing Teleportation Arrays, he could rapidly lead his Giant Dragon army to suppress the entire Eagle Kingdom.


    Ultimately achieving the feat of the snake swallowing the elephant.


    The Nobles big and small of Eagle Kingdom, intimidated by the dragons, would wisely choose to surrender to Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°However, to be on the safe side, to complete the annexation of Eagle Kingdom in one fell swoop, it is essential to conquer all the dragons and Dragon Knights of the Eagle Royal Family¡­ It would be best to covertly construct a few Teleportation Arrays within Eagle Kingdom, allowing my dragons to swiftly intercept the dragons of Eagle Royal Family.¡±


    Liszt has an ambitious plan. He not only wants to annex the nation of Eagle Kingdom but also to seize all the dragons of the Eagle Royal Family.


    However, dragons and Dragon Knights seeking to escape is difficult to intercept in time.


    Many conditions need to be met.


    First, it is necessary to build Teleportation Arrays within Eagle Kingdom, relying on these to swiftly traverse and intercept the fleeing dragons and Dragon Knights. Depending on the Formless Dragon Bard alone for Space Shuttle is fast but hardly optimal for executing group dragon tactics. Only when the dragons act together can Liszt defeat all the Dragon Knights of a Kingdom on his own.


    Second, it is essential to monitor the movements of the dragons and Dragon Knights at all times; this requires the release of Space Magic Beacons by Ach, to locate each dragon, and then rely on Formless Dragon Bard to sense the beacon¡¯s location for timely path adjustment in the pursuit.


    Third, in order to quickly conquer dragons, the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits are indispensable. Currently, Ach is studying the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg, and it is believed that soon a large batch of Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits will be cultivated¡ªhaving used one on Ryze, he now has only one Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit left in stock.


    Fourth¡­


    There are many more conditions, but Liszt did not continue to delve deeper. The annexation of Eagle Kingdom is a grand plan that requires careful planning. Once the action commences, it must proceed with the ferocity of lightning, not giving any opportunity for the Dragon Knights of Eagle Royal Family to escape.


    ¡°During the preparatory period for the action, all remains as usual, seizing the Pioneer Mandate once a year! It is both to cut the opponent¡¯s flesh to increase my power and to lull the Eagle Royal Family into complacency.¡±


    Thinking of conspiracies for a while, the sky darkened.


    Turning on the outdoor magic lamp bulb, he brought out a small round table, and then served steaming hot delicacies one by one. Accompanied by the delicious semi-slope milk tea, he began tonight¡¯s dinner¡ªpossessing a stationary Space Ring, he could still enjoy the delicious food personally cooked by Mrs. Abbie even when abroad.


    But looking at the ten Space Rings on his fingers and the several Space Gems strung around his neck, one knows he wouldn¡¯t lack for food and drink even if he was away for months.


    After eating and drinking his fill, he lay on the rocking chair to digest.


    Tonight, the moon is invisible, but the stars are scintillating, with a Milky Way Galaxy faintly visible, stirring a mild homesickness in him: ¡°The planet I am currently on, where exactly is it located, is it still within the Milky Way Galaxy? Perhaps one day I can land on this planet¡¯s moon, but returning to Earth¡­ seems like an impossibility.¡±

 Chapter 1084 - 1084 1081 Lining Up

    ?Chapter 1084: Chapter 1081: Lining Up Chapter 1084: Chapter 1081: Lining Up The following day, after breakfast and practicing his Dou Qi course, it wasn¡¯t until the sun was high in the sky that the Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz finally woke up from its stupor.


    Its body was still very weak, lying prone on the ground, its gaze fixed on Li Si Te throughout.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, Reiz¡­ Here is all the stock of Magic Potion I brought; take them to replenish and recuperate. Once you¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll take you back to the Flame Kingdom to start a new life. For now, I know you have many topics you want to discuss.¡±


    He took out a large bundle of bottled Magic Potion and placed it in front of Reiz.


    Reiz did not accept the Magic Potion, nor did it make a sound, still staring at Li Si Te. If it could, it would very much like to spit out a laser beam of Dragon Breath to turn Li Si Te to ashes.


    But the Mind Battle was over, and it could not resist the constraint from the mind.


    It could only silently vent the resentment accumulating in its heart. It did not like Li Si Te, having disliked him from the very first time they met. Especially when it thought about being brutally roughed up, then tricked with drugs, the Dragon Tooth Platform overtaken, and it was forced to lose to a puny human in the Mind Battle, it was almost on the brink of a heart attack.


    In the Mind Battle, Li Si Te won fairly with tactics, climbing all the steps and reaching the final platform.


    However, this did not increase Reiz¡¯s approval of Li Si Te. The reason was simple: it did not need a Dragon Knight in its dragon life, and even if it really needed one, it should not be a despicable Dragon Knight like Li Si Te who achieved everything through shortcuts without any effort.


    The Dragon Knight it was looking for should have endured the baptism of Magic Power, and with unyielding perseverance, climbed all the steps by hand to reach the pinnacle.


    Not like turning into a firebird and zooming up in one swoop.


    ¡°This is a despicable act of cheating, you tiny ant, unforgivable!¡±


    The blurry telepathic link allowed Li Si Te to understand Reiz¡¯s anger. He didn¡¯t mind Reiz¡¯s complaints; the process wasn¡¯t important, the result was what mattered: ¡°There¡¯s no rule against taking short-cuts in the Mind Battle, Reiz. I hope you can be a dragon that honors its bets.¡±


    Huff!


    Blue and white electric sparks burst out of Reiz¡¯s nostrils, it really wanted to spit out laser Dragon Breath.


    ¡°These Magic Potions are very beneficial for your recovery. You are my dragon now. In the future, the Flame Kingdom will take care of you. You will no longer need to hunt laboriously, as there will be a great supply of Magic Potions at your beck and call every day.¡± Li Si Te glanced at the still huffing Reiz, decisively mounted on it.


    He sat on the Dragon Tooth Platform, instantly completing the mental unity link.


    In that instant, the thoughts of human and dragon were synchronized, with each containing a piece of the other. Li Si Te could feel and influence Reiz¡¯s thoughts, and Reiz could also feel and affect Li Si Te. This went beyond the communication of language and could resolve all differences in a moment.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    After hundreds of turns of mental contest, Reiz finally compromised and began to eat the Magic Potions on the ground: ¡°Li Si Te, remember, even though I lost to you in the Mind Battle, this does not mean that I will acknowledge you. I refuse to engage in any form of training with you!¡±


    Just being tsundere¡­


    Li Si Te, having been through this before, responded indifferently: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Reiz. From now on, I will not force you, I will sincerely convince you.¡±


    Time changes everything; there¡¯s no need to rush.


    After resting until the afternoon, Reiz¡¯s body, thanks to the replenishment of the Magic Potion, quickly returned to normal¡ªof course, the restoration of the depleted Superior Magic would still need time¡ªbut at least now it was capable of flying.


    Considering Reiz¡¯s pride, Li Si Te did not continue to ride it, instead changing to the Formless Dragon Bard.


    He also did not choose to ride the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn; Ornn was massive in size, making the Dragon Tooth Platform uncomfortable to sit on. Bard, at sixteen meters in body length with a wingspan of sixteen meters (having grown by one meter since their first encounter), had a perfectly fitting position for the Dragon Tooth Platform for riding, and its petite frame did not easily obstruct the view.


    Of course, when dragon riding, the vision of the rider and dragon can be merged into one.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading to Heroic Yellow City!¡± With a command from Liszt, a man and three dragons swiftly took to the sky, flying through the clouds toward Heroic Yellow City.


    Three days later, they arrived at Heroic Yellow City.


    Making use of the night, they passed through the Magic Gate of Heroic Yellow City, and with prior signals to the guard knights to extinguish lanterns and disperse the crowd, no one noticed the addition of a Royal Sapphire Dragon. The same went for the Jade Mountain Magic Gate, silently shuttling through the night before flying non-stop to the southeast.


    Of the nine major islands of the Flame Islands, only Mangrove Island and Anchor Island were left unfeoffed, and he planned to station the Royal Sapphire Dragon on Anchor Island.


    There were many Yu Chous stationed around Anchor Island, and Mermaids patrolling, which could well keep the secret of the Royal Sapphire Dragon.


    A day later.


    Liszt arrived at Anchor Island with Ryze: ¡°Ryze, for now you will live on Anchor Island. Feel free to request anything you need, and I will satisfy you. You have a powerful vision, be cautious to avoid humans when going out, don¡¯t get discovered¡­ You understand the grand ambitions of the Flame Kingdom, I hope for your cooperation.¡±


    Ryze responded with indifference.


    It had no interest in human ambitions, but it wouldn¡¯t hinder Liszt¡¯s plans.


    ¡°Roar!¡± It flew around Anchor Island, found a low hill, and reluctantly settled down, ¡°Magic Potion, I need a steady supply!¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Liszt agreed promptly, planning to supply Ryze with Magic Potion for the time being. Once Ryze¡¯s body had fully recovered, he would consider reducing the supply¡ªafter all, there¡¯s no surplus food in a landlord¡¯s house, and too many dragons to support, even abundant Magic Potion won¡¯t last against nine!


    If it weren¡¯t for the Fire Dragon Elixir specifically for Fire Dragon Leo, and the Water Dragon Water for Water Dragon Walter, his supply of Magic Potion would be even tighter.


    ¡°For the sake of Magic Potion, this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate must be carried out ahead of schedule. The rich foundation of the Eagle Kingdom naturally entails taking on the burden of supporting my dragons.¡±


    ¡­


    After settling Royal Sapphire Dragon Ryze, Liszt returned to the Sun Moon Star Palace, dealt with a day¡¯s worth of official duties, and then set off without rest. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He planned to take his Greater Elves and spend a few days getting along with Ryze, to see if any of the Greater Elves would suddenly fall in love with Ryze, triggering evolution.


    ¡°Jela, how are you getting along with Vinnie?¡± He met the Thorn Greater Elf in the valley, lying on the head of Bone Dragon Vinnie.


    ¡°Liszt, you¡¯re back. Vinnie is a good dragon, but I haven¡¯t fallen in love with it yet,¡± said Jela excitedly, yet a hint of fatigue leaked through.


    It had tried its best to fall in love with each dragon, but the results were disappointing as no dragon seemed to catch its affection. Especially Bone Dragon Vinnie, the most friendly of all dragons to it¡ªafter all, Vinnie used to be human¡ªbut it just couldn¡¯t fall in love.


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t fallen in love, then let¡¯s take it easy for now, I¡¯ll introduce you to a new dragon.¡±


    ¡°A new dragon? Let it wait in line; I haven¡¯t spent time with Water Dragon Walter yet,¡± Jela waved its hand, not very enthusiastic. The prolonged forced interactions with dragons had exhausted it.


    ¡°Alright, you should rest at the Royal Palace for a while; don¡¯t tire yourself out too much.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Jela responded languidly, then rallied itself and said, ¡°Wah, Jela will definitely evolve into a Dragon Elf and become the true Greater Elf Butler of the Sun Moon Star Palace!¡±


    Bone Dragon Vinnie looked at Jela affectionately and communicated with Liszt through Dragon Heart Electrical Signal: ¡°Jela is really cute, I hope it evolves into a Dragon Elf soon¡­ Liszt, did you get another dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I encountered it during my travels, a Royal Sapphire Dragon named Ryze.¡±


    ¡°Royal Sapphire Dragon?¡± Bone Dragon Vinnie raised its head, ¡°That is a very powerful Gemstone Dragon, I remember the Magic Goat Family once owned a Royal Sapphire, with which my ancestor fought alongside the first Sapphire Duke¡­¡±


    Recalling the past made it somewhat wistful.


    However, it quickly snapped out of the nostalgia: ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty, you are truly the Son of Glory, and under your leadership, the Flame Kingdom will rise magnificently.¡±

 Chapter 1085 - 1085 1082 Magic Pool Revolution

    ?Chapter 1085: Chapter 1082: Magic Pool Revolution Chapter 1085: Chapter 1082: Magic Pool Revolution Bone Dragon Vinnie¡¯s compliments made Liszt feel comfortable. Although the combat power of Bone Dragons is weak and they can strictly not be regarded as dragons¡ªa non-flying dragon is indeed a disgrace to the dragon clan¡ªmoreover, Bone Dragons don¡¯t possess Dragon Breath. If it weren¡¯t for the soul infusion by Virginia Truth, it would merely be a walking corpse.


    ¡°Vinnie, I heard you¡¯ve been researching with Ach lately?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, Lord Acherloides takes an hour each day to discuss the soul structure of Bone Dragons with me to analyze the power structure of the Cursed Dragon,¡± replied Bone Dragon Vinnie.


    The Cursed Dragon is one of the Three Great Evil Dragons, identified by Ach and Liszt as having broken the soul barrier, becoming a being that surpasses Dragon Knights.


    To cleanse the Devil¡¯s Sea, to study the Cursed Dragon, and to research soul-type powers, Ach naturally lets Bone Dragon Vinnie cooperate. If Bone Dragons must be defined, they are entities composed of Soul Elements, somewhat similar to the Cursed Dragon.


    ¡°Have you found any results from your research?¡±


    ¡°Nothing yet, it¡¯s a pity that I am now a Bone Dragon, and it¡¯s inconvenient for me to conduct experiments personally, and Lord Acherloides can only spare an hour a day to study me¡­ Lord Lerald is also very busy, and not much involved in soul research¡­ I really hope to unravel the secrets of Bone Dragons.¡±


    Becoming a Bone Dragon, Virginia Truth felt the joy of being alive, but after all, she was originally a human and still hopes to revert to a human form.


    ¡°There will be such a day, Vinnie, you must believe in Ach, she is the greatest Archmage of this era, and even during the era of Moon Empire, she would still be the greatest Archmage.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, I trust Lord Acherloides completely.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you any further, I still have official duties to handle.¡±


    Liszt was ready to leave, but suddenly, a surge of mental waves from Bone Dragon Vinnie came through: ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s been several days since I have left Sun Moon Valley. May I ask for a bit of Your Majesty¡¯s time to accompany Your Majesty for a stroll?¡± Its dragon eyes flashed with azure fires.


    ¡°Uh, that can be arranged.¡± Liszt was noncommittal.


    Since Bone Dragon Vinnie wished it, he mounted onto the Dragon Tooth Platform and instantly completed a mental fusion link. In that moment, thoughts and minds collided, surpassing the physical body; the Dragon Riding resonance was an unparalleled delightful feeling¡ªriding a dragon, especially one with a female human soul, was very exhilarating.


    They circled around Sun Moon Valley twice.


    He bade farewell to Bone Dragon Vinnie and returned to Sun Moon Star Palace feeling refreshed and at ease. The next day, he summoned all the Greater Elves living in the palace, squeezed them into a large box, and instructed Formless Dragon Bard to grab the large box and fly directly to Anchor Island.


    Upon arriving at Anchor Island, first, he delivered a large number of Magic Potions to Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz to help it recover. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, he gestured to the Greater Elves to carefully sense Reiz¡¯s aura to see if any of the Greater Elves took a liking to this beautiful Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Reiz, seeing countless little flies buzzing around, was very angry and shouted loudly.


    Liszt soothed, ¡°Reiz, endure it for just three days, please.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, this won¡¯t happen repeatedly¡­ and don¡¯t you think they are cute? If dragons represent strength, elves represent beauty.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± It questioned¡ªCan Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike, with a mouth full of sharp teeth, also represent beauty?


    Liszt looked at Pike, who was lazily lying on a dragon scale, and gave an embarrassed smile: ¡°Actually, when Pike is not smiling, he is quite handsome. Many people in the territory say he is the handsome little ocean prince¡­ and he¡¯s just here to join the fun, he actually likes Little Water Dragon Walter.¡±


    As if feeling someone complimenting his handsomeness, the sunbathing Pike suddenly turned his head, saw Liszt looking at him, and burst into a big smile, exposing his sharp teeth: ¡°Hi, Liszt, the sun today is really handsome, just like Pike.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Liszt waved his hand insincerely.


    Ryze repeatedly rolled his eyes upward and thereafter lay prone on the ground with a languid indifference, too lazy to raise his head for more interaction. Subsequently, he simply closed his eyes, favoring an ¡®out of sight, out of mind¡¯ approach.


    ¡°Just three days¡¯ time.¡± He thought helplessly.


    ¡­


    Three days flashed by.


    Potato Great Spirit Kuchi was the first to shake his head: ¡°Li Si Te, I don¡¯t like it. Its scales don¡¯t suit my aesthetic.¡±


    Then came Corn Greater Elf Mickey.


    ¡°I can¡¯t count its scales; there are many irregularities, which makes calculations difficult. Therefore, Li Si Te, I can¡¯t take a liking to it,¡± he said seriously, ¡°You should find me a Mathematical Dragon so that I can study mathematics with it.¡±


    In reality, he could only count up to 76 so far, which is still far from the major milestone of 100.


    Over the next three days, the majority of the great spirits like Banana Greater Elf Poppy, Millet Greater Elf Tick, Mangrove Greater Elf Nami, and others all shook their heads, expressing their dislike for Ryze¡¯s idea.


    Watching one Greater Elf shake their head after another, Li Si Te sighed despondently, feeling that he was overly ambitious, recognizing how challenging it is for a Dragon Elf to trigger evolution. Moreover, these Greater Elves had been with him for a short period, with even Pike, the longest, only being six years.


    A Greater Elf can live up to two hundred years, they still have plenty of time to brew and wait for the opportunity to evolve.


    Seeing the evolution successes of Phoenix Perch Parasol Tree Greater Elf, Pea Great Elf, and Pike¡¯s ongoing effort, he felt fortunate enough to be favored by fate.


    He shouldn¡¯t be overly demanding.


    However,


    Just as he was comforting himself, he suddenly noticed another Greater Elf, standing on Ryze¡¯s back, not saying anything but looking at Royal Sapphire Dragon Ryze with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Gourd Greater Elf Klay?¡±


    Li Si Te squinted his eyes, clearly feeling a thread of destiny flicker nearby, one end connected to Klay and the other to Ryze: ¡°Could it be that Klay¡¯s moment for evolution has arrived? This is an exciting surprise indeed, it¡¯s Klay!¡±


    In his Minor Elf stage, Klay wasn¡¯t very noticeable, though gourds were fun and always reminded Li Si Te of the Gourd Brothers, they had limited use.


    They could only hold some beverages, serving as containers.


    However, in his Greater Elf stage, as Klay¡¯s ability to store magic power was discovered, his value soared tremendously. He has already surpassed the Magic Potions and grain-type Greater Elves and comes only second to King Lotus Sprite Kenji, who can produce Dragon Medicine ¨C Water of the Water Dragon. Even Thorn Greater Elf Jela, who can produce Thorn Auxiliary Medicine, didn¡¯t have his value.


    Because gourds capable of storing magic power, after repeated studies by the arcanists, had become known in the magic world as ¡°magic batteries¡±, a new term was coined replacing the gourd itself ¨C ¡°Magic Pool.¡±


    The creation of the Magic Pool made many magical technologies feasible. Although still far from widespread civilian use, it started a revolution of Magic Pools, which was more than sufficient. In military aspects, arcanists from the Royal Arcane Academy had developed a magic array powered by the Magic Pool for spell-casting.


    This meant that even ordinary people could cast some magic using the Magic Pool and magic array.


    It was essentially like having artillery in the magical world.


    Facing the impact brought by the Magic Pool revolution, Li Si Te was still in a dilemma, unsure whether to support or ban it, but without a doubt, the intrinsic value of the gourd was immeasurable. Should Gourd Greater Elf Klay evolve into a Dragon Elf, the gourd production would surely surge.


    He was very satisfied with this harvest: ¡°The gourds storing magic power are unique to my territory, and I control the technology of the Magic Pool. Klay, strive hard in your evolution!¡±

 Chapter 1086 - 1086 1083 Open Grey Iron Dragon

    ?Chapter 1086: Chapter 1083: Open Grey Iron Dragon Chapter 1086: Chapter 1083: Open Grey Iron Dragon Even though the Threads of Destiny have already connected Gourd Greater Elf Klay with the Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz, after careful inquiry, Liszt discovered that Klay¡¯s evolution opportunity is still very weak, not truly fond of this beautiful Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Liszt, I think it¡­ Reiz, is beautiful, very special, but I don¡¯t know if I like it.¡±


    ¡°Um, I understand, Klay, right now you only have a certain fondness for Reiz because you are not yet familiar with each other,¡± Liszt consoled, suspecting that it might be because Klay has become a Greater Elf not long ago and his body hasn¡¯t fully ¡°developed.¡±


    This has led to a vague evolution opportunity.


    But the power of destiny has already captured their fate together, indicating that one day he will truly like Reiz.


    So he added: ¡°How about this, you come back with me first, and each time I come to train with Reiz, you come along, until you fully like it, then you can move over for extended contact.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I do need time to digest¡­ I really hope I can evolve into a Dragon Elf and get ahead of that jerk Jela!¡± Klay clenched his fist, squinting as he imagined how he would deal with Jela after becoming a Dragon Elf¡ªshould he beat her up, or should he beat her up?


    Soon.


    The noisy Greater Elves, with the ascent of Formless Dragon Bard, left Anchor Island.


    The Royal Sapphire Dragon looked at the peaceful sky, and sighed long: ¡°I¡¯ve breathed the free, sweet air again.¡±


    ¡­


    The weather in June gets increasingly hotter.


    Flame Kingdom is steadily developing, and Liszt¡¯s primary job has shifted from training with Grey Iron Dragon Ornn to training with Aluminum Dragon Connor.


    Up to now, among his many dragons, Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan has already achieved Completion Level Mind Branding and became the mount of Emily Flame.


    Fire Dragon Leo and Formless Dragon Bard have also achieved Completion Level Mind Branding, but Liszt has not sought new knights for them, as these two dragons are reserved for his own riding¡ªBard¡¯s ability to shuttle through space makes an excellent choice for a mount; Leo possesses potential to break barriers.


    Now Grey Iron Dragon Ornn has reached Completion Level Mind Branding.


    Still remaining are Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, Aluminum Dragon Connor, Water Dragon Walter, and Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz, without Completion Level Mind Branding¡ªexcluding Bone Dragon Vinnie.


    ¡°Adult dragons have a set nature, it¡¯s difficult to reach Completion Level Mind Branding in a short time, so Mata and Reiz are temporarily not considered. Young dragons have an unsettled nature, easily achieving Completion Level Mind Branding. Walter is still too young, let him roam freely for a while, first complete Connor¡¯s Mind Branding.¡±


    However, before delving into deeper training with Aluminum Dragon Connor, he needs to find a new knight for Grey Iron Dragon Ornn¡ªdragons without knights cannot unleash their full combat power.


    He summoned the first batch of candidates for the Dragon Knight plan at the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Only three people.


    ¡°Nikola, Hippolyta, De Gaulle, you haven¡¯t disappointed my expectations¡­ especially Nikola, who has already earned the name of a Swordsman, Cast Iron Swordsman, a little common title, but I see great talent in you,¡± Liszt approached Nikola and patted the young man¡¯s shoulder.


    Cast Iron Swordsman Nikola Fournier, seventeen years old this year, is the nephew of Marquis Nickel Fournier of Dragon Valley Town, a member of the Iron Knight Fournier Family.


    While a bit ugly, it does not hinder his exceptional talent.


    ¡°Thank you for the praise, Your Majesty, you are the idol Nikola admires, your glory inspires me to strive tirelessly towards becoming a Dragon Knight,¡± Nikola said solemnly.


    This flattery was a bit superficial but did not prevent Liszt from being very pleased: ¡°I believe you will become an excellent Dragon Knight.¡±


    Then, he turned to look at De Gaulle beside him.


    De Gaulle had no surname; he was the son of commoners, born on the Sapphire Duchy¡¯s Hot Spring Island.


    His father had once been a serf in the Eagle Kingdom, sold to Hot Spring Island where he was trained by the Count of Hot Spring Island into an Earth Knight, only to die in a Pioneer Mandate, leaving behind his unborn son De Gaulle. His mother never remarried, instead raising him on the meager family fortune.


    After Dragon Knight Liszt eradicated the Count of Hot Spring Island, the young De Gaulle moved to the Flame Kingdom with his mother. Two years ago, when he was chosen for the Dragon Knight reserve program, he was just a twelve-year-old Elite Earth Knight, and now he has become a fourteen-year-old ordinary level Sky Knight.


    ¡°De Gaulle, you possess exceptional talent, but what I value more is your perseverance and your filial piety towards your mother.¡±


    ¡°Without my mother¡¯s upbringing and guidance, there would be no De Gaulle today,¡± the young man replied.


    ¡°But do not be overly proud,¡± Liszt remarked, having heard that De Gaulle displayed a somewhat haughty demeanor while studying at the Royal Knight Academy.


    It is likely his past insecurities have led to his current arrogance.


    Others might stiffen up in response to such criticism, retorting, ¡°I became a Sky Knight at fourteen, what about you?¡± However, in front of the legendary Dragon Knight Liszt, he was nothing, hence he sincerely responded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I will stay humble, cautious, and diligently practice.¡±


    Liszt nodded, shifting his gaze to Hippolyta, who had grown into a young lady.


    The last time he visited the Royal Knight Academy, he thought Hippolyta was a ¡°beauty in the making¡± with her statuesque figure and open-hearted personality, though her wheatish skin was slightly less favorable.


    However, now Hippolyta not only had gradually fairer skin, her figure had also fully matured¡ªher chest was not large but was firm, her waist powerful yet slender, her hips volubly curved, and her long legs equally slim and straight, transitioning from a girl to a woman.


    She was truly the epitome of beauty. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was said that, in private, enthusiasts referred to her as the ¡°Flower of the Killing Moon¡±, alongside Emily Flame, known as ¡°the Flower of Flame¡±, and Paris Flame, known as ¡°the Gemstone Flower¡±¡ªcollectively dubbed as the three golden flowers of the Flame Kingdom. As for the more noble Ach, no one dared to call her by a nickname in private.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been learning from Emily recently?¡± Liszt asked with a smile.


    Hippolyta¡¯s eyes sparkled with admiration as she replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, Princess Emily has taught me many combat skills of the Sky Knights.¡± Although her talent was exceptional, it still slightly lagged behind Nikola and De Gaulle, having only recently advanced.


    ¡°With Emily teaching you, I¡¯m relieved,¡± Liszt nodded, cutting the conversation short.


    He returned to his throne forged from Magic Metal and seriously said, ¡°Normally, you would need to reach Completion Level as a Sky Knight before having the chance to interact with dragons, but the Flame Kingdom is a young kingdom, and youth means more opportunities¡­ I am prepared to open up access to the Grey Iron Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Three exclamations of surprise. The three young men and women all gasped, eagerly looking at Liszt¡ªeveryone wanted a chance to interact with dragons.


    Liszt was pleased with the youths¡¯ excitement and did not tease them, directly stating, ¡°I grant the three of you an equal opportunity to interact with the Grey Iron Dragon for six months. It¡¯s up to you to win over Ornn, or perhaps none of you might succeed.¡±


    Not every member of the Dragon Knight reserve program can become a Dragon Knight; the successful rate is quite low.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± the youths eagerly responded.


    ¡°Very well, go prepare and report to Princess Emily; she will be fully responsible for arranging your interaction with the Grey Iron Dragon,¡± Liszt dismissed the three youths.


    Watching their spirited backs, he shook his head slightly; knowing Ornn well, he doubted that any of the three would win Ornn¡¯s approval¡ªNikola was too ugly, De Gaulle too proud, and Hippolyta simply inexperienced.


    ¡°I hope one of them manages to create a miracle. I need more Dragon Knights to assist me¡­ The day before yesterday, the Royal Knight Academy, other Knight Academies, and the Feudal Nobles reported to me the outstanding young Knights; let¡¯s swiftly select the second batch of talents to join the Dragon Knight reserve program.¡±

 Chapter 1087 - 1087 1084 The Ancient Remnant Clan

    ?Chapter 1087: Chapter 1084: The Ancient Remnant Clan Chapter 1087: Chapter 1084: The Ancient Remnant Clan The Royal Knight Academy is the largest Knight Academy in the Flame Kingdom, the prefix ¡°Royal¡± denotes its equal standing with the Royal Arcane Academy.


    Not only is it a school, but it is also the supervising institution for all other Knight Academies across the land.


    Local Knight Academies generally only provide instruction up to Earth Knight level, at which point students graduate. To further study beyond Earth Knight, one must attend the Royal Knight Academy¡ªthis is somewhat akin to pursuing a master¡¯s or a doctoral degree.


    Consequently, the quantity of promising Knights selected by the Royal Knight Academy is substantial, outnumbering the combined total from all the other Knight Academies across the nation and those recommended by the Feudal Nobles. All of them are youths who have become Earth Knights at a very young age or are hopeful to become Sky Knights.


    Liszt¡¯s task was to select the most outstanding few from these candidates to join the Dragon Knight reserve plan.


    ¡°It seems there aren¡¯t many promising talents, none that could match Emily, and even fewer that could stand shoulder to shoulder with De Gaulle, Nikola, or Hippolyta¡­ It appears difficult for this batch of Dragon Knight reserve plan members to produce a Dragon Knight. But then again, can Nikola and the others truly become Dragon Knights?¡±


    Shaking his head, he no longer pondered this question.


    It would be a joyous occasion if one were to become a Dragon Knight, but if not, one would simply continue training generation after generation, until eventually a new Dragon Knight would emerge.


    Besides, it was possible that in a few more years, his own training with Fire Dragon Leo might break through the barrier, achieving the unparalleled status of Bastion Knight.


    It wasn¡¯t inconceivable to conquer the entire Legendary Continent, single-handedly with his Dragon.


    Hence, the Dragon Knight reserve plan must proceed, and his training with Leo can¡¯t fall by the wayside¡­ Unfortunately, Leo is still not of age, far from the pinnacle of strength, and finding it difficult to truly contend with barriers. I need to find more volcanoes for Leo to absorb the Volcanic Super Magic and hasten his growth!¡±


    He selected ten Knights with exceptional talent, eight males and two females, to join the Dragon Knight reserve plan.


    Liszt handed the list to Emily Flame, who had rushed to the Sun Moon Star Palace¡ªhe had already entrusted her with managing the Dragon Knight reserve plan.


    ¡°Take this list, the care of these little guys is now in your hands.¡±


    ¡°I will, Your Majesty.¡± Emily took the list, nodded her head, her eyes glowing as she gazed at Liszt, ¡°I¡¯m already seventeen this year.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Liszt returned his attention with a scrutinizing gaze.


    The first Female Dragon Knight of the Legendary Continent was no longer the skinny little girl of yesteryears.


    Compared to the not yet matured ¡°Flower of the Killing Moon¡± Hippolyta, the ¡°Flower of Flame¡± Emily¡¯s demeanor shone more brilliantly, greatly benefited by the halo of a Dragon Knight. While not as voluptuous as the ¡°Gemstone Flower¡± Paris, Emily¡¯s slightly exotic features exuded a distinctly alluring charm.


    Moreover, since Emily was almost single-handedly trained by him, the sense of accomplishment in witnessing her growth gave her a significant place in his heart.


    His heated gaze swept over Emily, as if he could see through her clothing and grasp every inch of her.


    Feeling the intensity of his gaze, Emily did not shy away but instead met Liszt¡¯s eyes with quickened breath, full of earnest anticipation.


    After a moment, Liszt reached out, lifted Emily¡¯s chin, and softly said, ¡°Then, tonight you shall stay and come of age.¡±


    ¡­


    At the end of June, good news came from the Royal Arcane Academy¡ªafter more than a year of cultivation, the first batch of Bloodline Fruits stimulated from the Tree of Golden Apples had finally ripened.


    The first batch consisted of sixteen Bloodline Fruits.


    The uses of these Bloodline Fruits were allocated well in advance, with ten designated to evolve Fierce Earth Dogs into Blizzard Beasts, and five to evolve livestock into Magical Beasts.


    One of them was left for Rainbow Whale Rose.


    ¡°Jiyo!¡± Rose was raised in Mermaid City, this low-level Dragon Beast was close to humans, and when it was in Black Horse Island, it served as Li Si Te¡¯s (Liszt¡¯s) exclusive ocean mount.


    However, with the growth of Ach and the acquisition of the Heart of the Mermaid contract, Rose could no longer provide riding services for Li Si Te (Liszt). Like the Fire Dragon Horse, Blizzard Beast Dousen, King of Black Blood Treasure Horses Lightning, and Landwalker Bird Loki, it had long been unable to keep up with his pace.


    It could only be raised.


    The Fire Dragon Horse retired early to focus on breeding.


    Dousen now commands the increasingly strong group of Blizzard Beasts and has become an important member of the Blizzard Knights within the Burning Legion, still making valuable contributions.


    Lightning serves as a ceremonial symbol for Li Si Te (Liszt) when inspecting the Burning Knights Group¡ªto express closeness with the members of the knights group, he needed to choose a Black Blood Treasured Horse as his mount, but of course, only riding it during parades and other ceremonial occasions, it was impossible to ride Lightning into battle again.


    Loki was given to Emily by Li Si Te (Liszt), and after Emily succeeded in Dragon Riding, Loki was handed over to Paris.


    As for Rose, ever since being brought from Black Horse Island to Flame Island, it had been kept in Mermaid City by Li Si Te (Liszt), well-fed and well-cared for.


    Sadly, like Loki, Rose was never able to find another Rainbow Whale and was forced to live a solitary life.


    ¡°Rose, eat up. After you¡¯ve eaten, you¡¯ll evolve into a powerful Rainbow Whale.¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) stood by the water, stuffing a Water Attribute Bloodline Fruit into Rose¡¯s mouth and then stroked its big head, ¡°Evolution won¡¯t free you from loneliness, but at least you¡¯ll live for a few more decades.¡±


    The lifespan of Dragon Beasts is not short. Low-Level Dragon Beasts live for several decades without a problem, and it¡¯s normal for Intermediate Dragon Beasts to live for over a century.


    ¡°Jiyo, jiyo!¡± After eating the Bloodline Fruit, Rose was very happy, quickly reacting and growing excited, swimming around in the water. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Duke Bluposi, I ask you to look after this Rainbow Whale,¡± Liszt spoke to the Mermaids who were spectating nearby.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty,¡± Bluposi nodded and then added, ¡°I¡¯ve closely observed this little dolphin, Rose. If my guess is not wrong, during the era of the Moon Empire, there were many such dolphins called Sea Tigers, which were Naga¡¯s favorite mounts¡­ Perhaps there are Devils in the Devil¡¯s Sea that have transformed from Sea Tigers.¡±


    ¡°Sea Tigers, you say? Another remnant of ancient species, no wonder hardly any other Rainbow Whales are found in the vast sea.¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) believed Bluposi¡¯s speculation.


    He soon thought of Landwalker Bird Loki again, wondering if landwalker birds are also an ancient legacy.


    Unfortunately, there is a civilization gap between the era of the Moon Empire and the present time, and many species and knowledge have been lost to the sands of history, becoming difficult to ascertain.


    Suddenly.


    He recalled an almost forgotten reward from the Smoke Mission, ¡°Beneath the Sun Moon Star Palace is a natural node, that is the entrance to the ancient ruins related to the ancestors of the Moon Slayers, i.e., those six Archmages who built the statues¡­ I wonder if the ruins hold secrets of the ancient civilization.¡±


    The stories passed down by the Moon Slayers tell of their ancestors battling the Moon Dragon and slaying it.


    The Flame Islands and this part of the ocean indeed contain many ancient bones of dragons, such as the important mining area of the Flame Kingdom¡ªthe Dragon Pit Great Mine. This indicates that a world-shaking war surely took place here, and so the ruins might well be hiding secrets from ancient times.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the spatial rift blocks the entrance to the ruins, and for now, Ach has not found a way to sort out the spatial rifts, so I can only look at the entrance without being able to go in.¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) felt somewhat frustrated.


    His two most relied upon dragons, the Formless Dragon Bard and Fire Dragon Leo, were both not yet of age.


    Alas!


    Time waits for no one!

 Chapter 1088 - 1088 1085 Yellow Fire Teleportation Array

    ?Chapter 1088: Chapter 1085: Yellow Fire Teleportation Array Chapter 1088: Chapter 1085: Yellow Fire Teleportation Array Rainbow Whale Rose¡¯s evolution took place over a mere half-month, where its changes were minimal¡ªit grew only a third in size and mastered a new Water Magic¡ªWater Wave Shield.


    A very common Water Magic.


    ¡°Jiyo, Jiyo¡­¡± After evolving, Rose¡¯s life remained blissfully unchanged, perhaps oblivious to its solitary existence as a single dolphin. Or maybe, frolicking with the human caregivers and having no worries about food and drink summed up all the happiness it could comprehend. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In any case, Rose seemed happier than Liszt as it didn¡¯t need to deal with the mundane affairs of the human world.


    ¡°Let the Outer Cabinet handle today¡¯s war in its entirety; Emily will manage the details. When the Pioneer Mandate arrives, I will, as always, protect the Kingdom¡¯s Knight Order in secrecy, free from disturbances by the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Knights.¡± He issued the authorization of the Pioneer Mandate during a plenary session of the Outer Cabinet.


    He then had a brief video conference with Marquis Yevich Water Peanut and Marquis Amat Ice Shield, who were far away in the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy.


    ¡°Yevich, has the Second Prince of Snowstorm Mountain reached a dead end?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, the First Prince Spot, by colluding with a Dragon Knight from the Yellowstone Kingdom, has gained the support of a large number of elite Knights, severely affecting the Knight Order of Second Prince Scart, who can no longer vie for the Duchy seat of Snowstorm Mountain,¡± replied Yevich.


    ¡°Send a message to condemn your Knights. Did Spot take this upon himself, or was it the Dragon Knight¡¯s intention?¡± Liszt inquired further.


    After the First Prince Spot Cornflower of Snowstorm Mountain Duchy defeated the Knight Order of Second Prince Scart, Yevich and Amat received a message sent by the opposing side, condemning the Flame Kingdom¡¯s interference in the internal affairs of Snowstorm Mountain Duchy¡ªit was explicitly stated that it was the Flame Kingdom intervening, not the Eagle Kingdom.


    Regarding this matter, Amat responded, ¡°Your Majesty, knowing Spot as I do, if it weren¡¯t for the Dragon Knight¡¯s support, he wouldn¡¯t explicitly involve the Flame Kingdom. He would continue to default to the actions of the Eagle Kingdom.¡±


    Such is the sorrow of small nations.


    Even though the two princes of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy already know that people like Yevich are Knights of the Flame Kingdom, they still have to play dumb and acknowledge the false identity of the Eagle Kingdom that Yevich has adopted. Otherwise, if they truly exposed the situation, it might even provoke a large-scale invasion by the Flame Kingdom.


    A moment of silence.


    Liszt eventually said, ¡°Since a Dragon Knight from Yellowstone has already intervened, let¡¯s temporarily conclude our campaign against Snowstorm Mountain Duchy¡­ However, you can invite Scart to join the Flame Kingdom, telling him I grant him a Marquis title, and at an appropriate time, help him reclaim the Duchy position.¡±


    He recently planned to focus on strategizing against the Eagle Kingdom, so he intended not to provoke the Yellowstone Kingdom for the time being.


    Moreover, years of civil war had nearly drained Snowstorm Mountain Duchy; out of a total population of six to seven million, over two million had been secretly relocated, amounting to one-third of the total population.


    To further exploit it would mean stripping the Duchy bare of even its sheepskin.


    So, a break was also good; keeping Second Prince Scart as an excuse for intervening in the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and waiting for the right moment to continue harvesting wool.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty, I will promptly arrange for Scart to pledge allegiance to you,¡± Yevich agreed.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°Once the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy matter is settled, shift your focus to the construction of the Heroic Yellow Plains. This barren area is a steppingstone for the Flame Kingdom¡¯s advance into the Legendary Continent; we must hurry and cultivate it well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Now the Flame Kingdom has a population of eight million, myself and my feudal nobles account for about five million, and the feudal nobles hold the remaining three million¡­ That¡¯s still not enough, not even reaching ten million, less than some wealthy duchies. There¡¯s a long way to go!¡±


    As July arrived, various Knight Orders began to assemble, ready to advance into the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s coastal hinterlands for the first issuance of the Flame Kingdom¡¯s Pioneer Mandate.


    Liszt did not pay attention to the Pioneer Mandate; after successfully helping Gourd Greater Elf Klay fall in love with Royal Sapphire Dragon Ryze, he and Ach went to the Fertile Lands south of the former Grey Iron Duchy.


    This location is under construction for the Brass Ore-Volcano Crater Magic Teleportation Array.


    The Yellow Fire Teleportation Array is temporarily closed to the public and is used only for military purposes, such as dispatching a large number of Blood Servants from here in the early stages, allowing these night bats to collect intelligence from surrounding countries¡ªthe Blood Servants¡¯ training difficulty has been reduced and their concealment abilities enhanced with Ach¡¯s help.


    Thus, under the flag of the Burning Legion, a constantly growing Blood Knights has been formed.


    Under the cultivation of Marquis Mary Dawnbreak of Reed City, the Blood Knights¡¯ Blood Servants already number over three hundred and sixty members.


    They are distributed among the three major kingdoms and the surrounding duchies.


    They patiently lie in wait, using the Magic Platform to communicate, continuously transmitting intelligence, allowing Liszt to keep abreast of the dynamics of the neighboring countries.


    ¡°Recently, the Steel Ridge Royal Family has been getting closer to the Eagle Royal Family, with two secret royal meetings already hinting at plotting against me¡­¡±


    ¡°The Blast Furnace Fortress Royal Family is relatively stable, not much involved, focusing on confronting the Fallen Leaves Kingdom to the west.¡±


    ¡°Beyond the Fallen Leaves Kingdom lies the Kushan Imperial, where the Blood Servants have just arrived. It will take some time to gather information from the Kushan Imperial.¡±


    ¡°Once I complete the unification of the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, it will be Kushan Imperial¡¯s turn!¡±


    ¡°Emperor Jupiter, you dare to send someone to assassinate me. What goes around comes around, and when Bard comes of age, I will personally arrange for you to understand clearly!¡± Liszt has never been a magnanimous person; he harbors grudges and thinks of vengeance day and night.


    Especially for such major life-threatening grudges.


    Of course, revenge is a dish best served cold, and since his power isn¡¯t yet strong enough, retaliating against Emperor Jupiter can wait for now.


    ¡°Brother, the magic array is now open, the Brass Ore Magic Gate can be propped open for a short time. You and Bard can now proceed with the established plan to open the wormhole space and set up the teleportation array,¡± Ach¡¯s voice brought the somewhat distracted Liszt back to reality.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After regaining his senses, he and Formless Dragon Bard quickly passed through the natural node and arrived outside the realm of matter. Focusing his thoughts to activate the space magic power, he connected the Brass Ore Magic Gate with the Volcano Crater Magic Gate, opening a wormhole space that could be traversed freely.


    Thus, after Ach¡¯s finishing touches, the Yellow Fire Teleportation Array was successfully built.


    The remaining work, such as establishing strongholds, could be directly transferred to the Outer Cabinet. Liszt took Ach, leaving the Fertile Lands not returning to the Flame Kingdom, but instead delving deeper into the southwestern hinterlands of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Bard flew along the material boundary.


    Liszt rode on the Dragon Tooth Platform, with Ach lying in his arms, beside them was Unicorn Charlie, who occasionally looked at him with disdainful eyes¡ªwhenever this happened, Charlie would become exceedingly annoyed, his perception of a pure maiden slowly being tainted.


    And he had no ability to change this, only able to passively accept.


    Ach rested her hands on Liszt¡¯s chest, enjoying a twist of her small, soft body: ¡°Brother, shall we stay here for a few days? The mermaids will be back soon, and Ach promised them to help purify the sea.¡±


    ¡°Purifying the sea is not urgent; let the group of mermaids wait, I will decide the specific time,¡± Liszt had grievances against the mermaids, ¡°The Blood Servants found this volcano. Although not large, the magma supply is abundant, enough for Leo to draw from for two or three months.¡±


    His trip was specifically to send Fire Dragon Leo to the newly discovered magma volcano to aid Leo¡¯s growth.


    Calculating a bit, he continued, ¡°For convenience of travel, I will find natural nodes around the volcano, which will take about a day or two, just spending a night or two outdoors. Don¡¯t always think about work, take the opportunity to relax since we¡¯re out traveling.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 1089 - 1089 1086 Punishment Order

    ?Chapter 1089: Chapter 1086: Punishment Order Chapter 1089: Chapter 1086: Punishment Order Fire Dragon Leo dived headfirst into the magma, having not absorbed volcanic super magic for many days, it was desperately eager, and the mere Dragon Medicine ¨C Fire Dragon Elixir was not nearly enough to satisfy its appetite.


    Following that, Li Si Te began searching for natural nodes around the volcano.


    Each natural node is related to super magic incidents and may hide something significant, such as deposits of metal ores, dragon skeletons, gemstone veins, or remnants of divine objects. However, after scouring the area within a three-hundred-kilometer radius of the volcano, he did not find any natural nodes.


    ¡°It might be due to the scarcity of super magic incidents on Legendary Continent, which would explain why there are so few natural nodes. The Flame Islands and Shell Sea were the sites of ancient wars of yore, hence the abundance of natural nodes there.¡±


    Eventually.


    Two days later, he discovered a natural node near a city located five hundred kilometers to the northeast. Unfortunately, it was close to a human castle, making it impossible to mine any resources, if any were there. However, it was enough for the Formless Dragon Bard to use it to traverse.


    The Eagle Kingdom would be his sooner or later, and then he could comprehensively inspect all the natural nodes.


    ¡°Big brother, are we going back now?¡± Ach had been accompanying Li Si Te; she was able to enjoy sightseeing while putting her work aside on the first day, but by the second day, she was already missing the laboratory.


    She had several experimental projects in her hands, waiting for her to oversee.


    Li Si Te shook his head helplessly: ¡°Since you can¡¯t wait to go back, then let¡¯s return. But remember, Ach, truth is boundless. While some truths are discovered, there may be more waiting to be explored¡­ We must learn when to stop; we still have lives to enjoy.¡±


    ¡°Ach knows. Big brother, don¡¯t worry about Ach. We both have long lives ahead, so there¡¯s plenty of time to enjoy.¡±


    ¡°Four to five hundred years may seem long indeed, but short nonetheless; we should still enjoy the moment.¡± Li Si Te smiled, knowing it was hard to persuade Ach. The Little Sea Monster had long been lost in the ocean of magic, beyond the point of self-extraction. He would have to intervene with external force.


    He must take the time to ¡°disturb¡± Ach¡¯s magic experiments in the future, forcing her to relax and enjoy life.


    ¡°It would be a great pity to have only magic for company in life. It was I who led Ach into the ¡®magic¡¯ detour; I have the responsibility to bring her more beautiful life memories.¡±


    ¡­


    Not long after Ach returned to the laboratory, five mermaids who had been roaming the seas finally came back.


    Marquis Fisherman ¨C Gulvig, Marquis Aquamarch ¨C Tibidais, Marquis Sea Trench ¨C Sharivara, Marquis Fugitive ¨C Viswinti, Marquis Lost ¨C Coquelix.


    Li Si Te did not receive them immediately; instead, he arranged for Duke Salty Sea ¨C Brubossi and Marquis Great West ¨C Eternia to prepare the ennoblement ceremonies for them at sea. He would meet the five mermaids at the ennoblement ceremony and arrange their duties.


    ¡°Your Majesty is dissatisfied with you, no, with all of us as well,¡± Eternia conveyed Li Si Te¡¯s attitude explicitly, ¡°The King released us from our seals, granted us new lives, and kindly allowed us to explore. But our return to him was delayed.¡±


    ¡°We only wanted to understand the current seas better; why would His Majesty be angry? I am of course grateful that he rescued me, and I will work for him, manage the seas, but as a follower, I also have the right to control my own life,¡± said Sharivara.


    ¡°This is no longer the era of mermaids, Sharivara.¡±


    ¡°But the seas ultimately need us mermaids to manage them, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Eternia glanced at Sharivara: ¡°I think it¡¯s because we¡¯ve slept for too long and failed to keep up with the changes of the times. That¡¯s why we mermaids have lost the proper reverence for the human King. Or perhaps His Majesty has been too kind to us, making us lose our proper judgment.¡±


    Gulvig tried to mediate: ¡°Eternia, could you be more explicit?¡±


    Originally, Eternia only intended to convey Li Si Te¡¯s attitude and was not planning to kindly remind the other mermaids¡ªmermaids are not social creatures. Besides the relations for breeding, all of them are relatively independent individuals. Even in the ancient times, the kingdoms of mermaids were constantly at war with each other.


    However, looking at the possibly few mermaids in this world.


    She ultimately let out a deep sigh: ¡°Purifying the ocean is our wish, yet it requires the aid of Lord Acherloides, and Your Majesty can directly influence Lord Acherloides¡­ Another point, Your Majesty is not only benevolent.¡±


    She paused for a moment and then continued: ¡°Your Majesty is a self-made king among humans, his greatness lies not only in his kindness to his followers and subjects but also in his cruelty towards enemies. Merely two Dragon Knights have perished by Your Majesty¡¯s hand, I do not wish for the mermaids to incur Your Majesty¡¯s wrath.¡±


    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± Tibidais asked somewhat awkwardly. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Who knows? I only hope that everyone can adjust their attitude, so that such a possibility does not occur,¡± Eternia shook her head, ¡°The ennoblement ceremony is at the end of this month, and the Pioneer Mandate will soon arrive. I believe it¡¯s time for the mermaids to take action.¡±


    Gulvig is still quite loyal to Li Si Te; she would have died long ago due to the corruption of the Cursed Dragon¡¯s power if not for the help of Li Si Te and Ach.


    She stated plainly: ¡°What action should we take, Eternia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. The Iron Dragon Warships are not fast enough, and the Magic Power Ships have not been put into service yet. After the Flame Kingdom issues the Pioneer Mandate, there will be a need to transport vast quantities of materials. This is precisely the area we mermaids excel in. I believe each of us can control the water currents to aid the fleet¡¯s progress.¡±


    The speed of the mermaids is incredibly fast, reaching 500 kilometers per hour in the sea without an issue. Even towing the entire fleet, they could manage a speed of one to two hundred kilometers per hour.


    From Mind Island to the coast of Eagle Kingdom is at most a distance of seven or eight hundred kilometers, which is just a matter of four to five hours.


    Relying solely on the speed of Iron Dragon Warships and Fire Dragon Cargo Ships, it takes five to six days to make a round trip. Once mermaids participate in transportation, any amount of materials can be brought back. Most crucially, the Flame Kingdom will also be able to send more manpower and resources to participate in the Pioneer Mandate in Eagle Kingdom.


    Mermaids are not stubborn or foolish creatures. After carefully considering the pros and cons, everyone agreed to participate in the Pioneer Mandate, to properly showcase themselves.


    Subsequently.


    Eternia reported the matter to Li Si Te.


    ¡°Well done, Marquis Eternia, the mermaids¡¯ involvement in the Pioneer Mandate greatly aids the war effort. I will remember your contribution,¡± Li Si Te approved of Eternia¡¯s performance; properly utilized, mermaids can be a powerful force, but the prerequisite is that they must serve his purpose.


    Only those who understand the times are truly great, and the same applies to the mermaids.


    ¡­


    Flame Era First Year, August 6th.


    Using the pretext that ¡°Dragon Knight Alonso Xiankelai of Eagle Kingdom attempted to engage in conspiracy within the Flame Kingdom,¡± the Flame Kingdom officially issued its very first war command.


    It was not labelled as a ¡°Pioneer Mandate.¡±


    Instead, it adopted the term ¡°Punishment Order.¡±


    Sapphire Duke could describe his actions as ¡°pioneering,¡± but for a king like Li Si Te, pioneering was somewhat lacking in status; ¡°punishment¡± better suited his current position¡ªas punishment is a means through which the strong impose on the weak, akin to an adult instructing a child.


    ¡°After this campaign, the inland along the coast of Eagle Kingdom will be utterly desolate. The next Punishment Order requires careful planning; we need to decide from where to plunder,¡± mounted on Formless Dragon Bard, Li Si Te quietly arrived above the warzone, silently watching the Knight Orders below charging into battle.


    Even without Dragon Knights to breach the walls, the Knight Orders of the Flame Kingdom still overwhelmingly crush most of the feudal knights.


    There¡¯s no special reason; the Beast Taming Contracts brought a large number of Magical Beast mounts to the Flame Kingdom, and knights mounted on Magical Beasts charge into battle with impressive bravery.


    ¡°Invincible in battle indeed¡­¡±

 Chapter 1090 - 1090 1087 War Mobilization Order

    ?Chapter 1090: Chapter 1087: War Mobilization Order Chapter 1090: Chapter 1087: War Mobilization Order The war scene was intense, with cavalry charges and castle defenses firing arrows ¡ª in moments, castles fell. The large landed nobility had long been relocated by the Eagle Royal Family, leaving only the smaller nobles who were unwilling to abandon their fiefs, incapable of mounting substantial resistance.


    As a result, the Flame Kingdom seized the opportunity to push forward unopposed. As the Knight Order marched past each castle, they either broke its defenses or received the noble¡¯s surrender.


    Then.


    The logistics teams responsible for handling prisoners and serfs began to pack up, using carts and wheelbarrows to transport all goods, which were continuously sent towards the coast.


    There, they were transported by the Fire Dragon Merchant Ships and Iron Dragon Warships.


    Among the seven mermaids, only Duke Bruce of the Salty Sea remained to guard the waters around Flame Island, using fish-ugly serfs to labor, while the other six mermaids rushed to assist with the transport. A fleet of three-mast ships, loaded with materials and people, returned to Mind Island.


    At the front lines, atop a hill, Liszt stood shoulder to shoulder with Emily.


    Behind them lay two dragons, each deep in slumber ¡ª the Light Green Gemstone Dragon Ethan and the Formless Dragon Bard.


    ¡°Your Majesty, with the Punishment Order ending this year, there will be no more resources for the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s inland coastal areas to plunder. Where shall we plunder in next year¡¯s Punishment Order?¡± Emily inquired.


    ¡°We could push up along several major rivers to pillage some wealthy areas, but the to-and-fro would be a waste of time. Fortunately, the shipbuilding industry in our interior is booming and we have ample reserves of sailors, enough to sustain the long marches of the Knight Order.¡± Liszt squinted his eyes, ¡°However, whether it¡¯s necessary to do so remains to be seen.¡±


    Emily looked up at Liszt, ¡°Is there another way if we don¡¯t do this?¡±


    ¡°There is.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Mary recently reported to me that the Eagle Royal Family has had several secret meetings with the Steel Ridge Kingdom. It¡¯s possible they may set aside past grievances and form an alliance.¡± Liszt¡¯s intelligence came largely from the Blood Knights led by Mary Dawn Break and her numerous Blood Servants.


    As the First Minister of National Defense, Emily, although not directly subordinate to Mary, was also privy to some information, ¡°Does Your Majesty believe the Steel Ridge Kingdom would likely ally with the Eagle Kingdom and take a war stance against our country?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not against the Flame Kingdom, they could be targeting the Sapphire Duchy. Blood Servants have discovered rats from the Steel Ridge Kingdom flooding into the Sapphire Duchy in large numbers. Moreover, a considerable number of shipyards have been built in the northern seas of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, with a sizable fleet already assembled.¡±


    In the past, kingdoms on land had no interest in the sea, with only the Eagle Kingdom plotting a dragon-slaying war to eliminate the pesky Sapphire Duchy and conspiring with the Bull Family to build a fleet.


    However, since Liszt and Ach rose from the sea.


    The perception that the sea was barren and desolate was quickly changed; the royal families of various nations have come to realize that there may indeed be resources above the vast sea. Thus, the Steel Ridge Royal Family also started to secretly prepare a fleet, ready to wage war across the sea at any moment and invade the Sea of Azure Waves ¡ª the Shell Sea is probably a place no one dares to touch.


    ¡°Building a fleet and sending out rats is indeed preparation for war. Your Majesty, I need to consult with Marquis Mary and then draw up war defense preparations,¡± said the adult Emily, who had become a qualified commander, ¡°The Sapphire Duchy is the primary target, and Mind Island is directly in the line of fire.¡±


    Mind Island holds a Magic Gate, an essential route for the Flame Kingdom to attack the Eagle Kingdom, one can imagine its strategic value.


    A site coveted by all strategists.


    At least the Eagle Royal Family certainly dreams of destroying Mind Island, destroying the Heart Reed Teleportation Formation, cutting off the Flame Kingdom¡¯s eastern sea gateway.


    ¡°Mary will soon return from the Steel Ridge Kingdom, bringing with her the latest developments of the Steel Ridge Royal Family.¡±


    ¡°Should a maritime war break out, would the Steel Ridge Royal Family and the Eagle Royal Family dispatch Dragon Knights to initiate a new round of dragon-slaying wars?¡± As Emily spoke, a flicker of excitement sparkled in her eyes; since becoming a Dragon Knight, she had yet to participate in a true dragon-slaying war.


    She had only trained a few times with Liszt¡­ either Dragon Riding combat or engaging in close quarters battle.


    Embracing Emily¡¯s slender and powerful waist, Liszt spoke with boundless pride, ¡°Whether we initiate it or not does not matter. Whether it¡¯s a conventional naval battle or a dragon-slaying war, the outcome has already been decided. The sea has, and only has one master ¨C and not just the Sea of Azure Waves or the Shell Sea, but the entire ocean!¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emily gently rested her head on Liszt¡¯s shoulder, feeling his grand ambitions; her excitement subsided slightly, replaced by a surge of sweetness: ¡°Yes, my King, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡­


    The Punishment Order lasted for a full four months, from the beginning of August until the end of November.


    Since the Eagle Kingdom continued to follow a strategy of non-resistance, Liszt unceremoniously stripped the land down to three feet, packing up and taking away all the population and materials on the land, even the unripe crops in the fields¡ªsince there was no one left here, there was no need to leave any resources behind.


    After the war, a census was taken.


    Eight hundred thousand people were plundered, of which feudal nobles were allocated two hundred thousand; the remaining six hundred thousand went to Liszt and his castle nobles.


    The Greater Elves did not receive a single one, all having migrated away with the Nobles; the Little Minor Elves only received three.


    The rest belonged to the elves owned by some smaller nobles.


    ¡°Overall, this year¡¯s harvest from the Punishment Order, other than being quite substantial in terms of population, none of the other aspects were as good as last year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate. The captives and newly recruited members of the Knight Class are mostly lesser nobles with poor talent and character,¡± summarized Duke Li Weiliam of Tulip Island at an Outer Cabinet meeting.


    ¡°It seems that the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s move to migrate their Nobles has allowed them to minimize their losses considerably,¡± sighed Duke Piero of Phoenix Tree Island.


    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed to say that there may be nowhere left to carry out next year¡¯s Punishment Order; we need to open up a new battleground,¡± said Marquis Dimaria of Pea Island eagerly. Without sufficient wars to achieve merit, how could he realize his dukedom?


    ¡°Perhaps targeting the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy could offer a breakthrough?¡±


    ¡°The civil war in Snowstorm Mountain Duchy has just ended, and with the support of the Dragon Knights from Yellowstone Kingdom, Duke Spot has successfully ascended the throne, now also acknowledged by the Cornflower Gem Dragon, making it difficult to control them at will. Moreover, their domestic resources aren¡¯t abundant, and two rounds of Punishment Orders are likely to render the duchy non-existent.¡±


    Liszt directly halted the ministers¡¯ suggestions: ¡°For now, we will mainly pursue peace with Snowstorm Mountain Duchy, focusing on conquering the Eagle Kingdom¡­ Don¡¯t worry, the march of war for the Flame Kingdom is ceaseless, and perhaps someone will actively provoke a new war.¡±


    As if to validate Liszt¡¯s foresight, just as the Flame Era First Year came to an end in November and December barely began, the Blood Servants reported an important piece of news.


    The Eagle Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom had announced an alliance and issued a war mobilization order for the conquest of the Sapphire Duchy.


    ¡°The traitors must be punished; the Sapphire Family has betrayed the Steel Ridge Kingdom, betrayed their own master the Platinum Family; only blood and flame can cleanse the sins they have committed!¡±


    With the issue of the mobilization order,


    the Sea of Azure Waves began to surge once more.

 Chapter 1091 - 1091 1088 The Cost of Provocation

    ?Chapter 1091: Chapter 1088: The Cost of Provocation Chapter 1091: Chapter 1088: The Cost of Provocation ¡°War is upon us!¡±


    Li Si Te (Liszt) tossed aside the paper with the war mobilization order, his gaze moving from the outer corridor of the Sun Moon Star Palace, casting towards the bustling Flame King City in the distance.


    His crimson cape floated in the wind, occasionally revealing the golden-striped leather armor underneath.


    His expression was very relaxed. The invasion of the Sapphire Duchy by the Steel Ridge Kingdom in alliance with the Eagle Kingdom was all within his expectations; all the preparatory work had been arranged well in advance, so there was nothing to be surprised or anxious about.


    ¡°Is the Sapphire Family ready?¡±


    ¡°The Knight Order has already assembled, the interception fleet has set sail, and the Sapphire Dragon has also departed, ready to protect and ensure that the interception fleet prevents the Steel Ridge fleet from successfully reaching Blue Dragon Island.¡± Emily stood beside Liszt, ¡°Duke Anthony¡¯s relatives, as well as the relatives of the great Nobles of the Sapphire Duchy, have all been moved to Reed City.¡±


    The Sapphire Duchy was under threat from two great Kingdoms and could become a battlefield ablaze with war at any moment.


    To prevent the Knights of the Duchy from surrendering easily, Liszt had Anthony relocate all the Nobles¡¯ relatives of the Duchy to the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°Let Anthony know that if it is not feasible, then give up. The strength of the Sapphire Dragon is too weak, and he¡¯s no Dragon Knight. He has no chance of winning a dragon-slaying battle. If he encounters a Dragon Knight of the Steel Ridge Kingdom while intercepting the fleet, retreat directly to Mind Island to reinforce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already instructed him.¡± Emily said with a hint of disdain, ¡°Actually, Duke Anthony doesn¡¯t need a reminder. Seeing how nervous he is, once he detects a Dragon Knight, he¡¯ll certainly disappear from the battlefield at the first chance¡­ I really doubt whether he dares to reinforce Mind Island.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether he comes or not, but his attitude will influence the future status of the Sapphire Duchy.¡± Liszt patted Emily¡¯s shoulder.


    Emily¡¯s disdain for Anthony was understandable to him, but he was also clear that Anthony Sapphire was but a Completion Level Sky Knight who had been forcefully matured by drugs.


    In both talent and bravery, he fell short of the previous Sapphire Duke.


    Added to that, the Sapphire Dragon having been severely injured several times, its strength was far from its peak. To include Anthony and the Sapphire Dragon in a dragon-slaying battle was truly putting him in a difficult position. However, as a follower of Liszt, Anthony had to show the right attitude; he might not contribute much, but he had to maintain appearances.


    Emily did not bring up Anthony again, but instead asked: ¡°Will the Steel Ridge Kingdom really deploy Dragon Knights to attack Mind Island?¡±


    ¡°Blast Furnace Fortress is set on warring with the Fallen Leaf Kingdom, and with no worries of threats along the border between Steel Ridge and Eagle Kingdom, they can deploy a large number of Dragon Knights. Perhaps King Osborn Platinum wants to rely on massed dragon tactics to tightly press me on the ocean.¡± Liszt¡¯s speculation was not unfounded.


    Blood Servants from various places had already discovered that the Dragon Knights of the two Kingdoms had begun to move out.


    The Eagle Kingdom had eight remaining dragons, with five Dragon Knights, and its four vassal states had another four dragons, with two Dragon Knights. The Steel Ridge Kingdom had eleven dragons, with seven Dragon Knights, and its six vassal states had another six dragons, with four Dragon Knights. If this lineup were truly assembled, it would be very powerful.


    After all, that¡¯s thirty dragons and twenty-one Dragon Knights.


    ¡°If a dragon-slaying battle does indeed occur, how many Dragon Knights will they deploy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. First, let¡¯s prepare defenses on Mind Island and wait for further news from the Blood Servants.¡±


    As they were talking, a majestic unicorn suddenly flew across the sky, galloping through the void, and quickly arrived at the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    It was Ach riding the Unicorn Charlie.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°Ach, have all the Space Magic Beacons been placed?¡± Liszt quickly held Ach¡¯s hand and helped her down from the unicorn¡¯s back.


    Seeing the intimate gesture between the two, Emily¡¯s eyes darkened slightly before returning to normal¡ªsecured in Liszt¡¯s favor, she felt content to be his woman, never daring to hope she could replace Ach in Liszt¡¯s heart. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°All set up. Your dragons and the mermaids were all very cooperative,¡± Ach said with a smile.


    Her Elemental Incarnations were nearly complete. She had long mastered the Space Elemental Incarnation, capable of placing Space Magic Beacons. The Formless Dragon Bard could sense the existence of the Space Magic Beacons, thus determining their locations, allowing Liszt to command the dragons in battle with ease.


    Otherwise, coordinating such intricate arrangements using just Dragon Heart Electrical Signals for communication would be difficult.


    ¡°With two Archmages personally setting up the Magic Arrays, the mermaids managing the operation of these arrays, plus my dragons, Emily and I, Mind Island will be as impregnable as a fortress,¡± Liszt said, looking up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle. ¡°Bring it on, we¡¯ll repel soldiers with generals and stem the water with earth!¡±


    ¡­


    To Liszt¡¯s surprise, the dragon-slaying battle did not come quickly. Instead, the naval wars raged on the high seas. The Sapphire Duchy¡¯s blockade fleet soon clashed with the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡¯s navy.


    And Anthony, protecting the fleet, soon found the Steel Ridge Kingdom had dispatched a Dragon Knight to guard their attacking ships.


    He and the Sapphire Dragon turned tail and fled.


    That Dragon Knight did not take the initiative to attack the Sapphire Duchy¡¯s ships either but merely drove off the Sapphire Dragon from a distance, then watched from afar the skirmishes between the connecting ships.


    ¡°Your Majesty, that Dragon Knight is the White Heart Iron Dragon Knight¡ªAuden Platinum, a member of the Steel Ridge Royal Family, a prince by title, and a distant paternal uncle of King Osborne,¡± said Anthony as he raced back to Mind Island. Upon seeing Liszt, who had taken up residence in the Fortress of the Mind, Anthony lamented with a sorrowful expression.


    ¡°Auden Platinum?¡±


    Liszt knew of this Dragon Knight, a man around fifty years old with strong abilities.


    His White Heart Iron Dragon was one of the more formidable of Metal Dragons, only slightly weaker than the White Maw Iron Dragon, the Grey Iron Dragon, and the Malleable Cast Iron Dragon, but stronger than the Black Heart Iron Dragon.


    Therefore, Liszt comforted Anthony: ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Duke Anthony. If Auden dares to personally attack the blockade fleet, I will act and eliminate him!¡±


    ¡°But, Your Majesty the King¡­ Auden did not attack the fleet, he merely patrolled the sky atop his dragon¡­ My blockade fleet, many knights are intimidated by the Dragon Knight¡¯s presence, afraid to engage; they are now powerless to resist Steel Ridge¡¯s fleet and have begun to retreat.¡±


    Liszt frowned slightly: ¡°Just lurking in the sky and watching, these Dragon Knights are quick learners.¡± This strategy of Dragon Knights supporting Knight Orders in charging was his original invention. He had even personally participated in sieges as a Dragon Knight a time or two.


    Under the knight system, that was an act against the principles of Dragon Knights.


    Of course, at that time he was unconstrained since the Flame Kingdom had not been established. Now as a king, it was not appropriate for him to join in a knight¡¯s charge¡ªbreaking the rules is fun for a time, but continual disregard is only fun if one possesses the overwhelming strength to defy the rules.


    ¡°The Steel Ridge Kingdom is coming on strong, dedicating national efforts to shipbuilding, with their fleet size already matching the Sapphire¡¯s. Along with the support of the White Heart Iron Dragon Knight, it won¡¯t be long before Sapphire Duchy may fall,¡± Anthony knelt on one knee, beseechingly said, ¡°The Sapphire Family requests the noble Flame Family for protection and support!¡±


    ¡°Duke Anthony, please rise.¡±


    Liszt helped Anthony up, his voice grave: ¡°The Sapphire Family are my followers; a loyal knight in distress will not be ignored by a compassionate landlord. I will, in the name of the master of the seas, order the Steel Ridge fleet to retreat from the Sea of Azure Waves¡­ As for Auden Platinum, he will pay the price for his provocation!¡±

 Chapter 1092 - 1092 1089 No Longer Low-key

    ?Chapter 1092: Chapter 1089: No Longer Low-key Chapter 1092: Chapter 1089: No Longer Low-key The Dragon Knights of Steel Ridge Kingdom and Eagle Kingdom were restless, yet the plot Liszt anticipated about besieging Mind Island did not unfold.


    Only White Heart Iron Dragon Knight ¨C Auden Platinum, a single Dragon Knight, escorted the fleet attacking Sapphire Duchy.


    ¡°Perhaps this is a probe, or maybe it¡¯s just a tactic to lure the snake out of the hole or to distract the tiger from the mountain. But no matter which it is, it won¡¯t prevent me from meeting Auden personally. If he has no fallback plan, I don¡¯t mind killing Auden and then forcibly capturing the White Heart Iron Dragon.¡±


    The only regret is that Ach, Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg, has been studying for a long time, but a new Mind Fruit Tree hasn¡¯t been cultivated yet.


    That is to say, Liszt has only one Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit left.


    Using it on the White Heart Iron Dragon, he will no longer have any Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit. If the Jade Dragon¡¯s Hind Leg fails to cultivate a Mind Fruit Tree, it almost means he would lose the Immortal Dragon¡ªof course, thinking in another way, the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit might not necessarily work on the Immortal Dragon; it might be better used to bewilder a Metal Dragon, Elemental Dragon, or Gemstone Dragon.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just use it. The White Heart Iron Dragon from Steel Ridge Kingdom is only two hundred years old and has strong combat power. It¡¯s worth making a move!¡±


    Signaling Bone Dragon Vinnie, Fire Dragon Leo, and Water Dragon Walter to possess him, Liszt directly went through the natural node of Black Horse Island and arrived at Sapphire Duchy.


    Rather than rushing to the battleground at sea, he rode the Formless Dragon Bard and slipped into the material boundary, leisurely flying over Black Horse Island, enjoying the scenery. It had been a long time since he returned to Black Horse Island. The island¡¯s population was not very large; most had moved to Flame Island.


    Only some of the Royal Arcane Academy¡¯s laboratories were conducting research related to Magic Plants on Black Horse Island. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thorn Castle, with its distinct architectural style, still stood by the sea, but there were no longer any fishing boats coming and going, and the tall lighthouse stood permanently lit, but passing ships were few.


    He shook his head.


    Liszt didn¡¯t express any sentiments, and Bard, in sync with his mind, accelerated instantly, quickly crossing the vast sea to reach Fresh Flower Town on Coral Island. Coral Island had already been returned to Sapphire Duchy, and the northwest border¡¯s Fresh Flower Town was no longer his territory.


    In contrast to the quietness of Black Horse Island, Fresh Flower Town was still bustling, with a music and dance show in full swing in the town center¡¯s square.


    Nobles sat in the boxes, and commoners stood on the stone slabs, all passionately engrossed in the music and dance. There was no sense of the ongoing war here, just daily jubilation. With the foundation laid by Liszt back in the day, Fresh Flower Town had long since become a renowned city for food and entertainment¡ª


    And also the former residence of the greatest legend of the sea¡ªLiszt.


    Many young Knights traveled from afar to Fresh Flower Town to pay homage and experience the environment their idol once lived in, hoping to bask in his glory.


    ¡°The apple orchard in front of the small castle has been razed, leaving only a stone round table and stone benches¡­ Initially, I planned to emulate King Arthur and establish a Knights of the Round Table¡­ My achievements now far surpass the legendary King Arthur, and my Burning Legion is destined to sweep across the Legendary Continent.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sentimentally moved; this place was no longer his Fresh Flower Town, nothing worth lingering over.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bard!¡±


    ¡°Woo yi ya!¡±


    Together, the man and dragon raced swiftly along the material boundary, and in less than an hour, they had traversed the entire Sapphire Duchy, arriving at the location where a sea battle was underway.


    The fleet of Sapphire Duchy was being pursued by the fleet of Steel Ridge Kingdom, with Sky Knights occasionally soaring high, flying towards the fleeing ships, and then single-handedly defeating the resisting Knights on board to capture them.


    Liszt didn¡¯t concern himself with the battle at sea.


    He had already sensed the position of the White Heart Iron Dragon, controlling the Formless Dragon to dive directly towards it, with three dragons on him and one beneath him; plus his own Phoenix Incarnation, he had no fear of ambush in this dragon-slaying battle.


    When he closed in to a distance of fifteen kilometers from the White Heart Iron Dragon.


    The presence of the Formless Dragon could no longer be hidden.


    The White Heart Iron Dragon suddenly sensed it and its dragon scales bristled.


    The next moment, Auden Platinum, who was riding on the Dragon Tooth Platform, used the dragon¡¯s amplification to shout, ¡°It appears King Liszt has graced us with his presence. Auden is clad in armor and cannot offer you a proper salute, please forgive me.¡± While speaking, he was already directing the White Heart Iron Dragon to flee like a shooting star into the distance.


    There was no intention of fighting Liszt or making idle chatter.


    A dragon in its prime wanting to escape is generally hard to pursue; even if one can match its speed, there¡¯s no guarantee of stopping it.


    But for Liszt, nothing was impossible; his reliance was on his unparalleled ability to single-handedly defeat opponents. With resolve hardened, Bard instantly unleashed his full speed, pursuing the White Heart Iron Dragon from behind, firmly locking onto its presence.


    Chase and escape.


    The distance rapidly closed.


    However, it soon dawned on Liszt what Auden¡¯s plan was¡ªto lure him away, trying to tie Liszt down in this vast sea.


    Emily had already sent new information using the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    There were six Dragon Knights who suddenly appeared above the sea around Mind Island, heading straight for it.


    ¡°Does this even make sense? The natural nodes are distributed around the Sea of Azure Waves and Shell Sea. I can tear through space anytime to provide support!¡± Liszt glanced at the White Heart Iron Dragon Knight who was still desperately fleeing, decisively tore through the material boundary, and entered the world beyond matter.


    Locating the Mind Island Magic Gate, he passed through within a quarter of an hour, arriving atop Mind Island.


    There, six Dragon Knights were besieging Mind Island, protected by a defensive magic array. They took turns unleashing Dragon Dou Qi attacks on the magic array, while dragons constantly spewed Dragon Breath. Though supported by two Archmages and six Mermaids, the magic array soon became critically unstable.


    ¡°How dare they!¡±


    Liszt, piloting the Formless Dragon Bard, suddenly transformed into a silent Shadow Spike, rushing towards the Dragon Knight closest to the magic array¡ªRudolf Morning Glory of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, the Ruby Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Watch out, Rudolf!¡± Another Dragon Knight suddenly shouted out a warning.


    Rudolf vigorously maneuvered his Ruby Dragon to twist its body, narrowly avoiding Liszt¡¯s assassination thrust, and quickly moved away from the periphery of the magic array, shouting with lingering fear, ¡°Liszt is still around me, I can sense the Formless Dragon¡¯s presence, hurry and block him!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, if he shows up again, I¡¯ll lock him down!¡±


    Before the words fell.


    Several more dragons rushed out from the magic array, one of which had a knight atop its Dragon Tooth Platform. It was the Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight¡ªEmily Flame, accompanied by Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, Royal Sapphire Dragon Ryze, Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, and Aluminum Dragon Connor, all rushing to aid.


    With Liszt¡¯s assassination attempt, he also released Fire Dragon Leo and Water Dragon Walter in an instant, gathering all the dragons of the Flame Kingdom.


    Except for the Bone Dragon Vinnie, which transformed into Bone Dragon Armor draped over Liszt, a total of eight dragons joined the battle, counterattacking the squadron of six Dragon Knights formed by Steel Ridge and Eagle Kingdom. Even though Water Dragon Walter was still very young, and both Aluminum Dragon Connor and Fire Dragon Leo were not yet adults.


    But Mountain Copper Dragon Mata and Royal Sapphire Dragon Ryze were stronger than average Dragon Knights.


    The battlefield situation reversed in an instant, now it was Liszt¡¯s turn to lead his dragons, chasing after the six Dragon Knights.


    ¡°Retreat!¡±


    The leading Dragon Knight issued the retreat command, turning around first, preparing to leave the battlefield of Mind Island. The remaining five quickly gathered together, starting an orderly retreat without any delay.


    With his cloak silently fluttering, an endless cold expression on his face, Liszt remained hidden at the material boundary, murmuring to himself like a soliloquy, ¡°Since they¡¯ve come, they must leave something behind before they go. As per usual, the life of a Dragon Knight and a dragon is barely acceptable.¡±


    During the first Dragon Slaying Battle, he had slain the Light Green Gemstone Dragon Knight¡ªCarrol Violet, seizing the Light Green Gemstone Dragon.


    During the second Dragon Slaying Battle, he had slain Purple Copper Dragon Knight¡ªLoyle Bronze, capturing Grey Iron Dragon.


    This was the third Dragon Slaying Battle; he had to slay another Dragon Knight and seize another dragon.


    ¡°Mata, Leo, Ornn, the three of you charge directly and disrupt their formation; Ryze, you handle ranged kiting, breaking their coordination; Walter, Connor, you two maneuver around the perimeter, lock down their escape route, just obstruct them for a moment!¡±


    Through the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, aided by Bard¡¯s sensing of space magic beacons, Liszt quickly completed his command to his dragons.


    Lastly, he glanced at Emily, eager to try, still communicating through the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, ¡°Once their formation disperses, I will concentrate on assassinating one of the Dragon Knights, you¡¯re to cover for me!¡±


    ¡°As you wish!¡± Emily promptly responded.


    At this time, Ach, no longer needed to maintain the magic array, had already ridden Unicorn Charlie from the material boundary to Liszt¡¯s side, ¡°Brother, what should Ach do?¡±


    Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°You¡¯ll be with me. Whichever Dragon Knight I lock onto, you use magic to restrict his movement¡­ This time, we play big, no more holding back!¡±

 Chapter 1093 - 1093 1090 Liszt Wants to Kill Me

    ?Chapter 1093: Chapter 1090: Liszt Wants to Kill Me Chapter 1093: Chapter 1090: Liszt Wants to Kill Me Golden Mountain Copper Dragons, gray-white Grey Iron Dragons, black-red Fire Dragons.


    Three massive Dragons, under Liszt¡¯s command, swiftly charged towards the six fleeing Dragon Knights, with the Mountain Copper Dragon, as an indestructible Magic Metal producer, adopting its usual simple and direct manner of combat ¨C ramming forward with no fancy tricks.


    Boom!


    Dragons collided, Dragon Breath spewed, Dragon Dou Qi was swung; in just a single encounter, the six Dragon Knights of the Steel Ridge-Eagle Kingdom Alliance were forced to disperse.


    Liszt¡¯s three Dragons also sustained minor injuries.


    The Alliance leader, the Tin Dragon Knight Duraf Sapodilla, of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, immediately turned the head of his Dragon and called out: ¡°Gentlemen, we battle and retreat. The six of us Dragon Knights are enough to envelop the entire sea!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, no matter how powerful Liszt is, he cannot make up for the fact that he lacks the assistance of Dragon Knights!¡± responded Arkas Gold-Rimmed Agave, an Emerald Dragon Knight of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    The remaining four Dragon Knights,


    were the Steel Ridge¡¯s Ruby Dragon Knight Rudolf Morning Glory, and from the Eagle Kingdom, the Topaz Dragon Knight Tracy Bloody Pelican, the Lead Dragon Knight Warren Upside-Down Golden Bell, the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight Figo Iris, they each turned their Dragons¡¯ heads, answering Duraf¡¯s call. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as they were about to regroup and charge at the Mountain Copper Dragon, the Fire Dragon, and the Grey Iron Dragon, they suddenly saw a deep blue Dragon they had never seen in the reports, its wings flashing countless hailstones and lightning.


    This was the dense Dragon Magic Power releasing Magic.


    Although not yet refined, after Liszt¡¯s improvements, the Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz had learned the basic principles of casting Magic. By rearranging Magic Particles to form Magic Runes, the power of its Magic Power Attacks had significantly increased, becoming more aggressive.


    This indiscriminate assault took the Dragon Knights of the Steel-Valor Alliance completely by surprise, forcing the newly formed formation to disperse once more.


    ¡°Mata, Leo, Ornn, keep on charging, completely scatter their formation!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Hoo-roar!¡±


    ¡°Oh-hoo!¡±


    Three dominant Dragon roars answered, three immensely powerful Dragons, heedless of the light wounds from the earlier collision with Dragon Dou Qi, collided fiercely once again. This kind of attack hardly threatened the Dragon Knights but effectively disrupted their positioning, throwing off their combined Dragon Dou Qi Manual casting.


    ¡°Reiz, avoid Mata and the rest, start attacking the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight now!¡± Liszt, who was secretly searching for an assassination opportunity, gave commands continuously using the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    Soaring high above the battlefield, he had an overview of the entire combat process and issued precise commands.


    Reiz had not trained with Liszt for long, but that did not impede it from executing Liszt¡¯s orders strictly at this moment¡ªas a creature with high intelligence, it clearly understood the current situation.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Flapping its wings, amidst countless basic forms of Magic, Reiz opened its Dragon Mouth again, Laser Dragon Breath reappearing, like a lightsaber, it pierced straight at the Purple Sapphire Dragon.


    The Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight hurriedly dodged, and Reiz followed his path, continuing to unleash Laser Dragon Breath and Magic Power Attacks.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Figo and his Dragon to break away from the tight connection range of the Steel-Valor Alliance, and at that moment Liszt suddenly caught a glimpse of an assassination opportunity.


    ¡°Water, Connor, occupy the Purple Sapphire Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Mata, Leo, Ornn, don¡¯t spare your energy, even if it means taking a few hits, keep the other five Dragons held for me!¡±


    ¡°Emily, you also attack the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight, be mindful of cutting off the battlefield, don¡¯t let the Purple Sapphire Dragon shorten the distance to the other Dragons!¡±


    ¡°As you wish!¡± Emily took a deep breath, her chest gradually heaving, in her eyes seemingly a glint of splendid brilliance sparkled.


    She watched the Purple Sapphire Dragon dodging the intense laser Dragon Breath and suddenly steered her Light Green Gemstone Dragon into a dive: ¡°Ethan, this is your and my first battle, you and I have been waiting for a long time!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Light Green Gemstone Dragon let out a deafening roar.


    The battlefield almost instantly turned white-hot, with over a dozen dragons and eight Dragon Knights displaying their collision at the pinnacle of strength in the sky. Unfortunately, this area is far from Mind Island, so no spectators could peek into this peak dragon-slaying battle¡ªsuch a splendid dragon-slaying war has almost never occurred before.


    At least not in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent.


    A dragon-slaying battle involving five or six dragons was already the limit, but this was the first time with over a dozen dragons.


    ¡°Damn it, has Liszt gone mad?¡± Duraf, the leader of the allied forces, steered his Tin Dragon to dodge as he frowned deeply, ¡°What does he want to do, seek mutual destruction? He dares to risk the lives of six Dragon Knights!¡±


    Completely different from the planned strategy of firing and retreating, with the expectation that Liszt would not dare to intercept, Duraf had no time to ponder why things had turned out this way. Three powerful dragons put a lot of pressure on them; after all, these were not ordinary dragons but top-tier dragons.


    Fire Dragon Leo was not yet mature, but his size was already huge. As a Fire Dragon from the Evil Dragon sequence, his combat power always surpassed most dragons.


    Mountain Copper Dragon Mata was a Magic Metal Dragon, producing Mountain Copper that was indestructible, which speaks to its formidable strength.


    Grey Iron Dragon Ornn was also one of the stronger Metal Dragons.


    Moreover, there was a dragon that was casting spells wildly¡ªthe Royal Sapphire Dragon was hailed as a Magic Metal Dragon among Gemstone Dragons and could almost be treated like an Archmage among dragons. Perhaps its direct combat ability was not outstanding, but its power to disrupt the battlefield was truly fearsome.


    Dragons might not need to guard against those superficial magics, but the Dragon Knights on the Dragon Tooth Platform could not withstand it with their flesh and blood and could only dodge the magic by steering their dragons. This invisibly added a huge burden to the use of the Dragon Dou Qi Manual and significantly impacted the cooperation between the Dragon Knights.


    Without the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal transcending different dragons, they could only coordinate through speech and gestures. However, at this moment, with hail, torrential rain, lightning, and rocks filling the sky, they could not hear or see each other, only sense each other¡¯s presence.


    The key point was.


    Liszt¡¯s dragons were also vigorously unleashing their Dragon Breath, chaotically interfering with the dragons¡¯ sensing each other.


    ¡°Regroup, regroup with me, we¡¯ll break out together!¡± Duraf shouted at the top of his lungs, trying to convey his orders through the immense noise.


    But the continuous roaring of dragons and the massive tsunamis constantly triggered by Water Dragon Walter on the outskirts directly drowned out the sounds.


    Even if the sounds weren¡¯t completely covered, it prevented the Dragon Knights from responding in time.


    The Steel-Valor Alliance¡¯s formation for Dragon Knights had utterly fallen into chaos, particularly since the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight, Figo Iris, directly challenged by Emily and further drawn away by spells from distant Ryze, was dodging left and right like a headless fly, forced to stray far from the Dragon Knight formation.


    At this moment.


    Liszt turned to Ach and said, ¡°Ach, be ready to seal his movements at any time, you can see my position, pay attention to where I attack and where the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight might dodge.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother, just an ordinary Dragon Knight, Ach will use Superior Magic to completely seal him up,¡± Ach replied with a confident smile. ¡°The true essence of space magic is not only something that Bard can grasp, Ach and Charley can cut through space just like him.¡±


    Snort.


    His mount, the Unicorn Charley, snorted loudly, echoing Ach¡¯s bold words.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s do this!¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes were sharp as he steered the Formless Dragon Bard swiftly across the material boundary, stealthily approaching the surroundings of the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight, who was being fiercely suppressed by Emily.


    The five-meter long Thunder Fury Dragon Lance, with its tip flickering with a chill light, resembled a venomous snake flickering its tongue, searching for any flaws exposed by the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Feeling a chilling prickling sensation on his back, the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight Figo¡¯s heart suddenly clenched, his soul as if instantly frozen: ¡°Not good, Liszt is going to kill me!¡±

 Chapter 1094 - 1094 1091 Heaven and Earth Mourn for It

    ?Chapter 1094: Chapter 1091: Heaven and Earth Mourn for It Chapter 1094: Chapter 1091: Heaven and Earth Mourn for It Boom!


    Rifts one after another extended in the void, encircling the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight.


    Acherloides Truth, wearing a Gemstone Crown, draped in a Magic Cloak, wielding the Eight Dragons God Sword, and riding the Unicorn Charlie, continually extracted Magic Power from the Magic Web, condensing it into hugely powerful spatial Magic, hurling them one after the other towards the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight.


    Superior Magic of the spatial kind, enough to single-handedly take on a Dragon Knight, was merely used to block movements. Almost instantly, the Purple Sapphire Dragon was trapped within the spatial rifts, losing its ability to move forward or retreat.


    Duke Figo Iris had a very accurate premonition when he was facing a crisis, his skin crawling. Suddenly, a point of cold light stabbed out from the void, followed by the flowing, transparent crystal-like figure, outlining a streamlined dragon with a wingspan of about fifteen or sixteen meters.


    Atop the dragon, Liszt, clad in silver-white armor and a large red cape, seemed ablaze with flames.


    The Dragon¡¯s Flame Dou Qi mixed with the spatial Dragon Magic Power within the Thunder Fury Dragon Lance, the space no longer able to block this formidable force.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Figo only saw the spear tip emerge from the void, and in the next instant, the spear tip had already reached his forehead, giving him no time to react. The Purple Sapphire Dragon, linked with his mind, was also unable to respond in time.


    Boom!


    The tip of the Thunder Fury precisely pierced Figo¡¯s head, and the great head was shredded by the violent Magic Power in a fraction of a second, exploding into a puddle of powder.


    Duke Figo Iris, the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight, who had dominated the Eagle Kingdom for over a decade and was in his prime, became the third Dragon Knight to fall at sea, to fall at the hands of Liszt, following Carlo Violet and Loyle Purple Copper. It was merely a single strike.


    ¡°Roar!¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the death of the Dragon Knight, the Purple Sapphire Dragon went completely berserk, its Dragon¡¯s Super Magic crazily overflowing, striking hard on the spatial rifts, causing its body to rip open. But it felt no pain, the overflowing Magic Power solidifying it into a giant purple gemstone.


    This giant purple gemstone, with unstoppable momentum, fiercely charged towards Liszt and his Formless Dragon beneath him.


    It sought revenge!


    ¡°Such deep emotions, alas, anger not only makes humans lose reason but also dragons.¡± Facing the suicidally charging Purple Sapphire Dragon, Liszt remained unflustered, riding the Formless Dragon to the outer perimeter, while calling out to Emily, ¡°Entangle the Purple Sapphire Dragon, I want to subdue it!¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty!¡± Emily Flame, riding the Light Green Gem Dragon, directly faced the Purple Sapphire Dragon.


    ¡°Acherloides, try if you can heavily damage it, then freeze it. We still have battles to continue, we cannot waste too much time on the Purple Sapphire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Acherloides is trying hard.¡± Acherloides held the Eight Dragons God Sword, following behind the Purple Sapphire Dragon, continuously casting spatial Magic ¨C the strongest type of Magic she wielded in combat.


    No matter how furious or berserk the Purple Sapphire Dragon was, the strength of a single dragon was limited. Soon, it was entangled by Acherloides and Emily, with Aluminum Dragon Connor and Water Dragon Walter distracting it from the side, unable to counterattack or escape, leading to a complete stalemate.


    Liszt no longer focused his attention here; he and Bard suddenly flapped their wings, rushing towards another battlefield.


    The five Dragon Knights of the Steel-Valor Alliance had started to adapt to the tough situation they faced, pulling together in the struggle, gradually regaining their familiar formation. At this moment, they saw the enraged Purple Sapphire Dragon and guessed that only with Figo killed would it have lost its reason and fallen into an indescribable frenzy.


    ¡°You¡­ you actually killed Figo!¡± Tin Dragon Knight Duraf Sapodilla, his eyes cracking and voice trembling.


    ¡°I killed him with just one move, Duke Duraf.¡± Liszt and Bard roamed around the battleground, occasionally phasing into the material boundary and then back into the real world, disrupting the Dragon Knights¡¯ formation and allowing their own dragons a moment to breathe¡ªpreviously, the hard collisions with the formation had caused them quite some injuries.


    Unable to lock onto Liszt, Duraf could only shout, ¡°You actually killed Figo, this means you are openly declaring war against the Steel Ridge Kingdom, don¡¯t you realize this will bring devastating terrible consequences for you and your Flame Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°Figo was a Dragon Knight of the Eagle Kingdom. I killed him, will King Osborn really turn against me for this?¡± Liszt stalled for time while looking for an opportunity to strike. ¡°Mind Island is the territory of my Flame Kingdom, it should be me questioning you¡­ Does the Steel Ridge Kingdom want to wage war against my Flame Kingdom!¡±


    Liszt sneered, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Duraf glanced at the other four Dragon Knights struggling to hold on around him, took a deep breath, and said gravely, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Steel Ridge and Eagle Kingdom together have thirty dragons! If a full-scale war breaks out, even as a Holy Dragon Knight, you will only be crushed!¡±


    ¡°Crushed?¡±


    With a questioning tone, the next moment Liszt had already charged like lightning on his Formless Dragon, thrusting with the Thunder Fury Dragon Lance in an instant.


    At this moment, his Dragon Dou Qi Manual was no longer limited to fixed moves.


    Having touched the barrier, his vision had already reached the peak of Dragon Knights, about to break free from the shackles of the barrier, every move in perfect harmony with the most pinnacle of strength: ¡°Is this how you crush me?¡±


    Boom!


    The Thunder Fury pierced directly towards Duraf.


    In a panic, Duraf thrust his dragon lance in defense, and his Tin Dragon beneath him also flipped its body trying to strike at the Formless Dragon. But the Formless Dragon merely shifted sideways slightly, dodging the Tin Dragon¡¯s counterattack, and then Liszt suddenly withdrew his dragon lance, a swallow and a spit, returning the Thunder Fury spear straight back.


    Pfft¡ªthe spear struck under the tender flesh beneath the Tin Dragon¡¯s wing.


    Blood spurted, creating a large hole.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The Tin Dragon cried in pain, but before Duraf could counterattack, Liszt had already withdrawn his spear and slipped into the material boundary, reappearing from another direction in the next moment.


    ¡°Duke Duraf, if I accept a slight injury as the price, you will sleep in the sea today just like Duke Figo, do you understand?¡± Liszt looked at Duraf piercingly, the Formless Dragon hovering silently in the sky like a sculpture.


    Not far away.


    Watching closely was a Dragon Knight, the Lead Dragon Knight ¨C Warren Upside-Down Golden Bell, who suddenly roared: ¡°Duke Duraf, Duke Figo is dead, we must avenge him!¡±


    Topaz Dragon Knight ¨C Tracy Bloody Pelican also roared: ¡°Duke Figo must not die in vain!¡±


    Both of them, along with Figo, were Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom. Although they often competed against each other, at this moment, saddened and filled with righteous indignation as one grieves for the fox when the rabbit dies.


    Ruby Dragon Knight ¨C Rudolf Morning Glory and Emerald Dragon Knight ¨C Arkas Gold-Rimmed Agave did not speak out, only quickly moved closer to Duraf¡¯s side to help shield him from Liszt¡¯s possible next assassination attempt.


    Glancing at Warren and Tracy, and then looking at the still robust Brass Dragon, Fire Dragon, Grey Iron Dragon, and the continuously magic-casting Royal Sapphire Dragon,


    Duraf hesitated, unable to make a decision.


    According to the planned strategy, attacking the Sapphire Duchy was peripheral and the attack on Mind Island was just a feint, meant merely to tie Liszt and the Flame Kingdom¡¯s dragons down. But now the problem arose, they were supposed to quickly retreat, yet Figo died under Liszt¡¯s dragon lance.


    Throwing all plans into disarray.


    Should he retaliate or continue to flee?


    As Duraf narrowed his eyes, just about to make a decision, suddenly, a sorrowful dragon roar resounding through the sky interrupted. The next moment, all people and dragons drew their attention, turning their heads towards the distance¡ªthere was a brilliant purple light, taking the shape of a dragon, spreading out.


    When it spread across half the sky, the purple Light Dragon Shadow suddenly shattered.


    In everyone¡¯s and every dragon¡¯s heart, it was as if a glass had shattered, instantly feeling the mourning sadness that even the heavens and the earth would lament.


    Liszt was no exception; he stared dumbfounded at where the light shattered, as the Purple Sapphire Dragon he considered as sure to seize was spinning, slowly falling downwards. The once intense Dragon¡¯s Superior Magic was now showing a slight dispersal: ¡°This¡­ The Purple Sapphire Dragon is actually dead?¡±

 Chapter 1095 - 1095 1092 Irreconcilable Hatred

    ?Chapter 1095: Chapter 1092: Irreconcilable Hatred Chapter 1095: Chapter 1092: Irreconcilable Hatred The Purple Sapphire Dragon is dead, perishing under the eyes of many.


    That gigantic purple silhouette is its Dragon Soul swelling, transforming, and ultimately shattering and disappearing. A creature representing the pinnacle of power, a dragon, thus becomes eternal death. The ocean¡¯s surges continue to roll, and the Magic Power in the sky remains abundant, yet everyone came to a halt.


    They all gaze at the forty-meter-long Dragon corpse as it slowly falls toward the sea level.


    ¡°Whoosh whoosh¡­¡± the wind howls, as if representing the world mourning for the demise of the Purple Sapphire Dragon. Each dragon is a supreme creation of nature, a collection of beauty, strength, wisdom, loyalty, or perhaps pride, always displaying unparalleled charm.


    Duraf, Arkas, Rudolf, Tracy, Warren, as well as Liszt, Ach, Emily, and many more Dragons, all cease their battle, watching the sinking shadow of the Purple Sapphire Dragon.


    Half an hour ago, the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight, Duke Figo Iris, fell in battle, and he did not receive such solemn attention. This is because the death of a Dragon Knight is not uncommon, but the death of a Dragon is the greatest marvel¡ªa Dragon represents peak power, abundant resources, more valuable than a small kingdom.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it chose to collapse its own soul and die; we were unprepared for such a resolute act,¡± Emily explained the death of the Purple Sapphire Dragon to Liszt through the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Liszt nodded lightly, having recovered from the shock of the Dragon¡¯s death. His heart was inevitably filled with regret, as the Dragon that should have been added to the Flame Kingdom¡¯s forces had died, but what¡¯s done is done, and the tasks that need to continue must go on, ¡°Emily, you and Ethan retrieve the corpse of the Purple Sapphire Dragon and transport it back to Sun Moon Valley.¡±


    The blood shed by a Dragon in battle can evolve into gemstones, metal veins, and the like¡ªhow much more so for the entire corpse of a Dragon? Except for the Dragon Bones that can remain undecayed for a long time, most other parts will eventually transform into Magic Power and then form an enormous vein of ore.


    This Purple Sapphire Dragon, even in death, could still produce a massive amount of Purple Sapphires, as well as countless derivatives¡ªAmethysts.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Emily quickly maneuvers the Light Green Gemstone Dragon and rushes toward the falling corpse of the Purple Sapphire Dragon.


    As Emily takes action, the other Dragon Knights also awaken from their shock, and Tracy directly roars: ¡°Stop, the corpse of the Purple Sapphire Dragon belongs to my Eagle Kingdom!¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, his warning is meaningless as Emily doesn¡¯t hesitate for even a moment.


    The leader of the alliance, Duraf, with a gloomy face, looks toward Liszt, who has now revealed himself: ¡°King Liszt, the battle has ended. We admit defeat in this Dragon Slaying Battle, and I will issue a formal letter of apology and compensate for the losses suffered by the Flame Kingdom on Mind Island.¡±


    He paused, then lifted his Dragon Lance and pointed towards the direction where the Purple Sapphire Dragon fell into the sea, pronouncing every word: ¡°However, I need to take away the body of the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight.¡±


    Liszt looks at Duraf and the others with a cold expression: ¡°You can start a war, but whether the war ends is for me to decide.¡±


    ¡°King Liszt, the war has really ended.¡±


    Duraf continued with a grim face: ¡°Perhaps you have the upper hand in this battlefield, but there is news I must relay to you¡ªthe battle at the Sapphire Duchy and Mind Island was merely a diversion; the real battlefield is at Heroic Yellow City¡­ The gateway for the Flame Kingdom to the Legendary Continent is likely being baptized by the Dragons of the Eagle Kingdom; you need to rush over there to support immediately.¡±


    Liszt raised an eyebrow.


    With no expression on his face, he had already understood the full tactics of this battle.


    The naval battle against the Sapphire Duchy was a probe, the siege on Mind Island a diversion to draw Liszt and his Dragons¡¯ full attention here. Meanwhile, the rest of the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Dragons launched an attack on Heroic Yellow City, severing the Flame Kingdom¡¯s reach toward the Legendary Continent.


    From the start, Steel Ridge Kingdom and Eagle Kingdom planned to hit Heroic Yellow City, to contain the Flame Kingdom at sea.


    Perhaps for these continental kingdoms, as dominant as Liszt might be, confined at sea, he could not threaten their rule.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make concessions, King Liszt, on behalf of the Eagle Kingdom, I express an apology,¡± Warren, mounted on the Lead Dragon, his gaze much calmer than Tracy¡¯s, ¡°We take away the body of the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight, and Duke Figo¡¯s death cancels out the destruction of Heroic Yellow City. From now on, our two countries can still coexist peacefully.¡±


    Heroic Yellow City and the Magic Gate are likely completely destroyed.


    After such a long Dragon-slaying war, they had ample time to attack. Without Dragon Knights defending, it was simply impossible to stop the Dragons of the Eagle Kingdom.


    A city and a gate were traded for the life of a Dragon.


    Strictly speaking, Liszt made a huge profit by accepting Warren¡¯s proposal, as it was an absolute bargain. But that was only on the surface. Liszt knew very well that peace could only be maintained through struggle, not through compromise. Pursue the defeated with relentless courage, but do not trade honor for temporary dominance.


    The death of the Purple Sapphire Dragon was an unforgivable enmity. The Eagle Kingdom had long harbored deep-seated hatred for him, with no possibility of peace.


    He spoke up quickly, ¡°Alright, I can return the body of Duke Figo Iris to you and then let you leave this place.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight, both the Dragon and its rider handed back to us.¡±


    ¡°Only the Knight, strictly limited to Duke Figo, understand?¡±


    ¡°It seems that King Liszt has no intention of accepting my proposal,¡± Warren said, bypassing Duraf to speak directly to Liszt in the name of the Eagle Kingdom.


    During the standoff.


    Little Water Dragon Walter had already grabbed Figo¡¯s body and, under Liszt¡¯s command, tossed it to Warren in a parabolic trajectory: ¡°Take the body and get lost, or more will forever sleep in this sea¡­ just like Carlo Violet, Loyle Purple Copper, and Figo Iris.¡±


    As if answering to Liszt¡¯s will at that moment, the many Dragons behind him roared in unison.


    ¡°Oh oh!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Hu roar!¡±


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Yo ho!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Hmph!


    Riding on Unicorn Charlie and sitting atop Fire Dragon Leo¡¯s head, Ach also snorted. Then her mount, the reluctant Unicorn, followed suit with a pronounced snort.


    Eight (nine) Dragons, two Dragon Knights, one Archmage, and another Archmage who continued to oversee the Magic Array on Mind Island and did not accompany them. Such a lavish lineup exerted enormous pressure on the five Dragon Knights of the Steel-Valor Alliance, especially with Liszt and Bard, who flickered in and out of visibility.


    Like venomous snakes lurking in the dark, ready to strike fatally at any moment¡ªthey were unclear about how Figo died, but it didn¡¯t take much to guess that it was likely Liszt who had stealthily landed the killing blow.


    Other Dragon Knights might fight for days and nights to determine a winner, but Liszt always required only a few exchanges, or even just a single sneak attack.


    Catching Figo¡¯s body, Lead Dragon Knight Warren took a deep breath and exchanged a glance with Tin Dragon Knight Duraf.


    Closing his eyes for a few seconds, then opening them fiercely: ¡°So be it, the entire war lies within a single thought of King Liszt. I hope His Majesty the King will act wisely.¡±

 Chapter 1096 - 1096 1093 Sima the Old Thief

    ?Chapter 1096: Chapter 1093: Sima the Old Thief Chapter 1096: Chapter 1093: Sima the Old Thief Whew!


    The Lead Dragon turned its body around and flew off into the distance, followed by the Tin Dragon, Topaz Dragon, Ruby Dragon, and Emerald Dragon.


    The tumult of the sea thus subsided.


    Li Si Te did not make a move to keep them. With the past example of the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight¡¯s corpse in the sea, a hasty attack would inevitably provoke a frenzied counterattack. Previously, in order to divide the battlefield, the Mountain Copper Dragon Ma, Fire Dragon Leo, and Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, who physically initiated group combat, all sustained injuries.


    The Magic Power of the Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz was also massively depleted, equating to all support positions being half-disabled. It was unwise to insist on retaining the full combat capability of the Steel-Valor Alliance.


    Of course.


    He let them leave not because he was concerned about the Heroic Yellow City¡ªit was just a city, just a Magic Gate. The Flame Kingdom had two Archmages and many Arcanists stationed there, capable of rearranging the Magic Teleportation Array at any time. If the city was destroyed, it could be rebuilt; if the Magic Gate was lost, it could be reopened. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the population was lost, it could be plundered anew, so there was nothing to fear.


    Nor was it out of fear of their power. Even if not a single Dragon Knight could be captured, at least the enemy would suffer several severely wounded dragons as a cost.


    The real reason he let them go was that he sensed a thick thread of destiny flickering in the surroundings. This thread of destiny, one end linked to himself and the Formless Dragon he rode, the other end connected to a distant time space, seemingly indistinctly that of a Bronze Dragon.


    ¡°Bronze Dragon¡­¡±


    As a favored one of destiny, Li Si Te certainly could act relying on the Power of Destiny, but he considered more his own choices. For instance, he had previously received a precaution from the Power of Destiny, detecting that Heroic Yellow City, Mind Island, and Sapphire Duchy were all flashing with an indistinct fog.


    The fog over Heroic Yellow City was the densest, indicating the true location of the impending crisis.


    Consequently, he chose not to support Heroic Yellow City, but to defend Mind Island¡ªthe strategic value of Mind Island far surpassed Heroic Yellow City at that moment.


    Indeed, it proved that breaking away from destiny¡¯s guidance could also yield great benefits¡ªkilling one Dragon Knight and a Purple Sapphire Dragon.


    ¡°Only by integrating destiny with oneself can the true power of destiny be wielded. And only by acting so, instead of being a puppet of destiny, will I be able in a future moment, alongside the Smoke Dragon, to break through the barriers of the power of destiny and transcend it!¡±


    With Fire Dragon Leo, having reached the elemental barrier, Li Si Te¡¯s perspective had long transcended the level of Dragon Knights, standing on a higher and farther spot, contemplating the present.


    Calmly choosing whether to step outside the framework of the power of destiny or to follow the path destiny¡¯s power outlines.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a Bronze Dragon, then it must be the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s Bronze Dragon Knight¡ªAlonso Xiankelai. Fate lets us meet again; it¡¯s a bond, and of course, I shouldn¡¯t disregard this kindness¡­ Alonso, I let you escape in the past, but not this time.¡±


    Feeling guided by the thread of destiny, Li Si Te quietly awaited the departure of the Steel-Valor Alliance.


    Only when the five Dragon Knights completely left the range of dragon¡¯s perception, did he turn to Ach and say: ¡°You and Lerald stay on Mind Island a bit longer, ensure that the enemy doesn¡¯t come back¡­ I need to go to Heroic Yellow City immediately to check the casualties, though I¡¯ve already arranged evacuation.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. Ach will definitely protect Mind Island,¡± Ach responded, then suddenly recalled something,¡± Oh yes, brother, don¡¯t forget to have Emily summon the Arcanists to temporarily seal and preserve the corpse of the Purple Sapphire Dragon to prevent too much loss of the Dragon Magic Power; Ach still needs it to cultivate the Mind Fruit Tree.¡±


    Once a dragon dies, its Magic Power quickly dissipates to form new mineral deposits.


    Therefore, Li Si Te had Emily swiftly salvage the dragon corpses, aiming to prevent any loss¡ªevery little bit counts, and the Flame Kingdom isn¡¯t wealthy enough to waste frivolously.


    ¡°I have already informed Emily, and Chris has led the Arcanists of the Royal Arcane Academy to set up the sealing Magic Array in advance.¡±


    The term ¡°seal¡± here is just a means of preserving materials, something that essentially every Magician knows how to do.


    All is arranged.


    Liszt signaled Fire Dragon Leo and Water Dragon Walter to assume their Totem Forms and attach themselves to him, along with Bone Dragon Vinnie, each carrying three dragons. Riding the Formless Dragon Bard, they rapidly tore through the material boundary, entering the world outside matter, searching through layers of crystalline displays for the natural node of Heroic Yellow City.


    ¡­


    Flying in the world beyond matter, the channels of the Great Whirlpool Magic Teleportation Matrix, Heart Reed Teleportation Formation, and Yellow Fire Teleportation Array were particularly bright.


    Only the channel of the Male Jade Transmission Array was missing.


    ¡°Indeed, the Magic Gate of Heroic Yellow City has been destroyed, rebuilding it will cost a considerable fortune¡­ If Eagle Kingdom dares to destroy my teleportation array, then we¡¯ll have them pay with Bronze Dragons.¡±


    Liszt thought it was very reasonable to compensate for mental loss with a Purple Sapphire Dragon and for material loss with a Bronze Dragon.


    He found the location that had reverted to a natural node, passed through with the Formless Dragon, and the next moment Liszt¡¯s visual scene had turned into gray ruins, with wisps of smoke from the burning swirling around.


    In front of him, Heroic Yellow City was gone, only vast patches of scorched ruins remained, and one could faintly make out the pits and dimples left by attacks of Dragon Dou Qi Manuscripts.


    Not far off, a team of knights was searching through the ruins.


    After revealing himself, the knights immediately thronged around him, with the leading knight dismounting and kneeling on one knee, performing a solemn courtesy: ¡°Greetings to the great His Majesty the King, Honored Knight Gaitan, on behalf of my lord Andrew Baron Gray Magpie, I offer you our loyal greetings.¡±


    ¡°So, you are followers of Baron Andrew, then Gaitan, when did you arrive here, and what happened before?¡±


    Gaitan replied, ¡°Your Majesty, half an hour ago my lord received orders from the Outer Cabinet, and we were commanded to investigate Heroic Yellow City. When we arrived, the city had already been destroyed, and we only saw the figures of three dragons flying northward.¡±


    Liszt looked meaningful: ¡°That means the dragons left just half an hour ago?¡±


    He meticulously searched his memory, quickly sketching out all the natural nodes around Heroic Yellow Plains, and marked their positions on the map.


    Originally, to select a suitable place to build a Magic Teleportation Array, he had searched for several natural nodes outside Heroic Yellow City, only to give them up as the locations were not appropriate. For instance, about eight hundred kilometers to the northeast, there was a natural node on the sea surface.


    ¡°With a dragon¡¯s flying speed, half an hour would cover about one to two hundred kilometers; the Eagle Kingdom¡¯s dragons must have flown straight north¡­ If I instantly travel to the natural node in the sea and fly west from there, I could intercept them on their flight path!¡±


    As he pondered, the Threads of Destiny flickered more intensely in the void, the end of one thread clearly outlining the figure of a Bronze Dragon and Alonso Xianke on its back.


    That figure seemed to exude a reserved pride.


    Joining forces with Steel Ridge Kingdom to blockade Flame Kingdom on the high seas, such strategic finesse might just be the handiwork of the Bronze Dragon Knight ¨C Alonso Xianke.


    Much like the grandeur of Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms period strategizing an alliance with Wu to resist Cao.


    ¡°Unfortunately, you are no match for Shu Han and Eastern Wu, nor am I Cao Wei. This Three Kingdoms is destined to be unified by my Western Jin¡­ Pah, to even compare Sima the Old Thief to me!¡±

 Chapter 1097 - 1097 1094 Time to Start the War

    ?Chapter 1097: Chapter 1094: Time to Start the War Chapter 1097: Chapter 1094: Time to Start the War The salty sea breeze blew across the ocean surface, and suddenly a crack appeared in mid-air, only to return to tranquility immediately after. However, the Formless Dragon Knight Liszt had already stepped out from the natural node and was swiftly flying westward, continuously sensing for any traces of dragon aura in the surroundings.


    ¡°Eagle Kingdom really went all out¡ªSilver Dragon, White Maw Iron Dragon, Brass Dragon, Purple Copper Dragon, and even the Bronze Dragon Knight Alonso Xiankelai. They brought five dragons just to destroy one of my Magic Gates¡­ Perhaps they think the Magic Gate is too costly?¡±


    Indeed, the cost of a Magic Gate or Magic Teleportation Array was steep, requiring materials that accounted for one-twentieth of Flame Kingdom¡¯s annual income.


    However, publicly it was declared that Liszt had spent all his family¡¯s wealth to construct a single Magic Teleportation Array.


    Perhaps for this reason, once Liszt completed a Magic Teleportation Array, the Steel-Valor Alliance would deploy dragons to strike once, hitting Liszt¡¯s finances repeatedly, a deal both kingdoms¡¯ kings found very cost-effective¡ªsince dragons and dragon knights staying idly at home was boring, it was better to have them out and active. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the alliance between Steel Ridge Kingdom and Eagle Kingdom, the dragon knights stationed at the border no longer needed to be on constant vigil and could move freely.


    However, they did not anticipate the battle to be so fierce that the Purple Sapphire Dragon Knight Figo Iris would die on the spot.


    And now.


    The team striking at the finances was unaware that Liszt had already intercepted them on their way home. Although it was still unclear which region these five dragons traversed, it did not hinder Liszt from riding the Formless Dragon back and forth, sensing any lingering dragon aura.


    Most crucially, Liszt could feel the Threads of Destiny, subtly guiding his direction.


    At dusk, the scenery was most beautiful.


    The wilderness, under the glow of the setting sun, revealed an irresistibly charming allure. At that moment, atop a cloud in the sky, the figure of a dragon suddenly appeared. Around this dragon, the other four maintained a distance of ten kilometers, flying side by side.


    As these five dragons flew past, another dragon¡¯s figure flashed by behind them¡ªit was Liszt, silently trailing the five dragons: ¡°Indeed, following the Threads of Destiny, finding these dragons was easy¡­ I¡¯ll follow them first and make my move once they separate.¡±


    Dragons are immensely enduring; during their leisurely flight, they nearly need no rest.


    They only need to feed occasionally¡ªgiven their massive size, the energy they consume is enormous; missing a meal could make them terribly hungry.


    After tracking for about three hours, the five dragons landed in a remote territory where the local landlord slaughtered sheep and cattle to entertain Alonso and the five dragons.


    Liszt did not reveal his presence, taking out from his Space Ring tender roast beefsteak and Magic Potions, rewarding the tirelessly flying Formless Dragon Bard. He also consumed batches of Fire Dragon Elixir, Water Dragon Water, and other such sustenance for the possessed Fire Dragon Leo, Water Dragon Walter, and Bone Dragon Vinnie.


    ¡°The Magic Potions are running low again; just a few days¡¯ stockpile, and one major operation consumes them all,¡± Liszt sighed silently, looking at his now empty Space Ring.


    Alonso and his group, having spent the entire night making repairs in this remote territory, set off again when the sun rose the next day. They flew through another entire night, maintaining a reasonable distance between the five dragons, leaving no opportunity for Liszt to exploit. From the looks of it, Alonso seemed quite anxious.


    ¡°Did they discover me?¡±


    ¡°Impossible, Bard¡¯s combat ability hasn¡¯t matured yet, but his spatial concealment ability is absolutely the best in the world.¡± He outright dismissed this possibility.


    Since it was impossible that he was detected, and yet the opponent remained highly vigilant, Liszt speculated that Alonso might already know about the battle situation on Mind Island: ¡°To start a three-pronged strategy involving me and my dragons suggests they must have means of instant communication; otherwise, it would be too easy for me to exploit any time difference.¡±


    With Heroic Yellow City and Mind Island separated by tens of thousands of kilometers, without instant communication means, coordinating actions would be challenging.


    ¡°Could it be that the Magic Platform was pirated?¡±


    He considered another possibility, but the core magic runes of the Magic Platform were strictly controlled by the Royal Arcane Academy. Other countries¡¯ magic advisors simply lacked the capability to master such technology.


    He couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    But the threads of destiny, shrouded in mystery, still tethered him to Alonso, so he continued to track the five dragons. Just as they moved from the periphery of the Eagle Kingdom deep into its territory, just when Liszt was about to give up on this hunting plan.


    The five dragons finally split up¡ªthe White Maw Iron Dragon, Silver Dragon, Brass Dragon, and Purple Copper Dragon still flew side by side, heading towards the King¡¯s Castle of the Eagle Kingdom.


    Alonso Xiankelai, however, rode the Bronze Dragon in another direction.


    ¡°This direction, according to the bearings calculated by the sextant, he is heading back to his own domain!¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up, feeling the threads of destiny violently trembling.


    He continued to track for half an hour.


    When Alonso relaxed completely between the rugged mountains, both he and Formless Dragon Bard had a sudden impulse. The next moment, the Formless Dragon rapidly traversed the material boundary, accelerating to its maximum speed and charging straight towards the Bronze Dragon.


    When the distance between the two dragons closed to about fifteen kilometers, the Bronze Dragon¡¯s body violently shook, then it flapped its wings vigorously, trying to accelerate.


    Alonso had already sensed the presence of the Formless Dragon, trying to escape.


    Unfortunately, all these efforts were destined to be futile. Back when Liszt, riding the young Fire Dragon Leo and assisted by the newly-promoted Archmage Ach, could severely injure Alonso, let alone now.


    When the Formless Dragon emerged from the material boundary, it was no longer alone; fire and mist surged together, Fire Dragon Leo and Water Dragon Walter suddenly appeared, and together they charged at the Bronze Dragon Knight¡ªAlonso Xiankelai. Three against one, aside from Walter who was just tagging along, Bard and Leo were both formidable dragons.


    ¡°Liszt!¡±


    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re well, Alonso.¡±


    Boom, boom, boom, the battle erupted quickly, and moments later, the Bronze Dragon was severely wounded, teetering on collapse. When Bard once again emerged from the material boundary, the Thunder Fury Dragon Lance accurately pierced Alonso¡¯s heart, and the torrential Dragon Dou Qi instantly shredded his internal organs.


    A Dragon Knight thus fell.


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Bronze Dragon roared in anguish for its fallen knight, but it could not change the course of the story. Leo knocked it dizzy with a smash, and then Liszt stabbed it several times, rendering it completely unconscious.


    ¡°Leo, grab it, we¡¯re going back!¡± When the thread of destiny belonging to Alonso broke, Liszt, feeling completely satisfied, led the dragons away.


    This Dragon Knight whom he had long wanted to kill was finally dead.


    Thus, the Dragon Knights who died at Liszt¡¯s hand had become four in total, all from the Eagle Kingdom¡ªthree Kingdom-affiliated Dragon Knights and one from its vassal states.


    Taking a deep breath, Liszt gazed towards the distant mountains, his mood unusually calm: ¡°I wonder how the Eagle Kingdom will respond now? The peaceful times have ended, and next, it might be time for full-scale war with Steel Ridge, Eagle, and even Blast Furnace Fortress!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Recommendation for a friend¡¯s new book, ¡°The Whole World except me are ghosts¡±, the author is a goof, but the book is quite interesting.

 Chapter 1098 - 1098 1095 Four Fruits

    ?Chapter 1098: Chapter 1095: Four Fruits Chapter 1098: Chapter 1095: Four Fruits Alonso¡¯s body was haphazardly discarded in the wilderness, and Liszt had already left the scene, dragging the severely wounded Bronze Dragon straight to the Brass Ore Magic Gate of the Fertile Lands.


    Although the Male Jade Teleportation Array had been destroyed, the Yellow Fire Teleportation Array still stood tall on the southwestern frontier of the Eagle Kingdom.


    After returning to Flame Island, Liszt immediately used the last Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruit and initiated a Mind Battle in the Bronze Dragon¡¯s inner world. The brand of the original Bronze Dragon Knight stood no chance against Liszt, who was enhanced by the Power of Destiny; he erased it time and time again until it vanished like smoke and clouds.


    Liszt then took over, becoming the sovereign of the Bronze Dragon¡¯s inner world.


    ¡°Nozdormu is a great name, certainly too much for you to bear, but no matter, you shall be called Nome.¡± Liszt jumped off the Bronze Dragon and, with a smile, gave it a new name¡ªa name as thunderous as the Bronze Dragon Chromie he knew from playing World of Warcraft.


    Of course, this was just his whimsy, a name was merely a code.


    ¡°The Outer Cabinet should closely monitor the aftermath of this war and also keep an eye on the naval battles concerning the Sapphire Duchy. Should the Steel Heroic States show any intention of reigniting a dragon-slaying war, report to me immediately.¡± Liszt then presided over a meeting of the Flame Kingdom¡¯s Outer Cabinet, ¡°The restoration of the Male Jade Teleportation Array must also be expedited.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, is there still a possibility of restoring the Male Jade Teleportation Array? The Arcanists stationed in Heroic Yellow City by the Academy have examined the remnants of the Magic Gate and observed that the Dragon Magic Power at the scene is extremely chaotic, which may cause strong interference,¡± Dean Chris of the Royal Arcane Academy spoke.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I have consulted with Ach; it¡¯s just a matter of organizing the magic power. You must now hurry to prepare the necessary Magic materials.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    Prime Minister Li Weiliam of the Outer Cabinet said, ¡°The Second Prince Scart Cornflower of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy is currently isolated in the Heroic Yellow Plains, along with many Feudal Nobles. It seems the annual festival this year might not go smoothly.¡±


    It is already the end of December, and the first year of the Flame Era is about to end.


    ¡°Have the Outer Cabinet confirm the list of honorees. I will hold a celebration on both sides to grant titles to meritorious Knights. As for Scart, grant him the title of Marquis of Snowstorm Mountain; allocate a plot of land near the Heroic Yellow Plains for him to cultivate, and ensure the Flame Kingdom protects his safety.¡±


    ¡°The disruption of the Male Jade Teleportation Array means that trade with the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and the transit trade with Yellowstone Kingdom could suffer significantly. Coupled with several wars, our finances might run deficits,¡± said Paris, the First Finance Minister.


    ¡°Why would we run deficits? Have I not slain a Purple Sapphire Dragon? This fortune can support the Flame Kingdom for several years.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, my main concern is that the Steel Heroic States might cut off trade with our country.¡±


    Up to now, the output from the self-cultivating land of the Flame Kingdom is not enough to be self-sufficient; it relies heavily on trade for food, Magic Potions, and other resources.


    ¡°Hold on for now. Once the Male Jade Teleportation Array is restored, we will increase trade with the Yellowstone Kingdom¡­ As for the Steel Heroic States, smuggling will do. If there is profit to be made, I believe their Nobles will not give up. With such a long coastline, even Dragon Knights can¡¯t patrol it all.¡±


    With that, the Outer Cabinet meeting lasted an entire day, discussing various war-related issues.


    Having given all necessary instructions, Liszt then went straight back to the Sun Moon Valley, where Ach was using the body of the Purple Sapphire Dragon to cultivate the Mind Fruit Tree.


    ¡°Brother, the power of the Jade Dragon is very domineering; Ach is unable to cultivate the Mind Fruit Tree normally. However, the hind leg of the Jade Dragon can directly extract the magic power of the Purple Sapphire Dragon to cultivate the Mind Fruit Tree,¡± said Ach, pointing at the small tree sapling growing parasitically on the body of the Purple Sapphire Dragon.


    The sapling was not large, growing at a visible pace, with four buds forming on its branches.


    ¡°Arch, do you think the Purple Sapphire Dragon can provide enough nutrients for four Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits?¡± Liszt inquired. In a previous incident, the Light Green Gemstone Dragon had also triggered the growth of a Mind Fruit Tree, forming four buds¡ªyet to preserve the Light Green Gemstone Dragon¡¯s life, only two fruits were nurtured.


    Now that the Purple Sapphire Dragon was already dead, it could be used to cultivate the Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits without any cost.


    ¡°Arch¡¯s assessment is that there are sufficient nutrients to cultivate four Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits. However, to be on the safe side, it might be better to only cultivate three. If we utilize the magic power of your brother¡¯s other dragons, perhaps we could efficiently maintain all four,¡± Arch analyzed.


    Liszt narrowed his eyes.


    Trying to sense the Threads of Destiny on this Mind Fruit Tree, he vaguely felt them¡ªindeed there seemed to be four equal Threads of Destiny intertwined with his own. Although the perception was not clear, he could essentially discern that the best outcome could be smoothly reached.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll cultivate all four. Whatever my dragons need to do, I¡¯ll arrange for them to carry it out earnestly.¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Mhm, your dragons need to use the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic and infuse it into the body of the Purple Sapphire Dragon. Arch will set up a Magic Array to convert the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic into the magic power of the Purple Sapphire Dragon efficiently, which will be provided to the Mind Fruit Tree.¡±


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Super Magic, huh¡­ That¡¯s going to be another significant expense!¡±


    Dragons are notoriously stingy with their Super Magic. Getting it requires offering them substantial benefits. And Liszt, who is so poor he can scarcely afford potions, now has nine dragons, no, ten dragons waiting for him to sustain them.


    ¡­


    Cultivating the Mind Fruit Tree will take about a month.


    With the promise of a future abundant supply of Magic Potions, Liszt somehow managed to cajole his dragons into taking turns injecting the Dragon¡¯s Super Magic into the Purple Sapphire Dragon¡¯s corpse, maintaining enough magic power to nurture the Mind Fruit Tree.


    At the same time.


    At the end of the Flame Era First Year, on December 30th, right before the New Year¡¯s celebration, the Steel Ridge Kingdom and Eagle Kingdom officially severed all diplomatic relationships and trade with the Flame Kingdom.


    ¡°Is there no other movement?¡± Liszt stood on the corridor of the Sun Moon Star Palace, looking at the Flame King City already imbued with the atmosphere of the New Year, and asked Mary Dawnbreak, who was behind him.


    ¡°According to intelligence gathered from the Blood Servants, the princes of the Steel Heroic States have already set off for the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom. It is likely they are seeking to form an alliance between three kingdoms and then focus all efforts against our Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Do they not plan to contact the Yellowstone Kingdom or the distant Fallen Leaf Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°The Yellowstone Kingdom has never been in contact with the Eagle Kingdom, and the Fallen Leaf Kingdom and the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom are age-old enemies; there is no foundation for an alliance. However, one thing worth noting is that the earlier alliance between the Steel Heroic States has the shadow of the Kushan Imperial behind it, and our Blood Servants have successfully infiltrated the Kushan Imperial.¡±


    Mary continued, ¡°According to investigations by the Blood Servants, a Dragon Knight Prince from the Kushan Imperial has left the empire and may have already arrived at the Steel Ridge Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°The Kushan Imperial, huh.¡± Liszt remained noncommittal.


    Encountering the empire so early was not what he wished for, but he would take it in stride if it came to that, and continue the dragon-slaying battles. Unless they were swarmed by a dozen or more dragons together, there would be nothing too serious. And even if genuinely faced with an invasion of a group of dragons, the Power of Destiny would help him avoid danger and make the right choices.

 Chapter 1099 - 1099 1096 Catastrophe Volcano Cluster

    ?Chapter 1099: Chapter 1096 Catastrophe Volcano Cluster Chapter 1099: Chapter 1096 Catastrophe Volcano Cluster Apart from severing diplomatic relations, the Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom have not taken any more drastic actions, even after the Purple Sapphire Dragon ¨C Phil Iris and the Bronze Dragon Knight ¨C Alonso Xiankelai were killed, and the dragons were slain and looted, there was no official response.


    It is clear that they are secretly plotting an alliance of the three nations, with the support of the Kushan Empire.


    Li Si Te was pleased with this development, as he presided over the first annual festival of the Flame Kingdom and conferred titles on a batch of meritorious knights. The Mind Fruit Tree was being closely cultivated, and the Male Jade Transmission Array was also in the process of being restored. Meanwhile, following the guidance of the Power of Destiny, good news followed one after another.


    The first piece of good news, Giant Algae Greater Elf Pike, finally completed his evolution into a Dragon Elf after half a year, becoming his fifth Dragon Elf.


    ¡°Pike, handsome!¡±


    As a Dragon Elf, Pike expressed his joy proudly.


    Still wingless, but his ability to control water greatly enhanced, standing on the sea naturally with currents lifting him up, similar to Ach¡¯s water control ability.


    Li Si Te praised with a thumbs up: ¡°Pike, indeed handsome!¡±


    ¡°Yo, you are quite handsome too!¡±


    ¡°Ha ha, mutual indeed.¡±


    With Pike¡¯s evolution, the scale of the underwater Giant Algae Forest soared, and the daily production of Giant Algae Magic Potion also progressively increased, greatly alleviating the pressure on Li Si Te, who struggled to afford potions.


    The second piece of good news, after the Bronze Dragon Nome was captured, Li Si Te spent three days together with the Greater Elves getting along with Nome. Then, the Coffee Greater Elf Mundo and an unnamed Barley Greater Elf fell in love with the Bronze Dragon, initiating their own evolutionary opportunities.


    Including the Gourd Greater Elf Klay, who was still brewing his evolution, he had three Greater Elves on the verge of becoming Dragon Elves, and with the interference of the Power of Destiny, the probability of success was going to be very high.


    The third piece of good news, Ach, during the dragon slaying battle, became increasingly proficient in the use of spatial magic and gained new insights. She felt that she was now able to manage spatial rifts, and she was currently using the collapsing Male Jade Transmission Array for experiments, aiming to complete its repair without relying on the help of the Formless Dragon.


    ¡°When Ach gathers enough experience with the Male Jade Transmission Array, she will be able to help sort out the spatial rifts outside the ruins, hehe.¡±


    The Little Sea Monster¡¯s knowledge was growing deeper and her abilities stronger. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Very good, I have been waiting to open this Land of Ruins for a long time.¡± Li Si Te pat Ach¡¯s head, slightly exhilarated.


    This Land of Ruins was initially the reward for exploring the Holy Mountain, which rewarded the ruins entrance.


    Generally, it¡¯s a kind of alternate dimension or special ¡°Gemstone Space.¡±


    But because it was obstructed by dense spatial rifts, he could not enter, and so far, nothing was known about what lay within the ruins, only the ancestors of the Moon Slayers, those Archmages who fought against Moon Dragons.


    At the same time, he vaguely felt the Threads of Destiny were linked to this Land of Ruins.


    ¡°Perhaps, by entering the Land of Ruins, we can uncover the reason behind the destruction of the Ancient Moon Empire, uncover the secret of the sleeping Dragon of the Magic Web, and the cataclysmic war that caused the deaths of the Smoke Dragon, Jade Dragon, and others.¡±


    ¡­


    In the time following the annual festival, there were few matters that required the king¡¯s presence.


    Li Si Te had ample time to freely train with his own dragons.


    Grey Iron Dragon Ornn¡¯s Mind Branding was successful, now he continues to return to the Dragon Nest, and along with Hippolyta, De Gaulle, and Nikola, three dragon knight candidates, to integrate and select suitable Dragon Knights.


    Leo was continuously sent to newly discovered volcano craters to draw in volcanic Super Magic to accelerate growth.


    In addition, the most frequent and longest training sessions were with the Royal Sapphire Dragon Reiz alongside Li Si Te, as it was the only dragon with the potential of an Archmage. Using its magic power, assorted powerful magics could be released, with tremendous potential in combat power.


    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±


    Time swiftly transitioned into March.


    A piece of news, not necessarily bad but somewhat unsettling for Li Si Te, was brought back by a Blood Servant from the exploration of Steel Ridge Kingdom ¡ª Marilyn Rose of Red and White was officially married to a prince¡¯s son from Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom.


    The Red and White Rose Family, during their alliance with Eagle Kingdom in Steel Ridge, already understood that the possibility of marrying Li Si Te was nil. Now, against the backdrop of a tri-nation alliance, the Red and White Rose Family has become a part of politics, used to maintain the alliance foundation between Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress.


    Furthermore, with Eagle Kingdom already in matrimonial alliance with Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, it can be said that the tri-nation alliance has become an established fact.


    However, just as Li Si Te was pondering how to react to this news, a truly good piece of information came from the Kushan Imperial.


    A Blood Servant positioned in the north of the Kushan Imperial learned of a desert area with dozens of active volcanoes constantly erupting.


    ¡°It¡¯s even bigger and more spectacular than the Endless Volcano Cluster on Flame Island.¡±


    Li Si Te lifted his head, gazing into the distance, and immediately made a decision: ¡°This is a tremendous opportunity for Leo¡¯s growth, I must seize it!¡±


    He quickly returned to the Sun Moon Star Palace, and approached a massive sand table.


    This sand table is a contour map of the Legendary Continent, crafted based on the merfolks¡¯ traversal of the vast oceans and positioned by a sextant. The northeastern area of the Tri-Nation alliance has been filled with many details, while other areas remain blank ¡ª another task for the Blood Servants is to map other regions using sextant positioning.


    ¡°Based on the Blood Servant¡¯s positioning, this volcanic area called ¡®Catastrophe Volcano Cluster¡¯ is roughly located here. If I start from the Brass Ore Magic Gate, the straight-line distance is about fifty-eight thousand kilometers.¡±


    Using the speed of Formless Dragon Bard, traveling normally at four hundred kilometers per hour, ten hours of flying per day would cover four thousand kilometers.


    Fifty-eight thousand kilometers would take about fifteen days.


    A round trip would take about a month just for traveling. Of course, if a natural node could be found near the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster, and travel through a world beyond material could be conducted, the time would be significantly reduced. The world beyond material is very special, not in the same dimension as the material world.


    It¡¯s like a ball, with the surface being the material world, and the inside being the world beyond material.


    The surface requires a long journey, whereas the inside has shortcuts.


    ¡°Taking Leo and Vinnie, Bard and I will set off for the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster¡­ As for Flame Kingdom, leave it to Emily and Ach for protection. If the Tri-Nation Alliance invades, cut off the teleportation array to defend ourselves. If attacked, just ensure that the dragons and the people are safe.¡±


    He prepared for the worst, communicated his instructions, and in mid-March, embarked quietly on the journey.


    He crossed Eagle Kingdom, Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, and Fallen Leaf Kingdom, finally reaching Kushan Imperial. However, he had no interest in the scenery along the way, only stopping briefly to rest aside from the urgent travel. Space Gems packed with sufficient food kept him, Bard, and Leo nourished.


    Short on magic potions, but still enough to sustain the needs of his group.


    Thus the stars shifted, and by early April, they reached the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster. The climate here was exceedingly harsh, no vegetation grew, hence it was devoid of habitation.


    ¡°Aho!¡±


    Leo sensed the volcanic atmosphere, flew directly out of Li Si Te¡¯s body, transformed into a seventy-meter wingspan black and red Evil Dragon, and dove towards a volcano crater.


    Excitement.


    Was its first reaction.


    ¡°Go, with so many volcanoes, those with lava certainly aren¡¯t few. I hope after you absorb the Volcanic Super Magic here, you¡¯ll grow into a true adult Fire Dragon. Then we can both touch the Bastion, advancing towards the Bastion Knights!¡± Li Si Te smiled faintly.


    He watched Leo fly into a volcano crater.


    After a long while, he and Bard, with a melded will, slipped into the world beyond material, searching for a nearby natural node.

 Chapter 1100 - 1100 1097 Selling Gemstones

    ?Chapter 1100: Chapter 1097 Selling Gemstones Chapter 1100: Chapter 1097 Selling Gemstones The Catastrophe Volcano Cluster has three easily identifiable natural nodes, scattered among several volcano craters, but no more have been found.


    In Liszt¡¯s understanding, the formation of every natural node has a direct or indirect connection with a Superior Magic eruption. Among the natural nodes that have been discovered, there are jade vein, brass ore, Jade Dragon¡¯s hind leg, and Remains of the Fire Dragon, etc., all of which are related to dragons.


    Therefore, it is very likely that Fire Dragons existed in the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster during ancient times¡ªapart from tectonic movements, probably only Fire Dragons can create volcanoes. Of course, there is also a possibility, the Phoenix, which also represents the power of flame, could have created volcanoes.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I cannot fully unleash the power of Phoenix Incarnation; creating a volcano is too difficult for me.¡±


    After discovering the three natural nodes, Liszt took the opportunity to inspect the magma distribution in the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster. The amount of magma here, as well as the quantity of Volcanic Super Magic, far exceeds that of the Doomsday Volcano Group on Flame Island.


    ¡°There¡¯s enough Volcanic Super Magic. Based on Leo¡¯s absorption rate at full power, it will become an adult in another six months. At that time, fighting side by side with Leo, we will march towards the Bastion Knights¡­ No, there¡¯s no need to break through their defenses. Just a slight advancement, and I will be invincible in the Legendary Continent!¡±


    Standing on a pitch-black rock at the volcano crater, Liszt¡¯s gaze swept over the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster, towards the vast mountains beyond: ¡°Once I unite the three kingdoms in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, my next step will be to annihilate the Kushan Imperial!¡±


    A vow of ambition was set.


    Bidding farewell to Fire Dragon Leo, who was greedily absorbing the Volcanic Super Magic, Liszt returned to Flame Island directly through the world beyond physical matter.


    With the natural nodes providing connection, he only needed to make the trip every three to five days, to bring food and drink to Leo.


    ¡­


    The Male Jade Transmission Array was repaired and completed by Ach in early May.


    At this time, the Eagle Kingdom, Steel Ridge Kingdom, and Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom have officially announced their alliance to jointly develop the sea, organize Dragon Knights to patrol the waters, and actively combat the Flame Kingdom¡¯s maritime smuggling routes.


    At the same time, Dragon Knights also harassed the rebuilding Heroic Yellow City.


    Suppressing Flame Kingdom¡¯s foreign trade, cutting off the nutrients for the growth of Flame Kingdom, was roughly the first policy after the formation of the alliance. This indeed proved effective, as it plunged the trade of Flame Kingdom into crisis, with the demand for Magic Potions especially suffering, leaving several dragons starving.


    ¡°Let the Mermaids be involved in the maritime trade, each transaction swift and decisive, reducing the chances of being targeted by the Tri-Nation Alliance as much as possible. At the same time, strengthen ties with Snowstorm Mountain Duchy and trade with Yellowstone Kingdom through them¡­ It would be best to make contact with the Yellowstone Royal Family and tell them I plan to sell them Space Gems!¡±


    Space Gems are important strategic materials, but strictly speaking, they are more like a luxury item.


    Liszt uses Space Gems to transport essential supplies when he is away from home. As for military applications, they could potentially extend the endurance of Dragon Knights. But a single Space Gem is not enough to satisfy the long-term endurance needs of a Dragon Knight; it would take several together.


    Thus, it does not qualify as aiding the enemy.


    Therefore, selling Space Gems is entirely feasible, and he had plans to sell them a long time ago.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Duke of Snowstorm Mountain has re-established close contact with the Yellowstone Royal Family. The Duke holds Flame Kingdom in awe and believes he will be willing to act as a middleman for us to contact the Yellowstone Royal Family.¡±


    ¡°Spot is very wise; I appreciate him,¡± Liszt smiled. Although he was still harboring Scart, the Second Prince, it did not prevent him from continuing to do business with Duke Spot, ¡°Tell him to inform the Yellowstone Royal Family that Space Gems are invaluable, but all I need are Magic Potions, plenty of Magic Potions!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I will relay this to the Duke of Snowstorm Mountain,¡± Marquis of Heroic Yellow City¡ªYevich Water Peanut responded.


    ¡°Light Green Gem, Mountain Copper, Fine Gold, Mithril can all be sold; however large the Yellowstone Royal Family¡¯s appetite, Flame Kingdom can satisfy them. Also tell Spot that if he facilitates the deal, I will give him a two percent commission and guarantee that Scart will no longer harbor any thoughts of restoration.¡±


    Flame Kingdom has an ample supply of Light Green Gems.


    As for Magic Metals, they are in no shortage at all; the Alchemy Magic Circle has been refining Magic Metals for sale. Otherwise, with Flame Kingdom¡¯s resources, it would be impossible to support ten dragons.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty. The Duke of Snowstorm Mountain is a smart man; he will surely make the right choices.¡±


    ¡°Smart people are the best; I like doing business with smart people.¡±


    ¡­


    Having secured the source of the Magic Potion.


    Liszt immediately focused all his energy on the entrance to the Land of Ruins.


    Ach rode Unicorn Charlie each day near the Ruins Entrance, tending to the spatial rifts, with Formless Dragon Bard assisting on the side. Relying on Bard¡¯s spatial power and Ach¡¯s powerful magic calculation abilities, they could basically repair a spatial rift within a week.


    The dense web of spatial rifts seemed vast, but in actuality, clearing a path just wide enough for Bard to pass through was sufficient.


    ¡°From the current intertwining situation of the spatial rifts, approximately sixteen spatial rifts need to be fixed, which means about four months¡¯ time, brother,¡± said Ach.


    ¡°Four months, eh? I can wait that long.¡±


    It had already been two to three years since the rewards from the Smoke Mission had been received; waiting for such a long time naturally didn¡¯t bother him to wait another four months.


    And at the moment when the Flame Kingdom¡¯s foreign trade was suffering under the onslaught of the Tri-Nation Alliance, the Duke of Snowstorm Mountain, enticed by hefty profits, had managed to establish contact with the Yellowstone Royal Family and successfully fostered trade between the two great kingdoms.


    ¡°I am already quite familiar with Your Majesty Liszt¡¯s legendary tales. May our trade enable you to successfully navigate the blockade by the three major kingdoms.¡±


    The person sent by the Yellowstone Royal Family to oversee the trade was that Dragon Knight Prince, speaking in a broken Wind Language.


    Liszt had not yet learned the language of the Yellowstone Kingdom, so he could only respond in Wind Language: ¡°Prince Punjab, please convey my friendly greetings to His Majesty Parsak, and I hope that our trade can continue normally.¡±


    ¡°Of course, His Majesty Parsak also instructed me to convey his hopes that our two nations can establish a friendship.¡±


    ¡°That would be ideal.¡±


    The atmosphere between the two was cordial, but the trade personnel underneath were engaged in a tongue-and-sword battle of negotiation, and after a week¡¯s time, they finally hammered out the details of the trade.


    Ten Space Gems were exchanged for one million Mixed Standard Magic Potions, one hundred thousand Single Standard Magic Potions, and five thousand Special Standard Magic Potions. Indeed, the value of a single Space Gem could truly exchange for a large city with a population of one hundred thousand. Unfortunately, the Yellowstone Kingdom did not sell Strong Magic Medicine, Auxiliary Magic Medicine, or Dragon¡¯s Magic Medicine.


    Eight hundred Light Green Gems were exchanged for two hundred thousand Mixed Standard Magic Potions, along with a large quantity of wheat, barley, corn, and other grains.


    Magic Metals like Mithril, Fine Gold, and Mountain Copper, in turn, were exchanged for a large amount of magic materials. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A month later, the trade was successfully completed.


    This greatly relieved Liszt; without the supply of Magic Potions, his dragons would have been in revolt. With this batch of trade goods, the Flame Kingdom could successfully sustain itself for an entire year. Bard, though, had it rough ¨C not only did he have to repair the spatial rifts, but he also painstakingly produced six Space Gems.


    To replenish Liszt¡¯s Space Rings, continuing to maintain an everyday carry of over ten pieces for transporting supplies.


    In the blink of an eye.


    September slowly arrived, and Fire Dragon Leo had not yet returned. Ach had successfully repaired the sixteen spatial rifts, clearing a path to the Land of Ruins.


    ¡°Brother, we can now open the Land of Ruins.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can open it now!¡± Liszt, riding on Formless Dragon Bard, exchanged smiles with Ach, who was riding Unicorn Charlie.


    Then, with a thought, Bard transformed into a beam of light, rushing towards the natural node at the entrance to the Land of Ruins.

 Chapter 1101 - 1101 1098 Mulagao Ding

    ?Chapter 1101: Chapter 1098 Mulagao Ding Chapter 1101: Chapter 1098 Mulagao Ding Passing through the natural node, a new world descended upon Li Si Te¡¯s view, a world shrouded in ice and snow, with thin air and extremely low temperatures.


    ¡°Is this the alternate space created by the ancestors of the Moon Slayer, the Ancient Magicians?¡±


    Li Si Te activated his Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi to resist the extreme cold brought by the surrounding ice and snow. Even with his current physical endurance, he couldn¡¯t withstand it and needed to utilize the Dragon Dou Qi for warmth, showing just how cold it was outside: ¡°Ach, can you handle it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, brother. Ach has switched to Ice Elemental Incarnation, so I don¡¯t feel cold at all. It¡¯s just that the air is thin, making breathing slightly difficult.¡± Ach and her unicorn Charlie both appeared very natural and comfortable.


    And his own mount, the Formless Dragon Bard, felt no different.


    It¡¯s just that flying was very unstable and seemed very strenuous, finally landing on the thick snow¡ªdragon flight relies on air currents and magic power, both of which were sparse in this environment.


    ¡°Woowhaa!¡±


    Though Bard was not afraid of the cold, it didn¡¯t mean it liked it here, constantly complaining.


    Patting its neck, Li Si Te gestured for Bard to walk: ¡°Let¡¯s move forward and see what¡¯s unique about this world and what the Ancient Magicians left behind.¡±


    Bard walked.


    Charlie still strolled through the air; sometimes it seemed even more mystical than a dragon.


    ¡°Brother, this world is very strange. Why does Ach always feel like we¡¯re still in the original world?¡± Ach tried to cast a spell, then suddenly realized, ¡°That¡¯s right, brother, this world is the same as the original one, Ach can still draw magic power from the Magic Web!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Li Si Te was momentarily stunned.


    ¡°Perhaps the Ruins Entrance is not an entrance to an alternate space but a normal natural node, meaning brother and Ach, passing through the natural node, arrived somewhere on the Legendary Continent or possibly the Mafa Continent¡­ From the look of the environment here, it seems to be a mountaintop or plateau.¡±


    ¡°Not alternate space, but somewhere on a mountaintop or plateau?¡±


    Li Si Te found it hard to accept this. He had hoped he might gain many treasures from the Land of Ruins, but it turned out there was no Land of Ruins.


    But soon he recalled: ¡°No, the reward from the Smoke Mission was indeed a Ruins Entrance. It just didn¡¯t specify it would be an alternate space. The assumption of an alternate space was my own judgment, based on my understanding of natural nodes, deducing this natural node might lead to an alternate space.¡±


    The natural node of Sun Moon Valley, and this one, both have connectivity, so he originally thought one led to the real world, the other to a Different World.


    It turned out both led to the real world.


    ¡°But, whether or not it leads to the real world, this natural node is a Ruins Entrance, that¡¯s for sure. So this is still an Ancient Ruins site!¡±


    Having clarified the logic, he directly asked: ¡°Ach, can you determine our current location?¡±


    Ach shook her head with trouble: ¡°No, brother. The heavy snow and wind make it impossible to calculate with the sextant, I can¡¯t even distinguish north, south, east, or west.¡±


    ¡°Then never mind, let¡¯s continue to look around and at least figure out where we are, and also see if there are any Ancient Ruins nearby. It¡¯s connected to the natural node of Moon Slayer Sacred Mountain, maybe there will be items left by the Archmages.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    The group of one man, one sea serpent, one dragon, and one unicorn started searching on this vast mountain summit.


    The snowstorm along with the dense fog severely reduced visibility, and the thick snow also made it hard to spot any rock formations. Fortunately, Li Si Te¡¯s Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi was strong; with a few slashes, he could melt large patches of snow and ice, exposing the underlying mountain rocks.


    Using this method, they soon discovered new issues in this location.


    ¡°Brother, these exposed mountain rocks are quite flat, but from the traces of the rock fractures, they weren¡¯t originally this smooth.¡± Ach, with her profound knowledge, immediately judged, ¡°Though there are no traces of artificial carving, Ach still concludes that this is a man-made platform.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that someone shaved the top off this mountain just to create a flat mountaintop platform?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed.¡±


    It sounded a bit unbelievable, but soon Ach¡¯s guess was confirmed.


    The group had reached the edge of the platform, where the vast snowy land suddenly sloped downward. There were also howling snowstorms, rampant magic power and air currents, comparable to Superior Magic. Even with the physique of the Formless Dragon, merely touching the storm left white marks on the dragon scales.


    ¡°Wu yi ya!¡± Bard decisively backed away, still underage and not wanting to take risks.


    ¡°It seems your guess was correct, it is indeed an artificially created platform, a mountain peak has been cut off¡­ The storm outside is too fierce, making it difficult to walk. We¡¯ll explore along the edge of the platform to see how big this platform is.¡±


    The two continued along the edge of the platform.


    After a big circle, taking more than an hour, they estimated that the entire platform was about as big as a small town, nearly one hundred square kilometers.


    Apart from the platform, everything was enveloped by the storm, making it impossible to walk even a step.


    ¡°With such high mountains and such fierce snowstorms, Ach, I already have a vague guess in my heart¡­ Let¡¯s spend some more time clearing all the snow from the platform to see what remnants the Ancient Magician left behind on this platform.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    Immediately Liszt used Dou Qi, and Ach used magic, continuously clearing the snow on the mountaintop platform. Of course, they weren¡¯t foolish to clear all the snow, but started clearing from the center of the platform. Once they cleared a large area, traces of human intervention finally appeared.


    It was a huge chisel imprint, forming mysterious magic patterns.


    ¡°It¡¯s part of a Magic Array pattern, but there¡¯s no magic flowing through it anymore; time has rendered it obsolete,¡± Ach surmised.


    ¡°Keep clearing, find out the true face of the Magic Array.¡±


    As more snow was cleared, more and more magic patterns were revealed, each being several meters wide and hundreds of meters long. Some stood alone, others connected over a large area, continuously spreading across the entire mountain top. Finally, near the evening, when darkness completely enveloped the mountaintop. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Magic Array was fully exposed.


    Due to the fog and snowstorm, it was impossible to probe the entire Magic Array, but that didn¡¯t stop Ach from slowly plotting the Magic Array onto paper.


    As night fell completely and the snowstorm continued to howl.


    They lit up the Hand Magic Tube.


    Liszt and Ach together examined the Magic Array, a massive disc-shaped array with varying patterns in each circle and various mysterious magic symbols. It looked like a giant compass, somewhat crude and not very refined.


    ¡°Ach, can you understand it?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh, I can understand parts of it. Brother, look, this symbol means ¡®space,¡¯ and this symbol means ¡®time.¡¯ These two symbols, positioned centrally in the Magic Array, indicate that this Magic Array possesses the properties of space-time; brother, look here, these patterns are similar to the magical construction of natural nodes.¡±


    With an idea striking his mind, Liszt said, ¡°It seems this Magic Array is a space-time portal, no, should I say a Magic Space-Time Teleportation Array?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible, but we need to clarify the remaining symbols and patterns and retest it with infused magic power,¡± Ach replied with precision.


    Liszt suddenly had an inspiration: ¡°Ach, I¡¯ve had a vague guess before, and now, this guess is almost completely confirmed.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the guess?¡± Ach asked curiously.


    ¡°Mount Mulagao Ding!¡±

 Chapter 1102 - 1102 1099 Dragon-shaped Stone Sculptures

    ?Chapter 1102: Chapter 1099: Dragon-shaped Stone Sculptures Chapter 1102: Chapter 1099: Dragon-shaped Stone Sculptures There is a legend in this world that at the very center of the Legendary Continent lies Mount Mulagao Ding, and at its peak there is a Magic Teleportation Array that leads to the Moon.


    Whoever can ascend to the summit of Mount Mulagao Ding and activate the Magic Teleportation Array will gain mastery over the endless wealth above the Moon.


    It is also said that the royal family of the Neverfall Empire descends from Magicians who returned from the Moon to Earth, which is why they were able to establish the most powerful empire on the Legendary Continent¡ªthe Neverfall Empire. Others believe they were the guardian Knights of Ancient Magicians from the Ancient Moon Empire, who became rulers after the Magicians disappeared.


    The term ¡°Mulagao Ding¡± itself means ¡°Moonlight¡¯s Guardian Knight¡± in the Moon Language.


    Mount Mulagao Ding is located at the tripoint border of the Neverfall Empire, Blue Dragon Empire, and Ice Field Kingdom. Currently, no one knows just how tall the mountain is, because nobody has managed to reach its summit. Not even the Dragon Knights, who can fly at altitudes of ten thousand meters, can do so.


    It is said that halfway up the mountain, already higher than ten thousand meters, a perpetual titanic Storm blows, which can even destroy Dragon Knights.


    Thus, the legend has stood for thousands of years, yet not a single Dragon Knight has reached the pinnacle of Mount Mulagao Ding.


    Suppressing his excitement, Liszt calmly said: ¡°Ach, if my guess is not wrong, this is Mount Mulagao Ding, and the Magic Array beneath our feet is the Teleportation Array that leads to the Moon.¡±


    ¡°Mount Mulagao Ding actually exists, brother, does this mean there could indeed be humans on the Moon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very possible. I didn¡¯t believe in legends before, but the fact proves that if legends can exist, there must be a root cause behind their transmission.¡±


    This is a fantasy world after all, where humans have no need to deliberately invent various myths; Dragons, Elves, Archmages, and Dragon Knights are parts of the myths themselves. So as many legends have been proven to exist, it wouldn¡¯t be unbelievable that people are on the Moon.


    After all, there¡¯s even a Dragon called the Moon Dragon, perhaps it comes from the Moon.


    If there are Dragons on the Moon, it means there are creatures, so it¡¯s only natural that humans might exist there too.


    ¡°Ach, do you think we can still repair and activate this Moon Teleportation Circle and then be teleported to the Moon?¡± There is no need for too much speculation about whether there are humans on the Moon; once the Teleportation Array is repaired, everything will become clear.


    Ach looked at the blueprints in his hands and pondered silently for a moment: ¡°Brother, Ach currently has too little information, and my research on this Teleportation Array is too superficial. I cannot make any judgment for the time being¡­ Let Ach study it here for a while and thoroughly research the Teleportation Array first.¡±


    ¡°Okay, research it first then,¡± Liszt nodded.


    There was both hope and disappointment in his heart. He thought he would discover a trove of treasures left by Ancient Magicians, but it turned out to be only a possible Moon Teleportation Circle.


    But that didn¡¯t stop him from continuing to ride the Formless Dragon Bard, clearing snow from the mountaintop platform.


    The snowflakes continued to fall from the sky. If not promptly cleared, the Teleportation Array would soon be covered up, which gave him an idea.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bard, we need to find Leo!¡±


    Returning to Sun Moon Valley required Bard¡¯s help, otherwise, both Liszt and Ach couldn¡¯t open the natural node here. Passing through the natural node, entering the world beyond matter, a man and his Dragon did not return to the Sun Moon Star Palace but instead found the natural node of the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster.


    Stepping through, they arrived at the boundless volcano cluster.


    Leo was happily extracting Volcanic Super Magic from the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster. Upon seeing it, Liszt didn¡¯t beat around the bush: ¡°Leo, I need some of your Fire Dragon Overmagic. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just borrowing it, will return it when done, without much depletion.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho!¡± Leo was reluctant.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    ¡°Oh ho.¡±


    In the end, Leo spat out a batch of Volcanic Super Magic, which Liszt stored in containers made of Volcanic Glass. Back on the summit of Mount Mulagao Ding, he released the Fire Dragon Overmagic. A little bit of the Super Magic was allocated to each area, forming Magic Little Fire Dragons that freely danced through the air.


    These Magic Little Fire Dragons continuously emitted heat, melting and evaporating the snow, turning into a faint mist.


    It posed a slight hindrance to one¡¯s field of vision, but the ground was no longer covered in snow, and Ach need only unleash a bit of Wind System Magic to blow away the mist, consequently rendering the visibility unparalleled.


    ¡°If big brother is busy, go ahead and tend to your duties. Ach is planning to conduct research at the mountaintop these next few days.¡±


    ¡°Is the Magic Platform receiving a signal okay?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll stay in touch through the Magic Platform.¡± As Liszt spoke, he was ready to take to the skies aboard the Formless Dragon Bard through the natural nodes, but this time Bard stumbled unexpectedly.


    Crack.


    Both man and dragon nearly fell flat on their faces on the ground.


    Bard felt vexed, but Liszt noticed that beneath Bard¡¯s foot, a rock had shattered. When the rock broke apart, it revealed a dark and gloomy entrance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, Bard.¡±


    He dismounted from the dragon and walked up to the mouth of the passage, peering down to find a staircase carved from stone leading deep underground. Ach also rode over on Unicorn Charlie and joined Liszt in examining the passage: ¡°Big brother, this tunnel seems to be part of a Magic Array.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go down and check it out first.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, it might be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°No worries, there aren¡¯t many things in this world that can harm me. Besides, who knows how many years ago this relic was left behind.¡± Liszt was not being arrogant; rather, the force of destiny hadn¡¯t given any premonitions of danger. On the contrary, he faintly sensed a thread connected to the passage, giving him the impression that this was also part of the ¡°Ruins Entrance¡± reward.


    ¡°Ach will go down with big brother.¡± Ach was concerned.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s descend together.¡± Liszt said with a smile, taking Ach¡¯s small hand and eliciting a disdainful snort from Unicorn Charlie behind them.


    The stone staircase was winding but not narrow.


    Liszt and Ach each held a Hand Magic Tube, the intense light illuminating the corridor so brightly that they could see intermittent Magic Runes etched into the walls.


    ¡°Ach, what do these all mean?¡±


    ¡°These are Magic Runes constructed by mages during the Ancient Moon Empire, many of which have already been phased out. Modern magicians use the latest structured runes¡­ Look at this rune, big brother, it signifies ¡®radiation¡¯, able to emit Magic Power; this one is ¡®acceleration¡¯, it can speed up the flow of Magic Power¡­¡±


    They walked and observed, almost all the runes on the wall appeared to be casually etched, with many rendered obsolete, though occasionally there were some still in use today.


    ¡°What were those Ancient Magicians carving these for, are they part of a Teleportation Array?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be. These runes show no signs of being infused with Magic Power, they are likely just simple stone carvings without direct connection to the Teleportation Array.¡±


    As they journeyed and conversed, the passage extended roughly three kilometers downward, including a fracture along the way that was bottomless. Other than this, there was nothing notable about the corridor until, after three kilometers, their view suddenly widened, arriving at a massive hall.


    The hall was easily as large as a football field. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the central position was a pillar akin to an altar, connecting to the ceiling of the cavern. Surrounding the altar, a hundred and eight colorful dragon-shaped stone sculptures were arranged in a circle, guarding the altar pillar.


    ¡°These stone sculptures¡­¡± Liszt opened his mouth, ¡°Does each one represent a different dragon? Ach, take a look too, are there no repeated dragon-shaped stone sculptures?¡±


    ¡ª


    New book has been published, ¡°Crown of Trees City¡±, welcome old readers to move in!

 Chapter 1103 - 1103 1100 Classification of Dragons

    ?Chapter 1103: Chapter 1100 Classification of Dragons Chapter 1103: Chapter 1100 Classification of Dragons Dragon-shaped stone sculptures, exactly one hundred and eight in number.


    They are distributed around the altar, not categorized by type, and the order is somewhat chaotic. Liszt and Ach, shocked, began to observe these dragon-shaped stone sculptures closely.


    ¡°The ancient magicians ruled the Legendary Continent, their understanding of dragons was definitely more comprehensive than it is now. These dragon-shaped stone sculptures are probably all the types of dragons.¡±


    ¡°Brother, can you recognize all of the dragon-shaped stone sculptures?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s start by eliminating the ones we do know, like the gemstone dragons, all thirty-six varieties.¡±


    The dragon-shaped stone sculptures are all colored and made of different materials, making it easy to identify the Gemstone Dragons.


    From red to green, from blue to yellow, from purple to pink, thirty-nine types of dragon sculptures resembling Gemstone Dragons were found in total.


    ¡°This one, translucent in color and petite in form, is clearly a sculpture of the Formless Dragon; this one, lush and not very large, must be a Jade Dragon sculpture; and this one, with a dull gemstone color, deviates from the thirty-six known Gemstone Dragon colors, likely not a Gemstone Dragon.¡±


    The remaining thirty-six dragon-shaped stone sculptures all correspond to their respective types of Gemstone Dragons, from the Royal Sapphire Dragon to the Light Green Gemstone Dragon, all present and with accurately fitting proportions.


    Then they found the dragon-shaped stone sculptures with a metallic luster; fifty-four in total, among which Iron Dragon, Copper Dragon, Tin Dragon, Golden Dragon, Silver Dragon, Platinum Dragon, Aluminum Dragon, and Lead Dragon could be identified, but many more could not be distinguished and were only vaguely recognized.


    ¡°This one is a Fire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°This one is an Ice Dragon.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    They quickly identified all eight Elemental Dragons, and indeed among the Metal Dragons, Gemstone Dragons, and Elemental Dragons, the Elemental Dragons were relatively larger, especially the Fire Dragon being the largest.


    ¡°This one is a Smoke Dragon; look brother, it really looks like a wisp of smoke.¡± Ach pointed at a dragon-shaped stone sculpture, which was made up of swirls of smoke, undeniably a Smoke Dragon sculpture.


    Liszt¡¯s gaze lingered on the Smoke Dragon sculpture for a while. Although he was already incubating the ¡°egg¡± of a Smoke Dragon in his mind, it was the first time he actually saw what a real Smoke Dragon looked like. Unexpectedly, true to its name, it was indeed composed of smoke.


    Up to this point, the fifty-four Metal Dragons, thirty-six Gemstone Dragons, eight Elemental Dragons, as well as the Formless Dragon, Jade Dragon, and Smoke Dragon had all been identified.


    Seven more dragon-shaped stone sculptures remained, some difficult to discern.


    ¡°Ach, do you think this sculpture with a dull gemstone texture could be the Twilight Dragon? Look at the way its dragon scales are carved, doesn¡¯t it give the impression of a lens?¡±


    The shape of the dragon sculpture was not abrupt, nor was it particularly large, but the scales had a distinct texture.


    Ach floated up, observed closely, and said, ¡°It really does, brother, it should be the Twilight Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s tentatively consider it the Twilight Dragon.¡± Liszt then walked over to a new dragon-shaped sculpture, ¡°We already know four types of Sacred Dragons, and there¡¯s one last Immortal Dragon left. Among the remaining dragon sculptures, this one has the softest and most delicate lines, somewhat feminine, could it be the Immortal Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Medium in size, let¡¯s tentatively consider it the Immortal Dragon,¡± Ach replied, after all, too little is known about the Immortal Dragon; it¡¯s only known that it might exist in the Exiled Lands. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liszt nodded, ¡°So now we are left with five dragon-shaped stone sculptures, among which there should be three Evil Dragons, the Cursed Dragon, Shadow Dragon, and Silent Dragon, so Ach, you must know which one is the Cursed Dragon?¡±


    Ach pointed to one of them and said, ¡°This is the one, its shape is essentially identical to that of the Cursed Dragon, formed from the remaining power of the curse, very ferocious and terrifying.¡±


    This Cursed Dragon sculpture looked somewhat similar to Nergigante from ¡°Monster Hunter.¡± Its scales were grayish-brown, and its body was as slender as a snake, with wings that seemed like skeletal frameworks, and its entire body appeared to be just bones wrapped in scales, with hardly any flesh on its bones.


    At a glance, one could tell it was the Cursed Dragon.


    ¡°There are four more dragon-shaped stone sculptures, each much larger than the Fire Dragon¡¯s sculpture. Aside from the Silent Dragon and the Shadow Dragon, what might the other two be?¡±


    ¡°They should be the Dragon of the Magic Web and the Moon Dragon,¡± said Ach.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I think too, and as the dragon that breaks barriers, the Dragon of the Magic Web must be the largest, so this sculpture here is of the Dragon of the Magic Web.¡± He pointed to the largest of all the sculptures, his gaze slightly heavy, feeling a great pressure from just a single sculpture.


    Indeed, the sculpture of the Dragon of the Magic Web was enormous, five to six times the size of the Fire Dragon sculpture, covered in sharp spikes, like a hedgehog dragon.


    Though the dragon¡¯s eyes were merely carved from stone, the air of indifference to all life, of being high above, was unmistakable.


    ¡°The Cursed Dragon¡¯s size should be similar to that of the Silent and Shadow Dragons. Among the remaining three sculptures, the two smaller ones should be those. The slightly larger one, about two-thirds the size of the Dragon of the Magic Web¡¯s sculpture, is the Moon Dragon that the ancestors of the Moon Slayers killed.¡±


    The Moon Dragon sounded beautiful, and indeed it looked beautiful, with its most striking feature being a pair of unique wings.


    These wings were similar to those of the Little Minor Elf, Greater Elf, and Dragon Elf, all transparent like cicada wings.


    The two stood on top of the Moon Dragon¡¯s head, carefully examining the sculpture, while simultaneously contemplating the connection between the Moon Dragon and elves.


    ¡°In the era of the Moon Slayers¡¯ ancestors, elves were just Elf Bugs and could not evolve¡­ After the Moon Slayer¡¯s ancestor killed the Moon Dragon, modern elves could evolve¡­ Ach, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°The residual power of the Cursed Dragon can pollute the ocean, so maybe the residual power of the Moon Dragon could cause ¡®pollution¡¯ too, and what it polluted could be the Elf Bugs. Perhaps it was the Moon Dragon¡¯s power that gave elves the ability to evolve?¡± Ach proposed a possibility.


    ¡°I thought so too, and look, the magic power of the Dragon of the Magic Web can be drawn upon by all magicians, showing that these unimaginably powerful dragons have powers that are almost touching upon¡­ rules. They could be described by rules; these dragons themselves are manifestations of certain rules.¡± Liszt was contemplating the existence of barriers.


    In his view, the Elemental Dragons, Gemstone Dragons, Metal Dragons, and even Sacred Dragons certainly represent a pinnacle of power, but they are far from completely mastering it.


    They are just a display of power, not control over it.


    However, dragons like the Evil Dragon, Moon Dragon, and Dragon of the Magic Web clearly broke through barriers, transcending power itself and began to master the underlying rules of powers. The Dragon of the Magic Web mastered the magic power rule, the Moon Dragon mastered the Elf Rule, and the Cursed Dragon mastered the curse rule.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure if my guess is accurate, my understanding of this world is becoming clearer. It also gives me and Leo a new understanding of how to break through barriers in the future.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, congratulations to you, brother,¡± Ach chuckled, ¡°Ach should also congratulate herself; more truths have been unveiled.¡±


    ¡°Haha, same to you. Now there are two sculptures left, one of the Shadow Dragon and one of the Silent Dragon. Ach, how do you think we should distinguish them?¡±


    ¡°This dragon looks so ugly, and it¡¯s so black it¡¯s like a shadow, let¡¯s tentatively call it the Shadow Dragon. This other sculpture has many blue lightbulb-like scales on its body, and it¡¯s very bulky, like a big toad; let¡¯s tentatively call it the Silent Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s settle on that!¡±


    ¡°Yep, when Ach has time, she will go back and create a ¡®The Pictorial Compendium of Dragons¡¯ to add to the ¡®Great Encyclopedia.''¡± Ach did not forget her part-time role as the chief editor of the ¡®Great Encyclopedia.¡¯

 Chapter 1104: 1101: Murals of the Past

    Chapter 1104: Chapter 1101: Murals of the Past


    Dragon of the Magic Web.


    Moon Dragon.


    Three kinds of Evil Dragons.


    Five kinds of Sacred Dragons.


    Eight kinds of Elemental Dragons.


    Thirty-six kinds of Gemstone Dragons.


    Fifty-four kinds of Metal Dragons.


    One hundred and eight Dragon-shaped Stone Sculptures unveil all the breeds of dragons in this world. Although dragons are not the only magical creatures, they fundamentally represent all the powers and rules necessary for the operation of this world.


    ¡°The Moon Teleportation Circle is based on the Magic Array on the ground, and it can only truly operate with this dragon-shaped altar as the core, to allow travel between the Moon and here. Brother, the research required for this Teleportation Array might be more massive than Ach imagines; it will take a lot of time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have enough time to wait.¡± Liszt was brimming with confidence. Originally, he had planned to obtain ancient treasures to support his dragon rearing.


    Now, the speculation of the Moon Dragon infecting the Elf has given him a brand new understanding of breaking through barriers. Once the Fire Dragon Leo matures after absorbing sufficient Volcanic Super Magic, it will be the moment for him and Leo to strike at becoming a Bastion Knight. Once successful, it means he will master the rules of flame.


    By then, all the Dragon Knights of the Legendary Continent combined might not be a match for Liszt.


    He could then directly roll over all the empires and kingdoms of the Legendary Continent, purify the seas, and bring the Mafa Continent under his rule as well. Establishing a legacy undying through the ages, making the name ¡°Liszt Flame¡± the noblest title of this era, passed down through generations.


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Ach held a Hand Magic Tube, constantly observing the details of each dragon, in preparation for The Pictorial Compendium of Dragons.


    Liszt turned his gaze to the underground hall; it was empty except for the dragon-shaped stone sculptures and the altar, leaving only the walls. However, when he concentrated on the walls, he abruptly realized that they were not devoid of content¡ªthey were adorned with giant murals.


    The murals were not painted but created in relief, which made them less conspicuous.


    The entire circular wall was one continuous mural, circling 360 degrees. At the point where it began and ended, there was a section of Moon Language narrative.


    ¡°Ach, come here, let¡¯s study this mural.¡± Liszt called Ach over immediately.


    Ach was quite proficient in Moon Language, swiftly translating the Moon Language narrative, which seemed like each segment had its own special melody and charm.


    ¡°In the beginning, humans lived like beasts; later, they learned to use tools and rites.¡±


    ¡°They grew, pondering the future.¡±


    ¡°From the will of humans, the Great Dragon awakened, to continue the order.¡±


    ¡°When the will wavered, the Great Dragon disintegrated; flesh and bones became Elves, soul became Giant Dragons; Elves spread as all things, Giant Dragons embodied power.¡±


    ¡°Sacred Dragons to reinforce the origin, Evil Dragons to purify pollution, Elemental Dragons to command weather, Gemstone Dragons to embellish time and space, Metal Dragons to diffuse resources.¡±


    ¡°There are Magic Dragons that operate the Magic Web, ruling over the cycles of the Sun and Moon, and therein lies Magic as well.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Mafa of the Sun, Legend of the Moon, both have the Magic Dragon as their totem, ceaselessly living, the stars shift and battle in the sky.¡±


    The narrative of the Moon Language ended here, but it brought a huge impact to Liszt and Ach. Although the Moon Language from ancient times had some stumbling, it did not hinder understanding their meaning.


    Liszt instantly had many questions: ¡°Was the Great Dragon born from the will of humans? And after the Great Dragon disintegrated, there were Elves and many Giant Dragons? The Magic Dragon must be the Dragon of the Magic Web, the totem of the Moon Empire and Sun Empire? This sounds too¡­ mythological.¡±


    Ach¡¯s gaze shifted from the Moon Language narrative to the mural, contemplative: ¡°Brother, perhaps this story is true.¡±


    Liszt did not immediately delve deeper: ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s first see what the mural depicts.¡±


    He and Ach illuminated the mural with their Hand Magic Tubes, viewing it from right to left in a clockwise direction. The mural, complete in its entirety, primarily featured Dragons, with humans merely part of the symbolic elements.


    The mural began with a Magic Dragon emanating threads like a spider¡¯s web, connecting many cities on the ground, with Magicians floating above the cities, casting Magic. There were also some Dragons flying around the cities, creating an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.


    One large city had the Moon hanging over it, while another had the Sun.


    However, soon three Dragons began attacking humans. According to their sculpted images, they were the Shadow Dragon, the Cursed Dragon, and the Silent Dragon.


    Consequently, the mural depicted humans overcoming these three Evil Dragons with the aid of other Dragons, especially the Magic Dragon. The Silent Dragon died to the north of the two cities, the Cursed Dragon in the sea between the two cities, and the Shadow Dragon around the city under the Sun.


    The mural then transitioned into a new era, seemingly tainted by the three Evil Dragons, with heavy casualties in the Sun city and the sea.


    Monsters emerged from the midst.


    The Magic Dragon prepared to exhale Dragon Breath, aimed at the sea, the far north, and the monsters in the Sun city.


    The human Magicians of the Moon city seemed to be aiding the Magic Dragon, but another group from the Moon city confronted them.


    Subsequently, these dissenters, in alliance with the five Sacred Dragons, created a Magic Array atop a high mountain.


    The Magic Array shot directly towards the Moon.


    After discovering this, the Magic Dragon led a large group of Gemstone Dragons, Elemental Dragons, Metal Dragons, and surrounded the five Sacred Dragons. The Jade Dragon, Formless Dragon, Twilight Dragon, and Smoke Dragon were all killed, with only the Immortal Dragon apparently escaping to an unknown location.


    The Magicians of the Moon city began to celebrate victory.


    But then a Dragon was born on the Moon, which could clearly be seen as the Moon Dragon previously identified in the Dragon-shaped Stone Sculptures. The Moon Dragon flew out from the Moon and came to hover over the Moon city.


    The Magic Dragon once again united with many Dragons and the Magicians of the Moon city to face the Moon Dragon.


    Thus far.


    The mural ended.


    ¡°This¡­ it seems to be a story from before the fall of the Moon Empire. Ach, do you understand it?¡± Liszt asked.


    Ach nodded: ¡°Brother, Ach has made sense of the mural, combined with the poetry of the Moon Language we encountered earlier, it seems the Ancient Mages were introducing the history of the world¡¯s origin.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ve figured out, let¡¯s see if it matches my understanding.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm.¡±


    Ach began summarizing her comprehension: ¡°After the birth of humanity, the great Dragons were born in accordance with the will of humans, but humans soon fell into war and other troubles, their will began to waver, and the great Dragons thus disintegrated. Then they split into Elves and Giant Dragons to help humans.¡±


    At this time on the Legendary Continent and Mafa Continent, humans established two civilizations with the Magic Dragon as their totem, continuously developing Magic.


    But soon after, Evil Dragons began to invade.


    The Magic Dragon, many Dragons, and humans joined forces to slay the three Evil Dragons, but monsters contaminated by the Evil Dragons began to roam. The Magic Dragon planned to clear the monsters, while the Magicians of the Moon Empire were divided into two factions; one firmly intent on eradicating the monsters, and the other seemed to want to protect them.


    The protecting faction received help from the Sacred Dragons, built the Moon Teleportation Circle, and went to the Moon.


    The Sacred Dragons were then slaughtered by the Magic Dragon and others, with only the Immortal Dragon escaping. Afterwards, the Moon Dragon was born, returned to this planet, hence the Magic Dragon and the Moon Dragon, namely the eradication faction and the protection faction, began the decisive battle.


    She paused.


    Then Ach added: ¡°The Moon Dragon certainly died, but its power spread to all Elves, assisting in their evolution, maybe it¡¯s preparing to resurrect from the body of the Elf King¡­ The Magic Dragon was gravely injured, it must be the Dragon of the Magic Web which brother and Ach saw, constantly sleeping, causing the Magic Web to wither¡­ The Moon Empire also perished in this battle.¡±

 Chapter 1105: 1102: Forgetting and Confusion

    Chapter 1105: Chapter 1102: Forgetting and Confusion


    Ach¡¯s summarized history was much the same as what Liszt had concluded in his mind.


    It sounds implausible that dragons and elves were conceived by human volition, yet upon closer contemplation, there seemed to be traces to follow.


    Elves can make contracts with humans; the contract is immediately successful as soon as an elf¡¯s tooth touches human blood.


    Although dragons do not make simple contracts with humans, the Dragon Tooth Platform on dragons¡¯ backs is naturally designed for humans to ride.


    It¡¯s like a thoughtful artificial design.


    ¡°So originally, there was a great dragon in this world. After the great dragon died, such a diverse range of dragons and elves came into being,¡± he remarked wistfully, yet felt somewhat uneasy inside, or rather felt like he had fallen from a hero to a villain.


    According to the mural, the Magic Power Dragon was clearly on the side of justice, serving as a totem for the Moon Empire and the Sun Empire, supporting the human magic civilization.


    On the other hand, the Sacred Dragon, which opened the Moon Teleportation Circle, played the role of the antagonist.


    Now, Liszt, having conceived the Smoke Dragon in his mind and thus merging with it, naturally became an antagonist since the Smoke Dragon was an antagonist. What worried him more was that the Magic Power Dragon was sleeping; if it awakened, would it come looking for trouble?


    ¡°Originally, the Magic Power Dragon killed all the Sacred Dragons except for the Immortal Dragon who escaped, while the Formless Dragon, Jade Dragon, Twilight Dragon, and Smoke Dragon all fell on the spot¡­ Now the newly conceived Formless Dragon Bard has become my ally, and the Smoke Dragon has become my embodiment; this villain role just can¡¯t be cleansed!¡±


    He recalled the scene shown to him by the Time Diamond, which was a pair of eyes awakening from the void, staring intently at him, undoubtedly belonging to the Magic Power Dragon.


    ¡°Moreover, perhaps all of the Sacred Dragons were once dragons that broke barriers, just reduced to their current state because they were killed?¡±


    Logically, being named ¡°Sacred¡± would mean that the Sacred Dragons should not be inferior to the Evil Dragons.


    Now, it can basically be confirmed that the Cursed Dragon is an existence that breaks barriers, yet Formless Dragon Bard doesn¡¯t even have the strength to confront ordinary dragons face-to-face.


    Admittedly, Bard is still not mature, but the strength it shows does indeed seem inflated.


    ¡°Compared to the Gemstone Dragons, Metal Dragons, and Elemental Dragons, where multiple dragons of the same kind can exist, it seems that only individual Sacred Dragons and Evil Dragons exist?¡± He had previously noticed that the Eagle Kingdom had a White Maw Iron Dragon, and so did the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    But the Sacred Dragons and Evil Dragons seem to have never appeared more than once.


    ¡°Perhaps they are all barrier-breaking beings who started to master the rules, thus becoming unique dragons?¡± He had thought a lot in a short time.


    And quickly accepted the possibility of becoming a villain, facing the future threat of the Magic Power Dragon¡¯s awakening.


    Regardless of who was right or wrong in ancient times, the Moon Empire and Sun Empire have long vanished, and the magic civilization has collapsed, leaving no reference for right or wrong. Originally, the Magic Power Dragon commanded the dragons to kill the Sacred Dragons, but it also was severely injured in a fight with the Moon Dragon.


    ¡°Only if I can break the barrier again, help my dragons grasp the rules; then the barrier-level Formless Dragon, Smoke Dragon, Fire Dragon, and others, united, might have a chance to battle the Magic Power Dragon!¡±


    Even.


    He also remembered that in the scenes brought by the Time Diamond, the future Ach once told him, if possible, it would be best to ride every ridable dragon.


    ¡°Perhaps this is the Twilight Dragon reminding me that I will eventually have to fight the Magic Power Dragon again?¡±


    Regardless of whether it was true or not, he was determined to ride as many dragons as possible, aiming to mount all the dragons in Legendary Continent and even the entire Mafa Continent. Once a few more dragons broke through the barriers, what challenge would a Magic Dragon pose? This was no longer the era of magic civilization; it was the era of knights, his era.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    Ach¡¯s call drew Liszt back from his strategic mind games with the Magic Dragon, separated only by the air between them: ¡°What¡¯s up, any new discoveries?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ach pulled Liszt to a certain spot of the mural, shining the Hand Magic Tube on the Sun City depicted on it, ¡°Brother, the Shadow Dragon died here¡­¡± Then she pointed the light to another spot, to the north of many cities, ¡°The Silent Dragon died here.¡±


    Liszt was puzzled.


    Ach continued, ¡°Plus with the Cursed Dragon dying in the ocean, the Three Great Evil Dragons polluted most of the creatures. But Ach has a doubt, why would the Sacred Dragon and some magicians from the Moon Empire oppose the Magic Dragon¡¯s elimination of these polluted creatures?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m also puzzled. Why would the Sacred Dragon protect those contaminated¡­ devils.¡± He had seen those devils deep in the ocean.


    Utterly evil, their malign aura still vivid even after tens of thousands of years.


    The creatures contaminated by the Cursed Dragon were rotting, their minds muddled, turning the ocean into the Devil¡¯s Sea. It was unimaginable how horrifying the creatures contaminated by the Silent Dragon and the Shadow Dragon must be. Logically, there would be no reason for the Sacred Dragon to protect such creatures.


    However, Ach provided a speculation, ¡°Ach wonders if the Sacred Dragon thinks that the contaminated creatures can be cured?¡±


    ¡°Can they be cured?¡± Liszt immediately thought of the mermaid Gulvig, who was initially tainted by the powers of the Cursed Dragon, and it was Ach who cured her, ¡°That does make sense, perhaps the faction of the Magic Dragon decided to take a strong approach while the Sacred Dragon favored a gentler method?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no clue to support Ach¡¯s point for now, brother can set it aside for later. Actually, Ach has another doubt.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°That is, the will of humanity gave birth to the Great Dragon, which then fragmented and evolved into countless Elves and Dragons. So, what about the intelligent races that aren¡¯t human, like the Sea Serpents, Mermaids, and those species long lost in the annals of history, what magical creatures did their will give birth to?¡±


    Ach¡¯s doubts resonated deeply with Liszt, ¡°Right, they too are intelligent species, it doesn¡¯t make sense that only humans could give birth to the Great Dragon¡­ By the way, do you think those Sub-dragons might be what other intelligent races¡¯ wills gave birth to?¡±


    Sky Behemoth Ziz, Marine Behemoth Leviathan, and Land Behemoth Behemoth, were said to be as majestic as dragons in legends.


    Unicorns and Phoenixes, Liszt had seen with his own eyes, their magic was no less than that of dragons. Nimia the Giant Lion, although weaker, being indestructible and tough was also miraculous. There were also legendary creatures like Hellhound Cerberus, Hydra, Chimera, Giant Wolf Fenrir, Ouroboros, and Ladon Dragon, each with their colorful magical traits.


    If Dragons and Elves were born from human will, then where did these Sub-dragons originate from?


    ¡°Ach is unsure if Sub-dragons are born from the wills of intelligent races, but clearly, these details are not recorded in the mural. Instead, it¡¯s dominated by human narratives, somewhat deliberately ignoring other races and the existence of Sub-dragons. Especially that passage in Moon Language, it makes the history ambiguous.¡±


    For instance, the Mermaids in the era of the Moon Empire ruled the seas, their influence surely no weaker than humans; it made no sense that they would be wiped out by a single contamination by the Cursed Dragon.


    Unfortunately.


    So much history has been obscured, a single mural couldn¡¯t reveal it all.


    Liszt rubbed Ach¡¯s head, signaling her not to stress over it, ¡°That¡¯s all the clues we have. Speculating blindly is useless. Once we fix the Moon Teleportation Circle, we can go to the moon to search for clues¡­ Maybe the Moon Dragon is a being born from the wills of lunar colonists.¡±


    Ach revealed a smile as comfortable as a kitten¡¯s, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll listen to brother.¡±

 Chapter 1106: 1103: Burning Reef

    Chapter 1106: Chapter 1103: Burning Reef


    Ach was ready to put aside most of his current work and stay at Mount Mulagao Ding to study the Moon Teleportation Circle, while Liszt decided to leave first.


    He still had vital tasks to handle; since the formation of the Tri-Nation Alliance, they had become increasingly aggressive, severely constraining the living space of the Flame Kingdom. Moreover, to prevent assassination attempts by Liszt alone, all Dragon Knights had begun to form groups for patrolling, with no fewer than five dragons per team.


    The blood of the four Dragon Knights ¨C Carlo Violet, Loyle Purple Copper, Figo Iris, Alonso Immortal Arrival ¨C was enough to keep them on their toes.


    Faced with this, Liszt felt somewhat helpless. He couldn¡¯t engage in direct dragon-slaying battles, which meant he couldn¡¯t leverage his personal combat advantage. And the prospects of issuing Pioneer Mandates or Punishment Orders were unrealistic; perhaps his own actions had crossed a line, and now the Dragon Knights of the Tri-Nation Alliance no longer forbade killing ordinary Knights.


    And if a real battle were to start, the Knight Order of the Flame Kingdom would not be nearly enough.


    In battles between Dragon Knights, ordinary knights were far too weak; so weak that the survival of the state had no direct connection with them.


    The greatest function of the Knight Class was to stabilize national logistics, accumulating massive resources to meet the needs of dragons.


    Liszt relied on those knights within the Kingdom to manage the serf-operated farms, then collect taxes and goods, which were exchanged for various dragon necessities, to maintain his ten dragons.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the sea smuggling routes to the Eagle Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom have been repeatedly raided by the Tri-Nation Dragon Knights. Our fleet, with the help of the Mermaid LandLord, is not afraid of their raids, but the Noble Landlords willing to engage in smuggling trade with us have all backed down.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t even attracting them with profitable promises bring Noble Landlords?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already ceded a large part of the profits, but the deterrent power of the opposing Dragon Knights is too great. These Noble Landlords have even dissolved their Mercenary Corps and dare not approach the coastline any longer.¡±


    Hearing this.


    Liszt sighed. He had underestimated the intimidating impact of Dragon Knights on ordinary people. This wasn¡¯t Earth, where regardless of how severe legal crackdowns might be, there were always people who took risks. In this world, there was power beyond imagination, and it was extremely difficult for ordinary people to escape such force.


    ¡°What about trade with the Yellowstone Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°The trade is going smoothly for now, but with the suppression of the three great Kingdoms, the Yellowstone Kingdom must have gotten the news¡­ Now the volume of trade is increasing, but the transaction amount has not grown much.¡± First Financial Minister Paris Flame handed over a report.


    Liszt pushed the report aside; he couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at it.


    Feeling somewhat stuffy inside, he mused that the Yellowstone Kingdom was also taking advantage of the situation. But considering the circumstances, it was normal; the Flame Kingdom was temporarily in a difficult position, a perfect opportunity to be exploited. It was a piece of fatty meat that any wolf would want to bite a chunk from, perhaps even more.


    After contemplating for a moment, he said: ¡°Have the Outer Cabinet prepare a set of materials for the Magic Teleportation Array. I want to open a new Teleportation Array.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, which destination should the Teleportation Array be connected to?¡±


    ¡°To¡­ the Mercenary City-State.¡±


    The Legendary Continent has three great empires ¨C Neverfall Empire, Blue Dragon Empire, Kushan Imperial ¨C and eleven great Kingdoms, namely, Steel Ridge, Eagle, Blast Furnace Fortress, Yellowstone Plains, Fallen Leaves, White Deer, Ice Field, Paradise Bird, Thunder Dragon Edge, Mandala, and Grey Castle Kingdom; in addition, there are three great city-states.


    City-states are a type of national system formed by small duchies united together; the three great city-states are the Freedom City-State, Lost City-State, and Mercenary City-State.


    Previously, with Mermaids patrolling the seas, Blood Servants positioning everywhere, and information gathered by trade caravans, professional Arcanists from the Royal Arcane Academy gradually mapped out a complete map of the Legendary Continent.


    According to the map.


    The Kushan Imperial is on the northern continent, Neverfall Empire occupies the western continent, and Blue Dragon Empire occupies the southern continent.


    Ice Field Kingdom lies in the central mainland, nestled between the three great empires. Mount Mulagao Ding is located at the intersection of Ice Field, Neverfall, and Blue Dragon, not bordering with Kushan Imperial. In addition, between Kushan Imperial and Blue Dragon Empire is the Lost City-State and Freedom City-State, separated by the Ice Field Kingdom.


    The entire eastern part of the continent is comprised of eleven major kingdoms.


    Among them, Fallen Leaf Kingdom, White Deer Kingdom, and Kushan Imperial are closely connected, with the Mercenary City-State at the center of the tri-nation border. Li Si Te¡¯s gaze towards this place signifies a desire to connect the teleportation array between Flame Kingdom and Mercenary City-State.


    The reason is simple.


    City-states are aggregates of small nations, with loose governance, suitable for trade.


    Another important reason is that many of the member nations, or rather the Dragon Rearing Families who are members, were originally vanquished by Kushan Imperial. Ever since the Kushan Imperial started expanding from a kingdom to an empire over a thousand years ago, numerous Dragon Rearing Families have been destroyed.


    Thus, hatred has long been buried in the hearts of the rulers of Mercenary City-State, making them highly suitable collaborators.


    After finalizing the construction of the teleportation array in Mercenary City-State, Liszt did not stay long at Sun Moon Star Palace, mingling with Paris and Emily for two days, before mounting the Formless Dragon Bard and rushing towards the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster.


    To pay a visit to Fire Dragon Leo.


    Then, changing direction, from the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster, he flew towards the Mercenary City-State. It took a full six days of flying to arrive there. He was relatively well-informed about the Mercenary City-State, as Blood Servants had been dispatched there previously. There are, in total, seven large cities.


    Each is controlled by one of the seven Dragon Rearing Families, each supporting one dragon. Even though the seven major families have their conflicts, they are united when it comes to defending against external threats.


    However.


    Kushan Imperial¡¯s infiltration into Mercenary City-State hasn¡¯t stopped for a moment; in the past hundred years, there have been three assassinations of leaders from Dragon Rearing Families.


    ¡°The common languages here are quite a mix too, including Chai Script from Kushan Imperial, the Elegant Language from Fallen Leaf Kingdom, Deer Script from the White Deer Kingdom, and some local dialects¡­ But what do I have to do with any of that, I don¡¯t need to interact with them.¡±


    He maneuvered Bard into a world beyond the physical, roaming in search of natural nodes.


    With a growing proficiency in the power of fate, he quickly followed the guidance to find a clear natural node. Passing through it, he emerged at the foot of a desolate low hill.


    According to the sextant positioning, the low hill was located to the southeast of Mercenary City-State, in an undeveloped hilly area. To the north was a large city at a distance of three hundred kilometers; to the west, four hundred kilometers away, was another large city; to the southeast, six hundred kilometers away, one would enter the territory of White Deer Kingdom.


    ¡°Good, the geographical location is not bad; I can construct a teleportation array here and then develop a city for Flame Kingdom,¡± Liszt was very satisfied.


    He named this place Liao Yuan Hills, taking inspiration from the saying ¡°a single spark can start a prairie fire.¡±


    Symbolizing that Flame Kingdom¡¯s fire will continuously radiate outwards.


    The future city was also named, called Liao Yuan City.


    ¡°For the natural node of Flame Island, I¡¯ll choose the node of Reef City, avoiding direct connection with the island itself, but also not needing to go through any other locations in transit.¡±


    With the two natural nodes that needed to connect confirmed, the next step was to wait for the preparation of the magical materials, and then the Liao Yuan City-Reef City magic teleportation array could be constructed.


    Ach¡¯s mastery over magic teleportation array technology was quite proficient; laying out such a teleportation array wouldn¡¯t take much time at all.


    Meanwhile, the Outer Cabinet also actively went into operation, preparing for the construction of Liao Yuan City once the Liao-Reef Teleportation Array was complete; they planned to immediately begin building the city and send trade personnel to negotiate trade with the major forces of Mercenary City-State. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hustling and bustling.


    Another month passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was October.


    While consoling the Thorn Greater Elf Jela, who was frowning and distressed over not finding a dragon she liked, Liszt suddenly had a thought and then smiled: ¡°Great, following Ethan, Ornn has also found his own Dragon Knight¡­ Hippolyta, it turns out to be this young lady.¡±

 Chapter 1107: 1104: Precious Flash

    Chapter 1107: Chapter 1104: Precious Flash


    Hippolyta, a native girl of the Moon Slayer tribe.


    Initially, during the conquest of the Moon Slayer Native Tribe, because she protected several elves, Liszt saw her in a new light and sent her to the academy to study the knight course. Since then, Hippolyta demonstrated exceptional talent and became a member of the first batch of Dragon Knight candidate program.


    She also turned out to be very beautiful, earning her the title ¡°Flower of the Killing Moon¡± among enthusiasts.


    Among the three members of the first batch of Dragon Knight candidate program, her talent was not prominent, perhaps even less so compared to Nikola Fongxiang and De Gaulle. Especially De Gaulle, whose talent was extremely outstanding, Liszt always felt that Grey Iron Dragon Ornn was most likely to choose De Gaulle.


    Unexpectedly, after a period of adjustment, Ornn actually chose Hippolyta.


    ¡°Ornn, bring Hippolyta to the Sun Moon Star Palace to see me.¡± He communicated with Ornn using the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal, as Hippolyta, who had just started dragon riding, had not yet learned to communicate using the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal.


    ¡°Liszt, when are you going to ride a new dragon?¡± Jela asked sullenly beside him.


    She is still a Greater Elf, and although due to the presence of Auxiliary Medicine Thorn, her value is ranked among the top few in Greater Elves, it is much lower compared to Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite ¨C Kali, Buckwheat Dragon Sprite ¨C Yadi, Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Greater Elf ¨C Ani, Pea Dragon Spirit ¨C Ash, and Giant Algae Dragon Sprite ¨C Pike.


    Even King Lotus Great Spirit ¨C Kench has a higher value than her, as Kench can produce Dragon Medicine ¨C Water of the Water Dragon.


    Especially when Jela once met Pike, she was harshly ridiculed by the sharp-toothed and sharp-mouthed Pike, which left her trembling with anger. Now among Liszt¡¯s Greater Elves, none desire evolution more than Jela. Becoming an Elf Butler has always been her wish, to be stronger than all other elves.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jela, Ach has already successfully cultivated the Mind Fruit Tree, and soon four Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits will mature. Then, I will look for a new dragon to ride, and you can freely choose any dragon you like, there will always be a dragon suitable for you.¡±


    ¡°You need to hurry.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured.¡±


    Liszt was now waiting for Leo¡¯s return, then he will quickly train with Leo to break through the barriers. When he becomes a Bastion Knight, it will be the time to sweep across the Legendary Continent.


    By then, all dragons on the Legendary Continent, whether state-sponsored or wild Evil Dragons, will become his mounts: ¡°Actually, I¡¯m a bit worried, if there are too many dragons, it¡¯s simply impossible to complete Mind Branding with all of them, thoroughly merging with the dragons.¡±


    Gemstone Dragons and Metal Dragons are fine, as long as he wins in the Mind Battle, he can gradually adjust; he has enough long lifespan to adjust.


    But the Elemental Dragons, or the Evil Dragon sequence, are more troublesome.


    Evil Dragons strongly resist the Mind Branding, with evil thoughts constantly emerging, especially adult Elemental Dragons, whose evil thoughts have most likely taken deep root, difficult to truly eliminate. The moment they are free from the suppression of a Dragon Knight, the evil thoughts will crazily counterattack the small imprint branded.


    Jela didn¡¯t know what Liszt was worried about, but she said fiercely, ¡°Liszt, if a dragon doesn¡¯t behave, just kill it!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Liszt slapped Jela¡¯s head hard, ¡°Why do you have so many strange ideas? Isn¡¯t it good to be a quiet elf?¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    Jela, with her hands on her hips, threw her depression aside and said with soaring spirit while flying midair: ¡°Jela will become the Elf Butler of the Sun Moon Star Palace, and no one can stop me, not Kali, not Yadi, and certainly not Pike!¡±


    Then she landed on Liszt¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Liszt, take me to see Mountain Copper Dragon Mata, I feel I might try to get along with it again. Otherwise, let¡¯s go see Bronze Dragon Nome, I was a bit hasty when I met Nome, otherwise I¡¯m almost certain I¡¯d like it.¡±


    ¡°Jela, don¡¯t be impatient, keep the right mindset, and believe that one day you will meet a dragon you like,¡± Liszt advised helplessly, ¡°rest assured, the position of the Elf Butler of the Sun Moon Star Palace, in my eyes, has always been reserved for you, and I also believe that you will eventually become a Dragon Elf.¡±


    ¡°Woah¡­¡±


    ¡°You are the most special one, understand? Perhaps ordinary dragons are simply not suitable for you.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Then only Formless Dragon Bard suits me, but I don¡¯t like the smell of its chewed Smoked Grass; woah, that¡¯s really unbearable for Jela.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not Bard, but another dragon. Anyway, wait.¡± He could only comfort her in such a way, as the threads of fate surrounding Jela did not illuminate any immediate opportunities for evolution. This was something that couldn¡¯t be rushed.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Jela went back to her room with a bit of a mood, needing some time to calm down.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Ornn and Hippolyta hurried to the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Liszt received this Flower of the Killing Moon in his study. It had been just a few months since their last meeting, and Hippolyta seemed to have matured further.


    Graceful and charming, she radiated the youthful essence unique to young girls.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°At ease.¡± Liszt asked with a smile, ¡°How does riding a dragon feel?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely wonderful. I couldn¡¯t sleep at all last night, it felt so unbelievable. I thought I couldn¡¯t compete with Nikola and De Gaulle, and Ornn was always cold to me. When it chose me, I felt an unreal sense of bewilderment,¡± said Hippolyta excitedly.


    Not only was Hippolyta surprised, Liszt was equally astonished.


    Just now, he had carefully inquired Ornn through the Dragon Heart Electrical Signal. Ornn¡¯s answer was that Hippolyta possessed a kindness that he had never seen in Liszt ¨C a valuable shining trait.


    That really irritated Liszt.


    ¡°Am I not kind? Under my rule, whether nobles, commoners, or serfs, all live in peace and contentment. Although not everyone is equal, basic necessities and human rights are guaranteed. Compared to other countries, the Flame Kingdom is practically heaven!¡±


    However, Ornn responded to him with a clear implication ¡ª the kindness of a ruler is different from personal kindness.


    Ornn yearns for the goodness within one¡¯s heart.


    ¡°That¡¯s called being a saint!¡± Liszt scoffed, but he acknowledged Ornn¡¯s choice. A hypocritical saint might be detestable, but a truly benevolent heart is indeed admirable. Hippolyta had known how to protect elves since she was very young, perhaps her heart housed a true saint.


    ¡°Ornn, kindness is indeed worth pursuing, but as a dragon and a Dragon Knight, you must understand that battle is an inevitable ordeal of fire and blood for Dragon Knights.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡± Ornn responded affirmatively to Liszt.


    It was centuries old and had experienced various wars, big and small. It would certainly not be softhearted. And between it and Hippolyta, it would be the one guiding her into battle, unaffected by Hippolyta¡¯s saintly qualities ¡ª don¡¯t forget, in its soul resides the mind branding of Liszt.


    The unsaintly Liszt, would certainly not tolerate any undue mercy from Hippolyta.


    Of course.


    He didn¡¯t need to express this explicitly to Hippolyta. Watching the inexplicably excited girl¡ª or rather woman, since Hippolyta was of age, and not much younger than Emily.


    ¡°Hippolyta, you are fortunate to have been chosen by Ornn to become a glorious and sacred Dragon Knight, the second female Dragon Knight on the Legendary Continent.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Majesty, Hippolyta will fulfill the duties of a Dragon Knight diligently, defending the Flame Family and the Flame Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Next, I will have Emily teach you how to become a qualified Dragon Knight. Go home and spend some good time with your family for a few days, since the training of a future Dragon Knight is quite arduous.¡±


    The young woman stood tall with her chest puffed out, confidently: ¡°Hippolyta never fears hardship!¡±

 Chapter 1108: 1105: Half-Step Bastion Knight

    Chapter 1108: Chapter 1105: Half-Step Bastion Knight


    The best news in November was not that Gourd Greater Elf ¨C Klay graduated from Royal Sapphire Dragon ¨C Ryze and began the final stage of his sprint toward becoming a Dragon Elf.


    The majestic Power of Destiny enveloped Klay to ensure that his evolution process encountered no mishaps whatsoever.


    But the greatest news of all was that Leo had completed his training in the Catastrophe Volcano Cluster to perfection, absorbing enough Volcanic Super Magic. His body finally grew to a hundred meters in length and a hundred meters in wingspan, making him a true adult Fire Dragon.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    His roar had become even more oppressive, conveying an intense sense of force.


    The scales on his body changed from black-red to dark brown, with streams of deep red flames swirling only in the deep crevices. The dragon horns on his head grew more fierce and the narrow vertical pupils in his dragon eyes appeared full of a rampant and sinister aura. The overall temperament he displayed was chillingly malevolent.


    ¡°Leo, congratulations on reaching adulthood. It took you seven years to transition from your juvenile period and become an adult Giant Dragon,¡± Liszt, standing on the head of Formless Dragon Bard, exclaimed admiringly at the imposing Fire Dragon before him.


    Leo nodded slightly in a humanlike manner.


    In the next instant, his entire body vaporized into a mass of flames and forcefully collided with Liszt¡¯s chest, transforming into the familiar Fire Dragon totem.


    Liszt patted his chest and sat back on Bard¡¯s Dragon Tooth Platform.


    Immediately, man and dragon tore through the material boundary, returned to the world beyond matter, found the natural node in Sun Moon Valley, and traversed back in a single leap. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The time that follows will be just for Leo and me to spend alone, to touch the Barrier!¡±


    ¡­


    In the Doomsday Volcano Group, an active Volcano Crater.


    Liszt and Leo stood at the Volcano Crater, starting the official charge toward becoming a Barrier Knight. Liszt had previously completed a Smoke Mission that touched upon the Barrier, skillfully finishing it through his understanding of creating something from nothing in regards to the Barrier.


    But after understanding the murals on Mount Mulagao Ding and the existence of Barriers as the mastery of rules, his conception of creating something from nothing was sublimated.


    ¡°I used to think that the existence of Superior Magic was ¨C there was no Superior Magic here, but there should be, so there was. Actually, this is quite superficial. It¡¯s not that there should be therefore it exists, but rather it¡¯s an embodiment of a rule. The existence of Superior Magic is a product derived from a rule.¡±


    This is neither an idealist nor a materialistic view of the world.


    It¡¯s a unique Cultivation System of rules in this world, where Magic Dragons, Moon Dragons, Evil Dragons, and even the previous generation of Sacred Dragons, are all masters of this rule.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn, Leo, and mine, to master the rules.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    ¡°The best way to master the rules is to integrate with them. This Volcano Crater will be our training ground for a long time to come,¡± Liszt said as he touched the scales on Leo¡¯s forelimb before he took the lead and leaped into the Volcano Crater where bubbling, scorching lava awaited.


    With a fierce roar, Leo followed right behind, leaping into the Volcano Crater.


    He was so large that he had to transform into his Magic Form midway to merge into the lava following Liszt.


    The Doomsday Volcano Crater, not having been harvested by Leo for its Volcanic Super Magic in a long time, was rich in Super Magic throughout the lava. Tiny particles of Super Magic performed Brownian motion arbitrarily in the lava, their origins and methods of creation unknown.


    In their Magic Forms, Liszt and Leo became one entity.


    Two synchronized minds controlled a massive Magic Form, capturing Super Magic particles at will, feeling them, and thinking in the lava. In fact, Leo¡¯s body was essentially made up of Super Magic, and after absorbing the essence of the Phoenix, Liszt¡¯s body had also largely become Super Magic.


    Their resonance with Super Magic was, to a large extent, the closest to the abode of the rules.


    Training in seclusion, they were oblivious to the passage of days and nights, only interrupted by hunger.


    After soaking in the lava for an entire day and night, Liszt was the first to endure no longer; hungry beyond measure without a meal, let alone for an entire day. He burst out of the lava, reverted to his human form, and from his Space Ring, he took out food and devoured it heartily. Leo also emerged to enjoy his favorite grilled steak.


    Thus, soaked in the Doomsday Volcano Crater for a whole half month ¨C although far from breaking through the Barrier and mastering the rules, both he and Leo had their control over Super Magic greatly enhanced.


    ¡°Now, I can truly call myself a Half-Step Barrier Knight.¡±


    With the combat strength of his Fire Dragon Knight status, he could now instantly kill any Dragon Knight in the Legendary Continent, without the need for the sophisticated Dragon Knight manuals. Purely relying on the formidable Fire Attribute Mana, he could eradicate everything.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back and have Emily and Hippolyta join us to test out the combat strength!¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    ¡­


    Back at the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Emily, riding the Light Green Gem Dragon Ethan, and Hippolyta, riding the Grey Iron Dragon Ornn, were already waiting in the back mountain. The combat strength of the two Female Dragon Knights wasn¡¯t particularly strong, but it was sufficient to measure Liszt¡¯s combat strength.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Hippolyta is still getting used to being a Dragon Knight and may not be able to utilize all of Ornn¡¯s combat strength. Please focus on me when you attack,¡± Emily said.


    Her usual valiant appearance.


    Hippolyta was dressed in bright silver armor, holding an eight-meter-long Dragon Lance in her hand, forged from a Magic Metal Alloy¡ªthe Flame Kingdom was short of everything except for Magic Metal.


    ¡°Your Majesty, although I¡¯m not as strong as Sister Emily, I will give it my all!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I am only using this battle as a reference for my current strength,¡± Liszt stated with an indifferent smile, ¡°Leo and I have undergone a complete transformation, so unleash your full power without any mental burden. Only this way can I accurately understand my current strength.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± both women responded.


    Then the battle began. Liszt, riding the hundred-meter-long Fire Dragon Leo, also switched to the largest ten-meter-long Dragon Lance.


    He didn¡¯t use the Dragon Breath attack.


    Purely with brute force and the strength of the Superior Magic Dragon Dou Qi, he faced Emily and Hippolyta. In his hands, the Dragon Lance seemed to come to life, parrying and blocking, seamlessly dispelling the tempestuous barrage of attacks from both of them. No matter how much Impact Force they combined with their Dragon Dou Qi Manuals, they couldn¡¯t break through his defense.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Although both Ethan and Ornn are Dragons, seeing Liszt unmoving as a mountain, they gradually unleashed their fury. The wild Magic Power connected with the Dragon Knights, exploding into even greater attack forces.


    But in vain.


    Liszt still effortlessly defended against the two Dragon Knights¡¯ onslaught, even leisurely finding flaws in Emily and Hippolyta¡¯s fighting styles. He had fought alongside Ethan and Ornn in the past, so he understood where their Dragon Dou Qi Manuals needed refinement.


    ¡°Not enough, not enough, Emily, your attack frequency is lacking. You and Ethan have not yet found the right rhythm; mutual care is mediocrity. You must accelerate the attack frequency. Ethan will gradually adapt to your fighting style. Remember, it¡¯s the Knight who leads!¡±


    He swept away their attacks with a single thrust of his lance and then, with a fierce push, drove Leo forward, the Dragon Lance vibrating in the air, flickering countless spear flowers condensed with Superior Magic.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Every vibration was accompanied by a thrust aimed directly at Emily on the back of the Dragon, passing by her forehead¡ªif he chose, he could stab the Dragon Knight dead at any moment.


    The strength disparity was a total domination.


    A Half-Step Barrier Knight was no longer comparable to the level of a mere Dragon Knight.


    ¡°Stop now; I already understand my strength,¡± Liszt retracted the Dragon Lance and looked at the two women calmly, ¡°You still both need to improve a lot, even as Dragon Knights in their prime, it is not the end of the cultivation system¡­ If you can keep up with me, I will guide you to your future direction.¡±


    Having said that, he had already taken Leo to fly towards the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Leaving behind a back that seemed unreachable. To the two women, it grewer further and further, even as it shrank into a tiny dot, it was still blinding like the sun.

 Chapter 1109: 1106: Family Dinner

    Chapter 1109: Chapter 1106: Family Dinner


    The Flame Calendar year 2 was a time of festivity.


    Just a few days before the New Year, the Magic Teleportation Array between Liao Yuan City and Reef City was completed. Reef City became another major trading city in the Flame Kingdom, and Liao Yuan City also began construction in the hilly areas of the Mercenary City-State.


    The opening of this trade route would successfully meet all the various needs of the Flame Kingdom.


    Free of worries, Liszt prepared to move against the Tri-Nation Alliance: ¡°Father, the task for the Outer Cabinet this year is to coordinate all the Knight Orders to attack the Eagle Kingdom. I will personally take action to crush the Dragon Knights of the Eagle Kingdom, one by one. The remaining mopping-up work shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, right?¡±


    ¡°The scale of the Burning Legion is expanding, but the Knight Orders of the Feudal Nobles are still weak. However, as long as you crush their Dragon Knights, the Knight Orders of the Flame Kingdom, buoyed by high morale, will not be a match for those of the Eagle Kingdom; to subdue them should pose no difficulty,¡± Li Weiliam said.


    But he had some concerns: ¡°Liszt, are you really sure you can defeat the other side while under the attack of so many Dragon Knights?¡±


    ¡°My strength has already surpassed that of a Dragon Knight, stepping into another level, growing every day.¡± Liszt stretched out a hand and lightly clenched it into a fist. One could see the surging fire attribute Superior Magic Dou Qi evaporating in the palm of his hand,¡± No number of Dragon Knights is a match for me.¡±


    He paused.


    Then he added, ¡°Most importantly, I am ready to ride a new dragon.¡± He referred to the four ripe Bewildering Dragon Mind Fruits on the Mind Fruit Tree.


    Four fruits, corresponding to four dragons ¨C his plan was to snatch all the dragons from the Eagle Kingdom.


    The Eagle Kingdom originally had nine dragons, while their vassal states possessed five more. But now, three dragons had already been stolen by Liszt, namely the Bronze Dragon, the Purple Sapphire Dragon, and the Light Green Gemstone Dragon; and one from a vassal state, the Grey Iron Dragon.


    Currently, the Eagle Kingdom along with its vassal states, still had ten dragons and four Dragon Knights.


    White Maw Iron Dragon Knight ¨C Alex White Maw Iron, Topaz Dragon Knight ¨C Tracy Bloody Pelican, Lead Dragon Knight ¨C Warren Upside-down Golden Bell, along with Silver Dragon, White Maw Iron Dragon, Brass Dragon, and Crimson Gem Dragon Knight ¨C Edward Deep Red Gem, Pink Gemstone Dragon, Golden Green Gemstone Dragon, and Purple Copper Dragon.


    ¡°For the dragons and Dragon Knights of the Eagle vassal states, I will primarily aim to win them over, but for the dragons and Dragon Knights directly under the Eagle Kingdom, I won¡¯t show any mercy.¡±


    ¡°Your strength is beyond my estimation, Liszt. As a father, I am proud of you, filled with immeasurable pride. The Tulip Family is honored by your birth as well, hoping that the Flame Family will flourish and forever be a towering pillar for the Tulip Family,¡± Li Weiliam said with emotion.


    ¡°Father, it will be so. The Flame Family will grow, and so will the Tulip Family. I will not forget my origins from the Tulip Family.¡±


    ¡°I am very relieved.¡±


    ¡°Let brother give Levis a good upbringing; the Tulip Family¡¯s member most likely to become a Dragon Knight, I believe, is that boy, Levis,¡± Liszt was speaking about his brother Lidun¡¯s son.


    ¡°Indeed, we are focusing on nurturing Levis.¡± Li Weiliam actually wanted to ask Liszt if he could give Lidun a chance at Dragon Riding, but considering that Lidun has been at odds with Liszt since childhood, he decided not to bring it up. Now Liszt had become a figure to look up to.


    His will could not be swayed by anyone.


    No matter how one looked at it, all the men of the Tulip Family would bask in the distinguished air that Liszt¡¯s existence bestowed, enjoying the noble privileges of the aristocracy all their lives.


    ¡­


    After the New Year.


    Liszt followed tradition, inspecting the territories of his followers, visiting each Feudal Noble¡¯s castle for a dinner to show intimacy.


    The first visit was naturally to his father Li Weiliam¡¯s territory ¨C Tulip Island.


    The new Tulip Castle, towering in the center of the island¡¯s mountain range, was grand and majestic. However, it was currently only half-complete, with a great portion still under construction. Such a speed of construction was already quite fast, as it takes decades, if not hundreds of years, to build a large noble¡¯s castle.


    The Flame Kingdom, thanks to the technology of cement and brick manufacturing, has seen its construction industry thrive.


    Its progress of several hundred years was accomplished in just a few years.


    The Fire Dragon stopped midway up the castle, lying quietly with clusters of flames gathering on Leo¡¯s body, bathing the entire castle in a red halo. Knights carrying grilled steaks approached Leo with care, offering the meal for his enjoyment.


    ¡°How magnificent!¡±


    ¡°The great Fire Dragon!¡±


    The knights of the Tulip Family, watching Leo from a distance, exclaimed in admiration. For ordinary knights, the only adjective for any dragon was ¡°great.¡±


    Their reverence for dragons was deeply ingrained in every knight¡¯s bones.


    ¡°Oh, Liszt, my dearest grandson, the great King of the Flame Kingdom, you finally deigned to visit your grandmother.¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lady Penelope, leaning on a Cultural Stick designed for women, stood at the castle gate to welcome Liszt¡¯s arrival.


    Liszt handed his cloak to the castle butler and embraced Lady Penelope with a smile: ¡°It¡¯s my negligence, but seeing that you are still in good health, grandmother, I can breathe a sigh of relief. You¡¯ll surely live to be a hundred.¡± Lady Penelope had practiced Dou Qi in her earlier years, but had long since declined to that of an ordinary person.


    After dinner began, the family talked and enjoyed each other¡¯s company.


    As they chatted, the conversation turned to Liszt¡¯s marriage. After the Steel Ridge Kingdom declared hostility towards the Flame Kingdom, the Red and White Rose Family had already formed a marriage alliance with the Blast Furnace Fortress Royal Family.


    There were no longer suitable candidates for a political marriage for Liszt.


    There were no suitable-aged princesses in the major kingdoms, and the princesses of the smaller kingdoms were inappropriate. To find a fitting candidate, he would either have to look to distant countries or wait for the young princesses of several kingdoms to grow up. Or he could simply forgo a political marriage and look for a suitable-aged woman within the country.


    ¡°Liszt, although you¡¯re a king, the matter of marriage should be settled as soon as possible; only a king who has sired heirs is a qualified king,¡± said Lady Penelope.


    ¡°I understand, grandmother.¡±


    Liszt had certainly considered it, but felt no sense of urgency. He already knew he could live for hundreds of years, so what was the hurry to produce heirs? Sooner or later, he would be the one sending off the young with white hair. It might be better not to have heirs at all, to avoid the awkwardness of many generations passing without his own demise.


    But on the other hand, he¡¯d only been king for two years and was already feeling a bit weary of it: ¡°I will consider the Queen candidate soon, and then sire heirs.¡±


    The dinner ended, and Liszt chose to spend the night at Tulip Castle.


    He talked all night long with his father, elder brother, and younger brother Lidun, discussing the world¡¯s major events and family private matters. They were all adults and standard nobles, with vast differences in status, and the atmosphere of one big family was long gone. But at least some familial affection existed, allowing them to speak their minds.


    Liszt did not enjoy the solitude of being alone.


    The next morning, he left Tulip Castle.


    Before departing, Lady Penelope brought a potted plant to give to Liszt: ¡°Although you¡¯re now a king and lack nothing, with plenty of Elves around, this is a token of your grandmother¡¯s affection. I¡¯ve given potted plants to many people, but only in the hands of the Son of Glory, they can sprout into Elves.¡±


    Liszt glanced over and knew that it was just an ordinary potted plant, but he still picked it up: ¡°The potted plants you¡¯ve given me, I have taken good care of them.¡±


    ¡°Go forth, my king.¡±


    ¡°Oho!¡±


    Fire Dragon Leo soared into the sky, like a streak of black and red light, vanishing into the horizon.

 Chapter 1110: 1107: Magic Combat Group

    Chapter 1110: Chapter 1107: Magic Combat Group


    ¡°The war has begun.¡±


    Pea Island Marquis ¨C Dimaria Yuhua Stone, stood on the top floor office balcony of Flame King City, watching the bustling crowd on both sides of Gilded Boulevard.


    He sighed softly.


    ¡°Uncle, the family¡¯s Knight Order has assembled and is on standby, ready to move out with the Kingdom¡¯s Knights,¡± his nephew, Deborah Yuhua Stone, said standing behind him, ¡°Has His Majesty really considered deeply before taking the lead in this dragon-slaying battle, with the Knights charging to assist?¡±


    For Liszt, all ordinary knights of the Flame Kingdom have reached a level of blind devotion, basically doing whatever Liszt decides.


    However, as Nobles, the family always has various different sentiments towards the Kingdom.


    Dimaria smiled slightly, turned around to face his nephew who was no longer young, and said, ¡°His Majesty is a very contradictory King; almost no desire for power is seen in him, nor any strategies of domination, he¡¯s even unfamiliar with some political maneuvers.¡±


    Deborah listened quietly, his uncle was the epitome of wisdom in his eyes.


    Dimaria pondered and said, ¡°His Majesty is more like a Knight than a King, he is more accustomed to speaking with strength¡­ This is probably also a difference in thinking between Dragon Knights and us ordinary knights, in any case, in terms of power, His Majesty is the most authoritative existence in the Flame Kingdom, even the entire Legendary Continent.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, His Majesty¡¯s power has long been unfathomable, Dragon Knights from the Tri-Nation Alliance must go out in groups for inspections.¡±


    ¡°So when His Majesty decided to take the initiative to launch the dragon-slaying battle, what we need to do is just follow behind His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Uncle, this time His Majesty is facing a group of Dragon Knights, the momentum of the Tri-Nation Alliance¡¯s Dragon Knights is unimaginable.¡±


    Dimaria smiled warmly and said, ¡°Do you know how His Majesty described his strength and the strength of the Tri-Nation Alliance during the Outer Cabinet meeting?¡±


    ¡°How did he describe it?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty said, he is a boulder, and a single Dragon Knight from the Tri-Nation Alliance is but a grain of sand, no matter how much sand gathers, it remains disperse sand, only the boulder is indestructible.¡± As Dimaria repeated these words, he instantly visualized the tone Liszt used while speaking.


    It was a transcendent calm, as if all beings were mere ants, insignificant and naturally so.


    Deborah was stunned for a moment, then repeated, ¡°A boulder and loose sand.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Lord Lerald, the defense Magic Array of Mind Island will be overseen by you.¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, Your Majesty, Lord Acherloides¡¯ improved Defense Magic Array is very stable against Dragon Knight attacks, I will defend the Mind Island Magic Gate for the Kingdom.¡±


    Inside the Fortress of the Mind, Liszt and Archmage-Leard Truth conversed.


    The former Magician of the Kushan Imperial, had now completely integrated into the Flame Kingdom, and had even taken a lover to conceive an illegitimate child.


    Transforming from a Magician to an Arcanist was the first step of magical reform; next is the reform of the Magician¡¯s inheritance mode, no longer secretive but integrated into the knight system, adopting academy-based education. All Arcanists are similarly encouraged to marry, even to start Arcane families.


    Now, the Arcanists have truly become the scientist archetype in Liszt¡¯s eyes.


    After Lerald left, Dean Chris Truth of the Royal Arcane Academy entered the study: ¡°Your Majesty, Kenley is resolute in her attitude; she wishes not to involve herself in war matters, voluntarily avoiding controversy, she¡¯s transferred to the Overmarine Laboratory on Anchor Island to research purifying the Devil.¡±


    Kenley Truth, the Deputy Dean of the Royal Arcane Academy, hails from the Magic Elephant Family of Steel Ridge Kingdom and came to Flame Kingdom to follow the path of Truth as personified by Acherloides. She has been engrossed in magic research for years, never returning home, and only corresponding with her family through letters.


    However, her background has always been a barrier since Steel Ridge Kingdom and Flame Kingdom are enemy states.


    Li Si Te nodded and said, ¡°Please tell Kenley that I haven¡¯t lost trust in her. Since she has no interest in battles, she should continue her research in the Overmarine Laboratory with peace of mind. Once I unify the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent, I will ensure the Magic Elephant Family is treated well and she won¡¯t have difficulties.¡±


    He recognized Kenley¡¯s character. In fact, even if she were a spy, it wouldn¡¯t matter as the overpowering strength of his forces would render the Tri-Nation Alliance as insignificant as chickens and dogs made of clay.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°How are the preparations for the Magician¡¯s combat unit?¡±


    ¡°With a large influx of Ancient Magicians from the Moon Slayer, the magical combat unit has been fully equipped with ten magic pools. They only need to cast missile-type spells, so coordinating them is straightforward to train. In formal combat, they should match your Black Horse Knights.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Missile-type magic is just the basic and slightly more advanced common magic that solely involves the condensation and release of magic power.


    Examples include Water Arrow Spell, Water Arrow Barrage, Flying Rock Technique, Wind Blade Spell, and Multiple Wind Blades.


    Missile-type magic is suitable for large-scale warfare. It draws stored magic power from the magic pools, forming missiles that are then hurled into the fray¡ªboom¡ªa huge blast area is created. This is the age of a withering magic web, a new direction for magical combat where knights no longer disrupt magicians from casting their spells.


    Chris rated the magical combat unit¡¯s strength as comparable to the Black Horse Knights, which are the lowest tier of the Burning Legion.


    Thus, overall, the magical combat unit isn¡¯t strong enough yet.


    But they are much stronger than the knight orders from feudal nobles, and the ability to cast from a distance offers a significant complement to the Burning Legion¡¯s charging knights.


    ¡°Very well, let the war test the mettle of the magical combat unit. If the results are good, the Royal Arcane Academy can promote it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Chris said, then stood up to take her leave.


    Li Si Te leaned back in his chair, gazing at the turquoise sea and blue sky outside the window, occasionally spotting knights riding magical beasts flying across the distant sky.


    The entire Mind Island has become a war fortress, soon to unfold a grand epic war in step with his actions.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll break the spine of Eagle Kingdom, then after gradually weakening them, I¡¯ll swallow Steel Ridge and Blast Furnace Fortress. Should one year be enough?¡± He optimistically estimated, believing that with the might of the Half-Step Barrier Knights, no deceit was necessary¡ªonly honorable battle was required.


    Closing his eyes, he could sense the Formless Bard soaring above Eagle Kingdom.


    Bard was tasked with locating natural nodes. Once all natural nodes in Eagle Kingdom were identified, he could swiftly transport himself and Fire Dragon Leo to intercept any Dragon Knight. This battle to slay dragons would not just kill one or two Dragon Knights.


    A large number of dragons and Dragon Knights were fated to fall.


    The Power of Destiny surrounded him, and Li Si Te even felt the Smoke Dragon Egg in his mind start to stir: ¡°As long as I keep pushing destiny forward, the Smoke Dragon will gain more ¡®magic power¡¯ and be reborn¡­ Once the Smoke Dragon is reborn, can I twist fate at will?¡±


    The birth of the Smoke Dragon would rely on his will; in essence, the new Smoke Dragon¡¯s nature would be supplanted by Li Si Te¡¯s personality.


    It would be his alter ego.


    ¡°I am the Smoke Dragon, and the Power of Destiny is my power!¡±

 Chapter 1111: 1108: Flame Baptism

    Chapter 1111: Chapter 1108: Flame Baptism


    War is about to begin, mist gathers by the seaside, and the Tri-Nation Alliance has already sensed Liszt¡¯s resolve. As a result, the Dragon Rider Corps patrolling the coastline and striking at smugglers have increased to a group of seven dragons.


    ¡°Seven dragons, what a pity, scattered sand remains scattered sand; you will never understand what a barricade truly is. I have not completely shattered the barricade, but I have touched that hint of rule¡ªbelonging to the flame¡¯s law. Merely this sliver of law elevates me and Leo beyond the mundane.¡±


    Liszt is patient; he has the Kingdom prepare for battle, but he himself leisurely indulges in the pleasures of the world, patrolling his domains.


    The Formless Dragon Bard searches for natural nodes within the Eagle Kingdom every day, and for every node found, Liszt¡¯s control over the Eagle Kingdom strengthens by a fraction. This is only the beginning; in the future, he will continue to search for natural nodes in Steel Ridge and the Blast Furnace Fortress, casting shadows over every Dragon Knight¡¯s head.


    Now, he has returned to Flame King City, approaching a training field at the Royal Knight Academy.


    On the field stands a group of children aged seven or eight to twelve or thirteen, most of them boys, with a few girls among them. Former Moon Slayers, Eagle People, and Sapphire People are all present; now they are all children of the Flame People.


    ¡°Are you certain they all possess a Fire Attribute physique?¡± he asks Lucy and Rose, who accompany him.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± responds Lucy, who has not reached adulthood yet already bears the charm and allure of a woman, dressed in the garb of a Grand Arcanist with respect.


    She and her sister Rose, the twin girls directed to by the Smoke Mission, possess an exceptionally outstanding gift for magic.


    Under Ach¡¯s tutelage, at their tender age, both have already attained the rank of Grand Arcanist. One criterion for this advancement is that their magic abilities must reach the standards of a Grand Magician. Without a doubt, both twins have broken through to the level of Grand Magicians.


    They have the potential to aim for the rank of Archmage in the future.


    Elder sister Lucy is currently assisting in Ach¡¯s laboratory, while younger sister Rose holds the position of administrative assistant to Chris and is a prospective management member of the future Royal Arcane Academy.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Rose states with a touch of pride, ¡°The Fire Attribute Mana sensitivity magic array designed by Master Ach can precisely measure the deep qualities of the Dou Qi inside each child capable of generating it. These age-appropriate children are all tested by me personally, with absolutely no errors.¡±


    Liszt nods lightly: ¡°If that is the case, then begin preparations for the Fire Paladin Transformation Ceremony.¡±


    The Fire Paladin, an idea conceived long ago, is inspired by Paris Flame¡¯s identity as the Black Dragon Childe. The current Paris has become a Great Light Magic Swordsman, with combat prowess roughly equal to that of a Completion Level Sky Knight. Constrained by the Cultivation System, she can¡¯t advance further.


    But such strength is already commendable. Not every Knight has the chance to become a Domain Knight, let alone a Dragon Knight.


    A Completion Level Sky Knight represents the pinnacle foreseeable by the average Knight.


    Now, by creating a cohort of Fire Paladins, he can aptly supplement the shortage of candidates for the Royal Knight Squad¡ªthe Flame Kingdom still lacks geniuses.


    ¡°Oh-ho!¡±


    Leo descends from the sky, landing before the training field. He is the main participant in the Fire Paladin Transformation Ceremony.


    Lucy bows deeply to Liszt and replies, ¡°Your Majesty, the Transformation Ceremony requires your assistance as well as that of Lord Leo.¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I am familiar with the process of the ceremony. When Leo needs to release the Fire Dragon Overmagic, I will coordinate with you. Let¡¯s begin now.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    The Fire Paladin Transformation Ceremony isn¡¯t riddled with many cumbersome steps and doesn¡¯t even require much from the children. When Paris was forcibly transformed into the White Dragon Wraith by the Court Grand Mage of the Maple Leaf Duchy, complex measures and a sacrifice of life were employed.


    And yet, it failed and turned her into the Black Dragon Childe.


    The current ceremony is more like an infusion of magic power, using the magic array to construct a vessel within the children¡¯s bodies capable of holding mana.


    Lucy and Rose begin to instruct the surrounding Arcanists to activate the magic array, and the ceremony officially starts.


    ¡­


    Jim has grown taller.


    He is no longer the small child who followed his mother from the Eagle Kingdom to Flame Island. In the past two years, as his mother remarried to a widowed and lame Knight, he has become the son of a Knight. Although the Knight has a somewhat volatile temper and occasionally scolds his mother while drunk.


    But as a former member of the Black Horse Knights, he enjoyed many benefits.


    One of which allowed his children access to the best education at the Knight Academy near his fief, so Jim received a good education.


    After showing outstanding talent at the Knight Academy, he was recommended by the academy to take part in the Fire Paladin selection.


    And he was honored to be chosen.


    His lame knight stepfather told him that a Fire Paladin is a Royal Guard under His Majesty the King, and they are the most glorious knights in the kingdom: ¡°Jim, strive to become a Fire Paladin, your mother will be proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Will you be proud of me?¡±


    ¡°Why not.¡±


    Echoing his stepfather¡¯s words in his ears, Jim took a deep breath, longing to become a Fire Paladin. Not only to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a knight who could protect his mother but also hoping that his mother would be treated with more respect once he gained the glory of a Fire Paladin.


    He was grateful for the protection his stepfather brought him and hoped his mother could be happy and no longer abused.


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    The light from the magic array was somewhat blinding, Jim felt his newly born low-level Dou Qi pulsating in waves with a special force.


    Then, suddenly, a trembling roar echoed in his ears: ¡°Oh!¡±


    The next moment, he raised his head to see the huge Fire Dragon squatting near the plaza, flapping its wings and sending bursts of flames crashing into the light of the magic array.


    Boom!


    The entire magic array trembled violently, as if it would collapse at any moment.


    ¡°Leo, take it easy.¡± Not very loud, but a clear and forceful voice emerged in Jim¡¯s heart and ears, and in his young mind, an image of a tall and unapproachable figure instantly appeared.


    ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty the King!¡± Jim thought.


    In the Flame Kingdom, from the eighty-year-old lady to the three-year-old baby, no one was unaware of the name Liszt Flame, the Flame King. In other kingdoms, knights always say ¡°Knights¡¯ glory be with you,¡± but in the Flame Kingdom, many choose ¡°His Majesty the King¡¯s glory be with you¡± as their saying.


    It¡¯s not flattery, but a heartfelt reverence.


    Jim¡¯s stepfather always had this saying on his lips and took pride in having followed His Majesty the King: ¡°His Majesty the King will eventually unite the three great kingdoms!¡± Like a fervent believer, after drinking, the stepfather would proclaim this to anyone he met, and Jim was inevitably influenced.


    ¡°His Majesty the King will eventually unite the three great kingdoms, and I will become a Fire Paladin, a Royal Guard for His Majesty the King!¡±


    ¡°Mother will be proud of me, and my stepfather will respect her even more!¡±


    As he was thinking.


    Suddenly, his body felt as if plunged into a blazing fire. Jim bit his teeth to keep from screaming out, enduring the scorching burns in silence.


    Beside him, other young boys couldn¡¯t bear the burning sensation and cried out.


    Soon an adult voice came: ¡°Lady Rose, this child¡¯s willpower is too weak.¡±


    Then a cold female voice rang out: ¡°Dismiss him; he no longer qualifies to withstand Lord Leo¡¯s Magic Power.¡±


    Jim¡¯s heart chilled, and he bit down even harder, firmly resisting the painful sensation of being scorched by flames. Just when he was about to give in, the feeling finally subsided. Afterward, a wave of warmth filled his exhausted body, soothing the torment he had experienced.


    ¡°Congratulations, little fellas.¡±


    The King¡¯s voice was like the arrival of spring. Jim opened his eyes to see the King, dressed in a leather armor with golden stripes and a black cloak with red lining, walking towards them: ¡°You¡¯ve endured the Fire Dragon¡¯s magic baptism, and now you are qualified to become a Fire Paladin.¡±


    ¡°The road ahead is long, but the Royal Knight Squad will open its arms to you. Work hard on your cultivation.¡±

 Chapter 1112: 1109: The Intertwining of Fate

    Chapter 1112: Chapter 1109: The Intertwining of Fate


    ¡°The transformation of the Fire Dragon Overmagic within the children is proceeding well; they are now able to cultivate according to the system of the Fire Paladin, Your Majesty, the transformation ceremony was very successful.¡±


    Lucy reported.


    Seeing no servants in the study, she walked behind Liszt and her fair, slender fingers skillfully began kneading Liszt¡¯s shoulders: ¡°With this transformation ceremony, Lord Leo has used up so much Fire Dragon Overmagic, could it negatively impact Your Majesty¡¯s cultivation?¡±


    Liszt leaned back in his chair, allowing Lucy to knead his shoulders, and while flipping through a document submitted by the Outer Cabinet, he said, ¡°In the volcanoes of the Doomsday Volcano Group, there is enough Volcanic Super Magic for Leo to replenish himself. Leo is now an adult, and Overmagic is no longer a shackle that troubles him.¡±


    Lack of Super Magic can limit the growth of young dragons, but adult dragons only need Super Magic for their daily consumption.


    Moreover, Liszt and Leo had already touched the barrier, mastering the rules of Flame, and once they break through the barrier and master the secret rules of ¡®Creating Something from Nothing,¡¯ they will continuously produce Fire Dragon Overmagic without needing to draw from the external world¡ªjust like the boundless magic power of a Magic Dragon.


    Ever since the era of the Moon Empire, although the Magic Web has shrunk, the magic power remains inexhaustible.


    ¡°The growth rate of Lord Leo is really fast, Lucy remembers when she first saw Lord Leo as a child, he was just a very small young dragon,¡± Lucy reminisced.


    Liszt chuckled: ¡°Childhood? Lucy, you are still just a child now, aren¡¯t you?¡± On the Legendary Continent, sixteen is the age of adulthood.


    Lucy walked to Liszt¡¯s front, straightened her full chest, and said seriously, ¡°Your Majesty, Lucy had her birthday last month, now both Lucy and Ruth are adults.¡± Her golden hair draped smoothly to one side, and her pretty face was lightly dusted with blush.


    She looked as tempting as a ripe apple.


    Liszt stood up from his chair, tilted up Lucy¡¯s chin, and looked down at this female Grand Arcanist. Her stature, slightly less than one meter sixty-five, in front of Liszt¡¯s towering one meter ninety height, was barely different from a child¡¯s: ¡°Hmm, I really didn¡¯t realize you sisters had grown up already.¡±


    He sighed softly.


    Time passes so quickly, without realizing it, he has already been in this world for a whole nine years, growing from a naive sixteen-year-old boy to a splendid twenty-five-year-old young man. Those cute little girls around him were also gradually moving towards their most beautiful and blooming youth.


    Becoming Dragon Knights like Emily and Hippolyta, overseeing the finances of the Kingdom like Paris, and the Grand Arcanists like Lucy and Ruth.


    Perhaps the only one who is not yet of age is the Little Sea Monster Ake.


    But Ake¡¯s body had matured long ago, growing legs is a sign of maturity for a Sea Serpent, and as an Archmage, there¡¯s no question of an immature soul.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Lucy¡¯s gaze shifted away, her cheeks flushed with two profound clouds of red crimson, her voice as faint as a mosquito flitting its wings.


    Liszt loosened his fingers and said lightly, ¡°Tonight, you and Ruth stay at the Sun Moon Star Palace.¡±


    Lucy was immediately surprised and opened her mouth slightly, taking a long moment before a sweet smile appeared, vigorously nodding her head: ¡°Mm!¡± She had been waiting for this day for a long time.


    ¡­


    In April, the grass grows, and warblers fly.


    In the Sun Moon Star Palace, a Dragon Sprite clad in a well-fitting tailcoat, a pale yellow gourd perched on its head, looked at Liszt like a little adult: ¡°Jela is too hot-tempered, I think the best solution is to banish it from the dwelling areas of the Little and Greater Elves and restrict its access.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was the Gourd Dragon Sprite ¨C Klay, who had successfully completed its evolution.


    From the very beginning it was stimulated by Jela to evolve, so the first thing after evolving was to pick on Jela. Liszt coughed softly and said, ¡°Klay, I¡¯ll educate Jela properly. Right now, the Kingdom has a very high demand for gourds, I hope you can help out more at the plantation.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I will go to the plantation; I¡¯m planning to live there. I like the scenery there; the Royal Palace is too monotonous,¡± Klay replied.


    ¡°Yes, the Royal Palace is indeed monotonous.¡±


    ¡°You should plant more gourd vines. Climbing gourds would add much beautiful scenery to the palace.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I have decided not to plant so many gourd vines. You know, Yadi likes to plant buckwheat, Kali likes to plant man-eating trees, and Ash likes to plant peas. But the palace is not a plantation, the scenic plants here are managed by professional Magic Plant Masters, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    ¡°Their taste is terrible. I thought your taste would be as refined as mine.¡±


    ¡°Cough cough, Klay, don¡¯t talk like that. You make me think you¡¯re Pike.¡± The image of Pike, the Giant Algae Dragon Sprite¡ªgrinning with his full mouth of sharp teeth laughing loudly, and proudly shouting about his own handsomeness¡ªpopped into Liszt¡¯s mind.


    Klay shrugged his shoulders: ¡°It was just a suggestion.¡±


    Then he turned and flew away.


    Now at the Sun Moon Star Palace, the number of Greater Elves hasn¡¯t increased much. After the temporary suspension of the Pioneer Mandate, the source of Greater Elves mainly depended on the evolution of Little Minor Elves. But even though Liszt could guide the Power of Destiny to bless the evolution of Little Minor Elves, it still required great fortune.


    And there was still a chance of failure.


    Thus, the number of Elves in the palace entered a period of moderate growth.


    However, his number of Dragon Sprites continued to grow, currently having six: Man-Eating Tree, Buckwheat, Phoenix Perch Parasol, Giant Algae, Pea, and Gourd, plus the Coffee Greater Elf¡ªMundo, and an unnamed Barley Greater Elf, which is evolving, totaling eight.


    Eight, that already meets the standard of a general Royal Family.


    ¡°The number of Elves will gradually increase, it¡¯s just a pity that Jela still can¡¯t trigger evolution¡­ I wonder which dragon it is truly fated with.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Jela is really unique, brother, have you noticed? Jela has the highest emotional intelligence among all the Greater Elves, even richer than the Dragon Sprites.¡± Ach returned from Mount Mulagao Ding, planning to stay a few more days at the Sun Moon Star Palace to decode some recorded runes.


    ¡°Wow.¡± Jela sat on Liszt¡¯s shoulder, lacking the self-awareness to not be a third wheel.


    Liszt smiled and said, ¡°Jela is indeed unique, one of a kind. I wonder which dragon it will take a liking to. If I knew, I would just go and snatch it directly.¡± The Smoke Mission had mentioned Jela¡¯s uniqueness before. The Power of Destiny surrounding Jela indeed surpasses that of ordinary Greater Elves.


    Ach rubbed Jela¡¯s head. In the palace, apart from Liszt, only Ach could do this; even Paris and Emily couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Actually, what Jela likes most is brother, rarely do Greater Elves display such affectionate behavior.¡±


    Elves are born from plants, and since plants are individual beings, the personality of Elves is also similar to that of plants¡ªthey are not social creatures and lack strong emotions.


    Even for their contracted masters, it is only a general feeling brought about by the contract power.


    It was because of this that Buckwheat Dragon Sprite¡ªYadi from the Eagle Royal Family swiftly integrated into Sun Moon Star Palace; Man-Eating Tree Dragon Sprite¡ªKali constantly went out and rarely lived in the palace; Phoenix Perch Parasol Dragon Sprite¡ªAni even lived in the distant Doomsday Volcano Group.


    Giant Algae Dragon Sprite¡ªPike stayed all day in the Undersea Forest, Pea Dragon Sprite¡ªAsh was engrossed in the art of ropes, and Klay was also planning to move into the Gourd Plantation.


    Only Jela, liked to stick to Liszt.


    ¡°Yes, Jela likes me the most.¡± Liszt smiled, but though unintentionally said by the speaker, Ach¡¯s words stirred waves in his heart.


    He looked at Jela, but his thoughts were elsewhere: ¡°Jela likes me the most? Jela, as highlighted in the Smoke Mission, is the most unique Elf¡­ So, the dragon that Jela should truly like, wouldn¡¯t it be the Smoke Dragon that merged with me? Is the meeting with Jela the interweaving of destiny?¡±

 Chapter 1113: 1110: Reproduction of Life

    Chapter 1113: Chapter 1110: Reproduction of Life


    Is Jela destined to be with the Smoke Dragon? Once the Smoke Dragon is conceived, we will know for sure.


    Liszt left Jela in the Castle, and spent a whole day having fun with Ach, only returning to the Sun Moon Star Palace when night fell.


    After dinner, he took Ach to the music room.


    Playing piano, singing songs, it didn¡¯t take long for Ach to sit in Liszt¡¯s embrace, just like when the Little Sea Monster hadn¡¯t yet grown feet.


    ¡°Ach, how many years have we known each other?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Ach and brother have known each other for eight years, three months and fifteen days.¡± Ach, with her Archmage¡¯s super brain, could recite these data effortlessly, ¡°Back then, Ach was being chased by Dulu Miqita, and it was brother who protected Ach, settling in the little castle of Fresh Flower Town.¡±


    Then Ach, feeling nostalgic, said: ¡°It was in that little castle where Ach gradually came in contact with the profound knowledge of magic, understanding the operating order of the entire world.¡±


    ¡°Yes, at that time I showed you the magic books just to make your stay in the castle less boring. I never expected that the fragile little Sea Monster would grow up to be a powerful Archmage known far and wide, attracting countless magicians to pilgrimage.¡±


    Ach smiled and tugged at Liszt¡¯s earlobe: ¡°But Ach knew from the start that brother would become a very, very formidable Dragon Knight, protecting Ach.¡±


    ¡°That is true, I do have a rather outstanding temperament.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at the adorable Ach, Liszt bowed his head and kissed her smooth forehead. Then he parted her thick azure hair to reveal her transparent, soft, fin-like ears, a feature distinguishing Sea Serpents from humans.


    Including a pair of transparent fin-like wings on her back.


    The transparent water bands that originally surrounded her body had disappeared, and she has now adapted to human behaviors, wearing clothes.


    ¡°Ach.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Would you like to be your brother¡¯s Queen?¡± Liszt asked with a smile, a question he had wanted to ask for a long time, as there was never a possibility to maintain a mere sibling relationship with Ach. From the moment they first met, he knew that the diamond-like beautiful Ach was the most precious gift arranged by fate for him.


    This fate, this bond, had long been established, inseparable.


    Ach looked at Liszt and also showed a sweet smile: ¡°Okay!¡± Her expression was relaxed and natural, without hesitation or panic, as if it was supposed to be this way.


    So.


    Liszt bowed his head again, kissing Ach fiercely on her lips, not parting until Ach almost couldn¡¯t breathe: ¡°I will declare with a grand wedding to the whole Legendary Continent that Achero¨ªdes Truth will be my, Liszt Flame, lawful wife.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Ach seemed very happy, but then she frowned slightly: ¡°But brother, Ach is a Sea Serpent, and brother is a human. Sea Serpents and humans are reproductively isolated, Ach cannot have babies for brother?¡±


    ¡°We will not have babies; we both have lifespans of hundreds of years and have already transcended the mundane. Why bother with the worldly pursuit of procreation?¡±


    ¡°Although Archy doesn¡¯t understand the human obsession with offspring, Archy wishes big brother could have a complete human life.¡± Archy playfully blinked, ¡°Big brother can have babies with Emily, Paris and the others; they are excellent vessels indeed.¡±


    ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± Even Li Si Te, with his thick skin, blushed a little.


    Not wanting to discuss this topic further, he abruptly changed the subject: ¡°Archy, you are an Archmage, with far greater understanding of the soul and physiology than anyone else. I remember you once researched vitality potions, especially those to enhance the fertility of Yu Chou¡­¡±


    He paused, then continued, ¡°Do you think that through our union, along with some magical methods, we could conceive a new life; a child inheriting our noble lineages?¡±


    Archy pondered seriously, ¡°The creation of Sea Serpent life, essentially, has a lot in common with Elf breeding. Archy has also considered the different biological structures between Sea Serpents and humans. Even though Sea Serpents possess most organs similar to humans, they lack a reproductive system.¡±


    Elves can be seen as living, living gemstones, using plants to condense.


    Sea Serpents can be seen as living, living seawater, gaining new life through shells.


    Gemstones and seawater clearly do not follow the rules of sexual reproduction and the absence of a reproductive system means it is difficult to blend bloodlines and foster the next generation.


    Li Si Te felt very disappointed; he truly hoped that he and Archy could have a child, as family is an inseparable part of a complete earthly worldview.


    Seemingly sensing his disappointment.


    Archy quickly added, ¡°However, Archy has pondered the essence of life inheritance: the resurrection of a dead Elemental Dragon, Magical Beasts discernment from bloodlines, direct progeny between Mermaids, Phoenixes¡¯ rebirth from ash, Elves born from plants, and Sea Serpents raised by the sea, leading to a conclusion.¡±


    ¡°What conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Life also follows the Triangle Theory of magic, matter, and spirit. The body is matter, the container of life; the soul is spirit, representing life; talent is magic, the growth of life. Creatures that have not practiced magic must reproduce to proliferate, but creatures that have practiced magic have grown in life and are no longer confined to reproductive proliferation.¡±


    The Triangle Theory is something Li Si Te is familiar with, so it¡¯s not surprising to apply it to life.


    He pursued further, ¡°You are an Archmage, and I am a Bastion Knight, your body has elementalized, mine has Phoenixized, our life forms have surely grown¡­ Archy, how else could we propagate?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Archy, like learning to play coy, deliberately paused before adding, ¡°But does big brother remember the scenes seen in the Time Diamond? Big brother said that future Archy reminded him about the Immortal Dragon in the Exiled Lands?¡±


    Li Si Te contemplatively said, ¡°You mean?¡±


    ¡°The Immortal Dragon is the dragon that represents life among the Sacred Dragons, perhaps if Archy wishes to bear big brother¡¯s child, we must harness the power of the Immortal Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Li Si Te immediately decided, ¡°After we unify the Legendary Continent, we will find a way to enter the Exiled Lands. Even the Grand Magician Curtis Truth almost succeeded in finding the Exiled Lands; together, with our powers combined, we can definitely reach the Exiled Lands.¡±


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    Li Si Te commanded all officials of the Outer Cabinet, Inner Cabinet, and Inner Court directly: ¡°I, the sole master of the sea, Landlord of all islands, the Formless Dragon Knight, Fire Dragon Knight, Water Dragon Knight, Mountain Copper Dragon Knight, Bone Dragon Knight, Aluminum Dragon Knight, Royal Sapphire Dragon Knight, Bronze Dragon Knight, the King of the Flame Kingdom¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Li Si Te Flame, under the witness of Knightly Glory and Magical Truth, will marry Archmage Archy Roydes Truth as my wife. She will be the Queen of the Flame Kingdom, and I will be the King of the Flame Kingdom. Together, we shall govern the sacred authority of the Flame Kingdom.¡±

 Chapter 1114: 1111: Grand Wedding

    Chapter 1114: Chapter 1111: Grand Wedding


    ¡°His Majesty the King is to hold a wedding with Her Excellency the Archmage!¡±


    The Flame Kingdom, equipped with a Magic Platform for communication, rapidly spread the official news. Within just an hour, all major cities of the Kingdom received the notice and posted announcements about the wedding of Liszt and Acherloides, scheduled for June 1st of the 2nd year in the Flame Calendar.


    ¡°His Majesty¡¯s grand wedding, the Flame Kingdom will thrive for thousands of generations!¡± Knights across the land rushed into the streets, spreading the news and celebrating for His Majesty the King.


    The commoners in the city soon heard the news and also rushed into the streets, gathering in excited groups to discuss.


    ¡°The great His Majesty the King is finally getting married, our little prince of the Flame Kingdom will soon be born. This is truly a joyous occasion.¡±


    ¡°The Queen is the great Her Excellency the Archmage, a companion who has been by His Majesty¡¯s side even before he rode dragons. Their love must be more glittering than gold!¡±


    ¡°Her Excellency the Archmage is not only a great mage but also a pure Unicorn rider.¡±


    ¡°Only Her Excellency the Archmage¡¯s purity is worthy of His Majesty¡¯s nobility. Their prince will surely have the noblest bloodline in the world!¡±


    ¡°I originally thought His Majesty the King would marry a princess to become the Queen.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, the kingdom¡¯s princesses are simply not worthy of our great His Majesty the King, and those three kingdoms are our enemies.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty the King should not marry princesses from those kingdoms. I used to be a serf in the Eagle Kingdom, where I worked every day but never had enough to eat. In the Flame Kingdom, I now have my own house and a little pony; my son is currently learning knightly courses, all thanks to our great His Majesty the King!¡±


    ¡°Only our His Majesty the King is the noblest of nobles!¡±


    ¡°I really want to go to Flame King City and witness the wedding of His Majesty the King and Her Excellency the Archmage myself. It will definitely be an unforgettable moment.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Her Excellency the Archmage is so fortunate to become the wife of the great, handsome His Majesty the King. She must be the happiest woman in the world!¡±


    ¡°To celebrate His Majesty the King¡¯s grand wedding, I¡¯ve decided to have a 10% sale off everything in my bakery today!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, today I must have a drink of stout to toast to His Majesty the King and Her Excellency the Archmage! They are the perfect couple and will lead the Flame Kingdom to a great era.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Old Jack, did you ever see His Majesty the King when you were farming on Black Horse Island?¡±


    ¡°Haha, of course, I¡¯ve seen His Majesty the King. Not only have I seen him, but he also spoke to me. He said, ¡®Old Jack, your peas are not bad¡¯¡ªmy peas sell for more than others because they were praised by His Majesty the King! I¡¯ve also seen His Majesty the King and Her Excellency the Archmage riding horses together, that¡¯s when I knew, the great Dragon Knight and the Archmage, they were bound to be together!¡±


    ¡°Old Jack, you¡¯re bragging again. You always boast about your peas, but you¡¯ve never mentioned seeing His Majesty the King and Her Excellency the Archmage riding horses together.¡±


    ¡°You folks know nothing, I was keeping the King¡¯s marital affairs confidential!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°The decision for the Majesty¡¯s wedding seems somewhat rushed.¡± A feudal noble, serving as an official in the city, discussed with another official, ¡°Highness Acherloides is a nixie¡­ I thought His Majesty would choose Princess Emily as the Queen.¡±


    ¡°Louis, His Majesty the King¡¯s wisdom is not something you and I can speculate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a bit concerned, with the great battle with the Tri-Nation Alliance looming, whether this wedding will encounter any setbacks¡­ You know, His Majesty the King needs an heir.¡±


    The official glanced around, no one was nearby, and he responded in a low voice, ¡°In His Majesty¡¯s Royal Palace, there lives not just one noble woman¡­ Princess Emily, Minister Paris, and it is said that Lady Hippolyta has also spent the night¡­ Essentially, you really don¡¯t need to worry about this.¡±


    ¡°Um, I know, uh, I¡¯m just overthinking, His Majesty is not an ordinary king, he is the most powerful Holy Dragon Knight on the Legendary Continent.¡±


    ¡­


    Ach¡¯s Sea Serpent identity has long been no secret to the Nobles, and thus the topic of reproductive isolation between humans and sea serpents is often discussed.


    At this moment in Tulip Castle.


    Lady Penelope was a bit worried, ¡°When Liszt brought Ach to the Castle on Coral Island, I knew it was not simple. Li Weiliam has told me about her Sea Serpent identity, and I admire her contribution to Liszt¡¯s nation-building, but the Flame Family needs an heir.¡±


    Lady Marie comforted her, ¡°Your grandson is the first self-made king in a thousand years on the Legendary Continent, he knows what he is doing, and the Flame Family will surely grow stronger and become a great, long-lasting Dragon Rearing Family.¡±


    Loria chimed in, ¡°Yes, grandmother, His Majesty¡¯s choice is actually quite charming.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Loria, tell me how he is charming?¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°His Majesty did not choose a foreign princess, but instead chose Ach whom he met first; this shows his loyalty and honor. Although marital alliances are the best option for maximizing noble interests, such a choice also highlights His Majesty¡¯s noble knightly qualities.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Liszt possesses all the noble qualities of a knight,¡± Lady Penelope naturally nodded, ¡°but I still hope he could form a marriage alliance with a foreign princess, or choose that young girl Emily. I¡¯ve met her; her physique is absolutely suitable for bearing children.¡±


    Then, she added, ¡°Minister Paris is also good, and that young girl Hippolyta, who could become a Dragon Knight, is surely fit for childbirth.¡±


    Lady Marie empathized, ¡°Yes, Princess Emily, Minister Paris, Lady Hippolyta, the kingdom has many outstanding women.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, Lady Marie, I think your views are somewhat biased.¡±


    ¡°What bias?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty chose Ach, but that doesn¡¯t mean he has rejected Princess Emily, Marquis Paris, and Lady Hippolyta.¡±


    Loria said earnestly, ¡°His Majesty¡¯s grand strategy is evident from the number of dragons he rides; if he can ride so many dragons, then having more wives seems quite natural.¡± Liszt has already broken the phenomenon of one knight per dragon.


    Hearing this.


    Lady Penelope and Lady Marie looked at each other, then nodded in agreement, ¡°Indeed, even if he marries only one wife as the queen, he can have many lovers. Even if the bastards cannot inherit the king¡¯s glory, can¡¯t they inherit their mother¡¯s glory?¡±


    Emily is currently a marquis and will inevitably be promoted to duke in the future, as will Hippolyta; Paris might not be promoted to duke, but being a marquis is already glorious.


    ¡°Really just worrying over nothing.¡± Lady Penelope paused with her Cultural Stick in hand, said, ¡°Marie, Loria, you now need to prepare with care; when Liszt¡¯s grand wedding arrives, Tulip Castle¡¯s gift must be more precious than any noble¡¯s gift in the kingdom!¡±


    Lady Marie unconsciously asked, ¡°Are you still sending a potted plant?¡±


    Lady Penelope held her head high, proudly said, ¡°Of course, I will additionally gift my potted plant, although the Elf Bug bred within can no longer match Liszt¡¯s status, this is a grandmother¡¯s heartfelt sentiment, ever since he was the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, my potted plants have accompanied him.¡±

 Chapter 1115: 1112: The Only Focus

    Chapter 1115: Chapter 1112: The Only Focus


    Other than appearing happier, Acherloides seemed quite natural regarding the upcoming wedding. Perhaps for her, the pleasures between men and women were just a small part of life, while wandering in the ocean of magic knowledge embraced a vast future.


    Or perhaps.


    She still didn¡¯t understand what pleasures between men and women were.


    Li Si Te, however, was holding back his excitement, striving to appear as composed as Acherloides and looking forward to the deepest level of communication with her after the wedding. Perhaps from the first sight of Acherloides, such a notion had already taken root in his mind, but he had enough patience to wait.


    Swish, swish, swish.


    With a new type of pen, he flamboyantly signed his name on documents and sealed them with the latest type of magic anti-counterfeiting label, then gestured for his secretary to send the documents to the Outer Cabinet.


    Leaning back in his chair, he turned towards the window of his study.


    From his position, one could see the whole of Flame King City, with the Triumphal Arch at the center of the city particularly striking, topped with his enormous statue. Unlike other kings, his authority was exhibited all over Flame Kingdom, and what was said to be a knightly system was more of a semi-feudal, semi-centralized system.


    His authority not only enveloped his direct territories but also extended into the lands of the Feudal Nobles, where he had absolute jurisdiction over taxation, laws, and education.


    ¡°The Kingdom¡¯s war machine is now operating at high speed, with the Knight Order gathering and training in full swing. Bard has almost finished scouting the natural nodes in Eagle Kingdom¡­ After my wedding with Acherloides, the real beginning of the dragon-slaying war will commence.¡±


    ¡­


    Apart from normal dragon-riding training, Li Si Te devoted most of his time to the preparation of the wedding. Acherloides needed to quickly unravel the secrets of the Moon Teleportation Circle, so the wedding preparations had to be undertaken by Li Si Te ¡ªthough, it was mostly a joint effort by the Outer Cabinet, Inner Cabinet, and Inner Court.


    He was mainly responsible for nodding or shaking his head, and then receiving gifts from the nobles, which he thought would not arrive at this time from the three great Kingdoms.


    Unexpectedly, although the three great Kingdoms hadn¡¯t sent gifts, the duchies had secretly sent numerous gifts.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is a list of gifts secretly sent by the Rose Duchy, please check it,¡± the secretary handed him a list that recorded a string of items.


    The most conspicuous were the Red Dragon Water and Platinum Magic Potion, with a large quantity of each.


    ¡°The Red and White Rose Family is still so generous. After I overthrow Steel Ridge Kingdom, I shall allow the Rose Duchy to continue existing as a state under me,¡± he internally decided. He had a fondness for Prince Mathew, who liked to spend money and smash others with Magic Potions.


    Immediately after, the secretary handed over another list: ¡°Your Majesty, this is a list of gifts secretly sent by the Emerald Duchy, please check it.¡±


    The Emerald Duchy was a vassal state of Eagle Kingdom, with a Golden Green Gemstone Dragon within the country, but the king was no Dragon Knight.


    Li Si Te glanced over and immediately frowned, ¡°Flour, animal skins and a heap of gemstones, are these wedding gifts or an insult?¡±


    He tossed the list away.


    The Emerald Duchy might not send gifts, but if it did, it couldn¡¯t be so stingy. This wasn¡¯t networking, it was mockery: ¡°The Emerald Duchy has no further reason to exist.¡±


    In a short while, he reviewed the gift lists from six vassal states. According to their value, two duchies could be moderately retained, but the other four had no reason to continue existing. As for those duchies that did not send gifts, they were similarly classified as unnecessary.


    ¡°Have the gifts from the Yellowstone Royal Family not yet arrived?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, we have not received them yet.¡±


    ¡°What about the gifts from Snowstorm Mountain Duchy?¡±


    ¡°Just now, through a Magic Platform connection with Heroic Yellow City, the gifts from the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy have just passed through the Magic Gate of Heroic Yellow City and arrived at Jade City. The list of gifts hasn¡¯t been delivered yet.¡±


    Li Si Te nodded, ¡°For the domestic nobles¡¯ gifts, according to their ranks and territorial outputs, you and the secretary team should carefully compare and arrange them in order before presenting them to me, understand?¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    After the secretary left, another secretary from the secretary group knocked on the door and entered: ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Emily requests an audience.¡±


    ¡°Please, let her in.¡±


    Soon, Emily entered the study and said to the secretary, ¡°You may leave now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± the secretary replied, withdrawing.


    Emily quickly walked up to Liszt, greeted him formally despite their romantic relationship, still rigorously adhering to the etiquette of a follower towards a landlord.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we last met, Emily. How is your progress in learning at Hippolyta?¡± Liszt asked with a smile.


    ¡°Hippolyta is studying very hard, with Ornn¡¯s guidance, I just need to give occasional advice. Her combat abilities are rapidly increasing, but to become a Completion-term Dragon Knight, she still needs to put in more effort. I originally planned to bring her here with me, but she refused.¡±


    ¡°It seems my wedding with Acherloides has had some impact on her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still young, Your Majesty. Give her some time to relax and she will come to terms with it,¡± Emily walked over naturally and slowly sat on Liszt¡¯s lap, ¡°Your nobility, even as a Dragon Knight like myself and Hippolyta, is still something we look up to. Only Acherloides is the most suitable candidate for Queen.¡±


    ¡°Do not sell yourself short, it¡¯s just that Acherloides and I met first,¡± Liszt stroked Emily¡¯s hair, although in reality, it was Paris who he met first.


    But some things, whether true or not, do not need to be dwelled upon as long as they sound pleasant.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s grand wedding with Acherloides has left me worried about what gift to prepare,¡± Emily said, leaning against Liszt¡¯s chest.


    ¡°You should know Acherloides¡¯s personality; she wouldn¡¯t care about any gifts, and as for me, do you think our relationship needs to rely on gifts to sustain? Don¡¯t worry, just let your butler handle it.¡± Emily is the Marquise of Jade City and owns her own castle.


    In it, there is a butler and a group of knight followers, who manage her estate for her.


    Listening to Liszt¡¯s heartbeat, she replied, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡­


    The wedding took place as scheduled on June 1st, a grand celebration was held in Flame King City, with people singing and dancing to celebrate the great King, who is marrying the noble and pure Queen.


    The actual wedding ceremony was held in the Sun Moon Star Palace, attended only by international emissaries and the Nobles fortunate enough to witness it.


    As an Elf of the sea, born and raised, Acherloides had no family. To make up for this, Liszt personally arranged for a Giant Dragon to bring seven Mermaids from the ocean. Mermaids can¡¯t go ashore but could stay in a man-made lake in Sun Moon Valley.


    A red carpet stretched from the man-made lake to the ¡°Magic Elevator¡± of the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    When the auspicious moment arrived, the Nobles and several commoner representatives standing on both sides of the red carpet eagerly stared at the calm lake.


    The band played a cheerful wedding march.


    Suddenly. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The calm surface of the lake split in the middle, steps formed of water gradually appeared, and six Mermaids swam to either side, gently waving their hands to create extremely beautiful water sculptures decorating the steps. Moments later, during the climax of the first part of the wedding march, the seventh Mermaid made her appearance.


    On her shoulders, stood a petite figure, dressed in a pure white wedding gown, nobly and stunningly beautiful ¡ª Acherloides Truth.


    Gently, Acherloides stepped onto the water staircase from the Mermaid¡¯s shoulders.


    That instant, hidden Arcanists around the lake rapidly cast prepared Magic, and suddenly the entire sky burst into countless colorful Magic Power flowers. Highlighting Acherloides walking on the water, she became the sole focus in the midst of Sun Moon Valley, nobly unapproachable.

 Chapter 1116: 1113: The Deepest Union

    Chapter 1116: Chapter 1113: The Deepest Union


    As the unapproachable Acherloides, step by step ascended the red carpet from the man-made lake along the cascading steps, a streak of light flashed across the sky. The Unicorn Charley came galloping out of the void, pacing diligently beside Acherloides to escort her.


    In front of the red carpet, Liszt, dressed in black wedding attire, waited with a smile for Acherloides to arrive.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Acherloides swiftly approached Liszt. She returned a smile, and instantly, it seemed like all the magic flowers in the sky, as well as the potted blossoms along the carpet, lost their color at the same time.


    Only Acherloides¡¯ smile was exceptionally bright: ¡°Brother.¡±


    Liszt stepped forward to take Acherloides¡¯ slender hand: ¡°Acherloides.¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    ¡°Oh roar!¡±


    ¡°Yo roar!¡±


    ¡°Hu roar!¡±


    ¡°Woo eeyah!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The Giant Dragons¡¯ voices rose from Moon Mountain and Sun Mountain, while Nimia the Giant Lion roared nearby in the Sun Moon Valley, celebrating this sacred and solemn moment.


    Liszt and Acherloides hand in hand, walked down the long red carpet and took the Magic Elevator straight to the Sun Moon Star Palace.


    Officiated by Li Weiliam himself, he read the wedding vows: ¡°On the 1st of June in the second year of the Flame Calendar¡­ With the sacred authority granted to me by the Knight¡¯s honor and the Magic Truth, I declare Liszt Flame and Acherloides Truth, to be wed!¡±


    Applause thundered.


    Nobles and commoner representatives who rushed to the Royal Palace clapped their hands frantically.


    With friends and followers as witnesses, Liszt took the ring passed by the flower child¡ªa Space Ring crafted from Space Gems.


    He slid one onto Acherloides¡¯ finger, and she placed one onto his.


    With that, the wedding concluded.


    No overly cumbersome procedures, nor the usual exchange of gifts between marrying Nobles. He and Acherloides were already family; this was merely to give Acherloides a proper status. Nevertheless, the splendor of the wedding was significant, especially with the participation of Unicorns, Nimia the Giant Lion, and the Giant Dragons.


    It was just like a Chinese wedding, where a fleet of Rolls-Royces is hired to pick up the bride, too dazzling for the eyes.


    At the wedding banquet that followed, Acherloides did not show up again; she had never liked such bustling events: ¡°Brother, is this okay for Acherloides?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not to be okay with? In the Flame Kingdom, I make the rules. You are my dearest Acherloides. Any rule you don¡¯t like can be as if it never existed.¡± Liszt kissed Acherloides¡¯ forehead and immediately left the room; he still had to socialize outside.


    Holding a glass of wine, when nobles came to toast, he would take a sip.


    ¡°Liszt, my great His Majesty the King, now your life is finally complete. Grandmother is proud of you and wishes for you and Acherloides to walk hand in hand until the end of your days, inseparable,¡± Lady Penelope uttered emotionally as she embraced Liszt.


    ¡°Thank you for your blessings, Grandmother. I will,¡± he replied.


    Cousin Mei Oubo Taro, and Princess Angela Sapphire of the former Sapphire Duchy, holding their wine, came over: ¡°Your Majesty, as you know, Levis, Li Vera, and I have been waiting for this day for a long time,¡± he said respectfully raising his glass.


    The Levis Couple and the Li Vera Couple also held up their wine glasses in unison.


    Lidun, newly married, stood aside with his wife, not very acquainted with Mei Oubo.


    Liszt raised his glass in response: ¡°We all eventually approach marriage, Mei Oubo, Levis, Li Vera, and Lidun, thank you for coming to my wedding.¡±


    At the very end. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Weiliam also picked up a wine glass and walked with Liszt to a corner: ¡°Liszt, you are my King, and also my son. I watched you grow up, and I watched you become the King, and now, I watch you enter into marriage, with your own wife¡­ I will continue to watch the Flame Kingdom grow and flourish under your hands.¡±


    ¡°Father, you will soon see the flourishing Flame Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Be kinder to Acherloides.¡±


    ¡°No one will cherish Acherloides more than I do.¡±


    ¡­


    The hustle of the Royal Palace did not subside until the evening. After a day¡¯s fatigue, Liszt comfortably took a bath. When nightfall came with its blanket of dark, he returned to the King¡¯s sleeping chamber, full of eager anticipation.


    He gestured for the servants around the sleeping chamber to leave.


    Alone, he walked in.


    Acherloides had already changed into normal home attire, and was earnestly reading a Magic Book. However, her slightly trembling hands betrayed the unrest in her heart. Even the usually composed Acherloides could not remain indifferent to the approaching adult baptism.


    ¡°Acherloides.¡± Liszt approached her, his palm caressing her azure hair with tenderness, ¡°Now you are my Queen.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Acherloides nodded with forced calmness.


    ¡°Marrying brother, becoming brother¡¯s wife, do you feel happy?¡±


    ¡°Acherloides is very happy, brother.¡±


    ¡°Then, are you ready for a deeper union with brother?¡± Liszt pulled Acherloides up, leaned over slightly, and asked close to her face.


    The warm breath on Acherloides¡¯s face caused a blush to surface on her exquisite cheeks, but her eyes remained determined yet tenderly affectionate as she gazed at Liszt: ¡°Brother, Acherloides is ready.¡± The homely clothes were not flashy, but they draped over her, accentuating her exceptional elegance.


    Embracing such a beauty, Liszt even felt a surreal daze in his heart. Once upon a time, he never would have imagined that he could marry a noble and pure Sea Serpent like Acherloides.


    ¡°With you, I possess the whole world.¡± He suddenly bent down, scooping Acherloides into his arms. Her petite form seemed almost boneless, so light.


    The touch of his hands was particularly delightful.


    Although it was not the first time he had embraced Acherloides, each time his heart would throb. The only difference was, this time, he did not suppress the heat inside him but let it ferment and erupt vigorously.


    The soft bed sheets, the golden canopy.


    He undid her robe lightly.


    In an instant, every delicate and flawless detail of Acherloides¡¯s body was in Liszt¡¯s view, unobscured by clothing or water ribbons.


    This moment.


    Fulfilled all the fantasies Liszt had had since he first saw Acherloides, inspecting the entirety of the Sea Serpent for the first time, inside and out, down to the smallest detail.


    ¡°Hu!¡±


    Heart against heart, their strong pulses beat.


    Beneath the soft lighting, the solid bed made of rocky woods trembled slightly; everything was so wonderful and magical. Liszt felt surrounded by endless warmth, striving towards the ends of the world, over and over, each time an ascension of both spirit and flesh.


    In this continuous effort, his swelling passion, with one final sprint to the summit, burst forth completely, transforming into a blaze, into an arrow, consuming everything.


    Boom!


    Ah!


    ¡­


    Three days later.


    Liszt, dressed in the King¡¯s regalia, stood in the highest corridor of the Sun Moon Star Palace, arm around Acherloides, who wore the Queen¡¯s regalia.


    The golden sun rose from the east, draping the earth in a resplendent mantle of light.


    He stretched out his hand towards the endless lands and said to Acherloides, ¡°Do you see, Acherloides, this is our Kingdom, where all living beings, resources, even Magic, belong to us¡­ And one day, a day that will come soon, the Legendary Continent, the Mafa Continent, all the seas, will be ours!¡±

 Chapter 1117: 1114: Destined with Me

    Chapter 1117: Chapter 1114: Destined with Me


    The wedding didn¡¯t impact the established policies of the Flame Kingdom. On the sunny and breezy day of June 6th, Liszt felt the surging Power of Destiny around him.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for a grand and fierce dragon-slaying battle. I can feel that this dragon-slaying battle will be the first domino to fall. Once this domino falls, there will be no more obstacles to my unifying the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent!¡±


    He mounted the Formless Dragon Bard, his spirit soaring.


    A sweet smile appeared on Ach¡¯s face as she nestled in his arms. As an Archmage with a Unicorn, her strength was more than enough to assist Liszt in any dragon-slaying battle.


    Behind them,


    were Emily riding the Light Green Gemstone Dragon ¨C Ethan, and Hippolyta on the Grey Iron Dragon ¨C Ornn, as well as Mountain Copper Dragon ¨C Mata, Royal Sapphire Dragon ¨C Ryze, and Bronze Dragon ¨C Nome. As for the underage Water Dragon ¨C Water, it clung to Liszt in Totem Form.


    Aluminum Dragon ¨C Connor stayed behind to guard Flame King City, while Bone Dragon ¨C Vinnie was also attached to Liszt.


    ¡°Bardian cry!¡± Bard sensed the dragons from the enemy patrol. In their previous encounters, Ach had secretly placed a Space Magic Beacon on the enemy dragons.


    Due to the unique nature of space, these Magic Beacons are difficult to erase and also go unnoticed.


    ¡°Go, let¡¯s get there quickly!¡± commanded Liszt, and the mighty troop of dragon riders, like sharks smelling blood, swiftly assembled and moved forward.


    Hundreds of kilometers away, seven dragons were patrolling in formation along the coastal waters between the Eagle Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom. Each Dragon Knight was equipped with a standard Telescope¡ªan equipment that had failed to remain secret for long and had already been stolen by Rats.


    ¡°The Flame Kingdom has been blockaded by us for half a year. We thought that young King would be fretting. But who would have expected him to hold a wedding at this time? It seems he¡¯s still living quite comfortably,¡± remarked Robert Lance, the Zinc Dragon Knight from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, trying to spark a conversation.


    Topaz Dragon Knight ¨C Tracy Bloody Pelican said, ¡°A blockade can¡¯t kill the Flame Kingdom. It¡¯s only because the Yellowstone Kingdom is unwilling to cooperate that Liszt has had a chance to catch his breath.¡±


    A hint of worry appeared on his brow. As a Dragon Knight of the Eagle Kingdom, he had once encountered Liszt in a dragon-slaying battle and had felt the might of Liszt.


    ¡°No matter how strong, he can¡¯t jump around for long. Our Tri-Nation Alliance¡¯s strangling is just the prelude. When the Dragon Knight of the Kushan Imperial arrives with the Ancient Artifact, it will be the moment when Liszt and his Formless Dragon are thoroughly annihilated!¡± grunted Ornn Platinum, the White Heart Iron Dragon Knight.


    He was a Prince of the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    Lead Dragon Knight ¨C Warren Upside-down Golden Bell said offhandedly, ¡°It¡¯s unexpected that the Kushan Imperial never intended to leave the Formless Dragon alive from the start. But it makes sense; the presence of a Sacred Dragon isn¡¯t good for the Legendary Continent.¡± From the viewpoint of the Kingdom, the Sacred Dragon disrupts balance.


    When a Kingdom acquires a Sacred Dragon, it will inevitably break the existing system and aspire to join the ranks of empires, thus offending the interests of the empires and warranting destruction. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If an empire acquires a Sacred Dragon, it will provoke a fierce backlash from the other two great empires.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, not to witness the day a Sacred Dragon like the Formless Dragon grows up,¡± lamented Edward Deep Red Gem, the Crimson Gem Dragon Knight. He was the Grand Duke of the deep Crimson Gem Grand Duchy, a vassal of the Eagle Kingdom, who had successfully mounted the family¡¯s Crimson Gem Dragon.


    The five Dragon Knights flew side by side, and in addition, there was a Silver Dragon from the Eagle Kingdom and an Azure Sapphire Dragon from the Steel Ridge Kingdom.


    With seven dragons flying together, creating a formidable presence, even the fish swimming deep in the sea would instantly faint, overwhelmed by the immense Dragon Might.


    And just at that moment.


    The Silver Dragon suddenly let out a rapid roar: ¡°Roar!¡± Then it turned around, facing the eastern sea and adopting a defensive stance.


    ¡°Lord Silver Dragon, what¡¯s happening?¡± Tracy asked.


    ¡°It must be that Lord Silver Dragon has detected the aura of a dragon from the Flame Kingdom,¡± Auden, the temporary leader of the Dragon Rider Corps, declared emphatically. ¡°Everyone be on alert and be prepared. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s really the Flame Kingdom attempting to cross the border!¡±


    In an instant, the seven dragons that were flying separately gathered together.


    Three minutes later, Auden raised his voice again: ¡°My Heart King has also sensed the dragon aura, a very powerful dragon aura, and it remembers this aura, it¡¯s the aura of the Formless Dragon! Liszt himself has come. Everyone, be cautious!¡± The Heart King is the name of his mount, the White Heart Iron Dragon.


    Originally, he had confronted Liszt during the naval battle at the Sapphire Duchy and remembered the aura of the Formless Dragon Bard.


    ¡°How dare he!¡±


    ¡°Is he looking to start another Dragon Slaying War!¡±


    ¡°Not enjoying the company of that beautiful Sea Monster Magician in the Royal Palace, he actually shows up here. This King Liszt really doesn¡¯t know how to enjoy life,¡± Robert sneered. He was from the Blast Furnace Fortress and had never had contact with Liszt, so deep inside he wasn¡¯t very convinced.


    Both being Dragon Knights, why should the Holy Dragon Knight be stronger, especially since it was an underage Formless Dragon.


    ¡°Robert, when Liszt appears, do not provoke him. If a Dragon Slaying War really breaks out, we may not necessarily get the upper hand,¡± Auden said with a serious expression and caution in his voice. ¡°You have never encountered Liszt, so you are unaware of how formidable he is.¡±


    With that said, Tracy and Warren nodded repeatedly, having experienced the fear of being dominated by Liszt.


    Robert frowned, annoyed at Auden speaking to him in that tone, but he wasn¡¯t oblivious to how things work. Having been a Dragon Knight for so many years, his pride didn¡¯t equate to arrogance: ¡°Rest assured, Prince Auden, you are in charge of the Dragon Rider Corps, I will follow your instructions.¡±


    Only then did Auden nod.


    Immediately after, he looked toward the distant sky, and after a few minutes, he said heavily, ¡°Here they come!¡±


    Before the words had settled, six small black dots suddenly appeared in the distant sky, flying towards them at high speed, gradually taking the shape of six dragons and three Dragon Knights.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Fire Dragon, a Light Green Gemstone Dragon, a Grey Iron Dragon, a Mountain Copper Dragon, a Bronze Dragon, and a Royal Sapphire Dragon!¡± exclaimed Tracy.


    Warren added, ¡°And there¡¯s the Formless Dragon, hidden somewhere around us!¡±


    Auden¡¯s eyebrows raised, putting down his telescope: ¡°Liszt is riding on the Fire Dragon, not the Formless Dragon, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s here to start a Dragon Slaying War this time!¡± They had thoroughly researched Liszt¡¯s combat style; normally, Liszt would enter battle riding the Formless Dragon.


    This time, riding on the Fire Dragon might be sending a certain signal.


    He waited until Liszt and his party got close enough for communication through the dragon¡¯s vocal cords, then opened with a bold inquiry: ¡°King Liszt, you have crossed the maritime boundary of the Eagle Kingdom. As the Tri-Nation Alliance and the Flame Kingdom are hostile kingdoms, what is your purpose here?¡±


    ¡°My purpose, you ask¡­¡±


    Riding on the back of the Fire Dragon, Liszt, facing the seven dragons and five knights who were as if prepared for a formidable enemy, declared resolutely: ¡°Glory as a Knight guides me, here are four dragons that share a fate with me!¡±